Sports
An Appreciation of Career of Michael Phelps
The GOAT Turns 40: An Appreciation of the Career of Michael Phelps
The journey started where many stellar careers have been launched, in the pool at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club. It didn’t take long for the coaches to realize someone special was in the water, a young athlete with an undeniable upside. Age-group records suggested such potential.
Confirmation of his fledgling-superstar status arrived at the 2000 United States Olympic Trials in Indianapolis, when the 15-year-old stormed to a runnerup finish in the 200-meter butterfly. Off to the Sydney Games he went, and with the world watching, he narrowly missed the podium via a fifth-place finish. But big things were to come.
There would be a world record in the 200 fly the following spring and a world championship in the ensuing summer. His program ultimately grew, with his signature event complemented by ventures into the 200 freestyle, 100 fly and individual medleys. This expansion allowed for multi-medal hauls – and influence over the sport – at various stops around the world.
Twenty-eight Olympic medals – 23 of them gold. Thirty-nine world records. Five Olympiads. Thirty-three medals at the World Championships. Iconic comebacks. An athlete-coach relationship like no other. Countless youths inspired, these up-and-comers dreaming of being the next Michael Phelps.
Today, the GOAT turns 40.
It’s been nearly a decade since Phelps, after competing at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, bid farewell to the sport from a competitive standpoint. Fittingly, his final race yielded a gold medal, as Phelps handled the butterfly leg on the United States’ victorious 400 medley relay. These days, he is a husband and father to four boys. He is a leader in driving attention to mental-health awareness. He is a businessman.
Like other sporting legends, such as Jordan, Ruth and Gretzky, Phelps’ name never drifts far from swimming and Olympic conversations – no matter how many years pass. He remains the measuring stick for greatness and with that status, he’s someone youngsters still aim to be.
On this 40th birthday of Phelps, who was born June 30, 1985, it seemed appropriate to pay tribute to the Hall of Famer’s one-of-a-kind career.
The Athlete-Coach Partnership
Bob Bowman with Michael Phelps at Rio 2016 – Photo Courtesy: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports
Michael Phelps started working with coach Bob Bowman when he was 11 years old. Bowman immediately recognized the talent of his pupil and had the foresight to discuss his vision with Phelps’ parents before he was even a teenager. Simply, Bowman wanted everyone prepared for what might come.
Obviously, their partnership can be defined as epic. Rarely do swimmers stay with the same coach for the entirety of their careers, but when Phelps exited the pool, Bowman was still by his side. They had their flareups through the years, expected of any relationship. But they persevered, and Phelps’ words about Bowman say it all.
“He’s a father figure to me,” Phelps once said of Bowman. “He knew how to get the most out of me in the water, but he’s helped me through some of the worst times in my life. He’s been there every step of the way, and I’m forever thankful. I’ve said this all along. I don’t think I could have accomplished what I did with any other coach.”
The Great Eight
Standing in the aisle of the media seating at the 2008 Olympic Games, I remember watching Jason Lezak dive into the water for the anchor leg of the 400 freestyle relay. Phelps had led off in an American-record time of 47.51, but by this point in the race, with France well ahead, I thought: “Damn, only the second event of the week and the chase for eight gold is over.” Of course, Lezak stunningly reeled in Alain Bernard, the Americans came out on top and Phelps’ pursuit remained alive.
That week inside the Water Cube featured a combination of dominance and good fortune for Phelps on his way to a record eight gold medals – five individual and three relays. He delivered several overwhelming performances, including his opening triumph in the 400 individual medley and a 200 freestyle for the ages. There, too, was his down-to-the-touch decision in the 100 butterfly, in which he clipped Serbia’s Milorad Cavic by .01.
Greatness comes in many forms and that week in China offered different angles. It’s a week that won’t be forgotten.
Mental Strength
Look, Phelps was gifted with incredible physical talent and a body geared toward the sport – condor wingspan, long torso and large oxygen chamber. But those physical traits were backed up by a mental toughness and desire that cannot be measured. Phelps was unflappable and flourished in pressure-filled moments.
He never thought he was out of a race, thus his comeback victories in the 100 butterfly at the 2004 Olympics (over Ian Crocker) and 2008 Games (Cavic). More, he responded to challenges, such as Cavic calling him out at the 2009 World Championships in Rome. All Phelps did was rocket to a world record.
The passion Phelps exuded for Team USA was a trademark and, even now in retirement, that passion is evident. They say you can’t teach desire. Well, Phelps had it naturally, and it undoubtedly fueled his success.
At His Best
It’s difficult to choose a competition other than the 2008 Games as the point where Phelps was the best version of himself, but an argument can be made for the 2007 World Championships in Melbourne.
A year before the super-suit era was ushered into the sport, Phelps put on a show inside Rod Laver Arena. With five individual victories and a pair of relay golds, Phelps won seven titles Down Under, and only a disqualification in the prelims of the 400 medley relay left him short of going 8-for-8.
At the World Champs, Phelps set solo world records in the 200 IM, 400 IM, 200 butterfly and 200 freestyle. He won gold in the 200 fly by more than three seconds and his effort in the 200 freestyle took down Ian Thorpe’s world record and made Phelps the first man to crack the 1:44 barrier.
Almost Another One
During his career, Phelps set world records in five individual events and established American records in seven disciplines. Those tallies were nearly six and eight after what Phelps managed at the 2007 edition of the National Championships in Indianapolis.
A few months after his exploits in Melbourne, Phelps clocked 53.01 for the 100 backstroke in Indy, an effort that was just .03 off the world record of Aaron Peirsol. Because he never raced the stroke internationally, Phelps is underappreciated in the backstroke. Remember, at the 2004 U.S. Trials, he qualified for Athens in the 200 backstroke, only to decline the bid.
A Tip of the Cap
So, Michael Phelps is 40. He’s now a quarter-century removed from that “Hello World” moment in Indianapolis. A large percentage of conversations about great moments in the sport either focus on Phelps, or are connected in one way or another. He took fans on one hell of a ride, a journey that will be long remembered.
Sports
Michael ‘Woody’ Woodring ’74 Scholarship established to support Mountaineer track & field and cross country student-athletes
The Woodring family has committed $25,000 to the Mansfield University Mountaineer Foundation to establish the Michael “Woody” Woodring ’74 Scholarship to support Mountaineer track & field and cross country student-athletes.
“The Michael ‘Woody’ Woodring ’74 Scholarship is a way for his generosity and desire to help others to continue to live on, positively impact Mansfield students and give back to a place that meant so much to him,” explained Lauren Woodring, Michael’s daughter.
A native of Pittsburgh, Woodring earned a scholarship to compete on the Mansfield track & field and cross country teams. He graduated from Mansfield with a degree in political science in 1974 and earned his juris doctorate at Duquesne University. Woodring used his law degree working in the leasing office of PNC Bank.
He is survived by his wife, Diane, and two children, Lauren and John.
“Just as the impact of a campus experience extends beyond four years, a donation ensures that Mountie Athletics continues to thrive for generations,” said Andrew Petko, Mansfield director of athletics. “This scholarship will sustain our support of Mansfield student-athletes who strive for excellence in competition, in the classroom and in life.”
Learn more about the MU Mountaineer Foundation at mountaineerfdn.org.
Jan. 13, 2026, 12:15 p.m. ET
It was quite the volleyball season for Westerly’s Lyla Auth.
The outside hitter steered the Bulldogs to an undefeated championship-winning season in Division II and she graduated from Westerly in December. The 6-foot-1 star already enrolled at Manhattan University, a Division I program, after excelling in the classroom and on the court.
Auth now adds more to her high school trophy case as she earned Gatorade Player of the Year honors, which Gatorade announced on Dec. 9. She managed 268 kills with a .401 hitting percentage as Westerly won its second girls volleyball crown overall. Auth also added 256 assists, 151 digs and 41 service aces this past fall.
Auth, after earning enough credits, chose to graduate on Dec. 21. It gives her the chance to train, and become acclimated to college life, early so she can hit the ground running with the Jaspers next season. She started planning for early graduation in the summer, well before Westerly went undefeated.
“I’m moving to New York City. Anyone would be nervous about that,” Auth told the Journal in October. “But I’m really excited, and I have a good group of girls behind me and a lot of support.”
Auth, who recently made The Providence Journal All-State Girls Volleyball First Team, maintained a weighted 4.75 GPA in the classroom, according to the release. And donated her time to organizing a fundraiser that raised $6,000 for the Westerly Hospital Foundation. She also volunteered locally as a mentor to elementary school students and was a tee-ball coach for the Westerly Girls Softball League.
“Westerly was dominant in [D-II] and [Auth] was the focal point of the team,” Cranston West coach, Tom Ferri said in a statement. “She was the best hitter we faced all year — in D-I and D-II —and she set from the back row, and did it very well.”
Westerly was never truly challenged this season, outside of the D-II championship against Barrington. The Bulldogs edged the Eagles, (25-22, 25-22, 20-25, 18-25, 15-8), in a thrilling D-II championship. Auth was the best player on the court that day at Rhode Island College and helped finish off the Bulldogs’ perfect season.
Westerly (18-0) compiled 16 sweeps in the regular season and snagged a pair of 3-1 victories to open its playoff run.
“We definitely had our nerves,” Auth said after winning the title. “But it all boiled down to the fifth set. This is the set that matters, so we need to either take home the trophy or leave it behind.”
Syracuse, N.Y. — Several of Section III’s best girls winter volleyball players have proved vital to their teams this season.
We contacted volleyball coaches to get nominations for their team’s midseason MVP. Here are the responses we got.
Kaylynne Bennett, Tully, outside hitter, senior
“Kaylynne eats, sleeps and breathes volleyball since I can remember and has done everything in her power to help the program and her team be successful. When a play needs to be made she is typically involved in some way. She plays with an energy and a power like very few others and has the way to impact a game right when it is needed the most. Always a powerful and intelligent hitter, but has turned into a real threat both defensively and from the service line. Every team prepares for her and she goes head-to-head with other teams’ best players and always finds an advantage and way to contribute.” — Jeremy Cook
Brooke Egresits, Rome Free Academy, setter, senior
“(She) has stepped up tremendously this season as the primary quarterback (setter), a position that does not get the recognition that it should as the setter position has a huge effect on the volleyball court. As a coach, it’s not always about the stats, but Brooke is someone who makes a significant contribution that has an enormously positive effect on the entire team. Brooke is one of the best setters in the game who changes the dynamic of the match with her athleticism, great court vision and volleyball IQ to keep the ball in play. She is a team player that is always looking for ways to help her team succeed. Brooke sees the game as opportunities to add value.” — Pete Keoviengsamay
Ella Griffin, Morrisville-Eaton, senior
“Ella is our quarterback. She distributes the ball to keep our offense balanced and moves quickly to set effectively anywhere on the court. Ella possesses a high volleyball IQ, works hard in the off-season and is a positive motivator in practice and in the game. When Ella is on the court, good things happen. The Lady Mavs are in good hands with Ella serving as the quarterback and a tri-captain.” — Wil Curtis
Phoenecia Hathway, Sandy Creek, outside hitter, senior
“Her overall insight, team leadership, execution of skills under pressure and ability to encourage her team to excel no matter what the circumstances is an important quality an MVP must possess.” — Dori Hathway
Chloe Jubar, Cooperstown, middle hitter, senior
“Chloe leads our team in kills and blocks, (has) double digits in kills in five of our seven matches.” — Rich Jantzi
Alachiir Kuany, East Syracuse Minoa, middle hitter, sophomore
“Alachiir is becoming a dominant player in our league. She is proving that she is going to be a problem for other schools for years to come. When she has it going, she is probably the toughest player in the league to stop.” — Jake Cline
Jaiden Maher, Remsen, middle hitter/blocker, senior
“As a middle hitter/blocker, Jaiden leads the team in both blocks and kills. She is quickly approaching a career total of 500 kills. Her leadership both defensively and offensively has helped our team be in such good standing this year.” — Amy Piaschyk
Michaela Mousaw, Fabius-Pompey, setter, junior
“Michaela has been the heartbeat of our offense. Michaela elevates the entire team with her communication, decision-making under pressure, and relentless competitiveness. Her ability to control tempo and lead in critical moments have been instrumental to our success this season, making her a deserving midseason MVP.” — Amy Wagner
Brooklyn Palmer, Whitesboro, libero, senior
“Brooklyn is the backbone of our defense and covers the whole court. Not only has she been averaging over 20 digs a match, she has over a 95% serve receive rate. She also serves at a 95% rate.” — Carl Manganaro
Morgan Penizotto, Pulaski, senior, setter
“She plays with such heart and positivity. She hustles and is determined to turn every pass into a perfect set.” — Monique Ritter
Melina Poturovic, Utica Academy of Science, middle blocker, freshman
“Melina has been doing an incredible job this season. She is one of our three captains, and leads our team in both blocks and kills thus far. The team is continuously inspired by her unmatched energy and we are so lucky to have her.” — Ku Ku
Layla Rice, Mount Markham, hitter, senior
“She is our team leader in kills and aces. But her leadership on and off the court are equally as vital to our success.” — Terry McKane
Alayna Richards, General Brown, hitter, senior
“She’s not necessarily the strongest, but she’s one that will lead the team. So definitely just a good person to have on the court at all times and is one of my leading servers and headers. She’s a senior, so she’s very dedicated to making her team better. She knows how to place the ball. She’s very strategic, I guess would be a good word to describe her in that respect.” — Carrie LaSage
Lucy Storms, Carthage, sophomore
“I pulled her up at the end of last season and she had proven to be a consistent, solid player all around the court. I feel this goes unnoticed as she is not some 6-foot middle hitter or libero but Lucy is a key player on our offense and defense. This became evident more so as she just suffered an injury that has put her on the sideline for an extended period of time.” — Joelle Decillis.
Remington Stull, McGraw, middle hitter, sophomore
“Remington is a middle hitter, however we can depend on her at any position. She is our go-to girl if a ball needs to be chased down. We can always depend on Remington to go get it and feed it back to her team. Remington gives 100% at practice and in games. We look forward to watching her continue to grow and develop.” — Jessyca Doran
Rachel Zdep, Christian Brothers Academy, setter, junior
“She plays all the way around all the time. She’s also my captain. She’s a great player. Just very motivated, very good teammate. She’s just very consistent. I feel like all my other players kind of have ups and downs, but she’s very stable through every game.” — Kristen DeLorenzo
Updated Jan. 13, 2026, 11:21 a.m. ET
- Reese Shugart of Dorman volleyball was named the South Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.
- The Auburn commit led her team with 452 kills, 246 digs, and 57 aces during the 2025-26 season.
Reese Shugart of Dorman volleyball was named the South Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year for the 2025-26 season for the second straight year.
Shugart, an Auburn commit, finished the season with 452 kills, 246 digs, and 57 aces this season. Shugart made the Class 5A All-State team, the AVCA All-Region team, and was named to the North team for the North-South girls’ all-star game.
Dorman finished the season with a 30-6 record, 14-0 in Region 2-AAAAA, and a third consecutive state championship after the Cavaliers topped River Bluff 3-2 in the state final.
The team is led by National High School Hall of Fame coach Paula Kirkland, who has won 16 state championships with the program.
This marks the third consecutive season a Dorman volleyball player was named Gatorade Player of the Year in South Carolina. Carly O’Brien won the award in 2024.
Kamryn Jackson covers high school sports for the Spartanburg Herald-Journal, Anderson Independent Mail, Greenville News, and the USA TODAY Network. Please email her at KEJackson@gannett.com and please follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @KamxJack.
By Jeff Bowe, TTU Athletics Media Relations
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech student-athletes posted the highest GPA (3.5097) outside of the Spring 2020 COVID semester in program history.
This is the 34th consecutive semester that the Athletics Team Composite GPA has exceeded 3.0, a legacy that began in spring 2009. Fall 2025 was the second straight semester that all 15 teams tallied a team GPA above 3.0.
Men’s Golf led all teams with a 3.77 GPA, which is their highest GPA ever recorded. Soccer finished in a very close second place with an impressive (3.766), which is their highest ever recorded GPA, and Tennis completed the top 3 with a strong (3.71).
Volleyball (3.475) continues the longest streak of uninterrupted semesters (51) with a team GPA exceeding 3.0, and Soccer ranks second with a streak of 44 straight semesters.
Softball (3.557) and Women’s Track & Field (3.537) have consecutive 3.0+ streaks of 43 semesters. Tennis just completed its 35th and Women’s Cross Country (3.589) reached its 27th consecutive 3.0+ semester. While the Women’s Golf (3.542) team streak stands at 25 semesters.
Men’s Golf, Soccer, and Men’s Basketball all achieved their highest GPAs ever recorded (excluding COVID-19). Football achieved its highest-ever GPA during the Fall semester, and Women’s Basketball and Men’s Cross Country achieved the second-highest GPA ever recorded.
Other notable team GPAs include: Women’s Basketball (3.609), Men’s Cross Country (3.492), Beach Volleyball (3.445), Baseball (3.294), Men’s Basketball (3.236), and Football (3.086).
Fall 2025 Athletics Director Honor Roll (Alphabetically by team)
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Baseball |
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Barnett, Ty |
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Bennett, Tyler |
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Bragga, Luke |
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Casabella, Carter |
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Casteel, Cooper |
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Davis, Carson |
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Denton, Tyler |
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Fallon, Justin |
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Fuller, Cade |
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Garza, Manny |
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Holpuch, Garrett |
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Huddleston, Eli |
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Jimenez, Jorsixt |
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Jones, Jaxon |
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Kirby, Drew |
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Kuntz, Alex |
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Marchetti, AJ |
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McDuffie, Reece |
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Moffitt, Aaron |
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Moller, Logan |
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Robertson, Jamie |
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Smelser, Landon |
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Stricklin, Lawson |
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Summar, Micah |
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Men’s |
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Basketball |
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Ayers, Colin |
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Cameron, Mekhi |
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Floreence, Ja’Quavian |
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Owens, Ty |
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Payne, Jah’Kim |
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Slatten, Grant |
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Varnado, Owen |
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Women’s |
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Basketball |
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Cawthorn, LaReesha |
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Larry, Chloe |
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Mathews, Cambridge |
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Newman, Maddy |
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Pfeiffer, Amelia |
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Redd, Amaya |
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Thomas, Amaya |
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Men’s |
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Cross Country |
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Bridges, Sam |
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Chambers, Nicholas |
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Gambling, Luca |
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Glisson-Schlitt, Jack |
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Hesling, Cruz |
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Legault, Isaac |
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Myles-Hawkins, Zak |
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Torres, Dante |
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Women’s |
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XC/Track |
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Amos, Savanna |
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Beneke, Ally |
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Bowles, Paris |
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Brewer, Rachael |
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Bush, Mattie |
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Dotson, Alexis |
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Forstner, Megan |
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Hoover, Angela |
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Jackson, Lauryn |
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Jepleting, Joy |
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Johnson, Madison |
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Joy, Kyla |
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Knoyle, Riley |
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Little, Hannah |
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Lokiles, Jane |
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Ludwig, Sophia |
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Stanton, Sidnee |
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Stegall, Hayley |
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Wells, Rylee |
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Winbush, Kennedi |
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Football |
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Ashby, Spencer |
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Baker, Torin |
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Bolton, Toby |
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Booker, Cameron |
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Brooks, Kanstin |
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Brown, Steve |
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Bryant, Richard |
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Bryson, Gavin |
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Courtney, Brian |
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Coutras, Tim |
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Crawford, AJ |
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Delk, Wes |
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Downs, Brady |
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Edwards, Jyi |
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Gaines, Theron |
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Giles, Naquavious |
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Graves, Luke |
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Hand, Josh |
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Haston, Ahmad |
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Holloway, Tre |
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Holmberg, TJ |
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Jackson, Isaac |
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Johnson, Thomas |
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Jones, Aja |
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Jordan, Justin |
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Kendrick, Jack |
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King, Idris |
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Knowles, Isaac |
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Lapierre, Maurice |
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LeBlanc, Dominic |
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Lehal, Armaan |
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Lindsey, Dylan |
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Linkins, DJ |
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Littles, Aiden |
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Mendez, Jeremy |
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Meyer, Luke |
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Moss, Ty |
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Munoz, Richie |
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Nix, Tyler |
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Opara, Chinonso |
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Owens, Nick |
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Pozniak, Sean |
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Purdy, Kaleb |
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Randolph, Xavier |
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Rodriguez, Laz |
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Shaw, Christian |
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Shephard, Jalin |
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Shields, Luke |
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Simmons, Nason |
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Smith, Andrew |
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Smith, Jayun |
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Swafford, Aaron |
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Swann, Tyler |
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Swift, Tayton |
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Taylor, Eric |
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Taylor, Mason |
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Thomas, Leon |
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Thompson, Cole |
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Turner, Greg |
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Vaughn, Seth |
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Visperas, Kekoa |
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Vorhees, Parker |
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Walton, Coburn |
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Weedman, Logan |
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Wharton, Jameson |
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Wilder, Drew |
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Wilson, Gavin |
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Young-Rolle, Stefon |
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Men’s |
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Golf |
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Bright, Owen |
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Broyles, Alex |
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Etherton, Nicklaus |
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Gettler, Cooper |
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Maxwell, Haden |
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Shull, Matthew |
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Thompson, Hil |
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White, Bryson |
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Women’s |
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Golf |
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Baker, Lydia |
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Branson, Sydney |
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Griffith, Chloe |
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Kaiser,Ella |
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Soccer |
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Bibbee-Page, Halle |
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Ham, Sophie |
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Hardardottir, Krista |
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Howard, Natalie |
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Johnson, Addison |
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Lee, Ally |
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McCloud, Cheyenne |
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McNamee, Laila |
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Nappier, Diana |
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Nye, Mary |
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Palya, Claire |
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Schroeffel, Samantha |
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Wade, Delaney |
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Wood, Ashley |
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Softball |
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Abell, Addison |
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Bishop, Gabrielle |
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Capelouto, Ashley |
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Carroll, Sofia |
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Fitzgerald, Lainey |
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Gooden, Skylar |
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Harris, Makayli |
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Harvey, Ella Grace |
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Klinefelter, Abbee |
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McElhaney, Addison |
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Midkiff, Kaylee |
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Miller, Jayla |
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Ochoa, Isabella |
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Paderez, Jailynn |
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Pitzer, Kyleigh |
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Schlageter, Alina |
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Stack, Bailee |
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Sybesma, Skylar |
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Wampler, Ella |
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York, Emily |
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Men’s |
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Tennis |
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Alvarez Moreno, Alex |
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Antunes Burckhardt, Murilo |
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Dao, Oliver |
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Garavi Yepez, Ricard |
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Oshnavie, Elyad |
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Spaks, Davids |
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Volleyball |
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Berkebile, Audrey |
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Falk, Tuva |
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Milhouse, Jordyn |
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Noto, Sarah |
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Pierce, Alayna |
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Powell, Bella |
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Roberts, MK |
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Schubert, Ava |
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Spradley, Eryn |
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Watford, Ella |
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Beach Volleyball |
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Jones, Piper |
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Kamp, Margaret |
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Kilgore, Audrey |
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Mish, Zoe |
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Robards, Vivian |
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Managers and |
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Trainers, etc. |
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Andrews, Will |
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Baker, Jayden |
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Bennett, Hudson |
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Davis, Abigail |
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Day, Owen |
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Douglass, Christian |
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Everett, Jack |
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Fox, Jaxon |
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Garrett, Shaela |
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Goins, John |
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Griffith, Austin |
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Hilliard, David |
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Hook, Hayden |
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Jamison, Jerhen |
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Linder, Luke |
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Morgan, Kendall |
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Reynolds, Jarick |
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Sells, Matthew |
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Swann, Caden |
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White, Weston |
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Williamson, Anabeth |
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Wood, Grace |
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Cheer and Dance |
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Akande, Lauren |
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Askins, Akeyra |
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Aslinger, Emma |
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Baucom, Kaitlyn |
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Britton, Addison |
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Cannon, Abbigail |
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Chandler, Jacey |
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Craig, Alanah |
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Crateau, Mariah |
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Crump, Isabella |
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Edwards, Ella |
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Engstrom, Brett |
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Greene, Emily |
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Gresham, Isabella |
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Jackson, Madison |
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Jones, Jaylian |
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Joyce, Kennedy |
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Karstens, Grace |
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Kelley, Ashlyn |
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Mccann Rojas, Fancy |
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Michaelson, Hayden |
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Sells, Autumn |
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Terry, Ashlyn |
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Turner, Kimsey |
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Watts, Ava |
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Williams, Jasmine |
Student-Athletes with 4.0 GPA for Fall Semester
Baseball
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Crowell, Nash |
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Crowson, Connor |
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Mattox, Andrew |
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Parrott, Carson |
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Pease, Jaxson |
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Men’s |
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Basketball |
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Evans, Maguire |
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Mcpherson, CJ |
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Muntu, Brandon |
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Women’s |
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Basketball |
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Girgenson, Angelika |
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Grimes, Reghan |
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Hurst, Reagan |
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Miller, Sofi |
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Men’s |
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Cross Country |
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Bradford, Carter |
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Women’s |
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XC/Track |
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Faudi, Hannah |
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Flowers, Carrie |
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Jessee, Makaleigh |
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Kennedy, Aliyah |
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Seratt, Annalee |
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Tilt, Zaely |
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Wolfenbarger, Chase |
Football
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Cooney, Miles |
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Crummie, Kalvyn |
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Fauntleroy, Kennedy |
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Jacobs, Robbie |
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Patterson, Griffin |
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Sanni, Obie |
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Thomas, Christian |
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Tucker, Hudson |
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Turnbow, Branson |
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Wagner, Tyler |
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Men’s |
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Golf |
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Bolton, Drew |
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Stuke, Spencer |
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Women’s |
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Golf |
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Julian, Lexus |
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Lane,Kailey |
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Pilot, Summer |
Soccer
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Baker, Anna |
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Conrad, Maggie |
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Cuadra, Lucia |
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Davis, Abigail |
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Hamm, Melina |
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Lott, Phoebe |
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Melin, Ebba |
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Sauers, Brooke |
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Smiley, Reagan |
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Soutuyo, Victoria |
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Toney, Katie |
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Williams, Presley |
Softball
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Evans, Olivia |
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Kimmell, Reece |
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Lange, Hannah |
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Martin, Julie |
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Power, Olivia |
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Stewart, Brooklyn |
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Men’s |
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Tennis |
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Bitzer, Lucas |
Volleyball
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Fruge, Caroline |
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Karlen, Jordan |
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Lineberger, Bella |
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Rodgers, Ayanna |
Cheer and Dance
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Bettencourt, Faith |
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Crowley, Kamyah |
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Davis, Krista |
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Dyer, Norah |
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Fish, Kylie |
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Fleenor, Chloe |
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Grissom, Sarah |
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Haggard, Seneca |
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Hale, Katie |
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Murphy, Jordan |
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Smith, Mia |
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Tito, Cassie |
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Walker, Tinsley |
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Whitton, Alivia |
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Williams, Maya |
MATCH #2 • Thursday, January 15 • 7 p.m. PT
No. 5 USC (1-0, 0-0) at Vanguard (1-1, 0-0)
Freed Center for Leadership • Costa Mesa, Calif.
SERIES RECORD: USC leads, 3-0 (1.000)
LAST MEETING: W 3-0 (Feb. 28, 2025 • Galen Center)
STREAK: Won 3 • LAST 10 MEETINGS: 3-0
TV/STREAM: B1G+
OPPONENT WEBSITE: VanguardLions.com
MATCH #3 • Friday, January 16 • 7 p.m. PT
No. 5 USC (1-0) vs. No. 18 Princeton (0-0)
Galen Center • Los Angeles, Calif.
SERIES RECORD: USC leads, 5-0 (1.000)
LAST MEETING: W 3-0 (Jan. 11, 2025 • Galen Center)
STREAK: Won 5 • LAST 10 MEETINGS: 5-0
TV/STREAM: B1G+ (Avi Singh & Makena Arteaga)
OPPONENT WEBSITE: GoPrincetonTigers.com
FIRST SERVE (TL;DR)
- USC is led by 11th-year head coach Jeff Nygaard, a three-time Olympian in indoor and beach volleyball and a two-time NCAA champion.
- The Trojans are ranked fifth in the AVCA Coaches Poll; the program’s 504th appearance in the national poll.
- USC is 36-20 all-time in conference openers and defeated Vanguard in its first MPSF match in 2025 (3-0 at Freed Center for Leadership, Feb. 26).
- The Trojans are 1-0 at Galen Center. Last year, they won 11 home matches. USC will play 16 times at home in 2026 and plays in Southern California for all but two regular-season matches (at BYU, April 10-11).
- USC returns five players in 2026 that were recognized by the AVCA All-America committee in 2025 including first-team choice OH Dillon Klein and second-team MB Parker Tomkinson. S Caleb Blanchette, OH Sterling Foley, and LIB Johnny Dykstra each received All-America honorable mention.
- The Trojans lead the MPSF (2nd in the NCAA) in opponent hitting percentage (.056) and are second in the league (4th NCAA) for hitting (.417).
LAST TIME OUT: The Trojans collected their first sweep of the season with a win over St. Thomas Aquinas at Galen Center. Dillon Klein led all players with 12 kills on 16 swings without an error to register a .750 hitting percentage. In his first action as a Trojan, Thiago Zamprogno went straight to work and collected nine kills on 10 swings (.900) to go with four blocks. Caleb Blanchette had 28 assists and shared team-high honors with Johnny Dykstra with five digs apiece.
POLL POSITION: The Trojans were ranked No. 5 in the AVCA Preseason Poll. USC ranks fifth in the Jan. 12 poll for the Trojans’ 504th time in the coaches poll. Last season, the Trojans reached fifth on Feb. 3 to mark their highest position since they were also ranked No. 5 in 2022 (April 18). On March 10, USC’s spot at No. 5 marked the 200th time the Trojans had been ranked in the poll’s top five; now 209 times. The Trojans’ reached the top three (March 24) for the first time in over 10 years and were previously ranked as high as third on Feb. 16, 2015.
EXTENDED: 11th-year head coach Jeff Nygaard had his contract extended through the 2028 season. He is the longest-tenured coach in program history and has collected 124 wins at USC. In 2025, he led the Trojans to their highest ranking in over a decade.
1K DK: OH Dillon Klein has reached double-digit kills in 62 of 79 career matches and reached the 1,000-kill mark in his career on April 17, 2025, in a match at UCLA. He now has 1,057 career kills and counting.
2K GOLD: S Caleb Blanchette crossed the 2,000-assist mark in his career in the Trojans’ season opener against St. Thomas Aquinas (Jan. 10). He dished out 28 assists in a 3-0 win over the Spartans and is now up to 2,011-career assists. In 2025, he led the MPSF—ranked fourth in the NCAA—in assists (10.61 aps) and equaled his career-high (61) twice.
RECORD HIGH: USC set a new single-match hitting record in 2025 with a .691 hitting percentage against Dominican (Feb. 8). Last seaosn, the Trojans hit north of .300 in 19 matches with 10 matches over the .400 mark. Six times, USC logged a hitting percentage higher than .450.
MOUNTAIN SPECIFICS: USC was picked to finish second in a preseason poll of Mountain Pacific Sports Federation head coaches and tied with defending league champion Pepperdine with 72 points each. The Trojans had two first-place votes while the Waves had four. UCLA also received four first-place votes and finished in first with a narrow three-point margin (75 points). In 2025, the Trojans were also chosen to finish second and went 8-4 to take second. The Men of Troy are 36-20 all-time in conference openers.
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