The NWSL is heading into its final week of action before an international break during the last week of June.

In Week 8, some teams are beginning to find a rhythm and others are still figuring things out. While top playoff contenders are in the early stages of making their case, match results remain unpredictable and, as always in the NWSL, anything can happen.

Below are this week’s power rankings, determined by teams’ recent performances and their cumulative results so far this season. (Click here for the last edition of the power rankings.)

12. Orlando Pride (2-4-2) -2

The Pride score a lot of goals (nine). They also allow a lot of goals (18). Orlando has work to do in shutting down dangerous attackers and coming into the first half of games with higher energy. Too often the Pride are playing catch-up, and in a league as competitive as the NWSL, that’s not a good habit to get into.

11. Racing Louisville FC (2-4-2) -4

For some time, it looked like Racing Louisville might be able to work their way up the standings throughout the season. They’ll still have that chance considering that a lot of the goals they’ve given up recently were the result of small mistakes in the box. After losses to the Kansas City Current and North Carolina Courage, Louisville has fallen and joined the Pride, Current and Spirit with eight points this season. Head coach Kim Björkegren will be tasked with implementing a better strategy when the team’s high press isn’t working. Playing forward Ebony Salmon more often could help.

10. Washington Spirit (1-3-5) -6

Sitting quietly in eighth place with eight points, the Spirit are coming off two losses and three draws in recent weeks. They haven’t won since their regular season opener. At least, most of their results since then have been draws and not losses, as the Spirit have logged the most ties (five) of any team in the league. They’ve dealt with injuries and the most compact schedule, having played five games in the span of two and a half weeks. Once they get healthier and back on a more normal schedule, Washington has the tools to rebound. One sign pointing in that direction is that the Spirit have registered the most shots in the NWSL this season at 96.

Coach Ward was impressed with how the team ramped up in the second half.

Hear his thoughts and more below ⬇️

Press Pass 🎙️
▪️ @KWardSpirit
▪️ @ash_hatch33
▪️ @harding1818 pic.twitter.com/gec6Fi24AC

— Washington Spirit (@WashSpirit) June 12, 2022

9. Kansas City Current (2-4-2) +3

A heavily talented squad featuring Elyse Bennett, Kristen Hamilton and Desiree Scott, the Current have a lot of potential and have been proving it recently, holding first-place San Diego to a 2-2 draw and defeating Racing Louisville 1-0. Forward Cece Kizer, acquired in a trade with Racing Louisville, might be just the game-changer Kansas City needs in close matches. She made an immediate difference in the team’s 1-0 win over Gotham on Saturday.

8. NJ/NY Gotham FC (3-3-0) +3

Two wins and two goals in these last three weeks give Gotham a little bit of hope, especially since their 1-0 loss to the Current could have easily been a tie as they registered four dangerous shots on goal. To turn their better play into wins, the midfielders and forwards will have to level up. Currently, Gotham is one of the worst teams in the league at creating scoring chances.

7. North Carolina Courage (2-3-1) -1

The Courage’s No. 7 ranking might be the most controversial part of this list. While they’re at the bottom of the NWSL standings, they’ve played only six games. Catching up in points won’t be a problem if they keep up their current pace, notching two wins and a draw during the most recent stretch. Since starting the season with three losses, North Carolina has rebounded from its mid-May COVID-19 issues and star forward Kerolin has returned for the first time since the season opener. And when Kerolin is on the field and the Courage’s foot is on the gas, the 2022 Challenge Cup champions are as dangerous as any team in the league.

KK comes in cluuutch 👏

Second game-winner in a row for @KaleighKurtz! pic.twitter.com/3E6VxTn77R

— NC Courage (@TheNCCourage) June 13, 2022

6. Angel City FC (4-3-1) -1

Angel City has fallen into a bit of a rough patch, recording two losses, a draw and a win in the past three weeks. They’ve now lost Christen Press, who’s been a force in creating chances, for the remainder of the season with a torn ACL. It’s up to other stars like Jun Endo, Simone Charley and Savannah McCaskill to lead the team’s attack. Angel City is more than capable of meeting the challenge, but the remaining players will have to double their shots on goal to get anywhere close to Press’ 10 this season.

5. OL Reign (2-2-4) -2

The Reign just can’t seem to score. They have some of the league’s best creative playmakers in the attacking third, and although they’re second in the league with 93 shots and 42 shots on goal, they have only six goals to show for it — the second-worst mark in the NWSL. Otherwise, the squad has weapons up and down the park and will be even more dangerous when recent signings — USWNT star Tobin Heath and Kim Little, once the league’s leading goal scorer — join them on the pitch.

4. Houston Dash (3-2-3) +5

With a draw, a 5-0 win, another draw and a 4-0 loss, the Dash have been to the highest of highs, the lowest of lows and everywhere in between in the last couple of weeks. They’ve gotten the job done so far by capitalizing on the counterattack. In the 4-0 loss to the Thorns, an early own goal quickly derailed their game plan. More than half their goals conceded across eight matches came in that game, a performance that was out of character and shouldn’t define their otherwise dominant season so far.

3. San Diego Wave FC (4-2-3) -2

Dominant at the beginning of the season, the Wave now haven’t won a game since May 22. Their 2-2 draw with the Portland Thorns last Wednesday was nearly a 3-2 victory, but a ball that appeared to cross Portland’s goal line on the broadcast was not seen by the referees. Regardless, the Wave’s loss to the Reign and draw with the 10th-place Current have them ranked lower than the Thorns in these power rankings.

2. Portland Thorns (3-1-4) —

Following a 2-0 loss to the Houston Dash, the Thorns woke up to record two draws and two (very dominant) shutout wins, most recently getting vengeance on the Dash with a 4-0 victory. Portland would seem to create more chances by getting numbers get up the field to support an often isolated Sophia Smith, but there’s also an advantage in having an attacker so fast that no one can catch them. Even scarier for their opponents, the Thorns are still in the process of realizing their full potential.

1. Chicago Red Stars (4-1-3) +7

Making the biggest jump in these power rankings, the Red Stars are starting to look like they could be finals contenders. Having lost just once to the first-place Wave, the club appears to be getting stronger every week. After notching their first shutout of the season in a 1-0 win over OL Reign on June 4, the Red Stars proceeded to go on a three-game shutout streak. They are one of the best teams at creating dangerous chances, and they are able to capitalize on them with the highest shot conversion rate in the league at 11.3 percent.

Jessa Braun is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports covering the NWSL and USWNT. Follow her on Twitter @jessabraun.

The NWSL is changing up its athlete acquisition process, with the league announcing on Wednesday that it will replace the CBA-eliminated draft with a pair of player combines starting this December.

Dividing prospects into two groups — adults and college-aged (U18-23) and youth (U13-17) — the three-day programs will showcase player talent and allow clubs to sign standouts as free agents.  

To maintain competitive balance across the NWSL and set incoming 2026 expansion teams Boston Legacy FC and Denver Summit FC up for success, the league already revised several roster-building mechanisms, including adopting a new allocation money structure as well as intra-league loans.

Like the abolishment of the draft and the new mechanism requiring athletes to acquiesce to their own trades, the new NWSL combines will give players more freedom over their careers while also better aligning the growing US league with global soccer standards.

"As the women's soccer landscape continues to rapidly evolve, a Combine is a strategic platform that will allow us to support NWSL clubs in early talent evaluation and provide players with exposure to a professional environment," said league director of youth development Karla Thompson in Wednesday's statement.

"This initiative is about widening the lens...and ensuring that talent, wherever it resides, has a continued pathway to our league."

Despite falling from the playoffs on Wednesday night, Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase is still ending her season on a win, with the WNBA naming the first-year expansion team sideline boss the 2025 Coach of the Year this week.

Nakase picked up 53 out of the sports media panel's 72 votes to take the title, with fellow sideline rookie Karl Smesko (Atlanta Dream) trailing with 15 votes while veteran leaders Becky Hammon (Las Vegas Aces) and Cheryl Reeve (Minnesota Lynx) tied for third place with two votes apiece.

"What this does, is it reflects on [our] whole organization," said Nakase, sharing credit with her team and staff. "Without [the players], we wouldn't have had a winning season and we wouldn't be where I am today now."

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Golden State made WNBA expansion history under Nakase

In leading Golden State to a 23-21 regular season — a league record for wins by an expansion team in their first campaign — Nakase also minted the Valkyries as the first-ever expansion franchise to make the WNBA Playoffs in their debut season.

That success came from the team's strong defense, as the Valkyries held opponents to a league-wide low in both points per game (76.3) and field goal percentage (40.5%) on the year.

Before joining the Valkyries, Nakase served as an assistant coach in Las Vegas, helping guide the Aces to back-to-back championships in 2022 and 2023.

"Natalie has been a fierce leader from the very moment she was announced as head coach," said Golden State GM Ohemaa Nyanin. "Her core philosophy of connectivity and emphasis on high character has created an environment where everyone can thrive. Her unique approach to leadership and ability to hold players accountable with care while staying true to her values has been remarkable."

"I love playing for a fiery coach who always wants to win and believes in her players so much," said Valkyries — and former Aces — guard Kate Martin.

The new WNBA home-away-home first-round format has upped the dramatics in the 2025 Playoffs, as multiple home-court upsets have forced Game 3 deciders this week.

The No. 6 Indiana Fever's Game 2 win over No. 3 Atlanta set up Thursday's elimination game, with the injury-riddled Fever taking down the Dream 77-60 on Tuesday to keep their playoff dreams alive.

The No. 7 Seattle Storm also earned themselves a Game 3, facing No. 2 Las Vegas in Thursday's nightcap after snapping the Aces' 17-game winning streak in Tuesday's 86-83 Game 2 shocker.

Indiana and Seattle remain the series' underdogs, ceding home-court advantage as Atlanta aims to build on their first playoff win since 2016 while Las Vegas shoots for a third title in four years.

"Our backs were definitely against the wall in this, and we know that we've just been through so much this season," Fever center Aliyah Boston said postgame. "Coming out with this win and then giving ourselves another chance in Game 3, emotions are high."

How to watch Game 3 action in the 2025 WNBA Playoffs

The first round's Game 3 finales begin with two winner-take-all matchups on Thursday night, beginning when the No. 6 Indiana Fever tackles the No. 3 Atlanta Dream at 7:30 PM ET on ESPN2.

Shortly afterward, the No. 6 Seattle Storm will take on the No. 2 Las Vegas Aces, also airing live on ESPN2.

The No. 1 Minnesota Lynx became the first WNBA team to punch their ticket to the 2025 semifinals with a dramatic come-from-behind win on Wednesday night, fighting back from a 17-point deficit to sneak past the No. 8 Golden State Valkyries 75-74 and sweep their first-round playoffs series.

Bolstered by a strong crowd traveling down to San Jose for the relocated home matchup, the Valkyries broke out into an early lead, but the 2025 expansion side couldn't hang on in the final seconds as the top-seeded Lynx rallied.

"I am just so proud of our effort," Minnesota forward Napheesa Collier said postgame. "I think it shows the grit and the resilience that this team has and what we've been talking about for two years."

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The Lynx secured the only sweep in this year's best-of-three opening postseason round, with every other series moving to a Game 3 decider.

"The games that we've watched demonstrate that level of desperation for teams in elimination games," Minnesota head coach Cheryl Reeve reflected.

How to watch the Minnesota Lynx in the 2025 WNBA semifinals

The No. 1 Minnesota Lynx will next face the lowest seed to advance past this week's first round, with Thursday and Friday Game 3 action determining their opponent.

The 2025 WNBA semifinals will then tip off on Sunday, with live coverage airing on ESPN platforms.