Sky signs Natasha Cloud as WNBA rosters take shape

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Sky signs Natasha Cloud as WNBA rosters take shape

As the WNBA prepares for tipoff, teams across the league are laser-focused on honing their 12-player opening day rosters.

• Chicago signed veteran guard Natasha Cloud to a reported one-year, $555,000 deal, quelling one of the offseason’s biggest question marks.

• The move required waiving second-year guard Hailey Van Lith, with the Sky also parting ways with fellow 2025 picks Maddy Westbeld and Aicha Coulibaly. (See full report)

Taking stock: While final lineups aren’t due until Thursday evening, the truncated offseason has teams scrambling to shore up rosters — while facing tough calls in the process.

• Dallas already whittled its squad down to the requisite 12, waiving six players including veteran guard Lindsay Allen and young talents Grace Berger and Rayah Marshall.

• “Their free agency was really good,” Indiana head coach Stephanie White said of the Wings. “They’re going to have a different team. Jose is an outstanding coach.” (See full roster)

Injured Sabrina Ionescu ruled out for Liberty opener

The WNBA’s injured list is already starting to pile up, as new knocks and lengthy recoveries impact teams before they even step foot on a regular-season court.

• New York star Sabrina Ionescu will miss at least two weeks of action, after rolling her ankle during the Liberty’s preseason win over Connecticut.

• While it involves the same left foot that sidelined her for much of her 2020 rookie season, an MRI indicated she avoided major injury. (See full report)

Ripple effect: As teams continue trimming rosters, short-term injuries will likely spur leaner squads as key players make their way back to the court.

• Chicago’s Azurá Stevens is expected to sit out the Sky’s opener, while Golden State could ride without Kate Martin due to a quad strain.

• Indiana might also be short-staffed, as guard Lexie Hull continues to navigate a hamstring injury while center Monique Billings exited the Fever’s final preseason game with an ankle knock.

2026 AUSL Draft raises NCAA tournament stakes

The Women’s College World Series is fast approaching, as conference softball tournaments kick off today ahead of Sunday’s NCAA tournament bracket reveal.

• No. 1 Oklahoma enters the stacked SEC tournament as conference champion, edging out No. 2 Alabama by sweeping No. 6 Texas A&M on the final day of regular-season play. (See full bracket)

• No. 1 Nebraska leads the Big Ten, Texas Tech sits atop the Big 12, and Florida State heads up the ACC.

Bright futures: Top-ranked seniors also learned their professional paths, as last night’s 2026 AUSL College Draft put pitchers in the hot seat.

• Tennessee ace Karlyn Pickens went No. 1 overall to the Carolina Blaze, Texas Tech star NiJaree Canady went second to the Texas Volts, and Belmont pitcher Maya Johnson went third to the Oklahoma City Spark.

• “Our staff believes Karlyn is the whole package,” Blaze GM Dana Sorensen said. “She is an ultimate competitor, and we feel that four years pitching in the SEC has given her the best preparation for the pro league.” (See full results)

Tune in: NCAA softball conference tournaments run through Saturday, live on ESPN networks.

Sam Kerr breaks Chelsea’s all-time scoring record

Striker Sam Kerr has headed her way into history, overtaking Chelsea legend Fran Kirby to become the Blues’ all-time top scorer with her 64th tally on Sunday.

• The record goal came in Chelsea’s 3-1 win over Leicester City, with Kerr scoring the opener off a towering first-half header — setting up the victory that ultimately secured the Blues a 2026/27 Champions League berth.

• “It’s a big achievement,” she said afterwards. “Every goal for me is really important, and to do it for a big club like Chelsea is really special.” (Watch full highlights)

Big choices: Kerr faces a major decision this summer, with the 32-year-old officially out of contract as Chelsea falls short of winning a seventh straight WSL title.

• Chelsea is set to close out the season against Manchester United on May 16th, as the Blues sit six points behind league-leaders Manchester City with just one matchday to go. (See full standings)

Soccer Hall of Fame honors USWNT icons

A new slate of US legends got their flowers, as World Cup champs Tobin Heath and Heather O’Reilly joined the National Soccer Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026.

• “I took so much pride in being a good teammate from whatever role I played, from the days I was scoring hat tricks in high school soccer and called a prodigy to the seasoned veteran knowing it’s time to pass the torch and everything in between,” said O’Reilly.

• “I sure do miss playing, but what I will say is that I am so happy to be alive, and I am so happy to be able to spend the rest of my life and everything that I have to give back to this beautiful game,” said Heath. (See full report)

Big ups: The HOF also tapped retired referee Kari Seitz, the first and only referee to officiate four Women’s World Cups and three Olympic tournaments.

• “Somehow I was going to prove that women could do anything, and soccer was my way,” said Seitz. “I worked at high levels, but even then, I knew that the impact I wanted to make was going to be something bigger.”

Quote of the day

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma
addressing his viral 2026 Final Four spat with South Carolina coach Dawn Staley this week.