Sports

Faculty and Staff Share Their Highlights of the Year

Published

8 months ago

May 10, 2025

We asked Fordham faculty and staff to reflect on their most memorable, meaningful moments from the past year. Their highlights remind us why our work matters, and why the Fordham community continues to inspire.

Forging Friendships That Will Last for Years to Come

“Students fuel us and inspire us,” said psychology professor and Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives Rachel Annunziato, Ph.D. This year, one student, Steven Laureano, reminded her of this. Annunziato met him as a first-year when she was tapped to be a summer faculty advisor for this year’s graduating class, and “he stood out quickly as embodying what I love about our students; he was so kind, excited, grateful, and hard-working,” she said. Annunziato focused on creating a schedule that would fit his commute and his work in sales, and “I have watched him soar ever since,” she said.

“He is now a well-known leader in the Commuter Student Association, a superstar psychology major, the recipient of our Davidson Scholarship, and a few weeks ago he called to tell me that he was accepted into Fordham’s Graduate School of Social Work, where his mom is also a student.” They may even graduate from GSS together.
“Students like Stephen are symbolic of the close connections that faculty form here—he’s one of those students that I know I’ll get to be in touch with for so many years to come,” she said. “It’s a gift to be at a place like this where those kinds of relationships are possible. I’ve been at Fordham for almost 15 years and you always get this joy, each and every year.”

Creating a Sense of Home in the Classroom

Leo Guardado, Ph.D., accepting the Humanities award at the Arts and Sciences Faculty Day. Photo: Joseph Buscaro

Theology professor Leo Guardado, Ph.D., began his undergraduate Christian Mystical Texts class one morning in April by asking his students how they felt in this current moment. Students cried, he said; they shared what it’s like to feel unwanted by society. “What I thought would be a brief discussion turned into a class-length holy time and holy space for sharing our vulnerabilities, anxieties, and fears,” said Guardado, who received two Faculty of Arts and Science awards this year, the Humanities award and the James C. McGroddy award, in recognition of his excellence in teaching.

“It became clear to me as I listened to my students that one of the most critical tasks facing us is the communal and ongoing re-creation of a sense of home even amidst the ongoing threats and persecution that is tearing apart communities,” Guardado said. Inviting students to share their stories was a simple gesture, he said, that created a time for healing.

They tabled their discussion on the 16th century Spanish mystic, Teresa of Avila, for the next class, but “the conversation about the reality we are living through made spirituality even more relevant as a source of resistance to violence. We heal together, not alone.”

CCEL in Action in Albany

Each year for the past three years, the Center for Community Engaged Learning [CCEL] has participated in Albany’s annual SOMOS Conference, a statewide gathering of community leaders, elected officials, and changemakers dedicated to promoting justice, public service, and cultural celebration. This year Travis Proulx, vice president of external affairs, joined to participate in a panel discussion on the future of DEI in higher education.

The students who took part in the event made it truly memorable for Keisha Shay, Ph.D., director of academic development and administration in CCEL. They helped design a participatory installation called “Clima,” a handmade tree where visitors could hang their personal pledges and visions for a better climate future.

“Seeing our students engage with communities beyond the Bronx and Manhattan was truly meaningful,” said Shay. “It was a powerful reminder of what’s possible when education uplifts and empowers.”

A Defining Moment in Water Polo’s Winning Season

Fordham fans packed the stands at the Sept. 27 game. Photo by Vincent Dusovic

Before the Fordham men’s water polo team finished its greatest season ever, 32-1, and went further than any other Fordham team in the NCAA Championship, they had to defeat a rival they had only beaten once in the program’s history: Princeton.

“They’ve just been our thorn in our side that we’ve never been able to get past,” said Head Coach Brian Bacharach. But their Sept. 27 game—one of the highlights of Bacharach’s year—was different. “It was the first time in five years that we got them to come to our place to play, so we got a home game against them, and the night was just magical. We played amazing and the stands were packed. We never had so many people in our place before, so we had to open up seating down on the pool deck. We brought all the parents down, because there was not any room up in the stands.” After the win, hundreds of alumni were there to celebrate. “They knew how long it’s taken for us to finally get over the top against those guys. That was our first marquee win.”

Music Meets Mission

As Director of Ignatian Mission Initiatives, Rob Parmach, Ph.D., organizes many opportunities to connect Fordham faculty, staff and students to the local communities around Lincoln Center and Rose Hill. Looking back on them all, a visit by the all-male a capella group, The Fordham Ramblers, to a local middle school, was the most memorable.

“This was for me a great example of seeing God in all things—you have 13 college adults who are talented musicians, but also college students who want to mentor and give a good life lesson to these middle school kids who are in sixth, seventh, and eighth grade. They teach them not only about how they put music together, identifying that it’s hard work and it requires a lot of patience and collaboration and teamwork, but also to recognize that through their music and through their soft skills, they’re becoming lifelong friends.”

Getting Everyone in the Room—and on the Field

University Secretary Dorothy Marinucci had a hard time picking just one standout moment from the past year. “January’s Mental Health and Crime Symposium was extremely well received, and I was very proud to have worked on it with my colleagues,” she said. She also spearheads the yearlong commencement planning that brings everyone from the Ram Van crew to facilities to public safety to faculty together for meetings.. “It’s a wonderful opportunity where we’re all in the room together and we go over every crazy thing and we all get to see each other. It’s not that often that we can do that.”

The return of Fordham’s Dagger John Day, which Marinucci and Kathy Law, office coordinator and event specialist in the Office of the University Secretary, helped bring back last June after the pandemic put it on hold, was another highlight of the past year. “We wanted to bring it back in a more engaging, fun way, and so we created a cornhole tournament and other games, and we opened up the football field snack bars to serve hamburgers and hot dogs. It was fun.”

This year, the celebration will move indoors to the air-conditioned Rose Hill Gym on Monday, June 2.

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Sports

Tritons Complete North American Challenge

Published

2 hours ago

January 5, 2026

Your Sports Nation

LONG BEACH, Calif. — UC San Diego men’s volleyball completed its preseason on Sunday with day two of the North American Challenge. The Tritons once again beat Canadian sides Alberta and Calgary in exhibition matches after doing the same on Friday.

The Tritons beat Alberta 3-0 before turning around and playing Calgary, winning 3-1. Head coach Brad Rostratter repeated his previous approach of largely using two separate lineups for the two matches. Only four of the 14 Tritons who got playing time on Sunday appeared in both contests.

The challenge was hosted by fellow Big West side Long Beach State. On Friday, the Tritons also swept Alberta after beating Calgary 3-2.

HOW IT HAPPENED – ALBERTA
The Tritons cruised through the first match of the day, winning 25-16, 25-21, 25-15. They hit .333 while holding Alberta to a .200 clip. The Tritons also had 11 service aces.

A balanced offense saw four Tritons finish with seven or more kills. Luke Chandler and Leo Wiemelt had a match-high nine kills, with Wiemelt hitting .667 in the process. Setter Cameron Wurl had 24 assists.

HOW IT HAPPENED – CALGARY
Calgary won set one 25-23 before UC San Diego won the next three 25-17, 25-21, 25-21. The Triton offense hit .431, while Calgary converted at a rate of .247.

Four Tritons had multiple blocks on the defensive side of the net. Offensively, Josh Ewert and Leo Pravednikov both hit .406. Ewert led the match with 20 kills, while Pravednikov added 17. Setter John Luers had 42 assists.

QUOTABLE
“I loved the volleyball we were playing throughout our four matches this weekend,” Rostratter said. “Using four different lineups and finding connections and success in different phases of the game highlighted the depth we have within our team. These were quality opportunities to learn more about what our team has and where we are headed this season. I am excited for the home matches this week on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday!”

UP NEXT
The 2026 regular season begins this Tuesday as the Tritons host Jessup at 7:00 p.m. at LionTree Arena. UC San Diego will also have home matches versus Daemen and Rockhurst on Friday and Sunday this week.

About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program has begun a new era as a member of The Big West in NCAA Division I. The 24-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 39 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world’s preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in NCAA Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.

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Tyler’s McLean, Hallsville’s Farrell earn Class 5A all-state third-team volleyball honors

Published

2 hours ago

January 5, 2026

Your Sports Nation

LONGVIEW — Tyler middle blocker Kaelyn McLean and Hallsville outside hitter Kaycin Farrell earned third-team honors on the Blue Bell/Texas Sports Writers Association Class 5A All-State Volleyball Team, the organization announced on Sunday.

Lady Lion outside hitter Ja’lee Flores was voted honorable mention.

Lufkin middle blocker Chesney McCullough was named a first-team middle blocker.

Area honorable mention players were middle blockers Knlee Smith of Marshall, Kylee Fernandez of Hallsville, and Taryn Stiger of Texas High; outside hitters Lily Holzbauer of Whitehouse, and Akira Smallwood of Lufkin; and setter Aleciara Smallwood of Lufkin.

McLean had 489 kills, 215 digs, 111 blocks and eight aces, while Farrell, the District 15-5A Most Valuable Player, had 402 kills, .371 hitting percentage, 302 digs, 68 aces, 50 blocks and 29 assists.

Class 5A Division II champion Cedar Park earned both top superlatives with the release of the Joy Udoye, who has signed to play for Stanford, was named Player of the Year. Udoye had eye-popping stats of 581 kills, 364 digs, 34 aces and 30 blocks as Cedar Park finished 39-12 overall.

Lori McLaughlin was voted Coach of the Year.

Voting was conducted by TSWA members based on nominations from coaches and media members from around the state.

Blue Bell/Texas Sports Writers Association

Class 5A All-State Volleyball Team

COACH OF THE YEAR: Lori McLaughlin, Cedar Park

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Joy Udoye, Cedar Park

FIRST TEAM

Middle blockers: Brooklyn Bailey, Highland Park; Sienna Benavides, Cedar Park; Chesney McCullough, Lufkin

Outside hitters: Joy Udoye, Cedar Park; Kaitlyn Hutchins, Lake Belton; Harper Korenek, A&M Consolidated

Setter: Blair Thiebaud, College Station

Libero/Defensive Specialist: Ann Kruz, Cedar Park

SECOND TEAM

Middle Blockers: Rihanna Bryant, Pflugerville Weiss; Aliah Earls, Red Oak; Zandria Johnson, Brownsville Rivera

Outside hitters: Nadiya Shelby, Friendswood; Sarah Floyd, Highland Park; Mya Cheatum, Cedar Park

Setter: Katelyn Hughes, Cedar Park

Libero/Defensive Specialist: Gigi Whann, Highland Park

THIRD TEAM

Middle Blockers: Jacey Owen, Smithson Valley; Kendall Kruesler, New Braunfels; Kaelyn McLean, Tyler

Outside hitters: Kaycin Farrell, Hallsville; Lexi Anderson, Frisco Centennial; Alexis Elsey, Argyle

Setter: Kingsley Minus, New Braunfels

Libero/Defensive Specialist: Berkeley Bates, Smithson Valley

HONORABLE MENTION

Middle Blockers: Ava Wood, Lake Belton; Knlee Smith, Marshall; Haddie Mock, Abilene Wiley; Kylee Fernandez, Hallsville; Emersyn Fink, Frisco Liberty; Taryn Stiger, Texas High; Kaitlyn McCracken, Belton

Outside hitters: Alyssa Todd, Aledo; Ja’lee Flores, Tyler; Lily Holzbauer, Whitehouse; Shaylie Schaefer, New Braunfels; Akira Smallwood, Lufkin; Hannah Baker, Argyle; Danielle Whittier, Prosper Walnut Grove; Kaelee Berkley, Aledo; Jaiden Harris, Frisco Liberty; Zoeh Cereceres, El Paso Chapin

Setter: Madison Bingham, Lake Belton; Aleciara Smallwood, Lufkin; Jill Vinal, A&M Consolidated; Ava Jackson, Pflugerville Weiss; Kyndal Newton, A&M Consolidated; Madison Victoriano, Frisco Centennial; Amelia Albright, Georgetown

Libero/Defensive Specialist: Hayden Jeffers, New Braunfels; Teagan Barnett, Argyle; Haley Nash, College Station; Haley Patton, Friendswood; Ashley Go, Pflugerville Weiss

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Sports

Blugolds Downed by #6 Roanoke 26-15

Published

3 hours ago

January 5, 2026

Your Sports Nation

SALEM, Va. — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire narrowly fell to #6 Roanoke College with a final team score of 26-15.

Sloan Welch delivered a commanding performance at 285 pounds, securing a fall over Nicholas Cook in 3:59. This decisive victory contributed six points to the team’s score.

Preston Carlisle was instrumental in maintaining momentum for the Blugolds, securing decisions in both the 165 and 174-pound weight classes. He overcame Cade Parent 7-4 and later defeated Xavier Preston 10-5. Zak McPhee contributed with a 6-0 decision against Vincenzo Corvetto at 184 pounds. Looking ahead, the team will aim to carry this momentum into their upcoming competitions.

Blugold wrestling’s next competition is the Budd Whitehill Duals on Friday, January 9th and Saturday, January 10th in Williamsport, PA.

Follow the Blugolds all season long at Blugolds.com or on our app, Blugold Sports, and on social media on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

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Beach Sweep Calgary, Defeat Alberta On Final Day Of North American Challenge

Published

3 hours ago

January 5, 2026

Your Sports Nation

LONG BEACH, Calif. — Long Beach State Men’s Volleyball closed out day two of the North American Challenge, an eight-match exhibition tournament, with a pair of impressive victories Friday at the Gold Mine. The Beach opened the day with a commanding 3-0 sweep of Calgary (CAN) (25-18, 25-18, 25-15) before closing the night with a 3-1 win over Alberta (CAN) (25-19, 25-27, 25-13, 25-19).

Against Calgary, Long Beach State was in control from start to finish, hitting .372 as a team while limiting the Dinos to a .123 attack percentage. The Beach dominated the net, posting an 11-2 advantage in total team blocks, and sided out efficiently throughout the match, including an 86% rate in the third set to seal the sweep.

Connor Bloom led all players with 10 kills, adding two service aces and four block assists while hitting .333. Braedon Marquardt followed with seven kills on .583 hitting and a match-high seven block assists, anchoring the Beach defense at the net. Daniil Hershtynovich contributed eight kills and three blocks, while Myles Jordan added four kills on .444 hitting.

Setter Island Doty directed the offense with 25 assists as Long Beach State totaled 39 kills on 78 attempts. The Beach also recorded five service aces and held Calgary to just one ace on the night. After pulling away late in the opening set, Long Beach State applied steady pressure in the second before dominating the third, jumping out to an early lead and never looking back.

In their final match of the day against Alberta, Long Beach State continued to attack efficiently, hitting .377 as a team while holding the Golden Bears to a .132 hitting percentage. The Beach again controlled the net, finishing with 17.5 total team blocks compared to Alberta’s 4.0.

Skyler Varga led the way offensively with 15 kills on .440 hitting, scoring key points in transition throughout the match. Hershtynovich remained highly efficient, tallying six kills on eight swings (.750) while contributing on both sides of the ball. Jackson Cryst was a force defensively, recording 12 block assists and one solo block to anchor the Beach front line.

After taking the opening set comfortably, Long Beach State dropped a tightly contested second set. The Beach responded emphatically in the third, hitting .500 while limiting Alberta to just nine kills, and carried that momentum into the fourth set to close out the match behind consistent side-out play and timely blocking. Long Beach State finished the contest with 43 kills and nine service aces.

With the pair of wins, the Beach wrapped up day two of the North American Challenge showcasing depth, efficiency, and physicality at the net, setting a strong tone the close out the international exhibition tournament as they head into regular season competition.

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Men’s Volleyball Completes Sweep of NJIT

Published

3 hours ago

January 5, 2026

Your Sports Nation

HONOLULU – The second-ranked University of Hawai’i men’s volleyball team swept NJIT for the second consecutive match Sunday in a non-conference match-up at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center. Set scores were 25-17, 25-16, 25-17.

The Rainbow Warriors (2-0) hardly broke a sweat in the two matches against the Highlanders, winning both in straight sets and did not allow more than 17 points in the six sets. UH hit .517 for the series and totaled 23 team blocks and 11 aces.

For the second straight match, Kristian Titriyski led the way with 11 kills, three aces, and four blocks and was the only player on either team to reach double figures in kills in both matches. Adrien Roure added nine kills, hitting .615 while Louis Sakanoko tallied six kills in seven errorless attempts and three blocks in two sets of action.

A little role reversal! 🤌 pic.twitter.com/hpqksX3AOQ

— Hawai’i Men’s Volleyball (@HawaiiMensVB) January 5, 2026

The Highlanders (0-2) were led by Andre Aleixo’s nine kils and three blocks. NJIT recorded six team blocks and two aces after being held to zero in both categories on Friday.

In Set 1, UH stormed out to an 10-3 lead after a six-point run off of Titriyski’s serve which included a pair of aces. UH doubled up the Highlanders at 18-9 with five unanswered and went on to finish the set with 5.5 blocks in the set in an eight-point victory.

The Warriors broke open Set 2 with a 6-1 run for an 18-10 lead. Reserve setter Magnus Hettervik made his UH debut and served his first ace during the run. Hawai’i did not commit an attack error in 18 attempts, hitting .778 with 14 kills, four each by Sakanoko and Roure.

In Set 3, Hawai’i turned a three-point lead at 15-12 into a nine-point cushion after a 7-0 run off the serve of Finn Kearney.

After the match, the Warriors received their 2025 Big West Championship rings during a post-match ring ceremony.

Hawai’i will next host No. 7 Loyola Chicago for a two-match series, Thursday, Jan. 8 and Friday, Jan. 9 at Bankoh Arena. UH will host its annual all-alumni match prior to Friday’s match at 4:00 p.m.

Put a ring on it 💍#WarriorBall26 x #GoBows pic.twitter.com/MAbPacJdUy

— Hawai’i Men’s Volleyball (@HawaiiMensVB) January 5, 2026

#HawaiiMVB

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No. 2 Hawai‘i men’s volleyball shows no rust in sweeping NJIT

Published

4 hours ago

January 5, 2026

Your Sports Nation

MĀNOA — There were no post-holiday blues for the University of Hawai‘i men’s volleyball team or its loyal supporters.

Hawai‘i’s 2026 campaign, which contains legitimate championship hopes, officially began on Friday evening with a two-match series against the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Despite Friday’s season opener falling on the day after New Year’s, a turnstile crowd of 5,685 still appeared. And although the Rainbow Warriors have led the country in attendance for eight seasons in a row and counting, UH head coach Charlie Wade was still moved when he looked at the line forming outside of the Stan Sheriff Center half an hour before Friday’s match.

“Just super appreciative to the crowd showing up,” Wade said. “It’s something that we’re never going to take for granted. We’re so appreciative of people taking the time and spending the money to come out here and support us, and we’re doing everything we can to put on a good show and win matches, because that’s why they’re coming. … Getting that many people to come out on opening night, couldn’t be more humbled and appreciative of that kind of support.”

On the floor, the Rainbow Warriors were dominant in both matches despite having less than a week to prepare. The ‘Bows swept the Highlanders 25-11, 25-16, 25-14 on Friday night and 25-17, 25-16, 25-17 on Sunday in front of a turnstile count of 5,267.

New starters Trevell Jordan and Quintin Greenidge adjusted seamlessly for the Rainbow Warriors. Jordan had seven blocks and eight kills while getting the start at middle blocker, while Greenidge had nine digs and five assists in his first weekend as a ‘Bows, filling the void left by ‘Eleu Choy.

“It was electric,” Jordan, a Grand Canyon transfer, said of playing in front of the Stan Sheriff Center crowd. “It blew what I thought it was going to be out. The crowd was crazy. You could just hear how much they are involved in interacting with the game, staying locked in. We didn’t have that at GCU. We did have crowds, but not as impactful as the crowd here.”

Because of the margin of victory in each set, many Rainbow Warrior backups were able to see extended playing time. Players who started multiple matches in 2025 in middle blocker Ofeck Hazan and opposite Finn Kearney ran with the team’s B side. In Sunday’s match, true freshman setter Magnus Hettervik, a native of Norway, made his college debut with three assists and a service ace.

“I don’t think you can ever have too many good players, right? And the top programs all have good players,” Wade said. “The best players want to go play with other good players. … We want guys that want to come in and battle and are confident enough and are good enough players, and they think, ‘I’m going to play. I’m good player. Doesn’t matter, my first year to my fourth year.’ Everybody here knows what they signed up for, right?

“This is the best of the best on a global level. These are the best players in the world at their age group. And that is not hyperbolic. That is a fact. They all signed up for it. Here we go. Let’s try to win as many matches we can. Let’s keep trying to improve and become professionals and Olympians and hopefully win a boatload of matches along the way.”

Following Sunday’s match, the Rainbow Warriors also received their championship rings for their Big West Conference tournament victory.

UH mens volleyball Big West rings 010426 — Members of the Hawai‘i men’s volleyball team were presented their 2025 Big West Conference championship rings on Sunday. (Aloha State Daily Staff)

“Guys come here to win championships. We don’t shy away from it at all. That’s part of the deal,” Wade said. “Everybody loves the idea of playing for championships. Not everybody loves the lifestyle, and it’s a grind. We ask a lot of our guys, so to give them a chance to validate all the hard work that they put in and all the people in front of them have put in, it’s nice to get some validation for all that time and effort.”

Added Hettervik, who was not on the team in 2025 and did not receive a ring: “When I looked at the ring, it was really insane. It pushes me more. I really want to get one for myself.”

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up here for our free Daily Edition newsletter.

Christian Shimabuku can be reached at christian@alohastatedaily.com.

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