KANSAS CITY – The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) named Olivia Babcock the 2025 AVCA National Player of the Year on Friday. Babcock becomes just the fifth player in the award’s history to earn the honor in back-to-back seasons. Additionally, she was honored as the inaugural AVCA Rightside Hitter of the Year, an award introduced this season.

Babcock once again swept the sport’s top individual accolades in 2025, earning AVCA National Player of the Year, ACC Player of the Year and AVCA East Coast Region Player of the Year honors. She is the only player in Pitt history to be named a three-time AVCA First Team All-American and was recently selected as the Pittsburgh Regional Most Outstanding Player after leading the Panthers to their fifth consecutive National Semifinal.

Earlier this season, Babcock set the program’s single-match kills record with 45 against North Carolina. She is the only player in NCAA volleyball this year to reach that mark and the first since Cincinnati’s Jordan Thompson recorded 50 kills against UConn on Nov. 3, 2019.

Anchoring the Pitt offense, Babcock averaged personal-best marks of 5.17 kills per set and 2.09 digs per set. She earned AVCA National Player of the Week honors earlier this season and was named ACC Offensive Player of the Week five times during the 2025 campaign.

HONOLULU – Individual match tickets for the 2026 University of Hawai’i men’s volleyball season are currently on sale. Tickets may be purchased at www.etickethawaii.com or at the Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center box office (Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.). 
 
Season tickets are still on sale starting as low as $150.  Click here to purchase season tickets.
 
In addition, several promotions are also available for individual match tickets.
 
Save & Serve Wednesdays: $5 Tickets available while supplies last
Military: 30% off all matches & 50% off on April 17^th match
Hawai’i Hero’s Night: 50% off for First Responders on January 8^th match
*All special offers are based on availability and only in select seating areas.
 
Link to purchase individual games online: https://hawaiiathletics.evenue.net/events/MVBI
 
Individual Ticket Prices:
Lower Level (only single seats available)
Lower Level Sideline – $25
Lower Level Baseline 
        Adult – $24
        Senior citizen (65 and over) – $20
        Youth (ages 4-High School) – $15
 
Upper Level Sideline
        Adult – $20
        Senior citizen (65 and over) – $15
        Youth (ages 4-High School) – $10
Upper Level Baseline
        Adult – $17
        Senior citizen (65 and over) – $10
        Youth (ages 4–High School) – $8
 
 

#HawaiiMVB

 
 
 

HOUSTON – Junior setter Kalei Edson and junior outside hitter Kamille Gibson have signed to join Houston Volleyball for the 2026 season, Head Coach David Rehr announced Thursday.
 
“We are really excited to add two players that have played at a high level for two seasons,” Rehr said. “Kalei will compete as our setter while Kamille will make an impact on either pin. This is just the beginning for the 2026 volleyball team.”
 
KALEI EDSON | SETTER | JUNIOR | AUBURN
Edson arrives in Houston following two seasons with the Auburn Tigers. She played in all of the team’s 28 matches in 2025, contributing the second most assists on the team with 482, an average of 4.72 per set. Edson also added 177 digs, 19 aces and five double-doubles throughout the season. In 2024, she earned the SEC Freshman of the Week honor on Oct. 14 and excelled at the service line, leading her team with 30 aces at a rate of 0.32 aces per set. 
 
Overall, Edson has 956 assists in 54 career matches, also recording 49 aces and 331 digs.
 
Edson collected numerous prep and club accolades, including USA Volleyball Junior National All-America and 2023 USAV GJNC All-Tournament Team honors. She was also a 3A All-State and All-South Region honoree and a PrepVolleyball First Team All-State selection. Ranked as the #9 overall prospect in Illinois, Edson was the #3 setter in the country. Across her prep career, she posted over 700 assists along with 800 kills, 100 aces and 100 blocks. 
 
KAMILLE GIBSON | OUTSIDE HITTER | JUNIOR | OKLAHOMA
Gibson, a two-year contributor at Oklahoma after a season at Tennessee, brings a significant offensive mind to Houston while also being a prolific presence on defense. Across two seasons, she tallied 421 kills along with 97 blocks for 500.5 points. Primarily a right-side, Gibson averaged 2.29 kills per set while at Oklahoma. 
 
Last season, Gibson posted 194 kills for a .387 kill percentage while adding 60 blocks. She played in 26 of the Sooner’s 27 matches and started in 16, missing just eight sets across the entire season. 
 
A Crossroads, Texas, native, she prepped at Braswell High School while playing club for TAV. She finished her high school career with 1,161 kills, 500 digs and 137 blocks and was named to the District 5-6A first team in 2021 and to the second team in 2020. 
 
SUPPORT YOUR COOGS
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Volleyball by providing NIL opportunities or by joining the Point Houston Club which provides financial support directly to Houston Volleyball for needs beyond its operating budget.
 
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarVB on X, formerly known as Twitter, and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team’s Facebook page at UHCougarVB. Fans also can follow the team on Instagram at @UHCougarVB.
 

– UHCougars.com –

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Kentucky Volleyball is headed to the national championship after a hard-fought five-set win over Wisconsin on Thursday night, as the Wildcats defeated the Badgers 3-2 in a match that tested every ounce of their resilience.

The opening set belonged to Wisconsin as the Badgers took control early and forced Kentucky to play from behind. The Wildcats struggled to find their rhythm but quickly regrouped. Kentucky responded in the second set with improved offensive execution and steady defense to even the match and shift momentum back in their favor.

Wisconsin answered by taking the third set and once again putting pressure on Kentucky with the season hanging in the balance. Facing a must-win fourth set, the Wildcats jumped out to a 13 to 10 lead and appeared ready to take control. Wisconsin refused to fold and battled back until the set was tied at 24 to 24. With the moment at its biggest, Kentucky delivered two straight points to force a decisive fifth set.

The Wildcats opened the final set on fire, racing out to a 9 to 2 lead. Wisconsin made one last push and closed the gap late, but Kentucky held its composure and finished off the match with a 15 -13 win to secure a spot in the NCAA National Championship Game.

Kentucky was led by Eva Hudson, who turned in a dominant performance with a season high of 29 kills. The SEC Player of the Year and National Player of the Year finalist consistently rose to the moment and carried the Wildcats offensively when they needed it most.

Defensively, Molly Touzzo anchored the back row with 17 digs, providing stability and extending key rallies throughout the match.

There is no question that head coach Craig Skinner has built something special in Lexington. Kentucky Volleyball has established itself as a national power, and Thursday night’s win was another example of the toughness and belief that define this program.

The Wildcats will now face Texas A&M in the national championship match on Sunday at 3:30 PM ET as the BBN continues to rally around this team.

Kentucky volleyball is one win away from the ultimate prize.

GRAPEVINE, Texas – An extraordinary season produced by Arkansas sprinter Jordan Anthony was deemed worthy of The Bowerman, collegiate track & field’s highest individual honor, as announced by USTFCCCA on Thursday evening at the Gaylord Texan Resort.

Anthony becomes the third Razorback to achieve the prestigious honor as he joins Jarrion Lawson (2016) and Jaydon Hibbert (2023) as previous Arkansas winners of The Bowerman. Three other men’s programs – Florida, Florida State, and Oregon – have had a pair of winners each since the award was first presented in 2009.

The Bowerman 2025 men’s finalist included Auburn’s Ja’Kobe Tharp and Baylor’s Nathaniel Ezekiel, who would have been the first recipient of the honor for their respective schools.

In becoming the first sprinter to claim NCAA titles in the 60m indoors and 100m outdoors during the same season since 2017, Anthony generated UA records in both events. His remarkable campaign included a pair of national sprint titles and three SEC titles while claiming high point honors at both SEC Outdoor and NCAA Outdoor Championship meets.

Anthony ran 6.47 in the NCAA Indoor 60m prelims before winning the final in 6.49. The 6.47 performance was just off the collegiate record of 6.45 shared by three sprinters.

Outdoors, Anthony improved the UA record in the 100m to 9.95 as he swept the 100m and 200m at the SEC Outdoor Championships, producing a 19.93 in the 200m as the second fastest time in Arkansas history behind a 19.89 by Wallace Spearmon Jr.

Anchoring the Razorbacks to a SEC third-place finish in the 4 x 100m relay, Anthony totaled 21.5 points and earned the Commissioner’s Trophy as the men’s high point scorer in the conference meet.

Anthony was named SEC Outdoor Runner of the Year via voting by league coaches and became the first Razorback to earn the honor since 2012. An additional honor for Anthony during the 2025 season included South Central Indoor Track Athlete of the Year.

Under all-conditions, Anthony blazed to an equal second fastest time ever by a collegian in the 100m with a 9.75w (2.1 wind) during the NCAA West First Round. That time equaled the world-leading mark for the 2025 season under all-conditions.

Multiple Winners | Men’s Programs

3 | Arkansas	Jarrion Lawson (2016), Jaydon Hibbert (2023), Jordan Anthony (2025)
2 | Oregon	Galen Rupp (2009), Ashton Eaton (2010)
2 | Florida	Marquis Dendy (2015), Grant Holloway (2019)
2 | Florida State	Ngoni Makusha (2011), Trey Cunningham (2022)