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The middle-distance runner reflects on a successful start to the year as he shares an insight into what its like to train alongside a world champion

Tom Keen has had a flying start to 2024 as he ran a 1500m PB of 3:36.34 in Australia this February.

This year, the 22-year-old has embarked on journeys to South Africa, Australia and Boston accompanied by his training partner, Jake Wightman.

Learning from Wightmans lifestyle, including napping more often, the athlete from Cambridgeshire has been able to translate his training into racing something he says he has struggled to do in the last few years.

Keen will compete in his first cross country race of the year as part of the senior mixed relay team at the World Cross in Belgrade this weekend (March 30).

Adam Fogg, Alex Millard and Bethan Morley will make up the team as they try to win Great Britain and Northern Irelands first mixed relay medal at a World Cross.

Although the athlete previously competed for Great Britain as a youth and clinched the European under-18 3000m title, his selection for Belgrade will be the first time he has been selected at a senior level.

After this weekend, Keen hopes to further improve his 1500m PB and reach the European Championships qualifying time, and possibly even the Olympics.

Tom Keen in Watford 2022 (Mark Shearman)

AW chats exclusively to Keen below:

How does it feel to put on your first senior GB vest this weekend and compete in Belgrade?

I havent competed for Britain on a senior level, and I havent competed in the colours for quite a few years now, so it is really exciting to get that opportunity and to race in the relay team.

I am a little bit nervous because if it is a twisty course and hills, I havent done loads of work on that in the last couple of weeks because we have been focusing on indoors a bit more. Ive tried to do a bit of training around it in the last couple of days, I think all will be fine because it is just running at the end of the day.

I know I am in good shape on the track so hopefully that will translate well in cross country.

How will you approach the race?

We have a very strong team so we should be looking at the medals. It depends on what sort of teams the countries field, but I think we will go into it confident thinking we can pick up a medal.

We are quite a young team on the whole and the first global medal for the country in this event would be really cool.

Tom Keen (Mark Shearman)

How do you reflect on the season so far and achieving a 1500m PB?

I had a good camp before Christmas to build a good base and then went to South Africa in January and did some track sessions to prep myself for the indoor season and the outdoor season out in Australia.

I knew I was in good shape but in the last couple of years Ive struggled to translate the training into racing properly so to come out and run a PB in February it was a really positive step forward and Im now really looking forward to the outdoor season.

In both the races I did in Australia, and the indoor in Boston I tried to commit to the race more than I have done in bigger and quicker races recently. I felt I was in good enough shape to do that and hopefully that one of the races would just click and I would be able to stay with the lead group long enough for them to drag me round to a quick time.

The next step is to commit to it and be able to stay with them right on the last lap because in all the races I did I dropped off just before the bell, or just after, so I wasnt really in the race in the last couple 100m. It would be nice to be able to race that last 100m and hopefully get a second or two quicker.

Tom Keen (Mark Shearman)

What is it like to train alongside an athlete like Jake Wightman?

Knowing the calibre of athlete that he is and if I can keep up with him on sessions or just stay close to him then I know I am training well. Ive tried to emulate his professionalism and lifestyle around it as well as the training so hopefully that will improve quite a few things for me.

He does a lot of extra things other than just going down to the track and doing a session, like napping a lot more regularly. Its nice seeing his lifestyle, knowing that he is very professional but at the same time its not an unattainable godly level.

Its nice knowing that it is doable, it is very hard and requires a lot of dedication, but it is definitely a doable lifestyle.


What does an average week of training look like?

In the winter season I will try and average around 75 miles a week. A Monday would be around an eight-mile run and then some drills and sprints in the evening.

Tuesday is a longer session on the roads, Wednesday would be a longer 10 or 11 mile run, and Thursday is another session on the track or a tempo.

I normally have Fridays completely off, but it is something that we are looking to change going into the summer.

Saturday is a hill session and gym, and then Sunday is a long run.

Tom Keen leads Phil Sesemann (Mark Shearman)

Where are you at with the 1500m right now, is that the distance you are staying focused on?

The 1500m will definitely be my main focus for the next couple of seasons but I also want to be in the position where I can run quick enough in the 1500m that it doesnt have to be my soul focus.

At the minute I am still trying to make it to that point where I am a professional runner, and I can get into big races and have quick times without spending the whole season trying chase that.

I would like to do more 800m and be a proper 800m and 1500m guy because I do like the 800m. I do maybe one or two a year and I find them fun and Im not shocking at them.


What are your plans for the 2024 season and what are you aiming towards?

I am planning to go back out to Flagstaff with Jake in April and I will hopefully open up my season in May in LA with a 1500m. Hopefully that will be the one where I can get that European qualifying time ticked off.

It would be great to get the European Championships qualifying time super early in the season. It was a bit gutting to have missed it by so little out in Australia but if I can put myself in with a shot of being selected for those champs in Rome then I would be unbelievably happy with that.

READ MORE: World Cross 2024 news

As far as the rest of the season goes I will see how close I can get to the Olympic time because I dont think I will be a million miles off. Im hoping to use the progress Ive made in February and keep that rolling over. Ill also go to the British Champs and see what happens.

Exeter second row Tuima extends deal until 2026

Published in Rugby
Wednesday, 27 March 2024 05:33

Flexible forward Rusi Tuima has signed a contract extension to keep him with the Exeter Chiefs until 2026.

The 23-year-old has made 11 Premiership appearances this term, helping Exeter into fourth place with five rounds of matches left in the regular season.

Born in Fiji, Tuima represented England at youth level and was called up to the England A squad earlier this year.

"It's an exciting group we've got and the things we've accomplished have been amazing," Tuima told the club website.external-link

Tuima - who has been at Exeter since the age of 13 - has transferred from the back row to second row this season.

He joins second row partner Lewis Pearson, as well as backs Harvey Skinner and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, as some of the first names to be announced as staying at Sandy Park for next season.

Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter said: "This is great news for us. Rusi is a player who is really starting to break through this year.

"We've known for a long time that he's had bags and bags of potential, but he's really taken off this season with us promoting him into the starting line-up in the second row."

Matson to leave Harlequins at end of season

Published in Rugby
Wednesday, 27 March 2024 10:47

Former Harlequins senior coach Tabai Matson will leave the Premiership club at the end of the season.

The 50-year-old coached the Premiership side from 2021 to 2023 before becoming director of performance development.

Quins said ex-New Zealand Under-20s head coach Matson will "focus around supporting the women's programme until the end of the season".

"I have loved my time at Harlequins and have enjoyed the strong culture at the club," Matson told the club website. external-link

"The time is right for me to look to develop my coaching career elsewhere, but I will always retain my passion for Harlequins."

Matson joined the club on the back of their 2020-21 Premiership title win.

Harlequins reached the Premiership semi-finals in his first season, losing to Saracens, before finishing sixth in the table the following year.

He then took on his performance role in 2023, working across the men's and women's programmes.

Quins sit fifth in the Premiership, while the women's team are seventh in Premiership Women's Rugby.

'Big things were ahead' of John McCall - Ferris

Published in Rugby
Wednesday, 27 March 2024 10:13

Stephen Ferris has remembered John McCall as a young man with "the world at his feet".

The Schools' Cup winning captain died on the pitch representing Ireland under-19s in South Africa 20 years ago.

Ferris was a team-mate of McCall's that day in Durban and believes his fellow back-rower possessed vast potential.

"Big things were ahead of him," said the former Ulster, Ireland and Lions flanker.

He added: "He had dreams and aspirations to go on and represent his country at the highest level but unfortunately that wasn't the case."

Only 18-years-old at the time, Ferris says he will never forget the scene at half-time of the game against New Zealand when it became apparent to the squad that something had gone terribly wrong.

"There was a line-out and a ball over the top, both jumpers missed it," Ferris remembered.

"I caught it, went into contact, and a few phases later looked back and saw John was lying on the ground.

"At that stage, nobody had an idea. It was the most bizarre half-time. Allen Clarke was the forwards coach and he said something that will stick with me forever.

"He said 'your colleague and team-mate is currently fighting for his life, go out and make him proud'.

"Straight away we were like 'what? Is he not just knocked out? What the hell is going on?' And then people started asking questions.

"We were told on the pitch that John had died. Literally the final whistle went, we got into a huddle, and we were told. I remember just falling to my knees and burying my head into the turf, balling my eyes out like a three-year-old.

"It's a time you look back on fondly because you got to know John well, you got to be a part of his life, you got to spend time with him, play rugby with him, but it's also a time that you look back and think, jeez, I never want that to happen to anyone else.

"It's mad to think it's 20 years. What could John have gone onto achieve? The world was at his feet, that's for sure. I'm just glad I was able to pick up a rugby ball and play with him."

Ferris was also an Ulster team-mate of Nevin Spence, who died tragically in a farming accident in 2012 and he played against and was coached by Anthony Foley - he passed away in Paris on the eve of taking charge of Munster against Racing 92 in 2016

The anniversary of McCall's passing, and memories of other team-mates or colleagues lost in tragic circumstances, offers Ferris a reminder.

"He (McCall) was so physical, very strong, ultra-fit, but just really unfortunate that he contracted this condition," he said.

"We'll never know what he could have gone on and achieved. A bit like young Nevin Spence, as well. So much ability but life deals you a hand you don't want.

"(He was) someone who was fine, fit and healthy. It just shows that you've got to enjoy your life while you have it. He's a perfect example that if you don't, you could have regrets.

"He certainly didn't have any regrets."

'A real character'

McCall's death came only weeks after he had lifted the Schools' Cup with Royal School Armagh, captaining the side to victory over Campbell College in the final at Ravenhill on St. Patrick's Day 2004.

His coach was former Ireland international Kenny Hooks who, like Ferris, remembers McCall as "a character".

"He was a mature young man," said Hooks. "I still remember standing here the day before he went off to South Africa and he shook my hand, which was unusual for a schoolboy. They wouldn't generally be that formal but he was mature.

"The summer before we went to South Africa and Namibia on tour. The locals hadn't seen anyone with red hair before so he was the centre of attention.

"They all wanted to touch his hair and he just revelled in that. He was quite a character that way."

McCall's death, which followed on so quickly from that of Tyrone GAA's All-Ireland winner Cormac McAnallen the same month, brought the issue of sudden cardiac death in the young and otherwise fit to far greater prominence.

If any good can come from such tragedies, Hooks believes others will have had similar issues detected through increased awareness.

"My own kids were playing rugby in the school at the time and we certainly had them tested to make sure all was well and some at the school sadly found that they had conditions which they had to deal with," he added.

"We have defibrillators up around school and we currently have two kids in school with heart conditions which possibly might not have been detected if not for the awareness that John and his family have created.

"It's nice for some good to come out of a very sad situation."

Road to the Frozen Four: Breaking down the 16-team field

Published in Hockey
Wednesday, 27 March 2024 07:24

The field for the men's NCAA hockey tournament is set, with 16 teams looking to earn a trip to St. Paul, Minnesota, for the Frozen Four.

Regional play begins Thursday and concludes March 31, with the national semifinals set for April 11 and the championship game April 12 at the Xcel Energy Center. Every game of the tournament will be aired on the ESPN family of networks and streamed on ESPN+.

Boston College, the Hockey East champion and No. 1 team much of the season, secured the No. 1 overall seed. The other top seeds are Boston University, Denver and Michigan State.

The tournament champions in Atlantic Hockey, the Big Ten, CCHA, ECAC, Hockey East and NCHC were automatic qualifiers, with the 10 at-large spots determined by the PairWise rankings.

Below is the tournament schedule, which will be updated with results as games are played. (An interactive bracket that will be updated can be found here.) Additionally, we get you ready for the action with a look at the top storylines and players from ESPN college hockey analysts Andrew Raycroft and Sean Ritchlin, and a team-by-team breakdown of the entire field.

Every game of the NCAA men's hockey tournament, including the Frozen Four and championship game, will be available on ESPN+. Subscribe to watch!

Schedule

All times Eastern

Springfield (Massachusetts) Regional

Semifinals, Thursday

No. 1 Denver vs. No. 4 UMass, 2 p.m. (ESPN2)
No. 2 Maine vs. No. 3 Cornell, 5:30 p.m. (ESPNews)

Final, Saturday

Semifinal winners, 4 p.m. (ESPNU)


Sioux Falls (South Dakota) Regional

Semifinals, Thursday

No. 1 Boston University vs. No. 4 RIT, 5 p.m. (ESPNU)
No. 2 Minnesota vs. No. 3 Omaha, 8:30 p.m. (ESPNU)

Final, Saturday

Semifinal winners, 6:30 p.m. (ESPNU)


Providence (Rhode Island) Regional

Semifinals, Friday

No. 1 Boston College vs. No. 4 Michigan Tech, 2 p.m. (ESPNU)
No. 2 Wisconsin vs. No. 3 Quinnipiac, 5:30 p.m. (ESPNews)

Final, March 31

Semifinal winners, 4 p.m. (ESPNU)


Maryland Heights (Missouri) Regional

Semifinals, Friday

No. 1 Michigan State vs. No. 4 Western Michigan, 5 p.m. (ESPNU)
No. 2 North Dakota vs. No. 3 Michigan, 8:30 p.m. (ESPNU)

Final, March 31

Semifinal winners, 6:30 p.m. (ESPNU)


Frozen Four

National semifinals, April 11, 5 and 8:30 p.m. (ESPN2)

National championship game, April 13, 6 p.m. (ESPN)

Storylines to watch

What team outside the top four could make a run at the national title?

Andrew Raycroft: Omaha is my pick. Coming off an upset of North Dakota in the NCHC semifinals, Omaha could have the easiest path -- if there is an easiest path? -- of all the lower seeds. The Mavericks are one of the hottest teams in the country; prior to their loss to Denver in the NCHC final, they had won 14 of their past 16 games in a battle-tested conference.

Sean Ritchlin: Outside of the top four, the Big Ten and NCHC have some talented teams that have not been as consistent as you'd like to see. But they have significant upside that could push them to making a run. Michigan won six of its last seven games before losing in overtime in the Big Ten final and has a high-end offense that can compete with anyone. But the Wolverines have struggled to keep goals against down, and over the past 10 years, the best defensive teams have had more success in the NCAA tourney. At the top of the list for team defense this year are Cornell, Quinnipiac (no surprise there) and Wisconsin. Those are the teams best suited to slow down the high-powered offensive teams (like BC and BU) and frustrate them in transition.

Two options: 1) Boston College or Boston University, the top two overall seeds, will win it all, or 2) anyone other than BC or BU will win it. What's your pick?

Raycroft: I am taking option 1 because BC is so good! The Eagles have the star power, the role players, the steady defense and, of course, the goaltending necessary to win the championship. On top of that, their special teams are elite, with the penalty kill the best in the nation and the power play in the top five.

Ritchlin: BC is the clear chalk heading into the tourney as it has the deepest lineup in the country; the Eagles are second in goals per game (4.51) and fourth in goals against (2.22). Will Smith, the nation's leading scorer with 67 points, is just the beginning with Cutter Gauthier, Gabe Perreault and Ryan Leonard all proven high-end players up front. In net, Jacob Fowler has been solid with a 2.19 GAA while winning 29 games. BC can beat you on the rush or play a grind-it-out game down low, leading to chances off the forecheck and in front of the net. With all that said, the Eagles are young and most of the stars haven't played an NCAA tournament game. Can their skill outweigh the lack of experience and nerves that come with playing on college hockey's biggest stage?

What's your take on the Hobey Baker race?

Raycroft: My choice is Gauthier of BC. He leads the nation in goals with 35 and been ultra-consistent, getting points in 32 of 37 games played. The caveat to this pick is that Macklin Celebrini, BU's uber freshman, beat out Gauthier for Hockey East Player of the Year. I'm still sticking with Gauthier though.

Ritchlin: There are so many star-powered underclassmen this season. The race between the amazing talent of 17-year-old Celebrini of BU and BC freshman Smith makes this a coin flip for me. Celebrini winning Player of the Year in Hockey East leads me to believe the voters could lean his way, and he scored more goals than Smith, with 31 in his stellar freshman season. Historically the committee has placed an emphasis on goal scoring, which could swing things toward Gauthier. And North Dakota sophomore Jackson Blake, who is right there with Celebrini and Gauthier with 59 points, also would be worthy. I think the final three will come down to Celebrini, Smith and Blake, and after Smith's four-goal performance in the Hockey East final, it is hard not to give him the award. He has been the most dominant player on the best team in the country.

Who are your picks for the Frozen Four?

Raycroft: BC, BU, Denver and North Dakota. I see upsets coming in the opening games of each regional, but not against the top dogs. In one-and-done games anything can happen, but I believe the top three teams have too much firepower to be shut down on opening weekend. The tough one here will be NoDak vs. Michigan State -- those teams would provide an elite matchup in the second game of regionals.

Ritchlin: BC, Michigan State, Minnesota and Denver. When it gets to one-and-done games, I am a big believer in team defense and goaltending. Michigan State just won the Big Ten title on the back of Trey Augustine making impressive saves look easy and he has won in pressure situations already, taking home the gold medal for Team USA in the world junior championship. I like the Spartans to return to the Frozen Four. Boston College is clearly the top team in the nation and unless the Eagles have a completely off night, they will be in St. Paul as the favorite to take home the title. After the heartbreaking OT loss to Quinnipiac in last year's title game, the Golden Gophers have had their eyes set on this tourney from the start of the season and I see Bob Motzko and Minnesota returning to the Frozen Four in their home state. Denver is coming off a stellar NCHC championship win. Standout freshman defenseman Zeev Buium and forward Jack Devine lead the Pioneers, who are as scary as anyone offensively, leading the country with 4.79 goals per game.

Providence Regional

No. 1 Boston College (31-5-1)

How did Eagles get here: Hockey East champion

PairWise ranking: 1

NCAA history: In 36 previous NCAA appearances, the Eagles have made the Frozen Four 25 times (second all time). BC has won five national championships, the last in 2012.

Hot or not? Hot doesn't do BC justice. How about ready to spontaneously combust? The Eagles have won 12 straight, capped by a dominant performance in the Hockey East tournament. Smith had four goals and an assist in the title game (a 6-2 win over BU), Gauthier had three goals and four assists over the two games at TD Garden and Perreault, who missed five games with a hand injury, returned this weekend and is riding an 18-game point streak.

No. 2 Wisconsin (26-11-2)

How did Badgers get here: At-large bid

PairWise ranking: 8

NCAA history: Wisconsin's résumé includes six national titles, 12 Frozen Fours and 27 NCAA appearances. The Badgers are in the field for the first time since 2021.

Hot or not? Wisconsin, the No. 2 seed in the Big Ten tournament, was upset in the first round, dropping two of three to last-place Ohio State. The Badgers also lost a pair to the Buckeyes in February. Wisconsin did post a 4-1 win over Big Ten champ Michigan State to close the regular season.

No. 3 Quinnipiac (26-9-2)

How did Bobcats get here: At-large bid

PairWise ranking: 9

NCAA history: After beating Minnesota for their first national title, the defending champs are in the NCAA tournament for the fourth straight season and fifth time in six years. The Bobcats have advanced to the Frozen Four three times in nine NCAA appearances.

Hot or not? Quinnipiac was shut out by St. Lawrence in the ECAC semifinals 3-0. The Bobcats had won 11 of 13 prior to that, however, allowing 23 total goals in that span.

No. 4 Michigan Tech (19-14-6)

How did Huskies get here: CCHA champion

PairWise ranking: 32

NCAA history: Michigan Tech is in the field of 16 for the third straight year and is making its 16th NCAA appearance overall. The Huskies are 0-5 with two overtime losses in their five tournament games since 2015.

Hot or not? Michigan Tech, which snapped Bemidji State's 11-game winning streak with its 2-1 CCHA championship game win, has won five in a row and seven of its past eight. Senior goalie Blake Pietila has yielded no more than two goals in eight of his past 10 games.


Sioux Falls Regional

No. 1 Boston University (26-9-2)

How did Terriers get here: At-large bid

PairWise ranking: 2

NCAA history: The Terriers have made 38 NCAA appearances (third all time) and have been to the Frozen Four 23 times, including last season, when they lost to Minnesota in the semifinals. BU has won five national titles, the last in 2009.

Hot or not? Prior to their loss to BC in the Hockey East title game, the Terriers had won seven straight, averaging five goals per game. Freshman phenom Celebrini has eight goals in his last seven games and 31 on the season. Sophomore defenseman Lane Hutson has 94 career points (28 goals, 66 assists) in 74 games.

No. 2 Minnesota (22-10-5)

How did Golden Gophers get here: At-large bid

PairWise ranking: 7

NCAA history: Minnesota has played a record 102 NCAA tournament games in 40 appearances, which is tied with Michigan for the most of all time. The Gophers have been to 23 Frozen Fours, including the last two, and have won five national championships, their last in 2003.

Hot or not? Despite a pair of tight, one-goal losses to Michigan, including one in the Big Ten semifinals, the Gophers closed the season strong, going 13-4-1 since Jan. 8. That included a split at Big Ten champ Michigan State. Jaxon Nelson has scored half of his 16 goals on the season in the last six games.

No. 3 Omaha (23-12-4)

How did Mavericks get here: At-large bid

PairWise ranking: 11

NCAA history: Omaha has made four NCAA appearances, the last in 2021, with one trip to the Frozen Four (2015).

Hot or not? After losing three straight in late January, Omaha went on a serious heater, winning 14 of 16 games to surge up the PairWise rankings. The run included three March wins over North Dakota, which was a top-four team in the country before running into the Mavericks.

No. 4 RIT (27-10-2)

How did Tigers get here: Atlantic champion

PairWise ranking: 21

NCAA history: RIT is in the NCAA field for the fourth time since moving up to Division I in 2005 and the first time since 2016.

Hot or not? The top seed in the Atlantic tournament, RIT outscored its opponents 26-6 over five games. Graduate student Elijah Gonsalves had 10 points in the tournament, including two goals and two assists in the championship game win over AIC. Sophomore Tommy Scarfone had a .954 save percentage in net for the Tigers.


Springfield Regional

No. 1 Denver (28-9-3)

How did Pioneers get here: NCHC champion

PairWise ranking: 3

NCAA history: The 2022 champ, Denver has nine national titles, which is tied with Michigan for the most of all time. The Pioneers have played in 14 of the past 15 NCAA tournaments (missing only in 2021) and have made 32 appearances overall.

Hot or not? Denver is riding a season-high five-game winning streak and is 11-2-1 since the start of February. The high-flying Pioneers, the top scoring team in the country, have at least three goals each of their past 12 games. Freshman Zeev Buium leads all defensemen with 48 points.

No. 2 Maine (23-11-2)

How did Black Bears get here: At-large bid

PairWise ranking: 5

NCAA history: The Black Bears have made 18 NCAA appearances, but this is their first time in the field since 2012. Maine has won two national championships, in 1999 and 1993.

Hot or not? After riding high most of the season, Maine hit a bit of a late skid but closed with a sweep of UMass and a 5-0 win over rival New Hampshire in the Hockey East playoffs before falling to BU in the semifinals. Despite losing 4-1, the Black Bears outshot the Terriers 33-18. Freshmen brothers Josh (45 points) and Bradly (46) Nadeau had four points each in the win over UNH.

No. 3 Cornell (21-6-6)

How did Big Red get here: ECAC champion

PairWise ranking: 12

NCAA history: Cornell is making its 24th NCAA appearance and its second in a row. The Big Red played in three straight tournaments from 2016 to 2019 and qualified in 2020 (canceled because of COVID). Last year, Cornell shut out Denver, then the defending national champ, before losing 2-1 to BU in the regional finals.

Hot or not? The Big Red have won five in a row, their third five-game winning streak since the start of 2024. Since Jan. 1, junior goaltender Ian Shane has a 15-2-3 record with a 1.62 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage.

No. 4 UMass (20-13-3)

How did Minutemen get here: At-large bid

PairWise ranking: 14

NCAA history: In four NCAA appearances, the Minutemen are 8-3, with their .727 winning percentage the best ever. UMass, the 2021 national champ, had made three straight tournaments before missing out in 2023.

Hot or not? The Minutemen made the tournament by the skin of their teeth after losing a pair at Maine to end the regular season and getting drubbed by BC 8-1 in the Hockey East semifinals. In between, there was a quarterfinal win over Providence that got them in the field. Defenseman Ryan Ufko, a finalist for conference Player of the Year, had the game-winning goal against Providence.


Maryland Heights Regional

No. 1 Michigan State (24-9-3)

How did Spartans get here: Big Ten champion

PairWise ranking: 4

NCAA history: A regular participant under Ron Mason in the 1980s and '90s, Michigan State has made 27 NCAA appearances, but none since 2012. The Spartans last made it to the Frozen Four in 2009, when they won their third national championship.

Hot or not? With freshman Patrick Geary's overtime goal, Michigan State claimed its first Big Ten championship, 5-4 over Michigan. The Spartans have won seven of their past nine games and have four straight wins over archrival Michigan for the first time since 1997-98.

No. 2 North Dakota (26-11-2)

How did Fighting Hawks get here: At-large bid

PairWise ranking: 6

NCAA history: North Dakota has won eight national titles (third all time), the last in 2016, which was coach Brad Berry's first season in Grand Forks. The Fighting Hawks are 53-28 in 34 NCAA appearances; their .654 winning percentage is the best among schools with 50 or more tournament games.

Hot or not? NoDak is under .500 over its last nine games (4-5) with three losses to Omaha and two to Colorado College. However, they won the season series against Denver, 3-1, with the loss in overtime, and have a win over BU on their résumé. Jackson Blake reached 100 career points (in his 78th game) with two assists in an NCHC semifinal loss to Omaha, becoming the first NoDak sophomore to do that since Zach Parise in 2004.

No. 3 Michigan (21-14-3)

How did Wolverines get here: At-large bid

PairWise ranking: 10

NCAA history: Despite being the most decorated program in college hockey history -- nine national titles (tied with Denver), 40 NCAA appearances (tied with Minnesota) and 27 Frozen Fours -- Michigan has not won it all since 1998. The Wolverines lost in the national semifinals the past two years.

Hot or not? Michigan found some magic late in the season, winning six of seven, with five of the wins by one goal, before falling to Michigan State in OT in the Big Ten championship game. Rutger McGroarty, who leads the Wolverines with 52 points, is on an eight-game scoring streak (14 points).

No. 4 Western Michigan (21-15-1)

How did Broncos get here: At-large bid

PairWise ranking: 13

NCAA history: Western Michigan is in the NCAA field for the third straight year, a first in program history. The Broncos have won just one game in eight previous appearances, beating Northeastern in overtime in 2022.

Hot or not? While the Broncos went 6-9 to close the season in the rugged NCHC, three of those losses were in overtime and they posted wins over Denver and Omaha during that stretch. Sam Colangelo, who is tied with Dylan Wendt with a team-high 23 goals, had a hat trick in WMU's playoff win over St. Cloud State.

BOSTON -- It's a feud that dates back to 1918, one filled with as much mutual animosity as competitive spirit.

It's Boston University vs. Boston College, an NCAA hockey tradition like no other.

"I mean, obviously there's a lot of hatred there," BC forward Will Smith said. "Off the ice, there's sort of a respect for one another. But once we get on the ice, we're enemies."

Smith was born in 2005, but he knows. They all know. Putting on those jerseys and looking across the ice at their crosstown rivals creates some kind of hockey alchemy, wherein all the battles and brackets and Beanpot tournaments are downloaded into their hearts.

"It's pretty special just being able to be a part of something that's been going on for so long and the history of the guys who played in those games," BU defenseman Lane Hutson said.

The Terriers have won five national championships, their last one coming in 2009 with a team that featured Kevin Shattenkirk and Nick Bonino. The Eagles also have won five national titles, their last one coming in 2012 with a team that included Johnny Gaudreau, Chris Kreider and Kevin Hayes, among others.

"It's Alabama vs. Auburn or Michigan vs. Ohio State. It has that feel to it," BC coach Greg Brown said. "Just two schools that have been very successful programs and they're so close together, so the kids are usually very familiar with each other before they even get to the school. It just sets up for a great rivalry."

Within the context of the rivalry, it's clear all losses aren't created equally. BC's lone real blemish on the season was a crushing one -- an opening-round loss to BU in the Beanpot, Boston's hallowed college hockey tournament. For BU, falling short in this season's Hockey East championship game was a disappointment. Getting smoked 6-2 by BC was a whole different level of anguish for coach Jay Pandolfo.

"We've got to get past it," he said. "It's not the end of our season. Can't dwell on it. Can't feel sorry for yourself. But this will hurt for a bit."

Pandolfo understands all this. He played for BU for four seasons. He has coached the Terriers for the past two seasons. He played in the NHL for 15 years and watched how quickly the rivalry could turn NHL teammates into antagonists when the college hockey postseason arrived.


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"It's always been a great rivalry no matter where the teams are at," he said. "This year is special because of how good both teams are, the level of talent on both teams, so I think that brings it up another level."

Boston College (31-5-1) is the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Division I tournament, which begins Thursday. The Eagles, whose first game is against Michigan Tech on Friday at 2 p.m. in Providence, Rhode Island, are a deeply talented squad powered by sophomore forward Cutter Gauthier, who achieved NHL notoriety by refusing to sign with the Philadelphia Flyers after being drafted by them, and a remarkable freshman trio led by Smith.

Boston University (26-9-2) is ranked No. 2 in the country and has the next NHL franchise player on its roster in Macklin Celebrini, the 17-year-old consensus first overall choice in this summer's draft. The Terriers' first-round opponent is RIT (Thursday, 5 p.m., at Sioux Falls, South Dakota).

They're seeded on opposite sides of the bracket, like two kaiju stomping through the countryside en route to a potential showdown in the final. It would be the first time the archrivals have met for the national championship since 1978, when the Terriers came out on top.

"It's there. It's always been there," Pandolfo said of the rivalry. "I just think this year it's elevated again, just with the amount of talent that's there."


The phenom

Macklin Celebrini is the kind of NHL prospect for whom teams deconstruct their rosters in an effort to maximize their draft lottery odds. If he doesn't quite have that "generational talent" tag applied to the likes of Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews, scouts have uniformly called him a franchise-altering player while making him the No. 1-rated draft-eligible North American skater.

"It's been a pleasure to have the opportunity to coach him," Pandolfo said. "Just his mindset being around him every day, understanding why he's as good as he is.

"It's because of the preparation. It's how hard he competes. Never takes a drill off in practice, never takes a rep off, never takes a shift off. He comes to the rink every day trying to improve on something. He's never just going through the motions. He's never going on the ice just to go on the ice. He's going on the ice to get better."

That work ethic and intense preparation tracks back to Celebrini's childhood.

"I think Macklin's had two elements since he laced up skates. The first is his hockey IQ: That at a young age he's so aware of his surroundings and the game," his father, Rick Celebrini, said in 2022. "The other is compete. Since he was a toddler, he's been relentless."

Macklin credits his father with developing him as a player: how to prepare for games, how to stretch, when to sleep. The advice wasn't just parental, but professional: Rick Celebrini has been a well-regarded physiotherapist for 30 years, assisting everyone from the Canadian Olympic team to the Vancouver Canucks to the NBA's Golden State Warriors, for whom he is vice president of player health and performance.

Not every 16-year-old prospect has Draymond Green cheering for him at junior hockey games.

Whether it was the Warriors, Canadian basketball legend Steve Nash or the Canucks' Sedin twins, Rick Celebrini wanted his sons to see first-hand how elite athletes prepare.

"The way they approach training is something every young athlete should see," he said.

Pandolfo said Celebrini prepares like an all-star.

"He pushes our group in practice with how competitive he is, every day," he said. "In the first few practices, I think guys could tell right away that this guy's not going to give you an inch. He's going to push it. And I think it's helped our team."

Celebrini has 59 points, including 31 goals, in 35 games for BU. He is a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award as the top Division I men's player, not only because of his offense but the totality of his game.

"It's his competitiveness all over the ice. I think a lot of times with younger players that are that talented offensively ... I'm not saying they cheat the game, but sometimes they're not as responsible defensively at that young an age," Pandolfo said. "He's just so detailed on both sides of the puck. He defends just as hard as he wants to go on offense, and I think that's why he's as good as he is."

Celebrini has surpassed expectations for his freshman year. It was a season of scrutiny, as the hockey world wanted confirmation the consensus No. 1 pick was the real deal. That he handled the pressure with aplomb was a sign of the 17-year-old phenom's remarkable maturity.

"I think that comes from his upbringing, from his parents being around pro sports," Pandolfo said. "Being around the Golden State Warriors and that championship. Being around that environment and watching how they do things, learning that way. I think he learned a lot through those guys' eyes. It's been very impressive."


The freshmen

The Terriers have the fourth-youngest roster in the country this season, with an average age of 21 years, 4 months old.

"Yeah, Macklin makes us pretty young," Pandolfo joked.

Their inexperience goes beyond their star player. BU's roster boasts 10 freshmen, including Macklin's older brother Aiden and Tom Willander, two 19-year-old defensemen drafted by the Canucks.

Pandolfo said the balance between his veteran players and the freshman class has worked to the Terriers' advantage.

"For the most part, our core group of guys from last year are back," he said. "They have that experience, so I think they can help the freshmen class that are making an impact for us this year."

The Eagles are even fresher: 20 years, 9 months on average, making Boston College the youngest team in the nation.

"They know playoff hockey is a step up in intensity," said Brown, who like Pandolfo is coaching at his alma mater. "They've played in a lot of big games over their careers, so we don't have to remind them too much. I think they'll be ready."

Like, for example, one of the best trios in all of hockey over the last year.

Will Smith, 19, was drafted fourth overall by the San Jose Sharks in 2023. Ryan Leonard, 19, was taken eighth overall by the Washington Capitals. Gabe Perreault, 18, was selected 23rd overall by the New York Rangers.

They've been frequent linemates since clicking together with the U.S. National Team Development Program's Under-17 squad in 2021. They've since starred in the U-18 world junior championships, winning gold in April 2023, and the U-20 world junior championships, winning gold again in January.

They were reunited at Boston College, thanks to a little courtship.

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1:59
Greg Brown credits youth, well-rounded play for Boston College's success

Boston College coach Greg Brown attributes the Eagles' 1-seed in the NCAA men's ice hockey tournament to the team's all-around play and poise of their freshmen.

"Smith and Leonard were committed here and they worked hard to get Gabe to join them and he did," Brown said. "We're very happy that they all came together and that chemistry ... they didn't have a break-in period when they got to school because they'd been together at the program. So I think they hit the ground running right from the start and they've continued to generate offense throughout the season."

Smith said by having his longtime linemates with him at BC, the chemistry has stretched off the ice as well.

"We're in class together all day, and then to get to come to the rink and play in front of all these fans," he said. "I get to live with Gabe. We're all very tight, so it's pretty cool."

Smith said there was no awkwardness in having freshmen walk into the locker room and earn the opportunities they have.

"Obviously, there's a respect for the upperclassmen. Our captains have been nothing but unbelievable this year and just supporting us," he said. "When they need to stand up and say something, they do. They've been awesome to us."

Brown said the trio had the proper amount of humility when joining the team this season.

"They carry themselves in a humble way, so the locker room was no problem even though they have, obviously, the talent level," he said. "But I think it was an adjustment on the ice. You could see in the early games, which were heavier than they were used to while playing in junior hockey. So they had some adjustments. They knew they had to play quicker just getting used to playing against a lot of older guys."

Brown said there's a unique challenge in trying to manage freshman phenoms. They're all wired differently. There's a delicate balance between being patient with them or pushing them -- and then, in the latter case, how hard to push them.

"It's a different adjustment. Some of them, it's their first time away from home, some of them, the classroom is very hard. They're back in a classroom after being online for a while, so you never know what the adjustment is and how quickly it'll happen," he said. "But if they're good kids and they work hard, then they do make that adjustment and the best hockey does come out. You just don't know if it's going to be immediate or not."

Suffice it to say, the Eagles' freshmen trio figured it out. Entering the NCAA tournament, Smith leads the team with 67 points in 37 games, including 23 goals. Perrault is third with 57 points in 32 games, while Leonard has 54 points in 37 games.

"They're a big part of our team, even though they're freshmen," Gauthier said. "They're young, but they've been obviously big contributors. We wouldn't be where we are without those guys."


The outcast

Under normal circumstances, the focus this season would have been on Gauthier leading the nation with 32 goals in 35 games, nine of them game winners, as a Hobey Baker finalist. It would have been on his contributions to the U.S. winning world junior gold and his critical role in trying to help Boston College to a national championship.

But this season has been anything but normal for the 20-year-old after he riled up Philadelphia Flyers fans by saying he wanted to play for their organization, then changed his mind.

"He looked at us at the draft and told us that he was built to be a Flyer, wanted to be a Flyer," Flyers GM Danny Briere said. "A few months later, he told us that he didn't want to be a Flyer."

The entire saga between Gauthier and the Flyers remains mysterious. Briere claims the team never got a clear answer from him about no longer wanting to play in Philadelphia. Gauthier said the reasons are between "myself, my family and my agent." The end result saw the Flyers trade Gauthier to the Anaheim Ducks for defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a second-round selection in the 2025 NHL draft in early January.

The reaction to Gauthier's change of heart was anything but sympathetic. Fans showed up in Flyers jerseys to Boston College games. Comcast Spectacor chairman and Flyers governor Dan Hilferty offered a vitriolic farewell, saying, "I don't really feel bad for Cutter when he comes to Philadelphia. It's gonna be a rough ride here and he earned it."

When asked about Hilferty's comments, Gauthier said, "Kind of tough to see. But that's on them. That's not on me."

Gauthier said he received "thousands and thousands" of direct messages on social media, including some death threats. Nearly three months after the trade, Gauthier is happy to report the noise has quieted, something for which his coach is thankful.

"It was dicey there for a little while. Fortunately, it's died down," Brown said. "The stuff that was going around online was insane. We understand that some Philadelphia people have animosity or some venom toward him because they want him to be on their team. But we know he's not a bad person. He's a great kid. So you have to separate their misunderstanding of him not wanting to be in Philadelphia to the person that he is."

Gauthier said support from his coaches and teammates helped him immeasurably.

"The guys have been nothing but the best," he said. "They knew it was a personal matter and they've been nothing but supportive since day one. They asked me if I'm doing OK with all the hate and all the stuff that was going on. It was truly special of them to take the time out of their day to reach out to me and see if I was doing OK and I really appreciated that."

As the stats and accolades indicate, Gauthier has thrived despite the controversy. Brown believes that's a testament to his character.

"The impressive part with Cutter is his hockey stayed at an extremely high level," Brown said. "He did not let that affect his game in any way. So even though he was getting bombarded online, he was able to separate himself and play excellent hockey during that time."

It's all about staying focused. Remembering the task at hand. Closing out the outside noise.

The same things, Gauthier said, Boston College has to do as the No. 1 overall seed seeking an NCAA championship, a feat accomplished only once in the past 10 tournaments (Denver, 2017).

"It's tough to think about. Obviously, it's right in the near future, but the only thing we can do now is control what we can control. We can't get too ahead of ourselves," he said. "If we don't play the way we've been playing all season long, we won't get there. Still a lot of hockey left."

And an archrival waiting on the other side of the bracket, ready to add to college hockey's most legendary feud.

"Both teams are having a great season this year, so if it happens, then it'll be another chapter between them," Brown said. "It's an intense rivalry, but there's also a lot of respect."

Want to know how long it has been since the last time a Canadian NHL team won the Stanley Cup?

More than three-quarters of the nearly 1,000 current NHL players weren't born when the Montreal Canadiens hoisted the trophy in June 1993. Only about 3% were at least 5 years old, an age at which they might reasonably have any memory of a Canadian team winning. Mark Giordano, the league's oldest player this season at 40 -- coincidentally, also a Toronto native and a Maple Leafs defenseman -- was 9 years old that summer.

For almost every player in the league now, the idea of a Canadian champ merely exists in the world of the theoretical, not reality.

Adding insult to injury, 15 different American franchises -- or 60% of all the teams south of the world's longest undefended border -- have won at least one championship in the three-plus decades since the '93 Habs won it all. All while the proudest of hockey nations, which boasts seven franchises that collectively won 50 titles (out of a possible 76) before the drought, waits patiently for the Stanley Cup to find its way back to home soil.

The good news for Canadian hockey fans, though, is the waiting might be over soon. The 2023-24 season represents the country's best chance at ending the drought in a long time -- perhaps since it began in the first place.

Purce out for Olympics, NWSL season with ACL

Published in Soccer
Wednesday, 27 March 2024 12:37

NJ/NY Gotham FC and United States women's national team winger Midge Purce suffered a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament injury, the team confirmed on Wednesday.

Purce went down injured early in the first half of Gotham FC's 1-0 victory over the Portland Thorns.

- Stream on ESPN+: NWSL regular season games (U.S.)

She limped off the field but continued playing until just before half-time, when she fell to the ground while chasing down a loose ball on the sideline and was subbed out of the game.

In November, Purce was named MVP of the 2023 National Women's Soccer League Championship after she assisted on both goals in Gotham's 2-1 victory over Seattle Reign FC (then known as OL Reign).

She tallied four goals and two assists in 12 regular-season games last year. In a message posted to her social media accounts, Purce said she is "heartbroken" to not be available for selection for the Olympics, but that she has heard from people across the sport who have "consoled what, for a moment, felt inconsolable."

Purce has made 30 appearances and scored four goals for the USWNT in a variety of roles as a winger and a fullback. Purce was on the U.S. roster for the team's recent Concacaf W Gold Cup triumph, and she registered a pair of assists in a 5-0 group stage victory over the Dominican Republic.

Gotham FC head coach Juan Carlos Amoros has been outspoken about the Gold Cup's disruption of the NWSL's preseason, and the negative effects on player welfare. Gotham was without U.S. players Rose Lavelle and Lynn Williams on Sunday due to injuries.

Amoros also pointed to the recent hamstring injury for Kansas City Current and Brazil forward Debinha to further his point.

"Again, we are paying the consequences of a tournament that should have never happened," Amoros said on Sunday when asked about Purce. "We're talking all the time about protecting the players. The players could not go to play an international competition after one week of preseason. We're seeing the consequences now with Rose, Lynn, last week it was Debinha, now we have Midge.

"These players, [in] my experience, the clubs are going to keep paying for that competition."

Messi visit set to smash Revs attendance record

Published in Soccer
Wednesday, 27 March 2024 12:37

The anticipated visit of Lionel Messi to Gillette Stadium next month is set to break the New England Revolution's long-standing single-game attendance record with over 60,000 tickets already sold for the matchup with Inter Miami, New England announced Wednesday.

Less than 5,000 tickets remain for the April 27 MLS clash, the Revs said. The figure is well on track to surpass the club's previous attendance record of 61,316 set for the 2002 MLS Cup, when New England hosted the LA Galaxy.

- Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, NWSL more (U.S.)

The previous regular-season attendance record for a Revolution home game dates back to 1997, when New England hosted the Tampa Bay Mutiny in a doubleheader with a World Cup qualifying match between Mexico and the United States.

Gillette Stadium, which also hosts six-time Super Bowl winners the New England Patriots, opened in 2002. The record for a Revolution regular-season match at the stadium was 42,947 in 2015.

Last season, the Patriots' average home attendance in the NFL was 63,018.

Despite fans clamoring for tickets to see Messi in Foxborough, it remains to be seen whether the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner will actually appear.

Messi, 36, has missed Inter Miami's last two MLS matchups, as well as sitting out two recent Argentina friendlies in the U.S., because of a hamstring injury.

Miami manager Gerardo "Tata" Martino has said Messi is being evaluated week to week after being forced off in the club's Concacaf Champions Cup second leg against Nashville SC on March 13. He has stated that the goal is to get Messi fit for Miami's Champions Cup quarterfinal matchups with Mexico's Monterrey on April 3 and April 10.

It would not be the first time that an MLS team has sold a huge quantity of tickets to fans expecting to watch the World Cup winner, only for him to be left off Miami's team sheet.

Last season, with Messi looking set to miss out through injury, the Chicago Fire offered the more than 61,000 ticketed fans a $250 account credit "toward new memberships for the 2024 season -- or a $50 account credit for anyone unable to use the new member credit -- to all single-game ticket buyers" as an incentive to still show up to Soldier Field.

USWNT's Smith signs record NWSL contract

Published in Soccer
Wednesday, 27 March 2024 12:37

United States women's national team forward Sophia Smith has signed a new contract with the Portland Thorns that ties her to Portland through the 2025 season, with an option to extend the contract through 2026, the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) announced Wednesday.

Smith's new deal makes her the highest-paid player annually in the NWSL, the team told ESPN. Sources later confirmed that information to ESPN.

- Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, NWSL more (U.S.)

The record for the highest-paying cumulative contract in NWSL history was set on multiple occasions this past offseason.

Chicago Red Stars forward Mallory Swanson, Bay FC forward Racheal Kundananji, and Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda all signed multi-year deals worth between $2m and $2.5m in total. Smith signed a shorter-term deal but will be paid higher annually, the Thorns said, although general manager Karina LeBlanc declined to share specific numbers.

"There is no place like Portland," Smith said in a small roundtable interview that included ESPN. "I don't believe there's an environment like Portland to play in and it's a city that's so special to me and a city that I feel like I've grown up in almost and become who I am."

Smith, 23, was the No. 1 overall pick by the Thorns in the 2020 NWSL Draft after leaving Stanford University following an NCAA championship as a sophomore. She has scored 34 regular-season goals since then and become the youngest player in league history to win MVP (in 2022) and the Golden Boot (in 2023). She re-signed with the Thorns in March 2022 and led them to their third NWSL Championship later that year.

Smith was set to become a free agent at the end of this season and "thought of all the options," she said.

LeBlanc said she fielded questions about Smith's status everywhere she went in Portland, from fans at the grocery store to her dentist. Re-signing Smith, however, required a larger domino to fall in Portland first.

Until recently, the Thorns had performed well, on and off the field, since the NWSL's inception in 2013. The past two-plus years, however, were riddled with turmoil in Portland, which was at the epicenter of the NWSL's recent reckoning with abuse. Former Thorns controlling owner Merritt Paulson, under increasing fan pressure in 2022, eventually agreed to sell the team after multiple investigations detailed how he and Thorns management mishandled prior player complaints and enabled alleged abuser Paul Riley to continue working in the league.

Led by new controlling owner Lisa Bhathal Merage, the Bhathal family -- which invests in the NBA's Sacramento Kings -- purchased the Thorns for a then-NWSL record $63 million in January, ending two years of uncertainty in Portland. The nature of conversations with Smith quickly changed.

"New owners changes everything," Smith told ESPN. "Since I've been here there has been a lot of things going on with this club -- a lot of not-great things going on with this club -- and I have just been waiting for some stability and some reassurance that this club is headed in the right direction, and the Bhathal family coming in is doing exactly that, if not more.

"Their vision for this club is so exciting, and you can just tell how passionate they are about making this what it should be and continuing to push the standard in women's soccer globally and making the Portland Thorns the center of that in any way that they can. So, I would definitely say new owners coming in and having that sense of stability and forward-thinking mindset is something that definitely played a big role in in why I want to stay here."

Smith has become a fixture for the USWNT since first training with the senior squad as a 16-year-old in 2017. She has scored 16 goals in 44 appearances for the U.S. and was a starter for the team at the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

"Soph has the ability to be the best in the world," LeBlanc said. "She's hungry to do a lot of things. You look at her, she's young. For what she's accomplished, you'd think she's [in her] late 20s, but she has the ability to -- and I think this is where the hunger comes in -- study the game and learn the little nuances. Her pace puts her above everyone. Her speed [with] the ball at her feet is exceptional. She can run fast but she can dribble with the ball at her feet just as quickly."

LeBlanc said re-signing Smith was "one of the first things [she] talked about" with the Bhathals. As one of the best players in the NWSL, Smith would have had plenty of options both domestically and abroad if she had let her previous contract expire. Transfer spending in the most recent window increased 165% year-over-year, per FIFA, and many experts expect spending to rise again this summer.

Smith re-signing in Portland is another boost to the NWSL's claim as the best league in the world, especially after the NWSL came under renewed criticism following the USWNT's historic elimination at the round-of-16 stage of the 2023 World Cup.

"I just feel like I'm not finished here yet, and I want to do more with this club," Smith said. "I don't believe that every player needs to go to Europe to become who they're supposed to be; I don't believe that narrative. I think the conversation is Europe vs. the NWSL: What league is better? And I really truly believe that they are so different, you can't even compare them, and it's just where the right fit is for that person at that time.

"I think they're both unique challenges in their own ways. I think Europe would challenge me in a different way than [how] the NWSL challenges me, but I think this league is so good for me, and it's the exact type of style that I feel like I like to play and thrive in. I just feel like I still have so much to learn in this league and in with this club specifically, and I don't want to move on from that yet."

Smith said she is happy that NWSL players have achieved free agency in their first collective bargaining agreement with the league, and that she will "get there at some point, but I'm happy with my decision right now."

Smith's 2024 campaign is off to a strong start despite Portland losing its first two games of the season. She scored a brace in the Thorns' season-opening 5-4 loss to the Kansas City Current earlier this month. On Sunday, in a 1-0 loss to NJ/NY Gotham FC, Smith twice appeared to score the league's 3,000th goal only to have each play called back by VAR.

Smith was fouled six times in Sunday's game -- four of which produced yellow cards against Gotham FC players -- and is the target of physical play by defenses across the NWSL, but her production has hardly dropped off. She followed up her MVP and NWSL Championship-winning season by increasing her goals and assists-per-90 minutes in about 300 fewer minutes and finishing as the league's top scorer.

"She came onto the scene and people just didn't know how to defend her," Thorns and USWNT teammate Becky Sauerbrunn said about Smith on Sunday. "Then, people are like, 'OK, now we need to body her up and put numbers around her.' So, she's adapting, and what I'm seeing is just her evolving her game. She's always going to be so great one-v-one, but I think what we saw [Sunday] is how special she is even back to goal, and fighting off and riding these challenges, when to lay it off, when to take it herself. She's just growing."

The next evolution of Smith's game will come in her leadership, she said -- not through rah-rah pregame speeches or by wearing the captain's armband, she clarified, but by leading by example. Her superlative play commands a spotlight that she'd rather not have. LeBlanc described Smith as a "humble" superstar who perfectly aligns with Portland's values.

Now, Smith said she is ready to become a more complete player for club and country.

"I don't believe anyone is perfect or any player has hit their full potential ever, so I think for me, I want to grow into more of a leadership role on this team," Smith said. "I want to be a player that kind of brings everyone around me into games. I think that a big thing for me is being less individual and bringing my teammates into games, whatever that looks like."

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