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WNBA wish list: My hopes for the league in 2022

One wish is for more WNBA postgame coverage, such as Holly Rowe’s interview of Sylvia Fowles on ESPN last year. (David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)

Instead of asking for a bunch of knick-knacks or things I don’t really need this holiday season, I decided to make a WNBA wish list. I’m not asking for much — just a few additions here and there that I think will help grow the league, reward fans and improve the overall experience of the season.

The league made significant progress in 2021 and has a lot of momentum on which to build. So, I put together some reasonable requests for the 2022 season. I only hope the jolly guy in the red suit delivers.

1. A new twist to the orange hoodie

The orange hoodie has become the trademark merchandise item of the WNBA. It’s bright, comfortable and fashionable. Everyone from WNBA and NBA players, to celebrities and musicians, have been spotted wearing the sweatshirt, and it even won an award in 2020 for Best Fashion Statement of the Year.

It’s the league’s best-selling product, so why not keep the hype going with a revamped hoodie? Keep selling the classic orange, of course, but also offer it in the signature colors of WNBA teams, like Chicago Sky blue, New York Liberty seafoam, Phoenix Mercury purple, Las Vegas Aces gold, Seattle Storm green and more. How fun (and profitable) would that be?

2. One more season of Sue Bird

When the WNBA announced its 2022 schedule, teams around the league shared the news on social media. The Storm got people talking when they posted their game schedule on Twitter with a graphic featuring a photo of Sue Bird. A free agent, Bird hasn’t confirmed whether she’ll return to the court next season, but she also hasn’t closed the door. If Bird were to announce this coming season as her last, the league could plan the farewell tour she deserves and fans would have the opportunity to say a proper goodbye.

3. New All-Star Game locations

The WNBA All-Star Game debuted in 1999 and has been held in a handful of cities since then, but over the years, many of the locations have been repeats. Las Vegas, for example, has hosted the past two All-Star Games in 2019 and 2021. Availability, access and facilities all factor into the decision of which city gets to host the festivities, but it would be gratifying if the WNBA expanded its horizons and gave WNBA fans in other cities a chance to experience All-Star Weekend in their hometowns. Chicago has never hosted; neither has Los Angeles, Dallas, Atlanta or Indiana. Let’s spread the love around.

4. Expansion, expansion, expansion

The last time the WNBA expanded was in 2009, when the Atlanta Dream entered the fold. For over a decade, the league has been content to roll with 12 teams. But for the past few years, the calls for expansion have been growing from basketball fans all over the country. And signs point to it happening sooner rather than later.

Former WNBA player Alana Beard headed up a group of investors, including the African American Sports and Entertainment Group, to bring a WNBA team to Oakland, Calif. Rapper and Toronto Raptors ambassador Drake even weighed in on the matter, telling the WNBA on Instagram that he “[needs] a Toronto team.” WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert has said since the start of last season that if the league were successful in 2021, expansion talks would take place. Viewership numbers for the 2021 regular season were up nearly 50 percent. I’d say that’s a success.

5. Postgame TV coverage

Nothing is worse than watching a competitive, down-to-the-wire WNBA game end in a buzzer-beater win, only to have the broadcast cut to an irrelevant segment seconds later. No postgame interviews, no game breakdowns, no analysis or final thoughts — just a quick “see you later” and move on. I think legitimate postgame (and pregame) coverage in the WNBA, especially for the playoffs, is long overdue. With overall viewership numbers on an upswing, there’s clearly an appetite for it. The more television networks expand their WNBA coverage and introduce the storylines around these players and teams to fans, the more the league will continue to grow.

6. WNBA highlight show

While we’re on the topic of additional coverage, let’s get crazy. Rather than catch a WNBA highlight here or there on ESPN’s “SportsCenter” or daily NBA Show, I’d love to hear WNBA-focused analysts talk about the league on a regular basis. Maybe something like “Inside the WNBA” or “WNBA Talk,” full of game highlights, player interviews, hot takes and game-day fits — the possibilities for conversation topics are endless in a league brimming with intrigue. And between former players and current WNBA analysts and personalities, there is no shortage of possible hosts to guide the discussions and share their insights.

7. WNBA League Pass 2.0

There is a lot to love about WNBA League Pass. It’s easily accessible on any device, it’s incredibly affordable and it allows fans to watch games on demand, pause and rewind in the moment and view real-time stats. But it is not without its faults. Not every live game, for example, is available to consumers. Depending on where you live, some games are blacked out, and the app will sometimes glitch in the middle of a game, logging users out without any explanation. League Pass is a valuable resource for WNBA fans and media alike. I would love to see the WNBA invest in improving the quality of the experience.

8. More exposure for WNBA players

I was casually watching a kids’ sitcom with my 9-year-old when Candace Parker appeared on screen in a guest starring role. It was great to see, and the next time I mentioned Parker’s name out loud in the presence of my daughter, she knew exactly who I was talking about. This is why beyond-the-court exposure of WNBA athletes is so important, especially for upcoming generations. I’d love to see more players make appearances on talk shows, sitcoms, commercials, podcasts, radio segments and more. In fact, a WNBA player has never hosted “Saturday Night Live.” Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Candace Parker or Liz Cambage would be naturals.

9. Giving past players their due

As part of the WNBA’s 25th anniversary celebration last season, the Las Vegas Aces honored former players throughout the franchise’s history as the Utah Starzz and the San Antonio Silver Stars. It was a way to celebrate and highlight players who had a significant impact on the franchise and the league. The WNBA would not be where it is today without those who paved the way for the longest-running professional women’s sports league in the country. Individual teams, and the league itself, should honor its past in some form every season.

10. Respect

With all of the growth the WNBA has undergone in the past five years, between the talent level on the floor to the recognition off of it, a little respect from the rest of the sports world would be nice. From a continued lack of recognition in mainstream media to dealing with swarms of Twitter trolls, the WNBA and its players are still fighting for the respect they deserve. They shouldn’t have to. Not in 2022, and not ever.

Lyndsey D’Arcangelo is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports, covering the WNBA. She also contributes to The Athletic and is the co-author of Hail Mary: The Rise and Fall of the National Women’s Football League. Follow Lyndsey on Twitter @darcangel21.

2025 NCAA Softball Kicks Off as Oklahoma Hunts 5th-Straight World Series Win

Oklahoma and Texas line up on the softball field before the second game of the 2024 Women's College World Series.
Oklahoma will pursue their fifth-straight NCAA softball title this season. (Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

College softball is back, with a new-look Oklahoma team kicking off the 2025 NCAA season in pursuit of a fifth-straight Women's College World Series win.

Despite Oklahoma's ongoing dominance, 2025's lineup does promise significantly higher parity than seasons past.

Having graduated a number of last year's stars — including a senior class that snagged four straight national titles — the Sooners enter the season ranked third.

Instead, 2024 runner-up Texas takes the top spot, followed by perennial contenders Florida at No. 2. Both teams enter 2025 with the majority of their rosters from last season intact, earning them an edge over the revamped Sooners.

Texas star catcher Reese Atwood blasts a double during a 2024 NCAA Softball Regional game against Northwestern.
Star slugger Reese Atwood is back to lead the Texas softball offense. (David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Texas on top as SEC looms

Still hunting a first national championship, Texas returns with six starters and four of their five 2024 pitchers — including then-freshman phenom Teagan Kavan, who led the team with 20 wins last year.

Meanwhile, last season's Big 12 Player of the Year, junior catcher Reese Atwood, is back to lead the Longhorn offense.

After joining rival Oklahoma in flipping to the SEC this year, Texas is gearing up to meet their new conference foes with the No. 1 target on their backs.

"It's a great honor, to tell you the truth," Texas head coach Mike White said about the preseason ranking. "And now we got to back it up. We’ve had a team that's been called young in the years past, and now we're a little more mature."

"We have a tough slate of games ahead of us, and then, of course, the gauntlet of the SEC is ahead of us," White noted. "We’ve really just got to go play good softball now."

The impact of conference realignment will extend beyond the SEC this season. The sport's historic dynasty No. 6 UCLA is now competing in the Big Ten while No. 4 Oklahoma State is taking over the top spot in the Big 12 rankings.

Stanford pitcher NiJaree Canady winds up from the circle during a 2024 NCAA Softball Super Regionals game against LSU.
A $1 million NIL deal convinced 2024 National Player of the Year NiJaree Canady to transfer to Texas Tech. (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)

2025 NCAA softball season takes the field

As multiple teams travel to warm-weather destinations to start the season, the first week of competition showcases a slate of top-ranked matchups.

With a top-tier win already in the books, No. 4 Oklahoma State opened their 2025 campaign with a bang at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge on Thursday. Buoyed by a trio of home runs, the Cowgirls handed No. 12 Florida State a 9-6 loss.

Waiting on deck at this week's NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Florida, are two ranked games featuring superstar pitchers.

First, No. 16 Nebraska ace Jordy Bahl — a two-time NCAA champion with Oklahoma — will likely take the circle against No. 5 Tennessee on Thursday. If she gets the start, it will mark her first game in nearly a year, as the Cornhusker transfer suffered a season-ending ACL injury in last year's opener.

Then on Friday, a revamped No. 10 Texas Tech side will face No. 25 Mississippi State, with former Stanford pitcher NiJaree Canady likely leading the charge.

The 2024 National Player of the Year transferred after her sophomore season with the Cardinal, as Texas Tech sealed the deal via a record-shattering $1 million NIL contract.

Oklahoma softball pitcher Jordy Bahl winds up during the 2023 Women's College World Series against Florida State.
Star transfer Jordy Bahl is back with Nebraska softball after missing 2024 play with an ACL tear. (Grace Bradley/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

How to watch this week's Top 25 NCAA softball games

Look for Bahl to lead No. 16 Nebraska against No. 5 Tennessee at 7 PM ET on Thursday, before No. 25 Mississippi State will contend with Canady and No. 10 Texas Tech at 5 PM ET on Friday.

Both games will stream live on the GameChanger app.

Unrivaled Basketball Drops 1v1 Tournament Bracket

Napheesa Collier and Stefanie Dolson tip off an Unrivaled basketball game.
The winner of the Unrivaled 1v1 tournament will earn $200,000 in prize money. (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball's 1v1 tournament is fast approaching,​ with the offseason league dropping the competition's official bracket on Wednesday.

The head-to-head showdown tips off on Monday, February 10th, with the semifinals and three-game final series all tipping off on Friday, February 14th. 

Fan votes determined the seeding for the debut league's first-ever in-season tournament. Those ballots gave the Mist's Jewell Loyd and Vinyl's Arike Ogunbowale first-round byes, moving them straight into Tuesday's quarterfinal round.

Meanwhile, the other 28 competitors have four rounds to overcome to claim the trophy — not to mention $200,000 in prize money.

Breaking down the Unrivaled 1v1 bracket

Some early battles will be tougher than others, as Unrivaled co-founder and current scoring leader Napheesa Collier takes on fellow UConn alum Katie Lou Samuelson. The winner of that matchup then faces either Jackie Young or Rickea Jackson.

Collier's fellow co-founder Breanna Stewart — also a UConn product — drew 2024 UConn standout Aaliyah Edwards in Monday's first round. The winner subsequently earns a second-round date against either Marina Mabrey or Kate Martin.

Despite her first-round bye, Ogunbowale's bracket quadrant appears to be a gauntlet.

The guard will first battle either fellow Notre Dame alum Skylar Diggins-Smith, who has four game-winners under her belt so far this season, or Vinyl teammate Dearica Hamby.

The Olympic 3×3 bronze medalist trails only Collier and Laces star Kayla McBride on Unrivaled's score sheet, averaging 21.2 points per game. Additionally, Hamby's 10.4 rebounding average has her sitting fourth in the league.

Should they advance, either McBride or Satou Sabally will await Ogunbowale in the quarterfinals.

Ultimately, every matchup is stacked considering the star-studded league's depth.

"I just want the top dawgs to knock each other out," joked Courtney Williams ahead of her own first-round clash with Tiffany Hayes, with the winner set to square off against either Rhyne Howard or Lexie Hull.

"[If] your shot's falling, really anyone can win 1v1," she continued. "It's all about who figured it out in that moment."

An official game ball rests on the Unrivaled basketball court in Miami, Florida.
The three-day 1v1 tournament will tip off on Monday. (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

How to watch next week's Unrivaled 1v1 tournament

The inaugural contest's first round tips off at 2 PM ET on Monday, with live coverage on truTV. The evening session begins at 7 PM ET on TNT.

Both the second round and quarterfinals will air on truTV starting at 7 PM ET on Tuesday, with the semifinals and finals taking over both truTV and TNT on Friday beginning at 7:30 PM ET.

No. 1 UCLA Downs No. 8 OSU in Top 10 NCAA Basketball Action

UCLA center Lauren Betts lifts a shot over Ohio State during Wednesday's Big Ten basketball game.
UCLA center Lauren Betts registered 19 points and 14 rebounds in Wednesday's win. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

No. 1 UCLA added another Top 10 NCAA basketball win to their 2024/25 resume on Wednesday, tallying their second of the season after holding off Big Ten foe No. 8 Ohio State 65-52.

Despite Buckeye freshman Jaloni Cambridge's game-leading 21 points, Ohio State fell to a tough UCLA defense. The Bruins clamped down in the second and fourth quarters, relinquishing just 18 points to the Buckeyes across those two periods.

Meanwhile, UCLA junior Lauren Betts continued her National Player of the Year campaign, scoring a team-high 19 points plus 14 rebounds after clinching the double-double before the first-half buzzer.

Star junior guard Gabriela Jaquez narrowly trailed Betts, posting 17 points to help push UCLA over the line.

The victory marks a program-record 22nd consecutive win for the still-undefeated Bruins — their longest winning streak since 1978.

"I told the team after the game that these games are fun when they're close," Jaquez said afterwards. "This might have been one of the first games where it got close."

Top 10 NCAA upset rattles the Big 12

Wednesday didn't pan out as smoothly in the Big 12, where No. 12 Kansas State upset No. 9 TCU 59-50 in the Wildcats' first Top 10 win of the season. The victory broke the pair's tie atop the conference standings, putting Kansas State firmly in control of the Big 12.

While the Wildcat defense stifled TCU top scorers Sedona Prince and Hailey Van Lith, holding them to a respective 14 and 10 points, Kansas State senior Serena Sundell showed out on offense. The guard scored a season-high 27 points — 15 of which came during the Wildcats' third-quarter surge.

"[Sundell] lived at the rim," TCU head coach Mark Campbell told reporters after the game. "She absolutely destroyed us in the post. She just shot layups and layups and layups. That's what makes her unique is she's a 6-foot-2 versatile playmaker.... We didn't have an answer for that one."

UConn guard Azzi Fudd controls the ball against Tennessee during the rivals' 2022 basketball game.
Tennessee hosts historic rival UConn in a Top 20 matchup tonight. (M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

How to watch Top 20 NCAA basketball on Thursday

The NCAA action continues with historic rivals No. 5 UConn taking on No. 19 Tennessee at 6:30 PM ET tonight. That's when Paige Bueckers and the Huskies will take aim at Jewel Spear and the Vols, with live coverage on ESPN.

USWNT Star Midge Purce Signs One-Year NWSL Contract Extension with Gotham

Gotham winger Midge Purce holds the ball before a set piece during a March 2024 NWSL match.
Purce earned NWSL Championship MVP with Gotham in 2023. (Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

USWNT attacker Midge Purce re-signed with Gotham FC on a one-year deal Wednesday. The move quieted speculation about the star's future with the club.

The 29-year-old announced her return in classic fashion. She simply adding a two-word quote to Gotham's press release on Wednesday: "I'm back."

Purce played a major role in Gotham's 2023 title-winning run. She earned NWSL Championship MVP honors after assisting on both goals in NJ/NY's trophy-clinching match. However, she was sidelined for much of the subsequent season — her fifth at Gotham — after a late March 2024 ACL tear.

"Midge brings a number of great qualities to our team, and her dynamism and experience are great additions to our talented attacking group," Gotham GM Yael Averbuch West said in a statement. "We are very excited to welcome her back into the mix."

Purce signing helps ease Gotham's 2025 concerns

Securing the striker eases some fears about Gotham's plans for 2025. This offseason saw a number of high-profile exits including USWNT stars Lynn Biyendolo (née Williams), Crystal Dunn, Jenna Nighswonger, among others.

"We fully understand our journey won't always follow a straight path, and we are realistic about the time, fortitude, and effort required to achieve our goals," Averbuch West recently told fans in an open letter.

"I know this offseason has been a time of uncertainty for our fans, and I want you to know we've worked tirelessly to build a team you’ll be excited to stand behind in 2025 and every season after."

Ultimately, Purce's return rounds out a still-solid Gotham squad. Of course, the roster remains punctuated by USWNT mainstays Rose Lavelle, Emily Sonnett, and Tierna Davidson.

The team is currently in Spain for preseason training. They'll play a pair of closed-door scrimmages before returning to New Jersey to kick off the 2025 NWSL season.

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