Rutgers University/Ben Solomon

Rutgers President William F. Tate IV today appointed Keli Zinn, a collegiate athletics leader with 20 years of power conference experience and a proven track record of transforming championship-level programs, as director of Intercollegiate Athletics for Rutgers-New Brunswick.

The Rutgers Board of Governors approved the appointment of Zinn, currently the executive deputy athletic director and chief operating officer at Louisiana State University (LSU). Zinn begins her tenure at Rutgers on Aug. 6, 2025.

“Keli Zinn brings the strategic drive, operational excellence, and championship pedigree we need right now for Rutgers Athletics,” Tate said. “Her leadership style resonates deeply with Rutgers’ mission – competitiveness on the field, integrity in our practices, and excellence in the student‑athlete experience. She will guide Rutgers into a new era, with forward-looking leadership, tapping into the Rutgers Edge. We are thrilled to welcome Keli and her husband, Nate, to the Scarlet Knights family.”

At LSU, Zinn helped lead the Tigers to unprecedented success: four national championships (gymnastics, women’s basketball, and baseball twice), multiple SEC titles including in women’s track and field and women’s gymnastics, and a top‑10 finish in the Director’s Cup – a measurement of the overall competitiveness of an athletic department – for the first time since 2009. During her tenure, LSU football posted a dominant 10‑win season and won a Western Division title during one of the fastest turnarounds in college football history. She has celebrated 15 national championships and 34 conference championships over the course of her remarkable career.

Zinn’s leadership in two power conferences – the Big 12 at West Virginia University and the SEC at LSU – has uniquely prepared her to lead within the Big Ten. At West Virginia, she served as interim athletic director in 2015, becoming the first woman to helm the department, and guided the university through the transition into the Big 12.

“I am honored to join Rutgers at this exciting juncture, and I want to thank President Tate and the Board of Governors for this incredible opportunity,” Zinn said. “Where there are challenges, there are also opportunities, and I look forward to working with our campus leaders, student-athletes, coaches, staff, donors, and fans to build on Rutgers’ strong tradition, amplify opportunities to support our athletic programs, maintain top‑tier compliance, and pursue excellence both on and off the field. We will compete with the nation’s best and we will represent the university with integrity and pride in all we do.”

Zinn was instrumental in advancing LSU’s Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) strategy, forging a partnership to produce The Money Game—a documentary series following Tigers student‑athletes, launched on Amazon Prime Video. Her innovative approach secured NIL agreements and fund‑raising growth across multiple sports, positioning LSU as a national NIL leader.

Rutgers University/Ben Solomon

“Keli Zinn is a dynamic leader who brings a powerful combination of competitive excellence, strategic acumen, and deep integrity to this role. Her experience operating at the heart of major collegiate athletics, commitment to student-athletes, and proven ability to elevate programs make her the right leader at the right time for Rutgers Athletics,” Board of Governors Chair Amy L. Towers said. “We are excited to welcome Keli and her husband, Nate, to the Banks and look forward to partnering with her as we build on Rutgers’ proud legacy and drive toward even greater success in the Big Ten and beyond.”

Zinn began her career as a compliance assistant in the Big East before gaining progressive experience in compliance, governance, and sport administration at the University of Maryland and later serving in multiple senior executive roles at West Virginia University.

“With experience in the Northeast, in the SEC, and at land-grant universities like Rutgers, Keli understands the values, mission, and regional pride that defines our community,” said Hollis Copeland, chair of the Board of Governors athletics subcommittee and a standout former basketball player and member of the Rutgers Athletics Hall of Fame. “Keli will help us build a winning tradition that the world will know, and we welcome her and Nate.”

Rutgers’ Division of Intercollegiate Athletics is comprised of 24 men’s and women’s varsity sports serving more than 730 student-athletes competing in the Big Ten Conference.  

Rutgers is The Birthplace of College Football – Rutgers defeated Princeton 6-4 on Nov. 6, 1869, in New Brunswick. The Scarlet Knights have captured numerous team and individual championships. In addition to consecutive bowl berths in football and recent NCAA tournament bids in men’s basketball, Rutgers has won Big Ten team championships in men’s and women’s soccer and field hockey, while individuals have earned both national and Big Ten titles in track and field and wrestling.

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a leading national research university and the state of New Jersey’s preeminent, comprehensive public institution of higher education. Established in 1766, the university is the eighth-oldest higher education institution in the United States. More than 69,000 students and 27,000 faculty and staff learn, work and serve the public at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, Rutgers University-Newark, Rutgers University-Camden and Rutgers Health. 

 

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State announced on Wednesday its promotions/match theme schedule for the 2025 women’s volleyball season. Two of the team’s annual events highlight the schedule as the Nittany Lions will hold their White Out match when they host Wisconsin on Friday, Oct. 10, and will hold their Dig Pink event when they welcome Rutgers to Rec Hall on Friday, Oct. 24.
 
Penn State went 35-2 last season on its way to winning the program’s eighth national title. The championship banner will be raised at the home opener against Kentucky on Friday, Sept. 5.

A big weekend is set for Happy Valley in late September. Penn State hosts USC on Friday, Sept. 26 for what will be the program’s first-ever Team Ream match. Team Ream, established to honor the legacy of former Penn State football player Brandon Ream, is an organization that looks to raise awareness and funding for the fight against cancer. The Nittany Lions then host UCLA for the annual THON match on Sunday, Sept. 28. That weekend also includes Penn State football’s White Out game against Oregon on Saturday, Sept. 27.

Following the team’s Dig Pink match against Rutgers on Oct. 24, Penn State continues to raise awareness for the fight against cancer when it teams with the V Foundation for the match against Indiana on Sunday, Nov. 2. Head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley was diagnosed with breast cancer midway through last season and fought the disease while leading the Nittany Lions to the national title. She went on to partner with the V Foundation and was the recipient of the Jimmy V Award at the 2025 ESPYs.

Round out Penn State’s match themes for the 2025 season are Military Appreciation Day against Ohio State on Sunday, Nov. 16, and Family & Friends Day against Maryland on Sunday, Nov. 23. The match against the Terrapins will also be Senior Day.

Single-match tickets for the 2025 season go on sale on Thursday, Aug. 7. Check GoPSUSports.com for updates.

The 2025 Penn State women’s volleyball season is presented by Musselman’s.

 

NEW YORK – The City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC) has announced its Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll for the 2025 Spring semester, handing out 445 citations for academic excellence.
 

The CUNYAC Winter/Spring Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll is constructed with student-athletes across eight member campuses who participate in a varsity-level sport and own a cumulative 3.2 GPA or better on a 4.0 scale. The list includes sports that conducted their championship in the winter or spring (men’s & women’s basketball, men’s and women’s swimming, men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track & field, men’s volleyball, baseball, and softball) as well as varsity athletes competing in non-CUNYAC sports.
 
Hunter produced a conference-leading 104 honorees among the eight institutions, followed by Baruch (81) and John Jay (80).
 
16 student-athletes have compiled a perfect 4.0 cumulative GPA to date.

For the complete 2025 Winter/Spring Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll, please click here.

Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville (HCCA) is pleased to team with Explore Asheville, the Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission to host  The Blue Ridge Volleyball Classic Presented by Ingles Markets.

The inaugural Asheville event of the Lightstrike Hard Refresher will take place on September 5-6, 2025. 

WHAT:    Blue Ridge Volleyball Classic Presented by Ingles Markets
WHEN:    September 5-6, 2025
WHERE: ExploreAsheville.com Arena at Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville
                    87 Haywood Street Asheville, NC

The team lineup includes women’s volleyball teams from:

•  Western Carolina
• Bradley University
• College of Charleston
• UNC at Charlotte, 

Each team plays three matches over two days.
Tickets are available for purchase via BlueRidgeVolleyballClassic.com or Ticketmaster.com and at the iHeart Media Asheville Box Office located at the venue.

New Event for Harrah’s and Asheville

This is the first collegiate volleyball event to be hosted at HCCA. It precedes the 2025 Ingles Southern Conference Women’s Volleyball Championship in November 2025

“Asheville, much like the rest of the country, is a volleyball community. Following the 2024 Ingles Southern Conference Volleyball Championship relocation due to Hurricane Helene’s damage in Western North Carolina, our venue partnered with AVL Hoppers, a local volleyball non-profit, to raise over $15,000 for local groups affected by the storm,” Christopher Corl, General Manager of Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville, said. “Xcel Volleyball continues to be the recognized leader in Western North Carolina’s elite club scene, and multiple local and regional high schools continue to win state championships. This tournament will continue to grow because of our community’s commitment to this sport and our commitment to bringing high-level volleyball events like this to our community.”  

Rich regional Tradition

This tournament is sure to draw crowds to our city, given the region’s rich highschool volleyball tradition.

“Western North Carolina has become a hotbed for quality high school volleyball. With Brevard, Polk County, and West Henderson claiming recent state championships and with the storied tradition netting a state record – 12 championships at Hendersonville High, there’s little doubt that our region can compete with the best that the state has to offer. The Blue Ridge Volleyball Classic will show those athletes and area fans firsthand what it takes to compete at the college level,” said Chris Smith, President, Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission. “This event will serve as a great precursor to the Ingle’s Southern Conference Volleyball Tournament at the same venue in November.”

Tickets on sale now, be sure to grab your courtside sets today.

OXFORD, Miss. – Fans have an additional chance to see the Ole Miss volleyball program in Oxford, as the Rebels have added a preseason exhibition against Southern Miss to the 2025 schedule.
 
The Rebels will face Southern Miss on Saturday, August 23 at 2 p.m. CT, at the Gillom Athletics Performance Center. Admission to the event will be free.
 
The exhibition will mark the 10th opportunity for fans to see the Rebels at home this season, joining previously scheduled home matches that begin with a September 12th clash with Louisiana.
 
Several stars from last season’s historic team return to Gillom, including AVCA All-Region honoree Mokihana Tufono, SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year Cammy Niesen and Shayla Meyer. Joining them are several talented newcomers, including All-Big Sky honoree Gabi Placide and Jordyn Towns.
 
The regular season is set to open on August 29th, as the Rebels face off against Arkansas State as part of the Georgia Tech Classic, in Atlanta. Ga.
 
Fans can continue to show support for the Rebels by joining the Ace Club. Funds from the Ace Club are a major component in helping the Ole Miss volleyball program compete at the highest level. For more information and to donate, click here.
 
Get rewarded for attending events by joining Rebel Rewards powered by Coca-Cola, the official fan loyalty program of the Ole Miss Rebels. Download the Ole Miss Sports mobile app, sign up for a Rebel Rewards account, and start earning points immediately that can be redeemed for exclusive prizes and experiences.
 
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Rebels by following Ole Miss Volleyball on X at @OleMissVB, on Instagram at @olemissvb and on Facebook at Ole Miss Volleyball. See exclusive photo and video content from behind the scenes and connect in real time with everything Ole Miss.