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.
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JWS Staff
Jul 29, 2024
On today’s episode, JWS podcast host Claire Watkins takes a look at the USWNT’s first two Olympic soccer matches, analyzing their performances as the team cruises to a quarterfinal spot with a group stage game still to play.
She talks through players making their own luck, some touchy moments in defense, and what to make of the team’s ever-shifting midfield. Later, she hits on a few of week one's biggest Olympic storylines, including a battle in the pool, a historic moment in gymnastics, and Team Canada's ongoing drone-gate saga.
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Claire Watkins
Jul 29, 2024
The USWNT's record remains perfectafter two matches ofOlympic group play, taking downGermany 4-1 on Sunday in a performance that put therest of the fieldon notice.
Sophia Smithscored a brace while Mallory Swanson and substituteLynn Williams added individual tallies to give the US their biggest win over Germany since 2010.
USWNT set to advance to Olympic knockouts
The win guarantees the USWNT a place in thequarterfinalswith one group stage match still to play, a feat only mirrored by reigning world champions Spain after a wild second day of Olympic women's soccer action.
A win or a draw against Australiaon Wednesday would see the US finish atopGroup B, though the team's +6 goal differential could also land them in first even if they lose. Along with their goal differential, the USWNT leads the field in scoring with seven goals in their first two matches.
Rising above European soccer expectations
The US entered Sunday as a slight underdog, facing a higher-rated team in theFIFA rankingsfor the first time since 2015. However, the US found the back of the net first on a well-worked attacking sequence that featured agoal by Smith, an assist by Trinity Rodman, and a savvy dummy move by Swanson.
Germany then equalized on a nicely orchestrated strike from outside the box by Giulia Gwinn, but the US piled on the goals to end the half. Swanson scored on a ball deflected byGerman keeper Ann-Katrin Berger, and Smith benefitted from a heavy deflection just before halftime to make it 3-1.
The US managed to keep the momentum flowing through the second half, an effort punctuated by Williams's second career Olympic goal in the 89th minute.
Elsewhere in the Olympic soccer tournament
Colombia leads on goal differential in Group A after defeating New Zealand 2-0, while embattleddefending gold medalists Canadakept theirOlympic dreams alive with a dramatic 2-1 victory over host country France.
Japan bolstered their hopes of advancing from Group C with a comeback 2-1 win over Brazil, while Spain took hold of their destiny with a 1-0 win over Nigeria.
Australia notched afour-goal comebackto win a wild match against Zambia 6-5, one that saw Zambia striker Barbra Banda become the all-time leader inOlympic women's soccer hat trickswith her third.
Who does the USWNT play next?
Next up, the US squares off against Australia on Wednesday, July 31st at 1 PM ET, with live coverage across NBC networks.
Claire Watkins
Jul 29, 2024
TheUSA women's basketball teamlaunchtheir 5×5 Olympics campaign this afternoon, tipping off against Japan in the first of three pool play gamesahead of the knockout rounds.
Team USA hasnot lost a single Olympic gamesince 1992, when they fell to the Unified Team— a joint squad spanning 12 of the 15 former USSR countries — in the semifinal round. They've earned gold in every Olympic Games since1996.
Olympic records on the line
The US has gold medal expectations once again in 2024, where they would becomethe first team in any team sportto walk away with eight straight gold medals in eight consecutive Olympic Games.
Veteran guard Diana Taurasi is going for her sixth-straight Olympic gold medal. If successful, she will become the first basketball player to reach six career gold medals.
That said, times have changed: "It's probably the least amount of preparation we've had going into an Olympics because of our schedule and WNBA," Taurasitold reportersprior to today's opener.
The US faced a humbling startto training camp after falling to Team WNBA 117-109 at the2024 WNBA All-Star Gameearlier this month. However, they came back to dominate pool play opponent Germany 84-57 in their finalpre-Olympic tune-up.
Chemistry is key for Team USA
After today's game against Japan, the US will take on a Belgian side led by 2019 WNBA Finals MVP Emma Meesseman on Thursday. Team USA will close out pool play with Sunday's rematch against Germany before turning their attention toward the knockout round.
With superstars likeA'ja Wilson,Breanna Stewart,Brittney Griner, and Napheesa Collier leading the charge, the biggest challenge forTeam USAwill be building chemistry throughout the tournament.
"You really have to be the most unselfish you've ever been in your career, and it takes that from everyone because we had to forge this chemistry pretty quickly," said Taurasi.
How to watch Team USA vs. Japan today
The US tips off at the Olympics at 3 PM ET today, with live coverage on USA Network and Peaco*ck.
JWS Staff
Jul 29, 2024
Welcome back to The 91st, your one-stop-shop for all things USWNT at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Levels. Levels. Levels. The USWNT posted a clinical 4-1 victory over Germany in their second group stage match, but we think they can soar much higher.
Hosts Jordan Angeli, Duda Pavao, and special guest Allie Long break it all down and preview how the USWNT will handle Australia knowing that they only need a point to win the group. They discuss how the US must progress throughout the tournament once they're forced to play the likes of Spain, France, Japan, and some of the tournament's other heavy hitters.
Plus, what's the better party sport: ping pong or badminton? The debate ensues.
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