Previewing USWNT's gold medal rematch. Plus, meet our new writers!
Full Time Newsletter ⚽| This is 's weekly women's soccer newsletter. Sign up here to receive Full Time directly in your inbox.
Sue Bird says her former coach, Geno Auriemma, wasn't crying when Paige Bueckers left the podium last week, but there had to be some emotion when the 23-year-old sank a career-best 40 points to help the Huskies reach the Elite Eight. Maybe we'll see whose tears fall tonight when UConn faces USC at 9 p.m. ET.
Advertisement
This is soccer-adjacent and just good sports — welcome to Full Time!
USWNT Returns
Who's ready for camp?
Two groups of U.S. internationals will be in California for face time with head coach Emma Hayes this week, including a group of under-23 players who will train alongside the first team. Twenty-four senior team players will be available for the Olympic final rematch games against Brazil on Saturday in Inglewood and April 8 in San Jose.
Here's how some of the top players did over the final weekend before the international window:
Crystal Dunn was in vintage form for Paris Saint-Germain, scoring a brace in the team's 6-0 league win over Saint-Etienne. Midfielder Korbin Albert also tallied an assist in the match.
Advertisement
Lily Yohannes, 17, had a double of her own in Ajax's 4-0 win over Den Haag. The teen continued to show her keen ability to read passes and find where the space is. Elsewhere in France, midfielder and U.S. captain Lindsey Heaps was not on the roster for Lyon in their 4-0 win yesterday.
In NWSL, Alyssa Thompson scored an absolute banger for Angel City FC just in time to make the forward depth chart conversation more interesting.
The U.S. also has a new fan this week, as former captain Alex Morgan and her husband Servando Carrasco announced the birth of their son, Enzo, yesterday. I can't think of a better way to spend your first week of life than by watching a USWNT game.
Good or bad news first?
We'll start with the good. U.S. forward Trinity Rodman earned her first start of the year for the Washington Spirit on Friday. The 22-year-old, who has missed time intermittently throughout the last two years due to back issues, played more than an hour for her team. Though she didn't mark the score sheet, the Spirit won 2-0 over the visiting Bay FC.
Advertisement
After the match, Rodman said that it felt good to be back. However, she doesn't think her back 'will ever be 100 percent,' saying it's more about managing the issues rather than a 'curable fix.' She added: 'I don't think my back will ever be the way it was my rookie year, which is unfortunate.'
The other bad news is that yet another U.S. defender will miss time due to injury. On Friday, Gotham FC center back Tierna Davidson was injured during the match against Houston Dash.
Davidson walked off the pitch with limited support from trainers but looked distraught as she headed to the locker room.
The U.S. announced Gisele Thompson will replace her on the U.S. roster. That means both Naomi Girma (who continues to recover from injury with Chelsea) and Davidson are unavailable for the back line.
Advertisement
The 26-year-old Davidson has an injury history. She tore the ACL in her right knee while with the Chicago Red Stars and missed the remainder of the 2022 season. Before that, in 2018, she fractured her ankle while playing for Stanford.
Gotham head coach Juan Carlos Amoros spoke to Davidson's strength after the game: 'Tierna is a warrior. She's our captain.'
Meg's Corner: Kansas City is the real deal
I generally find power rankings for any sport to be empty calories, designed to drum up engagement, but there's no denying we're seeing a clear top tier form in the NWSL as the 2025 season starts — with the same teams as last year. Sure, there are some promising signs early on for teams like the Dash and San Diego Wave as they work through rebuild processes, but so far it's been a top-three experience through the first three weeks thanks to the Washington Spirit, Orlando Pride and Kansas City Current.
Advertisement
The Pride started the season with that eye-popping 6-0 win over Chicago, but the Current has consistently looked locked in. Last year's MVP Temwa Chawinga, now harnessing the power of teal hair, scored in her eighth straight game, tying her own record from last season. Bia is off the season-ending injury list and back on the pitch. Michelle Cooper and Debinha have both already added a couple of goals.
It's early still, but all the pieces are there for another deep run — and through three games, they've only allowed a single goal. Consistency in March doesn't guarantee anything in November, but right now, KC looks legit.
In the News
Welcome, Asli and Tamerra!
We are proud of our women's sports coverage at but we also have room to grow. That's why I'm so excited to introduce two new writers, Asli Pelit Basker and Tamerra Griffin (who you most definitely recognize).
Advertisement
Both journalists have impressive backgrounds and unique perspectives that you can read about here, but we also like to ask the hard questions here at Full Time…
What is your go-to karaoke song?
Pelit Basker: I'm not a great singer, and out of fear of getting booed, I've always avoided singing in front of a crowd. Seriously, you do not want to hear me sing! But a year ago, my husband (who has an excellent singing voice and loves karaoke) and I picked 'Islands in the Stream' as our go-to karaoke song.
Griffin: I do not have a go-to karaoke song. And I do believe that's a revealing fact about me because I am very much a 'vibe check' person. How am I feeling when I get on that karaoke stage, and what song best reflects that feeling or that moment? That said, if you shoved a microphone into my face right now and asked me to pick a song, it would be 'No Scrubs' by TLC.
Advertisement
Utah Royals up for sale?
Maybe. In the second iteration of the Utah Royals in NWSL, the team is facing another round of ownership change reports.
Majority owner David Blitzer is in advanced talks to sell controlling stakes in both MLS' Real Salt Lake and the Royals, multiple sources confirmed to . Though nothing is done, the sale would mean the Larry H. Miller family becomes the majority owner of both teams while Blitzer stays on as a minority owner.
Blitzer bought RSL in 2022 after former owner Dell Loy Hansen put the team up for sale following revelations of racist behavior reported by in 2020. The Royals were sold and relocated to Kansas City, but Blitzer and Jazz owner Ryan Smith maintained the expansion rights in Utah and brought a new team under the same name in 2024.
Advertisement
C'est chic celebration
Ashley Hatch became the fifth-leading goal scorer in NWSL when she scored two against Bay FC on Friday, but it was what she did after the first goal that caught our attention.
This full-team celebration, including goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury, was epic — even if Hatch wasn't initially on board.
While Rodman and Croix Bethune were known for their celebrations in 2024, it was defender Esme Morgan who earned her teammates' approval to coordinate the celebration. Originally, it was supposed to be a full catwalk, but after negotiating with her team's leading goal scorer, they settled for the mock photo shoot. Everyone bought in.
Advertisement
'(Hatch) didn't really have much choice in the matter,' said Morgan. 'I'm glad she was up for it when the time came along.'
Full Time First Looks
History makers: Did you know a man walked on the moon before a woman ran in a sports bra? That's just one of the eye-opening details Megan Feringa shared in her story about the history of the sports bra and its impact on athletes and women's rights.
That's not my name: The NWSL's 15th team officially unveiled its new name last week, dropping BOS Nation FC and going with Boston Legacy FC. The club surveyed the public and got feedback from team advisers and community listening sessions. They received over 500 suggestions during the name change process. The biggest takeaway: steer clear of colonial, Revolutionary War and nautical themes.
Advertisement
Must-see moment: This goal from 19-year-old Nigerian forward Chiamaka Okwuchukwu came from her very first touch of the game, 1 minute and 48 seconds into her debut. It is the second-fastest goal scored by a player in her regular-season season debut.
Feedback loop: For those wondering what the consensus was on public marriage proposals from last week…
📫 Love Full Time? These stories can also be found on Yahoo's women's sports hub, in partnership with Also, check out our other newsletters.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
US Women's national team, International Football, NWSL, Full Time Newsletter
2025 The Athletic Media Company
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
22 minutes ago
- USA Today
Jalen Ramsey trade rumors: Dolphins CB not expected at mandatory minicamp
Jalen Ramsey trade rumors: Dolphins CB not expected at mandatory minicamp Show Caption Hide Caption Greg Olsen expresses excitement for upcoming Olympic flag football Former TE Greg Olsen is excited for some NFL players to showcase their skills in the upcoming 2028 Summer Olympics and the debut of flag football. Sports Seriously The Miami Dolphins and Jalen Ramsey mutually agreed to seek a trade for the veteran cornerback a couple of weeks ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft. Ramsey remains on Miami's roster nearly two months later, but it appears the two parties are still planning to split before the 2025 season. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports Ramsey is not planning to attend the Dolphins' mandatory minicamp this week as the two parties "continue to work towards a trade." Miami's minicamp will run from June 10-12. If Ramsey does not attend, he will be subject to a fine for each day he misses. According to Spotrac, a player fine will be a maximum of $17,462 for the first day absent, $34,925 for the second day and $52,381 for missing a third day. The NFL's new CBA only allows fines to be forgiven on rookie deals, so it doesn't appear Miami will be able to waive any fines assessed to Ramsey. JALEN RAMSEY LANDING SPOTS: Rams, Raiders among best fits if Dolphins trade CB Ramsey has four years remaining on his contract with the Dolphins, as the three-year, $72.3 million extension he signed with the team on eve of the 2024 NFL season still hasn't kicked in yet. He is set to have a cap hit of just under $16.7 million this season while taking home $25.1 million in cash, per The Dolphins will be able to split any dead-cap hit – guaranteed money already paid to a player no longer on the team – associated with trading or releasing Ramsey over two seasons because the NFL's June 1 deadline has passed. Making it palatable for Miami to trade Ramsey, as it would take manageable dead-cap hits of roughly $10.75 million in 2025 and $18.5 million in 2026 while creating $5.9 million in space for the upcoming season. Releasing Ramsey would be more penal. The Dolphins would take on just under a $31 million dead-cap hit this season – which would cost them $14.3 million in present-day cap space – while still absorbing a dead-cap blow of $18.5 million next season. It isn't clear whether the Dolphins are willing to release Ramsey if they can't find a willing trade partner.
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
UFC 316 post-event facts: Merab Dvalishvili, Kayla Harrison make history in title wins
UFC 316 post-event facts: Merab Dvalishvili, Kayla Harrison make history in title wins UFC 316 took place Saturday at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., and it proved to be one of the most meaningful events of the year with two championship fights closing the show. Both results were definitive, too, with Merab Dvalishvili (20-4 MMA, 13-2 UFC) submitting Sean O'Malley (18-3 MMA, 10-3 UFC) in the main event to defend his bantamweight championship for the second time, while in the co-headliner Kayla Harrison (19-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) captured the women's bantamweight strap with a submission of Julianna Peña (11-6 MMA, 8-4 UFC). For more on the numbers to come out of the title fights, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie's post-event facts from UFC 316. Event stats The UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payout for the event totaled $320,500. Dvalishvili, Harrison, JooSang Yoo and Kevin Holland earned $50,000 UFC 316 fight-night bonuses. Debuting fighters went 2-2 on the card. UFC 316 drew an announced attendance of 17,343 for a live gate of $6,501,177. Betting favorites went 10-3 on the card. Betting favorites improved to 13-6 in UFC headliners this year. Total fight time for the 13-bout card was 2:33:34. Merab Dvalishvili def. Sean O'Malley Dvalishvili's 13-fight UFC winning streak is the second-longest active streak in the company behind Islam Makhachev (15). Dvalishvili's 13-fight UFC winning streak is tied for the fourth-longest active streak in company history behind Anderson Silva (16), Kamaru Usman (15) and Makhachev (15). Dvalishvili's 12-fight UFC winning streak at bantamweight is the longest active streak in the division. Dvalishvili's 12-fight UFC winning streak at bantamweight is the longest streak in divisional history. Dvalishvili has landed 97 takedowns in UFC competition, the most in company history. O'Malley suffered consecutive losses for the first time in his career. He hasn't earned a victory since March 2024. O'Malley has suffered two of his three career losses by decision. Kayla Harrison def. Julianna Peña Harrison became the second fighter in history to win a UFC championship and Olympic gold medal. Henry Cejudo also accomplished the feat. Harrison became the seventh undisputed UFC women's bantamweight champion. Harrison has earned 14 of her 19 career victories by stoppage. She has earned both of her UFC stoppage victories by submission. Harrison's two submission victories in UFC women's bantamweight competition are tied for second-most in divisional history behind Ronda Rousey (three). Peña became the third fighter in history to have two UFC championship reigns and no title defenses. Randy Couture and Carla Esparza also experienced the dubious feat. Peña has suffered three of her four UFC losses by submission. Joe Pyfer def. Kelvin Gastelum Joe Pyfer (14-3 MMA, 5-1 UFC) earned just the second decision victory of his career. Kelvin Gastelum (18-10 MMA, 13-10 UFC) has suffered seven of his 10 career losses by decision. Mario Bautista def. Patchy Mix Mario Bautista's (16-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) eight-fight UFC winning streak at bantamweight is the second-longest active streak in the division behind Dvalishvili (12). Bautista has earned six of his 10 UFC victories by decision. Patchy Mix (20-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) has suffered both of his career losses by decision. Kevin Holland def. Vicente Luque Kevin Holland (28-13 MMA, 15-10 UFC) improved to 6-3 since he dropped to the UFC welterweight division in March 2022. Holland has earned 23 of his 28 career victories by stoppage. Vicente Luque (23-11-1 MMA, 16-7 UFC) fell to 2-4 in his past six fights dating back to April 2022. Joshua Van def. Bruno Silva Joshua Van's (14-2 MMA, 7-1 UFC) four-fight UFC winning streak at flyweight is tied for the second-longest active streak in the division behind Alexandre Pantoja (seven). Van has earned nine of his 13 career victories by stoppage. Bruno Silva (14-7-2 MMA, 4-4 UFC) has suffered five of his eight career losses by stoppage. Azamat Murzakanov def. Brendson Ribeiro Azamat Murzakanov's (15-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) five-fight UFC winning streak at light heavyweight is the second-longest active streak in the division behind Carlos Ulberg (eight). Murzakanov has earned 12 of his 15 of his career victories by stoppage. That includes four of his five UFC wins. Brendson Ribeiro (17-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC) has suffered six of his eight career losses by stoppage. Waldo Cortes-Acosta def. Serghei Spivac Waldo Cortes-Acosta's (14-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) five-fight UFC winning streak at heavyweight is the longest active streak in the division. Cortes-Acosta has earned five of his seven UFC victories by decision. JooSang Yoo def. Jeka Saragih JooSang Yoo's (9-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) 28-second knockout marked the fourth fastest finish by any debuting featherweight in UFC history. Jeka Saragih (14-5 MMA, 1-3 UFC) has suffered all five of his career losses by stoppage. Quillan Salkilld def. Yanal Ashmouz Yanal Ashmouz (8-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) has suffered both of his career losses by decision. MarQuel Mederos def. Mark Choinski MarQuel Mederos (11-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) has earned all three of his UFC victories by decision. Mark Choinski (8-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) suffered the first decision loss of his career. UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on X @MJCflipdascript.
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Shane Bowen explains Giants defense's mantra for 2025: 'Be a damn pirate'
Shane Bowen explains Giants defense's mantra for 2025: 'Be a damn pirate' Show Caption Hide Caption Greg Olsen expresses excitement for upcoming Olympic flag football Former TE Greg Olsen is excited for some NFL players to showcase their skills in the upcoming 2028 Summer Olympics and the debut of flag football. Sports Seriously New York Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen introduced a new turnover celebration during the team's OTAs for 2025. Any time a defender forces a turnover, the ball is deposited into a treasure chest the team keeps on the sidelines. The second-year Giants defensive coordinator explained the origins of the turnover chest after practice Thursday. It came to him while watching his son play tee-ball for the Pirates, which got him thinking about "the idea of piracy, violent, attacking to steal possessions or goods." That led Bowen to adopt a new mantra for the 2025 NFL season. "You'll hear our guys say it. I say it ad nauseum: 'Be a damn pirate,'" Bowen told reporters. "We got to find ways to get the ball. And, again, you get what you emphasize. We're making it a priority this year to make sure we find ways to get the ball." AARON RODGERS: Winners and losers of QB's deal with Steelers? The Giants produced just 15 total takeaways during the 2024 NFL season, good for the fifth-fewest in the NFL. Their turnover differential of negative-8 ranked seventh-worst in the league. Bowen believes improving in that area could be key in helping New York improve significantly after a 3-14 season. "Twelve of the 14 playoff teams were in the top half of the league taking the ball away," Bowen explained. "We got to do a better job of that, making sure we don't miss opportunities to catch them when they're there, don't miss opportunities to try to attack the ball when they're there, matching the hand, whatever that might be." Bowen also made it clear he's trying not to focus too much on the pressure the Giants coaching staff is facing in 2025, even after owner John Mara admitted he had "just about run out of patience" with his team and was critical of New York's defense. "I'm driven by the guys," Bowen said. "My job is to get these guys ready to go out there to execute at the highest level, to maximize their potential, and to perform and ultimately win." If playing like pirates helps Bowen to achieve that goal, few will complain about the coordinator's unorthodox approach to getting the most out of his players.
