TROY, Ala. – Troy Volleyball unveiled its 2025 schedule on Thursday, as announced by head coach Josh Lauer. 

“We have another challenging schedule ahead of us this fall,” Lauer said. “The Sun Belt was the sixth best volleyball conference in the country the last two years, and 2025 looks to be another competitive year for the conference nationally as well. Our non-conference schedule will really test and prepare us for conference play and give our student-athletes one of the best competitive experiences possible. 

“I’m excited for in-state matchups this fall with Samford, Auburn, and our exhibition with Jacksonville State, as well as the opportunity to play some really big matches against other SEC, Big 10, and ACC opponents in Georgia, Ohio State, and Virginia. 

“We will need all our fans ready to pack Trojan Arena this fall, as our home conference slate includes the top 3 RPI teams in the conference from a year ago. It is going to be an exciting fall, and we can’t wait to be back on the court in Trojan Arena.” 

Troy is coming off a season that featured an 8-3 record inside Trojan Arena, including six conference wins. 

The Trojans will kick off this year’s home schedule with an exhibition against Jacksonville State on Aug. 23. The regular season begins with a weekend in Birmingham, featuring matches against Georgia (Aug. 30) and Samford (Aug. 31). 

Following a road test at Auburn on Sept. 3, Troy will face Jackson State in the regular season home opener on Sept. 6, followed by another home match against Mercer on Sept. 10. 

Troy will wrap up non-conference play in Columbus, Ohio, with matches against Virginia (Sept. 20) and Ohio State (Sept. 21). 

The Trojans open Sun Belt play in Mobile, taking on South Alabama (Sept. 26-27), before returning home to face defending conference champion Texas State (Oct. 2-3). 

The remainder of the home slate includes matches against Georgia Southern (Oct. 10-11), Arkansas State (Oct. 23-24), and Southern Miss (Nov. 7-8). 

The annual Letterwinner’s Day match will take place on Oct. 24 against Arkansas State, while Senior Day is set for Nov. 8 against Southern Miss. 

In addition to South Alabama, the road conference schedule includes matchups against Louisiana (Oct. 16-17), ULM (Oct. 30-31), and App State (Nov. 14-15). 

The 2025 Sun Belt Tournament will be held in Foley, Ala., from Nov. 20-23. 

And then, ladies and gentlemen and boys and girls, there was one.

One L-L League spring sports team is still standing heading into PIAA championship weekend. And that squad is Manheim Central’s boys volleyball team, which will play for state Class 2A gold on Saturday against Meadville at Penn State.

Meadville beat Central in last year’s PIAA finale, so this will be a rematch.

Sports writers Jason Guarente, Brian Markley, Christian Eby and Jeff Reinhart return to put a cap on the spring sports season – and the entire 2024-25 school year, including some of their favorite memories, players and moments.

Plus a preview of Central’s big match vs. Meadville.

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But of course, our vast country, with its massive coastlines and lakes, is home to many more incredible shores worth exploring. With that in mind, we’ve rounded up 14 underrated beach destinations in the U.S. While many are hardly underrated among area locals, they have yet to make it onto the average traveler’s bucket list… at least for now.

Aquatic Sports Association president Karl Izzo said that the Malta waterpolo national team’s performances in the European Championship qualifiers have shown that this team means business and are keen to maintain their progress in the international sphere.

Izzo spoke to the Times of Malta at the end of the European Championship qualifiers at the National Pool where the Maltese selection booked their place in a sixth successive continental finals.

Hard-fought victories over Ukraine and Portugal ensured Milan Cirovic’s men will board the plane for Belgrade, Serbia, in January, where they will look to improve on the 15th placing achieved two years ago.

However, there is growing optimism among the waterpolo clan that the national team can make even more strides forward in the Euro finals and reach a higher placing, particularly after their resilient performance against continental giants France which saw the team only lose in a penalty shoot-out, after the match ended in a 10-10.

The result was particularly remarkable as the last time the two countries met a few years ago, France prevailed 17-7.

“All the people that came to the pool, or watched the match on television, today realised that this waterpolo national team means business,” Izzo told the Times of Malta.

“This is the first time that we managed such a result against France, as the last time we faced them, we ended up losing by a big margin.

“Today, the players were really at their very best, quite remarkable when one considers that this was the third match in the space of three days.

“It was a very good performance, with the players scoring some spectacular goals, but we were let down by some mistakes that cost us dear.”

Izzo said that Malta’s sixth successive qualification was proof that the work carried out not only by the ASA but also by the club was reaping the desired dividends.

“This result is a clear testament that all the work carried out, not only by the ASA, but also the clubs, who are have invested heavily in foreign coaches and infrastructure, is reaping the desired dividends,” Izzo said.

“It’s a clear sign that the whole waterpolo community in Malta is determined to work together so we continue to climb the ladder in European waterpolo and improve on the 15th placing achieved in the last edition.”

Young talent

One of the young, talented players in the squad is Benji Cachia, who could not hide his pride following the team’s achievements this week.

“We took part in the European qualifiers with a clear plan – to secure qualification for the continental finals,” Cachia said.

“The team achieved this goal against Portugal, and today we knew we had a tough job on our hands when facing France.

“The French are a team that always places very highly in top competitions and we gave them a good run for their money.

“We wanted to win the match, but it was not to be. But no doubt, we are making huge strides forward and  we will do everything in our power to try and arrive as high as possible in the next Euros in January.”

SHREWSBURY – For Agawam boys volleyball star setter David Dzhenzherukha, the joy of a Div. 2 state title in 2023 was a bit overshadowed by the feeling he didn’t carry his weight as much as former superstar Dan Yovenko, who dominated in every big moment that season.

Twice in three years strikes a different tune, though, especially against the program that reverse-swept the Brownies in last year’s state semifinals.

In a well-balanced showing paced by Dzhenzherukha’s 46 assists and four kills, as well as a phenomenal defensive performance to dominate the third and fourth sets, top-seeded Agawam (24-1) defeated No. 3 Wayland in the Div. 2 state final, 3-1 (25-22, 23-25, 25-13, 25-16) at Shrewsbury High School.

“In 2023, we won a state championship, but I feel like I didn’t win a state championship – Dan (Yovenko) won a state championship,” Dzhenzherukha said. “That’s been my fuel to win another one. Last year, in the semifinals against Wayland, we got reverse swept. That just added to the motivation to play the best we could for this season. … This is the (thing) I’ve (wanted most) I think ever. This is the best feeling I think I’ve ever had.”

Yovenko erupted for 22 kills to finally take down Westfield in the last state title. Depth was at the heart of this one.

The Warriors (16-9) struggled to effectively block Agawam’s attack, primarily because Dzhenzherukha used all of his weapons in different critical moments.

In the third set, junior Tim Karcha – who didn’t commit an error en route to 16 kills – touched down six in a major momentum shift. Senior Joe Culhane (15 kills) caught fire for eight in the fourth set to seal the match, all while right-side Dennis Nesen (nine kills) found his moments to strike, and middles Chase Gerani (seven kills, two blocks) and John Cote (three kills, two blocks) made a lasting mark on offense and defense.

“This one hit really different because we didn’t have a Dan Yovenko to lean on … this was a team win,” said Agawam head coach Kevin Pender. “Our team is so balanced, that we can find any guy. (Dzhenzherukha) is incredible, he’s able to run the offense. He’s Tom Brady-level.”

“I think we have the most well-rounded team in the whole state,” Dzhenzherukha added. “Most teams have that one guy that just shines. … You have to try to stop all of us.”

Wayland was in great shape in the first two sets, playing strong defensively while star junior Finn Bell (25 kills) caught fire early. Bell’s seven kills and three aces in the first set couldn’t edge out a win in a 25-22 loss, but he and Cooper Szeremeta (eight kills) teamed up to lead the attack in a 25-23 win to even up the match.

But a vicious rally to nearly force extra points lit a spark for the Brownies, which they rolled into a 7-1 start to the third set.

“It helped energize that we’re still in this, we can do it,” Pender said.

Karcha dominated in pockets as Agawam built a 21-9 lead, complemented by kills from Culhane, Nesen and Gerani. Culhane did the same with five kills in a 6-1 run to separate from a 6-6 tie to start the fourth.

The team’s defense perhaps made the biggest impact, though, as Agawam’s blocking gave Bell and Wayland’s fellow hitters fits. And when it didn’t, the back row extended rallies with signature digs.

“That was the winner – I think we kept balls alive, we put pressure on them to score, and we didn’t make it easy,” Pender said. “We were able to turn on a defensive skill set that we really didn’t have to most of the year. … The true story is the display of defense.”

Zach O’Donnell had 35 assists for Wayland, which was making its second straight state finals appearance after making just one trip in program history prior.

“When I’m able to zoom out, I’m really proud of the trajectory of the program and the growth of the players in it,” said Wayland head coach Phil George. “It’s a deep team, we’ll be very excited about next season, but I’m also really proud of the seniors, who kind of ushered in the most successful era we’ve had in this program’s history.”