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AVP Huntington Beach Open delivers exciting clashes and memorable victories 

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HUNTINGTON BEACH – The 2025 AVP Huntington Beach Open wrapped up last Sunday, treating beach volleyball fans to a weekend of high-stakes action under the California sun. The tournament, held at the iconic Huntington Beach Pier, has been a staple on the AVP calendar since 2000, and this year’s event carried the added significance of determining the final teams for the upcoming AVP League season.

The men’s championship match featured a commanding performance by top-seeded duo Andy Benesh and Miles Partain. The pair defeated the second-seeded team of Chase Budinger and Miles Evans in straight sets, 21-14, 21-14. Known for their dynamic chemistry, Benesh and Partain controlled the court, demonstrating why they previously clinched the 2023 Huntington Beach title.

For Budinger, a former NBA player, and his partner Miles Evans, the loss highlighted their grit and determination throughout the tournament. They had advanced to the final after a grueling three-set semifinal victory over Billy Allen and Taylor Crabb, 24-26, 21-19, 15-13. This marked another strong showing for Allen and Crabb, with local hero Allen hailing from Fallbrook.

On the women’s side, fans were treated to a thrilling three-set showdown between first-seeded Taryn Brasher and Kristen Nuss, and third-seeded Terese Cannon and Megan Kraft. Brasher and Nuss, who finished third in 2023 and second in 2024, finally secured their first Huntington Beach Open title with a hard-fought 21-17, 21-23, 15-9 victory. The pair’s toughness on the sands solidified their status as one of the top teams to watch heading into the AVP League season.

Taryn Brasher (L) and Kristen Nuss won their first ever AVP Huntington Beach Open title. Valley News/Bryan Malloch photo

Cannon and Kraft, though falling short of the crown, impressed throughout the tournament, particularly in their semifinal victory against the second-seeded team of Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson in another intense three-set match, 21-15, 19-21, 15-12.

For Fallbrook native Billy Allen, the Huntington Beach Open was a homecoming of sorts. Partnered with Taylor Crabb, Allen advanced to the semifinals, where they narrowly lost in three sets to eventual finalists Budinger and Evans. Allen, a veteran of the AVP circuit since 2004, has built a storied career that includes tournament wins in Seattle and a successful run as co-host of the podcast “Coach Your Brains Out.”

Allen’s connection to his California roots remains strong, even after relocating to Idaho with his family. The father of one continues to balance his roles as an athlete, coach, and writer, sharing his experiences in books like The Inner Knight.

With the Huntington Beach Open officially in the books, players now shift their focus to the AVP League, set to begin its second season on May 23 in Palm Beach, Florida. Two additional California stops are planned for this summer’s league schedule, including events in San Diego and Los Angeles.

The stakes remain high for athletes vying not only for league glory but also to further establish themselves on the international stage, as many of the weekend’s standout performers are also preparing for the 2024 Olympics.

The 2025 AVP Huntington Beach Open was a weekend packed with talent, thrilling matchups, and electric energy that only beach volleyball can bring. From the dominant performances of champions Benesh and Partain to the dramatic battles on the women’s side, this year’s tournament left an lasting mark on the sands of Huntington Beach.

Send local sports tips and info to sports@reedermedia.com.

JP Raineri

JP is an award-winning multimedia journalist, and head of the Sports Department for the Valley News. As a former Southwestern League head baseball coach, and former President of the Temecula Youth Baseball league (TYB), JP was also a local on-air radio personality at All Pro Broadcasting and was a television host for the Outdoor Channel. When not covering local, or national sports, JP also works for the Media Technology Department for Major League Baseball.



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Tomashek named GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week

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HOUGHTON, Mich. – Michigan Tech men’s basketball senior Marcus Tomashek has been named the GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week for week six, the league office announced on Monday.

The honor marks the ninth of his career and the first of his senior season.

Tomashek, a standout from Green Bay, Wisconsin, averaged 30.5 points, 5.5 assists and 2.5 rebounds to lead the No. 9 nationally-ranked Huskies to win over Florida Tech (64-52) before blitzing the high-flying offense of the Lynn Fighting Knights (105-67) at the Florida Tech Christmas Classic over the weekend to wrap non-conference play with a 11-1 record overall.

In the largest scoring game against a Division II opponent in over 15 years, Tomashek netted a season-high 39 points in the 105-67 win on 14-21 from the field and 11-17 from 3-point land, breaking the school record for single-game 3-point field goals made, surpassing fellow Husky All-Americans Kyle Monroe and Ben Stelzer. He also added four assists that helped the Huskies break the team record for most 3-point field goals made with 23.

Tomashek finished the weekend shooting 54.1 percent from the field (20-37), 50 percent from long range (14-28) and a perfect 7-7 from the charity stripe.

The Huskies resume GLIAC play next weekend, hosting Grand Valley State Thursday and Davenport on Saturday.



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SCAC Announces 2025 Fall All-Sportsmanship Teams

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SUWANEE, Ga. — The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) today announced its 18th annual fall All-Sportsmanship teams. A total of 63 student-athletes – the most since 2011-12 – were selected to the 2025 squad in the sports of men’s cross country, women’s cross country, football, men’s soccer, women’s soccer and volleyball.

Since the inaugural All-Sportsmanship teams were honored in the fall of 2008, the SCAC has recognized over 2,500 student-athletes who each, in his or her own way, has displayed the league’s core belief in the value of honorable conduct.

For this year’s selections, each conference head coach was asked to elect one member from his or her team who displayed good sportsmanship throughout the season. 

The 2025 SCAC All-Sportsmanship honorees for the fall sports season are listed below:

2025 All-Sportsmanship Men’s Cross Country Team
Centenary College – Zack Wroten, Fy., Benton, Louisiana
Colorado College – Luc Santos, Sr., Exeter, New Hampshire 
Concordia University (Texas) – Gerardo Leal, Fy., Dallas, Texas
University of Dallas – Martin Lane, So., Hot Springs, South Dakota
Hendrix College – Davin Barragan, Fy., Hot Springs, Arkansas
LeTourneau University – Austin Jett, Jr., Magnolia, Texas
McMurry University – Roman Perez, Sr., Big Spring, Texas
University of the Ozarks – Daniel Sanderson, Sr., Clarksville, Arkansas
Schreiner University – Sean Dansby, Jr., Pasadena, Texas
University of St. Thomas – Mason McFeeters, Jr., Lake Jackson, Texas
Texas Lutheran University – Peyton Bristow, Fy., Round Rock, Texas

2025 All-Sportsmanship Women’s Cross Country
Centenary College – Grayson Shugart, So., McKinney, Texas
Colorado College – Brooktie Frogge, Sr., Nashville, Tennessee
Concordia University (Texas) – Camille McWhorter, Jr., Humble, Texas
University of Dallas – Teresa Chshen, Jr., River Ridge, Louisiana
Hendrix College – Pippy Newell, Fy., Owasso, Oklahoma
LeTourneau University – Alayna Galloway, Sr., Montgomery, Texas 
McMurry University – Madison Soultanova, Sr., Jacksonville, Texas
University of the Ozarks – Chloe Weathers, Sr., Clarksville, Arkansas
Schreiner University – Piper Hoeke, So., Boerne, Texas
University of St. Thomas – Alejandra Ramon, Jr., Klein, Texas
Texas Lutheran University – Audrey Malbrough, So., Selma, Texas

2025 All-Sportsmanship Football
Austin College – Evan Dennis, Sr., McKinney, Texas
Centenary College – Gideon Bowman, So., Destrehan, Louisiana
Hendrix College – Auvic White, Sr., Munford, Tennessee
Lyon College – Grayson Johnson, Jr., Anniston, Alabama
McMurry University – Kimani Smith, Sr., Austin, Texas
Texas Lutheran University – Anthony Ortegon, Jr., Houston, Texas

2025 All-Sportsmanship Men’s Soccer
Austin College – Justin Ajdukovich, Sr., Frisco, Texas
Centenary College – Joshua Mensah, So., Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Colorado College – Will Jones, So., Colorado Springs, Colorado
Concordia University (Texas) – Steven Dolan, Jr., Bellevue, Washington
University of Dallas – Josh Longlois, So., Houston, Texas
Hendrix College – Charlie Mata, Sr., Houston, Texas
LeTourneau University – Nate Bransford, Sr., Kijabe, Kenya
McMurry University – Abel Gonzalez, Fy., Dallas, Texas
University of the Ozarks – Hunter Robert, Sr., Montgomery, Texas
Schreiner University – Derek Toney, Fy., San Antonio, Texas
University of St. Thomas – Elijah Flores, Sr., Missouri City, Texas
Texas Lutheran University – Preston Huff, Sr., Houston, Texas               

2025 All-Sportsmanship Women’s Soccer
Austin College – Lynna Martin, Fy., Paris, Texas
Centenary College – Anna Hobart, Fy., Natchitoches, Louisiana
Concordia University (Texas) – Lilianna Cherry, Jr., Kingwood, Texas
University of Dallas – Kit Gibbons, Sr., Tomball, Texas
Hendrix College – Ella Kelly, Sr., Webster Groves, Missouri
LeTourneau University – Clarissa Martinez, Sr., Richwood, Texas
McMurry University – Alexandria Flores, Jr., San Angelo, Texas
University of the Ozarks – Jayden Vazquez, So., Dardanelle, Arkansas
Schreiner University – Aspen Ulibarri, So., Clovis, New Mexico
University of St. Thomas – Bre Medina, Fy., Pearland, Texas
Texas Lutheran University – Alysa Marquez, Jr., Miami, Florida

2025 All-Sportsmanship Volleyball
Austin College – Selah Coleman, Sr., Houston, Texas
Centenary College – Hannah Dimmel, Jr., Navasota, Texas
Colorado College – Meghan Gannon, Jr., Cleveland, Ohio
Concordia University (Texas) – Camryn Parker, Sr., Garland, Texas
University of Dallas – Breana Timms, Fy., Mansfield, Texas
Hendrix College – Lily Meyer, Sr., Omaha, Nebraska
LeTourneau University – Emma Smith, Sr., San Antonio, Texas
McMurry University – Jalie Miller, So., Rockwall, Texas
University of the Ozarks – Claire Zeiler, Fy., Paris, Arkansas
Schreiner University – Emma Frye, Jr., Tigard, Oregon
University of St. Thomas – Madi Baker, Jr., Rancho Cucamonga, California
Texas Lutheran University – Ryann Ely, Sr., Montgomery, Texas

To view an archive of past All-Sportsmanship teams, click here.



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RICHARDSON NAMED TO ACADEMIC ALL-LEAGUE TEAM

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – South Dakota State junior Joslyn Richardson was one of four repeat honorees on the 2025 Summit League Volleyball Academic All-League Team released by conference officials Monday. A total of seven volleyball athletes league-wide were named to the team that was voted on by the membership’s faculty athletic representatives and sports information directors.
 
Richardson, a two-time Summit League Scholar of the Championship presented by JLG Architects, collected the second all-academic honor of her career. 

Richardson played every match as the Jackrabbits’ libero in 2025 and led the team in digs per set with 3.31. She also set a new program record with 41 ace serves this year. 

 

To be eligible for the Academic All-League team, a student-athlete must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.30 (on a 4.0 scale), completed at least one full academic year at the current institution and participated in 50 percent of their team’s competitions.

 

Nominations are brought forth by sports information directors from the league’s ten institutions and voting is conducted by both the SIDs and facility athletic representatives (FARs). The team is made up of the seven student-athletes receiving the most votes with all ties standing.

2025 Summit League Volleyball Academic All-League Team











 Name  School  Yr.  Pos.  GPA  Major
 Ally Barth  NDSU  Sr.  MB  3.94 Management Communication
 Kamryn Farris  South Dakota  Sr.  DS  3.75 Business
 Avery Van Hook**  South Dakota  Jr.  S  3.87 Kinesiology & Sport Management
 Kali Jurgensmeier**  Omaha  Sr.  OH  3.82 Biology
 Amanda Loschen  South Dakota   Jr.  MB  3.86 Medical Biology
 Lauren Perugini**  North Dakota  Jr.  OH  4.00 Dietetics
 Joslyn Richardson**  SDSU  Jr.  DS  4.00 Construction Management

 *Career Academic All-League honors

-GoJacks.com-

 



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Una Vajagic becomes first Badger Volleyball starter to transfer after national semifinal run | Sports

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MADISON, Wis. — In a surprising move on the volleyball court, Una Vajagic has announced that she is entering the transfer portal. This news is a stunner for Badger fans, as the sophomore ranked second on the team in kills and becomes the first Badger starter to leave since their national semifinal run.

Vajagic was expected to take on a larger role next season with the graduation of Mimi Colyer and Carter Booth. However, head coach Kelly Sheffield is already taking steps to replenish the roster, bringing in Florida’s Jaela Auguste, a Middle Blocker, and Eva Travis, an Outside Hitter from UC-Santa Barbara.

Looking ahead, there is promising news for Wisconsin volleyball. According to PrepDig, Wisconsin boasts the #1 recruiting class in the nation, incoming in 2026. This signals a bright future for the program despite the unexpected departure of Vajagic.

​COPYRIGHT 2025 BY CHANNEL 3000. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.



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Tigers Picked Fourth in EIVA Preseason Poll

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PRINCETON, N.J. – The Tigers were picked to finish fourth in the EIVA preseason poll, announced Monday. Mason Rice and Ryan Vena were named EIVA preseason players to watch. 

With 26 points, Princeton is fourth in the rankings behind Penn State, which was unanimously selected first, NJIT, and George Mason. 

Vena and Rice were named players to watch by the EIVA coaches. Vena, a senior middle blocker, was a First Team All-EIVA honoree in 2025. Rice, a sophomore pin, was named to the Second Team All-EIVA after a breakout freshman season. 

In 2025, the Tigers went 15-11 overall and 10-2 in the EIVA, winning the EIVA regular season championship before falling to Penn State in the EIVA tournament finals. 

The Tigers will kick off the 2026 season on January 3rd as they take on Toronto Metropolitan on the road in Canada. First serve is set for 8 p.m.

2026 EIVA Preseason Coaches’ Poll











Rank

Team (First-place votes)

Points

2025 Record

1

Penn State (7)

49

15-16, 8-4

2

NJIT

34

14-13, 8-4

3

George Mason

32

16-13, 6-6

4

Princeton

26

15-11, 10-2

T-5

Charleston

22

12-17, 5-7

T-5

Harvard

22

9-15, 5-7

7

Sacred Heart

11

6-17, 0-12



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Barth Named to Summit League Volleyball All-Academic Team

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Senior middle blocker Ally Barth has been named to the Summit League Volleyball All-Academic Team for the first time in her career, the league office announced on Monday afternoon.

Barth boasts a 3.94 GPA in Management Communication and was one of seven players in the Summit League to earn a spot on the Academic All-League Team. The Verona, Wis., native was also named to the CSC Academic All-District Team for the third time in her career earlier this month.

To be eligible for the Academic All-League team, a student-athlete must have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.30 (on a 4.0 scale), completed at least one full academic year at the current institution and participated in 50 percent of their team’s competitions, except pitchers who must have participated in 20 percent of their team’s total contests.

Nominations are brought forth by sports information directors from the league’s participating members, and voting is conducted by both SIDs and FARs.

The full Summit League release can be viewed here.

 



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