Connect with us
https://yoursportsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/call-to-1.png

Sports

Long Island boys track set down fast times and high marks

Published

on


JUSTIN ALBANESE

Eastport-South Manor, NYSPHSAA Class B 1,600 meters

It was the most pleasant surprise of the senior’s life.

Albanese finished eighth in the 1,600 meters at the state championships in Middletown in a personal-record 4 minutes, 13.6 seconds. However, he was the top finisher from NYSPHSAA Class B, which made him a state champion.

That was news to him. The distance races were all integrated by class and doubled as both NYSPHSAA and Federation competitions, so many of the runners were unaware of their exact standings in each class. After the new top time, Albanese was rather pleased. Then, coach Brian Methven swooped in excitedly to congratulate him.

“My coach came up running and told me that I won Class B,” Albanese said. “I didn’t believe it at first. I told him, ‘No way.’ I had to double-check that. Coach had it on his phone, so he showed me. It was awesome.”

TRISTAN BLAKE

Harborfields, NYSPHSAA Class B triple jump

Harborfield's Tristan Blake competes in the Class B triple jumpat...

Harborfield’s Tristan Blake competes in the Class B triple jumpat the NYSPSAA Track and Field Finals ,Day 2,at Middletown on Saturday, June 14 ,2025 in Middletown NY. Credit: Neil Miller

Blake went from inactive with a torn hamstring to school legend within three months. He suffered the injury the day before indoor track started and missed the entire season. He was not cleared for a return until the day before the outdoor season began.

Usually mild mannered, Blake was very excited after he flew 46 feet, 5  1⁄4 inches to win his class. After all the plyometric workouts he did during the winter to get to that point, he felt he had earned himself some gluttony and relaxation.

“I have to celebrate now because I have a tendency not to celebrate,” Blake said. “I’m going to take tomorrow off, not hit weights and just live life a little bit.”

JAMES CIACCIO

St. Anthony’s, NYSPHSAA Class A 800, Federation 800

St Anthony's James Ciaccio wins the Boys 800 meter run...

St Anthony’s James Ciaccio wins the Boys 800 meter run at the NYSPSAA Track and Field Finals ,Day 1,at Middletown on Friday, June 13 ,2025 in Middletown ,NY Credit: Neil Miller

The senior’s redemption story was an epic one, for sure.

He had a moment to forget at the CHSAA Intersectional Championships on May 24 when he lost the 800 at the finish line with a premature celebration that slowed him down. The tension at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island was palpable, and coach Tim Dearie’s disappointment was audible.

Then came Day 1 of the state championships, and Ciaccio proved he had learned his lesson. He came from behind on the final lap to overtake his future Northeastern teammate — Newburgh Free Academy’s Brady Danyluk — and win it all in 1:49.64.

“Obviously, this is a huge difference from three weeks ago,” Ciaccio said. “I just didn’t get ahead of myself and finished before letting anything else take over. While I’m still in that race, I’m still competing. I just took the race as it was going; not being too reactive. Once I saw it was go-time, I took the opportunity and went.”

MATTHEW DeCICCO

Hewlett, Class B pentathlon

Matthew DeCicco of Hewlett, right, races to victory in the...

Matthew DeCicco of Hewlett, right, races to victory in the boys 110 meter hurdles final during the Nassau County track and field Class AA team championships at Hewlett High School on Monday, May 19, 2025. He posted a time of 15.69. Credit: James Escher

In his last act before joining Albany’s men’s track team, DeCicco scored 3,244 points to finish atop Class B in the pentathlon. He ran 15-flat in the 110 hurdles, 4:44.02 in the 1,500, cleared 5-5 in the high jump, flew 20-5   3⁄4 in the long jump and threw the shot 38-9  3⁄4.

It was his resilience that allowed him to win, taking the title by a relatively small 32 points. In his weakest event, the high jump, he had not yet cleared 5-1 and was down to his last attempt. He managed to clear it and move to 5-3 where, once again, he failed on the first two tries. He got the job done again to move up to 5-5, where history repeated: two failures and a clearance.

By toughing it out through 5-5, the former quarterback salvaged 504 points, which was 210 fewer than Jamesville-Dewitt’s Terrell Willis, who was ultimately his runner-up.

“I was about to quit,” DeCicco said. “It was a very stressful day. It was fourth down. I just remembered that I’ve done this a million times in practice, and I got it done.”

ELMONT 4 X 400 METERS

(Caleb Harris, Dominic Collins, R’Len Richards, Aidan Peterkin), Class B, Federation

Clockwise from top left: Dominic Collins, Aidan Peterkin, R’Len Richards and...

Clockwise from top left: Dominic Collins, Aidan Peterkin, R’Len Richards and Caleb Harris after leading Elmont to state title in the 4 x 400 relay. Credit: Chris Diaz

Elmont’s deep squad of sprinters thrived as a collective all year, spending most of the outdoor season as the state’s top-ranked 4 x 400 relay team. The boys, led by three seniors and anchored by a junior, had a busy Saturday at the state championship meet, as they practically bookended the day with victorious performances.

At around 9:30 a.m., Elmont logged a 3:17.19 to win Class B and qualify for the Federation race, which was the last scheduled event of the day. Eight hours later, they got into a tight battle with Minisink Valley, but Peterkin took the baton, made a move into first place and narrowly held on through the finish line. Their 3:14.91 secured not only the ‘undisputed champions’ label, but also cemented them as the top 4 x 400 squad in the state on time.

DAVIN LI

Glenn, Class B 100, Class B 200

Elwood-John Glenn Davin Li wins his Class B 100 Meter...

Elwood-John Glenn Davin Li wins his Class B 100 Meter run at the NYSPSAA Track and Field Finals ,Day 2,at Middletown on Saturday, June 14 ,2025 in Middletown ,NY Credit: Neil Miller

Li’s high school career ended a year early. The multi-talent is graduating ahead of schedule to pursue a degree at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he will also be sprinting for its men’s track team.

Before moving on to MIT, he had one more mark to leave on Glenn ... as if being an All-State violinist, a valedictorian, and a four-year starter on defense for a county champion boys soccer team wasn’t enough. He sprinted 10.89 to win his class’ 100 championship and 21.46 to take his class’ 200 title.

“It’s pretty special, to be honest,” Li said. “I just came out here to run my best. I’m happy to have gotten some [personal records], and of course, I had to get some wins, as well.”

DJ McDONOUGH

Garden City, Class B 800

Donald McDonough of Garden City races to victory in the...

Donald McDonough of Garden City races to victory in the boys 800 meter run during Day 1 of the Nassau County track and field state qualifiers at North Shore High School on Thursday, June 5, 2025. He posted a time of 1:53.69. Credit: James Escher

In his final high school race, the Washington & Lee commit finished third among all runners, and atop Class B, in the Federation 800 — registering 1:51.86 to capture the title.

It was a year of constant growth for McDonough, who had always been a solid runner. However, this year McDonough blew up and broke out. His meteoric rise ended fittingly: with a gold medal at the state meet.

“I think it’s mostly due to the fact that after having a pretty good [prior] season, I knew that I could be much better if I really put the work in, and I knew I had a lot of untapped potential that I really wanted to reach,” McDonough said. “I really fell in love with the sport and all the things that it brought me last year and that just pushed me harder and made me really want to be the best there is.”

MANHASSET 4 X 800

(John Hogan, Blake Sealy, Nic Katsoulis, Ryan Boldi), Class B, Federation

Clockwise from top left: Ryan Boldi, Blake Sealy, John Hogan...

Clockwise from top left: Ryan Boldi, Blake Sealy, John Hogan and Nic Katsoulis after leading Manhasset to a state title in the 4 x 800 relay. 

 

 

  Credit: Steve Steiner

After winning the same two titles in the winter, Manhasset’s 4 x 800 relay defended them by running 7:46.04 in Middletown. It was a nice sendoff for Hogan and Boldi, who are both graduating. Boldi ran a strong anchor leg to bring home the title and fend off Xavier, securing the Federation win by just 0.78 seconds.

Sealy was not a member of the indoor championship team, as he dealt with injuries to his foot. He was replaced by senior Cole Thalheimer, who more than sufficed in the role. However, Thalheimer went down with an injury this spring, allowing Sealy to return the favor and step in for him to help deliver the championship. The boys were all part of the team that won the Class B championship in cross country.

“I still can’t believe we won three state titles this year,” coach Steve Steiner said. “Unbelievable.”

JORDAN PECK

North Babylon, Federation 110 hurdles, Class A 400 hurdles, Federation 400 hurdles

North Babylon's Jordan peck wins at the Class A Boys...

North Babylon’s Jordan peck wins at the Class A Boys 400 Meter hurtles at the NYSPSAA Track and Field Finals ,Day 1,at Middletown on Friday, June 13 ,2025 in Middletown ,NY Credit: Neil Miller

Peck was the best hurdler on Long Island all year, and began his two-day state championship journey with a win in Class A’s 400s in 52.99. The junior also finished second in the 110s in 14.04. Both times qualified him to run in the Federation races, giving himself a shot at instant redemption in the 110s.

With the extra chance, he thrived. Peck narrowly won the Federation 110s in 14.32 before taking the Federation 400s with ease in 52.89.

He ran in honor of his teammates who had missed the state meet qualifications.

“I can’t even tell you how it feels,” Peck said. “I think my team, and especially the seniors, can finally rest their heads knowing that somebody got the revenge for them.”

AIDAN PETERKIN

Elmont, Class B 400

Elmont's Aidan Peterkin wins the Class B 400 meter dash...

Elmont’s Aidan Peterkin wins the Class B 400 meter dash at the NYSPSAA Track and Field Finals ,Day 1,at Middletown on Friday, June 13 ,2025 in Middletown ,NY Credit: Neil Miller

Though he shines running the anchor leg of Elmont’s 4 x 400 relay, Peterkin is also strong on his own. The day before he played the hero on Elmont’s 4 x 400, he ran a 47.77 in the Class B 400 to become an individual state champion.

The solo title packed a different thrill.

“I’m beyond blessed,” Peterkin said. “I had great competition to push me and I was able to prevail, so I’m really happy with my performance.”

KENNETH RAMDAYAL

Herricks, Class A shot put

Herricks junior Kenneth Ramdayal throws the shot in the NYSPHSAA...

Herricks junior Kenneth Ramdayal throws the shot in the NYSPHSAA Class A shot put championship.
Credit: Joe Caruso

Ramdayal almost got the job done on Day 1, but he fell just short in the Class A discus, finishing second at 168-9. The next afternoon, in a crowded field, the junior threw the shot 59-6  3⁄4 to win by over 2  1⁄2 feet.

Though he finished the season ranked behind Chaminade junior Jonathan Szymanski in the shot put, Ramdayal was able to beat him head-to-head at the state meet and ended the season with 13 wins in 14 meets.



Link

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sports

Penn State Women’s Volleyball Outside Hitter Karis Willow Enters Transfer Portal

Published

on


Penn State women’s volleyball outside hitter Karis Willow will enter the transfer portal, she announced on Instagram Monday.

“The last three seasons have been an absolute dream,” Willow wrote. “There have been so many highs and lows but I would not trade my experiences for anything in the world.”

In three seasons with the Nittany Lions, Willow struggled to find consistent playing time. Eleven of her 14 match appearances came this season, and she only totaled six kills.

Willow will look for a new home for her final year of eligibility after graduating from Penn State in May.

Please choose an option below.

Sign up for our e-mail newsletter:

OR

About the Author

Kennedy is a junior digital and print journalism major from New Jersey. She is a lover of New York sports, chai lattes, and any kind of reality TV. If you’d like to discuss why Aaron Judge is the best player in MLB, commiserate about the Jets, or give your thoughts on Dancing With the Stars, you can reach her on Twitter @Kennedy.Jones7 or by email @[email protected]



Link

Continue Reading

Sports

UW-Oshkosh women’s volleyball team wins national championship

Published

on


Dec. 8, 2025, 6:55 p.m. CT

UW-Oshkosh freshman Callie Panasuk celebrates with her team during the Division III national championship match against the University of La Verne on Saturday, Dec. 6, in Bloomington, Illinois. The Oak Creek High School graduate was one of four Titans on the All-Tournament Team.

UW-Oshkosh freshman Callie Panasuk celebrates with her team during the Division III national championship match against the University of La Verne on Saturday, Dec. 6, in Bloomington, Illinois. The Oak Creek High School graduate was one of four Titans on the All-Tournament Team.

Kodiak Creative



Link

Continue Reading

Sports

Mario Andaya to Step Down as Head Coach of CWU Volleyball to Become Next Deputy Athletics Director

Published

on


ELLENSBURG, Wash. Mario Andaya, the Head Coach of the Central Washington University volleyball team since 1996, will step down from his position at the helm of the program to begin a new chapter as the new Deputy Athletics Director of CWU. Lauren Herseth, the Associate Head Coach of the program, will be named the next head coach of Wildcat Volleyball, CWU Director of Athletics Dennis Francois announced on Monday.
 
“It has been amazing to work with Mario over the past 13 years and witness not only the success he has had leading our volleyball program, but also the trust and respect he has earned from our entire athletic staff,” Francois said. “His passion for CWU is unmatched, and his commitment to excellence is evident in everything he does. I am confident he will approach his new role as Deputy Athletics Director with the same level of commitment and be instrumental in the future successes of all of our programs and the Department as a whole.”
 
A former track and field standout at Central in the long and triple jump, Andaya first joined the CWU volleyball team in 1992 as a Student Assistant Volleyball Coach under his predecessor, the late John Pearson. He then became the Wildcats’ Junior Varsity Volleyball Coach from 1993 to 1994, while also serving as Assistant Volleyball Coach until the end of the 1995 season. Andaya was then named Head Coach of the program before the school’s penultimate season in the NAIA in 1996. Andaya proceeded to guide Central Washington through its final days in the NAIA into its move to NCAA Division II with a three-year stay in the Pacific West Conference (1998-2000), before its move to the GNAC in 2001.
 
Andaya and the Wildcats saw great success in 2004, when the team won all 26 of its regular-season matches, becoming just the sixth team in NCAA Division II history to complete the regular season without a loss while also capturing their first GNAC title. The Wildcats repeated as conference champions in 2005 and, after receiving an at-large berth in the NCAA tournament, Andaya guided Central to its first postseason victory since 1991 with a five-set defeat of second-seeded Cal Poly Pomona. The Wildcats also came within one game of the regional championship match, losing to Cal State San Bernardino in five sets in the regional semifinals. The Wildcats’ success culminated with Andaya earning GNAC Coach of the Year honors for both 2004 and 2005.
 
Under Andaya’s guidance, the Wildcats have also produced five 20-win seasons and 18 winning campaigns, including making the NCAA Tournament every year since 2012. In 2024, Central had its best season since 2005–going 18-7 overall, while going 16-2 in the conference to capture the program’s third GNAC title, with Andaya earning his third GNAC Coach of the Year honors. The ‘Cats followed that up this season by going 18-7 overall, with a 14-4 conference record that saw CWU claim its second consecutive title and fourth total, as the Wildcats finished the season in a four-way split for the GNAC regular season title. Central went on to defeat Simon Fraser 3-2 in the first round before narrowly falling to Fresno Pacific 2-3 in the regional semifinals.
 
“The experience leading this program was more than I could have ever imagined when I began my coaching career over thirty years ago,” Andaya said. “All the people that I have shared this experience with throughout my tenure is what I will cherish the most. I am very sad to leave this current team and coaches, but I am so excited to see what they will accomplish in the future. I have been blessed to have had this final season with them and for the journey we experienced together. I want to thank the alumni and supporters of this program for making Wildcat Volleyball such a wonderful family to be a part of. I am so excited for Lauren to step in as the new leader of this program and for the new era of CWU Volleyball.
 
I want to thank Dr. Dennis Francois and President Wohlpart for the opportunity to move into a new role with CWU Athletics. We have incredible people working in this department and institution, all who have high expectations and energy to achieve big things. I am excited to get started.”
 
Since joining the Division II ranks, the Wildcats have appeared in 15 NCAA Regionals, produced 23 AVCA All-Region selections, 16 AVCA All-Americans, seven GNAC Players of the Year (overall and defense), and 41 All-GNAC first-team selections.
 
Off the court, Andaya has coached over 100 academic all-conference players during his tenure. In 2002, the Wildcats set a then-conference record with eight selections to the GNAC Academic All-Conference team and posted the highest team grade-point average in the 10-team league. Six different times, a Wildcat has posted the highest individual GPA in the GNAC.
Andaya finishes his tenure at CWU as the winningest coach in program history with an overall record of 489-315, while going 328-186 in conference.
 
Andaya will begin his new position effectively on Dec. 16, 2025.





Link

Continue Reading

Sports

No.1 Defeated by Two-Time Defending National Champions in Five

Published

on


SIOUX CITY, Iowa [BOX SCORE | BRACKET | SCHEDULE] – In the 2025 NAIA Women’s Volleyball National Semifinal Round, the Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats emerged victorious over the Eastern Oregon Mountaineers with a hard-fought 3-2 battle (25-20, 23-25, 19-25, 25-15, 15-11).

The Wildcats started strong, taking the first set 25-20, but EOU quickly responded by winning the next two sets 25-23 and 25-19, respectively. IWU rallied to win the fourth set 25-15, forcing a decisive fifth set. In the final stretch, Indiana Wesleyan went on a 9-2 scoring run to clinch the victory with a 15-11 set win.

Indiana Wesleyan was led by freshman rightside hitter Shae Williams, who recorded 25 kills and an impressive hitting percentage of .477. Marissa Mullins also contributed significantly with 16 kills and a .536 hitting percentage, while Eva Joldersma added 22 kills. Setter, Abbigail Porter, dished out 61 assists at 12.2 per set, to go along with 17 digs. IWU’s backline was led by Dayessi Luis with 21 digs and Cadee Notter with 20.

The Mountaineers’ efforts were highlighted by Keira Vaughn, who delivered 20 kills and maintained a .236 hitting percentage. Brooke Womack contributed 13 kills, and Kiauna Mack added nine kills. Kate Stidham and Madison Vaughn led EOU’s offense with 26 and 21 assists, respectively. Defensively, Jaycee Villastrigo led the team with 23 digs, followed closely by Womack with 22.

With the loss, Eastern Oregon is eliminated from championship play.

IWU moves on to play in the championship match for the third year straight and third in program history.

Indiana Wesleyan is in a position to win a third Championship title in three years. The last time a team won three in a row was 2007-10 when former member, Fresno Pacific (Calif.), won four in a row. Only three teams in NAIA history have won three or more titles in as many years.

The Wildcats will return to action Tuesday, December 10, at 7 p.m. CT, taking on the winner of Concordia (Neb.) vs. Northwestern (Iowa) to decide who wins the Battle for the Red Banner.

 



Link

Continue Reading

Sports

Florida volleyball’s Jaela Auguste enters transfer portal

Published

on


Florida volleyball’s Jaela Auguste has entered the transfer portal, sources told On3.

Auguste was named to the 2025 All-SEC First Team and was previously the 2024 SEC Freshman of the Year.

The 6-2 middle blocker had a team-best .359 hitting percentage during the regular season, with 250 kill. She also totaled a team-high 97 blocks and led Florida with 27 aces.

Transfer portal background information

The NCAA Transfer Portal, which covers every NCAA sport at the Division I, II and III levels, is a private database with names of student-athletes who wish to transfer. It is not accessible to the public.

The process of entering the portal is done through a school’s compliance office. Once a player provides written notification of an intent to transfer, the office enters the player’s name in the database and everything is off and running. The compliance office has 48 hours to comply with the player’s request and that request cannot be refused.

Once a player’s name shows up in the portal, other schools can contact the player. Players can change their minds at any point and withdraw from the portal. However, once a player enters the portal, the current scholarship no longer has to be honored. In other words, if a player enters the portal but decides to stay, the school is not obligated to provide a scholarship anymore.

The database is a normal database, sortable by a variety of topics, including (of course) sport and name. A player’s individual entry includes basic details such asynchronous contact info, whether the player was on scholarship and whether the player is transferring as a graduate student.

A player can ask that a “do not contact” tag be placed on the report. In those instances, the players don’t want to be contacted by schools unless they’ve initiated the communication.

Track transfer portal activity

While the NCAA Transfer Portal database is private, the On3 Network has streamlined the reporting process tracking player movement. If you find yourself asking, ‘How can I track transfer portal activity?’ our well-established network of reporters and contacts across college athletics keeps you up to speed in several ways, from articles written about players as they enter and exit the transfer portal or find their new destination, to our social media channels, to the On3 Transfer Portal.

The transfer portal wire provides a real-time feed of player activity, including basic player profile information, transfer portal ranking and original On3 Industry recruiting ranking, as well as NIL valuation (name, image and likeness).

The On3 Transfer Portal Rankings allow for you to filter the On3 Industry Rankings to find the best of the best in the portal, starting with Overall Top Players. 

The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.





Link

Continue Reading

Sports

Kelly Sheffield discusses NCAA volleyball transfer portal window

Published

on


Dec. 8, 2025, 9:43 p.m. CT



Link

Continue Reading

Most Viewed Posts

Trending