Texas volleyball has opened the NCAA Tournament by sweeping overmatched Florida A&M and defending champion Penn State, and the top-seeded Longhorns (25-3) will try and stay hot in a Sweet 16 match Friday against Indiana at 11 a.m. at Gregory Gymnasium.
Sports
2025 Girls Track All-Scholastics and league All-Stars – Boston Herald
GIRLS TRACK ALL-SCHOLASTICS
Breanna Braham (Dennis-Yarmouth) 400 meters
Ainsley Cuthbertson (Lexington) shot put, discus
Emmanuella Edozien (Natick) 100-hurdles
Chloe Elder (Natick) 400 meters
Alessandra Forgione (Peabody) discus, javelin
Madeline Goncalves (Haverhill) shot put
Emerson Gould (Acton-Boxboro) pole vault
Greta Hammer (Needham) 2-miles
Abigail Hennessy (Westford Academy) 800 meters, mile
Nyrah Joseph (Billerica) pentathlon, triple jump
Nina Kyei-Aboagye (Sharon) 100 meters, 200 meters
Giuliana Ligor (North Reading) 400-hurdles
Gabrielle Pierre (Lincoln-Sudbury) long jump, triple jump
Zoe Santos (Norton) high jump
Julia Hansen, Grace Okocha, Gabrielle Antebi, Lavender Kozaka (Oliver Ames) 4×100-relay
Lilah MacQuarrie, Riley Earle, Maddie MacKinnon, Liv Coperine (Duxbury) 4×400 relay
Tea Pagnotti, Maeve Gavin, Susannah Rockers, Hailey Cashman (Westwood) 4×800-relay
BREANNA BRAHAM
DENNIS-YARMOUTH
The Cape and Island League MVP won the Div. 5 championship in the 200-meter (24.29) and the 400-meter (54.87). She also won the New England championship in the 200-meter (23.86) and the 400-meter (53.99). She had times of 23.63 and 53.70 at the Meet of Champions in the 200-meter and 400-meters, respectively. The honors student will study Nursing at the University of Louisville.
AINSLEY CUTHBERTSON
LEXINGTON
The two-time Div. 1 champion set the state record in the U18 hammer this season while also winning the Div. 1 shot put and discus. The four-time Middlesex League All-Star holds five individual school records. The junior is an honor roll student.
EMMANUELLA EDOZIEN
NATICK
The junior set the state record in the 100-meter hurdles while also being named the champion at the Meet of Champions. She also won the 55-meter hurdles and is a two-time New Balance Nationals semifinalist in the 60-meter hurdles and 100-meter hurdles. Edozien is an honor roll student.
CHLOE ELDER
NATICK
The two-time Div. 1 champion holds program records in the 200-meter, 300-meter and 400-meter races. She placed 16th at Nationals in the 400-meter. The junior is a member of the National Honor Society and wants to major in health sciences to become an occupational therapist.
ALESSANDRA FORGIONE
PEABODY
The senior placed first at the Div. 1 championship in both javelin and discus. She also placed fourth at the Meet of Champions in shot put and took home first in the javelin. Forgione placed first at the New England championship in the javelin in 2024. She will attend UMass-Lowell.
MADELINE GONCALVES
HAVERHILL
The senior finished first in the shot put in the Meet of Champions and a runner-up in the New England championship meet. The school record holder in shot put and discus had personal bests of 44’2″ and 111’11” respectively. The National Honor Society member will attend the College of the Holy Cross.
EMERSON GOULD
ACTON-BOXBORO
The Dual County League All Star went undefeated at the pole vault which included first-place finishes at the Div. 1 championship and the Meet of Champions while also anchoring the 4×100 relay team that took home first as well. The senior also placed 15th at New Balance Nationals and now holds five school records. She will be pole-vaulting at Indiana University with a major in marketing.
GRETA HAMMER
NEEDHAM
The junior won the 2-mile at the Meet of Champions with a fifth-place finish in the mile. She also finished as the runner-up at the Meet of Champions in 2024 in the 2-mile. In her spare time, Hammer has donated more than 100 hours to community service.
ABIGAIL HENNESSY
WESTFORD ACADEMY
The junior took home first place in the Div. 1 800-meters (2:07.18 personal record) as well as the mile and continued her dominance by placing first in the 800-meter and the mile (4:37.11 personal record) in the Meet of Champions. The high honors student also placed seventh at the New Balance Nationals in the mile (4:42.72).
NYRAH JOSEPH
BILLERICA
The senior recorded a personal best 39’5″ triple jump to take home the Div. 3 championship title and scored 3,475 in the pentathlon to win that as well to win the MSTCA Outdoor Pentathlon. The Barbara Hood Memorial Student Scholar Athlete Award winner also took home first at the Div. 3 championship in the 100-meter hurdles (14.68), the 55-meter hurdles (8.35) and the pentathlon (3,258). The four-time All-Scholastic is a high honor roll/honor roll student and is committed to run track and field at UMass Lowell while studying exercise science.
NINA KYEI-ABOAGYE
SHARON
The junior broke the state record in the 200-meter and was the meet of Champions winner in the 200-meter and 100-meter. She went undefeated in the 100-meter this season. The cheerleader has not committed to any future collegiate plans at this time.
GIULIANA LIGOR
NORTH READING
The three-time Cape Ann League Athlete of the Year placed first in the Div. 5 championship in the 100-meter hurdles and the 400-meter hurdles while being the runner-up in the 100-meter hurdles at the Meet of Champions and winning the 400-meter hurdles for the third straight season at the Meet of Champions. Ligor is a high honors student and member of the National Honor Society. The senior will compete in track and field for the University of Pennsylvania.
GABRIELLE PIERRE
LINCOLN-SUDBURY
Pierre set a personal record with a 19’8.25″ long jump to take home the crown in the Div. 1 championship. The senior was runner-up at the Meet of Champions in the long jump (18’5.25″) while also placing first first in the triple jump (41’9.5″). She will attend the University of Florida.
ZOE SANTOS
NORTON
The senior won both the Div. 5 championship (5-4) and Meet of Champions (5-7) events. She also captured titles at the MSTCA Dr. George Steele Relays. A multi-time All-Scholastic, Santos will run track at Quinnipiac.
OLIVER AMES
4×100
Grace Okocha, Julia Hansen, Gabrielle Antebi, Lavender Kozaka
The relay team of Grace Okocha, Julia Hanse, Gabrielle Antebi and Lavender Kozola set a program record with a 48.95 in the 4×100 meter relay to capture the Div. 3 championship and they also won the Meet of Champions in the same event with a 49.02. Antebi is a National Honor Society member and a high honor roll student. Hansen is a two-time Hockomock League All Star, National Honor Society member and high honors student who will attend Holy Cross to study biology. Okocha is a six-time Hockomock League All Star and high honor roll student who will attend URI for nursing. Sophomore Lavender Kozaka is now a two-time state champion and a high honors student.
DUXBURY
4×400
Liv Coperine, Lilah MacQuarrie, Maddie McKinnon, Riley Earle
The sophomore foursome of Liv Coperine, Lilah MacQuarrie, Maddie McKinnon and Riley Earle were the Div. 3 runner ups in the 4×400 relay. Coperine holds eight program records and is a Patriot League All-Star. MacQuarrie is an honor roll student and a two-time Patriot League All-Star. McKinnon is looking to attend high academic school, while Earle is a Patriot League All-Star and high honor roll student.
WESTWOOD
4×800
Tea Pagnotti, Maeve Gavin, Susannah Rockers, Hailey Cashman
The quartet of Tea Pagnotti, Maeve Gavin, Susannah Rockers and Hailey Cashman set a program record to win the Div. 3 championship in the 4×800 relay and won the Meet of Champions with a time of 9:17.58. Pagnotti set a personal record with a 2:14 in her 800 while also being a high honors student. Gavin is a member of the National Honors Society and would love to run cross country and track in college. Rockers is a five-time National Qualifier in indoor/outdoor track, a Tri-Valley League All Star, while Cashman is a straight A student.
LEAGUE ALL-STARS
BAY STATE CONFERENCE
Caitlyn Chang, Erin Kelley (Braintree); Thalia Goessling (Brookline); Ava Lombardo (Framingham); Ella Turner, Annaliese Aguilar, Reagan Gilmartin (Milton); Chloe Elder, Emmanuella Edozien, Sydni Chandler (Natick); Audrey Adam, Eva Adam, Eva Geddes, Greta Hammer, Sofi Galan (Needham); Audrey Welstead, Blake MacNeal, Brooke Bennett, Maggie Abely, Sophie Finkelstein (Newton North); Victoria Terzyiska (Walpole); Annie Comella, Charlotte Tuxbury, Emma Tuxbury, Kayla Bohlin, Leila Eccher, Maddie Tuxbury (Wellesley); Ainsley Weber, Casey Dempsey, Emma Daley, Gracie Richard, Isabella Galusha, Madison Campbell (Weymouth)
MVP: Chloe Elder
BIG THREE
Amaya Pastor, Jacqui Bank, Julia Lague, Madalena Morris, Alaysha Sylvia-Figueroa, Teresa Jacob Reig (New Bedford); Presley Yentz, Shayla Harrison, Mia Melendez, Anjola Olubanwo, Jasmine DoSouto, Gabrielle Nozil (Durfee); Kaliya Sanon, Miriam Correia, Miah Webb, Alina Nguyen, Jada Furtado (Brockton)
MVP: Madalena Morris
BOSTON CITY LEAGUE
Ava Gomes, Leanna Lynch, Demya McClure, Emma Wadsworth, Anjuli Szydlo, Maemae Chiang (Latin Academy); Sara Blanco (O’Bryant); Jacaya Ford (New Mission); Kali Eustache (Brighton)
ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Leanna Lynch
CAPE AND ISLANDS
Chari Wright, Whitney Sousa, Sophia Morin (Barnstable); Breanna Braham, Vivian Castano, Ava Kvietok, Olivia Pendleton, Siena Lauze, Kirsten Theloma, Kerri Clark, Katie Popovich (Nauset); Leah Depiper (Falmouth); Madison Mello, Camille Brand (Martha’s Vineyard); Varvara Conley, Alexa Ford (Monomoy); Rihanna Sutherland, Amina Iliusinova, Violet Roche, Adrianna Morgan (Nauset); Tallulah Clifford, Mary Kudarauskas, Hailey Patrish Valencia (Sturgis)
MVP: Breanna Braham
CAPE ANN LEAGUE
Delaney Dunn, 4×100 relay (Essex Tech); Giuliana Ligor, Callie MacLellan (North Reading); Morgan Felts, Kayley Simons, Devin Stroope, 4×400 relay (Newburyport); Ava Burl, London Cole (Triton); Georgia Wilson, Grace Rich, Asa Labell, 4×800 relay (Hamilton-Wenham); Kameya Perron (Ipswich)
ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Giuliana Ligor, Georgia Wilson
CATHOLIC CENTRAL LEAGUE
Kaitlyn Burke, Kayla Dennis (Archbishop Williams); Nikki Clarke, Madison Giesta, Lea Ahmad-LeBlanc, Abigail Young (Arlington Catholic); Tea Briggs, Gigi Colleran, Ciara Coyne, Moira Cosgrove, Ella Dos Santos, Molly Duignan, Zoe Kurtz, Grace McMahan, Jillian Olson, Sophie Shaw, Eva Tynan (Bishop Feehan); Olivia Rowe, Anne Swanson, Adelaide Sweatman, Marianna Kay, Kyleigh Pidgeon (Cardinal Spellman); Abigail Clark, Annaikiah Donahue-Wilfred, Lydia Donahue-Wilfred, Gabrielle Howard (Cardinal Spellman); Jazmin Rodriguez (St. Mary’s)
MVP: Annaikiah Donahue-Wilfred
COMMONWEALTH ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
LOWER: Sarah Benchekroun, Katelyn Gilkie (Innovation); Jireilis DeJesus, Ferlande Jean Kacques, Estrella Martinez, Niya Brigham, Widelis Nieves, Maria Villaba, Kissairy Crespo, Zahara Belizaire, Isabella Cortez, Ava Rodriguez, Alana Gordon, Faith Akinbami, Leslie Zorrilla, Amy Huynh, Kassandra Pena (Lynn Tech); Destanee Soba (Nashoba Tech); Alice Jones (Mystic Valley)
MVP: Zahara Belizaire, Destanee Soba
UPPER: Teagan Galvagni, Olivia Stack, Mackenzie Plouffe, Andy Kalonji, Lily Beland, Lindsey Romelus, Hannah Ortiz, Wandelis Sanchez, Emaleigh Santos, Natasha Sarpong, Audrey Yann, Cedaine Decosma, Lillyana Githitu, Tshiabu Mutombo, Charlotte Fitch (Greater Lowell); Mariely Cepeda, Charlotte Berube, Elizallian Rivera, Leilana George, Jade Hallahan, Angelina Carvalho, Elizallian Rivera, Saskia Chai (Whittier); Feka Desir, Feyka Desir, Amira Martin, Brianna Solis (Northeast); Haleigh Cyr, Jaheidy Ortiz, Julissa Sanchez, Jada Ortiz, Trinity Figueroa, Liana Sanchez, Nicole Guerrero (Greater Lawrence); Kara Clayton, Mackenzie Weathebee, Makayla Nolan, Sydney MacPherson (Shawsheen)
GREATER BOSTON LEAGUE
Thania Simon, Kiara Ramirez-Villata, Lilly Serrano, Lauren Nadow, Hazel Hatleberg, Angely Mejia (Chelsea); Devonnnie Gomez-Walrond (Everett); Mariana De Leon (Lynn Classical); Danivel Diroche, Madisen McHake, Jade Quero (Lynn English); Amanda Fowke (Malden); Norah Berson, Emma Beardsley, Isabelle De Sousa-Vieira, Anycia Pierre, Gabriella Komorny, Sydney Coffillm, Caroline Gomez-McDonald, Olivia O’Brien, Sophia Yucel, Kaye Godcher, Magdelawit Takele (Medford); Gemma Stamatopouos, Liv Young, Marwa Riad, Jaliyah Manigo, Olivia Rupp, Rania Hamdani, Ashley Cabrera Rodriguez, Dayana Ortega, Francoise Kodjo, Haley Peralta (Revere); Marissa Luxama (Somerville)
MVP: Thania Simon, Kiara Ramirez-Villata
HOCKOMOCK LEAGUE
Alex D’Amadio (King Philip); Nina Kyei-Aboagye, Linda Jenner, Imani Vaughn (Sharon); Madison Bruno, Ella Chandaria (Franklin); Sophia Olaniyan, Emersyn DePonte, Max Cassinelli (Taunton); Chloe Dubuisson, Adileh Azar, Grace Martinek, Sally Hoban, Lauren Raffetto (Canton); Emilia Smith, S’staarr Parham, Keren Aldana (Attleboro); Lavender Kozaka, Julia Hansen, Grace Okocha, Brie Antebi, Hannah Dupill, Maeve Horsman, Katie Beaulieu (Oliver Ames); Ella McManus, Ashley Cleverdon, Riley DoRosario, Danielle Lomuscio, Maddie Hill (King Philip); Jordan Egan, Molly Galgoczy, Raegan Gagne, Julia Smith, Riley Buckley (North Attleboro); Lauren Bober (Foxboro); Chloe Guthrie, Lily Roche (Mansfield); Julianys Rentas (Milford)
MVP: Nine Kyei-Aboagye, Chloe Dubuisson
MAYFLOWER ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
Nyah Baker (Holbrook); Marielle Albon, Zoey Onuegbu (Bristol-Plymouth); Emma Foley, Alexah Pedder, Grace Flattery, Tiana-Lei Acevedo (Diman); Sienna Cabe, Ingrid Beaudoin (Wareham); Nailani Ridore, Sanye Campbell, Juliette Alonso (Blue Hills); Edina Blaise (Southeastern); Amiaya Johnson (Cape Cod Tech)
OVERALL MVP: Nyah Baker, Sienna Cabe, Grace Flattery
MIDDLESEX LEAGUE
Aubrey Deardorf, Jane Conrad, Sabrina Green, Caitlin Lennox, Natalie Seed, Julianna Mathurin, Felice Haverty, Evelyn Radcliffe, Amelia Whorton, Lucy Kontos, Marissa Hao (Lexington); Isabelle Lightbody (Reading); Lara McLucas, Cadence L’Heureux (Melrose); Dana Lehr (Belmont); Bridget Higgins, Riley Newman, Julia Ramsey, Chloe Walker (Winchester); Jessica Leehan (Woburn); Bella Hayes (Arlington); Morgan Blout (Stoneham)
MVP: Aubrey Deardorf, Morgan Blout, Cadence L’Heureux
NORTHEASTERN CONFERENCE
ALL-CONFERENCE: Soraya Mathieu, Destiny Okoye (Saugus); Tess Ryan (Danvers); Amanda Schneider, Savannah Stevens, Mara Siewko (Masconomet); Annabelle Averett (Swampscott); Ella Braz, Makayla Kokonezis, Madison Holleran, Alessandra Forgione, Lauren Foley, Ava Champigny, Avery Marcus, Lilah Tromble (Peabody); Paige Tredwell, Norah Walsh, Marion Grace Ladouceur, Marrietta O’Connell, Geneva Becker (Marblehead); Lillian (Lily) Judge, Jane Cosmas, Samantha Hayward, Reese Kwiatek, Olivia Anketell, Infinity Burns (Beverly)
ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Alessandra Forgione
PATRIOT LEAGUE
KEENAN: Maddie MacKinnon, Liv Coperine, Riley Earle, Tessa Long, Lauren Sutliffe, Addie Bjorness (Duxbury); Clare Lowther, Meghan Koenan, Vivian Sichol, Zoe Schultz, Sophia McDougal (Hingham); Eleanor Angeles Whitfield, Sarah Penney, Meredith Miller, Charlotte Perreault, Anna White, Grace Keene (Marshfield); Macey Shriner, Willow Herndon, Ainsley Hall, Lily Bartholomew (Plymouth North); Allison Cheverie (Silver Lake); Maliah Pierre, Keryn Stone (Whitman-Hanson)
MVP: Willow Herndon
FISHER: Anna Egan (Hanover); Maddy McGillicuddy (North Quincy); Maya Bergamesca, Caroline Minogue, Sadie Nugent, Amelia Nelson, Ella Govostes, Veronica Ghattas, Ava Bouphavongsa, Grace Stevens, Raelin McMullen, Sadie Rizzitano, Tessa Vitale (Pembroke); Alexa Lasnicki, Evie Chadwick, Sophia Adams, Zoe Wodja, Sarah Kirrane, Lilia Davies (Plymouth South); Bassma Torky, Caroline Zuffante (Quincy); Lauren Thompson, Maryn Noble, Molly Gould (Scituate)
MVP: Maya Bergamesca
SOUTH COAST CONFERENCE
Aiyana Massie, Olivia Santos, Deanna Brightman (Case); Maddie Duarte, Shelbie Ruffley (Greater New Bedford); Hayden Robinson, Alivia Cosme, Kearston Nelson, Juliana Dutra (Seekonk); Audrey Thomas, Ella Milhench, Abigail Balsis, Morgan Patraiko, Phoebe Cowles (Old Rochester); Kayla Walker, Kate Austrino, Alyssa Caldeira, Emma Pope, Chloe Gauthier (West Bridgewater); Orianna Hernandez (Apponequet); Jalissa Rapihino, Leah Hyder (Dighton-Rehoboth); Braley Boucher (Fairhaven); Madelyn Willis (Somerset Berkley)
MVP: Aiyana Massie
SOUTHEAST CONFERENCE
Alimah Yahya, Alisha Gomes, Annalyne Barrett, Brenna Woodbury, Molly Jesson, Tessa Bringardner, Michelle Jones, Erin Mitchell, Kelsie Dessaps, Camden Strandberg, Christian Wise, Kayla Tejan Siesay, Isabella Johnson (Bridgewater-Raynham)
SOUTH SHORE LEAGUE
Emma Flanagan, Evangeline McCleary, Janelle White (Abington); Jadyn Sotomayor, Emma Wall, Josie Helms, Alyssa Virden, Julia Grimes, Shatavia Leonard, Maya Sepulveda, Sophia Tibbetts, Carly Peterson (Carver); Suzie Frank (Cohasset); Grace Schnell, Elizabeth Willis, Isabella Bright, Riley Sheehan, Ari Cofran (East Bridgewater); Elsie Harper (Hull); Emily Curtin, Anna Jensen (Mashpee); Mia Lee Bowens, Lily Price, Charleigh Butler, Kennedy Frawley, Hailey Iwanski, Jocelyn Bush, Caroline Thibodeau, Charlotte Pickering (Middleboro); Abigail Shaw, Cooper Young, Katherine Murray, Meredith Cassidy, Audrey Birtwell, Arianna Veneto (Norwell); Jayda Adora Bleus, Knyia White, Sasha Zavala Lopez (Randolph); Emilee Dunham, Brianna Quinlan, Kamilla Magalhaes, McKenzie Furlong (Rockland); Mia Mulcahy, Iris Gaffney, Kylee Beaudoin (Sandwich)
TRI-VALLEY LEAGUE
LARGE: Josie Hopkins, Savannah Rivera, Bella Walkiewicz, Clara Bransfield, Kaelyn Faber (Hopkinton); Tea Pagnotti, Susannah Rockers, Maeve Gavin, Hailey Cashman (Westwood); Amariah Montaque, Tracey Brown, Kaylee Nunes (Dedham); Natalie Martin, Kese Motlotle (Norwood); Kaitlyn Quealy, Maggie Kuchman, Izzy Ross, Annabelle Lynch, Reis Pirelli (Holliston); Sadie Gilhooly, Lauren Donovan, Alexandra Kliss (Ashland)
MVP: Kaitlyn Quealy
SMALL: Zoe Santos, Evangeline Emerson, Molly McIntyre (Norton); Katelyn Maniero, Lily Von der Heyde, Maeve Kelly (Medway); Shea Conroy (Millis); Emma Marden, Julia Ritchey, Kate Shanahan, Elyse Bissada, Camille Boudreau (Dover-Sherborn); Alyssa Schoenfeld, Megan Mak, Claire Teany, Ava Bruckerhoff, Chloe McCormack (Medfield); Olivia Carney, Calleigh Elder, Caleigh Hayes, Emanoela Barreto, Jenna Dormady, Elizabeth Glynn (Bellingham)
MVP: Olivia Carney
Originally Published:
Sports
Burns Named ECAC Offensive Player Of The Year For Saint Francis Women’s Volleyball
Women’s Volleyball | 12/12/2025 11:43:00 AM
Saint Francis women’s volleyball senior Korrin Burns (Clarion, Pa./Clarion Area) has become accustomed to breaking barriers this season after setting new single-season and career records for kills and breaking the NEC Tournament record for kills in a game. Burns became the first women’s volleyball player in team history to be named ECAC Offensive Player of the Year on Friday, adding another one of those moments to her list. Burns and Alexandra Sappia (West Palm Beach, Fla./Suncoast Community) also became the first players in Red Flash women’s volleyball history to be named to the All-ECAC first team. Burns was the first player to earn All-ECAC honors last season with her second-team distinction.
Earlier this week, Burns was named an AVCA All-Region honorable mention after being named the NEC Player of the Year, to the All-NEC first team for the third year in a row, and the NEC All-Tournament team this season. This season, she shattered the single-season program record for kills by 102 kills and finished with 588 kills, and she finished her career with 1,453 kills to break the career record by 28 kills. She concluded her career with seven of the top eight single-game kill performances in program history, with six of those marks coming this season, including an NEC Tournament record 28 kills against FDU in the NEC Semifinals on November 21. She is also the only player in program history to have 30 kills in a game, a feat she accomplished twice, including 30 against Siena on September 5. In addition to holding the program record for career kills, Burns is second in career hitting percentage (.216), fifth in total attacks (3,582), and eighth in service aces (104). Burns, who was named NEC Player of the Week eight times in 2025 and 12 times in her career, ranks among the NCAA Division I best in kills, kills per set, points, and points per set. Saint Francis enjoyed its best four-year stretch with Burns leading the charge to a 61-49 overall record and a 44-14 mark in NEC play, while advancing to the NEC Tournament all four years.
While Burns becomes the first women’s volleyball player to earn a major ECAC award, she also becomes the third student-athlete at Saint Francis to earn a Player of the Year award. Men’s soccer’s Francis de Fries was named the ECAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2015, and football’s Donnell Brown was the ECAC Defensive Player of the Year.
Burns would not have reached the accomplishments that she reached without an assist from Sappia, her setter, who joins Burns on the All-ECAC first team. Sappia, an All-NEC first-team performer, registered the second-most assists in a single season with 1,238, and she tied the program record for service aces in a single season with 63. She registered six service aces twice this season (against LIU on November 1 and against Le Moyne on November 15), which are the 10th most in program single-game history. The performance against Le Moyne was incredible, with four service aces as Sappia served to help the Red Flash to 15-straight points in one service turn. The redshirt junior registered a career-high 59 assists to help the Red Flash advance to the NEC Championship Game. Just like Burns, Sappia ranks among the best in NCAA in several categories with assists, assists per set, aces, and aces per set. For her career, Sappia is third in assists (2,688) and fourth in service aces (154).
Saint Francis finished with a program-record 20 wins overall and 14 in NEC play.
Sports
Live updates, how to watch

Texas Longhorns libero Ramsey Gary (32) bumps the ball during the third set of the Longhorns’ 3-0 win over the Penn State Nittany Lions in the second round of the DI NCAA Volleyball Tournament, Dec 6, 2025 in the Gregory Gymnasium.
The fourth-seeded Hoosiers (26-7) feature an upstart bunch trying to reach the Elite Eight for the first time in school history. Their 17-player roster includes 11 freshmen and sophomores, and they like to play fast, play defense and play deep into rallies while trying to wear down an opponent. But when Indiana needs a point, they’ll turn to one of their few upperclassmen in Candela Alonso-Corcelles, a senior from Spain who averages 3.54 kills a set.
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The Longhorns can lean on more experience such as junior outside hitter Torrey Stafford (488 kills, 283 digs), junior setter Ella Swindle (898 assists, 187 digs) and senior libero and Indiana native. Emma Halter (387 digs.
Follow along for live scores and updates from a NCAA Tournament first-round match between the Texas Longhorns and the Indiana Hoosiers.
MORE: Texas volleyball: Jerritt Elliott excited about new arena, says it may open for 2029 season
Once again, the Hoosiers make a late spurt. But is it too late to overcome a big Longhorn lead? Jerritt Elliott calls his first timeout of the match to try and solve IU server Charlotte Vinson. Texas leads 1-0.
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Just like the first set, a midset surge has given Texas a comfortable lead. Whitney Lauenstein has again come in and given the net defense a boost with her fourth block. Texas leads 1-0.
The Hoosiers are hitting just .167 for the match against a scrappy Texas defense that has gotten better blocking as the season wears on. Torrey Stafford has four total blocks and the Longhorns have six as a team. Texas leads 1-0.
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Front court or back, Texas setter Ella Swindle keeps finding Torrey Stafford. And she’s delivering with 10 kills on 12 swings and no errors. Texas leads 1-0.
The Hoosiers showed some grit, but Texas leads wire to wire while winning the first set. Torrey Stafford, the Longhorns’ kills leader for the season, powers Texas with six kills on eight swings without an error. A model of efficiency, Stafford. Nya Bunton had a big set for Texas with three blocks.
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Indiana closed to within 20-18, but a big block from Whitney Lauenstein and Nya Bunton give Texas a crucial point. Lauenstein, the fifth-year senior, had a nice rotation for the Longhorns.
Indiana did indeed win that challenge, and the Hoosiers have rallied behind outside Candela Alonso-Corcelles. Indiana is challenging yet another block violation but they don’t get a second UT point reversed.
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Torrey Stafford has taken over this set, and Indiana calls a timeout to try and slow things down. Stafford has the last five points of the match with three kills and two blocks. Indiana is challenging a net call, hoping for a little momentum.
So far, so good for a Texas offense without a hitting error.
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A quick kill from Texas middle Ayden Ames, and we’re off in a Sweet 16 match.
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The winner of the round-of-16 match between fourth-seeded Indiana and No. 1 Texas will face either No. 3 Wisconsin or No. 2 Stanford Sunday afternoon at a time not yet announced by the NCAA. Wisconsin and Stanford will play at Gregory Gymnasium Friday approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the Longhorns’ match against Indiana.
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Where: Gregory Gymnasium in Austin
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Sports
Purdue volleyball beats SMU to advance to Elite Eight
Dec. 12, 2025, 8:21 a.m. ET
As Purdue volleyball marched through the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, Bianka Lulić watched from the sideline.
Needing more size at the net to slow down SMU’s fast-paced offensive attack, Boilermaker coach Dave Shondell inserted the redshirt sophomore middle blocker during a pivotal moment of Thursday’s Sweet 16 match.
It was a coaching move that maybe saved Purdue’s season.
Lulić immediately recorded three blocks during a five-point stretch of the third set, giving the Boilermakers control. They rode that momentum to a 16-25, 25-19, 25-22, 29-27 victory over the No. 2 seed Mustangs to reach the Elite Eight for the third time in the past five seasons.
“There’s no team I love more than this team,” Lulić said. “The thought of us ending (our season) tonight, if I was called up, I didn’t have time to be nervous. I just wanted to do my best for my teammates and my coaches.”
Lulić finished with five blocks and a kill on her only swing, tying the fourth set at 14.
After spending two years at Miami, Lulić was one of three middle blockers to transfer to Purdue this season, including junior Dior Charles and fifth-year senior Lindsey Miller, who earned the nod for playing time over Lulić due to experience.
“She’s been on the outside looking in the last few matches, which is hard if you’re a selfish individual,” Shondell said of Lulić. “But if you’re the opposite of that, which she is, she’s ready when it’s her time.”
A Purdue team that lost essentially all of its offense outside of one player from a Sweet 16 run a season ago was picked to finish seventh in the Big Ten during the preseason. Now the Boilermakers are among the final eight teams remaining.
“Dave Shondell is coach of the year nationally in my book,” said SMU coach Sam Erger, whose 27-6 record this season included two, four-set losses to the Boilermakers.

Purdue (27-6) will face top-seeded Pitt (29-4) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, the same program that eliminated Purdue in its most recent Elite Eight appearance at Fitzgerald Field House, the same site as Saturday’s match.
While Lulić was the spark that got the Boilermakers over the top, Purdue also offset SMU’s attack with an inspired defensive effort from its top offensive player.
In addition to her match high 23 kills on .457 hitting, outside hitter Kenna Wollard provided 10 digs and tied a career-high with five blocks. And her offense helped Purdue overcome a first set rut where it fell behind 18-5.
“I did not want the season to be over and I knew this was a team that we could beat … ” Wollard said. “I really wanted to go out there and play my best and play like I know how to.”
Wollard and setter Taylor Anderson accounted for all of Purdue’s returning offense this season. Anderson provided 49 assists, three kills, three blocks and five digs. Libero Ryan McAleer pulled up 23 digs to go with two aces and six assists. Grace Heaney, who missed last season after having surgery to repair a torn labrum, added 11 kills, seven digs and five blocks.
Then, holding a match point advantage for the fifth time, senior transfer Akasha Anderson smashed kills 15 and 16 on the night to punch Purdue’s ticket to the next round, a seemingly unfathomable achievement after last season’s departures.
“It’s just nearly miraculous what these guys have done this season, how they’ve come together as a team” Shondell said. “Not just how much they love each other. We talk about that all the time. How they’ve just played with purpose.
“But then you’ve got to go out and beat people. And that’s not easy. You look at the list of top 20 teams we’ve beaten this season and it’s been very, very impressive.”
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on X and Instagram @samueltking.
Sports
Volleyball Announces Signing of Hunter, Johnson and Vanlandingham
BALTIMORE — The defending America East champion UMBC Volleyball has signed Megan Hunter, Dasia Johnson and Elly Vandlingham, head coach Kasey Crider announced on Friday.
“We’re always looking for ways to upgrade after championship seasons – complacency is a reliable villain in stories of sustained success,” said Crider. “One of the easiest ways to upgrade is to add talent that fits your roster. In respect to the incoming class of freshmen, we absolutely feel like we’ve done that. We’ve added talent across the board, but more importantly, we’ve added good character, which is often the main characters in those same stories.”
Megan Hunter
Setter
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Markville Secondary School
Pakmen Volleyball Club
Coach Crider: “Our program has found really good success recruiting internationally. Megan continues that tradition. We believe she’ll be able to step in immediately to fill the sizeable hole left by Serin Maden, a four year starter at setter for us. She has excellent instincts and her experience competing for Canada’s various national team programs suggest she won’t be overwhelmed by the step up in level.”
Dasia Johnson
OH
Coral Springs, FL
North Broward Preparatory School
Wildfire Volleyball Academy
Coach Crider: “Dasia is an outside hitter that we spent quite a long time evaluating and recruiting. We feel like we got a long runway to understand her as a player and at every stage of the process, we felt like she would be a huge value add. She’s an elite athlete with excellent explosiveness as an attacker and blocker, and her history as a true six rotation outside hitter provides a particularly high floor from day one. Add in the Florida state high school championship this year, and we’re getting an elite player with elite pedigree.”
Elly Vanlandingham
L/DS
Gaithersburg, MD
Quince Orchard High School
Metro Volleyball Club of DC
Coach Crider: “Elly is local, which is always a huge plus. But adding her was never about checking a geographic box; it was about adding an extremely accomplished and solid defensive specialist. She comes from a nationally renowned club program and won’t be intimidated by a tough practice environment or challenging schedule.”
The Retrievers are coming off of their fifth America East Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance in the last six seasons.
Sports
Kevin LaSure Joins Track & Field Program as Assistant Coach
LaSure arrives at Columbia following a highly successful decade as Director of Cross Country and Track & Field at Academy of Art University, where he led the program to sustained national prominence at the NCAA Division II level. During his tenure, his teams earned 14 top-10 national finishes, including multiple top-five performances, while producing more than 20 individual national champions and over 300 All-Americans across sprints, hurdles, middle distance, jumps, and relays.
A nationally recognized coach, LaSure has earned 11 NCAA Division II West Region Coach of the Year awards and coached athletes to five NCAA national records, multiple National Track Athlete of the Year honors, and an Olympic bronze medalist at the 2016 Olympic Games.
His impact extended well beyond performance, as his programs consistently posted strong academic results, including multiple USTFCCCA All-Academic Team honors and significant improvements in team GPA.
Prior to his time at Academy of Art, LaSure served as head coach of cross country and track & field at the University of New Haven for eight seasons after beginning his collegiate coaching career there as an assistant. Across both head coaching stops, his teams combined for numerous national qualifiers, conference championships, and regional honors, cementing his reputation as a program builder and elite developer of student-athletes.
In addition to his on-track success, LaSure is a longtime leader within the coaching profession. He has been deeply involved with the USTFCCCA Executive Committee, serving as president (2017–21) and executive council chair (2021–24), and remains a highly respected voice in collegiate track and field nationally.
While Coach LaSure will work with all track and field and cross country student-athletes, he will directly oversee the men’s and women’s sprints and relays squads.
Stay up to date on all things Columbia track & field and cross country by following the Lions on Twitter (@CULionsXCTF), Instagram (@culionsxctf) and on Facebook (@ColumbiaAthletics).
Sports
Loralai Ketner Of Sheridan HS To Run Track And Field At Augustana University – Sheridan Media
A Sheridan Lady Bronc hurdler will continue her running and jumping ways at the collegiate level.
Loralai Ketner has signed a written offer of athletic aid, to compete at Augustana College, which is a private Lutheran University, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Last school year, as a junior, she was the state champ in the 4A Girls 300 meter hurdles race.
After quitting soccer, Ketner says she started competing in track in her 7th grade year.
She had also been considering the University of Sioux Falls, but liked the team bonding activities at Augustana College better.
“Comparing the 2, we fell in love with Sioux Falls and just the city itself and then Augustana, the coach is amazing, Emily is great and then the campus was great and we got to meet a lot of their team and we made bracelets, so I think things that build the team together is what pushed me more towards Augustana than USF or any other college that I had toured.”
Ketner adds she is considering majoring in nursing.
The Augustana University Viking and Lady Viking Athletic Program competes at the NCAA Division II level, in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
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