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Nicky Cannon Welcomes 14 Newcomers to 2025 Roster

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FULLERTON, Calif. – The Cal State Fullerton women’s volleyball program and Nichole Cannon announced the signing of 14 newcomers to the 2025-26 roster. Cannon’s first roster as head of Titans Volleyball features two returners, seven transfers and nine freshmen. 

Kaia Herweg

Libero | Long Beach, Calif. | Grand Canyon University

Kaia Herweg appeared in 34 sets during the 2024 season at Grand Canyon. As libero, she averaged 1.47 digs per set with 50 total digs. At the service line she had one ace and assisted in three attacks. 

“Kaia reminds me of all the joy, excitement and energy that the sport of volleyball can generate. She’s a never-ending burst of fire and makes everyone around her better,” Cannon said. “Kaia also brings an endless pursuit and relentless fight to the back court and holds some of the most important qualities of a high level libero.

Marisa Nakata 

Libero | Kailua, Hawai’i | Hawai’i Baptist Academy

Marisa Nakata is a 2024 Division II Player of the Year and received two-time ILH First Team All Star. Nakata posted a .284 kill percentage, averaging 5.5 kills per set in high school. At the service line, she recorded 72 aces, while averaging 3.8 digs per set (658 total digs). Nakata assisted in 85 blocks, recording 10 solo blocks before the end of her high school career. 

“Marisa comes from one of the top programs in Hawai’i and adds a dynamic element to Titan Volleyball. She has trained as a 6 rotation OH her whole career, adding depth to the front and back court,” Cannon said. “Marisa comes with all the love and excitement of Hawai’i volleyball and carries a special light about her when she plays. I am excited for her to shine bright and help build the legacy of Titan Volleyball.”

Lira Pukl Verdel

Outside Hitter | Maribor, Slovenia | Il. Gimnazija Maribor

Lira Pukl Verdel is a three-time Slovenian High School Volleyball Champion. Under the OTP Banka Branik Maribor club team, she competed in the first Slovenian professional league, while taking first place in the 2025 Senior Slovenian Championship and the 2021 MEVZA European Qualifier. 

“Lira is a highly reliable and well-rounded outside hitter who consistently contributes on both offense and defense. She’s an intelligent attacker with a fast arm swing and excellent shot variation, making her difficult to defend against. Her serve receive is steady and composed, and she takes responsibility in the backcourt with maturity beyond her years,” Cannon said. “What sets Lira apart is her leadership and work ethic. She brings energy to every match, communicates well, and leads by example — especially in high-pressure moments. She’s also highly coachable, always seeking ways to improve and applying feedback effectively.”

Devin Hicks

Setter | Temecula, Calif. | Chaparral HS

Devin Hicks recorded 601 assists during the 2024-25 season, averaging 6.8 assists per set. In 88 sets, Hicks held a 55.6 kill percentage (35 K), hitting .492 on 63 attacks. Hicks recorded 274 service aces and 139 digs. 

“Devin brings a much needed “dawg mentality” to Titan Volleyball. After watching her complete, we knew how powerful her relentless and competitive energy would be,” Cannon said. “She holds such an esteemed calmness and confidence on the court that is very important for a setter. Devin’s level of play and solid physicality proves her readiness to compete in The Big West.”

Feao Saluni 

Setter | Concord, Calif. | Northgate HS

Feao Saluni was named DAL All-League MVP and a second Team MVP award as a senior at Northgate High School. She earned All-Conference Second Team honors as a junior after earning the Coaches’ Award as a sophomore. 

“We fell in love with Feao the second we watched her play. She has some of the fastest and cleanest hands, but what sealed the deal was her unstoppable energy and leadership on the court,” Cannon said. “Feao could be on a court with 5 different strangers and would find a way to build connection, trust and excitement for each and every one of them. She is a special setter that has the most important intangibles as personal strengths.”

Elon Smith

Middle Blocker | Antioch, Calif. | Deer Valley HS

Elon Smith was named Offensive Player of the Year her junior and senior year. In those two years, Smith collected 225 kills in 161 sets played. She averaged 1.8 kills a set, while hitting .225 with 583 attacks. Smith recorded 146 service aces and 132 total blocks at the net, 130 being solo blocks. 

“Elon is our diamond in the rough and was such a special find while recruiting this spring. Her level of athleticism is elite beyond her being an incoming freshman, and she will be one of the most dynamic players along the net for Titan Volleyball,” Cannon said. “Elon is a competitor and will seek every opportunity to grow and contribute to the success of our program.”

Mia Felhaus 

Libero | Borken, Germany | Gymnasium Mariengarden

Mia Feldhaus helped lead her Skurios Volleys Borken club team to a second Bundesliga Pro Championship title (2021, 2024). She served as both Team Captain and a key voice on her Team Council in Germany. 

“Mia’s journey from Borken, Germany, to Titan Volleyball is a testament to her relentless work ethic, maturity, and passion for the game. She has dreamed of playing professionally in the United States since she was just seven years old, and it’s her dedication to that dream that makes her such a valuable addition to our program,” Cannon said. “As a libero, her ability to read the game, adjust in real time, and lead through action makes her a cornerstone on the court. We’re thrilled to welcome Mia to the Titan Volleyball family as we continue building something special together.”

Carissa Wiles 

Outside Hitter | San Clemente, Calif. | UC Riverside 

Carissa Wiles was named GSAC Freshman of the Year and AVCA Southwest Region Freshman of the Year. In 2024 at UC Riverside, Wiles hit .156 across 87 sets while averaging 2.14 kills per set. She tallied a career-high 14 kills in back-to-back matches at the DC Invitational, and went on to hit .407 at the Pelican Invitational (9/19-21) with 43 kills on 81 swings. She finished last season with honors recognition, being named to The Big West All-Academic Team and Big West Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

“Carissa was the definition of a change maker while I coached her at UCR,” Cannon said. “She led her teammates with connection, trust and love and helped create the level of accountability that changed the program. Carissa is a talented 6 rotation outside hitter with one of the heaviest arms I’ve seen and the ability to be a go to point scorer.”

Hannah Hass

Middle Blocker | Corona, Calif. | Corona HS 

Hannah Hass led her team to the CIF Championship title as a senior, making it to the second round of State. She was named an Inland Empire All-Star Team Player, while ranking No. 1 in hitting percentage in the country multiple weeks in a row. Hass is a two-time All-League First Team selection. Not only did she compete efficiently on the court, she received praise for her academic successes of holding a 4.0 GPA all four years. 

“Though quiet in demeanor, Hannah brings with her a wealth of high-level playing experience and one of the sharpest volleyball minds we’ve seen at her age. Her ability to read the game, make quick decisions at the net, and lead through action sets her apart as a competitor,” Cannon said. “We are confident she’ll have an immediate impact not just on the court, but also on the strength and integrity of our team culture.”

Emilia Graham 

Middle Blocker | Yucaipa, Calif. | Whittier College 

Emilia Graham joins Titans Volleyball after spending the 2024 season at Whittier College. With Whittier, Graham posted 23 kills with a .286 hit percentage and 17 blocks at the net. 

“Emilia holds a very positive and contagious demeanor that will prove powerful to the success of Titan Volleyball. She has a lot of experience at both middle and right side allowing us several options on how to best utilize her strengths and size,” Cannon said. “Emilia is probably one of the best defending and athletic 6’3″ players I’ve seen which completely aligns with our expectations on the court.”

Kahea Carvalho 

Setter | Rolling Hills, Calif. | Coppin State University 

Kahea Carvalho joins the Titans after three semesters spent at CSU. She tallied 25 kills, 681 assists, 37 aces, and 223 digs. Across 116 sets, Carvalho recorded five double-doubles while recording at least 20 assists in 18 matches with four matches of at least 30 assists. 

“Kahea has always been a leader and raised the level of competition around her as well as the players around her,” Cannon said. “She will greatly contribute to being the quarterback on the court and servant leader in the gym.”

Fina Tuinauvai 

Middle Blocker | Oakland, Calif. | Academy of Art

Fina Tuinauvai enters the 2025 season as a transfer student from Academy of Art. She appeared in 96 sets, posting 144 kills (1.50 K/S), 70 blocks (12 solo) and 10 assists.

At James Logan High School, Tuinauvai became a DI NorCal Champion in 2017, four-time MVAL Champion, two-time All-League First Team hitter, and the 2019 Co-Best Offensive Player of the Year. 

Sarah Schubert

Outside Hitter | Hilo, Hawai’i | New Mexico Military Institute 

Sarah Schubert played a prevalent role in NMMI’s road to the Conference and Regional Championship titles and a 28-0 conference record over two seasons. Schubert received Offensive Player of the Year honors. She recorded a career 471 kills (2.02 K/S), 284 digs and 135 blocks. In 2041, Schubert hit .368 with 306 kills.

“Sarah comes from an extremely disciplined and competitive program and will add very much needed maturity and high expectations,” Cannon said. “Sarah contributed greatly to the success of New Mexico Military Academy with her on court strengths and the influence of her positive leadership.”

Kaieva Christensen 

Libero | Riverton, Utah | Brigham Young University

Kaieva Christensen joins the Titans Volleyball program as a transfer from BYU, where she appeared in the NCAA tournament. Across 40 sets, Christensen recorded 23 digs for the Cougars. 

“Kaieva comes from a higher level volleyball gym and conference that will add a great amount of experience to the court as a libero,” Cannon said. She is also mature beyond her years and will immediately impact the culture of our team with her high character and standards.”

SUPPORT THE TITANS!

Fans can purchase tickets for various Cal State Fullerton athletic events by visiting FullertonTitansTickets.com. The Athletic Ticket Office can also be contacted by phone at 657-278-2783 or by email at athletictixs@fullerton.edu. The Ticket Office is located at the Titan Baseball ticketing office and is open from 10 am – 4 pm PT, Monday – Friday. 

FOLLOW THE TITANS!

Fans can keep up with the latest in Titan Athletics by following us on Facebook (Facebook/FullertonTitans), X (@FullertonTitans) Instagram (@FullertonTitans), YouTube (FullertonTitansAthletics) and TikTok (@FullertonTitans). In addition, the softball team has established its own Instagram (@Fullerton_WVB) and X accounts (@Fullerton_WVB).

WATCH THE TITANS ON ESPN+

Titans fans can now watch every home event exclusively on ESPN+. Cal State Fullerton has built a top-tier production studio to give the viewers an ESPN quality production for all games at Titan Stadium. Additionally, all schools in the Big West Conference are committed to producing ESPN quality streams which will allow fans to watch the Titans on ESPN+ for all road conference games.





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Matchups, starters, players to watch

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December 11, 2025

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Dec. 11, 2025, 5:10 a.m. ET



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Four new players make up Wisconsin volleyball class of 2026 roster

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2 hours ago

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December 11, 2025

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The Wisconsin volleyball team earned a No. 2 recruiting ranking for the four new names they added to the team’s class of 2026. 

The four young stars, Audrey Flanagan, Kymore Scott, Lynney Tarnow and Halle Thompson, have a long list of accolades, including experiences with state and national championships and the USA Junior National Team. 

During the signing day press conference, head coach Kelly Sheffield said their recruiting focus was finding right athletes to fit the specific needs of Wisconsin. 

“There was just a very very small number that we thought would be a great fit for what we were needing,” he said.

Audrey Flanagan, outside hitter

Flanagan, a 6-foot-3 outside hitter from California, comes to Wisconsin with two national team runs, including a gold win with the US Under-19 team in the Continental Championship. 

Flanagan’s honors also include an AVCA First Team All-American, the 2024 Bay League Most Outstanding Player and the 2023 All-Bay League First Team. 

While she was injured last year, Flanagan is now back to full strength and ready to go for Wisconsin. 

“We’re getting a healthy player and one that’s going to have a huge impact for us,” Sheffield said. 

Kymora Scott, middle blocker/right side

Scott’s ability to hit off of one foot appealed to Sheffield when he first saw her play. He compared her skill to the talents of former Badgers Megan Campbell and Devyn Robinson. 

The middle blocker from Illinois was a bit out of the spotlight, Sheffield said, although her accomplishments speak for themselves. 

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Scott is a two-time SWSC All-Conference player and ranked No. 4 in her high school’s history for overall kills (714) and most kills in a single season (288). 

“We see her as someone who can be an elite slide attacker,” Sheffield said. “She is smooth with her attack and has the ability to be a very good blocker with how fast she can get off the floor.”

Lynney Tarnow, middle blocker 

Tarnow has been coming to Badger volleyball camps since she was nine, so Sheffield said it just feels right for her to finally be signed at Wisconsin. 

The 6-foot-5 middle blocker is also from Illinois and Sheffield highlights her physicality around the court.

“Lynney has the potential to be a very physical net presence,” Sheffield said. “She can hit well off of one or two feet with power and can take up a lot of space with her block.”

Tarnow will come to the Wisconsin team as an AVCA All-Region Player of the Year and the No. 1 rank in her position. The Illinois native has also been a part of the 2025 Under-19 National Team. 

Halle Thompson, outside hitter

With the addition of Thompson, another outside hitter, Wisconsin is adding an elite back row attacker, Sheffield said. 

Thompson is also ranked high for her region. Across the board, Thompson is No. 2 in regional rankings and position rank. From Texas, Thompson is a two-time Texas Division I Volleyball State MVP and Volleyball State Champion. She also has two seasons with the National Team under her belt. 

“Halle is a fierce competitor,” Sheffield said. “She is very good for her age at the serve and pass portion of the game and plays the game fearlessly.”

While it took some extra effort in recruiting to get Thompson from Texas to Wisconsin, Sheffield said he’s very satisfied with the result of signing Thompson. 

“No matter how much depth we have or how much experience, we’re going after people that have big dreams and big goals,” Sheffield said. 

In previous years, Wisconsin signed more players, but Sheffield said the landscape of the transfer portal is decreasing the need to collect younger athletes. In 2024, the Badgers signed on six new players. In 2025, that number dropped to four. 

“There’s that element of bringing in some young players and mixing them with some elite college-ready transfers,” Sheffield said. “And hopefully you can stay in the ball game every year.”

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Track and Field Competes in Opening Meet, Swimming Takes on Rowan

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December 11, 2025

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Track and Field:

On Friday, Dec 10., Swarthmore track and field traveled to Lancaster, PA, to compete in the Diplomat Open hosted by Franklin & Marshall College. The Garnet were one of fifteen colleges represented in the indoor meet, the first of their indoor season.

Men’s Results

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James Saunders ’29 ran a time of 8.81 in the 60-meter hurdles finals in a fourth place finish, just a hundredth of a second away from breaking the 8.77 program record time set in 2019. In the long jump, Rishi Tella ’26 finished in fourth place with a 6.46 meter mark. In the 3,000-meter race, Leo Sun ’26 ran a time of 9:39.13 to capture a sixth place finish. Matthew Fleming ’27 raced the 5000-meter race with a 15:39.71 finish in fifth place. Noah St. George ’28 earned an eighth place finish in the high jump with a mark of 1.80 meters. Alan Nichols ’28 set a personal record with a 1.75 mark. Pole vaulter Jackson Mejia ’28 also set a personal record; he finished in eighth place with a mark of 3.85 meters. 

Women’s Results

Thrower Tate Garcia ’26 threw for 11.49 meters in the shot put to capture fourth place, as well as a fifth-place weight throw result with a 13.20 mark. Alyson Goldbacher ’28, who holds the program record in the long jump, secured a sixth-place finish and a 2.90-meter mark in the event. In the 200-meter race, Gabby Bredbenner ’29 ran a fifth-place finish with a time of 27.03. The 400-meter race saw a fourth place finish by Bredbenner (1:02.79) and an eight- place finish by Goldbacher (1:06.8). In the mile, Morgan McErlean ’26 crossed the finish line in eighth place with a time of 5:52.53. The high jumper Katharine Reiter ’29 had a mark of 1.42 meters to earn an eighth-place finish. 

Swimming:

On Friday, the Garnet competed at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ. The women’s team beat the Rowan Profs 113-75 to notch their sixth consecutive win. Men’s swimming fell in a 84.5-101.5 loss. The Mixed 200-yard medley relay saw a strong Swarthmore first place win, swam by Maya Ambardekar ’28, Dylan Ling ’26, Cami Wilson ’26, and Elle Anthony ’26 for a 1:38.03 finish. The relay team composed of Genine Collins ’27, Damian René  27, Sam Packard ’27, and Danny Castle ’27 swam a 1:31.57 in the 200 freestyle relay for a close second place finish. 

Men’s Results

In the 200 free, Sam Peterson ’26 took third place with a time of 1:46.49. Jack Boerner ’29 followed closely in fourth with a time of 1:46.78. Levi Tipton ’28 dominated the 100 fly (51.90), more than a second faster than the second place finisher. In the 100 IM, Nolan Weygandt ’29 took third with a 54.80 finish. Andrew Hendrickson ’27 swam a 4:48.09 to come in third in the 500 free. In the 100 breast, Ling swam a 59.88 for a third place finish. In the 50 free, Wilson took home the win with a 21.07 finish, and Castle followed in second with a 21.46 finish. Dylan Herink ’27 won the 100 back with a time of 53.24, and Matvey Ivanov ’27 came in third place with a 54.70 finish. In the 100 free, Tipton swam a 47.58 for a second place tie.

Women’s Results

In the 200 free, Margaret Sawa ’29 swam a 1:58.40 to notch a second place finish, with Ava Craig ’27 tenths of a second away with a third place finish (1:58.92). Genine Collins ’27, the program record holder for the 100 fly, won the event with a time of 57.28. Marin Norlander ’28 placed third with a 1:00.91 time. Quinn Weygandt ’26 took home the win for the 100 IM with a 1:01.97 finish time, and Norah Rutkowski ’28 followed in third with a 1:02.56 finish. Craig won the 500 free (5:16.90), over three seconds faster than the second-place finisher. In the 100 breast, Annabelle Hoover ’28 (1:09.44) and Rutkowski (1:09.97) placed second and third, respectively. The Garnet swept the 50 free podium, set by Collins (23.61), Anthony (24.28), and Ainsley Jane Tambling ’26 (25.52). Collins and Anthony hold the first and second fastest times in program history for the 50 free. Ambardekar won the 100 back (59.03) with nearly two seconds of space between her and the next finisher. In the 100 free, Riley Bacinski ’29 (53.28) and Weygandt (54.22) clinched second- and third-place finishes, respectively.



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How Sweet It Is: No. 3 Badgers take on NCAA Regionals

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December 11, 2025

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MADISON, Wis. – The No. 3 Wisconsin volleyball team will look to continue their NCAA Tournament run, as they are set to take on No. 2 Stanford in Austin, Texas, on Friday, Dec. 12 at Gregory Gymnasium. The match will begin 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first regional semifinal between No. 4 Indiana and No. 1 Texas, slated to start at 11:00 a.m. CT. Both matches will be televised on ESPN. 

The Badgers (26-4) advanced to the NCAA Regionals behind a pair of stellar performances in back-to-back nights of action—defeating Eastern Illinois and North Carolina at the UW Field House to punch their ticket to the second weekend for the 13th consecutive season. 

The offense continued to be efficient in the pair of matches this past weekend, as UW enters the NCAA Regionals with the second-highest hitting percentage in the country at .322. If the mark holds, that swinging percentage would break a school record. 

Outside hitter Mimi Colyer was one of the multiple standouts from the weekend, recording 22 kills and 13 digs versus the Tar Heels for her eighth double-double of the year. The senior was recently named the Player of the Year in the AVCA All-North Region release. She was joined by four other Badgers on the First Team list in middle blocker Carter Booth, libero Kristen Simon, outside hitter Una Vajagic and right side Grace Egan. 

Simon, in being one-of-three freshmen garnering that honor, continued her quality play from the back row for UW. In both postseason matches, the Badgers held their opponents to a hitting percentage of .250 or lower. The freshman racked up a combined 31 digs in the process, leading the team in both matches. In doing so, Simon passed Kristen Roman for fifth-most digs by a freshman in program history. 

Wisconsin enters the Lone Star State in search of their first win over the Cardinal (29-4) in team history. The units have battled six times, with Stanford coming out on top in each match—including the 2019 National Championship match. 

The Cardinal defeated Utah Valley and Arizona en route to a berth to the NCAA Regionals, doing so in four sets in each match. They enter with a strong postseason pedigree, winning nine national championships while appearing in 23 Final Fours. 

The two teams last met in Milwaukee at the Fiserv Forum last season, as Stanford walked away with a four-set victory. Setter Charlie Fuerbringer, in her freshman season, posted a career-high five kills against the Cardinal in that match. Fuerbringer racked up four in each match this past weekend—continuing to be a spark on the offensive end. 

In head coach Kelly Sheffield‘s tenure at Wisconsin, the Badgers hold a record of 10-2 in NCAA Regional Semifinal matches. Last year, UW won a five-set thriller over Texas A&M to advance to the NCAA Regional Final. 

With a victory on Friday, the Badgers will play the winner of Indiana vs Texas on Sunday, Dec. 14. The start time for that match is still to be determined.

 



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#11 Volleyball Meets Media, Makes Final Prep For Sweet 16 Match

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December 11, 2025

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LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Creighton Volleyball team got its first look inside Memorial Coliseum on Wednesday during its first full day in Lexington, Ky., for this weekend’s NCAA Tournament Regional.

Creighton head coach Brian Rosen, along with seniors Kiara Reinhardt, Ava Martin and Annalea Maeder met the media prior to the team’s 90-minute practice inside Memorial Coliseum, which will host the action.

First serve between Creighton and Arizona State is set for 12 p.m. Central. The contest will be nationally-televised on ESPN2.

 

NCAA Volleyball Lexington Regional

Historic Memorial Coliseum – Lexington, Ky.

Creighton-Arizona State Pre-Match News Conference

 

Creighton Head Coach Brian Rosen

Opening Statement …

“Obviously, just really happy to be here to still be playing, to be in the Sweet 16. We’ve had these goals for a long time now, especially two of the seniors have been here four or six years. They came here and chose Creighton for opportunities just like this. I am just really proud of them and our whole team to get to this point. I’ve actually never been to Lexington before, so this has been fun. I didn’t know that Creighton and Kentucky have a long history of playing, eight straight years of playing in those tournaments together. I was there for the last year of that, but it was at Creighton. That one didn’t go very well. So hopefully if we got a chance to play them, we didn’t be a little different. Arizona State’s a great team. Lots of firepower all over, really good block. We’ve gotten to watch them quite a bit on film and things like that, so it should be a great match. We have very similar resumes, similar RPIs, same best win, I feel like, in Kansas. So a lot of similarities, it should be a fun.”

 

On running offense against Arizona State’s defense…

“I think these are two of the strongest blocking teams in the country. Last week, we actually led the nation in blocks during the first rounds of the tournament, so it’s definitely a major strength on both sides. Ultimately, I think this match will come down to which team stays in system more consistently. Every team, no matter how good, has holes in their block when they’re out of system. So for us, it’s about getting them into one- and two-pass situations so we can set our block and take advantage of those opportunities. And the same is true for them—if they can get us into those situations, their block is extremely tough to overcome. At the highest level, that’s what volleyball becomes: creating holes in the block and preventing the other team from doing the same. Hopefully, our serving pressure and our ability to win first contact will be the difference.”

 

On Kiara Reinhardt setting the program record for NCAA tournament appearances and how that drives her…

“I’d like to start by saying that she absolutely earned this. She’s now the winningest Bluejay in our volleyball program’s history, and I love that all of these longevity records are going to belong to Kiara. I truly don’t think there’s anyone who embodies Creighton Volleyball the way she does. Her selflessness, her leadership, her consistency, she sets the standard for what our program is all about. Convincing her to come back for a sixth year definitely wasn’t easy, but I hope she knows how grateful we all are that she did. And honestly, who she is as a person will always matter so much more to us than any of the kills or blocks she’s put up, even though she’s had a ton of those too. I love that these records and awards are hers, and I’m not sure anyone will ever break them. unless maybe Ava decides to come back for one more year.”

 

Creighton Student-Athletes

#8 Ava Martin, OH

On not losing since September…

“I think one of our big things has just been respecting everyone this year. I mean all the Big East teams, they give us their all, and it’s always a battle with all those teams. We know coming into it, we respect every team and treat them like they’re a top-25 team, so I think that’s really important for us. Especially this year, we saw a ton of upsets within college volleyball, so just taking it one game at a time and treating everyone like it’s the most important game has been really big for us.”

 

#17 Annalea Maeder, S

On not losing since September…

“I mean, everything that Ava said is definitely true. I just want to add that we have not lost since September, but we’ve definitely found ourselves in situations where we had to fight back from being down, where we lost sets. Last week, we were down to one, and had to find a way to kind of recover and come back from this. Even though we haven’t lost, we definitely have been in very versatile situations that I think will help us with this weekend.”

 

On Arizona St. middles…

“Yes, as Brian mentioned, they’re a really good team. I also think we are just as good, and we present our own challenges. I think our coaching staff does a phenomenal job of scouting other teams, and giving me a game plan of who we start with, setting, and what we want to run. We for or than we expected.”

 

#5 Kiara Reinhardt, MB

On the last time she was in Lexington…

“Yeah that was fun. I wasn’t playing that year. That was my redshirt year. I just remember playing at Kentucky, they brought a great fan base, and they’ve had such a well established program here. I think the fans love it and really bring it, and want to support the program here. I’m just really excited. I think they’ll pull a great crowd here. It was a really fun tournament, from what I can remember. We also did get food poisoning that weekend, so I remember that, but we did win that tournament that weekend, which was really exciting. I remember walking away, we felt good about that, even though physically we didn’t.”

 

On setting the program record for tournament appearances…

“Yeah, I mean for me appearances that just means that I have spent more time playing volleyball with more of these amazing girls, and so I think that’s what definitely drives me. Just like not wanting to be done, and wanting to keep these moments continuing, and wanting to keep stepping out onto the court with them, wanting to keep hanging out in the hotel together, and all of those things. I’m really grateful for that. I’ve gotten to spend more time with all the teams that I’ve been on every year.”

 



 

Arizona State Head Coach JJ Van Niel

Opening Statement …

“We are excited to be here. I think our team has done a really nice job this year and been super resilient. We are ready to go.”

 

On the team’s blocking …

“Because we have a physical team, I think our plan was to try to invest a little more in the blocking side of things this year. It is nice to see the time we spent has paid off. We have some physical kids and have spent a little more time working on blocking this year than in past years. It has showed off. Having a physical team is fun.”

 

On the depth of his team …

“I think it has been huge because in any given match players are a little on or a little off. We have had several matches where maybe someone wasn’t quite at their normal standards and then other people have been able to pick up the slack really nicely. You always want a balanced team, it is nice to have some balance.”

 

On having similar opponents with Creighton …

“Yeah, it was quite a while ago. I think one of the challenges is that was at the beginning of the season. We will look at it, but I know for myself as we started scouting, you try not to look at what the other team did, just look at what they are doing and what I think we should do. We have our personnel, which is going to be different than every other team. So it is really about trying to think about what your strengths and weaknesses are and then what is your opponent going to try to do against you. Then what you are going to do to try to slow them down.”

 

On their team plans the rest of the day …

“We will do a little more prep and have a little game night tonight. I am always up for some card tricks. We will do a little team thing and play some games tonight.”

 

On signee Grace Martin and competing this weekend against her older sister …

“Recruiting her was kind of easy, she is an outside and really, really competitive. I remember watching her at JOs two or three years ago and I left going, ‘hey, we have got to talk to her, even if she is a little undersized.’ Just a really, really fiery and competitive kid, which I am sure she gets from her family or sister. We have a text thread going and it is pretty funny actually. I asked her what color she was wearing, but I told her she should wear her Creighton stuff and support her sister.”

 

On Creighton’s Ava Martin …

“She has experience. She has been here before. She is a really good all-around volleyball player. She has a heavy arm and can hit anywhere on the court. Those are the hardest people to defend for sure.”

 

On Brian Rosen‘s coaching job at Creighton …

“I think he has done a phenomenal job stepping in. Obviously, he was there and I am sure that was really helpful. When you are already there you are going to already know the players and have buy in quicker and easier. I have seen some stuff that they do a little bit differently than they have in the past. I think the ability to come in and really keep the momentum going, is great. Creighton has really been a nice program the last 10-plus years. It is always challenging when you step into a successful program. You are going to have people doubt that you can do it and he has been able to step in and keep it rolling. He is doing a great job. He lost some key pieces too. He has built a nice system around what he has.”

 

Arizona State Student-Athletes

#22 Bailey Miller, OH

On how Big 12 play has prepared ASU for the regional …

“I think we have a really strong conference. We had the most teams selected to the NCAA Tournament, so I think that helps a lot because we’ve had some really good competition to get us ready.”

 

On having the depth of hitters on her team …

“I have been able to have some really high-efficiency games because the middles are working so hard and the right sides are working super hard. We’re fortunate to have some of the best hitters in the country and so it makes it really easy.”

 

On her setting …

“She’s been so good, it’s amazing. All of our connection with her have been so good. She is the most understanding setter that I’ve ever met. She doesn’t care if you’re asking for it to be higher, lower, faster, whatever you need – she’s willing to do it. I think that helps a lot. Everybody is so comfortable talking to her, so I think that connection is really priceless in this game and it helps that she is able to set the gap and then skip over and set the go and that’s one of the best parts of our system. She has been so good all season.”

 

#15 Faith Frame, L

On how Big 12 play has prepared ASU for the regional …

“In the Big 12, any one could have won any of the games. Every game you had to be ready and prepared for anything. It really prepared us well.”

 

On having the depth of hitters on her team …

“They’re all great. Out of system is pretty easy because I’m not going to make a bad decision going either way.”

 

On her libero play this season …

“It’s been really fun. I’ve never had such a big block in front of me, so this season I’ve been getting more and more comfortable working around the block and trying not to stand behind it but work around it and being able to run things down that they touch being so physical.”

 



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Sports

Volleyball to get new arena

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December 11, 2025

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The University of Texas announced Wednesday that it has issued a request for proposal to seek private developers to build a small multipurpose public arena for the Texas volleyball team and an adjacent student-athlete housing facility just south of Moody Center at the northwest corner of Interstate 35 and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Officials did not give an anticipated date on when the new facility will open.

“This is a critical step for the future of Texas Volleyball (sic) and our student-athletes’ housing experience,” Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte said in a statement. “It is about creating an experience that our student-athletes, coaches and passionate fans will be proud of in the heart of a district built for elite talent and entertainment.”

The new arena aims to seat “approximately 6,000 fans, with the flexibility to expand seating for concerts, shows and university events that complement the adjacent Moody Center,” according to a press release issued by the university.

“It is important for us to be strategic about how we use our space and how our students and visitors engage with our campus,” said University of Texas president Jim Davis. “This is a unique development that will enhance the university’s athletics facilities and housing portfolio and benefit students, Longhorn fans and our city for years to come. I am grateful to our Board of Regents for their support for our vision.”

Under the proposed public-private collaboration, Texas would own both the arena and student-athlete housing properties, and an outside entity would operate them. 



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