VOUX MAG

Benin Election

Romuald Wadagni, the 49-year-old finance minister and governing coalition standard-bearer, is considered Talon’s anointed successor. Wadagni is being challenged by Paul Hounkpè, the sole opposition candidate.

Nearly 8 million are registered to vote across more than 17,000 polling stations in the West African nation. Benin had over 15 million people in 2024, and like many sub-Saharan African countries, its population is overwhelmingly young. Polls are expected to close at 4 p.m. with the results expected within 48 hours.

Analysts widely expect Wadagni to win after aparliamentary electionin January, during which the opposition failed to cross the 20% threshold required to win seats, leaving Talon’s two allied parties in control of all 109 seats in the National Assembly.

Renaud Agbodjo, leader of the Democrats, was barred from competing after failing to secure a sufficient number of parliamentary endorsements — a threshold critics say was engineered to keep rivals out.

Wadagni has touted the country's economic growth during his decade as finance minister as his key strength. Benin’s economy grew 7% last year, making it one of West Africa’s steadiest performers.

“Ten years at the Finance Ministry have given him something rare in African politics: a quantified record — verifiable and difficult to dismantle in a serious debate,” said Fiacre Vidjingninou, political analyst at the Lagos-based Béhanzin Institute.

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While Benin has historically been among the most stable democracies in Africa, opposition leaders and human rights organizations have accused Talon of using the justice system as a tool to sideline his political opponents.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have denounced a sustained crackdown on dissent under Talon, citing arbitrary detentions, tighter restrictions on public demonstrations and mounting pressure on independent media outlets.

Protests over the rising cost of living sprang up in recent years, but the government and security forces clamped down on any dissent.

In December, a group of military officers attempted to topple Talon’s government in a failed coup, the latest in a series ofrecent military takeover attempts across Africa. Most attempted coups follow a similarpattern of disputed elections, constitutional upheaval, security crises and youth discontent.

Among the coup leaders’ key complaints was the deterioration of security in northern Benin.

For years, Benin has facedspillover violencein its north from neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger in their battle against the al-Qaida-affiliated extremist group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, or JNIM.

The tri-border area has long been a hotbed for extremist violence, a trend worsened by the lack of security cooperation with Niger and Burkina Faso, both now led by military juntas.

Simon Tassy and Ryan Botterill netted the quick-fire goals for the Badgers (24-12-2), who shrugged off North Dakota's last-minute tally to move within one win of their seventh national championship and first since 2006.

The Badgers will face Denver in the final on Saturday after the Pioneers edged No. 1 Michigan 4-3 in double overtime later Thursday night.

Hauser outdueled North Dakota's Jan Spunar (35 saves) in a battle of freshman goalies, making 12 stops in the second period. Spunar and the Fighting Hawks (29-10-1) shut out both Merrimack and Quinnipiac in the Sioux Falls, S.D., regional to reach the Frozen Four for the first time since 2016.

For North Dakota, Ellis Rickwood broke Hauser's shutout bid with 51.8 seconds left in regulation.

Wisconsin finished with a dominant 37-22 advantage in shots and went 5-for-5 on the penalty kill.

Hauser set the tone for a Wisconsin-dominated first period 4:24 in, stopping North Dakota's first shot on goal of the game when Tyler Young slipped a pass from behind the net to set up a point-blank chance for Cody Croal.

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Denting the scoreboard first at 12:54, Tassy stepped into a wrist shot as he slid down into the right circle and received Vasily Zelenov's feed out of a battle in the corner.

Botterill doubled the Badger lead at 13:21. Defenseman Ben Dexheimer -- whose overtime game-winner was the difference against Michigan State in the Worcester, Mass., regional -- made a diagonal feed out of his own end to Botterill, who broke in at the blue line and beat two defenders for a shot that trickled five-hole on Spunar.

After being outshot 18-4 in the opening stanza, North Dakota pressured out of the first intermission, and Hauser made a key stop on Will Zellers' partial breakaway early in the second.

Wisconsin also killed off a two-man disadvantage for 1:57 before the halfway mark of the second period before the Badgers' Oliver Tulk made up for a defensive-zone turnover with a perfect diving backcheck to disrupt Ollie Josephson's potential try in the final minute.

One of North Dakota's best chances in the third came with 8:30 left and while short-handed, as Cole Reschny cut through two defenders and clanked a backhand shot off the crossbar.

With Spunar pulled for an extra attacker, Dylan James' wraparound attempt found the stick of Rickwood in front for a point-blank wrist shot goal atop the crease, but the Fighting Hawks got no closer than 2-1.

--Field Level Media

Reality, though, has other ideas.

And across six weeks until he announces his 26 selections, Pochettino will watch players return from injuries and succumb to them.

This weekend brought movement in both directions, largely positive.

MidfielderTyler Adamsappeared in a Premier League match for the first time since injuring a quadriceps on March 3. Entering in the 70th minute, he played a role in high pressure that forced a giveaway and triggered Bournemouth’s tiebreaking goal for a 2-1 stunner at front-running Arsenal. The Cherries are unbeaten in 12 games.

The 2022 World Cup captain is an almost sure U.S. starter when available — something he has not been since September because of injuries and the birth of a child. He’s got six matches left to hit his stride … and avoid another setback.

Sidelined since injuring his leg at U.S. camp two weeks ago, midfielderJohnny Cardosohas resumed training with Atlético Madrid and could be ready for theChampions League quarterfinal’s second leg Tuesday vs. Barcelonaor the Copa del Rey final Saturday vs. Real Sociedad.

Right backSergiño Dest, a U.S. starter when healthy, is on track to return to PSV Eindhoven this season after injuring a hamstring March 8. The Dutch Eredivisie champions have four matches left.

“From what I hear from him personally and from the medical staff, it is going very well and it is likely that he will get some minutes this season,” coach Peter Bosz said. “So I am very happy about that.”

In contention for the No. 3 U.S. goalkeeping slot, Cincinnati’sRoman Celentanoreturned from an injury that had forced him to withdraw from national team camp.

With the good comes the bad. Less than a week after forwardPatrick Agyemangwasruled out of World Cup selectionwith an Achilles tendon injury, left backJohn Tolkinsuffered a possible ACL injury Friday for second-tier Holstein Kiel.

BehindAntonee RobinsonandMax Arfstenin the U.S. pecking order, Tolkin wasn’t invited to the recent camp and was a long shot for the World Cup squad.

Nonetheless, his absence chips away at Pochettino’s pool, like the long-term injuries to Celtic center backCameron Carter-Vickers(Achilles tendon) and St. Pauli defensive midfielderJames Sands(ankle).

Miles Robinson, a regular call-up from a thin corps of center backs, has not played for Cincinnati since a groin strain at U.S. camp last month sidelined him for both friendlies.

As for those in action this weekend …

France

StrikerFolarin Balogunremains in fabulous form, scoring in the 36th minute of Monaco’s 4-1 loss at Paris FC — his sixth straight match with a goal and eighth in the past nine games to raise his Ligue 1 count to 11 and his overall tally to 17 in 38 matches.

It was a far worse weekend for center backMark McKenzie, whose 48th-minute red card for pulling down a free-running opponent contributed to a one-goal deficit turning into Toulouse’s 4-0 howler against Lille.

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Tim Weahstarted at right wing back and went the distance in a 3-1 win over last-place Metz, leaving Olympique Marseille one point out of the third and final automatic Champions League berth next season.

MidfielderTanner Tessmannentered in the 82nd minute of fifth-place Lyon’s 2-0 victory over Lorient.

Italy

Despite creating opportunities for himself and his teammates — and earning AC Milan’s best analytics score —Christian Pulisicremained without a goal over 16 matches for club and country in 2026 with 72 scoreless minutes in a 3-0 loss to Udinese.

Midfielder-defender-forwardWeston McKennieserved a yellow-card suspension for Juventus’ 1-0 win at Atalanta, which left midfielderYunus Musahon the bench for the third time in four matches.

England

Three days after center backChris Richardsand Crystal Palace began the UEFA Conference League quarterfinals with a convincing win over Fiorentina, the Eagles scored twice late to defeat Newcastle, 2-1, for their third straight win and improve to 6-1-3 over 10 matches across all competitions.

Antonee Robinson went 69 minutes in Fulham’s 2-0 loss at Liverpool — his fourth consecutive Premier League start.

Just three points above the relegation zone, midfielderBrenden Aaronsonand Leeds are at Manchester United on Monday.

In the second-flight Championship, forwardHaji Wrightwent scoreless for the fourth consecutive match as first-place Coventry City settled for a 0-0 home draw with last-place Sheffield Wednesday. Nonetheless, Wright is enjoying a fine season with 16 league goals (17 overall) and Coventry is on pace for Premier League promotion after a 25-year wait.

In a 1-0 loss to Portsmouth, central midfielderAidan Morrisplayed 90 minutes for Middlesbrough, which is winless in six matches and, after flirting with first place, is now staring at the promotion playoff.

Germany

While right backJoe Scallylogged 90 minutes for Mönchengladbach in a 1-0 loss at RB Leipzig,Gio Reynadidn’t play. Of the nine Bundesliga matches for which he has been in uniform in 2026, the midfielder has made three appearances totaling 34 minutes.

MidfielderMalik Tillmanentered in the 90th minute of Bayer Leverkusen’s 1-0 win at Borussia Dortmund, leaving him with five minutes played over two matches since returning from U.S. duty.

Noahkai Banks, the dual-national center back weighing U.S. and German opportunities, remained on the bench for the third time in four matches as Augsburg drew with Hoffenheim, 2-2.

Spain

Right backAlex Freemancontinues to struggle for playing time at third-place Villarreal, sitting out the 2-1 victory at Athletic Bilbao. The former Orlando City standout has gotten 58 minutes in five matches since arriving in late January.

Netherlands

In his 12th league start, PSV Eindhoven strikerRicardo Pepiscored his 11th Eredivisie goal, in first-half stoppage time as part of an 83-minute effort during a 2-0 win for the Eredivisie champions at Sparta Rotterdam. The Texan also has posted three Champions League goals.

Scotland

Center backAuston Trustyreceived high marks for the second consecutive weekend, playing all of Celtic’s 1-0 win over St. Mirren.

Mexico

WingerAlex Zendejas— who, despite another excellent campaign for Club América, didn’t receive a camp invitation last month — assisted on an early goal during a 1-1 draw with Cruz Azul.

Major League Soccer

New York City’sMatt Freesemade eight saves in a 2-0 loss at Vancouver, while New England’sMatt Turnerand Chicago’sChris Bradyearned shutout victories against D.C. and Atlanta, respectively.

Center backTim Reamplayed 90 in Charlotte’s 2-1 loss to Nashville. Center backTristan Blackmonwent 90 for Vancouver. Arfsten started on the left wing against Orlando. MidfieldersCristian Roldan(Seattle) andDiego Luna(Real Salt Lake) were off.

Set-piece expertSebastian Berhalterassisted on a first-half free kick for Vancouver …

… while Whitecaps strikerBrian Whitescored late for his sixth goal of the season, the most among Americans in MLS.

Trump set a deadline for Iran to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face broad strikes on its critical infrastructure. Hours before the deadline expired, Trump said he had agreed to suspend planned bombing for two weeks if Iran agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

But subsequent U.S.-Iran talks in Pakistan failed to reach a peace deal. Trump said that Iran's nuclear program was the key sticking point, and said the U.S. would respond with a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz starting at 10 a.m. ET on Monday.

Israel, meanwhile, has continued ground operations and intense strikes in Lebanon, where it is engaged with the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he supported the ceasefire with Iran, but that Lebanon was not covered by the agreement, despite Iranian protests.

Latest Developments

Apr 13, 4:28 AMIran says 'no port' will be safe if Iranian ports are threatened

The spokesperson for Iran's joint military command at Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said Monday that if the security of Iranian ports in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman is threatened, "no port in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman will be safe.""Enemy-affiliated" vessels will not have the right to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, while other vessels will continue to be allowed transit "in accordance with the regulations of the Islamic Republic of Iran's armed forces," the spokesperson said, as quoted by Iran's state television Telegram channel."Given the continued threats," he said, the Islamic Republic will also implement "a permanent mechanism" to control the Strait of Hormuz, even after the war.

-ABC News' Somayeh Malekian

Apr 13, 3:14 AMUS and Iran 'inches away' from understanding in Islamabad, Araghchi says

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a post to X on Sunday night that the U.S. and Iran were "inches away" from a memorandum of understanding in talks in Islamabad at the weekend.Talks collapsed after Iran "encountered maximalism, shifting goalposts and blockade," Araghchi alleged. "Zero lessons learned," he added."In intensive talks at highest level in 47 years, Iran engaged with U.S in good faith to end war," the foreign minister wrote. "Good will begets good will. Enmity begets enmity."

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Apr 12, 10:21 PMTrump lashes out against Pope Leo XIV over criticism of Iran war

President Donald Trump on Sunday night lashed out against Pope Leo XIV on social media, calling the first-ever American pontiff “weak” over his calls for the U.S. war in Iran to end.“Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,” Trump wrote on social media. The president added, “I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon.”In recent weeks, the Pope has criticized the war in Iran and called for peace in the Middle East.Earlier this month, the Pope asked “all people of goodwill to search always for peace and not violence, to reject war, especially a war which many people have said is an unjust war, which is continuing to escalate and which is not resolving anything.”And on Saturday, the Pope referred to the U.S. military offensive in Iran as a “delusion of omnipotence,” imploring the country leaders to come to a peace agreement.-ABC News' Fritz Farrow and Emily Chang

Apr 12, 5:20 PMUS blockade of Iranian ports to begin Monday, CENTCOM says

U.S. forces will begin a blockade of maritime traffic to and from Iranian ports Monday morning, according to U.S. Central Command."U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces will begin implementing a blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports on April 13 at 10 a.m. ET, in accordance with the President’s proclamation," according to aCENTCOM statementlate Sunday afternoon.

"The blockade will be enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman," the statement continued, adding that CENTCOM forces "will not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports."

President Donald TrumpsaidSunday morning in a post on his social media platform that the U.S. will "immediately" begin a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, following the failure of peace negotiations between the U.S. and Iran.Commercial mariners will be provided with additional information prior to the start of the blockade, according to CENTCOM, which also advised "all mariners" to monitor advisory broadcasts and contact U.S. naval forces "when operating in the Gulf of Oman and Strait of Hormuz approaches."

Apr 12, 3:04 PMUS-Iran talks stalled over several key issues, US official says

A U.S. official close to the U.S.-Iran negotiations this weekend tells ABC News that the two sides went home Saturday after failing to agree on several key issues, despite President Donald Trump'sstatementsSunday in a social media post that the "meeting went well" and "most points were agreed to," save for Iran's alleged refusal to abandon their nuclear ambitions.According to the U.S. official, the key points on which Iran would not concede include ending all uranium enrichment, dismantling all major nuclear enrichment facilities and allowing the U.S. to retrieve any highly enriched uranium Iran may possess; accepting a broader peace, security and de-escalation framework that includes regional allies; ending funding for terrorist proxies Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis; and fully opening the Strait of Hormuz and not charging tolls for passage.All of these points were red lines for the U.S., the official said.-ABC News' Hannah Demissie and Justin Fishel

Apr 12, 2:34 PMMilitary vessels approaching Strait of Hormuz 'will be met with severe force,' IRGC says

Iran's paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Sunday that any military vessels approaching the Strait of Hormuz "will be considered a violation of the ceasefire and will be met with severe force," according to Iran's semiofficial Fars news agency."The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy states that, contrary to the false claims of some enemy officials, the Strait of Hormuz is under smart control and management, and remains open for the safe passage of non-military vessels in accordance with specific regulations," the statement also said.-ABC News' Morgan Winsor and Nasser Atta

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Prince Harry‘s past meeting withKanye WestandSean Diddy Combshas resurfaced amid West’s U.K. ban due to the ongoing controversy. Amid this, a source recently said that the Duke of Sussex is back in the spotlight not because of “anything he did wrong” but to hint at how “historical associations can be reinterpreted in light of current events.”

Prince Harry’s past meeting with Kanye West and Sean Diddy Combs is back in the spotlight

Prince Harry is once again making headlines after his2007 footagewith Kanye West and Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has resurfaced. In the viral clip, the Duke of Sussex is seen alongside Prince William, greeting West and Combs backstage at a charity concert held at Wembley Stadium in London to mark the 10th anniversary of the death of Princess Diana.

The younger son of King Charles has once again become talk of the town after West faced a U.K. ban. This led to thecancellation of the Wireless Festivalin Finsbury Park, where he had been due to headline. The event was scheduled to run from July 10 to 12.

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Looking at how events are unfolding, a source toldRadarOnlinethat the resurfacing of the clip has amplified everyone’s interest because it “connects Harry to figures who are now deeply controversial.” The tipster added that although it was a “routine backstage moment,” due to the current scenario, the clip is now attracting various kinds of reactions from people.

According to the tipster, althoughHarryis being trolled over this footage, at the time, West and Combs’ presence “at a memorial concert was seen as a mark of respect,” asserting that no one present would have anticipated their reputations almost two decades later.

“The renewed focus on Harry isn’t about anything he did wrong – it’s more about how historical associations can be reinterpreted in light of current events. Public figures often find that past interactions resurface and are judged against today’s standards,” said the insider. They also believe the footage will continue to “haunt” Harry. Moreover, this incident shows “how quickly public perception can shift,” especially when artists “involved become subjects of wider controversy.”

The postPrince Harry’s Meeting With Sean Diddy & Kanye West Resurfacesappeared first onReality Tea.

We've previously discussed how El Niño, in general, canreduce the number of storms and hurricanesin the Atlantic Basin.

But while it's just one ingredient in the recipe of how active a hurricane season is, it turns out stronger El Niños also set up weather patterns that determine where hurricanes go.

(MORE:Super El Niño Possible|Hurricane Season Outlook)

All El Niños

We examined all hurricane seasons in the satellite era — since 1966 — in which at least a weak El Niño was either in place or had developed.

Below is a track map of all hurricanes during those El Niño hurricane seasons since 1966. The segments in red and pink show when each was a hurricane and Category 3 or stronger hurricane, respectively.

Many hurricanes stayed in the central Atlantic, while a few ventured into the Caribbean Sea and a disconcerting number made it into the Gulf.

You might look at that messy map and wonder how that's different from any other hurricane season.

Super El Niños

Now, let's focus only on those tracks during the most intense El Niños called "super" El Niños, shown in the map below. We colored in gray the portions of the tracks where each hurricane was either a tropical storm or weaker, so the map wouldn't look so blank.

Of course, there are fewer years, so you'd expect fewer tracks. There are only 12 tracks in those four years combined, an average of only three per year, less than half in an average hurricane season.

None of those reached the East Coast as hurricanes. There were a few Gulf hurricanes, including Danny in 1997 and Agnes in 1972, both Category 1.

Main Takeaways

Despite that rather messy looking first map, and a much more blank second map, there are some trends we can tease out.

1. Almost all eastern and central Atlantic hurricanes curled away from the U.S.Notice all the tracks that moved westward, then north, then northeast in a clockwise fashion away from the East Coast.

That’s because theBermuda high, which acts as a giant steering wheel for tropical storms and hurricanes in the Atlantic Basin, tends to be weaker and less expansive during El Niños, forecasters at Atmospheric G2 that create The Weather Company’s hurricane outlook have noted.

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The AG2 team also noted El Niño hurricane seasons have persistent areas of low pressure well above the surface over the Southeast U.S.

The combination of these features tends to grab a hurricane approaching from the east and turn it away from the East Coast, what meteorologists refer to as "recurving".

2. The Caribbean Sea is mostly quieter.Both maps above show few tracks in the Caribbean Sea during recent El Niños. In fact, there hasn't been a single hurricane in the Caribbean Sea in any of the recent super El Niño seasons.

El Niño usually sets up a pattern of strong westerly winds aloft and sinking air over the Caribbean Sea.

Riding over the typical easterly winds near the surface, this increased wind shear is hostile for development of tropical storms and hurricanes, or those that move into this environment.

One of those recent super El Niño season hurricanes,Danny, was a Category 3 hurricane east of the Windward Islands in late August 2015. But then it hit a wall of wind shear and was ripped to shreds as it arrived in the Leeward Islands.

3. But impactful storms can still happen.El Niño may help suppress numbers of storms and hurricanes, but as we have often said, it only takes one storm to make it a destructive season.

In the super El Niño 2015 hurricane season, Category 4Hurricane Joaquin'sstall hammered the central Bahamas for days, with devastating surge and winds.

That same season, Erika never made it to hurricane status and eventually fizzled in the Caribbean Sea. But before that, Erika triggeredepic flooding in Dominica.

And what was Hurricane Agnes in the Gulf in 1972 is more infamous for the widespread inland flooding it triggered in the Northeast from Virginia to New York state after its second life off the Eastern Seaboard as a tropical storm.

Agnes claimed 122 lives in the U.S. and its almost $16 billion price tag was the nation's costliest storm, at the time.

As in investing, past performance does mean the future will follow suit. Each hurricane season is different in its own way.

Prepare for every hurricane season as if this is the year a hurricane strikes, regardless of seasonal forecasts, even if a super El Niño develops.

Jonathan Erdman is a senior meteorologist at weather.com and has been covering national and international weather since 1996. Extreme and bizarre weather are his favorite topics. Reach out to him onBluesky,X (formerly Twitter)andFacebook.

In the stands of the Women’s College All-Star Game, scattered amongst fans, were scouts and coaches from WNBA teams. This game, played each of the last three years on the day between the Final Four and national championship in the host city, serves as one last showcase for players hoping to get picked in the WNBA draft.

Nicastro didn’t need to score in bunches to wow professional decision-makers. There’s plenty of film of her doing that at Western Illinois, where she was fourth in the nation in scoring this past season at 24.1 points per game. She had something else to prove.

“I hope I showed that I move well without the ball and I’m versatile. I can do a lot of things, I can play a lot of different positions and I play hard,” Nicastro told USA TODAY Sports. “I think there is something to be said about being able to play well in a system and being able to play team basketball. And I think I do that well.”

A 6-foot-2 guard from St. Charles, Missouri, Nicastro is one of a handful of mid-major players who hope to have their name called on Monday night during the WNBA draft.

Last season, two mid-major players were drafted. Both Gonzaga’s Yvonne Ejim and Harvard’s Harmoni Turner were selected in the third round, but neither of them played in the WNBA. Indeed, in recent history, it’s been difficult for mid-major players to get drafted and stick around in the league.

With the Women's Final Four complete, all eyes turn towards the 2026 WNBA Draft. The WNBA draft takes place Monday, April 13, in New York, and this year's event has a different feel. Unlike the last two drafts, where Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers were consensus No. 1 overall picks, this year's top spot is up for grabs. After an exciting March Madness, it's time to see who helped their stock and who fell down the draft board. Is Awa Fam still at the top? Is Azzi Fudd a top-five draft pick? Who vaulted into the first round?

Here's USA TODAY's latest 2026 WNBA mock draft: 1. Dallas Wings: Lauren Betts, C, UCLA
- After a stellar NCAA Tournament run, Betts has done enough to earn consideration for the No. 1 overall pick. While the Bruins center will need to work on shooting more baskets in the mid-range and later from deep, she can be inserted into Dallas's lineup when the season starts on May 8. Her length and size make her an immediate threat in the post, along with her passing abilities and rebounding prowess.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 2. Minnesota Lynx: Olivia Miles, G, TCU
- Minnesota doesn't struggle to move the ball, but adding Miles into the mix gives the Lynx the ability to take their offensive movement up a level. The TCU guard has a high basketball IQ, which should help her with the rookie learning curve on a team with championship aspirations. Head coach Cheryl Reeve can also bring out the best in Miles defensive skills as she adjusts to WNBA play.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 3. Seattle Storm: Azzi Fudd, G, UConn
- Fudd had a very underwhelming NCAA Tournament aside from her second round game against Syracuse. The slump won't stop her from being drafted. The UConn guard's shot is still the purest in college basketball, and her ability to be an offensive threat at any moment is something you don't see as often at the rookie level. Fudd also rarely wastes a movement or a shot, making her a prime candidate to draft.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 5. Chicago Sky: Kiki Rice, G, UCLA
- Until veteran Courtney Vandersloot returns, the Sky need a guard who can facilitate, score when needed and defend. Rice, who finished a career year in a UCLA uniform, has proven she can do it all. The senior guard has improved her ability to read opposing defenses, maintain patience with solid footwork and recover in help defense. Rice would also take some pressure off Hailey Van Lith, who struggled during her rookie season.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 6. Toronto Tempo: Flau'jae Johnson, G, LSU
- Johnson has a score-first mentality, and she does it in a variety of ways: midrange, downhill in the paint and from the 3-point line. She's one of the top defensive guards in the 2026 class, and if she can improve her defensive awareness at the pro level, she can become an elite two-way guard. Head coach Sandy Brondello should also be a tremendous asset to Johnson's growth.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 7. Portland Fire: Ta'Niya Latson, G, South Carolina
- Latson's NCAA Tournament run was a mixed bag. That shouldn't hurt her WNBA draft stock, but it wasn't hard to notice as the level of competition rose (with games against TCU, UConn and UCLA), she struggled to find her shot or ways to contribute. At the pro level, she'll be asked to do more, and she'll need to lean into her aggressiveness to have success.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 8. Golden State Valkyries: Gabriela Jaquez, G, UCLA
- If a team gives her any space, Jaquez will make them pay. The guard can do it all, with assists, 3-pointers, in the paint, on the boards or by creating a steal. She should fit well within Golden State's "hard hat and lunch pail" culture, where they pride themselves on having energy on both sides of the ball.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 9. Washington Mystics: Raven Johnson, G South Carolina
- While Johnson has proven she can score when needed, it's her facilitation skills and defense that will make her a top 10 pick. The South Carolina guard does a great job of feeding her bigs and spreading the offense out to find the best shot. She is also a lockdown defender who leaves little room for error and isn't afraid of anyone on a court, regardless of size.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 10. Indiana Fever: Gianna Kneepkens, G, UCLA
- Kneepkens ended her college career shooting nearly 50-40-90, which is impressive and rare in today's college landscape. The UCLA guard's game isn't flashy, but it's often timely. Kneepkens knows how to step into the big moments, as she did in the national championship when she delivered two massive 3-point baskets during an extended Bruins' run.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 13. Atlanta Dream: Madina Okot, C, South Carolina
- Atlanta needs depth. Adding Okot would help the Dream with their post presence and perimeter shooting. The South Carolina big can score from multiple levels and will crash the glass. If Atlanta brings veteran center Brittney Griner back, Okot would learn from one of the best in league history at the position.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 14. Seattle Storm: Marta Suarez, F, TCU
- Suarez's NCAA Tournament run wasn't great, but she did have a breakout game against Virginia during the Sweet 16, which included a career high 33 points plus 10 rebounds. The outing was a glimpse of Suarez at her best, which could entice Seattle to add Suarez as depth now and starter later.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 15. Connecticut Sun: Cotie McMahon, F, Ole Miss
- McMahon would work well in a young core of players like Saniya Rivers, Leila Lacan, Aaliyah Edwards and Aneesah Morrow. The Ole Miss forward is a utility piece that the Sun could utilize to its advantage. She does most of her damage in the paint ― Connecticut's specialty ― and could also help facilitate, if needed. Once McMahon gets crisper as a defender, she'll be dynamite at the next level.

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Our WNBA mock draft could be full of future stars

With the Women's Final Four complete, all eyes turn towards the 2026 WNBA Draft. The WNBA draft takes place Monday, April 13, in New York, and this year's event has a different feel. Unlike the last two drafts, where Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers were consensus No. 1 overall picks, this year's top spot is up for grabs. After an exciting March Madness, it's time to see who helped their stock and who fell down the draft board. Is Awa Fam still at the top? Is Azzi Fudd a top-five draft pick? Who vaulted into the first round?Here's USA TODAY's latest 2026 WNBA mock draft:1. Dallas Wings: Lauren Betts, C, UCLA- After a stellar NCAA Tournament run, Betts has done enough to earn consideration for the No. 1 overall pick. While the Bruins center will need to work on shooting more baskets in the mid-range and later from deep, she can be inserted into Dallas's lineup when the season starts on May 8. Her length and size make her an immediate threat in the post, along with her passing abilities and rebounding prowess.

Since 2016, when George Washington’s Jonquel Jones and USF’s Courtney Williams were both first-round picks, three mid-major products have been selected in the first round: Princeton’s Bella Alarie and USF’s Kitija Laksa in 2020 and Florida Gulf Coast’s Kierstan Bell in 2022. Of the three, only Bell is still playing for the team that drafted her, the Las Vegas Aces. Alarie lasted two seasons with the Dallas Wings and Laksa didn’t make her WNBA debut until last season with the Phoenix Mercury. Laksa was recently selected by the Toronto Tempo in the expansion draft.

But this year, with Toronto and the Portland Fire starting up, there’s more teams, picks and roster spots than before, increasing the chances of mid-major hopefuls getting selected and finding long-term homes in the WNBA.

In Monday’s draft, there are three players from the mid-major level that have a decent chance of having their names called: Nicastro from Western Illinois, Brooklyn Meyer of South Dakota State and Richmond’s Maggie Doogan.

Of the three, itseems likely that Doogan will go the highest. A 6-foot-2 forward, Doogan powered Richmond to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and this season was the highest single-game scorer, pouring in48 points in a triple-overtime win in January. Doogan averaged 21.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game this season while shooting 50.6% from the floor, 40.4% from 3-point land and 89.1% from the free throw line — just shy of a coveted 50-40-90 season.

When Doogan scored 26 points on 10-of-14 shooting to go along with six rebounds in a Feb. 14 win at Davidson, representatives from the Tempo, Atlanta Dream and Wings were in the building.

Former Richmond coach Aaron Roussell — who washired as Virginia’s new head coachlast week — has fielded dozens of calls from WNBA folks this season.

“I've probably left just about every conversation I've had with seemingly every WNBA franchise of, ‘Yep, she is that, but guess what? In three years, that kid is going to be in the gym probably more than anybody else,’” Roussell said after Richmond’s NCAA Tournament loss to Nebraska. “She's going to consume the game of basketball more than anybody else.

“She can make an impact right away, but what I'm really excited about is what Maggie Doogan is going to be on the professional stage over the next two to five years and beyond. I know how special she is.”

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Nicastro and Meyer were the only mid-major players — out of a total of 20 — that played in this year’s college all-star game.

“Obviously, only 20 girls in the country got to be here, so I'm just really grateful that I was considered,” Nicastro said. “Coming from a mid-major, I think it's a little bit harder to get that exposure and get your name out there.”

In addition to some of her eye-popping scoring totals, Nicastro also grabbed 9.8 rebounds per game and ranked eighth nationally in player efficiency rating.

Each year, the basketball analytics and statistics website Her Hoop Stats gives out the Becky Hammon Award to the best mid-major player of the year. Before she coached the Aces to three WNBA titles, Hammon was an All-American at Colorado State and led the Rams to three NCAA Tournament appearances.

This year, that award went to South Dakota State’s Meyer, who averaged 22.6 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. She was third in the nation in field goal percentage with a mark of 64.6% from the floor.

“I feel like what I pride myself in is just playing hard,” Meyer told USA TODAY Sports. “I know I'm a little undersized, but I'm willing to get in there and do what I have to do.”

While some mid-major players have transferred to Power 4 programs ahead of their senior seasons to boost their draft stocks — something that worked for Kaitlyn Chen, who went from Princeton to UConn before being selected by the Golden State Valkyries in the third round last season — Meyer played her entire career with the Jackrabbits. South Dakota State went to the NCAA Tournament in each of Meyer’s four seasons.

“I'm just so glad that I stayed there all four years. It's been so rewarding,” Meyer said. “I have such great coaches and great teammates around me that make it really easy to show up every day and get to work.”

In this year’s March Madness, South Dakota State faced off against Washington in the first round. For Huskies coach Tina Langley, there was only one player at the top of the scouting report.

“If you do a statistical analysis, she's actually in some systems paired with (UCLA center) Lauren Betts and her efficiency,” Langley said. “So, she's incredibly talented.”

With expansion teams coming online, this year’s WNBA Draft will have 45 picks — the most since 2002 when it was four rounds long.

For Nicastro, hearing her name called would be a dream come true, but she’s also being realistic.

“It would just be a testament to a lot of hard work. It's something that I've dreamed of since I was a kid. It's kind of surreal, you know? It's actually here and I'm being considered,” Nicastro said. “If it doesn't work out, I'm a big believer in everything happens the way it's supposed to. So, I’ll go overseas, see what happens, have a good year and try again.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Three mid-major college stars who could be picked in 2026 WNBA Draft