USWNT taps NWSL talent | Fever reach 1st-ever Cup final | Rodman drops Adidas cleat

Once a Husky, always a Husky.

NWSL stars headline USWNT roster

The USWNT announced a few welcome returns this morning, tapping a roster heavy on NWSL talent to face upcoming friendlies against Ireland and Canada.

• Veteran midfielder Rose Lavelle is back in the fold, with the Gotham standout coming off ankle surgery to join her first US camp since November 2024.

• Spirit midfielder Croix Bethune is also making a return, as she continues her recovery protocol following a August 2024 knee surgery.

Big picture: Naomi Girma is the roster’s sole European club player, with coach Emma Hayes opting to give most of the team’s Europe-based stars — including captain Lindsey Heaps, among others — a crucial break.

• “This is a uniquely different situation, different window, where so many senior players will not be with us in this camp,” Hayes told reporters. “This is probably the last time I’ll be able to do this in the lead-up to qualifying for the World Cup.”

Wide open spaces: The absences allow space for new faces, with Gotham defender Lily Reale, Seattle defender Jordyn Bugg, Kansas City defender Izzy Rodriguez, and Seattle midfielder Sam Meza all earning their first senior team call-ups.

• With an average of 18.4 caps per player, this roster marks one of the least-experienced friendly lineups in the modern history of the USWNT.

Bottom line: Much of the USWNT’s trusted core will get some rest this time around, giving Hayes a critical — and possibly final — look at how lesser-known players size up against international competition.

Fever reach Commissioner’s Cup final

Indiana advanced to the Commissioner’s Cup final for the first time in franchise history last night, clinching their berth in a tense battle with Connecticut that spanned three ejections and two flagrant fouls.

• Sun guard Jacy Sheldon committed a Flagrant 1 on Fever guard Caitlin Clark in the first half, before Sheldon and teammate Marina Mabrey received a pair of technicals for shoving after the call.

• With Indiana dominating late in the game, Fever guard Sophie Cunningham committed a Flagrant 2 on Sheldon, spurring a scuffle that ended with Cunningham, Sheldon, and Sun guard Lindsey Allen all getting ejected.

Big picture: The rest of last night’s action played out mostly as expected, with New York securing an 86-81 comeback victory over Atlanta that nonetheless saw the Liberty fall just short of returning to the Cup final.

• Minnesota also launched a comeback to take down Las Vegas 76-62, as the Lynx successfully punched their ticket to defend their 2024 Cup title — despite star forward Napheesa Collier leaving the game with an apparent back injury.

Officiating issues: While on-court performances should have driven the narrative, lack of referee control overshadowed the night.

• “Everyone is getting better but the officials,” Indiana coach Stephanie White said after the Fever’s win. “We need to remedy that. I mean, we’ve heard every coach talk about it. I don’t know what the answer is.”

Up next: The 2025 Commissioner's Cup Championship will tip off on July 1st at 8 PM ET, live on Prime.

EuroBasket tips off

FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2025 has arrived, with group play tipping off today and running through June 22nd, before the knockout stages start on June 24th.

• The tournament will be played across the region, with Czechia, Germany, Italy, and Greece all share the hosting honors.

Who to watch: 2023 winner Belgium enter the tournament as reigning champions, though 2024 Olympic silver medalists France have since stepped into the spotlight, with always-dangerous Spain not far behind.

• Several WNBA players have temporarily departed their US clubs to join their national teams in Europe, including Belgium’s Julie Allemand (Sparks), Great Britain’s Temi Fagbenle (Valkyries), and Germany’s Leonie Fiebich (Liberty).

Tune in: All EuroBasket 2025 games will stream live on Courtside 1891.

Rodman backs new women’s cleat

USWNT and Washington Spirit star Trinity Rodman is looking to change the game, teaming up with Adidas to drop a soccer cleat built specifically by and for women’s sports athletes.

• To design the F50 Sparkfusion, Adidas drew from its largest-ever women's foot sizing and anatomy data pool, coupled with 10+ years of research and insights from seasoned athletes like Rodman.

• Addressing key issues with unisex cleats, the release features updated heel, mid-foot, and forefoot fits for better lockdown and agility as well as a redesigned soleplate to facilitate quick changes in direction — something Rodman calls “very important to my game."

Paying tribute: Adidas also tapped the 1985 USWNT as partners, timing the launch to the 40th anniversary of the first team to represent the US on the global stage.

• “Adidas stood with us in 1985 when no one else did,” said retired USWNT legend Michelle Akers. “To be working with them again — this time as co-creators — is incredibly meaningful.”

Women’s soccer fanbase predicted to surge

Nielsen Sports and PepsiCo released a report this week indicating that women’s soccer is on track to amass upward of 800 million fans by 2030 — making it the fifth largest sport in the world.

• Nielsen estimates that women’s soccer currently has the world’s 10th biggest fanbase, but could eventually rival top spectator draws like pro tennis and Formula One.

• Though the report also notes that women’s soccer still lags behind in terms of corporate sponsorship, highlighting increased opportunities for brands as the fanbase expands.

Bottom line: Already a powerhouse in the US, the rise of the European women’s game gives the sport a chance to carve out a more powerful place in the global market — so long as investors also see the vision.

Tampa Bay Sun announce USL stadium plans

The Tampa Bay Sun became the latest team to announce plans for a purpose-built women’s soccer stadium this week, with the 2025 USL Super League champs looking to construct a 15,000-capacity venue in Ybor City.

• The stadium would be a part of a proposed 33-acre mixed-use waterfront development called Ybor Harbor.

• “By anchoring this historic neighborhood with a vibrant home for women’s professional soccer, we’re investing in our city’s future and honoring the community that makes it thrive,” said Sun majority owner Darryl Shaw.

Big picture: The project also plans to incorporate a state-of-the-art USL Super League headquarters, as the league moves into its second season following a successful inaugural year.

Quote of the day

Tennis star Aryna Sabalenka
apologizing to French Open champion Coco Gauff for disparaging remarks she made after losing the 2025 final.