Sports

6A, 5A state track and field: Records fall on opening day

Published

7 months ago

May 16, 2025

PROVO — Only a few dozen medals were awarded, but multiple state records weren’t safe on the first day of the 5A and 6A state track and field meet at BYU’s Clarence F. Robison Track Complex.

Timpview star Jane Hedengren broke her own state record in the 5A girls’ 3,200-meter run in 9 minutes, 48.73 seconds, while Mountain Ridge’s Kinzlee Riddle tied the state record in a 6A girls’ 200-meter qualifying heat in 23.30 seconds.

It’s one of several rewritten records by Hedengren, who held the previous state record set last year in 9:52.96. The senior who has signed with BYU also holds state records in the 800 meters (2:05.96), 1,600 meters (4:32.61), and was part of the 5A-record relay teams in the 4×400 and 4×800-meter squads set last year en route to winning Ms. Track honors by the Deseret News.

“It’s bittersweet being (the last 3,200) with this team,” Hedengren said after the race. “I’m kind of sad it’s the last one, but I’m really excited to get to do it with these ladies today.”

The previous Ms. Track honoree, Fremont’s Amare Harlan who currently runs and jumps for Michigan, also saw her state record time of 23.30 in the 200 tied in Thursday’s 6A girls’ qualifying heat. Riddle, who also ran the fastest qualifying time in the 100 meters in 11.81 and second-fastest in the 400 in 56.17, will have a shot at the record in Saturday’s final — as well as the state 400 record held by Provo’s Meghan Hunter (52.59).

Riddle set the 6A record in the event earlier this month when she ran a 53.01 at the PACS BYU Invitational back on May 2.

American Fork leads the 6A boys’ meet with 50 points, ahead of Herriman (41), Lone Peak (26) and defending champion Corner Canyon (25). Maple Mountain and Viewmont are tied atop the 5A boys’ leaderboard with 33 points, just two ahead of Springville and three more than Woods Cross.

The Vikings got a boost from Hayden Arbuckle, who won the 5A 3,200-meter race 9:07.86 before setting a new 5A record in the 4×800-meter relay with teammates Talmage Bruschke, Ben Hyde and Bryce Arbuckle in 7:42.55.

The Cavemen also lead the 6A girls’ meet by a tighter margin, 34.5 to 31 over second-place Riverton, with Herriman (30), Lone Peak (28) and Layton (23) just behind.

Two-time defending champion Timpview is two points behind Spanish Fork in the 5A girls’ meet with 30 points, ahead of Cedar Valley (18.5) and Box Elder (16).

Full results are available at SportTrax.

6A boys’ track and field

3,200 meters — 1. Jackson Spencer, Herriman, Jr., 8:56.43; 2. Kaden Evans, American Fork, Sr., 9:00.08; 3. Ryker Bement, American Fork, Sr., 9:07.29; 4. Micah Tang, Herriman, Sr., 9:08.55; 5. Carter Moore, American Fork, Sr., 9:08.83; 6. Austin Plewe, American Fork, Jr., 9:10.51; 7. Jonah Tang, Herriman, Sr., 9:13.38; 8. Jonathan Thornley, Layton, Sr., 9:15.51.

4×200 relay — 1. Corner Canyon (Blake Ames, Sr., David Konan, Sr., Chryshaun Lee, Sr., Jerome Myles, Sr.), 1:25.40; 2. Herriman, 1:27.09; 3. Syracuse, 1:27.10; 4. American Fork, 1:27.39; 5. Mountain Ridge, 1:27.90; 6. Skyridge, 1:28.07; 7. Riverton, 1:28.64; 8. Lone Peak, 1:29.09.

4×800 relay — 1. Herriman (Jonah Tang, Sr., Micah Tang, Sr., Tayshaun Ogomo, Sr., Jackson Spencer, Jr.), 7:38.93; 2. American Fork, 7:42.78; 3. Corner Canyon, 7:46.27; 4. Weber, 7:55.27; 5. Layton, 7:57.09; 6. Davis, 8:02.36; 7. Riverton, 8:02.87; 8. Syracuse, 8:02.98.

Long jump — 1. Ryker Miller, American Fork, Sr., 22′08.25; 2. Joshua Keel, Lehi, Sr., 21′09.25; 3. Ryan Snedaker, Herriman, Sr., 21′07.75; 4. Taylor Roberts, Lone Peak, So., 21′02.5; 5. Kamryn Moore, Bingham, Sr., 20′11.25; 6. Austin Jacobsen, Copper Hills, Sr., 20′08.5; 7. Nash Smoot, Weber, Sr., 20′08.25; 8. Carson Howard, Lehi, Jr., 20′07.0.

Shot put — 1. Matthew Bryant, Lone Peak, Jr., 63′03.5; 2. Jace Cook, Syracuse, So., 62′10.25; 3. Asher Bowcutt, Copper Hills, Sr., 58′02.5; 4. Johnny Parker, Davis, So., 54′03.25; 5. Tina’u Fiaui, Corner Canyon, Jr., 53′06.5; 6. Kayden Duffin, Layton, Jr., 52′00.25; 7. Benjamin Asay, Layton, Jr., 51′06.0; 8. Madden Jensen, American Fork, Jr., 50′05.25.

Discus — 1. Matthew Bryant, Lone Peak, Jr., 197′07.0; 2. Asher Bowcutt, Copper Hills, Sr., 175′00.0; 3. Spencer Rice, Westlake, Sr., 161′02.0; 4. Tina’u Fiaui, Corner Canyon, Jr., 156′06.0; 5. Tayvin Jensen, American Fork, Sr., 155′07.0; 6. Kayden Duffin, Layton, Jr., 155′05.0; 7. Johnny Parker, Davis, So., 153′08.0; 8. Madden Jensen, American Fork, Jr., 152′10.0.

5A boys’ track and field

3,200 meters — 1. Hayden Arbuckle, Viewmont, Sr., 9:07.86; 2. Logan Rohatinsky, Maple Mountain, So., 9:16.34; 3. Davey Boyce, Timpview, Sr., 9:16.96; 4. Edward Stout, Taylorsville, Jr., 9:17.79; 5. Ben Hyde, Viewmont, Sr., 9:18.95; 6. Talmage Bruschke, Viewmont, Sr., 9:20.28; 7. Peter Gehring, Viewmont, Sr., 9:21.07; 8. Jeffrey Hazard, Northridge, So., 9:22.56.

4×200 relay — 1. Alta (Ryker Ellis, Jr., Dawson Douglas, Sr., Kenneth Rowe, Fr., Evan Morton, Jr.), 1:28.99; 2. Box Elder, 1:29.38; 3. Maple Mountain, 1:29.89; 4. Woods Cross, 1:30.26; 5. Timpview, 1:30.27; 6. Springville, 1:30.75; 7. Wasatch, 1:30.82; 8. Cedar Valley, 1:30.89.

4×800 relay — 1. Viewmont (Hayden Arbuckle, Sr., Talmage Bruschke, Sr., Ben Hyde, Sr., Bryce Arbuckle, Sr.), 7:42.55; 2. Skyline, 7:44.10; 3. Maple Mountain, 7:48.51; 4. Northridge, 8:01.02; 5. Taylorsville, 8:05.18; 6. Springville, 8:06.32; 7. Alta, 8:08.38; 8. Wasatch, 8:12.52.

Long jump — 1. Davis DeGroot, Bonneville, Jr., 22′06.25; 2. Luc Whiting, Springville, Sr., 21′11.0; 3. Ben Staheli, Salem Hills, Jr., 21′10.25; 4. Isaac Wilkey, Bountiful, Sr., 21′07.0; 5. Ace Brown, Viewmont, Sr., 21′06.75; 6. Makai So’o, Northridge, Jr., 21′06.5; 7. Jaidon Colbert, West Jordan, Sr., 21′03.0; 8. Teancum Tirrell, Taylorsville, Sr., 21′01.25.

High jump — 1. Colin Hansen, Alta, Jr., 6′02.0; 2. Thys Evans, Maple Mountain, Sr., 6′02.0; 2. Brayden Smith, Springville, Jr., 6′02.0; 4. Rory Violette, Woods Cross, Sr., 6′02.0; 5. Jaidon Colbert, West Jordan, Sr., 6′00.0; 6. Julius Mulitalo, West Jordan, Sr., 6′00.0; 7. Brooks Halterman, West Jordan, So., 6′00.0; 8. Dodger Denning, West Jordan, Sr., 6′00.0.

Shot put — 1. McCaffrey Smith, Woods Cross, Sr., 52′00.5; 2. Chevas Gregory, Timpview, Sr., 51′03.0; 3. Cade Draper, Roy, Sr., 48′06.5; 4. Xavier Bradley, West Jordan, Sr., 48′05.0; 5. Paula Havea, West Jordan, Jr., 47′11.25; 6. Jaxon Nettleton, Brighton, Jr., 47′02.0; 7. Vili Tapa’atoutai, Woods Cross, Jr., 46′11.75; 8. Logan Schuck, Alta, Jr., 46′07.25.

Discus — 1. Jaxon Nettleton, Brighton, Jr., 155′00.0; 2. Chance Richards, Box Elder, Jr., 154′05.0; 3. Jay Diediker, Maple Mountain, Sr., 148′09.0; 4. Ifo Pili, Granger, Jr., 141′08.0; 5. Ammon Findlay, Box Elder, Jr., 140′03.0; 6. McCaffrey Smith, Woods Cross, Sr., 138′05.0; 7. Ty Dorius, Wasatch, Sr., 135′09.0; 8. Chevas Gregory, Timpview, Sr., 134′02.0.

Javelin — 1. Easton Leavitt, Springville, Sr., 187′02.0; 2. Colby Frokjer, Roy, Sr., 172′05.0; 3. Kody Horsley, Cedar Valley, Sr., 163′01.0; 4. Ezra Groat, Woods Cross, Sr., 158′02.0; 5. Jaxon Nettleton, Brighton, Jr., 156′06.0; 6. Kaden Wheeler, Box Elder, Sr., 154′00.0; 7. Cody Smith, Brighton, Sr., 150′10.0; 8. Sawyer Wayman, Taylorsville, Sr., 150′09.0.

Pole vault — 1. Kaleb Allen, Taylorsville, Sr., 13′06.0; 2. Jackson Barney, Cedar Valley, Sr., 12′06.0; 3. Ben Anson, Clearfield, Jr., 12′03.0; 4. Colton Reid, West Jordan, Jr., 11′00.0; 5. Joshua Downs, Box Elder, So., 11′00.0; 6. Brett Johnson, Salem Hills, Sr., 11′00.0; 7. Nathan Call, Salem Hills, Jr., 10′06.0; 8. Brody Jex, Box Elder, Jr., 10′06.0.

Timpview’s Lily Alder and Jane Hedengren compete in the girls 3200m run during the 5A high school state track meet at the Clarence F. Robison Outdoor Track and Field in Provo on Thursday, May 15, 2025. Hedengren won and Alder placed second. (Photo: Kristin Murphy, Deseret News)

6A girls’ track and field

3,200 meters — 1. Maya Bybee, Lone Peak, So., 10:35.63; 2. Skye Jensen, American Fork, So., 10:40.91; 3. Maci Woolf, Herriman, Sr., 10:56.26; 4. Maya Parker, Westlake, Jr., 10:58.32; 5. Grace Swanson, Riverton, Jr., 10:59.77; 6. Mya Oyler, Riverton, Sr., 11:03.58; 7. Claire Hoenes, Herriman, Sr., 11:05.21; 8. Talia Anderson, Westlake, Jr., 11:08.31.

4×200 relay — 1. Corner Canyon (Liberty Henstrom, Sr., Alice Peterson, Jr., Layla Valadez, So., Kenna Wong, Sr.), 1:40.55; 2. Mountain Ridge, 1:41.00; 3. Davis, 1:42.23; 4. American Fork, 1:42.51; 5. Syracuse, 1:44.20; 6. Layton, 1:44.29; 7. Herriman, 1:45.15; 8. Bingham, 1:45.58.

4×800 relay — 1. Lone Peak (Maya Bybee, So., Brielle Nilsson, Jr., Zoey Nilsson, Jr., Paityn Rohatinsky, So.), 9:14.49; 2. Riverton, 9:22.32; 3. Davis, 9:27.36; 4. Herriman, 9:32.84; 5. American Fork, 9:34.09; 6. Westlake, 9:36.91; 7. Fremont, 9:43.83; 8. Layton, 9:44.25.

Long jump — 1. Halle Willardson, Herriman, Jr., 17′04.75; 2. Aubrey Galloway, Lone Peak, Sr., 17′01.25; 3. Addisyn Webb, Farmington, So., 16′11.5; 4. Abigail Dotson, Skyridge, Jr., 16′11.0; 5. Zoe Hein, Copper Hills, Sr., 16′08.75; 6. Lola Shepherd, Copper Hills, Sr., 16′07.5; 7. Ginger Ballstaedt, American Fork, Jr., 16′07.25; 8. Brynn Kingston, Layton, Jr., 16′06.5.

High jump — 1. Abby Tullis, Bingham, Jr., 5′06.0; 2. Brinley Barkdull, Syracuse, So., 5′02.0; 2. Abigail Dotson, Skyridge, Jr., 5′02.0; 4. Lily Collier, American Fork, Sr., 5′00.0; 4. Sage Rasmussen, Weber, Sr., 5′00.0; 6. Aubrey Dallas, Farmington, Sr., 5′00.0; 7. Reese Wood, Skyridge, Fr., 5′00.0; 8. Isabella Tolman, Farmington, So., 4′10.0.

Shot put —1. Burklie Burton, Layton, Sr., 41′01.75; 2. Carly Trujillo, Mountain Ridge, Sr., 40′09.0; 3. Lacee Pace, Westlake, Jr., 38′07.5; 4. Abigail Combs, American Fork, Sr., 36′01.25; 5. Lorianne Feagaimaalii, Syracuse, So., 35′03.5; 6. Hadley Andreason, Mountain Ridge, Jr., 35′00.5; 7. Isla Jensen, Syracuse, Fr., 33′08.75; 8. Maryanne Carlson, Corner Canyon, Fr., 33′00.25.

Javelin — 1. Brooke Tacke, Riverton, Sr., 129′06.0; 2. Burklie Burton, Layton, Sr., 115′10.0; 3. Jane Lemon, American Fork, Sr., 109′06.0; 4. Gracie Thoreson, Herriman, Sr., 109′06.0; 5. Taylor Freeland, Riverton, Fr., 109′00.0; 6. Ellie Pitcher, Davis, Sr., 104′10.0; 7. Lucy Richins, Riverton, Sr., 101′05.0; 8. Brooke Morris, Westlake, Sr., 99′10.0.

5A girls’ track and field

3,200 meters — 1. Jane Hedengren, Timpview, Sr., 9:48.73; 2. Lily Alder, Timpview, Jr., 10:19.81; 3. Maddie Reeder, Highland, So., 10:35.31; 4. Avery Barton, Bonneville, So., 10:45.87; 5. Bridget Smit, Brighton, Fr., 10:49.43; 6. Adria Favero, Olympus, So., 10:51.73; 7. Daphne Batmale, Timpview, Sr., 10:54.50; 8. Halle Sullivan, Skyline, So., 10:59.99.

4×200 relay — 1. Cedar Valley (Della Ballard, Fr., Saidey Johnson, Sr., Emerson Stout, Sr., Kelsey Woodbury, Sr.), 1:42.00; 2. Spanish Fork, 1:44.69; 3. Box Elder, 1:44.81; 4. Woods Cross, 1:45.07; 5. Northridge, 1:46.02; 6. Brighton, 1:47.12; 6. Springville, 1:47.12; 8. Salem Hills, 1:47.52.

4×800 relay — 1. Timpview (Daphne Batmale, Sr., Gwen Boulton, Jr., Lily Alder, Jr., Jane Hedengren, Sr.), 9:19.30; 2. Skyline, 9:23.44; 3. Viewmont, 9:24.39; 4. Highland, 9:28.56; 5. Box Elder, 9:30.39; 6. Springville, 9:30.77; 7. Woods Cross, 9:31.95; 8. Maple Mountain, 9:49.69.

High jump — 1. Mae Johnson, Bountiful, Sr., 5′09.0; 2. Addilynn Jensen, Spanish Fork, So., 5′03.0; 3. Hailey Clark, Maple Mountain, Sr., 5′03.0; 4. Sarah Kellogg, Olympus, Jr., 5′01.0; 5. McCall Preston, Woods Cross, So., 5′01.0; 5. Amelia Smith, Cedar Valley, Jr., 5′01.0; 7. Belinda Henderson, Maple Mountain, So., 5′01.0; 8. Adriana Pau’u, Cyprus, Sr., 4′11.0.

Discus — 1. ‘Atelaite Latu, West, Jr., 136’07.0; 2. Sarah Harwood, Spanish Fork, So., 122′03.0; 3. Mama Koula Tuitupou-Kutu, Hunter, Sr., 117′09.0; 4. Analeia Tilo, Cedar Valley, So., 117′06.0; 5. Karlee Mayfield, Northridge, Sr., 117′06.0; 6. Mahala Speredon, Wasatch, So., 115′01.0; 7. Annikka Jay, Springville, So., 109′10.0; 8. Adahleigh Anderson, Box Elder, Sr., 109′08.0.

Javelin — 1. Calee Sharp, Cyprus, Sr., 129′02.0; 2. Sarah Harwood, Spanish Fork, So., 122′09.0; 3. Cassidy Southam, Maple Mountain, Jr., 115′06.0; 4. McKinley Ferguson, Alta, So., 111′05.0; 5. Jyllian Petty, West, Jr., 106′07.0; 6. Lindsay Bott, Box Elder, Jr., 106′00.0; 7. Kynzlee Miller, Box Elder, So., 104′09.0; 8. Brooke Bergeson, Springville, Sr., 103′06.0.

Pole vault — 1. Saidey Johnson, Cedar Valley, Sr., 11′00.0; 2. Oaklee Wilson, Maple Mountain, Jr., 10′00.0; 3. Avery Edwards, Clearfield, Jr., 9′00.0; 4. Sara Pryor, West Jordan, Sr., 8′06.0; 5. Brittney Jensen, Clearfield, Sr., 8′06.0; 5. Emma Wilson, Salem Hills, Sr., 8′06.0; 7. Maycie Pearce, Clearfield, Jr., 8′06.0; 7. Jessica Richards, Cedar Valley, So., 8′06.0.

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FDU deputy AD says new UND coach David Nguyen is ‘an incredible volleyball mind’ – Grand Forks Herald

Published

12 minutes ago

December 24, 2025

Your Sports Nation

GRAND FORKS — David Nguyen was in his mid-20s when Fairleigh Dickinson University hired him as head volleyball coach.

“He was the youngest coach in Division I,” FDU deputy athletic director Jason Young said.

Nguyen took over a program that had gone 10-70 in the Northeast Conference the previous six seasons. But things quickly changed. The Knights went 43-15 in the NEC during Nguyen’s four-year tenure.

“What he was able to do with our volleyball program…,” Young said, “we had never made the NCAA tournament, we hadn’t made the playoffs in years. In Year 1, he takes us to the NCAA tournament. In Years 2 and 3, we’re in the championship game. It was just an incredible four-year run. He deserves all the accolades coming his way.”

Nguyen is the new head coach at UND, where he will be tasked with resurrecting another program that’s fallen on hard times.

The Fighting Hawks haven’t had a winning season since reaching the NCAA tournament in 2017, and they’ve never won a match at the Summit League tournament since joining the conference in 2018.

But Nguyen has directed a major turnaround before.

“I think it’s one of the biggest (turnarounds) in Division I,” Young said. “I think he’s a little beyond his years. He’ll go toe-to-toe with anyone in that conference. I think his volleyball mind is exceptional and his ability to develop is, too.

“His demeanor is going to be unique. He’s a silent assassin in a lot of ways. He’s not a yeller and screamer. He’s very calm, cool and collected. His players carry it through in how they play volleyball. They’re steady throughout. He was able to instill a winning culture. He’ll be able to do that there, too.”

UND is planning to introduce Nguyen at a press conference at a later date.

Young said he expects Nguyen to be involved in the community.

“It will be great for that volleyball community,” Young said. “He’ll know how to make sure camps and clinics are getting done and kids get connected to the program. It will be pretty special.”

Young said Fairleigh Dickinson is happy for Nguyen’s new opportunity and happy that he “put FDU volleyball back on the map.”

“I loved my time with him,” Young said. “He’s a wonderful person with a wonderful family and an incredible volleyball mind. I’m really happy for him and his family. I think he’s going to do great things.”

By
Brad Elliott Schlossman

Schlossman has covered college hockey for the Grand Forks Herald since 2005. He has been recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors as the top beat writer for the Herald’s circulation division four times and the North Dakota sportswriter of the year twice. He resides in Grand Forks. Reach him at bschlossman@gfherald.com.

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2025 StarNews All Area Volleyball teams

Published

28 minutes ago

December 24, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Dec. 24, 2025, 4:01 a.m. ET

It took Norah Davis just one season in a Vikings uniform to cement her place among Wilmington’s elite.

The junior outside hitter made a seamless transition to Hoggard this season after transferring from Coastal Christian, where she established herself as one of the area’s most dominant attackers. Davis had 287 kills in her breakout campaign for the Centurians in 2024.

She brought that same firepower with her to Hoggard and immediately elevated a Vikings team hungry to reclaim its spot atop the Carolina Coast Conference.

Davis finished the fall with a conference-best 317 kills as the Vikings rolled to a 26-4 record. Her production, consistency and ability to deliver in big moments earned her StarNews All-Area Girls Volleyball Player of the Year honors, the first of her career and the first for a Hoggard player since 2021.

Hoggard's #3 Norah Davis spikes the ball as Hoggard took on Broughton in the 2nd round of the playoffs Oct .21, 2025 2025 at Hoggard High School. KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS

Hoggard capped its season with a second-round playoff appearance, a run fueled in part by its dominance over rival Topsail. The Vikings defeated the Pirates three times, reclaiming the conference crown from their Hampstead neighbors and asserting control over the league.

Davis saved some of her best performances for those matchups. All three of her top outings in 2025 came against Topsail, including a 20-kill effort in the Vikings’ Sept. 4 win, a season-high 23 kills on Sept. 30, and another 19-kill performance in the conference tournament championship on Oct. 15.

While her offensive numbers stood out, Davis’ impact extended well beyond the stat line. She added 137 digs, 40 blocks and 24 service aces.

With one season at Hoggard, Davis has already left a lasting mark. And with another year still ahead of her, the Vikings’ newest star appears only to be getting started.

2025 StarNews All-Area Volleyball Player of the Year: Norah Davis, Hoggard

In her first season as a Viking, Davis led the area with 317 kills while helping Hoggard secure its second league title in three seasons.

2025 StarNews All-Area Volleyball First Team

Paige Moyer, Soph., Coastal Christian: Led the Centurians with 246 kills while serving 52 aces and making 230 digs.

Mary Ryan Campbell, Sr., Cape Fear Academy: The Morehead State beach volleyball signee led the Coastal Plain Independent Conference with 458 digs while serving 53 aces and providing 28 assists.

Sarah Cutler, Sr., Topsail: Culter led the Pirates in kills (256) while recording 239 digs as Topsail finished 18-7.

Jessie Hill, Sr., Ashley: Had 237 kills, 49 digs and 20 blocks.

Ellie Keene, Jr., Hoggard: Helped Hoggard back to the top of conference play with a second league title in three seasons while registering 351 digs, 235 kills, and 52 aces.

Rylie Howard, Sr., Hoggard: Had 204 kills, 178 digs and 45 blocks.

Hannah Losey, Sr., Topsail: Had a conference-best 58 serving aces to go along with 520 assists as Topsail finished second in league play.

Sarah Brannin, Sr., Ashley: Led the Carolina Coast Conference with 635 assists while logging 148 digs.

2025 StarNews All-Area Volleyball Second Team

Hoggard: Payton Jones, Lily Voth; Topsail: Valentina Bugnatto, Anna Pullinger; Ashley: Marley Burk; Cape Fear Academy: Fankie Osborne; Coastal Christian: Leighton Grant, Baylor Everett; Laney: Grace Johnson; New Hanover: Mallie Smith; North Brunswick: Avia Dloughy; Trask: Mati McPherson; Wilmington Christian: Hannah Pollard.

All-Carolina Coast Conference

Player of the Year: Norah Davis, Hoggard

Coach of the Year: Loma Siegel, Topsail

Team Sportsmanship: West Brunswick

First Team

Setter – Hannah Losey, Topsail; Setter – Sarah Brannin, Ashley; Outside – Jessie Hill, Ashley; Outside – Sarah Cutler, Topsail; Middle – Payton Jones, Hoggard; Middle – Anna Pullinger, Topsail; Opposite – Rylie Howard, Hoggard; Libero – Avia D’Loughy, North Brunswick; DS – Natalie Dickerson, Laney

Second Team

Setter – Lily Voth, Hoggard; Setter – Kinsley Nagle, Laney; Outside – Ellie Keene, Hoggard; Outside – Maille Smith, New Hanover; Middle – Marley Burk, Ashley; Middle – Jenna Powe, Laney; Opposite – Valentina Bugnatto, Topsail; Libero – Audrey Johnson, Topsail; DS – Lydia Maughan, Hoggard

Honorable Mention

Ashley: Addyson Barberich, Abby Tolhurst, Madison Dameron, Nina Cave; Hoggard: Reed Gosselink, Morgan Williams; Laney: Grace Johnson, Kaitlyn Dreimann; New Hanover: Maddie Sawyer, Lindi Holt, Iris Smith, Justine McCague; North Brunswick: Brynn Austermiller; Topsail: Hannah Gates, Ava O’Reilly; West Brunswick: Autumn Wyatt, Kelsey Lykins, Haylea Russ

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Coming home: Neilson tabbed as new BYU women’s volleyball coach | News, Sports, Jobs

Published

44 minutes ago

December 24, 2025

Your Sports Nation

PROVO, Utah — BYU Director of Athletics Brian Santiago has announced the hiring of Rob Neilson as the seventh head women’s volleyball coach in BYU history.

“We are thrilled to welcome Rob Neilson back to BYU as our head women’s volleyball coach,” Santiago said. “Rob has been a part of a rich history at BYU, both as a player and coach on the men’s side, highlighted by winning a national championship. He is a proven winner, as evidenced by his experience as a head coach at Utah State and as an assistant coach for the USA National Team. We are excited to have Rob lead our BYU women’s volleyball program and exceptional student-athletes into the future.”

A setter at BYU from 2003-06, Neilson was part of the Cougars’ 2004 national championship team. He compiled a 91-31 record in his collegiate career. He tallied 2,790 assists, ranking fifth in BYU’s rally-scoring era record book upon graduation, and finished eighth in solo blocks with 28.

“Coaching at BYU is a dream come true,” Neilson said. “This is a distinguished university, with storied volleyball programs, built by amazing student-athletes, incredible coaches and a community that’s all in. I’m honored to continue that legacy with our women’s team. Thank you to the board of trustees, President Reese, Brian Santiago, Chad Lewis and the search committee. I’m excited to get to work preparing for great things as we hurl our challenge to all foes. Rise and shout. Let’s go.”

Neilson has spent the past six seasons as head coach at Utah State, posting a 112-59 (.655) record in Logan. Most recently, he led the Aggies to a historic 2025 campaign, finishing 24-8 overall with an 18-0 mark in Mountain West Conference play, winning the Mountain West Tournament title and recording a first-round upset of No. 7 seed Tennessee in the NCAA Tournament, Utah State’s first tournament win since 2001.

During his tenure, the Aggies captured three Mountain West regular-season championships (2021, 2023, 2025) and two Mountain West Tournament titles (2022, 2025). Neilson was named Mountain West Coach of the Year three times (2021, 2023, 2025) and earned AVCA Pacific North Region Coach of the Year honors in 2023.

Neilson coached 12 all-conference honorees, three all-region selections and one All-American, while guiding Utah State to winning records in five of his six seasons and three NCAA Tournament appearances. He is just the third coach in program history to reach the 100-win milestone and the first to do so since 1978.

Prior to his time in Logan, Neilson served as the first assistant coach with the U.S. Men’s National Team, helping Team USA earn a bronze medal at the 2018 World Championships and a silver medal at the 2019 Volleyball Nations League.

Before joining USA Volleyball, Neilson spent 10 seasons on the BYU men’s volleyball staff. He served as an assistant coach from 2006-10, acting as recruiting coordinator and overseeing player development. Neilson was BYU’s interim head coach in 2011, returned as an assistant in 2012 and was named associate head coach in 2014. During that span, he helped lead the Cougars to two conference championships and a national runner-up finish in 2013.

Neilson earned a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience from BYU in 2006 and completed an MBA in 2013. He and his wife, Sarah, have five children.

The Rob Nielson File

Played setter for BYU men’s volleyball team (2003-06)
Assistant coach, BYU men’s volleyball (2006-2010, 2012-2014)
Interim head coach, BYU men’s volleyball (2011)
First Assistant, USA Men’s National Team (2014-2019)
Head coach of Utah State women’s volleyball team (2020-2025)

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Slidell’s Danny Tullis is headed to Mandeville | St. Tammany community news

Published

59 minutes ago

December 24, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Danny Tullis is quick to talk about the importance of three things in his life: God, family and volleyball.

He has coached his two daughters, Ali and Ansley, at Pope John Paul II, while his son, Collin, is a standout player at the club level.

In his past three seasons at Slidell, the 53-year-old amassed a 110-17 record, including back-to-back titles. He guided Slidell to uncharted success, but now the eight-time state champion is on the move again.

Tullis will take over the Mandeville volleyball program from Rachel Schulingkamp, who stepped down after this past season. The move will reunite Tullis with Ansley, who is an assistant coach for the Skippers.

“My family has been talking about moving for a while, and with my daughter being over there, I thought I could come over and teach PE with her. So, I’ll get the chance to work with her all day in the classroom and after school. Then my other daughter (Ali) will be closer to Southeastern, so she can finish up. It just makes sense for us to move this way,” Tullis said.

“From a volleyball standpoint, it’s another challenge. I’m always interested in whether I can do this or that. I think Mandeville has a good base of kids who play club (ball) and who have played for a long time. It’ll be interesting to see what we can do there.”

Tullis boasts a 793-179 career record and has won a total of eight state titles at three schools (Fontainebleau, Pope John Paul II and Slidell).

“I think it is going to be a new, fun experience,” Tullis said. “My family is everything to me, and even though Ali was assisting me at Slidell, she wasn’t working with me at the school. So, it’s just a little bit different. It felt like it was a good move for my family.”

Ali will also serve as an assistant, as will Rachel Battistella, who has been with Tullis at both PJP II and Slidell. Collin Tullis will be the team manager.

“We try to make it a family affair everywhere that we go,” Tullis said.

His first coaching job was at Northshore as an assistant coach under Sandy Blanchard for one season. Then, he was the head coach at Salmen for six years. He moved to Fontainebleau for a seven-year run that included a state title in 2011. Then came the move to Pope John Paul II in 2013 that resulted in five state titles from 2014-19 — a period in which the Jaguars were consistently ranked among the top prep teams in the nation.

Slidell offered solace to Tullis during his greatest adversity as he joined the Tigers after the 2022 season, which was marred by the death of his oldest son, Christian, the night before the 2022 state championship match.

Tullis credited Slidell principal George Herdliska for supporting him this past season, saying the entire school played an important role in winning a second straight state title.

“Me leaving has absolutely nothing to do with Coach Herdliska. He was amazing to me. He did everything that I could ask for. It just came down to the fact that I wanted to work with my daughter,” Tullis said.

Mandeville will be his third stop in the past five years, but Tullis said that is not a reflection on any of those schools.

“I’m not saying there’s not value in staying in the same place for your entire coaching career, but I have enjoyed everywhere I have been,” Tullis said. “I think change is refreshing and kind of rejuvenates you a little bit. My daughter is at Mandeville, so it’s just a special opportunity for me and my family.”

Tullis will finish out the school year teaching PE at Slidell before moving to Mandeville. He said he will continue to coach club volleyball at WD Nation.

Mandeville principal Christian Monson said the choice to hire Tullis was easy.

“We’re excited to announce Danny Tullis as the next volleyball coach,” Monson said. “Rachel Schulingkamp has done a great job, but she approached me right as the season ended and made a decision that was best for her family with three small kids. We hired Ansley Tullis to be an assistant coach this past season, and Danny’s desire to coach with his daughter is a big plus for him.

“We look forward to building a championship-caliber program and are excited for our future Skippers.”

Mandeville won its lone state title in 2005, and the Skippers were state runners-up in 2004, 2006 and 2015. The last time they qualified for the state tournament in Lafayette was in 2022.

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Sports

Season in Review: Culture Leads to Special Season for Volleyball

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1 hour ago

December 24, 2025

Your Sports Nation

RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros volleyball team enjoyed incredible success in the 2025 season.

The Vaqueros won the program’s fourth conference title as they dominated in their second season competing in the Southland Conference (SLC), going 15-1 to claim the regular season championship. They went 22-8 overall, earning the second-most wins in program history. They won 16 consecutive matches, notching a new program best for longest winning streak. They saw a record number of fans fill the UTRGV Fieldhouse to support the squad during its impressive run.

The individual accomplishments were just as numerous as the team ones. Head coach Todd Lowery was named the Katrinka Jo Crawford SLC Coach of the Year – one of four superlatives and 10 total all-conference honors collected by UTRGV this season, leading all teams in the conference in postseason awards for the second consecutive year. Junior Isabella Costantini earned her second SLC Setter of the Year title, while sophomore outside hitter Martina Franco was named the Newcomer of the Year and outside hitter Dimitra Nanou was tabbed Freshman of the Year.

Costantini, Franco and Nanou earned First Team All-Conference recognition while junior libero Celianiz Cabranes, junior outside hitter Nadine Zech and redshirt sophomore middle blocker Julianna Bryant made Second Team All-Conference.

Since the preseason practices in early August, Lowery knew his gym was packed with talent and potential. But the Vaqueros were also starting the 2025 campaign with only three consistent starters from the previous season and nine completely new players on the roster.

The first month of the season was filled with ups and downs as Lowery and his coaching staff put the pieces of the puzzle together. UTRGV mixed up lineups and saw many players get reps in different spots as early bang-ups caused some changes to rotations.

Throughout four non-conference tournaments, Lowery said the Vaqueros were either really good or really bad with not much in between. Seven of UTRGV’s first 11 matches were decided in three sets – if the Vaqueros came out sharp, they swept their way to victory, but when things were bumpy, they got swept just as quickly. They played some competitive matches against future top 50 and tournament teams such as UTEP, James Madison and Texas State.

UTRGV split Week 1 of the SLC season, sweeping Lamar at home before dropping an extremely tight match at Stephen F. Austin, 3-2. Something clicked after that loss in Nacogdoches. The Vaqueros didn’t hang their heads after the match – instead, Lowery said, seeing how close they were that early in the season to knocking off the perennial power showed the team how high their ceiling was. They knew they had things to work on, but they also saw that they were ahead of schedule in terms of their goals for 2025, and they used that as motivation to find another level of play.

“We talked tournament run all year long because that’s where we thought we’d be. Our goal was to be playing our best volleyball at the end of the year, but they were able to mesh together so quickly and things started falling in place after that SFA match,” Lowery said. “We saw flashes, at times, where we were really, really good. The girls were never shaken up by the early losses. They exposed some things to work on and the girls took those things as challenges.”

After starting the year 6-7, the Vaqueros stacked up 16 wins in a row. They closed the regular season with a 14-match winning streak to earn the No. 2 seed in the SLC Tournament. They dominated the first two rounds of the tournament, sweeping Houston Christian and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to set up a championship bout of destiny against SFA. UTRGV came up short in the title match, but they came out of it hungrier than ever.

“We felt like it was a coin toss going into that match. It’s always going to be a battle for us against SFA. I think now that we’ve been in the championship, we’ll be mentally more prepared. I think the moment got to us a little bit this year, but I think having so many pieces back, we’ll take care of that next year,” Lowery said.

In the locker room after the match and in end-of-year meetings with the coaching staff, the Vaqueros players talked about two things: how determined they are to build on the 2025 success and how fun this season was.

That response encapsulates the culture UTRGV established this fall. The Vaqueros had a special season because they truly enjoyed playing together and going to work every day. They were determined to get better for the team more than for their individual goals. Players dutifully stepped up or stepped aside as rotations changed based on the hot hand, and even when someone was on the sideline instead of on the court for a few matches, they cheered for their teammates and continued to compete in practice as if they were the starter.

The selfless play and encouraging environment led to outstanding play. The Vaqueros hit over .400 as a team in five matches, including tabbing two of the most efficient performances in program history as they hit .471 at McNeese and .463 at Nicholls, taking the third and fourth spots in the record books for best single-match hitting percentage. UTRGV had three hitters with 200+ kills and six players who scored 2.24 points per set or better, with senior right side Valentina Sarti Cipriani and junior middle blocker Aaliyah Snead contributing at a high rate along with the four attackers who earned all-conference honors.

The team accomplishments, the individual accolades, the records set; it all amounted to a season UTRGV will look back on with pride. It was fun. It was special. It was program-shifting, but not just because of the success. The culture established in 2025 – one of genuine fun and dedication and support in a team-first environment – was the key to the historic season, and the Vaqueros will hold that key tight and use it to unlock even more potential with a veteran group next season.