If the early chapters of the 2025–26 Louisiana Tech Athletics calendar have proven anything, it’s this: tradition still matters and history is still being made.

July: A New League, Familiar Rivals

Summers are usually quite tame in college athletics. Not this time at Louisiana Tech. The 2025-26 athletic season officially kicked off with a banger when on July 16 the University officially accepted an invitation to join the Sun Belt Conference, marking one of the most significant moments in the department’s modern history. The move promises renewed rivalries, improved geographic access for alumni, enhanced recruiting, and a better overall student-athlete experience.

August: Soccer Comes Full Circle

LA Tech soccer literally kicks off the athletic season, every season. More than two decades after the program’s inaugural season began on the rugby field across from the Lambright Center, the Bulldogs returned to their roots – this time at the beautiful Robert Mack Caruthers Field.

Three straight home matches at “The Mack” set the stage, but the third made history.  On Aug. 21, LA Tech’s 2-0 shutout of in-state rival UL-Lafayette not only felt good because it was the Ragin’ Cajuns – it marked the 100th home win in program history. 

September: Fairways, Firsts, and the National Stage

Early September brought a familiar sight at Squire Creek Country Club, where LA Tech golf once again opened its season on its beautiful home course. Hosting a tournament there has become tradition – this year marking the 22nd home event since 2003 – and the Bulldogs made it count.

LA Tech fired a three-round total of 854 (-10) at the Argent Financial Classic, tying the program record for lowest 54-hole score at the event.

Just weeks later on the tennis courts of Cary, North Carolina, Zoie Epps became the first Bulldog singles player to qualify for the ITA All-American Championships, one of the premier events in collegiate tennis. The junior did not just show up – she belonged, rattling off three straight pre-qualifying wins, including upsets over two seeded opponents, to advance to the qualifying draw and put LA Tech tennis firmly on the national radar.

Halloween Weekend: Legends, Homecoming, and Giving Back

Halloween weekend delivered a whirlwind of celebration and connection. The Bradshaw-Brooks Golf Tournament, presented by Origin Bank, returned after a seven-year hiatus, bringing together two of Louisiana Tech’s most iconic alumni – Terry Bradshaw and Kix Brooks – at Squire Creek Country Club.

Held ahead of the university’s 100th Homecoming Game, the event raised more than $100,000 for Louisiana Tech Athletics. It was a reminder that while facilities and conferences change, the bond between Tech and its alumni remains timeless.

That night, LA Tech Football delivered a frightfully dominant performance, steamrolling Sam Houston 55-14 behind a relentless rushing attack at Origin Bank Field at Joe Aillet Stadium. Donning brand new black jerseys, the Bulldogs totaled 646 yards of offense, piling up 425 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground while scoring multiple touchdowns in every quarter.

The busy weekend continued the next day on Nov. 1, starting off with LA Tech volleyball delivering its best offensive performance of the season, sweeping New Mexico State inside historic Scotty Robertson Memorial Gymnasium. Playing there for the first time since 2013, the Bulldogs snapped a 23-match losing streak to the Aggies while posting a season-best .376 hitting percentage. Some buildings just know how to deliver magic.

Then that night, LA Tech celebrated excellence across generations, enshrining its 21st Athletics Hall of Fame class. Eight individuals – spanning football, basketball, track and field, and athletic training – were honored for their lasting impact on the university. The ceremony served as a powerful reminder that today’s achievements stand on the shoulders of those who came before.

November: Breakthroughs on Every Front

November arrived fast – and packed plenty of punch.

A week later, the nationally ranked bowling team put together one of the most impressive weekends in program history. Finishing 11-2 with eight ranked wins, including victories over No. 1, No. 2 (twice), and No. 3, the Bulldogs closed the Bulldog Classic with a top five finish and plenty of statement wins.

On Nov. 21, success showed up in the classroom as well. LA Tech student-athletes recorded a department-record 3.353 fall GPA, with 251 Bulldogs and Lady Techsters earning spots on the AD Honor Roll. 

Then came Nov. 22.

LA Tech unveiled the Richardson Family Legacy Plaza, complete with statues honoring legendary coaches Joe Aillet and Maxie Lambright. Situated on the southwest corner of Joe Aillet Stadium, the plaza serves as a lasting tribute to two figures who shaped not just a football program, but an identity.

Later on that day came the football home finale. Down 28-7 midway through the third quarter, LA Tech football authored one of the most memorable comebacks in Joe Aillet Stadium history. Fueled by fourth-down conversions, three straight interceptions, and a defense that simply refused to blink, the Bulldogs forced overtime against Liberty. On the first snap of OT, Andrew Burnette took a handoff 25 yards to the house, capping a 27-point rally and clinching bowl eligibility in front of a home crowd that will remember that roar for a long time.

The very next day, women’s basketball delivered its own statement, defeating Stephen F. Austin 93-66 in a matchup featuring two of the winningest programs in the sport’s history. For the Lady Techsters, it was another reminder that tradition still carries weight – and momentum.

December: Rivals, Milestones, and a Bowl Trophy to Top It Off

The calendar flipped to December, and LA Tech men’s basketball also delivered a milestone for its fans.

On Dec. 13, the Bulldogs rolled past UL-Lafayette 65-44 inside the Thomas Assembly Center, securing the 94th all-time win in the rivalry – and win No. 1,500 in program history. Stifling defense, timely shooting, and a packed home crowd turned a Saturday afternoon into another chapter worth remembering.

And then, football decided to cap off the calendar year with a bang in Shreveport.

Down 14-3, LA Tech’s defense slammed the door out of the locker room, forcing turnovers, winning the line of scrimmage, and completely flipping the tone of the afternoon. The offense followed suit, finding rhythm, stacking drives, and clawing back, outscoring the Chanticleers 20-0 the rest of the way to win 23-14 and walk off the Independence Stadium turf as Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl champions, closing the year with one final exclamation point – and a nice piece of hardware.

A phenomenal fall for Mid-Prairie volleyball has led to post-season awards for the Golden Hawk sister act on the court. Mid-Prairie’s Jovi and Jeorgia Evans were named Class 3A All-State by the Iowa Girls Coaches Association.

Senior Jovi Evans was a First-Team All-State selection. Evans finished third in Class 3A with 432 kills. She was sixth in 3A with 58 aces, and ninth in the state with a .351 swing efficiency. Evans was seventh in the River Valley Conference with 402 assists and put up 424 digs and 34 blocks on defense. She is a multi-time All-State, All-District and All-River Valley Conference choice and former River Valley Conference Player of the Year.

Sophomore Jeorgia Evans was a Fourth-Team All-State pick in 3A. Evans had 579 digs this season, second most in Class 3A. Her 56 aces were eighth in the state. Evans finished with a .295 swing efficiency, fifth in conference and 213 kills ninth in the River Valley with 25 blocks. Evans was also an All-District and All-RVC honoree.

Mid-Prairie ended the year at 30-10, the first time in school history with 30 or more wins in three straight seasons and advanced to the State Tournament for the first time in consecutive years.

MOUNT VERNON, Iowa – Men’s basketball (10-2, 2-1 A-R-C) closed 2025 with an 86-69 road win over Cornell College (1-10, 0-2 MWC) behind a 29 point and 17 rebound double-double performance from Ethan Yungtum.
 
Game Summary

• First Half
  

  • Wartburg jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the opening minutes after five points from Ethan Yungtum and two from Gabe Trujillo
  • Yungtum and Luke Ladwig each connected on three pointers along with a bucket from Austin Bienemann to take a 18-7 lead after six minutes of play
  • Drake Wemark and Yungtum each scored four points over the next three minutes to keep the Knights in front 27-11
  • After Cornell cut the lead to 10 points, Trujillo nailed a three pointer with 4:48 left in the half
  • The Knights closed the half on an 8-3 run behind scores from Yungtum, Wemark and Kaleb Ferguson

    • Wartburg led 44-36 at halftime

• Second Half

  • Cornell outscored Wartburg 8-5 in the first three minutes of the second half after scores from Trujillo and Cael Schramm
  • Wartburg brought the lead to 57-38 following three pointers from Yungtum and Ladwig and a score from Bienemann
  • Lyle Olsen connected on another Wartburg three pointer as the Knights held a 64-45 lead with just over 10 minutes left to play
  • The Knights continued to hold their lead over the next three minutes as both Trujillo and Bienemann scored four points each
  • Bienemann had back-to-back dunks for Wartburg to push the Knights’ lead to 77-58 with 4:46 to go
  • The Knights continued to match Cornell’s scoring in the final minutes as Yungtum, Bienemann and Ladwig combined for nine points to close out an 86-69 win for Wartburg

 
Top Performers

 
Notes/Streaks

• Wartburg moves to 2-0 over Cornell this season

  • First time with multiple wins over Cornell in one season since 2018-19

• 10^th double double of the season for Yungtum
  
• Four blocks is a career high for Schramm

  • 12 blocks over his last five games

• 10 assists ties Ladwig’s career best

  • Fifth career game with 10 assists (second this season)

• Career high in rebounds for Yungtum (17)

  • Most by any Knight this season

• Third time this season with 10+ threes made as a team
• Seventh 20+ point scoring performance for Yungtum this season

 
Next Time Out
The Knights are back in action on Saturday, Jan. 3 for a home matchup against Nebraska Wesleyan University at 4 p.m.
 

Huntsville area volleyball teams were well-represented in the AHSAA Elite Eight championship tournament with 11 teams earning spots this season.

Class 5A Guntersville won its sixth state championship while Class 6A Hazel Green advanced to the championship match before falling to Spanish Fort and Austin finished in the Class 7A final four.

Other teams winning to the final eight were Class 7A Bob Jones, which was the only team to push class champion McGill-Toolen to five sets since a Sept. 4 five-setter against Class 6A champion Spanish Fort. Class 6A Hartselle, Class 5A Arab, Brewer and Boaz, Class 4A Madison County and West Morgan and Class 3A Elkmont also earned Elite Eight spots.

The Huntsville Times All-Region team is compiled by the AL.com high school sports staff with input from coaches.

AL.com named Player of the Year, Attacker MVP, Defensive MVP, Setter MVP and Coach of the Year. Award winners are listed separately, but considered first-team selections.

HUNTSVILLE ALL-REGION VOLLEYBALL TEAM

(Players listed alphabetically)

Adily Alberti, Danville

5-8, Sr., Outside Hitter/Defensive Specialist

358 kills, 21 blocks, 332 digs, 24 assists, 36 aces

College: Undecided

Charlie Barnes, Austin

5-11, Sr., Outside Hitter

484 kills, 48 blocks, 408 digs, 42 assists, 76 aces

College: Bevill

McKenzie Doner, Elkmont

Jr., Outside Hitter/Middle

283 kills, 29 blocks, 374 digs, 23 assists, 72 aces

College: Undecided

Caroline Coulter, Decatur

5-10, Sr., Outside Hitter

441 kills, 21 blocks, 303 digs, 21 assists, 31 aces

College: Undecided

Aylah Duvall, Hazel Green

6-0, Jr., Middle

268 kills, 72 blocks, 191 digs, 22 assists, 27 aces

College: Undecided

Blakely Faulkner, Brewer

5-8, Sr., Outside Hitter

557 kills, 18 blocks, 653 digs, 82 assists, 84 aces

College: Undecided

Emani Green, James Clemens

5-4, Sr., Libero

402 digs, 277 assists, 44 aces

College: Alabama State

Riley Green, Lindsay Lane

5-4, Jr., Setter

1,020 assists, 54 kills, 299 digs, 52 aces

College: Undecided

Addy Gustafson, Madison County

5-8, Sr., Setter

1,194 assists, 61 kills, 35 blocks, 426 digs, 40 aces

College: Undecided

Layla Hanvy, Decatur Heritage

6-0, Jr., Middle

254 kills, 35 blocks, 210 digs, 32 assists, 33 aces

College: Undecided

Rylee Jo Harbin, New Hope

5-4, Jr., Libero, 44 kills, 0 blocks, 483 digs, 80 assists, 40 aces

College: Undecided

Layla Hendrix, Arab

6-0, Jr., Middle

435 kills, 35 blocks, 91 digs, 69 aces

College: Undecided

Maddy Johnson, Hartselle

5-7, Sr., Setter

Region second-best 1,518 assists, region-best 24.48 assists per match, 181 kills, 22 blocks, 421 digs, 68 aces

College: Undecided

Kalyn Jones, Lindsay Lane

5-10, Jr., Outside Hitter

Region second-best 654 kills, region-best 13.91 kills per match, 20 blocks, 333 digs, 27 assists, region second-best 102 aces

College: Undecided

Mya Lacey, Bob Jones

5-10, Sr., Right Side/Setter

396 kills, 479 assists, 59 blocks, 344 digs, 79 aces

College: AUM

Carleigh Lanford, Madison County

5-10, Sr., Outside Hitter/Defensive Specialist

574 kills, 34 blocks, 529 digs, 52 aces

College: Undecided

Abby Langlois, Priceville

6-1, Sr., Outside Hitter

435 kills, 96 blocks, 325 digs, 43 aces

College: West Florida

Italey May, Guntersville

5-8, So., Outside Hitter

451 kills, 29 blocks, 295 digs, 40 assists, 19 aces

College: Undecided

Brenna McReath, Hartselle

5-9, Jr., Right Side

523 kills, 62 blocks, 396 digs, 59 assists, region second-best 109 aces

College: Undecided

Kennedy Moss, Huntsville

5-8, Sr., Outside Hitter

376 kills, 38 blocks, 270 digs, 14 assists, 42 aces

College: Undecided

Bekah Mouser, Madison Academy

5-6, Jr., Outside Hitter

314 kills, 26 blocks, 392 digs, 30 aces

College: Undecided

McKenna Phillips, Buckhorn

5-8, Jr., Outside Hitter

359 kills, 65 blocks, 329 digs, 11 assists, 44 aces

College: Undecided

Brooke Reeves, Grissom

6-0, Sr., Outside Hitter

262 kills, 40 blocks, 205 digs, 29 aces

College: Calhoun

Elizabeth Rohling, St. John Paul II

5-10, Jr., Setter

188 kills, 22 blocks, 378 digs, 836 assists, 70 aces

College: Undecided

Shayna Russell, DAR

5-8, Sr., Outside Hitter

476 kills, 22 blocks, 453 digs, 52 assists, 69 aces

College: Snead

Olivia Saint, Hazel Green

6-3, Sr., Right Side

306 kills, 55 blocks, 103 digs, 18 assists, 18 aces

College: Freed Hardeman

Haniyah Standridge, West Morgan

5-7, So., Outside Hitter

Region-best 723 kills, region second-best 12.25 kills per match, 35 blocks, 335 digs, 53 aces

College: Undecided

Ka’miah Walker, Athens

5-8, Sr., Outside Hitter

425 kills, 6 blocks, 255 digs, 17 assists, 56 aces

College: Calhoun

Amari Woods, Austin

5-10, Jr., Outside Hitter

374 kills, 39 blocks, 329 digs, 57 assists, 45 aces

College: Undecided

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Mary George Vandergriff, Guntersville

5-8, Sr., Setter

Region-best 1,671 assists, region second-best 24.22 assists per match, 135 kills, 39 blocks, 426 digs, 86 aces

College: UAH

ATTACKER MVP

Kendall Buckley, Bob Jones

6-0, Sr., Outside Hitter

476 kills, 57 blocks, 424 digs, 33 assists, 73 aces

College: UNA

DEFENSIVE MVP

Camryn Collier, Hazel Green

5-7, Sr., Libero

568 digs, 132 assists, 23 aces

College: Calhoun

SETTER MVP

Maggie Jae Marsh, Austin

5-8, Jr., Setter

1,174 assists, 195 kills, 56 blocks, 380 digs, 82 aces

College: Undecided

COACH OF THE YEAR

Melissa-Paul Gardner, Guntersville

HONORABLE MENTION

Outside Hitter/Right Side: Sydney Jarmon, Guntersville, Sr.; Emma Guffey, DAR, So.; Isabelle Sutton, Madison Academy, Sr.; Sydney Wallace, New Hope, Sr.; Mackenzie Martin, New Hope, Sr.; Makenzie Irmen, Brewer, Sr.; Emma- Glenn Roby, Decatur, Jr.; Lyndie Springer, Hartselle, Sr.; Abigail Preuitt, Hartselle, Sr.; Rhyan Holloway, St. John Paul II, Sr.; Aliyah Hollingsworth, Boaz, Jr.; Ella Watts, Bob Jones, So.; Julia Celani, James Clemens, So. ; Destiny Burns, Athens Bible, Sr.; Emma Underwood, Elkmont, Sr.; Caroline Cofield, Boaz, Jr.; Alice Morrison, Lindsay Lane, Jr.; Harper Jane Douglas, Decatur, Sr.

Middle: Izzy Fearnside, Madison County, Jr.; Lilly Roberts, Guntersville, Sr.; Shiloh Stanley, Guntersville, So.; Breanna Gentry, Boaz, Jr.; Raygen Muse, West Morgan, Jr.

Setter: Josie Childress, Priceville, Sr.; Madison Moore, Grissom, Jr.; Kylie Murrell, Athens Bible, Fr.; Lily Nelson, Hazel Green, So.; Brooklynn Gonzalez, Buckhorn, Jr.; Sarai McKenzie, Buckhorn, Jr.; Millie Lackey, Arab, Jr.; Rose Garner, Decatur Heritage, Jr.; Gillian Head, DAR, Jr. ; Sarah Bacon, Madison Academy, So.

Defensive Specialist/Libero: Isabella Grant, St. John Paul II, Jr.; Alley Emerson, Brewer, So.; Kayden Gronczniak, Arab, Sr.; Aubree Lagunas, Athens, Jr.; Paige Bradshaw, Madison County, Fr.

State

AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWashington D.C.West VirginiaWisconsinWyomingPuerto RicoUS Virgin IslandsArmed Forces AmericasArmed Forces PacificArmed Forces EuropeNorthern Mariana IslandsMarshall IslandsAmerican SamoaFederated States of MicronesiaGuamPalauAlberta, CanadaBritish Columbia, CanadaManitoba, CanadaNew Brunswick, CanadaNewfoundland, CanadaNova Scotia, CanadaNorthwest Territories, CanadaNunavut, CanadaOntario, CanadaPrince Edward Island, CanadaQuebec, CanadaSaskatchewan, CanadaYukon Territory, Canada

Zip Code

Country

United States of AmericaUS Virgin IslandsUnited States Minor Outlying IslandsCanadaMexico, United Mexican StatesBahamas, Commonwealth of theCuba, Republic ofDominican RepublicHaiti, Republic ofJamaicaAfghanistanAlbania, People’s Socialist Republic ofAlgeria, People’s Democratic Republic ofAmerican SamoaAndorra, Principality ofAngola, Republic ofAnguillaAntarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S)Antigua and BarbudaArgentina, Argentine RepublicArmeniaArubaAustralia, Commonwealth ofAustria, Republic ofAzerbaijan, Republic ofBahrain, Kingdom ofBangladesh, People’s Republic ofBarbadosBelarusBelgium, Kingdom ofBelizeBenin, People’s Republic ofBermudaBhutan, Kingdom ofBolivia, Republic ofBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswana, Republic ofBouvet Island (Bouvetoya)Brazil, Federative Republic ofBritish Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago)British Virgin IslandsBrunei DarussalamBulgaria, People’s Republic ofBurkina FasoBurundi, Republic ofCambodia, Kingdom ofCameroon, United Republic ofCape Verde, Republic ofCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicChad, Republic ofChile, Republic ofChina, People’s Republic ofChristmas IslandCocos (Keeling) IslandsColombia, Republic ofComoros, Union of theCongo, Democratic Republic ofCongo, People’s Republic ofCook IslandsCosta Rica, Republic ofCote D’Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of theCyprus, Republic ofCzech RepublicDenmark, Kingdom ofDjibouti, Republic ofDominica, Commonwealth ofEcuador, Republic ofEgypt, Arab Republic ofEl Salvador, Republic ofEquatorial Guinea, Republic ofEritreaEstoniaEthiopiaFaeroe IslandsFalkland Islands (Malvinas)Fiji, Republic of the Fiji IslandsFinland, Republic ofFrance, French RepublicFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaFrench Southern TerritoriesGabon, Gabonese RepublicGambia, Republic of theGeorgiaGermanyGhana, Republic ofGibraltarGreece, Hellenic RepublicGreenlandGrenadaGuadaloupeGuamGuatemala, Republic ofGuinea, Revolutionary
People’s Rep’c ofGuinea-Bissau, Republic ofGuyana, Republic ofHeard and McDonald IslandsHoly See (Vatican City State)Honduras, Republic ofHong Kong, Special Administrative Region of ChinaHrvatska (Croatia)Hungary, Hungarian People’s RepublicIceland, Republic ofIndia, Republic ofIndonesia, Republic ofIran, Islamic Republic ofIraq, Republic ofIrelandIsrael, State ofItaly, Italian RepublicJapanJordan, Hashemite Kingdom ofKazakhstan, Republic ofKenya, Republic ofKiribati, Republic ofKorea, Democratic People’s Republic ofKorea, Republic ofKuwait, State ofKyrgyz RepublicLao People’s Democratic RepublicLatviaLebanon, Lebanese RepublicLesotho, Kingdom ofLiberia, Republic ofLibyan Arab JamahiriyaLiechtenstein, Principality ofLithuaniaLuxembourg, Grand Duchy ofMacao, Special Administrative Region of ChinaMacedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic ofMadagascar, Republic ofMalawi, Republic ofMalaysiaMaldives, Republic ofMali, Republic ofMalta, Republic ofMarshall IslandsMartiniqueMauritania, Islamic Republic ofMauritiusMayotteMicronesia, Federated States ofMoldova, Republic ofMonaco, Principality ofMongolia, Mongolian People’s RepublicMontserratMorocco, Kingdom ofMozambique, People’s Republic ofMyanmarNamibiaNauru, Republic ofNepal, Kingdom ofNetherlands AntillesNetherlands, Kingdom of theNew CaledoniaNew ZealandNicaragua, Republic ofNiger, Republic of theNigeria, Federal Republic ofNiue, Republic ofNorfolk IslandNorthern Mariana IslandsNorway, Kingdom ofOman, Sultanate ofPakistan, Islamic Republic ofPalauPalestinian Territory, OccupiedPanama, Republic ofPapua New GuineaParaguay, Republic ofPeru, Republic ofPhilippines, Republic of thePitcairn IslandPoland, Polish People’s RepublicPortugal, Portuguese RepublicPuerto RicoQatar, State ofReunionRomania, Socialist Republic ofRussian FederationRwanda, Rwandese RepublicSamoa, Independent State ofSan Marino, Republic ofSao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic ofSaudi Arabia, Kingdom ofSenegal, Republic ofSerbia and MontenegroSeychelles, Republic ofSierra Leone, Republic ofSingapore, Republic ofSlovakia (Slovak Republic)SloveniaSolomon IslandsSomalia, Somali RepublicSouth Africa, Republic ofSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich IslandsSpain, Spanish StateSri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic ofSt. HelenaSt. Kitts and NevisSt. LuciaSt. Pierre and MiquelonSt. Vincent and the GrenadinesSudan, Democratic Republic of theSuriname, Republic ofSvalbard & Jan Mayen IslandsSwaziland, Kingdom ofSweden, Kingdom ofSwitzerland, Swiss ConfederationSyrian Arab RepublicTaiwan, Province of ChinaTajikistanTanzania, United Republic ofThailand, Kingdom ofTimor-Leste, Democratic Republic ofTogo, Togolese RepublicTokelau (Tokelau Islands)Tonga, Kingdom ofTrinidad and Tobago, Republic ofTunisia, Republic ofTurkey, Republic ofTurkmenistanTurks and Caicos IslandsTuvaluUganda, Republic ofUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited Kingdom of Great Britain & N. IrelandUruguay, Eastern Republic ofUzbekistanVanuatuVenezuela, Bolivarian Republic ofViet Nam, Socialist Republic ofWallis and Futuna IslandsWestern SaharaYemenZambia, Republic ofZimbabwe

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

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≡ TOP STORIES of 2026: 10 to 6 ≡

The post-Olympic year of 2025 is done and a Winter Olympic year is getting started in 2026. What will the top stories be in the new year? Time for predictions, or – let’s say – projections of the issues that will garner attention and interest. Some good and some not good at all.

10. Russia, Israel and access to sport
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022 and is still fighting its war of aggression. Hamas, the ruling body in Gaza, massacred more than 1,200 Israelis in a coordinated attack on 7 October 2023 and took 250 hostages and Israel responded with a comprehensive attack, leading to a fragile “cease fire,” in effect since 10 October 2025.

In 2022, the International Olympic Committee declared quickly that Russian and Belarusian athletes should not participate in international competitions, including teams. An IOC plan to allow “neutral” individuals who have shown no public support for the war was developed at the end of 2023 and implemented for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. In December, the IOC decided that Russian and Belarusian “youth” competitors and teams can compete internationally without restrictions, subject to federation rules and procedures.

In October 2025, Indonesia – after giving assurances earlier – refused to allow Israeli athletes to enter the country to compete in the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. The IOC ended all discussions about future events in Indonesia and the government has still not said it will allow Israeli participation in the future.

At the Olympic Summit on 11 December 2025, the Olympic stakeholders “reaffirmed that athletes have a fundamental right to access sport across the world, and to compete free from political interference or pressure from governmental organisations.”

So what happens in 2026? Russia and Belarus appear to be in a re-entry phase, but what about Israel and other IOC-recognized countries that have been refused visas, such as Kosovo? And what of the increasing scrutiny on entry into the United States, with the 2026 FIFA World Cup in June and July?

9. The IOC and esports?
A 12-year deal between the IOC and the Saudi Arabian National Olympic Committee to create and stage a new, “Olympic Esports Games” was announced with great fanfare in July 2024.

In October 2025, the deal was dead, with the announcement noting in part:

“The IOC, for its part, will develop a new approach to the Olympic Esports Games, taking the feedback from the ‘Pause and Reflect’ process into account, and pursue a new partnership model.

“This approach will be a chance to better fit the Olympic Esports Games to the long-term ambitions of the Olympic Movement and to spread the opportunities presented by the Olympic Esports Games more widely, with the objective of having the inaugural Games as soon as possible.”

What does the IOC do now? Under prior President Thomas Bach (GER), a link to the e-sports community was created, but has stalled. As he noted at the time, the structure of competitive gaming is much different from Olympic sports, with commercial publishers instead of International Federations.

There are perhaps more than three billion active gamers worldwide, but many fewer registered professionals. Will new President Kirsty Coventry’s IOC seek out engagement, as Bach did? Find a blend with active sport contested online, a la the World Rowing Indoor Championships? Do nothing?

Remember this line in “The Godfather” from 1972? Looking to the future, consigliere Tom Hagen told his boss, Vito Corleone, “if we don’t get a piece of that action, we risk everything we have; I mean not now, but ten years from now.”

8. Collegiate sport still in chaos
The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee stated that “75% of U.S. Olympians will have competed collegiately as part of their journey to Team USA” for the Paris 2024 Games and that the American collegiate system is a bedrock of the U.S. athlete development program.

In 2025, collegiate athletics surged into chaos as pay-for-play was fully implemented, firstly and mostly for college football and also significantly impacting college basketball for men and women. The now-legal payments to players, and barely-regulated booster pay on top of that, plus the costs for coaches, support and facilities, threatens to crowd out all other sports, including Olympic mainstays such as track & field, swimming, wrestling, volleyball, gymnastics and many others.

The NCAA is looking to Congress for legislative support and some collegiate conferences and the USOPC are beyond the SCORE Act, which requires that the large football-playing schools maintain a 16-sport program which will ensure continued funding of non-revenue sports, which are essentially everything other than football and basketball at most schools.

But the SCORE Act (H.R. 4312) and competing bills have not made it across the finish line yet and do not appear to be close. The Trump Administration is in favor of a Congressional fix to the college sport mess, but has many other priorities.

There is a wide agreement that collegiate sport’s structure is broken, but how to fix it is not clear. We’re here to help: The Sports Examiner proposed a comprehensive fix in 2024, detailed here.

7. What about the Enhanced Games?
Under the leadership of then-IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch (ESP), the World Anti-Doping Agency was formed in 1999 to take the global lead against doping in sport, on competitive, ethical and medical safety grounds.

In 2025, a new competition was announced, doing away with doping tests and encouraging “enhanced” athletes to compete in a showcase of “superhumans,” titled the Enhanced Games, planned to be held at Resorts World in Las Vegas, Nevada in late May of 2026.

Widely condemned, the event is to feature a small number of sprint events in track & field and swimming, plus weightlifting, all trying to break world records set by athletes who have competed in competitions which follow the World Anti-Doping Code.

Each event is to have a $500,000 prize purse, with $250,000 for the winner; world-record bonuses will pay $250,000 except for the 50 m Free swim and 100 m dash, which will have $1 million payouts for records.

WADA and many other organizations have labeled the event dangerous and unethical. The promoters have had trouble signing up athletes, who will be instantly banned from Olympic and International Federation competitions. So far, nine swimmers, three track athletes and two weightlifters have agreed to participate, and the Enhanced Games had a lawsuit alleging restraint of trade against WADA, World Aquatics and USA Swimming was dismissed.

But the Enhanced Games got a $40 million lifeline in a complex transaction in November, with the promise of more, with a product line to follow which would be the basis of the business going forward.

Will the Enhanced Games be held? If so, will anyone care? Many in the Olympic world have disowned it, but there will be attention paid to see what happens – if anything – in May.

6. Will ATHLOS succeed where Grand Slam Track failed?
One of the big questions of 2025 was whether Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track would succeed. It did not, staging only three of its planned four meets, selling less than 65,000 tickets across eight meet days and staring at $31.4 million in debt at the end of 2025.

Now in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in Delaware, Grand Slam Track is trying to settle its debts – it owes its athletes about $7 million – and get re-energized with new funding. It will have an uphill climb to regain any trust within the track & field community. But it is trying.

Getting ready to enter the fray, apparently, is ATHLOS, a project of Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, who staged two showy, end-of-season meets in New York in 2024 and 2025, with a limited event program, strong athlete pay and integrated concerts which had more fan attention than the meets.

Ohanian has promised an ATHLOS “league” beginning in 2026:

“The ATHLOS League introduces a team-based competition model designed for and by the modern athlete. Taking place after the conclusion of the World Athletics season, ATHLOS will feature multiple meets hosted in major cities, culminating in a final championship event.”

The ownership is to include athletes such as Sha’Carri Richardson, Gabby Thomas and Tara Davis-Woodhall. That’s all there is to say at present. The details, with Grand Slam Track’s experience as a cautionary tale, will be fascinating.

Coming New Year’s Day: our projected top-five stories of 2026, including a fight over science and two of the world mega-events.

Rich Perelman
Editor

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