Sports
Assistant M/W Track and Field Coach in Charleston, IL for Eastern Illinois University
Details Posted: 23-Jun-25 Location: Charleston, Illinois Type: Full-time Salary: Range: $35,000 – $37,112 Categories: Coaching Coaching – Track & Field Sector: Collegiate Sports Salary Details: This is a 12-month position eligible for the following benefits: Comprehensive Medical Coverage: Competitive employee insurance premiums with flexible plan options. Vision coverage is included with medical at no cost. […]

Details
Posted: 23-Jun-25
Location: Charleston, Illinois
Type: Full-time
Salary: Range: $35,000 – $37,112
Categories:
Coaching
Coaching – Track & Field
Sector:
Collegiate Sports
Salary Details:
This is a 12-month position eligible for the following benefits:
Comprehensive Medical Coverage: Competitive employee insurance premiums with flexible plan options.
Vision coverage is included with medical at no cost.
Dental plans available to meet your needs.
Participation in the State University Retirement System, which includes medical insurance benefits upon retirement.
Opportunities to pursue educational goals through tuition waivers for employees and dependent children.
Up to 12 paid holidays annually, plus earned vacation and sick time.
For more information on our employee benefit programs, please visit EIU Employee Benefits webpage.
Required Education:
4 Year Degree
The Assistant M/W Track & Field Coach reports to the Head Coach. This position is responsible for assisting the Head Coach in the successful management and administration of all phases of Varsity Intercollegiate M/W Track and Field Programs, within the guidelines, rules and regulations of Eastern Illinois University, the Ohio Valley Conference and the NCAA.
Secondary duties include strategic and operational management of an intercollegiate athletics programs by assisting in the planning and execution of team logistics, practices, competitions, and overall program coordination. It also involves contributing to budget development and financial oversight, optimizing resource allocation and ensuring compliance with university and NCAA policies.
The M/W Track and Field Assistant Coach plays an integral role in supporting the mission and core values of the Athletics Department. This position requires a blend of advanced theoretical knowledge and practical experience in areas such as coaching, compliance, budget management, and operational strategic planning to advance the overall success and integrity of the Track and Field programs.
The Assistant Coach supports the Head Coach in the following:
- Support the Mission and Core Values of the Department
- Recruit individuals who have exhibited high potential to perform according to Department, Conference and NCAA standards
- Reinforce academic achievement and graduation as our top priority
- Responsible for full compliance with University, Department and NCAA regulations
- Diligent in their preparation to compete aggressively to win championships
- Collaborate on development of a responsible budget for their sport
- Responsible for the efficient use of all Department resources
- Collaborate with Athletic and University support units to ensure Student-Athlete health, safety and well-being
A complete application will include a letter of application, resume and contact information of three references. For questions regarding the search, please contact James Nave, Screening Committee Chair, at jmnave@eiu.edu.
Bachelor’s degree required/Master’s preferred. Possess (2) or more years of coaching or competition experience or equivalent. Must have extensive knowledge of the sport of Track and Field with an emphasis on sprints and hurdles. Ability to recruit, develop and retain quality Track and Field student-athletes. Excellent organization, interpersonal and communication skills. Demonstrated commitment to the academic success of the student-athlete. Ability and willingness to work effectively in a team atmosphere in the athletic department. Strong commitment to the University, OVC and NCAA rules and regulations. Demonstrated commitment to diversity and experience with promoting inclusivity are required
About Eastern Illinois University
Eastern Illinois University is a Division I – FCS program that competes in Ohio Valley Conference for all sports except for Men’s Soccer and Swimming that compete in the Summit League
Connections working at Eastern Illinois University
Sports
USD grads Chris Nilsen, Emily Grove prep for shot at World Championships – Sioux Falls Live
SIOUX FALLS — Less than a month remains until pole vaulters Chris Nilsen and Emily Grove will compete among the best in the nation, and for them, the focus has been on honing their best selves. The pair of University of South Dakota graduates are utilizing the many resources available to them at the Sanford […]

SIOUX FALLS — Less than a month remains until pole vaulters Chris Nilsen and Emily Grove will compete among the best in the nation, and for them, the focus has been on honing their best selves.
The pair of University of South Dakota graduates are utilizing the many resources available to them at the Sanford Fieldhouse in preparation for the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, which will take place July 31 – Aug. 3 in Eugene, Oregon. The primary objective for both athletes is the same — they hope to qualify for September’s World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
A silver medalist at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Nilsen has spent the 2025 season working through a pair of injuries, while Grove’s confidence has steadily been building since the start of the new year as the 32-year-old attempts to qualify for the World Championships for the first time in eight years.
Both Nilsen and Grove know that time and its inherent impact on their bodies continues to creep closer and closer to the forefront of their pole vaulting endeavors, but with their age also comes maturity, patience and understanding.
Over the years, the Sanford Fieldhouse has established a reputation of luring in professional, collegiate and high school athletes from all walks of life during the summer months. Most of those athletes have some sort of local tie. Some use it to simply remain in shape, while others use it to train far more intensively.
Nilsen and Grove, both of whom are currently in season, fall into the latter camp.
“It’s a good mix for our athletes that are doing their summer training and prepping for the school year that’s coming up,” said Jesse Haines, who has worked for Sanford for more than two decades and currently serves as manager of Sanford Sports Performance. “It’s great for them to see people who are professionals and are dedicated and the discipline they possess in their workouts.
“I’m happy to have those athletes here so they can set the standard for the rest of the athletes and individuals in our building.”

Trent Singer / Sioux Falls Live
Despite the many years they’ve spent in Vermillion, Nilsen and Grove are still relatively new to living in the Sioux Falls area — Nilsen moved to the city in the fall of 2023, while Grove settled in just several weeks ago — but the Fieldhouse has provided a vital hub for both athletes.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Grove occasionally utilized the facility. She was impressed by the variety of equipment that was available, as well as the length of the indoor track, which allows her to build speed and endurance in her training.
“They have plenty of Olympic platforms and machines if I need to use them on my day off, and they have a high bar. So we can use that for core type of stuff,” Grove said. “They really have everything we need, so it’s very well equipped. And it’s nice. It’s organized. The environment is great.
“Everybody is super friendly. I was a little intimidated walking in and realizing how motivated everyone is. … It’s just really cool to see everyone work hard to try and reach their goals.”
Meanwhile, Nilsen has been a regular at the Fieldhouse for about a year.
After moving to Sioux Falls nearly two years ago, he initially struggled to find a place to train that could meet the specificity of his needs as a pole vaulter. Eventually, though, he connected with Haines, a former multi-sport athlete at USD who offered Nilsen an opportunity to train at the Fieldhouse for free.
Chock full of athletic trainers and physical therapists, the Sanford Sports Performance team has provided Nilsen with a wealth of resources as he prepares for his trip to Eugene.
“I came in and was astonished at how awesome it is,” Nilsen said. “This isn’t the kind of facility you see in a smaller city like Sioux Falls, South Dakota. They have absolutely everything I need.”

Trent Singer / Sioux Falls Live
Nilsen and Grove’s workouts are pre-planned by their longtime coach, Derek Miles, who has built USD’s vault program into a nationally recognized entity.
A three-time Olympian and 2008 Olympic bronze medalist, Miles currently serves as associate director of track and field/jumps at USD, his alma mater. He has helped pave the way for more than 30 All-America honors at the Division I level, as well as much of Nilsen and Grove’s successes at the international level.
Last fall, Grove felt as if she began progressing in the right direction while working closely with Miles on her ground strike.
“I feel like it’s finally paying off because everything feels really natural and easy down the runway,” said Grove, a native of Pontiac, Illinois. “The hard part is just the timing, so I feel like I’m physically ready to go for a PR.
“Now, it’s just about putting the pieces together, which I think has been huge, and that’s helped my consistency in the meets I’ve been going to this year.”

Dan Musilek / Summit League
A six-time All-American and four-time Summit League champion, Grove has been competing internationally since 2017 when she graduated from USD, and in 2022, she cleared her personal best of 4.75 meters (15 feet, 7 inches).
Grove cleared 4.63 meters twice at overseas meets in May (Doha, Qatar) and June (Paris). She is currently ranked No. 14 in the latest women’s pole vault world rankings, which is the fourth highest among her fellow American competitors.
“I think the biggest part is I’m having fun with it,” Grove said. “I do feel confident. I’m running faster. I’m a little bit stronger, so right now, I’m just enjoying what I’m doing. I don’t have to pole vault anymore. I’m doing it because I want to, and to see my consistency has been a little bit of a relief because normally I’m not very consistent. This year, I feel like it’s been a huge success so far, and we’re not even into USAs yet, which is exciting to me.
“Whether or not I make the team, I feel like this season has been fun for the sheer fact of the consistency.”

Trent Singer / Sioux Falls Live
Nilsen says the 2025 season hasn’t differed much from his others at the international level, but injuries have certainly stymied him.
The 27-year-old native of Kansas City broke his hand in February at the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships before getting surgery in early March to repair it. Then, just last month, he sustained a tear in his hip adductor muscles while training.
Following the muscle tear, Nilsen visited with Dr. Marc J. Philippon at The Steadman Clinic in Vail, Colorado, where he was given platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and anti-inflammatory injections in his hip.
With the trip to Eugene on the horizon, Nilsen is training as much as his pain will allow it. His current workout regimen consists of light jogging, light plyometrics and a heavy dose of physical therapy.
While the setback has been an annoyance, Nilsen feels as if he’s recovering more with each day that passes. He hopes that trajectory continues until Aug. 2, when he’s slated to jump in Eugene.
“I still come to Sanford every day,” said Nilsen, who’s ranked eighth in the latest men’s pole vault world rankings (second highest among Americans). “I train and do whatever I am able to do because I’d rather do that than just sit home and do nothing. It’s a part of the process.
“I’ve been very blessed with not really having any injuries throughout my entire career. This being the first and second one, it just happened to be in the same year. It’s a learning lesson, but there’s not much else you can do besides prepare and hope for the best.”
Kai Pfaffenbach / Reuters
Nilsen set an indoor North American record on March 5, 2022, with a clearance of 6.05 meters (19-10 1/4) at the Perche Elite Tour in Rouen, France, and went on to claim a silver medal that year at the World Championships in Eugene. However, two years later, he came up short of reaching the final at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, settling for 26th place.
“It’s the first time I haven’t done well at an international championship, so I didn’t really know how to handle it. I just kind of stared at the wall for a few days,” said Nilsen, who is a four-time medalist on the world stage and was a seven-time All-American with the Coyotes. “With age, though, comes patience and the learning lessons, and I realized it was just a lot of external forces that were both being caused by me and by other external forces.
“You can’t go back and change the clock or change anything in the past, so you’ve just got to kind of learn from it. I feel like I have learned from it. It’s just my body is not letting me learn from it in that sort of way, so I’m glad that year is over. Now, we’re just focusing on trying to get back on the horse.”
For Grove, in-season training has consisted of light volume and high intensity. She spends her Mondays at the Fieldhouse working on fast and explosive short-distance sprints, while Tuesdays are devoted to core and recovery. On Wednesdays, she jumps with Miles before taking off the following day to compete on the weekends.
Grove and Nilsen both also help out as volunteer coaches in Vermillion, where Miles continues to elevate the next generation of USD vaulters.
“I had to work really hard to get myself to do a lot of these things, and I think learning through that process helps me to be able to coach the younger kids, too,” Grove said. “If they can’t quite get it, I understand. You have to try it a thousand more times before you can get your body to do what you’re trying to get it to do.”
Sports
Ethan Fang Earns Academic All-America Status
STILLWATER – Oklahoma State’s Ethan Fang has been honored for his work in the classroom as a 2025 Academic All-America at-large selection by the College Sports Communicators. A member of the Cowboy golf team, Fang was named a second-team selection. The rising junior is pursuing a degree in sports management and currently carries a 3.80 grade […]

A member of the Cowboy golf team, Fang was named a second-team selection. The rising junior is pursuing a degree in sports management and currently carries a 3.80 grade point average.
The honor caps an impressive season for Fang, who joined the OSU program this past year after competing as a freshman at California. The Plano, Texas native was tabbed as a first-team All-American and the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year after helping OSU to its 12th national title.
Fang finished the year with nine top-10 showings and tied for 15th place at the NCAA Championship.
He represented the United States earlier this summer at the Arnold Palmer Cup and most recently became the first Cowboy since 1967 to win The Amateur Championship.
With his selection, Fang became the fifth Cowboy to claim CSC Academic All-America honors, joining two-time selections Zack Robinson (2005, 2006 — First Team) and Pablo Martin (2006 — Second Team, 2007 — First Team).
Sports
Baylor’s Nathaniel Ezekiel named finalist for prestigious Bowerman Award
Nathaniel Ezekiel is the first Baylor Bear to be named a finalist for The Bowerman, the highest accolade in collegiate track and field. WACO, Texas — Baylor’s Nathanial Ezekiel may soon add another prestigious honor to his resume. Ezekiel, a sprinter for Baylor Track & Field, is already a university record holder, an NCAA National […]

Nathaniel Ezekiel is the first Baylor Bear to be named a finalist for The Bowerman, the highest accolade in collegiate track and field.
WACO, Texas — Baylor’s Nathanial Ezekiel may soon add another prestigious honor to his resume.
Ezekiel, a sprinter for Baylor Track & Field, is already a university record holder, an NCAA National Champion, National Athlete of the Year and even an Olympic athlete, but now he is also a nominee for the highest accolade in collegiate track and field, The Bowerman.
According to the university, Ezekiel is the first Baylor Bear to ever be named a finalist for the award.
The Bowerman debuted in 2009 and is named after former University of Oregon coach Bill Bowerman, according to the award’s website. The accolade is presented annually by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) to the “most outstanding male and female athlete in NCAA and NAIA track & field.”
Ezekiel is one of three men’s finalists for the award, alongside Arkansas’ Jordan Anthony and Auburn’s Ja’Kobe Tharp.
Ezekiel has won numerous accolades with Baylor and even competed in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. More about Ezekiel can be found on the Baylor Athletic webpage at this link.
Fans can cast their vote for Ezekiel at this link.
Sports
St. John’s track and field director touches generations
Former St. John’s track and field student-athlete Pariis Garcia is forever tied to the university. Her parents — both track and field standouts — met at St. John’s. It was no surprise that there were several Johnnies at Garcia’s wedding to former NFL running back Mack Brown, including current director of track and field/cross-country Aliann Pompey, who […]

Former St. John’s track and field student-athlete Pariis Garcia is forever tied to the university. Her parents — both track and field standouts — met at St. John’s. It was no surprise that there were several Johnnies at Garcia’s wedding to former NFL running back Mack Brown, including current director of track and field/cross-country Aliann Pompey, who coached Garcia to outstanding collegiate accomplishments.
“I have athletes who are now in their 30s, and it took me a while to come to terms with that,” said Pompey, a four-time Olympian who began coaching at St. John’s in 2014. “Pariis is probably the easiest athlete I’ve ever coached.”
When Pompey first arrived at St. John’s, she set up one-on-one meetings with the student-athletes. She hadn’t played a role in their recruiting, so she wanted a chance to connect before training began. “I tried to explain to them how this could benefit them and we [could] accomplish things together,” Pompey recalled. “Pariis said yes to everything and she was excited.”
After graduating in 2016, Garcia continued training with Pompey for a year and a half as she pursued pro track and international competition, representing Puerto Rico.
Also on Pompey’s recent schedule was being inducted into the Shore Athletic Club (NJ) Hall of Fame. After earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Manhattan College, she continued to compete internationally for her native Guyana. Elliot Denman, now a lifetime trustee, invited her to join the club.

“He made the pitch about how Shore AC supports athletes that are kind of in a transition period,” said Pompey. “After I left school, that was the only club I was affiliated with … up until I retired from my professional career.”
These days, she attends Shore AC meets when her schedule permits and contributes to the support of today’s athletes as she can. “The club was a crucial part of me being able to continue doing the sport that I love,” said Pompey, who has the meet record for the club’s 400-meter race, which is now named after her.
This summer, Pompey and her St. John’s coaching staff will be reviewing the recently concluded season, planning for the 2025–26 school year, and scoping out possible recruits for 2026–27. “We have an amazing group returning,” she said. “We want to make sure we get them high-level competition.”
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Sports
U.S. Women Start 2025 VNL Week Three with Win Over Thailand
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 9, 2025) – The U.S. Women’s National Team defeated a scrappy Thailand team, 3-1 (28-26, 21-25, 27-25, 25-15) to begin the third round of Volleyball Nations League (VNL) play on Wednesday night at the UT Arlington College Park Center in Arlington, Texas. The U.S. (5-4) returns to the court tomorrow at […]

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 9, 2025) – The U.S. Women’s National Team defeated a scrappy Thailand team, 3-1 (28-26, 21-25, 27-25, 25-15) to begin the third round of Volleyball Nations League (VNL) play on Wednesday night at the UT Arlington College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.
The U.S. (5-4) returns to the court tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. PT against the Dominican Republic (4-5).
Tickets are still available for the remaining U.S. matches. Buy your tickets now.
The U.S. finished with a 57-46 advantage in kills, while also holding narrow leads in blocks (10-7) and aces (3-2). The U.S. was out-blocked 6-5 through the first three sets before using a 5-1 margin in the fourth set to seal the match.
“I like the way we competed. Congratulations to Thailand. They are a very-well coached team and when they are running their systems, they are hard to defend. They can frustrate you a lot, so I liked the way we were resilient, stuck with the game plan and figured it out in the end,” said U.S head coach Erik Sullivan, who saw improvement later in the match on his team’s serve and pass. “In the last set, we put a little more pressure on them and got them out of rhythm.”
2024 Paris Olympian and outside hitter Avery Skinner made her 2025 VNL debut a memorable one, leading the U.S. with 19 kills and 22 points, adding two blocks and an ace, while also leading the match with 10 digs.
“Thailand is an amazing team. We knew the rallies were going to be long, so for us, it was about being patient, not trying to score necessarily on the first ball but when we got our chance, then going for it,” Skinner commented. “It was special. I have been so excited waiting for this match. I’m glad we could come out and get a win. It’s really fun being back with this group. Coming to Arlington is so fun because we get to play in front of our crowd. We are grateful for all the fans who have come out to support us.”
Outside hitter Logan Eggleston scored 19 points on 18 kills and a block, contributing nine digs, and a match-best 10 successful receptions. Middle blocker Dana Rettke totaled 10 points on nine kills and an ace. Opposites Stephanie Samedy and Danielle Cuttino made their 2025 VNL debuts in style with Samedy recording nine kills and Cuttino leading all players with four blocks to go with four kills for eight points.
Libero Lexi Rodriguez made several outstanding plays, finishing with seven digs and three successful receptions. Captain and setter Jordyn Poulter, another 2024 Paris Olympian making her 2025 VNL debut, ran the U.S. offense while adding a kill, an ace and three digs.
Middle blockers Brionne Butler (three kills and three blocks) and Asjia O’Neal (four kills in her 2025 VNL debut) combined for 10 points.
An Eggleston kill followed by a Thailand error gave the U.S. a four-point lead, 16-12, in the opening set. With a 17-14 lead, the U.S. stretched the lead to six on two kills by Skinner, one set up by a great dig from Rodriguez, and an Eggleston kill on a back row attack.
Thailand used a 9-3 run to even the set at 23. An Eggleston kill, a Rettke kill on a slide, and a Skinner kill gave the U.S. three different set points, but they were unable to convert. After a hitting error gave the U.S. its fourth set point, Cuttino’s second block finished the set. Skinner scored seven points on six kills and an ace, while Eggleston provided five kills.
The second set was even at 16 when Thailand recorded back-to-back blocks to start a 5-0 run. The U.S. pulled within two points, 23-21, when a great up by Eggleston led to another Skinner kill, but Thailand evened the match by scoring the final two points of the set. Skinner totaled six points on five kills and a block, and Cuttino scored four points on two kills and two more blocks.
Another great dig by Rodriguez led to a Skinner kill to give the U.S. a 16-14 lead in set three. Back-to-back kills by Samedy and an Eggleston kill gave the U.S. its biggest lead of the set at 19-15. Thailand bounced right back with four consecutive points to tie the set at 19.
An Eggleston kill down the line and a back row tip by Skinner put the U.S. back up by two points, 21-19, but it was the final two-point lead until the end of the set. Just as it did in the first set, Thailand defended three set points, but the U.S. took a 2-1 set lead when Samedy scored on a kill to the back line and then again with a kill off the block. Eggleston scored seven points on kills, with Skinner and Samedy each contributing five kills.
A Rettke kill gave the U.S. an early 5-1 lead in the fourth set and her ace later extended the lead to five points, 10-5, and force Thailand to take a timeout. Consecutive blocks by Skinner and Butler followed by a Poulter ace pushed the U.S. to a 14-6 lead. The lead grew to as many as 11 points, 19-8, before Thailand scored four consecutive points. Samedy registered two kills in a row, the second set up by a great dig by Roni Jones-Perry, for a 22-13 lead. Eggleston paced the U.S. with five points on four kills and an ace.
U.S. Women’s Week Three Roster for 2025 VNL
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Kentucky, Lone Star)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lexi Rodriguez (L, 5-5, Sterling, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska Great Lakes)
8 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
9 Madisen Skinner (OH, 6-2, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
11 Taylor Mims (Opp, 6-3, Billings, Mont., Washington St., Evergreen)
15 Rachel Fairbanks (S, 6-0, Tustin, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
18 Asjia O’Neal (MB, 6-3, Southlake, Texas, Texas, North Texas)
20 Danielle Cuttino (Opp, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue, Hoosier)
21 Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
22 Sarah Franklin (OH, 6-4, Lake Worth, Fla., Univ. of Wisconsin, Florida)
25 Tia Jimerson (MB, 6-3, Sugar Hill, Ga., Univ. of Ohio, Southern)
33 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
34 Stephanie Samedy (Opp, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Minnesota, Florida)
Coaches
Head Coach: Erik Sullivan
Assistant Coach: Mike Wall
Second Assistant Coach: Brandon Taliaferro
Second Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Second Assistant Coach: Joe Trinsey
Team Manager: Rob Browning
Team Doctors: William Briner, James Suchy, Chris Lee, Andrew Gregory
Physiotherapist: Kara Kessans
Physical Trainers: Shawn Hueglin, Shannon Boone
Mental Performance Coach: Andrea Becker, Katy Stanfill
Performance Analyst: Virginia Pham
Week 3 Schedule: Arlington, Texas (all times PDT)
Matches will be shown on VBTV, Big Ten Network and/or CBS Sports Network. Please check listings for BTN and CBSN.
July 9 USA def. Thailand, 3-1 (28-26, 21-25, 27-25, 25-15)
July 10 at 5:30 p.m. USA vs. Dominican Republic
July 12 at 5:30 p.m. USA vs. Canada
July 13 at 5:00 p.m. USA vs. China
Week 1 Results: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
June 4 Italy def. USA, 3-0 (25-13, 25-13, 30-28)
June 5 Brazil def. USA, 3-0 (25-18, 25-17, 25-19)
June 6 Czechia def. USA, 3-2 (23-25, 20-25, 25-17, 25-20, 27-25)
June 8 USA def Korea, 3-0 (25-13, 28-26, 25-17)
Week 2 Results: Belgrade, Serbia
June 18 USA def. Serbia, 3-2 (25-22, 25-20, 22-25, 22-25, 15-11)
June 19 Poland def. USA, 3-1 (20-25, 25-20, 25-17, 25-18)
June 21 USA def. Netherlands, 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-19)
June 22 USA def. France, 3-2 (25-22, 26-24, 20-25, 21-25, 15-13)
Sports
Italy and Serbia clinch the top spots at Men’s U16 European Water Polo Championships
Serbia’s Milan Vuletic struck twice as he helped steer his team to victory against Spain. Photo: Nikola Krstic/European Aquatics After a thrilling third day of action at the men’s Elite U16 European Water Polo Championships in Istanbul, Italy and Serbia topped their respective groups after both sides earned hard-fought victories on Wednesday. In the Division […]


After a thrilling third day of action at the men’s Elite U16 European Water Polo Championships in Istanbul, Italy and Serbia topped their respective groups after both sides earned hard-fought victories on Wednesday. In the Division One tournament in Ljubljana, Bulgaria, Ukraine and Bosnia & Herzegovina continued to impress as they all maintained their 100% records.
Men’s U16 European Water Polo Championships
Day 3 Elite Division
Group Stage – Istanbul, Türkiye
Wednesday 9 July 2025
Group A
Hungary 17-10 Türkiye
Serbia 14-12 Spain
Standings: 1. Serbia 9pts, 2. Spain 6pts, 3. Hungary 3pts, 4. Türkiye 0pts
Group B
Montenegro 12-12 (5-4P) Croatia
Greece 15-19 Italy
Standings: 1. Italy 9pts, 2. Greece 6pts, 3. Montenegro 2pts, 4. Croatia 1pt
Group C
Malta 14-11 Moldova
Netherlands 16-8 Georgia
Standings: 1. Netherlands 9pts, 2. Georgia 6pts, 3. Malta 3pts, 4. Moldova 0pts
Group D
Germany 16-11 Romania
Standings: 1. Germany 6pts, 2. Romania 3pts, 3. Poland 0pts
Day 3 Division One
Group Stage – Ljubljana, Slovenia
Wednesday 9 July 2025
Group A
Portugal 6-17 Cyprus
France 9-10 Bulgaria
Slovakia 16-17 Slovenia
Standings: 1. Bulgaria 9pts, 2. France 6pts, 2. Slovenia 6pts, 4. Cyprus 3pts, 4. Slovakia 3pts, 6. Portugal 0pts
Group B
Latvia 4-21 Lithuania
Ukraine 10-4 Czechia
Bosnia & Herzegovina 13-11 Switzerland
Standings: 1. Ukraine 9pts, 1. Bosnia & Herzegovina 9pts, 3. Switzerland 6pts, 4. Lithuania 3pts, 5. Czechia 0pts, 5. Latvia 0pts

Italy rallied to a big 15-19 win over Croatia to clinch the first place in Group B. It was a brilliant match of twists and turns with a flood of goals in the first half where the Italians, once up by four, took a 9-11 lead.
The Greeks hit back in the third with Maximos Mantzouridis leading the charge. His double in 64 seconds brought his team back to even at 12-12, and Konstantinos Papanikolau put the Greeks ahead with 2:51 remaining.
However, this only triggered the Francesco Corelli Show – the Italians’ master shooter equalised right away and, after Francesco d’Arrigo quickly added another for 13-14, he then netted two more in 30 seconds at the start of the fourth.
The Greeks were stunned, then a minute later Paolo Borsalino’s action goal expanded the gap to four which practically floored their rivals. They pulled one back, but Corelli crowned his performance with his seventh goal 1:30 from time to secure the top spot for Italy.
In the other match, the third place was at stake, but in the current format this had smaller importance – both Croatia and Montenegro were to play a crossover anyway – it was more about pride and, after two defeats, to gain some confidence before the knockout-stage kicks off.
Consequently, the clash was as fierce and close as it could be. Midway through the second period, the Montenegrins jumped to a 6-3 lead, but the Croats fought themselves back to 7-7, still before the middle break.
Montenegro kept going ahead, leading 10-9 before the last break and went 11-9 up early in the fourth, but Duje Burazin was on fire and hit two in 36 seconds to make it 11-11.
Again, Danilo Roganovic sent the Montenegrins ahead by burying a penalty, but Burazin levelled it up once more – he scored the last four for the Croats. Almost three minutes remained to score the winner but neither side found the back of the net, leaving the decision to the penalties.
There, a single save decided the outcome, as in the fourth round, Strahinja Vranes made the crucial stop, so Montenegro finished third.
In the highlighted match in Group A, Serbia staged a devastating 5-0 run against Spain to jump from being 4-5 down to a 9-5 lead deep into the third period.
Spain, offering some sparkling offensive display on the previous two days, were completely frozen up front for 10 long minutes, before they could score again. They then netted two in quick succession, but Nikola Pavlovic scored a fine action goal with 0:02 on the clock to make it 10-7 before the final period.
And the Spanish defence was unable to stop the Serbs in the fourth as well. An early penalty cut the difference to two goals, but Spain’s hopes were short-lived as the Serbs put away two 6 on 5s while killing their rivals’ extra to reset the four-goal gap.
After 12-8, the Serbs could always respond to Spain’s hits, and they still led 14-10 turning into the last three minutes. Despite Javier Sanchez-Toril’s late heroics, he scored four alone in the fourth, Spain never had a realistic chance to force a shootout and had to settle for the second place.
The third place was decided in the last match of Day 3, between Türkiye and Hungary. After the hosts had pushed Serbia and Spain close in the previous two days, it seemed they had ran out of some steam.
The Türks did lead 4-5 at the first break, but then the young Magyars started to take control, stylishly shutting up shop and winning the second quarter 3-0.
Almost 12 minutes had passed before Türkiye could score again, this time through Eymen Altay, but Hungary kept piling forward and edging further and further ahead.
In the last quarter, the Hungarians found another gear and put together a 4-0 finish to put some gloss on what was an emphatic win.
The top spots were at stake on Wednesday in Groups C and D too. Both winners hit 16 goals to finish top respectively. The Netherlands downed Georgia, and Germany beat Romania with ease – all these sides had already secured their berths in the crossovers, though the top division contenders they face are still the heavy favourites in the coming round. Malta had the better of Moldova to claim the third place in Group C.

In Ljubljana, at the Division One tournament, Bulgaria edged out France in the battle of the two unbeaten sides in Group A. Niki Tsvetkov finished off a counter 34 seconds from time to win it for the Bulgarians, who still came out on top despite missing two penalties in crucial moments.
In Group B, Ukraine and Bosnia and Herzegovina made it three wins from three. Ukraine blew away the Czechs, while the Bosnians upended the Swiss in a thrilling encounter.
In the other matches, Cyprus thrashed Portugal and Lithuania showed no mercy against their neighbours Latvia, while at the end of the day, hosts Slovenia narrowly won an entertaining clash with Slovakia.
The Slovaks trailed by three at 4-7 four minutes into the second quarter, but fought back to level the scores at 8-8 just before the long break.
After nudging ahead briefly in the third, the Slovenians wrestled back the lead and were 13-14 up going into a tense final eight minutes.
Slovakia still refused to lie down and equalised twice at 14-14 and 15-15 and even went ahead again at 16-15, but they ultimately left with nothing, as two late goals from Luka Vujanovic won it for Slovenia.
The winner came from a penalty with just 21 seconds remaining and the fans’ celebrations will surely last long into the night.
–
Watch all the action live from Istanbul and Ljubljana for free on the European Aquatics TV channel, which can be found by clicking here.
For the full results/tables and schedule from Istanbul, click here.
For the full results/tables and schedule from Ljubljana, click here.
Gergely Csurka for European Aquatics
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