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Event-by-event predictions for the 2025 NCAA outdoor track and field championships

The 2025 DI men’s and women’s outdoor track and field championships are this week. There’s no better time than now for my championship predictions, event by event. Let’s dive in. Women’s event predictions 100 meters — Predicted Winner: Tima Godbless, LSU Simply making the final in the women’s 100 meters will be a difficult task. […]

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2 weeks ago

June 10, 2025

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The 2025 DI men’s and women’s outdoor track and field championships are this week. There’s no better time than now for my championship predictions, event by event. Let’s dive in.

Women’s event predictions

100 meters — Predicted Winner: Tima Godbless, LSU

Simply making the final in the women’s 100 meters will be a difficult task. Predicting a winner here is no easy choice — and my pick could miss the final. However, I’m going with Tima Godbless after the LSU Tiger ran 10.91 in the East first round. Godbless has progressed with every meet this season, going from 11.20 in March to 11.14 in April to 11.06 at SEC championships to 10.9.

LIVE UPDATES: Click or tap here to follow along for live updates from the championship

100 hurdles — Predicted Winner: Habiba Harris, Florida

I was skeptical about Habiba Harris’ outlook for championships after she failed to break 13 seconds in the 100 hurdles for a month stretch across April and May. Then came the postseason. Harris burst back on the scene by running 12.75, 12.62, 12.80 and 12.80 across her last four races. The Florida freshman has earned the right to be the favorite entering Eugene.

200 meters — Predicted Winner: JaMeesia Ford, South Carolina

JaMeesia Ford ran 22.01 to win the SEC title, the sixth-fastest finish in collegiate history. She hasn’t lost a 200 meter race all season long, and I don’t think that’ll change in Eugene.

400 meters — Predicted Winner: Aaliyah Butler, Georgia

I think we’ll see a sub-50 time that wins the women’s 400 meter title this year. Georgia’s Aaliyah Butler is the only woman to run such a time this season at 49.44. Moreover, she beat her top competition this year at the SEC championships, showing she can step up when the stakes are high.

CAN’T MISS: 4 must-watch heats at the 2025 DI outdoor track and field championships

400 hurdles — Predicted Winner: Savannah Sutherland, Michigan

Savannah Sutherland is two years removed from when she won the 400 meter hurdles title in 2023, but I think she returns to the top of the podium in 2025. Sutherland has run the fastest time in the country this year and is undefeated in the 400 hurdles this year.

800 meters — Predicted Winner: Michaela Rose, LSU

Michaela Rose already has an outdoor 800 meter title from 2023 and has established herself as one of the best 800 meter runners in women’s NCAA history. Rose has run 1:58.12 in the 800 this year, giving her another all-time mark. While this year’s field is full of sub-two-minute runners, Rose has proven she can reach a different level before. I wouldn’t be surprised if she did it again in Eugene.

1500 meters — Predicted Winner: Chloe Foerster, Washington

Chloe Foerster’s my pick to win the women’s 1500 meters based on her performances in a pair of impressive wins over tough fields. Foerster ran 4:05.75 to win the Bryan Clay Invitational and 4:07.32 to win the Stanford Invitational. That 4:05 time is a top-10 all-time mark in a year where seven women joined the top-10 all-time performers list. It’s not easy to predict a winner here, but I’m going to go with the battle-tested Washington Husky.

3000 meter steeplechase — Predicted Winner: Doris Lemngole, Alabama

Steeplechase sensation Doris Lemngole has the top three all-time marks in collegiate history, two from this season. Lemgole is the pick here.

RECORD-BREAKING: Tracking every track and field record broken in the 2025 season

5000 meters — Predicted Winner: Pamela Kosgei, New Mexico

Pamela Kosgei has run the second-fastest 5000 meters in NCAA history, and her PR is less than half a second away from the collegiate record. She’s the favorite here.

10,000 meters — Predicted Winner: Pamela Kosgei, New Mexico

I’m predicting Pamela Kosgei will pull off the distance double. Kosgei has run 31:02.73 in the 10K this year, No. 2 all-time.

4×100 meter relay — Predicted Winner: Southern California

USC has four sprinters in the 100 meter semifinals. The Trojans also have the fastest 4×100 meter squad in the country this year. USC’s the pick here.

4×400 meter relay — Predicted Winner: Arkansas

Arkansas has won the last two outdoor 4×400 meter relay titles and has the top time in the country this year. I’m not picking against the Razorbacks.

Long jump — Predicted Winner: Alexis Brown, Baylor

I have Alexis Brown completing the season sweep in the long jump. Brown has jumped over 6.89 meters eight times this season (four wind-legal), with a season-best of 7.03 meters. No one else has surpassed 6.82 meters this year. Brown has what it takes to pull off the sweep.

Triple jump — Predicted Winner: Winny Bii, Texas A&M.

The triple jump is wide open this year. Three women have all cleared 14 meters, with another reaching 13.99 meters. Texas A&M’s Winny Bii and Oklahoma’s Agur Dwol have each cleared 14 meters at two meets this season. My pick is Winny Bii since she made two 14 meter triple jumps at her last two meets.

High jump — Predicted Winner: Elena Kulichenko, Georgia

Elena Kulichenko has tied for the NCAA high jump title at the last indoor and outdoor championships. While she hasn’t cleared 1.90 meters outdoors in 2025, she has an outdoor PR of 1.97 meters. I think she’ll be atop the podium yet again.

BROOMS OUT: 16 indoor champions looking for a season sweep at the 2025 outdoor championships

Pole vault — Predicted Winner: Amanda Moll, Washington

Amanda Moll completes arguably the greatest season in women’s collegiate pole vault history with an outdoor title. She already has the outdoor record.

Discus — Predicted Winner: Jayden Ulrich, Louisville

Jayden Ulrich threw 66.14 meters in her season opener back in March, then threw 69.39 meters in April (No. 2 performer in NCAA history) and enters the NCAA championship final off of a first round meet where she surpassed 64.50 meters twice. Ulrich is the pick here after all of those performances.

Shot put — Predicted Winner: Mya Lesnar, Colorado State

Mya Lesnar had a shot put series where she threw 17.05m, 19.28m, 19.60m and 18.99m. The latter three throws would all lead the NCAA. Lesnar also has three throws outside of that series that have reached 18.50 meters. No other athlete has more than three 18.50m throws total this season. Lesnar has been the most consistent to throw the shot put long distances this season.

Hammer — Predicted Winner: Stephanie Ratcliffe, Georgia

At the SEC Championships, Stephanie Ratcliffe’s shortest hammer throw was 68.35 meters. She had four throws that surpassed 70 meters at the meet. Ratcliffe hadn’t thrown shorter than 69 meters in her last three meets before the first-round competition. She still finished with the second-best throw across the first rounds at 67.13m. Ratcliffe is peaking at the right time.

Javelin — Predicted Winner: Lianna Davidson, Georgia

Lianna Davidson finished second in the javelin in the 2024 championships when she was at Texas A&M. This year she threw 63.79 meters, the third-best throw in collegiate history, back in March. While Davidson’s mark trails her teammate Manuela Rotundo this year, Davidson is the veteran Bulldog with the SEC title. I think Davidson’s championship experience carries her to a title.

Heptathlon — Predicted Winner: Jadin O’Brien, Notre Dame

Jadin O’Brien finally gets the elusive heptathlon title after winning three NCAA titles in the pentathlon indoors. O’Brien is my pick here because she’s already reached 6,200-plus points twice this season and has three total performances in her career. No one else has reached that threshold more than once.

AWARD WATCH: Here are the Bowerman frontrunners entering the 2025 NCAA outdoor championships

Men’s event predictions

100 meters — Predicted Winner: Jordan Anthony, Arkansas

By this point, every track fan knows Jordan Anthony ran a windy 9.75 in the first round West meet. But don’t let performance overshadow a pair of 9.95 and 9.96 sprints run at SEC championships on back-to-back days. Anthony is the only athlete with two 9.9 100 meters at the same meet; no other sprinter has run sub-10 seconds twice in the same month.

I’m expecting the NCAA title to take a sub-10 second race, and Anthony is the most likely to run the fastest on the biggest stage.

UP NEXT: These records could fall at the DI outdoor track championships

110 hurdles — Predicted Winner: Kendrick Smallwood, Texas

Kendrick Smallwood has run a pair of 13.13 races at his last two meets. Those two performances make him my favorite entering the championships.

200 meters — Predicted Winner: Jordan Anthony, Arkansas

I have Jordan Anthony pulling off the sweep of the short sprints. Auburn’s Makanakaishe Charamba and Kentucky’s Carli Makarawu — a pair of Olympic finalists — pose the biggest threat to preventing the sweep, but Anthony is the SEC champion among the group.

400 meters — Predicted Winner: Samuel Ogazi, Alabama

My pick from a loaded 400 meter group came down to who I think is most likely to run sub-45 on the championship stage. Samuel Ogazi has run sub-45 twice this year (plus another 45.04 race) and ran 44.52 at last year’s championships. Even last year, Ogazi ran sub-45 twice before Eugene, proving he can run fast even with a lengthy season.

400 hurdles — Predicted Winner: Nathaniel Ezekiel, Baylor

Nathaniel Ezekiel is the only male to break 48 seconds in the 400 hurdles this season. He’s also only running the 400 hurdles individually at championships, scratching from the 400 open where he could’ve been eligible based on his regular season. That singular event focus should drive him to a championship.

MORE: Every indoor and outdoor track and field individual event champion from the 21st century

800 meters — Predicted Winner: Christian Jackson, Virginia Tech

Christian Jackson caught my eye after running 1:44.83 to win the ACC title and 1:45.31 to lead the East region. Those are two impressive times late in the season, giving Jackson momentum entering racing in Eugene.

1500 meters — Predicted Winner: Liam Murphy, Villanova

Liam Murphy is the collegiate record holder in the 1500 meters. I’m not picking against him.

3000 meter steeplechase — Predicted Winner: James Corrigan, BYU

The steeplechase might come down to the Olympian vs. the freshman. BYU’s James Corrigan has built up this outdoor season after representing Team USA in the Olympics in the steeplechase last year. He still ran 8:22.20 with the build-up.

Meanwhile, Louisville freshman Geoffrey Kirwa ran the No. 3 outdoor steeplechase in collegiate history in 8:13.89 — still slower than Corrigan’s PR. Fellow freshman Mathew Kosgei (New Mexico) and Collins Kiprop Kipngok (Kentucky) are other top contenders, but I’m going to lean on Corrigan’s experience to win the title in my prediction.

5000 meters — Predicted Winner: Habtom Samuel, New Mexico

Habtom Samuel is the collegiate record holder in the 5000 meters and is the best distance runner in the country. He’s my pick here.

10,000 meters — Predicted Winner: Habtom Samuel, New Mexico

Habtom Samuel isn’t the 10K collegiate record holder. That would be his teammate Ishmael Kipkurui. However, Samuel is the defending 10K champion, achieving the feat while falling last year. Samuel’s ability to overcome adversity on multiple occasions makes me think that he can withstand whatever happens in this year’s 10K and go back-to-back.

MORE: Every potential repeat champion at the 2025 DI outdoor track and field championships

4×100 meter relay — Predicted Winner: Auburn

While Auburn’s relay squad doesn’t have the fastest time in the NCAA this season, the Tigers do return all four runners from last season’s quartet that ran 38.03 to win the NCAA title. I think the continuity can get Auburn over the top to kick off the championship meets final men’s day.

4×400 meter relay — Predicted Winner: Florida

It’s hard to pick against the Gators in a 4×4. It’s even harder when they have thrown out two different groups that have both run top-five times in the country, no slower than 3:02.01. Florida’s the pick here.

Long jump — Predicted Winner: Charles Godfred, Minnesota

Charles Godfred has five long jumps of over 8.00 meters this year. He’s my pick to win the long jump.

Triple jump — Predicted Winner: Brandon Green, Oklahoma

Brandon Green has jumped 16.90 or greater on three occasions (one over the allowable) and over 16.55 meters four other times. No other athlete has surpassed 16.54 meters this year. Green should win the triple jump.

High jump — Predicted Winner: Riyon Rankin, Georgia

Riyon Rankin cleared 2.27 meters and 2.29 meters in his last two meets before the first round competition. The sophomore is trending upward entering the championship season and he’s my pick to win the championship.

Pole vault — Predicted Winner: Logan Hammer, Utah State

5.68. 5.70. 5.65. 5.65. Those are Logan Hammer’s clearances from his last four meets before the West first round meet. Hammer was consistently clearing a height that could win him an NCAA title throughout the regular season. That’ll pay off in Eugene.

Discus — Predicted Winner: Mykolas Alekna, California

I think this is the year Mykolas Alekna finally puts it together on the biggest stage. He’s already the multi-time collegiate record holder in the discus. All that’s missing is an NCAA title.

Shot put — Predicted Winner: Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan, Ole Miss

Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan makes it four straight shot put titles. While the Ole Miss Rebel only has the No. 2 mark nationally entering the final, he’s been the most consistent shot putter in the country with six throws over 20.3 meters in the month of May.

Hammer — Predicted Winner: Angelos Mantzouranis, Minnesota

This pick came down to two Minnesota Gophers: Angelos Mantzouranis and Kostas Zaltos. I went with Mantzouranis since he hasn’t thrown below 75 meters since March.

Javelin — Predicted Winner: Keyshawn Strachan, Nebraska

Keyshawn Strachan has two throws over 80 meters and five throws over 77 meters this season. I think that consistent ability to reach 77 meters will carry Strachan to a title.

Decathlon — Predicted Winner: Peyton Bair, Mississippi State

After winning the indoor heptathlon, I think Peyton Bair pulls off the sweep in the combined events in 2025. Bair only has one heptathlon under his belt from back in April, but he did PR in the open 400 meters in May.

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MIAC honors winter/spring student-athletes with Academic All-Conference distinction

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – Student-athletes in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) continue to achieve in both competition and the classroom. On Thursday, the MIAC announced its 2024-25 Winter and Spring Academic All-Conference honorees, including 1,418 student-athletes. Combined with the 870 fall-sport athletes honored in January, the overall total of Academic All-MIAC selections for the 2024-25 […]

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June 26, 2025

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BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – Student-athletes in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) continue to achieve in both competition and the classroom.

On Thursday, the MIAC announced its 2024-25 Winter and Spring Academic All-Conference honorees, including 1,418 student-athletes. Combined with the 870 fall-sport athletes honored in January, the overall total of Academic All-MIAC selections for the 2024-25 academic year sets a new Conference high of 2,288, surpassing the previous record of 2,135, established last June.

The latest Academic All-Conference list spotlights more than 1,400 examples of student-athletes achieving excellence without compromise. This is the fourth consecutive June in which the MIAC’s overall Academic All-Conference list has exceeded 2,000 student-athletes. Seven sports matched or broke their single-season records, including men’s track & field (203), baseball (168), softball (127), men’s hockey (116), women’s basketball (85), men’s swimming & diving (65), and women’s golf (49).

Additional sport totals included women’s track & field (214), women’s swimming & diving (102), women’s hockey (95), women’s tennis (66), men’s tennis (54), men’s basketball (47), and men’s golf (27). For the full 2024-25 academic year, eleven MIAC sports matched or surpassed their single-season Academic All-Conference record, while six more finished within single digits of their all-time high.

To qualify for Academic All-MIAC status, student-athletes must be sophomores, juniors, or seniors by academic standards with a minimum cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale. Students must also complete one full-time academic year at their current institution before becoming eligible for the honor. An athlete must be a member of a MIAC-sponsored varsity sports team, be academically and athletically eligible, have utilized a season of participation per NCAA and MIAC definitions, and have remained on the sports roster through the conclusion of the sports season to be eligible for Academic All-Conference honors.

The 2024-25 MIAC Academic All-Conference honorees can be found here, listed alphabetically by sport and then by institution. To see all-time honorees, please visit the MIAC Academic All-Conference archives.

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WPVC 17 Armour Black wins AAU girls volleyball championship

When Amber McClain dove face-first into an aluminum bleacher to save one point during the championship match in the AAU Girls Junior National Volleyball Championships, she illustrated perfectly (and dangerously) just how determined the Winter Park Volleyball Club 17 Armour Black team was to win a national title for the first time. Spectators in the […]

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13 minutes ago

June 26, 2025

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Spectators in the stands gasped when the Winter Park High rising senior leaped over a soft padded barrier to punch the ball back into the court before crashing onto the bottom-row seating. She didn’t cry. She didn’t stop. She popped back up to her feet and scurried back onto the court to help finish the point, then staggered to the bench to be attended to by an athletic trainer at Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center.

“All I was thinking about was keeping the point alive,” McClain said afterward. “And keeping us on track for the national championship.”

Mission accomplished.

McClain had a battle-wound bandage on her forehead when she returned to play. She wore a big smile and later a gold medal as one of the 10 girls on WPVCs 17 Open AAU title team.

Winter Park was leading 17-12 in the second set when McClain made her crash landing. WVCA finished a 25-21, 25-20 Tuesday victory over Far Out 17 of Grand Rapids, Michigan. That secured the first AAU girls Open division championship for a club born in 2011 as a little sister to established Orlando area travel team programs such as Orlando Tampa Volleyball Academy, Top Select and Game Point Volleyball.

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WPVC 2025 17 Armour Black player Amelia Mancino, (5) spikes the ball during the AAU Girls Volleyball Nationals Tournament in Orlando, Fla., Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

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WPVC, armed with five members of the Winter Park High team that won the Class 7A state championship in November, went 11-0 over four days to make history.

McClain’s fearless dive was part of a surge WPVC delivered after trailing 7-4 in Game 2. The comeback began with Winter Park High’s Amelia Mancino running off six service points — three on ace serves and three on attacks by Isabella Umpierre, another WPHS standout.

“We came in wanting to win it all and this is the moment we’ve all been waiting for,” Umpierre said after the championship match.

The WPVC squad started Tuesday with a 2-0 win against Illini Elite of Illinois and then scored a nail-biting 25-23, 26-24 semifinal victory against perennial power Sports Performance of Illinois. SPVB (11-1) built big leads in both sets before succumbing to WPVC’s resolve.

The Winter Park club was down 14-6 in the first set before going on a 9-1 spree that included a stuff block by Katelyn Landis (West Orange High) and crucial kills by McClain and lethal lefthander Umpierre off sets by Elle Mottola (Boone).

Sports Performance went back ahead 22-20 on two big blocks. WPVC again had the answer. Paige Lehman (Winter Park) dove for two digs that led to a kill by Umpierre, McClain scored on a quick set by Mottola, and Mancino (Winter Park) ended the game with a kill.

WPVC trailed 15-10 in the second set but chipped its way back to a 21-21 tie and went ahead 23-22 on a block by Maddey Cruse (Lake Mary Prep). A Mancino dig forced a SPVB error for a 24-22 lead and Winter Park completed its championship run with an emphatic stuff-block by Umpierre, a 5-foot-10 hitter.

Umpierre, Mancino and Mottola were selected to the 14-player tournament All-American team.

“We’re a family. To do this together is amazing,” said Mottola.

She joined WPVC as a 10-and-under player, as did Lehman and Mancino. Others signed up as the program continued its climb.

Defensive specialist Isabel Bertelsen (Winter Park) and Landis were the first off the bench for a team that includes Gwenyth Berry (Horizon) and Cassidy Flakes (West Orange).

Winter Park overcomes Kissimmee Osceola to reach 7A girls volleyball final

WPVC players who have committed to colleges are Berry (Citadel), Bertelsen (Oregon State), Cruse (Embry-Riddle), Mancino (Appalachian State), Mottola (Arizona State) and Umpierre (UC-Davis).

WPVC beat teams with better-rated prospects to take the title. They did the same while winning a USA Volleyball 17 Open qualifier tournament in Salt Lake City in April — a feat Jackson said was “a huge deal”. Next up is the USA Volleyball 17 Open national tournament, which tips off Monday and runs through July 3 in Dallas.

The WPVC 16 Armour Black team tied for fifth in the AAU 16 Open division with a 9-2 record. Jordyn Lehman, a Winter Park HIgh defensive standout heading into her junior year, was picked to the All-American team.

“Both these teams have cemented a history for WPVC,”: said Matthew Jackson, who was head coach for both the 16s and 17s. “They love to compete. And to see how they’ve bought into each other over these years has been so great.”

Jackson, a former Ocoee high player and West Orange’s head coach for the past two seasons, is leaving the Warriors and WPVC, where he has coached since 2014. After leading West Orange to a 16-5 district title season he landed an assistant coaching job at Michigan State, starting July 7.

His top assistant, Wylie Devlin, is a former Winter Park High multi-sport star who played volleyball collegiately at USF.

The Game Point 17 Rox team went 10-1 and tied for fifth in the 17 Open bracket. Its only loss was vs. Far Out 25-21, 17-25, 15-9 in a quarterfinal. Kissimmee Osceola teammates Jordin Southall and Cate Palmi joined Innovation’s Aylani Correa as standouts for the GP squad coached by Sindee Snow.

The 52nd AAU nationals continues with boys play beginning Monday and running through July 7. The WPVC 17 Armour Black boys are one of the favorites in the 17 Open competition (Monday through July 3).

Winter Park Volleyball Club seeks ‘unprecedented’ title in AAU Nationals | Varsity Weekly

Varsity content editor Buddy Collings can be contacted by email at bcollings@orlandosentinel.com.

Originally Published: June 25, 2025 at 3:00 PM EDT

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ASUN-UAC TO CREATE STRATEGIC ALLIANCE IN 2026

Story Links CONWAY, Ark. _ The Atlantic Sun Conference announced today a groundbreaking strategic alliance creating a consortium of two conferences (Atlantic Sun and United Athletic Conference), bringing together three Texas universities which are currently part of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) with the five football-playing ASUN schools to create an all-sports […]

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June 26, 2025

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CONWAY, Ark. _ The Atlantic Sun Conference announced today a groundbreaking strategic alliance creating a consortium of two conferences (Atlantic Sun and United Athletic Conference), bringing together three Texas universities which are currently part of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) with the five football-playing ASUN schools to create an all-sports United Athletic Conference beginning July 1, 2026.

The WAC announced Wednesday that Southern Utah and Utah Tech will be leaving the conference to join the Big Sky Conference, effective July 1, 2026, leaving UT Arlington, Abilene Christian and Tarleton State as the only three full members of the WAC. ACU and Tarleton State were already competing in the football-only incarnation of the UAC.

The new alliance is expected to strengthen and improve operational efficiency across both conferences and across the university campuses. It will create new growth opportunities across the southeast, and position both conferences for continued success in the future. The consortium will be led by current ASUN Commissioner Jeff Bacon, who will serve as its Executive Director, providing experienced leadership for this new venture. Current WAC Commissioner, Rebekah Ray, will assume a leadership role within the consortium.

“The landscape of collegiate athletics has changed rapidly in recent years, and this strategic alliance creates innovative opportunities for collaboration and increased efficiencies for all of the institutions involved,” said Matt Whiting, UCA director of athletics. “I am excited for what this means for the University of Central Arkansas and our Athletics Department as we enter a new era of college athletics.”

“As we navigate the changing world of collegiate athletics, I am excited about the opportunities presented in this strategic alliance and further strengthening our partnership and future with our current United Athletic Conference peers,” said UCA President Dr. Houston Davis. “This alliance positions the University of Central Arkansas well geographically, creating greater experiences for our student-athletes and fans.”

In 2026, the WAC will rebrand to the United Athletic Conference (UAC), which is the brand currently used to recognize the ASUN-WAC Football Alliance. This rebrand will better recognize the new membership composition of the Conference with all seven (7) UAC football-playing members housed within one conference, and the shift in geographic footprint.

The UAC will welcome new members Austin Peay State University, the University of Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky University, the University of North Alabama and the University of West Georgia. The addition of five football-playing members (identified above) will bring total UAC membership to 8 members, including 7 football-playing members along with UT Arlington.

Remaining ASUN membership will include Bellarmine University; Florida Gulf Coast University; Jacksonville University; Lipscomb University; the University of North Florida; Queens University of Charlotte, and Stetson University.

Both the ASUN and the UAC will continue to operate separate championships as independent conferences. Championship formats and locations will be determined at a later date for sports that are not already contracted. The ASUN basketball tournament will remain in Jacksonville, Fla., and the UAC basketball tournament location is to be determined.

The UAC and the ASUN will remain independent conferences, each with their own automatic qualifiers (AQ’s) for NCAA postseason play. Both conferences will also continue to meet the NCAA sport sponsorship and membership standards. Membership will continue to be a top priority for both conferences. Through the President’s leadership the Consortium will evaluate potential opportunities for growth and best alignment of Institutions.

Sport sponsorship for the conferences will be as follows:

ASUN:

• Men’s Sports: Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Golf, Lacrosse, Soccer, Swim & Dive and Indoor/Outdoor Track & Field

• Women’s Sports: Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Cross Country, Golf, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Swim & Dive, Tennis, Indoor/Outdoor Track & Field and Volleyball

UAC:

• Men’s Sports: Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Golf, Football, Tennis and Indoor/Outdoor Track & Field

• Women’s Sports: Basketball, Cross Country, Golf, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, Indoor/Outdoor Track & Field and Volleyball

“As many in the media and the public have mentioned, and as many other Division I conferences have discussed, the Division I Conference membership landscape at our level has become unsustainable and confusing,” the ASUN said. “We now have conferences that stretch from coast to coast, and conference membership often consists of a mix of football and non-football playing member institutions, public and private institutions, or institutions whose geography does not align well.

“In addition, conferences and institutions are looking for ways to reduce or streamline expenses, unlock new revenue streams, forge scheduling alliances, and prepare for the modern world of intercollegiate athletics.

“Through the formation of a consortium, this alliance allows two similarly situated conferences to partner together to resolve many of these challenges at once: better aligning our membership; reducing expenses; collectively leveraging assets such as media rights; providing members of both conferences games

and home games in multiple sports; and situating both conferences for streamlined decision making.”

“This is not a merger, but a forward-thinking alliance. We are proactively building a modern structure for intercollegiate athletics that benefits everyone involved. This alliance provides great leverage for two conferences and long-term stability amongst like-minded and similarly situated institutions.”

ASUN RELEASE

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Quarles and Vukelja Earn Men’s Track & Field CSC Academic All-District Honor

Story Links The 2025 Academic All-District Men’s Track & Field Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators (CSC), were announced on Tuesday. The CSC Academic All-America program recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. Carlos Quarles and Nikola Vukelja were recognized as Academic District honorees. Carlos […]

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40 minutes ago

June 26, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The 2025 Academic All-District Men’s Track & Field Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators (CSC), were announced on Tuesday. The CSC Academic All-America program recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom.

Carlos Quarles and Nikola Vukelja were recognized as Academic District honorees.

Carlos Quarles, Second Year, Tampa, Florida

Recorded a 3.87 in Sports Management

A Sun Conference All-Academic selection

Named an NAIA Scholar-Athlete

Competed in the 200m, the 400m, and the 4x400m relay

Logged three top-10 finishes in the 4x400m relay

Had a personal record in the 100m dash, posting a time 11.40

Set a PR in the 60m dash with a time of 7.13 at the Keiser Winter Open, placing 12th

Nikola Vukelja, Third Year, Krusevac, Serbia

Posted a 4.00 in Exercise and Sports Science

Earned Sun Conference All-Academic honors for the second straight year

Named an NAIA Scholar-Athlete of the second time in his career

Raced in the mile run, the 600m, the 800m, the 1500m, and the 3000m steeplechase

Had three top-10 finishes

Finished eighth in the 3,000m steeplechase at the Sun Conference Championships (Apr 26-27) (11:49.97)

Set a PR in the 1,500m run at the Emory Thrills in the Hills (Mar 27-29) with a time of 4:15.60

Placed eighth in the 600m run with a time of 1:29.12 at the Celebration Pointe Classic (Feb 7)

For all the latest on Keiser track and field, follow @keisertf on X and Instagram and like us on Facebook.

General athletic news can be found at KUSeahawks on Facebook, kuseahawks on Instagram, and kuseahawks on X.

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Kentucky vs. Pitt Volleyball Tickets Presale Link Now Live – UK Athletics

FT. WORTH, Texas – Presale tickets for the 2025 Shriners Children’s Showdown at the Net are now available through Ticketmaster and HERE, where fans can begin purchasing tickets in the Kentucky block with the presale code: WILDCATS. Kentucky will be facing the Pitt Panthers at 6:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. CT on Wednesday, Sept. 10 as […]

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41 minutes ago

June 26, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Kentucky will be facing the Pitt Panthers at 6:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. CT on Wednesday, Sept. 10 as part of a doubleheader of action at Dickies Arena in Ft. Worth, Texas, followed by Louisville facing off against Texas in the late match. Both matches will be televised on ESPN.

The Wildcats and Panthers met in the 2024 NCAA Volleyball Championship Regional Final, with the Panthers edging the Wildcats in three tight sets to advance to the NCAA Final Four last December. Pitt is one all four NCAA Final Four teams from 2024 that UK is set to face in its 2025 non-conference schedule.

Tickets go on sale to the general public without the presale code of a specific team Friday at 11 a.m. ET. The pre-sale link is good for the next 24 hours.

Earlier this year, ESPN Events also announced the “Broadway Block Party”, a volleyball event hosted by the Nashville Sports Council featuring three matchups between Big 10 and SEC schools.

2025 Showdown at the Net ACC/SEC Challenge

Tuesday, Sept. 9

Georgia Tech @ Tennessee (SEC Network)

Texas A&M @ SMU (ESPN2)

Boston College @ Arkansas (SEC Network+)

Stanford @ Missouri (ESPN)

Virginia @ Auburn (SEC Network+)

Florida @ North Carolina (ACC Network)

Georgia @ Clemson (ACC Network Extra)

LSU @ Notre Dame (ACC Network Extra)

Wednesday, Sept. 10

Kentucky vs. Pittsburgh (6:30pm ET, ESPN)*

Texas vs. Louisville (9pm ET, ESPN)*

Florida State @ Oklahoma (SEC Network)

Duke @ Mississippi State (SEC Network+)

South Carolina @ NC State (ACC Network)

Wake Forest @ Alabama (SEC Network+)

Ole Miss @ Miami (FL) (ACC Network Extra)

Vanderbilt @ California (ACC Network Extra)

* Shriners Children’s “Showdown at the Net” (Dickies Arena; Ft. Worth, Texas)

For the latest on UK Volleyball, follow the Wildcats on Twitter and Instagram at @KentuckyVB.

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Sports

How have coaches hired under Chris Del Conte fared?

Danny Davis, Austin American-Statesman | Hearst – Austin Transition Last Friday, the Texas softball team announced that it had added Arizona transfer Kaiah Altmeyer to its roster. Altmeyer, a utility player, spent her first three years of college at Arizona. During the 2025 season, she hit .365 with 55 RBIs and 50 runs while earning all-conference […]

Published

45 minutes ago

June 26, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Danny Davis, Austin American-Statesman
| Hearst – Austin Transition

Last Friday, the Texas softball team announced that it had added Arizona transfer Kaiah Altmeyer to its roster.

Altmeyer, a utility player, spent her first three years of college at Arizona. During the 2025 season, she hit .365 with 55 RBIs and 50 runs while earning all-conference honors in the Big 12.

This is not the first time that Texas has turned to someone with Arizona ties to help out its softball program. Bella Dayton, a star outfielder on UT’s 2022 and 2024 Women’s College World Series teams, was once an Arizona transfer.

Then there’s the story of the Longhorns’ coaching search in 2018.

As Texas celebrated its national championship during a June 7 ceremony at McCombs Field, athletic director Chris Del Conte shared a story about how Mike White became the Longhorns’ head coach. Back in the summer of 2018, Connie Clark — the only person to lead the Texas softball program — revealed she would not be returning for a 24th season.

Because he once worked as an associate athletics director at Arizona, Del Conte reached out to then-Wildcat coach Mike Candrea for advice. Who was the best softball coach in the country, Del Conte asked. Candera retorted that aside from him, the answer was White. White was coaching Oregon at the time, and his nine-year run with the Ducks included a 435-111-1 record and five College World Series appearances.

“If you can get Mike White to come to Texas, you’ll win a national championship,” Del Conte recalled Candera telling him.

So, Del Conte got White to come to Texas and White eventually made Candera’s prediction come to fruition. On June 6, Texas bested Texas Tech in the decisive game at the Women’s College World Series to secure the 30-year-old program’s first national championship.

That title wasn’t just significant for the softball program. It also spoke to Del Conte’s ability to hire. White was the second coaching hire made by Del Conte, who took over the UT athletic department in December 2017. Track and field coach Edrick Floréal and White, who were hired within two weeks of each other during June 2018, have since combined to win three NCAA championships.

How have Chris Del Conte’s coaching hires fared at Texas?

During Del Conte’s Texas tenure, the athletic department has hired 12 head coaches. Just two of those coaches — men’s basketball coaches Chris Beard and Rodney Terry — have been dismissed. (These numbers do not reflect Erik Sullivan, the volleyball assistant who directed the startup beach volleyball team in 2023 during its first year of existence.)

Those hires have won four national championships. In addition to Floreal’s two titles and White’s softball crown, Bob Bowman secured a national championship this past March during his first year with the men’s swimming and diving program. A fourth coach, Bruce Berque, led Texas men’s tennis to NCAA supremacy in 2019 as an interim coach.

Edrick Floréal (track and field, hired June 2018): Won a national championship with the Texas men’s indoor team in 2022 before he led the UT women to an outdoor title at Myers Stadium in 2023.
Mike White (softball, hired June 2018): Under White, Texas has compiled a 316-93-2 record with a national title and three appearances in the Women’s College World Series.
Bruce Berque (men’s tennis, hired May 2019): In the wake of Michael Center’s involvement in the Varsity Blues scandal, UT won a national championship with Berque serving as an interim coach. Five years later, Texas was the NCAA runner-up.
Vic Schaefer (women’s basketball, hired April 2020): Since Schaefer’s hire, Texas has won conference titles in the Big 12 and SEC. This past season, UT reached the Final Four for the first time since 2003.
Steve Sarkisian (football, hired January 2021): The Sarkisian era has featured 38 wins, a Big 12 championship and two appearances in the semifinals of the College Football Playoff.
Chris Beard (men’s basketball, hired April 2021): Went 29-13 but Beard was fired in January 2023 following his arrest on a third-degree felony domestic violence charge.
Rodney Terry (men’s basketball, hired March 2023): Terry went 40-29 in two full seasons after leading Texas to the Elite Eight as an interim coach. He was fired following the 2024-25 season.
Stein Metzger (beach volleyball, hired May 2023): Hired to build a beach volleyball program at Texas, Metzger led the Longhorns to a conference title and a NCAA Tournament win this season.
Bob Bowman (men’s swimming and diving, hired April 2024): Lured away from Arizona State to replace the legendary Eddie Reese, Bowman immediately made a splash by winning the program’s 16th national title in his first season.
Laura Ianello (women’s golf, hired June 2024): Texas concluded its first year under Ianello with a quarterfinal loss to Oregon in NCAA match play.
Jim Schlossnagle (baseball, hired June 2024): Texas won 44 games and an SEC title in its first season with Schlossnagle, a Texas A&M defector. The Longhorns, however, were upset in an NCAA regional that they hosted.
Sean Miller (men’s basketball, hired March 2025): Needing to replace Terry, Del Conte turned to Miller. Miller arrives in Austin with a 487-196 career record at Xavier and Arizona.

Chris Del Conte has often chased the top coaches to fill vacancies

Del Conte’s conversation seven years ago with Candera was foreshadowing of how Texas would handle coaching searches. By asking around about the country’s best softball coach, Del Conte signaled that Texas would go big-game hunting with him in charge.

Of the 12 coaches that Texas has hired during Del Conte’s time in Austin, three — Bowman, Ianello and Metzger — won a national championship before they got to Texas. Beard, Floreal, Schaefer and Schlossnagle had each led schools to runner-up finishes. Most of those hires had also just been head coaches at major schools with Berque, a championship-winning interim coach who had previously been the head coach at Michigan, and Sarkisian, a highly-regarded Alabama assistant who had led the programs at Washington and USC, being among the few exceptions.

So, what can a sales pitch from Del Conte sound like?

After replacing Ryan Murphy last summer, Ianello was asked just that. The ex-Arizona coach said that Del Conte randomly called her while she was in her office and told her that he was looking to make a coaching change. He then said, “I want you to go home, talk to your husband, talk to your family and you just let me know probably in 24 hours if it’s a thumbs up or a thumbs down.”

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