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Transfers Love the Talent and Depth UK Volleyball Has

Published

6 months ago

June 28, 2025

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Lizzie Carr, left, believes every UK player is good enough to start. (Vicky Graff Photo)

Kentucky volleyball will open what it hopes can be a special season in just over two months and two transfers off NCAA Tournament teams – Molly Berezowitz of Marquette and Lizzie Carr of Purdue — love the overall talent that coach Craig Skinner has on his team.

Carr, the younger sister of former UK basketball player Andrew Carr, averaged 1.52 kills per match last season for 27-7 Purdue. The 6-foot-6 Carr had 87 kills in her two years at Purdue.

“It’s cool to see how hard we can compete and how good you can make the people around you,” said Carr, a middle blocker. “Everyone is constantly pushing you to be the best version of yourself as a leader, a person, a teammate and player.

Carr has always believed a team can only be as good as its backup players are because “they are the ones competing against you every day.” She says Skinner mixes up players on Blue and White teams in practice and they consistently beat each other.

“Every single person is good enough to have a starting spot. It’s cool to see how each person is pushing others to be better and kind of make you uncomfortable in a good way because you have to figure out how to compete at the high test level every day in practice and that makes for a great team,” Carr said. “We’re just so deep and have so much stuff that we are really going to have a good team.”

Berezowitz, a libero, had a season-high 21 digs in Marquette’s NCAA Tournament win over Utah and hit double digit digs in 10 matches last season. Her older sister, Maddie, was on UK’s 2020 national championship team.

“I played for a high level team at Marquette, and when I got here, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is better than I ever imagined.’ I thought I was playing at the best level that I could be at and then getting here, these people just make you so much better,” Berezowitz, a junior, said. I think that it starts off the court. This is just such a good group of girls.”

Kentucky had all 14 players, including three true freshmen, on this year’s team on campus the second semester to give the Cats a huge head start on this season.

“We all got to train and compete all spring and we didn’t want to take that opportunity for granted that we had with everyone here,” the Marquette transfer said. “Usually teams get six months to be together but we will have almost a whole year and teams don’t get that very often.

“I really see something different in this team. It really starts with how we act together off the court, and that just really transitions on the court. Obviously it helps just having so many talented players. It’s fun getting in the gym every single day and you’re battling every single day. I think that if we have that mindset in every single game, we’re going be hard to beat this season with the talent we have.”

The team’s leader will be junior All-American Brooklyn DeLeye, one of the nation’s top four players last season when UK reached the Elite Eight. Berezowitz played against her in club volleyball in high school but didn’t pay a lot of attention to her the last two years even though her Marquette teammates did.

“My teammates at Marquette would talk about BK (DeLeye) is. I don’t know how to really explain it, but you can just rely on her to get it done. She is super relatable,” Berezowitz said. “She just has that presence where we all trust her. It’s also cool because we also have (Purdue transfer) Eva Hudson on the pin, so it’s like having that combo out there that we can rely on to finish points. But I love playing with her (DeLeye) and she certainly has lived up to that All-American standard.”

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Hawkeyes Knock Down Nebraska – Iowa Hawkeyes Athletics

Published

2 minutes ago

January 2, 2026

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IOWA CITY, Iowa – No. 14 Iowa (12-2, 3-0) defeated No. 20 Nebraska (12-2, 1-2) on New Years Day inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena, 86-76.

Sophomore Chit-Chat Wright dominated the day for the Hawkeyes with a career-high 24 points, three assists, and two steals. Senior Hannah Stuelke followed with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists to notch her third double-double of the season.

The Huskers came out to a fast-paced 8-0 run to start the game. Stuelke got the scoring started for Iowa by getting to the line, sinking both free-throws. Three minutes into gameplay, the Hawkeyes began to capitalize on Nebraska miscues. Sophomore Ava Heiden led a 7-0 run for Iowa to bring the gap to 9-12 with 4:46 left in the quarter. The Huskers contained a narrow 21-18 lead headed into the second quarter.

Wright drained a three-pointer to start the second period, tying up the score for the first time on the day. The Hawkeyes went on to gain nine points on seven forced Husker turnovers in the half. Heiden led the quarter with eight points going 4-for-4 on field goals. A combined 26 points, shooting 66.7 percent in the quarter, left Iowa behind 44-45 at half.

The Hawkeyes came out of the locker room with an 8-2 run to put them in front. Iowa forced four Husker turnovers in the first three minutes of the third quarter, capitalizing five points off of them. Stuelke continued to be a difference maker for Iowa with seven points and two rebounds. This momentum pushed Iowa up 64-61 heading into the fourth.

In the final quarter, the Hawkeyes continued their defensive pursuit, forcing five more turnovers, adding to their total of 18 on the day. Senior Taylor McCabe hit a three-point basket at 4:32 to power Iowa to the end. The Hawkeyes pushed out a 15-6 run to secure a Hawkeye victory.

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Dallas Pulse set to make history in season opener at Comerica Center

Published

2 hours ago

January 2, 2026

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North Texas’ first women’s professional volleyball team will officially launch its inaugural season on Saturday, Jan. 10.

DALLAS — For North Texas volleyball fans, Saturday’s season opener represents more than just a first serve, it’s the beginning of something the region has been waiting for.

The Dallas Pulse, the region’s first women’s professional volleyball team, will open its inaugural season Saturday, Jan. 10, hosting the Indiana franchise at Comerica Center in Frisco.

The matchup marks the first Major League Volleyball game played by a Dallas-based team and is a milestone moment for the metroplex.

The Pulse will play 14 home matches during the 2026 Major League Volleyball season, giving local fans a consistent opportunity to support a women’s pro team built in their own backyard.

Saturday, Jan. 10 – Indy
Thursday, Jan. 15 – San Diego
Thursday, Feb. 5 – Omaha
Sunday, Feb. 8 – Grand Rapids
Thursday, Feb. 19 – Indy
Sunday, Feb. 22 – Grand Rapids
Friday, Feb. 27 – Orlando
Friday, March 13 – Columbus
Sunday, March 15 – Atlanta
Saturday, March 21 – San Diego
Thursday, March 26 – Atlanta
Friday, April 17 – Columbus
Friday, May 1 – Omaha
Sunday, May 3 – Orlando

Leading the team into its first season is head coach Shannon Winzer, who was named to the role in September. The January debut places Dallas at the center of the league’s early growth as women’s professional volleyball continues to gain momentum nationwide.

The timing feels right for North Texas. The region has long been a volleyball hotbed, producing elite athletes through nationally recognized club programs, championship high school teams and top-tier collegiate programs. Until now, many of those players, and the fans who followed them, had no local professional team to rally behind.

Dallas Pulse leadership told WFAA that they hope to change that.

Season ticket deposits are currently open, and the Pulse holds the No. 1 overall pick in the Major League Volleyball Draft scheduled for Nov. 24, giving the team a chance to add a cornerstone player ahead of its debut season.

Major League Volleyball is also preparing for future growth, announcing plans to add expansion teams in Washington, D.C. and Northern California in 2027.

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Iola outside hitter takes top honor on Texas 2A all-state volleyball team | APG State News

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2 hours ago

January 2, 2026

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Tritons Set for Preseason North American Challenge

Published

4 hours ago

January 2, 2026

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LONG BEACH, Calif. — UC San Diego men’s volleyball will prepare for the upcoming season with four exhibitions this weekend as part of the North American Challenge. The event will be hosted by Long Beach State on Friday and Sunday at the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid.

The Tritons will play two Canadian sides, Alberta and Calagry. They will play each team once on both days of the challenge.

SCHEDULE

Friday, Jan. 2

2 PM – vs Calgary

4:30 PM – vs Alberta

Sunday, Jan. 4

12:30 PM – vs Alberta

3 PM – vs Calgary

Live stats for all four matches will be available HERE. Fans interested in attending matches can purchase tickets through Long Beach State HERE.

UP NEXT
The Tritons open the 2026 season at home next Tuesday, Jan. 6. Jessup will visit LionTree Arena for a match that begins at 7 PM.

About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program has begun a new era as a member of The Big West in NCAA Division I. The 24-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 39 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world’s preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in NCAA Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.

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Long Beach State Men’s Volleyball Hosts The North American Challenge

Published

4 hours ago

January 1, 2026

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LONG BEACH, Calif. – With the season just around the corner, the Long Beach State Men’s Volleyball team will host the North American Challenge, a preseason exhibition tournament featuring four teams from the United States and Canada. The two-day event will take place Friday, January 2, and Sunday, January 4, with matches held at the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid.

Joining the Beach in the tournament are UC San Diego, Calgary, and Alberta, bringing together a competitive mix of NCAA and U SPORTS programs for early-season action. The tournament will feature eight total matches across the two days, providing fans with a full slate of high-level volleyball.

Schedule
Friday, January 2

Time	Matchup (Home vs. Away)
11:30 AM	Long Beach State vs. Alberta
2:00 PM	UC San Diego vs. Calgary
4:30 PM	UC San Diego vs. Alberta
7:00 PM	Long Beach State vs. Calgary

Sunday, January 4

Time	Matchup (Home vs. Away)
10:00 AM	Long Beach State vs. Calgary
12:30 PM	UC San Diego vs. Alberta
3:00 PM	UC San Diego vs. Calgary
5:30 PM	Long Beach State vs. Alberta

Following each match, a Player of the Match from each team will be recognized. At the conclusion of the tournament, an All-Tournament Team will be selected.

Tickets can be purchased HERE.

Live statistics for all matches will be available via BeachLiveStats.StatBroadcast.com.

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Pitt volleyball | Panthers add Kentucky MB Jordyn Dailey

Published

5 hours ago

January 1, 2026

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Pitt received a commitment from former Kentucky middle blocker/right-side hitter Jordyn Dailey.

Dailey is a redshirt sophomore and will have two years of eligibility. The 6-foot-2 North Carolina native racked up 188 kills, 116 blocks and 42 digs over the past two seasons. Dailey recorded 142 kills, 82 blocks and a .314 hitting percentage in 2024. Her numbers dipped to 46 kills, 34 blocks and a .211 hitting percentage in 2025.

Pitt lost middle blocker Ryla Jones to Penn State through the transfer portal.

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