AUSTIN, Texas – Five Minnesota State men’s track and field student-athletes were named to the Academic All-District Team by College Sports Communicators on Tuesday (June 24). They included Liam Byrne, Paul Lins, Ray Ure, Ben Wieser and Collin Windorski.
 
The Academic All-District teams, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances in competitions and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes track and field honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.
 
Byrne is a senior thrower from Ridgefield, Connecticut. During indoor season, he was All-NSIC and USTFCCCA All-Region in weight throw. At the NSIC Outdoor Championships, Byrne won the hammer throw event with a toss of 58.07m.
 
Lins (Lodi, Wisconsin) was an NSIC Champion in indoor 800 meters with a time of 1:52.65. During outdoor season, he placed second in 800 meters (1:51.48) for the Mavericks.
 
Ure (Des Plaines, Illinois) a senior, was All-NSIC in the indoor 5000 meters. He went on to win the 3000 meter steeplechase at the NSIC Outdoor Championships in May.
 
Wieser (Rushford, Wisconsin) took second place for All-NSIC honors in shot put during indoor season. He competed to fifth position in outdoor shot put for the Mavericks.
 
Pole vault specialist Colin Windorski (Oak Creek, Wisconsin) competed in four indoor meets for the Mavericks, then nine more during his outdoor campaign, including first place in pole vault at the Maverick Open #1 with a personal best mark of 5.03 meters.
 
Byrne, Lins, Ure and Wieser advanced to the national ballot and Academic All-Americans will be announced on July 16.
 

BOWIE, MD – Bowie State head women’s volleyball coach Edric Poitier has officially released the 2025 season schedule, featuring 31 total matches and 15 non-conference contests as the Bulldogs gear up for a competitive fall campaign.

“We are very excited about this year’s schedule,” said Coach Poitier. “Due to recent changes in the Division II regional and national ranking metrics, we’ve scheduled matches outside our region, including our trip to Florida. While we couldn’t schedule Lynn University, the defending national champion, we’ll compete against three teams from their conference, which will prepare us well by playing the same level of high-caliber competition.”

Bowie State will kick off the 2025 season with back-to-back road tournaments. The Bulldogs begin at the CIAA/MEC/PSAC Challenge, hosted by Virginia State University from September 5–6, where they’ll face Shepherd, Concord, Bloomsburg, and Pitt-Johnstown. The following weekend, BSU will travel to Pennsylvania for the Shannon Sullivan Memorial Tournament at Kutztown University, scheduled for September 12–13, where they’ll take on Kutztown, California (PA), and Caldwell.

The Bulldogs are set to open their home slate at A.C. Jordan Arena on September 16 with a match against West Chester.

They’ll wrap up in-season tournament play in St. Petersburg, Florida, at Eckerd College from September 19–20, with matchups against Nova Southeastern, Saint Leo, and the host team, Tritons.

Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) conference play begins on September 25 as the Bulldogs hit the road to face Virginia State for a division matchup. Northern Division play will continue with road stops at Elizabeth City State (9/29), Virginia Union (10/9) and Lincoln (PA) on October 27. Bowie State will also compete in two CIAA Roundups, in which the Bulldogs will host the second portion on October 18–19.

“The highlight for us this year is hosting the CIAA Roundup,” Poitier added. “It allows us to play additional conference opponents in front of our growing fan base. We’re looking forward to an exciting season and encourage everyone to come out and support us.”

A pivotal stretch of home matches begins in mid-October for BSU, featuring five contests at A.C. Jordan Arena. The Bulldogs will host Bluefield State on October 13, Elizabeth City State on October 23, Millersville in a nonconference matchup on October 28.

BSU will resume divisional action with matchups against Virginia Union on October 30 and Lincoln (PA) on November 6. They’ll close out the regular season at home against Virginia State on November 13.

Bowie State will return for its third year hosting the 2025 CIAA Women’s Volleyball Championship on Nov. 21-23 in Bowie, Md.

For the most up-to-date information on Bowie State Athletics and its 13 varsity sport teams, visit bsubulldogs.com.

David Ahman and Jonatan Hellvig are the reigning Olympic champions in beach volleyball. The Swedish duo rolled through the knockout round at the Paris Games to win the gold medal.

They continue to fool everybody with their wicked jump sets!

Ahman and Hellvig recently collaborated with Norwegian beach volleyball athlete and content creator Joel Kristian Nicolaysen to throw up some of the wildest jump sets you will ever see. They used random parts of their bodies to set up for the kill with unconventional form. It is equally as ridiculous and unnecessary as it is impressive. More the latter than the former.

For those who do not know, a “set” in volleyball is typically the second of three contacts that a team makes with the ball on a returning offensive sequence. The main goal of the “set” is to float the ball in the air for the hitter to attack into the opposing side of the court. Pretty straightforward.

A jump set is a little bit different but it serves the same purpose. Whichever player makes the second contact for his or her team jumps in the air before he or she contacts the ball and releases the set. It allows the setter to run a quicker offense by setting the ball at a higher point of contact. There is less distance between the setter’s hands and the hitter’s spike reach.

As you can see from the last two highlights, jump sets are most commonly used indoor. David Ahman and Jonatan Hellvig break that trend. They use the jump set on every point possible.

To jump set on a beach court is not easy but the Swedes have it down. Their use of the jump set adds an additional element to their offense by keeping their opponents guessing. The blocker leaves his feet at the net when it looks like they are going to attack before the ball is flicked out to the poles.

The defense doesn’t know what to do. If the blocker doesn’t jump on the second ball, Ahman and Hellvig swing on an empty net. If the blocker does jump, it leaves the empty net for whichever Swedish player received the first ball.

It is nearly impossible to stop.

KUCHING: National squash player Harith Danial Jefri is embracing the underdog role as he makes his senior debut at the 2nd Asian Doubles Squash Championships 2025, set to take place from June 23 to 26 at the Sarawak Squash Centre.

The Miri-born athlete, a two-time Malaysia Games (SUKMA) mixed doubles gold medallist, will reunite with long-time partner Nathalie Sim — the pair who clinched titles at both the 2022 and 2024 SUKMA.

Now representing Malaysia on a bigger stage, Harith said the goal is to gain experience and test themselves against Asia’s top senior players.

“There’s no expectation for both of us since it’s our first senior and Asian tournament.

“We’re going in as wild cards, I think we just want to gain more exposure and experience playing with the senior players,”he said.

Despite having just one training session together before the tournament — Harith having just returned from the UK and Nathalie from the US, he is optimistic that their chemistry will shine through.

“Our pairing goes back to SUKMA. We’ve won gold twice together. So the chemistry is already there — it’s just about sharpening our shots and getting into rhythm,” Harith told reporters when met at the centre on Saturday (June 21).

The pair are seeded third, where they will face top seeds Hong Kong, as well as the Philippines and Chinese Taipei. Only the top two pairs will qualify for the Round of 16.

“It’ll be tough, but I think we have a chance to make it through the group. That’s the goal, reach the knockout rounds and just enjoy it from there,” he said.

LOGAN, Utah — Utah State track and field had 10 student-athletes named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District team, it was announced by the organization on Tuesday.
 
Sophie Chandler, Logan Garnica, Logan Hammer, Shelby Jensen, Marshall Rasmussen, Javin Richards, Brianne Smith, Emma Thornley, Camren Todd and Krysthina Vlahovic earned recognition for their excellence in competition and in the classroom.
 
Chandler, a junior from Santa Clara, Utah, has a 3.94 GPA majoring in management. She is a two-time Academic All-MW honoree and MW Scholar-Athlete. During the 2025 campaign, Chandler finished fifth in the heptathlon and sixth in the pentathlon at the MW Championships and ranks sixth and ninth, respectively in Utah State history in the events. The Snow Canyon HS product ended the season ranked 43rd in the NCAA West region in the heptathlon.
 
Garnica, a junior from Springville, Utah, completed his bachelor’s degree in psychology this spring with a 4.0 GPA. Garnica earned the NCAA Elite 90 Award at the 2024 NCAA Cross Country Championships, awarded to the top scholar-athlete competing at the NCAA championships. He is also a four-time Academic All-MW and MW Scholar-Athlete recipient, as well as a CSC Academic All-District honoree in 2024. Garnica earned second-team all-conference honors in cross country and ranked ninth in the NCAA West region in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. He broke the Utah State record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 2025 and ranks in the school’s all-time top-10 in the indoor 3,000 meters and 5,000 meters.
 
Hammer, a junior from Nampa, Idaho, has a 3.59 GPA majoring in veterinary science. He has earned three career All-American honors in the pole vault, including first-team honors at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships and second-team honors at the Outdoor Track and Field Championships in 2025. Hammer, who has earned two Academic All-MW honors and one MW Scholar-Athlete award in his career, swept the conference titles in 2025 and broke the Utah State records in the indoor and outdoor pole vault. The Columbia HS graduate finished the 2025 outdoor season ranked third in the NCAA and 13th among all Americans in the pole vault.
 
Jensen, a sophomore from Saratoga Springs, Utah, became the first USU woman to earn All-American honors since 2018, earning first-team accolades with her seventh-place finish in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2025 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships. A data analytics major currently holding a 3.85 GPA, Jensen is also a three-time Academic All-MW honoree and a MW Scholar-Athlete in both track and field and cross country. She broke the school record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase three times in 2025, including both her races at the national championships.
 
Rasmussen, a junior from Meridian, Idaho, graduated this spring with his bachelor’s degree in computer engineering with a 3.94 GPA. In his career, Rasmussen has earned two Academic All-MW honors and two MW Scholar-Athlete awards. The Compass Honors HS product had a breakout 2025 campaign, earning two MW silver medals in the indoor and outdoor pole vault and setting the school’s seventh-best marks all-time in each event. He finished the 2025 season ranked 47th in the NCAA West region in the outdoor pole vault.
 
Richards, a junior from Perry, Ohio, has a 3.73 GPA majoring in computer science. The multi-event standout finished the 2025 campaign ranked 27th in the outdoor pole vault and 36th in the decathlon in the NCAA West region. Richards, the MW bronze medalist in the outdoor pole vault, is a two-time MW Scholar-Athlete and an Academic All-MW honoree. He ranks second in Aggie history in the heptathlon, fourth in the decathlon and outdoor pole vault and sixth in the indoor pole vault.
 
Smith, a sophomore from Palmdale, California, has a 3.85 GPA majoring in sociology. She advanced to her first-career NCAA West First Rounds in 2025, finishing 40th in the 10,000 meters. The Quartz Hill HS product is a three-time Academic All-MW honoree and a two-time MW Scholar-Athlete. She ranks fifth and 10th in USU history in the 10,000 meters and 5,000 meters, respectively.
 
Thornley, a senior from Layton, Utah, graduated this spring with her bachelor’s degree in kinesiology with a 4.00 GPA. She earned USTFCCCA All-Academic Cross Country honors in 2023 and 2024 and is both a six-time MW Scholar-Athlete and a five-time Academic All-MW recipient. Thornley broke the Utah State record in the 5,000 meters and moved to third all-time in the 10,000 meters during the 2025 campaign. She also earned career-best finishes at the NCAA Cross Country Mountain Regionals (22nd) and in both the 5,000 meters (28th) and the 10,000 meters (30th) at the NCAA West First Rounds.
 
Todd, a graduate senior from Kaysville, Utah, completed his master’s degree in civil and environmental engineering this spring with a graduate GPA of 3.87. He claimed All-American honors in cross country in 2024, finishing 25th at the national championships. Todd, a two-time recipient of the NCAA Elite 90 Award, has also earned two USTFCCCA Academic All-American honors, eight MW Scholar-Athlete awards and six Academic All-MW honors in his career. The Davis HS product broke the Utah State record in the 10,000 meters and finished the season ranked 21st in the NCAA West region in the event.  
 
Vlahovic, a junior from Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, has a 3.78 GPA majoring in technical communication and rhetoric. She earned Academic All-MW honors in 2023 and 2024 and MW Scholar-Athlete accolades in 2024. Vlahovic, who ranks ninth among all Canadians in the 100-metres hurdles in 2025, placed 46th in the event at this season’s NCAA West First Rounds. The product of Fraser Heights Secondary School ranks third in Aggie history in the 100-meter hurdles and the 60-meter hurdles.
 
Fans can follow the Utah State track and field programs on X at USUTF_XC, on Facebook at USUTrack and on Instagram at USUTF_XC. Aggies fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program on X at USUAthletics or on Facebook at Utah State University Athletics.  

-USU-

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 24, 2025) – Four Olympians headline the U.S. Men’s National Team roster for the second week of Volleyball Nations League (VNL), taking place June 25-29 at NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates, Ill.

This week marks the U.S. Men’s first appearance on home soil since 2023, when Anaheim, Calif., hosted a leg of the VNL tour. NOW Arena previously welcomed VNL action in 2018 and hosted the Finals in 2019.

The U.S. will face China, Canada, Poland and Italy, and tickets are still available for three of the four U.S. matches. U.S. vs. Poland is sold out, and U.S. vs. Italy is near capacity.

GET TICKETS TO WATCH THE U.S. MEN COMPETE JUNE 25-29 IN HOFFMAN ESTATES, ILLINOIS

The U.S. is 2-2 after the first week. Poland sits atop the VNL standings at 4-0, while Italy is 3-1, and Canada and China are 2-2.

Three-time Olympian Erik Shoji, 2024 Olympian Micah Ma’a and 2020 Olympian Kyle Ensing will all make their 2025 season debuts in Hoffman Estates. They join 2024 Olympian Jeff Jendryk to anchor a talented and experienced roster.

Returning from week one are libero Kyle Dagostino, middle blocker Matt Knigge; opposites Gabi Garcia and Kyle Hobus; outside hitters Cooper Robinson, Ethan Champlin and Jordan Ewert, and setter Quinn Isaacson.

Outside hitter Jacob Pasteur and middle blocker Shane Holdaway join the VNL lineup for the first time this year. Pasteur debuted in 2022, while Holdaway will appear on a U.S. Men’s National Team roster for the first time.

The U.S. Men are currently ranked No. 6 in the world and have medaled four times in VNL history, including silver medals in 2019, 2022 and 2023 and bronze in 2018.

Volleyball Nations League features the world’s top 18 men’s teams clashing over three weeks of preliminary play, with the top eight advancing to the Final Round.

U.S. Men’s Week One Roster for 2025 VNL

No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
4 Jeff Jendryk (MB, 6-10, Wheaton, Ill., Loyola Univ. Chicago, Great Lakes)
5 Kyle Ensing (Opp, 6-7, Valencia, Calif., Long Beach State Univ., Southern California)
6 Quinn Isaacson (S, 6-2, Plainfield, Ill., Ball State, Great Lakes)
7 Jacob Pasteur (OH, 6-4, Westminster, Md., Ohio State Univ., Chesapeake)
9 Gabi Garcia (OPP, 6-7, San Juan, Puerto Rico, BYU)
10 Kyle Dagostino (L, 5-9, Tampa, Florida, Stanford Univ., Florida)
12 Shane Holdaway (MB, 6-6, Huntington Beach, Calif., Long Beach State, Southern California)
14 Micah Ma’a (S, 6-3, Kaneohe, Hawaii, UCLA, Aloha)
15 Kyle Hobus (OPP, 6-7, San Pedro, Calif., CSUN, Southern California)
18 Cooper Robinson (OH, 6-7, Pacific Palisades, Calif., UCLA, Southern California)
22C Erik Shoji (L, 6-0, Honolulu, Hawaii, Stanford Univ., Aloha)
25 Ethan Champlin (OH, 6-3, Oceanside, Calif., UCLA, Southern California)
28 Matthew Knigge (MB, 6-7, New Egypt, N.J., Vassar, Garden Empire)
29 Jordan Ewert (OH, 6-5, Antioch, Calif., Stanford, Northern California)

Head Coach:  Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Luka Slabe
Assistant Coach: Javier Weber
Performance Analyst: Nate Ngo
Physiotherapist: Aaron Brock
Senior Strength and Conditioning Coach: Tim Pelot
Senior Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Mental Performance Coach: Andrea Becker
Team Manager: David Dantes
Consultant Coach: Chris McGown
Consultant Coach: Marv Dunphy
Team Doctors:  Eugene Yim, Mark Hutchinson, Michael Shepard, Warren Young

2025 Volleyball Nations League Schedule for Week 2
NOW Arena
Hoffman Estates, Illinois
All times PDT; Matches will be shown live on VBTV and either CBS Sports Network or Big Ten Network

June 25 at 5:30 p.m. vs. China
June 26 at 5:30 p.m. vs. Canada
June 28 at 5:30 p.m. vs. Poland
June 29 at 5:30 p.m. vs. Italy

Week 1 Results
June 11: Ukraine def. USA, 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-23)
June 12 USA def. Iran, 3-2 (19-25, 21-25, 25-21, 25-23, 17-15)
June 14 Slovenia def. USA, 3-1 (25-22, 27-25, 20-25, 25-23)
June 15 USA def. Cuba, 3-1 (25-22, 25-18, 18-25, 25-23)