Kentucky’s reward for torching its side of the bracket? A date with the program it’s never beaten.
Sports
Elementary-aged volleyball camp planned for August at RSHS
Kyle A. Pillar – Sports Editor
ROCKINGHAM — As the sport of volleyball continues to grow in interest and participation in Richmond County, so does the anticipation for Richmond Senior’s annual development camp.
Head coach Ashleigh Larsen announced this week that plans for the Lady Raider volleyball program’s sixth annual summer camp are finalized.
Held the past five summers for girls in elementary and middle school, the camp is being done a little differently this year.
Set for Aug. 5 and 6, the camp is two days this year and is only open to girls who are entering first through fifth grade.
The cost per camper is $40 (plus a $3 service fee on GoFan) and each daily session will begin at 8 a.m. in Richmond’s gymnasium.
Lady Raider Volleyball Camp Registration Link
Larsen shared the camp’s mission is to “teach, educate and raise the level of volleyball skills for the campers, as well as teach the team concept. This will lead to success on the volleyball court through middle and high school.”
She also encouraged local youth to “keep active this summer by being a part of a winning tradition.”
Helping with instruction during the camp will be current and former Lady Raider players. Larsen added that the focus will be on the sport’s fundamentals with the younger group, including passing, serving and hitting drills.
Even though no camp will be held for middle school players (rising sixth to eighth graders), a skills clinic is planned for Aug. 11 at Richmond at 6 p.m.
The cost is $10 per athlete (cash only) as Larsen, assistant coach Melissa Dennis and former William Peace University volleyball player Georgia Grace Anderson will “cover skills and concepts needed for tryouts.”
There is no pre-registration for the middle school clinic.
Larsen can be contacted via email at ashleighlarsen@richmond.k12.nc.us with questions.
Sports
Pitt loses to Texas A&M in NCAA volleyball final four
Pitt lost 3-0 to Texas A&M in the final four of the NCAA women’s volleyball tournament on Thursday.
The No. 1-seeded Panthers lost to third-seeded Texas A&M in the national semifinal match at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. Pitt’s season ended in the final four for the fifth consecutive season, while Texas A&M is headed to its first-ever national championship.
Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images
Pitt lost the first set 29-27, lost the second set 25-21, lost 25-20 in the third set. It was the first time this season that Pitt was swept.
“An incredible season comes to an end in the National Semifinal,” Pitt volleyball posted to social media after the match.
Pitt defeated UMBC, Michigan, Minnesota and Purdue to reach the final four. The Panthers finished the season 30-5, claiming at least a share of their fourth consecutive Atlantic Coast Conference title.
Texas A&M will play the winner of Wisconsin-Kentucky on Sunday for the championship.
Sports
The top moments from Bowerman winner Jordan Anthony’s 2025 season
Arkansas’ Jordan Anthony won the 2025 Bowerman as the most outstanding man in track and field. Anthony is the third athlete in Arkansas history to win the Bowerman, joining fellow men’s Razorback winners Jarrion Lawson (2016) and Jaydon Hibbert (2023).
Anthony swept the NCAA titles in the short sprints across seasons, winning the 60 meters and 100 meters. He also ran the second-fastest all-conditions 100 meters in NCAA history.
RELATED: A complete history of the Bowerman
Anthony had a fantastic season filled with great performances. Here are some of her top moments from her award-winning season.
SEC Indoor 60m
Anthony won his first title of the 2025 season with a 6.54-second finish to win the SEC Indoor 60 meter title. It was a sign of more titles to come in 2025.
Razorback Jordan Anthony with the lean to win a very close 60m final at SEC Indoor pic.twitter.com/EYjC9o1aZl
— Arkansas TF/XC (@RazorbackTF) March 2, 2025
Prelims Indoor 60m
In a 60 meter race for the ages, Anthony ran 6.47 seconds in the semifinals at the 2025 NCAA indoor championships. That time is the third-fastest ever ran in collegiate history, but Anthony finished second in the race.
Indoor 60m title
After a fast semifinal round, all eyes were on the title race in the men’s 60 meters. Anthony didn’t dissapoint with a 6.49-second finish and the win.
First sub-10 at Mt. SAC
Jordan Anthony previewed what would be his fastest season yet when he ran under 10 seconds for the first time of his collegiate career at Mt. SAC relays with a 9.98 (+1.2) finish.
2025 Mt. SAC Relays
100m Elite
1) 9.98 Jordan Anthony [PR, UA school record]
2) 10.05 Ilias Garcia
3) 10.07 Benjamin AzamantiAnthony betters UA record of 10.04 shared by Jarrion Lawson (2015) and Lance Lang (2024)
No. 3 in world for 2025, No. 2 collegian pic.twitter.com/WI1Jj6IZWR
— RazorbackTF/XC (@RazorbackTF) April 19, 2025
SEC sweep
Anthony solidified hisself as a national title threat by sweeping the sprints in the hardest conference in track and field, the SEC. Not only did he sweep the 100 and 200 meters, he also set PRs.
2025 SEC Championships | M 100m final
1) 9.95 Jordan Anthony [PR, UA record]
Wind 0.0Betters his own UA record of 9.98
Sweeps SEC 60m and SEC 100m title in same season pic.twitter.com/MfzIA3OrEB
— RazorbackTF/XC (@RazorbackTF) May 17, 2025
2025 SEC Championships | M 200m final
1) 19.93 Jordan Anthony [PR, UA No. 2]
8) 20.61 Connor WashingtonAnthony sweeps SEC 100m and 200m with career best times in each pic.twitter.com/00hfXuZmnt
— RazorbackTF/XC (@RazorbackTF) May 18, 2025
9.75 shocks the world
The race the got the world’s attention. When Jordan Anthony ran 9.75, everyone stopped to check the clock. While the wind reading said +2.1, the time itself was correct. Anthony put the world on notice.
Jogs 200m in “Incredible” fashion
After running a 9.75, Anthony still had to qualify for the 200 meters at nationals. He took his time with this race, finishing in 20.20 seconds while looking very relaxed.
Jordan Anthony out here running races like Dash 😭 pic.twitter.com/ItpFQZ942l
— Travis Miller (@travismillerx13) May 31, 2025
From Lane 9 for the win
After only finishing fourth in his heat, Jordan Anthony was placed all the way out in Lane 9 for the 100 meter final. It’s a far spot for a favorite entering the championship meet and can be missed from the action in the middle of the track. Anthony snuck up from the outside to win the title, surprise many who forgot about the Razorback.
Full recap
Here’s a look at all of Anthony’s accomplishments this year:
Championships:
- NCAA Indoor 60m champion
- NCAA Outdoor 100m champion
- SEC Indoor 60m champion
- SEC Outdoor 100m champion
- SEC Outdoor 200m champion
- SEC Outdoor Team champion
Collegiate Records and All-Time marks:
- No. 2 fastest all-conditions 100m in NCAA history
- No. 3 fastest 60 meters in NCAA history
Stan Becton joined NCAA.com in 2021 and has since served as a college football, FCS football, track and field, cross country and HBCU beat reporter. He has covered numerous NCAA championship events, including the FCS Championship, DI Track & Field Championships and Men’s Frozen Four. Additionally, he has covered the College Football Playoff and HBCU sporting events like the Celebration Bowl, MEAC/SWAC Challenge and Legacy Classic. Stan graduated from Carnegie Mellon University, earning a degree in Professional Writing and playing football as a five-year letterman. You can follow him on Twitter @stan_becton.
The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NCAA or its member institutions.
Sports
Shanley volleyball coach Taylor Preston steps down after 2 seasons – InForum
FARGO — Fargo Shanley volleyball head coach Taylor Preston is stepping down after two seasons.
Shanley activities director Mark Hollcraft announced the resignation late Wednesday night.
“Shanley volleyball coach Taylor Preston has submitted her resignation, and I have accepted it,” Hollcraft said in the release. “I am grateful for her three years of coaching our Shanley girls, including the last two as head coach.
“Taylor expressed much appreciation in getting to know the girls through coaching but believed it was time to take new steps forward in her life.”
Alyssa Goelzer/The Forum
Preston initially joined the Deacons staff as an assistant in 2023 under former coach Alexis Bachmeier. Shanley finished 26-11 that season and included runner-up finishes at both the East Region and Class A state tournament.
Preston took the reins of the program ahead of the 2024 season. The 2024 campaign saw the Deacons finish 29-7 overall, including 20-2 in the Eastern Dakota Conference for the regular season conference title. Shanley also qualified for the state tournament for the second straight year.
This past season saw Shanley finish 23-14 overall. Overall, Preston compiled a record of 52-21 over two years leading the program.
Hollcraft said the search for Shanley’s next head coach will begin immediately.
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Sports
Aggies sweep Pitt to reach NCAA title game
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In the moments before Texas A&M’s match against Pitt in the NCAA women’s volleyball semifinals, coach Jamie Morrison had simple message.
“We are here,” he told his team. “We are here.”
The meaning was for A&M to stay true to its identity.
The Aggies did with three-set sweep over Pitt and will play for their first national title at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday against either Kentucky or Wisconsin, which played later Thursday in the other semifinal.
A&M’s identity — “we are the grittiest,” senior Logan Lednicky said after last week’s regional win over Nebraska — has power hitters in Lednicky and Kyndal Stowers up front, the middle blocking of Ifenna Coas-Okpalla and the “quarterbacking” of Maddie Waak.
Texas A&M won the first set, 29-27, on its fifth match point on a kill by Stowers, who had nine in the first set with no errors.
A&M appeared to have won earlier on a kill by Lednicky at 25-23 but the ball was ruled out, reversing the score to 24-24. Pitt would have its own set point later but didn’t convert.
In the second set, the Aggies fell behind 15-11 after an 8-0 run by Pitt but answered. Cos-Okpalla blocked a shot by Olivia Babcock to set up set point at 24-21 and A&M got the win when Babcock’s next attempt at a kill went long.
In what turned out to be the deciding third set, A&M took its first lead at 11-10 on a strong serve by Waak. The Aggies finished it off at 25-20.
“We just played good volleyball and had fun,” Morrison said. “It’s pretty simple. They have a lot of grit and anytime another team makes a run, they answer. A lot of belief in that group.”
A&M’s sweep was the first in an NCAA semifinal since Nebraska’s win over Pitt in 2023. Pitt was making its fifth consecutive appearance in the Final Four but has yet to win a title.
Reid Laymance reported from Houston.
Sports
Previewing Kentucky Volleyball vs. Wisconsin Badgers in the Final Four
Wisconsin comes into the Final Four at 28–4, fresh off a brutal run through Eastern Illinois, North Carolina, No. 2 Stanford, and No. 1 Texas. Meanwhile, Kentucky sits at 29–2 after sweeping Wofford, Cal Poly, and No. 3 Creighton and outlasting UCLA in four. This isn’t a Cinderella story on either side; this is blue-blood versus rising powerhouse.
On paper, it looks like strength-on-strength almost everywhere you look.
Why Kentucky–Wisconsin is a heavyweight clash of efficiency, blocking, and star power
Kentucky’s offense is built around a vicious one-two punch on the pins. Brooklyn DeLeye is averaging 4.69 kills per set on .289 hitting with 521 kills, while Eva Hudson is right behind her at 4.54 kills per set on .317. That’s 1,000+ kills of high-volume, high-efficiency scoring from the outside and opposite positions. The Cats are hitting .295 as a team with nearly 15 kills per set—elite numbers for this level.
Wisconsin counters with its own superstar in Mimi Colyer, who’s putting up 5.39 kills per set on .340 hitting with 566 total kills. She’s the kind of terminal scorer who can take over a set all by herself. Around her, Carter Booth and Alicia Andrew give the Badgers a massive, efficient middle presence, both are hitting .454 with more than two blocks per match, while Andrew sits at .371 with steady production at the net.
Both teams defend at an absurd level. Kentucky holds opponents to .180 hitting and just over 12 kills per set, with 2.47 blocks per set and 1,653 digs on the season. Wisconsin is just as nasty: opponents are hitting only .184 with 1.79 blocks per set against them and fewer than 12 kills per set.
Translation: this match is probably going to be won at the pins and in transition, not by easy side-outs.
Serving and first contact might be the swing factor. Kentucky has 137 aces and 225 errors on the year, while Wisconsin has 158 aces and 304 errors—both aggressive from the line but willing to live with some risk to knock the other out of the system. The question becomes: who handles that pressure better in serve receive? The Cats have just 79 reception errors across 111 sets; Wisconsin has 85 in 106. Both are tough to rattle, but Kentucky’s backcourt has been incredibly steady during this tournament run.
Setter play will be under the microscope, too. Kassie O’Brien is the engine for Kentucky, averaging 11.02 assists per set and helping spread the ball between DeLeye, Hudson, Lizzie Carr in the middle, and Asia Thigpen on the right. Wisconsin uses Charlie Fuerbringer as its primary distributor, and she’s been excellent at keeping middles engaged while still feeding Colyer in big spots.
From a narrative standpoint, it’s simple: Wisconsin has dominated the head-to-head, winning both prior meetings and dropping just one set total. Kentucky has never gotten over that hump. This time, the Wildcats come in as the higher seed and arguably the more balanced team, while Wisconsin carries the “we’ve been here” aura.
If Kentucky’s passers hold up and DeLeye/Hudson can win enough rallies against a big Badger block, the Cats finally have the firepower to flip the script. If Colyer goes nuclear and Booth controls the middle, Wisconsin’s size and experience could send Kentucky home again.
Either way, it has all the ingredients of a classic: superstar pins, elite setters, massive blocks, and a trip to the national title match hanging in the balance.
Sports
From student-athlete to entrepreneur, Liberal Arts graduate charts next chapter
“Penn State is the No. 1 school for Division I Fencing. As a national-level athlete, being recruited to one of the best NCAA teams in the country felt like a dream come true,” Maniar said. “When I arrived as a new student, I realized that many of my teammates didn’t understand my capabilities or how I trained, and it often left me feeling isolated, misunderstood and behind. But it also forced me to confront discomfort head-on, dig deep into my resilience and prove to myself, not anyone else, what I was truly capable of.”
Maniar said her experiences in fencing changed her approach to challenges, teaching her to focus on what she can control and persist with strong, disciplined determination.
She brought the same drive to her studies, leading her to become a Schreyer Scholar. She’s maintained a high grade-point average, crediting it in large part to “the structure, rigor and support the program provided,” she said.
While her honors-level courses were challenging at first, Maniar said she can now see how her analytical skills, interpretations and confidence in handling difficult materials have grown due to her involvement in the program. She said she’s grateful for the professors who guided her intellectually, emotionally and professionally throughout her journey.
“I feel incredibly lucky to have had professors who genuinely cared about me as an individual,” Maniar said. “That’s what makes the College of the Liberal Arts so special, whether it’s a 15-person honors seminar or a 200-person lecture, my professors took the time to listen, guide and support me when I reached out to them.”
Those professors include Associate Teaching Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences John Minbiole, whose honors courses, CAS137H: Rhetoric and Civic Life I and CAS138T: Rhetoric and Civic Life II, left such an impact on Maniar, she said, that she became one of his teaching assistants.
“His teaching style was empathetic yet structured and helped me build confidence in public speaking,” Maniar said. “The safe and encouraging environment he created gave me the skills to speak in front of large audiences, something I know will help me immensely in my career.”
Assistant Professor of English and African Studies Samuel Kolawole and academic adviser Julianna Chaszar were two other influences on Maniar’s college experience, she added.
Kolawole and Maniar initially met at a book reading and later in writing classes. Maniar said Kolawole noticed her enthusiasm, encouraged her to write more and allowed her to gain real-world experience with publishers as a social media content manager for his book releases. In this role, she attended events with Kolawole, including one where he won the prestigious Whiting Award in New York, an experience she describes as unforgettable.
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