Sports

Rehr Adds Trio to Volleyball Support Staff

Published

5 months ago

July 23, 2025

HOUSTON – University of Houston Head Coach David Rehr added a trio of new support staff entering the 2025 season, the team announced Tuesday. Cougar great Kate Georgiades and two-time All-American at Arizona State Claire Jeter join Rehr’s staff as graduate assistants while Simone Sardanelli will serve as technical coordinator.

Both Georgiades and Jeter bring Big 12 playing experience to the coaching staff after Georgiades completed a storied career with Houston in 2024, and Jeter shined as a middle blocker for Arizona State from 2021-2024. Sardanelli arrives in Houston following time in Italy’s professional volleyball system.

ABOUT KATE GEORGIADES | GRADUATE ASSISTANT
Georgiades, Houston’s first four-time All-American and All-Conference First Team selection, quickly rejoins the team following her final collegiate season in 2024. One of the best players to come through the storied Houston program, Georgiades completed her playing career with 2,562 digs, the 22^nd most in NCAA history.

Georgiades was also a three-time Conference Libero of the Year honoree, collecting the accolade from The American in 2021 and 2022 as well as the Big 12 Conference in 2023, Houston Athletics’ first positional player of the year in the league. She finished her Cougar career with the third-most digs (2,335) in program history with the second-most digs per set (5.07).

Georgiades spent the spring and summer as Houston’s latest professional Cougar, playing with the Pro Volleyball Federation’s Columbus Fury after being the second from the program drafted by the league. In 54 sets, she recorded 171 digs with her average of 3.17 per set ranking second on the team.

ABOUT CLAIRE JETER | GRADUATE ASSISTANT

Jeter arrives in Houston following a standout career for Arizona State after a year at Texas A&M. An AVCA All-American in both 2023 and 2024, Jeter finished her collegiate eligibility with 462 blocks as well as 933 kills, a .355 hitting percentage and 109 aces.

Jeter finished third on Arizona State’s career blocks list with 451, the most by a Sun Devil since 1990. She also broke the team’s career block assists record with 379. In her senior season, she hit .426, leading the Big 12 and ranking 10^th nationally.

Overall, she earned All-Big 12 First-Team honors in her lone season in the league with All-Pac 12 Honorable Mention accolades in 2023. She was also a VolleyballMag.com All-American in 2024 and an AVCA All-Region honoree in both 2023 and 2024.

ABOUT SIMONE SARDANELLI | TECHNICAL COORDINATOR
Sardanelli joins the Cougar staff following both international playing and coaching careers in Italy. Following 10 seasons playing professional volleyball at various levels, including stints in Italy’s top division, Sardanelli shifted to technical staff, assisting at multiple levels including in SuperLega.

Sardanelli began play with Vibo Valentia in SuperLiga, Italy’s top division, in 2013. He continued with the team as they transitioned to Serie A2, winning the Serie A2 Italian Cup in both 2015 and 2016. Following a loan to Lagonegro in 2017-19, he rejoined Vibo Valentia in SuperLiga and aided the team as it finished fifth in 2020-21 and qualified for the playoffs in the best season in the team’s history. After playing with Galatina in Serie A3 in 2021-22, he retired as a player and shifted to technical staff.

Sardanelli began coaching with Taranto in SuperLega for the 2022-23 season, providing technical and tactical support during the season while conducting the team’s scouting and analytic efforts. For the next season, he joined Vero Volley as an Assistant Sporting Director, helping to push the club to one of its most historic seasons as the team reached the finals in six out of seven competitions across the men’s and women’s teams.

SUPPORT YOUR COOGS
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Volleyball by joining the Point Houston Club which provides financial support directly to Houston Volleyball for needs beyond its operating budget.

STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarVB on X, formerly known as Twitter, and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team’s Facebook page at UHCougarVB. Fans also can follow the team on Instagram at @UHCougarVB.

– UHCougars.com –

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Sports

Hawkeyes Knock Down Nebraska – Iowa Hawkeyes Athletics

Published

2 minutes ago

January 2, 2026

Your Sports Nation

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

Your Sports Nation

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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Sports

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

Published

2 hours ago

January 2, 2026

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Sports

Tritons Set for Preseason North American Challenge

Published

4 hours ago

January 2, 2026

Your Sports Nation

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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Sports

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

Published

4 hours ago

January 1, 2026

Your Sports Nation

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

Your Sports Nation

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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