Sophia Wilson headlines USWNT roster drop

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Sophia Wilson headlines USWNT roster drop

Another USWNT roster has arrived, as coach Emma Hayes prepares her April squad — including a couple big returns — for next week’s three-friendly series with Japan.

• Forward Sophia Wilson is back for the first time since 2024 after returning from maternity leave, while defender Tierna Davidson got her first call-up since tearing her ACL last April.

• “What a long journey she’s been on,” Hayes said of Davidson. “She’s shown once again not just her resilience, but her determination to bring her back to a great level.” (See full roster)

Taking stock: As November’s World Cup qualifiers inch closer, Hayes has begun to favor consistency over experimentation, tapping zero uncapped players for just the second time since joining the US in May 2024.

• “I think the team is completely different now than it was 12 months ago,” she said. “When I look at the starting XI then, and I look at the roster now, I think the roster is much more developed.”

• Japan enters the FIFA window as 2026 Asian Cup champions, after taking down Australia last month. (Watch full highlights)

Stay tuned: The US kicks off its best-of-three series against Japan on April 11th at 5:30 PM ET, live on TNT.

Arsenal tops Chelsea in chippy UWCL quarterfinal

Arsenal sent the Blues packing yesterday, withstanding a last-minute Chelsea goal to knock its London rival out of the Champions League by an aggregate score of 3-2.

• The Gunners stifled comeback attempts up until Blues midfielder Sjoeke Nüsken’s stoppage-time goal, but tempers flared after Arsenal’s Katie McCabe was seen pulling Alyssa Thompson’s hair — with no foul given.

• “For me it is clearly a red card for the Arsenal player — she’s pulling Alyssa’s hair,” Chelsea coach Sonia Bompastor said postgame, blasting the ref’s decision. “If the VAR again is not able to check that situation, I don’t know why we have the VAR.” (Watch full highlights)

Big picture: Chelsea wasn’t the only WSL team exiting the competition, as Bayern Munich ended Manchester United’s debut UWCL run by an aggregate of 5-3.

• “Even as a club, we’re still learning,” said United manager Marc Skinner. “It takes, sometimes, a punch in the face to wake up.” (Watch full highlights)

• The action now shifts to the continent, as Wolfsburg attempts to punch its semifinal ticket this afternoon against OL Lyonne, while Barcelona will look to pile on against rival Real Madrid.

Tune in: The UWCL quarterfinals continue today at 12:45 PM ET, live on Paramount+.

NCAA gymnastics tumbles into the postseason

NCAA gymnastics is ready for its close up, as top college programs kick off the five-round tournament ahead of April 18th’s four-team championship.

• No. 1 Oklahoma returns as both top seed and reigning NCAA champion, followed by No. 2 LSU, No. 3 Florida, and No. 4 UCLA.

• “It’s a make-or-break situation,” Sooners head coach KJ Kindler said of the seeded second round. “You come with it or you don’t qualify… It’s definitely more intense.” (See full bracket)

How it works: This week’s first round sets the rest of the regional bracket, with each consecutive round narrowing the field before two teams advance to the NCAA final.

• Individual athletes will also compete for event and all-around titles, with LSU’s Kailin Chio and UCLA’s Olympic gold medalist Jordan Chiles considered frontrunners.

• “We’re coming for y’all,” Chiles said after the Bruins’ Big Ten championship win, as UCLA looks to avenge last year’s NCAA final loss.

Tune in: The NCAA gymnastics tournament starts today at 2 PM ET, live on ESPN+.

JWS’s all-new basketball show is back, as Court Vision presented by Planet Fitness showcases WNBA icon Angel McCoughtry and analyst Ros Gold-Onwude tackling women’s basketball’s biggest headlines, from college to the pros to the broader forces shaping today’s game.

• In this week’s episode, Ros and Angel react to this year’s déjà vu Final Four, questioning if any team can catch up to UConn and debating what continues to separate the Huskies from the rest of the NCAA pack.

• “Last year’s Final Four run to the championship for UConn, it was really clear it was them and everyone else,” said Ros. “Is the gap still that big for UConn? It’s fair to say all of these teams are chasing the defending champs.”

Tune in: Check out Court Vision on YouTube.

Oklahoma softball makes SEC history

No. 3 Oklahoma softball came out swinging, as freshman Kendall Wells broke the SEC single-season home run record with her 27th dinger in Tuesday’s 12-3 win over Wichita State — just the 37th game of her college career.

• Wells trails former Sooners Lauren Chamberlain’s 30 and NCAA record holder Jocelyn Alo’s 34 on the all-time single-season home run leaderboard, with both records set before Oklahoma joined the SEC in 2024.

• “I didn’t even know that was the record,” Wells said postgame. “My second and third at-bats, I didn’t feel like I was making good adjustments. I talked a lot with coach JT [Gasso] in between, and kept it simple in my last at-bat.” (Watch full highlights)

Context: Wells is fueling Oklahoma’s quest to reclaim its crown, after reigning champion No. 1 Texas ended the Sooners’ four-year title streak last year.

Up next: Oklahoma opens a three-game series against Kentucky tonight at 6:30 PM ET, live on SEC Network.

NCAA transfer portal starts to heat up

As March Madness nears its end, the NCAA transfer portal has already started making waves with players hunting new opportunities both on and off the court.

• Iowa State and Tennessee are leading the charge, with nine former Cyclones and six Lady Vols announcing their departures.

• No. 2 seed Iowa also took a hit when five-star recruit Addie Deal entered the portal, after averaging 5.1 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game in her first and only season with the Hawkeyes.

Taking stock: The floodgates appear ready to burst, with the transfer portal already spanning more than 500 names ahead of tomorrow’s Final Four tipoff.

Quote of the day

Liberty star Breanna Stewart
confirming her plan to stay in New York on the Game Recognizes Game podcast.