Sports

Alabama Gymnastics Headed to Nationals for Second Consecutive Season

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— The Alabama gymnastics team had the same objective entering Sunday’s NCAA regional final as it did on Friday: finish in the top two among four teams. The prize? A trip to nationals. The opponents were all national seeds: Florida, Cal and Oregon State. Alabama scored a season-high 197.675 to finish in second, just […]

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4 months ago

April 7, 2025

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Alabama Gymnastics Headed to Nationals for Second Consecutive Season

Alabama scored a season-high 197.675 to finish in second, just behind regional champ Florida, which posted a 197.700. Nationals begin on April 17 in Fort Worth, Texas, and Ashley Johnston’s squad will be there for the second straight year. Cal came in third, with a final score of 197.575.

“This has been a huge goal in front of us, and week after week, we have talked about never losing the hope or belief or confidence that this team can do it,” Johnston said. “They continue to work relentlessly to figure out any and all ways to get better and find our edge.”

The No. 11 Crimson Tide finished the first rotation in third place, bolstered on vault by a 9.900 from senior Corinne Bunagan (who stuck her landing) and two 9.850s from Jordyn Paradise and anchor Lilly Hudson. No. 6 Cal, which competed with Alabama in Friday’s session, was in second, .200 ahead of the host team.

No. 3 national seed Florida logged four scores of 9.900 or higher on bars, and three 9.925s, which is of little surprise from one of the country’s best bars teams. All three other squads were chasing the Gators after the night’s first event.

Alabama answered the call on the uneven bars, with a 49.475 event score and a 9.950 from sophomore Chloe LaCoursiere. The event score tied for the high with No. 14 Oregon State, which had a nice rebound on floor capped off by Jade Carey’s 9.950. The Crimson Tide closed the distance between itself and Cal by .175, placing itself just out of second entering the night’s third event.

Cal had some strong landings during its stint on vault, but only one 9.900 courtesy of Madelyn Williams. Alabama had a trio of gymnasts concurrently reach or eclipse that mark, contributing to the Crimson Tide getting closer to the mark it needed to reach.

Fifth-year senior Shania Adams had a big part in that, closing out the bars lineup with a 9.925. Alabama took to the balance beam for its third event, while Florida had its turn on floor, Oregon State competed on vault and Cal was tasked with continuing an impressive overall quad meet on bars.

Florida star Leanne Wong got a 9.950 on floor to lead the Gators. The Crimson Tide strung together four straight routines on beam of 9.900 or more, with Adams anchoring to the tune of a 9.925 and junior Gabby Gladieux scoring a 9.950.

Despite Cal closing out bars with back-to-back 9.950s, Alabama’s highest beam score of the season (49.500) pushed the Crimson Tide into second, 148.150-148.125. The crowd could sense how close it was going to be in the end. Coleman Coliseum got louder and louder as the meet went on.

“We were hype after beam,” Hudson said. “Beam is such an event where you have to go aggressive. The thought of going aggressive and taking risks on a four-inch balance beam in front of 15,000 people in the highest of pressures, that’s hard to do. We did it. We did just that.”

The Crimson Tide’s season would come down to floor, its best event of the season. Hudson and Gladieux tied for the event title in it on Friday with Cal’s Mya Lauzon and emJae Frazier. The Golden Bears, ending the night on beam, were Alabama’s biggest threat. Oregon State was well down entering the final rotation and needed cataclysms from the other teams to get back to contention; it finished with a 196.875.

Junior Rachel Rybicki led off with a tough fall late in her floor routine and a 9.500. The next five in the lineup were officially on put-up-or-shut-up time. Cal’s first beam competitor fell and scored an 8.950. The Crimson Tide gymnasts brought energy congruent with the gravity of the situation.

Sophomore Jamison Sears, the third athlete in the lineup, scored a 9.900. That left one competitor before Hudson and the anchor Gladieux: freshman Paityn Walker. After a deep breath prior to her second tumbling pass, she kept the season alive with a season-best 9.900.

“It was a little nerve-wracking, but we have trained for situations like that,” Walker said. “I kinda trusted my training. I knew I had it. I did a lot of mental routines in the [floor] corral. I envisioned myself doing those passes. I really did my normal, which really helped me… It paid off.”

Hudson came next. Her floor routine is a program staple. Another gymnast did it before her, while someone else may well be poised to take it over after the senior is gone. She wasn’t ready for Sunday to be her last time doing it. She netted a 9.950 to set up Gladieux with a golden opportunity to seal it.

“I just think it capped off an incredible four years that I’ll remember for the rest of my life,” Hudson said. “I’ll tell everyone about [it]. My family, my kids, everything… I looked up, and there’s nothing like Coleman Coliseum. You look up and you see everybody on their feet, crimson and white. No words.”

That last spot is customary for Gladieux, who effectively knocked Cal out of the picture with a 9.925 in Alabama’s final routine of the regional. The Golden Bears didn’t do enough in their final event; even if the team’s last competitor got a 10, the Crimson Tide was still advancing to nationals.

“Looking over at them before I went, and seeing all of them huddled together, gave me all the strength and all the reassurance that I could hit this routine.”

Gladieux leaned on trust in her teammates and the resolve that gave her to land the routine. Hudson had given her team a pep talk after the beam routine, trying to gauge the adrenaline and reset the mentality.

“Really incredibly thankful for this group who never quit,” Johnston said. “We have the trust built to really challenge each other to be great in a really healthy way. I’m just excited about what Bama gymnastics is about, how we’re building together.”

Carey won the all-around with a 39.700; Williams was in second with a 39.600 score. Hudson and Wong tied at 39.550. LaCoursiere tied Williams and Cal’s Casey Brown for the event title on bars. Hudson, Wong, Carey and Lauzon were in a four-way tie on floor. Bunagan tied for the crown on vault. Gladieux’s 9.950 on beam was all knotted up with Lauzon and Carey.

“I have to say, it was our culture, and just what they’ve created together, and the connection within each person and their connection to the mission that I really believe was what drove us to come out on the side that we wanted to be on,” Johnston said.

Final team scores from the Tuscaloosa Regional final. / Will Miller/BamaCentral

NCAA Regionals

Top two teams in each regional advance
Wednesday’s Results
University Park Regional
First Round Play-In: Maryland 196.250, West Virginia 195.325

Salt Lake City Regional
First Round Play-In: BYU 195.950, Utah State 194.475

Thursday’s Results
University Park Regional
Regional Semifinal, Session 1: Michigan State 197.625, Kentucky 197.525, Ohio State 196.400, Penn State 196.225
Regional Semifinal, Session 2: LSU 198.100, Arkansas 197.550, Michigan 197.050, Maryland 196.825

Tuscaloosa Regional
First Round Play-In: Clemson 195.400, Rutgers 193.875

Salt Lake City Regional
Regional Semifinal, Session 1: UCLA 197.750, Minnesota 197.200, Southern Utah 196.475, Boise State 195.175
Regional Semifinal, Session 2: Utah 197.650, Denver 197.650, Stanford 196.500, BYU 196.000

Seattle Regional
First Round Play-In: Illinois 195.475, UC Davis 194.050

Friday’s Results
Tuscaloosa Regional
Regional Semifinal, Session 1: California 197.550, Alabama 197.275, North Carolina 196.250, Iowa 196.000
Regional Semifinal, Session 2: Florida 198.225, Oregon State 197.050, NC State 196.275, Clemson 195.875

Seattle Regional
Regional Semifinal, Session 1: Missouri 197.650, Arizona 196.250, Georgia 196.175, Arizona State 196.050
Regional Semifinal, Session 2: Oklahoma 198.025, Auburn 196.950, Illinois 195.725, Nebraska 195.675

Saturday’s Results
University Park Regional
Final: LSU 198.050, Michigan State 198.000, Kentucky 197.625, Arkansas 197.375
Salt Lake City Regional
Final: Utah 197.825, UCLA 197.625, Denver 197.350, Minnesota 196.825

Sundays’ Results
Tuscaloosa Regional
Final: Florida 197.700, Alabama 197.675, California 197.575, Oregon State 196.875
Seattle Regional
Final: Oklahoma 198.450, Missouri 197.425, Arizona 197.325, Auburn 196.250

National Championships
April 17-19
Fort Worth, Texas

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Crimson Hawk Student Athletes Recognized by DII Athletics Directors Association

Story Links CLEVELAND, Ohio – As announced by the Division II Athletic Directors Association on Thursday, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference earned the most student athletes recognized with the 2024-24 Academic Achievement Awards. Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) had 130 of the 2051 PSAC Student Athletes Recognized. To be recognized, the […]

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August 15, 2025

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CLEVELAND, Ohio – As announced by the Division II Athletic Directors Association on Thursday, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference earned the most student athletes recognized with the 2024-24 Academic Achievement Awards. Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) had 130 of the 2051 PSAC Student Athletes Recognized.

To be recognized, the student athlete must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher, attend a minimum of four semesters of college, and be an active member of their team.

According to the release sent out by the PSAC, this is the sixth time in seven years that the PSAC has led the nation in the number of student-athletes recognized. 2,051 is nearly 300 more than the next conference, and the conference saw a 6.88 % increase in student-athletes nominated. IUP is one of 11 PSAC institutions with at least 100 student-athletes nominated.

Follow the link to read the complete release by the PSAC.

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Sports

Women's Soccer Falls to UCF 2

BIRMINGHAM – UAB women’s soccer (0-1) fell in its home opener 2-1 against UCF (1-0) at PNC Field. The Knights were the first to score on Thursday night when Liz Worden found the back of the net off a corner kick in the 22nd minute. At the 35th minute UCF’s Rajanah Reed recorded the Knights second goal with […]

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23 minutes ago

August 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

BIRMINGHAM – UAB women’s soccer (0-1) fell in its home opener 2-1 against UCF (1-0) at PNC Field.

The Knights were the first to score on Thursday night when Liz Worden found the back of the net off a corner kick in the 22^nd minute. At the 35^th minute UCF’s Rajanah Reed recorded the Knights second goal with an assist from Gabi Berchon.

UAB got on the board late in the first half with a goal in the 41^st minute. Freshman Rebecca Sierra scored her first collegiate goal with an assist from Lauren Lucero to make the score 2-1 heading into halftime.

The second half went scoreless with both teams playing stout defense. UCF was able to get off five shot in the second while the Blazers had two shots. UAB’s junior Leah Parsons saw her first collegiate start in goal with the Green and Gold and had five saves on the night.

Up next, the Blazers face their first road test as they travel to Johnson City, Tennessee to take on ETSU. Kickoff is set for noon CT.

2025-26 GOLD CARD
The 2025-26 Gold Card is on sale. The 2025-26 Gold Card will get you access to all home events for Women’s Soccer, Men’s Soccer, Volleyball, Women’s Basketball, Softball, and Baseball (Regions Field & Young Memorial). This card is not valid for American Conference or NCAA Championship events.

YOUR SUPPORT FUELS SUCCESS!
With your help, Blazer Student-Athletes are given the resources, tools, and opportunities they need to achieve greatness. Every contribution you make directly supports our teams, ensuring they excel not only on the field but in the classroom as well. We invite you to renew your support to UAB Athletics today and for more information on ways to show your generosity through the Blazer Scholarship Fund, capital initiatives, and sport specific giving go to blazerboosters.com or call us at (205) 996-9969.

FOLLOW THE BLAZERS
For more information on the UAB women’s soccer team, follow @UAB_WSOC on X and Instagram.

Sports

Michaela Kaliniak – Track & Field Coach

Published

41 minutes ago

August 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Michael Kaliniak was named Assistant Coach for the Oakland men’s and women’s track and field team in the fall of 2020. She is responsible for working with pole vaulters, jumpers, multis, and recruiting operations.

Kaliniak is USTFCCA Strength and Conditioning certified and is recognized as a jumps specialist.

Before being named Assistant Coach, she spent two years as a Volunteer Assistant Coach for the teams.

Kaliniak graduated from Olivet College in 2019, where she spent three years as one of the track and field captains. At Olivet College, she primarily competed in the pole vault and still holds the indoor, outdoor, and conference record.

The Sparta, Mich. native also graduated from OU in 2021 with a master’s in exercise science.

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Sports

San Giljan win BOV Water Polo Premier Division Knockout Competition for 16th time

San Giljan 16 Neptunes 10 (7-1, 2-2, 5-4, 2-3) San Giljan clinched their fifth BOV Water Polo Knockout title in the past six years – the 16th time in the club’s history – after overcoming arch-rivals Neptunes 16-10 in the final. The Saints, in front of an enthusiastic crowd of jubilant supporters, […]

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August 15, 2025

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San Giljan 16

Neptunes 10

(7-1, 2-2, 5-4, 2-3)

San Giljan clinched their fifth BOV Water Polo Knockout title in the past six years – the 16^th time in the club’s history – after overcoming arch-rivals Neptunes 16-10 in the final. The Saints, in front of an enthusiastic crowd of jubilant supporters, were superior from the start and delivered a commanding performance, showcasing their attacking firepower and defensive resilience, while Neptunes could not find a solution to break San Giljan’s strength, sealing yet another chapter of dominance in the competition.

They opened a 7-1 lead in the first session, an advantage that they held on to for the rest of the game, with Neptunes unable to bridge the gap.

The Saints pushed harder to establish a 9-1 gap at the start of the second session, and it was clear there and then that Neptunes had already thrown in the towel.

San Giljan continued to respond to Neptunes’ goals to retain the healthy advantage they had, and, in spite of missing two penalties, their victory was never in doubt.

Younger was instrumental in the saints victory, scoring three goals and setting up others. Matthew Zammit, Daniel Tully, Jake Bonavia, Nikolai Zammit and Darren Zammit also scored two goals each, with Russell Caruana, Ben Plumpton and Jeremy Abela netting the others.

Neptunes goals were scored by Jordan Camilleri (3), Stevie Camilleri and Gergo Zalanki and Sam Gialanze (two each) and Alec Fenech.

The two sides will meet again for the league final, with the team winning two of three games scheduled later this month to be crowned champions.

The BOV Water Polo Premier Division Knockout Trophy was presented in a celebratory ceremony held poolside at the National Pool in Tal-Qroqq. Bank of Valletta’s Chief Operations Officer, Ernest Agius, together with ASA President Karl Izzo, handed over the prestigious silverware to the San Giljan’s Captain Matthew Zammit. The moment was met with jubilant cheers from fans as the team lifted the trophy high, marking yet another milestone in their storied legacy.

This year’s knockout competition holds special significance as the Aquatic Sports Association of Malta celebrates its 100th anniversary. Bank of Valletta is proud to stand alongside the ASA in marking this historic milestone, reaffirming its long-standing commitment to the development of aquatic sports in Malta. Through continued sponsorship and collaboration, BOV remains dedicated to nurturing local talent and promoting excellence in water polo and swimming across generations.

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Sports

2025 AVCA First Serve: Schedule, teams, how to watch the college volleyball event

The 2025 college volleyball season opens at the AVCA First Serve from Aug. 22-24 in Lincoln, Neb., and Aug. 25 in Sioux Falls, S.D. Some of the nation’s premier programs are slated for competition in the first few days of the season. The matches are set to broadcast across FOX, FS1, ESPN and Big Ten […]

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1 hour ago

August 15, 2025

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The matches are set to broadcast across FOX, FS1, ESPN and Big Ten Network throughout the weekend.

Check out the storylines, schedule and teams below.

2025 AVCA First Serve Schedule

All times ET

Friday, Aug. 22 at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Neb.:
- No. 1 Nebraska vs. No. 3 Pittsburgh | 7 p.m. | FOX | Live Stats
- No. 6 Stanford vs. No. 16 Florida | 9 p.m. | FOX | Live Stats
Saturday, Aug. 23 at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Neb.:
- No. 15 Kansas vs. Vanderbilt | 3 p.m. | FS1 | Live Stats
- No. 2 Penn State vs. No. 12 Creighton | 5 p.m. | FS1 | Live Stats
Sunday, Aug. 24 at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Neb.:
- No. 3 Pittsburgh vs. No. 16 Florida| 1 p.m. | ESPN | Live Stats
- No. 1 Nebraska vs. No. 6 Stanford | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN | Live Stats
August 25, 2025 at Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.:
- No. 2 Penn State vs. No. 15 Kansas | 6:30 p.m. | Big Ten Network | Live Stats
- No. 9 Texas A&M vs. No. 11 Minnesota | 8:30 p.m. | Big Ten Network | Live Stats

History of AVCA First Serve

The 2024 AVCA First Serve in Louisville marked the revival a similar preseason event that the association sponsored from 1995-2011 and 2014. Due to new NCAA exemptions prior to the 2024 season, the AVCA was once again able to host four of the nation’s top teams.

In 2024, the then one-night, two-match event featured Nebraska, Kentucky, Louisville and Wisconsin at the KFC Yum! Center. The Huskers defeated the Wildcats 3-1, while the Cardinals rallied for a 3-1 comeback win over the Badgers.

REMEMBER: Nebraska and Louisville post wins in 2024 AVCA First Serve Showcase

All four teams concluded the 2024 season by at least reaching a NCAA regional finals, with the KFC Yum! Center welcoming back Nebraska for the Final Four and Louisville in the National Championship match.

RELIVE: Penn State wins the 2024 National Championship

Storylines to watch this year

The start of the 2025 season kicks off with a wave of new names, faces and stories to watch unfold.

First of all, the AVCA First Serve Showcase is shifting from four to 10 teams and is set to take place over two locations: Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Neb., and the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.

The first six matches over the first three days are in Lincoln, with the fourth and final day of competition taking place at the Sanford Pentagon in South Dakota with No. 14 Kansas vs. No. 2 Penn State and No. 9 Texas A&M vs. No. 11 Minnesota. The Sanford Pentagon venue holds 3,250 fans and is home to the NBA G League team, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

The high-profile nonconference matchups between volleyball’s top programs make this event just a taste of the regular and postseason ahead.

No. 1 Nebraska team brings high expectations and a stacked lineup to the field at the helm of a new head coach in Dani Busboom Kelly. Veterans like Harper Murray and Rebekah Allick plus a highly touted freshmen round out their roster. They are set to face No. 3 Pittsburgh. No. 6 Stanford, equipped with experience in Elia Rubin and Lizzy Andrew, will challenge the Huskers to round out their showcase.

Coming in at No. 2 in the preseason rankings, defending national champion Penn State looks to make a statement. Though the Nittany Lions lost some veteran players in the offseason, they bring back plenty of experience and some big-name newcomers. Penn State opens up against No. 12 Creighton in a rematch of the 2024 regional finals, where the Nittany Lions knocked off the Bluejays in a five-set thriller. They finish with a matchup against No. 14 Kansas.

The championship moment 🏆 #WeAre pic.twitter.com/5CSn8AvBdF

— Penn State Women’s Volleyball (@PennStateVBALL) December 23, 2024

2024 NCAA tournament top overall seed No. 3 Pitt comes to Lincoln, bringing back National Player of the Year Olivia Babcock. With some big moves in the portal and veteran leadership under coach Dan Fisher, the Panthers should make some waves against No. 1 Nebraska and No. 16 Florida.

LEARN ABOUT THE AVCA Player of the Year Award

After an impressive run to the regional semifinals, No. 9 Texas A&M looks to continue its momentum in 2025. The Aggies bring back star talent in Logan Lednicky as they face No. 11 Minnesota.

The AVCA First Serve marks not just a new season but the beginning of several new tenures in college volleyball.

Besides Nebraska having a new coach No. 12 Creighton arrives with a new leader in Brian Rosen. No. 14 Kansas will additionally kick off the season under fresh leadership in Matt Ulmer, and the No. 16 Florida Gators begin a new era as Ryan Theis steps into his first year following the retirement of legendary coach Mary Wise.

Vanderbilt joins the field for one match against No. 14 Kansas, as the newly instated Commodores compete for the first time since 1980. The Commodores brought in talent from Ivy League Player of the Year Kamryn Chaney.

READ MORE: Storylines to know before the 2025 season

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Sports

New RBVL Champions Crowned, on a Heartbreaking Day – THE ROCKAWAY TIMES

By Sean Shevlin The 2025 Rockaway Beach Volleyball League (RBVL) playoffs kicked-off on Saturday, August 9, under beautiful, sun-splashed skies and temperatures in the 70s at Riis. Perfect weather for the league to conclude its 36th season. Sixty-six teams across 10 divisions gathered to compete for a championship and, the ultimate prize, the vaunted sweatshirt. […]

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2 hours ago

August 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

By Sean Shevlin

The 2025 Rockaway Beach Volleyball League (RBVL) playoffs kicked-off on Saturday, August 9, under beautiful, sun-splashed skies and temperatures in the 70s at Riis. Perfect weather for the league to conclude its 36th season. Sixty-six teams across 10 divisions gathered to compete for a championship and, the ultimate prize, the vaunted sweatshirt.

Spirits were high as players, friends and family packed the beach for the commencement of the first round, at 10:30 a.m. However, during the early afternoon ambulances could be seen by the flagpole, at the top of the beach, and all play soon stopped as word filtered down that a player had suffered a heart attack and was being treated in one of those ambulances. That player was Rockaway resident Charles Nopper, who later died. He was 43. Nopper, beloved by many, was a former DSNY worker, who spent time behind the bar at Jamesons and as manager at Bishops Barn. The RBVL committee extends its heartfelt condolences to the Nopper family, on this devastating loss. A funeral Mass will be held on Thursday, August 14 at 11 a.m. at St. Francis de Sales Church.

Meanwhile, all but the Sun division, Charles’ division, elected to continue play, and nine champions were crowned. Congratulations to all!!

The winners include Storage Place of the Ocean Division, Rockaway Soda of Ocean Breeze, BHYC Snotty Yachties of the Wave Division, the 123 Bangouts of Beach, Leo’s Tavern of Beach Breeze, Danger Zone of Boardwalk, Boarder’s Surf Shop on Sun Ray, DysFUNctional of Moon and the BHYC Social Yachties of the Star Division.