Finley Rollins (right) has made an immediate impact on her team and her community since arriving in the summer of 2023.
BVB5/14/2025 12:56 PM | By: Daniel Moebus-Bowles
Finley Rollins Immerses Herself In Coaching, Mentoring At Local Volleyball Club
This feature originally appeared in the 2025 Spring edition of the Cal Sports Quarterly. The Cal Athletics flagship magazine features long-form sports journalism at its finest and provides in-depth coverage of the scholar-athlete experience in Berkeley. Printed copies are mailed four times a year to Bear Backers who give annually at the Bear Club level (currently $600 or more). For more information on how you can receive a printed version of the Cal Sports Quarterly at home, send an email to CalAthleticsFund@berkeley.edu or call (510) 642-2427.
The term “student-athlete” is an effective and accurate description of young men and women who engage in both academic and athletic activities, but sometimes it feels as if it falls short of providing the full picture of what many student-athletes bring to the University of California and the surrounding campus community.
It may be time to think of a new term for Finley Rollins, a junior on the Cal beach volleyball team. Rollins immediately began making an impact in the community when she arrived in Berkeley as a transfer from UC Davis in the summer of 2023. Rollins had an itch to get acclimated to the Bay Area, and the perfect opportunity came across her phone screen in the form of a group text from head coach Meagan Owusu.
“[Owusu] sent a message in our team group chat saying there was a chance to coach youth indoor volleyball if anybody is interested,” Rollins said. “Coaching was something I’d done before and I was new to Berkeley at the time, so I thought this can be a fun way to just get to know the community. Why not?”
Rollins responded to Owusu’s call to action and was put into contact with Starlings Volleyball, USA – a club whose mission is to positively impact the lives of at-risk girls through the sport of volleyball. According to its website, the organization aims “to provide at-risk, disadvantaged youth with equal access to quality volleyball programs, regardless of financial hardship, ethnicity or skill level through exposure to training and participation in the sport of volleyball.”
According to Rollins, dues for most youth indoor volleyball clubs can range anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000 a year depending on their location and competitive status. Starlings offers membership for less than $1,000.
The club began in 1996 with a small team of 11 girls in San Diego, and in its 29 years of existence has grown to be the nation’s largest junior volleyball club with teams in over 50 cities. Over 40,000 girls have participated and approximately 3,000 participate each year. Over 750 college scholarships have been earned by Starlings players, and the club has a 90% high school graduation rate.
What started as a fun, part-time opportunity quickly became a big part of Rollins’ life as she took on a larger role than she first expected. Luckily, one of her new teammates, Lara Boos, joined forces with her and several other of her teammates have come on since.
“I didn’t really know anyone on the team at that time,” Rollins said. “Coincidentally, Lara Boos, who was going to be my new roommate at the time, also reached out to Owusu, so we went over there together. We had assumed it was just going to be like just us coaching these girls and that would be that, but we ended up taking on much more responsibilities.”
In addition to coaching several different teams and age groups, Rollins and Boos began managing the program’s calendars and books and became the main point of contact for their teams, which includes being a liaison to parents. The Berkeley branch has between 45 and 50 players across four teams and Rollins oversees practices and competitions as a part of the Northern California Volleyball Association (NVCA).
The regular membership dues are not enough to cover the full cost of the operation, so Rollins has also been tasked with fundraising through applying for state and federal grants to afford facility rentals. All of these tasks that have come along with this endeavor have given her a wealth of experience in potential career paths.
“I really love coaching, but this experience has taught me so much about business as well,” Rollins said. “I really feel like I am running a business at this point, and it’s shown me that I would like to have a managerial role. Maybe not in sports specifically, but I am thinking about getting into consulting, client services, or sales now.”
While she loves coaching and values the experience she’s gained from managing a nonprofit organization, the deepest motivation comes from her relationships with the young players.
“It’s been great to learn all this stuff, but [Boos] and I signed up for it because we’ve been coaching forever and we wanted to be a mentor for these girls,” Rollins said. “The girls that we coached literally became our little sisters. I love them; they’re so amazing.
“They get volleyball and to see them fall in love with it like I did is so rewarding. They come into the gym as early as possible and stay as late as possible because they really just want to be there with their friends. The parents love that their daughters are enjoying it, too. When my old players see me in the gym, they run up to me and give me a big bear hug and honestly that’s my favorite part. It’s so worth it.”
One of the players on Rollins’ 12-year-old team, sixth-grader Kora Poirier – who Rollins describes as leader with raw talent and athleticism that’s a joy to be around – has truly fallen in love with the game and has gained so much more from the program beyond learning how to dig, set, and swing.
“So many of my friends from school kept telling me ‘You have to check out Starlings, it’s a great club’,” Poirier said. “So I decided to give it a shot and I love it. I already had some friends from school on the team, but I’ve made so many friends with players other schools now.”
Poirier has had a chance to try different positions and has really fallen in love with serving. She is set on playing for the Berkeley High School team when she graduates from King Middle School in a couple years.
“Coach Finley is the best coach that I’ve ever had,” Poirier said. “She’s great at motivating, is so supportive of us, and is really good explaining stuff and showing us how to improve. She’s our coach but she also feels like friend.”
According to Kora’s father, Julien Poirier, the club has truly been a blessing to their family.
“I think it’s great – I really appreciate the club being there,” Julien Poirier said. “We were sort of at loose ends to find a program and this one seemed so great. It’s so diverse and inclusive and financially accessible. Kora had some friends on the team and it’s being coached by a Cal student, which I loved. Everything just lined up great.”
PITTSBURGH – Olivia Babcock was named a Honda Sport Award finalist for volleyball, announced on Wednesday by The Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA). She looks to repeat this season after winning the award as a sophomore, becoming the only female student-athlete at Pitt to earn the honor. Mimi Colyer (Wisconsin), Eva Hudson (Kentucky) and Bergen Reilly (Nebraska) round out the list of finalists.
This marks the 50th year the Honda Sport Award has been in existence and is presented annually by the CWSA to the top female athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports and signifies “the best of the best in collegiate athletics”.
Babcock wins the award after being named the back-to-back AVCA National Player of the Year, ACC Player of the Year and AVCA East Coast Region Player of the Year. She is the only player in Pitt history to be named a three-time AVCA First Team All-American and was tabbed the Pittsburgh Regional Most Outstanding Player for the third consecutive season after leading the Panthers to their fifth consecutive National Semifinal.
Babcock led the Pitt offense and averaged personal-best marks of 5.17 kills per set and 2.09 digs per set. She notched five ACC Offensive Player of the Week honors and set the program’s single match kills record with 45 against North Carolina.
The CWSA has honored the nation’s top NCAA women athletes for their superior athletic skills, leadership, academic excellence and eagerness to participate in community service. Since commencing its partnership in 1986, Honda has provided more than $3.4 million in institutional grants to the universities of the award winners and nominees to support women’s athletics programs.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford volleyball program announced the dates for its 2026 summer camps on Wednesday.
A full list of camps and the dates are below. Registration is open online now for all individual camps and can register at www.subulldogvolleyballcamps.com.
High School and Middle School coaches can email Associate Head Coach Ben Sabin at bsabin@samford.edu to register for High School and Middle School Team Camps.
Keylor Chan Volleyball Camps are open to any and all entrants (limited only by number, age, grade level, and/or gender).
2026 CAMP DATES
June 13th All Position Camp 7th-12th grade
July 6-7 Elite Camp 9-12th grade
July 8-9 High School Team Camp I
July 10-11 High School Team Camp II
July 17-18 Middle School Team Camp I
July 20-22 Volleykidz K-3rd grade
July 20-22 Youth Skills Camp 4-6th grade
July 20-22 All Skills Camp 7-8th grade
July 23 Serving Clinic 6-12th grade
July 25-26 Middle School Team Camp II
FOLLOW THE BULLDOGS:
For the latest news and information on Samford volleyball, visit the official website for Samford Athletics at SamfordSports.com. Fans can also follow the Bulldogs on social media at @SamfordVB (Instagram) and @SamfordVB (Twitter).
TEMPE – Sun Devil Track and Field will open its 2026 indoor season by competing in the annual NAU Axe ‘Em Open at the Skydome in Flagstaff on Friday night. The 2026 campaign will be year seven for head coach Dion Miller, with the Sun Devils set to compete in six indoor events this spring.
Live Stats
Arizona State will be sending 52 student-athletes, including a total of 25 newcomers, amongst both men’s and women’s squads.
Sun Devils competing in Flagstaff Men Freshmen: Josiah Anderson, Nolan Bartley, Demar Coleman, Dontay Mayrant, Duaine Mayrant, Brady Nieto, Amir Thompson, Nasir Tucker, Kingston Waring, Malith Yasiru Sophomores: James Bauman, Preston Beery, Owen Lee, Lemerian Lemashon, Mateo Medina, Dennis Rono, Glenn Thomas
Juniors: Sam Cappos, Marlon Colbert, Brennen McHenry, Charlie Merritt, Wyatt Preble, Richlu Tudee, Trey Wakefield
Event schedule Long Jump Triple Jump Women, followed by Men Weight Throw Shot Put Women, followed by Men High Jump Women, followed by Men 60m Hurdles Men Prelims 1 Mile Women Final 1 Mile Men Final 60 Hurdle Men Final 60m Women Final 60m Men Final 400m Women Final 400m Men Final 800m Women Final 800m Men Final 200m Women Final 200m Men Final 3000m Women Final 3000m Men Final 4x400m Relay Women Final 4x400m Relay Men Final
2026 schedule Indoor NAU Axe ‘Em Open – Jan. 9 (Flagstaff, AZ.) Corky Classic – Jan. 16-17 (Lubbock, TX.) Charlie Thomas – Feb. 6-7 (College Station, TX.) Don Kirby – Feb. 13-14 (Albuquerque, NM.) Big 12 Indoor Championships – Feb. 27-28 (Lubbock, TX.) NCAA Indoor Championships – March 13-14 (Fayetteville, AR.)
Outdoor Willie Williams Invite – March 27-28 (Tucson, AZ.) Jim Click Shootout – April 3-4 (Tucson, AZ) Mt. Sac Relays – April 17-18 (Walnut, CA.) Penn Relays – April 23-25 (Philadelphia, PA.) Desert Heat – May 2 (Tucson, AZ.) Big 12 Outdoor Championships – May 14-16 (Tucson, AZ.) NCAA West Regionals – May 27-30 (Fayetteville, AR.) NCAA Outdoor Championships – June 10-12 (Eugene, OR.) USATF Championships – TBD (Eugene, OR.)
Follow along You can follow the Sun Devils throughout their 2026 season via the team’s social media accounts, @SunDevilTFXC on Instagram, Facebook and X.
The state champion volleyball player for Mount Carmel knew before she graduated in 2011 that she wanted to someday come back to her alma mater and coach her favorite sport.
Her chance has arrived, as Mount Carmel on Wednesday announced Miller as the new volleyball coach after she coached the past seven seasons at Haynes Academy, where she guided the Yellow Jackets to their first state title in 2024.
“I’m really happy at Haynes,” Miller said. “Haynes is a great school. It’s tough to leave Haynes and the work family, and the players here and everything we have built here. But it always has been a dream of mine to come back to my alma mater and build a program there.”
At Mount Carmel, Miller will coach at the school where she starred as a setter and six-rotation standout, ultimately earning the LHSAA outstanding player award following a four-set victory over Dominican in the 2010 state final.
Miller, who will continue at Haynes as a P.E. teacher for the remainder of the school year, is replacing former coach Taylor Ricaud, who left after three seasons and is now the head coach at Pope John Paul II.
Mount Carmel has won 14 volleyball state championships, including six in a row from 2014-19. The Cubs, who last reached the state final in 2023, lost in the quarterfinals last season against Chapelle.
Mount Carmel athletic director April Hagadone coached eight championship teams at the school.
Miller said she “fell in love with volleyball” when she was a freshman, and she was a junior or senior when she told Hagadone at practice one day that she would like to come back to the school and replace her as coach.
“I knew I wanted to be a P.E. teacher and coach because both of my parents were P.E. teachers and coaches in multiple sports,” said Miller, who remembered thinking, “Man, this would be awesome, to come back here and run a program at a school that I love and be surrounded by an amazing community.”
At Haynes, Miller replaced her mother, Dollie Lala, as the head coach and lifted it to unprecedented heights, reaching the state semifinals for the first time in 2022, two years before the five-set triumph over Hannan in the Division III state final.
Miller comes from a family of coaches and teachers. Her father, Larry Lala, coached football at Bonnabel in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and later coached baseball and football while at Grace King.
Haynes has played the last three seasons at the former Grace King campus, following the closure of that school in 2023.
“We’ve never lost a game in this gym yet,” Miller said, adding that the teachers and students at Haynes “are very understanding, and everyone has been really kind to me about the move. They are happy for me, which helps a lot.”
After shining on the national stage, Ferris State University’s football and volleyball
players will get a hero’s welcome back home on campus on Monday.
The university is calling on the entire community to come together in celebration
as Jan. 12, 2026 is declared “Bulldog Spirit Day.”
The campus-wide and community celebration will honor the Ferris State football team’s
fourth national championship and the volleyball team’s continued postseason success.
Community members are warmly invited to join Ferris State students and employees from
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 12, at the David L. Eisler Center, 805 Campus Drive,
for a high-energy event filled with Bulldog pride.
Those attending Bulldog Spirit Day will have the chance to take photos with the National
Championship trophy, the volleyball team’s trophy, meet Ferris State student-athletes,
watch the cheer and STUNT team perform, hear remarks from university leaders, enjoy
snacks, and experience other fun surprises as part of the celebration.
Championship t-shirts and stickers will be available while they last.
The football team capped an unforgettable season with a dominant victory in the NCAA
Division II National Championship, finishing undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the nation.
With the win, the Bulldogs brought the championship trophy home to Big Rapids for
the fourth time in five years.
The volleyball team also delivered an outstanding postseason run, earning the NCAA
Division II Midwest Regional Title and advancing to the Elite Eight for the second
consecutive year—another remarkable achievement for the program.
Ferris State President Bill Pink officially proclaimed Jan. 12 as Bulldog Spirit Day
and encourages all students, employees, alumni, and community members to proudly wear
their Ferris State apparel.
Bulldog pride stretches far beyond Big Rapids, with alumni and supporters across Michigan,
the nation, and around the globe. Alumni are encouraged to join the celebration by
posting photos in their Bulldog gear on social media and tagging Ferris State.
And the celebration doesn’t stop there—plans are already underway for a victory parade
this spring.
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay State University Interim Director of Athletics Jordan Harmon announced the 2026 Austin Peay Athletics Hall of Fame Class, Wednesday.
The 48th Hall of Fame Class, which will be inducted during ceremonies held Feb. 13-14, includes track and field’s Savannah Amato, soccer’s Natalia Ariza, football’s James Green, former director of facilities Charles “Bud” Jenkins, men’s golf’s Dustin Korte, and baseball’s Parker Phillips.
The athletics department will recognize the class at halftime of the men’s basketball game against Bellarmine on Saturday, Feb. 14. Tickets for Friday’s Hall of Fame Reception and for Saturday’s basketball doubleheader, which includes the women’s basketball game against West Georgia, will be available for purchase online through Ticketmaster. A full schedule of the Athletics Hall of Fame Weekend events will be available at a later date.
The APSU Athletics Hall of Fame, which is displayed in the front lobby of the Winfield Dunn Center, inducted legendary director of athletics and coach David Aaron as its first member in 1977. This year’s class of six inductees will bring the total number of individuals recognized to 151. The APSU Athletics Hall of Fame can be visited online at LetsGoPeay.com/HOF.
Austin Peay Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2026 Biographical Sketches
Savannah Amato, Track & Field (2015-20)
Pole vaulter Savannah Amato was a six-time Ohio Valley Conference gold medalist, three-time NCAA East Preliminaries participant, 11-time OVC Field Athlete of the Week, and 26-time event winner. A member of the OVC 75th Anniversary Team, Amato still is the only athlete in OVC Indoor Track & Field history to win the pole vault three times and is one of two Governors to win be named the Outdoor Pole Vault Champion three times in a career.
At the conclusion of her collegiate career, she held both pole vault records. While her 4.15-meter vault indoor now is tied for third all-time, Amato still holds three of the top 10 indoor pole vault marks and a program-record 4.17-meter mark from the 2017-18 season.
Natalia Ariza, Soccer (2010-13)
Natalia Ariza is one of two players in Austin Peay soccer history to earn four All-Ohio Valley Conference honors, with three First Team All-OVC selections and one Second Team All-OVC honor. Despite missing the first two games of her collegiate career – due to representing Columbia in the U19 FIFA Women’s World Cup – Ariza finished her freshman season as the Govs’ second-leading scorer with 15 points, a career-best six goals, and four game-winning goals. Her freshman campaign also saw her earn First Team All-OVC, OVC All-Newcomer Team, OVC Tournament Team, and Second Team National Soccer Coaches Association of America honors.
After transitioning to a more defensive-heavy position for her second season, Ariza still scored five goals and dished out four assists as a sophomore, before combining for seven assists across her junior and senior campaigns. Over a decade removed from her playing days in Clarksville, Ariza still ranks top 10 in program history in goals, assists, and points and is the only Governor to earn All-OVC Tournament Team selections
James Green, Football (1975-77)
James Green was a three-year letterwinner on the defensive line for the Austin Peay’s football team from 1975-77. A two-time First Team All-Ohio Valley Conference selection, Green was a captain during Governors’ first OVC Championship season in 1977, a season in which he also earned Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention honors.
Forty-eight years after his collegiate career ended with hoisting the Govs’ first championship trophy since a 1948 Volunteer State Athletic Conference title, Green’s 189-career tackles still are the 10th-most in program history and the second-most by a Gov to play three-or-fewer seasons. Green now becomes the fourth defensive player from the 1977 team to be selected to the Austin Peay Hall of Fame, joining former teammates Ron Sebree, Mike Betts, and Bob Bible.
Charles “Bud” Jenkins, Facilities (1992-25)
Bud Jenkins did it all. If there was something anyone needed, Bud would be there. He is the reason anything ever worked and, if it is still working, he is probably the reason for that too. One minute he would be repairing the seats in the Dunn Center and the next he would be out at any one of Austin Peay’s athletic facilities working on whatever needed to be done.
Bud began at Austin Peay in 1992 and, in those 33 years, epitomized the definitions of hard work and humility. While his job was behind the scenes, his craft and care for Austin Peay showed every time someone walked into a facility.
Dustin Korte, Men’s Golf (2010-13)
One of two men’s golfers in Austin Peay history to qualify for the NCAA Men’s Golf Championship as an individual, Dustin Korte shot 204 at the 2013 NCAA Tempe Regional, including an opening-round 64 that is still tied for the third-best score in program history, to finish as the top individual and advance to the national championship. Korte’s three-round score of 204 at the Tempe Regional still is the eighth-best tournament score in program history and is the best by a Gov in the NCAA Tournament. Korte also was named a PING All-Region selection for his performance in 2013.
A two-time First Team All-Ohio Valley Conference and OVC All-Tournament Team selection, Korte received both those honors during the 2012 and 2013 seasons after being a Second Team All-OVC selection in 2011. After a 76.19 scoring average during his freshman season, Korte posted averages of 73.94, 73.15, and 72.63 during his next three seasons, en route to a 73.79 career scoring average as a Governor. Korte also played to a .777 winning percentage (761-208-29) against the field as a junior and a .767 winning percentage (752-217-34) against the field as a senior to finish his career with a .671 mark (2,139-1,020-105).
Parker Phillips, Baseball (2017-19)
The Home Run King, Parker Phillips still is Austin Peay’s all-time leader in home runs, despite the recent power surges by the likes of Lyle Miller-Green and John Bay. Phillips had 56 home runs in three seasons and is the only player in program history with three 10-home run seasons. Phillips hit 12 home runs as a redshirt sophomore in 2017, before hitting a then-program record 19 home runs in 2018. Phillips followed those seasons with the first 20-homer season in program history, hitting a then-record 25 home runs in 2019, a mark that is still the second-best single-season total in APSU history. Phillips also is 1-of-10 Govs to hit a record three home runs in a single game, but he is the only player in program history to have two three-homer games.
Phillips’ 56 career home runs and 25 home runs in 2019 both still rank as the sixth-best marks in Ohio Valley Conference history. In addition to the home runs, Phillips ranks first in Austin Peay history in hit by pitches (58) – 16 more than the next closest player – he also ranks second in grand slams (4), third in slugging percentage (.674), sixth in RBI (166), sixth in runs scored (158), eighth in sacrifice flies (12), and 16th in on-base percentage (.435).
Phillips also was selected to compete in the 2018 College Home Run Derby at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska, and advanced to the second round of the event. Phillips was a Collegiate Baseball Second Team All-America, ABCA First Team All-South Region, First Team All-OVC, and OVC All-Tournament Team selection in 2019. He also was a Second Team All-OVC selection in 2018 and a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American, National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Second Team Freshman All-American, and OVC All-Freshman Team selection in 2018.
