BATON ROUGE, La. – Head coach Tonya Johnson has released the non-conference schedule for the 2025 volleyball season.

The Tigers’ non-conference slate features 11 matches, including four against three teams that reached the second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament. With the announcement of the non-conference schedule, LSU will face 12 teams that participated in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

All match times, as well as a television schedule, will be announced later.  

After an exhibition match against Tulane on Aug. 22 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, LSU will host SMU (Aug. 29), South Alabama (Aug. 30) and Baylor (Aug. 31) for its opening weekend in Baton Rouge. On the second weekend of the season, the Tigers will travel to Houston, Texas, where they will play three matches against Omaha, San Diego State, and Houston, respectively, on Sept. 4-6 at the Fertitta Center.

LSU will begin week three with a match against Notre Dame at Purcell Pavilion in South Bend, Ind., on Tuesday, Sept. 9, as part of the Showdown at the Net tournament. Over two days, operated by ESPN Events, all 16 volleyball programs from the Southeastern Conference will compete against teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Fighting Tigers will conclude the week with a contest against Southeastern Louisiana on Sunday, Sept. 14, at the PMAC.

In the final weekend of the non-conference schedule, the Bayou Bengals will travel to the City of Angels, where they will play against USC twice on Sept. 25-26 and Cal on Sept. 27 at the Galen Center in Los Angeles, Calif.

LSU opens SEC play on the road at Oklahoma (Sept. 26) and Arkansas (Sept. 28) before hosting Tennessee (Oct. 3) and Florida (Oct. 5) for its SEC home opening weekend.

The SEC Volleyball Tournament will return for the first time since 2005. It will be held from Nov. 21 to 25, 2025, at Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Ga.  

General admission season tickets for the 2025 season are on sale now, and the request list for reserved seating is live.

Directly support LSU Volleyball by contributing to the Volleyball Excellence Fund today!

For the latest news and information on Tiger volleyball, visit www.lsusports.net/volleyball. Fans can follow the team on its social media outlets, such as www.facebook.com/lsuvolleyball and @lsuvolleyball, as well as on Instagram and X.

COLUMBIA, S.C. – A hall of fame athlete and accomplished coach at both the professional and collegiate levels, Jose Loiola (JO-say Loy-OLA) has been named the University of South Carolina’s second head beach volleyball coach, athletics director Jeremiah Donati announced Friday, May 23. Loiola most recently served for two seasons as assistant coach for the UCLA Bruins and coached professional teams on both the men’s and women’s side, dating back to 2014.

“Jose Loiola’s background and knowledge in beach volleyball is unmatched. His success as a player, coach and leader in the sport speaks volumes as to the caliber of coach we are bringing to Columbia. His passion for the sport will build a positive culture in the program. I am excited to have Jose as our beach volleyball coach.”

Athletics Director Jeremiah Donati

This spring, Loiola was recognized as the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Collegiate Beach Assistant Coach of the Year after UCLA went 30-6 in the regular season and earned the top seed in the NCAA tournament, advancing to the national semifinal. In his two earlier seasons on the UCLA (2021 and 2024) the Bruins were national runners-up. Individually, UCLA had four players earn AVCA All-American honors and in the fall, Loiola coached the team’s duo of Maggie Boyd and Sally Perez to a title in the AVCA Beach Pairs National Championship.

Between his two stints at UCLA, Loiola worked as head coach of USA Volleyball’s National Team Development Program from May 2021 to June 2023. In his first year at the helm, Team USA placed two pairs in the semifinals and won gold at the 2021 U19 World Championships in Phuket, Thailand. He had previously spent four years (2015-18) leading USA Volleyball Beach High Performance tryouts.

Loiola got his start in coaching in 2011 as the head coach of Team Wave (indoor volleyball club). He also served as a coach for the 2012 Men’s International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) U19 World Championship, the 2012 U17 Women’s Junior National Team, the 2013 U21 Men’s and Women’s World Championships, the 2014 U21 Women’s World Championship – winning bronze – and served as the head coach for the U21 Junior National Team in 2015.

Loiola began his career coaching professionals in 2014, working with Casey Jennings and Jeremy Casebeer. He worked with three different teams in 2015, highlighted by Theo Brunner and Nick Lucena finishing fourth at the FIVB World Championship. Also in 2015, he coached the tandem of Irene Pollock and Caitlin Ledoux. In 2017, Loiola coached Sara Hughes and Kelley Claes to an Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) victory in Chicago. He also coached Hughes and Summer Ross from 2018-19, as the duo won two AVP tour events and went on to win gold in Russia on the FIVB circuit.

Between his work on the AVP and FIVB circuits and the national team program, Loiola has also worked with Andy Benesh and Miles Partain (2024 Paris Olympians), Tri Bourne (2020 Tokyo Olympian), Reid Priddy (2008 Beijing and 2016 Rio Olympian) and Trevor Crabb on the men’s side, and Katie Horton, Julia Scoles, Emily Day and Jen Kessy on the women’s side.

As a player, Loiola reached the highest level of the sport, representing Brazil at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney with teammate Emanuel Rego and finishing ninth.

In the professional beach volleyball scene, Loiola recorded 55 event titles over a career that spanned two decades: 35 coming from the AVP national circuit and 20 more internationally with FIVB. Among those wins were the 1997 King of the Beach, the 1999 FIVB World Championship in Marseille, France, the 2001 Goodwill Games Australia and two Manhattan Beach Open titles (1995 and 2000).

Loiola was the first international player to be selected AVP Rookie of the Year (1993) and then MVP (1997). His first title, an indoor tournament in 1995, marked the first time an AVP event was won by two foreign-born players, as he claimed the title with Eduardo Bacil. He won four AVP Offensive Player of the Year awards (1995-98) and, in 2001, the FIVB chose Loiola and Rego as one of the two best teams of the 1990s.

Loiola was inducted into the California Beach Volleyball Association’s Hall of Fame in 2014 and the International Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2017.

For continued coverage and updates on South Carolina beach volleyball, follow the Gamecocks on X and Instagram.

Over 2,500 athletes from 210 national federations under World Aquatics are expected to compete in 77 medal events across six aquatic disciplines. Following the triumphant return of the Swimming World Cup to Singapore in November 2024, preparations are now in full swing. The Local Organising Committee (LOC) is finalising logistics and infrastructure while actively building local excitement for the upcoming global showcase.

In late 2024, the LOC unveiled a strong lineup of national partners who have collectively pledged approximately SGD 5 million in sponsorship. The Pan Pacific Hotels Group, Trans-Eurokars Mazda, and OCBC Bank have signed on as the official hotel, automobile, and banking partners, respectively. They are joined by travel platform Trip.com and sustainability firm MVGX, the latter supporting the event’s environmental initiatives. Another eight partners – ION Orchard, CapitaLand, Singapore Airlines, Fullerton Health, Jewel Changi Airport, Kin Productions, SISTIC and Westpoint Transit – were recently unveiled, taking the total value of sponsorships for the WCH 2025 to more than S$16 million.

In late 2024, the LOC unveiled a strong lineup of national partners, with initial sponsors collectively pledging around SGD 5 million. The Pan Pacific Hotels Group, Trans-Eurokars Mazda, and OCBC Bank signed on as the official hotel, automobile, and banking partners, respectively. They were soon joined by travel platform Trip.com and sustainability firm MVGX, the latter supporting the event’s environmental initiatives. Most recently, another eight partners — ION Orchard, CapitaLand, Singapore Airlines, Fullerton Health, Jewel Changi Airport, Kin Productions, SISTIC, and Westpoint Transit — were announced, bringing the total value of sponsorships for the World Aquatics Championships 2025 to more than SGD 16 million.

“These organisations are highly regarded both locally and internationally, and we’re thrilled to have them on board to elevate the event experience for athletes and spectators,” said Mark Chay, co-chair of the Singapore 2025 organizing committee. “The Championships will be part of the celebrations for the country’s 60th year of independence, and we are heartened to have such strong backing from local corporate organisations in the lead-up to this milestone.”

In addition to strong backing from local corporate partners, Singapore 2025 is gaining momentum through a series of community roadshows aimed at bringing the excitement of aquatic sports to the wider public and fostering participation at all levels. The inaugural roadshow, which launched at ION Orchard on 9 May, featured interactive experiences where visitors could test their swimming and water polo skills — or imagine the thrill of standing atop a 27-metre-high diving platform.

Olympic champion Joseph Schooling and local musician Benjamin Kheng, a former national swimmer, headlined the festivities as team captains in a series of lively aquatic-themed challenges. They were joined by Team Singapore water polo athletes — Lee Kai Yang, Abielle Yeo, Nicole Lim, Rochelle Ong, Cayden Loh, and Dominic Chan — who interacted with the crowd and added to the vibrant, family-friendly atmosphere.

In the lead-up to the Championships, eight more malls will host roadshows offering the public a chance to experience aquatic sports first-hand. The final stop will be at Kallang Wave Mall from 11 July to 22 August, aligning with both the World Aquatics Championships and the Masters Championships. Check out the Singapore 2025 community roadshow schedule here. 

Competition will unfold across two primary venues: the World Aquatics Championships Arena (WCH Arena) and the OCBC Aquatic Centre at the Singapore Sports Hub. These urban venues will host swimming, diving, water polo, and artistic swimming, while open water swimming and high diving will be staged along the scenic coastline of Sentosa Island.

The WCH Arena, a temporary venue being constructed next to Leisure Park Kallang Mall, is taking shape in close collaboration with government authorities to ensure all safety and sustainability protocols are met. This purpose-built facility, along with the OCBC Aquatic Centre, will host the Southeast Asian (SEA) Age Group Championships from 18 to 27 June 2025 — giving the public a chance to witness live aquatic competition ahead of the global event, while also playing a crucial role in preparing the organisers for full operational readiness.

This follows the successful staging of the Swimming World Cup – Singapore 2024, which gave organisers vital experience in executing a major international aquatics event.

“The World Aquatics Championships Singapore 2025 is a much larger event, and it was important for us to get a head start on these processes with our team and our partners from the various agencies,” Chay noted. “At full strength, the Singapore 2025 team will comprise over 6,000 people, including staff and volunteers.”

To ensure smooth execution, the LOC is finalising preparations across all functional areas, underscoring Singapore’s commitment to delivering a world-class championship.

Sustainability is one of the most important parts of Singapore 2025. A flagship initiative, “Trash to Treasure,” will see 5,000 medals produced for both the World Aquatics Championships and the World Aquatics Masters Championships using recycled aluminium cans. Nearly 100,000 cans were collected by students from five preschools, eight primary schools, and three secondary schools, exemplifying how sport can foster environmental awareness and community participation from a young age.

As the first Southeast Asian host of the Championships, Singapore aims to inspire a new generation of aquatics athletes across the region. Youth athletes participating in the SEA Age Group Championships will compete in the same facilities as their elite counterparts — a rare and inspiring opportunity.

“We hope this inspires future generations of aquatics athletes and strengthens the foundation of aquatics in Southeast Asia,” said Chay.

With elite competition, sustainable innovation, and a platform for youth engagement, the World Aquatics Championships Singapore 2025 promises to deliver not just unforgettable moments in the pool but a lasting legacy for the sport and the region. The historic competition will kick off with a women’s water polo match on 11 July at 9:00 a.m.

The AVP Beach Volleyball circuit comes to Delray Beach on Friday for the first week of its season

Delray Beach takes center stage on Friday night with opening action of Week 1 of the AVP Beach Volleyball series. The first day of action will see the Dallas Dream and San Diego Smash play men’s first and then the women’s match. Then the Palm Beach Passion will battle the Brooklyn Blaze with the women playing first and then the men. Saturday the Blaze will play the Smash, while the Dream will take on the Passion. Delray Beach is the first of nine stops for the tour. Each venue will host a full weekend of matchups featuring the AVP League’s elite franchises – including the Palm Beach Passion, Brooklyn Blaze, LA Launch, Dallas Dream, San Diego Smash, Austin Aces, New York Nitro, and Miami Mayhem – competing in high-stakes showdowns as they battle toward the title. This coast-to-coast schedule features some of the most incredible venues in the United States, each hand-selected to elevate the fan experience and deliver world-class volleyball in unforgettable settings, according to the avp.com press release.

How to Watch AVP Beach Volleyball: League Week 1 Today:

Match Date: Friday, May 23, 2025

Match Time: 8:00 p.m. ET

TV: CBSSN

Live stream the AVP Beach Volleyball: League Week 1 on Fubo: Start your free trial now!

First pitch SHOT! Bo Davidson starts off Allan’s last game as GM with a BANG!

Davidson continues to show crazy pop, going opposite field at 109 MPH!#Ems70 pic.twitter.com/W2aE27EXHd

— Eugene Emeralds (@EugeneEmeralds) May 22, 2025

Welcome to the Jack Payton show! His first HR of the season gives the Ems at 5-2 lead.

In his first two ABs tonight, Payton now has a 2B, a HR, and 4 RBI. Already a career night!#Ems70 pic.twitter.com/XqPcI1G5cN

— Eugene Emeralds (@EugeneEmeralds) May 22, 2025