Sports

Texas A&M Athletics

Published

7 months ago

June 4, 2025

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION – The Texas A&M Lettermen’s Association announced Wednesday that the Texas A&M Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2025 features eight Aggie legends with Rick Rickman and Dan Campbell earning Hall of Honor and Lifetime Achievement recognition, respectively.

The class is comprised of Aggie greats Rod Bernstine ’87 (Football), Caroline Gunn Rogers ’10 (Equestrian), J.T. Higgins (Men’s Golf), Shamier Little ’17 (Women’s Track & Field), Shan McDonald ’83 (Softball), Ryan Swope ’13 (Football), Shelbi Vaughan Walley ’16 (Women’s Track & Field) and Joan Wojtowicz ’90 (Women’s Swimming & Diving).

“I am very excited to be able to celebrate this group of legends this September at the Burgess Banquet,” Director of Athletics Trev Alberts said. “To be inducted into the hall of fame is a tremendous honor that everyone in this class has undoubtedly earned. I want to also congratulate our Hall of Honor and Lifetime Achievement Award winners for all that they have done and continue to do to make Texas A&M proud.”

The Hall of Honor is reserved for individuals who have gone above and beyond in contributions and support of the athletics programs at Texas A&M. The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes lettermen who, after graduation, have gone on to gain prominence through his or her efforts in industry, commerce, technology, athletics, the professions or other worthy endeavors.

The 47th annual Burgess Banquet will be held Friday, Sept. 5 inside the Ford Hall of Champions. For more information on the Burgess Banquet, please visit aggielettermen.org/burgess_banquet.

2025 Texas A&M Athletics Hall of Fame Class

Rod Bernstine ’87, Football

Rod Bernstine was a standout tight end for the Texas A&M football team from 1983-86. He helped lead the team to two-straight SWC Championships in 1985 and 1986. During the 1986 season, Bernstine was selected to the SWC All-Conference Team as well as earning All-America accolades.

Ahead of his time, Bernstine was the first player in program history to catch over 100 passes in a career, ending with 105. He also held the school record for receptions in a season for 34 years with 65 in 1986 until it was broken by fellow 2025 Hall of Fame inductee Ryan Swope in 2010.

Bernstine became the first tight end in program history taken in the first round of the NFL Draft when he was selected with the 24th pick by the San Diego Chargers in 1987. Bernstine went on to have an eight-year career as both a tight end and running back in the pros where he played with the Chargers (1987-1992) and Denver Broncos (1993-95).

Caroline Gunn Rogers ’10, Equestrian

Throughout her four-year career in Aggieland, Caroline Gunn Rogers crafted one of the most decorated careers in Texas A&M equestrian history. Gunn Rogers helped the Aggies to three VENC Western national titles in 2007, 2009 and 2010. During that same stretch, she was a three-time VENC Horsemanship National Champion.

Gunn Rogers rewrote the Texas A&M record book during her time in Aggieland as she finished as the all-time wins leader in Horsemanship with 63 and holds the all-time win percentage in Horsemanship with a .884 mark. Gunn Rogers also collected the most MOP awards in program history for Horsemanship with 21 and totaled a program-best 73 career rides in the event.

The Greensburg, Indiana, native registered five-or-more MOP awards in all four seasons at Texas A&M, including a school record six during the 2008-09 season. In her final season in Aggieland, Gunn Rogers went 21-1 and recorded a program-best .955 winning percentage. During the 2007-08 season, Gunn Rogers registered the highest score in Horsemanship in school history with an 80.5 mark against Oklahoma State.

Gunn Rogers finished her time at Texas A&M with a degree in Agribusiness and currently serves as the owner/manager of BCR Ventures.

J.T. Higgins, Head Coach Men’s Golf

J.T. Higgins piloted the Texas A&M men’s golf team to new heights during his 19 years as head coach. The highlight of his time in Aggieland was leading Ol’ Sarge’s charges to the first national title in program history.

The magical 2009 season culminated with Higgins leading the Aggies to their first NCAA men’s golf title with a rousing 3-2 victory against Arkansas in the finals. Texas A&M won four tournaments en route to the school’s first national title in any sport since 1987 and its first in a men’s sport since 1939.

The Aggies were consistent winners during Higgins’ tenure, claiming 28 tournament titles. The squad won multiple tournaments in seven seasons, including a school-record six during the 2017-18 slate.

The steady stream of excellence was exemplified with 16 NCAA Regional appearances and 12 trips to the NCAA Championship. The Aggies recorded four top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championship.

Texas A&M earned two regional titles under Higgins, including the 2018 Bryan Regional and 2019 Pullman Regional. He also led the team to a 2012 Big 12 Championship crown.

Higgins mentored players who earned 22 All-America honors, including two first-teamers – Andrea Pavan (2010) and Chandler Phillips (2018).

Higgins earned entry in the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame in 2015. He was tabbed a GCAA region coach of the year on three occasions along with being named Big 12 Coach of the Year in 2012 and SEC Coach of the Year in 2020.

Following his 31-year coaching career which included skipper stops at New Mexico, prior to Texas A&M, and USC, afterward, Higgins returned to the Brazos Valley to serve as president and chief executive officer of Texas Aggies United.

Shamier Little ’17, Women’s Track & Field

Shamier Little strung together a historic three-year career for the Aggies, separating herself as one of the greatest hurdlers in NCAA history. The 10-time All-American dominated over the 400m distance, specifically in the 400m hurdles where she became the first Aggie to win three straight individual national titles in the same event from 2014-16. Little earned her bachelor’s degree in university studies in 2017.

The Chicago native was a standout from the moment she arrived on campus, capturing the indoor 400m conference title and outdoor 400m hurdles national title in her debut season. Her performances received recognition by the league, as she was named SEC Outdoor Freshman Runner of the Year.
She continued to be a driving force for the women’s team, sweeping both the SEC and NCAA outdoor 400m hurdle crowns in back-to-back years, earning three First Team All-America honors in both years. Little’s success was spotlighted by a pair of appearances on The Bowerman Watch List, as she was named a semifinalist in 2015 and 2016.

Little was a major contributor to the team’s success, as she played a key role in securing the women’s program’s fourth NCAA Outdoor Championship. Her win in the 400m hurdles and second-place finish in the 4x400m relay contributed 18 points to the team’s title race. During her career she also helped the Maroon & White rack up three additional top-five team finishes, one indoor and another two outdoors.

At her final NCAA Championships, her win in the 400m hurdles with a time of 53.51 broke A&M’s school record and still stands at the top of the history book, while also ranking seventh in NCAA history.

On the International stage, Little reached the pinnacle of sport, as she became an Olympic Champion at the 2024 Paris Games in the women’s 4x400m relay. Little and Team USA claimed the final women’s track & field title thanks to Little’s 49.48 opening leg split which was the fastest of all openers in the meet. Her Olympic success was not done there, as she doubled down and claimed silver in the mixed 4x400m, the event she set the world record in during the preliminary rounds of the Games.

Shan McDonald ’83, Softball

Shan McDonald was a four-year letterwinner from 1980 to 1983 and helped lead the Aggies to an AIAW national title in 1982 and NCAA championship in 1983. She was named Texas A&M Co-Player of the Year and Southwest Conference Academic Player of the Year in 1982.

A dominant pitcher, McDonald ranks among the program’s all-time leaders in several categories, including No. 3 in career ERA (0.48), No. 4 in career wins (95) and No. 9 in strikeouts (527). She also holds top-10 single-season marks in ERA, innings pitched and wins.

Internationally, she was a gold medalist pitcher for Team Canada at the 1983 Pan American Games and 1982 Pan Am Trials. She also competed in multiple world events, including the 1981 World Games (silver) and 2004 Olympics (fourth place).

As a coach at UNLV, McDonald led her team to seven straight NCAA postseason appearances, including three trips to the Women’s College World Series and a third-place finish in 1995. She was a three-time Big West and Western Region Coach of the Year and coached 18 All-Americans and four Olympians.

McDonald earned her degree in physical education from Texas A&M in 1984 and later a master’s in technology in education from Lesley University.

She is a member of multiple halls of fame, including Softball Canada, Saskatoon Sports and UNLV Athletics. McDonald now serves as co-owner and clinician with Synergy Team Concepts.

Ryan Swope ’13, Football

Ryan Swope enjoyed one of the best careers that a Texas A&M wide receiver has ever had from 2009-12. Swope was a two-time all-conference second team selection (2011, 2012) and helped the Aggies to four-straight bowl appearances, including victories in the 2011 Meineke Car Care Bowl and 2013 Cotton Bowl, as well as a share of the 2010 Big 12 South Championship.

Swope still holds the program’s career records for receiving yards (3,117), receptions (252) and 100-yard receiving games (14). In 2011, he caught the most balls in a single season by anyone in school history with 89, which produced the most yards in a season at the time for any Texas A&M wide out (1,207). He is also fourth on the all-time list with 24 receiving touchdowns.

On Oct. 15, 2011, Swope became just the fifth Aggie at the time to surpass the 200 receiving yards mark in a single game, catching 11 balls for 206 yards in a 55-28 rout of Baylor. In that game, he caught four touchdowns, which remains tied for the program record.

During the 2013 NFL Draft, Swope was selected in the sixth round by the Arizona Cardinals, becoming the first Aggie wide receiver taken in the NFL Draft in nearly 10 years.

Swope earned his bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M in university studies in 2013.

Shelbi Vaughan Walley ’16, Women’s Track & Field

Shelbi Vaughan Walley stands alone in the Texas A&M record books for the discus, separating herself from the competition holding all top-10 marks in school history, while boasting an unblemished conference championship record and adding a pair of national titles to her decorated resume. She graduated with a degree in recreation, parks & tourism sciences.

Vaughan Walley’s back-to-back NCAA discus titles puts her in rare company as she is just one of six women to defend their titles in consecutive years. The throws standout separated herself further at the conference level, as she is the only athlete in SEC history to win four straight discus championships and is one of four women to win a throws event at the conference meet in four-straight seasons.

She set her personal-best mark of 64.52m/211-8 at the 2015 conference championships, which ranked fifth in NCAA history at that time. Vaughan Walley’s presence in the Aggie history books didn’t end at the discus, as she ranks fourth in the shot put and fifth in the hammer throw.

Vaughan Walley also made her presence felt on the international stage, representing the Red, White and Blue on the highest stage as she was named to the Olympic team in 2016. She also claimed two gold and two bronze medals representing the United States earlier in her career, winning both the NACAC U23 Championships and Pan America U20 Championships, while adding third-place results at the World U20 and U18 World Championships.

Her personal accolades helped the women’s team win its fourth NCAA Outdoor Championship in 2014, adding 10 points to the team total following her discus title. She also contributed to the program’s first SEC title as a freshman in A&M’s first season in the conference. Along with her titles, she helped the Aggies to three additional top-five team finishes at the outdoor championships. A two-sport athlete for the Aggies, Vaughan Walley also earned two letters in volleyball and was a member of two NCAA Tournament teams.

Joan Wojtowicz ’90, Women’s Swimming & Diving

Joan Wojtowicz was a leader in the distance events during her time in Aggieland, earning three letters from 1987-90. During her career, she claimed All-America accolades and a pair of Southwest Conference titles in the 1650 free. In 1990, her final season at Texas A&M, Wojtowicz placed first in the 1650 free at the conference championships and took fifth at national championships. She closed out her collegiate career with the fastest time in program history in both the 1650 free (16:17.09) and 1000 free (9:49.61), adding the No. 5 time at A&M in the 500 free (4:47.59).

On the international stage, Wojtowicz boasted the No. 18 time in the world in the 1500 free in 1989 and placed ninth at Summer Nationals in the event the same year. At the 1988 U.S. Olympic Trails, Wojtowicz posted a top-20 finish in the 400 free. Wojtowicz graduated from Texas A&M in 1990 with a degree in health education.

Rick Rickman ’70, Manager – Football – Hall of Honor

Rick Rickman is a 1970 graduate of Texas A&M where he was a member of the Corps of Cadets and manager for the Aggie football team from 1966-69 and head manager his last two seasons. After his time in Aggieland, Rickman went on to serve from 1970-74 in Germany as an officer in the U.S. Army. At the conclusion of his service in the military, he received a master’s degree from Arkansas (1974) and graduated with honors in the top 2% of his class from St. Mary’s (1977) Law School with a juris doctor degree.

Rickman enjoyed an illustrious career in law after completing his studies. He began as a briefing attorney for Justice Sears McGee (1977-78) and then went on to Gardere Law Firm (1978-91) before becoming a founding shareholder at Hallett & Perrin, P.C. in 1992 where he still practices. With Hallett & Perrin, P.C., Rickman is the senior trial lawyer with over three decades of experience in client defense and tort litigation.

Rickman has been named a Texas Super Lawyer on several occasions and is a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation. Rickman has given back to Texas A&M in a variety of different capacities, serving in roles such as the 12th Man Foundation Board of Trustees (2005-11) and Chairman (2010), Lettermen’s Association Board of Directors (2000-04) and President (2003) and has held a position on the Dean’s Development Council with the College of Education and Human Development since 1991.

Rickman and his wife, Sue, have been married for over 50 years. They have two children, Kristi ’93 and Robert ’96, and five grandchildren.

Dan Campbell ’99, Football – Lifetime Achievement Award

Dan Campbell was a four-year letter winner for the Texas A&M football team from 1995-1998. The tight end helped the program win the 1997 Big 12 South Championship and Big 12 title in 1998. Campbell was an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection and earned the Aggie Heart Award, the highest honor for a Texas A&M senior football player, after serving as a team captain in 1998.

Campbell was taken in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft to the New York Giants and enjoyed an 11-year career in the league with the Giants (1999-2002), Dallas Cowboys (2003-05), Detroit Lions (2006-08) and New Orleans Saints (2009).

In 2010, Campbell cut his teeth in coaching as an intern with the Miami Dolphins and was promoted in 2011 to tight ends coach. He remained in that position until being named interim head coach in 2015 before becoming the assistant head coach of the Saints from 2016-20.

Prior to the 2021 season, Campbell was hired as head coach of the Lions where he has made his mark as one of the best culture builders and coaches in the league. Every year, Campbell has improved the Lions’ record going from three wins in his first season to 15 in 2024. For the first time since 1993, Campbell led the Lions to the NFC North Division title in 2023 and the first NFC Championship game appearance for the city in 32 years. He followed that up with another division crown in 2024, becoming the first head coach in franchise history to win back-to-back division championships.

Campbell and his wife, Holly, have two children, Cody and Piper. Campbell earned his degree from Texas A&M in agricultural development and leadership.

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Tulane Beach Volleyball Announces 2026 Schedule

Published

17 minutes ago

January 12, 2026

Your Sports Nation

NEW ORLEANS – After a successful 2025 fall campaign, the Tulane beach volleyball program is set for the 2026 spring season with the announcement of the Green Wave schedule as released Monday morning. The slate features eight tournaments with three hosted by Tulane at White Sands Volleyball Courts, which all culminates with the Conference USA Tournament.

“We are thrilled to announce our 2026 Season schedule!” said head coach Eyal Zimet. “It is arguably our most challenging and exciting campaign to date, competing from the west to the east coast and in between versus top-notch programs. Our experienced and super competitive squad is eager to keep getting fire tested, grow, and forge unity throughout our journey to reach our full potential! We can’t wait to get after it this year! Roll Wave!”

The Green Wave hosts the Olive and Blue Scrimmage on February 14 at White Sands as the final tune-up before the season opener. The slate officially kicks off the following weekend with the Green Wave Invitational at White Sands on February 20 and 21. Tulane opens against LSU and also faces Texas A&M Corpus Christi on day one, and day two features three contests against Oregon, South Florida, and New Orleans.

Tulane then hits the road for two tournaments, beginning with the Tiger Beach Challenge hosted by LSU in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on February 27 and 28. The Wave are set to face North Alabama, Houston Christian, UAB, and Southern Mississippi. March opens with the Chanticleer Challenge, hosted by Coastal Carolina on March 6 and 7 in Conway, South Carolina. Tulane’s schedule in the event features Florida Atlantic, Georgia State, Cal Poly, and the host Chanticleers.

Returning home, Tulane hosts the Bayou Beach Duals at White Sands on March 13 and 14. Tulane opponents are scheduled to be Central Arkansas, UTEP, McNeese, Nicholls, and Southeastern Louisiana.

The second half of the season begins in Malibu, California, with the ASICS Classic, hosted by Pepperdine on March 20 and 21. Tulane’s four matches are set to be against the host Waves, Vanguard, Loyola Marymount, and Concordia University Irvine.

Next up is the Longhorn Showdown, hosted by Texas in Austin on April 3 and 4. Tulane will play four matches against Houston Christian, Texas, Washington, and a fourth opponent yet to be determined. The last away trip is set for April 10 and 11 at the Blazer Beach Bash in Birmingham, Alabama. The Wave will again open against Houstin Christian before facing host UAB, Mercer, and Louisiana Monroe.

The regular season concludes at White Sands with the NOLA Classic on April 17 and 18. Tulane will face Arizona, ULM, New Orleans, Florida International, and Southern Miss.

The Conference USA Tournament follows April 23-25 in Youngsville, Louisiana. The Green Wave finished as the runner-up in last season’s edition after falling in the championship match as the program aims to take the next step this season. The national championships will take place in Gulf Shores, Alabama, on May 1-3.

Tulane is fresh off a strong fall slate that concluded with a dominating home event in which the Wave won 41 of 42 sets across 21 matches against New Orleans. Tulane was 29-11 last season and 3-3 in the Conference USA Tournament, in which the Wave advanced to the championship match.

TICKETS

Tickets for the football, volleyball and men’s and women’s basketball campaigns can be purchased by calling 504-861-WAVE (9283), logging on to TulaneTix.com or visiting the ticket office at the James W. Wilson Jr. Center.

DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL TULANE ATHLETICS APP

Download the official mobile app of Tulane Athletics. Now, you can stay in touch with the Green Wave anytime and anywhere on your Android or iOS mobile device.

FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Follow Tulane beach volleyball at @GreenWaveBeach on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

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Molinares Joining Mean Green as XC/Distance Coach

Published

1 hour ago

January 12, 2026

Your Sports Nation

DENTON – UNT head track and field coach Doug Marshall announced the hiring on Monday of new cross country and distance coach Jafet Molinares.

“I’m thankful to (Director of Track & Field) Doug Marshall for the opportunity to join the UNT cross country and track and field family,” Molinares said. “I’m excited to work with an elite staff and can’t wait to get started with our athletes and coaches as we continue pushing the program forward.”

Molinares comes to the Mean Green following a successful stint at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas, where he led one of the nation’s top NJCAA programs and coached All-American performers. He is the two-time reigning USTFCCCA Central Region Men’s Head Cross Country Coach of the Year and also won the Women’s award in 2025. He also coached the USTFCCCA Central Region Male and Female Athletes of the Year and individual national champions this past fall at Hutchinson, while the men’s team finished national runner-up and the women claimed a third-place finish. In all at Hutchinson, Molinares coached 13 All-American performers combined in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track.

Before his three-year run at Hutchinson, Molinares was the coach at Fort Scott Community College for three seasons (one as an assistant and two as head cross country coach) and coached 16 All-American performers in cross country and track. Before that, Molinares spent one season at Iowa Central Community College as an assistant, where the Tritons won the NJCAA Indoor national title on the men’s side and was runner-up on the women’s side.

As a student-athlete, Molinares was part of the 2013 NJCAA national championship half-marathon team at Iowa Central Community College before he transferred to Fort Hays State and ended up serving as a graduate assistant for the Tigers and coached an individual national champion, six MIAA conference champions and had runners set 14 new program records.

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Deacon Sports Xtra: Tina Readling Reflects on Journey Back into Coaching and Joining Demon Deacons Volleyball

Published

1 hour ago

January 12, 2026

Your Sports Nation

When Tina Readling looks back on the path that led her to Wake Forest, it’s not a straight line — and it’s not one she believes was rushed or accidental.

After stepping away from full-time coaching to take an operations role at Penn State, Readling was clear with herself and with those around her that the move was never meant to be permanent. She wanted to return to the gym. She wanted to coach again. She just didn’t know exactly when.

“I wasn’t trying to make a career out of an operations job,” Readling said. “It was a blessing, but I knew it wasn’t me long-term.”

That clarity mattered when timing intervened. Just as Readling felt ready to pursue coaching opportunities again, circumstances shifted. Penn State head coach and national champion Katie Schumacher-Cawley announced her breast cancer diagnosis in October, and Readling felt an unmistakable pull to stay.

“I really can’t explain it,” she said. “I just felt like God had something else for me. When Coach Katie shared what she was going through, it became very clear that I was supposed to be there that extra season.”

Readling stayed, supporting the program through a demanding year that culminated in a national championship — an experience she still describes as uniquely meaningful, not just professionally, but personally.

“It was meant to be,” she said. “There are no words to describe it.”

Only after that season did Readling reopen the door to what came next. When she did, she wasn’t targeting a location or a conference. She was looking for the right fit culturally, professionally and personally.

That search led her to Wake Forest and to first-year head coach Jeff Hulsmeyer, even though the two had never worked together.

“I didn’t know Jeff at all,” Readling admitted. “But when I heard he got the job, I thought, ‘That says a lot.’ He’s been around successful programs for a long time and he knows what he’s doing.”

What followed was a chorus of trusted voices encouraging her to look more closely — former coaches, colleagues across the volleyball world and longtime friends who knew both Readling and Hulsmeyer well.

“In this business, it’s hard for a head coach to hire someone they don’t know,” Readling said. “So the fact that so many people made calls on my behalf mattered.”

Her campus visit didn’t answer every question, but it confirmed something deeper.

“I just knew this was a place I was supposed to be,” she said.

Two days later, another piece of the puzzle fell into place. Readling learned that her mother-in-law, who lives in the area, had been diagnosed with leukemia. Being closer to family suddenly carried even more weight.

“All things work together for good,” she said. “That part became very real, very quickly.”

Readling joined a staff that emphasized experience and continuity — an intentional choice for a program emerging from transition. Wake Forest entered the 2025 season following a difficult 2024 campaign that ended with an eight-match losing streak and a 5–15 ACC record. Demon Deacons Volleyball was in need of a reset, and Hulsmeyer built a staff ready to facilitate that change.

Year one showed signs of stabilization. Wake Forest finished with 15 overall wins and nine in the ACC – the latter being its most since the 2010 season. The team proved competitive at home and more consistent week to week.

For Readling, those results were never meant to be an endpoint.

“Being able to make it to the NCAA tournament would be great,” she said. “But that’s not enough for us.”

That mindset aligns with Hulsmeyer’s resume — built across the ACC, Big Ten and Big 12 — and with Readling’s own experience inside programs that understand what sustained success actually requires.

“He knows what it takes to get there,” Readling said of Hulsmeyer. “And not just get there once.”

Equally important was retaining Director of Volleyball Operations Drew Langston, whose presence smoothed the early transition.

“We’re not spending time figuring out how things work,” Readling said. “Drew has it dialed in. That matters more than people realize.”

Recruiting, too, has been approached with patience rather than urgency. Readling views growth as something built deliberately over time. She’s been immersed in volleyball at nearly every level: collegiate coaching, youth and club development, USA Volleyball leadership, and conference governance. The sport’s growth, particularly on the women’s side, is something she believes Wake Forest is positioned to capitalize on.

“This is a great product,” she said. “The campus, the facilities, the academics — all of it matters.”

For Readling, returning to the gym has been both energizing and grounding. She speaks with enthusiasm about film sessions, practice planning, recruiting trips and the day-to-day rhythm of coaching — work she missed while in operations.

“I love being back in it,” she said. “I love the conversations, the teaching, the challenge.”

She also understands that building something meaningful doesn’t happen overnight, especially in a changing college athletics landscape.

“We have a vision for what we want this program to be,” Readling said. “It’s a journey, but it’s also about getting better. Every year.”

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Former Alabama Volleyball Standout Alyiah Wells Rejoins Crimson Tide as Assistant Coach

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1 hour ago

January 12, 2026

Your Sports Nation

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Former Alabama standout player Alyiah Wells has rejoined the Crimson Tide as its newest assistant coach, it was announced Monday by head coach Rashinda Reed.

“It’s an honor and a blessing to return to Tuscaloosa, where I committed to at just 15 years old,” Wells said. “I spent five years helping to grow this program on the court and I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue to do so from the sidelines alongside the same staff who believed in me from the very beginning.

“I’m incredibly thankful for Coach Reed’s mentorship over the past four years. She pours her heart and soul into developing this program and its players every day, on and off the court, even long after they leave the Capstone. During my time playing for her, we always discussed building a program people would be proud to be a part of, creating a winning culture and leaving a legacy. Now, I’m even more excited to bring my loyalty and passion for Alabama into a new role.”

Wells played at Alabama from 2019-23, accumulating 987 career kills over 117 matches played with the Tide. She was an SEC All-Freshman team selection in 2019 and finished her career with a .312 hitting percentage and 411 blocks. Following her graduation, she played professionally in Europe with the Elite Féminine league in Sens, France for Sens Volley 89 in 2024-2025 and the Hungarian first division for MÁV Elore Foxconn in Székesfehérvár, Hungary serving as team captain 2025.

“Thank you to Coach Reed, Greg Byrne and the entire compliance and administrative staff who watched me grow from an 18-year-old student-athlete into someone ready for this opportunity,” Wells said. “I’m proud to be home with my family after my professional career in Europe.

“Thank you to my parents and grandparents for your endless support of a little girl chasing her dream of becoming a professional athlete and always putting me in the best position to be successful. I would not be here without my village! I can’t wait to get to work and be back in Foster Auditorium this fall. Bama has always had my heart. Roll Tide!”

Memphis, Tenn. native

2018-19 Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year at Briarcrest Christian School

2019 SEC All-Freshman Team

Finished her Alabama career (2019-23) with 987 kills, a .312 hitting percentage and 411 blocks over 117 matches played

Played professionally in Europe for the Elite Féminine league in Sens, France for Sens Volley 89 in 2024-2025 and the Hungarian first division for MÁV Elore Foxconn in Székesfehérvár, Hungary serving as team captain 2025

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Rising Phoenix: This Week In Elon Athletics

Published

2 hours ago

January 12, 2026

Your Sports Nation

ELON – The Elon women’s tennis team is set to begin its spring season at Charlotte this Friday. The Phoenix is coming off of the 2025 CAA Championship win over William & Mary at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center last spring.

Each Monday, Rising Phoenix will preview the week ahead in Elon athletics. Here is a look at each Elon team competing this week.

Men’s Basketball

After trailing the entire contest against Campbell on Saturday night, the Phoenix prevailed, going on a 10-0 run to defeat the Camels, 83-82. Kacper Klaczek and Chandler Cuthrell paced the team with 20 points each, followed by Randall Pettus II and Ja’Juan Carr, who scored 17 apiece. Pettus II scored the go-ahead layup to secure the victory. The Phoenix will spend the week on the road, facing Northeastern in Boston on Thursday at 7 p.m. and Hofstra in Hempstead on Saturday at noon.

Women’s Tennis

For the first time this spring, the Elon women’s tennis team will take the court, facing off against Charlotte on the road Friday. The Phoenix returns with junior Simone Bergeron, the 2025 CAA Player of the Year, 2025 CAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player and member of the All-CAA First Team in both singles and doubles. Also returning is Bergeron’s doubles partner junior Mariana Reding, seniors Helen Sarikulaya and Madison Cordisco and sophomore Lisa Kranec. Elon welcomed three newcomers this offseason in Cornelia Kack, Nathalie Marinovitch and Alexis Nyborg.

Men’s Tennis

The Elon men’s tennis team earned its first victory of the 2026 season against St. Joseph’s on Saturday, 6-1. Elon secured the doubles point via victories from Rafael Ymer and Jack Curtis on Court 2 and Veljko Krstic and Nikola Parichkov on Court 1. Krstic, Ymer and Parichkov, as well as Charles Pilet and Oskar Antinheimo, also earned their first singles victories of the season. Elon heads to Durham to face No. 17 Duke on Friday at 5 p.m.

Women’s Basketball

The road slate continues for the Elon women’s basketball team, who will face UNCW on Friday at 7 p.m. and College of Charleston on Sunday at 1 p.m. Against Campbell last week, Ashanti Fox scored a career-high 14 points with a career-high and team best four steals. LaNae’ Corbett led the team with 17 points and one block.

Track & Field

The Elon University track & field team will compete for the first time in 2026 on Saturday at the Mondo College Invitational in Winston-Salem. At the Liberty Kickoff, Jasmine Young took home first place in the 5,000 and Winter Oaster also placed first in the mile. In Boston for the Sharon Colyear-Danville Opener, Sarah Petitjean ran a personal-best 9:49.97 in the 3,000 while Hannah Weber ran a personal-best 16:29.00 in the 5,000.

‘Rising Phoenix’ is a student-led initiative to cover Elon Athletics. Through innovative content creation and storytelling, Elon University students will have the opportunity to highlight the moments, people and events that make an impact, leveraging the athletic department’s various web and social media platforms for distribution. Follow Rising Phoenix on X (@EURisingPhoenix) and Instagram (@elonrisingphoenix). Interested in joining this initiative as a content creator (video, graphics, writing, storytelling, or more)? Contact Sydney Spencer at sspencer9@elon.edu.

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What to know about the 2026 NCAA Convention

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2 hours ago

January 12, 2026

Your Sports Nation

The 2026 NCAA Convention begins Tuesday in the Washington, D.C., area, where all three divisions will gather for the annual event, which includes education sessions on important topics, action on legislative proposals and celebrations to honor the achievements of many people in college athletics.

The event runs through Friday. Roughly 3,000 attendees from member schools and conferences across the country are expected to attend. Below is a snapshot of the event. View the full schedule here.

New championships

All three divisions will vote on recommendations to make stunt and acrobatics and tumbling NCAA championship sports. If the measures are approved, the two sports will host their first championships in spring 2027. They would also join the following sports to earn NCAA championship status through the Emerging Sports for Women program: rowing (1996), ice hockey (2000), water polo (2000), bowling (2003), beach volleyball (2015) and wrestling (2025).

Additionally, Divisions II and III will vote on proposals at their business sessions to create division-specific championships for women’s bowling (Division II) and women’s wrestling (Division III). If approved, both division-specific championships first would be held in 2028.

Division I

Division I will hold a full membership vote on a proposal that would add three units each to the men’s and women’s basketball distribution funds: one unit for each team competing in the respective championship games and an additional unit for each national champion. If approved, teams competing in championship games during the 2026 tournaments will begin earning distributions that will be paid out to conference offices starting in 2027.

The Division I Cabinet is expected to consider a proposal to allow additional commercial logos on uniforms, apparel and equipment — except during NCAA Championships. The measure would become effective in August. The Cabinet also will consider proposals to create National Collegiate Championships for women’s stunt and women’s acrobatics and tumbling and may introduce women’s flag football to the Emerging Sports for Women program. Additionally, the Cabinet will review proposals from oversight committees in several sports — men’s and women’s basketball, track and field, wrestling and men’s ice hockey — to adjust notification-of-transfer windows in those sports.

The Division I Board of Directors will receive an update on the Decision-Making Working Group’s recommendation to decentralize certain regulatory areas of NCAA rules and will consider a proposal that requires a supermajority to approve changes to Division I membership requirements, effectively preventing the autonomy conferences from unilaterally acting without the support of at least one other voting member of the Cabinet or board.

Division II

Division II’s Convention week will include key committee meetings, impactful education sessions and its business session.

The business session Friday will include 17 proposals, with 11 membership-sponsored proposals and a resolution specific to the Division II Football Championship date formula. The Division II Official Notice and Question and Answer Guide provide details on all the proposals. In addition, the winner of the 2026 Division II Award of Excellence will be announced during the business session. The finalists were revealed last week.

The Division II Executive Board, Management Council and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee will also meet individually and collectively during the week.

Division II will hold division-specific education sessions on topics covering business models and enrollment strategies, the future of Division II championships, strengthening the Division II academic and compliance framework, and the impact of Division I decisions on the Division II landscape.

Additionally, Eric Gaynor from Bentley will be recognized at a reception Thursday as the 2025 Dr. Dave Pariser Faculty Mentor Award recipient. Also at the reception, Division II will celebrate 20 years of Division II faculty athletics representative institutes, which provide professional development and education.

Division III

Division III will vote on legislative proposals and continue its divisional analysis. The NCAA’s largest division will focus on the betterment of student-athletes and its schools and conference offices.

Key legislative proposals for Friday’s business session include establishing a Division III women’s wrestling championship, redefining how a season of eligibility is used, permitting multiple automatic qualifiers for conferences and requiring use of the Transfer Portal. Dive deeper into the proposals.

The Presidents and Management Councils and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee all will gather. During those meetings — as well as the Presidents and Chancellors Forum and the Issues Forum — delegates will engage in initial discussions of the Division III analysis the Presidents Council is undertaking.

The Division III educational sessions include “Connecting With Generation Z,” “Building Campuswide Relationships for Athletic Success” and “How Technology Can Help an Athletics Department.”

The annual Special Olympics event will occur Wednesday afternoon, and the Division III LGBTQ of the Year Award celebration will be held that evening. This celebration recognizes those in college athletics for their service and leadership. Division III delegates are encouraged to attend these events.

For more information, visit the Division III Convention resources page.

Awards

Several student-athletes, coaches and administrators will be celebrated during the Convention for their success on and off the field, as well as their positive contributions to college sports and society.

The NCAA Honors Presentation will be livestreamed from 5-6:30 p.m. Eastern time Wednesday. The following award winners will be recognized during the event, which will also include the State of College Sports address from NCAA President Charlie Baker. (Livestream)

Theodore Roosevelt Award: Dikembe Mutombo, Georgetown men’s basketball.

NCAA Woman of the Year: Sam Schott, The University of Texas at Tyler softball.

Silver Anniversary Awards: Nick Ackerman, Simpson men’s wrestling; Drew Brees Purdue football; Tamika Catchings, Tennessee women’s basketball; and Dr. Lauren Witmer, Millersville women’s tennis.

Gerald R. Ford Award: Charlene Curtis, Radford women’s basketball.

Pat Summitt Award: Nikki Franke, Temple fencing.

Inspiration Award: Francesca Loiseau, Marymount (Virginia) women’s tennis.

Award of Valor: Alex Guerra, Radford baseball.

Impact Award: Ella Brissett, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women’s tennis; Mia Levy, Yale rowing; Brayden Long, Slippery Rock football; Aino Martikainen, Franklin Pierce women’s soccer; Micaylon Moore, Nebraska men’s indoor and outdoor track and field; and Matt Wrather, John Carroll football.

Featured Association-wide sessions (all times Eastern)

The Power of Partnership: Leveraging Team IMPACT To Transform the Student-Athlete Experience (2:30-3:30 p.m. Tuesday): This panel will highlight how NCAA member schools are partnering with Team IMPACT to create life-changing experiences for children facing serious illness and disability while enhancing student-athlete development. Panelists will share best practices, outcomes and stories that demonstrate the profound influence on community engagement and the leadership development of student-athletes. (Livestream)

Sports Betting (10-11 a.m. Wednesday): This session will educate attendees about prevention and harm-reduction strategies related to gambling and sports betting in collegiate athletics, including educational and mental health resources available for member schools. Experts will also discuss integrity trends and social media abuse research and monitoring techniques. (Livestream)

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