Gotham lifts 2nd NWSL trophy behind Rose Lavelle heroics

Run it back.

Gotham wins second NWSL title in three years

No. 8 Gotham lifted the NWSL trophy on Saturday, as the NJ/NY club pulled off a final upset over No. 2 Washington to win their second championship in three years — once again stealing the league title as the lowest playoff seed.

• Midfielder Rose Lavelle was named NWSL Final MVP, after breaking the deadlock with a looping 80th-minute strike to secure the back-and-forth battle’s 0-1 victory.

• “I always say you learn the most about yourself in the toughest moments, and the adversity we faced throughout the season really helped set us up to be prepared for this playoff push,” Lavelle said postgame. (Watch full highlights)

How it happened: Gotham’s defense held court throughout, limiting Washington to zero shots on target and setting their attack up to seize a golden opportunity.

• Spirit midfielder Hal Hershfelt suffered an ankle knock in the second half, leaving Washington down a player as she sought sideline treatment — only for Lavelle to seal the deal moments after Hershfelt retook to pitch.

• “Obviously now we can say that maybe [substituting Hershfelt] was late, but she was trying to push,” said Spirit manager Adrian Gonzalez.

Comeback kids: “We have so much talent on this team, and we underperformed [in the regular season],” said Gotham defender Emily Sonnett. “Being able to have that reset going into the postseason was huge for us.”

USWNT sets January friendlies honoring Christen Press

With two games left on their 2025 docket, the USWNT is setting sights on 2026, announcing two friendlies as part of the team’s January training camp.

• They’ll first kick off against Paraguay on January 24th, before a second match on January 27th against a yet-to-be-named opponent.

• “I was pleased with the progress we made as a team in 2025, but we still have a ways to go to get to where we want to be heading into the Concacaf W Championship in the fall,” said US manager Emma Hayes.

Raising a glass: The US will honor World Cup winner Christen Press in a pre-game ceremony before the January 24th showdown, celebrating the longtime USWNT star’s recent pro soccer retirement.

• Press’s hometown of Los Angeles will play host, as the team takes over the MLS side LA Galaxy’s Dignity Health Sports Park, with the first 2000 fans taking home a commemorative CP23 bobble head.

Gearing up: “January camp is a vitally important part of our yearly schedule, especially with 2026 being a year that will host World Cup qualifying,” Hayes continued. “We don’t get many training days together during any given year, so there is a high value in getting a whole week of training as well as two matches.”

UConn narrowly survives Michigan’s upset bid

The NCAA season’s first Top 10 classic delivered on Friday, as No. 1 UConn survived No. 6 Michigan 72-69 — just barely keeping their unbeaten streak alive.

• Guards on both sides stood out, with Huskies senior Azzi Fudd scoring a game-high 31 points while Michigan sophomore Syla Swords put UConn on notice with 29 of her own.

• “Those are two of the best shooters in the country playing tonight against each other," Huskies boss Geno Auriemma said postgame. "They both put on quite a show.” (Watch full highlights)

How it happened: UConn started strong in the first half, but a dominant third quarter from the Wolverines saw the Huskies’ 17-point lead dwindle before Fudd got hot from behind the arc.

• “I was proud how we stuck together, and we figured it out in the end,” Fudd said afterwards.

• While UConn remains on top, Michigan’s star is rising on a 5-1 record, jumping eight spots in last week’s AP Poll — and another leap possible later today.

Around the horn: The weekend’s ranked lineup featured a few successful upset bids, including No. 24 Notre Dame taking down No. 11 USC 61-59 behind star guard Hannah Hidalgo’s gritty 22-point performance. (Watch full highlights)

Dallas scores second straight No. 1 WNBA draft pick

Dallas has once again jumped to the front of the line, as the Wings locked down the No. 1 overall WNBA draft pick for the second straight year on Sunday.

• “We’ve got an exciting young group, and we really bond together,” said Dallas forward Maddy Siegrist. “I’m excited to bring someone else in.”

• The Wings selected UConn guard Paige Bueckers with last year’s No. 1 pick, with the NCAA champion going on to win 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year.

Big picture The rest of last night’s lottery results saw the rich get richer, as 2025 playoff contenders Minnesota and Seattle claim the No. 2 and No. 3 picks after gaining draft assets via trades.

• Washington will select fourth, with Chicago taking the fifth and final lotto spot while the league’s two 2026 expansion sides grabbed Nos. 6 and 7.

Report: NY Liberty tap Warriors assistant as new head coach

The New York Liberty reportedly landed a boss, with multiple sources linking Golden State Warriors assistant coach Chris DeMarco to the 2024 WNBA champions’ head coaching vacancy late last week.

• Joining the Warriors in 2012, DeMarco has served as both an assistant and player development coach, aiding the team through four NBA championships.

Big picture: With recent WNBA hiring trends favoring NBA vets, ESPN reported that additional top candidates included Toronto Raptors assistant Jama Mahlalela, Phoenix Mercury associate head coach Kristi Toliver, and ex-Brooklyn Nets assistant Will Weaver.

• According to ESPN, Liberty superstar and Bay Area native Sabrina Ionescu apparently reached out to Golden State icon Steph Curry to ask about DeMarco as part of the hiring process.

Baseball trailblazer Kelsie Whitmore headlines 1st-ever WPBL draft

Baseball dreams became a reality on Thursday, as the Women’s Professional Baseball League (WPBL) held its first-ever draft ahead of four-team league’s 2026 debut.

• San Francisco selected pitcher Kelsie Whitmore first overall, with the 27-year-old officially becoming the first member of a US women’s professional baseball league since the AAGPBL folded in 1954.

• “I truly didn’t know if this moment would come, to be able to have a women’s professional baseball league while I’m still in [my] prime,” Whitmore said, after playing primarily on men’s pro teams throughout her career.

Big picture: The WPBL’s first nine picks represented five countries — Japan, South Korea, Canada, the Dominican Republic, and the US — with LA selecting former Little League World Series star Mo’Ne Davis 10th overall. (See full draft list)

Quote of the day

Gotham FC forward Midge Purce
predicting teammate Rose Lavelle’s game-winning heroics days before she lifted Gotham over the Spirit to win the 2025 NWSL Championship.