All Scores

Veganism in Sports

WILF THORNE/ISI PHOTOS

Veganism saved me. I know what you’re thinking—veganism saved you? 

It sounds dramatic, sure, or maybe like I’m joking. But I promise you it’s the truth.

I’ve been a professional soccer player for eight years now, going all the way back to 2012. In 2016, I had my worst professional season.

There were personal struggles off the field that were affecting my on field performance, and, long story short, I just didn’t feel like myself anymore. It felt like I was sleepwalking through someone else’s life. I no longer felt confident on the pitch, which had always been a source of energy for me.

I knew something needed to change.

I didn’t know it was my diet.

But after that season, I took a hard look in the mirror and promised myself that I would turn it around in the offseason. I wanted to re-examine every part of my approach—my mentality, my fitness, and yes, my diet. Everything was on the table, because I needed to get back to feeling like myself.

And then I found veganism. Or I guess veganism found me.

I had already been cooking mostly vegetarian meals for a month or so before I made the full transition. Initially, I was just curious. Because it was the offseason, I knew I had some leeway to experiment. Though I’d read some accounts from players raving about the vegan lifestyle, never in a million years would I have guessed that taking animal protein out of my diet was just what I needed to turn my life around.

Right away, I noticed positive changes. I wasn’t as tired between workouts. I was quickly getting leaner, and sleeping a whole lot better. I started knocking off my fitness goals with ease. I dropped 20lbs, which made long-distance running much less of a struggle. My endurance improved, and I was able to run at a faster clip without feeling fatigued.

At 5’10”, I’m already on the bigger side for a soccer player, so changing my physical composition was a huge positive for my game. And people noticed. As the offseason went on, I’d have friends and teammates approach me and ask about how I’d managed to so quickly change my physique. Of course, running six days a week and lifting for three helped. But it was my diet that allowed me to train as hard as I was training during that time. I had always spent the offseason running and lifting, but I’d never gotten these results.

Now, I’ve come to genuinely believe that veganism isn’t just a nice alternative, but truly the optimal diet for an elite athlete. I can tell you right now that I’m not going back. As a professional, I’m always looking for habits that give me the best chance to succeed. And after seeing what a plant-based diet has done for me over these past few years, I know that it’s the cleanest way to eat, and that if I want to compete, it only makes sense for me to continue giving my body the proper fuel it needs to function.

Of course, if you’re serious about making the transition, I would recommend talking with a nutritionist to make sure you have a plan to support your needs. You can’t just cut out meat and not add protein elsewhere. When I was making the switch, I talked to my club’s nutritionist in order to ensure that I was still getting the proper nutrition. We talked about supplements, like iron and b12, and went over which plant foods contained the proteins I needed for gaining mass and helping my muscles repair.

What a lot of people don’t realize is that pretty much all plant foods contain protein. Some even have a higher protein-per-calorie count than meat.

Another underrated aspect of going vegan is just how fun it can be. Seriously. It forces you to focus on what you’re putting into your body in a way that you never have. People aren’t just being cutesy when they call it a lifestyle. It really does change the way you relate to your body, which impacts every single aspect of your life.

Plus, if you like to cook like I do, discovering substitutes for dairy and meat can be an enlightening experience. I routinely make meals for family members, friends, and teammates, and more often than not, they are shocked that what they are eating is both vegan and delicious.

To say veganism saved me might sound over-the-top, but the truth is that transitioning to a plant-based diet gave me the opportunity to really take ownership over a central part of my everyday life. It helped me re-discover the confidence and sense of self that I thought I had lost. It meant I was healthy and happy and focused, which helped me pull myself out of the rut I’d been in.

I can, without even a sliver of doubt, say that I will continue on this path for the rest of my life. I already know how much it has helped me, and that’s not even taking into account the good it does for both the environment and the welfare of the animals who we share this planet with.

My recommendation? Give it a try. You might just surprise yourself.

Phoenix Mercury, Golden State Valkyries Ride Upset Wins into the WNBA Weekend

Phoenix Mercury players including Satou Sabally huddle during a 2025 WNBA game against the New York Liberty.
Phoenix rose to No. 3 in the WNBA standings with Thursday's win over New York. (Catalina Fragoso/NBAE via Getty Images)

Two key upsets headlined Thursday's WNBA bill, sending the Phoenix Mercury soaring into third place in the league standings while the No. 6 Golden State Valkyries continued to outwit opponents.

The red-hot Mercury snagged their fourth straight win by taking down the No. 2 New York Liberty 89-81 on Thursday night, overcoming an 35-point performance from two-time MVP Breanna Stewart with five double-digit Phoenix scorers.

Meanwhile out West, the Valkyries stifled a surging No. 7 Fever, downing Indiana 88-77 in part by holding star guard Caitlin Clark to just 3-for-14 from the field — and 0-for-7 from behind the arc.

"We were being disruptive, we know that she doesn't like physicality, we know that she wants to get to that left step-back," Golden State head coach Natalie Nakase said about the Valkyries' strategy to effectively contain Clark.

Though the No. 1 Minnesota Lynx and 2024 WNBA champions New York still hold court atop the table, Thursday's actions proves that other squads are making some unexpected in-roads.

Putting together an impressive road record are the Mercury, who will ride a 4-2 away record into their Saturday matchup against the No. 11 Chicago Sky — the last stop on a four-game road trip that's been perfect for Phoenix thus far.

Already flipping the script on expectations is Golden State, with the 2025 expansion team rising despite relying on a hodgepodge roster as several players compete at EuroBasket 2025. The Valkyries will aim to keep their winning momentum in their Sunday clash with the No. 12 Connecticut Sun.

How to watch the Mercury, Valkyries this weekend

Both of Thursday's victors will be back in action this weekend, with Phoenix facing Chicago at 1 PM ET on Saturday, airing live on ABC.

Then on Sunday, Golden State will host Connecticut at 8:30 PM ET, with live coverage on WNBA League Pass.

Las Vegas Aces Aim to Stop Skid Ahead of Tough WNBA Weekend Matchups

Las Vegas's A'ja Wilson tries to defend a lay-up from Seattle's Gabby Williams during a 2025 WNBA game.
The Las Vegas Aces will face both Seattle and Indiana this weekend. (Rio Giancarlo/Getty Images)

In another weekend full of WNBA action, all eyes are on Las Vegas, as the No. 8 Aces will try to curb a two-game losing streak against two formidable opponents.

A successful weekend for Las Vegas could hinge on three-time WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson's potential return from injury, with the star forward recently upgraded to "questionable" after landing in concussion protocol last week.

Overall, the margin for error has narrowed in the middle of the WNBA pack, as talented teams continue to translate quality performances into consistency.

  • No. 5 Seattle Storm vs. No. 8 Las Vegas Aces, Friday at 10 PM ET (ION): The Aces will try to end their free fall in Friday's head-to-head battle with a Seattle side that can beat anybody at their best.
  • No. 7 Indiana Fever vs. No. 8 Las Vegas Aces, Sunday at 3 PM ET (ESPN): Las Vegas next faces a Fever team still smarting from Thursday's away loss to the Golden State Valkyries, with both teams narrowly clinging to positions above the playoff line.
  • No. 2 New York Liberty vs. No. 5 Seattle Storm, Sunday at 7 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The Liberty have a comfortable hold on second place, but with two losses in their last three games, New York is flirting with danger entering their Sunday game with Seattle — particularly if star big Jonquel Jones is out after suffering a knock to the ankle on Thursday.

Ultimately, there's no rest for the weary in the WNBA, as a series of difficult matchups can see a single error quickly slide into a losing streak.

NWSL Kicks Off Final Gameday Slate Ahead of Summer Break

The San Diego Wave celebrate a goal by María Sánchez during a 2025 NWSL match.
The San Diego Wave will take on 2024 runners-up Washington on Sunday. (Marcus Ingram/Getty Images)

The final NWSL weekend heading into the league's six-week summer break has arrived, giving teams one more chance to prove themselves before regular-season play pauses to make way for major international tournaments.

With a five-point gap separating No. 1 Kansas City from No. 2 Orlando in the NWSL standings, the Current will enter the break as the 2025 Shield frontrunners regardless of this weekend's results.

Despite Kansas City's grip atop the table, there's still plenty of room for movement both above and below the postseason cutoff line, as clubs across the NWSL look to wrap their midseason finales on a high note:

  • No. 1 Kansas City Current vs. No. 10 Angel City FC, Friday at 8 PM ET (Prime): Angel City has a shot at launching themselves above the cutoff line on Friday, but they'll have to snap the Current's five-game winning streak to make it happen.
  • No. 8 Gotham FC vs. No. 9 Bay FC, Saturday at 7:30 PM ET (ION): Gotham and Bay FC enter the weekend tied on points while staring at each other from on opposite sides of the playoff line — meaning a Saturday win for either club could set the tone for the rest of the 2025 season.
  • No. 3 San Diego Wave FC vs. No. 4 Washington Spirit, Sunday at 10 PM ET (CBS Sports): The weekend's only top-table clash could see San Diego sprint back into second place — unless Washington leapfrogs the upstart Wave to claim the third-place spot.

KPMG Women’s PGA Championship Ups Purse to $12 Million, Ties LPGA Tour Record

Thailand's Jeeno Thitikul hits a shot during the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship.
Thai golfer Jeeno Thitikul is in the lead after one round at the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship. (Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

The LPGA Tour has turned its attention to Texas, with the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship — the third major of the pro golf season — teeing off in Frisco to a flurry of first-round action on Thursday.

All of the sport's Top 100 athletes are participating in this week's event, including No. 1 Nelly Korda, who sits in a 14th-place tie with an even-par first-round performance, and surging US dark horse No. 50 Lexi Thompson, who tied for 10th in her Thursday return from a brief retirement.

However, leading the pack heading into Friday's second round is Thailand's world No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul, who finished the first day of competition atop the leaderboard with a score of 4-under-par.

Australia's No. 24 Minjee Lee also posted a strong start, capping Thursday at 3-under to sit in second place.

While the sport's best chase victory on the links, the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship is already making history off the green.

Not only is it the first-ever women's major to tee off at Frisco's Fields Ranch East, the tournament also increased its purse to $12 million on Tuesday — nearly tripling the $4.5 million prize pool from just four years ago and tying the US Women's Open for the LPGA Tour's highest payout in the process.

How to watch the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship

The third LPGA Grand Slam of 2025 continues through Sunday.

Friday's second round will air live on the Golf Channel, while coverage of Saturday and Sunday's final rounds will air across NBC and Peacock.

Start your morning off right with Just Women’s Sports’ free, 5x-a-week newsletter.