Pass The Crown, Please

We’re two weeks away from Christmas, and two seconds away from freezing our tails off the second we leave the house. There’s never been more perfect weather for staying indoors and turning on a women’s sports game or doing an indoor workout session to stay fit this winter (or both if you like multitasking). I’m writing this week’s highlights after having brunch with my family, let me know when you reach the last word! 🥂

1// Arike Ogunbowale stuns in basketball pick-up game

I love seeing Angenay play basketball against random dudes at local gyms and seeing a 2x WNBA All-Star MVP join in on the fun warms my heart. Can’t wait to see Arike in Unrivaled League under TSpoon’s coaching!

2// World Athletics Announces Female Athletes of the Year

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone was crowned Female Track Athlete of the Year after dominating at the Paris Olympics this summer, while Sifan Hassan won the overall Female World Athlete of the Year award.

3// Harvard's Harmoni Turner Starts Non-Profit

Harmoni Turner is leading Harvard’s 10-1 basketball season run and has set a school record for the most points ever made in a game. When she’s not on the court or in class, she’s leading in her community. She started a nonprofit called Pretty N’ Secure to help youth cope with mental illness and abuse.

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4// Juju Wakins makes USC program history and NCAA history

Last month Juju Watkins recorded her 1,000th career point made in her 38th game played, tying the fourth-fewest games in NCAA Division I history to cross this milestone. The sophomore basketball player isn’t done yet; in the USC vs. California Baptist game, she recorded 40 points with 9 3-pointers made, the most 3-pointers made in a game in USC history. 🤯

5// Duke Women’s Basketball is breaking records

The Duke WBB team broke a team record for the most points scored against a ranked opponent in their 109-point victory against No. 8 Oklahoma. Reigan Richardson scored a career-high 35 points in the overtime win. With Ashlon Johnson’s 30-point game against No. 9 Kansas St., they become the first duo in Duke WBB history to score 30+ points against Top 10 opponents in back-to-back games.

6// Flau’jae signs NIL deal with Unrivaled Basketball

The Future of Unrivaled is Flau’jae Johnson. She becomes the second college athlete to sign with the league. As part of the NIL deal, she’ll receive an equity stake (as she cannot commit to playing in the league until she turns pro) and collaborate with Unrivaled on content throughout the season. The league also plans to support her music so get a head start on learning the lyrics now!

Other News and Articles You Might Like

// Access And Belonging In The World Of Outdoor Gear in Essence, an article co-written with REI.

// ESPN says the 2024 NCAA Volleyball regular season was its most-watched ever. Games averaged 140,000 viewers, up 21% from last year.

// The New York Times released their list of the most stylish people of 2024. Angel Reese, Kim Yeji, Ellie the Elephant, and Dawn Staley made the cut.

// Unapologetically Angel was selected as one of Spotify's Best New Shows of 2024.

// Forbes released its Sports 30 under 30 list featuring Tara Davis-Woodhall, Mallory Swanson, Flau’jae Johnson, Gabby Thomas, Laila Edwards, Nakissa Koomalsingh, Saroya Tinker, Kirby Porter, and Samantha Tan.

// Serena Williams appeared on stage at the New York Times Dealbook Summit to talk about her legacy and impact in sports.

// The WNBA has been ranked as the fastest-growing brand of 2024 by Morning Consult. This is the first time a sports league has been number 1 on this list.

// Unrivaled League announced in their first commercial that in addition to their partnership with TNT, the games will also be streamed on HBO Max (for those of us who don’t have cable).

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The Last Word🥂

All I want for Christmas is some Unrivaled Merch, tickets to a Mist vs. Vinyl Unrivaled game in Miami, and courtside seats to a Duke WBB game. Is that too much to ask?

Penned,

Angela 🤙🏾✨

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