Lynchburg, Va. — The University of Lynchburg baseball squad is headed for the NCAA Super Regional round after holding off Emory, 6-5, in the final game of the Lynchburg regional on Sunday afternoon on James C. fox Field.
The Hornets wasted no time getting on the board, plating four runs in a productive first inning. Bradon Garcia opened the gates by scoring off a RBI single from Sean Pokorak. The momentum continued with a sacrifice fly by Bryce Demory, bringing in Joe Munitz. Ryder Warren followed with an RBI single to right to score Benton Jones, and Eric Hiett capped the inning with a base hit up the middle to bring home Pokorak.
Lynchburg extended their lead in the third inning when Hiett notched his second RBI of the game with a single to left center, driving in Warren to make it a five-run advantage for the Hornets. Pokorak added insurance in the sixth with his second RBI single, scoring Garcia and pushing the Lynchburg lead to 6-0. He finished the game two-for-four with two RBI.
Nick Mattfield had a spectacular day on the bump. He got the start and threw 6.1 frames, allowing just one hit through the first six innings. Emory mounted a furious rally in the seventh, stringing together five runs on four hits and a walk. Jonathan Lang sparked the comeback with a two-RBI single, and Brock Liu added another RBI knock. A bases-loaded walk and a fielder’s choice rounded out the scoring, bringing the game within one run.
Colin McGuire checked in on the mound for Austin Riney in the seventh and effectively closed out the game. He secured his ninth save of the season by throwing 2.2 innings and allowing just one hit throughout his time in the contest. He finished with four strikeouts in nine batters faced, including the final two outs of the game in the ninth.
Lynchburg has secured a spot in the Super Regional round and will take on Rowan this coming weekend. More information, including game time and location, will be available on lynchburgsports.com as it is published.
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HUNTSVILLE – The Sam Houston volleyball program and head coach Brenda Gray announced the signing of six student-athletes to play for the Bearkats for the 2026 season.
The signing class consists of outside hitters Annika Brooks, Brenlin Garlitz, Justice Rachal, Kameron Rector, Lauren Pyle and Sarah Odell.
“All of these young ladies bring a passion and energy that Sam Houston Volleyball thrives upon,” head coach Brenda Gray said. “They all come with numerous accolades both on the court and in the classroom.”
Annika Brooks • 6-3 • RS • Halletsville, Texas • Sacred Heart Catholic School / Blinn College
Blinn College
– 2025 second team all-conference selection
Ovilla Christian School
– 2021 second team all-district selection as freshman
– 2022 first team all-district selection as a sophomore
– 2022 honorable mention all-area
– 2023 first team all-district selection as a junior
– 2023 TAPPS first team all-state selection
– 2023 honorable mention all-area selection
– 2023 TAPPS academic all-state selection
– 2024 first team all-district selection as a senior
– 2024 TAPPS first team all-state selection
– 2024 TAPPS academic all-state selection
Texas Tornadoes (Club)
– 17s bid to nationals
– 18s bid to nationals
Gray on Brooks …
“Annika brings size and a blocking presence to our game on the right side. We are so fortunate to have her join us this spring.”
Brenlin Garlitz • 5-10 • S • Waxahachie, Texas • Ovilla Christian School
Ovilla Christian School
– 2022 TAPPS second team all-district selection as freshman
– 2023 TAPPS first team all-state
– 2024 TAPPS first team all-state
– 2024 Ellis County All-Star Team
– 4-time state champion
Texas Advantage Volleyball (Club)
– NRG 15s bid to nationals
– NRG 16s bid to nationals
– TAV 18s Black: 5th at nationals
Gray on Garlitz …
“We are excited to bring in a dynamic setter to help run our floor. Brenlin runs a quick offense and brings a passion and love for the game that is undeniable.”
“Justice will be a crowd favorite from the start. She has a contagious energy and a vertical leap that will add to the excitement on the outside position.”
“It is good for us to get an experienced floor leader on the roster and we are excited to have her join us in the spring to begin running our offense and bring her expertise that she delivered in junior college”.
– 2024 and 2025 District 15-6A Outstanding Offensive Player of the Year
– 2024 and 2025 first team all-District 15-6A
– 2024 and 2025 academic all-District 15-6A
– Played club at North Houston Elite Volleyball
Gray on Odell …
“There is an explosiveness to the outside that is needed in this league, which Sarah immediately gives us as a complete, six-rotation player who will help balance our offense.”
If it were up to head coach Charlie Wade, the University of Hawai‘i men’s volleyball team would never start its season this early.
The Rainbow Warriors, who began their preseason practices on Sunday, will officially begin their 2026 campaign on Friday against the New Jersey Institute of Technology. First serve is set for 7 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center. Although the ‘Bows have routinely started their seasons on the first Friday of the year, that doesn’t mean Wade has to like it.
“I’ve advocated that the first match can’t be before (Martin Luther King Jr. Day),” Wade said on Monday. “Let them actually have a holiday and then come back and practice for a couple of weeks. But how it goes, everybody kind of ramps it up, practices for a few days and then starts playing.”
One of the few positives Wade sees in the compressed preseason schedule is the fact that the Rainbow Warriors are not in class yet, which allows them the time to focus on an intense schedule featuring two practices a day leading up to the opener.
Trips to the practice gym have been frequent in recent days. Inside of it is a collection of world-class athletes, a roster featuring players from seven different countries and four separate states. Although there’s only one senior among the 19 players, the Rainbow Warriors are a team with clear national championship expectations in 2026.
The Rainbow Warriors have played in four national championship matches under Wade, winning it all in 2021 and 2022. The ‘Bows went 27-6 in 2025 and were swept by UCLA in the national semifinals. In 2026, UH returns five of its seven starters in that semifinal match, not counting star opposite hitter Kristian Titriyski, who missed the last eight matches due to an ankle injury.
Despite its losses in personnel, the Rainbow Warriors have reloaded. After losing beloved assistant coach Milan Zarkovic to UCLA, Wade got Maui native and former Ball State head coach Donan Cruz to join the staff. Meanwhile, the void left by former starting libero ‘Eleu Choy will likely be filled by Canadian national teamer Quintin Greenidge, a newcomer in Mānoa who will have two years of college eligibility remaining.
When Grand Canyon University decided to immediately scrap its nationally ranked men’s volleyball program following the 2025 season to focus on other sports, the Rainbow Warriors were able to benefit by signing freshman All-American Trevell Jordan and former GCU commit Thatcher Fahlbusch. Jordan is competing for one of the two starting spots at middle blocker, along with Ofeck Hazan, Justin Todd, Alex Parks and 7-foot freshman Roman Payne.
“None of us saw it coming,” Jordan said of Grand Canyon punting on men’s volleyball. “The team and squad (at UH) has been really inviting. They’ve been working with me to get me more accommodated to here, as it’s a big move from where I originally was from.”
Jordan immediately became one of the most coveted players in the NCAA transfer portal upon entering. He was already familiar with a handful of players on the UH roster after playing with them on multiple United States national teams.
“He had offers to go to every top program in the country, and ironically, they were pushing him to make a fast decision, and they pushed him towards us,” Wade recalled. “I was the one saying, ‘Hey, I’m in for the long haul. I want you here. Take your time to figure it out.'”
Running the show for the Rainbow Warriors is Tread Rosenthal, the team’s 6-foot-11 setter who established himself as the team’s unquestioned leader as a sophomore in 2025.
“I think last year we showed that we had the potential to be the best team on any given night, but I think this year we need to be the best team every night no matter what,” Rosenthal said. “I think that just comes with working with together to get it more consistent.”
Added Wade: “It’s year three (for Rosenthal). It’s the payoff year, right? By the third year, you can see there’s just kind of a calm confidence to him that he’s kind of been there, done that. He clearly is the leader of the team. These are his guys. A lot of them are here because of him. Looking for even bigger and better things from him this year for sure.”
Hawai‘i will start off the year as the No. 2 team in the country following the release of the preseason AVCA poll, which had UCLA in the top spot. External expectations are high for the Rainbow Warriors, but internal expectations are higher.
“My freshman year, we didn’t go to the championship. My sophomore year, we lost in the the semis,” junior outside hitter Louis Sakanoko said. “We have to get the championship now. I feel like the whole team knows we could win the championship. We have the team for it, but now we need to be consistent enough to beat every single team every night. And we’re just really, really excited to prove that to everyone.
“We all want to win a national championship. That’s the goal. We won the Big West last year, that was wonderful for sure, but we want that big one.”
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Christian Shimabuku can be reached at christian@alohastatedaily.com.
Setter: Madison Markwardt, Round Top-Carmine, soph.
Libero/Defensive Specialist: Ana Servin, Sulphur Bluff, sr.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Professional Volleyball League team Choco Mucho Flying Titans announced four addition to their team, Eya Laure, Jaila Atienza, Alina Bicar, and Caitlin Viray, for 2026 on Wednesday.
“The Choco Mucho Flying Titans welcome 4 new players to the team! They bring the grit, speed, and fire that will make every match unforgettable,” they wrote in their post.
This came after Royse Tubino, Bia General, Cherry Nunag, and Aduke Agunsanya ended their stint with the team. (Instagram/Choco Mucho Flying Titans)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – – Belmont University student-athletes recorded another remarkable semester in the classroom as 2025 fall semester grades were finalized last week.
For the 2025 fall semester, the departmental grade-point average (GPA) was 3.530, which marked the 56th consecutive semester that Belmont student-athletes have earned a GPA of 3.0 or higher. In addition, it was the 12th straight semester that the department GPA was over a 3.5.
“Our student-athletes continue to do an amazing job in the classroom,” said Scott Corley, Belmont’s Vice President/Director of Athletics. “That success is a credit to our student-athletes, coaches, and academic support staff who continue to maintain our department’s commitment to academic excellence.”
Highlights from the fall semester included:
64 percent of student-athletes achieved a semester GPA of 3.5 or higher
85 percent of student-athletes achieved a semester GPA of 3.0 of higher
15 percent of student-athletes earned a perfect 4.00 GPA
9 Bruin teams posted a team GPA of 3.5 or higher for the semester.
About Belmont University
Located two miles from downtown Nashville, Tennessee, Belmont University comprises nearly 9,000 students from every state and 33 countries. Nationally ranked and consistently recognized by U.S. News & World Report for innovation in higher education, the University offers more than 115 areas of undergraduate study, 41 master’s programs and eight doctoral degrees. With a focus on whole-person formation and data-informed social innovation, Belmont is committed to forming diverse leaders of character equipped to solve the world’s complex problems. For more information, visit www.belmont.edu.
