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Injury-ridden Indiana silences Seattle

No. 6 Indiana still control their playoff destiny after taking down No. 8 Seattle 95-75 last night, as Fever center Aliyah Boston’s dominant 27-point performance offset multiple high-profile Fever injuries.

• “Every game at this point in the season is huge, and this one was a big one for us,” said Fever head coach Stephanie White afterwards. “We knew that we had to come out and show some urgency.”

• “Going into this game, we talked about how this is a big game for us and an important game for us considering the standings,” echoed Boston. “This is a great win for us before we head on the road.” (Watch full highlights)

Big picture: After losing multiple guards to season-ending injuries this month, Indiana entered Tuesday’s matchup having lost six of their last eight games while still awaiting sidelined superstar Caitlin Clark’s return.

• “[Boston] has been the one that’s been most affected by all of our injuries, all of the point guards who can get her the ball,” White continued. “She set the tone for us on both ends.”

Ripple effect: The loss dropped the Storm to eighth in the WNBA standings, sitting just above the postseason cutoff line with No. 9 LA hot on their heels.

• “There’s no excuse for what happened today, other than not matching the energy of the other team,” Seattle forward Nneka Ogwumike said after Tuesday’s loss.

Up next: Indiana will need all the momentum they can muster heading into weekend matchups with LA and No. 7 Golden State, while the Storm face an uphill battle as tomorrow’s clash with the league-leading Lynx could threaten their playoff plans.

New faces dominate WNBA Coach of the Year race

As the WNBA regular season nears its end, fresh faces and league mainstays alike have risen to the top of the too-close-to-call 2025 Coach of the Year race.

• 2024 winner Cheryl Reeve is making the case for back-to-back honors after leading No. 1 Minnesota to the top of the table on a 30-7 record.

• But first-year coaches No. 7 Golden State’s Natalie Nakase and No. 2 Atlanta’s Karl Smesko alongside second-year No. 4 Phoenix boss Nate Tibbetts are also making their mark, with all three teams firmly on track to punch playoff tickets.

Big picture: After an offseason coaching carousel reshaped the league’s tactical landscape going into 2025, more than one squad has found success under new management.

• Nakase is on the brink of history as the Valkyries strive to become the first-ever expansion side to make the postseason in their debut year, while Smesko’s revamped Dream roster is nine wins above 2024’s record.

• Tibbetts has also struck gold, improving his team’s win record by over four games while reshaping their identity around star forward Alyssa Thomas.

Bottom line: As the league booms in popularity and parity, it’s not just the players that are becoming more competitive, it’s also the coaches — though there might be no competing with experience when it comes to a championship run.

Nike drops signature Caitlin Clark logo

Caitlin Clark’s signature Nike logo has arrived, as the sportswear giant released the WNBA star’s branding this week ahead of a planned October 2025 product drop.

• According to Nike’s press release, the logo’s dual interwoven Cs “reflect Caitlin’s magnetic connection with fans around the globe,” while a smaller central C “represents how Caitlin’s game was built from the inside out.”

• “To me, this is more than just a logo, it’s a dream come true,” Clark said in a statement. “People always talk about leaving your mark on the game — and this is another way I can do that.”

Big picture: After signing a record $28 million deal in 2024, the Indiana guard joins Aces forward A’ja Wilson and Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu in getting the Nike signature treatment.

• “At Nike, we’ve always drawn inspiration not only from the world’s greatest athletes but also from those who elevate the spirit of sport itself,” said Ann Miller, executive vice president of Nike Global Sports Marketing. “Caitlin exemplifies both.”

Get yours: A navy and yellow Clark logo t-shirt is set to hit shelves on September 1st, with the rest of the line following on October 1st via nike.com.

LPGA stars tee off at the FM Championship

The LPGA Tour is taking over New England, as the second iteration of the FM Championship kicks off tomorrow in Norton, Massachusetts.

• 35 of the world’s Top 40-ranked players are set to participate, shooting for a piece of the tournaments $4.1 million total purse — the Tour’s largest non-Major payday.

Big picture: Big names in search of a bounce-back performance headline the field, led by former No. 1 Nelly Korda still in pursuit of her first win of the season.

• “Some of my stats are maybe better than even last year — it’s just crazy,” Korda said last week, commenting on her recent struggles. “That’s just golf. By this time last year I had six wins under my belt and [now] my stats are better, and I have zero wins.”

• Newly minted No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul will also make an appearance, alongside rookie phenom Lottie Woad, determined to shake off a missed cut at last week’s CPKC Women’s Open.

Tune in: The FM Championship tees off on Thursday at 2 PM ET, live on NBC Golf.

W7F moves $5M tournament to Florida

World Sevens Football (W7F) is headed Stateside, as the global seven-a-side soccer tournament announced plans to bring the $5 million competition to Fort Lauderdale, Florida later this year.

• After a successful debut in Portugal last May, the eight-team upstart is set to take over Beyond Bancard Field — home to the USL Super League’s Fort Lauderdale United FC — on December 5th, 2025.

• Backed by a Player Advisory Council that includes soccer icons Tobin Heath, Anita Asante, and Kelley O’Hara, W7F will again team up with media partner DAZN for live game coverage.

Big picture: European clubs — including eventual champions Bayern Munich — dominated the first W7F field, with the tournament now looking to platform teams based in North and South America.

• “This isn’t just a tournament — it’s a movement, this time in America, where women’s soccer has unprecedented momentum,” W7F head of football Adrian Jacob said in this week’s press release.

UNC loses top NCAA ranking after twin upsets

Reigning NCAA soccer champions North Carolina ceded their No. 1 status this week, after the Tar Heels kicked off the 2025 season with upset losses to Tennessee and Georgia.

• Entering their first full year under head coach Damon Nahas, UNC dropped all the way to No. 22 in the United Soccer Coaches rankings, becoming the first defending College Cup winners to lose their opener since 2002.

• Stanford has taken over the top spot after sweeping their first four games, followed by No. 2 Tennessee and No. 3 Duke. (Go deeper)

What’s next: UNC has plenty of time to right the ship, as they gear up for their next ranked match against No. 24 Virginia Tech on September 11th.

Number of the day 

7

Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas broke her own record for most single-season triple-doubles on Tuesday, earning her 7th triple-double in Phoenix’s win over LA.