Women in Sports: October’s Updates
Welcome to the first monthly edition of Women’s Sports Updates!
In this article, we will write about wins, losses, breakthroughs, retirements, injuries, drafts, and notable events that have occurred in women’s sports.
Let’s jump right into the updates with basketball, soccer, and hockey this month!
Pictured here: Las Vegas Aces beat the New York Liberty in 4 games to win their second consecutive WNBA title becoming the first team to win back-to-back since 2002.
Basketball
WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association)
Playoff Season Starts!
The WNBA playoff season is now in full swing as the Las Vegas Aces battle the New York Liberty, with the latter leading 2 games to 1, and the Connecticut Sun battle the Minnesota Lynx in the semifinals (MIN now leads 2-1). Will the reigning champions, the Aces, defend their title or is it comeback season for the Liberty?
Just in: The Liberty advances to the Finals!
Chicago Sky fires Head Coach Teresa Weatherspoon
Weatherspoon was fired as she missed a playoff spot for the Sky for the first time since 2018, despite recruiting 2 promising rookies to the team: Kamilla Carduso and Angel Reese. The team’s draft of Angel Reese accounted for a historic 20 double-doubles (double digital total in 2 of the 5 categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks in 1 game) that was halted due to injury.
A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces center-forward awarded MVP
Despite winning an Olympic title in Paris this year, A’ja Wilson is not finished yet. Over the 2023/2024 season, she averaged 26.9 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in the regular season earning her 3rd MVP award!
Caitlin Clark wins ROTY
After the long disputed question on who the Rookie of the Year would be, the renowned rookie Clark wins the title, a surprise to few given her instrumental influence on the recent growth in popularity towards the league, despite the elimination of her team, the Indiana Fever, after their early elimination in this years playoffs following a tight game with the Connecticut Sun
Just in: Nika Mühl tears ACL playing abroad
Soccer
Retirements
Alex Morgan hangs up her boots for the last time as she waves goodbye to a stellar career as a pioneer of Equal Pay as a key member of the USWNT.
Christine Sinclair, Canada’s soccer superstar announces her retirement from professional soccer, bidding adieu to the Portland Thorns, following the completion of the 2024 season after having retired from the International stage last season.
Kelly O’Hara’s final season was cut short after suffering from Knee osteoarthritis (OA) though her career will be honoured in the next USWNT game.
Alexandra Popp, German soccer star, retires after captaining Germany to a bronze in the Olympics following a whopping 144 appearances representing her country on the international scene.
NWSL (National Women’s Soccer League)
Regular Season
The regular season is underway as the Orlando Pride top the table with 16 wins and an incredible 0 losses, while the Houston Dash are at the bottom.
Just in: The Orlando Pride beat the Washington Spirit 2-0 to win the 2024 NWSL Shield as the team with the best regular season record.
WSL (Women’s Super League)
The WSL regular season begins at full force as Chelsea and Manchester United start off strong with 2 wins, could it be Chelsea’s 6th consecutive championship win, or is Man United finally on the rise following 8 losses in the finals over the past 10 years?
Global Soccer
North Korea wins the U-20 World Cup as USWNT (United States Women’s National Team) wins the Olympics to earn their 5th Gold Medal in Paris. The USWNT has achieved this more than any other team on the planet who has only ever won once, after having won a medal at every Summer Games since Rio 2016.
Hockey
PWHL (Professional Women’s Hockey League)
The PWHL is entering their second inaugural season, where preseason games will start in November, featuring games in Toronto and Montreal.
The first 6 teams have received their names, a historical moment for the league as fans now can cheer on not only a city, but one with an identity.
The first 6 teams have recently received their names (historic moment) and controversy over the naming of the Toronto team (the Sceptres)
Other
Simone Biles starts her GOAT (Gold Over America Tour), alongside other gymnasts such as Jordan Chiles and Joscelyn Roberson. Rugby star Ilona Maher makes her debut on Dancing With The Stars. Coco Gauff, tennis star and US Open champion, wins the China Open.
Please email mzhang2@branksome.on.ca with your requests for future updates!