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All good things must come to an end, and after four days of competition in Los Angeles for April’s North American Cup, Northwestern ended the season with a bang. Or, perhaps with a touch. On the final day of competition, four Wildcat fencers stepped up for the Junior Women’s Sabre with Nisha Hild taking it all among 183 total competitors.

Hild’s only loss on the day came to Nicole Lin in pool play. From there, she took off. Having already secured five wins and a +13 indicator in pool play, Hild secured seven consecutive victories to put the gold around her neck when all was said and done.

Hild was close before, with a bronze medal in Louisville in November, but this was her first victory at a North American Cup. Her prior victories came in the regional circuit, with the last being in September 2023.

Rounding out the Junior Women’s Sabre for the ‘Cats were NCAA qualifier Natalie Shearer in 19th and Kira Erikson in 166th. Also of note are the fencers sitting in 21st and 44th, Elaine Lu and Sophia Schiminovich. These two have officially committed to Northwestern as members of the Class of 2029. They’ll be the only new additions to the Sabre for Head Coach Zach Moss.

If that was not enough for the Wildcat faithful, those five fencers also competed in the Division I classification Friday. While this competition saw fewer heroics, there were excellent performances for the ‘Cats all around. Hild finished in 17th, with Shearer once again shortly behind in 27th. Junior Megumi Oishi finished 57th, Adele Bois in 66th and Erikson at 113. Lu and Schiminovich also competed with the former placing 75th.

Pool play saw impressive performances from Hild, who went 5-1 with a +14 indicator, and Bois, who, due to a smaller pool, secured a 4-1 record with a +8 indicator. In the tableau, however, Bois suffered an early upset at the hands of Notre Dame’s Chelsea Delsoin. With Delsoin being a freshman for the Fighting Irish and Bois being a sophomore, these two will have plenty of opportunities to compete again. Don’t be surprised to see these two on the strip in next year’s action.

In the Foil, Northwestern’s hopes were riding on the shoulders of just one fencer: Samantha Serban. The junior went 4-2 in pool play and secured a tableau victory before falling to Viviene Goor for a 20th-place final finish.

Finally, the Division I Women’s Épée was set to be the swan song for graduate student Amanda Pirkowski and senior Athina Kwon. The two made the most of their final opportunity representing Northwestern, with Pirkowski finishing in 10th after a loss to eventual champion Catherine (Kasia) Nixon knocked her out. Kwon had a rough showing in pool play but battled back, notching two upsets in the tableau en route to a 31st-place finish.

Junior Anna Damratoski also finished in the top 16 alongside Pirkowski, with NCAA qualifier Karen Wang in 77th and sophomore Ava Wade-Currie rounding out the squad at 116.

In a true transition to a new group of fencers next season, incoming first-year Natasha Lee defeated Anna Damratoski in pool play. They both fell to the same fencer, Isis Washington, in the tableau no less.

As the new guard duke it out in bouts with Northwestern veterans, it has become increasingly clear that the previous era of Northwestern fencing has come to an end. With that, however, it has also become increasingly clear that the program is in good hands. Undoubtedly, there’ll be many new faces for fans to look forward to next season, in Evanston and across the circuit.

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Beyond his sideline stoicism, Dan Fisher built Pitt volleyball into a powerhouse

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The unlikeliest journey to NCAA volleyball’s final four

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THE DAY KYNDAL STOWERS was told she couldn’t play volleyball anymore, she got in her car, silenced her phone, and drove aimlessly around town.

It was the spring of 2024, and she had endured four concussions over eight months on the volleyball court at Baylor, once in a collision with a teammate and three times from getting hit by the ball. “Why does this keep happening?” she asked herself. She figured she would redshirt her sophomore season and give her brain time to heal.

But near the end of the 2024 spring semester, a team doctor summoned Stowers. She thought it was just another checkup. When she arrived, the doctor, a trainer and a member of the university’s compliance department greeted her. They told her that she was being medically retired, and that her tuition would be paid for but her playing days — at Baylor at least — were finished.

She eventually went home to Denton, Texas, and watched the 2024 Final Four on her parents’ couch.

One year later, on Sunday, Stowers stood on the court at the Bob Devaney Center in Lincoln, Nebraska, celebrating her Texas A&M team’s five-set upset over the No. 1 — and previously undefeated — Cornhuskers in the regional finals. She had 25 kills and then found her mom in the crowd and cried. She rarely does that, Tina Stowers said.

But this is a story about the unlikeliest player on the unlikeliest semifinal team in the NCAA women’s volleyball tournament, and the moment commanded some emotion. It’s about a sports family supporting her decision to keep playing, and taking the steps necessary to ensure she’s as safe as she can be in an unpredictable arena of high-velocity swings, crashing bodies and flying elbows.

On Thursday, she’ll play for Texas A&M against Pittsburgh in the national semifinals.

“I knew that I wasn’t done,” Stowers said. “How can I be done with something I never got to start?”


THE STOWERS FAMILY knows about the violence of sports. Don Stowers, Kyndal’s dad, played football for New Mexico State in the 1990s, and was invited to the NFL combine. He played in NFL Europe for a year, and before that was a priority undrafted free agent for the Cincinnati Bengals before becoming a preseason cut by the Bengals and Denver Broncos. But he said there’s video of him tackling Emmitt Smith in a preseason game.

He has coached high school football in Texas, and his son, Eli, is a tight end for Vanderbilt. Tina Stowers graduated from Baylor, played beach volleyball for more than a decade, and coached high school and junior college volleyball. She said she never had a concussion in 30-plus years of volleyball, but acknowledges that back then, there were no protocols, and assessments were generally concluded with the term “getting your bell rung.”

But concussions in volleyball aren’t as rare as they might seem. A 2023 study found that volleyball had the highest rate of concussions (4.93 per 10,000 athlete exposures) among limited-contact sports, including softball, swimming/diving and baseball, and a rate higher than men’s basketball, which is considered a high-contact sport. The NCAA has a concussion safety protocol that schools must follow that applies to all sports. It includes immediate removal from a game or practice if a concussion is suspected and continued evaluation by a team physician in the hours and days following the injury.

When Kyndal sustained her first concussion at Baylor during the summer of 2023, before her freshman season, she called her mom. She was annoyed, Tina Stowers said, but otherwise fine. Then came the September game when she dove for a ball and a teammate went airborne and kneed her in the head.

Baylor sat her for 10 days, Tina Stowers said, but about a week after she returned, she looked tired. After an early October game, Tina and Don spoke to the trainers.

“So they were like, ‘You know what? We’re just going to take you out of the gym for a little bit longer,'” Tina Stowers said. “And then she was shagging balls and she got hit by [a serve] probably going 70 mph. Hit her right in the back of the head.”

When Stowers played, she dominated. During her freshman season, she had double-digit kills in 12 of the 14 matches she played. She had 29 kills and 16 digs against SMU; she hit above .450 in three matches and was once named Big 12 offensive player of the week.

But she never played after that Oct. 6 game against Kansas State.

During a spring practice in February 2024, she got hit by a shanked ball. She was diagnosed with her fourth concussion.

Baylor coach Ryan McGuyre said the decision to medically retire her was difficult for him and the Stowers family to take.

“Both of us were frustrated about not being able to navigate forward or at least just wait longer and let it work itself out,” he said.


BACK HOME IN Denton, Stowers lifted weights and worked on her speed and explosiveness alongside football players. She served and swatted at volleyballs alone in her club gym. She did Fellowship of Christian Athletes camps, binge-watched some TV series and dog-sat to earn money. Her symptoms waned.

One of the biggest perks of being off for an entire autumn was that she was finally able to see her brother play football for Vanderbilt.

“On the weekends, I was going to all of his games,” she said, “which was really cool because I’ve never been able to do that ever because we’ve both been playing at the same time.”

Her mom lovingly called her “college dropout” during her stay back home.

During the 2024 NCAA volleyball tournament, she entered the transfer portal. She wasn’t sure what the market would hold for a 19-year-old outside hitter with an extensive concussion history. She was at church one day when an onslaught of calls and texts hit her phone. It was so intrusive that she had to activate the “Do Not Disturb” feature.

Texas A&M coach Jamie Morrison was among the many reaching out. The Aggies were coming off a 21-8 season that ended with a five-set loss to Wisconsin in the regional semifinals. They were returning a talented roster, but there was room for more. Soon, Stowers visited College Station. Her brother started his football career there before transferring to New Mexico State and then Vanderbilt, so she was familiar with some of the faces and the athletic department’s culture.

“But obviously meeting the volleyball staff and seeing what they were about in their program meant a lot to me,” she said. “So, yeah, fell in love with it and then committed two days later.”


MORRISON SAID HE had two priorities when Stowers arrived. He wanted to give her back the thing she loved — the ability to play volleyball. He said he was also committed to keeping her safe.

Stowers wasn’t just working out during her time away from volleyball. She underwent concussion rehabilitation at the Andrews Institute in Plano, Texas, and received VOMS (Vestibular Ocular Motor Screening), which is a clinical assessment tool.

“When I moved home, I saw a ton of doctors in Dallas,” Stowers said, “a lot of very well-known neuropsychologists. Neurologists. Even some, like, general people, across every board that I could think of because I didn’t want to put myself at risk.

“I mean, my dad played football … my brother is about to go into the NFL. The world of concussions is not foreign to me, and I know obviously what that can lead to. So I didn’t want to put myself at risk by any means. Part of it was like, I want to get all of this evidence that I’m fine to continue playing, but I also want to make sure I’m good.”

She said that eventually, the lingering concussion symptoms she’d experienced at Baylor were gone, and she was cleared to continue playing volleyball by her personal doctors.

“I would never have put my daughter back out on a court if I thought it was not safe for her,” Tina Stowers said. “We definitely got plenty of clearance from a lot of people that know better than I do. And then it just kind of worked out.”

Morrison said A&M’s medical staff pored through all of her medical records, which accounted for about 60 hours of work. One of the conditions he set for Stowers to play was that she wore a Q-Collar, a horseshoe-shaped safety device that is worn around the neck and has been cleared by the FDA.

Dr. Julian Bailes, a renowned neurosurgeon and concussions expert who was part of the research and development of the Q-Collar, said the device has a spring inside that compresses the jugular.

“And what that does,” he said, “it puts a little more blood in the cranium, which reduces the ability of the brain to move or slosh around. …

“If you get hit on the head by any mechanism, if the brain doesn’t move, it doesn’t get injured. It’s the movement of the brain that creates brain injury, whether it’s concussion or, you know, major injury in a car accident or a fall, something like that.”

Though the device, which has become common in the NFL, has its skeptics, most everyone agrees that more research on concussion prevention needs to be done.

Stowers said she has worn the Q-Collar all season, and has been hit in the head occasionally. That’s going to happen to everyone, she said. But she hasn’t sustained another concussion, and doesn’t worry about getting hit in the head.

“I’ve been perfectly fine,” she said.


IT HAS BEEN a busy December for the Stowers family. Eli won the John Mackey Award, which is given to the nation’s top tight end, and the William V. Campbell Trophy, which honors the top scholar-athlete.

The family has jet-setted to New York and Las Vegas for Eli’s awards, then watched Kyndal play in the postseason in between. Sometimes it’s hard to remember what time zone they’re in — or where they are.

Texas A&M came back from two games down last weekend to knock off No. 2-seeded Louisville, then had the gumption to cancel the plans of thousands of Nebraskans who were supposed to flock three hours south to see their undefeated team hoist the trophy.

“Zero surprise to me what she’s doing,” said Baylor’s McGuyre, who has known Stowers since she was in junior high. “I’m really excited for her. My wife was the first to tell her, ‘Hey, if you don’t feel like you’re done playing, go play. You’ll flourish.’

“We were cheering super, super loud in that Nebraska match. Seeing her do what she did just kind of is another sucker punch to the gut a little bit, like, ‘Oh, what if?’ But I think both families still believe there’s a purpose and plan in this life. … I believe in over-comers. I wouldn’t be [talking] if I didn’t believe she’s something special.”

The Stowers family will be there Thursday to watch Kyndal try to do what seemed impossible 12 months ago. And if the Aggies beat Pitt, Eli hopes to make it to Sunday’s championship game.

On Tuesday, Kyndal, who was scrambling to pack for Kansas City, paused for a moment to reflect on the Aggies’ postseason run. She felt as if she fit in seamlessly when she arrived in College Station, that she was around like-minded teammates with the perfect measure of confidence and goofiness.

Nobody has time to worry about the heaviness of the moment.

“[Last year] I was sitting at home on my couch watching all these games being played,” she said.

“I believe that that’s where the Lord had me. And I was like, ‘This is a really cool story. God, if you want me to come out of this, how dope would that be?’ I mean, being medically retired, and now we’re here? It’s surreal.”



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Who will win the volleyball national championship with Nebraska out?

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Panthers’ Streich to join USD track and field program | Select

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Dickinson Announces Hall of Fame Class for 2026

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CARLISLE, Pa. – Dickinson Director of Athletics Celine Cunningham has announced that six former Red Devil student-athletes, two distinguished contributors, two campus contributors and one team will join the Dickinson Athletics Hall of Fame during Red-White Weekend from April 24 to 26.

Let’s get to know the inductees a little more:

Ross Anstaett ’11 – Men’s Tennis

Anstaett was a three-time team captain and two-time team Most Valuable Player for the Red Devil men’s tennis program from 2007 to 2011. The four-time All-Centennial Conference First Team selection and three-time Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll honoree finished his time at Dickinson with an record of 56-24. In singles competition he posted double-digit wins in three seasons playing as the Red Devils number one, with a career-high 17 victories coming as a senior in 2011. He was also a major threat in doubles action as well racking up 12 or more wins in three of four seasons. 

Taylor Ferry ’12 – Men’s Soccer

Ferry, was a stalwart defender for the Red and White from 2008 to 2012, helping the team to claim the school’s first Centennial Conference Championship in 2011 and make two appearances in the NCAA Tournament (2008, 2011). The two-time team captain was named to the All-Centennial Conference First Team for both the 2010 and 2011 seasons. His senior campaign would prove to be quite memorable as he not only landed on the All-Conference First Team, but was also a First Team All-Mid-Atlantic Region selection in addition to being named a NSCAA Third Team All-American. He served as the anchor of the Red Devils backline during their magical 2011 season helping the side to record eight clean sheets, which included a 2-0 win in the Centennial Conference Semifinal against Muhlenberg. Then, in the final with score tied 1-1 thru 90 minutes and overtime, he stepped up in the penalty shootout and converted the match-winning penalty to make Dickinson history. 

Genevieve Olson Desmond ’12 – Women’s Soccer

Olson, was a member of the Dickinson soccer program from 2008 to 2012 and was key cog in the Red Devils run to three consecutive Centennial Conference Championship Games in 2008, 2009 and 2010.  In 2010, she was a vital part of the team’s run to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament backstopping Dickinson to wins over Centenary University (N.J.) and Stevens Institute of Technology, before getting tripped up by Messiah University. The two-time First Team All-Centennial Conference selection and First Team All-Mid Atlantic Region honoree paced the side during the 2010 campaign in goals (7), assists (4), shots (65) and shots on goal (31). 

Sarah Rutkowski ’15 – Cross Country/Track & Field

Rutkowski, participated in both cross country and track & field for the Red and White during her time in Carlisle. On the cross country course, she was a member of four Little Three Championships, four Top-3 Centennial Conference Championship team finishes and four Top-25 team results in the NCAA Championships, including a 15th-place result in the 2013 race. As an individual she was a two-time All-Region and two-time All-Centennial Conference honoree. In indoor track, she earned All-American status for the 10,000m by taking fourth at the national championship. She also garnered All-Conference recognition for the 3000m and 5000m. Outdoors, she helped the Red Devils to a trio of second-place finishes as a team, while as an individual she nabbed a second-place finish for the 10,000m in 2015.

Gerry Wixted ’15 – Men’s Basketball

Wixted left Carlisle as one of the most decorated players in Dickinson basketball history earning three First Team All-Centennial Conference honors, one Second Team All-Conference selection and being named the 2015 Centennial Conference Player of the Year. That same season he was tabbed the D3Hoops.com National Player of the Year and NABC Mid-Atlantic Region Player of the Year, in addition to be selected a First Team All-American by both organizations. He left the school holding the Centennial Conference record for career defensive rebounds (689), career free throws made (597) and career free throws attempted (706). In addition, he graduated with the Dickinson record for career points (1,903), career rebounds (872), career free throws made (597), career free throws attempted (706), career blocked shots (172), career games played (113), career games started (110), single-season points (539), single-season blocked shots (46) and season-season free throws made (157). Not only did he have tremendous individual success, but he was a part of great team success as well, winning two Centennial Conference Championships and three NCAA Tournament appearances, including a pair of Sweet 16 appearances and one trip to the Elite 8.

Specialty Categories

Veterans – inductees who are listed as Veterans are at least 30 years removed from their date of graduation, and their accomplishments have stood the test of time.

Ed Ward ’83 – Men’s Basketball

Ward was a two-time All-Middle Atlantic Conference selection in 1982 and 1983, serving as a team captain during his final season with the Red Devils. When he left Dickinson, he held the school record for career blocked shots with 76, while ranking second in career rebounds (696), career field-goal percentage (.541) and single-season blocked shots (32). He contributed to three MAC South Division Championships, two NCAA Tournament appearances and one MAC Southern Conference Championship. 

Distinguished Contributors – Recipients of the Distinguished Contributor Award have demonstrated leadership, inspiration, talent, sustained support for Dickinson Athletics or achieved outstanding recognition in their athletic field, and/or measurable, sustainable philanthropic support of Dickinson Athletics by their efforts.

Tom ’78 and Judianne Hare P’22, P’25

As parents of two Red Devil student athletes, Tom and Judianne Hare deeply appreciate the value of the student-athlete experience at Dickinson—especially since Tom, himself, was an All-American athlete as a Red Devil. Accordingly, they have long been staunch supporters of Dickinson athletics through their transformational philanthropy. Their generosity has funded the new Hare Family Sports Performance & Training Center and provided professional-grade playing surfaces for men’s and women’s soccer. Motivated by their years of cheering on their children, Cole ’22 (baseball) and Charlotte ’25 (soccer), their gifts also include endowed funds for the long-term maintenance of the fields and support for baseball, softball and soccer. Their leadership-level giving has inspired significant support for Red Devil athletics across the parent and alumni community, securing a lasting impact for current and future Dickinson student-athletes.

Contributor – Recipients of the Contributor Award must have served Dickinson College as a coach, administrator, manager, trainer or any other capacity that served to make significant contributions to the athletic program and/or the advancement of our athletes

Charlie Hambrook and Bob Penner – Equipment Managers

Hambrook and Penner were two of the most dedicated employees during their time at Dickinson. Both were concerned about the well-being of the student athletes, which showed each and every day. They put in many hours to ensure athletes were provided with everything needed to compete on a daily basis. Their positions at Dickinson enabled them to get to know the athletes from all the teams, which they valued greatly. Both served the athletic department as members of one big family, and they will always be remembered for their selflessness and dedication. 

Team Award – Teams who are recognized for the team award have made outstanding contributions to Dickinson College Athletics, and have helped to bring recognition, honor, distinction and excellence to Dickinson College and its intercollegiate athletic programs.

2011 Men’s Soccer


The 2011 Dickinson men’s soccer program is a very special one in Red Devil history as they posted an 11-5-5 overall record with a 6-2-1 mark inside the Centennial Conference. After opening up the season with a pair of ties, the Red and White picked up wins in four of their next five matches knocking off Washington & Jefferson (6-1), Skidmore (4-0), Gwynedd-Mercy (5-0) and Washington (Md.) (4-1). Following a non-conference slip against No. 2 Messiah, the Red Devils nabbed conference victories over Swarthmore (2-1), McDaniel (4-1), Johns Hopkins (3-0), Ursinus (3-0) and Muhlenberg (1-0), which earned them a spot in the Centennial Conference tournament. Dickinson would knock off Muhlenberg by a 2-0 scoreline in the semifinals, earning them a place in the title match with Haverford. The Red Devils and Fords would go the full 110 minutes locked at 1-1 to setup a penalty shootout. It was there were Hall of Fame inductee Taylor Ferry drilled the match-winning kick to send Dickinson to the NCAA Tournament. The Red and White began their tournament journey with a 2-1 triumph over Vassar, before the host Montclair State posted a 2-1 win in the Second Round. The team was led offensively by Javier Mena, who had eight goals and nine assists, followed by Bryan Gilmartin and Nicolas Tierno who netted five goals each while the duo of Derek Kachadurian and Chris Shultz added four. Seven other players recorded at least two goals to contribute to a very well-balanced attack. Cody Hickok led the way between the sticks for head coach Brian Redding, posting a .908 save percentage thanks to 92 stops.



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Monument Mountain Seniors Sign Commitments to College Teams / iBerkshires.com

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GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. – Four Monument Mountain student-athletes this week committed to compete in intercollegiate athletics next year.


 


Cross country and track and field standouts Amelia Desilets, Autumn Higa and Everett Pacheco were joined on the Monument Mountain stage on Tuesday by softball star Lexi Carpenter to sign commitment letters to the schools of their choice.


 


Desilets is bound for Orono, Maine, to run cross country and track and field for the University of Maine.


 


Higa and Pacheco committed to run cross country at Vassar College and Williams College, respectively.


 


Carpenter committed to Rhode Island’s Roger Williams University to compete for the Hawks on the softball diamond.


 


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