Erin Foley
🥎 The Women’s College World Series kicks off today in Oklahoma City and I will be there, tube socks pulled high, living my best life. All eight teams play today: Texas Tech vs. Mississippi State, Texas vs. Tennessee, Alabama vs. UCLA, and Nebraska vs. Arkansas. The feel-good story of the championships so far is Mississippi State. The Bulldogs are making their first-ever WCWS appearance after doing the unthinkable: knocking out powerhouse Oklahoma, who hadn't missed the WCWS since 2015. And here's the thing: Mississippi State head coach Samantha Ricketts played at Oklahoma and then coached there as a graduate assistant under Patty Gasso. She learned from the best and then used it to beat her. That's cold! And everyone can get behind the team's rallying cry: an underdog is still a dog. My team is UCLA but M State is a close second. I have waited a long time to check this bucket list item off. LFG!
🎾 Is it the French Open or the Met Gala? Both! Naomi Osaka showed up to her first round match at Roland Garros in a custom couture gown and then quickly sent her opponent packing — for a new lewk. It's non-stop action on and off the court as the French Open heads into its first full weekend, with the upsets already rolling in. Fifth seed Jessica Pegula and Emma Raducanu are both already home. First round exits. This is what clay does. And yes, some of these matches are in the middle of the night but it's worth setting your alarm to see the play and the fits. TNT, truTV, and Max has the coverage.
⚽️ If you love soccer, this weekend was made for you. All NWSL teams are in action for the last time before the league takes a month-long break, and that's just the start. TST, The Soccer Tournament, is back. Dubbed the Coachella of soccer, it's a 7-on-7 festival happening right now through June 1 in Cary, North Carolina, with three $1 million winner-take-all prizes on the line. Every match ends on a goal. That's the rule. The two-time defending champs are US Women, a squad of USWNT legends including Heather O'Reilly, Jessica McDonald, and Allie Long, with Storied Sports' own Michelle Akers on the coaching staff. Also in the field: Hope Solo's team, Solo FC, back with unfinished business after falling in the quarterfinals last year. Catch it on NBC and Peacock.
