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USWNT roster: Which NWSL stars deserve a look?

Tatumn Milazzo has started in all 21 matches this season for the Chicago Red Stars. (Jon Durr/USA TODAY Sports)

The U.S. women’s national soccer team is in transition ahead of the 2023 World Cup.

Seven members of the 2019 team feature on the roster for the squad’s October friendlies against England and Spain, and several more could return to the lineup in the coming months from injury and pregnancy absences.

Still, the team looks markedly different than the one that last wielded the World Cup trophy. And while we would love to see Alex Morgan stick around forever, the changing of the guard will continue as veterans take their final bows and new stars step into the spotlight.

We’re even getting a glimpse of that now, as a knee injury ruled Morgan out of the upcoming European trip and created space for younger players like Alyssa Thompson and Savannah DeMelo to make their marks.

USWNT coach Vlatko Andonovski thinks highly of the NWSL as a barometer of talent. With plenty of rising stars on display as the league heads into its final weekend of the regular season, Just Women’s Sports offers a look at a few who deserve a shot on the USWNT roster.

Tatumn Milazzo – Defender, Chicago Red Stars

Milazzo is one player who has not yet earned a USWNT call-up but arguably should.

After going undrafted out of South Carolina in 2019, Milazzo earned a spot on the Red Stars’ preseason squad in 2021. First named as a supplemental roster player, Milazzo played in 14 games during the 2021 season for Chicago, starting in 10 of them.

This season, she’s been an instrumental part of the Red Stars’ defense, starting in all 21 games and playing a total of 1,861 minutes. She’s been a weapon and one of the best one-on-one defenders in the league all season long, with a 76.6 percent success rate on passes and making 68.5 percent of her tackles.

Milazzo leads the league with 47 interceptions and is tied for fifth in tackles won with 39.

There are a lot of questions about the USWNT’s defense in the lead-up to the World Cup, and Milazzo could be a versatile piece. She primarily has played at center back for the Red Stars but also has experience at right back in college.

Of course, Becky Sauerbrunn remains key down the middle of the field for the USWNT, and Tierna Davidson’s ACL tear has left Alana Cook in the other starting center-back role. Naomi Girma also has been impressive, swapping out with Sauerbrunn at times this year.

The return of Crystal Dunn from parental leave adds another layer to the piece of the defense pie. But as Milazzo continues to improve, she deserves a look from Andonovski.

Cece Kizer – Forward/Midfield, Kansas City Current

That Kizer hasn’t been called up yet is about as shocking as her trade from from Racing Louisville to the Current.

Upon her arrival in Kansas City, Kizer lit up the field for Kansas City. The club went on an 11-game unbeaten run, and Kizer has scored seven goals since her arrival in May, which puts her eighth in the league.

Teammate Lo’eau LaBonta has the same number, and together their 14 goals make up nearly half of the team’s 29 total on the season.

The Kansas City native has enjoyed being home and in doing so has helped the team that finished in last place last year clinch their first-ever playoff appearance.

But she’s not just good at scoring goals. Kizer is also skilled at setting up plays. She holds a 68.7 percent success rate on passes this season, making 24 key passes and putting up three assists. She’s directly had a hand in a third of her team’s goals.

While the USWNT’s top spots at midfield and forward appear to be locked in by the likes of Morgan, Sophia Smith, Mallory Pugh and Rose Lavelle, there have been a few players brought in for trial runs, including DeMelo and Sam Coffey in the midfield and now Thompson at forward. Kizer could be next.

Phallon Tullis-Joyce – Goalkeeper, OL Reign

Tullis-Joyce has been outstanding in net this season. Andonovski even has said she’s on his radar, along with Bella Bixby and Katie Lund.

Tullis-Joyce also has earned praise from the coaching staff in Seattle.

“She’s a huge talent. She’s got a lot of room for growth and today, she did her job,” said assistant coach Sam Laity following the team’s 2-1 win over North Carolina on Sept. 17. “She did the things that we knew she could do.

“As strange as it might seem, I think she’s actually a better goalkeeper and has more work to do. So, it’s a bit of a catch-22; the goalkeeper that doesn’t have a lot of work to do, sometimes loses their rhythm, but then when they’re called upon, they stand up and make big saves. I thought she showed some incredible character and courage today. She made some big saves for us.”

She’s earned Save of the Week honors multiple times this season, and also leads the NWSL in save percentage and ranks sixth in saves, all in her first season as the team’s starter. Tullis-Joyce has been so good, the club extended her through the 2024 season in July.

While the goalie lineup has remained relatively consistent under Andonovski, the NWSL’s pool is deep. Both Alyssa Naeher and Casey Murphy spent time in net at the Concacaf W Championship, and each got a start in the team’s September friendlies against Nigeria. But Tullis-Joyce deserves her shot.

WNBA, Players Union Spar Over CBA Negotiations at All-Star Weekend

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert speaks to media at a 2025 press conference.
The current CBA between the WNBPA and the league expires at the end of October. (Mike Lawrence/NBAE via Getty Images)

This year's All-Star action extends beyond the court, as more than 40 players — including All-Stars, executive committee members, and WNBPA representatives — met with the WNBA in Indianapolis on Thursday for the second CBA negotiations of 2025.

"I'm encouraged. I'm just so inspired by the amount of players that showed up, the engagement that was there," WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike said after Thursday's session, which drew the largest turnout in union history.

"It was something that was very informative for me. First time being able to see and hear the wording from both sides," Chicago Sky star Angel Reese added. "I was really eager to know and understand what was going on."

With revenues booming, both players and the league are struggling to settle issues surrounding payouts, revenue sharing, and the salary caps ahead of the current CBA's October 31st expiration date.

"This business is booming — media rights, ratings, revenue, team valuations, expansion fees, attendance, and ticket sales — are all up in historic fashion," the WNBPA wrote in a statement following Thursday's meeting. "But short-changing the working women who make this business possible stalls growth. The only thing more unsustainable than the current system is pretending it can go on forever."

While CBA negotiations continue, the union indicated that players are open to a work stoppage should they fail to reach a new deal by the end of this WNBA season.

Rookies Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen Hit the 2025 WNBA All-Star Court

Washington Mystics rookie All-Stars Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen chat during a 2025 WNBA game.
Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen will play in their first WNBA All-Star Game on Saturday. (Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images)

Team Clark has youth on their side this weekend, with Mystics rookie Sonia Citron gearing up to hit Saturday's 2025 WNBA All-Star court alongside Washington teammate and fellow 2025 draft pick Kiki Iriafen.

"I was not expecting this at all," Citron told WNBA legend Lisa Leslie on Between the Lines last week, referencing her surprise All-Star call-up. "I'm still in shock. I don't really think it's hit me yet."

"We're young, we've got a bunch of shooters, a little bit of everything" she said of Team Clark's lineup.

Saturday's game isn't Citron's only assignment this weekend, with the All-Star debutant also set to compete in Friday's 3-Point Contest.

The Mystics are on the rise this year, exceeding season expectations behind first-year firepower to send three players in Citron, Iriafen, and Washington's scoring leader Brittney Sykes to the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game.

Citron is currently averaging five rebounds and 14 points per game — trailing only Sykes's 17 points per game on Washington's stat sheet. Her rookie campaign has her shooting 45% from the field and 36.5% from beyond the arc.

Fellow first-year Iriafen is also impressing, leading the Mystics with 8.5 rebounds per game as well as sinking nearly 12 points per game while shooting 46% from the field.

"[The rookies] have really played a key piece in our success this season with us being so young, but also them being so adaptable," second-year forward Aaliyah Edwards told Leslie in an earlier episode. "And they're runners for Rookie of the Year, so why not only have one when you can have two? I'm just loving it."

How to attend a live taping of "Between the Lines"

Just Women's Sports is taking over Indianapolis with multi-faceted activations for the 2025 WNBA All-Star weekend — including a live recording of Between the Lines with Lisa Leslie.

Featuring interviews with Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx), Rhyne Howard (Atlanta Dream), Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana Fever), and Lexie Hull (Indiana Fever), the exclusive podcast taping will occur at 110 S Pennsylvania Street at 3 PM ET on Saturday.

Sabrina Ionescu, Allisha Gray Headline WNBA All-Star 3-Point Contest

New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu lines up a shot during the 2023 WNBA All-Star 3-Point Contest.
WNBA All-Star Sabrina Ionescu set the single-round 3-Point Contest record in 2023. (David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images)

Even with Indiana Fever sharpshooter Caitlin Clark sidelined, Friday's 3-Point Contest and Skills Challenge will heat up the Indianapolis competition before Saturday's 2025 WNBA All-Star Game tips off.

Single-round record holder Sabrina Ionescu (New York Liberty) and reigning champion Allisha Gray (Atlanta Dream) headline the 3-Point Contest, with Kelsey Plum (LA Sparks), Sonia Citron (Washington Mystics), and Clark-replacement Lexie Hull (Indiana Fever) rounding out the bill beyond the arc.

Gray will also be on hand to defend her 2024 Skills Challenge title, with Natasha Cloud (New York Liberty), Skylar Diggins (Seattle Storm), Erica Wheeler (Seattle Storm), and Courtney Williams (Minnesota Lynx) looking to upend the Dream guard.

Players are shooting for more than just bragging rights in the Friday competitions, with Aflac boosting prize money for the second year in a row.

The insurance giant will award $60,000 to the 3-point Contest winner and $55,000 to the Skills Challenge champ, topping off the league's $2,575-per-player All-Star bonus check.

With big money on the line, both Gray and Ionescu are battling to become just the second WNBA player to win multiple 3-Point Contests, following in the footsteps of retired Sky guard and four-time event champion Allie Quigley.

How to watch the All-Star 3-Point Contest and Skills Challenge

The 2025 WNBA All-Star Skills Challenge and 3-Point Contest will take the Indianapolis court at 8 PM ET on Friday, with both competitions airing live on ESPN.

Minnesota Lynx-Fueled Team Collier Readies for WNBA All-Star Game

Minnesota Lynx All-Stars Courtney Williams and Napheesa Collier celebrate a 2025 WNBA regular-season win.
2025 WNBA All-Star captain Napheesa Collier will play alongside her Lynx teammate, Courtney Williams. (Matt Krohn/Getty Images)

Team Collier is looking locked and loaded for Saturday's 2025 WNBA All-Star Game, with captain Napheesa Collier heading up a roster stocked with talent from the league-leading Minnesota lineup.

The Lynx star will start the game alongside 2023 MVP Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty), Allisha Gray (Atlanta Dream), Nneka Ogwumike (Seattle Storm), and rookie phenom Paige Bueckers (Dallas Wings).

Team Collier's bench showcases a balanced group of Courtney Williams (Minnesota Lynx), Skylar Diggins (Seattle Storm), Angel Reese (Chicago Sky), Alyssa Thomas (Phoenix Mercury), and Kelsey Plum (LA Sparks).

Kayla McBride (Minnesota Lynx) will also join the squad, replacing the injured Rhyne Howard (Atlanta Dream), boosting the team's Minnesota contingent to three players.

Adding to the Lynx representatives is Minnesota manager Cheryl Reeve, who will serve as the squad's head coach following a first-of-its-kind draft-day swap between the Collier and fellow All-Star captain Caitlin Clark.

"I'm just glad people are understanding Phee's greatness," Reeve said about Collier before the 2025 WNBA All-Star weekend. "There's nothing else you can say at this point."

With a steady front and backcourt presence, Team Collier has experience on their side as they take on a youth-heavy Team Clark on Saturday.

How to watch Team Collier at the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game

Team Collier and Team Clark will square off in the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis at 8:30 PM ET on Saturday.

Live coverage of the game will air on ABC.

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