Sports

USF Women’s Lacrosse Inaugural Rewind

Published

8 months ago

May 8, 2025

TAMPA, MAY 7, 2025 – The University of South Florida women’s lacrosse team has concluded their historic inaugural season.

After waiting 1,185 days between the team’s first announcement and their first draw whistle, over 10,000 fans showed up across 11 home games to learn the new South Florida sport.

After going 997 days between coaching Division I women’s lacrosse games, head coach Mindy McCord and staff coached the Bulls to 13 wins, finishing as the regular-season and postseason conference runner-up. The final record marked the second-most wins for an inaugural women’s lacrosse program in NCAA history (High Point University went 15-4 in 2011).

After taking a full year off from competition in order to arrive to South Florida and help establish a culture, four upperclassmen made AAC All-Conference Team selections: Sofia Chepenik (Unanimous First), Kaitlyn Tartaglione (First), Juliana George (Second), and Mikaela Ness (Second).

Youth Movement
Coach McCord and the Bulls coaching staff put an emphasis on recruiting full classes, without leaning too heavily on the transfer portal. The Bulls’ roster consisted of 28 freshman or redshirt freshman out of their 40 roster spots, four of which started at least five games. True freshman Kali Cleary represented South Florida on the AAC All-Conference Team (Second).

Drawing Interest
The Bulls finished the season third in the NCAA in cumulative attendance, with 10,127 fans paying to enter Corbett Stadium to watch women’s lacrosse. The Bulls were fourth in the NCAA in average attendance per game (921). They outdrew all conference opponents and all southeastern USA programs.

Feb. 7: An Unforgettable Debut
A state of Florida women’s lacrosse regular season record, 2,386 fans showed up to the first game in program history as the Bulls took down Kennesaw State 19-6. This was the eighth-highest single-game attendance in NCAA Women’s Lacrosse this season.

Feb. 11: Pagano’s 17 Saves Earn Bulls First Road Win
Paige Pagano tied her career-high with 17 saves in an 11-8 win over the NCAA Tournament-bound Mercer Bears.

Feb. 14: Undefeated Without Trailing
The Bulls returned home to Corbett and beat Lehigh 17-7, continuing their streak of never trailing through their first three games.

Feb. 18: No. 5 Florida in Town
South Florida welcomed the fifth-ranked Gators to Tampa. The Bulls were only down four goals (11-7) in the third quarter, but wound up falling 18-11 even with Sofia Chepenik’s five-goal effort.

Feb. 23: Taking Towson to the Wire
The Bulls fell to 11-time NCAA Tournament qualifier Towson by a score of 13-12, despite Sofia Chepenik’s second straight five-goal effort.

March 2: The Start of the Streak
South Florida went on to win the next six games in March, starting with their 19-5 win against St. Bonaventure, behind Maggie Newton’s five-goal performance.

March 9-11: Two Wins in Three Days
The Bulls then beat Xavier (20-4) and Bucknell (16-8) in a three-day span.

March 15: First American Athletic Conference Win
With USA Lacrosse on campus for their gameday feature, the Bulls took down Temple 15-9 for their first AAC win in program history.

March 22: Program Record 23 Goals
The Bulls continued their win streak with a program record 23 goals over ECU, who went on to be the three-seed in the AAC Tournament.

March 29: Win Streak Hits Six
South Florida took down the eventual four-seed in the AAC Tournament, Vanderbilt (17-7), to extend their win streak to a season-high six games, going undefeated in March.

April 4: Battle of Inaugural Teams
The Bulls’ win streak ended against the other inaugural AAC team, Charlotte, 17-16. The Bulls had trailed 6-1 in the first quarter and battled back with a relentless fourth quarter attack.

April 6: Career Win No. 250 in Lynchburg
Coach Mindy McCord, who played four years of college lacrosse at Lynchburg University, earned her 250^th win as an NCAA women’s lacrosse coach in the town where it all began. The Bulls took down NCAA Tournament-bound Liberty by a score of 18-12. Coach McCord’s former coach, Enza Steele, who inspired her to pick up coaching after graduating, was in attendance.

April 12: Senior Day Win
The Bulls recognized their eight seniors ahead of their 15-10 win over ODU. While Maggie Newton and Kaitlyn Tartaglione will return for their final season, Juliana George, Paige Pagano, Mikaela Ness, Alison Harbaugh, Caroline Gallagher, and Priscilla Santos are all departing USF upon graduation.

April 19: Battle for AAC Regular Season Championship
The Bulls traveled to Harrisonburg, Virginia, to play No. 9 James Madison for a shot at the AAC Regular Season title, but they came up short, losing 20-6.

April 23: 23 Again
South Florida closed out the regular season, tying their program record of 23 goals, this time against Stetson at home in Corbett Stadium.

All-AAC Team
The Bulls earned five AAC All-Conference selections in their inaugural season. Sofia Chepenik (Attack) and Kaitlyn Tartaglione (Midfield) were each named to the First Team, with Chepenik’s selection being unanimous. Kali Cleary (Midfield), Juliana George (Attack), and Mikaela Ness (Defense) were named to the Second Team.

May 1: AAC Tournament Semifinal
The Bulls (No. 2 seed) matched up against ECU (No. 3 seed) for the AAC Championship Tournament Semifinal in Norfolk, Virginia. Bailey Morris scored the go-ahead goal with 2:24 remaining and a game-clinching goal (0:55) as the Bulls advanced to the Championship Final with a 14-12 win over the Pirates.

May 3: James Madison Rematch
The Bulls dueled the Dukes again for the AAC Tournament Championship, exactly two weeks after facing them for the AAC Regular Season Championship. This Championship bout was even closer. The Bulls trailed by three (10-7) in the third quarter, but could not hold off No. 9 James Madison’s relentless attack, falling 18-9.

All-AAC Tournament Team
The Bulls earned four spots on the AAC All-Tournament Team in their inaugural season: Kaitlyn Tartaglione (Midfield), Kali Cleary (Midfield), Maggie Newton (Attack), and Bailey Morris (Midfield).

Final RPI Ranking
The Bulls finished the season ranked 38th on the NCAA’s official RPI system, the highest they reached all season. The Bulls played against a top-10 ranked team three times: No. 5 Florida and No. 9 James Madison (twice). Though they lost each game against these NCAA Tournament-bound teams, they kept up with the competition through halftime in each game. The Bulls did defeat two NCAA Tournament-bound teams, both on the road, taking down Mercer by a score of 11-8 and Liberty 18-12.

Final Statistical Rankings
The Bulls finished the season ranked first in the AAC in eight different statistical categories:

South Florida spent multiple weeks ranked first in the nation in shots per game, with their final ranking sitting fourth in the NCAA (35.94 shots).

The Bulls finished sixth in shots on goal per game (26.33).

South Florida had the 10^th-ranked scoring offense (15.61) and the 12^th-best scoring margin (5.11).

They had the 11^th-best points per game (22.65).

Their 17.56 ground balls per game and 9.22 caused turnovers per game both ranked 32^nd-best in the NCAA.

The Bulls’ 47.2 free-position shooting percentage was 43^rd in the nation.

Follow us:
To stay up-to-date on the latest USF Women’s Lacrosse news, follow the Bulls on social media (Twitter | Facebook | Instagram).

About USF Women’s Lacrosse
The University of South Florida announced the addition of women’s lacrosse to its now 21-sport varsity athletics department in November of 2021. Fast forward to Feb. 7, 2025, the program embarked on its inaugural season in a 19-6 win over KSU, setting the State of Florida’s regular season attendance record (2,386 fans). The Bulls named eight-time conference coach of the year Mindy McCord to lead the program in May of 2022. McCord, who came to USF with 240 career wins, earned 21 regular-season and conference-tournament titles at Jacksonville University. She led the program to eight NCAA appearances after launching and leading the Dolphins’ program over its first 13 years. She developed 13 All-Americans, 81 all-conference selections, and 13 conference Player of the Year honorees during that span, departing JU following back-to-back Sweet Sixteen berths. USF runs a fast-paced, high-scoring offense influenced by the early 1990s Loyola Marymount men’s basketball record-setting fast break, which ranked among the national leaders in shots, points per game, and scoring margin numerous seasons during McCord’s tenure at JU.

– #GoBulls –

Link

Sports

Emerald Acres Volleyball Tournament | MyRadioLink.com

Published

30 minutes ago

January 2, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Emerald Acres Volleyball Tournament | MyRadioLink.com

Link

Sports

Former Illini basketball sharpshooter Luke Goode engaged to Illinois volleyball star Kayla Burbage

Published

46 minutes ago

January 2, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Love is in the air for two of Champaign’s top athletes in recent years. Former Illini men’s basketball wing Luke Goode popped the question to Illinois volleyball middle blocker Kayla Burbage, the couple shared via Instagram on Wednesday.

“Proverbs 18:22: ‘He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord,’” Goode wrote. “Going into the New Years as future Mr. and Mrs. Goode!”

Goode spent the first three years of his college career in Champaign, graduating from the Gies School of Business in 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in finance. After his sophomore season was cut short due to a foot injury, Goode bounced back as a junior, playing in all 38 games for the 2024 Elite Eight team. That season, the 6-foot-7 sharpshooter averaged 5.7 points and shot 38.9% from three on just over four attempts per game.

Last season, Goode spent his final year of eligibility playing for his home state Indiana Hoosiers before turning pro. He is currently suiting up for the South Bay Lakers in the NBA G League. In 11 games so far as a rookie, Goode is putting up 7.6 points and 3.0 rebounds in just above 20 minutes per game.

Burbage just finished up her final season of college volleyball. After spending her freshman campaign at Missouri, Burbage decided to make the move to Champaign. As a sophomore and junior, Burbage played in every match on Illinois’ schedule: 60 total. A shoulder injury sidelined the 6-foot-4 North Carolina native for her senior season, but she returned for a graduate year in 2025. In her final season at Huff Hall, Burbage ranked second in total blocks (82.0) for the Illini and had the fifth-most kills on the team (98).

@sahil_mittal24

[email protected]

Link

Sports

Hawkeyes Knock Down Nebraska – Iowa Hawkeyes Athletics

Published

1 hour ago

January 2, 2026

Your Sports Nation

IOWA CITY, Iowa – No. 14 Iowa (12-2, 3-0) defeated No. 20 Nebraska (12-2, 1-2) on New Years Day inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena, 86-76.

Sophomore Chit-Chat Wright dominated the day for the Hawkeyes with a career-high 24 points, three assists, and two steals. Senior Hannah Stuelke followed with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists to notch her third double-double of the season.

The Huskers came out to a fast-paced 8-0 run to start the game. Stuelke got the scoring started for Iowa by getting to the line, sinking both free-throws. Three minutes into gameplay, the Hawkeyes began to capitalize on Nebraska miscues. Sophomore Ava Heiden led a 7-0 run for Iowa to bring the gap to 9-12 with 4:46 left in the quarter. The Huskers contained a narrow 21-18 lead headed into the second quarter.

Wright drained a three-pointer to start the second period, tying up the score for the first time on the day. The Hawkeyes went on to gain nine points on seven forced Husker turnovers in the half. Heiden led the quarter with eight points going 4-for-4 on field goals. A combined 26 points, shooting 66.7 percent in the quarter, left Iowa behind 44-45 at half.

The Hawkeyes came out of the locker room with an 8-2 run to put them in front. Iowa forced four Husker turnovers in the first three minutes of the third quarter, capitalizing five points off of them. Stuelke continued to be a difference maker for Iowa with seven points and two rebounds. This momentum pushed Iowa up 64-61 heading into the fourth.

In the final quarter, the Hawkeyes continued their defensive pursuit, forcing five more turnovers, adding to their total of 18 on the day. Senior Taylor McCabe hit a three-point basket at 4:32 to power Iowa to the end. The Hawkeyes pushed out a 15-6 run to secure a Hawkeye victory.

Link

Sports

Dallas Pulse set to make history in season opener at Comerica Center

Published

3 hours ago

January 2, 2026

Your Sports Nation

North Texas’ first women’s professional volleyball team will officially launch its inaugural season on Saturday, Jan. 10.

DALLAS — For North Texas volleyball fans, Saturday’s season opener represents more than just a first serve, it’s the beginning of something the region has been waiting for.

The Dallas Pulse, the region’s first women’s professional volleyball team, will open its inaugural season Saturday, Jan. 10, hosting the Indiana franchise at Comerica Center in Frisco.

The matchup marks the first Major League Volleyball game played by a Dallas-based team and is a milestone moment for the metroplex.

The Pulse will play 14 home matches during the 2026 Major League Volleyball season, giving local fans a consistent opportunity to support a women’s pro team built in their own backyard.

Saturday, Jan. 10 – Indy
Thursday, Jan. 15 – San Diego
Thursday, Feb. 5 – Omaha
Sunday, Feb. 8 – Grand Rapids
Thursday, Feb. 19 – Indy
Sunday, Feb. 22 – Grand Rapids
Friday, Feb. 27 – Orlando
Friday, March 13 – Columbus
Sunday, March 15 – Atlanta
Saturday, March 21 – San Diego
Thursday, March 26 – Atlanta
Friday, April 17 – Columbus
Friday, May 1 – Omaha
Sunday, May 3 – Orlando

Leading the team into its first season is head coach Shannon Winzer, who was named to the role in September. The January debut places Dallas at the center of the league’s early growth as women’s professional volleyball continues to gain momentum nationwide.

The timing feels right for North Texas. The region has long been a volleyball hotbed, producing elite athletes through nationally recognized club programs, championship high school teams and top-tier collegiate programs. Until now, many of those players, and the fans who followed them, had no local professional team to rally behind.

Dallas Pulse leadership told WFAA that they hope to change that.

Season ticket deposits are currently open, and the Pulse holds the No. 1 overall pick in the Major League Volleyball Draft scheduled for Nov. 24, giving the team a chance to add a cornerstone player ahead of its debut season.

Major League Volleyball is also preparing for future growth, announcing plans to add expansion teams in Washington, D.C. and Northern California in 2027.

Link

Sports

Iola outside hitter takes top honor on Texas 2A all-state volleyball team | APG State News

Published

3 hours ago

January 2, 2026

Your Sports Nation

State

Zip Code

Country

Link

Sports

Tritons Set for Preseason North American Challenge

Published

5 hours ago

January 2, 2026

Your Sports Nation

LONG BEACH, Calif. — UC San Diego men’s volleyball will prepare for the upcoming season with four exhibitions this weekend as part of the North American Challenge. The event will be hosted by Long Beach State on Friday and Sunday at the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid.

The Tritons will play two Canadian sides, Alberta and Calagry. They will play each team once on both days of the challenge.

SCHEDULE

Friday, Jan. 2

2 PM – vs Calgary

4:30 PM – vs Alberta

Sunday, Jan. 4

12:30 PM – vs Alberta

3 PM – vs Calgary

Live stats for all four matches will be available HERE. Fans interested in attending matches can purchase tickets through Long Beach State HERE.

UP NEXT
The Tritons open the 2026 season at home next Tuesday, Jan. 6. Jessup will visit LionTree Arena for a match that begins at 7 PM.

About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program has begun a new era as a member of The Big West in NCAA Division I. The 24-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 39 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world’s preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in NCAA Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.