RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros volleyball team spent a week in Brownsville sharing their knowledge of the sport and having fun with campers of all ages. 
 
The Vaqueros spent June 23-27 offering a variety of camps to teach fundamentals and advanced skills to attendees of all ages at Pace High School. They welcomed over 135 attendees across seven sessions and built bonds with young fans. 
 
“It’s always great to get down to Brownsville and connect with the community. It’s great for our girls and the young girls who can look up to them, especially the local kids we have, and see that they can get there, too, if they work hard,” head coach Todd Lowery said. 
 
The first three days in Brownsville focused on skill-specific training for athletes in grades 6-12. UTRGV held a defensive clinic on Monday, a setting clinic on Tuesday and a highly attended hitting clinic on Wednesday which drew 40 participants. The Vaqueros saw some repeat attendees during the two-day camps which were held Thursday and Friday. High schoolers shared two and a half hours with the Vaqueros both mornings, while the middle school campers were the focus in the afternoon. 
 
Lowery, assistant coach Daniel Garcia, graduate assistant Perris Key (2021-24) and various volleyball student-athletes, including local products Natalie Reyes from Sharyland Pioneer and Julianna Bryant from Harlingen High, led the sessions. They did demonstrations and ran drills, moving around the gym to chat with and advise the campers. The UTRGV reps were accessible and hands-on to adjust positioning and really teach the youngsters how to do things right and improve their skills. They focused on ball control and passing accuracy and taught the campers about zones and reads and gave variety of tips to help the campers understand the game. 
 
Campers were also given opportunities to ask the Vaqueros questions and seek advice on how to achieve their own volleyball goals. The sessions were educational, but a priority for UTRGV was to make things fun and connect with the community. The Vaqueros definitely made some new fans throughout their week in Brownsville. 

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In its 40th year of honoring the nation’s most elite high school athletes, Gatorade announced that Jasmine Robinson of North Cobb will repeat as the Gatorade Georgia Girls Track and Field Player of the Year. This highlights her performance on the track and in the classroom.

Robinson excelled in multiple hurdle races as she set a state record in the 300-meter hurdles at the Arcadia Invitational in California this past season, with her time of 39.81 seconds ranking her 2nd nationally among prep girls competitors this spring and 3rd in prep history. Another state record she set was in the 400-meter hurdles at the Mark Trail Memorial Day Meet in Stockbridge, Georgia, posting a time of 56.73 seconds in that race. That time ranked her at No. 4 nationally in that event.

Robinson’s head coach Josh Shaw spoke highly about her contribution to the team’s success.

“Well beyond the fact that you know she’s going to score close to 30 team points each meet, she is the ultimate competitor”, Shaw said. “She leads by example and her work ethic is off the charts. Teammates see how hard she works to be great and that influences them to do the same”.

In the classroom, Robinson has been outstanding as she has maintained a 4.52 weighted GPA. Along with that, she has volunteered locally for her school’s Rally Club as she supports finding a cure for childhood cancers. Robinson is also a member of North Cobb’s Beta Club where she has given her time to help with community cleanup projects.

She will receive a grant to donate to a social impact partner as part of Gatorade’s commitment to breaking down barriers in sport.

By: Contact: Tom Krychkowski; Assistant Athletic Director for Communications & Marketing

NEW YORK, NY | The Skyline Athletic Conference announced the 2024-25 Academic Honor Roll with five New Jersey City University (NJCU) men’s volleyball players making the list. 

Commissioner Melissa Reilly is honored to recognize student-athletes in the conference with a 3.3 grade point average or better (4.0 scale) while competing in baseball, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, men’s lacrosse, women’s lacrosse, men’s outdoor track and field, women’s outdoor track and field, softball, men’s swimming and diving, women’s swimming and diving, men’s tennis and men’s volleyball.

Erick Bacuilima (North Bergen, N.J./North Bergen) (3.79), Alex Casais (Bayonne, N.J./Bayonne) (3.74), Victor De Souza (Newark, N.J./Newark East Side) (4.00), Matthew McSorley (Colonia, NJ/Colonia) (3.80) and Nasir Page (3.46) led the charge for the Gothic Knights. 

During the past year, more than 600 Gopher student-athletes added to the academic and athletic achievements of the Twin Cities athletics department. As part of their annual report at the Board of Regents July meeting, Gopher Athletics leadership will highlight these successes and the University of Minnesota’s commitment to providing a world-class education and tremendous athletic opportunities for all student-athletes. 

Gopher Athletics Director Mark Coyle will recognize the continued, nation-leading academic achievements of Gopher student-athletes, who collectively hold a department-record, cumulative grade-point average of 3.46 and a graduation rate of 95%. Minnesota has now recorded the seven highest graduation success rates in school history during the last seven years.  Last year, the department had 379 Academic All-Big Ten honorees, 140 Big Ten Distinguished Scholars, six Academic All-Americans and 40 Academic All-District selections. Across the varsity programs it sponsors, Gopher Athletics tied for first in the Big Ten in Academic All-Americans and tied for fourth nationally.

The report will also highlight athletic accomplishments throughout Golden Gopher programs, including placing 39 out of 303 athletic departments in the Learfield Directors’ Cup, which measures broad-based athletic success. The Gophers also won a team conference championship (men’s hockey regular season) and six individual  Big 10 titles in wrestling and track and field. Gopher track and field student-athlete Kostas Zaltos added an individual national title in the hammer throw — the sixth-longest in NCAA history. The Spirit Squad also earned two national titles, in cheer and dance. 

Coyle and Tim McCleary, deputy associate athletics director and chief financial officer, will also detail steps the department has taken to balance its fiscal year budget and will discuss Gopher Athletics’ strong commitment to sustain its commitment to excellence in the classroom and its competitiveness amidst profound change in college athletics. On June 6, 2025, a federal judge approved the terms of an antitrust settlement which now allows schools to directly pay students through licensing deals. Coyle will provide updates on the Gopher work in this space, which includes revenue sharing with student-athletes from football, women’s basketball, men’s basketball, volleyball and men’s hockey. 

Also in July, the Board is expected to:

• Receive an update on alumni engagement across the University with Kevin Thompson, director of advancement and alumni relations on the Crookston campus; Matthew Duffy, senior director of alumni relations and annual giving on the Duluth campus; Jeff Lamberty, alumni relations officer on the Morris campus; Lindsey Hemker, director of development and alumni relations on the Rochester campus; and Lisa Lewis, CEO and President, University of Minnesota Alumni Association. 
• Act on the consent report, including an amendment to Gopher Football Head Coach PJ Fleck’s employment agreement and tenure recommendations. 
• Receive an update and recommendations on operational optimization across the University with Lori Carrell, Rochester campus chancellor, Mary Holz-Clause, Crookston campus chancellor, and Raj Singh, vice provost and dean for undergraduate education on the Twin Cities campus. 

The Board’s Virtual Forum accepts audio, video and written input, which is shared directly with Regents and included in the Board’s public materials. The public is encouraged to visit the Virtual Forum to submit their comments. 

For more information, including future meeting times, visit regents.umn.edu. 

CONWAY, Ark. – Head Sugar Bear Coach John Newberry has announced new additions to his staff, bringing in two new coaches for the 2025 season. The new staff brings a blend of youth and experience, tactics and player development, and should serve the Sugar Bears as they enter year five in the ASUN.
 
Jovan Garcia joins the staff with over two decades of experience developing athletes and teams, both at the college and youth levels. Before joining the Sugar Bears, Garcia was on staff at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, where she helped develop the middle blockers, opposites and setters. With her help, the Lions outblocked opponents 268 to 190, and received four All-MIAA honors after the season.
 
Garcia has also coached at the youth level, including Wentworth Institute of Technology, where she helped the team to a 23-6 record, a conference championship, and one of the longest winning-streaks in program history. She has also led premier club programs in Texas, developing players as they make the jump from the prep ranks to the college game.
 
“I’m proud to be a part of a program that values grit, heart, and high standards,” Garcia said. “UCA represents everything I believe about sport – that when athletes are challenged, supported and trusted, they grow into the kind of people who make lasting impacts.”
 
Also joining the staff is Kennedey Johnson. Fresh off of a playing career that saw her play four years at North Alabama and a grad year at Southeast Missouri State, Johnson was a skilled setter and defender over her five seasons. She posted 1,392 assists, with a career-high 633 in her last season at North Alabama, and 596 digs. She also logged 92 aces and 55 kills during her time on the court.
 
Johnson also showed during her college career that her talents extend beyond just between the lines, being named a 2023 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District selection after having a remarkable academic career as an interior architecture and design major at North Alabama.
 
“I’m thrilled to begin my coaching career at the University of Central Arkansas. Returning to the ASUN, where I spent the majority of my playing career, is a special opportunity,” Johnson added. “UCA has an incredibly talented group, and I’m excited to contribute to the growth and success of this program.”
 
The pair joins a Central Arkansas team that went 17-12 last season, including an 8-1 home slate and an ASUN Championship Semifinal appearance.