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David Rosas – The Daily Aztec

My college experience did not start on the first day as a freshman. It started when a random question popped into my head during the end of my sophomore year: Are you where you want to be? After critically thinking for about two seconds, the answer hit me: Nope.  I had no […]

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My college experience did not start on the first day as a freshman. It started when a random question popped into my head during the end of my sophomore year: Are you where you want to be?

After critically thinking for about two seconds, the answer hit me: Nope. 

I had no clue what I was doing in college. I was taking classes and studying, and I felt like I was missing out on something. I did not know what this something was, but I wanted to find it.

At the time, I gave myself two options. I could do the easy thing and just call it quits, but that’s lame. I am the first member of my family to enter a four-year university, and I had the opportunity to be the first to graduate in a field that I am passionate about. Why should I give up on one upping my siblings?

I ended up choosing option two which was to throw myself at the door of anything related to my field. Sure, I dug myself into a deep hole by not being involved with my department or field, but it’s better to start later than never.

Before the start of the 2023 fall semester, the Daily Aztec heard a loud thump at their door. I had no clue what I was getting myself into, but I knew I was going to take any opportunity that popped up.

Being a sports nerd, I naturally gravitated towards the sports section. I remember being nervous because I did not feel qualified to cover games, but I wanted to get better as a writer and journalist.

I began to test the waters, and I did coverage for a variety of sports such as football, soccer, volleyball, lacrosse and water polo. Each week was a new experience, and I was doing my best to become better.

Volleyball unintentionally became my beat during the fall semester of my senior year, and it presented an awesome opportunity from my editors to do coverage for a professional beach volleyball league. 

This opportunity became my most memorable experience and story with the DA. If you told me two years ago that I would be interviewing Olympic athletes, I’d think you’re crazy. 

Besides the great experiences, I was surrounded by an amazing group of people. Before my time at the DA, I was an introvert that was very pessimistic. A good combo, I know. I definitely had imposter syndrome when I first came into the newsroom, but my fellow writers and editors quickly made me feel that I belong.

My peers changed the way I viewed myself. Without them, I would still be downplaying myself and seeing everything in a negative light. 

While I had my fun during my time at the DA, I also had my shares of losing. I had to learn things the hard way or do things feeling like I had a hand tied to my back. Believe me, inconvenience is my good buddy. 

Professor Melissa Mecija assigns you to cover the 2024 CSU facility strikes. No problem! I’ll just wake up, get ready, and walk out the door to three to four feet of water. Well, my car is flooded, but I can go another day. It’s not like the strike will only last one day, right?

Things happen… but we have this cool ability to figure it out. Yes, these times will be stressful, but I became better at handling it each time my buddy wanted to say hi. 

By taking one little step, the course of my college career changed. I went from aimlessly going to school to doing meaningful work. It also took a bit of a hard realization, but we are going to forget about that part. If I ask myself the same question today, I can sit back and say without hesitation: I am where I want to be.

Looking back, I did not appreciate this experience enough, and I will miss my time at the DA. I am proud of what I was able to accomplish, and I can breathe easy knowing that I did my best.

Well, I rest my case. The good news is that you don’t have to hear from me anymore; the bad news is that you made it this far. Thank you to everyone that supported me throughout this journey. I enjoyed the ride, and I hope you all find your place in the world. 



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Kevin Murphy Reinstated as Southlake Boys’ High School Coach, But Not Girls

Kevin Murphy has been reinstated as the head coach of the boys’ swimming & diving team at Keller High School, but not the girls, Carrol ISD said in a press release. The announcement is the latest in what has been a chaotic few years for high school swimming in suburban Dallas, and comes about a […]

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Kevin Murphy has been reinstated as the head coach of the boys’ swimming & diving team at Keller High School, but not the girls, Carrol ISD said in a press release. The announcement is the latest in what has been a chaotic few years for high school swimming in suburban Dallas, and comes about a month after Murphy was “reassigned” from the post he had held for 20 years.

Murphy has led the Southlake Carroll boys’ and girls’ swimming & diving teams to 15 team state titles in his tenure. Last season, the girls finished 2nd and the boys 12th at the state championship meet.

Justin Pudwill, the district’s aquatics supervisor and head water polo coach, will assume the role of the head coach of the girls’ team.

While in some states, especially midwestern states that have different boys’ and girls’ high school swim seasons, it’s not uncommon for the teams to have different head coaches. In Texas, where the teams have identical seasons, it is almost unheard of.

From the Press Release:

“We’re excited about the future of our swim program,” said Athletic Director Riley Dodge. “Having both Coach Murphy and Coach Pudwill in leadership positions allows us to provide the best possible support for our student-athletes. Their combined expertise and passion for the sport will elevate our program even further.”

Carroll ISD looks forward to continued success in the pool with both coaches working collaboratively to guide our student-athletes to new heights.

No explanation for Murphy’s reassignment, or the decision to bring him back as only the boys’ coach, has been given by the district, though local observers say that the complaints that prompted the move were brought forward by members of the girls’ team whose parents are influential boosters for Southlake Carroll’s football team.

The school’s athletics director is Riley Dodge, who is also a former star quarterback for the school and head football coach.

One local parent says that they were told by the AD that there were no applicants for the position.

Murphy took over the programs in 2005 and was named to the Carroll ISD Athletic Hall of Honor in 2017. The Carroll boys have won 10 state titles in that era, including nine straight from 2011 to 2019, and the Carroll girls won five state titles from 2012 through 2022.

Earlier this week, nearby Keller High School received a public reprimand for violating UIL rules by allowing swimmers to train with a USA Swimming club team during the school day. Maximus Williamson, one of the top high school swimmers in the country, just graduated from Keller High School, but began his high school swimming career at Southlake Carroll.





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Jumping through adversity: WVU track and field standout shows strength on and off the track

It’s been said that “in the middle of difficulty, lies opportunity.” In life, we all are dealt a hand of adversity. Whether it’s in the workplace, in a classroom, on the field, or even just in daily tasks and routines, it would be nearly impossible to find someone who has never faced any sort of […]

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It’s been said that “in the middle of difficulty, lies opportunity.”

In life, we all are dealt a hand of adversity. Whether it’s in the workplace, in a classroom, on the field, or even just in daily tasks and routines, it would be nearly impossible to find someone who has never faced any sort of challenge or setback.

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Within those setbacks, though, lie some of the most rewarding experiences of our lives. We just have to dig deep and battle through difficulties to find them.

For WVU track and field standout Lily Haught, her two years as a runner for the Mountaineers have been nothing short of challenging. Physically, mentally, and emotionally, the daunting task of being a collegiate-athlete, like it does for many, has often taken a toll on her ability to fight through expected adversity.

To her, though, the rewards have been worth the struggle. And with two years left in her career, she’s sure that the best moments are yet to come.

Haught, a former track and field standout at Hurricane High School, says that the decision to continue to pursue track in college became apparent early on in her career. Despite uncertainties that stayed with her throughout her time as part of the Redskins’ squad, she cites receiving inspiration from a few key figures in her life as a turning point when faced with making the call to either keep running or leave it behind after high school.

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“I knew I wanted to run track at the collegiate level in 8th grade, because I had just found out that my role model, Sydney McLaughlin, went to the Olympics at 16,” Haught said. “I felt inspired by that. Once I got to high school, I still wasn’t sure of my abilities and whether or not they would take me to the collegiate level. It wasn’t until my junior year that I really began to focus on training for college track.”

“My hurdle coach, Justin Tidd, was a crucial part of shaping me as an athlete, and he gave me the inspiration to even run hurdles in the first place. Being undefeated in the 100 and 300 hurdles during high school made me realize that a college track career was within my reach.”

Like most high school athletes with plans to continue their athletic career at the next level, Haught describes the decision process regarding where to attend school as one that presented challenges. For her, though, after visiting the campus and meeting with the track and field coaching staff, WVU just felt like the right fit.

More importantly, the ability to be surrounded by coaches and teammates who are always seeking to push her to the highest level possible is what has been her driving force during the first two years of her career.

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“My time at WVU has been rewarding so far,” Haught said. “I’ve liked the experience and the atmosphere my team creates is exactly what I was searching for. My coach, Shelly-Ann Gallimore, knows exactly how to coach me, and I’m blessed to have found that so easily.”

Haught also says, despite controversial takes from the talking heads within the media, that the Big 12 Conference is one of the toughest out there. In track and field, the competitions are up there with some of the best in the country, a feat she believes has helped her reach another level in her career.

“The Big 12 Conference meets I’ve attended have been the most memorable for me,” Haught said. “They brought me around competition I’ve never seen before. The athletes at these meets push me to be better and I feel lucky to have been able to go four times.”

Despite finishing the 2024-25 season setting a personal best in hurdles in the conference competitions, Haught said her sophomore year was not always as it appeared to be when on the track. While some athletes struggle with vulnerability and allow setbacks to mess with their game, Haught used the adversity she faced to push herself to become stronger both physically and mentally, which she said she will take with her moving forward into next season.

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“My main event is the 400 meter hurdles, and in practice I had a couple falls,” Haught said. “I also had a couple meets that messed with my mental health. I battled a ton of anxiety during the season, but fought through it because I didn’t want to let it control my sport. Through journaling and sports psychology, I was able to finish out my season strong.”

While it may be a misconception among those unfamiliar with track and field as a sport, athletes who participate in the events don’t stop once the season is over. Like every other sport, an offseason exists, and intense preparation is required to stay physically fit before the upcoming calendar year.

With summer now in full swing, Haught said that for her, the offseason is just as important as the regular season, and ultimately, recovery is necessary in order to be able to regain composure mentally and physically in time for next season.

“Recovery is important to implement because your body goes through so much all season long,” Haught said. “The season lasts from December to May, and we’re training even before that, so there’s a lot of stress put on the body. I’m planning to continue to weight train, while also following the running plan that my coach gives me.”

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As she approaches the beginning of her junior year, Haught said she still has plenty of room to grow both on and off the track. One thing she is choosing to prioritize, though, is maintaining physical and mental toughness in order to continue achieving her personal goals.

“I plan to continue to PR and become stronger mentally and physically,” Haught said. “I want to also get my time under a minute in the 400 meter hurdles. I’m currently at 1:00.67, so I specifically need to work on getting lower when jumping over the hurdles.”

Although she still has two years left as a Mountaineer, Haught’s journey thus far has been nothing short of inspiring.



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Pirates compete at day 1 of OHSAA track and field meet

PHOTOS by Jamie Nygaard / CLICK gallery to enlarge and view at your own pace 6 individuals, 1 relay compete in Saturday finals  By Cort Reynolds COLUMBUS – Two Bluffton High School boys and one relay team advanced to Saturday finals with strong day one showings in the 2025 Div. II OHSAA Track and Field […]

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PHOTOS by Jamie Nygaard / CLICK gallery to enlarge and view at your own pace

6 individuals, 1 relay compete in Saturday finals 

By Cort Reynolds

COLUMBUS – Two Bluffton High School boys and one relay team advanced to Saturday finals with strong day one showings in the 2025 Div. II OHSAA Track and Field State Tournament at The Ohio State’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.

Senior sprinter Griffin Stackhouse crossed the finish line second in the 200-meter dash, and finished sixth in the 100-meters to advance to Saturday finals in both events.

The 100-meter finals are at 1:10 p.m., with the 200 meters at 2:40 p.m.

Junior Kain Wright took second in the 400-meter run prelims. He runs in the 400-meter finals Saturday at 2:05 p.m.

The Bluffton boys 4×200 relay quartet of Carson Kruse, Tayte Giesige, Wright and Stackhouse came in fourth place to advance to the finals at 1:25 p.m.  

Four Bluffton athletes did not compete Friday, and are in Saturday final events. Field events begin mid-morning, with running events starting at 1 p.m.

Senior Noah Bricker competes in the high jump finals Saturday at 9:30 a.m. Junior Alayna Mueller will also compete in the pole vault final Saturday at 9:30 a.m.

Pirate senior and regional champion Marek Donaldson will run in the 800-meter finals Saturday at approximately 2:30 p.m. He has the best qualifying seed time in the 18-runner field.

Sophomore Nora Matthews runs in the 800-meter finals Saturday at 2:30 p.m.

Sophomore Tayte Giesige finished 15th in the long jump finals Friday.

Two Pirate girls competed in their event prelims Friday, but did not advance to the finals Saturday.

Freshman Maelee Miller came in 13th in the 400-meter run, and finished 17th in the 100-meter hurdle race.

Junior Aubrey Burkholder ended up 14th in the 300-meter hurdle preliminary heats.

A top-nine finish in the state prelims advances a runner or team to an event finals.

 

Bluffton Div. II state meet day 1 results:

EVENT PLACE ATHLETE YEAR TEAM TIME WIND HEAT

Boys 200 Meter Dash Prelims

2 Griffin Stackhouse 12 Bluffton 21.64 +3.1 1

 

Boys 400 Meter Dash Prelims

2 Kain Wright 11 Bluffton 48.77 

 

Boys 4×200 Meter Relay Prelims

4 Bluffton 1:27.98 

 

Boys 100 Meter Dash Prelims

6 Griffin Stackhouse 12 Bluffton 10.80 -0.4 1

 

Girls 400 Meter Dash Prelims

13 Maelee Miller 9 Bluffton 58.36 1

 

Girls 300 Meter Hurdles Prelims

14 Aubrey Burkholder 11 Bluffton 46.43 1

 

Boys Long Jump Finals

15 Tayte Giesige 10 Bluffton 20-3  +1.6 1

 

Girls 100 Meter Hurdles Prelims

17 Maelee Miller 9 Bluffton 15.90 +2.5 2



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Newington boys volleyball advances to semis, New Britain’s season comes to an end on Friday  | Sports

On Friday, both the New Britain and Newington boys volleyball teams played in their respective quarterfinal state tournaments.  New Britain faced the No. 2 Trumbull Eagles at Trumbull High school in the Class L state tournament and suffered a loss in straight sets while Newington won its Class M quarterfinal in straight sets against No. […]

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On Friday, both the New Britain and Newington boys volleyball teams played in their respective quarterfinal state tournaments. 

New Britain faced the No. 2 Trumbull Eagles at Trumbull High school in the Class L state tournament and suffered a loss in straight sets while Newington won its Class M quarterfinal in straight sets against No. 5 Wolcott Tech. 



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CCX Sports Spotlight: Henry Risser, Hopkins Track and Field

12:01 PM | Saturday, June 7, 2025 In this week’s CCX Sports Spotlight, Chaz Mootz profiles Hopkins track and field senior runner Henry Risser. Growing up Risser’s first love was always soccer, but after trying out for track his freshman year at Hopkins, Risser realized that running track gave him the best opportunity to compete […]

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12:01 PM | Saturday, June 7, 2025

In this week’s CCX Sports Spotlight, Chaz Mootz profiles Hopkins track and field senior runner Henry Risser.

Growing up Risser’s first love was always soccer, but after trying out for track his freshman year at Hopkins, Risser realized that running track gave him the best opportunity to compete in college.

Risser now holds both the 400 meter and 800 meter school records at Hopkins.

Both his 400 (47.19 seconds) and 800 (1:49.52) times rank in the top five in MSHSL boys track all-time records.

Risser will run at the University of Wisconsin next year.

Henry Risser

Hopkins High School

Track & Field

CCX News – Daily Sportscast



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California trans athlete AB Hernandez speaks out after championships

AB Hernandez has been competing in track and field and volleyball at Jurupa Valley High School in Riverside County since her freshman year, but it wasn’t until this year, her junior year, people began protesting her participation because she’s transgender. The 16-year-old athlete became the center of attention at last week’s California Track and Field […]

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AB Hernandez has been competing in track and field and volleyball at Jurupa Valley High School in Riverside County since her freshman year, but it wasn’t until this year, her junior year, people began protesting her participation because she’s transgender. The 16-year-old athlete became the center of attention at last week’s California Track and Field Championships in Clovis. Controversy over Hernandez’s participation in girls’ sports included rule changes, federal investigations and online threats to the state of California by President Donald Trump. | MORE | California track and field finals: Trans athlete AB Hernandez wins 2 events, shares podiumIn an interview with KCRA 3’s Sarah McGrew, Hernandez said she just laughs off the hate. “It’s definitely crazy, I get a lot of hate comments but I’m like, ‘I don’t care’,” Hernandez said. ” 16-year-old girl with a mad attitude. You think I’m going to care?”When she was outed as transgender by the president of the Jurupa Valley Unified School Board, she had no idea what to expect next. “I just tried to fly under the radar because you know trans athletes get a lot of hate,” Hernandez said. But soon protesters were showing up to her track and field meets, following her throughout the season, including at the state championships. “It’s just weird at this point,” she said. While the few dozen protestors were contained outside of the stadium gates during the state championships, Hernandez found support inside the stadium that she described as intense.”I wasn’t expecting any of it to be honest. I was just expecting to go out there and compete alone, but the support was amazing,” Hernandez said. “They really made my experience perfect. I will forever be grateful for them because they helped me get through the weekend.”Her biggest supporter was watching from the stands. Nereyda Hernandez, AB’s mother, was surprised when her daughter came out to her in the eighth grade, but both say it was an experience that brought them closer together. | PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Mom of AB Hernandez shares unwavering support for daughter in midst of anti-transgender protests”It means a lot,” AB Hernandez said. “There’s some kids out there whose parents don’t accept who they are.”AB Hernandez won two first-place medals and a second-place medal at the track and field state championships, awards which were shared because of a rule change by the California Interscholastic Federation days before. “I did what I wanted to do,” AB Hernandez said. “My performance was all I wanted to be good. So all this backlash… I performed my best so that’s all I cared about.” See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

AB Hernandez has been competing in track and field and volleyball at Jurupa Valley High School in Riverside County since her freshman year, but it wasn’t until this year, her junior year, people began protesting her participation because she’s transgender.

The 16-year-old athlete became the center of attention at last week’s California Track and Field Championships in Clovis. Controversy over Hernandez’s participation in girls’ sports included rule changes, federal investigations and online threats to the state of California by President Donald Trump.

| MORE | California track and field finals: Trans athlete AB Hernandez wins 2 events, shares podium

In an interview with KCRA 3’s Sarah McGrew, Hernandez said she just laughs off the hate.

“It’s definitely crazy, I get a lot of hate comments but I’m like, ‘I don’t care’,” Hernandez said. “[I’m a] 16-year-old girl with a mad attitude. You think I’m going to care?”

When she was outed as transgender by the president of the Jurupa Valley Unified School Board, she had no idea what to expect next.

“I just tried to fly under the radar because you know trans athletes get a lot of hate,” Hernandez said.

But soon protesters were showing up to her track and field meets, following her throughout the season, including at the state championships.

“It’s just weird at this point,” she said.

While the few dozen protestors were contained outside of the stadium gates during the state championships, Hernandez found support inside the stadium that she described as intense.

“I wasn’t expecting any of it to be honest. I was just expecting to go out there and compete alone, but the support was amazing,” Hernandez said. “They really made my experience perfect. I will forever be grateful for them because they helped me get through the weekend.”

Her biggest supporter was watching from the stands.

Nereyda Hernandez, AB’s mother, was surprised when her daughter came out to her in the eighth grade, but both say it was an experience that brought them closer together.

| PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Mom of AB Hernandez shares unwavering support for daughter in midst of anti-transgender protests

“It means a lot,” AB Hernandez said. “There’s some kids out there whose parents don’t accept who they are.”

AB Hernandez won two first-place medals and a second-place medal at the track and field state championships, awards which were shared because of a rule change by the California Interscholastic Federation days before.

“I did what I wanted to do,” AB Hernandez said. “My performance was all I wanted to be good. So all this backlash… I performed my best so that’s all I cared about.”

See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel



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