Erin Achenbach Articles - Page 6

Duke women’s basketball capped a statement weekend with a 76-62 win over No. 7 NC State on Sunday, securing the program’s first ACC Tournament championship since 2013 and the first under head coach Kara Lawson. The third-seeded Blue Devils (26-7) avenged all four of their regular-season conference losses during the tournament, defeating Louisville, Notre Dame […]

South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley said her team is playing its best basketball of the season ahead of Sunday’s SEC Tournament title game against No. 1 Texas. The fifth-ranked Gamecocks (29-3) are seeking their third straight conference tournament championship and fifth in six seasons. “I think we’re playing our best basketball, individually and […]

USC women’s basketball head coach Lindsay Gottlieb praised the competitive drive of her top players like JuJu Watkins and Kiki Iriafen ahead of Sunday’s Big Ten championship game against rival UCLA, emphasizing the qualities that have carried the Trojans through their conference tournament run. “I think our players are insanely competitive and they do have […]

Baylor women’s basketball player Aaronette Vonleh delivered a career-best performance in the Big 12 Tournament semifinals, scoring 37 points to lead No. 17 Baylor past No. 21 Oklahoma State, 84-74, in overtime on Saturday. Now, the Bears turn their attention to No. 8 TCU in the championship game Sunday. Vonleh is confident in her teammates’ […]

Auburn fired women’s basketball coach Johnnie Harris on Thursday, a day after the Tigers lost 60-50 to Florida in the first round of the SEC Tournament. The decision came after a disappointing season in which Auburn finished 12-18 overall and 3-13 in SEC play. Athletic director John Cohen expressed appreciation for Harris’ efforts but said […]

The WTA announced a groundbreaking maternity benefits program Thursday, offering financial support for players who become parents. The initiative, backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), provides 12 months of paid maternity leave for pregnant players and two months of paid leave for those who become parents via partner pregnancy, surrogacy or adoption. “Independent […]

Vanderbilt women’s basketball advanced to the SEC Tournament quarterfinals for the first time since the 2015-16 season with an 84-76 win over No. 18 Tennessee on Thursday. The win marked the first time in program history that the Commodores defeated the Lady Vols twice in a single season. Head coach Shea Ralph, however, wasn’t surprised, […]

No, 9 seed Tennessee women’s basketball suffered an 84-76 loss to No. 8 seed Vanderbilt in the second round of the SEC Tournament on Thursday, marking the first time in program history that the Commodores defeated the Lady Vols twice in a single season. Tennessee head coach Kim Caldwell attributed the loss to fatigue and […]

TCU women’s basketball enters the Big 12 Tournament as the No. 1 seed after securing the regular-season title, marking a historic achievement for the Horned Frogs program. Head coach Mark Campbell believes his team has proven itself as one of the best in the nation but knows there is still work to be done. “There’s […]

USC women’s basketball enters the Big Ten Tournament as the top seed after sweeping rival UCLA and winning the regular-season title. Despite their success, head coach Lindsay Gottlieb is urging her team to stay focused on the immediate challenge rather than looking ahead to a potential rematch with UCLA in Sunday’s championship game. “You’ve got […]

Tennis legend Serena Williams is expanding her investment in women’s sports, joining the ownership group of the WNBA’s newest franchise, the Toronto Tempo. The team, set to begin play in 2026, announced Williams’ involvement Wednesday. Williams emphasized the importance of investing in female athletes and sees her role with the Tempo as an opportunity to […]

New York Liberty star and 2024 WNBA champion Sabrina Ionescu is expanding her influence in professional sports, joining NWSL club Bay FC as an investor and “official commercial advisor,” the club announced Monday. Ionescu sees this as more than a financial opportunity, emphasizing the importance of direct involvement in the club’s growth. “I whole-heartedly understand […]

No. 18 Tennessee women’s basketball suffered a setback Sunday, falling 72-69 to Georgia in its regular-season finale. Lady Vols coach Kim Caldwell did not hide her frustration with her team’s performance. “Incredibly disappointing, that was our response,” Caldwell said, as reported by Cora Hall of the Knoxville News Sentinel. The Lady Vols (21-8, 8-8 SEC) […]

LSU women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey pointed to turnovers as the decisive factor in No. 7 LSU’s 85-77 loss to Ole Miss on Sunday. The Tigers surrendered a 15-point third-quarter lead as the Rebels capitalized on mistakes, scoring 27 points off 23 LSU turnovers to secure the upset in Baton Rouge. “That’s really what cost […]

Hailey Van Lith and the TCU women’s basketball team made history Sunday, securing the Horned Frogs’ first-ever Big 12 regular-season championship with a 51-48 win over No. 17 Baylor. The 10th-ranked Horned Frogs, led by second-year head coach Mark Campbell, completed an impressive turnaround season, finishing 28-3 overall and 16-2 in conference play. Following the […]

Former UConn women’s basketball player Nika Mühl, now with the WNBA’s Seattle Storm, returned to Gampel Pavilion on Sunday to support Paige Bueckers and the Huskies’ senior class during their final regular-season game. Mühl, who played for UConn from 2020-2024, watched from the stands as the No. 5 Huskies cruised to a 92-57 victory over […]

USC women’s basketball star JuJu Watkins’ dominant performance in the No. 4 Trojan’s 80-67 victory over No. 2 UCLA on Saturday night caught the attention of basketball legend Magic Johnson, who was among those praising the Trojans’ star after the game. Johnson, a longtime supporter of Los Angeles basketball, acknowledged Watkins on social media following […]

JuJu Watkins continued her dominance against UCLA women’s basketball, scoring 30 points in No. 4 USC’s 80-67 win over the No. 2 Bruins on Saturday night. The win secured USC’s first Big Ten regular-season title in its debut season and extended Watkins’ historic streak against UCLA,  that which reflects an historic streak set by former […]

USC women’s basketball coach Lindsay Gottlieb had high praise for star JuJu Watkins following the Trojans’ 80-67 win over No. 2 UCLA on Saturday night, calling her a player with “stuff no one can teach.” Watkins led No. 4 USC (26-2, 17-1 Big Ten) to its first Big Ten regular-season title, scoring 30 points while […]

JuJu Watkins delivered another dominant performance as No. 4 USC women’s basketball defeated No. 2 UCLA 80-67 on Saturday night, clinching the Trojans’ first Big Ten regular-season title in their debut season. After the game, Watkins acknowledged that playing against the Bruins provided extra motivation. “That did fire me up,” Watkins said with a smile […]

USC women’s basketball took a lighthearted jab at NBA Hall of Famer Reggie Miller after the Trojans’ 80-67 win over No. 2 UCLA on Saturday night, a win that secured their first Big Ten regular-season title. Miller, a UCLA alum, attended the game at Pauley Pavilion alongside his sister Cheryl Miller, a USC legend and […]

No. 3 UCLA women’s basketball survived a late push from Iowa to secure a 67-65 comeback victory on Sunday, and Bruins star center Lauren Betts reflected on the experience of playing in a high-stakes environment. “I have watched Iowa for a really long time, great team,” Betts said, as reported by Ethan Petrik of the […]

USC women’s basketball coach Lindsay Gottlieb praised the dominance of JuJu Watkins and Kiki Iriafen following the Trojans’ 83-75 win over No. 22 Michigan State on Wednesday night, calling them the best duo in the country. Watkins scored 28 points, and Iriafen added 24 points and 10 rebounds as No. 4 USC improved to 24-2 […]

Notre Dame women’s basketball head coach Niele Ivey reflected on the “special moment” she shared with her team after the Fighting Irish claimed the No. 1 spot in the Associated Press women’s basketball poll for the first time since 2019. The ranking was announced ahead of Notre Dame’s 64-49 win over No. 11 Duke on […]

Seattle Storm head coach Noelle Quinn defended the organization’s handling of a recent bullying investigation, stating that the team took the appropriate steps throughout the process. “I believe that the organization did the right thing,” Quinn said, as reported by Kevin Pelton of ESPN. “Throughout this entire process, the communication level was tremendously high. I […]

Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier has called on NBA players to step up and compete in one-on-one matchups, suggesting that the format could add excitement to the league’s All-Star Weekend. Collier, speaking with Chiney Ogwumike, reflected on her success in Unrivaled’s 1-on-1 tournament and the possibility of the NBA adopting a similar event. “I thought […]

Vanderbilt women’s basketball freshman Mikayla Blakes set a Division I women’s basketball freshman scoring record, again posting a plus 50-point game with 55 points in a 98-88 overtime win against Auburn on Sunday. The performance passed the previous record of 54 points, set by WNBA star Elena Delle Donne as a redshirt freshman at Delaware […]

Top-ranked UCLA women’s basketball narrowly avoided its second straight loss, defeating No. 22 Michigan State 75-69 on Sunday night despite playing without starting center Lauren Betts, who is out day-to-day with a foot injury. Timea Gardiner’s go-ahead three-pointer with 44 seconds remaining helped the Bruins (24-1, 12-1 Big Ten) pull ahead late. Kiki Rice sealed […]

As the WNBA continues its expansion push, Houston and Philadelphia are emerging as likely destinations for future franchises, sources indicate. While Cleveland is reportedly on the verge of securing the WNBA’s 16th team, Houston is “probably the most positioned” to follow, with Philadelphia also viewed as a strong contender. The WNBA’s expansion strategy is centered […]

No. 3 Texas women’s basketball staged a thrilling comeback at home to defeat No. 5 LSU 65-58 on Sunday, overcoming a sluggish first half to secure a statement win in Austin. The win marked Texas’ fourth straight against a top-25 opponent and extended its winning streak to 10 games. Head coach Vic Schaefer had high […]

No. 7 UConn women’s basketball sent a message to the NCAA on Sunday with a crushing 87-58 win over No. 4 South Carolina, snapping the Gamecocks’ 71-game home winning streak at Colonial Life Arena. Geno Auriemma credited the Huskies’ complete team effort, highlighted by a season-high 48 rebounds, as the foundation of the win. “There’s […]

No. 7 UConn women’s basketball secured a statement win Sunday, defeating No. 4 South Carolina 87-58 to snap the Gamecocks’ 71-game home winning streak. Azzi Fudd led the charge for the Huskies with a commanding 28-point performance, cementing the Huskies’ status as a contender heading into March. “We had yet to play a full 40 […]

Golden State Valkyries guard Tiffany Hayes is unbothered by the lack of WNBA presence during this year’s NBA All-Star Weekend, citing the importance of preserving the uniqueness of the WNBA’s own showcase. “I think we’re doing a good job with our All-Star as well,” Hayes said, as reported by Marisa Ingemi of the San Francisco […]

The Golden State Warriors’ Gui Santos is confident the Bay Area will embrace the new WNBA team, the Golden State Valkyries, as the franchise prepares for its 2025 debut. Speaking during NBA All-Star Weekend festivities, Santos emphasized the community’s passion for basketball and the organization’s commitment to ensuring the Valkyries’ success. “They’re going to have […]

No. 20 Oklahoma State women’s basketball fell to BYU 68-64 on Saturday in an upset loss — a situation OSU has typically been on the other side of this season. Oklahoma State head coach Jacie Hoyt attributing the loss to the Cowgirls’ inability to convert shots when it mattered most. “We just weren’t making shots,” […]

No. 4 South Carolina women’s basketball, led by head coach Dawn Staley, bounced back in dominant fashion Thursday night with a 101-63 victory over Florida at Colonial Life Arena. The team improved to 23-2 overall and 11-1 in SEC play, extending their home winning streak to 71 games after the Gamecocks’ tough loss to Texas […]

Olivia Miles tied a Notre Dame women’s basketball record with eight three-pointers in the Fighting Irish’s dominant 88-57 victory over Pittsburgh on Thursday night, marking the team’s 17th consecutive win. Miles credited her confidence and a new perspective developed after her injury for her standout performance. “I think a lot of it is just my […]

JuJu Watkins described Thursday night’s game against No. 1 UCLA women’s basketball as a dream come true after delivering one of the best performances of her young career. The USC women’s basketball sophomore’s 38-point, 11-rebound, five-assist and eight-block game propelled the Trojans to a 71-60 upset over the undefeated Bruins in front of a sold-out […]

UConn women’s basketball star Paige Bueckers had high praise for teammate Azzi Fudd following the Huskies’ 78-40 win over St. John’s at Gampel Pavilion on Wednesday night. Fudd delivered a career-best performance with 34 points, hitting eight 3-pointers and leading UConn to its 13th straight Big East win. “It was really fun to watch just […]