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Despite War, Israel Prepares for Maccabiah, One of the Largest Sporting Events Globally

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This summer’s Maccabiah Games mark the first major international event in Israel since October 7, 2023, spotlighting Jewish unity, Israeli resilience, and the power of sport

The largest sporting event of 2025 is set to take place in Israel this June, with more than 7,000 participants from Israel and all around the Jewish world participating in 44 different sports in the 22nd Maccabiah Games. “That’s a message to the world from both Israel and world Jewry,” Amir Gissin, CEO of Maccabi World Union, the organization behind the games, told The Media Line. “We are here. We are here to stay. We’re stronger than ever. We did not break under the pressure. And what we are planning is a celebration of resilience and of unity. This is what the Maccabiah is about.”

These games will be the first since October 7, 2023, and the largest international event to take place in Israel since the attacks. The war has continued since that date, with 59 hostages still held in Gaza and Israel under constant threat from Iran’s proxy forces across the region. Just this week, a ballistic missile launched by Yemen’s Houthis struck an access road leading to Ben-Gurion International Airport, the country’s main gateway to the world, injuring six people. For Roy Hessing, CEO of the Maccabiah, it was clear that the war could not be a reason to cancel the games.

The message that we were very clear about it from the Israeli government to the leadership of Maccabi World Union was that we are not going to postpone or cancel the games. We should show everybody, everybody means the Israelis, the Jewish communities from around the world, and you know what, to our neighbors as well, that Israel is here to exist and we must think about joy and hope.

“The message that we were very clear about it from the Israeli government to the leadership of Maccabi World Union was that we are not going to postpone or cancel the games,” Hessing, who played water polo professionally for many years and later ran the Israeli Water Polo Association, told The Media Line. “We should show everybody, everybody means the Israelis, the Jewish communities from around the world, and you know what, to our neighbors as well, that Israel is here to exist and we must think about joy and hope.”

The event is set to be defiant and hopeful, but it will also acknowledge the tragedy of October 7 and the war that followed. “The opening ceremony, as well as some other activities, are going to be very emotional, very important. We’re not going to have the Maccabiah like a long Memorial Day for October 7 victims, but we are going to salute them, and it’s going to be a unique one,” Hessing said.

Gissin and Hessing spoke to The Media Line from the Maccabi World Union headquarters in Ramat Gan’s Kfar Maccabiah complex. Maccabi leadership operates from the headquarters, not only preparing for the Maccabiah, but also running the worldwide movement of nearly half a million members in 70 countries.

Opening ceremony, Maccabiah 2022. (Maccabi World Union)

Walking through the corridors of the building, Gissin, a former consul general of Israel in Toronto who joined the Maccabi movement more than 50 years ago, stopped to appreciate the photos on the walls tracing the Maccabiah’s history back to its first games in 1932. 

The third Maccabiah, which took place in 1950, was the first to be held in the State of Israel. “That was a moving event, many visitors from abroad,” Gissin said. “But for me, it was significant that in this Maccabiah, 75 years ago, my father participated and won a gold medal in the field hockey competition. The interesting thing was that in the field hockey team, out of the 11 players, six were from my family—my father, his three brothers, and two cousins.”

A few steps down the hall are photos from the ninth Maccabiah Games, held in 1973—the same year that Gissin joined Maccabi Tzair, the organization’s youth movement. 

“I was testing to participate in the drills that were in the opening ceremony, and I was not accepted. So, big trauma. So I had to come back to the movement on the bigger and higher positions. So this is what I do right now, trying to fix the trauma of the ninth Maccabiah,” Gissin joked.

Kfar Maccabiah isn’t just the headquarters for Maccabi movement leaders and the site of historical remnants from previous games. For months after the attacks, Maccabi World Union turned the complex into a sanctuary for survivors of the attacks and evacuees from the border area. In recent months, the headquarters has housed returning hostages and their families as part of their path to recovery.

Through our reach and Maccabi clubs all over Israel, and through our center, Kfar Maccabiah, the Maccabiah village, we’ve had the chance since October 7 to host and help all segments of Israeli society who needed help the most, the evacuees, the Nova survivors, and as it is now well known, the returning freed, kidnapped and their families.

“Through our reach and Maccabi clubs all over Israel, and through our center, Kfar Maccabiah, the Maccabiah village, we’ve had the chance since October 7 to host and help all segments of Israeli society who needed help the most, the evacuees, the Nova survivors, and as it is now well known, the returning freed, kidnapped and their families,” Gissin said.

The ongoing war contributes to the importance of bringing together Israelis and world Jewry for a sporting competition, but it also contributes to the logistical challenges. 

Even before the war, putting on such a huge event wasn’t easy. Gissin said that the Maccabiah has 95% of the number of athletes participating in the Olympics, but only 3% of the Olympics’ budget. With a budget of 200 million shekels, or around $55 million, it is significantly smaller. “We walk carefully on a tightrope,” he said. “We need to be very careful with expenditure.”

Hessing noted that the event brings in the equivalent of around $95 million for Israel. “Economically, it’s really good for the State of Israel, especially while we’re talking about after COVID and after war,” he said.

Tourism to Israel was just bouncing back from the pandemic when the October 7 attacks took a heavy toll on the industry. Having 30,000 participants and their supporters staying in Israeli hotels will be a boon for the industry, Hessing said.

“We really help the hotels, the accommodation centers, to be fully booked,” he explained. “If you try to book a bed from July 1 until July 22, you won’t be able to find a lot of space in Israel. Doesn’t matter where you are going to try to find it.”

Unlike in the Olympic Games, which host their athletes in a central Olympic village, during the Maccabiah Games, “the entire country becomes the Olympic village,” Hessing said.

Part of the benefit of hosting participants all around the country is that they will have the opportunity to see the less familiar face of Israel. “They have a great experience to understand better how Israel works, to understand its periphery as well,” Hessing explained, noting that those staying in the north will have the opportunity to visit the Druze city of Daliyat al-Karmel and get to know Israel’s Druze population better.

Hessing said that the last time an event with such a high level of production was set to take place in Israel was on October 7, 2023, when Bruno Mars was going to perform in Tel Aviv.

We work on the Maccabiah actually a few months after the previous Maccabiah, which means that we have around three and a half years to prepare ourselves for this event, from the Israeli government to the different municipalities, from hiring so many employees and having many people are coming to be volunteers at the Maccabiah.

“Behind the scenes, it’s a crazy event,” he said. “We work on the Maccabiah actually a few months after the previous Maccabiah, which means that we have around three and a half years to prepare ourselves for this event, from the Israeli government to the different municipalities, from hiring so many employees and having many people are coming to be volunteers at the Maccabiah.”

Logistical hurdles range from running competitions safely in the heat of Israel’s summer to ensuring that the thousands of participants are always close to a bomb shelter in case of sirens. “I do believe that when we look at the big picture, we Israelis, we live here. We’re used to this situation,” Gissin said. “It’s a society that is ready to deal with many situations. And when our guests are coming, we’ll do our utmost to keep them safe.”

‎(L-R) Isaac Herzog, Joe Biden, and Yair Lapid at the Maccabiah 2022 opening ceremony. (Maccabi World Union)

Gissin noted that a city that hosts the Olympics will likely do so only once, or at most, perhaps once every 50 years, which means everything must be learned and executed from scratch. “We have an Olympic-size event in Israel every four years. So the level of experience of the people that run it is very, very high,” he said. “So when I look at the Maccabiah as a whole, I’m saying we’re well equipped to do it and to do it right.”

Hessing said that interest in participating in the Maccabiah remains strong, despite the rise in global antisemitism. “The Jews that are coming from the diaspora, and of course the Israelis, are waiting for the Maccabiah,” he said. “They are getting their recognition. In a few sports, they prefer to come to compete at the Maccabiah instead of going to compete at the world championships—in swimming, for example. And especially in these times, they understand that we need them now more than ever, and that it’s the right place for them to come and to compete and to show solidarity.”

Still, athlete numbers have decreased this year, with around 7,000 participants from around 50 countries, down from around 10,000 participants from nearly 65 countries in the 2022 games. That decrease is likely the result of security challenges, lack of flights, and high travel costs. Around 30% of the participants in the games are under 18, and many parents are wary about sending their children to Israel under such circumstances.

Fundraising has also been a challenge for Maccabi World Union. Despite support from the Israeli government, private sponsors, and organizations like the Jewish Agency for Israel and the Jewish National Fund, the Maccabiah is still “not where we want to be in terms of fundraising,” Gissin said.

Not all countries with Jewish communities will be sending delegations to the games, such as Iran, which has a Jewish population of around 8,000. The Turkish delegation, which has attended previous games, hasn’t yet received permission from the government to attend, Hessing said.

I do believe that by the end of the day, we’ll find the right formula, the right way that they will be able to represent Turkey and be part of the games. It’s not too late. We still have three months to work on it. I can tell you that we’re doing all efforts in order to bring them here and I really hope to see them because as we said before, sports is the bridge between everything and we should try to bring them here to celebrate life, to celebrate together as one big Jewish family, and we want to see the Turkish delegation as part of this joy and hope as well.

“I do believe that by the end of the day, we’ll find the right formula, the right way that they will be able to represent Turkey and be part of the games,” he continued. “It’s not too late. We still have three months to work on it. I can tell you that we’re doing all efforts in order to bring them here and I really hope to see them because as we said before, sports is the bridge between everything and we should try to bring them here to celebrate life, to celebrate together as one big Jewish family, and we want to see the Turkish delegation as part of this joy and hope as well.”

This year, athletes for team sports from countries with small delegations will be allowed to participate in a team made up of athletes from all countries under the banner M25. “There are many small communities that we want to give the opportunity to compete at the Maccabiah,” Hessing said, citing Paraguay’s 1,000-person Jewish community and Serbia’s 3,000-person Jewish community as two examples. Some countries’ delegations may be as small as one or two athletes, he said.

“We don’t want to miss each and every single Jewish guy or girl that wants to come to compete at the games,” Hessing continued. “We are doing our research in order to make sure that we contact them and they will be here this summer.”

Beach volleyball, Maccabiah 2022. (Gilad Kavalerchik)

While the athletes coming from abroad are all Jewish, all Israeli citizens are eligible to compete in the games. “It means that around 10% of the Israeli delegation are not Jews, and it is amazing for us because we want to live in a place that on the football national team, we have all the Israelis—from Druze to Arabs to Muslims, and of course to Israeli Jews,” Hessing said.

He described the games as a fantastic opportunity for athletes, especially for the thousands of Maccabiah participants who are 18 and under, many of whom are competing in their first international event.

“There are some scouts that can see them and take them from Israel or the other way around, from the United States or from other countries to come and to compete for the State of Israel, and all of a sudden to become official players, athletes for the different national teams for Israel,” Hessing said.

The Maccabiah Games have the ability to change the life of a young athlete, but they also hold a broader geopolitical significance. In 2022, President Joe Biden attended the Maccabiah opening ceremony.

There’s a chance that President Donald Trump will attend this year’s game, Gissin said. “It’s too early to declare names of dignitaries coming, but I think that the international profile of the Maccabiah today is higher than ever,” he said. “And we do get a lot of inquiries and interest from different places in the world. So I’m sure it will not be boring. The opening ceremony is going to be quite an event.”

Bringing international attention to Israel and the Jews for an event like the Maccabiah Games means something different since October 7, with antisemitism on the rise and as Israel has become increasingly isolated internationally and divided internally.

“My worries as an Israeli citizen and as a Jew are, where are we going to be both internally in Israel, where is the Israeli society going to be with the terrible division that we have right now, and where is the Jewish world going to be facing this very wild wave of antisemitism? These are the challenges,” Gissin said. “This is what worries me. And our role as Maccabi World Union and as those who run the Maccabiah is to make it the best event possible, because that will be our way to help bring Israelis together and Israelis and Jews together.”

That way of thinking went into the theme for this year’s Maccabiah: “More Than Ever.” Hessing said that this Maccabiah is set to be the most important and meaningful one in the event’s history, helping Israelis become less cynical and more solidly Zionist.

“I truly believe that those that came to Israel to show solidarity, we must and we want to hug them back, and the Maccabiah will be an amazing opportunity for us, the Israelis, to say thank you, to all the Jewish communities, to the leadership that they showed and to the amazing help that they gave to the State of Israel,” he said.

Nothing will stop the Maccabiah. Nothing will make us go backwards and say, no, actually let’s postpone or let’s cancel. That will not happen. The Maccabiah is going to take place here in Israel. We’re going to have 10,000 athletes marching in Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem, and I think that that will be the best message that we can send the world and the Jewish people.

“More Than Ever” is also a call for the Maccabiah Games to go on, no matter what. “Nothing will stop the Maccabiah. Nothing will make us go backwards and say, no, actually let’s postpone or let’s cancel,” Gissin said. “That will not happen. The Maccabiah is going to take place here in Israel. We’re going to have 10,000 athletes marching in Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem, and I think that that will be the best message that we can send the world and the Jewish people.”



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Nebraska volleyball readies for a Sweet 16 showdown with Kansas at home

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December 12, 2025

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No. 1 seed Nebraska volleyball hosts No. 4 Kansas in the Sweet 16 on Friday night.

The Huskers enter the match at 32-0 and the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. With all the success this season, junior outside hitter Harper Murray said the team is focusing on being grateful and staying present.

“Because if you look too far into the future, you’re probably going to get a little nervous and feel a little stressed out,” Murray said, “so (we’re) just really focusing on what we’re doing in the moment and focusing on where our feet are.”

Playing at home is a big advantage in the tournament, she added.

Junior middle blocker Andi Jackson echoed that sentiment.

“I think the whole team feeling like we can play free really helps me, because the whole vibe on the court, regardless of who’s in, you can just feel that there’s so much confidence,” Jackson said. “Obviously, if the team is feeling pressure, then you’re going to start to feel pressure for yourself.”

Jackson and Murray said the team’s difficult practices and preparation helps them play with confidence.

First-year head coach Dani Busboom Kelly, who coached in two national championship games at Louisville, acknowledged there’s pressure to follow through on the Cornhuskers’ high-level success this year.

“But I do think this team has a lot of experience with it,” Busboom Kelly said. “The staff has a lot of experience with it. So it’s nothing new, which I think helps to alleviate some of that.”

Busboom Kelly’s former team, No. 2 seed Louisville, will compete against No. 3 seed Texas A&M at 6 p.m. CT on Friday. That match will be played at the Bob Devaney Sports Center followed by the Huskers.

First serve between the Cornhuskers and Jayhawks is set for approximately 8:30 p.m. CT Friday. Both Sweet 16 matches will air on ESPN2.

Winners of the Louisville-Texas A&M match and the Nebraska-Kansas match will face off on Sunday for the right to go to the Final Four. Serve time is yet to be determined.

The Final Four will be played at T-Mobile Arena in downtown Kansas City on Dec. 18 and 21.



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VUU track and field posts standout results at indoor opener | Richmond Free Press

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December 12, 2025

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Virginia Union University’s track and field teams opened the indoor season with a surge of early success, highlighted by multiple school records, event wins and breakout performances across two meets.

At the season opener, freshman Kornti Searles broke the indoor school record in the women’s weight throw, with fellow freshman Ellis Oshawnna moving to No. 2 all-time in the event. In the long jump, Angell Garrison and Taylor Porter opened their seasons with personal bests. 

Freshman J’meriyon Osborne delivered the top men’s performance of the opener, winning the men’s open long jump ahead of 22 competitors in his collegiate debut. Timothy Butler broke the indoor school record in the weight throw and advanced to the finals, finishing sixth in a field of 29 athletes. In the invitational long jump, Jeremiah Palacious placed third with a collegiate-best mark of 23 feet, 6½ inches. 

“The first day of the meet was a strong showing for both the men’s and women’s teams — a great way to kick off the season,” said Franck Charles, VUU head track and field coach. 

The Panthers carried that momentum to Liberty University, where day two produced three more women’s school records. 

Yamilet Cruz broke a 15-year-old school record in the shot put with a throw of 11.83 meters, surpassing Shakeema Browne’s 2010 mark. Abijah Jepkemboi set a new program record in the 5,000 meters with a time of 19:47, eclipsing the previous record set in 2017. Victoria Louis added the third record of the day, finishing the 300 meters in 42.08. 

“Day two was another good day for our ladies as they broke three more school records,” Charles said. “Our women’s team is heading in the right direction and, in total, they’ve already shattered four school records this season. 



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Elite Performance Lifts #11 Volleyball Past #8 Arizona State

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December 12, 2025

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LEXINGTON, Ky. — Seniors Ava Martin, Annalea Maeder and Kiara Reinhardt helped No. 11 Creighton Volleyball to a second straight Regional Final with a 3-1 win over No. 8 Arizona State on Thursday afternoon at historic Memorial Coliseum in Lexington, Ky.

Scores of the match were 26-24, 19-25, 25-13, 25-18.

Creighton led 10-7 and 11-8 early before Arizona State countered with a 7-2 run to take a 15-13 lead into the media timeout after back-to-back aces by Brynn Covell. The Jays regrouped, getting a kill from Jaya Johnson and two more by Reinhardt to move in front 20-18. The teams continued to trade 3-0 runs, as after falling behind 21-20, Creighton bounced back with three of its own to move in front 23-21 on Sydney Breissinger’s serve. ASU tied it up at 23-all before Johnson went line to earn the Jays a set point opportunity at 24-23. Noemie Glover put down a kill to extend the set, but a service error and Martin kill gave CU the 26-24 set. Martin owned seven kills in 11 errorless swings to pace a Bluejay offense that hit .333. Maeder dished 17 assists and Breissinger had six digs for CU. Glover topped the Sun Devils with five kills.

CU led much of the second set before a 4-0 Arizona State gave the Sun Devils a 17-14 lead. The Sun Devils led by two or more the rest of the way, closing out the 25-19 victory with back-to-back blocks to even the match heading into intermission. Martin had nine kills in the second frame and Breissinger 10 digs, but it wasn’t enough to offset six kills from Glover and five kills by Kiylah Presley. ASU hit .368 in the second set and would side out at at 70 percent clip.

The Bluejays bolted to a 9-3 lead to open the third set and stayed in control throughout, hitting .600 in a 25-13 rout. With all the focus on Martin, it was six kills from Kiara Reinhardt and three by Johnson that did the trick. Johnson served her first ace since October 17th to close out the set. The .600 hitting percentage was CU’s best ever in an NCAA Tournament set.

A pair of aces from Breissinger helped CU to a 3-0 lead to open the fourth game, and the Jays posted a second straight wire-to-wire victory.  Martin’s 22nd kill to make it 15-10 at the media timeout tied Jaali Winters’ career NCAA Tournament record with 175. A kill from Reinhardt sent the Jays to their third Elite Eight in program history, and second straight.

Martin led CU with 23 kills, while Maeder had 56 assists and 16 digs. Reinhardt had 14 kills on .737 hitting, while Johnson added 12 kills of her own and Breissinger dug a career-high 20 balls. CU finished the match with 65 kills, 57 digs, eight aces and six blocks on .370 hitting.

Glover topped ASU with 17 kills on .517 hitting and Henry dished out 26 assists. Omaha native Faith Frame collecting a team-high 15 balls. ASU closed the match with 50 kills, 48 digs, 4 aces and seven blocks on .273 hitting. 

With the win, Creighton (28-5) advances to play the winner of this afternoon’s Cal Poly/Kentucky match on Saturday night on ESPN2 for a spot in the Final Four. A start time for that match will be announced later this evening. The Big 12 champions, Arizona State ends its season with a 28-4 mark.

NOTES:  Kiara Reinhardt set a program record by playing in her 12th career NCAA Tournament match, while tying another mark with her 11th NCAA Tournament start … Ava Martin became the third player in CU history with 500 or more kills in a season … Arizona State libero Faith Frame is an Omaha native and the sister of former Creighton Softball player Ensley Frame …  Creighton has won 23 straight matches, tied for its second-longest win streak in program history … Creighton is now 20-14 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, including a 3-2 record in the Regional Semifinals … Creighton has won eight straight matches against Big 12 Conference teams, including a 3-0 mark this season … Creighton has won 28 or more matches seven times now, all since 2012 … Creighton Volleyball has joined men’s soccer (in 2002-03, 2011-12 and 2014-15) as the only programs in the history of Creighton Athletics to make back-to-back Elite Eights … Brian Rosen joined former men’s soccer coach Elmar Bolowich as the second head coach in the history of Creighton Athetlics to take his first team to the Elite Eight. Rosen also joined Bolowich as the only coaches in CU history to win his first three NCAA Tournament games … Creighton’s 89 victories since the start of the 2023 season rank third-most nationally, trailing only Nebraska and Pittsburgh. Arizona State entered the today fourth on that list with 86 victories … Creighton improved to 5-2 all-time inside Memorial Coliseum with its fourth straight win in the historic facility … Arizona State fell to 0-8 in Regional Semifinals … Ava Martin had five or more kills for the 110th straight match and 10 or more kills for the 27th consecutive contest  … Ava Martin (1,630) passed Leah Ratzlaff (1,622) for third-most kills in CU history … Ava Martin led or tied for the Creighton lead in kills for the 26th match in a row …  Annalea Maeder had her 15th double-double of the season … Creighton improved to 6-0 when taking a 2-1 lead in a match … Annalea Maeder reached 4,000 career assists late in the fourth set.

Arizona State Postgame Quotes

Arizona State Head Coach JJ Van Niel

Opening Statement…

“Hats off to Creighton, really clean volleyball. They put a lot of pressure on us from the serving line and we weren’t able to find the right answers.”

 

On the adjustment Creighton made in the third set…

“They just spun the rotation just slightly, and they were getting their really, really good servers on the line. They mixed up really well, and they got us in some trouble there. They were playing really clean volleyball, and we’re patient, and we block a ball, and they cover it, and they just kind of kept chipping away and chipping away. They’re really, really scrappy, so that was probably the big adjustment.”

 

On what surprised them about Creighton…

“Honestly, nothing. I mean, they played their game, and they’ve got some really nice players. Their middle we knew was going to be tough to stop, and 15 kills in four sets is pretty impressive. I thought we’d be able to get them in a little more trouble, which in the second set, we really did. We were getting them off the net, and it makes a big difference because then they have to become a little more reliant, but I don’t think there’s anything that surprised us. They’ve been playing great volleyball all year. They probably don’t get the credit because they’re not as tough of a conference, but they were really good in the preseason. I think in any conference, going undefeated is an impressive feat, and they did it, so I wouldn’t say there’s anything they did in particular was any different. They executed really, really well.”

 

Arizona State Student-Athletes

#5 Sydney Henry, S

On momentum going to the 3rd set…

“Yeah, for sure. There was definitely some momentum there and we made it known that we were gonna stay together and we were going to stay connected and we were going to use it in the third set. But like they said, Creighton came out, they punched us, but we wanted to punch back as well. definitely after that second set, we could use some momentum.”

 

On a defining moment from the season…

“There wasn’t one defining moment but I think we all kind of knew coming into this how bad we wanted to repeat this year and Noemie and I both coming in this year. We knew the history of ASU and I wanted to continue that legacy, so I think from the moment that we all stepped in there together, we knew what we wanted to do, how to get there,  we knew it was going to take hard work and so I think just all along, that was the plan for us.”

 

#10 Noemie Glover, OH

On what was working for Noemie…

“I think Sydney was putting me in good positions to score. I think that was kind of the main reason that I’m able to find openings there, our passers were doing well to put the ball in good position, and then just seeing the floor and having diverse shot selection.”

 

On their successful season … 

“I think in the summer, we did a lot of summer camps with younger players and I think just seeing how those players interacted with our younger people, being new people in the community, seeing how much the community cared for ASU and just volleyball in general. I think that kind of pushed the momentum throughout the season, you know, we’d see campers that came, they’d wear their shirts, and they’d just be so excited to, you, watch us play. I think that that is easy to play when you have like when people that are saying, you know, they’re looking up to you or they’re looking up to the team and just seeing how the younger players were interacting with our team in general, I think that that was just really fun to continue on and especially being at home and just being able to see all those kids from the summer and seeing what kids will come again this summer. I think that that was just really fun, and it’s a big momentum push for all of us.”

 

Creighton Postgame Quotes

Creighton Head Coach Brian Rosen

Opening Statement….

“First just congrats to Arizona State on an incredible season- a battle tonight. Yeah, their right sides are so good. The ESPN question at halftime was, their right sides are really good-what should you do to stop them? That was a good question. Our goal to stop them was to really ramp up service pressure and try to take them out and put them into tough situations as much as we could. I thought defensively, we made some great plays. We talked before this match, all kind of week in practice, that they’re gonna get their kills, you know, Noemie (Glover) is gonna bounce the ball on the floor somewhere and we got to roll that one back to them. So what can score is the tip, the role, the offspeed. And I don’t know if one did today. We were so good defensively on everything else. That’s what allowed us opportunities to transition and score. And then offensively, man, we were special good today. I thought all of our seniors were incredible. If these two aren’t high team all Americans, I don’t know what is. And I just thought we’re lucky to have them and everyone again stepped up. Like, Jaya (Johnson) made some humongous swings for us, even like she got blocked once at the end of, I think it was the third set, and came back and swung harder on the next one. I thought we had that mentality all match. They have a huge block. And I thought anytime any one of them got blocked, the next one came harder. Maybe with a little bit more angle. And so I just thought they showed incredible poise. We’ve shrilled at times this season to allow one point to be one point. I thought all match tonight, they were able to move on quickly to the next one. Our side out percentage was so good against a really good Arizona State team and just really proud of the group and what they’ve accomplished so far this season. And as Ava (Martin) prematurely put us into the finals, that’s the goal on Saturday too.”

 

On what adjustments were made to service pressure in the third set…

“Yeah, and that’s who we’ve been all year. I know they mentioned Adam (Kessenich), one of our assistants. Like, he works tirelessly on our serving system games, all those things that we serve every single day in practice, and we’ve talked since the spring about being the best serving team in the country. We make our team say it every day. It’s on every scattering report we have that we are the best serving team in the country and they passed way too well in those first two sets. And so, really talked about picking up the pressure, like going for it, and if you make an error, it’s okay. That’s how we are as a coaching staff. Nora (Wurtz) going on that big run in the third set, I think was almost like a relief for our team. Like she is the person that always goes on runs for us and she struggled on the first two sets to kind of get in a rhythm. So her going on that run, I think, allowed our team to be like, oh, here we go. And I thought everyone kind of relaxed and got a little more free in those scenarios. But yeah, I thought our first context on both sides were really good today.”

 

On the success of passing throughout the entire match…

“Oh, it was really good. The second set was the one set where we didn’t pass kind of to our level. We talked about it in the locker room and between those two sets, how we know we can pick up some of these. They did a really nice job working in some short (and) deep, and a couple of those got us. But I thought third set on, we really protect it, though. There was one late in the third set that Ava (Martin), like, went down under and got, and then I thought Anna (Maeder) made some special sets tonight. There were a few times where she was pushed like all the way across the net and was able to reverse balls to Jaya (Johnson), find Kiara (Reinhardt) in some tough situations to kind of hold their block because Arizona State’s a great scheme blocking team and I thought she did a nice job kind of going against the flow.”

 

On Ava Martin reaching the most kills in program history in the tournament…

“She just always gets it done. I was looking, they handed me a stat sheet in the second set. And I think she had like sixteen kills or something like that in the second set. I looked at Izzy (Ashburn), my assistant next to me, I was like, God, does Ava really have sixteen kills right now? Um, it didn’t feel that way. I knew she was playing well but, it didn’t feel like she already had sixteen kills and she kind of does it that way. Like, she’ll kind of get you, get you, get you. And then you know at 23-23, she’s going to get that one too. Those are the ones that stand out, but it’s all the points, like up to that, that she does such a great job. And again, she was on Glover (Noemie) a ton today, and that’s a big block. And I thought she did such a good job using low on the block and trying to tool off her points, work in the court, working some tips in. We were able to get the back row going too. So she’s just such a complete player and one of the best passers in the gym too.”

 

Creighton Student-Athletes

#5 Kiara Reinhardt, MB

On what it meant to win today …

“People kept asking us that at the beginning of the season, you guys’ lost Kendra, you guys’ lost Nora, but I think they really underestimated the girls that we have on this team right now. That was what I kept saying at the beginning of the year, I am so excited for some more girls who have had to take, kind of a backseat, obviously to some stellar athletes, but I just kept saying I am so excited for girls to find their role and to find their confidence, and  that is what the nation is seeing right now too. So I am really just so proud of this team and how we’ve had a group of 17 who are stepping up and who are putting others before themselves and are just playing special good right now, and it’s been so fun and such a joy to be alongside them.”

 

On ASU tipping and rolling their blocks …

“I mean, yeah, our game plan was every time they tip a roll or shot at us, like, we have to take care of that and put the ball away. And so that’s something we’ve wanted to hang our hats on all year and that was just, again, super important for today’s game plan. So I think just as hitters like, when our defenders get a great day out of those, like, we’re just like, okay, it’s our time now. Like, let’s go, like, let’s go put the ball away for them. Like, it said, like, they make a great day on anything. We want to just, like, continue that point and finish that point for them. So, yeah, which I felt like we all fed off each other so well today.”

 

On Coach Rosen … 

“Yeah, I think he’s just at a really good foundation and has just kept us so consistent. All year in just trying to, again, remember back to who we are, like, Craig Molleyball and Cate and Good is great enough to be anyone. And so I think he’s really helped reinforce that in us of like, going back there and we’re able to come out every match being able to be confident in ourselves and that our training that we do every single day in the gym is great enough and we can trust and lean in on that. And again, like the culture and the relationships we’ built here too, like, there’s so much to say that like, we can fall back on that and we can trust in that, and that we put in the work on the court and off the court to, to be able to keep pushing through and win another game.”

 

#24 Sydney Breissinger, DS

On if there was a specific adjustment they made during the game …

“That’s all Adam K. He’s calling our zones all the time and he does such an awesome job at it. We talked about mixing short and deep in like working depth against this team and that was something I think we were able to do and we worked that in a lot more and sets three and four just kind of keep them guessing and just really putting the pressure on them. We trust every single person to go back behind the line and put in a great serve, and that’s what we were doing.”

 

On if a certain player made a play to spark the team …

“Honestly, I think Sid had a lot of digs that were just like wow digs. And I think when you make some of those plays, especially after their right side’s going off and her making some of those digs really makes us hitters want to dig deeper and, you know, get a kill for that point. KR had some amazing deep corner swings that I mean; they’re just untouchable. I mean, you can’t do anything about it. I think there’s just a lot of little things, but I think our team as a whole played so well today, and we played together, and I think that’s really what won us this game and that’s what’s going to help us really go far is when we all lean on each other and play for each other.”

 

On potentially playing Kentucky the next match …

“I think they’re both just really well-balanced teams, and like, we love our matchup against teams like that. Like, we just believe in ourselves so much. But we try not to worry too much about what’s on the other side of the net. We focus so much on ourselves and so we’re going to go sit out there, we’re going to scout, we’re going to watch a little bit more, but our main focus is ourselves.”

 

#8 Ava Martin, OH

On winning with the team … 

“It’s so fun, and we just keep going. We just want to keep playing because we love this group of girls, and it’s just so fun when we’re out there playing together. Obviously, winning is amazing, but we get to do it with each other. And I think that’s the big thing we keep going back to. Also, there’s a good amount of us that lost last year, and we’re all pretty hungry.  We’re still upset about that loss last year and our goal this year is to make it to the final four. And so just taking it one game at a time and, I mean, that’s been our goal this whole season and so fighting for that final four.”

 



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LLH Healthcare buys naming rights to UH indoor track facility

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December 11, 2025

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The University of Houston’s indoor track facility will be known as LLH Healthcare Indoor Track as part of a multi-year naming rights partnership announced Thursday.

In a joint statement, Live Life Healthy (LLH) Healthcare and UH said the partnership “strengthens UH’s commitment to providing student-athletes with world-class resources while highlighting LLH Healthcare’s dedication to advancing health, wellness and innovation across the Greater Houston area.”

The naming rights deal with UH’s nationally recognized track and field program joins TDECU Stadium and the Memorial Hermann Football Operations Center as university athletic facilities to enter a corporate sponsorship. Other facility names, among them Fertitta Center and Schroeder Park, are named after individuals or families.

“We wanted to do something different and outside the box with this partnership with LLH Healthcare,” UH vice president for athletics Eddie Nuñez said. “We believe this collaborative partnership between Houston Athletics and LLH raises the bar for health and wellness in our community and in our athletics department. This partnership also bolsters our historic track and field program and continues to improve the facilities needed for our track and field athletes to compete at their best. LLH is another great example of a valued partner who sees the whole picture plan and supports Houston Athletics in every facet from NIL to facilities.”

Installed in 2019, LLH Healthcare Indoor Track hosts thousands of athletes yearly for professional, collegiate, high school, youth and all-comers meets. The track includes a six-lane, 200-meter banked oval and an eight-lane straightaway for 60-meter hurdles and sprints. The installation also includes two horizontal jump runways with sand pits and two pole vault runways, boxes and pits.

“I’m so excited about the partnership with Live Life Healthy,” UH track and field coach Carl Lewis said. “It’s such an important message to people of all ages, and the support that we’re getting from the community is incredible. This partnership is going to benefit the entire City of Houston, not just the University of Houston.”

 As part of the deal, UH athletes will collaborate with LLH Healthcare in a name, image and likeness (NIL) program to promote a “Live Life Healthy” initiative.

“Partnering with the University of Houston reflects exactly who we are: committed to elevating health, performance, and opportunity for the communities we serve,” said Zachary Rogers, CEO of LLH Healthcare. “Under the legendary leadership of Coach Carl Lewis, UH has built a culture defined by speed, discipline, and excellence.”



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Kentucky volleyball score today vs Cal Poly, UK vs Creighton game time

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December 11, 2025

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Updated Dec. 11, 2025, 5:28 p.m. ET



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Huskers Host Holiday Open to Begin 2026 Season – University of Nebraska

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December 11, 2025

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Nebraska track and field will open their indoor season by hosting the Husker Holiday Open on Friday, December 12 at the Bob Devaney Sports Center Indoor Track. Events are set to begin at 10 a.m. (CT).

Husker Holiday Open Meet Information

Host: Nebraska
Date: December 12
Venue: Bob Devaney Sports Center Indoor Track
Start Times: 10 a.m. (CT)

Live Video
Live Results

2025 Season Preview
The Husker Holiday Open is the first chance to watch the Nebraska track and field team return to competition after a strong 2025 season. Head Coach Justin St. Clair led the Husker women to a sixth-place finish at the Big Ten Indoor Championships while helping the men to a 12th-place finish at the NCAA Indoor Championships. 

On the men’s side at last year’s NCAA Indoor Championships, the Huskers earned three indoor USTFCCCA First-Team All-America honors and six total. The Husker men finished fifth at Big Ten Indoor Championships, highlighted by two conference champions: Tyus Wilson (high jump) and Adria Navajon (Heptathlon). The NU women placed 20th with 11 points at the NCAA Indoor Championships, producing two First-Team All-Americans as well as six total All-Americans. 

Nebraska continued the success during the outdoor season with the women claiming fourth at the Big Ten championships and the men earning fifth. The women, powered by top-eight finishes from Maddie Harris and Jenna Rogers in their respective events, tied for 26th at the NCAA Championships. The men tied for 35th in the team standings, led by Keyshawn Strachan and Arthur Petersen finishing fifth and seventh, respectively and Tyus Wilson securing sixth. The men and women combined for 13 All-America honors throughout the outdoor season. 

Nebraska’s Returning All-Americans and Big Ten Champions
A four-time First-Team All-American and 2024 Olympian, Till Steinforth placed fourth in the long jump at the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Championships. The school record-holder in both the decathlon and heptathlon, Steinforth set the Drake Relays decathlon record, scoring 8,265 points. 

The senior from St. Thomas, Jamaica, Rhianna Phipps is a five-time USTFCCCA All-American, earning second-team honors in the triple jump at the NCAA Indoor Championships with a personal-best mark of 12.98m (42-7). Phipps is also a four-time placer at the Big Ten Championships, most recently earning bronze in the indoor triple jump.  

Two-time NCAA Champion, 2024 Olympian and six-time All-American, Axelina Johansson owns the shot put school record. The senior from Hok, Sweden, won her second gold at the Big Ten Indoor Championships, throwing 19.31m (63-4 ¼) improving on her school record and the Swedish record. Johansson is redshirting the 2025 indoor season. 

A 2024 Paris Olympian, Mine De Klerk earned Second-Team All-American honors at the NCAA Indoor Championships (17.15m, 56-3 ¼) placing 10th. De Klerk grabbed a fifth-place finish in shot put at Big Ten Indoor Championships, throwing 17.46m (57-3 ½). She improved upon her No. 3 mark in school history after recording a career best 17.87m (58-7 ½) at the Nebraska Tune-Up. 

Junior, Berlyn Schutz, finished 24th in the 1500m (4:16.15) at the outdoor NCAA Championships to claim an honorable mention award. The Lincoln native competed at both the indoor and outdoor track and field Big Ten Championships. Schutz currently holds the 1500m school record (4:11.01) and the 3000m record (9:14.22).

Returning sophomore from Kansas City, Mo, Desire Tonye-Nyemeck claimed his first career All-America award after finishing 11th and clearing 2.15m (7-0 ½) at outdoor NCAA Championships. Clearing 2.17m (7-1 ½ ) set a new personal best and helped him to claim ninth at the NCAA West Prelims. As a freshman, he moved on to compete in the Big Ten Championships where he cleared 2.06m (6-9). 

Reigning Big Ten silver medalist Dyson Wicker holds the second highest pole vault in school history (5.55m, 18-2 ½). The sophomore from Heath, Texas earned Second-Team All-American honors at NCAA Indoor Championships, as the highest freshman finisher in 11th. Wicker finished seventh at Big Ten Outdoor Championships clearing 5.29m (17-4 ¼).

Finishing 10th at his first NCAA Indoor Championships, Mason Kooi claimed his first All-America honors with a jump of 2.16m (7-1). The junior placed ninth in the high jump competition at Big Ten Outdoor Championships with a mark of 2.06 (6-9). At the Big Ten Indoor Championships, Kooi posted a jump of 2.16 (7-1) to take home sixth place.



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