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How defense has turned St. Louis Cardinals into contenders

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How defense has turned St. Louis Cardinals into contenders

IN CREPT WILLSON CONTRERAS, closer and closer to home plate, to the point that it started alarming his St. Louis Cardinals teammates. Contreras is in his first season as a first baseman, and even if the situation called for him to crash toward the plate — eighth inning, 1-0 lead, runners on first and second with no outs and Kansas City’s Jonathan India squaring to bunt on the first two pitches — Contreras stationed himself 51 feet away, like a bunt scarecrow, as if to invite a swing from someone who routinely hits baseballs more than 100 mph.

“Scoot back a little,” Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado hollered across the diamond. Cardinals coaches urged Contreras to do the same. He did not oblige their requests.

“I was afraid [India] was going to take a swing and kill him,” Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas said.

None of this surprised the Cardinals. Contreras has embodied the team’s defense-first mentality — adopted last year and actualized this season — that flipped the fortunes of a franchise fallen on hard times after decades of unrelenting excellence. St. Louis is 27-23, currently in second place in the National League Central and firmly in the postseason hunt during what was supposed to be a transitional year, thanks to perhaps the best defense in baseball. And Contreras’ positioning, as much as any moment over the first quarter of the season, illustrated who the Cardinals have become.

“I don’t care. I’m not afraid,” Contreras said. “If I’m gonna die, I’ll die right there.”

With Contreras perilously close — the only first baseman in the player-tracking era to stand closer to home on a bunt attempt, according to Statcast, was Contreras’ old Chicago Cubs teammate Anthony Rizzo — India backed away from bunting and took a strike from reliever Kyle Leahy. Contreras didn’t budge. India stared at another pitch to even the count. On the fifth pitch, India hit a one-hopper to second baseman Brendan Donovan, who flipped to shortstop Masyn Winn for the force. Winn then wheeled around, ran toward third and fired to third baseman Nolan Arenado to cut down Drew Waters, turning a perilous situation into two outs.

None of it happens, Cardinals players and coaches said, without Contreras’ daring. “He’s a savage,” left fielder Lars Nootbaar said, and that can be repeated for every Cardinal around the diamond this season, from an infield of Arenado, Winn, Donovan and Contreras to Nootbaar, Victor Scott and Jordan Walker in the outfield to Pedro Pages behind the plate. All have been average or better. Arenado, Winn, Contreras and Scott are among the best in baseball at their positions, according to publicly available metrics as well as the models of three other teams surveyed by ESPN that validated the numbers. And as was the case in the May 17 game that ended with a 1-0 win in Kansas City and plenty more, the Cardinals’ gloves have carried them into contention.

“Guys wanted to take a ton of pride in their defense,” manager Oliver Marmol said. “When we look at what we can control this year, we knew we were going to have our ups and downs, but we can control the effort and being locked in every pitch. And that’s one thing I can say with confidence: We don’t give up a whole lot. Guys are making plays left and right. They’re on point. They’re locked in every pitch.”

St. Louis might have some of baseball’s best defenders, including third baseman Nolan Arenado and first baseman Willson Contreras. Does that mean the Cards will hold on to their best pitchers this summer? Ed Zurga/Getty ImagesCOMING INTO SPRING TRAINING, the Cardinals looked scarcely different than the 83-79 team that was outscored by 47 runs a season ago. They signed one free agent: reliever Phil Maton, on a one-year, $2 million contract, in mid-March. They didn’t make any trades. Cardinals fans, among the game’s most die-hard, responded accordingly: attendance at Busch Stadium cratered by more than 7,000 a game to 28,464, the lowest average, outside of the 2021 season played under some pandemic restrictions, since after the strike in 1995.

Fans could not have known what they would be missing. Not even Cardinals players themselves could have foreseen this group into a constant highlight reel of glovework.

“Early on, we didn’t talk about defense,” Arenado said. “It was: ‘We’ve got to score runs. We don’t score runs.’ So that’s all we were talking about. But then as spring went on, we’re like, all right, our defense is actually kind of good. And then as the season has gone on, it’s been like, damn, dude, we’re really good defensively.”

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How the Cardinals became arguably the sport’s best defensive team is a story of process and buy-in. For decades, the Cardinal Way — the team’s ethos, codified in an 86-page handbook — was their bible. In a game dominated by objective data, St. Louis’ philosophy grew stale — and the franchise with it. President of baseball operations John Mozeliak is in his last year on the job, with former Boston chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom taking over at season’s end. Clean defense, long a hallmark, bottomed out in 2023, when the Cardinals ranked among the worst in baseball. Their pre-pitch positioning, in particular, lagged severely behind more analytically inclined organizations.

“We kind of as a team knew we weren’t in the right positions in ’23, but you have to go based off of whatever [the positioning suggestions given to players] says,” Nootbaar said. “So we did that last year, and it didn’t feel as bad, but you really felt a stark difference from being where it felt like you were never in opportunistic positions. Now it feels like we’re starting to get there.”

Positioning is just the beginning. With former big leaguers Stubby Clapp coaching the infield and Jon Jay the outfield, players were given specific areas to improve. For Scott, who was taking over in center field from a top-flight defender in Mike Siani, he needed a better first step and direction to complement his high-end speed. Nootbaar planned to work on his jumps. Walker, who was among the game’s worst defenders the past two seasons after moving from third base to right, needed to get better in all facets.

During spring training, Jay set three cones in a triangle, cued players to break toward one and tossed a racquetball at them. The outfielders would then break toward another cone and catch another ball, which required soft hands because of the racquetball’s bounciness. He encouraged outfielders to station themselves low, with knees bent, which ensured their engagement in every pitch, a Marmol must.

“It’s so hard to lock in every single pitch, and you don’t know which one’s going to be the one that is coming your way,” Marmol said. “So your ability to be mentally tough enough to do that usually leads to attention to detail in other areas.”

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The new approach has paid off. Scott is near the top of leaderboards in publicly available defensive metrics. Nootbaar, Cardinals players and staff said, is playing the best defense of his career, with his first step a tenth of a second faster than last year, something he attributes to focusing on shagging balls during batting practice. Walker has acquitted himself well enough to earn praise from scouts, who had him pegged as a lost cause in right.

And the improvements go beyond St. Louis’ outfielders. Contreras has similarly surprised evaluators, who were unsure how he would fare at first after starting just four games there in his previous nine major league seasons, the majority of which he spent at catcher. With catching duties going to Pagés and 24-year-old Ivan Herrera, whose bat has been a revelation, Contreras’ shift to first to replace four-time Gold Glove winner Paul Goldschmidt was a risk the Cardinals needed to take. And it has rewarded them handsomely.

“He might be one of the best first basemen I’ve ever seen,” Mikolas said. “I knew he’d be bodying it up, and I knew he’d be picking it, but his range and his arm — he’s doing something special there at first base. I think he’s surprising a lot of people. Probably not himself. He knows how good he is.”

It has been matched throughout the infield. Donovan, a 28-year-old utilityman, has settled into second and leads the NL in hits. Winn, whose weakness going to his backhand side was mitigated by an arm that rates among the best in the game, improved his first step and is getting to more balls than ever. At 34, Arenado — a 10-time Gold Glove winner who is regarded as perhaps the best defensive third baseman ever — is moving better than in recent seasons and looking ageless in the field.

“I don’t want to get ahead of myself,” Arenado said, “but I don’t see a defense that’s better than us — so far that we played against — in the big leagues.”

IN BASEBALL, DEFENSE does not win championships. Sometimes it doesn’t even get a team to the postseason. None of the No. 1 defensive teams this decade has made a World Series, let alone won one. But most of the top units are at the very least successful, and if that trend continues, the Cardinals will face one of the most interesting Julys in the sport.

Coming into the season, the expectation was that St. Louis would be among the most active teams in moving players at the trade deadline. Closer Ryan Helsley is the sort of arm every contender covets. Multiple teams seen as smart with handling pitchers planned to target left-hander Steven Matz, who has excelled out of the bullpen. Right-hander Sonny Gray remains a high-strikeout, low-walk, playoff-caliber arm. Fellow right-handed starter Erick Fedde is solid, even with his lack of strikeouts, and has allowed only three home runs in 52⅓ innings. Maton has a 133 ERA+ this season and has pitched in four of the past five postseasons.

If the Cardinals spend the next two months playing like they have the first seven weeks, the prospect of them shipping off their best arms diminishes greatly. Because if anyone knows how a team can back into October and find magic, it’s the Cardinals, who turned an 83-78 regular season in 2006 into their 10th championship and a 90-win wild-card campaign into their 11th title five years later.

“I mean, a lot of us are still kind of growing,” Donovan said. “We’ve had the luxury of seeing people do it for a long time with the Cardinals and around the league, so I think it’s guys just kind of learning how to come into their own.”

Marmol has relished the growth. Now in his fourth season as manager, he has amalgamated players around a new identity of focus and structure — tenets that evoke the Cardinal Way, only modernized. Before the Contreras daredevil game, he invited a number of players into his office to give them concrete data on just how much they had improved defensively, the sort of feedback modern players particularly appreciate because of the objective nature. Gone are the bad vibes from a 12-17 start, replaced by a team that found its footing in series wins against the New York Mets, Pittsburgh, Washington, Philadelphia and Kansas City before losing a series of close games against the team with the best record in MLB, Detroit.

“The buy-in has been through the roof,” Marmol said. “And then when they can see the improvement in numbers, however many days in, it just reinforces: don’t let up.”

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Annie Nabwe ‘not giving up’ and ‘giving her best’ at Minnesota – Jamestown Sun

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December 27, 2025

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JAMESTOWN — If you know anything about Annie Nabwe, you know she is never satisfied.

Last May, Nabwe completed the University of Minnesota’s hammer throw sweep at the BIG 10 Championships. Nabwe, a Jamestown High School Class of 2022 grad, set a BIG 10 Championships meet record with a lifetime best throw of 69.85 meters (229 feet, 2 inches), which also goes down as a new Minnesota program record.

Prior to that, Nabwe earned her second-straight conference title in the women’s weight throw at the 2025 BIG 10 Indoor Track and Field Championships. Nabwe’s championship throw measured 24.22 meters (79 feet, 5 inches) — a personal best for the former Blue Jay. With the win, Nabwe became the fifth BIG 10 women’s weight thrower to defend her conference title and the first to do so since 2016 when two-time Olympian Kelsey Card of the University of Wisconsin went back-to-back.

Nabwe owns the NCAA No. 21 mark all-time in the weight throw and also holds the second-best indoor shot put mark all-time at the University of Minnesota at 56 feet, 6 1/2 inches.

Still — the former Blue Jay would categorize her second season with the Gophers as a “learning experience.”

“I had a lot of highs but also challenges both mentally and physically,” Nabwe said. “I didn’t finish exactly where I wanted, but that helped me grow more as a person and an athlete.”

What she’s growing into should scare her competition.

At the university’s M City Classic on Dec. 5, Nabwe secured wins in the weight throw and the shot put. Both of Nabwe’s winning marks in the shot put and weight throw were school records. Nabwe launched the shot 16.40 meters (53 feet, 9 3/4 inches) and the weight 23.74 meters or 77 feet, 10 3/4 inches.

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Annie Nabwe prepares for her weight throw.

Contributed / Annie Nabwe

“People should know that I am motivated, focused, committed and overall having fun,” Nabwe said. “I am thankful for the support that I have gotten from loved ones, teammates, coaches, and everyone who has supported me. I am grateful and excited to keep growing and to see what the future holds.”

Nabwe’s season-opening weight throw mark is more than 4 feet farther than her 2024 opening weight throw of 73-8. Nabwe’s mark in shot was also an improvement from last year’s opening indoor competition by nearly 2 feet.

On Dec. 9, the Big Ten tabbed Nabwe as the conference’s indoor track and field athlete to watch.

“People should know that I am ready, working hard, and I don’t give up easily,” Nabwe said. “They should know that every time I show up, I give my best.”

Her “best” is honed daily by the University of Minnesota’s training program.

Since the season officially began, Nabwe and her teammates weight lift on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for four hours. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, team members lift for anywhere between 1 hour, 45 minutes, and 2 hours. On Saturdays, the team practices or lifts for about 90 minutes.

“A typical training session is based on my class schedule,” Nabwe said. “A normal, let’s say, Monday, I have practice at 8:30 (a.m.) so I wake up at 7, get ready and eat breakfast. Then I scooter over to practice, warm up with my teammates and have practice.

“After, I go home and if I have time to eat and shower, I do, then I have class from 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.,” she said. “I try to eat in between or after that class, because my next class is at 1 to 2:15 and after that class I have lift at 3. … After lift, I go to the trainer’s to get worked on and after that it’s about 5 o’clock. I go to the dining hall to eat dinner and then go home around 6-7 (p.m.) and do school work or if I do not have any I try to relax.”

The next competition on the docket for Nabwe is the Minnesota Open at the University of Minnesota on Jan. 10. The indoor season will conclude with the BIG 10 Indoor Track and Field Championships on March 13-14.

“My goals for this year are being more confident, being mentally tough and starting off competitively instead of laid back, breaking some records and winning titles,” Nabwe said. “These are all achievable because I have worked hard and I am in the position to do it. All I have to do is connect the pieces.”

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Shot put is one of the events Annie Nabwe participates in for the University of Minnesota.

Contributed / Annie Nabwe

Katie Ringer

Katie Ringer is a sports reporter for the Jamestown Sun. Katie joined the Sun staff in the summer of 2019 after graduating from the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire with a degree in journalism. She can be reached by email at kringer@jamestownsun.com or by phone at 701-952-8460.





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Texas A&M’s Emily Hellmuth will join the LSU Beach Volleyball team

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December 27, 2025

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Dec. 26, 2025, 7:37 p.m. CT

The historic Texas A&M volleyball season has concluded, and now the seniors are moving on to pursue other endeavors. For some, it might be entering the job market, while for a few, it might be beginning a professional volleyball career. However, for one Aggie, it’s the restart of another college athletic career.

On Friday, it was announced that senior outside hitter Emily Hellmuth will be transferring to LSU to compete in beach volleyball. Although she is not eligible for indoor sports, beach volleyball is considered a separate sport and is not offered at Texas A&M. That means she would have to transfer, regardless of whether she wants to continue playing. She will be eligible for the spring season and will have two years remaining.

Hellmuth was excellent in her role at Texas A&M, appearing in several crucial moments that helped propel the Aggies to their first national title. Below is the official announcement from the LSU beach volleyball X account.





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All Northeast Indiana Volleyball 2025 | High Schools

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December 27, 2025

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First Team

Alyssa Anderson, Woodlan

Class: Senior

Position: Middle blocker

Statistics: 289 kills (2.9/set), 47 aces, 53 blocks, 119 digs (1.2/set)

Of note: IHSVCA Class 2A All-State second team

Reagan Beitler, South Adams

Class: Senior

Position: Setter

Statistics: 145 kills (1.3/set), 73 aces, 376 digs (3.4/set), 644 assists (5.9/set)

Of note: 1A/2A Senior All-Star

Sydney Blackwell, Concordia

Class: Junior

Position: Middle hitter

Statistics: 360 kills (4.0/set), 47 aces, 57 blocks, 110 digs (1.2/set)

Of note: 3A/4A Junior All-State

Reagan Bollenbacher, South Adams

Class: Senior

Position: Outside hitter

Statistics: 304 kills (2.9/set), 25 aces, 392 digs (3.7/set)

Of note: 1A/2A Senior All-Star

Victoria Crozier, Woodlan

Class: Senior

Position: Setter

Statistics: 56 kills, 27 aces, 32 blocks, 151 digs (1.5/set), 874 assists (8.8/set)

Of note: Signed with Trine

Keira Dommer, Concordia

Class: Senior

Position: Setter

Statistics: 52 aces, 200 digs (2.4/set), 863 assists (10.2/set)

Of note: SAC Glass Spike winner

Sophia Gisslen, Carroll

Class: Senior

Position: Setter

Statistics: 46 kills, 37 aces, 36 blocks, 135 digs (1.6/set), 878 assists (10.5/set)

Of note: IHSVCA Class 4A All-State second team; signed with Quinnipiac

Cala Haffner, Carroll

Class: Sophomore

Position: Defensive specialist

Statistics: 60 aces, 432 digs (4.0/set), 133 assists (1.2/set)

Of note: MaxPreps second-team All-America

Maya Harris, Angola

Class: Senior

Position: Outside hitter

Statistics: 637 kills (6.3/set), 177 aces (1.8/set), 228 digs (2.3/set)

Of note: Ms. Volleyball finalist; led the state in aces

Ellie Hepler, Warsaw

Class: Senior

Position: Libero

Statistics: 73 aces, 555 digs (5.2/set), 99 assists

Of note: Signed with Indiana; IHSVCA Class 4A All-State first team

Elyse Mead, West Noble

Class: Sophomore

Position: Outside hitter

Statistics: 530 kills (5.6/set), 44 aces, 25 blocks, 314 digs (3.3/set)

Of note: IHSVCA Class 3A All-State second team

Elli Oskey, Carroll

Class: Junior

Position: S/RS

Statistics: 194 kills (1.8/set), 21 aces, 58 blocks, 330 assists (3.1/set)

Of note: 3A/4A Junior All-Star

Abbie Powell, Southern Wells

Class: Sophomore

Position: Middle blocker

Statistics: 503 kills (5.1/set), 83 aces, 79 blocks, 350 digs (3.6/set)

Of note: Led state with a 0.564 hitting percentage; ACAC Player of the Year

MaryKate Scheumann, Bellmont

Class: Senior

Position: Outside hitter

Statistics: 508 kills (4.8/set), 30 aces, 434 digs (4.1/set)

Of note: Signed with Purdue

Bailey Sinish, Carroll

Class: Senior

Position: Outside hitter

Statistics: 557 kills (5.4/set), 62 aces (0.6/set), 47 blocks (0.5/set), 219 digs (4.0/set)

Of note: Indiana Ms. Volleyball winner; MaxPreps first-team All-America

Sarah Stegall, Carroll

Class: Junior

Position: Outside hitter

Statistics: 270 kills (2.6/set), 19 aces, 24 blocks, 60 digs

Of note: IHSVCA Class 4A All-State second team

Reagan Edwards, Warsaw, MB

Cece Goode, Warsaw, OH

Braelynn Hodgeman, Bishop Dwenger, RS/S

Delaney Johnson, Lakewood Park Christian, L/OH

Victoria Kim, Canterbury, OH/MB

Reagan Lyons, Homestead, OH/OPP

Lindsay Snyder, Bishop Dwenger, OH

Aspen Sutton, Angola, S/DS/L

Laney Trausch, South Adams, S

KaVeaya Turner, Concordia, MH

Emma Vachon, Norwell, S/DS

Kylie Walz, East Noble, L/DS

Nicolette Watercutter, Bishop Dwenger, OH

Emersyn Weaver, Leo, OH/DS

Also honored

High Honorable Mention

Bellmont: Ella Ross, Taylor Sutter

Bishop Dwenger: Genevieve Renbarger, Claire Shively

Bishop Luers: Taylor Albers, Aubriana Flotow

Blackhawk Christian: Cici Sefton, Lily Stangland

Carroll: Hayden Finefrock, Katelyn Peters, Lauren Peters, Lola Sasse, Addi Shippy

Canterbury: Alexa Coble, Sophia Miller

Churubusco: Kelsee Coil, McKayla Reuter

Columbia City: Elizabeth Blackburn

East Noble: Ava Larson

Eastside: Adelaide Elden

Garrett: Sarah DePew, Kaylee Gaar, Amelia Kesterke

Heritage: Maya Ehrman, Ava Johnson

Homestead: Lyla Tindall, Savannah Walker

Huntington North: Grace Anderson

Lakewood Park Christian: Emilia Crider

Leo: Isabella Hensley

Northrop: Madison Corley

Norwell: Macie Saalfrank

Snider: Lindsay Gonzalez, Oriana Smiley, Arielle Stephens

Warsaw: Madison Branam

Wawasee: Hadley Allen

Wayne: Jasmine Fowlkes, Story Gaines

West Noble: Izzy Beers, Reagan Eash, Ella Limerick

Whitko: Meredith Hindbaugh

Honorable Mention

Adams Central: Katie Summers

Angola: Mady Conrad, Khloe Stanner

Bellmont: Gracie Riggs, Lilly Selking

Bishop Dwenger: Maddie Gephart, Kobi Johnson

Bishop Luers: Vahsti Garcia, Victoria Strack

Bluffton: Konley Ault

Carroll: Paityn Lauck

Central Noble: Katie Forker, Jaylee Slone, Grace Swank, Jalayna Winebrenner

Columbia City: Breana Rumschlag, Sophia Van Buskirk

Concordia: Bella Dellinger, Courtney Inman, Shelby Petersen

DeKalb: Vivian Irk, Lilli VanGessel

East Noble: Alyssa Desper, Izzy Leffers, Carys Shire

Eastside: Lauren Hickey, Rylan Moughler

Fremont: Chloe Verdin

Garrett: Rilyn Flotow, Kaelynn York

Heritage: Alana Gutshall, Lexie Walter

Lakeland Christian: Eva Meza

Leo: Mia Norris, Rhianna Wallace Porter, Leah Shappell

New Haven: Annika Koepke

North Side: Desire Buckhanon, Sieriphoe Luangphaxayachack, Shilin Warren

Northrop: Kalaeh Alexander, Maleah Schmucker, Jersey Webb

Norwell: Izzy Anderson, Autumn Lee, Hope Mitchell

Snider: Ava DeFay, Denny-Lynn Dunton, Jasmine Gates

South Adams: Avery Brown, Reece Beitler

South Side: Na’Kayla Williams

Warsaw: Avary Hoeppner, Maddie Williamson

Wawasee: Jadyn Klenke

Wayne: Lexie Clark, Marlo Schinbeckler

Whitko: Caitlin Beer

Woodlan: Makaila Gruber

– Victoria Jacobsen, The Journal Gazette



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Men’s Basketball Closes Calendar Year at Colgate on Sunday in Non-League Finale

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December 27, 2025

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CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard Men’s Basketball closes the 2025 calendar year at Colgate University on Sunday, Dec. 28 at 2:00 p.m. (ESPN+) at Cotterell Court in Hamilton, New York in the Crimson’s non-league finale.

What to Know

  • Harvard features four double-figure scorers on the year in a group that includes sophomore guard Robert Hinton (16.5 points per game), senior guard Chandler Piggé (13.7), sophomore guard Tey Barbour (11.5), and junior forward Thomas Batties II (10.3).

  • Among the Crimson’s four double-figure scorers, three of them averaged fewer than 7.0 points per game as first-years. Senior Chandler Piggé (1.9 points per game in 2022-23; 13.7 in 2025-26), junior Thomas Batties II (6.8 points per game in 2023-24; 10.3 in 2025-26), and sophomore Tey Barbour (4.8 points per game in 2024-25; 11.5 in 2025-26) have all increased their production over their careers.

  • In the Ivy League rankings, Harvard stands second in free throw percentage (78.5), second in steals per game (7.46), third in scoring defense (68.3), and fourth in field goal percentage (47.0). In the NCAA, the Crimson sits sixth in fewest fouls per game (13.5), ninth in free throw percentage (78.5), and 70th in scoring defense (68.3).

  • Sophomore guard Robert Hinton has averaged 16.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.6 steals per game on the year, while shooting 84.5 percent on free throws. Hinton ranks first in the Ivy League in field goals (79), second in steals per game (1.6), third in points (214), third in free throws (49), third in free throw percentage (84.5), sixth in points per game (16.5), and sixth in minutes per game (31.2). On the year, he has scored in double figures 10 times, netted 20 or more points four times, and eclipsed 30 points twice. He earned Ivy League Player of the Week honors on Dec. 8. Hinton – the 2024-25 Ivy League Rookie of the Year – averaged 14.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per game in 2024-25.

  • Hinton dropped a career-high 35 points on 12-of-22 field goals and 11-of-12 free throws with eight rebounds at UMass (Dec. 3). Hinton poured in 34 points on 13-of-17 field goals, 4-of-5 3-pointers, and 4-of-4 free throws vs. BU (Nov. 22). He totaled 26 points, five rebounds, and five assists at Furman (Dec. 6) and scored 22 points vs. UNH (Nov. 9). Hinton notched 16 points and seven boards vs. Holy Cross (Dec. 20) and contributed 16 points at Army (Nov. 15). He netted 13 points, including the go-ahead free throws with 5.1 seconds left at Marist (Nov. 16) and added 12 points and nine rebounds at BC (Nov. 26).

  • Senior guard Chandler Piggé has posted 13.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per game on the year. He ranks fourth in the Ivy League in field goals (70), fourth in assist/turnover ratio (2.2), fourth in steals per game (1.5), fourth in minutes per game (32.4), fifth in assists per game (3.5), seventh in points (178), and ninth in points per game (13.7). He has scored in double figures in 10 games on the year. Piggé – an Honorable Mention All-Ivy selection and CSC Academic All-District honoree last season – notched 13.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game in 2024-25. He has steadily increased his production over his career, averaging 1.9 points per game in 2022-23, 8.1 points per game in 2023-24, and 13.1 points per game in 2024-25.

  • Piggé totaled 23 points and six assists, while shooting 8-of-11 from the floor vs. UNH (Nov. 9). He dropped 21 points with a career-high nine assists at Penn State (Nov. 19). Piggé posted 16 points and seven rebounds vs. Holy Cross (Dec. 20). He registered 14 points against both Army (Nov. 15) and Marist (Nov. 16), connecting on a game-tying 3-pointer with 35.8 seconds left against the Red Foxes. He netted 15 points against both Northeastern (Nov. 11) and Bryant (Nov. 29).

  • Sophomore guard Tey Barbour has registered 11.5 points and a team-high 5.5 rebounds per game on the year, while shooting 41.0 percent from 3-point distance. Barbour ranks fourth in the Ivy League in 3-pointers made (32), fifth in 3-pointers per game (2.5), fifth in minutes per game (31.5), and 11th in rebounds per game (5.5). He has scored in double figures in nine games on the year. Barbour notched 4.8 points and 1.8 rebounds per game on the year in 2024-25.

  • Barbour scored a career-high 18 points with eight rebounds vs. Holy Cross (Dec. 20), hitting 4-of-5 3-pointers. He posted 15 points and nine rebounds at BC (Nov. 26) after scoring 15 points vs. BU (Nov. 22). He posted 14 points, six rebounds, and a career-high four made 3-pointers vs. UNH (Nov. 9) before netting 12 points on four 3-pointers vs. Northeastern (Nov. 11). He compiled 12 points and seven rebounds at Penn State (Nov. 19). Barbour netted 10 points and hit the game-winning 3-pointer vs. Bryant (Nov. 29).

  • Junior forward Thomas Batties II has registered 10.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game on the year, while shooting 48.5 percent from the field and 52.4 percent from 3-point distance. He ranks fourth in the Ivy League in 3-point percentage (52.4) and sixth in blocks per game (1.0). He has scored in double figures eight times on the year. In 2024-25, Batties II averaged 11.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game on the year after registering 6.8 points and 4.2 rebounds per game on the 2023-24 season.

  • Batties II tallied a season-high 17 points, career-high five made 3-pointers, and a career-high six assists at Penn State (Nov. 19). He scored a game-high 17 points against both MIT (Nov. 7) and Army (Nov. 15). Batties II posted 14 points and a career-high six assists vs. BU (Nov. 22) and notched 13 points at BC (Nov. 26) and vs. UMass (Dec. 3). He totaled 12 points and nine rebounds vs. Bryant (Nov. 29).

  • Sophomore guard Austin Hunt has tallied 7.2 points and 3.1 rebounds per game on the year, while shooting 55.1 percent from the field. He ranks sixth in the Ivy League in field goal percentage (55.1). Hunt scored a career-high 19 points on 8-of-9 field goals and 3-of-4 3-pointers vs. Holy Cross (Dec. 20). He notched 13 points, six rebounds, and three assists vs. UNH (Nov. 9) and netted 10 points at Furman (Dec. 6). Hunt averaged 7.8 points and 3.6 rebounds per game in 2024-25.

  • Sophomore guard Ben Eisendrath has notched 5.1 points, 3.0 assists, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game on the year, while shooting 51.1 percent from the field. Eisendrath ranks third in the Ivy League in steals per game (1.6) and 10th in assists per game (3.0). He scored a career-high 15 points on 6-of-7 field goals at Penn State (Nov. 19) and netted 10 points at Furman (Dec. 6). Eisendrath distributed a career-high nine assists vs. BU (Nov. 22).

  • Harvard and Colgate have met 24 times with the Crimson holding a slight lead in the all-time series, 13-11. The Crimson has won the last eight matchups, including a 78-67 home victory last season. 

Next Up

Harvard hosts Dartmouth on Monday, Jan. 5 at 7:00 p.m. (ESPN+) at Lavietes Pavilion in its Ivy League opener.
 



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Iowa City Liberty grad Shelby Kimm stars as a Division II volleyball All-American

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13 hours ago

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December 27, 2025

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NORTH Liberty, Iowa (KCRG) – A former Iowa high school volleyball star has earned All-American recognition at the college level.

Shelby Kimm, a three-time all-state selection at Iowa City Liberty, was named a Division II All-American this year for St. Cloud State University in Minnesota. The junior led her Husky team this season with nearly 3.4 kills per set.

The Huskies have made it to the round of 16 of the NCAA Tournament each of the past two years, which is tied for the best finish in program history.

After winning a state title at Liberty, Kimm wanted to experience college outside of Iowa.

“We had so many people on our team that were probably their best or one of the best on their high school or club team when you put a lot of those players together it can be a little challenging cause they’re not used to maybe not playing as much,” Kimm said. “You definitely have to work really hard and I think I learned that nothing is guaranteed you have to go into college and work your butt off and hopefully your coaches recognize that and that’s why I try to do.”

Kimm says she’s already excited to get back on the court for her senior season next year.

Three other Iowans are listed on the SCSU roster, including Kimm’s Liberty teammate Asta Hildebrand, Grundy Center alum Carlie Willis and Aplington-Parkersburg alum Kinsey Mohwinkle.

Copyright 2025 KCRG. All rights reserved.



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Men’s Volleyball Picked Second In Preseason AVCA Poll

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15 hours ago

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December 27, 2025

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LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Hawai’i men’s volleyball team was picked No. 2 in the AVCA preseason poll, marking the eighth consecutive year it earned a top 3 preseason ranking.
 
The Rainbow Warriors earned seven first place votes and 473 total points, just eight points behind preseason favorite UCLA, who garnered 12 first place votes. Long Beach State was third with five first place votes and 460 points.
 
UH’s schedule features seven teams ranked in the preseason Top 10 and 11 teams in the Top 20.
 
Hawai’i finished last season with a No. 3 final AVCA ranking after advancing to the NCAA Championship semifinal round. The No. 3 ranking marked the eighth consecutive year with a Top 5 national finish. The Warriors completed the year with a 27-6 mark and captured their fourth Big West Championship title, defeating eventual national champion Long Beach State in the championship match.  
 
Head coach Charlie Wade, who became the program’s all-time winningest coach last season, is entering his 17th season at the helm with a career record of 319-131.
 
UH opens the 2026 season with a two-match series against NJIT, Friday, Jan. 2 and Sunday, Jan. 4.
 
 

#HawaiiMVB

 
 



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