Sports

Empowered Mozambique pursues place among beach volleyball’s best – FIVB

Mozambique’s beach volleyball teams are pushing toward the sport’s highest stage, building on continental triumphs and back-to-back World Championship appearances. Podium finishes at the CAVB Zone VI Beach Volleyball Tour and the chance to test themselves against the world’s best have changed the outlook for the programme. With FIVB Empowerment propelling their progress, they are […]

Published

3 weeks ago

May 8, 2025

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For a programme built on raw talent and ambition, the journey to this point has not been easy. Mahomed Afzal Vala, President of the Mozambique Volleyball Federation, knows what it takes to compete in Africa and the challenges that come with staying at the top.

“Mozambique is fortunate to have athletes with great potential, and most of them with dreams,” Vala said. “We have won several regional and continental trophies since 2013, when the federation was led by the former president Khalid Cassam and I was his Vice President, and together we started revolutionising volleyball in Mozambique, across the U19, U21 and senior categories. We need to maintain the African podium, which was not, and continues not to be, an easy task.”

However, dreams alone are not enough to win matches. Limited resources and the everyday realities faced by the athletes, including balancing studies, work and training, have shaped their path.

“The first challenge is the country’s financial situation, which has not allowed us to play with the best in the world by taking part in Beach Pro Tour events to improve the performance of our athletes,” he said. “The second is that our athletes are not yet professionals, and many of them make a huge effort to play and be at the highest level while they study and work.”

In 2021, Mozambique’s beach volleyball journey gained new direction with FIVB Empowerment stepping in. The arrival of Brazilian coach Alexandre Pontel, a product of a country that lives and breathes beach volleyball, brought the experience and perspective Mozambique needed.

“Brazil lives for beach volleyball, and this experience helped us realise that we must make more of an effort to achieve macro objectives,” Vala said. “Without regular training, it will be difficult to achieve the objectives set. Our athletes have improved in several aspects, but they must dedicate themselves more because they have potential.”

FIVB Empowerment support totals CHF 390,500 and has funded training camps, international tournaments, and equipment. The support has allowed Mozambique’s teams to compete in events and environments they had limited access to before.

Jose Alberto Mondlane at Beach Pro Tour Futures Messina, gaining key international experience for Mozambique.

By competing in Italy and other events, our athletes were able to see the best and play against them, which made them believe that with hard work, it is possible,” he said. “But we need more of this type of support and partnerships with stronger National Federations that host events regularly. Only by playing with the strongest can we grow more.

Among the international tournaments Mozambique has attended, one stands out for its impact. The team’s participation at the Beach Pro Tour Futures Messina offered a valuable chance to compete against higher-ranked opponents and gain experience at the international level. It was the kind of exposure that reshaped expectations within the programme.

“Our presence at the Messina Futures of the Beach Pro Tour in Italy showed that with this type of strategy, we can improve a lot,” Vala said.

However, the changes have not been limited to the senior teams. After focusing heavily on Olympic qualification in 2021, the national federation has renewed its efforts at the grassroots level.

Team Mozambique guided by Brazilian coach Alexandre Pontel.

“We managed to maintain the level, but we had enormous difficulties since Alexandre, in 2021, focused more on Olympic qualification and we did not have coaches working on training as it should be,” Vala said. “But now things have changed. We have support for national coaches, backed by the international coach, and we are reorganising and working more effectively with a view to guaranteeing a future in the sport.”

This effort spans age groups and regional centres, offering young players a path forward. “This year we are better organised and working from U19s, U21s and seniors. We have regional centres prepared to expand the sport and feed the senior teams. At the moment we have young athletes with room to go until 2032 or 2036, so the future is guaranteed,” Vala said.

Continental competitions play a key role in Mozambique’s approach. Events like the CAVB Zone VI Beach Volleyball Tour provide ranking points and regular match experience at a time when travel beyond Africa remains limited.

“The events in Zone VI were the icing on the cake, since without the resources to travel around the world, we managed to get points and be in a position that allows us to go to the World Championship,” Vala said. “In Africa, we have few events, but enough since the teams pay all the expenses. There is no regular support, and the cost of transportation in Africa is very expensive. We are privileged to host several stages in the zone because this allows us to have many athletes participating in the event.”

Vala continues to set goals for the programme.

“Being on the podium in the African U19 and U21 events, qualifying for the Youth Olympic Games and fighting for the third time and having our athletes at the LA28 Olympic Games,” he said.

FIVB Empowerment remains central to Mozambique’s progress.

“Without this support, it would be much more difficult to maintain this work and continue to build on this small success,” Vala said. “But we still hope that with the good relationship the FIVB has with the federation, we will have support to participate in world events, since it may be easier to cover air tickets and have logistical support on site. That would be the green over the blue.”

Jose Alberto Mondlane dives for the ball during competition at the Beach Pro Tour, showcasing Mozambique’s growing presence in international events.

The results of FIVB Empowerment are not only seen in competitions but felt by the players themselves. Jose Alberto Mondlane, who reached the final of the continental qualifying phase for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, described how the programme shaped his journey.

“The support given by the FIVB through the Empowerment Programme was very good for us during the last Olympic cycle. I really enjoyed working with coach Alexandre Pontel. He brought a new vision to beach volleyball in Mozambique. Being his athlete helped me see volleyball in a different (better) way than I had seen it before, with the training he gave, the tips, the knowledge, etc. It made me believe even more in my potential as a player,” Mondlane said.

“We had many moments of overcoming because we had already worked on almost everything, so it was just a matter of remembering and executing, which most of the time worked out very well. This allowed us to achieve excellent results, good performance, more respect, etc. I believe we had more happy moments than sad ones. I hope that Mozambique continues to have support from the FIVB because it needs it, and we need it to continue to evolve.”

Mozambique’s beach volleyball teams continue to grow their programme, narrowing the gap with every tournament and keeping their pursuit of a place among the sport’s best firmly in sight.

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Sports

Ben Colello Tabbed as USTFCCCA East Region Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year

Story Links MEDFORD, MA (May 30, 2025) – Tufts University women’s track and field assistant coach Ben Colello was named the USTFCCCA Division III Women’s Outdoor Track and Field East Region Assistant Coach of the Year after helping the Jumbos to five All-American honors under his guidance. In just his first […]

Published

1 minute ago

May 30, 2025

Your Sports Nation

MEDFORD, MA (May 30, 2025) – Tufts University women’s track and field assistant coach Ben Colello was named the USTFCCCA Division III Women’s Outdoor Track and Field East Region Assistant Coach of the Year after helping the Jumbos to five All-American honors under his guidance.

In just his first year with the Tufts program, Colello made his mark on the Jumbos instantly as he coached athletes to three new school records in the long jump, triple jump and javelin. Throughout the season, he coached the multis and all the field events except pole vault. At the NCAA Division III Championships, Colello had four athletes earn six entries into the competition where they earned five All-American finishes. The triple jump combo of Jordan Andrew and Elysse Cumberland were ranked No.1 in the national #EventSquad rankings.

Colello is the first Tufts assistant coach to receive the USTFCCCA honors since Steven Fleagle was named East Region Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year in 2022. Under his guidance, the Jumbos are in a fantastic position to continue to improve next season.

–JUMBOS–

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Sports

Alaksza Becomes Two-Time All-America Honorable Mention Selection

Story Links STOCKTON, Calif. – For the second straight year, Pacific women’s water polo standout Dora Alaksza was tabbed an All-America Honorable Mention by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches. The junior from Budapest, Hungary led the team with 95 goals on the season, which was the second-most in the […]

Published

14 minutes ago

May 30, 2025

Your Sports Nation

STOCKTON, Calif. – For the second straight year, Pacific women’s water polo standout Dora Alaksza was tabbed an All-America Honorable Mention by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches.

The junior from Budapest, Hungary led the team with 95 goals on the season, which was the second-most in the program’s single-season history. She was named to the Golden Coast All-Conference First-Team and GCC All-Tournament Team.

Alaksza broke the school record for goals in a game with 11 in a win against Concordia on 13 shots. She scored in goal in all 24 games on the season and registered 18 hat tricks, eight four-goal games and six five-goal outings.

In three games at the GCC Tournament, Alaksza netted 11 goals. She helped the team earn a third-place finish.

Alaksza, who has another year of eligibility remaining, is up to 243 career goals, which ranks third all-time in Pacific history. She’s chasing Molly Smith’s program-leading tally of 286 goals from 1997-00 and Jessica Schroeder who is second with 268 goals from 2001-05.

Alaksza is the sixth student-athlete in program history to earn All-America honors multiple times. It includes Smith (1998, 2000), Schroeder (2003, 2005), Dara Tawarahara (2010-11), Grace Smith (2014-15) and Mariana Duarte (2017-19, 2022).

As a department at Pacific, Alaksza is the seventh Tiger to earn All-America honors in 2024-25. The list includes Alexa Edwards from women’s volleyball, and the men’s water polo quintet of Jeremie Cote, Reuel D’Souza, Bae Fountain, Matthew Hosmer and Mihailo Vukazic.

Click here to view the full ACWPC Women’s All-America teams.

Stay Social

For all the latest on Pacific women’s water polo, be sure to follow the team on X (@UOPWaterPoloU), Instagram (@pacificwaterpolo) and “like” the team’s official Facebook page (Pacific Women’s Water Polo).

#PacificProud

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Sports

Sports Mutli-Media Journalist

At KPRC 2, the Graham Media Group-owned news and information hub in Houston, TX, we embrace innovation and creativity within our news team. We’re looking for a dynamic Sports Multi-Media Journalist who thrives on engaging with and enriching our community with their storytelling on our broadcast, streaming and social media channels. We’re looking for someone […]

Published

18 minutes ago

May 30, 2025

Your Sports Nation

At KPRC 2, the Graham Media Group-owned news and information hub in Houston, TX, we embrace innovation and creativity within our news team. We’re looking for a dynamic Sports Multi-Media Journalist who thrives on engaging with and enriching our community with their storytelling on our broadcast, streaming and social media channels. We’re looking for someone who’s ready to break away from the traditional constraints of a television sportscast and can excel at developing and creatively presenting “off the field” stories – unique local content you won’t get from ESPN or your favorite sports app.

POSITION OVERVIEW

As a Sports Multi-Media Journalist for Graham Media Group, you’ll need keen editorial judgment to identify sports stories in our community with real audience impact. With a focus on innovative storytelling, you will shoot and edit your stories for both linear and digital platforms. An understanding of the kind of sports content modern audiences seek out is paramount. Passion and creativity are also vital for this role and our newsroom. This position also offers exciting opportunities for growth within an organization committed to reinventing how news is delivered.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Engage viewers with compelling storytelling across all platforms, prioritizing clarity, engagement, and innovation.
Generate unique sports story ideas daily, demonstrating a keen understanding of the community’s pulse and what kind of sports content will resonate with our target audience.
Showcase exceptional storytelling skills as a researcher, photographer, writer and editor.
Demonstrate the required editorial judgement, producing skills and presentation skills to serve as Sports Anchor as necessary.
Collaborate with news management and producers to maintain a cohesive and comprehensive strategy for covering local sports as part of our daily news coverage plans.
Produce and participate in the production and presentation of sports specials throughout the year.
Other related duties as assigned.

KEY QUALIFICATIONS:

Minimum 2 – 3 years of experience in a broadcast news environment, with demonstrated expertise in storytelling, live reporting, and newsgathering.
Strong on-camera presence with clear, dynamic and engaging delivery.
Exceptional interviewing skills with the ability to shoot and edit video content as needed.
Proficiency in the industry standard editing software, newsroom rundown systems, smartphone technology, and social media platforms.
Versatile reporting experience, including experimental video formats and innovative storytelling approaches.
Proven track record in original sports reporting, with the ability to deliver in-depth coverage beyond standard highlights and interviews.
Ability to thrive under tight deadlines in a fast-paced news environment

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

A college degree in Journalism, Communications, or a related field is preferred.

Location: KPRC 2

8181 Southwest Freeway, Houston, Texas 77074

To apply: Please submit your updated resume and application to:

Tiffani Lupenski, Manager of Content and Coverage

tlupenski@kprc.com

Click HERE to download and complete employment application.

Any offer of employment is conditional upon the successful completion of a pre-employment drug screening, investigative background check, employment/education verifications, and reference checks. You must hold a valid driver’s license and be insurable under Texas Law.

No Phone Calls Please

KPRC 2 is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In addition to complying with the requirements of federal law, KPRC 2 will comply with applicable state and local laws prohibiting employment discrimination.

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Sports

Coweta County alums progressing in the minor leagues

As Bryce Alewine enjoys a strong start in the Florida Complex League with the Detroit Tigers, several other former Coweta County standouts are continuing their development in professional baseball. Tai Peete, a 2022 Trinity Christian graduate and former second-round pick by the Seattle Mariners, is now patrolling center field for the Everett AquaSox, the Mariners’ […]

Published

19 minutes ago

May 30, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Coweta County alums progressing in the minor leagues

As Bryce Alewine enjoys a strong start in the Florida Complex League with the Detroit Tigers, several other former Coweta County standouts are continuing their development in professional baseball.

Tai Peete, a 2022 Trinity Christian graduate and former second-round pick by the Seattle Mariners, is now patrolling center field for the Everett AquaSox, the Mariners’ High-A affiliate in the Northwest League. Originally drafted as a shortstop, Peete made the switch to the outfield this season after earning a promotion from the Modesto Nuts. Through May, the athletic 20-year-old is hitting .218 with five home runs and 23 RBIs.

Sports

Nichter and Richwine Grab USTFCCCA Honors

Story Links NEW ORLEANS – Following his national championship in the 800m last weekend in Ohio, Dickinson junior track and field athlete Trevor Richwine and assistant track and field coach Don Nichter were recognized by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) with mid-atlantic regional awards. Mid-Atlantic Male […]

Published

27 minutes ago

May 30, 2025

Your Sports Nation

NEW ORLEANS – Following his national championship in the 800m last weekend in Ohio, Dickinson junior track and field athlete Trevor Richwine and assistant track and field coach Don Nichter were recognized by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) with mid-atlantic regional awards.

Mid-Atlantic Male Track Athlete of the Year

Richwine, who hails from Newville, Pennsylvania, won the 800-meter title at the NCAA DIII Outdoor Championships. Just a few weeks earlier, Richwine went 1:48.31 over the same distance to become the No. 9 performer in NCAA DIII history. Richwine stood out at the Centennial Conference Championships, winning the 800m in a meet record 1:51.01 and toting the baton on the champion 4×800m relay and runner-up 4×400m relay.

Mid-Atlantic Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year

Nichter, in his second year as assistant coach at Dickinson working with head coach Eric Bologa, guided Richwine to win the 800m at the NCAA DIII Outdoor Championships. His distance runners combined to score 44 of Dickinson’s 109 points as the team finished third at the Centennial Conference Championships.

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2025 Women’s VNL Week One Roster Announced

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 30, 2025) – USA Volleyball announces the 14-player roster for the U.S. Women’s National Team that will compete in the opening week of the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL), June 4-8 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The VNL brings together the world’s top 18 teams for three action-packed weeks of preliminary […]

Published

33 minutes ago

May 30, 2025

Your Sports Nation

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 30, 2025) – USA Volleyball announces the 14-player roster for the U.S. Women’s National Team that will compete in the opening week of the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL), June 4-8 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The VNL brings together the world’s top 18 teams for three action-packed weeks of preliminary play, with each team competing in four matches per week. Only the top eight teams will earn a spot in the Final Round, where a VNL title will be on the line.

The U.S. roster features a fresh look, with 10 athletes making their VNL debut. Four returners bring valuable leadership and prior VNL experience to the court as the team begins its campaign against some of the top volleyball nations in the world.

Get Tickets to Women’s VNL in Arlington, Texas, July 9-13

Outside hitters Madi Skinner and Roni Jones-Perry, and Liberos Morgan Hentz and Zoe Jarvis are the four players with VNL experience.

Although the other 10 players have no VNL experience, several have experience playing for the senior U.S. Women’s National Team. Opposite Olivia Babcock, setter Ella Powell, outside hitters Logan Eggleston and Sarah Franklin, and middle blockers Serena Gray, Amber Igiede and Molly McCage have all competed in senior NORCECA events.

Setter Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres, middle blocker Anna Dodson, and opposite Logan Lednicky are part of the U.S. Women’s National Team roster for the first time.

The U.S. Women are the reigning Olympic silver medalists and ranked No. 3 in the world. They have won the VNL three times (2018, ’19, ’21) since its inception in 2018. In 2024, they lost in the quarterfinals to eventual Olympic champion Italy, who will be their first opponent in Brazil.

U.S. Women’s Week One Roster for 2025 VNL

No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
9 Madisen Skinner (OH, 6-2, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
13 Amber Igiede (MB, 6-3, Baton Rouge, La., Univ. of Hawaii, Bayou)
14 Anna Dodson (MB, 6-5, Fort Collins, Colo., UCLA, Rocky Mountain)
17 Zoe Jarvis (previously Fleck) (L, 5-6, Granada Hills, Calif., UCLA and Univ. of Texas, Southern California)
21 Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
22 Sarah Franklin (OH, 6-4, Lake Worth, Fla., Univ. of Wisconsin, Florida)
24 Olivia Babcock (Opp, 6-4, Los Angeles, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
27 Ella Powell (S, 6-0, Fayetteville, Ark., Univ. of Washington, Delta)
28 Logan Lednicky (Opp, 6-3, Sugar Land, Texas, Univ. of Texas A&M, Lone Star)
29 Molly McCage (MB, 6-3, Spring, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
32 Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres (S, Honolulu, Hawaii, Univ. of Texas, Aloha)
33 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
43 Serena Gray (MB, 6-2, Temple City, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)

Head Coach: Erik Sullivan
Assistant Coach: Mike Wall
Second Assistant Coach: Brandon Taliaferro
Second Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Second Assistant Coach: Joe Trinsey
Team Manager: Rob Browning
Team Doctors: William Briner, James Suchy, Chris Lee, Andrew Gregory
Physiotherapist: Kara Kessans
Physical Trainers: Shawn Hueglin, Shannon Boone
Mental Performance Coach: Andrea Becker, Katy Stanfill
Performance Analyst: Virginia Pham

Week 1 Schedule: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Matches will be shown live and on-demand on VBTV.

All times PDT
June 4 at 10 a.m. vs. Italy
June 5 at 5 p.m. vs. Brazil
June 6 at 5 p.m. vs. Czechia
June 8 at 1 p.m. vs. Korea

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