(Dec. 29, 2025) The South Carolina Gamecocks could be forced to play without their most reliable scorer after Ta'Niya Latson suffered a lower left injury Sunday. Plus, Mesa, Arizona, wants to be home to a soccer team — could the NWSL expand to the city?

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/

At last Jackie Powell and Howard Megdal talk about women’s college basketball in this week’s IX Sports Podcast Basektball Edition. In the pair’s final women’s basketball show before the new year, the co-hosts take you inside what they noticed at Barclays Center during the second annual Shark Beauty Championship Classic. Why did defense stand out for both UConn and Iowa? And how exactly did Louisville, behind the strong play of senior transfer Laura Ziegler, trounce a Tenneesee team still trying to find its footing? Later in the show, Jackie breaks out a powerpoint to explain two key terms that have been prevalent in coverage of the on-going WNBA CBA negotiations. What are net and gross revenue sharing models and what’s the difference between the two? Thumbnail Photo Credit: Pamela Smith-Imagn ImagesVideo Credit: Gabby AlfvebyLinks to click that are referenced throughout the show: Stephanie Kaloi writes about Ruby Whitehorn’s dismissal from Tennessee: https://www.thenexthoops.com/features/ruby-whitehorn-dismissed-lady-vols/Natalie Heavren introduces Laura Ziegler prior to her arrival at Louisville:https://www.thenexthoops.com/features/early-success-and-a-family-away-from-home-laura-zieglers-journey-from-denmark-to-saint-josephs/Jacob Mox’s CBA coverage: https://www.thenexthoops.com/wnba/wnba-cba-negotiations-hit-milestone-with-a-catch-salary-cap-revenue-share/Reporting from The Athletic, ESPN and Front Office Sports about Gross and Net revenue sharing: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6889889/2025/12/15/wnba-union-labor-cba-revenue-share/https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/47360397/wnba-players-ready-do-takes-get-fair-cba-dealhttps://frontofficesports.com/adam-silver-says-he-could-join-wnba-cba-negotiations/

In this soccer edition of the IX Sports Podcast, Kathleen Gier breaks down the NWSL's new High Impact Player rule and the Players Association's reaction. She also talks about the return of Sophia Wilson and players to watch on the U.S. women's national team in 2026.

Editor’s note: This podcast was recorded prior to the WNBA’s 5:41 p.m. statement on Thursday responding to the WNBPA’s strike authorization vote.

To find out more about what the WNBA’s statement entailed and the latest that the league has proposed, check out Sydney Wingfield’s latest story about the WNBPA’s recent vote here: https://www.thenexthoops.com/features/wnbpa-executive-committee-strike-when-necessary-wnba/

Also, you can also find a recap of Thursday’s collective bargaining agreement developments on Women’s Sports Daily with Stephanie Kaloi, right here:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0nFSMYsKhIGkO8CbrCwZPL?si=gDegIv7wRC-KbRDwAsDQ0w

So much happened in the world of women’s basketball this week, and we aren’t even talking about the college game.

Join our hosts Howard Medgal and Jackie Powell where they provide a look into a new era of USA Basketball following the camp that was held at Duke University in addition to early impressions from the Unrivaled media days prior to their second season beginning officially on January 5.

Toward the end of our show, Jackie and Howard address the latest news from the WNBPA and their decision to vote to authorize a strike and what comes next in the CBA negotiations between the league and the players.

Thumbnail Photo Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Video Credit: USA Basketball and Unrivaled

Links to click that are referenced throughout the show:

Gabby Alfveby on what to expect from Unrivaled Season 2

https://www.thenexthoops.com/features/unrivaled-opening-day-is-around-the-corner/

Stephanie Kaloi on how Unrivaled’s fandom has grown the league:

https://www.thenexthoops.com/unrivaled/breanna-stewart-candace-parker-unrivaled-success/

Howard Megdal writes about the big bang in WNBA revenue:

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

This week on the IX Sports Podcast, Hockey Edition, we're talking about the 2025 Rivalry Series between Team Canada and Team USA, where Team USA swept the series. Plus, the PWHL heads to Halifax and Chicago for the takeover tour, so we'll hear from Maggie Connors and Allie Munroe about playing in Nova Scotia. We debut a new segment: Top Shelf Predictions, and hear from Hannah Miller about playing for the Vancouver Goldeneyes.

Maya is joined by Elisha Côté, Ottawa Charge beat reporter at The Ice Garden.

Article mentioned: https://www.theicegarden.com/now-is-not-the-time-to-panic-for-canada-that-comes-later-part-one/Cover

Photo Credit: Matt Zambonin/IIHFHannah Miller Photo Credit: PWHL

Sceptres Media Availability Clip: PWHL

On this soccer edition of The IX Sports Podcast, Kathleen Gier runs through the NWSL's new roster mechanism and how that could make a difference in Trinity Rodman's decision. She also shines a light on Bunny Shaw and her big weekend in the WSL.

On Wednesday the New York Liberty introduced Chris DeMarco as the franchise’s 10th head coach in franchise history, and that is the focus of this week’s The IX Sports Podcast Baskteball Edition.

Join our hosts Howard Medgal and Jackie Powell where they explain what they took away from DeMarco’s introductory press conference along with the sets of unique challenges that he will face as a first year WNBA head coach. Toward the end of our show, Jackie and Howard hop over to the college game where they ponder which team faces more concern: South Carolina or Duke?

Thumbnail Photo Credit: Brendan Todd | New York Liberty Video Credit: Jackie Powell | The IX Basketball

Links to click that are referenced throughout the show:

Jackie’s sights and sounds out of Chris DeMarco’s press conference: https://www.thenexthoops.com/wnba/chris-demarco-understands-the-tall-task-new-york-liberty-jonathan-kolb/

Jackie dove into Chris DeMarco’s background prior to the press conference: https://www.thenexthoops.com/wnba/who-is-chris-demarco-the-new-york-liberty-incoming-head-coach/

Howard’s thoughts on the Liberty’s big swing by hiring Chris DeMarco: https://www.theixsports.com/features/chris-demarco-new-york-liberty-jonathan-kolb/

Stephanie Kaloi on South Carolina’s recent bench struggles: https://www.thenexthoops.com/ncaaw/sec/south-carolina-gamecocks-develop-bench-worrying-signs/

Martin Heintzelman on Duke’s struggles: https://www.thenexthoops.com/ncaaw/acc/duke-most-hyped-up-teams-in-the-country-what-happened-kara-lawson-kim-mulkey-lsu-ucla-south-carolin/

Charlotte Gibson of ESPN detailed the women who were coaching in the NBA five years ago: https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/28744241/trailblazing-nba-women-coaches