Sports
Arizona Diamondbacks are first MLB team to offer OneCourt device for blind fans
PHOENIX – In the heart of Arizona’s monsoon season, a dense, saturated air threatens to swell to full-on precipitation during the first leg of a recent three-game series between the Houston Astros and Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
The intense mixture of dry and wet air often results in an increased risk of thunderstorms littered with awe inspiring streaks of lightning. Encompassing bursts of desert dirt can make visibility for Arizonans extremely low and difficult to navigate.
Below the covered roof of Chase Field, visibility challenges are also being addressed, but this time for a community that experiences the game differently from most: the blind and vision impaired. Enter OneCourt, which offers a device at Diamondbacks games that translates live gameplay data into trackable vibrations and audio bites.
Arizona State student Adonis Watt – who was diagnosed with congenital glaucoma when he was 5 – sat in the upper-end of section 133 soaking in each crack of the bat and each seemingly compulsory boo of Astros left fielder Jose Altuve when he stepped to the plate.
“It’s like you’re really watching a game for real,” Watt said.
Congenital glaucoma is caused by abnormalities in the development of the eye’s drainage system, which can lead to increased pressure in the eye and damage to the optic nerve – and blindness. From the ages of 5-7, Watt had 12 bilateral eye surgeries to relieve the pressure on his eyes.
Through his condition, and his love for sports, Watt has embraced experiencing sporting events in ways that most others had never had to worry about. But on this Monday night, Watt took in the game unlike any way he had before – through his fingertips.
On July 10, the Diamondbacks announced that they were the first MLB team to adopt OneCourt’s technology in their ballpark. As of June 13th, five devices had already been made available at no additional charge to fans on a first-come, first-serve basis.
In the past year, the device has begun to make its presence felt among professional sports teams and leagues. In January 2025, the Portland Trailblazers became the first professional team to offer the device to fans at all of their home games. Four NBA teams followed suit for the remainder of the 2024-25 NBA season.
“We saw that it was proven technology that worked in the NBA,” said Taylor Merwin, Diamondbacks community relations and partner programs coordinator. “We know that this technology is going to be adopted (across the MLB) so we thought, ‘Why not be the first to adopt it?’ It’s not often you get the chance to be pioneers and be the first in something. We are proud to be the first to adopt this technology.”
The OneCourt team now has partnerships with six professional teams across the NBA and MLB, including the Phoenix Suns and Diamondbacks.
In June, the company secured a partnership with Seattle FWC26 to bring the device to FIFA Club World Cup matches at Lumen Field.
A small start-up organization, the concept for OneCourt was born in Seattle – from a then junior student in 2021 at the University of Washington who came across a video of a blind man at a soccer match “watching” the game with the help of a tactile game board reflecting the play on the field.
That student, Jerred Mace, now the CEO of OneCourt, saw an opportunity to bring something meaningful to a community whose needs are oftentimes discarded in favor of others, especially when it comes to sports.
This perspective was developed through the added experience of having grown up with impaired vision. Multiple eye surgeries were needed to repair astigmatism in his left eye that left him struggling to see beyond 20 feet in front of him.
“I think sighted people tend to take for granted the other senses and other sensory experiences that we have access to,” Mace said. “To see (the video) of this very creative and very personal interaction of someone just helping someone else enjoy the game – it was powerful and we’ve reflected a lot on what that story means to us (as a company).”
Mace, who graduated from Washington with a focus in Industrial Leadership and Entrepreneurship, tried for six months to get his idea off the ground alone.
It was not until he enlisted the help of a team of fellow Washington students that the device started to progress into the form it is today, Mace said. The young eight-person OneCourt team consists of all current or former students from Washington.
The team in just a few short years has made substantial progress in breaking into the sports industry – from an initial prototype that was pieced together with plywood, a few wires and vibration motors to a tablet-sized device with real-time haptic feedback and audio that can be customized to tailor any sport.
For a device that has been adapted to sports such as basketball, baseball, football and now soccer, the basic principles of its functionality remain practically the same.
Real-time haptic feedback utilizes live gameplay data courtesy of major sport league databases and represents the movement or placement of a ball or individual within a game. At the Diamondbacks game, Watt could feel when the baseball was pitched from the mound, where the ball ended up (in the strikezone, outfield or outside the ballpark) and if a run was scored at home plate.
He could even track runners as they moved from one base to the other.
Max Ashton, from the Foundation for Blind Children, became one of the first to use the device and lauded the amount of information and detail the device gives low visibility individuals.
“We had people say that they never got into sports because they can never follow it,” Ashton said. “Being able to feel where the ball is going, where the players are – it really brings you more into the actual game.”
On the surface of the device, elevated lines portray the dimensions of the baseball diamond – each base, foul line, and part of the outfield accounted for. To the right, to further enhance the experience, a similarly elevated representation of the strike zone sits to keep track of where the ball lands with each subsequent pitch.
With an audio port transcribing the game action to the user as it happens, the context of a game is clear and understandable for someone with low vision – with very little delay.
Sometimes even outpacing those who can see the game.
Watt detailed how at one point in the third inning, the generative commentary on the device relayed the score of the game and the play that led to the score in rapid succession. Arguably more impressive, it was able to inform Watt who was next up in the batting order – seconds before the rest of the Chase Field crowd discovered the same piece of information from the public address announcer.
While many blind and low vision fans who have experienced the device have been receptive to the new experience that it is offering them, there are improvements that can still be made for this version of the device.
Connectivity issues within a certain sports venue can sometimes hamper the functionality of the device, but Mace says closely working with T-Mobile to enhance cellular capabilities and improving the efficacy of their own Wi-Fi chip has been paramount.
Additionally, Mace says they are still learning about how the haptic feedback system can be expanded upon within a game.
“Haptics right now has been great for attracting big details – like tracking where the ball is, “ Mace said. “But I think there’s a lot more we can do to convey different things through the vibrations alone that will just further enhance the experience.”
Besides enhancing just the haptic, tactical experience, OneCourt is examining how the audio component can be upgraded. Alexa Garay – who specializes in partnerships and go-to-market strategy for OneCourt, says the company has actively been working on finding a way to implement the voice of radio broadcasters into the device so that users can have the option to listen to that rather than the generative commentary voice.
OneCourt also plans to have an at-home version of the device available to fans in late 2026. Pre-orders for the device can be placed on their website starting in early 2026.
OneCourt is also working to sync their device with visual broadcasts, so that low vision users can enjoy sports without having to leave the comfort of their home if they so desire.
The company’s vision in the marketplace is unlimited, and Garay says a potential use for it could evolve to be used outside of sports – perhaps in education and STEM programs with blind and low vision people remaining as the beneficiaries.
“We plan to go wherever there is data,” Mace said.
Mace notes that gaming is his favorite potential use case for the compatibility of the OneCourt device going forward.
While the possibilities are plentiful, right now, extending its brand in the sports industry is the biggest priority.
With an ultimate desire to scale up production to the point that the device is accessible to all major sports organizations, Garay claims they are prioritizing those who align with the company’s mission and values.
“We are just trying to make sure that all the teams and partnerships we work with end up maintaining the quality of activation that we desire,” Garay said. “And that the product is the same quality we’ve been putting out because that’s the experience we want the fans to have.”
Thus far, the quality of the OneCourt product has not been an issue for those that have had the opportunity to use it.
In fact, they seem excited to see what the future of the device holds – for their own experience and others as it becomes more available in major sports leagues.
“I think as time goes on, it’s just going to get better and better,” Ashton said. “Both in more precise vibrations, vibration motors throughout the machine, quicker response time, better Wi-Fi signals in stadiums.”
Watt is appreciative of OneCourt’s effort.
“Every sport should follow suit,” he said.
LEXINGTON, KY. – The Wofford volleyball team was defeated by the No. 1 seeded Kentucky Wildcats 3-0 on Thursday night inside of Historic Memorial Coliseum in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Terriers close the season 17-14 with a 10-6 record in conference action. Kentucky will take on UCLA tomorrow night.
“Our mindset was to come out and leave it out there,” said head coach Lynze Roos. “I feel like we competed in some really good points. They got some separation and that was tough, but I’m really proud of the way that these women competed in the season that we had.”
Wofford totaled 27 kills on 26 assists throughout the match. On defense, the team posted 54 digs and four blocks. The Wildcats finished the match with 45 kills on 44 assists. Kentucky also posted 56 digs and four blocks.
Leading Wofford was Bradley Brown who had 10 kills on a .259 hitting percentage. Brown also led the team with three blocks. Following behind was Chloe Smith with six kills. Maddy Frazier dished out a team-high 13 assists, while Taylor Pecht had 10. Laney Klika recorded a team-high 13 digs, along with 10 from Caroline Przystup. Annemarie Rakoski and Natalie Arnold tallied one block apiece.
“We talk a lot about playing relentless defense and going for every single ball. We knew that tonight was going to be a tough task, but you never really know unless you go for it,” said Laney Klika.
“We talked a lot before the game about playing how we play and not letting their offense or defense change the way that we like to play,” added Annemarie Rakoski.
“It was amazing just to be able to have some family and friends that I don’t get to see very much anymore come watch me play. It was super cool to just have that support,” said Chloe Smith.
Kentucky grabbed the first two points of set one, but Wofford responded with a solo block by Annemarie Rakoski. Another solo block from Bradley Brown kept the Kentucky lead within one point. With the Wildcats leading 13-8, Kentucky would add four unanswered points to bring the Wofford deficit to nine points. The Terriers could not overcome the Kentucky lead, losing set one 25-11.
The teams were back-and-forth to start set two, as the Terriers would take an early 5-4 lead. Wofford took its biggest advantage – a 15-13 lead – after a pair of Kentucky attacking errors. The Wildcats fought back to take a 20-19 lead, and the team scored the final five points of the stanza to take set two 25-19. Bradley Brown totaled eight kills and one block in the second set alone.
Wofford jumped out to a 2-0 lead to start the third set of the match by way of a Bradley Brown kill. Kentucky responded with a 7-1 run, however, to regain the lead. The Wildcats would eventually take a 13-4 advantage. Wofford cut the deficit to six points a few rallies later, but the team would lose set three and ultimately the match.
Wofford concludes the season 17-14 with a 10-6 mark in Southern Conference play. The team entered the conference tournament as the No. 3 seed and defeated both No. 6 Samford and No. 2 Furman to reach the championship match. The Terriers took down No. 1 ETSU to win their third-straight conference championship and earn another bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Junior Seren Rodgers secured a third place finish in the pentathlon, totaling 3,771 points. With the result, the Taunton, England, native now sits sixth all-time in program history in the women’s indoor pentathlon.
Overall, Rodgers recorded three podium finishes during the competition, including a pair of runner up results in the long jump, where she recorded a jump of 10.32 meters, and the 800m, crossing the line in 2:19.62. Rodgers also claimed third place in the 60m hurdles after clocking a time of 8.86 seconds.
Meanwhile, freshman Julia Aere also competed in the pentathlon, securing eighth place with 3,462 points in her collegiate debut. The Delray Beach, Fla., native placed inside the top-10 in all five events, highlighted by a third place finish in the shot put after recording a distance of 11.13 meters, as well as a fifth place result in the 800m after recording a time of 2:27.34.
Notable Finishes
Pentathlon
2025-26 Indoor Track and Field Top-10 Marks in School History
From the Staff
“I’m really pleased with how the competition progressed today. Julia and Seren competed well and this meet was a great measure of how hard we have worked throughout the fall semester. It gave us a chance to get out, perform at a high level and still recognize that we left some points on the table, which is exciting. We are in a great place heading into the holiday break and this will keep us motivated and hungry. These two ladies set the tone early for the team and we are eager for the rest of the team to compete this weekend.” – Assistant Coach Ryan Grinnell
Up Next
The Demon Deacons return to action on Saturday with a pair of meets. One group of Wake Forest athletes will travel to Boston to compete in the 5K race at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener. Meanwhile, several Deacs will compete at the Visit Winston-Salem College Kick-off at the JDL Fast Track.
After the Lopes dominant WAC indoor run of 14 conference titles between the men’s and women’s teams, GCU will compete in its first season as a Mountain West member.
“This schedule and competition should prepare both our men’s and women’s teams to make a lot of noise at our inaugural Mountain West Conference Indoor Championships, as well as send a lot of our athletes to the NCAA Indoor Championships,” GCU head coach Tom Flood said.Grand Canyon’s indoor schedule will feature meets in trips to Flagstaff, Arizona; Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Reno, Nevada.
“Again, we are really excited about our indoor schedule,” Flood said. “We will again be competing at some of the finest indoor facilities in the country and against some of the best track and field programs in the country.”
The 2025-26 season begins Thursday as the Lopes travel to Reno, Nevada, before taking a break until the new year. From there, they will travel to Flagstaff and Albuquerque before heading back to Reno for the Mountain West Indoor Championships.
GCU aims to represent at the NCAA Indoor Championships, which will be held March 13-14 in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
For the full indoor schedule, click here.
A new era in Hope College track and field begins today with the first indoor meet of the 2026 season.
Beginning at noon, the Flying Dutch and Flying Dutchmen are competing at the Grand Valley State University Holiday Open under the leadership of first-year head coach Jordan Bartolazzi, the 11th women’s head coach in program history and the 13th men’s coach.
Bartolazzi, who built his alma mater, Elmhurst University (Illinois), into a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin power before coming to Hope, is thrilled with the progress both teams made during preseason workouts.
“There was a lot of good stuff going on here to build on,” Bartolazzi said. “Our focus, with every practice, has been preparing to compete, whether we’re an All-American or trying to crack the conference lineup. We have a lot of student-athletes working really hard. We’ve been having a ball. There has been really good energy. I think it’s been a good start for us.”
The Flying Dutch, who finished third in the MIAA Women’s Indoor Track and Field Preseason Coaches Poll, feature a roster of 73, with 17 seniors, 17 juniors, 14 sophomores and 25 freshmen.
The Flying Dutchmen, who also tookl thjird in the MIAA Men’s Indoor Track and Field Preseason Coaches Poll, have a roster of 64, with 18 seniors, nine juniors, 17 sophomores and 20 freshmen.
Coaching Staff
Head coach: Jordan Bartolazzi, first season
Distance coach: Mark Northuis
Distance assistant coaches: Dan Campbell, Mike Northuis
Throws coach: Paul Markel
Jumps coach: Addy Gerig
Pole vault coaches: Jon Lunderberg, Ben Turner
Women’s Roster
Senior Sara Schermerhorn (Traverse City, Michigan / Traverse City West) is Hope’s top returner after claiming All-America honors in four events for the second consecutive season in 2025: indoor and outdoor 200 meters and indoor and outdoor 400 meters.
The exercise science major swept MIAA Most Valuable Indoor and Outdoor Track Athlete honors as a junior and earned MIAA Most Valuable Indoor Track Athlete accolades in back-to-back seasons. She became the first sprinter in league history to win titles in the 60, 200 and 400 at the same meet.
Schermerhorn set MIAA records in the indoor 200 and 400 meters last season. She also ran on the MIAA champion 4×400 relay, which returns two other sprinters: senior Frances Cozzens (Lyman, New Hampshire / Saint Johnsbury Academy) and sophomore Sofia Fisher (Lombard, Illinois / Montini Catholic).
Hope returns three runners from the MIAA champion distance medley relay: senior Molly Durow (Glenview, Illinois / Glenbrook South), junior Amanda Markham (Hoffman Estates, Illinois / William Fremd) and sophomore Lily Sackrider (St. Johns, Michigan / St. Johns).
Durow is coming off an All-America cross country campaign this fall. The special education major finished 32nd at the Division III national championships and was runner-up at the Great Lakes Regional and MIAA Championships.
“We have great leadership,” Bartolazzi said. “Not only do we have some great upperclassmen, but we have some really wonderful seniors who have made an effort to welcome our freshmen and newcomers to the program. It’s a gift to have great senior leadership in year one.”
Men’s Roster
Hope returns senior sprinter Liam Danitz, the 2025 First Team All-MIAA honoree and MIAA Most Valuable Men’s Indoor Track Athlete.
Danitz (West Branch, Michigan / Ogemaw Heights) set an MIAA record in the 200-meter dash (21.59), earned First Team All-America honors with a fifth-place national finish in the 200 (21.93), and took second in the 60-meter dash (6.83) for All-MIAA Second Team honors.
The exercise science major also contributed to an All-MIAA Second Team 4×400 relay alongside returning junior Dylan Terpstra (Hudsonville, Michigan / Hudsonville).
Senior Erickson Kunzler (Marne, Michigan / Grand Rapids Catholic Central) returns as the MIAA 800-meter champion after posting a winning time of 1:56.09.
Senior Carston Cole (Holland, Michigan / West Ottawa) and junior Carter Dean (Traverse City, Michigan / Traverse City West) also return from last year’s All-MIAA First Team distance medley relay.
Cole recorded Hope’s top cross country finish at nationals this fall. The Flying Dutchmen placed 23rd in the nation as a team and made history with their first Great Lakes Regional title since 1980 and first MIAA crown since 1986.
Sophomore Logan Begeman (Portage, Michigan / Portage Central) ran away with the Great Lakes Regional and MIAA individual championships.
“They’re hungry,” Bartolazzi said of the Flying Dutchmen. “Having that breakthrough season in cross country is such a gift. They felt like they were close and believed they could compete at the conference and national levels. They showed they could. That carries over to the track season.”
Schedule
The Flying Dutch and Flying Dutchmen are scheduled to compete in 10 indoor meets and eight outdoor meets.
The MIAA Indoor Championships are Saturday, Feb. 28, at Trine University.
The NCAA Indoor Championships are Friday-Saturday, March 13-14, in Birmingham, Alabama.
Hope will host the MIAA Outdoor Championships on Friday-Saturday, April 30-May 1, at Brewer Track.
The NCAA Outdoor Championships are Thursday-Saturday, May 21-23, in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
“One thing I wanted to do this year was get our student-athletes on banked tracks a little more,” Bartolazzi said. “Nationals will be on a banked track, so I want them to know what that feels like. It’s a great thing in West Michigan — you don’t have to go far to race against really good people.”
Blue-Gold Invite
Loftus Sports Center – South Bend, Indiana
Friday, December 5, 2025
Live Results
McFerrin-12 Degree Invite
Fasken Indoor Track – College Station, Texas
Saturday, December 6, 2025
Live Results | Watch
Sharon Colyear Danville Season Opener
BU Track & Tennis Center – Boston, Massachusetts
Saturday, December 6, 2025
Live Results | Watch
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DALLAS, Texas (SMU) — The Mustangs will open up their 2025-2026 track and field season across three different meets this weekend. The distance ponies will split between Notre Dame’s Blue-Gold Invite and Boston University’s Sharon Colyear Danville Season Opener. The rest of the team will travel to Texas A&M’s McFerrin-12 Degree Invite.
This meet will serve as a soft opener for the Mustangs with the remainder of the season beginning in mid-January. The distance athletes are coming off a successful cross country season, which concluded with an appearance at the national championship for Rose Mburu, but this will be the first competition for the sprints, jumps, and multis after fall training.
The action will begin on Friday at Notre Dame and continue at the other two meets on Saturday.
The meet is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. and will include a combination of field and sprint events.
Admission is free to fans. Live results from the OU Winter Field Fest can be found via TimingInc.
The Sooners are coming off their first season in the SEC, where they claimed seven individual conference titles.
OU Winter Field Fest Schedule of Events
Triple Jump (M) – 1:30 p.m.
Weight Throw (M) – 1:30 p.m.
High Jump (W) – 2:30 p.m.
Triple Jump (W) – 3 p.m.
Pole Vault (W) – 3 p.m.
Weight Throw (W) – 3 p.m.
60M Hurdles Prelims (W) – 3 p.m.
60M Hurdles Prelims (M) – 3:15 p.m.
60M Dash Prelims (W) – 3:30 p.m.
60M Dash Prelims (M) – 3:45 p.m.
Long Jump (M) – 4:30 p.m.
Shot Put (M) – 4:30 p.m.
60M Hurdles Finals (W) – 4:30 p.m.
60M Hurdles Finals (M) – 4:40 p.m.
60M Dash Finals (W) – 4:50 p.m.
60M Dash Finals (M) – 5 p.m.
Pole Vault (M) – 5:30 p.m.
Long Jump (W) – 6 p.m.
High Jump (M) – 6 p.m.
Shot Put (W) – 6 p.m.
For more information on Oklahoma Track & Field, follow the Sooners on Twitter and Instagram (@OU_Track) and like Oklahoma Sooners Track & Field and Cross Country on Facebook.
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