Representing three member-institutions, a trio of Big West women’s volleyball players have been announced as American Volleyball Coaches’ Association (AVCA) All-Pacific Region honorable mention student-athletes. 

Big West Player of the Year Jade Light helped UC Davis to their first regular-season Big West title while pacing the Aggies and the conference in both kills (4.01) and points (4.52) per set in 2025. Posting consecutive seasons of 400+ kills, the outside hitter from Sloughhouse, Calif., has tallied 1,162 career strikes and is just the 13th UC Davis player to reach the four-digit plateau. Light stands as the first – and only – Aggie to earn Player of the Year honors in UC Davis’ last season of league membership while also earning first-team All-Big West distinction. 

UC Santa Barbara redshirt sophomore Eva Travis claimed a first career All-Region distinction after trailing only Light in both kills (3.93) and points (4.42) per set to lead the Gauchos back to The Big West postseason finishing the year tied for second in the conference standings. The product of Aliso Viejo, Calif., finished the year with six 20-point games reaching double-figures in all 28 matches played and started, earning All-Big West second-team honors. 

Finally, Cal Poly middle blocker and Big West Championship Most Valuable Player Chloe Leluge made the listings after a stellar sophomore campaign. The powerful net play provided by the Bend, Ore., native has resulted in 126 total blocks, or 1.02 per set, along with 2.30 kills per set while sporting an efficient .383 hitting percentage for The Big West champions. Leluge and the Mustangs upended No. 5 seed BYU and knocked off host and No. 4 seed USC last weekend to advance to the regional semifinals of the NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship. Cal Poly is set to square off with No. 1 seed Kentucky in the Round of 16 on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. PT.  

Last year, the AVCA instituted a new 10-region alignment based upon state lines rather than conference alignment. In the new configuration, the Pacific Region consists of the states of California, Hawai’i and Arizona.  

 

Regardless of various regional changes throughout the years, The Big West has enjoyed at least one All-Region/All-District selection every season, since 1986. Dating back to the 2015 season, this marks the ninth set of All-Region listings to include at least three Big West performers. 

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – First year Svea Frantzich and senior Lance Nemecek of the St. Olaf College women’s and men’s track and field teams were named one of the two Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Athletes of the Week in their respective sports on Tuesday.

Frantzich was chosen as the MIAC Women’s Field Athlete of the Week, while Nemecek collected MIAC Men’s Track Athlete of the Week honors, with both Oles landing the first MIAC Athlete of the Week accolades of their careers.

Frantzich recorded the fifth-highest pentathlon score in NCAA Division III this season with 3,005 points in her collegiate debut at the M City Classic on Friday. Frantzich posted top-10 all-time performances on St. Olaf’s indoor list in the 60-meter hurdles (9.47) and long jump (5.44m) on her way to compiling the No. 8 pentathlon score on the Oles’ all-time performers’ list.

Nemecek ran the second-fastest 800-meter time in NCAA Division III this season with a meet record time of 1:54.02 at the M City Classic on Friday. Nemecek’s time ranks third on both St. Olaf’s all-time performers’ and performances lists. He also led off the first-place 4×400-meter relay that won the event in a meet-record time of 3:21.77, which ranks fifth nationally and second on both St. Olaf lists.

 

AUSTIN, Texas – No. 3 Texas Volleyball landed four on the AVCA Southwest All-Region Team, led by Torrey Stafford who was named AVCA Southwest Region Player of the Year. 

Stafford became the fifth Longhorn to earn the award, which marked the seventh overall award joining Chiaka Ogbogu (’17), Micaya White (’18), Logan Eggleston (20-22) and Madisen Skinner (’23). Stafford leads the Longhorns with 488 kills, has totaled 4.74 kills per set, is hitting .359 and leads the team with 32 aces. 

Stafford was also named to the All-Region Team along with freshman Cari Spears, sophomore Ayden Ames and senior Emma Halter. 

Spears was also tabbed as the AVCA Southwest Region Freshman of the year. Texas has now won the award three-straight seasons following Ames and Ella Swindle. 

Texas is set to host #15 Indiana on Dec. 12 at 11 a.m. CT at Gregory Gym in the Sweet 16.  

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – A pair of standouts from Louisville led the way for the Atlantic Coast Conference’s first Performers of the Week of the 2025-26 Indoor Track & Field season. Louisville’s Alba Cuns Iglesias was named the ACC Women’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Week, while Elsingi Kipruto was tabbed the ACC Men’s Indoor Track & Field Freshman of the Week. Virginia’s Gary Martin earned ACC Men’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Week honors, while North Carolina’s Vera Sjöberg was named the ACC Women’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Week. Virginia Tech’s Maddox Hamm was selected as the ACC Men’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Week, while Clemson’s Kimeka Smith garnered ACC Women’s Indoor Track & Field Freshman of the Week honors.
 
ACC Men’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Week
Gary Martin, Virginia, Sr. (Warminster, Pa.)

• Posted a 13:05.57 in the men’s 5,000-meter run at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener in Boston, Massachusetts.
• Shattered his own school record in the 5,000-meter by more than 25 seconds.
• Broke the ACC record, previously held by Florida State’s Adriaan Wildschutt since 2022.
• Clocked the sixth-fastest time in NCAA history.
• His time ranks first in the ACC and third nationally.

 
ACC Men’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Week
Maddox Hamm, Virginia Tech, Jr. (Scottsboro, Ala.)

• Finished first in the men’s pole vault at the Liberty Kickoff in Lynchburg, Virginia.
• Posted a career-best 5.70m (18-8.25) in the event.
• Broke the Virginia Tech program record.
• His mark leads both the ACC and NCAA this season.

 
ACC Men’s Indoor Track & Field Freshman of the Week
Elsingi Kipruto, Louisville, Fr. (Mosoriot, Kenya)

• Opened his indoor career with a win in the men’s 5,000-meter open section on the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener in Boston.
• Finished with a time of 13:29.37, breaking the Louisville program record.
• His time ranks fourth in the ACC and 13th nationally.
• His time is also the fastest 5K nationally by a freshman.

 
ACC Women’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Week
 Vera Sjöberg, North Carolina, Fifth-Year (Stockholm, Sweden)

• Posted a time of 8:43.06 in the women’s 3,000-meter run at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener in Boston.
• Ran the eighth-fastest 5K time in NCAA history.
• Broke a 22-year-old school record by 17 seconds.
• Her time is the fastest in the ACC and second-best nationally.

 
ACC Women’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Week
Alba Cuns Iglesias, Louisville, R-Jr. (Negreira, Spain)

• Won the women’s triple jump at the Commonwealth College Opener in Louisville, Kentucky.
• Her mark of 13.25m (43-5.75) leads both the ACC and NCAA and broke the program record.
• Also posted a 5.87m (19-3.25) in the women’s long jump, which ranks sixth in the ACC this season.

 
ACC Women’s Indoor Track & Field Freshman of the Week
Kimeka Smith, Clemson, Fr. (St. Catherine, Jamaica)

• Won the women’s shot put at the Clemson Opener in Clemson, South Carolina, with a mark of 15.06m (49-5).
• Set the Clemson freshman record and ranks seventh on the Tigers’ all-time performance list.
• Her mark leads the ACC and ranks 11th nationally.

 
ACC Men’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Week
Dec. 9 – Gary Martin, Virginia
 
ACC Men’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Week
Dec. 9 – Maddox Hamm, Virginia Tech
 
ACC Men’s Indoor Track & Field Freshman of the Week
Dec. 9 – Elsingi Kipruto, Louisville
 
ACC Women’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Week
Dec. 9 – Vera Sjöberg, North Carolina
 
ACC Women’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Week
Dec. 9 – Alba Cuns Iglesias, Louisville
 
ACC Women’s Indoor Track & Field Freshman of the Week
Dec. 9 – Kimeka Smith, Clemson
 

MALIBU, Calif. –  The Pepperdine men’s volleyball team has signed three to the Class of 2030, head coach Jonathan Winder announced Tuesday afternoon.
 
“We are excited about the group of guys we have coming in next fall,” head coach Jonathan Winder said. “We know they are going to be able to make immediate impacts on this group..”
 
Made up of two outside hitters and a middle blocker, the Waves are adding highly-touted offensive threats to the incoming class.
 
Vuk Kulpinac – Novi Sad, Serbia – Paris Volley
 
Kulpinac is a 6’7″ Outsider Hitter most recently competing with Paris Volley. Prior to joining the French club, Kulpinac played for Vojvodina Mozzart Novi Sad in Serbia.
 
Tobias Prichystal – Bast, Czech Republic
 
Prichystal is a 6’10” Middle Blocker most recently competing for his country in the CEV U22 Volleyball European Championship.
 
JP Wardy – Manhattan Beach, Calif. – Loyola HS
 
Coming from just south of Malibu, Wardy is a 6’3″ Outside Hitter from Manhattan Beach, Calif. Most recently, Wardy competed on the Balboa Bay Volleyball Club.    
 
“The opportunity to bring in one of the best players and best outside hitters in Europe, one of the best outsiders in the US and one of the best middle blockers in Europe is a great opportunity for our team,” Winder said.
 
The Waves open up the 2026 campaign Jan. 9 against St. Thomas Aquinas College at 6 p.m. pst.
 
Season tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here. Single game tickets will become available at a later date.
 
ABOUT PEPPERDINE MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Pepperdine men’s volleyball boasts one of the richest histories in collegiate volleyball, with five NCAA National Championships. Four of those championships came under the direction of Hall of Fame coach Marv Dunphy who totaled 612 victories in 34 seasons at the helm. With 19 NCAA Appearances and 63 All-Americans, the program has consistently been a destination for top talent across the country. Under current head coach Jonathan Winder, the Waves reached the NCAA Final Four in his third season at the helm in 2025.
 
TICKETS
For more information and to purchase tickets to upcoming home events, visit here.
 
FOLLOW
To stay up-to-date on the latest Pepperdine women’s soccer news, follow the Waves on social media @PepperdineMVB_ .
 

Adrian, from Standish, Michigan, earned All-American honors in the weight throw last season and looks to continue her success in the 2025-26 season. She started the season strong at the GVSU Holiday Open last week. Adrian finished first in the weight throw with a throw of 21.76m.

Last season at the Big Ten Indoor Championships, Adrian finished fourth in the weight throw (21.03m). Her career best in the weight throw was 22.35m set at the 2025 Michigan Invitational last season.

Allen, a native of Waterford, Michigan, has already shown he is an athlete to watch. In the season opener at the GVSU Holiday Open, Allen broke the Michigan State school record in the 60m hurdles with a time of 7.77 to finish second. He broke the record held by former Spartan All-American and Olympian Heath Baldwin. He set the previous record of 7.81 in 2024.

Last season, Allen reached the finals of the 60m hurdles at the Big Ten Indoor Championships, finishing sixth with a time of 7.86. He also had a first-place finish at the 2025 Michigan Invitational, crossing in 8.18.

The Spartans are back in action in the New Year, traveling to the Wolverine Invitational in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Jan. 10.