Yesterday, The Big West proudly announced that Utah Valley University (UVU) will join the conference as a full member beginning in the 2026-27 academic year. This move strengthens The Big West’s commitment to academic and athletic excellence while expanding its competitive reach. Read more >>>

See some of the first reactions of the news from social media:

???????? ???????????? ?????????????????? ???????? ???? ?????? ?????? ????????#GoUVU | #ValleyForged | #OnlyTheBoldhttps://t.co/W5BE8TMDkR

— UVU Wolverines (@GoUVU) June 4, 2025

We are honored to join the @BigWestSports and begin an exciting new chapter in @UVU Athletics. This move reflects the progress we’ve made across our programs and the growing reputation of our university. @GoUVU https://t.co/j4ucvcWjpG

— President Astrid S. Tuminez (@uvu_president) June 4, 2025

Hear from @csunorthridge President Dr. Erika D. Beck

on the addition of @GoUVU in 2026. #?????????????????????? x #GoUVU pic.twitter.com/QFJUcUexuu

— The Big West (@BigWestSports) June 4, 2025

Could not be more excited to join @BigWestSports in 2026 ??#GoUVU#ValleyForged#AllHailUtahValley https://t.co/gW4M2wf1v3

— Jared Sumsion (@Jared_Sumsion) June 4, 2025

LISTEN: The Big West Commissioner @DanButterly joins Brice and Bianucci to talk:

?? Utah Valley’s move to The Big West

?? The future of the conference

?? How the House vs. NCAA affects mid-major conferenceshttps://t.co/k3qshyeqCvhttps://t.co/1Sz73S4svo pic.twitter.com/Z5Q2WAxWcy

— 103.9 & 98.3 ESPN The Fan (@espnthefan) June 5, 2025

I can roll with this. Welcome to the Big West, Utah Valley

pic.twitter.com/o9lrVVRF1C

— Jon (@jdgaucho09) June 5, 2025

Hear from the Chair of The Big West Board of Directors and @UCSanDiego Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla on the addition of @GoUVU in 2026. #?????????????????????? x #GoUVU pic.twitter.com/7WDw9T0JnP

— The Big West (@BigWestSports) June 4, 2025

Here’s our story on today’s conference realignment move, which sees Utah’s largest public university join a conference whose membership will otherwise exist exclusively in California (once Hawaii is a full Mountain West member, that is).https://t.co/LDxpQAb15z

— Sean Walker (@ActuallyDSW) June 4, 2025

The Big West will add Utah Valley to its ranks starting in the 2026-27 academic year. The league also added California Baptist earlier this year with the same timeline. An already exciting baseball conference will be loaded in two years. https://t.co/pEbV3FHXFW

— Jacob Rudner (@JacobRudner) June 4, 2025

Hear from @FullertonTitans Director of Athletics Jim Donovan on the addition of @GoUVU in 2026. #?????????????????????? x #GoUVU pic.twitter.com/SsriOAEacz

— The Big West (@BigWestSports) June 4, 2025

pic.twitter.com/fstjy8S4LQ

— UVU Wolverines (@GoUVU) June 4, 2025

We’re less than a week away from the 2025 NCAA DI outdoor championships, and the latest Bowerman watch list has been announced. While the results in Eugene will greatly impact the race for the premier award in track and field, here’s an early look at where I think things stand entering the championships.

Disclaimer: This is not a reflection or indication of the actual Bowerman committee’s view on any of the athletes or their voting process, nor how they will vote in the future.

Top men’s Bowerman contenders

No. 1 contender — Ethan Strand | North Carolina

No. 2 contender — Mykolas Alekna | California 

Ethan Strand had the best indoor season of any athlete; Mykolas Alekna has had the best outdoor season of any athlete so far. 

Outdoors, Ethan Strand won an ACC title in the 1500 meters and finished second in the conference in the 5000 meters. Mykolas Alekna didn’t compete indoors, as he’s a discus thrower.

At this very moment — before the championship meet — I think Strand’s combination of indoor and outdoor success gives him a slight advantage over Alekna’s all-time dominance in the discus. That could all change based on how things go at nationals.

FOLLOW THE CHAMPIONSHIPS: Click or tap here to follow along for live updates from the championship

No. 3 contender — Jordan Anthony | Arkansas 

Jordan Anthony joined the Bowerman for the sixth watch list. Since then, he’s run 9.75 seconds in the 100 meters and won SEC titles in the 100 and 200 meters. He’s having the second-best outdoor season of any male in my top-four contenders and he also has an indoor title in the 60 meters to boost his full-season resume. More success and a potential record in Eugene could land him as a finalist.

WATCH LIST: The latest 2025 Bowerman Watch List for men’s and women’s NCAA track and field

No. 4 contender — Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan | Ole Miss 

Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan was my No. 3 Bowerman contender entering May and has since won SEC titles in the shot put and hammer. If he wins the shot put title in Eugene, he’ll become the first athlete to pull off consecutive season sweeps since 2010. If Robinson-O’Hagan also wins the hammer, it’ll be hard to say he’s not worthy of being a finalist.

MORE: Every potential repeat champion at the 2025 DI outdoor track and field championships

Potential risers from receiving votes

• Abdul-Rasheed Saminu, South Florida (Sprints)

Abdul-Rasheed Saminu has the No. 2 all-conditions 100 meter time in NCAA history. If he ends up at the top of the list, I think he’d be at the least a semifinalist for the Bowerman.

UP NEXT: These records could fall at the DI outdoor track championships

Top women’s Bowerman contenders

No. 1 contender — Doris Lemngole | Alabama

Doris Lemngole was the top women’s Bowerman contender entering May, and in the last month, she has won SEC titles in the 5000 meters and the steeplechase while running the second- and eighth-fastest races in the steeplechase in NCAA history. Lemngole is in a great position to become the first Bowerman winner in Alabama history.

MORE RECORDS: Every collegiate track and field record broken in 2025, so far

No. 2 contender — Amanda Moll | Washington

Amanda Moll jumps to No. 2 on this list after resetting the top of the women’s pole vault record book twice in May. Her pole vault record comes after an indoor season where she broke an indoor pole vault record that stood for a decade and won an NCAA title. If Moll wins the outdoor NCAA title, she’ll complete one of — if not the — greatest pole vaulting seasons in women’s collegiate history.

BROOMS OUT: 16 DI track and field indoor champions looking for a season sweep at the 2025 outdoor championships

No. 3 contender — Şilan Ayyildiz | Oregon

Silan Ayylidiz has been a part of three NCAA records this year: the indoor mile, the outdoor mile and the distance medley relay. However, an evasive NCAA title keeps her from rising higher on this list. She’ll be running only the 1500 meters in Eugene, so that’ll be her chance to reach the top of the podium. 

Potential risers from receiving votes

• Temitope Adeshina, Texas Tech (Jumps)
• Lexy Halladay-Lowry, BYU (Steeple/Distance)
• Meghan Hunter, BYU (Mid-Distance)

For these three women, rising in the eyes of the Bowerman committee will come down to winning and historical performance. Only Temitope Adeshina won an indoor title of the trio. All will likely need an outdoor title for a shot at the Bowerman. 

They’d likely need record-breaking performances, too. Currently, Adeshina is the No. 4 all-time high jumper, Lexy Halladay-Lowry is the No. 5 all-time steeplechaser and Meghan Hunter is the No. 3 all-time 800 meter runner.

Noelle Niederman ’27, a beach volleyball player at Santa Clara University, had an early introduction to the sport, as her parents first met playing beach volleyball. Years later, in 2019, she was introduced to a club program in her home state of Washington.

“My family and I met some really amazing people, and they were like, ‘you’re young and you’re good, you should definitely try it out,’ and it changed my life,” Niederman shared.

She finished the 2025 season with a 13-20 overall record, competing at the No. 1, 2, and 3 positions in the lineup. In conference play, Niederman ended with a 4-1 record and was recognized as part of the West Coast Conference All-Academic Team, in which the WCC recognizes student-athletes that have excellence in both their athletics and academics. She and the Broncos achieved the best performance in program history by placing second in the WCC Championship. According to Niederman, the team culture was crucial to this success. 

“We had a very good foundation as, in the beginning, my coaches made an effort to get to know everyone considering the majority of our team is new,” she said. “We had a bunch of team bonding exercises, giving us confidence to push each other.”

She reflected on her mindset during high-pressure matches, such as the WCC final against Loyola Marymount University and focused on believing in herself and her teammates. “I go through a mindset of, okay, I want to win, I know I can, let’s get it done. In those moments, I just have to trust myself and trust my skills, and that both my partner and I are in it.”

On top of her commitment to her athletic excellence, Niederman is a mechanical engineering student, and recalls how it can be a challenge during the season to manage her time between both school and volleyball, so she has strategized by being goal-oriented.

“Balance has been a big thing. I’m a mechanical engineer, so it’s been tough. Allocating certain times during the day for work, trying to avoid nights,” she said. “I want to succeed in both athletics and academics, because that’s why I am here. A, to get a good education, B, to further develop my career-oriented skills being on a team.”

Niederman emphasized perseverance when dealing with difficulties during training or following tough matches. 

“I like to push myself—I’ve never seen myself as a quitter, so what motivates me is the feeling I get after I succeed and, if I fail, I need to take that as an opportunity to learn.”  

Heading into the WCC Championship, Niederman said the team was confident and motivated. Looking ahead, she also reflected on this idea while hoping to build on the current team identity and continue to develop her own individual skills.

“Going into the championship, we had a lot of confidence and we were very hungry to get those wins, and we never doubted each other, and we will continue this into next season,” Niederman said. “We have this culture and identity that is super strong, so I’m very stoked for our next season. For me personally, I just want to stay focused and continue to build my confidence and have a strong belief in myself and my abilities.”

BIRMINGHAM – Texas A&M track & field’s Carter Bajoit and Heather Abadie were named to the SEC Community Service Team, the league announced Thursday.
 

Bajoit has been a standout student-athlete and three-year team captain with the Texas A&M track & field team, known for his leadership and commitment to service. He leads weekly Bible studies through Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and launched PROJECT CHRISTMAS to support over 300 people in Houston each year.
 

From mentoring youth at the Boys & Girls Club to serving local causes in the Brazos valley, Carter’s impact earned him a spot on the 2024 SEC Community Service Team and landed him on NACDA Good Works Team which recognizes 20 standout student-athletes for their exceptional achievements in community service, athletics and academics.
 

Revered by his peers, Bajoit was given the honor of speaking at Texas A&M’s athletics graduation ceremony following his final season for the Maroon & White where he helped guide the team to its first SEC Indoor Championship title.
 

Abadie concluded a historic career in Aggieland, leaving a lasting impression on her teammates and the community. The Baton Rouge, Louisiana, native first kept her service at the local level, as she became a member of the track & field teams leadership council, finding ways to help her fellow teammates maximize their experience and impact while at Texas A&M.
 

Abadie also serves on the national stage, giving back to the sport by volunteering for USATF helping out with meets. The standout leaves Texas A&M as the school-record holder in both the indoor and outdoor pole vault events and a two time SEC Champion, while serving as a leader for that group throughout her four-year campaign.
 

The duo also took their service to the international stage, as both Bajoit and Abadie helped raise $36,000 for a mission trip to Panama, where student-athletes at Texas A&M served locals from the area.
 

To learn more about Texas A&M Track & Field/Cross Country, visit 12thMan.com and follow @aggietfxc.

Student-Athletes at the University of South Carolina ended the Spring 2025 semester with a departmental grade point average (GPA) of 3.45, it was announced today. This marks the department’s third-highest GPA on record and the 37th-consecutive semester with a departmental GPA above 3.0.

Softball (3.86) earned the highest team GPA, followed closely by men’s soccer (3.68) and women’s golf (3.67).  Overall, 17 of 18 teams earned a GPA of 3.0 or better during the spring semester.

The cumulative grade point average for all student-athletes in each sport since they have arrived at Carolina is 3.46, which stands as the second highest cumulative GPA ever for Gamecock student-athletes (Spring 2020 – 3.47).

“These numbers are representative of the importance that our student-athletes, coaches and staff put on academic excellence,” said Athletics Director Jeremiah Donati.  “I am proud of their accomplishments and the priority that they have on graduating from the University of South Carolina.”

“Our students continue to exhibit their competitive academic commitment at the University of South Carolina,” said Charlie Ball, Senior Associate Athletics Director – Academics. “We are excited to continue the tradition of exceling in the classroom and in their sports. These results are proof that our students believe in the importance of quality education and our academic staff’s dedication to their academic success, leading to the matriculation of graduation.”

The department named 98 student-athletes to the President’s List for earning a 4.0 GPA, 210 student-athletes to the Dean’s List (3.5) and 460 to the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll (3.0).

107 Gamecock student-athletes received their degrees at the Spring 2025 USC commencement ceremonies.

Gamecock student-athletes have led in the SEC Academic Honor Roll cumulatively for the last 10 years, leading in seven of those years.

 Team – Spring 2025 Semester GPA

Baseball – 3.13

Men’s Basketball – 2.83

Women’s Basketball – 3.672

Beach Volleyball – 3.44

Equestrian – 3.66

Football – 3.30

Men’s Golf – 3.41

Women’s Golf – 3.673

Men’s Soccer – 3.68

Women’s Soccer – 3.57

Softball – 3.86

Men’s Swimming/Diving – 3.57

Women’s Swimming/Diving – 3.61

Men’s Tennis – 3.54

Women’s Tennis – 3.64

Men’s Track & Field – 3.39

Women’s Track & Field / Cross Country – 3.32

Volleyball – 3.58

IRVINE, Calif. –  USA Water Polo dropped their roster for the World Aquatics Men’s Junior World Championships (U20) on Friday, June 5th at noon, calling redshirt sophomore Baxter Chelsom to action.
 
Hailing from Los Angeles, California, the goalkeeper debuted his career defending the cage in the 2024 season. Logging 171 minutes in collegiate waters thus far, he has made 50 saves across ten games. He had a career-high of ten saves against the formidable USC team on September 8th and only allowed three goals against University of Redlands and UC Merced.
 
Joining a daunting roster scraped together by head coach Jack Kocur, the roster of 15 looks to compete in Zagreb, Croatia starting competition on June 14th at 10:00am PST. They will go on to face off against Hungary at 8:30am PST on the 15th, and Montenegro the following day at 8:30am as well. The team will play in the top bracket, and a champion team will be crowned on the 21st of June.
 
Live stats and video will be available to cheer on our Aggie representative, more to come.