First, stories about NWSL culture, safety, and labor issues: Berman's priorities defector.com/jessica-berm... Heat policy theguardian.com/football/202... Players' unions theguardian.com/football/202... Transphobia & racism defector.com/the-anti-tra...

Now that my final bylines of December have been published, here's a thread of my favorite stories I wrote in 2025. My first months of freelancing full time have been an adventure, to say the least—one that has gone better than I dared to hope when I graduated from college in June. The stories:

Now that my final bylines of December have been published, here's a thread of my favorite stories I wrote in 2025. My first months of freelancing full time have been an adventure, to say the least—one that has gone better than I dared to hope when I graduated from college in June. The stories:

A couple weeks after going to their live podcast taping in San Jose, I spoke with Tobin Heath and Christen Press about their ever-shifting relationship with the public, covering a generation of stars with a quieter approach to politics and labor issues, the NWSL salary cap, and more:

⚽️ Trinity Rodman scored in her return 🏆 The #NWSL Championship served as a fitting conclusion to the league's 12th season 🌎 Summer continental tournaments brought the fireworks Check out the final Part 3️⃣ of The Equalizer's Year in Review!

A couple weeks after going to their live podcast taping in San Jose, I spoke with Tobin Heath and Christen Press about their ever-shifting relationship with the public, covering a generation of stars with a quieter approach to politics and labor issues, the NWSL salary cap, and more:

💰 Atlanta paid BIG for #NWSL Expansion 👏 The legend Lu Barnes announces her retirement 👶 Pregnant players shows NWSL's progress 🇺🇸 16 Players debut for the #USWNT Part 2️⃣ of The Equalizer's Year in Review is here! equalizersoccer.com/2025/12/29/t...

Michelle Agyemang, Vicky López, & Aggie Beever-Jones join the list of HIP-eligible players from ESPN's top players of 2025, released this morning. Their additions only shift the balance further towards Europe. My story for @equalizersoccer.bsky.social has been updated:

99 players qualify for NWSL's new HIP money. Only 16 aren't American or European. I made a list of all the players who are eligible to take advantage of the league's new rule that the NWSLPA seems to hate. (I also made a list of players who don't qualify, but probably, definitely should):

reposting this for no reason at all

Everyone who’s eligible should throw their hat into the ring! Coolest job in the world

Gotham smashed the Washington Spirit's hopes and won their second NWSL championship in three years, as questions about the league's future loom large. My dispatch from San Jose, where I saw the human drama of the final up close:

Gotham smashed the Washington Spirit's hopes and won their second NWSL championship in three years, as questions about the league's future loom large. My dispatch from San Jose, where I saw the human drama of the final up close:

On Media Day, I spoke to former Pitt Panthers Sarah Schupansky and Deborah Abiodun, whose teams face each other in the NWSL final tomorrow. The rookies talked about how proud they are of each other, and how grateful they are for their time in Pittsburgh:

Washington Spirit players were upbeat at their last training before the final. There was almost as much stretching as there was dancing 🎶

Next up, Gotham! First, I talked to Jess Carter and Katie Stengel (separately) about if and how players compare leagues amongst themselves:

NWSL Championship Media Day is a great time to ask players about the upcoming final, but also, literally anything else! Here are some bits from conversations I had with players from the Washington Spirit that range from rather serious to very silly:

Thanks to a $5 million settlement with the NY, DC and IL OAG, the NWSL is required to report their investigations. The semi-annual report and its exhibits give us a teensy bit of transparency into the NWSL’s process. With @dianamoskovitz.bsky.social for Defector! defector.com/nwsl-43-comp...

I repeat

Hi! I wrote a thing about swimming and trans athletes and [*checks notes*] Santana for @defector.com, would mean a lot if you give it a read

I repeat

NWSL players have been swept up into a storm of transphobia and racism. What will the league do about it?

After a spooky loss, a convincing rebound, and a fun romp, the USWNT leaves us with much to consider from its October window. My thoughts on a squad that Emma Hayes says is "starting to look like the team that we are trying to create" www.theguardian.com/football/202...

This is some bullshit on SEVERAL different levels. It conveniently ignores the former openly trans NWSL players because it doesn’t fit the anti-trans/“save women’s sports” propaganda and fuels the hatred towards Black women who play in the NWSL (it wasn’t just Banda who was targeted by those people)

For the WNBPA and the NWSLPA, solidarity is an ethos as well as a strategy. I spoke with leaders from both unions to learn more about the organizations' strong relationship:

Jaedyn Shaw's performances for Gotham have made me gasp and giggle with glee. She can and should be the eye of Gotham's hurricane:

@redford.bsky.social with the ultimate primer on the Free Press, which is the techno-elite's perfect Trojan Horse for evil:

Was thinking about how weird it is that the NWSL teams getting the best results since the summer break are at the top (duh) and bottom (???) of the standings, so I wrote about it. A state-of-the-league analysis as the last quarter of the regular season starts:

The Northern Super League plans to add a seventh team in 2027. I talked with @nsl.ca founder & Chief Growth Officer Diana Matheson to learn more about the expansion process and the state of the young league. For @equalizersoccer.bsky.social:

In my first story for @equalizersoccer.bsky.social, I discussed Jaedyn Shaw's blockbuster move from the NC Courage to Gotham. The sky's the limit for Shaw, and both she and Gotham hope she can answer their bat signal:

The NWSL quietly updated its public-facing extreme heat policy since the Aug 16 delay in KC. The league says the edits aligned the external doc with a change that was implemented internally in 2023; the NWSLPA says it was not aware of the removal of a key clause. My report for the Guardian‬:

Chicago may have beat Seattle 3-3 on Monday, but the Stars could learn a lot from how the Reign has rebuilt from its disastrous 2024. On miracles and effort: defector.com/alyssa-naehe...

Four Al Jazeera staff, including reporter Anas Al Sharif, were killed in an Israeli attack on a tent for journalists outside the main gate of Gaza's al-Shifa hospital aje.io/onll19

I went to the England-Italy Euro semifinal in Geneva yesterday. Still buzzing: defector.com/in-the-face-...

Michelle Cooper is finally having the pro season that her college career suggested she could, and she's earned consistent USWNT call-ups as a result. On the third-year Kansas City Current forward's talents and tenacity: defector.com/michelle-coo...

On a revealing night in San Jose, Jessica Berman made her priorities for the NWSL clear: defector.com/jessica-berm...

For the @mtlgazette.bsky.social, I wrote about the Victoire's devastating elimination from the PWHL playoffs: www.montrealgazette.com/sports/hocke...

The Montreal Victoire finally won a playoff game, and almost killed me along the way. Here's to the stubborn belief of a team that continues to be great when it matters: defector.com/victoire-4ot...

Joy in Montreal as #RosesFC come back to win in their home debut. Goals from Abdu and Boychuck secured the team’s third consecutive three points #NSL

The Vermilion Vanguard is building #AFCToronto's supporter culture from the ground up. I went to Toronto to follow the group as they cheered on their team in the second-ever #NorthernSuperLeague game. My feature on the new supporters' group: defector.com/the-vermilio...

I wrote about Emma Hayes, what she believes, and what I believe about what she believes #USWNT #SheBelievesCup defector.com/emma-hayes-s...

I had a blast talking to Stéphanie Hill and Mara Bouchard, @mcgill.ca grads who will be playing for the Montreal Roses when the Northern Super League kicks off in April. They spoke about why they joined @rosesmtl.ca & what the @nsl.ca means for Canadian soccer #NSL #SLN defector.com/it-changes-e...

Being a part of the Normal Gossip team over the last 3 seasons has been one of the coolest experiences I've ever had. Now, I can't wait to see where Rachelle and Se'era are going to take the show. Hats off to everybody!!! defector.com/welcome-to-t...

Wrote about yesterday's big win for the #orlandopride. My first ever favorite team, home to so many stars over the years but never successful, until now. A club for the rest of the league to take after #VamosPride defector.com/orlando-runs...