GW Business Professor Lisa Delpy Neirotti has researched and taught the business side of sports for more than 30 years. In a Q & A with GW Today, Neirotti offers her insights into the ever-evolving collegiate athletics environment, the growing popularity of women’s sports at all levels and the impact of technology such as AI on Olympic sports.

Q. The University of Kentucky Board of Trustees recently moved its athletic department to a subsidiary company, distancing athletics from the university. What collegiate athletics developments are you watching?

A. There are many issues and challenges under discussion right now. One is how universities will handle the financial side of the new rules for paying players. You may end up paying a student athlete $4 million and then not have funds to hire faculty. That’s when things are going to get a little confrontational. 

I think that at some point universities are going to license out their names to venture capital or private equity firms, wealthy individuals or others interested in owning and running sports teams, specifically football and basketball. That private owner will pay the university for the right to use the school’s name, and that licensee will be responsible for revenue and expenses including recruiting, training and paying the athletes. The licenses could run from five to 20 years, and the universities could use the license fees to pay for non-revenue sports, like tennis and swimming.

Q. The Olympics are one of the global sports business segments you study. Will collegiate pay-for-play disrupt U.S. Olympic opportunities?

A. Over 70 percent of the U.S. Olympic teams have competed in collegiate sports at some point. Right now, many receive scholarships to train and compete at the collegiate level, including track and field, swimming, diving, fencing, rowing, water polo, volleyball and wrestling. If universities stop offering Olympic sport programs to focus resources on revenue sports, it will limit the options for talented athletes who cannot afford to pay for training on their own. Privatized sport clubs may absorb some but not all athletes will continue competing.

Also, approximately 13 percent of NCAA I student-athletes are international. A reduction in Olympic sport programs may also eliminate opportunities for international students seeking scholarships. 

Q. In what significant ways are AI and technology changing sports?

A. Technology is integrated both on and off the field. Wearables generate vast amounts of data on players’ biometrics, movement and positioning during practice and competition. The data is used to reduce injuries and extend player careers by identifying physical changes and adjusting workouts and playing time. Tracking movements during play helps to optimize formations, spacing and rosters.

On the business side, data analytics are used to maximize revenues in ticketing, concessions, merchandise, sponsors and media. What food items are selling and how much could prices increase before seeing a decline in purchases? Is touchless technology increasing concessions sales? What time do fans enter venues? Do promotions change behavior?

Q. Women’s sports are on the rise. What are the business repercussions?

For years, women’s sports were an afterthought—an “add on” to men’s media right deals and corporate partnerships. NCAA and FIFA are now selling women’s rights as independent properties. The value of these rights is not yet proportional to the viewership but they are on the right trajectory. It will take time to change the mentality about the true value in women’s sports. More brands like Ally Bank need to step up and invest.

Taking NCAA media rights as an example, women’s championships are valued at $65 million, while men’s are about $870 million per year. In 2025, women’s games average 8.5 million viewers and men’s average 10.2 million. That means women’s viewership is 83 percent of the men’s viewership yet the women’s TV rights are valued at just 7 percent of the men’s contract. That will shift when companies realize women shop more than men. We’re in the process of educating advertisers on the benefits of advertising with women’s sports. 

One of the misconceptions in women’s sports is that only women watch. For the 2023 Women’s World Cup, 54 percent of the fans were male. And men represent over 55 percent of the WNBA fan base. Furthermore, research shows that women are the economy’s power players—outpacing men in income and spending growth. 

The other big thing is that there is finally some research on women athletes. There is interesting initial research, for example, that suggests women playing during their menstrual cycle may have a greater risk of injury. Although no causal relationship has been established, the idea that someone is conducting research on female athletes is an important development.

Reliance’s acquisition of Disney Star’s India business is more than a corporate transaction it’s a seismic event that is reshape India’s media and entertainment landscape. By uniting Disney+ Hotstar, Viacom’s and Disney Star’s entire television portfolio (including GECs, movies, music, and sports channels), premium sports rights, and an extensive distribution network under one umbrella, Reliance has forged an end-to-end powerhouse that spans content creation, distribution, and monetisation.

What’s Included in the Deal

• Disney+ Hotstar: India’s leading OTT platform, with over 55 million paid subscribers.
• Television Channels: Viacom’s and Disney Star’s portfolio including GECs (family-viewing channels), movies, music, and sports channels.
• Sports Rights: Exclusive digital (IPL, ICC tournaments) and television rights for cricket arguably the crown jewel of Indian sports broadcasting.
• Distribution Infrastructure: While not part of this acquisition, Reliance already owns JioFiber (broadband), JioCinema (OTT), DEN Networks, and Hathway (cable distribution). These existing assets give Reliance near-complete control over the “pipeline” from studio to sofa. Moreover, Reliance is in advanced talks with multiple other MSO’s across the country for potential acquisitions, further extending its grip on distribution and last-mile connectivity.

Industry Snapshot (2024–25)

• Total M&E Market: ₹ 2.5 trillion (US $ 29.4 billion) in 2024, up 3.3 percent year-on-year.
• Digital Media: Now the largest segment, contributing 32 percent of overall revenues (₹ 802 billion in 2024, +17 percent YoY).
• Television: Under pressure revenues fell 4.5 percent in 2024 after a 2 percent drop in 2023.
• OTT Platforms: The market reached ₹ 37,940 crore in FY 24–25, with Disney+ Hotstar and JioCinema leading in subscriber count and engagement.
• Digital Advertising: Grew 21.1 percent in 2024 to ₹ 49,251 crore, driven by performance marketing and digital OOH.
• Sports Industry: Valued at roughly US $ 52 billion, outpacing telecom in growth underscoring how premium cricket rights command top dollar.

Vertical Integration & Synergies

1. End-to-End Control

• Reliance now “owns the entire stack”: licensing Disney Star originals for Hotstar, producing Hotstar exclusives, airing Viacom’s/Disney Star’s prime-time shows, and controlling cable distribution (DEN, Hathway), broadband (JioFiber), and streaming (JioCinema).
• This vertical integration grants unprecedented leverage over advertising inventory, subscription pricing, and promotional bundling.

2. Digital Dominance

• Merging Disney+ Hotstar’s 55 million + paid users with JioCinema’s free and paid tiers accelerates scale: Reliance can claim India’s largest OTT subscriber base, eclipsing Netflix, Prime Video, Zee5, SonyLIV, and MX Player.
• In sports streaming especially IPL—Reliance will funnel all premium cricket rights through JioCinema/Hotstar (Now Jio Hotstar), making it nearly impossible for rivals to compete.

3. Consumer Convenience (& Concerns)

• A single “one-stop shop” could yield unified apps, bundled subscriptions, and integrated user accounts (watch history, recommendations, payments) across sports, movies, series, and live TV.
• Conversely, fewer standalone subscription options, potential price hikes, and more aggressive ad loads could erode consumer choice over time.

The Upside: Scale, Simplification, Innovation

• Unmatched Scale: Reliance is now India’s biggest content owner across TV, digital, and sports. Advertisers face a single entity controlling an estimated 70 percent of premium inventory across multiple screens.
• Operational Synergies: Shared technology platforms (CDN’s, recommendation engines, ad servers), unified data analytics (viewership patterns across cable and OTT), and cross-promotion between Jio’s telecom user base and Disney Star’s loyal subscribers create cost efficiencies.
• Content-Tech Fusion: Reliance can leverage Jio’s first-party data (demographics, broadband usage) to personalise recommendations on Hotstar/JioCinema potentially leapfrogging global OTT competitors on engagement.

The Downside: Monopoly Risks, Creative Constraints, Market Distortion

1. Agency Dynamics Shift

• Historically, media agencies negotiated rates between multiple broadcasters and platforms. Now, with Reliance controlling both inventory (Viacom’s/Disney Star channels, Hotstar, JioCinema) and distribution (DEN, Hathway), bargaining power tilts heavily toward the seller.
• “Rate cards” may become non-negotiable. Agencies will have little choice but to buy standardised packages; volume or loyalty discounts could vanish.

2. Barrier to New Entrants

• Startups or mid-sized OTT platforms will struggle to secure marquee content or premium sports rights. Content budgets must now compete not just on creative merit, but on distribution scale that few niche players can match.
• Regional players need deep pockets or must carve hyper-niche segments (e.g., ultra-local language web series, micro-genres) to remain relevant.

3. Regulatory Blind Spots

• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) may face scrutiny over ultra consolidation: one entity controlling content creation, rights, advertising inventory, cable networks, broadband, and mobile distribution.
• Cricket rights alone account for over half of Hotstar’s subscription revenue; funneling them exclusively through Jio platforms could be construed as anti-competitive, especially if bundled with telecom/broadband plans.

TV vs Digital: Is Traditional Media on Borrowed Time?

• Linear TV’s Lingering Reach
• Over 220 million TV households still rely on cable and satellite, especially in Tier II/III towns and rural areas. Broadcasters like Sun TV, Zee (Z), and Sony remain vital for regional GEC, movie, music, and sports content.
• Yet, ad revenue on TV is in decline: a 4.5 percent drop in 2024 signals waning advertiser interest as digital viewership grows.
• Digital Acceleration
• Reliance’s play: shift viewers (and ad dollars) behind the paywall. Live sports, family-drama serials, and Bollywood blockbusters once free on TV now become premium digital offerings.
• TV networks that can’t pivot risk losing viewer mindshare. Regional channels with strong local content can still thrive but only if they adapt distribution (e.g., launch affordable OTT tiers, partner with rural broadband initiatives).

Implications for Stakeholders

1. Regional Broadcasters

• Must invest aggressively in digital analytics, localised OTT platforms, and community engagement. Deep cultural resonance (dialects, folklore, hyper-local stories) will be their competitive moat.
• Lower-cost subscription models tailored to sub-₹ 200 per month can win over price-sensitive viewers in Bharat.

2. National Networks (Sony, Zee (Z), Viacom18, Sun TV, Enterr10 etc..)

• Reassess partnerships: explore tie-ups with telecom or tech firms (e.g., partnering with Airtel, GenNext Technologies) for distribution.
• Double down on original IP franchise series, reality shows with big-ticket sponsors, and co-productions with international studios to differentiate from Reliance’s mass-market offerings.

3. Agencies

• With price negotiation power eroding, agencies must pivot from “media buying” to “media advisory.” Clients will value data-driven insights: ROI-focused planning, attribution modelling, cross-channel synergy.
• Emphasize programmatic efficiency and performance marketing where small-to-mid-tier publishers or digital-first platforms may still offer yield at competitive CPMs.

4. Brands & Marketers

• Initially, many may pay a premium to maintain reach especially during high-visibility events like IPL. But if ROI doesn’t justify costs, they will explore alternatives: influencer marketing, regional OTT tie-ups, or direct-to-consumer (D2C) digital campaigns.
• Data transparency becomes paramount: brands will demand third-party viewability audits (e.g., Nielsen Digital Ad Ratings) to measure actual engagement rather than relying solely on Reliance’s dashboards.

5. Content Creators

• Big studios may receive first priority for budgets benefiting those who can deliver franchise-worthy content. Niche filmmakers, indie creators, and regional storytellers must forge alliances with alternative platforms (e.g., Hoichoi for Bengali, Aha for Telugu) or pivot to short-form verticals (YouTube, Instagram Reels) to stay visible.

6. Consumers

• Short-Term Gains: Consolidated bundling could drive down monthly subscription costs (e.g., “Jio + Hotstar bundle at ₹ 299/month” instead of separate ₹ 199 + ₹ 399 plans).
• Long-Term Risks: Less diversity of choice. As content libraries consolidate, viewers may face higher renewal rates, bundled ad loads, and fewer alternatives. Subscription fatigue and churn could rise unless Reliance maintains clear value.

Consequences for Brands

If Disney Star-Reliance hikes CPM’s for digital without improving transparent measurement or drives up CPRP’s for linear TV while viewership data remains opaque brands risk plowing budgets into “black boxes.” Over time, they may demand:

• Independent viewability audits (to validate impressions and completion rates).
• A/B testing of ad creatives (to optimise audience engagement).
• Stronger ROI guarantees, such as pay-per-view or pay-per-action models, and performance-based buys.

The Bigger Picture: Beyond Media—A Market Realignment

While Reliance-Disney Star consolidation focuses on supply-side dominance, an equally powerful force looms on the demand side: agency consolidation. If Omnicom and IPG merge to become the largest holding company and WPP remains the other global giant then two behemoths (WPP and the combined Omnicom-IPG) would command most major brand budgets. The result? A duopoly on both supply (Disney Star-Reliance) and demand (WPP and Omnicom-IPG), controlling over 70 percent of market flow.

• Ad Pricing: Will be “dictated, not negotiated.” Scarce premium inventory means standardised packages at premium price points; custom campaigns or bulk discounts become expensive.
• Innovation at Risk: With giant duopolies focused on protecting margins, experimental or niche content may struggle to secure funding. Unless smaller players innovate in distribution (e.g., programmatic guaranteed, private marketplaces), creative diversity could shrink.
• ROI Under Pressure :As transparent measurement erodes—both in TV (BARC controversies) and digital (no independent auditing)—brands may struggle to optimise spends. When ROI dips, they will shift budgets into alternative channels: performance marketing, influencer collaborations, regional platforms, or direct social engagement.

Final Thoughts: A New Era of Convergence and Competition

Reliance’s acquisition of Disney Star India isn’t just asset consolidation; it’s a strategic blueprint for the future of Indian entertainment. By owning content, distribution, data, and monetisation, Reliance is poised to define what a billion Indians watch, how they watch it, and at what cost. But with that power comes responsibility: to maintain competitive pricing, transparent measurement, and a diverse content slate across languages and genres.

The winners in this new paradigm will be those who:

1. Embrace Transparency

• Adopt independent measurement tools (third-party view ability, brand lift studies, A/B testing frameworks).
• Provide granular insights into audience behaviour, cross-platform engagement, and incremental lift.

2. Innovate at the Edge

• Launch hyper-local or niche offerings whether a Tamil thriller anthology on Aha, a Marathi short-form series on MX Player, or a gaming-centric OTT hub targeting Gen Z.
• Leverage emerging technologies (AR/VR matchday experiences, interactive storytelling) to differentiate.

3. Prioritise Data-Driven ROI Models

• Move beyond “reach and frequency” to “engagement and conversion.”
• Offer performance-based advertising options (e.g., pay-per-click, pay-per-view) alongside traditional CPM/CPRP buys.

4. Champion Consumer Choice

• Bundle sensibly: avoid forcing consumers into “all-or-nothing” packages.
• Maintain a freemium (ad-supported) tier for price-sensitive segments, while offering customisation for premium viewers.
• At its core, media and entertainment exist to serve viewers and to amplify brands’ stories. If measurement and choice erode under duopolistic pressures, the entire ecosystem risks stagnation. Yet history shows that every Goliath makes room for a new David: a nimble competitor armed with deep local insights, a transparent value proposition, and a relentless focus on user experience.

The future belongs not to the largest checkbook, but to those who deliver transparent value at scale, in real time, and with unwavering focus on both viewer delight and brand performance. Let the new media game begin. But let’s remember: in every era of consolidation, there’s always room for innovative challengers who rewrite the rules.

The 2025 NCAA Track and Field National Championships are right around the corner and the jumper fields are set. From Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, athletes will compete to take home NCAA Titles in the jumping events.

The men’s long jump and pole vault finals will start on Wednesday, June 11 and the women’s on Thursday, June 12. The rest of the events will take place on Friday and Saturday, the final days of competition. 

See the top 10 athletes in each jumping event here: 

Men’s High Jump

1. Riyon Rankin – Georgia – 2.29m
2. Arvesta Troupe – Ole Miss – 2.26m
3. Tyus Wilson – Nebraska – 2.25m
4. Kampton Kam – Penn – 2.25m
5. Aiden Hayes – Texas State – 2.25m
6. Tito Alofe – Harvard – 2.25m
7. Kason O’Riley – Texas State – 2.25m
8. Elias Gerald – USC – 2.23m
9. Bradford (BJ) Jennings – Texas Tech – 2.22m
10. Arthur Chitty – Samford – 2.22m

Women’s High Jump

1. Temitope Adeshina – Texas Tech – 1.97m
2. Rose Yeboah – Illinois – 1.91m
3. Kristi Perez-Snyman – Missouri – 1.90m
4. Rachel Glenn – Arkansas – 1.89m
5. Elena Kulichenko – Georgia – 1.89m
6. Jenna Rogers – Nebraska – 1.88m
7. Maria Arboleda – Iowa – 1.88m
8. Sharie Enoe – Kansas State – 1.88m
9. Cheyla Scott – South Carolina – 1.87m
10. Celia Rifaterra – Virginia – 1.86m
11. Arienne Birch – North Dakota State – 1.86m

Men’s Pole Vaut

• 1. Aleksandr Solovev – Texas A&M – 5.72m
• 2. Logan Hammer – Utah State – 5.70m
• 3. Arnie Grunert – Western Illinois – 5.65m
• 4. Benjamin Conacher – Virginia Tech – 5.61m
• 4. Ashton Barkdull – Kansas – 5.61m
• 6. Simen Guttormsen – Duke – 5.60m
• 7. Cade Gray – Tennessee – 5.55m
• 7. Bradley Jelmert – Arkansas State – 5.55m
• 7. Scott Toney – Washington – 5.55m
• 7. Dyson Wicker – Nebraska – 5.55m

Women’s Pole Vault

• 1. Amanda Moll – Washington – 4.78m
• 2. Hana Moll – Washington – 4.65m
• 3. Molly Haywood – Baylor – 4.58m
• 4. Marleen Mulla – South Dakota – 4.57m
• 4. Olivia Lueking – Oklahoma – 4.57m
• 6. Anna Willis – South Dakota – 4.52m
• 7. Mason Meinershagen – Kansas – 4.51m
• 7. Tenly Kuhn – Baylor – 4.51m
• 9. Erica Ellis – Kansas – 4.50m
• 9. Chloe Timberg – Rutgers – 4.50m
• 9. Tatum Moku – Washington State – 4.50m

Men’s Long Jump

1. Lokesh Sathyanathan – Tarleton State – 8.14m
2. Charles Godfred – Minnesota – 8.13m
3. Greg Foster – Princeton – 8.10m
4. Reinaldo Rodrigues – Arizona – 8.05m
5. Chrstyn John Stevenson – USC – 8.02m
6. Chris Preddie – Texas State – 8.01m
7. Curtis Williams – Florida State – 7.96m
8. Jayden Keys – Georgia – 7.95m
9. Sir Jonathan Sims – Tarleton State – 7.94m
10. Blair Anderson – Oklahoma State – 7.93m

Women’s Long Jump

1. Alexis Brown – Baylor – 7.03m
2. Anthaya Charlton – Florida – 6.82m
3. Alyssa Jones – Stanford – 6.81m
4. Sydney Johnson – UCLA – 6.79m
5. Tacoria Humphrey – Illinois – 6.73m
6. Janae De Gannes – Baylor – 6.72m
7. Prestina Ochonogor – Tarleton State – 6.67m
8. Shamaya Joiner – Grambling – 6.67m
9. Synclair Savage – Louisville – 6.64m
10. Aaliyah Foster – Texas – 6.57m

Men’s Triple Jump

1. Brandon Green Jr. – Oklahoma – 16.94m
2. Hakeem Ford – Minnesota – 16.54m
3. Selva Prabhu – Kansas State – 16.49m
4. Xavier Drumgoole – Stanford – 16.42m
5. Gabriele Tosti – Tarleton State – 16.39m
6. Theophilus Mudzengerere – South Carolina – 16.38m
7. Kyvon Tatham – Florida State – 16.37m
8. Kelsey Daniel – Texas – 16.34m
9. Luke Brown – Kentucky – 16.33m
10. Floyd Whitaker – Oklahoma – 16.27m

Women’s Triple Jump

• 1. Winny Bii – Texas A&M – 14.01m
• 1. Agur Dwol – Oklahoma – 14.01m
• 1. Shantae Foreman – Clemson – 14.01m
• 4. Victoria Gorlova – Texas Tech – 13.99m
• 5. Emilia Sjostrand – San Jose State – 13.78m
• 6. Daniela Wamokpego – Iowa – 13.67m
• 7. Tamiah Washington – Texas Tech – 13.63m
• 7. Simone Johnson – San Jose State – 13.63m
• 9. Busola Akinduro – Texas Tech – 13.59m
• 10. Ryann Porter – Oregon – 13.55m

About Hayward Field

Hayward Field, which was built in 1919, is no stranger to top-tier track and field events, including the Diamond League and the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.

The venue is named after Bill Hayward, who ran the University of Oregon track and field program from 1904 to 1947. Though it originally was intended for Ducks football, many additions and renovations over the century have helped it become a premier destination.

In September 2023, the venue became the first facility outside of Zurich or Brussels to host the two-day season-ending Wanda Diamond League Final, where the year’s 32 overall champions were crowned.

What Schools Won The Team Titles At The 2025 NCAA Division I Men’s And Women’s Outdoor Track And Field Championships?

The Arkansas women took home the outdoor team title in 2024, sweeping the indoor and outdoor championships for the 2023-2024 season.

Florida, led by legendary head coach Mike Holloway, secured the men’s title in 2024, giving the Gators three consecutive outdoor men’s titles. Florida became the first team to three-peat since Texas A&M (2009-2011).

What Schools Have Won The Most Titles At The NCAA Division I Outdoor Track And Field Championships?

The NCAA Division I Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships first was held in 1921. 

USC owns the most men’s titles with 25, while Arkansas is the only other program with 10 or more (10).

The NCAA Division I Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships first was held in 1982. 

LSU has won the most women’s titles with 14. The next-closest is Texas with five.

From FloTrack YouTube

Check out these potential future collegiate stars: Incredible Finish In 8-Year-Old 4×1 National Championship

FloTrack Is The Streaming Home For Many Track And Field Meets Each Year

Don’t miss all the track and field season action streaming on FloTrack. Check out the FloTrack schedule for more events.

FloTrack Archived Footage

Video footage from each event will be archived and stored in a video library for FloTrack subscribers to watch for the duration of their subscriptions.

Join The Track & Field Conversation On Social

The Frontier boys volleyball team is still in its infancy, though coach Sean MacDonald noted a milestone reached in the team’s season finale will take a long time to break. 

The Redhawks began their boys program just four years ago and have had considerable success, winning a pair of Western Mass. titles and reaching the MIAA Div. 2 state tournament each season. 

A lot of that success can be attributed to Tavo Vincent-Warner. Vincent-Warner joined the team his freshman year — the first year Frontier had a program — and struck with it throughout his high school career. He quickly took up the setter position with the Redhawks and held that through this past season. Entering the MIAA Div. 2 state tournament, Vincent-Warner sat at 1,948 career assists and needed a few big matches to join Emily Woodward as the second Frontier volleyball player (and first boy) to eclipse 2,000 assists. 

Against Lynn Vocational in the preliminary round, Vincent-Warner distributed 37 assists in a 3-0 sweep which put him 15 shy of the 2,000 assist mark going into the Redhawks’ Round of 32 contest against Chicopee Comp on Saturday. 

It wasn’t going to be easy to get those 15 against a tough Colt squad but Vincent-Warner prevailed, finishing the match with 19 assists to hit the milestone. 

“Tavo and Will Reading were the last of our co-founders,” Frontier coach Sean MacDonald said, “the ones that saw we had a new team and gave it a try. Tavo started setting not day one but pretty early into his freshman year which freed up other guys to hit and pass more. It’s hard to get to [2,000 assists] unless you played four years and aren’t splitting setting duties with someone else. That’s what Tavo has been doing. He’s a great kid, a great teammate and a great captain. I’ve been here since 2003 and they used to play best of three [sets] so there were less games but we only have one other girls with all the good teams that has gotten over 2,000 which shows what kind of accomplishment this is.” 

MacDonald said he’s seen Vincent-Warner grow tremendously in his four years with the program. Playing volleyball for the first time as a freshman, Vincent-Warner had to learn the sport and the position along with the rest of his teammates. 

As the years have gone on, MacDonald said he’s become comfortable in what he’s doing and has turned into a leader on the team.

“He’s not a big guy but he’s quick and speedy,” MacDonald said. “He makes our passes look better sometimes by tracking them down and making passes from tough places on the court so we have a chance to score. He’s grown with confidence. He was a little too conservative with his setting choices instead of setting quick in the middle or overhead. Now he’s comfortable setting anywhere on the net. His leadership as well, he’s kind of a quiet guy so when he says something, he gets their attention.”

Like in basketball, you can’t get an assist without someone scoring on the other end. MacDonald noted that Vincent-Warner played with a lot of great players these past four years which has helped him reach a milestone that he doesn’t believe will be broken any time soon.

“How do you want to win your games?” MacDonald said. “The girls get a lot of aces so if you get an ace, you can’t get an assist. When we were playing Lynn, we knew Comp was going to be a tough game so we were trying to get the number as low as we could. You need people who can get kills and that’s certainly the guys we had this year, the Carey brothers the last few years, Jesse Kurkolonis, Brady Burch. Without those guys getting kills we don’t get assists and without someone passing them the ball, they don’t get kills. It’s obviously the boy record right now and I think it’s going to be there for a while.” 

MEET INFO:

Dates: Wednesday, June 11 – Saturday, June 14

Watch: ESPN/ESPN2

Live Results: Here

EVENT PREVIEWS

Men’s 10,000-Meter Run Final – Wednesday, 9:56 p.m.

Sam Lawler will race on Wednesday evening to get things started for the Orange. He’ll compete in the NCAA final of the 10k. Lawler was eighth in the East semifinal to advance to Eugene. He has the 17th-fastest time in the field this season, a school-record mark he set at the Stanford Invitational earlier this season (28:21.63).

Lawler is in the NCAA final for the second-straight season. It’s an event that Syracuse has consistently been one of the nation’s top programs in. ‘Cuse is one-of-four schools, and the only team in the ACC to have an NCAA finalist in three-straight seasons. The Orange have also qualified at least one man or woman to the NCAA final in the 10k in 12 of the last-14 NCAA Championships.

Washington State’s Evans Kurui has the best time from the regular season (27:37.32).

Women’s 200-Meter Semifinal – Thursday, 9:29 p.m.

Iaunia Pointer races on Thursday in the 200-meter dash, after back-to-back school record breaking performances in the first two rounds of NCAA competition. Pointer will race in the second heat of the event, where the top-two finishers plus next-three fastest times of the three heats advance to the NCAA final on Saturday.

Pointer’s heat has Jasmine Montgomery (22.17 seconds) as the overall favorite. Pointer’s PR from last week is at 22.90 seconds.

The nine qualifiers for the NCAA final will race at 10:37 p.m. on Saturday.

 

Laguna Beach Recreation Department’s Summer Camps start on June 16

With summer just around the corner, the LB Rec Dept. continues to offer a wide variety of youth sports and children’s programs, too numerous to list here. For more information on the activities and the summer camps Laguna’s recreational department offers and to register, click here.

Around Town

June 10: AARP Driver Safety Program

June 13 and 14: JG Swim Tests

June 16: First Day of Summer Camps

June 18: Outdoor Movie Night: Moana 2

June 19: City facilities closed for Juneteenth

June 21: Fête De La Musique

June 27: Sawdust Art Festival opens

June 27 and 28: JG Swim Tests

Summer Camps:

Art Adventures. This summer camp is designed to provide kids with a fun, creative, educational and enriched experience through a combination of art/craft projects, games, outdoor adventures and more. Week-long sessions beginning June 16.

Parker-Anderson Camps. Sessions include chess, LEGO^® robotics, anime, cartooning and comic creation, jewelry, design and crafts, stop-motion animation, inventor’s workshop, rocket science and astronomy, fine art and sculpture, and Hogwarts Academy. Sessions begin on June 16.

Beach and Ocean Camps. Sessions include advanced youth beach volleyball camp, beach camp Laguna, beginning/intermediate youth beach volleyball camp, junior lifeguards, Laguna Beach surf school, LCVC Beach volleyball, little mermaids and sea cubs, and Paulo’s skim school and skim Laguna. Sessions begin on July 16.

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Photos courtesy of LB Rec Dept.

Junior Lifeguard sessions begin on June 16

Junior Lifeguards. The Junior Lifeguard program provides beach and water safety instruction for boys and girls, ages 8-15. The program offers education in ocean safety, rescue techniques, beach activities, physical fitness and marine safety operations in an environment that emphasizes courtesy, respect and good sportsmanship. Sessions begin on June 16.

New – Artsy Cooking Summer Camp, sessions begin July 14.

Sports Camps. Sessions offered for tennis and swimming, intensive tennis camp, advance swim team, advanced youth beach volleyball, baseball and beach camp, beginning swim team, beginning water polo, beginning/intermediate youth beach volleyball camp, Freddy running club, Pro Touch soccer camp, Skyhawks, splashball and U SK8 Skateboarding. Sessions begin on June 16.

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LB Recreation Department offers a variety of art classes and camps

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Students participate in a dance class

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Kids Cooking Academy, Artsy Cooking, July 14-18

Mudpies and Masterpieces after school ceramics, April 3-June 15

New – Cool Craft Camp beginning June 23, ages 8-12.

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Girl practices her skateboarding

Magic Steps Music.

Spring session, April 18-June 13

Magic Steps Music, formerly Ladybug Music OC, is a hip-shaking, head-bopping interactive music class for infants, preschoolers and toddlers. This fun program nurtures children’s basic music skills, but it’s also designed for optimal early childhood development.

Bluebird Park, ages 5 and under.

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Magic Steps Music student takes music seriously

Tumbling N Kids

For different programs and age levels, click here.

Youth Sports

Here are a few of the Youth Sports classes, for a complete listing of dates and details (and to register), click here.

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Basketball player focuses on making a basket

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Getting in some practice tennis sessions

Youth Tennis, Laguna Beach Tennis Academy, various levels and ages.

Water Polo – Laguna Beach Water Polo Club.

Currently, Laguna Beach Water Polo Youth Club has age groups 10U, 12U, 14U for boys and girls.

Adults

Adult Fitness: Adult Ballet, Adult Tap, Aqua Blast, Beach Volleyball, Belly Dancing, Better Life Boxing Body and Mind Barre Workout, Latin Dance, Line Dancing Beyond County and Next Step, Lyrical Modern Dance, Mary’s Beginner Line Dancing, Mary’s Fitness Beyond 50, Motus Movement, Nordic Walking, Pickleball, T’ai Chi Ch’uan, Tennis, Yoga Flow and Zumba with Judith.

Art & Enrichment: Acrylic Painting, Adult Beg/Int Drawing & Watercolor, Dog Training, Freehand Drawing, Hortense Miller Garden, Italian Language, Oil Painting, Painting on Silk and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction

For more information, click here.