HIGH POINT, N.C. – After late medical scratches at the NCAA East First Rounds, two members of the High Point University men’s track and field team were added to the selection lists, both qualifying for the first time in their careers. Drew Noblet will compete in the men’s javelin competition on Wednesday, May 28 at 2:20 p.m. and Graham Ferguson will run in the men’s 1500m later that day at 6:30 p.m. With the addition of Noblet and Ferguson, HPU’s qualification total increases to 18 student-athletes, making it the most athletes at an NCAA First Round in program history.

This past season, the graduate student from Waxhaw, North Carolina joined the Panthers for his final season. He placed in the top five at five different meets and finished out the season with a silver medal at the Big South Outdoor Championships. He threw a personal best 62.83m which landed him a spot at the NCAA East First Rounds. The top 12 athletes in the field will advance to the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

In Ferguson’s last season as a Panther, he competed in the men’s 1500m and 800m events. Improving significantly in both throughout his career, he recorded a new personal best in the 1500m at the Duke Twilight on May 4, 2025 with a 3:41.35 time which was the time that helped him secure a spot at the NCAA East First Rounds. He most recently took home the Big South title in the 1500m for the second consecutive year. Following the first round on Wednesday, the top 24 athletes will advance to the quarterfinals on Friday, May 30 at 5:15 p.m. The top 12 athletes from the quarterfinals will move on to the NCAA Championships.

Noblet will be the first athlete to start competition at the NCAA East First Rounds.

 

#GoHPU x #DefendTheTeam

HAMMOND, La. – The reigning, back-to-back Southland Conference Regular Season Champion Southeastern Louisiana University volleyball team has charted its course to a third-straight title with the release of the team’s 2025 schedule on Monday.
 
“We are very excited and looking forward to the 2025 season,” said first year head coach Lee McBride. “With the players we have returning and the new group coming in, we feel like we are in a great position to win the conference championship again.”
 

The Green & Gold match wraps up preseason camp in the University Center on Aug. 21.
 
On Aug. 29-30, the 2025 season begins in earnest in the University Center with SLU hosting the Southeastern Showdown. It will feature matches against Louisiana-Monroe and Louisiana Tech on day one before wrapping up the opening weekend against Jackson State to close out the event.
 
The next weekend begins nearly a month of matches away from home for the Lady Lions, starting with a pair of matches in Conway, Ark. at the Central Arkansas Invitational. That weekend will see SLU play the host Sugar Bears on Sept. 5 before taking on Little Rock on Sept. 6.
 
A week later, Southeastern makes the trip east to Mobile, Ala. for the Jaguar Invitational. On Sept. 11, the Lady Lions take on the host, South Alabama, and then wrap up play there on Sept. 12 against Tulane.
 
Two days later, the Lady Lions make the short drive to Baton Rouge for a match against LSU on Sept. 14.
 

A very tough weekend follows as SLU goes over to Bryan-College Station, Texas to take part in the Texas A&M Invitational where all three of Southeastern’s opponents in that event are NCAA Tournament qualifiers from 2024, two of which won at least one match in the tournament. It starts with a battle of Lions, taking on Loyola Marymount, a second round team in 2024, in the first match of the day on Sept. 19 before wrapping up day one against New Hampshire. The home-standing Aggies, who made it to the third round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament, await on Sat., Sept. 20, to wrap up SLU’s multi-team event portion of the schedule.
 
After a month away from home, the Lady Lions return home for a three-match homestand which includes the start of Southland Conference action. On Sept. 23, Southern makes the drive from Baton Rouge to Hammond, America to wrap up non-conference action. Two days later, SLC action starts when McNeese comes to the University Center. That’s followed two days later by a visit by Nicholls to the U.C. to wrap up the homestand and the month of September.
 
The first Southland road trip of the season opens the month of October as the Lady Lions head to Lamar on Oct. 2 before heading to Stephen F. Austin on Oct. 4.
 

Returning home, Southeastern welcomes Northwestern State to Hammond, America on Oct. 9 before another battle of Lions on Oct. 11 as East Texas A&M comes to the University Center.
 

The trip way down south is next as SLU heads to Texas-Rio Grande Valley on Oct. 16 and then the final match against a 2024 NCAA Tournament team on the schedule, traveling to The Island to take on Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Oct. 18. The three-match road trip wraps up on Oct. 22 in San Antonio to take on Incarnate Word.
 
Houston Christian comes to Hammond on Oct. 25 to open a run of four matches out of five inside the University Center. The one road trip in that span is next as the Lady Lions head down I-55 to New Orleans for a date with the Privateers on Oct. 28. UNO makes the return trip to Hammond just two days later to start a run of three straight at home for the Lady Lions. The month of November starts with both Lamar and Stephen F. Austin making their return trips on Nov. 6 and Nov. 8, respectively, to wrap up the homestand and the home portion of SLU’s schedule overall.
 
2025’s regular season ends with two road matches as the Lady Lions make their return trips to McNeese and Nicholls on Nov. 13 and 15 to end the season slate.
 

The 2025 Southland Conference Volleyball Championship runs Nov. 21-23 at The Field House on the campus of East Texas A&M in Commerce, Texas. The 2025 NCAA National Champion will be crowned on Dec. 21 in Kansas City, Mo. at the T-Mobile Center.
 
Preseason practice for the 2025 volleyball season starts in mid-August.
 
2025 Indoor Volleyball Schedule:
Aug. 21 Green & Gold Match
Southeastern Showdown – Hammond, La.
Aug. 29 vs. ULM
Aug. 29 vs. Louisiana Tech

Aug. 30 vs. Jackson State

Central Arkansas Invitational – Conway, Ark.
Sept. 5 @ Central Arkansas

Sept. 6 vs. Little Rock

Jaguar Invitational – Mobile, Ala.
Sept. 11 @ South Alabama

Sept. 12 vs. Tulane

Sept. 14 @ LSU
Texas A&M Invitational – Bryan-College Station, Texas
Sept. 19 vs. Loyola Marymount
Sept. 19 vs. New Hampshire

Sept. 20 @ Texas A&M

Sept. 23 vs. Southern
Sept. 25 vs. McNeese*
Sept. 27 vs. Nicholls*
Oct. 2 @ Lamar*
Oct. 4 @ Stephen F. Austin*
Oct. 9 vs. Northwestern State*
Oct. 11 vs. East Texas A&M*
Oct. 16 @ Texas-Rio Grande Valley*

Oct. 18 @ Texas A&M-Corpus Christi*
Oct. 22 @ Incarnate Word*
Oct. 25 vs. Houston Christian*
Oct. 28 @ New Orleans*
Oct. 30 vs. New Orleans*
Nov. 6 vs. Lamar*
Nov. 8 vs. Stephen F. Austin*
Nov. 13 @ McNeese*
Nov. 15 @ Nicholls*
Nov. 21-23 – SLC Championship – Commerce, Texas
Home Matches in BOLD
* – Southland Conference Match
 
DIGGIN’ IT CLUB / S CLUB
Fans interested in becoming active supporters of the Southeastern volleyball program are encouraged to join the Diggin’ It Club. Lion volleyball alums are encouraged to join the exclusive S Club, which is restricted to Southeastern athletic letter winners.
 
All membership fees and donations to both the Diggin’ It Club and S Club (volleyball) are available for the exclusive use of the Southeastern volleyball program. Membership information is available by contacting the Lion Athletics Association at laa@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-5091 or visiting www.LionUp.com.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on Lady Lions Volleyball, follow @LionUpVB on Twitter, @LionUpVB on Instagram, like /SLUathletics on Facebook and subscribe to the SLUathletics YouTube channel.

Jamie Chin, a senior chemistry and French double major, has been named the recipient of the Cecil F. Cheverton Award for 2025. 

The Cheverton Award is the oldest and highest undergraduate student honor, awarded by a vote of the full Chapman faculty. A gift of the class of 1929, the original bronze Cheverton Award cup remains on exhibit in Argyros Forum along with its successor, a silver bowl. These trophies are engraved with the names of all Cheverton awardees since 1929.

“I am incredibly grateful and honored. This award means a lot to me, and it could not have been possible with everyone who has supported me,” said Chin.

Chin will pursue a Ph.D. in Chemistry at the University of Texas Austin this fall. “I am grateful to Dr. Owens, my very first research mentor, who kicked off my journey towards being a scientist,” said Chin. “I would also like to thank Dr. Wang and Dr. Kim for guiding and supporting me through the graduate school application process.” 

Chin is graduating with a wide array of research experiences behind her. As a Stauffer Fletcher Jones Fellow, under the mentorship of Dr. Cedric Owens, Chin researched the efficacy of esterase on chlorogenic acid, exploring its applications in food science. Her project, for which she co-authored a research paper in the Journal of Food Science, examined the upcycling of sunflower flour in baked goods. Sunflower flour is a nutritious alternative to wheat flour, but it produces an unpleasant green color due to chlorogenic acid. To resolve this problem, Chin added an esterase enzyme to the mixture to break down the chlorogenic acid, eliminating the green hue. 

“Participating in scientific research has taught me valuable skills and allowed me to cultivate novel scientific knowledge that can be shared with the world,” said Chin. 

At the Schmid College of Science and Technology Awards Night, Chin was named the Outstanding Chemistry Major. “Jamie has distinguished herself in the lab, the classroom, and across our academic community,” said Dr. Elaine Schwartz, Associate Dean for External Relations and Student Advancement. “Her record speaks to a rare combination of discipline and curiosity. As she heads to the University of Texas for her Ph.D., we can say with confidence that the future of science is in very good hands.”

Outside of the lab, Chin competes on the Women’s Water Polo team. Her first year, Chin set the second-highest single-season shooting percentage, and she served as a starter for the next three years. In the 2023-2024 season, Chin helped her team reach the post-season tournament for the first time in program history. 

“I am so grateful to have been supported by a group of strong, loving, and amazing women,” said Chin. “They all taught me to push myself to the limit and believe in myself.” 

Additionally, Chin is president of Chapman’s chapter of the American Chemical Society (ACS). “I never knew what being a club president was like until I became one,” said Chin. “I am naturally more hands-off, so I have often felt uncomfortable taking the lead. However, as president I had to learn to communicate effectively with my executive board to complete our tasks.” 

Chin put on ACS’ first fundraising initiative (a popular “pie your professor” event) and coordinated outreach activities with the local community. “My most memorable outreach event was at the Santa Ana Zoo, where we conducted a hidden-messages experiment with colored lenses. I felt incredibly fulfilled to foster a sense of excitement for the sciences in these young children.” 

“Throughout my four years here, I have been transformed from a shy, hesitant student into a confident leader, a determined athlete, and a dedicated researcher,” said Chin. “I am so excited to see what is next, and I will carry my Chapman community with me all the way to Texas.”

COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS – The Kansas Track & Field team will compete at the NCAA West Prelims in College Station, Texas, beginning Wednesday, May 28th, and going through Saturday, May 31st. 

The event will get underway on Wednesday at 10:00 AM CT, with coverage beginning at 6:00 PM CT on ESPN+. 

The Jayhawks are led by their Pole Vault teams, with the Men’s team winning 28 points at the Big 12 Conference Meet, where they had five podium finishers, with Ashton Barkdull taking home the Big 12 Championship with a jump of 5.61m. 

The Women’s team also had multiple podium finishers, with Mason Meinershagen finishing 2nd in the event at the conference meet. Both the Men’s & Women’s Pole Vault teams are ranked in the top two in the country, with the Men’s team ranked as the number one Men’s Pole Vault team in the country, and the Women’s team is ranked as the second-best Pole Vault group in the country. The Men’s team will compete on Wednesday at 5:30 PM CT, while the Women will compete on Thursday at 5:30 PM CT. 

On the track, Emmaculate Jemutai broke two School Records at the Big 12 Championships in the Women’s 800m & 1500m. She won the 1500m in a thrilling come-from-behind end of the race. Later in the Big 12 Championships, she ran in the 800m and placed 3rd. Jemutai will be competing in both events this week, with the 1500m on Wednesday at 6:30 PM CT, and the 800m also on Wednesday at 7:50 PM CT.

Senior Dimitrios Pavlidis is coming off a Big 12 Championship in the Men’s Discus, where he defended his title this season. The Greek International also broke his own Greek National Record earlier this season at the Oklahoma Throws Series World Invitational in Romona, Okla., with a mark of 65.11m. Pavlidis & Joseph Kieny will be throwing on Friday at 1:00 PM CT. 

HOW TO FOLLOW:

Updates throughout the meet will be available on the Kansas Track and Field Instagram and X accounts. Fans who wish to watch the event will be able to stream the broadcast on ESPN+.

Staff report

SALISBURY — The high school sports world has seen girls wrestling blossom as a full-fledged NCHSAA sport in recent years, and boys volleyball may not be far behind.

Boys volleyball probably has surpassed girls flag football as the next sport that will be fully sanctioned and will conclude seasons with NCHSAA championships.

Boys volleyball has been around for a while. Sarah Conklin, who holds the title of Director of the N.C. Boys Volleyball Association, is credited with getting the male version of the sport started in four Union County middle schools in the 2016-17 school year and there was interest at the high school level, but COVID stalled growth statewide.

Only seven NC high school participated in boys volleyball in 2022.

High School OT reports that number improved to 25 in 2023 and 68 in 2024 before mushrooming to 135 — that’s public and private schools — in the spring of 2025.

All the Rowan schools and A.L. Brown joined the boom this spring and had a great time playing local schedules. South Rowan had the best Rowan squad, went undefeated in the regular season and won a playoff game.

About half of the state’s schools in the 4A classification fielded volleyball teams this year.

State championships were conducted at Queens University recently by the N.C. Boys Volleyball Association for 4A and 1A/2A/3A divisions. West Forsyth topped Hough 3-1 for the 4A title, while Triangle Science & Math beat Mount Pleasant 3-1 in the 1A/2A/3A final. Mount Pleasant won an exciting second set, 36-34.

The rules used for the boys are the same as far the girls.

The benefits — being part of a team and playing for something bigger than yourself — are also the same.

Once the sport is sanctioned by the NCHSAA, and there’s not much doubt that it’s going to happen in the next year or two, it’s likely that just about all of the state’s schools will field teams.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The No. 18/13 Texas track and field program sent 38 entries to the NCAA West Prelims hosted by Texas A&M University from May 28-31.

The top 48 student-athletes from each respective event from both the West and East were accepted into the prelims, while the top 24 relays from each region were accepted. Only the top 12 athletes and relays will advance to the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Ore. From June 11-14.

Where to watch:

All four days will be streamed on ESPN+ beginning at 5 pm CT each day. Longhorn fans can also follow on X (@TexasTFXC). Live stats will also be available on flashresults.com.

Hot finishes:

The Longhorns return to action after the SEC Championships saw history made for select athletes. Nina Ndubuisi claimed the first-ever SEC title winning the long jump with a Texas record mark. Kendrick Smallwood won the first men’s SEC title in the 110m hurdles, also breaking his own UT record. Akala Garrett won the first women’s track SEC title in the 400-meter hurdles.

Texas Entries:

Women’s Entries: (20)

Carleta Bernard – 100m, 200m, 4×100, 4×400

Aishling Callanan – 3000m Steeplechase 

Mackenzie Collins – 400m Hurdles, 4×400 

Kenondra Davis – 200m, 4×100, 4×400

Amity Ebarb – 800m 

Ramiah Elliott – 4×100, 4×400 

Aaliyah Foster – Long Jump

Akala Garrett – 100m Hurdles, 400m Hurdles, 4×400 

Chrystal Herpin – Shot Put, Discus

Eva Jess – 10,000m 

Nita Koom-Dadzie – 200m, 4×100

Nina Ndubuisi – Shot Put, Discus

Holly Okuku – 200m, 4×100, 4×400 

Elizabeth Pickett – 5000m

Elizabeth Stockman – 1500m

Men’s Entries (18)

Sam Abati – Pole Vault 

Osawese Agbonkonkon – High Jump 

Kody Blackwood – 400m Hurdles, 4×400 

Chris Brinkley – 400m Hurdles, 4×400 

Xavier Butler – 200m, 4×100, 4×400 

Kelsey Daniel – Long Jump, Triple Jump 

Damon Frabotta – 400m Hurdles, 4×400

Dylan Lineberger – High Jump

Brennen McHenry – Long Jump

Michael Pinones – Shot Put

Logan Popelka – 400m, 4×100, 4×400

John Rutledge – 4×100, 4×400

Almond Small – 200m, 4×100

Kendrick Smallwod – 110m Hurdles, 4×100

Nabil Tezkratt – 400m, 4×400

Solomon Washington – Long Jump