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What to Know About Womenâs Basketball Today
1. NCAA Approves Major Eligibility Overhaul đ
A big change is coming to Division I sports, and it will impact women's hoops. On Tuesday, the NCAA Division I Board approved a new eligibility model that will allow athletes five years of competition instead of four, while eliminating redshirts and most waiver requests. (Associated Press)
WHY IT MATTERS: This is one of the biggest eligibility changes in years and is designed to make the system much easier to understand. Under the new rules, athletes will have five years to play five seasons, with their eligibility clock starting when they graduate from high school or turn 19. There will still be limited exceptions for circumstances such as maternity leave, military service, and religious missions, but the days of complicated redshirt and waiver debates are over.
2. Players Are Speaking Out About the Protect College Sports Act đŁď¸
The Protect College Sports Act is headed to the Senate floor for a full vote, marking the furthest a college sports bill has advanced in Congress. While many agree that college athletics needs more structure, athletes, conferences, and lawmakers remain divided on what that structure should look like. (Front Office Sports)
WHY IT MATTERS: The bill would create nationwide rules around NIL, revenue sharing, and athlete health and safety protections. But it would also give the NCAA broad authority over issues like salary caps, transfer limits, and eligibility rules. Several women's basketball players, including LSU's Jada Williams and Maryland's Oluchi Okananwa, have publicly criticized the proposal, arguing that college athletes should instead have the right to negotiate through a union.
3. ESPN Has a New No. 1 Team đ
There's a new team sitting atop ESPN's latest WNBA Power Rankings. After winning four straight games, including victories over Indiana and Toronto last week, the Atlanta Dream jumped three spots to claim the No. 1 ranking in ESPN's latest update.
WHY IT MATTERS: Unlike the standings, power rankings are subjective and attempt to capture which teams are playing the best basketball right now. Recent results, injuries, strength of schedule, and momentum all factor into the equation. The Dream's sharp climb shows just how quickly perceptions can change during a WNBA season.
đşđ¸ Cheer on the USA Women
From Aâja Wilson and Breanna Stewart to the full roster of elite women representing USA Basketball, this cap is made for fans who follow the players as much as the team. Wear it for game days, watch parties, and every errand-filled day in between.
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OVERTIME âąď¸
What a Week: Sonia Citron (Mystics) and Jessica Shepard (Wings) earned Eastern and Western Conference Player of the Week honors.
Itâs a Movie: Videographer Jalen Williams covered the recent Fever-Dream game in a beautifully cinematic video that captures the atmosphere and emotion of the night in a way traditional highlights rarely do.
đłď¸ Poll Results from Yesterday: We asked whether Brittney Griner's new all-time blocks record will ever be broken, and many of you think it's only a matter of time. Nearly half of you (47%) think it will happen within the next 10 years, while 40% believe it will happen eventually, but not for a long time.
