College Sports

Meet Dartmouth Tuck’s MBA Class Of 2026

Sometimes, you just want to get away. You need a fresh start: new people, new scenery, and new opportunities. Forget cities that never sleep and work days that never end. At the Tuck School of Business, you can slow down and savor the experience. Picture an Ivy League school where MBAs are the focal point […]

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1 month ago

May 18, 2025

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Picture an Ivy League school where MBAs are the focal point – all the faculty time and school resources are invested in them – no pesky undergrads clogging the halls. Alas, Tuck is not a place for MBAs to play Henry David Thoreau and hide away for two years to just reflect. Being a “Tuckie” – the name for Tuck MBAs – is a 24×7 experience, says ’24 alum Ta-Von Wilson. Due to its small class sizes and tight-knit culture, Tuck is a business school where everyone must play leadership and supporting roles for the program to function. That’s why Tuck is referred to as an “all-in” MBA. That’s exactly what Kayla Hergott Heiny experienced as a first-year student.

“Everyone is at Tuck because they want to be here,” she observes. “This intentionality creates an invested and highly engaged community that wants to experience everything Tuck offers for the two years they are here. Weekends are devoted to camaraderie and creating memories together in Hanover, whether it is attending “Tucktoberfest” or dancing with hundreds of your classmates while jamming out to Tuck’s class bands.”

Team activity

A HOCKEY CULTURE

The all-in expectation is further rooted in choosing Tuck. Hergott Heiny’s classmate, James Lewis, points to the fact that all Tuckies are foregoing city life – with Boston being over two hours away – and “starting from scratch.” That creates a common bond from the start. Even more, it reflects a common purpose: Tuckies come to Hanover to be part of a community and contribute, says first-year Ryan Montgomery. It is a self-selection process for MBAs looking for an Ivy League education with a specific identity.

At Tuck, that means more than embracing all things Tuck: Small group dinners, ski weekends, and fall hikes. It also entails taking risks. Lauren Baltrus, a ’24 grad, frames Tuck this way: “[A] paradoxical feeling of being both out of my comfort zone and yet extremely comfortable at the same time.” That can be illustrated in what is the school’s most hallowed tradition: Tripod hockey. Think of it as a hockey league for MBAs who “use their hockey stick as a third leg,” in the words of first-year Ricardo Torres-Garzon, a Miami native. Like the NHL, Tuck teams adopt names like Blades and Confused and Shake It Off(side) and even hold a player draft attended by students and alumni alike. Held during the fall and winter, Tripod Hockey is a way for students to bond by doing something they would normally shy away from out outside Hanover.

“Many students—some of whom have never seen snow before, let alone ice skated—are playing ice hockey,” adds Ryan Montgomery. “Tripod makes for fun, silly moments that will be unforgettable during our time here at Tuck (or perhaps it will be our shared trauma of falling on the ice). Jokes aside, it is very fun.”

Tuck Event

ALWAYS SOMETHING TO DO

Since arriving in Hanover last year, Madelyn Flores has discovered that time moves differently “in the woods.” Here, she can take walks around nature, a “environment to reflect on my experiences and process them in a deeper way.” While the Tuck curriculum and culture has been honed by 125 years of business students, the surroundings are equally central – or intentional – to the MBA experience.

“My favorite part of living in Hanover is the access to the mountains and the intentional lifestyle that the Upper Valley encourages,” explains Kayla Hergott Heiny. “I am looking forward to hiking many of the 48, 4000-plus foot mountains with my husband (who is also a Tuckie!) and our two dogs while we live here!”

What is Hanover like for MBAs? Think four seasons, hiking and cycling along the Appalachian Trail or kayaking in the nearby Connecticut River. It is one of those rare locales, says Brooke VanRosendael, where student can take a class and then “hit the slopes” for the rest of the day. This “anything and everything outdoors” milieu was fundamental to Ignacia Ulloa Peters choosing Tuck.

“During our summer term, we spent most days swimming, kayaking, canoeing, and standup paddling on the Connecticut River. As soon as the leaves started turning, I bought a used gravel bike and have been using it to explore the fall foliage across the Upper Valley and joined some Tuck Community Rides—an opportunity to spend time with classmates, professors, and Tuck staff outside of daily academics. With winter around the corner, I plan to spend as much time as possible skiing.”

Aerial view of Tuck

WHERE EVERYONE KNOWS YOUR NAME

Among Tuck alumni, you won’t hear much about Tuck being too out-of-the-way. In fact, ’24 grad Lauren Baltrus would say that school is situated just perfect. “Hanover is quaint and cozy, embodying the essence of small-town charm with all the essentials one could need. But I find that the best part of Hanover is actually its close proximity to other towns. Its location right on the border of Vermont makes it accessible to many weekend getaway destinations across New England (and even Canada!). These weekend trips have become a cherished part of my Tuck experience. Whether it’s skiing in the many mountains across New Hampshire and Vermont, dining at renowned restaurants in small towns throughout Vermont and Portland, Maine, or even venturing into Canada for the first time, these experiences have made me gain an appreciation for rural New England!”

In fact, Ta-Von Wilson jokes that Hanover is a place where he could enter a coffee shop or restaurant and “everyone knows my name.” It was an experience that Wilson’s classmate, Fresia Blanco, also enjoyed. “I love that you quickly feel like a local in Hanover—I often run into classmates at the local coffee shops and say hello to professors in town that are walking their dogs or enjoying time with their kids. I never thought I’d love living in a small town so much!”

Tuck students after class

STRONG FOOTPRINT IN PUBLIC SERVICE

Over the past year, the Class of 2026 has adjusted quite nicely to their new digs. The class includes students like Brooke VanRosendael, a former U.S. Army Reserve commander and jumpmaster who most recently worked as a consulting manager at PwC. Her classmate, Nicholas Mut-Tracy, is pursuing an MPA at Harvard University alongside his Tuck MBA. Before business school Mut-Tracy earned a Presidential Management Fellowships with both the National Nuclear Security Administration and the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

“Some of our greatest accomplishments included negotiating a memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Chilean governments and achieving diplomatic milestones with Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil. Likewise, as the Department of Defense’s policy lead for Colombia, I managed the United States’ defense relationship with a critical partner during a period of geopolitical volatility…I also met presidents and worked with foreign ministers, ambassadors, and chiefs of defense—all incredibly humbling experiences.”

Ignacia Ulloa Peters also operated in DC before business school, including three years with the Atlantic Council, a nonpartisan think tank. “Before Tuck, I worked in foreign policy in Washington D.C. During my time there, I got the chance to experience impact on a micro and macro level, both within the United States and across Latin America and the Caribbean. One of my biggest accomplishments to-date was seeing research we produced be cited by Mexico’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs during a public meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.”

Tuck Classroom

PRO ATHLETE AMONG ENGINEERS AND INVESTMENT BANKERS

Jason Gaines, who holds a doctor of pharmacy degree, spent six years at medical powerhouse Eli Lilly as an associate director in business development. Kayla Hergott Heiny has visited 49 of 50 American states – not to mention 47 national parks. She also holds a master’s in Engineering Management and has most recently led product launches in the medical technology field. Alexa Stewart brings over five years of experience from L’Oréal and Northrup Grumman to her classmates (along with internships at Amazon and Michelin). Not only did James Lewis spend time at Johns Hopkins University in research, but came back to lecture for a political dissidents course. After growing up in rural, poverty-stricken South Africa, Nelo Thembeka Mnguni became an investment banking powerhouse.

“One project especially meaningful to me was the $300 million modernization of the border post between South Africa and Zimbabwe, which involved a partnership with the government and other financial institutions. Before the project’s completion, four people tragically lost their lives waiting to cross the border in December 2020. I strongly believe that no one’s life should be at risk due to inadequate infrastructure. Working on projects like these aligns with my core values of creating measurable impact, and I aspire to continue making a difference on an even larger scale.”

At the same time, Ryan Montgomery has been able to find balance between his career as a DEI strategy and brand consultant and his commitments as a professional trail ultra-marathoner. “Aside from athletic accolades, I have worked hard to bring my business skills to the table with my athlete partners. This has created meaningful partnership work that goes beyond being “an athlete for a brand.” For example, I have worked with my partners to do content shoots in other countries, event marketing strategy, and diversity and equity strategy. These experiences and work projects are something I have uniquely built from my athlete partnerships.”

Discussion at Tuck orientation

ALUMNI PAY IT FORWARD

According to Tuck admissions, the school seeks out students who are encouraging, collaborative, and empathetic – or to borrow a popular campus phrase, “Tuck Nice.” Think of Tuck Nice as a Midwestern pleasantness with backbone, a sense of looking out for each other while still expecting the best from each other. Or, to quote Brooke VanRosendael, Tuckies have a knack “for making [people] feel truly at home.” The Tuck ethos, says Jason Gaines, is to “always lend a helping hand.” One example of this, says ’24 alum Ben Marshall, is Tuck’s SafeTides program.

“The Upper Valley has no Uber and limited public transport, so there are lots of events which would be inconvenient or off limits, especially for students living off campus. We get around that through SafeRides, a system where Tuckies pair up and volunteer to drive their classmates to/from events on Thursdays through Saturdays. They only get paid in gratitude, but it’s a great experience on both sides. It’s also a prime example of the generosity and “all in this together” spirit of Tuck students.”

This sense of togetherness started early for the Class of 2026, adds James Lewis. “After only a week or two on campus, someone mentioned in our entire class group chat that there was a rodeo going on about an hour away in Vermont. One hundred people responded that they were interested, so that same afternoon someone else called a few bus companies. The next day we had two school buses booked to drive us all there. It really set the tone for how students here strive to bring everyone together. This kind of thing happens all the time at Tuck. Whether it’s organizing parties, hiking trips, or apple picking, students are constantly creating opportunities to connect with one another and explore the Upper Valley.”

And it isn’t just students who’ve bought into this level of engagement. Look no further than alumni, with over 500 graduates streaming back to Hanover to recruit or be part of classes. And alumni show up financially too. After Tuck completed its Tuck Difference campaign in 2023, it reported that 81% of alumni made gifts – more than double the usual rate at most business schools. At the same time, the campaign attracted $416 million – far more than its $250 million goal. That doesn’t even count the $37.5 Million gift it raked in last year from Glenn Britt, a former CEO of Time Warner Cable.

“The MBA class is fairly small, with just about 300 people—it’s not that hard to connect with most people over time, and everyone seeks out those connections,” observes Salman Kazrooni, a Bahrain native who last worked in investment banking. “You also see this accessibility stretching to the alumni. Tuck has a wide reach when it comes to alumni—there’s always a Tuckie who’s doing something you’re excited about and, for the most part, they’re always ready to help. The response rate for any outreach I’ve done so far has been close to 100 percent.”

Tuck Orientation

A CLASS PROFILE

By the numbers, the Class of 2026 represents some high marks for Tuck. For one, the school reported a 36% increase in applications over the 2023-2024 admissions cycle. In fact, its 2,734 applications achieved an all-time high, with the school accepting just 31.2% of applicants. As a whole, the class GMAT average – 727 – inched up a point over the previous year. All the while, the class Verbal and GRE scores held steady at 161 in both cases, as the undergraduate GPA average notably improved from 3.49 to 3.6.

Like the previous class, the first-year consists of 41% women, while underrepresented minorities account for a 15% share. The class hails from 41 countries, with 30% of the class coming from outside the United Staes. First generation students make up 15% of the class, with another 7% identifying as LGBTQ+. Another third of the class brought their partners to Hanover.

Together, the 296-member class has attended 178 undergraduate institutions and worked for 231 employers. The class carries a strong liberal arts flavor, with 45% of the class majoring in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities. 26% of the class hold undergraduate degrees in Business, while another 26% come from STEM. As professionals, the largest segment – 25% – last worked in Consulting. Financial Services (23%), Technology (13%), and Nonprofit and Government (10%) also boast 10% shares.

Next Page: 12 Student Profiles From the MBA Class of 2026.

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College Sports

Men’s Ice Hockey Announces 2025-26 Schedule

Story Links Purchase Season Tickets 2025-26 Schedule BOSTON – Highlighted by a two-game home series against Michigan State and a pair of home games against Boston College, the Boston University men’s ice hockey team announced its 2025-26 schedule on Wednesday. […]

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10 minutes ago

June 25, 2025

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BOSTON – Highlighted by a two-game home series against Michigan State and a pair of home games against Boston College, the Boston University men’s ice hockey team announced its 2025-26 schedule on Wednesday.

BU will play 19 home games, including two exhibitions and a season-opening seven-game homestand, at Agganis Arena. Fans can purchase season tickets by clicking here; individual tickets will go on sale at a later date.

The Terriers will open the 2025-26 slate on Oct. 4 when they welcome LIU to Agganis Arena in the first-ever matchup between the two schools. BU will then host RPI in an exhibition game the following day before a two-game set with Colgate on Oct. 10-11. Michigan State will then visit Agganis for a weekend series on Oct. 17-18. The Spartans are one of eight NCAA Tournament teams from last year that BU will face this season.

BU will close its homestand by opening a home-and-home series with UConn on Oct. 25 before traveling to Maine for two tilts on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. A home-and-home set with Merrimack (Nov. 7-8) follows before a non-conference contest at Quinnipiac on Nov. 15 and a me-and-home series with Northeastern (Nov. 21-22).

As previously announced, BU and Cornell will travel to New York City for the 10th edition of Red Hot Hockey at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 29. Fans can purchase tickets to that event by clicking here. The Terriers will then begin December with a pair of home games against Vermont (Dec. 5-6).

BU will fittingly be Northeastern’s opponent in the final hockey game to be played at Matthews Arena, as the Terriers visit their old home on Dec. 13. Known then as Boston Arena, Matthews was the Terriers’ home until 1971 when Walter Brown Arena opened.

The Terriers will welcome Simon Fraser back to Agganis for an exhibition on Jan. 3. A trip to Harvard (Jan. 12) is sandwiched between home-and-home weekends against UMass (Jan. 9-10) and UMass Lowell (Jan. 16-17). BU will then head to Providence on Jan. 23 before the Friars come to Agganis the next night.

The 300th Battle of Comm. Ave. will take place in Boston, either on the second night of the 73rd Dunkin’ Men’s Beanpot at TD Garden or at Agganis Arena on Feb. 27. BU bested BC, 4-1, in the 2024 title game to claim the program’s 32nd Beanpot. BU and BC will meet for the 299th time at Agganis on Jan. 30, with the Terriers traveling to Chestnut Hill on Feb. 28.

BU will open its Beanpot title defense against Northeastern on Feb. 2 before hosting Maine on Feb. 6. A home-and-home series with New Hampshire on Feb. 13-14 precedes the aforementioned weekend set with BC, while the regular season is scheduled to conclude on March 7 at UMass Lowell.

All home and Hockey East games will be broadcast on ESPN+, as will the Terriers’ trips to Quinnipiac and Harvard. Game times will be announced at a later date.

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College Sports

Crusaders record 3.43 GPA during Spring 2025 semester

Story Links Holy Cross student-athletes continued to raise the bar for academic excellence during the Spring 2025 semester, with a department semester grade-point average of 3.43 during the term — the highest department GPA on record. The mark bests the previous high set last semester, when Crusader student-athletes averaged a 3.40. This […]

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35 minutes ago

June 25, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Holy Cross student-athletes continued to raise the bar for academic excellence during the Spring 2025 semester, with a department semester grade-point average of 3.43 during the term — the highest department GPA on record.

The mark bests the previous high set last semester, when Crusader student-athletes averaged a 3.40.

This is also the second consecutive semester in which every Holy Cross team has recorded a 3.0 GPA or better; last semester was the first time since 2016 that every Holy Cross team recorded a GPA above 3.0 during a single semester (excluding a COVID-impacted Spring 2020).

Additionally, 14 teams finished with a 3.5 GPA or better. The women’s tennis team had a 3.79 GPA to lead all programs; the men’s soccer team (3.66) had the highest GPA of any men’s team.

For 30 consecutive semesters, Holy Cross student-athletes have averaged above a 3.1 GPA.

In total, 577 student-athletes had a 3.0 or better; 371 posted a 3.5 or above while 55 student-athletes recorded a perfect 4.0 GPA during the semester.

Seventeen Holy Cross programs achieved a perfect score of 1,000 in the NCAA’s academic performance standard, the Academic Progress Rate (APR), that was released in May, which is tied for third in the nation. According to the Graduation Success Rate Report released last November by the NCAA, Holy Cross’ athletic teams tied for sixth in the nation with an overall graduation rate of 98 percent. This marks the 18th consecutive year in which the Crusaders have posted a Graduation Success Rate of at least 97 percent.

ABOUT HOLY CROSS

The College of the Holy Cross, in Worcester, Massachusetts — the second-largest city in New England — is among the nation’s leading liberal arts institutions. A highly selective, four-year, exclusively undergraduate college of 3,100 students, Holy Cross is renowned for offering a rigorous, personalized education in the Jesuit, Catholic tradition. Holy Cross is one of a select group of colleges that meets 100% of each admitted student’s demonstrated financial need. Holy Cross has made a positive impact in society since its founding in 1843 by graduating students who distinguish themselves as thoughtful leaders in business, professional and civic life.

FOLLOW THE CRUSADERS

Be sure to follow all things Crusader Athletics on social media!

X – @goholycross

Instagram – @goholycross

Facebook – Holy Cross Athletics

YouTube – GoHolyCross

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College Sports

Value City Arena atmosphere needs improving, Ohio State’s Ross Bjork says

See Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork discuss new NIL era Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork discusses changes to the collegiate sports landscape in this June 12, 2025 press conference. Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork knows “the atmosphere can be better” at Value City Arena. The future of the arena, as well as […]

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55 minutes ago

June 25, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork knows “the atmosphere can be better” at Value City Arena.
The future of the arena, as well as that of St. John Arena, are long-term questions for the athletic department.

There is work to be done to get Ohio State men’s basketball to where the program believes it should be, and it’s not strictly tied to the on-court product.

Amid a stretch of three straight years without appearing in March Madness, the Jerome Schottenstein Center will open its doors this year for its 27th season as the home arena for the Buckeyes.

To a degree, the lack of recent success and the condition of its home arena are connected.

Last year, the Buckeyes saw a slight uptick in attendance, ending a three-year trend of diminishing numbers. Still, it ranked ninth in the Big Ten with an average announced crowd of 11,578. That put OSU behind, in order, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Purdue, Michigan State, Maryland and Michigan.

Ohio State was also ninth in 2023-24 with an average of 10,938 fans per home game. That made it the least-attended season in Value City Arena’s 26-year history.

That contributes to a sense of growing apathy that athletic director Ross Bjork said he’s aware of.

“Yeah, we sense that,” Bjork said. “We know we can be better. We know the atmosphere can be better. It’s all about (on-court) consistency. The fans … when they come to a game, they’re going to expect consistency in the performance.”

The Buckeyes are investing in changing up the in-arena experience. They will play on a newly designed, predominantly gray court this year, and a new scoreboard is also in the works. Lighting changes are being made to further put an emphasis on the hardwood, and Bjork said the department is studying what can be done from an in-game promotional or simply a musical standpoint to liven up the atmosphere.

“What we have to do is, separate from the game itself, have the atmosphere in the Schott just be better again,” Bjork said. “We’ve got to just make Ohio State basketball exciting and fun. Of course, winning helps, and that’s a great marketing plan, but at the same time, there are some elements that I think that we can do that make the atmosphere better.”

The size of the arena doesn’t help. Value City Arena can be loud when it’s packed to the rafters, but those types of crowds have become the exception to the norm in the last decade. There’s no way to make the arena smaller, and the Buckeye Nuthouse student section will remain behind the team benches, but Bjork referenced more choreographed roles for them as one possibility to create a better home-court advantage.

“I think it has some good, really, really good bones to it,” he said of the arena. “Now we just need to tweak around the edges, and I think we can make it a lot better.”

Improving the in-arena experience would also help Ohio State improve its bottom line. In the new revenue-sharing era of collegiate sports, the Buckeyes will be paying out the maximum of $20.5 million in the form of increased scholarships and direct payments to student-athletes in four programs: football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball and women’s volleyball.

Putting more fans in seats would help the department’s financial stability. Last year, Bjork said the men’s basketball program had around 9,000 season-ticket holders.

“Every dollar matters,” Bjork said. “We think we can have better attendance and be more consistent. A good season ticket base, could we get that over 10,000? Can we get that up to where you know it’s just more of a built in revenue stream?”

Any sort of return to the former home of St. John Arena is an impossibility. Not only is the playing surface permanently unsuitable due to a water leak during the COVID-19 pandemic, but university development plans for the future no longer include the historic arena.

Bjork said there’s no new update on the arena’s fate but added that what eventually happens there could have ramifications for Value City Arena, which houses the men’s hockey program. The women’s hockey program plays at the OSU Ice Rink adjacent to St. John.

“We definitely need and we’re pursuing a new ice hockey arena that would be 4,000-5,000 seats that would be for men’s and women’s (hockey),” he said. “Once you get that project off the ground, then then that’s where you can really look at, OK, what happens?”

Removing the need to play hockey inside Value City Arena would open up some more seating possibilities that could help create a more natural basketball feel, but any such developments are nothing more than concepts and projections at this point.

Ohio State men’s basketball beat writer Adam Jardy can be reached at ajardy@dispatch.com, on Bluesky at @cdadamjardy.bsky.social or on Twitter at @AdamJardy.

Get more Ohio State basketball news by listening to our podcasts

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College Sports

College Hockey Inc » Colgate’s Kaltounková Goes No. 1 Overall in PWHL Draft

Wednesday, June 25, 2025 2025 Patty Kaz Winner O’Brien Taken With Third Pick Kaltounková was a Patty Kazmaier Award finalist for Colgate (Photo: Dylan Rippe/Colgate Athletics). Colgate graduate forward Kristýna Kaltounková was selected first overall by the New York Sirens on Tuesday at the 2025 PWHL Draft in Ottawa, beginning a run of 12 straight college […]

Published

1 hour ago

June 25, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Wednesday, June 25, 2025

2025 Patty Kaz Winner O’Brien Taken With Third Pick

Colgate’s Kaltounková Goes No. 1 Overall in PWHL Draft — Kaltounková was a Patty Kazmaier Award finalist for Colgate (Photo: Dylan Rippe/Colgate Athletics).

Colgate graduate forward Kristýna Kaltounková was selected first overall by the New York Sirens on Tuesday at the 2025 PWHL Draft in Ottawa, beginning a run of 12 straight college hockey players to begin the draft.

In all, 45 of the 48 players selected during the six-round draft came from NCAA Division I hockey, including all eight first-round picks. Kaltounková was the first overall choice after closing out her decorated collegiate career with a 26-goal, 48-point season and a second-team All-America nod. She was also a finalist for the 2025 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award given annually to the top player in NCAA Division I women’s hockey.

Wisconsin forward Casey O’Brien, who captured this year’s Patty Kazmaier Award, went third overall to the Sirens. A pair of Clarkson defenders, Haley Winn (Boston Fleet) and Nicole Gosling (Montreal Victoire), went second and fourth overall, respectively.

Cornell captain Rory Guilday rounded out the top five when she was drafted by the host Ottawa Charge.

Twenty-two different schools had at least one former player drafted, led by Ohio State (six) and Minnesota Duluth (five). Minnesota, Penn State, Quinnipiac and Wisconsin each had four alumnae selected, while Clarkson and St. Cloud State had three each.

Also of note:

New York drafted a PWHL-leading nine NCAA alumnae, following by Boston (six), Montreal (six), Seattle (six), Montreal (five), Toronto (five), Ottawa (four) and Vancouver (four).
Expansion franchises Vancouver and Seattle both used their first-ever draft picks on former NCAA stars, taking Michelle Karvinen (North Dakota) and Jenna Buglioni (Ohio State) seventh and eighth overall, respectively.
At least six NCAA alums were taken in all six rounds, including four rounds in which all eight picks came from college hockey: the first, third, fourth and fifth.
The positional breakdown of NCAA players drafted included 28 forwards, 12 defenders and five goalies.

For a complete list of NCAA alumnae selected in the 2025 PWHL Draft, visit CollegeHockeyInc.com.

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College Sports

Gymnast vaults his way to bronze, eyes even more metal – School News Network

Name: Tate OutmanSchool/grade: Rising junior, Lowell High SchoolPassion: Gymnastics Lowell — Tate Outman gets asked the same question over and over by his peers at school: Will you do a backflip? Sometimes he humors them and does one, and sometimes he doesn’t. He’s not one to talk much about the fact that he is a […]

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2 hours ago

June 25, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Name: Tate Outman
School/grade: Rising junior, Lowell High School
Passion: Gymnastics

Lowell — Tate Outman gets asked the same question over and over by his peers at school: Will you do a backflip?

Sometimes he humors them and does one, and sometimes he doesn’t. He’s not one to talk much about the fact that he is a Level 10 gymnast who recently earned bronze in men’s vault at the 2025 USA Gymnastics Men’s and Women’s Development Program National Championships.

“I try to be humble about it,” said Tate, who will begin his junior year this fall.

After school each day, Tate heads to Empowered Athletics in Wyoming where he trains, coached by Joe Swineheart and Emily Bell. He spends the next four hours working on skills like the hand front layout half vault that earned him bronze and other high-level gymnastics skills. He competes in all six events.

Tate has a humble attitude about gymnastics (courtesy)

After nationals, Tate had a two-week break. SNN caught up with him to chat about his passion for the sport.

How old were you when gymnastics became something you wanted to pursue, and what’s the story there? “I started when I was 2. We did a a ‘mommy and me’ class at a little cheerleading gym.

As he grew from toddler to young child, he kept tumbling and started competing locally at age 6.

“It gave me something to do, and I have a lot of energy, so it really helps me get my energy out.”

Notable accomplishments: Tate has been to nationals five times since sixth grade. Most recently, he earned fifth all-around at the state competition and 12th all-around at regionals to qualify for nationals, where he got his bronze medal.

Tate said there’s a lot of thrill in competing, though he tends to be low key about it.

“It’s definitely exciting and encouraging for you and the whole team, because your team wants you to do well, too. A lot of people flex and scream when they stick it or do it well. When I do something well, I don’t really do much. I kind of shrug it off and move on to the next thing.”

It’s Tate’s second year competing at a Level 10.

“It feels like I have kind of a big role, and I’m also a big role model for all the younger kids in the gym because I’m the highest level.”

Do you plan to pursue this professionally? Envision yourself 10/20 years from now.

“The next step is to hopefully go to college, and then international meets and possibly the Olympics.”

Tate began gymnastics at age 2 (courtesy)

He said he hopes to compete in college at University of Michigan or University of Oklahoma.

International competition would involve competing in Europe and South America and at the World Championship.

“As for a career, I have thought about coaching and starting my own gym. I’m starting coaching at (Empowered Athletics) over the summer.”

What are some of your favorite skills? “One of my coolest would be the triple back off the high bar. (Another is) the tippelt on parallel balls.”

Do you ever feel scared? “I do get scared when I have to do a big skill or new skills. That’s one of the things that I’m working through now: Doing it even if I am scared.”

Other hobbies/interests/little-known talents: “I go fishing a lot outside of school. I stay active. I play some basketball in the gym and at home.”

The biggest lesson you have learned from your involvement in gymnastics is “to push through it. How when you don’t want to do something and you’re having a bad day already you’ve got to push through it, because you know it’s going to produce something that you want. Also, to push through it when you’re scared.”

Read more from Lowell:
• His eyes are on the skies, thanks to Aviation Electronics
• More meals, more options make for busy days for this lunch crew

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College Sports

Michigan hockey poised for banner 2025 NHL draft

The 2025 NHL draft could be a banner one for Michigan’s hockey program. The Wolverines’ record for most players selected in a single draft is seven, and there is a chance they could tie or break it this year. The draft begins with the first round Friday in Los Angeles, with rounds 2-7 taking place […]

Published

2 hours ago

June 25, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The 2025 NHL draft could be a banner one for Michigan’s hockey program.

The Wolverines’ record for most players selected in a single draft is seven, and there is a chance they could tie or break it this year. The draft begins with the first round Friday in Los Angeles, with rounds 2-7 taking place Saturday.

The ban on Canadian Hockey League players competing at the NCAA level has been lifted beginning this season, creating a larger pool of prospects for schools to recruit. Michigan has been among the most active pursuing CHL players, who had previously been barred because of the NCAA’s amateurism rules.

The three incoming Wolverines who played in the Ontario Hockey League last season – forward Malcolm Spence, goalie Jack Ivankovic and defenseman Henry Mews – are all considered NHL prospects. Mews was a third-round pick of the Calgary Flames last year, but Spence and Ivankovic are projected to be early-round picks this year.

The 6-foot-1, 203-pound Spence, who totaled 32 goals and 73 points in 65 games last season for the Erie Otters, is the best bet to extend the Wolverines’ streak of producing a first-round pick to nine straight years.

The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler projected Spence to the Chicago Blackhawks at No. 25 in his latest mock draft released Tuesday. ESPN’s Rachel Doerrie ranks him as the 23rd overall prospect in the draft, while TSN’s Bob Mckenzie has him No. 25. Chris Peters of FloHockey also has him 23rd.

“I think adding Malcolm Spence was a very important addition for the staff because you’ve got a lot of guys with a lot of skill on the roster, but you need to get some guys that have some of that grind to their game,” Peters told MLive. “That’s what Malcolm Spence brings in addition to having the skill and scoring ability with his size and the pace that he plays with. I think he’s gonna make an impact on the physical side of things, which is really helpful.”

There’s a chance rising sophomore Will Horcoff joins Spence in the first round. The 6-foot-5, 190-pound forward joined the Wolverines halfway through last season and immediately jumped into the team’s top nine as a 17-year-old. He registered four goals and six assists in 18 games and is expected to play a larger role this season.

Horcoff, the son of former longtime NHL forward Shawn Horcoff, is a below-average skater but has a high hockey IQ and the tools to become an impactful power forward, Peters said.

Peters has him ranked 30th on his board, while Wheeler mocked him to the Flyers at No. 31.

“I think his size is the biggest factor, but it’s what he does with it too,” Peters said. “The physicality he’s able to play with, the fact that he transitioned to college hockey, and the first few games there were a couple instances where college athletes are bouncing off of him and you’re just like, ‘Well, this is different. He’s built a little different.’

“I think the NHL pedigree absolutely helps. I think teams like his character. They like the athleticism that he displays and the strength he has. I think the offensive upside and the offensive ceiling is a bit lower, but at the same time, at the end of the first round, especially in this draft class, you’re just trying to find NHL players. I think that his physical profile and how he’s progressed so far over the last couple of years does suggest high NHL potential.”

Michigan has had more than two players taken in the first round once in program history – 2021 when it set a NCAA record with five, including four in the first five picks. Although unlikely, incoming freshman center Cole McKinney could sneak into the first round.

Peters projects he will go early in the second and ranks him No. 32 overall. Doerrie and McKenzie rank him No. 36 and No. 37, respectively, while Wheeler has him going No. 40 overall to Philadelphia.

Peters compared McKinney’s game to former Wolverines and current NHLers Dylan Larkin and Matty Beniers while noting his ceiling isn’t as high as the two top-15 picks in their respective drafts.

“I really like the way that he plays,” Peters said of McKinney, who had 61 points in 60 games last season for the U.S. National Team Development Program. “I think that he has real good two-way sense. He’s a hard-worker, does have skill. I thought he was one of the NTDP’s best players this year down the stretch.”

In net, Ivankovic is expected to be one of the first goalies selected after going 25-12-5 with a 3.05 goals-against average and .903 save percentage for the Brampton Steelheads last season. He’s undersized at 5-foot-11 but is expected to be off the board during the first three rounds because of his other traits.

On the high end, The Athletic’s Corey Pronman ranks him as the 36th-best prospect in the draft, while Wheeler has him mocked to the Sharks at 53rd overall. Doerrie, McKenzie and Peters all have him ranked between 36 and 53.

“There’s a bit of a quietness to his game,” Peters said. “He’s not all over the map. He doesn’t go too far one way or the other in terms of his emotions and he stays pretty composed. I like what he brings to the table. I think he’s been a winner. Is he going to be the kind of goalie that can steal you games? I think yeah, in some cases he probably will be. For him, the argument for scouts is going to be, ‘What is the overall probability of a player his size playing in the NHL?’ There are so few goalies that are sub-6-foot in the NHL. That’s why he’ll probably go second round at the absolute earliest, but we’ll see ultimately where he ends up.”

In Pronman’s seven-round mock draft, he has three other Wolverines getting selected: incoming freshman forward Drew Schock (No. 67 overall), rising sophomore defenseman Dakoda Rhéaume-Mullen (No. 106) and freshman defenseman Asher Barnett (No. 119).

If all seven Wolverines get drafted, it would mark the fourth time in program history – and first since 2015 – that the program has reached this milestone.

Freshman forward Aidan Park wasn’t included in the seven-round mock, but Peters said there is a chance he gets drafted late.

“I think Park is really intriguing with the high skill level that he has,” Peters said of the 6-foot-1 right-handed shot who had 33 goals and 33 assists in 55 games in the United State Hockey League last season. “It’s not a guarantee that he’s going to get drafted, but I do think that there are going to be teams that should be taking a long look at him.”

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