Sports

John Mayer – Women’s Beach Volleyball Coach

Published

7 months ago

May 21, 2025

JOHN MAYER BVB BIO | JOHN MAYER TEAM USA BIO

John Mayer begins his 11^th year as the head coach of LMU’s beach volleyball program in 2025-2026.

Mayer is leading the beach volleyball program to one of the most successful stretches of any team in school history. Beach Volleyball is the only coach in school history to win five or more consecutive WCC Championships. Following a sixth-consecutive WCC Championship, led the Lions to the program’s first National Title Game appearance in 2025. Mayer’s Lions won a school-record 38 duals in his 10^th year leading the Lions, including defeating 12 opponents ranked in the top-10 and multiple wins over #1 ranked opponents. In the NCAA Championships, LMU opened with a 3-0 sweep over #13 FAU before putting together one of the most impressive single days in program history. On Saturday, May 3, 2025, LMU knocked off four-time defending national champions USC, 3-1, to advance to that afternoon’s semifinals. The Lions then took down top-seeded #1 UCLA in a reverse sweep in the semifinals to advance to the Sunday’s championship dual. In the national title game, LMU and TCU split courts two through five to set up championship point in the third set of Court 1, before the Horned Frogs eventually ended LMU’s season. Mayer became the first coach in school history, across any sport, to be named National Coach of the Year, after the AVCA Announced that honor the week of the NCAA Tournament. Along with that award, the AVCA also named Michelle Shaffer and Chloe Hooker Second Team All-Americans, as well as Top Flight Pairs on four different courts with Flight 2 (Anna Pelloia and Chloe Hooker), Flight 3 (Abbey Thorup and Lisa Luini), Flight 4 (Isabelle Reffel and Magdalena Rabitsch), and Flight 5 (Tanon Rosenthal and Giuliana Poletti Corrales) all winning over 75% of their matches on those courts. The WCC Awards continued as Mayer was named West Coast Conference Coach of the Year for the conference record sixth consecutive season. Mayer also mentored the WCC Pair of the Year for the fifth consecutive season, the WCC Defensive Player of the Year for the fifth consecutive season, and the WCC Co-Freshman of the Year for the fourth time over the past five years. LMU also saw additional conference recognition with seven First Team All-WCC and three Second Team All-WCC selections.

In 2024, Mayer led his Lions to a win in Gulf Shores, Alabama, at the NCAA Championships against #9 Hawaii before falling to the eventual national champions, USC, for the second consecutive season. The Lions finished the year ranked eighth nationally and Mayer earned his fifth-straight WCC Coach of the Year recognition. Under Mayer, Vilhelmiina Prihti was named to the AVCA All-American team for the second time and Michelle Shaffer earned her first All-American recognition in her first season playing with the Lions. Mayer mentored the WCC Pair of the Year for fifth time in his career and the WCC Defensive Player of the Year for the fourth consecutive season.

For three-consecutive seasons between 2021 and 2023, Mayer coached the Lions to a top-5 finish nationally with a return to the NCAA Championships. In 2022-23, the Lions returned to the NCAA Championships and defeated #11 Hawaii before falling to the eventual national champions, #3 USC, 3-1 to close the season. The Lions went 29-9 on the season, including a perfect home record after unveiling new on-campus courts. Additionally, Mayer was named WCC Coach of the Year for the fourth-consecutive season and mentored the WCC Pair of the Year, the WCC Defensive Player of the Year, the WCC Freshman of the Year, five first team All-WCC Players, two AVCA Top Flight Winners, and two AVCA All-Americans in 2023.

The 2021-22 season continued to build on the foundation Mayer set for the program. In addition to being named West Coast Conference Coach of the Year for the third consecutive season, Mayer coached four AVCA All-Americans, the WCC Pair of the Year, the WCC Defensive Player of the Year, and the WCC Co-Freshman of the Year. The Lions finished the year with a school-record 32 wins, did not drop a court in the WCC Championships, and won a program-record three games in the NCAA Championships in Gulf Shores before bowing out in the semifinals. LMU finished fourth in the final AVCA Poll in 2022.

After a brief 2019-20 season, LMU was able to dominate the 2020-21 season with a 31-8 record as they added another West Coast Conference Championship to their list of achievements. Coach Mayer was selected to the USA National Team as a result while also coaching Madi Firnett to WCC Freshman of the Year honors.

Before a shortened 2019-20 season, where the team ended with a 6-3 record, Mayer was coming off of an impressive 2018-19 season, where he led the Lions to their first-ever conference title. The team beat Pepperdine for the first time in program history to win the West Coast Conference Championship. The conference win came after a 27-11 season, including seven wins over ranked opponents.

On June 7, 2015, the West Coast Conference added women’s beach volleyball as a WCC-sponsored sport. As the sport quickly gained status within the NCAA and the WCC, former LMU Athletics Director Dr. William Husak announced, on August 5, 2015, the hiring of Mayer as the LMU beach volleyball head coach.

At the time of the hire, Husak said, “The sport of beach volleyball has quickly grown at all levels, especially within the NCAA. We added the sport in 2012 and since have seen the positive and important impact on our department. As the sport grows, we wanted to continue to establish it here at LMU. We are very excited to have John take over the program on a full-time basis. He has had success at all levels of volleyball and we are fortunate he will be the program’s first official head coach.”

Mayer guided his 2018 squad to a 22-14 overall mark, and a berth into the semifinal round of play from the 2018 West Coast Conference Championships, but eventually dropped the match to Saint Mary’s. The Lions, playing as the #2 seed in the tournament, beat Pacific to advance to the match against the third-seeded Gaels. Following the season, McKayla Ferris and Jessie Prichard highlighted a quartet of Lions lauded by the West Coast Conference, earning All-WCC first-team honors. Sara Kovac and Savannah Slattery were also honored, earning second-team selections.

Mayer’s 2016 squad finished the year at 6-17, but reached the semifinals of the inaugural WCC Championships. Rachelle Suaava and Avery Bush were named All-WCC, while Kekai Whitford and Sascha Dominique took home All-Freshman selections. The Lions finished the year ranked in the Top-20 of the DiG Magazine poll.

The 2017 season saw LMU post a 15-14 overall record, but the Lions, playing as the #3 seed at the WCC Championship Tournament, reached the final match before falling to Pepperdine. LMU’s top pair of Savannah Slattery and Sarah Sponcil went 20-9 at the top of the order in 2017, as the duo reached the quarterfinal round at the USA Volleyball Collegiate Championships in the postseason. Sponcil was ultimately named WCC Player of the Year, while Slattery took home WCC Freshman of the Year, and both were named first team All-WCC. Sara Kovac and Jessie Prichard also garnered All-WCC recognition, earning honorable mention picks. Finally, Prichard and Slattery were named to the WCC All-Freshman team.

Prior to being named head coach, Mayer spent the previous four seasons as a volunteer assistant coach working with the LMU sand volleyball program. He had also served as the head coach of the men’s volleyball program at Santa Monica College since 2008. As head coach at Santa Monica College, Mayer was named 2015 Coach of the Year after guiding his squad to a State Championship.

“We are one of the few schools in the country that will actually be practicing at the beach, which is a huge advantage for training and developing our athletes,” said Mayer. “The sport of beach volleyball has taken off at the collegiate level with schools all over the country adding teams. Having the WCC now involved with a postseason championship shows how big the sport has become in a few short years. I imagine beach volleyball will soon be one of the premier sports for female athletes at the college level.”

A 2005 graduate of Pepperdine University, Mayer helped guide Pepperdine to a National Championship in his senior year. Before transferring to Pepperdine, Mayer won a pair of State Championships playing at Pierce College.

Mayer made his AVP debut in 2003 at Hermosa Beach. In 2009, Mayer with partner Jeff Nygaard won the AVP Open at San Diego and was also named the Most Improved Player. In 2013, Mayer finished top-10 in all six events he entered into. Teamed with Ryan Doherty as the fourth-seed in the tournament, Mayer won the 2015 AVP Kingston Seattle Open men’s title en route to being named 2015 AVP Men’s MVP and Best Defender. In addition to his title, Mayer made four finals appearances, and six semifinal runs in 2015. Again, teamed with Doherty in 2016, Mayer won the AVP New Orleans title.

John Mayer was born June 11, 1982, in Thousand Oaks, CA. Mayer currently lives in Mar Vista, Calif. with his wife, dermatologist Dr. Paola Rodriguez, and daughter.

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Dominique Brown Breaks Longstanding School Record As 31 Spartans Set PR’s at Visit Winston-Salem College Kick Off – University of South Carolina

Published

1 hour ago

December 7, 2025

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WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – USC Upstate track and field began the indoor season at the Visit Winston-Salem College Kick Off today.
The first meet of the season was a successful one, highlighted by freshman Dominique Brown breaking the school record in the women’s 400m with her time of 57.51. The previous school record has stood for 10 years.

Head Coach Carson Blackwelder said, “This was a great start to the track season. We have a very talented team with a lot of potential ahead of us.” A total of 31different Spartans all set personal records in today’s meet.

In addition to Brown, Jenelda Aristhil earned a top finish in both the weight throw and shot put. Michael Moody placed third in the men’s long jump, going a distance of 7.00m.

Coach Blackwelder continued to praise his team, saying, “The 400m runners did a great job on Saturday, and we saw some of the fastest times in school history. The throwers hit some big marks and achieved PRs all around.”

Top Performances (Women):

Dominique Brown – 400m- 57.51 – fifth place (School Record)

Jenelda Aristhil – Weight Throw – 16.96m – fourth place (third all-time in school history)

Shot Put – 12.40m – seventh place (10th all-time in school history)

Paden Bell – 400m – 59.77 (eighth all-time in school history)

Ayla Osterkamp – 400m – 59.85 (ninth all-time in school history)

Aryanna Perez – High Jump – 1.49m (10th all-time in school history)

Jamyllah Handy – Triple Jump – 11.17m (seventh all-time in school history)

Personal Bests (Women)

Brittany Benson– 60m, 200m

Dominique Brown– 60m

Mya Jackson– 60m

Aryanna Perez– 60m Hurdles

Richard’ia Allen– 200m

Paden Bell– 400m

Ayla Osterkamp– 400m

Nia Glover– 400m

Emma Grace Kutilek– 800m

Aryanna Perez– High Jump, Long Jump

Jamyllah Handy– Long Jump, Triple Jump

Jenelda Aristhil– Shot Put, Weight

Saniyah Joyner– Shot Put

Top Performances (Men):

Michael Moody – Long Jump – 7.00m – third place (fifth all-time in school history )

Quintavius James – 60m – 6.83 – fourth place

Jalen Clark – Long Jump – 6.95m – fifth place (sixth all-time in school history)

Collin Bui-Hayes – 60m – 6.88 – seventh place (fourth all-time in school history)

Jeremiah Harris – 200m – 21.53 – seventh place (second all-time in school history)

Shriyaan Krishnaraj – 400m – 48.94 (second all-time in school history)

Elias Harrison – 800m -1:57.98 – 7th place

Pierce Mosley – Shot Put – 14.46m (sixth all-time in school history

Weight – 15.48m – sixth place

Joshua Sterling – Weight- 17.52m – 3rd place (fourth all-time in school history)

Shot Put – 13.68m (10th all-time in school history)

Hunter, Walston, Ruff, Krishnaraj – 4x400m – 2:22.12 – fifth place

Personal Bests

Collin Bui-Hayes– 60m

Evan Daniels– 60m

Jared Isley– 60m Hurdles

ZaCorian Johnson– 200m

Khalif Walston– 200m

Cason McKinney– 200m

Jeremiah Harris– 200m

Shriyaan Krishnaraj– 400m

Chandler Hunter– 400m

Jacob Ruff– 400m

Aidan Kenny– High Jump

Michael Moody– Long Jump

Pierce Mosley– Shot Put

Joshua Sterling– Shot Put

Sam Ketch– Shot Put

Nathaniel Bruce– Shot Put

Tristan Pressley– Triple Jump

Jaylen Pressley– Triple Jump

Up Next for the Spartans

The Spartans resume the season in January, competing at the Tryon International Classic held on the 16th and 17th.

Connect with the Spartans

Facebook.com/UpstateAthletics

Twitter | @UpstateXCTrack @UpstateSpartans

Instagram | @UpstateXCTrack @UpstateSpartans

YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans

INVEST IN CHAMPIONS – Join the Upstate Athletic Fund (UAF) and enjoy enhanced benefits for your support of all USC Upstate programs! Make your gift today, click here!

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Where to stream Kansas State Wildcats vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers NCAA Women’s Volleyball Tournament today

Published

1 hour ago

December 7, 2025

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The Nebraska Cornhuskers look to keep their impressive season going on Saturday night, as they get set to host the Kansas State Wildcats in the second round of the 2025 NCAA Women’s Volleyball Tournament.

Nebraska looked impressive in the first round of the tournament, vanquishing the Long Island Sharks in straight sets.

The Cornhuskers rolled toward another Big Ten championship. Nebraska has been dominant. Not only are they undefeated, but they have also been nearly untouchable. For two months, the team did not lose a set. The team then went on to win its final five matches in straight sets, clinching a third consecutive Big Ten Championship.

Now, the program that has played in every national tournament since the AIAW days has its sights set on advancing to the final four for the fourth time in the past five seasons. Nebraska looks to avenge last year’s disappointing semifinal exit at the hands of the eventual national champions, Penn State.

They take on a Kansas State that had to work hard to upset San Diego in the opening round, winning in straight sets on Friday. The Wildcats, who are playing in the national tournament for the first time in four years, look to grab the biggest of upsets and move on to the regional semifinal for the first time since 2011.

NCAA WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT

Second Round

Kansas State Wildcats vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers

When: Saturday, December 6

Time: 8 p.m. ET

Where: Bob Devaney Sports Center (Lincoln, Neb.)

Stream: ESPN+

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Sports

Jane Hedengren Obliterates the NCAA 5K Record in Boston

Published

1 hour ago

December 7, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Two weeks after finishing second at the NCAA Cross-Country Championships, freshman Jane Hedengren shattered the collegiate record in the 5,000 meters.

On Saturday, December 6, the Brigham Young University standout won the women’s elite race in 14:44.79 at the BU Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener. With a huge surge in the second half of the race, Hedengren improved on the previous indoor collegiate record (14:52.57) set by Doris Lemngole of Alabama at the same meet in Boston last year.

Hedengren also broke the combined collegiate record (indoor and outdoor track), 14:52.18, set by Parker Valby at the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Championships. Hedengren is now No. 2 on the U.S. all-time list and No. 11 on the world all-time list in the event, indoors.

“This season, there’s been a lot of growth, and I think there’s still so much to build on, lots of gratitude approaching this race and this season, and I’m excited to keep working,” Hedengren told Nia Gibson on the FloTrack broadcast after the race.

Hedengren showed her dominance early at Boston University’s indoor facility. From the gun, Hedengren and Pamela Kosgei of New Mexico both positioned themselves behind pacesetter Ellie Leather through the first mile in 4:48, on pace for a 14:55 finish. By the 2K split, both athletes had pulled ahead of the chase pack by 50 meters.

That gap continued to grow heading into the halfway mark as the cross-country rivals dueled for the lead. Just after the 3,000-meter split, which the pair covered in 8:59, Hedengren surged ahead of Kosgei and never looked back.

For the last 2,000 meters, Hedengren knocked off blazing 34 to 35-second splits for each lap until throwing down an impressive 66-second close for the final 400 meters. Her teammate, Riley Chamberlain, battled for second-place in 14:58.97, a 25-second personal best. Kosgei finished third in 15:05:41.

Before she graduated from Timpview High School in Provo, Utah, last spring, Hedengren broke nine national records on the track—including the 5,000 meters in April when she became the first high school girl to go sub-15 for the distance.

At 19 years old, Hedengren has already emerged as an NCAA leader in her first season running for the Cougars. In October, she dominated the Pre-National Invitational and shattered the course record in her collegiate cross-country debut. She went on to win the Big 12 Championships and NCAA Mountain Region Championships by huge margins.

In late November, Hedengren was competing for the win at the NCAA Cross-Country Championships but couldn’t match the closing speed of Lemngole, the defending champion. With a surge in the last kilometer of the race in Columbia, Missouri, the junior from Kenya claimed the 6K title in 18:25, about 13 seconds ahead of Hedengren.

In a quick turnaround to the track season, Hedengren earned a form of redemption in Boston. She is the most recent athlete in the last several years to break the collegiate record at the indoor season opener, which many elite athletes utilize as a final push of fitness before the holidays. Lemngole—and Valby prior to her—set the indoor record at the same meet.

Taylor Dutch is a writer and editor living in Austin, Texas, and a former NCAA track athlete who specializes in fitness, wellness, and endurance sports coverage. Her work has appeared in Runner’s World, SELF, Bicycling, Outside, and Podium Runner.

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Gophers volleyball wins NCAA Tournament opener, avoids St. Thomas matchup

Published

1 hour ago

December 7, 2025

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Minnesota volleyball opened NCAA Tournament play on Friday at Maturi Pavilion with a dominant sweep over Fairfield University. It marks the 11th straight year that the Gophers have won a first-round game.

And we dance on 💃 pic.twitter.com/k5zoEO1vPU

— Minnesota Volleyball (@GopherVBall) December 6, 2025

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The Gophers were seeded fourth in their region after a 22-9 regular-season campaign. The other game in their Minneapolis pod was five-seed Iowa State against in-state foe St. Thomas, which played its first-ever game in the NCAA Tournament on Friday. The Cyclones won a five-set battle before Minnesota’s game.

“I’m proud of our team for playing our brand of volleyball. Serving, blocking and playing really clean. Tomorrow will be a big challenge. Iowa State is a great team in a lot of facets, especially defensively,” Minnesota head coach Keegan Cook said after the game.

Minnesota already beat St. Thomas three sets to one in a nonconference game in August, but an NCAA Tournament clash in the Tommies’ first season eligible would’ve felt like a huge contest. Ultimately, Iowa State will face the Gophers on Saturday night at 7 p.m. CT at Maturi Pavilion with a trip to the Sweet 16 on the line.

The Cyclones had an impressive 22-7 regular-season campaign, and a 12-6 mark in the Big 12. Saturday’s showdown should be a great contest between two of the better college volleyball programs in the Midwest.

Elliot and Thuotte Highlight Men’s Indoor Track and Field Season Opener

Published

2 hours ago

December 7, 2025

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BOSTON, Mass. — Regis College men’s track and field kicked off their indoor season today at the Reggie Lewis Center, competing in the Suffolk Relays and setting two new program records.

Senior Brady Elliot (Charlestown, N.H.) made an impressive debut for the Pride, placing second in the men’s high jump with a leap of 1.85 meters, establishing a new indoor program record. Elliot also competed in the long jump, finishing 12th with a distance of 6.06 meters. Joseph Doughty (Woburn, Mass.) added a seventh-place finish in the high jump, clearing 1.70 meters.

Justin Thuotte (Lebanon, Conn.) earned three top-ten finishes. His best came in the shot put, where he took third with throw of 12.82 meters to set a new personal best. Thuotte also placed fifth in the long jump, setting a new indoor program record with a leap of 6.65 meters, and finished seventh in the weight throw with a mark of 13.28 meters. Ryan Sweeney (Lynn, Mass.) joined Thuotte on the shot put leaderboard, finishing fourth with a toss of 12.65 meters. Sweeney also set a personal best in the weight throw with an 11.28 meter toss.

Jalen Jones (Everett, Mass.) claimed fifth place in the triple jump with a mark of 11.94 meters. Meanwhile, DJ Marks (Medford, Mass.) and Luc Willems (Belchertown, Mass.) rounded out the top ten finishers in the high jump and men’s 1000m, respectively. Marks cleared 1.60 meters in the high jump, and Willems crossed the line in 3:18.18 in the 1000-meter run.

In the men’s 1600 sprint medley relay, the team of Zach Olaywole (Marlborough, Mass.), Jones, Elliot, and Nathan Thomas (Medford, Mass.) finished 13th overall with a time of 4:13.28.

The Pride will quickly turn around as they head to UMass Boston tomorrow for the Beacon Season Opener.

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No. 25 Women’s Volleyball Falls to No. 3 Texas in NCAA Second Round – Penn State

Published

2 hours ago

December 7, 2025

Your Sports Nation

AUSTIN, Texas – No. 25 Penn State’s 45^th-straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament came to an end in the second round Saturday with a 3-0 (25-16, 25-9, 25-19) loss to No. 3 Texas at Gregory Gymnasium. The Nittany Lions close the season at 19-13 overall, while the Longhorns move on with a record of 25-3.

The loss snapped Penn State’s seven-match NCAA Tournament winning streak, which included six victories on the way to last year’s national title. The Nittany Lions remain second in the nation with eight national titles, trailing only Stanford’s nine.

Kennedy Martin tallied 16 kills for Penn State and has now recorded double-digit kills for the 83^rd-consecutive match when she plays at least three sets. Caroline Jurevicius finished with seven kills, while Emmi Sellman chipped in with five.

Gillian Grimes wrapped up an outstanding collegiate career with a team-high 11 digs. She leaves Penn State as a two-time All-Big Ten honoree, making the first team this season and the second team as a junior last season. She now turns her attention to the pro ranks, where she will play for the San Diego Mojo of Major League Volleyball. Grimes was recently picked by the Mojo in the third round of the MLV Draft.

Torrey Stafford led Texas to the win, hitting .556 with 21 kills. Abby Vander Wal joined her in double-digits with 10 kills, while Cari Spears was next with nine.

Penn State now holds an 11-10 lead in the all-time series with Texas. The teams are knotted at 2-2 in NCAA Tournament matchups against each other.

Saturday’s matchup featured the past three national champions as Texas won back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023 and Penn State took home the trophy last season.

The 2025 Penn State women’s volleyball season is presented by Musselman’s.

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