Sports
Coach Mulinge returns as Kenya names provisional beach volleyball squad
By Benjamin Otieno Published on: June 10, 2025 02:45 (EAT) Kenya’s beach volleyball team at JKIA, before departing for African Beach Volleyball games in Morocco. Photo Courtesy KVF The Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) has named a provisional squad for the 2025 African Beach Volleyball Championship qualifiers, set to take place from June 23 to 30 […]


Kenya’s beach volleyball team at JKIA, before departing for African Beach Volleyball games in Morocco. Photo Courtesy KVF
The Kenya
Volleyball Federation (KVF) has named a provisional squad for the 2025 African
Beach Volleyball Championship qualifiers, set to take place from June 23 to 30 in
Tetouan and Martil, Morocco.
The tournament also serves as the pathway to
the FIVB 2025 Beach Volleyball World Championship.
Leading the Kenya’s
men beach volleyball team is experienced coach Sammy Mulinge, who makes a
comeback to the national fold.
Mulinge, a seasoned tactician who previously
guided Kenya’s women’s beach volleyball duo of Brackcides Agala and Gaudencia
Makokha to the Olympic Games, returns with renewed ambition.
His last major coaching role saw him steer
Rwanda Energy Group to a bronze medal finish at the Zone Five Clubs
Championship in Uganda.
Mulinge replaces
the pair of Ibrahim Oduor and Patrick Owino, who had overseen the team’s
campaign during the Paris Olympic qualifiers.
The six-man provisional
squad comprises a blend of youth and experience drawn from various Kenyan
institutions. The players are; Jairus Kipkosgei, Elphas Makuto [Kenya Prisons],
Brian Melly [GSU], Donald Mchete [Prisons Mombasa],Wilson Cheruyot [Equity Bank],
and Joseph Muliro [Strathmore University].
The support
staff includes Simon Kibe as the physiotherapist and Robinson Okoth, the
Nairobi Prisons team manager, who will take charge in the same capacity
KVF Assistant Secretary General John Ogara
will serve as head of delegation.
Sports
Big Ten Honors IU’s 112 Distinguished Scholars
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — The Big Ten Conference announced Monday that 1,984 students on varsity rosters have earned the Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Award. The list includes students from all 14 institutions, plus Johns Hopkins and Notre Dame and 41 sports who have recorded a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.7 or higher for the previous academic […]

The 2024-25 class of Distinguished Scholar Award Recipients includes 426 students who maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA during the previous academic term, represented in bold on the official list.
The Big Ten honored 112 Hoosiers that earned the Distinguished Scholar distinction this season.
“IU Athletics is extremely proud of our student-athletes’ long-standing reputation of excellence both in competition and in the classroom.” said IU Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Scott Dolson. “I am excited to congratulate and celebrate these 112 individuals, all of whom have performed at the very highest level academically. The time demands that come along with being a student-athlete are significant, and these students have still managed to perform at a an extraordinarily high level in the classroom. In doing so, they have made their programs and our department very proud. Congratulations to our Big Ten Distinguished Scholars.”
Big Ten Faculty Representatives established the Distinguished Scholar Award in 2008 to supplement the Academic All-Big Ten program. Distinguished Scholar Award recipients must have earned Academic All-Big Ten recognition in the previous academic year, must have been enrolled full time at the institution for the entire previous academic year (two semesters or three quarters) and earned a minimum GPA of 3.70 or better during the previous academic year, excluding any summer grades. The Academic All-Big Ten threshold is a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher for a student’s academic career.
BIG TEN DISTINGUISHED SCHOLAR
Baseball
Drew Buhr
Men’s Basketball
Shaan Burke
Anthony Leal
Jordan Rayford
Women’s Basketball
Lexus Bargesser
Lenee Beaumont
Sydney Parrish
Women’s Golf
Beatriz Junquiera
Caroline Smith
Field Hockey
Javiera Baeza
Maggie Carter
Ines Garcia Prado
Arabella Loveridge
Cecilia Maixner
Anna Mozeleski
Yip van Wonderen
Ava Winner
Men’s Golf
Robert Bender III
Football
Drew Evans
Anthony Chung
Aden Cannon
Camden Jordan
Rowing
Olivia Luban
Annabel Oertel
Lily Haupt
Chelsie Lindauer
Allie Beth Currier
Stella Abodeely
Abbey Armstrong
Ava Olson
Cat Madden
Daniella Mandel
Men’s Soccer
Luka Bezerra
EJ Dreher
JT Harms
Jack Wagoner
Grant Yeagley
Women’s Soccer
Ava Akeel
Olivia Albert
Elle Britt
Piper Coffield
Marisa Grzesiak
Camille Hamm
Dani Jacobson
Natasha Kim
Sydney Masur
Krista Murphy
Kennedy Neighbors
Emma Payton
Olivia Rush
Sarah Sirdah
Olivia Smith
Mary Kate Sullivan
Softball
Aly VanBrandt
Men’s Swimming and Diving
Luke Barr
Jackson Carlile
Mason Carlton
Mikkel Lee
Josh Matheny
Collin McKenzie
Utkarsh Patil
Carson Tyler
Gavin Wight
Benson Wong
Jassen Yep
Women’s Swimming and Diving
Morgan Casey
Mariah Denigan
Mya DeWitt
Katie Forrester
Anna Freed
MacKenna Lieske
Cat Minic
Anna Peplowski
Reese Tiltmann
Sydney Turner
Lily Witte
Men’s Tennis
Nikola Kolyachev
Women’s Tennis
Chase Boyer
Elisabeth Dunac
Li-Hsin Lin
Men’s Track and Field
Dalton Boisseau
Tyler Carrel
Max Grangier
Garrett Messer
Sean Mockler
Cole Raymond
Hunter Smith
Skylar Stidam
Women’s Track and Field
Bridget Beyer
Kelly Moran
Claire Overfelt
Kylee Poulton
Addison Price
Maddie Russin
Grace Tyson
Kristina Vinci
Mariah Wehrle
Katelyn Winton
Volleyball
Kenzie Dafinee
Luca Fickell
Delaynie Maple
Carly Mills
Water Polo
Audrey Cox
Grace Hathaway
Grace Klingler
Gwyneth Le
Sarah Lolli
Portia Sasser
Sophia Sollie
Wrestling
Mason Alley
Jacob Bullock
Jacob Moran
#NeverDaunted
Sports
Delaware State launches $20 million Field House project
Delaware State University (DSU) is entering a new era of growth and excitement. With fall football around the corner and the presence of former NFL star DeSean Jackson, momentum is building at Alumni Stadium. The HBCU is investing in a major facilities upgrade, hiring a star head coach, and transforming its athletic future. DSU Launches […]

Delaware State University (DSU) is entering a new era of growth and excitement. With fall football around the corner and the presence of former NFL star DeSean Jackson, momentum is building at Alumni Stadium. The HBCU is investing in a major facilities upgrade, hiring a star head coach, and transforming its athletic future.
DSU Launches Athletics Transformation Project
In 2024, DSU introduced the Athletics Transformation Project. The goal is to improve athletic facilities and student-athlete experiences. A big part of that effort is the construction of a new 70,000-square-foot field house.
On July 1, Delaware’s state bond bill included $20 million in funding for the project.
“It’s going to inject a lot of energy and goodwill into our campus,” DSU Athletic Director Tony Tucker told Adam Denn of the Delaware News Journal.
DSU hired former NFL wide receiver DeSean Jackson as head football coach in December 2024. His arrival created instant buzz.
“He’s brought a lot of energy to the football program, as well as the university,” Tucker said.
Tucker was promoted to athletic director just before Jackson’s hiring. He calls this moment a “perfect storm” of progress and opportunity.
“This is the perfect time for Delaware State athletics,” he said. “We can reach heights never seen before by the university,” he said to Delaware Online.
What Will the DSU Field House Include?
The new DSU field house will sit next to Alumni Stadium. The design includes:
- A 50-yard indoor turf field
- Team meeting rooms
- Player lounge areas
- Updated locker rooms for all sports
Jackson believes the facility will improve recruiting immediately.
“Coming from a big school like Cal and seeing them transform, I think it’s really gonna help,” he said. “We’ve lost talent to schools like Norfolk and Howard. Having better facilities will make a huge difference.”
Tucker said the facility will also serve students beyond athletics.
“Other sports that train indoors will use it. Non-athletes will also have access to lounge and meeting areas.”
DSU Eyes New Convocation Center
In addition to the field house, the state included language supporting a future DSU convocation center. The center would host basketball, volleyball, wrestling, and major events.
This new arena would replace Memorial Hall, the current 1,800-seat venue. The new space is projected to cost $90 million.
“Our location could become a key venue for high school sports,” Tucker said. “We’re in the center of Delaware.”
In 2024, DSU hosted the Delaware state football championships at Alumni Stadium after issues with rental fees at the University of Delaware.
“It’s about creating a better experience for athletes and families,” Tucker said. “Families from Southern Delaware shouldn’t have to drive to the north of the state for big games.”
Jackson Wants to Level the Playing Field
Coach Jackson hopes these changes close the gap between DSU and the University of Delaware.
“Delaware has been getting a lot of talent over us,” he said. “If we can offer similar resources, we’ll get players we’ve missed in the past.”
What’s Next for DSU Athletics?
The field house doesn’t have a firm start date yet. Tucker said the goal is to finish construction in 18 to 24 months.
The convocation center will take more time and funding. But Jackson remains optimistic.
“The sky’s the limit,” he said. “Success this season will open eyes. We’ll be hard to overlook.”
Related
Sports
Italy Men’s Water Polo Tops Serbia in Shootout at World Champs
World Championships: Italy Tops Serbia in Shootout on Second Day of Men’s Water Polo Italy capped a long day at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships with a penalty shootout win over Serbia, 17-16, on Monday in Singapore. The day opened with the United States stopping Brazil, 16-7, and included a 13-11 thriller won by Croatia […]
World Championships: Italy Tops Serbia in Shootout on Second Day of Men’s Water Polo
Italy capped a long day at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships with a penalty shootout win over Serbia, 17-16, on Monday in Singapore.
The day opened with the United States stopping Brazil, 16-7, and included a 13-11 thriller won by Croatia over Montenegro.
Giacomo Cannella was the hero for Italy, scoring in the fifth round of the shootout to put the Italians over the top. The first six scorers all scored before the goalies had their say. Italy’s Gianmarco Nicosia stopped Boris Vapenski in the fourth round and Milos Cuk in the fifth. His opposite number, Lazar Dobozanov, stopped Alessandro Velotto in the fourth round, but Cannella found a way past in the fifth to send Italy top of Group A by a point over Serbia.
Getting a point from the game was a great result for Serbia, which trailed 13-10 with 3:53 left in regulation after Matteo Iocchi Gratta scored. Dusan Mandic scored a penalty goal then on the power play, and Vasilije Martinovic’s power-play tally with six seconds left sent the game to the shootout.
Nicosia led the Italians with 13 saves. Iocchi Gratta shot 3-for-3 from the field. Francesco Di Fulvio added three goals and two assists. Cannella scored four times but took 15 shots to get there.
Mandic characteristically led Serbia with six goals on nine shots. Martinovic was 4-for-4 shooting on the day. Radoslav Filipovic stopped 14 shots in regulation before giving way to Dobozanov.
Marko Bijac made 11 saves, including one with 18 seconds left, as Croatia pulled out a wild one over Montenegro. The Montenegrins pulled within one goal on three occasions in the fourth quarter before Rino Buric’s goal with one second left sealed the game for Croatia.
Luka Bukic scored three times for Croatia. Konstantin Kharkov and Loren Fatovic had two goals and two assists apiece for Croatia, and Marko Zuvela chipped in a goal and four assists.
Djuro Radovic and Dusan Banicevic scored three times each for Montenegro, which got eight saves from Petar Tesanovic.
The Americans started the day by handling Brazil, 16-7. The lead was 8-1 at half. Max Irving and Ryder Dodd scored four goals each, Irving adding two assists. Adrian Weinberg stopped 11 shots. Chase Dodd had a goal and four assists.
The U.S. leads Group C with six points, with a game remaining against last-place Singapore. The host country dropped a 22-10 decision to Canada, thanks to seven goals from Reuel Mark D’Souza and four from Bogdan Djerkovic.
Hungary and Spain won to set up a showdown for the Group B crown in Wednesday’s nightcap. Hungary outlasted a feisty Japan side, 23-18, behind four goals from Zsombor Vismeg. Marton Vamos had two goals and six assists, and Adam Nagy contributed three goals and two helpers. Seiya Adachi and Taiyo Watanabe scored four times each for the Japanese, who are ahead of Australia for third in the group on goal differential.
Spain kept Australia muted in a 10-7 win. The Spanish led 4-0 after one quarter and 9-2 at half despite shooting just 10-for-35 (29 percent) for the game. Roger Tahull scored twice. Alvaro Granados and Bernat Sanahuja scored two goals and an assist each, but they combined to shoot just 4-for-16.
Greece kept the pressure on Croatia and Montenegro in Group D with a 26-5 win over China, thanks to a 12-0 first-half margin. Dimitrios Nikolaidas had a second-quarter hat trick and finished 5-for-5 shooting. Nikolaos Gkillas and Efstathios Kalogeropoulos scored four times each.
Romania deluged South Africa, 24-5, though with a 47-19 edge in shots, it could’ve been worse. Vlad Georgescu and Francesco Iudean scored four goals apiece.
Sports
Mizzou Track & Field Adds Five Signees: The Buzz
Mizzou track and field coach Brett Halter announced the signing of five new additions to his roster for the 2025-26 season on Monday, consisting of four transfers and one freshman. Here is a breakdown of each athlete the Tigers are getting: “We are thrilled to welcome in high-character student-athletes into our program,” Halter said in […]

Mizzou track and field coach Brett Halter announced the signing of five new additions to his roster for the 2025-26 season on Monday, consisting of four transfers and one freshman.
Here is a breakdown of each athlete the Tigers are getting:
“We are thrilled to welcome in high-character student-athletes into our program,” Halter said in a news release. “Brianna, Pheline, Nora, Raymond and Teegan will help us continue to set the standard of winning national championships while competing in the best conference in the nation.”
44 days.
“To this day, if someone was capable of doing this, if they gave me 22 players, no assistant coaches, no telephone, just 22 players and to play another coach with 22 players of equal ability, the one coach I would fear the most was Don Faurot. He could coach every position.”
– Dan Devine
Sports
2025 MLB Draft
The 2025 Major League Baseball Draft came to a close on Tuesday evening. Day two of the draft was for rounds 4-20 and the Cincinnati Reds spent a whole lot of their picks on pitchers. In fact, on day two they selected 10 pitchers. That doesn’t include the two pitchers that they selected on the […]


The 2025 Major League Baseball Draft came to a close on Tuesday evening. Day two of the draft was for rounds 4-20 and the Cincinnati Reds spent a whole lot of their picks on pitchers. In fact, on day two they selected 10 pitchers. That doesn’t include the two pitchers that they selected on the first day.
Here’s a quick look at how the entire draft played out for the Cincinnati Reds:
Round | Pick | Player | Position | School |
1 | 9 | Steele Hall | SS | Hewitt-Trussville HS |
2 | 51 | Aaron Watson | RHP | Trinity Christian Academy |
3 | 83 | Mason Morris | RHP | Ole Miss |
4 | 114 | Mason Neville | OF | Oregon |
5 | 145 | Eli Pitts | OF | North Atlanta HS |
6 | 174 | Braden Osbolt | RHP | Kennesaw State |
7 | 204 | Justin Henschel | RHP | Florida Gulf Coast |
8 | 234 | Kyle McCoy | LHP | Maryland |
9 | 264 | Kien Vu | OF | Arizona State |
10 | 294 | Ty Doucette | 1B | Rutgers |
11 | 324 | Jake Brink | RHP | College of Charleston |
12 | 354 | Carson Latimer | RHP | Sacramento State |
13 | 384 | Brady Afthim | RHP | Connecticut |
14 | 414 | Bryce Archie | RHP | South Florida |
15 | 444 | Andrew Shaffner | RHP | NC State |
16 | 474 | Maison Martinez | RHP | Florida State |
17 | 504 | Dylan King | C | Central Florida |
18 | 534 | Ethan Moore | SS | Oak Park and River Forest HS |
19 | 564 | Myles Upchurch | RHP | St. Albans HS |
20 | 594 | Leamsi Montanez | C | Leadership Christian Academy |
If you want to read reports, see videos, check out the stats, and get more information on all of these guys – we’ve got you covered over at RedsMinorLeagues.com. What we’re going to look at from day two are a few of the more intriguing players for one reason or another from the final day of the draft.
The College Quarterback
In the 14th round the Reds took Bryce Archie. He originally attended Coastal Carolina as a quarterback in 2022. He then transferred to South Florida where he was on the football team as a backup quarterback in 2023 and the start of 2024 before taking over as the starter a few games into the 2024 season.
The 2024 season was also his first year that he played college baseball. He struggled that season on the mound as a reliever. In 2025 he turned things around and posted a 3.25 ERA in 44.1 innings. Archie has a fastball that’s been up to 96 MPH and he flashes a quality slider.
The Home Run Champ
Cincinnati began day two of the draft by taking Mason Neville. He led the country in home runs this past season with 26 of them for Oregon. There’s a ton of power in his game, but he’s struggled to make contact in his career – though he did improve his contact rate in 2025 (but it was still a well below-average rate). He hit just .290 thanks in part to his struggles putting the bat on the ball.
The .400 hitter
A few rounds into day two the Reds selected Kien Cu out of Arizona State. In 2024 there was something a bit strange going on in college baseball and everyone was hitting everything and the offensive environment was up nearly everywhere. Vu, though, was doing stuff very few guys were doing as he hit .413 on the season. This year he “only” hit .354 for Arizona State.
A Reds Connection
In the 17th round the Reds took catcher Dylan King out of Central Florida. He hit well in his first season as a starter, posting a .326/.442/.652 line. His dad Brad King played minor league baseball from 1996-2003. In the 2000 season he played for the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts in the Cincinnati farm system. He only played in 41 games that season and hit .250/.364/.352. Two years prior to that he played in Daytona when they were a Cubs affiliate.
Sports
Arizona Diamondbacks stock up on pitchers on Day 2 of Major League Baseball draft
AI-assisted summaryThe Diamondbacks prioritized pitching in the 2025 MLB Draft, selecting 12 pitchers out of 17 picks on Day 2.Brady Counsell, son of former Diamondbacks player and manager Craig Counsell, was drafted in the 10th round.The Diamondbacks focused on pitching on Day 2 of the 2025 Major League Baseball Draft, using 12 of their 17 […]

AI-assisted summaryThe Diamondbacks prioritized pitching in the 2025 MLB Draft, selecting 12 pitchers out of 17 picks on Day 2.Brady Counsell, son of former Diamondbacks player and manager Craig Counsell, was drafted in the 10th round.The Diamondbacks focused on pitching on Day 2 of the 2025 Major League Baseball Draft, using 12 of their 17 picks on the day to select pitchers, mostly from the college baseball ranks.The first pick of the day, in the fourth round, was right-handed pitcher Dean Livingston out of Hebron Christian Academy in Georgia. The 18-year-old is committed to playing at the University of Georgia if he doesn’t sign with the Diamondbacks.The Diamondbacks chose seven pitchers between the fourth and 13th rounds.Livingston had a 1.27 ERA through 44 innings pitched, allowing just 20 hits, and had 89 strikeouts in 10 games as a pitcher. His fastball averages 92 to 94 mph, but he has touched higher than that. Three years ago, that fastball was at 85 mph, he told Baseball Prospect Journal.Expert MLB daily picks: Unique MLB betting insights only at USA TODAY
“Getting him where we got him, I think was big value,” Diamondbacks director of college scouting Ian Rebhan said moments after the draft on Monday, July 14.
“The body, the frame, he looks like those guys that pitch on TV. And then the pitch arsenal, he’s got a big fastball, he’s got a quality slider, he’s got four pitches, he’s shown the ability to throw strikes. He’s got a pretty advanced feel to pitch for a high school kid. He’s 18 years old, and it’s a long road through the minor leagues, and we know that. But he checks a lot of those boxes of the guys that play out here (in the pros) every day.”Livingston showed an ability to hit well, too, with a .434 batting average this season and 10 home runs. But the Diamondbacks see him as a future major league starting pitcher at present, and they also view sixth-round pick Sawyer Hawks as a starter.Seventh-rounder Joe Ariola is being evaluated as a potential reliever in the pros, Rebhan said.The Diamondbacks’ eighth-round selection was right-handed pitcher Jack Martinez out of Arizona State. Martinez, who spent his senior season in Tempe after transferring from Louisiana, went 6-4 with a 5.47 earned run average in 15 starts this season. But his 97 mph fastball and pitching arsenal attracted scouts, and he was invited to the recent draft combine at Chase Field.”He started on Saturdays all year long for them (ASU),” Rebhan said of Martinez. “He’s got a plus changeup, he can also spin the breaking ball. But it’s very much a big fastball, quality changeup. … I think you send him out as a starter and he’s had success doing that.”Infielder Brady Counsell, son of former Diamondbacks star Craig Counsell, was Arizona’s 10th-round pick, the 303rd player chosen overall. The elder Counsell is the manager of the Chicago Cubs and won a World Series with the Diamondbacks as a player in 2001, while the younger Counsell played college baseball at Minnesota and Kansas, winning an NCAA Division I Gold Glove as a third baseman.Counsell was the only Jayhawk to start every game this season.”A lot of versatility there,” Rebhan said of Counsell. “You’re buying someone that just has an extreme feel for the game. It’s elite makeup. He grew up in a clubhouse, he grew up around the game. So you’re getting really good instincts and feel for the game there.”In the 18th round, the Diamondbacks chose former South Mountain Community College (Phoenix) and Arizona Wildcats pitcher Raul Garayzar. He posted a 2.81 ERA in 21 appearances for Arizona in 2025, making eight starts.”We’re getting really quality pitchers. They’ve all got big arms,” Rebhan said, recognizing the work of the Diamondbacks organization’s area scouts and cross-checkers. “They’ve all got starter upside. Those players being available to us, it was exciting for sure.”
Fourth round, 123rd overall: RHP Dean Livingston, Hebron Christian Academy (HS), Georgia
Fifth round, 153rd overall: OF Nathan Hall, University of South Carolina
Sixth round, 183rd overall: RHP Sawyer Hawks, Vanderbilt
Seventh round: 213th overall: LHP Joe Ariola, Wake Forest
Eighth round, 243rd overall: RHP Jack Martinez, Arizona State
Ninth round, 273rd overall: IF Wallace Clark, Duke
10th round, 303rd overall: IF Brady Counsell, Kansas
11th round, 333rd overall: LHP Luke Dotson, Mississippi State
12th round, 363rd overall: LHP Taylor Montiel, Tulane
13th round, 393rd overall: RHP Alex Galvan, Central Florida
14th round, 423rd overall: OF Blake Fields, The First Academy (HS), Florida
15th round, 453rd overall: RHP Hayden Murphy, Auburn
16th round, 483rd overall: RHP Collin Rothermel, Jacksonville
17th round, 513th overall: RHP Joel Sarver, UNC-Charlotte
18th round, 543rd overall: RHP Raul Garayzar, Arizona
19th round, 573rd overall: OF Jacob Parker, Purvis HS, Mississippi
20th round, 603rd overall: RHP Ethin Bingaman, Corona HS, California
(This story has been updated to add new information.)
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