When one door closed, another opened — and Nicole Carroll ran through it.

When she was young, a door opened for Nicole Carroll to step in and play soccer — the game she grew to love.

She played travel soccer to hone her skills and, after entering high school, became a stalwart midfielder for a Jim Thorpe team that won the Schuylkill League championship two years ago during her senior season.

To stay in shape for soccer, Carroll also ran cross country and track. Her performances on the trails helped her qualify for the state championship meet during both her junior and senior years.

But once she reached college, the door to her favorite sport quickly closed. Carroll committed to play soccer at Clarion University, but her time on the field was short-lived.

“In my very first game there, I broke my nose and got a concussion,” she said. “Once I was cleared to play again — in my very first practice after that — I got another concussion.”

After a long and difficult decision, she gave up the sport she had loved since childhood.

“I still miss playing soccer terribly,” she said, “but I decided to concentrate on cross country and track.”

Carroll found that college life at Clarion wasn’t the right fit either, and she transferred to Lock Haven University for her sophomore year. At her new school, another door opened. She was introduced to a training program that helped her prepare for college-level competition.

“At Jim Thorpe, I hadn’t taken cross country or track too seriously,” she said. “I needed to change my training routine, and they had a great program at Lock Haven that focused on endurance and speed training. I prepared myself to run the 400- and 800-meter races.”

That said, Carroll entered her new athletic path with limited expectations.

“Soccer was always my love,” she said. “I ran cross country and track in high school mainly just to stay in shape.”

But the shape of things to come led to unexpected success. Carroll was named to the Regional All-Academic Team, and her performances on the trail and the track improved rapidly.

At the 2024 NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Cross Country Championships, she finished in the top 30 percent. During the indoor track season, she placed second in the 800 at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships with a personal-best time of 2:19.31.

Carroll continued to build momentum during the spring season. She won the 800 at the 2025 PSAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

“There were 24 runners in two preliminary races before the finals,” she said. “I had to beat seven others in the last race. I didn’t expect to win, but I thought I had a chance. I had a good feeling — but anyone can win in the finals.”

Not only did Carroll win in a close finish — the runner-up was from Clarion.

For her accomplishments, Carroll was named Lock Haven’s Female Athlete MVP of the Year and earned a spot on the NCAA Division II All-Atlantic Region Track and Field Team.

The exercise science major has set new goals heading into her junior and senior years.

“I’d like to medal at the PSAC cross country championships,” she said. “And in track, I’ll try to break the school record in the 800.”

She once opened a door to a promising soccer career, only to have it shut due to injury. Then, she closed the door on one college and opened another at Lock Haven — one that’s led her to success in cross country and track.

Now an athlete already making her mark, Carroll still has two more years to chase greatness.

Nicole Carroll has learned an invaluable lesson in sports and life: When one door closes, another opens. And all she has to do — is run right through it.

Nicole Carroll (front) competes for Lock Haven University at this year’s Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Track and Field Championships. The Jim Thorpe graduate won the 800 at the event. For her accomplishments, Carroll was named Lock Haven’s Female Athlete MVP of the Year and earned a spot on the NCAA Division II All-Atlantic Region Track and Field Team. PHOTO COURTESY LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

During the indoor track season, Nicole Carroll placed second in the 800 at the PSAC Championships with a personal-best time of 2:19.31. PHOTO COURTESY LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

At the 2024 NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Cross Country Championships, Nicole Carroll finished in the top 30 percent. PHOTO COURTESY LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

OMAHA – Brian Rosen isn’t easing into things.

His first year as Creighton’s volleyball coach – after his predecessor, Kirsten Bernthal Booth, stepped away in early April – will begin with one of the toughest nonconference schedules in the country, announced Tuesday.

The Bluejays open the season Aug. 23 vs. Penn State in Lincoln, part of the AVCA First Serve. The national champion Nittany Lions beat CU in a five-set thriller in last year’s Elite Eight at State College.

Creighton gets a Sweet 16 rematch with Texas, and Kansas for the first of two meetings with the Jayhawks, the weekend after in Madison, Wisconsin.

Then the Jays go to Los Angeles on Sept. 5-7 to play San Diego, UC Santa Barbara and USC, the last of which will be considered a true road game with the Trojans, who CU beat 3-1 last season in Omaha.

Rosen’s home debut – officially, anyway, since he was on Booth’s staff since 2022 – will be in the Bluejay Invitational. Creighton will play Louisville on Sept. 12, Rice on Sept. 13 and Northern Iowa, featuring Booth’s daughter Reese, on Sept. 14. All at Sokol Arean.

CU went 2-1 against those three teams last season, sweeping two and losing a five-setter at Louisville.

Nebraska comes to the CHI Health Center on Sept. 16 in a battle of first-year coaches. Teh Huskers, coming off a Final Four appearance, hired Dani Busboom Kelly following longtime coach John Cook’s retirement.

Creighton finishes nonconference play with South Florida (Sept. 20) and Kansas (Sept. 21) at home, then embarks on the Big East.

The Jays’ quest for a 12th straight conference crown begins in Sokol with Xavier on Sept. 26 and Butler the day after.

They’ll go to Marquette on Oct. 2 and host the Golden Eagles, who split the league with CU in 2022 and finished runner-up three of the past four seasons, to kick off November.

Creighton closes the regular season Nov. 16 at Seton Hall.

West Long Branch, NJ – Monmouth University Athletics and Director of Athletics Jen Sansevero are excited to announce the hiring of Lucy Mason as Senior Associate Athletics Director for Administration and Senior Woman Administrator.
 
“I am excited to welcome Lucy to the Hawk family,” said Sansevero. “She has a wealth of knowledge and experience in supporting student excellence and fostering a transformational student-athlete experience. Her time as a student-athlete and experience at various institutions brings a distinguished perspective to our senior leadership team. Lucy’s drive, compassion, and vision to provide the finest resources and opportunities for our student-athletes and department as a whole will continue to elevate our department and university in this new landscape of college athletics.”
 
At Monmouth, Mason will oversee the areas of sports medicine, academics and student-athlete development. Most recently, she served as the Assistant Director for Student-Athlete Experience at North Carolina Central University. In this role, she monitored academic eligibility for football and softball student-athletes, oversaw the implementation of student-athlete development and leadership programming and identified community engagement opportunities for student-athletes. In her work with the football program, they became the first HBCU program to achieve a perfect 1000 single-year APR.
 
“I’m grateful and excited to be able to join this outstanding staff,” said Mason. “I look forward to supporting our student-athletes, coaches and staff in the pursuit of excellence.” 
 
While at NCCU, Mason also oversaw onboarding processes for incoming student-athletes and managed critical academic support initiatives such as orientation programs and exit surveys. Her use of platforms such as Teamworks and EAB Navigate significantly streamlined processes and improved student outcomes. Mason also served as the liaison to the Office of Community Engagement and Service as well as Student Orientation, Advising and Registration (SOAR). 
 
Previously, Mason worked at the University of Central Florida where she served as an Academic Advisor and Tutor Coordinator for Academic Services for Student-Athletes. There, she managed tutoring services for over 300 athletes, implemented training programs for tutors, and advised on compliance and NCAA regulations while working as the academic coordinator for the women’s track and field and cross country teams.
 
Mason earned her Master of Science in Sport Business with a concentration in Athletic Administration from Temple University’s School of Sport Tourism and Hospitality Management in 2018. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree, double majoring in Economics and African American and African Diaspora Studies, from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
 
In her time at UNCG, Mason was a standout for the women’s basketball team, where she totaled 1,907 points in four seasons, graduating as the program’s all-time scoring leader. She is also the program leader in single-season scoring at 22 points per game in 2015-16 and single-game scoring with 42 points in a 2015 contest. Mason was the 2013 Southern Conference Freshman of the Year and an All-Freshman Team selection, and added to that as a junior with a nod to the All-SoCon Second Team. As a senior, Mason was named the first ever CoSIDA Academic All-American in school history, and was also named to the Division I-AAA ADA Scholar Athlete Team. She was First Team All-SoCon, First Team CoSIDA Academic All District, NCCSIA All-State First Team and was the Southern Conference’s NCAA Woman of the Year nominee.
 
Mason is actively involved in professional organizations, including the National Association of Academic and Student-Athlete Development Professionals (N4A), the Minority Opportunities Athletic Association (MOAA), and Women Leaders in Sports.
 

In 2024, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa alumnus Taylor Averill played volleyball for Team USA in the Paris Olympics. He helped to secure a bronze medal and was named Best Middle Blocker. However, according to Averill, nothing compares to Hawaiʻi volleyball.

“There were more people at this year’s [UH game vs. Long Beach State] than were in the stands at the Olympics,” Averill said. “There’s nothing like all the love and support you get in Hawaiʻi.”

Rough start

The California native’s collegiate volleyball journey did not begin in Mānoa. In 2012, after one semester at UC Irvine, Averill was cut from the volleyball team. Determined to keep playing, he reached out to UH Mānoa Head Coach Charlie Wade.

“At that time, [Wade] just said, ‘Hey, we all make mistakes,’ and I just felt like I resonated with his message,” Averill recalled. “It just felt like a good fit.”

He joined the Rainbow Warriors as a setter/opposite hitter but was soon cut again at the end of his freshman year.

“When I first came to UH, it’s almost like I didn’t learn my lesson at UC Irvine,” Averill said, admitting his priorities at the time were partying and playing volleyball.

Another second chance

Realizing he needed to change, Averill transformed himself—dropping 20 pounds, adding 11 inches to his vertical, and earning a 4.0 GPA. After he pleaded with Wade, the coach gave him one more chance, but made it clear the only open position was middle blocker.

“I went to the Olympics because I’m a middle blocker. I went to the Olympics because in those six months, I realized what real hard work looked like,” said Averill. “I owe so much of my career professionally, with the national team to what happened to me here in Hawaiʻi.”

Averill became a two-time AVCA First Team All-American and earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from UH Mānoa in 2015.

Pushing through

After graduating, Averill went on to play professionally in Italy, France and Poland. While playing overseas, he dealt with injuries, self-doubt and mental health challenges. The excitement he once had for volleyball began to fade, and injuries kept him from training with the national team.

He considered stepping away from volleyball entirely, but eventually came to a place of clarity: “I know I’m an Olympian no matter what. I love myself whether I go or not.”

By summer 2023, he was able to train with Team USA. In May 2024, the Olympic team was announced, and Averill made the cut.

Averill said, “I just kept pushing through, and I’m so happy I did because the experience of the Olympics was, without a doubt, like the coolest experience of my entire life.”

Learn more about other outstanding UH Alumni.

LaFore qualified for the under-20 championships earlier this season with his throw of 66.68 meters, the then No. 8 best U20 U.S. throw ever. 

At the championship, LaFore started with a toss of 68.04 meters, a mark that was good enough to send him to the finals. His next two throws reached 65.43 and 65.26 meters. 

Entering the finals, the Littleton, Colo., native first threw a 66.07-meter toss before hitting his personal best. His fifth throw moved him into first place at 230′ 07″ (70.29 meters), a new personal best and nearly 12 feet more than his best coming into today. 

With the crowd now getting into the fun and cheering on LaFore, his last throw landed at 69.16 meters. His national victory looked evident before the last throw of the competition stole the lead at 70.78 meters. 

Throws coach Paul Barrett said, “Charles stepped up and competed super hard. He represented Wyoming very well with a big crowd cheering him on.”

Freshman Charles LaFore is now the third-best U.S. junior hammer thrower ever and holds the sixth-best U.S. U20 hammer throw ever.

LaFore will now enter next track and field season as the USATF U20 national runner-up, looking for a breakout sophomore season.

Stay up to date with Wyoming track & field by following @wyo_track on X and Instagram.

-WYO-