Caitlin Clark lights up Senegal in her Team USA debut

We are sat.

Caitlin Clark shines as Team USA routs Senegal

Superstar guard Caitlin Clark is back, returning to the court for the first time in 239 days to notch a 17-point, 12-assist double-double against Senegal in her Team USA debut on Wednesday.

• Clark was one of several US debutantes in the 110-46 World Cup Qualifying Tournament blowout, as Paige Bueckers, Rae Burrell, Angel Reese, Kiki Iriafen, and Monique Billings also saw their first US minutes.

• “I thought they played well, I don’t think you would have noticed that it was their debuts,” said US head coach Kara Lawson. “I thought they came in and had the appropriate level of respect for the game.” (Watch full highlights)

How it happened: Having already qualified for the 2026 World Cup, the US tested five-player substitute rotations while leaning on depth to wear Senegal down.

• “We don’t have a lot of time together, so every match is super important,” said guard Kelsey Plum. “We’re really focusing on what we need to do to get better and grow as a team.”

• “The starting lineup is going to change, the rotation is going to change,” Lawson said. “As a coach, I am still in fact-finding mode.” (See full roster)

Up next: The US next faces host Puerto Rico tonight at 8 PM ET, live on TruTV.

NWSL announces rule changes, expansion plans

The NWSL is preparing for kickoff, announcing on-field rule changes, administrative updates, and logistical shifts ahead of tomorrow’s season opener.

• The league officially set its 2026 salary cap at $3.7 million after revenue sharing, plus bonuses for both team and individual awards.

• The NWSL additionally expanded the use of RefCam in matches, while incorporating in-stadium VAR announcements popular with international tournaments. (See full rule changes)

Blocking the box: The league is also adjusting goalkeeper timeouts, instituting rules to prevent teams from receiving extra tactical instruction while an injured goalie gets on-field treatment.

• The rulebook now states that during goalkeeper injury stoppages, players from either team may not approach the technical area under threat of discipline, instead staying put or gathering at the midfield circle.

Bright future: In her kickoff address, commissioner Jessica Berman laid out the NWSL’s expansion plans, with the now-16-team league set to announce even more additions later this year.

• “We have been intentional about extending the ramp-up period for all of our expansion teams,” she said. “We have a dozen or so groups that we are continuing to talk to, and depending on their readiness, [that] will help inform our strategy.” (See full report)

NCAA teams eye Frozen Four runs

The college hockey season is winding down, with the NC tournament dropping the puck on its first round as players start down the road to the 2026 Frozen Four.

• Franklin Pierce, Quinnipiac, Princeton, UConn, Yale, and Minnesota Duluth open tonight’s regional semifinals.

• The winners will then meet No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 Wisconsin, and No. 3 Penn State in Saturday’s regional final, with No. 4 Minnesota already set to face No. 5 Northeastern in the same round. (See full bracket)

Big picture: Conference tournament upsets shaped this year’s field, with the Buckeyes earning the No. 1 seed after Saturday’s 2-1 WCHA Final Faceoff win over the formerly top-ranked Badgers.

• The perennial titans have swapped national championships over the last three years, with Wisconsin tallying two and OSU taking one.

• “Maybe we’ll see them again down the road,” Badgers co-captain Caroline Harvey said after Saturday’s loss, hinting at a possible Midwestern rivalry rematch at the Frozen Four. “We’ll look forward to that if that’s the case.”

Tune in: The NC tournament begins today at 6 PM ET, live on ESPN+.

PRESENTED BY JWS & SINCLAIR
Don’t miss ‘Post Moves’ with Candace Parker & Aliyah Boston

This week on Post Moves, Candace Parker and Aliyah Boston didn’t hold back, covering everything from Unrivaled’s action-packed Season 2 to USA Basketball’s trip to Puerto Rico while kicking off Women’s History Month.

• Parker opens by giving AB props for earning Unrivaled Defensive Player of the Year and All-Unrivaled Second Team honors, before the pair dives into the Mist’s epic championship run.

• Additional topics include the LA marathon, the WNBA’s endless CBA talks, and evaluating the NCAA’s Power Four conference champs ahead of Selection Sunday.

Tune in: Catch Post Moves: Unrivaled Season Recap on YouTube.

Top seeds advance to Indian Wells quarterfinals

Four of the world’s Top 5 players are still kicking, as tennis’s elite advance to the 2026 BNP Paribas Open’s quarterfinals at Indian Wells.

• World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka ousted No. 16 Naomi Osaka in straight sets in this week’s Round of 16, while No. 2 Iga Świątek, No. 3 Elena Rybakina, and No. 5 Jessica Pegula also reached the final eight in California.

• “Had to turn the tables today,” Pegula said with a smile after defeating No. 12 Belinda Bencic in the pair’s fifth-career meeting. “Nobody beats me five times in a row.” (Watch full highlights)

Big picture: Pegula might be the only US player left, but North America is well represented by Canadian No. 10 Victoria Mboko, whose quick ascent up the WTA rankings earned her a quarterfinal matchup with top-dog Sabalenka.

• “I’m experiencing a lot of things for the first time,” Mboko said after her Round of 16 win over No. 6 Amanda Anisimova. “To be out here playing Top 10 players, playing top of the world, it’s really a privilege.” (Watch full highlights)

Tune in: The Indian Wells quarterfinals kick off today at 2 PM ET, live on The Tennis Channel.

PWHL scores first-ever national US broadcast

The PWHL is going national, as the third-year league announced plans to broadcast its first-ever game on US linear television later this month.

• New York and Montréal’s March 28th Takeover Tour matchup in Detroit will air live on ION, reaching more than 126 million households in an effort to expand “the visibility and viability of women’s sports across the country.”

• While PWHL games air live on TSN in Canada, the league has yet to secure a full-time broadcast partner in the US, relying instead on local channels and YouTube. (See full release)

Gaining speed: The PWHL is looking to build on Team USA’s Olympic momentum, after February’s gold medal win over Canada averaged a record 5.3 million viewers — marking a watershed moment for women’s hockey in North America.

Don’t miss it: The Sirens take on the Victoire on March 28th at 1 PM ET, live on ION.

Photo of the day

Reigning NWSL champion Gotham FC debuted its 2025 rings this morning, featuring player signatures, two gold stars to commemorate the club’s twin titles, and the mantra “Always Building, Never Finished.”