Donley, Sherman Named AVCA First Team All-American
BVB4/30/2025 1:01 PM | By: Cal Athletics
Bears’ Top Pair Makes History
BERKELEY – Junior Portia Sherman and sophomore Emma Donley of the California beach volleyball team were named AVCA First Team All-Americans, the organization announced Wednesday. The accolades continue to roll in for the Golden Bears’ court-one pair, which […]
BERKELEY – Junior Portia Sherman and sophomore Emma Donley of the California beach volleyball team were named AVCA First Team All-Americans, the organization announced Wednesday.
The accolades continue to roll in for the Golden Bears’ court-one pair, which was named to the inaugural MPSF All-Tournament team Monday.
Sherman and Donley are the first Bears in program history to earn a first team All-America nod.
Sherman and Donley have played every single match together in the top spot of Cal’s lineup this season and have compiled a 27-7 record. They broke the all-time court-one wins record of 21 and did so in a single season. Their 27 wins ties the program’s single-season pairs record set by Grace Campbell and Maddie Micheletti in 2018, and they will get a chance to break the mark at this weekend’s NCAA Championship in Gulf Shores, Alabama.
The pair has 16 ranked wins on the season, which includes three top-five wins and five top-ten wins. They enter the postseason having won 17 of their last 20 matches, including an 11-match win streak that spanned from March 21 – April 13.
Individually, Sherman reached a major milestone by earning her 50th career win on April 13 against GCU and is now up to 54. She boasts a 54-12 career record with a .818 win percentage which is the highest in program history.
Donley is just one win away from her 50th career victory and leads the active roster with 34 court-one wins.
Sherman and Donley began playing together for the first time last fall where they earned a fifth-place finish at the prestigious AVCA Pairs National Championship in Huntsville, Alabama. The duo followed that up by winning the BNTDP Jr. Pan Am trials in January, which earned them a spot on the USA Volleyball Collegiate Beach National Team. They will represent the United States this summer in tournaments held in Paraguay and Dominican Republic.
This marks the third straight year that Cal has had multiple All-Americans. While this is the first postseason accolade for Sherman, Donley was given a pair of nods last year, being named Second Team All-Pac-12 and to the Pac-12 All-Freshman team.
Published July 12, 2025 Alumni and Friends, This week has made my start as the University’s 16th President feel even more official as Elizabeth and I moved into the Benjamin Prince House. In my attempt to learn more about our new home’s namesake, I came across the following on our website: “For 68 years, Prince, […]
This week has made my start as the University’s 16th President feel even more official as Elizabeth and I moved into the Benjamin Prince House. In my attempt to learn more about our new home’s namesake, I came across the following on our website:
“For 68 years, Prince, who graduated with honors from Wittenberg’s Preparatory Department in 1865, devoted his life to Wittenberg, both as a student and in a variety of offices ranging from professor to collector of tuition to vice president. He knew every graduate of the university during his time on campus, and he founded the college’s first alumni association. He also played an instrumental role in the creation of the college’s annual alumni fund, and he knew and worked with every president of the college except the first one, Ezra Keller.”
Reading about Benjamin Prince’s legacy reminds me of the difference each of us can make when we connect passion to purpose — the very bridge we seek to create through our classes and extra-curricular engagements on our beautiful campus. Wittenberg is a place where we should — and do — know our students’ names, and in that spirit, I intend to follow in Prince’s footsteps as I get to know our students, along with our faculty, staff, families, alumni, and friends.
I am eagerly awaiting the fall semester to see the story that will unfold as students return. I also look ahead with joy and anticipation for how the Wittenberg Way will be blessed in the year ahead.
Fondly, Mike and Sharon Frandsen
New Leader in Enrollment Management
Following a national search, Wittenberg is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael “Mike” Brown as its new vice president for enrollment management, effective June 23, 2025. A proven leader in strategic enrollment operations and multidimensional recruitment planning, Brown comes to Wittenberg from Ursuline College, where he has served as vice president for enrollment management since 2021.
Join us for some of the area’s most delicious local ice cream in celebration of a great Tiger Summer. Mingle with fellow alumni, meet members of the Admission staff and Wittenberg community, and tell future Tigers what you loved about your Wittenberg experience. Help us spread the word about Wittenberg by inviting a prospective student to join you!
Cleveland: Mitchell’s Ice Cream 1867 W. 25th St. Wednesday, July 16 5 – 7 p.m.
Springfield/Dayton: Young’s Jersey Dairy 6880 Springfield-Xenia Rd. Yellow Springs Thursday, July 17 5 – 7 p.m.
Please RSVP at least one week in advance of the event you plan to attend.
Outdoor Immersion
Combining nature with teaching is something that Charity Perry ’25 experienced firsthand through her recent FIRE Week experience at the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont (GSMIT) near Gatlinburg, Tennessee. A biology major pursuing a minor in education from Garfield Heights, Ohio, Perry is one of three recipients of the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program.
Grateful Parent
Stephanie Morgan-White ’92 passed her love for Wittenberg on to her daughters, Morgan White ’23 and Shelby White ’27. Passionate about Wittenberg, Morgan-White continues to make an impact on Wittenberg by volunteering at college fairs, writing postcards to accepted students, promoting the University as a Commit to Witt ambassador, serving on the Alumni Association Board, and supporting Wittenberg with financial gifts. Learn more about her experience as a student and now a parent.
Interning at the 2025 Super Bowl
Four students had the experience of a lifetime working at Super Bowl LIX, Feb. 9, 2025, at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. Leveraging their business and sport management courses, connections, and leadership skills, the students brought their A game to every facet of their time at the Super Bowl. Click on the image to hear what each found rewarding about their internship.
Oral History Project: Amb. Robert Perry ’67
We’re thrilled to share a few of the stories from our Oral History Project. Amb. Robert Perry ’67 credits Professors Robert Hartje, Melvin Laatsch, and Jeffrey Mao with sparking his interest in political science. Mao encouraged him to apply for a Ford Foundation fellowship, which included a State Department internship and an M.A. from American University. That introduced Perry to a 34-year career in the Foreign Service, beginning in Vietnam and including several posts in Latin America and Africa. We’re grateful for alumni like Amb. Perry, who have supported Wittenberg throughout the years with a gift to the University. To join him in supporting Wittenberg, make a gift now.
Spring Athletics Highlights
Wittenberg’s spring sports season concluded over Memorial Day weekend at the 2025 NCAA Division III Track and Field Championships as Jack Kittle ’28 earned second-team All-America in the 200-meter dash and first-team All-America in the 400-meter dash. A day earlier, the Tiger men’s golf team finished 16th at the 2025 NCAA Division III Championships, led by Mitch Bolte ’28, who earned a spot on the national All-Freshman Team after placing 27th individually. As a department, Wittenberg finished third in the final 2024-25 North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) All-Sports standings, in part thanks to outstanding spring performances from men’s golf (first), women’s track and field (second), baseball (second), men’s track and field (third), women’s golf (third), and softball (fourth).
There’s Still Time to Give Before Fiscal Year-End!
Since 1845, Wittenberg has provided students with an education that has challenged them to lead personal, professional, and civic lives of creativity, service, compassion, and integrity. We’re grateful to all who have supported Wittenberg with a gift this fiscal year. We thank them for their support of our mission. If you have not already made a gift, there’s still time. When you make a gift before June 30, you’ll impact the future of our students! Pass your light by making a gift today!
Wittenberg Bids Farewell to the Frandsens
Members of the Springfield community, the University’s Board of Directors, students, faculty, staff, and friends participated in a series of events last month to honor and thank President Mike Frandsen and Sharon Frandsen for their eight years of dedicated service to Wittenberg. President Frandsen will conclude his tenure as the University’s 15th President on June 30, 2025. Enjoy a special video from the Wittenberg community, which was shared at the final event, May 8, hosted by the Board of Directors. Additionally, President Frandsen reflected on his time at Wittenberg in a recent interview with the Springfield News-Sun that can be found here.
Rhode Island high school boys volleyball quarter century All-State team
Cranston East beats North Kingstown to win the D-I boys volleyball title Cranston East started strong, then held off a late charge by the Skippers to win the Division I championship on June 8 at RIC The team includes outside hitters, middle blockers, setters, a libero, and a utility player. Players were selected based on […]
Cranston East beats North Kingstown to win the D-I boys volleyball title
Cranston East started strong, then held off a late charge by the Skippers to win the Division I championship on June 8 at RIC
The team includes outside hitters, middle blockers, setters, a libero, and a utility player.
Players were selected based on their individual statistics, team accomplishments, and input from coaches.
Many of the selected athletes continued their volleyball careers at the collegiate level.
The Providence Journal is taking on a new challenge this summer.
The sports staff of Bill Koch, Eric Rueb and Jacob Rousseau are dusting off the archives in search of the best athletes from the last 25 years. We’ve set out to compile the official Rhode Island high school sports All-State teams of this quarter century.
We’ll start with the spring sports and then move to winter and end with the fall teams. The plan is to publish every sport before the 2025-26 school year begins. There’s subjectivity, as always, with these teams, but they’re created with great care and detail. We’ve searched through our own notes and memories and consulted the state’s coaches to aid in this project.
There have been numerous standout athletes over the years and narrowing it down was no easy task. For our own sanity, we essentially doubled the number of All-Staters on each of the teams.
Without further ado, here is The Providence Journal quarter-century All-State boys volleyball team.
Outside hitters
The hitters always steal the show on All-State volleyball teams. The best players filter to the outside in search of points and the previous 25 years only proved that notion. We start with one of Hendricken’s best hitters, Steve Fuller, Class of 2006. The Hawks’ star was a two-time All-State selection (2005-06) and finished his senior season with 276 kills to break the school’s record for hitting percentage with a .420 mark. Fuller also amassed 160 digs, 31 aces and 41 blocks. He helped Hendricken win three straight state championships.
North Kingstown’s Mason Andrade, Class of 2022, also did plenty of winning during his career. The hitter captured the 2021 and 2022 crowns with North Kingstown and was a two-time All-State selection by The Journal. In his senior season, Andrade took home player of the year honors from The Journal. He’s currently a junior, playing Libero, at Wentworth Institute of Technology.
Brad Borsay was an athletic freak for Chariho volleyball. At 6-foot-5, Borsay had 303 kills and logged 645 attacks in his senior year. He also led the Chargers with 39 aces and 364 digs. Borsay, Class of 2010, carried Chariho to a runner-up finish in the state championship. He was a two-time all-state selection (2009-10) and went onto play at Sacred Heart. In his final year with the Pioneers, he accumulated 254 kills.
Dylan McClung unfortunately didn’t have the chance to display his prowess for a full four seasons. His junior season at Hendricken was lost to COVID, but he returned for the 2021 year and put on a show. In the state championship match against North Kingstown, McClung, standing a whopping 6-foot-7, compiled a dozen kills in the third set alone. McClung was the Journal’s 2021 Player of the Year and he earned second-team honors as a sophomore. He went on to play at Sacred Heart, where he finished with 300 kills for his career.
Zack Stedman is the oldest player on this All-State team. His dominance with East Providence stretches back to the turn of the century when he was a three-time All-State selection (1999-01). Stedman led the Townies to consecutive state championships in 2000-01 and an undefeated campaign in his senior year. That fall, Stedman had 223 kills and connected on 45 percent of his hits, with 210 assists and 66 blocks.
Mount St. Charles had a limited volleyball resumé before Jarod Tessier arrived. That changed as the outside hitter paced the Mounties’ first state championship appearance in 2017. Mount suffered a heartbreaking 3-2 loss to South Kingstown, but Tessier made his mark. He was a three-time All-Stater (2015-17) and finished his senior season with 386 kills.
Middle blockers
Ephraim Abhulime graduated from La Salle in 2024. The middle blocker was a key cog in the Rams’ first state championship in 2023. But in his senior year, he really took over. The 6-foot-6 star athlete finished with 287 kills and had 47 blocks as La Salle won its second straight title. Abhulime just completed his first season at Merrimack College where he had 96 kills as a middle blocker.
Hendricken’s Brendan Baker was in the middle of the Hawks’ 2010 and 2011 titles. He switched to outside for his senior year and led the team with 320 kills, 181 digs and finished with 49 blocks and 15 aces. He played for three seasons at Johnson and Wales where he compiled 661 kills.
Dan Fanning’s 2005 season for North Kingstown was one to remember. The Journal wrote then that he was, “North Kingstown’s most dangerous player and opposing teams regularly keyed on Fanning.” Despite the attention, Fanning still managed more than 100 blocks and recorded 197 kills. And he was an outstanding server for good measure with a 95% service percentage.
Hendricken’s David Rufful won — a lot. He was part of four consecutive boys basketball state championship teams and he led the Hawks to three straight volleyball titles. In his senior season on the volleyball court, Rufful had 296 kills with a .355 hitting percentage and 34 aces. He earned first-team All-State honors during that 2007 spring and was a second-team pick in 2006.
Setters
Setters have a ton of weight on their shoulders, especially on powerhouse teams. North Kingstown’s Garrett Bucklin handled those offensive responsibilities perfectly. He guided the Skippers to a 15-1 championship-winning season in 2014 and a 12-4 record in 2013. He made the Journal’s first team both years.
Ryan Buglio steered loaded Coventry teams over three seasons. Coventry went 14-2 in his junior year in 2014 as he nabbed second-team honors from The Journal. In his senior year, Buglio led the Oakers to a 15-1 mark and a state championship win. Buglio had 572 assists with 92 digs and 46 aces in 2015. He also had 47 kills and 37 blocks for good measure. During his career, he handed out 1,842 assists over a 45-3 regular-season record.
Libero
The defensive specialist spot wasn’t utilized for all 25 years. But that didn’t stop Mount St. Charles’ Dan Gould from making his feelings on the position known. Gould was a two-time first-team All-State selection (2017-18) and he made the second team as a sophomore. He helped the Mounties to their first state championship win in 2018. He managed 208 kills in his senior year and 228 digs, including 19 in the championship vs. Hendricken. Over four seasons, he totaled 1,053 digs.
Utility
Ryan Harrington was the Journal’s 2025 Player of the Year and for good reason. Harrington could have been an All-Stater at any position and is the type of player any coach would welcome. He played outside for the Skippers and totaled 278 kills with a 0.39% hitting percentage. Harrington also added 35 aces in his senior year. The Skippers’ star was a first-team member in 2024 and made the second team the previous year. Harrington went 67-5 in the regular season over four years with NK.
HBCU Olympic Gold Medalist Returns After Three-Year Ban
After three years away from competition, Randolph Ross is set to return to the track. The former HBCU standout and Olympic Gold Medalist from North Carolina A&T will compete in the men’s 400 meters on Sunday at the Meeting International de Marseille in France. The event is part of the World Athletics Continental Tour (bronze […]
After three years away from competition, Randolph Ross is set to return to the track. The former HBCU standout and Olympic Gold Medalist from North Carolina A&T will compete in the men’s 400 meters on Sunday at the Meeting International de Marseille in France. The event is part of the World Athletics Continental Tour (bronze level) and marks his first race since receiving a suspension in 2022.
Randolph Ross, who was banned for three years in 2022 for a doping violation in relation to faking an email to doping authorities in which he admitted doctoring an email, is making his return on Sunday in Marseille. pic.twitter.com/nNc0lOZgXW
— Global Athletics Hub (@glblathletichub) July 11, 2025
A Star Born at an HBCU
Ross, now 24, was once one of the brightest young talents in American track. While competing for North Carolina A&T, he became a two-time NCAA champion and helped the United States win gold in the 4×400-meter relay at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. He trained under his father, former Olympian Duane Ross, and together they turned A&T into one of the most dominant HBCU track programs in history.
The Suspension That Changed Everything
That success came to an abrupt stop in July 2022. The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) suspended Ross just before the World Championships in Oregon. The reason: three “whereabouts failures” within a 12-month span. These failures meant that officials were unable to locate him for required drug testing.
Later that year, the AIU made the suspension official. Randolph Ross was banned for three years, and the penalty included an added charge of “tampering.” During the investigation, he admitted to altering the date on a confirmation email related to his testing location. This misstep, while not a failed drug test, was treated as a serious violation.
A Complicated Timeline
In an interview with Track & Field News, Ross accepted full responsibility. “The whole thing came down to being my fault,” he said. However, he also expressed concern about how heavily administrative errors were punished. Ross explained that the missed tests occurred during a hectic period of his life. He competed at nationals, moved from North Carolina to Tennessee, and was preparing to transfer schools.
The first missed test happened in April 2022, when Ross forgot to update his location ahead of a meet in Gainesville, Florida. The second came during the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon, where he defended his 400m title. Ross argued that anti-doping officials could have located him at the meet, but noted that the rules still required formal updates through an app.
The third failure was more complex. Randolph Ross had moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, but the AIU still visited his old address in Greensboro. While USADA had updated information, the AIU did not. In an attempt to explain the mix-up, Ross submitted a screenshot of an automatically generated email, but changed the date on it. That change triggered the tampering charge.
The Impact of the Ban
The AIU treated the missed tests and altered email as a single violation. Because Ross admitted fault and cooperated fully, the original four-year penalty was reduced to three. Still, the ban had significant consequences. Ross lost his spot on the U.S. team, his college eligibility, and a likely professional contract. He also missed the chance to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
During his suspension, Ross completed his finance degree at North Carolina A&T and began studying for a real estate license. He continued to train, though restrictions prevented him from working with USATF-affiliated coaches or athletes. One exception allowed him to continue training with his father due to their family connection.
A Measured Return
Now, as of July 1, Ross is eligible to compete again. Sunday’s race in Marseille will be his first test back. The result will be closely watched—not just because of the controversy that preceded it, but because of what it represents: the return of an HBCU athlete who once ran one of the fastest 400m times in history, and appeared poised for global stardom.
Blue Mountain grad Myah Conway to play professional volleyball – Pottsville Republican Herald
Myah Conway, a 2021 Blue Mountain grad recently signed to play professional Volleyball in Sweden. The Right Side hitter had a strong four years at Old Dominion University, an tallied 369 kills in her senior year, which ranked second in the Sun Belt conference. Conway also was named All-Second Team Sun Belt. Myah Conway (SUBMITTED) […]
Myah Conway, a 2021 Blue Mountain grad recently signed to play professional Volleyball in Sweden.
The Right Side hitter had a strong four years at Old Dominion University, an tallied 369 kills in her senior year, which ranked second in the Sun Belt conference. Conway also was named All-Second Team Sun Belt.
Myah Conway (SUBMITTED)
“I feel very proud in high school and college, I didn’t think playing professional volleyball would be an option for me,” said Conway.
“I am very lucky and grateful that I am able to continue playing the sport that I love. I can’t imagine stopping playing right now. I hope to play as long as I can.”
The former Lady Eagle signed to join Linkopings Volleyboll Club, who is a part of the Elitserien Volleyboll league in Sweden. Conway is represented by Athletes Abroad Management.
“After talking to the coaches, I thought it was the perfect place to start my professional career and just to develop more as a player,” Conway said.
Conway has never been to Sweden, but has done a lot of research on the country prior to her arrival.
To get the contract, Conway worked a lot with her coaches at Old Dominion who had connections at the professional level. Conway also did a lot of research herself before finding an agency.
Conway said she is always thankful for her time at Blue Mountain and will never forget it.
Conway shined for the Lady Eagles. She was a three-time All-State honoree, and finished her career with 850 kills, 570 digs and 220 assists. She was also named to the Under Armour All-America watch list as a junior and a senior.
“I loved Blue Mountain, especially after not having Volleyball in middle school,” Conway said. “That was the first place where I saw myself grow. I made so many friends that I still cherish. The coaches there I really love helped me become the player I am getting into the college level.”
Conway wants to be the person the young players in Schuylkill County can look up to and offered some words of advice.
“Reach out, don’t be shy, talk to as many coaches as you can,” she said. “You have to put your name out there. It’s your job to do your work and get that exposure.”
Conway will leave for Sweden at the end of August. She said she is excited to meet new people and see the culture and the country.
When she arrives in Sweden, she has some goals for herself as a player.
“I want to grow as a player, “ she said. “I feel like I haven’t reached my peak yet. I want to see how far I can really go with this sport.”
Young water polo players reach the semifinals of the European Championship
The U16 water polo team of Montenegro missed a great chance to qualify for the finals of the European Championship. Đorđe Radošević’s team lost to Italy 13:12 in the semifinals – it could have been different, because our team missed many opportunities. The winning goal for the “azurine” was scored by Antonio Chianeze with two […]
The U16 water polo team of Montenegro missed a great chance to qualify for the finals of the European Championship.
Đorđe Radošević’s team lost to Italy 13:12 in the semifinals – it could have been different, because our team missed many opportunities.
The winning goal for the “azurine” was scored by Antonio Chianeze with two minutes and 40 seconds left, and Montenegro then wasted two attacks with a player more…
Italy had a plus two on several occasions, our team did not give up and managed to equalize through Danilo Roganović halfway through the last quarter.
Later, great excitement was seen, the Italians were happier and more skillful.
Roganović led the Montenegrin team with five goals, Andrej Durutović scored two, and Luka Cerović, Luka Popović, Luka Dragović, Danilo Savović and Dimitrije Milić each scored one.
Montenegro will fight for bronze in Istanbul with the loser from tonight’s duel between Hungary and Croatia.
Charges upgraded against former Crystal Lake South HS dean, Prairie Ridge volleyball coach in DUI crash involving children
Hilary Agnello, 43, of Crystal Lake, who was employed by School District 155 as a dean at Crystal Lake South High School and as the girls head volleyball coach at Prairie Ridge High School, was arrested on May 9 for allegedly driving under the influence and causing a crash with injuries in Crystal Lake. | […]
Hilary Agnello, 43, of Crystal Lake, who was employed by School District 155 as a dean at Crystal Lake South High School and as the girls head volleyball coach at Prairie Ridge High School, was arrested on May 9 for allegedly driving under the influence and causing a crash with injuries in Crystal Lake. | Provided Photos
Felony charges have now been filed against a former Crystal Lake South High School dean and Prairie Ridge High School coach who was arrested for driving under the influence and causing an injury crash with children in the car.
The Crystal Lake Police Department and Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department responded around 9:15 p.m. on May 9 to the intersection of Route 31 and Three Oaks Road for a vehicle crash with injuries.
Crystal Lake Deputy Police Chief Thomas Kotlowski said at the time that the investigation showed the at-fault driver in the crash was Hilary Agnello, 43, of Crystal Lake.
Agnello was suspected to be under the influence of alcohol at the time and arrested by officers, Kotlowski said.
Kotlowski said at least two people were transported by ambulance from the crash with minor injuries.
Agnello had two juveniles in the vehicle with her, Kotlowski added.
Agnello was initially charged with driving under the influence, two counts of child endangerment, operating an uninsured motor vehicle and failure to reduce speed to avoid a crash.
On Thursday, the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office upgraded the charges against her when a grand jury returned an indictment charging her with four counts of aggravated driving under the influence with a passenger under 16, two counts of aggravated driving under the influence with a passenger under 16 resulting in a crash, two counts of aggravated driving under the influence causing a crash with bodily harm, two counts of child endangerment, failure to reduce speed to avoid a crash and illegal transportation of alcohol by a driver.
The most serious charges against her are Class 2 felonies.
A criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court said the two children in Agnello’s car were ages 12 and 14.
An officer noted in a report that Agnello’s speech was thick-tongued and she had an odor of alcoholic beverage emitting from her breathing and field sobriety testing showed further signs of impairment.
The report said Agnello refused to submit to or failed to complete testing, resulting in a minimum 12-month suspension of her driving privileges.
Kotlowski said Agnello refused to submit to blood alcohol testing and a search warrant was obtained for blood samples, which were sent to the lab for analysis.
Agnell was one of the deans at Crystal Lake South High School in District 155. She was also the girls volleyball head coach at Prairie Ridge High School in Prairie Grove, which is also in District 155.
She has since been removed from the district’s website as being one of the deans. It is unclear if she remains active as the girls volleyball head coach.
Agnello was released from custody following her arrest in May and is scheduled to appear in court again on July 22 to be arraigned on the new charges.
Court records show Agnell has a prior driving under the influence violation from 2017 and also has numerous traffic violations in McHenry County, including one where she fled the scene of a crash involving a parked vehicle last year.