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Battle for future of Razorbacks football begins Saturday

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Battle for future of Razorbacks football begins Saturday

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — It wasn’t supposed to be the case, but because of a shuffle in the football practice schedule, one of the most exciting quarterback battles in a long time on the Arkansas campus is going to kick off Saturday.

No, there is no threat to Taylen Green in the starting spot. Offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino would rather join those awkward Texas A&M administrators on stage doing those cult chants from a few days ago than willingly take the field without Green.

However, the future of the entire program begins to be determined with the first passes KJ Jackson and true freshman Madden Iamaleava throw in Saturday’s team scrimmage. It’s a full year battle that may not even be settled this time next year.

Right now Jackson is the veteran with the advantage of having a full year of the Petrino offense under his belt. On top of knowing the offense better, he has developed a reputation for being the guy who is going to take care of the ball and not make costly mistakes.

“It’s good competition in there, but I like KJ, and he’s made some good throws,” Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman said earlier this month. “Learning continues. [Jackson] continues to learn, but I think we’ll all feel really comfortable when he goes in the football game.”

Petrino can rest easy not only knowing Jackson is going to know the plays and his progressions, but that a drive isn’t going to suddenly be killed by trying to force a ball where it shouldn’t be thrown. That level of reliability is a big deal, especially coming off a season where most of Arkansas’ losses came because of turnovers as the worst possible time.

The only drawback for Jackson at the moment is his lack of actual game experience. With Malachi Singleton taking all the snaps last year when Green went down with injuries, Arkansas has no idea for sure how Jackson will handle himself under the pressure of live game action in the SEC.

While Jackson appears to have the back-up role locked down in the short team, Iamaleava has made a huge push for the No. 3 quarterback designation and well on his way to making a push of Jackson when it comes to who is going to be Green’s successor.

“But you’re right, right now [Iamaleava’s] gotten, not all, but most of the three reps,” Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman said. “So we’re trying to find —  really right now KJ would be the two — and then we’re just trying to find out who that three is.”

He is the natural talent who just jumps off the screen when his tape runs. While he is a long way from knowing the offense, he has quickly built a reputation of instinctually finding the open man even if the progressions might have been wrong.

“You know, Madden’s a special talent now,” Petrino said earlier this week. “He can really get the ball out of his hands. He sees stuff and has a great, quick release. I know there’s times he drops back and he doesn’t know what the play is, but somebody pops open and he can stick it and put it right on their hands. The last guy that I coached that did that a lot as a true freshman was Lamar Jackson.”

His gifted arm talent and how quickly he has grown over the past few weeks in spring practices have given him the aura of a prodigy. There’s likely to be a wall that will pop up at certain points in full live action settings, but it’s difficult to picture him having missed an entire football season because he was ruled to be an ineligible transfer his final season of high school.

“You know where you don’t see anything but all of a sudden they throw a post for a touchdown and everyone’s going, ‘Damn, how did he see that?’” Petrino said. “‘That wasn’t even in his progression.’ Now we do need to get him to know the plays. There’s no question about that. But that ability is something that is hard to coach. And his vision is just something that’s really good.”

The last time Iamaleava officially touched the field, he threw for 3,626 yards and 43 touchdowns during his junior year. The following season he enrolled in Poly/Long Beach, a school he had attended before, but left after a semester to follow his brother Nico to Warren (a school in California not to be confused with the Lumberjacks in Arkansas).

When the state governing body ruled, his denial for transferring back to Poly with his sisters for his senior season was so harsh he was banned from playing there or anywhere else in California until Oct. 1, 2026. Still, without the final season of live work, he still possesses elite fundamentals.

“You’re not having to change anything in his footwork or his release,” Petrino said. “That makes it a lot easier coaching him, I can tell you that, because now it’s all about executing the offense and seeing things and knowing what’s going on. I think he has a chance to be a really special player.”

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• State of the Hogs: Calipari shares master plan for new roster

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Hartman named MVC Player of the Week for third time this season

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November 4, 2025

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ST. LOUIS — UNI junior outside hitter Cassidy Hartman has been named the Missouri Valley Conference’s (MVC) Player of the Week for volleyball, as announced by the league office on Monday afternoon.

The selection comes for the North Liberty, Iowa native after led the Panthers with a pair of double-digit kill showings and one double-double performances in victories over Belmont and Southern Illinois, helping UNI improve to 12-0 in league play. 

Northern Iowa is currently in the midst of a 15-match winning streak, tied for the second-longest in Division I, while also having won 48 consecutive regular season matches against MVC opponents, the third-longest such streak in program history and the second-longest active streak in the nation. UNI is also closing in on at least a share of its fourth straight MVC regular season title this week.

UNI’s season leader with 352 total blocks on the year, Hartman notably set a new career-high with 26 terminations in the Panthers’ 3-1 win at Southern Illinois on Saturday, while also tallying 11 digs for her team-leading 11th double-double of the season. Hartman also recorded 11 kills against Belmont last Thursday, having now posted ten or more kills in 19 matches this year.

Hartman’s selection is the eighth MVC weekly award of the season for the Panthers, who have also seen Maryn Bixby be named the MVC Freshman of the Week three times, and Jadyn Petersen the league’s top defense player of the week twice. 

In addition to Hartman, Valparaiso’s Emma Hickey was named MVC Defensive Player of the Week for a second straight week, while Drake’s Caroline Smith earned MVC Freshman of the Week honors.

Hartman and the Panthers return to action on Tuesday nights as UNI hosts Drake at 6 p.m. CT inside the McLeod Center. Live coverage of the match can be found on ESPN+ and the Panther Sports Radio Network (106.5 FM Corn Country / 93.5 HD-2).

Tickets can be purchased online through the UNI Ticket Office, by calling 319-273-4849 or through email at tickets@uni.edu. 

Fans are encouraged to wear purple for the team’s annual Purple Out match, while UNI will also celebrate Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night.

UNI students in attendance will also have the opportunity to enter a drawing for a $1,000 scholarship. Rules and eligibility can be found HERE. For a full list of upcoming Panther promotions, click HERE.

 

UNI volleyball action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (UNI Volleyball), X (@UNIVolleyball) and on Instagram (@univolleyball). The full 2025 schedule and roster, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.





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Cheney Named A-10 Volleyball Rookie of the Week

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27 minutes ago

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November 4, 2025

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Atlantic 10 conference has named freshman setter Ava Cheney the conference Rookie of the Week for games played Oct. 27-Nov. 2.

Cheney stepped into the solo setter role this week and rose to the occasion. Totaling 146 assists over three matches, averaging 10.43 per set, she helped quarterback the Patriots’ offense. She totaled 46 assists on Wednesday vs. GW, 57 assists on Saturday vs. Rhode Island (good for top-5 assists in a single match post-2008, and second most in a single game in the A-10 this season), and 43 assists on Sunday vs. Rhode Island.

In addition to her assists, the Tucson, Ariz. native had four service aces in Saturday’s match, and she totaled 14 digs and 9 blocks over the week. 

The Patriots went 1-2 last week, splitting with Rhode Island and losing to George Washington. They are currently tied for fourth place in the A-10 with a 15-10, 8-6 conference record. 

 





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WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL CLINCHES AMERICA EAST POSTSEASON BERTH

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43 minutes ago

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November 4, 2025

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SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant volleyball team clinched a spot in the America East postseason on Sunday afternoon.

The Bulldogs make their return to the postseason after not qualifying last season. They’re the first team in the America East to clinch a postseason berth.

The Black and Gold have an overall 14-11 record and are 5-3 in conference play, tied for second place in the conference with UAlbany and Binghamton. Bryant split the season series with UAlbany and defeated Binghamton in the first meeting.

Bryant split their home matches against New Hampshire and UMBC this weekend at the Chace Athletic Center.

The Bulldogs are back in action on Friday night (Nov. 7), taking on the Binghamton Bearcats on the road. First serve is at 6:00 PM in Vestal, N.Y.

 



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CAA Volleyball Weekly Awards – Nov. 3, 2025

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59 minutes ago

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November 4, 2025

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CAA Volleyball Weekly Awards – Nov. 3, 2025

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Dylan Smith


RICHMOND, Va. (Nov. 3, 2025) – Hofstra’s Beatriz Braga and Stony Brook’s Kali Moore shared Offensive Player of the Week honors, while the Pride’s Julia Amorim and the Seawolves’ Ava Zamora earned outright Defensive Player and Rookie of the Week recognition, respectively, on Monday.
 
CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Beatriz Braga, Hofstra
Junior | Outside Hitter | Uberlândia, Brazil

Braga helped the Pride pick up a pair of road wins over North Carolina A&T to extend the win streak to nine consecutive matches. For the week, Braga averaged 5.13 kills, 1.88 digs and 0.75 blocks per set. She also hit at a .304 clip in the two contests. The Brazilian native posted 41 kills, while adding 15 digs and six blocks in the two matches. On Saturday, she was outstanding with 20 kills in the three-set match, averaging nearly seven kills per set to go with seven digs and three blocks. In Sunday’s win, she literally one-upped herself with 21 kills, a .350 attack percentage, along with eight digs and three blocks. Both kill totals established new season highs for Braga, and they were just the second and third times in her career that she has reached the 20-kill plateau in a match.
 
CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Kali Moore, Stony Brook
Senior | Outside Hitter | Brooklyn, N.Y.
Moore led the Seawolves offense with 41 kills in a pair of upset wins over Towson. The two wins were also the program’s first two wins against the Tigers in its previous 16 matches prior to the weekend slate. The senior outside hitter posted her fifth 20-kill performance of the season with 22 on Friday en route to a 3-1 victory over the Tigers. Moore also had two aces and nine blocks, including a season-high six blocks on Friday. The Brooklyn, N.Y., native followed up with her ninth double-double of the season, notching 19 kills and a season-high 19 digs to secure another 3-1 victory on the road.
 
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Julia Amorim, Hofstra
Freshman | Middle Blocker | Pavuna, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Amorim produced a strong week as the Pride won both contests at North Carolina A&T to extend the current win streak to nine consecutive matches. The middle blocker totaled 15 stuffs, including five solo, along with nine kills, three service aces, and a pair of digs. In Saturday’s match, Amorim totaled nine blocks, including four on her own, to go with three kills, two aces and two digs. The freshman followed that up with another strong defensive effort with six blocks and six kills in Sunday’s victory.
 
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Ava Zamora, Stony Brook
Freshman | Setter | San Diego, Calif.
Zamora guided the Seawolves to a pair of victories at Towson with 76 assists and 24 digs. The San Diego, Calif., posted a double-double in the opening match with 45 assists and a season-high 19 digs. The freshman setter then recorded 31 assists with five digs on Saturday to notch the team’s first in-season sweep of Towson. Zamora also had five kills, two aces and one block on Saturday.

2025 CAA VOLLEYBALL WEEKLY AWARDS

Offensive Player of the Week

Sept. 1: Tyne Ross, N.C. A&T

Sept. 8: Maja Daca, Campbell / Taylor Pagan, Towson

Sept. 15: Gwen Wolkow, Campbell / Ella Sanders, Towson

Sept. 22: Izadora Stedile, Hofstra

Sept. 29: Caroline Noonan, Charleston

Oct. 6: Beatriz Braga, Hofstra

Oct. 13: Gwen Wolkow, Campbell

Oct. 20: Gwen Wolkow, Campbell

Oct. 27: Tyne Ross, N.C. A&T

Nov. 3: Beatriz Braga, Hofstra / Kali Moore, Stony Brook

 

Defensive Player of the Week

Sept. 1: Nadia Koanui, Northeastern / Mercedes Motton, Stony Brook

Sept. 8: Malinah Purcell-Telefoni, Towson

Sept. 15: Julia Amorim, Hofstra

Sept. 22: Sydney Stewart, Towson

Sept. 29: Makena Parthen, Charleston / Sydney Stewart, Towson

Oct. 6: Sydney Stewart, Towson

Oct. 13: Jumana Martin, Charleston / Lilia Duczek, Hofstra

Oct. 20: Caroline Noonan, Charleston / Leonor Polezzi, N.C. A&T

Oct. 27: Hailey Heytvelt, Campbell / Jumana Martin, Charleston

Nov. 3: Julia Amorim, Hofstra

 

Rookie of the Week

Sept. 1: Ava Zamora, Stony Brook

Sept. 8: Julia Amorim, Hofstra

Sept. 15: Caroline Noonan, Charleston

Sept. 22: Nina Jioshvili-Ravva, Hofstra

Sept. 29: Malinah Purcell-Telefoni, Towson

Oct. 6: Jumana Martin, Charleston / Nina Jioshvili-Ravva, Hofstra

Oct. 13: Nina Jioshvili-Ravva, Hofstra

Oct. 20: Nina Jioshvili-Ravva, Hofstra

Oct. 27: Zariah Winton, N.C. A&T

Nov. 3: Ava Zamora, Stony Brook

 

Follow #CAAVB on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to get up-to-date information and learn more about CAA member institutions and their volleyball programs.

 

 





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Mara Štiglic Named Mountain West Offensive Volleyball Player of the Week

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3 hours ago

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November 3, 2025

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LOGAN, Utah – Utah State volleyball outside hitter Mara Štiglic has been named the Old Trapper Mountain West Offensive Volleyball Player of the Week the conference announced on Monday.

Štiglic led Utah State with a .400 hitting percentage while recording 29 total kills in a pair of wins at San Diego State (3-1) and UNLV (3-0). The sophomore from Rijeka, Croatia, averaged 4.14 kills per set for the week and added two aces, six digs and four blocks. Štiglic tied for the team lead with 13 kills against the Aztecs, hitting .355 on 31 total attempts and adding three blocks. Against the Rebels, Štiglic posted 16 kills on 29 attempts for a .448 hitting percentage, also adding two aces. In the third set, Štiglic had a team-high eight kills to help seal the win. Of 60 total attempts during the week, Štiglic recorded only five hitting errors. 

It is Štiglic’s second time this season and in her career earning Player of the Week honors. She previously earned the award after totaling 46 total kills to help USU to wins against Utah Valley and Weber State plus a spirited effort against then-No. 16 BYU, averaging 4.18 kills per set for the week.

Štiglic is the first Aggie to receive multiple awards from the MW this season. Utah State has had six different players receive a weekly award from the conference this season.

PREVIOUS AGGIES TO RECEIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK THIS SEASON

Sept. 2 – Tierney Barlow, Sr., MB – Offensive Player of the Week

Sept. 22 – Mara Štiglic, So., OH – Offensive Player of the Week

Sept. 29 – Lauren Larkin, R-Fr., MB – Freshman of the Week

Oct. 6 – Kaylie Kofe, So., S – Offensive Player of the Week

Oct. 13 – Kendel Thompson, Jr., L/DS – Defensive Player of the Week

Oct. 27 – Loryn Helgesen, So., OPP – Offensive Player of the Week

Up Next

The Aggies return home for a pair of crucial matches versus teams currently in Mountain West Tournament position. Utah State will first host second-place Colorado State on Thursday, Nov. 6, at 6 p.m., before facing Wyoming, who currently sits third in the conference standings, on Saturday, Nov. 8, at noon.

Season tickets, mini-plans, and single-game tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here or by contacting the USU Ticket Office at 435-797-0305.

Fans can follow the Aggie volleyball program on Twitter, @USUVolleyball, on Facebook at /USUVolleyball or on Instagram, @usuvolleyball. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program on Twitter, @USUAthletics, Facebook at /USUAthletics and on Instagram, @USUAthletics.

 – USU –



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Ohio high school volleyball OHSAA state tournament brackets, schedule

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3 hours ago

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November 3, 2025

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Ohio high school volleyball OHSAA state tournament brackets, schedule



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