Sophia Smith is a goal scorer.

She was as she was growing up in Windsor, Colo., when she helped Stanford to a national championship in 2019, and when the Portland Thorns drafted her in 2020.

She’s been a goal scorer in her 25 appearances for the U.S. women’s national team, and during her MVP campaign for the Thorns this season.

And Sophia Smith was a goal scorer on Saturday, when her club claimed a historic third NWSL championship in a 2-0 victory over Kansas City.

With less than four minutes gone by in the first half, Yazmeen Ryan fielded the ball in the center circle. She took one touch and sent a smooth pass through the Kansas City defenders. Elizabeth Ball slid in a last-ditch effort to make contact with the ball but instead left Smith in a one-on-one situation with keeper AD Franch.

As Smith advanced, Franch dove. Smith moved the ball from her right foot to her left, and with an open goal ahead of her, she watched as her shot sailed into the back of the net.

It gave Portland an early 1-0 lead, which ended up being the game-winning goal as the Thorns held the Current scoreless. It also allowed Smith to shrug off the haters.

Everything is coming up roses 🌹 pic.twitter.com/bM1B6dBLxj

— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) October 30, 2022

As Smith’s teammates mobbed her, the forward raised her shoulders and put up her hands, in a celebration reminiscent of Michael Jordan’s iconic shrug. But Smith wasn’t making a nod to Jordan — she was letting everyone know that she had the goods. The MVP goods.

“There’s been a lot of people who don’t think I deserved to win MVP,” Smith said after the match, with a new MVP trophy, one for the best player in the championship game, sitting in front of her. “So that (celebration) was a little bit of, ‘That’s that.’”

Smith has been in the NWSL for three years, and during that time, the 22-year-old has gained a reputation for her speed and skill in the open field. She was second in the league in scoring this year with 14 goals, just one behind San Diego’s Alex Morgan, who finished as the Golden Boot winner with 15.

When she knocked in Portland’s first score of the contest, Smith put those qualities on display for the Washington, D.C. crowd.

“Her pace is lethal,” KC midfielder Desiree Scott said. “You can’t grow that. That is just natural talent.”

And Scott isn’t the only one who has noticed Smith’s natural skills. Her potential at a young age helped her become the first player born in the 2000s to appear for the senior national team. It’s also the reason the Thorns drafted her first overall earlier that year. And it’s something coach Rhian Wilkinson noticed as soon as she came aboard to coach the club this season.

What Smith is doing right now is remarkable, Wilkinson said, but the conversation around the young star could hold even more weight in a few years’ time.

“She can stop pushing now, and she will still be a very good player, one of the best players this country has ever produced,” Wilkinson said about the MVP. “And my job is to keep pushing her, and to make sure she is the best player this country has ever produced because she has that in her right now.”

Wilkinson went on to praise Smith’s abilities to take on multiple defenders and to “create something out of nothing.”

“It is a gift to have her on your team.” Wilkinson said.

Smith feels similarly about her coach.

She announced in the post-match press conference that she thought it was “bulls–t” that Wilkinson wasn’t nominated for NWSL Coach of the Year. Despite coming into an already talented squad, Smith said the way Wilkinson handled the controversy surrounding the Thorns after the release of the Yates report and managed to implement her own style of play is being undervalued.

Smith went on to say that Wilkinson pushes her to reach her full potential, something the MVP both wants and needs.

“I feel like I can be (the best), but I need to be pushed and I need to be held to high standards every single day,” Smith said. “And she does a really good job of that. So I really can’t ask for much more than that.”

Sophia Smith might be on her way to becoming the best player this country has ever seen. And for those who don’t believe, well, she’s shrugging off the haters one goal at a time.

Eden Laase is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @eden_laase.

No. 2 seed TCU rode their Cinderella story to their very first Elite Eight berth on Saturday, ousting one-time Women's March Madness favorite No. 3 seed Notre Dame 71-62 behind a 26-point performance from transfer guard Hailey Van Lith.

While chalky on paper, the victory was indeed a bracket-buster, setting the Horned Frogs up for tonight’s showdown against No. 1 seed Texas after the Longhorns’ 67-59 Sweet 16 win over No. 5 seed Tennessee.

“Hailey’s a dog,” said TCU senior Madison Conner of Van Lith, who set the school’s single-season scoring record en route to her fifth Elite Eight appearance. “Regardless of if it’s on the offensive end or on the defensive end, she’s going to do anything it takes to win.”

“Going into this game, I was really just going to go and have no regrets,” said Van Lith. “I wasn't going to put any pressure on myself to necessarily win. I was going to go out there and have fun and play with the joy that God gave me.”

USC faces UConn in highly anticipated Elite Eight rematch

Tonight’s blockbuster Elite Eight rematch between No. 1 seed USC and No. 2 seed UConn will look different without injured superstar JuJu Watkins. But the Trojans aren’t done fighting.

USC lost Watkins to a season-ending ACL tear in the tournament’s second round. Nevertheless, a determined USC took down No. 5 seed Kansas State 67-61 in Saturday’s Sweet 16 clash. Freshmen Avery Howell and Kennedy Smith combined for 37 points on the night.

“With Ju going down, obviously it was a bit of adversity that we had to face,” Smith said after the game. “But just having her in our presence — we talked to her before the game and she was still rooting us on, things of that nature — [we're] just keeping her in our hearts and minds and playing for her as well as for each other.”

USC will subsequently have their hands full. Leading the Huskies to the Elite Eight, UConn star Paige Bueckers is fresh off a career-high 40-point Sweet 16 performance against Oklahoma.

“You try not to think about the stakes or the pressure or getting to the Final Four,” Bueckers said ahead of tonight's rematch. “Obviously that's there, so you try not to think about it and just go out and play every single game the same way like it's your last, like it's the most important 40 minutes of your life... We just want the season to keep going as long as possible. So leaving nothing up to chance, giving it our all for that 40 minutes to play for another 40 is our team mindset.”

Where to watch Women's March Madness games tonight

TCU tips off against Texas tonight at 7 PM ET before UConn takes on USC at 9 PM ET. Both games will air live across ESPN platforms.

No. 1 seeds UCLA and South Carolina prevailed on Sunday, punching their tickets to the Final Four and putting a bow on a wild NCAA tournament weekend that nonetheless ended in chalk.

After surviving a surging No. 4 seed Maryland offense 71-67 on Friday, the Gamecocks took down No. 2 seed Duke 54-50 in Sunday’s Elite Eight, building a watertight defense to silence the Blue Devils.

Coming off Friday’s strong 76-62 win over No. 5 seed Ole Miss, the Bruins went on to blank No. 3 seed LSU 72-65, holding off the Tigers despite All-American center Lauren Betts’s early foul trouble.

“The game was lost in the second quarter,” said LSU coach Kim Mulkey. “That’s where the game was lost. We didn’t capitalize on Betts being off the floor.”

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South Carolina, UCLA bring different strengths to Final Four

With both teams having topped this season’s AP Poll rankings, UCLA and South Carolina pose different physical threats fueled by similar mental resilience.

The Gamecocks will make their fifth straight Final Four appearance. As such, the reigning champs are managing to keep the repeat dream alive despite some shaky starts.

“We know that every night is going to be a battle, and we know that they’re going to come for us,” said senior Te-Hina PaoPao.

On the flip side, next weekend will mark UCLA’s first-ever NCAA Final Four.

“All season we’ve talked about how our talent is our floor and our character is our ceiling,” guard Kiki Rice said. “And to just be the tougher team every single day out there on the court is really the difference.”

Subsequently, maintaining poise down the stretch could be the key to winning this year’s NCAA title.

How to watch Women's March Madness Final Four games

UCLA tips off the Final Four at 7 PM ET on Friday, April 4th, before South Carolina takes the court at 9:30 PM ET. Both games will air live across ESPN platforms.

The 2024 champion New York Liberty is the latest WNBA team to enter the dedicated practice facility race, with plans for an $80 million, 75,000-square-foot training center in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

Set to open in 2027, the complex will eliminate the need for Liberty players to share facilities with the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets.

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“We are a player-first organization and investing in health and wellness has always been a priority for us. The New York Liberty deserve a facility of their own: one that reflects their tremendous talent, work ethic, and ambition,” said Liberty governor Clara Wu Tsai.

“This facility is a sign of our commitment to the team, to the city of New York, and to the advancement of women’s sports.”

“The New York Liberty strive to be the standard on and off the court and this facility will be a game changer as we continue our relentless pursuit of excellence,” said Liberty general manager Jonathan Kolb.

“A key part of this process has been the active involvement of our players in creating a year-round home for themselves and their families, and the collaborative effort to redefine the standard of player care and experience. When our athletes step into what will be the crown jewel of the WNBA, they will see themselves and their insights reflected throughout.”

Liberty expand facility offerings beyond top-tier WNBA standards

In addition to common amenities like dining, workout, and recovery areas, the facility will forgo a traditional locker room and instead provide every player with a private suite. Each suite will be stocked with a wardrobe and sneaker storage, a vanity with face-illuminating lighting, and a seven-foot daybed.

In addition to interior comforts, the center also features an outdoor basketball court. The court will host both practicing players and community-based clinics, allowing for greater neighborhood integration.

“I am grateful to be a part of an organization who recognizes the power of investment in their players, and ensures we have everything we need to be at top of our game at all times,” said star Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu.

“It was amazing to sit down with Populous and walk through what is most important to us as athletes to be successful in all aspects of our lives. This facility is a massive next step for the New York Liberty.”

“One of the main things that drew me to the New York Liberty organization is the level of investment in us as athletes," added center Jonquel Jones. "We just won a championship, and in the same way they expect us to level up and step up our game, our ownership group and leadership continues to raise the bar, and this facility is a perfect example of that."

The LA Sparks will retire the No. 3 jersey of WNBA icon Candace Parker in 2025, the team announced on Thursday.

The ceremony will take place during the team’s June 29th game against the Chicago Sky.

"To see my jersey hanging in the rafters amongst other legends is truly an honor.  This moment is not just about me — it’s about my family, my teammates, and the incredible support from the LA Sparks organization and fans,” said Candace Parker in a statement.

"This jersey represents all the moments, all the connections, and all the love that got me here.”

Spending her first 13 seasons in LA, the 2024 retiree won WNBA MVP twice with the Sparks. She additionally led the Sparks to a WNBA championship in 2016.

Moreover, she was named 2008 Rookie of the Year, 2020 Defensive Player of the Year, and 2016 Finals MVP.

Parker still leads the storied organization in total assists, ranking second all-time in rebounds and third in points scored.

The Sparks will also help launch Parker's book, The Can-Do Mindset: How to Cultivate Resilience, Follow Your Heart, and Fight for Your Passions.

As part of the ceremony, LA will integrate book-themed activations. This will allow fans to "engage with Candace’s story both on and off the court."

Basketball great praises Parker ahead of jersey retirement

Among those singing Parker's praises was Sparks co-owner and retired Lakers legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson.

“Candace is the best all-around player that has ever played in the WNBA. Her legacy is immeasurable — she redefined excellence, was a champion on the court and for the Los Angeles community and inspired countless fans and future generations of athletes," said Johnson.

"Very few champions get to see their jersey hanging from the rafters in this city. Retiring Candace’s No. 3 jersey is not just a celebration of her extraordinary career, but a tribute to the enduring mark she's left on this organization, the WNBA, and the city of Los Angeles. She will forever be a part of the Sparks family."