An expert trainer says 'this is the best thing you can do with kettlebells'
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If my work can persuade one person to train with kettlebells, I’ll consider that a job well done as a fitness writer. While I firmly believe there is no one piece of equipment that’s necessary to further your fitness, a kettlebell can help you move the dial forward in more areas than most.
Strength? Definitely. Muscle? Absolutely. You can also make significant improvements to your mobility, stability, coordination, cardiorespiratory fitness and more with the help of the humble kettlebell. And once you’re ready to expand your training horizons, you can simply add a second one into the equation.
In fact, pressing two of them overhead is the “best thing you can do with kettlebells”, according to leading strength coach and kettlebell expert Dan John. And that’s not the only benefit to dual-wielding.
“One of the big advantages of using doubles is that, while doubles are heavier, they’re actually easier for most people,” he tells me. “Outside of the two-handed swing and the goblet squat, generally two-handed work is easier because you don’t have those asymmetries to fight through.”
Below, John explains where to start when training with two kettlebells. He also discusses the many benefits this can bring, and his favourite double kettlebell workout to try.
The best double kettlebell workout: The Armour Building Complex
Using two equally weighted kettlebells, complete the sequence below without putting the weights down:
Double kettlebell clean x2
Double kettlebell press x1
Double kettlebell front squat x3
This is the best, and arguably most versatile, double kettlebell workout in John’s armoury. You can use heavy kettlebells to target strength gains, pick up moderate kettlebells and complete the complex each minute for 10 minutes for more of a muscle-building hit, or set a 20-minute timer and complete as many rounds as you can with lighter weights to set your heart, lungs and muscles alight.
John created the workout for athletes, beta testing earlier versions on American football players in an attempt to replicate the rigours of game-day. The aim was to provide a test that developed solidity and strength throughout the entire body, and in the Armour Building Complex he found just that.
“You can call the area from your neck to your knees whatever you want,” John says. “Lots of people call it the core, but saying ‘the core’ is like saying ‘doing cardio’ – it’s an overused term.
“The three words I use for this area are armour, anaconda and arrow. Spine expert Dr Stuart McGill uses the word stone, so I sometimes like to think about these as ‘the three As of building the stone’.”
Armour involves packing on muscle, anaconda describes the development internal pressure for stability, and arrow refers to the ability to move powerfully. The first of these is what gives this workout its name, but the session will help you develop all three.
Kettlebell training can improve every facet of fitness, from strength to flexibility (Getty Images)
Benefits of training with double kettlebells
The first difference of double kettlebell training is that, unless you drop the weight of your kettlebells significantly, you’ll likely be lifting a heavier load. But this aside, John says the practice is easier than training with a single kettlebell because your movements are symmetrical.
“Some people say that singles are better, but the issue with asymmetrical work for a lot of people is that most of them, and certainly Americans, come in [to kettlebell training] pretty beat-up at a certain age.
“We have a lot of collision sports here, and we do a lot of throwing sports, so most of the people I work with walk into the gym with asymmetrical issues. Lower back problems, a dominant shoulder – it’s almost a given.”
For this reason, John says double kettlebell training is easier, and even safer, than chucking a single weight around for most people.
Strength coach Dan John says double kettlebell training is actually easier for most people than single kettlebell training as a result of the symmetry (Getty/iStock)
How to start double kettlebell training
While John says double kettlebell training tends to be easier and safer than a session with a single weight, there are still some fundamentals to wrap your head and hands around. Below, he explains how to get started, and dives into the three fundamental exercises you should learn first.
Starting position
Place the kettlebells a couple of feet in front of you and arrange them so the handles are angled inwards to form a V-shape.
“When the bells are on the ground, the V is to me,” John says. “By doing this, you allow your shoulders to move into a much more protected state.”
From here, you can hinge at the hips then, keeping your “eyes on the horizon”, pull the kettlebells back between your thighs to initiate a swing. The kettlebell swing marks the starting point of many other double kettlebell exercises such as the clean and snatch, so it’s worth perfecting this first.
Start with two kettlebells on the ground two feet in front of you, handles angled slightly towards you to form a V.
Assume a stance slightly wider than shoulder width.
With soft knees, hinge at the hips to bend over and grab a kettlebell in each hand with an overhand grip.
Keeping your spine long, arms straight and eyes forward, pull the kettlebells back between your thighs.
From here, squeeze your glutes to explosively drive your hips forward. As you do this, stand up straight and allow the momentum from your hip drive to arc the kettlebells up to the front rack position – elbows at your sides pointing down, thumbs against your chest, ‘bells between the fronts of your shoulders and forearms.
Allow the kettlebells to fall away from your body, curving back between your thighs, then repeat.
The double kettlebell clean involves taking the kettlebell from a swing to a front rack position, where it’s nestled between the front of the shoulder and the forearm.
“Mastering the double kettlebell clean should be your first order of business,” John says. “The biggest issue is that most people drop the ‘bells straight down [from the front rack position], get into a minor traffic accident with every rep, then hike them back up.
“You don’t drop the weights, you swing into each and every rep. It should be a hinge, then a clean.”
John also says it’s important to create a good front rack position to catch the kettlebells at the shoulder.
“I like the thumbs to be on the chest and the elbows to be touching your sides as appropriate – obviously you will have some people who are naturally winging out.”
Keeping the elbows low, he says, will encourage you to transition into a swing for the next rep, rather than dropping the weight straight down.
Clean two kettlebells into the front rack position.
Drive your fists to the sky until your arms are fully extended overhead, biceps by your ears. Your wrist will rotate inwards slightly as you do this, ending with your palm facing forward, and the kettlebells should follow a shallow J-shape when viewed head on.
Control the weights back down to the front rack position then repeat.
“Once you’ve learned the kettlebell clean, you set the stage for what I think is the best thing kettlebells do: the double kettlebell press family,” John says. “There’s the double kettlebell press and its cousin the seesaw press [where you press each kettlebell overhead alternately, lowering one as you drive the other upwards].
I think these are the two best things you can do with kettlebells. It’s a whole body exercise, and it’s exhausting.”
With the press, when you have both kettlebells in the front rack position, John recommends taking a moment and “squeezing everything down to engage that anaconda strength”.
Clean two kettlebells into the front rack position.
Create tension throughout your body then, keeping your chest up, push your hips back slightly to initiate the squat.
From here, bend your knees and lower your hips as far as you can while keeping your chest up.
Drive through your feet to return to the starting position.
“When I’m working with athletes, I used to spend a lot more time with the barbell front squat, but now I spend more time with this exercise because the double kettlebell front squat feels more like sports,” John says. “There’s no rest on any rep in a double kettlebell front squat.”
In other words, even when you’re standing tall, your whole body has to hold enough tension to resist the pull of the kettlebells and keep you upright. Then, as you descend, you face the challenge of maintaining this tension while using your legs to lower the weight before driving it back upwards.
With a series of simple movements you can hit every area of your body and with a very affordable piece of kit too. Double kettlebell training offers a raft of benefits and with this guide, it’s easy to start nailing the movements, wherever you choose to train.
Women’s Track and Field To Send Eight To NCAA Championships Next Week
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MEDFORD, MA (May 16, 2025) — The NCAA announced the final selections to the 2025 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships next week May 22-24, and the Tufts University women’s track and field squad was awarded with eight entries after a solid outdoor season. The […]
MEDFORD, MA (May 16, 2025) — The NCAA announced the final selections to the 2025 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships next week May 22-24, and the Tufts University women’s track and field squad was awarded with eight entries after a solid outdoor season.
The Jumbos will have first-year Arielle Chechile in the 400 meter hurdles, after the newcomer posted a collegiate-best time on Thursday of 1:00.64 at the MIT Final Qualifier. Chechile’s time is currently the fifth-best among the field of 22 competitors to compete.
Fellow newcomer Makayla Moriarty ran a 55.21 at the 2025 NEICAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, and got in as the No. 18 seed in the 400 meter dash.
The field crew will have a large contingent heading to the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio, as senior Harper Meek was a last second selection into the field in the high jump after clearing 1.66 meters at the New England Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
First-year Elysse Cumberland will look to earn another national championship next week in a pair of events, as she qualified No. 5 in the nation in the long jump with a mark of 6.04 meters at the Tufts Sunshine Classic on April 19. She also will be the No. 3 seed in the event she won at Indoors, as her triple jump mark of 12.66 meters at the Sunshine Classic was plenty good enough for a spot in the NCAA field.
Cumberland will be joined in her two events by senior teammate Jordan Andrew, as the former All-American is seeded No. 5 in the triple jump after a leap of 12.29 meters at the Tufts Sunshine Classic on April 19. Andrew was close to the cutline in the long jump, but her 5.80 meter leap was good enough for the final spot in the field.
Sophomore Jackie Wells tossed a school record in the javelin on Thursday at the MIT Final Qualifier, as her toss of 42.41 meters was good enough for the 11th-best distance this spring. She will be making her first appearance at the NCAA Championships.
The long jump and javelin will be contested on Thursday, May 22 while the prelims of the 400 meter hurdles will also be run that day. Meek will compete in the high jump on Friday afternoon at 11:30 a.m., while Moriarty will run in the 400 meter dash prelims on Friday at 3:15 p.m.
Both Andrew and Cumberland will compete in the triple jump Saturday at 1:45 p.m., while the finals of the 400 meter hurdles and 400 meter dash are Saturday afternoon as well.
Cedar Crest gets defensive, dethrones Manheim Central for first L-L League boys volleyball championship | Boys’ volleyball
Cedar Crest got some payback. Manheim Central did not get a three-peat. And the Falcons — relentless and defensive-minded from the first serve until the final point — raised the Lancaster-Lebanon League boys volleyball championship gold trophy for the first time in program history on Thursday night. Blocking with authority and digging out seemingly everything […]
And the Falcons — relentless and defensive-minded from the first serve until the final point — raised the Lancaster-Lebanon League boys volleyball championship gold trophy for the first time in program history on Thursday night.
Blocking with authority and digging out seemingly everything in sight in the back row, Cedar Crest topped the Barons 3-1 in a sensational finale at Ephrata Middle School. Set scores were 25-18, 25-20, 16-25 and 25-19, as the Falcons snapped Central’s two-year reign over the league — and handed the Barons their first setback this spring.
“Fantastic,” said Cedar Crest’s Jack Wolgemuth, who had 15 kills and 15 digs. “This is what we’ve been pushing for. This is what we’ve had our eyes on since the beginning of the year.”
The Falcons (18-2 overall) finished the job, thanks in large part to a monster defensive effort.
“We had to (defend them),” Cedar Crest coach Monica Sheaffer said. “They’re a phenomenal attacking team. Going into practice I told the guys that if we’re going to beat them, we had to put up a block and read them. We had to play defense. That was our biggest thing.”
Cedar Crest poses with the trophy after beating Manheim Central 3-1 to win the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest captains Jack Wolgemuth, front, and Ryder Rohrer, rear, celebrate with the trophy after beating Manheim Central 3-1 to win the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest head coach Monica Sheaffer hands out gold medals to her team after beating Manheim Central 3-1 to win the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest head coach Monica Sheaffer talks to her team after beating Manheim Central 3-1 to win the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest’s Ryder Rohrer (4) with the diving save against Manheim Central during third set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest’s Jack Wolgemuth (3) and the rest of the team react after beating Manheim Central during fourth set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest’s Aidan Vukovich (9) withe winning hit against Manheim Central during fourth set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest’s Tyler Hackleman (7) with the dig against Manheim Central during third set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Manheim Central’s Landon Mattiace (26) with the hit against Cedar Crest during third set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest’s Aidan Vukovich (9) with the hit against Manheim Central during first set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest’s Tate Tadajweski (1) with the hit against Manheim Central during first set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Manheim Central’s Blake Neiles (15) puts the ball over the net against Cedar Crest during first set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest’s Jack Wolgemuth (3) gets under a hit by Manheim Central during first set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest’s Drake Stiver (2) with the kill against Manheim Central during first set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Manheim Central’s Reagan Miller 93) with the hit against Cedar Crest during first set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest’s Drake Stiver (2) with the kill against Manheim Central during first set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest’s student section cheers on their team as they take on Manheim Central during second set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest’s Jacob Alnoor (6) with the kill against Manheim Central during second set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest’s Drake Stiver (2) and Jack Wolgemuth (3) block a shot by Manheim Central’s Dylan Musser (5) during second set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest’s Tate Tadajweski (1) with the hit against Manheim Central during second set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest’s jack Wolgemuth (3) puts the ball over the net against Manheim Central during second set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Manheim Central’s Landon mattiace (26) with the hit against Cedar Crest during second set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest’s Jacob Alnoor (6) with the kill against Manheim Central during second set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest’s Ryder Rohrer (4) sets the ball against Manheim Central during first set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Manheim Central’s Blake Neiles (15) puts the ball over the net against Cedar Crest during first set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Manheim Central’s caleb Groff (16) with the hit against Cedar Crest during first set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Manheim Central’s Weston Longenecker (13) with the kill against Cedar Crest during first set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Manheim Central’s Reagan Miller (3) with the hit against Cedar Crest during first set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Manheim Central’s Reagan Miller (3) with the hit against Cedar Crest during first set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest poses with the trophy after beating Manheim Central 3-1 to win the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest captains Jack Wolgemuth, front, and Ryder Rohrer, rear, celebrate with the trophy after beating Manheim Central 3-1 to win the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest head coach Monica Sheaffer hands out gold medals to her team after beating Manheim Central 3-1 to win the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest head coach Monica Sheaffer talks to her team after beating Manheim Central 3-1 to win the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest’s Ryder Rohrer (4) with the diving save against Manheim Central during third set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest’s Jack Wolgemuth (3) and the rest of the team react after beating Manheim Central during fourth set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest’s Aidan Vukovich (9) withe winning hit against Manheim Central during fourth set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest’s Tyler Hackleman (7) with the dig against Manheim Central during third set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Manheim Central’s Landon Mattiace (26) with the hit against Cedar Crest during third set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest’s Aidan Vukovich (9) with the hit against Manheim Central during first set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest’s Tate Tadajweski (1) with the hit against Manheim Central during first set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Manheim Central’s Blake Neiles (15) puts the ball over the net against Cedar Crest during first set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest’s Jack Wolgemuth (3) gets under a hit by Manheim Central during first set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest’s Drake Stiver (2) with the kill against Manheim Central during first set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Manheim Central’s Reagan Miller 93) with the hit against Cedar Crest during first set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest’s Drake Stiver (2) with the kill against Manheim Central during first set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest’s student section cheers on their team as they take on Manheim Central during second set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest’s Jacob Alnoor (6) with the kill against Manheim Central during second set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest’s Drake Stiver (2) and Jack Wolgemuth (3) block a shot by Manheim Central’s Dylan Musser (5) during second set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest’s Tate Tadajweski (1) with the hit against Manheim Central during second set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest’s jack Wolgemuth (3) puts the ball over the net against Manheim Central during second set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Manheim Central’s Landon mattiace (26) with the hit against Cedar Crest during second set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest’s Jacob Alnoor (6) with the kill against Manheim Central during second set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest’s Ryder Rohrer (4) sets the ball against Manheim Central during first set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Manheim Central’s Blake Neiles (15) puts the ball over the net against Cedar Crest during first set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Manheim Central’s caleb Groff (16) with the hit against Cedar Crest during first set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Manheim Central’s Weston Longenecker (13) with the kill against Cedar Crest during first set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Manheim Central’s Reagan Miller (3) with the hit against Cedar Crest during first set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Manheim Central’s Reagan Miller (3) with the hit against Cedar Crest during first set action of the L-L League boys volleyball championship at Ephrata Middle School on Thursday May 15, 2025.
Cedar Crest, fresh off its first Section 1 title in program history, was playing in an L-L title match for the first time, and the Falcons soared. Using a 3-0 nonleague setback at Central back in April as motivation — and defending passionately throughout — Cedar Crest got its revenge, withstood the Barons’ third-set punch, and happily accepted the gold medals at center court in front of packed house.
“This means absolutely everything,” said Cedar Crest setter Ryder Rohrer, who teed up 47 assists. “This feels so great. Very, very rewarding”
Aidan Vukovich sparked Cedar Crest in the first set with seven of his 14 kills. It was 15-15 when the Falcons surged; Tate Tadajweski (10 kills, 17 digs) and Wolgemuth had back-to-back kills to spur Cedar Crest’s set-ending 10-3 run and the Falcons had the early momentum, up 1-0 after stuffing the block and dig columns.
“We lost the first one 3-0 to them,” Wolgemuth said. “We did not want to lose the second one. Our defense was something like I’ve never seen before tonight. We picked everything up. Even if we just got a touch. That was going to be the biggest part of the game.”
Cedar Crest, riding momentum and continuing to block and dig at breakneck pace, never trailed in the second set, when Jacob Alnoor had six kills. Alnoor (12 kills, four blocks) also set up set-point when he blocked Central’s all-star middle hitter Landon Mattiace at the net. Alnoor had another block, and Tyler Hackleman’s ace helped the Falcons pull away late in the second for a 2-0 lead.
“Extremely huge,” Rohrer said. “We were able to play loose and play confidently. Having that early lead really helped us.”
Central (17-1) rose to the occasion in the third behind Weston Longenecker, who had five kills and two blocks. After not leading since 5-4 back in the first set, the Barons seized control with a 5-0 run — three points on blocks, two by Longenecker — and Central, the back-to-back-to-back reigning Section 2 champ, closed it out when Reagan Miller (20 kills) had a block, and then he sizzled a kill off a pretty feed from Dylan Musser, who set up 39 assists.
Longenecker had kills on two of the last three points to cap it, and the Barons were within 2-1 and still in it.
But Cedar Crest bolted to a 17-10 lead in the fourth. Central had one last salvo, getting two blocks from Blake Neiles and an ace from Mattiace, who piled up 13 blocks. But the Falcons stopped the bleeding on Tadajweski’s kill. Later, Wolgemuth’s kill set up match point, and Vukovich clinched the title with a kill.
“Blocking and defense, I thought (Cedar Crest) was outstanding,” Central coach Craig Dietrich said. “Everything was hard tonight. Everything. We even struggled to get points in transition. Maybe it was also a lot of motivation from the last time we played them. But hey, they played like champions here tonight. We tip our caps to them.”
Cedar Crest, with plenty of positive momentum, now heads to the District 3 Class 3A playoffs as the No. 3 seed. Central will be the No. 1 seed in the Class 2A bracket — with motivation to get back to the finals after falling there last spring.
TWITTER-X: @JeffReinhart77
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Program-High Five Tigers Qualify For NCAA Track National Championships
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The Colorado College track and field teams will send a program-record five athletes to the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships next week in Geneva, Ohio. Juniors Rabbit Barnes and Josh Williams and sophomore Will Shuflit will compete in the men’s competition, while senior Isabel Olson and junior Alison Mueller-Hickler […]
The Colorado College track and field teams will send a program-record five athletes to the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships next week in Geneva, Ohio.
Juniors Rabbit Barnes and Josh Williams and sophomore Will Shuflit will compete in the men’s competition, while senior Isabel Olson and junior Alison Mueller-Hickler will represent the women’s team at the national meet, May 22-24, at the SPIRE Institute’s track and field facility.
Barnes, Shuflit, Olson and Mueller-Hickler will be competing at the Division III Championships for the first time.
“It is exciting to see so many individuals qualify for the national championships,” head coach Katie Bretscher said. “It has been a goal of mine to continue to have more athletes from our program qualify. Each year, it seems like athletes have to run faster than the year prior in order to make the meet. I’m extremely proud of all of our qualifiers and the work and dedication that it took to get to this level.”
Barnes, the three-time defending SCAC champion in the 1500, will run that race at the national meet. He has the seventh-fastest in Division III and is scheduled to compete in the preliminaries on Thursday, May 22, at 5:35 p.m. (ET).
Williams, meanwhile, will run the 400-meter dash for the second consecutive year. The 400 prelims are on Friday, May 23, at 3:00 p.m. (ET).
Shuflit has the 12th-best time in the 10K in Division III and will compete in that race on Thursday, May 22, at 8:30 p.m. (ET).
Olson qualified for both the 1500 and 5K after setting the school record in each race this season. She is ranked 15th in the 1500 and 23rd in the 5K. The 1500 prelims are on Thursday, May 22, at 5:50 p.m. (ET), while the 5K final is on Saturday, May 24, at 4:25 p.m. (ET).
Mueller-Hickler, who has the 10th-fastest 10K time in Division III, will run in that final on Thursday, May 22, at 9:15 p.m. (ET).
Colorado College sent a then program-high three athletes to the Division III national meet last season.
Hinsdale Central girls water polo outlasts Metea in the IHSA Sectional Quarterfinals
We’re at Metea Valley for a Sectional Quarterfinal matchup as the fifth-seeded Hinsdale Central girls water polo takes on the fourth-seeded Metea Valley Mustangs. The Red Devils enter with a 16-10 record and a three-game winning streak. Metea also rides a three-game win streak with a 14-13 record on the season. This highlight is sponsored […]
We’re at Metea Valley for a Sectional Quarterfinal matchup as the fifth-seeded Hinsdale Central girls water polo takes on the fourth-seeded Metea Valley Mustangs. The Red Devils enter with a 16-10 record and a three-game winning streak. Metea also rides a three-game win streak with a 14-13 record on the season. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Hinsdale Central girls water polo leads Metea by three at the break
Metea comes out attacking, but Red Devils goalie Allie Tonjes sets the tone early with a great save to keep things scoreless.
Tonjes’ defense sets up the offense. Anna Azeem capitalizes on the other end, giving Hinsdale Central the early 1-0 lead.
But the Mustangs waste no time responding. Makayla Paulding finds the back of the net with help from Lillian Witte, tying it at one.
The Mustangs keep the pressure on. Abigail Hervey scores to give Metea a 2-1 lead with three minutes left in the first.
Just before the quarter ends, another big stop by Tonjes! She quickly pushes the counter, finding Anna Deppe, who ties it up at two at the end of the first quarter.
To open the second, Witte takes it coast-to-coast and finishes past Tonjes to give Metea a 3-2 lead.
But the Red Devils respond with fire. Anna Deppe scores back-to-back goals, flipping the lead back to Central at 4-3 and forcing a Mustang timeout.
Out of the timeout, Hinsdale scores quickly again. Metea answers as Amelia Hervey finds the back of the net, keeping the Mustangs within one at 5-4.
After another Central goal, Tonjes makes another huge save and decides to take matters into her own hands—literally. She scores to close the half as Hinsdale Central leads 7-4 at the break.
Red Devils add onto their lead in the IHSA Sectional Quarterfinal
Starting the second half, Paulding works her magic, drawing Tonjes out and scoring the first goal of the third quarter to give Metea a spark.
The Mustangs force a Central violation and capitalize with a goal from Natalie Kosta. Metea cuts the deficit to 8-6 with four minutes left in the third.
But Central answers again. Chloe Van Houtte fights through the Mustang defense and scores to push the Red Devils’ lead to 10-6 heading into the fourth.
Central starts the final quarter strong. The first shot is deflected, but Deppe is right there for the putback, making it 11-6.
Hinsdale keeps the pressure on. Rashida Moosabhoy goes solo and scores, giving Central a 12-7 lead.
Metea scores one more, but Hinsdale Central hangs on and will now play Naperville North
Metea puts together one final push. Witte scores in the closing minutes, but it’s not enough as Hinsdale Central wins 12-10 to advance to the sectional semifinals.
The Red Devils will now face the top-seeded Naperville North Huskies this Friday, and a spot in the sectional final is on the line.
For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page.
Men’s Track and Field to Send Three Athletes to NCAA Championships
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MEDFORD, MA (May 16, 2025) – The NCAA announced the final selections to the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Men’s Track and Field Championships taking place at the Spire Institute in Geneva, Ohio next week May 22-24, and the Tufts University men’s track and field squad picked up a trio of […]
MEDFORD, MA (May 16, 2025) – The NCAA announced the final selections to the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Men’s Track and Field Championships taking place at the Spire Institute in Geneva, Ohio next week May 22-24, and the Tufts University men’s track and field squad picked up a trio of entries.
Amokrane Aouchiche leads the list of Jumbos competing in the nationwide competition. He will enter into the 10,000m run as the 21 seed. The junior currently holds the second fastest time in Tufts program history and the 22nd fastest time in the NCAA Division III this year.
Josh Wilkie will compete in the second NCAA Division III Championship meet this season after competing in the indoor edition of the contest. The junior enters as the 10 seed in the 400m hurdles, and holds the fourth fastest time in Tufts program history, as well as the ninth best mark in the NCAA Division III.
Rounding out the list of competing athletes for the Jumbos is yet another junior, Sahr Matturi. He enters into the long jump as the 12 seed following a season that saw him land the 12th best jump in the NCAA Division III and the second longest mark in the team’s history.
All three Jumbos will be in action on Thursday, May 22 as the long jump, 400m hurdles prelims and 10k all take place throughout the day.
Lincoln boys volleyball aces its final test before playoffs
WATCH: Lincoln boys volleyball slips past Pawtucket in four sets Watch as Lincoln boys volleyball takes the match-winning point vs. Pawtucket. PAWTUCKET — The Lincoln boys volleyball team had one more test left, and the Lions aced it. Division II’s top team all season had to go into Pawtucket and turn back a championship-caliber co-op. […]
WATCH: Lincoln boys volleyball slips past Pawtucket in four sets
Watch as Lincoln boys volleyball takes the match-winning point vs. Pawtucket.
PAWTUCKET — The Lincoln boys volleyball team had one more test left, and the Lions aced it.
Division II’s top team all season had to go into Pawtucket and turn back a championship-caliber co-op. If the league title returns to Lincoln for the second time in three years, the Lions certainly showed why on Thursday night.
Lincoln (13-0) strung together six straight points to steal the first set and flashed their dominance in the second frame. The third set belonged to the city co-op, but the Lions rallied in the decisive fourth frame for a 3-1 (25-23, 25-12, 22-25, 25-22) triumph.
“This was our big game right here,” Lincoln’s Tyler Biddle said. “Proving ourselves here was us showing that we’re not just going to let up easy.”
Jacob Lizotte tallied back-to-back winning kills in the first set that saw Lincoln claw back from a 23-19 deficit. The future top seed in the playoffs then stormed to 11-5 and 18-10 leads in the second frame.
Lincoln’s presence at the net, behind Lizotte, Biddle, Jackson Colton, Sebastian DeCubellis and Brian Gugel, was unwavering. Lincoln has plenty of depth to rotate through that Pawtucket, or anyone else in league play, can’t match.
“It felt really good,” Biddle said of the win. “But it was also a huge game. We’ve been coming off of a lot of pretty easy games, so we really had to change the energy fast.”
Said Gugel: “It was an important game on our schedule, but we’re taking every game one at a time. And we’ve got another game tomorrow.”
This stretch of success for Lincoln is no surprise either. After a 14-2 runner-up finish in 2019, Lincoln’s been on a run that will eventually lead them to the D-I ranks. The Lions managed a 2-9 season in 2021 and went perfect in the regular season the following spring. They then brought home the program’s first crown in 2023. Lincoln also nearly pushed top-seeded Cranston West to five sets in the semifinals last year.
“It just proves that we could have gone up to D-I and we deserve that spot,” DeCubellis said of the season. “Hopefully we get moved up eventually. Everybody is all-in.”
Lincoln has three games left to chase perfection. It’ll travel to Woonsocket and West Warwick before hosting Johnston in the finale. They’ve beaten all three teams already, including sweeps against Woonsocket and Johnston.
The Lions will almost certainly finish with the top seed, but that’s no surprise as they lost only six sets to league foes this season. The next test Lincoln will face will likely be at Rhode Island College.
“Both teams, we know that we are the top teams in the division,” DeCubellis said. “We both have that dog in us. But tonight, we outshined them. We played amazing and we knew what we had to do. We studied, we watched our film and it helped.”
Pawtucket will likely finish with the No. 2 seed followed by Central Falls. West Warwick and Westerly might go to the wire for the fourth and fifth seeds in league play. The Bulldogs host D-I’s Chariho on Friday, and win-or-lose, that will help them in the league standings.
But everyone is chasing Lincoln as they have been this spring.
“We just have to play like we did today,” Biddle said. “We need to bring the energy and come off strong from the start.”
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