Last year taught Washburn Rural volleyball not to take anything for granted. The Blues entered the state tournament with a 38-0 record only to see their championship hopes dashed with a loss in the semifinals.

The good news: Washburn Rural returned plenty of talent from that team, which finished 40-2, including Kansas Gatorade Volleyball Player of the Year Brooklyn DeLeye.

The team is not a one-woman show, either. DeLeye, the No. 6 recruit in the country, is complemented by other experienced players: seniors Taylor Russell and Katie Borough plus juniors Zoe Canfield and Jada Ingram, among others.

With that array of talent and know-how, Washburn Rural has won 15 of its first 16 matches this season. But the players understand that a strong finish is more important than a fast start. For inspiration, they only have to look up in the rafters or turn to coach Kevin Bordewick, who guided the Blues to seven state titles from 2004-2012.

Washburn Rural appears to be rounding into form, winning seven matches in the last seven days, including the second defeat this season of No. 21 St. Thomas Aquinas. Thanks to that perfect week, the Blues have risen 10 spots to No. 9 in this week’s Just Women’s Sports volleyball team rankings.

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

After a VERY LONG day, your Lady Blues went 6-0 at their invitational beating Manhattan, Gardner Edgarton, Kapaun, Blue Valley, and Free State! They went the whole day without losing a set!! Way to go blues!!🤩🤩

— WRHS Volleyball (@LadyBluesVB) September 24, 2022

1. Cathedral Catholic (Calif.), 27-0

A senior-heavy roster is leading the Dons to a perfect start to the season, with 58 sets played and 58 sets won.

2. Bloomfield Hills Marian (Mich.), 27-0

On Wednesday, the Mustangs beat Mercy for the third time this season. The Marlins have lost just two other matches.

3. Cornerstone Christian (Texas), 46-2

The Warriors haven’t dropped a set since falling to No. 6 Westminster Christian on Sept. 3.

4. McCutcheon (Ind.), 22-1

Similarly, the Mavericks have lost just one set since an early-season defeat.

5. Prestonwood Christian (Texas), 30-1

The Lions’ success this year bodes well for the future. They have just one senior on the roster.

6. Westminster Christian (Fla.), 12-0

The Warriors have a week off before resuming play with a matchup Friday, the precursor to a weekend tournament.

7. Fayetteville (Ark.), 22-1

Senior Brooke Rockwell, a Stanford Beach Volleyball commit, has surpassed 1,000 career kills, including 308 this season alone.

Welcome to the 1000K club @brookerock20 pic.twitter.com/ZjTw9Eqrxd

— Fayetteville Volleyball (@FHSVolleydogs) September 27, 2022

8. Mira Costa (Calif.), 17-2

Senior Drew Wright notched 27 kills in a five-set win over Redondo Union on Tuesday, extending her team-high total to 174.

9. Washburn Rural (Kan.), 15-1

The Blues first knocked off St. Thomas Aquinas before reeling off six more wins this past weekend.

10. Sierra Canyon (Calif.), 25-3

As the Trailblazers prepare for the stretch run of the season, Olivia Babcock, a Pitt commit, has more than 340 kills.

11. Highland Park (Texas), 31-2

The Scots have reeled off nine consecutive victories, all sweeps.

12. Tompkins (Texas), 28-3

Rice commit Cindy Tchouangwa has reached the 350-kill mark with a month of the regular season remaining.

13. Marymount (Calif.), 20-5

The Sailors appear to be getting hot at the right time, having won 10 of their last 11 matches. Their sole loss in that period came against Cathedral Catholic in the Durango Fall Classic championship.

14. Hamilton Southeastern (Ind.), 21-1

Senior Avery Hobson has 241 kills and a .359 hitting percentage, as the Royals continue to rack up wins following a season-opening loss to McCutcheon.

The Brebeuf Invitational Champions. pic.twitter.com/7BExnrACCL

— HSERoyalsVB (@hseroyalsvball) September 24, 2022

15. Mother McAuley (Ill.), 17-1

The Mighty Macs’ bid for an undefeated season ended, but they have a chance Thursday to defeat Kentucky powerhouse Assumption for the second time this season.

16. St. James Academy (Kan.), 17-1

The Thunder avoided another loss with a three-set win over Blue Valley Southwest on Wednesday and then closed out the invitational with a sweep of Blue Valley.

17. Oconomowoc (Wis.), 31-1

Behind Cordelia Kearns’ 314 kills and Lilly Wagner’s 759 assists, the Raccoons are eyeing a second straight state title.

18. Santa Fe (Fla.), 13-1

The Raiders’ match Tuesday against Forest was canceled due to Hurricane Ian.

19. Cypress Ranch (Texas), 33-2

Texas A&M commit Bianna Muoneke racked up 19 kills in a sweep Friday, bringing her season total to 560.

See you in January @TAMU 🤍🤍🤍 pic.twitter.com/kzOex5Fp50

— Bianna Muoneke (@biannamuoneke) September 28, 2022

20. Assumption (Ky.), 21-4

With star outsider hitter and Texas commit Sydney Helmers not playing this season, junior Charlotte Moriarty leads the Rockets with 236 kills, and senior Whitney Woodrow has racked up 860 assists.

21. St. Thomas Aquinas (Kan.), 18-2

The Saints’ two losses have come at the hands of Washburn Rural, and they bounced back with two wins Tuesday.

22. ‘Iolani (Hawaii), 17-5

The Raiders have tested themselves against top-tier competition, beating Sierra Canyon and other teams from the mainland. More than half their losses have come against Top 25 competition.

23. Mater Dei (Calif.), 19-5

Following an upset loss to Santa Margarita, the Monarchs have reeled off back-to-back league victories. Now, they turn their attention to the prestigious Tournament of Champions this weekend.

24. Benet Academy (Ill.), 19-1

The Redwings’ 12-match winning streak will be put to the test Thursday against Skutt Catholic out of Nebraska.

25. Dike-New Hartford (Iowa), 26-2

The Wolverines suffered a second loss this weekend but bounced back with three consecutive wins.

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.

Hit JWS podcast The Late Sub is back in action. We're kicking off a brand new season with staff writer Claire Watkins’s expert takes on the world of women’s soccer. And we're starting with the youth movement in the USWNT.

This week, Watkins talks through USWNT star Trinity Rodman’s splashy return. She later discusses the national team's current youth development movement. Lastly, she tackles head coach Emma Hayes's quest to find a successor for retired starting goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher. And all the while, she gives her own women's soccer analysis.

"McGlynn stresses me out sometimes. She’s a player with a high upside, and also sometimes she does have those mental moments," Watkins says of USWNT goalie prospect Mandy McGlynn.

"I like [Phallon] Tullis-Joyce, would love to see a lot more from her," the host said of another top goalie contender, currently rostered at Manchester United. "I think she deserves more call-ups."

About 'The Late Sub' with Claire Watkins

The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes on all things USWNT, NWSL, and all things women's soccer. Special guest appearances featuring the biggest names in women’s sports make TLS a must-listen for every soccer fan.

Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women’s Sports newsletter for more.

Subscribe to The Late Sub to never miss an episode.

NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman voiced confidence in the league's ability to execute "ambitious plans" regarding expansion at last week's SheBelieves Summit, telling the crowd that growing to as many as 32 teams is not out of the question.

"Our board believes that we can be the size of the [32-team] NFL," she explained. "There is nothing that stands in the way of us doing that, other than having access to top talent."

"There’s certainly not a problem with the supply, given the size of our country and the level of talent that exists," Berman continued. "We just need to figure out how to develop [those athletes] strategically and intentionally."

Expansion takes backseat as NWSL focuses on 2026 scheduling

With the NWSL's current 14-team field welcoming expansion clubs in Boston and Denver in 2026, the league is still a long ways off from its potential long-term goal of exceeding 30 squads.

Following her remarks at the SheBelieves Summit, Berman told ESPN that while the league is not currently in an expansion round, she is continuing to conduct conversations with interested ownership groups.

Prior to seriously considering continued expansion, however, the league must first contend with some scheduling hurdles affecting the 2026 NWSL season.

Berman noted that while the NWSL expects to play throughout next year’s US-based men’s World Cup, certain anticipated venue conflicts will require creative solutions to do so, with the commissioner noting that "everything’s on the table" when it comes to addressing the overlaps.

Two-time WNBA champion Kelsey Plum dropped her 12-player 2025 Dawg Class roster on Wednesday, inviting another generation of college talent to join her at an Under Armour training camp designed to help NCAA athletes transition to the pros.

The new LA Sparks guard experienced her own growing pains in making the professional leap. In response, Plum launched the camp in 2023, aiming to specifically address those struggles and aid future pros.

Each year, Plum invites both graduating and returning NCAA stars to the training camp, hoping to help them overcome or even bypass some of the hurdles she encountered when entering the WNBA.

"Dawg Class is all about changing the game for the next generation of women's basketball players," explained Plum before the 2024 edition.

"All of these athletes have extraordinary talent and skill, and it is my mission to help them with that transition to the next level by cultivating that 'dawg' mentality — the grit, self-confidence and work ethic — to continue to succeed and evolve in their careers."

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2025 Dawg Camp taps NCAA champions, star freshmen

Now entering its third iteration, newly crowned Final Four Most Outstanding Player Azzi Fudd and her UConn teammate and fellow 2025 NCAA champ KK Arnold are both making Dawg Class returns — Fudd took part in the 2023 edition while Arnold capped her freshman season at Plum's 2024 camp.

Also returning to the elite roster are 2024 alums Shyanne Sellers (Maryland) and Georgia Amoore (Kentucky), with Amoore having featured on all three Dawg Class rosters so far.

Both Amoore and Sellers, as well as first-time invitee and Harvard senior Harmoni Turner — the 2024/25 Beck Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year — are turning pro this year, with the trio hoping to hear their names called during Monday's 2025 WNBA Draft.

Like Turner, eight other top college athletes are also making their Dawg Class debuts this year, including a quartet of the NCAA's most impressive freshmen: Michigan's Syla Swords, Ohio State's Jaloni Cambridge, USC's Kayleigh Heckel, and Vanderbilt's Mikayla Blakes.

Kelsey Plum's 2025 Under Armour Dawg Class

• Georgia Amoore*, Kentucky
• KK Arnold, UConn
• Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt
• Zoe Brooks, NC State
• Jaloni Cambridge, Ohio State
• Azzi Fudd, UConn
• Kayleigh Heckel, USC
• Ashlon Jackson, Duke
• Tessa Johnson, South Carolina
• Shyanne Sellers*, Maryland
• Syla Swords, Michigan
• Harmoni Turner*, Harvard

*denotes players who have declared for the 2025 WNBA Draft

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved a proposal to expand the women’s soccer tournament from 12 to 16 teams for the 2028 LA Olympics on Wednesday, solidifying the event’s international importance as the women's game continues to see skyrocketing growth.

"We wanted to do something to reflect that growth, and equally with the United States being the home of the highest level of popularity of women's football," IOC sports director Kit McConnell said on Wednesday.

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IOC balloons multiple 2028 LA Olympics women's events

Soccer isn't the only women's event expanding, with additional IOC decisions pushing the total number of women athletes participating in the 2028 LA Games over the 50% line.

The women’s water polo field will grow from 10 to 12 teams to align with the men’s competition, while 3×3 basketball will expand its field from eight teams to 12.

Even more, women’s boxing will gain an additional weight category, and the IOC will incorporate new mixed events across several other Olympic sports.

Ultimately, increased parity will only intensify competition, with the IOC making moves to keep the Olympics in line with the continued demand for and rise of women's sports.

"The message of gender equality is a really important one for us," added McConnell.