Sports

Baseball Pro Niners Update

Published

6 months ago

June 3, 2025

CHARLOTTE – The 2025 season of professional baseball is in full swing and the 9 Across The Chest is represented better than ever, with 17 Diamond Niners playing in minor league organizations and another seven playing one form of professional baseball or another.

Here’s how our record number of #ProNiners have been doing through the first two months of the baseball season:

Jake Cunningham • OF

Baltimore Orioles • High-A • Aberdeen IronBirds

Cunningham was called up to High-A last year and has spent all of 2025 at the same level with the Aberdeen IronBirds again. He has 23 hits this year with 15 RBIs and a pair of home runs. In May, Cunningham totaled 11 hits for 12 bases while driving in six runs and stealing as many bases. He had a hot stretch in the first half of the month, picking up two separate four-game hitting streaks while having a hit in nine out of a stretch of 11 games.

Ryan Degges • RHP

Philadelphia Phillies • Single-A • Clearwater Threshers

Degges was drafted by the Phillies last year and has gotten his professional career off to a blazing-hot start in Single-A with the Clearwater Threshers. Pitching as a reliever for the 49ers and in the first month of the season, Degges transitioned to a starter in May and posted a 0.78 ERA with 27 strikeouts in 23.0 innings in five starts for the Threshers. He only allowed two runs from a pair of solo home runs while only issuing 13 hits and 15 walks for a 1.22 WHIP in May. Overall, Degges has a 0.81 ERA with 38 strikeouts in 33.1 innings across nine outings for the lowest ERA in the Florida State League among pitchers with at least 30 innings pitched through the end of May.

Donye Evans • RHP

Detroit Tigers • Single-A • Lakeland Flying Tigers • Injured List

Evans landed on the injured list in June last year and was transferred to the full-season injured list ahead of the 2025 campaign. He posted a 2.16 ERA in 25.0 innings across 21 outings for the Tigers organization last year before the injury.

Cam Fisher • OF

Houston Astros • Single-A • Fayetteville Woodpeckers

Fisher began the year in Asheville in High-A but spent most of May in Single-A with the Fayetteville Woodpeckers. He totaled 11 hits last month while driving in 10. Seven of his 11 knocks went for extra bases for a .455 slugging percentage in May, hitting three doubles, three home runs, and a triple. Overall this year, Fisher has 21 hits with four home runs and five doubles.

Nate Furman • INF

San Francisco Giants • Double-A • Richmond Flying Squirrels • Injured List

Furman landed on the injured list in June last year, shortly after being promoted from High-A to Double-A in the Cleveland Guardians organization. He was then traded to the San Francisco Giants in August and has remained on the injured list, starting the year on the 60-day IL.

Spencer Giesting • LHP

Arizona Diamondbacks • Triple-A • Reno Aces

Giesting was called up to Double-A last year and played the first two months of 2025 at that level before being called up to Triple-A with the Reno Aces at the beginning of June. Selected to participate in this year’s Spring Breakout Games during Spring Training, Giesting led the Sod Poodles with 59 strikeouts and a 3.67 ERA in 10 starts for the second-most strikeouts and the eighth-best ERA in all of the Texas League. In his five starts in May, Giesting posted a 3.41 ERA with 29 punchouts in 29.0 innings. He gave up 11 earned runs on 28 hits with only nine walks for a 1.28 WHIP last month. Giesting is currently ranked as the No. 18 prospect in the Diamondbacks organization.

Kaden Hopson • C

Los Angeles Angels • Rookie Complex League • ACL Angels

Hopson made his professional debut on May 8 with the ACL Angels in the Arizona Complex League after signing as a free agent with the Halos last year. He’s seen limited action, with only five games played, but has four hits in nine at bats for a .444 batting average. Two of those hits came in his last appearance on May 24 with a single and a double, to go along with a pair of walks, while driving in four runs during that game.

Wyatt Hudepohl • RHP

New York Mets • Single-A • St. Lucie Mets • Injured List

Hudepohl was placed on the Injured List for the St. Lucie Mets late in May last year and spent the rest of the season there. He has begun his 2025 the same way, beginning this year on the 60-day IL. Hudepohl only pitched in eight games last year, posting a 4.03 ERA with 31 strikeouts in 29.0 innings with one win.

Josh Maciejewski • LHP

Milwaukee Brewers • Triple-A • Nashville Sounds

Maciejewski was drafted by the New York Yankees and made his MLB debut for the Bronx Bombers last year before electing free agency in the offseason. He signed with the Milwaukee Brewers and began the year in Double-A with the Biloxi Shuckers before getting promoted to Triple-A with the Nashville Sounds at the end of May. He’s made two appearances for the Sounds so far and has one win, going 3.0 innings with a strikeout to get the win in his 2025 Triple-A debut, coming against his former team, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. Maciejewski had a 4.73 ERA with 12 strikeouts in 13.1 innings in May and has a 4.33 ERA with 28 punchouts in 27.0 frames overall this year.

David McCabe • INF

Atlanta Braves • Double-A • Columbus Clingstones

McCabe spent all of 2024 in Double-A and has remained in that level throughout the first two months of 2025, playing for the newly renamed Columbus Clingstones. McCabe holds the distinction of hitting the first home run in Clingstone history when he left the yard on opening day. Also selected to participate in the Spring Breakout Games during this year’s Spring Training, McCabe leads the Clingstones with 10 doubles and is second on the team with a .245 batting average on the year while sitting tied for the fifth-most doubles in all of the Southern League. He collected 16 hits in May while driving in 11 and taking 13 walks, hitting four doubles, one triple, and a home run. McCabe is currently ranked as the No. 17 prospect in the Atlanta Braves organization.

Bryce McGowan • RHP

Colorado Rockies • Double-A • Hartford Yard Goats

McGowan spent all of 2024 in Double-A with the Hartford Yard Goats and is back in Hartford again in 2025. He made nine appearances in May for the Yard Goats, posting a 3.18 ERA with one win and one save in 11.1 innings of work. He had six scoreless outings and totaled seven strikeouts in the month, bringing his season total up to 13 Ks on the year. McGowan is currently having his best professional season so far, holding a 2.55 ERA over 17.2 innings across 15 outings to start 2025, improving his ERA by over 1.50 from last season’s total.

Aaron McKeithan • C

Pittsburgh Pirates • Double-A • Altoona Curve

McKeithan was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals and spent the first four years of his professional career in the Cardinals organization before being selected by the Pirates this offseason in the minor-league portion of the Rule 5 Draft. He’s spent the entire year in Double-A with the Altoona Curve and has five hits in 15 games played this season. He was on the Development List for the first two weeks of May before making his return to the Curve in the second half of the month, where he scored a pair of runs in the final two games of the month in a series against Portland.

Cole Reynolds • LHP

Chicago Cubs • Single-A • Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Reynolds signed with the Chicago Cubs in the offseason and made his professional debut this year in Single-A with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. He’s made 12 appearances for the Pelicans with one start this year, holding a 5.67 ERA with 36 strikeouts in 27.0 innings of work. Just in May, Reynolds struck out 17 batters in 13.0 innings across five outings with a 4.15 ERA. May also featured his first professional start, going 3.0 innings while matching his career-high with five strikeouts on May 25 at the Hickory Crawdads. Reynolds and the Pelicans are in the 704 this week as they take on the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers on Tuesday through Sunday (June 3-8) before returning to K-Town again next month for a series July 8-13.

Tony Rossi • RHP

New York Yankees • High-A • Hudson Valley Renegades

Rossi signed with the New York Yankees as a free agent last summer and made his professional debut in Single-A this year before being called up to the High-A Hudson Valley Renegades after just five outings with the Tampa Tarpons. Rossi has yet to allow a run this year, throwing 17.2 shutout innings across the five leagues with 24 strikeouts and only five hits and four walks allowed for a 0.51 WHIP. Rossi pitched in seven games in May, throwing a full inning each time while allowing three hits and recording a pair of games without allowing a baserunner – two of six times he’s done that throughout the season.

Hale Sims • RHP

Chicago White Sox • Single-A • Kannapolis Cannon Ballers

Sims is back in the 704 with the Single-A Kannapolis Cannon Ballers after spending most of last season in K-Town. He had a strong month of May, striking out 11 batters in 13.1 innings with a 3.38 ERA. He issued one walk last month to go with 12 hits for a 0.98 WHIP in May. That was his first and only walk issued this season after starting the year with eight consecutive outings without allowing a base on balls. Overall, Sims has a 4.91 ERA with 18 punchouts in 18.1 innings of work this year. The Ballers have two series at home this month, first hosting Cole Reynolds and the Myrtle Beach Pelicans this week from June 3-8 before returning to Atrium Health Ballpark in two weeks to host Charleston from June 17-22.

Paxton Thompson • RHP

Philadelphia Phillies • High-A • Jersey Shore BlueClaws

Thompson has begun 2025 in High-A with the Jersey Shore BlueClaws after being called up to the level in the middle of 2024. He has a 5.51 ERA in 14 appearances this year, striking out 17 batters in 16.1 innings with only six walks issued. Thompson pitched in seven games in May, only allowing three runs in 9.0 innings last month for a 3.00 ERA with eight strikeouts. He also picked up his second save of the season last month, finishing out the final innings against the Brooklyn Cyclones on May 25 to go 2-2 on save opportunities this year.

AJ Wilson • LHP

Philadelphia Phillies • Single-A • Clearwater Threshers

Wilson finished out the 2024 season in Single-A with the Clearwater Threshers after being drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies last summer and has begun the 2025 campaign in the same spot. He’s made 12 appearances this year and has a 3.57 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 17.2 innings. He’s only allowed nine walks and eight hits this year for a 0.96 WHIP and .138 opponent batting average. Wilson made seven appearances last month and collected his first win of the season, striking out 13 batters in 8.2 innings in May.

NON-AFFILIATED PROFESSIONAL PLAYERS

Trevor Anibal • RHP

Brockton Rox • Frontier League (Independent)

Anibal signed with the New England Knockouts in the Frontier League last year and stayed in the league this year with the Brockton Rox. He made seven appearances in the first month of the Frontier League’s season, going all of May without allowing an earned run. He fanned 12 batters in 8.0 innings of work last month and only gave up two walks and six hits with five unearned runs for a 0.00 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP in the first month of the season.

Jackson Boss • RHP

Gastonia Ghost Peppers • Atlantic League (Independent)

Boss was taken by the nearby Gastonia Ghost Peppers with the 10th overall pick in the Atlantic League draft this spring for his first professional action. Playing for the first time since the 2022 season with the Niners, Boss made his professional debut on April 27 against the York Revolution. Boss has made four appearances this year, with three strikeouts in 2.2 innings.

Jack Dragum • INF

Lincoln Saltdogs • American Association (Independent)

Dragum is back in the American Association for his second season with the Lincoln Saltdogs. A 2024 All-Star Starter for the Saltdogs, Dragum has played in 19 of the team’s 21 games this year. He’s seventh on the team with a .226 batting average with 14 hits, two of which are doubles, and five runs driven in while taking 12 walks to 11 strikeouts. He had four multi-hit games in May, including picking up a pair of knocks in three of his first five games this year.

Aubrey Gillentine • RHP

Mississippi Mud Monsters • Frontier League (Independent)

Gillentine was announced as a signee with the Mississippi Mud Monsters this spring, a new team in the Frontier League. He has not seen any game action this year.

Quinton Martinez • LHP

Hagerstown Flying Boxcars • Atlantic League (Independent)

Martinez spent three years in the Los Angeles Angels organization before being released last summer. He was then taken with the first overall pick in this spring’s Atlantic League draft by the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars. Martinez has pitched in 12 games for the Boxcars this season and has 16 strikeouts in 13.2 innings of work. After a bit of a shaky start to the season he rebounded nicely at the end of May, tossing 8.1 consecutive innings without a run across six appearances, lowering his ERA by 11.13 during that stretch.

Rafi Vazquez • RHP

Southern Maryland Blue Crabs • Atlantic League (Independent)

Vazquez is in the Atlantic League this year with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs after spending the last two seasons splitting time between the Frontier and Pioneer Leagues. Vazquez is tied for the third-most appearances on the Blue Crabs this year and has 13 strikeouts in 13.2 innings of work with a 4.61 ERA. He logged two wins in May, throwing four innings of shutout baseball with only one hit allowed in those two outings.

Reece Hampton • OF

Party Animals • Banana Ball (Savannah Bananas)

Hampton was taken by the Detroit Tigers in the 2018 season and spent four years in the minors before joining Gastonia in 2021. He then signed on with the Savannah Bananas to play Banana Ball, a new type of baseball game invented by the former Collegiate Wood-Bat team with a focus on zany shenanigans and family fun. The Bananas now play Banana Ball full-time in a Harlem Globetrotters-esque setup, traveling the country playing against their rivals, the Party Animals – of which Hampton is a member, and the Firefighters and Texas Tailgaters. The Bananas are in Charlotte this weekend to take on Hampton and the Party Animals at Bank of America Stadium in a pair of sold-out contests on June 6 and 7.

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Sports

Women’s track and field begins indoor season at M City Classic

Published

21 minutes ago

December 6, 2025

Your Sports Nation

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The St. Olaf College women’s track and field team turned in 13 performances that ranked on its all-time performers’ list at the season-opening M City Classic on Friday at the University of Minnesota Fieldhouse.

First years accounted for 11 of the 13 performances that ranked on St. Olaf’s all-time list at the unscored meet, which included teams from the NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and club levels. In addition to the top-10 list performances, senior Ella Landis posted St. Olaf’s lone first-place finish at the meet by winning the one-mile run in 5:17.28.

In her first collegiate meet, first year Evangeline Sappington broke onto the program’s all-time performers’ list in both the 60-meter dash and 200-meter dash. Sappington was the top Division III finisher and was 10th overall in the 200-meter dash (26.84), while also taking second among Division III competitors and 16th overall in the 60-meter dash. Sappington’s time in the 60-meter dash ranks second on the Oles’ all-time list – just four one-hundredths of a second off the record – and her time in the 200-meter dash is fifth.

Sophomore Izzi Jaeckle clocked in with St. Olaf’s No. 4 time in the 60-meter dash by placing 17th (8.10), while first year Ellie Semple also broke onto the list in 10th with a time of 8.28 seconds to finish 27th. Sophomore Logan Paulsen moved up to seventh on the Oles’ list with a sixth-place performance in the shot put (12.48m, 40′ 11 ½”), while first year Abigal Frei cleared 3.26 meters (10′ 8 ¼”) for a No. 5 all-time result and an eighth-place finish.

First years Svea Frantzich and Claire Stein recorded St. Olaf’s No. 8 and No. 10 scores in the pentathlon by finishing seventh (3,005) and eighth (2,993), respectively. Frantzich tied for third in the long jump (5.44m, 17′ 10 ¼”) and was sixth in the 60-meter hurdles (9.47), which both ranked on St. Olaf’s all-time list. Stein also tied for third in the long jump (5.44m, 10′ 10 ¼”) to highlight her day. First year Annika Walsh was the runner-up in the high jump (1.62m, 5′ 3 ¾”) – fifth all-time – and was seventh in the 60-meter hurdles (9.48) – ninth all-time – as part of a ninth-place finish in the pentathlon (2,881).

St. Olaf will be back in action in 2026 at the Ole Opener at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 17 at Tostrud Center.

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Second-Screen Golf Experiences : Player Profiles

Published

52 minutes ago

December 6, 2025

Your Sports Nation

At the 2025 JM Eagle LA Championship, IRCODE debuted Player Profiles, a new LIVE+ capability to bring fans closer to athletes without prompts, QR codes, or static triggers.

In addition to offering an on-site fan experience, IRCODE, as a Technology Partner, introduced an interactive viewer experience for fans at home. When players appeared on-screen, viewers used the IRCODE app to scan their screen and instantly accessed a full, interactive profile for shopping their favorite players’ gear, diving deeper into their stories and learning more about the causes that are meaningful to them.

Player Profiles leverages IRCODE’s patented EXACT Match technology and proprietary computer vision, and applies real-time visual recognition to usher in the next generation of second-screen entertainment.

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Sports

Catch Saturday’s Basketball and Indoor Track and Field Action

Published

2 hours ago

December 6, 2025

Your Sports Nation

BEREA, Ohio – Fans can follow or watch Saturday’s Baldwin Wallace University basketball and indoor track and field action via live results, statistics or video.

The men’s and women’s indoor track and field teams open the 2025-26 season when it travels to Cleveland to compete in the Spartan Alumni Holiday Classic hosted by Case Western Reserve University inside the Veale Convocation, Recreation and Athletic Center at 11:00 a.m.

Live Results:

https://bwyellowjackets.cc/3MlDQcr

FloCollege On Demand Live Video:

https://bwyellowjackets.cc/3KFq6st

The men’s basketball team travels to New Concord for the first game of a men’s and women’s Ohio Athletic Conference and Hoops for Hunger Food Drive doubleheader against Muskingum University on Performance Court inside the Anne C. Steele Center at 1:00 p.m. Fans can receive free admission to the game with a donation of canned food, a non-perishable item, or a monetary contribution.

Tickets:

https://bwyellowjackets.cc/3WGuwll

Live Statistics:

https://bwyellowjackets.cc/493Gehq

FloCollege On Demand Live Video:

https://flosports.link/47hSw2V

The No. 21 nationally ranked women’s basketball team travels to New Concord for the second game of a women’s and men’s Ohio Athletic Conference and Hoops for Hunger Food Drive doubleheader against Muskingum University on Performance Court inside the Anne C. Steele Center at 4:00 p.m. Fans can receive free admission to the game with a donation of canned food, a non-perishable item, or a monetary contribution.

Tickets:

https://bwyellowjackets.cc/3WGuwll

Live Statistics:

https://bwyellowjackets.cc/49Ist7Q

FloCollege On Demand Live Video:

https://flosports.link/4qu1Fyr

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Sports

2025 DII women’s volleyball championship: Bracket, schedule, scores

Published

2 hours ago

December 6, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Here’s everything you need to know leading up to the first round of the 2025 DII women’s volleyball championship.

The championship bracket was revealed during a selection show on Monday, Nov. 24, live streamed here on NCAA.com. Twenty-three teams earned automatic qualification, with the remaining 41 teams selected at-large by the Division II Women’s Volleyball Committee. Teams from each of the eight regional sites received initial seeds Nos. 1-8.

🏆 Watch live: 2025 DII women’s volleyball championship rounds

2025 DII women’s volleyball championship bracket

Click or tap here for the 2025 interactive bracket

2025 NCAA DII women’s volleyball schedule

Regionals: Dec. 4-6
Quarterfinals: Thursday, Dec. 11
Semifinals: Friday, Dec. 12
National Championship: Saturday, Dec. 13

Selection show: 7:30 p.m. ET on Monday, November 24
Regionals: Dec. 4-6
- Thursday, Dec. 4
  - No. 3 Indiana (Pennsylvania) 3, No. 6 Fairmont State 0
  - No. 3 Anderson (South Carolina) 3, No. 6 Augusta 1
  - No. 3 Lynn 3, No. 6 UAH 2
  - No. 6 Washburn 3, No. 3 Wayne State (Nebraska) 0
  - No. 3 Mercy 3, No. 6 Molloy 2
  - No. 2 East Stroudsburg 3, No. 7 Charleston (West Virginia) 0
  - No. 3 Ferris State 3, No. 6 Quincy 2
  - No. 2 Lenoir-Rhyne 3, No. 7 Lander 1
  - No. 7 Colorado Sch. of Mines 3, No. 2 UCCS 2
  - No. 3 Fresno Pacific 3, No. 6 Western Washington 0
  - No. 2 Barry 3, No. 7 Eckerd 0
  - No. 2 Concordia-St. Paul 3, No. 7 Central Oklahoma 0
  - No. 7 Holy Family 3, No. 2 Adelphi 2
  - No. 7 Rockhurst 3, No. 2 Ohio Dominican 0
  - No. 3 Angelo State 3, No. 6 Lubbock Christian 1
  - No. 5 Flagler 3, No. 4 Carson-Newman 1
  - No. 1 Gannon 3, No. 8 Fayetteville State 0
  - No. 7 Central Washington 3, No. 2 Simon Fraser 2
  - No. 1 Tampa 3, No. 8 Spring Hill 0
  - No. 8 UIndy 3, No. 1 Missouri-State Louis 2
  - No. 4 St. Cloud St. 3, No. 5 Missouri Western 1
  - No. 1 Bentley 3, No. 8 Bridgeport 1
  - No. 1 MSU Denver 3, No. 8 Colorado Mesa 0
  - No. 4 Pitt.-Johnstown 4, No. 5 Shepherd 0
  - No. 4 West Florida 3, No. 5 Palm Beach Atl. 2
  - No. 1 Wingate 3, No. 8 Emmanuel (Georgia) 1
  - No. 1 Point Loma 3, No. 8 CSUSB 2
  - No. 1 Nebraska-Kearney 3, No. 8 Oklahoma Baptist 2
  - No. 5 Post 3, No. 4 American Int’l 1
  - No. 5 Findlay 3, No. 4 Wayne State (Michigan) 2
  - No. 4 West Tex. A&M 3, No. 5 CSU Pueblo 1
  - No. 5 Alas. Fairbanks 3, No. 4 Alas. Anchorage 0
- Friday, Dec. 5
  - No. 2 Barry 3, No. 3 Lynn 0
  - No. 3 Indiana (PA) 3, No. 2 East Stroudsburg 1
  - No. 3 Anderson (SC) 3, No. 2 Lenoir-Rhyne 1
  - No. 3 Mercy 3, No. 7 Holy Family 1
  - No. 2 Concordia-St. Paul 3, No. 6 Washburn 0
  - No. 3 Ferris State 3, No. 7 Rockhurst 0
  - No. 3 Angelo State 3, No. 7 Colorado Sch. of Mines 0
  - No. 1 Bentley 3, No. 5 Post 1
  - No. 3 Fresno Pacific 3, No. 7 Central Washington 2
  - No. 1 Gannon 3, No. 4 Pitt.-Johnstown 1
  - No. 1 Tampa 3, No. 4 West Florida 1
  - No. 1 Wingate 3, No. 5 Flagler 1
  - No. 8 UIndy 3, No. 5 Findlay 1
  - No. 4 St. Cloud State 3, No. 1 Nebraska-Kearney 1
  - No. 1 MSU Denver 3, No. 4 West Tex. A&M 1
  - No. 1 Point Loma 3, No. 5 Alas. Fairbanks 1

NCAA DII women’s volleyball championship history

Here is the full list of champions and runners-up since 1981:

Year	Champion (Record)	Coach	Score	Runner-Up	Site
2024	Lynn (33-3)	Adam Milewski	3-2	San Francisco St.	Sioux Falls, SD
2023	Cal State LA (24-10)	Juan Figueroa	3-1	West Texas A&M	Moon Township, PA
2022	West Texas A&M (33-4)	Kendra Potts	3-1	Concordia-St. Paul	Seattle, Wash.
2021	Tampa (34-2)	Chris Catanach	3-0	Washburn	Tampa, FL.
2020	Canceled due to Covid-19	—	—	—	—
2019	Cal State San Bernardino (33-0)	Kim Cherniss	3-1	Nebraska-Kearney	Denver, Co.
2018	Tampa (33-4)	Chris Catanach	3-2	Western Washington	Pittsburgh, Pa.
2017	Concordia-St. Paul (34-3)	Brady Starkey	3-0	Florida Southern	Pensacola, Fla.
2016	Concordia-St. Paul (32-4)	Brady Starkey	3-0	Alaska Anchorage	Sioux Falls, S.D.
2015	Wheeling Jesuit (39-4)	Christy Benner	3-0	Palm Beach Atlantic	Tampa, Fla.
2014	Tampa (33-1)	Chris Catanach	3-0	S’west Minnesota State	Louisville, Ky.
2013	Concordia-St. Paul (35-3)	Brady Starkey	3-0	BYU-Hawaii	Cedar Rapids, Iowa
2012	Concordia-St. Paul (34-4)	Brady Starkey	3-2	Tampa	Pensacola, Fla.
2011	Concordia-St. Paul (34-2)	Brady Starkey	3-0	Cal State San Bernardino	Cal State San Bernardino
2010	Concordia-St. Paul (32-4)	Brady Starkey	3-1	Tampa	Louisville, Ky.
2009	Concordia-St. Paul (37-0)	Brady Starkey	3-0	West Texas A&M	Concordia-St. Paul
2008	Concordia-St. Paul (37-1)	Brady Starkey	3-2	Cal State San Bernardino	Concordia-St. Paul
2007	Concordia-St. Paul (36-4)	Brady Starkey	3-1	Western Washington	Washburn
2006	Tampa (35-1)	Chris Catanach	3-1	North Alabama	West Florida
2005	Grand Valley State (32-1)	Deanne Scanlon	3-1	Nebraska-Kearney	Nebraska-Kearney
2004	Barry (34-1)	Dave Nichols	3-1	Truman	Barry
2003	North Alabama (33-7)	Matt Peck	3-0	Concordia-St. Paul	Cal State San Bernardino
2002	BYU-Hawaii (27-2)	Wilfred Navalta	3-0	Truman	West Texas A&M
2001	Barry (32-2)	Dave Nichols	3-0	South Dakota State	Grand Valley State
2000	Hawaii Pacific (28-0)	Tita Ahuna	3-0	Augustana (S.D.)	Augustana (S.D.)
1999	BYU-Hawaii (30-2)	Wilfred Navalta	3-0	Tampa	Battle Creek, Mich.
1998	Hawaii Pacific (31-5)	Tita Ahuna	3-1	North Dakota State	Kissimmee, Fla.
1997	West Texas A&M (37-1)	Debbie Hendricks	3-2	Barry	Cal State Bakersfield
1996	Nebraska-Omaha (35-2)	Rose Shires	3-2	Tampa	Central Missouri
1995	Barry (34-2)	Leonid Yelin	3-1	Northern Michigan	Barry
1994	Northern Michigan (32-4)	Mark Rosen	3-1	Cal State Bakersfield	Cal State Bakersfield
1993	Northern Michigan (38-1)	Jim Moore	3-1	Cal State Bakersfield	Northern Michigan
1992	Portland State (36-1)	Jeff Mozzochi	3-2	Northern Michigan	Portland State
1991	West Texas A&M (36-2)	Jim Giacomazzi	3-0	Portland State	West Texas A&M
1990	West Texas A&M (38-1)	Kim Hudson	3-0	North Dakota State	Cal State Bakersfield
1989	Cal State Bakersfield (21-15)	David Rubio	3-0	Sacramento State	Cal State Bakersfield
1988	Portland State (36-5)	Jeff Mozzochi	3-0	Cal State Northridge	North Dakota State
1987	Cal State Northridge (35-6)	Walt Ker	3-2	Central Missouri	Nebraska-Omaha
1986	UC Riverside (29-7)	Sue Gozansky	3-0	Cal State Northridge	Sacramento State
1985	Portland State (36-5)	Jeff Mozzochi	3-1	Cal State Northridge	Portland State
1984	Portland State (33-4)	Jeff Mozzochi	3-0	Cal State Northridge	Portland State
1983	Cal State Northridge (30- 6)	Walt Ker	3-2	Portland State	Florida Southern
1982	UC Riverside (31-5)	Sue Gozansky	3-0	Cal State Northridge	Cal State Northridge
1981	Sacramento State (28-6)	Debby Colbery	3-0	Lewis	UC Riverside

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Sports

Cal Poly Stuns USC and Advances to Seventh Sweet-16 in Program History

Published

3 hours ago

December 6, 2025

Your Sports Nation

LOS ANGELES — After months of preparation, Cal Poly’s historic Friday night culminated in a stunning five-set upset of fourth-seeded USC (25-19, 25-20, 20-25, 14-25, 15-7), shattering every perfect bracket along the way.

The unseeded Mustangs (27-7) not only advanced to the NCAA Round of 16 for the first time since 2007, the seventh such appearance in program history, but also became the only team in the bracket to defeat two seeded opponents ranked lower than No. 6. Cal Poly’s last deep runs came in 2007, 1989, ‘87, ‘85, ‘84, and ‘82.

In a departure from their typical all-court offense, the Mustangs leaned on their pin hitters to secure a second straight ranked victory. Leading the charge was Emma Fredrick, who delivered a statement double-double with match-highs of 17 kills and 17 digs. Kendall Beshear and Annabelle Thalken followed with 12 kills apiece, with Beshear adding a pair of aces.

Freshman middle Charlotte Kelly anchored the net with a career-high seven block assists, part of a 10-block team effort that quieted USC’s top-50 offense to a .237 hitting percentage. Beshear (14 digs) and setter Emme Bullis (44 assists, 12 digs) also recorded double-doubles, helping limit USC’s top hitters, Leah Ford and London Wijay, to 19 kills on 55 swings.

Cal Poly stormed through the opening set behind relentless blocking, forcing an early USC timeout at 11-6. Despite a late Trojan push to narrow the gap to 22-18, a Caroline Walters timeout steadied the Mustangs, who closed out the frame 25-19.

USC responded by edging ahead 15-13 at the second-set media timeout. But after 13 ties and five lead changes, Cal Poly surged late with a 21-18 advantage and never looked back, taking the set 25-20.

The Women of Troy rallied in the third, building their largest lead at 17-12 and holding on to win 25-20. Momentum carried into the fourth, where USC raced ahead to claim it 25-14 and force a deciding fifth set.

In the tiebreaker, Cal Poly’s second of the tournament, the Mustangs broke a 3-3 deadlock with a commanding 12-4 run, sealing the match and their spot in the Third Round.

Now, one of the finest teams in program history, and a standout in recent mid-major volleyball, travels to Lexington to face No. 1 seed and regional host Kentucky.

The NCAA will announce date and time details Saturday evening. Until then, San Luis Obispo’s humble Mustangs have plenty to celebrate.

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No. 8-seed Penn State women’s volleyball defeats USF, advances to second round of NCAA Tournament | Penn State Volleyball News

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3 hours ago

December 6, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Penn State was in the Lone Star State on Friday, taking on South Florida in the first round of the NCAA tournament. The teams met in Austin at the Gregory Gymnasium, home of the Texas Longhorns women’s volleyball team.

This wasn’t the first time the Nittany Lions and the Bulls have met; however, it was their first time in tournament play, but the blue and white have a 3-0 record over USF.

Penn State took out the Bulls 3-1 after a tight match with challenges and back-and-forth play to thank for that.

Middle blocker Maggie Mendelson opened up the scoring for the Nittany Lions, and right-side hitter Kennedy Martin went up over the net to make it two.

Outside hitter Maria Clara Andrade got the Bulls their first point of the night and USF’s first point in NCAA tournament play since its last appearance in 2003.

USF kept good coverage in the first set to keep the Nittany Lions at a distance, as well as landing kill after kill, which put it ahead of the Nittany Lions 15-10 halfway through the first set.

The blue and white came back with a crucial ace by libero Gillian Grimes, and Martin sent kills through USF’s defense, which tied the Nittany Lions 16-16. Setter Addie Lyon backed up Grimes and made good digs that kept the ball in play, which allowed the Nittany Lions to get to set point and take the first set 25-23.

Andrade kept the Nittany Lions on their toes, and she was there to give the blue and white a back-and-forth first set.

The second set started off strong for USF with outside hitter Addy Brus adding two kills to the Bulls’ score, both landing in the center of the Nittany Lions’ side of the court. Middle blocker Iyanna Garvin continued to get up over the net, as well, and Laila Ivey delivered a housed block, which shut down Penn State and kept a lead.

A crucial point that would close the gap between USF and Penn State was called a service error on Brus, but after it was challenged by the Bulls, the point was given to them as an ace. This put USF 15-10 halfway through the second set.

The Bulls reached set point 24-12 and took the second set 25-12.

The third set saw the blue and white take control by capitalizing on USF’s errors, getting it ahead of the Bulls. Outside hitter Caroline Jurevicius had a strong kill that gave the Nittany Lions some wiggle room, but that was closed by Ivey with a kill of her own.

Lyon kept racking up assists and setting up her offense for multiple kills to keep up with USF, which led halfway through the third set 16-14.

The Nittany Lions tied with the Bulls, 18-18, after an attack error by Brus. The point was challenged by USF, but the call remained the same after further review.

Penn State reached set point after the point was challenged by USF. Penn State took the third set 25-21.

Penn State continued its string of errors early in the fourth set, which the Bulls used to get a lead early on. Outside hitter Emmi Sellman delivered an important ace that closed a previously narrow gap between the Nittany Lions and the Bulls, and a kill by Jurevicius as well as an attack error by Andrade, tied the teams 10-10.

Penn State advanced to match point after it pulled away late in the fourth set, and took the fourth set 25-19, winning the match and moving on in the NCAA tournament.