The Williams sisters are not done yet.

According to the New York Times, Venus and Serena Williams have been awarded a wild card for the women's doubles at Wimbledon 2026, the All England Club announced Tuesday (June 16), reuniting the most dominant doubles partnership in Grand Slam history on the grass where they built their legacy. Wimbledon begins June 29. 

The sisters hold a flawless 14-0 record in Grand Slam doubles finals together — they have never lost one. Six of those titles came right here at Wimbledon, with their first in 2000 and their last in 2016. This will be their first doubles appearance at the tournament in a decade. 

The announcement comes on the heels of Serena's competitive return after nearly four years away. She teamed up with Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko at Queen's Club earlier this month, winning their opening match before Mboko was forced to withdraw with a knee injury. Serena has since been keeping her match fitness sharp at the Berlin Open alongside Karolína Muchová ahead of Wimbledon.

Venus, who turns 46 on Wednesday (June 17), has been competing sporadically and has never stopped believing. Between them, the sisters have won 21 titles and medals at the All England Club across singles, doubles, and the 2012 London Olympics — where they claimed doubles gold on the same courts they'll step onto again this summer.

Wimbledon starts June 29.

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Omar Artan — one of Africa's most respected referees and the only Somali selected to officiate at the 2026 FIFA World Cup — was denied entry into the United States on Saturday (June 6) after arriving at Miami International Airport on a flight from Istanbul.

He would have been the first Somali referee ever to officiate at a World Cup. That historic moment is now gone. 

Somalia is one of 39 nations subject to the Trump administration's travel ban. U.S. Customs and Border Protection confirmed Artan's denial in a statement, saying he was "determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns" following what they described as a routine inspection. No further details were provided. 

Artan had a valid U.S. visa at the time of his arrival, according to a senior official in Somalia's Ministry of Youth and Sports, per France24. FIFA confirmed Monday (June 8) that Artan would not be able to train or officiate at the tournament, and made clear it had no authority to intervene. "In line with previous FIFA events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country," the governing body said in a statement, per ESPN.

Artan responded with remarkable grace. "Despite the circumstances, I am in a positive mood and I am focused on the next challenges in my refereeing career," he said in a statement released through FIFA. "I want to thank the football family for their messages and wish my colleagues all the best success during the World Cup."

The Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the decision. "Our nation should not ban anyone from our shores simply because of their race or their ethnicity," CAIR Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said. "Once someone has gone through that thorough vetting process, there is no reason to ban them from our country simply because of their nationality. Doing so is an affront to our values and the law." 

Artan's case is not an isolated one. Iran's national soccer team also faced visa delays ahead of the tournament, receiving permission to enter the country just one day before their opening match.

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The G.O.A.T. is back! 

Serena Williams officially announced her return to professional tennis Monday morning (June 1), confirming she will compete in doubles at the HSBC Championships at Queen's Club in London next week. 

Williams first teased the news with a 17-second Nike video posted to social media, showing her walking toward her buzzing phone on a tennis court as the words "Guess everybody heard the news" flashed across the screen. Minutes later, the tournament made it official. "The Queen returns," Queen's Club posted on social media. 

Shortly after, the WTA confirmed the news, declaring Williams was "officially returning to the stage."

"Queen's Club feels like the perfect place to begin this next chapter," Williams said in a statement, per ESPN. "Grass has given me some of the most meaningful moments of my career, and I'm excited to be back competing on one of the sport's most iconic stages."

Williams last played at the 2022 US Open, where she famously chose the word "evolving" over "retiring" — a distinction that, in hindsight, meant everything. 

She will partner with world No. 9 Victoria Mboko in doubles. She was officially cleared to compete on February 22, 2026, after re-entering the International Tennis Integrity Agency's drug-testing pool — a required step before returning to competition. 

As recently as December, she posted on X: "Omg y'all I'm NOT coming back." Consider that officially walked back.

The tennis world has been watching and waiting. Coco Gauff — who grew up idolizing Williams — said a return would be "really cool for the sport." Naomi Osaka, who famously beat Williams at the 2018 US Open final, said she would be "really excited" to see her back. 

"I think she's one of the best players in the world, of course," Osaka said.

The numbers behind the comeback are staggering. Williams holds the women's Open Era record for Grand Slam singles titles with 23, spent 319 weeks ranked No. 1, won four Olympic gold medals, claimed 14 major doubles titles alongside sister Venus, and is believed to be the highest-paid female athlete in history.

Venus Williams, 45, who made her own comeback last July, never wanted her sister to walk away. "The only thing that would make this better is if she was here," Venus said last summer. "But if she comes back, I'm sure she'll let y'all know."

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Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown continued his public feud with ESPN host Stephen A. Smith during a recent Twitch stream, calling on the commentator to retire. 

On Sunday (May 17), Brown responded to a video of Smith on a May 7 episode of First Take, where he questioned Brown’s recent comments, calling the 2025–26 season his “favorite” and asking why teammate Jayson Tatum had not appeared on his stream. 

“What type of journalism is this?” Brown asked. “Jayson Tatum hasn’t been on my stream, and this is what we’re talking about on First Take? What if J.T. just doesn’t like being somewhere in an uncontrolled environment? Why are you doing journalism on me having guests on my stream?”

The feud began earlier this month after Brown described the Celtics’ 2025–26 season as his “favorite” during a Twitch livestream following the team’s playoff elimination.

Brown made the comments after the Celtics lost their first-round playoff series to the Philadelphia 76ers, and Jayson Tatum missed the deciding game with a leg injury.

Smith addressed Brown’s comments on ESPN’s First Take on May 7, questioning both Brown’s remarks and why Tatum had not appeared on his stream.

“The first order of business is that he needs to be quiet, and like [Kendrick Perkins] said, go on vacation unless you’re trying to get traded,” Smith said.  

Brown responded on Sunday, saying he would only “be quiet” and stop streaming if Smith retired. 

Brown said Smith was creating “narratives” around his comments and clarified that calling the season his “favorite” was about watching the team overcome adversity — not about his personal performance.

“This is why, respectfully, a lot of people say f**k Stephen A,” he said. “Stephen A, Stephen B, Stephen C. Like my offer still stands: You want me to be quiet and stop streaming, well, I want you to be quiet and get off these networks. Because you’re not using your platform to do real journalism.”

Smith responded to Brown's comments on ESPN on Monday (May 18). “Jaylen Brown, be careful what you wish for," he said. "You really want me to start reporting on that level? You understand? Locker room, how the organization might think about you, how the city may feel about you, how Jayson Tatum may or may not feel about you, sneaker deals, endorsement deals, the list goes on and on. The season is over bro. You’re on twitch trying to do what I do.”

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Basketball fans and advocates of the LGBTQ+ community alike are mourning the loss of Jason Collins, a former player for the Brooklyn Nets and the NBA’s first openly gay player.  

Collins died at the age of 47 on Tuesday (May 12) after a battle with a rare form of brain cancer called glioblastoma, according to TIME. 

The Glioblastoma Research Organization lists the median survival rate at about 14.6 months in adults, with more than 13,000 Americans being diagnosed every year. Collins announced his Stage 4 glioblastoma diagnosis with ESPN back in December 2025. 

“Jason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and to those who admired him from afar,” Collins’ family wrote in a statement provided by the NBA. “We are grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers over the past eight months, and for the exceptional medical care Jason received from his doctors and nurses. Our family will miss him dearly.”

Collins was born in December 1978 in Los Angeles, just eight minutes before his twin brother, Jarron Collins, according to the Los Angeles Times. The twins grew up in Northridge and played basketball in high school, helping Harvard-Westlake win back-to-back California Division III titles. 

They continued playing basketball at Stanford University, with Jason making nearly 61% of his shots, a school record to date. He was named a third-team All-American by the National Association of Basketball Coaches and an All-America honorable mention by The Associated Press in 2001.

While he was initially selected for the Houston Rockets in the 2001 NBA draft, he was traded to the New Jersey Nets on draft night. He played for the Nets for seven seasons before moving to various teams from 2008 to 2013, including the Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, and Washington Wizards.

He became a free agent and joined the Nets again to play out the rest of the season shortly before coming out as gay, and announced his retirement in November 2014.

“Those who were around Jason every day knew him not just as a competitor, but as a genuinely kind, thoughtful person who brought people together,” the Brooklyn Nets wrote in a statement on X mourning Collins’ passing. “Jason will always be a part of the Nets family, and he will be deeply missed.” 

The NBA also honored Collins’ death in a statement on social media, highlighting his contributions to the LGBTQ+ community after coming out and saying they are proud to call him “one of our own.” 

Collins worked as an NBA Cares ambassador and advocate for LGBT rights following his retirement, regularly attending Pride events and even campaigning for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during her 2016 presidential campaign.

He was also appointed to former President Barack Obama’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition in 2014, according to The Hill. 

“To call Jason Collins a groundbreaking figure for our community is simply inadequate. We truly lost a giant today,” Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign, wrote in a statement. “He came out as gay — while still playing — at a time when men’s athletes simply did not do that.” 

Jason Kidd, Collins’ former coach on the Nets, and Billie Jean King also paid tribute to the NBA star on social media. 

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Dystany Spurlock became the first Black woman to compete in NASCAR’s ARCA Menards Series events. 

Spurlock competed in the Kansas Speedway on Saturday (April 18), starting at the back of the 29-car field before working her way up to 16th place a few laps into the race, according to Essence. She continued to gain ground through multiple cautions and restarts. 

She later used a caution as a “free pass” rule to get back into the lead, and pass two more drivers to secure a spot in the top-10. 

“It was an amazing day,” Spurlock said in a statement. “I’m continuing to race and learn and prove to myself and others that I belong here. I wasn’t happy about getting punted at the close of the race, but I made the best out of it.”

During her years in motorcycle drag racing, Spurlock became the first woman to win the Real Street class in the XDA series, setting a world record in the process. She also became the first Black woman to compete in the NHRA’s Pro Stock Motorcycle category last year before competing on the race track.

“Dystany competing at this level is a direct reflection of preparation, opportunity, and an intentional support system,” Chris Harris, co-owner of Black-owned mobility media company Foxxtecca, told the outlet. “She’s a monster, and she is showing that she belongs here, and more importantly, that others belong here.”

Spurlock’s next ARCA event is slated for May 8, 2026, at Watkins Glen International. She is also scheduled to race at the NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis in September 2026 and the Texas NHRA Fall Nationals in Dallas in October 2026. 

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A’ja Wilson is officially staying on the Las Vegas Aces after signing a fully guaranteed three-year, $5 million contract — the largest deal in WNBA history, according to The Athletic.

ESPN’s Shams Charania and Andraya Carter confirmed the deal on Wednesday (April 15) via X. The three-year supermax contract was negotiated by Jade-Li English of Klutch Sports Group.

According to Yahoo! Sports, Wilson first confirmed her plans to re-sign with the Aces during a USA Basketball camp last week. “I’m not looking. I know exactly where I am. I know I love Vegas. I’m not leaving Vegas, so I’m not looking anywhere,” Wilson told Front Office Sports. 

Under the WNBA’s new collective bargaining agreement, top salaries have increased significantly, with supermax deals reaching up to $1.4 million annually, according to The Las Vegas Review-Journal. Wilson’s three-year, $5 million contract sets a new record for the largest deal in league history.

Wilson is the first four-time MVP in WNBA history. She won three championships in four seasons, earned Rookie of the Year honors, and was named Finals MVP twice. She was also the No.1 overall pick drafted by the Aces of South Carolina in 2018, and has been named both a seven-time All-Star and a three-time Defensive Player of the Year.  

In 2023, Wilson signed a team-friendly two-year, $400,000 deal with the Aces to become the third-highest paid player in Las Vegas behind Jackie Young and Jewell Loyd.

The Aces have also retained key players Young, Loyd, and Chelsea Gray so far, and Chennedy Carter has also signed a training-camp deal on Wednesday, per Yahoo! Sports.

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Coco Gauff is speaking up after receiving online criticism about her hair, turning a fashion campaign into a bigger conversation about beauty standards, Black hair, and who gets to be seen as polished.

The 22-year-old tennis star addressed the backlash in a TikTok video after photos from her recent Miu Miu Vivant bag campaign began circulating online.

Gauff shared the campaign on Instagram on April 2, writing, “big bag day means my @miumiu Vivant can carry just about anything I need.”

What followed, though, was a wave of commentary about her appearance — especially her hair.

Gauff said the look was intentional from the start. “I did my everyday hair and makeup because that was personally the point,” she said in the video. She also explained why she chose not to wear a slicked-back style, saying, “I personally don’t like to slick back my hair super sleek, because it does damage my hair.”

Then she got more direct.

“I’m not going to apologize for the way that my hair looked,” Gauff said. “My hair was good enough for a high-fashion brand like Miu Miu to promote one of their newest launches. So if my 4C hair is good enough for that, then yours is good enough to do whatever you need it to do.”

For Gauff, the issue was never just one photo shoot. It was about what it means for young Black girls to see themselves represented without having to flatten, over-style, or transform their hair into something more acceptable.

“To all the young Black girls out there who have kinky hair like me, do what you want to do with your hair,” she said “Do what you want to do because people are going to hate on you regardless.”

She also acknowledged that the criticism hit a nerve. Gauff said, “I’m not going to lie, for two days I was feeling rough,” before adding, “y’all did knock a diva down… but diva got up.”

That response is part of why the moment resonated far beyond tennis or fashion. Black hair has long been policed in schools, workplaces, and public life under the language of “neatness,” “professionalism,” or being “put together.” That history helps explain why some of the reactions to Gauff’s campaign felt so familiar.

Gauff, though, made clear she is not interested in shrinking herself to fit someone else’s comfort level. She said she made the video because she wanted girls with hair like hers to know “your hair is literally fine the way it is.”

And that, more than the backlash itself, is the real takeaway.

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Pope Leo XIV had a lighter moment at the Vatican this week when the Harlem Globetrotters stopped by St. Peter’s Square and gave him a quick basketball lesson.

During the visit, the pope was seen attempting one of the team’s signature tricks — spinning a basketball on his finger — with help from one of the players.

The moment happened on Wednesday (April 8) during the pope’s general audience, where the Globetrotters were among the visitors welcomed to the square. Video shared by multiple outlets shows a player guiding the ball onto Leo’s finger as the crowd reacted with applause.

The exchange quickly took off online, in part because it offered a more playful glimpse of the pontiff, who has now been in the role for nearly a year. Leo, born Robert Prevost in Chicago, became the first American pope in 2025.

While the basketball spin may have needed an assist, the moment still landed. It also connected naturally with Leo’s American roots and the Globetrotters’ long-standing role as one of the country’s most recognizable basketball institutions. The team, founded in Chicago in 1926, has spent decades blending showmanship, athleticism, and global goodwill through the game.

For a few seconds, St. Peter’s Square looked a little less formal — and a lot more fun.

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There’s been a cloud hanging over the future of women’s basketball for the last 17 months.

Before the WNBA reached a tentative 2026 collective bargaining agreement that is set to drastically increase player pay, athletes like Aerial Powers were hoping the league would do the “right thing” — not just for this generation, but for the ones coming next.

“I’ve had people before me, whether it was my grandmother [or others’] sacrifice so I can be where I am today, and sometimes people have to do that for the other generations to succeed,” the Indiana Fever guard told iHeartRadio in an exclusive interview. “And I just hope that we all as a collective feel the same.”

Turns out, they did.

Not only will there be a 2026 WNBA season, but players across the league are now seeing a long-awaited shift — one that finally reflects the value they’ve been building for years.

It’s always been a great time to be a woman athlete. But this era? It’s finally beginning to reflect that — financially, culturally, and visibly.

I saw that firsthand in Chicago during the men’s Big Ten semifinals, where I caught up with Powers while she was in town for a partnership with Silk Protein — a collaboration that, according to her, took no convincing.

“Well, it just came authentically,” she said. “Honestly, I’ve been using Silk for a while. I’m a big smoothie girl, and I’m big on plant-based proteins.”

For Powers, it’s less about the partnership and more about fit.

“The fact that we have something ready to go is big, especially because I’m always traveling,” she continued. “And I’m big on taste too. I want a little bit of both — and Silk gives me that.”

Even in a space centered around men’s college basketball, the attention followed her. Young girls approached one after another, asking for photos and autographs — a reminder, in real time, of just how much the game and its visibility have shifted.

“It’s so crazy because… I was looking up to other women who were playing the sport, and they did a lot of things that are now a transition for my generation,” Powers shared. “And now we’re technically, literally in a period where whatever we do, however we compose ourselves, could change the trajectory for the people next.”

“So for me, it’s tremendous… It’s a time in life where it’s like, ‘This is the moment.’ The moment that the women before me have paved the way for.”

As for what’s driving the shift, Powers says it comes down to something simple: time.

“Men started playing professional basketball a few years before us. So that means… everything in life you have to build and grow and consistently do,” she said.

“And it’s just — now our time. It’s our time to start doing those things.”

Powers, who is not only part of the generation benefiting from that shift but one of the voices pushing it forward, says the moment still feels surreal.

“If I was talking to my younger self — the young girl from Detroit, Michigan — I would have never thought I would have been in this position that I’m in,” she said.

“I was always just chasing my dream, which was to be in the WNBA. And now it’s like… you can meet a young girl or a young guy and change the way they look at the sport.”

“I would have never thought that. I’m just blessed to be able to do that.”

This moment isn’t just about basketball, and Powers is clear about what she hopes young girls take from it.

“We too belong in everything, not just sports,” she said. “I hope they take away that as long as you work hard in something and can consistently keep your confidence high, that you can achieve great things.”

Like many players in this new era, Powers is also embracing her voice off the court — through platforms like her podcast Aerial View.

“People see me on the court, and they have this perception,” she said. “That’s not who we are. That’s just our competitiveness.”

“I have a voice. And it allows me to broadcast the things that I think are important… And I think there’s such strength in vulnerability.”

That same strength is what Powers — and the generation alongside her — will carry into the 2026 season, as women’s basketball steps into a new era that finally reflects its value.

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When you’re the first, the hope is that you’re not the last.

Before Erin Jackson became the first Black woman to win an individual Winter Olympic gold medal, there was Debi Thomas — the first Black woman to win a medal at the Winter Olympics, earning bronze in figure skating in 1988.

Then came Vonetta Flowers, who became the first Black athlete to win gold at the Winter Olympics as part of the U.S. two-woman bobsled team in 2002.

Now, there’s a growing list of names following in their footsteps — 2026 gold medalists Elana Meyers Taylor (monobob) and Laila Edwards (ice hockey) both made history in their respective sports at this year's Games — each helping to reframe what’s possible for Black women in winter sports.

Together, they’ve brought a new level of visibility to a space that hasn’t always reflected them, opening doors and holding them open for the next generation.

While Jackson didn’t leave the 2026 Games with a medal, she accomplished something just as meaningful: her third Olympic appearance — and history, once again, as the first Black woman to serve as a flag bearer for Team USA.

It’s one thing to say medals aren’t everything — it’s another to live it. And what Jackson, along with those who came before her and those coming after, are doing is bigger than gold, silver, or bronze.

It’s about impact. Exposure. Possibility.

It’s about showing Black girls there is space for them — on the ice, on the podium, and anywhere their dreams take them.

It’s that ability to dream big and not let anything, including a lack of representation, stand in your way — that Jackson stands firm in. And for her, that message is clear.

“Don’t be afraid to try something new,” she told iHeartRadio in an exclusive interview. “I know that it really helps to see people like you achieving something, but also don’t be afraid to be the first.”

Read our full Q&A with Erin Jackson below.

Watching you compete in Milan was such a proud moment — I loved tuning into every race. When you think back on the Games, what moments will stay with you the longest?

One of them for sure was walking out with the flag in the opening ceremonies. It's just an amazing way to kick off the Games. And then being there with my teammates. For a lot of them, it was their first Olympics, so just being able to witness a lot of firsts for them was really awesome. I feel like the mom of the team, so it's really cool getting to witness these things with my teammates.

And then also getting to watch a lot of the other Olympic sports, especially with athletes from those sports, because they could share the details and the behind-the-scenes things and the scoring and all of that. So, yeah, I had a lot of really cool moments from the Games.

We’re chatting because of Hershey’s It’s Your Happy Place campaign. With the games now behind you, what was your happy place in Milan? What centered you while you were there?

My happy place was definitely with my teammates. Being on the speed skating team is basically a full-time job. We see each other all the time, so it's really lucky that we actually like each other, because we have to spend pretty much all of our time with each other. We really enjoy hanging out together.

We play a lot of card games and hang out together in our downtime. That was definitely my happy place: being with my team. We were all on the same floor of the Team USA building, so we got to see each other every day, just like usual.

Being the first Black woman to win an individual gold medal at the Winter Olympics is huge. You’ve said before you didn’t want to be the last — and this year, we saw Elana Meyers Taylor and Laila Edwards add to that legacy. What does it feel like to see that circle expanding?

It's amazing. I feel like the more people we have, the more exposure there is, and then the potential for getting more and more women — and just people of color in general — involved in winter sports. So getting the word out, it's amazing to see more and more people having success in winter sports.

You can’t talk about that progress without acknowledging the barriers many Black communities face when it comes to winter sports. You’ve spoken about wanting to create pathways for young athletes of color — what would meaningful change look like to you, and is that something you still see yourself building toward?

I'm not sure if I could have even continued in this sport if I wasn't fortunate enough to make that first Olympic team in 2018, because it's really expensive just being in speed skating to begin with, but also, you know, kind of uprooting my life and moving across the country.

So there are a lot of barriers to winter sports, and especially with speed skating. There are only two places to do it in the whole country for the programs that we have. So it's still very much one of my goals to help lower that barrier through a scholarship program to be able to fund some athletes to get a start in the sport and help them out as much as I can.

Switching gears a bit. You’ve said you can’t imagine stepping away from speed skating right now. As you look ahead, whether that’s 2030 or just the next chapter, what excites you most?

Yeah, I'm super excited about keeping the momentum going because I unfortunately didn't win a medal at these Olympics. But, the progress that I've made over the past few years with my skating technique — and there are a lot of really technical things that go into the sport — I've made a ton of progress over the past few years. I'm really looking forward to keeping that going and really being able to show that.

Is there anything you’d approach differently in your preparation for 2030 compared to previous cycles?

Well, the main thing would be I need to get surgery on my back, because I have a few disc herniations. So once I get that under control, then I can get back to the more traditional forms of training, because there are a lot of things that I just haven't been able to do over the past few years. So I'm really looking forward to training the way I need to — and being really protective of my back going forward.

One of my favorite parts of your story is your friendship with Brittany Bowe — it’s really special. With this being her final Olympics, were you able to fully take in that last run together? And what moments from Milan with her stand out most?

Yeah, there are a few of us here in the Netherlands for the final competition of the season, but because Brittany retired, she isn't here. So almost every day we're like, 'We miss Brittany. We wish Brittany was here.' It's definitely gonna be tough not having her going forward. But, she'll still be around. She'll still be in the Salt Lake area. It'll be nice to hang out with her and catch up.

We spent a lot of time together in Milan — going to hockey games, or going to the dining hall, or venturing off campus to go find some other meals out in Milan together. I feel like we do a lot of stuff together, and that won't change just because she's not on the team anymore.

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Laila Edwards is having yet another historic moment.

Less than a month — 31 days to be exact — after winning Olympic gold with Team USA, Edwards returned to the ice and helped lead the University of Wisconsin to another national championship, capping off a run that’s putting her name firmly in the history books.

Edwards was part of the U.S. women’s hockey team that captured gold in Milan, where she became the first Black American woman to win Olympic gold in ice hockey. She also made history during the tournament as the first Black American woman to score a goal on Olympic ice.

Her performance wasn’t just symbolic; it was impactful. Edwards finished among Team USA’s top scorers during the Olympic run, helping power the team to the top of the podium.

On Sunday (March 22), she was back in Madison. Edwards rejoined the Wisconsin Badgers as they faced off against Ohio State in the NCAA women’s hockey championship — a matchup that has become one of the sport’s most competitive rivalries in recent years.

Wisconsin edged out Ohio State 3-2 to secure the program’s ninth national title, the most in NCAA history. The win also marked back-to-back championships for the Badgers and added another title to a program that has dominated the sport in recent years.

For Edwards, it was her third NCAA championship with Wisconsin and the latest milestone in what’s already been a standout career.

The quick turnaround from the Olympics to a championship college run is no small feat. Players often have to reset both physically and mentally after international competition, but Edwards stepped back into her college lineup and contributed to a title-winning finish.

Her recent run highlights both her individual talent and the growing visibility of Black athletes in a sport where representation has historically been limited.

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