Northwest College kicked off its summer activities in June with a camp hosting high school athletes from around the region, led by new coach Nicole Buck alongside former NCAA Division I men’s volleyball coach Tom Peterson.

Over the three day camp, the Trappers welcomed in several dozen high schoolers to Cabre Gym, while also hosting younger athletes at Powell Middle School with local high school coaches.

“It was really nice to have that many girls because you just want to be able to grow the sport of volleyball, and you want kids to be able to take advantage of opportunities,” Buck said. “Then it just gives us a chance to see what kind of talent and potential is out there in the next few years, kids that we might be able to recruit. It’s good to have some of our incoming and returning athletes here too, to kind of evaluate and see what kind of kids caught their eye as well.”

Helping with the camp was Peterson, a two-time NCAA Division I national champion and now NCAA Division III national champion coach who brought his experience to the gym and gave the high schoolers an opportunity to learn from one of the best coaches in the country.

“It’s really incredible to have Tom here. I mean, we were joking because after they won the national championship, a couple of his athletes asked Chat GPT who were the top 10 greatest volleyball coaches of all time, and he was listed as No. 2,” Buck said. “It’s just kind of cool. He obviously has so many years of experience and so much knowledge that even though I’ve known him for so many years, I learn something new every time I’m around him. And I love that the kids can have that opportunity too.”

She said bringing in Peterson pushed the camp to another level, bringing out more competition from the players that allowed them to stretch their abilities and find that next level.

Holding this camp so early in the summer, Buck said it allowed her to get new connections in the area heading into her first season as the Trapper coach, and get a better understanding of the athletes who are soon to be graduating.

“It helps build the recruiting pool for sure. I walked away with probably 10 new contacts that I didn’t really have, and it helps me better understand our local kids and coaches too,” Buck said. “I love getting local kids when we can, it helps build those relationships. Recruiting is such a numbers game, and so it just adds more numbers and you get to see for yourself, instead of just on film, what some of these kids are capable of.”

After the camp, Buck is hopeful the campers took a number of things back with them to their high school seasons, whether that be new skills or drills, along with a new sense of understanding why they train the way they do.

“Tom and his player, they don’t just talk about skills or philosophies,” Buck said. “They really help the kids try to understand kind of the why behind things and maybe, why do we do it this way in this situation? They do a lot of situational training, so I just hope they take away having their mind stretched as much as their physical abilities.”

She said it was a blessing to start the summer with the camp, and said it was important to have so many kids see the campus.

“I think it was a good thing for our community and our school, and I’m excited that more and more kids are getting on our campus,” Buck said. “I hope they also take away that Northwest is a pretty cool place to be.”

CONWAY, S.C. – Twelve home matches and nine matches against teams that competed in the 2024 NCAA Tournament highlight the 2025 Coastal Carolina volleyball schedule released Thursday.  
 
The 2025 campaign features 28 contests, comprising 12 non-conference and 16 Sun Belt Conference matches. The Chanticleers will host three power conference teams (Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina) and travel to two others (Miami, NC State) before beginning league play the last weekend of September.  
 
“We were able to put together a challenging non-conference schedule for the 2025 season that will prepare us for a robust Sun Belt slate,” Chanticleer head coach Steve Loeswick said. “We’re proud to welcome some top-tier programs to Conway this fall and showcase an elite level of competition to our community in our pursuit of another championship.” 
 
The 2025 campaign begins at home with Labor Day weekend matches against Maryland (Aug. 29) and North Carolina (Aug. 31), before hosting South Carolina (Sept. 3) to conclude its season-opening three-match homestand.  
 
The Chants will be on the road for the remainder of the month, heading first to Davidson, N.C., for three matches in the Wildcat Classic (Sept. 5-6), then traveling to Raleigh for three more matches in the Wolfpack Invitational (Sept. 12-14) the following weekend.   
 
CCU will face the 2024 MEAC champion Delaware State during the Wildcat Classic, along with Elon and host Davidson. It will also face off against Horizon League winner Cleveland State at the Wolfpack Invitational, as well as Utah Valley, and host NC State. 
  
The Chants will head to South Florida for back-to-back matches against Miami (Sept. 18) and FIU (Sept. 19) in the 305 Invitational before closing the non-conference slate at home against UNCW (Oct. 15).  
  
Coastal opens Sun Belt play against Marshall (Sept. 26-27) in Huntington, W.Va., and welcomes Old Dominion (Oct. 3-4) to the HTC Center the first weekend of October to open its home conference slate.  
 
The Chanticleers will also host Sun Belt opponents James Madison (Oct. 17-18), Appalachian State (Oct. 24-25), and South Alabama (Nov. 14-15). 
 
The Chants’ other SBC road matches are against Georgia State (Oct. 9-10), Georgia Southern (Oct. 31-Nov. 1), and reigning conference champion Texas State (Nov. 7-8). 
  
Coastal Carolina will also travel to the College of Charleston for an exhibition game on Aug. 23.   
 
The 2025 Sun Belt Conference Championship will be held Nov. 19-23 at the Foley Events Center in Foley, Ala.

For complete coverage of CCU volleyball, follow the Chants on social media @CoastalVB (Twitter/Instagram), facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), @GoCCUSports (Instagram), or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at goccusports.com. 

 

Singapore’s women’s water polo team made its maiden appearance at the World Aquatics Championships last year, and finished last amid tough competition. The team hopes to do better this year. They will first face Paris Olympics silver medallists Australia in their opening group game, and subsequently be up against New Zealand and Italy. Alif Amsyar reports.

The intersection of gaming, college sports, and Gen Z’s $360 billion spending power has created a $6.7 billion market opportunity—one that Brag House Holdings (NASDAQ: TBH) is aggressively targeting. Zacks’ recent initiation of coverage on the company validates its unique model, which merges immersive digital experiences with institutional partnerships. For investors seeking undervalued small-cap growth, Brag House’s alignment with Gen Z’s cultural and economic influence presents a compelling thesis.

The Gen Z Opportunity: Where Gaming, Sports, and Identity Collide

Gen Z’s preferences are reshaping consumer markets. A generation that grew up with smartphones, social media, and esports now commands $360 billion in annual spending power. Brag House has positioned itself at the nexus of three trends:
1. Gaming as a Social Fabric: Over 70% of U.S. Gen Zers play games weekly, with 40% participating in live-streamed events.
2. College Sports as Identity: 60% of college students identify strongly with their university’s athletics, creating a lucrative audience for branded experiences.
3. Digital Ownership and NIL Rights: The NCAA’s 2021 NIL rule change unlocked a $1.5 billion market by 2027, enabling student-athletes to monetize their brands.

Brag House’s strategy leverages these trends through its partnership with Learfield, a leader in collegiate athletics marketing, and its proprietary SaaS platform.

The Learfield Partnership: Scaling to 200+ Campuses

Brag House’s collaboration with Learfield—announced in April 2025—marks a pivotal step. The partnership combines Learfield’s network of over 200 colleges (including flagship programs like Florida Gators Athletics) with Brag House’s ability to gamify school spirit. The first activation, the Brag Gators Gauntlet: Baseball Edition, drew strong turnout by blending Fortnite-style gaming with college sports.

The roadmap calls for expanding these activations to 10 campuses by late 2025 and 50 by 2026, unlocking incremental revenue streams. For Brag House, Learfield’s access to over 28 million fan records and 12,000 brand partners provides a data-rich pipeline to monetize Gen Z through targeted advertising and NIL-driven digital collectibles.

The SaaS Platform: Turning Data into Dollars

Brag House’s SaaS analytics platform is the engine behind its monetization strategy. By integrating machine learning (via Artemis Ave) and AI-driven engagement tools (via EVEMeta), the platform aims to:
– Leverage Behavioral Data: Track Gen Z engagement metrics to sell high-ROI ads to brands.
– Power NIL Platforms: Enable student-athletes to create blockchain-backed digital collectibles (e.g., highlight reels, access passes), with royalties from secondary sales.
– Scale Campus Activations: Use predictive analytics to optimize event timing and branding.

The platform’s potential is underscored by its focus on measurable outcomes: advertisers gain access to Gen Z’s attention, while universities and athletes share in revenue from NIL deals and sponsored content.

Valuation: A Catalyst-Driven Entry Point

Brag House’s stock has underperformed the broader market due to concerns over its delayed Q1 2025 Form 10-Q filing. However, with a July 28 compliance deadline looming, the stock could rebound sharply if the filing is submitted on time.

At current levels, Brag House trades at a discount to its peers, despite its first-mover advantage in the Gen Z collegiate gaming space. A successful 10-Q filing and the July 19 Brag Gators Gauntlet event—its first major post-IPO activation—could catalyze a re-rating.

Risks and Considerations

• Regulatory Compliance: NCAA rules on NIL rights remain fluid; Brag House’s compliance tools must stay ahead of evolving guidelines.
• Execution Risk: Scaling to 50+ campuses requires seamless integration of its SaaS platform and Learfield’s infrastructure.
• Valuation Sensitivity: Small-cap stocks often face volatility tied to macroeconomic trends.

Investment Thesis

Brag House’s valuation discount creates a high-reward asymmetry. The company is well-positioned to capture $6.7 billion in market opportunities through its Gen Z-aligned model. Key catalysts—10-Q compliance, expansion milestones, and SaaS platform adoption—could unlock significant upside. For investors willing to tolerate volatility, Brag House offers a rare chance to own a platform at an early stage of a multiyear secular trend.

Recommendation: Consider a position in Brag House ahead of its July 28 compliance deadline, with a focus on the July 19 event as a near-term catalyst. Monitor the stock’s post-filing performance and SaaS adoption metrics closely.

In a world where Gen Z’s preferences dominate markets, Brag House’s strategic alignment with gaming, sports, and digital ownership is a recipe for long-term growth—if execution meets ambition.

Could we be on the verge of seeing federal legislation on college athletics?

Some reports indicate such legislation could be introduced in Congress as soon as today.

Yahoo’s Ross Dellenger broke the news yesterday, with sources saying the proposed law known as the “SCORE Act” could be introduced as early as today in Congress.

The bill would do several things, such as codifying the House settlement, brings regulations to agents, preempts state NIL laws, and provide some enforcement strength to the new College Sports Commission, among other things.

One of the main concerns with the House settlement has been how it would hold up long-term, especially with lawsuits likely to be filed. Federal legislation would give the settlement staying power, while also providing some stability in the college sports landscape that college ADs and others have been asking for.

There’s no guarantee that this bill makes its way through Congress, but Dellenger said it “is on track to progress further than any all-encompassing athlete compensation legislation.”

This will be something to keep an eye on in the coming days to see when the SCORE Act is introduced and whether or not it can be a bipartisan effort to pass it.

Tweet of the Day

This would be quite a sight at a wedding!

Headlines

Why expanding the NCAA Basketball Tournament is a bad idea – Herald Leader

It’s looking like we’re headed toward 72 or 76 teams.

Almonor adds shooting, youth to TBT team – Vaughts Views

Really cool to see Ansley join the team.

Kentucky one of several schools pursuing Pulaski County prospect – KSR

The Cats were in early on Brady Hull.

CBS says pressure is mounting on Stoops – CBS Sports

Take a look at the CBS Sports Hot Seat ratings.

The mystery of Tarik Skubal – ESPN

Skubal has been incredible the last few seasons.

Deion wants salary cap for college football – Bleacher Report

What do you think?

How will the Thunder move forward with extensions for Big 3? – Yahoo

It will be a delicate juggling account for the Thunder front office.

Cooper Flagg vs Bronny James in Summer League is drawing interest – NBC Sports

How will Flagg fare in his first summer league game?

MLB to test Automatic Ball-Strike Challenge System at All-Star Game – SI

It already received a trial run during spring training.

BRONX, N.Y.  – Announcing a 28-match slate for Fordham University Volleyball this fall, Head Coach Ian Choi unveiled the 2025 schedule for the Rams Thursday afternoon.

Featuring three tournaments amongst a 10-game non-conference calendar, the Rams will also play an 18-match Atlantic 10 slate of matches, with eight weekend series alongside a home-and-home midweek series against Rhode Island. The Rams will play the first five weeks of the season in the state of New York, with the final two weekends of non-conference play featuring matches at the Rose Hill Gym.

Following a pre-season exhibition against Fairfield on Aug. 20, Fordham opens the 2025 campaign on Aug. 29-30 up in Binghamton, playing a single match against the host Bearcats on opening night, before a pair against Lehigh and UConn the following day.

The following week, the Rams make a short trip down Broadway to Columbia for the third year in a row to take part in the Big Apple Tournament, Sept. 5-6. The Rams take on Northeastern at 11:00 a.m. before taking on New Haven in the first ever Division I bout between the two sides at 5:00 p.m. and wrapping the tournament the next day against the host Lions at 3:00 p.m.

Sept. 11-13 sees the Maroon and White play their first home games of the season with the 22nd edition of the Rose Hill Classic, welcoming Hofstra, FDU, and Temple to The Bronx for five total matches over three days. Fordham will host FDU to start things off on Friday, followed by Hofstra on Saturday and Temple on Sunday. Both Saturday and Sunday will also feature an additional neutral site contest.

The Rose Hill Classic will open a stretch that will see the Rams play 11 of 13 matches at the Rose Hill Gym from Sept. 11 to Oct. 18, before hitting the road for seven of the final nine contests in the regular season.

In one final tune up before conference play gets underway, Fordham will host Central Connecticut State on Sept. 20 at the Rose Hill Gym, before opening A-10 play with their third straight weekend at home, hosting Loyola Chicago Sept. 26-27.

The lone road weekend amidst the extended home stretch, the Rams head out to Ohio for a meeting with  defending A-10 Champions, Dayton, Oct. 3-4, which advanced to the NCAA Regional round with a pair of wins in the tournament last season.

From there the home games pick back up with a midweek clash against Rhode Island on Oct. 8, before George Washington comes to town for a pair of games in The Bronx that Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 11-12. One week later the Rams will welcome Duquesne to the Bronx to close the homestand Oct. 17-18.

Making a trip out to Missouri, the Rams visit Saint Louis, Oct. 24-25, before a return trip up to Rhode Island in the midweek on Oct. 29. Fordham then hosts its final home games of the regular season on Nov. 1-2 with a pair of matches against Davidson, hosting senior day that weekend as well.

The final two weekends of the regular season send the Rams down to Virginia, taking on George Mason Nov. 7-8 and VCU Nov. 15-16, where the Rams will look to stay, as the top six seeds in the A-10 head to VCU for the 2025 Atlantic 10 Championship, Nov. 21-23 in Richmond.