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The wait is over: UCLA’s Charlisse Leger-Walker is back for a championship run

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The wait is over: UCLA’s Charlisse Leger-Walker is back for a championship run

There was so much more to this comeback than the monotony of it all.

Sure, Charlisse Leger-Walker had to teach her quadriceps muscle to fire again, the UCLA point guard sitting in her room connecting her mind to her body so that her thigh would tense up, strengthening it just a bit more.

She had to learn how to walk again, run again, jump again, often rising two hours before her teammates so that she could get the work in on the anti-gravity machine and other weight training devices that would put her one step closer to playing again after a devastating knee injury.

Focusing on all those muscle groups eventually left the graduate transfer feeling stronger than ever. She spent so much time on her shooting, hoisting one three-pointer after another, that she developed the most consistency on her touch she’s felt during a decorated career in which she was an All-Pac-12 player at Washington State before going down on that terrible late January day inside Pauley Pavilion.

Washington State guard Charlisse Leger-Walker shoots during a game against Washington on Dec. 11, 2022, in Seattle. Leger-Walker has transferred to UCLA and is poised for a big season after recovering from an injury.

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(Stephen Brashear/AP)

Maybe the biggest benefit of being sidelined for almost 1½ seasons came in her new grasp of the game. Watching from the bench allowed her to develop a more nuanced understanding of coach Cori Close’s system and which spots on the court gave each teammate a higher chance of scoring.

“I knew coming back this season,” Leger-Walker said, “that’s going to be a big part of my role on the team is making sure people are in the best positions to succeed and really understanding how I can make the individual pieces of our team come together better collectively.”

The long-awaited payoff starts Monday night at the Honda Center.

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A team already filled with talent could overflow upon the return of a player who intends to help put it all together during what the third-ranked Bruins hope is a championship run beginning with their season opener against San Diego State.

It’s conceivable that Close could have four All-Big Ten players by season’s end in Leger-Walker, center Lauren Betts and guards Kiki Rice and Gianna Kneepkens. Leger-Walker gives UCLA another elite point guard and veteran presence alongside Rice, their games complementing one another instead of providing redundancy.

“One’s more of a downhill driver, going to put pressure on the defense with her aggression and off the bounce,” Close said of Rice, “the other is more of a surveyor, pass-first kind of point guard, and isn’t that great that they’re both on our team?”

Leger-Walker tormented her coach before she joined her cause, helping seventh-seeded Washington State make an improbable run in the 2023 Pac-12 tournament. Dominating across the board with 23 points, seven rebounds and three assists, Leger-Walker helped the Cougars hold off the Bruins in the championship.

“She sort of took over the game,” Close said. “It was Charlisse Leger-Walker’s world, and we were just living in it.”

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Nearly a year later, having scored 17 points in 19 minutes with her team on the way to another victory over the Bruins, the 5-foot-10 guard crumpled to the Pauley Pavilion court in the third quarter. She briefly rose to test her injured knee before giving up, the pain unbearable.

It was a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Her season was over.

The timing was especially cruel given that she had been scheduled to play for the New Zealand national team the next week, helping the Tall Ferns try to qualify for the 2024 Olympics in something of a family tradition. Her mother, Leanne Walker, had played point guard for their home nation in the 2000 and 2004 Summer Games, but with Charlisse sidelined the Tall Ferns failed to qualify in 2024.

“There were a lot of disappointing things in that moment,” Charlisse said, “involving more than just the injury itself.”

With one season of eligibility remaining, Leger-Walker sought an upgrade — with encouragement from Washington State coach Kamie Ethridge, who realized that her star player had maximized her potential with a team that didn’t have realistic national title aspirations.

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What happened next remains a playful dispute between Leger-Walker and her new coach.

Pouncing on the opportunity to pursue Leger-Walker once she entered the transfer portal, Close said she had trouble getting the point guard to return her messages. Informed of her coach’s claim with Close standing nearby at Big Ten media day, Leger-Walker expressed mock exasperation.

“Oh my gosh, that’s her biggest thing,” Leger-Walker said. “I did — you can check the text message receipts.”

As Close broke into laughter, Leger-Walker added, “I did. Maybe it was a couple of hours later, but I definitely returned her messages. She exaggerates that.”

Once she agreed to become a Bruin, the sidelined star became a de facto coach, not only learning about her teammates’ tendencies but also encouraging them during practices and games.

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By last February, having completed her lengthy rehabilitation, Leger-Walker faced a difficult decision: Should she return to help the Bruins contend for a national title or wait to come back for a full season?

She chose the latter path, making everyone grateful for the extended opportunity to play together long before she dazzled with 11 assists and only two turnovers in a recent scrimmage.

Said Rice: “To now be able to be in the backcourt with her, to learn from her, she’s brought a lot of new things.”

Said Betts: “I mean, everybody knows she’s like one of the best guards in the entire country.”

Of course, being surrounded by so many skilled teammates could make things incredibly easy for the Bruins’ new ballhandler. Leger-Walker knows there will be moments when she can almost reflexively help her team.

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Just get the ball to Kneepkens beyond the three-point line, where her shots are a coin flip.

“That’s probably an assist,” Leger-Walker said.

Just throw a lob to Betts in the post, where she makes almost everything.

“That’s probably an assist,” Leger-Walker said.

Labeled one of the best passing guards that her coach has ever seen, Leger-Walker has been primed for this moment. The monotony over, those muscles firing again, it’s time to start winning.

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Terrion Arnold, Lions’ 2024 first-round pick, charged with kidnapping and armed robbery in Florida

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Terrion Arnold, Lions’ 2024 first-round pick, charged with kidnapping and armed robbery in Florida

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Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold was arrested in connection with an alleged kidnapping and robbery that investigators say occurred in February, the Tampa Police Department announced on Wednesday night.

Police previously arrested six other individuals accused of participating in what authorities described as a “targeted armed robbery” on Feb. 4.

Arnold turned himself in and was taken into custody at Orient Road Jail in Hillsborough County on Wednesday night. He is charged with four counts of kidnapping and four counts of armed robbery.

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Terrion Arnold of the Detroit Lions looks on during the second half of an NFL game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis., on Sept. 7, 2025. (Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)

“We are aware of the matter and have been in contact with the club. We have no further comment at this time,” an NFL spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

The Lions have not immediately responded to a request for comment by Fox News Digital.

According to investigators, Arnold rented an Airbnb in Largo, Florida, where he periodically stayed with several co-defendants: Arianna Del Valle, 19; Jasmine Randazzo, 19; Lyndell Hudson II, 26; Christion Williams, 24; Boakai Hilton Jr., 23; and Freddie Hughes, 27. Authorities said other individuals also stayed at the property.

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Investigators said three male victims, all in their late teens, suffered visible injuries after they were allegedly battered, held at gunpoint and pistol-whipped before being robbed and ordered to leave a residence in the 14000 block of North 46th Street in Tampa.

According to investigators, multiple personal items belonging to Arnold and others were stolen from the Airbnb on Feb. 1. Authorities said Arnold suspected two of the three victims were responsible, though Tampa police later determined they were not involved in the theft.

On Feb. 3, Arnold, Hilton, Hughes and another individual reported more than $250,000 in stolen property to the Largo Police Department.

Investigators allege that later that day Arnold and Hilton coordinated with Del Valle and Randazzo to contact one of the victims and lure him to an apartment.

Terrion Arnold of the Detroit Lions lines up before a play during an NFL game against the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 27, 2025. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)

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Police said the three victims arrived at the apartment on Feb. 4 to meet the women, where Williams and Hudson were allegedly hiding inside a bedroom closet. According to investigators, Williams and Hudson grabbed the victims, held them at gunpoint and assaulted them.

Authorities said Del Valle streamed the incident to Arnold, Hilton and Hughes as they traveled to the apartment. Investigators also said they recovered a group chat involving the defendants in which Arnold and Hilton allegedly gave directions to Del Valle, Williams and Hudson during the assault.

According to investigators, Arnold, Hilton, Hughes and another individual arrived at the apartment around 1 a.m. Police allege Arnold directed the group inside, and that Hughes, Hudson and Williams stole the victims’ personal property while the assault was ongoing.

Authorities said the victims were escorted from the apartment about 40 minutes later, forced into their vehicle and left the scene. They later reported the incident to Tampa police and identified the suspects.

Investigators said they believe Arnold was the primary organizer of the alleged scheme based on evidence gathered during the investigation.

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Terrion Arnold of the Detroit Lions runs onto the field before an NFL game against the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan, on Nov. 27, 2025. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)

Arnold, an Alabama product, was selected by Detroit with the No. 24 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

The 23-year-old recorded his first career interception this past season in Week 9 against the Minnesota Vikings, though he was only able to play eight games due to a shoulder injury that required season-ending surgery.

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Arnold played 16 games during his rookie season in 2024, tallying 10 passes defended and 60 combined tackles.

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Mexico celebrates magical World Cup win over Czechia at rowdy Azteca Stadium

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Mexico celebrates magical World Cup win over Czechia at rowdy Azteca Stadium

Mexico’s national team overcame a lackluster first half to beat Czechia thanks to a dream second half that allowed it to finish the group stage undefeated on a night that will be remembered as one of the greatest in Mexican World Cup history.

The celebration of Mexico’s 3-0 win Wednesday at Azteca Stadium turned into a tribute to legendary goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, who entered the game in the final minutes to receive a standing ovation unlike any other for a Mexican player in the history of the tournament.

Czechia was eliminated after failing to earn more than one point in the tournament. In the other group match, South Africa defeated South Korea 1-0 in Monterrey and advanced in second place. South Korea will have to wait to find out whether it advances as one of the eight best third-place teams.

Czechia put up a strong performance during the first 45 minutes, while Mexico showed little offensive clarity, mainly because of a lack of control in midfield.

Everything changed in a matter of six minutes during the second half, when El Tri figured out Czechia and secured its best victory in the group stage.

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Mateo Chávez opened the scoring in the 55th minute with the help of Mexico’s lethal counterattack. Luis Romo set up the goal by shaking off three Czechia players at midfield and pushing forward, passing to Chávez, who beat Czechia’s Michal Sadilek and buried a shot to the left side of goal.

Forward Julián Quiñones extended the lead in the 61st minute, exploiting Czechia’s defensive confusion in the penalty area.

Álvaro Fidalgo, who was a second-half substitute, capped the win with a stoppage-time goal. The run on the final goal was set up by a booming Ochoa kick and triggered a raucous celebration by the goalkeeper and his teammates.

The match encapsulated both the present and the future of the Mexican team.

Gilberto Mora, a 17-year-old midfielder from Tijuana and the team’s youngest player at the World Cup, was instrumental in the second half, setting up several of the plays that decided the outcome. With a 2-0 lead, one of the greatest moments for a goalkeeper in World Cup history unfolded. Ochoa replaced starter Raúl Rangel and was greeted with a standing ovation from a large portion of the 80,824 fans at Azteca Stadium.

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Mexico’s Julian Quinones celebrates scoring his side’s second goal against Czechia during a World Cup match in Mexico City on Wednesday.

(Silvia Izquierdo / Associated Press)

The fans chanted Ochoa’s name every time the goalkeeper touched the ball, honoring a player who has competed in six World Cups for Mexico.

Coach Javier Aguirre said that finishing first in the group was a “primary objective” for Mexico, which already qualified for the next round. The team achieved a first by securing three consecutive wins without conceding a goal in the group stage. Mexico defeated South Africa 2-0 in the opening match and South Korea 1-0 in the second game.

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Mexico, which is co-hosting the tournament alongside Canada and the United States, will face its next opponent — one of the best third-place finishers — on Tuesday at Azteca Stadium.

The only sour note for Mexico came in the scoreless first half when the restless crowd unleashed a popular homophobic chant at least twice. FIFA previously sanctioned the Mexican soccer federation in an effort to stop the chant.

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2026 World Cup Third-Place Standings: Who’s In, Who’s On The Bubble

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2026 World Cup Third-Place Standings: Who’s In, Who’s On The Bubble

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For the first time at a FIFA World Cup, finishing third in your group does not necessarily mean going home.

With 48 teams competing in 2026, FIFA expanded the field to include the eight best third-place finishers across all 12 groups. The top two teams in each group advance automatically, and the remaining eight spots in the 32-team knockout bracket go to the highest-ranked third-place teams, determined by points, goal difference, goals scored and other tiebreakers.

That means 12 teams will be competing for eight spots, and the race to stay in the top eight is one of the most compelling subplots of the final days of the group stage.

Here’s where the third-place standings sit heading into the final round of group stage matches on June 24.

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Third-Place World Cup Standings

Rank   GP Points Goal Diff.
1 Bosnia & Herz. 3 4 -1
2 Sweden 2 3 0
3 Scotland 2 3 0
4 Croatia 2 3 -1
5 Algeria 2 3 -2
6 Paraguay 2 3 -2
7 Cape Verde 2 2 0
8 Belgium 2 2 0
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9 Czechia 2 1 -1
10 DR Congo 2 1 -1
11 Ecuador 2 1 -1
12 Senegal 2 0 -3

The third-place standings will shift considerably over the next two days as the final round of group stage matches is played. Follow the live standings at FOXSports.com and watch every match on FOX and FS1, streaming live on FOX One.

Standings as of the end of Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Qatar and Canada vs. Switzerland on Wednesday.

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2026 FIFA World Cup Standings Rules

How Do Points Work? How Do Tiebreakers Work? 

In a group, a team will earn three points for a win, one point for a draw, and no points for a loss. That could mean some teams are equal on points at the end of the three-game group stage. That leads us to tiebreakers. 

If two or more teams finish equal on group-stage points, here is the order of who finishes on top:

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1. Most points obtained in the head-to-head matches played between the tied teams;
2. Superior goal difference in the head-to-head matches played between the tied teams;
3. Most goals scored in the head-to-head matches played between the tied teams;

There are even more tiebreakers if any teams remained locked after all that. From there, ties are broken by these rules:

4. Superior goal difference in all group matches
5. Most goals scored in all group matches
6. Highest team conduct score in all group matches (taking into account yellow cards and red cards)
7. FIFA World Ranking

Which Third-Place Teams Will Advance?

To fill out the World Cup knockout bracket, the best eight third-place teams out of the possible 12 in the tournament will advance. The criteria for those teams are based on: 

1. Points
2. Goal difference
3. Goals scored
4. Highest team conduct score in all group matches (taking into account yellow cards and red cards)
5. FIFA World Ranking

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