FORT WORTH — TCU track and field upgraded its outdoor track surface at Lowden Track and Field Complex with a revolutionary Rekortan® Gel G13 System. This World Athletics-certified track from Rekortan®, a leader in track and field surface technology, will reduce stress on the environment and the athlete. TCU’s NCAA Division I track and field teams, the Horned Frogs, will also benefit from improved speed, enhanced comfort, and reduced risk of injuries.
 
“My staff and I are excited about the new improvements to our track,” said TCU Track and Field Head Coach, Khadevis Robinson. “The facilities at TCU are amazing, and this new track is a testament to the support track and field has at our university.”

With the most certified tracks, including those used during the NCAA Championships, Rekortan® is trusted by coaches and athletes worldwide. Rekortan® continues to lead the industry in high-performance tracks with over 50 years of experience and the most Olympic records. Rekortan® Gel Tracks are the most advanced technology for optimized athlete performance, environmental footprint, and value. Balancing the force reduction needed for training and the speed required for competition, the Rekortan® Gel track installed at TCU will provide 58% of energy back to the athletes without being so firm that it increases the risk of injury.

“We are pleased to partner with TCU to support their men’s and women’s track teams,” said Tim Jordan, Vice President, Rekortan® USA. “Former track and field athletes staff our company, so we’re all dedicated fans of the sport and committed to improving the industry with our track innovations. This is one of the best tracks to showcase the talent of TCU’s track teams. We’re excited to see the new track’s positive impact on the Horned Frogs.”

Rekortan® is paving the way for the future of track and field with its commitment to sustainability through biobased content in its track products, which recently earned USDA Certified Biobased Product labels. The Rekortan® Gel Tracks are the world’s greenest tracks. Made from 84% renewable and recycled materials, the gel layer features bio-based polyols, rather than the carbon-based oils used in traditional polyurethane tracks. The Gel Series has been engineered for longevity to provide decades of high performance at a lower environmental cost. The tracks retain over 95% of their force reduction over 10 years, with the option to re-top the track for an extended life.

Visit www.rekortan.com to learn more about Rekortan® and its high-quality track products.

About Rekortan®

​​With the most Olympic records, Rekortan® has delivered quality, consistency, and record-breaking speed to global events, major championships, colleges, and schools since its debut in 1969. Rekortan®’s quality is delivered through a fully integrated global supply chain, including ISO-certified manufacturing in the USA, Germany, and Australia, and installation crews around the world. Rekortan® tracks feature renewable and recycled materials and are USDA-certified. Rekortan® is available in North America through AstroTurf® Corporation and globally through Polytan® in EMEA and Asia Pacific. Rekortan® is the Official Track Sponsor for the 2025 Grand Slam Track™ season and has been the official track of the Penn Relays since 1988.

The AstroTurf® Corporation portfolio includes AstroTurf® fields and is the Official Synthetic Turf of Major League Baseball; Rekortan® tracks, the benchmark for elite running surfaces; Laykold® courts, the premier choice for tennis and multi-sport court play; and SYNLawn®, the industry leader in residential and commercial landscaping solutions. These products are the original brands in their respective categories and set the standard for quality and innovation in sports and recreational surfacing. For more information, visit rekortan.com & polytan.com.

About Texas Christian University

Founded in 1873, TCU is a world-class, values-centered private university based in Fort Worth, Texas. The university comprises nine schools and colleges offering 117 areas of undergraduate study, 62 master’s level programs, and 37 areas of doctoral study. Total enrollment stands at 12,785, including 10,915 undergraduates and 1,870 graduate students. The student/faculty ratio is 13.5:1, and 88% of TCU’s 735 full-time faculty members hold the highest degree in their discipline. TCU consistently ranks among the top universities and colleges in the nation, and the Horned Frog family consists of more than 100,000 living alumni. An athletics powerhouse, TCU has won five national and 15 Big 12 Conference athletics championships in the last five years, in addition to becoming the first university in Texas and the Big 12 Conference to win a College Football Playoff contest. For more information, please visit TCU’s website.

 

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In her senior season at BYU, Hunter won the 800m at the outdoor Big 12 Championships, breaking both program and meet records in the process. Additionally, her time of 1:58.99 ranks her as the No. 3 all-time performer in NCAA outdoor track and field history.

At the 2025 Husky Classic, Hunter and teammates Carmen Alder, Tessa Buswell and Riley Chamberlain had a historic performance as they broke not only the BYU record but the NCAA record in the Distance Medley Relay, crossing in 10:37.58.

Jerry Larson, AP Photo

Hunter earned her third First Team All-American honor at the NCAA Outdoor Championships this year, clocking a 1:59.03 for the fourth sub-two-minute performance of her career to give her third place in the 800m.

In the classroom, Hunter maintained a 3.95 GPA while earning a master’s degree in communication disorders. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communication disorders in 2023. In June 2025, she was named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District team. Additionally, in 2024, Hunter earned Academic All-Big 12 honors and received the reputable Dr. Gerald Lage Academic Achievement Award.

Hunter’s path to success was marked by resilience. Shortly after signing her letter of intent with BYU in 2019, she was involved in a serious car accident that resulted in a broken neck, leaving doctors unsure if she would ever run again. Through intense physical and mental rehabilitation, she regained her athletic ability and became a source of inspiration for teammates and coaches alike.

Even with a busy schedule as a student-athlete, Hunter has actively served in her local congregation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She does motivational speaking, sharing her inspirational story. In connection with her field of study, Hunter has volunteered extensively in equine therapy, conducted hearing loss screenings, worked with elderly individuals experiencing severe mental health challenges, administered speech therapy and participated in research on dyslexia, aphasia and alternative communication devices.

Hunter becomes the second consecutive BYU student-athlete to receive this award, following women’s soccer’s Bella Folino in 2024.

Sitake earns spot on Dodd Trophy watch list

ATLANTA — BYU head football coach Kalani Sitake has been named to the preseason watch list for the 2025 Dodd Trophy presented by PNC Bank. The preseason list includes 26 of the nation’s top college football coaches as selected by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc.

Named after legendary Georgia Tech coach Bobby Dodd, the Dodd Trophy was established in 1976 to honor the FBS football coach whose program represents the importance of scholarship, leadership and integrity–the three pillars of Bobby Dodd’s coaching philosophy.

Sitake is entering his 10th season leading the BYU program he once played for under College Football Hall of Fame coach LaVell Edwards. A former Cougar running back (1994, 1997-2000), Sitake has guided the Cougars to a 72-43 overall record during his first nine seasons (2016-24) at the helm after leading BYU to an 11-2 record and a No. 13/14 final ranking in 2024.

Entering his 25th overall season as a college football coach, Sitake is the first FBS head football coach of Tongan descent as well as the first former player under Edwards to be named head coach at BYU. He led the Cougars from the ranks of FBS independent to membership in the Big 12 Conference in 2023.

During BYU’s independent era, Sitake guided the Cougars to notable power-conference wins over Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Tennessee, USC, Utah, Washington State and Wisconsin, including a 29-9 record during the final three seasons of independence from 2020-22.

In recent years, Sitake was named to the Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award watch list in 2020 and 2024 and was also recognized as an Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award Finalist and George Munger Collegiate Coach of the Year Award Semifinalist in 2020 and 2021.

The Dodd Trophy annually honors a coach whose program had a successful season on the field but also stresses the importance of academic excellence and desire to give back to the community. The nominating committee is made up of previous winners, national media, a member of the Dodd family and a College Football Hall of Fame member.

A midseason watch list–adding to or narrowing the field–will be released in the fall. A panel consisting of previous winners, national media, a member of the Dodd family and a College Football Hall of Fame member will identify the final list of potential recipients at the conclusion of the 2025 season. The winner of the 2025 Dodd Trophy Presented by PNC Bank will be announced in Atlanta during the week of the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.

Towards the end of the 2025 football season, the committee will identify a group of finalists for the Dodd Trophy who meet the rigorous standards of excellence. The ultimate winner is selected from the list of finalists through a voting process by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation Board.

In addition, beginning in September, the Dodd Coach of the Week Award will honor coaches whose program embodies the award’s three pillars of scholarship, leadership and integrity, while also having success on the playing field during the previous week.

Jones-Perry named to USA VNL roster

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Former BYU women’s volleyball outside hitter Roni Jones-Perry has been named to the week three Volleyball Nations League (VNL) roster.

This is Jones-Perry’s second VNL appearance for the Americans. She has also competed for the U.S. on four NORCECA Pan American Cup teams.

The VNL brings together the world’s top 18 teams for three action-packed weeks of preliminary play, with each team competing in four matches per week. Week three will be played at the UT Arlington College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.

Week 3 Schedule: Arlington, Texas (all times PDT) Matches will be shown on VBTV, Big Ten Network and/or CBS Sports Network. Please check listings for BTN and CBSN.

July 9 at 5:30 p.m. vs. Thailand July 10 at 5:30 p.m. vs. Dominican Republic July 12 at 5:30 p.m. vs. Canada July 13 at 5:00 p.m. vs. China

The Cougar alumni played at BYU from 2015-18. She was a two-time AVCA All-American for the Cougars, and was both the 2018 WCC and AVCA Pacific South Region Player of the Year.

View the full week three VNL roster at the USA Volleyball website.

SPOKANE, Wash. – Gonzaga volleyball has released their full 2025 schedule, the first season under the leadership of coach JT Wenger. The fall schedule includes 11 non-conference games and 18 West Coast Conference games. Tickets will soon be available for all 13 home games in the Charlotte Y. Martin Centre.
 
The Bulldogs will open the season in Phoenix, Ariz., as they take on UTRGV on Aug. 29, and LIU Brooklyn on the 30^th as part of the Grand Canyon Invitational. The Zags will take on the hosting Antelopes on Aug. 31.
 
Gonzaga will then host the Gonzaga Invitational, where CSU Bakersfield, Maryland Eastern Shore, and Montana State will travel to Spokane to play in a round robin event with the Bulldogs from the 4^th to the 6^th of September.
 
The team will be back on the road to attend the IU Indy Hampton Inn Invitational in Indianapolis, where they will take on both Northern Illinois and IU Indy on Sept. 12, before playing Bellarmine on Sept. 13. Non-conference play will conclude with a home matchup against Montana on Sept. 18, and a matchup down the road in Cheney against Eastern Washington on Sept. 20.
 
The Bulldogs will open their 2025 West Coast Conference schedule on Sept. 25 against Santa Clara at home. GU will host San Francisco two days later on the 27^th before a pair of road games at Washington State on Oct. 4 and Oregon State on Oct. 9. GU will host three straight home games, welcoming Seattle on the 11^th of October before hosting Loyola Marymount on Oct. 16 and Saint Mary’s on Oct. 18. Loyola Marymount won an NCAA tournament game last year after winning the WCC title.

An October road trip to California will include a stop at Santa Clara on the 23^rd and an away game at San Francisco on Oct. 25. A two-game home set will feature matches against Pacific on Nov. 1, and Pepperdine on Nov. 6, before an away game at Portland on Nov. 8. The Bulldogs will host Washington State in a home match on Nov. 12, before traveling to play away games at Saint Mary’s on November 15 and Seattle on Nov. 20.

 

In their final home match of the 2024 regular season Gonzaga will host San Francisco on Nov. 22, where they will recognize their seniors inside the Martin Centre. The Zags will then conclude regular season play with two road games at Pepperdine on Nov. 26, and San Diego on Nov. 29.

 

A trio of high school athletes filed a federal lawsuit seeking to overturn all sports records set by transgender students in Oregon and ban them from participating in future girls’ competitions.

The track and field athletes filed suit in U.S. District Court in Oregon on Monday, alleging they were outranked by transgender competitors or were forced to withdraw from competition in protest during the 2024-2025 school year.

The suit, which demands a permanent injunction from a judge but only nominal damages, names as defendants Gov. Tina Kotek as functional head of the Oregon Department of Education and the Oregon School Activities Association, which oversees interscholastic events.

It also targets the Newberg School District, attended by two of the plaintiffs; the Forest Grove School District, from which the third athlete recently graduated; and Portland Public Schools, where a small number of transgender athletes have competed in girls’ track and field events.

The litigation comes after President Donald Trump signed an executive order Feb. 5 threatening to end all federal funding to states that allow transgender athletes to participate in women’s sports.

Trump ordered an investigation into Portland Public Schools and the school activities association days later. It remains ongoing. Oregon netted about $1.8 billion in federal education funds last fiscal year, according to the lawsuit.

State education leaders have only doubled down since then, issuing rules in April requiring all schools to allow students to join athletic programs that match their gender identity.

The plaintiffs, however, argue Oregon rules violate Title IX, the landmark 1972 law that banned discrimination based on sex in educational settings.

Due to the inclusion of transgender athletes, the plaintiffs “placed lower in the Oregon high school statewide rankings and were not recognized,” according to the lawsuit, which was brought by the America First Policy Institute, a thinktank founded by various Trump administration officials

The plaintiffs are S.C. and her parents Randy and Tiffany Castaneda of Carlton; S.N.C. and her parents Adam and Rebecca Carpenter of Newberg; and Madelyn Eischen, an 18-year-old graduate of Forest Grove High.

In a phone interview, Eischen said she withdrew from the girls high jump during an April 18 meet because a transgender athlete was set to compete.

“I definitely do not hate any trans athletes. I just think I am asking for fairness and protection,” she said.

S.N.C. withdrew from the Chehalem Classic meet on April 18 after learning she’d be participating against a transgender athlete, which the litigation says will hurt her chances of winning college admission or scholarships.

S.C. took third place in the girls 200-meter and 400-meter dash during 2024 state track & field championships, according to court papers, while a transgender athlete from Portland finished first and second.

After those 2024 wins sparked a social media firestorm, the McDaniel High School student told The Oregonian/OregonLive in May she planned to leave the country for her safety.

Spokespeople for the OSAA, education department and Portland Public Schools had no immediate comment on the litigation.

—Zane Sparling covers breaking news and courts for The Oregonian/OregonLive. Reach him at 503-319-7083, zsparling@oregonian.com or @pdxzane.

ARLINGTON, Texas – Utah Valley’s men’s track and field athlete Gabe Remy and UT Arlington volleyball athlete Brianna Ford were each recognized as the 2024-25 Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Joe Kearney Award winners. Named in honor of longtime WAC commissioner Joe Kearney, the awards are given annually to the top male and female student-athletes in the WAC during the preceding academic year.

Remy won three events during the 2025 WAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Arlington, capturing the 100-meter dash (10.09), the 200-meter dash (20.41) and running with the victorious 4×100-meter relay team (39.31) from Utah Valley. Remy claimed second team All-America accolades with the Wolverines 4×100-meter relay team that finished 10th at the 2025 NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships with a time of 38.90.

Remy captured a total of five career conference championship event victories, adding a 2024 WAC Indoor Championships 60-meter dash (6.69) crown and a 2024 WAC Outdoor Championships triumph with the Utah Valley 4×100 relay team (39.21) to his career accolades.

Ford helped lead UTA to its first volleyball conference tournament championship since 2002 with a thrilling five-set win over Grand Canyon in the 2024 WAC Volleyball Tournament title match. Ford was named WAC Player of the Year and an AVCA All-America honorable mention selection with career bests in hitting percentage (.304), digs per set (2.90) and kills per set (4.47) as a graduate student in 2024.

Ford was a four-time all-conference performer at UTA, earning All-WAC First Team accolades each of her final three seasons (2022-24). Ford also added seven WAC Player of the Week citations during her career with the Mavericks. Ford was the second UTA winner of the Joe Kearney Award, joining men’s track and field student-athlete Lucas Van Klaveren in 2024.

Joe Kearney Award Winners:

 

2025: Gabe Remy, Track & Field, Utah Valley; Brianna Ford, Volleyball, UT Arlington

 

2024: Lucas Van Klaveren, Track & Field, UT Arlington; Greta Karinauskaite, Track & Field, California Baptist

 

2023: Xavier Gipson, Football, Stephen F. Austin; Kristin Fifield, Softball, Grand Canyon

 

2022: Teddy Allen, Basketball, NM State; Annina Brandenburg, Track & Field, Abilene Christian

 

2021: Fardaws Aimaq, Basketball, Utah Valley; Ane Olaeta, Basketball, California Baptist

 

2020: Nick Gonzales, Baseball, NM State; Megan Hart, Volleyball, NM State

 

2019: Mark Nikolaev, Swimming and Diving, Grand Canyon; Brooke Salas, Basketball, NM State

 

2018: Jemerrio Jones, Basketball, NM State; Kelsey Horton, Softball, NM State

 

2017: Paul Hoffmeister, Soccer, Utah Valley/DeWayne Russell, Basketball, Grand Canyon; Shawnte’ Goff, Basketball, UTRGV

 

2016: Antoine Rozner, Golf, Kansas City; Gwen Murphy, Volleyball, NM State

 

2015: Michael McPherson, Track & Field, Utah Valley; Courtney Frerichs, Cross Country/Track & Field, Kansas City

 

2014: Mitchell Huxhold, Swimming and Diving, Bakersfield; Stephanie Verdoia, Soccer, Seattle U

 

2013: Kyle Barone, Basketball, Idaho; Hannah Kiser, Cross Country/Track & Field, Idaho

 

2012: Andrew Blaser, Track and Field, Idaho/Robert Turbin, Football, Utah State; Chelsea Hayes, Track & Field, Louisiana Tech

 

2011: Colin Kaepernick, Football, Nevada; Emma Friesen, Swimming and Diving, Hawai’i

 

2010: Kellen Moore, Football, Boise State; Amber Kaufman, Volleyball/Track and Field, Hawai’i

 

2009: Tom Mendonca, Baseball, Fresno State; Melanie Gloria, Tennis, Fresno State

 

2008: Steve Susdorf, Baseball, Fresno State; Emma Friesen, Diving, Hawai‘i

 

2007: Colt Brennan, Football, Hawai‘I; Kanoe Kamana’o, Volleyball, Hawai‘i

 

2006: Nick Fazekas, Basketball, Nevada; Kanoe Kamana’o, Volleyball, Hawai’i

 

2005: Gabriel Wallin, Track and Field, Boise State; Jamie Southern, Softball, Fresno State

 

2004: Kirk Snyder, Basketball, Nevada; Kim Willoughby, Volleyball, Hawai‘i

 

2003: Nick Watney, Golf, Fresno State; Kim Willoughby, Volleyball/Basketball, Hawai‘i

 

2002: David Carr, Football, Fresno State; Stacy Prammanasudh, Golf, Tulsa

 

2001: LaDainian Tomlinson, Football, TCU; Florence Ezeh, Track and Field, SMU

 

2000: Courtney Alexander, Basketball, Fresno State; Amanda Scott, Softball, Fresno State

 

1999: Andre Miller, Basketball, Utah; Martina Moravcova, Swimming and Diving, SMU

 

1998: Lars Frolander, Swimming and Diving, SMU; Amanda Scott, Softball, Fresno State

 

1997: Keith Van Horn, Basketball, Utah; Martina Moravcova, Swimming and Diving, SMU

 

1996: Keith Van Horn, Basketball, Utah; Nina Lindenberg, Softball, Fresno State

 

1995: Stoney Case, Football, New Mexico; Susanne Metz, Gymnastics, Utah

 

1994: Marshall Faulk, Football, San Diego State; Amy Van Dyken, Swimming and Diving, Colorado State

 

1993: Marshall Faulk, Football, San Diego State; Mikki Kane-Barton, Volleyball, Utah

 

1992: Carlton McDonald, Football, Air Force; Anu Kaljurand, Track and Field, Brigham Young

 

 

–WAC–