The United States women’s national team had a year to remember, claiming the Concacaf W Championship in July to qualify for a chance to win a fifth title at the 2023 World Cup. They also had moments fans would probably soon like to forget, such as tough results against world powers this fall and their first three-game losing streak since 1993.

Through all the highs and lows, a handful of players stood out above the rest. The Just Women’s Sports team — Claire Watkins, Jessa Braun and Eden Laase — got together to put a bow on the 2022 campaign with picks for individual awards and superlatives.

For reference, our voters could choose from all capped players in 2022, while a few categories had their own requirements for consideration (as outlined in those sections below).

MVP

Watkins: Sophia Smith

This is a hard choice based on how much the U.S. rotated this year, but I have to go with NWSL MVP Sophia Smith. She scored the most goals for the USWNT, played both centrally and on the wings, supported defensively and consistently looked like a bright spot, even when the team around her was struggling. 2022 was the Year of Sophia Smith.

Braun: Naomi Girma

Center-back Naomi Girma was a USWNT rookie in 2022, but her lack of experience wouldn’t have been noticeable to someone not familiar with the national team. Playing with the composure of a veteran, she was a standout in the backline against some of the USWNT’s toughest opponents, including England and Germany to close out the season. At just 22, Girma is already a world-class player in distribution, one-on-one defense, reading the game, directing her teammates and everything in between.

Laase: Sophia Smith

Sophia Smith is my pick, too. While she’s been making appearances with the senior team since 2020, this year she truly cemented herself as the future of U.S. women’s soccer. She scored 11 goals in 17 appearances, including one in a much-needed win over Germany on Nov. 13.

Rookie of the Year

Eligible with fewer than five caps entering 2022: Sam Coffey, Alana Cook, Naomi Girma, Jaelin Howell, Aubrey Kingsbury, Taylor Kornieck, Hailie Mace, Casey Murphy, Carson Pickett, Trinity Rodman, Alyssa Thompson, Ashley Sanchez, Ashley Hatch

Watkins: Naomi Girma

I think the winner here has to be a true rookie, and I’m going with perhaps the most obvious choice. Girma didn’t get her first cap until April, and she slowly worked her way into becoming irreplaceable in the USWNT backline.

Braun: Casey Murphy

In a world where goalkeepers are too often forgotten, Casey Murphy shined on the international stage. Rotating games with two-time World Cup champion Alyssa Naeher, Murphy had no trouble maintaining the standard in her first year with the senior team. She played the most games of the three goalkeepers, totaling 810 minutes, and she had the most shutouts with six.

Laase: Naomi Girma

Girma made her debut for the national team on April 12 in a friendly against Uzbekistan and has made 10 appearances since then. Girma doesn’t play like a rookie. Her instincts are that of someone in the middle of their career, and she rarely makes mistakes. When she’s in the game, the backline looks much more relaxed, and that’s saying something for a player at the start of her career.

Defender of the Year

Eligible: Alana Cook, Abby Dahlkemper, Tierna Davidson, Crystal Dunn, Emily Fox, Naomi Girma, Sofia Huerta, Hailie Mace, Kelley O’Hara, Carson Pickett, Becky Sauerbrunn

Watkins: Becky Sauerbrunn

Girma’s my rookie, so I’m going to go with classic defensive standout Becky Sauerbrunn. Sauerbrunn arguably had an underrated 2022. The veteran was tasked with bridging a divide as her regular compatriots in the backline weren’t available due to absence and injury. Sauerbrunn’s pairing with Girma in the last game of the year — which marked only their third time together at center-back — is a good example of just how flexible the team’s captain is in her defensive role.

Braun: Sofia Huerta

Sofia Huerta was one of two defenders to play over 1,000 minutes this year, even with minutes restrictions. She also started 11 of the 16 games she played. An aggressive threat in possession, Huerta registered two assists courtesy of her lethal crosses, tying her with Alana Cook for the most by a U.S. defender. After three years away from the national team, the tenacious fullback returned last November and was a backbone for a defense dealing with injuries and lineup changes.

Laase: Naomi Girma

I have no issue picking Girma for multiple awards because of the all-around stellar year she had. So, in addition to Rookie of the Year, she’s my Defender of the Year for all the reasons I mentioned above.

Iron Woman of the Year

Eligible with over 1,000 minutes played: Alana Cook (1,286), Sofia Huerta (1,074), Rose Lavelle (1,107), Mallory Pugh (1,030), Sophia Smith (1,192), Andi Sullivan (1,126)

Watkins: Alana Cook

I’m going to go with a player who has received some criticism in recent months and stick with the team’s most depended-on player in 2022. The fact that Alana Cook is both eligible for rookie status and also played the most minutes for the USWNT in 2022 provides some insight into her development as an international center-back. She had to hold everything down while pairing with a rotation that included Tierna Davidson, Abby Dahlkemper, Sauerbrunn and Girma.

Braun: Sophia Smith

To play the second-most minutes on the team is not common for an attacker, but Smith proved this year that there’s nothing she can’t do. She started and played 17 games, the most of anyone on the team, and she was also the only player to reach double digits in goals with 11. Known as the brace queen, Smith also scored at least two goals in four matches.

Laase: Andi Sullivan

Injuries plagued Andi Sullivan’s early years with the senior national team, including a torn ACL in 2016, a torn meniscus in 2020 and a quad injury in 2021. This year, she stayed healthy and appeared in 15 games. The USWNT is sitll figuring things out in the midfield heading into a World Cup year, but Sullivan was a steadying force throughout all the workshopping.

Biggest surprise

Watkins: Sam Coffey

It has to be Sam Coffey, in that a year ago, I’m not sure anyone had her ascension to the USWNT on their radar. Coffey played as a forward at Boston College and then as an attacking midfielder at Penn State, only joining the Thorns as a defensive midfielder at the beginning of 2022. That she took to the position so quickly and is already being hailed as the possible “One True No. 6 To Rule Them All” is a bit of a shocking development, and a welcome one.

Braun: Megan Rapinoe

In most ways, Megan Rapinoe was not a surprise at all. The legendary veteran has been instrumental in getting four World Cup stars above the USWNT badge. But this year, her return to the national team during a time of turnover wasn’t entirely predictable, especially after she played limited minutes for her NWSL club, OL Reign. When she joined the national team for the first time this year in June, she was expected to serve as an off-field leader. But Rapinoe took full advantage of the few minutes she spent on the field, recording two assists and scoring a goal in November to save the U.S. from a scoreless loss against Germany.

Laase: Crystal Dunn

For me, the biggest surprise was Crystal Dunn coming back to play just 140 days after giving birth to her son. Though the USWNT lost to England on Oct. 7, Dunn subbing in at the 63-minute mark was one of the best moments of the match. The 30-year-old not only managed to play at the highest level of soccer less than five months after giving birth, but she also reminded the USWNT how valuable she can be to the lineup.

Best goal

Watkins: Mallory Pugh vs. Iceland (Feb. 23)

twice as nice for @malpugh 💥💥 pic.twitter.com/RbYKSwK3QE

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) February 24, 2022

I think you could pick any of the first four goals that the U.S. scored against Iceland to clinch the SheBelieves Cup in February, but I’m going with the fourth. Catarina Macario sprung a counter with her defensive work rate, and she and Mal Pugh looked like the only two strikers on Planet Earth in the back-and-forth sequence that ended in a perfect final pass from Macario and strike by Pugh.

Braun: Catarina Macario vs. Iceland (Feb. 23)

Like Claire said, those goals against Iceland are top of the list. For me it’s the first one, where Macario is in a two-on-one situation at the far corner of the box and blasts the ball from there. The build-up to the goal was about as picture-perfect as Macario’s strike itself, with the fluid string of passes showing the chemistry the national team is capable of.

Laase: Mallory Pugh vs. Germany (Nov. 10)

Standout stuff by @sunshine_sully in the midfield and a bit of @MalPugh magic puts us in front ✨🇺🇸⚽️ pic.twitter.com/qQvxdo7j7E

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) November 13, 2022

While it wasn’t the most impressive or exciting of all the goals scored this year, I’m going with Mal Pugh’s game-winner against Germany. The U.S. desperately needed a win to end the year on a high note after an unexpected three-game slide. Pugh outran the German defense and placed the ball perfectly into the low corner, finally giving her squad something to celebrate.

Best Off-Field Content

Watkins: Trinity Rodman

Long away camps are never easy, but Trinity Rodman’s Concacaf W TikToks (supported by a rotating cast of teammates) will live forever.

Braun: Taylor Kornieck

The videos might not be on her own social media profiles, but Taylor Kornieck shines in the goofy entertainment she creates with San Diego Wave FC teammate Kailen Sheridan. The “High School Musical” human basketball reel on Sheridan’s Instagram can’t be forgotten.

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A post shared by Kailen Sheridan (@kailensheridan)

Laase: Rose Lavelle

It was late in the year, but I have to shout out Rose Lavelle’s performance of Celine Dion’s “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” at the Player’s Ball. Iconic.

rose lavelle you are my favorite human ever pic.twitter.com/P3LBCvmCFr

— maddie (@vivmccabe) November 15, 2022

Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.

Jessa Braun is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports covering the NWSL and USWNT. Follow her on Twitter @jessabraun.

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

The 2025 Wimbledon Championships wrapped its second round on Thursday, with the grass court Grand Slam seeing just 15 of the tournament's 32 seeded players advance to the Friday and Saturday's third round.

A full half of the WTA's Top 10 players did not survive the week, with 2024 Wimbledon finalist and world No. 5 Jasmine Paolini joining four first-round star exits by falling to unseeded Kamilla Rakhimova in a three-set, second-round battle on Wednesday.

At the same time, unseeded fan favorites like Japan's No. 53 Naomi Osaka and England's own No. 40 Emma Raducanu secured third-round spots at the London Slam, joining top surviving contenders like No. 4 Iga Świątek and defending Wimbledon champion No. 16 Barbora Krejčíková.

Notably, a full five US players managed to move ahead, tied for the largest national contingent still standing at the tournament.

Led by 2025 Australian Open champion No. 8 Madison Keys, the US group also includes No. 10 Emma Navarro and No. 12 Amanda Anisimova, as well as unseeded players No. 54 Danielle Collins and No. 55 Hailey Baptiste.

With matches against Świątek and No. 7 Mirra Andreeva, respectively, Collins and Baptiste have a tough third round ahead — though Navarro's battle against the 2024 champ Krejčíková arguably headlines Saturday's slate.

How to watch Wimbledon this weekend

While world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka is still holding strong in the dwindling field, this year's Wimbledon play is proving that the London Slam is anyone's to take, as the grass court humbles even the sport's top stars.

Expect the twists and turns to continue as tennis's best battle for spots in Sunday's Round of 16.

Round-of-32 Wimbledon play kicks off at 6 AM ET on Friday, with live continuous coverage of the tournament airing on ESPN.

The 2025 European Championship is officially underway, as Euro action kicked off with a group-stage upset on Wednesday.

Though the 2025 UEFA tournament's opener was a sweltering affair amid a European heat wave, world No. 26 Finland prevailed, earning a 1-0 upset win over No. 14 Iceland in Group A.

Finnish winger Katariina Kosola played hero, curling in the winning goal in the match's 70th minute — just 12 minutes after Iceland midfielder Hildur Antonsdóttir picked up the competition's first red card.

"The result is important for our confidence," Kosola said after Finland's first major tournament win since the 2009 Euro. "It was the kind of goal I have been practicing a lot."

"It's terrible to lose and we feel frustrated," said Iceland head coach Thorsteinn Halldórsson. "It is an even group and we knew Finland were good, but our first half wasn't good enough."

Elsewhere, No. 16 Norway closed out Wednesday's slate on top of Group A, taking three points by defeating host No. 23 Switzerland in day's second match.

Led by captain and 2018 Ballon d'Or winner Ada Hegerberg — who pulled the match even with a second-half strike — Norway battled to a 2-1 comeback win, despite the Swiss side outshooting and out-possessing the Norwegians.

How to watch this week's 2025 Euro action

Group B steals the 2025 Euro spotlight on Thursday.

While No. 13 Italy snagged a 1-0 opening win over No. 20 Belgium to kick off the day, 2023 World Cup champions and tournament favorite No. 2 Spain will face No. 22 Portugal at 3 PM ET.

Friday's Group C slate will pit No. 12 Denmark against No. 6 Sweden at 12 PM ET, before No. 3 Germany contends with No. 27 Poland at 3 PM ET.

Closing out the first group-stage matches will be arguably the toughest draw of the 2025 Euro pool.

Saturday's Group D slate features major tournament debutants No. 30 Wales against the No. 11 Netherlands at 12 PM ET, with No. 10 France taking on defending champions No. 5 England to cap the day at 3 PM ET.

Live coverage of 2025 Euro matches will air across Fox Sports platforms.

The world No. 1 USWNT ruled the pitch on Wednesday night, shutting out North American rivals No. 8 Canada 3-0 to finish the international window on a high note.

Catching the Canada backline sleeping, US midfielder Sam Coffey opened the scoring at the 17-minute mark before 19-year-old Claire Hutton claimed her first-ever USWNT goal by heading in a Rose Lavelle corner kick in the game's 36th minute.

Houston Dash forward Yazmeen Ryan then padded the US tally in the waning minutes of the match, finding the back of the net just eight minutes after subbing onto the field.

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Despite fielding a young roster, the US overpowered a veteran-heavy Canada side in almost every category, topping their Northern neighbors in shots, shots on target, possession, and — most notably — set pieces.

Canada ultimately couldn't match the game's mental pace or physical battle, as the USWNT scored all three goals off dead ball situations — a free kick, a corner kick, and a throw-in.

"It's not about the opponent," US head coach Emma Hayes said after the match. "It's about what we do, and I felt that was extremely dominant."

With Wednesday's contributions, the USWNT finishes the summer window with 11 goals scored across the three friendlies — and zero goals conceded.

The US now enters an extended break before reconvening for another as-yet-unannounced friendly series in October — but players will be expected to perform in the meantime.

"I said to the players in the end in the huddle, if you want to compete to win the biggest things, it's not what you do here that matters," said Hayes. "It's what you do when you go back to your club."

The 2025 WNBA regular season returns on Thursday night, with teams at the top of the league standings looking to prove their mettle against close competition across the long holiday weekend.

The No. 5 Seattle Storm have arguably the toughest weekend assignments, taking on the No. 4 Atlanta Dream on Friday before tackling the No. 3 New York Liberty on Sunday.

Four middle-of-the-pack teams will look to close in on a double-digit season win tally while the league's frontrunners strive to maintain their advantage in this weekend's slate:

• No. 7 Las Vegas Aces vs. No. 8 Indiana Fever, Thursday at 7 PM ET (Prime): Though still without star Caitlin Clark, the Fever hope to harness their 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup victory momentum against an Aces side tied with Indiana with an 8-8 season record.

• No. 5 Seattle Storm vs. No. 4 Atlanta Dream, Thursday at 7:30 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): Seattle will look to make strides against a strong Atlanta side while putting last Sunday's stinging 84-57 loss to up-and-comer Golden State in their rearview.

• No. 6 Golden State Valkyries vs. No. 1 Minnesota Lynx, Saturday at 8 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The rising Valkyries must face a Lynx side hunting redemption, as the league-leaders look to bounce back from their stifling Tuesday Commissioner's Cup upset loss.

• No. 5 Seattle Storm vs. No. 3 New York Liberty, Sunday at 1 PM ET (CBS): With injured Liberty center Jonquel Jones still sidelined, the Seattle Storm will have a chance to steal a weekend game against the reigning champs, as New York struggles to re-find their footing.

With the 2025 WNBA All-Star break looming, early top performers must keep standards high if they want to hold the line when the season crosses the midway point.