Sports
How women's basketball is delivering "a huge return on investment"
Even though it has rights to virtually every US major league, the first live sports broadcast that ESPN chose to air on its Disney+ streaming service was the opening night of the 2024 Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) season.
It was an endorsement of the growing fanfare that was building around the league ahead of the imminent arrival of Caitlin Clark, whose participation in Women’s March Madness just months earlier had contributed to record viewership of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) flagship basketball tournament.
The decision ultimately paid off for ESPN as the game between Clark’s Indiana Fever and Connecticut Sun became what, at the time, was the most-watched WNBA game ever across its platforms. It set a precedent for the 2024 season, which delivered a 170 per cent increase in viewership for the Disney-owned network compared to the previous campaign.
Based on ESPN’s opening broadcast of the 2025 season, which saw Clark’s Fever and Angel Reese’s Chicago Sky play out the most-watched WNBA game in 25 years, those numbers show no sign of slowing.
“The viewership is one aspect of a number of metrics that have seen exponential growth to reflect that something truly special is happening right now,” says Matt Kenny, ESPN’s vice president of programming and acquisitions for basketball, combat sports and lacrosse.
“One of our company priorities is audience expansion and the 2024 WNBA season was an incredible year for us. The type of audience growth that we see doesn’t happen by pulling in one particular segment. In order to achieve the results that we saw, it’s almost like dropping the pebble in the pond where you see the circles go out in every direction, and that’s what we saw.”
ESPN is the only network that has aired the WNBA every year since its inaugural season, but it wasn’t the only one of the league’s expanding group of broadcast partners that benefitted from improved television ratings in 2024. CBS averaged 1.10 million viewers, making it the network’s most-watched regular season ever, while viewership of Friday night games on Scripps-owned Ion increased 133 per cent to 670,000.
As a result, the WNBA’s broadcast partners have been able to more effectively monetise their rights. According to Forbes, Disney’s WNBA ad revenue has increased by 641 per cent since 2022, while Ion boasted of more than 20 new advertising partners for its 2024 coverage when detailing its viewership figures.
All of that would have significantly strengthened the hand of the WNBA and National Basketball Association (NBA) as they entered negotiations over the women’s league’s next broadcast deal, which resulted in an 11-year agreement worth US$200 million per year, an increase of 250 per cent on the US$57 million it currently receives.
It’s also worth highlighting that this deal comes less than two decades after the WNBA first received a fee for its media rights in 2007. Even then, there are some who believe that it could have been more.
“I think that deal might have been done maybe a little too soon, because they didn’t have much to project on in terms of the growth of the sport,” Terri Carmichael Jackson, the executive director of the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA), tells SportsPro.
“We hadn’t really seen it yet. There was an explosion that was sure to happen. I think those of us who were just so passionate about this business and passionate about advocating for the players, we were just like, ‘oh, this is great, but did we do it too soon?’”
ESPN has broadcast the WNBA since its inaugural season in 2007
“People are just leaned in harder”
Either way, broadcasters and sponsors are upping their investment into women’s basketball. The audience growth and broader media coverage of both the WNBA and the college game is one of the reasons that the sport is becoming more attractive to sponsors, who are increasingly seeing women’s basketball as an opportunity to reach their target market.
Though the WNBA shares several partners with its male counterpart, the league overhauled its sponsorship strategy in 2020 by introducing the ‘Changemakers’ platform, which allows partners to play a strategic role in the development of the competition in addition to their financial investment, creating another layer of storytelling.
Deloitte, for example, has helped the WNBA transform its digital footprint. Google’s investment, meanwhile, ensured that more games received national broadcast coverage on ESPN, while it also drives awareness for the league through its search engines and platforms.
Speaking at SportsPro New York in March, Colie Edison, the WNBA’s chief growth officer, said the Changemakers are the organisation’s “largest investors” both from “a marketing sponsorship standpoint” and in terms of “the transformation of our league”.
“When it comes to WNBA partnerships, they need to be authentic and intentional,” she continued. “We will never do a logo slap, and we’ll never partner with a brand that doesn’t share our core values.
“These investments need to be intentional. They need to be purposeful. But ultimately, there’s a huge return on investment when it comes to partnering with women’s sports. We saw the average viewership numbers increase alongside the average spend of a brand partner.”
While its growing reach has undoubtedly strengthened the WNBA’s appeal among brands, several individuals interviewed for this series referenced the diversity and passion of its audience as one factor driving the sport’s commercial growth.
According to Edison, 55 per cent of the league’s fanbase is male, while data shared with SportsPro shows that 40 per cent of ESPN’s WNBA viewers are women. That is slightly different to Ion, where 45 per cent of the audience is female, though ESPN saw its viewership among girls aged two to 17 and women between 18 and 34 increase 164 per cent and 225 per cent in 2024, respectively.
Edison also pointed out that the WNBA was named by Morning Consult as the fastest-growing brand in 2024, which was determined based on the share of US consumers who say they would consider purchasing from the league over the course of the year. She also claimed that fans of the WNBA are 185 per cent more likely to buy from a brand that supports the competition.
“They’re unbelievably loyal,” Patty Morris, head of brand at State Farm, says of the women’s basketball fanbase. “They’re rabid fans around this. And I think anytime you get people who are connected to a passion, and then there’s this sort of underdog mentality, people are just leaned in harder.”
‘I can’t remember something that’s had that sort of growth trajectory’
While not a WNBA Changemaker, State Farm first partnered with the league in 2013, making it one of the organisation’s longest-standing sponsors. The insurance company also became an official partner of Unrivaled ahead of the three-on-three tournament’s inaugural season and counts Caitlin Clark and highly touted prospect Juju Watkins as ambassadors, giving it a ubiquitous presence in women’s basketball.
State Farm has an extensive collection of sponsorships in sport, including arena naming rights deals with the Arizona Cardinals and Atlanta Hawks. But Morris describes women’s sports – and women’s basketball in particular – as “the fastest-growing piece of that portfolio”.
“I can’t remember a time like that in my 25-year history of working in marketing where something’s had that sort of growth trajectory,” she continues. “So obviously we’re going to be there because that’s where the people are.”
Other marketers are increasingly of the same opinion. SponsorUnited estimates that the WNBA secured a 19 per cent increase in sponsorship deals between the 2023 and 2024 seasons, while the data and intelligence company ranks six of the league’s players among the top ten most-endorsed professional athletes in women’s sports.
Women’s basketball has long been considered one of the most socially progressive sports, but the way players are leveraging social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram to showcase their interests and routines is opening the sport up to more female-focused brands.
Indeed, State Farm is now being flanked by companies in less traditional sponsorship categories who are entering the WNBA through a mix of league and team deals, whether it be celebrity-owned brands like Kim Kardashian’s Skims and Rhianna’s Fenty or dating app Bumble and hair care specialist Mielle.
That growing demand has also benefitted new properties like Unrivaled, which had signed up the likes of Ally Financial, Sephora and Icy Hot as sponsors before playing a game. According to league president Alex Bazzell, the tournament was expecting less than half of the revenue that it ended up generating during its inaugural 2024 season.
“I think the thing that put us at an ultimate advantage is women’s basketball, women’s sports, is skyrocketing across the board,” says Bazzell. “Brands are looking to deploy and diversify their investments of marketing dollars.
“For us, you look at the main pillars of women’s sports, you have WNBA, you have NWSL, you have WTA in women’s tennis, and then you have a lot of new challenger, emerging products that are still trying to find their footprint, whether it’s women’s hockey, volleyball, European soccer leagues, or college basketball.
“So for us, that’s where we fit into the perfect timing, where we are off-season of all the three main characters that I’ve already mentioned. So now we’re sitting in a silo of a time period where brands are looking to have that 360 touchpoint [with] women’s sports, but limited opportunity. So that was number one that played to our advantage on the sponsorship side.”
The commercial success of Unrivaled in its inaugural season was another sign of the growing appeal of women’s basketball among sponsors
“We get to be very selective about who we do business with”
Just as sponsors are buying up inventory, the women’s basketball fanbase is showing a growing appetite for products around their favourite players.
Unrivaled recently struck a deal with the WNBPA and OneTeam Partners, the company that helps players’ unions commercialise their group licensing rights, to sell merchandise and other products, which is another area of women’s basketball where business is booming.
Speaking to SportsPro, Ricky Medina, OneTeam’s head of consumer products licensing, claims what’s happening on the product side of women’s basketball is “going to be the catalyst for the next generation of fans”.
Medina says the WNBPA now has around 40 licensees spanning traditional product categories like trading cards, jerseys and video games, but notes that there has been considerable growth in areas like premium apparel, toys and collectibles through collaborations with companies such as Funko and Party Animal.
As a result, the WNBPA’s commercial revenue grew 450 per cent in 2024 compared to the previous year, according to Medina, who notes that more than ten of the union’s licensees were generating between US$500,000 to US$1 million from sales of their products last year compared to two in 2023. More specifically, Panini has now eclipsed US$20 million in annual WNBA trading card sales.
“Projections are even higher than that going into 2025,” Medina says. “That’s the story. That’s what we’re seeing across every single licensee, maybe not necessarily at that exact quantum of growth, but we’re seeing growth for everybody.
“So we’re entering the stage where we get to be very selective about who we do business with, which is a shift from three, four or five years ago.”
Women’s basketball fans are showing a growing appetite for WNBA products and merchandise
Indeed, all of this paints a picture of a maturing commercial ecosystem around women’s basketball that didn’t exist even ten years ago.
The term virtuous cycle is used often in relation to women’s sport, where the theory is that increased investment, media coverage and participation will lead to further growth and development. As commercial partners continue to see return on their investments in women’s basketball, there is a sense that the cycle in very much in motion.
“The business case, to me, is that’s where consumers are, so that’s where we’re going to go,” says Morris. “And as long as people are flocking to that environment and that trajectory is going upward, that’s the right investment for us against our entire portfolio.
“The good thing about that uptick, or hockey stick in terms of demand, is that it also breeds innovation. You’re seeing that happen, and that’s going to create new opportunity for brands and advertisers to do more different things. It’s going to create more opportunity for the women in this sport and the leagues.
“And to me, that’s a rising tide that’s going to raise all boats. As that continues to happen, then the business investment question becomes less and less of a question, and I think we’re seeing that play out.”
This is the third instalment of a multi-part series on the business of women’s basketball, which explores the ongoing commercial growth of the sport and how those within the game are looking to capitalise.
To read part one, click here. To read part two, click here. To have future articles delivered directly to your inbox, sign up to the SportsPro Daily here.
O’Sullivan owned the previous record which he set in 2025 at the Armory. His new school record cleared the bar at 18′ 2.5 (5.5m) and was an Ott Center record as well.
“Great start to the year,” said Bobby Farrell, director of track & field and cross country. “We were able to come out of the gate strong and get some NCAA top ranked performances. The field events were outstanding today. We’re looking forward to next week when we open up the majority of the track events.”
A dominant showing in the field events helped spark one of the program’s best season-opening performances. The Scarlet Knights posted six first-place finishes and a number of marks near the top of the NCAA rankings.
Rutgers took the top spot in the triple, long and high jump events. Malachi Yehudah was first in the high jump, clearing 2.11m (6′ 11″), while Sincere Robinson won the long jump. The Big Ten Champion and NCAA qualifier posted a mark of 7.77m (25′ 6″) in his first action in nearly a year after returning from injury. Donavan Anderson finished first in the triple jump with a leap of 15.89m (52′ 1.75″).
The Scarlet Knights also took second place in three field events on the men’s side. Anthony Conrey finished runner up to Robinson in the long jump with a leap of 7.03m (23′ 0.75″), while Daniel Arana followed Anderson in the triple jump with a distance of 15.33m (50′ 3.50″). Brian O’Sullivan was second in the pole vault, clearing a height of 5.45m (17′ 10.5″).
Andrew Krall finished first in the weight throw, earning a mark of 19.43m (63′ 9″) and Celine-Jada Brown turned in the first-place effort on the women’s side. Also coming back from a yearlong hiatus, Brown returned to her Big Ten Champion and NCAA qualifier form as she took first in the long jump with a distance of 6.45m (21′ 2″). The distance from Brown set the Ott Center record for the event.
Also supporting the effort on the women’s side was Jenovia Logan, who took second in the high jump with a height of 1.78m (5′ 10″), followed by Alanna Woolfolk in third, clearing 1.72m (5′ 7.75″). Tey’ana Ames finished second in the shot put with a throw of 15.45m (50′ 8.25″), while Llyric Driscoll and Ayotunde Folawewo went 3-4 in the triple jump. Driscoll jumped 12.34m (40′ 6″), followed by Folawewo with a distance of 12.33m (40′ 5.50″).
Anna Barber finished third in the weight throw, recording a distance of 16.70m (54′ 9.5″).
Rutgers will make a return trip to the Ott Center next week for the Quaker Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 17.
Penn Select
Men’s Results
Pole Vault
1. Kevin O’Sullivan 5.55m (18′ 2.5″) – SCHOOL RECORD
2. Brian O’Sullivan 5.45m (17′ 10.5″)
High Jump
1. Malachi Yehudah 2.11m (6′ 11″)
Long Jump
1. Sincere Robinson 7.77m (25′ 6″)
2. Anthony Conrey 7.03m (23′ 0.75″)
Triple Jump
1. Donavan Anderson 15.89m (52′ 1.75″)
2. Daniel Arana 15.33m (50′ 3.50″)
Weight Throw
1. Andrew Krall 19.43m (63′ 9″)
400M
2. Gabriel Rodriguez 48.83
Women’s Results
High Jump
2. Jenovia Logan 1.78m (5′ 10″)
3. Alanna Woolfolk 1.72m (5′ 7.75″)
Long Jump
1. Celine-Jada Brown 6.45m (21′ 2″)
Shot Put
2. Tey’ana Ames 15.45m (50′ 8.25″)
Triple Jump
3. Llyric Driscoll 12.34m (40′ 6″)
4. Ayotunde Folawewo 12.33m (40′ 5.50″)
Weight Throw
3. Anna Barber 16.70m (54′ 9.5″)
Sports
Isaiah Cadengo Posts Pair of Top 10 Marks as Vikings Close Season-Opening Silver & Blue Invitational
RENO, Nev. — Isaiah Cadengo sat and watched as two of his teammates set top 10 marks on the first day of the Silver & Blue Invitational Friday. Saturday, Cadengo ran like a man eager to put his own name in the record books as the freshman sprinter posted a pair of top 10 marks to lead the Vikings on the second day of the meet at Reno Sparks Convention Center.
Cadengo opened the day in the men’s 400 meters where he placed second overall in 48.56 seconds. The time set a freshman record and moved him up to No. 2 overall in the indoor 400 meters at Portland State, all in his first-ever race as a Viking. Freshman Zach Payne followed at fourth in 49.80 seconds, moving him up to fifth in the freshman top 10.
Cadengo wasn’t done, however. He returned to the track for the 200 meters later in the day, and finished fifth in the event in 21.91 seconds. The time moved him up to second in the freshman rankings and fourth overall at Portland State.
Fellow freshman Jack Macdonald – one of the two stars for the Vikings Friday alongside Emma Stolte – nearly bettered Cadengo in the 200. Running in a later heat, Macdonald finished in 21.95 seconds, putting him third in the freshman rankings and fifth overall. Macdonald may have been able to push for a faster time but won his heat by more than half a second.
It was the second top 10 mark of the weekend for Macdonald. He got his first with a time of 6.93 seconds in the 60 meters Friday, moving him up to second in the freshman rankings and sixth overall.
Payne, meanwhile, followed his classmates with a time of 22.38 seconds in the 200 meters, earning him a second freshman top 10 of the day. Payne now ranks sixth in the 200 in the freshman record book.
Stolte, like Macdonald, followed a top 10 mark Friday with another Saturday. Fifth all-time in the mile after Friday, Stolte moved up to second all-time in the 800 meters with her finish in 2:11.99.
Stolte came within 0.34 seconds of the school record that Katie Camarena set at 2:11.65 in 2022. Camarena set seven school records that season, none of which have fallen since. Stolte came as close as anyone has to bettering one of Camarena’s records Saturday, however.
The Vikings also got a pair of event wins out of their field athletes Saturday. One didn’t come with much suspense as Edward Niyongere was the only athlete in the men’s triple jump after another athlete scratched. Even still, Niyongere jumped 46-07.50 (14.21m) on his second attempt, a mark that would have put him in the top 10 if he wasn’t already ranked sixth all-time.
Freshman Natalie Fisher, meanwhile, had a more dramatic win in the women’s shot put. She passed Nevada’s Johanna Haas on her final attempt with a personal-best throw of 40-00.00 (12.19m). Fisher, who improved on all six attempts during the competition, added close to 15 inches to her overall best in the shot put with the winning mark.
The winning throw also moved Fisher up to third in the freshman rankings in the shot put. She entered the freshman top 10 in the weight throw Friday, moving up to eighth with a throw of 38-04.00 (11.68m).
A number of other Vikings competing Saturday showed improvement over their season openers a year ago. That group included all four Vikings competing in the women’s 200 meters. Tori Forst and Sienna Rosario led that group at third and fourth overall, respectively, while finishing in 25.36 and 25.66 seconds. Forst’s time was better than her first two 200-meter times last season. Rosario’s, meanwhile, was close to two seconds faster than their season opener a year ago.
Savannah Beasley placed 14th in the women’s 200 meters in 26.76 seconds, setting a personal best by 1.7 seconds. Ashley Peterson placed 16th in 26.90 seconds, eleven-hundredths of a second faster than her season opener in 2025.
Dillon Brost did the same thing on the men’s side of the 200 meters. The sophomore placed 17th overall in 22.98 seconds, not a personal best but two and a half seconds better than his season opener as a freshman.
Aidan Sweeney set an overall personal best with his 200-meter finish in 23.71 seconds.
Freshman Farhan Ibrahim shaved close to eight seconds off his indoor best in the 3k while finishing second in the event in 8:56.79. Luke Gillingham followed at fourth in 9:03.13, shaving 13 seconds off his best in the 3k.
The Vikings will be back in action next week when they head to Seattle, Wash., for the UW Preview next Friday and Saturday.
Silver & Blue Invitational
Reno Sparks Convention Center
Reno, Nev.
Jan. 9-10, 2026
Women’s Results:
60m (Prelims): 3. Tori Forst, 7.74; 7. Sienna Rosario, 7.94; 11. Aida Wheat, 8.14. 60m (Final): 2. Tori Forst, 7.67; 7. Sienna Rosario, 7.92. 200m: 3. Tori Forst, 25.36; 4. Sienna Rosario, 25.66; 14. Savannah Beasley, 26.76; 16. Ashley Peterson, 26.90. 400m: 4. Ashley Peterson, 1:00.85. 600m: 6. Hannah Butterfield, DQ. 800m: 2. Emma Stolte, 2:11.99. 1,000m: 1. Hannah Butterfield, 3:07.26. Mile: 1. Emma Stolte, 4:54.25; 9. Sam Sharp, 5:33.24; 11. Libby Fox, 5:45.67. 3,000m: 7. Sam Sharp, 10:59.76; 10. Libby Fox, 11:26.42. 60H (Prelims): 15. Savannah Beasley, 9.66. Shot Put: 1. Natalie Fisher, 40-00.00 (12.19m). Weight Throw: 3. Natalie Fisher, 38-04.00 (11.68m).
Men’s Results:
60m (Prelims): 4. Jack Macdonald, 6.99; 16. Dillon Brost, 7.25. 60m (Final): 4. Jack Macdonald, 6.93. 200m: 5. Isaiah Cadengo, 21.91; 7. Jack Macdonald, 21.95; 9. Zach Payne, 22.38; 17. Dillon Brost, 22.98; 21. Aidan Sweeney, 23.71; Preston Jones, DNF. 400m: 2. Isaiah Cadengo, 48.56; 4. Zach Payne, 49.80; 5. Preston Jones, 51.36. 1,000m: 1. Amir Ahmed, 2:41.49. Mile: 5. Luke Gillingham, 4:29.48; 6. Farhan Ibrahim, 4:31.46. 3,000m: 2. Farhan Ibrahim, 8:56.79; 4. Luke Gillingham, 9:03.13. 60H (Prelims): 4. Aidan Sweeney, 8.66; 5. Deghlan Johnson, 8.68. 60H (Final): 4. Deghlan Johnson, 8.60; 5. Aidan Sweeney, 8.68. Triple Jump: 1. Edward Niyongere, 46-07.50 (14.21m). Weight Throw: 1. Daniel Coppedge, 50-10.75 (15.51m); 3. Carter Green, 36-05.75 (11.12m).
Jan. 11, 2026, 5:01 a.m. ET
The Providence Journal is proud to announce the 2025 All-State Girls Volleyball first and second teams. The Journal Sports staff, with some help from the coaches associations, determines the first- and second-team members.
2025 Providence Journal All-State Girls Volleyball Team
First Team
Lyla Auth, Westerly
Senior, Outside hitter
Auth steered Westerly to its second girls volleyball championship as the best player in Division II. The Manhattan University commit finished with 268 kills and a 49.8 kill percentage this fall. The Bulldogs finished the year undefeated and Auth’s near-perfect play on the outside was the biggest reason.
Sports
Virat Kohli Creates History at 38, Smashes Three World Records in First ODI Against New Zealand
With this feat, Kohli surpassed the record of legendary Sachin Tendulkar by becoming the fastest player to reach 28,000 international runs, achieving the landmark in just 624 innings. In comparison, Sachin Tendulkar took 644 innings, while Sri Lanka great Kumar Sangakkara reached the mark in 666 innings.
Kohli reached the milestone with a boundary, needing just 25 runs before the match to complete 28,000 international runs. Earlier, only Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara had entered this elite club.
The New Zealand ODI also saw Kohli become the second-highest run-scorer in international cricket history. By scoring 42 runs in the match, he overtook Kumar Sangakkara, who has 28,016 international runs to his name. Sachin Tendulkar remains at the top of the list.
In Test cricket, Virat Kohli has scored 9,230 runs in 123 matches, while in T20 Internationals he has amassed 4,188 runs across 125 matches. Before the New Zealand series, Kohli had played 556 international matches, scoring 27,975 runs in 623 innings at an impressive average of 52.58, including 84 centuries and 145 half-centuries.
Adding to his rich vein of form, Kohli has registered two centuries and three half-centuries in his last five matches, underlining his consistency and match-winning ability.
Virat Kohli’s latest achievement not only reinforces his place among the greatest cricketers of all time but also highlights his unmatched longevity and hunger for excellence on the international stage.
Rasheed, also known as Casper, is a sports photographer who interned for The562 throughout his senior year of high school and is currently attending CSULB while continuing to freelance. To access his work, you can check his Instagram and site below:
Instagram: @visuals.casper
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The562’s coverage of Long Beach State athletics for the 2025-26 season is sponsored by Marilyn Bohl.
The No. 3 Long Beach State men’s volleyball team didn’t need to drop a set on opening weekend to shake off any early-season jitters.
The defending national champions opened the season at the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid with a pair of sweeps, dispatching Lindenwood on Friday before closing the weekend with a straight-set win over McKendree on Saturday night. While the Beach never dropped a set, Saturday’s match provided a sterner test, highlighted by a thrilling second set in a 25–22, 35–33, 25–16 victory.
“We’re proud of how our guys responded after last night,” head coach Nick MacRae said. “Tonight we played a good McKendree team, who we could very well see later in the season. We say in our locker room that we can learn as much from a win as we can from a loss. Last night was halftime, and we got our third-quarter response today.”
The Beach trailed by their largest margin of the night at three points during the second set and went on to fight off a preposterous eight McKendree set points. First-year setter Jake Pazanti led a balanced attack during that stretch and nailed an ace to give the Beach their final set point, followed by a McKendree hitting error that secured a two-set lead.
“It’s good for us long term,” said standout senior Skyler Varga of the second-set rally. “I think we needed to go through that, and even if we didn’t pull out the win in that set, I think it still would’ve been good for us to show that we can come back after being down. It definitely shows our team values, and we really need to go through those moments to be a national championship–level team this year.”
Varga had himself a match, finishing with nine kills on a team-high .368 hitting percentage along with five assists and 11 digs. Perhaps the most impressive stat came from behind the service line, where Varga accounted for seven of the Beach’s 10 aces with just one service error.
The senior outside hitter is coming off a stint as the youngest member of Team Canada in the Volleyball Nations League this past summer, where he emerged as one of the go-to options and capped the season with a 24-kill performance. Varga spoke about his experience and how it has prepared him for his future in the sport.
“Things are faster in international volleyball, and people are consistently hitting harder and making fewer errors,” he said. “It’s forced me to focus more on error management and helped me read the game better. No disrespect to NCAA volleyball, but it’s a little slower, which has made it easier for me to read.”
Opening weekend also gave the Beach a chance to flex some of its depth at opposite, where freshman Wojciech Gajek made his home debut on Friday before Daniil Hershtynovich got the start on Saturday night. Hershtynovich is coming off an injury last season and had a productive night, finishing with a game-high 12 kills.
“We flex our depth yet again, and you’re going to constantly see that,” MacRae said. “[Hershtynovich] got 30 swings and hit nearly .400—that’s a shoutout to him. Maybe early on he wasn’t able to find his serve, but that was part of the process tonight of building him up and letting him be himself, knowing that he’s been in those moments again and again. He was very physical tonight, and that’s exactly what this team needs him to be, and we’re very proud of him.”
Long Beach State also showed its depth on the outside, where Alex Kandev got the start and finished with seven kills. Connor Bloom entered the match permanently while the Beach trailed midway through the second set and chipped in a pair of kills.
At the net, the Beach totaled just 6.5 blocks after recording 12 on Friday night, but Saturday provided the middle blockers opportunities to make an impact elsewhere. Ben Braun had a solid night with seven kills on .500 hitting, while freshman Jackson Cryst finished with four kills on .500 hitting.
“They’re in charge of our entire unit at the net,” MacRae said. “Just because we don’t have the block stat, it’s about being on the other side of the net as much as possible. It was a good response by McKendree, so instead of saying we have to get 20 blocks, it’s about saying, ‘Ok, we had six blocks, but how many balls did we dig?’ It’s a credit to them. They did their job getting across the net.”
Long Beach State will now go on the road next to Ohio, where they’ll face a trio of games next week. That trip will conclude with a match at Ohio State on Saturday, before the Beach returns home to host Fort Valley State on Jan. 23.
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Kentucky AD explains NIL, JMI partnership and cap rules
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Sports3 weeks agoBadgers news: Wisconsin lands 2nd commitment from transfer portal
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Rec Sports1 week agoFive Youth Sports Trends We’re Watching in 2026
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Sports2 weeks agoKentucky VB adds an All-American honorable mention, loses Brooke Bultema to portal
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Motorsports3 weeks agoDr. Patrick Staropoli Lands Full-Time O’Reilly Ride with Big Machine Racing
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Motorsports2 weeks agoBangShift.com IHRA Acquires Historic Memphis Motorsports Park In Millington Tennessee. Big Race Weekend’s Planned For 2026!
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NIL2 weeks ago
Fifty years after IU’s undefeated champs … a Rose Bowl
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Sports2 weeks ago2025 Volleyball Player of the Year: Witherow makes big impact on Central program | Nvdaily
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Sports2 weeks agoH.S. INDOOR TRACK & FIELD: GLOW region athletes face off at Nazareth University | Sports
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Sports2 weeks agoColorado volleyball poised to repeat success
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Sports2 weeks agoTexas A&M volleyball’s sweep of Kentucky attracts record viewership