In the first AP women’s basketball poll in two weeks, Monday’s new rankings reflected last week’s conference upsets, sending four Top 10 teams skidding down the table while other contenders broke through.
Now-No. 12 LSU suffered the biggest drop, falling seven spots after consecutive losses to No. 6 Kentucky and No. 7 Vanderbilt.
The Wildcats and the still-undefeated Commodores experienced the opposite effect, jumping five spots each after their ranked victories, with No. 5 Oklahoma and No. 10 Louisville making similar three-spot advances.
The biggest winner of this week’s AP poll, however, sits just outside the Top 10, as No. 15 Michigan State leapt nine spots, defeating unranked Indiana, Illinois, and Rutgers after closing out nonconference play with a 66-49 upset win over now-No. 18 Ole Miss.
Chasing the Spartans’ rise up the ranks are No. 16 Baylor, who earned a six-spot jump after handing No. 11 Iowa State their first loss of the season on Sunday, and No. 17 Texas Tech, whose unbeaten status saw the Red Raiders claim a four-spot boost.
Meanwhile, a struggling Notre Dame dropped out of the Top 25 entirely after losses to unranked Georgia Tech and Duke, snapping an 85-week AP Poll appearance streak — the third-longest in women’s basketball history.
Additionally, the Top 4 remained unchanged after perfect results from No. 1 UConn, No. 2 Texas, No. 3 South Carolina, and No. 4 UCLA — who dominated their crosstown rival No. 21 USC 80-46 on Saturday.
How to watch Top 25 NCAA basketball this week
Top 25 teams will continue their conference slates this week, starting with USC taking on unranked Oregon on Tuesday.
The Trojans and visiting Ducks will tip off live at 10 PM ET on Fox Sports.
2025/26 AP Top 25 Women’s College Basketball Poll: Week 9
1. UConn (15-0, Big East) 2. Texas (17-0, SEC) 3. South Carolina (15-1, SEC) 4. UCLA (14-1, Big Ten) 5. Oklahoma (14-1, SEC) 6. Kentucky (15-1, SEC) 7. Vanderbilt (15-0, SEC) 8. Maryland (15-1, Big Ten) 9. Michigan (12-2, Big Ten) 10. Louisville (14-3, ACC) 11. Iowa State (14-1, Big 12) 12. LSU (14-2, SEC) 13. TCU (14-1, Big 12) 14. Iowa (13-2, Big Ten) 15. Michigan State (14-1, Big Ten) 16. Baylor (13-3, Big 12) 17. Texas Tech (16-0, Big 12) 18. Ole Miss (14-3, SEC) 19. Ohio State (13-2, Big Ten) 20. Tennessee (10-3, SEC) 21. USC (10-4, Big Ten) 22. UNC (13-4, ACC) 23. Washington (12-2, Big Ten) 24. Princeton (13-1, Ivy) 25. Nebraska (13-2, Big Ten)
Kiki Rice communicates with teammates during a play. Jason Purisima/WomensHoopsWorld
Los Angeles – No. 4 UCLA shook off a slow start to dominate No. 17 USC, 80-46, and win the first “Battle of LA” of the season Saturday, in front of 11,241 fans at Pauley Pavilion.
Lauren Betts lead the Bruins with 18 points and 12 rebounds, while Gianna Kneepkens had 15 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists, and Kiki Rice added 14 points and 9 assists. Gabriela Jaquez netted 12 points and grabbed 6 rebounds. The hosts outrebounded the Trojans, 46-26, dished 24 assists and shot 53 percent on the night in the rout.
Though UCLA flexed its depth and balance in the lopsided win, coach Cori Close said it wasn’t their offense that made the difference.
“Our defense was better than our offense today,” she said. “Offense cannot be where we find our identity. Defense and rebounding was our anchor tonight.”
The two teams traded baskets throughout the first period, and were tied at 16 to end it. Midway through the second, the Bruins went on a 14-0 scoring run after an Angela Dugalic bucket at the 8:20 mark put them up for good. They lead by 15 at the half and 25 after three quarters.
USC was limited to 27 percent shooting, as Kara Dunn and Jazzy Davidson were the only two to score in double figures with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Coach Lindsay Gottlieb, playing with a smaller lineup this season, characterized the outing as embarrassing.
“This is an embarrassing loss. We didn’t compete well,” she said. “We knew they were a good team, but there are a lot of things we can control, and we needed to compete better.”
The game was 14-1 UCLA’s fifth over a ranked opponent this season, and gave them a 55-54 edge in the all-time series.
The 6-7 Betts was especially effective in the paint, where she said she “camped out all game,” helping to generate 42 team paint points over the comparatively shorter Trojans.
“It was primarily about maintaining space offensively, and I thought our guards did a great job creating for me – especially in transition,” she said.
Rice said she was impressed with the Bruins’ team effort.
Lauren Betts shoots and scores over the defense. Jason Purisima/WomensHoopsWorld
“We have such a balanced group, and so many points of attack. I was proud of all of us for the way we stepped up,” she said.
Close wants to see improvement as UCLA hits the road for the next two weeks, as nine Big Ten teams are ranked in the AP top 25 poll.
“This is the hardest-working team I’ve ever been around. I have to kick them out of the gym,” she said. “There’s a difference between hard work and competing. Now I want them all to transfer that hard work into competitive awareness and competitive fight.”
A deep, veteran team that is seeking a return to the Final Four this spring, Betts is optimistic based on their response against their cross-town rivals.
“We need to start off stronger from the beginning, but I’m proud of the way we switched immediately and figured it out, and didn’t take a whole half to do it,” she said.
Before we dig into all the hoopla to come, let’s take a look back at Unrivaled’s stellar 2025 debut. Unrivaled was launched in part to provide hoopers with a domestic playing option during the WNBA offseason, a welcome addition to the (increasingly crowded) women’s basketball landscape.
Historically, top WNBA talent supplemented their salaries by playing internationally, but Unrivaled offers stars the opportunity to play stateside. Tap those ruby slippers.
And Unrivaled saw incredible success in its inaugural season:
1️⃣ The demand is there: Fans are hungry for hoops, and Unrivaled’s unique full-court take on 3-on-3 (notably different from the Olympic 3×3 style) is captivating. Add in the thrilling Elam Ending and a spicy midseason 1-on-1 tourney, and it’s basketball at its absolute best.
2️⃣ Players areinvested…literally. Not only do athletes earn an average of $220K for the nine-week season, they also boast equity stake in the league, explicitly tying them to Unrivaled’s long-term financial success. Everyone wins.
3️⃣ League leadership is responsive to fans and players. Played in a small-capacity setting, the Unrivaled fan experience is one of the best in the biz. Meanwhile, the league has addressed valid player criticisms ahead of its second season, like leveraging a player relief pool and eliminating back-to-back games.
The emerging league’sunprecedented rise happened faster than expected — and that’s resulted in two new teams (and 12 additional players), four gamenights per week instead of three, and an inaugural two-game “Tour Stop” in Philadelphia this season. Buckets, indeed.
💪 The teams
Source: Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
☝️ First things first: Like Unrivaled’s inaugural campaign, rosters were decided via a draft…with one major change: Last year’s playoff teams could protect two players, while non-playoff teams protected one each. And that’s on shaking it up.
Now for the team breakdown. You already know there are eight squads, aka basketball clubs (BC), so here’s each roster’s not-so-secret superpower.
🌬️ Breeze BC: Headlined by a former intern — a little someone named Paige Bueckers — Breeze are young, talented, and undeniably the future of women’s hoops. No pressure.
🐝 Hive BC: Led by Kelsey Mitchell and Natisha Hiedeman, these speedsters are poised to swarm the opposition. Expect nothing less than a defensive masterclass.
🦉 Lunar Owls BC: Without her partner-in-hoops, the injured Collier, Skylar Diggins is on a revenge mission after last year’s regular-season top dogs suffered a shocking semifinal exit.
🌧️ Mist BC:The new-look Mist only return the iconic Stewart from last year’s roster. But that doesn’t mean they lack chemistry: Five hoopers have played together in some capacity in the W.
👻 Phantom BC: Boasting Kelsey Plum, Natasha Cloud, and Aliyah Boston, no squad balances sass and skill better than Phantom. Come for the trash talk; stay for the deep bags.
🌹 Rose BC: With four of the six players from last year’s squad back in green, the defending champs are ready to run it back. Truly blooming where they were planted.
🎶 Vinyl BC: Dearica Hamby and Rhyne Howard’s 3×3 Olympic gold medal is a testament to the dynamic duo’s aptitude for the small-sided game. Turn it up.
🔥 The hottest opening day lineup in sports
Source: Unrivaled
You know the feeling that makes you love sports? That electric buzz before tip‑off, the don’t‑talk‑to‑me‑right‑now focus, and the thrill of watching the best of the best: That’s Unrivaled.
Every Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, the world’s top hoopers hit the hardwood — live and unstoppable — on TNT, truTV, and HBO Max.
That nostalgic sprint to the couch after a commercial break? Yeah, that’s so back. Because with basketball this good,you can’t afford to miss a minute.
👀 Storylines to watch
Source: Megan Briggs/Getty Images
⭐ The influx of starpower: This year’s cohort of Unrivaled debutants includes some big names — the aforementioned Bueckers, Plum, and Mitchell scream superstar, but rookie sensations Kiki Iriafen, Sonia Citron, and Dominique Malonga are giving “it girl,” too.
👀 The inaugural Free Throw Challenge: Never one to shy away from competition (and cash), Unrivaled will award $50K to the player with the highest free throw percentage after five games.
Think you know who has that clutch gene? Shoot your shot: You could win two courtside tickets to Unrivaled’s stop in Philly, plus a cash prize to get you there.
💅 The arena upgrades: As if last season’s state-of-the-art facility wasn’t enough, Unrivaled is raising the bar once again. They’ve added 15K square feet of player-first facilities, including a second practice court, and 150 seats to bring capacity to 1K.
📈 The metrics: A big reason why Unrivaled expanded so quickly was because it outperformed all expectations — from booming viewership to sold-out merch — in its debut season. Supply meet demand.
🌶️ The WNBA collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiations: The elephant in every women’s basketball room, CBA negotiations between the WNBA and its players’ union will continue throughout the Unrivaled season. There’s no milk that can mellow out this spice.
With most of the W’s top players in one place, Unrivaled offers a unique plot twist ahead of the upcoming January 9th CBA deadline, one that ultimately benefits the players. Watching, waiting…
Source: Unrivaled
🚀 Women’s basketball has leveled up — and so has our coverage. Every Friday during the Unrivaled season, we’re dropping a newsletter dedicated to the league that’s revolutionizing women’s hoops.
Here’s what you can expect:
📈 Breakdowns of Unrivaled’s spiciest games
⭐ Deep dives on the league’s brightest stars
🔥 Hot takes and the stats that back them up
🏀 If you love hoops when the stakes are high and the stories run deep, opt in now. Go on, be part of The GIST’s Unrivaled era.
Looking back, UCLA coach Cori Close has mixed emotions about her team’s 2024/25 campaign.
Featuring one of the most talented starting fives in the sport, the team made historic strides all the way to a program-first Final Four appearance. But last season also served up a bittersweet ending.
The Bruins saw their dream postseason unceremoniously ended by eventual national champions UConn in an 85-51 rout. Highly touted but inexperienced on the big stage, UCLA nearly reached the mountaintop before a rough tumble, stirring up questions about the team’s ability to hang with the NCAA’s blue chip establishment.
“There’s nothing like having a historic season, and falling a little bit short,” head coach Cori Close told JWS in October. “The hunger to do it better, but also the attention to detail that it really takes.”
“It’s one thing to know things in your head, it’s a whole other thing to have them in your heart,” she continued. “And I think our team has a higher degree of these things in our heart.”
With renewed focus and deepened experience — plus an even more complete roster that can run the court against just about anyone — the Bruins just might reach the mountaintop again in 2026.
Following another strong offseason recruiting cycle, UCLA currently sits fourth in the AP Top 25 Poll after ranked wins over No. 8 Oklahoma, No. 19 Ohio State, and No. 23 Tennessee. And now the reigning Big Ten Tournament champions are setting their sights on conference play — with Saturday’s showdown with Southern California rivals No. 17 USC front of mind.
From here on out, attention to detail could make all the difference in how this season’s story ends.
The Bruins are focused on improving their stats under the basket. (Jordan Teller/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
UCLA is on a mission to reduce turnovers and own the glass
Before the 2024/25 season even began, coach Close already knew exactly where her team needed to improve.
The Bruins played a fast-paced style last year, facilitating ball movement inside and out with skill players at every position. This year, Close believed her squad could excel in terms of discipline, rather than sheer talent.
“We went back and studied the last five national championship teams and talked about trends that we see that they all have, that maybe we’ve fallen short in,” she said. “We figured that we need to turn the ball over three fewer times a game.”
Defense also plays a factor. “When you really trace championship teams, they have to be dominant in their rebounding,” she added. “We have a goal to get 70 to 75% of the misses.”
13 games into the season, UCLA hasn’t quite achieved all their goals. But they are showing potential. They’re slightly up in average rebounds with 44.1 per game, while lowering average turnovers by more than three per game.
But the team’s limitations against top talent reared its head in their November 26th loss to No. 2 Texas. UCLA grabbed only 32 rebounds while committing 20 turnovers — nearly double their season average.
“I was really honest with [the players],” Close said after the 76-65 defeat. “There’s some things we’ve been talking about that haven’t gotten enough change. Maybe this will get us to change some things that led to this.”
The threat of not sizing up against the best of the best fresh in their minds, UCLA has subsequently looked stronger. They reduced their turnovers even more against then-No. 14 Tennessee in late November, before dominating the boards against No. 19 Ohio State last Sunday.
“We have an abundance of growth opportunities, we have an abundance of opportunities to invest in each other,” Close told JWS.
“We have an abundance of ways in which we can improve week by week. We’re going to just stay focused on those.”
Senior center Lauren Betts is the star of UCLA’s show this season. (Jordan Teller/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
The Lauren Betts blueprint: Efficiency over minutes
Reaching UCLA’s goals relies on team-wide commitment — and figuring out the best way to utilize the team’s biggest star.
The Bruins have a wealth of elite guards, with upperclassmen like Kiki Rice and Gabriela Jaquez running the backcourt. But it’s no secret that the team’s attack and defense runs through 6-foot-8 All-American center Lauren Betts.
The senior is a global talent. She made her USA Basketball debut in December, and is shortlisted to become the 2026 WNBA Draft No. 1 pick once her decorated college career comes to an end.
One of the most dominant two-way bigs in the college game, Betts averaged a near-20-point, 10-rebound double-double last season. She’s an attention magnet on the court, disrupting play at the rim with the motor needed to finish the work back up the court.
Ironically, though, to get the most out of Betts, Close has found she has to actually limit her time on the floor.
“When Lauren and I had our exit evaluation meetings last year, we both agreed that she needs to have less minutes,” said Close. “And honestly maybe even less shots, but more efficiency.”
“As a 6-foot-8 player, you get beat up so much before she even touches the ball,” Close continued. “I think it’s important that we protect her wherever we can.”
Betts is aware that physicality can sometimes throw her off her game. She’s now pushing to hone her tenacity at the rim while leveraging her size through double- or triple-teams.
“Just playing the game, making the right read, is something that’s really important for me, trusting that I know what to do on the floor,” Betts at reporters from USA Basketball training camp last month.
“Also aggressiveness, I think that’s something that I can always grow into.”
Sienna Betts (CL) joined her sister Lauren at UCLA this season. (Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
UCLA enters 2026 with fresh faces — and family ties
Close sees Betts at her best with nothing to prove individually and a little extra help under the basket. And they worked hard over the offseason to get her that support, shaking things up via both traditional recruiting and the transfer portal.
Take senior transfer Gianna Kneepkins, for example. The former Utah standout is giving the Bruins a scoring boost with 14.3 points per game while carrying minutes alongside more established starters.
“She’s been a pivotal puzzle piece for us in terms of having a 50/40/90 player that’s really able to stretch the floor. She’s making everybody better around her,” Close said of Kneepkins, as the newcomer provides a tall outside presence in the paint.
Close also credits second-year transfer Charlisse Leger-Walker. She’s bolstered the team off the bench after sitting out last season to rehab her ACL.
Betts’s biggest supporter, however, stems from a little closer to home. Lauren’s little sister Sienna, the No. 2 recruit in her class, joined the Bruins this season. And she shares many of her older sister’s attributes on the court.
Listed at 6-foot-4, the freshman can stretch defenses even without her big sister on the court, strengthening UCLA’s reach through negative runs while forcing opponents to game-plan for even more frontcourt power
“[I’m] just trying to help her as much as I can,” Lauren said of her sister prior to the season start. “Especially because we’re playing kind of the same position. Just trying to help her with the plays, help her with tough practices, kind of helping her move on.”
Unfortunately, a lower leg injury delayed Sienna’s college debut by 10 games. The younger Betts missed the loss to Texas, slowing down some of the flow Close is looking to build against a big-heavy lineup. But the plan for the Betts sisters is still very much in motion, even with limited playing time.
UCLA is committed to taking it one game at a time this year. (Jordan Teller/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
Reverse engineering success, one UCLA game at a time
Entering the new year with a healthy roster,UCLA will now have to balance expectations both inside and outside the locker room. Because regardless of how the season ends, significant change looms on the horizon.
“I think it’s really tempting to be championship or bust, and that could not be further from our mission,” Close explained.
“I am such a big believer that you talk about your end goal one time. And then you reverse engineer the process and habits it’s going to take to get there.”
“Just staying present, recognizing that this is also a new team,” senior Kiki Rice told JWS in October. “After what happened last year, there’s lessons in the past. [But we] really just focus on being our best versions of ourselves every day.”
UCLA might have fallen short against Texas last month. But they maintain faith that increased depth, veteran leadership, and a refreshed detail-oriented outlook can guide them all the way through the postseason.
“There were certain levels of preparation, certain ways that we needed to minimize distractions, certain ways we needed to handle all of the ways that are going to be pulling on our attention,” Close said of the team’s Final Four journey, noting that she also learned some major lessons herself.
For now, UCLA is enjoying the moment — and the process — with the hope that the wins keep coming this spring.
“This is probably the most complete team I’ve ever coached,” Close added. “If we can stay healthy and stay focused, we’re going to have big things ahead.”
The GIST: The Week 18 NFL slate can sometimes be a buffet of meaningless football, with the playoff field often set and teams resting their top talent — but not this year. There was plenty to play for in the regular-season finale, from division titles to all-important playoff seeding. Let’s dig in.
🤯 Pittsburgh Steelers secure AFC North crown, No. 4 seed in thrilling divisional showdown: Only one superstar quarterback (QB) could return to the postseason, but both Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers and Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson were electric in the fourth quarter of last night’s 26–24 Steelers win, swapping scoring drives until the bitter end. Hug a kicker today.
As for the rest of the conference, the 14-3 Denver Broncos took care of business to secure the No. 1 seed (and a coveted first-round bye), edging out the No. 2 New England Patriots, who finished with an identical record, and the 13-4 No. 3 Jacksonville Jaguars.
💚 Seattle Seahawks lock in NFC’s No. 1 seed: Defense wins division titles, earns home-field advantage, and sets franchise win records, apparently. Just ask the stifling Seahawks’ D, who silenced a red-hot San Francisco 49ers offense — a unit that had put up at least 37 points in three straight games — in Saturday’s 13–3 win. Now that’s how you make the Legion of Boom proud.
🩵 Carolina Panthers win NFC South in unique fashion: Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield had a case of the Sunday Scaries — and for good reason. The NFC’s final playoff spot came down to yesterday’s divisional game between two long-eliminated teams: the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints. And the 19–17 Falcons win sent the Panthers to their first postseason since 2017, eliminating Mayfield’s Bucs.
☝️ One more thing: Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett capped off one of the most impressive individual seasons in NFL history by breaking the league’s sack record, a mark that had stood for more than two decades. Garrett said hello to Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow for his record-clinching 23rd sack of the season. Picture perfect.
The GIST: With the calendar turning to 2026, that means it’s officially an Olympic year — that’s right, the Milano Cortina Games begin in just 32 (!!!) days. As the Olympic torch travels across Italy, here are the latest Olympic headlines, by the numbers.
🤷 0: There have been essentially zero updates on the status of the Games’ main hockey arena, which is still under heavy construction with the first test event scheduled for Friday. Uh oh.
🇨🇦🏒 16: Sixteen years after his gold medal–winning Golden Goal in 2010, the legendary Sidney Crosby returns to lead Team Canada, alongside fellow NHL MVPs Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon, who will compete in their first Games.
ICYMI, NHL players are permitted to play in this year’s Olympics, the first time since 2014 that the world’s best will appear.
🇺🇸🏒 46: Speaking of, captain Auston Matthews and forwards Brady and Matthew Tkachuk (pronounced KUH-CHUCK) headline a Team USA roster hoping to claim its first gold medal since the 1980 “Miracle on Ice.” Who do you play for?
🙌 1: After a phenomenal Rivalry Series showing and a decorated college career, two-way player Laila Edwards is the first-ever Black woman to make the Team USA women’s hockey roster. Stay tuned — Team Canada will announce their women’s roster later this week.
P.S. Sign up for The GIST Plus to hear our exclusive, subscriber-only interview with Edwards when it’s released on Wednesday.
⛷️ 6: Swiss skier Camille Rast ended her rival Mikaela Shiffrin’s six-race win streak in World Cup slaloms yesterday, setting up a sure-to-be fierce upcoming battle in the Italian Alps.
👏 41: Five years (and one titanium knee replacement) after retiring, 41-year-old skier Lindsey Vonn will compete in her fifth and final Olympics, qualifying for Team USA in the downhill race. Incredible.
Looking back, UCLA coach Cori Close has mixed emotions about her team’s 2024/25 campaign.
Featuring one of the most talented starting fives in the sport, the team made historic strides all the way to a program-first Final Four appearance. But last season also served up a bittersweet ending.
The Bruins saw their dream postseason unceremoniously ended by eventual national champions UConn in an 85-51 rout. Highly touted but inexperienced on the big stage, UCLA nearly reached the mountaintop before a rough tumble, stirring up questions about the team’s ability to hang with the NCAA’s blue chip establishment.
“There’s nothing like having a historic season, and falling a little bit short,” head coach Cori Close told JWS in October. “The hunger to do it better, but also the attention to detail that it really takes.”
“It’s one thing to know things in your head, it’s a whole other thing to have them in your heart,” she continued. “And I think our team has a higher degree of these things in our heart.”
With renewed focus and deepened experience — plus an even more complete roster that can run the court against just about anyone — the Bruins just might reach the mountaintop again in 2026.
Following another strong offseason recruiting cycle, UCLA currently sits fourth in the AP Top 25 Poll after ranked wins over No. 8 Oklahoma, No. 19 Ohio State, and No. 23 Tennessee. And now the reigning Big Ten Tournament champions are setting their sights on conference play — with Saturday’s showdown with Southern California rivals No. 17 USC front of mind.
From here on out, attention to detail could make all the difference in how this season’s story ends.
The Bruins are focused on improving their stats under the basket. (Jordan Teller/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
UCLA is on a mission to reduce turnovers and own the glass
Before the 2024/25 season even began, coach Close already knew exactly where her team needed to improve.
The Bruins played a fast-paced style last year, facilitating ball movement inside and out with skill players at every position. This year, Close believed her squad could excel in terms of discipline, rather than sheer talent.
“We went back and studied the last five national championship teams and talked about trends that we see that they all have, that maybe we’ve fallen short in,” she said. “We figured that we need to turn the ball over three fewer times a game.”
Defense also plays a factor. “When you really trace championship teams, they have to be dominant in their rebounding,” she added. “We have a goal to get 70 to 75% of the misses.”
13 games into the season, UCLA hasn’t quite achieved all their goals. But they are showing potential. They’re slightly up in average rebounds with 44.1 per game, while lowering average turnovers by more than three per game.
But the team’s limitations against top talent reared its head in their November 26th loss to No. 2 Texas. UCLA grabbed only 32 rebounds while committing 20 turnovers — nearly double their season average.
“I was really honest with [the players],” Close said after the 76-65 defeat. “There’s some things we’ve been talking about that haven’t gotten enough change. Maybe this will get us to change some things that led to this.”
The threat of not sizing up against the best of the best fresh in their minds, UCLA has subsequently looked stronger. They reduced their turnovers even more against then-No. 14 Tennessee in late November, before dominating the boards against No. 19 Ohio State last Sunday.
“We have an abundance of growth opportunities, we have an abundance of opportunities to invest in each other,” Close told JWS.
“We have an abundance of ways in which we can improve week by week. We’re going to just stay focused on those.”
Senior center Lauren Betts is the star of UCLA’s show this season. (Jordan Teller/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
The Lauren Betts blueprint: Efficiency over minutes
Reaching UCLA’s goals relies on team-wide commitment — and figuring out the best way to utilize the team’s biggest star.
The Bruins have a wealth of elite guards, with upperclassmen like Kiki Rice and Gabriela Jaquez running the backcourt. But it’s no secret that the team’s attack and defense runs through 6-foot-8 All-American center Lauren Betts.
The senior is a global talent. She made her USA Basketball debut in December, and is shortlisted to become the 2026 WNBA Draft No. 1 pick once her decorated college career comes to an end.
One of the most dominant two-way bigs in the college game, Betts averaged a near-20-point, 10-rebound double-double last season. She’s an attention magnet on the court, disrupting play at the rim with the motor needed to finish the work back up the court.
Ironically, though, to get the most out of Betts, Close has found she has to actually limit her time on the floor.
“When Lauren and I had our exit evaluation meetings last year, we both agreed that she needs to have less minutes,” said Close. “And honestly maybe even less shots, but more efficiency.”
“As a 6-foot-8 player, you get beat up so much before she even touches the ball,” Close continued. “I think it’s important that we protect her wherever we can.”
Betts is aware that physicality can sometimes throw her off her game. She’s now pushing to hone her tenacity at the rim while leveraging her size through double- or triple-teams.
“Just playing the game, making the right read, is something that’s really important for me, trusting that I know what to do on the floor,” Betts at reporters from USA Basketball training camp last month.
“Also aggressiveness, I think that’s something that I can always grow into.”
Sienna Betts (CL) joined her sister Lauren at UCLA this season. (Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
UCLA enters 2026 with fresh faces — and family ties
Close sees Betts at her best with nothing to prove individually and a little extra help under the basket. And they worked hard over the offseason to get her that support, shaking things up via both traditional recruiting and the transfer portal.
Take senior transfer Gianna Kneepkins, for example. The former Utah standout is giving the Bruins a scoring boost with 14.3 points per game while carrying minutes alongside more established starters.
“She’s been a pivotal puzzle piece for us in terms of having a 50/40/90 player that’s really able to stretch the floor. She’s making everybody better around her,” Close said of Kneepkins, as the newcomer provides a tall outside presence in the paint.
Close also credits second-year transfer Charlisse Leger-Walker. She’s bolstered the team off the bench after sitting out last season to rehab her ACL.
Betts’s biggest supporter, however, stems from a little closer to home. Lauren’s little sister Sienna, the No. 2 recruit in her class, joined the Bruins this season. And she shares many of her older sister’s attributes on the court.
Listed at 6-foot-4, the freshman can stretch defenses even without her big sister on the court, strengthening UCLA’s reach through negative runs while forcing opponents to game-plan for even more frontcourt power
“[I’m] just trying to help her as much as I can,” Lauren said of her sister prior to the season start. “Especially because we’re playing kind of the same position. Just trying to help her with the plays, help her with tough practices, kind of helping her move on.”
Unfortunately, a lower leg injury delayed Sienna’s college debut by 10 games. The younger Betts missed the loss to Texas, slowing down some of the flow Close is looking to build against a big-heavy lineup. But the plan for the Betts sisters is still very much in motion, even with limited playing time.
UCLA is committed to taking it one game at a time this year. (Jordan Teller/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
Reverse engineering success, one UCLA game at a time
Entering the new year with a healthy roster,UCLA will now have to balance expectations both inside and outside the locker room. Because regardless of how the season ends, significant change looms on the horizon.
“I think it’s really tempting to be championship or bust, and that could not be further from our mission,” Close explained.
“I am such a big believer that you talk about your end goal one time. And then you reverse engineer the process and habits it’s going to take to get there.”
“Just staying present, recognizing that this is also a new team,” senior Kiki Rice told JWS in October. “After what happened last year, there’s lessons in the past. [But we] really just focus on being our best versions of ourselves every day.”
UCLA might have fallen short against Texas last month. But they maintain faith that increased depth, veteran leadership, and a refreshed detail-oriented outlook can guide them all the way through the postseason.
“There were certain levels of preparation, certain ways that we needed to minimize distractions, certain ways we needed to handle all of the ways that are going to be pulling on our attention,” Close said of the team’s Final Four journey, noting that she also learned some major lessons herself.
For now, UCLA is enjoying the moment — and the process — with the hope that the wins keep coming this spring.
“This is probably the most complete team I’ve ever coached,” Close added. “If we can stay healthy and stay focused, we’re going to have big things ahead.”
As the world of women’s soccer approaches 2026, the last year may well be remembered for its dynasties.
Chelsea won a sixth straight WSL title, Euros champion England and Copa winner Brazil retained their continental crowns, and Gotham FC lifted a second NWSL trophy in three years.
The winds of change also began to blow in new directions, with Arsenal upsetting Barcelona to win the Champions League final, top NWSL talent departing the US for opportunities overseas, and Kansas City reminding everyone what happens when regular-season dominance meets playoff vulnerability.
Through it all the game continued to grow, with increasingly interesting results on both sides of the pond, as the ramp-up to the 2027 World Cup and a new slate of regional competitions coincide with an ever-shifting economic landscape
So instead of looking back, we’re keeping the spirit of progress alive by presenting five bold predictions for women’s soccer in 2026.
USWNT star Sophia Wilson will return to the Portland Thorns in 2026. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Sophia Wilson’s return: A top contender for 2026 NWSL MVP
News of USWNT Sophia Wilson’s impending return to the Portland Thorns gave NWSL fans a boost earlier this month, with the Triple Espresso forward signing a single-year extension with her original club team.
Expect Wilson to hit the ground running as she comes back from pregnancy. The 2022 NWSL MVP has been very consistent throughout her career, and she’ll be joined by other returning Thorns attackers to bolster her opportunities in front of goal.
Fellow extended Portland star Olivia Moultrie will be paramount to the 25-year-old’s MVP campaign, especially as Wilson looks to challenge two-time reigning MVP Temwa Chawinga.
Don’t bet against Wilson showing shades of Alex Morgan’s 2023 Golden Boot run. That’s when the USWNT legend blew past expectations for what new mothers could achieve in their first season back on the pitch.
Everton ended reigning WSL champion Chelsea’s unbeaten streak earlier this month. (Alex Davidson – WSL/WSL Football via Getty Images)
No repeat champs: Why the women’s soccer guards are changing in 2026
Reigning WSL winner Chelsea’s repeat bid is already shaky, with Everton snapping their 34-game unbeaten streak earlier this month. And they’re preparing to enter the new year six points behind Manchester City in the league table.
Blues manager Sonia Bompastor has seemed to prefer a static roster rotation. Of course, she’s charged with managing players from two eras: ex-coach Emma Hayes’s success and the team’s modern iteration. If there was a time for a changing of the WSL guard, 2026 is the year.
Stateside, 2025 NWSL Shield winners Kansas City continue to navigate offseason changes. The Current will start 2026 under brand new leadership, after former head coach Vlatko Andonovski announced he’ll move to a Sporting Director role.
ESPN recently reported Kansas City’s plan to hire former MLS head coach Chris Armas in 2026. But without a formal announcement and the offseason clock ticking, the Current might run out of runway to set up a repeat bid.
2025 NWSL champion Gotham has both FIFA and Concacaf Champions Cup commitments this year, complicating their quest as they maneuver a jam-packed season. The club landed one major re-signing in Midge Purce, but forward Ella Stevens departed for expansion side Boston. Thus, the team is left relying on a title-winning core with an average age over 28.
Arsenal hasn’t looked too terribly far off their Champions League game yet. But the subsequent resurgence of Barcelona and OL Lyonnes could see the WSL on the outside looking in once the tournament reaches May’s final.
Despite having a few worthy clubs — including strong newcomers Manchester United — the UK league’s chances of claiming another UWCL title appear overshadowed by mainland Europe’s renewed dominance.
The USWNT starts down the road to the 2027 World Cup next year. (Kevork Djansezian/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
Emma Hayes’s USWNT: Expect major roster overhauls in 2026
USWNT coach Emma Hayes embraced change in 2025, giving 43 players their first national team cap this year — the most since 2001.
Though the approach came with some speed bumps. The US matching the single-year total loss record with three dropped matches.
Considering Hayes’s approach, it seems that the future of the USWNT has arrived much sooner than expected. And looking back, those losses actually made an emphatic argument for more lineup overhauls — not less.
The team’s November loss to Portugal showcased a veteran midfield trio in Rose Lavelle, Lindsey Heaps, and Sam Coffey. The lineup exposed the old guard’s weaknesses as the team looks to hold ground among the world’s elite.
Remember — Hayes made the call to leave Alex Morgan off the gold medal-winning 2024 Olympic roster. In doing so, she laid the groundwork for even bigger calls as the US gears up for a tough World Cup qualifying run in 2026.
The NWSL’s ‘High Impact Player’ rule will go into effect in July 2026. (Scott Taetsch/NWSL via Getty Images)
The global talent war: NWSL salary cap faces European threats
The NWSL closes 2025 with flashy off-field headlines and waning on-field enthusiasm, as it attempts to grapple with a rash of overseas departures.
They’ve even gone so far as to institute a new “High Impact Player” rule allowing teams to exceed the salary cap for top talent. The move comes after rejecting the Washington Spirit’s blockbuster play for superstar striker Trinity Rodman.
Viewed as a half-measure to circumvent larger salary cap issues, the NWSL Players Association has come out against the newly approved mechanism.
The union is advocating for the league to raise the base salary cap across the board. This will help clubs keep up in an increasingly competitive global market without destroying parity.
Whether or not the two parties will reach a compromise remains to be seen. Meantime, it leaves NWSL fans to hope for a solution as wealthy European clubs continue to draw top free agents away from the US league.
Of course, money isn’t everything. Raising the salary cap won’t guarantee NWSL favorites remain Stateside, as another league’s pull features more than just a pay bump. Thoughugh should the NWSL figure things out in time, US clubs might bring in a few big names themselves.
Regardless, expect more players to test their abilities in new environments when the transfer window opens back up in January. And it’s especially pressing considering the looming World Cup and its national team implications.
The 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup kicks off in June 2026. (Michael Regan – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
The 2026 Men’s World Cup will transform women’s soccer
International soccer’s largest event lands in the US next year, as the 2026 Men’s World Cup promises to reshape football fandom in this country and beyond.
The NWSL remains bullish on the tournament’s ability to convert soccer fans across gender lines. Though the competition itself is subsequently bound to have a serious and immediate impact on the women’s game.
The NWSL plans to pause for the duration of next summer’s World Cup. This is in part due to infrastructural strains, as the tournament takes over venues shared between men’s and women’s club teams. The USWNT’s World Cup qualifying campaign will also hit the breaks, rendering the team’s summer international windows largely meaningless.
And with Concacaf qualifiers kicking off immediately after the 2026 NWSL Championship, top players will have to balance commitments at the end of a long year.
No matter how the 2026 World Cup ends up influencing US soccer culture, it will inevitably present some challenges as the domestic women’s game pushes to be more than an afterthought alongside the sport’s biggest stage.
As the world of women’s soccer approaches 2026, the last year may well be remembered for its dynasties.
Chelsea won a sixth straight WSL title, Euros champion England and Copa winner Brazil retained their continental crowns, and Gotham FC lifted a second NWSL trophy in three years.
The winds of change also began to blow in new directions, with Arsenal upsetting Barcelona to win the Champions League final, top NWSL talent departing the US for opportunities overseas, and Kansas City reminding everyone what happens when regular-season dominance meets playoff vulnerability.
Through it all the game continued to grow, with increasingly interesting results on both sides of the pond, as the ramp-up to the 2027 World Cup and a new slate of regional competitions coincide with an ever-shifting economic landscape
So instead of looking back, we’re keeping the spirit of progress alive by presenting five bold predictions for women’s soccer in 2026.
USWNT star Sophia Wilson will return to the Portland Thorns in 2026. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Sophia Wilson’s return: A top contender for 2026 NWSL MVP
News of USWNT Sophia Wilson’s impending return to the Portland Thorns gave NWSL fans a boost earlier this month, with the Triple Espresso forward signing a single-year extension with her original club team.
Expect Wilson to hit the ground running as she comes back from pregnancy. The 2022 NWSL MVP has been very consistent throughout her career, and she’ll be joined by other returning Thorns attackers to bolster her opportunities in front of goal.
Fellow extended Portland star Olivia Moultrie will be paramount to the 25-year-old’s MVP campaign, especially as Wilson looks to challenge two-time reigning MVP Temwa Chawinga.
Don’t bet against Wilson showing shades of Alex Morgan’s 2023 Golden Boot run. That’s when the USWNT legend blew past expectations for what new mothers could achieve in their first season back on the pitch.
Everton ended reigning WSL champion Chelsea’s unbeaten streak earlier this month. (Alex Davidson – WSL/WSL Football via Getty Images)
No repeat champs: Why the women’s soccer guards are changing in 2026
Reigning WSL winner Chelsea’s repeat bid is already shaky, with Everton snapping their 34-game unbeaten streak earlier this month. And they’re preparing to enter the new year six points behind Manchester City in the league table.
Blues manager Sonia Bompastor has seemed to prefer a static roster rotation. Of course, she’s charged with managing players from two eras: ex-coach Emma Hayes’s success and the team’s modern iteration. If there was a time for a changing of the WSL guard, 2026 is the year.
Stateside, 2025 NWSL Shield winners Kansas City continue to navigate offseason changes. The Current will start 2026 under brand new leadership, after former head coach Vlatko Andonovski announced he’ll move to a Sporting Director role.
ESPN recently reported Kansas City’s plan to hire former MLS head coach Chris Armas in 2026. But without a formal announcement and the offseason clock ticking, the Current might run out of runway to set up a repeat bid.
2025 NWSL champion Gotham has both FIFA and Concacaf Champions Cup commitments this year, complicating their quest as they maneuver a jam-packed season. The club landed one major re-signing in Midge Purce, but forward Ella Stevens departed for expansion side Boston. Thus, the team is left relying on a title-winning core with an average age over 28.
Arsenal hasn’t looked too terribly far off their Champions League game yet. But the subsequent resurgence of Barcelona and OL Lyonnes could see the WSL on the outside looking in once the tournament reaches May’s final.
Despite having a few worthy clubs — including strong newcomers Manchester United — the UK league’s chances of claiming another UWCL title appear overshadowed by mainland Europe’s renewed dominance.
The USWNT starts down the road to the 2027 World Cup next year. (Kevork Djansezian/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
Emma Hayes’s USWNT: Expect major roster overhauls in 2026
USWNT coach Emma Hayes embraced change in 2025, giving 43 players their first national team cap this year — the most since 2001.
Though the approach came with some speed bumps. The US matching the single-year total loss record with three dropped matches.
Considering Hayes’s approach, it seems that the future of the USWNT has arrived much sooner than expected. And looking back, those losses actually made an emphatic argument for more lineup overhauls — not less.
The team’s November loss to Portugal showcased a veteran midfield trio in Rose Lavelle, Lindsey Heaps, and Sam Coffey. The lineup exposed the old guard’s weaknesses as the team looks to hold ground among the world’s elite.
Remember — Hayes made the call to leave Alex Morgan off the gold medal-winning 2024 Olympic roster. In doing so, she laid the groundwork for even bigger calls as the US gears up for a tough World Cup qualifying run in 2026.
The NWSL’s ‘High Impact Player’ rule will go into effect in July 2026. (Scott Taetsch/NWSL via Getty Images)
The global talent war: NWSL salary cap faces European threats
The NWSL closes 2025 with flashy off-field headlines and waning on-field enthusiasm, as it attempts to grapple with a rash of overseas departures.
They’ve even gone so far as to institute a new “High Impact Player” rule allowing teams to exceed the salary cap for top talent. The move comes after rejecting the Washington Spirit’s blockbuster play for superstar striker Trinity Rodman.
Viewed as a half-measure to circumvent larger salary cap issues, the NWSL Players Association has come out against the newly approved mechanism.
The union is advocating for the league to raise the base salary cap across the board. This will help clubs keep up in an increasingly competitive global market without destroying parity.
Whether or not the two parties will reach a compromise remains to be seen. Meantime, it leaves NWSL fans to hope for a solution as wealthy European clubs continue to draw top free agents away from the US league.
Of course, money isn’t everything. Raising the salary cap won’t guarantee NWSL favorites remain Stateside, as another league’s pull features more than just a pay bump. Thoughugh should the NWSL figure things out in time, US clubs might bring in a few big names themselves.
Regardless, expect more players to test their abilities in new environments when the transfer window opens back up in January. And it’s especially pressing considering the looming World Cup and its national team implications.
The 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup kicks off in June 2026. (Michael Regan – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
The 2026 Men’s World Cup will transform women’s soccer
International soccer’s largest event lands in the US next year, as the 2026 Men’s World Cup promises to reshape football fandom in this country and beyond.
The NWSL remains bullish on the tournament’s ability to convert soccer fans across gender lines. Though the competition itself is subsequently bound to have a serious and immediate impact on the women’s game.
The NWSL plans to pause for the duration of next summer’s World Cup. This is in part due to infrastructural strains, as the tournament takes over venues shared between men’s and women’s club teams. The USWNT’s World Cup qualifying campaign will also hit the breaks, rendering the team’s summer international windows largely meaningless.
And with Concacaf qualifiers kicking off immediately after the 2026 NWSL Championship, top players will have to balance commitments at the end of a long year.
No matter how the 2026 World Cup ends up influencing US soccer culture, it will inevitably present some challenges as the domestic women’s game pushes to be more than an afterthought alongside the sport’s biggest stage.
As the world of women’s soccer approaches 2026, the last year may well be remembered for its dynasties.
Chelsea won a sixth straight WSL title, Euros champion England and Copa winner Brazil retained their continental crowns, and Gotham FC lifted a second NWSL trophy in three years.
The winds of change also began to blow in new directions, with Arsenal upsetting Barcelona to win the Champions League final, top NWSL talent departing the US for opportunities overseas, and Kansas City reminding everyone what happens when regular-season dominance meets playoff vulnerability.
Through it all the game continued to grow, with increasingly interesting results on both sides of the pond, as the ramp-up to the 2027 World Cup and a new slate of regional competitions coincide with an ever-shifting economic landscape
So instead of looking back, we’re keeping the spirit of progress alive by presenting five bold predictions for women’s soccer in 2026.
USWNT star Sophia Wilson will return to the Portland Thorns in 2026. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Sophia Wilson’s return: A top contender for 2026 NWSL MVP
News of USWNT Sophia Wilson’s impending return to the Portland Thorns gave NWSL fans a boost earlier this month, with the Triple Espresso forward signing a single-year extension with her original club team.
Expect Wilson to hit the ground running as she comes back from pregnancy. The 2022 NWSL MVP has been very consistent throughout her career, and she’ll be joined by other returning Thorns attackers to bolster her opportunities in front of goal.
Fellow extended Portland star Olivia Moultrie will be paramount to the 25-year-old’s MVP campaign, especially as Wilson looks to challenge two-time reigning MVP Temwa Chawinga.
Don’t bet against Wilson showing shades of Alex Morgan’s 2023 Golden Boot run. That’s when the USWNT legend blew past expectations for what new mothers could achieve in their first season back on the pitch.
Everton ended reigning WSL champion Chelsea’s unbeaten streak earlier this month. (Alex Davidson – WSL/WSL Football via Getty Images)
No repeat champs: Why the women’s soccer guards are changing in 2026
Reigning WSL winner Chelsea’s repeat bid is already shaky, with Everton snapping their 34-game unbeaten streak earlier this month. And they’re preparing to enter the new year six points behind Manchester City in the league table.
Blues manager Sonia Bompastor has seemed to prefer a static roster rotation. Of course, she’s charged with managing players from two eras: ex-coach Emma Hayes’s success and the team’s modern iteration. If there was a time for a changing of the WSL guard, 2026 is the year.
Stateside, 2025 NWSL Shield winners Kansas City continue to navigate offseason changes. The Current will start 2026 under brand new leadership, after former head coach Vlatko Andonovski announced he’ll move to a Sporting Director role.
ESPN recently reported Kansas City’s plan to hire former MLS head coach Chris Armas in 2026. But without a formal announcement and the offseason clock ticking, the Current might run out of runway to set up a repeat bid.
2025 NWSL champion Gotham has both FIFA and Concacaf Champions Cup commitments this year, complicating their quest as they maneuver a jam-packed season. The club landed one major re-signing in Midge Purce, but forward Ella Stevens departed for expansion side Boston. Thus, the team is left relying on a title-winning core with an average age over 28.
Arsenal hasn’t looked too terribly far off their Champions League game yet. But the subsequent resurgence of Barcelona and OL Lyonnes could see the WSL on the outside looking in once the tournament reaches May’s final.
Despite having a few worthy clubs — including strong newcomers Manchester United — the UK league’s chances of claiming another UWCL title appear overshadowed by mainland Europe’s renewed dominance.
The USWNT starts down the road to the 2027 World Cup next year. (Kevork Djansezian/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
Emma Hayes’s USWNT: Expect major roster overhauls in 2026
USWNT coach Emma Hayes embraced change in 2025, giving 43 players their first national team cap this year — the most since 2001.
Though the approach came with some speed bumps. The US matching the single-year total loss record with three dropped matches.
Considering Hayes’s approach, it seems that the future of the USWNT has arrived much sooner than expected. And looking back, those losses actually made an emphatic argument for more lineup overhauls — not less.
The team’s November loss to Portugal showcased a veteran midfield trio in Rose Lavelle, Lindsey Heaps, and Sam Coffey. The lineup exposed the old guard’s weaknesses as the team looks to hold ground among the world’s elite.
Remember — Hayes made the call to leave Alex Morgan off the gold medal-winning 2024 Olympic roster. In doing so, she laid the groundwork for even bigger calls as the US gears up for a tough World Cup qualifying run in 2026.
The NWSL’s ‘High Impact Player’ rule will go into effect in July 2026. (Scott Taetsch/NWSL via Getty Images)
The global talent war: NWSL salary cap faces European threats
The NWSL closes 2025 with flashy off-field headlines and waning on-field enthusiasm, as it attempts to grapple with a rash of overseas departures.
They’ve even gone so far as to institute a new “High Impact Player” rule allowing teams to exceed the salary cap for top talent. The move comes after rejecting the Washington Spirit’s blockbuster play for superstar striker Trinity Rodman.
Viewed as a half-measure to circumvent larger salary cap issues, the NWSL Players Association has come out against the newly approved mechanism.
The union is advocating for the league to raise the base salary cap across the board. This will help clubs keep up in an increasingly competitive global market without destroying parity.
Whether or not the two parties will reach a compromise remains to be seen. Meantime, it leaves NWSL fans to hope for a solution as wealthy European clubs continue to draw top free agents away from the US league.
Of course, money isn’t everything. Raising the salary cap won’t guarantee NWSL favorites remain Stateside, as another league’s pull features more than just a pay bump. Thoughugh should the NWSL figure things out in time, US clubs might bring in a few big names themselves.
Regardless, expect more players to test their abilities in new environments when the transfer window opens back up in January. And it’s especially pressing considering the looming World Cup and its national team implications.
The 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup kicks off in June 2026. (Michael Regan – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
The 2026 Men’s World Cup will transform women’s soccer
International soccer’s largest event lands in the US next year, as the 2026 Men’s World Cup promises to reshape football fandom in this country and beyond.
The NWSL remains bullish on the tournament’s ability to convert soccer fans across gender lines. Though the competition itself is subsequently bound to have a serious and immediate impact on the women’s game.
The NWSL plans to pause for the duration of next summer’s World Cup. This is in part due to infrastructural strains, as the tournament takes over venues shared between men’s and women’s club teams. The USWNT’s World Cup qualifying campaign will also hit the breaks, rendering the team’s summer international windows largely meaningless.
And with Concacaf qualifiers kicking off immediately after the 2026 NWSL Championship, top players will have to balance commitments at the end of a long year.
No matter how the 2026 World Cup ends up influencing US soccer culture, it will inevitably present some challenges as the domestic women’s game pushes to be more than an afterthought alongside the sport’s biggest stage.
