JWS Staff
Nov 29, 2022
Defending champion Wisconsin volleyball ended its regular season on an 18-match winning streak.
The Badgers have not lost since Sept. 25, even as the team endured a tough Big Ten schedule and the turmoil of a photo leak investigation, and now they enter the NCAA tournament with a 25-3 overall record and the No. 1 seed.
— Wisconsin Volleyball (@BadgerVB) November 28, 2022𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙍𝙤𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙊𝙢𝙖𝙝𝙖 begins now.
Badgers earn the No. 1 Seed in the Top Right Region. pic.twitter.com/BPSfSPSNHc
The University of Wisconsin athletic department announced on Oct. 19 the investigation into a a leak of private photos and videos of Badgers women’s volleyball players, which were then shared on the internet.
At least one of the photos appears to have been taken after the team won the Big Ten title last November and shows members of the team posing with their sports bras lifted, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
The athletic department called the leak a “significant and wrongful invasion” of the athletes’ privacy. Yet even after the off-court issue, which highlighted the vulnerable position of college athletes, the Badgers continued to roll.
Wisconsin finished its conference season Saturday with a 3-1 win against Ohio State, clinching a 19-1 conference record and theBig Ten title. The only loss came on Sept. 25 against Minnesota.
“There was so much learning that came from our one loss against Minnesota,” coach Kelly Sheffield said. “That was really important for where we are right now. There was so much opportunity for us to learn throughout the course of the year and I am so proud of them.”
The 18-match winning streak is tied for the second-longest winning streak in program history. The 19-1 conference record is tied for the best conference record in program history.
Wisconsin already has sold out all-session tickets to its first- and second-round matches in the NCAA tournament. The Badgers will start their quest for a repeat title at 8 p.m. ET Friday against Quinnipiac.
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Claire Watkins
Sep 4, 2024
With two weeks leftin the regular season, former WNBA greatsand fans alike are weighing in on this year's historicRookie of the Yearrace.
"I don't care what comparisons you make both @Reese10Angel and @CaitlinClark22 deserve the Rookie of the Year award," basketball legend Lisa Lesliepostedthis week."The pressure and the weight of this season has forever changed the @WNBA and both rookies rose to the top and exceeded all our expectations. Take a bow, ladies."
Rookies continue shattering league records
While only one player can win the award, bothCaitlin ClarkandAngel Reesehave undoubtedly left their marks on the season.
Clark leads all rookies in scoring at 18.7 points per game, while her 8.4 assists per gametops the entire WNBA. Even more, she's on pace to surpassSeimone Augustus's rookie scoringrecord, and has already broken the record for most three-pointers in a rookie season while leading the league in three-pointers made.
For her part, Reese recently shattered Sylvia Fowles's single-season rebounding record and leads the league in rebounds per game. Plus, she holds the longest consecutivedouble-doublestreak in WNBA history, averaging 13.3 points and 13.2 rebounds per game.
Field goal percentage favors Clark
Despite the neck-and-neck competition,Clark does hold one majorstatistical advantage over Reese. Clark'sfield goal percentagesits at 42.4% while Reese's is 38.5% — a significant gap considering Reese makes most of her attempts close to the basket.
That same stat arguably makes Sparks guardRickea Jackson a dark horse in this race: Shooting 46.6% from the field, she's currently the WNBA's most efficient rookie averaging over 10 points per game.
All to say, while Clark appears to be pulling away as the ROY frontrunner, the way this year's rookie class has performed in the face of hugeexpectationswill impact the league far beyond 2024.
JWS Staff
Sep 4, 2024
In a press release issued this morning, NJ/NY Gotham FC announced they will celebrate Kelley O'Hara and her legendary career on Sunday, October 20th, just after the team’s final regular-season match against the Orlando Pride at Red Bull Arena.
O'Hara, who announced her plan to retire from professional soccer via an exclusive Just Women's Sports interview this past May, is a soccer icon, having competed for both club and country and achieving incredible success on all levels. She is a two-time World Cup champion, an Olympic gold medalist, two-time NWSL champion, and a leading voice in the landmark fight for equal pay.
O'Hara joined Gotham FC in 2023, making history as the NWSL’s first-ever free agent signing. She quickly played a pivotal role in Gotham FC's success throughout the season and in the playoffs and helped lead the team to the club's first-ever championship.
"Kelley is not just a phenomenal player; she is a true leader and an inspiration to everyone in our organization," said Gotham general manager and head of soccer operations Yael Averbuch West in the statement. "We are privileged to have her a part of our Gotham FC family, and to be part of this special celebration as she closes out her incredible career."
During O'Hara’s 11 NWSL seasons, she also played for the Washington Spirit (2021-22), where she scored the game-winning goal in second-half stoppage time to secure the 2021 NWSL Championship for the team, as well as for the Utah Royals (2018-20) and for Gotham FC under its former name Sky Blue FC (2013-17).
In addition to her NWSL success, O’Hara has been a cornerstone of the USWNT, with 160 recorded appearances and one of only 12 players in USWNT history to be named to four World Cup teams. She helped lead the USWNT to two World Cup titles in 2015 and 2019, an Olympic gold medal in 2012, and an Olympic bronze medal in 2021.
An advocate for women in sports, O'Hara is a frequent contributor to Just Women’s Sports, and hosts the platform’s namesake podcast, among others, including the popular The Players' Pod.
The post-game ceremony hosted by Gotham FC will bring fans, teammates, and the soccer community together to honor O'Hara’s 15-year professional career. Particularly noted for her on-field versatility, competitive spirit, and unmatched leadership, O’Hara leaves an indelible, signature mark on the game. More details will be provided via Gotham FC’s social media pages.
How to attend Gotham FC's Kelley O'Hara send-off match
The Kelley O'Hara Retirement Celebration will held after the conclusion of Gotham FC’s last regular-season home game on Sunday, October 20th. Fan Fest begins at 2:30 PM ET and the match kicks off at 5 PM ET against Orlando Pride, with tickets now available through Ticketmaster.
JWS Staff
Sep 3, 2024
In this week's episode of The Late Sub, Claire checks in on the big picture for both the NWSL and WNBA playoff races as title contenders emerge, playoff spoilers make their cases, and some teams begin to plateau at an inopportune time.
Then, she chats with NWSLPA President Tori Huster about the league’s landmark CBA, and how concerns about parity might be overstated.
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.
Subscribe to The Late Sub to never miss an episode.
Dee Lab
Sep 3, 2024
Spanning 72 teams from 50 European leagues,the deepestChampions Leaguetournament in UEFA history starts tomorrow with clubs from theUKto Georgia eyeing Lisbon's late-May final.
Four teams gained automatic entry to October's 16-team group stage — defending UEFA champsFC Barcelonaand runners-upLyon,plus top German finishers FC Bayern and WSL title-holdersChelsea— with this month's qualifiers determining the remaining 12.
The road to the Champions League group stage
There are two qualifying rounds played concurrently between two sets of teams: Thechampions pathmatches up winners from each non-automatically qualified league, while theleague pathdoes the same with second- and third-place finishers.
Each path opens with a series of four-team, single-elimination mini-tournaments, in which 59 clubs will enter Wednesday's semifinals with just 15 moving on from Saturday's finals.
Those 15 will join runners-up from top leagues France, Germany, Spain, England, Italy, and Sweden for Round 2 later this month, all vying for a spot in group stage play.
Top European clubs battle for Champions League glory
Set to square off against Denmark's FC Nordsjælland tomorrow, Portuguese powerhouse SL Benficahas made the group stage every year since the 2021-22 season.
WSL favoritesArsenalsaw their 16-season UWCL quarterfinal streak snapped by Paris FC last year, so they'll be hungry for redemption when they face Scotland’s Rangers FC tomorrow. If victorious, they'll be set to face the winner of tomorrow's match between 2024 Women's Cuprunners-up Atlético de Madrid and Norway's Rosenborg on Saturday.
Also brewing tomorrow is a battle of the underdogs between Finnish side KuPS Kuopio and Scottish third-place finishers Celtic.
How to watch UEFA Champions League matches
Champions League action kicks off tomorrow at 5 AM ET, with live streaming coverage exclusively onDAZN.
