It’s Unrivaled Team Draft Day! Sarah, Alex, and Mish debut a fool-proof points system to help you pick which Unrivaled club to root for in the league’s inaugural season! It’s part hoops draft, part Seventeen magazine quiz and part Buzzfeed personality test. Plus, WoSo wedding szn and super slices have us siced!

• Want to help contribute essentials to those impacted by the LA fires? The folks at Deep Blue Sports are helping organize a drive. Details can be found here! 

• All of the Unrivaled rosters, logos, coaches, and branding can be found on the league’s website. Check it out here

• We want to see your Unrivaled draft sheet! Post a photo on social (and tag Sarah!) or send us an email at [email protected]  

• Check out ArtButMakeItSports’s recent twitter post featuring Naomi Osaka and the 1830s painting “Under the Wave off Kanagawa” here

• Shoutout to super slice Joey for making a composite calendar for LOVB, Unrivaled, AU Basketball, and Pro Volleyball Federation games. You can find that schedule here

• Check out Toronto Tempo merch here 

• The Brittney Sykes dancing video Misha referenced can be found here

• Follow Sarah on social! Bluesky: @sarahspain.bsky.social Instagram: @Spain2323

• Follow producer Misha Jones! Bluesky: @mishthejrnalist.bsky.social Instagram: @mishthejrnalist TikTok: @mishthejrnalist

• Follow producer Alex Azzi! Bluesky: @byalexazzi.bsky.social

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Basketball analyst and former Notre Dame hoops head coach Muffet McGraw joins Sarah to talk about the incredible job her successor Niele Ivey is doing with the program, Hannah Hidalgo’s case for National Player of the Year, the pushback surrounding a post Hidalgo shared on social media last summer, and why the coaching landscape still doesn’t pass the gender bias test. Plus, Team Canada soccer is shaking things up, the coldest pot of beans you ever saw, and some excellent reading recs.

• Watch Muffet McGraw’s viral comments on women in leadership here

• Read Emily Jo Roberts’ essay on investing in women coaches here

• Read Linda Lu and Chantal Hildebrand’s co-leadership essay here

• Leave us a voicemail at 872-204-5070 or send us a note at [email protected] 

• Follow Sarah on social! Bluesky: @sarahspain.bsky.social Instagram: @Spain2323

• Follow producer Misha Jones! Bluesky: @mishthejrnalist.bsky.social Instagram: @mishthejrnalist TikTok: @mishthejrnalist

• Follow producer Alex Azzi! Bluesky: @byalexazzi.bsky.social

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We nominated, you voted, and now the results of our first ever Slice-ee Awards are in! Plus, Sarah gets you caught up on the latest NWSL headlines, juiciest NCAA hoops upsets and favorites for the first tennis Slam of the year. Then, a PWHL “Good Game, Good Game, Fact You” featuring shattered records and the new iHeart Women’s Sports pods you should add to your rotation.

• Links to funds helping those affected by the LA wildfires:

• Donate to The LA Unified School District Education Emergency Relief Fund here, offering direct cash assistance and support to families and LAUSD employees affected by the fires

• Donate to the LA Fire Department Foundation here, supporting the heroic firefighters responding in real-time

• Donate to the International Community Foundation here, supporting front/second line farmworkers, day laborers, essential workers and families impacted by the fires

• Help displaced families in the historically Black Altadena community affected by the fires here

• Sydney Colson’s X post, the winner of The Very Unserious Syd Colson Award, For Excellence in Social Media Trolling, is here

• Sam Kerr Tackling The Pitch Invader Video We Can’t Stop Watching Award winning video is here 

• The Serena Williams Catsuit Fit of the Year Award winning ensemble is here

• Follow stylist Amadi Brooks here

• Subscribe to Serving Pancakes here

• Subscribe to Throttle Therapy here

• Subscribe to Welcome to the Par-Tee here

• Leave us a voicemail at 872-204-5070 or send us a note at [email protected] 

• Follow Sarah on social! Bluesky: @sarahspain.bsky.social Instagram: @Spain2323

• Follow producer Misha Jones! Bluesky: @mishthejrnalist.bsky.social Instagram: @mishthejrnalist TikTok: @mishthejrnalist

• Follow producer Alex Azzi! Bluesky: @byalexazzi.bsky.social

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We close out our “New Year, New Leagues” series with a few more women’s sports leagues to keep tabs on in 2025 and beyond. Plus, Big Citrus convenes to review everything we learned this week, from what excites us most about these new leagues to some lingering questions and concerns. 

• You have one last chance to vote for the Slice-ees (aka our end-of-2024 women’s sports awards) before we reveal the winners next week. Vote here!

• Follow the Women’s Lacrosse League here

• Follow the Northern Super League here 

• Follow the Women’s Pro Baseball League here

• Get tickets for the Lexus Championship Series – featuring the debut of the WLL – here 

• You can check out WLL merch here 

• Leave us a voicemail at 872-204-5070 or send us a note at [email protected] 

• Follow Sarah on social! Bluesky: @sarahspain.bsky.social Instagram: @Spain2323

• Follow producer Misha Jones! Bluesky: @mishthejrnalist.bsky.social Instagram: @mishthejrnalist TikTok: @mishthejrnalist

• Follow producer Alex Azzi! Bluesky: @byalexazzi.bsky.social 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Women’s Elite Rugby (aka WER) is the focus of today’s edition of “New Year, New Leagues.” WER President Dr. Jessica Hammond-Graf and Chicago player Betty Nguyen join Sarah to discuss the inspiration for the league, the difference between 7s and 15s, and how each team filled out its roster. Plus, the stars, stakes, stats, and stories you need to know.

• Follow the WER on Instagram here

• Follow WER player Emma Farnan on Instagram here

• Follow Dr. Jessica Hammond-Graf on X here

• Leave us a voicemail at 872-204-5070 or send us a note at [email protected]  

• Follow Sarah on social! Bluesky: @sarahspain.bsky.social Instagram: @Spain2323

• Follow producer Misha Jones! Bluesky: @mishthejrnalist.bsky.social Instagram: @mishthejrnalist TikTok: @mishthejrnalist

• Follow producer Alex Azzi! Bluesky: @byalexazzi.bsky.social

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our “New Year, New Leagues” series continues! Pitching legend and GM of the AUSL Volts Cat Osterman joins Sarah to chat all things Athletes Unlimited Softball League. They talk how this league will differ from previous AU softball formats, its groundbreaking year-round insurance policy for athletes, and the stars, stakes, stats and stories to look out for.

• Follow the AUSL here

• Purchase season tickets here

• Follow Cat on Instagram here

• Follow AUSL player Bubba Nickles here

• Follow AUSL player Dejah Mulipola here

• Follow AUSL player Carley Hoover here

• Photographer/Videographer Jade Hewitt on Instagram here 

• AUSL senior reporter/broadcaster Savanna Collins on Instagram here

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

League One Volleyball (aka LOVB) takes center stage for installment #2 of our “New Year, New Leagues” series. LOVB President Rosie Spaulding and Salt Lake City player Jordyn Poulter join Sarah to discuss how the league is prioritizing athlete experience and why in-game commentary will sound a little different. Plus, the stars, stakes, stats, and stories you need to know. 

• Watch LOVB! The full season schedule (including tune-in info) can be found here

• Listen to the “Serving Pancakes” podcast here

• Follow Evollve for reliable and accessible volleyball stats and data

• Follow LOVB player Lauren Carlini here

• Follow LOVB player Jordan Thompson here

• Follow the league here, and follow the teams too!

  • LOVB Atlanta

  • LOVB Austin

  • LOVB Houston

  • LOVB Omaha

  • LOVB Madison

  • LOVB Salt Lake

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re starting 2025 with our “New Year, New Leagues” series of shows, bringing you everything you need to know about the new professional women's leagues kickin' off, tippin' off, first pitchin' and first servin’ their way into our hearts in 2025. First up, Unrivaled Basketball president Alex Bazzell joins Sarah to talk about the stars, stakes, stats and stories in the new 3-on-3 league.

• Follow Unrivaled Basketball here, and follow the basketball clubs too!

• Lunar Owls BC

• Rose BC

• Vinyl BC

• Mist BC

• Phantom BC

• Laces BC

• Watch the Unrivaled roster selection here

• Follow Alex @alexbazzell on IG

• Follow Unrivaled player and co-founder Napheesa Collier here

• Follow Unrivaled player and co-founder Breanna Stewart here

• Follow Unrivaled player Sabrina Ionescu here

• Follow Aliyah Funschelle on Instagram here

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’ve spent the week revisiting our favorite interviews of 2024, and last but not least is Sarah’s conversation with Rose Eveleth, host of the Tested podcast. They joined her back in August to talk gender verification testing, the binary categorization of humans, and the “dangers” that inexact sciences seek to protect women athletes from.

• Subscribe and listen to Rose Eveleth’s podcast series, Tested here (scroll down to find it)! 

• Learn about the history of sex testing, the language Rose & Sarah use, and find additional reading here

• Read the Scientific American Story that Sarah mentions here!

• Leave us a voicemail at 872-204-5070 or send us a note at [email protected] 

• Follow Sarah on social! Bluesky: @sarahspain.bsky.social Instagram: @Spain2323

• Follow producer Misha Jones! Bluesky: @mishthejrnalist.bsky.social Instagram: @mishthejrnalist TikTok: @mishthejrnalist

• Follow producer Alex Azzi! Bluesky: @byalexazzi.bsky.social

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As part of our “Best of 2024” series, here is Sarah’s conversation with USWNT legends Sam Mewis and Becky Sauerbrunn from August, right before the U.S.-Brazil gold medal game at the Paris Olympics. Sam and Becky discussed everything from the start of the Emma Hayes era to their favorite post-game eats. 

• Listen to Sam Mewis's podcast, "The Women's Game" here

• Make sure to check out the "Good Vibes FC" episodes, where Sam is joined by Becky Sauerbrunn and Lynn Williams! Videos here

• Follow Sarah on social! Bluesky: @sarahspain.bsky.social Instagram: @Spain2323

• Follow producer Misha Jones! Bluesky: @mishthejrnalist.bsky.social Instagram: @mishthejrnalist TikTok: @mishthejrnalist

• Follow producer Alex Azzi! Bluesky: @byalexazzi.bsky.social

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.