Emma Hruby
Oct 21, 2022
The University of Wisconsin athletic department is investigating a recent leak of private photos and video of its women’s volleyball players.
While the athletic department did not offer up any details of the leaked material in its statement, it did say that the pictures and video were not intended to be made public. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, one of the photos obtained by the outlet appears to have been taken after the team won the Big Ten title last November, showing members of the team with their sports bras lifted.
Similarly, the Wisconsin State Journal reported that the photos were taken from inside the team’s locker room.
Statement from UW Athletics pic.twitter.com/M2lK2OYg8a
— Wisconsin Badgers (@UWBadgers) October 19, 2022
“UWPD is not investigating the volleyball student-athletes for wrongdoing in this matter,” the statement said. “Our top priority is supporting our student-athletes and we are providing them with the appropriate services and resources.”
They called the leak a “significant and wrongful invasion” of the athletes’ privacy, with University of Wisconsin police investigating multiple crimes, “including potential violations of university policies and criminal statutes.”
According to the university, the athletes contacted the police upon becoming aware of the leak.
On Thursday, University of Wisconsin police spokesman Mac Lovicott confirmed the investigation.
Wisconsin won its first national title last year, and is currently ranked fifth in the country with a 13-3 record (7-1 Big Ten). The Badgers are set to play Michigan State on Friday.
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Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilsonbecame just the second player in WNBA history to be unanimously crowned MVP on Sunday, claiming the 2024 title shortly before the league playoffs began.
In a record-breaking season league-wide, Wilson's 451 rebounds set the WNBA's new single-season rebound mark. She also inked herself in the history books as the first WNBA athlete to post 1,000+ points in a season.
Stat sheet aside, it's her commitment to her team that Aces head coach Becky Hammon says sets Wilson apart.
"We always talk about, 'Make your teammate great, and then in the process you become the greatest,'" Hammon explained.
"A'ja is...the greatest, because she's so authentically committed to that: pulling greatness out of other people. She's amazing. She's the best player in the world, and she's one of the best people in the world."
The 28-year-old now joins retired WNBA legends Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie, and Lauren Jackson as the only players to ever earn three career MVP awards. She previously won in 2020 and 2022.
Lynx forward Napheesa Collierfinished second in 2024 MVP voting, followed by 2023 MVP Breanna Stewart, Indiana rookie Caitlin Clark, and Connecticut Sun vet Alyssa Thomas.
Top seeds hold court in first WNBA postseason games
In Sunday's postseason tip-off,all four top-seeded WNBA teams managed to avoid upsets. First, in the league-leading Liberty's 83-69 win over No. 8-seed Atlanta, New York guard Courtney Vandersloot made postseason history bynotching her365thcareer playoff assist to break Sue Bird's all-time playoff record.
Making postseason history of her own, Connecticut's Marina Mabreyscored a playoff-record 27 points off the bench to help the No. 3-seed Sun top the No. 6-seed Fever 93-69.
The aforementioned Collier — this season's MVP runner-up — also impressed by putting up 38 points for the No. 2-seed Lynx in Minnesota's 102-95 victory over No. 7-seed Phoenix.
In arguably Sunday's most dramatic ending, No. 5-seed Seattle went cold against reigning champs Las Vegas in the fourth quarter. After leading the No. 4-seed Aces by as many as 12 points, the Storm failed to score a single last-quarter field goal, ultimately handing Las Vegas the 78-67 win.
The second bouts in the WNBA's best-of-three first round will take the court on Tuesday and Wednesday, with if-necessary third games slated for Thursday and Friday.
Claire Watkins
Sep 23, 2024
USWNT and NWSL great Kelley O'Harais officially on Gotham FC'sseason-ending injury listdue to "chronic knee degeneration," the club announced on Saturday.
Set toretireat the end of this season, the news means O'Hara played her last pro match on September 8th. Gotham will toast O'Hara's decorated career on October 20th, when they face Orlando for their final regular-season home game.
Gotham and KC punch tickets to NWSL playoffs
With four of eight 2024 NWSL playoff spotsnow accounted for, No. 3 Gotham FC and No. 4 Kansas City punched their tickets to the postseason this weekend.
The Current made their postseason statement on Friday, taking down the visiting No. 2 Washington Spirit 3-0 behindGolden Bootrace leader Temwa Chawinga's16th goal.
Notably, the Spirit's loss saw starTrinity Rodmanexiting the match with a visibly intense back spasm in the 75th minute. Afterwards, Lena Silano was dealt a red card in second-half stoppage time.
Then on Sunday, Gotham secured their postseason berth with a tidy 1-0 win over last-place Utah in New Jersey.
Gotham FC makes history at White House
After playing three matches in six days, Gotham FC traveled to Washington, DC, where they became the first clubin NWSL history tovisitthe White House for an official team celebration on Monday.
While the USWNT has visited the White House for winning the World Cup — most recently in 2015 — only one women's soccer club has ever been honored as such. Sky Blue FC, the same franchise that rebranded into Gotham, was welcomed by Obama in 2010 for winning the folded WPS’s 2009 championship.
Joining President Joe Biden for Monday's commemoration was NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman and members of the 2023 championship team, including retired defender Ali Krieger.
Krieger had another reason to celebrate: On Thursday, she was named Gotham's first-everteam ambassador.
JWS Staff
Sep 20, 2024
The 2024/25 Barclays Women's Super League (WSL) seasonkicks off this weekend in the UK, where 12 teams will launch campaigns to challenge seven-time league champions Chelsea for the season's title.
Adding to the excitement are major roster shakeups and big name signings entering the pitch for the WSL's 14th season.
Defending WSL champs Chelsea open post-Hayes era with a win
In front of a sold-out Kingsmeadow crowd on Friday, the Blues began their first campaign without now-USWNT boss Emma Hayes by defeating Aston Villa 1-0. Midfielder Johanna Rytting Kaneryd's first-half strike from distance secured Chelsea's season-opening win.
Helmed by head coach Sonia Bompastor, who previously led France's Lyon to three straight titles and a 2022 Champions League victory, Chelsea enters the season with a target on their backs after five straight years at the top of the WSL table.
With five members of the Blues staff following Hayes Stateside and multiple veteran players — like England national Fran Kirby —also departing the club, Bompastor is now tasked with building a new-look culture while maintaining the club's standard. Her job is that much more difficult given four athletes, including Australian star Sam Kerr and the USWNT's Mia Fishel, are still out rehabbing ACL injuries.
Though Chelsea added top players like the Lionesses' right-back Lucy Bronze, all eyes will be on the Blues to see if their dynasty continues this season.
Miedema's return headlines WSL opening weekend
The Blues aside, the highlight of the WSL's season-opening weekend is the blockbuster matchup between anArsenal legendand her former club.
Dutch striker Vivianne Miedema will play her first regular-season WSL game with Manchester City on Sunday, when the ex-Gunner will face Arsenal in a highly anticipated Emirates Stadiumshowdown.
The two clubs — who both finished the 2023/34 WSL season just behind Chelsea in the standings — are coming off vastly differentUWCLresults this week, after Arsenal lost 1-0 to Häcken and Man City defeated Paris FC 5-0.
How to watch Arsenal Women vs. Manchester City this weekend
Arsenal WFC will take on Manchester City at 7:30 AM ET this Sunday, with live coverage on ESPN+.
Claire Watkins
Sep 20, 2024
On Thursday, Sportico reportedthat former Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry is close to finalizing a deal to buy a controlling stake in theNC Couragefrom the NWSL club's current owner, Steve Malik. The sale reportedly values the team at $108 million, with Lasry eyeing 60% of the club's ownership.
That valuation is more than double Sportico's 2023 assessment of the North Carolina club at $52 million, reflecting NWSL franchises's skyrocketing values.
Cleveland makes NWSL expansion moves
NWSL expansionalso made Thursday headlines as Cleveland Metroparks and franchise bid-leadersCleveland Soccer Groupannouncedtheir intention to build a women's soccer-specific stadium downtown, with the express purpose of bringing a new NWSL franchise to the city.
The newly purchased 13.6 acres slated to house the stadium is directly across the street from the Cleveland Guardians's Progressive Field, surrounded by businesses and infrastructure already set up to support thousands of fans.
Should Cleveland's bid be accepted, the project would become the first newly constructed professional women's sports stadium backed by a public-private partnership.
Top-table NWSL teams face off in weekend clash
As the 2024 MVP race tightens,two of the NWSL's mostexciting forwardswill square off in Friday'stop-tableclash. Trinity Rodman's Washington Spirit will travel to Kansas City to take on Temwa Chawinga's Current. Last month, the Spirit handed KC a 4-1 defeat.
Chawinga leads theGolden Boot racewith 15 goals and six assists in regular-season play, whileRodman has been a post-OIympic break standout. Her eight goals and six assists have helped lead second-place Washington to their first postseason berth since 2021.
How to watch Kansas City Current vs. Washington Spirit
Fourth-place KC will look to clinch a trip to the playoffs against Washington Friday night at 8 PM ET, with live coverage on Prime Video.
