Citroën announces partnership with England Athletics, the development body for grassroots running and athletics in England, and its official charity partner, the Personal Best Foundation
Survey by Citroën found that 73% of parents say their children do not get the minimum amount of exercise recommended by UK Chief Medical Officers*
Citroën will support the Personal Best Foundation to deliver an after-school athletics programme starting with 15 schools in Coventry, Warwickshire and Ellesmere Port all close to their Headquarters
Citroen will be the headline partners for England Athletics’ National and Age Group Athletics Championships in the Summer
Citroen will offer support to 16 athletes on the England Athletics talent pathway programme, with the aim of helping them to develop the skills, competencies, knowledge, and resilience to progress and succeed at senior championships and international level, whilst gaining a positive life experience from the journey
The partnership will be focused on battery electric vehicles and will give members of England Athletics preferential terms on Citroën’s range of battery electric vehicles (EVs), highlighting the brand’s commitment to making EVs accessible to all and consistent with England Athletics’ principles of sustainability
The partnership is being launched at Sowe Valley Primary school, Coventry with Team GB Paralympian and Personal Best Foundation Ambassador, Hannah Cockroft CBE, and dignitaries including Mary Creagh CBE Labour MP for Coventry East, John Slinger Labour MP for Rugby, Chris Theobold Sales and Operations Director for Citroën UK and Chris Jones CEO of England Athletics.
Citroën has announced a new partnership with England Athletics, the development body for grassroots running and athletics in the UK, as well as its official charity partner, the Personal Best Foundation. The partnership comes on the back of research by Citroën to parents that found, on average, British children spend 4.75 hours a week exercising, while the Chief Medical Officers recommend at least 60 minutes every day. The partnership was announced at Sowe Valley Primary school, Coventry with Team GB Paralympian and Personal Best Foundation Ambassador Hannah Cockroft CBE.
England Athletics purpose is to inspire individuals of all ages, abilities and backgrounds to take up running, fulfil their potential and develop a lifelong love of the sport. Through the new partnership, Citroën will support England Athletics to grow opportunities for children and young people, allowing them to experience the benefits of athletics and running at an early age, and then continue throughout school and into adulthood.
According to Sport England’s annual Active Lives survey 2023/24, only 47% of children are meeting the UK’s Chief Medical Officer’s recommended daily activity levels**, with children from low-income families and underserved communities the least likely to be active. According to Citroen’s own research, it found that a lack of time and interest were cited by over a third of parents as the main barriers to getting their children to exercise.
Around one in eight toddlers and primary school-aged children in England are categorised as obese. In year 6, the prevalence of obesity alone in children is 22.7% and for those living in the most deprived areas this increases to 30.2%. *** The UK has some of the poorest child mental health outcomes globally, with the cost of living crisis further limiting opportunities for physical activity.
Inequality and poverty put the opportunity for organised exercise and activity beyond the reach of around 4 million children and young people across the UK. The partnership between Citroën, England Athletics and Personal Best Foundation will help to change this, as initially 15 primary schools – prioritising those with the greatest need and children most at risk of inactivity – in Coventry, Warwickshire and Ellesmere Port, close to Citroen Headquarters will benefit from free weekly after-school athletics programmes. In addition, free training for the teachers in the schools will allow the programme to be continued and ensure that running, jumping and throwing have a place in the curriculum.
The partnership will also support young up and coming athletes in England through England Athletics’ National and Age group championships and its Talent Pathway Programme, which aims to help gifted young athletes progress to be the international athletics stars of the future.
England Athletics, Chief Executive Officer, Chris Jones, said: “We are proud to welcome Citroën into the England Athletics family. This partnership supports our shared commitment to sustainability and making athletics more accessible for young people. Through our Personal Best Foundation, Citroën’s support will help young people in schools across England experience athletics and will open the doors of opportunity for some of the most disadvantaged children and young people in England. Citroen’s backing of our national events and talent programmes – supported by Citroen’s electric vehicles – aligns with our drive for a more sustainable future and our approach to encourage our network of athletes and clubs to adopt more sustainable practices.”
Chris Theobold, Sales and Operations Director, Citroën UK added: “We’re proud that our partnership with England Athletics will give young people access to sport and exercise, help improve young people’s lives and offer support to the next generation of talent. The statistics on childhood inactivity and health is very concerning and we are very happy to be able to make running, jumping and throwing more accessible, just as we are making electric vehicles accessible to all. In partnering with England Athletics and its official charity, we believe we can help make a difference and give school children in some of the country’s less fortunate areas the chance to enjoy the benefits of athletics, be active and have fun. Whilst also supporting elite talent on the pathway to success.”
Mary Creagh CBE, Labour MP for Coventry East said: “An early love of athletics lasts a lifetime, and changes lives, bringing health benefits, friendships, self-discipline, and teamwork. I welcome the focus that Citroen, England Athletics and the Personal Best Foundation have on making running, jumping and throwing accessible for young people – especially those from disadvantaged families – to be healthy, active and have fun.”
Hannah Cockroft CBE, Personal Best Foundation Ambassador and England Athletics Sustainability Ambassador, said: “It’s fantastic to be part of this exciting new partnership between England Athletics, the Personal Best Foundation, and Citroën. It was a privilege to meet the school children today and see first-hand how powerful sport can be in changing lives and helping young people discover what they are truly capable of. I passionately believe that every young person should have the access and the opportunities to experience the physical and mental benefits of sport irrespective of their background or personal circumstances. It’s also great to see a partnership with a real commitment to sustainability, promoting a healthier, more active, and more responsible future.”
You can find out more about the partnership and England Athletics here XXX
ENDS
*Survey of 2,000 parents in England conducted in partnership with OnePoll, May 2025
** (Sport England Active Lives Children and Young People)
***(Health Survey for England 2022 Part 2)
Citroën
Since 1919, Citroën has been creating automobiles, technologies, and mobility solutions to respond to changes in society. A brand of boldness and innovation, Citroën places peace of mind and well-being at the heart of its customer experience, and offers a wide range of models, from the distinctive Ami, an electric mobility object designed for the city, to saloons, SUVs, and commercial vehicles, most of which are available in electric or rechargeable hybrid versions. A pioneer brand in the services and attention paid to its private and professional customers, Citroën is present in 101 countries and has a network of 6,200 points of sale and service throughout the world. Citroën UK media website: www.media.stellantis.com/uk-en/citroen
Major League Volleyball (MLV) is partnering with LTN to power live video production and distribution for its most expansive broadcast schedule to date in 2026.
With a record 50-match broadcast slate across major national networks, streaming services and local stations, the collaboration enables continued audience growth for MLV, providing fans with wider access to their favorite teams and high-quality live experiences on multiple viewing platforms.
After the unification of Major League Volleyball and Pro Volleyball Federation (PVF) in 2025, MLV is continuing to elevate professional women’s volleyball in the United States.
As an evolution of PVF, its 2026 campaign will be recorded as the league’s third season following a high-growth year where broadcast coverage grew 350%. LTN will again serve as MLV’s live production and distribution partner, powering the largest media rollout in league history through a suite of on-site and remote production, live event customization and intelligent video transport services.
“We’re kicking off a milestone season for MLV with new energy, closer fan connection and our widest broadcast coverage to date,” says Rob Carolla, Vice President, Public & Media Relations at MLV. “LTN has been a vital part of our growth journey, advancing our production quality, working across any venue and enabling new graphics and viewing features to enhance the fan experience — all while simplifying customization and distribution for multiple rights partners.”
Purpose-built IP infrastructure for live sports
MLV will harness a comprehensive range of LTN production and transport services, leveraging a multi-camera setup and ultra-reliable remote transmission technologies while enabling fully centralized production from LTN’s state-of-the-art Kansas City technical operations center (TOC). LTN manages all the complexities of live event production, from announcer integration to audio mixing, replay, custom graphics insertion and playout. LTN’s purpose-built global IP network provides 99.9999% reliability and <200ms latency, providing seamless signal transport from all venues, real-time customization, and delivery to all downstream rights partners.
“We’re seeing huge growth in a new generation of dynamic, innovation-first sports leagues,” says Bryan McGuirk, Chief Revenue Officer at LTN. “With rights models evolving and demand for live events surging, MLV is a standout example of how sports organizations can harness agile production models and purpose-built IP distribution to enhance reach and monetization.”
The 2026 MLV season builds on a breakthrough year for professional volleyball broadcasting. Last year, LTN supported the league in delivering over 45 linear broadcast matches and 70 live digital events, including generating 4.7 million YouTube views, up one million year-over-year, and an All-Star Match with 455,000 viewers on CBS.
As a start to the current season, LTN also underpinned the annual MLV Draft of collegiate players, which was broadcast live on the Roku Sports Channel for the first time. The California-based studio production was managed remotely from LTN’s centralized production facility, seamlessly connecting distributed draft teams to participate with presenters in real-time from locations nationwide with ultra-low latency, IP-based video transmission.
Enhanced volleyball viewing experiences
MLV is leveraging innovative technologies, supported by LTN’s flexible video infrastructure and production expertise, to elevate fan engagement and enhance the depth of data for viewers. Its latest advances include:
An enhanced tracking system that delivers real-time ball tracking, improving officiating accuracy and powering advanced performance analytics — enabling teams and fans to better understand attacking patterns and player dynamics.
Displayed for the first time on opening weekend, viewers will see enhanced visuals including ball speed and jump height metrics on matches aired by CBS Sports, offering deeper insights into the athleticism of the game.
In another league-first, teams like the Indy Ignite will now air both home and away games in their local market outside of the national broadcast schedule, offering fans unrivaled access to their teams via local stations.
Alongside CBS Sports and the Roku Sports Channel, which aired opening weekend games this January 9, 10 and 11, MLV’s media partners include ION — the national network from The E.W. Scripps Company with exclusive rights for the championship finals — and VICE, both new for 2026. The second MLV All-Star Match will air live on CBS and Paramount+, with all other matches available via MLV’s YouTube channel and team-led local market agreements.
Molly Schotzko, an assistant professor with the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, is now serving as Washington State University’s faculty athletics representative.
On Jan. 1, Schotzko was appointed to a three-year term by President Betsy Cantwell following an extensive search process.
“Serving WSU and our student-athletes in this role is an honor and responsibility I deeply value, Schotzko said. “As a former student-athlete and now mentor to students, my experience allows me to understand the unique challenges they face. I will be an advocate for their health, well-being, and support equipping them for success in the classroom and in life.”
During her time as a WSU student, Schotzko earned four varsity letters across track and field as well as cross country and served as the Student Athlete Advisory Committee president.
As a former student-athlete and now mentor to students, my experience allows me to understand the unique challenges they face.
Molly Schotzko, assistant professor and faculty athletics representative Washington State University
“Molly has filled a vital role in bridging the university’s academic mission with the success and wellness of our student-athletes,” Cantwell said. “As a current Murrow College professor and now key advisor for intercollegiate athletics, she brings the necessary credibility, judgment, and strong commitment to academic integrity to advocate for student-athletes as scholars and members of our university community.”
The university’s faculty athletics representative acts as a liaison between the academic enterprise of the institution and its athletics program, ensuring academic standards, integrity and student-athlete welfare are maintained. The faculty athletics representative also ensures compliance with NCAA and Pac-12 regulations as well as university policies, in cooperation with the director of intercollegiate athletics and the department’s chief compliance officer.
Schotzko succeeds Nancy Swanger, who was appointed to the role of faculty athletics representative in 2017. WSU is deeply grateful to Swanger, who served in this role in three consecutive terms, for her nearly decade-long commitment and tireless advocacy for Washington State’s student-athletes.
Women’s Track & Field Rookie of the Week – Lola Gitlin
Lola Gitlin won the 3,000-meter race by more than 12 seconds at Cornell’s Southern Tier Invitational as she clocked a time of 10:37.55. Gitlin’s time is good for 24th nationally.
Women’s Track & Field – Field Performer of the Week – Lily Seyfert
Lily Seyfert placed third in the shot put at the Cornell Southern Tier Invitational with a mark of 12.72 meters, which is just shy of her top mark of 12.78 this season (17th in Division III). Seyfert also finished third in the weight throw at 16.20 meters and ranks eighth in the country after that performance.
Men’s Track & Field Rookie of the Week – Raphael Campanile
Raphael Campanile placed fifth in the pole vault with a mark of 4.50 meters at the Cornell Southern Tier Invitational on Saturday and currently ranks 25th in Division III with that performance.
HONOR ROLL
Matthew Zenker totaled 44 points on 18-of-31 shooting, to go along with nine rebounds and three steals in a 1-1 week for Ithaca. Zenker netted 20 points on 8-of-16 shooting in a 101-72 win over RIT and followed up with 24 points and eight rebounds as he shot 10-of-15 from the floor in a loss to Union.
Junior forward McNamara delivered a pair of strong performances despite setbacks against RIT and Union. Against the Tigers, she was flawless from the floor, going 3-for-3 while adding seven rebounds and two blocks. She carried that momentum into the Union matchup, coming just shy of her first career double-double with nine points and eight boards.
Shenandoah University men’s volleyball freshman Simon Bellenbaum was named the ODAC’s Defensive Player of the Week on Monday.
The York, Pennsylvania, native accumulated six solo blocks and eight digs in SU’s two matches against Randolph and Regent, with three blocks in each game and five digs versus the Royals.
Boys’ basketball: Sherando 48, Strasburg 44
STEPHENS CITY — Sherando defeated Strasburg for its fourth straight win on Monday. The Warriors are 9-4.
Girls’ basketball: Strasburg 39, Sherando 29
STRASBURG — Strasburg completed a season sweep with a win over Sherando on Monday.
The Warriors (3-11) trailed 18-7 after one quarter, 23-10 at the half and 29-22 after three quarters.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Two Keene State College student-athletes honored by the Little East Conference for their achievements accomplished for the week of January 5-11.
Men’s Swimming and Diving
Freshman diver Keegan Johnson (Durham, N.H.) was named the LEC Diver of the Week and the Rookie Diver of the Week from his dives across the Owls’ final two home meets this season over the past weekend. Against Eastern Connecticut State University, Johnson placed first in the 1M diving with a score of 129.75 on Friday afternoon, and on Saturday morning against Norwich University, he placed first in the 1M diving with a score of 141.38 and first in the 3M diving with a score of 170.31.
Johnson and the Owls return to action for a double-dual meet against Brandeis University and Bridgewater State University on Saturday, January 17 at 12:00 PM.
Men’s Indoor Track and Field
Senior Eden Damis (Nashua, N.H.) was named the LEC Field Athlete of the Week from his performance at the Middlebury Snowflake Invitational on Saturday for the Owls. In the long jump, Damis posted a mark of 14.00 in the triple just for a new personal record in his final attempt of the day. His mark became the 21st best mark in NCAA Division III on the season, just one position for qualifying for nationals later this season.
Damis and the Owls return to action at the Panther Invitational I at Plymouth State University on Saturday, January 17, at 10:00 AM.
PITMAN — The New Jersey Athletic Conference announced its women’s indoor track & field weekly honors for the week ending Jan. 11
TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
LUCIA GARCIA-BELTRAN • The College of New Jersey
Senior • Hopewell, NJ/Hopewell Valley Central
Garcia-Beltran earned NJAC Track Athlete of the Week honors after setting a new program record in the 60 meters at the Lions Indoor Invitational. The senior sprinter and Rutgers transfer clocked a time of 7.63 seconds, which ranks fifth in NCAA Division III.
FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
SARAH SCEPKOWSKI • The College of New Jersey
Senior • Garwood, NJ/Arthur L. Johnson
Scepkowski claimed NJAC Field Athlete of the Week recognition after clearing 1.60 meters in the high jump at the Lions Indoor Invitational. The senior’s mark ranks 20th in NCAA Division III and stands as one of the top performances in the conference this season.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
AMELIA VITALE • Farmingdale State College
Freshman • Hauppauge, NY/Hauppauge
Vitale was named NJAC Rookie of the Week after posting a time of 2:30.87 in the 800 meters at the Spartan Invitational. The freshman’s performance represents the top mark in the event thus far in the NJAC this season and establishes her as the conference’s early leader in the middle-distance event.
With a record 50-match broadcast slate across major national networks, streaming services and local stations, the collaboration enables continued audience growth for MLV, providing fans with wider access to their favorite teams and high-quality live experiences on multiple viewing platforms.
