Welcome to our last podcast before 2026: the year of review in women’s sports! Join our hosts Howard Megdal, Jackie Powell, Kathleen Gier and Maya Smith for an episode where the quartet goes through the most important and their favorite stories across the women’s basketball, women’s soccer and women’s hockey universe that defined 2025. Later on, each of our hosts announces their fearless predictions for their sport in 2026 which includes Howard and Jackie arguing about if the WNBA players end up striking in 2026.

Thumbnail Photo Credit: Left to Right- John Hefti-Imagn Images, the PWHL and Domenic Allegra

Links to click that are referenced throughout the show:

Read Maya Smith’s work at the Ice Garden here:

https://www.theicegarden.com/author/maya/

Watch Kathleen Gier’s latest podcasts about women’s soccer here:

https://www.theixsports.com/features/the-ix-sports-podcast-nwsl-unveils-new-roster-rule/

https://www.theixsports.com/features/the-ix-sports-podcast-high-impact-players-and-others-to-watch-in-2026/

Howard Megdal’s final basketball column of the year at The IX Sports:

https://www.theixsports.com/features/after-the-big-bang-womens-basketball-in-2025-live-from-sienna-betts-debut-for-ucla/

Jackie Powell’s observations of Becky Hammon’s growth from earlier this year:

https://www.theixsports.com/basketball/the-undeniable-complicated-influence-las-vegas-aces-wnba-becky-hammon/