Sports

Mountaineers Adding Another Chapter to the Mountain State's Rich Baseball History

Published

7 months ago

June 3, 2025

Mountaineers Adding Another Chapter to the Mountain State's Rich Baseball History

Story Links

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Years ago, when Oliver Luck was trying to get what is today known as Kendrick Family Ballpark built, he wanted me to research the history of professional baseball in West Virginia.Based on some conversations he had with fans around the state, he knew baseball was always important to West Virginians even though there has never been a Major League franchise here.Baseball fans in the northern part of the state follow the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cleveland Indians.From about the middle of the state and below, the Cincinnati Reds are the preferred team.Eastern Panhandle baseball fans have always followed the Baltimore Orioles and the Washington Nationals, or the Washington Senators when they were in existence.People who lived in cities that used to have clubs affiliated with major league organizations would follow those teams, too, and of course, there are pockets of New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals fans, as there are everywhere.Luck, although growing up in Cleveland, could sense this when he came to West Virginia University as a college football player in the late 1970s and later when he returned as the school’s athletic director in 2010. After spring football, he reasoned, fans needed something to occupy their time until football started back up in the fall.As a result, in 2013, he wanted me to put together something that sort of encapsulated the state’s long history of baseball that could help him educate legislators voting on a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) bill to construct a new ballpark.The wild goose chase Luck sent me on ended when I tracked down retired professor William Akin, former dean and athletic director at Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pennsylvania. In 2006, he published a book West Virginia Baseball: A History, 1865-2000 that is still available for purchase on Amazon.Akin told me he became interested in the state’s minor league baseball history when his mother-in-law was sick while living in Clarksburg. During trips down to West Virginia to take care of her, he would occasionally drive up to the West Virginia and Regional History Center on the sixth floor of the Wise Library in Morgantown to research newspaper articles for a book that he wanted to write about the state’s coal industry.But minor league baseball was much more interesting to him when he began reading stories in the Wheeling Intelligencer about the Hunkidori Base Ball Club, organized in 1866 to play the first-ever baseball game in the state. Born from that was an extensive history of minor league baseball in Wheeling that extended well into the 1900s. Some of the best 19th century professional baseball players with Mountain State ties got their starts in the Nail City.”Wheeling was the first city in West Virginia to have a minor league team in 1887,” Akin once recalled. “Honus Wagner had a contract (to play for the Wheeling Stogies) but he never actually played for them, so we can’t count him. But Ed Delahanty, who played for Wheeling, is in the Baseball Hall of Fame.”Jack Glasscock was the first West Virginian to play in the major leagues, and he played for Wheeling when he was on the downside of his career,” the author added.Outfielder Jesse Burkett, another prominent 19th century major leaguer with Wheeling ties, was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946.In the state’s Eastern Panhandle, Martinsburg got its first minor league team in 1915 when the Martinsburg Champs formed to play in the Blue Ridge League. They later changed their name to the Martinsburg Mountaineers when pitcher Lefty Grove and catcher Hack Wilson were on their roster.

Hall of Fame pitcher Lefty Grove is the only known player to ever be traded for an outfield fence when the Martinsburg Mountaineers sold him to the Baltimore Orioles for $3,500 (Submitted photo).

The organization, struggling to pay its bills, infamously sold Grove to the Baltimore Orioles for the sum of $3,500 – the amount it cost to replace the team’s outfield fence.

According to Akin, a 20-year period from 1900 to about 1920 was the state’s peak for minor league baseball. There were professional teams in Clarksburg, Fairmont, Grafton, Follansbee, Parkersburg and even the tiny Marion County village of Mannington, which boasted a professional ballclub for one year in 1910.

“During the Depression, there really weren’t (many baseball teams), but after World War II, teams in the southern part of the state really got going,” Akin noted. “Bluefield, Princeton, Charleston and Huntington all had very good teams.”

Charleston became the state’s epicenter of professional baseball in the early 1950s when the city basically stumbled into a series of Triple-A franchises, starting in 1952.

The Toledo Mud Hens of the American Association became the Charleston Senators in 1952, and the Senators existed there until 1960.

Then, Akin said the city sort of backed into another Triple A franchise in 1961 when the owner of the Miami Marlins became dissatisfied with accommodations in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and moved them to West Virginia.

“They were called the Miami Marlins when they moved, but there were not many marlins swimming in the Kanawha River, and the owners of the Charleston franchise said, ‘No, no, there are lots of Marlin rifles in the area, and we’re not going to have a fish logo but a rifle logo instead.’ I thought that was ingenious,” he laughed.

The Marlins lasted just a couple of months in Charleston before moving to Atlanta to become the Crackers.

Nevertheless, the Capital City’s run of Triple-A baseball continued until 1983. When the Charleston Charlies were affiliated with the Pittsburgh Pirates, some of the organization’s top players either got their start in Charleston, guys like Dave Parker, John Candelaria, Kent Tekulve and Richie Zisk, or were on the downside of their careers like Steve Blass.

Tony LaRussa, Bobby Valentine, Art Howe, Willie Randolph and many others also spent a portion of their pro careers living and playing in Charleston. Professional baseball at some level has continued uninterrupted in the city since 1949.

Bluefield has had a long tradition of supporting Appalachian League baseball going back to the late 1940s, while Princeton’s three-decade professional baseball history concluded in 2020 when Major League Baseball overhauled its entire minor league system.

When the Williamson Red Birds were operating, right before the start of World War II, outfielder Stan Musial’s early development happened there in 1939 before he quickly advanced through the Cardinals’ system.

Beckley, Huntington, Logan and Welch were other southern cities boasting minor league franchises.

“After World War II, it seemed like everyone wanted to go to ballgames in West Virginia, but then about 1951 or 1952, it was like minor league baseball fell off a cliff,” Akin observed. “What happened? Television and Little League Baseball. There were many places in West Virginia where there were more people watching little league games than there were professional games.”

Today, baseball remains alive and well in the Mountain State, thanks to West Virginia University’s recent diamond success.

The 24^th-ranked Mountaineers will be making their second consecutive Super Regional appearance this weekend in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

For the first time since the early 1960s, West Virginia has qualified for the NCAA Tournament three consecutive years. During this most recent span, the Mountaineers have shared and won Big 12 regular season championships in 2024 and 2025, and have remained in the national rankings while boasting an impressive 124-58 overall record.

No less than 10 Major League players have been developed at WVU during coach Steve Sabins‘ time here as an assistant and head coach, including last year’s No. 7 overall pick JJ Wetherholt, considered one of pro baseball’s top minor league prospects.

Outfielder Victor Scott and pitchers Ryan Bergert and Kade Strowd have appeared in big league games this season, while injured pitchers Alek Manoah, John Means and Michael Grove are looking to return.

Nearly 11,500 came out for the Cincinnati series at Kendrick Family Ballpark earlier this year and a record 4,629 fans showed up for this year’s Backyard Brawl against Pitt.

The Mountaineers averaged more than 3,000 spectators for their 24 home dates this year, and if there was more seating, that number could have easily been much higher.

When West Virginia played Marshall at GoMart Ballpark in Charleston on Wednesday, April 30, the announced attendance for that game was 9,639. Those people were there either to see the nationally ranked Mountaineers or to watch Marshall upset the nationally ranked Mountaineers.

You can’t go anywhere in Morgantown right now without running into someone who is talking about the West Virginia University baseball team. At the drive-through window to pick up my coffee this morning, the person who saw my Flying WV logo and recognized my name on the credit card I handed him noted his disappointment that Little Rock was unable to pull off the big upset against LSU, keeping West Virginia from hosting its first-ever Super Regional.

Dave Parker Charleston Charlies — A young Dave Parker admiring one of his mammoth blasts at Watt Powell Park in Charleston during a Charlies game in the early 1970s (Submitted photo).

During last Saturday’s 9-6 victory over Clemson, my Facebook profile was tagged with a video showing a large group of people sitting in an outdoor bar in New Martinsville celebrating West Virginia’s come-from-behind, 9-6 victory over the 12^th-ranked Tigers while watching on a big-screen TV.

There were scenes just like that in many other places around the state as well.

There has always been a long love affair for baseball in West Virginia, and Sabins’ Mountaineers are continuing to tap into it.

“We’re in a bubble, and you just work and continue to recruit,” the coach admitted earlier today. “I was on a FaceTime call earlier this morning trying to convince a kid from Pennsylvania now in the portal why he needs to be a Mountaineer, so you get lost in this.

“But I get goose bumps hearing these stories, and I appreciate it; it doesn’t go unnoticed,” Sabins added. “For me, the biggest difference is when you look at your phone after some of these wins and I’ve got 189 text messages (to answer). If that many people want to personally reach out, that is multiplied to every staff member, all our team and players.

“I’m so excited, because I think a lot of people were watching the Little Rock-LSU game, and for this place to be the best, you do have to have a fan base and support. The more people we have invested in this, the closer we are to being the best, and I am certainly proud to be a part of it,” he said.

Indeed, the Mountaineers today are continuing West Virginia’s enduring love of baseball that first began way, way back in 1866, three years after the state’s birth.

Print Friendly Version

Sports

Who are the Section III winter girls volleyball midseason MVPs? 16 coaches make their picks

Published

4 minutes ago

January 13, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Syracuse, N.Y. — Several of Section III’s best girls winter volleyball players have proved vital to their teams this season.

We contacted volleyball coaches to get nominations for their team’s midseason MVP. Here are the responses we got.

Kaylynne Bennett, Tully, outside hitter, senior

“Kaylynne eats, sleeps and breathes volleyball since I can remember and has done everything in her power to help the program and her team be successful. When a play needs to be made she is typically involved in some way. She plays with an energy and a power like very few others and has the way to impact a game right when it is needed the most. Always a powerful and intelligent hitter, but has turned into a real threat both defensively and from the service line. Every team prepares for her and she goes head-to-head with other teams’ best players and always finds an advantage and way to contribute.” — Jeremy Cook

Brooke Egresits, Rome Free Academy, setter, senior

“(She) has stepped up tremendously this season as the primary quarterback (setter), a position that does not get the recognition that it should as the setter position has a huge effect on the volleyball court. As a coach, it’s not always about the stats, but Brooke is someone who makes a significant contribution that has an enormously positive effect on the entire team. Brooke is one of the best setters in the game who changes the dynamic of the match with her athleticism, great court vision and volleyball IQ to keep the ball in play. She is a team player that is always looking for ways to help her team succeed. Brooke sees the game as opportunities to add value.” — Pete Keoviengsamay

Ella Griffin, Morrisville-Eaton, senior

“Ella is our quarterback. She distributes the ball to keep our offense balanced and moves quickly to set effectively anywhere on the court. Ella possesses a high volleyball IQ, works hard in the off-season and is a positive motivator in practice and in the game. When Ella is on the court, good things happen. The Lady Mavs are in good hands with Ella serving as the quarterback and a tri-captain.” — Wil Curtis

Phoenecia Hathway, Sandy Creek, outside hitter, senior

“Her overall insight, team leadership, execution of skills under pressure and ability to encourage her team to excel no matter what the circumstances is an important quality an MVP must possess.” — Dori Hathway

Chloe Jubar, Cooperstown, middle hitter, senior

“Chloe leads our team in kills and blocks, (has) double digits in kills in five of our seven matches.” — Rich Jantzi

Alachiir Kuany, East Syracuse Minoa, middle hitter, sophomore

“Alachiir is becoming a dominant player in our league. She is proving that she is going to be a problem for other schools for years to come. When she has it going, she is probably the toughest player in the league to stop.” — Jake Cline

Jaiden Maher, Remsen, middle hitter/blocker, senior

“As a middle hitter/blocker, Jaiden leads the team in both blocks and kills. She is quickly approaching a career total of 500 kills. Her leadership both defensively and offensively has helped our team be in such good standing this year.” — Amy Piaschyk

Michaela Mousaw, Fabius-Pompey, setter, junior

“Michaela has been the heartbeat of our offense. Michaela elevates the entire team with her communication, decision-making under pressure, and relentless competitiveness. Her ability to control tempo and lead in critical moments have been instrumental to our success this season, making her a deserving midseason MVP.” — Amy Wagner

Brooklyn Palmer, Whitesboro, libero, senior

“Brooklyn is the backbone of our defense and covers the whole court. Not only has she been averaging over 20 digs a match, she has over a 95% serve receive rate. She also serves at a 95% rate.” — Carl Manganaro

Morgan Penizotto, Pulaski, senior, setter

“She plays with such heart and positivity. She hustles and is determined to turn every pass into a perfect set.” — Monique Ritter

Melina Poturovic, Utica Academy of Science, middle blocker, freshman

“Melina has been doing an incredible job this season. She is one of our three captains, and leads our team in both blocks and kills thus far. The team is continuously inspired by her unmatched energy and we are so lucky to have her.” — Ku Ku

Layla Rice, Mount Markham, hitter, senior

“She is our team leader in kills and aces. But her leadership on and off the court are equally as vital to our success.” — Terry McKane

Alayna Richards, General Brown, hitter, senior

“She’s not necessarily the strongest, but she’s one that will lead the team. So definitely just a good person to have on the court at all times and is one of my leading servers and headers. She’s a senior, so she’s very dedicated to making her team better. She knows how to place the ball. She’s very strategic, I guess would be a good word to describe her in that respect.” — Carrie LaSage

Lucy Storms, Carthage, sophomore

“I pulled her up at the end of last season and she had proven to be a consistent, solid player all around the court. I feel this goes unnoticed as she is not some 6-foot middle hitter or libero but Lucy is a key player on our offense and defense. This became evident more so as she just suffered an injury that has put her on the sideline for an extended period of time.” — Joelle Decillis.

Remington Stull, McGraw, middle hitter, sophomore

“Remington is a middle hitter, however we can depend on her at any position. She is our go-to girl if a ball needs to be chased down. We can always depend on Remington to go get it and feed it back to her team. Remington gives 100% at practice and in games. We look forward to watching her continue to grow and develop.” — Jessyca Doran

Rachel Zdep, Christian Brothers Academy, setter, junior

“She plays all the way around all the time. She’s also my captain. She’s a great player. Just very motivated, very good teammate. She’s just very consistent. I feel like all my other players kind of have ups and downs, but she’s very stable through every game.” — Kristen DeLorenzo

Link

Sports

Reese Shugart named Gatorade volleyball player of year in South Carolina

Published

20 minutes ago

January 13, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Updated Jan. 13, 2026, 11:21 a.m. ET

Reese Shugart of Dorman volleyball was named the South Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.
The Auburn commit led her team with 452 kills, 246 digs, and 57 aces during the 2025-26 season.

Reese Shugart of Dorman volleyball was named the South Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year for the 2025-26 season for the second straight year.

Shugart, an Auburn commit, finished the season with 452 kills, 246 digs, and 57 aces this season. Shugart made the Class 5A All-State team, the AVCA All-Region team, and was named to the North team for the North-South girls’ all-star game.

Dorman finished the season with a 30-6 record, 14-0 in Region 2-AAAAA, and a third consecutive state championship after the Cavaliers topped River Bluff 3-2 in the state final.

The team is led by National High School Hall of Fame coach Paula Kirkland, who has won 16 state championships with the program.

This marks the third consecutive season a Dorman volleyball player was named Gatorade Player of the Year in South Carolina. Carly O’Brien won the award in 2024.

Link

Sports

Student-Athletes Post Record GPA, 329 Earn Fall Honor Roll

Published

1 hour ago

January 13, 2026

Your Sports Nation

By Jeff Bowe, TTU Athletics Media Relations

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech student-athletes posted the highest GPA (3.5097) outside of the Spring 2020 COVID semester in program history.

This is the 34th consecutive semester that the Athletics Team Composite GPA has exceeded 3.0, a legacy that began in spring 2009. Fall 2025 was the second straight semester that all 15 teams tallied a team GPA above 3.0.

Men’s Golf led all teams with a 3.77 GPA, which is their highest GPA ever recorded. Soccer finished in a very close second place with an impressive (3.766), which is their highest ever recorded GPA, and Tennis completed the top 3 with a strong (3.71).

Volleyball (3.475) continues the longest streak of uninterrupted semesters (51) with a team GPA exceeding 3.0, and Soccer ranks second with a streak of 44 straight semesters.

Softball (3.557) and Women’s Track & Field (3.537) have consecutive 3.0+ streaks of 43 semesters. Tennis just completed its 35th and Women’s Cross Country (3.589) reached its 27th consecutive 3.0+ semester. While the Women’s Golf (3.542) team streak stands at 25 semesters.

Men’s Golf, Soccer, and Men’s Basketball all achieved their highest GPAs ever recorded (excluding COVID-19). Football achieved its highest-ever GPA during the Fall semester, and Women’s Basketball and Men’s Cross Country achieved the second-highest GPA ever recorded.

Other notable team GPAs include: Women’s Basketball (3.609), Men’s Cross Country (3.492), Beach Volleyball (3.445), Baseball (3.294), Men’s Basketball (3.236), and Football (3.086).

Fall 2025 Athletics Director Honor Roll (Alphabetically by team)

Baseball

Barnett, Ty

Bennett, Tyler

Bragga, Luke

Casabella, Carter

Casteel, Cooper

Davis, Carson

Denton, Tyler

Fallon, Justin

Fuller, Cade

Garza, Manny

Holpuch, Garrett

Huddleston, Eli

Jimenez, Jorsixt

Jones, Jaxon

Kirby, Drew

Kuntz, Alex

Marchetti, AJ

McDuffie, Reece

Moffitt, Aaron

Moller, Logan

Robertson, Jamie

Smelser, Landon

Stricklin, Lawson

Summar, Micah

Men’s

Basketball

Ayers, Colin

Cameron, Mekhi

Floreence, Ja’Quavian

Owens, Ty

Payne, Jah’Kim

Slatten, Grant

Varnado, Owen

Women’s

Basketball

Cawthorn, LaReesha

Larry, Chloe

Mathews, Cambridge

Newman, Maddy

Pfeiffer, Amelia

Redd, Amaya

Thomas, Amaya

Men’s

Cross Country

Bridges, Sam

Chambers, Nicholas

Gambling, Luca

Glisson-Schlitt, Jack

Hesling, Cruz

Legault, Isaac

Myles-Hawkins, Zak

Torres, Dante

Women’s

XC/Track

Amos, Savanna

Beneke, Ally

Bowles, Paris

Brewer, Rachael

Bush, Mattie

Dotson, Alexis

Forstner, Megan

Hoover, Angela

Jackson, Lauryn

Jepleting, Joy

Johnson, Madison

Joy, Kyla

Knoyle, Riley

Little, Hannah

Lokiles, Jane

Ludwig, Sophia

Stanton, Sidnee

Stegall, Hayley

Wells, Rylee

Winbush, Kennedi

Football

Ashby, Spencer

Baker, Torin

Bolton, Toby

Booker, Cameron

Brooks, Kanstin

Brown, Steve

Bryant, Richard

Bryson, Gavin

Courtney, Brian

Coutras, Tim

Crawford, AJ

Delk, Wes

Downs, Brady

Edwards, Jyi

Gaines, Theron

Giles, Naquavious

Graves, Luke

Hand, Josh

Haston, Ahmad

Holloway, Tre

Holmberg, TJ

Jackson, Isaac

Johnson, Thomas

Jones, Aja

Jordan, Justin

Kendrick, Jack

King, Idris

Knowles, Isaac

Lapierre, Maurice

LeBlanc, Dominic

Lehal, Armaan

Lindsey, Dylan

Linkins, DJ

Littles, Aiden

Mendez, Jeremy

Meyer, Luke

Moss, Ty

Munoz, Richie

Nix, Tyler

Opara, Chinonso

Owens, Nick

Pozniak, Sean

Purdy, Kaleb

Randolph, Xavier

Rodriguez, Laz

Shaw, Christian

Shephard, Jalin

Shields, Luke

Simmons, Nason

Smith, Andrew

Smith, Jayun

Swafford, Aaron

Swann, Tyler

Swift, Tayton

Taylor, Eric

Taylor, Mason

Thomas, Leon

Thompson, Cole

Turner, Greg

Vaughn, Seth

Visperas, Kekoa

Vorhees, Parker

Walton, Coburn

Weedman, Logan

Wharton, Jameson

Wilder, Drew

Wilson, Gavin

Young-Rolle, Stefon

Men’s

Golf

Bright, Owen

Broyles, Alex

Etherton, Nicklaus

Gettler, Cooper

Maxwell, Haden

Shull, Matthew

Thompson, Hil

White, Bryson

Women’s

Golf

Baker, Lydia

Branson, Sydney

Griffith, Chloe

Kaiser,Ella

Soccer

Bibbee-Page, Halle

Ham, Sophie

Hardardottir, Krista

Howard, Natalie

Johnson, Addison

Lee, Ally

McCloud, Cheyenne

McNamee, Laila

Nappier, Diana

Nye, Mary

Palya, Claire

Schroeffel, Samantha

Wade, Delaney

Wood, Ashley

Softball

Abell, Addison

Bishop, Gabrielle

Capelouto, Ashley

Carroll, Sofia

Fitzgerald, Lainey

Gooden, Skylar

Harris, Makayli

Harvey, Ella Grace

Klinefelter, Abbee

McElhaney, Addison

Midkiff, Kaylee

Miller, Jayla

Ochoa, Isabella

Paderez, Jailynn

Pitzer, Kyleigh

Schlageter, Alina

Stack, Bailee

Sybesma, Skylar

Wampler, Ella

York, Emily

Men’s

Tennis

Alvarez Moreno, Alex

Antunes Burckhardt, Murilo

Dao, Oliver

Garavi Yepez, Ricard

Oshnavie, Elyad

Spaks, Davids

Volleyball

Berkebile, Audrey

Falk, Tuva

Milhouse, Jordyn

Noto, Sarah

Pierce, Alayna

Powell, Bella

Roberts, MK

Schubert, Ava

Spradley, Eryn

Watford, Ella

Beach Volleyball

Jones, Piper

Kamp, Margaret

Kilgore, Audrey

Mish, Zoe

Robards, Vivian

Managers and

Trainers, etc.

Andrews, Will

Baker, Jayden

Bennett, Hudson

Davis, Abigail

Day, Owen

Douglass, Christian

Everett, Jack

Fox, Jaxon

Garrett, Shaela

Goins, John

Griffith, Austin

Hilliard, David

Hook, Hayden

Jamison, Jerhen

Linder, Luke

Morgan, Kendall

Reynolds, Jarick

Sells, Matthew

Swann, Caden

White, Weston

Williamson, Anabeth

Wood, Grace

Cheer and Dance

Akande, Lauren

Askins, Akeyra

Aslinger, Emma

Baucom, Kaitlyn

Britton, Addison

Cannon, Abbigail

Chandler, Jacey

Craig, Alanah

Crateau, Mariah

Crump, Isabella

Edwards, Ella

Engstrom, Brett

Greene, Emily

Gresham, Isabella

Jackson, Madison

Jones, Jaylian

Joyce, Kennedy

Karstens, Grace

Kelley, Ashlyn

Mccann Rojas, Fancy

Michaelson, Hayden

Sells, Autumn

Terry, Ashlyn

Turner, Kimsey

Watts, Ava

Williams, Jasmine

Student-Athletes with 4.0 GPA for Fall Semester

Baseball

Crowell, Nash

Crowson, Connor

Mattox, Andrew

Parrott, Carson

Pease, Jaxson

Men’s

Basketball

Evans, Maguire

Mcpherson, CJ

Muntu, Brandon

Women’s

Basketball

Girgenson, Angelika

Grimes, Reghan

Hurst, Reagan

Miller, Sofi

Men’s

Cross Country

Bradford, Carter

Women’s

XC/Track

Faudi, Hannah

Flowers, Carrie

Jessee, Makaleigh

Kennedy, Aliyah

Seratt, Annalee

Tilt, Zaely

Wolfenbarger, Chase

Football

Cooney, Miles

Crummie, Kalvyn

Fauntleroy, Kennedy

Jacobs, Robbie

Patterson, Griffin

Sanni, Obie

Thomas, Christian

Tucker, Hudson

Turnbow, Branson

Wagner, Tyler

Men’s

Golf

Bolton, Drew

Stuke, Spencer

Women’s

Golf

Julian, Lexus

Lane,Kailey

Pilot, Summer

Soccer

Baker, Anna

Conrad, Maggie

Cuadra, Lucia

Davis, Abigail

Hamm, Melina

Lott, Phoebe

Melin, Ebba

Sauers, Brooke

Smiley, Reagan

Soutuyo, Victoria

Toney, Katie

Williams, Presley

Softball

Evans, Olivia

Kimmell, Reece

Lange, Hannah

Martin, Julie

Power, Olivia

Stewart, Brooklyn

Men’s

Tennis

Bitzer, Lucas

Volleyball

Fruge, Caroline

Karlen, Jordan

Lineberger, Bella

Rodgers, Ayanna

Cheer and Dance

Bettencourt, Faith

Crowley, Kamyah

Davis, Krista

Dyer, Norah

Fish, Kylie

Fleenor, Chloe

Grissom, Sarah

Haggard, Seneca

Hale, Katie

Murphy, Jordan

Smith, Mia

Tito, Cassie

Walker, Tinsley

Whitton, Alivia

Williams, Maya

Link

Sports

No. 5 USC Men’s Volleyball Meets Lions and Tigers, Oh My!

Published

2 hours ago

January 13, 2026

Your Sports Nation

LOS ANGELES – No. 5 USC men’s volleyball (1-0) opens league play on the road with a Thursday-night (Jan. 15) match at Vanguard (1-1). The Trojans and the Lions—also USC’s first MPSF opponent last spring—will meet at the Freed Center for Leadership in Costa Mesa for a 7 p.m. PT contest that will be shown live on Big Ten Plus. The Trojans then host EIVA foe No. 18 Princeton (0-0) on Friday (Jan. 16) at Galen Center. USC takes on the Tigers under the Galen Night Lights featuring a neon t-shirt giveaway for the first 500 fans in attendance. The USC-Princeton match is also a Kids Corner night, which features free attendance for guests under the age of 18. Visit USCTrojans.com/promos for more information.

MATCH #2 • Thursday, January 15 • 7 p.m. PT

No. 5 USC (1-0, 0-0) at Vanguard (1-1, 0-0)

Freed Center for Leadership • Costa Mesa, Calif.

SERIES RECORD: USC leads, 3-0 (1.000)

LAST MEETING: W 3-0 (Feb. 28, 2025 • Galen Center)

STREAK: Won 3 • LAST 10 MEETINGS: 3-0

TV/STREAM: B1G+

OPPONENT WEBSITE: VanguardLions.com

MATCH #3 • Friday, January 16 • 7 p.m. PT

No. 5 USC (1-0) vs. No. 18 Princeton (0-0)

Galen Center • Los Angeles, Calif.

SERIES RECORD: USC leads, 5-0 (1.000)

LAST MEETING: W 3-0 (Jan. 11, 2025 • Galen Center)

STREAK: Won 5 • LAST 10 MEETINGS: 5-0

TV/STREAM: B1G+ (Avi Singh & Makena Arteaga)

OPPONENT WEBSITE: GoPrincetonTigers.com

FIRST SERVE (TL;DR)

USC is led by 11th-year head coach Jeff Nygaard, a three-time Olympian in indoor and beach volleyball and a two-time NCAA champion.

The Trojans are ranked fifth in the AVCA Coaches Poll; the program’s 504th appearance in the national poll.

USC is 36-20 all-time in conference openers and defeated Vanguard in its first MPSF match in 2025 (3-0 at Freed Center for Leadership, Feb. 26).

The Trojans are 1-0 at Galen Center. Last year, they won 11 home matches. USC will play 16 times at home in 2026 and plays in Southern California for all but two regular-season matches (at BYU, April 10-11).

USC returns five players in 2026 that were recognized by the AVCA All-America committee in 2025 including first-team choice OH Dillon Klein and second-team MB Parker Tomkinson. S Caleb Blanchette, OH Sterling Foley, and LIB Johnny Dykstra each received All-America honorable mention.

The Trojans lead the MPSF (2nd in the NCAA) in opponent hitting percentage (.056) and are second in the league (4th NCAA) for hitting (.417).

LAST TIME OUT: The Trojans collected their first sweep of the season with a win over St. Thomas Aquinas at Galen Center. Dillon Klein led all players with 12 kills on 16 swings without an error to register a .750 hitting percentage. In his first action as a Trojan, Thiago Zamprogno went straight to work and collected nine kills on 10 swings (.900) to go with four blocks. Caleb Blanchette had 28 assists and shared team-high honors with Johnny Dykstra with five digs apiece.

POLL POSITION: The Trojans were ranked No. 5 in the AVCA Preseason Poll. USC ranks fifth in the Jan. 12 poll for the Trojans’ 504th time in the coaches poll. Last season, the Trojans reached fifth on Feb. 3 to mark their highest position since they were also ranked No. 5 in 2022 (April 18). On March 10, USC’s spot at No. 5 marked the 200th time the Trojans had been ranked in the poll’s top five; now 209 times. The Trojans’ reached the top three (March 24) for the first time in over 10 years and were previously ranked as high as third on Feb. 16, 2015.

EXTENDED: 11th-year head coach Jeff Nygaard had his contract extended through the 2028 season. He is the longest-tenured coach in program history and has collected 124 wins at USC. In 2025, he led the Trojans to their highest ranking in over a decade.

1K DK: OH Dillon Klein has reached double-digit kills in 62 of 79 career matches and reached the 1,000-kill mark in his career on April 17, 2025, in a match at UCLA. He now has 1,057 career kills and counting.

2K GOLD: S Caleb Blanchette crossed the 2,000-assist mark in his career in the Trojans’ season opener against St. Thomas Aquinas (Jan. 10). He dished out 28 assists in a 3-0 win over the Spartans and is now up to 2,011-career assists. In 2025, he led the MPSF—ranked fourth in the NCAA—in assists (10.61 aps) and equaled his career-high (61) twice.

RECORD HIGH: USC set a new single-match hitting record in 2025 with a .691 hitting percentage against Dominican (Feb. 8). Last seaosn, the Trojans hit north of .300 in 19 matches with 10 matches over the .400 mark. Six times, USC logged a hitting percentage higher than .450.

MOUNTAIN SPECIFICS: USC was picked to finish second in a preseason poll of Mountain Pacific Sports Federation head coaches and tied with defending league champion Pepperdine with 72 points each. The Trojans had two first-place votes while the Waves had four. UCLA also received four first-place votes and finished in first with a narrow three-point margin (75 points). In 2025, the Trojans were also chosen to finish second and went 8-4 to take second. The Men of Troy are 36-20 all-time in conference openers.

Link

Sports

Major League Volleyball Partners with LTN for Record Broadcast Season and Video Production Innovation

Published

2 hours ago

January 13, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Major League Volleyball (MLV) is partnering with LTN to power live video production and distribution for its most expansive broadcast schedule to date in 2026.

With a record 50-match broadcast slate across major national networks, streaming services and local stations, the collaboration enables continued audience growth for MLV, providing fans with wider access to their favorite teams and high-quality live experiences on multiple viewing platforms.

After the unification of Major League Volleyball and Pro Volleyball Federation (PVF) in 2025, MLV is continuing to elevate professional women’s volleyball in the United States.

As an evolution of PVF, its 2026 campaign will be recorded as the league’s third season following a high-growth year where broadcast coverage grew 350%. LTN will again serve as MLV’s live production and distribution partner, powering the largest media rollout in league history through a suite of on-site and remote production, live event customization and intelligent video transport services.

“We’re kicking off a milestone season for MLV with new energy, closer fan connection and our widest broadcast coverage to date,” says Rob Carolla, Vice President, Public & Media Relations at MLV. “LTN has been a vital part of our growth journey, advancing our production quality, working across any venue and enabling new graphics and viewing features to enhance the fan experience — all while simplifying customization and distribution for multiple rights partners.”

Purpose-built IP infrastructure for live sports

MLV will harness a comprehensive range of LTN production and transport services, leveraging a multi-camera setup and ultra-reliable remote transmission technologies while enabling fully centralized production from LTN’s state-of-the-art Kansas City technical operations center (TOC). LTN manages all the complexities of live event production, from announcer integration to audio mixing, replay, custom graphics insertion and playout. LTN’s purpose-built global IP network provides 99.9999% reliability and <200ms latency, providing seamless signal transport from all venues, real-time customization, and delivery to all downstream rights partners.

“We’re seeing huge growth in a new generation of dynamic, innovation-first sports leagues,” says Bryan McGuirk, Chief Revenue Officer at LTN. “With rights models evolving and demand for live events surging, MLV is a standout example of how sports organizations can harness agile production models and purpose-built IP distribution to enhance reach and monetization.”

The 2026 MLV season builds on a breakthrough year for professional volleyball broadcasting. Last year, LTN supported the league in delivering over 45 linear broadcast matches and 70 live digital events, including generating 4.7 million YouTube views, up one million year-over-year, and an All-Star Match with 455,000 viewers on CBS.

As a start to the current season, LTN also underpinned the annual MLV Draft of collegiate players, which was broadcast live on the Roku Sports Channel for the first time. The California-based studio production was managed remotely from LTN’s centralized production facility, seamlessly connecting distributed draft teams to participate with presenters in real-time from locations nationwide with ultra-low latency, IP-based video transmission.

Enhanced volleyball viewing experiences

MLV is leveraging innovative technologies, supported by LTN’s flexible video infrastructure and production expertise, to elevate fan engagement and enhance the depth of data for viewers. Its latest advances include:

An enhanced tracking system that delivers real-time ball tracking, improving officiating accuracy and powering advanced performance analytics — enabling teams and fans to better understand attacking patterns and player dynamics.
Displayed for the first time on opening weekend, viewers will see enhanced visuals including ball speed and jump height metrics on matches aired by CBS Sports, offering deeper insights into the athleticism of the game.
In another league-first, teams like the Indy Ignite will now air both home and away games in their local market outside of the national broadcast schedule, offering fans unrivaled access to their teams via local stations.

Alongside CBS Sports and the Roku Sports Channel, which aired opening weekend games this January 9, 10 and 11, MLV’s media partners include ION — the national network from The E.W. Scripps Company with exclusive rights for the championship finals — and VICE, both new for 2026. The second MLV All-Star Match will air live on CBS and Paramount+, with all other matches available via MLV’s YouTube channel and team-led local market agreements.

Link

Sports

Molly Schotzko appointed WSU’s faculty athletics representative | WSU Insider

Published

2 hours ago

January 13, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Molly Schotzko, an assistant professor with the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, is now serving as Washington State University’s faculty athletics representative.

On Jan. 1, Schotzko was appointed to a three-year term by President Betsy Cantwell following an extensive search process.

“Serving WSU and our student-athletes in this role is an honor and responsibility I deeply value, Schotzko said. “As a former student-athlete and now mentor to students, my experience allows me to understand the unique challenges they face. I will be an advocate for their health, well-being, and support equipping them for success in the classroom and in life.”

During her time as a WSU student, Schotzko earned four varsity letters across track and field as well as cross country and served as the Student Athlete Advisory Committee president.

As a former student-athlete and now mentor to students, my experience allows me to understand the unique challenges they face.

Molly Schotzko, assistant professor and faculty athletics representative
Washington State University

“Molly has filled a vital role in bridging the university’s academic mission with the success and wellness of our student-athletes,” Cantwell said. “As a current Murrow College professor and now key advisor for intercollegiate athletics, she brings the necessary credibility, judgment, and strong commitment to academic integrity to advocate for student-athletes as scholars and members of our university community.”

The university’s faculty athletics representative acts as a liaison between the academic enterprise of the institution and its athletics program, ensuring academic standards, integrity and student-athlete welfare are maintained. The faculty athletics representative also ensures compliance with NCAA and Pac-12 regulations as well as university policies, in cooperation with the director of intercollegiate athletics and the department’s chief compliance officer.

Schotzko succeeds Nancy Swanger, who was appointed to the role of faculty athletics representative in 2017. WSU is deeply grateful to Swanger, who served in this role in three consecutive terms, for her nearly decade-long commitment and tireless advocacy for Washington State’s student-athletes.

Link