UVU will join the Big West on July 1, 2026.

Utah Valley University is leaving the Western Athletic Conference.

On Wednesday, the Wolverines announced that they will be joining the Big West Conference as a full member on July 1, 2026.

They’ll be joining programs Cal Poly, Cal State Bakersfield, Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State, CSUN, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, and California Baptist in the conference.

“We are honored to join The Big West and begin an exciting new chapter in UVU Athletics,” said UVU President Astrid S. Tuminez in a news release. “This move reflects the progress we’ve made across our programs and the growing reputation of our university. One of the most enjoyable parts of my presidency has been watching our student-athletes compete, learn, and grow, often punching above their weight. I am confident that we will continue to thrive in The Big West. The future looks bright.”

With the transition, UVU will compete in 13 Big West-sponsored sports, including: baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, men’s and women’s track and field, and women’s volleyball.

UVU wrestling will continue to compete in the Big 12.

“This is a transformative opportunity for our department,” UVU AD Jared Sumsion said. “The Big West is an elite conference that reflects the academic, athletic, and geographic profile we’ve worked hard to build. We are thrilled to align with its membership and to bring the Big West to the Utah mountains.”

UVU has been with the WAC since 2013, winning 33 total regular-season and tournament championships in the conference.

Upon its entry to the Big West, Utah Valley will become the largest university in the conference with more than 46,800 enrolled students.

“We are thrilled to welcome Utah Valley University to the Big West,” Big West commissioner Dan Butterly said. “… Their addition expands our geographic footprint into a vibrant and strategically significant region, while elevating the level of competition across the board. We look forward to the energy and excitement the Wolverines will bring to the Big West.”

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Patterson, Lewis named collegiate Athletes of the Year

Ventura High’s Sadie Engelhardt and Newbury Park’s Shane Rosenthal took home two of the night’s biggest honors June 1 as the Ventura County Sports Hall of Fame celebrated the year in local sports with its annual awards ceremony at the Serra Center in Camarillo.

Engelhardt, the North Carolina State commit who won eight state championships in cross country and track, was named interscholastic Female Athlete of the Year.

“Just to be next to these other athletes just to be surrounded by greatness like this is such a privilege,” Engelhardt said. “It was pretty inspiring.”

Rosenthal, the UCLA football commit who set four county career records and the state receiving record as he led Newbury Park football to the CIF-Southern Section Division 2 championship, was named interscholastic Male Athlete of the Year.

Ventura College water polo player AnnMarie Patterson and Cal Lutheran University basketball player Devon Lewis were named collegiate Female and Male Athletes of the Year.

More: Three local softball teams advance in the CIF-State regionals; Fillmore baseball falls

The Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025, including Simi Valley softball player Sara Griffin Webster, Westlake High tennis coach Connie Flanderka, distance runner Ruth Vomund and Ventura High running coach Bill Tokar, gave their induction speeches to the assembled athletes of the year and their families.

Camarillo high jumper Jeremy Fisher, who is abroad coaching, gave his speech via video and his coach, Dennis Reidmiller, accepted the honor on his behalf.

Hall of Fame executive director Brian FitzGerald presented Santa Paula High’s Miahnna Galvan with the organization’s scholarship award.

Galvan, the Citrus Coast League girls basketball MVP, will attend Cal State University East Bay. She also set the school record in the 3,200 meters, volunteered locally and wrote an essay which moved the judges.

Kimberly Chavarria (Buena), Trinity Tipton (Camarillo), Ahtziry Mendoza-Mendez (Channel Islands), Alexa Martinez (Fillmore), Lauren Kaller (Foothill Tech), Logan Burns (Grace School), Hailey Lopez (Hueneme), Dylan Montelbano (Moorpark), Kimiko Carmer (Newbury Park), Cadence Renshaw (Nordhoff), Katarina Modrzejewski (Oak Park), Sienna Angell (Oxnard), Alysia Clayton (Pacifica), Sofie Stock (Rio Mesa), Amanda Borg (Royal), Hailey Barlow (St. Bonaventure), Sofia Peralta (Santa Clara), Galvan (Santa Paula), Kiley Reisner (Simi Valley), Morgan Casillas (Thousand Oaks), Engelhardt (Ventura), Kirra Cane (Villanova Prep), and Claudia Turner (Westlake) were honored as the interscholastic Female Athletes of the Year from their respective schools.

Grace Hazelton (Moorpark College), Janelle Jimenez (Oxnard College), AnnMarie Patterson (Ventura College), Mari Carmen Bufkin (Cal Lutheran University) were honored as the collegiate Female Athletes of the Year from their schools.

Brady McHenry (Buena), Joshua Castaniero (Camarillo), Nazir Ivey (Channel Islands), Anthony Tafoya (Fillmore), Aidan Gomez (Foothill Tech), Evan LaSecla (Grace School), JR Lesher (Hueneme), Leon Chavez (Moorpark), Rosenthal (Newbury Park), Uriel Covarrubias (Nordhoff), Oliver Gonzalez (Oak Park), Joshua Godinez (Oxnard), Isaiah Dillon (Pacifica), JJ Bittner (Rio Mesa), Zach Nagy (Royal), Koen Glover (St. Bonaventure), Leon Chavez (Santa Clara), Allen Macias (Santa Paula), Kevin Ilano (Simi Valley), Oliver Clippinger-Zimmerman (Thousand Oaks), Josh Woodworth (Ventura), Esteban Lopez-Ayala (Villanova Prep), and Austin Maziasz (Westlake) were honored as the interscholastic Male Athletes of the Year from their respective schools.

Jacob Knudsen (Moorpark College), Luke Ortiz (Oxnard College), Daniel Duran (Ventura College), and Lewis (Cal Lutheran University) were honored as the collegiate Male Athletes of the Year from their schools.

Joe Curley covers sports for The Star. He can be reached at joe.curley@vcstar.com. For more coverage, follow @vcspreps on Twitter/X, Instagram/Threads, Facebook and Bluesky.

UNION CITY – Junia Hines said her track and field coaches pushed her to see how far she could go. 

The Union City Area High School senior competed in the triple jump, the long jump, and javelin and was a member of the 4×100 relay team for the Bears. 

Hines will continue her academic and athletic career in college. On May 27, she signed a letter of intent to commit to PennWest Edinboro. 

Hines, 18, signed the letter of intent in the high school media center in front of family, friends, coaches and the track and field team. 

“I chose PennWest because it was close to home, affordable, and I’m able to get the education that I want from them as well as the sports,” Junia said. 

She is the daughter of Jay and Jessica Hines. She has one brother, Jacob Hines. 

At PennWest, she will major in psychology with a minor in education. 

Hines will also compete in the triple jump and the javelin for the Fighting Scots. 

While in high school, she participated on the track and field team, and the swimming and diving team. She was a wrestling cheerleader and a football cheerleader. 

She is also an assistant gymnastics coach. 

Kim DeSimone is the track and field head coach for Union City and Jordan Sipe is one of the assistant coaches. 

DeSimone said Hines discovered a talent for javelin this year. 

“I am excited that she will continue to excel in javelin at PennWest,” DeSimone said. “Junia is also a natural triple jumper who will continue to master her steps and accomplish goals in college.” 

Now, Hines wants to thank those coaches who made her work. 

“I’d like to thank the coaches that helped me push myself to see how far I could go, and a special shout out to Coach Sipe for letting me find enjoyment in the javelin,” Hines said. 

Some of beach volleyball’s biggest stars are in San Diego this week, but not at the beach. Top players are competing at an indoor tournament at Viejas Arena where organizers are bringing in hundreds of tons of sand.

A graduate of Torrey Pines High School, Megan Kraft is back in San Diego this week to compete in the AVP League volleyball event on Friday and Saturday at Viejas Arena. Organizers are bringing truckloads of sand onto the court where the Aztecs play basketball to conduct a televised indoor beach volleyball tournament.

“No wind, no sun, not as hot, so it definitely brings that indoor feeling to it. The sand might not be as deep as a normal beach, so I think it brings a lot of excitement,” Kraft said.

Terese Cannon is Kraft’s partner and says while they may be playing indoors, this is still beach volleyball.

“Beach players are equally if not more athletic than indoor players. If you think about it, the surface is always moving, so being able to create force and propel yourself through the sand and up into the air is hard, and there’s only two of you,” Cannon said.

Both players agree that this is just another way to build interest and find new fans outside of the Olympics.

“10 years ago, beach volleyball wasn’t even a collegiate sport, and now, it’s the fastest growing, and still growing,” Kraft said.

And after it’s all over, the sand gets donated to local schools to help build new competitive beach volleyball courts.

“I don’t know how long it takes to clean up, but I know it takes a while to set up. I think they bring in, like, 300 tons of sand. So, it’s crazy,” Kraft said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

IRVING, Texas (June 4, 2025) – The National Football Foundation (NFF) announced the names on the 2026 Ballot under consideration for induction into the NFF College Football Hall of Fame, including 79 players and nine coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 100 players and 35 coaches from the divisional ranks.

With the 2026 ballot being released, a notable name for Bears fans is that of the legendary figure Edward P. Hurt, who served as the head coach of Morgan State from 1930 to 1959. Hurt’s contributions to the sport, particularly within the context of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), are monumental.

During his storied career, he transformed Morgan State into a gridiron powerhouse, a feat cemented by his leadership in securing six Black College National Championships and a staggering 14 Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) titles. His coaching prowess is further underscored by the 11 undefeated seasons he orchestrated, including the unparalleled 1943 team that achieved the extraordinary feat of not allowing a single point from any opponent throughout the entire season. 

Perhaps most remarkable was the dominant stretch from 1932 to 1939, when Hurt led the Bears on an astounding 54-game unbeaten streak. Throughout his tenure, Morgan’s composite football record was an astonishing 173 wins, 47 losses, and 17 ties. Under his guidance, the teams he coached consistently dominated their opponents, leaving an enduring legacy in the sport.

Hurt also coached Morgan State basketball from 1929 to 1947. His Cagers consistently placed among the top basketball teams in the CIAA. During his tenure, the Cagers won four CIAA titles, including top honors in three successive years: 1931, 1932, and 1933.

In track and field, his teams produced eight individual NCAA championships, 12 National AAU champions in individual events, six national AAU relay champions, and one Olympic champion – George Rhoden, who was a record-holder in the 400-meter hurdles. In the CIAA, Morgan won 18 track and field championships since entering the conference in 1930.

During his tenure at Morgan, Hurt held numerous positions of responsibility. He served as an instructor in mathematics, acting head of the Physical Education Department, professor of Physical Education, and Athletic Director until his retirement.

Hurt began his coaching career at Virginia Theological Seminary and College. He was named assistant coach in 1921, then became head coach in 1925. Hurt earned a 15-11-4 record as head football coach and led the basketball teams to two CIAA championships.

As a football star for Howard University, Hurt graduated in 1929 with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. He also earned a master’s degree in physical education from Columbia University.

Hurt was once asked about his successful coaching history. He responded, “If I’ve done anything at all, it’s been because of other coaches, the men, the colleges, the administration, the alumni, friends, just everybody. I’ve only had one formula, and that’s hard work.”

Hurt died on March 24, 1989, at his home in Baltimore at the age of 89. 

The announcement of the 2026 NFF College Football Hall of Fame Class will be made in early 2026, with specific details to be announced in the future.

 

The 2026 NFF College Football Hall of Fame Class will be officially inducted during the 68th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 8, 2026, at the Bellagio Hotel & Casino. They will be honored at their respective schools with an NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the 2026 season.

 

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There are many ways to keep up with MSU athletics online and on the go:

• Visit www.morganstatebears.com, the official website of Bears athletics, for news, schedules, stats, bios and more. 

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            Facebook: /MorganStateBears

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ABOUT MORGAN

Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering more than 126 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland’s Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu. 

FanDuel has banned the sports bettor who heckled three-time Olympic gold medalist Gabby Thomas at a Grand Slam Track meet last weekend and later boasted that his actions helped him win a bet placed on one of her competitors.

“FanDuel condemns in the strongest terms abusive behavior directed towards athletes,” a FanDuel spokesperson said in a statement to The Athletic. “Threatening or harassing athletes is unacceptable and has no place in sports. This customer is no longer able to wager with FanDuel.”

The betting platform took action after Thomas said Monday that a sports bettor followed her around Franklin Field in Philadelphia, the site of the track event, and heckled her.

“This grown man followed me around the track as I took pictures and signed autographs for fans (mostly children) shouting personal insults- anybody who enables him online is gross,” Thomas wrote on X.

In response to a previous post from Thomas, a man posted a video on X where he can be heard heckling Thomas at the starting line. He calls himself “The Track and Field Bully” and “The King of Track and Field and Sports Betting Dramedy” in his X bio.

The man also shared a screenshot of a winning bet slip showing he won over $800 on a parlay, which included a victory by Melissa Jefferson-Wooden in the women’s 100m. Thomas, who won gold at the Paris Olympics in the 200m, was bested by Jefferson-Wooden in the 200 on Saturday and then beaten by Jefferson-Wooden again Sunday in the 100.

The man wrote, “I made Gabby lose by heckling her. And it made my parlay win.”

Grand Slam Track said Tuesday that it was working to identify the man in the video and opened an investigation into the incident.

Thomas is the latest athlete to address the growing trend of alarming treatment from fans related to sports betting.

Last month, Houston Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. and his family received death threats from a fan on social media after his rough outing in a 13-9 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. The Astros alerted Major League Baseball and the Houston Police Department, which later identified the fan as a frustrated bettor who lashed out online while inebriated.

NBA players have reported an uptick in verbal abuse at games and receiving threatening or harassing messages on social media from bettors in recent years, prompting the league to put processes in place that allow players to report incidents to their teams and/or the league office.

“I’ve never felt genuinely threatened, but there has been some really disrespectful s— said,” the New York Knicks’ Jalen Brunson told The Athletic earlier this year when asked if he’s felt threatened by messages he receives. “It’s a lot of people who don’t have profile pictures. There is part of me that has thought about airing them out, but s— always comes back around.”

Editor’s note: The Athletic has a partnership with BetMGM. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.

(Photo: Patrick Smith / Getty Images)