Sports
NCAA Champs Day Four Dispatch: Sutherland, Lemngole Shatter NCAA Records + Kosgei Sweeps 10,000m/5000m Titles
It’s the final day of the NCAA Championships, and I’m sad to see it end. It’s been a joy doing these recaps and attending these meets, trying to take in each and every second to share with everyone else.
The NCAAs are great meets, great racing, and well worth all the time and attention spent in these newsletters and beyond. In more than a few events, world leading times are set and records are broken. It’s exhilarating. It’s exciting. It’s exceptional. It’s the women’s finals—let’s get into it!
12:30pm – Women’s Discus
I’m going to shout out my co-contributor, Paul Hof-Mahoney, for his help with the throws statistics. I had no clue that the first, second, third, and fourth place throws were all meet records for their respective distances, all achieved in the same meet. (There’s going to be a lot of that today—this 2025 women’s meet was historic.)
I’ll rattle off the distances from fourth to first, for an idea of the scale.
Fourth place was held by Caisa-Marie Lindfors of Cal, who threw 62.57m for a personal best. The senior from California and Swedish World Athletics Championship competitor came into the meet with a 61.52m personal best—but no longer!
Third place was Shelby Frank of Texas Tech, who threw a personal best of 63.37m. The personal best of over four feet came after she took second in the hammer throw two days prior, capping off a spectacular championship for the Red Raider.
Second place was Alida Van Daalen of Florida, a Paris Olympian for the Netherlands, who threw 64.94m for second place. When asked about how it felt to achieve her best finish in NCAAs at the best NCAA final ever, Van Daalen said it was like “getting silver with a golden rim.”
And first place was Cierra Jackson of Fresno State, throwing 65.82m in the first round to take the win. It’s now the championship record, a huge personal best, and the first time Fresno State won an individual title at the outdoor NCAA Championships—ever.
Jackson took her final victory lap around the track with the biggest smile on her face. I can’t imagine why.
3:30pm – Women’s Heptathlon Long Jump
Personal best from Sofia Iukashina, the Texas A&M freshman who came into this meet ranked first in the nation in the heptathlon. Season’s best for Pippi Lotta Enok of Oklahoma, who came into this meet ranked second in the nation. Jadin O’Brien, the Notre Dame senior, finished 0.01m off of her season’s best of 6.16m.
Those are three athletes that finished 1-2-3 in the final standings and the three athletes that were locked in an extremely close battle over the final day. O’Brien was, at that point, only 51 points behind Lotta Enok.
4:45pm – Women’s Heptathlon Javelin
And it stayed similarly locked in place after the javelin. Lotta Enok’s season best for the javelin was 47.32m, second in the entire field to Claire McNamara of Michigan, but finished in fourth with a throw of 42.89m. That opened the door for O’Brien to make up some ground, throwing 42.75m (only 0.79m off her season’s best), and finishing 0.14m behind Lotta Enok. Sofia Cosculluela of Washington won the event in a personal best throw of 48.97m.
Going into the final round, Lotta Enok and O’Brien were separated by only 54 points. The tight race would come down to the final race of the day, the 800m held later.
5:30pm – Women’s High Jump Finals
The top four women’s high jumpers all achieved either season’s best or personal bests, with Elena Kulichenko of Georgia prevailing with a 1.96m leap. Kulichenko tied for the indoor title with Texas Tech’s Temitope Adeshina (who finished off her season’s best with a mark of 1.87m to take fifth), and competed in the 2024 Summer Olympics, placing seventh there.
As the jumpers were introduced, I was struck by the quality and depth of the field. So many Olympians and national record holders, so many school and conference record holders! Alyssa Jones of Stanford doubled back from her second place in the long jump to finish fourth in the high jump—she came into the meet ranked “only” in 16th, with a personal best of 1.84m. It’s now 1.90m.
If people were betting on anyone it would’ve been between Kulichenko and Adeshina, the two Olympians, but that didn’t mean the competition was any less fierce.
5:50pm – Women’s Collegiate Wheelchair 100m Finals
I felt like I was getting déjà vu in the women’s collegiate wheelchair 100m championship. Once again, an Illinois athlete got out to a blazing fast start and didn’t let go of it. This time, the gap was even larger between first and second place, as Hannah Dederick of Illinois placed with a time of 16.50, ahead of Arizona’s Chelsea Stein in 17.99.
Dederick competed in three events in the Paris Paralympic games, taking fourth in the 400m, sixth in the 100m, and 7th in the 800m. She also competed in Tokyo, taking fourth in the 100m and 10th in the 400m.
When they introduced Dederick over the loudspeaker, it abundantly clear the accolades cleared the rest of the field’s—and kept going. And this was a field with other Paralympians, too! When she crossed the finish line, Dederick registered almost zero reaction. It was another day in the office.
6:02pm – Women’s 4x100m Relay
USC was number one coming into the meet, and they left number one.
It was a season’s best 42.22 that did it for the Trojans, just holding off a hard-charging Jameesia Ford and the South Carolina Gamecocks. This wasn’t an upset, nor was it unexpected, but it’s always good to see a sprint relay race go to plan—no batons dropped, no DQs. Florida’s anchor, star freshman hurdler Habiba Harris, pulled up midway through on the last leg, which was hard to see. The Florida team has been slammed with injuries all season, indoors and outdoors, and the championships were no exception.
6:10pm – Women’s Triple Jump
In preparing to cover the triple jump, I checked the start lists online.
Did a double take.
Then a triple take.
How in the world did three women have the same season’s best of 14.01m in the triple jump? This is a field event that’s three legs worth of jumping—so much room for variation! It did appear like Oklahoma’s Agur Dwol actually jumped 14.02m at the SEC Championships, but still. That’s a rare amount of parity in an event that can stretch just under 50 feet.
Unlike last night, I highly doubted that Dwol, Winny Bii of Texas A&M, and Shantae Foreman of Clemson were going to tie in the finals. But, as far as I knew, it was a toss-up.
At the end of the day, Bii took the top spot with a jump of 13.96m in the first round. Second place finisher, Emilia Sjostrand of San Jose State, jumped an extremely consistent six rounds. She went 13.87, 13.73, 13.78, 13.44, 13.84, and 13.88m—holding second place for the entire competition. In fact, all top four places (Bii, Sjostrand, Dwol, and Foreman) held their spot in the championships the entire way through—it was Sjostrand who happened to spoil the party.
6:11pm – Women’s 1500m
I picked a stressful spot to sit today as a 1500m fan.
In the second row of the stands, Washington teammates sat directly to my left, cheering for Sophie O’Sullivan and Chloe Foerster.
Providence teammates sat behind my left shoulder, cheering for Kimberley May.
Maggi Congdon’s family and boyfriend sat behind my right shoulder, cheering for the NAU athlete.
An Oregon contingent filled the whole stadium, but also directly to the left of the Providence teammates, cheering Silan Ayyildiz, Klaudia Kasmierska, and Mia Barnett.
And Virginia had a crew in the row directly in front of me to my left, cheering for Margot Appleton.
Lindsey Butler of Virginia Tech led the field through the first 600 meters, before being passed by O’Sullivan. Congdon joined her in the front, as both athletes went shoulder to shoulder through 1200m. Behind them was South Carolina’s Salma Elbadra, Ayyildiz and Kazmierska both making big moves to pass on the outside.
Appleton unleashed her lethal quick, but it was too late. Nobody had a gear like O’Sullivan, and she finished a full second in front of her next closest competitors in Appleton and Congdon. Her closing lap of 58.43 was more than enough to break the field and take the win.
As a side note: Washington’s Sophie O’Sullivan is probably in the top three most quotable athletes at these NCAAs.
On the tactical differences between the men’s and women’s 1500m: “I mean, to be fair, you won’t see the women doing any silly shit like that, though.”
On how she felt about the win (children, again, close your ears): “Pretty fucking happy!”
On the team score, talking to her teammates and all of us in the stands after the race: “We might as well end the meet here and call in a lightning delay or something before Georgia cleans up.” – Washington was a point ahead of Georgia in the standings, with 27 to the Bulldogs 26.
Sports
Indy volleyball coach in viral video charged after allegedly sexting a minor
INDIANAPOLIS — A viral video has led to criminal charges against an Indianapolis volleyball coach accused of sending sexually explicit images to someone he believed was a 14-year-old boy.
Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears announced that Levi Garrett, 34, of Danville, faces attempted dissemination of matter harmful to minors, a Level 6 felony, following an independent investigation by the prosecutor’s office.
According to the probable cause affidavit, the charges stem from allegations that on March 2, 2025, Garrett engaged in explicit conversations and sent sexually graphic photos on the dating app Grindr to someone he believed was a minor.
A member of a private online investigative organization used a fake Grindr profile titled “tryna have fun” with a photo portraying themselves as a 14-year-old male named “Josh.” The decoy allegedly engaged with Garrett’s profile, “Hmu & find out.”
During the conversation, court documents show the minor texted Garrett, “U mind if I’m young,” and Garrett replied, “No I don’t mind.” When the decoy told Garrett, “I’m 14 but I down for whatever,” Garrett allegedly “liked” the message and proceeded to send three sexually explicit images, including photos of male genitalia and sexual activity.
The messages also allegedly included language about meeting for sex, with Garrett asking whether the encounter would be “safe or bareback.”
Court records show Garrett initially agreed to meet at a location in Greencastle but later blocked the account.
The case gained widespread attention in August when YouTuber JiDion, who is affiliated with the private investigative group, posted a 26-minute video titled “Volleyball Coach Gets EXPOSED” that has been viewed over 1.2 million times.
In the video, JiDion confronts Garrett at The Academy Volleyball Club located on East 30th Street, showing him screenshots of the alleged text exchanges and explicit photos.
Notably, the video showed several Indianapolis Metropolitan Police officers at the scene during the confrontation. When JiDion urged them to arrest the coach, one officer stated, “I have run into this before. Our prosecutor will not touch this,” a response that was controversial to many of JiDion’s followers.
IMPD later responded to the backlash and clarified that the video lacked important context, noting that a police report was filed at the scene, Garrett was trespassed from the property, and detectives were informed about the allegations.
Following the viral incident, the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office opened a formal investigation into the allegations.
“There are no shortcuts in the investigative process,” Mears said in a statement Monday. “When it comes to crimes against children, justice demands that an independent investigation occur and evidence be properly obtained, so that a case is built that will hold offenders accountable in a court of law.”
According to the affidavit, body camera footage from the incident shows Garrett identifying himself by name and providing his date of birth and phone number to officers, information that matched the Grindr profile under investigation.
Garrett is scheduled to appear for a change of plea hearing on January 27, 2026, at 9 a.m. in Marion County Superior Court.
Sports
Volleyball Lands Four on CSC Academic All-District Team
To qualify, a student-athlete must hold a cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 3.50, across both undergraduate and graduate courses, if applicable. Athletically, volleyball student-athletes must have either competed in 90% of their team’s contests for the season or started at least 66% of contests.
The list of honorees is below:
Senior Alina Anderson (Rockford, Mich. / Rockford / Ferris State)
Senior Abby Olin (Coopersville, Mich. / Coopersville / Michigan State)
Sophomore Izzy Swiercz (Hudsonville, Mich. / Hudsonville)
Sophomore Grace Thomas (Dublin, Ohio / Dublin Coffman)
Both Anderson and Olin earned the honor for the 2024 season.
For the latest news and updates on CMU Volleyball, follow the team in X (@cmuvolleyball) and on Instagram (@cmuvolleyball).
Sports
Affidavit reveals AI-generated plan in alleged grooming case against Mesquite pastor’s son and volleyball coach
An arrest affidavit obtained by CBS News Texas reveals more details about what led up to the arrest of a teacher and volleyball coach accused of grooming a teenage girl to have a sexual relationship with her, including the discovery of an AI-generated document outlining manipulation tactics.
Matthan Lough, 32, was arrested on Dec. 10 on a charge of child grooming, a third-degree felony. His father, Kevin Lough, was the senior pastor of the Christian Center of Mesquite, where some of the alleged grooming took place.
The victim and her mother filed a report with Mesquite police about Lough on Oct. 2. According to police, the victim’s mother found out about the relationship earlier that week.
Mesquite police: Grooming began more than two years ago
The affidavit outlines how the case began with an interaction at a party in the spring of 2023.
According to the affidavit, the victim met Lough at her cousin’s graduation party when he approached her while she was playing volleyball. The victim recognized Lough from church, as his wife was the worship leader for their youth group. Lough asked her if she would be interested in joining a club volleyball team he wanted to start at the church.
It was not until the fall of 2024 that Lough held tryouts for the team, and the victim was given a spot, the affidavit said. The victim reported a series of unusual interactions with Lough over the following months in which he shared overly personal details about his life and marriage, then began to make flirty and inappropriate jokes, according to the report.
Lough’s inappropriate behavior escalated further over the summer of 2025, when he started sending the victim explicit messages and discussed committing murders, the affidavit said. Lough also repeatedly made sure the victim knew he was carrying a gun, making her fear for her safety.
In September, the affidavit describes the relationship turning physical. Lough allegedly kissed the victim at a church event. Later that month, he sexually assaulted her twice, the victim told police.
The relationship ended after the victim’s mother discovered the inappropriate messages on the victim’s devices. Her mother then contacted Lough’s wife.
Police said that after the victim filed the report, detectives obtained a search warrant and found an AI-generated document on Lough’s iPad titled “Hypothetical Counter-Influence Plan.” The document outlined phases such as “rebuild her autonomy” and “shift the power dynamic,” and provided guidance on how to achieve success.
Fallout from child grooming case
After the relationship was uncovered, police said Lough’s wife left Texas. Court records show she filed for divorce in October.
Lough’s father also resigned as senior pastor of the Christian Center of Mesquite. In a post on the church’s website, its board said the church would work to seek justice for the victim. It also said the church has “initiated an immediate internal review of all child protection policies, volunteer screening processes, and facility access logs to ensure the absolute safety of every child and youth within our care.”
Sports
2025 NCAA women’s volleyball championship: How to watch, schedule
Texas A&M shook up the NCAA women’s volleyball tournament when the No. 3 Aggies upset top-ranked and previously unbeaten Nebraska in their regional final. Now, the Aggies are headed to their first Final Four in program history.
No. 3 Wisconsin, which ousted Texas, another No. 1 seed, on its home court, and No. 1 seeds Kentucky and Pittsburgh join Texas A&M in the national semifinals, which take place Thursday at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
The Aggies will take on Pitt in one semifinal, while Wisconsin and Kentucky will face off in the other. Neither Texas A&M nor the Panthers have won a national championship, though Pitt will play in its fifth straight Final Four. Both Wisconsin (2021) and Kentucky (2020) have won one national title.
Here are key facts about the 2025 NCAA Division I women’s volleyball tournament:
What is the remaining schedule?
*All times Eastern
Thursday, Dec. 18
Semifinal: No. 3 Texas A&M vs. No. 1 Pittsburgh – 6:30 p.m. on ESPN
“NCAA Women’s Volleyball Studio Show” – 8:30 p.m. on ESPN
Semifinal: No. 3 Wisconsin vs. No. 1 Kentucky – 9 p.m. on ESPN
Sunday, Dec. 21
“NCAA Women’s Volleyball Preview Show” – 3 p.m. on ABC
Championship – 3:30 p.m. on ABC
How can fans watch?
Fans can catch all of the action in the ESPN App and in the NCAA women’s volleyball streaming hub.
How can fans access more college sports coverage from ESPN?
Check out the ESPN college sports hub page for the latest news, scores, rankings and more.
Sports
Three Clarkson Volleyball Players Named to CSC Academic All-District List
The 2025 Academic All-District® Volleyball teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. To be eligible, student-athletes need to be of sophomore standing both athletically and academically, hold a cumulative grade-point average of 3.50 or better, and have participated in 90% of sets or have started at least two-thirds of their respective team’s matches.
Baxter, a sophomore majoring in Chemical Engineering, was a Liberty League Second-Team All-Star thanks to her excellence in the back row. Baxter ranked 22nd nationally in digs per set (5.40 dps) and was 57th nationally in aces per set (0.63 aps).
Currier, a senior majoring in Mechanical Engineering, continued to be relied upon in a variety of roles for the Knights, averaging 7.09 assists, 0.95 kills, 2.50 digs, and 0.61 blocks per set. In a match against University of Rochester she nearly posted an incredibly rare feat, coming up just one kill short of a quadruple double (31 assists, 16 digs, 10 blocks, and 9 kills).
Hangliter, a senior majoring in Environmental Engineering, finished the season averaging 2.62 kills per set, which ranked second on the team. She also was second in the Liberty League in aces per set with 0.64, which placed her 49th nationally in that category.
Sports
Three Tennessee Volleyball Players Earn CSC Academic All-District Honors
This marks the first time in program history that three Lady Vols have been named to the Academic All-District Team. In Eve Rackham Watt‘s eight years as head coach, eight total players have earned Academic All-District honors. Tennessee has had two or more players selected to the All-District team now in three seasons, all coming under Rackham Watt.
CSC’s Academic All-America program recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. Both Kerr and Kubik earned spots on the CSC Academic All-America ballot, which will be announced on January 13, 2026.
Compiling a 3.87 GPA in the Sport Management program, Kerr garnered First Team All-SEC honors after leading the team with 945 assists. Kerr was a key force for a Tennessee attack that finished the season top 15 in both hitting percentage and kills per set. Kerr had 20 matches with 30 or more assists, including tying her career high with 57 against Florida on Oct. 15.
One of the top setters in Tennessee history, Kerr currently ranks sixth all-time in both assists (3,259) and assists per set (10.65). The two-time All-American setter has led the team in assists in each of the last three seasons, eclipsing the 1,000-assist mark in both 2023 & 2024.
Earning her bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies, Kubik had her best offensive season of her career in her final collegiate season. Kubik led the team in kills (390), kills per set (4.19), points (431.0), and points per set (4.63) this season. She had double-digit kills in 24 matches, reaching 20 or more on four occasions.
Kubik also ranked top ten in the conference in both kills per set and points per set in 2025. A stellar defender in the back row, Kubik finished third on the team with 209 digs. The First Team All-SEC selection had seven double-doubles on the campaign, all of which came against conference opponents.
Boasting a 4.00 GPA in Communication Studies, Güçtekin became an important piece to Tennessee’s defensive success. The senior libero led the team in 2025 with 408 digs. Güçtekin finished the season ranking top five in the SEC in both digs and digs per set. She recorded double figure digs in 23 matches, including having 20 or more in six. She set a career-high of 30 digs at Kentucky on Nov. 9, becoming the first Tennessee player to reach 30 or more digs since Yelianoz Torres had 30 against Arkansas on Oct. 20, 2023.
Güçtekin eclipsed 1,000 digs in her career this season, and finishes her collegiate career with 1,293 digs. An all-around player in college, Güçtekin also finished with 423 assists and 117 aces.
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