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Dillingham, Six Players Representing Sun Devil Football at Big 12 Media Day

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TEMPE – The Sun Devil Football program will be featured at Big 12 Football Media Days as it returns to Texas for a two-day event taking place July 8 and 9.

Quarterback Sam Leavitt, defensive back X Alford, wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, defensive lineman C.J. Fite, offensive lineman Ben Coleman, and defensive lineman Clayton Smith will represent Arizona State along with head coach Kenny Dillingham. Sun Devil Football will attend the first portion of Big 12 Media Days on Tuesday, July 8 at The Star – the 91-acre campus of the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters and practice facility – in Frisco, Texas. 

Big 12 Football Media Days could be considered a turning point for last year’s Arizona State team, as they were picked to finish 16th out of 16 teams in the Preseason Big 12 Conference Media Poll. The league opted not to conduct a preseason poll this season. Eight of the teams will spend Tuesday previewing the 2025 season with local, regional and national media.

Both days of the event will be broadcast live in their entirety on ESPNU and ESPN+, with portions of the day broadcast live on ESPN2 for the first time ever. Additionally, the event will broadcast on Big 12 Studios from 8:30 AM – 1 PM MST. Head Coach Kenny Dillingham is scheduled to be on the main stage from 11:20-11:35 AM MST for his media availability, which can be viewed on ESPN+. Sun Devil Fans will have many reasons to be paying attention on Tuesday, July 8…

Sam Leavitt, Quarterback (IG | X)
– Finished his first year in Tempe as the school record holder for total offense by a freshman with 3,328 yards and second in program history in passing yards by a freshman at 2,885. 
– The 3,328 total yards of offense are eighth in ASU single-season history regardless of class.
– Named the Big 12 Freshman/Newcomer of the Year.
– The nation’s second-highest graded freshman player (true or redshirt with 400 snaps) on either side of the football by PFF (88.9), behind only Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith (89.8).
– His 88.9 grade for the season was the eighth-best among all FBS freshman quarterbacks in the PFF era since 2015 (min. 400 snaps played). Of the seven players ahead of him, six started an NFL game last season (Brock Purdy, Trevor Lawrence, Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, C.J. Stroud and Spencer Rattler). 
– His grade was higher than the freshman year grades of NFL starting quarterbacks Sam Darnold, Justin Herbert, Jalen Hurts, Daniel Jones, Jordan Love, Bo Nix and Jayden Daniels.
– The grade was good for 12th among all FBS quarterbacks in 2024.
– After having just three touchdown passes in his first four games, he finished with 21 over his final nine games played with just four interceptions.
– Had eight passes for 50+ yards, most in Big 12 and tied for second most in the FBS for the season, only ASU player this century to have more in one season was Jayden Daniels in 2019.
– Among players with at least 300 dropbacks, Leavitt tied for third in the FBS with just five turnover-worthy throws on the season, according to Pro Football Focus.
– His six interceptions were tied for sixth-fewest in the FBS among those with at least 300 dropbacks.
– Was one of just four with 20+ touchdowns (24) with six or fewer interceptions (six) AND turnover-worthy throws (5) (min. 300 dropbacks).
– Only 20 of his passes were broken, good for the 20th-lowest total in the FBS. His four passes batted at the line of scrimmage at tied for 25th-lowest in the FBS (min. 300 dropbacks).
– Leavitt showed his ability to keep his composure under pressure, with 708 passing yards while pressured – good for 19th nationally despite missing a game. His 7.8 yards per attempt while under pressure were 12th-best in the country. His 5 under pressure touchdowns were 20th.
– His 74.8 NFL QBR while under pressure was 30th in the nation. He picked up a first down with his arm 41 times on 143 pressures – 13th-most in the FBS.
– Set his receivers up for success, finding open players and hitting dudes in stride to the tune of 58.6 percent of his total yardage coming after the catch – good for third nationally.
– Rushed for 435 yards on 51 scrambles, good for the second-most among quarterbacks in the FBS.
– Picked up a first down or touchdown on 47.1 percent of those QB scrambles, good for 11th among FBS quarterbacks (min 25 scrambles).
– Had the nation’s sixth-best rushing grade when scrambling at 76.4. His 79.1 overall rushing grade was 18th among FBS quarterbacks.
– First ASU quarterback to have six games in a season with three or more touchdown passes (6) since Mike Berocovici in 2015 (6). The six games were tied for second-most this century behind only Andrew Walter’s seven in 2004. The last Big 12 freshman to have that many performances in a season was Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford in 2007 (eight).
– Thrice earned Big 12 Newcomer of the Week and also earned the Shaun Alexander National Freshman of the Week honor following the K-State contest.
– First Sun Devil to post three consecutive games with three touchdown passes and no picks since Jayden Daniels did it three times in 2019.
– He had his first career 300+ yard game on the road against Oklahoma State, finishing 20-of-29 for 304 yards and three touchdowns with no picks.
– Named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week following his four-touchdown effort against Kansas, including the game-winner with less than a minute remaining. The four touchdowns were the most for any quarterback in the country in Week 6 as he was the highest-graded quarterback in the Big 12 for the week by PFF and ninth best in the FBS (89.4).
– Leavitt’s 258 passing yards in his starting debut against Wyoming were the third-most by a Sun Devil making his debut since 1996, behind only Joey Yellen (292 in 2019) and Jayden Daniels (284 in 2019)
– Sam Leavitt reaping the benefits of ASU’s return to national prominence (by John Marshall, Associated Press/April 17, 2025)
– Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt’s goals are simple for 2025 season: ‘Heisman and national championship’ (by Scott Thompson, Fox News Digital/July 3, 2025)

X Alford, Defensive Back (IG | X)
– Dubbed himself the @100YardLandlord across his social media platforms and has made sure to become eponymous with the title this season as ASU’s last line of defense in the secondary.
– Played the 4th-most snaps in coverage in the Big 12 this season (354), allowing just seven receptions, the 2nd-fewest among Big 12 players (min. 250 coverage snaps) and 7th-fewest in the FBS. 
– Opponents chose to throw his way on just 4.2 percent of coverage snaps, the 4th-lowest total among all FBS players. His 14 targets on the year were 8th-lowest in the FBS.
– Allowed just 76 yards in coverage last season – 8th-lowest among all FBS players and second in the Big 12.
– Allowed just 0.21 yards per coverage snap last season, lowest in the Big 12 and 4th in the FBS.
– Forced an incompletion 35.7 percent of the time when targeted, the best tally among all FBS players.
– The nation’s 27th-highest graded safety on overall defense (80.5) and 21st-highest graded safety in coverage (85.8)
– ASU’s last line of defense, Alford has been sure-handed as well with the nation’s 37th-best tackling grade among all players (86.6), tops in the Big 12 and 13th among FBS safeties.  
– Was credited with just four missed tackles last year, tied for 16th-fewest among FBS safeties (min. 400 snaps) with a 6.8 missed tackle percentage that is 13th among FBS safeties.
– Member of the Pat Tillman Leadership Council.

Jordyn Tyson, Wide Receiver (IG | X)
– One of only two receivers to land on the Walter Camp Preseason All-American Second Team.
– A Third-Team All-America selection in 2024 by the Associated Press.
– Had a breakout season in 2024, with 75 catches for 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns before getting injured in the second half of the Nov. 30 Arizona game and missing the postseason.
– Earned Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year.
– Had five games of 100-yards receiving including 12 catches for 176 yards and two touchdowns at No. 16 Kansas State on Nov. 16.
– In the first six games, he totaled 25 catches for 369 yards and four touchdowns. In the second six games he had 50 receptions for 732 yards and six scores.
– He caught eight touchdowns in six-game stretch and 624 yards (104.0 yards per game) on 44 catches in that span. In the first four games, he had 14 catches for 209 yards with one touchdown.
– His ten touchdowns tied him for sixth all-time in Sun Devil history, one of just 11 Sun Devils total to reach double digits in a season, and the most since Jaelen Strong had 10 in 2014.
– The 176 receiving yards against KSU were the most since Brandon Aiyuk put up 196 on Washington State back on Oct. 12, 2019. It was the most receiving yards in a road game since Devin Lucien had 200 yards at California on Nov. 28, 2015.
– Four of his touchdown receptions were in the final five minutes of a half (two in the first half and two in the second half).
– Three of his seven touchdown catches came in the fourth quarter of games – which was tied for fourth among FBS receivers when his season ended. His 12 third down receiving conversions were tied for 17th in the FBS through the month of November.
– Tyson has emphasized wide receiver coach Hines Ward’s “No Block, No Rock” mantra as he was fifth among FBS receivers with 298 run-blocking snaps until his season was cut short.

C.J. Fite, Defensive Lineman (IG | X)
– Played and started in all 14 games during Arizona State’s run to the College Football Playoff.
– A member of the Pat Tillman Leadership Council.
– Cemented himself as one of the premier interior defensive lineman in the conference.
– Finished the season with 30 tackles, four tackles for loss, and two sacks.
– Managed to remain productive despite garnering a majority of the attention from opposing blocking schemes.
– A matchup problem for Big 12 offensive lineman and a big factor in Arizona State’s impressive run defense. 
– Had at least one tackle in 12 of 14 games, including 3+ tackles on five occasions.
– Recovered a fumble and returned it for what proved to be the game-winning touchdown in the 30-23 victory over Mississippi State.
– Enjoyed one of the best performances by a defensive tackle in program history when he finished with eight tackles, two tackles for loss, and a sack against Texas Tech.
– Came through with a crucial sack in the close win over UCF, one of his three tackles on the night.
– Collected a pair of tackles in Arizona State’s Big 12 Championship victory in his home state of Texas.
– Recorded a tackle for loss in the Peach Bowl matchup with Texas.
– Speak of the Devils Podcast Sitdown Series: Defensive tackle C.J. Fite

Ben Coleman, Offensive Lineman (IG | X)
– One of the conference’s top returning lineman
– Key leadership piece offering a plethora of experience at the Division I level
– Finished 16th among all FBS players with just four pressures credited by PFF this season (min. 250 pass block snaps). His 1.2 pressure allowed percentage on 325 pass block snaps was 17th in the FBS.
– Coleman was not credited with allowing a sack last season.
– His 89.6 pass blocking grade was 6th among all FBS players and 4th among guards (min. 250 pass blocks).
– Has paved the way for ASU’s revamped offense, anchoring a line that was essential to a balanced attack.
– Road grader for ASU’s All-Everything running back and Heisman candidate, Cam Skattebo.
– Had not played a college football game in 646 days prior to his exceptional season.
– Completed his second Master’s degree in the Spring of 2025
– Arizona State’s Ben Coleman gearing up to take over at center from Leif Fautanu (Logan Stanley, Arizona Republic/March 27, 2025)

Clayton Smith, Defensive Lineman (IG | X)
– Played in all 14 games during Arizona State’s run to the College Football Playoff.
– Earned 12 starts at defensive end.
– Established himself as one of the premier pass rushers in the conference.
– Will be his second Big 12 Media Day, also attending the 2024 edition.
– Finished the season with 33 tackles, six tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks.
– Managed to remain productive despite consistently facing double teams.
– A disruptive presence all year, forcing a fumble, recovering a fumble, and breaking up four passes.
– Had at least one tackle in 13 of 14 games, including 3+ tackles on six occasions.
– Forced a fumble in the win over Mississippi State that was returned by C.J. Fite for a touchdown.
– Came through with four tackles and 0.5 sack in the Peach Bowl vs. Texas.
– Started out the season with one sack in four of the first five contests.
– Contributed in many ways in Arizona State’s Big 12 Championship victory, collecting two tackles and a tackle for loss while adding two pass breakups.

Local Outlets Covering the Sun Devils at Big 12 Media Day
In addition to the heavy national attention that Sun Devil Football will be receiving at Big 12 Football Media Day, several prominent local media outlets will be in attendance and covering the event.

AZ Central
ASU News
ABC 15 (KNXV)
FOX 10 (KSAZ)
CBS 5 (KPHO)
NBC 12 (KPNX)
ABC 15 (KNXV)
Sun Devil Source
Devils Digest
SportsAZ360.com
GoPHNX.com
Arizona Sports 98.7 FM
Arizona PBS/Cronkite News
WCSN
Blaze Radio
Sun Devil Radio Network
+ many more

Live Appearances
Kenny Dillingham
8:15 AM MST – Big 12 Radio/Tune-In (Radio Row)
11:20 AM MST – Media Availability on Main Stage (ESPN+)
12:15 PM MST – College Football Live (ESPN2)

Players
11:30 AM MST – Big 12 Studios
12:00 PM MST – Big 12 Radio/Tune-In (Radio Row)
12:30 PM MST – ESPN Set (ESPNU/ESPN+)

How to Watch
ESPN2 (College Football Live starting at 12 PM MST)
ESPNU (All Day Coverage)
ESPN+ (All Day Coverage)
Press Conferences (Kenny Dillingham scheduled for 11:20-11:35 AM MST)
Big 12 Radio (Tune-In)

Walter Camp Preseason All-American Teams
The Walter Camp Football Foundation released their Preseason All-American Teams at the end of June and Sun Devil Football has a pair of representatives. Quarterback Sam Leavitt and wide receiver Jordyn Tyson each landed on the Walter Camp Preseason All-American Second Team. They are two of the 11 individuals to earn the national recognition. The Sun Devil offense will feature one of the nation’s best quarterback-wide receiver duos. Arizona State is one of 11 schools to have at least two players be named Preseason All-Americans by Walter Camp.

Walter Camp Preseason Second Team All-Americans
Second Team Offense
QB: Sam Leavitt (Arizona State)
WR: Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State), Elijah Sarratt (Indiana)
RB: Makhi Hughes (Oregon), Isaac Brown (Louisville)
TE: Justin Joly (North Carolina State)
OL: Ar’maj Reed-Adams (Texas A&M), Cayden Green (Missouri), Jordan Seaton (Colorado), Olaivavega Ioane (Penn State)
C: Logan Jones (Iowa)

Walter Camp Preseason All-Americans by School
Alabama, Clemson, Indiana, Penn State, Texas – 3
Arizona State, Miami, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, Texas A&M – 2

Athlon Sports Preseason Big 12 Honors
A total of 15 Sun Devils received Big 12 Preseason All-Conference recognition from Athlon Sports. Leading the way was wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, who landed on the First Team Offense of Athlon Sports’ Preseason All-American Team. Tyson also was a First Team Big 12 All-Conference selection and is joined by fellow Media Day attendees Sam Leavitt, Ben Coleman, and X Alford in earning the distinction. Here is a full list of preseason honorees from Athlon Sports.

Texas to Tempe
Eight of the 16 returning starters for the Sun Devils this year are from Texas. The list includes Jordyn Tyson (Allen), Josh Atkins (Mansfield Timberview), Keith Abney (Waxahachie), Xavion Alford (Shadow Creek), C.J. Fite (Tatum), Clayton Smith (Texas High School in Texasarkana), Prince Dorbah (Highland Park) and Jordan Crook (Duncanville).

Elite Experience
Eight Sun Devils started all 14 games last year, and seven of them return. C.J. Fite, Josh Atkins, Ben Coleman, Max Iheanachor, Javan Robinson, Myles Rowser and Keith Abney II were 14-game starters. Center and second-team Walter Camp All-American Leif Fautanu is the only 14-game starter who doesn’t return in 2025.

Protecting Home Turf
Arizona State (6-0) was one of 16 teams to go undefeated at home in 2024 and the only Big 12 team. Oregon, Boise State, Alabama, Missouri, Army, Memphis and Tennessee all went 7-0, while Miami, Ohio, Marshall, UTSA, Georgia and Washington joined ASU at 6-0. Indiana went 8-0, while Georgia Tech went 5-0. ASU travels to one-home loss Big 12 teams from last year Iowa State (6-1), Colorado (5-1) and Baylor (5-1). The Sun Devils didn’t lose a home game for the first time since 2004.

Comfortable hen it’s Close
Arizona State was 6-2 in one score games (5-1 in games of seven points or less) in 2024. The only teams with six or more wins in one-score games were Arkansas State (7-1), Sam Houston State (6-0), Texas Tech, Duke and Missouri (all 6-1) and Syracuse (7-2).

Fo(u)rks Up
ASU made 18 fourth-down conversions in 2024. After converting on those 18, ASU had 12 touchdowns, 2 field goals and took a knee to end the Mississippi State game. The only three times it didn’t work as it had an interception, a missed field goal and turned it over on down later in the drive.

Undefeated in November
ASU went undefeated in November for the first time since 2013 and just its third time from 1976-present. ASU also was undefeated in November in 2013 (4-0), 1996 (3-0), 1975 (5-0), 1972 (4-0), 1971 (4-0), 1970 (3-0), 1969 (5-0), 1968 (5-0), 1967 (3-0), 1965 (3-0), 1963 (4-0), 1959 (4-0), 1958 (4-0), 1957 (5-0) and 1950 (4-0).

Returning AP All-Americans
Jordyn Tyson earned Third-Team Associated Press All-American honors last and is one of 16 returners from those teams in 2025. He is one of five returning AP All-Americans returning on offense along with center Jake Slaughter (Florida), wide receivers Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State) and Eric Rivers (Florida International) and tackle Spencer Fano (Utah)

Big 12 Honorees are Back
Arizona State has six returnees from the 2024 All Big 12 Team returning next year, led by wide receiver and first-team honoree Jordyn Tyson (Offensive Newcomer of the Year), second-team honoree Sam Leavitt (Offensive Freshman of the Year), defensive back Xavion Alford (first), tight end Chamon Metayer (second), defensive lineman C.J. Fite (second) and linebacker Keyshaun Elliott (second).

ASU Alumni on Sun Devil Football 2025 roster (listed alphabetically)
Xavion Alford, BA Liberal Studies, 2024
Coben Bourguet, BSE Engineering Management, 2024
Ben Coleman, MA Communication, 2024
Anthonie Cooper, BA Interdisciplinary Studies (Communication/Nutrition and Healthy Living), 2022
Prince Dorbah, BS Communication, 2024
Adama Fall, BA Liberal Studies
Zyrus Fiaseu, BA Liberal Studies, 2025
Cameron Harpole, BA Communication, 2025
Max Iheanachor, BA Liberal Studies, 2025
Chamon Metayer, BA Liberal Studies, 2025
Elijah O’Neal, BA Liberal Studies, 2024
Kyle Scott, BS Psychology, 2025
Ian Shewell, BS Clinical Exercise Science, 2025
Clayton Smith, BA Liberal Studies, 2025
Justin Wodtly, BA Liberal Studies, 2025

Sun Devil Football on Social
For exclusive content, the latest updates, and more information on the Sun Devil Football program, follow our X (@ASUFootball) and Instagram (@sundevilfb) accounts, like our Facebook page (facebook.com/SunDevilFootball), and visit our website (sundevils.com). Follow Coach Dillingham on X (@KennyDillingham).





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Colorado Volleyball’s Burilovic Named to AVCA All-West Region First Team

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December 10, 2025

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LEXINGTON, Ky. – Colorado volleyball junior pin attacker Ana Burilovic (Split, Croatia) was named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association’s (AVCA) All-West Region First Team on Tuesday, Dec. 9. 
 
Burilovic’s all-region selection marks the program’s 30th postseason regional selection all-time. This is also her second postseason award after being named to the 2025 All-Big 12 First Team last week. The last time Colorado was named to the All-Region First Team was middle blocker Naghede Abu and outside hitter Alexa Smith in 2018. Colorado’s last all-region selection was an honorable mention for middle blocker Meegan Hart in 2020. Colorado’s first appearance on the all-region team was the first team for setter Nicole Vranesh in 1992. 
 
Burilovic leads the Big 12 in points per set (5.47) and kills per set (4.71). She is also third in conference for aces per set (0.43). This is Burilovic’s first all-region selection of her career. In her 32 matches in 2025, she has accumulated 565 kills, 211 digs, 51 aces, 64 blocks and 19 assists. Burilovic has four kill-dig double-doubles on the season, now totaling 10 in her career. She has had 13 matches with 20 or more kills this season (a CU VB record), including two 30+ kill matches against UCF (Oct. 2) and at Northern Colorado (Oct. 28) – she is only the second player in Colorado Volleyball history to have two matches in one season with over 30 kills. On Sept. 30, Burilovic was named AVCA Player of the Week after aiding the Buffs in their road-sweep over then-No.14 BYU, and then-No.23 Utah. She was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week on Nov. 4, after leading Colorado’s win over Northern Colorado with 30 kills, hitting .329, nine digs, two blocks and one ace (Oct. 28). Burilovic surpassed 1,000 career kills at West Virginia, becoming the 19th Buff to total over 1,000 career kills. She now has 1,061 career kills, 521 career digs, 118 career aces and 116 career blocks.
 
Fourteen student-athletes were selected to the AVCA All-West Region First Team, and six were named Honorable Mention. A full list of the honorees can be found after this release.
 
Under 10th-year head coach Jesse Mahoney, Colorado finished the 2025 season 23-9 and went 12-6 against Big 12 opponents. Coach Mahoney has led the Buffs to a 164-135 record in his 10 seasons at the helm. The Buffs made their 22nd appearance in the NCAA tournament after the conclusion of the regular season, sweeping American in the first round before falling to four-seed Indiana in the second round. The Buffs’ last match against the Hoosiers marks the 12th second round appearance in program history. Colorado has 20 wins this season, marking the program’s 13th 20-win season and its first since 2022. With 23 wins this season, this is the most in a season since 2017 and ties for the third-most wins in a season in program history.
 
For more information on the Colorado volleyball team, please visit cubuffs.com/vb. Fans of the Buffs can follow @cubuffsvb on Instagram, X, and Facebook.
 
 
West Region
1st       Rebekah Allick             University of Nebraska             MB       Sr
1st       Tierney Barlow             Utah State University               MB       Sr
1st       Ana Burilovic               University of Colorado             OH       Jr
1st       Laney Choboy             University of Nebraska             L          Jr
1st       Suli Davis                    Brigham Young University       OH       Fr
1st       Kamryn Gibadlo           University of Utah                    OH       Jr
1st       Andi Jackson               University of Nebraska             MB       Jr
1st       Brielle Kemavor           Brigham Young University       MB       Jr
1st       Kaylie Kofe                  Utah State University               S          So
1st       Annalea Maeder          Creighton University                S          Sr
1st       Ava Martin                   Creighton University                OH       Sr
1st       Harper Murray             University of Nebraska             OH       Jr
1st       Bergen Reilly               University of Nebraska             S          Jr
1st       Kiara Reinhardt           Creighton University                MB       Sr
                                                           
Honorable Mention
HM      Virginia Adriano           University of Nebraska             RS       Fr
HM      Alex Bower                  Brigham Young University       S          So
HM      Loryn Helgesen           Utah State University               RS       So
HM      Taylor Landfair             University of Nebraska             OH       Sr
HM      Claire Little Chambers Brigham Young University       OH       Jr
HM      Avery Page                  Utah Valley University             OH       Sr
                                                           
West Region Award Winners
Region Player of the Year: Bergen Reilly, University of Nebraska, S, Jr
Region Freshman of the Year: Suli Davis, Brigham Young University, OH
Region Coach of the Year: Dani Busboom Kelly, University of Nebraska
 
 



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Big 12 Prepares for NCAA Volleyball Sweet 16

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December 10, 2025

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Arizona State and Kansas advanced to the Regional Semifinal round of the 2025 NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship. This is the fifth time in the last seven years that the Big 12 has sent at least two programs to the Sweet 16 and the first time since 2022. Additionally, the Big 12 finished with eight wins in the first round, the most in Conference history, surpassing the previous high of six (2004, 2006, 2023).
 
No. 2 seed Arizona State defeated Coppin State and Utah State to make its fourth trip to the regional semifinals in program history, and the second time in the last three years. The Sun Devils improved to 28-3 on the year, the second-most wins in school history. This marks the first time in the NCAA era that Arizona State has finished the year undefeated at home and the second time in Arizona State history. The 2025 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, Noemie Glover, recorded 17 kills, the second-most for the Sun Devils behind only Bailey Miller (18 kills). Arizona State will next play No. 3 seed Creighton on Thursday, Dec. 11 at Noon CT/11 a.m. MST.
 
No. 4 seed Kansas will play in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2021, and the fourth time in program history after two wins at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena. The Jayhawks swept High Point (3-0) before taking down No. 5 seed Miami (3-1) behind seniors Rhian Swanson and Katie Dalton. Swanson increased her season total to 19 games with double-digit kills, while Dalton added 59 assists across the two matches. Kansas will play top-seeded Nebraska on Friday, Dec. 12 at 8:30 p.m. CT.
 





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Players to watch at NCAA volleyball tournament’s Sweet 16

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December 10, 2025

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Dec 10, 2025, 07:00 AM ET

The 2025 NCAA volleyball tournament is down to its final 16 teams. But countless pressing questions remain as the tournament makes its way to the final four in Kansas City. Can Nebraska, the No. 1 overall seed, finish undefeated and claim the program’s sixth national title? Can Pitt advance to its fifth straight final four appearance? Will SEC champion Kentucky return to the final four for the first time since winning its first national championship in 2020? Is a young Texas team ready to cash in ahead of schedule?

Here are the 10 (OK, 11) players who will have a major say in answering those questions and more.

Olivia Babcock, Pitt: If the volleyball gods could issue a warning for the NCAA tournament’s stretch run, it would read something like this: “Do not take your eyes off Olivia Babcock, or else…” Arguably the most dynamic player in the college game, the 6-foot-4 Babcock averages 5.9 points per set and 5.1 kills per set for a team that is looking to return to the final four for the fifth straight time. The ACC Player of the Year had more than 40 kills in two matches this season from her opposite hitter position. With springy legs and a powerful arm from the front row, back row and behind the service line, Babcock, the 2024 AVCA Player of the Year, is magic in motion. Look away at your own risk.

Ella Swindle, Texas: Surrounded by strangers at the start of the season, the Longhorns’ junior setter holds the key to the powerful Texas attack. The 6-foot-3 Swindle led Texas to the national title in 2023 but then played a backup role a year ago when Texas fell to Creighton in the regional semifinals. This year, she has 898 assists — mostly to hitters she had never played with before the season. Texas’ top three hitters are Pitt transfer Torrey Stafford (488 kills) and freshmen Cari Spears (338 kills) and Abby Vander Wal (268 kills), and Swindle has the offense hitting at a .316 clip, tied for third-best in the nation.

Rebekah Allick, Nebraska: The top-seeded Cornhuskers take the court with a pick-your-poison approach. Every attacker around Big Ten Player and Setter of the Year Bergen Reilly can terminate (see: Andi Jackson, Taylor Landfair, Harper Murray). Every defender on the court can dig (see: Laney Choboy, Olivia Mauch, Teraya Sigler). On volleyball’s balanced behemoth, Allick stands out for her passion. Make no mistake: Allick, a 6-foot-4 senior middle blocker, is having the best statistical season of her career, hitting .437 (eighth-best in the country but seven slots below fellow middle blocker Jackson) with 235 kills. But nothing fires up the No. 1 overall seed more than an Allick roar after a stuffed block or a kill on an opponent’s overpass. The Huskers will be tested. And when they are, they’ll turn to Allick for inspiration.

Brookeva DeHudson, Kentucky: Don’t google her. It’s impossible to pick one Kentucky superstar outside hitter over the other. Brooklyn DeLeye and Eva Hudson are both that good, so we merged them into one spot. DeLeye was the SEC Player of the Year in 2024. Hudson, in her first year with the Wildcats after transferring from Purdue, is the SEC Player of the Year in 2025. The 6-foot-2 DeLeye has 495 kills on the season and averages 4.7 per set. The 6-foot-1 Hudson has 482 kills and averages 4.6 per set. Slow down one? Maybe. Stop both? Nearly impossible. Together they are the most lethal pair of pin hitters in the tournament and the engine driving Kentucky toward a shot at a second national title.

Chloe Chicoine, Louisville: Now we come upon the rarest of all sightings in the latter half of the NCAA tournament: a 5-foot-10 outside hitter. Chicoine, a transfer-portal addition to the reigning national runners-up, brings her impressive vertical leap and feisty play from Purdue to Louisville. She comes into the regional semifinals with her arm blazing. Chicoine crushed a season-high 28 kills in a five-set win over Marquette in the second round. She leads the balanced Cardinals with 387 kills and is second in digs with 332.

Mimi Colyer, Wisconsin: Two words: Instant. Offense. The 6-foot-3 senior outside hitter and Oregon transfer was a unanimous all-Big Ten selection in her first season with the Badgers. How could she not be? Colyer averages 5.32 kills per set, tops among players remaining in the tournament, and hits .340. She spent her free time getting 220 digs and 67 blocks. With setter extraordinaire Charlie Fuerbringer healthy and back on the court, the Badgers bring an offense that can pose problems for anyone and everyone.

Averi Carlson, SMU: The 5-foot-11 setter started for two seasons at Baylor, then started at Texas, then led the U.S. U23 national team to gold at the Pan American Cup, and now she orchestrates a high-powered Mustangs attack. The ACC Setter of the Year runs an offense that hits .316, tied for third-best (with Texas) in the country. She has developed a quick and lethal connection with fellow transfer Malaya Jones (503 kills) from Colorado State. She also puts up a strong block, with 85 on the season.

Noemie Glover, Arizona State: Since transferring from Oregon before the season, the Sun Devils’ opposite hitter has had exactly one match in which she didn’t produce double-digit kills — but even in that match she hit .444. The 6-foot-2 Glover has 406 kills, 108 blocks and 80 digs. Fun fact: Her dad, La’Roi Glover, played 13 seasons in the NFL and was a six-time Pro Bowler.

Elia Rubin, Stanford: The senior and four-year Cardinal starter has become synonymous with Stanford volleyball over the past four seasons. She brings a host of awards — AVCA All-America, All-ACC, All-Pac 12 — and 1,607 career kills into the regional semifinals. This season, she leads the second-seeded Cardinal in kills (378) and aces (45) and is second in digs (296). About the only thing Rubin hasn’t done in her Stanford career is play in the final four.

Logan Lednicky, Texas A&M: The 6-foot-3 senior opposite hitter is as steady as they come. She has been killing it for the Aggies for four straight seasons, and she’s poised to go out with a bang in her final NCAA tournament run. Through her first two tournament games, she has 39 kills on a .429 percentage and is averaging 6.21 points per set. The AVCA Player of the Year semifinalist plays some mean defense too — she has 83 blocks and 275 digs this season, both second-most among the Aggies.



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NIL’s marketing success proves the value of athletes as creators

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December 10, 2025

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Brands have long turned to professional athletes for their star power in big-budget commercials, but recent shifts in name, image, and likeness (NIL) policy have pushed marketers to widen the talent pool.

On July 1, the House v. NCAA settlement took effect, allowing colleges to compensate athletes for their NIL usage. Marketers expect that these athletes, many of whom have built-in communities and an engaged digital fanbase, can help brands stand out in the influencer space.

  • Student athletes boast a social media engagement rate 3.7x higher than traditional influencers (5.6% compared to 1.9%), according to a June Opendorse report.

“College athletes bring a new edge by commanding hyper-loyal, local communities,” said Alison Bringé, CMO of Launchmetrics, “shaping culture on campuses and connecting with younger consumers with a level of authenticity traditional influencers can’t reach.”

Why college athletes resonate

NIL compensation has shown that sports influence functions like creator influence, as fans want more from their favorite players than just highlight reels. US sports fans look for personal life updates (31%) almost as much as game highlights (34%), according to an April YouGov survey.

“With jam-packed schedules, they don’t always fit the mold of the ‘always-on’ influencer, which makes the glimpses they share into their daily lives, routines, and preferences even more special and exciting to fans,” said Ajalin Williamson, strategy director at The Goat Agency in an October report.

Inside the sports creator economy

With the NIL settlement giving new opportunities to athletes and marketers, brands are reconsidering who is influential, recognizing that considering the full sports sphere can lead to more memorable work.

Cameo, an app where consumers buy personalized videos from celebrities, is recognizing the value of expanding athlete partnerships through a partnership with the Pro Athlete Community (PAC). The goal is to highlight how “brand deals have historically been limited to only the most prominent names,” according to a press release.

You no longer need to be in the big leagues to be a top sports creator. The Savannah Bananas, an exhibition baseball team that is known for their choreographed dances and social presence, has 11.1 million TikTok followers. The Yankees have 1.8 million, and The Mets only 801.7 thousand.



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NCAA women’s volleyball players with famous NBA, NFL dads

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December 10, 2025

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Dec. 10, 2025, 6:02 a.m. ET



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2026 Nebraska volleyball reseating concerns some longtime fans

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December 10, 2025

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Nebraska Athletics is increasing capacity inside the John Cook Arena for the 2026 Husker Volleyball season, but some fans say the reseating is a worrisome change.The arena, inside the Bob Devaney Sports Center, will go from 8,300 to 10,000 seats next year. It’s the first full reseating in the program’s history. Longtime ticket holders like Jim Bunch said their season-ticket spots will no longer be guaranteed under the reseating. “A lot of people in our section, that have now been dispersed, have been together for over well over 30 years,” Bunch said. “It’s really sad.”The Athletic Fund says the reseat will increase revenue for the program. Bunch said he worries that Nebraska Athletics is prioritizing profit over fans.”I understand the landscape of college athletics today, NIL, transfer portal, and now the revenue sharing. But you know, the feeling in Nebraska for me is we’re no longer fans, we’re consumers, and they’re trying to squeeze every nickel out of us that they can,” Bunch said. In a February interview with KETV Sports, UNL Athletic Director Troy Dannen said updates like this one are part of keeping up with the evolution of college athletics.”In this new era of college athletics, for moving into how we generate revenues, stadiums are the primary revenue generators that every institution that plays at this level have,” Dannen said.Bunch said the changes are already beginning, after the University announced the reseating would begin for the NCAA tournament. Bunch said many friends of his no longer could sit in their season-ticket spots.”If you’re a current season ticket holder, you will get a seat somewhere in the building. That has not been true,” Bunch said. The process is outlined on the Nebraska Athletic Fund website, where it lists that season ticket holders will get an assigned appointment time to select their seats, as well as the donation and priority seating costs. The contribution deadline is March 18, 2026, and ticket holders will be notified in April and May of their selection date and time.”We don’t know where we’re going to be for next season, and we’re hopeful that we’re going to be able to stay close to the action,” Bunch said.

LINCOLN, Neb. —

Nebraska Athletics is increasing capacity inside the John Cook Arena for the 2026 Husker Volleyball season, but some fans say the reseating is a worrisome change.

The arena, inside the Bob Devaney Sports Center, will go from 8,300 to 10,000 seats next year. It’s the first full reseating in the program’s history. Longtime ticket holders like Jim Bunch said their season-ticket spots will no longer be guaranteed under the reseating.

“A lot of people in our section, that have now been dispersed, have been together for over well over 30 years,” Bunch said. “It’s really sad.”

The Athletic Fund says the reseat will increase revenue for the program. Bunch said he worries that Nebraska Athletics is prioritizing profit over fans.

“I understand the landscape of college athletics today, NIL, transfer portal, and now the revenue sharing. But you know, the feeling in Nebraska for me is we’re no longer fans, we’re consumers, and they’re trying to squeeze every nickel out of us that they can,” Bunch said.

In a February interview with KETV Sports, UNL Athletic Director Troy Dannen said updates like this one are part of keeping up with the evolution of college athletics.

“In this new era of college athletics, for moving into how we generate revenues, stadiums are the primary revenue generators that every institution that plays at this level have,” Dannen said.

Bunch said the changes are already beginning, after the University announced the reseating would begin for the NCAA tournament. Bunch said many friends of his no longer could sit in their season-ticket spots.

“If you’re a current season ticket holder, you will get a seat somewhere in the building. That has not been true,” Bunch said.

The process is outlined on the Nebraska Athletic Fund website, where it lists that season ticket holders will get an assigned appointment time to select their seats, as well as the donation and priority seating costs. The contribution deadline is March 18, 2026, and ticket holders will be notified in April and May of their selection date and time.

“We don’t know where we’re going to be for next season, and we’re hopeful that we’re going to be able to stay close to the action,” Bunch said.



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