DALLAS (SMU) – The SMU Volleyball team announced the signings of outside hitter Suli Davis, libero Victoria Harris, opposite hitter Gabi Placide and setter Ava Sarafa to the 2026 roster on Monday. 

Arriving for the spring 2026 semester, Placide brings in three years of collegiate playing experience; Harris and Sarafa come to the Hilltop with two and Davis comes to SMU with one year playing at the college level. 

 

Details of the four transfers are below.  

Suli Davis, So., 6-2, Outside Hitter, Euless, Texas – BYU

AVCA Second Team All-American (2025) 

AVCA West Region Freshman of the Year (2025) 

AVCA All-West Region First Team (2025) 

Big 12 Freshman of the Year (2025) 

All-Big 12 First Team (2025) 

Big 12 All-Rookie Team (2025) 

6x Big 12 Rookie of the Week (Sept. 9, Oct. 7, Oct. 21, Nov. 4, Nov. 25, Dec. 2, 2025) 

2025 (Freshman at BYU) 

–Broke BYU’s all-time freshman kills record during the Cougars’ five-set win over Utah on Nov. 26 

–Broke BYU’s rally-scoring era freshman kills record against Arizona on Nov. 19 

–27th player in Big 12 history with 500+ kills in a single season 

–30 double-digit kill matches, third-most in the rally-scoring era at BYU 

–Team-leading 10 double-doubles 

–Led the team in kills in 22 matches, including 13 of the Cougars’ final 14 

–Played in all 31 of the Cougars’ matches and 119 sets, starting 29 matches 

–Recorded 541 kills, third-most in a rally-scoring era season at BYU, 252 digs, 43 total blocks, including 10 solo stuffs, 31 assists and 25 service aces 

–Finished No. 1 in total kills (541), kills per set (4.55) and points per set (4.97) in the Cougars’ all-time freshman record book 

–Finished No. 1 in sets played (119), total kills (541), kills per set (4.55), total points (591.5) and points per set (4.97) in the freshman rally-scoring era at BYU 

–Is also second in double-doubles (10) and third in solo blocks (10) in the Cougars’ freshman rally-era record book 

–Career-high 28 kills in back-to-back matches (at Utah on Nov. 14 and vs. Arizona Nov. 19), the second-most kills by a freshman in the rally-scoring era at BYU 

Victoria Harris, Jr., 5-4, DS/Libero, Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina

SEC Community Service Team (2025) 

SEC All-Freshman Team (2024) 

SEC Freshman of the Week (Nov. 18, 2024) 

 

2025 (Sophomore at South Carolina) 

-Appeared in all 26 matches for the Gamecocks in her second season with the program 

-Finished fourth in the SEC with 4.11 digs per set, totaling 399 digs 

-Added 120 assists and 16 aces in her sophomore campaign 

-Had seven matches with 20+ digs and 21 matches with double-digit digs 

-Logged a season-best 27 digs at Missouri on Oct. 24  

-Second in the SEC during conference play, averaging 4.31 digs per set for South Carolina 

-Finished with 795 digs, 223 assists and 35 aces as a Gamecock in two seasons 

Gabi Placide, Sr., 6-0, Opposite Hitter, Centennial, Colo. – Ole Miss 

AVCA South Region Honorable Mention (2025) 

SEC Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 22, 2025) 

AVCA West Region Honorable Mention (2024) 

Big Sky All-Conference First Team (2024) 

2x Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 21, Oct. 28, 2024) 

Big Sky Conference Fall All-Academic Team (2024) 

Big Sky Outstanding Freshman Award (2023) 

Big Sky All-Academic Team (2023) 

 

2025 (Junior at Ole Miss) 

-Started and played in all 29 matches for the Rebels 

-Led the team with 558.5 total points, 5.12 points per set, ranking third in the SEC and 15th in the NCAA 

-Registered 488 kills (31st in the NCAA) on a .213 hitting percentage in her lone season with Ole Miss 

-Logged 34 aces (sixth in the SEC) to lead Ole Miss and added 182 digs, 1.67 digs per set.  

-Had 10 matches with 20+ kills and logged double-digit kills in 25 of 29 matches  

-Registered five double-doubles, including a 19-kill and 14-dig outing against LSU on Nov. 2 

-Had a career-high 28 kills against Alabama on Oct. 31 

-Notched 22 kills, 10 digs and five aces against Texas on Oct. 24 

 

Ava Sarafa, R-Jr., 6-0, Setter, Bloomfield Hills, Mich. – Kentucky 

Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll (2024) 

First-Year SEC Academic Honor Roll (2023-24) 

OREM — The first NCAA Division I national championship in Utah Valley University has been vacated.

Multiple reports Monday indicated that former UVU distance star Everlyn Kemboi had her 10,000-meter national title from the 2023 NCAA outdoor track and field championships vacated by the association’s committee on infractions.

The Metkei, Kenya, native who transferred to Utah Valley after starting her career at Arizona and El Paso Community College won the school’s first individual national championship with a time of 32 minutes, 39.08 seconds June 9, 2023 at the University of Texas-Austin’s Mike A. Myers Stadium.

Kemboi’s runner-up finish in the 5,000-meter run has also been removed from the association record books, as first reported by The Stride Report.

The decision first drew attention Dec. 19, when former Utah distance athlete Emily Venters revealed in a statement on Instagram that an appeal she filed with the NCAA asking to move up her 10K runner-up finish in June 2023 due to the disqualification of an athlete had been denied.

Venters, the Utes’ program record-holder in the 10,000 and 5,000 meters in outdoor track and field, finished second to Kemboi in 32 minutes, 47.70 seconds in June of her senior season in 2023. She also finished third in the 5,000 meters in 15:42.40.

Both times were the fastest by a Utah track athlete at an NCAA championship event. But Venters said her and her family were told by NCAA officials that the athlete who finished first in the 10K and second in the 5K — she did not identify Kemboi by name in her statement — had tested positive for a banned substance and had her results revoked.

“Today’s decision from the NCAA is beyond disappointing,” Venters said in a statement posted to Instagram under: “This is something I never wanted to have to post, but staying quiet would mean accepting something that isn’t right.”

“With the support of my dad and Utah’s athletic department, we fought for what we believed was right, to have the results corrected,” she added. “Today, the NCAA denied that request. What hurts most is that I will never get that moment back. I will never get to experience being named a national champion, standing on the top step of that podium, hearing my name called. That moment was taken from me by someone who chose to cheat, and now by a system that refuses to fix it.”

She called the decision “an emotional loss” and one that has “real consequences for my future” including financially for the now-professional runner sponsored by Nike and Xendurance. She also joined Utah-based Run Elite Program last June for training and support.

“But this is bigger than me,” Venters added. “This sets a dangerous standard for the next generation of NCAA athletes. It tells them that cheating can happen, that athletes can test positive, and yet the right thing still will not be done. It sends the message that clean athletes who do things the right way may never be protected or rewarded. That is not the sport we love.

“If the NCAA is willing to let this stand, then it needs to take a hard look int he mirror. Accountability matters. Clean athletes deserve better. I am speaking out because this should not be swept under the rug. This is not just my story. It is about the future of our sport, and unless things change, the message being sent is that cheating is tolerated. That is a standard we should never accept.”

Officials from Utah Valley University have not commented on the situation. But an addition to the school’s press release from June 2023 indicates that Kemboi’s national championship “was later vacated by the committee on infractions.”

A former three-time All-American and five-time Western Athletic Conference champion, Kemboi has since turned pro and appeared in 18 professional track and road races that include top events like the Portland Track Festival and the Fairmouth Road Race, according to The Stride Report.

Football
12/29/2025 6:10:00 PM

Elon Athletics

14 Total Phoenix Receive Phil Steele All-CAA Postseason Recognition

ELON – Elon redshirt senior punter Jeff Yurk earned First Team All-American honors and was tabbed as the CAA Special Teams Player of the Year by Phil Steele on Monday. Kahmari Brown (Fourth Team All-American) and Landen Clark (Third Team Freshman All-American), headline a deep list of 14 Phoenix who received 2025 Phil Steele All-CAA football postseason accolades.
 
The 14 Phoenix to receive postseason recognition included three first-team selections, two second-team honorees, seven third-team picks and three fifth-team choices. For the full list of FCS All-Americans and All-CAA selections visit PhilSteele.com.
 
Jeff Yurk – P
First Team All-American, CAA Special Teams Player of the Year
·       Ranked second in the FCS and third in all of college football with 48.3 yards per punt
·       Tallied 17 punts inside the 20 and 24 punts of 50-plus yards
·       Averaged five yards more per punt than any other CAA punter
 
Kahmari Brown – DL
Fourth Team All-American
·       First Elon player ever with double-digit sacks in a season (12.0)
·       Broke Elon’s single-season FCS sacks record; tied program’s FCS career sacks record (16.5)
·       Led the CAA in sacks by 2.5; only CAA player with double-digit sacks
·       Ranked top-15 nationally in forced fumbles, sacks, and tackles for loss
·       Two-time CAA Defensive Player of the Week selection
 
Landen Clark – QB
Third Team Freshman All-American
·       The third Phoenix to earn CAA Rookie of the Year honors, joining Davis Cheek (2017) and Jaylan Thomas (2018)
·       First Elon freshman to win three CAA Rookie of the Week awards
·       Broke Elon’s single-season FCS rushing touchdown record (11)
·       Ranked second among CAA quarterbacks with 614 rushing yards
·       Threw for 2,321 yards, ranking sixth in the CAA and second among CAA freshman quarterbacks
·       Accounted for 29 total touchdowns (18 passing, 11 rushing), the second most in a season in program history
·       Ranked fourth in the CAA in total offense (2,935 yards)
 
The following players were selected as Phil Steele All-CAA selections:
Isaiah Fuhrmann (WR) – First Team
Kahmari Brown (DL) – First Team
Jeff Yurk (P) – Special Teams Player of the Year, First Team
Dylan Magazu (HB/FB) – Second Team
Ishmel Atkins (DB) – Second Team
Timothy Hogan (OL) – Third Team
Brodie Carroll (LB) – Third Team
Asher Cunningham (LB) – Third Team
DJ James-Hamilton (DB) – Third Team
Tony Hart III (DB) – Third Team
Luke Barnes (PK) – Third Team
TJ Thomas Jr. (AP) – Third Team
Brayden Walker (OL) – Fifth Team
Jake Louro (DL) – Fifth Team
TJ Thomas Jr. (KR) – Fifth Team
 
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For further coverage of Elon Football, follow the Phoenix on X (@ElonFootball) and Instagram (@ElonFB).
 

-ElonPhoenix.com-

RENO, Nev. – Jason Borchin, who helped lead Cal Poly Women’s Volleyball to back-to-back Big West titles and an NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 appearance in 2025, has been named the next Nevada Women’s Volleyball head coach, Director of Athletics Stephanie Rempe announced Monday.

Borchin spent 10 years and nine seasons (the 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic) over two separate stints at Cal Poly, serving as assistant coach from 2015-17, then returning to the Mustangs from 2019-25, serving as recruiting coordinator that whole period and adding the associate head coach title in 2025.

During Borchin’s tenure in San Luis Obispo, the Mustangs posted a combined 184-86 record with two Big West regular-season titles, two runners-up, and five third-place finishes in the standings along with three NCAA Tournament appearances (2017, 2019, 2025). The Mustangs picked up at least one win in each of those three postseason appearances, most recently scoring upsets of No. 5 seed BYU and No. 4 seed USC in Los Angeles to reach the Sweet 16 in Lexington, Kentucky.

“We are thrilled to welcome Jason Borchin and his family to the Wolf Pack. He brings a wealth of experience, having cut his teeth at the club level and worked alongside several highly-respected coaches. Growing up and starting his career in our region gives him a deep understanding of the culture and talent here. Known for his elite training in the gym, his ability to build strong rosters, and his extensive recruiting ties in California, Jason is exactly the leader we need to elevate our program and compete at the highest level in the Mountain West,” Rempe said.

Cal Poly finished Big West play with a winning record in each of the nine seasons with Borchin on staff, going 120-38 including a perfect 16-0 mark in 2017. Since the advent of the Big West Women’s Volleyball Championship in 2023, the Mustangs have gone 4-2 at the event and won the title in 2025.

“I am honored to be named the Head Women’s Volleyball Coach at the University of Nevada. I want to thank President Brian Sandoval, Athletic Director Stephanie Rempe and the University administration for their trust in me and belief in my vision for this program,” Borchin said. “This is an incredible opportunity for my family and me, to be part of a University with such a strong tradition and bright future. Nevada has tremendous potential to compete in the Mountain West Conference and I’m excited to get to work building a program our players, alumni, and fans can be proud of. Go Pack!”

Between his stints at Cal Poly, Borchin spent the 2018 season on the staff at Notre Dame. Prior to his first stint with the Mustangs, Borchin began his collegiate coaching career as a volunteer assistant with Sacramento State in 2007 and became a full-time assistant coach in 2010. In 2007, the Hornets went 29-8, capturing the Big Sky tournament title and defeating Minnesota in the NCAA Tournament First Round at Stanford.

In addition to his indoor coaching duties, Borchin also served as co-head coach of the Sacramento State beach volleyball program for its first three seasons (2013-15).

Borchin coached club volleyball in the Sacramento area for 10 years and was the head coach of the Northern California Volleyball Club (NCVC) Girls 18s team that earned a fifth-place finish at the Junior Nationals in Dallas. His club head coaching background began during the 2005-06 season with the High Impact Girls 14s team.

A native of Roseville, Calif. and a graduate of Oakmont High School, Borchin boasts a total of 18 years of coaching experience between the intercollegiate, high school and club levels.

Borchin’s collegiate playing career included two seasons with the Hornets, earning All-Big Sky first-team and team MVP honors in 2006 and was a second-team all-conference selection in 2007. He then transferred to Pacific, where he played in 86 career matches from 2008-10 and was consistently among the team’s top five players in kills, finishing his playing career with 611 kills, 423 digs, 142 blocks and 59 aces.

Borchin graduated from Pacific in 2010 with a degree in sports sciences.

Nevada hired Jason Borchin, the associate head coach at Cal Poly, to run its volleyball program Monday.

Borchin helped Cal Poly win back-to-back Big West titles with an NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 appearance last season. Borchin spent nine seasons over two stints with the Mustangs, serving as assistant coach from 2015-17 before returning to the Mustangs from 2019-25 where he was the team’s recruiting coordinator before adding the associate head coach title in 2025.

During Borchin’s tenure in San Luis Obispo, the Mustangs posted a 184-86 record with eight top-three Big West finishes and three NCAA Tournament berths, those coming in 2017, 2019 and 2025. The Mustangs advanced in each of those tournaments, most recently upsetting No. 5 seed BYU and No. 4 seed USC in Los Angeles to reach the Sweet 16.

“We are thrilled to welcome Jason Borchin and his family to the Wolf Pack,” Nevada athletic director Stephanie Rempe said in a news release. “He brings a wealth of experience, having cut his teeth at the club level and worked alongside several highly-respected coaches. Growing up and starting his career in our region gives him a deep understanding of the culture and talent here. Known for his elite training in the gym, his ability to build strong rosters and his extensive recruiting ties in California, Jason is exactly the leader we need to elevate our program and compete at the highest level in the Mountain West.”

Between his stints at Cal Poly, Borchin spent the 2018 season at Notre Dame. Borchin began his college coaching career as a volunteer assistant with Sacramento State in 2007 and became a full-time assistant coach in 2010. In 2007, the Hornets went 29-8, capturing the Big Sky Tournament title and defeating Minnesota in the NCAA Tournament first round. In addition to his indoor coaching duties, Borchin also served as co-head coach of the Sacramento State beach volleyball program from 2013-15 when the team went 11-23 overall in its first three seasons of existence.

“I am honored to be named the head women’s volleyball coach at the University of Nevada,” Jason Borchin said in a news release. “I want to thank President Brian Sandoval, athletic director Stephanie Rempe and the university administration for their trust in me and belief in my vision for this program. This is an incredible opportunity for my family and me to be part of a university with such a strong tradition and bright future. Nevada has tremendous potential to compete in the Mountain West Conference, and I’m excited to get to work building a program our players, alumni and fans can be proud of. Go Pack!”

A native of nearby Roseville, Calif., Borchin has 18 years of coaching experience between the college, high school and club levels. Borchin played two seasons at Sacramento State, earning first-team All-Big Sky and team MVP honors in 2006. He was second-team all-conference in 2007. He then transferred to Pacific where he played in 86 matches from 2008-10 and was among the team’s top-five players in kills.

Borchin coached club volleyball in the Sacramento area for 10 years and was the head coach of the Northern California Volleyball Club Girls 18s team that earned a fifth-place finish at the Junior Nationals in Dallas. His club head-coaching background began during the 2005-06 season with the High Impact Girls 14s team.

Borchin replaces Shannon Wyckoff-McNeal, who quit earlier this month two seasons into a five-year contract. He inherits a Wolf Pack program that has struggled in recent decades.

Nevada reached five NCAA Tournaments from 1998-2005 but has posted just three winning records in the last 20 seasons, those coming in 2007, 2016 and 2019. The Wolf Pack has finished second-to-last in the MW in 2024 and 2025 with last-place finishes in 2018, 2020, 2021 and 2023, meaning Nevada has placed in the bottom two of the MW in five of the last six seasons.

Last year, Nevada went 8-20 overall and 4-14 in the MW while winning just 17 sets in 18 conference matches. The Wolf Pack’s best conference finish since moving to the MW in 2012 is fifth place. While the MW’s top-three teams this year — Utah State, Colorado State, Boise State — are moving to the Pac-12 in 2026, MW additions UTEP (16th in RPI) and UC Davis (48th) were elite this season with Hawaii (161st) historically excellent.

The Wolf Pack is scheduled to return just two starters from last season (Kamryn Tifft and Jess Walkenhorst) after the transfers of Haylee Brown (Grand Canyon), Audrey Jensen (UConn) and Kinsley Singleton (Oklahoma). Nevada’s home arena, Virginia Street Gym, has seen recent upgrades with a new video board installed before the 2024 season and new playing surface before the 2025 campaign.