JWS Staff
Nov 29, 2022
Defending champion Wisconsin volleyball ended its regular season on an 18-match winning streak.
The Badgers have not lost since Sept. 25, even as the team endured a tough Big Ten schedule and the turmoil of a photo leak investigation, and now they enter the NCAA tournament with a 25-3 overall record and the No. 1 seed.
— Wisconsin Volleyball (@BadgerVB) November 28, 2022𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙍𝙤𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙊𝙢𝙖𝙝𝙖 begins now.
Badgers earn the No. 1 Seed in the Top Right Region. pic.twitter.com/BPSfSPSNHc
The University of Wisconsin athletic department announced on Oct. 19 the investigation into a a leak of private photos and videos of Badgers women’s volleyball players, which were then shared on the internet.
At least one of the photos appears to have been taken after the team won the Big Ten title last November and shows members of the team posing with their sports bras lifted, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
The athletic department called the leak a “significant and wrongful invasion” of the athletes’ privacy. Yet even after the off-court issue, which highlighted the vulnerable position of college athletes, the Badgers continued to roll.
Wisconsin finished its conference season Saturday with a 3-1 win against Ohio State, clinching a 19-1 conference record and theBig Ten title. The only loss came on Sept. 25 against Minnesota.
“There was so much learning that came from our one loss against Minnesota,” coach Kelly Sheffield said. “That was really important for where we are right now. There was so much opportunity for us to learn throughout the course of the year and I am so proud of them.”
The 18-match winning streak is tied for the second-longest winning streak in program history. The 19-1 conference record is tied for the best conference record in program history.
Wisconsin already has sold out all-session tickets to its first- and second-round matches in the NCAA tournament. The Badgers will start their quest for a repeat title at 8 p.m. ET Friday against Quinnipiac.
Women’s sports, straight to your inbox
Start your morning off right with Just Women’s Sports’ free, 5x-a-week newsletter.
Meredith Heil
Jul 8, 2024
Few high-ranked seeds remain standingas Wimbledon caps off the Round of 16, with theGrand Slam's grass surfaceproving itself a great equalizer.
World No. 1 Iga SwiatekandWorld No. 2 Coco Gauffsuffered upsets in the third and fourth rounds respectively, whileNo. 3 seed Aryna Sabalenkawithdrew from play with a shoulder injury. Both of last year's finalists are also out, with2023 champion Markéta Vondroušováfalling early in the tournament alongside 2023 runner-up Ons Jabeur.
This year's competition has seen impressive performances from several former college athletes — a point of interest in a sport where many skip school in favor of immediately going pro.
Texas alum Lulu Sunupset Emma Raducanuon Sunday, with UVA grad Emma Navarro beating Gauff that same day. Navarro will join Gauff later this month as part of theUS Olympic tennis team, punching her ticket after Madison Keys withdrew from the event.
World No. 4 and 2022 Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakinais the highest-ranked seed still on the schedule this year. 2024 French Open runner-upJasmine Paolinihas also kept up her run of form, advancing to her first Wimbledon quarterfinal after Sunday's victory over Madison Keys.
Claire Watkins
Jul 8, 2024
As the WNBA nears its Olympic break,the2024 rookie classhas continued to see breakout success, with both Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese breaking records this past weekend.
Fever star Caitlin Clark became the first rookie in WNBA history torecord a triple-doubleon Saturday, registering 19 points, 13 assists, and 12 rebounds in the upset win over league leaders New York.
Chicago's Angel Reese has kept pace with her fellow 2024 draftee,breaking Candace Parker's recordfor all-time longest double-double streak on Sunday, scoring 17 points with 14 rebounds to make it 13 straight.
The battle forRookie of the Yearlooks increasingly like a two-player race, with Clark and Reese both excelling so far this season — and securingAll-Star invitationsto match.
Clark leads all rookies in scoring, only trailing 2023 MVP candidate Alyssa Thomas in assists per game league-wide. Reese leads the entire WNBA in rebounds, sitting first in offensive rebounds and sixth in defensive rebounds while averaging a double-double per game at 13.9 points and 11.7 rebounds.
The MVP race feels more decisive,asAces forward A'ja Wilson'scontinued tour of dominance positions her as the firm frontrunner for a third MVP award.
Wilsonleads the WNBA in pointsand blocks per game while sitting second in rebounds and fifth in steals. She has scored 540 total points this season, the most by any player over a single-season 20-game span in WNBA history.
Yet despite Wilson's numbers,the reigning champion Aces are still fighting to rise in theWNBA standings. Connecticut and New York share a top-table position at 17-4, followed by Minnesota (15-6), Seattle (14-7), and fifth-place Las Vegas (13-7). The Sky (8-12) currently hold the eighth and final playoff spot, with Phoenix (11-10) and Indiana (9-13) sitting in sixth and seventh, respectively.
The WNBA will pause for the Paris Olympics on July 21st, returning to play on August 14th.
Claire Watkins
Jul 8, 2024
Only one unbeaten NWSL team remains this season, after the Orlando Pride handed Kansas City theirfirst loss of 2024in Saturday's top-table clash.
Barbra Banda opened the scoring for the Pride whileBrazil legend Martaslotted home a penalty to clinch the 2-1 win. The Current's Temwa Chawinga scored her 12th goal of the season in the loss, keeping pace with Banda atop theGolden Boot leaderboard.
Orlando managed to pull out the win despiteplaying more than half the matchdown a playerafter defender Carrie Lawrence was shown asecond yellow cardin the 42nd minute.
The loss was Kansas City's first at futureNWSL Championship host CPKC Stadium, their new purpose-built home, and broke their league-record 17-game unbeaten streak. Should they avoid a loss in their first regular season match after the NWSL's Olympic break, still-unbeaten Orlando is now poised to surpass that record.
With the Pride now sitting alone atopthe league standings, other clubs strived for separation above theeight-team playoff lineahead of the international break.
After the weekend's games, six of the NWSL's top eight teams enter the Olympic period on a win: Washington, Gotham, Portland, North Carolina, andChicago. Eighth-place Bay FC still holds the final playoff spot despite falling 3-0 to the Spirit on Saturday.
None of the teams currently sitting under the playoff line have registered a win in their last three regular season matches.
The NWSL will pause briefly before returning for the inauguralNWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cupon July 19th. The regular season will pick back up again on August 23rd after the Paris Olympics conclude.
Emma Hruby
Jul 3, 2024
The 2024 WNBA All-Star roster is set, with rookies Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark both heading to Phoenix to face Team USA.
The All-Star Game will be the first time the two fan-favorites have linked up on the same team, having previously gone up against each other in college with Clark representing Iowa and Reese playing for LSU and Maryland.
"I don't think I've ever been her teammate before, even at USA Basketball. I know people will be really excited about it, but I hope it doesn't take away from everyone else," Clark told reporters after Tuesday's announcement. "This is a huge accomplishment for everybody on Team USA and everyone on Team WNBA. They all deserve the same praise. I don't want it to take away from any of that and be the focal point of All-Star weekend because that's not fair to them."
When she got the news, Reese became emotional about being named an All-Star. The Chicago Sky forward, who extended her double-double record to 11 games on Tuesday, was also named Rookie of the Month for June.
"I'm just so happy. I know the work I put in," Reese said. "Coming into this league, so many people doubted me and didn't think my game would translate and I wouldn't be the player that I was in college or better or would be worse and wouldn't be where I am right now.
"But I trusted the process and I believed and I'm thankful that I dropped to [pick No. 7] and was able to come to Chicago. And like, it's just a blessing. I can't thank my teammates and my coaches enough for just believing in me and trusting me. I know all of them are going to come to Phoenix and support me. So I'm really happy right now."
Also named to Team WNBA was nine-time All-Star Nneka Ogwumike and six-time All-Star DeWanna Bonner alongside Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell of Indiana. The Fever led all teams with three All-Star selections.
Clark was the top vote-getter, followed by Boston and Team USA's A’ja Wilson.
