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Chavez named head volleyball coach at GRHS

Published

7 months ago

June 2, 2025

Glen Roses Kelsi Chavez was named the new head volleyball coach at Glen Rose HS last month, replacing Sandy Langford, who accepted the head volleyball position at Nocona. Photo Credit: Jay Hinton photo

Jay Hinton Glen Rose Reporter GLEN ROSE — When Kelsi Chavez was named the head volleyball coach at Glen Rose High School last month, she…

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Paulson Leads UMD Men’s Basketball in 80-65 Victory Over UMary

Published

1 hour ago

December 20, 2025

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The University of Minnesota Duluth men’s basketball team improved to a 5-2 record in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) competition before the holiday break after securing an 80-65 win over the University of Mary inside Romano Gymnasium.

Leading the charge for the Bulldogs was Noah Paulson with his second 20-point game of the season. He led the way, shooting 10-14 (71.4%) from the field, collecting seven rebounds (two offensive), one assist, one block, and one steal. Following close behind was Jackson Fowlkes with 18 points and shooting 54.5% (6-11) from the field with a 50% (2-4) in three-pointers. He also collected the team’s season high in individual assists with five.

Entering the first half, Mattie Thompson, Paulson, and Nick Katona led an 11-2 scoring effort for the team’s first lead of the game in under three minutes. The Marauders then flipped the effort in the next four minutes on a 10-2 run to set the Bulldog lead to 13-12. Right after a three-pointer by Jackson Ware overcame a set of free throws from Katona to tie the game up at 15-15 with 12:22 to go.

By the seven-minute mark, UMD had lifted a colossal 20-9 scoring effort with eight points by Daniel Molhoek and seven from Fowlkes to jump out ahead 35-24. For the remainder of the half, the Bulldogs held firm to hold a 44-32 lead into the halftime break.

The Bulldogs kept the pace up as the first ten minutes of the second half saw Caleb Siwek, Fowlkes, and Paulson combine for a 21-16 scoring run to push a 65-48 lead. The Marauders narrowly outscored the Bulldogs in the following five minutes with 10 points to cut the lead by one to 74-58. UMD held on to the lead in the final minutes to seal an 80-65 win.

Overall, the team shot 51.7% (31-60) from the field, 37.5% (6-16) beyond the arc, and 70.6% (12-17) from the free throw line. The team outscored the Marauders in points in the paint, 46 to 16, while out-rebounding them 41 to 33. Leading the rebounding effort for UMD was Katona with eight total rebounds (one offensive).

The Bulldogs return after the holidays with their first matchup of 2026 on January 3rd on the road against Bemidji State University. Tipoff is set for 1:30 p.m. inside BSU Gymnasium.

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Details for Purdue volleyball coach Dave Shondell’s new contract

Published

2 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Dec. 20, 2025, 11:01 a.m. ET

WEST LAFAYETTE − Following an Elite Eight loss to Pitt on Dec. 13, Dave Shondell was asked by the Journal & Courier how this season had reinvigorated him.

Shondell responded it reinvigorated him so much he signed a new four-year contract with Purdue volleyball.

The details of that contract are now known and voids the final two years of his previous contract. The new deal offers a pay raise and keeps him under contract through the 2029 season, when Shondell would be 71 years old.

The base salary under Shondell’s new deal is $425,000 in 2026 and ’27 and increases to $450,000 in 2028 and ’29. Shondell was previously scheduled to receive a base pay of $375,000 through 2027 based on a four-year contract he signed in December 2023. The new contract also provides a $50,000 bonus if Shondell is employed by Purdue on July 1, 2026 and July 1, 2029.

Purdue hired Shondell in 2002 from Muncie Central High School to take over a program that finished last in the Big Ten in 2001 and 10th out of 11 in the conference in 2002. In just his second season, Shondell led the Boilermakers to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1990.

The Boilermakers have been in the NCAA Tournament 20 times in the past 22 seasons, advancing to the second round in each of them. Purdue went 27-7 this season and advanced to the regional final, a surprising run after Purdue lost four probable starters to the transfer portal, including Eva Hudson and Lizzie Carr, who’ve helped Kentucky reach this season’s national championship.

The departures had Shondell briefly questioning coming back.

It marked Purdue’s fifth Elite Eight appearance under Shondell, and third in the past seven seasons. The 2025 campaign was rewarded with assistant coach Kathy Jewell, who has been at Purdue alongside Shondell for all 23 of his seasons as head coach, being named American Volleyball Coaches Association National Assistant Coach of the Year. It also included All-American honors for outside hitter Kenna Wollard and setter Taylor Anderson (second team) and opposite Grace Heaney (third team), the 21st, 22nd and 23rd All-Americans at Purdue under Shondell’s guidance. It’s the second straight season Purdue had three AVCA All-Americans after Hudson, Raven Colvin (now with Major League Volleyball’s Grand Rapids Rise) and Chloe Chicoine (transferred to Louisville) were honored in 2024.

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2025 All-Area Volleyball Coach of the Year: Cissna Park’s Josh Landon | Sports

Published

2 hours ago

December 20, 2025

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gallery AA VB COY landon 1 — Cissna Park volleyball coach Josh Landon guided the Timberwolves to a Class 1A state championship on Nov. 15, and he stopped by The News-Gazette in Champaign this past Sunday with three of his biggest supporters: from left, his 14-year-old daughter Kate, his wife Sarah and his 11-year-old daughter Annalise.

Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette

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Meet the 2025 All-Area Volleyball Coach of the Year: Cissna Park’s Josh Landon

Why he’s Coach of the Year

Cissna Park’s third consecutive time in the Class 1A state tournament was the charm, as the Timberwolves capped a 40-1 season with their first-ever state championship. Coach Josh Landon stopped by The News-Gazette with players Addison Lucht, Josie Neukomm and Sophie Duis to chat with staff writer Joey Wright about the program’s sustained success:

How do you put this season into words?

➜ Landon: It’s honestly still tough to put into words. The more we talk about it, now that we’ve had a month since being state champs, it’s kind of setting in what we were able to accomplish. And that’s the thing, it was the expectations coming in on paper. You have everything back and only replacing two seniors.

It was the challenge of making sure that everybody stayed focused on one goal, and that was trying to be their best every single day. But man, what a run that they were able to put together. Looking at the postseason and not losing a set, it’s just remarkable what they were able to accomplish.

And you didn’t call a timeout.

➜ Landon: I did not. I wasn’t keeping track of that, but some of the girls did let me know that.

How do you approach a season like this one, where you have all those expectations both from the outside and within?

➜ Landon: It was a challenge. I shared with our assistant coach, Nicole Trumble, and I shared with my wife, Sarah that this is going to be one of the harder years to coach just because of those expectations and things. But it was one of those for us as a staff, we started looking outside the box on different things. We looked for different drills to help motivate, different ways that we could challenge the team every day in practice, and setting small, little goals.

We were fortunate enough that Gabby Wessels was coming back to the area, and she was able to volunteer with us as an alum, bringing some of the mindfulness, so to speak, from her time being at Chattanooga, where she got her master’s. That was a different side of the game that we were able to present to the girls.

For the players, has it set in for you that you are state champions?

➜ Lucht: Having a month now to reflect on it, it really is beginning to set in how big of a thing it was that we just accomplished. Right after we were really happy. But then obviously we had to get right into basketball, but now that we’ve kind of had time to reflect on it, I think it just keeps getting cooler and cooler by the day just being able to think that we did that, and to be able to know that I ended my last game of my volleyball career with a win on the biggest stage as a state champ.

➜ Duis: It’s been really cool, definitely. It’s set in a little bit, but I think it’s still a little surreal for me. Just super exciting. We’re just so proud of each other and grateful we got to do it together. And I just think we wouldn’t have asked for anything else to end the season

➜ Neukomm: I’m going have to agree with Addie.

Like she said, we want to win on the biggest stage, but more importantly, with all the girls that we’ve been working through blood, sweat and tears on this season.

We’re leaving, but there’s still a big group of girls coming up after us that’s extremely talented. And I think it was amazing that we all were able to hone on one mission, and we were all able to get done together.

As an athletic director as well as being the coach, how do you balance everything that comes along with a busy season?

➜ Landon: I’m thankful for a 15-minute drive to and from work every day to get my mind right. But it’s the planning part of it, right? You wear different hats, but honestly, I think that’s what helps it maintain its course.

It allows you to become a little bit easier, so to speak. I’m not just focused on coaching volleyball in that particular moment. We’ve also got to make sure that we have things ready for the junior high basketball season, junior high baseball, where are the golfers going this particular day through my AD role. It doesn’t allow me to sit there and dwell on certain aspects. It allows me to stay fresh, so to speak.

What’s it like playing for Josh?

➜ Duis: It’s really nice that we’ve gotten to have him as a coach for so long and to have that relationship. I think we know them well, and I think likewise, they know us really well, and they know what we respond to and what helps us the most.

I think having that connection made it a lot easier just to connect with each other and to get us pushing farther.

➜ Neukomm: I don’t know if I can put it into words, but I mean, not only him, but our assistant coaches in Coach Trumble and Coach Wessels, they’ve all put their heart and soul into this team, and I think they expect nothing but the best from us.

Not only on the court, but off the court, they expect us to be in the classroom, trying our hardest and then coming after school every day with a focus and a fresh mind ready just to pound out new drills or whether it’s old stuff that we just need to focus on the little things to become better players.

➜ Lucht: It really helped us having that connection since we’ve been practicing since fourth grade, and they know how we play, and they know how we respond to things, so they know how to coach us and what gets us motivated.

I don’t think it even gets recognized how much they put into us as as girls and just as a team, because like you were saying, Coach Landon has lots of hats that he has to wear, being the athletic director, and also having two daughters, and just trying to balance all that during the busy time of the fall when there’s multiple sports going on.

So I think that could sometimes go unnoticed, but it’s really appreciated.

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Kentucky ‘playing with joy’ heading into NCAA volleyball title match

Published

2 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Dec. 20, 2025, 2:35 p.m. ET

KANSAS CITY, MO ― On Thursday, No.1 Kentucky punched its ticket to the NCAA volleyball championship match by winning a five-set thriller against No. 3 Wisconsin that defied logic.

“Congrats, guys. We couldn’t have played any worse,” head coach Craig Skinner told his team in the huddle after Kentucky dropped the first set, 25-12, with a .056 hitting percentage.

The Wildcats, who will play Texas A&M for the national championship on Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC), did not lead in a single major statistical category against the Badgers, but it didn’t matter. Kentucky clawed back and evened the match 1-1. The two teams traded blocks, kills and long rallies until late in the fourth set when two Badgers’ errors left the door open for the Wildcats. Kentucky, seemingly powered by Wisconsin’s mistakes, stormed out to a 6-1 lead in the fifth set. But, the Badgers weren’t done.

Fueled by massive nights from Mimi Colyer and Carter Booth, Wisconsin kept coming and pushed Kentucky to the brink. It took a colossal push from outside hitter Eva Hudson (29 kills on .455 hitting, seven digs), freshmen Kassie O’Brien and Trinity Ward, libero Molly Tuozzo (17 digs) and Brooklyn DeLeye (15 kills, 14 digs) to fight off the Badgers. Hudson slammed the door on Wisconsin’s title hopes with two final kills, but it was DeLeye’s defense in the fifth set (six digs) that made the difference.

“The cool thing about this team, I thought we’d done it all, and I thought we found every possible way to win, and tonight was a different way,” Skinner said after the Wildcats beat Wisconsin. “The way they played, the heart that they show is immeasurable. I keep telling them they’re transformational leaders in the way they go about it, what they’ve done for the sport.

” Proud of them. But the job isn’t finished.”

The Wildcats said they knew from the first practice in January that they would be playing for a national championship. Hudson revealed this week she didn’t think any growing (from the beginning of the season until now) was needed. She said she knows Kentucky is ready. In her opinion, it’s just a matter of soaking in the environment.

Deleye echoed Hudson’s sentiment about taking it all in. Yet, the junior did admit an underlying thought; none of the players on the Wildcats’ roster have been to a Final Four. Only Skinner has been to the national championship stage and won. He was an assistant on the 2020 team that brought a trophy back to Lexington.

Deleye shared that all year long, the Wildcats have been talking about their “why.” She says there’s a lot of pressure that comes with volleyball, especially in the SEC tournament and NCAA tournament, where they earned wins over UCLA, Creighton and Wisconsin. Yet, Deleye and Hudson both agreed the Wildcats are just out there to have fun and “play with joy.”

“In the last few games, have drawn smiley faces on our hands or somewhere where we can see it to remind us to play with joy,” Hudson said. “Some of the best times in volleyball, and when we’re really playing well, is when we’re all playing with joy and bouncing off one another. Kind of have those reminders in those pressure situations, too, is a really good thing.”

Kentucky said in the midst of their joy and between sets, they look one another in the eyes. Everything is moving at such a fast pace that the Wildcats want to take the time to connect and say “I got you” to each other to promote unity. They needed that same reminder deep in the match against Wisconsin when the season and a possible championship were on the line.

In a sequence that seemingly went unnoticed, DeLeye and Tuozzo took a brief moment to look at each other and nearly simultaneously make a “mask on” gesture. However, Tuozzo later explained that it wasn’t a “mask” she and Deleye were proverbially putting on. It was a helmet.

“Helmet on, ready to dig,” Tuozzo said matter-of-factly.

Deleye added when there’s an open hole or the block is not there, someone will typically step up into the seam, and “whatever happens happens.” Kentucky will live with the results, knowing it put its “body on the line.” With two losses this season and an impressive 28-match winning streak that also includes an October victory over the Aggies, Kentucky has maintained its composure throughout the NCAA tournament.

The Wildcats have taken multiple moments during the Final Four to talk about how their “accountability partners” have helped them. Players on the roster have someone who can pick them up on days when they may struggle and remind them not to get caught up in what they aren’t doing. That collective support and belief in one another started at the beginning of the season and has translated into joy at the highest levels of volleyball, something that has even impressed Skinner, who is in his 21st year of coaching.

“Because they play with such joy, I want to coach more players like that. I want players that you don’t really have to coach body language and enthusiasm,” Skinner said. “If you do, you’re spending all your effort on the wrong things. We can spend our energy on how do we put the pieces togetherand form a system to go around that.”

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2025 AVCA All-American | First Team At the AVCA Major League Volleyball All-America / Players of the Year Banquet presented by Nike, Elia Rubin was recognized as a 2025 AVCA All-American First Team selection. Reflecting on the honor, Rubin shared: “It’s such a huge honor. Being surrounded by so many amazing people makes it even more special. We were a young team, and every day brought a different challenge—but that’s what made it so much fun.” Rubin emphasized the importance of enjoying the journey and credited her teammates and coaches for creating a season defined by growth, connection, and joy. Congratulations to Elia Rubin on an outstanding season and First Team All-American recognition.

Published

2 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Your Sports Nation

2025 AVCA All-American | First Team At the AVCA Major League Volleyball All-America / Players of the Year Banquet presented by Nike, Elia Rubin was recognized as a 2025 AVCA All-American First Team selection. Reflecting on the honor, Rubin shared: “It’s such a huge honor. Being surrounded by so many amazing people makes it even more special. We were a young team, and every day brought a different challenge—but that’s what made it so much fun.” Rubin emphasized the importance of enjoying the journey and credited her teammates and coaches for creating a season defined by growth, connection, and joy. Congratulations to Elia Rubin on an outstanding season and First Team All-American recognition. | American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA)

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2025 Mirror Girls Volleyball All-Stars | News, Sports, Jobs

Published

3 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Your Sports Nation

FIRST TEAM

Delayni Baird, so., Hollidaysburg: Made the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association Class 3A All-District first team. … Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association all-state selection. … Finished with a team-high 657 assists. … Had 69 aces and 157 digs.

Addi Basenback, sr., Hollidaysburg: Second-team Mirror all-star as a junior. … Made the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association Class 3A All-District first team. … Recorded 251 kills and 35 aces. … Also contributed 161 digs for the District 6 champion Lady Tigers.

Erica Brouse, sr., Central Cambria: Mirror second-team all-star as a junior. … Helped Central Cambria win the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference championship. … Made the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association Class 2A All-District first team. … Led Central Cambria with 326 kills.

Kynlee Budny, so., Hollidaysburg: Second-team Mirror all-star as a freshman. … Made the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association Class 3A All-District first team. … Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association all-state selection. … Had 260 kills and a 0.305 hitting percentage.

Rylan Crowell, sr., Tyrone: Mirror second-team all-star as a sophomore. … Helped Tyrone go 8-8 in the regular season and qualify for the District 6 playoffs. … Surpassed 500 career kills for her career this season. … Had 11 kills and 13 digs in a four-set win over Penns Valley. … Made the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association Class 2A All-District second team.

Allie Dziabo, sr., Central Cambria: Mirror first-team all-star as a junior at Bishop Carroll. … Helped Central Cambria win the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference championship. … … Made the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association Class 2A All-District second team. … Led Central Cambria with 100 blocks and added 169 kills.

Lily Gergely, so., Penn Cambria: Finished with 275 kills and 49 aces. … Compiled 266 service points and 159 serves received. … Had 61 blocks and had 75 digs. … Helped Penn Cambria go 10-8 and qualify for the District 6 playoffs. … Made the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association Class 2A All-District first team.

Olivia Gregg, jr., Bishop Carroll: Second-team Mirror all-star as both a sophomore and freshman. … Finished the year with 271 kills and a 0.365 hitting percentage. … Had 378 digs and 50 aces this season. … Helped Bishop Carroll finish 12-8 in the regular season and advance to the District 6 Class 1A quarterfinals.

Braelyn Hall, sr., Juniata Valley: Mirror first-team all-star as a junior. … Inter-County Conference first-team all-star. … Went over 1,000 career digs for her career during her senior season. … Helped Juniata Valley go 10-8 in the regular season and qualify for the District 6 playoffs. … For her career, she had 252 service points, 47 aces, 30 assists and 1,033 digs.

Rachel McClellan, sr., Glendale: Mirror first-team all-star as a junior. … Inter-County Conference first-team all-star. … Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association all-state selection. … Finished with 452 kills, as well as 237 digs, 144 service points, 48 aces and 10 blocks for the Lady Vikings.

Kenzi McLanahan, so., Hollidaysburg: Second-team Mirror all-star as a freshman. … Made the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association Class 3A All-District first team. … Libero for the District 6 champions. … Had 232 digs and 50 aces. … Had a 2.08 SR rating.

Emily Olienyk, jr., Bishop Carroll: Mirror first-team all-star as a sophomore. … Helped Bishop Carroll finish 12-8 in the regular season and advance to the District 6 Class 1A quarterfinals. … Finished with 273 kills and a 0.311 hitting percentage. … Had 83 aces and 81 blocks for the Lady Huskies.

Rowyn Ruddek, jr., Central Cambria: Helped Central Cambria win the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference championship. … … Made the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association Class 2A All-District second team. … Led Central Cambria with 348 digs and 378 serves received. … Added 21 aces.

Annalyse Yost, sr., Altoona: First-team Mirror all-star as a junior. … Made the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association Class 4A All-District first team. … Second-team Mid-Penn Commonwealth Division all-star. … Finished with 163 kills, 47 blocks, 26 aces, 76 digs and 78 service points for the Lady Spikers. … For her career, she had 380 kills, 167 blocks, 31 aces, 109 service points and 117 digs.

SECOND TEAM

Raina Alexander, jr., Williamsburg

Abby Anthony, sr., Tyrone

Sophie Becquet, sr., Bishop Carroll

Maraya Bittner, sr., Altoona

Amberly Detterline, jr., Northern Bedford

Kate Eckenrode, so., Penn Cambria

Payton Hinish, sr., Claysburg-Kimmel

Riley Kauffman, jr., Central Cambria

Calla Miko, sr., Portage

Kerrie Mock, sr., Central

Kaitlyn Mortimore, fr., Claysburg-Kimmel