However, the soon-to-be second-semester senior will not be eligible for his final season of competition.

The Augsburg track and field star is banned by the NCAA.

Mohammed Bati announced on Christmas Eve that he will not be allowed to finish out his career. He was deemed ineligible to compete during his final indoor and outdoor seasons with Augsburg.

The ruling stems from financial assistance.

Bati is a nursing major. He struggled to make ends meet while working overnight shifts at an assisted living facility. His options were to not pay his tuition and drop out of school or ask for help. He chose the latter.

The local community raised $6,000 for Bati to pay his tuition. That allowed him to continue at Agsburg but it also ended his track and field career.

“I don’t think some NCAA rules are fair to everyone. I want to share something real today.

Last semester I was struggling a lot with money. I didn’t want to drop out or stop going to school, and the community around me came together to support me. People helped me with around $6000 so I could pay for that semester. I’m still grateful for that it was love, it was support, not anything big or business or something bad. Just people helping someone who needed it.

But the NCAA saw that support and said it was a violation. Because of that, I can’t run indoor or outdoor this year. They said someone paying for my school breaks the rule. I understand that’s their rule, but I don’t think they look at the story behind it. Sometimes people get help because life is hard. Not everyone has money. Sometimes it’s just one moment, one time, trying to survive and move forward.

It feels sad that instead of seeing support as community love, it’s seen as something wrong. I didn’t get paid. I didn’t get something crazy. Just help to stay in school. And because of that, I’m not allowed to run. That part is not easy to accept. I worked hard. I love running. I wanted to run this season with my teammates, make memories in my last year.

But even with all this, I’m still grateful. I’m thankful for everyone who helped me, who believed in me. I’ve been through a lot in life, and this is just another challenge. It will not break me. I’m not disappearing, I’m still here, still training, still smiling, still fighting for my dreams.

Sometimes rules don’t see the human behind the story. But I hope one day, things like helping someone won’t be a reason to stop them from doing what they love.

Thank you to my community, thank you to everyone who supports me. I will keep going.”

— Mohammed Bati on Strava

There is one key detail to note here. Division-III athletes are allowed to earn money through NIL.

Athletes at any level can be paid for endorsements, sponsored posts on social media, appearances, etc. Everything goes as long as the compensation is tied to the commercial use of the athlete’s name or image.

Athletes cannot receive outside financial assistance that functions as tuition support or additional athletic benefit unless it fits within the specific financial aid structure or NIL guidelines set by the NCAA. Mohammed Bati’s $6,000 gift did not qualify. It was more like emergency financial support.

As a result, he will not be allowed to finish out his college track and field career.

The NCAA guidelines on NIL are supposed to to prevent a pay-for-play system, even though it has been abused to the fullest extend on the Division-I level. Especially for football and basketball. Some athletes are making seven-figure salaries through “NIL” agreements. Bati’s money was not tied to this kind of agreement so it was technically illegal.

JAMESTOWN — If you know anything about Annie Nabwe, you know she is never satisfied.

Last May, Nabwe completed the University of Minnesota’s hammer throw sweep at the BIG 10 Championships. Nabwe, a Jamestown High School Class of 2022 grad, set a BIG 10 Championships meet record with a lifetime best throw of 69.85 meters (229 feet, 2 inches), which also goes down as a new Minnesota program record.

Prior to that, Nabwe earned her second-straight conference title in the women’s weight throw at the 2025 BIG 10 Indoor Track and Field Championships. Nabwe’s championship throw measured 24.22 meters (79 feet, 5 inches) — a personal best for the former Blue Jay. With the win, Nabwe became the fifth BIG 10 women’s weight thrower to defend her conference title and the first to do so since 2016 when two-time Olympian Kelsey Card of the University of Wisconsin went back-to-back.

Nabwe owns the NCAA No. 21 mark all-time in the weight throw and also holds the second-best indoor shot put mark all-time at the University of Minnesota at 56 feet, 6 1/2 inches.

Still — the former Blue Jay would categorize her second season with the Gophers as a “learning experience.”

“I had a lot of highs but also challenges both mentally and physically,” Nabwe said. “I didn’t finish exactly where I wanted, but that helped me grow more as a person and an athlete.”

What she’s growing into should scare her competition.

At the university’s M City Classic on Dec. 5, Nabwe secured wins in the weight throw and the shot put. Both of Nabwe’s winning marks in the shot put and weight throw were school records. Nabwe launched the shot 16.40 meters (53 feet, 9 3/4 inches) and the weight 23.74 meters or 77 feet, 10 3/4 inches.

Contributed / Annie Nabwe

“People should know that I am motivated, focused, committed and overall having fun,” Nabwe said. “I am thankful for the support that I have gotten from loved ones, teammates, coaches, and everyone who has supported me. I am grateful and excited to keep growing and to see what the future holds.”

Nabwe’s season-opening weight throw mark is more than 4 feet farther than her 2024 opening weight throw of 73-8. Nabwe’s mark in shot was also an improvement from last year’s opening indoor competition by nearly 2 feet.

On Dec. 9, the Big Ten tabbed Nabwe as the conference’s indoor track and field athlete to watch.

“People should know that I am ready, working hard, and I don’t give up easily,” Nabwe said. “They should know that every time I show up, I give my best.”

Her “best” is honed daily by the University of Minnesota’s training program.

Since the season officially began, Nabwe and her teammates weight lift on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for four hours. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, team members lift for anywhere between 1 hour, 45 minutes, and 2 hours. On Saturdays, the team practices or lifts for about 90 minutes.

“A typical training session is based on my class schedule,” Nabwe said. “A normal, let’s say, Monday, I have practice at 8:30 (a.m.) so I wake up at 7, get ready and eat breakfast. Then I scooter over to practice, warm up with my teammates and have practice.

“After, I go home and if I have time to eat and shower, I do, then I have class from 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.,” she said. “I try to eat in between or after that class, because my next class is at 1 to 2:15 and after that class I have lift at 3. … After lift, I go to the trainer’s to get worked on and after that it’s about 5 o’clock. I go to the dining hall to eat dinner and then go home around 6-7 (p.m.) and do school work or if I do not have any I try to relax.”

The next competition on the docket for Nabwe is the Minnesota Open at the University of Minnesota on Jan. 10. The indoor season will conclude with the BIG 10 Indoor Track and Field Championships on March 13-14.

“My goals for this year are being more confident, being mentally tough and starting off competitively instead of laid back, breaking some records and winning titles,” Nabwe said. “These are all achievable because I have worked hard and I am in the position to do it. All I have to do is connect the pieces.”

Contributed / Annie Nabwe

Katie Ringer is a sports reporter for the Jamestown Sun. Katie joined the Sun staff in the summer of 2019 after graduating from the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire with a degree in journalism. She can be reached by email at kringer@jamestownsun.com or by phone at 701-952-8460.

The historic Texas A&M volleyball season has concluded, and now the seniors are moving on to pursue other endeavors. For some, it might be entering the job market, while for a few, it might be beginning a professional volleyball career. However, for one Aggie, it’s the restart of another college athletic career.

On Friday, it was announced that senior outside hitter Emily Hellmuth will be transferring to LSU to compete in beach volleyball. Although she is not eligible for indoor sports, beach volleyball is considered a separate sport and is not offered at Texas A&M. That means she would have to transfer, regardless of whether she wants to continue playing. She will be eligible for the spring season and will have two years remaining.

Hellmuth was excellent in her role at Texas A&M, appearing in several crucial moments that helped propel the Aggies to their first national title. Below is the official announcement from the LSU beach volleyball X account.

First Team

Alyssa Anderson, Woodlan

Class: Senior

Position: Middle blocker

Statistics: 289 kills (2.9/set), 47 aces, 53 blocks, 119 digs (1.2/set)

Of note: IHSVCA Class 2A All-State second team

Reagan Beitler, South Adams

Class: Senior

Position: Setter

Statistics: 145 kills (1.3/set), 73 aces, 376 digs (3.4/set), 644 assists (5.9/set)

Of note: 1A/2A Senior All-Star

Sydney Blackwell, Concordia

Class: Junior

Position: Middle hitter

Statistics: 360 kills (4.0/set), 47 aces, 57 blocks, 110 digs (1.2/set)

Of note: 3A/4A Junior All-State

Reagan Bollenbacher, South Adams

Class: Senior

Position: Outside hitter

Statistics: 304 kills (2.9/set), 25 aces, 392 digs (3.7/set)

Of note: 1A/2A Senior All-Star

Victoria Crozier, Woodlan

Class: Senior

Position: Setter

Statistics: 56 kills, 27 aces, 32 blocks, 151 digs (1.5/set), 874 assists (8.8/set)

Of note: Signed with Trine

Keira Dommer, Concordia

Class: Senior

Position: Setter

Statistics: 52 aces, 200 digs (2.4/set), 863 assists (10.2/set)

Of note: SAC Glass Spike winner

Sophia Gisslen, Carroll

Class: Senior

Position: Setter

Statistics: 46 kills, 37 aces, 36 blocks, 135 digs (1.6/set), 878 assists (10.5/set)

Of note: IHSVCA Class 4A All-State second team; signed with Quinnipiac

Cala Haffner, Carroll

Class: Sophomore

Position: Defensive specialist

Statistics: 60 aces, 432 digs (4.0/set), 133 assists (1.2/set)

Of note: MaxPreps second-team All-America

Maya Harris, Angola

Class: Senior

Position: Outside hitter

Statistics: 637 kills (6.3/set), 177 aces (1.8/set), 228 digs (2.3/set)

Of note: Ms. Volleyball finalist; led the state in aces

Ellie Hepler, Warsaw

Class: Senior

Position: Libero

Statistics: 73 aces, 555 digs (5.2/set), 99 assists

Of note: Signed with Indiana; IHSVCA Class 4A All-State first team

Elyse Mead, West Noble

Class: Sophomore

Position: Outside hitter

Statistics: 530 kills (5.6/set), 44 aces, 25 blocks, 314 digs (3.3/set)

Of note: IHSVCA Class 3A All-State second team

Elli Oskey, Carroll

Class: Junior

Position: S/RS

Statistics: 194 kills (1.8/set), 21 aces, 58 blocks, 330 assists (3.1/set)

Of note: 3A/4A Junior All-Star

Abbie Powell, Southern Wells

Class: Sophomore

Position: Middle blocker

Statistics: 503 kills (5.1/set), 83 aces, 79 blocks, 350 digs (3.6/set)

Of note: Led state with a 0.564 hitting percentage; ACAC Player of the Year

MaryKate Scheumann, Bellmont

Class: Senior

Position: Outside hitter

Statistics: 508 kills (4.8/set), 30 aces, 434 digs (4.1/set)

Of note: Signed with Purdue

Bailey Sinish, Carroll

Class: Senior

Position: Outside hitter

Statistics: 557 kills (5.4/set), 62 aces (0.6/set), 47 blocks (0.5/set), 219 digs (4.0/set)

Of note: Indiana Ms. Volleyball winner; MaxPreps first-team All-America

Sarah Stegall, Carroll

Class: Junior

Position: Outside hitter

Statistics: 270 kills (2.6/set), 19 aces, 24 blocks, 60 digs

Of note: IHSVCA Class 4A All-State second team

Reagan Edwards, Warsaw, MB

Cece Goode, Warsaw, OH

Braelynn Hodgeman, Bishop Dwenger, RS/S

Delaney Johnson, Lakewood Park Christian, L/OH

Victoria Kim, Canterbury, OH/MB

Reagan Lyons, Homestead, OH/OPP

Lindsay Snyder, Bishop Dwenger, OH

Aspen Sutton, Angola, S/DS/L

Laney Trausch, South Adams, S

KaVeaya Turner, Concordia, MH

Emma Vachon, Norwell, S/DS

Kylie Walz, East Noble, L/DS

Nicolette Watercutter, Bishop Dwenger, OH

Emersyn Weaver, Leo, OH/DS

Also honored

High Honorable Mention

Bellmont: Ella Ross, Taylor Sutter

Bishop Dwenger: Genevieve Renbarger, Claire Shively

Bishop Luers: Taylor Albers, Aubriana Flotow

Blackhawk Christian: Cici Sefton, Lily Stangland

Carroll: Hayden Finefrock, Katelyn Peters, Lauren Peters, Lola Sasse, Addi Shippy

Canterbury: Alexa Coble, Sophia Miller

Churubusco: Kelsee Coil, McKayla Reuter

Columbia City: Elizabeth Blackburn

East Noble: Ava Larson

Eastside: Adelaide Elden

Garrett: Sarah DePew, Kaylee Gaar, Amelia Kesterke

Heritage: Maya Ehrman, Ava Johnson

Homestead: Lyla Tindall, Savannah Walker

Huntington North: Grace Anderson

Lakewood Park Christian: Emilia Crider

Leo: Isabella Hensley

Northrop: Madison Corley

Norwell: Macie Saalfrank

Snider: Lindsay Gonzalez, Oriana Smiley, Arielle Stephens

Warsaw: Madison Branam

Wawasee: Hadley Allen

Wayne: Jasmine Fowlkes, Story Gaines

West Noble: Izzy Beers, Reagan Eash, Ella Limerick

Whitko: Meredith Hindbaugh

Honorable Mention

Adams Central: Katie Summers

Angola: Mady Conrad, Khloe Stanner

Bellmont: Gracie Riggs, Lilly Selking

Bishop Dwenger: Maddie Gephart, Kobi Johnson

Bishop Luers: Vahsti Garcia, Victoria Strack

Bluffton: Konley Ault

Carroll: Paityn Lauck

Central Noble: Katie Forker, Jaylee Slone, Grace Swank, Jalayna Winebrenner

Columbia City: Breana Rumschlag, Sophia Van Buskirk

Concordia: Bella Dellinger, Courtney Inman, Shelby Petersen

DeKalb: Vivian Irk, Lilli VanGessel

East Noble: Alyssa Desper, Izzy Leffers, Carys Shire

Eastside: Lauren Hickey, Rylan Moughler

Fremont: Chloe Verdin

Garrett: Rilyn Flotow, Kaelynn York

Heritage: Alana Gutshall, Lexie Walter

Lakeland Christian: Eva Meza

Leo: Mia Norris, Rhianna Wallace Porter, Leah Shappell

New Haven: Annika Koepke

North Side: Desire Buckhanon, Sieriphoe Luangphaxayachack, Shilin Warren

Northrop: Kalaeh Alexander, Maleah Schmucker, Jersey Webb

Norwell: Izzy Anderson, Autumn Lee, Hope Mitchell

Snider: Ava DeFay, Denny-Lynn Dunton, Jasmine Gates

South Adams: Avery Brown, Reece Beitler

South Side: Na’Kayla Williams

Warsaw: Avary Hoeppner, Maddie Williamson

Wawasee: Jadyn Klenke

Wayne: Lexie Clark, Marlo Schinbeckler

Whitko: Caitlin Beer

Woodlan: Makaila Gruber

– Victoria Jacobsen, The Journal Gazette

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard Men’s Basketball closes the 2025 calendar year at Colgate University on Sunday, Dec. 28 at 2:00 p.m. (ESPN+) at Cotterell Court in Hamilton, New York in the Crimson’s non-league finale.

What to Know

• Harvard features four double-figure scorers on the year in a group that includes sophomore guard Robert Hinton (16.5 points per game), senior guard Chandler Piggé (13.7), sophomore guard Tey Barbour (11.5), and junior forward Thomas Batties II (10.3).
• Among the Crimson’s four double-figure scorers, three of them averaged fewer than 7.0 points per game as first-years. Senior Chandler Piggé (1.9 points per game in 2022-23; 13.7 in 2025-26), junior Thomas Batties II (6.8 points per game in 2023-24; 10.3 in 2025-26), and sophomore Tey Barbour (4.8 points per game in 2024-25; 11.5 in 2025-26) have all increased their production over their careers.
• In the Ivy League rankings, Harvard stands second in free throw percentage (78.5), second in steals per game (7.46), third in scoring defense (68.3), and fourth in field goal percentage (47.0). In the NCAA, the Crimson sits sixth in fewest fouls per game (13.5), ninth in free throw percentage (78.5), and 70^th in scoring defense (68.3).
• Sophomore guard Robert Hinton has averaged 16.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.6 steals per game on the year, while shooting 84.5 percent on free throws. Hinton ranks first in the Ivy League in field goals (79), second in steals per game (1.6), third in points (214), third in free throws (49), third in free throw percentage (84.5), sixth in points per game (16.5), and sixth in minutes per game (31.2). On the year, he has scored in double figures 10 times, netted 20 or more points four times, and eclipsed 30 points twice. He earned Ivy League Player of the Week honors on Dec. 8. Hinton – the 2024-25 Ivy League Rookie of the Year – averaged 14.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per game in 2024-25.
• Hinton dropped a career-high 35 points on 12-of-22 field goals and 11-of-12 free throws with eight rebounds at UMass (Dec. 3). Hinton poured in 34 points on 13-of-17 field goals, 4-of-5 3-pointers, and 4-of-4 free throws vs. BU (Nov. 22). He totaled 26 points, five rebounds, and five assists at Furman (Dec. 6) and scored 22 points vs. UNH (Nov. 9). Hinton notched 16 points and seven boards vs. Holy Cross (Dec. 20) and contributed 16 points at Army (Nov. 15). He netted 13 points, including the go-ahead free throws with 5.1 seconds left at Marist (Nov. 16) and added 12 points and nine rebounds at BC (Nov. 26).
• Senior guard Chandler Piggé has posted 13.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per game on the year. He ranks fourth in the Ivy League in field goals (70), fourth in assist/turnover ratio (2.2), fourth in steals per game (1.5), fourth in minutes per game (32.4), fifth in assists per game (3.5), seventh in points (178), and ninth in points per game (13.7). He has scored in double figures in 10 games on the year. Piggé – an Honorable Mention All-Ivy selection and CSC Academic All-District honoree last season – notched 13.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game in 2024-25. He has steadily increased his production over his career, averaging 1.9 points per game in 2022-23, 8.1 points per game in 2023-24, and 13.1 points per game in 2024-25.
• Piggé totaled 23 points and six assists, while shooting 8-of-11 from the floor vs. UNH (Nov. 9). He dropped 21 points with a career-high nine assists at Penn State (Nov. 19). Piggé posted 16 points and seven rebounds vs. Holy Cross (Dec. 20). He registered 14 points against both Army (Nov. 15) and Marist (Nov. 16), connecting on a game-tying 3-pointer with 35.8 seconds left against the Red Foxes. He netted 15 points against both Northeastern (Nov. 11) and Bryant (Nov. 29).
• Sophomore guard Tey Barbour has registered 11.5 points and a team-high 5.5 rebounds per game on the year, while shooting 41.0 percent from 3-point distance. Barbour ranks fourth in the Ivy League in 3-pointers made (32), fifth in 3-pointers per game (2.5), fifth in minutes per game (31.5), and 11^th in rebounds per game (5.5). He has scored in double figures in nine games on the year. Barbour notched 4.8 points and 1.8 rebounds per game on the year in 2024-25.
• Barbour scored a career-high 18 points with eight rebounds vs. Holy Cross (Dec. 20), hitting 4-of-5 3-pointers. He posted 15 points and nine rebounds at BC (Nov. 26) after scoring 15 points vs. BU (Nov. 22). He posted 14 points, six rebounds, and a career-high four made 3-pointers vs. UNH (Nov. 9) before netting 12 points on four 3-pointers vs. Northeastern (Nov. 11). He compiled 12 points and seven rebounds at Penn State (Nov. 19). Barbour netted 10 points and hit the game-winning 3-pointer vs. Bryant (Nov. 29).
• Junior forward Thomas Batties II has registered 10.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game on the year, while shooting 48.5 percent from the field and 52.4 percent from 3-point distance. He ranks fourth in the Ivy League in 3-point percentage (52.4) and sixth in blocks per game (1.0). He has scored in double figures eight times on the year. In 2024-25, Batties II averaged 11.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game on the year after registering 6.8 points and 4.2 rebounds per game on the 2023-24 season.
• Batties II tallied a season-high 17 points, career-high five made 3-pointers, and a career-high six assists at Penn State (Nov. 19). He scored a game-high 17 points against both MIT (Nov. 7) and Army (Nov. 15). Batties II posted 14 points and a career-high six assists vs. BU (Nov. 22) and notched 13 points at BC (Nov. 26) and vs. UMass (Dec. 3). He totaled 12 points and nine rebounds vs. Bryant (Nov. 29).
• Sophomore guard Austin Hunt has tallied 7.2 points and 3.1 rebounds per game on the year, while shooting 55.1 percent from the field. He ranks sixth in the Ivy League in field goal percentage (55.1). Hunt scored a career-high 19 points on 8-of-9 field goals and 3-of-4 3-pointers vs. Holy Cross (Dec. 20). He notched 13 points, six rebounds, and three assists vs. UNH (Nov. 9) and netted 10 points at Furman (Dec. 6). Hunt averaged 7.8 points and 3.6 rebounds per game in 2024-25.
• Sophomore guard Ben Eisendrath has notched 5.1 points, 3.0 assists, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game on the year, while shooting 51.1 percent from the field. Eisendrath ranks third in the Ivy League in steals per game (1.6) and 10^th in assists per game (3.0). He scored a career-high 15 points on 6-of-7 field goals at Penn State (Nov. 19) and netted 10 points at Furman (Dec. 6). Eisendrath distributed a career-high nine assists vs. BU (Nov. 22).
• Harvard and Colgate have met 24 times with the Crimson holding a slight lead in the all-time series, 13-11. The Crimson has won the last eight matchups, including a 78-67 home victory last season. 

Next Up

Harvard hosts Dartmouth on Monday, Jan. 5 at 7:00 p.m. (ESPN+) at Lavietes Pavilion in its Ivy League opener.
 

NORTH Liberty, Iowa (KCRG) – A former Iowa high school volleyball star has earned All-American recognition at the college level.

Shelby Kimm, a three-time all-state selection at Iowa City Liberty, was named a Division II All-American this year for St. Cloud State University in Minnesota. The junior led her Husky team this season with nearly 3.4 kills per set.

The Huskies have made it to the round of 16 of the NCAA Tournament each of the past two years, which is tied for the best finish in program history.

After winning a state title at Liberty, Kimm wanted to experience college outside of Iowa.

“We had so many people on our team that were probably their best or one of the best on their high school or club team when you put a lot of those players together it can be a little challenging cause they’re not used to maybe not playing as much,” Kimm said. “You definitely have to work really hard and I think I learned that nothing is guaranteed you have to go into college and work your butt off and hopefully your coaches recognize that and that’s why I try to do.”

Kimm says she’s already excited to get back on the court for her senior season next year.

Three other Iowans are listed on the SCSU roster, including Kimm’s Liberty teammate Asta Hildebrand, Grundy Center alum Carlie Willis and Aplington-Parkersburg alum Kinsey Mohwinkle.

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