Colorado State University Pueblo senior Katherine Higgins this week was named the RMAC Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Academic Athlete of the Year.
Higgins, a Mead product, owns a 4.00 grade-point average while pursuing her master’s degree in education. She previously earned her bachelor’s degree in middle school mathematics with a 4.00 GPA. Higgins was the NCAA’s Elite 90 award recipient at the DII championships. The Elite 90 is awarded to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA at the finals site for each of the NCAA’s 90 championships.
Higgins was also the national champion and the RMAC champion in the shot put. Higgins was recently named the South Central Region Field Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
(“Colorado Sunshine” celebrates the good news in sports. Suggestions are encouraged through sports editor Paul Klee at paul.klee@gazette.com.)
At the AVCA Major League Volleyball All-America / Players of the Year Banquet presented by Nike, Brooklyn DeLeye was recognized as a 2025 AVCA All-American First Team selection. Reflecting on the honor, DeLeye shared: “This is such a high honor. We talk about grit, competitiveness, and joy all the time. Playing alongside my teammates this year has been amazing—I wouldn’t be here without them, our staff, and my family.” DeLeye’s season was marked by resilience, connection, and a shared commitment to excellence. Congratulations to Brooklyn DeLeye on her First Team All-American recognition.
At the AVCA Major League Volleyball All-America / Players of the Year Banquet presented by Nike, Brooklyn DeLeye was recognized as a 2025 AVCA All-American First Team selection.</p>
<p>Reflecting on the honor, DeLeye shared:</p>
<p>“This is such a high honor. We talk about grit, competitiveness, and joy all the time. Playing alongside my teammates this year has been amazing—I wouldn’t be here without them, our staff, and my family.”</p>
<p>DeLeye’s season was marked by resilience, connection, and a shared commitment to excellence.</p>
<p>Congratulations to Brooklyn DeLeye on her First Team All-American recognition. | American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA)
Two Wisconsin volleyball freshmen, Aniya Warren and Addy Horner, have announced their intention to enter the transfer portal.
Warren, a backup libero, and Horner, a backup setter, were behind other talented underclassmen on the roster.
Two Wisconsin volleyball freshmen appear to be taking their talents elsewhere in 2026.
Backup libero/defensive specialist Aniya Warren and backup setter Addy Horner are entering the transfer portal, they each announced on Instagram on Dec. 19.
Horner, in addition to sharing a post from a transfer portal account that listed her entry, said on her Instagram story that she is “beyond grateful” and thanked Badger nation. Warren said in an Instagram post that she is entering the portal to “explore new opportunities and continue my growth.”
“I want to start by sincerely thanking Wisconsin for welcoming me with open arms and so much love,” Warren said in the Instagram post. “A huge shoutout to the incredible coaching staff, my amazing teammates and the wonderful city of Madison for all the support and kindness I’ve received. This experience has meant the world to me.”
Both freshmen had impressive moments in the 2025 season, but were behind other talented underclassmen on the roster.
Starting libero Kristen Simon earned Big Ten all-freshman team honors as she averaged 3.47 digs per set. Charlie Fuerbringer, a third-team All-American in 2024, was an all-Big Ten first-team honoree in 2025 despite missing a month of the season with a shoulder injury.
Warren, the top-ranked libero in her recruiting class, appeared in 50 sets this season and totaled 65 digs and six reception errors. Horner, Prep Dig’s No. 1 setter in her recruiting class, appeared in 71 sets either as Fuerbringer’s injury replacement or a serving specialist.
The volleyball transfer portal window began on Dec. 7 and will continue until Jan. 5. Warren and Horner’s announcements come one day after the Badgers’ season-ending loss to Kentucky in the Final Four.
TIM WEIGHT/For the Express
Bald Eagle Area’s Leah Bryan and Norah Eppley hold District 6 Class AA championship trophy together. Both were named to the Laurel Highland volleyball all-star team.
TIM WEIGHT/For the Express
Bald Eagle Area’s Casey Angellotti was named a LHAC volleyball all-star.TIM WEIGHT/For the Express
Bald Eagle Area’s Casey Angellotti was named a LHAC volleyball all-star.
TIM WEIGHT/For the Express
Bald Eagle Area’s Emily Smith was named a LHAC volleyball all-star.
TIM WEIGHT/For the Express
Bald Eagle Area’s Leah Bryan and Norah Eppley hold District 6 Class AA championship trophy together. Both were named to the Laurel Highland volleyball all-star team.
Following its run to the PIAA Class AA quarterfinals in November, it comes as no surprise that the Bald Eagle Area volleyball team was well represented on this year’s Laurel Highlands all-star team. Four Eagles made the team, including two first teamers.
On the first team, Bald Eagle seniors Leah Bryan and Nora Eppley were present, earning accolades after prolific campaigns at outside hitter and libero respectively.
Fellow senior Casey Angellotti earned second-team honors at setter, and in just her second season, sophomore outside hitter Emily Smith also made the second team.
Apart from the Eagles, Bellefonte and Penns Valley also had all-star representatives. Penns Valley’s Peyton Wasson made the second team as a hitter while Bellefonte’s Colbie Frailey was named an honorable mention.
2025 LAUREL HIGHLAND VOLLEYBALL ALL-STARS
TIM WEIGHT/For the Express
Bald Eagle Area’s Casey Angellotti was named a LHAC volleyball all-star.TIM WEIGHT/For the Express
Bald Eagle Area’s Casey Angellotti was named a LHAC volleyball all-star.
FIRST TEAM
HITTERS
Leah Bryan, Bald Eagle; Addi Basenback, Hollidaysburg; Adi Jarrett, Philipsburg-Osceola; Kynlee Budny, Hollidaysburg.
SETTER
Delayni Baird, Hollidaysburg.
TIM WEIGHT/For the Express
Bald Eagle Area’s Emily Smith was named a LHAC volleyball all-star.
LIBERO/DS
Nora Eppley, Bald Eagle; Kenzi McLanahan, Hollidaysburg.
The Wisconsin Badgers suffered a tough loss to the Kentucky Wildcats in the NCAA National Semifinal on Thursday, ending their season after an incredible postseason run.
One day later, five different players announced their intentions to enter the transfer portal: Freshman setter Addy Horner, sophomore outside hitter Trinity Shadd-Ceres, freshman libero Aniya Warren, sophomore libero Maile Chan, and redshirt freshman middle blocker Tosia Serafinowska.
Horner, a native of Illinois, was considered the No. 1 setter in her class and the No. 2 player in her state coming out of high school last year by PrepDig. She stepped up during a big middle-of-the-season run when Charlie Fuerbringer was out due to injury. But, with the star sophomore still at Wisconsin for the next two years, it makes sense that Horner will look for other opportunities.
Shadd-Ceres played in four matches as a freshman. She saw action in nine games this year, including Wisconsin’s final three matches in the NCAA Tournament, recording three kills against Texas and one against Kentucky, subbing in late in both matches.
Warren was ranked the No. 1 libero in the Class of 2025, and her recruitment had a number of turns before she ended up at Wisconsin. She had seen time in the rotation early in the season and finished playing in 16 sets across nine games.
Chan, considered the No. 1 libero from the state of Oregon in her class, played in 25 matches across two seasons at Wisconsin. With freshman Kristen Simon entrenched at the libero spot to end the year, both Chan and Warren are heading elsewhere.
Lastly, Serafinowska is moving on with three years of eligibility left. She saw action in five games this year.
Those five outgoing transfers join seniors Mimi Colyer, Jada Cerniglia, Carter Booth, and Alicia Andrew as the players departing Wisconsin this offseason.
Coaches from Brevard County public schools have selected the 2025 All-Cape Coast Conference volleyball team.
Merritt Island High School led the selections with five players named to the team.
Four players from Edgewood High School were also voted onto the all-conference team.
The selections for the 2025 All-Cape Coast Conference volleyball team has been made by the coaches from Brevard County public schools.
18 athletes from across Brevard County received All-Cape Coast Conference honors. Here are the coaches’ selections to the 2025 All-Cape Coast Conference team:
