An old proverb says the best way to learn to swim is to be thrown in the deep end. With the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean in sight, the Harvard men’s volleyball team dove into the deepest waters of collegiate men’s volleyball at the ASICS Invitational hosted by the University of California Santa Barbara.

Harvard (0-3) sank for much of its first two matches against No. 6 UC Irvine (3-0) and No. 11 California State University, Northridge (CSUN) (3-0) before showing growth in its final match against the hosts. Although the Crimson also dropped its final game against No. 17 UCSB (3-0), Harvard played its best volleyball of the weekend and generated hope for the future.

“This definitely helped prepare us for the challenges of the conference season,” said captain and middle blocker Brian Thomas, when reflecting on the gauntlet of nationally-ranked opponents that his team faced this weekend. “These teams are incredible. Being able to test ourselves in these tougher matches, see what is working, what’s not, and kind of find our identity, I think, is instrumental.”

Harvard 0 UCI 3

The Crimson faced a tall task for the first matchup of the season with the Anteaters being ranked as the sixth best team in the nation by the American Volleyball Coaches Association national preseason poll. The Anteaters showed why the AVCA lofted this high praise on them early in the contest as they stormed out to a 6-1 lead.

Harvard, looking to replace the production of graduated star setter James Bardin, turned to junior Adrian Shevchuk for the first match. Shevchuk and talented freshman Kai Gan exchanged setter duties throughout the preseason and continued to do so throughout the tournament. Shevchuck finished the match with 12 assists and one error.

Shevchuck found junior outside Quinn Bishop for the first kill of the season. He then found sophomore outside Sawyer Nichols for Nichols’ first point in what turned into a strong weekend for the sophomore.

Errors and a powerful UC Irvine offense proved too much for the Crimson to overcome in the first set, which proved to be a theme for the entirety of the match.

Harvard showcased its strengths to start the second set. Thomas’s gigantic presence in the middle contributed to a block, and athletic junior middle Owen Woolbert flew high for a kill. Bishop and Nichols added to their point totals as the Crimson opened an 8-5 lead.

But, in a similar fashion to the first set, the Anteaters ultimately took the lead and pulled away. Harvard struggled with serve receive during the UC Irvine run and put itself consistently behind the eight ball.

The final set looked much like the first two, with the Crimson struggling to find a rhythm offensively and proving overmatched by the athleticism and talent of the Anteaters. Struggles were a common sight for teams facing UC Irvine during the weekend, as the Anteaters did not drop a single set at the invitational.

Harvard 1 CSUN 3

Life did not get much easier for Harvard as another highly rated opponent awaited the team for the Friday game. The Matadors came out strong, dominating all aspects early and taking advantage of the shaky Crimson serve receive.

Harvard opted for the younger setter in this match, and Gan delivered with a strong performance of 24 assists, one setting error, and five kills. The Crimson also turned to a freshman at libero, with Eric Su entering the game and staying the rest of the way.

After a rough first set, Harvard came out strong and took an early lead in set two. The two middles, Thomas and Woolbert, contributed kills to the Crimson attack. Returning All-EIVA honorable mention and captain Zach Berty also got in on the action with a kill. A Nichols kill stretched the Harvard lead to 15-10.

It was all CSUN from there as the Matadors rattled off 15 of the next 19 points to turn what could have been a bright spot for the Crimson into a comfortable set for CSUN.

Harvard played the role of comeback kids in the third set as the Matadors jumped out to an early lead. The Crimson then put together its best stretch of the match, firing on all cylinders. Nichols especially stepped up for Harvard, hammering eight kills in the set.

The final set proved forgettable for the Crimson. Despite the Crimson’s early lead in the third set, the team quickly succumbed to the Matadors. Harvard ended the game with a stronger performance than it displayed in its season opener, but still searching for consistency.

Harvard 1 UCSB 3

With two straight losses to start the season and tournament, Harvard looked to turn the tide in its final match in California. Unfortunately, the Crimson once again proved overmatched.

Harvard stuck with the young players for the final game, awarding Gan and Su the starting positions.

The Crimson played its best volleyball of the weekend in the opening set, winning a back-and-forth thriller behind strong play and cohesion. Harvard played particularly well at the net, stifling the Gauchos’ offense. After a slow first two games, Bishop came alive for the Crimson, contributing to the block and the net and scoring in crafty ways.

UCSB came out with a vengeance in the second set, but Harvard recovered and turned the set into a battle. Down 18-19, the Crimson fell apart to end the set as the Gauchos scored six straight to clinch the second set.

To make matters worse for Harvard, UCSB continued that momentum to score four more to start the third set. By the time the Crimson had recovered, the deficit was insurmountable, as a chance to be up two sets had turned into a set deficit.

The Crimson battled again in the fourth set, but the Gauchos’ consistency ultimately won out. Throughout the weekend, Harvard showed flashes of great volleyball but could not sustain it for long stretches.

The difficult weekend helped grow the team both on and off the court. “Huge for team chemistry,” said Thomas.

The weekend also provided a rare chance to play near home for many of the players who grew up in California.

“My senior year, my last season, being able to play at the school that my sister attends is a really unique opportunity that I’m grateful for,” said Thomas, who grew up in Morgana, California.

The Crimson return to the court on Friday, Jan. 17th at home against Manhattan University. The game starts at 7 p.m. EST and airs on ESPN+. The team will also play Saturday at 3 p.m. EST.

– Staff writer Reed M. Trimble can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on X at @ReedTrimble1. Follow @THCSports for all of The Crimson’s sports coverage.

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – The first-ever Topeka Throwdown Volleyball Tournament was January 10th and 11th at the Stormont Vail Events Center (SVEC).

The tournament was for teens and preteens, and brought 19 clubs and 85 teams to Topeka.

“Like 11s and 12s and that’s just, like our youngest age we have,” said Tournament Director Grace Steele. “And then 17, 18, that’s for like the juniors or seniors who potentially could be playing next year in college.”

The weekends competition came from four different states:

• Kansas
• Missouri
• Oklahoma
• Iowa

Teams in or close to Topeka have an added bonus.

“I think a lot of people that are local are really enjoying getting to wake up in their own beds versus having to travel to Kansas City or Wichita, or one of the other maybe cities that host more tournaments,” Steele said.

Steele added that SVEC was an ideal spot for the tournament.

“I also think its important for these sizes of cities to get a tournament like this, because it brings in so many people that would never come and see Topeka,” Steele said. “Like, I’ve never been to Topeka.”

Two athletes, Haley and Josie, play for Topeka Fury. Both had sentiments similar to Steele about the location.

“It’s really nice to be able to play so close to home because we’re always playing in like Kansas City or Wichita,” Josie said. “So, it’s nice to be playing close.”

They shared that bonding with each other off the court helps them play better together.

“I just like being with my team and just hanging out with everyone in between times because we have a lot of fun together,” Haley said.

With so many of the athletes having a strong passion for the sport, Haley and Josie feel it’s important the competition remain on the court.

“It’s just cool to like get to like meet new people cause you know you get to like talk to them and bond with them cause you know we’re all playing volleyball together,” Josie said.

Haley and Josie added that they’ve played several of the other teams in the past and it’s always nice to see a familiar face.

Copyright 2026 WIBW. All rights reserved.

MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – Behind three victories and 11 New England D3 qualifying efforts, the UMass Dartmouth men’s track & field team had an outstanding opener on Saturday at the non-team scoring Wesleyan Winter Invite. The Corsairs were paced by 31 finishes in the Top-10, including wins in the 600-meters, 200-meters and the high jump.

Read full story on corsairathletics.com

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Senior Zander Hooten established a new men’s indoor program record in the 60m hurdles as Bellarmine University track and field competed Friday and Saturday in the University of Kentucky-hosted Rod McCravy Memorial at the Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center.

Hooten actually posted two times at the meet that bested his previous program record of 8.06 in the 60m hurdles at the 2024 ASUN Championship. His 7.99 in the semifinals will stand as the new highwater mark. He also recorded an 8.04 in the finals while placing fourth.

Bellarmine competed with a partial squad. Freshman Dylan Forster placed in the upper half of the men’s shot put at 13th (15.26m).

The men’s 4×400 relay team of sophomore Grant King, freshman Tucker Smith, senior Zac Hutslar and senior Jackson Gordon notably threatened the program record, with their 3:16.54 not far off from the 3:14.91 benchmark.

Bellarmine will host its next two meets at Norton SLC, starting with Friday’s Bellarmine Open.

For more coverage of Bellarmine athletics, follow BUKnights on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook.

 

 

 

After watching a three-peat championship slip away last spring, redemption hangs in the air.

But the Bruins are stepping back onto the court with something to prove.

No. 1 UCLA men’s volleyball will kick off its season with a weekend showdown against No. 15 McKendree and Concordia at Pauley Pavilion. Taking on both teams will give the Bruins an opportunity to dictate tempo and drive early on in their redemption season.

While UCLA enters the weekend with championship aspirations, the foundation for that pursuit was laid during an intense offseason.

“I’m just super proud of the guys and how hard they work, but we need to work harder,” said coach John Hawks. “That’s something that, going from last year to this year, we’ve already dialed up. Our fall was fantastic, so I’m just excited about where we’re going.”

The Bruins will take on the Bearcats – a program they have not faced since a UCLA win in 2019 – on Friday. McKendree finished its 2025 season with a 20-8 record in the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association, bringing experience and physicality into Pauley Pavilion for the season opener.

On the other hand, Concordia enters as a more familiar opponent. The Bruins last faced the Golden Eagles in 2024, capturing two straight-set wins.

Both matches will offer UCLA the opportunity to sharpen its play and help the squad develop consistency and flow early on before its schedule intensifies.

With Pauley Pavilion set to host the 2026 national championships later this spring, UCLA’s ambitions extend far beyond its opening weekend. The Bruins aim to compete for the title on their own home court. This champion mentality, however, is not new to the program.

“The mindset has been the same all throughout,” said senior setter Andrew Rowan. “I came in, and we were looking for a championship, and every year, it doesn’t matter what’s going on if you have that common goal with the team of winning a championship. Being exposed to that as a freshman implanted that into my brain for the rest of my career.”

That standard now meets a season filled with pressure and opportunity. With a national match slated for a UCLA home game, early performances like this weekend’s will carry an added weight as the squad looks to position itself to return to the sport’s biggest stage.

Looking ahead to the season, the Bruins’ offseason exposure to international play has helped display a clear benchmark.

Sophomore outside hitter Sean Kelly, sophomore setter Trent Taliaferro and freshmen outside hitters Grayson Bradford and Marek Turner participated in the men’s U21 World Championship in China this summer. The United States squad was led by Hawks and finished third overall in the championship.

“We all worked really hard this summer,” Kelly said. “It’s really going to help us in the long run. The more we learn, the better we all get. And I think the outcome could be different. We’re hungry for it.”

The offseason emphasis now shifts into competitive application. These early-season matches against McKendree and Concordia will reveal how effectively UCLA can translate offseason progress into in-game execution, particularly in extended rallies and out-of-system plays.

As players step into expanded responsibilities, UCLA will look to establish lineup stability and dependable options across all six rotations. But beyond individual growth, the offseason exposure to higher-level competition reinforced the program’s belief in its ceiling.

“We can compete with anybody in the world,” Hawks said. “I know that we compete with these guys internationally and nationally this year.”

UCLA will begin testing that belief this weekend against McKendree on Friday at 7 p.m.

STANFORD, Calif. – In its season opener, No. 9 Stanford fell in straight sets to No. 12 Lewis, 30-28, 25-21, 25-22, Saturday, in Burnham Pavilion.

Stanford (0-1) hit .231 as a team, while Lewis (2-0) posted a .355 clip. The Flyers registered 11.0 blocks to just 2.5 by the Cardinal. Both teams tallied three service aces.

Senior opposite Moses Wagner led the team with 12 kills, six digs, an ace and a block. Outside hitter Alex Rottman, who redshirted last season, added seven kills on .417 hitting.

Senior Theoren Brouillette started the match at setter, totaling 21 assists and a team-best seven digs in two sets played. Sophomore Ryan Gant set in the third, finishing with 12 assists and two digs.

In total, 15 of 19 Cardinal players appeared in the match, including true freshmen Luke Morrison and Erik Ask. Morrison came off the bench as a serving sub in all three sets, while Ask started the third at outside hitter and totaled three kills and a dig.

Senior Theo Snoey notched five kills, four digs, two assists and two aces, while junior Nate Clinton chipped in with three kills, five digs and a block. Both Snoey and Clinton stated at outside hitter.

Junior Gray Mandelbaum and sophomore Kaumana Carreira were the starting middle blockers for the Cardinal. Mandelbaum registered four kills on six swings with just one miscue. Carreira finished with a kill, a dig and two blocks.

Sophomore Kai Schmitt started at libero, collecting two digs in two sets. Sophomore Evan Porter replaced Schmitt in the third and had six digs.

Up next, Stanford travels to Phoenix for the First Point Collegiate Challenge, Jan. 17-18. The Cardinal will face No. 7 Loyola Chicago and No. 16 Ball State at the Phoenix Convention Center.