Sports
A work in progress
Before the Sampson County businessman talked about how the baseball and softball training will work, though, he wanted to highlight something more important: the tutoring rooms at the front of the building.
Included with the nets for the baseball training will be a golf simulator, so parents whose kids are practicing or training will have something to do, which Thornton noted was important.
He noted that he got equipment as well, including pitching machines and nets that he will install at his Clinton training facility.
“For me, this isn’t a retirement fund. This is all about the kids,” he added, the latter of which he repeated multiple times throughout the interview, highlighting that this project is truly for the student-athletes it will be serving.
“It’s about 30 feet to the wall,” said Thornton, pointing from the edge of the turf to the cinder blocks on the other side. “So anywhere between 30 and 40 feet, four or five nets, so that they can do teamwork. They can pitch and hit while having a pitcher throw to them. We can run lessons out of here.
With a budding soccer program in Sampson County, which allows kids to play together from a young age through high school, Thornton saw an opportunity to do something with baseball and softball. “We’re trying to rebuild our feeder programs, which is what we did with football eight or 10 years ago. That’s what I want to do with baseball,” he stressed
Thornton said he is hoping to have the practice facility open to both the public and travel teams by March 1, a date that has been pushed back from the original goal of having it completed this winter.
“I want my parents and the kids that come in here and use this facility to understand that they’re student-athletes and the student comes first,” he said, adding that his hope was to get the help of teachers, mentors, or possibly even other students, to come in and tutor others in whatever subject they might need help.
“I want them (the public) to know that if they need a place, there’s a place they can send kids. They can work with kids. They can work as a team,” he said.
Reach Brandt Young at (910) 247-9036, at byoung@clintonnc.com, or on the Sampson Independent Facebook page.
“I’d like to have different things in here to pull in different kinds of people,” he added. “Because when it’s nice and sunny, they’re gonna play baseball outside, which they should. But, if they want to work at night or on Saturday and Sunday when they’re not playing, we’ll fill that gap.”
Turning the corner past the dividing wall in the front of the building leads you straight to the newly-installed turf which lines the big, open space that once housed a gym.
“I can have Division 1 softball girls, Division 1 baseball boys. They can come give lessons.”
“Baseball has become important to me through my sons. I love to play it, too, but it’s really become important to me because of my kids. So, to see all the kids that go to Fayetteville, Wilmington, or to Raleigh and not have anything near — and the people that don’t (go to those cities) because they can’t travel much and go to other places — it was solving the problem by having them come here,” he continued.
A recent trip to Washington, D.C. led Thornton to the ABCA, or the American Baseball Coaches Association, which provided opportunities for the businessman to network and learn more about his new venture.
In a building that once housed Lean Bodz gym for over 30 years, owner Greg Thornton has taken it in a different direction, transforming it into a space for baseball and softball training.
A nutrition area will be added later on, Thornton noted, as well as a workout area consisting of treadmills, weight training, and a TV to “keep your mind off of it (training).”
The back portion of the building will serve more for pitchers, with three long lanes that they can practice their craft in. Like many things in the building, Thornton noted that this was a “work in a progress,” with changes still to come.
A local team is already taking advantage of the space, which isn’t complete, but has enough amenities to host some training. Coach Terry Smith, with the Clinton Colts, currently holds practice in the former gym at least twice a week, if not more. Thornton said Smith has about six teams he works out at the facility.
The property, at 212 Wall St., has sat vacant since Hurricane Florence came through the area. A combination of damage from the hurricane and the ensuing COVID-19 pandemic provided the perfect storm to make the gym less than viable, Thornton said.
The Badgers (27-4) were clicking on all cylinders in the first frame, as UW exploded for a .514 swinging percentage to jump out to a hot start in the first frame.
Wisconsin utilized a 5-0 serving run from libero Kristen Simon, highlighted by an ace turned in by the freshman—guiding the Badgers to a 15-9 advantage. UW and the Cardinal (29-5) continued to trade points throughout the latter half of the set, led by nine kills from outside hitter Mimi Colyer.
Stanford was quick to provide a response in this back-and-forth affair, as they put together three separate 3-0 runs to put away the Badgers and even up the match. UW fought back late with the help of a kill apiece from middle blocker Carter Booth and Colyer. Unfortunately for the Badgers, it was not enough, as they fell 21-25 to even up the match at one apiece.
The teams continued to be even throughout the first half of the third frame, with Stanford building a 17-14 cushion. In one of the largest turning points of the match, freshman Natalie Wardlow stepped up in the clutch with three-straight service aces to give UW an 18-17 lead. Wardlow’s four aces on the afternoon tied a career-best, as she last finished with four against No. 1 Nebraska on Oct. 31.
The Badgers kept the pressure on, forcing the Cardinal out of the system for the remainder of the third set. Right side Grace Egan capped it off with a kill to secure a 25-23 victory.
Set four brought the same intensity, as Wisconsin jumped out to a 10-6 lead with a pair of kills turned in by outside hitter Una Vajagic. The redshirt sophomore finished with her 10th double-double, hitting .411 with 13 kills, complemented by 11 digs on the defensive end.
The Cardinal battled and tied it up at 14-14 before the Badgers’ rattled off three consecutive points. Colyer racked up her 2,000th kill of her career in the process—accumulating a match-high 27 at Gregory Gym. The senior earned her final three in the late stages of set four, pushing Wisconsin to the Regional Finals.
Offensively, Booth tied a career-best with 14 kills, last doing so in the Regional Semifinal last season against Texas A&M. The Denver, Colorado, native swung .700 (14 – 0 – 20) against the Cardinal, as she finished errorless for the fourth-straight match.
Middle blocker Alicia Andrew joined her in the process, racking up seven kills on nine attempts without an attack error.
Setter Charlie Fuerbringer was the centerpiece throughout the entirety of the match, tallying a career-high 61 assists to guide the Badgers to their highest hitting percentage in a four-set match in program history.
Straight from the Court
Head Coach Kelly Sheffield (on this afternoon’s match): “It was just two teams that were just battling like crazy. The level of talent out there on the court and the level of play out there, that easily could have been a Final Four match. It’s unusual to see that high level and back-and-forth in the Sweet 16.”
(On freshman Natalie Wardlow’s serving): “It was huge because we were down by a few points, and she got in there and got three aces in a row. She’s put in the work, and she’s got that ability to doubt people as a passer and get you doubting. She’s got that ability, we have a few of those players who can do that.”
Middle Blocker Carter Booth (on what went right offensively): “I think it was just coming into the match with the mentality that we’re on the attack, knowing that we have a bit of an advantage in transition from what we’ve studied over the film. I think it was really an emphasis for us to always be the ones throwing punches, not the ones taking them.”
Outside Hitter Mimi Colyer (on playing in marquee matches): “I want to get in these big games and be competitive and play with a group of girls that want to win and need to win. I think our team is doing just that, I think we’re gelling at the right time and I think we’re gaining so much momentum.”
Setter Charlie Fuerbringer (on Una Vajagic’s performance): “I think she’s literally the most underrated player in the whole NCAA. She hit .444 and had 13 kills tonight, and she passes dimes. When Una passes, I think we hit over .500 every time, so I just don’t think she’s talked about enough and the amount she does for our team is huge.”
Notes:
- For the first time in program history, Wisconsin beat Stanford. The Badgers and Cardinal met six times previously in program history.
- Wisconsin will advance to the Regional Finals for the eighth-straight season.
- UW improves to 16-7 in program history in Regional Finals, and head coach Kelly Sheffield is 11-2.
- The Badgers improve to 73-29 all-time in the NCAA tournament.
- Wisconsin wore its black jersey for just the second time this season. The Badgers previously wore black in a 3-1 victory over Florida on Sept. 16. This marks just the third time in program history UW has worn black, and it’s first in 1999 at Penn State.
- Freshman Natalie Wardlow tied a career-best with four service aces against Stanford.
- Senior Carter Booth recorded a season-best 14 kills. She totaled 14 kills on 20 swings, while also hitting .700 for the match. This also marks her fourth-straight match without a hitting error.
- For the 12th match this season, outside hitter Mimi Colyer tallied 20 or more kills. She had a match-high 27 kills on 51 swings while hitting 373. With 27 kills, Colyer joins the 2,000 career kill club.
- For the eighth time this season, Wisconsin hit .400 or better. The Badgers hit .420 (70-15-131).
- Badgers had three players with double-figure kills, Colyer (27), Booth (14) and Una Vajagic (13).
- Setter Charlie Fuerbringer set a career-best 61 assists against Stanford. She previously totaled 59 against Ohio State on November 27, 2024.
Up Next: The Badgers are set to take on No. 1 Texas in the NCAA Regional Final on Sunday, Dec. 14 for a trip to the NCAA Championship. Match time is still to be determined.
THE HILL | Twenty-six Alabama A&M University student-athletes earned degrees at the University’s fall commencement ceremony on Friday at the AAMU Event Center.
Of the class, six of the graduates were baseball student-athletes, five were from volleyball, four were from women’s basketball, three were from football and softball, two from women’ s bowling and one each from men’s track & field, women’s soccer and women’s tennis.
Below are the graduates, listed by sport with their major.
| Name | Sports | Major |
| Isaac Casto | Baseball | Liberal Studies |
| Chevalier Dorris | Baseball | Mechanical Engineering |
| Brycen Hammonds | Baseball | Communications Media |
| Juan Rey | Baseball | Finance |
| Trey Scott | Baseball | Management |
| Avery Seaton | Baseball | Business Administration |
| Tyrell Lawrence | Football | Master’s in Business Administration |
| Jordan Milton | Football | Communications Media |
| Nikobe Myers | Football | Management |
| Preston London | Men’s Track & Field | Mechanical Engineering |
| Jalia Callway | Softball | Plant Biochemistry |
| Paige Scott | Softball | Political Science |
| Alyssa Charter-Smith | Softball | Liberal Studies |
| Moses Davenport | Women’s Basketball | Master’s in Business Administration |
| Kamaria Gibson | Women’s Basketball | Liberal Studies |
| Jaiyah Smith | Women’s Basketball | Liberal Studies |
| Mailyn Wilkerson | Women’s Basketball | Master’s in Business Administration |
| Tamyra Long | Women’s Bowling | Biology |
| Megan Whorton | Women’s Bowling | Sport Management |
| Daniela Marroquin | Women’s Soccer | Business Administration |
| Yana Dhamija | Women’s Tennis | Computer Science |
| Fatoumata Camara | Volleyball | Liberal Studies |
| Kemora Coachman | Volleyball | Business Administration |
| Bailey Duckett | Volleyball | Management |
| Myiah Porter | Volleyball | Psychology |
| Kennedy Robinson | Volleyball | Computer Science |
For complete coverage of Alabama A&M Athletics – Huntsville’s only Division I program – check out the official homepage at www.aamusports.com. Remember to follow us on social media: Instagram (@aamuathletics), Facebook (aamubulldogathletics), Twitter (@_aamuathletics) and TikTok (aamuathletics).
LINCOLN, Neb — Nebraska’s track and field team made a powerful start to their season at the Husker Holiday Open, securing event titles in 18 of 29 events and setting two new school records. Axelina Johansson highlighted the meet by breaking both the school and Swedish records in the shot put with a mark of 19.72m (64-8 1/2). Dyson Wicker also set a new school record in the men’s pole vault, clearing 5.62m (18-5 1/4).
Cade Moran claimed the men’s shot put title, achieving a mark of 20.07m (65-10 1/4), which ranks fifth in school history. Donna Douglas made an impressive debut, winning the women’s weight throw with a mark of 19.33m (63-5). Aspen Fears took the women’s pole vault title, clearing 3.96m (12-11 3/4).
Seth Schnakenberg set a personal best in the men’s weight throw with a mark of 20.87m (68-5 3/4), while Abrielle Artley won the women’s 300m with a time of 39.00. Elo Blessing Okpah and Ashriel Dixion excelled in the 60m races, with Okpah taking first in the women’s event and Dixion securing second in the men’s.
Brayden Bergkamp and Kate Campos both won their respective 60m hurdles events, with Bergkamp setting a personal best of 8.18. Alea Hardie and Gabe Nash claimed the mile titles, with Hardie achieving a personal best of 4:56.18.
In the men’s 600m, William McDavid emerged victorious with a time of 1:20.05. Ela Velepec claimed the women’s high jump title with a personal best of 1.83m (6-0). The Huskers also dominated the 4×400 relays, with both the men’s and women’s teams taking first place.
Desire Tonye-Nyemeck won the men’s high jump, clearing 2.14m (7-0 1/4). Nebraska will next host the Graduate Classic on Jan. 16-17 at the Devaney Sports Center Indoor Track.
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Eighteen Austin Peay State University student-athletes participated in the Winter 2025 Commencement Ceremonies, which took place in the Winfield Dunn Center, Friday.
The following were master’s degree candidates for the December 2025 Commencement:
The following student-athletes were bachelor’s degree candidates for the December 2025 Commencement:
- Ashley Doyle, Women’s Cross Country / Track & Field
- Carson Smith, Football
- Harrison Wilkes, Football
- DJ Carter, Football
- Kendrick Clark, Football
- Davion Hood, Football
- Marcus Howard, Football
- Nate Lewis, Football
- Lucas Bales, Men’s Cross Country
- Christian Pastrana, Men’s Cross Country
- Bailey Lasater, Beach Volleyball
- Emma Loiars, Beach Volleyball
- Ashlyn Dulaney, Softball
- Sammie Shelander, Softball
These student-athletes were not just names on a roster or numbers on a field. They also represent…
- 18 Dean’s List selections
- 18 Athletic Director’s Honors Roll recipients
- One United Athletic Conference Specialist of the Year
- Two First Team All-UAC selections
- One Second Team All-UAC selection
- One College Sports Communicators All-District Team
- One NFF Hampshire Honor Society selection
- One Second Team All-ASUN selection
- One NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete
- Three members of the 2022 ASUN Football Championship Team
- Three members of the 2023 UAC Football Championship Team
And so much more! Thank you to these student-athletes for always giving their all for Austin Peay. We wish you well in all your future endeavors and as always… LET’S GO PEAY!
POUGHKEEPSIE, New York – Marist Director of Athletics Tim Murray has announced a leadership change in the volleyball program. Sean Byron will not return as head coach after seven seasons.
Byron had an overall record of 78-103 and a mark of 62-50 in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play. The Red Foxes qualified for the MAAC Championship four times in his tenure, and they reached the semifinal round in 2019.
The Red Foxes had six First Team All-MAAC selections in Byron’s seven seasons, led by MAAC Player of the Year Sasha van der Merwe in 2023. The program also continued its strong work academically, as it won the Athletic Director’s award for highest cumulative grade-point average each of the last four years.
A national search for Byron’s replacement will begin immediately.
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