Feature Photo by Mercer University

Katy Corbett left an indelible mark at Tallulah Falls School as one of the top volleyball and basketball players in school history when she graduated in the Spring of 2021. After signing with Mercer to play beach volleyball, there was no doubt she was going to leave a legacy just as strong when her career came to a close.

May marked the end of the road for Corbett, who can begin reflecting on the remarkable accomplishments she’s had for the Bears. It wasn’t at all easy, specifically in making the jump from indoor to beach volleyball.

“Switching from indoor to beach volleyball came with a lot of adjustments—both physically and mentally,” says Katy. “Skill-wise, a lot of the contacts in beach are different. From how you set the ball, the timing of your approach, to the way you defend—all of it feels different than indoors. In indoor, you’ve got six players and each person has their specific role. But in beach, it’s just two people, and you have to be able to do everything—pass, set, hit, serve, defend. I was an outside hitter in indoor and played six rotations, so I was comfortable passing and hitting. But setting was something I really hadn’t done much, so that was a big learning curve. I also had to develop a top-spin serve and learn how to pull on defense—two things I hadn’t done before. It took a lot of time, hard work, and great coaching to build those skills, but I’m proud of the progress I made. Mentally, beach volleyball is probably the toughest sport I’ve played. You’re involved in almost every play, so it’s easy to overthink or get caught up in mistakes. I really had to grow in confidence and learn how to reset quickly. We call it having a “Goldfish Mentality”—forgetting the last play and focusing on the next point. That mindset was huge for me.”

Corbett, along with teammate Nicole O’Mara earned the Top Flight Award by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). The duo was named to the All-Sun Belt Conference team, earning 28 victories (23 in straight sets). Corbett and O’Mara had three win streaks of at least five matches, including 11 straight. They had a pair of wins over nationally-ranked foes, highlighted by a win over #18 Georgia State. The team’s overall 24 wins is a program record (14-year history). Furthermore, Corbett and fellow Mercer standout Liv Diaz were selected back in November to compete in the AVCA Beach National Championships. Often, Corbett was on nationally-televised broadcasts, playing on ESPN and similar networks.

“When I was a freshman, playing on ESPN or against top-ranked teams felt really intimidating,” adds Katy. “I’d be going up against girls who were a few years older, more experienced, and then there’s the thought of people watching from all over—it definitely got in my head sometimes. But as I got older and more confident, that started to fade. By the time I was a senior, I honestly didn’t even think about the ESPN cameras. When playing ranked teams I started focusing more on things I could control: playing with confidence, giving full effort, and bringing energy. Nicole and I had one of our biggest wins against #18 ranked Georgia State.”

Framed Print (11×14) – Katy Corbett College Spotlight

Framed Print (11×14) – Katy Corbett College Spotlight

That victory is a big core memory for Katy, as are the accolades and honors that came along the way. But she has a specific memory/moment that stands above the rest.

“My favorite memory actually just happened at conference this year,” she tells. “We were in our second match of the day playing Coastal Carolina. My partner Nicole and I had won the first set, lost the second, and were playing the third to 15. Even though our team had already lost the dual, we still had to finish our match. We were down 10-14 in the third, and both teams were on the sidelines watching. Right before the switch at 11-14, I got a cramp in my calf and we had to call a timeout so our trainer could help. Somehow, we came back and won 16-14. It was such a crazy and fun moment—definitely the most exciting match I’ve ever played.”

Another great memory for Corbett came when getting the opportunity to play at nationals.

“Getting to go to Nationals for the Pairs Tournament was one of my favorite experiences at Mercer,” admits Katy. “My partner Liv and I earned a spot during the preseason of my senior year in a bid tournament, and we competed against some of the top pairs in the country. The level of competition was super high. It was such an honor to be there and represent our team, and we won two of our matches. Liv and I were the first pair in Mercer history to participate in the AVAC Pairs Tournament.”

With stories that’ll last a lifetime and a career win total of 69 – tops in Mercer history – Katy has left a legacy at yet another school. So now, the question is – what’s next for her to accomplish?

“Next up, I’ll be heading to Augusta University in Athens for my Master of Science in Nursing,” says Katy. “It is a 16-month program that begins this fall. Upon completion, and I plan to work in a critical care unit and eventually go back to school to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) and earn a Doctorate of Nursing in Anesthesia. Right now, I don’t have any formal plans for volleyball, but I’m definitely not done playing. One of the great things about beach volleyball is that it doesn’t have to end after college—you can keep competing in tournaments, and I hope to do just that with some of my former teammates. The sport has been such a huge part of my life, and I honestly don’t see myself ever fully stepping away from it. Eventually, I’d love to help grow the beach volleyball community in North Georgia by running camps or clinics so more people can experience just how special this sport is.”

Corbett set school marks (at the time of graduation) at TFS with 852 career kills and 981 digs, and added 91 assists, 27 blocks, and 113 aces. She was twice named BLITZ Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons, and was a 2-time All-Region selection. She guided the Lady Indians to two Sweet 16 runs.

EMMITSBURG, Md. (May 20, 2025) – On Saturday, May 10, Mount St. Mary’s University held their 217^th Commencement at Knott Arena. Among the group of graduates there were 190 student-athletes and staff members.
 
Staff with Degrees
Jeremy Freeman, Men’s Basketball Assistant Coach, Master of Business Administration
Leandros Misdrachis, Tennis Head Coach, Master of Business Administration
Zach Koons, Ticket Manager, Master of Science in Sport Management
Tara Bowman, Head Dance Coach, Bolte School of Business, Bachelor of Science
 
Master of Business Administration
Olivia Block, Women’s Golf

Timmy Bonner, Men’s Swimming & Diving
Daniel Bradley, Men’s Lacrosse

Todd Charles, Track & Field
Winston Chodnicki, Men’s Lacrosse
Jackie Christ, Women’s Basketball
Caden Cote, Men’s Lacrosse
Cormac Giblin, Men’s Lacrosse

Nicholas Hildebrandt, Track & Field
Luc Holden, Men’s Soccer
Damon James, Men’s Rugby (Also earned M.S. in Sport Management)
Sofia Kostirko, Women’s Tennis
Shirley Liang, Women’s Tennis
Xavier Lipscomb, Men’s Basketball

Diego Miguelena, Track & Field
Moses Moran, Men’s Lacrosse
Maddie Novak, Women’s Basketball

Caleb Padgett, Men’s Swimming & Diving
Noah Persing, Men’s Lacrosse
Mackie Sacarellos, Men’s Soccer
Jack Smith, Men’s Lacrosse
Jacopo Sottocornola, Men’s Tennis
David Stirpe, Baseball
Zoe Truxon, Softball
Ben Ward, Men’s Lacrosse
Rebecca Valentine, Women’s Water Polo
 
Master of Science in Health Administration
Blake Beal, Baseball
Madison Bee, Women’s Soccer

Andrew LaManna, Track & Field
Shandree McNatt, Women’s Rugby
 
Master of Science in Sport Management
Taylor Carter, Women’s Soccer
Raimondo Partito, Men’s Soccer
Logan Yi, Baseball
 
Master of Arts in Teaching
Natalie Villaflor, Women’s Basketball
 
Master of Science in Biotechnology and Management
Chiara Matteodo, Women’s Tennis

Emma McClafferty, Track & Field
Kayla Pennington, Women’s Soccer
 
Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis
Aaron Thompson, Men’s Tennis
Jeremy Wilson, Men’s Lacrosse
 
College of Liberal Arts, Bachelor of Arts

Dominic Amilcare, Track & Field

Derek Ayibanini, Track & Field

Emelie Beckman, Track & Field

Juliana Bertolini, Track & Field

Keighan DeCoff, Track & Field
Peter Dray, Esports
Emily Felice, Softball

Avery Ferron, Track & Field
Zachary Fischer, Men’s Water Polo
Ivan Garcia, Men’s Rugby

Aidan Grady, Men’s Swimming & Diving
Michael Gutshall, Esports
Katelyn Heffner, Women’s Lacrosse
Hunter Hertzog, Men’s Rugby
Rachel Hines, Bowling
Jasmine Lindsay-Huskey, Women’s Basketball

Gabrielle Joffrion, Women’s Swimming & Diving
Ally Krieger, Women’s Soccer
Delaney LaRose, Women’s Lacrosse
Brianna Manni, Softball
Joseph Maxson, Men’s Water Polo
Alexis Mobley, Dance

Conor Moran, Men’s Swimming & Diving
Aedan Myles, Women’s Rugby

Anne Marie Oriakhi, Track & Field
Marcus Patterson, Men’s Rugby
Jo Raflo, Women’s Basketball
Ford Rubel, Men’s Rugby

Rory Smist, Women’s Swimming & Diving

Simone Smith, Track & Field
Dylan Staub, Men’s Rugby

Xavier Suggs, Track & Field
Kelsey White, Women’s Soccer
 
College of Liberal Arts, Bachelor of Science
Benee-Jolie Barron, Women’s Rugby
William Borden, Men’s Rugby
Sophia Cender, Women’s Rugby

Riley Keffer, Track & Field
Vasilije Marinkovic, Men’s Water Polo
Christian Myers, Esports

Natalie Spadaccini, Track & Field
 
Richard J. Bolte, Sr. School of Business, Bachelor of Science
Terrell Ard Jr, Men’s Basketball
Connor Barrett, Men’s Lacrosse
Brian Bradley, Men’s Lacrosse
Bastian Brunello, Men’s Rugby
Jacob Coldwell, Men’s Lacrosse
Evan Corbett, Men’s Rugby
Jedy Cordilia, Men’s Basketball
Kevin Doyle Jr., Men’s Lacrosse
Malcolm Dread, Men’s Basketball
Nick Fleming, Baseball

Jannah Hall, Track & Field
Alex Hatok, Men’s Rugby
Liam Horton, Men’s Rugby
Fintan Hughes, Men’s Rugby
Jaedyn Jamison, Women’s Basketball
Elijah Jumper, Men’s Rugby
Alexa Leandro, Women’s Rugby
Michael Lemishko, Men’s Water Polo

Devyn Lewis, Track & Field
Ryan McCarthy, Women’s Tennis
Hayden McKay, Men’s Rugby
William McManus, Men’s Rugby
Nathalie Mejia, Women’s Soccer
Nathanael Merchant, Men’s Lacrosse
John Miller IV, Men’s Lacrosse

Jovana Miloradovic, Track & Field
Molly Molchanoff, Women’s Lacrosse
Luisangely Navas, Women’s Soccer

Torian Neblett, Track & Field
Mekai Nelson, Men’s Lacrosse
Tommy Niehaus, Men’s Lacrosse

Andrew Norris, Men’s Swimming & Diving

Aidan O’Brien, Track & Field
Joshua Olaosebikan, Men’s Basketball
Bella Pescatore, Women’s Tennis

Garcelle Pierre, Track & Field

Patrick Rankin, Men’s Swimming & Diving
Julian Reyes, Esports
Gavin Schaffer, Men’s Lacrosse
Draško Šekaric, Men’s Water Polo
Joseph Sharrock, Men’s Rugby

Brandon Smith, Track & Field
Devin Smith, Men’s Golf
Aaron Sorkin, Men’s Golf
James Stelluti, Men’s Rugby

Will Stephenson, Track & Field
Dominik Topolsky, Men’s Soccer
William Vandegrift, Men’s Lacrosse
Nicholas Wallace-Whitfield, Men’s Water Polo

Lauren Wetzel, Women’s Swimming & Diving
Kevin Whitty, Men’s Lacrosse
Chris Wylde, Men’s Rugby
Jonathan Yowell, Men’s Soccer
 
School of Education, Bachelor of Science
Gianna Danze, Men’s Rugby

Ellie Dorian, Track & Field
Danny Salisbury, Baseball

Claire Svetz, Women’s Swimming & Diving
 
School of Science, Mathematics & Technology, Bachelor of Science
Dola Adebayo, Men’s Basketball
Teni Adesida, Men’s Rugby
George Apostol, Men’s Rugby

Elizabeth Bomberger, Track & Field
Dani Brown, Softball
Kyle Cincinnati, Baseball
Erika Cui, Women’s Golf
Robyn Currie, Women’s Water Polo

Arran Fahey, Track & Field
Kyle Fisher, Men’s Rugby
Rex Flanagan, Men’s Soccer

Nicholas Fox, Men’s Swimming & Diving
Laurenne Gallagher, Softball

Seth Garbanzos, Men’s Swimming & Diving
Jessa Garwood, Women’s Rugby

Matthew Grossman, Track & Field
Madison Harmening, Women’s Lacrosse
Brett Haugh, Esports
Nate Hopkins, Men’s Water Polo

Elizabeth Horner, Women’s Swimming & Diving
Alex Hoy, Men’s Water Polo

Louis Jacks, Track & Field

Jasmine Kidd, Track & Field

Julia Kirschnick, Track & Field

Alexander Koo, Track & Field

Seth Lassiter, Track & Field
Shemar Lewis, Men’s Rugby
Gianna McGahan, Bowling
Olivia Murphy, Softball

Gabriel Nwaete, Track & Field

Alexander Nwokoroku, Track & Field
Finn O’Leary, Men’s Rugby
Gavin Pennell, Men’s Soccer

Daniel Reader, Track & Field
Rosa Revueltas Pareja, Women’s Basketball
Jason Rivera, Baseball

John Ruona, Track & Field
Anna Salerno, Women’s Lacrosse
Hannah Sayre, Women’s Water Polo

Meghan Speicher, Women’s Swimming & Diving
Landon Strappazon, Men’s Rugby
Emily Streett, Women’s Soccer
Lindsey Tolliver, Women’s Lacrosse
Beatrice Vieira, Women’s Water Polo

Michelle Weaver, Track & Field

Zaria Wilson, Track & Field
Filippos Zachiotis, Men’s Tennis

Kevin Zaleski, Track & Field
Carter Zwirz, Men’s Water Polo
 

Swimming and water polo competition begins at RU

RAJSHAHI, May 20, 2025 (BSS)- A three-day inter-college swimming and water 

polo competition began at Rajshahi University (RU) today.

Pro-vice chancellor (Administration) Professor Main Uddin opened the 

competition at RU swimming pool through hoisting the national flag this 

morning as the chief guest.

In the competition, more than 100 players both male and female from 11 hall 

teams are taking part in 21 events, including four female teams.

Prizes will be distributed among the winners on Thursday, the closing day of 

the event. 

 

Pro-Vice chancellor (Academic) Prof Farid Uddin Khan, Treasurer Prof Matiar 

Rahman and Agriculture Faculty Dean Prof Arifur Rahman, among others, were 

present at the inaugural ceremony.

Felista Mugo is a dynamic Kenyan mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter who embodies the spirit and resilience of Kenya’s Gen Z generation.

At 25 years old, she represents a new wave of young Kenyan athletes breaking barriers in sports traditionally dominated by other regions. Known as “The Young Queen,” Mugo has quickly become a symbol of hope and national pride for many aspiring fighters in Kenya and across Africa.

Mugo’s MMA career has seen its share of challenges. Early losses, including a unanimous decision defeat to Sephora Kiala and a TKO loss to Nicole Van Wyk in 2023, tested her resolve.

However, these setbacks only strengthened her determination. She moved her training base to the Elite Training Center in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo, where she honed her skills, particularly in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, earning a blue belt and improving her striking and grappling techniques.

Her breakthrough came in 2024, marked by a series of impressive victories. At EFC 114 in June, she secured a first-round TKO against Aneesha Mayman, demonstrating her aggressive and versatile fighting style.

This was followed by wins over Chidimma Faith, Precious Okoh, and a submission victory via rear-naked choke against Merit Nwaji at the Warrior Sports Championship 11 in October. These performances have solidified her reputation as a formidable competitor in the women’s strawweight division.

Felista Mugo’s fighting style is characterized by relentless pressure, powerful punches, and effective ground game tactics.

Beyond her physical prowess, she carries the Kenyan flag with pride, inspiring many young Kenyans, especially women, to pursue MMA and combat sports.

Her social media presence and public appearances highlight her role as a trailblazer for Kenyan Gen Z athletes who are redefining the country’s sporting landscape.

Despite her growing success, Mugo remains focused and humble, crediting her coaches, family, and faith for her journey.

She is also keen on avenging her loss to Nicole Van Wyk, showing a competitive spirit that resonates with her generation’s ethos of resilience and ambition.

Felista Mugo’s story is not just about MMA; it is about a young Kenyan woman from Gen Z breaking new ground, challenging stereotypes, and inspiring a generation to dream bigger and fight harder.

ALSO READ: Kenyan referees appointed to officiate 2024/25 CAF Champions League final

ANAHEIM, Calif. — There’s an energy oozing out of John Speraw.

As president and CEO of USA Volleyball, the national governing body of volleyball in the U.S., he walks around the men’s and women’s national teams’ training facility at the Open Gym Premiere in Anaheim with confidence and excitement about what’s coming.

In just three more years, Anaheim will host tens of thousands of tourists from around the world to watch their national teams compete in the indoor volleyball event at the Honda Center for the LA 2028 Summer Olympic Games. The beach volleyball venue will be at Alamitos Beach in Long Beach, about 20 miles west of the Honda Center.

“It’s literally in our backyard,” said Speraw in an exclusive interview with Spectrum News during a media event last week.

The gathering gave media a chance to look at the U.S. National Teams Training Center in Anaheim and learn more about how USA Volleyball is preparing for the Olympic Games in 2028.

Speraw sees this as the first of many steps in his ambition to grow the sport. He plans to work with Honda Center officials to provide fans a “premium experience.”

“It’s as good as it gets — the opportunity to compete at home at the Olympic Games,” he said. “What that means for us is we need to use this moment to grow the sport. It’s not just about LA [2028], we need to use this moment to really bounce into the future on what this sport can be.”

USA Volleyball’s leadership team. (Spectrum News/Joseph Pimentel)

Despite the success of the U.S. men’s and women’s national teams and international popularity, including professional leagues worldwide, high-level volleyball hasn’t achieved widespread appeal among U.S. audiences.

The U.S. Men’s Volleyball team has won six Olympic medals — three golds and three bronzes. Their gold medals came in the Olympic Games in 1984 in Los Angeles, 1988 in Seoul, Korea and 2008 in Beijing, China. The women’s side has collected seven medals, one gold, four silvers and two bronzes. Their only gold came in 2020 in Tokyo, Japan.

But in the U.S., professional football, basketball, baseball, hockey and even women’s basketball dominate the mainstream sports culture.

There is no men’s professional volleyball league in the U.S.

“The men have won three gold medals,” said Karch Kiraly, a three-time Olympic gold medalist and the current head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team. “Each of those three gold medals helped build the visibility and popularity of the sport. It also did not lead to a professional league, either, in any of those three times. So, that doesn’t necessarily follow that if the USA men win in 2028 that there will be a pro league.”

Kiraly said that’s not their goal in the 2028 Olympics.

“Our primary goal, our target, is to stand on the top of the podium,” he said. “And then, hopefully, some ancillary benefits will come beyond that, and one of them might be the beginnings of a pro league.”

The creation of three professional women’s volleyball leagues—the Pro Volleyball Federation, LOVB, and Athletes Unlimited—in just two years, Kiraly believes, could be a stepping stone to a men’s major league.

“There’s a lot to be learned from their experiences and if anything, I think the women can pave the way for the men and find out what works and what doesn’t,” he said. “So that if and when the men start a pro league, they are already starting halfway.”

Speraw is hopeful.

Youth volleyball is undergoing tremendous “organic growth in the last 10 years,” he said.

“Boys’ volleyball is the fastest youth sport in America,” he said. “The girls’ [volleyball] is now the largest team sport for girls, larger than basketball and soccer because, in its very foundation, it’s an amazing sport to play.”

Speraw said the 2028 Olympics will be a pivotal moment for USA volleyball, providing an opportunity to elevate the sport.

“For us to be able to use this moment with the exposure and commercial opportunity, great partnership with the city of Anaheim and to have it right here in the Honda Center… It’s the best opportunity that we’ve ever had,” he said.