The key for Byron Nelson is simple: depth. The Bobcats have it everywhere.

Their top three attackers all have 246 kills or more, and on the defensive side, they have three players with more than 200 digs. Some high schools rely on just one setter, but Byron Nelson rolls out two with 373 assists or more.

The numbers are eye-popping, right down to the 26-1 record, and this type of excellence is nothing new for the Bobcats — three years ago, they went 50-2, beating teams from Hawaii and California on their way to winning a state championship.

After a 19-20 campaign last season, the addition of freshman Kylie Kleckner and her team-leading 263 kills has given Bryon Nelson another option in the attack, with senior Samantha Hoppes and sophomore Sydnee Peterson contributing 250 and 246 kills, respectively.

Kleckner and Peterson, both outside hitters, chip in defensively with 215 and 207 digs, respectively. Senior Campbell Love leads the way with 286 digs.

Setters Anna Koster and Keatyn Rodgers key the attack with 443 and 373 assists, respectively.

Thanks to those varied contributions, Byron Nelson has risen two spots to No. 4 in this week’s Just Women’s Sports volleyball team rankings, and the team hopes to keep clicking on all cylinders with district play beginning Friday.

Check out the complete rankings below, and click here to see last week’s rankings.

1. Cathedral Catholic (Calif.), 11-0

The Dons haven’t dropped a set this season, winning the Kamehameha Volleyball Tournament this past weekend in Hawaii.

2. Bloomfield Hills Marian (Mich.), 16-0

The Mustangs have won 69 of their last 70 matches and are seeking a third consecutive state championship.

3. Wayzata (Minn.), 4-0

The Trojans continue to dominate their opposition and are approaching 60 consecutive wins.

4. Byron Nelson (Texas), 26-1

The Bobcats have a chance to avenge their sole loss of the season Friday when they face Southlake Carroll.

Senior night fun! Thank you girls and families for everything you have given back during your 4 years in our program. We can’t wait to see what you do next! 💙🖤🤍 #BNVB pic.twitter.com/7fS7TpSBTT

— BNVB Booster Club (@BnvbClub) September 1, 2022

5. Blue Valley North (Kan.), 6-0

Down 21-16 in the decisive third set, Blue Valley North rallied to win 18-25, 25-22, 25-23 on Tuesday to maintain an unbeaten start to its season.

6. Westminster Christian (Fla.), 9-0

The Warriors have advanced to three consecutive Class 3A state championship matches, losing each time. They hope this year will be different and received a major confidence boost this past weekend, beating No. 10 Cornerstone Christian to win a national tournament.

7. Dike-New Hartford (Iowa), 16-1

It’s tough to stop the Wolverines’ 1-2 punch of twins Payton and Jaydn Peterson, who have 254 kills between them. They also have Madelyn Norton, whose 319 assists is second in the state.

8. Prestonwood Christian (Texas), 23-1

The youthful Lions have sophomores leading the team in kills (Macaria Spears, 230) and digs (Gillian Pitts, 265) and a junior leading in assists (Camille Edwards, 309).

9. McCutcheon (Ind.), 11-1

Senior Chloe Chicoine, the No. 2 recruit in the JWS volleyball high school player rankings, is averaging 6.2 kills per set on a .394 hitting percentage. Her 155 kills have helped the Mavericks bounce back from an early-season loss.

10. Cornerstone Christian (Texas), 37-2

The Warriors knocked off No. 16 Santa Fe to advance to the championship of a national tournament in Florida but were unable to take first, falling to Westminster Christian out of Miami.

11. Cleveland (Tenn.), 23-1

Sisters Addison Hurst and Lauren Hurst are first and second, respectively, in kills and digs for the Blue Raiders. Addison, a senior, has 288 kills and 169 digs, while Lauren, a sophomore, has 241 kills and 145 digs.

12. Assumption (Ky.), 11-0

The Rockets have put together a demanding schedule against top in-state and national competition, and it only gets tougher with a matchup against perennial California power Mater Dei next week.

Assumption volleyball stays undefeated against a comeback rally from a tough Mercy squad. @RocketSportsAHS @MercyAcademyJaghttps://t.co/kDUEfyBGxi pic.twitter.com/3pLDEdAkQ2

— Sam Upshaw Jr. (@CJ_Upshot) September 7, 2022

13. Highland Park (Texas), 25-2

The Scots have bounced back from a loss to Prestonwood Christian with three consecutive sweeps.

14. Tompkins (Texas), 23-3

Cindy Tchouangwa is nearing 300 kills on the season with more than a month of regular-season play remaining.

15. Mira Costa (Calif.), 10-2

The Mustangs picked up a big win over reigning state champions Marymount.

16. Santa Fe (Fla.), 9-1

The Raiders fell to Cornerstone Christian but otherwise acquitted themselves nicely, winning six of seven matches in a highly competitive tournament atmosphere.

17. Fayetteville (Ark.), 4-0

Brooke Rockwell is averaging over 4.5 kills per set as the Bulldogs remain unblemished. They haven’t dropped a single set through their first four matches.

18. St. James Academy (Kan.), 6-0

At one point last decade, St. James had won nine state titles in the last 11 seasons. Now, the Thunder are looking to win their first championship since 2018.

19. North Allegheny (Pa.), 3-0

The five-time defending state champions have picked up right where they left off, defeating last year’s state semifinalists Shaler in straight sets Tuesday to improve to 3-0.

Girls Volleyball Recap: @nagirlsvb tops Shaler Titans in WPIAL title game rematch, 3-0.

🔗- https://t.co/Ol9xBFH5Uf pic.twitter.com/Uy7kqgOGxV

— NATigers (@NATigerAthletic) September 7, 2022

20. Alpharetta (Ga.), 20-3

The Raiders are fueled by a balanced attack of three players with more than 100 kills.

21. Conroe (Texas), 33-1

The Tigers bounced back from a straight-set loss to The Woodlands with a sweep on Tuesday.

22. Mother McAuley (Ill.), 8-0

The Mighty Macs enjoyed a week of rest before tournament play this weekend.

23. Skutt Catholic (Neb.), 9-3

The Skyhawks tested themselves against top competition this past weekend and came out looking rosy, beating previously-ranked Buford and Bishop Gorman.

24. Sierra Canyon (Calif.), 14-2

The Trailblazers suffered a four-set loss Saturday but bounced back by sweeping Marymount.

25. Marymount (Calif.), 4-2

The Sailors have hit a rough patch, losing consecutive matches for the first time in nearly three years.

Phillip Suitts is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports. He has worked at a variety of outlets, including The Palm Beach Post and Southeast Missourian, and done a little bit of everything from reporting to editing to running social media accounts. He was born in Atlanta but currently lives in wintry Philadelphia. Follow Phillip on Twitter @PhillipSuitts.

Former Stanford leading-scorer Kiki Iriafen is set to join star rising sophomore JuJu Watkins at USC next year, reported ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Saturday. 

The 6-foot-3 forward is coming off a breakout season with the Cardinal, where the then-junior led Stanford to the Sweet 16 with an average of 19.4 points, 11 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. Walking away with the Pac-12’s Most Improved Player award and a spot on the All-Pac-12 team, Iriafen entered the portal at the close of last season and was subsequently ranked second on ESPN’s 2024-2025 transfer ranking list.

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At USC, Iriafen will play out her senior year alongside the Women's Basketball Coaches Association’s 2024 National Freshman of the Year JuJu Watkins, forming what could be an explosive partnership for the Trojans as they look to build momentum going into next season. The Southern California side advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1994 this year, ultimately falling to UConn in a heated 80-73 battle.

Iriafen wasn’t the only one making choices this past week. LSU guard Hailey Van Lith officially announced her own transfer to TCU on Friday, while Princeton standout Kaitlyn Chen committed to UConn for her final year of college eligibility. Other big names still weighing their options are Oregon State's Talia Von Oelhoffen and Raegan Beers, as well as UNC's Deja Kelly.

With conference realignment on the horizon and team fit a contending factor, the NCAA women's basketball transfer portal has been busier than ever. And while transfers can bolster many types of college programs, this particular offseason has seen talent-rich programs growing even richer.

Legendary WNBA superstar Candace Parker announced her retirement from professional basketball on Sunday, effective immediately.

"I promised I'd never cheat the game & that I'd leave it in a better place than I came into it," she wrote in an Instagram post. "The competitor in me always wants 1 more, but it's time. My HEART & body knew, but I needed to give my mind time to accept it."

The Las Vegas Aces forward was in the midst of rehabbing a right ankle injury and a left foot fracture after missing part of the 2023 season.

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One of women's basketball's most prominent trailblazers, Parker popularized the play of a "big guard." A back-to-back NCAA National Championship winner with Tennessee, she was drafted No. 1 overall by the Los Angeles Sparks in 2008. She was named both WNBA MVP and Rookie of the Year in her debut season with the league. 

Parker exits the pros a three-time WNBA champion, a two-time league MVP, seven-time WNBA All-Star, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and two-time NCAA champion, in addition to many more individual accolades. Throughout her 16-year career, she averaged 16 points, 8.5 rebounds, and four assists per game. She remains the only player in WNBA history to earn three WNBA titles with three different teams: LA in 2016, Chicago in 2021, and Las Vegas in 2023. 

In her announcement, the 38-year-old implied the physical toll of league play was a driving factor in her ultimate decision to walk away from the game, despite recently signing a one-year deal with Las Vegas.

"This offseason hasn’t been fun on a foot that isn’t cooperating," she wrote. "It’s no fun playing in pain (10 surgeries in my career) it’s no fun knowing what you could do, if only…it’s no fun hearing 'she isn’t the same' when I know why, it’s no fun accepting the fact you need surgery AGAIN.

"I’m grateful that for 16 years I PLAYED A GAME for a living & DESPITE all the injuries, I hooped," she continued. "I’m grateful for family, friends, teammates, coaches, doctors, trainers & fans who made this journey so special."

Fans weren’t the only ones shocked by Parker’s surprise retirement. In a reaction captured on video, Liberty forward Breanna Stewart responded to the news with a jaw-dropped, eyebrow-raised "What? Wow." 

Yet while the Naperville, Illinois native’s time on the court might be over, Parker says she isn't leaving the world of basketball anytime soon.

"This is the beginning," she wrote. "I’m attacking business, private equity, ownership (I will own both a NBA & WNBA team), broadcasting, production, boardrooms, beach volleyball, dominoes (sorry babe it’s going to get more real) with the same intensity & focus I did basketball."

USWNT stalwart Alex Morgan will miss at least one week of NWSL action after suffering a left ankle knock in her last club appearance, Wave manager Casey Stoney said on Thursday.

Morgan was helped off the field after rolling her ankle in the later stages of the Wave’s 1-0 loss to the Orlando Pride last weekend, despite the San Diego side being out of available substitutes.

“She's got an ankle injury and she's out for this weekend, and then it'll be week by week from there,” Stoney said, confirming that Morgan’s been ruled out for Saturday’s showdown with NWSL newcomer Bay FC.

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Depending on its severity, Morgan’s ankle issue might have larger ramifications than missing a few weeks of NSWL play. Morgan was added to the team's Gold Cup roster after an ACL injury sidelined young striker Mia Fishel, and she's since made a number of USWNT starts in the team's Gold Cup and SheBelieves wins. A long-term injury could potentially derail the center forward’s Olympic plans.

With her return timeline uncertain, it's possible the injury could also impact Morgan's ability to participate in new head coach Emma Hayes' first U.S. friendlies in June and July.

Morgan's injury concerns aren't uncommon in the U.S. player pool, but add a sense of urgency as Hayes eyes the NWSL for top-performing players in the upcoming weeks. Gotham's Tierna Davidson and Rose Lavelle have also been dealing with injuries: Lavelle has yet to appear for Gotham, while Davidson exited last weekend's match early with a hamstring injury.

Gotham has yet to issue an update concerning Davidson's status.

This week, legendary Brazilian superstar Marta announced that she’ll retire from the national team at the end of 2024.

In an interview with CNN Esportes published Thursday, the iconic footballer confirmed that she would be hanging up her boots regardless of whether or not she ends up making Brazil's 18-player roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

“If I go to the Olympics, I will enjoy every moment, because regardless of whether I go to the Olympics or not, this is my last year with the national team,” she said. “There is no longer Marta in the national team as an athlete from 2025 onwards.”

Marta will retire as a giant of the women's game, having appeared in five Olympics and multiple World Cups. When discussing her retirement, she stressed confidence in the rising generation of Brazilian players, noting that she was, “very calm about this, because I see with great optimism this development that we are having in relation to young athletes." 

The statement echoes back to a plea she made during the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup after Brazil lost to France 2-1 in the Round of 16. “It's wanting more. It's training more. It's taking care of yourself more. It's being ready to play 90 plus 30 minutes. This is what I ask of the girls,” she said then, addressing the young players following in her footsteps. 

In 2023, she signaled a farewell to World Cup competition with the same sentiment, telling media, “We ask the new generation to continue where we left off.”

If selected for the 2024 Olympic team, Marta has a shot at extending her own consecutive-scoring record with the ability to score in an unbelievable sixth-straight Olympic Games. She currently stands as Brazil’s top goalscorer, racking up 116 career goals in 175 matches, as well as the leading goalscorer in any World Cup, women’s or men’s, with 17 to her name. 

Marta will continue to play for the NWSL’s Orlando Pride through at least the end of 2024. The longtime forward and club captain has already contributed to multiple goals this season.