According to head coach James Clarkson, there was no specific factor that lifted the Houston Dash into their late-season form.

Heading into Wednesday’s match against Kansas City on a three-game win streak, their longest in the regular season since May/June 2014, Clarkson says it was only a matter of time until Houston was able to click into gear.

“I’m not surprised by it,” he said. “I see them every day and I know what they’re capable of. I’ve seen it in games where we haven’t scored or haven’t kept our lead, but to see this consistency come out is outstanding.”

No. 2 OL Reign is the only team Houston has lost to in their 10 matches since Aug. 1. Winning 3-2 over the top-ranked Portland Thorns on Oct. 6 was validation for the Dash, who refused to let up on Sunday, decisively beating another of the league’s top teams, the North Carolina Courage, 4-1.

Earning three points in Sunday’s win, Clarkson called the triumph a “six-pointer,” as the 2020 Challenge Cup champions moved from fourth to tie with the Courage for third – the highest Houston has ever placed in the final third of the season.

Before Aug. 1, the orange only won five of their 11 matches. Now, they’re one game away from breaking a franchise record for most wins in a season (10).

“We thrive off being the underdog, underrated, whatever you could call it,” said forward Shea Groom. “But this team works hard and I think we can run anyone off of the field, and if we’re having a good day, we’re going to keep putting goals in the back of the net.

“It’s coming together. I think it’s just been a matter of time.”

That's. Our. Captain.@RachelDaly3 | #HoldItDown pic.twitter.com/j6GxFJdfhn

— Houston Dash (@HoustonDash) October 11, 2021

With three games left before the postseason, Houston isn’t guaranteed playoffs yet, but claiming one of the six spots shouldn’t be a problem if they continue their unbeaten streak.

Forward Rachel Daly has led the charge in scoring this season with nine goals, four of those coming in Houston’s most recent two games, which were also her first two matches back after her father’s passing. As of Sunday, she sits tied at the top of the scoring leaderboard with Bethany Balcer (OL Reign) and Ashley Hatch (Washington Spirit), and is just one goal away from her own single-season record.

Brianna Visalli has been an up-and-coming star for the Dash, proving her worth when she was named to the starting 11 against Tigres UANL Feminil in a September friendly while international players were away. The midfielder scored in the game and has been making an impact against NWSL competition ever since, slotting one in against Louisville on Sept. 26 and another, as well as an assist, on Sunday.

“She’s scoring goals and she’s creating goals,” said Clarkson. “That’s exactly what we want from the midfield and she’s winning it back, so she thoroughly deserves to be on the team with the way that she’s performing.”

With a full (and healthy) squad, the Dash know they’re in good shape for their final matches of the season against Kansas City, Portland Thorns, and the Washington Spirit on Oct. 31.

After winning last year’s Challenge Cup, the team wanted to prove they weren’t a one-hit wonder. It may have taken them until the last third of the season, but now it’s safe to say: the Dash seem here to stay.

Notre Dame standout Olivia Miles will forgo the 2025 WNBA Draft, instead opting to stay in the NCAA for her final year of college eligibility. But she reportedly will not for the Fighting Irish.

Miles is set to enter the transfer portal, posted ESPN’s Shams Chariana on Monday, moving on from Notre Dame after back-to-back Sweet 16 exits.

"Notre Dame's Olivia Miles — the projected No. 2 pick in the WNBA draft this month — will forgo the draft and enter NCAA's transfer portal, sources tell ESPN," the journalist posted on X. "The 22-year-old top prospect makes unprecedented decision to use her one year remaining of college instead of the draft."

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Miles shakes up the 2025 WNBA draft

Miles will certainly have her choice of top-ranked NCAA programs. But the projected No. 2 draft pick’s decision also has major implications on both the 2025 WNBA Draft and the 2026 draft lottery.

The junior started all 34 games this season for Notre Dame. She averaged a career-high 15.4 points per game while maintaining 48.3% effectiveness from the field.

"I love college. I think I've outgrown it a little bit, though, so that makes my decision tougher to stay. It's comfortable, a place where you have security," the star guard told ESPN after Saturday's loss.

With UConn’s Paige Bueckers sitting comfortably at No. 1, expected Top 5 pro recruits USC’s Kiki Iriafen, South Carolina’s Te-Hina Paopao, and fellow Irish Sonia Citron could all see a rankings boost.

As South Carolina women's basketball returns to the Final Four, the 2024 NCAA champions’ March Madness journey hasn’t exactly mirrored last year’s dominance. But their resilience has kept them very much in contention.

The Gamecocks bounced back from third-quarter deficits in their last two tournament games, relying on tight defense and smart positional rotations to wear opponents down.

“It is that type of year, that for us, there’s not any blowouts,” head coach Dawn Staley said after her team’s Elite Eight win over Duke. “We have to grind for every single win that we can get.”

South Carolina taps into depth after WNBA departures

After losing center Kamilla Cardoso to the 2024 WNBA Draft, the Gamecocks harnessed their depth, relying on strict minute restrictions to disrupt game flow and launch second-half runs.

Sophomore standout MiLaysia Fulwiley has popped off the bench, complementing leading scorer Joyce Edwards and inside show-runner Chloe Kitts.

One of the team’s key veteran leaders, senior Te-Hina PaoPao has been a grounding force as the only player averaging 25+ minutes per game.

Defense is key to Gamecocks victory

For the Gamecocks to become back-to-back champs, they’ll have to lean hard on their time-honored calling card: defense.

"Look, I mean, at this point it's not going to look pretty. Okay? It's not," Staley said after South Carolina narrowly escaped Sweet 16 opponent Duke. "There are stretches in each game that is not going to look pretty… Some of it's not going to look as smoothly as us coaches and players envision or how you practice, but you certainly have to get down and play the kind of game that's presented in front of you, and we'll do that."

“If we’re not scoring a whole lot of points, then we gotta up our defense,” she continued. “If we’re scoring a lot of points, we gotta up our defense.”

The USWNT announced their final match of the summer’s three-game international window yesterday, with the team set to take on northern neighbors Canada in Washington, DC on July 2nd.

The friendly rounds out a bill that also includes two previously announced clashes with the Republic of Ireland scheduled for June 26th (Commerce City, Colorado) and 29th (Cincinnati, Ohio).

Canada coach Casey Stoney has an edge on the US

With much of Europe focused on the 2025 Euros, July’s bout with Canada will mark the North American nations’ 67th meet-up — but the first under Canada’s new boss.

Coach Casey Stoney arrived in Canada after parting ways with the San Diego Wave last June, her two years of NWSL experience providing extra familiarity with many USWNT stars.

Stoney previously led WSL side Manchester United for four seasons, giving her further insight into current USWNT manager — and ex-Chelsea head coach — Emma Hayes’s style.

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USWNT faces Brazil without injured defender Tierna Davidson

Yesterday, the US posted a major roster change ahead of this month’s friendlies against Brazil, with Gotham center-back Tierna Davidson officially sidelined due to a knee injury suffered last weekend.

Davidson will be replaced by 19-year-old Angel City defender Gisele Thompson, who earned her first two senior caps during February’s SheBelieves Cup.

While Hayes’s USWNT is all about fierce competition and roster experimentation, mounting injuries could force the team into thinner lineups than expected — and up the competition across the board.

No. 1 seed Texas and No. 2 seed UConn punched their tickets to Tampa last night, joining No. 1 seeds UCLA and South Carolina in the Final Four after two tight matchups closed out the NCAA tournament’s fourth round.

Texas got the best of in-state foe TCU 58-47, behind a game-high 18-point performance from SEC Player of the Year Madison Booker.

UConn then handled USC 78-64, holding off the JuJu Watkins-less Trojans as superstar guard Paige Bueckers followed up her career-high 40-point Sweet 16 performance by dropping 31 points on the night.

"We're just so grateful, but we know like the journey isn't done," Bueckers said after the game. "We want our story to continue as long as possible, and we have business to finish."

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Texas books first Final Four appearance since 2003

After four Elite Eight appearances in five years, the Longhorns finally punched their ticket to the Final Four — their first time back since 2003 — behind a tenacious defense that forced 21 TCU turnovers.

“Anybody that watched that game today, when they turned the TV off, they had to go, ‘Wow, that freaking team plays their ass off,’” Texas head coach Vic Schaefer said after the game.

"I'm having fun with it now," Booker told reporters. "March Madness — you’re supposed to have fun."

"I’m so proud of myself and proud of my team to get to this moment," Harmon said after registering 13 points against TCU.

"Rori Harmon is still that girl," echoed Booker.

Bueckers leads UConn to the NCAA Final Four

The Huskies are headed to their fourth Final Four in the last five years. They advanced on a balanced scoring strategy that saw three different players put double-digit points on the board.

In addition to Bueckers’s 30-piece, freshman phenom Sarah Strong ran the frontcourt. Strong paired 22 points with 17 rebounds and four assists for her fifth postseason double-double. Additionally, Princeton transfer Kaitlyn Chen bolstered the backcourt with 15 points of her own.

"There's Disneyland, there's Disney World and then there's UConn World," Auriemma said. "These are fantasy numbers that make no sense. You couldn't predict this and you couldn't script this at all."

All four remaining teams have the potential to win a national championship. Now it’s a matter of who can deliver when the going gets tough.