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Cubs Affiliate Overview (June 26–27)
• Triple-A Iowa Cubs
Series vs. Columbus Clippers (Cleveland Guardians): Clippers lead 3-1
Season Record: 40–38
• Double-A Tennessee Smokies
Series vs. Birmingham Barons (Chicago White Sox): Tied 2-2
Season Record: 34-38
• High-A South Bend Cubs
Series at Cedar Rapids Kernels (Minnesota Twins): Lead 3-1
Season Record: 27–46
• Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Series at Columbia Fireflies (Kansas City Royals): Lead 3-1
Season Record: 31–40
Triple-A: Iowa Cubs
Season Record: 40–38
Series Opponent: Columbus Clippers (37–39)
Series Standing: Trail 3-1
June 26: The Iowa Cubs dropped their sixth-straight contest, falling to the Columbus Clippers, 6-5, on Thursday. The Cubs took a 4-3 lead into the ninth but allowed three runs in the top of the frame. Iowa would score one in the bottom of the ninth on a Hayden Cantrelle groundout but would leave the tying run at third. Carlos Pérez (3-for-4) posted his first multi-home run game of the season, launching a solo shot in the fourth before crushing a two-run blast in the eighth. His 16 home runs lead the I-Cubs and rank second in the International League. Jonathan Long also recorded a multi-hit effort, going 2-for-4. Tommy Romero took a no-decision in the start, allowing three runs on six hits over five innings of work, striking out a season-high eight batters.
June 27: The Cubs snapped their six-game losing skid with an emphatic 15-6 victory over the Clippers on Friday. Iowa was led by James Triantos and Kevin Alcántara, who combined to go 6-for-7 with seven runs scored, two doubles, two home runs and seven RBIs. Both players tallied three-hit efforts while also tallying a double and a home run. Seven of the nine Cubs starters recorded a hit in the contest and six drove in at least one run. Alcántara raised his June batting average to .281 and is also posting an OPS of .792 during the month. Brandon Hughes tossed three scoreless innings in relief, allowing just one hit and striking out three.
Double-A: Knoxville Smokies
Season Record: 34–38
Series Opponent: Birmingham Barons (40–33)
Series Standing: Tied 2-2
June 26: The Knoxville Smokies used a five-run first inning to cruise to a 9-3 victory over the Birmingham Barons on Thursday. BJ Murray Jr. (1-for-5) launched a three-run shot in the opening frame with Felix Stevens (2-for-4) and Jordan Nwogu (3-for-3) also adding RBI-base hits in the first. Stevens and Nwogu would combine to drive in three of the four runs scored by the Smokies in the third as the home team raced out to a 9-2 lead. Cayne Ueckert picked up the win in relief, tossing two scoreless frames and allowing just two hits to go along with three strikeouts.
June 27: The Smokies overturned a 4-0 deficit into a 5-4 lead with a five-run eighth inning, but the Barons scored twice in the ninth to hand Knoxville the one-run loss and even the series. The Smokies were held to just three hits in the ballgame, with Pablo Aliendo’s (1-for-4) RBI-single in the ninth appearing to be the decisive one, but they were also able to draw eight walks at the plate.
High-A: South Bend Cubs
Season Record: 27–46
Series Opponent: Cedar Rapids Kernels (42–31)
Series Standing: Lead 3–1
June 26: South Bend and Cedar Rapids had its contest suspended in the top of the third inning, with the Cubs leading 5-0.
June 27: The Cubs and the Kernels split the action on the day, with Cedar Rapids winning the completed suspended contest, 6-5, and South Bend coming away victorious in the nightcap, 12-4.
Game 1: South Bend had its 5-0 lead instantly erased by a five-run frame from Cedar Rapids in the third. The Kernels would plate the go-ahead run in the fifth and would hold the Cubs to just one hit over the next five innings. South Bend rallied in the ninth, with the first two batters reaching safely, but were unable to plate the tying run. Evan Aschenbeck started the ballgame on Thursday and worked two scoreless innings and looked poise to bounce back from a rough outing his last time out. Edgar Alvarez, Cameron Sisneros and Drew Bowser all tallied two-hit efforts in the game.
Game 2: The Cubs bounced back in the nightcap with a dominant 12-4 victory, in seven innings, over the Kernels to take a 3-1 series lead. Cristian Hernandez (1-for-4) put South Bend in front 2-0 in the first with a two-run shot, his fourth of the season. Brian Kalmer (2-for-3) also hit a two-run homer in the second, making it 4-3 Cubs, before South Bend erupted for eight runs in the third. Drew Bowser’s (1-for-3) two-run double made it 7-3 before two more scored on a double by Kalmer. Jefferson Rojas’ (1-for-3) two-run blast, his sixth of the season, capped the frame. Erian Rodriguez picked up the win, allowing four runs, three earned, on five hits over five innings of work, punching out a season-high eight batters.
Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Season Record: 31–40
Series Opponent: Columbia Fireflies (37–36)
Series Standing: Lead 3-1
June 26: Myrtle Beach was walked off by Columbia on Thursday, 3-2. The Pelicans took the lead in the contest in the second, thanks to a run-scoring balk, and doubled their advantage on Leonel Espinoza’s RBI-groundout in the fifth. The Fireflies evened the contest with runs in the sixth and seventh before scoring again in the ninth to hand Myrtle Beach the loss. Yenrri Rojas took the no-decision in his first quality start of the season, allowing just one run on six hits over six innings of work, striking out two.
June 27: The Pelicans clinched at least a series split with a 4-1 win on Friday over the Fireflies. Dilan Granadillo (1-for-4), Christian Olivo (1-for-4) and Ty Southisene (2-for-5) all tallied RBI-base hits in the seventh to give Myrtle Beach a 3-0 lead, and Yahil Melendez (1-for-3) added some insurance with a sacrifice fly in the eighth to make it 4-1. Jostin Florentino picked up his first-career win at the Single-A level with his first-career quality start at this level as well. He blanked Columbia over six innings of work, allowing just three hits while firing a season-high eight strikeouts.
Interested in learning more about the Chicago Cubs’ top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!
Sports
Jason Borchin named Nevada Women’s Volleyball Head Coach
RENO, Nev. – Jason Borchin, who helped lead Cal Poly Women’s Volleyball to back-to-back Big West titles and an NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 appearance in 2025, has been named the next Nevada Women’s Volleyball head coach, Director of Athletics Stephanie Rempe announced Monday.
Borchin spent 10 years and nine seasons (the 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic) over two separate stints at Cal Poly, serving as assistant coach from 2015-17, then returning to the Mustangs from 2019-25, serving as recruiting coordinator that whole period and adding the associate head coach title in 2025.
During Borchin’s tenure in San Luis Obispo, the Mustangs posted a combined 184-86 record with two Big West regular-season titles, two runners-up, and five third-place finishes in the standings along with three NCAA Tournament appearances (2017, 2019, 2025). The Mustangs picked up at least one win in each of those three postseason appearances, most recently scoring upsets of No. 5 seed BYU and No. 4 seed USC in Los Angeles to reach the Sweet 16 in Lexington, Kentucky.
“We are thrilled to welcome Jason Borchin and his family to the Wolf Pack. He brings a wealth of experience, having cut his teeth at the club level and worked alongside several highly-respected coaches. Growing up and starting his career in our region gives him a deep understanding of the culture and talent here. Known for his elite training in the gym, his ability to build strong rosters, and his extensive recruiting ties in California, Jason is exactly the leader we need to elevate our program and compete at the highest level in the Mountain West,” Rempe said.
Cal Poly finished Big West play with a winning record in each of the nine seasons with Borchin on staff, going 120-38 including a perfect 16-0 mark in 2017. Since the advent of the Big West Women’s Volleyball Championship in 2023, the Mustangs have gone 4-2 at the event and won the title in 2025.
“I am honored to be named the Head Women’s Volleyball Coach at the University of Nevada. I want to thank President Brian Sandoval, Athletic Director Stephanie Rempe and the University administration for their trust in me and belief in my vision for this program,” Borchin said. “This is an incredible opportunity for my family and me, to be part of a University with such a strong tradition and bright future. Nevada has tremendous potential to compete in the Mountain West Conference and I’m excited to get to work building a program our players, alumni, and fans can be proud of. Go Pack!”
Between his stints at Cal Poly, Borchin spent the 2018 season on the staff at Notre Dame. Prior to his first stint with the Mustangs, Borchin began his collegiate coaching career as a volunteer assistant with Sacramento State in 2007 and became a full-time assistant coach in 2010. In 2007, the Hornets went 29-8, capturing the Big Sky tournament title and defeating Minnesota in the NCAA Tournament First Round at Stanford.
In addition to his indoor coaching duties, Borchin also served as co-head coach of the Sacramento State beach volleyball program for its first three seasons (2013-15).
Borchin coached club volleyball in the Sacramento area for 10 years and was the head coach of the Northern California Volleyball Club (NCVC) Girls 18s team that earned a fifth-place finish at the Junior Nationals in Dallas. His club head coaching background began during the 2005-06 season with the High Impact Girls 14s team.
A native of Roseville, Calif. and a graduate of Oakmont High School, Borchin boasts a total of 18 years of coaching experience between the intercollegiate, high school and club levels.
Borchin’s collegiate playing career included two seasons with the Hornets, earning All-Big Sky first-team and team MVP honors in 2006 and was a second-team all-conference selection in 2007. He then transferred to Pacific, where he played in 86 career matches from 2008-10 and was consistently among the team’s top five players in kills, finishing his playing career with 611 kills, 423 digs, 142 blocks and 59 aces.
Borchin graduated from Pacific in 2010 with a degree in sports sciences.
Sports
Nevada hires Cal Poly associate head coach Jason Borchin to run volleyball program
Nevada hired Jason Borchin, the associate head coach at Cal Poly, to run its volleyball program Monday.
Borchin helped Cal Poly win back-to-back Big West titles with an NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 appearance last season. Borchin spent nine seasons over two stints with the Mustangs, serving as assistant coach from 2015-17 before returning to the Mustangs from 2019-25 where he was the team’s recruiting coordinator before adding the associate head coach title in 2025.
During Borchin’s tenure in San Luis Obispo, the Mustangs posted a 184-86 record with eight top-three Big West finishes and three NCAA Tournament berths, those coming in 2017, 2019 and 2025. The Mustangs advanced in each of those tournaments, most recently upsetting No. 5 seed BYU and No. 4 seed USC in Los Angeles to reach the Sweet 16.
“We are thrilled to welcome Jason Borchin and his family to the Wolf Pack,” Nevada athletic director Stephanie Rempe said in a news release. “He brings a wealth of experience, having cut his teeth at the club level and worked alongside several highly-respected coaches. Growing up and starting his career in our region gives him a deep understanding of the culture and talent here. Known for his elite training in the gym, his ability to build strong rosters and his extensive recruiting ties in California, Jason is exactly the leader we need to elevate our program and compete at the highest level in the Mountain West.”
Between his stints at Cal Poly, Borchin spent the 2018 season at Notre Dame. Borchin began his college coaching career as a volunteer assistant with Sacramento State in 2007 and became a full-time assistant coach in 2010. In 2007, the Hornets went 29-8, capturing the Big Sky Tournament title and defeating Minnesota in the NCAA Tournament first round. In addition to his indoor coaching duties, Borchin also served as co-head coach of the Sacramento State beach volleyball program from 2013-15 when the team went 11-23 overall in its first three seasons of existence.
“I am honored to be named the head women’s volleyball coach at the University of Nevada,” Jason Borchin said in a news release. “I want to thank President Brian Sandoval, athletic director Stephanie Rempe and the university administration for their trust in me and belief in my vision for this program. This is an incredible opportunity for my family and me to be part of a university with such a strong tradition and bright future. Nevada has tremendous potential to compete in the Mountain West Conference, and I’m excited to get to work building a program our players, alumni and fans can be proud of. Go Pack!”
A native of nearby Roseville, Calif., Borchin has 18 years of coaching experience between the college, high school and club levels. Borchin played two seasons at Sacramento State, earning first-team All-Big Sky and team MVP honors in 2006. He was second-team all-conference in 2007. He then transferred to Pacific where he played in 86 matches from 2008-10 and was among the team’s top-five players in kills.
Borchin coached club volleyball in the Sacramento area for 10 years and was the head coach of the Northern California Volleyball Club Girls 18s team that earned a fifth-place finish at the Junior Nationals in Dallas. His club head-coaching background began during the 2005-06 season with the High Impact Girls 14s team.
Borchin replaces Shannon Wyckoff-McNeal, who quit earlier this month two seasons into a five-year contract. He inherits a Wolf Pack program that has struggled in recent decades.
Nevada reached five NCAA Tournaments from 1998-2005 but has posted just three winning records in the last 20 seasons, those coming in 2007, 2016 and 2019. The Wolf Pack has finished second-to-last in the MW in 2024 and 2025 with last-place finishes in 2018, 2020, 2021 and 2023, meaning Nevada has placed in the bottom two of the MW in five of the last six seasons.
Last year, Nevada went 8-20 overall and 4-14 in the MW while winning just 17 sets in 18 conference matches. The Wolf Pack’s best conference finish since moving to the MW in 2012 is fifth place. While the MW’s top-three teams this year — Utah State, Colorado State, Boise State — are moving to the Pac-12 in 2026, MW additions UTEP (16th in RPI) and UC Davis (48th) were elite this season with Hawaii (161st) historically excellent.
The Wolf Pack is scheduled to return just two starters from last season (Kamryn Tifft and Jess Walkenhorst) after the transfers of Haylee Brown (Grand Canyon), Audrey Jensen (UConn) and Kinsley Singleton (Oklahoma). Nevada’s home arena, Virginia Street Gym, has seen recent upgrades with a new video board installed before the 2024 season and new playing surface before the 2025 campaign.
Sports
Jason Borchin Accepts Head Coaching Position at Nevada
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Cal Poly volleyball associate head coach and recruiting coordinator Jason Borchin — who helped the Mustangs reach the NCAA Tournament three times during his time with the program — was named the next head coach of the University of Nevada volleyball program on Monday.
Borchin spent nine seasons on the Cal Poly coaching staff across a pair of stints (2015-17, 2018-25), aiding the Mustangs to an 187-86 overall record, two Big West regular season championships and a conference tournament title during his tenure with the program.
“I’m incredibly proud that what we’ve built together here at Cal Poly has opened doors for Jason and his family,” Cal Poly volleyball head coach Caroline Walters said. “We’ve been together for more than half of my coaching career, and that’s a testament to the quality of work he does, but speaks even more to the person, coach, and friend he is. Jason has made a lasting impact on our program, and while he’ll be missed, we’re excited for him as he takes this next step. We wish Jason, Jessie, Colt, Vaughn, and Beckett nothing but the best as they embrace this new challenge at Nevada.”
Borchin, who was promoted to associate head coach for the Mustangs prior to the 2024 season, helped the program reach historic heights in his final season this fall. After defeating No. 1 seed UC Davis to capture the Big West Tournament Championship and punch its ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019, Cal Poly took down No. 5 seed BYU and then No. 4 seed USC — both in five sets — to advance to the Sweet 16 for the seventh time in program history and the first time since 2007.
The Mustangs were the lone unseeded team to reach the Third Round in this year’s NCAA Tournament, serving as the country’s Cinderella story. Cal Poly finished the year ranked No. 21 in the nation, its highest ranking to end a season in 18 years and the first time since 2018 the team ended a season nationally ranked.
After serving as a full-time assistant coach on the Sacramento State volleyball staff for five seasons (2010-14), Borchin joined the Cal Poly staff for the first time in 2015 as an assistant. While serving under then head coach Sam Crosson for three seasons, Borchin aided the Mustangs to a Big West regular season championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2017.
In 2018, Borchin served as an assistant coach at Notre Dame before returning to Cal Poly in 2019 to be an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Mustangs during Walters’ first season as the head coach. Borchin served in that role for four seasons before being elevated to associate head coach in 2024, helping Cal Poly capture a Big West regular season title and a conference tournament championship in his final two seasons.
Across his nine seasons with the program, the Mustangs saw 42 players earn All-Big West Team honors, eight named to the All-Big West Freshman Team, seven secure All-Region praise and four grab AVCA All-American status.
Prior to beginning his coaching career as a volunteer assistant at Sacramento State in 2007, Borchin played for the Hornets’ men’s team for two seasons (2006-07) before transferring to Pacific, where he appeared in 86 matches from 2008-10. The Roseville, Calif. native graduated from Pacific in 2010 with a degree in sports sciences.
Sports
Track & Field Releases 2026 Schedule
BABSON PARK, Mass.— After a 2025 spring season that was highlighted by four All-East region selections and one athlete competing at the NCAA Championships, Babson College veteran head men’s and women’s track & field coach Russ Brennen officially announced the 2026 schedule on Monday.
For the second year in a row, the Beavers will open the season in Myrtle Beach, S.C., at the Alan Connie Shamrock Invitational on March 19-21. The Green and White come back to New England for the UMass Dartmouth Corsair Invitational on March 28.
Babson starts a busy month of April at the Coast Guard Invitational in New London, Conn., on April 4. The Beavers will be in Medford, Mass. the following weekend, beginning with day one of the Tufts Multi-Meet on April 10 and day two as part of the Tufts Invitational on April 11. The Green and White will wrap up the regular season at MIT’s annual Sean Collier Invitational on April 18.
The post-season begins with the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Championships at Coast Guard on April 24-25. The Division III New England Championships are slated for May 1-2 in Springfield, Mass.
Top qualifying competitors will go to the Farley Inter Regional Meet at Williams College on May 8-9. Selected Beavers will compete in the Last Chance qualifying meet at MIT on May 14, attempting to qualify for the NCAA national championships, which are at Veteran’s Memorial Field Sports Complex in La Crosse, Wisc. on May 21-24.
Sports
Men’s Volleyball No. 2 In Big West Preseason Poll
IRVINE, Calif. – The University of Hawai’i men’s volleyball team was picked second in the preseason Big West coaches’ poll while a trio of Rainbow Warriors were named to the seven-member preseason team – setter Tread Rosenthal, outside hitter Adrien Roure, and opposite Kristian Titriyski.
UH received 22 total points and trailed preseason favorite Long Beach State (24 points, 4 first-place votes). UC Irvine (21 points) was third followed by a three-way tie for fourth between CSUN (9), UC San Diego (9), and UC Santa Barbara (9).
Hawai’i returns five starters — Tread Rosenthal, Adrien Roure, Kristian Titriyski, Justin Todd, and Louis Sakanoko — and 12 lettermen from last year’s squad that finished 27-6 and advanced to the NCAA Championship semifinals. Rosenthal and Roure were AVCA first-team All-Americans while Titriyski was named to the second team.
LBSU had two players on the preseason team – Alex Kandev and Skyler Varga – while UCSB (George Bruening) and CSUN (Jalen Phillips) both had one.
The Rainbow Warriors, who captured their fourth Big West Championship title last season, were picked No. 2 in the AVCA Preseason Top 20 Coaches poll behind UCLA. Hawai’i garnered seven first place votes, two more than Long Beach State, who was third.
2026 Big West Preseason Coaches’ Poll
Rk. Team – Points (1st Place Votes)
1. Long Beach State – 24 (4)
2. Hawai’i – 22 (2)
3. UC Irvine – 17
T4. CSUN – 9
T4. UC San Diego – 9
T4. UC Santa Barbara – 9
2026 Big West Preseason Coaches’ Team
George Bruening, R-So., Outside Hitter, UC Santa Barbara, Newport Beach, Calif.
Alex Kandev, So., Outside Hitter, Long Beach State, Sofia, Bulgaria
Jalen Phillips, R-Jr., Opposite Hitter, CSUN, Anaheim, Calif.
Tread Rosenthal, Jr., Setter, Hawai’i, Austin, Texas
Adrien Roure, So, Outside Hitter, Hawai’i, Lyon, France
Kristian Titriyski, So., Opposite Hitter, Hawai’i, Sofia, Bulgaria
Skyler Varga, R-Sr., Opposite Hitter, Long Beach State, Muenster, Saskatchewan
#HawaiiMVB
Sports
Phillips Named to Preseason Coaches’ Team, CSUN Picked to Tie for Fourth
Phillips earned a nod to the preseason team for the first time, joining George Bruening of UC Santa Barbara, Alex Kandev and Skyler Varga of Long Beach State, along with Tread Rosenthal, Adrien Roure, and Kristian Titriyski of Hawai’i on the Preseason Coaches’ Team.
Phillips, a first-team AVCA All-America and first-team All-Big West selection in 2025, became the first Matador named to the AVCA first-team since Kevin McKniff and Jacek Ratazczak in 2010. He was a three-time Big West Offensive Player of the Week (Jan. 20, Feb. 24, Apr. 14) last season, leading CSUN with a career-high 456 kills, while averaging 4.22 kills per set, which ranked second in the Big West and fourth in the nation. Phillips also finished his sophomore season ranked third in the Big West in points, averaging 4.81 per set, and was 13th in hitting percentage at .293.
In the Preseason Poll, the Matadors received nine points from the conference’s head coaches and were predicted to tie for fourth with UC San Diego and UC Santa Barbara, which also received nine points.
Defending national champions Long Beach State earned the top spot in the poll for the second straight season, picking up four first-place votes and 24 total points in the voting. Hawai’i earned the other two first-place votes and 22 total points for second, with UC Irvine earning 17 points for third. With nine points, the trio of the Matadors, Tritons, and Gauchos round out the polling in the vote by the league’s six head coaches.
“I’m sure the Big West will be exactly what we expect it to be; it’s the best volleyball conference in the country,” said head coach Theo Edwards. “All six Big West teams are ranked in the preseason top-20 of the AVCA national poll, so I know the guys on this team will embrace the challenge ahead and are poised to make some noise in the Big West this season.”
As they’ve done 21 times in the last 22 seasons, the Matadors open the season at the annual UCSB Invitational at Robertson Gym. CSUN will meet Maryville University, Harvard, and Kentucky State over the three-day tournament, which runs from Jan. 8-10.
In addition to Phillips, CSUN returns a host of starters in 2026, including outside hitter Joao Avila, middle blockers Joao Favarim and Shane Nhem, and libero Chris Karnezis. The Matadors also welcome a talented group of newcomers in 2026, including redshirt sophomore setter Owen Douphner, who steps in for departed senior All-American Donovan Constable.
The Hawaiian Islands presents the 2026 Outrigger Big West Men’s Volleyball Championship at the Bren Events Center on the campus of UC Irvine from April 23-25, 2026. All six conference members will vie for The Big West’s automatic berth into the national postseason bracket.
#GoMatadors
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