Dust off the Twister mat.

Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn vows to compete despite torn ACL

US skier Lindsey Vonn’s story isn’t over yet, as the 41-year-old announced she’ll hit the Olympic slopes despite tearing her ACL last week.

• Vonn said she “completely ruptured” her left ACL along with bone bruising and meniscus damage, but was able to successfully train with a brace.

• “My knee is not swollen, and with the help of a knee brace, I am confident that I can compete on Sunday,” Vonn told reporters. “I will do everything in my power to be in the starting gate.” (Watch full clip)

Big picture: Amid one of the biggest comeback seasons in alpine skiing history, Vonn expressed comfort with overcoming adversity ahead of her fifth Olympics.

• “This would be the best comeback I’ve done so far,” Vonn said, after recovering from a previous ACL injury and subsequent surgery more than 10 years ago. “Definitely the most dramatic.”

• In addition to her signature downhill, the three-time Olympic medalist voiced interest in participating in the Super G and a new combined team event.

Tune in: Vonn will open her 2026 Olympic campaign on Sunday at 5:30 AM ET, live on Peacock.

LA 2028 taps 7 US stadiums for Olympic soccer tournament

Olympic soccer fans should start saving airline miles, as LA 2028 announced the summer soccer tournament will play out across seven US stadiums.

• MLS venues in New York, Columbus, Nashville, St. Louis, San Jose, and San Diego will host both men’s and women’s matches, before returning to LA’s Rose Bowl for the finals.

• “Bringing Olympic Football group-stage and knockout matches to stadiums across the United States means more fans will witness this global event and experience the Olympic spirit firsthand,” said LA28 chief of sport and games delivery officer Shana Ferguson. (See full release)

Big picture: Joining other off-site events including Oklahoma City’s softball and canoe slalom, 2028’s expanded soccer competition will likely kick off before the Opening Ceremony.

• The tournament will follow a progressive east-to-west itinerary to minimize travel demands, with dates and match distribution set to drop this April.

• The women’s Olympic football final is scheduled for July 29th, 2028 — the Summer Games’ penultimate day of competition.

Unrivaled drops 1v1 tournament rosters

With one month left in Unrivaled 3×3’s regular season, the league’s popular 1v1 tournament is returning to Miami for its second iteration.

• Tipping off February 11th, the three-day contest will feature 32 Unrivaled athletes competing for a piece of the $300,000 purse.

• With reigning champion Napheesa Collier sidelined with injury, 2025 runner-up Aaliyah Edwards will hold court alongside semifinalist Arike Ogunbowale, while rookies Paige Bueckers, Dominique Malonga, Saniya Rivers, and Sonia Citron test out their 1v1 skills. (See full field)

Setting the field: The talent pool is divided into four eight-player pods based on frontcourt and backcourt positions.

• The eventual winner will take home $200,000, with $50,000 going to the runner-up while the semifinalists walk with $25,000 each.

• Fans can vote alongside athletes, coaches, and media to determine the 1v1 tournament’s seeding, before the final bracket drops February 7th.

Vote now: Rank your top players today via Unrivaled.

BHM Spotlight: US bobsled icon Vonetta Flowers

Every Wednesday in February, JWS celebrates Black History Month by spotlighting a prominent Black figure in women's sports.

US bobsledder Vonetta Flowers changed the Olympic game, becoming the first-ever Black athlete from any country to win gold at the 2002 Winter Games.

• Originally a sprinter and long jumper at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Flowers turned her track and field dreams into bobsled success by transitioning to a brakeman for the US Olympic team.

• Flowers won gold in Salt Lake, taking the inaugural women’s Olympic bobsled event alongside driver Jill Bakken, before returning in 2006 to finish sixth alongside Jean Racine-Prahm.

Lasting legacy: Flowers blazed a trail for Black women in winter sports, with current US bobsledder — and the most decorated Black athlete in Winter Olympics history — Elana Meyers Taylor citing her as inspiration.

• “Vonetta Flowers is the reason I’m here,” Meyers Taylor said after winning both silver and bronze in 2022. “It’s just been such a long legacy of Black athletes at the Winter Olympics and hopefully it just continues.”

Top NCAA recruits headline McDonalds All-American roster

The McDonald’s All American Games are back, as one of high school basketball’s most prestigious showcases tapped 24 teenage standouts — including 18 top college commits — ahead of March’s tip-off.

• No. 1-ranked recruit Kate Harpring (UNC), and No. 2 Saniyah Hall (USC) headline Team East, joined by No. 4 Olivia Vukosa (UConn).

• No. 3 Jerzy Robinson (South Carolina) leads Team West, followed by No. 5 Oliviyah Edwards (Tennessee), and No. 6 McKenna Woliczko (Iowa).

• Kentucky and Texas are fielding the most future players with three each, followed by Notre Dame’s two. (See full rosters)

Tune in: The McDonald’s All American Games take over Phoenix, Arizona starting March 30th, with tickets available now and live coverage on ESPN.

Number of the day 

40,000

NWSL expansion team Denver Summit has sold 40,000 tickets to their 2026 home opener at Mile High Stadium, nearing Bay FC’s league-record 40,091 set in 2025.