A corgi named Banana has perfected the Sha’Carri Richardson look-back.

US taps injury replacements for Spain friendlies

The USWNT is calling for backup, after key injury withdrawals forced the US to make roster changes ahead of its upcoming friendlies with world No. 1 Spain.

• Gotham midfielder Jaelin Howell will replace Manchester City’s Sam Coffey, after the WSL star picked up a knock in Sunday’s win over Arsenal.

• “The highs and lows of football. Epic wins followed by deep disappointment,” Coffey wrote on social media. “I’ll be cheering on my girls from afar.” (See full post)

Taking stock: The US will face FIFA’s top-ranked team without an additional veteran presence, as Utah defender Kate Del Fava steps in for Chelsea’s Naomi Girma.

• Del Fava had been called into the USWNT’s U-23 camp this week, making the jump to the senior team behind strong club play with the Royals.

• Howell has six international caps with the US, while Del Fava brings the October lineup’s uncapped player total to five. (See full roster)

WNBA sees regular-season attendance surge

The WNBA has delivered, as the newly expanded league posted significant regular-season attendance gains throughout its 30th year.

• Golden State came out on top, leading the league in both average attendance (18,064) and total attendance (397,408) after selling out its entire slate of home games for the second straight year.

• New York and Indiana rounded out the top three attendance grabbers, with the Fever drawing a league-high 15,116 fans on the road. (See full report)

Taking stock: Atlanta saw the biggest year-over-year jump, growing from 4,480 to 7,000 fans per game after adding star forward Angel Reese and relocating marquee matchups to the higher-capacity State Farm Arena.

• 2026 expansion teams also showed out, with Toronto claiming the single-game record in a July clash with Dallas set in Montréal (20,996), while Portland’s home debut set an inaugural game record (19,335).

• Overall, the league drew 3.79 million fans across 330 games, marking a 20.5% leap over 2025. (See full stats)

Unrivaled makes offseason headlines

Unrivaled keeps making moves, announcing tour stops, celebrity investors, and new signings as the 3×3 league prepares to tip off its third season in January.

• Actor and producer Issa Rae has bought in, joining the late-August Series C fundraiser that propelled the offseason upstart to a $650 million valuation.

• “Unrivaled speaks to me and everyone who wants to set new standards, and what the league has done and continues to do for the best women’s basketball players in the world is something I’m proud to invest in,” said Rae. (See full release)

Looking ahead: Unrivaled finished rolling out its 2027 tour stops, with plans to hit eight different cities after successful 2026 showcases in Philly and Brooklyn.

• Games will land in Boston, Detroit, San Francisco, Brooklyn, Minneapolis, Houston, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles, spotlighting current and future WNBA markets.

• The league also completed its lineup, adding Chicago rookie Sydney Taylor and Toronto standouts Kiki Rice and Aneesah Morrow. (See full rosters)

MLV debuts Marquee Player Exception

Major League Volleyball is stocking up, announcing plans to adopt a new salary cap mechanism designed to help teams retain elite talent.

• The Marquee Player Exception allows a club to make up to two big-name signings — a Seasoned Marquee Player and a Rookie Marquee Player — using funds outside the salary cap, subject to a luxury tax.

• “This exception gives every team the same opportunity to make strategic investments in designated players while maintaining the competitive balance and salary-cap structure that are foundational to our league and differentiate us in professional volleyball,” explained Commissioner Jaime Weston. (See full release)

Big picture: MLV has faced competition amid its recent expansion push, as fellow leagues like LOVB strive to recruit top talent in a crowded pro volleyball sector.

• The Marquee Player Exception will take effect for rookies entering via the 2026 MLV Draft and veterans eligible for free agency in 2028.

Jeeno Thitikul lifts 4th 2026 LPGA trophy

World No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul is on a roll, picking up her fourth LPGA title of the season at the 2026 LOTTE Championship in Honolulu, Hawaii.

• Capping her final round with two birdies, Thitikul overcame a late double-bogey to beat out playing partner No. 17 Ina Yoon for a three-stroke win.

• “I don’t know how I did that, but obviously, it’s [a] really like good battle with Ina,” Thitikul said. “She played incredible on the front nine.” (Watch full highlights)

Neck and neck: After ceding the top ranking earlier this year, Thitikul pulled level with No. 1 Nelly Korda in 2026 wins while outpacing the US star’s two-year total.

• Eyeing even more history, she’s now just one title shy of passing Thai legend Ariya Jutanugarn for the most LPGA wins by a Thai women’s golfer.

Number of the day 

+180

After winning Game 1, No. 4 Atlanta now leads the 2026 WNBA title odds at +180.