Breanna Stewart is a FIBA Women's World Cup champion — again. USA claimed their fifth consecutive gold medal in Berlin, defeating France in the gold medal game. Stewart was named tournament MVP.  Marine Johannès and Pauline Astier represented France with everything they had. Raquel Carrera and Spain took bronze over Leonie Fiebich and Germany in a battle of Liberty teammates.  Now everyone comes home — and the New York Liberty have a playoff race to finish. Erica and Brian break it all down LIVE tonight at 7:45 PM ET. 🔔 Subscribe and hit the bell so you never miss a GGU livestream.

NOTE: An earlier version of this episode implied Tereza Vanizova was no longer with the Vancouver Goldeneyes. Season 4 is almost here — and this episode opens with breaking news.  As Erica L. Ayala and Rachel Donner were recording, USA Hockey dropped its 31-player training camp roster with a familiar name on it: Hilary Knight, listed as playing for PWHL Detroit. Erica confirmed with USA Hockey in real time — Knight is expected at both camps: the first runs September 13–19 in Minnesota, and the second October 23–30 in Plymouth, Michigan, in preparation for a USA vs. Canada game October 28th in Windsor. What everyone thought was a full retirement from international hockey appears to have been an Olympic retirement only. Then the news keeps coming. The PWHL officially has a US national broadcast partner: ION and Scripps Sports. That means a weekly Saturday Game of the Week on ION, two additional national games per week on Scripps Sports Network, and ION carrying the Walter Cup Finals and playoffs exclusively. Erica and Rachel break down what the ION model means for women's sports fans who already know what the network did for the WNBA — and what questions remain about the playoff format and broadcast rights. Plus, the PWHL preseason schedule is set: centralized hub tournaments in Las Vegas, Boston, Hamilton, and San Jose in late November before the regular season starts no earlier than December 2nd. Media and fan access details are still coming — but this is a significant step up from last year's closed scrimmages. Then it's the deep dives. New York Sirens first: a team that lost Kaylee Osborne, Taylor Girard, Kayla Vespa, Allyson Simpson, and a full line to San Jose in expansion, and a full line to San Jose in expansion — and responded by signing McKenna Webster (a 2025 draft pick returning from the US field hockey national team), Elaine Chuli, and first-round pick Emma Peschel out of Ohio State. Can Sarah Fillier, Casey O'Brien, and a rebuilt blue line carry them back to the postseason? Then Vancouver Goldeneyes: Cara Gardner Morey stepped down as GM to become head coach — and Erica and Rachel make the case that she's actually the best person to unlock this team's potential because she built it herself. KK Harvey hasn't been officially signed yet despite the fanfare. The worst power play in the league has nowhere to go but up. And this is Year 2 for a team that never quite gelled in Year 1. 0:00 — Breaking news: Hilary Knight confirmed on USA Hockey's 31-player training camp roster 4:30 — What Hilary Knight returning to Team USA actually means — Olympic retirement vs. full retirement 8:00 — ION and Scripps Sports: the PWHL finally has a US national broadcast partner — what it means for fans 13:15 — PWHL preseason schedule: hub tournaments, fan access, and why the regular season won't start until December 17:30 — New York Sirens Season 4 preview: expansion losses, McKenna Webster, and the goaltending question 24:00 — New York's draft class, Emma Peschel, and whether the rebuilt blue line can support Sarah Fillier 29:30 — Vancouver Goldeneyes Season 4 preview: Cara Gardner Morey moves to head coach — and why that might be the smartest move in the league 36:00 — Vancouver's power play problem, KK Harvey's unsigned status, and what Year 2 needs to look like 40:00 — Looking ahead: Seattle, Women's Worlds in Denmark, and MPP's expected absence from Team Canada camp At Even Strength is a PWHL-focused podcast from Black Rosie Media, hosted by Erica L. Ayala and Rachel Donner. New episodes drop on YouTube and wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow us on Bluesky social! Erica L Ayala 🦋https://bsky.app/profile/elindsay08.bsky.social Rachel Donner 🦋https://bsky.app/profile/rmiriam.bsky.social At Even Strength on TikTok 📲https://www.tiktok.com/@atevenstrength_pod Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…  🎧https://blackrosiemedia.transistor.fm/ Black Rosie Media: Olympics, Women’s Hockey, Women’s Basketball, and other stories that matter! 🎧 https://linktr.ee/BlackRosieMedia #pwhl #womenshockey #hockey 🎥 WATCH • Subscribe to this channel: youtube.com/channel/@BLKRosieMedia ▶︎ Exclusive Interviews:    • Black Rosie Media  I Interviews    🎧 LISTEN • Download and follow & leave a 5⭐️ rating on Apple: http://bit.ly/4bCWKpn • Other Black Rosie Media podcasts: https://blackrosiemedia.transistor.fm/  📱FOLLOW BLACK ROSIE MEDIA • TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@blackrosiemedia  • Instagram:  • Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackRosieMedia  📖 READ • More PWHL news:  • More Black women in sports news:  • More WNBA news:  💵Black Women in Sports • Exclusive Interviews with Black Women in Sports:  • Must-Watch documentaries: • Must-read books & articles:  ABOUT THE SHOW Get your weekly women’s hockey fix with Erica L. Ayala and Rachel Donner. They will cover the top news in the PWHL, NCAA, and international women’s ice hockey.

Six New York Liberty players are competing in the 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup in Berlin — and every single one of them has a different story to tell. Breanna Stewart is carrying a younger USA team through a tournament that's already proven to be anything but easy. When nobody else could make a shot against Italy, Stewart was the one grabbing rebounds, switching out on everything, blowing up coverages, and doing the dirty work that kept USA alive.  She's simultaneously a top-tier superstar and a lunch pail player — and for a young Team USA that's still finding its footing, that combination may be the difference between a gold medal and an early exit. Head coach Kara Lawson knows it too: with Chelsea Gray and Stewie as her veteran anchors, the question isn't whether Stewart is needed — it's how much she can carry before the knockout rounds get harder. France has been the calmest team in the field, and Marine Johannès and Pauline Astier are a big reason why — Astier leading Team France in assists as a rookie is not something anyone saw coming. Han Xu is shooting over 50 percent in all categories for China heading into the knockout round. Raquel Carrera and Spain survived a scare of their own in the group stage. And Leonie Fiebich is carrying the torch for Germany — as the host nation — with the group stage nearly sending them home before they got through. Erica talked to Leo about what hosting means for women's basketball in Germany, and the answer tells you everything about what's at stake for her personally. Along with Satou Sabally, Leo has defined a generation of German basketball — and this World Cup is her biggest stage yet. Erica L. Ayala and Brian Fleurantin break down every Liberty storyline at the World Cup — the group stage, the bracket, and what the knockout round could look like for each player — on Gotta Get Up, the New York Liberty podcast from Black Rosie Media. New episodes every week throughout the 2026 WNBA season. Subscribe wherever you listen. 0:00 — Intro: Six Liberty Players, One World Cup — Group Stage Breakdown 5:34 — USA's Close Call vs. Italy: What It Revealed About This Team 16:44 — Marine Johannès & France: The Calm, Confident Team Nobody Should Sleep On 28:52 — Pauline Astier Is Leading France in Assists as a Rookie 33:19 — Stewie vs. Caitlin Clark: Who's Actually Carrying USA? 1:01:10 — Leonie Fiebich & Germany: Carrying the Torch in Berlin as the Host Nation 1:03:42 — Han Xu Is Shooting Over 50% in All Categories for China 1:09:10 — China vs. Puerto Rico Preview: Why Han Xu Can't Bring the Ball Down 1:13:07 — Belgium, Julie Allemand & the Former Liberty Players Making Noise at the World Cup

Stewie is heading to the FIBA Women's World Cup — but should she be? With the New York Liberty's playoff seeding on the line and injury questions swirling, GGU Live breaks down the most important debate Liberty fans aren't having loudly enough. Plus a BRM exclusive from Roberta, the Sabrina Ionescu vision question, and a full Liberty playoff preview. What we cover: 0:00 — Should Stewie Skip the World Cup? The Debate Starts Now 3:01 — Rest or Injury? Nobody's Talking — and That's a Problem 6:04 — Sabrina Didn't Make the USA Roster. We Don't Agree With That. 10:51 — This Is Stewie's Decision — But the Liberty Are Watching 13:15 — 🎙️ BRM Exclusive: Roberta Spoke to Dom About the World Cup 21:39 — We Talked to Stewie. Here's What She Said. 24:20 — Stewie Has More World Cup Medals Than Sue Bird. Say That Louder. 25:59 — The Liberty Side of This Stewie Debate Nobody's Having 1:41:45 — The Sabrina Ionescu Trade Conversations — What's Actually Going On? 1:45:58 — What IS the Vision for Sabrina? Point? Two? Combo? 1:58:40 — Stewie Said the Team Is "As Full As It's Going to Get" 2:06:11 — Liberty vs. Aces in the Playoffs — Do New York Have a Chance? 2:18:13 — JJ Is Making a Case for Greatest Rebounder in Basketball History 2:48:41 — FIBA Break Is Here — What the Liberty Need to Come Back Ready For New York Liberty coverage. Expert analysis. Built for Liberty faithful. No filter. #NewYorkLiberty #BriannaStewart #GottaGetUp #WNBA #BlackRosieMedia #FIBAWorldCup #SabrinaIonescu #JonquelJones #TeamUSA #WNBAPlayoffs #WNBATwitter

Black Rosie Media got a statement from the PWHL — and Erica L. Ayala and Rachel Donner open by breaking it down word by word. Stan Kasten says the league will "continue to operate with the same long-term outlook," but says nothing about the ten-year funding plan, nothing about the risks of single-entity ownership, and nothing about what Mark Walter's federal investigation actually means for the PWHL's future. Erica was also quoted in an NBC News piece on the subject, and player agents anonymously told reporters there's no panic from players — yet. The Walter Cup went missing during Montréal's celebrations, too.  Lighter in stakes, but hard to ignore given the circumstances. Then it's into the deep dives. Minnesota Frost first: a team that made the first three Finals and got knocked out in the semis for the first time, losing Britta Curl-Salemme to Detroit and Nicole Hensley to Las Vegas in expansion — two of the biggest departures of any team in the league. Erica and Rachel ask whether Kendall Coyne Schofield's status, a defense corps that lost three key pieces, and a lack of proven replacements signal trouble heading into Season 4, or whether stability in the coaching staff gives them the runway to reload. Then Toronto Six: a team that has stayed frustratingly compact — never bad enough to bottom out, never good enough to break through. With Troy Ryan gone to San Jose, new head coach Pascal Rhéaume inherits a roster that just lost Daryl Watts, Jessie Compher, and Maggie Connors to expansion, has Blayre Turnbull on parental leave, and is asking Raygan Kirk to carry the goaltending almost entirely alone. Is the new coaching staff the unlock Toronto has been waiting for — or are there just too many questions? 0:00 — Intro: Black Rosie Media gets a statement from the PWHL on the Mark Walter investigation 3:15 — Breaking down Stan Kasten's statement: what it says, what it doesn't, and why the ten-year plan question still stands 8:00 — NBC News coverage, anonymous agent quotes, and why player concern (or lack of it) matters 10:30 — The Walter Cup went missing during Montréal's celebrations — and why it's hard to separate from the bigger story 14:30 — Minnesota Frost Season 3 review: what knocked them out of the semifinals for the first time 20:00 — Minnesota's offseason: Britta Curl-Salemme to Detroit, Nicole Hensley to Las Vegas, and what's left 28:00 — Toronto Six Season 3 review: why a team with talent keeps finishing in the middle 35:00 — Toronto's offseason: coaching change, expansion losses, Blayre Turnbull on parental leave, and Raygan Kirk's heavy load 43:00 — Looking ahead: Hamilton's front office, the expansion team to watch, and what's next in the deep dive series At Even Strength is a PWHL-focused podcast from Black Rosie Media, hosted by Erica L. Ayala and Rachel Donner. New episodes drop on YouTube and wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow us on Bluesky social! Erica L Ayala 🦋https://bsky.app/profile/elindsay08.bsky.social Rachel Donner 🦋https://bsky.app/profile/rmiriam.bsky.social At Even Strength on TikTok 📲https://www.tiktok.com/@atevenstrength_pod Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…  🎧https://blackrosiemedia.transistor.fm/ Black Rosie Media: Olympics, Women’s Hockey, Women’s Basketball, and other stories that matter! 🎧 https://linktr.ee/BlackRosieMedia #pwhl #womenshockey #hockey 🎥 WATCH • Subscribe to this channel: youtube.com/channel/@BLKRosieMedia ▶︎ Exclusive Interviews:    • Black Rosie Media  I Interviews    🎧 LISTEN • Download and follow & leave a 5⭐️ rating on Apple: http://bit.ly/4bCWKpn • Other Black Rosie Media podcasts: https://blackrosiemedia.transistor.fm/  📱FOLLOW BLACK ROSIE MEDIA • TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@blackrosiemedia  • Instagram:  • Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackRosieMedia  📖 READ • More PWHL news:  • More Black women in sports news:  • More WNBA news:  💵Black Women in Sports • Exclusive Interviews with Black Women in Sports:  • Must-Watch documentaries: • Must-read books & articles:  ABOUT THE SHOW Get your weekly women’s hockey fix with Erica L. Ayala and Rachel Donner. They will cover the top news in the PWHL, NCAA, and international women’s ice hockey.