Chuck Ristano / Baseball

Third Year at Navy as head coach

Complete Bio

• Hired in June 2023, becoming just the sixth head coach of Navy Baseball in the last 85 years.

• Oversaw 28- and 26-win campaigns in his first two seasons, finishing second in the Patriot League both seasons, and led the 2024 Navy squad to the program’s first appearance in the Patriot League Championship Series since 2019.

• Spent 12 seasons as a pitching coach at Notre Dame, helping guide the Fighting Irish to three NCAA Tournaments and the 2022 College World Series, before heading to Florida State for the 2023 season.

• During his 19-year rise as an assistant through the Division I level, found and developed nine conference award winners, 27 All-Americans and 51 all-conference selections.

• Served as a pitching coach and manager for the 2019 and 2022 USA Baseball 16U/17U National Team Development Program, and was the pitcher for former Baltimore Oriole and Notre Dame star Trey Mancini in the 2021 MLB Home Run Derby.

Jon Perry

• Was named the head coach of the Mids on April 2, 2025.

• Has been a member of the Navy coaching staff for 12 years, including as the associate head coach for the last two seasons.

• Navy advanced to the championship game of the Patriot League Tournament in 2022 and ‘25.

• Was part of coaching staffs that went to the two NCAA Tournaments (East Tennessee State) and won the NIT (Penn State).

 

Jon Perry / Basketball – Men 

First Year at Navy as head coach  

jperry@usna.edu

410-293-2627

Complete Bio

• Was named the head coach of the Mids on April 2, 2025.

• Has been a member of the Navy coaching staff for 12 years, including as the associate head coach for the last two seasons.

• Navy advanced to the championship game of the Patriot League Tournament in 2022 and ’25.

• Was part of coaching staffs that went to the two NCAA Tournaments (East Tennessee State) and won the NIT (Penn State).

 

Tim Taylor / Basketball – Women

Sixth year at Navy as head coach

taylort@usna.edu

410-293-5577

Complete Bio

• During his first five seasons, Navy players have earned 10 All-Patriot League Team honors (five All-PL and five All-Rookie), highlighted by Jennifer Coleman garnering the 2021-22 Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year, Zanai Barnett-Gay being named the 2023-24 Patriot League Rookie of the Year and 2024-25 Defensive Player of the Year, and Julianna Almeida claiming the 2024-25 Rookie of the Year accolade.

• Coleman was selected as a 2021-22 Honorable Mention Division I AP All-American; the first in program history. She was later invited to WNBA Training Camp with the Washington Mystics.

• Navy had a pair of Patriot All-Rookie Team honorees in back-to-back years 2024 and 2025. The last time two Mids were on the team was 2001.

• Navy’s 2023-24 team had the fifth-best single-season turnaround for DI teams that year with a 13-win increase from the previous campaign. The 2024-25 team improved by five more wins; only TCU (+26), Buffalo (+18) and Navy (+18) increased their win totals by 18 or more wins from ’22-23 to ’24-25.

• Had 12 years of NCAA Division I experience as an associate and assistant coach with the majority in the ACC at Virginia and North Carolina. Went to the postseason in nine of his 11 years at Furman and Virginia; seven times to the NCAA and twice to the WNIT.

Aaron Lanzel / Cross Country – Men

Eighth year at Navy as head coach

lanzel@usna.edu

410-293-5574

Complete Bio

• Announced as the head coach of the Navy men’s cross country team in August of 2018; also a member of the track & field staff in charge of distance runners.

• Guided Kevin Murray (2018), Jake Brophy (2019), and Murphy Smith (2023, 2024) to individual Patriot League championship titles.

• Led Navy to Patriot League championships in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024, being named Patriot League Coach of the Year each season.

• Class of 2003 Naval Academy Athletic Association Sword winner; competed at the 2004 Olympic Trials for the United States in the 1,500m run.

• The captain of the 2002 cross country team and 2003 outdoor track and field teams, Lanzel competed 11 times versus Army in Star Meets and came away with a 9-2 record as an undergrad (1999-03).

Kim Lewnes / Cross Country – Women

Seventh year at Navy as head coach

lewnes@usna.edu

410-293-5579

Complete Bio

• Hired as the head coach of the Navy women’s cross country team in June of 2019 after two years on staff as an assistant.

• Led the Mids to their first Patriot League Championship since 2012 at the 2021 meet and followed that up by winning the 2022 Patriot League Championship, being named Patriot League Coach of the Year both seasons.

• Guided Emily Boutin to an individual Patriot League championship title in 2022.

• Prior coaching experiences included five seasons at Johns Hopkins (2012-16) and one at Cornell (2011). While with the Blue Jays, Lewnes helped guide the team to four NCAA DIII Championships and five Mideast Regional Championships.

• As a collegiate athlete at Cornell, she served as track & field team captain and prospered as a middle-distance runner. Garnered All-America honors at the 2010 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

Brian Newberry / Football

Third year at Navy as head coach

lwebb@usna.edu

410-293-2241

Complete Bio

• Brian Newberry is in his seventh year at the Naval Academy and his third as the head coach.

• In his second year as the head coach at Navy, Newberry led the Mids to a 10-3 record, wins over Air Force and Army to win the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy and a victory over Oklahoma to win the Armed Forces Bowl.

• The 10 wins marked just the sixth time in school history that Navy won 10 or more games in a season.

• The win over Oklahoma in the Armed Forces Bowl was the first time that Navy defeated a team from the SEC in a bowl game since 1954 (1955 Sugar Bowl)

• Navy won the 2 Service Academy games in 2024 by a combined 45 points, which ties the 2019 Navy team for the biggest combined CIC blowouts by any of the 3 Service Academies since 2007 when Navy beat Air Force and Army by a combined 46 points.

• Navy’s win over Army gave Navy victories over 2 ranked opponents for the 1st time since 1958, when the Mids defeated #8 / #7 Rice 20-7 and #14 / #12 Michigan 20-14. Navy defeated #24 (Coaches) Memphis 56-44 on Sept. 21, 2024.

Jimmy Stobs / Golf – Men

Fourth year at Navy as head coach

stobs@usna.edu

410-293-8734

Complete Bio

• Introduced as head coach in August of 2022 after leading Barry University to three NCAA Division II National Championships (2007, ’12, ’14.) and 19 NCAA Tournament appearances in 20 years.

• Has coached four All-Patriot League Players (Keegan Shreves, Jack Tarzy, Benjamin Valdez, Chip Deegan) at Navy, while Deegan was named the Patriot League Rookie of the Year in 2023.

• Chip Deegan was named to the 2025 PING All-Northeast Region Team, the Mids’ first all-region selection since 2010.

• Named the Division II National Coach of the Year by the Golf Coaches Association of America in 2007 and 2013.

• Mentored three Barry U. players who were named the Jack Nicklaus DII National Player of the Year // Adam Svensson (2014), Jorge Garcia (2019), AJ Eward (2022).

• Inducted into the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame in 2015.            

Kylee Baker / Golf – Women

Third year at Navy as head coach

ksulliva@usna.edu

410-293-9754

Complete Bio

• Led Navy to back-to-back Patriot League Championships in her first two seasons as head coach, earning Patriot League Coach of the Year honors in 2024 and 2025 while overseeing eight All-Patriot League honorees.

• Guided Stephanie Lee to becoming the program’s first Patriot League individual medalist in 2024 and saw Emma Tang repeat the feat in 2025; Tang was also named the 2025 Patriot League Golfer of the Year while Megan Kirkpatrick was selected the league’s Rookie of the Year, becoming the first golfers in program history to win their respective awards.

• Helped develop four All-Patriot League selections and nine Patriot League Golfers of the Week in two seasons as an assistant coach.

• Previously, was a men’s and women’s assistant coach at Division II Ferris State for two seasons, serving as the interim head coach during the spring of 2021.

• Four-year letter-winner at Oakland University, claiming All-Horizon League honors as a senior and twice earning Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) All-American Scholar Team selection.

Kip Simons / Gymnastics

11th year at Navy as head coach

simons@usna.edu

410-293-5552

Complete Bio

• Completed his 10th year at Navy in 2025 and has led the program to NCAA Championship appearances in all nine seasons that the competition was held.

• Navy won a share of the ECAC Championship title and automatic bid to the NCAA Championship with a 423.4-point output in April of 2016. The ECAC title was the first for Navy since 1989 and the NCAA appearance was the first since 2009. The team would later capture the outright ECAC title in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.

• Guided Syam Buradagunta (‘24) and Isaiah Drake (‘25) to NCAA Championship All-American honors at the 2023 NCAA meet. The honors were the first for the program since 1973. Drake repeated All-American status in 2025.

• Garnered CGA East Regional Coach of the Year honors in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022, as well as ECAC Coach of the Year honors in 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023 and 2025, and the USAG Varsity Coach of the Year nod in 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2025.

• Competed with the United States Senior National team for four years and earned a spot on the 1996 Olympic team that competed in Atlanta. Winner of the Nissen-Emery Award, as the nation’s top senior collegiate gymnast in 1994.

Joe Amplo / Lacrosse – Men

Seventh year at Navy as head coach

410-293-8779

Complete Bio

• Introduced as the program’s ninth head coach in its 100-plus year history on June 5, 2019.

• Under his tutelage, Jackson Bonitz became just the second Navy player to garner All-Patriot League honors four times (2021-22-23-24). He is just the 35th player to be named a USILA All-American three times (2022-23-24) and was the recipient of the 2024 NAAA Sword for Men.

• Amplo served as an assistant coach for the U.S. National Team that won the gold medal at the 2018 and ‘23 World Championships.

• He arrived in Annapolis after a seven-year stint at Marquette where he built the program from ground up and directed the Golden Eagles to a pair of BIG EAST Tournament titles and NCAA Tournament appearances in 2016 and 2017.

• Amplo was the 2016 recipient of the USILA Howdy Myers Man of the Year Award, presented in honor of one of the sport’s most outstanding coaches. The award is presented annually to an individual who has contributed to the game of lacrosse in a capacity over and above the normal efforts and in so doing, has shown unselfish and untiring devotion to the game

Cindy Timchal / Lacrosse – Women

19th year at Navy as head coach

timchal@usna.edu

410-293-8746

Complete Bio

• Has led Navy to seven Patriot League titles and eight NCAA Tournament appearances in the program’s 18 seasons.

• Led the Mids to the 2017 NCAA Final Four, becoming the first Service Academy team from any women’s sport to advance to the NCAA Semifinals.

• In 2018, became the first college lacrosse coach to win 500 career games and is the sport’s all-time Division I wins leader (578-161).

• Led Maryland to eight NCAA titles, including seven in a row from 1995-01.

• Was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2012 and the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) inaugural Hall of Fame in 2017.

Mike Anti / Rifle

Ninth year at Navy as head coach

anti@usna.edu

410-293-4339

Complete Bio

• Was named head coach in May of 2017 after eight years as an assistant coach at the Air Force Academy.

• Has over 30 years of experience with shooting, competing and coaching rifle.

• Began his career in high-level competition rifle in 1981 as a member of the United States’ junior team before moving into the collegiate ranks at West Virginia University. An eight-time All-American in both smallbore and air rifle from 1984 through 1987, Anti won the 1986 NCAA Smallbore Championship.

• A four-time Olympic competitor, Anti suited up for the U.S. at the 1992, 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympics Summer Games.

• Anti has guided Navy to four NCAA National Championship appearances: 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2024.

Matt Fluhr / Rowing – Heavyweight

First year at Navy as head coach

fluhr@usna.edu

410-293-3636

Complete Bio

• Elevated to head coach in June of 2025 after serving as the associate head coach during the 2024-25 season.

• Previously was on staff at Yale under Steve Gladstone during the 2023 and 2024 seasons and Rob Friedrich at Navy from 2020 through 2022.

• Collegiately competed at Navy and rowed with the Mids’ first varsity eight for his final three seasons; served as team captain in 2012.

• Raced with the U.S. Junior National Team at the 2007 Junior World Rowing Championship in Beijing, China.

• Commissioned as a Surface Warfare Officer and served in the United States Navy for six years.

Shawn Bagnall / Rowing – Lightweight

13th year at Navy as head coach

bagnall@usna.edu

410-293-2418

Complete Bio

• Led Navy to the team title at the 2021 IRA National Championship with a clean sweep of the V8, 2V8 and V4- competitions. The team title was the first for Navy since 2004.

• In each of his first six seasons (2014-2019), he guided the program to an IRA National Championship bid with multiple boats racing at the regatta. Prior to the 2014 IRAs, Navy hadn’t had multiple boats entered since 2011. Navy’s 2020 bid was curtailed due the cancellation of its season.

• The Mids’ varsity four with a coxswain boat won an individual IRA National Championship title in 2017. The gold medal performance was the first for Navy Lightweight Crew since 2012. Under Bagnall, Navy has earned first-place event results at five straight championships: 2017 (V4+), 2018 (V4-), 2019 (V4+ and V4-), 2021 (V8, 2V8 and V4-) and 2022 (2V8 and V4+).

• Navy finished in a tie for first at the 2022 IRA National Championship (lost the V8 tie-breaker to Columbia) after tying for first at the Eastern Sprints with Yale and Columbia. Yale earned the Sprints title with the V8 tie-breaker.

• Bagnall has significant experience and success on the international level, as he most recently helped the women’s 8+ boat to consecutive gold medals at the 2012 and `13 U-23 World Championships.

Joe Schlosberg / Rowing – Women

11th year at Navy as head coach

schlosbe@usna.edu

410-293-2419

Complete Bio

• Completed his 10th year at Navy in 2025. During his first four years, he took the Midshipmen to four straight NCAA Championships. After the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 season, he led the Mids back to the NCAAs in 2021 and later in 2023.

• Led Navy to its ninth Patriot League title in program history in 2023 with a come-from-behind effort from the team and its first varsity eight crew.

• Named the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association Region II Coach/Staff of the Year in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2023.

• At the 2018 NCAA Championship, the Mids finished a program-best 17th overall. Navy matched that 17th-place result in 2019 when all three of its boats qualified for C-Finals. All three boats mirrored that C-Finals accomplishment in 2021.

• Started at Navy in August of 2015 after 14 years on staff at Notre Dame, including the last seven as the program’s associate head coach. The Irish won 10 straight BIG EAST Conference titles from 2004-13 and competed in six NCAA Championships during Schlosberg’s time in South Bend.

Gavin Hickie / Rugby – Men

Ninth year at Navy as head coach

hickie@usna.edu

410-293-9710

Complete Bio

• Enters his fourth season with rugby as a varsity sport.

• Led Navy to its first Division I-A National Championship and finished the year with an 18-0 record in its first varsity season.

• Has guided the Mids to an 50-4 record as a varsity program after posting a 40-13 record in five seasons as a club team

• Has coached two Rudy Scholz Award winners (Connor McNerney – 2016; Lewis Gray – 2023)

• Has guided Navy to three-consecutive Rugby East titles (2022, ’23, ‘24) with a combined league record of 22-1.

Murph McCarthy / Rugby – Women

Eighth year at Navy as head coach

jmccart@usna.edu

410-293-9710

Complete Bio

• Enters his fourth season with rugby as a varsity sport.

• Has led the Mids to a third-place (2024), fourth-place (2023) and seventh-place (2025) finish at the 7s Collegiate Championship through three varsity seasons.

• Guided Navy to its winningest 7s season in program history with 12 victories.

• Became the head coach before the start of the 2019 spring season after he served as an assistant coach for the Navy men’s program from 2011-19.

• Has coached two Rhodes Scholarship recipients (Sarah Skinner, AJ Ward) and a Marshall Scholarship recipient (Charlotte d’Halluin).

Ian Burman / Sailing – Intercollegiate

18th year at Navy as head coach

burman@usna.edu

410-293-5617

Complete Bio

• Navy has qualified for all three ICSA Spring National Championships in 11 of the last 13 seasons under Burman.

• Guided Navy to the 2021 Coed National Championship for the first title in the event since 1995, and oversaw a runner-up finish in the 2025 final.

• Led Navy to the 2021 Team Race National Championship, which was its first title in the event since 1992.

• The Navy women’s intercollegiate sailing team placed third at the 2014 National Championship, its highest finish in more than 10 years.

• Navy has received 60 All-America recognitions during his 15 years as head coach, along with coaching the 2021 Everett B. Morris College Sailor of the Year and 2022 NAAA Sword for Men Award winner JC Hermus.

Ken Luczynski / Sailing – Offshore

First year at Navy as head coach

luczynsk@usna.edu

Phone TBA

Complete Bio

• Named the head coach in February 2025.

• Has served as the head coach at the Merchant Marine Academy for the last 11 seasons.

• Had four top-four finishes at the last four Kennedy Cups, including a victory in 2023.

• The fall 2024 campaign saw the Mariners take second place and finish as the top service academy at the Shields Trophy.

Tim O’Donohue / Soccer – Men

10th year at Navy as head coach

odonohue@usna.edu

410-293-3153

Complete Bio

• Led Navy to its second Patriot League Championship in 2023, earning the program’s 12th NCAA Tournament appearance, and has guided the Mids to three-straight league tournament berths (2021-23).

• Coached 34 All-Patriot League selections over the past six seasons, including three-time Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year (2019-21) Matt Nocita, two-time Patriot League Midfielder of the Year (2022-23) David Jackson and 2021 Offensive Player of the Year Jacob Williams.

• Has an overall record of 222-87-51 for a .688 career winning percentage in 19 seasons as a college head coach.

• Had an overall record of 165-21-23 at Stevens during his tenure from 2001-10 and his winning percentage of .844 was the highest in NCAA Division III history when he left Stevens to serve as the associate head coach at UConn.

• Helped UConn advance to three straight NCAA Tournament Quarterfinal appearances (2011-13).

Carin Gabarra / Soccer – Women

33rd year at Navy as head coach

gabarra@usna.edu

410-293-5562

Complete Bio

• Is the only head coach in the program’s history.

• Has led Navy to five Patriot League Tournament titles and five NCAA Tournaments, including back-to-back trips in 2019 and April of 2021.

• With a career record of 394-199-66, ranks among the top-10 active NCAA Division I coaches for career victories and has led Navy to winning campaigns in 26 of 32 seasons. All-time, she ranks 23rd in career wins.

• All-time leader in wins as a Patriot League coach (394). Five-time Patriot League Coach of the Year.

• One of the best players in the history of women’s soccer, is both a World Cup and Olympic champion. Additionally, is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame and the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame.

Captain Carter Reading, USMC / Sprint Football

Second year at Navy as head coach

creading@usna.edu

410-293-5559

Complete Bio

• Named the 33rd head coach in Navy sprint football history in the spring of 2024.

• Member of the Navy Sprint Football team from 2012-15, helping the Midshipmen to a 24-4 mark as a student-athlete, including winning the CSFL Championship in 2014.

• Graduated from the Naval Academy in 2016, commissioning in Marine Corps.

• Served as a coaching TAD (Temporary Assignment Duty) for the 2016 season.

• Earned a pair of Star victories, once as a player and another as a coach.

Tyler Osborne / Squash 

Eighth year at Navy as head coach

tosborne@usna.edu

410-293-2240

Complete Bio

• Introduced as the program’s seventh coach in its 70-plus year history in July of 2018.

• Guided the Mids to a 17-11 record in 2024-25, the program’s best record in the Osborne era, while qualifying for the Hoehn Cup (teams ranked 13th-20th) for the first time under Osborne.

• Under his direction, Navy has won three Intercollegiate National Doubles Championships – Senen Ubina (‘19) and Michael Kacergis (‘20) paired up to win the 2018 title, Kacergis teamed up with Jack Lentz (’21) to win the 2019 championship, while Alexander Orr (’26) and Ramsay Killinger (’27) combined to take the 2025 crown.

• The Navy squash team earned the Academic Dean’s Excellence Award for the 2024-25 academic year, marking just the second time (2010-11) and first under Osborne the squash team has won the coveted award.

• Jack Lentz (’21) became the second player in program history and first under Osborne’s watch to be selected as the recipient of College Squash Association’s prestigious Skillman Award. The Skillman Award is the top honor bestowed each year to a senior men’s squash student-athlete who has displayed exemplary sportsmanship and skill throughout his career.

• Served on the coaching staff for Team Canada at the 2023 WSF World Junior Championships in Melbourne, Australia. He also led Team Canada at the 2024 World Squash Federation World Team Championships in Hong Kong.

Bill Roberts / Swimming & Diving – Men

23rd year at Navy as head coach

robertsw@usna.edu

410-293-3012

Complete Bio

• Has guided Navy to the Patriot League title in 20 of his 21 seasons in which the meet was contested.

• The Mids have amassed 236 swimming event titles at the league championship during this time.

• His swimmers have earned All-America honors in five seasons, including Tom Duvall who placed seventh in the 500 free at the 2014 NCAA Championship, and at least one swimmer has advanced to eight NCAA Championship meets.

• The 11-time Patriot League Coach of the Year also has led Navy to a 220-73 record as head coach, including an 80-3 record in dual meets against league foes.

• Navy also has won 15 ECAC team titles over the last 16 seasons in which the meet was held and Roberts has garnered ECAC Coach-of-the-Year honors 14 times.

John Morrison / Swimming & Diving – Women

22nd year at Navy as head coach

morrison@usna.edu

410-293-3081

Complete Bio

• Navy has won each of the last 13 Patriot League titles, as well as 14 crowns in the last 15 years and 15 championships (plus three second-place showings) in the last 18 years in which the meet has been held.

• His swimmers have won 189 league event titles during his time on The Yard.

• At least one Navy swimmer has advanced to the NCAA Championship 10 times since 2008.  This includes 2019, when Lauren Barber became the first swimmer in Navy Division I and Patriot League history to earn Honorable Mention All-American honors, and 2021, when Sydney Harrington earned the same accolade.

• The 11-time Patriot League Coach of the Year has guided the Mids to a regular season record of 182-53, including an 83-3 record in dual meets against league foes.

• Navy also has won eight ECAC titles and he himself is an eight-time ECAC Coach of the Year.

Chris Garner / Tennis – Men

12th year at Navy as head coach

cgarner@usna.edu

410-293-8725

Complete Bio

• Has guided Navy to a combined 254-133 record in his 11 seasons on The Yard. This includes a combined (regular season and tournament) 82-9 record against league foes, a berth in the championship match of all 10 Patriot League Tournament which have been held, six league titles and NCAA Tournament appearances in 2015, ‘18, ‘19, ‘21, ‘22 and ‘23.

• A six-time Patriot League Coach of the Year, his players have been selected as the league player of the year six times, the rookie of the year in the league four times, the doubles team of the year seven times and the league scholar-athlete of the year for the sport eight times.

• Spent his prior seven years as the head coach at Amherst, during which time he led the Lord Jeffs to NCAA (DIII) Championships in 2011 and 2014 and to the title match in 2009 and 2010. Amherst also placed third at the 2013 championship and reached the quarterfinal round at the 2012 edition of the event.  Individually, his players won the 2012 NCAA doubles title and the 2014 NCAA singles crown.

• His Amherst teams posted an overall seven-year record of 199-43 (82.2%), including a 134-16 record (89.3%) over his last four years.

• A standout player in his own right, he earned All-America honors at Georgia before embarking on a professional career that saw him attain an ATP ranking of No. 120 and reach the Round of 16 of the 1993 Australian Open.

Keith Puryear / Tennis – Women

18th year at Navy as head coach

puryear@usna.edu

410-293-8709

Complete Bio

• Led the 2024 Navy team to the first Patriot League Championship in program history, earning the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance and overseeing Samantha Johns and Sia Chaudry become the first pairing in program history to be named Patriot League Doubles Team of the Year.

• Guided Emily Tannenbaum to her second Patriot League Player-of-the-Year honor in 2025 while helping Tannenbaum and Olivia Fermo capture 2025 Patriot League Doubles Team of the Year.

• Navy has made eight appearances in the Patriot League Championship match and has had six Patriot League major award winners since the program’s first varsity season in 2009-10.

• The only head coach in the history of the program, he owns a 315-113 record during his time at Navy and holds an overall college tennis coaching record of 758-416.

• Voted the 2011 and 2024 Patriot League Coach of the Year, the 13th and 14th times in his career he has won conference coach-of-the-year honors.

Jamie Cook / Track & Field

Ninth year at Navy as head coach

jcook@usna.edu

410-293-5568

Complete Bio

• Hired in 2017 as the Director of Navy Track and Field.

• Has been named Patriot League Coach of the Year 23 times in his first eight seasons. Also has been named the Mid-Atlantic Region Coach of the Year five times.

• Is 26-2 (.928) in Army-Navy Star Meets.

• Has claimed six IC4A Outdoor Championships and one ECAC Outdoor Championship (2021) during his tenure in Annapolis.

• Has directly worked with several athletes in the Olympic Trials and Olympic Games, including a pair of finalists in the 2016 Rio Olympics in Devon Allen (United States) and Johnathan Cabral (Canada), who finished fifth and sixth in the 110m hurdles, respectively. Allen and Cabral competed at Navy as individuals during the 2018 indoor track and field season.

Billy Edwards / Triathlon

18th year at Navy as head coach

wedwards@usna.edu

Phone number TBA

Complete Bio

• Enters his 18th season as the head coach of the Navy triathlon team and second as the women’s varsity coach.

• Guided the Mids to an 11th-place finish out of 14 teams at the 2024 NCAA National Championship

• Won two overall national championships (2009, ‘18), along with three men’s team championships (2015, ‘17, ‘18) and one women’s team championship (2011) at the club level.

• Over 100 Mids have garnered USA Triathlon All-America honors under his guidance. Additionally, five athletes have qualified for the Ironman World Championship and USNA Class of 2018 graduate Emma Mickelson earned top-overall military honors at the event.

• Graduated from the Naval Academy in 2000. Edwards was a member of the men’s cross country and track and field teams during his time as a Mid. He was commissioned as an infantry officer in the Marine Corps and served in the role until 2006.

Paco Labrador / Volleyball

Eighth year at Navy as head coach

labrador@usna.edu

410-293-8724

Complete Bio

• Navy has posted a 98-75 overall record under Labrador.  That includes a combined (regular season and tournament) 70-42 record against league opponents.

• Led Navy to a 23-9 overall record in 2018, his first on The Yard.  This included the Mids earning a share of the league’s regular season title with a 13-3 record, winning the first Patriot League Tournament title in program history and making an appearance in the NCAA Tournament for the first time on the Division I level.

• The Mids also reached the championship match of the 2022 league tournament and have made five semifinal appearances in his six fall campaigns.

• Compiled a 455-71 (86.5%) record in 15 seasons as the head coach at Wittenberg. This includes records of 162-2 in North Coast Athletic Conference regular season matches and 35-1 in the NCAC Tournament.

• The Tigers advanced to the NCAA (DIII) Tournament in all 15 of his seasons (41-14 record), winning the national title in 2011, reaching the championship match three times (2011, ‘15, ‘17) and playing in the national semifinals seven times.

Luis Nicolao / Water Polo

Eighth year at Navy as head coach

nicolao@usna.edu

410-293-3152

Complete Bio

• The former Navy water polo standout (‘92) and veteran coach returned to Annapolis after an impressive 20-year career as the head coach of the Princeton men’s and women’s water polo teams.

• As a student-athlete at Navy, was a three-time All-American and All-East selection for the Midshipmen, graduating as the school’s all-time leader in points (377) and goals scored (282). During the course of his career, Navy won two Eastern Championships and reached the NCAA Tournament on three occasions. In addition, served as the team captain as a senior during the 1991 season.

• In his first seven seasons, guided Navy to a 112-73 overall record, and 51-31 mark in the Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference.

• With a win against Concordia (Sept. 22, 2024), Nicolao recorded his 500th victory as a men’s head coach to become the eighth coach to reach that mark, joining Ted Newland, former Navy head coach Mike Schofield, Denny Harper, Jovan Vavic, Terry Schroeder, Dante Dettamanti, and Pete Cutino with 500 or more wins. One day later, the Mids picked up a pair of victories to give Nicolao his 100th win as the Navy head coach.

• Under Nicolao, Caden Capobianco (’24 in 2023) and Kiefer Black (’27 in 2024) were selected to the Peter J. Cutino Award Watch List, which recognizes the best player in men’s and women’s college water polo.

Cary Kolat / Wrestling

Sixth year at Navy as head coach

kolat@usna.edu

410-293-8961

Complete Bio

• Introduced as the program’s eighth head coach in its 100-plus year history on March 20, 2020.

• In his first season, directed Navy to a second-place finish at the EIWA Championship where seven wrestlers automatically qualified for the NCAA Championship and another two received an at-large berth.

• 2021 marked only the third time in program history that Navy has sent nine or more wrestlers to compete at the NCAA Championship and the first since 1969.

• Has coached three All-Americans (David Key, 184; Josh Koderhandt, 141; Danny Wask, 174) and three EIWA champions (Cody Trybus, 141; Grady Griess, 285; Josh Koderhandt, 141) during his tenure in Annapolis

 • One of the most decorated athletes in the sport of wrestling, he was a four-time All-American and two-time NCAA Champion (1996, ’97). He amassed a 111-7 collegiate record // Fr: 22-5 and So: 39-1 at Penn State // Jr: 25-1 and Sr: 25-0 at Lock Haven.  A three-time World Cup gold medalist, he represented the United States at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

            WEST PLAINS, Mo.– Officials at Missouri State University–West Plains (MSU-WP) today announced that longtime Grizzly Volleyball coach Paula Wiedemann will return from retirement to lead the team for the upcoming 2025 season.

Wiedemann retired in March 2023 after 26 years with the Grizzly Volleyball program, where she built a nationally respected legacy of excellence. She steps back into the head coaching role following the resignation of Toby Rens who took a NCAA DII men’s volleyball position. 

“We’re delighted Paula is coming back to Grizzly Volleyball,” said Rachel Peterson, director of Grizzly Athletics. “The student-athletes – both returning and new – are thrilled and excited to be spending this season with her at the helm.”

Throughout her distinguished career, Wiedemann amassed a combined record of 835-286 as both an assistant and head coach. Under her leadership, the Grizzlies were a consistent force on the national stage, including back-to-back third place finishes at the 2021 and 2022 NJCAA Division I National Tournament. 

In addition to her on-court success, Wiedemann helped develop 43 NJCAA All-Americans and 133 All-Region 16 players. Her commitment to academic excellence led to the recognition of 61 NJCAA Academic All-Americans and 18 NJCAA Academic Team Award winners during her tenure. Her achievements have earned her induction into both the NJCAA Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

“I appreciate the support from my family, university leadership, the campus community and others who reached out to me to consider returning for this season,” Wiedemann said. “After being around this team in the spring and being in the gym with them, I am committed to helping them get the most out of this season and excited about the chance to train and work with them this fall.”

Wiedemann will serve through the Fall 2025 season. A national search for the next head coach will begin at the conclusion of the season.

“We’re incredibly grateful to Paula for stepping back into this role at a critical time for our program,” said Zora Mulligan, Chancellor of MSU-WP. “Her leadership, legacy, and commitment to our student-athletes will ensure that Grizzly Volleyball continues to thrive in the year ahead.”

 

LOS ANGELES – The Big Ten Conference announced Monday that 1,984 students on varsity rosters have earned the Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Award. The list includes students from all 18 institutions who have recorded a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.7 or higher for the previous academic year.

The 2024-25 class of Distinguished Scholar Award Recipients includes 95 Bruins who maintained a 3.7 GPA or higher during the previous academic term.

Women’s Swimming and Diving led the way with 15 honorees, while women’s rowing had 12 student-athletes listed, and women’s beach volleyball rounded out the top three teams with 10 individuals on the list.

Big Ten Faculty Representatives established the Distinguished Scholar Award in 2008 to supplement the Academic All-Big Ten program. Distinguished Scholar Award recipients must have earned Academic All-Big Ten recognition in the previous academic year, must have been enrolled full time at the institution for the entire previous academic year (two semesters or three quarters) and earned a minimum GPA of 3.70 or better during the previous academic year, excluding any summer grades. The Academic All-Big Ten threshold is a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher for a student’s academic career.

Baseball (3)
Michael Barnett (Political Science), James Hepp (Education), AJ Salgado (Project Management)

Men’s Basketball (1)
Lazar Stefanovic (Sociology)

Women’s Basketball (1)
Kiki Rice (Communication)

Football (7)
Josh Carlin (Education), Jack Clarke (Undeclared), Devin Delgado (Education & Social Transformation), Devanti Dillard (Statistics), Hudson Habermehl (Legal Studies), Jack Pedersen (Political Science), Caleb Walker (Sociology)

Men’s Track & Field/Cross Country (3)
Patrick Curulla (Business Economics), Kris Emig (Education), Shawn Toney (Business Economics)

Women’s Track & Field/Cross Country (7) 
Audrey Allen (Communication), Carly Corsinita (Marketing), Sydney Johnson (Biology), Mia Kane (Psychobiology), Rose Pittman (Education), Annika Salz (Mathematics & Linguistics), Sonia Virk (Psychobiology)

Men’s Golf (2)
Luke Powell (Undeclared), Matthew Yamin (Political Science)

Women’s Gymnastics (6)
Madisyn Anyimi (Applied Mathematics), Chae Campbell (Education), Frida Esparza (Marketing), Brooklyn Moors (Project Management), Katelyn Rosen (Communication), Clara Wren (Education and Social Transformation)

Women’s Rowing (12) 
Danielle DeFrancisci (Statistics & Data Science), Andrea Djuric (Public Health), Sofia Kalafatis (Biochemistry), Rachel Katz (Human Biology & Society), Audrey Loeb (Anthropology), Sophia Manos       (Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology), Tzippy Moehringer (Spanish), Kamryn Monster (Political Science), Ella O’Neil (Cognitive Science), Anika Roche (Political Science & Gender Studies), Faye Turcotte (Cognitive Science), Charlotte Winn (Mechanical Engineering)

Men’s Soccer (2)
Jose Contell (Education), Pablo Greenlee (Education)

Women’s Soccer (6)
Sofia Cook (International Development Studies), Kirsten Crane (Psychology), Maya Evans (Education), Quincy McMahon (Cognitive Science), Jayden Perry (Sociology), Lilly Reale (Sociology)

Softball (2)
Seneca Curo (Education), Savannah Pola (Sociology)

Women’s Swimming and Diving (15)
Eva Carlson (Psychology), Joanie Cash (Education), Riley Dix (Psychobiology), Elena Dry (Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology), Laura Fisher (Chemistry), Morgan Hawes (Communication), Ana Jih-Schiff (Psychology), Ava Lachey (Communication), Kathryn Lundh (Psychology), Paige MacEachern (Psychology), Emma Matous (International Development Studies), Katy Pacher (Global Studies), Angela Quan (Computer Science), Maya Salvitti (English), Amy Zhang (Electrical Engineering)

Men’s Tennis (2)
Alexander Hoogmartens (Economics), Giacomo Revelli (Cognitive Science)

Women’s Tennis (2)
Ahmani Guichard (Communication), Mia Jovic (Business Economics)

Women’s Volleyball (5)
Brooklyn Briscoe (Communication), Anna Dodson (Education), Peyton Dueck (Sociology), Kat Lutz (Psychology), Katie McCarthy (Economics & Political Science)

Men’s Volleyball (2)
Kahale Clini (Sociology), Coleman McDonough (Political Science)

Women’s Beach Volleyball (10)
Maggie Boyd (Psychology), Peri Brennan (Education), Cassie Dodd (Political Science), Hannah Fleming (Communication), Reagan Hope (Sociology), Sophie Moore (Business and Management of Entertainment), Natalie Myszkowski (Education), Jessie Smith (Education), Ky Vaickus (Cognitive Science), Tessa Van Winkle (Education)

Men’s Water Polo (1)
Max Matthews (Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology)

Women’s Water Polo (6)
Lily Gess (History), Alexsa Gimenez (Undeclared), Sienna Green (Economics), Natasha Kieckhafer (Public Affairs), Joey Niz (Undeclared), Olivia Ouellette (Undeclared)
 

Volleyball is one of the fastest rising sports in the entire country. Specifically, the NCAA has made it a big deal to promote the sport. Nebraska has become the biggest name in the game and set a record crowd of 92,000 in attendance for one of its games in 2023. In Georgia, the sport is growing into a spectacle that many fans are excited to watch.

Heated East Cobb rivals Pope and Walton are two of the best teams in the state. Pope is the defending 5A champion and has won state in two out of the last three years and is the definition of a modern dynasty. The Greyhounds return star players Lyden Harvey (who recorded 208 kills last season), Isabelle Andre (who had a .250 hitting percentage last season), and rising sophomore Lyla Skapinetz.

As for Walton, the Raiders went to the state championship two years ago before falling to North Cobb and are coming off a state semifinals appearance, again falling to North Cobb. This year, Walton has a new head coach in Ashley Jones and returns a lot of key players including Simone Searles (Duquesne commit), Janie Myers (listed as a top-50 sophomore according to Volleyball Adrenaline), and Scarlett Holden (led team in 2024 with 59 blocks).

The two teams recently announced (first reported by the Marietta Daily Journal) that they will play in an outdoor game, hosted at Pope’s football stadium.  The game will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 9th.

The pair faced off last season with the Raiders pulling out a 2-0 win (29-27, 19-25). The 2025 addition of this matchup is sure to draw a crowd that will be one of the largest in Georgia volleyball history.

Pope has two games scheduled before its match against Walton, playing Roswell and Kell. The Raiders have not reported a full schedule as off now.

If you are still not sold on this game, let’s sum it up. Two rivals, separated by a 10-minute drive, featuring a defending state champion, with both as title favorites this season, who played a tight game last season, all on a Saturday night in a football stadium after the first week that school is back. This game will be a must-see affair for any fan looking for something to do on a Saturday night.

 

Big Ten Announces 2024-25 Distinguished Scholars

July 14, 2025 | Football, USC Athletics, Men’s Basketball, Men’s Swimming & Diving, Men’s Tennis, Men’s Water Polo, Track & Field, Women’s Basketball, Women’s Lacrosse, Women’s Rowing, Women’s Soccer, Women’s Swimming & Diving, Women’s Tennis, Women’s Volleyball, Women’s Water Polo, Women’s Beach Volleyball, Swim & Dive