Sports

Day-one women’s water polo preliminary round

Published

5 months ago

July 11, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Preliminary Round Group Match Reports

Match 5, Group C, JAPAN 25 CROATIA 12 (7-3, 4-3, 11-5, 3-1)

Japan made sure of victory with a solid first quarter that was needed to withstand the Croatian onslaught in the second quarter. It was 2-2 two and a half minutes into the first quarter and looking like a brilliant contest, especially with Croatia debuting at this level. Japan missed Doha last year but was the host in Fukuoka the year before. With the score level, Japan went on counter and buried the next five goals, three on counter and one on a drive while the first of the string came from the top and the safe arm of Yumi Arima. She was to go on and make her stamp on the match. Saya Sekine scored consecutive goals for 7-2 and then Croatian captain Matea Skelin converted an extra play off the right-post position for 7-3 at the turn.

Arima opened the second half with two blasts from the top, well-weighted shots that found pinpoint targets beyond the reach of the goalkeeper. Fuka Nishiyama converted a penalty foul, watched as Nina Medic fired from the top for Croatia and then swam up and scored her third goal for 15-7. Eruna Ura netted her fourth when finishing extra. Kako Kawaguchi scored twice in the closing stages with Arima scoring her sixth as Japan moved out to 22-11. Rozic twice and Skelin kept Croatia in play but it was all about Japan and how many goals it could finish with in the final eight minutes.

Arima and Kobayashi led the charge, but it took time and Croatia called a timeout at 3:06 when 24-11 down and earned a penalty foul. Jelena Butic converted for her second goal. Japan countered with the last goal for 25-12 in a quarter that Croatia would have been happy with, considering no Croatian player has played at this level.

Match Heroes
Arima was the undoubted star with seven goals in a total team effort. Ura and Nishiyama netted four apiece as 10 Japanese players made the sheet. For Croatia, Rozic grabbed four and Skelin three. The goalkeepers had a grand start to the tournament with Manami Noda pulling down nine saves and Haruka Inaba five for Japan. Croatia’s Latica Medvesek made 10 saves.

Turning Point
Moving from 2-2 to 7-2 and when Croatia came back to 8-6 behind, Japan romped out to 14-6.

Stats Don’t Lie
Japan converted three from four on extra and stopped two from six. Japan scored both penalty attempts and stopped one of three Croatian efforts. On steals, Japan made two to none and on overall shots, Japan went 43-34.

Bottom Line
Japan has been here before and played the Olympic Games. Croatia is just starting its journey.

Match 4, Group D, FRANCE 9 GREAT BRITAIN 12 (4-3, 0-3, 2-5, 3-1)

Olympic team France felt the wrath of Great Britain after leading 4-3 at quarter time. Great Britain won the match 9-5 from then on for what was something quite historic. France missed the goalkeeping services of Olympian Mia Rycroft while the Brits played up to their expectations brilliantly on the opening day. This was a match where penalty fouls outshot exclusion fouls.

France started quickly with Great Britain responding twice. France regained the lead with successive shots. Harriet Dickens lobbed to equalise at three, however, Ema Vernoux, who was such a revelation at Paris 2024, rightfully put France back in the lead at 0:38. It was looking good for France, but Great Britain turned the tables in the second quarter, keeping its cross-Channel cousins at bay for the entire period. Katie Brown drilled from the deep right; Lily Turner scored from the top left and skipper Kathy Rogers drove in down the left post and slapped in a rebound for 6-4 at 1:32. France had no answer at this stage.

France was not out of it yet and worked tirelessly while denying Great Britain valuable chances. Rogers and Brown doubled the difference early and France slowed the match down, scoring through Erica Hardy. Britain took a timeout at 2:51 and put away the shot, thanks to Brown and at 9-5 the improbable was becoming a strong possibility. On extra, Cutler rifled one in down the right for 10-5 at 0:53. Vernoux powered in a French cannon, sliding the ball to goal for 10-6 and at the other end, Turner converted a penalty foul into 11-6 — three goals inside a half minute. It became the final-break scoreline, gifting Britain a magnificent five-goal buffer.

Vernoux and Hardy changed the face of the match with the first two goals of the final period, giving a shaky look to the result. Vernoux shot from penalty and Hardy from the top left. Two minutes after Hardy’s shot, Turner accepted a cross pass to the far left on two metres to score the most important goal for 12-8. France went to a timeout and fumbled the ball in front of goal. Britain called time at 2:12 and hit the crossbar. France fired up to centre forward and gained the penalty at 1:40 with Vernoux scoring her third goal and second from five metres. There was still 1:40 on the clock but neither team could find a way through the defence, allowing Britain to start the fortnight with a big “W”.

Match Heroes
Vernoux scored four goals for France and Turner and Brown three apiece for Britain. Best goalkeeper was France’s Pasiphae Martineaud Peret with nine saves.

Turning Point
From 4-3 down to 8-4 up, Britain worked hard to maintain the difference.

Stats Don’t Lie
France missed the only extra-player chance; scored two to one on penalty; made eight steals to seven, outshot Britain 29-28 and still lost the match!

Bottom Line
France may be the more experienced team but changes since Paris 2024 proved insurmountable. Britain proved it is capable of finishing in the top 10 in Singapore.

What They Said

Lara ANDRES (FRA) — Goal Scorer and Captain

On the team’s performance:
“It was a very close game. It’s a completely new team with a lot of young ones. We lost but I think the two first quarters were good enough but it was a bit difficult as Britain is a good team and not a new one, so they have a lot of experience, unlike us. It was such a difficult game and we lost, so I’m not very happy, but it’s just a game.”

On positives that can be taken away from this match:
“In terms of attacking, we were good and we made very good shots and in defence.”

Match 3, Group B, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 15 CHINA 7 (3-1, 4-3, 6-1, 2-2)

China, now under the coaching spell of Spanish Olympic champion player and coach Miki Oca, kept USA honest for large periods of the first half. USA may have talked down the experience of his team but his experience and guile led these newcomers to a comfortable victory. Goals were traded at the start with USA missing a penalty chance. Two more penalty strikes gave USA the 3-1 quarter-time advantage. Wang Huan brought China back to 3-2 at the start of the second period and then at 4-3 after Ryann Neushul scored off the left-post position. Wang Xuan took a pass to the left post for 4-4 at 6:02. Then USA put the foot on the pedal and rammed home the next three goals, including a penalty to Emily Ausmus for 7-4 at the long break.

The third period was where USA proved its brilliance, lifting to 10-4 and then finishing 13-5, so three goals, a Chinese extra-player score to Yan Siya and then three more with Emma Lineback collecting her third from deep right on extra. Emily Ausmus earned her star rating with her third goal coming on extra from the left post off a near pass. Shao Yixin finished a polished extra play for 14-6 but Tara Prentice spoilt the Chinese mini-party with a powerful centre-forward turn at 2:49. With the clocking ticking to the one-minute mark and China running out of possession time, Nong Sanfeng put away a long shot from top right into the top left for 15-7. China went to a timeout at 0:27 and goalkeeper Amanda Longan was the thorn in the side. She stopped the shot and kept the ball until the final buzzer for the first victory of its title defence.

Match Heroes
Ausmus and Lineback scored three each for USA but it was goalkeeper Longan who proved best in pool with her magnificent 13 saves. Wang Huan was best for China with two goals.

Turning Point
After that 4-4 scare, USA pulled away to 7-4 at halftime kept the pressure on in the third quarter.

Stats Don’t Lie
USA struggled on extra at one from six, as did China at two from seven. USA sent in four from five on penalties. USA had the better of steals at six to one and outshot China 36-32.

Bottom Line
USA is the reigning world champion and this proved that even with a new batch of players, it is still a major threat, no matter what the stage. However, with Oca at the helm of China, more can be expected in Singapore.

What They Said

Adam KRIKORIAN (USA) — Head Coach

On his team’s performance:
“It’s a little bit of a shaky start; I think we were a bit nervous. As we settled down, we were much more organised defensively, and much more efficient offensively.”

On facing a strong opponent:

“What comes to mind is (China’s) number eight (Wang Huan). She hit a couple of nice shots against us. I think it’s not so much them, but playing the first game is always difficult. There’s the anxiousness and having to kind of deal with that.”

On the team’s future goals:

“For the very near future, it’s just to go back and watch the video (playback and) learn. We have such a young group here, that it’s really important we learn as much as we can in each one of these games, and then try to fix those (mistakes). We’re gearing up for the Netherlands (for our) next match — they’re such a talented team, it’s going to be a tough task for us.”

On message for fans back home:
“I think we’ve got incredible support in America for the women’s team, and they always inspire us to give a little bit more to make them proud. Hopefully, we made them proud today, and will continue (to do so) through our effort in our attitude.”

Isabel WILLIAMS (USA) — Athlete

On USA’s mindset going into this match:
“Mindset is just to play together, play our best, work really hard.”

On how the team stayed focused after the close start:
“We relied on each other; we talked to each other and just remembered what we practised every time.”

Miguel OCA (CHN) — Head Coach

On how he feels about representing China as a coach on the world stage, being from Spain:
“Feels good, feels good. I mean I knew a few months ago but I knew before that I was going to coach this team. It was very challenging and I am very much into it.”

On how he keeps his players motivated:
“Wow, well this is the world championship. If we aren’t motivated now when will you be motivated, you know?”

Tactics that his team employed to face off against strong opponents such as the USA:
“We needed good defence and help from each other with many movements. Because the US has a good centre, good shooters. We need to protect the centre but also the shooters. So, we have to move along and help each other a lot that we have been trying.”

His feelings about his team’s performance:
“Well let’s see, let’s see. This is the first game of the tournament and we will work on growing, game after game.”

WANG Huan (CHN) — Two Goals

On how she feels after the match:
“Good and bad. I feel like we performed quite well, but our performance fell off during the second half. We were feeling a bit tired during the third quarter, so we were slower, but we managed to turn that over in the fourth quarter.

On whom she’s looking forward to face this year:
“We’re quite a new team, we changed a lot of members after the Olympics. So, we’re looking forward to facing many teams.”

Match 2, Group B, ARGENTINA 6 NETHERLANDS 25 (1-6, 2-6, 2-7, 1-6)

Netherlands came through as expected but what wasn’t expected was the opening goal to Argentina, earning a penalty in the second minute with Julieta Auliel converting. Never mind, the Dutch were in control thereafter with the next six goals, Simone van de Kraats gaining two down the right unattended. Captain Sabrina van der Sloot split the goals from the same position. The Dutch were equally impressive in the second quarter with van de Kraats and van der Sloot picking up extra goals. It became 9-1 before Argentinian captain Maria Canda scored from the top and at 10-3 Isabella Mastronadi converted from the five-metre line. Vivian Sevenich backhanded from two metres and captain van der Sloot also enjoyed a penalty shot for 12-3 before the halftime buzzer.

The second half was much like the first with the Dutch swelling the score to 18-4 with a raft of different scorers. Argentina made the sheet for the fifth time at 18-5 through Anahi Bacigalupo on penalty. Bente Rogge also scored from the line for her second goal in just over a minute. Kitty Joustra opened the fourth period with a centre-forward sweep shot and turned for her next at 21-5. Lieke Rogge scored a pair and the last two shots were traded for 25-6.

Match Heroes
Van de Kraats, Fleurien Bosveld, Joustra and Lieke Rogge all scored three each for the Dutch. Mastronardi and Canda netted twice for Argentina.

Turning Point
Netherlands overcoming the tentative start and running out to 9-1.

Stats Don’t Lie
Netherlands scored four from six on extra and defended five from six. Both teams shot three from the penalty line while Netherlands grabbed 14 steals to five and shot 38 times to 24.

Bottom Line
Netherlands won this title two years ago in Fukuoka and was the bronze medallist at the Paris Olympic Games last year and also took bronze at this year’s World Cup. Argentina was 16th in 2023.

What They Said

Sabrina Van der SLOOT (NED) — Captain

On what went well for her in this performance:
“I think for the first game early in the morning, we did OK. We can improve, but it was OK.”

On how this helps her team mentally for the next match:
“Well, I think we already knew we had a big chance of winning this game, so we just used it to practise some tactics that we want to use, so in a way, it helps us prepare against the USA.”

On helping rookies and those new to the team:
“We try, every summer when we start preparing the national team to have team meetings, and talk about our values, so that the people who are new to the team can learn and understand the values before the big tournaments.”

Ana AGNESINA (ARG) — Centre Forward

On her team’s performance:
“Actually, I think we could do better. Obviously, they are better than us in many ways. We need to prepare better, and we want to get (at least 20 to 25 points in the next match) but it’s OK.”

On reasons causing the team’s defeat:
“In Argentina, we don’t have (as many preparation opportunities as we would like. We have fewer) trainings and pools, and we don’t have people who want to play water polo (because) nobody knows (about it. So,) it’s difficult to get better.”

On learning takeaways:
“I would say (we played rather aggressively). We need to (work on faster) defence. When we (see) that (the opponent) is about to (make a pass), I (should) swim back to defend (nearby opponents, to prevent the pass from going through). That’s something we need to practise on.”

Match 1, Group D, SOUTH AFRICA 4 SPAIN 23 (1-9, 0-5, 2-4, 1-5)

Spain made its intentions known early with the first four goals from four shots. It took six minutes before Spain missed a couple as South Africa tightened its defence. However, goals were hard to come by as there were more blocks than misses. The goal that got away from Spain was Georgia Eccles’ lob from top right at 4-1. It was a dry affair for South Africa from there as Spain rattled off the goals to 9-1 at the quarter and 14-1 at halftime. The goals were spread around for Spain with Elena Ruiz the first double scorer.

South Africa came alight in the third period after a timeout, scoring consecutive goals after Spain went out to 16-1 with two Paula Crespi strikes. Jo Williams had her shot deflected into goal and Boati Motau made sure of an extra-player goal from deep right for 16-3. Paula Camus and Ariadna Ruiz with their second goals gave Spain the 18-3 margin by the final break. Irene Gonzalez enjoyed her first world championship match with a penalty goal for her third to start the fourth period and then again from deep left. With the match coming to its conclusion, Gonzalez netted her fifth from deep left after a Danielo Moreno penalty goal. South African captain Shakira January finished her team’s scoring with as penalty goal five seconds from the final buzzer.

Match Heroes
Gonzalez with five Spanish goals was the best in pool. Elena Ruiz netted three as four others scored twice. For South Africa it was four different scorers. Both goalkeepers netted nine saves between them.

Turning Point
The opening four-goal haul before South Africa stopped the charge. Spain then swam away with the match to 14-1 at halftime.

Stats Don’t Lie
Spain had the better of the stats with three from three on extra to South Africa’s one from three. Penalty goals went Spain’s way two to one while Spain made 11 steals to two. On total shots, Spain ripped in 36 to South Africa’s 25.

Bottom Line
Spain is the Olympic champion, so this was like the world’s best versus a nation that fills the bottom positions at this level.

What They Said

Anni ESPAR (ESP) — Captain

On the team’s performance:
“I think we had a very good performance. A very good start to the tournament.”

Feelings on representing her country on the world stage:
“It’s really good, I’ve been on the team for a while, representing Spain and to keep being here with my team-mates, younger team-mates. I just feel really proud.”

Opinions on the atmosphere:
“I think it’s a bit early. I think we’ll have better matches in terms of people coming to watch. 9am isn’t the best time to come and support the team, but it’s still good. We had some people in the stands cheering for us; it was good.”

Shakira JANUARY (RSA) — Captain

On how the team feels:
“It’s not every day that you get to play the Olympic champions. We’re happy with the result, we focused on (it) and we’re happy with the small wins and goals we set for ourselves. I mean, we just focused on hitting our small goals and we’re happy with the outcome.”

On what results the team is seeking:
“So, we’re obviously always striving for (a) top 12 (placement). I think our games (with) France and Great Britain are the two ones we’re looking for a much smaller goal margin than this one. But we are definitely excited and pushing for (a win) with Great Britain.”

On what message she wants to send to her rivals:
“Watch out for South Africa!”

Progress Points

Group A: Australia, Italy, New Zealand, Singapore.
Group B: Netherlands 3, United States of America 3, China 0, Argentina 0.
Group C: Japan 3, Greece Hungary, Croatia 0.
Group D: Spain 3, Great Britain 3, France 0, South Africa 0.

Day 3 Schedule

Match 09. 09:00. Group B, China v Argentina
Match 10. 10:35. Group C, Hungary v Japan
Match 11. 12:10. Group D, Great Britain v South Africa
Match 12, 13:45, Group C, Croatia v Greece
Match 13. 16:00. Group D, Spain v France
Match 14. 17:35. Group A, Australia v Italy
Match 15. 19:10. Group A, New Zealand v Singapore
Match 16. 20:45. Group B, United States of America v Netherlands

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Discipline and determination drive track and classroom success for graduating student-athlete

Published

49 minutes ago

December 16, 2025

Your Sports Nation

KENNESAW, Ga. |
Dec 16, 2025

Balancing the demands of Division I athletics with a rigorous academic program is
no small task. For graduating senior Grant Crabtree, discipline became the foundation
for success both on the track and in the classroom.

Born in Panama City, Florida, and raised in Douglasville, Georgia, Crabtree discovered early that running came naturally. He joined the local “Road Runners” youth track team in elementary school and continued competing through middle and high school, where distance running became his strongest event.

“Over time, I continued to get better,” Crabtree said. “I figured it was something I could do at the collegiate level.”

Crabtree began college at Augusta University as a biology major before realizing he
wanted a more hands-on academic path. His interest in building and problem-solving
drew him toward engineering. That led him to transfer to Kennesaw State University
to major in mechanical engineering and join the men’s cross country and track and field teams as a walk-on.

The move placed him within the Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology, where he took on the challenge of balancing high-level athletics with a demanding
academic load.

“I knew I could be a good runner, but I also knew engineering was where I wanted to be,” he said. “Walking on at KSU meant proving myself in both places, and I was ready for that challenge.”

Over the next three years, Crabtree became one of the top distance runners in program
history. He set school records in the indoor 3000-meter, outdoor 5000-meter, indoor
distance medley relay, and tied the outdoor 1500-meter record. He also earned ASUN
Conference All-Academic Honors and played a key role in helping the Owls secure the
2024 ASUN Conference indoor and outdoor championships.

“It was surreal,” he said. “To win the conference championship and be part of something that special makes me proud of my teammates. We all put in the hard work together.”

Managing the pace of athletics and engineering required careful planning and communication.
Morning practices were followed by classes, labs, and long study sessions. Crabtree
regularly met with professors before traveling for meets in order to stay on track
academically.

His most meaningful academic experience came during senior design, where his team
addressed road safety. They developed a roadside wind turbine system that captures
airflow from passing cars and trucks, converting it into energy for roadway safety
signals. The project gave him the chance to apply years of engineering coursework
to a real-world problem and reflect on how his work ethic supported both academic
and athletic success.

Crabtree’s approach embodies the values of SPCEET.

“Our engineering students run through labs, collaborate on real-world design projects, and tackle rigorous coursework,” SPCEET Dean Lawrence Whitman said. “Grant accomplished all of this while competing at the highest level of collegiate athletics.”

In addition to his coursework, Crabtree served as an ambassador for the National Council
of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying, speaking with younger students about the
importance of licensure and the long-term value of a strong academic foundation.

Beyond academics, distance running shaped some of his closest friendships. He credits
his teammates and coaches for creating the support system that carried him through
demanding seasons, tight travel schedules, and important races. Those relationships
remain a part of his KSU experience that he values most.

Crabtree has already begun his professional journey with Cleveland Electric as an
assistant project manager and plans to continue building his career in the electrical
contracting industry after graduation.

Reflecting on his time at KSU, he hopes his experience encourages others to stay committed
to their goals even during difficult periods.

“There are going to be hard times, but it gets easier,” he said. “As long as you stay consistent, organized, and dedicated, it will all pan out.”

– Story by Raynard Churchwell

Photos by Matt Yung

Why On Is Entering Football

Published

5 hours ago

December 16, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Hi everyone, welcome back to SportsVerse, my twice-weekly newsletter that tells stories you can’t find anywhere else about the intersection of sports, fashion, business, and culture. This will be the final SportsVerse edition of 2025 (unless I decide to put a special edition out in the event of big industry news, which often happens around this time of year). I wanted to say thank you again to everyone who has engaged with this newsletter since January. It’s been so much fun seeing it grow and grow and grow. I’ll catch you all in 2026 for more. And if you need best-in-class sports culture analysis and fun content in the meantime, be sure to sign up for OffBall’s daily newsletter, written by the incredible Ashtyn Butuso, edited by yours truly. Peace.

When On first entered the tennis category after attracting investment from Roger Federer in 2019, it became clear that the brand had ambitions far greater than dominating just the running footwear market where it first made a name for itself. When the Swiss sneaker company began branching out into high-end fashion collaborations with the likes of Loewe, Beams and Post Archive Faction, it also became apparent that the brand had intentions far greater than simply producing performance shoes and apparel for sports.

Very early on, the brand’s founders and executive team set out a strategy that, if executed correctly, would see the once-niche disruptor brand from Zurich transform itself into a bona fide sportswear powerhouse, taking its place alongside the likes of Nike, Adidas, New Balance, and others.

For years, I’d wondered which sport the brand would look to for its next expansion. Naturally, I asked all the On executives and co-founders whenever I came across them in meetings or interviews, but they all remained tight lipped (a wise decision) while adding that the brand was always assessing new sports or categories for potential growth.

I’d been told that a lot of (very serious) golfers compete in the On’s training and running shoes, so I wondered if it could be that. But late last week, On gave the biggest indication yet of its next big move, with its surprise signing of Sydney Schertenleib, a fast rising star of FC Barcelona and the Swiss national team.

The 18-year-old is joining On specifically as an ambassador to promote the brand’s training and lifestyle collections, meaning we won’t be seeing On products on the football pitch just yet. It also doesn’t mean that two years from now, On will be churning out football gear and boots (cleats) for athletes or the general public. But make no mistake, On’s signing of Schertenleib — the first deal of any kind for On in football — was a very intentional play and a major indication of its trajectory.

Yes. Signing Schertenleib presents a perfect opportunity for On to begin lightly introducing its brand to the football world, opening the door to scores of fans and consumers who may not have bought products from — or even heard of — the brand so far. It’s relatively low risk and low cost, since it’s not like On will be investing hundreds of thousands of dollars into R&D to develop and market football products, given she will simply be endorsing the brand’s training and lifestyle clothing, which already exists. Schertenleib is expected to continue wearing Adidas boots in-game.

This is a key growth category for On. Training and lifestyle essentially = sports-inspired fashion gear for everyday use, either in the gym, around the house or out and about. It’s the category that generates the lion’s share of sales for sportswear powerhouses, which is helping scale On from a specialist footwear maker into an all-round sportswear giant that will generate over $3 billion in annual revenue this year. It’s the reason why the brand has pushed hard into popular culture and lifestyle over the past 18 months, signing big-ticket ambassadors from Zendaya to FKA Twigs to Burna Boy, splashing out on multi-million dollar Super Bowl ads.

Schertenleib is clearly an outlier when placed against the above names. But her signing makes a lot of sense. She’s a generational talent with the footballing world at her feet. On is getting in early, backing her while she’s still a young talent and hoping to benefit tenfold from the association down the line. She is also the first athlete to be signed to specifically promote training and apparel, rather than a sport like tennis or track and field. This is a smart move: it’s all well and good using famous actors or music stars to promote lifestyle and training gear, but no one underscores the authenticity and credibility of sportswear better than an elite, highly marketable athlete.

Yes. She fits the profile that On is looking for when it comes to assembling its next-gen roster of ultra-marketable Gen-Z athlete talent.

For many years now, On has been executing a strategy to find elite sporting talent who may have been overlooked or undervalued by other brands in the market. These athletes represent major upside potential for a brand like On, making it a very mutually beneficial partnership. The brand is building a unique roster of the next

We saw it happen with Ben Shelton, who has publicly admitted he never wanted to be one of 30 other tennis players in Nike’s roster, and has steadily grown to represent On’s ambitious brand building in the world of tennis as his own stature in the game — and wider culture — has grown. 23-year-old Swiss hurdler Ditaji Kambundji signed for On in January this year, again helping the brand speak to a younger audience through her compelling social media content, and providing an instant return in a sporting sense with her gold medal showing at the World Championships.

Sydney Joy Schertenleib on Instagram: “BTS archives, loved it! …

Schertenleib aligns with both the age profile and the style of athlete that On is looking for right now — young, highly marketable and with the world at her feet. At just 18 years old, she has amassed over 460,000 followers on Instagram alone, and has already started promoting the brand with collaborative content on the platform. Her choice to sign with On is a reflection of her savvy ambitions for her own personal brand, knowing she will get far greater marketing focus at a brand like On rather than Adidas or Nike.

That’s that for today, friends. Thanks for coming along for the ride.

See you next time,

DYM

Also, shoutout to Cherry Beagles and her incredible platform, The 400 Club, for including SportsVerse in the holiday season’s “gift ideas for the sports girl.”

The 400 Club on Instagram: “Gift ideas for the sports girl ✨”

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Slekis Announces 2026 T&F Slates & Staff Updates

Published

7 hours ago

December 16, 2025

Your Sports Nation

THIBODAUX, La. – Nicholls State University track and field coach Stefanie Slekis announced the 2026 schedule along with the hiring of assistant coach Cameron Bolt on Monday afternoon.

Nicholls will compete in two in state meets and two out of state meets for the indoor season. The teams will begin the season in Baton Rouge at the LSU Purple Tiger on Jan.16 followed by the McNeese Indoor II on Jan. 30. The Colonels will cross state lines to compete in the Bulldog Invitational hosted by Samford University on Feb. 13 before concluding the season at the Southland Conference Championship on Feb. 25-26.

The outdoor season is action packed with three out of state completion’s and four instate events. The Red & Gray will begin outdoor action at the Louisiana Classics hosted by Louisiana in Lafayette on March 20-21. Next, the squads will open the month of April in Austin, Texas at the Texas Relays on April 1-4. The Colonels return to the boot for the Pelican Relays (4/10-11), Strawberry Relays (4/17), and the LSU Alumni Gold (4/25). Nicholls will wrap up regular season action at Texas A&M’s Alumni Muster in College Station, Texas on May 1-2. The Southland Conference Championship is in Nacogdoches, Texas on May 14.

Coach Slekis is looking forward to the new season with some new opportunities for her student-athletes. Bolt joins the staff after coaching over 200 National qualifiers, 15 All-Americans, four National Champions. Additionally, he is the owner of Bolt Track and Field Club team that he started in 2023 and has had more than 20 National qualifiers.

We are so excited for our 2026 Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field schedule. For our schedule we changed up the second half of both our Indoor and Outdoor seasons from the past few years,” Slekis said. “Indoor we will head to Birmingham to compete at Samford’s Bulldog invitational which will give our team the opportunity to test themselves on the facility we will return to for the indoor championship. Outdoor we close out the season at two of the best SEC track & field programs in the country who have phenomenal facilities. Going first to LSU and then bringing full teams to Texas A & M for the Alumni Muster. Before we return to Texas for the Southland Championship hosted by SFA.”

Coach Slekis gave her overall thoughts on the addition of Coach Bolt and how he can help the team improve.

“We are changing things up a bit this year and I am also really excited to see how well our student-athletes perform this season especially our track & field only student-athletes who had the entire fall semester working with our new assistant coach Cameron Bolt,” Slekis said. “Cam comes with a wealth of knowledge as a young coach who founded his own track & field club and continuously worked to prepare himself for his first NCAA Division I collegiate coaching opportunity. His energy combined with his knowledge base make him a phenomenal hire. He understands how to develop student-athletes and maximize their potential. Through fall testing his event group has seen improvement across the board so it will be fun to see that hard work translate to their specific events this next semester.”

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Wisconsin volleyball beats Texas in four to reach Final Four

Published

9 hours ago

December 16, 2025

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Four Zips Named to the 2025 Academic All-MAC Volleyball Team

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9 hours ago

December 16, 2025

Your Sports Nation

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference announced the 78 student-athletes placed on the Academic All-MAC Team for the 2025 volleyball season, as Martina Villani, Gabby Brissett, Vanessa Del Real and Sarah Bettis represented the University of Akron.

The Academic All-MAC honor is awarded to a student-athlete who has excelled in both athletics and academics. To qualify, a student-athlete must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.20 and have participated in at least 50 percent of the contests in that sport.

Martina Villani, Junior Criminology and Criminal Justice, 3.861

Gabby Brissett, Senior, Biology, 3.745

Vanessa Del Real, Junior, Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology, 3.81

Sarah Bettis, Junior, Biomedical Science, 3.363

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Five Rockets Receive Academic All-MAC Honors

Published

9 hours ago

December 16, 2025

Your Sports Nation

TOLEDO, Ohio – The Toledo women’s volleyball team had five student-athletes named to the Academic All-MAC team for the 2025 season, the league office announced on Monday.

Senior Macy Medors led the Rockets, tallying a 3.989 GPA as she earned her third conference honor. Anna Alford and Sierra Pertzborn received the honor for a second-consecutive season. Grace Freiberger and Olivia Heitkamp were named honorees for the first time.

To qualify, student-athletes must be a sophomore or higher academic standing, have maintained a 3.20 cumulative GPA or higher and competed in 50% of contests during the 2025 season.

2025 Toledo Women’s Volleyball Academic All-MAC Team

Anna Alford, Senior, Public Health Management, 3.415

Grace Freiberger, Sophomore, Recreational Therapy, 3.909

Olivia Heitkamp, Sophomore, Early Childhood Education, 3.501

Macy Medors, Senior, Recreational Therapy, 3.989

Sierra Pertzborn, Redshirt Sophomore, Nursing, 3.558