Dee Lab
Aug 13, 2024
NCAA Division I college soccerkicks offon Thursday,and2023 champs FSUare leading the preseason charge.
After this summer’smass exodusfrom the Pac-12, three of the four remaining Power conferences — the ACC, Big Ten, and SEC — all added strong soccer programs to the mix. Each of those three conferences is now set to start the season with sevenranked teams, according to the United Soccer Coaches' Top-25 preseason poll.
ACC, Big Ten dominate college soccer rankings
Highlighted by No. 1 FSU and No. 2 Stanford,the newly restructured ACC is shaping up to be the conference to beat.With the country's top recruiting class plus 10 returning players, including sophom*ore strikerJordynn Dudley, FSU is back atop the preseason rankings for the fourth time in the last six seasons.
Led by No. 4 Penn State, the Big Ten also boasts top contenders — especially after adding UCLA (No. 11) and USC (No. 23) to the fold.
With the addition of Texas at No. 17, the SEC has a solid foundation. However, with no schools ranked higher than No. 14 Georgia, they’ll need some standout non-conference wins to move up the weekly poll.
While the Big 12 has just two squads on the list, both cracked the Top 10, with2023 College Cupsemifinalist BYU coming in at No. 3 and Texas Tech tied for No. 8.
Anson Dorrance departs UNC
NCAA soccer's biggest roster shiftcomes via the UNC coaching staff, with head coach Anson Dorranceannouncing his departurefrom the program just four days before the season's start. After 45 seasons and21 national titles— the most by a head coach in any DI sport — the Tar Heels manager passed the reins to associate head coach Damon Nahas, who will serve in an interim capacity as the school conducts a hiring search.
Dorrance is just the latest in a series ofUNC turnovers, which saw nine 2023 players transfer and 11 turn pro — including top NWSL draft picksAlly Sentnor and Savy King.
How to watch college soccer this season
Four ranked matchups headline Thursday’s DI season opener, with No. 8 Texas Tech vs. No. 4 Penn State and No. 13 Michigan State vs. No. 15 Notre Dame leading the pack. Both games kick off at 7 PM ET with live coverage onBTNandACCNX, respectively.
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Claire Watkins
Aug 19, 2024
While the NWSLdoesn't officially return to regular season play until Friday, clubs were nonetheless in full swing this weekend asinternational matchupstook centerstage.
On Saturday, the Current lifted The Women's Cup trophyin Kansas City after beating Atletico Madrid 1-0 behind Debinha's first-half goal.
Then in Sunday's friendly action, the Spirit fell 2-1 to the WSL's Arsenal behind Alessia Russo's brace, which one-upped a close-range strike by Washington's Ouleymata Sarr. Meanwhile, Angel City notched a massive friendly win of their own, taking downLiga MX Femenil's FC Juárez7–0 thanks to a hat trick from Messiah Bright.
Concacaf W Champions Cup adds to international NWSL action
Perhaps the most intriguing moments of the NWSL's internationally tingedOlympic breakwill come courtesy of theConcacaf W Champions Cup'sgroup stage openers. Similar to the UEFA Champions League, the budding competition's eventual victor will represent the region at FIFA's recently unveiledClub World Cup in 2026.
With Canada's Vancouver Whitecaps already beating Alianza Women FC in the tournament's preliminary round, this week's group stage slate includes Panama club Santa Fe hosting theSan Diego Wave, Alajuelense taking on Frazsiers, Club América facing Vancouver, and a intracity clash between Monterey's Rayadas and UANL Tigres.
Other NWSL teams set for next month's Champions Cup group stage action are Portland and Gotham FC, who will face Club América and Alajuelense, respectively.
NWSL schedules more international club play
In another friendly meeting between the NWSL and WSL, Gotham will take on Chelsea in New York tonight at 7 PM ET (streaming on FuboTV) beforeArsenal and Chelseasquare off next week in Washington, DC.
NWSL newcomerBay FCis also jumping into European friendly play with a match against UEFA Champions League victorsFC Barcelonascheduled for August 27th.
Claire Watkins
Aug 19, 2024
The New York Libertybecame the firstWNBA teamto clinch a postseason spot with a big 79-67 victory over the Las Vegas Aces onSaturday. The result marked New York's second win over Las Vegas this season, with the Liberty looking to put their2023 Finals lossbehind them.
New York'supward tickhas in part revolved around big performances bySabrina Ionescu, who led the team in scoring on Saturday with 23 points.
"This second half of the season is really important. And there's no excuses. Nobody cares if we just came off theOlympicsand have a game four days later and a nine-hour time zone change," Ionescutold reportersafter the game.
Other WNBA teams target 2024 playoff positions
The WNBA saw numerous teams soar over the weekend, all jockeying for position as the league enters the regular season'shome stretch.
The Atlanta Dream are now 2-0 in post–Olympic break play, notching impressive wins over both Seattle and Connecticut as they push to overtakeChicagofor the eighth and final spot above the playoff line. Indianaalso looked strong on their home court, taking down first Phoenix and then Seattle as they solidify their playoff berth.
Other teams struggled, however, as the Mystics, Wings, Storm, and Sparks continue to look for a win in the WNBA's return to action. And with the regular season's clock ticking, therace to the playoffswill only grow more fierce with every showdown.
Standout solo showings point to WNBA award races
Noteworthy individualperformancesabounded on the WNBA court this weekend,led by MVP frontrunnerA'ja Wilson. After dropping 24 points for the Aces in Saturday's loss to New York, Wilson elevated Las Vegas over the Sparks with 34 points and 13 rebounds on Sunday.
TheRookie of the Yearcompetition has also stayed hot, with Fever starCaitlin Clarkbreaking Ticha Penicheiro's 1998 record for most assists in a rookie season in Sunday's win over the Storm.That same day, Chicago rookieAngel Reesebecame the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 20 career double-doubles in the Sky's loss to the Mercury.
Meredith Heil
Aug 16, 2024
On Saturday, the Kansas City Current— who sit second in theNWSL standings— will take on Spanish side Atlético de Madrid inThe Women’s Cup (TWC)championship game atCPKC Stadium.
This year marks the first time Kansas City has hosted or taken part inTWC. The series of mini-tournaments pits clubs from different countries up against each other, while $100,000 in prize money and a ticket to next year’s Global Series finals goes to each tournament's champion.
The Women's Cup is all in on international women's football
Founded in an effort to promote and elevate women’s soccer on a global scale, the annual international club soccer competition has expanded from its 2021 inauguralLouisville tournament. After three years of one four-team, single-location contest, 2024 has seen TWC expand into four editions hosted by different cities around the world. All in all, more than 10 different countries have participated in the tournament since its debut, including five NWSL teams.
In addition to the four tournaments, TWC is also introducing the Global Series this year. The winners of each 2024 tournament will now face off in a Final Four-style showdown set for February 2025.
At this point, two of the four Global Series teams have already booked their spots: Gotham FC beat Racing Louisville to claim the title in March’s inauguralTWC Colombia,and Italy’s Juventus defeated Brazil’s Palmeiras in theTWC Louisvillefinal on Tuesday.
"As a coach and as a staff, we talked about how good this opportunity is for the growth of the game," KC head coachVlatko Andonovskisaid of the tournament. "I think this is great. I mean, how many times can you bring four groups of people from different continents to one place to do the things they love doing?"
Semifinals saw KC, Madrid through to The Women's Cup final
Wednesday’s opening doubleheaderdetermined Saturday's finalists, with Atlético de Madrid narrowly surviving INAC Kobe Leonessa before the Current took down the Mamelodi Sundowns. Atlético de Madrid eked by Japan's INAC Kobe Leonessa 2-1 on penalty kicks after playing to a 1-1 draw.
Afterwards, hosts KC blasted three first-half goals to rocket them over South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns with a 3-0 victory.
Regardless of Saturday's outcome, TWC will cap off what’s shaping up to be a very successful International Summer of Soccer — not to mention ared-hot NWSL season— for the tournament hosts. The championship comes a little over a week after the Current ousted the North Carolina Courage in theNWSL x Liga MX Summer Cupsemifinal, behind goals from international stars Temwa Chawinga and Debinha.
How to watch Kansas City vs. Madrid at The Women's Cup final
After a third place match between INAC Kobe Leonessa and the Mamelodi Sundowns at 6 PM ET, Saturday's final will kick off at 9 PM ET. Tickets are available viaKC’s website with live coverage streaming onVIZIO WatchFree+.
Claire Watkins
Aug 16, 2024
TheWNBA is backand better than everthis weekend, withCBSairing big-name matchups sure to set the tone for the final month of the regular season.
First, Minnesota and Washington will face off on Saturday at 2 PM ET, with theLynxaiming to go two-for-two against the Mystics after securing a tight 79-68 win on Thursday. And in the 4 PM ET game of Saturday's CBS doubleheader,New Yorkand Las Vegas will battle for the second time this season after the Liberty took the first2023 WNBA Finalsrematch back in June.
TV and streaming platforms bet on watching the WNBA
The WNBA has become a fixture ofsummer weekendviewing, with Prime showcasing games on Thursdays, Ion covering Fridays, and a variety of other national channels hosting the league throughout the week.
Plus, afterTeam USAwon Olympic gold in front of as many as10.9 million US viewers, expect the league — and the platforms who host the W — to harness that momentum all the way to the season's finish line.
Thursday night on Prime, for instance, saw Olympic gold medalistsKahleah Copper, Diana Taurasi, and Brittney Griner record a monster 85-65 Mercury win over the Sky, successfully marking Copper's first trip back to Chicago since herpreseason trade.
The Liberty also notched a massive Thursday win on ESPN, blasting the LA Sparks 103-68 as Olympic medalists Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, andDearica Hambyreturned to action.
Wings' roster changes take center court tonight
Tonight, attention will turnto Ionas Seattle takes on Atlanta, Phoenix travels toIndiana, and Connecticut matches up againstDallas.
The Wings currently sit at the bottom of the league standings, but the return ofSatou Saballyand Maddy Siegrist (from injuries that sidelined them prior to the Olympics) will boost their lineup. However, Dallas had to release Odyssey Sims and Monique Billings from their hardship contracts, infusing the free agency market with talent and catching the eyes of teams looking for midseason pick-ups.
Fever vs. Storm game highlights Sunday's WNBA lineup
On Sunday, ABC will showcaseIndianaandSeattlesquaring off inside Indianapolis's newly announced2025 WNBA All-Star Game stadium. While Indiana hopes to solidify their place above the playoff line, Seattle — who won four of their last five pre–Olympic break games — keeps rising toward the top of the WNBA standings.
