National Sports

(NEW YORK) -- Here are the scores from Monday's sports events:

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

INTERLEAGUE
Atlanta 6, Houston 1
St. Louis 3, Oakland 1
Seattle 9 Cincinnati 3

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Cleveland 6, Boston 0
Texas 1, Detroit 0
Baltimore 7, Minnesota 4
LA Angels 7, Tampa Bay 3
Toronto 3, NY Yankees 1
Kansas City 2, Chi White Sox 0

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Chi Cubs 3, Arizona 2 (11)
Washington 6, LA Dodgers 4
San Francisco 4, Miami 3
Philadelphia 2, Colorado 1
NY Mets 6, Pittsburgh 3
San Diego 7, Milwaukee 3

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
NY Islanders 4, New Jersey 1
Buffalo 4, Tampa Bay 2
Washington 2, Boston 0
Pittsburgh 4, Nashville 2
Detroit 5, Montreal 4 (OT)
NY Rangers 4, Ottawa 0
Edmonton 9, San Jose 2
Minnesota 3, Los Angeles 1

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) -- The highly anticipated 2024 WNBA draft is finally here. Like many fans, players will anxiously await to hear their name called on Monday night at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York.

In 2023, the league broke records in ticket sales with back-to-back WNBA champions, the Las Vegas Aces, reporting sold-out games throughout the season and viewership with the WNBA reporting over 36 million total unique viewers across all national networks during the regular season.

The women's NCAA championship game earlier this month outdrew the men's with an average of 18.9 million viewers, according to ESPN.

With some of women’s college basketball players being newcomers, the league is anticipating bigger turnouts than ever before. Here are six players to watch ahead of the WNBA draft.

1. Caitlin Clark

Caitlin Clark is known for her jaw-dropping 3-pointers and record-breaking scoring. The University of Iowa star declared for the WNBA draft in February in a social media post. Clark, 22, is projected to be the No. 1 overall pick by the Indiana Fever, according to ESPN. I

Iowa announced it will be retiring Clark’s jersey, No. 22, later this season. The Fever is also reporting increased ticket sales and the league will broadcast 36 of their 40 games this season.

2. Cameron Brink

Hailing from Beaverton, Oregon, and standing at 6-foot-4, Cameron Brink is a force to be reckoned with in the post. Brink became the first women's basketball player to sign an NIL deal with New Balance in 2023. Brink broke the program record for career blocks as a junior and won an NCAA championship with Stanford in 2021 under Tara VanDerveer, the winningest coach of all time who also announced her retirement after this season.

The 22-year-old is expected to be the No. 2 overall pick in this year's draft with the Los Angeles Sparks, according to ESPN.

3. Kamilla Cardoso

At just 15 years old, Kamilla Cardoso left her home in Montes Claros, Brazil, and moved to the U.S. alone. Her goal was to play basketball in college and reach the WNBA. The 6-foot-7 star began her basketball career at Syracuse and later transferred to South Carolina, where she won two NCAA national championships. After a masterful performance in the NCAA Tournament, the 22-year-old was awarded the most outstanding player in this year's championship game.

Cardoso is expected to be the No. 3 overall draft pick for the Chicago Sky, according to ESPN. She will be featured in a documentary alongside Clark coming this May.

4. Rickea Jackson

Though you don't hear the name often, 23-year-old Rickea Jackon's calm and poised demeanor on the court should not go unnoticed. Hailing from Detroit, Jackson was a finalist for the Cheryl Miller Award as Division I’s best small forward while playing for Tennessee, according to the WNBA, and is the fourth-leading scorer in Lady Vol’s program history.

The 6-foot-2 forward has name, image and likeness deals with Burt’s Bees and Bojangles. She is projected to be the No. 4 overall pick for the Los Angeles Sparks. according to ESPN.

5. Aaliyah Edwards

Playing under UConn head coach Geno Auriemma is no easy task. The 6-foot-4 forward from Kingston, Ontario, helped UConn to three NCAA Final Four appearances. Edwards was the youngest member of the Canadian women’s national team at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, according to the WNBA.

Edwards signed an NIL deal with adidas Canada, becoming the first NIL athlete of the global sports brand's Canadian division, according to the WNBA. She is projected to be selected No. 5 to the Dallas Wings, according to ESPN.

6. Angel Reese

The Baltimore native turned "Bayou Barbie" became a sensation following Louisiana State University’s victory over Iowa in the 2023 NCAA women’s basketball championship. Angel Reese, the 2024 SEC player of the year, made her WNBA draft announcement in style -- with a feature in Vogue magazine. With nearly 3 million followers and big NIL deals, the 6-foot-3 forward has captivated the world at the intersection of sports and fashion. She is projected to be selected No. 8 by the Chicago Sky, according to ESPN.

The WNBA draft will begin at 7:30 p.m. ET and can be streamed on ESPN.

The Walt Disney Co. is the parent company of ABC News, Good Morning America and ESPN.

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(NEW YORK) -- WNBA star Brittney Griner and wife Cherelle Griner are expecting a baby, according to a shared post on each of their Instagrams.

"Can’t believe we’re less than three months away from meeting our favorite human being," read the caption of the post, including the hashtags "#BabyGrinerComingSoon #July2024," indicating a summer due date.

The post was accompanied with a photo of the couple holding hands with matching tattoos, on top of a series of photographs showing ultrasound photos.

The couple met at Baylor University where Brittney Griner was a star college basketball player before being drafted as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 WNBA draft.

The announcement comes over one year since Brittney Griner was released from a Russian prison on December 8 2022 after a 10-month detainment. Cherelle Griner, a lawyer, played a role in her wife’s release from Russia, speaking out on the topic often and communicating with President Joe Biden.

Brittney, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, plays for the Phoenix Mercury.

Earlier this year, "Good Morning America" co-anchor Robin Roberts announced she will sit down for an exclusive first interview with Brittney this spring to discuss the athlete's new book, "Coming Home," her experience in Russia and the process of re-entering her life in the United States.

Britney's memoir is set to hit shelves on May 7.

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(NEW YORK) -- Here are the scores from Sunday's sports events:

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

INTERLEAGUE
Tampa Bay 9, San Francisco 4
NY Mets 2, Kansas City 1
Toronto 5, Colorado 0
Baltimore 6, Milwaukee 4
Cincinnati 11, Chi White Sox 4
Chi Cubs 3, Seattle 2
Oakland 7, Washington 6

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Detroit 4, Minnesota 3
Boston 5, LA Angels 4
Houston 8, Texas 5
Cleveland 8, NY Yankees 7

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Pittsburgh 9, Philadelphia 2
Atlanta 9, Miami 7
Arizona 5, St. Louis 0
San Diego 6, LA Dodgers 3

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Charlotte 120, Cleveland 110
Boston 132, Washington 122
Philadelphia 107, Brooklyn 86
Indiana 157, Atlanta 115
Miami 118, Toronto 103
Orlando 113, Milwaukee 88
New York 120, Chicago 119 (OT)
San Antonio 123, Detroit 95
Houston 116, LA Clippers 105
Oklahoma City 135, Dallas 86
Golden State 123, Utah 116
Sacramento 121, Portland 82
Denver 126, Memphis 111
Phoenix 125, Minnesota 106
LA Lakers 124, New Orleans 108

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
St. Louis 4 Seattle 1
Vegas 4, Colorado 3 (OT)
Carolina 4, Chicago 2
Calgary 6, Arizona 5

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
Philadelphia 2, Atlanta 2 (Tie)
St Louis City 1, Austin FC 0

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(NEW YORK) -- As women continue to break barriers in the motorsport industry, one woman hopes to become a Formula One driver.

In the sport's nearly 75-year history, only two women have qualified for Formula One, and only one driver, Lella Lombardi, scored points during a race in 1975.

Now in 2024, some say the industry is changing as more women are competing alongside men on the tracks. Jamie Chadwick, 25, a seasoned Andretti Global driver, is currently in her sophomore year in the sport. She has been making strides in the Indy NXT circuit, showcasing her skills and determination. However, her sights are set on a bigger challenge: racing in Formula One.

"My ultimate goal is obviously Formula One," Chadwick told ABC News. "It is one of the hardest sports in the world, in my opinion. So I'm under no illusions as to what it takes to get to that point. But I strongly believe if I can get good results in Indy next, ultimately I want to go to potentially IndyCar next, which is the step just above Indy NXT."

Chadwick is a three-time W Series champion. Before it ended in 2023, the W Series was a fully funded, all-female driver league. After the end of the W series, she joined Indy NXT, where women compete alongside men.

Chadwick also spoke to ABC News about her love of the sport and how she got started.

"Before I got into racing, I was described as quite a big tomboy. And having an older brother, I was very competitive with him. Everything he would do, I would want to do. As soon as he started racing, it was quite a big decision, or obvious decision, for me to kind of follow into it. And from there, yeah, I just fell in love with the sport."

According to IndyCar, Chadwick finished 12th in last year's drivers' standings and was the fourth best-placed rookie. Chadwick told ABC News that if she wins every race this year and next, there's no reason she couldn't be in Formula One. Chadwick would become the first woman in decades to race in Formula One, which saw its inaugural season in 1950. But Chadwick says the historic feat isn't necessarily a good thing.

"The accolades don't mean a huge amount," Chadwick said. "I don't care so much for being the first woman to do anything. I don't see that as being necessarily a compliment. I see it as a negative thing because really, there is no reason why I should be the first woman to do all these things."

Although motorsports is one of the few sports that allows both genders to compete, less than 10% of all participants are female, according to the non-profit organization More Than Equal. The organization cited that the physical demand of the sport, lack of opportunities to train, minimal female sponsorships, and expenses remain as potential barriers for young women wanting to race.

The CEO of More Than Equal, Ali Donnelly, told ABC News, "We found in our research that girls really struggle to pick up the funding required, whether it's from sponsors or investors, because that path hasn't been laid. Jamie Chadwick, for example, for a sponsor, (or) a backer, it's really a risk to take on a girl."

"Cars are designed to cater to the needs of the average male driver," Chadwick said. "So actually, as a smaller person, it's been a challenge to get strong enough to be fit enough to actually just drive the cars."

According to Chadwick, the cost of breaking into the sport alone can dissuade female participants. "I think the sport definitely isn't the most accessible. It's an expensive sport to get into. It costs money. I don't think that's going to change overnight."

To combat the challenges young girls will face entering the sport, Chadwick launched 'The Jamie Chadwick Series' with Daytona Motorsport to help future drivers overcome some of these barriers. "There's a lot of initiatives going on, but there isn't really anything tackling absolute grassroots level," Chadwick said. Most drivers enter the sport through karting and progress from there if they receive funding.

With this program, Chadwick will introduce participants to karting and mentor them throughout the year, and the winner will receive financial support to advance to the next level of their career, according to the Daytona.uk site.

"In my opinion, there is no reason why it's so male dominated," Chadwick said. "It shouldn't be. It can be a sport that is really open to all."

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) -- Here are the scores from Thursday's sports events:

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Minnesota at Detroit (Postponed)
Kansas City 13, Houston 3
Oakland 1, Texas 0
Baltimore 9, Boston 4

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Milwaukee at Cincinnati (Postponed)
NY Mets 16, Atlanta 4
Philadelphia 5, Pittsburgh 1

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Chicago 127, Detroit 105
New York 118, Boston 109
Utah 124, Houston 121
Golden State 100, Portland 92
New Orleans 135, Sacramento 123

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
San Jose 3, Seattle 1
Los Angeles 4 Calgary 1
Florida 4, Columbus 0
Buffalo 4, Washington 2
Philadelphia 4, NY Rangers 1
New Jersey 6, Toronto 5
Pittsburgh 6, Detroit 5 (OT)
Ottawa 3, Tampa Bay 2 (SO)
NY Islanders 3, Montreal 2 (OT)
Winnipeg 3, Dallas 0

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(LOS ANGELES, Calif.) -- The former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani now faces federal charges over allegations he stole millions from MLB's highest-paid player in a gambling scheme, the Department of Justice announced Thursday.

Ippei Mizuhara has been charged with bank fraud for allegedly stealing more than $16 million from Ohtani to "finance his voracious appetite for illegal sports betting," United States Attorney Martin Estrada said during a press briefing.

Estrada claimed Mizuhara committed fraud on a "massive scale" to "plunder" Ohtani's bank account to pay for his gambling debts.

Mizuhara had helped Ohtani, who did not speak or understand English, set up his bank account in 2018 in Arizona and "used that familiarity" to later steal the funds from Ohtani to help pay for illegal sports bets, the DOJ alleged. He is accused of wiring more than $16 million in unauthorized transfers from Ohtani's checking account from November 2021 to January 2024, the DOJ said. He is also accused of impersonating Ohtani over the phone with the bank to approve wire transfers to the bookmakers, the DOJ said.

Federal prosecutors announced Thursday afternoon that Mizuhara is expected to self-surrender to federal authorities on Friday. He will likely make his initial court appearance sometime after 5 p.m. ET at federal court in Downtown Los Angeles. Mizuhara will not be asked to enter a plea, the officials said, and he will appear and likely be released on bond.

Estrada stressed that Ohtani is considered a victim in the case and has cooperated "fully and completely" in the investigation.

"There is no evidence to indicate that Mr. Ohtani authorized the over $16 million of transfers from his account to the bookmakers," Estrada said.

Any winnings were deposited in Mizuhara's own personal bank account, not any account owned by Ohtani, and the ex-interpreter allegedly admitted to a bookmaker to stealing from Ohtani, according to Estrada. Ohtani also provided his cellphone to investigators, who did not find any evidence to suggest that he was aware of or involved in the illegal gambling activity, the DOJ said.

"Our investigation has revealed that due to the position of trust that he occupied with Mr. Ohtani, Mr. Mizuhara had unique access to Mr. Ohtani's finances," Estrada said. "Mr. Mizuhara used and abused that position of trust in order to take advantage of Mr. Ohtani."

Bank fraud carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, Estrada said.

The federal investigation is being conducted by the Los Angeles offices of IRS Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations, the main investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The Dodgers announced they had fired the Japanese interpreter on March 20, after the gambling controversy surfaced. The team did not provide a specific reason for Mizuhara's termination.

Ohtani addressed the scandal for the first time on March 25 during a press conference. In a prepared statement, Ohtani said through an interpreter, "I am very saddened and shocked that someone who I trusted has done this."

"I never bet on baseball or any other sports," Ohtani continued. "I never asked somebody to do that on my behalf and I have never went through a bookmaker to bet on sports."

The 29-year-old pitching and hitting star, who signed a $700 million deal in the offseason to join the Dodgers, claimed he did not know about Mizuhara's gambling until after a Dodgers game in Korea the prior week.

"Up until a couple days ago, I didn't even know that this was happening," he said at the time.

Mizuhara had worked with the Dodgers as Ohtani's interpreter after serving in the same capacity with the Angels. Ohtani and Mizuhara's relationship dates back to 2013, when Ohtani played for the Nippon-Ham Fighters of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball League and Mizuhara was an interpreter for the team.

Ohtani has been playing for the Dodgers throughout the scandal, batting .333 with three home runs and eight RBIs for National League-leading Los Angeles. He is not pitching this season as he recovers from elbow surgery.

MLB announced it was investigating the situation last month, two days after the Dodgers fired Mizuhara.

ABC News' Alex Stone contributed to this report.

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(DALLAS) -- Dallas Police issued an arrest warrant Wednesday for Kansas City Chiefs player Rashee Rice in connection with his involvement in a multi-car crash that injured four people where he allegedly left the scene.

The police also issued a warrant against Theodore Knox, another driver who was involved in the March 30 crash on the North Central Expressway and allegedly left the scene.

Rice, 23, was driving a leased Lamborghini, and Knox, 21, was driving a Corvette on the highway at high speeds when they "caused a chain reaction collision involving four other vehicles," the police said in a statement.

Both men allegedly left the scene without providing information to the other people involved, police allege.

Four people suffered minor injuries, according to the police.

Rice and Knox were each charged with eight criminal counts including aggravated assault, collision involving serious bodily injury and collision involving injury, according to the warrants.

None of the other passengers in the vehicles involved in the crash will be charged, Dallas Police said.

Rice and Knox were not in custody as of 7 p.m. ET Wednesday, according to the police.

Last week, Rice admitted on an Instagram Story that he was involved in the crash and was cooperating with investigators.

"I sincerely apologize to everyone impacted in Saturday's accident," Rice said in the story.

The Kansas City Chiefs president Mark Donovan told a local radio station last week that the team will "gather the facts and we'll react accordingly," while the NFL said it is monitoring the situation.

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(NEW YORK) -- Stanford women's basketball coach Tara VanDerveer, the NCAA's winningest coach, is set to retire after 38 seasons.

VanDerveer, 70, announced her retirement decision Tuesday, according to Stanford, and described her coaching career as "an unforgettable ride."

"Basketball is the greatest group project there is and I am so incredibly thankful for every person who has supported me and our teams throughout my coaching career," VanDerveer said in a statement. "I've been spoiled to coach the best and brightest at one of the world's foremost institutions for nearly four decades. Coupled with my time at Ohio State and Idaho, and as head coach of the United States National Team, it has been an unforgettable ride."

"The joy for me was in the journey of each season, seeing a group of young women work hard for each other and form an unbreakable bond," VanDerveer continued. "Winning was a byproduct. I've loved the game of basketball since I was a little girl, and it has given me so much throughout my life. I hope I've been able to give at least a little bit back."

VanDerveer has been coaching for the last 45 years and spent the majority of her career at Stanford. During her tenure, VanDerveer saw 1,216 victories and led the Cardinal to three NCAA championship titles in 1990, 1992 and 2021. She also coached the U.S. national team to a gold medal at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.

VanDerveer made history in January, becoming the first coach in the NCAA to win the most games with any team -- women's or men's -- after the Stanford Cardinal beat the Oregon State Beavers 65-56 in a home game.

"I'm most proud of the improvement and just the life impact that Stanford basketball has on the women I coach," VanDerveer told ABC News' Good Morning America at the time. "Basketball is a team sport and obviously I wouldn't have accomplished this without great assistance and great, great, great players."

According to Stanford, VanDerveer will continue to work with the university and advise the school's athletics department. Her last day as a coach will be on May 8, on the anniversary of her Stanford hire date 39 years ago.

Stanford said it is in talks with Kate Paye, who has been a part of VanDerveer's staff for 17 years and played under VanDerveer between 1991 and 1995, to take over the head coaching position for the 2024-2025 season.

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(NEW YORK) -- Here are the scores from Wednesday's sports events:

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

INTERLEAGUE
Minnesota 3, LA Dodgers 2
Miami 5, NY Yankees 2

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Seattle 6, Toronto 1
Tampa Bay 4, LA Angels 2
Cleveland 7, Chi White Sox 6
Baltimore 7, Boston 5
Kansas City 11, Houston 2
Texas 6, Oakland 2

NATIONAL LEAGUE
NY Mets at Atlanta (Postponed)
Philadelphia 4, St. Louis 3
San Francisco 7, Washington 1
Arizona 5, Colorado 3
Milwaukee 7, Cincinnati 2
San Diego 10, Chi Cubs 2

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Cleveland 110, Memphis 98
Charlotte 115, Atlanta 114
Dallas 111, Miami 92
Brooklyn 106, Toronto 102
Oklahoma City 127, San Antonio 89
Milwaukee 117, Orlando 99
Denver 116, Minnesota 107
Phoenix 124, LA Clippers 108

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
St. Louis 5, Chicago 2
Edmonton 5, Vegas 1
Arizona 4, Vancouver 3 (OT)

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) -- Here are the scores from Tuesday's sports events:

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

INTERLEAGUE
Detroit 5, Pittsburgh 3
NY Yankees 3, Miami 2
LA Dodgers 6, Minnesota 3

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Tampa Bay 6, LA Angels 4
Baltimore 7, Boston 1
Chi White Sox 7, Cleveland 5
Toronto 5, Seattle 3
Oakland 4, Texas 3
Kansas City 4, Houston 3

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Washington 5, San Francisco 3
Chi Cubs 5, San Diego 1
Milwaukee 9, Cincinnati 5
Atlanta 6, NY Mets 5
St. Louis 3, Philadelphia 0
Arizona 3, Colorado 2

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Golden State 134, LA Lakers 12
LA Clippers 105, Phoenix 9
New Orleans 110 Portland 100
Dallas 130, Charlotte 104
Philadelphia 120, Detroit 102
Indiana 140, Toronto 123
Milwaukee 104, Boston 91
San Antonio 102, Memphis 87
Miami 117, Atlanta 111 (2OT)
Houston 118, Orlando 106
Minnesota 130, Washington 121
New York 128, Chicago 117
Oklahoma City 112, Sacramento 105
Denver 111, Utah 95

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Colorado 5, Minnesota 2
Seattle 5, Arizona 0
Anaheim 3, Los Angeles 1
Calgary 3 San Jose 2 (OT)
Florida 2, Ottawa 0
Toronto 5, New Jersey 2
Washington 2, Detroit 1
Carolina 4, Boston 1
Montreal 9, Philadelphia 3
Tampa Bay 5, Columbus 2
NY Islanders 4, NY Rangers 2
Winnipeg 4, Nashville 3 (OT)
Dallas 3, Buffalo 2

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(NEW YORK) -- The University of Connecticut Huskies have won the men's college basketball NCAA National Championship.

The Connecticut Huskies beat the Purdue Boilermakers 75-60 Monday night in Glendale, Arizona.

The Huskies' win on Monday night gave them back-to-back national championship wins. They become the first team to do so since Florida in 2006 and 2007.

Tristen Newton of the Huskies led his team through the game, scoring 20 points. Zach Edey was the leading scorer for Purdue.

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(NEW YORK) -- While the 2023-2024 women's college basketball season may be over, the rise in interest in the sport is just beginning.

Women's basketball had a record-breaking year in terms of ticket sales, increased viewership, and even more Name, Image, and Likeness -- or NIL -- deals this past year.

"These are young women who received Title IX on full blast, they had the coaching, the interest from their parents, they are really the product of what this nation has created because of Title IX and how the nation has fallen in love with what it has created," ABC News contributor Christine Brennan told Good Morning America.

All five power conferences reported high ticket sales this season ahead of March Madness.

The University of Iowa alone has seen a 162% increase in average ticket sale prices from last season, according to Vivid Seats, a ticket resale company. Much of that is considered to be due to Iowa's star player, Caitlin Clark, and her NCAA record-breaking scoring this past season; the intense match-ups between Clark and Louisiana State University star Angel Reese; and the highly anticipated return of star opposing players like Paige Bueckers (University of Connecticut) and Kamilla Cardoso (University of South Carolina).

Following the South Carolina Gamecocks' win against Iowa in the NCAA Tournament Championship on Sunday night, South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley credited Clark for a phenomenal season and for helping elevate the sport in the public eye.

"I want to personally thank Caitlin Clark for lifting up our sport," Staley said in her victory speech after Sunday's game. "She carried a heavy load for our sport."

Women's basketball has also seen a surge in viewership.

The Final Four matchup between UConn and Iowa on April 5 garnered 14.2 million viewers -- peaking at 17 million views, breaking ESPN viewership records at the time. Two days later, the NCAA Women's Basketball Final between Iowa and South Carolina garnered 18.7 million viewers, peaking at 24 million and becoming the most-watched women's college basketball game ever, according to ESPN, which cited Nielsen Fast Nationals figures.

Following an Elite 8 rematch between LSU and Iowa on April 1, which garnered an average of 12.3 million viewers, soccer phenom Megan Rapinoe, who won two World Cups with the U.S. women's national team, took to social media to praise the players, past and present.

"Dear Women's Basketball, I, Personally, am not shocked. And STILL, this is the most (incredible thing) to see," Rapinoe wrote in a since-expired Instagram story. "We don't deserve women's basketball. Thank you to all of you, college players and W players and all of them past and present."

Rapinoe continued, also giving a shoutout to partner and basketball legend Sue Bird. 

"We are ALL better off because of you. You all deserve this moment so deeply. Love, Megan," she wrote.

Women have defined the narrative around women in sports -- specifically basketball -- in recent years, with women athletes defying critics by proving themselves competitive, exciting and marketable.

It wasn't long ago when then-University of Oregon women's basketball player Sedona Prince called out the NCAA for discrepancies between the men's teams and the women's teams when it came to their respective weight rooms. Now, major brands and ad agencies are offering more airtime and NIL deals for women players.

NIL deals have become a game-changing contributor to the rising presence of women's basketball. According to Nick DePaula, who covers shoe endorsement deals on the Boardroom show The Sneaker Game and also writes for ESPN, 15 college women athletes are currently signed to nine brands, compared to just three college players on the men's side. These brands include Nike (Clark), Reebok (Reese) and New Balance (Stanford's Cameron Brink).

NBA players are taking notice and investing in women athletes, too. In March, South Carolina freshman guard MiLaysia Fulwiley signed a multi-year NIL shoe deal with four-time NBA Champion Steph Curry under his subsidiary brand with Under Armour.

As Clark, Cardoso and others prepare for the WNBA, the moment for women's hoopers is finally here -- and long overdue. 

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) -- Here are the scores from Monday's sports events:

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

INTERLEAGUE
NY Yankees 7, Miami 0
Pittsburgh 7, Detroit 4
LA Dodgers 4, Minnesota 2

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Cleveland 4, Chi White Sox 0
Toronto 5, Seattle 2
Houston 10, Texas 5
LA Angels 7, Tampa Bay 1

NATIONAL LEAGUE
San Diego 9, Chi Cubs 8
Washington 8, San Francisco 1
Cincinnati 10, Milwaukee 8
Philadelphia 5, St. Louis 3
NY Mets 8, Atlanta 7
Colorado 7, Arizona 5

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Vancouver 4, Vegas 3
Toronto 3, Pittsburgh 2 (OT)

TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
UConn 75, Purdue 60

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(NEW YORK) -- Head coach Dawn Staley's proverbial cup "runneth over" on the court Sunday, overcome with emotion after she led the South Carolina women's basketball team to its third NCAA title.

"The emotions took over -- when you're competing for a national championship, any big goal, you pray, and then you're not supposed to worry. And I did a lot of worrying, but I did a lot of praying," Staley told Good Morning America Monday after the 87-75 win over the Iowa Hawkeyes. "My cup runneth over. And there's not much I could do besides release it through crying and through thanking the Lord for giving us another yet another blessing. I never want to not give him his due because, you know, he's given me uncommon favor."

Since taking over as head coach in 2008, the team has made six Final Four appearances under Staley's leadership. The Gamecocks have notched 109 wins with only three losses in the last three seasons.

Despite being down in the first quarter, Staley was confident in the team she previously called an "unlikely group." The Gamecocks went on to become the first team to win by double digits in a national title game after trailing by double digits earlier in the game.

"I felt it at the very beginning of the season, they said give me three words to describe this team and I said, 'expect the unexpected,'" Staley recalled on GMA, adding, "They have taken us through incredible highs and lows."

She explained that with her own high standards for players, "if you have not come from a standard that's high, you can't possibly give them that standard. You have to meet them and teach them where they need to be. To be respectful to people and respectful to the game of basketball or else, you know, you're not gonna get it. You are not going to meet your mark."

"Luckily, thank God, they got it in time enough to do something about it, and challenge each other to be their best advocates, teammates and critics at the same time," Staley continued.

The championship also marked the final collegiate game for Hawkeyes star guard Caitlin Clark, who broke the all-time NCAA college basketball leading scoring record for men and women this season, and is headed to the WNBA draft.

Staley, who gave a special shoutout to Clark on the court Sunday, called the 22-year-old a "generational talent" on GMA.

"I think she's the sole responsibility of our game being raised to this level of playing, as many women's games basketball games were on national television. ... Every time she plays, she seems to outdo herself. There's not a lot of people that can demand and command that kind of attention, and Caitlin's one of them," Staley said.

"I know her shoulders are heavy because of what she has to give to women's basketball. I just want to say we're thankful. We're thankful that she chose to play basketball. We're thankful for the way she's handled all of it," the coach said."Her next step is the WNBA -- I do think she can be that person that elevates us."

Now that the NCAA season is complete, Staley has her sights set on the summer Olympics in Paris, where she will coach Team USA -- and possibly Clark, who has said she hopes to make the team. Staley previously led the U.S. team to gold in Tokyo in 2021.

Caitlin Clark says she's 'ready for the next chapter' after breaking scoring records, declaring for WNBA draft.

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(CLEVELAND) -- The South Carolina Gamecocks defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes 87-75, to win the NCAA women's basketball championship in Cleveland on Sunday.

The win for the Gamecocks gave them a perfect 38-0 season.

Sunday wrapped up a historical season for women's college basketball, and that particular game marked the end of Iowa player Caitlin Clark's college basketball career.

Clark, who previously announced her intention to enter the WNBA draft, scored 30 points on Sunday.

This is South Carolina's third National title.

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(NEW YORK) -- Here are the scores from Sunday's sports events:

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

INTERLEAGUE
Pittsburgh 3, Baltimore 2
Milwaukee 12, Seattle 4
Tampa Bay 3, Colorado 2

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Cleveland at Minnesota (Postponed)
Oakland 7, Detroit 1
Kansas City 5, Chi White Sox 3
NY Yankees 8, Toronto 3
Boston 12, LA Angels 2
Houston 3, Texas 1

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Atlanta 5, Arizona 2
Washington 3, Philadelphia 2
NY Mets 3, Cincinnati 1
Miami 10, St. Louis 3
Chi Cubs 8, LA Dodgers 1
San Francisco 3, San Diego 2

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
LA Clippers 120, Cleveland 118
Dallas 147, Houston 136 (OT)
Indiana 117, Miami 115
Boston 124, Portland 107
Orlando 113, Chicago 98
Oklahoma City 121, Charlotte 118
New Orleans 113, Phoenix 105
Toronto 130, Washington 122
Final New York 122 Milwaukee 109
Sacramento 107, Brooklyn 77
Philadelphia 133 San Antonio 126 (2OT)
Golden State 118, Utah 110
Minnesota 127, LA Lakers 117

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Detroit 3, Buffalo 1
Minnesota 4, Chicago 0
Carolina 3, Columbus 0
Arizona 5, San Jose 2
Ottawa 3, Washington 2 (OT)
Final N-Y Rangers 5 Montreal 2
Nashville 3 New Jersey 2 (SO)
St. Louis 6, Anaheim 5 (SO)
Dallas 7, Colorado 4

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
Portland 3, Sporting Kansas City 3 (Tie)

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(COEUR d'ALENE, Idaho) -- Video and audio evidence collected by investigators “corroborates” reports that members of the Utah women's basketball team were harassed and subjected to racial slurs during an incident on March 21, 2024, police in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, confirmed Wednesday.

“We’ve identified an audio recording where the use of a racial slur was clearly audible,” police said in a statement Wednesday night. “We’re working to determine the context and conduct associated with its use to determine if it is a violation of the law. While we’re still reviewing evidence, it appears the use of a racial slur occurred more than one time.”

Police also released a photo of a silver car that was in the area at the time of the incident and encouraged anyone with information related to the vehicle to reach out to detectives at the Coeur d’Alene Police Department at 208-769-2320 or to submit a tip online.

Police said on Wednesday that detectives have now “conducted interviews with the involved parties,” and have also collected about 35 hours of surveillance video from businesses in the area as they investigate the incident.

A spokesperson for the Coeur d’Alene Police Department (CAPD) told ABC News on March 27 that local detectives and the FBI, which is “involved” in this case, planned to travel to Utah to interview the players.

The FBI told ABC News on March 27 that they are "aware" of the incident but have not launched an investigation, and added that if “information comes to light of a potential federal violation, the FBI is prepared to investigate.”

A spokesperson for the Utah women’s basketball team told ABC News on Monday that the team is “continuing to work with the authorities who are conducting the investigation and continuing to support our student athletes.”

According to a police report filed on March 21 by Robert Moyer, a witness who identified himself as a team donor who was traveling with the Utah women’s basketball team, the players were targeted twice while arriving at and leaving the Crafted Tap House, where they had dinner.

“Two lifted pickups (NFI) were revving their engines and speeding by the team as they walked down Sherman. The trucks then turned around and came back towards the team and yelled the N-word at them as many of their players are African American,” according to the report. “Robert stated the incident caused a well-founded fear among the players.”

ABC News obtained police body camera video that includes audio of Moyer’s call to 911 asking to meet with police to report the incident and his subsequent conversation with a police officer who arrived at the scene.

The Utah women’s basketball team, which is a part of Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), was in Coeur d’Alene for several days to compete during March Madness, Moyer said, adding that he feared for their safety as they remained in the city after the incident.

“I’m so pissed,” Moyer said, before proceeding to tell a police officer that he wants to file a report after a group of white men “revving their engines” drove down the strip near the Crafted Tap House in Coeur D’Alene and they started “throwing the f-bombs and the n-bombs” at a group of Black female basketball players near the Crafted Tap House.

According to Moyer, the first incident took place at around “6-ish” and the second was at around 8:30 p.m. He said that after harassing the players before they went into the restaurant, the same trucks “were waiting for us to come out” and then did it again.

“That scared them. That scared them a lot,” Moyer said, adding that one of the players was in tears after the incident.

The women's NCAA Tournament is having a big moment that has also been marred by missteps
Asked if he could describe the individuals or the trucks, Moyer said that one of the trucks was white and the trucks were “screamer trucks” that were “jacked up.”

The police officer confirmed to Moyer that he has written up a report and the incident is on record and encouraged Moyer to call the police if anything else takes place during their stay in Coeur D’Alene.

“If we hear that stuff and it’s in our presence, we will absolutely take them to jail, the officer said.

While the players have not spoken out publicly about the incident, Utah's women's basketball head coach Lynne Roberts addressed it during a post-game press conference on March 25.

"We had several instances of some kind of racial hate crimes towards our program and [it was] incredibly upsetting for all of us," Roberts said. "Racism is real, and it happens, and it's awful."

The NCAA told ABC News in a statement on March 27 that the league is “devastated” by the incident.

“The NCAA condemns racism and hatred in any form and is committed to providing a world-class athletics and academic experience for student-athletes that fosters lifelong well-being,” the statement said. “NCAA championship events represent the pinnacle of a student-athlete’s collegiate career.”

ABC News' Jade Lawson and Luke Barr contributed to this report.

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(NEW YORK) -- Here are the scores from Wednesday's sports events:

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

INTERLEAGUE
Detroit at NY Mets (Postponed)
Atlanta at Chi White Sox (Postponed)
LA Angels 10, Miami 2
Minnesota 7, Milwaukee 3
NY Yankees 6, Arizona 5

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Texas 4, Tampa Bay 1
Baltimore 4, Kansas City 3
Boston 1, Oakland 0
Cleveland 8, Seattle 0
Houston 8, Toronto 0

NATIONAL LEAGUE
LA Dodgers 5, San Francisco 4
Cincinnati 4, Philadelphia 1
San Diego 3, St. Louis 2
Washington 5, Pittsburgh 3
Chi Cubs 9, Colorado 8

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Portland 89, Charlotte 86
LA Lakers 125, Washington 120
Atlanta 121, Detroit 113
Boston 135, Oklahoma City 100
Brooklyn 115, Indiana 111
Minnesota 133, Toronto 85
Memphis 111, Milwaukee 101
Orlando 117, New Orleans 108
Phoenix 122, Cleveland 101

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Vancouver 2, Arizona 1
Tampa Bay 4, Toronto 1
NY Rangers 4, New Jersey 3
Los Angeles 5, Seattle 2
Dallas 5, Edmonton 0

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(NEW YORK) -- Ronda Rousey, UFC champion, shares her story in her new book, Our Fight: A Memoir. The book reflects on her rise to the top of the sports world, her lowest moments and the lessons she learned along the way.

In her memoir, Rousey recalls dealing with concussions for a decade. She had to change her fighting style to prevent getting hit and, until now, she remained silent about the details of her struggles.

Rousey also opens up about her journey into motherhood and her fervent desire to shield her family from the public eye. In her book she admits to becoming "addicted" to the online world, a struggle which, at times, drew her focus away from her family.

Rousey is a former judoka and mixed martial artist who became a professional wrestler and actress. She became the first American woman to win a bronze medal in judo at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

She sat down with ABC News Live to discuss her family, her career and reveal where she's currently working as an intern.

ABC NEWS LIVE: She has been described as the world's most dominant athlete, knocking out barriers and setting records. In her new memoir, "Our Fight," UFC and WWE champion Ronda Rousey chronicles her journey to the top and back from her lowest point as she reflects on the losses and the lessons experienced along the way. Joining us now is UFC Hall of Famer Ronda Rousey. Thank you so much for being with us.

RONDA ROUSEY: Thank you for having me and for such a kind introduction.

ABC NEWS: Oh, no, it is a pleasure. And I read a lot of this book over the weekend. I was, I was gripped by it. You are already a bestselling author. You have dabbled in acting. You are obviously a Hall of Famer. What made you want to come out and write this book now? I know you say you wanted to be in your own words.

ROUSEY: Yeah, I just had so many things I couldn't talk about until now, namely my concussion history. Where in my judo career out of like ten years, I had concussion symptoms more often than not. This is before all the research about CTE and everything was out.

And so by the time that I got into MMA, every time you get a concussion, it's easier to get another one. And, I quickly discovered in MMA any kind of significant strike, I'd be seeing stars, getting concussion symptoms. So I had to develop a system of fighting that was more efficient than anything I had ever seen before. So I would not get, not get touched at all because I just knew I couldn't take that kind of damage. And, it just continued to get worse and worse.

You know, I, I had matches, I was winning in less than a minute, you know, 16, 14 seconds. But there's 50 rounds of sparring that goes into every one of those matches. And, it started to get to the point where, like the lightest jabs or touches were giving me concussion symptoms.

And then, it all came to a head, right before the home fight. I slipped down some stairs, knocked myself out, tore out my knee, went into that that, that match already concussed and, had had the wrong mouth guard. It was like the terrible, horrible, no good day.

ABC NEWS: A confluence of bad factors, yeah.

ROUSEY: My mouth guard didn't have, like, a back to the bottom teeth. And the first time I got touched all like my, all my bottom teeth got knocked loose and I was, I was completely out on my feet and concussed. And, I basically like I, it's hard to describe what it's like. It's like you have photo vision. Like someone just took a picture of you, like, there's big splotches in your vision. And like, the world is, like, two dimensional, like you can't see distance between things.

And so, the whole fight, I was just trying to come forward because I can't really go backward.

ABC NEWS: Do you feel like your industry took the concussion seriously enough at the time?

ROUSEY: I think they did. So much so that I didn't want to say anything to my my coach or Dana about it because I thought they would make me stop and I wasn't ready to stop. I thought I could just continue to be perfect forever, that I could continue to win without being touched forever.

ABC NEWS: One of the things that is so touching about this book is your vulnerability. We see this beautiful picture of you on the back of your book with your daughter in an embrace. How has motherhood changed this chapter of your life?

ROUSEY: It's just changed my perspective on so many things and so many frivolous things that I would let myself be consumed with. She doesn't let me.

And she puts in perspective what, what's really important. And that's her. And it's hard for me to, like, ruminate and dwell on things when I'm getting, like, puked on and getting my hair pulled. The cutest thing I've ever seen is happening in front of me at the same time. So she she forces me to be in the present, which is what I, I learned is what I need to appreciate the most.

ABC NEWS: It seems like nature has such a central role for you and healing. I know that in the book you talk about how your husband whisked you away to a campsite when you were at your lowest point. So has farming sort of brought out some resilience in you and a different side of you?

ROUSEY: I think it's just, it's something that's self validating and it makes me happy without anyone having to see it and appreciate it. And it's nothing that I feel like I'm pandering to anyone or trying to impress anyone. I'm just trying to make these, these animals' day a little bit better, their lives better, and give them a life worth living and, you know, feed my family and help the the land that they're on. And it's just, a virtuous circle where, you know, it's, and just the act in itself is a reward.

ABC NEWS: I can't let you go without asking what comes next. Now you have two books. Your multi-hyphenate and so many industries. What's next?

ROUSEY: Oh, God. Oh, we get into it in the book a little bit because I wrote this. And the first one, with my sister, I've gotten like, more into creative writing and stuff like that. So I started writing screenplays just for fun.

My my mom would write fantasy novels as a hobby when since forever, and would give them to us to read. And it was such like a fascinating, fascinating insight into her. And you read that, you're like, oh my God, this is so mom.

And so, I've started writing a lot creatively. I'm an intern at the WME story department. I like read and write coverages of scripts and things. And my first comic book is coming out soon, and, it's just stuff that I really enjoy and I'm a big nerd for. And it's not something to, to impress anybody. But the act in itself is so rewarding for me. So I do it.

ABC NEWS: Well, thank you so much. You're such a beacon of strength for so many out there. Ronda Rousey's book "Our Fight," her memoir, is out tomorrow. I suggest you go and get it.

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