Connect with us
https://yoursportsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/call-to-1.png

Sports

Fall sports preview: KU volleyball building chemistry, relationships with new roster and coaching staff

Published

on








article image
Kansas Athletics


New KU volleyball coach Matt Ulmer speaks at his introductory press conference on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena.



The first thing Matt Ulmer did after taking over as Kansas volleyball coach was to figure out who was on his roster.

The 2024 Jayhawks team graduated seniors who played extensive minutes during the season. That left Ulmer to figure out who he had left on his team and how to supplement the talent that stayed on the team going into 2025.

“The first thing is trying to figure out who’s here and who wants to be here,” Ulmer said. “What’s amazing is how many people on the team that just really love KU. Whether it was (former coach) Ray (Bechard) or me, this is the place that they want to be.

“The conversations that we had with the returning team at the end of spring was, ‘Is this still the right fit for everybody after we’ve gone through a semester of training and competing in the spring?’ And the answer was a resounding yes. This is where everybody wants to be.”

Twelve of the 19 members of the 2024 team are back in Lawrence, including junior libero Raegan Burns, sophomore middle blocker Reese Ptacek (the Big 12 freshman of the year last season) and outside hitter Rhian Swanson, along with a variety of promising underclassmen.

Ulmer said he focused on adding different pieces to the roster at each position and creating a competitive environment in each practice. Now, less than a month away from the regular season, Ulmer likes where the roster stands.

Ulmer brought some familiar faces from the transfer portal to provide that competition. Senior pin hitter Audra Wilmes transferred from Washington, while sophomore setter Cristin Cline and transferred from Oregon, where Ulmer coached in 2024 before taking the Kansas job. Senior libero Ryan White, previously at Oregon State, was signed to play at Oregon before Ulmer made the move to KU

As for freshmen, three of KU’s signees — Selena Leban, Jovana Zelenovic and Aurora Papac — come from Europe. Logan Bell, the 2024 Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year, is the lone American signee. Ulmer called Bell “a great leader, a great culture kid.”

Ulmer starts every year with his team from scratch. The spring and summer are spent practicing the fundamental techniques and tactics. That was particularly beneficial for the Jayhawks, as even those players who returned didn’t return with much game experience. By working the fundamentals as a team, the Jayhawks learn how to play together in their new system, starting at the basics.

“It’s an exciting time for them to get to learn the style of play that I’m hoping we can play and how they start playing together,” Ulmer said. “And this will be one of the keys for us this fall, is going to be how quickly we can handle this transition of gaining rhythm together.”

Chemistry and communication are important factors in all team sports, but with volleyball, communication is especially fast with the speed of play.

“You have to rely on each other to have success,” Ulmer said. “A lot of it is nonverbal communication skills in a quick time. So you need to have some sort of relationship, and we need to be able to build that as quickly as possible.”

Kansas will start its season with Vanderbilt before facing the 2024 NCAA defending champion in Penn State and two 2024 Elite Eight teams in Wisconsin and Creighton. The Jayhawks will play seven teams that made the 2024 NCAA Tournament in non-conference play.

The early part of the schedule will be a challenge for the jelling Jayhawks, but Ulmer is more focused on ensuring the team plays at its best late in the season. If anything, Ulmer said too much pressure on early-season results can sabotage a team.

“I take a lot of pride that I think our teams have always played our best volleyball in December,” Ulmer said. “Very rarely have we not. We’re really trying to gear up for what the end of season will look like, which means I’m not trying to stress us out about making sure we’re playing our very best volleyball on day one.”

Still, those matches will be opportunities for the Jayhawks to play in challenging environments against the best in the country. They can bring valuable experiences for the Jayhawks as they hope for a deep playoff run.

“I like us playing those good teams right away in tough environments,” Ulmer said. “That’s why we went to Nebraska. I want everyone to see what that’s like. I want our goals to be playing in Final Fours and for national championships, so you want to be putting your team in as many of those situations as possible.

“I think once you get a taste of that, once you get some success, once you start seeing what that volleyball is like, hopefully you’re driven to want to play at the higher level each and every day.”

That competition all comes before conference play in the Big 12, which sent six teams — including Kansas — to the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Last year, the Jayhawks finished second in the Big 12 with a 15-3 conference record. Only Arizona State (17-1) had a better conference record.

While this is Ulmer’s first season coaching in the Big 12, his time at Oregon allowed him to see many of the teams he’ll see in the conference. From the former Pac-12 schools Ulmer’s teams faced in conference play to playing BYU and TCU during the 2024 season, Ulmer has an idea of the brands of volleyball the Jayhawks and their foes will play.

“Midwest teams, generally, I feel like are kind of smash-mouth defenders, a little bit bigger block, but maybe a little slower play,” Ulmer said. “We’ve been much faster in our offense, a little bit more dynamic. It’ll be interesting to see how that matches up, and I think that’s always fun for fans to watch.”

Ulmer said KU isn’t massive on the left side, trading size for ball control and a faster pace of play that helps create better opportunities for the outside hitters. The team’s setters, Cline, Katie Dalton and Ellie Moore, are athletic and help push the tempo.

“That allows us to play a little bit of a different game that maybe can help benefit us tactically,” Ulmer said. “It really makes sense for the group that we have.”

There’s a lot for the Jayhawks to work out ahead of the 2025 season, and the season opener on Aug. 23 against Vanderbilt is fast approaching. But Ulmer and the Jayhawks are ready to get started and see what the team can accomplish.

“I’m really encouraged based on our spring and what everybody’s intentions were,” Ulmer said. “I think this group is really excited. It’s hard to predict outcomes, but I’m excited for our process.”

article imageChance Parker/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas freshman Reese Ptacek spikes the ball against Kansas State on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Lawrence.

article imageMike Gunnoe/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas libero Raegan Burns makes a dig against Colgate Friday, Dec. 6, 2024 in Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena in Lawrence.

article imageRed Box Pictures

Washington’s Audra Wilmes (1) serves against Nebraska on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in Seattle.

article imageKane Nguyen/OSU Athletics

Oregon State libero Ryan White plays for the Beavers in this undated photo in Corvallis, Ore.






PREV POST

Fall sports preview: KU bringing quality depth to cross-country roster ahead of 2025 season






NEXT POST

123384Fall sports preview: KU volleyball building chemistry, relationships with new roster and coaching staff








Author Photo

Written By David Rodish









Link

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sports

NCAA volleyball: BYU, Utah fall in 5-set tournament openers

Published

on


PROVO — The BYU women’s volleyball’s stay in a 14th consecutive NCAA Tournament was cut short for a second straight year Thursday evening.

Kendall Beshear poured in 20 kills, 12 digs, four blocks, two assists and two aces to lift Cal Poly to a 25-19, 17-25, 20-25, 25-20, 15-10 win over fifth-seeded BYU at the Galen Center in Los Angeles.

Recently named Big 12 freshman of the year Suli Davis had 18 kills and 10 digs, Claire Little Chambers added 14 kills and 14 digs, and Brielle Kemavor supplied 15 kills and three blocks for the 22nd-ranked Cougars (22-9), who were fed by 48 assists and 11 digs from Alex Bower.

But for a second straight year, BYU was eliminated early by an upstart mid-major conference champion. A year after the Cougars were swept by A-10 champs Loyola Chicago, Cal Poly out-hit BYU .312 to .256 and served up seven aces with 12 blocks to send the top-25 team from the Big 12 home early.

Emma Fredrick added 15 kills and 10 digs for the Mustangs (26-7), and Emme Bullis dished out 52 assists with eight digs and a pair of aces.

BYU rallied from a 25-19 gut-punch in the opening set, when Bower fed a balanced attack of three double-digit hitters to take the next two sets, 25-17 and 25-20 on Little Chambers’ 12th kill of the match.

How efficient was BYU? In the third set, the Cougars hit .357 with 17 kills and just two errors to out-hit the Mustangs’ .257.

But the Big West champions found momentum in the fourth set, using a pair of aces and several other well-served balls to take a 13-9 lead early after a 4-0 spurt. The Cougars trailed 22-20 when Little Chambers had to be helped off the court with an apparent lower leg injury, and Ella Scott’s ace helped the Mustangs close out a 25-20 victory to force a decisive fifth set.

“Coming out of the third, we looked at each other and knew it was now or nothing,” Beshear told ESPN+ after the match. “We trusted each other, we balled out, and we had relentless defense. I think that’s what changed the game for us.”

Beshear had a service ace during a 4-0 run that gave the Mustangs an 11-6 lead in the finale, and Fredrick finished off the upset with her second ace of the night, 15-10.

Sixth-seeded Northern Iowa rallies to reverse sweep Utes

Lily Dykstra, Cassidy Hartman and Reese Booth each posted a double-double as sixth-seeded Northern Iowa rallied to reverse-sweep Utah 15-25, 21-25, 26-24, 25-20, 15-10 in Omaha, Nebraska.

Kamryn Gibadlo poured in 20 kills with four blocks for the Utes, who ended the season with a 15-15 overall record. Levani Key-Powell added 17 kills, and Emrie Moea’i had a double-double with 10 kills and 10 blocks for Utah.

“We are very proud to have gotten to the tournament,” said Utah coach Beth Launiere, whose team was back in the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season and 20th time in program history. “I think it’s been well-documented that we faced a lot of adversity this year. I couldn’t be more proud of my team for overcoming that, working together, finding a way, and getting us to this point.”

Utah Valley will be the fourth school from Utah to open the NCAA Tournament with first serve Friday at second-seeded Stanford.



Link

Continue Reading

Sports

Men’s & Women’s Track & Field set to open indoor season this weekend at Bison Opener

Published

on


LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Lock Haven will send 59 student-athletes to Bucknell University on Friday night (Dec. 5) and Saturday morning (Dec. 6) to open the Bald Eagles’ 2025-26 men’s and women’s indoor track and field season.
 
The Bison Open will take place inside Gerhard Fieldhouse.
 
BISON OPEN MEET INFO

 
PSAC/NCAA QUALIFYING STANDARDS

 
COLLEGE TEAMS COMPETING AT BISON OPEN

  • Bloomsburg, Bucknell, Indiana (PA), Lincoln, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Mount St. Mary’s, Penn State, Shippensburg, St. Francis

 
MEN’S NOTES
Lock Haven will send 40 men to compete in 17 total events.
 
In 2024-25, the Bald Eagles took fifth place at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Indoor Track & Field Championships.
 
The Bald Eagles will return six PSAC place winners from last season. Nick Bellomo in the heptathlon, Morgan Gavitt and Anden Atkins in the 800-meter run, Jakob Rager in the 3,000-meter run, Josiah Schans and Cameron Lewis as part of the 400-meter relay team will all return in the 2025-26 season for Lock Haven.
 
Nine newcomers will make their debut on Saturday for The Haven.
 
LOCK HAVEN MEN’S ENTRIES
Heptathlon: Nick Bellomo
Long Jump: Isaiah Brinker, Michael Lawrence, Benjamin Warburton, Jaden Wright
Triple Jump: Isaiah Brinker, Michael Lawrence, Tadd Ungard, Bryce Warren
High Jump: Ben Gusciora, Shawn Hertzog, Ben Streator, Bryce Warren
Weight Throw: Peter Bellomo, Ty King, Parker Sandt, Eric Zalar
Shot Put: Peter Bellomo, Patrick Marcinko, Eric Zalar
Pole Vault: Kevin Taylor
60-Meter Hurdles: Rocco Pacifico, Matt Reinard, Jorge Santana, Josiah Schans
60-Meter Dash: Dylan Cassetori, Gage Chipeleski, Lukas Epitropakis, Michael Lawrence, Cameron Lewis, Garrison Lucas, Rocco Pacifico, Dillyn Reibsome, Rocky Romani, Josiah Schans, Kevin Taylor, Tadd Ungard, Benjamin Warburton, Jonah White, Sam Wible, Ryan Williams, Brody Wolfe, Jaden Wright
200-Meter Dash: Isaiah Brinker, Dylan Cassetori, Gage Chipeleski, Lukas Epitropakis, Aden Howell, Cameron Lewis, Adam Linkhorst, Dillyn Reibsome, Jorge Santana, Trey Wagner, Bryce Warren, Benjamin Warburton, Jonah White, Sam Wible, Brody Wolfe
300-Meter Dash: Rocco Pacifico, Matt Reinard, Rocky Romani, Josiah Schans, Ryan Williams, Jaden Wright
400-Meter Dash: Aden Howell, Adam Linkhorst, Trey Wagner
500-Meter Dash: Sage Carr
800-Meter Run: Skylar Small, Lorenzo Thompson
Mile Run: Jarrett Lee, Michael Loffredo
3,000 Meter Run: Jakob Rager, Anthony Solis-Morales
4×400-Meter Relay: A – (Wible, Schans, Reinard, Lewis), B – Carr, Epitropakis, Gusciora, Thompson) C – (Howell, Pacifico, Romani, Chipeleski) D – (Lee, Williams, Small, Loffredo)
 
WOMEN’S NOTES
On the women’s side, Lock Haven will send 19 athletes to compete in 12 total events.
 
Much like the men, the women’s team will see a mix of returners and newcomers featured on Friday and Saturday, with the returning PSAC place winners being Reagan Irons (high jump) and Samantha Trench (60-meter hurdles).
 
Mallory Eck, Alyssa VanGorder, Maria Puglia, Madalyn Smith, Laurie Thompson and Clarissa Davis will all return in the throws.
 
Bald Eagle sprinters Natalie Gentzel, Alexanne Fite, Kelci Carle, Lillian Bradley and Makayla Grace Weber are set to make their returns.
 
Elizabeth Shultz will return to compete in the 800-meter run.
 
Lock Haven will be expecting to see newcomers Ella Ballard, Paige Jodon, Macy Plowman and Deja Roark break onto the scene in the sprints.
 
Freshman Alannah Irwin will make her debut Friday night in the pentathlon.
 
LOCK HAVEN WOMEN’S ENTRIES
 
Pentathlon: Alannah Irwin
Long Jump: Samantha Trench
High Jump: Reagan Irons, Samantha Trench
Weight Throw: Alyssa VanGorder, Maria Puglia, Madalyn Smith, Laurie Thompson
Shot Put: Mallory Eck, Clarissa Davis, Alyssa VanGorder, Madalyn Smith
60-Meter Hurdles: Samantha Trench, Makayla Grace Weber, Kelci Carle
60-Meter Dash: Ella Ballard, Paige Jodon, Lillian Bradley, Macy Plowman, Deja Roark, Alexanne Fite, Natalie Gentzel
200-Meter Dash: Ella Ballard, Paige Jodon, Lillian Bradley, Macy Plowman, Deja Roark, Makayla Grace Weber
300-Meter Dash: Alexanne Fite, Natalie Gentzel
400-Meter Dash: Kelci Carle
800-Meter Run: Elizabeth Shultz
4×400-Meter Relay: A – (Elizabeth Shultz, Alexanne Fite, Lillian Bradley, Natalie Gentzel), B – (Kelci Carle, Macy Plowman, Makayla Grace Weber, Ella Ballard, Samantha Trench)
 
RECAPS AND FINAL RESULTS
Recaps and final results from the Bison Opener will be posted to www.lockhavenathletics.com late Saturday night (Dec. 5).
 
UP NEXT
The Lock Haven men’s and women’s indoor track and field teams will compete again on Jan. 17 at the Nittany Lion Open.
 



Link

Continue Reading

Sports

Men’s Lacrosse and Track & Field Add New Staff

Published

on


ALBION, Mich. — Albion College athletics is proud to announce the addition of two new assistant coaches to round out a pair of coaching staffs. 

Henry Wehrly (track and field) and Kyle Borek (men’s lacrosse) join the Britons ahead of the spring semester. 

Wehrly jumps back into the swing of things at Albion

Head Coach Lance Coleman announced the addition of Henry Wehrly, who returns to his alma mater after crossing the graduation stage last spring. A four-year member of the track and field team, Wehrly was a standout sprinter and jumper. As a senior, the Manchester, Michigan native, earned a pair of top-four finishes at the MIAA Outdoor Championships in the 100-meter and 200-meter dash. 

Wehrly graduated with a degree in Kinesiology and has been working as a personal trainer at Manchester Wellness Center. He has organized operations for the business and worked with individual clients on proper techniques, training, and fitness plans.

Borek joins reigning MIAA Tournament Champions

Fresh off winning the 2025 MIAA Tournament, head coach Jacob DeCola has added Kyle Borek to the coaching staff ahead of the 2026 season. Borek returns to the collegiate ranks after having last served as an assistant coach at Davenport University during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. Borek was responsible for the Panthers’ defensive structure. He focused on game planning, film breakdown, and individual player development. He previously worked as a boys varsity assistant coach at Haslett/Williamston High School for two seasons.

Borek is no stranger to the MIAA, as he was a three-year member of the men’s lacrosse team at the University of Olivet. A long-stick midfielder, Borek was a two-time All-MIAA Second Team honoree as he amassed 138 ground balls and 87 caused turnovers over his collegiate career. 

 



Link

Continue Reading

Sports

PBC Indoor Track & Field Season Preview

Published

on




Reigning PBC Champions Embry Riddle have been tabbed as unanimous favorites to take home both the PBC Men’s & Women’s Indoor Track & Field titles by the league’s coaches. Embry Riddle received five first place votes on both the men’s and women’s side. Flagler received one first place vote in each. Augusta, Clayton State, Lander and USC Beaufort completed the tables in order. 
 

Embry Riddle have been dominant since the inception of the PBC Indoor Track & Field Championship in 2023-24. The Eagles have been crowned men’s and women’s champions in each of the previous two seasons. In 2025, the two Eagles were selected for the NCAA Indoor Track & Field National Championships with both returning as All-Americans, the first in PBC Indoor Track & Field history. Brooklynn Gould finished 7th in the Pentathlon and Mikaela Miles finished 3rd in the Triple Jump. Embry Riddle sees Miles returns for her senior year in 2025-26, as the Eagles look to secure a third consecutive PBC Championship.
 

Flagler have been tabbed to finish second in both the men’s & women’s championship. On the women’s side, the Saints improved from a third-place finish in 2024 to a second-place finish in 2025 at the PBC Indoor Track & Field Championship. The Saints had five first place finishers at the championship in 2025. Graduate Taylor Stone was also selected for the NCAA Indoor Track & Field National Championship for the second consecutive season. On the men’s side, the Saints have placed second in each of the two previous seasons. Flagler had six first place finishers at the PBC Championship in 2025, and improvement from three in 2024. 
 

Augusta have been tabbed third place finishers for both the men’s and women’s championship. The Jaguars will make their PBC Indoor Track & Field Championship debut this season. 

 













2025-26 Women’s Indoor Track & Field Preseason Coaches’ Poll
Rank Team Points
1. Embry Riddle (5) 25
2. Flagler (1) 20
3. Augusta 16
4. Clayton State 12
4. Lander 12
6. USC Beaufort 5













2025-26 Men’s Indoor Track & Field Preseason Coaches’ Poll
Rank Team Points
1. Embry Riddle (5) 25
2. Flagler (1) 20
3. Augusta 17
4. Clayton State 12
5. Lander 11
6. USC Beaufort 5



Link

Continue Reading

Sports

Track & Field Open Indoor Season At Bison Opener

Published

on


Women’s Track & Field | 12/5/2025 11:00:00 AM

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

>> Saint Francis Track & Field will once again open the 2025-26 indoor season at the Bison Opener at Bucknell University’s Gerhard Fieldhouse on Saturday.
>> The first track event will be the men’s 60m hurdle trials at 8:30 a.m. and the first field event will be men’s pole vault at 9:10 a.m.
>> Forty-two athletes, 28 men and 14 women, will be competing at the meet for the Red Flash.


2025-26 INDOOR SEASON PREVIEW

Head Coach Douglas Hoover is returning for his 14th season at the helm of the Saint Francis University Track & Field program.

The Red Flash are coming off a 2024-25 indoor season where the women finished third and the men took six at the NEC Indoor Track & Field Championships. The Red Flash had eight podium finishes and one event victories. Clark Gulycz, who is competing this weekend, became the NEC Men’s Indoor Shot Put Champion with a mark of 16.75m.



NEC PRESEASON POLL 


Saint Francis women’s track & field was picked fifth in the NEC Preseason Poll. Wagner earned five first-place votes and earned the distinction of being the preseason favorite. Stonehill and CCSU both gained two first-place nods to finish in second and third place. Chicago State gained the last vote for first-place, finishing in fourth. After the Red Flash in fifth place, FDU, LIU, New Haven, Mercyhurst, and Le Moyne round out the ten-team poll. 

Saint Francis men’s track & field was picked seventh in the NEC Preseason Poll. CCSU earned eight first-place votes and earned the distinction of being the preseason favorite. Wagner gained one first-place vote to finish in second. Stonehill and Chicago State were picked to finish in third and fourth. FDU and LIU were both tied in fifth place, however, LIU earned the last vote for first-place. After the Red Flash in seventh place, New Haven, Le Moyne, and Mercyhurst round out the ten-team poll. 



RED FLASH AT BISON OPENER HISTORY


It will be the 15th time since the 2008-09 season that Saint Francis will be opening the season at the Bison Opener. At last year’s event, there were 14 top-5 finishes, including two first place finishes. Olivia Renk took first in the women’s 200m (25.60) and Julian Saunders took the men’s 200m (22.12).



NEXT UP FOR RED FLASH


The Red Flash will travel to the Ocean Breeze Track & Field Athletic Complex in Staten Island, N.Y. to compete in the Wagner College Seahawk Shootout hosted by Wagner College on Dec. 12.



Link

Continue Reading

Sports

Track Season Begins Saturday – Syracuse University Athletics

Published

on


The Syracuse track and field team kicks off its 2025-26 season on Saturday at the Cornell Greg Page Relays.

MEET INFO:

Date: Saturday, Dec. 6

Location: Barton Hall | Ithaca, N.Y.

Live Results: Here

ORANGE ENTRIES:

‘Cuse will start the day in the 60-meter hurdles at 11 a.m. Tawakal Omar and Jamir Brown will make their Orange debuts for the men. Twenty minutes later, Billie Frazier, Emeline Clark, Ivana Richards, Peyton Rollins and Marissa Saunders will race for the women.

The 60-meter dash will kickoff at 11:35 a.m., with Syracuse’s participants coming from a host of Orange men entered. At 11:50 a.m., Bianca Williams, Indie Wallace-Persaud, Jada Williams and Esther Granda will all race in the women’s event.

Samantha Bloch, Kayla Harding, Lizzie Bigelow, Blake Parker and Hailey Schuemann will take on the mile at 12:10 p.m., before the finals of the 60-meter hurdles and 60-meter dash events begin starting at 12:40 p.m.

Grace Finnegan and Luise Hiltzbleck will run in the 3,000-meter run at 1:55 p.m.

Elijah Mallard will represent the men in the 300-meters, followed b Nylah Robinson, Leah Bellow, Mia Hernandez and Andrea Pomales at 3:20 p.m. to close the meet for ‘Cuse.

 

 



Link

Continue Reading

Most Viewed Posts

Trending