July 15, 2025 by Ethan Perelstein

Almost a year since Hurricane Helene washed away Gulfport’s beloved sand volleyball court, the City sponsored the Gulfport Bounces Back Volleyball Tournament July 12.

Gulfport Bounces Back Volleyball Tournament

The tournament ran all day. About 30 four-person teams of hopefuls began the day, aiming for the 6 p.m. final match.

Team names included “Sets on the Beach,” “Spikopaths,” “Tie Me Up and Feed Me Chicken,” and “That’s What She Set.” The winner for the best team name was “Pass and Hitties.”

A group of Gulfportians who call themselves the Good Vibes Tribe organized the tournament.

“We are literally just a group of friends that get together and play volleyball who are very passionate about Gulfport,” said Paul Ladd, a member of the group. The crew of players practiced regularly in Gulfport before the storms washed the courts out, and have been playing elsewhere since.

“It’s good to be home. It’s always going to be home for sure, as long as we can play here,” Ladd said.

Looking for more things to do in St. Petersburg, Gulfport, and the beaches? Check out The Gabber Newspaper’s full calendar of events.

Additionally, the City of Gulfport and VETSports sponsored the event. All proceeds from the day were donated to VETSports, an organization that fights combat veteran isolation through team sports.

The event also featured an O’Maddy’s pop-up and Gulfport Realty’s “Gulfport Bounces Back” beach ball.

Play Ball

The 30 teams were split across four courts, where they played it out tournament pool style for silver and gold. There were no referees, and the teams scored their own games between themselves and their opponents.

Bump, set, spike. Bump, set, spike. Athletes played hard, jumping to block or spike above the net or diving into the sand. Then they returned from the court, bronzed, dusted, and slicked by sun, sand, and sweat throughout the day.

“It’s an addiction,” said Cosi Jackson, local volleyball player and Ward III City Council member. “This is team sport, and these people are like family. Once you play on a team with someone, they’re going to help you move your house, they’re going to be there for you if you go out of town, if you need someone to watch your dog. They’re gonna play with you until literally midnight, these people.”

At the end of the day, team “Latin Power” won the silver medal and a party in a bucket, and team “ParkView” won gold, along with the 3D-printed trophies of the Gulfport Gecko.

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ROSEMONT, Ill. – One hundred fifty Penn State student-athletes earned Big Ten Distinguished Scholar honors, the conference announced Monday. Of the 150, 31 student athletes were recognized for achieving perfect 4.0s,

The Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Award is presented to student-athletes who have recorded a grade-point average of 3.7 or higher during the previous academic year.

Penn State’s seven highest Big Ten Distinguished Scholar totals have come in the past seven years. The 31 Nittany Lion students earning a 4.0 during the 2024-25 academic year narrowly misses the school record of 32, set last year.

The athletic department’s academic success included 423 student-athletes earning Academic All-Big Ten honors and 199 Nittany Lions who graduated during the 2024-25 academic year (December and May).

Penn State Big Ten Distinguished Scholar totals since 2017-18:

2024-25: 150

2023-24: 165

2022-23: 174 (non-alternate grading school record)

2021-22: 157

2020-21: 183*

2019-20: 144*

2018-19: 117

2017-18: 90

* – alternate grading system used due to COVID-19.

A total of 25 of Penn State teams had at least one Big Ten Distinguished Scholar (men’s and women’s cross country, indoor track & field and outdoor track & field are combined).

Women’s Track and Field led the way with a program record 19 honorees, besting last year’s high of 18. Football and men’s volleyball each matched their program highs of 10 and six, respectively.

The 150 honorees boost Penn State to a total of 1,784 Big Ten Distinguished Scholars since the program was established by the Big Ten Faculty Representatives in 2008-09 to supplement the Academic All-Big Ten program.

Similar to the Academic All-Big Ten honor, Distinguished Scholar Award recipients must be in at least their second academic year at their institution. The Distinguished Scholar Award encompasses only students with a minimum GPA of 3.7 or higher for the previous academic year, excluding summer school.

Graduation Success Rates

Penn State student-athletes continue to register record-breaking graduation rates and perform well above their peers nationwide. The Nittany Lions posted a record-tying 93% NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) and 11 programs earned perfect 100% ratings. This is the eight consecutive year the Nittany Lions posted a record or record-tying performance in the classroom, according to data reported by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

The NCAA’s annual graduation rates report of Division I institutions across the nation revealed Penn State student-athletes at the University Park campus earned a Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 93% to equal the school’s all-time record of 93%, which was set in the 2023 NCAA report. Nittany Lion students posted a 93% graduation rate compared to the 90% average for all Division I institutions for student-athletes entering from 2014-15 academic year through the 2017-18 academic year.

Penn State student-athletes have logged a Graduation Success Rate in the 88-93% range during each of the past 18 NCAA reports, improving from 88% in the 2015 report to a record-tying 93% report in the 2024 report.

Penn State Among the Nation’s Most Comprehensive and Successful Athletic Programs

Under the leadership of Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics, Dr. Patrick Kraft, Penn State has one of the nation’s most comprehensive and successful athletic programs, featuring 800 student-athletes across 31 varsity programs (16 men’s, 15 women’s). The Nittany Lions’ 31 programs are tied for the fourth-highest number of sports sponsored by a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) institution.

MileSplit is proud to present the 2025 All-National Track & Field Honors. As part of a nationwide initiative, these honors recognize the top high school athletes in the country based on verified performances from the outdoor season. Athletes have been selected through a data-driven process to highlight excellence across every event, grade level, and team tier – from First Team through Honorable Mention, as well as All-Freshman to All-Senior teams. Congratulations to all of the athletes who took their performances to the next level this season.