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USWNT injury list: Players they most need back for World Cup

Emily Sonnett and Julie Ertz are two players the USWNT hopes to bring back into the fold. (Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)

We were reminded this week just how monumental the U.S. women’s national team’s list of injuries is, as head coach Vlatko Andonovski gave a rundown of over 10 players working their way back into the fold during his media availability Monday. Some players are well on their way back, while a few have more nebulous timelines that warrant more reflection ahead of the World Cup next summer.

While every injured player brings talent that almost any national team would welcome, there are a few players in key positions that the U.S. could use back on the pitch sooner rather than later.

Defense

Emily Sonnett

This is maybe a less obvious pick, but hear me out. When dealing with further attrition to the wide areas of the USWNT backline, Andonovski brought in Hailie Mace, who has played many different roles for her NWSL clubs. Mace was called up as an outside back, but she’s recently played wingback for her club and spent time as a No. 10 or defensive midfielder (not my favorite place for her.) In short, Mace was brought in to play the same role Emily Sonnett has filled for the team for ages: a catch-all defender who can train well and slot onto the field in a pinch. Sonnett had an excellent year at center-back for Washington in 2021, and she has experience as the team’s Swiss Army Knife. They might miss her more than you think.

Kelley O’Hara

The USWNT has featured very attacking-minded outside backs in recent months. Emily Fox and Sofia Huerta have done a fine job when the USWNT is in possession, with crisp crosses and good recovery speed in defensive transition. But against top opponents, one has to wonder if the backline is missing a certain amount of dexterity out wide. O’Hara has historically been strong in both areas, and her vision from wide positions can be helpful in advancing the ball. And do not count out Casey Krueger, who featured on the team’s 2021 Olympic roster as a defensive option at outside back and now works her way back from the birth of her son, Caleb.

Tierna Davidson

While much of the focus is on the outside-back positions, the USWNT’s center-back situation is less settled than one might think. Naomi Girma has excelled in her fast track to a spot with the first team, and Becky Sauerbrunn hasn’t missed a step in NWSL play. But Andonovski seems against playing the two together since they both sit on the left side. This has placed heavy responsibility on the shoulders of Alana Cook, who has looked equal parts steady and shaky in international play. Davidson is working her way back from the third serious injury of her young career, but she was a bright spot in a tough Tokyo Olympic campaign and should provide a healthy amount of competition to the central defense.

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Sam Mewis had surgery on her right knee last August. (Brad Smith/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

Midfield

Sam Mewis

The players with the least concrete return timelines are those whose roles the USWNT consistently misses the most: Sam Mewis and Julie Ertz. Connectivity in the midfield has been an issue for the USWNT for over a year, to the point where Andonovski has adjusted his game plan at times to avoid it against other top nations. Mewis is not a holding midfielder, nor is she a drifting playmaker who pushes toward the opponent’s backline. But therein lies the point: The USWNT does not have a replacement for her — a possessor who allows the other midfielders to focus on their most natural positions — in their current midfield pool. If Mewis’ knee issue continues to linger, the U.S. might have to commit to a replacement (they have a good candidate, but she’s currently listed as a defender.)

Julie Ertz

No one knows if or when Julie Ertz might return to professional soccer, and Andonovski was reluctant to speculate this week on her timeline for a return. Her unknown status is what makes the current USWNT approach all the more confounding, as their 4-3-3 formation requires a defensive midfielder of Ertz’s physical profile to protect dangerous areas and break up the other team’s possession. Andi Sullivan and Sam Coffey are capable No. 6s, but Sullivan has looked hesitant when asked to pressure in front of her own penalty area. The USWNT would be giving something up to implement a “buddy system” in front of the backline, and Andonovski seems reluctant to try, but Ertz is the only player who can consistently make the current system work.

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Catarina Macario said recently that her knee is feeling "good" after tearing her ACL in June. (Brad Smith/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

Attack

Catarina Macario

Almost too obvious to mention, but the USWNT attack has stayed in Macario mode even after the 23-year-old tore her ACL right before the Concacaf W Championship. During the team’s subsequent friendlies, Sophia Smith has taken on a proto-Macario role, starting centrally and at times drifting into the USWNT midfield to help progress the ball. Those experiments didn’t always set the team up for a scintillating attack, especially when they were missing Mallory Pugh in October. But the vision remains of Macario returning as a false No. 9 and Smith pushing further wide with a new wealth of experience. Much of the USWNT’s attack is riding on Macario returning to score goals and allow the rest of the forward lines to be their best selves.

Christen Press

I simply do not believe that the backup position to Pugh’s starting role at left wing is as secure as Andonovski has projected it to be. Megan Rapinoe is a crucial leader in the locker room and lethal in dead-ball situations. But if the USWNT can take 26 players to the 2023 World Cup, they need someone who can be effective for a full 90 minutes in the off-chance Pugh is not available for every match. Press has the experience and class on the ball to connect with the midfield and provide defensive cover for whichever outside back is playing behind her. She can also be clinical from distance, an attribute that can break a close game open when other attacking options fail.

Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.

Gotham FC Signs Record-Breaking Sponsorship Deal with Dove

Emily Sonnett shows off the new Dove sponsorship above her last name on her Gotham jersey.
Dove's partnership with Gotham is the brand's first major investment in a women's sports team. (Gotham FC)

Gotham and Dove are teaming up, with the 2023 NWSL champs signing a record-setting multi-year kit partnership with the beauty brand on Thursday.

As Dove's first major investment in a women's sports team, the move also ranks as the highest-ever back-of-jersey sponsorship deal in NWSL history.

While Gotham did not provide specific numbers, the contract surpasses Bay FC's then-record $500,000 deal with private equity giant Sixth Street.

Dove joins Gotham in fight to keep girls in sports

The partnership is a part of Gotham's "Keep Her in the Game" initiative, a community effort launched last August to help adolescent girls stay in sports. Dove will serve as the program's presenting sponsor.

"Dove is the ultimate leader in female strength and empowerment, and we could not be prouder to partner with the brand in a number of impactful ways," Gotham FC chief business officer Ryan Dillon said in the team's release. "We are excited to team up with Dove to create key pathways for young female athletes to stay in sports, develop confidence, and become strong future leaders."

"The partnership is taking effect at a crucial time when supporting girls in sports has never been more important."

With girls twice as likely as boys to abandon sports by age 14, "Keep Her in the Game" aims to bolster young athletes' resilience and amplify the joy and connection that happens on and off the playing field.

After impacting 30 local New Jersey and New York youth clubs and more than 500 players in 2024, the initiative is aiming to double its reach in 2025. It will also pass the proverbial mic to the young athletes themselves by creating a Youth Leadership Council.

"The data is clear: Sports build confidence, leadership skills and resilience in young women, benefiting them for years to come," stated Laura DiMiceli, the head of personal care sports marketing for Dove's parent company, Unilever North America. "Dove is committed to supporting 'Keep Her in the Game' as part of our overall mission to help young girls pursue sports and keep playing the games they love."

Unrivaled to Crown First-Ever 1v1 Tournament Champion

Lunar Owls forward Napheesa Collier dribbles the ball during an Unrivaled game.
Napheesa Collier is one of four Unrivaled players competing for the 1v1 tournament's $200,000 prize. (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball will crown its first-ever 1v1 tournament champion on Friday night, when all four semifinalists take the court with a $200,000 grand prize on the line.

Vinyl guard Arike Ogunbowale will kick off the semis against Mist forward Aaliyah Edwards, before Unrivaled co-founder and Lunar Owls forward Napheesa Collier faces Rose forward Azurá Stevens. The victors will immediately advance to the night's best-of-three final series.

Notably, Friday's set puts alma mater pride on center court. A trio of UConn alums in Collier, Stevens, and Edwards will all clock in, while Ogunbowale reps Notre Dame — one of just three teams to beat the Huskies this NCAA season.

Along with those priceless bragging rights, the semifinalists are battling for a six-figure payday, though none will leave empty-handed. Each are guaranteed at least $25,000, with $50,000 on deck for the tournament's runner-up.

The players' Unrivaled teammates will also be watching with interest, as the winner's entire 3×3 team will snag $10,000 each.

Though 1v1 can feel like a schoolyard version of basketball, with this much money involved, expect the competition to rise miles above playground tussles.

Rose BC's Angel Reese defends Mist forward Aaliyah Edwards during an Unrivaled game.
Aaliyah Edwards is one of three UConn alums in the Unrivaled 1v1 semifinals. (Rich Storry/Getty Images)

Endurance could decide Unrivaled 1v1 tournament champion

Friday's format is in part a test of stamina, as players stare down a grueling schedule where the eventual winner must play either three or four 1v1 games in a single night.

To that end, Collier's elite conditioning could make her the favorite, if she can outlast Stevens in the pair's semifinal.

"Her motor is unmatched," Stevens said of Collier's endurance, a key factor in her success so far. "I try to conserve some energy in between possessions, especially when the games get really tiring."

Motors aside, Friday's title will boil down to fundamentals — and which athlete best leverages their personal skillset.

"I have to use my size and stick to my strengths," said Edwards. "It’s about imposing my will and getting the job done."

How to watch the Unrivaled 1v1 tournament finals

The inaugural Unrivaled 1v1 tournament concludes on Friday. Live coverage begins at 7:30 PM ET on TNT.

USC Beats UCLA as JuJu Watkins Ends Bruins’ Undefeated NCAA Season

USC's JuJu Watkins drives to the basket between UCLA's Janiah Barker and Elina Aarnisalo.
Watkins scored 38 points to hand UCLA their first loss of the season. (Robert Hanashiro/Imagn Images)

The last perfect DI basketball season has officially fallen, as USC phenom JuJu Watkins put up a historic performance to lead the No. 6 Trojans to a 71-60 win over then-undefeated No. 1 UCLA on Thursday.

Watkins finished the night with 38 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, and eight blocks, becoming the first DI player to register an overall stat-line so robust in 20 years.

"It took everything. It's been a rough couple weeks for me," Watkins said after the game, referencing uncharacteristic performances leading up to Thursday's rivalry matchup. "To be able to kind of snap back into it and get into my rhythm here at Galen versus UCLA, it's really all I could ask for."

"I'm really just like a kid out there and living out my dream."

Throughout the back-and-forth battle, Watkins's consistency made all the difference. She scored every one of USC's 14 second-quarter points, and helped lead a monster fourth quarter in which the Trojans slammed the door by outscoring the Bruins 24-8.

"I didn't teach JuJu any of that," commented USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb after the game. "[I] just try to put her in situations to be her best self, and she does most of that work. What I was so impressed with tonight, obviously, was just the mentality she came out with."

With the marquee win, USC now sits firmly atop the Big Ten. That said, UCLA will have a chance to avenge the loss in the pair's March 1st rematch, when that final regular-season game could decide the conference title.

Until then, the Trojans will be riding high on their Thursday night dominance.

"We'll never forget this night," Gottlieb said. "It's as good as anything I've ever seen."

UConn star Paige Bueckers dribbles the ball during a game.
UConn takes on South Carolina on Sunday. (Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)

How to watch Top 10 NCAA basketball this weekend

With no undefeated teams left in DI basketball, Watkins's performance has put the field on notice to not make any assumptions about who might end up on top.

While Sunday will see USC roll against unranked Washington and UCLA try to bounce back against No. 22 Michigan State, the NCAA slate will also serve up two huge Top 10 matchups.

First, No. 7 UConn will take their final major regular-season test when they visit No. 4 South Carolina at 1 PM ET, when Paige Bueckers and the Huskies will aim to pull off a similarly impressive USC-inspired upset.

Then at 3 PM ET, No. 5 LSU heads to No. 3 Texas, where the Tigers will hunt their first win over the Longhorns in more than 22 years.

Both elite meetings are set to air live on ABC.

Pro Women’s Lacrosse League Debuts at WLL Championship Series

A promotional graphic for the WLL Championship Series.
The WLL played its first-ever pro games at this week's Lexus Championship Series. (ESPN)

The brand-new professional Women's Lacrosse League (WLL) made its official debut this week just outside of Washington, DC, where its first-ever game saw the New York Charging take down the Maryland Charm 14-13 in the WLL Championship Series.

After the inaugural Tuesday result, the action continued on Wednesday, when the California Palms opened their WLL account by getting the better of the Boston Guard in a tight 16-15 matchup.

Founded and run by the Premier Lacrosse League, the WLL fosters top-level competition as the sport gears up for its 2028 Olympic return.

The four-team WLL Championship Series follows an Olympic-style "sixes" format. Unlike traditional lacrosse, which uses a larger pitch and 10 athletes per team, sixes employs a condensed field with six players per side.

In the Championship Series, teams are first competing in three round-robin games to determine semifinal seedings. The tournament will culminate with the knockout semifinal and final rounds on Sunday and Monday, respectively.

Team USA lacrosse star Charlotte North gestures during a 2022 World Championship game.
Team USA star Charlotte North competes for the WLL's Boston Guard. (Ryan Hunt/Getty Images)

WLL looks to level up lacrosse ahead of 2028 Olympics

Despite the competition's quick turnaround, the WLL represents a growing professionalization movement in women's lacrosse — with all involved betting big on the sport's Olympic success in LA.

When lacrosse steps back onto the Olympic stage in 2028, it will have been 80 years since its last 1948 outing — and even then, it was merely a demonstration event. The last time the sport earned medals was in 1908.

Furthermore, the sport's entire Olympic history rests in the men's game — 2028 will see women take the Olympic lacrosse pitch for the first time ever.

"We are honored to be a part of the WLL, and we couldn't be more excited to bring this game to the fans in new ways than ever before," said Boston Guard star Charlotte North in a league statement.

"We firmly believe that this is the beginning of what will be a monumental movement in the game of professional women's lacrosse, and for female athletes around the globe.... It's our time."

Former Northwestern lacrosse star Izzy Scane shoots the ball during an NCAA game.
Izzy Scane, the NCAA DI lacrosse career scoring leader, plays for the New York Charging. (Greg Fiume/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

How to watch the WLL Championship Series

The tournament's round-robin play continues with the Maryland Charm facing off against the Boston guard at 9 PM ET on Thursday, before the California Palms contend with the New York Charging at 6 PM ET on Friday.

All WLL Championship Series games will stream live on ESPN+, with Sunday's and Monday's knockout rounds airing live on ESPN2.

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