The three-way trade between the North Carolina Courage, OL Reign, and Portland Thorns brokered in October shook up the NWSL–Crystal Dunn was on the move. In late February, four months after coming over from North Carolina, Dunn committed to Portland by inking a three-year deal.

With the USWNT’s European friendlies wrapped up, and as the NWSL Challenge Cup continues, what can we expect from Dunn as she wears the Thorns crest for the first time?

She’s a winner. #BAONPDX pic.twitter.com/FSIr6kExUu

— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) October 22, 2020

Let’s take a look at Dunn’s stats over her seven-year professional career. Since 2013, the 28-year-old has appeared in 109 matches for the United States women’s national team, logging an impressive 24 goals and 18 assists, winning the 2019 World Cup, and cementing her status as a consistent and reliable contributor on the back line.

In the NWSL, Dunn has lived up to the expectations that come with being a first overall pick. Thorns coach Mark Parsons was coach of the Washington Spirit when they selected Dunn with the top pick in 2014. Dunn has said she’s looked forward to “coming full circle” by reuniting with Parsons in Portland.

Washington Spirit trades #USWNT star Crystal Dunn’s rights for 2 players: https://t.co/Oy4T7JgYHY pic.twitter.com/pZU5jT8N6w

— ABC 7 Sports (@7NewsDCSports) January 17, 2018

In three seasons in North Carolina, Dunn led the Courage to two NWSL championships and two NWSL Shields, contributing 18 goals in 44 appearances. She has had success wherever she’s gone so far in the league, and there’s no reason to think the same won’t be true in Portland.

Our dancing queen that loved to score goals 💃⚽️

Thank you, @crysdunn_19.#NoFinishLine pic.twitter.com/KDYk19CYKs

— NC Courage (@TheNCCourage) October 22, 2020

Parsons had high praise for Dunn after the trade became official.

“Crystal is a game-changer, and with her intelligence, dribbling, passing, and finishing ability, she can unlock a game in a split second, while her defensive qualities and work rate make her as impactful off the ball as she is on it,” he said. “She has a winning mentality, a contagious personality full of positivity, and the desire to be her best and make people around her the best.”

If using one adjective to describe Dunn, “versatile” is probably the most constructive. She thrives in a variety of positions on both offense and defense and has demonstrated equally the ability to score and to create chances for teammates. Now teaming up with Christine Sinclair, Lindsey Horan and Rocky Rodríguez in Portland, Dunn’s offensive repertoire will be on full display and the Thorns are in a much better position to win their first NWSL title since 2017.

🔜💭🌹 pic.twitter.com/TAUGdjg6DD

— Crystal Dunn | Soubrier | (@Cdunn19) March 31, 2021

On a call with reporters after the trade, Dunn said she would prefer to assume an attacking role with the Thorns, despite primarily playing defense for the USWNT.

“I did voice to him that I don’t really want to play in the back line,” Dunn said of a conversation with Parsons. “So if he has that idea lined up, I’m like ‘OK, well I’ll deal with it.’ But I think he knows that I definitely want to pursue an attacking role, and I think he can agree with me as well on that.”

Dunn is currently listed as a midfielder on the Thorns roster. Wherever Parsons decides to slot her in the lineup, we can expect to see her name on the scoresheet regularly.

If we’ve learned anything from Dunn’s career, it’s that where she goes, the hardware seems to follow. Portland is certainly banking on it.

Rose Lavelle is hoping to return to the field soon. 

The 28-year-old midfielder has been sidelined with a lower leg injury since the Gold Cup in early march. Since then, she has yet to play for new club Gotham FC in the NWSL. She also missed a potential USWNT appearance at the SheBelieves Cup in April, where senior team newcomer Jaedyn Shaw saw success assuming Lavelle's role in the attacking midfield. 

At the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee media showcase on Monday, Lavelle told reporters that she’s doing well and hopes to be back soon.

"I’m doing good — I’m hoping I’ll be back in the next couple weeks," Lavelle said. "It’s frustrating to start the year off with an injury, just because I feel like you come off preseason and you’re revving to go, so it’s so annoying."

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Lavelle is still looking to compete for one of just 18 Olympic roster spots. When healthy, she ranks as one of the national team’s most trusted assets, but considering this most recent injury, her health is an obvious concern. Faced with an onslaught of experienced competitors and young talent, incoming USWNT coach Emma Hayes will have some big decisions to make when selecting the Paris-bound squad — a reality Lavelle seems to be taking in stride as she works to regain full fitness.

"We have so many special players, we have so much depth, and so many different weapons to utilize on and off the bench," Lavelle said. "Unfortunately that means really good players are going to get left off, too. And I think for all of us, it’s just about being ready for whatever role is given to us, embracing that, and looking to put it into a collective picture so that we can go into the Olympics ready to go."

Stanford has found its replacement for legendary head women's basketball coach Tara VanDerveer in associate head coach Kate Paye.

The Cardinal confirmed the hiring on Tuesday via a press release. Paye was largely expected to replace the longtime head coach, as the college mentioned they were still negotiating Paye's contract when they announced VanDerveer's retirement.

In Tuesday's statement, Paye reported that she was "humbled" to have been tapped to lead the women’s program.

"Stanford University has been a central part of my life for as long as I can remember and I am humbled to have the opportunity to lead its women’s basketball program," Paye said. "I’d first like to thank Tara, who has played such a pivotal role in my career for her friendship and guidance. It’s not what she’s done, but how she’s done it, that has had such a profound impact upon me."

A Woodside, California native, Paye played under VanDerveer from 1992 to 1995, taking home a national title her freshman year. After graduation, Paye briefly joined San Diego State as an assistant coach before making her professional debut with the ABL's Seattle Reign in 1996. After finishing her playing career with the WNBA's Seattle Storm, she joined the team’s coaching staff in 2007 and has been with the organization ever since, picking up another national title win — this time as associate head coach — in 2021. Paye's brother John played quarterback for Stanford from 1983 to 1986, while also serving as a point guard on the basketball team.

In her own response, VanDerveer said that she was "grateful" that Stanford picked Paye to follow in her stead. Last week, the decorated coach stated that this year would be her last after 38 seasons at the helm and three national titles under her belt.

"She has long been ready for this opportunity and is the perfect leader for Stanford at this time of immense change in college athletics," VanDerveer noted. "Kate was the choice for this job and I am confident she will achieve great success as head coach."

The 2024 WNBA Draft has officially concluded, leaving the newly minted rookie class facing a tough road ahead.

Only 144 roster slots are available throughout the league’s 12 teams, the reason why the players are sometimes referred to as the “144.” And Monday’s draft picks are set to join a large group of established players competing for those same roster spots, from seasoned veterans to young athletes determined to prove their value on the court.

Last year, just 15 of the league’s 36 draftees made it onto their drafting team's opening-day squad.

In reality, there are oftentimes fewer than 144 spots available, as not every team maxes out their roster. Per the league's CBA, each team roster must maintain a minimum standard of 11 players, but those lists can include players out with injuries or on other forms of leave. Players can also be assigned to short-term hardship contracts, something waived players must be prepared for at any point during the season.

Earlier this week, Laeticia Amihere — a 2022 national champion with South Carolina who currently plays for the Atlanta Dream — took to TikTok to provide some insight into the WNBA training camp process. 

"You can either get drafted on Draft Night, or you can get signed by a team," she said. "Once that happens, you go to training camp literally like two weeks later... Basically everybody's got to try out. There's 12 roster spots, and there's like 18 people at the at the trial."

@laeticiaamihere Replying to @dantavius.washington #wnba #draft ♬ original sound - Laeticia Amihere

Amihere also had an important point to make: Getting cut does not signify a player’s abilities. 

"If you get cut after training camp, that does not mean you're not good," she said. "That does not mean that player sucks, don't stop supporting that player. Literally, there's so many reasons somebody can get cut."

"If you guys look at the best players in the league, most of them have bounced around teams," she added. "And I promise you it is not a bad thing, it's just how the league is."

Things, however gradually, are changing. With Golden State's WNBA team scheduled to launch in time for the 2025 season, league expansion is just around the corner. On Monday, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced that the league is aiming to grow to 16 teams by 2028. But by then, it might be too little too late for the generation of talent emerging from an increasingly competitive NCAA system.

Monday night’s WNBA draft added to the nationwide uptick in record-breaking women's sports viewership, pulling in 2.45 million viewers throughout the nearly two-hour broadcast and peaking at 3.09 million, according to an ESPN release. 

That number shatters the previous draft viewership record — 601,000 in 2004 — which was fueled primarily by then-No. 1 pick Diana Taurasi entering the league after UConn's historic three-peat March Madness performance.  

The 2023 WNBA draft drew 572,000 viewers, the most for any televised WNBA event since 2.74 million tuned in to NBC for a Memorial Day matchup between the New York Liberty and Houston Comets back in 2000.

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While many came to watch Caitlin Clark get drafted No. 1 overall, it’s important to note that viewership didn’t take a massive dip after the superstar shooter left the stage. The numbers show that a bulk of the audience stuck around to watch the remainder of the show, making 2024's event not just the most-viewed WNBA draft in history, but also the most-viewed WNBA program to ever air on ESPN platforms.

Draft Day's popularity is yet another sign indicating an expected rise in WNBA regular season viewership. Clark and Iowa's NCAA tournament showdown with the Chicago Sky-bound Kamilla Cardoso's South Carolina side drew a record 18.7 million to ABC's Sunday afternoon broadcast. Banking on this trend, 36 of Indiana's upcoming 40 games are set to be shown on national television. In-person ticket sales are also soaring, leading the defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces to re-home their matchup with the Fever to a venue that can accommodate some 6,000 more fans.