College

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The GIST: After four straight days featuring 96 (!!!) games, not to mention four men’s and women’s No. 1 seeds falling, it’s time to catch your breath and prepare for more mayhem — the Madness continues with the men’s Sweet 16 tomorrow.

• While you wait, help hand out some hardware by voting for the women’s and men’s Player and Coach of the Year. Maybe No. 2 Iowa’s Caitlin Clark will thank you in her acceptance speech.

The women: Time to eat our words: After a mostly as-expected first round, true chaos descended on the women’s tourney Monday night, highlighted by No. 9 Miami’s aforementioned wild last-second upset of No. 1 Indiana on the Hoosiers’ home court. Think they game-prepped with Alix Earle?

• But the ’Canes weren’t the only ones who snagged a victory on Monday: The NCAA also announced that the women’s first and second rounds set a new attendance record. As legendary sports reporter Holly Rowe said, when you build it, they will come.

The men: The Madness machine starts up again when eight men’s teams take the court in tomorrow’s Sweet 16 action. Hoping to see an upset? Don’t miss No. 7 Michigan State vs. No. 3 Kansas State at 6:30 p.m. ET — the Spartans are the only team favored against a higher-seeded squad.

• The No. 2 UCLA vs. No. 3 Gonzaga matchup at 9:45 p.m. ET will also be spicy, as the injury-prone Bruins and the Sweet 16–veteran Bulldogs have some serious March Madness history. Cue Taylor.

The GIST: It’s not just basketball that’s bringing the bedlam — three other winter sports kick off their national championships this week, and we have everything you need to know before the trophy-hoisting begins.

🏊 Men’s swimming & diving: The women’s natty wrapped up Saturday, and now it’s the men’s turn in the fish tank in the ground. Their tournament’s structure is similar to the gals’ contest, with 235 swimmers and 35 divers invited to compete starting at 12 p.m. ET today. They don’t hold a candle to the new Queen of Swimming, but the fellas are still fun to watch.

• Pac-12 champ No. 1 Arizona State, led by sophomore French phenom Léon Marchand, is the overwhelming favorite. But reigning champ No. 2 Cal has the experience to go the extra meter — almost all their swimmers have been to the natty before.

🤺 Fencing: En garde! Tomorrow, 144 women’s and men’s collegiate fencers will attempt their best Jack Sparrow impressions as they start their three-day natty. After a round-robin stage across the six weapons, the top four competitors in each advance to a semifinal, then the top two from that round face off for the national title. (Almost) too much touché.

• Notre Dame runs a verified fencing dynasty — the Fighting Irish have won four of the last five ’ships. But Columbia and Princeton, like the Irish, qualified the maximum 12 fencers, which means the trophy is well within reach for all three.

🏒 Men’s hockey: Just four days after the Wisconsin women were crowned national champs, the men are Regional round–ready. Unlike the women’s tournament’s 11 teams, the men’s single-elimination bracket allows for 16 natty chasers — and no one has a first-round bye. Drama from the get-go.

• The puck drops on the regional semis tomorrow at 2 p.m. ET, with the winners advancing to this weekend’s regional finals. Those who survive will skate to the peak of college hockey, the Frozen Four.

• No. 4 seed Denver hopes to defend their crown, but No. 1 Minnesota is heavily favored to claim their first national title since 2003 — they boast two finalists for the Hobey Baker Award, aka the MVP of college men’s hockey. So stacked.

Looking to get into the podcast game? Then you have to check out our twice-weekly podcast, The GIST of It. Hosted by BFFs Ellen Hyslop and Stephanie Rotz, it’s the women-produced and -hosted sports podcast you’ve been waiting for.

Don’t just take our word for it. Here’s what our listeners are saying:

• “It’s like listening to your good friends talk about sports” (Gracie754)
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Join the conversation (and these happy listeners!) by subscribing to The GIST of It wherever you tune into podcasts.

Thanks to the weekend collapse of previous No. 1 Hawaii, the Penn State Nittany Lions took over as the top cat dog in the rankings. Then, they immediately squandered that momentum when they were narrowly upset 3-2 by No. 15 Ohio State at home last night, despite senior opposite Cal Fisher, who led the Lions with 19 kills. Oof.

Well, well, well, they meet again. Tonight at 6:30 p.m. ET, No. 1 TCU and intrastate rival No. 3 Texas will face off in a rematch of February 20th’s ITA indoor national championship, which TCU swept 4-0. Will the Longhorns be able to serve up revenge? Truth and time tell all.

There’s also a new No. 1 in women’s lax: Syracuse ascended the throne after then–No. 1 UNC’s surprising Sunday loss. But the undefeated Orange’s ability to defend their top spot will immediately be tested when they host No. 6 Stony Brook at 8 p.m. ET tonight. 

Six collegiate volleyball players were picked in the first-ever Athletes Unlimited Volleyball College Draft on Monday — one from Nebraska, Wisconsin and Oregon plus three from San Diego. It’s a massive step forward for the U.S. women’s game to keep these stars stateside as they pursue pro careers. You know we love it.

Looking for some midweek motivation? Check out this collection of “Huddle” interviews with iconic female athletes, produced by our friends at Buick.

• For instant inspo, watch the likes of former WNBA legend Sue Bird and former USWNT star Ashlyn Harris discuss their careers and the growth trajectory of women’s sports. The workweek, like the patriarchy, doesn’t stand a chance.

Settle into your hump day with some of our faves lately.