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Superteam era: The good and the bad in the WNBA’s 27th year

Breanna Stewart made one of the biggest splashes of 2023 WNBA free agency when she signed with the New York Liberty. (Mike Lawrence/NBAE via Getty Images)

Editors Note: This story was co-reported and co-written by Lyndsey D’Arcangelo and Rachel Galligan.

When WNBA free agency kicked off in February, the market was loaded with high-profile players looking for the right fit at just the right price. Since the league’s most recent CBA was ratified in 2020, higher salaries and player autonomy have made free agency a highly anticipated offseason event.

This year was no exception. In fact, it set a unique precedent.

With Candace Parker and Alysha Clark joining the reigning champion Las Vegas Aces, and Jonquel Jones, Courtney Vandersloot and Brenna Stewart signing with the New York Liberty, the WNBA entered what is being dubbed the “superteam era.”

What does this landscape shift mean for the league? We talked to a handful of general managers, coaches, players and former players to get their insight, both anonymously and on record. And they had plenty to say — not only about the future of the WNBA, but also about how the past ultimately led the league to where it is today.

The superteam era

What exactly is the superteam era? That’s up for interpretation, but one thing everyone can agree on is the attention that player movement and star-studded rosters have brought to the WNBA.

As Stewart lit up Twitter in January with ambiguous, emoji-filled tweets about which team she was going to choose, Vandersloot kept fans on edge as she swung back and forth between Seattle and New York before signing with the Liberty, and Parker shocked the world by joining Las Vegas instead of retiring or returning to Los Angeles for what could be her final season.

“Anytime you are bringing eyeballs and attention to the league, it’s a good thing. I certainly don’t think this is unique to the WNBA — we’ve seen it in a number of sports leagues in our country,” said Connecticut Sun head coach Stephanie White.

“I think it’s just that we are catching up, to be honest. The way things are from a salary structure, it’s a great thing that players are in positions now in their careers where they can take less to compete at a high level, and to compete with people and organizations that they want to.”

Despite the perceived novelty surrounding New York’s and Las Vegas’ stacked rosters, superteams are not new. The Houston Comets won four championships in a row from 1997 to 2000 with Cynthia Cooper, Tina Thompson and Sheryl Swoopes, forming the first superteam and established dynasty in the WNBA. The now-defunct Comets built their roster through the inaugural draft and the expansion draft the following season.

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Cynthia Cooper, Tina Thompson and Sheryl Swoopes pose after winning their third WNBA championship in 1999. (Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)

This superteam era looks different because it is a direct result of free agency, instead of teams muddling through losing seasons to stock up on top draft picks.

“If you think about Phoenix (Mercury) with Diana (Taurasi) and Brittney (Griner), well, how was that built? Well, they drafted BG the year after Diana sat out for the year. And so they didn’t win a lot of games and they got into the lottery,” said longtime WNBA analyst and former player Rebecca Lobo. “It’s the same thing in Minnesota. How did Minnesota build? They built through the draft by being bad and by getting Sylvia Fowles, who forced a trade to get there.

“There’s just a different taste in people’s mouths when they feel you bought your way there versus lost your way there. But in those examples, those were superteams.”

“I don’t know what everybody’s all wound up about,” said Indiana Fever general manager Lin Dunn. “The Comets were by far a superteam. The Detroit Shock were a superteam. The Minnesota Lynx were a superteam. … I’m excited that we now have two superteams.”

The current CBA stipulates that unrestricted free agents with five or more years of service, veterans who have been cut, and veterans who have completed the terms of their contract can negotiate freely with any team in the league and without another team claiming the right of first refusal. Additionally, franchise-caliber players can only be cored three times in their career, regardless of whether or not they do so with the same team.

With these rules turning free agency into a marquee event, teams with multiple stars and “Big Threes” are here to stay. While it’s easy to see superteams inhibiting parity, those in and around the league believe they’ll help raise both the level of interest in the league and the competition on the court.

“I mean, the buzz surrounding Parker going to Vegas, and Stewie and JJ and Courtney to New York was terrific and kind of broke through mainstream sports and interest and that sort of thing,” said Lobo. “The one thing that you know about the WNBA — games are still going to be competitive.”

“My hope is those two superteams are going to generate an enormous amount of interest in the WNBA,” said Dunn. “And while they’re worried about each other, some of us will sneak up and beat them unexpectedly. The most talented teams don’t always win.”

“It creates people talking about it. It makes other teams and other owners step up to remain competitive,” added a former player. “Just because you form a superteam doesn’t mean you’re going to win.”

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With Candace Parker joining an already talented roster, the Aces are the favorite to repeat as WNBA champion. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Leveling the playing field

New York and Las Vegas were able to lure top-tier free agents to their respective franchises for a whole host of reasons. Location was a factor for some players; fanbase was another. But more than anything, owners with deep pockets were the biggest selling point.

Aces owner Mark Davis and Liberty owner Joe Tsai could not only negotiate competitive salaries, but also offer amenities that other franchises don’t have — like an innovative, newly-built practice facility for the Aces and the prospect of charter flights for the Liberty. In certain instances, those advantages have also gotten the two teams in trouble and led to complaints from their competitors.

In 2022, the WNBA fined the Liberty a record $500,000 for violating the CBA by chartering flights for their players in the second half of the 2021 season. On Tuesday, the league stripped the Aces of their 2025 first-round draft pick for violations related to promises of impermissible benefits when negotiating a contract extension with former player Dearica Hamby. Aces head coach Becky Hammon also was suspended for two games for comments she made in connection to Hamby’s recent pregnancy. Hamby accused the organization of mistreating her due to her pregnancy after she was traded to the Los Angeles Sparks in January.

League penalties notwithstanding, when certain owners have a decided financial advantage, it’s harder for smaller franchises without the same means to compete in the free agency market. Policies like the league’s salary cap and commercial flight rules were written into the CBA with the intention of maintaining a competitive balance.

“This league’s going to be great when you get owners with like, real, real money, you get the billionaires willing to spend. But at the same time, you don’t want to lose the owners who have been part of this for a long time and might not be billionaires but have invested all that they can invest,” said Lobo. “So, that’s the tricky part of it all. You have Tsai and Davis, who in the blink of an eye would say, ‘Yes, let’s charter,’ because they can afford a lot. Whereas other ownership groups, it might make them unable to continue to own the franchise. That’s a tough piece of it.”

Franchises with multiple owners haven’t put any less time and energy into their teams or the league as a whole. But they might end up in a position where they aren’t able to provide the same amenities as the league continues to evolve and player expectations rise.

Implementing a league-wide luxury tax, which would require teams to pay a penalty if their payroll exceeds the salary cap, is a possible solution. But getting everyone on board with that type of change would be a challenge in and of itself.

“If they did have a luxury tax then the players wouldn’t have to take less money,” said one former player. “If you have a luxury tax, then you can go over the cap and you can pay players what they deserve to be paid to be basketball players. We can’t even agree on every owner flying charter — I don’t think the luxury tax is something that will ever pass.”

“I know for a fact in our organization, we’re on board for charter flights. But we know there are rules in place and if every team can’t do it, we can’t do it, so we play within those rules,” said one assistant coach. “I think what gets lost in it is that only one team wants to charter. And it’s not true … I think the league can educate people on that.”

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Since Mark Davis became owner, the Aces made Becky Hammon the highest-paid coach and won a WNBA title. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Dunn believes there’s already a level playing field in the league, as long as every team abides by the rules set forth in the 2020 CBA.

“We also have some other ways for players to make supplemental salaries that are legal, like the time-off bonus. They can stay in the city and they can do team marketing agreements. They can do league marketing agreements,” she said. “There are other ways other than their basic salary to make additional money that is legal by the CBA. So as long as we’re following those guidelines, I think it’s great.

“I think in some instances, when people do something a little out of the ordinary, they assume that people are cheating. And that may or may not be true.”

In early February, the WNBA announced it was investigating the Aces for discriminatory practices involving the treatment and subsequent trade of Hamby after she informed the team of her pregnancy. The league also looked into allegations of pay-for-play offers to current players and prospective free agents, as first reported by Howard Megdal of The Next.

As a result of the investigation, the WNBA announced the penalties this week, which the WNBA Players Association said “miss the mark” in a subsequent statement.

The irony here is that the WNBA implemented a similar practice of supplementing player salaries in order to lure players away from the ABL before the WNBA launched in 1997. Initially, players signed contracts with the WNBA instead of individual teams. And since the WNBA’s salaries could not compete with the ABL’s at the time, the league acted as a liaison, facilitating endorsement deals with car manufacturers or other companies to create additional income for star players.

“I’m sure there are loopholes that were not thought of that have been taken advantage of,” said White. “Look, every team, every player, every organization is trying to find the best advantage they can to win championships. I think that’s where we are right now and that’s where every pro sports team is. Some of the things we didn’t see as potentially happening are happening, so now we just have to re-evaluate. We have to figure out how we address this, how to adjust.”

In response to players’ calls for better travel conditions, the WNBA expanded its charter flight program this season to cover all postseason games and teams with back-to-back games during the regular season. The program will reportedly cost the WNBA an estimated $4.5 million. WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert has estimated that chartering flights for an entire season would cost the league around $25 million, and she has stressed the importance of building an economic model to fund it long-term.

“The league’s crisis management is not good,” added one analyst. “What Davis and Tsai want to do is just pay for charters, but you can’t do that if the rest of the league isn’t chartering. So how do you pay for charters? You have to build up the economic business model, you can’t just do it one and done — you have to have sustainability. You’ve got to say, ‘We’re going to be able to charter for the next five years, and this is what we’re going to get in return on our investment.’”

When the WNBA raised $75 million from more than two dozen investors last year, Engelbert said she hoped to “move faster on transforming the economics of h the league.” But some have been left wondering how that capital is being used.

“What did Cathy Englebert do with the $75 million in equity she said she got and acquired? Where did that go?” asked one analyst. “Is that even real money or is that just a forecasted expectation of someone making those kinds of gifts to the league?”

Until the WNBA is in a position to implement league-wide measures like charter flights, those close to the league expect players to look to sign with teams that have the most resources and the best chance to win.

“Like 27 years in, are we that advanced at this point that the superteam isn’t necessary? I’m not sure that we are. I think we might need it,” said the analyst. “I don’t like to call it the ‘superteam,’ but that’s what’s happening — players are taking less and going to franchises where they can win. That’s what the guys are doing.”

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Cathy Engelbert is entering her fourth year as WNBA commissioner. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

The good and bad of the CBA

While the 2020 CBA moved the needle for the players in many positive ways, over three years later, the effect those decisions have had on cap space and rosters have become much clearer.

The number of available WNBA roster spots — 144 total or 12 per team — is often referred to in discussions about roster limitations. But since the latest CBA, that number has realistically fallen under 140, with many teams limited to 11 players due to higher salaries for star players and corresponding salary-cap restrictions.

“This is a legally binding agreement that everyone agreed to and maybe didn’t read the fine print,” said one assistant coach. “It’s typical, you dangle a carrot, here’s more money, oh s–t — well, now we can only have 10 or 11 players. Over the long haul, it doesn’t really add up. What we’re running into is what we all knew would happen.”

The hard salary cap was a prevailing theme in our conversations, with many pointing to the trend of players willing to take less to be a part of the top franchises in the league.

“The hard cap right now probably doesn’t seem like it’s working in the way it was intended, ” said Lobo. “The consequence is that players are just taking less money, and I don’t think that’s what the intent was for the cap or teams.”

Layshia Clarendon, as a member of the WNBA Players Association’s leadership committee, was active in negotiations leading up to the 2020 CBA. The current Los Angeles Sparks guard lamented the fact that the hard salary cap agreed to in the CBA has led to veterans getting squeezed out of rosters. The 32-year-old Clarendon has experienced the unpredictability firsthand, getting waived by both the Liberty and the Lynx in the past few years.

“The league would not budge on either counting that contract as a rookie contract or letting it go over the cap, however you spend it right, and allowing more space for teams to keep veterans,” Clarendon said.

“That’s the biggest thing that’s screwing veterans right now and it’s because of the league’s hard cap. With pregnancies and with vet minimum contracts, a couple of small changes could really help our league. It’s only hurting players at the end of the day.”

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WNBA veteran Layshia Clarendon has bounced around a few rosters since 2021. (Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images)

White, entering her first year as head coach of the Sun after playing five years in the WNBA from 1999-2004, reflected on the early days of the league under the first CBA and how both resources and player expectations have evolved since then.

“All we really wanted was insurance all year around. Now, the options for these women when it comes to building families, sustaining this as a career, while incorporating everything that women have to incorporate, I think it’s awesome,” she said.

“We still want to see change and more roster spots and more opportunities and all of those things that come naturally with building and sustaining a league. But I think the overall ability to compromise on how we best take care of these women who sacrifice so much to play in this league, while we continue to try and grow it for them and continue to try and have more advantages for them while keeping a strong business model so this game can be sustained forever, I think the steps that have been taken have been really good.”

While the WNBA season generally begins in May, leagues overseas run through the winter and finish at any point between the end of February and early May. For nearly three decades, players have been accustomed to playing year-round to supplement their WNBA salaries, often causing them to miss parts of or all of WNBA training camp or even the beginning of the regular season.

The WNBA’s new prioritization policy could restrict that stream of income for many players. According to the rule in the CBA, beginning on May 1, 2024, three-year veterans must be present at the start of training camp or they will face a full season suspension. From now on, players will have to make tough choices between trying out for limited WNBA roster spots and securing a paycheck.

“Those players who don’t know if they’re going to be on a WNBA roster, and then they don’t go overseas because they’re trying to put all their eggs into the WNBA basket with prioritization but then get cut, where is their income coming from?” said one former player.

“That is one negative that I feel like the players should have never agreed to. It’s going to have an impact on the average player. The veterans are already established financially, but you have that four-year, five-year (player) that makes $80,0000 in the WNBA — where are they going to play overseas?”

What’s next?

As the WNBA prepares to tip off its 27th season, many of the league’s shortcomings are once again driving the conversation. Draft picks and former NCAA stars are getting cut from rosters at an increasingly alarming rate, the timeline for expansion remains unclear, and players’ calls for higher salaries and better conditions are growing louder. Meanwhile, Engelbert continues to preach patience with the goal of turning the league into a sustainable business.

“There’s never gonna be enough transparency for people, just in terms of information, and it can always get better,” said an assistant coach. “I just think the league is growing and sometimes we forget we’re not 100 years old — not even 30.”

It’s easy to compare the WNBA to the NBA or other professional sports leagues that have been around for much longer and pick out all the shortcomings. But looking at the league today compared to where it was in its first decade, the big-picture growth is evident.

“We’re starting to build on some of those big-time problems because we actually have player movement, have money to be thrown around in different ways, and have owners who are willing to push the boundaries of the league,” said Clarendon. “I think it’s a big marker of growth. So I’m excited about it from that perspective, from a bird’s-eye view perspective. I think it’s like we’re really at a shifting point for the league.”

Much of that shift has stemmed from free agency and players having more autonomy over their career choices. When the league’s top stars choose teams like New York and Las Vegas, other organizations are incentivized to invest further and remain competitive.

“When you start losing free agents because you feel like you’re not investing as much as you should,” said one former player, “then something has to change or else you’re going to continue to lose players in free agency, because they’re always going to prefer another team over yours.”

As roster-building gets more competitive, those in and around the league want to see the WNBA clearly communicate and enforce the rules. The WNBA’s investigation of the Aces for alleged under-the-table payments, for example, was the result of what one current head coach described as an inevitable issue in the current league climate.

“You’re trying to put together the best possible team that you can. When there is a lack of clarity in exactly what you can do — every organization is looking for ways to move the needle. It doesn’t mean it’s right, wrong or indifferent; it’s just the way that it is when there is not a lot of clarity,” the coach said.

There will be an opportunity to address all of these issues in future negotiations, with the current CBA set to expire in 2027.

“Every CBA is so important. We don’t know what we don’t know. We are continuing to learn about the business model, the evolution of the players and their mentalities and what they want out of this experience,” said one head coach.

“We all have to remind ourselves that there is a bigger picture and we have to figure out how to keep the competitive advantage. There’s not always that balance. We may not ever have it, but how do we get as close to it as possible is the challenge.”

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.

Rachel Galligan is a basketball analyst at Just Women’s Sports. A former professional basketball player and collegiate coach, she also contributes to Winsidr. Follow Rachel on Twitter @RachGall.

FIFA Awards 2031 Women’s World Cup to U.S., Taps U.K. for 2035 Tournament

President of FIFA Gianni Infantino awards the Women's World Cup during the 49th UEFA ordinary Congress held at the "Sava Centar" congress center in Belgrade on April 3, 2025.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced the future Women World Cup hosts this week. (PREDRAG MILOSAVLJEVIC/AFP via Getty Images)

FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirmed two future Women’s World Cup hosts at the UEFA Congress in Belgrade earlier today.

The 2031 event belongs to the United States, while the United Kingdom will host in 2035.

Infantino cited the UK “Home Nations” (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland) as providing the only “valid bid” for 2035. The US submitted the sole bid for 2031 after ceding a prior campaign to host the 2027 tournament to Brazil.

“As part of the bidding process, we received one bid for '31 and one bid, valid bid, I should add for '35,” said the FIFA president.

“The path is there for the Women's World Cup to be taking place in '31 and '35 in some great countries and some great nations to boost even more the women's football movement.”

Mia Hamm #9 of the US kicks against the defense of Germany during the semifinals of the FIFA Women's World Cup match on October 5, 2003.
The US last hosted the Women's World Cup in 2003. (Ben Radford/Getty Images)

US set to host third global FIFA tournament

2031 will mark a record third US-hosted Women's World Cup after successful runs in 1999 and 2003.

The national federation confirmed its intent to submit a 2031 Women's World Cup bid early last month. The decision came soon after FIFA said the 2031 tournament must be played either in North America or Africa.

“We are excited about the opportunity to co-host the 2031 FIFA Women's World Cup and, in collaboration with our Concacaf partners, are committed to delivering a tournament that leaves a lasting legacy,” U.S. Soccer posted. “One that elevates women's soccer across the world and inspires future generations of players and fans.”

Following a successful 2023 expanded tournament in Australia and New Zealand, 32 countries will again feature in the 2027 Women's World Cup. The competition is set to grow to 48 teams by the time the US hosts in 2031.

Women's World Cup hosts England celebrate with the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Trophy after their side's victory during the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 final match  between England and Germany at Wembley Stadium.
First-time Women's World Cup hosts England won the 2022 Euros at home. (Lynne Cameron - The FA/The FA via Getty Images)

UK to host first Women's World Cup in 2035

Unlike the US, the UK has never before welcomed the global women’s tournament. England did host the 2022 Women’s Euros, eventually winning the tournament on home soil.

2023 Women's World Cup winners Spain explored a late Women's World Cup bid in conjunction with Portugal and Morocco — their partners in hosting the 2030 men's event. However, FIFA quickly ruled out the possibility in favor of the UK's joint bid.

“Football is and always will be at the core of our country's identity,” UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said last month.

“Whether we watch on TV, play at the weekends like I do, or simply enjoy soaking up the atmosphere in the pub, it brings communities together like little else. That pride was on full display when England hosted UEFA Women's Euro 2022. It not only showed the best of our nation to the world but inspired a generation of girls into the game, all whilst boosting the economy.”

Watkins, Betts Honored as Big Ten Sweeps 2025 Naismith Awards

UCLA's Lauren Betts, sister of McDonald's All-American Game MVP Sienna Betts, and USC's JuJu Watkins look up during an NCAA basketball game.
Both UCLA center Lauren Betts and USC guard JuJu Watkins won 2025 Naismith Player of the Year awards. (Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

USC sophomore JuJu Watkins took home the 2025 Naismith Player of the Year award on Wednesday. The guard subsequently rose above a wealth of talent after a parity-heavy season that saw success spread across multiple conferences.

“We at Jersey Mike’s extend our congratulations to JuJu Watkins for her phenomenal accomplishment,” said Jeff Hemschoot, vice president of marketing at Naismith awards partner Jersey Mike’s. “Her extraordinary talent and significant influence on the court are unparalleled, and we are thrilled to honor her exceptional achievements with this prestigious recognition.”

Beating out NCAA superstars like Paige Bueckers and Hannah Hidalgo, Watkins averaged 23.9 points a game this season. She led the top-seeded Trojans through the NCAA tournament before tearing her ACL in the second round.

Watkins also won Big Ten Player of the Year, becoming USC's first conference POY since Cherie Nelson in 1988.

“This is just the beginning and I can’t wait for what’s ahead,” Watkins said after receiving the prestigious Naismith award. “Thank you so much again and fight on.”

Naismith Coach of the Year award winner Coach Cori Close of the Big Ten UCLA Bruins gestures after cutting down the net after a game.
UCLA coach Cori Close picked up the 2025 Naismith Coach of the Year award. (Tyler McFarland/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

Big Ten racks up 2025 Naismith awards

The Big Ten swept the annual end-of-year awards for the first time in history. In addition to USC, No. 1 overall seed UCLA's also saw their impact reflected beyond the scoreboard.

Bruins junior Lauren Betts won 2025 Defensive Player of the Year. The junior center also picked up Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and first-team all-conference selection this season.

Cori Close earned Coach of the Year honors after guiding UCLA to a Big Ten tournament title and a top-seeded NCAA tournament berth.

“JuJu’s exceptional prowess, Cori’s unwavering guidance, and Lauren’s relentless defensive prowess mean each is worthy of this year’s Naismith awards,” said Eric Oberman, president of the Atlanta Tipoff Club. “Their outstanding achievements have rightfully earned them the most esteemed accolades in college basketball. We take great pride in acknowledging their unshakeable commitment and remarkable abilities.”

“May our work in the win and loss column always pale in comparison to the work we do to help teach, mentor and equip for life beyond the hardwood,” Close said in a statement.

USWNT Kicks Off Against Brazil Amid Mounting Injuries

USWNT defender Tierna Davidson of the United States team is battling for possession with Gabi Portilho of the Brazil team during the Women's Gold Medal match between Brazil and the United States of America during the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
USWNT star Tierna Davidson will undergo surgery for a torn ACL. (Daniela Porcelli/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

The USWNT will play the first of two April friendlies against Brazil on Saturday, as the repeat of 2024’s Olympic gold medal match launches both sides down the 2027 World Cup path — though this time, the US will take the field without several trusted Olympians.

Already missing mainstays Naomi Girma, Rose Lavelle, Mallory Swanson, Lynn Biyendolo, and Sophia

The USWNT will play the first of two April friendlies against Brazil on Saturday, as a repeat of 2024’s Olympic gold medal match launches both sides down the 2027 World Cup path.

This time, though, the US will take the field without several of the Olympians that helped them win gold last summer.

Gotham FC and USWNT defender Tierna Davidson prepares for a kick during a 2024 NWSL match.
Defender Tierna Davidson withdrew from this month's national team camp due to injury. (Karen Hickey/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

USWNT vets hit with injuries

The USWNT is contending with more than a few key roster absences. They're already without defender Naomi Girma, midfielder Rose Lavelle, and forwards Mallory Swanson, Lynn Biyendolo, and Sophia Wilson.

Compounding these challenges, Gotham FC announced yesterday that defensive mainstay Tierna Davidson suffered a season-ending ACL tear during a recent match against the Houston Dash. ​

“She is so, so good, she will be back,” US captain Lindsey Heaps said of Davidson. “We have not lost her. She will be great.”

In response to Davidson's injury, USWNT head coach Emma Hayes has called up 19-year-old defender Gisele Thompson from Angel City FC. Thompson, who earned two caps during the SheBelieves Cup, will join the national team for the upcoming friendlies against Brazil. ​

Trinity Rodman dribbles the ball during the USWNT's 2024 Olympic gold-medal winning match in Paris.
Rodman will return to the USWNT roster for the first time since the 2024 Paris Olympics. (Andrea Vilchez/ISI/Getty Images)

USWNT layers remain optimistic ahead of Olympics rematch

As the US continues to develop its young player pool, the team’s remaining vets will be tested against a top international opponent. But new faces might also get a chance to show out on the international stage.

Despite the roster gaps, there is one important frontline figure retaking the pitch. Striker Trinity Rodman will rejoin the USWNT on Saturday for the first time since the 2024 Olympics, with the Washington Spirit star still recovering from a lingering back injury.

“Going into the game, you know it’s going to be a difficult one,” Heaps continued. “We [need to] capitalize on our chances, because we might not get that many.”

“We don’t have the same players that we did in the Olympics. But I’m really, really excited to see you know what these new players can do,” she added.

Where to watch the USWNT vs. Brazil friendly on Saturday

The USWNT kicks off against Brazil on Saturday at 5 PM ET, with live coverage on TNT.

Final Four Spotlight: Texas Eyes One Last Dance with South Carolina

Final Four team Texas Longhorns celebrate during the second half against the TCU Horned Frogs in the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament.
After winning the Elite Eight, Texas now faces rival South Carolina in the NCAA Final Four. (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

When Texas takes on South Carolina this Friday, they’ll be playing for more than a shot at the NCAA tournament championship title. 

That's because this year's Final Four is a rematch, marking the fourth meeting between the Longhorns and the reigning national champion Gamecocks this season. Now, Texas is looking for a little revenge against their top-ranked SEC rivals.

Longhorns head coach Vic Schaefer knows South Carolina well. It’s a competitive relationship that dates back to his time coaching Mississippi State, where he led the Bulldogs to the 2017 title game. And the story is strikingly similar.

“I think in '17, we played them three times also, before we played them in the Final Four,” Schaefer said after Monday’s Elite Eight win over TCU. “I think that was our fourth time when we played them in the national championship game.”

Bianca Cuevas-Moore #1 of Texas basketball rival South Carolina Gamecocks is defended by Morgan William #2 of the Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs during the first half of the championship game of the 2017 NCAA Women's Final Four.
Texas coach Vic Schaefer's Mississippi State fell to South Carolina in the 2017 NCAA championship game. (Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)

Staley got the best of Schaefer back then, with South Carolina defeating the Longhorns 67-55 on the way to their first-ever national championship. On Friday, Texas will attempt to flip the script against the 2024 champs, in hopes of securing the team’s first NCAA title in over 30 years.

“That's the thing about Dawn's teams, is that you know you're going to get the same from them that you try to impart on others, too,” Schaefer continued. “They're going to be tough.”

While this Texas squad has showcased their own toughness all season long, South Carolina has once again proven to be a formidable foe. The Gamecocks downed the Longhorns 67-50 in their first clash back in January. Subsequently, the loss served as a valuable lesson, lighting a fire under Texas that they’ve carried with them ever since.

“If you’re going to be a top team you have to beat a top team,” star sophomore Madison Booker told Just Women’s Sports ahead of the 2025 SEC tournament. “Reality hits you right there.”

“After that [game], we kind of figured we weren’t preparing right,” she continued. “We weren’t preparing like we want to win championships. We weren’t preparing like we want to beat top teams, or be a top team. So we had to change.”

That late January defeat launched Texas into a 16-game winning streak. They went on to finish out the regular season without dropping a single additional game.

Head Coach Vic Schaefer of the Texas Longhorns reacts after win against Tennessee Volunteers during the Sweet Sixteen round of the 2025 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament before the Final Four.
Head coach Vic Shaefer has led Texas to four Elite Eight appearances in his five years at the program. (Greg Fiume/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

Moving to the SEC puts Texas in a whole new league

Joining the SEC in 2024 after 28 years in the Big 12, the Longhorns have adapted smoothly. They’ve shown that they know what it takes to become a true title contender, building on two straight appearances in the Elite Eight to punch their ticket to the program’s first Final Four in two decades.

The conference move didn’t hurt, said Schaefer. The coach credited what he calls “a different league" for challenging his players to grow this season. 

“I say it all the time, we jumped out of the frying pan and into the grease,” he said of the leap to the SEC. “It’s a different style, it’s certainly more physical. It’s a league that challenges you every night. You win on the road in this league, it’s like a win and a half.”

“This whole conference [season], I feel like people have been throwing some different stuff at me,” Booker emphasized on JWS podcast Sports are Fun! with Kelley O’Hara. “Box-and-one, face guarding, double- or triple-team. I think I’ve seen it all.”

Despite the competition, the Longhorns played to a 17-0 home record this year. Additionally, they gave up just one non-conference game to Notre Dame last December. Booker saw another excellent season, leading Texas in scoring on her way to winning SEC Player of the Year. And senior Rori Harmon’s return from injury gave Texas yet another boost, with the trusted point guard guiding Texas’s offense through difficult defensive sets with steady composure.

In early February, Texas settled the regular-season score with South Carolina, defeating the Gamecocks 66-62. And the win was bigger than the rivalry. It shot the Longhorns to the top of the AP Poll rankings. That boost saw Texas enter the SEC tournament as the country's No. 1 team.

And after ousting Ole Miss and LSU in the conference tournament’s first two rounds, there was only one team left to beat. 

Final Four player Madison Booker #35 of the Texas Longhorns dribbles against Tessa Johnson #5 of the South Carolina Gamecocks in the second quarter during the championship of the SEC women's basketball tournament.
South Carolina held Texas's Madison Booker to 10 points in the SEC tournament final. (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)

Texas basketball's bumpy road to the NCAA tournament

Texas reveled in wins as they came, whether it was going undefeated at home, winning a regular-season conference title, or progressing through the SEC tournament. But after each game, the same common refrain would emanate from the huddle: “What did Kobe say? JOB’S NOT FINISHED.”

“I think everyone understands what’s at stake here,” said Harmon ahead of Texas’s SEC conference final against South Carolina. “There’s definitely a chip on our shoulder. We need to get stuff done.”

Playing on their biggest stage yet, however, the Longhorns once again couldn’t hold off South Carolina. Eventually, they fell to the Gamecocks 64-45 in March's SEC championship. Rings aside, South Carolina had become Texas’s Achilles heel, with the SEC’s gold standard responsible for two-thirds of their losses going into March Madness.

Despite their late stumble, Texas still entered the NCAA tournament as a No. 1 seed. The Longhorns then became more interested in defining their season from that point on, rather than wallowing in opportunities lost.

“You’re talking about a six-game winning streak. To win a national championship, you gotta win six in a row,” Schaefer said, sizing up the road ahead.

Final Four player Madison Booker #35 the Texas Longhorns celebrates after defeating the TCU Horned Frogs in the Elite Eight round of the 2025 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament.
Texas is shooting to play in their first women's NCAA title game since 1986. (Greg Fiume/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

Taking March Madness by storm

So far, Texas has held up their side of the bargain. They’ve battled through four NCAA tournament rounds, downing March Madness debutant William & Mary, No. 8 seed Illinois, and tricky Tennessee side. Finally, they toppled a determined TCU team to set up a fourth date with their SEC rival. 

And they know full well that they’ll have to tackle this next game as if it was their last.

“It probably means a little bit more [this year], there’s seniors on the team, including me,” Harmon noted. “But this is the team that can do it.”

After turning a solid regular season into a breakout year, everyone in the Texas locker room is firmly on the same page. Intensity and poise got them to the Final Four. Now they’ll have to trust that process to get over the same hurdle that has haunted them throughout the season.

“There is so much on the line, but you've gotta just go play,” Schaefer said on Saturday. “That game is very difficult, and you gotta have kids that can just kinda block out all the distractions, and everything around 'em, and just go play the game.”

The message in the huddle remains the same, because despite all their accomplishments, the job is far from finished. And no one’s lost sight of the bigger picture.

“We're here for a reason,” Harmon said earlier this week. “We worked hard for a reason. Everything happens for a reason. And we put our faith into that.”

Watch more: 'Can Texas Make a Tourney Run?' on Just Women's Sports

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