ST. CLOUD — St. Cloud State women’s hockey head coach Brian Idalski has been named the first head coach of Professional Women’s Hockey League expansion team, PWHL Vancouver, the league/organization announced on Monday.

“We are excited for Brian and his future in the PWHL,” St. Cloud State Director of Athletics Holly Schreiner said in a news release. “It is always great to have Husky connections at that level. We will immediately begin the process to fill Brian’s vacant position.”

Idalski coached professional women’s hockey in Russia from 2019-22 after being the head women’s coach at the University of North Dakota from 2007-17. He also coached China’s women’s hockey team in the 2022 Winter Olympics.

“I feel very fortunate to have this opportunity to join an organization and city like Vancouver and want to thank Cara and the league for their trust and belief in me,” Idalski said. “The PWHL has had a huge impact on the global game, and to be a part of that — with expansion helping push it even further forward — is an unbelievable feeling.

“I’ve been associated with a lot of players across the PWHL, either coaching them personally or against them over the years, so this role brings me full circle with an eagerness to work with the league’s world-class talent. The team that Cara has assembled is fantastic and I embrace the challenge that comes with our high expectations.”

Cara Gardner Morey, PWHL Vancouver’s general manager, is impressed with Idalski on a number of levels.

“Brian is a proven winner who knows our sport, the players, and has coached at the highest levels,” Gardner Morey said in a news release from the team. “What stands out in Brian’s experience is his ability to build and transform the programs he is a part of, from his work in professional leagues, at the Olympics, and turning collegiate teams into nationally ranked contenders. I’m excited that he will lead our incredible group in Vancouver and can’t wait to see his vision and influence shape our foundation.”

The 2022-23 U.S. College Hockey Online National Coach of the Year departs St. Cloud after three seasons in which he helped turn the program around. Under Idalski, SCSU went 50-50-9 and recorded three of its eight highest single season win totals in program history and set numerous individual and team records.

In his debut season in 2022-23, Idalski led the Huskies to 18 wins, tying the program’s single-season record. SCSU also established a record of 36 conference points (reset again in 2023-24 with 39), earning a point from all seven conference opponents for the first time in 13 years.

The Huskies finished fifth in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA), its best finish since 2015-16 and first season with a .500 or better record since 2009-10. SCSU received its first national ranking since 2009 and has remained among the country’s top-15 consistently ever since.

In addition to being named USCHO National Coach of the Year in 2022-23, he was also a CCM/American Hockey Coaches Association National Coach of the Year finalist and was named co-WCHA Coach of the Year.

He was the first St. Cloud State Hockey coach — men’s or women’s — to be named a national coach of the year and the second women’s coach to earn conference honors.

In 2024-25, Idalski became the second coach in program history to amass 50 wins and was the first to do so in three seasons or less. He also became the first coach in program history to beat Minnesota on the road (0-60-2 prior) and was the second coach to post three consecutive 15-plus win seasons.

• Michigan Athletes of the Year

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The University of Michigan Athletics Department announced Monday (June 23) that Fred Richard (men’s gymnastics) and Savannah Sutherland (women’s track and field) have been named the 2024-25 U-M Athletes of the Year.

Richard is the fifth men’s gymnast to earn the honor and the first since Sam Mikulak in 2011. Sutherland’s win marks the 10th time a women’s track athlete has earned the department’s top honor and the first since Tiffany Ofili repeated in 2008 and 2009.

Both student-athletes are eligible to be named Big Ten Conference Athletes of the Year, the winners of which are determined by a media vote. The University of Michigan Athlete of the Year Award was first presented in 1982.

Fred Richard (Men’s Gymnastics)

Richard is the department’s male honoree after leading Michigan to the 2025 NCAA championship and Big Ten championship. He won the 2025 NCAA all-around title, marking his second in the event and fourth overall individual national championship of his career.

Leading Michigan to its seventh national championship in program history and fifth straight Big Ten championship, Richard was named Big Ten Gymnast of the Championships for the third straight season and to the All-Big Ten first team. He earned All-America honors in the all-around and all six events, marking the first time in NCAA history a men’s gymnast has earned seven All-America citations in a single season.

He was crowned Big Ten all-around champion for the third straight year, the first Wolverine to win three straight since Rick McCurdy from 1969-71. A three-time Big Ten Gymnast of the Week this past season, he earned Gymnast of the Week honors from the College Gymnastics Association on March 27.

A member of the USA Gymnastics National Senior Team, he earned a runner-up finish in the all-around at the 2024 U.S. Championships (170.250). He won the floor exercise title (29.500), took sixth on still rings (28.300) and second on high bar (28.800).

He also represented Team USA at the 2024 Olympics, helping lead the team to a bronze medal for the first time since 2008 and finishing 15th in the all-around finals.

Savannah Sutherland (Women’s Track and Field)

Sutherland is the department’s female Athlete of the Year after capping her career with a pair of national championships in the 400-meter hurdles (2023, 2025). She is just the third Wolverine in program history to win multiple NCAA individual titles. Sutherland was named the 2025 Big Ten Outdoor Track and Field Women’s Track Athlete of the Year, marking her third straight year earning the honor.

Sutherland captured her second national title in the 400-meter hurdles and her third straight top-two finish at the NCAA Championships on June 14. She ran a personal-best 52.46 seconds to finish 2.20 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher and set five records — the NCAA record, NCAA Championship meet record, Big Ten record, Michigan program record and Canadian national record. She earned first team All-America honors for her performance.

The senior is now just the second runner in NCAA history to break 53 seconds, with Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone setting the previous collegiate record of 52.75 in 2018. The time ranks No. 9 in the world on the all-time performance list and is tied for the second-fastest time in the world this season.

Sutherland also ran the second leg of the 4×400-meter relay at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, clocking 50.71 for the fastest second leg and second-fastest split of the race. The relay squad finished 19th overall with a time of 3:33.75 to earn All-America honorable mention.

The Borden, Saskatchewan, native capped an impressive career in her final season for the Maize and Blue, winning her third straight Big Ten title in the 400-meter hurdles before setting the NCAA East First Round meet record (54.39) for the second consecutive year. She also helped set the program record in the 4×400-meter relay twice this season and earned a third-place finish at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships.

In the indoor season, Sutherland set a Canadian and program record with her time of 51.23 in the 400-meter dash at the NCAA DI Indoor Championships, placing fourth for her highest career finish at the NCAA Indoor Championships. She won the Big Ten 400-meter indoor title for the second straight year on March 1 after setting the program 200-meter record (23.26).

Sutherland was named Regional Athlete of the Year for the Great Lakes Region for both the indoor and outdoor seasons.

She also represented Canada at the 2024 Olympics, finishing seventh (53.88) in the 400-meter hurdle finals — the first Canadian to reach the event finals since 1996 — and sixth in the 4×400-meter relay (3:22.01).

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The schedule for the 2025 Central Michigan Volleyball team has been released and holds dates for nine conference matches in McGuirk Arena.
 
The Chippewa Mid-American Conference schedule was released in April.
 
For the non-conference stretch, the Chippewas are slated to head to four different states including Utah, Wisconsin, Illinois and Pennsylvania.
 
The first game of the 2025 season will be held at BYU August 29^th-30^th. In Utah, the Chippewas will face High Point and the host school on that Friday. CMU will close out the trip taking on Farleigh Dickinson.
 
High Point and FDU are both first-time opponents for the Chippewas, and against BYU, CMU is 0-2. The two teams faced off in 1998 (L, 0-3) and again in 2008 when the Cougars, who were ranked No. 23 in the country, defeated the Chippewas 0-3.
 
September 5^th-6^th, CMU will be in Milwaukee, Wisconsin competing against Iowa State, South Alabama and UW-Milwaukee.
 
Iowa State and Central Michigan have faced off twice in program history and CMU has walked away with a 2-0 victory in 1980 and a 3-0 in 1997.
 
CMU enters the match with South Alabama also with a 2-0 record against the Jaguars winning 3-0 in 2006 and 3-1 in 2008.
 
UW-Milwaukee and the Chippewas have faced off three times in the history of the two programs, and CMU is 2-1 in those meetings. In 1993 the Chippewas won 3-0, in 2006 the fell 0-3 and in 2010, CMU grabbed a 3-0 victory.
 
In Peoria, Illinois, September 12^th-13^th, CMU will play three games against the University of Missouri-Kansas City, the host Bradley, and Jacksonville State.
 
When traveling to Bradley, CMU will take on one new opponent in UM-Kansas City and Jacksonville State. Central Michigan and Bradley have played against each other four times and CMU holds the 3-1 advantage. Victories in 1984 and 1988, 3-0, and 3-1 in 2021capped off the winning streak before the Chippewas fell 2-3 in 2023 in McGuirk Arena.
 
For the latest news and updates on CMU Volleyball, follow the team in X (@cmuvolleyball) and on Instagram (@cmuvolleyball).
 
 
 

TCU beach volleyball program, the reigning national champion, has strengthened its squad for the 2026 season by adding seven new players, including three transfers and four freshmen. Head coach Hector Gutierrez highlighted the mix of local and international talent, expressing excitement about the combination of experienced transfers and the fresh energy of new recruits. This upcoming season promises to build on the success of last year, which included winning the inaugural Big 12 Championship and achieving the program’s first National Championship.

By the Numbers

• TCU has added 7 newcomers, including 3 transfers.
• The team returns 14 players, including 2025 Big 12 Freshman of the Year Sofia Izuzquiza and Pair of the Year Anhelina Khmil.

Yes, But

While the incoming recruits possess a wealth of experience and accolades, the team faces the challenge of integrating them into the existing roster, which includes established talents from a championship season. Balancing the blend of new and returning players will determine the team’s chemistry moving forward.

State of Play

• The Frogs entered the 2025 season as the second-winningest program in collegiate beach volleyball, totaling 174 wins since 2020.
• With a record of nearly 33 wins per season over the past few years, TCU aims to maintain this trajectory in 2026.

What’s Next

Looking ahead, TCU will focus on fostering teamwork and cohesion among the new recruits and returning players in the lead-up to the upcoming season. Their performance in early tournaments will be crucial in setting the tone for the rest of the year.

Bottom Line

The TCU beach volleyball team is poised for continued success as they merge a strong incoming class with a solid returning roster. The focus will be on effective integration and building upon last year’s championship momentum for the 2026 season.

2025 U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Prior to the championships we examined the turnover in the finals of each Trials/U.S. Nationals since 2013. With several stars sitting out this year after the shortened Olympic Cycle between Tokyo and Paris it was expected that there would be new faces in the top eight of a lot of events in 2025, and that did prove to be the case.

We’re looking at only Olympic events here, so this is a straight comparison to 2024.

NB. The 800 and 1500 were run as timed finals this year in contrast to the heats-and-finals setup last year. When we refer to 2025 finalists in these events we’re talking about the top-eight finishers, even though some came from the early heats.

The Methodology

To compare the continuity of Trials finals, we have devised a Finals Continuity Score. Each swimmer in a Trials final receives a score based on their finishing position in that event. At the next Trials, we add up the scores of the returning swimmers and divide by the maximum possible score (all swimmers returning).

Example:

2021 Women’s 200 IM

1. Alex Walsh- 8 points
2. Kate Douglass- 7 points
3. Madisyn Cox – 6 points
4. Torri Huske – 5 points
5. Meghan Small – 4 points
6. Melanie Margalis- 3 points
7. Beata Nelson- 2 points
8. Emma Barksdale – 1 point

 

2022 Women’s 200 IM

1. Alex Walsh – 8 returning points
2. Leah Hayes – NEW
3. Beata Nelson  – 2 returning points
4. Mackenzie Looze – NEW
5. Isabelle Odgers – NEW
6. Sara Stotler – NEW
7. Abby Hay – NEW
8. Teagan O’Dell – NEW

 

Total returning points: 10

Maximum possible returning points: 36

Final Continuity Score – 0.278 (10/36)

Note that this methodology does not look at why a swimmer does not return – someone missing the final in 9th is treated the same way as a swimmer who did not enter the event, such as Kate Douglass in the example above.

How did 2025 fare?

The men saw their biggest turnover of finalists in over a decade, with an average continuity score of less than 0.50 – nearly 20% less than the previous lowest in 2021. This was also a huge drop in returning finalists compared to last year, caused both by big names sitting out (Ryan Murphy, Caeleb Dressel, Hunter Armstrong) and others missing finals they were expected to be in (Brooks Curry, Matt King).

The women fared slightly better, only dropping to 0.554, however that is still the lowest since 2017. Most of the big names returned, which was reflected in the size of the World’s squad; 20 different women hit one of the four World Championship priorities compared to 27 men.

By Event

Outside of breaststroke, the 200s were the most continuous distance at this year’s Championships. The 200 IM saw five of the eight finalists from Olympic Trials return including all of the top three, joint most of any event along with the 200 fly.

Despite the comparatively high score for the 200 free, only three finalists returned; Luke Hobson (1st in 2024), Chris Guiliano (2nd) and Kieran Smith (4th). That’s one fewer than the 100 backstroke (Jack Aikins, Will Modglin, Jack Wilkening, Tommy Janton), where three of the four returners finished 6th-8th last year.

Half of the events had only two returning finalists from 2024 – that was every event from the 1500 downwards, excluding the 100 back.

The scores were much higher for the women, which saw only three events (200 breast, 1500 free, 400 free) have two returners compared to the seven the men had. Backstroke was the highest scoring stroke with both distances in the top two, each with six returning swimmers.

Katie Ledecky ensured a level of consistency in the 400 and 1500 free, with only a single swimmer returning other than her: Kate Hurst in the 1500 and Madi Mintenko in the 400. Interestingly, both of those finished in the same position in both 2024 and 2025, fourth for Hurst and eighth for Mintenko.

At least half the finalists returned for nine of 14 events, with 10 events scoring at least 0.50. The 100 free was the highest scoring event with only exactly half the final to return – those were last year’s top four of Kate Douglass, Torri Huske, Gretchen Walsh and Simone Manuel, who took the top four spots once again in 2025, albeit in a different order.