Ashley Sanchez headlines USWNT roster drop

From expansion team to playoff contender, Golden State is shooting for the moon.

Ashley Sanchez headlines USWNT roster drop

The USWNT is ready for battle, as manager Emma Hayes dropped her 26-player roster ahead of next month’s two-friendly series with world No. 1 Spain.

• NWSL Golden Boot leader Ashley Sanchez returns to the team nearly two years after her last US call-up, riding momentum off standout cub form.

• “This is a player that was always tipped for great things as a youth national team player, and so I’m happy to see her fulfilling her potential,” Hayes said of the North Carolina Courage forward. (See full remarks)

Snubs & surprises: With injuries sidelining mainstays like Emily Sonnett and Olivia Moultrie, Hayes added four uncapped players — forwards Pietra Tordin and Trinity Byars, defender Evelyn Shores, and keeper Jordan Silkowitz — to the lineup.

• Star forwards Jaedyn Shaw and Ally Sentnor were absent from the list, instead joining the U-23 squad in an effort to get more playing time and avoid sitting on the bench against a top opponent like Spain.

• “You can’t always park the development of the generation that will be there for tomorrow,” said Hayes. (See full roster)

Tune in: The US hosts Spain at DC’s Audi Field on October 10th at 2:30 PM ET (TBS).

Liberty stuns Lynx in historic playoff upset

New York pulled off the unthinkable, sweeping Minnesota with last night’s 87-71 win to become the first No. 8 seed to eliminate a No. 1 seed in WNBA playoff history.

• The Liberty led from the jump, opening on a 15-5 run and pushing the lead to 14 by halftime, before red-hot guard Sabrina Ionescu drilled a dagger 3-pointer to close the third quarter and snuff out the lone Lynx rally.

• Jonquel Jones paced New York with 21 points and 13 rebounds, while Breanna Stewart added 21 points, and Ionescu chipped in 18 points and seven assists. (Watch full highlights)

Falling short: The upset is doubly historic, as no eighth seed has ever won a single game since the current playoff format was adopted in 2022 — let alone a series.

• The loss stings for a Minnesota team that went 33-10 behind Rookie of the Year Olivia Miles and Coach of the Year Cheryl Reeve, as the Lynx led for just three minutes across the entire two-game span.

• “We became a great regular-season team this year,” Reeve said postgame. “And we ran into the wrong team.” (See full report)

Up next: The Liberty now awaits either No. 4 Atlanta or No. 6 Washington in the best-of-five semifinals, set to tip off Sunday.

Indiana bounces back against Las Vegas

The Fever is staying alive, as No. 6 Indiana bounced back against No. 3 Las Vegas in last night’s 99-89 first-round playoff win to force a winner-take-all Game 3.

• Fever star Caitlin Clark posted a career-best playoff performance with a 27-point, 15-assist double-double, becoming the first-ever WNBA player to hit that statline in regulation.

• “It’s what we need from her, night in and night out,” coach Stephanie White said of Clark. “And she was the catalyst for us here tonight.” (Watch full highlights)

Pressure rising: A’ja Wilson made headlines for more than her 22-point, 9-rebound showing, earning a technical foul after a heated fourth-quarter exchange with an Indiana fan.

• “I see a man come at me, taking steps toward me and pointing at me, I don’t give a damn what you said,” Wilson said afterward.

• “Whatever was done, I can tell you she felt very disrespected in that moment,” echoed coach Becky Hammon. (See full remarks)

Tune in: The Aces host the Fever on Thursday at 9 PM ET (USA).

Champions League returns for Matchday 2

Champions League picks back up today, as perennial title contenders OL Lyonnes and Chelsea lead a stacked Matchday 2 slate.

• Chelsea coach Sonia Bompastor returns to the French club she played for and later managed, bringing along former Lyon stars Lucy Bronze, Ellie Carpenter, and Melvine Malard.

• OL Lyonnes enters atop the UWCL table after thumping Servette 8-0 behind Marie-Antoinette Katoto’s hat trick, while Chelsea edged debutants Austria Wien 1-0 in its League Phase opener. (See full schedule)

Around the horn: Defending champion Barcelona visits Roma hot off a five-goal opening performance, while Arsenal, Manchester City, and Real Madrid hunt their first wins of the 2026/27 UWCL campaign.

Tune in: Matchday 2 coverage starts at 12:45 PM ET (Paramount+).

Senate passes Protect College Sports Act

College sports is facing a major shakeup, as the Senate passed the Protect College Sports Act on Monday, setting national standards for athlete pay while preserving women’s and Olympic programs.

• Responding to soaring NIL deals, the bill bars schools from cutting women’s and Olympic sports below NCAA minimums, while requiring schools earning $80 million or more in sports revenue to keep the same amount of non-revenue roster spots and scholarships as offered in 2024/25.

• It also preserves Title IX protections, mandates that teams pooling media rights promote women’s and Olympic sports, and requires comparable medical care, travel, and facilities for women’s sports athletes at championship events. (See full report)

Up next: The bill now moves to the House, set to reconvene after the midterms.

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