The NWSL kicked off its 10th regular season over the weekend, with a renewed emphasis on league serving as a testing ground for players looking to impress in the months ahead of the 2023 World Cup.

Not surprisingly, there were several notable moments for players both in the USWNT core and on the cusp of the roster, as the pressure to perform only increases from here.

Goals, Goals, Goals

The USWNT attacking player pool got off to a hot start for their respective club teams, having used the January and February camps to hone sharpness before league kickoff.

Out of 14 goals scored across six NWSL matches, current USWNT prospects scored seven of them: Mallory Swanson, Alex Morgan, Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith, Lynn Williams, Alyssa Thompson and Midge Purce.

Rodman showcased her ability on the ball while scoring the game-winner against OL Reign. Picking the ball up near midfield off of a throw-in in the 54th minute, Rodman dribbled into space in front of the Reign penalty area and slotted the ball into the back of the net from the top of the box to give Washington a 1-0 win.

Trinity Rodman really said, "Fine... I'll do it myself."

What a run and finish to give @WashSpirit a 1-0 lead! pic.twitter.com/Pn3YSQonXb

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) March 26, 2023

Reigning NWSL MVP Smith became the first NWSL player to score in three consecutive season openers, notching an early goal in Portland’s 4-0 rout of the Orlando Pride. After Canada captain Christine Sinclair got to the endline against the Pride defense, Smith made a smart, delayed run into Orlando’s penalty area. Left all alone, Smith received the ball and roofed it to double Portland’s scoreline in the 22nd minute. The 22-year-old also recorded an assist in the win.

First goal of the season for the 2022 MVP 💥 pic.twitter.com/DESWyq497n

— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) March 26, 2023

Thompson and Williams swapped open-play goals in Angel City’s home opener against Gotham FC. Thompson got on the board first, putting the Los Angeles club up 1-0 just 11 minutes into her professional career. The 18-year-old’s speed and clinical finishing belie her inexperience at the professional level, where she looked immediately comfortable and poised for a call-back to USWNT camp.

ALYSSA THOMPSON ARE YOU SERIOUS

What a debut goal for the 18-year-old 🚀 pic.twitter.com/p808QS8i7f

— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) March 27, 2023

Williams then delivered a perfectly timed, in-seam shot into the far post to give Gotham the 2-1 win. Returning to the NWSL after a hamstring injury kept her out for the entirety of the 2022 regular season, Williams again had some bad injury luck. The forward fell awkwardly on her elbow early, requiring a splint for the rest of the game, though she laughed off the injury afterward, saying “It’s an arm. I need my legs to play soccer.”

Swanson, Morgan and Purce’s tallies came from well-taken penalties, though all three players were also active in influencing the play outside of the scoresheet. Purce also registered a savvy assist on Williams’ game-winner. On the other end, USWNT No. 1 goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher made an error tipping the ball over the bar in Chicago’s 3-2 loss to San Diego, allowing for a Wave equalizer.

Midfield madness

The USWNT’s strength in the attack showed up in full force, but question marks in the midfield weren’t particularly cleared up by NWSL play this weekend. Taylor Kornieck played just one half for San Diego as a deep-lying attacking option behind Morgan, though she was effective in turning play in the Wave’s favor on the way to a late 3-2 win Saturday.

Crystal Dunn played 62 minutes in the Thorns’ midfield, the most since her return from pregnancy, as Portland completely dominated the middle third of the pitch against the Pride. Dunn’s growing midfield role for Portland provides a sharp contrast to her use as an outside back for the USWNT, as does the steady work Sam Coffey, who still sits on the USWNT bubble at defensive midfielder.

The biggest midfield head-scratcher came from OL Reign, who slotted longtime USWNT utility defender Emily Sonnett into the defensive midfield in place of Canada international (and usual starter) Quinn. Sonnett has traditionally played center back in the NWSL, most recently with the Washington Spirit. On Sunday, the 29-year-old looked uncomfortable in her positioning and distributive responsibilities as the Reign failed to find the back of the net. The defensive breakdown that led to Rodman’s game-winning goal allowed excess space in the middle of the pitch, turning what is usually a Reign strength into a moment of weakness.

Early season fitness watch

This weekend brought both welcome returns and knocks to watch. Red Stars defender Casey Krueger made a short-lived return to the pitch after the birth of her son on Saturday, leaving the match in the 13th minute with what appeared to be a neck injury. After the match, head coach Chris Petrucelli said the team thinks she “will be fine,” with a possible return to April USWNT camp on the horizon.

Krueger’s Chicago teammate, Tierna Davidson, also made a long-awaited return to the club’s defense, getting 82 minutes in her first start back from the Challenge Cup ACL tear that sidelined her for most of 2022.

Kelley O’Hara played the first half for Gotham FC, her new club team, after missing the second half of the 2022 season with a lingering hip injury. Megan Rapinoe did not play for the Reign, listed on the injury report as out with a calf injury. Rapinoe has been in and out with the U.S. in recent months as she recovers from injuries, and with other players beginning to peak in the attack, her ongoing fitness is worth keeping an eye on heading into the summer months.

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

UCLA-bound high school senior Sienna Betts led the West team to a decisive 104-82 victory over the East in the McDonald's All-American Girls Game held last night at New York's Barclays Center.

The 6'4" forward contributed 16 points, seven rebounds, and two assists, earning MVP honors for her performance. ​

Betts is currently the class of 2025's No. 2 overall recruit. Only Texas-based point guard Aaliyah Chavez, who recently committed to the Oklahoma Sooners, ranks above her.

Betts to join sister Lauren Betts at UCLA next year

Betts's performance is a good indicator of her potential impact at UCLA next year. There, she'll join forces with her sister Lauren Betts, the senior currently leading the Bruins to this season's NCAA Final Four after transferring in from Stanford.

The Betts sisters' arrival is highly anticipated, with Lauren opting to forgo the 2025 WNBA Draft in order to play out her final year of college eligibility alongside her little sister.

“For me, it [committing to UCLA] was a lot about how the coaches care about you off the court, and the coaches at UCLA, they really care about your mental health,” Betts told The Flagler College Gargoyle after committing last year. “Every team that I’ve ever been on, we’ve been a family… So, they really cared about that part of basketball for me, and they showed me that on my visits and when I called to talk to them.”

Betts in good company as McDonald's All-American Game MVP

In Brooklyn, Betts showcased her ability among the sport's best high school talent. Recent McDonald's All-American MVPs have all gone onto fuel prominent NCAA programs, including top-ranked recruits UConn's Sarah Strong, South Carolina's Joyce Edwards, USC's JuJu Watkins, Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo, and UCLA's own Kiki Rice and Gabriela Jaquez.

The McDonald's All-American Game has a storied history of highlighting promising players, with past MVPs subsequently laying the foundation for future superstars.

Less than a day after Notre Dame’s Olivia Miles shocked the women’s basketball world by opting to enter the transfer portal rather than declare for the 2025 WNBA Draft, the Irish’s transfer fall-out has continued.

Sophomore guard Emma Risch and freshman forward Kate Koval have also entered the portal, with Koval — who started in 10 games this season — leading the Irish in blocks.

Between transfer moves and graduating seniors, sophomore guard Hannah Hidalgo remains Notre Dame’s only returning starter — a sharp turn for an Irish squad ranked No. 1 in the country just six weeks ago.

Other top NCAA programs see transfer portal movement

Notre Dame isn’t the only top-tier program experiencing a roster shakeup after exiting the 2025 NCAA tournament.

LSU sophomore forward Sa'myah Smith entered the transfer portal after the Tigers’ season ended in Sunday’s Elite Eight. USC sophomore guard Aaliyah Gayles subsequently followed suit after the Trojans fell to UConn on Monday.

Schools like TCU have become national contenders via the transfer portal, with the Horned Frogs recruiting both Hailey Van Lith and Sedona Prince ahead of their first-ever Elite Eight run. Former Kentucky center Clara Silva is the latest transfer to commit to TCU, as the team comes off their best tournament finish in school history.

The modern era of NCAA roster-building is upon us, with top players taking the reigns as ambitious teams scramble to fill offseason gaps.

The NWSL is looking to sign a new Sunday night TV deal, according to a Sports Business Journal report published this week.

The league is targeting a two-year deal starting in 2026, with both new and existing TV partners interested in picking up additional NWSL games.

NWSL looks to build on multimillion dollar TV deal

The NWSL is currently two years into a four-year, $240 million TV partnership with ESPN, Prime, ION, and CBS Sports. However, the current contract doesn’t cover the entire schedule. And with league expansion planned for 2026, even more inventory is on the way.

SBJ notes that the market for this season’s lineup has been strong. In fact, all four media partners have already sold out all their 2025 advertising slots.

“You cannot find a place to spend right now,” IMG’s Hillary Mandel said at a recent Business of Soccer event hosted by SBJ. “We know what’s motivating interest is the fact that there’s no place to invest. That’s a phenomenal story in such a short period of time."

ESPN spotlighted for TV network-owned Sunday lineup

ESPN could be a prime candidate for a Sunday package, with the network set to move on from Sunday Night Baseball after the 2025 MLB season.

The NWSL has traditionally leaned into network-owned nights, with Prime airing Friday night matchups and ION running Saturday double-headers.

The NWSL’s most recent contract subsequently added serious value to the league. And the returns have networks coming back for more, setting up a potential bidding war and easing growing pains as new teams join the fold.

UCLA will hit the court for their first-ever NCAA Final Four on Friday, but as they extend the most successful season in program history, the Bruins have looked anything but green.

“We said talent was going to be our floor,” UCLA head coach Cori Close said after Sunday’s Elite Eight win over LSU. “Our character, our chemistry, our habits were going to be our ceiling.”

With just two losses on the season, UCLA’s status as a first-rate NCAA title contender has actually been years in the making.

Roster-building paves the way to the Final Four

In 2022, the Bruins signed the No. 1 recruiting class in the country, stacking their roster with top high school standouts Gabriela Jaquez, Kiki Rice, and Londynn Jones.

UCLA then upped their game even further last year, when 2022 No. 1 overall recruit Lauren Betts transferred in from Stanford — a move that fueled the Bruins all the way to the Sweet 16 with the promise of even greater success.

“Everyone came to UCLA for this reason: to do something we haven't done in a really long time,” Jaquez said on Sunday. “[I’m] just really proud of my teammates, the staff, the coaches, just continuing to get better every day and grow from each season prior.

With Lauren Betts at center, UCLA leans on depth

As one of the most dominant post players in college basketball, Betts is at the literal center of every UCLA performance. But that doesn’t mean the Bruins lack the depth it takes to handle a team like Final Four opponent UConn.

“When we have a deep team, I don’t have to be in the game at all times,” Betts said. “I have a team full of players who are just amazing and talented in their own right, and they put in the work.”

All in all, UCLA is coming into their own after developing much of its squad from the ground-up. Now it's time to make the case that patient roster-building can pay off on NCAA basketball’s biggest stage.