Mount Royal University Cougars setter Grant Hill has been selected once again to join Canada’s U21 men’s national volleyball team, marking his second straight call-up after a stellar sophomore season with MRU.

During the 2024–25 season, Hill quickly made his presence felt in Canada West play. In 20 matches (72 sets), he recorded 582 assists, placing him seventh in the conference.

Hill has already represented Canada at the international level with the U21 World Continental qualifiers and the TeamUp Cup in Paraguay (May 1–12, 2025). In Paraguay, he joined teammate Ryan John and players from across U SPORTS, blending high-level competition with cultural and community service. The experience, which included construction projects, youth clinics, and volunteer opportunities in rural Chaco, was transformative. Hill described it as “life-changing,” citing a broadened perspective on sport, service, and cross-cultural connection. 

As a second-year student-athlete, Hill’s elevated play and leadership set a tone of growth and promise for MRU’s young roster. His national team involvement brings added confidence, experience, and credibility to a program undergoing transition. Earning a spot as a U21 repeat, Hill is setting a standard of excellence and ambition on and off the court.

Hill and the Canadian U21 squad are expected to participate in upcoming international tournaments, taking place in Alberta and China. His return to the program is a strong indicator of continued personal development, national-level confidence, and MRU’s upward trajectory in Canada West volleyball.

Hill and the Canadian U21 squad are preparing for a competitive summer of high-level volleyball. Their upcoming slate includes:

U21 NORCECA Pan Am Cup – August 5 to 10 at the Seven Chiefs Sportsplex, near Calgary, Alberta.

U21 World Championships – August 19 to September 1 in Jiangmen, China.

 

2025 Big West Spring Academic All-Conference

A total of 756 student-athletes who compete in the spring sports of baseball, beach volleyball, men’s and women’s golf, softball, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s track & field, men’s volleyball, and women’s water polo across The Big West were honored for their work in the classroom and in athletic competition as members of the 2025 Big West Spring Academic All-Conference Team. The 756 student-athletes honored is down from 771 last year, but up from 751 in 2023 and 739 of three years ago. 
 

In order to qualify for the Academic All-Conference honor, a student-athlete must carry a minimum 3.00 cumulative institutional grade point average (GPA), must have completed one full academic year at the member institution prior to the season for which the award is being received, and must have competed in at least 50 percent of the institution’s contests in the student-athlete’s respective sport, with the exception of track & field student-athletes. In the sport of track & field, a student-athlete must have competed in either 50 percent of the institution’s events or participated in the Conference Championship.
 
13 of the 756 student-athletes honored have a perfect 4.00 cumulative GPA in Cal Poly’s Corban Payne (men’s track & field), Cal State Bakersfield’s Jared Bujanda (baseball) and Michael Pollard (baseball), CSUN’s Sakura Divecchio (women’s track & field), Hawai’i’s Carys Murakami (softball), Nikola Homolkova (women’s tennis) and Bernadette Doyle (women’s water polo), Long Beach State’s Kyle Jankans (men’s track & field), Marikay Schwab (women’s track & field), Connor Bloom (men’s volleyball), Dane Hillis (men’s volleyball) and Jamie Oberman (women’s water polo) and UC San Diego’s Jeremy Frank (men’s track & field). 

By sport, women’s track & field had by far the most honorees with 162 student-athletes named to the team. Men’s track & field had 120, followed by softball (90), baseball (89), women’s water polo (80), beach volleyball (48), women’s tennis (43), men’s golf (36), men’s volleyball (31), women’s golf (29) and men’s tennis (27). 

 

By school UC San Diego had the most student-athletes honored with 93, followed by Long Beach State and UC Davis with 80. Hawai’i had 79, and the trio of CSUN, UC Irvine and UC Santa Barbara each had 71 honorees. 

 

The Big West recognizes individuals academically per season – fall, winter, and spring – for all conference-sponsored sports. The Fall Academic All-Conference Team honored student-athletes from men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s soccer, and women’s volleyball and the Winter Academic All-Conference Team consisted of men’s and women’s basketball student-athletes.

 

2025 Big West Spring Academic All-Conference Team
School	Honorees
Cal Poly	61
Cal State Bakersfield	30
Cal State Fullerton	65
CSUN	71
Hawai’i	79
Idaho (men’s golf only)	4
Long Beach State	80
Sacramento State (beach volleyball and men’s golf only)	13
UC Davis	80
UC Irvine	71
UC Riverside	39
UC San Diego	93
UC Santa Barbara	71

Angela Hapner Musk, a three-time All-American at Bellarmine University, returned to her alma mater to become the head women’s cross country coach in 2016 and is currently an assistant coach with the cross country and track and field program.

Musk was head coach of the women’s cross country team for eight seasons until 2023 and head coach of the women’s track and field team for five seasons until 2024. The program transitioned to a director model ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, and Musk remained on staff under her former coach, director of cross country/track and field Jim Vargo.

The 2022 cross country season saw Bellarmine deliver nine of the program’s all-time top-50 performances in the 5k and three in the 6k. Five of the top 13 on the program’s 5k performance list came from times recorded in 2022. The 2022-23 track and field squad garnered three ASUN All-Conference accolades.

In 2021-22, Bellarmine set one indoor freshman record while Anna Wells garnered ASUN Outdoor Academic All-Conference plaudits. The Knights had three cross country runners earn spots on both the program’s 5k and 6k top-20 performance lists, and two apiece land top-40 placements in the list of all-time 5k and 6k times.

The 2020-21 season marked Bellarmine’s first in Division I and the ASUN Conference. The Knights set a combined four new program records in the indoor and outdoor track and field seasons. They delivered three All-Conference performances in relays over the two ASUN Championships and added another in the discus. Katrina Kamarute earned a spot on the ASUN Indoor Academic All-Conference team. 

Under Musk’s tutelage, Karly Gawarecki in 2018 became the women’s cross country program’s fourth Division II All-American after she finished 18th at the NCAA Championships. That performance came after Gawarecki placed third at the NCAA Midwest Regional, tying the program’s third-best finish in the regional meet. In the ensuing track and field season, Yashira Rhymer-Stuart became the program’s first national champion after placing first in the high jump at the NCAA II Indoor Championships while adding a second All-America accolade after landing runner-up honors at the outdoor meet. 

In 2017, Musk pushed Bellarmine to a second-place finish at the GLVC Cross Country Championships and within two points of heavy favorite Southern Indiana. For her efforts, Musk was named GLVC Coach of the Year. The Knights set a program record with five All-GLVC plaudits, which are reserved for the top 15 finishers at the conference meet. In the track and field season, Musk helped lead the Knights to a GLVC Championships indoor title. Three distance runners in both the indoor and outdoor seasons competed at the NCAA Championships.

In Musk’s first cross country season, she guided Bellarmine to a runner-up finish at the GLVC Championships. During the regular season, the Knights won the title at the Fast Cats Invitational. Musk oversaw three Knights collect All-GLVC notice, and Erin Crone earned a berth in the NCAA Championships. 

In her highly distinguished career at Bellarmine, Musk earned two of her All-America accolades in track and field and another in cross country. Her track and field acknowledgements came in 2012 (distance medley relay, indoor season) and 2013 (1500 meters, outdoor season). Her cross country honor came in 2012 after she placed 12th at the NCAA Championships.

In addition, Musk was named the GLVC Runner of the Year for cross country in 2012 after racing to first place at the GLVC Championships. She had placed second the year before and ninth as a sophomore to total three All-GLVC campaigns. Musk secured All-Region plaudits in 2011 and 2012, garnering runner-up honors in the latter season. Also in 2012, Musk was named the GLVC Scholar-Athlete of the Year for cross country.

Musk was named the GLVC Indoor Track Athlete of the Year in 2013 after placing first in the 800 meters, mile and distance medley relay at the GLVC Championships. She racked up eight All-GLVC notices over her track and field career, seven of which were first-team selections. She received the GLVC Scholar-Athlete of the Year award for track and field in 2013.

Musk helped lead the cross country team to the 2010 GLVC Championships title and the track and field team to the 2012 and 2013 GLVC Indoor Championships crowns.

Musk left the Knights cross country team with the top 5K and 6K times in program history. Her name remains a large presence among the all-time best 5K and 6K performances.

 

 

 

IRVINE, Calif. — UC San Diego had 93 scholar-athletes recognized Thursday on the 2025 Big West Spring Academic All-Conference Team, the most of any Big West institution.
 
The spring team features the sports of baseball, beach volleyball, men’s and women’s golf, softball, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s outdoor track and field, men’s volleyball and women’s water polo. UC San Diego sponsors all but beach volleyball and women’s golf.
 
To be eligible, scholar-athletes must carry a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00, be at least a sophomore academically with one full year at the institution prior to this season and compete in 50 percent of their team’s contests.
 
Triton track and field’s Jeremy Frank was one of 13 Big West scholar-athletes with a perfect 4.00 GPA.
 
A total of 756 scholar-athletes who participate in spring sports across The Big West were honored for their work in the classroom and athletic competition. The Big West recognizes individuals academically per season—fall, winter and spring—for all conference-sponsored sports. The fall team announcement is available here, and the winter team announcement is available here.
 
UC SAN DIEGO HONOREES
Baseball (11)
Michael Crossland – Sophomore, Human Biology
Matthew Dalquist – Senior, Data Science
Zack Ernisse – Senior, Business Economics
Patrick Hackworth – Senior, Business Economics
Sam Hasegawa – Senior, Mechanical Engineering
Devon King – Sophomore, Real Estate and Dev.
Landon Marchetti – Sophomore, Data Science
Steele Murdock – Sophomore, Communication
Anthony Potestio – Sophomore, Real Estate and Dev.
Spencer Seid – Junior, Business Economics
Cooper Thacker – Senior, Communication
 
Men’s Golf (5)
Francis Catalano – Junior, Management Science
Kyle Dougherty – Senior, Business Economics
Akira Isayama – Senior, Cognitive Science: Machine Learning & Neural Computation
Davis McDowell – Senior, Management Science
Nathan Tseng – Junior, Business Psychology
 
Softball (5)
Claire Adams – Junior, International Studies – Economics
Alexa DeMarse – Senior, Political Science/American Politics
Morgan Eng – Senior, Human Developmental Sciences
Marissa Hassis – Senior, Human Biology
Lily Hermosillo – Junior, Business Psychology
 
Men’s Tennis (5)
Carson Lee – Sophomore, Global Health
Zach Pellouchoud – Junior, Cognitive Science
Charles Qian – Senior, Business Analytics
Pelayo Rodriguez – Senior, Structural Engineering
Diogo Tinoco – Senior, International Studies
 
Women’s Tennis (5)
Grace Gamal – Junior, Neurobiology
Kelly Leung – Senior, Business Economics
Naomi Nguyen – Senior, Global Health
Adriana Tabares – Senior, Cognitive Science: Machine Learning & Neural Computation
Katelyn Vu – Senior, Cognitive Science: Machine Learning & Neural Computation
 
Men’s Track & Field (19)
Blake Armstrong – Sophomore, Human Biology
Shane Badcock – Sophomore, Business Economics
Miles Bennett – Senior, Structural Engineering
Bryan Chang – Junior, Molecular and Cell Biology
Jett Collins – Sophomore, Public Health
Kai Dettman – Senior, Structural Engineering
Charlie Frank – Senior, Mechanical Engineering
Jeremy Frank – Sophomore, Computer Science (4.00)
Thomas Fry – Junior, Human Biology
Ian Gammal – Sophomore, Business Economics
Nathan Garderes – Senior, Mathematics/Economics
Nathaniel Grant – Senior, Cognitive Science
Jordan Haney – Senior, Aerospace Engineering
Evan Hild – Junior, Human Biology
Frank McGowan – Sophomore, Global Health
Tate Meaux – Sophomore, Communication
Brandon Orlow – Sophomore, Biology
Cesar Salazar – Sophomore, Sociology
Liam Urich – Junior, Human Biology
 
Women’s Track & Field (25)
Allyson Abandonato – Junior, Public Health
Chidiebere Agunanne – Sophomore, Data Science
Chinanu Agunanne – Sophomore, Pharmacological Chemistry
Tamara Aimufia – Sophomore, Cognitive Science
Meilani Castillo – Sophomore, Speculative Design
Julia Di Silvestri – Senior, Neurobiology
Roxanne Ehrig – Sophomore, Structural Engineering
Alexandra Farfaras – Sophomore, Human Developmental Sciences
Idara Ibekwe – Senior, Human Biology
Amari Jenkins – Grad, Public Health
Destinee Jones – Sophomore, Public Law
Leila Kepler – Junior, Cognitive Science
Camille Lindsay – Sophomore, Business Psychology
Gabriella Lopez – Sophomore, Political Science/Data Analytics
Lauren McBride – Junior, Global Health
Sophia Menchine – Sophomore, Psychology
Sylvana Northrop – Senior, Cognitive Science
Kate O’Malley – Sophomore, Political Science
Lauren Pritchard – Senior, Environmental Systems
Jenna Satovsky – Junior, Biology
Lauren Schiele – Junior, Global Health
Logan Shojgreen – Sophomore, Communication
Jordyn Thomas – Sophomore, Cognitive Science
Kimberly Willard – Sophomore, Mathematics-Computer Science
Kelsie Yamano – Senior, Bioengineering
 
Men’s Volleyball (7)
Anthony Cherfan – Senior, Communication
Keegan Cook – Sophomore, Mechanical Engineering
Jim Garrison – Senior, Computer Science
Leo Pravednikov – Junior, Business Economics
Nick Rigo – Senior, Public Health: Medicine Science
Josh Schellinger – Junior, Business Economics
Peter Selcho – Senior, International Studies: International Business
 
Women’s Water Polo (11)
Allie Bartholomew – Junior, Psychology
Caroline Christl – Senior, International Studies: International Business
Lucia Doak – Senior, Sociology: Economy and Society
Kenzie Larson – Senior, Human Biology
Abby Moll – Senior, Business Economics
Sofia Munatones – Junior, Cognitive Science: Design & Interaction
Sydney Munatones – Junior, Public Health: Medicine Science
Olivia Obando – Sophomore, Communication
Courtney Okumura – Senior, Human Biology
Lexi Stahl – Senior, Psychology
Kendall Thomas – Senior, Visual Arts: Art History
 
About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program began a new era in 2020 as a member of The Big West in NCAA Division I. The 24-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 39 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world’s preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 93 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions.