Sports

Two New Women's Sports Bars Are Opening in NYC, Athena Keke's and Wilka's

Women sports teams have grown in popularity, with huge fandoms for teams like WNBA’s the New York Liberty; the National Women’s Soccer League; and college gymnastics. People have been packing in arenas and stadiums and bars to track games and cheer on their favorites. To answer that call and love, people have been opening bars […]

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1 month ago

April 3, 2025

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Two New Women's Sports Bars Are Opening in NYC, Athena Keke's and Wilka's

And now, New York is getting not one but two new women’s sports bars this year. There’s Athena Keke’s opening in late springin Clinton Hill at 222 Greene Avenue near Grand Avenue; followed by Wilka’s Sports Bar on the Lower East at 241 Bowery near Stanton Street.

Athena’s Keke’s co-founders and couple Claudia “Clau” Capriles and Alexandra “Al” Murray had been toying with the idea of opening a women’s sports bar for some time. The two, who had met while working at now-closed East Village restaurant the Eddy, had been in New Orleans trying to find a bar to watch the Women’s World Cup soccer competition, but failed.

“It was just so difficult to find a place to watch the games, especially if the U.S. team wasn’t playing,” Capriles says. They decided to open their own bar in Brooklyn, shooting for a late spring debut; they got their community board approval in February.

Athena Keke’s will both be a community hub and a place to watch women’s sports. The Brooklyn bar’s namesake is the cat the two adopted in New Orleans when they lived there in 2018 — Athena the tabby also serves as their mascot and logo.

Sports is always political, Murray says, and “to say not would be very naive.” Both co-owners are major women’s sports fans themselves; they have season tickets for the Liberty and the Gotham FC.

“There’s so much money that goes in, and where there’s money, there’s politics and taxes,” they point to the U.S. women’s soccer team’s equal pay lawsuit. “it’s just very reflective of society at large,” they continue, “And I think a lot of good can come out of the crossover of sports, activism, and just caring. In women’s sports, you see that a lot more so played out. It seems to always have been part of it.”

One of Capriles’s and Murray’s friends is Caroline Fitzgerald, who is the founder of community organization Women’s Sports Rally. “Her whole goal is to really play on that idea of: ‘Yes, this can be fun and cool and we can support women’s sports, but we can also rally behind something bigger,’” Murray says. “The political climate now is very intense. To just stay quiet about things that we think are important and believe in would be a disservice to ourselves.”

For Athena’s Keke’s pre-opening watch parties (often held at Brooklyn beer bar Berry Park), they’ve partnered with that organization as well as Working Families Party to educate voters about ballots.

When Athena’s Keke’s does open, it’ll have lots of television screens (naturally), a full bar, and a full kitchen. For the latter, Capriles will use her background — who is from and grew up in Baltimore — to inform the bar snacks menu; it’s safe to expect something with Old Bay. The two have been collecting books about queer spaces and queer history and women’s sports so they can build out a library corner.

Along with Athena’s, there’s WIlka’s to look out for. Co-owners and friends Lauren Louise and Melissa Ng’s Manhattan bar will air women’s sports games while serving cocktails, beers, and snacks. The name is a play on the Polish word for wolf, “wilk,” with the idea of patrons being in a wolf pack together, supporting their teams. The two have a crowdfunding campaign so they can install a high-quality television setup conducive for sports bars, among other opening costs. There is no projected opening timeline yet. (In 2024, there had been another New York women’s sports bar that was in the works, Althea’s, but that never opened.)

It has been fun for Athena’s Keke’s co-owners to operate these watch parties in other bars, but they’re looking forward to opening their very own space. “It’s so great to be in a room full of people that obviously are there to watch the sports, to support [the teams],” Capriles says. “There’s a feeling of something greater, something bigger, and that’s important for us. We’re excited to have one space dedicated to it.”

Related Topics:background bar cat college competition gymnastics history late logo new season soccer sports team track watch working

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Pair of All-Time Empire 8 Records Set on Day One of the 2025 Empire 8 Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships

Men’s Outdoor Track and Field | 5/2/2025 9:04:50 PM Story Links 2025 Empire 8 Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Championship Central Jacob Miller of SUNY Geneseo and Brandon Kaplan of St. John Fisher University set all-time Empire 8 records on day one of the […]

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7 minutes ago

May 4, 2025

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Men’s Outdoor Track and Field | 5/2/2025 9:04:50 PM

Jacob Miller of SUNY Geneseo and Brandon Kaplan of St. John Fisher University set all-time Empire 8 records on day one of the 2025 Empire 8 Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championship from Bob Boozer Field at Eunice Kennedy Shriver Stadium on the Campus of SUNY Brockport will serve on Friday, May 2. Geneseo has 94.5 points, while host SUNY Brockport is second with 57 points after eight of the 22 scored events.

Miller won the 400-meter dash in an Empire 8 record time of 47.24 seconds, shattering the previous mark of 47.35 seconds that he set earlier in the season, which was also set by Peter Girardi of St. John Fisher in 2017.

Kaplan won the hammer throw with a toss of 60.87 meters, which shattered former NCAA Champion Luis Rivera of Nazareth University’s mark of 59.22 meters, set in winning the 2015 NCAA National Championship.

Hayden Penna of St. John Fisher won the pole vault in an E8 Championship equaling mark of 4.90 meters, which was originally set by former NCAA National Runner-up Mike Dempsey of RIT in 2010.

Emerson Comer of SUNY Geneseo won the 3,000-meter steeplechase in an E8 Championship record of 9:04.73.

Kaiden Simpson of Russell Sage College won the javelin throw, firing it 50.87 meters.

Utica University standout Ellis Urgent won the E8 long jump championship with a leap of 7.24 meters.

Geneseo’s Micah McCulley, SUNY Geneseo annexed the 10,000-meter run by just eight one-hundredths of a second over teammate Justin Thang in a time of 32:45.73.

Houghton University’s 4 x 800-meter relay team of Amos Bixler, James Eustace, Henry Sardina, Aidan Fish, Houghton won in a time of 7:56.56.

Daniel Pagan of SUNY Geneseo leads the decathlon with 3,413 points with five of the 10 events completed. He was the top finisher in the shot put, high jump and 400-meters. Defending E8 Champion Jack Pomykaj is right behind in second with 3,259 points. He won the other two events on Friday, the 100-meters and long jump.

Day two action gets underway from SUNY Brockport at 10 a.m.

2025 Empire 8 Outdoor Championship Team Scores (After Friday)

SUNY Geneseo – 94.5 points

SUNY Brockport – 57

St. John Fisher University – 56

Utica University – 47.5

Nazareth University – 26

Houghton University – 12

Russell Sage College – 10

Hartwick College – 7

Alfred University – 2

2025 Empire 8 Outdoor Championship Individual Relay/Award Winners (Friday)

3,000-meter Steeplechase: Emerson Comer, SUNY Geneseo – 9:04.73 (Empire 8 Championship Record)

400-meter dash: Jacob Miller, SUNY Geneseo – 47.24 (Empire 8 Championship Record, Empire 8 All-Time Record)

4 x 800-meter relay: Amos Bixler, James Eustace, Henry Sardina, Aidan Fish, Houghton – 7:56.56

10,000-meter run: Micah McCulley, SUNY Geneseo – 32:45.73

Long Jump: Ellis Urgent, Utica – 7.24 meters (23′ 9″)

Hammer Throw: Brandon Kaplan, St. John Fisher – 60.87 meters (199′ 8″) (Empire 8 Championship Record, Empire 8 All-Time Record)

Pole Vault: Hayden Penna, St. John Fisher – 4.90 meters (16′ 0.75″) (Empire 8 Championship Record)

Javelin Throw: Kaiden Simpson, Russell Sage – 50.87 meters (166′ 10″)

ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE

The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit www.empire8.com.

EMPIRE 8 SOCIAL MEDIA

YouTube – Facebook – Twitter – Instagram

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Huskers Finish Spring With Sweep in Ord – University of Nebraska

ORD, Neb. – The Nebraska volleyball team posted a 25-18, 25-19, 25-17, 25-19 spring match win over South Dakota State in front of a sold-out crowd of 1,750 at Ord High School on Saturday afternoon. The Huskers capped their spring season winning all eight sets they played. Harper Murray had 12 kills, seven digs, five […]

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8 minutes ago

May 4, 2025

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Harper Murray had 12 kills, seven digs, five blocks and two aces to lead the Huskers. Andi Jackson added 11 kills and 10 blocks. Rebekah Allick posted eight kills and nine blocks. Teraya Sigler chipped in six kills and four digs. Skyler Pierce added six kills and three blocks, and Taylor Landfair provided five kills and four blocks.

Campbell Flynn played the whole match at setter and finished with 44 assists, eight digs, four kills and four blocks.

Laney Choboy tallied nine digs, while Maisie Boesiger chipped in eight.

The Huskers hit .317 for the match and held South Dakota State to .015. Nebraska tallied 15 blocks in the match.

Set 1: The Huskers fell behind 8-2 as the Jackrabbits terminated four of their first five swings while the Huskers had two kills and three errors on their first nine swings. After a timeout, the Huskers ripped off an 8-0 run served by Sigler to go up 10-8. Flynn recorded two kills and a block with Jackson, while Landfair and Jackson each posted kills. NU led 13-9 before SDSU went on a 4-0 run to tie the score 13-13. But the Huskers benefitted from two SDSU mistakes and got two straight blocks by Landfair and Allick to go up 17-13. With the score 20-18, Sigler had a kill and Landfair had a solo block before another Sigler kill ended the set, 25-18.

Set 2: Allick and Pierce combined for three early kills to spark a 4-1 start. Jackson had a kill and block with Flynn before another Pierce kill made it 9-5. SDSU pulled within 11-10, but Hunter had a kill and Allick had a solo block to make it 13-10. Back-to-back kills for Allick and Jackson started a 5-0 run that put the Huskers up 18-11. Murray and Hunter also had kills, and Jackson and Murray posted a block. But South Dakota State answered with four straight kills to pull within 18-15. Murray kept the Huskers pushing forward with a pair of kills, and Jackson and Allick each added one for a 22-19 lead. NU finished off the set with three straight blocks by Allick – two with Pierce and one with Hunter – to win 25-19.

Set 3: Nebraska jumped out to a 12-2 start with Murray recording two kills, a block and two ace serves. Jackson, Flynn, Murray and Pierce recorded kills to take the Huskers to a 17-7 lead. The Huskers closed out the set on top, 25-17, hitting .407 in the frame.

Set 4: The teams battled back and forth to a 10-10 tie. Then Allick and Pierce had a block, Murray notched a kill, and the Jackrabbits misfired to give NU a 13-10 lead. After a timeout, Allick served an ace, and Jackson and Murray had a block to make it 15-10. Another block by that duo and a kill by Jackson pushed the advantage to 19-14. But the Jackrabbits scored four in a row to cut it to 19-18. NU answered with two kills and a solo block by Landfair, and a kill by Allick to go up 23-18. NU closed out the match with a 25-19 win.

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Track & Field Wraps Up at MIAC Multi Events

Story Links Heptathlon Results Decathlon Results NORTHFIELD, Minn. – A trio of Gusties completed competition at the MIAC Multi Event Championships on Friday at Carleton College. Connor McCormick took sixth place in the decathlon with 5795 points, while in the […]

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26 minutes ago

May 4, 2025

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NORTHFIELD, Minn. – A trio of Gusties completed competition at the MIAC Multi Event Championships on Friday at Carleton College. Connor McCormick took sixth place in the decathlon with 5795 points, while in the heptathlon, Maddox Lee took eighth with 3399 points and Grace Banse finished 17th with 2824 points.

“We’re proud to celebrate an outstanding showing from our multis at this week’s competition, highlighted by several personal bests,” said Assistant Coach Nathan Harder. “Maddox recorded six personal records, Grace achieved two, and Connor added two of his own — all of them improving on their overall marks. These performances are a testament to their hard work and commitment.

“Multis are a unique challenge in track and field, made even more demanding by the rare opportunity to compete — usually only once or twice per year. The rest of the season is spent preparing, both mentally and physically, for these brief moments to shine. Over two chilly spring days, our athletes demonstrated remarkable determination, grit, and sportsmanship. The camaraderie across the MIAC and the drive of our own team make it a true privilege to coach this event. I’m especially grateful to work alongside the incredible Lexi LeFever, Aaron Lund, and Troy Banse as we support these athletes in reaching their goals.”

Gustavus has its final meet before the MIAC Championships as it competes at the St. Olaf Ole Open on Saturday.

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Three Thoughts on Nebraska Volleyball’s Sweep of South Dakota State in Ord

A packed Ord High School gymnasium, 2½ hours northwest of the Bob Devaney Sports Center, saw a dominant Husker volleyball performance Saturday. Nebraska won all four sets over South Dakota State: 25-18, 19, 17, 19. The teams had agreed before the match to play at least four sets, even if one side swept the first […]

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27 minutes ago

May 4, 2025

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A packed Ord High School gymnasium, 2½ hours northwest of the Bob Devaney Sports Center, saw a dominant Husker volleyball performance Saturday.

Nebraska won all four sets over South Dakota State: 25-18, 19, 17, 19. The teams had agreed before the match to play at least four sets, even if one side swept the first three.

The Huskers hit .317 for the match and held South Dakota State to .015. Nebraska tallied 15 blocks.

Box Score (Sets 1-3) | Box Score (Set 4)

Below are three thoughts after the sweep for the Big Red.

Campbell Flynn can provide more than just depth at setter

The Gatorade High School Player of the Year is an absolute weapon.

With Bergen Reilly not playing due to a sore wrist, Flynn got the start and ran the offense for all four sets. She finished with 44 assists, eight digs, four kills and four blocks.

Early on, the talented lefty hammered home a second ball for the kill. For the rest of the match, the Jackrabbits committed a defender to the 6-3 Flynn, opening up one-on-ones for Nebraska’s attack.

Should Reilly be in a similar situation this fall at any point, Flynn looks like the type of setter to take the opportunity and thrive. Even if the setter position has its starter, there’s no reason to believe Flynn can’t be part of the plan, especially in matches that Nebraska puts away early.

Or, if coach Dani Busboom Kelly wants to make things interesting, a true setter competition heading into the season could push both of them to greater heights.

Andi Jackson remains ridiculous

No insane D ball, but Jackson continues to look like she’s ready to improve on her first-team All-America season from last fall. She had a double-double of 11 kills and 10 blocks.

At one point in the match, as SDSU was focusing on Flynn’s attacking ability, Jackson “murdered (a ball) through the Earth’s crust.”

SDSU’s middles are scared of Campbell Flynn now. They’re sticking with her and it gave Andi Jackson a 1 on 1 which she murdered through the Earth’s crust.

— Volleyball State Podcast (@VolleyballPod) May 3, 2025

Libero still in limbo

After last weekend’s win over Kansas, DBK called this “one of the deepest groups of liberos” she’s ever coached. That continued Saturday with multiple Huskers donning the libero jersey.

Olivia Mauch got the start at libero, with Laney Choboy and Maisie Boesiger getting turns in the second and third sets. Boesiger stayed in the black jersey for the fourth set as well.

Next up

Nebraska moves into the offseason, with a transfer portal window currently open. The 2025 campaign begins with the AVCA First Serve Showcase in Lincoln at Pinnacle Bank Arena, with the Huskers facing Pittsburgh on Aug. 22 and Stanford on Aug. 24.

Nebraska Athletics Set Synopses

Set 1: The Huskers fell behind 8-2 as the Jackrabbits terminated four of their first five swings while the Huskers had two kills and three errors on their first nine swings. After a timeout, the Huskers ripped off an 8-0 run served by Sigler to go up 10-8. Flynn recorded two kills and a block with Jackson, while Landfair and Jackson each posted kills. NU led 13-9 before SDSU went on a 4-0 run to tie the score 13-13. But the Huskers benefitted from two SDSU mistakes and got two straight blocks by Landfair and Allick to go up 17-13. With the score 20-18, Sigler had a kill and Landfair had a solo block before another Sigler kill ended the set, 25-18.

Set 2: Allick and Pierce combined for three early kills to spark a 4-1 start. Jackson had a kill and block with Flynn before another Pierce kill made it 9-5. SDSU pulled within 11-10, but Hunter had a kill and Allick had a solo block to make it 13-10. Back-to-back kills for Allick and Jackson started a 5-0 run that put the Huskers up 18-11. Murray and Hunter also had kills, and Jackson and Murray posted a block. But South Dakota State answered with four straight kills to pull within 18-15. Murray kept the Huskers pushing forward with a pair of kills, and Jackson and Allick each added one for a 22-19 lead. NU finished off the set with three straight blocks by Allick – two with Pierce and one with Hunter – to win 25-19.

Set 3: Nebraska jumped out to a 12-2 start with Murray recording two kills, a block and two ace serves. Jackson, Flynn, Murray and Pierce recorded kills to take the Huskers to a 17-7 lead. The Huskers closed out the set on top, 25-17, hitting .407 in the frame.

Set 4: The teams battled back and forth to a 10-10 tie. Then Allick and Pierce had a block, Murray notched a kill, and the Jackrabbits misfired to give NU a 13-10 lead. After a timeout, Allick served an ace, and Jackson and Murray had a block to make it 15-10. Another block by that duo and a kill by Jackson pushed the advantage to 19-14. But the Jackrabbits scored four in a row to cut it to 19-18. NU answered with two kills and a solo block by Landfair, and a kill by Allick to go up 23-18. NU closed out the match with a 25-19 win.

Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.

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Redondo girls beach volleyball defeats rival Mira Costa to win CIF-SS Division 1 championship

Mira Costa’s Lucy Matuszak sends the ball over the net in the CIF-SS Girls beach volleyball Division 1 championship duel against Redondo Union on Saturday, May 3, 2025, at Long Beach City College. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer) Redondo Union’s Avery Junk stretches out in Division 1 championship action against Mira Costa on Saturday, […]

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31 minutes ago

May 4, 2025

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LONG BEACH — The opening set of the match didn’t go smoothly for Redondo’s No. 3 beach volleyball pairs team of Bella Jones and Kara Namimatsu.

However, the newly formed pairs team regrouped and with all eyes fixated on their third set against Mira Costa’s Allyn Hilt and Lily Sprague, they delivered Redondo’s first CIF-Southern Section championship.

“Trusting in each other was a big piece of it,” Namimatsu said of bouncing back. “Our coach instilled a lot of confidence, trust in your in your training, trust in each other. We had only played one game (together), so we had nothing to lose, we might as well finish strong.”

With the win by Jones and Namimatsu (12-21, 21-14, 15-13), Redondo edged its rivals 3-2 in the third CIF-SS Division 1 beach volleyball championship final at Long Beach City College. The previous two featured Mira Costa defeating Redondo.

“I didn’t play well in the first set and Kara was really supportive the entire team and we have amazing coaches and they helped me turn it around,” Jones said. “I think I played a lot better in the second set and Kara played all the way through.”

Jones-Naminatsu trailed 11-8 in the third set and would rally for a 13-12 lead on a kill by Naminatsu and two points later Jones’ cross court shot ended the match.

The duo was put together just in time for the semifinals against JSerra.

“I trust Bella so much and I trust the coaches that they knew our chemistry would work really well together,” Namimatsu said. “It was because of an injury that we had to change things around.”

Mira Costa booked the first win of the match with the duo of Audrey Flanagan and Anabelle Redaelli (21-11, 21-18) winning at No. 4 pairs.

Redondo won at No. 1 pairs with Avery Junk and Abby Zimmerman (21-17, 21-14) winning to even the match at 1-1. the No. 1 pairs. Mira Costa took a 2-1 lead in the match with a win at No. 5 pairs (Lerin Rosenthal and Samantha Nammack).

Redondo evened the match at 2-2 with Leah Blair and Addy Junk’s win at No. 2 pairs (22-20, 21-12), sending the remaining players on both teams hurriedly to the No. 3 pairs.

“I definitely thought we would have to win the match on the lower courts,” Mira Costa coach Nancy Reynolds said. “Our 1’s and 2’s and their 1s and 2s have been competitive all season. It just came down to probably feeling a little more pressure on our side and they played a little more free.”

This was the third match of the season between the Mustangs and Sea Hawks. Redondo won the first Bay League match 3-2 (March 4) and Mira Costa won the second 5-0 (March 26) to secure a share of the Bay League title. After losing to JSerra, the following day after the second Mira Costa match, Redondo won seven consecutive matches to advance to the final.

“These girls are amazing,” Redondo coach Mark Pa’aluhi said. “They displayed a lot of courage…we went through an emotional roller coaster which a team does. I think it’s all of what in the big picture had brought the team closer.

“They knew what to do in regards to getting themselves fired up and together and team bonding and things like that. I think that pushed us further than our skill level could take us.”

Mira Costa had a 15-match winning streak entering the final, losing only one individual match during that time.

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Women’s Track and Field Competes At Division III Outdoor New England Championships

Julia Tulimieri broke the school record in the shot put. Story Links The Middlebury women’s track and field team broke a school record and had numerous top-eight finishes while competing at the Division III Outdoor New England Championships on Friday and Saturday. Tufts won the meet with 94 points, while Connecticut College […]

Published

47 minutes ago

May 4, 2025

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Julia Tulimieri broke the school record in the shot put.

The Middlebury women’s track and field team broke a school record and had numerous top-eight finishes while competing at the Division III Outdoor New England Championships on Friday and Saturday. Tufts won the meet with 94 points, while Connecticut College (60 points) and the Coast Guard (50.5 points) rounded out the top three teams. The Panthers placed ninth with 34 points.

HIGHLIGHTS

Middlebury earned two spots in the top 10 during the shot put. Julia Tulimieri finished fifth with a throw of 12.58 meters, while Lilly Wurtz finished in sixth at 12.48m. Tulimieri’s throw eclipses the school record that Wurtz set earlier this season of 12.40m.

Macy Daggitt earned silver in the long jump, hitting the sand at 5.76m.

In the 400-meter hurdles, Anna Mazur claimed the runner-up spot with a time of 1:05.80.

Tulimieri secured fourth place in the hammer throw with a distance of 45.55m.

Middlebury secured a duo of top-10 efforts in the discus throw. Madeline Sauders achieved a season-best toss of 41.19m to claim fifth place, while Wurtz finished in ninth with a toss of 38.74m.

Olive Lawrence crossed the line with the eighth-best clocking in the 100 with a time of 12.25 seconds.

In the 400, Ella Pate recorded a personal-best time of 58.78 seconds, finishing in eighth place.

NOTES

The top-eight finishers in each event earn all-region accolades.

The Panthers travel to Massachusetts to compete at the Farley Inter Regional Extravaganza and the Open New England Outdoor Championships on Friday and Saturday.

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