It has been three weeks since the South Carolina Gamecocks were crowned as NCAA champions, and a lot has already happened in that interim.

Transfers — like South Carolina’s Saniya Rivers and Maryland’s Ashley Owusu and Angel Reese — are going to change the landscape of college basketball next season. Players coming back for fifth seasons and injuries have the potential to do the same. In other words, there is a lot we don’t know about what the 2022-23 season will look like. But it’s still fun to speculate.

If play started today, here’s what the JWS Top 25 would look like.

1. South Carolina

Destanni Henderson was drafted by the Fever, but the rest of South Carolina’s starting five will return, including National Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year Aliyah Boston. The Gamecocks also have 6-foot-7 standout Kamilla Cardoso coming back for her junior season.

That’s more than enough to put the defending champions at No. 1, but that’s not all they have. Raven Johnson, the No. 2 recruit in 2021, will return after missing almost all of last season with a knee injury, and classmates Bree Hall and Sania Feagin will be ready to take on bigger roles.

2. Stanford

The Cardinal are losing a lot in Lexie Hull, Lacie Hull and Anna Wilson, but they retain Haley Jones and Cameron Brink — one of the best guard and post duos in the country. With shooters like Hannah Jump and Ashton Prechtel around them, plus Fran Belibi as another post option, the Cardinal will be more than fine. And the top-rated freshman in the country, 6-7 Lauren Betts, will be ready to contribute right away.

3. UConn

The Huskies lose Olivia Nelson-Ododa and Christyn Williams, two key pieces of their run to the national championship game, but 2020-21 National Player of the Year Paige Bueckers is back and, more importantly, healthy. So is Azzi Fudd.

UConn isn’t a team that ever worries about reloading, welcoming in two top-10 freshmen next fall in No. 4 recruit Ayanna Patterson and No. 5 Isuneh Brady.

4. Iowa

Creighton put a damper on an otherwise stellar end-of-the-season run for the Hawkeyes. Iowa won its last seven games prior to the NCAA Tournament, knocking off teams like Michigan and Indiana to win the Big 10 title. Caitlin Clarke is back, of course, but so are the rest of those Hawkeyes. When Monika Czinano announced she was returning for another year, Iowa instantly put itself in the national title conversation.

5. Iowa State

Here’s another team that’s retaining the bulk of its roster and benefiting from extra eligibility. Ashley Joens isn’t hanging up her Cyclones jersey just yet, which gives this team an instant bump. Joining her are an excellent point guard in Emily Ryan and another solid perimeter player and scorer in Lexi Donarski.

6. Texas

Led by freshman Rori Harmon, the Longhorns played a suffocating, up-tempo style that made them a team nobody wanted to face in March. Harmon will be even better this season, and so will fellow rising sophomore Aaliyah Moore. Senior Aliyah Mathuru will continue to contribute on both ends of the floor, and the ever-annoying Longhorns defense will be just as pesky in 2022-23.

7. North Carolina

I was so impressed by this UNC squad in March. Deja Kelly and Alyssa Utsby played with poise despite being sophomores, and the two will be even more experienced next season. They are a great starting point for the Tar Heels. Kennedy Todd-Williams also started every game as a sophomore, and 6-3 guard/forward Destiny Adams has star potential beyond her freshman season.

8. Ohio State

Jacy Sheldon and Taylor Mikesell proved themselves to be one of the nation’s top backcourt duos during Ohio State’s Sweet 16 run. With those two back, the Buckeyes will be tough once again. Combining them with post player and third-leading scorer Rebeka Mikulasikova should make Ohio State a force in the Big 10 once more.

9. Notre Dame

Olivia Miles led the Fighting Irish to the Sweet 16, where they nearly knocked off No. 1 seed NC State. That experience will be vital for Notre Dame as it looks to build on last season. Sonia Citron got better and better as the year went on, and Dara Mabrey is also returning, meaning four of five starters will be back for a talented Irish squad.

10. Louisville

Emily Engstler’s departure for the WNBA will be the biggest loss for the Cardinals. But Hailey Van Lith and Olivia Cochran, now entering their junior seasons, proved themselves to be a dynamic guard/post duo last season. Payton Verhulst played limited minutes as a freshman, but the former five-star recruit is poised to break out as a strong partner for Van Lith in the backcourt.

11. Tennessee

Rae Burrell may have moved on to the WNBA, but a healthy Jordan Horston and all-time blocks leader Tamari Key make for a solid foundation to build around. Coach Kellie Harper hasn’t wasted any time finding players to add to the roster: Mississippi State transfer Rickea Jackson and former Minnesota guard Jasmine Powell should both contribute right away.

12. Virginia Tech

With leading scorer and rebounder Elizabeth Kitley entering her senior year, and third-leading scorer Georgia Amoore ready to play an even bigger role, the Hokies are in good shape. Kayana Traylor and Cayla King provide them with two other solid scoring options.

13. Arizona

Get used to seeing Arizona in the top 25. Adia Barnes is bringing in a great recruiting class led by two five-stars, forward Maya Nnaji and guard Paris Clark. That young talent coupled with experienced returners Cate Reese, Shaina Pellington and Bendu Yeaney make the Wildcats a Pac-12 frontrunner once again.

14. Creighton

I slept on the Bluejays last season, and I’m not about to make the same mistake. Lauren Jensen, Morgan Maly, Molly Mogensen and Emma Ronsiek are all entering their junior years, and Carly Bachelor will be a senior. That group includes all four of Creighton’s top scorers and the sixth, allowing the Bluejays to continue their dominant, sharp-shooting style of play.

15. Indiana

It’s easy to look at what Indiana lost — Ali Patberg, Aleksa Gulbe and Nicole Cardaño-Hillary — and think this team will falter. But the Hoosiers retain top two scorers in Grace Berger and Mackenzie Holmes and key bench contributor Chloe Moore-McNeil, who blossomed at the end of the season. Oregon transfer Sydney Parrish rounds out the roster, making IU a solid team once more.

16. Kansas State

The Wildcats return their starting five, including their leading scorer and rebounder, 6-6 Ayoka Lee. Three other starters — Serena Sundell, Brylee Glenn and Jaelyn Glenn — also all return. They showed their potential last season, but also their youth. This time, the trio will have more confidence and experience.

17. NC State

Standout post player and Seattle Storm draft pick Elissa Cunane was the focal point of NC State’s offense in 2021-22. Now, you can expect the Wolfpack to be more guard-oriented. Diamond Johnson and Jakia Brown-Turner were NC State’s second- and third-leading scorers, giving the team a great base for the upcoming season.

18. Oklahoma

Ana Llanusa is coming back from injury, while leading scorer Madi Williams and 3-point leader Taylor Robertson will play fifth years. The Sooners also have plenty of role players to work with, as nine players started at various times throughout the past season.

19. Princeton

Losing leading scorer Abby Meyers is a big blow for the Tigers, but second- and third-scoring leaders Julia Cunningham and Kaitlyn Chen will be back. They were key to Princeton’s 25-5 record and upset of Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament. Grace Stone and Ellie Mitchell are also solid pieces to the Princeton puzzle, capable of averaging double digits on any given night.

20. Utah

The Utes dominated Arkansas in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, giving us a glimpse of what’s to come. Led by sophomore Kennedy McQueen’s 20 points and freshman Gianna Kneepkens’ 16 in that contest, the Utes showcased their young talent on a big stage. Jenna Johnson (freshman) and Kelsey Rees (sophomore) each scored in double figures as well.

21. Kansas

The Jayhawks were a surprise success story last season, making it to the Big 12 championship game and winning in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. This time, there are expectations. Top scorers Holly Kersgieter and Zakiyah Franklin will lead the way.

22. Gonzaga

The Zags topped Nebraska in the NCAA Tournament and then showed flashes in an 11-point loss to No. 1 seed Louisville. Kayleigh and Kaylynne Truong will be back to lead the squad, but GU fans should be most excited about rising sophomore Bree Salenbien. She didn’t play to end the year due to a knee injury, but the Michigan native is GU’s best prospect in history, and she is poised for a breakout season.

23. UCLA

The Bruins had a disappointing season that ended with an loss in the NIT semifinals, but Charisma Osborne was a bright spot. She will lead UCLA and get help from two talented freshmen — No. 2 recruit Kiki Rice and No. 19 Gabriela Jaquez. It might take time for them to get their footing, but the Bruins should have enough to make some noise later in the season.

24. Nebraska

Another team that had surprising success, Nebraska was upset-minded throughout the Big 10 season. The Huskers return their top eight scorers, bumping them from an upset-type team to a legitimate contender.

25. UNLV

This is a young team that gave Arizona all it could handle in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. That experience will help a talented Rebels squad that returns its top three scorers. Loaded with athleticism, UNLV will be the favorite in the Mountain West.

Eden Laase is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports. She previously ran her own high school sports website in Michigan after covering college hockey and interning at Sports Illustrated. Follow her on Twitter @eden_laase.

Two key upsets headlined Thursday's WNBA bill, sending the Phoenix Mercury soaring into third place in the league standings while the No. 6 Golden State Valkyries continued to outwit opponents.

The red-hot Mercury snagged their fourth straight win by taking down the No. 2 New York Liberty 89-81 on Thursday night, overcoming an 35-point performance from two-time MVP Breanna Stewart with five double-digit Phoenix scorers.

Meanwhile out West, the Valkyries stifled a surging No. 7 Fever, downing Indiana 88-77 in part by holding star guard Caitlin Clark to just 3-for-14 from the field — and 0-for-7 from behind the arc.

"We were being disruptive, we know that she doesn't like physicality, we know that she wants to get to that left step-back," Golden State head coach Natalie Nakase said about the Valkyries' strategy to effectively contain Clark.

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Though the No. 1 Minnesota Lynx and 2024 WNBA champions New York still hold court atop the table, Thursday's actions proves that other squads are making some unexpected in-roads.

Putting together an impressive road record are the Mercury, who will ride a 4-2 away record into their Saturday matchup against the No. 11 Chicago Sky — the last stop on a four-game road trip that's been perfect for Phoenix thus far.

Already flipping the script on expectations is Golden State, with the 2025 expansion team rising despite relying on a hodgepodge roster as several players compete at EuroBasket 2025. The Valkyries will aim to keep their winning momentum in their Sunday clash with the No. 12 Connecticut Sun.

How to watch the Mercury, Valkyries this weekend

Both of Thursday's victors will be back in action this weekend, with Phoenix facing Chicago at 1 PM ET on Saturday, airing live on ABC.

Then on Sunday, Golden State will host Connecticut at 8:30 PM ET, with live coverage on WNBA League Pass.

In another weekend full of WNBA action, all eyes are on Las Vegas, as the No. 8 Aces will try to curb a two-game losing streak against two formidable opponents.

A successful weekend for Las Vegas could hinge on three-time WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson's potential return from injury, with the star forward recently upgraded to "questionable" after landing in concussion protocol last week.

Overall, the margin for error has narrowed in the middle of the WNBA pack, as talented teams continue to translate quality performances into consistency.

• No. 5 Seattle Storm vs. No. 8 Las Vegas Aces, Friday at 10 PM ET (ION): The Aces will try to end their free fall in Friday's head-to-head battle with a Seattle side that can beat anybody at their best.

• No. 7 Indiana Fever vs. No. 8 Las Vegas Aces, Sunday at 3 PM ET (ESPN): Las Vegas next faces a Fever team still smarting from Thursday's away loss to the Golden State Valkyries, with both teams narrowly clinging to positions above the playoff line.

• No. 2 New York Liberty vs. No. 5 Seattle Storm, Sunday at 7 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The Liberty have a comfortable hold on second place, but with two losses in their last three games, New York is flirting with danger entering their Sunday game with Seattle — particularly if star big Jonquel Jones is out after suffering a knock to the ankle on Thursday.

Ultimately, there's no rest for the weary in the WNBA, as a series of difficult matchups can see a single error quickly slide into a losing streak.

The final NWSL weekend heading into the league's six-week summer break has arrived, giving teams one more chance to prove themselves before regular-season play pauses to make way for major international tournaments.

With a five-point gap separating No. 1 Kansas City from No. 2 Orlando in the NWSL standings, the Current will enter the break as the 2025 Shield frontrunners regardless of this weekend's results.

Despite Kansas City's grip atop the table, there's still plenty of room for movement both above and below the postseason cutoff line, as clubs across the NWSL look to wrap their midseason finales on a high note:

• No. 1 Kansas City Current vs. No. 10 Angel City FC, Friday at 8 PM ET (Prime): Angel City has a shot at launching themselves above the cutoff line on Friday, but they'll have to snap the Current's five-game winning streak to make it happen.

• No. 8 Gotham FC vs. No. 9 Bay FC, Saturday at 7:30 PM ET (ION): Gotham and Bay FC enter the weekend tied on points while staring at each other from on opposite sides of the playoff line — meaning a Saturday win for either club could set the tone for the rest of the 2025 season.

• No. 3 San Diego Wave FC vs. No. 4 Washington Spirit, Sunday at 10 PM ET (CBS Sports): The weekend's only top-table clash could see San Diego sprint back into second place — unless Washington leapfrogs the upstart Wave to claim the third-place spot.

The LPGA Tour has turned its attention to Texas, with the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship — the third major of the pro golf season — teeing off in Frisco to a flurry of first-round action on Thursday.

All of the sport's Top 100 athletes are participating in this week's event, including No. 1 Nelly Korda, who sits in a 14th-place tie with an even-par first-round performance, and surging US dark horse No. 50 Lexi Thompson, who tied for 10th in her Thursday return from a brief retirement.

However, leading the pack heading into Friday's second round is Thailand's world No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul, who finished the first day of competition atop the leaderboard with a score of 4-under-par.

Australia's No. 24 Minjee Lee also posted a strong start, capping Thursday at 3-under to sit in second place.

While the sport's best chase victory on the links, the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship is already making history off the green.

Not only is it the first-ever women's major to tee off at Frisco's Fields Ranch East, the tournament also increased its purse to $12 million on Tuesday — nearly tripling the $4.5 million prize pool from just four years ago and tying the US Women's Open for the LPGA Tour's highest payout in the process.

How to watch the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship

The third LPGA Grand Slam of 2025 continues through Sunday.

Friday's second round will air live on the Golf Channel, while coverage of Saturday and Sunday's final rounds will air across NBC and Peacock.