Sports
2025 Fall Preview: Mountain Grove Volleyball
By Chris Parker
Mountain Grove volleyball has a new head coach in Bobbi Jo Bayer this season. Bayer has extensive coaching and playing experience at the club, college and high school levels. Most recently she was at Summersville as the head coach.
She admired the Mountain Grove program from afar as head coach at Summersville last season.
“When coaching volleyball at Summersville I recall seeing Coach Kell and the Lady Panthers at a triangular that I took my team to watch,” Bayer said. “From that moment on, I knew that was the type of program I was going to make or wanted to be a part of. I knew that they were losing some key players, but the potential is young and fierce, so when the opportunity presented itself, I pounced.”
She is looking forward to putting her stamp on the program.
“I believe that I strive in developing complete athletes, on and off the court, by building a foundation of discipline and intentional growth,” Bayer said. “I coach to empower athletes, leading them to lead themselves and others with confidence and integrity. I genuinely love the game of volleyball and helping players pursue progress and not perfection. Every rep, practice, and match is a chance to level up mentally, emotionally and physically.”
Mountain Grove must replace not only the program’s, but the state’s, most prolific hitter ever in Raylee Stenzel. She put down 939 kills as a senior, which was the most in the state’s history by 205 according to the MSHSAA website. She single-handedly accounted for 72.6% of Mountain Grove’s total kills last season.
“This team lost a very (key) player last year and three impactful seniors as well,” Bayer said. “So, learning to play without their stability will be our greatest challenge this preseason, but I believe we possess the ability to do so.”
Expect Sophee Peterson to see an expanded role as an outside hitter. She was a second-team all-conference honoree who had 90 total kills last season.
“Sophee caught my eye this summer outside of volleyball when we were doing summer workouts. Immediately after meeting the girls and seeing them workout the first day I knew that she was going to be a huge asset strictly because of her work ethic. She’s a great kid and a force to be reckoned with,” Bayer said. “As a strong returner, I am expecting her to consistently demonstrate her elite work ethic in practice, training and games. Her ceiling is high so I would like to see her keep pushing it higher.”
Fellow junior Aubrie Gerla earned honorable mention all-conference honors as a junior. She had 932 assists last season.
“As an experienced returning setter, she has already built rapport with teammates, so I consider that a huge positive in our favor this year. Being seasoned she has a great understanding of game flow and can make real-time decisions. She may have a few more responsibilities this year in her role but I think she will manage just fine,” Bayer said. “Aubrie’s greatest asset as a volleyball player is her composure, and ability to lead by example. She has shown some great decision making, and brings a great on-court quarterback energy.”
Sadie Schober returns for her junior season after playing in 92 sets as a sophomore.
“Sadie Schober will be an impactful 11th grader in the upcoming season,” Bayer said. “She holds key experience in serve-receive and back-row in prior years. As she continues to show her capability as a statistical leader and emotional anchor, she is likely to increase her responsibility on the court.”
Kylie Roth and Addy Watson are a pair of seniors who will bring experience and court awareness.
Rowen Kelly and Hadley Driskill are both incoming juniors who will hold roles.
The sophomore and freshman classes could also provide varsity contributors.
“There are also some very eye-catching sophomores who are eagerly challenging players daily to fight for positions and that’s been extremely fun to watch,” Bayer said. “We are also deep with hungry freshmen as well, so we will have to see how the summer shakes out as to who earns court time.”
Kaylee Virtue, Hannah Dowden, Elley Criner, Aubrey Owens, Kylie Halsted, Braylee Shannon and Lyla Golden are among the players who could see varsity time.
Bayer likes the work ethic she has seen from the players so far.
“Hustle and work ethic is going to be our biggest strengths this year,” Bayer said. “We have a great group of kids who consistently show up to get better every single day. We won’t be outhustled this year with the amount of fight in this group of kids.”
Mountain Grove opens the season on Sept. 2 at Conway.
“My overall expectations for the team this year is to give 100% effort, every day, every rep,” Bayer said. “We don’t take plays off. Every practice, drill, and game is an opportunity to get better. Maximum effort is the standard; the rest will fall into place.”
Sports
UMBC Baseball Releases 2026 Schedule
BALTIMORE — UMBC Baseball coach Liam Bowen announced the Retrievers 2026 schedule on Monday afternoon. The 52-game slate features 25 contests at Alumni Field, highlighted by a visit from Maryland on April 7.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL SCHEDULE
The non-conference road schedule features the first trip to Longwood since 2012 to open the season (2/20-2/22), and the first ever meetings with Penn (3/7-/3/8) and Florida Atlantic (3/13-3/15).
After the Longwood series, home Opening Day at Alumni Field will be on February 24 against Georgetown at 3 p.m., followed by a weekend series with Monmouth (2/27-31). UMBC will then play midweeks at George Washington (3/3) and Delaware State (3/4) before heading to Penn. They then return home to face Mount St. Mary’s (3/10), travel to FAU and then host a rematch with Delaware State (3/17).
America East play then begins as the Dawgs host Maine (3/20-3/22), they then have road tilts Coppin State (3/24) at UAlbany (3/27-29) before closing March by hosting George Washingto (3/31). April opens with a three-game non-conference home series against Iona (4/2-4/4) followed by the visit from the Terps.
Trips to Binghamton (4/10-4/12) and Georgetown (4/14) are then followed with a four-game homestand against UMass Lowell (4/17-4/19) and Towson (4/21). The Retrievers then make the return trip to Maine (4/24-4/26) and head to La Salle (4/28) before returning to Alumni Field to host UAlbany (5/1-5/3) and Coppin State (5/5).
The regular season wraps with trips to Bryant (5/8-5/10) and Towson (5/12), and then NJIT (5/14-5/16) comes to Baltimore for senior weekend.
The America East Tournament begins the following wek in Binghamton. The top six teams qualify, with the top two earning a bye to the double-elimination portion of the bracket.
Sports
Men’s Volleyball Picked to Finish Fifth in Inaugural Season’s NEC Preseason Coaches’ Poll
BRIDGEWATER, NJ – The NEC has announced the 2026 Men’s Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll, that featured the Manhattan Jaspers placing fifth, per release on Tuesday afternoon.
“I’m excited to begin competing this weekend, after a semester of hard work with the team,” said Head Coach Chris Schortgen.
“We have a competitive schedule ahead of us full of opportunity and I know our guys will make the most of these opportunities.”
The Jaspers open their stint as Associate Members of the NEC with a 15-squad roster, which includes 12 freshmen, and will be immediately eligible to compete in the 2026 NEC Men’s Volleyball Championship come the end of April.
Full List:
T1. Daemen (3)
T1: Saint Francis (2)
3. LIU (1)
4. FDU (1)
5. Manhattan
6. University of Maryland Eastern Shore
7. D’Youville
This season, the Jaspers have packed in a schedule that features teams like Penn State, and Loyola Chicago, while playing home matches against Roosevelt, and conference foes such as LIU, Saint Francis University, and FDU to open its Draddy Gymnasium residency.
The Men’s Volleyball program will open its first ever season on Saturday, January 10, when the Jaspers visit the Nittany Lions of Penn State for a 3 p.m. start in State College. The contest will be viewable on Big Ten Network Plus with a paid subscription.
Sports
Gleason Named Head Sports Performance Coach
VESTAL, N.Y. – The Binghamton Division of Athletics has announced that Lori Gleason has been named its new Head Sports Performance Coach. Having served as an assistant and associate sport performance coach on the staff since 2006, she was promoted to the head job effective Jan. 2.
Gleason will oversee the sports performance programming for all 21 Bearcat athletic programs. In this role, she will lead two assistant sports performance coaches and collaborate closely with team coaches and student-athletes to establish and uphold training programs and performance standards that support continued growth and development of student-athletes.
“Lori has a long-standing reputation as a leader and mentor whose impact extends well beyond the weight room,” Senior Associate Director of Athletics, Sports Medicine & Performance Kara Gorgos said. “Her elevation to Head Sports Performance Coach is a testament to her dedication to Binghamton Athletics and her proven ability to continue raising the performance standards of our student-athletes. We are excited for the continued evolution and advancement of our sports performance program under Lori’s leadership.”
“I would like to thank Binghamton University, Director of Athletics Eugene Marshall Jr, the search committee, and my supervisor Kara Gorgos for this incredible opportunity to move into the role of Head Sports Performance Coach,” Gleason said. “Also, for the continuous support I have been given, I would like to thank my family and coworkers/coaching staff. I am very excited and look forward to growing our area, as well as collaborating with our staff as we all work together to achieve what is most important for our student athletes to be successful in their sport and performance.”
Since being hired as an Assistant Sports Performance Coach in 2006, Gleason has worked directly with seven of the Bearcat athletic programs, six of which have captured America East team championships during her tenure. In addition, Gleason has worked with a track & field program that has produced one NCAA champion as well as seven other All-Americans during that same span.
In 2024, Gleason was elevated to Senior Assistant Sports Performance Coach. Her additional duties included collaborating on the Bearcat teams’ performance programs and injury prevention tactics, establishing a 15+ week Preventive Exercise Plan specifically for ACL injuries and providing mentorship for the Sports Performance interns. In addition, Gleason served as an Athletic Department staff liaison for the Student-Athlete Mental Health Committee.
A 2002 graduate of SUNY Cortland, Gleason went on to earn her Master’s Degree in Applied Exercise Science from Springfield College in 2006. She served as both an intern and graduate assistant strength coach during her years at Springfield.
TRANSACTION
Binghamton University – Lori Gleason named Head Sports Performance Coach
Sports
UCSB Track and Field Announces 2026 Season Schedule
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – UC Santa Barbara has officially announced their meet schedule for the upcoming 2026 outdoor season. The calendar features 14 regular-season meets during the spring, 13 of which will be held across California, featuring three home meets. Following the regular season, the Gauchos will compete at the Big West Championships and the postseason continues into June with the NCAA West Preliminary Round and the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
The season will kick off with two home meets on Pauley Track, featuring the two-day Sam Adams Combined Events on March 5 and 6, followed by the Gaucho Relays on March 7.
The Gauchos will compete in two more meets for the remainder of March, including the Westmont Dual on March 13 to the neighboring Westmont College. Their next stop will be at the Jim Bush Legends Meet, hosted by UCLA on March 28.
On the first weekend of April, UCSB will compete in three separate meets, featuring the Stanford Invite and Mike Fanelli Distance Carnival in the Bay Area, as well as the Triton Invite in San Diego. Each meet will be two days, held on April 3 and 4.
Up next, the UCSB heptathletes and decathletes will take to the track at the Bryan Clay Multi April 9 and 10, overlapping with the Challenge Cup on April 10.
Santa Barbara will be featured in three different meets the following weekend, marking their return to Azusa Pacific from April 16 to 18 for the Bryan Clay Invite. The Guachos will also be seen in action at the Long Beach Invite hosted by Long Beach State April 17 and 18, as well as at the renowned Mt. Sac Relays at Hilmer Lodge Stadium April 16 to 18.
The Gauchos will take to their home track one last time before entering the postseason at the UCSB Invite, the two-day meet being hosted from April 24 to 25. The following weekend, Santa Barbara will travel to the Northeast, where they will compete at the prestigious Penn Relays hosted by the University of Pennsylvania.
UC Santa Barbara’s postseason opens up with the Big West Multi Championships held on May 8 to 9 at Anteater Stadium in Irvine, Calif., then the remainder of the championships meet schedule will fill up two action-packed days of competition May 15 and 16 at Long Beach State.
Based on their performance throughout the postseason, the Gauchos have the chance to move on to the NCAA West Prelims hosted by the University of Arkansas, May 27 through 30. The NCAA National Championships will be held June 10 through 13 in Eugene, Ore.
Sports
Texas Sports Writers Association honors El Paso HS volleyball players
Jan. 6, 2026, 12:18 p.m. MT
Three El Paso high school volleyball players have been named to the Texas Sports Writers Association All-State volleyball team for the recently completed 2025 season.
- Chapin junior outside hitter Zoeh Cereceres was named Honorable Mention All-State in Class 5A. This past season, she had 501 kills, 43 aces, 35 blocks and 191 digs. Cereceres helped Chapin to the District 1-5A title and one playoff victory.
- Eastlake senior middle blocker Mia Carrasco was named Honorable Mention All-State in Class 6A. Carrasco finished the 2025 season with 240 kills and 115 blocks. Carrasco helped the Falcons to a District 1-6A title and two playoff wins.
- Eastlake freshman outside hitter Giselle Gandara was named Honorable Mention All-State in Class 6A. Gandara finished the season with 427 kills, 378 digs and 58 blocks. Gandara was also named a Freshman All-American in Class 6A by MaxPreps after the recently completed season.
Felix F. Chavez can be reached@fchavez@elpasotimes.com; @Fchavezeptimes on X
Sports
B-CU Begins Spring Schedule at Gamecock Opener
Columbia, SC. – The Wildcats will participate in their second indoor meet of the season as they begin 2026 at the Gamecock Opener. The meet takes place on Saturday, January 10 at the Carolina Indoor Track & Field Complex.
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Bethune-Cookman completed their first indoor meet of the season at the Birmingham Indoor Icebreaker as five Wildcat participants finished in the top ten of their respective events.
Freshman Carlos Moore had the highest finish, picking up third in the men’s triple jump with a 45-11.25. Moore also finished eight in the men’s long jump with a 22-00.75
Sophomore Nyidjah Ives picked up ninth place in the women’s 800m run with a time of 2:28.37.
Sophomore Tyler Washington finished seventh in the men’s shot put with 13.97m.
Fellow Sophomore Ashton Matthews was tenth in the men’s high jump with a 6-02.75
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South Carolina hosts the event at the Carolina Track & Field Complex. The venue features a banked six-lane 200m Mondo track, a separate throws area, two pole vault areas, two jumps runways, and two high jump areas along with an eight-lane 60m straight track on the infield.
Saturday’s meet is set to begin at 10 a.m., with men’s high jump and women’s pole vault.
Running events will begin at 11 a.m. and run through 7:10 p.m., concluding with 4 x 400s.
The full schedule can be found here.
Follow Bethune-Cookman Track & Field Cross Country on Twitter (@BCUTrackXC) and Instagram (BCUXCTF) for all of the latest news and updates. For all Bethune-Cookman Athletics news, follow us on Twitter (@BCUAthletics), Instagram (@BCU_Athletics) and www.bcuathletics.com.
–#HailWildcats–
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