The Elyria Youth Track Club, a program of the Elyria Youth Sports Club, is set to partner with Oberlin College Track and Field for a clinic.

The clinic will take place from 5-7 p.m. Jan. 7 at Oberlin College.

The clinic, open to all Elyria Youth Track athletes, will focus on showing young athletes fundamental and advanced techniques directly from Oberlin College Track and Field athletes and coaches, according to Aric Bowens, CEO of Elyria Youth Sports Club.

“I know last year, we went to an indoor track meet — our whole organization — and we got to meet Coach Izzy (Alexander, assistant coach for Oberlin College Track and Field),” Bowens said. “Since then, myself and Coach Izzy have been in communication with how can we get our kids infused with Oberlin College Track?”

According to Alexander, athletes participating in the clinic will learn a variety of skills and techniques in different stations at the college indoor track.

Youngsters will have exposure to different aspects of track through stations incorporating horizontal jumping into a sand pit, throwing shot puts, running sprints and relay racing, she said.

“This particular event is the first community event that we’re being involved with that specifically relates to track and field, so that’s something we’re really excited about,” Alexander said. “We hope to make it an annual event.”

With the clinic, Alexander said a vision is to help the youngsters feel more comfortable in their athletic ability, but also make them familiar with Oberlin College and the athletes they will interact with.

Athletes also can have a vision for what their future could look like if they wish to further their track career, Alexander said.

“If you can see it, you can be it,” she said. “They can realize that college and being a collegiate athlete is something that they can achieve, too, because they will have been more familiar with Oberlin.

“Track and field really has been a transformative part of our lives, and this event is kind of a way to give back and a way to foster continued participation.”

Alexander said the Oberlin College Track and Field team has continued to nurture its presence in the community by partnering with organizations like Oberlin Community Services, Oberlin Heritage Center and the Western Reserve Land Conservancy.

The Track and Field Clinic also marks a positive first step in a strong relationship with the Elyria Youth Track Club.

“We’re really thrilled to host this event,” Alexander said. “They’ve been really terrific to work with.”

Bowens said there are around 50 athletes in the Track Club who practice throughout the year, and participate in training like weight lifting and conditioning.

This “invaluable experience” for young track athletes will help strengthen their athletic ability, and connect them to different resources and organizations in Lorain County.

“I think it is an amazing opportunity,” Bowens said. “We’re super excited, just for this experience for our children.

“We would love to continue to keep the relationships going and growing for our organization.”

For more information, email elyriayouthsportsclub@gmail.com.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State was the unanimous pick to win the 2026 EIVA title in a vote of the conference’s coaches. The poll was released on Monday along with a list of Players to Watch, which included the Nittany Lions’ Ryan Merk and Owen Rose.

Penn State received all seven first-place votes to finish atop the preseason poll, coming in ahead of NJIT (34 points) and George Mason (32) in second and third. Rounding out the poll were Princeton (26), Charleston (22), Harvard (22), and Sacred Heart (11).

Princeton won last year’s regular season title, but Penn State put it together at the right time. The Nittany Lions swept all three matches in the EIVA Tournament to win the championship as the third-seeded team.

Merk is a three-time All-American for the Nittany Lions, earning second team recognition in as a sophomore and honorable mention status as a freshman and junior. The libero is a three-time first-team All-EIVA selection.

Rose was an AVCA honorable mention All-American as a sophomore in 2024. He is also a three-time All-EIVA selection, making the first team as a freshman and sophomore and the second team last season as a junior.

Merk and Rose are the team’s two captains this season.

Penn State opens the 2026 season with four straight home matches. The Nittany Lions host Mount Olive (Jan. 9), Manhattan (Jan. 10), St. Thomas Aquinas (Jan. 15), and Lewis (Jan. 17) during that stretch.

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – Nebraska volleyball closed the season ranked No. 3 in the final AVCA Coaches Poll, finishing 33–1 after spending the entire season atop the rankings before the postseason.

Texas A&M rose to No. 1 in the final poll after winning the national championship over Kentucky. The Aggies earned 61 first-place votes and 1,525 points to finish 29–4, while Kentucky ends the year ranked second at 30–3 as the national runner-up.

Pittsburgh and Wisconsin round out the top five, with Wisconsin making a five-spot jump to finish No. 5. Creighton closes the season ranked No. 10 at 28–6, while Cal Poly enters the final Top 25 at No. 21 after being unranked last week.

Penn State fell out of the Top 25 despite receiving votes, marking the program’s first absence from the final poll since 1988 and ending a streak of 565 consecutive weeks ranked.

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Next up for the fall all-area series is volleyball.

One Athens-area high school volleyball team made history this season as Oglethorpe County returned from Cartersville with its first ever state title. The 3-seeded Patriots defeated Bremen in the 1A championships, 3-1, to finish the season 32-8 overall.

In GHSA, Jefferson and Oconee County made it to the 3A quarterfinals, while Athens Academy, Jackson County and North Oconee were eliminated in their respective second rounds and Apalachee, Commerce, East Jackson and Prince Avenue Christian succumbed in their respective first rounds.

Good morning, KSR readers. It’s Monday morning of Christmas week. Can you believe it? Ready or not, it’s here, so get that last-minute shopping in. Maybe I’ll see you out there, right after I get these decorations put up.

In addition to Christmas anxiety, we’re coming off an emotional weekend in Big Blue Nation. Sunday didn’t pan out the way we hoped in the NCAA Volleyball Final Four, but Saturday in Atlanta gave us some excitement with Mark Pope’s Wildcats finally getting a top-25 win in the CBS Sports Classic, leaning on the depth of a full roster.

There is more UK fun ahead, so what do you say we catch up on everything as the holidays close in? And let me know if you have any last-minute shopping ideas, or if you want to put the ornaments on my Christmas tree.

Kentucky Volleyball swept by A&M in the NCAA Championship

This one was tough to wrap your head around. Kentucky Volleyball‘s incredible season came to a disappointing end Sunday in Kansas City, as the Wildcats were swept 3-0 by Texas A&M in the NCAA Championship match. It never felt like this was how it was supposed to end. Kentucky had set point in the opening set at 24-23, but Texas A&M closed on a 3-0 run, and it was all Aggies from there.

The Wildcats struggled to find their rhythm after that moment during one of the worst performances of the season. A&M was the far better team for the afternoon and had the majority of the crowd, winning the final two sets 25-15 and 25-20. The loss snapped a 27-match winning streak and was a shocking finish for a team that had been so steady and dominant all season, and was favored to win.

Still, Craig Skinner’s NCAA runner-up group deserves appreciation. Kentucky finishes 30-3, swept the SEC regular season and tournament titles, and reached the national championship for the second time in program history. Yeah, the ending hurt, but the Wildcats brought a lot of joy and excitement to the fan base, and the program is built to be back on this stage again next season. Sunday’s final still stings for now, though.

Mark Pope’s Wildcats host Bellarmine in Rupp Arena tomorrow

Now at full strength, Kentucky Basketball returns to Rupp Arena tomorrow for a pre-Christmas matchup with Bellarmine, looking to keep momentum rolling before the short holiday break. The Wildcats have won three straight games, including wins over Indiana and St. John’s, and are starting to look more comfortable on both ends of the floor after a disappointing start to the year.

Bellarmine, ranked No. 260 in KenPom, catches Kentucky at a bad time. However, the Knights also snapped out of a recent funk with a 15-point win over Chattanooga. Bellarmine is 5-6 entering Tuesday’s game, set for 1 p.m. in the afternoon. It’s a streaming-only game on SEC Network+.

Q&A with Jayden Quaintance and Kam Williams

Fresh off his Kentucky debut, Jayden Quaintance gets a turn at the podium to preview Kentucky’s next game. He and Kam Williams, who also starred in Saturday’s comeback win, will take questions about the matchup with Bellarmine and the upcoming holiday break. You can watch those conversations here at KentuckySportsRadio.com later today.

Hear from Mark Pope during his call-in show

After Quaintance and Williams speak for the locker room, Mark Pope will sit down with Tom Leach for his Monday night call-in radio show. Hear from Pope at 6 p.m. on the UK Sports Network, as he recaps the win over St. John’s and more on the team’s three-game winning streak.

Kentucky climbing the NET, maybe the Top 25

With Saturday’s win, Kentucky climbed the NET Rankings up to No. 23. Later today, we’ll find out if the win was enough to move the Wildcats back into the Top 25 polls. The AP and Coaches’ polls update around lunchtime for both men’s and women’s college basketball. Kenny Brooks’ squad enters the new week ranked No. 12/13.

Will Stein’s first coaching staff is taking shape

Will Stein is a busy man, balancing two jobs this holiday season. On Saturday, his Oregon Ducks scored 51 points in their first College Football Playoff game. Then on Sunday, news spread of Stein’s latest hire for his first staff in Lexington.

Former Cal assistant Allen Brown will serve as Kentucky Football‘s cornerbacks coach. Brown replaces Chris Collins, who joins Brad White and Jon Sumrall at Florida, and rounds out Stein’s list of assistant coaches for his first season at UK:

• Joe Sloan: Offensive Coordinator
• Jay Bateman: Defensive Coordinator
• Cutter Leftwich: Offensive Line
• Kolby Smith: Running Backs
• Justin Burke: TBA
• Joe Price III: Wide Receivers
• Josh Christian-Young: Safeties
• Anwar Stewart: Defensive Line
• Tony Washington Jr: Pass Rushers
• Allen Brown: Cornerbacks

Former Cal assistant to coach Kentucky’s cornerbacks

Tune in to KSR at 10 a.m.

Matt Jones hosts today’s show from New Orleans, where he will call his first football game for ESPN Radio tomorrow. Joining him via technology are Ryan Lemond and me in Lexington, and Shannon The Dude in Louisville. Together, we’ll recap the high and low weekend from 10 a.m. to noon. Go Cats.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — South Dakota volleyball’s Avery Van Hook, Kamryn Farris and Amanda Loschen were named to the Summit League Volleyball Academic All-League team, announced the league office Monday.
 
South Dakota accounted for three of the seven spots on the Academic All-League team and was the only program to have multiple athletes named to the team. Van Hook has been named to the Academic All-League Team in consecutive seasons, while Farris and Loschen appeared on the team for the first time in their career.
 
The three Coyotes were also named to the 2025 CSC Academic All-District Team.
 
To be eligible for the Academic All-League team, a student-athlete must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.30 (on a 4.0 scale), completed at least one full academic year at the current institution and participated in 50 percent of their team’s competitions.
 
Nominations are brought forth by sports information directors from the league’s participating members, and voting is conducted by both SIDs and FARs. The teams are made up of ten student-athletes receiving the most votes with all ties standing.
 
2025 Summit League Volleyball Academic All-League Team

 *Career Academic All-League honors