California club’s girls 18 team heads to national championships
WHERE THEY’LL REPRESENT THE 831.. TAKING ON THE NATIONS BEST. VO- THE SAND CITY VOLLEYBALL CLUB’S 18 GOLD GIRLS TEAM.. IS HEADING OUT TO SALT LAKE CITY UTAH.. COMPETING IN USA VOLLEYBALL’S GIRLS JUNIOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT..IT’S THE TEAM’S FOURTH YEAR HEADING TO THE TOURNAMENT.. BUT THIS YEAR.. WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.. SOT VID 0080 […]
WHERE THEY’LL REPRESENT THE 831.. TAKING ON THE NATIONS BEST. VO- THE SAND CITY VOLLEYBALL CLUB’S 18 GOLD GIRLS TEAM.. IS HEADING OUT TO SALT LAKE CITY UTAH.. COMPETING IN USA VOLLEYBALL’S GIRLS JUNIOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT..IT’S THE TEAM’S FOURTH YEAR HEADING TO THE TOURNAMENT.. BUT THIS YEAR.. WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.. SOT VID 0080 1:03:50-1:04:01 MAYA GIANNINI SENIOR AT PALMA HIGH SCHOOL VO- THE CLUB.. KNOWS A THING OR TWO ABOUT ADVERSITY.. NEEDING TO GRIND OUT A CHAMPIONSHIP BID.. WITHOUT HAVING A FULLY HEALTHY TEAM. SOT VID 0076 52:51- 52:58 NATALIE MENDOZA SENIOR AT SALINAS HIGH SCHOOL BUTT VID 0076 53:45-53:57 JENNIFER RIVERA SENIOR AT SALINAS HIGH SCHOOL VO- A GROUP OF HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS FROM ALL OVER THE CENTRAL COAST.. LOOKING TO PUT A STAMP ON THEIR LAST CLUB VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT.. WITH GOALS OF BRINGING BACK A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.. SOT VID 0080 1:04:47-1:04:54 BUTT VID 0074 49:54-50:04—- 50:07-50:09 THE TOURNAMENT BEGINS FRIDAY…. ENDING ON SUNDAY.. AND WITH EVERYTHING THEY’VE BEEN THROUGH.. HOPING THEY STAY HEALTHY THIS W
Sand City Volleyball Club’s girls 18 team heads to national championships
Updated: 1:09 PM PDT Apr 25, 2025
The Sand City Volleyball Club’s girls 18 team is heading to Salt Lake City, Utah, to compete in the USA Volleyball’s Girls Junior National Championship Tournament after overcoming a season filled with adversity.”I’m really excited because this team has gone through so much, and we all thought it was going to be the worst season ever, and it turned out to be a really great season,” said Maya Giannini, a senior at Palma High School.The team faced numerous challenges, including not having a fully healthy roster throughout the season.”I don’t think there was a single tournament that there wasn’t someone sick, like the past three tournaments, honestly, there was a lot to deal with,” said Natalie Mendoza, a senior at Salinas High School.”I feel so rewarded to get this because there’s other teams that want the same thing. They want the dream of going to nationals, especially in their last season, it’s your last chance to make it big,” said Jennifer Rivera, also a senior at Salinas High School.The group of high school seniors from across the Central Coast is determined to make their last club volleyball tournament memorable, with hopes of bringing back a national championship.”There’s a lot of girls who aren’t going on to play in college, so leaving out on the court for them because this is their actual last matches,” Laela Burges, a senior at San Luis Obispo High School. “To be able to coach the same players for four or five years in a row is fantastic,c and they just keep proving themselves, each year, year in and year out. Super proud, just a super proud coach,” said Kit Moore, head coach of the Sand City Volleyball Club.The tournament begins Friday and ends on Sunday, with the team hoping to stay healthy and perform their best.See more coverage of top Central Coast stories | Download our app / Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SAND CITY, Calif. —
The Sand City Volleyball Club’s girls 18 team is heading to Salt Lake City, Utah, to compete in the USA Volleyball’s Girls Junior National Championship Tournament after overcoming a season filled with adversity.
“I’m really excited because this team has gone through so much, and we all thought it was going to be the worst season ever, and it turned out to be a really great season,” said Maya Giannini, a senior at Palma High School.
The team faced numerous challenges, including not having a fully healthy roster throughout the season.
“I don’t think there was a single tournament that there wasn’t someone sick, like the past three tournaments, honestly, there was a lot to deal with,” said Natalie Mendoza, a senior at Salinas High School.
“I feel so rewarded to get this because there’s other teams that want the same thing. They want the dream of going to nationals, especially in their last season, it’s your last chance to make it big,” said Jennifer Rivera, also a senior at Salinas High School.
The group of high school seniors from across the Central Coast is determined to make their last club volleyball tournament memorable, with hopes of bringing back a national championship.
“There’s a lot of girls who aren’t going on to play in college, so leaving out on the court for them because this is their actual last matches,” Laela Burges, a senior at San Luis Obispo High School.
“To be able to coach the same players for four or five years in a row is fantastic,c and they just keep proving themselves, each year, year in and year out. Super proud, just a super proud coach,” said Kit Moore, head coach of the Sand City Volleyball Club.
The tournament begins Friday and ends on Sunday, with the team hoping to stay healthy and perform their best.
See more coverage of top Central Coast stories | Download our app / Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
In the third of a summer series of articles on the new teams who will join the NVL for the 2025-26 season, Volleyball England runs the rule over Telford men, who will take a place in Division 3 Central. Year formed: 1973. NVL Coach: Patrick Samsom. Social media handles: Telford Volleyball Club (Facebook), @telfordvolleyballclub […]
In the third of a summer series of articles on the new teams who will join the NVL for the 2025-26 season, Volleyball England runs the rule over Telford men, who will take a place in Division 3 Central.
Year formed: 1973.
NVL Coach: Patrick Samsom.
Social media handles: Telford Volleyball Club (Facebook), @telfordvolleyballclub (Instagram), @telfordvolleyballclub (TikTok)
Telford gave notice of their ability to compete at national level last season when they enjoyed a successful campaign in the National Shield.
In September, they claimed an impressive 3-0 success (25-15, 25-20, 25-22) over fellow West Midlanders Tamworth Spartans 2 at the Last 64 stage.
Next, in November, they continued their run against another NVL Division 3 Central side in the shape of Darkstar Derbyshire 2, this time coming through in four sets in the Last 32 clash (25-22, 25-23, 23-25, 25-19).
That took their campaign into the New Year where they next faced Nottingham Rockets at the David Ross Sports Centre in January, bidding for a hat-trick of victories against teams from the same league.
Things started well as the visitors took the first set, but the Rockets came back strongly to take the next three (13-25, 25-15, 25-16, 25-11). It soon became clear that there was no disgrace in that Last 16 exit as their opponents went on to win the league title without losing a game.
Those performances will certainly have given Telford confidence they can hold their own when they begin their 2025-26 season in the NVL – and the club has already made preparations ready for it when playing their 2024-25 campaign in the West Midlands Volleyball League.
“We had a good, strong start to the season in WMVL Division 1 and, with a secure place in the table, we took the the decision was made to transition and give more court time to the juniors in preparation for their transition into the NVL squad,” said Anna Mottershaw, the club’s Fixtures and Training Rota Secretary and Junior Development Officer.
“That obviously impacted the teams predicted overall position in the league, but proved very useful for both the young players and the coach to plan their progression.
“We are particular looking forward to returning to the NVL after a previous spell in it as it will enable us to compete consistently at a higher level.
“For this first season back, competing at this level whilst putting some wins under our belts will be the aim.
“Alongside that, we want to give our club members the opportunity to play at a higher level – as well as give players from across the club a goal for their own personal volleyball journey.”
Telford last played in the national set-up in the 2019-20 season, while their men last took part in the 2002-03 campaign, winning Division 3.
However, player retirement, a drop in numbers and a lack of a junior club eventually led to the withdrawal of both teams, not helped in the case of the women’s side by the onset of Covid-19.
But now Telford have worked hard to make their player pool wider by focusing in on their junior system and ensuring there is a strong conveyor belt of talent coming through.
They have recognised that developing their own is likely to be key to success, with Anna (née Perkins), along with husband and Club Chair Kevin, leading the way.
They were both pupils at Phoenix Secondary School in Telford where the club was founded by teachers Trevor Knowles and William (Bill) and have remained active members of the club since first getting involved.
Anna said: “To progress our club, we want to be able to offer a wide range of volleyball from juniors upwards, as well as having a fully homegrown NVL team in the future.
“As with all clubs post-Covid 19, we saw an influx of players with the introduction of the cartoon series Haikyu… with it our junior section grew and grew.
“In 2015, our junior club consisted of four people and now we regularly have 35. With the increase in numbers also comes more teams, coaches, sports hall availability and equipment.
“But all of these have enabled us to offer a full range of volleyball, re-enter the NVL and make sure that our teams are made up of homegrown talent.
“With a thriving junior section, we are now able to have two ladies teams and currently three men’s teams, all of which represent the club in the same league but in different divisions.”
Another challenge in the not-too-distant past saw the club forced to move from its roots in 2013 when the old school closed.
It was then that the club changed its name to Telford Volleyball Club, planting its roots at Telford College of Arts and Technology (TCAT).
The move has proven successful, with coaches giving their time to coach the college team whilst at the same time recruiting new players, ensuring a strong club – college partnership.
For the 2025-26 NVL season, Coach Patrick Samsom will be looking to two key players to lead from the front.
Telford will go up against the likes of Coventry and Warwick Riga 2, Black Country 2, Sheffield 2, Wombourne, Nuneaton Inferno, the two sides they defeated last season – Darkstar Derbyshire 2 and Tamworth Spartans 2 – and fellow newcomers Birmingham City.
“Based on last year’s performances Daniel Searle and Patryk Piecuch are going to be important for us as we settle in,” he said.
“They out together so many beautiful combinations and I could see straight away when one wasn’t there.
“Patryk is probably the best Libero in the West Midlands competition so it’s great to have him in our team.
“The combinations Daniel lets the attackers run is amazing and he reads the game quite well too.”
Three Jackets Compete in Friday’s Action at NCAA East Prelims – Men’s Track & Field — Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
THE FLATS – Eight members of the Georgia Tech track and field teams have been named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Teams, the organization announced on Tuesday afternoon. Nominated student-athletes must have at least a 3.50 cumulative grade point average and have participated in at least 50 percent of the team’s competition. […]
THE FLATS – Eight members of the Georgia Tech track and field teams have been named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Teams, the organization announced on Tuesday afternoon.
Nominated student-athletes must have at least a 3.50 cumulative grade point average and have participated in at least 50 percent of the team’s competition. The student-athlete is eligible once they complete one full calendar year at their institution and is at least a sophomore athletically/academically.
Women’s Academic All-District Honorees: Kate Jortberg
Carla du Plessis
Kendall Ward
Grace Driskill
Men’s Academic All-District Honorees: Devin Wade
Myles Collins
Billy Carlton
John Watkins
Full Steam Ahead Full Steam Ahead is a $500 million fundraising initiative to achieve Georgia Tech athletics’ goal of competing for championships at the highest level in the next era of intercollegiate athletics. The initiative will fund transformative projects for Tech athletics, including renovations of Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field (the historic home of Georgia Tech football), the Zelnak Basketball Center (the practice and training facility for Tech basketball) and O’Keefe Gymnasium (the venerable home of Yellow Jackets volleyball), as well as additional projects and initiatives to further advance Georgia Tech athletics through program wide-operational support. All members of the Georgia Tech community are invited to visit atfund.org/FullSteamAhead for full details and renderings of the renovation projects, as well as to learn about opportunities to contribute online.
For the latest information on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, follow us on X (@GT_tracknfield), Instagram (GT_tracknfield), Facebook (Georgia Tech Track and Field) or visit us at www.ramblinwreck.com
COLLEGE CALLS: Five BC track and field athletes moving to next level, including four at CCSU | Sports
BRISTOL — The Bristol Central boys’ track and field team turned in another special season, and you don’t do that without special athletes. Julieen Lopez, Isaiah Fabrizio, Tristian Toussaint, Nate Davis and Will Postell all medaled at the state meet, and all five seniors are off to the next level. Lopez, Fabrizio, Davis and Toussaint […]
BRISTOL — The Bristol Central boys’ track and field team turned in another special season, and you don’t do that without special athletes.
Julieen Lopez, Isaiah Fabrizio, Tristian Toussaint, Nate Davis and Will Postell all medaled at the state meet, and all five seniors are off to the next level.
Lopez, Fabrizio, Davis and Toussaint will all continue their academic and track and field careers at nearby Central Connecticut State University, while Postell will be doing the same at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven.
“Hopefully we’re on their payroll now,” joked Bristol Central coach Tamara Stafford-Kirk during the Rams’ recent signing day event.
Stafford-Kirk called Southern Connecticut, where Postell is going “one of our favorite places to send people.”
College track and field wasn’t necessarily something that was on any of the five’s radar, especially as young kids. But they grew into the sport in their respective events and worked their way into becoming not just high school stars, but athletes who could compete at the next level.
“Our story is a little different, these guys did not grow up doing track and field,” Stafford-Kirk said. “Unfortunately we don’t have a youth track program at Bristol, so I think that says even more about where they’ve come from and how hard they’re willing to work. When these guys came to us, they did not know how to do the things they’re doing now.”
And what they’re doing now, and what they’ve done over the course of the last four years, is remarkable.
That starts with Davis (44-1) and Postell (44-0), who finished 1-2 in the Class L state championships in the triple jump last season, with Postell finishing second and Davis third this season. Postell also finished eighth in the long jump.
“We’ve got a couple of the best triple and long jumpers in the state,” Stafford-Kirk said. “You never know when you’re going to see something. Will and Nate from the get-go, coach Kevin Taylor texted me and said we’ve got these two wirey little guys out here on the football team and they can get up, they can jump. What they’ve done, what Nate has done after having what we thought was a season-ending and possibly career-ending injury and coming back to jump is just unbelievable. Central Connecticut and Southern are getting two of our best ever.”
Toussaint, meanwhile, will go down as the best hurdler in program history. The numbers speak for themselves, as he became the first athlete in program history to run sub-15 in the 110 hurdles, ultimately running a 14.74 in a third-place finish in the Class L championships this season while adding a sixth-place finish in the 300 hurdles.
“What Tristian has done in the 110 hurdles is unbelievable,” Stafford-Kirk said. “He’s the first male ever at Bristol Central to be under 15 seconds. He ran 14.92, 14.91 and busted out a 14.61 at the CCC’s. If you were anywhere around New Britain, you knew the race was being run, because I was going out of mind.”
Stafford-Kirk was a standout hurdler, among many events, at Bristol Eastern, before going on to a decorated college career at Division I Campbell University in North Carolina, so getting to work with Toussaint was something near and dear to her heart.
“I work closely with the hurdlers,” she said. “Tristan and I have talked a lot of times about what a good hurdle race is like and when you are running a good hurdle race those hurdles are coming up on you so quick. It’s just so special. It’s what these guys are a part of and what they’re going to bring to CCSU and Southern. The growth that we’ve seen from them is immense. When they came to us mostly as freshmen, they didn’t really know what they were going to be good at, what area they were going to be in.”
Lopez and Fabrizio, meanwhile, became two of the best short and middle-distance runners in the state.
Lopez placed third in the 400 at the Class L championships this season (51.09), while Fabrizio was sixth in the 800 (3:30.87). They were both part of the 4×800 (fifth, 8:14.29) and 4×400 (eighth, 3:30.87) relay teams that also medaled at Class L’s this season.
“Isaiah and Julieen, these guys can run anything,” Stafford-Kirk said. “We could put them in the 100 if we wanted to. They run up to 800 meters, they could go up to 1600 if we needed them to. They were part of a relay that had one of the top three times in the state this season, that 4×800 relay.
“Isaiah’s sophomore year at the froshmore championships, I got a text from coach Baker that said Isaiah just ran a 2:02 800 split in the 4×800. I knew he was progressing, but that was a breakthrough. You never know when they’re going to have that breakthrough.”
Watching the growth and maturity is something Stafford-Kirk and her staff have taken a lot of pride in. And that’s been a trickledown effect with the Bristol Central track and field program. And she knows that will continue as this talented group of seniors is off to college.
“As they mature, we are so proud to see the leadership that they’ve brought to our program,” Stafford-Kirk said. “But mostly we’re just proud of the development of these guys. They’re good because the guys before them did the work and now they’re stepping up and doing that. They’re chasing each other. Every year, we lose a couple guys and we don’t say is someone going to step up, it’s who’s going to step up.
“This is not you’re traditional sport. A lot of people just don’t have the guts to come out and try it. When these guys line up for an 800 or 110 hurdle race, they’re putting everything on the line. I give them a lot of credit for stepping up. We’re going to be following their careers and they’re going to do great things.”
Softball adds transfer Taylor Anderson from Oklahoma State
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AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Softball has signed transfer utility player Taylor Anderson to the roster for the 2026 season, head coach Mike White announced Wednesday. Anderson, who played her freshman season at Oklahoma State in 2024, will be immediately eligible with three years of eligibility remaining. The Dripping Springs, Texas, […]
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Softball has signed transfer utility player Taylor Anderson to the roster for the 2026 season, head coach Mike White announced Wednesday. Anderson, who played her freshman season at Oklahoma State in 2024, will be immediately eligible with three years of eligibility remaining.
The Dripping Springs, Texas, product appeared in 43 games with five starts at OSU in 2024. She hit .250 with a .438 slugging percentage and .368 on-base percentage in 16 at-bats, totaling four hits, 16 runs scored, one home run, two RBI and three walks. A top-option on the base path for the Cowgirls, she was successful on four of her six stolen base attempts. She earned her first career start in left field against BYU on March 22, 2024, and launched a solo home run – her first career home run. In the rubber match against the Cougars on March 23, 2024, she went 2-for-2 at the plate with two runs scored while drawing a walk, reaching base on all three plate appearances.
During high school, Anderson was a three-time all-state honoree, a District MVP (2022), a Texas Girls Coaches Association All-Star (2022) and a District Offensive Player of the Year (2021), leading Dripping Springs to multiple district championships. She also competed in track and field for Dripping Springs, winning bi-district titles as part of the 4×100 meter and 4×200 meter relay teams.
Kingsford community funds track and field renovations
KINGSFORD, Mich. (WLUC) – Compactors and loaders carry gravel across what was grass only a few weeks ago. Right now, Flivver Field could pass for a parking lot, but soon, new turf will be placed as part of a renovation of the track and field. Breitung Township School District Superintendent Aaron Yonke says the field […]
KINGSFORD, Mich. (WLUC) – Compactors and loaders carry gravel across what was grass only a few weeks ago.
Right now, Flivver Field could pass for a parking lot, but soon, new turf will be placed as part of a renovation of the track and field.
Breitung Township School District Superintendent Aaron Yonke says the field will see more use afterward.
“This is like a prime piece of location in Dickinson County,” Yonke said. “Right now, with our football and track events, usually you’re going to see some event going on here 12-15 times a year. With the completion of this project, that’s going to be at the minimum doubled.”
The field could also be used for marching band or the school’s physical education program.
Yonke says the renovations will help the school host more events.
“We have the annual U.P. track final here,” Yonke said. “We hold a bunch of camps with soccer and football. That’s something that, with this new upgraded facility, we’ll be able to attract more of those events like that.”
The entire project cost almost $1.75 million, but the money came from community donations, not tax hikes.
Kingsford High School Athletic Director Chris Hartman says community support has been consistent.
“It started out really, really hot with a boatload of people coming in,” Hartman said. “Then, it kind of cooled off, but now, the people are walking by and driving by and seeing the project come to life and I’ve had some more calls here in the past couple weeks now that they are really seeing it.”
Donors get their names placed on the track or the field. There are still 15 spots available.
If you are interested in donating, contact the Kingsford High School office.
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The Youngstown State men’s and women’s track and field teams had four student-athletes named to the 2025 Academic All-District® Men’s Track & Field teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, the organization announced on Tuesday. The four student-athletes recognized as some of the nation’s top individuals for their combined performances on […]
The Youngstown State men’s and women’s track and field teams had four student-athletes named to the 2025 Academic All-District® Men’s Track & Field teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, the organization announced on Tuesday.
The four student-athletes recognized as some of the nation’s top individuals for their combined performances on the track, in the field, and in the classroom were Emily Bee, Nia Williams-Matthews, Ainsley Hamsher and Thomas Caputo.