Better come and get your girl.

USWNT serves up another shutout

The USWNT earned another lopsided result against Ireland on Sunday, handing the Girls in Green a second straight 4-0 loss despite extensive lineup changes on both sides.

• Lynn Biyendolo opened the scoring in her first match as USWNT captain, followed by senior team debutant Izzy Rodriguez, Yazmeen Ryan, and Alyssa Thompson.

Player movement: With one more friendly against Canada set for Wednesday, US head coach Emma Hayes rotated all 11 starters on Sunday, trusting bubble players to overcome inexperience to produce a result.

• “The level has been set to be relentless in the pursuit of performing and progressing,” Hayes said after the game. “It’s not about understanding everything in our playbook, but developing the confidence and bravery to deliver.”

Big picture: The victory marked the USWNT’s 600th program win, with Rodriguez and Sam Meza picking up the 23rd and 24th first caps of the Emma Hayes era.

• “I feel like everyone is not only trusting the process, but carrying out all the things we ask them to do,” said Hayes of her new additions. “Everybody showed themselves so well.”

• The US keeps stretching its depth and coming out on top, but developing connections on the pitch could force tough coaching decisions in the future.

Tune in: The USWNT caps the summer break against Canada on Wednesday at 7:30 PM ET, live on TNT.

Lynx can’t lose

The Lynx are back on the prowl, after MVP frontrunner Napheesa Collier’s return from injury fueled the league-leaders to two straight weekend wins.

• Minnesota outlasted No. 4 Atlanta 96-92 in overtime on Friday, before thumping last-place Connecticut 102-63 on Sunday, with Collier racking up 49 points over the two-game span.

Big picture: Collier’s bounce-back couldn’t have come at a better time, after the WNBA announced that the Lynx forward will captain the 2025 All-Star Game alongside Fever guard Caitlin Clark.

• “It's really cool,” Collier said of the news. "I went from never being a starter to captain.”

• Collier and Clark will get a chance to test their leadership skills in tomorrow’s Commissioner's Cup final, as defending champs Minnesota take on first-time finalists Indiana.

Down the ladder: While the Lynx hold court at the top, the Mercury have overtaken the Liberty at No. 2 in the WNBA standings.

• The reigning champs have lost five of their last seven games, as New York struggles without center Jonquel Jones, who’s set to miss extended time with an ankle injury.

Bottom line: Minnesota is red-hot coming into the Commissioners Cup final with a second straight title on the line, but a healthy Clark could make all the difference for up-and-down Indiana.

Wimbledon stars hit the grass

The third Grand Slam of 2025 is underway, as the world’s top tennis stars hit the grass court for London’s annual Wimbledon Championships.

• World No. 16 Barbora Krejčíková enters the annual Grand Slam as its reigning champion, with all of the WTA’s current Top 10 competing for their first chance to lift the trophy.

Early bets: No. 3 Jessica Pegula looks to be an early US frontrunner, fresh off Saturday’s 6-4, 7-5 win over No. 4 Iga Świątek at Wimbledon tune-up tournament, the Bad Homburg Open.

• A 2023 Wimbledon quarterfinalist, Pegula has already picked up three titles this year while still searching for her first career Grand Slam win.

• “[Pegula has] an amazing game, and showed it throughout the tournament,” Świątek said after the weekend loss. “Hopefully we will have many more finals together.”

Players to watch: No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka cruised through her first-round match against Canadian Carson Branstine in straight sets this morning, while No. 6 Madison Keys narrowly topped Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse.

• 2024 Wimbledon finalist No. 5 Jasmine Paolini kicks off her 2025 campaign against Anastasija Sevastova this afternoon, before fan favorite Naomi Osaka returns to the court to face Australia’s Talia Gibson.

• Pegula opens tomorrow’s first-round action against Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto at 6 AM ET, with Świątek, 2025 French Open champ No. 2 Coco Gauff, and 2024 Wimbledon quarterfinalist No. 8 Emma Navarro rounding out Tuesday’s bill.

Tune in: Wimbledon runs through July 13th, with live continuous coverage on ESPN.

WNBA announces expansion

The WNBA made a splash this morning, announcing it will officially expand to 18 teams by 2030, with new franchises in Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia.

• Subject to approval from the WNBA and NBA Boards of Governors, the league expects to add Cleveland in 2028, Detroit in 2029, and Philadelphia in 2030.

• According today’s release, the cities — all backed by existing NBA ownership groups — were picked based on “market viability, committed long-term ownership groups, potential for significant local fan, corporate, media, and city and state support, arena and practice facilities, and community commitment to advancing the sport, among other factors.”

Big business: The news follows already-announced expansion teams in Toronto and Portland, both set to tip off next season, as well as 2025 newcomer Golden State.

• Each incoming club paid a $250 million expansion fee — five times the $50 million Golden State paid in October 2023 .

• “This historic expansion is a powerful reflection of our league’s extraordinary momentum, the depth of talent across the game, and the surging demand for investment in women’s professional basketball,” said commissioner Cathy Engelbert.

ESPY noms spotlight women’s sports

Women’s sports came up big in last week’s ESPYS nominations, as superstars like Aces forward A’ja Wilson, USWNT’s Mallory Swanson, Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, and others vie for the annual award.

• Wilson was shortlisted for both Best WNBA Player as well as Best Athlete: Women’s Sports, joining Biles plus track and field icons Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Gabby Thomas in the broader category.

• Fever guard Caitlin Clark will also compete for Best WNBA Player, alongside Lynx star Napheesa Collier and the Liberty’s Breanna Stewart, with Clark also topping the Best Record-Breaking Performance shortlist.

• Women’s soccer also featured, with the USWNT earning a Best Team nod while forward Mallory Swanson nabbed Best Comeback.

Comeback kids: This year’s nominees span several 2024 winners, including Clark (Best College Athlete, Best Record Breaking Performance), Biles (Best Comeback Athlete), and Wilson (Best Women's Sports Athlete, Best WNBA Player).

Take your pick: The 2025 ESPY Awards kick off on July 16th at 8 PM, with fan voting closing three hours before the ceremony.

Number of the day 

1,293,526

Indiana guard Caitlin Clark received 1,293,526 All-Star votes this year, breaking her own record of 708,000 fan votes set in 2024.