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NWSL investigation: Red Stars owner dismissed Rory Dames complaints

Rory Dames coaches from the sidelines of a Red Stars game last season. (Robin Alam/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

U.S. Soccer released the full findings of its investigation into abusive coaching in the NWSL on Monday, providing new insight into Rory Dames’ tenure as head coach of the Chicago Red Stars and his subsequent exit from the club.

The report, spearheaded by former attorney general Sally Q. Yates, expanded on previously reported claims of abuse and misconduct leveled at Dames and Red Stars owner Arnim Whisler’s handling of those complaints.

Red Stars players said Dames used “pejorative and degrading language and made racially insensitive comments,” according to the report.

“For example, they said that: In addition to referring to Black players as ‘thugs’ and one Black player in particular as a ‘bodyguard,’ on one occasion, Dames approached a Black player, pointed to her styled ‘baby hair’ and asked, ‘what is it?’” Per the report, it was explained to Dames that his question was a “microaggression.”

The report also showed a concerted effort by players to alert the NWSL of Dames’ behavior early in his tenure.

In 2014, U.S. women’s national team and Red Stars forward Christen Press filed a complaint to then-U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati and then-USWNT head coach Jill Ellis, saying that Dames “‘created a hostile environment,’ verbally and emotionally abused players, had made sexist and racist remarks to players and had retaliated against her and other players when they spoke out.”

The complaint was shared with USSF CEO Dan Flynn, acting-NWSL General Counsel Lisa Levine and NWSL Executive Director Cheryl Bailey, who then forwarded Press’ concerns to Whisler, according to the report.

Whisler “complained that National Team players wanted ‘this league to shut down’ and simply had an ‘axe to grind’ with Dames,” the report states.

The investigation revealed that Dames offered to resign “in light of the complaints,” but Whisler declined to accept his resignation and no disciplinary measures were taken.

Instead, Dames stayed on with the Red Stars as head coach until Nov. 21, 2021, when he resigned from his position. The announcement came a day before the publication of a Washington Post story detailing verbal and emotional abuse allegations against Dames.

“The decision to allow Rory to step down after the championship match was allowing the players to finish the season that they wanted to finish,” Whisler told the Chicago Sun-Times earlier this year. “We conducted an internal workplace assessment with a third-party sports psychologist and others and made sure that the environment was safe to continue.”

The psychologist, however, revealed that “70 precent of players reported concerning behaviors that are consistent with the generally accepted definition of emotional abuse in sport,” the report states.

Whisler remains the owner of the Red Stars, and according to the report, he “states that there is ‘nothing to this day’ that he observed or was told about Dames during his tenure as a coach of the Chicago Red Stars, that he believes constituted abuse of misconduct or required him to take action.”

In March 2019, while USSF was still investigating players’ allegations against Dames, SafeSport notified USSF that it had received a report that Dames had a relationship with a former player while she was on his team, married her and had a child with her, the report stated.

SafeSport determined after a month-long preliminary inquiry that there wasn’t enough information to proceed with a formal investigation. According to the report, there is no indication that USSF informed the NWSL, Red Stars or the Eclipse (Dames’ youth club) of the allegation brought to SafeSport.

Yates’ investigation addressed Dames’ time in youth soccer as well, uncovering a pattern of inappropriate behavior that the Washington Post first reported on in February 2022.

Players recounted instances of verbal and emotional abuse, claiming Dames created a “sexualized team environment.”

As Eclipse coach, Dames asked questions about players’ sex lives, “spoke to youth players about foreplay, oral sex and male climax,” spent time alone with players in his apartment, hotel rooms and their childhood bedrooms and “touched a youth player inappropriately on her thigh,” per the report.

Eclipse player Natalie Ramello said Dames would “give girls tips on sex and say things like: ‘you should be shaved and bare down there,’ and ‘I hope you’re giving your boyfriend a good time.’”

Players who participated in the investigation reported “that Dames has sexual relationships with multiple players who previously played for him at the youth level, though these relationships may have begun after they reached the age of consent.”

Many of the allegations from Dames’ youth career date back to 1998.

Per Yates’ report, the Red Stars did not fully cooperate with the U.S. Soccer investigation, initially declining to produce documents beyond those relating directly to Rory Dames.

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Napheesa Collier, Allisha Gray, and Kiki Iriafen Top May WNBA Awards

Minnesota's Napheesa Collier celebrates a play during a 2025 WNBA game.
Napheesa Collier won May’s Western Conference Player of the Month. (Ellen Schmidt/Getty Images)

The WNBA recognized May’s top performers on Wednesday, handing out the first round of monthly awards to early-season standouts across the league.

Lynx star Napheesa Collier picked up Western Conference Player of the Month, with the forward averaging 26.8 points per game while leading Minnesota to a 6-0 May start.

Earning the same honor in the Eastern Conference was Dream standout guard Allisha Gray, who started the season with a 21.4 points-per-game average to help boost Atlanta to third in the league standings.

New York Liberty manager Sandy Brondello won Coach of the Month — a natural fit after leading the 2024 WNBA champs to their best opening record since 1997.

The most surprising nod, however, went to Rookie of the Month Kiki Iriafen, with the Mystics forward averaging a 13.9-point, 10.1-rebound double-double while shooting 47.4% from the field in her first month as a pro.

The USC product opened the season with a bang, becoming just the second rookie in WNBA history to record four double-doubles in her first five games, joining Utah Starzz forward Natalie Williams, who did so in 1999 — three years before Iriafen was born.

The day-one Mystics starter is also the first Rookie of the Month in Washington franchise history, telling reporters, "From the day I got drafted to the Mystics, I just put my head down, like, I'm going to work… I'm just giving my best effort every single time that I'm playing, and it's nice to see the fruits of your labor come to fruition."

How to watch the winners of May's WNBA awards in action

While Collier's Lynx and Gray's Dream are off until the weekend, Brondello's Liberty will visit Iriafen and the Mystics at 7:30 PM ET on Thursday, live on Prime.

Texas Outlasts Texas Tech in 2025 WCWS Game 1, Takes 1-0 Finals Lead

The Texas Longhorns celebrate their 2025 WCWS championship series Game 1 win over Texas Tech.
Texas softball is one win away from clinching their first-ever national championship at the 2025 WCWS. (Brett Rojo-Imagn Images)

Texas softball took Game 1 of the 2025 Women's College World Series (WCWS) championship series by topping in-state rivals Texas Tech 2-1 on Wednesday night, putting the Longhorns just one win away from clinching a program-first national championship.

"It's tight, especially when you're facing a good pitcher," said Texas catcher Reese Atwood, who delivered the game-winning hit. "Any momentum, any energy, we'll take it."

After a controversial obstruction call gifted Texas Tech a 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth, a rare misstep from Red Raiders ace NiJaree Canady gave Texas the daylight they needed to pull ahead.

With two Longhorns in scoring position and Atwood — the nation's RBI leader — stepping to the plate, Texas Tech head coach Gerry Glasco decided to take advantage of the vacant first base by instructing Canady to intentionally walk Atwood.

Noticing that Canady's intentional balls were dangerously close to the strike zone, Atwood capitalized, launching a game-winning two-run single on a 3-0 count — her first hit of the WCWS.

"Maybe it was the wrong decision. Maybe we should've went at her," said Glasco following the loss.

With up to two games left to play, the 2025 WCWS has already been a huge hit, averaging 1.1 million viewers on ESPN before the championship series even began — the network's highest pre-finals viewership on record.

While this year's NCAA tournament chases even more viewership history, Texas Tech will be hunting a Game 2 win to keep their championship dreams alive.

How to watch Game 2 of the 2025 WCWS championship series

The Red Raiders and Longhorns will square off again at 8 PM ET in Thursday's Game 2 of the best-of-three series, airing live on ESPN.

Star Lionesses Step Back as England Drops 2025 Euro Roster

England defender Millie Bright claps after a 2025 Nations League match against Spain.
England defender Millie Bright withdrew from consideration prior to the 2025 Euro roster release. (Visionhaus/Getty Images)

England dropped its 2025 Euro roster on Thursday morning, with manager Sarina Wiegman's title-defending squad facing major shakeups after three longtime staples recently withdrew from consideration.

Forward Fran Kirby and goalkeeper Mary Earps officially announced their international retirements mere days before the drop, with Wiegman previously informing 31-year-old Kirby of her omission from this summer's lineup.

Defender Millie Bright followed suit, stepping back from the team in a Wednesday social media post that stated she's "not able to give 100% mentally or physically."

While these shifts don't necessarily spell defeat, England now faces an uphill climb in their hunt for a second straight European title.

The Lionesses will start their campaign in Group D, a tricky division featuring perennial powerhouses France and the Netherlands plus regional rival Wales.

To further complicate things, England is also coming off a rocky Nations League run, failing to qualify for this year's Finals after finishing second behind Group A3 winner — and 2023 World Cup champs — Spain.

Though their 2025 Euro roster is missing some homegrown talent, the England lineup does feature a handful of NWSL stars stepping into the spotlight.

Washington defender Esme Morgan will make her Euro debut after helping lead the Lionesses to the 2023 World Cup final, while Gotham defender Jess Carter and Orlando goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse return to the competition to defend their 2022 success.

All in all, with a refreshed roster and increased parity across the women's game, the Lionesses' path to 2025 Euro victory is now more uncertain than ever.

Washington Spirit defender Esme Morgan celebrates a goal during a 2025 NWSL match.
Washington Spirit defender Esme Morgan will make her Euro debut with England this summer. (Roger Wimmer/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

England's 2025 Euro roster

  • Goalkeepers: Hannah Hampton (Chelsea), Khiara Keating (Manchester City), Anna Moorhouse (Orlando Pride)
  • Defenders: Lucy Bronze (Chelsea), Leah Williamson (Arsenal), Jess Carter (Gotham FC), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal), Esme Morgan (Washington Spirit), Niamh Charles (Chelsea), Maya le Tissier (Manchester United)
  • Midfielders: Ella Toone (Manchester United), Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), Keira Walsh (Chelsea), Grace Clinton (Manchester United), Jess Park (Manchester City)
  • Forwards: Lauren Hemp (Manchester City), Lauren James (Chelsea), Chloe Kelly (Arsenal, on loan from Manchester City), Beth Mead (Arsenal), Michelle Agyemang (Brighton, on loan from Arsenal), Alessia Russo (Arsenal), Aggie Beever-Jones (Chelsea)

WNBA Star Angel Reese Drops Player Exclusive Reebok Engine A Shoe

Angel Reese poses with a floating Reebok "Pretty Gritty" Engine A Basketball Shoe.
Angel Reese and Reebok's "Pretty Gritty" Engine A sneakers are the first basketball shoe with the WNBA star's name. (Reebok)

Reebok Basketball dropped the first player exclusive shoe from WNBA star Angel Reese on Wednesday, just one week after the debuting the Chicago Sky standout's signature logo.

Alongside her name, Reese's logo features on the tongue of the two-tone black cherry and pink "Pretty Gritty" Engine A shoes.

The player-exclusive colorway is a limited-edition release, with Reese most recently sporting a pair of the "Pretty Gritty" sneakers in Chicago's 97-92 win over the Dallas Wings last Thursday.

Reese signed with Reebok during her senior year at LSU in 2023, with this week's drop marking the WNBA sophomore's first-ever basketball shoe.

Reese's customized version of Reebok's existing Engine A sneakers comes as the apparel giant works with the Sky forward to design her first signature shoe. That ensuing collaboration will drop in 2026.

"I'm excited to give fans a glimpse into what's to come in our overall partnership, and we're still just getting started," said Reese about her player exclusive.

Angel Reese's "Pretty Gritty" Engine A shoes.
Reese's player exclusive shoes come in a two-tone black cherry and pink colorway. (Reebok)

How to buy Angel Reese player exclusive Reebok sneaker

Angel Reese's "Pretty Gritty" Engine A sneakers are on sale now at select retail locations as well as via Reebok's website.

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