JuJu Watkins announced Sunday she will miss the entirety of the 2025-26 NCAA season. Watkins tore her ACL in the second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament on March 24. A 12-month recovery timeline would have her back towards the end of the regular season and into the postseason, so the 20-year-old elected to eliminate the possibility of returning before the 2026-27 season.
“These last few months have been filled with a lot of healing, rest and reflection,” Watkins wrote.”Recovering from this injury hasn’t been easy, and I want to say thank you – your love, support and kind words have truly lifted me up during one of the most challenging times in my life. Because you’ve been with me every step of the way, I wanted you to hear it from me directly that, following the advice of my doctors and trainers, I will sit out this season and fully focus on continuing to recover so I can come back to the game I love.”
Watkins is already a two-time first-team All-American and won the Naismith Trophy and Wooden Awards in her sophomore season,when she averaged a conference-best 23.9 points per game and led USC to a Big Ten regular-season title. The Trojans where a No. 1 seed for the second straight tournament and ended their season in the Elite Eight for the second straight season.
“JuJu’s health and well-being are our top priority,and we fully support her decision to focus on recovery this season,” head coach Lindsay Gottlieb said in the program’s statement. “while we will certainly miss her impact on the court, she continues to play a vital role in our program as a leader and teammate. the strength and maturity she has shown through this process is a reflection of who she is, and we know the Trojan Family will continue to rally behind her. We look forward to the day she returns to competition stronger than ever.”
The 2025-26 USC roster will have a substantially different look, however. Along with Watkins, four of their other rotation players from last season either graduated or transferred out. The new-look Trojans will b
Connections: Sports Edition – Can You spot the Links?
Today’s Connections puzzle from the New York Times presents a fresh challenge for sports enthusiasts. The goal? Divide the 16 provided terms into four groups of four, where each group shares a common thread.
Here’s the grid you’re facing:
BASEBALL,HOCKEY,SOCCER,TENNIS,GOLF,BASKETBALL,VOLLEYBALL,RUGBY,POLE VAULT,SHOT PUT,JAVELIN,MARATHON,SPRINT,HIGH JUMP,WRESTLING,BOXING
Think you’ve cracked the code? here’s the solution:
* Team Sports: BASEBALL,HOCKEY,SOCCER,BASKETBALL
* Individual racquet/Ball Sports: TENNIS,VOLLEYBALL,GOLF,RUGBY
* Track & Field Throwing Events: SHOT PUT,JAVELIN,POLE VAULT,HIGH JUMP
* Track & Field Running Events: MARATHON,SPRINT,WRESTLING,BOXING
Did you manage to solve it? Connections often plays on both obvious and more subtle associations,making it a satisfying mental workout. Check back tomorrow for a new puzzle!