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From New Orleans to Westwood: UCLA Senior Awarded Harry M. Showman Prize for Bridging Engineering and Storytelling

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Brynn Beatty is preparing for more than just a walk across the stage this weekend in Pauley Pavilion. With commencement nearing, she has been wrapping up her capstone project, working with her group to finish building a small robot that detects and digs up metal on the beach and at the sand volleyball courts near the dorms. But the fourth-year mechanical engineering student at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering is also getting ready for a new title: graduate student.

This fall, Beatty will move off campus into an apartment farther from Westwood as she begins a new chapter at UCLA, pursuing a master’s degree focused on fluid mechanics, a discipline she gravitated toward after taking two rigorous but captivating elective courses.

Originally from New Orleans, Louisiana, Beatty experienced a bit of culture shock when she first moved to Los Angeles. “I am used to a very laissez faire city. Changing from the laid-back attitude of my home city to the fast-paced, get-it-done mentality here was a major change,” Beatty recalled. She credits UCLA’s tight-knit community for making her feel at home, telling her friends that she doesn’t really live in Los Angeles — she lives in Westwood. While the idea of taking a day trip to the beach still seems crazy to her, she has become a regular visitor to the Hammer Museum and is a proud Los Angeles Public Library card holder.

“I love the cross between research and writing,” said Brynn Beatty. “Communication isn’t a bonus skill, but rather something that is necessary for everyone — no matter their field.”

Despite initially taking some time to get used to a faster city life, Beatty is no stranger to juxtaposition. She spent her high school years at an arts-focused magnet school, where each student chose a specialty during freshman year. Beatty picked creative writing to complement her study of engineering — building model bridges by day and writing poetry by night. In her senior year, Beatty designed and tested a planter aimed to help restore Louisiana’s coastal wetlands.

At UCLA, Beatty joined the Undergraduate Science Journal as an editor in her sophomore year, helping make technical research content more accessible to broader audiences. She also worked as a student writer for the UCLA Samueli’s Office of Marketing Communications. In her role, she helped monitor news coverage of the school, draft stories on faculty awards and school events, and assisted with data analytics — honing her writing skills while staying steeped in science.

“I am so glad that I am able to combine my technical knowledge of engineering with writing,” Beatty said. “Getting to see the commencement booklet before it’s published is just a bonus.”

Beatty is this year’s recipient of the prestigious Harry M. Showman Prize, awarded annually to a UCLA Samueli student who excels in communicating the societal relevance of engineering. It’s a fitting honor for someone who has spent her undergraduate years balancing equations with prose.

“I love the cross between research and writing,” said Beatty, whose parents are both journalists. “Communication isn’t a bonus skill, but rather something that is necessary for everyone — no matter their field.”

As a student staffer in UCLA’s housing services, Residential Life, Beatty worked overnight shifts while maintaining a rigorous academic load. She tried to keep a set schedule to help manage stress. To recharge, she turned to sewing and crossword puzzles. “Having creative hobbies allows me to connect with people both within the engineering school and outside of it,” Beatty said.

Recently, she created a UCLA-themed crossword inspired by the long-standing “North Campus vs. South Campus” divide — a playful nod to the contrast between humanities and STEM students. “Students across campus think of themselves as so different from each other, but we all share the same campus, dorms and city at large, and we have a lot more in common than our different majors,” Beatty said.

Over the past four years, Beatty has gone from having an abstract idea of becoming an engineer to discovering her interest in fluid mechanics, additive manufacturing and computational modeling. Looking ahead, Beatty says she is excited to explore all that UCLA can offer as she continues to define her plans for the future. But one thing is for certain: she is adopting a dog once she moves into her new apartment.

For incoming UCLA Samueli undergrads unsure about where to get help, Beatty suggested they talk to their professors. “Every professor that I have reached out to has been amazingly helpful and honest about what to expect from internships and from grad school,” she said.

Beatty is also inspired by her fellow Bruin engineers. She has heard her classmates talk about their future as Tiffany watchmakers, rocket scientists and even cheese researchers. As for Beatty, she will stay connected to the physics and core principles of engineering. “I hope to maintain that love for engineering at its core: asking and answering questions with whatever tools are available,” she said.



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Boise State to Compete in Spokane Indoor Challenge

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BOISE, Idaho – Boise State track and field returns to action on Saturday in the Spokane Indoor Challenge.

Beginning at 10 a.m. MT, the Broncos will compete in 10 field events and 13 running events. In total, over four dozen student-athletes will participate in the challenge.

In last year’s competition, Boise State recorded eight personal records and three season bests. Janiah Brown, who graduated last year, won the women’s one mile.

Live results will be available on MileSplit.com.

NOTABLES

·       Head coach Pat McCurry is in his second season at the helm of Boise State’s track and field program. He previously served as an assistant with the Broncos from 2016-18, and also was the head coach at College of Idaho and San Francisco.

·       The event will be held in Spokane, Washington, at The Podium.

·       Boise State has competed in this event in each of the last three years.

·       Last week in Boston, Alex Thompson clocked a personal best with a 7:57.74 in the men’s 3K.

·       Kaiya Robertson also recorded a collegiate best with a 9:05.03 in the women’s 3K, the second fastest time in school history.

 

LINEUPS

Field Events:

Women’s Weight Throw (10:00 a.m. MT) – Amaya Dixon, Alexee Kline, Victoria Lotz, Addy MacArthur, Ruby Sereday, Coco Velasquez

Women’s Long Jump (11:00 a.m. MT) – Nadia Collins, Kenna DeLemos, Gabbie Hasskamp, Alix Mund, Emily Stefan, Love Uzoekwe

Women’s Shot Put (2:30 p.m. MT) – Amaya Dixon, Victoria Lotz, Addy MacArthur, Emily Stefan, Coco Velasquez

Women’s Triple Jump (3:00 p.m. MT) – Nadia Collins, Alix Mund

Women’s High Jump (3:45 p.m. MT) – Gabbie Hasskamp, Jamie Wade

Men’s High Jump (10:00 a.m. MT) – Aayden Simmons

Men’s Long Jump (11:00 a.m. MT) – Harvey Scott, Aayden Simmons, Raekwon Weatherspoon

Men’s Weight Throw (1:15 p.m. MT) – Joseph Garcia, Tyler Grant, Tanner Nett

Men’s Triple Jump (3:00 p.m. MT) – Aayden Simmons

Men’s Shot Put (4:00 p.m. MT) – Joseph Garcia, Tyler Grant, Tanner Nett

 

Running Events:

Women’s 60m, Qualifying (12:00 p.m. MT) – Priscilla Adu-Gyamfi, Campbell Brintnall, Audrey Kays, Breasia Roberts, Love Uzoekwe

Women’s 60m Hurdles, Prelim (1:00 p.m. MT) – Campbell Brintnall, Gabbie Hasskamp, Emily Stefan

Women’s 60m, Prelim (1:35 p.m. MT) – Priscilla Adu-Gyamfi, Campbell Brintnall, Audrey Kays, Breasia Roberts, Maggie Shirazi, Love Uzoekwe

Women’s Mile (2:40 p.m. MT) – Gabriella Chiara, Emme Hamm, Eliisa Marshall, Brynnli Poulsen

Women’s 300m (3:30 p.m. MT) – Priscilla Adu-Gyamfi, Eloise Bolles, Brooklynn Bright, Ciara Brown, Shyniece Davis, McKenna Murphy, Maggie Shirazi

Women’s 200m (5:00 p.m. MT) – Audrey Kays, Breasia Roberts

Women’s 4x400m Relay (6:40 p.m. MT) – Priscilla Adu-Gyamfi (A1),Eloise Bolles (A2), Brooklynn Bright (A4), Ciara Brown (A3), Gabriella Chiara (B2), Emme Hamm (C4), Gabbie Hasskamp (B1), Eliisa Marshall (C3), McKenna Murphy (C1), Brynnli Poulsen (C2), Maggie Shirazi (C1), Emily Stefan (B3)

Men’s 60m, Qualifying (12:20 p.m. MT) – Raekwon Weatherspoon, Allan McKeraghan

Men’s 60m Hurdles, Prelim (1:20 p.m. MT) – Dax Duggan, Noah Lara, Chase Lawyer

Men’s 60m, Prelim (1:45 p.m. MT) – Allan McKeraghan, Raekwon Weatherspoon

Men’s Mile (2:50 p.m. MT) – Angus Fitzgerald, Shawn Jones, Cody Lucas, Ezra Teeples

Men’s 300m (3:45 p.m. MT) – Cobe Cameron, Trevor Cogley, John Dailey, Dax Duggan, Xavier Fraley, Josh Green, Wade Pollock, DJ Warren Jr.

Men’s 600m (4:45 p.m. MT) – Drew Bradeson

Men’s 200m (5:25 p.m. MT) – Noah Lara, Allan McKeraghan, Harvey Scott

Mixed 4x400m Relay (7:10 p.m. MT) – Josh Green (A1), Trevor Cogley (A3), Chase Lawyer (A6), Priscilla Adu-Gyamfi (A5), Campbell Brintnall (A2), Shyniece Davis (A4)



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After 11 standout seasons, BYU women’s volleyball has an opening at head coach

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PROVO — One week after being eliminated from the program’s 14th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, BYU women’s volleyball is looking for a new head coach.

Longtime coach Heather Olmstead announced her departure from the university Thursday to pursue “new professional avenues,” according to a department news release.

Considered one of the top female head coaches in college volleyball, Olmstead went 279-55 in 11 seasons with the Cougars.

After taking over following her brother Shawn’s move to the men’s volleyball job, she became the fastest coach to reach 200 Division I wins — doing so in just 225 games — and was the third-fastest coach all-time to 100 Division I wins just 111 matches into her head coaching career.

The former AVCA national coach of the year in 2018 departs BYU after developing 14 All-Americans, 23 All-Region honorees, and nine All-Big 12 honorees while guiding the Cougars from the West Coast Conference, where her players earned 22 all-conference honors.

“Coaching at BYU has been an incredible chapter — one filled with championships, NCAA Tournament runs and record-setting seasons,” Olmstead said. “But the true highlight has always been the people. I’m grateful for every athlete who let me be part of her journey and for the chance to help shape strong leaders, teammates and women who go on to make a difference long after their playing days.

“As I move into this next chapter, I do so with deep gratitude for the BYU community, for the players who trusted me with their development and for the staff who stood beside me through every challenge. I wish this program continued success, and I’m excited for what’s next.”

Olmstead presided over what many consider to be the greatest season in BYU women’s volleyball history in 2018, which included 11 weeks as the No. 1-ranked team in the country, a 27-match win streak, and a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament that took the Cougars to the national semifinals before a straight-set loss to eventual champion Stanford.

“I want to thank Heather for everything she has done to make BYU women’s volleyball great,” BYU athletic director Brian Santiago said in a statement. “She poured her heart and soul into this program and guided incredible teams that have had consistent national relevance and success and represented BYU well. Her student-athletes have gone on to do remarkable things.

“We wish Heather all the best as she pursues new opportunities, and we will open a national search for a new women’s volleyball head coach immediately.”

Olmstead was also a rising coaching star internationally, serving as head coach of the U.S. U21 women’s national team that won the gold medal at the 2025 NORCECA Pan American Cup and 2024 NORCECA Women’s Continental Championships.

She also had experience with the U.S. collegiate national team and was an assist on the U.S. team that won gold in the 2015 Pan American Games.

Olmstead’s departure is the second longtime college volleyball staple to exit her program in the state of Utah, and comes days after legendary Utah volleyball coach Beth Launiere retired following a 31-year career.

But in the weeks since the Cougars’ first-round loss to Big West champion Cal Poly in Los Angeles, the Cougars have seen three key departures to the transfer portal — including a pair of All-Big 12 first-team selections in setter Alex Bower and star freshman Suli Davis.

Sophomore outside hitter Blaykli Bobik, an Arizona native who played in 20 of the Cougars’ 31 matches as a reserve, also entered the portal.

It’s unknown if the portal departures were influenced by or connected to Olmstead’s decision to leave her position.

But Davis, who broke a 40-year-old freshman kills record at BYU with 541 en route to freshman of the year honors by the Big 12 and the AVCA West region, took to her Instagram account to clear up any rumors of animosity between her and Olmstead and the other BYU coaches.

“I love coach Heather and the staff, I love my teammates, and everyone who has helped me at BYU,” she wrote. “I couldn’t be more grateful for them all. … I’m not transferring for those reasons.”

BYU has named associate head coach David Hyte as interim head coach while it conducts what it calls a national search for the program’s next head coach.

The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.





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Freshman Justin Williams 3rd in collegiate debut for Minot State track and field

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FARGO, N.D. – Minot State freshman Justin Williams had a successful collegiate debut on Thursday, turning in a 3rd-place performance in his first meet for Minot State, the Dakota Alumni Classic hosted by North Dakota State.

Williams, who also plays football for Minot State, was third in 22.66 seconds in the men’s 200 meters, the best performance of the day for the Beavers, who sent a small group of student-athletes to compete in the second indoor meet of the season.

Teammate and freshman Alex Roberts, another Beaver football player, also had a strong debut in the event, finishing 7th in 23.38 for Minot State.

The Beavers also got an 8th-place performance from sophomore Deuce Carr in the men’s 60-meter dash. Carr, who also plays football for Minot State, made his season debut, finishing in a time of 7.08 seconds.

On the women’s side, senior Summer Krebsbach led the way for the second straight meet for the Beavers as she was 5th in the women’s 60-meter dash with a time of 7.83 seconds in the finals after clocking a time of 7.75 in the prelims.

The meet wraps up the 2025 portion of the indoor season for the Minot State track and field teams, who now get a month off before the heart of the indoor season gets underway on Saturday, January 17, with the Marauders Indoor Opener hosted by the University of Mary in Bismarck.

The Marauders Indoor Opener is the first of five meets that the Beavers will compete in in preparation for the NSIC Indoor Track & Field Championships, February 28 and March 1, hosted by Minnesota State, Mankato.

 



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Creighton volleyball to face Kentucky in regional final

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LEXINGTON, Ky. (KMTV) — The Creighton volleyball team is headed to the Elite Eight for the second straight season and third time in program history.

The Jays will face Kentucky, which is hosting the regional rounds, on Saturday at 4 p.m. central time.

The match will air on ESPN2.

CU beat Arizona State 3-1 in the regional semifinals, led by Ava Martin with 23 kills and Kiara Reinhardt with 15, including the kill that won the match.





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Texas reveals plans for new volleyball arena, athlete housing

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Nearly two years ago, Texas Longhorns athletics director Chris Del Conte teased the potential for a “mini-Moody” with a capacity of 5,000 to 6,000 to allow the volleyball program to move out of Gregory Gymnasium, the venerable building built in 1930.

On Wednesday, the school revealed a request for proposal as Del Conte tries to build the new multipurpose arena with minimal outlay from the university, reprising the game plan for the Moody Center, which constructed and operated through a partnership between the university, Oak View Group, Live Nation/C3 Presents, and Matthew McConaughey as Texas managed to avoid the $375 million price tag for the facility, which hosts men’s and women’s basketball games.

Del Conte is looking for a similar partnership to plan, design, construct, equip, finance, and operate the public arena and an adjacent housing facility for athletes on a four-acre parcel of land next to the Moody Center north of East MLK Jr. Boulevard between Robert Dedman Drive and Interstate 35.

One of the few relatively undeveloped areas left, the planned site for the arena and housing is also conveniently located next to the new football facility under construction across Robert Dedman Dr. that will also have an underground parking garage with 500 spaces.

“It is important for us to be strategic about how we use our space and how our students and visitors engage with our campus,” said UT President Jim Davis. “This is a unique development that will enhance the University’s athletics facilities and housing portfolio and benefit students, Longhorn fans and our city for years to come. I am grateful to our Board of Regents for their support for our vision.”

The plan is for 6,000 seats at the multipurpose arena with the ability to expand seating for concerts, shows, and university events, hence the “mini-Moody” moniker.

The housing facility could also offer retail opportunities on the ground level to encourage investment.

“This is a critical step for the future of Texas volleyball and our student-athletes’ housing experience,” said Del Conte. “It is about creating an experience that our student-athletes, coaches, and passionate fans will be proud of in the heart of a district built for elite talent and entertainment.”



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2025 DI women’s volleyball championship: Bracket, schedule, scores

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The DI women’s volleyball championship is here. The tournament continues Thursday, Dec. 11 with regionals and lasts until the national championship on Sunday, Dec. 21 at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

The full 64-team bracket was announced on Sunday, Nov. 30. Thirty-one conference champions earned automatic bids to the tournament, with the NCAA DI women’s volleyball committee selecting 33 other teams as at-large picks.

Here is everything you need to know about the 2025 women’s volleyball championship.

2025 DI women’s volleyball championship bracket

👉 Click or tap to see the interactive bracket

2025 DI women's volleyball bracket

2025 DI women’s volleyball championship schedule

All times listed in ET

  • Regionals: Dec. 11 and 13 or Dec. 12 and 14
    • Friday, Dec. 12
    • Saturday, Dec. 13
  • Semifinals: Thursday, Dec. 18
  • National championship: 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 21 | ABC

  • Selection show: 6 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 30
  • First round: 
    • ThursdayDec. 4 
      • No. 5 Colorado 3, American 0
      • No. 6 Baylor 3, Arkansas State 2
      • No. 8 UCLA 3, Georgia Tech 2
      • No. 5 Miami (Fla.) 3, Tulsa 1
      • No. 4 Indiana 3, Toledo 0
      • No. 6 UNI 3, Utah 2
      • North Carolina 3, No. 6 UTEP 1
      • Utah State 3, No. 7 Tennessee 2
      • No. 1 Kentucky 3, Wofford 0
      • No. 3 Purdue 3, Wright State 0
      • No. 4 Kansas 3, High Point 0
      • Cal Poly 3, No. 5 BYU 2
      • No. 3 Creighton 3, Northern Colorado 2
      • No. 3 Wisconsin 3, Eastern Illinois 0
      • No. 2 Arizona State 3, Coppin State 0
      • No. 4 USC 3, Princeton 0
    • Friday, Dec. 5
      • Marquette 3, No. 7 Western Kentucky 0
      • Michigan 3, No. 8 Xavier 0
      • Florida 3, No. 7 Rice 0
      • No. 6 TCU 3, SFA 0
      • No. 5 Iowa State 3, St. Thomas (Minn.) 2
      • No. 8 Penn State 3, South Florida 1
      • Kansas State 3, No. 8 San Diego 2
      • No. 2 Louisville 3, Loyola Chicago 0
      • No. 1 Pittsburgh 3, UMBC 0
      • No. 2 SMU 3, Central Arkansas 0
      • Arizona 3, No. 7 South Dakota State 1
      • No. 3 Texas A&M 3, Campbell 0
      • No. 4 Minnesota 3, Fairfield 0
      • No. 1 Nebraska 3, LIU 0
      • No. 1 Texas 3, Florida A&M 0
      • No. 2 Stanford 3, Utah Valley 1
  • Second Round: 
    • Friday, Dec. 5
    • Saturday, Dec. 6
  • Regionals

DI women’s volleyball championship history

Here is the complete history of DI women’s volleyball champions:

2025 DII women’s volleyball championship: Bracket, schedule, scores

Here’s everything you need to know regarding the 2025 NCAA DII women’s volleyball championship, including selection show info and schedule for the entire tournament.

READ MORE

The 16 remaining NCAA volleyball tournament teams, re-ranked

With the first two rounds of the NCAA women’s volleyball tournament completed, check out Michella Chester’s re-rankings of the remaining 16 teams.

READ MORE

What to know about each team in the DII women’s volleyball quarterfinals

The final three days of the 2025 DII women’s volleyball season are set to commence at the Sanford Pentagon. Here’s what to watch.

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