The Ardrey Kell (N.C.) girls’ soccer program had appeared in the state championship game three times prior to Kim Montgomery’s arrival as head coach in 2013, all of which came up short.

And now Montgomery has the program vying for a title once again.

Led by a goal and an assist from sophomore Taylor Suarez, who missed several matches during the regular season while playing with the U.S. women’s national U-17 team, Ardrey Kell won a thrilling 3-2 decision over Page to advance to Saturday’s state championship game, pushing the team to No. 7 in the latest JWS high school soccer rankings.

The Knights will take on East Region champion Cardinal Gibbons for the title.

More than 2,000 fans were on hand to watch Ardrey Kell, according to the Charlotte Observer. In front of the crowd, Suarez dazzled, repeatedly beating her defenders and leading breaks toward the net.

Despite an apparent ankle injury to Suarez with less than 13 minutes to play, the Knights locked down defensively and were able to hang on for the victory. They enter the state championship game on a 13-game winning streak and are 25-1-1 on the year.

Click here to see last week’s rankings.

(Note: These rankings do not include teams from Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oklahoma and South Carolina as their seasons have concluded.)

1. South County (Va.), 19-0-1

The top-seeded Stallions, winners of 13 straight, advanced to the Class 6 Region C tournament championship with Wednesday night’s 3-0 win over Lake Braddock. They’ll face Alexandria City in Friday’s region final.

2. Liberty North (Mo.), 21-0

Liberty North continues its undefeated campaign as it heads to the state semifinals to take on St. Dominic on Friday night. The Eagles knocked off St. Teresa’s Academy 2-0 in the quarterfinals to advance.

3. Valley (Iowa), 19-0

After blanking Ames 5-0 to claim the Region 2 title, Valley defeated Muscatine 3-1 on Tuesday to move on to the state semifinals. Anna Van Wyngarden, Allyson Hoffa and Grace Olson each found the back of the net to propel the Tigers to victory. They’ll square off against Ankeny Centennial in Thursday’s semifinal.

Here’s a look at those Tiger goals vs Muscatine! ⁦@graceolson22⁩ ⁦@_annavw⁩ (assist ⁦@mallorydg1⁩) ⁦@AllyHoffa⁩ pic.twitter.com/0kwuFDGDI5

— VHS Girls Soccer (@ValleyWDMsoccer) June 2, 2022

4. Saint Thomas Aquinas (Kan.), 16-0-2

Sydney Watts scored twice to lead the Saints to their second straight Class 5A title. After allowing their only goal of the postseason to fall behind 1-0, Watts turned things around for Aquinas to clinch a 2-1 win in the final. The Saints outscored their opponents a combined 32-1 in the postseason.

5. Fort Zumwalt South (Mo.), 24-1

The Bulldogs continue their pursuit of a second consecutive state title after claiming a 4-0 victory over Webster Groves in the Class 3 quarterfinals. In the postseason, they’ve scored 16 times and have yet to allow a goal. They’ll face Smithville to open the state tournament.

6. Lincoln-Way Central (Ill.), 24-1

The Knights are riding a 14-game winning streak into the Class 3A state semifinals, where they’ll square off against Metea Valley on Friday. Emma Vogler and Madi Watt each scored for LWC, which is back in the state tournament for the first time in 15 years.

7. Ardrey Kell (N.C.), 25-1-1

The Knights held on despite allowing Page to pull within a goal two times in the second half of Tuesday’s Class 4A West Regional final.

8. Triad (Ill.), 23-1

The Knights continue to roll through Class 2A with back-to-back wins to open the Super Sixteen. It’s been a little longer than a month since a team has scored on Triad, which will take on Oak Park (Fenwick) on Friday in the state semifinals.

9. Metea Valley (Ill.), 20-2-1

Tyra King and Lucy Burk each had a goal, and Julia Stroub earned a shutout in net to lead the Mustangs to a 2-0 win over Edwardsville. It’s the 12th win in a row for Metea Valley and its first-ever sectional title.

10. Hudsonville (Mich.), 16-0-2

The Eagles scored three goals in the first half to defeat West Ottawa 4-0 in a Division 1 district semifinal Wednesday night. They’ll take on Byron Center in the district final on Friday.

11. Nerinx Hall (Mo.), 20-2-1

The Markers picked up their 15th straight win in resounding fashion, defeating Jackson 5-0 in the state quarterfinals. The win sends them to the final four against Rock Bridge.

12. Evanston (Ill.), 21-2-1

Jocelyn Leigh scored twice in double overtime to lift the Wildkits to a 2-0 win over Libertyville on Tuesday, earning the Class 3A program its second-ever trip to the final four.

13. O’Fallon (Ill.), 20-2

The Panthers’ season is over after they were held scoreless against Edwardsville in a Class 3A sectional semifinal.

14. Oregon (Wis.), 18-0-1

The Panthers continue to dominate after opening sectional play with a 15-0 win. Their quest for an eighth straight appearance in the state tournament resumes Saturday against Burlington.

15. Battlefield (Va.), 15-3

Isabel Kelly’s overtime goal with 12 seconds remaining sent the Bobcats to the Class 6 Region B championship game on Wednesday. Prior to Battlefield’s semifinal matchup against Colonial Forge, Kelly was announced as the Cedar Run District Girls Soccer Player of the Year and followed up her accolade with a pair of goals to deliver a 2-0 win.

16. Colonial Forge (Va.), 15-2-1

A pair of second-half goals ousted the Eagles in the region quarterfinals.

17. Colgan (Va.), 18-2-1

Colgan’s season came to a close with a 1-0 loss to Freedom (South Riding) in the opening round of the Class 6 Region B tournament.

18. Ankeny (Iowa), 18-1

Avery Matthews scored the game’s only goal in the 76th minute Tuesday to send the Hawks past Pleasant Valley and into the state semifinals. They’ve allowed just one goal all season.

Ankeny's @Hawkette_Soccer advances to the Class 3A state soccer semifinal with a win over Pleasant Valley. See the photos here --> https://t.co/AaStM7X2Yz pic.twitter.com/MtjOUdITsX

— Kelsey Kremer (@kelsey_kremer) May 31, 2022

19. Marshall (Mich.), 19-0-1

The Redhawks defeated Coldwater on Wednesday to move on to the Division 2 District 19 championship game.

20. Barrington (Ill.), 22-2

The Fillies clinched their 12th trip to the state tournament in program history, defeating St. Charles East 3-0 in Tuesday’s Class 3A supersectional round.

21. Lyons Township (Ill.), 20-2

The Lions’ season concluded in the sectional finals, where they fell to Glenbard West in overtime.

22. Yorktown (Va.), 17-1-1

South Carolina commit Shay Montgomery scored the lone goal to guide the Patriots to a win over Oakton on Wednesday in the Class 6 Region D final.

23. Marian (Mich.), 10-1

The Mustangs defeated Madison Heights Lamphere 8-0 in a Division 2 District 27 semifinal on Tuesday and will take on Cranbrook Kingswood in the district final on Thursday.

24. Naperville North (Ill.), 19-3-3

The Huskies were unable to overcome a second-half goal as their season came to an end.

25. Hough (N.C.), 22-2-1

The Huskies were undone after Ardrey Kell rallied to win last week’s state quarterfinal, 2-1.

Trent Singer is the High School Editor at Just Women’s Sports. Follow him on Twitter @trentsinger.

Denver has officially won the bid to host the 16th NWSL team, Sportico reported Thursday.

The Colorado city put up a record $110 million expansion fee to join the surging league, with the team set to kick off in 2026.

Denver beat out bids by Cincinnati and Cleveland to secure the final spot in the NWSL's most recent expansion round. The league has not yet released a timeline for future growth.

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Denver NWSL campaign led by local investment group

More than double the $53 million paid by fellow NWSL entrant Boston, the steep price tag represents the largest expansion fee in US professional women's sports history.

IMA Financial Group CEO Robert Cohen serves as the Denver group's lead investor, with Sportico noting that the initial payment arrived on Tuesday. A longtime supporter of Denver-area athletics, Cohen currently sits on the board of the Denver Sports Advisory Committee as well as the Colorado Springs-based US Olympic and Paralympic Foundation.

The broader investment group subsequently includes For Denver FC, a campaign formed to support bringing the NWSL to Denver. Members span multiple backgrounds, with ex-USL executive Tom Dunmore and former NWSL player, soccer broadcaster, and host of JWS show The 91st Jordan Angeli representing the sports professionals.

According to The Athletic, the new team has discussed building its own stadium. However, they plan to launch in a temporary stadium until they're able to construct the new venue.

Gymnastics superstar Simone Biles is Sports Illustrated's newest Sportsperson of the Year, the magazine announced Thursday. The win follows Biles's historic career comeback and gold medal-winning performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

"I don't think the reality has set in of what I've exactly done in the sport," Biles told the magazine. "I can see it, and I hear it from people, and I see a glimpse of it, but the full magnitude I don't think I've realized just yet."

Biles is the first Olympian to earn the honor since LeBron James in 2012.

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Biles subsequently returned to the top of the world stage in 2024, bouncing back after a bout of "the twisties" derailed her 2021 Tokyo Olympics run.

In Paris, Biles became the first gymnast to win two All-Around titles in non-consecutive Olympic Games (2016, 2024). She also took gold in the team and vault events as well as silver in the floor event.

With 11 Olympic and 30 World Championship medals, Biles is the most decorated gymnast in history.

Sportsperson of the Year builds an Olympic legacy

While Biles hasn't fully ruled out another trip to the mat, the 27-year-old isn't interested in discussing a potential LA 2028 campaign just yet.

"Because I've accomplished so much, there's almost nothing left to do. Rather than to just be snobby and to try again, and for what?" she said. "I'm at a point in my career where I'm humble enough to know when to be done."

Women's college basketball star and Notre Dame guard Olivia Miles recorded ​her second-straight triple-double on Sunday, becoming the first ACC player to hit the tally in back-to-back NCAA games.

Miles notched a career-high 14 assists in Notre Dame's 95-54 win over Virginia, complementing the feat with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

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The 21-year-old now has six career triple-doubles, tying WNBA mainstay and Maryland alum Alyssa Thomas for the most in ACC history.

"It's even more special coming off a year where I just sat on my butt," Miles told reporters​, referencing last season's sidelining ACL tear.

"It's definitely not an easy thing to do, to sit out, but I learned so much, and it's enabled me to come and do what I do."

NCAA conference play tips off with Top 10 matchups

With non-conference fireworks smoldering, college basketball is transitioning to conference play​ as tournament contenders enter the regular-season gauntlet hoping to peak at just the right time.

Subsequently, top NCAA basketball teams held court in two ranked Big Ten matchups over the weekend. No. 8 Maryland edged out No. 19 Michigan State 72-66 while No. 4 USC took down No. 23 Michigan 78-58.

This week's lone Top 10 matchup revives a longtime rivalry, when SEC newcomers and former Big 12 foes No. 5 Texas and No. 9 Oklahoma tip off in Norman on Thursday.

Star Texas sophomore Madison Booker and senior point guard Rori Harmon will face big name Oregon State transfer Reagan Beers. Since joining the Sooners, Beers has emerged as Oklahoma's leading scorer this season.

The Sooners won't see much rest after their clash with the Longhorns, as Oklahoma then gears up for Sunday's date with No. 15 Tennessee.

How to watch Texas vs. Oklahoma college basketball this week

Oklahoma hosts Texas on Thursday at 9 PM ET, with live coverage on ESPN2.

The WNBA coaching carousel has come to a standstill, with the Dallas Wings and Washington Mystics both finalizing head coaching hires earlier this week.

Dallas GM Curt Miller brought on former Sun, Sparks, and USC assistant coach Chris Koclanes as head coach of the Wings.

"We are thrilled to welcome Chris Koclanes as the new head coach of the Dallas Wings," said Miller in a team statement. "Throughout our extensive search and interview process, Chris continued to rise to the top and check the boxes of our important pillars. He is a servant leader who places a high value on connection, collaboration, and a positive and consistent communication style with all those he coaches."

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Mystics fill leadership vacancies

The Washington Mystics also made two key hires this week. The team appointed Jamila Wideman to GM and ex-Sky assistant Sydney Johnson​ to head coach.

"I have strong roots in the WNBA and have had the privilege of playing with, working alongside, and witnessing the incredible people who are the athletes at the center of the game," said Wideman afterwards. "The very best I have seen share some core qualities — curiosity, humility, and imagination. I look forward to building a Mystics team in partnership with the players, coaches, and staff that reflects this core."

WNBA teams enter 2025 with full staffs

Barring any unexpected twists, all 13 teams will now have head coaches in place going into the 2025 WNBA Draft and preseason.

Eight teams — including expansion side Golden State — enter 2025 armed with new bosses. Subsequently, seven of those candidates will be making their WNBA head coaching debuts.

Furthermore, Koclanes and Johnson are the third and fourth ex-assistants to get a shot at head coaching next season. The pair follows Natalie Nakase (Golden State) and Tyler Marsh (Chicago).

"Being named the head coach of the Golden State Valkyries is a lifelong dream come true," said Nakase. "We will strive to improve, compete, and ultimately bring home a championship for our fans and this organization."