Sports

The Bold Type, with Commissioner Dan Butterly – Nov. 24, 2025

Published

1 month ago

November 25, 2025

Good morning!

The past week had me traveling from The Big West Men’s Soccer Championship in Santa Barbara to presenting before the University of California Board of Regents Working Group on Athletics at UCLA, and to watch current Big West men’s basketball programs compete against future Big West programs — UC Riverside at Cal Baptist and UC Irvine at Utah Valley. It provided a great opportunity to witness the competitiveness of our new members and to experience more of our new institutions. I have said to our membership and during media interviews that The Big West may be more nationally competitive moving forward, and watching these games did not diminish that sentiment. Thank you to CBU and UVU for your tremendous hospitality.

After a significant amount of travel, presentations and NCAA meetings , I needed a little musical motivation. I give you two options this week: “The Marvel Symphony” or an amazing song from Billy Joel – “Turn the Lights Back On”. The Billy Joel song is described as both a classic love song and a commentary on his return to songwriting after a long break — but to me, the music and video say something even deeper: enjoy the time you have today with the family you have around you, because time is moving too fast, and those you love may not be with you this time next year. Keep that in mind as you sit around the Thanksgiving table in the week ahead.

Let’s get to The Bold Type.

CONGRATULATIONS

To our latest champions, UC Davis men’s water polo! The Aggies downed top-seeded Long Beach State on Sunday in Irvine to earn the league’s automatic berth to the 2025 National Collegiate Men’s Water Polo Championship. Read more >>

To The Big West, whose institutions continue to soar in academic excellence according to latest NCAA Graduation Success Rate Data! Read more >>>

To Cal State Fullerton softball alumna Kelsie Whitmore who became the first overall pick in the inaugural Women’s Professional Baseball League Draft! Read more >>>

To Cal Poly junior Kelli Gaffney who represented The Big West as an individual qualifier in the 2025 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships, hosted by Missouri at Gans Creek Cross Country Course on Saturday. Read more >>>

To UC Santa Barbara senior Lucca Liu defeated North Carolina’s Niels Ratiu in three sets in the round of 64 to highlight The Big West’s efforts on the first day of the 2025 NCAA Men’s Tennis Singles Championship on Tuesday at USTA’s Main Campus in Orlando, Fla.! Read more >>>

To UC Irvine men’s soccer, who solidly represented the league in the NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship last week, falling at Denver. Read more >>>

To UC Irvine women’s basketball for winning the Great Alaska Shootout in Anchorage, Alaska this weekend!

To Cal Poly men’s basketball for their defeat of Utah on the road, 92-85, on Thursday night!

To UC Davis men’s basketball for their defeat of Nevada on the road, 75-71 on Tuesday night!

To Long Beach State who announced that LBS Financial Credit Union signed a 12-year, $8.5M sponsorship agreement that will rename the iconic campus sports and events venue the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid! Read more >>>

To our FIVE men’s water polo programs ranked in the latest CWPA poll!
- No. 7 Long Beach State
- No. 8 UC Davis
- No. 12 UC Santa Barbara
- No. 13 UC San Diego
- No. 15 UC Irvine

To our amazing Players of the Week & Month!

PLEASE JOIN US AT ONE MORE BIG WEST FALL CHAMPIONSHIP

Championship Central >>>

The Hawaiian Islands Presents the 2025 Outrigger Big West Women’s Volleyball Championship is on tap for this week – Nov. 26, 28 & 29 at Long Beach State!

With three seeds and the final spot up for grabs down to the final serve of the regular season, the seeds are set with UC Davis claiming the outright regular-season crown, their first in The Big West, followed by a three-way tie between No. 2 seed Cal Poly, No. 3 seed Long Beach State and No. 4 seed UC Santa Barbara. CSUN makes their first Championship appearance as the fifth seed with UC Irvine claiming the final spot in the bracket in tiebreaking fashion.

If you are in the area, I hope you can reserve part of your Thanksgiving week to join us in the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid! Read more about the bracket and get your tickets here >>>

MAILBAG – QUESTION FROM A FOLLOWER OF THE BIG WEST

Last week, I received a couple of questions from a follower on “X” (formerly Twitter)known as Mike (@LabDogTrainer). I responded to Mike directly, but as I like to be transparent, I thought answering the question via The Bold Type might be of-interest.

QUESTION

“Why doesn’t the Big West support Track and Field with some more ? The conference isn’t paying for Championships rings, they dont even broadcast our championships. Especially with the LA Olympics on the horizon @DanButterly

ANSWER

Good morning, Mike. I appreciate the question related to why we currently are not broadcasting our track and field championships. It is a good question. A few years ago, and for two straight years, we asked our institutions for the resources and were able to broadcast all Big West championships. We loved to be able to showcase all of our championships, and it was a major milestone for a conference that does not have the high-financial resources such as the Big 10 and SEC to broadcast all of our championships. Then, many issues started to happen that significantly impacted Big West and institutional finances. The House-NCAA settlement was negotiated and announced, without involvement by The Big West as we were not a named defendant conference. This settlement will cost The Big West and our institutions $31.47 million over a 10-year period, although it is unlikely that any of our former student-athletes will see any of this money. The payment of the back damages started immediately in 2024-25. We were forced to cut the operating budget due to its impacts. Due to institutions adding sports, The Big West added three additional sports and six additional championships over the past couple of years, which increased our operating costs. The new benefits each institution is allowed to provide student-athletes has driven up operating costs for all of our institutions, which they are gladly doing for our student-athletes, but again, the financial impacts directly impact the funding our institutions are able to provide to The Big West. As the membership approves our operating budget, financial cuts have had to be made. Our institutions made the decision to have The Big West budget broadcast only certain championships, scaling back from broadcasting all championships. Should a championship not be broadcast via The Big West budget, the host institution has the opportunity to broadcast the championship if they would like, but given the significant number of events, the spread-out nature of the events occurring and the length of the championship, track and field as a championship is a costly championship to produce for broadcast. As we continue to adjust to these new financial paradigms, we are doing all that I can with the financial resources.

One more element I wanted to mention, Mike. The Big West is the only conference in the nation to separate our track and field championship into two weekends. All other conferences conduct their championships over one weekend. This raises costs a bit, but it allows for the multi athletes to compete the weekend before the individual events the second week, allowing more opportunities for our track and field athletes. That is one way The Big West better supports track and field.

IN SUMMARY

I appreciated the question from Mike and being able to answer him directly. The Big West staff puts a significant focus on continual improvement of the student-athlete experience in The Big West within the resources provided by our member institutions. We are continually evaluating our regular-season competition and championships. In fact, we survey our student-athletes after each championship to ask their thoughts on potential improvements. In The Big West, we get better working together.

FROM THE NCAA – UPDATE ON BETTING ON PROFESSIONAL SPORTS

If you read The Bold Type each week, you are likely aware all three NCAA divisions voted in October to change rules for sports betting that would permit student-athletes and athletics department staff members to engage in legal betting on professional sports only. Friday, Division I’s procedural 30-day rescission period closed on the pending rule change for sports betting rules, and the necessary two-thirds of DI schools have voted to rescind the rule change.

Because sports betting rules are common legislation, the rule change will not move forward for any NCAA division.

All forms of betting on any NCAA-sponsored sport — amateur, collegiate and professional — remain strictly prohibited for student-athletes and athletics department staff members.

While those rules remain in place, legalized sports betting is continuing to grow nationwide, and the national office stands ready to assist schools with educating student-athletes about the harms — beyond potential impacts to their eligibility — associated with gambling behaviors.

FEDERAL LEGISLATION AND THE SCORE ACT

With the end of the government shutdown last week, the NCAA and commissioners are hearing the SCORE Act could receive a full floor vote as early as the week of December 1. If this bill doesn’t pass through the House, we likely won’t have another opportunity to address legislation until the next Congress so now is the time for schools to make their voices heard!

Here is a part of my presentation to the UC Board of Regents Working Group on Athletics on this matter:

Why the SCORE Act protects UC campuses:

Provides limited antitrust protection applicable equally to all conferences which would allow for the NCAA, conferences and institutions to establish enforceable policies and procedures moving forward without the hourly threat of legal action.

Codifies student-athlete benefits — healthcare, mental health, academic support, degree completion

For public research universities like the UC system, the wrong federal framework will impose unfunded mandates that directly affect student-athlete opportunity.

Why the SAFE Act presents serious risks:

SCORE introduces stability.

SAFE introduces unpredictability.

MEDIA REPORTS FOCUSED ON NCAA AND LEGAL MATTERS

Power conferences are pushing back against the NCAA’s recent decision to lift the prohibition on pro sports gambling for college athletes and staff members, according to Ross Dellenger, who for On3 notes that of 148 schools that have thus far voted in favor of rescinding the decision, 54 of them come from Power 4 leagues. That’s almost 80% of the 68 power conference programs that believe college athletes should not be permitted to bet on pro sports. More. (link)

The College Sports Commission and power conferences finalized terms of the participation agreement on Wednesday. The agreement was distributed to schools, as well.

Per the agreement, a copy of which was obtained by On3’s Pete Nakos, schools are required to waive their right to sue the CSC. Additionally, schools are to agree to the rules in place following House settlement approval, including roster limits and other NIL compliance rules. The expectation is schools will have two weeks to agree. (LINK)

San Diego State has proposed a 45% increase to the mandatory Instructionally Related Activities (IRA) fee, from $580 to $840 per year. According to The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Mark Zeigler, “The IRA fee primarily flows to the athletic department and represents the highest such student fees in the Mountain West Conference by a wide margin.” The proposed athletic budget for the current academic year projects student fees to account for $16.3M, more than any other line item. The proposed increase to the IRA fee – 95%, or $9.7M, of which would go to athletics – would grow the student contribution to $26M annually on a total budget around $90M. Zeigler: “So can SDSU students vote it down? Actually, no.” Lots more. (link)

Louisiana’s Division I athletic directors united behind a plan to secure new revenue as rising costs and the House settlement squeezed budgets, and The Athletic’s Jason Schwartz details how their coordinated effort helped deliver a statewide funding boost. Former ULM AD John Hartwell proposed modeling North Carolina’s approach of directing sports-betting tax revenue to public university athletic programs, and all 11 of Louisiana’s public DI ADs — including LSU — backed the push. Their support paired neatly with Governor Jeff Landry’s interest in raising the online sports-betting tax rate, allowing lawmakers to frame the bill as a vote for Louisiana’s universities rather than a vote for higher taxes. The final legislation raises the tax rate from 15% to 21.5% and channels 25% of total revenue to athletic departments, resulting in approximately $2.2M per school each year. LSU AD Verge Ausberry underscores the stakes: (link)

JohnCanzano.com’s eponymous purveyor outlines how San Diego State elevated its academic and athletic profile in recent years, including securing approval to offer independent doctoral degrees and hiring Huron Consulting. The coordinated strategy strengthened the university’s positioning, which now includes record enrollment (40,000+) and record freshman admits. (link)

The Mercury News’ Jon Wilner characterizes the pause in the Big Ten’s private equity deal as a polite way of signaling the conference must “decompress, reassess and clean up this mess,” with mounting internal misalignment drawing “clear and distinct Pac-12 vibes.” Wilner draws direct parallels to the Pac-12’s fractured final years, citing the Big Ten’s “lack of alignment,” tension between campuses and commissioner, and disparate institutional priorities. (link)

Texas Tech Board of Regents Chair Cody Campbell joins Tulane Sports Law Director Gabe Feldman to dive into a number of topics. On the subject of private equity: “I think it depends on what context and what the deal is, but I think what the Big Ten is looking at doing right now is absolutely insane. I can’t make sense of it on any level because these are some of the financially strongest institutions in the country. Some of them even have AAA credit ratings or AA-plus. They can go out and borrow money at 4% or less. Why would they take capital that’s going to cost them 15 or 16%? More. (link)

As the Big Ten continues to contemplate its next steps vis-a-vis private equity, Puck’s John Ourand reports the conference’s media partners “CBS and NBC are each paying more than $350M per year for lopsided games, and their executives expected better competition. … Adding to the conference’s chaos at the moment, NBC has been exploring a deal to sublicense next year’s Big Ten Championship game; multiple sources have told me that the network has had talks with Netflix and Amazon. Sources described the Amazon deal as in early stages. Netflix, notably, expressed little interest, which came as a surprise given its previous interest in broadcasting a USC–Notre Dame game this season.” (link)

The Wall Street Journal’s Rachel Bachman reports Michigan Board of Regents Chair Mark Bernstein says Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti even threatened to cut U-M’s revenue share or remove the school from the conference, adding: “It’s clear to us that the Big Ten is considering punishing the University of Michigan.” (link)

University of California System Chief Investment Officer/SVP of Investments Jagdeep Singh Bachher went into some detail with the UC Board of Regents about the Big Ten private equity deal, noting that the “return profile was certainly north of 12-13%. There is no deal on the table thanks to many regental approval processes that need to happen or not. I think college sports is the next attractive opportunity within the whole sports landscape.” (link)

The Atlantic’s Sally Jenkins argues the real crisis in college sports isn’t athlete compensation, but rather runaway institutional spending driven by coaching salaries, facilities excess, and donor-fueled escalation. Consequently, Jenkins calls for Congress to impose financial regulation on athletic departments. She notes FBS schools generated $11.7B in 2024 yet routinely overspend on luxury facilities and soaring coaching contracts — including nearly $1B in severance in just 10 years — because administrators face no structural guardrails and answer largely to wealthy boosters. More from Jenkins. (link)

The California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) plans to invest $775M into Sixth Street’s sports and live entertainment strategy, per SBJ’s Chris Smith, who notes that as of early 2025, Sixth Street had already raised around $400M in its new sector-specific fund as it expands into team ownership having already acquired stakes this year in the Boston Celtics, San Francisco Giants and New England Patriots. Sixth Street says its new strategy will make “non-distressed investments in or relating to sports and live entertainment, including interests in sports franchises, sports federations, sports league joint ventures, sports national governing bodies, college sports, stadium debt or similar financings, real estate, strategic arrangements, entertainment, 27 media, licensing, data, merchandising, ticketing, sports agencies, talent agencies, sponsorship and other related or adjacent rights and assets.” More. (link)

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“We share, to a large extent, one another’s fate. We help create those circumstances which favor or challenge us in meeting our objectives and realizing our dreams.” – Credited to Walt Disney

IN CLOSING

I want to send each of you my warmest wishes this Thanksgiving! Good food that fills your table, good health as you work hard, and good times with family and friends.

I am thankful for your friendship.

I am thankful for the membership in The Big West.

I am thankful for the experiences we can provide to our amazing student-athletes.

I am thankful for those that take care of our student-athletes.

I am thankful for every member of The Big West staff, and the work they do for you and our institutions on a daily basis.

May you have all the best delights in life. Happy Thanksgiving!

Dan

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Oak Grove volleyball freshman invited to USA program

Published

5 hours ago

December 31, 2025

Your Sports Nation

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A student from Oak Grove High School was recently invited to the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

Freshman Piper Hudson was invited to the USA Volleyball National Team Development Program where she spent four days of her winter break refining her skills and showcasing her talents.

The school shouted out Hudson on its social media commending the freshman for her achievement.

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All-Local Volleyball Team – Republic-Times

Published

5 hours ago

December 31, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Ava Mathews (12) hits a shot towards the net against East Alton Wood River at Columbia High School on Tuesday September 9, 2025.

With a state title and school-record 39 wins from Columbia this fall, this year’s Republic-Times All-Local Volleyball Team will feature several Eagles.

But there were other standout team and individual volleyball highlights locally, as this list will show.

FIRST TEAM

Ava Mathews, Columbia. This all-state senior will showcase her talents at Southeast Missouri State University next season. She did just about everything on the court, finishing with 248 kills, 485 assists, 95 blocks and 264 digs for the state champs.

Claire Sandstrom, Columbia. An all-stater for the second time, this junior led the Eagles with a whopping 348 kills. She also recorded 296 digs and 62 blocks.

Ellie Day, Waterloo. A senior all-conference selection, she led the Bulldogs with 340 assists and 179 service points. Day will play next season at St. Louis Community College.

Karmon Grohmann, Gibault. An all-around amazing athlete, this senior led the Hawks in points, kills and assists this fall. Grohmann will play next season at Lewis & Clark Community College.

Ella Horner, Columbia. The captain of the state champs, she provided senior leadership and recorded a team-high 536 digs to go along with 156 points.

Kenzy Koudelka, Waterloo. Another senior all-conference selection, she capped off a solid Bulldogs volleyball career with 113 points, 148 kills and 395 digs this fall.

Ellie Zweigart, Waterloo. An all-conference senior libero, Zweigart was the engine that made the Bulldogs go this fall. She finished with 471 digs and 110 points.

Maura Kohlenberger, Columbia. An all-conference senior, she led the state champion Eagles with 130 blocks and also contributed 153 kills.

Kadence Seitz, Valmeyer. The lone all-conference selection for the Pirates, Seitz led her team in both kills and digs.

Samantha Spruill, Columbia. This junior led the Eagles with 503 assists and contributed 237 points. She’ll be a key part of Columbia’s 2026 squad.

Megan Huebner, Waterloo. Yet another senior all-conference selection, She finished with 67 blocks and 98 kills on the season.

Sam Juelfs, Waterloo. A tall multi-sport talent, this senior all-conference selection finished with 120 kills.

SECOND TEAM

Kinley Jany, Columbia. This senior will play sand volleyball for McKendree University next season after leading the state champion Eagles in points with 244 to go along with 444 digs and 139 kills.

Hope Chambers, Gibault. Another top senior for the Hawks, she led the team with 317 digs and also had 146 kills.

Izzy Mushaney, Dupo. Just a sophomore, she earned all-conference honors after leading the Tigers in kills.

Addison Dewilde, Columbia. This fabulous freshman finished second on the team with 117 blocks. The future looks bright.

Aubry Thomas, Gibault. Another senior leader for the Hawks, she led the team with 419 digs.

Maddi Huddleston, Valmeyer. She led the Pirates in assists this season.

Marley Mathews, Columbia. The younger sister of Ava, this sophomore recorded 199 kills and 63 blocks.

Ashlynn Reinhold, Gibault. A sophomore, Reinhold finished with 204 assists and 130 digs for the Hawks.

Kaitlyn Roberts, Dupo. A junior all-conference selection, she led the Tigers in aces and made her mark in other statistical categories.

Claire Kessler, Gibault. This senior led the Hawks in blocks.

Alli DeClue, Dupo. A junior all-conference selection, she was an important part of the passing game for the Tigers.

Addison Mitchell, Dupo. This senior all-conference selection led the Tigers in assists this season.

SPECIAL MENTION

Emery Bockhorn (Waterloo), Julia Briggs (Waterloo), Raina Roessler (Waterloo), Maggie Altes (Gibault), Kaleigh Hicks (Valmeyer), Kylie Fillinger (Dupo), Lilianna McMannis (Dupo), Leah Schlemmer (Gibault), Olivia Biffar (Gibault), Ava Gilbert (Waterloo), Kaidyn Moore (Waterloo), Brynn Moore (Gibault)

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Top 10 Sports Stories of 2025: James Wood volleyball makes history with fourth straight state title | Winchester Star

Published

5 hours ago

December 31, 2025

Your Sports Nation

James Wood High School volleyball made history this year, becoming the first Frederick County team across any sport to win four straight state championships. The Colonels’ achievement is The Winchester Star’s No. 1 sports story of 2025.

James Wood defeated Loudoun County 3-1 on Nov. 22 at Virginia State University to complete a dominant run that saw the Colonels compile a 108-8 record over the four-year span. The victory also allowed three pillars of the team to leave on a high note, as sixth-year head coach Adrienne Patrick and four-year varsity outside hitters Kennedy Spaid and Brenna Corbin all won their fourth straight title in their final seasons at James Wood. Patrick is now an assistant principal at Millbrook.

In 2025, the Colonels posted their best record in program history, going 30-2 after competing in two early-season tournaments that propelled them to this milestone. On Aug. 30, they hosted the Champions Classic and went 5-0, defeating Handley and their eventual championship opponent, Loudoun County, along the way.

On Sept. 13, they went 5-0 at the Endless Summer High School Volleyball Tournament — an event that features some of the best teams in and around the state of Virginia. Additionally, the Colonels went a perfect 9-0 against Frederick County teams in the regular season and postseason.

Come playoff time, James Wood defeated Sherando 3-0 in the Region 4D quarterfinals and Millbrook 3-1 in the semifinals before sweeping E.C. Glass to win the Region 4D championship.

In the Class 4 state tournament, the Colonels defeated Dominion 3-0 in the quarterfinals and Courtland 3-1 in the semifinals, punching their ticket to Petersburg, where they bested the Captains to claim their championship.

The team also garnered plenty of individual recognition, as Spaid and Corbin were each named to the Class 4 All-State, All-Region 4D and All-Northwestern District First Team. Additionally, senior middle hitter Claire Keefer and junior outside hitter Kyla Wilhelm were named to the All-Northwestern District First Team and the All-Region 4D Second Team, while freshman defensive specialist Macie Hewitt was named to the All-Region 4D Second Team.

Patrick received major credit as well, winning the Class 4 Coach of the Year and Region 4D Coach of the Year.

The Colonels will potentially return eight of their 11 players from this year’s team next fall. Spaid, Corbin and Keefer will continue their careers at the NCAA level, as Spaid will play beach volleyball at Arizona State University, Corbin will play indoor volleyball at James Madison University and Keefer will play indoor at King’s College.

2. Handley boys, Clarke girls make state semifinal basketball runs

The Handley boys and Clarke County girls each made exhilarating runs to the Virginia High School League state semifinals in their respective classifications.

The Judges went 25-2 for their most wins since 2018. They began with 21 straight wins, with a margin of victory of at least 10 points in every contest. Handley’s only regular-season loss came in the finale to West Virginia Class AAAA state champion Spring Mills by a 64-60 overtime score.

In the postseason, Handley defeated Sherando 69-45 in the Region 4D quarterfinals (the Judges outscored the Warriors by 70 points in their three wins against them) and beat Millbrook 76-49 in the semifinals to earn its first state berth since 2023. Handley set a program record for point differential in its series with the Pioneers, outscoring them by 60 in three games.

Handley followed that with a 56-52 win over E.C. Glass in the Region 4D final (the Judges outscored the Hilltoppers 9-0 in the last two minutes) and a 68-37 win over Heritage (Leesburg) in the Class 4 quarterfinals.

In the Class 4 semifinals, the Judges had a 36-28 lead with 1:40 left in the third quarter following a 10-0 run. But Varina outscored Handley 28-16 over the remainder of the game to earn a berth in the state final.

Sophomore Will Braun-Duin was named First Team All-State and the Region 4D and Northwestern District Player of the Year. Junior Christian Dinges was named Second Team All-State.

Clarke County started 9-4, then ripped off 15 wins in a row, with each victory coming by 15 points or more. During that winning streak, Clarke County avenged a 37-29 loss to Strasburg (67-40), won the Bull Run tournament title over Central (70-46), the Region 2B final over Stuarts Draft (61-36) and blew away Prince Edward County 81-52 in the Class 2 state quarterfinals. Prince Edward had started the season with a 26-game winning streak.

In the Class 2 semifinals against John Marshall at Huguenot High School in Richmond, Clarke County suffered severe foul trouble, and the Justices took advantage for a 67-54 win.

Clarke County was whistled for 31 fouls. John Marshall made 19 of its 36 attempts from the line while Clarke County made only 6 of 15 (the Justices committed 15 total fouls). John Marshall made 7 of 13 shots from the line in the fourth quarter, a period in which four Eagles fouled out and the Justices led by at least eight points throughout.

In addition to earning VHSL Class 2 First Team All-State honors for the third time, Alainah McKavish was also named the Bull Run District and Region 2B Player of the Year. McKavish’s freshman sister Paige earned Second Team All-State honors.

After the season, head coach Regina Downing — who guided the Eagles to the 2023 Class 2 state title — left the team after 13 years and is now the head coach at Sherando. Former assistant Shadd McCaw has led the Eagles to a 7-1 record to start the 2025-26 season.

3. Girls’ state title highlights Clarke County track & field season

Andre Kidrick didn’t know 2025 would be his final year as Clarke County’s head track & field coach, but he couldn’t have asked for a much better one to conclude his 18 years at the helm.

Both the boys’ and girls’ teams repeated as Bull Run District meet champions (the boys won by 62 points, the girls won by 48) and both programs won their first region titles since 2009. The girls won the Region 2B title by 17 points and the boys won by two points, with Kidrick earning Region 2B Coach of the Year honors.

At the Class 2 state meet at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, the Clarke girls captured their first state title since 2009 with 64 points to Lee’s 56.5. Clarke County senior Teya Starley won a state title in the 800, and the 4×400 team of senior Reagan Myer, freshman Kendall Harman, sophomore Grace Gerenski and Starley also captured a state championship.

In the boys’ Class 2 meet, Clarke County placed fifth. Senior Jackson Ellis highlighted Clarke County’s performance by winning the 800.

During the regular season, both teams won Page County’s Page Valley Invitational, the girls won Stonewall Jackson’s Generals Invitational and the boys won Harrisonburg’s JJ Updike Last Chance Invitational.

After the season, Kidrick revealed he was taking the position of Clarke County Public Schools’ director of operations. He led the Eagles to five state championships (three girls, two boys). Former assistant Gary Wymer is now the head coach.

4. Sherando wrestler Lucchiani highlights individual state championships

With a combined 47 state championships through 2024, wrestlers from Winchester and Frederick County had left their mark on the VHSL over the years. In 2025, one of them entered uncharted territory.

Sherando senior Anthony Lucchiani became the first wrestler in the combined history of Sherando, Handley, James Wood and Millbrook to win four state titles when he defeated Woodgrove’s Camden Murray 10-1 in the Class 4 138-pound title match at Tallwood High School in Virginia Beach. The win capped a 42-2 season and a 187-14 career. Lucchiani is now at NCAA Division I George Mason.

James Wood sophomore Hayden Black also won a state wrestling championship, going 50-1 en route to the Class 4 title at 106 pounds. He helped James Wood place sixth in Class 4 after winning their first regional title in 2007.

The winter also saw James Wood senior Joe Warnagiris and Sherando senior Toby Winston make history at the Class 4 swim meet. Warnagiris repeated as state champion in the 200-yard individual medley (1:49.61) and the 100 breaststroke, breaking the state meet record in the breast with a time of 55.48 seconds. He is taking a gap year before going to NCAA Division I Missouri. Winston won the 100 free (45.56) for Sherando’s first-ever state swimming title.

In indoor track & field, Handley senior Jaishaun Offutt (now playing football for Wake Forest) defended his state shot put title (56-6), Sherando senior Noah Harris (6-8) captured the high jump and Handley junior Rylan Stribling won the 55 (6.40) in the boys’ meet. In the girls’ meet, Handley senior Emeryce Worrell defended her state titles in the 55 (7.02) and 300 (39.22).

In outdoor track & field, Clarke County wasn’t the only school to take home championship hardware. Stribling added to his state title collection by winning the 100 (10.75) and 200 (21.21) state titles. James Wood junior Kate Konyar won her first state title by winning the Class 4 3,200 (11:02.34) and Millbrook sophomore Janai Washington won the high jump (5-4) for her first state title.

5. State soccer success for Clarke, Handley

Both Clarke County soccer teams made their fifth straight state tournament appearances in 2025, while the Handley girls made their first-ever appearance in a state tournament game in 2025.

Despite losing 13 seniors and eight starters from its 2024 state runner-up team, the Clarke County girls found themselves back in the state final. They opened 0-5 after being outscored 22-2 by James Wood, Sherando and Handley, but won 16 of their last 18 games to finish 16-7. Clarke County won its fifth straight Bull Run District regular-season championship and its third straight Region 2B title. In the Class 2 tournament, Clarke County beat King William 9-0 in the quarters and Graham 4-0 in the semifinals before falling 2-1 to Poquoson in the final.

The Clarke County boys fell in the state semifinals for the second straight year, losing to Glenvar 3-1. The Eagles went 15-7 overall and won their fifth straight Bull Run District title. The 2025 season marked the last of nine seasons as head coach for Patrick Casey, who guided the Eagles to the 2022 state championship.

Senior defender Morgan Walker and senior forward Leah Mitchell (First Team) and Makenna Jarvis (Second Team) earned All-State honors for the Clarke girls and junior midfielder Johnny Mercer, junior forward Burns Beckett and senior defender Emmet Morris (First Team) and senior midfielder Brody Murphy and senior defender Jose Ramirez (Second Team) were named All-State for the Clarke County boys.

Led by All-State senior forward Emeryce Worrell and All-State junior midfielder Mia Hudson, the Handley girls went 14-4-2 and won their first region title in program history. Worrell scored all of the Judges’ goals in a 3-2 win over Blacksburg in the Region 4D final. Worrell scored 42 goals, the most for a Winchester-Frederick County girl since The Star began its Girls’ Soccer Player of the Year award in 1997.

The Judges would have moved on to the state quarterfinals regardless of the result, but Worrell elected to play in the game rather than run in the state track & field preliminaries in Lynchburg. Worrell was the defending 100 state champion and the top seed for the 200. Handley’s season came to an end with a 4-2 loss to Woodgrove in the Class 4 state quarters.

6. Handley leads high school football season

The 2025 high school football season saw noteworthy achievements and an end to a stellar streak.

Handley went 10-2 for its most wins since 2009 and captured the Barr-Lindon Crimson Apple, awarded by The Winchester Star to the team that fares best in Winchester-Frederick County football games. The Judges’ season ended in the Region 4D semifinals with a 14-10 loss to Jefferson Forest.

Sherando went 8-4 and lost 41-21 to George Washington in the Region 4D semifinals. The Warriors’ 20 combined wins in 2024-25 are their most over two seasons since they won 21 in 2017-2018.

James Wood went 7-4 and lost 56-35 to Sherando in the Region 4D quarterfinals. The years of 2024-25 marked the first since 2010-11 that the Colonels made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons, and their 14 wins over two years are their most since winning 15 in 2008-2009.

Millbrook went 3-7 under first-year head coach Nick Manuel. The Pioneers were hurt by injuries late in the season, but they were the only team to beat Northwestern District champion Kettle Run during the regular season. The Cougars went on to play in the Class 3 state championship game.

After having a winning season and making the playoffs in every full football season since 2007, Clarke County went 1-9. This year marked the Eagles’ fewest number of wins since 2000.

7. Clarke teams headline cross country season

Both the Clarke County boys’ and girls’ teams had some adjustments to make in 2025 — the Eagles lost their top three runners from their state championship boys’ team, and the girls lost five of the seven runners who helped Clarke finish second in Class 2, including their top two.

Both Clarke County teams ended the year by once again taking home hardware from the Class 2 meet. Over the last five years, no VHSL cross country program has more state trophies for taking first or second place than Clarke County (nine, five on the girls’ side).

This year, the Clarke County girls placed second in Class 2 for the fourth straight season. Four runners earned state medals — freshmen Lyla Gerenski (11th), Morley Hudson (13th) and Margaret Myer (14th) and junior Ashley Moran (15th). The Eagles also won their fifth straight Region 2B title and their sixth straight Bull Run District championship.

The Clarke County boys placed second in the Bull Run District, Region 2B and Class 2 state meets. Junior Landon Horton placed third to earn All-State honors.

In Class 4, James Wood senior Kate Konyar capped one of the greatest cross country careers in area history. She set what appears to be the Frederick County record by running a 3.1-mile time of 17:44.7 at the Virginia Showcase. In taking third at the Class 4 state meet, Konyar became the first Winchester-Frederick County runner in 27 years to have four top-five state finishes. Konyar will run for Maryland next year.

8. Clarke County volleyball returns to state semifinals

2025 treated Clarke County volleyball well. The Eagles totaled a 19-7 record, including a 13-1 showing in the Bull Run District, en route to returning to the Class 2 state semifinals for the second year in a row.

Although the team fell to Fort Defiance in both the Region 2B championship and in the Class 2 semifinals, it still had plenty to be proud of once its season concluded. After a 1-3 start, Clarke County lost just two non-postseason matches the rest of the way and was only taken to five sets a single time all season.

The team was led by junior outside hitter Isabel Aliveto and senior middle hitter Bryn Franzen, who were each named to the Region 2B and Bull Run District First Team. Aliveto was also named the Bull Run District Player of the Year and made the Class 2 All-State First Team, while Franzen made the All-State Second Team.

Additionally, the Eagles found success no matter who was coaching. They went 8-3 under head coach Skyler Layton to start the season, before going 11-4 under assistant coach Darren “Fly” Lambert after Layton went on maternity leave.

9. Shenandoah football equals last year’s win total, makes it back to another bowl game

For the third time in four seasons, Shenandoah football picked up eight victories, finishing 8-3 this past fall while qualifying for the Chesapeake Challenge Bowl Series for the second straight year.

During head coach Scott Yoder’s 13th season at the helm, the Hornets went 6-2 in the ODAC and punched their ticket to a bowl game during the final regular-season game against Washington and Lee. Shenandoah won 17-14 after kicker Carson Gallant made a 31-yard field goal with 1:44 left, while the Generals’ kicker missed a 25-yarder with 21 seconds remaining.

Though the Hornets went on to lose the Cape Henry Bowl to Wilkes University 37-35, there were still plenty of other reasons to celebrate after the season came to a close.

Senior linebacker Matt Conroy ended his career as the program’s all-time leading tackler with 442, breaking the previous record of 352 against Bridgewater on Oct. 4. Conroy’s 147 tackles this past season led all of Division III. Conroy earned All-America recognition from the Associated Press (Third Team) and Walter Camp.

Conroy was one of nine Hornets to be named to one of the All-ODAC teams, being joined on the First Team by senior offensive lineman Andy Anderson and graduate student cornerback Sean Perry.

The biggest difference maker for Shenandoah was arguably freshman quarterback Mekhi Brown, an at-large All-ODAC Third Team selection. Taking over as the starter in Week 4 against Bridgewater, Brown completed 138 of 194 passes for 1,612 yards, 18 passing touchdowns and six interceptions. The team went 6-2 in games he played, helping Brown win ODAC Rookie of the Year honors.

Overall, the Hornets outscored opponents 29.9 to 20.3, averaged 221.1 passing yards and 151 rushing yards per game, recorded 21 sacks and hauled in 12 interceptions.

10. Sherando girls’ tennis makes state semis

After a 17-win season that ended in the state quarterfinals in 2024, Sherando was even more impressive in 2025.

The Warriors went undefeated in the regular season, shutting out 11 of their 16 opponents.

In the postseason, Sherando opened with a 5-1 win over Orange County in the region quarterfinals. Sherando followed that with a 5-2 win over Handley for its third straight state tournament berth. The Warriors then beat Blacksburg 5-3 for their first region title since 2017.

In the Class 4 state tournament, Sherando beat Region 4C runner-up Loudoun Valley 5-3 in the quarterfinals for its first state win since advancing to the Class 4 final in 2023. The Warriors’ season came to an end with a 5-4 loss to Jamestown in the semis, giving them a 20-1 record.

Sherando was led by its top two singles players and top doubles tandem, juniors Katie Freilich and Gabriella Koch. The duo won Sherando’s first region doubles title since 2018 and went 17-2 overall. They advanced to the Class 4 state semifinals.

Other news of note

In February, now-former James Wood coordinator of student activities Brian Sullivan was arrested and charged following allegations that he sent nude photos of himself to a 17-year-old student. Sullivan was indicted by a Frederick County Circuit Court grand jury in August on two felony counts of using a communications device to transmit sexually explicit photos of himself and two felony counts of taking indecent liberties with a child by a person in a supervisory relationship. He pleaded guilty to all four charges in September and has a sentencing hearing scheduled for Jan. 6, 2026. Ethan Waters, previously a teacher in Loudoun County Public Schools, was hired as James Wood’s new CSA in May. … Reed Prosser stepped down in June after seven years as Handley’s director of student activities and is now an English teacher at Smart’s Mill Middle School in Leesburg. Marc Timmons, previously an assistant principal at Handley, was named Prosser’s successor in July. …. The Millbrook softball team earned is first-ever state tournament berth and advanced to the quarterfinals. …. Former Clarke County High School head coach Jon VanSice was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as part of the Virginia Chapter as a Medal of Courage honoree in April. … Former Millbrook basketball standout Erick Green, a current pro basketball player in Italy, was inducted into the Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame in September. … Carla Milton resigned in March after 10 years as Millbrook’s volleyball coach, compiling a 192-35 record, two state semifinal berths, three Northwestern District regular-season championships, three district tournament championships, and the 2017 region title that ended Loudoun County’s 10-year regional win streak … Sherando baseball advanced to the Class 4 state quarterfinals, its first state tourament berth since 2014. … Chris Higgs stepped down just one game into his first season as varsity boys’ basketball coach at James Wood. Paul Hvozdovic — who was the varsity assistant — will serve as the interim head coach for the remainder of the season. … Jordyn Miller, 15-year-old from Clarke County, won the Heavy Honda NASCAR Youth Series Dirt national championship.

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Sports

ESPN highlights 2025 viewership numbers during most-watched college volleyball season ever

Published

6 hours ago

December 31, 2025

Your Sports Nation

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — The 2025 women’s volleyball season set numerous records on ESPN networks this season.

The NCAA Tournament was the most-watched ever, with more than 1.3 billion minutes watched across ESPN platforms.

According to ESPN, the entire NCAA Tournament finished up 13% year over year, averaging 666,000 viewers across 15 matches, and featured the most-watched Regionals on record.

The tournament also featured a record-high four matches that averaged at least one million viewers.

ESPN said the National Championship between Texas A&M and Kentucky saw 1.4 million viewers tune in, making it the second most-watched title bout on record and the third most-watched college volleyball match ever.

According to the network, the championship game peaked at 1.7 million viewers.

The tournament experienced massive growth among adults aged 25-34, with viewership spiking 83% year over year, and among people aged 2-17, which jumped 40% from 2024.

During this year’s championship run, women accounted for 45% of the audience, up from the prior year.

Courtesy ESPN

A breakdown of viewership numbers for the entire season is shown below:

REGULAR SEASON

ABC/ESPN/ESPN2 combined to air a record 33 women’s college volleyball matches during the 2025 season.

This resulted in ESPN’s most-watched women’s college volleyball season ever, averaging 190,000 viewers and finishing up 36% year over year.

According to the network, gains include people aged 18-34 (+59%) and women (+41%).

This season, ESPN aired three of its five most-watched telecasts ever, including its largest regular-season audience for Nebraska-Kentucky (1.2 million viewers | Aug. 31 on ABC).

The AVCA First Serve Showcase also delivered ESPN’s top two regular-season matches on Aug. 24.

Stanford-Nebraska drew 596,000 viewers, while Florida-Pitt raked in 525,000 viewers.

FIRST & SECOND ROUND

ESPN+ engagement increased 33% over 2024 during the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament.

‘The Fifth Set’ whip-around coverage averaged 183,000 viewers across its ESPN2 telecasts, up 60% year over year.

REGIONAL ROUND

The NCAA Women’s Volleyball Regional round averaged 530,000 viewers, up 32% year over year and the highest average in its history.

The round also featured four of the six most-watched Regional matches ever.

The Regionals saw massive demo growth among people aged 25-34 (+147%), people aged 2-17 (+89%) and women (+39%).

The top match of the Regional round was the thrilling five-setter between Texas A&M and Nebraska, which averaged 1.2 million viewers and peaked at 1.6 million, making it the most-watched NCAA Regional ever.

Other top matches included:

Kansas vs. Nebraska on ESPN2 (Regional Semifinal | 718,000 viewers)
Texas A&M vs. Louisville on ESPN2 (Regional Semifinal | 674,000 viewers)
Wisconsin vs. Texas on ESPN (Regional Final | 663,000 viewers)
Purdue vs. Pittsburgh on ESPN2 (Regional Final | 468,000 viewers)

The Regional Finals saw its best performance on record, averaging 753,000 viewers (+27%) across the two days.

The Regional Semifinals boasted 29% growth from 2024, averaging 402,000 viewers on ESPN/ESPN2 – also registering the best average for this round on record.

NATIONAL SEMIFINALS

The NCAA Women’s Volleyball National Semifinals averaged 1.1 million viewers across both matches.

Each match hit one million viewers for a third consecutive year.

The second semifinal between Wisconsin and Kentucky led the way with 1.1 million viewers, peaking with 1.2 million.

That marks the second most-watched semifinal on record.

The Texas A&M-Pittsburgh semifinal averaged 1.0 million viewers and peaked at 1.2 million, ranking as the fifth-most-watched semifinal on record.

Tags: ABC, college volleyball, ESPN, espn2, kentucky, NCAA tournament, Nebraska, pittsburgh, regional, Texas A&M, viewership, Volleyball, Wisconsin

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Sports

Former Austin Peay coach Taylor Mott to lead Vol State’s first volleyball team

Published

7 hours ago

December 31, 2025

Your Sports Nation

BLAINE KELLAR
Main Street Media

Former Austin Peay volleyball coach Taylor Mott has been hired to the same position at Volunteer State Community College. ROBERT SMITH/APSU ATHLETICS

Volunteer State Community College has hired former Austin Peay coach Taylor Mott to lead its new volleyball program.

Mott coached the Governors from 2012-2024, winning 200 games in that span. Together they won the 2017 Ohio Valley Conference volleyball championship and the 2021 OVC beach volleyball title.

Their NCAA trip for volleyball marked the school’s second tournament appearance.

Mott led Brooke Moore to become the program’s all-time leader in kills, coached Ginny Gerig to the second-most digs in Austin Peay history and recruited NJCAA Player of the Year Mikayla Powell to the school in 2021.

She started her coaching career at Division II Flagler College, with 304 wins and two Division II Elite Eights in 13 years.

Mott and Austin Peay parted ways before the end of the 2024 season.

Vol State announced the addition of volleyball and women’s soccer in August.

The Pioneers hired Tye Cole to lead their soccer program. Cole coached at Averett University and West Georgia and was most recently Tennessee United Soccer Club’s Director of Coaching.

Justin McKinney and Brad Swope were also announced as additions to the athletic department – the former as assistant athletic director and Swope as athletic trainer.

“The growth of Pioneer Athletics reflects the momentum we are seeing across the college,” VSCC athletic director Bobby Hudson said. “By adding new teams and leadership, we are investing in our student-athletes and the future of the athletics program.”

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