NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – The Northeast 10 Conference recognized 10 student-athletes from the spring season as Sport Excellence Award winners on Wednesday morning, honoring their outstanding athletic and academic achievements. 

Among the 109 student-athletes named to the NE10 Academic All-Conference teams, the Sport Excellence Award is given to one top individual from each of the league’s seven spring sports – in addition to men’s golf, women’s golf and women’s tennis. Seven different institutions were represented in the announcement, with three having multiple recipients.

One of the Conference’s most prestigious awards, the Sport Excellence Award was highlighted by Bentley’s Sam Capobianco (men’s outdoor track & field) and Caitlin Burmester (women’s outdoor track & field). Capobianco wins the honor for the second time this academic year (indoor track & field), while Burmester wins it for the third time (cross country and indoor track & field). 

Franklin Pierce was represented by Joey Acker (baseball) and Kesinee Prukmathakul, a four-time NE10 Player of the Year in women’s golf. Pace’s Gisselle Garcia, a First Team All-American, and Annie Sheehan (women’s lacrosse) also earned recognition. 

Adelphi’s Marko Jovanovic (men’s tennis) wins the Sport Excellence Award for the third time in his career. Caroline Mäder is the first women’s tennis player from Assumption to earn the award in 10 years. 

Saint Michael’s Sebastian Simonson (men’s lacrosse), the NE10 Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year, adds to his award tally, while Southern New Hampshire’s Jack Pepin was recognized in men’s golf. 

To be eligible for Academic All-Conference and Sport Excellence honors, a student-athlete must have started at least half or played in two-thirds of all contests while making significant contributions and maintaining a 3.3 grade-point average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale.

BASEBALL

Name: Joey Acker

School: Franklin Pierce

GPA: 3.90

Major: Health Sciences

Notes: NE10 All-Conference Second Team…Two-time NE10 Academic All-Conference…Appeared in 57 games and made 55 starts…Led the team in at-bats (204), hits (78), walks (44), batting average (.382) and OBP (.504) amongst starting players…SAAC Male Co-Chair for the 2025-26 school year…Two-time CSC Academic All-District…Multi-time selection to NE10 Academic Honor Roll. 

SOFTBALL

Name: Gisselle Garcia

School: Pace

GPA: 3.71

Major: Criminal Justice

Notes: Named First Team All-American, the first Pace player to earn the honor in program history…D2CCA East Region Pitcher of the Year…NE10 Pitcher of the Year and NE10 All-Defensive Team…Named NE10 Pitcher of the Week on eight occasions…Most Outstanding Player of the NE10 Softball Championship…Set the NE10 record for career strikeouts, becoming the first conference pitcher to ever surpass 1,000 in a career…Ranked in top five of Division II in ERA, WHIP, innings pitched, wins, complete games, saves, shutouts, strikeouts, strikeouts per inning, hits per seven innings and total no-hitters…All-time program leader in ERA, innings pitched, wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts and no-hit performances…Pitched 257.1 innings, recording 400 strikeouts, 30 wins, 30 complete games, 21 shutouts, six saves and five no-hitters…Finished the season with 21 double-digit strikeout performances.

MEN’S LACROSSE

Name: Sebastian Simonson

School: Saint Michael’s

GPA: 3.86

Major: Biochemistry

Notes: NE10 Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year…USILA All-America Second Team…USILA All-North Region First Team…NE10 Offensive Player of the Year…Played in 13 games and tallied 36 goals, 32 assists, 68 points, 18 ground balls and four caused turnovers…Ranked fourth in Division II in points per game and eighth in assists per game…Holds school records for career points (213) and goals (134)…Ranks 15th in NE10 history in points and 17th in goals…Two-time CSC Academic All-American…Three-time NE10 Academic All-Conference…Two-time D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award…NE10 Academic Honor Roll recipient in every semester.

WOMEN’S LACROSSE

Name: Annie Sheehan

School: Pace

GPA: 3.94

Major: Health Science

Notes: IWLCA All-America Second Team…IWLCA All-Region First Team…NE10 All-Conference First Team…NE10 Elite 24 Award winner…Appeared in all 22 games with 20 starts…Tallied 40 goals and 22 assists for 62 total points…Recorded 33 draw controls, 32 ground balls and 21 caused turnovers…Accounted for six points in two separate games this season…Multi-time selection to NE10 Academic Honor Roll. 

MEN’S TENNIS

Name: Marko Jovanovic

School: Adelphi

GPA: 3.985

Major: Accounting

Notes: Just the fourth player in league history to be named a three-time NE10 Player of the Year…Two-time recipient of NE10 Elite 24 Award…CSC First Team Academic All-American…ITA East Region Senior Player of the Year…Most Outstanding Player of the NE10 Men’s Tennis Championship…Accumulated a 16-3 singles record this season, winning nine-straight matches…2024 CSC Academic All-America Team Member of the Year. 

WOMEN’S TENNIS

Name: Caroline Mäder

School: Assumption

GPA: 3.98

Major: Psychology

Notes: NE10 All-Conference Second Team at No. 2 singles…NE10 All-Conference Third Team at No. 1 doubles…Mäder played strong at No. 2 singles for the Greyhounds this season, tallying a 13-3 record while going 3-0 at No. 1 singles…At No. 1 doubles, she went 14-4. 

MEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD

Name: Sam Capobianco

School: Bentley

GPA: 3.84

Major: Finance

Notes: USTFCCCA All-Region in 800 and 1500 meter during outdoor season…Gold medalist in the 5000 meter and silver medalist in the 1500 meter, as well as gold in the 4×800 relay, at the NE10 Outdoor Track & Field Championship…At the NE10 Indoor Track & Field Championship, he won two individual medals with silver in the mile and 3000 meter, while earning gold in the 4×800 relay and distance medley relay…USTFCCCA All-Region for four events during indoor track & field season…Led Bentley’s cross country team to NCAA Championship appearance…Overall, he is a five-time selection to NE10 Academic All-Conference teams between cross country, indoor track & field and outdoor track & field.

WOMEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD

Name: Caitlin Burmester

School: Bentley

GPA: 3.95

Major: Accounting and Liberal Studies 

Notes: NE10 Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year…Won gold in the 800 meter and 1500 meter at the NE10 Outdoor Track & Field Championship…Won Bentley’s Powers Award as the University’s Top Scholar-Athlete of the Year…USTFCCCA All-Region in the 800 and 1500 during the outdoor season…Won gold in the mile and 800 meter at the NE10 Indoor Track & Field Championship…USTFCCCA All-Region in the 800, mile and 3000 meter during the indoor season…Led Bentley to first-ever title at NE10 Women’s Cross Country Championship…Finished first among all runners at NCAA East Region Cross Country Championship…Qualified individually for the NCAA Cross Country Championship…Three-time winner of the NE10 Sport Excellence Award in 2024-25…Nine-time selection to the NE10 Academic All-Conference teams in cross country, indoor track & field and outdoor track & field.

MEN’S GOLF

Name: Jack Pepin

School: Southern New Hampshire

GPA: 3.64

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Notes: GCAA PING East All-Region Team selection…NE10 All-Conference First Team…NE10 All-Championship Team…Helped SNHU to its fifth league title at the NE10 Men’s Golf Championship…Played in nine events and averaged a 73.5 over 24 rounds…Broke 70 on five occasions, including a 67 at the NE10 Championship on his way to tying for first on the individual leaderboard…Also shot 67 at the NCAA Atlantic/East Regional Championship…Three-time selection on the NE10 Academic All-Conference Team. 

WOMEN’S GOLF

Name: Kesinee Prukmathakul

School: Franklin Pierce

GPA: 3.95

Major: Business Management

Notes: First women’s golfer to be named NE10 Player of the Year on four occasions…Captured four individual titles during the 2024-25 season…Averaged 76.1 strokes over 19 rounds of play…Seven top-three finishes this season…Led Franklin Pierce to the NE10 Women’s Golf Championship title for the third time in four years…Finished 17th at the NCAA East Regional…Two-time individual medalist at the NE10 Championship (2021, 2023)…Two-time winner of NE10 Sport Excellence Award…Three-time selection to the NE10 Academic All-Conference Team.

ABOUT THE NE10

The NE10 is an association of 10 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.

Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.

Fans can subscribe via this link to follow NE10 NOW on FloSports this season.  The partnership between the NE10 and FloSports works to provide funds back to the athletic departments of the Northeast-10 Conference in support of student-athletes while promoting the league on a national platform.

HERMOSA BEACH, Calif., July 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The countdown is on! Player registration for Wedbush Presents the Hermosa Beach Open is now open. Register here to join the tournament, taking place September 4-7, 2025. As one of the most anticipated events of the summer, this high-stakes beach volleyball tournament offers serious prize money and welcomes athletes of all levels to compete where the sand meets the surf at Hermosa Beach.

“In the last several years, Wedbush has become one of the most faithful and dedicated supporters of the sport of beach volleyball all around the world, but above all in Southern California and the South Bay community,” said Avery Drost, professional beach volleyball player and returning competitor. “Last year’s Wedbush Hermosa Beach Open carried on the tradition of world class volleyball at one of our sport’s iconic beaches. I’m so honored to play in this special tournament again, in front of fans who have loved and appreciated our game for generations.”

This year, we’re proud to welcome two exciting new sponsors to the tournament: goodr, known for its stylish and functional sunglasses perfect for beach athletes and fans alike, and Michelob Ultra, the light beer that champions active lifestyles and unforgettable experiences.

“We’re thrilled to join the Hermosa Beach Open and support a community that shares our love of getting outside and staying active,” said Kelley Puckett, CMO at goodr. “While we design our sunglasses for all sports, as a SoCal-based company, beach volleyball has a special connection to the brand.”

We’re also thrilled to welcome back the sponsors who have helped shape the spirit of this event, Chevron, Discover Lake County, Florida, and The Rex Steakhouse.

“We’re grateful to have the continued support of Chevron and Rex Steakhouse—representing the spirit and flavor of the South Bay—and proud to welcome back Discover Lake County, Florida, home to Florida’s largest sand volleyball complex at Hickory Point Beach,” said Mark Paaluhi, Director of Events at Day at the Beach Events. “It’s exciting to build connections across coasts with communities that share a passion for beach volleyball.”

Silver and Gold level sponsorships are still available for this year’s tournament, offering high-impact brand visibility through signage and activations throughout the venue. These packages are designed to integrate partners into the heart of the event—connecting directly with the vibrant community of players, fans, and local businesses that make Hermosa Beach a world-class destination for beach volleyball.

For more details about sponsorships, visit here and/or contact jodi@flickerconsult.com.

About Wedbush Securities
Wedbush Securities is the largest subsidiary of Wedbush Financial Services. Since its founding in 1955, Wedbush is widely known for providing our clients, both private and institutional, with a wide range of securities brokerage, clearing, wealth management, and investment banking services. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California with 100 registered offices and nearly 900 colleagues, the firm focuses on client service and financial safety, innovation, and the utilization of advanced technology. Securities and Investment Advisory services are offered through Wedbush Securities Inc. Member NYSE/ FINRA / SIPC 

About Day at the Beach Events
Day at the Beach Events (DATBE) was founded and established in 2008. DATBE was created to share the life experience that owner, Mark Pa’aluhi had grown accustomed to – to live life to the fullest: surfing, playing beach volleyball, traveling and much more with friends and family! With this mindset, DATBE has managed and helped develop marketing strategies, interactive events, team building and has been a host to various events around the world.

For media inquiries:
Serina Molano
Wedbush Securities
213-688-4564
publicrelations@wedbush.com

For event inquiries:
Mark Paaluhi
Day at the Beach Events
310-927-1288
Mark@DayAtTheBeachEvents.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/65c24fdf-c09b-4060-b686-c11cdc858111

Wedbush Presents The Hermosa Beach Open – Player Registration Open

Wedbush Presents The Hermosa Beach Open – Player Registration Open

Athletes competing at the World Aquatics Championships – Singapore 2025 will have the chance to elect their representatives to the World Aquatics Athletes’ Committee, with voting now open until 28 July.

The World Aquatics Athletes’ Committee serves as the voice of the athletes within the organisation, and the election process promotes gender balance and geographic diversity.

Of the 20 elected athletes, 10 will be from swimming, comprising one man and one woman per continent. Open water swimming, diving, high diving, artistic swimming and water polo will each have one male and one female representative elected to the World Aquatics Athletes’ Committee.

The Chair of the World Aquatics Athletes’ Committee holds an ex-officio position on the Bureau and the Executive, ensuring the perspective of the athletes is represented in debates.

World Aquatics President Husain Al Musallam urged athletes competing at the World Aquatics Championships – Singapore 2025 to vote for the representatives in their sport.

“We have a highly talented and diverse list of candidates from across the six aquatics sports, and I would encourage all athletes to have their say during the elections in Singapore,” the World Aquatics President said.

The election period opened on 5 July and will close at 12pm CET on 28 July.

The candidates for election to the World Aquatics Athletes’ Committee are as follows:

Swimming

Africa

Women: Ms. Hazel ALAMY (SLE), Ms. Siwakhile DLAMINI (SWZ)

Men: Mr. Magnim Jordano DAOU (TOG), Mr. Collins SALIBOKO (TAN), Mr. Matthew SATES (RSA)

Americas

Women: Ms. Alexia SOTOMAYOR (PER)

Men: Mr. Jorge Andres IGA CESAR (MEX)

Asia

Women: Ms. Siobhan HAUGHEY (HKG), Ms. Kim SEOYEONG (KOR)

Men: Mr. Dmitriy BALANDIN (KAZ), Mr. Man Hou CHAO (MAC), Mr. Sajan PRAKASH (IND), Mr. Gede Simon SUDARTAWA (INA), Mr. Eldor USMONOV (UZB), Mr. Shun WANG (CHN)

Europe

Women: Ms. Tamila HOLUB (POR), Ms. Simona KUBOVA (CZE)

Men: Mr. Felix AUBOECK (AUT), Mr. Andrei MINAKOV (RUS), Mr. Richard NAGY (SVK), Mr. Mykhailo ROMANCHUK (UKR), Mr. Shane RYAN (IRL), Mr. Ilya SHYMANOVICH (BLR)

Oceania

Women: Ms. Cheyenne Victoria Rosimere ROVA (FIJ)

Men: Mr. Wesley Tikiariki ROBERTS (COK)

Open Water Swimming

Women: Ms. Ana Marcela CUNHA (BRA), Ms. Caroline JOUISSE (FRA)

Men: Mr. David Andres FARINANGO BERRU (ECU)

Diving

Women: Ms. Melissa WU (AUS)

Men: Mr. Yona KNIGHT-WISDOM (JAM), Mr. Jack LAUGHER (GBR), Mr. Jonathan RUVALCABA (DOM), Mr. Moritz WESEMANN (GER)

High Diving

Women: Ms. Ginni VAN KATWIJK (NED)

Men: Mr. Catalin-Petru PREDA (ROU)

Artistic Swimming

Women: Ms. Ona CARBONELL BALLESTERO (ESP), Ms. Eva MORRIS (NZL), Ms. Nehal SAAFAN (EGY), Ms. Jacqueline SIMONEAU (CAN)

Men: Mr. Renaud BARRAL (BEL), Mr. Bill MAY (USA), Mr. Javier Enrique RUISANCHEZ TORRES-ZAYAS (PUR)

Water Polo

Women: Ms. Rita KESZTHELYI (HUN)

Men: Mr. Marko BIJAC (CRO)

Registered athletes competing at the World Aquatics Championships – Singapore 2025 can cast their vote during this period.  Swimming voters can choose one male and one female candidate from their continent, while voters in the other five disciplines can choose one man and one woman from their discipline.

The 20 elected members of the World Aquatics Athletes’ Committee will be joined by appointed members. The full World Aquatics Athletes’ Committee will be announced in the days following the closing of the elections.

For further information and candidate documents, click here.

Eligible voters can access the voting platform here.

To view all athlete-related activities taking place at the World Aquatics Championships – Singapore 2025, please download the World Aquatics Events Insider App using the link below:

Event Category: Athletes and Development Activities
Password: WCH25SGPACT

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VOLLEYBALL ALL-SCHOLASTICS

Branch Barnes (Natick)

Finnian Bell (Wayland)

Ben Cleary (BC High)

Matt Cloonan (Needham)

Gustavo Da Silva (Milford)

Luke Dratch (Natick)

Brady Dwyer (Newton North)

David Dzhenzherukha (Agawam)

Dylan Engelhardt (Wayland)

Travis Johnson (Taunton)

Zachary Kukharchuk (Westfield)

Brady Kundel (Barnstable)

Andrew Kurdziel (Needham)

Bogdan Kuzin (Westfield)

Shawn LaDuke (Methuen)

Ale Luciani (Lexington)

Francis McGonagle (St. John’s (Shrewsbury)

Dennis Nesen (Agawam)

Liam Quinn (Chelmsford)

Liam Raybould (Brookline)

Nick Rosa (New Bedford)

Nathaniel Ross (Needham)

Tuto Sampaio (Winchester)

Alec Smagula (Brookline)

Justin Tejeda (Greater Lowell)

Kristaps Vaivars (Brookline)

Simon Vardeh (Newton North)

HONORABLE MENTION

Alex Bak (West Springfield)

Levin Brenner (Newton South)

Marcio Castro (Woburn)

Joe Culhane (Agawam)

Cody Gibendi (Natick)

Kean Jarvinen (Longmeadow)

Brennan Loud (Cambridge)

Parth Pawar (Acton-Boxboro)

Jayden Pelletier (St. John’s Prep)

Otavio Perks (O’Bryant)

Peter Reale (Newton North)

Nic Sanchez de Rojas (Lexington)

Vitou Seng (Lowell)

Amir Tomer (Brookline)

Nadav Vachtel (Lexington)

ALL-SCHOLASTICS

BRANCH BARNES

NATICK

Barnes’ historic career ended with 280 kills, leading the RedHawks to a second straight Div. 1 state semifinal appearance. The versatile two-time All-Scholastic closed out with 824 kills, 455 assists, 108 aces and 142 blocks.

FINNIAN BELL

WAYLAND

A second straight trip to the Div. 2 state final was spearheaded by the junior two-time All-Scholastic, who earned his second Dual County League MVP and All-State honors.

BEN CLEARY

BC HIGH

With 341 kills this year, Cleary set the program record for most kills in a regular season, as well as the most in a single game with 41 against St. John’s of Shrewsbury. The junior is the fastest in program history to reach 500 kills (552), adding to 437 digs and 108 blocks with a year to go. Cleary is a high honor roll student and is a beach and grass club volleyball player.

MATTHEW CLOONAN

NEEDHAM

The Rockets’ historic fifth straight Div. 1 state finals appearance was largely due to the junior’s impact at outside hitter. His 252 kills this year were complemented by 16 blocks. He’s an honor roll student and a captain of the basketball team.

GUSTAVO DA SILVA

MILFORD

The Scarlet Hawks reloaded after graduating a large group of seniors, anchored around the junior returning starter, one of the toughest hitters to slow down with a career-best 370 kills, while posting over 200 digs and 30 blocks. The junior looks to study construction management in college.

LUKE DRATCH

NATICK

After time as an outside hitter and a right-side over the past two years, Dratch excelled in his first year as starting setter to help guide Natick back to the Div. 1 Final Four. His 800 assists, 45 kills, 20 blocks and 21 aces ranked among the best at the position, earning an MAVCA Central All-Star selection. The junior captain is a National Honor Society member and a three-year high honors student.

DAVID DZHENZHERUKHA

AGAWAM

The Brownies reached the Div. 2 state semifinals in each of the last three years behind their starting setter, and his 46 kills in this year’s final led to a second state title in that span. The senior is a three-time first-team All-Star and a MAVCA All-State selection. He was also a captain of the Pioneer Valley 18-1 national team, and a Bay State Games winner. He’s headed to Elms College for volleyball and business.

DYLAN ENGELHARDT

WAYLAND

At 6-foot-4, Engelhardt was a key cog in the middle for the Warriors to make their second straight Div. 2 state final appearance. His career-best 190 kills set a program record for a middle, while also posting 58 blocks, 84 digs and 26 aces. The junior is a captain of the football team, and plays club for Smash Volleyball.

TRAVIS JOHNSON

TAUNTON

Johnson in his final year at right-side had a career-high 335 kills, 172 service points, 27 aces, 105 digs and 225 receptions with only seven errors. The senior anchored the Tigers in a run to the Div. 1 state quarterfinals as the 27th seed, which was the lowest-ranked team to reach the stage in the sport’s MIAA history. He also is a member of the basketball team and is headed to Dean College next year.

ZACHARY KUKHARCHUK

WESTFIELD

With 311 kills, 20.5 blocks and a career-high 221 digs in his senior season, the 6-foot-2 outside hitter closed out with 817 kills, 56 aces, 61 blocks and 398 digs, along with a state title in 2024. He is a four-year member of the Pioneer Valley Juniors Boys Volleyball Club.

BRADY KUNDEL

BARNSTABLE

His 369 kills, 49 aces and 142 digs helped Barnstable reach the Div. 1 state quarterfinals as the No. 26 seed. The three-year varsity captain’s MAVCA All-State honorable mention season put him at 699 kills on his career. Kundel has a 4.3 GPA , is the president of the Chinese Mandarin National Honor Society, and is a member of the Tri-M Music Honors Society, the National Honor Society, and the MIAA Leadership Committee.

ANDREW KURDZIEL

NEEDHAM

Kurdziel anchored the Rockets in the middle as part of their fifth straight trip to the Div. 1 state final. The senior posted 61 blocks, 24 aces and 151 kills while hitting .324 percent. The four-year letter winner is a Bay State Conference All-Star and an MAVCA All-State selection, as well as a two-time state champion in 2022 and 2023. Kurdziel is bound for the University of Delaware.

BOGDAN KUZIN

WESTFIELD

The junior middle blocker proved vital in the Bombers’ run to a fourth straight Div. 2 state semifinal appearance, stepping up to post 172 kills, 31 aces and 66.5 blocks. Kuzin is also a two-year member of the Pioneer Valley Juniors Volleyball Club.

SHAWN LADUKE

METHUEN

After helping lead Methuen to its first Merrimack Valley Conference title in decades last year, the senior setter closed out with a bang by posting 770 assists and 168 digs. LaDuke finished with 1,503 assists and 317 digs, earning MVC First Team All-Conference selections in his only two years playing varsity. He’s headed to play at Rivier University next year, where he’ll study nursing.

ALE LUCIANI

LEXINGTON

The senior rattled off 316 kills while hitting .357 percent to help lead the Minutemen to the Div. 1 state quarterfinals. The 6-foot-5 force earned Middlesex League MVP honors, adding to All-Conference selections in each of the last two years. Luciani played volleyball in Italy in 2023 and 2024 at Modena and is headed to the University of Tampa next year.

FRANCIS MCGONAGLE

ST. JOHN’S SHREWSBURY

With 350 kills and 193 digs in his senior season, he earned Catholic Conference MVP honors and a second MAVCA All-State selection. He finished with 861 kills, 561 digs and 106 aces on his career – all program records. McGonagle is a member of the National Honor Society, plays basketball and competes in crew. He’s set to study environmental science at Carroll College.

DENNIS NESEN

AGAWAM

In Agawam’s second Div. 2 state title run in three years, Nesen dominated on the right side with 199 kills, 50 blocks, 145 digs and 18 aces. The senior All-Star is a member of the History National Honor Society and made honor roll all four years of high school. He’s headed to Western New England next year to major in accounting and minor in finance.

LIAM QUINN

CHELMSFORD

The senior had 375 kills while hitting above .400 percent. He also recorded 65 aces, 55 blocks and 150 digs to earn Merrimack Valley Conference Player of the Year honors, as well as a MAVCA All-State selection. Quinn holds program records in career kills, single-season kills and single-season aces, and is a member of the National Honor Society. He’s set to play at Merrimack College next year while studying biology.

LIAM RAYBOULD

BROOKLINE

At 6-foot-5, Raybould challenged opponents all year at the net to help lead the Warriors to their first Div. 1 state title since 1992. He notched 115 kills and 72 blocks as a junior, pushing his program-best mark in blocks to 126 on his career. Raybould plays club for Smash Volleyball.

NICK ROSA

NEW BEDFORD

Rosa had 314 kills as a senior to earn Patriot League MVP honors. His 660 career kills are the second-most in program history, also earning All-Star honors in the Big Three last year. Rosa also played basketball and is headed to Bristol Community College for business.

NATHANIEL ROSS

NEEDHAM

Ross amassed over 500 assists in helping to guide a mostly new rotation in Needham to its fifth straight Div. 1 state final appearance. The three-year varsity player earned Bay State Conference and MAVCA All-Star honors in the process. Ross is a state champion and a member of the National Honor Society. He’s headed to the University of Michigan next year.

TUTO SAMPAIO

WINCHESTER

The 6-foot-2 senior stepped up for Winchester as the top hitting option, erupting for 337 kills, 245 digs and 44 blocks this year. Sampaio earned Middlesex League All-Conference honors and was named team MVP. He was honored by the English department in the classroom for outstanding performance. Sampaio heads to UMass-Dartmouth next year for mechanical engineering.

ALEC SMAGULA

BROOKLINE

An incredible run to the program’s first Div. 1 state title since 1992 wouldn’t have been possible without the three-year starter. The junior setter notched 669 assists, over 160 digs, over 45 kills and over 40 blocks to earn a second All-Scholastic selection and a third Bay State Conference nod. Smagula now has 1,954 assists on his career and is an MIAA student ambassador.

JUSTIN TEJEDA

GREATER LOWELL

Tejeda exits the program with a major mark, notching a record 355 kills in his senior season along with 194 digs and 41 blocks. The 6-foot-3 outside hitter earned a second Commonwealth Athletic Conference MVP selection and was an All-Star for a third time. His 776 career kills is also a program record, complemented by 113 blocks. He’s an honor roll student and heads to Lemoyne-Owen College to play volleyball and study business.

KRISTAPS VAIVARS

BROOKLINE

Vaivars made a strong case as the state’s top player, starring in every major moment to notch 324 kills and anchor Brookline’s first state title since 1992. His 882 kills set a program record, continuously posting big numbers in his senior season with a .346 hitting efficiency. Vaivars is an honor roll student and heads to Bocconi University to study finance.

SIMON VARDEH

NEWTON NORTH

Vardeh’s absence was felt when he missed some time from injury, but showed in the tournament what made him one the state’s most elite outside hitters over the last few years. He still notched 300 kills despite missing time, including a career-high 37 in the state quarterfinals. He finished his career with 820 career kills. Vardeh also plays for the Smash Volleyball 18-1 team, and heads to Harvard after taking a gap year.

LEAGUE ALL-STARS

BAY STATE CONFERENCE

Justin Liu, Deon Li (Braintree); Kristaps Vaivars, Alec Smagula, Liam Raybound, Conor Christopher (Brookline); Branch Barnes, Cody Gibendi, Luke Dratch (Natick); Andrew Kurdziel, Nathan Ross, Ben Vu (Needham); Simon Vardeh, Brady Dwyer (Newton North); Ben Zimmer (Wellesley); Mikey Faiella (Weymouth)

HERGET MVP: Justin Liu, Deon Li

CAREY MVP: Kristaps Vaivars, Branch Barnes

BIG PATRIOT LEAGUE

Santiago Duquette, Ryan Haralstad (Brockton); Braeden Bartley (Durfee); Matthew Cummings (Hingham); Nick Rosa, Amir Salih Tavares, Davon Centeio, Abner Cun (New Bedford); Eugene Foong, Ryan Thong (North Quincy); Jake Basan, Nick Mangino (Quincy); Caleb Foley (Scituate); Zach Corr (Silver Lake)

MVP: Nick Rosa

BOSTON CITY LEAGUE

Gabriel Ugoji, James Urbaez, Tri Duong (Latin Academy); Ivan Tran (Madison Park); Max Dong, Otavio Perk (O’Bryant)

MVP: Tri Duong

COMMONWEALTH ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

UPPER: Justin Tejeda, Daymeon Chea. Luis Carrasquillo, George Robles (Greater Lowell); Anthony Rubim, Joel De La Rosa, Janiel Vizcaino, Jelisson Peguero (Greater Lawrence); Matteo Wright, Luke Dennis, Aren Lyttle (Lowell Catholic); Felipe Oliveira, Grant Brierly, Muhammed McClure (Salem)

LOWER: Didlaire Jacques, Elmer Duran, Bryan Robles, Jacob DeLeon (Lynn Tech); Morni Kong, Ansh Patel, Jackson Sims, Dev Patel (Innovation); Xavier Pena, Anjel Mendez, Cristopher Pena (KIPP); Jizea Vargas, Nathean Gutierrez, Miguel Robles (Whittier); Felipe Cangirana, Elijah Oxender, Hermes Prak (Nashoba Tech)

MVP: Justin Tejeda, Didlaire Jacques

DUAL COUNTY LEAGUE

ALL-CONFERENCE: Finn Bell, Dylan Engelhardt (Wayland); Eric Su, Brennan Loud (Cambridge); Nicolas Tse (Boston Latin); Levin Brenner (Newton South);
Parth Pawar, Obi Umeh (Acton-Boxboro)

ALL-LEAGUE: Zach O’Donnell, Liam Frenzel, Cooper Szeremeta, Mason Lee (Wayland); Nate O’Connell, Oscar Goodeker, Eric Ohanyan (Cambridge); Caleb Handel, Matan Worcel (Acton-Boxboro); Ashish Uhlmann, Yonatan Rotem (Newton South); Johan Pineda, Cory Tse (Boston Latin); Avery Remley (Lincoln-Sudbury); Rithvik Senthiraja (Westford Academy); Baylor Mandell, Winston Lin (Waltham/Weston)
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Finn Bell

GREATER BOSTON LEAGUE

Edward Mei, Kenton Nguyen, Israel DeSouza, Nick Li, Lynkohnn Silva (Malden); Ismael Alagic (Chelsea); Henrique Franca, Christian Ramirez (Everett); Viet Tran, Kenzel Lantano (Lynn Classical); Ahmed Abdelrahman (Lynn English); Leo Fixon, Will Travers (Medford); Kawan Dias, Larry Claudio, Juan Perez (Revere); Adam Hill, Ozzy Marks (Somerville)

MVP: Edward Mei

HOCKOMOCK LEAGUE

Ricardo DeJesus Yusti (Attleboro); Nolan Franz, Jett Tucker (King Philip); Gustavo DaSilva, Diego Inacio-Santos, Mayck Moreira (Milford); Travis Johnson, Daniel Freitas, Dantae Bauer, Ike Aseigbunum (Taunton)

MVP: Daniel Freitas

MCSAO

NORTH: Matteo Rosa, Miguel Silva, Patrick Dang, Kelvin Souza (PCSS I); Christian Quezada, Joshua Cayco, Gabe Navarro (Salem Academy); Jero Salazar, Michael Odowardi, Joseph Marquez (Excel); Guilherme Moleiro Oliveira, Andrew Baybay, Milan Montiel (PCSS II); Eden Cherisme, Dev Patel (CCSL); Mason Oliver (PHA)

SOUTH: Jaiden Okonkwo, Santos Najarro, Michael Grant, Ailijah Carty-Tonge (APR); Haziel Abreu Mercado, Jeriel Abreu Mercado, Ayden Lima (Argosy); Kyle Antoine (South Shore); Jaedyn Phillips (Brooke); Ben Millien (Foxboro); Bryan Aleman (Codman)

MERRIMACK VALLEY CONFERENCE

Teddy Addesa (Andover); Liam Quinn, Ridty Tauch, Ryan Heng (Chelmsford); Logan Phousengthong, Jacob Louk (Dracut); Aundre Rivera, Vitou Seng, Ian Mao, Logan Uy, Gianni Rodriguez (Lowell); Victor Torres (Lawrence); Lucas Giard, Andrew Cox , Shawn LaDuke (Methuen); Prady Mistry (North Andover)

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Liam Quinn, Victor Torres

MIDDLESEX LEAGUE

ALL-CONFERENCE: Alessandro Luciani, Nadav Vachtal, Nicolas Sanchez de Rojas (Lexington); Arthur Sampaio (Winchester); Ian Lewis (Arlington); Marcio Castro (Woburn)

MVP: Alessandro Luciani

TRI-VALLEY LEAGUE

Haden Houatchantara, Logan DeMarzo, Dolan Conforti (Nipmuc); Hesrick Richards, Jack Davidson (Bellingham); Andrew Strojny, Anthony D’Amore (Norton); Nate Koterba, Treydon Shu (Medfield); Sebastian Eugene, Xavier Walkins (Norwood); Liam Grady, Alex Piccioli (Hopkinton); Jacob Liu (Westwood); Leeland Judkins, Henry Keegan ( Millis)

MVP: Haden Houatchantara

MISSOULA — Former University of Montana football standout Jordan Tripp is returning to Grizzly football this fall.

Tripp will serve as part of Scripps Sports’ on-air broadcast team for games featuring the Griz this season, the company announced Wednesday. Joining Tripp in the booth will be play-by-play announcer Trey Bender. Kyle Hansen, a sports anchor and reporter for KPAX in Missoula, will continue his role as the sideline reporter.

The broadcast team for Scripps Sports’ Montana State games remains unchanged: Ben Creighton will handle play-by-play duties with Ty Gregorak serving as the analyst in the booth and Grace Lawrence as the sideline reporter.

Bender has called both college and professional sports for more than two decades, primarily on the ESPN platform but also for the Pac-12 Networks and FOX Sports. Bender has called NCAA events in football, basketball, baseball, softball, water polo, soccer, swimming, diving and beach volleyball. His past work also includes the NBA Summer League, WNBA contests and Arena Football.

WATCH THE VIDEO TO HEAR FROM JORDAN TRIPP:

Former Grizzly Jordan Tripp, experienced play-by-play broadcaster Trey Bender to call Big Sky Conference football games

Tripp, a Missoula native who played for the Grizzlies from 2009 through 2013, will be making his broadcasting debut. The former linebacker wore the legacy No. 37 for Montana and holds the program record for career fumble recoveries with 10. Tripp’s 10 forced fumbles are second-most in Griz history, and his 335 career tackles rank seventh in program history. He twice earned all-Big Sky recognition and was a first-team FCS All-American in 2013.

Following his UM career, Tripp was selected in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. He also played for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons during a four-year pro career, appearing in 40 games and recording 23 total tackles.

“I’m really looking forward to the new opportunity,” Tripp said. “It’s kind of fun to be on a different side of it. Have yet to get my feet wet, [but] I’m excited for the challenge, it’s going to be just that. Really excited to be connected, though, back with the Big Sky Conference and Montana football — some old faces, some new faces. It’s going to be really exciting. I think that from a week-to-week basis, it’s going to be fun to kind of dive in and get into the groove of things. I’m really excited.”

Creighton, Gregorak and Lawrence are back for the second consecutive season as a team calling Montana State games. Creighton, who currently serves as a play-by-play broadcaster for Pac-12 Networks and ESPN+, and Gregorak, the former Montana and Montana State defensive coordinator, are entering their fourth season as a booth tandem.

Creighton has called a variety of sports, including men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, softball and many others since 2020. Previously, he also served as the TV play-by-play voice of the University of Arkansas-Little Rock men’s basketball program between 2018-20 and called high school football state championship games in 2017 and 2018.

Gregorak, who coached at Montana from 2003-09 and 2011-15 and Montana State from 2016-18, has also filled in as a TV analyst on ROOT Sports. Lawrence is a sports reporter for KBZK in Bozeman.

The Big Sky Conference and Scripps Sports announced a five-year renewal of their partnership earlier this year, extending their relationship through at least the 2029-30 academic year. In addition to statewide coverage in Montana, Scripps Sports currently airs Big Sky games throughout the league’s footprint, with markets in Idaho, Arizona, California, Colorado and Utah.

This fall, Scripps Sports will televise 13 Big Sky Conference football games and six non-conference games featuring the University of Montana (10 games) and Montana State (10 games). The season will once again culminate with the Brawl of the Wild, which drew nearly 130,000 viewers across Scripps stations last year.

“We’re thrilled to kick off our extended Big Sky Conference partnership with a robust and talented on-air team at every level,” said Quinn Pacini, vice president of broadcast operations, Scripps Sports. “We’re looking forward to the fall and continuing to bring top-notch coverage of these games to Grizzlies and Bobcats fans.”

Additional details about this fall’s Big Sky Conference broadcast coverage will be announced at a later date. The Scripps Sports broadcast schedules for both Montana and Montana State are below.

Scripps Sports

Scripps Sports