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Athletes Unlimited Softball League’s partnership with MLB will help ‘shine light’ on stars

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Cydney Henderson | USA TODAY

The Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) is officially set to debut in early June and the women’s professional softball league now has major investor: Major League Baseball.

MLB and the AUSL announced a wide-ranging partnership on Thursday, marking MLB’s first investment in a women’s professional sports league. The partnership coincides with an exciting time in the sport — not only is the 2025 Women’s College World Series set to begin Thursday, softball is set to make its Olympic return in Los Angeles in 2028.

“This announcement today is really a watershed moment for the AUSL,”Athletes Unlimited CEO and co-founder Jon Patricof told USA TODAY Sports. “For us, the sport has tremendous momentum in many ways. It’s been a sleeping giant. It’s performed so well at the college level, but maybe received less attention than some other sports out there. Major League Baseball is really going to be able to come in and help us shine a light on the incredible athletes and incredible action that exists in pro softball.”

Athletes Unlimited Softball League players Montana Fouts, Odicci Alexander, Sis Bates, Skylar Wallace, Amanda Lorenz, Aliyah Andrews, Maya Brady and Aleshia Ocasio.

Not only does the AUSL have the support of MLB, the women’s professional softball league will be shepherded by icons that have helped introduce the world to softball.

“We brought on board almost all the legends of the game, including seven members of the 2004 gold medal-winning Olympic softball team involved as coaches, general managers and advisors,” Patricof said, referring to Lisa Fernandez (Talons GM), Stacey Nuveman-Deniz (Bandits head coach), Cat Osterman (Volts GM, advisor), Kelly Kretschman (Volts head coach), Jennie Finch (advisor), Jessica Mendoza (advisor) and Natasha Watley (advisor). Patricof added, “Kim Ng is on board as the commissioner and now Major League Baseball is on board as a strategic partner.”WOMEN’S SPORTS: The latest news and insider insights from USA TODAY Studio IX.

Here’s everything you need to know about the AUSL’s partnership with MLB:

MLB partnership will amplify pro softball league

The AUSL’s inaugural season kicks off June 7 and will feature four teams — Talons, Bandits, Blaze and Volts — playing a 24-game season across 10 cities, including Chicago, Austin and Salt Lake City. The AUSL season will complement the league’s pre-existing All-Star Cup, where 60 players compete for an individual championship using Athletes Unlimited’s innovative scoring system that makes every softball play meaningful.

Athletes Unlimited’s creativity is what first caught MLB’s eye. Tony Reagins, MLB’s Chief Baseball Development Officer, told USA TODAY Sports that Athletes Unlimited offered “something that was a bit different” and “unique.”

“We’ve really been watching the organization from afar for a couple years. We watched how they operated the business — very creative initially in the softball space, utilizing their players and getting the players more involved in different ways on and off the field,” Reagins said. “We wanted to align ourselves with an organization that we thought had a like mind in the long-term goal of promoting women’s sports, softball in particular, and Athletes Unlimited really checked all the boxes.”

With the partnership, MLB will leverage its broadcast partners and platforms to promote the visibility of the AUSL. Major League Baseball’s financial investment will also assist with AUSL’s “operational costs and key growth initiatives,” MLB announced. Patricof added, “The MLB is going to be supporting AUSL really in all facets, marketing, promotion, and commercial development of the league.”

AUSL taps Kim Ng as commissioner

Kim Ng was named the commissioner of the AUSL in April, highlighting another tie between professional softball and baseball. Ng played college softball at the University of Chicago and went on to become the first woman to serve as the general manager of a major North American men’s professional sports team when she was named the Miami Marlins GM in 2020.

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“To see what she’s been able to accomplish as a professional and an executive in baseball and now be able to take the reins as commissioner of AUSL is exciting, because I know her work ethic, intellect and what she will put behind this effort,” Reagins said. “These discussions (between AUSL and MLB) happened before Kim was named commissioner. But to then have Kim come on board and have that familiar face that you know from a historical perspective, it made the partnership make even more sense. We think we have a great ally with Kim being at the helm of AUSL.”

At the time of her appointment, Ng said, “Softball was my first love growing up, so it’s both gratifying and humbling to be given this responsibility at such a pivotal moment for the sport.”

MINNESOTA WINS SECOND STRAIGHT WALTER CUP

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By: PWHL

ST. PAUL, MN (May 26, 2025) – The Minnesota Frost earned their second-straight Walter Cup title with a 2-1 overtime win over the Ottawa Charge in Game 4 of the PWHL Finals, presented by Scotiabank.  

Liz Schepers was the overtime hero for the Frost as she netted the championship winning goal for the second year in a row, sending a roaring crowd of 11,024 fans to their feet at Xcel Energy Center. After a scoreless first period, Minnesota took their first lead of the series with a goal from Kelly Pannek midway through the second period. As Ottawa pushed to stay alive in the third period, Tereza Vanišová found the back of the net midway through the final frame to tie the game at one, forcing overtime for the fourth straight game in the PWHL Finals. It took 12 minutes of overtime action for the Frost to bury the game-winner and secure their second Walter Cup. 

Maddie Rooney made 33 saves in her fifth consecutive postseason win between the pipes for the Frost, tying the PWHL record for most wins in a single postseason, alongside Boston’s Aerin Frankel from the 2024 PWHL Playoffs. 

Ottawa’s Gwyneth Philips was voted the recipient of the Ilana Kloss Playoff MVP Award as she led all goaltenders with a 1.23 goals-against average and a .952 save percentage through eight playoff starts. The Charge rookie posted four postseason wins, including one shutout, and did not lose a game in regulation throughout the playoffs. Philips made 33 saves in Game 4. 

The Frost hoisted the cup in front of a home crowd for the first time, after last season’s victory came on the road at a sold-out Tsongas Center in Boston. Minnesota finished the regular season in the fourth and final playoff spot – clinching on the final day of the regular season – tied with Ottawa at 44 points in the standings. The Frost earned a 3-1 semifinal series win over the Toronto Sceptres to secure a PWHL Finals berth for the second year in a row. Ottawa took Game 1 of the PWHL Finals, before Minnesota went on to secure three consecutive overtime victories on the way to the championship. 

Fans can purchase the Championship Collection now at the Official Shop of the PWHL, featuring the Official Championship Hat by New Era, the Locker Room Tee by Royalty, fan-favorite apparel, and a limited-edition Championship puck to commemorate the season. 

QUOTES  

Frost goaltender Maddie Rooney on the team’s playoff success: “Overall, we just have a great team culture, from staff leadership down, everyone was just bought in. The belief in ourselves and in each other around the locker room was there all season, despite some bumps in the road, we never had a doubt. I think that showed here in this series, the grit that we had after losing that first game and coming out and having that shift after shift mentality on the attack, I think that was really what allowed us to come out on top.” 

Minnesota Head Coach Ken Klee on winning the Walter Cup at home: “To win in front of our fans, to have over 10,000 come to the (Xcel Energy Center) on a holiday and support our players is just outstanding. It was amazing, even with Gwyneth Philips winning MVP and them all cheering for her. It just shows how great a fan base we have, how much class they have, how much they love the game and how much they love watching the players compete.” 

Ottawa goaltender Gwyneth Philips on winning the Ilana Kloss Playoff MVP Award: “”The individual award is superseded by the team loss. We were so close, and we really want that. My accomplishments are attributed to the players in front of me. So maybe tomorrow it’ll be nicer, but I really wanted that win.” 

Ottawa Head Coach Carla MacLeod on the streak of overtime games: “I’m just so impressed by our group because we played a lot of hockey in a short amount of time here. There was the long OT against Montréal, and then every game being an overtime game here. But this group just stuck with it. We never factored it into anything. We just kept going. We’ve got great support staff around these players that try to ensure they were fueled the right way. Of course, there’s wear and tear – that’s inevitable. But it’s playoff hockey, and we were wholeheartedly embracing the whole experience. I just commend our players because they played with their hearts every single game.” 

NOTABLES 

Maddie Rooney recorded 30+ saves in three consecutive games for the first time in her career. The Frost goaltender finished the postseason with a third-best 1.75 goals-against average and .932 save percentage, behind only Philips and Ann-Renée Desbiens (.943). 

Gwyneth Philips’ 635:25 minutes of postseason action is the most playing time seen by any goaltender in PWHL playoff history, surpassing Aerin Frankel’s 580:58 of postseason action from the 2024 PWHL Playoffs. 

Lee Stecklein finished as the 2025 postseason scoring leader with eight points (4G, 4A) in eight games played. Her Frost teammates Taylor Heise (1-6––7) and Sophie Jaques (2-5—7) finished tied for second. 

Liz Schepers scored her second goal of the postseason, after only scoring twice in the regular season and once in the 2024 PWHL Playoffs – which also served as the Walter Cup game winner. 

Kelly Pannek scored her second goal for her fifth point of the playoffs, becoming the ninth Frost skater to score multiple postseason goals. In comparison, Ottawa only had three players with two or more goals. 

Katy Knoll and Klára Hymlárová both tallied their fifth point of the postseason with assists on Schepers’ overtime goal. Both Frost forwards have points in back-to-back games for the first time in their careers. 

Claire Thompson tallied her sixth postseason assist, tying her for the postseason lead in the category alongside Heise. The Frost defender finished the postseason with a three-game point streak, and her four points (4A) this series are the most recorded by any player in the 2025 PWHL Finals. 

Grace Zumwinkle tallied her third assist of the postseason while also recording a career-high 10 shots on goal. 

Tereza Vanišová scored her first career postseason goal for her fourth point of the playoffs, snapping an 11-game goal drought.  

Vanišová’s 33 postseason shots are the most recorded by any skater in PWHL playoff history, surpassing Hilary Knight’s 31 shots from last year’s playoffs. 

Danielle Serdachny tallied her second point of the postseason for her first point in seven games. The last time the Charge forward hit the score sheet was in Game 1 of the semifinal series against Montréal. 

Jocelyne Larocque recorded her third assist for her fourth point of the postseason and led all Charge defenders in playoff scoring. 

Emily Clark led all Ottawa players in playoff scoring with five points (3G, 2A) in eight games played. 

Minnesota opened the scoring for the first time this series while taking their first lead of the PWHL Finals. 

Each of Ottawa’s eight playoff games were decided by one goal, the longest streak to start a playoff run in PWHL history. Five of Ottawa’s eight postseason games were decided in overtime. 

SCORESHEET RECAP 

Ottawa 0 0 1 0 – 1 
Minnesota 0 1 0 1 – 2 
 
1st Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Petrie Min (tripping), 12:05; Savolainen Ott (cross checking), 19:42. 
 
2nd Period-1, Minnesota, Pannek 2 (Thompson, Zumwinkle), 10:10. Penalties-No Penalties 
 
3rd Period-2, Ottawa, Vanišová 1 (Serdachny, Larocque), 10:09. Penalties-No Penalties 
 
1st OT Period-3, Minnesota, Schepers 2 (Knoll, Hymlárová), 12:00. Penalties-Hughes Ott (roughing), 8:01; Buchbinder Min (roughing), 8:01. 
 
Shots on Goal-Ottawa 12-11-7-4-34. Minnesota 12-14-10-2-38. 
 

Power Play Opportunities-Ottawa 0 / 2; Minnesota 0 / 2. 

Goalies-Ottawa, Philips (38 shots-36 saves). Minnesota, Rooney (34 shots-33 saves). 

A-11,024 

THREE STARS 

  1. Liz Schepers (MIN) (GWG)
  2. Maddie Rooney (MIN) (33/34 saves)
  3. Kelly Pannek (MIN) 1G

SERIES 

Minnesota wins 3-1 

US Tennis Stars Shine at 2025 French Open

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Claire Watkins | Just Women’s Sports

A strong US contingent is showing out at the 2025 French Open, with 14 of the country’s best tennis stars advancing to Wednesday’s second round in Paris.

World No. 2 Coco Gauff headlines a US lineup spanning No. 3 Jessica Pegula and No. 8 Madison Keys as the WTA’s top ranks battle it out for the Grand Slam’s $2.9 million prize.

No. 16 Amanda Anisimova is also holding her own, advancing to the third round by downing Switzerland’s No. 78 Viktorija Golubic 6-0, 6-2 on Wednesday, while US underdog No. 83 Bernarda Pera upset Croatia’s No. 19 Donna Vekić in a three-set tiebreaker to do the same.

Despite her compatriots’ success, No. 9 Emma Navarro became the only Top 10 player to crash out early, managing to win just a single game against Spain’s No. 68 Jéssica Bouzas Maneiro in their first-round match on Monday.

Heavy-hitters No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and No. 5 Iga Świątek are also cruising along, with Świątek ousting England’s No. 41 Emma Raducanu in straight sets on Tuesday morning, while Sabalenka faces Switzerland’s No. 97 Jil Teichmann for a second-round battle in the afternoon.

While three-time Grand Slam winner Sabalenka is hunting a first Roland-Garros trophy, Świątek already owns four, with the Polish phenom hoping to add to her current streak of three French Open victories — despite her recent struggles on clay.

Should Świątek and Sabalenka continue winning, the pair could collide in next week’s semifinals, landing on the same side of the Roland-Garros draw while Gauff and Pegula hold down the other two quadrants.

How to watch the 2025 French Open

Second-round action of the 2025 French Open continues through Thursday before Friday’s third round takes the Roland-Garros clay court.

Live coverage of the Grand Slam airs on TNT.

Rybakina lifts first trophy in a year in Strasbourg-01:23

Top 3 Finalists revealed for 2025 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year

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OKLAHOMA CITY — USA Softball has announced the Top 3 Finalists for the 2025 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year. The award is considered the most prestigious honor in college softball and recognizes outstanding athletic achievement among Division I softball players across the country.

Previous winners of the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year include Stacey Nuveman (UCLA – 2002), Cat Osterman (Texas – 2003, 2005, 2006), Jessica Van der Linden (Florida State – 2004), Monica Abbott (Tennessee – 2007), Angela Tincher (Virginia Tech – 2008), Danielle Lawrie (Washington – 2009, 2010), Ashley Hansen (Stanford – 2011), Keilani Ricketts (Oklahoma – 2012, 2013), Lacey Waldrop (Florida State – 2014), Lauren Haeger (Florida – 2015), Sierra Romero (Michigan – 2016), Kelly Barnhill (Florida – 2017), Rachel Garcia (UCLA – 2018, 2019), Jocelyn Alo (Oklahoma – 2021, 2022), Valerie Cagle (2023) and most recently, NiJaree Canady (2024).

Click here to view the Top 3 Finalists »

Represented by two juniors and one senior from three NCAA Division I universities and three athletic conferences, the Top 3 Finalists for the 2025 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year include Nebraska’s Jordy Bahl, Texas Tech’s NiJaree Canady and Arkansas’s Bri Ellis — each of which will take the stage at Super Regionals this weekend.

Jordy Bahl – Nebraska

Nebraska’s Jordy Bahl stands out as one of the top two-way players in NCAA Division I softball, proving dominant in both pitching and hitting. She ranks among the Top 10 nationally in eight key categories: batting average (.458), slugging percentage (.955), total bases (148), earned run average (ERA) (1.57), shutouts (7), strikeouts (254), strikeouts per seven innings (10.2) and wins (23). For her outstanding performance, Bahl has been recognized as both the Big Ten Pitcher and Player of the Year, in addition to earning four Big Ten Pitcher of the Week selections during the 2025 season.

NiJaree Canady – Texas Tech

Two-time Big 12 Pitcher of the Week and 2025 Big 12 Pitcher of the Year, NiJaree Canady, has made a powerful impact as a two-way player in her inaugural season with the Big 12 Conference. In the circle, she dominates with a nation-leading 0.81 ERA and 3.44 hits allowed per seven innings. Her performance places her in the Top 10 nationally for several key metrics, including wins (2nd – 26), strikeouts (4th – 263 K) and strikeouts per seven innings (6th – 10.2). At the plate, Canady ranks among the Top 10 in the Big 12 Conference for slugging percentage (7th – .667 SLG) and OPS (8th – 1.124 OPS), while also leading the conference in ERA (0.81), opponent batting average (.144), wins (26) and earned runs allowed (21). Canady is the most recent recipient of the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, winning it in 2024 while at Stanford University.

Bri Ellis – Arkansas

As the 2025 SEC Player of the Year, Bri Ellis from Arkansas is dominating the competition, leading the nation with a 1.189 slugging percentage and a .649 on-base percentage, while ranking second in the nation with 26 home runs. A true force at the plate, Ellis also stands on the NCAA leaderboard in batting average (4th – .475 BA), home runs per game (2nd – .50 PG), RBIs (7th – 72 RBI) and RBIs per game (5th – 1.38 PG). Among her SEC rivals, she claims the top spot in batting average (.475), slugging percentage (1.189), on-base percentage (.649), home runs (26), total bases (145) and walks (58). At Arkansas, Ellis has shattered single-season records in RBIs and home runs and is on track to set new program benchmarks in batting average and on-base percentage.

The 2025 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be announced on May 27 at the athlete banquet prior to the NCAA Women’s College World Series (WCWS) set to take place at the Softball Capital of the World® May 29 – June 6.

Paired with the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, USA Softball is also in its 23rd season of presenting the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 Poll, which is released every Tuesday throughout the regular season with one final poll being released at the conclusion of the 2025 WCWS. Follow along with Division I NCAA Softball all season long at USASoftball.com.

Fubo debuts women’s sports hub, riding demand for content

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ByAlyssa Meyers | Marketing Brew

Fubo is getting in the zone.

Capitalizing on growing demand for women’s sports like basketball and volleyball, the streamer introduced a hub for women’s sports content to its home page earlier this month, where viewers can find programming including live games and documentaries. The first advertiser integration is set to roll out Saturday in time with the second weekend of the WNBA season, VP of Ad Sales Jennifer Monson shared exclusively with Marketing Brew.

“The advertiser interest and the amount of response that we’ve had from launching this women’s hub has been huge for us,” she said.

Fubo declined to name the inaugural sponsor ahead of the activation going live this weekend, but Monson said it’s a financial services brand running a campaign across the hub, spanning inventory like pause ads and interactive ads. Fubo also has another financial services brand signed on to advertise in the hub, both new clients for the streamer whose campaigns amount to “about seven figures in revenue,” she said.

Follow the fandom: It’s not just brands that are interested in Fubo’s women’s sports content; the idea for the hub, called the Women’s Sports Zone, came about as a result of viewership trends, Monson said. Audience demand “reached a fever pitch” last year, she said, when Caitlin Clark and the 2024 draft class joined the WNBA, helping spur record-breaking viewership last season.

It was around that time, Monson said, that advertisers started expressing growing interest in women’s sports content on Fubo, including brands from categories that hadn’t historically been spending much in the sports space.

“We saw our viewership numbers going way up, but then we also saw a big call from advertisers who wanted to really lean in and support women’s sports,” she said. “It was just a general demand from both sides of the market, where people were asking, ‘How can we align with women’s sports from an advertising [perspective], and how can we watch more women’s sports?’”

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From there, creating the Women’s Sports Zone “was just natural,” Monson said: 61% of Fubo subscribers use the platform to watch women’s sports, according to the company.

Brand wagon: The Fubo ad sales team has been pitching the hub during upfronts season, Monson told us. For brands that want to activate in the space, she said her team will help create custom activations that can include a “branded skin” that spans the entire page, pause ads, and interactive ads like trivia questions or other games.

Women’s Sports Zone advertisers can also retarget audiences in men’s sports on Fubo, too, Monson added. Ideally, she said, the campaigns will span beyond logo placements, a sentiment that’s shared by other leagues and brands in women’s sports.

“We wanted something that’s not going to be just a logo slap,” Monson said. “We really want brands to align with the culture, the energy, the momentum of women’s sports.”

Given the timing of the rollout with the start of the WNBA season, that league will be particularly prominent for now, but Monson said the Women’s Sports Zone is also set to include plenty of content around sports like volleyball, Olympic sports, and the NCAA down the line.

Lorena Ochoa’s impact in women’s golf still huge 15 years after retirement

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Todd Kelly | SportsWeek

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico — The LPGA has returned to Mexico for the first time since 2017 and the people probably most excited for it are the eight Mexican golfers in the 136-player field. Well, except for maybe one person.

That would be the greatest Mexican golfer of all time, Lorena Ochoa.

Lorena Ochoa from Mexico celebrates at St. Andrews in Scotland after winning the 2007 Women's British Open.

“Amazing. This morning, I woke up, and I was just trying to think you know, how especially how important it is and maybe not as many people realize as much I do,” she told Golfweek shortly after hitting a ceremonial tee shot on the 18th hole on Wednesday to officially kick off the 2025 Mexico Riviera Maya Open at Mayakoba. “I know how hard it is to have an event here and get the sponsors. … this is a beautiful place.

“To see what is a real LPGA event, to have it back, I’m really excited.”

Born in Guadalajara and currently residing in Mexico City, Ochoa is visiting the El Camaleon Golf Course in Playa del Carmen this week to welcome the tour back to her home country as well as to catch up with the current generation of LPGA golfers.Need a break? 

That includes Maria Fassi, proud to be playing in her home country for the first time as a professional.

“It’s everything we always dreamt of as kids. We would come out and watch Lorena play,” Fassi said Tuesday. “And then to kind of have that taken away for I think it’s seven years since the last one, and then now us be the ones that people are watching and coming out to support, it’s just amazing. It’s an honor to represent Mexico everywhere we go.”

Lorena Ochoa during the third round of the 2007 Ginn Open at Reunion Resort.

Fassi said she first met Ochoa when she was “10 or 11” and said if not for Ochoa, she would’ve never considered playing golf, much less at the professional level.

“So, yeah, it’s pretty cool that she’s now kind of coming to watch us and support us. To me, she gets to see what she did, and I think it’s very special, I know for all of us, but I hope that she knows that she’s the reason why the eight of us are here.”

Isabella Fierro knows the golf course well. She grew up in Playa del Carmen and has played El Camaleon dozens of times and is thrilled the LPGA is back in Mexico.

“I’ve known this course since I was probably 12 years old. I play local tournaments here, international events, so I have a deep love for this golf course,” Fierro said. “Just the environment, everything about it is just awesome, and seeing the LPGA out here is just, that’s how far Mexican women’s golf has grown.”

Ochoa was the spark that started it all. A four-time player of the year and winner of 27 LPGA events, including two majors, Ochoa retired suddenly at age 28 in 2010, shocking the golf world. She was short of the then-required 10-year playing career for LPGA Hall of Fame induction, but that rule was later changed and she got in the Hall in 2022.

Ochoa’s legacy is being felt all over the tournament this week and that includes the record number of Mexicans competing in the same LPGA event: Maria Balcazar, Maria Fassi, Isabella Fierro, Fernanda Lira, Gaby Lopez, Andrea Ostos, Carolina Rotzinger and Clarisa Temelo. Five of those eight are in the field on sponsor exemptions, including Temelo, an amateur.

“I can tell you I speak to some of the presidents from the different courses, the different clubs in Mexico and when they tell me, ‘You know, Lorena, we don’t know what to do, we have so many kids,’ and I laugh,” Ochoa said. “It’s a good problem to have, so I just want to say that it makes me really proud, honor, happy, because it’s all about the growth of the game and we see that the numbers are going up, new golf courses, it’s more accessible. I’m working with the Mexican Federation about having a public facility. We’re holding our golf academy on Sundays. We give it for free, for the kids.”

Lorena Ochoa tees off on the seventh hole during the fourth round of the 2007 Ginn Open at Reunion Resort.

Another competitor this week, Albane Valenzuela, is Swiss but she was born in the U.S. to a Mexican father and French mother.

“Oh, my gosh, Lorena is the GOAT,” raved Valenzuela. “She’s the coolest player. She’s probably one of the reasons I started even playing golf. My dad won with Lorena back in the day, the Spirit, like a form of world championship, if you want to call it, and he always said how incredible of a human being she was. Me growing up and as a teenager, she always took time to talk to me, brought me golf balls, brought me her polos, and I just always had very fond memories of her. I think she’s the most gracious, humble champion that golf has ever produced. Really one of a kind, and the fact that she’s here this week supporting is super special.”

Ochoa’s legacy spreads far and wide, even to South Korea. That’s where Sei Young Kim, a 12-time winner on the LPGA, grew up. One of those wins was the last LPGA event held in Mexico in 2017.

“She’s a legend. When I grew up, I watched her play and I, when I played her tournament [2017 Lorena Ochoa Match Play], I saw her. I met her,” Kim said. “I was like so nervous. I feel like I meet the superstar.”

10 must-watch players at the 2025 NCAA Women’s Golf Championship at Omni La Costa

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Cameron Jourdan | Golfweek

It’s time for the national championship.

The 2025 NCAA Women’s Golf Championship gets underway Friday at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa’s North Course in Carlsbad, California. Thirty of the best women’s golf teams in the country will descend upon Southern California to battle it out for the national title.

And making up those teams are some of the best players in the amateur game. There are numerous stars who will play for the individual title over the coming days at Omni La Costa, including plenty who are finalists for the 2025 Annika Award.

10 players to watch at NCAA Women’s Golf Championship

Carla Bernat, Kansas State

Bernat, the Augusta National Women’s Amateur Champion, beat the two top-ranked players in college golf to win the NCAA Lexington Regional last week, her third victory of the year.Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle

Carolina Chacarra, Wake Forest

Chacarra has been a stalwart in Wake Forest’s lineup since the Demon Deacons won the national title two years ago, and after winning the NCAA Lubbock Regional, she’s in form heading to Omni La Costa.

Hannah Darling, South Carolina

Darling hasn’t won since the season opening Annika Intercollegiate, but she also hasn’t finished outside of the top 14 and is always in contention in the biggest events.

Kary Hollenbaugh, Ohio State

Hollenbaugh has had a dominant spring, winning four times. A T-10 at the NCAA Columbus Regional is a “bad” finish for her, but no one has won more than her in 2025.

Maria Jose Marin, Arkansas

A constant presence in the Razorbacks’ lineup for two years, Marin knows how to content in big events, and it shouldn’t be a surprise to see her near the top of the leaderboard.

Farah O’Keefe, Texas

O’Keefe is the best player in college golf without a win this season, but she has seven top-10 finishes, including a solo second at the NCAA Lubbock Regional.

Andrea Revuelta, Stanford

It’s hard to pick just one player from Stanford, but Revuelta has been the hottest coming into the NCAA Championship, winning both the ACC individual title and NCAA Norman Regional.

Kiara Romero, Oregon

Romero was one of the most consistent players in the country heading into the postseason, and she finally broke through at the Big 10 Championship and added another win at the NCAA Gold Canyon Regional.

Mirabel Ting, Florida State

Ting is part of a dominant Florida State 1-2 punch (more on No. 2 later), winning five times this season and losing to only nine golfers in eight stroke-play events all year.

Lottie Woad, Florida State

The other half of the Seminoles’ dynamic duo, Woad led after the opening round at NCAAs last year and has remained the No. 1 amateur in the world for coming up on a year.

New York Liberty Lead 2025 WNBA Power Rankings

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Claire Watkins | Just Women’s Sports

The New York Liberty will open the 2025 WNBA season at the top of the league’s power rankings, drumming up high expectations despite a short-staffed roster.

Trailing the reigning champions at No. 2 are 2024 runners-up Minnesota, followed by 2023 champs Las Vegas at No. 3.

Fueled by this year’s overall No. 2 draft pick Dominique Malonga, the Seattle Storm claimed No. 4 in the WNBA rankings, with the revamped Indiana Fever eyeing a 2025 turnaround at No. 5.

The betting market similarly reflects the league’s latest forecast, with sportsbook FanDuel setting the Liberty’s title odds at +210, followed by the Aces at +360, and the Lynx at +370.

The lines also support Indiana’s promise, giving the Fever the fourth-best championship odds at +390 — far higher than the fifth-best Phoenix Mercury at +1,300.

On the other hand, the Dallas Wings, LA Sparks, Washington Mystics, Connecticut Sun, and Golden State Valkyries occupy the rankings’ bottom half, as 2025’s potential lottery teams prepare to prove themselves against top-line squads this season.

The up-for-sale Sun and brand-new Valkyries have the longest title odds on FanDuel, clocking in at +50,000 each.

While preseason action has provided some quality sneak peeks, Friday’s opening tip-off represents a fresh start for the league, one where anything can — and likely will — happen.

Seattle Storm and France international teammates Gabby Williams and Dominique Malonga smile before a 2025 WNBA preseason game.
France’s Gabby Williams and Dominique Malonga will skip the 2025 Eurobasket to stay with Seattle. (Scott Eklund/NBAE via Getty Images)

European WNBA stars drop out of 2025 EuroBasket

Several European WNBA standouts announced they will skip out on this summer’s FIBA EuroBasket, opting to prioritize league play following a pivotal 2024 Olympics.

Reigning Olympic silver medalists Gabby Williams and Dominique Malonga both confirmed they will not represent France at the European tournament in June, opting to remain with the Seattle Storm.

The duo’s France teammate Carla Leite is also forgoing the trip, instead remaining with the Golden State Valkyries for the entirety of the expansion side’s debut season.

As a major international tournament, the 2025 FIBA EuroBasket is exempt from the WNBA’s prioritization rule, meaning eligible players can miss regular-season league play to compete in the overseas contest without being in violation of WNBA protocols.

The 2025 regional FIBA competition between Europe’s top national teams will tip off on June 18th.

Marta Comes Out of Retirement to Join Brazil National Team Roster

by

Dee Lab | Just Women’s Sports

Soccer legend Marta is officially returning to the canary yellow kit, earning a Brazil national team call-up just over nine months after her planned retirement from international duty.

Brazil head coach Arthur Elias named Marta to the world No. 8 Seleção’s roster on Tuesday, with the 39-year-old icon returning for the team’s upcoming home friendlies against No. 5 Japan on May 30th and June 2nd.

“I was with Marta recently and spoke with her,” Elias told reporters on Tuesday. “She said she is available to help the team while she is playing at a high level, as she is now.”https://www.instagram.com/p/DJmtRY7Snxt/embed/captioned/?cr=1&v=14&wp=1080&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fjustwomenssports.com&rp=%2Freads%2Fmarta-comes-out-of-retirement-to-join-brazil-national-team-roster%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A303.39999997615814%2C%22ls%22%3A215%2C%22le%22%3A215%7D

Stellar club form fuels Marta’s Brazil return

Marta, who hung up her international boots after snagging a third silver Olympic medal at the 2024 Paris Games, hasn’t missed a beat since, captaining the Orlando Pride to the club’s first-ever NWSL Shield and Championship last fall.

In the process, the scoring phenom claimed the league’s Best XI First Team honors, as well as finalist nods for both the 2024 NWSL MVP and Midfielder of the Year awards.

Unsurprisingly, the Pride inked Marta to a two-year contract extension in January.

While Marta’s consistently impressive form fueled Elias’s request to lure her out of retirement, the manager is also hoping her unmatched leadership will bolster younger athletes as Brazil takes aim at a record-extending ninth Copa América title this summer — and, as the host nation, a deep 2027 World Cup run.

Joining the legend on Tuesday’s roster are fellow Brazil veterans Lorena and Debinha, from the NWSL-leading Kansas City Current, and Marta’s Orlando teammate Angelina.

“[Marta’s] presence in some call-ups is very important for the younger players, for the renewal that is taking place in the national team,” explained Elias. “We really want expectations to rise for the women’s national team and for football in our country.”

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