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Cranston East boys volleyball defeats NK for 2025 D-I title

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  • Cranston East defeated North Kingstown 3-2 to win the Rhode Island Division I boys volleyball state championship.
  • This is Cranston East’s first boys volleyball state title in program history.
  • Cranston East lost three times to North Kingstown during the regular season but prevailed in the championship match.

PROVIDENCE — Cranston East would have scheduled North Kingstown every week if it could.

The Thunderbolts wanted every chance against the state’s preeminent boys volleyball powerhouse. They had lost three times to the Skippers in the regular season, but it didn’t matter to Cranston East.

Sam Rivera tested his serves in each loss. Charles Pincince timed his swings on the outside and Dennis Dixon carved out space in the middle against NK. The trio and the rest of the Thunderbolts improved every time they played North Kingstown.

Cranston East beat the rest of the state and secured the second seed in the Division I tournament. A fourth meeting with NK, one at Rhode Island College, awaited the Thunderbolts.

And Cranston East did what no other program would even think was possible. The Thunderbolts clawed out two games from NK and in the final frame, a fifth-set thriller, Rivera’s ace trickled over the net for a match win.

The 3-2 (25-21, 25-22, 22-25, 15-25, 16-14) triumph is Cranston East’s first boys volleyball state championship in program history and just second boys volleyball title overall.

“I’m glad to be on the court and share it with [my teammates],” Rivera said. “I really look up to all of them and I’m so proud of them. All our hard work and all the effort on and off the court — it all led here and my brothers took me through that final ace.”

Earlier this season: North Kingstown boys volleyball survives Cranston East; Here’s why it matters

No. 2 Cranston East (13-5) stole back-to-back points before Rivera’s ace toed the right side of the net and fell for the win. Rivera capped off the upset of the spring and handed North Kingstown its first loss this season. The top-ranked Skippers entered Sunday’s match with only five set losses all year.

“We knew that we weren’t the favorites to win,” Dixon said. “Nobody expected us to win but we did.

“We knew we were going to make errors. It was just about coming back with momentum. We were sliding, but we had to understand that you have to come back in the next set. You’ve got to come back with some type of fire.”  

The Thunderbolts, after losing to La Salle in five sets in last year’s semifinals, didn’t build the program overnight. Aggerson Vetiaque might have been the best athlete on the court and compiled a promising sophomore season. Darien Peterson added another hitting option behind Pincince and Dixon, and Caleb Xum was the reliable setter every team needs.

“It was great seeing all of my teammates celebrate and seeing how happy they got,” Pincince said. “Volleyball is a lot about community and helping each other and supporting each other. It’s amazing to see what we can do together.”

North Kingstown rallied from a 16-10 deficit in the third set to stave off a sweep. The Skippers stormed to a 16-6 lead in the fourth set with the quality hitting that paced an impressive season in the school’s decorated history.

But in the decisive set, Cranston East broke out to a 4-1 lead. The bench energy was on display and it carried the Thunderbolts the rest of the way. NK only led, 12-11 and 13-12, in the fifth set as Cranston East gritted out the victory.

“They were super resilient,” Cranston East coach, Jhamal Diggs, said. “We came out in the first two sets firing. The third and fourth sets were a little wacky, but the plan was to go to five sets. We talked about it, we practiced that and every game we were prepared to go to five. We just went point-by-point and we’re able to execute.”

North Kingstown graduates a talented senior class that was on the doorstep of back-to-back championships. The Skippers handled their second fifth-set championship loss in a row with class and will eventually be back to that stage.



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Track and Field Opens Indoor Season with Success in Boston Area

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December 9, 2025

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BOSTON, MASS. – The Dartmouth indoor men’s and women’s track and field teams opened their seasons in the Boston area on Friday and Saturday, with both teams competing in the HBCU & Ivy Challenge, while some men competed in the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener the following day. 

“Overall, I thought both teams finished the season on a high note. I was really impressed with several of our individual runners and their performances. Our seniors stepped up with some good races. Also, we’re fairly young on both sides with multiple first-years scoring for us. We look forward to taking this positive momentum into the indoor track & field season. Go Big Green!” Mike Nelson, the Marjorie & Herbert Chase ’30 Director of Dartmouth Track & Field and Cross Country, said.

Colton McMaster highlighted the men’s throwing events by taking first place in the shot put (17.26m) and weight throw (19.11m). Zaneta Pivcova stood out in women’s throws, placing third in the shot put with her 14.67m mark and putting herself at third all-time in the program’s top ten list. 

In the women’s jumps, Maya Pacarro placed second in the triple jump with her 11.45m mark, while Charlotte DiRocco similarly placed second in the high jump, clearing 1.63m. The men also found success in their jumping events, with all three pole vaulters earning top spots in the event. David Adams cleared 5.00m for first place, followed by Jack Tan clearing 4.60m and earning second place in his collegiate debut and rounded out by Sam Starrs in third place with his 4.60m finish. 

In the running events, Winston Morgan placed second overall in the 200m, putting himself at third all-time with a 21.73 finish. Richard Rozkydalek began his collegiate career by placing second in the 600m with a 1:21.09 finish. Keion Grieve and Michael Bueker followed behind, placing second and third, respectively. For the women, Imogen Brown placed sixth in the 600m and put herself at fifth all-time with a final mark of 1:39.01. 

Rebeka Zibritova opened her collegiate career by putting herself at sixth all-time in the 60mH with a final time of 8.88. 

ALL-TIME TOP TEN LIST

60m Hurdles

1.  8.20 – Cha’Mia Rothwell – 2018

2.  8.45 – Mariella Schweitzer – 2025

3.  8.74 – Allison Frantz – 2015

     8.74 – Abby Feeney – 2016

4.  8.76 – Daniela Ruelas Lomeli – 2025

5.  8.79 – Janae Dunchack – 2012

6.  8.88 – Lauren Ready – 2015

     8.88 – Anoush Krafian – 2022

     8.88 – Rebeka Zibritova – 2025

7.  8.92 – Danielle Johnson – 2025

8.  8.99 – Danielle Okonta – 2017             

      8.99 – Alexandra Tanner – 2011

      8.99 – Priscilla Trojano – 2012

 

Women’s Shot Put

1.  14.99m – Amy Winchester

2.  14.76m – Julia Reglewski

3.  14.67m – Zaneta Pivcova – 2025

4.  14.59m – Lily Lockhart

5.  14.56m – Autumn Clark – 2024

6.  14.52m – Allison Cardlin

7.  14.47m – Emmaline Berg

8.  14.42m – Sarah Beasley

9.  14.14m – Jamila Smith

10.  14.11m – Meagan Verdeyen

Women’s 600m

1.  1:35.98 – Annie Jackson – 2023

2.  1:37.00 – Arianna Gragg – 2019

3.  1:37.72 – Julia Pye – 2023

4.  1:38.78 – Andie Murray – 2022

5.  1:39.01 – Imogen Brown – 2025

6.  1:41.74 – Sarah Adams – 2019

7.  1:44.00 – Sara Fragione – 2022

8.   

9.   

10.  

Men’s 200m

1.  21.48 – Myles Epstein – 2022

2.  21.62 – Bryce Thomas – 2025

3.  21.73 – Winston Morgan – 2025

4. 21.76 – Donovan Spearman – 2019

5.  21.86 – Muhammed Adbul-Shakoor – 2010

6.  22.03 – Jalil Bishop – 2011

7.  22.04 – Painter Richards-Baker – 2025

     22.04 – Nils Wilderberg – 2022

     22.04 – Mathiur Farber – 2019

     22.04 – Lloyd May – 2017

8.  22.07 – Adam Couirr – 2017

9.  22.12 – Connor Reilly – 2010

Men’s 600m

1.  1:18.43 – J’Voughn Blake – 2023

2.  1:18.65 – Adrien Jacobs – 2024

3.  1:19.90 – DJ Matusz – 2022

4.  1:20.45 – Mason Childers – 2022

5.  1:21.09 – Richard Rozkydalek -2025

6.  1:22.67 – Max Frye – 2019

7.  1:23.06 – Aidan Robinson – 2021

8. 1:23.10 – Keion Grieve  – 2025

9. 1:23.66 – Michael Bueker – 2025 

 



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Ferris State provides early commencement celebration for two volleyball team members headed to NCAA DII Elite Eight

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December 9, 2025

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December 8, 2025

From left to right: photo of Provost Bobby Fleischman, student Emma Bleecher, student Ivy Wilhelm, head coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm, President Bill Pink
From left to right: Provost Bobby Fleischman, Emma Bleecher, Ivy Wilhelm, head coach
Tia Brandel-Wilhelm, and President Bill Pink

BIG RAPIDS, Mich. — 

Two members of the Ferris State University volleyball team has one important thing
to take care of before heading to South Dakota for the NCAA Division II National Tournament:
graduate.

Ferris State President Bill Pink and Provost Bobby Fleischman conducted a special
ceremony for outside hitter Emma Bleecher and Ivy Wilhelm, a student worker with the
team, complete with academic regalia. The team members won’t be back from the tournament
in time to participate in Friday’s ceremony with their classmates.

“We do this because we like to celebrate our Bulldogs,” Pink said. “We like to celebrate
our graduates, and when you’re not able to join us for all the good reasons. When
your success is so prominent in our university, these things happen. But that’s why
our university is built to adjust so that we’re able to help our students.”

The volleyball team earned its way to the NCAA DII Elite Eight for the second year
in a row. Pink said he didn’t want the students’ athletic success to prohibit them
from participating in a treasured academic milestone.

“We’re used to this kind of success,” Pink told the students. “It’s how we do our
business here at Ferris State. We make sure that we honor and recognize when our students
have accomplishments. Our students finish what we start. So, it’s an honor to be able
to celebrate with you this way.”

Students wore their caps and gowns for the brief celebration. Bleecher, a Criminal
Justice Administration major from Champaign, Illinois said it was nice to be able
to be presented with her diploma even if she couldn’t be a part of the larger ceremony
on Friday morning.

“I think it’s amazing,” she said. “I think it’s just like a blessing to be here, and
it’s just cool to be able to do both.”

Wilhelm, who works with the team’s social media, earned a bachelor’s degree in Marketing.

“In moments like this, when I know it’s my community and they’re going to show up
for me, I know 100% I was right to be here these four years,” she said.

The team captured the NCAA DII Midwest Region Championship on Saturday and has been
selected as the No. 8 seed Elite Eight rounded to be held Dec. 11 to 13, in Sioux
Falls, South Dakota.

The Bulldogs will square off against top-seeded and unbeaten University of Tampa in
the national quarterfinals on Thursday, Dec. 11 with first serve set for 8 p.m. at
the Sanford Pentagon.

The Bulldogs will be making their second consecutive NCAA Division II Elite Eight
appearance after making their first since 2013 a year ago.

Saturday’s victory marked the fifth time Ferris State claimed a regional championship
as the Bulldogs previously won crowns back in 1987 and 1989 along with 2013 and 2024.

Ferris State, which is guided by 30th-year head coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm, is 27-7
this year heading into the D2 Elite Eight. The Bulldogs finished the regular season
as the GLIAC Champions and earned runner-up honors in the GLIAC Tournament as the
host institution.





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Wildsmith Earns USTFCCCA National Weekly Nod

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December 9, 2025

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GRAPEVINE, Tex. — 

Allie Wildsmith (Bainbridge Island, Wash.) of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy track & field team has been named the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Women’s NCAA Division III National Athlete of the Week in recognition of her performance this past weekend at Boston University’s Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener.

The reigning indoor and outdoor high jump National Champion wasted started her first title defense of the season by needing just two jumps to win the event. Wildsmith passed up on the first five bars before clearing her first attempt of the day at 1.63 meters (5′ 4.25″). The senior needed just one jump again to get over the next height of 1.68m (5′ 6″), which the remaining three of her original five competitors bowed out on.

As the last jumper left, Wildsmith secured easy one-try clearances on the next two heights of 1.73m (5′ 8″) and 1.78m (5′ 10″) before closing out her day with tries at the NCAA DIII indoor record of 1.83m (6′ 0″). Despite knocking the bar off on all three tries, the senior’s dominance was on full display as she extended her undefeated streak to 11 event wins in a row.

Wildsmith and Bears track & field will be out of action for the next few weeks due to the holiday break, but they’ll be back and raring to go on January 17th for the self-hosted CGA Winter Invite #1 at Gregory Field House.

 



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VYPE HOU 2025 Volleyball Setter of the Year Fan Poll

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December 9, 2025

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Central’s Brown named conference men’s runner of the week

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46 minutes ago

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December 9, 2025

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PELLA— Winning the mile in his first action of the indoor season, Central College men’s track and field junior Jack Brown (Norwalk) was named the American Rivers Conference Track Events Performer of the Week Monday.
           
Brown’s mile time clocked in at 4 minutes, 7.80 seconds at the Frigid Bee Opener hosted by St. Ambrose University on Saturday. He won the race by 4.87 seconds and currently has the top time in Division III.
           
Central hosts the Dutch Holiday Preview on Friday, December 12 inside the H.S. Kuyper Fieldhouse.
 



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Limestone’s Mia Lamberti repeats as Volleyball Player of the Year

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December 9, 2025

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Dec. 9, 2025, 3:00 a.m. CT

Limestone High School junior Mia Lamberti is the 2025 Journal Star Volleyball Player of the Year, the second year in a row for the University of Illinois commit.

Limestone High School junior Mia Lamberti is the 2025 Journal Star Volleyball Player of the Year, the second year in a row for the University of Illinois commit.

MATT DAYHOFF/JOURNAL STAR



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