The U.S. women’s national team released its roster for two November friendlies against Germany on Monday. While the 24-player squad is similar to the group that’s taken the field for the U.S. in the past year, head coach Vlatko Andonovski said this week that the roster could look different in three to five months.

As the team prepares for the 2023 FIFA World Cup, Andonovski has been calling in players who have little to no experience on the national team. A handful of veterans from the USWNT’s 2019 World Cup and 2021 Olympic squads are injured, creating opportunities for Andonovski to evaluate other talent. Many of those new players have taken full advantage of the year to prove they belong.

With all the changes, though, have come challenges with establishing chemistry on the field. In their last two friendlies against No. 4 England and No. 6 Spain, the young USWNT struggled on both ends of the pitch, raising questions about Andonovski’s tactics as the team dropped back-to-back games for the first time since 2017.

“We have to work and we have to get better, but there are some things that may change just by changing the personnel,” he said.

As veterans begin to trickle back in over the next few months, and new players continue to prove they belong, Andonovski will have some tough decisions to make. If the 2023 Women’s World Cup follows the same 26-player format as the 2022 Men’s World Cup, an increase from the usual 23-player roster size, some choices won’t be as hard.

Here are the toughest decisions Andonovski will have to make at every position in three to five months, as veterans begin to work their way back into the mix.

See you soon in South Florida and NJ/NY!!!! 🇺🇸#USWNT x @BioSteelSports pic.twitter.com/j2IWGFNsU0

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) October 31, 2022

Defensive midfield

Julie Ertz, Andi Sullivan, Sam Coffey, Jaelin Howell

The USWNT’s starting six, Julie Ertz, hasn’t been on a U.S. roster since the Tokyo Olympics after recovering from injury and then going on maternity leave. With the two-time U.S. Soccer Player of the Year giving no public indication of her timeline for a return, there’s been speculation about whether she’ll come back at all. On Monday, Andonovski said he’s been in touch with her “this whole time.”

“We want to give Julie time to get back slowly,” he said. “This is not something that we will even discuss. This is time for Julie to enjoy the time as a family. When the time comes, if she’s prepared and she’s anywhere near her best, I know this team will welcome her back.”

In the meantime, Andi Sullivan has been serving as the USWNT’s primary holding midfielder. NWSL rookies Sam Coffey and Jaelin Howell both deserve looks but will have a tough time making the cut against two established veterans.

It would be wise of Andonovski to keep both Ertz and Sullivan. For the Tokyo Olympics and the Concacaf World Cup Qualifying tournament this past summer, he brought only one of the two and paid the price when injuries set in and there was no six to relieve them.

Midfield

Lindsey Horan, Rose Lavelle, Kristie Mewis, Ashley Sanchez, Sam Mewis, Taylor Kornieck, Savannah DeMelo

A roster of 23 players would likely have six midfielders, including one or two who can play the holding position. Lindsey Horan and Rose Lavelle have been the go-to starters in front of Sullivan this year, and Ashley Sanchez has been given a few starts after getting consistent call-ups since last November.

It wouldn’t be a bad idea for Crystal Dunn, usually a fullback for the national team, to be added to the USWNT’s midfield player pool. One of the most versatile players in the program’s history, Dunn scored the winning goal for the Thorns from the attacking midfield after subbing into the NWSL semifinal game and creating numerous chances throughout the second half.

There hasn’t been much information on Sam Mewis’ injury and recovery timeline, but it’s safe to assume that the 2020 U.S. Soccer Player of the Year will be invited into camp when she’s ready.

Center back

Tierna Davidson, Abby Dahlkemper, Becky Sauerbrunn, Naomi Girma, Alana Cook

Center backs are going to be among the hardest decisions for Andonovski in the coming months. With the coach usually bringing three to each camp, Becky Sauerbrunn, Naomi Girma and Alana Cook have been the call-ups this year while Tierna Davidson and Abby Dahlkemper recover from season-ending injuries.

Davidson, who tore her ACL in the spring, is the closest to returning among the injured veterans. She is expected to be back to full training in mid-November and available for selection for games against New Zealand in January. Andonovski said that she has “the ability to be started on this team.”

Abby Dahlkemper’s latest back injury requires surgery, Andonovski confirmed this week. Once that’s complete, the team will have a better idea of her timeline for a return.

Sauerbrunn has been with the USWNT all year as one of their most valuable leaders. Possibly due to Sauerbrunn’s playing time restrictions, Girma and Cook have received just as much time on the pitch. Andonovski said earlier this fall that Cook had the slight edge over Girma in making the World Cup roster due to experience. Following that comment, Girma made a stronger case for herself against England and Spain during the October window. The San Diego Wave defender then was named NWSL Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the first player to win two individual awards in the same year.

Fullback

Casey Krueger, Crystal Dunn, Emily Sonnett, Kelley O’Hara, Emily Fox, Sofia Huerta, Carson Pickett, Hailie Mace

There are a lot of decisions to be made at outside back, where it’s likely that four to five players will be chosen. 

On the November roster are Sofia Huerta, Crystal Dunn, Emily Fox and Hailie Mace. Emily Sonnett and Kelley O’Hara are recovering from injuries, and Casey Krueger has been on maternity leave all year. 

Krueger did train with her NWSL club, the Chicago Red Stars, before they were eliminated from the playoffs in October. She hasn’t yet returned to the national team, but Andonovski said he’s “looking forward to seeing her in camp,” so she will likely be back with the USWNT in January. 

Andonovski said this week that Dunn, O’Hara, Huerta and Fox are all potential starters. It wouldn’t be surprising if that group plus Krueger are the top five on his list right now. 

Center forward

Alex Morgan, Catarina Macario, Ashley Hatch

Once Catarina Macario is back on the field in February after recovering from ACL surgery, she will “very likely bump into one of the starting positions if she’s anywhere near her best,” Andonovski said this week. She left the USWNT as a nine, solidifying her case for the position with convincing performances and goals scored, but she has also played in the midfield.

In Macario’s absence, Alex Morgan has consistently started at the nine while leading the NWSL with 15 goals to win the 2022 Golden Boot. Last year’s Golden Boot winner Ashley Hatch, has impressed off the bench, scoring a number of quick goals to boost the USWNT’s momentum.

Macario and Morgan appear to be locks, and it’s possible that Andonovski keeps all three if he names seven forwards to the roster.

Outside forward

Sophia Smith, Mallory Pugh, Megan Rapinoe, Lynn Williams, Christen Press, Tobin Heath, Midge Purce, Trinity Rodman, Alyssa Thompson

The USWNT’s attack has undergone the most change in the past year, as Andonovski has rotated in some new players for evaluation.

Earlier this year, the coach said a player would have to really impress him for Sophia Smith and Mallory Pugh to be removed from their starting positions. He also seems set on having Megan Rapinoe available off the bench, saying that her experience is valuable in mentoring young players like Smith and Pugh.

The final one or two forward spots, meanwhile, are up for grabs. Trinity Rodman has had strong performances off the bench, scoring two goals in nine appearances in the past year. Lynn Williams was also a consistent call-up until suffering a season-ending leg injury in March. Andonovski said in June that he wasn’t planning on calling in Christen Press, even before her ACL tear, but on Monday he included her in his list of absent players.

Goalkeeper

Casey Murphy, Alyssa Naeher, Aubrey Kingsbury, AD Franch, Phallon Tullis-Joyce

The talent in the U.S. goalkeeper pool is bottomless. Casey Murphy, Aubrey Kingsbury and Alyssa Naeher have split time between the posts for the USWNT this year. AD Franch was called into the November squad after a stellar NWSL season, joining Murphy and Naeher.

“Very happy for her,” Andonovski said of Franch. “Obviously being in Kansas. City, I had a chance to watch her a little more often live and especially the second part of the season. It was almost like it was her role to carry Kansas City in in tough times. … It was consistent throughout the season, so it was not hard for us after everything, for this camp to decide to call her back in.

“I think this is another opportunity for me to say that yes, the form in the league matters. And if you’re doing well on a consistent basis, you will be called back regardless of what your status was in the past.”

In the case of a 26-player World Cup roster, Andonovski would have the opportunity to name all four of Naeher, Murphy, Franch and Kingsbury to the squad. In terms of NWSL form, Andonovski also indicated earlier in the fall that he has his eye on OL Reign’s Phallon Tullis-Joyce and Racing Louisville’s Katie Lund.

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

The 2024 NCAA DI Soccer Championship field is officially set, with 64 teams gearing up to battle for postseason glory in this weekend's first round.

All teams have their sights set on this year's College Cup — NCAA soccer's Final Four — which will take place in Cary, NC, with semifinals on December 6th before the December 9th championship match.

Along with the 30 conference tournament champions who automatically received postseason invites, the NCAA committee revealed its 34 selectees in Monday's bracket release. The top 32 teams are seeded one through eight in their respective bracket quadrants, and teams are guaranteed to only face non-conference opponents through the tournament's second round.

Tight race for top seeds reflect NCAA talent

In this 43rd edition of the NCAA championship, three of the four No. 1 seeds are already making history.

After finishing the the regular season atop the sport's rankings, Duke is the tournament's overall No. 1 team for the first time ever. The Blue Devils, who boast the nation's second-best scoring offense, are aiming for a program-first national title this year.

Joining Duke in the bracket's elite echelon are USC and Mississippi State, who claimed No. 1 seeds for the first time ever. The Trojans did so in their first season as a Big Ten team, while the SEC veteran Bulldogs put together their best year yet, finishing with a nationally unparalleled 16-1-0 regular-season record.

Rounding out the top quartet is defending champion Florida State, the lone consistent standby in the No. 1-seed club. The Seminoles have earned the honor 12 times, with this year marking their sixth straight NCAA tournament atop a quadrant.

Power Four squads lead NCAA Championship charge

Unsurprisingly, the Power Four conferences comprise over half the national bracket. The SEC and Big Ten lead the charge with 10 teams each, while the ACC has nine in the mix, and the Big 12 is sending seven.

Though the ACC didn't win the total team race, the tough conference is still arguably the one to beat in the bracket, as seven of their teams earned Top-4 seedings. Even more, a full half of the eight Nos. 1 and 2 teams hail from the ACC, with second-seeds North Carolina and Wake Forest joining top seeds Duke and Florida State.

UNC and Wake Forest represent two very different paths to the tournament: The Tar Heels — a dynasty who've won 21 of the 42 national trophies — extended their streak of appearing in every single NCAA tournament with Monday's bracket drop. Meanwhile, the Demon Deacons have shot to national acclaim after failing to garner an invite to last year's NCAA party.

Joining the ACC pair as No. 2 seeds are SEC standouts Arkansas and 2022 national champions and new Big Ten members UCLA. The Razorbacks claim their third No. 2 seed in four years, while the Bruins' defense is on a hunt to prove that defense wins championships.

Parity set to increase NCAA tournament chaos

Though the top contenders have certainly earned respect, this season's competition is particularly fierce, as the fallout of conference realignment and unrestricted transfers has meant increased parity on the NCAA pitch.

That parity isn't just reflected by new teams claiming top national seeds. This postseason has already proved that almost any team can emerge victorious from the college soccer pitch at any time.

In last week's Power Four conference tournaments, for example, only the Big 12 saw the top conference seed advance to the final, and none ultimately lifted hardware: UCLA claimed the Big Ten as the No. 2 seed, No. 3 seeds Florida State and Texas won the ACC and SEC tournaments, respectively, and Kansas absolutely stunned the Big 12 as the conference's No. 6 seed champions.

How to watch the NCAA Soccer Championship tournament

Those parity-fueled upsets will be increasingly likely in the tournament's later rounds, but several of the 32 first-round matchups have upset potential.

All will stream on ESPN+, starting with the NCAA's kickoff match between No. 8 Utah State and Washington on Friday at 4 PM ET.

Friday will see 25 matches, with six on Saturday. Wrapping up the tournament's first chapter will be No. 1 USC, who will host Sacramento State at 5 PM ET on Sunday.

This episode of 'The Late Sub' is presented in partnership with Visa.

In the latest episode of The Late Sub, podcast host and JWS staff writer Claire Watkins invites Bay FC center defensive midfielder Kiki Pickett into the studio to chat through the 2024 NWSL expansion's side banner first season — one, as Pickett reveals, where local support made all the difference.

"That love for women's sports is huge," the Santa Barbara native and Stanford grad says of her team's Northern California home. "And then we have the Valkyries coming in as well, so I think that's only just going to increase."

Throughout the conversation, Pickett looks back on other sources of support, including hands-on backing from team staff as well as a unique partnership with founding partner Visa that sees direct investment in current Bay FC players. In addition to investing in enhanced player benefits such as dedicated mental health support, Visa's partnership enables players to more efficiently earn the maximum amount of appearance fee compensation available under the NWSL's current CBA.

"I think that's been a huge advantage for us, knowing that they have our back on whatever it is — recovery, nutrition, mental balance," she says of Bay FC's Visa partnership. "Those are just the little details that get us above and beyond."

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Bay FC's rise from shaky start to 2024 NWSL Playoffs

Pickett then walks Watkins through the team's impressive mid-season turnaround, explaining how Bay FC became the perfect NWSL underdog before highlighting some of the most memorable moments from the team's record-breaking debut year.

"Every game has helped us learn and build our blocks," Pickett continues, reflecting on the team's journey from a shaky start to making last weekend's NWSL quarterfinals. "The mindset switch was, 'If we're so focused on defense, you've got to make sure the offense is correct. If we're so focused on offense, we've got to make sure our defense is correct.' We eventually put those two together, and it just clicked."

"Maybe people aren't talking about us in the beginning because we didn't have the best record," she adds. "Now people are talking about us."

Elsewhere in the episode, Watkins also takes time to recap this past weekend's NWSL quarterfinals, talking through blowouts, surprises, empty tanks, and why the league's top four teams continue to rule the pitch this year.

About The Late Sub with Claire Watkins

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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One week into the 2024/25 season and the Big Ten is already leading the college basketball charge, with multiple teams tallying upsets to boost their spots in Monday's AP Top 25 update.

The biggest leap belonged to Maryland, who climbed seven spots to No. 11 after defeating now-No. 16 Duke 85-80 on Sunday. With four double-digit scorers, the Terrapins' team effort was led by junior guard Kaylene Smikle's 23 points.

Maryland's Big Ten compatriots, No. 23 Illinois and No. 25 Oregon, broke into Monday's standings after respective wins against then-No. 19 Florida State on Thursday and then-No. 12 Baylor on Sunday.

Led by former UNC standout Deja Kelly's 20 points, the Ducks staved off a late Baylor surge to secure the 76-74 win, snapping a 13-game losing streak to ranked opponents in the process.

Outside the Big Ten, Stanford also made their 2024/25 poll debut, coming in at No. 24. The Cardinal took their omission from the preseason poll — the first in 25 years with Stanford — as a challenge, defeating their first three season opponents last week by an average of 41 points.

South Carolina maintains stranglehold on No. 1

The preseason top eight teams held their ground this week behind defending champs No. 1 South Carolina, who extended their division-record active unbeaten streak to 40 games with Sunday's 71-57 win over now-No. 13 NC State.

With junior forward Chloe Kitts, who led the Gamecocks with a double-double in their season opener, ruled out due to an academic issue, South Carolina guards Te-Hina Paopao and MiLaysia Fulwiley stepped up in a big way, sinking 23 and 18 points, respectively.

SEC is still NCAA's top basketball conference

While still early days, it does appear that conference realignment and a robust transfer portal has once again emboldened the NCAA's biggest players. 

New Big Ten members No. 3 USC, No. 5 UCLA, and No. 24 Oregon join veterans No. 11 Maryland, No. 12 Ohio State, No. 21 Nebraska, and No. 23 Illinois in this week's rankings, tying the SEC with the most teams in the poll at seven.

Even so, the SEC remains the conference to beat, with not just No. 1 South Carolina setting the sport's standard, but three other Top-10 teams. Conference veteran No. 7 LSU and last season's Big 12 stalwarts No. 4 Texas and No. 9 Oklahoma round out the SEC's grip on the top of the rankings, with No. 19 Ole Miss, No. 20 Kentucky, and No. 22 Alabama also featuring in the poll.

AP Top 25 Women's College Basketball Poll

1. South Carolina
2. UConn
3. Southern California
4. Texas
5. UCLA
6. Notre Dame
7. LSU
8. Iowa State
9. Oklahoma
10. Kansas State
11. Maryland
12. Ohio State
13. North Carolina State
14. North Carolina
15. West Virginia
16. Duke
17. Baylor
18. Louisville
19. Ole Miss
20. Kentucky
21. Nebraska
22. Alabama
23. Illinois
24. Stanford
25. Oregon

World No. 3 tennis star Coco Gauff won the 2024 WTA Finals on Saturday, becoming the youngest US player to take the tournament since Serena Williams in 2001.

Gauff's championship came by way of a grueling three-hour 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (2) final match win over reigning Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen.

The 20-year-old's road to the $4.8 million purse — the largest in women's tennis history — included just her second-ever win over No. 2 Iga Świątek in the group round and a semifinal victory over No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka on Friday.

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A winning end to a rollercoaster season

When asked about her 2024 season, Gauff told reporters, "There’s been a lot of ups and downs. At moments, it felt great. At other moments, it felt awful. Basically, a typical year on tour."

Her low point was a disappointing attempt to defend her 2023 US Open title. Gauff stumbled out of the US Grand Slam in the fourth round this fall.

That performance led Gauff to an apparently productive coaching change. She left coach Brad Gilbert, adding Matt Daly to her team to work with Jean-Christophe “JC” Faurel.

Since then, Gauff has gone 13-2, ultimately adding the China Open and WTA Finals titles to her June French Open doubles trophy.

After silencing doubters with Saturday's victory, Gauff took to social media, writing "lol safe to say I beat the bad season allegations."

A double dose of WTA Finals history

Just before Gauff took the court, Canadian Gabriela Dabrowski and New Zealand's Erin Routliffe were crowned the season's doubles champions.

Dabrowski and Routliffe avenged their Wimbledon final loss by defeating US player Taylor Townsend and her Czech partner Kateřina Siniaková 7-5, 6-3 on Saturday. They are now the first athletes from Canada and New Zealand to win the WTA Finals doubles title.