Surging Louisville quietly climbs the AP Poll ranks
The SEC and Big Ten still run the table, but Monday’s Poll revealed one ACC team sneaking up the Top 25, plus the Sky's legal trouble and more news to know
Louisville quietly climbs the AP Poll ranks
The No. 6 Cardinals hit their highest ranking in four years this week. (Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The SEC and Big Ten might still run the AP Poll, but Monday’s update revealed one ACC team quietly shooting up the Top 25 as the regular season nears its end.
Dominant conference play fueled No. 6 Louisville’s one-spot gain, riding a 14-game winning streak to their highest ranking in four years.
The Cardinals’ 11-0 ACC record matches their best conference start in program history, as they close in on their first regular-season title since 2021. (See full rankings)
Chutes & ladders: Unbeaten UConn remains the unanimous No. 1 pick after another blowout slate, with the rest of last week’s Top 4 following suit.
LSU rose to No. 5, benefitting from now-No. 7 Vanderbilt’s two-game skid, while No. 13 Ole Miss jumped four spots for the week’s biggest boost.
No. 22 Maryland saw the largest free-fall, dropping six spots as the injury-struck Terrapins try to snap a four-game Big Ten losing streak.
Up next: Maryland has a chance to bounce back tomorrow, tipping off tomorrow’s ranked slate against No. 12 Michigan State at 6:30 PM ET, live on Big Ten Network.
Chicago Sky lawsuit exposes ownership conflict
The suit claims Sky owner Michael Alter "breached his fiduciary duty to the minority investors.” (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The Chicago Sky came under legal fire this week, as minority partner Steven Rogers filed a lawsuit alleging majority owner Michael Alter “breached his fiduciary duty to the minority investors” by devaluing the team for his own benefit.
The complaint claims that in 2022 — months after Chicago won their lone WNBA title — Alter engaged in “opportunistic self-dealing,” diluting minority shares in the lead-up to a 2023 funding round that saw Cubs owner Laura Ricketts purchase a team stake at an $85 million valuation.
In late 2025, Forbes listed the Sky as the world’s 12th most valuable women’s franchise at $240 million — a significant turnaround despite three consecutive losing seasons. (See full rankings)
Fighting words: The suit also puts Alter’s leadership in the hot seat, accusing the commercial real estate developer of going rogue without a board of directors.
“Alter’s operation has been a mess,” reads the filing. “Throughout his tenure, Alter flouted the agreement’s basic requirements and minimal standards for business operations.”
“The lawsuit is completely meritless,” Alter’s legal council said in a statement. “We look forward to defending our case through the appropriate legal channels and believe this matter will be disposed of quickly.”
Takeaway: As the WNBA season approaches and CBA negotiations stall, internal conflicts continue to overshadow what promises to be a pivotal year for the league.
US star Coco Gauff loses ground in WTA rankings shakeup
Coco Gauff fell from No. 3 to No. 5 after her Australian Open quarterfinal exit. (Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
With the Australian Open in the rear-view mirror, this week’s WTA rankings update reflect the year-opening Grand Slam’s impact on tennis’s top tier.
US star Coco Gauff’s quarterfinal exit sent her skidding two spots to No. 5, as 2026 Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina took over at No. 3 after winning her second-career major tournament.
Australian Open finalist Aryna Sabalenka retained her world No. 1 status, followed by similarly stable No. 2 Iga Świątek despite the six-time Slam winner’s own quarterfinal ousting.
2025 champion Madison Keys suffered the biggest fall, ceding seven spots to land at No. 15, while fan favorite Naomi Osaka jump three to grab No. 14. (See full rankings)
History made: No. 4 Amanda Anisimova has taken over as the top US talent, leapfrogging Gauff after advancing to her first Australian Open quarterfinal.
No. 6 Jessica Pegula, No. 7 Mirra Andreeva, and No. 8 Jasmine Paolini all held steady, while No. 9 Belinda Bencic and No. 10 Elina Svitolina became the first two mothers to share a Top 10 ranking at the same time.
“It’s a dream to return to the WTA Top 10,” Svitolina said after reaching her first Australian Open semifinal. “Doing it as a mother means so much to me. I’m proud of my fight and resilience.”
Alexia Putellas debuts 1st signature Nike boot
Nike unveiled The Queen: Alexia Putellas’s Phantom 6 Player Edition this week. (Nike Football)
Spain international Alexia Putellas is hitting the field in style, as Nike released the two-time Ballon d’Or winner’s first Player Edition Phantom 6 this week.
The boot features a bespoke design highlighting the Barcelona star’s lucky number 11, with her new custom Nike logo emblazoned on the heel.
“Growing up in Spain, I could only watch men playing football,” Putellas said in a statement. “I never dreamed about playing at Camp Nou or having my own Nike boot.” (See full release)
Big picture: Known as La Reina, Putellas has won a World Cup, three UWCL titles, and numerous Liga F titles in addition to the Ballon d’Or .
Her logo features a pair of 11s interlocking with the letter A to form a crown — a nod to her nickname.
Get yours: The Nike Phantom 6 Alexia Putellas is available now via nike.com.
FIFA Champions Cup scores record viewers in Brazil
Sunday’s Champions Cup final drew about 1 million concurrent views in Brazil. (Molly Darlington/Getty Images)
While SC Corinthians fell just short of the title, Sunday’s FIFA W Champions Cup final did prove a massive success for the Brazilian league champions, becoming the most-watched women’s club match in Brazil’s history.
Brazilian network CrazeTV’s coverage drew more than 1 million concurrent streams — rivaling Brazil’s 2023 World Cup group-stage viewership.
The extra-time loss to Arsenal also coincided with Corinthians men’s Brazil Super Cup battle, stressing the women’s side’s growing popularity.
Showing up: “It doesn’t matter if it’s basketball or football, women’s or men’s, I’m a Corinthian supporter,” a traveling Brazilian fan told The Athletic, with many outlets reporting on the team’s sizable fan support in London.
Quote of the day
“For all of women’s sports, I think this is one of the biggest moments we've ever had.”
Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark
discussing the WNBA’s stalled CBA talks on NBC’s Basketball Night in America.