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WNBA roster tracker: Sparks cut NCAA star Destanni Henderson

(Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images)

The 2023 WNBA season is underway, but rosters will continue to change as teams address injuries and absences.

As teams do their best to balance their lineups, Just Women’s Sports will be tracking who’s in and who’s out.


July 17 — Los Angeles Sparks cut Destanni Henderson

The Sparks terminated guard Destanni Henderson’s hardship contract on Sunday to make room for Layshia Clarendon, who was activated off of injured reserve.

Henderson had been with the team since June 16 after Clarendon suffered a foot injury. In 10 games, including one start, she averaged 5.0 points and 2.5 rebounds in 16.9 minutes per game. The former South Carolina star earned her team’s praise after she helped L.A. overcome a 17-point deficit to defeat the Dallas Wings on June 24 with 18 points.

“Henny has proven that (she belongs in this league),” said Sparks guard Jordin Canada. “Tonight just showed that she’s very capable of being in this league and we’re very grateful to have her here.”

Henderson was previously waived in training camp by the Indiana Fever, who selected her 20th overall in the 2022 WNBA draft.

Before her injury, Clarendon had started in six games for the Sparks, averaging 7.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists.


July 4 — Mystics flip Amanda Zahui B. for Queen Egbo

The Washington Mystics acquired former first-round draft pick Queen Egbo from the Indiana Fever on Tuesday in exchange for Amanda Zahui B.

“(We had) an opportunity to get a young player on a young player contract who has talent and has some particular skills that we are looking for,” Mystics general manager Mike Thibault told The Washington Post. “She’s an elite rebounder, a good shot blocker. We see an upside.”

The trade also helps offset the absence of Shakira Austin, who is out for at least three weeks with a hip injury. The No. 10 overall pick in the 2022 draft, Egbo has averaged 5.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and one block through 49 games.

The trade for Zahui B., who is on a one-year deal, frees up future cap space for Indiana. Without Egbo, the Fever have nine players under contract for the 2024 season — and now they have room for two maximum contracts next year.

Elsewhere, the Dream waived Taylor Mikesell and activated Iliana Rupert; the Sky waived Kristine Anigwe and activated Ruthy Hebard; the Wings waived Ashley Joens and Jasmine Dickey; the Mercury released Alaina Coates; and the Storm waived Arella Guirantes and signed Gabby Williams.


June 30 — A’ja Wilson signs extension with Aces

Reigning WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson has signed a two-year extension with the Las Vegas Aces, the team announced. She would have been a free agent after the 2023 season.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft, Wilson won Rookie of the Year in her first season, then won MVP in 2020 and 2022. She helped lead the franchise to its first WNBA championship last season.

Four of the Aces’ five starters — Wilson, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray — are now under contract for the 2024 season. The team is off to a 14-1 start, with Wilson averaging 19.4 points and a team-leading 9.0 rebounds.

“When the Aces made me their first-ever draft pick, they entrusted me with a lot,” Wilson said in a news release. “I’m happy to still be in Las Vegas, winning games, playing at a high level, but also being a part of a community that has embraced me and my teammates over the past six years, and made this city a second home for me.”


June 20 — Mystics re-sign Abby Meyers to hardship contract

First-round draft pick Abby Meyers has signed with the Washington Mystics on a hardship contract.

The Dallas Wings selected the Maryland guard with the No. 11 overall pick but waived her before the start of the season. She shot 38.8% from the 3-point line in her final collegiate season, helping the Terrapins to the Elite Eight.

Meyers’ signing comes as Mystics guard Li Meng leaves to compete for China in the Asia Cup through early July. The team will also be without veteran guard Kristi Toliver for two weeks with a foot injury.


June 16 — Sparks sign Destanni Henderson

The Los Angeles Sparks picked up former South Carolina star Destanni Henderson on an emergency hardship contract.

The No. 20 overall pick in the 2022 draft, Henderson was waived by the Indiana Fever before the start of the season. She played 36 games for the Fever in 2022, averaging 5.3 points, 2.5 assists and 1.6 rebounds. She joins former Gamecocks teammate Zia Cooke in Los Angeles.


June 14 — Emily Engstler signs with Lynx

Emily Engstler has signed a hardship contract with the Minnesota Lynx, the team announced.

The No. 4 overall pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft, Engstler was waived by the Fever in April before signing with the Washington Mystics. In two preseason games with Washington, Engstler had 15 points, 12 rebounds and one block, but she was waived before the start of the season.


June 9 — Taylor Soule signs with Sky

Rookie forward Taylor Soule signed a rest-of-season hardship contract with the Chicago Sky. The Minnesota Lynx had drafted the Virginia Tech product in the third round of the 2023 draft but waived her before the start of the season.

Soule averaged 12.8 points and 5.9 rebounds in five seasons with the Hokies, and she helped lead the team to the Final Four in her final season.

Also this week, Odyssey Sims signed a rest-of-season hardship contract with the Dallas Wings, while Kaila Charles was waived by the Seattle Storm and Bernadett Hatar was waived by the Indiana Fever.


June 6 — Karlie Samuelson re-signs with Sparks

Just one day after releasing Karlie Samuelson, the Los Angeles Sparks re-signed the 6-0 guard to a rest-of-season hardship contract.

Samuelson made the Sparks’ roster to start the season, helping to fill the hole left by her sister Katie Lou Samuelson, who is missing the season due to pregnancy, and by Jasmine Thomas, who is rehabbing from an ACL tear she sustained last May. Samuelson is averaging 9.8 points and 2.6 rebounds in five games this season.

The Sparks also activated center Azurá Stevens, who has been recovering from a back injury, and released forward Joyner Holmes.

 


June 5 — Taylor Mikesell signs with Dream

The Atlanta Dream signed Taylor Mikesell, the team announced Monday. The No. 13 overall pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft, she was waived by the Indiana Fever during training camp.

The signing comes after the Dream waived Lorela Cubaj due to her EuroBasket commitments.

Mikesell brings shooting depth to a Dream team currently averaging 34.8% from 3-point range, which is sixth overall in the league. The Ohio State standout shot 42% from deep in her college career.


May 30 — Marine Johannès rejoins Liberty, Kalani Brown signs with Wings

Marine Johannès has rejoined the New York Liberty after winning the French league title with AVSEL. As Johannès had played just two WNBA seasons entering 2023, the prioritization rule — which requires WNBA players to return to the U.S. league by the start of the season — did not play to her.

The 28-year-old guard averaged 10.0 points and 3.4 assists in 25.5 minutes per game for the Liberty in 2022.

Meanwhile, Kalani Brown returned to the Dallas Wings on a hardship contract. The Wings had waived the 2019 first-round pick ahead of the season opener but brought her back as they deal with long-term knee injuries to Lou Lopez Sénéchal and Diamond DeShields.


May 22 — Gabby Williams remains in limbo for Seattle

Restricted free agent Gabby Williams remains undecided about her plans for the 2023 WNBA season, her agent Lindsay Kagawa Colas told ESPN’s M.A. Voepel.

“The 2023 WNBA season is an option for Gabby, but not a certainty,” Kagawa Colas said. “For now, she’s prioritizing her health while taking into account her French national team commitments this summer. From there, we can start to evaluate availability for the WNBA, but as of today we are still a couple of steps away.”

Williams’ status has been up in the air as a result of the league’s new prioritization rule, which requires players to complete their offseason obligations before the start of the WNBA season. Williams had been playing for ASVEL in the French league, but she had her contract suspended to meet the prioritization deadline.

While the decision left Williams unable to play in the final two games of the championship series, which ended in a title for ASVEL, it kept open the possibility of a return to Seattle for the 2023 season.

Still, under the prioritization rule, Williams would be subject to a fine of one percent of her 2023 salary for each day of training camp that she missed if she does sign with the Storm.

“We are in constant communication with Gabby,” Storm head coach Noelle Quinn said. “We know that she didn’t play. Just kind of staying well aware of the situation. Obviously her health is the most important right now.”

Williams was a starter for Seattle last season, averaging 7.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists.


May 18 — WNBA teams set opening day rosters

WNBA teams made their final cuts ahead of opening day.

Of the 36 college stars drafted in April, just 15 appear on rosters to start the season, including two third-round selections in the Indiana Fever’s Victaria Saxon and the Phoenix Mercury’s Kadi Sissoko.

Notable rookie free agents include No. 11 pick Abby Meyers, who was cut by the Dallas Wings, and No. 22 pick Alexis Morris, who made waves with her reaction to the lack of available roster spots.


May 17 — Charli Collier, Kalani Brown waived by Wings

The Dallas Wings waived former No. 1 overall pick Charli Collier on Wednesday morning as well as 2019 first-round pick Kalani Brown.

Collier played two seasons in Dallas, averaging 2.9 points and 2.5 rebounds per game, and she was named to the All-Rookie team in 2021.

The Wings also announced that 2023 first-round pick Lou Lopez Sénéchal is set to undergo knee surgery and will be out six to eight weeks, while Diamond DeShields will miss “extended time this season” as she deals with a knee injury.


May 16 — Monika Czinano waived by Sparks, two former South Carolina stars cut

The Los Angeles Sparks cut Iowa standout Monika Czinano. Czinano was selected in the third round of the draft with the No. 26 overall pick.

With her exit, all three draftees who participated in the 2023 national title game – Czinano, Alexis Morris, and LaDazhia Williams – have been waived by their WNBA teams.

Elsewhere, two former South Carolina stars were waived by their teams, Brea Beal by the Minnesota Lynx and Destanni Henderson by the Indiana Fever.

Beal was drafted with the No. 24 overall pick this year. While she did not score in 10 minutes in the Lynx’s loss to Chicago in the preseason WNBA Canada Game, she did record a rebound, an assist and a steal.

Henderson, a second-round pick in 2022, played 36 games for the Fever last season, averaging 5.3 points, 2.5 assists and 1.6 rebounds.

The New York Liberty also made a number of cuts, with Sika Koné, Morgan Green, Stephanie Mawuli and DiDi Richards all being waived. The former NCAA champion had been a staple member of the Liberty the last two years, averaging 4.3 points and 1.3 rebounds.

The Connecticut Sun waived a trio of players — Caitlin Bickle, Nia Clouden and Jayla Everett — in addition to acquiring Leigha Brown from the Atlanta Dream, while Seattle waived Jasmine Walker.


May 15 — Dallas Wings cut first-round pick Abby Meyers

The No. 11 overall pick in the 2023 draft, Abby Meyers was cut by the Dallas Wings before the start of the regular season. She played just one minute in Saturday’s preseason loss to Indiana and scored no points.

Meyers played collegiately at both Princeton and Maryland before becoming one of the Wings’ two first-round picks, along with Villanova’s Maddy Siegrist. The Wings also acquired first-round selection Lou Lopez-Sénéchal from the Washington Mystics, and Lopez-Sénéchal and Siegrist remain with Dallas.

The Wings’ roster sits at 14 players, so two more will have to be cut before Thursday’s roster deadline to reach the 12-player maximum.

Alexis Peterson was waived by the Las Vegas Aces. The former 15th overall pick of the 2017 draft, Peterson has played primarily overseas.

Also on Monday, the New York Liberty signed Sabrina Ionescu to a two-year contract extension through the 2025 season.


May 14 — Washington Mystics waive Elena Tsineke

A number of teams announced roster cuts on Sunday, with the Mystics waiving both Stephanie Jones and Elena Tsineke. Tsineke was drafted 20th overall by the team in the draft, and reportedly had been impressing in camp.

“[Tsineke] has come out and, I know that she was a scorer at USF, but to see [her] implemented into the professional game already. Like she’s ready and that’s exciting to see,” Natasha Cloud told NBC Sports. “She’s just a dog like she’s gonna yell at everyone, she’s gonna be up guarding at halfcourt waiting for you.”

Cloud has been vocal about the WNBA needing to expand after tough roster cuts.

The Minnesota Lynx also announced cuts on Sunday, with Maya Dodson and Myah Selland both being waived by the team. Additionally, Angel Baker was waived by the Chicago Sky.


May 13 — WNBA vets Reshanda Gray, Crystal Bradford waived by Los Angeles

The Los Angeles Sparks announced that the team had waived Crystal Bradford and Reshanda Gray. Gray has played in the WNBA for six seasons, spending time with Minnesota, Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Phoenix. Bradford has played two seasons in the league (2015 in Los Angeles, 2021 in Atlanta).

Also on Sunday, the Phoenix Mercury announced the team had waived rookie Liz Dixon and second-year vet Destiny Slocum, while the Washington Mystics cut Stephanie Jones and Elena Tsineke.


May 10 — LSU’s Alexis Morris cut by Connecticut

The Connecticut Sun waived a trio of rookies on Wednesday — draftees Alexis Morris and Ashten Prechtel and undrafted free agent Diamond Battles.

LSU national champion point guard Morris announced her exit just hours after she played in a preseason game for the Sun, tweeting: “Welp I just got waived. Thank you Sun nation.”

As of Wednesday afternoon, 23 of 36 picks from the 2023 draft appeared on rosters, and almost every team still has cuts left to make to fit under the 12-player maximum.


May 9 — Evina Westbrook picked up by Mercury

The Phoenix Mercury have signed Evina Westbrook to a training camp contract, claiming her off waivers after she was cut by the Washington Mystics.

Meanwhile, the Connecticut Sun exercised DiJonai Carrington’s fourth-year option, guaranteeing her salary in 2024. She took to Twitter to celebrate the extension, writing “GOD IS BIG.”

Elsewhere, the Las Vegas Aces made a trio of cuts, waiving Brittany Davis, Courtney Range and Aisha Sheppard.


May 7 — Mystics waive Evina Westbrook

Former UConn and Tennessee guard Evina Westbrook was waived by the Mystics as one of two roster cuts.

Westbrook played 14 games for Minnesota and six for Washington last season, averaging 2.8 points and 1.2 assists per game. During the Mystics’ preseason game, she had seven points and three rebounds through 26 minutes.

Also waived was Alisia Jenkins. A former standout at South Florida, Jenkins last played in the league in 2020, bouncing around from Indiana, to Chicago then Phoenix on 7-day contracts. Jenkins had four points and three fouls through 10 minutes of preseason play.

The Mystics’ roster now sits at 15, meaning they’ll need to cut three more players to reach the league-maximum 12-player roster size.


May 5 — A trio of teams make roster cuts

The Atlanta Dream cut Mikayla Pivec and Alaina Coates. Coates, a former second-overall pick in the 2017 draft, has bounced around the league since getting drafted. She spent last season with Indiana, averaging 3.5 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.

The Sun, meanwhile, waived Victoria Macaulay, while the Phoenix Mercury waived Destiny Harden. Harden was the 27th overall pick in the 2023 draft after playing collegiately at Miami. She averaged a career-high 11.9 points and 5.9 rebounds per game last season.


May 3 — Fever waive former college star Rennia Davis

The Indiana Fever waived former first-round draft pick Rennia Davis three days into WNBA training camp.

Davis, a four-year starter at Tennessee, was the ninth overall pick of the Minnesota Lynx in the 2021 WNBA draft. She missed her entire rookie season after undergoing surgery to repair a stress fracture in her left foot.

In 2022, the Lynx waived Davis from their training camp roster after she recorded a double-double in their second preseason game. Davis returned to the Lynx on a hardship contract and played in one game before she was again released on May 12. The 6-foot-2 guard/forward signed with Indiana on July 15 and played in seven games to close out the season, averaging 5.7 minutes per game.


May 3 — Connecticut slims down roster with cuts

The Sun waived Kiara Smith, Khaalia Hillsman and Mikiah Herbert Harrigan.

Herbert Harrigan is a former South Carolina standout who was drafted sixth overall in the 2020 WNBA draft by the Minnesota Lynx. After one season in Minnesota, she spent the 2021 season with the Seattle Storm. Since 2022, she’s been a member of the WBBL’s London Lions.

Smith, meanwhile, was drafted 36th overall by the Sun in 2022, but sat out last season due to injury.


May 1 — Mystics sign Emily Engstler to training camp contract

One day after WNBA training camp began, the Washington Mystics have signed Emily Engstler. The deal comes just five days after the Fever released the former No. 4 overall pick from the 2022 draft.

Engstler averaged 5.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.1 blocks per game, scoring in double figures four times. Her 181 total rebounds for the season were the fifth-most recorded by a Fever rookie in franchise history. The Louisville grad also joined Destanni Henderson and Victoria Vivians as the only players in franchise history to play more than 34 games in a regular season.


April 30 — Sun sign Diamond Battles to rookie scale contract, waive Lasha Petree

The Sun signed former Georgia Bulldog leading scorer Diamond Battles to a rookie-scale contract. At the same time, they waived Lasha Petree.

Petree is a former Purdue Boilermaker who also played at Rutgers and Bradley. She averaged 13.9 points per game in her college career.


April 27 — Mercury waive former first-round pick Sydney Wiese

With three days until WNBA training camps open, the Phoenix Mercury waived former 11th overall pick Sydney Wiese.

Drafted in 2017 by the Los Angeles Sparks, Wiese played three seasons in L.A. before she was traded to the Washington Mystics in 2021. In four seasons with the Sparks, she averaged 3.9 points and 1.1 rebounds, including a career-high 6.8 points and 1.7 rebounds per game in 2020.

Wiese played one season in Washington, suffering a knee injury last March. Phoenix signed the guard to a training camp contract in February.

Also on Thursday, the Connecticut Sun signed Lasha Petree to a rookie scale contract. The guard led Purdue in scoring this past season with 14.7 points per game on 42.7 percent shooting from the field.


April 26 — Fever waive 2022 fourth overall pick Emily Engstler

The Indiana Fever released second-year forward Emily Engstler. The fourth overall pick in the 2022 WNBA draft, she played 35 games as a rookie for the Fever last season, starting in six of them.

Engstler’s 40 blocked shots in 2022 were tied for the team high and were four shy of tying Tamika Catchings’ rookie franchise record.

This marks the third consecutive season in which the Fever have waived a top draft pick. The team waived 2021 No. 4 pick Kysre Gondrezick last season and 2020 No. 3 pick Lauren Cox in the previous season.


April 24 — Aces waive rookie Elizabeth Balogun

Elizabeth Balogun is on the market after being waived by the Las Vegas Aces.

Balogun had inked a training camp contract with the Aces after going undrafted out of Duke. A 2023 Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year Preseason and Midseason Top-10 watch list candidate, she played in all 33 games, starting in 27 of them, for the Blue Devils during the 2022-23 season.

Through two seasons with Duke, Balogun averaged 9.3 points and 4.8 rebounds. Last season she was second on the team in scoring (10.2 points) and led the team in rebounding (5.2 rebounds).

She also was a member of the Nigerian Olympic Team at the Tokyo Games in 2021.


April 12 — Astou Ndour-Fall opts out of 2023 season

Even though Astou Ndour-Fall signed a one-year contract with the Sky in February, the Spanish national team center is opting out of the 2023 WNBA season. Ndour-Fall’s Italian season and the report date to Chicago factored into the decision, as did her international schedule this summer, the Chicago Sun-Times’ Annie Costabile reported.

This year’s FIBA EuroBasket tournament is set to take place from June 15-25, right in the middle of the WNBA season. Her absence is likely a result of the new prioritization clause that is being implemented starting this season. 

Without Ndour-Fall, the team’s roster includes Marina Mabrey, Isabelle Harrison and Kahleah Copper as veterans.

Orlando, Washington Take Aim at 2024 NWSL Championship in Kansas City

2024 NWSL Championship graphic featuring the Spirit and the Pride
Orlando will face Washington in the Pride's first-ever NWSL Championship on Saturday. (Mike Watters/Imagn Images)

All eyes are on Kansas City, as the Orlando Pride and the Washington Spirit take the pitch one last time in Saturday's 2024 NWSL Championship.

Both teams led the league in regular-season play after missing the 2023 NWSL Playoffs entirely. Now, the No. 1 Pride are staring down their first-ever title, while the No. 2 Spirit will look to add a second star to their crest to join their 2021 win.

As the only squad to defeat Washington twice this season, Orlando holds the pair's head-to-head advantage. The Pride's second win over the Spirit also served as their 2024 Shield coronation — a match that saw Washington captain Andi Sullivan's season end in an ACL tear

MVP candidates lead championship charge

With three of the 2024 NWSL MVP candidates on Saturday's title-defining pitch, both Orlando and Washington will look to their superstars to lead them to glory.

The Pride's strength lies in Brazilian icon Marta and Zambian striker Barbra Banda, who've proven unstoppable in the attack throughout the postseason. Scoring five of Orlando's seven playoff goals between them, Banda has now netted 16 NWSL goals in 2024, with Marta notching 11.

Leading the Spirit's offensive charge is potential MVP Trinity Rodman. With eight league goals on the year, Rodman has yet to find the back of the net in the postseason, though she's been key to Washington's fight by creating scoring opportunities throughout the playoffs.

Alongside Rodman, NWSL newcomers have been stepping up for the Spirit all season. Most recently, Hal Hershfelt propelled Washington to the final with a rocket of a header in last weekend's semifinals. The Spirit's young core could be the difference-maker in Saturday's showdown.

Washington rookie Hal Hershfelt celebrates a goal while teammate Makenna Morris looks on at an NWSL game.
Prolific offense could decide the 2024 NWSL champion. (Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

Explosive offense to decide 2024 NWSL Champion

The old adage that defense wins championships is likely to be challenged on Saturday as offense takes centerstage.

Subsequently, fans can expect the NWSL Final to come down to whichever team manages to score at-will. With Washington's 51 regular-season goals good for second in the NWSL and Orlando sliding in third with 46, the pair's attacking prowess is set to determine who lifts the league's luxury hardware.

How to watch the 2024 NWSL Championship

Hosted at Kansas City's CPKC Stadium, the 2024 NWSL Championship kicks off at 8 PM ET on Saturday. Live coverage will air on CBS and Paramount+.

UConn Coach Geno Auriemma Nears VanDerveer’s All-Time NCAA Wins Record

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma celebrates the Huskies' 2024 Elite 8 win.
Geno Auriemma is poised to become the winningest basketball coach in NCAA history. (Soobum Im/Getty Images)

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma is on the brink of becoming the all-time winningest coach in NCAA basketball history, with the No. 2 Huskies hosting Fairleigh Dickinson on Wednesday night.

Should UConn win, Auriemma will surpass retired Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer after pulling even with her 1,216 career wins with last Friday's victory over No. 16 UNC. Unlike VanDerveer, who had stints leading Idaho and Ohio State prior to Stanford, Auriemma's entire head coaching career has been his 40 years at UConn.

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma and his longtime associate head coach Chris Dailey give instructions on the sideline.
Geno Auriemma, alongside his right-hand Chris Dailey, has led UConn for 40 seasons. (Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Forty seasons of UConn excellence for Auriemma

Already a bonafide legend of the game, Auriemma has helmed UConn's women's basketball program since 1985, inheriting a team that had only seen one winning season prior to his arrival.

"We started at ground zero, at nothing — we didn’t have the advantage of location, the advantages of the reputation of the school, we didn’t have the luxury of a big-time league that could elevate us," Auriemma explained. "We started at the absolute ground level and it has evolved into this.”

Of course, Auriemma is referring to the program's stacked resume. That success stems from his high standards, recruiting prowess, and the work ethic and selflessness he demands from his players.

In total, the nine-time AP Coach of the Year boasts a record 11 national championships, including a stranglehold on the NCAA title from 2013 to 2016. His Huskies have completed six undefeated seasons and featured in 23 Final Fours — more than any other NCAA team, men's or women's.

Rightfully sharing in Auriemma's record is his veritable partner-in-crime, associate head coach Chris Dailey, who has served UConn alongside Auriemma all 40 seasons.

The 1995 UConn team celebrates their first-ever national championship at a pep rally.
Auriemma's first-ever championship team in 1995 included future WNBA star Rebecca Lobo. (Bob Stowell/Getty Images)

UConn's unmatched legacy of world-class athletes

Wednesday's sold-out game will include dozens of Auriemma's former players in attendance. At least 63 — from superstars Sue Bird to Diana Taurasi to Maya Moore — are expected to make the trip to Storrs to celebrate the milestone.

Subsequently, Athletes are Auriemma's true legacy. The 70-year-old is responsible for shaping the players who arguably put not just UConn, but women's basketball on the national map.

The Huskies' first-ever Final Four appearance in 1991 allowed Auriemma to take serious aim at the country's top high school recruits. And it was center Rebecca Lobo who first took a chance on the program.

Despite her parents' protests, Lobo chose the relative unknown over established dynasties specifically to learn from Auriemma.

"He was the selling point. The reason to go there was to play for him. That has stayed consistent, but especially in the early years," Lobo recently told reporters. "He could be the one to usher you into the best version of yourself."

At her 1,000-point celebration, UConn guard Paige Bueckers poses with coach Geno Auriemma.
Current UConn star Paige Bueckers continues Auriemma's legacy of excellence. (M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Coach Auriemma's UConn-to-WNBA pipeline

That "best version" has turned many UConn players into stellar pros. Including Lobo, who became UConn's first WNBA player during the league's 1997 formation, a total of 47 Huskies have featured in the WNBA. Last season, 17 former UConn players were on the league's rosters, with at least one on all 12 teams.

Current star Paige Bueckers is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, putting Auriemma on the verge of sending a sixth top pick to the league. Previously, other No. 1 picks include Bird, Taurasi, Moore, Tina Charles, and Breanna Stewart.

The future pro is always quick to sing Auriemma's praises, summing up what so many players echo about the coach. "It means everything to play for UConn, and to play for him," Bueckers recently said.

As for Auriemma, who's currently contracted to continue his Huskies' dominance through 2029, Wednesday's likely milestone snuck up on him.

"I don’t think anybody goes into anything thinking that they're going to spend 40 years of their life at one place doing the exact same thing," Auriemma told reporters earlier this week. "The best way I can describe it, you know, it just caught up to me."

How to watch UConn vs. Fairleigh Dickinson women's college basketball

The star-studded sold-out game honoring UConn head coach Geno Auriemma will tip off in Storrs against Fairleigh Dickinson at 7 PM ET on Wednesday. Live regional coverage will air on SNY.

NWSL Drops 2024 Best XI, Crowns Croix Bethune Rookie of the Year

Washington's Croix Bethune dribbles past Bay FC's Kiki Pickett during an NWSL match.
Washington midfielder Croix Bethune is the NWSL's 2024 Rookie of the Year. (David Gonzales/Imagn Images)

In the lead-up to Saturday's 2024 NWSL Championship final, the league is revealing the season's individual award winners, with Washington Spirit midfielder Croix Bethune currently leading the charge.

After earning NWSL Best XI First Team honors on Monday, Bethune was named the 2024 Rookie of the Year (ROTY) on Tuesday.

Record-breaking abbreviated season set Bethune apart

Despite only playing 17 of the NWSL regular season's 26 matches before tearing her meniscus in late August, Bethune's five goals and record-tying, league-leading 10 assists made her the unequivocal ROTY frontrunner.

The 23-year-old Georgia alum also won Rookie of the Month (ROTM) every single month she was eligible. Her season-opening three-month streak made Bethune the first-ever NWSL player to earn the honor in consecutive months. Plus, she returned from the 2024 Olympics with a gold medal just to add a record-setting fourth ROTM title to her debut campaign.

With her 2024 ROTY win, Bethune — who is also nominated for 2024 Midfielder of the Year — joins a star-studded list of past winners that includes Naomi Girma, Jenna Nighswonger, Bethany Balcer, and USWNT legend Julie Ertz.

Washington is also the current home to two previous ROTY winners. Ashley Hatch snagged the award as a North Carolina Courage rookie in 2017, with Trinity Rodman becoming the Spirit's first-ever ROTY in 2021. That same year, Washington, who will battle Orlando for the 2024 NWSL Championship this Saturday, took home it's first-ever league title.

Looking ahead, the ROTY landscape is likely to shift significantly, potentially as soon as next season. The league's latest CBA eliminated drafts, leaving the college-to-pro pipeline that Bethune — the 2024 NWSL Draft's third overall pick — followed in uncharted territory.

Gotham's Yazmeen Ryan and Rose Lavelle celebrate a goal during their 2024 NWSL quarterfinal.
After no Gotham field players earned NWSL award nominations, four made the league's Best XI. (Lucas Boland/Imagn Images)

2024 NWSL Best XI Teams stacked with playoff standouts

Before Tuesday's ROTY reveal, the NWSL announced 2024's Best XI First and Second Teams on Monday, with a full 10 of the 22 honored players hailing from Saturday's title-contending clubs.

With five players apiece, finalists Orlando and Washington — plus semifinalist Gotham — lead the seven league teams represented across the two squads. NWSL semifinalist Kansas City followed with three athletes, while North Carolina's defense earned a spot on each list.

Additionally, first Team forward Sophia Smith was Portland's sole delegate. Second Team center back Naomi Girma was both San Diego's only selectee and the only non-playoff athlete on either list.

Washington's talented young roster supplied both of the rookies to make the Best XI cut. New ROTY Bethune was the lone debutant on the First Team roster, with the Spirit's star defensive midfielder Hal Hershfelt notching a spot on the Second Team.

While all five MVP nominees unsurprisingly received First Team honors, Monday's lineups did flip the script on Gotham's lack of individual awards. Four omitted NJ/NY field players, including defender Jenna Nighswonger and midfielder Rose Lavelle, joined goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger — Gotham's only position award nominee — in the Best XI.

NWSL goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger of NJ/NY Gotham FC stops the ball during a game against Bay FC.
Late Gotham addition Ann-Katrin Berger made this year's NWSL Best IX First Team. (Karen Hickey/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

The 2024 NWSL Best XI First Team

  • Goalkeeper: Ann-Katrin Berger (Gotham FC)
  • Defenders: Emily Sams (Orlando Pride), Casey Krueger (Washington Spirit), Kaleigh Kurtz (NC Courage), Jenna Nighswonger (Gotham FC)
  • Midfielders and Forwards: Temwa Chawinga (KC Current), Barbra Banda (Orlando Pride), Marta (Orlando Pride), Croix Bethune (Washington Spirit), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns)

The 2024 NWSL Best XI Second Team

  • Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse (Orlando Pride)
  • Defenders: Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave), Tara McKeown (Washington Spirit), Kerry Abello (Orlando Pride), Ryan Williams (NC Courage)
  • Midfielders and Forwards: Vanessa DiBernardo (KC Current), Lo’eau LaBonta (KC Current), Hal Hershfelt (Washington Spirit), Esther (Gotham FC), Rose Lavelle (Gotham FC), Yazmeen Ryan (Gotham FC)

Final 2024 USWNT Roster Drop and NWSL Semis on ‘The Late Sub’

USWNT players Emily Sams, Emma Sears, Korbin Albert, Hal Hershfelt, Yazmeen Ryan, and Casey Krueger look line up for the national anthem.
Emily Sams, Emma Sears, Hal Hershfelt, and Yazmeen Ryan all made the USWNT's November roster after logging their first caps last month. (Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

On today's episode of The Late Sub, host Claire Watkins breaks down the November USWNT roster, from how head coach Emma Hayes is able to give opportunities to new players from a position of strength to which athletes are drumming up excitement before the team's final 2024 matches against European powerhouses England and the Netherlands.

Later, Watkins revels in the incredible NWSL semifinals by discussing all the magic that led the top-seeded Orlando Pride and No. 2-seed Washington Spirit to book spots in Saturday's 2024 NWSL Championship match.

The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes in women’s sports. This is the weekly rundown you’ve been missing, covering the USWNT, NWSL, WNBA, college hoops, and whatever else is popping off in women’s sports each week. Special guest appearances with the biggest names in women’s sports make The Late Sub a must-listen for every fan. Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women’s Sports newsletter for more.

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