Clark hits the court | PWHL spotlights Seattle | 3X Nationals tips off

Well, let’s not get into semantics.

Clark returns to the spotlight

WNBA Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark stepped back into the public eye this week, rejoining the Indiana Fever at training camp following a low-key offseason.

• After going straight from the 2024 NCAA championship into her rookie WNBA season, the former No. 1 draft pick turned down numerous opportunities over the winter, from the NBA All-Star 3-Point Contest to Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball.

• “I’m so used to playing basketball,” Clark told reporters inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse. “For basically a year of my life, that’s all I did. So the rest was certainly great, and I thought it was going to feel long, it really didn’t.”

Self improvement: Free from basketball’s daily grind, Clark used the down time to focus on strength and conditioning.

• “Just getting my body where it needed to be, and really working on things that I needed to work on, was super important,” Clark said, responding to a recent viral photo of her defined arm muscles.

• “It’s going to help me offensively, it’s going to help me defensively, it’s going to help me not not get as tired throughout games,” she continued. “Even through these two practices, I can certainly feel it.”

Big picture: Clark enters her sophomore season with a new-look Fever surrounding her — and a marked expectation to build on last year’s first-round playoff run.

• Led by ex-Connecticut Sun head coach Stephanie White, new roster highlights include DeWanna Bonner, Natasha Howard, and Sydney Colson alongside a returning core of Clark, Aliyah Boston, and Kelsey Mitchell.

Takeaway: With Clark back in market and a refreshed lineup, Indiana appears to have a winning formula — but can they bring a title to Indy for the first time since 2012?

• “As far as teams that I’ve coached in the W, it’s the deepest, most talented roster that I’ve really been a part of," said White.

PWHL makes it eight

The PWHL officially announced Seattle as the league’s newest expansion franchise this morning, bringing the total number of teams to eight ahead of the 2025/26 season.

• Last week, the second-year league tapped Vancouver as its seventh market, with both teams expected to take the ice this coming fall.

• While Seattle’s bid was led by Climate Pledge Arena’s Oak View Group alongside the NHL’s Seattle Kraken, both new teams will fall under the league’s single-entity structure, with The Walter Group operating as the PWHL’s sole owner.

Big picture: The West Coast additions join the league’s original six teams, as demand for women’s hockey throughout North America continues to escalate following the PWHL’s 2024 launch.

• Minnesota, Toronto, Ottawa, Boston, New York, and Montreal have all seen fanbases grow over the last two seasons, as the league gauged interest in new markets via very successful Takeover Tours across North America.

An ideal fit: The PWHL cites both Seattle’s enthusiastic Takeover Tour turnout — 12,608 fans showed up for the January 5th matchup — as well as the city’s long history as a hub for pro women’s sports.

• “We are looking forward to returning the love, energy and excitement the Seattle sports community shared with us during the PWHL Takeover Tour,” said Amy Scheer, PWHL EVP of business operations. “It’s a joy to have PWHL Seattle join the WNBA’s Storm and the NWSL’s Reign, who are skyscrapers in the city’s towering sports landscape.”

What’s next: With two new teams on board, the league plans to release details regarding both an expansion draft and the roles Seattle and Vancouver will play in June 24th’s PWHL Draft in the coming weeks.

College stars hit 3X Nationals

Some of March Madness’s biggest stars are heading to Arizona this weekend to participate in the 3X Nationals, a two-day tournament that determines USA Basketball’s 2025 3×3 champion.

• 16 four-player women’s squads take the court on May 2nd, with top NCAA programs like South Carolina, TCU, Vanderbilt, Oklahoma State, Richmond, and South Dakota State fielding 3×3 teams in addition to pro clubs and other organizations.

• “With the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 on the horizon, we are looking forward to welcoming 3×3 players, both veterans and those new to the game, to Mesa to compete in this exciting event that features a unique style of basketball,” said USA Basketball CEO Jim Tooley.

Big picture: Played in the FIBA half-court style, the tournament also serves as evaluation for USA Basketball’s 3×3 rosters, including the group tapped to represent the US at June’s 3×3 World Cup.

• While pro players are eligible for roster spots, NCAA talents have often dominated international 3×3 teams, including TCU alum Hailey Van Lith, who earned bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Tune in: The 3X Nationals tip off on May 2nd at 6 PM ET, with live streaming coverage on YouTube.

USA Rugby owns the weekend

Two top-flight USA Rugby teams hit the turf this weekend, as the Eagles Sevens lands in LA for the final stretch of the HSBC World SVNS circuit while the Eagles 15s continue their friendly series in Kansas City.

• Kansas City’s CPKC Stadium has sold more than 7,500 tickets to see superstar Ilona Maher and the rest of USA Rugby’s 15s squad take on Canada this Friday, following last Saturday’s narrow loss to Japan in LA.

• The Eagles Sevens team then tackles its own slate of games on Saturday, facing France, Australia, and Fiji in World SVNS group play ahead of Sunday’s knockout rounds.

Don’t miss it: All matches will be available to stream live via RugbyPass TV.

USA Beach Volleyball makes major hire

After getting shut out of the Olympic podium in Paris last year, USA Volleyball has brought on three-time Olympic medalist April Ross as the Beach National Teams’ new head of coaching.

• Ross will be responsible for supporting the professional development of all US national team coaches, with the goal of enhancing training, competition preparedness, and performance prep.

Big picture: Ross won gold at the Tokyo Olympics, after taking silver in 2016 and bronze in 2012.

• “We are confident that her expertise will continue to elevate US Beach Volleyball on the global stage, especially as we look ahead to LA 2028,” said USA Volleyball President and CEO John Speraw.

Quote of the day

Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers
on entering the league just after WNBA legend — and fellow UConn alum — Diana Taurasi announced her retirement.