Jonesboro, AR — (JonesboroRightNow.com) — June 25, 2025 — Arkansas State volleyball is set to take on a challenging schedule in 2025, as head coach Brian Gerwig unveiled the slate for the reigning Sun Belt regular-season champions on Wednesday.
Entering the fourth season under Gerwig, the Red Wolves are coming off their best season since 2015, capped by a Sun Belt regular-season crown and postseason run to the Great 8 of the NIVC.
The docket features seven total matches against teams that reached the NCAA Tournament last season, including three against foes advancing to the second round or better. A-State will take on 10 opponents that earned winning records a season ago.
In the preseason, A-State hosts its annual Scarlet and Black Scrimmage on Saturday, Aug. 16, before hosting North Alabama in an exhibition bout on Aug. 23.
The Red Wolves open the season with a trio of 2024 NCAA Tournament participants, traveling to Atlanta, GA, for matches against Ole Miss (Aug. 29), Wofford (Aug. 30) and Georgia Tech (Aug. 31).
A-State opens its home slate with a pair of matches against Missouri (Sept. 4-5) – a squad that reached the NCAA Round of 16 last season. Thursday’s bout against the Tigers will be held inside First National Bank Arena, while the Friday contest will be played at Valley View High School due to a scheduling conflict.
A trip to Orlando, FL, follows, with A-State taking on Florida Atlantic and host UCF (Sept. 12), as well as Brown (Sept. 13).
The Scarlet and Black remain in-state for the final non-conference matches of the season, traveling to Fayetteville, Ark., to take on North Dakota State (Sept. 18), Southern Illinois (Sept. 19) and Arkansas (Sept. 20). A-State’s meeting against the Razorbacks will be just the second all-time meeting in volleyball, and first since 1975.
A-State then opens Sun Belt Conference play at Georgia State (Sept. 26-27) before returning home to host Southern Miss (Oct. 3-4). The Red Wolves face road tests at ULM (Oct. 10-11) and Troy (Oct. 23-24) as well as rematches at home against 2024 SBC Tournament champion Texas State (Oct. 17-18).
The Red Wolves open November at home against Louisiana (Oct. 31-Nov. 1) and at South Alabama (Nov. 7-8) before ending the regular season by hosting Old Dominion (Nov. 14-15).
The Sun Belt Conference Championship will be held Nov. 20-23, in Foley, AL, at the Foley Event Center.
Lee University is a private, comprehensive university located in Cleveland, Tennessee, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Lee is emerging as a leader in higher education in the southeastern region and is consistently ranked in the “Top Tier” of the Best Regional Universities in the South by U.S. News & World Report.
Over the past two decades, Lee has become one of the largest Christ-centered private institutions in Tennessee and the largest in the Appalachian College Association. During that period, the university has seen a remarkable transformation that has included significant growth in its academic programs, student enrollment, faculty expertise, and diversity, as well as an expanded sense of mission and vision.
Tyus Wilson is grabbing his degree and raising the bar to new heights in his future.
The decorated University of Nebraska–Lincoln track and field athlete is among the December class of 2025 and has his sights set on the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
In August, after he ended his collegiate career with a Big Ten championship and gold medal in the 2025 NCAA Indoor high jump, Wilson won the USA high jump championship, securing a spot on Team USA.
And then, this fall, he had to complete his final assignment before graduation — student teaching fifth graders.
“The first few days are just lots of comments and questions, ‘how are you so tall?’” the 6-foot, 8-inch elementary education major said.
Tyus Wilson clears the high jump bar for the Huskers at an indoor track and field meet.
Wilson’s parents are both educators and athletes themselves, and two of his five siblings work in education in some way, even though they started college thinking they’d do something else.
“I started in elementary education, because I did some coaching and things in high school and enjoyed it, but I wondered if I’d find something else,” he said. “When I started doing practicums in the classrooms, it was apparent that I wanted to keep doing it. I really liked being around the kids and helping them learn.
“Every single classroom that I’ve been in has been so different in its own little way. I love being around these kids and seeing those light bulb moments. Even on the bad days, you’ll look back and see their success, and that is why you do it.”
Wilson was 10 — around fifth grade himself — the first time he tried high jump. His dad, still teaching and coaching the high school track and field team in his hometown of Sterling, Kansas, recognized his son’s natural athleticism and helped him hone it. Wilson was a standout athlete in football and basketball, too, but his heart was in high jump.
Wilson was a standout athlete in basketball and football, too, but he wanted to do high jump in college.
By freshman year, Wilson was clearing a seven-foot bar.
“My dad said, ‘yeah, you’re going somewhere.’”
Wilson began his junior year of high school in 2019 and was being recruited by many Division I schools. In the spring, he’d planned to make campus visits, but the COVID pandemic and ensuing shutdowns scuttled those opportunities.
Wilson worked the phones instead. Recruitment usually includes a lot of phone time with coaches, but Wilson also connected with athletes at the various programs to feel out the culture and communities within the programs.
“That was a turning point for me,” he said. “My parents were checking in and asking me what I was thinking, and getting to talk to some of the athletes, I felt like I meshed with the people in Nebraska better.”
It was a decision that served him well when, during his freshman year, he developed a stress injury in his shin, derailing his inaugural college season. A month later, his dad was diagnosed with stage III lung cancer. The double whammy shook Wilson. He internalized the stress, often isolating himself. He leaned on his Christian faith and started unpacking his “why.”
“What’s my purpose in life? Where do I find my hope and my joy?” he said. “If all my joy and all my hope for the future is coming from how high I’m going to jump over a stick — that’s just not going to be fulfilling. In isolation, by myself, was a good time for me to kind of reflect on my purpose.”
Despite his tendency to withdraw, his teammates, coaches and friends he met in Fellowship of Christian Athletes lifted him up and helped pull him out of the rut. Wilson realized he’d found a community in Lincoln, and that he would come out of the experience a better person.
“It was a very humbling experience, something I definitely needed to get to where I am today, and to handle it the way that I’m handling it now,” he said.
Now a Team USA athlete, Wilson is still training on campus. Following graduation, he will continue training 20 to 25 hours a week while substitute teaching when he can.
“It’s nice that I can continue having training partners, working with the team,” he said. “There’s only so much you can do to your body before it starts to talk back to you, and you can get burned out. I’m going to keep other things going so that my brain doesn’t run with the same thing over and over every day.”
He and his wife, McKenna, a Husker cross country athlete who graduated in May, will stay in Omaha while McKenna finishes her Doctor of Physical Therapy at Creighton University. They hope to keep their home base in Nebraska, while traveling to Wilson’s meets — and to L.A. — for as long as they can.
“As long as it still makes sense to keep going, I will,” he said. “But it’s never promised. James 4:13-15 says to not boast about the future. You don’t even know what will happen tomorrow.”
Wilson poses with this track medals his senior year of high school. He was recruited by many Division I schools and chose Nebraska.
KANSAS CITY – Pitt Volleyball (30-5, 18-2 ACC) lost 3-0 to Texas A&M (28-4, 14-1 SEC) in the National Semifinal Thursday night at the T-Mobile Center, 27-29, 21-25, 20-25. The Panthers hit .344 and were led by Olivia Babcock’s 22 kills on her .463 hitting percentage.
Set 1: 27-29
A back-and-forth first set went to the Aggies. The set featured 17 ties and eight lead changes, with neither team leading by more than three points the entire set. Texas A&M hit .410 to Pitt’s .366. Olivia Babcock had seven first-set kills and Blaire Bayless added six for the Panthers.
Set 2: 21-25
The second set was a set of runs, as Texas A&M jumped out to an 11-7 lead before Pitt rattled off eight straight to take a 15-11 lead off the serve of Izzy Masten. The Aggies responded with a 4-0 run and 7-1 run. For the second straight set, the score evened at 21 apiece before Texas A&M scored the last four to take a 2-0 lead.
Set 3: 20-25
Pitt led 10-7 in the third set and looked poised to force a fourth set, but Texas A&M responded with a run of 5-0 and 10-3 to jump ahead 17-13. The Panthers scored three straight and evened the score at 18-18, but Texas A&M ended the match on a 7-2 run to earn the sweep.
Brooke Mosher had a double-double with 31 assists and 10 digs.
Texas A&M hit .382 for the match and added six services aces to Pitt’s two.
Pitt finishes the 2025 season with 30 victories and a fifth-straight trip to the final four. The Panthers are one of just four teams – and the first since Texas (2012-16) – in NCAA volleyball history to make at least five straight National Semifinals.
The 2025 winners will be announced on Thursday, Dec. 18 at the 2025 USTFCCCA convention at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas.
Past watch lists
Watch list update No. 7
The seventh update to the Bowerman women’s watch list was announced on Wednesday, June 4, with the men’s watch list announced on Thursday, June 5.
On Thursday evening, Jordan Anthony was awarded with the 2025 Bowerman Title; the most prestigious honor in NCAA Cross-Country/Track and Field.
One of the highlight stars of the NCAA this year, Arkansas’ Jordan Anthony made it known that he would be someone to look out for on the oval, opening up his 2024/2025 indoor season with a personal best of 6.57 in the 60m Dash back in January, and followed that up with an NCAA #6 All-Time of 6.47 in the preliminary rounds at the NCAA Division I Indoor Championships prior to winning his first NCAA title.
During Anthony’s first 100m of the outdoor season, he clocked a scorching 9.98 to dip under the elusive sub-10 seconds barrier for the first time and later went on to win the 100m/200m sprint double at the SEC Outdoor Championships while also throwing down a new personal best and one of the fastest times of the year with his 19.93 in the 200m finals.
It doesn’t stop here however, as Anthony continued to shine in the spotlight at the NCAA Division I West Regionals with a nearly wind legal 9.75 in the 100m and playing a key role in qualifying Arkansas’ 4x100m relay to nationals; where he found himself on the podium three times (100m, 200m, 4x100m), with the crown in the 100m.
Following receiving his award, Anthony started his speech with, “First and foremost, I give all Glory to God,” and followed up with showing recognition to fellow finalists, JaKobe Tharp and Nathaniel Ezekiel.
“Life has a way of redirects towards purposes we never imagined ourselves,” as he referenced with his background in football and how he got started with track and field.
He closed out his speech with, “Thank you for pushing me, challenging me, and demanding excellence. Your intensity on the field came from a place of belief and I will always respect that,” and acknowledged the leadership of Coach Buck and Coach Case.
Anthony closes out a historic year as one of the top sprinters in NCAA history and inked a professional contract with Adidas back in June earlier this year
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Wisconsin calls last timeout while in 11-7 deficit
John Steppe
Wisconsin has showed some more life lately, but the Badgers still are in a deep hole here. Kentucky has an 11-7 lead. The Wildcats are hitting .500 in the set while the Badgers are hitting .200.
10:31 pm CT
Kentucky goes on 7-1 scoring run as teams switch sides
John Steppe
Wisconsin is in quite the hole here, trailing 8-2 as the teams switch sides halfway through the fifth set. UK has five kills on five total attacks.
10:27 pm CT
Wisconsin falls into 4-1 deficit in fifth set
John Steppe
Kentucky has all the momentum here in the fifth set, jumping to a 4-1 lead with four straight points. Wisconsin has called a timeout. UW has a short runway for another resurgence like what it had in the fourth set against Texas.
10:22 pm CT
Wisconsin vs Kentucky stats comparison through four sets
John Steppe
Hitting percentage: Wisconsin .382, Kentucky .231
Kills: Wisconsin 67, Kentucky 54
Attack errors: Wisconsin 15, Kentucky 20
Service errors: Kentucky 8, Wisconsin 13
Blocks: Wisconsin 10, Kentucky 7
10:20 pm CT
Kentucky takes fourth set vs. Wisconsin, 26-24; Final Four match heading to fifth set
John Steppe
This one is heading to five sets.
Kentucky won the fourth, 26-24, with a block by Kassie O’Brien and Kennedy Washington. The Badgers fought off three UK set points before the Wildcats ultimately prevailed.
Mimi Colyer leads Wisconsin with 29 kills. Eva Hudson leads Kentucky with 23 kills. You can see why each of them are finalists for national player of the year.
10:13 pm CT
Wisconsin calls timeout while trailing 23-21 in fourth set
John Steppe
Wisconsin has called its second timeout of the fourth set after Brooklyn DeLeye’s 11th kill pushed Kentucky’s lead to 23-21. For how one-sided the first set was, the sellout crowd at T-Mobile Center has been treated to some high-level volleyball in the three sets since.
10:07 pm CT
Kentucky pushes lead to 20-17 in fourth set, Wisconsin calls timeout
John Steppe
Kentucky has taken three of the last four points. (Two of the points were on Eva Hudson kills.) Wisconsin has called a timeout as the Badgers are in a 20-17 deficit in the fourth set. Hudson is up to 20 kills against the Badgers while hitting .390.
10:00 pm CT
Mimi Colyer’s 26 kills are most by Badger in NCAA tournament match in current scoring era
John Steppe
AVCA national player of the year finalist Mimi Colyer already has 26 kills. That’s the most by a Badger in an NCAA tournament match in the 25-point rally scoring era, which dates back to 2008. With five attack errors, she is hitting .429 against the Wildcats.
Kentucky has a 15-13 lead in the fourth set.
9:58 pm CT
Kentucky takes 13-12 lead in fourth set
John Steppe
Kentucky has won three straight points and taken a 13-12 lead in the fourth set. UW is hitting .312 so far in the set.
9:41 pm CT
Wisconsin finishes third set on 3-0 scoring run, takes 2-1 set lead
John Steppe
Wisconsin ended the third set on a 3-0 scoring run, which started with a successful challenge UW call and another close play that UK opted not to challenge. The Badgers now have a 2-1 set lead going into the fourth set.
Mimi Colyer is up to 22 kills. Carter Booth has 14 kills.
9:39 pm CT
Kentucky calls timeout ahead of Wisconsin’s set point in third set
John Steppe
Wisconsin has a 24-21 lead in the third set after a Lizzie Carr attack error. Craig Skinner contemplated challenging that, but instead opted to take a timeout.
9:33 pm CT
Wisconsin has narrow 21-20 lead in third set
John Steppe
Wisconsin’s once-comfortable lead in the third set feels a little less comfortable. Kentucky has gone on a 3-0 scoring run to shrink UW’s lead to 21-20. UK is hitting .438 in this set and only has one attack error.
9:20 pm CT
Wisconsin goes on 3-0 scoring run, expands lead to 12-7
John Steppe
Wisconsin has gone on a 3-0 scoring run and expanded its lead to 12-7 in what could be a pivotal third set. The Badgers have 11 kills and only one attack error so far in the set.
Mimi Colyer is responsible for seven of those 11 kills. The AVCA national player of the year finalist is up to 17 kills tonight.
9:18 pm CT
Kristen Simon gets attention from athletic trainer, but stays in match after Wisconsin timeout
John Steppe
Wisconsin libero Kristen Simon appeared to be in pain after diving for a ball. Wisconsin called a timeout, and she got attention from the athletic trainer. Kentucky served to her on the next rally, and she had no issues digging it. It eventually led to Mimi Colyer’s 16th kill of the night.
Wisconsin is up, 9-6, in the third set.
9:06 pm CT
Wisconsin vs Kentucky stats comparison through two sets
John Steppe
Hitting percentage: Wisconsin .404, Kentucky .149
Kills: Wisconsin 29, Kentucky 22
Attack errors: Wisconsin 6, Kentucky 12
Service aces: Wisconsin 0, Kentucky 0
Service errors: Kentucky 5, Wisconsin 9
Blocks: Wisconsin 7, Kentucky 3
9:00 pm CT
Kentucky goes on 7-2 scoring run, takes second set vs Wisconsin
John Steppe
Kentucky has evened the match at 1-1, going on a 7-2 scoring run to win the second set 25-22. There were a lot of things that the Badgers may wish they could have back in the second set.
Carter Booth leads Wisconsin with 12 kills while hitting .786. Mimi Colyer has 10 kills while hitting .318.
8:55 pm CT
Kentucky takes 21-20 lead in second set, Wisconsin calls timeout
John Steppe
Kentucky is on a 3-0 scoring run and now has a 21-20 lead in the second set. Wisconsin’s Kelly Sheffield has called his second timeout of the set. The Badgers are hitting .250 in this set. The real culprit has been the six service errors in the set.
8:45 pm CT
Wisconsin, Kentucky go back and forth in second set
John Steppe
Kentucky had a nice 5-2 lead to start the second set, but the Badgers did not take long to claw back and take a 10-9 lead. It’s been back and forth since. There have been seven ties and one lead change in this set after there weren’t any of either in the first set.
Wisconsin is hitting .421 in this set, but the Badgers’ six service errors in this set have been costly.
Wisconsin vs. Kentucky stats comparison after first set
John Steppe
Hitting percentage: Wisconsin .682, Kentucky .056
Kills: Wisconsin 15, Kentucky 9
Attack errors: Kentucky 7, Wisconsin 0
Digs: Wisconsin 17, Kentucky 5
Blocks: Wisconsin 3, Kentucky 0
Side-out percentage: Wisconsin 100%, Kentucky 50%
8:27 pm CT
Wisconsin completely dominates first set, winning 25-12
John Steppe
Wisconsin had an unbelievably good first set, making a Kentucky team that has not lost since mid-September look silly. UW had a .682-.056 advantage in hitting percentage. Mimi Colyer and Carter Booth each had seven kills without any attack errors.
The Badgers sided out 100% of the time in the set.
8:17 pm CT
Wisconsin’s lead is up to 15-6, Kentucky calls another timeout
John Steppe
Wisconsin continues to hit perfectly, with 10 kills on 10 total attacks. Mimi Colyer has five kills, Carter Booth has four and Una Vajagic has one.
Kentucky is totally out of sorts here. Kassie O’Brien essentially had a set that went to nobody, falling to the ground and prompting another UK timeout.
8:09 pm CT
Wisconsin jumps to 8-2 lead, Kentucky calls timeout
John Steppe
Wisconsin has been stellar to start this one. The Badgers have seven kills on seven total attacks and own an early 8-2 lead. (Carter Booth has four of those kills, and Mimi Colyer has the other three.) Kentucky’s Craig Skinner has seen enough and called a timeout. The Wildcats are hitting .333 with two kills on six total attacks.
8:00 pm CT
Wisconsin starters vs. Kentucky in Final Four
John Steppe
Una Vajagic
Kristen Simon
Mimi Colyer
Alicia Andrew
Charlie Fuerbringer
Grace Egan
Carter Booth
7:48 pm CT
Wisconsin goes with black alternate uniforms again vs. Kentucky
John Steppe
Wisconsin is wearing the same black uniforms that it wore in the previous two rounds. The Badgers are 3-0 this season in these uniforms.
7:35 pm CT
When will Wisconsin-Kentucky match begin?
John Steppe
The official start time for the Wisconsin-Kentucky match will be at 8:03 p.m. CT.
7:24 pm CT
Texas A&M sweeps Pittsburgh in three sets
John Steppe
Texas A&M will await the winner of the Wisconsin-Kentucky match after sweeping Pittsburgh, 29-27, 25-21, 25-20. We’ll see soon whether another No. 3 seed can defeat a No. 1 seed.
Kyndal Stowers led the Aggies with 16 kills while hitting .433. Logan Lednicky had 14 kills.
7:20 pm CT
Pregame reads, video from Journal Sentinel
John Steppe
7:05 pm CT
Pittsburgh-Texas A&M Final Four match is in third set
John Steppe
The Pittsburgh-Texas A&M match is in the third set. The Aggies have a 2-0 set lead, but the Panthers have a 10-9 lead in this set. The Wisconsin-Kentucky match will start 30 minutes after this one ends.
What is Wisconsin’s all-time record against Kentucky?
John Steppe
Wisconsin is 4-4 in program history against Kentucky and 2-0 in the Kelly Sheffield era. Here are the previous results:
Sept. 9, 2022: Three-set win in Lexington
Sept. 10, 2021: Four-set win in Madison
Aug. 30, 2008: Three-set win in Lexington
Sept. 11, 1992: Four-set loss in Madison
Aug. 31, 1991: Three-set win in Lexington
Nov. 11, 1988: Three-set loss in Lexington
Nov. 8, 1986: Three-set loss in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Sept. 23, 1978: Two-set loss in Normal, Illinois
6:00 pm CT
Wisconsin volleyball likely starters vs. Kentucky, other key players on roster
John Steppe
The starting lineups won’t be announced until much closer to the start of the match, but these are the most likely starters for the Badgers against Kentucky:
Outside hitter Una Vajagic
Outside hitter Mimi Colyer
Middle blocker Alicia Andrew
Setter Charlie Fuerbringer
Right-side hitter Grace Egan
Middle blocker Carter Booth
Libero Kristen Simon
The following players came in as reserves in either of the previous two rounds:
Addy Horner
Trinity Shadd-Ceres
Natalie Wardlow
5:58 pm CT
When will Wisconsin-Kentucky Final Four match start?
John Steppe
The Wisconsin-Kentucky national semifinal match will begin roughly 30 minutes after the conclusion of the Texas A&M-Pittsburgh match, which is currently going on.
The NCAA website lists an 8 p.m. estimated start time, but that is just an estimate.
5:30 pm CT
NCAA volleyball Final Four bracket
John Steppe
National semifinals:
No. 1-seeded Pittsburgh vs. No. 3-seeded Texas A&M (Dec. 18 at 5:30 p.m. CT)
No. 1-seeded Kentucky vs. No. 3-seeded Wisconsin (Dec. 18, 30 minutes after Pittsburgh-Texas A&M match)
National championship:
Winner of Pittsburgh-Texas A&M match vs. winner of Kentucky-Wisconsin match (Sunday, Dec. 21, at 2:30 p.m. CT)
5:11 pm CT
How to listen to Wisconsin-Kentucky Final Four match on radio
John Steppe
620 WTMJ-AM in Milwaukee, 100.5 WTLX-FM in Madison, 1430 WBEV-AM in Beaver Dam and the Badger Radio Network.
5:10 pm CT
How to watch Wisconsin vs. Kentucky NCAA Final Four match
