Duos from FIVB Volleyball Empowerment supported Austria, Greece, Czechia, Netherlands and Slovakia claimed zonal beach volleyball tour medals last week. A BVA Tour stop took place in Balikesir, Turkiye, while a MEVZA Tour event (pictured in the main photo; source: mevza.org) was held in Innsbruck, Austria, with teams from Turkiye, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary also making their way to the podiums.
BVA Zonal Tour in Balikesir
Greece’s Dimitra Manavi & Elisavet Triantafillidi defeated Dutch wild cards Benthe Essink & Lieke Gijsen in the women’s final of the BVA Zonal Tour event in Balikesir, while the bronze went to Romania’s Francesca Ioana Alupei & Beata Vaida. In the men’s competition, Greek representatives Stavros Ntallas & Dimitrios Chatzinikolaou took bronze, while Yusuf Ozdemir & Batuhan Kuru delighted the home crowd with a win over Bulgaria’s Dimitar Mehandzhiyski & Dimitar Kalchev in the gold medal showdown.
The Greek federation’s beach volleyball department has so far been allocated a total of USD 262,500 in FIVB Volleyball Empowerment coach support for their national duos, who have been working under the guidance of Konstantinos Pothitakis and Efstathios Chandrinos. The Dutch federation has so far been granted a total of USD 217,600 in national beach volleyball team coach support from FIVB Volleyball Empowerment. Their women’s pairs benefit from the expertise of Cypriot coach Antreas Savvidis.
The top-seeded Greek team of Dimitra Manavi & Elisavet Triantafillidi finished runners-up in their pool in Balikesir, but then cruised through the playoffs without dropping a single set in three matches played. They triumphed on top of the podium after a 2-0 (21-9, 21-14) sweep of the final against fifth-seeded Benthe Essink & Lieke Gijsen of the Netherlands, who reached the gold medal showdown undefeated in three games played. Second-seeded Romanians Francesca Ioana Alupei & Beata Vaida settled for bronze after mastering a 2-0 (21-17, 21-9) win over Moldova’s Ana Nicolaev & Valeria Gherman.
Women’s results and standings
On the men’s side, top-seeded Greek pair Stavros Ntallas & Dimitrios Chatzinikolaou reached the last four without dropping a single set, but then they yielded to third-seeded home favorites Yusuf Ozdemir & Batuhan Kuru in a 2-0 (21-17, 21-9) semifinal. The Greeks bounced back with a 2-0 (21-14, 21-15) sweep of the third-place match against another Turkish duo, Tuna Imdat & Baris Guldali, to snatch the bronze. Both Ozdemir & Kuru and fourth-seeded Bulgarians Dimitar Mehandzhiyski & Dimitar Kalchev reached the final undefeated. In the gold medal showdown, the Turkish team proved stronger on the way to a 2-0 (21-14, 21-16) victory.
Men’s results and standings
15 men’s and 11 women’s teams from Bulgaria, Greece, Kosovo, Moldova, the Netherlands, Romania and Turkiye took part in the competition.
MEVZA Zonal Tour in Innsbruck
The entire men’s podium at the MEVZA Zonal Tour event in Innsbruck was occupied by FIVB Volleyball Empowerment beneficiaries – Austria’s Laurenc Grossig & Maximilian Trummer with gold and Felix Friedl & Florian Schnetzer with bronze, and Slovakia’s Lubos Nemec & Adrian Petruf with silver. Also with support from the program, Czechia’s Andrea Lorenzova & Mariana Tomasova took the women’s bronze. In the final, Austria’s Lia Berger & Lilli Hohenauer beat Hungary’s Stefania Flora Kun & Lilla Villam.
Austria’s beach volleyball has so far been allocated USD 84,000 in coach support from FIVB Volleyball Empowerment, in addition to another USD 6,000 for a national team coaches development knowledge transfer program. Greek coach Georgios Kotsilianos has been in charge of their men’s national duos. The Slovak Volleyball Federation’s beach volleyball department has been funded with USD 126,000 in FIVB Volleyball Empowerment coach support for their national beach volleyball teams. Slovakia’s men’s pairs train under the guidance of coaches Martin Suja and Lubica Siposova. The Czech Volleyball Federation has received USD 168,000 in FIVB Volleyball Empowerment coach support for their women’s beach volleyball teams and another USD 24,000 in national team coach development knowledge transfer programs. Their women’s pairs take advantage of Argentinean coach Sebastian Menegozzo’s expertise.
Second-seeded Austrians Laurenc Grossig & Maximilian Trummer went through the entire tournament in Innsbruck without losing a set in five matches played. In a hard-fought semifinal, they outlasted sixth-seeded compatriots Felix Friedl & Florian Schnetzer by 2-0 (25-23, 21-17) and went on to celebrate gold after a 2-0 (22-20, 21-13) victory over top-seeded Slovakians Lubos Nemec & Adrian Petruf in the final. Nemec & Petruf started the tournament with a surprising loss, but then pushed through to the last match with four wins in a row. Friedl & Schnetzer recovered with a tight 2-1 (24-26, 21-16, 15-13) win over eighth-seeded Krystof Oliva & Vaclav Kurka of Czechia.
Men’s results and standings
With three wins in a row, fourth-seeded Czechs Andrea Lorenzova & Mariana Tomasova reached the last four. Their winning run was interrupted in the semifinals by the Austrian champions-to-be, second-seeded Lia Berger & Lilli Hohenauer, with a narrow 2-0 (21-18, 21-19) defeat. Lorenzova & Tomasova bounced back with a 2-0 (22-20, 21-18) upset of top-seeded Slovenians Tjasa Kotnik & Maja Marolt for the bronze. Berger & Hohenauer went on to master a 2-0 (21-14, 21-11) sweep of the final against third-seeded Stefania Flora Kun & Lilla Villam of Hungary and complete a perfect run of five straight-set victories in the tournament.
Women’s results and standings
28 men’s and 28 women’s duos from Austria, Czechia, Hungary, Israel, Slovakia and Slovenia took part in the competition.
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.
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.
Women’s Track & Field Rookie of the Week – Lola Gitlin
Lola Gitlin won the 3,000-meter race by more than 12 seconds at Cornell’s Southern Tier Invitational as she clocked a time of 10:37.55. Gitlin’s time is good for 24th nationally.
Women’s Track & Field – Field Performer of the Week – Lily Seyfert
Lily Seyfert placed third in the shot put at the Cornell Southern Tier Invitational with a mark of 12.72 meters, which is just shy of her top mark of 12.78 this season (17th in Division III). Seyfert also finished third in the weight throw at 16.20 meters and ranks eighth in the country after that performance.
Men’s Track & Field Rookie of the Week – Raphael Campanile
Raphael Campanile placed fifth in the pole vault with a mark of 4.50 meters at the Cornell Southern Tier Invitational on Saturday and currently ranks 25th in Division III with that performance.
HONOR ROLL
Matthew Zenker totaled 44 points on 18-of-31 shooting, to go along with nine rebounds and three steals in a 1-1 week for Ithaca. Zenker netted 20 points on 8-of-16 shooting in a 101-72 win over RIT and followed up with 24 points and eight rebounds as he shot 10-of-15 from the floor in a loss to Union.
Junior forward McNamara delivered a pair of strong performances despite setbacks against RIT and Union. Against the Tigers, she was flawless from the floor, going 3-for-3 while adding seven rebounds and two blocks. She carried that momentum into the Union matchup, coming just shy of her first career double-double with nine points and eight boards.
Shenandoah University men’s volleyball freshman Simon Bellenbaum was named the ODAC’s Defensive Player of the Week on Monday.
The York, Pennsylvania, native accumulated six solo blocks and eight digs in SU’s two matches against Randolph and Regent, with three blocks in each game and five digs versus the Royals.
Boys’ basketball: Sherando 48, Strasburg 44
STEPHENS CITY — Sherando defeated Strasburg for its fourth straight win on Monday. The Warriors are 9-4.
Girls’ basketball: Strasburg 39, Sherando 29
STRASBURG — Strasburg completed a season sweep with a win over Sherando on Monday.
The Warriors (3-11) trailed 18-7 after one quarter, 23-10 at the half and 29-22 after three quarters.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Two Keene State College student-athletes honored by the Little East Conference for their achievements accomplished for the week of January 5-11.
Men’s Swimming and Diving
Freshman diver Keegan Johnson (Durham, N.H.) was named the LEC Diver of the Week and the Rookie Diver of the Week from his dives across the Owls’ final two home meets this season over the past weekend. Against Eastern Connecticut State University, Johnson placed first in the 1M diving with a score of 129.75 on Friday afternoon, and on Saturday morning against Norwich University, he placed first in the 1M diving with a score of 141.38 and first in the 3M diving with a score of 170.31.
Johnson and the Owls return to action for a double-dual meet against Brandeis University and Bridgewater State University on Saturday, January 17 at 12:00 PM.
Men’s Indoor Track and Field
Senior Eden Damis (Nashua, N.H.) was named the LEC Field Athlete of the Week from his performance at the Middlebury Snowflake Invitational on Saturday for the Owls. In the long jump, Damis posted a mark of 14.00 in the triple just for a new personal record in his final attempt of the day. His mark became the 21st best mark in NCAA Division III on the season, just one position for qualifying for nationals later this season.
Damis and the Owls return to action at the Panther Invitational I at Plymouth State University on Saturday, January 17, at 10:00 AM.
PITMAN — The New Jersey Athletic Conference announced its women’s indoor track & field weekly honors for the week ending Jan. 11
TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
LUCIA GARCIA-BELTRAN • The College of New Jersey
Senior • Hopewell, NJ/Hopewell Valley Central
Garcia-Beltran earned NJAC Track Athlete of the Week honors after setting a new program record in the 60 meters at the Lions Indoor Invitational. The senior sprinter and Rutgers transfer clocked a time of 7.63 seconds, which ranks fifth in NCAA Division III.
FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
SARAH SCEPKOWSKI • The College of New Jersey
Senior • Garwood, NJ/Arthur L. Johnson
Scepkowski claimed NJAC Field Athlete of the Week recognition after clearing 1.60 meters in the high jump at the Lions Indoor Invitational. The senior’s mark ranks 20th in NCAA Division III and stands as one of the top performances in the conference this season.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
AMELIA VITALE • Farmingdale State College
Freshman • Hauppauge, NY/Hauppauge
Vitale was named NJAC Rookie of the Week after posting a time of 2:30.87 in the 800 meters at the Spartan Invitational. The freshman’s performance represents the top mark in the event thus far in the NJAC this season and establishes her as the conference’s early leader in the middle-distance event.
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.
