Any hopes the Washburn Rural (Kan.) volleyball team had of going undefeated in 2022 were quickly dashed after the Blues lost their second match of the season back on Aug. 30.

From that point on, however, they didn’t lose again.

Washburn Rural ended the season on a 44-match winning streak, winning the Class 6A state championship this past weekend for the eighth state title in program history and the first since 2012.

Unbelievable year to say the least!! Ended the season in the best way possible!! STATE CHAMPSSS!!🏆🏆 Thank you seniors for being such great leaders and motivators on and off the court!! Way to go lady blues!! 45-1🤩🤩 pic.twitter.com/H7RAPjdMgX

— WRHS Volleyball (@LadyBluesVB) October 29, 2022

After losing in the state semifinals last year, the Blues didn’t drop a single set throughout postseason play this season. In fact, they lost just four sets all year.

It was a fitting end to a stellar high school career for Kentucky commit and reigning Kansas Gatorade Volleyball Player of the Year Brooklyn DeLeye. The No. 6 overall recruit in the Class of 2023 was one of five seniors to end their time at Washburn Rural with that elusive state title, one year after losing in the state semifinals.

Thanks to the impressive 40-plus match winning streak, capped by a championship trophy, Washburn Rural moves up two spots in the Just Women’s Sports team volleyball rankings, cracking the top five at No. 4.

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

1. Cathedral Catholic (Calif.), 37-0

The Dons still haven’t dropped a set this season. That record will be put to the test in the California Interscholastic Federation San Diego Section Open Division championship Friday against Torrey Pines.

2. Cornerstone Christian (Texas), 55-2

The Warriors made a tradeoff — they tested themselves against the best teams in the country with a national schedule, giving up the chance to play for a state title by forgoing district matches due to travel requirements.

3. Mira Costa (Calif.), 36-3

Drew Wright notched 25 kills, and Erin Inskeep recorded 19 digs as the Mustangs beat Mater Dei in a five-set thriller this past weekend and booked a spot in the CIF Southern Section Division I Championships final against Sierra Canyon.

4. Washburn Rural (Kan.), 45-1

The Blues will lose DeLeye but return several key contributors next year.

5. Westminster Christian (Fla.), 26-0

The Warriors are just two wins away from their first state title since 2016 and have not dropped a set since Sept. 3.

6. Hamilton Southeastern (Ind.), 33-1

The Royals have already knocked off one top-25 team on their way to the Class 4A state final, and they will have to beat another to win the state crown. Hamilton Southeastern, which ended No. 17 McCutcheon’s season in the regional final, faces No. 16 Yorktown for the title Saturday.

7. Fayetteville (Ark.), 36-2

It was only appropriate that the seniors led the way as the Bulldogs won their third consecutive state title. Stanford beach volleyball commit Brooke Rockwell smacked 17 kills, and Madeline Lafata added 13 in a straight-set championship victory. Kennedy Phelan was everywhere with 37 assists, 18 digs and seven kills, while Ashley Ruff had a team-high 22 digs. Those four were part of Fayetteville’s 14-player senior class.

It’s a 3-peat! #purplereign pic.twitter.com/BB3fIJYgtr

— Brooke Rockwell (@brookerock20) October 31, 2022

8. Prestonwood Christian (Texas), 37-1

The Lions ended the regular season on a 25-match winning streak and now turn their attention to the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools playoffs.

9. Bloomfield Hills Marian (Mich.), 43-1

The Mustangs opened the playoffs Wednesday with a straight-set victory in the district semifinals, booking a spot in Friday’s district championship.

10. Highland Park (Texas), 41-2

The Scots dominated their postseason opener, not allowing their opponent to win more than 10 points in a set.

11. Tompkins (Texas), 37-3

The Falcons are riding a 17-match winning streak and eyeing the University Interscholastic League Class 6A state crown.

12. St. Thomas Aquinas (Kan.), 40-3

The Saints defeated St. James Academy for the third time this season to claim the 5A state championship. Two of their losses came against Washburn Rural.

13. Oconomowoc (Wis.), 37-1

Cordelia Kearns became the Raccoons’ all-time kills leader in a postseason victory this past weekend. Kearns has 394 kills this season alone, and now the senior and her teammates are just three wins away from a state title.

CONGRATS TO @cordeliakearns FOR BREAKING THE ALL TIME KILL RECORD!!! I 😤 pic.twitter.com/sjl43WVE0c

— Oconomowoc Volleyball (@Oconomowoc_VB) October 29, 2022

14. Cypress Ranch (Texas), 43-2

The Mustangs opened the playoffs the same way they ended the regular season, with a sweep. But a tough test awaits Thursday against The Woodlands, who are 39-9 with a win over Cornerstone Christian.

15. Sierra Canyon (Calif.), 32-4

The Trailblazers defeated reigning state champion Marymount for the second time this season to finish unbeaten in pool play and set up Saturday’s showdown with No. 3 Mira Costa.

16. Yorktown (Ind.), 34-2

Charlotte Vinson had 20 kills, Addi Applegate contributed 27 digs and Kynnadi Bell added 25 assists as the Tigers knocked off Floyd Central in the state semifinals to set up a championship showdown with No. 6 Hamilton Southeastern.

17. McCutcheon (Ind.), 33-2

The Mavericks’ season ended last week in a loss to Hamilton Southeastern in the regional finals.

18. Mother McAuley (Ill.), 35-3

The Mighty Macs avenged one of their three losses with a taut, three-set victory over Marist in Wednesday’s sectional final.

19. ‘Iolani (Hawaii), 25-5

The Raiders ended the season on a 12-match winning streak, earning the Division I state title as Brooke Naniseni racked up 16 kills in the state championship match. Tessa Onaga contributed 32 digs, and Maya Imoto-Eakin dished out 39 assists.

In case you missed it ... or wanted to relive it ... Friday night's HHSAA Girls Volleyball State Championship Final. What a night to remember! #iolanioneteam #blackbanner pic.twitter.com/yia30LwqtU

— ‘Iolani School (@Iolani_School) November 1, 2022

20. Dike-New Hartford (Iowa), 45-2

The Wolverines play for the Class 2A state championship Thursday, with Madelyn Norton leading the way with 894 assists. Twins Payton and Jadyn Petersen lead the team with 456 kills and 295 digs, respectively.

21. Buford (Ga.), 37-5

If the Wolves beat Lambert in the 7A state championship Saturday, it will be their third state title in three years.

22. Marymount (Calif.), 30-8

The Sailors struggled in the CIF Southern Section Division I Championships, going 1-2 in pool play, but their season isn’t over yet. They could receive an invite to the Southern California Regional Open Division playoff bracket.

23. St. Francis (Calif.), 29-0

The Lancers’ reward for winning their CIF Central Coast Section semifinal match Wednesday is a fifth matchup against Archbishop Mitty.

24. Assumption (Ky.), 33-7

The Rockets are just three wins from another state championship. First, they must navigate past a Mercy team they have already beaten twice this season.

25. Flint Hill (Va.), 31-0

The Huskies haven’t faced the same caliber of competition as Cathedral Catholic, but just like the top-ranked Dons, the new top-25 entrant has yet to drop a set this season.

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.

Big-name roster cuts dominated the WNBA headlines on Wednesday, with teams scrambling to meet the league's size and salary cap requirements before Friday's 2025 season tip-off.

The Golden State Valkyries, Minnesota Lynx, Atlanta Dream, Washington Mystics, and Dallas Wings announced finalized rosters, leaving a handful of teams still weighing their options as the clock ticks down.

Expansion side Golden State caused the most Wednesday commotion, dropping 2025 WNBA Draft Cinderella story Kaitlyn Chen (UConn) and 2023 No. 8 overall draft pick Laeticia Amihere (South Carolina), among other cuts, after initially waiving this year's No. 17 overall pick Shyanne Sellers (Maryland) last week.

With this year's No. 5 overall pick Justė Jocytė (Lithuania) choosing to remain overseas for this summer's EuroBasket, the Valkyries will now make their WNBA debut without a single 2025 draftee.

The South Carolina alum scored 20 points in her preseason debut for the Valkyries and was selected 8th overall by the Dream in the 2023 Draft. pic.twitter.com/JNQVpP1twS

— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) May 14, 2025

2023 WNBA Draft Class takes a hit

The hits kept coming for the 2023 WNBA Draft class, as Atlanta's No. 6 overall pick Haley Jones (Stanford) and Minnesota's No. 7 selectee Grace Berger (Indiana) joined Amihere on the league's cutting room floor on Wednesday — leaving only five 2023 first-rounders currently on WNBA rosters.

On the flip side, the Connecticut Sun dropped 30-year-old guard Diamond DeShields on Thursday morning — just three months after signing the 2021 WNBA champion.

Ultimately, rookies, mid-career players, and veterans alike are on the chopping block this week, with teams showing little mercy for fan favorites as they hone in on what promises to be a highly competitive 2025 WNBA season.

The NWSL Players Association (NWSLPA) is advocating for an immediate change in protocol in the name of player safety, with the union voicing concerns about the handling of Angel City defender Savy King's mid-match medical event last Friday.

Following current league guidelines, the game between the LA club and the Utah Royals resumed play on Friday, picking up where they left off after King's on-pitch collapse required nearly 10 minutes of life-saving intervention from medical staff.

Amid a crowd of visibly distressed players and coaches, paramedics rushed King to an area hospital, with the 20-year-old later undergoing successful surgery to fix a previously undetected heart abnormality.

"These moments demand humanity, sound judgment, and restraint," the NWSLPA posted on Wednesday. "Any medical emergency that requires the administration of life-saving care should bring play to an end. The match should not have continued."

"Our members are elite, world-class competitors who have proven they can perform under unimaginable conditions. That does not mean they should have to," the statement continued.

"Incidents of this severity must prioritize our collective humanity and should automatically trigger suspension of the match. The Players Association is committed to making this the standard in [the] NWSL."

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NWSL player safety again takes center-pitch

As the NWSL braces for rapid expansion, the NWSLPA remains laser-focused on ensuring player safety never takes a backseat, both on and off the field.

That priority was mirrored in the league's own Wednesday post.

Shortly before the NWSLPA's statement hit feeds, the NWSL issued its own statement, saying "Player Safety is paramount to the NWSL. The seriousness of this incident requires a deliberate process that is careful and methodical. That process is underway and will include necessary revisions that prioritize the consideration of player, staff, and fan well-being."

The lack of an instant protocol change doesn't sit well with NWSLPA executive director Meghann Burke.

After reviewing the league's post, Burke told Front Office Sports "The reality is these decisions are made in real time. A decision needed to be made last Friday night.... Five days later, they still [haven't] decided whether or not this game should have been suspended." 

"This is a human issue. The right thing to do was to call this game. It doesn't take this long to realize that."

Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian is Chelsea FC's newest owner, with the husband of tennis icon Serena Williams reportedly dropping £20 million ($26.6 million) on a 10% stake in the WSL champions earlier this week.

Ohanian is no stranger to investing in women's sports, from launching Angel City as the 2022 NWSL expansion club's majority owner to last year's founding of Athlos NYC, an annual women's track and field event with a $663,000 purse.

"I've bet big on women's sports before — and I'm doing it again," Ohanian posted on social media on Wednesday. "I'm proud to announce that I'm joining @ChelseaFCW as an investor and board member. I'm honored for the chance to help this iconic club become America's favorite @BarclaysWSL team and much, much more."

"These players are rewriting the game. Undefeated season. Eyes on the treble," said Ohanian about Chelsea FC's historic 2024/25 success. "But this isn't just about winning titles. It's about finally matching their talent with the resources, visibility, and respect they deserve."

Ohanian's investment comes amid soaring valuations for women's pro teams — with Chelsea's $257 million price tag ranking as the highest in all of women's soccer.

Calling Ohanian's buy-in "game-changing," Blues manager Sonia Bompastor told reporters on Thursday that "It's really important for the women's game but also for England to have someone to invest in a team like Chelsea."

"We want to be the leaders," she continued. "We want to be the team who shows to every other team how you need to perform and how you need to invest in the women's game."

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Women's clubs still successful after splitting with men's teams

Ohanian's investment also indicates Chelsea's commitment to further distancing their women's team operations from their men's side, following last June's ownership move to place the women's squad under an independent subsidiary.

Though most European women's teams remain closely affiliated with their men's counterparts, severing ties is on the rise, with US billionaire Michele Kang assuming majority ownership over women's clubs Olympique Lyonnais and the newly promoted London City Lionesses in recent years.

With skyrocketing revenue — plus Kang's fleet proving that independence benefits women's teams — expect to see even more US investors eyeing women's sports opportunities abroad.

FIFA is setting a new goal for the Women's World Cup, with organization president Gianni Infantino stating this week that the governing body is aiming to generate $1 billion in revenue from the international championship tournament.

"Women's football and women in football are crucially important," Infantino said at the 2025 Saudi Arabia/US Investment Forum in Riyadh on Tuesday.

"It's growing as well, and exponentially, and we are targeting [growth] as well to have $1 billion revenue just with the Women's World Cup to reinvest in the women's game."

The public push to hit the billion-dollar mark comes after the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand became the first edition of the tournament to break even, generating a revenue total over $570 million.

The 2027 World Cup will take place in Brazil, becoming the first iteration ever held in South America, while the US — as the only bid on the table — has a near-guaranteed lock on hosting the 2031 edition.

As FIFA takes aim at its $1 billion target for the 2027 tournament, the 2031 World Cup could have a leg up in the revenue game, with FIFA expanding the competition's field from 32 to 48 teams just last week.

Consequently, that 16-team increase boosts the total matches from 64 in 2027 to 104 in the 2031, instantly creating 62.5% more inventory — a move that could help meet or potentially exceed FIFA's bold new revenue goal.