Sports
Carlos Martínez, the Spanish 3×3 basketball star on a mission to clean the world’s oceans | FIBA Basketball
The highest ranked 3×3 basketball player in Spain, Carlos Martínez is well known for his versatility on the court. When he isn’t blazing a trail on the FIBA 3×3 World Tour, the 6’7” playmaker is making waves away from basketball, too – helping to turn used fishing nets which blight the world’s oceans into netting used in an array of European sports leagues, including across professional basketball and LaLiga football, among others top-level competition.
His investment into cleaning the oceans began in 2020 when Carlos set up Ecoballution in his home city of A Coruña (Galicia) in Spain’s north-west. “I live in a city right next to the sea and I recognize the problems with the pollution in the ocean,” Carlos told FIBA 3×3, marking World Environment Day (June 5). “Initially, I came up with the idea of making handmade basketball nets by upcycling used fishing nets. Nowadays we are recycling between six to eight tonnes of marine debris every year.”
Among other business investments in the health and fitness industry, Ecoballution forms part of Carlos’ vision for changing the planet for good through the power of sport. The re-purposed fishing nets are stronger than traditional basketball hoops, he explains, and have been adopted outside basketball too. As well as Spanish football top-flight, aquatic sports such as water polo also adopt the innovative product. His vision, Carlos says, is “to make the world a better place through sports”, highlighting his unique position as a professional basketball player to advocate positive change. He adds: “Sport is a way of life and can be a way of changing lives, too.”
Carlos, 29, came up with the idea for Ecoballution during a transitional period in his basketball career. Having played professional basketball since the age of 14, when Covid forced the industry’s global shutdown, Carlos says he was even considering retiring from basketball to focus on his business ventures. At the age of 24, he turned to 3×3 basketball instead, a decision which presented him with a change of direction, as well as the motivation and energy to grow the values of the Ecoballution brand alongside his basketball career.
“Sport is a way of life and can be a way of changing lives, too.”
Carlos Martínez, Ecoballution
“Like a lot of people, I recognized the problem of the plastic in the sea,” Carlos continues. “Nobody wants to see plastic bottles and old fisherman nets in the water. At the time, I knew about some netters who were working in this space already and we explored options for this project. In the first year, we worked out how to create the product and, five years on, now sell nets in shops throughout Spain and via many distributors.
“I invest everything in this project to create social good within our community, and for the planet, while my main goal is to make a better world through our initiative. At the time, I saw that FIBA 3×3 was growing and, with the Tokyo 2020 Olympics hosting the 3×3 basketball for the first time, I thought it was the best moment for me to enter this sport.
“Although I was, at one point, thinking about retiring from basketball and exploring other interests in entrepreneurship and business investment, now I am in my fourth year with the Lausanne 3×3 team and I’m continuing to enjoy both my sport and my passion projects. Sport is a really good tool to transmit good things, let’s say. It plays an important role in helping to change things that maybe are not fair or can teach younger generations to adopt.”
Thus far, Ecoballution serves sports teams and leagues throughout Spain, Italy, France and Portugal. While there are lots of opportunities for Ecoballution to expand its customer base, and support other sports, Carlos says he would “love to bring the product to more clubs and league around the world” and to use his platform as a professional athlete to accelerate FIBA 3×3’s sustainability drive.
“Sometimes people think it’s an athlete’s obligation to show these types of values,” Carlos says. “While I don’t necessarily think it’s an obligation, morally we have a good platform to share these social initiatives, including those environmental projects like Ecoballution.
“For me, it follows my vision to make the world a better place through sports. I follow the same mission as a player – to give the best on the court. This keeps my energy high. The work we are doing and the revenue we are investing back into the project I have to say is super satisfying. This is not only a trend but in many ways is a necessity also. For me, our goal is to spread our vision with as many people as possible. It’s not only a basketball net, but in doing what we do, we are bringing about positive change to our relationship with the sea.”
Sports
Williams Named NEC Co-Rookie of the Week
Men’s Track & Field | 12/9/2025 2:02:00 PM
Nehemyah Williams (Woodbridge, Va./Woodbridge) was named NEC Co-Rookie of the Week after a huge performance from the freshman. During the Bison Opener, Williams competed in the men’s triple jump and finished with a jump for 14.35m. With this, he took the third spot on the leader board and the first spot in the NEC for triple jump.
Williams, Clark Gulycz, and Olivia Renk all were named Prime Performers as well. Gulycz (Whitehall, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic) finished in fourth place during the opener in shot put. He was not far behind his personal record (17.16m) with a throw of 17.07m.
Renk (Bridgeville, Pa./South Fayette) rounded out the Red Flash in awards. The sophomore, finished in second place during the women’s 200-meter dash. She had a time of 25.46. Renk also competed in the 60-meter to take the fourth spot with a time of 7.72.
Saint Francis will continue its run on Friday as they compete in the Wagner College Seahawk Shootout.
Sports
Myers Crowned AVCA Region Player of the Year
K-State was one of six Big 12 programs to land multiple players on the All-Region teams, as Myers and LeGrand each earned AVCA All-Region recognition for the first time in their careers. Myers was the only player from the conference to receive Player of the Year honors, while BYU’s Suli Davis collected West Region Freshman of the Year accolades.
Under third-year head coach Jason Mansfield, five players have combined for six All-Region honors. In total, K-State has now produced 43 All-Region selections in the program’s 52-year history.
A unanimous All-Big 12 First Team honoree, Myers capped a historic senior campaign with 498 kills (4.70 per set) and 547.0 points (5.16 per set), rewriting the K-State record book along the way.
Her 4.70 kills per set shattered the rally-scoring era single-season average, surpassing Liz Wegner-Busch’s 4.49 mark from 2001. Her 498 total kills tied for third in the rally-scoring era and seventh all-time in program history. She also delivered the Big 12’s top single-match performance of the year with a school-record 34 kills against West Virginia on October 1.
The Lincoln, Nebraska, native reached another milestone in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, recording her 1,000th career kill with her ninth of the night to become just the 20th player in program history to join the club. She finished her career with 1,029 kills (3.20 per set), ranking ninth in the rally-scoring era and 19th all-time at K-State. Myers’ career kills-per-set mark stands seventh in the rally-scoring era, while her 1,148.5 career points rank 23rd in school history.
LeGrand, a Papillion, Nebraska, native, earned All-Region honors after delivering a breakout season marked by career highs across nearly every statistical category. She totaled 1,063 assists, 337 digs, 87 kills, 78 blocks and team-high 32 service aces. LeGrand’s 995 regular-season assists ranked sixth in the Big 12, while her 10.15 assists per set stood third in the league and 37th nationally.
She surpassed the 1,000-assist milestone for the first time in her career during Friday’s NCAA Tournament opener against USD. LeGrand also posted a team-leading 17 double-doubles, becoming just the ninth player in program history to reach the mark in a single season. She concludes her Wildcat career with 1,333 assists, 473 digs, 96 kills, 39 aces and 93 total blocks.
K-State’s season (18-10, 10-8 Big 12) concluded at the 2025 NCAA Division I Volleyball Championship after earning an at-large bid into the postseason. The Wildcats fell in three sets to No. 1 Nebraska in their 12th appearance in the second round, marking the program’s 19th all-time NCAA Tournament showing and first under Mansfield.
Sports
Utah State Volleyball Trio Earns AVCA All-Region Honors
These are the first AVCA All-Region player awards for Utah State since Shay Sorensen earned honorable mention in 2012, while Barlow and Kofe are the first named to an all-region team since Liz McArthur in 2010.
Kofe earned All-Region honors after leading the Aggie offense to a program-record .274 hitting percentage this season, ranking third in the nation with 11.08 assists per set and also earning Mountain West Player of the Year honors. Kofe is the only player in the nation with three matches of 60 or more assists. Her 1,330 total assists this season ranks fifth all-time at USU while she already sits in eighth for career assists at Utah State with 2,290. Kofe also added 32 kills, 28 aces, 285 digs and 37 total blocks on the year.
Barlow received the award after she broke Utah State’s single-season program record for hitting percentage with a mark of .444, shattering the previous mark of .375 (min. 5 attempts per set) held by Denae Mohlman and set in 1997. Barlow is now the career record holder for hitting percentage, sitting at .418 for her career at Utah State, topping current assistant coach/director of operations Kennedi Hansen’s career mark of .362 (min. 1,000 attacks). Barlow recorded six matches of at least 17 attempts and zero hitting errors this season while no other player in the nation had more than four according to ESPN research. Barlow finished with 321 kills, 18 aces, 51 digs and 93 blocks on the season. She earned All-MW honors for the fourth time in her career.
Helgesen earned honorable mention after recording 391 kills on a .295 hitting percentage, the 10th-highest hitting percentage in program history with at least five attempts per set. Helgesen also ranks seventh all-time for career hitting percentage at USU (min. 1,000 attempts) with a mark of .275 as an Aggie. Helgesen broke USU’s single-game hitting percentage record with at least 20 attempts, hitting .704 against Grand Canyon. Helgesen also added 26 aces, 96 digs and 68 blocks on the year. She earned All-MW honors for the first time in her career this season.
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 –
Sports
CAA Indoor Track & Field Weekly Awards – Dec. 9
CAA Indoor Track & Field Weekly Awards – Dec. 9
RICHMOND, Va. (Dec. 9, 2025) –North Carolina A&T junior Hayleigh Bryant, Northeastern senior Leila Curtis N.C. A&T senior Dyimond Walker, and Hampton sophomore Joseph Ernest earned CAA indoor track and field weekly award recognition for their performances last weekend.
WOMEN’S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Hayleigh Bryant, N.C. A&T
Junior | Sprinter | Greensboro, N.C. / Northwest Guilford
Bryant took first place in the 200m at the Visit Winston-Salem College Kick-off. The junior’s 24.03 time marked an indoor personal record and was the eighth-fastest time in the country. Bryant also helped the Aggies produce a CAA-best 3:45.85 race in the 4x400m relay.
WOMEN’S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Leila Curtis, Northeastern
Senior | Throws | Dix Hills, N.Y. / Half Hollows Hills High School East
Curtis placed second at the HBCU and Ivy Challenge with her performance in the shot put. With a mark of 15.24m, the Dix Hills, N.Y. resident has the ninth longest throw in the nation, and second best in Northeastern history.
MEN’S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Dyimond Walker, N.C. A&T
Senior | Mid-Distance | Kansas City, Mo. / Hogan Preparatory Academy
Walker led a strong Aggies grouping in the 800m hurdles, winning the race and becoming one of five A&T athletes to finish in the top-10. With a time of 1:52.68, the senior ranked first in the CAA and ninth nationally. Walker also joined the men’s 4×400-meter relay, finishing at 3:12.29.
MEN’S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Joseph Ernest, Hampton
Sophomore | Jumps | Sterling, Va. / Potomac Falls HS
Ernest won the triple jump at the Penn Open with a personal best finish. The sophomore jumper earned a mark of 15.38m (50” 5.5′), which was his first over 15m indoors and is the sixth best in the nation currently.
2025-26 CAA INDOOR TRACK & FIELD WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS
Women’s Track Athlete of the Week
Dec. 9: Hayleigh Bryant, N.C. A&T
Women’s Field Athlete of the Week
Dec. 9: Leila Curtis, Northeastern
Men’s Track Athlete of the Week
Dec.9 : Dyimond Walker, N.C. A&T
Men’s Field Athlete of the Week
Dec. 9: Joseph Ernest, Hampton
Follow the CAA on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to get up-to-date information and learn more about all CAA member institutions and their teams.
Sports
Burns Named To AVCA All-Region Honorable Mention For Women’s Volleyball
Women’s Volleyball | 12/9/2025 11:03:00 AM
Korrin Burns (Clarion, Pa/Clarion Area) was named to 2025 AVCA (American Volleyball Coaches Association) All-Region honorable mention.
Burns is only the second player in Saint Francis University’s women’s volleyball history to achieve this award in program history. Madi Tyus received this in 2021 after being named NEC Player of the Year.
Burns earned this achievement after being named NEC Player of the Year and All-NEC first team after finishing her season with 588 kills, 254 digs, 40 blocks, and 28 service aces. The senior outside hitter played all 27 matches and 103 sets. Burns leads the NEC in kills per set (5.26) and points per set (5.72). She is currently third in total kills, fourth in kills per set, total points, and fifth in points per set in the nation. This is the third year in a row that she earned All-NEC first team and dating back to 2010, she is the first women’s volleyball player to earn this distinction three years in a row.
Throughout the season, Burns has registered 10 Prime Performers and eight NEC/Molten Player of the Week awards. She recorded 15 games with 20+ kills including a 30-kill home match against Siena that broke the home program record. Burns also has 12 games where she dug up a double-double in kills and digs.
Burns surpassed the 1,000-kill milestone earlier this season and continued to add program records to her resume. She is sitting in first place in Red Flash history with the most kills in a single season with 542. She passes Roosevelt, who previously held the record in 2006 with 486 kills. Burns also sits in second place with the most total attacks in a season with 1,209. She passed Roosevelt who held the third spot with 1,134 (2004) and Miller with 1,159 (2009). Burns sits only 85 attacks away from taking another first-place program record. Overall, in her career, she is only 20 kills away from being the all-time leader in kills in program history. Kristin Buter (2005-08) currently holds the most kills in a career with 1,427.
Sports
Anyia, McLellan Named Alvernia Athletes of the Week
Reading, Pa. (Dec. 9, 2025) – Alvernia Women’s Track and Field sophomore Britney Anyia and Men’s Wrestling sophomore Hayden McLellan were named Alvernia Athletes of the week for their performances during the week of December 1 – December 7, 2025. This week’s Alvernia Athletes of the Week are presented by MailShark.
Britney Anyia had two first place finishes at the Alvernia Rust Buster on Saturday. Anyia took first place in both the high jump and long jump on Saturday. She was also a member of Alvernia’s second place finishing 4x200m relay team. Anyia took first place in the high jump with a mark of 1.55m and took first in the long jump with a mark of 5.18m. Both marks were third best in the MAC this weekend
Hayden McLellan took first place at 184 pounds this weekend at the Messiah Petrofes Invitational. McLellan started out with back-to-back 15-0 technical fall wins to move into the quarterfinals. He then secured a fall in 2:19 over NYU’s Dmitry Derbedyenyev in the quarters and followed that with a 5-2 decision over NYU’s Justin Mayes in the semis. McLellan secured a first place finish with a 2:42 fall over Springfield’s Matthew Hoxie in the championship bout.
Women’s Track and Field is off until the Alvernia Winter Invitational on Saturday, January 17th. Men’s Wrestling is back in action this Saturday at the King’s College Duals.
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