The GIST: With less than five months to go until the 2023 Women’s World Cup, three French national team stars, including captain Wendie Renard, stunningly announced that they will not play internationally until changes are made within the federation.

• All three players — Renard and forwards Kadidiatou Diani and Marie-Antoinette Katoto — alluded to management issues, with Renard making clear she “can no longer support the current system” while “preserv[ing] [her] mental health.”

The no-background: Multiple French players have publicly criticized head coach Corinne Diacre since she was appointed in 2017. That year, Diacre notably stripped Renard of her captaincy, only to regrant it in 2021. Diacre also left Katoto off the 2019 World Cup team, despite the forward leading the French league in goals that season.

• The squad is ranked No. 5 in the world, but has never reached the finals in a major international tournament.

The response: The French soccer players’ union (UNFP) praised all three athletes as “extremely brave” for speaking out and insisted the French Football Federation (FFF) listen to “this cry of alarm.”

• The FFF responded by saying “no individual is above the institution that is the French national team” *eye roll* and that the issue will be addressed in tomorrow’s executive committee meeting.

The trend: This is just the latest example of international women’s soccer players taking a stand against their operating organizations. The CanWNT remains in an ongoing labor dispute with Canada Soccer, while 15 players on Spain’s national team refuse to play for their country until head coach Jorge Vilda is fired. It shouldn’t have to come to this, but more power to ’em.

Lilia Vu, you are an LPGA champion. The world No. 33 American posted eight birdies in Sunday’s final round to overcome a six-stroke deficit and win the Honda LPGA Thailand, her maiden title on the tour.

The No. 2 Alabama men gave another lesson in how not to handle things over the weekend. ICYMI: Star freshman Brandon Miller allegedly delivered the gun to the scene of a fatal January shooting involving now former teammate Darius Miles.

• Miller has not been charged with a crime, but his inappropriate pregame routine featuring a teammate patting him down — which he admittedly has been doing all season — is just the latest in a series of blunders by the Crimson Tide. Just awful.

Just over an hour after Texas’ Rhasidat Adeleke set the NCAA women’s 400m record with her blazing time of 50.33 seconds at the Big 12 indoor championships, Florida’s Talitha Diggs finished in 50.15 seconds, claiming victory at the SEC indoor championships. Records really are meant to be broken.

⚖️ Finding your balance

🎓🏀 Three buzzer-beaters highlighted a wild weekend in NCAA basketball: Arizona State’s Desmond Cambridge Jr.’s game-winner over No. 7 Arizona, Michigan’s Hunter Dickinson sending things to overtime and No. 6 Iowa’s Caitlin Clark’s pivotal three. On the money.

🎓🥎 No. 1 UCLA and No. 2 Oklahoma softball made history when the Sooners’ 14–0 mercy rule rout of the Bruins became the first softball game (albeit re-aired) to be broadcast on MLB Network yesterday.

🎓 The NCAA handed out their first name, image and likeness (NIL) sanctions on Friday, penalizing the University of Miami women’s basketball program for improper recruitment of the Cavinder twins, Haley and Hanna.

⚽ With qualifying action wrapping up last week, groups are officially set for July’s FIFA Women’s World Cup kickoff. Can’t come soon enough.

Recommendations from our team to help kickstart your week. You're welcome.