Mallory Pugh reached 20 goals and 20 assists for her international career, Ashley Sanchez showed off her nifty ball distribution, SheBelieves Cup MVP Catarina Macario registered two goals and an assist for an almost “Cat Trick.” The only thing missing from the United States women’s national team’s 5-0 win over Iceland in the tournament finale Wednesday night was the Becky Sauerbrunn goal everyone on Twitter was trying to manifest.

In their third shutout in seven days, the U.S. claimed their fifth SheBelieves Cup title on Wednesday. For head coach Vlatko Andonovski, the goal of the campaign was to evaluate a younger roster and give experience to the 11 players who came into the competition with 10 caps or fewer.

The USWNT concluded the tournament with the ultimate test on Wednesday, as seven starters under the age of 25 stepped onto the Texas field in 23-degree temperatures to face 2-0 Iceland in a winner-take-all game.

“Everything, everything was in some ways against us, and I told them today, ‘Let’s see what we’re made of,’” Andonovski said. “A little bit of adversity, a little bit of challenge, and it was an opportunity for some of these players to dig probably a little deeper than they have ever had before.”

A draw and two 5-0 wins later, here are key takeaways from the USWNT’s performance at the SheBelieves Cup.

With a 5-0 victory over Iceland, the @USWNT have claimed their 5th #SheBelievesCup title. 🏆 pic.twitter.com/Egt6p6iYV4

— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) February 24, 2022

‘This is a process’

“Process” was the word Andonovski used the most throughout the SheBelieves Cup. He made it very clear he’s not ready to draw conclusions or form opinions about the team or players at this point in time. The tournament was just a step on the journey toward building a World Cup roster.

“I feel comfortable saying that we made strides,” the coach said of the tournament. “Obviously there’s always going to be room for improvement, especially with a young group of players like this one, but with what we had lined up, I feel pretty comfortable saying that we did a pretty good job.”

Deep player pool

Andonovski undeniably has one of the hardest jobs in sports. Naming a 23-player World Cup roster is a daunting task when the USWNT’s talent pool feels as deep as the Mariana Trench. That’s especially apparent now that the young squad stepped up to win an international tournament, albeit a friendly one against lesser competition than in past SheBelieves Cups. Andonovski will have to weigh their selections with those of the USWNT veterans, at least 11 of whom weren’t a part of the most recent camp.

On paper, every young player is talented enough to earn a spot on the team. But those players who took time to rest or stepped away for life reasons — Crystal Dunn is expecting her first child and Christen Press is taking mental health leave — will likely be looking to take their spots back.

Four players who can expect to stick around

Catarina Macario is the present and future of the USWNT. Playing in the number nine — center forward position — for the first time with this younger group, she provided creativity Andonovski plans to build the team around.

In the first match of the tournament, only midfielder Rose Lavelle was showing signs of chemistry with Macario, but by the end of the third game, the rest of the team was syncing better with her runs and ball movements. After Macario sat on the bench for most of the Olympics, she showed off her all-around talent with strong defense and two world-class goals that Andonvoski believes should be “on highlight reels all over the world.”

FROM THE CORNER OF THE BOX!!!!

Get in, @catarinamacario 🇺🇸#SheBelievesCup x @Visa pic.twitter.com/TMSZ5h62EE

— U.S. Soccer WNT (@USWNT) February 24, 2022

Ashley Sanchez got her first and second starts for the USWNT in Games 2 and 3 of the SheBelieves Cup after Rose Lavelle went down with an injury, and she seized the opportunity. The 22-year-old midfielder exhibited her confidence on the ball, using fancy footwork most players wouldn’t try in a game, threading narrow through-balls to the forwards and dribbling out of the defensive third.

The center backs didn’t get a whole lot of action in the tournament. Regardless, it was apparent Alana Cook has the composure, positioning and distribution to make an impact on the USWNT’s backline.

Emily Fox has been an asset on the attack with her ability to dribble through and out of pressure. She’s capable of contributing to the play both on the flank and in the middle of the park, and her composure earned praise from Andonovski during the tournament.

Future of the forwards

The attacking third was full of new players, and it’ll be interesting to watch how the forward line evolves over the next year. Andonovski has been keeping a close eye on Macario, Pugh and Smith, who continue to work on reading each other’s runs and crosses in front of the net, but have the technical ability and movement to put together creative attacks as a unit.

Trinity Rodman made her USWNT debut in the first game of the tournament before leaving with an ankle injury, which Andonovski said was non-serious.

Evolution of the midfield

The group that showed the most improvement over the three games was the midfield. By the third game, they were initiating better chemistry with the forwards and getting into better positioning. Andi Sullivan, especially, was creating clear angles for passes and dropping into spaces that enabled her to control the tempo at the six position.

Andonovski doesn’t appear to be rebuilding the midfield as much as he is the other position groups. Ashley Sanchez and Morgan Gautrat are the only midfielders he’s called up in the last four months who weren’t on the 2020 Olympic roster. Gautrat, a two-time FIFA World Cup champion, played in the first match before sitting out the next two with an injury. She was healthy enough to play in the third game, but the coaching staff felt it wasn’t worth risking anything in the cold weather.

Best part of the pitch

Though they didn’t face much pressure during the tournament, the USWNT’s defenders received the highest marks. Team defense gets the credit for the three shutouts, but the backline also stood out for their organization, marking, tracking back, distribution and contribution to the attack. Andonovski called their performance in the third game “spot on.”

Jessa Braun is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports covering the NWSL and USWNT. Follow her on Twitter @jessabraun.

All 14 NWSL teams issued final​ end-of-year roster decisions on Tuesday, as the 2025 free agency period shifts into full gear.

Athletes who are currently out-of-contract are now technically on the chopping block, faced with either negotiating new terms to return to their teams or taking the leap and brokering a fresh deal elsewhere.

Standouts listed as out-of-contact include 2024 NWSL champion and Orlando Pride captain Marta as well as NC Courage striker and the league's 2023 MVP Kerolin. Several current and former USWNT stars also face offseason negotiations, like Gotham FC forward Midge Purce, Portland Thorns center back Becky Sauerbrunn, and Angel City forward Christen Press.

Multiple teams have already acknowledged an intent to retain top players by announcing ongoing negotiations in their final 2024 roster announcements, with Press, Marta, and Kerolin in talks to stay with their clubs.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

New CBA means more NWSL movement

Under the league's new CBA, when a team declines a player's contract option, that player automatically becomes an unrestricted free agent, guaranteeing roster shakeups despite this year's lack of expansion and college drafts.

Both athletes whose contracts have expired and those whose options have been declined are considered out-of-contract. While those players will be weighing their options on the open market, teams will be doing the same, deciding who to try to retain and who to officially waive.

Clubs will make many of those decisions imminently, as the waiver wire will open and close this week, before the trade window opens again on December 13th.

The league will take a transaction moratorium from December 20th to 27th, after which teams can resume signings.

Between the CBA-induced influx of free agents and the lack of drafts forcing front offices into what could be lengthy recruiting and negotiating processes to attract young talent, the business of building an NWSL roster has become more complicated.

That said, some clubs seem to be capitalizing on the shake-up. After finishing the season in last place, the Houston Dash have already seen significant roster action — including nabbing defender Christen Westphal from San Diego and signing ex-Gotham free agent Delanie Sheehan — setting an aggressive rebuilding example as the NWSL embraces a new era.

Thanks to her impact on and off the court, Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark was named Time Magazine's Athlete of the Year on Tuesday. Clark is the first WNBA player to receive the award and just the second individual woman athlete, joining 2021 honoree Simone Biles.

The 22-year-old's 2024 resume is extraordinary. Clark wrapped up her NCAA career as Division I's all-time leading scorer, helping Iowa reach a second-straight national championship game.

Since becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, Clark's pro debut included claiming the league's single-season assist record and fueling the Fever to their first playoff berth since 2016. Along the way, she picked up both All-Star honors and the WNBA's Rookie of the Year award.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

All eyes on Clark

Clark's on-court skills built a massive following, drawing record viewership and attendance at both the college and professional level. Her ascent into the league helped the WNBA record its most-watched regular season in 24 years.

That surge in fandom has directly contributed to the sport's growth, something venerated South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley acknowledged on the 2024 NCAA Championship podium, saying, "I want to personally thank Caitlin Clark for lifting up our sport."

More eyes, however, have made the fan-favorite a lightning rod for online discourse, with even minor on-court moments sparking intense national debates.

"I tell people I feel like the most controversial person," Clark says in Time magazine's detailed interview. "But I am not. It's just because of all the storylines that surround me."

While Clark's talent certainly warrants attention, she also acknowledges the role her race plays in commanding the national spotlight.

"I want to say I’ve earned every single thing, but as a white person, there is privilege," she explains. "A lot of those players in the league that have been really good have been Black players. This league has kind of been built on them. The more we can appreciate that, highlight that, talk about that, and then continue to have brands and companies invest in those players that have made this league incredible, I think it’s very important.

"I have to continue to try to change that. The more we can elevate Black women, that’s going to be a beautiful thing."

Ultimately, Clark's 2024 will be remembered as a watershed moment for women's basketball — and women's sports at large. But, as she tells Time, it will also hopefully mark the start of a long and accomplished career. 

On today's episode of The Late Sub, host Claire Watkins dives into basketball. She kicks things off with a look at the first WNBA expansion draft since 2008, when the Golden State Valkyries selected 11 players from around the league to build their inaugural 2025 roster.

Pivoting to the college court, Watson chats through No. 3 South Carolina's winning week, zeroing in on how the defending national champions dominated two Top-10 teams.

Finally, Watkins takes a trip around the sports world, discussing NWSL free agency, NCAA soccer's College Cup, NCAA volleyball, PWHL hockey, and more.

The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes in women’s sports. This is the weekly rundown you’ve been missing, covering the USWNT, NWSL, WNBA, college hoops, and whatever else is popping off in women’s sports each week. Special guest appearances with the biggest names in women’s sports make The Late Sub a must-listen for every fan. Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women’s Sports newsletter for more.

Subscribe to The Late Sub to never miss an episode.

With Saturday's 78-68 upset win over then-No. 17 Iowa, Tennessee ​earned their first NCAA basketball AP Top 25 nod since November 2023, slotting in at No. 19 and putting an end to the historic powerhouse's longest-ever unranked streak.

The still-undefeated Vols have featured in nearly 90% of the 870 total AP polls since the list's 1976 beginnings, but this week's Top 25 return is a triumphant one.

"The beauty of it is we earned it," head coach Kim Caldwell told reporters after the rankings dropped on Monday. "Not because the name is Tennessee. We didn’t start (ranked)."

Minor shifts pervade updated AP basketball rankings

While No. 1 UCLA, No. 2 UConn, and No. 3 South Carolina held steady atop Monday's poll, last week's elite​ NCAA basketball schedule caused minor shifts throughout much of the Top 25. Behind losses to the defending champion Gamecocks, Duke dropped one spot to No. 9 and TCU slid three to No. 12.

After suffering their season's first loss on Thursday, an 80-70 overtime thriller against Notre Dame, the Texas Longhorns fell two poll positions to No. 6.

The Irish used their momentum to tack on a second victory on Sunday, routing Syracuse 93-62 behind a trio of 20+ point double-doubles from Hannah Hidalgo, Olivia Miles, and Sonia Citron. Those big wins lifted Notre Dame two spots to No. 8 this week.

Behind respective losses to aforementioned Tennessee and then-unranked NC State, Iowa and Ole Miss fell the farthest, tumbling four spots each to Nos. 21 and 22.

On the other hand, undefeated Michigan State's best start in program history saw the Spartans leap seven spots to No. 17 in the poll's biggest bump.

AP basketball poll exits and newcomers

Joining Tennessee in making their 2024 AP poll debut this week is No. 25 Georgia Tech, whose 9-0 record marks the Yellow Jackets' best season start since 1977. NC State is also back, tying Ole Miss at No. 22 after a week out of the rankings.

Meanwhile, Louisville's fourth season loss by way of UConn's 85-52 Champions Classic smackdown on Saturday sent the now-unranked Cardinals packing. Joining them in leaving this week's poll are Illinois, who logged their third season loss against No. 11 Ohio State on Sunday, and Alabama, who succumbed to unranked Cal last week.

How to watch midweek Top 25 NCAA basketball

Under the new rankings, NCAA basketball has two ranked matchups on deck this week. First, No. 18 Iowa State will battle state rivals No. 21 Iowa at 9 PM ET on Wednesday, airing live on FS1.

The marquee midweek matchup, however, hits the court at 7 PM ET on Thursday, when preseason All-Americans Paige Bueckers and Hannah Hidalgo will meet when No. 8 Notre Dame hosts No. 2 UConn.

The battle between two of the nation's best guards will be broadcast on ESPN.

Week 6 AP college basketball rankings

1. 1. UCLA (9-0, Big Ten)
2. 2. UConn (8-0, Big East)
3. 3. South Carolina (9-1, SEC)
4. 4. LSU (11-0, SEC)
5. 5. USC (8-1, Big Ten)
6. 6. Texas (8-1, SEC)
7. 7. Maryland (10-0, Big Ten)
8. 8. Notre Dame (7-2, ACC)
9. 9. Duke (9-2, ACC)
10. 10. Oklahoma (8-1, SEC)
11. 11. Ohio State (8-0, Big Ten)
12. 12. TCU (9-1, Big 12)
13. 13. Kansas State (10-1, Big 12)
14. 14. UNC (9-1, ACC)
15. 15. West Virginia (9-1, Big 12)
16. 16. Kentucky (8-1, SEC)
17. 17. Michigan State (9-0, Big Ten)
18. 18. Iowa State (8-2, Big 12)
19. 19. Tennessee (7-0, SEC)
20. 20. Michigan (8-1, Big Ten)
21. 21. Iowa (8-1, Big Ten)
22. 22. Ole Miss (6-3, SEC)
23. 22. NC State (6-3, ACC)
24. 24. Nebraska (8-1, Big Ten)
25. 25. Georgia Tech (9-0, ACC)