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Returning stars help China dominate Super Final opening day

The trio of Chang Hao, Feng Yu and Xiang Binxuan, who were part of their nation’s history-making Paris 2024 gold medal-winning line-up, made their first World Cup appearances of the season to help China claim victory in the Team Technical event. Earlier home-nation favourite Xu Huiyan, who was also part of that team line-up, had the […]

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The trio of Chang Hao, Feng Yu and Xiang Binxuan, who were part of their nation’s history-making Paris 2024 gold medal-winning line-up, made their first World Cup appearances of the season to help China claim victory in the Team Technical event.

Earlier home-nation favourite Xu Huiyan, who was also part of that team line-up, had the first of three victories, in the Women’s Solo Technical and then alongside Lin Yanjun in the Women’s Duet Technical.

The other contest – the Men’s Solo Technical final – saw Diego Villalobos Carrillo of Mexico deny China a clean-sweep of the opening day honours by edging out teenager Guo Muye, who was second.

Team Technical – China, Spain and Japan Secure Podium Finishes

Spain attained a clean-sweep of the Team Technical titles across the Paris, Somabay and Markham legs of the regular World Cup circuit and delivered another highly energetic as well as entertaining execution of their routine to the iconic ‘Backstreet’s Back’ track.

276.1408 was short of their highest score of the season, 276.2168 in Canada, but was still highly competitive and described as “world class” by commentator Andrea Holland.

It put the Olympic bronze medallists in strong contention for victory, moving more than four points clear of rivals Japan at this stage, who had attained an overall score of 266.6599 for their ‘Basketball’ theme performance.


Image Source: Spain took silver in the Team Technical event in Xi’an (Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)

However, there was still one team to take to the water, China, the reigning Olympic, World and Asian champions who were debuting their new routine.

As expected, the eight-strong line-up delivered a dazzling display with power, precision as well as creativity, and in short, pure class.

The crowed enjoyed witnessing the performance and so did the judges, who awarded them an event-winning total of 277.2258, a margin of victory by 1.0850 points from Spain.

“I’d rate us an 8/10,” Olympic champion Chang Hao told World Aquatics after the medal ceremony.

“We’re currently in a transition period with veteran and new athletes working together, so there are inevitably still some (team integration) and coordination issues to work through. 

Chang continued: “That’s why we need more time to repeatedly refine our teamwork before we can perform at our best.

“But honestly, after these seven months of intensive closed-door training, we’ve already shown significant improvement compared to before”

By Chang Hap

But honestly, after these seven months of intensive closed-door training, we’ve already shown significant improvement compared to before.”

Olympic bronze medallist Paula Ramirez admitted the Spanish team “loved” China’s routine and were “amazed” by their performance.

“They are so good and also we think it’s super artistic, that is the thing we love most. I think it’s the best routine together with ours.”

Team-mate Cristina Arambula Casares continued: “I think we did a great performance. 

“We are trying to perfect our routine at every competition, and we are one step closer to the World Championships.”

Former World champion Tomoka Sato of Japan said her side did their “best” on the day, but “have a lot to improve” on, after witnessing the performances of China and Spain.

Kazakhstan were disqualified from the nine-strong final after an error was made with the naming of one of their athletes in the pre-event paperwork.

Women’s Duet Technical – China, Japan and Spain Set The Standard

As an Olympic discipline the Women’s Duet events always a highly-anticipated affairs and this 11-strong final featured a host of athletes expected to be challenging for major honours at the World Aquatics Championships in July.

China’s Wang Qianyi and Wang Liuyi claimed gold at Paris 2024, but they are still absent from their nation’s elite squad after post-Games breaks and in their absence Lin sisters Yanjun and Yanhan performed well on the World Cup circuit.

They placed second and third in Markham, but since returning to training in their homeland, the partnership has been revised, with Yanhan replaced by 19-year-old Xu Huiyan.

They are now reaping the rewards, with the pair attaining an astounding combined total of 289.6150 to finish 8.1841 points clear of Japan’s highly experienced duo Moe Higa and Tomoka Sato, who have won 16 World Championship honours between them.

Rounding off the top-three were the rapidly improving teenage duo of Txell Ferrer Gaset and Lilou Lluis Valette (277.8075), who were the youngest members of Spain’s Olympic bronze medal-winning line-up at Paris 2024.

“Compared to when I partnered with my sister, Huiyan is technically more accomplished,” Lin told World Aquatics. “Working with her gives me greater stability – I can focus on refining my own movements while synchronising with her rhythm.”

Xu added: “Considering we’ve only been training together for three weeks, I think we’ve made significant progress. But if you’re asking whether we could do better – absolutely.”


Image Source: Xu Huiyan and Lin Yanjun won Women’s Duet Technical gold for China (World Aquatics)

Sato stated she and Higa needed to improve ahead of Singapore 2025, if they are to challenge for a place on the top step of the podium. 

“As a new duo, we felt extremely nervous, but we trained intensely before the competition and trusted in our skills,” she told World Aquatics.

“We performed our best today but we still failed to win the gold medal, so we need to work harder and we want to improve our artistic expression in the future.”


Image Source: Moe Higa and Tomoka Sato’s claimed silver in the Women’s Duet Technical (World Aquatics)

Spanish duet Ferrer Gaset and Lluis Valette said “enjoyment” was a key factor in their performance as they gain more experience as a duet.

“We feel very proud of our performance, but also, we are looking forward to keeping, improving our routine,” said Ferrer Gaset. “Our goal for the World Championships is to just enjoy, and we know that if we enjoy, we can show our best very soon.”

Women’s Solo Technical – Xu, Tio Casas and Khandoshka Claim Impressive Medals

The first action of the opening day at the 2025 Super Final saw the a high-class 12-strong field deliver some of the strongest performances witnessed in the water this season.

Unfortunately for Maria Alavidze of Georgia, who was seen as an outside medal contender after a podium finish in Markham and strong displays across the season, she incurred a base mark and reduced degree of difficulty score, which put her out of contention.

European silver medallist Iris Tio Casas, who was part of Spain’s Olympic bronze medal-winning line-up in 2024, is competing in the solo disciplines for the first time on the World Cup circuit this season and won in her debut in Paris.

Her ‘stay with you’ themed routine continues to undergo adaptations, but it was another strong display from the 22-year-old, who will also compete in Mixed Duet Free final with Dennis Gonzalez Boneu over the weekend.

She scored 249.3550 to move into medal contention.


Image Source: Iris Tio Casas performed strongly to begin the World Aquatics Artistic Swimming Super Final with Women’s Solo Technical silver (World Aquatics)

Germany’s Klara Bleyer, who won the Solo Free title at European Championships earlier this month, is enjoying her best season to date, but her score of 246.0801 would see her miss out on a further podium in the Super Final.

That was also the case for Japan’s Moe Higa, who scored 239.3450, but one of the most consistent performers so far in 2025 – Vasilina Khandoshka – would make the podium with a score of 248.2900, for her ‘Funny Girl’ themed routine.

Only China’s Xu Huiyan could deny Tio Casas and Khandoshka the major medals. In front of adoring home fans, she would do just that.

The teenager executed a spellbinding ‘Love sickness’ routine with strong musicality and technical skills, at the beginning of a stunning day of success for the World junior champion; her score of 258.7933 was enough for a clear victory by more than 9.4383.

“The schedule is tight, but it’s an honour to participate in so many events,” said Xu. “I’m competing at home and the audience was so excited so I was a little nervous and I wanted to perform better, but I made progress in my physical ability.”


Image Source: Xu Huiyan won her first of three golds on the opening day in the Women’s Solo Technical (World Aquatics)

Silver medallist Tio Casas told World Aquatics she was “quite happy” with her performance and hopes to continue improving ahead of Singapore 2025.

“I feel good because it was the first competition today,” she said. “Physically, I’m in great shape, my legs feel strong. I did nice elements, and also my swimming went well. I’ll also be competing in the duet and team events, so I’ll stay mentally focused to maintain consistency.”

Men’s Solo Technical – Villalobos Carrillo, Guo And Tomblin Take The Honours

Given the run of success for the home nation across the other disciplines on the opening day of the 2025 Super Final there was more than a little pressure on China’s Guo Muye to continue that run in what was the third event of the day.

The 17-year-old claimed six medals, including three golds, at last year’s World Junior Championships after making an impressive debut to his World Cup career at the Beijing leg of the 2024 campaign.

There he had placed second in the Solo Tech and first in Mixed Duet Tech final, before claiming three golds in four solo events during this campaign.


Image Source: Guo Muye earned silver for China in the Men’s Solo Technical event (World Aquatics)

A score of 224.0400 for his ‘wizard’ themed routine was marginally short of the gold medal-winning total he attained in the event in Somabay earlier in the year, but still enough to put him top of the rankings at that stage of the competition.

It had edged him ahead of European champion Ranjuo Tomblin of Great Britain, who is enjoying the best season of his career and put himself into contention for a further honour with a total of 220.8334 following his ‘Classical Meets Contemporary’ display.

The penultimate athlete to plunge into the pool was Diego Villalobos Carrillo of Mexico who had never attained a World Cup win, following a smattering of previous silver and bronze medals.

One of the performances of his life followed, with a score of 225.0841 helping him land that maiden major victory in the sport, an achievement he stated he was “very proud” of.

“I feel so happy for my work, for my performance and it was a very, very nice routine for me”

By Diego Villalobos Carrillo

“It is a very new routine, which is special for me and I have prepared it for six months. My next plan is the World Championships, and hopefully I can win a medal there.”

Guo admitted “nerves” impacted his performance, but hopes to improve in the Free final over the weekend.

“There were several areas that fell short of expectations, particularly in artistic expression and the first compulsory element,” he told World Aquatics. “I felt quite nervous—the pressure was greater here at the Final, especially competing on home soil.”


Image Source: Ranjuo Tomblin of Great Britain completed the podium in the Men’s Solo Technical event (World Aquatics)

Great Britain’s Tomblin admitted he was experiencing a little fatigue after travelling to China soon after the European Championships concluded in Funchal, Madeira, but that he felt “okay” about the result in Xi’an.

“I really like the venue – it’s a really nice pool,” Tomblin told World Aquatics. “We just came back from Europeans a couple of days ago before flying out here, so the schedule is tight.

“I’ve been building it throughout the season, competing at the World Cups and I’ve been gaining experience so hopefully it will turn out well for the World Championships.”





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UTA’s Shadrick, Utah Tech’s Isaacson Chamberlain Named 2024-25 WAC Stan Bates Award Winners

Story Links ARLINGTON, Texas – University of Texas at Arlington men’s track and field student-athlete Brady Shadrick and former Utah Tech University women’s basketball student-athlete Emily Isaacson Chamberlain have been selected as the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Stan Bates Award winners for the 2024-25 academic year. Named in honor of former WAC […]

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ARLINGTON, Texas – University of Texas at Arlington men’s track and field student-athlete Brady Shadrick and former Utah Tech University women’s basketball student-athlete Emily Isaacson Chamberlain have been selected as the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Stan Bates Award winners for the 2024-25 academic year.

Named in honor of former WAC Commissioner Stan Bates (1971-80), the award is given to one male and one female student-athlete who have demonstrated excellence in academic achievement, athletic accomplishment and exceptional character and community engagement. A $10,000 postgraduate scholarship is endowed to the winners.

Shadrick, a native of Killeen, graduated with a 3.88 GPA a degree in clinical and applied physiology from UT Arlington in 2025. Shadrick was included on the Academic All-WAC team in both the winter and spring seasons in 2024 and 2025 and was included on the Sun Belt Conference Commissioners List in 2022. Shadrick also received the B.G. Wilson Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award from UT Arlington in 2024, which is presented annually to one male and one female student-athlete who best epitomize the ‘student-first’ and ‘athlete-second’ mantra.

Shadrick claimed four first team All-WAC citations in multis events, earning first team honors in the decathlon from 2023-25 while adding a first team heptathlon scroll in 2024. Shadrick added second team accolades in the javelin (2023 and 2025), the heptathlon (2023) and the pole vault (2025).

Away from the track, Shadrick was a member of the UT Arlington Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) from 2021-25. Shadrick volunteered with the Miracle League of Arlington, assisting special needs children who play baseball, and with Cards for Cubs, a group that wrote and organized cards for foster children, as part of UTA SAAC. Shadrick was also a member and co-leader of Team Student-Athlete from 2022-25, leading meaningful conversations about leadership while trying to find ways to improve the resources available to UTA student-athletes.

Chamberlain, a native of Perry, Utah, graduated Summa Cum Laude with a 3.98 GPA and a degree in recreation and sport management from Utah Tech in the spring of 2023. Chamberlain was a four-time Academic All-WAC recipient (2020-23, 2025), a 2022-23 College Sports Communicators All-District selection and the 2025 Utah Tech True Trailblazer Female Student-Athlete of the Year.

Chamberlain was a three-year starter for Utah Tech, being selected for the all-conference second team in 2021-22 after averaging 13.0 points and 7.0 rebounds. Over 104 career games played (96 starts), Chamberlain registered an average of 11.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game at Utah Tech. Chamberlain exited as the program’s career leader in 3-point field goal percentage (.400) and 3-pointers made (259), and fourth in career rebounds (599) and blocked shots (66).

Outside of basketball, Chamberlain was a member of the Utah Tech SAAC from 2022-25, serving as the department’s president from 2022-24, and was a Utah Tech representative with the WAC SAAC group in 2024-25. Chamberlain was a scholarship recipient for the NCAA Career in Sports Forum in June of 2024, visiting the NCAA headquarters to take part in interactive workshops and seminars focused on enhancing leadership skills and career readiness in the sports industry.


— WAC —



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Track & Field’s Brady Shadrick Announced As Stan Bates Award Winner

Story Links ARLINGTON, Texas – Brady Shadrick was named the winner of the Stan Bates Award, as announced by the Western Athletic Conference on Thursday afternoon.   The annual award was named in honor of former WAC Commissioner Stan Bates and is given to the WAC’s top male and female scholar-athletes. It recognizes […]

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ARLINGTON, Texas – Brady Shadrick was named the winner of the Stan Bates Award, as announced by the Western Athletic Conference on Thursday afternoon.
 
The annual award was named in honor of former WAC Commissioner Stan Bates and is given to the WAC’s top male and female scholar-athletes. It recognizes athletic, academic and community accomplishments. The award includes a $10,000 postgraduate scholarship.
 
Off the track, Shadrick was very active within the community, volunteering with Miracle League, an inclusive baseball program for children with disabilities, and Cards for Cubs, which sends uplifting messages to children in foster care. He’s supported hazing prevention programs, Fresh Check mental health events with CAPS, and helped collect thousands of food items through canned food drives. He’s also supported clothing drives and volunteered at the Trail or Treat Halloween event, among others.
 
In the classroom, Shadrick graduated with a 3.88 GPA a degree in clinical and applied physiology from UT Arlington in 2025. Shadrick was included on the Academic All-WAC team in both the winter and spring seasons in 2024 and 2025 and was included on the Sun Belt Conference Commissioners List in 2022. Shadrick also received the B.G. Wilson Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award from UT Arlington in 2024, which is presented annually to one male and one female student-athlete who best epitomize the ‘student-first’ and ‘athlete-second’ mantra. He has also been named to the Dean’s List, UTA Student-Athlete Honor Roll, UTA Super Scholar, and earned Texas Trust Credit Union Academic Student-Athlete of the Week honors. Shadrick serves as a Senior Advisor in our Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
 
On the track, Shadrick claimed four first team All-WAC citations in multis events, earning first team honors in the decathlon from 2023-25 while adding a first team heptathlon scroll in 2024. Shadrick added second team accolades in the javelin (2023 and 2025), the heptathlon (2023) and the pole vault (2025).
 

– #BuckEm –

 
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For up-to-date news, photos and videos, follow UTA Athletics online at UTAMavs.com or via several social media accounts on Twitter @UTAMavs, Instagram @UTAMavs and Facebook /UTAMavs.
 





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2025 NM State Volleyball Schedule Released

Story Links LAS CRUCES, N.M. – NM State Volleyball released its 2025 schedule on Thursday, 28th-year Head Coach Mike Jordan announced. The Aggies will open with an exhibition on Aug. 23 before commencing the regular season on the road with a pair of Aug. 29 bouts. The slate includes 11 total […]

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LAS CRUCES, N.M. – NM State Volleyball released its 2025 schedule on Thursday, 28th-year Head Coach Mike Jordan announced. The Aggies will open with an exhibition on Aug. 23 before commencing the regular season on the road with a pair of Aug. 29 bouts. The slate includes 11 total home contests and 16 CUSA matches, concluding on Saturday, Nov. 15 ahead of a potential trip to the CUSA Championship in Miami. 



The Aggies will open with two preseason events at home in August. Spectators will have their first chance to witness the 2025 roster in action during the Crimson & White scrimmage on Saturday, August 16th at 1:00 p.m. MT. One week later, Lubbock Christian is set to roll into town for the Aggies’ lone exhibition of the campaign. 
 
The 52nd regular season in program history is set open from the Golden State, with three matches at the UC San Diego Invitational. NM State will battle Eastern Washington and Northwestern in neutral site bouts on August 29th before taking on the hosting Tritons the following day. Among the trio of opponents, UCSD held the best record a season ago, finishing 17-13 with 11 victories in Big West play. 
 
At the conclusion of three matches in California, Mike Jordan‘s squad will trek to the Midwest for a weekend at the Saluki Bash. Southern Illinois, the host of the invitational, will be the Aggies’ first opponent of the weekend. Later on Sept. 5, NM State will take on Eastern Illinois in the second half of its doubleheader. A day later, Kansas City will await in a rematch of foes that shared the WAC from 2013-19.
 
Following two weeks away, NM State will return for four matches in the Land of Enchantment. The Aggies’ home opener will take place on Sept. 12-13 in a two-match series against New Haven. The Chargers are primed for their first season of Division I action after joining the Northeastern Conference (NEC) on July 1. 
 

On Tuesday, Sept. 16, the Crimson & White will then take on their lone intrastate Division I opponent, making a trip north to battle New Mexico in Albuquerque. The next day (Sept. 17), the two sides will clash once more in the Pan American Center in the Aggies’ final non-conference bout in the City of Crosses.
 
Following the week back in familiar territory, NM State will wrap up its non-conference slate with a trip to the Sooner State for the Tulsa Volleyball Invitational. After taking on the hosting Golden Hurricane (Sept. 19), the Aggies will turn around for a matchup with Little Rock later the same day. At the conclusion of their bout with Oral Roberts on the ensuing afternoon, the Aggies will officially head into their third season of CUSA play.
 
The squad will begin its conquest to a third-straight CUSA Championship match with a road series, welcoming Delaware to the league from the east coast. After two matchups with the Blue Hens, the Aggies will take on Sam Houston in their CUSA home opener. Last season, the Bearkats split the regular-season series before falling in four sets to NM State in the CUSA Championship Quarterfinals. 
 
As was the case in the 2024 postseason, Mike Jordan‘s bunch will turn its attention from Sam Houston to UTEP. In the last Battle of I-10 installment, NM State came back from a 2-1 deficit, taking each of the final two sets in the thrilling CUSA Championship semifinals over the hosting Miners. The Crimson & White will aim to have similar success against their rivals in two matches on Oct. 10-11 from the friendly confines of the Pan American Center. 
 
Six days later, Missouri State will host a two-match set in the Show-Me State. The second of two additions to CUSA will serve as the site for the Aggies’ Oct. 17-18 contests, as Mike Jordan‘s bunch looks to topple the program with the ninth-most victories in Division I history (1,287).
 

In a rematch of last year’s thrilling five-set regular-season finale, Middle Tennessee will be the next squad to visit Las Cruces. The Aggies will welcome the Blue Raiders in their penultimate home series of the season on Oct. 24-25, looking to improve on what currently stands as a 13-3 CUSA record in front of the Crimson & White faithful.
 
Following a two-day trip to LA Tech across Halloween Night and Nov. 1, the group will return home one final time, where they will close out the regular season. Kennesaw State is set to serve as the Aggie opposition for Senior Day, which will be held during the second match of the series on Nov. 15.
 

For the first time as members of Conference USA, NM State will not face each opponent in the regular season, due to the addition of Delaware and Missouri State to the league. The Aggies are not slated to match up against WKU, the six-time reigning league champion. FIU, the host of the CUSA Championship, is also not on the 2025 Crimson & White schedule, along with Liberty.
 
The Conference USA Championship will be held in FIU’s Ocean Bank Convocation Center from Friday, Nov. 21 through Sunday, Nov. 23. The top eight teams from CUSA will qualify for the three-round, single-elimination tournament. The champion will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, which begins Thursday, Dec. 4. 
 
2025 NM State Volleyball Schedule
Saturday, Aug. 16 – Crimson & White Scrimmage (1:00 PM)
Saturday, Aug. 23 – Lubbock Christian (12:00 PM) [EXHIBITION]
Friday, Aug. 29 – vs. Eastern Washington (12:00 PM MT)^
Friday, Aug. 29 – vs. Northwestern (4:00 PM MT)^
Saturday, Aug. 30 – at UC San Diego (4:00 PM MT)^

Friday, Sept. 5 – at Southern Illinois (9:00 AM MT)&

Friday, Sept. 5 – vs. Eastern Illinois (3:00 PM MT)&

Saturday, Sept. 6 – vs. Kansas City (10:00 AM MT)&
Friday, Sept. 12 – New Haven (6:00 PM)
Saturday, Sept. 13 – New Haven (6:00 PM)
Tuesday, Sept. 16 – at New Mexico (5:00 PM)
Wednesday, Sept. 17 – New Mexico (6:00 PM)
Friday, Sept. 19 – at Tulsa (10:00 AM MT)#
Friday, Sept. 19 – vs. Little Rock (3:00 PM MT)#
Saturday, Sept. 20 – vs. Oral Roberts (10:00 AM MT)#
Friday, Sept. 26 – at Delaware (4:00 PM MT)*
Saturday, Sept. 27 – at Delaware (10:00 AM MT)*
Friday, Oct. 3 – Sam Houston (6:00 PM)*
Saturday, Oct. 4 – Sam Houston (12:00 PM)*
Friday, Oct. 10 – UTEP (6:00 PM)*
Saturday, Oct. 11 – UTEP (1:00 PM)*
Friday, Oct. 17 – at Missouri State (5:00 PM MT)*
Saturday, Oct. 18 – at Missouri State (12:00 PM MT)*
Friday, Oct. 24 – Middle Tennessee (6:00 PM)*
Saturday, Oct. 25 – Middle Tennessee (1:00 PM)*
Friday, Oct. 31 – at LA Tech (1:00 PM MT)*
Saturday, Nov. 1 – at LA Tech (11:00 AM MT)*
Thursday, Nov. 6 – at Jacksonville State (5:00 PM MT)*
Friday, Nov. 7 – at Jacksonville State (1:00 PM MT)*
Friday, Nov. 14 – Kennesaw State (6:00 PM)*
Saturday, Nov. 15 – Kennesaw State (1:00 PM)*
Friday, Nov. 21 – Sunday, Nov. 23: Conference USA Championship (Miami, Fla.)
Thursday, Dec. 4 – Saturday, Dec. 21: NCAA Tournament (sites TBD)
 
* – Conference USA match
^ – UC San Diego Invitational (San Diego, Calif.) 

& – Saluki Bash (Carbondale, Ill.)
# – Tulsa Volleyball Invitational (Tulsa, Okla.)
Home matches in BOLD
 
For complete coverage of NM State Volleyball, follow us on Twitter (@NMStateVBall), Instagram (@NMStateVBall) and like us on Facebook (NM State Volleyball). You can also follow along with Aggie Volleyball via NMStateSports.com.
 

##NM State##





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Fourteen Trojans Set to Represent Their Countries at World Championships In Singapore

USC water polo has Trojans in full force at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships, with 14 current and former athletes in the mix to represent their respective countries at the event running July 10-24 in Singapore. Team USA boasts four Trojans on the men’s roster and four on the women’s roster, including current USC student-athletes […]

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USC water polo has Trojans in full force at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships, with 14 current and former athletes in the mix to represent their respective countries at the event running July 10-24 in Singapore.

Team USA boasts four Trojans on the men’s roster and four on the women’s roster, including current USC student-athletes Emily Ausmus, Rachel Gazzaniga, Ava Stryker for the USA women. On the men’s side, current USC goalie Bernardo Herzer is repping the USA for the first time at a major senior level competition, while his USC teammate Andrej Grgurevic got the call-up for the Australian men. Herzer will have three fellow Trojans in the water with him as well, with Jake Ehrhardt also making his World Championships debut with the USA alongside Olympic bronze medalists Hannes Daube and Marko Vavic.

In addition of the trio of current Trojans, the USA women also have Trojan grad and two-time Olympian Amanda Longan capped up in goal, while the Aussie men have two USC alumni on board in 2024 Olympians Jacob Mercep and goalie Nic Porter. Also on the men’s side three-time Olympian and NCAA champion Kostas Genidounias remains in action for Greece. The women’s bracket also boasts two decorated USC alumnae in recent grad and two-time Olympian Tilly Kearns for Australia and four-time Olympian Anni Espar going strong for Spain.

To follow the action in Singapore, visit the 2025 World Aquatics Championships web site.

 



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SCVNews.com | TMU Women’s Volleyball 2025 Schedule Released

The Master’s University women’s volleyball team, the defending GSAC champion, which finished the season ranked No. 25 in the NAIA last year, has released its fall 2025 schedule. Once again the season starts with the Hope Summer Slam and CSM Labor Day Classic tournaments, in which the Lady Mustangs will compete against other Top 25 […]

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The Master’s University women’s volleyball team, the defending GSAC champion, which finished the season ranked No. 25 in the NAIA last year, has released its fall 2025 schedule.

Once again the season starts with the Hope Summer Slam and CSM Labor Day Classic tournaments, in which the Lady Mustangs will compete against other Top 25 teams. This will be followed by a 16-match conference schedule.

“We are beyond excited for what’s on the schedule for this upcoming fall,” said first-year TMU Head Coach McKenna Hafner. “Last year we were given the opportunity to travel to a couple of high-level tournaments and face off against some ranked teams from out of our area. These matches were confidence builders for us as we realized the program has what it takes to consistently compete at the highest level of NAIA women’s volleyball, and provided a roadmap for where we needed to improve to be able to do that. We wanted to replicate that experience as much as possible this year.”

The Hope Summer Slam tournament, played at Hope International in Fullerton, will include a match against Southern Oregon on Aug. 23, one of the top four teams in the country last season.

“Not every program gets the opportunity to compete against a team that finished in the semi-finals of the NAIA national tournament the previous year,” Hafner said. “So our match against Southern Oregon is particularly exciting. I know our girls are eager for the challenge.”

With both Soka University of America and La Sierra University joining the GSAC this year, the conference will be back up to 10 schools, with five in California and five in Arizona. However, Soka will not field a women’s volleyball team, so TMU will face each of the other eight schools twice, both home and away, to make the 16-match conference schedule.

“As far GSAC play goes, there are a lot of unknowns at this point,” Hafner said. “Adding new programs and changing coaching personnel always shakes things up. We are excited to see what the other GSAC programs will look like and it’s exciting to add an extra layer of challenge with the uncertainty of what that looks like. Our team will have to show up to every match open-minded, adaptable and ready to compete because nothing will be a given.”

To see the complete schedule, click HERE.





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Pro beach volleyball is back, but inside Intuit Dome – Orange County Register

LOS ANGELES — Professional beach volleyball is returning to the Los Angeles area – this time, inside one of its newest sporting cathedrals. The Association of Volleyball Professionals tour will stop at the Intuit Dome, home of the Clippers, for its Week 5 action Friday and Saturday night. The touring league, stacked with Olympians and […]

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LOS ANGELES — Professional beach volleyball is returning to the Los Angeles area – this time, inside one of its newest sporting cathedrals.

The Association of Volleyball Professionals tour will stop at the Intuit Dome, home of the Clippers, for its Week 5 action Friday and Saturday night. The touring league, stacked with Olympians and pioneers of the sport, will compete inside the Inglewood arena for the first time.

The Intuit Dome is the latest addition to L.A.’s pro sports infrastructure, and many players are eager to bring beach volleyball’s energy indoors. While the sport typically spikes in attention during Olympic years – ranked as the sixth most-watched sport during the Games – its leap to a major L.A. venue signals growth and offers fans a chance to see it up close in a high-profile setting.

“If fans come out and watch the event,” said Geena Urango of San Diego Smash, “those who haven’t been to one before would realize just how special and entertaining beach volleyball is.”

Urango has a unique relationship with the sport and the city. In 2007, she became the first beach volleyball recruit at USC, laying the foundation for a powerhouse that would go on to win six NCAA titles.

She’s still competing 17 years later.

Both members of the L.A. Launch women’s duo – Terese Cannon (2015-19) and Megan Kraft (2021-24) – followed in Urango’s footsteps at USC. The age gap disappears, they say, when they meet on the sand.

“It’s amazing that she’s still playing at such a high level,” Cannon said. “I sometimes forget she was the first one to play at USC Beach, because she still seems so fresh to the sport. But I know she’s a veteran and a legend.”

Urango is one of many big names in the league.

Phil Dalhausser, a 2008 Olympic gold medalist and four-time Olympian, will retire after the 2025 season. The AVP regards him as perhaps the most dominant player in the sport’s history.

Kelly Cheng, another USC alum (2014-17), competed in the past two Olympics and now plays for Miami Mayhem alongside 2016 Olympian Chaim Schalk.

San Diego Smash’s Chase Budinger joined the AVP after seven seasons in the NBA. He and partner Miles Evans competed for Team USA in 2024.

While these athletes made their names in Olympic arenas, this weekend offers a rare chance to see them compete live, at home.

“It’s the sport that only comes into people’s purview every four years,” said UCLA alum and L.A. Launch player Hagen Smith. “Everybody loves it, but now there’s more opportunity to see all those Olympic athletes. You can just latch on to some amazing new personalities, amazing athletes – and I mean, how can you beat a beach sport? Plus, it’s at Intuit, which makes it even more sick.”

The AVP runs on a team-based format with eight city-backed franchises: L.A. Launch, Miami Mayhem, San Diego Smash, Palm Beach Passion, Brooklyn Blaze, Austin Aces, New York Nitro, and Dallas Dream.

Each tour stop includes four matchups per team contest – two men’s and two women’s – with all results contributing to the team score and standings.

The format encourages continuity and chemistry. Each team travels with consistent men’s and women’s pairs, building bonds that stretch beyond the court.

“You guys are going through this together,” Smith said. “I have so many friends on the tour. When you step on the court, we’re competitors – no friends out there. But off the court, we’re all family.”

This week, Smith and the Launch return “home.”

Through four weekends, L.A. leads the league standings. Now, they’ll look to defend that top spot in front of friends and family on one of the city’s brightest stages.

“It’s so exciting to play in L.A.,” Kraft said. “It’s especially cool because we’re part of the L.A. Launch this year, so we’re able to represent the city and make it our home event. We’ll have some good people in the stands. I invited all my former teammates, friends and family. Hopefully, we get a good crowd at Intuit.”

AVP League Week 5

When: 5 p.m. Friday; 4 p.m. Saturday

Where: Intuit Dome, Inglewood

How to watch: Friday (6-7 p.m. YouTube @avpbeach; 7-9 p.m. CBS Sports Network; 9-10 p.m. YouTube @avpbeach); Saturday (5-7 p.m. The CW Network; 7-9 p.m. YouTube @avpbeach)

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