Sports
How Vanderbilt volleyball turned a lawn into a court for their first season in 45 years
For the first time in 45 years, Vanderbilt volleyball played a home match and turned it into a 3-1 win over Belmont.
“Match 1” didn’t have your typical surroundings — this match took place outdoors at Wyatt Lawn in the heart of the Vanderbilt campus.
This historic opener was as much about the performance as it was the setting, with Vanderbilt controlling three of the four sets to secure the victory.
The Commodores Outdoors
For Vanderbilt’s first season since the program’s reinstatement, the Commodores and coach Anders Nelson wanted to make a splash — to make their home debut memorable. Instead of using Memorial Gym, which will be the program’s usual home, Vanderbilt’s home opener will be a ticketed-free event — all entry general admission with standing room available. Along with food trucks for concessions, Vanderbilt alumna and country music artist Julie Cole will perform about 30 minutes following the match.
Match 1 coming 🔜 ⏳
Head Coach Anders Nelson shares with @michellachester what their home opener, Match 1, means to @VandyVolleyball.#NCAAWVB pic.twitter.com/ceHRJ4NZl4
— NCAA Women’s Volleyball (@NCAAVolleyball) August 28, 2025
The Wyatt Commons is home to all first-year students embarking on their collegiate journey at Vanderbilt. The university has even made the match part of the first-year orientation.
The Venue
Setting up for a match with an outdoor venue such as this has been a long time coming.
Head facility and game manger, Lauren Rickert, shared that preparations have been nearly a year in the making. Navigating weather, creating intentional spaces for guests of honors and preserving the vast greenery have all been factors.
No detail has been spared, even figuring out where the sun will set in order to know where to position the benches and scorekeepers.
A major obstacle for the grounds crew was transforming the expansive grass lawn into a stable, competition-ready surface. After leveling out the field while preserving the space, they created a foundation using a decking system and layered the area with Taraflex and Sport Court materials. There will also be three video boards and three sides of seats, with another side open for standing room only.
The crew began setting up the court on Monday, Aug. 25. Rickert believes her group will be working on the final touches up until practice on Friday, Aug. 28, the day of play.
Taking things outDORES this week#AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/F13Z5rV0MV
— Vanderbilt Volleyball (@VandyVolleyball) August 25, 2025
History
There’s not much history to report because the match is quite literally making history.
The Commodores and Bruins are set to compete for the first time in program history in a long-awaited matchup made possible after Vanderbilt’s return from a hiatus that began before Belmont’s team was established in 1993. Just 0.3 miles separate the campuses of the Nashville schools.
What to know
Vanderbilt (0-1-0) is coming off a 3-2 loss to No. 14 Kansas in their opening match of the 2025 season at the AVCA First Serve Showcase in Lincoln, Neb.
CATCH UP: 6 biggest takeaways from AVCA First Serve
The Commodores had a strong showing against the Jayhawks, winning the first set, 25-19. They put up some impressive numbers, with freshman Reese Animashaun recording a double-double in her collegiate debut, posting 18 kills and 11 digs and Jackie Moore registering 17 kills on a .323 clip.
Reeeeeese!
Up to double-digit kills.
📺 Watch on FS1#AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/m11zQMimFW
— Vanderbilt Volleyball (@VandyVolleyball) August 23, 2025
Friday’s matchup will mark the start of the 2025 season for the Bruins coming off an 11-19 overall and 6-12 season in Missouri Valley Conference play last year. Key returning senior Brooke Gilleland boasted 333 kills and 293 digs while averaging 3.06 kills per set.
Both teams feature coaches in the first season at the helm of their programs, with Anders Nelson leading the reinstated Vanderbilt team and Fritz Rosenberg at Belmont.
Match Recap
The Commodores opened strong, taking the first two sets 25-21 and 25-17 before Belmont rallied to claim the third, 25-18. Vanderbilt sealed the win with a 25-20 finish in the fourth. Junior outside hitter Kamryn Chaney led the way with 20 kills, while senior setter Isabella Bareford tallied 39 assists.
Big time 😤 Kamryn Chaney
📺 SECN #NCAAWVB x @VandyVolleyball pic.twitter.com/iVHORiIDrX
— NCAA Women’s Volleyball (@NCAAVolleyball) August 30, 2025
Historic night in Nashville ⚓️#AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/DxiYYf45Qj
— Vanderbilt Volleyball (@VandyVolleyball) August 30, 2025
The Atmosphere
Just as expected, the atmosphere was electric. More than 3,400 fans packed Wyatt Lawn, and every point brought the crowd to its feet. From the first serve to the final kill, it felt less like an opener and more like a celebration — a long-awaited homecoming for Vanderbilt volleyball.
“HOW BOUT THAT STUDENT SECTION?!” pic.twitter.com/5pNswz8jiY
— Vanderbilt Volleyball (@VandyVolleyball) August 30, 2025
Sports
NCAA volleyball: BYU, Utah fall in 5-set tournament openers
PROVO — The BYU women’s volleyball’s stay in a 14th consecutive NCAA Tournament was cut short for a second straight year Thursday evening.
Kendall Beshear poured in 20 kills, 12 digs, four blocks, two assists and two aces to lift Cal Poly to a 25-19, 17-25, 20-25, 25-20, 15-10 win over fifth-seeded BYU at the Galen Center in Los Angeles.
Recently named Big 12 freshman of the year Suli Davis had 18 kills and 10 digs, Claire Little Chambers added 14 kills and 14 digs, and Brielle Kemavor supplied 15 kills and three blocks for the 22nd-ranked Cougars (22-9), who were fed by 48 assists and 11 digs from Alex Bower.
But for a second straight year, BYU was eliminated early by an upstart mid-major conference champion. A year after the Cougars were swept by A-10 champs Loyola Chicago, Cal Poly out-hit BYU .312 to .256 and served up seven aces with 12 blocks to send the top-25 team from the Big 12 home early.
Emma Fredrick added 15 kills and 10 digs for the Mustangs (26-7), and Emme Bullis dished out 52 assists with eight digs and a pair of aces.
BYU rallied from a 25-19 gut-punch in the opening set, when Bower fed a balanced attack of three double-digit hitters to take the next two sets, 25-17 and 25-20 on Little Chambers’ 12th kill of the match.
How efficient was BYU? In the third set, the Cougars hit .357 with 17 kills and just two errors to out-hit the Mustangs’ .257.
But the Big West champions found momentum in the fourth set, using a pair of aces and several other well-served balls to take a 13-9 lead early after a 4-0 spurt. The Cougars trailed 22-20 when Little Chambers had to be helped off the court with an apparent lower leg injury, and Ella Scott’s ace helped the Mustangs close out a 25-20 victory to force a decisive fifth set.
“Coming out of the third, we looked at each other and knew it was now or nothing,” Beshear told ESPN+ after the match. “We trusted each other, we balled out, and we had relentless defense. I think that’s what changed the game for us.”
Beshear had a service ace during a 4-0 run that gave the Mustangs an 11-6 lead in the finale, and Fredrick finished off the upset with her second ace of the night, 15-10.
Sixth-seeded Northern Iowa rallies to reverse sweep Utes
Lily Dykstra, Cassidy Hartman and Reese Booth each posted a double-double as sixth-seeded Northern Iowa rallied to reverse-sweep Utah 15-25, 21-25, 26-24, 25-20, 15-10 in Omaha, Nebraska.
Kamryn Gibadlo poured in 20 kills with four blocks for the Utes, who ended the season with a 15-15 overall record. Levani Key-Powell added 17 kills, and Emrie Moea’i had a double-double with 10 kills and 10 blocks for Utah.
“We are very proud to have gotten to the tournament,” said Utah coach Beth Launiere, whose team was back in the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season and 20th time in program history. “I think it’s been well-documented that we faced a lot of adversity this year. I couldn’t be more proud of my team for overcoming that, working together, finding a way, and getting us to this point.”
Utah Valley will be the fourth school from Utah to open the NCAA Tournament with first serve Friday at second-seeded Stanford.
Sports
Men’s & Women’s Track & Field set to open indoor season this weekend at Bison Opener
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Lock Haven will send 59 student-athletes to Bucknell University on Friday night (Dec. 5) and Saturday morning (Dec. 6) to open the Bald Eagles’ 2025-26 men’s and women’s indoor track and field season.
The Bison Open will take place inside Gerhard Fieldhouse.
BISON OPEN MEET INFO
PSAC/NCAA QUALIFYING STANDARDS
COLLEGE TEAMS COMPETING AT BISON OPEN
- Bloomsburg, Bucknell, Indiana (PA), Lincoln, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Mount St. Mary’s, Penn State, Shippensburg, St. Francis
MEN’S NOTES
Lock Haven will send 40 men to compete in 17 total events.
In 2024-25, the Bald Eagles took fifth place at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Indoor Track & Field Championships.
The Bald Eagles will return six PSAC place winners from last season. Nick Bellomo in the heptathlon, Morgan Gavitt and Anden Atkins in the 800-meter run, Jakob Rager in the 3,000-meter run, Josiah Schans and Cameron Lewis as part of the 400-meter relay team will all return in the 2025-26 season for Lock Haven.
Nine newcomers will make their debut on Saturday for The Haven.
LOCK HAVEN MEN’S ENTRIES
Heptathlon: Nick Bellomo
Long Jump: Isaiah Brinker, Michael Lawrence, Benjamin Warburton, Jaden Wright
Triple Jump: Isaiah Brinker, Michael Lawrence, Tadd Ungard, Bryce Warren
High Jump: Ben Gusciora, Shawn Hertzog, Ben Streator, Bryce Warren
Weight Throw: Peter Bellomo, Ty King, Parker Sandt, Eric Zalar
Shot Put: Peter Bellomo, Patrick Marcinko, Eric Zalar
Pole Vault: Kevin Taylor
60-Meter Hurdles: Rocco Pacifico, Matt Reinard, Jorge Santana, Josiah Schans
60-Meter Dash: Dylan Cassetori, Gage Chipeleski, Lukas Epitropakis, Michael Lawrence, Cameron Lewis, Garrison Lucas, Rocco Pacifico, Dillyn Reibsome, Rocky Romani, Josiah Schans, Kevin Taylor, Tadd Ungard, Benjamin Warburton, Jonah White, Sam Wible, Ryan Williams, Brody Wolfe, Jaden Wright
200-Meter Dash: Isaiah Brinker, Dylan Cassetori, Gage Chipeleski, Lukas Epitropakis, Aden Howell, Cameron Lewis, Adam Linkhorst, Dillyn Reibsome, Jorge Santana, Trey Wagner, Bryce Warren, Benjamin Warburton, Jonah White, Sam Wible, Brody Wolfe
300-Meter Dash: Rocco Pacifico, Matt Reinard, Rocky Romani, Josiah Schans, Ryan Williams, Jaden Wright
400-Meter Dash: Aden Howell, Adam Linkhorst, Trey Wagner
500-Meter Dash: Sage Carr
800-Meter Run: Skylar Small, Lorenzo Thompson
Mile Run: Jarrett Lee, Michael Loffredo
3,000 Meter Run: Jakob Rager, Anthony Solis-Morales
4×400-Meter Relay: A – (Wible, Schans, Reinard, Lewis), B – Carr, Epitropakis, Gusciora, Thompson) C – (Howell, Pacifico, Romani, Chipeleski) D – (Lee, Williams, Small, Loffredo)
WOMEN’S NOTES
On the women’s side, Lock Haven will send 19 athletes to compete in 12 total events.
Much like the men, the women’s team will see a mix of returners and newcomers featured on Friday and Saturday, with the returning PSAC place winners being Reagan Irons (high jump) and Samantha Trench (60-meter hurdles).
Mallory Eck, Alyssa VanGorder, Maria Puglia, Madalyn Smith, Laurie Thompson and Clarissa Davis will all return in the throws.
Bald Eagle sprinters Natalie Gentzel, Alexanne Fite, Kelci Carle, Lillian Bradley and Makayla Grace Weber are set to make their returns.
Elizabeth Shultz will return to compete in the 800-meter run.
Lock Haven will be expecting to see newcomers Ella Ballard, Paige Jodon, Macy Plowman and Deja Roark break onto the scene in the sprints.
Freshman Alannah Irwin will make her debut Friday night in the pentathlon.
LOCK HAVEN WOMEN’S ENTRIES
Pentathlon: Alannah Irwin
Long Jump: Samantha Trench
High Jump: Reagan Irons, Samantha Trench
Weight Throw: Alyssa VanGorder, Maria Puglia, Madalyn Smith, Laurie Thompson
Shot Put: Mallory Eck, Clarissa Davis, Alyssa VanGorder, Madalyn Smith
60-Meter Hurdles: Samantha Trench, Makayla Grace Weber, Kelci Carle
60-Meter Dash: Ella Ballard, Paige Jodon, Lillian Bradley, Macy Plowman, Deja Roark, Alexanne Fite, Natalie Gentzel
200-Meter Dash: Ella Ballard, Paige Jodon, Lillian Bradley, Macy Plowman, Deja Roark, Makayla Grace Weber
300-Meter Dash: Alexanne Fite, Natalie Gentzel
400-Meter Dash: Kelci Carle
800-Meter Run: Elizabeth Shultz
4×400-Meter Relay: A – (Elizabeth Shultz, Alexanne Fite, Lillian Bradley, Natalie Gentzel), B – (Kelci Carle, Macy Plowman, Makayla Grace Weber, Ella Ballard, Samantha Trench)
RECAPS AND FINAL RESULTS
Recaps and final results from the Bison Opener will be posted to www.lockhavenathletics.com late Saturday night (Dec. 5).
UP NEXT
The Lock Haven men’s and women’s indoor track and field teams will compete again on Jan. 17 at the Nittany Lion Open.
Sports
Men’s Lacrosse and Track & Field Add New Staff
ALBION, Mich. — Albion College athletics is proud to announce the addition of two new assistant coaches to round out a pair of coaching staffs.
Henry Wehrly (track and field) and Kyle Borek (men’s lacrosse) join the Britons ahead of the spring semester.
Wehrly jumps back into the swing of things at Albion
Head Coach Lance Coleman announced the addition of Henry Wehrly, who returns to his alma mater after crossing the graduation stage last spring. A four-year member of the track and field team, Wehrly was a standout sprinter and jumper. As a senior, the Manchester, Michigan native, earned a pair of top-four finishes at the MIAA Outdoor Championships in the 100-meter and 200-meter dash.
Wehrly graduated with a degree in Kinesiology and has been working as a personal trainer at Manchester Wellness Center. He has organized operations for the business and worked with individual clients on proper techniques, training, and fitness plans.
Borek joins reigning MIAA Tournament Champions
Fresh off winning the 2025 MIAA Tournament, head coach Jacob DeCola has added Kyle Borek to the coaching staff ahead of the 2026 season. Borek returns to the collegiate ranks after having last served as an assistant coach at Davenport University during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. Borek was responsible for the Panthers’ defensive structure. He focused on game planning, film breakdown, and individual player development. He previously worked as a boys varsity assistant coach at Haslett/Williamston High School for two seasons.
Borek is no stranger to the MIAA, as he was a three-year member of the men’s lacrosse team at the University of Olivet. A long-stick midfielder, Borek was a two-time All-MIAA Second Team honoree as he amassed 138 ground balls and 87 caused turnovers over his collegiate career.
Sports
PBC Indoor Track & Field Season Preview
Reigning PBC Champions Embry Riddle have been tabbed as unanimous favorites to take home both the PBC Men’s & Women’s Indoor Track & Field titles by the league’s coaches. Embry Riddle received five first place votes on both the men’s and women’s side. Flagler received one first place vote in each. Augusta, Clayton State, Lander and USC Beaufort completed the tables in order.
Embry Riddle have been dominant since the inception of the PBC Indoor Track & Field Championship in 2023-24. The Eagles have been crowned men’s and women’s champions in each of the previous two seasons. In 2025, the two Eagles were selected for the NCAA Indoor Track & Field National Championships with both returning as All-Americans, the first in PBC Indoor Track & Field history. Brooklynn Gould finished 7th in the Pentathlon and Mikaela Miles finished 3rd in the Triple Jump. Embry Riddle sees Miles returns for her senior year in 2025-26, as the Eagles look to secure a third consecutive PBC Championship.
Flagler have been tabbed to finish second in both the men’s & women’s championship. On the women’s side, the Saints improved from a third-place finish in 2024 to a second-place finish in 2025 at the PBC Indoor Track & Field Championship. The Saints had five first place finishers at the championship in 2025. Graduate Taylor Stone was also selected for the NCAA Indoor Track & Field National Championship for the second consecutive season. On the men’s side, the Saints have placed second in each of the two previous seasons. Flagler had six first place finishers at the PBC Championship in 2025, and improvement from three in 2024.
Augusta have been tabbed third place finishers for both the men’s and women’s championship. The Jaguars will make their PBC Indoor Track & Field Championship debut this season.
| 2025-26 Women’s Indoor Track & Field Preseason Coaches’ Poll | ||
|---|---|---|
| Rank | Team | Points |
| 1. | Embry Riddle (5) | 25 |
| 2. | Flagler (1) | 20 |
| 3. | Augusta | 16 |
| 4. | Clayton State | 12 |
| 4. | Lander | 12 |
| 6. | USC Beaufort | 5 |
| 2025-26 Men’s Indoor Track & Field Preseason Coaches’ Poll | ||
|---|---|---|
| Rank | Team | Points |
| 1. | Embry Riddle (5) | 25 |
| 2. | Flagler (1) | 20 |
| 3. | Augusta | 17 |
| 4. | Clayton State | 12 |
| 5. | Lander | 11 |
| 6. | USC Beaufort | 5 |
Sports
Track & Field Open Indoor Season At Bison Opener
Women’s Track & Field | 12/5/2025 11:00:00 AM
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
>> Saint Francis Track & Field will once again open the 2025-26 indoor season at the Bison Opener at Bucknell University’s Gerhard Fieldhouse on Saturday.
>> The first track event will be the men’s 60m hurdle trials at 8:30 a.m. and the first field event will be men’s pole vault at 9:10 a.m.
>> Forty-two athletes, 28 men and 14 women, will be competing at the meet for the Red Flash.
2025-26 INDOOR SEASON PREVIEW
Head Coach Douglas Hoover is returning for his 14th season at the helm of the Saint Francis University Track & Field program.
The Red Flash are coming off a 2024-25 indoor season where the women finished third and the men took six at the NEC Indoor Track & Field Championships. The Red Flash had eight podium finishes and one event victories. Clark Gulycz, who is competing this weekend, became the NEC Men’s Indoor Shot Put Champion with a mark of 16.75m.
NEC PRESEASON POLL
Saint Francis women’s track & field was picked fifth in the NEC Preseason Poll. Wagner earned five first-place votes and earned the distinction of being the preseason favorite. Stonehill and CCSU both gained two first-place nods to finish in second and third place. Chicago State gained the last vote for first-place, finishing in fourth. After the Red Flash in fifth place, FDU, LIU, New Haven, Mercyhurst, and Le Moyne round out the ten-team poll.
Saint Francis men’s track & field was picked seventh in the NEC Preseason Poll. CCSU earned eight first-place votes and earned the distinction of being the preseason favorite. Wagner gained one first-place vote to finish in second. Stonehill and Chicago State were picked to finish in third and fourth. FDU and LIU were both tied in fifth place, however, LIU earned the last vote for first-place. After the Red Flash in seventh place, New Haven, Le Moyne, and Mercyhurst round out the ten-team poll.
RED FLASH AT BISON OPENER HISTORY
It will be the 15th time since the 2008-09 season that Saint Francis will be opening the season at the Bison Opener. At last year’s event, there were 14 top-5 finishes, including two first place finishes. Olivia Renk took first in the women’s 200m (25.60) and Julian Saunders took the men’s 200m (22.12).
NEXT UP FOR RED FLASH
The Red Flash will travel to the Ocean Breeze Track & Field Athletic Complex in Staten Island, N.Y. to compete in the Wagner College Seahawk Shootout hosted by Wagner College on Dec. 12.
Sports
Track Season Begins Saturday – Syracuse University Athletics
MEET INFO:
Date: Saturday, Dec. 6
Location: Barton Hall | Ithaca, N.Y.
Live Results: Here
ORANGE ENTRIES:
‘Cuse will start the day in the 60-meter hurdles at 11 a.m. Tawakal Omar and Jamir Brown will make their Orange debuts for the men. Twenty minutes later, Billie Frazier, Emeline Clark, Ivana Richards, Peyton Rollins and Marissa Saunders will race for the women.
The 60-meter dash will kickoff at 11:35 a.m., with Syracuse’s participants coming from a host of Orange men entered. At 11:50 a.m., Bianca Williams, Indie Wallace-Persaud, Jada Williams and Esther Granda will all race in the women’s event.
Samantha Bloch, Kayla Harding, Lizzie Bigelow, Blake Parker and Hailey Schuemann will take on the mile at 12:10 p.m., before the finals of the 60-meter hurdles and 60-meter dash events begin starting at 12:40 p.m.
Grace Finnegan and Luise Hiltzbleck will run in the 3,000-meter run at 1:55 p.m.
Elijah Mallard will represent the men in the 300-meters, followed b Nylah Robinson, Leah Bellow, Mia Hernandez and Andrea Pomales at 3:20 p.m. to close the meet for ‘Cuse.
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