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Reasons to have hope for USWNT’s future beyond 2023 World Cup

The USWNT quickly has to turn the page from a disappointing World Cup exit to the 2024 Olympics. (Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images)

With the dust settling after the U.S. women’s national team’s disappointing Round of 16 exit from the 2023 World Cup, there has been a necessary focus on what went wrong. Coaching, talent development, mentality and fitness have all been put under a microscope, with the USWNT acting as a mirror for many perceived shortcomings at both the senior and youth levels of soccer in the United States.

The fallout will continue for months to come, and in many ways, the USWNT will be better off not trying to sugarcoat the cracks in their foundation. But there is also ample reason for hope for the USWNT’s future that goes beyond their four major tournament games this year.

The young USWNT core is ready, and hungry

Players 23 years old and younger played a lion’s share of the USWNT’s minutes at the 2023 World Cup, with the intention that those players will be with the team for a long time. Naomi Girma, 23, was arguably the USWNT’s best player throughout their tournament. Sophia Smith, 23, and Trinity Rodman, 21, were also at the center of the team’s harsh learning experience, which should only lead to growth.

Ideally, they’ll also be joined by 25-year-old Mallory Swanson and 23-year-old Catarina Macario in future tournaments. Emily Fox, 25, also grew into her responsibilities in 2023. The USWNT committed to the future alongside the present during this World Cup cycle, and while the dividends didn’t pay off immediately, the foundation for deep runs in the future is there.

This is good news, because this next generation of talent wasn’t guaranteed. In hindsight, the 2023 USWNT World Cup roster is a reflection of the challenges the team had with identifying talent for a number of years, with most players either in their early-to-mid 30s or their early-to-mid 20s. The USWNT’s small “lost generation” is an indictment of the rigidity of their talent identification pipeline. But the pipeline hasn’t made the squad over-commit to an aging golden generation, which is a testament to the resiliency of the player pool.

Veterans like Alex Morgan have more to give to the U.S., but they also want to leave the team better than they found it. The bridging of that gap is still an unfinished project, but not one without progress.

The talent pipeline is evolving

In the wake of the USWNT’s early exit, attention naturally turned to U.S. Soccer’s process of identifying and developing emerging talent as the U.S. attempts to maintain a competitive edge. There’s legitimate reason to be concerned — the transition to the U.S. Soccer Development Academy system hasn’t been without hiccups — and the pay-to-play nature of many top clubs cuts out entire demographics of talent.

There has been similar concern of college soccer’s place in an evolving landscape. Other countries are instead placing young players into professional environments with more opportunities to develop at a higher rate. Many of the top soccer minds in the U.S. sit in entrenched NCAA jobs, but the collapsing conference system, recruiting limitations and rule differences make four years with a college team seem less and less feasible for players with international-level ambitions.

Silver linings do exist, however. Increasingly, players are making the jump to the pros after one or two years spent developing at the NCAA level. Portland’s Sophia Smith, Kansas City’s Michelle Cooper and PSG’s Korbin Albert are good examples of young, talented players understanding when it’s time to move up a level after getting their start in college.

We’re also seeing more teenagers forgo college entirely, aided by the NWSL’s new U18 entry rules. Allowing under-18 players to sign directly with clubs not only allows players to develop with professional first teams from a young age; it also gives them the option to avoid the NWSL college draft, which has been a sore subject for top talent in recent years.

Players now have the option to commit to a professional career before turning 18, go to college for a few years or, upon turning 18, look abroad for other opportunities. A healthy NWSL will always be important to the USWNT’s development, but the U.S. should not be afraid of diverse club experiences.

What matters most is that players have options, and the increasing professionalization of the game both in the U.S. and abroad empowers them to take control of their careers and not depend too much on U.S. Soccer’s youth system. If young NWSL stars like Jaedyn Shaw and Olivia Moultrie break into the U.S. first team early, they will have that evolution to thank.

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Andi Sullivan was not set up for success in the USWNT's system at the World Cup. (Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The players are more versatile than current coaching

Injuries put the USWNT attack in a difficult position in 2023, and it showed in their results. Vlatko Andonovski’s vision of his two wingers slashing inside in front of a false No. 9 never fit the skill set of longtime U.S. striker Alex Morgan, and the wingers’ inability to get high and wide when reacting to Morgan’s strengths contributed to the USWNT’s early exit.

But concerns that U.S. players inherently lack creativity doesn’t necessarily hold up when you look at the breadth of their work outside of Andonovski’s system. What happened had more to do with players working against their creative instincts rather than not having those instincts in the first place.

A good example of this dichotomy is Washington Spirit and USWNT defensive midfielder Andi Sullivan. Sullivan is an incredibly versatile player in her club environment, with the ability to push forward box-to-box, sit in defensive midfield spaces and even join the backline. She’s a smart, understated player who can control games at the club level. But when asked to fill the exact role Julie Ertz left behind in the USWNT’s defensive midfield, she looked completely out of her depth.

It would be easy to come to the conclusion that Sullivan simply didn’t have the mentality necessary to succeed at the international level, or that she’s underdeveloped compared to her European counterparts. But the moment Andonovski switched to a double-pivot midfield, with Emily Sonnett handling defending in space against Sweden in the Round of 16, Sullivan became the player NWSL fans know her to be.

Sullivan and Sonnett looked very comfortable in the midfield against the eventual semifinalists, going head-to-head with a team that has given the U.S. fits in recent years. That Sullivan is just one example of how a new coaching perspective changes the USWNT’s chances indicates the true cracks don’t always lie at the player level. U.S. players won’t always look the same as the generations before them, but that makes them no less formidable.

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

Tennis Stars Hit the Grass Court as Wimbledon Kicks Off

Canada's Carson Branstine faces world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the first round of the 2025 Wimbledon Grand Slam.
The 2025 Wimbledon Championships kicked off early Monday morning in London. (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

The third Grand Slam of 2025 is officially underway, as the world's top tennis stars hit the grass courts in London for the annual Wimbledon Championships on Monday.

World No. 16 Barbora Krejčíková enters as the Slam's reigning champion, with all of the WTA's current Top 10 — none of whom have ever won at Wimbledon — looking to dethrone the 2024 victor.

No. 3 Jessica Pegula looks to be an early frontrunner, as the US star picked up steam following her defeat of No. 4 Iga Świątek 6-4, 7-5 in Saturday's championship match of the 2025 Bad Homburg Open, a Wimbledon tune-up tournament.

A 2023 Wimbledon quarterfinalist, Pegula has already earned three titles this year, gaining significant momentum as she hunts a career-first Grand Slam trophy.

"[Pegula has] an amazing game, and showed it throughout the tournament," Świątek said following Saturday's loss. "Hopefully, we will have many more finals together."

The first day of 2025 Wimbledon action saw No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka cruise through her first-round match against Canada's No. 194 Carson Branstine in straight sets, while No. 8 Madison Keys battled to a narrow three-set victory over Romania's No. 58 Elena-Gabriela Ruse.

Fellow US contender No. 12 Amanda Anisimova played the most dominant first-round match of the Slam, ousting Kazakhstan's No. 33 Yulia Putintseva 6-0, 6-0 to open her tournament run.

Italy's No. 5 Jasmine Paolini, a 2024 Wimbledon finalist, also kicked off her 2025 run with a win, downing Latvia's No. 402 Anastasija Sevastova in three sets on Monday afternoon.

Pegula will open her campaign against Italy's No. 116 Elisabetta Cocciaretto on the second day of first-round action at 6 AM ET, with Świątek, 2025 French Open champ No. 2 Coco Gauff, and 2024 Wimbledon quarterfinalist No. 10 Emma Navarro also rounding out Tuesday's bill.

How to watch the 2025 Wimbledon Championships

The 2025 Wimbledon women's tournament runs through the July 12th championship.

Live continuous coverage of the London Grand Slam airs on ESPN.

Napheesa Collier Returns From Injury as Lynx Top the WNBA Standings

Naphees Collier high-fives her Minnesota Lynx teammates after a 2025 WNBA win.
The return of star Napheesa Collier boosted the league-leading Minnesota Lynx. (Ellen Schmidt/Getty Image)

The Minnesota Lynx are back on the prowl, after the return of MVP frontrunner Napheesa Collier from injury fueled the WNBA-leaders to two straight weekend wins.

Minnesota first outlasted the No. 4 Atlanta Dream 96-92 in overtime on Friday before thumping the last-place Connecticut Sun 102-63 on Sunday, with Collier racking up 49 points over the two-game span.

Collier's bounce-back couldn't have come at a better time, as the WNBA announced Sunday that the Lynx forward will captain the 2025 All-Star Game alongside Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark.

"It's really cool," Collier said of the news. "I went from never being a starter to captain."

Both Collier and Clark will have an early chance to test their leadership skills in Tuesday's 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup championship game, when the defending champs Minnesota Lynx will take on first-time finalists Indiana.

With a second straight title on the line, red-hot Minnesota hold the advantage coming into the Commissioner's Cup final, but a healthy Clark could make all the difference for up-and-down No. 8 Indiana.

Meanwhile in the WNBA standings, as the Lynx continue to hold court at the top, this weekend saw the Mercury overtake the Liberty at No. 2, thanks in large part to Phoenix's 106-91 Friday victory over New York.

Along with Sunday's 90-81 loss to the Dream, the reigning champs have dropped five of their last seven games, as now-No. 3 New York struggles without injured center Jonquel Jones.

How to watch the 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup final

While the other 11 league teams rest until Thursday, the Minnesota Lynx and Indiana Fever will take Tuesday's court in a battle for the 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup.

The in-season tournament's grand finale will tip off at 8 PM ET, with live coverage on Prime.

USWNT Tops Ireland 4-0 in Back-to-Back Shutout Wins

USWNT attacker Alyssa Thompson celebrates her goal with teammate Emma Sears during a 2025 friendly against Ireland.
The USWNT won their second friendly against Ireland 4-0 on Sunday. (Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)

The world No. 1 USWNT earned another lopsided result against No. 25 Ireland on Sunday, handing the Girls in Green a second straight 4-0 loss despite extensive lineup changes on both sides.

Veteran forward Lynn Biyendolo opened the scoring in her first match as USWNT captain, followed by first-ever senior team goals from both debutant defender Izzy Rodriguez and attacker Yazmeen Ryan.

Second-half USWNT sub Alyssa Thompson found the back of the net in the 86th minute to finish padding the 4-0 scoreline over Ireland.

With one more friendly against No. 8 Canada set for Wednesday, USWNT head coach Emma Hayes rotated all 11 starters on Sunday, trusting bubble players to overcome inexperience to produce a result.

"The level has been set to be relentless in the pursuit of performing and progressing," Hayes said after the game. "It's not about understanding everything in our playbook, but developing the confidence and bravery to deliver."

The victory also marked the USWNT's 600th program win, with midfielder Sam Meza joining Rodriguez in picking up the 23rd and 24th first caps of the Emma Hayes era.

"I feel like everyone is not only trusting the process, but carrying out all the things we ask them to do," said Hayes of her new additions. "Everybody showed themselves so well."

Though the US keeps stretching its depth and coming out on top, the need to develop strong connections on the pitch could force tough roster decisions in the future.

How to watch the USWNT vs. Canada on Wednesday

The USWNT will cap their three-friendly summer break against rivals Canada on Wednesday at 7:30 PM ET.

Live coverage of the clash in Washington, DC, will air on TNT.

WNBA Announces Expansion to Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert smiles during a 2024 Finals press conference.
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert plans to grow the league to 18 teams by 2030. (Elsa/Getty Images)

The WNBA made a splash on Monday morning, announcing an expansion plan that will see the league officially grow to 18 teams by 2030, with new franchises joining from Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia.

Subject to approval by the WNBA and NBA Boards of Governors, the league expects to add Cleveland in 2028, with Detroit following in 2029 and Philadelphia in 2030.

With existing NBA ownership groups backing all three cities, the league chose the trio because of "market viability, committed long-term ownership groups, potential for significant local fan, corporate, media, and city and state support, arena and practice facilities, and community commitment to advancing the sport, among other factors."

Notably, while Monday's news will bring a WNBA team to Philadelphia for the first time, the announcement represents a return for the league to both Cleveland and Detroit.

The Ohio city hosted one of the league's inaugural teams, the Rockers, from 1997 to 2003, while the Detroit Shock joined the WNBA in 1998, eventually relocating to Tulsa in 2010 before becoming the Dallas Wings in 2016.

Monday's WNBA expansion plan also follows the already announced incoming teams in Toronto and Portland, both set to tip off next season, as well as 2025 newcomer Golden State.

Each of the three incoming clubs in Monday's announcement paid a $250 million expansion fee — five times the $50 million that Golden State paid in October 2023.

"This historic expansion is a powerful reflection of our league's extraordinary momentum, the depth of talent across the game, and the surging demand for investment in women's professional basketball," said commissioner Cathy Engelbert. "I am deeply grateful for our new owners… for their belief in the WNBA's future and their commitment to building thriving teams that will energize and inspire their communities."

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