Despite making public statements about committing to transparency and cooperation, three NWSL clubs reportedly failed to fully cooperate with the U.S. Soccer investigation conducted by Sally Q. Yates.

The findings of the investigation, released Monday in a 172-page report, reveal detailed accounts of “systemic” abuse in the NWSL.

According to the report, the U.S. Soccer Federation “delivered on its commitment” to full autonomy and did not influence or interfere with the investigation. Over 200 interviews were conducted over the course of the year-long investigation, including over 100 interviews with current and former players.

In total, 11 current or former NWSL clubs provided documentation and cooperated with the investigation to varying degrees. However, the Chicago Red Stars, Portland Thorns and Racing Louisville all took actions that hindered the investigation, according to the report.

Each NWSL club at one time employed coaches being investigated for allegations of misconduct, including Paul Riley, Rory Dames and Christy Holly.

“The Thorns refused to produce relevant documents for months, making specious arguments that the materials were protected by the attorney-client and attorney work product privileges, causing months of delay and impeding interviews of key witnesses,” the report reads.

Additionally, the Thorns “impeded our access” to witnesses and failed to produce relevant documentation “for months,” citing attorney-client privilege, according to the report. The club later withdrew such assertions.

Thorns owner Merritt Paulson committed to transparency in a statement last October, days after he and former general manager Gavin Wilkinson were at the center of a report in The Athletic detailing allegations of misconduct against Riley when he was coach of the Thorns. In a letter issued to the public, Paulson “disavow[ed] the culture of silence that may have allowed for additional victimization by a predatory coach” and welcomed the investigation. He added that he was committed to “fully cooperate” in order to bring “much needed light…on the facts.”

The Red Stars, meanwhile, failed to provide documentation for six months. While documents were requested for the investigation on Dec. 13, 2021, the club “did not make its first substantial production” until May 6, and provided documents up until as recently as Sept. 13.

Dames resigned as Red Stars head coach last November after players came forward with accusations of emotional and verbal abuse in a Washington Post report.

“In addition, the Red Stars initially sought to narrow the scope of our investigation by declining to produce documents beyond those relating directly to Rory Dames,” the report adds. “The Red Stars have partially retreated from that position, but we have had to obtain documents from other cooperating sources to supplement their incomplete production.”

Lastly, Racing Louisville “refused to provide any information” on Holly’s tenure with the team, according to the report. Holly was fired “for cause” last August, though the club did not elaborate on the reasons at the time. U.S. Soccer’s investigation revealed new information about Holly’s departure, including Erin Simon’s accusations of sexual coercion and abuse against her former coach.

During the investigation, the report reads that Racing Louisville did not permit witnesses — including former employees — to answer questions about Holly’s tenure, citing non-disclosure and non-disparagement agreements. The team also produced just 41 documents for the investigation.

“In general, teams, the NWSL, and USSF appear to have prioritized concerns of legal exposure to litigation by coaches — and the risk of drawing negative attention to the team or League — over player safety and well-being,” the report reads.

Read more:

• U.S. Soccer’s NWSL abuse investigation found ‘systemic’ issues
• Ex-Racing Louisville coach Christy Holly ‘sexually coerced’ player
• Ex-Thorns general manager blamed abuse victim for Paul Riley’s firing
• Red Stars owner Arnim Whisler dismissed Rory Dames complaints
• Sally Yates addresses findings in U.S. Soccer’s NWSL abuse investigation

Cameron Brink already has her rookie of the year pick for the upcoming WNBA season, and it’s Indiana-bound star Caitlin Clark. 

In the latest edition of Kelley on the Street, host Kelley O'Hara caught up with Brink in New York hours before the Stanford phenom went No. 2 overall to the Los Angeles Sparks at the 2024 WNBA Draft. When O’Hara asked who would win the WNBA's rookie of the year, she answered without pause.

"Caitlin Clark," she said, while a fan commented that she thought Brink would take home the award. Brink later added that the extra foul granted to WNBA players will be "good for me."

"I hope it’s me," Charisma Osborne, who was later drafted by the Phoenix Mercury, said when asked her ROY prediction. "But, I don’t know — we’ll see."

Watch more of Kelley on the Street:

Maria Sanchez issued a statement on Thursday, confirming recent reports that she has requested a trade from the Houston Dash. 

In it, she revealed that the club has been aware of the request "since late March."

"This has all taken a toll and isn’t an easy thing to talk about, but I want to confirm that I’ve requested an immediate trade," she wrote. "My expectations and reasons have been clear. I trust that my current club’s management will honor my decision in a timely manner and proceed with accepting a trade."

"I’m eager to refocus and dive back into what I love most: playing football," she concluded.

Thank you, everyone, for the outpouring of kindness and support. pic.twitter.com/gcnN7dhCJU

— Maria Sanchez (@Maria17_7) April 19, 2024

Reports of Sanchez's trade request first surfaced on ESPN last week, and were later confirmed by multiple sources. 

In December of last year, Sanchez signed a three-year contract with the Dash valued at $1.5 million including bonuses and an option year. It was the largest contract in NWSL history at the time — a figure that would be eclipsed by multiple contracts in the following months. 

Sanchez spent the offseason as a restricted free agent, meaning that Houston could match any other team's offer to retain her rights. Should the Dash trade Sanchez, her current contract terms would remain intact, limiting potential buyers to teams able to afford to take on an inking of that size.

The Dash has yet to address the trade, instead reiterating to ESPN that Sanchez is "under contract, a choice she made in free agency at the end of 2023." 

Both the NWSL trade window and transfer window close tonight, April 19th, at 12 a.m. ET. The window will stay closed through the next 11 regular season games, reopening on August 1st, 2024.

The four-time league champion Seattle Storm unveiled their new practice facility on Thursday, with Storm co-owner Lisa Brummel dubbing Interbay's Seattle Storm Center for Basketball Performance the team’s "new home."

"It's just such a special space," Brummel told Fox 13 Seattle. "I think when the players get here, it's gonna be overwhelming."

The sprawling 50,000-square-foot, $64 million property is just the second designated practice facility to be designed and built expressly for a WNBA team, with the Storm further noting that 85% of all design and engineering team members involved in the project's construction were women and people of color. The finished product holds two professional indoor courts, two 3x3 outdoor courts, a state-of-the-art locker room, and players' lounge, plus designated areas for strength and conditioning, kitchen, dining, and nutrition, and recovery. 

"This facility reflects our commitment to providing our athletes an exceptional environment that supports their growth, health, and performance," said Storm co-owner Ginny Gilder in an official team release. "It’s built for women, by women, embodying our dedication to leading the way in professional women’s sports."

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For their part, the team can't wait to make the faciilty their own.

"It's amazing," Storm guard Jewell Loyd told Fox 13. "Not having to drive everywhere around, knowing you have access anytime of the day to get into the gym, to workout." 

Head coach Noelle Quinn said she predicts the team is "never going to leave this building."

"Which is a good thing for me," she continued. "You talk about having an edge in performance. We want our athletes to not only perform on the court, but get whatever they need."

All of the Storm's staff and operations will now live under one roof, and the team also has plans to launch a youth basketball program operating out of the building.

The Caitlin Clark effect is quickly making its mark on the big leagues, as WNBA host teams around the country rush to upgrade their Fever games to larger arenas in order to accommodate surging ticket sales.

With Clark mere weeks away from her Indiana Fever debut, both the Las Vegas Aces and Washington Mystics have officially relocated their scheduled home games with head coach Christie Sides' squad. On Thursday, the Mystics became the latest to adjust their plans, moving their June 7th matchup from Entertainment & Sports Arena in Southwest DC to the more centrally located — and much larger — Capital One Arena "due to unprecedented demand."

The Mystics home court's capacity taps out at 4,200, while Capital One Arena — home to the Wizards, Capitals, and Georgetown Hoya's Men's Basketball — can fit nearly five times that crowd at some 20,000 spectators.

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"The move to Capital One Arena will allow for additional fans in the stands as well as premium hospitality options, including Suites and the all-new all-inclusive courtside Hennessy Lofts," the team announced via Thursday's press release.

The Aces were one of the first teams to switch venues, aiming to take on the Indiana Fever in front of as many as 20,000 fans inside T-Mobile Arena on July 2nd. That’s a sizable a boost from their home venue, which holds just 12,000.

For those still planning to face the Fever in their home arenas, ticket prices have skyrocketed. Previously scheduled construction has already forced the LA Sparks to relocate their first five games — including their May 24th clash with the Fever — to Long Beach State's Walter Pyramid. The temporary venue is quite the downsize, holding just 4,000 in comparison to Crypto.com Arena's near-19,000. As of Friday, the get-in price for that game started around $400.

Despite fans launching a Change.org petition urging relocation, the Chicago Sky say they're unable to move their June 23rd Fever meeting from Wintrust Arena's 10,000-seat facility to the 23,500-seat United Center due to a concert. Tickets for that game start around $325 as of Friday.