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American Athletic Conference Launches American RISE Ventures

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American Athletic Conference Launches American RISE Ventures

Professional Sports Commercial Enterprise Veteran, Bryan Calka Named Chief Commercial Officer

IRVING, Texas, May 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — American Athletic Conference Commissioner Tim Pernetti announced today the launch of American RISE Ventures (Revenue, Innovation, Sports, Entertainment), a new business division, created to lead all aspects of the league’s revenue generation, sponsorship strategy, media rights, brand partnerships, technology, emerging business ventures and long-term commercial innovation across the conference. Veteran sports executive Bryan Calka, who brings nearly 25 years of experience leading revenue and brand strategy for prominent organizations in professional sports, has been named chief commercial officer for the conference.

American Athletic Conference
American Athletic Conference

“We are excited to welcome Bryan Calka to our leadership team as we launch American RISE Ventures,” said Pernetti. “His proven track record as a cutting-edge revenue leader and bold, strategic thinker makes him the right fit to help guide the American through one of the most transformative periods in collegiate athletics. Bryan’s deep relationships across the sports and brand landscape will be instrumental as we build creative partnerships and sustainable business platforms that enhance the student-athlete experience on and off the field.”

Alongside Pernetti, Calka will lead American RISE Ventures. The commercial business division of the conference will lead all aspects of the league’s revenue generation, sponsorship strategy, media rights, brand partnerships, technology, emerging business ventures, and long-term commercial innovation, aligning with the evolving landscape of collegiate athletics. American RISE Ventures will play a central role in supporting and enhancing the student-athlete experience across the conference by developing sustainable business models rooted in partnership, performance and purpose.

“I’m excited to join the American at such a pivotal and energizing time in collegiate athletics,” said Calka. “Under Commissioner Pernetti’s leadership, the conference is embracing innovation with grit, unity and service as it positions itself for long-term success. I look forward to developing impactful partnerships and forward-thinking business strategies that help advance the academic and competitive excellence that define the American and support its dedicated student-athletes.”

Before joining the American, Calka served as chief commercial officer at the Professional Fighters League, a professional mixed martial arts league that was the first major MMA organization to compete in regular-season, postseason and championship events. He led a massive growth in revenues in two-and-a-half years while substantially increasing the average sponsorship deal size.

Calka previously served as senior vice president of partnerships for the New York Islanders, where he led the corporate partnership strategy for both the team and UBS Arena. Under his leadership, the organization saw consistent revenue growth and elevated brand alignment across its partner portfolio.

Prior to his role with the Islanders, Calka served as senior vice president of global partnerships at BSE Global, overseeing partnership initiatives for the Barclays Center, Brooklyn Nets, Long Island Nets, Nets GC and New York Liberty.

He also spent a decade with the New York Yankees as vice president of partnerships, managing both the sales and activation teams and helping drive the club’s commercial success.

Earlier in his career, Calka served as director of corporate marketing and sponsorship at Washington Sports and Entertainment, where he generated significant new business for the Washington Wizards, the Verizon Center and the Patriot Center.

Calka earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Hobart College.

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Cision

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Spartan Club Athletes of the Week for Jan. 5: Anand Dharmarajan & Mya Hartjes

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The Spartan Club, comprised of Case Institute of Technology (CIT), Western Reserve University (WRU) and Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) alumni, parents of current students, faculty and staff, and friends of the University, is aimed at helping foster and honor the proud tradition of athletics at the University, while also supporting the current student-athletes. For more information on the Spartan Club, and to help support its purpose by becoming a member, CLICK HERE.

Case Western Reserve University senior Anand Dharmarajan, a guard on the men’s basketball team, and junior Mya Hartjes, a guard on the women’s basketball team, have been named the Spartan Club Athletes of the Week for their performances this past week.

Dharmarajan had a career day during the team’s 97-80 win over Kalamazoo. He scored a career-high 30 points over 29 minutes of action during the game, making 10-of-16 shots overall and seven-of-12 from three-point range. The seven three-pointers matched his career-best mark and were just one shy of the program’s single-game record. He added three rebounds and a steal in the effort. Dharmarajan is averaging 11.4 points per game this season on 46.8% shooting overall, including 45.3% from long range, and has added 1.7 rebounds and 1.0 assists per contest. The Spartans stand at 7-3 overall this season and have won four consecutive games.

The Spartans will close out their non-conference schedule on the road against La Roche College in Pittsburgh on Wednesday at 5 p.m.

Hartjes led the Spartans to two wins in three games over winter break. Hartjes led all CWRU players with 19.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game during the three contests, shooting 53.7% (22-of-41) overall, 52.0% (13-of-25) from three-point range, and converting both of her free throw attempts. She added five assists, a block, and two steals during the stretch. In a 68-55 win over Oberlin on December 29, she scored a career-best 25 points, making nine-of-15 shots overall and hitting a career-best seven threes on 10 tries, while contributing nine rebounds, an assist, a block, and a steal. She followed that by leading the team with 16 points in a 76-52 loss to 23rd-ranked Baldwin Wallace on December 30, making six-of-12 shots overall, including four-of-seven from three-point range, while collecting five rebounds and an assist. For her efforts over the two games, she was named to the All-Tournament Team at the BW Holiday Classic. Rounding out her week, Hartjes scored 18 points in a 75-65 win against Geneva on January 3, hitting seven-of-14 shots overall, two-of-eight from three-point range, and both of her free throw attempts, while adding a team-best eight rebounds with three assists and a steal. Hartjes has averaged 16.3 points and a team-high 7.2 rebounds per game this season with 3.5 assists per contest. The Spartans ended their non-conference schedule with a 7-4 record.

With its non-conference schedule complete, the Spartans will now turn their attention to their University Athletic Association slate. CWRU will begin its 14-game conference journey on Saturday at 3 p.m. on the road against Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

The Spartan Club Athletes of the Week are selected by the CWRU Department of Athletics each Monday, based on their performance during the previous week of competition.

Honorable Mentions:

Senior Art Martinez (wrestling) went 6-0 over the last two weeks, including a win over the then top-ranked wrestler in Division III, to lead the 21st-ranked Spartans to six dual wins over the holiday break. On December 20 at the Chocolate Duals in Grantham, Pennsylvania, Martinez defeated opponents from Ithaca, Messiah, and Arcadia. He started the day with a 21-4 technical fall over George McAteer of Ithaca and followed with a 22-4 technical fall over Tyler Ratledge of Messiah. In the final match of the day, Martinez delivered a decisive 18-4 major decision over Jacob Blair of Arcadia who was ranked first in Division III at the time of the dual. It marked Martinez’s first win over a nationally ranked opponent this season. CWRU won all three matches at the duals, defeating Ithaca 30-17, Messiah 23-20, and Arcadia 31-16. On January 3 at the UAA Challenge hosted by NYU, Martinez and the Spartans continued their winning streaks, defeating all three opponents at the annual event. Martinez earned bonus points in all three of his bouts, secured two technical falls and one pin at the event. This season, he is 20-1, including a 13-0 mark against Division III opponents, with six pins and a team-leading eight technical falls. CWRU improved to 8-2 in dual matches.  

The Spartans return home for the Claude Sharer Duals on Saturday hosting Manchester University and the University of Mount Union at the Veale Center.

2025-26 Spartan Club Athletes of the Week:

Sept. 2: Jacob Slater (men’s cross country) & Jamie Goldfarb (women’s soccer)

Sept. 8: Mitchell Fein (men’s soccer) & Maggie Farra (women’s soccer)

Sept. 15: Bradley Winter (men’s soccer) & Ceci Dapino (women’s soccer)

Sept. 22: Daniel King (football) & Halina Tompkins (women’s cross country)

Sept. 29: Sam DeTillio (football) & Kalli Wall (volleyball)

Oct. 6: Osi Chukwuocha (football) & Ceci Dapino (women’s soccer)

Oct. 13: Kalli Wall (volleyball) & Claire Kozma (women’s swimming and diving)

Oct. 20: Jacob Slater (men’s cross country) & Halina Tompkins (women’s cross country)

Oct. 27: Bradley Winter (men’s soccer) & Ellie Palaian (women’s soccer)

Nov. 3: Art Martinez (wrestling) & Sohalya Rawlins (women’s swimming and diving)

Nov. 10: Thomas Wagner (wrestling) & Emily Plachta (women’s basketball)

Nov. 18: Jacob Slater (men’s cross country) & Kalli Wall (volleyball)

Nov. 24: John Drumm (men’s swimming and diving) & Claire Kozma (women’s swimming and diving)

Dec. 1: Andrew Fox (men’s basketball) & Maura Schorr (women’s basketball)

Dec. 8: Antonio Sidoti (men’s track and field) & Gianna Phipps (women’s track and field)

Jan. 5: Anand Dharmarajan (men’s basketball) & Mya Hartjes (women’s basketball)



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FSC Athletics Update – January 5

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FARMINGDALE, N.Y. | The Skyline Conference released its first winter weekly reports of the 2026 calendar year Monday, and Farmingdale State College junior Mia Simmons (Queens, N.Y.) was selected as its Women’s Basketball Player of the Week while freshman center Allison Ntambwe (Queens Village, N.Y.) earned honorable mention praise.

Women’s Basketball (6-5, 4-3 Skyline) | Skyline Report

Farmingdale State opened the calendar year in non-conference play Saturday at Hunter College, falling by a 79-61 score to the Hawks. Simmons poured in a career-high 21 points to lead the Rams, while Ntambwe came off the bench to score a career-high 10 points on 5-of-11 shooting. Senior point guard Shyann Parker (Floral Park, N.Y.) recorded a double-double, pulling down 11 rebounds while dishing out a career-high 10 assists.

The Rams travel to NYU’s Paulson Center Tuesday night for a Skyline Conference game versus Yeshiva at 8, before welcoming Lasell (Mass.) University for a 6 p.m. tip-off on Thursday.

Men’s Basketball (9-2, 2-0 Skyline) | Skyline Report

FSC resumed Skyline play Saturday with a 92-60 triumph over St. Joseph’s-Brooklyn on the team’s annual CYO Day. Five Rams scored in double figures against the Bears, including senior guard Michael Notias (Manhasset, N.Y.), who led all players with 15 points (6-of-11 FG, 3-of-5 3FG), five assists and three steals, while junior forward Kentrell Evans (Brooklyn, N.Y.) registered a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds.

The Rams will welcome conference foe St. Joseph’s-Long Island for a 7 p.m. tip-off on Wednesday night, before traveling Saturday for a noontime Skyline tilt at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

Indoor Track and Field

Farmingdale State returns to action on Friday, January 9, when it travels to the Ocean Breeze complex in Staten Island, N.Y., for the St. Thomas Aquinas Spartan Invitational at noon.



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All 6 Wisconsin volleyball outgoing transfers have found new homes

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The Wisconsin Badgers and Kelly Sheffield had a pretty big exodus this season after their Final Four run. While none of them were surprising in a vacuum, as a whole, it was hard to watch six players for the present and the future decide it was time to get more guaranteed playing time elsewhere.

Many Wisconsin Badger fans hoped one or two, or even a few, would opt to leave the portal after entering it and return to Wisconsin; however, all six outgoing transfers have landed at new homes. Here’s where:

Una Vajagic and Tosia Serafinowska transferred to Arizona State

Maybe the biggest surprise was Una Vajagic transferring, as she clearly had a starter role last season and developed into an impressive outside hitter. However, she wasn’t going to be guaranteed the same minutes next season with other outside hitters coming in to compete for her job. That may have been what sent her looking for a new opportunity. She and the other international player on the team, Tosia Serafinowska, both decided to go to Arizona State.

Addy Horner transferred to TCU

Horner became a starter when star setter Charlie Fuerbringer went down with an injury. However, as soon as Fuerbringer was healthy, Horner went back to the bench. She proved she can be a starter and a pretty good one at that, but she didn’t have a shot of overtaking Fuerbringer’s spot, so it made sense for her to transfer. She has since gone to TCU.

Maile Chan has transferred to Florida State with Aniya Warren going to Oklahoma

Chan, as well as Aniya Warren, was stuck on the depth chart behind a true freshman (last season), and Kristen Simon proved she was going to be the main libero for the future. That sent both Chan and Warren to the portal. Chan landed at Florida State while Warren became a Sooner.

Trinity Shadd-Ceres has transferred to Creighton

Shadd-Ceres proved she can be a powerful and effective outside hitter, but similar to Vajagic, there was nothing guaranteed on the Wisconsin roster. There are just too many elite and talented outside hitters. She is going to be a starter at Creighton.



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Quinasia Abercrombie Named PBC Women’s Basketball Player of the Week

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AUGUSTA, Ga –  Augusta women’s basketball sophomore Quinasia Abercrombia was named PBC Player of the Week

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Player of the Week

Quinasia Abercrombie, Augusta

Sophomore, Guard/ Forward

  • Averaged 21.50 points as Augusta went 2-0 on the week
  • Abercrombie scored 26 points while adding 10 rebounds, two assists and four steals in a 91-69 victory over Converse
  • Scored 17 points while adding four rebounds and two steals in a 53-47 victory over Middle Georgia
  • Abercrombie is averaging 15.6 points, good for fourth in the conference and 6.8 rebounds, good for ninth in the conference with a .530 field goal percentage which is good for second in the conference.

Fans of Jaguar Athletics can subscribe to the email listserve by clicking here. Fans can follow Augusta University at www.augustajags.com and receive short updates on Facebook at Augusta University Athletics and on Twitter at @AugustaJags





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Walton Named A-10 Player of the Week for Third Time

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WASHINGTON, D.C – Redshirt junior Zahirah Walton has been named the Atlantic 10 Player of the Week for the third time this season for her performance vs. Dayton on December 31.

Walton posted 25 points on 70% shooting, including 10-13 from the free throw line vs. the Flyers on New Years Eve. She scored 14 of those points in the fourth quarter to secure the Patriots’ 74-59 victory. Walton also scored four rebounds and dished out four assists. 

The Patriots went 2-0 last week, continuing their undefeated streak in conference play, and stretching their overall record to 8-6 on the season. 





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Brittnay Estes – Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator – Women’s Volleyball Coaches

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Estes enteres her second season with the Wolfpack after being hired as an assistant coach/recruiting coordinator in February 2025. Her main focus is working with the middle blockers and running the Pack’s defense.

Brittnay is the perfect addition to our staff. She comes to us highly-recommended and is a very well-respected coach in the volleyball community. I am excited to add her energy, extreme enthusiasm and competitiveness to our gym,” said Wargo-Kearney. “Brittnay is a great relationship builder and will have the trust of our players, as well as future Wolfpack athletes. I have no doubt her impact on our program will make us stronger and she will continue to put together strong recruiting classes as our recruiting coordinator. I am fired up to welcome her to Raleigh!”

Estes joins the Pack after spending the last four seasons at her alma mater, Lipscomb. 

She helped coach the 2023 ASUN Player of the Year, Meg Mersman, to All-American, All-Region honors, in addition to three All-ASUN honors. 

In her first season with the Bison in 2020, she helped guide the squad to their seventh ASUN Regular Season Championship and seventh Tournament Championship after the group finished with a 14-2 overall record and 11-1 conference record. 

Prior to joining the staff in Nashville, Estes spent five years in Los Angeles, California where she played one season of beach volleyball for Loyola Marymount as a graduate student before playing pro for the Associate of Volleyball Professionals (AVP), the country’s most extensive premiere beach volleyball tour. 

A standout outside hitter for the Bison, the Palm Harbor, Florida native was a four year starter and was tabbed the 2015 Conference Player of the Year. During her senior campaign, she was tabbed the ASUN Tournament MVP. She remains in the top-five in the Lipscomb record book for several stats, including kills per set and kills per set in a five set match. 

Over the course of her time in Nashville, she collected two All-Conference selections, two All-Tournament team nods, and four Player of the Week honors. She was also a two-time AVCA All-Region honoree. In 2020, she was named to the ASUN All-Decade team.

Estes graduated from Lipscomb in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and New Media. She also earned her master’s degree from Loyola Marymount in Educational Studies. 



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