$2.6B — The projected amount of annual NIL spending by 2027-28, up from $458M in 2021-22, per a data report from Opendorse (Opendorse)
Sports
Closing Bell

Mastercard to be naming sponsor for McLaren F1 team…Groundwork for the T’Wolves’ Matthew Caldwell hire was years in the making…ESPN re-org has Scott Clark overseeing ‘SportsCenter’

Mastercard will become the naming partner of McLaren’s F1 team in 2026 as the team will “expand its existing sponsorship agreement” with the company. The team’s official name will become “McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team” next season. Sources said that the deal is “estimated to be in the region of” $100M per season, and it is a “long-term agreement that is understood to run through to the mid-2030s.” The deal is also believed to “stand as the biggest title sponsorship agreement on the F1 grid,” and it is the “largest commercial deal in McLaren’s history.” This will be the first time since the end of 2013 that McLaren has raced with a title sponsor. McLaren was previously the only team left on the F1 grid that did not race with a title sponsorship (THE ATHLETIC, 8/27).

When Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore pursued a purchase of the New York Mets in 2020 — their first foray into business together — their partner on the bid was Florida Panthers owner and billionaire Vinnie Viola. Viola had someone he wanted them to meet: Matthew Caldwell.
That familiarity — along with Caldwell’s championship pedigree, his leadership qualities and his background in facility development — all led to his hire as T’Wolves and Lynx CEO at a time the franchise is in transition after a bevy of departures and a round of roughly 40 layoffs last week.
Lore and Rodriguez — after being introduced to Caldwell five years ago during their failed Mets bid and led to him again this time by TurnkeyZRG — decided to hand him a 10-year contract, which a source close to the T’Wolves said “is wild. But I know Marc wanted to send a message on the confidence of the hire.”
Sources also said Lore and Rodriguez will give Caldwell, a 2018 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree, the leeway to replace numerous C-suite positions in the organization after an exodus in recent months, including the position of COO.

ESPN is doing a re-org within the production group led by David Roberts, EVP & Executive Editor/Sports News & Entertainment.ESPN is promoting VP/Production Scott Clark to VP & Executive Producer, overseeing all of “SportsCenter,” “ESPN Bet Live” and “Fantasy Football Now.” He’ll continue to report to SVP/Sports Studio & Entertainment Mike Foss within Roberts’ group. Clark, who has been at ESPN since 1999, was also the lead exec on the recent “SportsCenter: 50 States in 50 Days” initiative. All other producers on various editions of “SC” will report into Clark now.ESPN will also out searching soon to fill a newly created role — SVP & Editor-in-Chief — that will report to Roberts.
New renderings of the planned renovations to Paycor Stadium come weeks after the team and Hamilton County signed a new lease that will keep the Bengals in Cincinnati for “at least a decade.” Cincinnati Bengals The Bengals today released renderings of the planned renovations to Paycor Stadium. The new renderings come weeks after the team and Hamilton County signed a new lease that will keep the Bengals in Cincinnati for at least a decade. The Bengals in a statement said that the renovations are “designed for socializing with more bars and comfortable seating.” The county will pay $350M for upgrades to concession stands, seats, restrooms, elevators, escalators, video boards, enhanced Wi-Fi, a renovated locker room for visiting teams and a new, enhanced Jungle Vision control room. According to the lease, the Bengals will pay $120M to “renovate the suites and club lounges along with other concession improvements and ‘stadium beautification’” (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 8/27).
Sabres COO Pete Guelli in a letter to season-ticket holders revealed that the team is “making several upgrades” to KeyBank Center. According to the letter, the team has “already installed a new ‘multi-million-dollar’ audio system and acoustic panels that gives the Sabres additional capability to direct sound.” The team is also “making upgrades to arena technology, including installing Evolv Express for faster and frictionless entry and using Aifi’s frictionless checkout technology at the 100 level’s food market.” Guelli in the letter wrote, “Off the ice, we have continued to take season-ticket member feedback directly into account” (BUFFALO BUSINESS FIRST, 8/27).
Meanwhile, an exhibition basketball game between the Univ. at Buffalo and Syracuse will be coming to the KeyBank Center in October. This marks UB’s first game at KeyBank Center since December 2021, when they played there against Canisius. It is “part of a plan” by Guelli to hold an assortment of events at the arena to “keep it busy nearly 200 times a year.” Part of his push at the arena, and soon at the new Bills stadium, “will be to bring Division I athletics events to the venues” (BUFFALO NEWS, 8/27).

UNC Charlotte today held a groundbreaking ceremony at Jerry Richardson Stadium for the school’s $70M stadium expansion project. The expansion — including $20M in general university and athletics funding — will “add seven luxury suites, an indoor private club area, loge boxes, ledge seats and east and west outdoor patio sections as part of a tower that will anchor a second seating deck.” Expected to “open in 2027,” the addition will increase capacity at the stadium “by 20%, or 3,000 seats, to 18,000.” Charlotte AD Mike Hill noted that the new premium seating options are “crucial for continuing to build toward competitiveness in football, the most expensive — and lucrative — sport in college athletics” (CHARLOTTE BUSINESS JOURNAL, 8/27).

The NCAA is “weighing a rule that would require” incoming D-I athletes to disclose NIL deals “from high school or junior college to the NIL Go clearinghouse” established under the $2.8B House settlement. Athletes would “report all non-institutional deals dating to the first day of their junior year.” Junior college transfers would “report deals from the date of initial enrollment at a two-year college.” All reporting of previous deals would be “due to the College Sports Commission upon enrollment.” At least 40 states allow high school students to earn money from their NIL. The potential rule aims to “prevent pay-for-play deals between prospective athletes and boosters or school-affiliated entities.” The exact consequences of failing to comply are “still being determined, but lost eligibility is a possibility” (AP, 8/27).
Broadcaster Ian Darke will “join Fox Sports as a play-by-play broadcaster during its coverage of the 2026 World Cup,” according to a source. Darke currently calls La Liga games for ESPN in the U.S. and also calls Premier League games “on a freelance basis” in the U.K. It would be Darke’s ninth World Cup as an announcer. He called the 2018 World Cup in Russia for the world feed, and ESPN loaned him to Fox for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Darke’s first World Cup assignment was in 1982 for BBC Radio (THE ATHLETIC, 8/27).
Speed Reads…
CBS Sports unveiled talent for its new “The NFL Today+” pregame show this season, which will be on 10am ET on Sundays on Paramount+, CBS Sports HQ and the NFL on CBS YouTube channel. Amanda Guerra will host the show, alongside analysts Kyle Long, Matt Ryan and Antonio Pierce. The digital show will lead into “The NFL Today” on CBS in the 12pm window. Ryan is set to be an analyst on both shows (SBJ).
ESPN has reached a multiyear deal with former NFLer Cam Newton to expand his role on “First Take” (ESPN).
Gold Bar Whiskey announced the release of its first ready-to-drink cocktail in collaboration with Pro Football HOFer Joe Montana called the Gold Bar Whiskey “Double Gold” (Gold Bar Whiskey).
Chipotle Mexican Grill has partnered with every scholarship and walk-on student athlete at Ohio State, the Univ. of Florida and the Univ. of Georgia to give them free access to Chipotle during their respective seasons (Chipotle Mexican Grill).
Nature Made announced its first college sports sponsorship in a multiyear agreement with Learfield that will see it pair with the Univ. of Alabama, Ohio State and the Univ. of Oregon (Nature Made).
Mexican juice brand Jumex is now an official sponsor of the Univ. of Texas at San Antonio, making it the first Mexican brand to sponsor an NCAA Division I athletics program (Vilore Foods).
Suncoast Credit Union and the Gainbridge Super League club Tampa Bay Sun FC announced a partnership that includes naming rights for Suncoast Credit Union Field, charitable giving to support Blake High School students and exclusive ticket benefits for Suncoast members (Tampa Bay Sun FC).
Coca-Cola is debuting a new 360-degree fall sports marketing campaign, which will include taking drinks to campuses with an on-campus tour, as well as on-pack and in-stadium promotions (Coca-Cola).
The NWSL and The GIST announced a digital media partnership that will provide highlights, original programming and content across The GIST’s ecosystem (The GIST).
Quick Hits….
“The growth of IndyCar among younger viewers is a vivid demonstration of the power of broadcast TV. … We had a belief that if we simply put every race on the biggest and best platform viewers would find it, and they have” — Fox Sports President of Insights and Analytics Michael Mulvihill, on Fox seeing a reported 86% rise in viewers between the age of 18-34 (RACER, 8/27).
Around the World….
WWE and Paris Saint-Germain announced a long-term collaboration that will cover multiple areas, including the development of original content, merchandise, retail, fan engagement initiatives, community-focused programs and interactions between WWE and PSG players (WWE).
John Textor has “registered his interest” in Championship club Sheffield Wednesday with owner Dejphon Chansiri and is “poised for talks over a potential takeover of the troubled” club (GUARDIAN, 8/27).
Premier League club Everton FC and Castore have released the club’s third kit for the 2025-26 season, taking inspiration from the area surrounding the club’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium (Everton FC).
Brussels football club Union Saint-Gilloise has “received the go-ahead from environmental authorities to cut down 237 trees to make space for the future stadium in Forest” (BRUSSELS TIMES, 8/26).
India’s Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has “approved the submission of a bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.” The decision includes approval for “signing the Host Collaboration Agreement and providing grant-in-aid to the Gujarat government if the bid is successful” (TIMES OF INDIA, 8/27).
National Rugby League Papua New Guinea expansion team CEO Andrew Hill has resigned from the role, “accepting a position as Panthers Group chief executive” (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 8/27).
Leading promoters are “already plotting to bring more marquee football” to Hong Kong after visits from English, Italian and Saudi clubs this summer (SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, 8/26).
Social Scoop….
Red Sox numbers on @NESN are the best since 2021 with the team 4 games back of Blue Jays in AL East (and with top Wild Card spot)
Friday’s Yanks-Sox was NESN’s best game in over 3 years. Game ratings are +46% this season
In August, NESN 360 app had 6 of its 10 best games ever
— Austin Karp (@AustinKarp) August 27, 2025
Our hearts are heavy this week with the passing of one of our friends and former teammates, Zach Yager. Zach was a true athlete of the sport and a friend to many in the NASCAR family.
In honor of Zach, our No. 17 car will carry a tribute decal this week in Darlington.
Our… pic.twitter.com/LKtOGEpFaJ
— RFK Racing (@RFKracing) August 27, 2025
The Honey Deuce at the U.S. Open is the best cocktail in sports — and the numbers back it up.
2024 U.S. Open Sales
556,782 Honey Deuces
x $23 each
————
= $12.8 millionThey raised the price by a dollar last year and still sold 100,000 more drinks.
Pure insanity. pic.twitter.com/MkzQdi4cDg
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) August 27, 2025
Daily Download….
Warby Parker announced a three-year partnership with Texas QB Arch Manning. Ahead of Texas’ season-opener against Ohio State on Saturday, Warby Parker released an ad that features him and his dad, Cooper Manning, to unveil Arch Manning’s frame picks.
Daily Digit….
Sports
Women’s track and field athletes win three events at Utica Holiday Classic
UTICA, N.Y. – The Hamilton College Continentals competed against 13 teams at the non-team scoring 2025 Utica University Track & Field Holiday Classic inside the Todd & Jenn Hutton Sports and Recreation Center on Saturday, Dec. 6.
The meet was the first of the 2025-26 season for the Hamilton women, who will be back at Utica for the Pioneers’ Winter Opener on Friday, Jan. 16 after taking a break for finals and the winter holiday.
The Continentals qualified for the 2026 All-Atlantic Region Track & Field Conference Indoor Championships in four different events and finished first in three events.
Emily Pogozelski ’26 won the 3,000-meter run by over 20 seconds with a regional-qualifying time of 10:27.93. Mackenzie Loudon ’29, who was competing in her first collegiate meet, took first place and qualified for regionals in the triple jump.
Loudon was also part of Hamilton’s winning 4×200-meter relay with Tatiana McCray ’28, Ava Chiappinelli ’29 and Marley Meyers ’28. Their performance was more than five seconds faster than the regional-qualifying time.
McCray ran a regional-qualifying 7.96 seconds and finished in second place in the 60-meter dash final. Chiappinelli also qualified for regionals in her first collegiate meet and finished right behind McCray with a time of 7.99 seconds.
TOP PERFORMANCES
300-Meter Dash (17 Runners)
4. Marley Meyers ’28, 43.08
7. Hannah Turner ’26, 43.91
60-Meter Dash (35 Runners)
2. Tatiana McCray ’28, 7.96 (PR, AARTFC)
3. Ava Chiappinelli ’29, 7.99 (AARTFC)
600-Meter Dash (16 Runners)
5. Aisha Kandji ’29, 1:47.31
4×200 Meter Relay (9 Teams)
1. McCray ’28, Mackenzie Loudon ’29, Chiappinelli ’29, Meyers ’28 (1:46.42, AARTFC)
3000-Meter Run (19 Runners)
1. Emily Pogozelski ’26, 10:27.93 (PR, AARTFC)
Triple Jump (15 Athletes)
1. Loudon, 11.29 meters (37 feet, 0.5 inches; AARTFC)
Sports
Volleyball Advances to Program’s First Sweet Sixteen, Sweeps Florida Saturday
DALLAS (SMU) – For the first time in program history, SMU volleyball is headed to the Sweet Sixteen after sweeping Florida (16-12) in the Round of 32 on Saturday with set scores of 25-11, 25-21, 26-24.
With the win, SMU won its 27th match of the season, tying the program record for single-season wins. It also gave coach Sam Erger her 100th victory at SMU and in her Division I head coaching career.
Averi Carlson dished out 38 assists, the most in a three-setter for the senior setter this season. Carlson led the Mustangs to a .370 hitting percentage in the win. Kennedi Rogers went for 14 kills, hitting .440, with four digs and three blocks. Malaya Jones closely trailed Rogers with 13 kills, eight digs and seven blocks, tying her career high.
SMU out-blocked the Gators 15-4, spearheaded by a career-high nine blocks from freshman Maggie Croft. The Mustangs’ blocking efforts helped hold the Gators to a .156 hitting percentage for the match.
MATCH NOTES
- With 13 kills against Florida, Jones (503) is now the second player in SMU Volleyball history to reach 500 kills in a season. She joins Rachel Giubilato, who notched 568 kills in 2006.
- Averi Carlson (1,341) moved to third in the rally scoring era and sixth all-time for single-season assists at SMU.
- Jones reached the double-digit kill mark for the 26th time this season and for the ninth straight match.
- Rogers recorded double-digit kills for the sixth time this season.
- It marked Schilling’s 22nd time in double-figures this season and her fifth straight.
- With six blocks against the Gators, Anyanwu draws within 14 of breaking the program record for most blocks in a season. (188 by Janelle Giordano in 2015)
- SMU had double-digit blocks (15) for the 17th time this season and for the second straight match.
- SMU has won 20 of its last 21 matches and its 12th straight.
- The Mustangs end the 2025 season with 15 wins at Moody Coliseum, tying the program record for most in a season.
- The win marks the Mustangs’ 15th sweep, 11th at home this season.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
SMU controlled the first set from start to finish in all phases of the game. SMU hit .483 with no errors on 29 swings in the first, while holding Florida to a .000 hitting percentage. Rogers put in five kills to lead the Mustangs, who got point production from six different players to help propel them to a 25-11 set one victory. SMU commanded the net with a 5-0 advantage in blocks.
Down four (16-12) in the second frame, SMU responded with five straight points on a run that included two aces from Madison Scheer. After trading points, SMU went on a 4-0 run to pull away in the frame. The Mustangs went on to win the frame 25-21.
Tied 20-20 entering the red zone of the third set, SMU got the first two points on an ace from Carlson and a block from the freshman tandem of Rogers and Croft. Despite a 3-1 run by Florida that put the Gators at set point first, the Mustangs responded with three straight to close the match, ending the frame with their sixth block of the set to win 26-24.
SMU LEADERS:
SMU Kills Leader: Kennedi Rogers (14)
SMU Assists Leader: Averi Carlson (38)
SMU Digs Leader: Jordyn Schilling (11)
SMU Blocks Leader: Maggie Croft (9)
SMU Ace Leader: Madison Scheer (2)
SMU Points Leader: Malaya Jones (17.5)
Up Next: SMU will get a rematch with No. 3 seed Purdue in the NCAA Regional Semifinal on Thursday evening in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Sports
Trans volleyball player Blaire Fleming hits back at claim about female teammate’s eating disorder
Transgender college volleyball player Blaire Fleming has hit back at claims that she triggered her teammate’s eating disorder due to emotional distress — and said that she doesn’t “feel bad for her.”
Fleming, 23, was at the center of a scandal last year involving Brooke Slusser, who filed multiple lawsuits against her San Jose State University (SJSU) teammate after discovering that she was transgender.
Slusser alleged that the panic and stress from that period of her life led her to develop an eating disorder, leading to anorexia so severe that her menstrual cycle stopped for nine months.
The pair had previously shared hotel rooms and changing spaces for a whole season in 2023 before Slusser said she found out that Fleming, who is biologically male but reportedly started medically transitioning at 14, was trans.
“From the stress and how anxious I was every single day, I just wasn’t eating really at all,” Slusser told Fox News Digital last week.
“I went from around 160 to 128 [lbs] in that one semester. It definitely isn’t healthy for someone of my size to be that weight, and I ended up losing my menstrual cycle for nine months. So it was definitely severe,” she said.
Slusser later dropped her classes in the final semester this past spring, citing constant in-person harassment by students who opposed her stance.
Fleming has since responded, claiming that Slusser’s eating disorder dated back for as long as she knew her, prior to her learning that she was trans.
“She’s been anorexic and struggled with food since I’ve known her aka since 2023. She literally would weigh herself 2-3x a day and keep track of it on her whiteboard in her room,” Fleming told Fox News Digital on Sunday.
“So I really don’t care or feel bad for her. And she didn’t drop her classes, she failed out, hope that helps!” Fleming said.
Slusser has now come back and disputed Fleming’s allegations.
“These statements are just not true. I have always lived a very healthy lifestyle. Before these events took place I was very disciplined in fueling myself for athletics and [kept] track to make sure I was where I need to be to be the best athlete,” Slusser told Fox News Digital.
“It wasn’t until all the craziness started that my healthy lifestyle turned very unhealthy into not eating the amount I should,” Slusser said.
“As for school, I decided to stay home after fall 2024 to better myself and heal. So no, I did not return to San Jose and enroll myself in more courses at an institution that didn’t have my best interest,” she added.
Slusser alleged that she was never told Fleming’s birth sex and said the two regularly shared hotel rooms on away trips, according to her lawsuits filed against the NCAA and Mountain West Conference.
Fleming allegedly requested to be roomed with Slusser, a request she said was granted by team leadership, according to lawsuits.
Slusser said that the 6ft1 Fleming confessed to being transgender during a conversation over ice cream with another teammate in April 2024.
In September 2024, Slusser joined swimmer Riley Gaines’ lawsuit against the NCAA.
At the same time, SJSU’s volleyball team saw a series of forfeits by opposing teams, with police protection regularly assigned.
The US Department of Education is currently investigating SJSU for potential Title IX violations.
Sports
K-State’s Season Ends in Second Round of NCAA Tournament
Nebraska (32-0, 20-0 Big Ten), the No. 1 overall national seed, carded 43 kills with Andi Jackson and Harper Murray each putting down 10 kills. Jackson hit at a .533 clip with two errors on 15 attempts. Taylor Landfair added eight kills.
Six different Wildcats (18-10, 10-8 Big 12) contributed a kill in the match paced by seven from Aniya Clinton. An All-Big 12 Second Team selection, Clinton turned in five digs with three blocks to lead the Cats with nine total points.
The Wildcats forced 18 errors from the Cornhuskers – Nebraska’s most since September 16 against Creighton (26) – producing an 8.0-5.0 advantage in total team blocks, led by five from senior Brenna Schmidt.
The 18 attack errors marked the Huskers’ fourth-highest total of the season, joining 20-plus error outings against Creighton (26), Kentucky (25) and Pittsburgh (23).The match also marked just the fifth time in which the Cornhuskers were held below the .300 threshold, as the team’s .253 hitting percentage was the team’s fourth lowest output of the year.
Of the 52 sets played at the Devaney Center, K-State’s 21 points in Set 2 marked just the 11th set Nebraska allowed 20-plus points at home.
LeGrand, who earned All-Big 12 Second Team recognition Tuesday, handed out 19 assists to go along with a team-high nine digs. K-State also got six digs from Symone Sims and Shaylee Myers, who put down six kills.
Nebraska will advance to the Regional Semifinals of the 2025 NCAA Tournament and will face No. 16 national seed Kansas (24-10, 13-5 Big 12) on Friday, December 12 in Lincoln.
FROM THE CATS
JASON MANSFIELD, K-STATE HEAD COACH
Overall Statement…
“Congratulations to Nebraska on a really good match. Elite defensive team and their offense was good at times. I’m really proud of our team and just the fight that we had in all three sets. I felt like we battled with them for a while, just couldn’t sustain it. Just really proud of this team and what we accomplished this season.”
On the 2025 senior class…
“They’ve been special. We’ve talked about it all the way back in January, I felt like this team was going to take the program to a different place and the seniors were going to lead us in that direction, and they have. All five of them are very unique, very special, they’re different in their own way. They’ve added so much to our program their whole career, really, but their senior season was special. There’s no substitute for urgency and I think they were really urgent this whole season in trying to get us to this place. I’m really proud of them and they’ll be remembered forever.”
AVA LEGRAND, SENIOR SETTER
On setting the standard for the next generation of K-State players…
“We want it to be the standard to make it to the tournament and not only make it to the tournament, but to make it to the next round. And hopefully every year we get past the next hump. That is something we tried instilling in the freshmen and younger girls, and hopefully for the future of this program we will have a standard here and K-State is going to be one to remember.”
On ending her career in her hometown state…
“It comes full circle. I had such a great cheering section with so many friends and family members that it was so awesome to see them all out there. But also, just Bob Devaney is a special place. Growing up in Nebraska, it’s a volleyball state, can’t deny that, but hearing the fans cheer for all us Nebraska girls was pretty awesome, but I think full circle comes to mind.”
ANIYA CLINTON, SENIOR OUTSIDE HITTER/OPPOSITE
On the senior leadership…
“This is kind of where we want our program to be and we don’t want it to start here. This is a spot that we’ve brought our program, and we don’t want it to stop here. This is a spot that we’ve brought our program, and I think we’ve done a really good job as seniors leading so I hope that the next group of seniors continues to follow in our footsteps.”
SET-BY-SET
Set 1 – #1/(1) Nebraska 25, K-State 17
- Nebraska jumped out to a quick 7-2 lead behind a pair of kills from Rebekah Allick and aces from Laney Choboy and Virginia Adriano.
- Four unanswered points for K-State highlighted a 6-1 scoring run that trimmed a seven-point deficit, 15-8, to two. The run included a block by Clinton and Schmidt, along with a service ace from Emerson Van Lannen – her 28th of the season.
- The Wildcats were held to a .086 hitting percentage (8 kills, 5 errors, 35 swings) in the opening frame against the Cornhuskers’ .250 (16 kills, 7 errors, 36 attempts).
- K-State out-blocked Nebraska in Set 1, 4.0-2.0.
Set 2 – #1/(1) Nebraska 25, K-State 21
- The Wildcats captured their first lead of the match, 4-1, with a pair of blocks from Schmidt, Clinton and LeGrand.
- After seven tied scores, Nebraska ran away with a 4-0 scoring run to take the first substantial lead of the set, 13-10, but was answered with kills from Schmidt and Reagan Fox to make it a one-point score.
- K-State came out of a timeout with a kill from LeGrand to spark a 4-1 run, that included three consecutive kills from LeGrand, Fox and Clinton, bridging the gap to two, 22-20.
- The run forced a timeout from Nebraska, their first of the match, and was followed by a solo stop by Schmidt.
- With the score notched at 22-21, Nebraska put together a 3-0 closing run to put the set away.
- K-State recorded a set-best .171 hitting percentage behind 12 kills on 35 attempts with six errors, while the defense limited Nebraska to a .139 clip (12 kills, 7 errors, 36 swings) with four blocks.
Set 3 – #1/(1) Nebraska 25, K-State 16
- After back-and forth action, the Wildcats pieced together a 4-0 scoring run to take a one-point lead.
- Tied 8-8, the Cornhuskers rattled off an 8-1 scoring run to overcome the deficit and take control of the set.
- K-State managed just seven kills in the final set, hitting at a .097 efficiency, while Nebraska turned in a match-high .393 clip (15 kills, 4 errors, 28 errors).
INSIDE THE BOX
- Nebraska defeated K-State in straight sets to advance to the Regional Semifinals – 25-17, 25-21, 25-16.
- K-State turned in a .118 hitting percentage (27 kills, 15 errors, 118 attempts), while Nebraska finished with a .243 efficiency (43 kills, 18 errors, 99 attempts).
- The 18 attack errors marked the Huskers’ fourth-highest total of the season.
- The match also marked just the fifth time the Cornhuskers were held below a .300 hitting percentage.
- The team’s .253 hitting percentage was the team’s fourth lowest output of the year.
- Clinton led the Wildcats with seven kills to go with five digs and three blocks.
- Myers finished with six kills while Fox added five.
- LeGrand handed out 19 assists and logged a team-leading nine digs.
- LeGrand and Van Lannen each recorded a service ace.
- The Cats out-blocked the Cornhuskers, 8-5.
- Nebraska was led by Jackson’s 10 kills at a .533 clip. Murray also put down 10 kills.
- Olivia Mauch finished with a match-high 13 digs and Laney Choboy picked up 12.
- Of 52 sets played at the Devaney Center, K-State’s 21 points in Set 2 marked just the 11th set Nebraska allowed 20-plus points at home.
BEYOND THE BOX
- In its history, K-State has made the NCAA Tournament 19 times, advancing to the Regional Semifinal three times (2000, 2003, 2011).
- K-State is 16-19 overall in the tournament, that includes a 3-10 record in the second round.
- The Wildcats advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016, making the program’s 12th overall appearance in the round.
- The 2025 postseason run marks K-State’s sixth time being sent to Lincoln for the first-round in school history (2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2025).
- Nebraska leads the all-time series 84-4, that includes a 36-3 record at home.
- Saturday’s contest marks the third meeting between the Wildcats and Cornhuskers in the postseason and first since 2011.
- The Cats are 1-2 in the postseason series vs. the Huskers.
- In 2011, K-State upset third-seeded Nebraska in five sets to advance to the team’s third NCAA Regional Semifinal (Sweet 16).
- The Wildcats were 9-5 in three-set matches this season.
- K-State is now 9-9 is three-set matches all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
Sports
Huskers Sweep Wildcats to Advance to NCAA Regional – University of Nebraska
LINCOLN, Neb. – The No. 1 Nebraska volleyball team advanced to an NCAA Regional for the 14th year in a row with a 25-17, 25-21, 25-16 win over Kansas State on Saturday in front of a crowd of 8,601 at John Cook Arena at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.
Andi Jackson and Harper Murray tied for match-high honors with 10 kills apiece, as the Huskers improved to 32-0 on the season. Aniya Clinton led Kansas State with seven kills, as the Wildcats ended their season with an 18-10 record.
Nebraska hit .253 in the match and held Kansas State to a .118 attack percentage, the seventh straight match the Huskers out-hit their opponent by at least .100. Nebraska had a 43-27 advantage in kills and a 48-32 edge in digs, while the Wildcats out-blocked the Huskers, 8-5.
Jackson hit .533 in the match, producing her 10 kills on just 15 swings. Taylor Landfair (8 kills), Virginia Adriano (7) and Rebekah Allick (6) all had more than five kills, as Bergen Reilly dished out 34 assists. Defensively, Olivia Mauch had 13 digs and Laney Choboy added 12 digs. Both players also had two aces apiece, as Nebraska served up seven aces while allowing only two aces.
Set 1: Early aces by Choboy and Adriano and two kills by Allick helped the Huskers to a 7-2 advantage. The Wildcats pulled within 9-7 before a pair of Landfair kills and a solo block by Adriano helped NU to a 14-7 lead after a 5-0 run served by Reilly. Kansas State cut it to 16-14, but Murray tooled a block and Jackson tacked on a kill to make it 18-14 Big Red. Sigler made an unbelievable one-handed save over the net to keep a rally alive that resulted in another Murray kill. Jackson and Reilly swatted a Wildcat attack, and Murray added a kill to make it 21-14 after Mauch’s 5-0 service run. Kills by Murray and Landfair made it 23-15, and the Big Red won 25-17.
Set 2: The Huskers fell into a 4-1 hole to begin the set, but two kills by Murray around an ace by Mauch erased the deficit. Landfair put the Huskers on top 6-5 with a kill. KSU regained a 10-9 lead, but a service error by the Wildcats, an ace by Choboy and a block by Jackson and Adriano led to NU going up 13-10. A pair of kills by Jackson had NU ahead 15-13 at the media break. A Landfair kill and ace by Reilly pushed NU’s lead to four, 19-15, and Landfair and Murray tacked on kills to make it 21-16. NU led 22-17 when Kansas State went on a 4-0 run to cut it to 22-21. Allie Sczech posted a key sideout kill, and K-State hit wide for set point. Murray and Jackson ended the set, 25-21, with a block.
Set 3: The Huskers came out swinging with kills by Allick and Adriano, and three in a row by Jackson helped NU take a 7-6 lead. A decisive 8-1 run put the Huskers up 16-10. Landfair and Adriano had kills, and Sigler served an ace. Adriano’s fourth kill of the set made it 18-12, and Mauch served an ace before a Jackson kill increased NU’s lead to 20-12. Murray tacked on two kills to extend the run to 5-0. The Huskers finished off the sweep, 25-16.
Up Next: The Huskers will play No. 16 Kansas in a regional semifinal on Friday night on ESPN2. No. 6 Texas A&M and No. 9 Louisville are also headed to Lincoln and will play in the first regional semifinal at 6 p.m. (CT) on Friday. Nebraska and Kansas will begin 30 minutes following the conclusion of the Texas A&M-Louisville match.
The regional final will be played on Sunday with the time to be determined on Friday night.
Nebraska Post-Match Notes
- With the win, Nebraska advanced to an NCAA Regional for the 14th consecutive season and for the 41st time in program history. The Huskers’ 41 regional appearances are the most in NCAA history, while Nebraska’s 14 consecutive regional appearances rank second nationally.
- With the win, Nebraska improved to 136-38 all-time in the NCAA Tournament. The Huskers rank second in NCAA history in postseason wins and winning percentage (.782).
- The win was Nebraska’s 32nd consecutive victory, which ties for the third-longest winning streak in school history.
- Nebraska improved to 31-2 all-time in second-round NCAA Tournament matches.
- The Huskers improved to 89-7 all-time in home NCAA Tournament matches, including a 34-2 record at the Devaney Center.
- Nebraska has won 28 consecutive home matches in the NCAA Tournament, a school record.
- Overall, Nebraska has won 62 consecutive home matches dating back to Dec. 1, 2022. That ranks as the sixth-longest streak in NCAA Division I history and the third-longest streak in Husker history.
- The Huskers improved to 64-1 all-time against unranked opponents in the NCAA.
- Nebraska was the first to 20 points in each of the three sets. The Huskers are now 92-0 this season in sets when reaching 20 points first.
- Nebraska took a 2-0 lead in the match, and the Huskers are now 105-2 all-time in the NCAA Tournament when taking a 2-0 lead.
- With the sweep, the Huskers have won 45 consecutive sets at home. On the season, Nebraska has a 51-1 set record at home.
- Kansas State scored the first two points of set two, marking the first time Nebraska had trailed in the NCAA Tournament. The Huskers did not trail in their first four sets of the postseason.
- Nebraska limited Kansas State to 27 kills, marking the 13th time this season the Huskers have allowed fewer than 30 kills.
- Andi Jackson had 10 kills on 15 swings against Kansas State. In two matches on the weekend, Jackson had 20 kills on 27 swings, hitting .667.
Sports
Wisconsin volleyball vs. Stanford NCAA tournament time, TV released
Dec. 7, 2025, 9:49 a.m. CT
Wisconsin volleyball’s NCAA tournament regional semifinal match now has an opponent, date, time and TV assignment.
The third-seeded Badgers will face second-seeded Stanford on Dec. 12 in Austin, Texas, the NCAA announced following the conclusion of the second round.
The Wisconsin-Stanford match will begin 30 minutes after the Indiana-Texas match, which starts at 11 a.m. CT. Depending on the duration of the first match, UW could potentially begin its match between 1 and 2 p.m.
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