Utah
NWSL Power Rankings: Banda’s Pride No. 1, winless Utah sink
It’s Monday, and another week of NWSL action is in the books, which means it’s time for ESPN’s Power Rankings.
Who’s climbing the table? Who’s in free fall? Our writers studied the action from across Matchday 4 to come up with this week’s order of all 14 teams in the league. Let’s dive in.
Previous ranking: 1
Next match: Saturday, April 19 vs. Washington Spirit, 5 p.m. ET
Orlando are still the team to beat after defeating Seattle Reign 1-0 on Saturday. Orlando’s quality across multiple lines shined in Barbra Banda’s 41st-minute goal: Marta found left-back Kerry Abello, who then carried the ball to midfielder Summer Yates on the left wing. Yates then unbalanced Seattle’s defense on the dribble before slotting in a crisp assist to Banda, waiting patiently in front of goal. Orlando were outshot 13 to 7 (and 5 to 4 on target), but goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse (freshly returned from international duty with England) made five essential saves to keep a clean sheet and secure Orlando’s continued run at the top of the NWSL.
Previous ranking: 2
Next match: Saturday, April 19 vs. Houston Dash, 7:30 p.m. ET
In what’s turned into a bit of a trend early this season, Kansas City scored their goals early (Debinha in the 16th minute, followed by Lo’eau LaBonta from the penalty spot), then stood firm defensively in the second half as they weathered San Diego’s attack. The Wave held 70% of possession and outshot Kansas City 7 to 0 in the second half, requiring Current keeper Lorena to make four saves (compared to Kailen Sheridan’s two) to walk away with a clean sheet.
Previous ranking: 3
Next match: Saturday, April 19 vs. Orlando Pride, 5 p.m. ET
In their first game back from international duty, Jonatan Giraldez opted to rest Trinity Rodman and Leicy Santos in the first 45 as things stayed fairly even in Louisville. They both emerged for the second half and it didn’t take long for Santos to score a beautiful goal from a free kick to make it 1-0. Just over 15 minutes later, English defender Esme Morgan dropped a dime on Ashley Hatch’s head that the in-form striker (who became NWSL’s fifth-highest goal-scorer all-time just before the international break) scored to seal a 2-0 victory and finish the weekend on top of the golden boot race. Next weekend may not be so easy; they head to Florida to play the first-place Orlando Pride next.
Previous ranking: 4
Next match: Friday, April 18 vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC, 10:30 p.m. ET
By beating Houston 3-1, Angel City ended the weekend as one of just three undefeated teams after four matchdays. Alyssa Thompson is in hot form: after setting up two goals in two games for the United States, Thompson returned to club duty by scoring her third goal of the year and collecting an assist. Angel City’s rookie class is also making their mark. Macey Hodge, 23, opened the scoring and Riley Tiernan, 22, made it 2-0 in the 29th minute, then went on to assist 20-year-old Thompson’s goal. In a game where all three goal scorers are under 23, it’s easy to get excited about Angel City’s fresh look this season. But they’ve got a challenging three weekends ahead: next up is Seattle at home. After that, they play first-place Orlando Pride and third-place Washington Spirit in back-to-back weekends on the road.
Previous ranking: 11
Next match: Friday, April 18 vs. Angel City, 10:30 p.m. ET
Gotham returned from the international break sitting toward the bottom of the table, with no wins and just one goal after three matchdays. But they came out firing against a floundering North Carolina Courage. Spanish forward Esther González netted a first-half brace, and rookie left-back Lilly Reale made it three before half-time in a resounding and sorely needed first win of the season.
Previous ranking: 5
Next match: Saturday, April 19 vs. Racing Louisville, 3 p.m. ET
San Diego picked up a second-straight loss after falling 2-0 to Kansas City at home in California. However, first-place Orlando Pride and second-place Kansas City in back-to-back to weekends are a tough two games to handle, especially so early in the season. And neither result immediately reflects how well San Diego did in both performances. San Diego has the building blocks to have a stronger season, and there’s some easier challenges on the horizon: Louisville next, followed by Chicago Stars.
Previous ranking: 6
Next match: Friday, April 18 vs. Portland Thorns, 10 p.m. ET
Seattle also picked up a second-straight loss over the weekend. And like San Diego, it was against one of the best teams in the league: Orlando Pride. They held off the reigning champs and limited them to a 1-0 victory, with only Banda breaking through. Next up? They host their old friends from Portland.
Previous ranking: 12
Next match: Friday, April 18 vs. Seattle Reign, 10 p.m. ET
Portland still can’t figure out what kind of year they’re going to have (or who will score their goals this season). But they picked up their first win of 2025 in a 1-0 victory against the last-place Utah Royals. It’s not perfect, but it’s progress. Reilyn Turner, 22, scored her second goal of the year to seal it, marking just three goals in four match days for the Thorns, who averaged 2.2 goals a game when they won the Championship in 2022. They’ve got a Cascadia rivalry battle next weekend, and travel to Seattle with a lot of questions looming over the year.
Previous ranking: 7
Next match: Saturday, April 19 vs. KC Current, 7:30 p.m. ET
Houston picked up their second loss of the season in a 3-1 defeat to Angel City at home. They had their chances and certainly got the ball into the final third, but looked slightly deflated at times, and made sloppy mistakes that the visitors punished. Next up they hit the road to face second-place Kansas City at CPKC Stadium, where the hosts still have only lost one game in their history (and that loss came against 2024’s record-setting champions, Orlando Pride).
Previous ranking: 8
Next match: Saturday, April 19 vs. NC Courage, 7 p.m. ET
Bay was caught sleeping early against the Chicago Stars. Brazilian forward Ludmila, fresh from international duty, took no more than five minutes to score the first of two goals in a 2-1 loss to Chicago at home. If it wasn’t for Abby Dahlkemper’s goal-line heroics, it would have been three. With nearly 70% of possession but half the shots on target, Bay fans may wonder why their team didn’t produce more against Chicago. But the home team struggled to break open a compact Chicago once they’d fallen behind.
Previous ranking: 14
Next match: Friday, April 18 vs. Utah Royals, 9:30 p.m. ET
Brazilian forward Ludmila returned from the international break in fine form, putting two first-half goals (both assisted by Jameese Joseph) past a struggling North Carolina squad to help seal a 2-1 win in California. That’s the team’s first win of the year and brings their total goals tally up from one to three. Here’s hoping Ludmila keeps that form going, while coach Lorne Donaldson figures out more plans of attack.
Previous ranking: 10
Next match: Saturday, April 19 vs. San Diego Wave, 3 p.m. ET
Louisville lost 2-0 at home to the third-place Washington Spirit but produced more opportunities than the scoreline shows. They fired off more shots — though slightly fewer on target — than their visitors, forcing Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury to come up with a few big saves to keep a clean sheet. Despite their potential, they also finished the weekend with the fewest total goals scored (two) so far this season.
Previous ranking: 9
Next match: Saturday, April 19 vs. Bay FC, 7 p.m. ET
Things we didn’t expect: Sean Nahas’ Courage squad struggling this bad so early this season. North Carolina has all the tools to be a strong, playoff-bound team in 2025, but they still haven’t won a single game yet and only Utah sits below them in the standings. Spanish forward González put two first-half goals past them and rookie Reale added a third to make it 3-0 by the end of the first half in a 3-1 defeat in New Jersey.
Previous ranking: 13
Next match: Friday, April 18 vs. Chicago Stars, 9:30 p.m. ET
Utah held their own against Portland at home on Saturday, but fell 1-0 with a goal from Turner and finished the weekend in last place in the standings. Four weekends in, and they’ve yet to pick up a win, something only North Carolina has in common. Next weekend, they’ll host the Chicago at home in one of their easier upcoming tests despite the Stars’ fresh victory. If they don’t collect something from that meeting, the season could get quickly out of control.
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah has repealed a collective bargaining ban passed earlier this year that prevented labor unions serving teachers, firefighters, police and other public employees from negotiating on behalf of their workers.
Republican Gov. Spencer Cox on Thursday approved the repeal of a policy that experts had called one of the most restrictive labor laws in the country.
The state’s Republican-controlled Legislature originally approved the policy in February, saying it was needed to allow employers to engage directly with all employees, instead of communicating through a union representative. Thousands of union members from the public and private sector rallied outside Cox’s office for a week, urging him to veto the bill, which he decided to sign.
Pushback continued in the months after it became law, with the Legislature ultimately deciding on a reversal during a special session this month.
Republican state Rep. Jordan Teuscher, the original House sponsor, said the repeal “allows us to step back, to lower the temperature and to create space for a clearer and more constructive conversation.”
He maintained that it was a “good policy” that has been “overshadowed by misinformation and unnecessary division.”
The decision comes as Utah Republicans are preparing to defend their four U.S. House seats in the 2026 midterm elections under a new congressional map that creates a heavily Democratic-leaning district in the Salt Lake City area.
A repeal helps Republicans appease the many police officers and firefighters — groups that often lean conservative — who were frustrated by the ban.
State employees were still allowed to join unions under the law, but the unions could not formally negotiate on their behalf for better wages and working conditions.
Many public educators, the state’s most frequent users of collective bargaining, viewed the policy as way for Republicans to weaken teachers unions and clear a path for their own education agenda.
Teachers unions have been outspoken opponents of Republican policies in Utah and other states where lawmakers have sought to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs, expand school choice vouchers and restrict transgender bathroom use and sports participation in schools.
Union leaders celebrated the repeal and the work of their members who rallied opposition to the law.
Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, and Brad Asay, the Utah chapter leader, called the repeal “a historic step in the right direction to return respect and dignity to the workers of Utah.”
SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Utah has been hit with the largest measles outbreak in more than 30 years.
The Utah State Epidemiologist stated that it’s the most contagious disease scientists know of.
As of this month, the Utah Department of Health and Human Services reported 115 confirmed cases.
MORE | Measles
“It’s a little surprising to see an uptick in measles, but it’s not surprising to hear that Utah County is one of the places where we have seen more of those cases,” said Elsie, a Utah County resident with several children in local schools. “I think because there’s kind of been a movement towards anti-vaccination.”
Samantha Marberger, who also lives in Utah County and has a young child, said measles wasn’t something she thought was here.
“I’ve heard of big outbreaks like that in Texas and a few other places, but it wasn’t something that I thought was as local,” she said.
Utah State Epidemiologist Leisha Nolen called the outbreak “extreme” and “really concerning.”
“Why does the health department believe this is happening now? Is this like a delayed reaction of previous low vaccination rates?” 2News asked her.
“Yeah, I think unfortunately our vaccine rates have gone down over time, and we do now have a number of people who are vulnerable to this infection, and they haven’t been protected,” Nolen said. “There also has been cases in neighboring states, and so it was easy to introduce here in Utah.”
The DHHS stated that roughly 90% of the population is vaccinated, but those rates vary from area to area and aren’t enough to reach herd immunity for measles.
“Measles is highly contagious. It’s the most contagious infection we know of,” Nolen said. “The data historically says that if you have 20 people in a room and somebody with measles comes in, 18 of those people are going to get measles.”
She said that since the outbreak started, the health department has given 30% more vaccines than they did last year at this time. She said most infections can be traced back to southwestern Utah and appear to be from in-state travel.
“It’s likely in Utah, many hundreds of Utahns who are vaccinated have been exposed to this virus, and they did not know it, and their bodies fought it off as it should,” Nolen said.
The second largest outbreak in Utah is in Utah County, with 10 confirmed cases.
The state is asking people to cooperate with the health department’s contact tracers if they call.
If you suspect measles in yourself or a loved one, they urge you not to go to a clinic waiting room but call ahead for the next steps to stop the spread.
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EAGLE MOUNTAIN, Utah — Nannette Wride-Zeeman says her late husband, Utah County Sheriff’s Sergeant Cory Wride, is still very much a part of her life nearly 12 years after he was ambushed and killed in Eagle Mountain.
On Tuesday, Wride-Zeeman did something that might surprise many people: She testified in favor of parole for Meagan Grunwald, the young woman who was an accomplice in her husband’s murder.
Wride’s killer lost his life in a shootout with police the same day as the ambush. But Grunwald, who was with the shooter, has been serving time for her role in the crime.
Before the parole hearing, Wride-Zeeman met Grunwald face to face on Monday for the first time since the tragedy.
“She was in the other room, hyperventilating and sobbing. And she was so afraid to come and meet me. And I can’t even tell you. The days and probably weeks of sleepless nights I had, being afraid to meet her, and what do I say, and how do I, how do I do this, and am I making a mistake, and like all these things that it felt in my heart, just this calm feeling like it was the right thing to do,” Wride-Zeeman said.
“She was so afraid that I was going to be angry with her, and those angry days have long passed,” she said.
When Grunwald entered the room, the emotion was overwhelming for both women.
“And she came walking in, she had her hands over her face, and she was still sobbing and she was shaking. And I just saw this little girl that was just terrified,” Wride-Zeeman said.
“And she’s sitting across from me, and she, her hands or her face are in her hands, and she’s just sobbing, and she keeps repeating, I’m so afraid, I’m so afraid. I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry, I’m so afraid, just back and forth. And when she got done, I said, Megan, you don’t have anything to be afraid of. I said, Look at me, and she looks up at me, and I see her blue eyes and all the tears,” she said.
What happened next was a moment of healing that lasted three hours.
“So I walked over to her, and I went like this to her, and she stood up, and we embraced for the first time, and she just sobbed and sobbed. And I just held her and I said, do not be afraid of me. We’re here to heal. And it opened up 3 hours of healing,” Wride-Zeeman said.
The widow says she has completely forgiven Grunwald and wants to be part of her life when she’s released.
“I said, you can’t live with me, but I want to be a part of your life when you get out, and I want us to stay in touch. I am your biggest cheerleader, and I want to see you find your happy like I did, because I never thought I’d be happy, and here I am happier than I’ve ever been in my life, and I want her to find that. And we talked about what her dreams are, what her passions are, how she wants to give back to the community, to people, across the board, including veterans and first responders,” Wride-Zeeman said.
Wride-Zeeman says 100 percent she has forgiven Grunwald and wants nothing but the brightest of futures for her.
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