Sports
The Moisés Ballesteros call
The Cubs continue to set the pace in the NL Central, but a red hot Cardinals team is right on their heels, just one game back. The difference is pretty clear in both team’s last 10-game record. The Cubs went just 4-6 over their last 10 games while the Cardinals were 9-1 over the same […]

The Cubs continue to set the pace in the NL Central, but a red hot Cardinals team is right on their heels, just one game back. The difference is pretty clear in both team’s last 10-game record. The Cubs went just 4-6 over their last 10 games while the Cardinals were 9-1 over the same stretch.
That tightening division race is likely one of the reasons the Cubs decided to call up one of their hottest hitting prospects, Moisés Ballesteros, earlier this week when leftfielder Ian Happ landed on the injured list with an oblique strain. However, it’s not the only reason. Let’s take a closer look today at the factors that may have influenced the curious decision to call up Ballesteros rather than one of the corner outfielders who would have slotted into Happ’s position in the lineup, and on the field, more naturally.
Ballesteros’ hot bat
One factor is the performance Ballesteros has put together so far at Triple-A Iowa. The 21-year old catcher/DH has clearly demonstrated he can hit at minor league baseball’s highest level. In 150 plate appearances this season he’s slashed .368/.420/.522 with a wRC+ of 150 so far this season. It’s almost incredible to realize he’s young for the level, but he is. As The Athletic noted he’s been young for every level he’s played at professionally:
Offensively, Ballesteros has nothing left to prove at the Triple-A level, where he began this season by batting .368 with a .942 OPS and 50 hits in 34 games. That production against older and more experienced competition continued a trend that started in the Dominican Summer League and kept going in the Arizona Complex League, at Class-A affiliates and Double-A Tennessee, and in the Arizona Fall League.
“He’s been the youngest player on his team for his whole career, and he’s always been one of the better hitters,” Counsell said. “It’s impressive. Every year, you look up and you’re saying, ‘He’s doing that at this age at that level.’ You can’t help but take notice.”
A glance at Ballesteros’ FanGraphs page clearly demonstrates Counsell’s point. By wRC+, which is a league and park-normed metric where 100 is a hitter who’s average at creating runs on a team, Ballesteros has only been below league average in two professional stints out of nine stops in his minor league career — a career that started when he was 17 in the Dominican Summer League. He put up a wRC+ of 39 in 22 Double-A plate appearances as a 19-year old in 2023 and he put up a wRC+ of 99 last season in his first 285 plate appearances at Triple-A. Every other stop has resulted in wRC+ numbers that range from 115 to 153.
To get an idea of how exceptional that minor league performance is, I decided to look at another Venezuelan catcher who Ballesteros cited in his Tuesday pre-game interview as an inspiration: Salvador Perez. Generally when players cite other guys it’s not all that instructive as to their own development, however, the Salvy comparison has the benefit of a remarkably similar timeline in terms of first MiLB at bats (17) and age at first call-up (21). Perez, however spent all of his age 17-18 and part of his age 19 season at Rookie ball before moving to A-ball during his age-19 season. Ballesteros advanced through the minor league ranks a bit more quickly. That’s notable, especially since MiLB has been reorganized considerably since 2008, making each level of the experience smaller and possibly more competitive.
With those caveats, below is a year-by-year comparison of Salvador Perez and Moisés Ballesteros’ rise through the minor leagues. Spoiler alert, if you’re a fan of Perez’s bat you’re going to love Ballesteros:
Perez & Ballesteros MiLB key offensive stats by age
Player/Year | Level | Age | PA | AVG | OBP | SLG | wOBA | wRC+ |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player/Year | Level | Age | PA | AVG | OBP | SLG | wOBA | wRC+ |
Perez 2007 | R | 17 | 99 | .244 | .320 | .279 | .301 | 71 |
Ballesteros 2021 | DSL | 17 | 187 | .266 | .396 | .390 | .396 | 131 |
Perez 2008 | R | 18 | 95 | .361 | .409 | .482 | .397 | 136 |
Ballesteros 2022 | CPX/A | 18 | 239 | .257 | .351 | .461 | .374 | 126 |
Perez 2009 | R/A | 19 | 396 | .267 | .313 | .356 | .308 | 80 |
Ballesteros 2023 | A/A+/AA | 19 | 494 | .285 | .374 | .449 | .381 | 133 |
Perez 2010 | A+ | 20 | 396 | .290 | .322 | .411 | .328 | 107 |
Ballesteros 2024 | AA/AAA | 20 | 508 | .289 | .354 | .471 | .371 | 123 |
Perez 2011 | AA/AAA | 21 | 358 | .290 | .331 | .437 | .341 | 96 |
Ballesteros 2025 | AAA | 21 | 150 | .368 | .420 | .522 | .424 | 150 |
Perez 2011 | MLB | 21 | 158 | .331 | .361 | .473 | .363 | 126 |
FanGraphs; compiled by Sara Sanchez
There’s a lot to love in those numbers, especially when you consider that Salvador Perez has has put together a 14-season career as a bat-first catcher and franchise player for the Kansas City Royals. Perez has hit .266/.302/.455 with 275 home runs over that time and established himself as one of the best hitting catchers in MLB. There are some key differences, however.
First, Ballesteros has been better at getting on base than Salvy during his minor league career to date. A lot better. It shows in both the OBP comparison and the wOBA comparison. As a reminder, wOBA is a fancy on-base percentage that gives hitters more credit for extra base hits than singles or walks.
Second, I expected Perez to have demonstrated more power during his minor league career. I was wrong. Perez had 20 home runs between his age-17 season and his callup at 21. Ballesteros has 50. Yes, you read that right, Ballesteros has more than twice the number of home runs Salvador Perez had at this point in his career. Some of that is surely the number of plate appearances, Ballesteros has more in the minors than Perez does. However, he doesn’t have double the number of plate appearances. Perez had 1,344 plate appearances prior to his call up. Ballesteros has 1,578 prior to his call up. It remains to be seen if Ballesteros’ power will translate to MLB, but it’s a favorable minor league comparison nonetheless.
The offense is key to victory
In an ideal world the Cubs offense and pitching would both be at the very top of all the leaderboards. We do not live in an ideal world. The Cubs are currently one of the top five offenses in baseball by most metrics. However that’s a bit of a decline from the torrid pace they’d set through April. To complicate matters, their pitching has been fairly pedestrian with both the starting pitching and bullpen ranking in the middle of the league. I doubt I need to tell the readers of this blog that those bullpen numbers are bolstered by some very strong performances with a number of very questionable performances under those stronger numbers.
The bottom line, though, is as long as there are question marks in the pitching that need to be resolved there are only two ways to overcome that deficit. The Cubs can (and should!) trade for pitching. By my estimation they need both starting pitching and bullpen help. However, there’s no guarantee those reinforcements are coming in the short-term. Which leads to the second way the Cubs can overcome that deficit: score more runs than the pitching gives up in a given game.
Which explains why the Cubs decided to call up their top hitting prospect rather than a prospect who fits a positional need at corner outfield (replacing Ian Happ) or third base (where hopefully Matt Shaw returns before too long).
While Happ’s oblique issue is hopefully mild, it makes sense that the Cubs decided to max out their offensive output with this substitution. For starters, Seiya Suzuki moving to left field opens up a spot at designated hitter, which is likely Ballesteros’ role in the short term. Additionally, while Carson Kelly has been one of the best hitting catchers in baseball, he’s come back to Earth a bit over the last few weeks as you can see from his 15-game rolling wOBA below:
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The Cubs are covered at corner outfield between Seiya and backup outfielder Vidal Bruján. That coverage, combined with their clear desire to see more from Matt Shaw at Triple-A, gave the Cubs the flexibility to call up the hottest bat who could take some swings at DH in the interim. That decision makes intuitive sense given the production they are missing from Happ during this period. In the last 30 days Happ has hit .325/.418/.470 with a wRC+ of 155, a level of production that is unlikely to be matched by any rookie, but Ballesteros probably has the best case of anyone on the Cubs Iowa roster to come close.
Takeaways
While Ballesteros didn’t light the world on fire from his first at bats Tuesday night, the contact skill was on display early. In four at bats he did not strike out once, notable for a 21-year-old making his debut. The early quality of contact was less than ideal with a series of weak grounders off mainly offspeed offerings (of the eight pitches Ballesteros saw, five were offspeed, two were breaking balls and only one was a fastball). However, even if there is an adjustment period as he gets used to substantially better pitching in MLB, Ballesteros’ hit tool has found a way to dominate every level of baseball he’s ever played. It should be fun to watch him figure out the hardest level of baseball on Earth at merely 21-years old.
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UCLA Places Fifth in Learfield Directors’ Cup
UCLA Athletics finished fifth in the 2024-25 Learfield Directors’ Cup with 1149 points, its highest finish and highest point total since placing second with 1326 points in 2017-18. Just 4.25 points separated first, second and third place. Texas edged out USC for the Directors’ Cup, totaling 1255.25 points to USC’s 1253.75 and Stanford’s 1251.00. North […]

Just 4.25 points separated first, second and third place. Texas edged out USC for the Directors’ Cup, totaling 1255.25 points to USC’s 1253.75 and Stanford’s 1251.00. North Carolina placed fourth with 1195.25 points.
The Bruins were bolstered by men’s water polo’s national championship and runner-up finishes from gymnastics and men’s volleyball. UCLA also earned third-place finishes from women’s basketball, beach volleyball and women’s water polo and fifth-place showings by baseball, softball and men’s tennis. Also adding to UCLA’s point total were men’s basketball, men’s golf, women’s golf, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, swimming & diving, women’s tennis, men’s track and field, and women’s track and field.
UCLA’s 2024-25 inaugural season in the Big Ten Conference was hugely successful. The Bruins won seven Big Ten titles, tied for second-most in the conference. Women’s soccer won UCLA’s first-ever Big Ten title after winning the conference tournament. Gymnastics was the first program to win a Big Ten regular season title and also captured the conference championship. Women’s basketball won the conference tournament en route to a Final Four appearance. Men’s tennis and men’s golf won their respective tournaments on the same day (April 27). Baseball captured a share of the regular season title on their way to a Men’s College World Series appearance. Additionally, three Bruin teams won regular season conference titles in the MPSF – men’s water polo, men’s volleyball and women’s water polo – bringing UCLA’s total of conference titles to 10, most among Big Ten schools.
In 2024-25, UCLA was the only school in the nation to advance to the College World Series in both baseball and softball. Additionally, UCLA was the only school with teams competing in the Men’s and Women’s College World Series and the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments.
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Four CAA Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Programs Garner Major Awards
Four CAA Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Programs Garner Major Awards 6/26/2025 1:00:00 PM Ben Kane RICHMOND, Va. (June 26, 2025) – Four separate programs – Delaware, Elon, Monmouth, and North Carolina A&T – garnered a major award winner following the 2025 CAA Outdoor Track & Field season. North Carolina A&T’s Spirit Morgan was […]

Four CAA Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Programs Garner Major Awards
RICHMOND, Va. (June 26, 2025) – Four separate programs – Delaware, Elon, Monmouth, and North Carolina A&T – garnered a major award winner following the 2025 CAA Outdoor Track & Field season.
North Carolina A&T’s Spirit Morgan was named the Field Athlete of the Year, while Delaware’s Olamide Ayeni garnered Rookie of the Year honors. Monmouth’s All-American Yasmeen Tinsley earned Track Athlete of the Year and Elon’s Mark Elliston was named the Coach of the Year.
Morgan earned Second Team All-American honors from the USTFCCCA after finishing ninth nationally in the women’s high jump. The CAA Outdoor high jump title holder had the sixth-best jump coming out of the NCAA East Regional. Morgan’s 1.85m leap at the conference championship ranked 12th among Division I athletes this season.
Tinsley had a prolific season, leading to her holding 10 program records with the Hawks. The newly crowned Second Team All-American in the 400m hurdles placed 15th at the national semifinal with a time of 57.53, marking the fastest time by a Monmouth athlete at the NCAA Championships. Tinsley won both the 100m hurdles and 400m hurdles at the CAA Championship.
Ayeni took home the CAA Discus Throw title with a 52.53m toss, while also coming in seventh in the shot put with a mark of 14.33m. The first year’s season continued at the USATF U20 Championships in late June, placing second in the discus throw after setting a new personal record of 52.93m.
Elliston led the Phoenix to its fourth CAA Women’s Outdoor Championship in the past five seasons, scoring 147 points in the conference meet. Under his guidance, Elon had four individual outdoor champions and saw two individuals qualify for the NCAA East Regional.
The following student-athletes earned All-CAA honors for placing top three in their respective event(s) at the 2025 CAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
2025 Women’s Outdoor Track & Field All-CAA Honorees
100m: Maya Tucker, Towson (11.46); Savannah Blair, Northeastern (11.50); Makenna Urbanek, N.C.. (11.59)
200m: Cristal Cuervo, Towson (23.62); Savannah Blair, Northeastern (23.69); Maya Tucker, Towson (23.83)
400m: Cristal Cuervo, Towson (52.85); Emily Ervin, William & Mary (54.07); Nasiah Ferguson, UNCW (54.44)
800m: Jordan Mozie, Hampton (2:06.92); Shayla Cann, Elon (2:07.89); Kadence Dumas, Delaware (2:08.80)
1500m: Quinn Smith, Elon (4:23.42); Sarah Petitjean, Elon (4:23.69); Kyra Holland, William & Mary (4:23.96)
5000m: Mikayla Jones, Elon (16:52.74); Madison Synowiec, Elon (16:56.19); Mariana Martinez, Elon (17:04.79)
10,000m: Peninah Mutisya, Hampton (34:36.25); Mikayla Jones, Elon (34:37.19); Madison Synowiec, Elon (34:43.47)
100m Hurdles: Lucheyona Weaver, N.C. A&T (13.26); Yasmeen Tinsley, Monmouth (13.49); Zamia Stelly, N.C. A&T (13.96)
400m Hurdles: Yasmeen Tinsley, Monmouth (57.34); Carmen PenaSoto, Hampton (59.62); Spencer Settle, Towson (59.67)
3000m Steeplechase: Catherin Garrison, William & Mary (10:20.24); Savannah Stoutt, Charleston (10:33.84); Kristen Sarnicola, Monmouth (10:44.52)
4x100m Relay: N.C. A&T (44.33$); Towson (45.14); Northeastern (45.23)
4x400m Relay: Hampton (3:37.72); Towson (3:38.31); William & Mary (3:44.61)
High Jump: Spirit Morgan, N.C. A&T (1.85m); Veronica Chaynov, Monmouth (1.82m); Camryn Cole, Northeastern (1.79m)
Long Jump: Rett Schnoor, Monmouth (5.94m); Lauren Jones, William & Mary (5.80m); Danielle James, Hampton (5.75m)
Triple Jump: Olivia Dowd, N.C. A&T (12.70m); Danielle James, Hampton (12:46m); Kiara Murray, Towson (12.20m)
Pole Vault: Lakelyn Bass, UNCW (4.00m); Elizabeth Strobach, William & Mary (3.90m); Olesya Sitkowski, William & Mary (3.90m)
Shot Put: Julieth Nwosu, N.C. A&T (15.65m); Emarie Jackson, Delaware (15.57m); Julie Thomas, Monmouth (15.07m)
Discus: Olamide Ayeni, Delaware (52.53m); Damali Williams, Hampton (50.69m); Rochele Solmon, Hampton (47.16m)
Hammer Throw: Adirana Clarke, Elon (55.94m); Vanessa Wood, Monmouth (54.14m); Mackenzie Stephens, Delaware (53.47m)
Javelin: Jordyn Robbins, UNCW, (42.73m); Morgan Reiner, Delaware (42.59m); Rachel Schmitt, Delaware (39.39m)
Heptathlon: Lizzie Lopez, Elon (4959); Leeann Redlo, Towson (4884); Sara Manson, Delaware (4677)
# – CAA Record
$ – Meet Record
Follow the CAA on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to get up-to-date information and learn more about all CAA member institutions and their teams.
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SWOSU Volleyball Signs Six Freshmen for 2025 Class
Story Links WEATHERFORD – SWOSU Volleyball Coach Josh Collins has announced the addition of six incoming freshmen to the Bulldogs’ roster for the 2025 season. “I am thrilled to welcome this talented and dynamic group of freshmen to our program,” said Collins. “Each of them brings a unique combination of experience, […]

WEATHERFORD – SWOSU Volleyball Coach Josh Collins has announced the addition of six incoming freshmen to the Bulldogs’ roster for the 2025 season.
“I am thrilled to welcome this talented and dynamic group of freshmen to our program,” said Collins. “Each of them brings a unique combination of experience, skill, and competitive drive that will undoubtedly elevate our team. With multiple state championships, district accolades, and a strong background in multi-sport athleticism, this class is poised to make an immediate impact. I’m excited to have them join the Bulldog family and am ready to see them develop, grow, and thrive in our program’s culture.”
Fresh off the first Great American Conference championship in program history, SWOSU will look to continue its momentum by adding the six freshmen to a group of seven returners. Collins, now a three-time GAC Coach of the Year, enters his 14th season as the head coach of SWOSU Volleyball in 2025.
Mackenzie Sims
Setter | 5’10
Amarillo, Texas (Bushland HS)
“Mackenzie comes to SWOSU following an extremely decorated high school career. As a three-time 3A State Champion and two time State MVP in Texas, we expected her to bring that experience to SWOSU and impact this program immediately. As a setter, she navigates the game at an extremely high level. We are excited for Mackenzie to become a DAWG!”
Sydnee Winfrey
Middle Hitter | 5’10
Canyon, Texas (Canyon HS)
“Sydnee comes to SWOSU as a very dynamic athlete. Coming from a family that is heavily involved in college athletics, it is in Sydnee’s blood to be a competitor. She has had great success playing in numerous sports in high school and we cannot wait to add her competitive spirit to our program.”
Preslee Alaniz
Middle Hitter | 6’0
Friendswood, Texas (Friendswood HS)
“We are excited to add Preslee’s length to our program. She is a decorated district blocker who reads the game very well. We know Preslee will not only come in and develop this program, but we expect her to excel in the culture as well.”
Claire Occkiogrosso
Right Side | 5’10
Arlington, Texas (Grace Prep Academy)
“Claire brings state championships experience to SWOSU. She has played in a very competitive 4A private school division in Texas. As a left-handed right side, she adds versatility to our offense. We expect Claire to come in and continue to build the culture of this team and program. We’re excited for Claire to be here and be a DAWG.”
Kaylyn Christy
Outside Hitter | 5’10
Fishers, Ind. (Hamilton Southeastern HS)
“We are excited for KK to bring a high level of volleyball IQ to our program. She has competed on very competitive club and school teams and has won 2 state championships in Indiana. Her experience in many different positions and ability to impact all sides of the game will be a great addition to this program.”
Katja Blanchat
Middle Hitter | 6’0
Lindsborg, Kan. (Smoky Valley HS)
“Katja is another multi-sport high school athlete that is very decorated. As a middle, she will be very dynamic for this program and we expect her to use her poise to make an impact quickly. We cannot wait for Kat to join the Bulldog family.”
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SIX LADY CHARGERS NAMED TO 2025 CSC ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT® WOMEN’S AT-LARGE TEAM
2025 CSC All-District® Women’s At-Large Team Orangeburg, N.Y. (6/26/25) Six Dominican University New York student-athletes were named to the 2025 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District® Women’s At-Large Team which was released announced by the organization. Women’s bowler Briana Sinnot was named to the team, along with women’s lacrosse players: Sydney Strohmayer, Grace DeStasio, Erin Carr, Caitlin Costello and […]

2025 CSC All-District® Women’s At-Large Team
Orangeburg, N.Y. (6/26/25) Six Dominican University New York student-athletes were named to the 2025 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District® Women’s At-Large Team which was released announced by the organization.
Women’s bowler Briana Sinnot was named to the team, along with women’s lacrosse players: Sydney Strohmayer, Grace DeStasio, Erin Carr, Caitlin Costello and Josie Lettieri.
The Division II and III CSC Academic All-America® programs are partially financially supported by the NCAA Division II and III national governance structures to assist CSC with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2024-25 Divisions II and III Academic All-America® programs. The NAIA CSC Academic All-America® program is partially financially supported through the NAIA governance structure.
For at-large teams, each institution is allowed a maximum of six total nominations among the following sports and meet certain athletic and academic eligibility requirements.
- Men’s and Women’s Fencing (Eligible nominees must compete in four competitions OR finish top-eight in their weapon at a conference championship meet)
- Men’s and Women’s Golf (Eligible nominees must be in the lineup for 70 percent of an institution’s TEAM SCORING events OR in the lineup at the conference championship tournament)
- Men’s and Women’s Gymnastics (Eligible nominees must be ranked in the top-75 in an event within their division according to Road to Nationals rankings AND/OR eligible nominees must have competed at their divisional national championship event)
- Men’s and Women’s Ice Hockey (Eligible nominees must compete in 90 percent of the institution’s games played OR must start in at least 66 percent of the institution’s games. For goalies, a student-athlete must have started at least 50 percent of an institutions games)
- Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse (Eligible nominees must compete in 90 percent of the institution’s games played OR must start in at least 66 percent of the institution’s games)
- Men’s and Women’s Rifle (Eligible nominees must compete in 75 percent of institutions events OR compete at the NCAA championships)
- Men’s and Women’s Skiing (Eligible nominees must compete in four carnivals OR compete at the NCAA championships)
- Men’s Volleyball (Eligible nominees must compete in 90 percent of the institution’s matches played OR must start in at least 66 percent of the institution’s matches. Liberos, although not counted in stats as a starter, may be counted as such for nominating purposes)
- Men’s and Women’s Water Polo (Eligible nominees must compete in 90 percent of the institution’s games played OR must start in at least 66 percent of the institution’s games)
- Men’s Wrestling (Eligible nominees must be in the lineup for at least 70 percent of TEAM SCORING events (open tournaments, duals) OR compete in their weight class at a conference championship meet. NOTE: Women’s wrestling is only eligible for nomination in the NAIA. Women’s wrestling is expected to become eligible under NCAA At-Large in 2025-26, when the NCAA begins sponsoring a championship for the sport)
- Women’s Beach Volleyball (Student-athletes must be in the lineup for 70 percent of an institution’s TEAM SCORING events)
- Women’s Bowling (Student-athletes must be in the lineup for 70 percent of an institution’s days of competition)
- Women’s Crew/Rowing (Eligible nominees must compete in four competitions OR compete as a member of an NCAA boat (1V8, 2V8, 1V4) at a conference championship)
- Women’s Field Hockey (Eligible nominees must compete in 90 percent of the institution’s games played OR must start in at least 66 percent of the institution’s games)
For more information about CSC Academic All-District® and Academic All-America® Teams program, visit AcademicAllAmerica.com.
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Wilkerson Selected For Rice University Hall of Fame
Nicole Wilkerson will be inducted into the Rice Hall of Fame on October 24, 2025. Story Links Middlebury head cross country and assistant track and field coach Nicole Wilkerson has been selected as a member of Rice University’s Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2025. Wilkerson, then Aleskowitch, graduated from Rice in […]

Nicole Wilkerson will be inducted into the Rice Hall of Fame on October 24, 2025.
Middlebury head cross country and assistant track and field coach Nicole Wilkerson has been selected as a member of Rice University’s Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2025. Wilkerson, then Aleskowitch, graduated from Rice in 1993 and was a force in the distance events as a member of the track and field team. She was a three-time Southwest Conference Champion in the 3,000, claiming the crown twice indoors and once outdoors and a member of the 3,200 relay squad that hoisted the trophy in 1992. During her redshirt season in 1994, Wilkerson guided Rice to its first top-10 team finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, finishing fourth in the 3,000. Her time of 9:27.89 is the second-fastest in program history.
“We are proud of Nicole for being recognized by her alma mater for her outstanding athletic career,” said Director of Athletics Erin Quinn ’86. “Nicole has translated her athletic success at Rice seamlessly into a stellar coaching career at Middlebury, and it is exciting to see her receive this recognition for her athletic accomplishments.”
Wilkerson helped guide women’s cross country to five NCAA Championships, while combining for 10 NESCAC Titles between the men’s and women’s programs. In track and field, she has assisted the men’s and women’s squads to six conference crowns, most recently in 2025 on the men’s side. Wilkerson has been lauded with numerous awards throughout her tenure, highlighted by a trio of United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) New England Coach of the Year honors in cross country, as well as being tabbed the NESCAC Cross Country Coach of the Year four times. In track and field, she has earned USTFCCCA New England Assistant Coach of the Year accolades on six occasions, while being lauded with her colleagues as the NESCAC Coaching Staff of the Year seven times.
“I am very honored by this recognition from my alma mater,” said Wilkerson. “Rice has always balanced great academics and athletics, and I am a proud alumnae. It means a lot to me to be recognized in this class and to join the ranks in the Hall of Fame.”
Wilkerson will be inducted into the Rice University Athletics Hall of Fame alongside six other Owls on Friday, October 24, 2025.
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Volleyball Unveils 2025 Schedule – University of North Florida Athletics
Story Links 2025 Schedule 2025 Season Tickets JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – North Florida volleyball and head coach Kristen Wright unveiled the 2025 schedule on Thursday. “We can’t wait to see our fans back in UNF Arena,” Wright said. “We have some […]

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – North Florida volleyball and head coach Kristen Wright unveiled the 2025 schedule on Thursday.
“We can’t wait to see our fans back in UNF Arena,” Wright said. “We have some exciting home matches with an elevated and electric match day experience. Our crowd propels us to new heights every time we pack the arena. I’m certain that our fans are going to love all the new faces and will see what this dominant veteran-led program can accomplish this fall.”
The Ospreys will compete in 29 matches – 13 in non-conference and 16 in ASUN Conference action. North Florida will play 14 matches at home and 15 on the road this season.
For the first time in program history, North Florida will compete against UIC, Harvard, Howard, Prairie View A&M, UTSA and UT Arlington. North Florida returns to the court after it continued its program-record streak to five-straight winning seasons in ASUN Conference action in 2024.
North Florida will play four matches against teams that competed in the 2024 NCAA Tournament – FGCU, Florida, Florida State and UT Arlington.
Fans can get their initial look at the team when North Florida hosts its Navy vs. Grey intersquad scrimmage and an exhibition against Olymp Praha Club on Aug. 23. Both matches will be held at UNF Arena and admission is free.
North Florida opens its season when it hosts the North Florida Sunshine Tournament presented by Holiday Inn Express and Suites on Aug. 29-31. North Florida faces Georgia Southern on Aug. 29, Florida State on Aug. 30 and UIC on Aug. 31.
North Florida remains in state and heads south to battle FAU on Sept. 2. North Florida returns home to host its second in-season tournament with the UNF Invitational presented by Sheraton Jacksonville 5-7. North Florida welcomes Presbyterian on Sept. 5, Harvard on Sept. 6 and Howard on Sept. 7.
North Florida competes in the Furman Invite on Sept. 11-13, where it will play Winthrop on Sept. 11, host Furman on Sept. 12 and Alabama State on Sept. 13. North Florida travels to the Roadrunner Classic where it will face Prairie View A&M and host UTSA in a doubleheader on Sept. 19 before it battles UT Arlington on Sept. 20.
The Ospreys open conference action with three-straight away matches at West Georgia on Sept. 26, Queens on Sept. 28 and at crosstown rival Jacksonville for the first of two River City Rumble matches on Oct. 2 before its conference home opener against Central Arkansas on Oct. 4.
After its conference home opener, North Florida travels for consecutive away matches at Lipscomb on Oct. 10 and Austin Peay on Oct. 11.
North Florida alternates between a pair of home and road matches next when it hosts Eastern Kentucky on Oct. 17 and Bellarmine on Oct. 18 before it heads south to FGCU on Oct. 24 and Stetson on Oct. 26.
The Ospreys close out conference action with five of their final six matches at home.
North Florida hosts Jacksonville on Oct. 30 before an away match at North Alabama on Nov. 2. North Florida concludes its regular season with four consecutive home matches over an eight-day stretch. North Florida hosts Queens on Nov. 7, West Georgia on Nov. 8, Stetson on Nov. 14 and FGCU on Nov. 15.
The 2025 ASUN Volleyball Championship will take place at FGCU’s Alico Arena on Nov. 20-23. North Florida travels to face Florida in a postseason prep match on Nov. 29.
Season tickets are on sale now for $60 through the link above or through contacting the North Florida Athletics Ticket Office staff at 904-620-BIRD (2473) or ospreytickets@unf.edu. Fans can secure a fall-sports package that includes volleyball, men’s soccer and women’s season tickets for $100. Those who aim to secure a premium hospitality experience can reserve their spot through contacting the North Florida Athletics Development staff.
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