University of Colorado Athletics hosted a special luncheon to recognize the many people who were instrumental in passing HB25-1041, a new state law that allows universities to compensate student-athletes for their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights, while also providing student-athlete privacy protection of that compensation.  

In attendance were the sponsors of the bill, Senate President James Coleman, Senator Judy Amabile, and Representative Lesley Smith. Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer, a supporter of the bill, was also on hand, as were representatives from Governor Jared Polis’s office. University of Colorado Board of Regents Ray Scott, Ilana Spiegel, and Mark VanDriel were also there to give their support and thanks. 

University of Colorado President Todd Saliman, University of Colorado Boulder Chancellor Justin Schwartz, and Athletic Director Rick George all spoke to express their gratitude for the hard work in getting the bill passed.  

“This new Colorado law is critical to our student-athletes and their ability to realize the value of their many contributions on and off the field,” said CU President Saliman. “The effort to get here wasn’t without its challenges and I am particularly proud that we were able to ensure our student-athletes’ privacy as they navigate these formative years in education and sport.”

“All of us at CU Boulder are excited for the passage of this bill, which supports and protects our student-athletes as they find success across athletics and academics,” said Chancellor Schwartz. “Buffs are bold. We are strong. We are innovative. We live out those values across our campus, including in our athletic program .We aim to lead not just in competition but in building within our student-athletes the foundation for a successful life.”   

“With the House settlement, which requires universities to share revenue with student-athletes, going into effect on July 1, this bill makes it possible for CU to enter this new era of college athletics on a foundation that will give us the best chance for success,” said Athletic Director George. “This is just the beginning and a lot is going to change as we continue to navigate these unprecedented times, but I am confident that thanks to this bill, CU Athletics is positioned for success in competition, in the classroom, and in the community now and for years to come.”  

Among those who were present to celebrate the bill were those who are impacted the most, CU student-athletes and coaches. Student-athletes Riley Burkey (track & field) and Ben Finneseth (football) joined head men’s basketball coach Tad Boyle, football offensive coordinator Pat Schurmur, and football defensive coordinator Rob Livingston in personally thanking those who worked on the bill.  

After lunch, the group gathered for a photo before taking a tour of the UC Health Champions Center.    

RENO, Nev. – With the addition of GCU earlier this month, the Mountain West has announced the updated 2025 conference volleyball schedule. 

Nevada will kick-off conference play on September 25 with a two-game road trip. In total for conference games, the Wolf Pack will have nine home matches and be on the road nine times.

The 2025 season as a whole will begin on August 29th in Ogden, Utah, where the Pack will compete in the Weber State Tournament. Preseason will consist of three tournaments total, one of which Nevada will host in mid-September.

Following the completion of the regular season, the Wolf Pack will look to make a run in the Mountain West Conference Tournament, taking place from November 26 to November 29.

Times have yet to be announced for conference matches, but all dates opponents for Nevada are listed below for the upcoming 2025 season:

August

Friday, August 29, 10 AM – vs Weber State#

Friday, August 29, 5 PM – vs Southern Utah#

Saturday, August 30, 1 PM – vs UC Irvine#

September

Thursday, September 4, 12 PM – vs NC State&

Friday, September 5, 12 PM – vs Kansas State&

Thursday, September 11, 6 PM – vs Eastern Washington@

Friday, September 12, 5 PM – vs University of the Pacific@

Saturday, September 13, 12:30 PM – vs CSU Bakersfield@

Thursday, September 18, 7 PM – vs Montana State^

Friday, September 19, 5 PM – vs Santa Clara^

Thursday, September 25 – at Air Force*

Saturday, September 27 – at Colorado State*

October

Thursday, October 2 – vs UNLV*

Saturday, October 4 – vs San Diego State*

Thursday, October 9 – at San José State*

Saturday, October 11 – at Fresno State*

Thursday, October 16 – vs Wyoming*

Saturday, October 18 – vs Colorado State*

Thursday, October 23 – at Wyoming*

Saturday, October 25 – vs Air Force*

Thursday, October 30 – at New Mexico*

November

Saturday, November 1 – at GCU*

Thursday, November 6 – vs Fresno State*

Saturday, November 8 – vs San José State*

Thursday, November 13 – vs New Mexico*

Saturday, November 15 – vs GCU*

Thursday, November 20 – at Boise State*

Saturday, November 22 – at Utah State*

Bold dates are home games

*Conference Games

#Weber State Tournament

&Kansas State Tournament

@Nevada Invitational

^Montana State Tournament

At the end of each school year, The562 takes pride in celebrating the top athletes, performances, and achievements from across the city. We begin our All-City awards by honoring the standout individual performers in each sport as our All-City Athletes of the Year. Stay tuned for The562’s selections for the overall Boys and Girls Athletes of the Year, along with additional honors including Top Moments, Coach of the Year, Game of the Year, and more.

Football: Anthony League, Millikan

Millikan’s historic Moore League title was one of the most memorable moments from high school football season, and League was a big part of making it happen. Running behind an experienced and physical offensive line, League set Millikan’s single-season rushing record in 2024 with 1,640 yards on the ground. He averaged an impressive 9.8 yards per carry and racked up 23 rushing TDs. He also caught four TD passes with 379 receiving yards, and made 52 tackles on defense as a linebacker. He’s headed to Cal in the fall and could be an immediate contributor for the Golden Bears.

Girls’ Volleyball: Kristen Dear / Layla Moore, Long Beach Poly

Long Beach Poly senior Kristen Dear had a special senior season. She starred at middle blocker on Poly’s Moore League championship team, helped lead them to a CIF-SS championship, and was named Moore League Co-MVP. Dear wasn’t done there, as she has signed a collegiate scholarship with Howard University to continue her playing career.

Layla Moore also left her stamp on the sport this year. Moore starred at middle blocker for the Jackrabbits and helped lead them to a Moore League and a CIF-SS championship. Moore was co-Moore League MVP and was named the CIF Southern Section Player of the Year. Moore is headed to the Big West, signing a scholarship with CSUN.

Girls’ Golf: Loren Fearance, Long Beach Poly / Victoria Valenzuela, St. Anthony

Long Beach Poly freshman Loren Fearance won the Moore League championship, with a -3 performance over 36 holes played around the city. She’s the first Jackrabbit to win the title since 2012 and just the second freshman in Moore League girls’ golf history to bring home the individual championship.

St. Anthony senior Victoria Valenzuela made history this year, winning her third consecutive Del Relay League individual championship, holding off an illness to win the title by two strokes. Valenzuela also won her second consecutive Long Beach Golf Festival junior title in the summer before her senior season kicked off.

Girls’ Cross Country: Avery Peck, Long Beach Poly

Peck returned to the top of the podium at Moore League finals this past year, running a time of 17:27 to claim the second individual Moore League title of her career. She dropped over a minute off her time from 2023, and helped lead Poly to another team title as the Jackrabbits produced three of the top four finishers. Peck was able to bide her time at league finals as she waited out rival Nadia Mejia of Wilson for the first half of the race. Eventually, Peck pulled away for a 26-second margin of victory over the field.

Boys’ Cross Country: Jack Brown, Millikan

The Millikan Rams continued their recent dominance over Moore League boys’ cross country this past season. Brown was a key member of the senior class that brought home consecutive league titles for the first time in 40 years. He claimed the individual title with a 15:29 at Heartwell Park, leading a pack of six Rams in the top nine spots at league finals. Brown was also the city’s top runner at the CIF-SS finals, earning a Top 50 finish with a time of 16:02.5 at Mt. SAC.

Girls’ Tennis: Mandy Oliveros, CAMS

Mandy Oliveros reestablished herself as the top girls’ tennis singles player in the Moore League this year. The CAMS sophomore won the same title as a freshman when she led her team to a Moore League championship and CIF-SS Division 5 title. Oliveros is one of the best tennis players the Moore League has seen in recent years, currently ranked in the Top 25 for youth tennis players in California.

Boys’ Water Polo: Emerson LaPorta, Long Beach Poly

Emerson LaPorta had an impressive season at Long Beach Poly this year, capping it off by being named Co-Moore League Player of the Year. The senior captain led his team to a top two finish in the Moore League with a hat trick, three steals and two assists against Millikan in the second-place game. LaPorta also shined against powerhouse Wilson, scoring two goals against the Bruins including one go-ahead at the first quarter buzzer. LaPorta is going on to play water polo at the next level when he attends Pomona-Pitzer next year.

Flag Football: Aaya McLyn, Long Beach Poly

Aaya McLyn was voted Moore League Player of the Year by coaches and delivered one of the most decorated flag football seasons the young sport has seen. She played in the Under Armour Next All-American Girls’ Flag Football Game, was named a finalist for the NFL’s inaugural Maxwell National Player of the Year Award, represented the Los Angeles Rams at the NFL’s awards, and competed in the LA Chargers Flag Football All-Star Game.

WINTER

Boys’ Basketball: Jovani Ruff, Long Beach Poly

Long Beach Poly senior Jovani Ruff left his mark on the city this year, leading the Jackrabbits to another undefeated Moore League title and a Division 1 playoff berth. Ruff also scored 51 points in his regular season finale, setting a new single-game scoring record for the Jackrabbits. He set a new city record for career points by crossing the 2k point mark and finishing with 2,063. Ruff is signed with Cal to play college basketball.

Girls’ Basketball: Joy Anderson, Long Beach Poly / Nyemah King, Lakewood

Poly was able to go 12-0 in Moore League play once again this season, and Anderson’s senior leadership was a big reason why. She did a little bit of everything for the Jackrabbits as they ran their league winning streak up to 211 consecutive games. Anderson had 20 points and 17 rebounds in Poly’s second victory over Lakewood, and averaged a team-leading 17.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 4.1 steals per game, earning Moore League Player of the Year honors.

This year was the culmination of King’s reign as the Moore League scoring queen. She averaged 26.7 points per game as a senior for the Lancers, the highest mark of her career. King scored double digits in every game, scoring over 30 points on 11 occasions, with a pair of 40-point games on her resume. She’ll stay nearby to hoop at the next level, signing with Cal State Fullerton.

Boys’ Soccer: Juan Vasquez, Millikan

Juan Vasquez was named boys’ soccer Most Valuable Player in the Moore League and finished his senior campaign with 24 goals while leading Millikan to a league championship. The midfielder had one hat-trick and six different braces throughout the season while scoring at least one goal in 16 of the Rams’ 24 games.

Girls’ Soccer: Aaya McLyn, Long Beach Poly

Aaya McLyn makes another appearance on the All-City list after a girls’ soccer season in which she was named Midfielder of the Year. The senior led Long Beach Poly to the CIF-SS Division 3 championship game and is committed to continue her soccer career at Washington State University.

Boys’ Wrestling: Chris Anguiano, Millikan 

Chris Anguiano had a lot of pressure to perform coming into this year of boys’ wrestling – and he did not disappoint. The sophomore was named an All-American and placed at the 2024 US Open and 2024 preseason Nationals tournaments. He also placed at the California USA Wrestling State championships, earning spots to represent Team California at the USA National Wrestling Championships in Fargo, North Dakota. Anguiano had an important win in Millikan’s sweep over Wilson that helped them win their 15th consecutive Moore League championship and was subsequently named the All-Moore League Wrestler of the Year.

Girls’ Wrestling: Ashley Wafer, Lakewood 

Ashley Wafer has established herself as one of the top girls’ wrestlers in the Moore League, and this year was no different. Wafer was the reigning Moore League Wrestler of the Year, and she captured that title again for the 2024-25 season. She also won the CIF-SS title as the 235 lb wrestling champion after a season full of dominant wins for Lakewood. 

Girls’ Water Polo: Katherine O’Dea, Wilson

Katherine O’Dea closed out her Moore League girls’ water polo career the only way she knew she could: with pure dominance. The senior, who has been playing as part of the USA Women’s Youth and Senior National teams, led her team to an undefeated season in the Moore League. O’Dea was the Moore League Player of the Year in 2024 and 2025 and will go on the play at the next level when she attends UCLA in the fall. 

SPRING

Baseball: Anthony Pack, Millikan / Rudy Carlos Jr., Wilson

Pack helped lead Millikan to a share of the Moore League title as a five-tool player in center field who added a dynamic presence to the batting order. His .490 on-base percentage led the way for the Rams, along with his 29 runs scored and 11 stolen bases. The University of Texas commit is also a coveted draft prospect who projects well at the next level. He was named the Moore League Player of the Year in each of the last two seasons to close out his high school career.

Wilson’s power-hitting first baseman helped anchor an improved Bruins offense as they earned a share of the Moore League crown. Carlos led the squad with a .424 batting average for his senior season, with an impressive .671 slugging percentage. He led all Bruin batsmen with 36 hits, 14 doubles and 24 RBIs and provided solid defense over at first.

Softball: Lauren Cantwell, Millikan / Emoni Lam Sam, Long Beach Poly

After waiting her turn behind some talented pitchers, Cantwell finally got her time to shine as Millikan’s ace and she did not disappoint. The Moore League Pitcher of the Year was dominant against league rivals, holding them to a batting average below .100, and racking up 90 strikeouts in 51 innings pitched. Overall, the Vanguard signee posted a 1.29 ERA on the season, with 157 K’s in 103 innings pitched, finishing the year with a 15-4 record. Cantwell had eight double-digit strikeout performances, with a season-high of 13 against Lakewood and Long Beach Poly less than a week apart.

The Poly Jackrabbits made history this season, winning the school’s first-ever CIF-SS softball championship, and Lam Sam was a big reason why. The junior third baseman hit .511 with a .619 on-base percentage, and a team-leading 1.710 OPS. She led an explosive Poly offense in hits (45), runs scored (47), RBIs (50), walks (18) and home runs (11), while also playing solid defense at the hot corner. Her best game of the year came against Saint Joseph, when she collected five hits, including three home runs, to go along with five RBIs and four runs scored in a Jackrabbit victory.

Girls’ Lacrosse: Emerson May, Wilson

May has been a three-year captain in goal for the Bruins, earning first-team All-Moore League honors in each of those seasons. As a junior this year, she earned Moore League Player of the Year honors while leading the Bruins to their second league title in a row. May posted a save percentage above .750 as Wilson’s last line of defense, and collected over 120 saves during league play.

Boys’ Lacrosse: Zeth Gonzales, Long Beach Poly

Part of a loaded senior class of 18 graduates, Gonzales was a reliable presence in goal for the Jackrabbits as they claimed a share of the Moore League title in 2025. An All-Moore League first team selection in each of the past three seasons, Gonzales was chosen as the Moore League Player of the Year in 2025 after anchoring a strong Jackrabbits defense. Thanks in large part to Gonzales’ proficiency in front of goal, Poly recorded a pair of shutouts this season and 10 times held opponents to three goals or fewer.

Girls’ Swim: Kylie Montiel, Millikan

Montiel was a standout at Moore League finals, winning a pair of individual races for the Rams while also leading the 200 medley relay to victory to start the meet. Montiel swam a 58.37 to take gold in the 100 butterfly, and also finished first in the 100 backstroke with a time of 58.13. She then advanced to the CIF-SS Division 2 meet, where she finished fourth in the 100 backstroke and eighth in the 100 butterfly. The senior will swim for Biola University next season.

Boys’ Swim: Lucas Jue, Long Beach Poly

The junior continued Poly’s run of standout swimmers this year, and Jue was the standout at the Moore League swim finals for the Jackrabbits. He led Poly’s 200 medley relay to gold, then promptly set a new Moore League record with a time of 1:38.21 in the 200 freestyle. Jue won his second individual gold in the 100 backstroke, swimming a 48.31 to break the meet record in that race. The Louisville commit also showed well at CIF, earning silver in both the 200 IM (1:49.51) and the 500 freestyle (4:27.40) in Division 1.

Boys’ Badminton: Brian Habacon, Cabrillo 

Brian Habacon captured the Moore League boys’ badminton singles title for the Cabrillo Jaguars this season. The senior swept all his opponents, including his own teammates, on his way to the title victory. He defeated Poly’s Peter You 21-9, 24-22 in the championship match.

Girls’ Badminton: Nga Pham, Long Beach Poly

Nga Pham had one thing on her mind going into this year’s Moore League badminton finals: redemption. Pham had a successful season in 2024, earning All-League honors despite falling short in the finals. This year, Pham proved why she was the top-ranked player in her bracket by sweeping all of her opponents, including in the championship match where she defeated Lakewood’s Cecilia Fonseca 21-9, 21-13

Girls’ Dive: Fiona Lobedecis, Long Beach Poly

Long Beach Poly’s Fiona Lobedecis has been a standout diver in the Moore League throughout her time as a Jackrabbit. She capped off her senior season with a CIF State Championship after posting a score of 505.35. Lobedecis was the 2024 Moore League
Diver of the Year and holds the school record for her dive score at last year’s CIF State Finals, where she posted a 508.20 Lobedecis will join the University of Michigan’s Dive team in the fall.

Gymnastics: Eva Esqueda, Millikan

In the final year of gymnastics in the Moore League, Eva Esqueda was named Moore League Gymnast of the Year after delivering the top all-around performance at the league finals in May. She placed in the top three in three of the four events and won the bars.

Boys’ Golf: Bodie Barnes, Wilson

Bodie Barnes dominated three rounds of boys’ golf to win the Moore League individual championship at El Dorado Park Golf Course in May. He finished with a 299, keeping the championship trophy in the family after his brother Bryson won it last year.

Boys’ Volleyball: Matthew Tsao, Long Beach Poly / Marek Turner, Wilson

Matthew Tsao helped Long Beach Poly boys’ volleyball win its first undefeated Moore League championship since 2014. The senior outside hitter led the Jackrabbits in kills throughout the season.

USA Volleyball’s Marek Turner led Wilson to a second-place finish in the Moore League during his senior year. The opposite/outside hitter is committed to continue his volleyball career at UCLA.

Girls’ Track: Jill Wetteland, Long Beach Poly / Loren Webster, Wilson / Kaylin Edwards, Wilson

Long Beach Poly’s Jill Wetteland won both a CIF-SS and CIF State championship in the high jump. The senior cleared 5’7” at the state finals in Clovis and is committed to continue her career next year at Harvard.

Wilson’s Loren Webster competed in three events at the CIF-SS track finals and capped her high school career with a CIF State championship in the girls’ long jump. Webster jumped 21 feet, ¼ inch at the state meet in Clovis—a new personal record on the biggest stage.

Kaylin Edwards anchored Wilson to a state championship in the girls’ 4x100m relay—one of her three events at the state finals in Clovis. She was also the CIF-SS champion in the 100m hurdles and 300m hurdles.

Boys’ Track: Wyland Obando, Wilson / Noah Smith, Long Beach Poly

Wyland Obando competed in three events at the CIF State track finals and won the state championship in the boys’ 800m. He was also part of Wilson’s 4x400m relay team that set a new school record at the finals in Clovis.

Noah Smith anchored Long Beach Poly to a new school record in the 4x400m at the CIF State track finals in Clovis. Smith was also the Moore League champion in the boys’ 400m and placed second at CIF.

Beach Volleyball: Simrin Adams/Sadie Calderone, Wilson

Wilson’s Simrin Adams and Sadie Calderone were the city’s best beach volleyball pair this year by a good margin, and the duo made it a Spring to remember. They led Wilson to a Moore League team title and claimed the league pairs title in dominating fashion, winning 21-8, 21-11. Then they led the Bruins to their first-ever CIF-SS beach volleyball championship, with a win over league foe Millikan in the championship.

Boys’ Tennis: Leo Bauch, Wilson

Wilson senior Leo Bauch wouldn’t let anything keep him from the Moore League tennis singles title this year–not even an injury. Even with his back and legs tightening and camping, Bauch battled against teammate Douglas Smith to win the league title 4-6, 6-3, 10-8. “I just had to change my play style and power through,” said Bauch. “I had a lot of people watching me and supporting me, which is really great.”

IRVINE — The Newport Beach Water Polo Club 12-and-under boys certainly became more than familiar with Del Mar during the course of the club season.

The teams played six times, and Tuesday’s gold medal match of the USA Water Polo Junior Olympics might have been the closest of all.

In the end, Del Mar goalkeeper Braxton Harp came up big.

Harp earned MVP honors, making two saves in a penalty shootout that Del Mar won 4-1 at Woollett Aquatics Center.

The teams were tied 10-10 after regulation, but only Pierce Clymer could score for Newport Beach in the shootout that followed.

“Honestly, they played their hearts out,” Newport Beach 12U coach Konstantinos Koulouris said of his silver-medal winners. “They played so good. We were locked in from the beginning and very focused. I’m so proud of them for all of the performances that they had the whole weekend. It’s hard to beat a team that you’ve lost to four times, you know.”

Tanner Thomas (11) of the Newport Beach 12-and-under water polo team throws in a goal on Tuesday.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

Del Mar improved to 4-2 against Newport Beach in the club season, including an 11-9 victory in the Junior Olympic quarterfinals on Monday. But the locals from Newport didn’t quit there, beating Mission in a play-in game to the semifinals, where they edged Vanguard 7-7 (3-1 in a shootout) on Tuesday morning.

Clymer led Newport Beach with four goals in the gold medal match, and Tanner Thomas scored three. Dalton Horne added a pair of goals.

Hayden Stout (10) of the Newport Beach 12-and-under team takes a long shot at the Woollett Aquatics Center in Irvine on Tuesday.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

Playing at center, Evan Shackelford scored a late goal that gave Newport a 10-9 lead, and he also drew eight exclusions and a penalty shot in the final.

“Obviously, I want to score, that’s my priority,” Shackelford said. “But if I have to, I’ll let go of the ball if [the defender] is on my back all of the time. I just want to shoot and score and celebrate with my teammates.”

Shackelford and Thomas helped Newport Beach foul out three Del Mar players. Del Mar finished the game without any substitutes available.

Dalton Horne (5) of the Newport Beach 12-and-under team moves in for a goal in Irvine on Tuesday.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

“That’s our game plan,” Koulouris said. “We tried to find small entry passes, draw the ejections and play quick. That’s what they did … We tried to make some plays in order to put one more kid out, but it didn’t work out. They’re 12, and they’re under pressure.

“It’s a great lesson for them for the years after, right? They’re going to play this team again multiple times in the future, maybe until they go to college. Del Mar is a great program, they work hard and they have a great coaching staff.”

Goalkeeper Finn Breneman made eight saves for Newport Beach, and Hayden Stout had three steals. Other contributors included Stryder Gregory, Griffin Harvey, Oliver Horowitz, Pierson Nichols, Wyatt Robinson, Logan Jameson and Cameron Berman.

Evan Shackleford (9) of the Newport Beach 12-and-under team fires in a tying goal late in the game against Del Mar on Tuesday.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

Del Mar’s Attila McCollum scored a late equalizer to send the match to overtime, one of his three goals, and Jason Robinson led the winners with four goals.

All of the Newport Beach players will be aging up to the 14-and-under age group next year, and they do hope to meet up with Del Mar again in the future.

“I think we showed up pretty well,” Thomas said. “There were definitely things we needed to work on toward the end. It kept on going back and forth, which does get a little stressful at times. A few adjustments we need to make, and hopefully we can be back here in a few years with the same team and win it all.”

Newport Beach 10Us, Vanguard 12Us earn bronze in top division

Other local boys’ club teams also grabbed medals during Session One of the Junior Olympics. They included Newport Beach Blue 10U (bronze in platinum division), Newport Beach White 10U (bronze in gold division), Vanguard 12U (bronze in platinum division), Newport Beach White 12U (silver in classic bracket), Corona del Mar 14U (silver in gold division), Costa Mesa Aquatics Club 14U (bronze in invitational bracket), Vanguard Silver 16U (bronze in invitational bracket) and Vanguard Silver 18U (bronze in classic bracket).

Session Two, which features co-ed and female age divisions, begins Thursday and runs through Sunday.

Swerve TV has introduced Swerve Sports, a free live-streaming women’s sports channel launching on The Roku Channel and Pluto TV with more than 30 content and distribution partners. The announcement was made today by Swerve TV Chair Christy Tanner and CEO Steve Shannon. It is now available on The Roku Channel, Free Live Sports, Lights Out Sports, and Zeam. Pluto TV will launch Swerve Sports on August 7, and Anoki along with other platforms will launch the channel later this summer.

Swerve Sports, “Where Women Rule the Game,” is exclusively focused on women’s sports and offers fans 24/7 access to the best in women’s football, basketball, soccer, volleyball, softball, gymnastics, boxing, rugby, and more. It is the second channel from the successful Swerve TV team behind “Swerve Combat,” the leading combat FAST channel with more than 200 live events and 20 million viewers in the past year, delivering year-over-year growth of 215%.

The launch of Swerve Sports by Swerve TV was driven by two clear signals of strong demand for more free, live-streaming women’s sports, particularly among Gen Z viewers. First, research conducted with Toluna shows that Gen Z sports fans want more live-streaming women’s sports, with basketball, gymnastics, and combat being the most in demand. Second, since its launch in April 2024, Swerve Combat’s weekly women’s fight night has consistently outperformed the other six nights of the week.

Swerve TV is backed by global media leaders known for building innovative, profitable startups and public companies. This includes Tanner, who has created leading live-streaming multi-platform businesses for CBS and other global media companies; Shannon, who launched Roku’s content and advertising monetization business; and Swerve Head of Content Dan Keston, an award-winning producer and media executive. The distinguished Swerve Sports Advisory Board includes Amy DuBois Barnett, Rich Battista, Nathalie Bordes, Emily Christner, Roger Jackson, Susanne Mei, Michelle Milford Morse, and Matt Singerman.

Tanner understands that this is a way to raise visibility for women’s sports: “Swerve Sports is giving fans what they want – more women’s sports, free, live-streaming, 24/7. We’re creating new opportunities for the all-stars of women’s sports while leveraging the expertise of our all-star leadership team,” noted.

Meanwhile, Shannon said it is a raising of the bar regarding the possibilities of women’s sports: “With the launch of Swerve Sports, we’re applying the same innovative approach that fueled the breakout success of “Swerve Combat. We’re redefining what’s possible in women’s sports for fan engagement with athletes, teams, and leagues,” expressed.

In addition to live women’s sports, Swerve Sports will also feature highlights, series, and films about women athletes and those who have been pivotal in the advancement of women in sports. Content partners include Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball, Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball, Athletes Unlimited Softball League, Women’s Football Alliance, Red Bull, Outside, USA Cheer & Stunt, Freestyle Trampoline Association, “Queen & King of the Court,” Professional Fighters League, Invicta Fighting Championships, Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, and STIHL TImbersports. Swerve Sports will regularly feature programs such as “Prime Time with Athletes Unlimited,” “Lunch Break with Outside,” “Weekend Adventures with Red Bull,” and “Monday Night Football with Women’s Football Alliance.”

Cal Athletics

Cal student-athletes are making an impact in the surrounding community by collaborating with local schools to promote positive play, early college awareness, and provide literacy support for students in need.

This feature originally appeared in the 2025 Summer edition of the Cal Sports Quarterly. The Cal Athletics flagship magazine features long-form sports journalism at its finest and provides in-depth coverage of the scholar-athlete experience in Berkeley. Printed copies are mailed four times a year to Bear Backers who give annually at the Bear Club level (currently $600 or more). For more information on how you can receive a printed version of the Cal Sports Quarterly at home, send an email to CalAthleticsFund@berkeley.edu or call (510) 642-2427.
 
 
If there was one thing Ari Manrique always looked forward to at school growing up, it was recess.
 
For about 30 minutes each day, Manrique – a former captain for the Cal women’s soccer team – was free to run around and express herself. It was an opportunity for her to take a break from learning in the classroom to have fun, spend a little quality time with her friends, and prove that she belonged athletically on the playground.
 
But recess doesn’t mean the same thing to every child.
 
For many others, it isn’t always a positive experience, which is why last year the Cameron Institute collaborated with the Berkeley School of Education to launch the “Critical Service Learning and Community Building Through Sport” course for Cal student-athletes, aimed at collaborating with local schools to promote positive play, early college awareness, and provide literacy support for students in need.
 
“It’s been our vision for the Cameron Institute to provide a pathway for student-athletes to go deeper in their service learning and collaboration with our local community,” Cameron Institute Director of Community Engagement Jessie Stewart said. “Our goal was to leverage our assets here at Cal, and we are grateful to have found an amazing partner in the Berkeley School of Education to develop a section of the Practicum in Education that takes a critical service learning focus.”
 
While the Cameron Institute has helped facilitate volunteering at local schools for years, the new course has provided a more structured approach to tending to the needs vocalized by local schools, all while simultaneously giving Cal student-athletes the chance to earn school credits as they contribute to their surrounding community.
 
The course aims to address inequities such as access to play and exposure to sport, early college awareness, and disparities between socioeconomic gender and racial groups, with a primary focus on promoting the importance of positive play within inclusive environments that are safe and enjoyable for all.
 
“We want to be more than just visitors within our local schools. We are honored to be invited into schools across our local community, and we aim to be true partners with a positive presence who provide value,” Stewart said. “The class also provides an opportunity for our student-athletes to learn and apply the approach of community-centered engagement, gain critical perspective, and take that back and become leaders on their own teams and within their communities and lives beyond Cal.”
 
After first hearing of the course, Manrique – who works with special needs students at Emerson Elementary in North Oakland – quickly embraced and fell in love with the work she is doing, so much so that it has sparked her continuing interest in working with the special needs community.
 
“When I got here, I saw that there is such a need for the next generation to receive this kind of attention and care, and that educators as a whole are spread so thin,” Manrique said. “You don’t realize how big it is to hold a kid’s hand and run with them around the playground. Instead of taking their outside time to just sit down somewhere, now they’re interacting, learning how to play tag. It’s a work in progress and it takes showing up every day for those routines to develop and for them to trust you. But once it’s there, it’s an incredible thing.”
 
Manrique’s athletic prowess that leads to building confidence and social skills is not a universal trait for all children, but she has been able to lean on other experiences from her youth to connect with the students and show them that no matter what their background, they can achieve big things.
 
“I didn’t grow up around many college-educated people who could tell me, ‘College isn’t scary.’ It wasn’t something anyone in my close circle had navigated and completed,” Manrique said. “I was lucky enough to have athletics as a safety net under me, but not everybody has that, so you try to understand that platform you have. The idea of being able to help bridge the equity gap for these kids is super important.”
 

In addition to physical activity, there is also an emphasis on reading support, which has seen Cal programs such as women’s basketball, football, track & field, and men’s & women’s rowing help make an impact with middle school students at KIPP Bridge Academy.
 
“Our students really look forward to having someone help them with their work. They love talking to the players, asking how they got to college, what they do at school and what their life is like,” KIPP Bridge Academy Student Support Specialist Cameron Stephenson said. “You can see growth in the reading levels of my reading intervention students who have worked with the tutors. Having more adults in the room helps give the kids, some whom have severe learning needs and disabilities, more one-on-one attention. The tutors help to teach them how to address their frustrations and provide support that goes beyond reading.”
 
The flexibility of the “Critical Service Learning and Community Building Through Sport” course, which requires between 1.5 to 7.5 hours per week working with kids at a local school, allowed Manrique to earn units even while she is in season. It’s another one of many reasons why she has encouraged her friends and teammates to follow her lead in taking the class as well. The course combines weekly readings and reflective assignments with comprehensive support – including initial onboarding and regular one-on-one advising. Schedules are tailored in partnership with the school site to accommodate training, travel, and competition demands throughout the season.
 
“It’s a beautiful thing that even people who don’t want to be educators get something out of working with kids and gaining a larger perspective,” Manrique said. “Being a student-athlete at Cal, we can take things for granted and get stuck focusing on excelling in sports and school, but I was fortunate to be in a place where I had great academic, athletic, and holistic support that gives you the opportunity to give back. It’s really about becoming a fully well-rounded individual so that when you walk out of here, you feel prepared to go out into the world and make a true difference. That’s something this class and the Cameron Institute in general have given me the ability to do.”
 
Looking ahead, the Cameron Institute aims to expand the program to engage even more student-athletes across Cal Athletics teams, and to continue to deepen collaboration with local public schools and aligned community-based organizations focused on expanding equitable access to sports, positive play and academic enrichment.
 
The Cameron Institute was made possible thanks to a generous endowment gift by C. Bryan Cameron in 2019. Visit CalBears.com/CameronInstitute to learn more about the Cameron Institute and the impactful work from our Community Engagement pillar.