The race to court top prospects is more cutthroat than a Taylor Swift Ticketmaster queue, and a program’s very future can hinge on its incoming freshman class.

By this time next week, a new champion will have been crowned, but first, two epic semis showdowns.

The WNBA’s third annual Commissioner’s Cup game — an in-season battle for hardware and moola — tips off tomorrow at 9 p.m. ET (on Prime Video), featuring the defending champ and Western Conference–leading Las Vegas Aces vs. the Eastern Conference top-dog NY Liberty.

About 14K athletes compete at the NCAA’s 313 DII schools, with top stars making the big leagues (particularly the NBA and NFL) — though that’s becoming rarer: With the transfer portal, it’s easier than ever for DII’s best to jump to a DI school.

On Tuesday, the sports media giant announced a deal with Penn Entertainment to officially enter the betting game.

Group of Five, mid-majors…whatever you call them, these smaller DI schools are rapidly catching up to their Power Five (er, Four?) competitors.

There are 438 DIII schools nationwide, and although it’s rare for DIII athletes to go pro, it’s certainly not unheard of, with recent grads doing so from fútbol to football.

The FIFA Women’s World Cup (WWC) quarter-finals are off to a thrilling start, with No. 6 Spain and No. 3 Sweden set to face off in the semifinals after last night’s wins.

The two remaining semifinal spots will be booked before tomorrow’s brunch reservation — here’s your guide to the crucial Saturday morning soccer.

The outdoor T&F season and its 965 women’s and 875 men’s teams hit starting blocks mere days after indoor’s national champs hoist their hardware, and its late-May finish line means it’s one of the last ’ships to close out the NCAA season.

As this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup (WWC) continues to smash attendance and viewership records, the time to invest in global women’s soccer is now. Here’s a breakdown by the numbers.