Even as a senior, Hillsdale College thrower Ben Haas continues to find ways to amaze.

A two-time national champion in the 2024-25 season, Haas began his title defense in strong fashion this past Saturday, and his performance earned him G-MAC Men’s Field Athlete of the Week honors, the conference office announced on Monday. It’s the tenth time in the senior’s storied career he’s been recognized with a weekly conference honor.

The Hillsdale and G-MAC record-holder in the weight throw took second at the GVSU Holiday Open and first among collegiate competitors with a solid season-opening throw of 21.33 meters, the second-furthest in the nation in NCAA DII at this early juncture. Haas added a fourth place finish against a tough field and another provisional mark in the shot put with a throw of 17.24 meters as well.

The 2025 NCAA DII national champion in the weight throw with a distance of 22.89 meters, and a national champion outdoors in the hammer throw as well, Haas has big goals for his final college campaign, and Saturday’s opening shows he’s well on track to make a run at all of them. Haas and the Chargers now head off to the Christmas Break, and will return to action on January 16 at the Al Campbell Invite hosted by the University of Akron.

President Johnson Advances Vision of Excellence with Athletics as Driver of University Success

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida A&M University (FAMU) President Marva B. Johnson, J.D., today announced the appointment of Henry Burris– currently FAMU’s Quarterbacks Coach and Co-Offensive Coordinator – as Acting Head Football Coach, effective immediately until a permanent coach is named. The university extends its sincere gratitude to James Colzie, III, for his service and commitment to FAMU Athletics. Coach Colzie’s leadership during a period of transition and uncertainty provided stability and focus for our student athletes. We wish him continued success in his future endeavors.

“Excellence is the standard that extends across every aspect of our institution—from academics and research to athletics and community engagement,” said President Johnson. “As the nation’s top public HBCU, we are committed to operational excellence in everything we do. Our football program and all Rattler sports are critical drivers of university pride, student recruitment, alumni engagement, and institutional momentum. Success on the field elevates our entire university, creates economic opportunity for our region, and inspires the next generation of Rattler scholars and leaders. This leadership transition reflects our commitment building on the proud legacy of FAMU athletics and its storied superstars, while transforming our programs to meet the demands of today’s collegiate landscape—including competing in a dynamic recruiting environment shaped by NIL opportunities— and positioning FAMU at the championship level our community deserves.”

President Johnson has made competitive excellence a cornerstone of her institutional vision, recognizing that athletic success strengthens academic recruitment, enhances alumni engagement, and amplifies FAMU’s national profile. Under her leadership, the University is investing strategically in athletics infrastructure, coaching talent, and operational systems that align all Rattler sports programs for sustained competitiveness. cohesion and focus as the university leadership positions the program for long-term success.

Burris, a two-time championship quarterback and accomplished leader, brings proven experience in high-performance environments. His immediate priorities include guiding the program through this transition, managing player cohesion, supporting active recruitment efforts, and ensuring that the program remains focused and prepared as FAMU charts its path forward.

The appointment is part of FAMU’s broader commitment to advancing excellence on the field and off, reinforcing football’s role as a flagship program that generates visibility, resources, and pride for the entire university community. As FAMU enters this new chapter, the University remains unified in its resolve to elevate the student-athlete experience, honor our legacy, and build a future worth of the Rattler tradition.

 

Football has earned a rematch with Heart North opponent Grand View University for the right to compete in the NAIA National Championship Game while Basketball hosts Heart newcomer Missouri Baptist University in this week’s edition of the Raven Athletics Weekly Update.

NEXT WEEK

MONDAY, Dec. 8

Women’s Basketball at University of St. Mary – Leavenworth, Kan. – 6 p.m. WATCH | LIVE STATS

FRIDAY, Dec. 12

Track & Field at Bulldog Early Bird (Concordia University) – Seward, Neb. 

SATURDAY, Dec. 13

(RV) Wrestling at Heart Duals (St. Ambrose) – Davenport, Iowa – 10 a.m.

(5) Football at (1) Grand View (NAIA FCS Semifinals) – Des Moines, Iowa – Noon WATCH | LISTEN | LIVE STATS | TICKETS

Women’s Basketball vs. Missouri Baptist – Ralph Nolan Gymnasium – 2 p.m. WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS

Men’s Basketball vs. Missouri Baptist – Ralph Nolan Gymnasium – 4 p.m. WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS

NEXT WEEK

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 17

Men’s Basketball vs. Mission University – Ralph Nolan Gymnasium – 7 p.m.

FRIDAY, Dec. 19

Women’s Basketball vs. Northwestern (Iowa) – Ralph Nolan Gymnasium – 7 p.m.

SATURDAY, Dec. 20

NAIA Football National Championship Game – Crowley ISD Stadium, Fort Work, Texas

Men’s Basketball vs. Dordt – Ralph Nolan Gymnasium – 2 p.m.

Women’s Basketball vs. (1) Dordt – Ralph Nolan Gymnasium 4 p.m.

www.ravenathletics.com | #UnleashGreatness | www.benedictine.edu

#TheRightWaytoPlay

LONG BEACH, Calif. — Long Beach State men’s volleyball added one of the most accomplished recruiting classes in the nation during the November signing window, welcoming five elite prospects who are widely regarded as the top recruiting class in the country. The Class of 2026 features international standouts, national team members, gold medalists, and multiple state champions in Joosep Kurik (Tallinn, Estonia), Lucas Helle (South Carolina), Ben Bayer (Menomonee Falls, Wis.), Owen Weekes (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada), and Logan Gray (Chandler, Ariz.).

“This Long Beach State men’s volleyball Class of 2026 is comprised of five world-class student-athletes,” said coach Nick MacRae. “We are excited to unite these young men and their families with our Long Beach family. They have immediately bought into our team standards and core values as we work toward maintaining sustainable success for years to come. All five of these young men bleed LB Black & Gold and truly embody our LB Grit.”

With size across the pins, elite ball control, high-level setting, and proven championship experience, the class immediately elevates the Beach across every position group while reinforcing the program’s national and international recruiting footprint.

“I am grateful to have recruited this Class of 2026 alongside Coach McKay Smith,” MacRae added. “Smith is an essential part of our LB family. With their commitment to high volleyball standards, high academic goals and being holistic young men, we are thrilled to announce this recruiting class.”

Joosep Kurik | OH | 6-8 | Tallinn, Estonia | Chenois Genève Volley

Kurik brings elite European club experience and international success to the Beach. The 6-8 outside hitter helped lead Chenois Genève Volley to the 2023 Swiss Supercup championship and was named Swiss League Youngster of the Year for the 2024–25 season. He is also a member of the Estonia U19 National Team.

Lucas Helle | S | 6-5 | South Carolina | Carolina Stars

Helle arrives with one of the most decorated prep résumés in the country. He is a four-time 5A South Carolina State Champion, a two-time 5A State Player of the Year, and both an AAU and JVA All-American. Helle also competes with the USA U19 National Team and plays club with Carolina Stars.

Ben Bayer | OH/L | 6-2 | Menomonee Falls, Wis. | Milwaukee Sting

A versatile outside hitter and libero, Bayer brings elite defensive ability and international championship experience. He helped lead the USA U19 National Team to gold at the 2025 Pan American Cup, earning Best Receiver of the Tournament honors. A multiple-time Open Division All-American and All-Tournament Team selection, Bayer is also a two-time First Team All-State selection, GMC Conference Player of the Year, and a 2025 State Champion.

Owen Weekes | OH/OPP | 6-8 | Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada | University of Manitoba

Weekes joins the Beach as a collegiate transfer and accomplished international competitor. A member of the Canada U21 National Team, he earned silver medals at both the U21 NORCECA Championships and the U21 Pan American Cup. At the University of Manitoba, Weekes was named to the CanWest All-Rookie Team, U SPORTS All-Rookie Team, and earned the school’s All-Sport Rookie of the Year award.

Logan Gray | OH | 6-6 | Chandler, Ariz. | AZ Fear

Gray brings championship experience and national development exposure to Long Beach State. A three-time Arizona State Champion, he competes with AZ Fear and is a member of the USA NTDP program in both indoor and beach volleyball.

 

With national team experience spanning four countries, multiple gold and silver medalists, state champions, and some of the most decorated prep, club, and collegiate athletes in the country, Long Beach State’s Class of 2026 stands as one of the most complete recruiting groups in program history. The class combines immediate impact potential with long-term stability and development across every position group, positioning the Beach to contend at the highest level for years to come.

“They come to our family ready to unlock their volleyball potential by competing for national championships, performing on the world’s biggest international stages, and pursuing Olympic dreams,” MacRae said. “They bring a wealth of experience from both the USA and international volleyball pipelines, with many of them already competing in major moments.”

Together, this group continues the tradition of elite volleyball and championship expectations that define Long Beach State.

 

ORLANDO, Fla. – America’s Athletic Classic has been named as one of 17 stops on the inaugural USATF Tour coming next year, the USA Track & Field announced last week.
 
Professional events at the 116th Drake Relays will serve as the fifth event on the USATF Tour schedule on Saturday, April 25. Tour administration developed the schedule to maximize athlete performance and provide unique competition opportunities for various disciples in the World Athletics ranking system.
 
“We are excited and eager for another iteration of America’s Athletic Classic,” Franklin P. Johnson Drake Relays Director Blake Boldon said. “The best collegians in the country will have the chance to compete alongside the world’s premier athletes and continue the storied tradition of the Drake Relays.”
 
The Tour schedule will get underway on March 28 at The Ten in San Juan Capistrano, California and conclude with a double-header, the Ed Murphey Classic in Memphis, Tennessee and Sunset Tour in Los Angeles, California.
 
Other historic meets like Mt. SAC (April 18) and the Penn Relays (Apr. 25) also occupy positions on the Tour calendar.
 
As part of the collaboration, USATF will provide all costs associated with drug testing, technical delegates, sanctioning, and insurance. It will prioritize Tour meets when allocating travel funding for tiered athletes and supplement the costs of any additional disciplines to the program if needed. USATF will also support the meets with marketing and media coverage of everything from ticket sales to performance highlights. It also announced today that it will award $50,000 in prize money to the male and female athlete who earn the highest number of World Athletics performance points in their three highest scoring competitions during the series.
 
While most events will be broadcast live on USATF.tv, events with existing broadcast agreements will remain on those platforms. Ticket, broadcast, and entry information for all meets can be found here.

 

SALT LAKE CITY—Utah Volleyball head coach Beth Launiere announced her retirement Monday afternoon, bringing to a close her storied 36-year run as the leader of Utah’s volleyball program.
 

 
The program’s all-time winningest head coach (689-439), Launiere retires as the third-longest tenured head coach in the history of Utah Athletics behind only Greg Marsden, who led Utah’s gymnastics program for 40 years (1976-2015), and Don Reddish, head coach of Utah’s men’s swimming program for 37 years. Launiere also is the second-winningest head coach in department history behind Marsden (1,048-208-8).
 
“After 36 years as the head Volleyball coach at the University of Utah, I have made the difficult decision to announce my retirement,” Launiere said. “While it is not easy to walk away from a lifetime’s work, I am ready and excited to begin the next chapter of my life. Thank you to the hundreds of players whom I have had the privilege to coach, and the many assistant coaches, support staff and administrators who were my daily collaborators to build this program into what it is today. I will miss the daily interactions, but I know our relationships will last a lifetime. It has been an honor to represent one of the greatest universities in the country. I will forever love Utah and will always be a Ute!”
 
Launiere built Utah Volleyball from the ground up, beginning in 1990, as she turned Utah into a perennial top25 program. Under her watch, the Utes were ranked in the AVCA Coaches Top 25 poll 183 weeks, including twice achieving a program-record 45 consecutive weeks ranked, from 2000-2002 and again from 2019-2022.

“It is nearly impossible to put into words the impact Beth Launiere has made at the University of Utah,” said Utah Athletics Director Mark Harlan. “Her legacy as one of the greatest coaches in the history of Utah Athletics is well-established, and the number of student-athletes, coaches and staff she has influenced in such a positive way stands at the top of her lengthy list of accomplishments. The standard of excellence and winning culture that Beth has created and sustained here for nearly four decades cements her place in Utah Athletics history. She will be greatly missed, but her established standard and culture will carry forward. Please join me in saluting Beth Launiere on her incredible career.”

 

Launiere led Utah to 20 NCAA Tournament appearances, including back-to-back in her final two seasons.

 

The 2025 Utes showed grit and determination going 4-1 in their last five matches of the regular season to punch their ticket to dance, including two top25 wins over No. 23 BYU and No. 13 Kansas. In 2024, Utah earned a No. 4 seed and hosted the first and second rounds at the Jon M. Huntsman Center to cap a season in which it ranked No. 23 in the final AVCA poll.

 

The Utes made four Sweet 16 appearances under Launiere, in 2001, 2008, 2017 and 2019.

 

With Launiere leading the way, Utah earned six conference championships (2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2008, all in the Mountain West), and notched 20 of the 25 20-win seasons in program history—including a record 28 wins in 2006.

 

Under Launiere’s watch, 16 athletes earned 24 All-America honors including Kim Turner who was the first Utah Volleyball player to receive the honor in 2003 and is the only Utah Volleyball player with a jersey retired in the Huntsman Center rafters. Turner is joined by Dani Drews who was recognized all four years she suited up for the Utes (2018-21) and is the most decorated Utah Volleyball player in program history, and most recently Kamryn Gibadlo who earned the recognition during 2024’s NCAA Tournament run.

Launiere’s coaching tree is equally impressive, having identified some of the best and brightest up-and-coming talent in the collegiate volleyball world. Most notably, Arizona State’s JJ Van Niel and BYU’s Heather Olmstead served as assistant coaches on Launiere’s staffs over the years.

Van Niel has recently shot up the coaching ranks, being named the Big 12 Coach of the Year two seasons in a row (2024 and 2025) and the AVCA’s Pacific Region Coach of the Year (2024) while leading the Sun Devils to a record of 84-13 since taking over the program in 2022. Van Niel spent three seasons in Salt Lake City with Launiere from 2015-17, two as an assistant head coach and one as associate head coach.

Olmstead has made her own noise with the Cougars, leading BYU to a 279-55 record in 10 seasons at the helm, earning the 2018 AVCA National Coach of the Year, and holding the highest active winning percentage of any NCAA Division I women’s volleyball coach (min. three seasons) at .848.

Launiere leaves the Utes as a four-time AVCA West Region Coach of the Year (2001, 2006, 2008, 2019), a three-time Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year (2004, 2006, 2008), a Pac-12 Coach of the Year (2019) and a five-time Don Reddish Award winner (1998, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005).

 

FOLLOW THE UTES

For an inside look at the Utah Volleyball program, including tournament, roster and news updates, fans can follow the Utes on social media (Twitter: @UtahVolleyball | Instagram: @utahvolleyball).

 

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