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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Claire Watkins
Sep 9, 2024
USWNT and NWSL superstar Alex Morganplayed her final professional match onSunday, narrowly missing a left-footed penalty for San Diego before beingsubbed outwithin the game's first 15 minutes.
"I came off the field and I thought to myself, 'That's the best example I could give of betting on yourself,'" Morgan said in a postgame press conference. "I think that's just how I've tried to live my life and my career as a soccer player."
Alex Morgan leaves historic mark on women's sports
Sharing news that she was pregnant with her second child, the 35-year-old forwardannouncedher imminent retirement late last week.
"You pushed me to be my best self every day — you pushed me to be the best soccer player, to be the best mom, to be the best person I could be," Morgan told Snapdragon Stadium's26,500 fansafter the game.
Before the game concluded, the soccer icon made one final bit of history. The match marked the first women’s sports event to besimultaneously broadcastacross multiple US outlets, with CBS Sports, ESPN2, Prime, Paramount+, and others getting in on the action.
However, North Carolina dampedthe celebratory sendoff vibes by soundly defeating the 12th-place Wave 4-1, extending San Diego's regular-season winless streak to five.
The Courage now sit fifth inthe standings after overtaking Portland, solidifying their place above the postseason cutoff line.
NWSL standings hold steady in weekend play
In Kansas City's 1-0 win over Utah on Saturday, Temwa Chawinga added a 15th goal to herGolden Bootcampaign. The Current snapped a three-game losing streak in the process.
Also on Saturday, Washington beat Portland in front of a raucous Audi Field crowd. In the match, the Spirit'sBallon d’Ornominee, Trinity Rodman, registered both agoaland an assist.
On Sunday, Marta scored a stunner against Chicago to keep Orlando'sundefeated season alive. The Pride became the first NWSL club to clinch a 2024 postseason berth in the process.
Speaking of the postseason,Bay FChave launched themselves into seventh place and playoff contention after two straight wins, including Saturday's 1-0 victory over Louisville.
Claire Watkins
Sep 9, 2024
Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese's first WNBA seasonwas cut short as theRookie of the Yearcontender suffered a season-ending injury in Friday's 92-78 win over LA. Reese fractured her left wrist in a third-quarter fall, but still finished the game with 24 points and 12 rebounds.
"The risk of not having surgery, I could literally have arthritis at 22-years-old — that wasn't an option," Reese told herTikTok followerson Sunday.
Without mentioning a specific recovery timeline, the star said she anticipates being able to participate inUnrivaled's upcoming season. The3×3 league's inaugural competition begins in early 2025.
Reese made WNBA history in record-breaking rookie season
With new WNBA records for both consecutivedouble-doublesand single-seasonrebounds, Reese had a historically strong rookie year.
"I never would have imagined the last bucket of my rookie season would be a 3 but maybe that was God saying give them a taste of what they will be seeing more of in Year 2 lol," Reese posted toInstagramafter her injury.
This year'sWNBA rookie classwill surely go down as one of the most impactful drafts of all time. But as the league's grueling schedule takes a toll, injuries to standouts likeCameron Brinkand Reese are also part of the story.
Despite the injury, weekend wins keep Chicago in playoff contention
Chicago held onto the eighthand finalplayoff spot this weekend. After beating LA and Dallas, the Sky gained a one-game lead on ninth-place Atlanta.
That said, the Sky's fight is far from over. Chicago will next face a motivated 10th-place Washington on Wednesday before September 17th's big game against Atlanta.
In other playoff news, the Sparks and the Wings have been officially eliminated from postseason contention. Both teams are now guaranteed lottery picks in the2025 WNBA Draft.
Claire Watkins
Sep 7, 2024
The USA wheelchair basketball team and sitting volleyball team will both compete for Paralympic gold this weekend, after thrilling semifinal wins in the final days of the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games.
USA sitting volleyball took down Brazil 3-1 in their semifinal on Thursday, and will continue their long-held Paralympic rivalry against China on Saturday at 1:30pm ET. The US will be going for their third-straight gold medal in the event, after finishing atop the podium in 2016 and 2020.
On Sunday, the US wheelchair basketball team will take on the Netherlands in a gold medal rematch of group play at 7:45am ET, in search of their first Paralympic gold since 2016.
Breaking through
US wheelchair basketball reached their first Paralympic gold medal game since Rio on Friday with a thrilling 50-47 win over China, exacting revenge on the squad who defeated them in their semifinal in Tokyo.
Rose Hollerman led the team in scoring with 20 points, and Chicago native Ixhelt Gonzalez scored 11 points off the bench after a game-clinching performance against Great Britain in the team's quarterfinal.
On Friday, the US struggled at times with China's full court defense, but a strong third quarter performance prompted a comeback from a halftime deficit, and Team USA proved clinical enough at the free throw line to hold off a late fourth quarter push.
The US will now look to erase their only loss of the tournament thus far, taking on the Netherlands for gold after falling to the Dutch 69-56 in their second game of group play.
Familiar gold medal opponent
USA sitting volleyball's gold medal foe is very familiar, as the US and China have played each other for Paralympic gold in every Games since 2008, with China's Paralympic final streak dating back to 2004.
The US are the reigning champions, winning gold in 2020 and 2016 after falling to China in 2012 and 2008.
Team USA will look for another strong match from outside hitter Katie Holloway Bridge, who led all scorers with 21 points in the team's semifinal win over Brazil.
They will be looking for a little bit of revenge themselves, after falling to China in their Paralympic opener during group play.
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) September 5, 2024TEAM USA WILL PLAY FOR GOLD!
Women's sitting volleyball moves onto the FINAL after a win over Brazil. 🇺🇸 #ParisParalympics pic.twitter.com/iQuOjNI2i0
“The team’s gone through a lot since they’ve been here," head coach Bill Hamiter said after the match. "To come together and keep playing, and play well enough to get into that championship match was good."
Claire Watkins
Sep 6, 2024
For the second year in a row,there will be a US tennis playerfacing Aryna Sabalenka in the final of the US Open, after Jessica Pegula wrapped up the best week of her career.
Having reached the quarterfinals in all four major tournaments, Pegula finally broke through to her first Slam semifinal and then final this week with wins over Iga Swiatek and Karolina Muchova.
A career-best run
Currently ranked No. 6 in the world, Pegula has played some of the best tennis of her career recently, reaching the quarterfinal of the Australian Open in 2021-23, and the quarterfinal of the French Open in 2022, and the US Open in 2023.
But Wednesday's straight-set win over World No. 1 Swiatekproved to be her first timebreaking 'the quarterfinal curse,' with the hope of carrying the momentum all the way to the final.
Pegula had to battle backfrom a slow first set in her semifinal on Thursday, as Muchova took an early 6-1 lead and then a 3-0 advantage in the second set.
"I came out flat, but she was playing unbelievable,"Pegula saidafter the match. "She made me look like a beginner. I was about to burst into tears because it was embarrassing. She was destroying me." But the 30-year-old battled back to take the second set 6-4 and rolled to a 6-2 win in the deciding third set, continuing herimpressive 15-1 recordsince the Paris Olympics.
"I was able to find a way, find some adrenaline, find my legs," Pegula said. "At the end of the second set into the third set, I started to play how I wanted to play. It took a while but I don't know how I turned that around honestly."
Finishing the job
Pegula will faceWorld No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka,who defeated her in Cincinnati,and who advanced past Emma Navarro in straight sets on Thursday.Sabalenka has only dropped one set this US Open, after not participating in the Olympics. The Belarusian will be looking for her second-ever Grand Slam title after coming up just short against Coco Gauff in New York in 2023.
"Hopefully I can get some revenge out here," said Pegula.