MILWAUKEE – Riley Whitesides joins the Marquette University women’s volleyball staff as an assistant coach, first-year head coach Tom Mendoza has announced.

“I’ve known Riley for a long time and we could not be adding a better person to the program and mentor for our student-athletes.” Mendoza said. “She’s successful because of the work she puts in and the relationships she builds. I am excited to work with her and the impact she will have on Marquette Volleyball.”

She joins associate head coach Ethan Pheister and fellow assistant coach Stef Jankiewicz on the MU staff.

Whitesides played five seasons for Mendoza at the University of South Carolina and was a First Team All-Southeastern Conference and AVCA All-Region selection as a graduate student in the fall of 2024. The native of Greenville, South Carolina averaged 4.47 kills per set as a grad student to rank among the top-20 nationally while hitting .241.

Whitesides ended her indoor career fifth in program history in kills (1,452), second in service aces (100), ninth in digs (920) and fourth in points scored (1,645.0).

She also excelled academically at South Carolina, twice earning College Sports Communicators Academic All-District recognition and SEC academic honors. Whitesides graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology in May 2024 and earned a Master of Business Administration this spring.

Most recently, Whitesides completed her third season playing beach volleyball in Columbia with an 18-13 record this spring after a 20-15 mark during 2024. Overall, she boasts a career 38-27 record in dual action on the sand.

Earlier this spring the Golden Eagles announced their non-conference schedule for the fall of 2025, featuring a match against Wisconsin at Fiserv Forum on Wednesday, Sept. 17 in addition to key matchups with WKU, Dayton, Florida and Minnesota at the Al McGuire Center. Marquette went 25-9 in the fall of 2024 and made its third NCAA Regional appearance before falling to the eventual NCAA Champion in the regional semifinals.

Keep up with the Marquette University women’s volleyball program through social media by following on X (@MarquetteVB) and Instagram (@MarquetteVB) and ‘liking’ on Facebook (/MarquetteVolleyball).

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.

Recent Press Releases by Marquette Athletics

Major League Baseball (MLB) has acquired a minority stake in digital content company Jomboy Media, formalising a partnership aimed at expanding the league’s reach among younger and more digitally native audiences.

The investment was made through MLB’s investment arm, Baseball Endowment L.P. (BELP), which is co-owned by all 30 MLB teams. The deal allows MLB to integrate Jomboy Media’s content capabilities into its digital and event strategies, including activations around marquee fixtures like the All-Star Game and Home Run Derby.

While the financial details of the investment remain confidential, Jomboy Media confirmed it crossed USD $10 million in revenue in 2024 and returned to profitability following a 44% year-on-year revenue increase. The company has also raised $5 million through a funding round led by Connect Ventures and appointed Courtney Hirsch as CEO in March, positioning the business for further growth.

As part of the partnership, Jomboy Media will gain selective access to MLB and team intellectual property, enabling the creation of licensed merchandise—including apparel and home goods—for sale through its direct-to-consumer channels.

Importantly, the partnership preserves editorial independence for Jomboy, a stipulation acknowledged by both parties.

“It was a very important part of the deal that we don’t have editorial control,” said Kenny Gersh, MLB’s Executive VP of Media & Business Development.

Jomboy Media has built a reputation for candid and at times controversial commentary, notably covering incidents such as the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal and umpire disputes. Retaining creative freedom is seen as critical to the brand’s continued appeal and audience engagement.

CEO Courtney Hirsch noted that discussions with MLB had been ongoing since mid-2024.

“It just felt like the right time… they’re really going to let us continue to do our thing,” said Hirsch.

The deal also opens opportunities to expand Jomboy’s IP portfolio and commercial footprint, with co-branded merchandise and broader content distribution planned. Hirsch and founder Jimmy O’Brien formally presented the proposal to MLB’s Investment Committee last week, receiving strong interest from key owners, including committee chair Mark Attanasio and John Henry.

Jomboy Media reports more than 93 million annual social media engagements and has secured brand partnerships with several MLB sponsors, including T-Mobile and Corona.

The strategic investment highlights MLB’s ongoing shift toward non-traditional media and influencer-driven storytelling to reach fragmented audiences. It also reflects a broader trend across global sports leagues—where digital-first platforms are being integrated into rights holder ecosystems through investment, rather than acquisition.

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EUGENE, Ore. – Memphis throwers Gabriel Koletsi and Sascha Salesius Schmidt are set to make their NCAA Championships debuts on Wednesday, as both will compete on the first day of the NCAA Track and Field Outdoor Championships.  

The events will go from June 11 to 14 at historic Hayward Field at the University of Oregon. A full schedule, live results link and streaming information can be found above. 

Koletsi will be the first to represent the Tigers, with the men’s javelin set to begin at 7:15 p.m. CT. After reaching NCAA Regionals each of the last two seasons at UMBC, Koletsi qualified for his first Championships after placing 11th behind a 67.84-meter javelin throw at the East Regional in Jacksonville.  

Schmidt also will compete in his first Championships after coming up just short in each of his first two seasons at Memphis. His season-best shot put launch of 18.77 meters placed 12th in the competition to earn him a berth. His competition will begin at 8:10 p.m. CT.

Koletsi is the first javelin thrower to represent Memphis at NCAAs since Mona Jaidi and Ashley Pryke in 2018, and Sascha marks the first shot put qualifier in a decade (Vivian Brandhoff, 2015). 

How to follow the Tigers: For complete information on Memphis Tiger Cross Country and Track & Field, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team’s social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. 

FREMONT, Neb. – Midland University has released its 2025 volleyball schedule, which features 28 regular-season matches ahead of the postseason. The Warriors, under the direction of new head coach Micah Rhodes, will open their campaign August 21 at the Missouri Baptist University Invitational in St. Louis, Missouri.

Midland will face a challenging schedule right out of the gate, with seven of its first nine opponents having qualified for the 2024 NAIA National Tournament. In total, 11 of the Warriors’ matches will come against national tournament teams, providing early and consistent tests for a program that has made 11 NAIA Championship appearances in the past 12 seasons.

“We will be challenged, and I couldn’t be more excited to hit the ground running with this particular group of young women,” said Rhodes, who takes over the program following the retirement of longtime head coach Paul Giesselmann. “Opening the season down in St. Louis against four teams that advanced to the NAIA National Tournament final site is about as tough as you can get, but the team will be well-prepared. That level of competition is the standard these players have come to know and expect.”

The 2025 slate opens with four matches over two days in St. Louis, including matchups against perennial powers Viterbo and host Missouri Baptist. After their home opener against York University on August 26, the Warriors head to Omaha for the College of Saint Mary Labor Day Classic, where they will take on four more quality opponents including College of Idaho, Benedictine (Kan.), and The Master’s.

Rhodes has also emphasized growth and development through the junior varsity program, which includes a home JV/Varsity doubleheader against Grand View University and the addition of the program’s first-ever home JV tournament.

“I really want to embrace the concept of using the JV program as developmental for our younger athletes,” he said. “I’m also excited to have added a non-conference home JV/V doubleheader with Grand View to give our home fans another opportunity to see us play.”

Conference play begins September 6 on the road against College of Saint Mary. Midland will play 16 Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) matches, concluding regular-season action at home against Hastings College on November 4.

“As always, our tough preseason and conference schedules are designed to prepare us for when it matters most, which is the postseason and our goal of advancing to Sioux City,” Rhodes said. “We aren’t playing for August and September, but instead for November and December.”

Rhodes also shared his outlook for the program’s new chapter, stating, “I’m excited for the players to embrace the change that comes with new leadership, while remaining true to who we are as a team and program. The standards and expectations are the same. We are competing for a national championship. But my hope is that the players will take pride in beginning a new era of Midland Volleyball.”

Postseason play is set to begin with the GPAC Tournament on November 8, with the NAIA National Championship Opening Round on November 22. The NAIA Championship Final Site will once again take place in Sioux City, Iowa from December 3-9.

Key returners from last year’s squad include All-GPAC First Team honoree and Freshman of the Year Brooklynn Snyder, as well as All-GPAC Honorable Mention selection Cameran Jansky.

2025 Midland Volleyball Schedule Highlights

• Season Opener: August 21 vs. Viterbo University (St. Louis, Mo.)
• Home Opener: August 26 vs. York University (Fremont, Neb.)
• Conference Opener: September 6 at College of Saint Mary
• Homecoming Match: September 27 vs. Dakota Wesleyan University
• Final Home Match: November 4 vs. Hastings College
• NAIA Championship Dates: December 3-9 (Sioux City, Iowa)