NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – The Northeast 10 Conference had 21 volleyball players named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team on Tuesday.

The 2025 Academic All-District teams are selected by CSC and recognize the nation’s top student-athletes across the NCAA and NAIA for their combined performances on the playing field and in the classroom. 

Academic All-District honorees were considered for advancement to the CSC Academic All-America ballot. Student-athletes selected as CSC Academic All-America finalists are denoted with an asterisk and will advance to the national ballot to be voted on by CSC members. The NE10 had four players advance to the national ballot. 

The Academic All-America teams will be announced on January 13.

Adelphi, Bentley and Franklin Pierce led all NE10 programs with four honorees each. Bentley had two players advance to the national ballot – Elizabeth Blinn and Tory Vitko – while Adelphi’s Macarty McQueen and Franklin Pierce’s Annaka Lindstrom also advanced. Overall, seven NE10 volleyball programs were represented. 

The Division II and III CSC Academic All-America® programs are partially financially supported by the NCAA Division II and III national governance structures to assist CSC with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2025-26 Divisions II and III Academic All-America® programs. 

VOLLEYBALL

Adelphi

Mackenzie Casey

Delaney Kiendra

Macarty McQueen *

Autumn Moore

American International

Claudia Flores Marrero

Carissa Michel

Victoria Soto Burgos

Bentley

Elizabeth Blinn *

Erica Borzone

Sophia Poehlein

Tory Vitko *

Franklin Pierce

Kori Garnhart

Katholiki Koukia

Annaka Lindstrom *

Martina Spackova

Saint Anselm

Taylor Lacerda

Saint Michael’s

Ashley Marshall

Dana Welch

SCSU

Sydney Bennett

Emily Sartell

Sarah Stark

ABOUT THE NE10

The NE10 is an association of 10 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.

Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.

 

Fans can subscribe via this link to follow NE10 NOW on FloSports this season.  The partnership between the NE10 and FloSports works to provide funds back to the athletic departments of the Northeast 10 Conference in support of student-athletes while promoting the league on a national platform.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The 2025 NAIA Women’s Volleyball All-America Teams, as well as the 2025 NAIA Player of the Year, Attacker of the Year, Defender of the Year and Coach of the Year have been announced.

Eva Joldersma of Indiana Wesleyan is the 2025 NAIA Women’s Volleyball Player of the Year for the third consecutive season. Only one other player has been awarded Player of the Year three times in NAIA Women’s Volleyball history: Nada Meawad of Park (Mo.), in 2018, 2020, and 2021. However, no other player has won the award in three consecutive seasons. After missing the first 10 matches of the season due to injury, Joldersma made an immediate impact for the Wildcats when she returned on September 13 against Bethel (Ind.). IWU had only one loss after her return that came at the hands of Mont Vernon Nazarene (Ohio). Joldersma showcased her offensive power and consistency, recording double-digit kills in 20 matches and surpassing 20 kills on six occasions, including a season-high 26 kills versus Crossroads League opponents Marian (Ind.) and Taylor (Ind.). As an outside hitter, her efficiency was equally impressive, hitting over .300 in eight matches and peaking at .563 against Oakland City (Ind.). The senior also contributed to her team’s defensive effort, tallying multiple blocks in nearly every contest for a total of 46 total blocks (40 assisted) on the season and boasted 12 matches with double-digit digs with a season average of 2.42 digs per set.

Evelyn Rohrberg of Oklahoma Wesleyan is the 2025 NAIA Attacker of the Year. Rohrberg recorded 20 or more kills in 14 matches, including a season-high 28 kills against Valley City State (N.D.), and posted double-digit kills in nearly every contest. Her attack percentage was equally impressive, surpassing .500 in six matches and peaking at .680 versus Science and Arts (Okla.). She finished the season boasting an attack percentage of .344. The outside hitter minimized her errors throughout the season, only recording four matches with errors in the double-digits. She also led the nation in kills per set for a majority of the season and closed the season as the leader of the category with 5.36 kills per set. Rohrberg also earned player of the week honors in week seven of the season. 

Zavyr Metzger of Northwestern (Iowa) is the 2025 NAIA Defender of the Year. The middle blocker anchored one of the nation’s toughest front lines with her elite blocking ability and relentless consistency. Metzger posted multiple blocks in nearly every match, including five matches where she recorded double digits. Metztger boasts a season-best 12 total blocks against Kansas Wesleyan, and routinely shut down top attackers with her timing and court awareness. Her defensive dominance was complemented by efficient offense, hitting above .400 in several matches and adding key kills to keep opponents off balance. Metzger led the nation in blocks per set for a solid chunk of the season, where she sits now at No. 1 in the nation with 1.99 blocks per set. The senior also earned player of the week honors in week five of the season. 

Candace Moats, head coach of Indiana Wesleyan, was named the 2025 NAIA Women’s Volleyball Coach of the Year after guiding the Wildcats to an extraordinary season marked by resilience and dominance. Under Moats’ leadership, IWU overcame early challenges and developed into one of the most consistent and dynamic teams in the nation, culminating in a third Red Banner in three years, ending the season with a 33-4 season record. 

The NAIA-Volleyball Coaches Association (NAIA-VCA) Executive Committee selects the NAIA All-America teams during the NAIA Championship. The pool of candidates comes from the All-Conference/CAC teams.

First Team

Second Team 

Third Team 

Key

& 2024, 1st team

% 2024, 2nd team

$ 2024, 3rd team

* 2023, 1st team

^ 2023, 2nd team

# 2023, 3rd team

@ 2022, 2nd team

~ 2022 3rd team

EAST LANSING — It’s been exactly a year since Kristen Kelsay received the call — on Dec. 16, 2024 — asking if she had interest in becoming Michigan State’s volleyball coach.

She can still recite her initial conversation with the nine players who stayed through a coaching change. She was nervous. They were nervous. Perhaps those shared feelings helped her meet them exactly where they were. From a PowerPoint that simply read, “My name is Kristen,” she began to talk about how hard transitions are and all the different ways they might be feeling. 

Week 2 – December 16, 2025

NE10 Track Athlete of the Week

Romel Plummer, American Int’l

Grad I Kingston, Jamaica

The Angelo State transfer posted the sixth-best 60M time in the East Region this season, racing in 7.01 this past weekend.  AIC has three of the top eight 60 M times in the East Region so far this winter.  

NE10 Field Athlete & Rookie of the Week

Harvey Lys, American Int’l

Sophomore I Andover, Mass.

Lys became just the third high jumper on the season in the NE10 and East Region to clear 2.00 meters, allowing him to take fourth place in the Seahawk Shootout hosted by Wagner College at Ocean Breeze on Staten Island. His result beat six Division I athletes. ?

Season Awards History

Track Athlete of the Week

Week 1: David Williams, Adelphi

Week 2: Romel Plummer, AIC

Field Athlete of the Week

Week 1: Carson Thomas, Franklin Pierce

Week 2: Harvey Lys, AIC

Rookie of the Week

Week 1: Sean Horrigan, Southern Connecticut

Week 2: Harvey Lys, AIC

ABOUT THE NE10

The NE10 is an association of 10 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.

Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.

Fans can subscribe via this link to follow NE10 NOW on FloSports this season.  The partnership between the NE10 and FloSports works to provide funds back to the athletic departments of the Northeast-10 Conference in support of student-athletes while promoting the league on a national platform.

Four members of the Central Connecticut volleyball team were recognized for their scholastic achievement with inclusion on the Academic All-District Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators. The Blue Devils student-athletes were recognized for a combination of athletic prowess while earning at least a 3.50 GPA.

The 2025 Academic All-District® Women’s Volleyball Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.

COMPLETE RELEASE

Academic All-District® honorees were considered for advancement to the CSC Academic All-America® ballot. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America selections are chosen from among 2,500+ nominations. For more information about CSC Academic All-District and Academic All-America® Teams program, visit AcademicAllAmerica.com.

Central Connecticut honorees included:

Weronika Poczynek, Sr., OH – Computer Science
28 Matches, 3.16 K/Set, 1.14 Digs/Set, 0.36 Block/Set

Breanna Ginley, Jr., MB – Political Science
28 Matches, 1.39 K/Set, .269 Hit %, 0.89 Block/Set

Anja Milosevic, Jr., S – Undeclared
28 Matches, 9.49 A/Set, 2.40 Digs/Set, 0.63 K/Set

Olivia Keckler, So., OPP – Political Science
28 Matches, 3.14 K/Set, 1.56 Digs/Set, 0.44 Block/Set

Ironman Participation among athletes under 30 grew 35% this year, while the 30–34 age group remained the largest category for the second consecutive season

Ironman’s name hasn’t changed, but its athlete base sure has.

As the Ironman and Ironman 70.3 season wraps with more than 250,000 global race registrations, participation data reveals a sport in transition, offering new insight into who is now showing up at the starting line of its triathlon events.

First-time participation across Ironman and Ironman 70.3 events rose 10% year over year in 2025, spanning a calendar that included 148 races worldwide.

But the more telling story is who those first-timers are.

The Youth Movement

Participation among athletes under 30 grew 35% this year, while the 30–34 age group remained the largest category for the second consecutive season. First-time participants under 30 have more than doubled since 2019, and full-distance Ironman races alone saw a 46% year-over-year increase in athletes under 30.

At the elite level, 28-year-old Casper Stornes of Norway captured the men’s Ironman World Championship title, while 26-year-old Solveig Løvseth of Norway won on the women’s side.

Women Gain Ground

Women are accounting for a growing share of Ironman participation. Nearly 49,500 women registered for an Ironman or Ironman 70.3 race in 2025, representing 22.5% of the global athlete community and marking a 7% year-over-year increase. It was the second-highest year for female participation on record, following a strong showing in 2019.

Female participation now accounts for 17% of Ironman athletes, up 10% year over year and 25% of Ironman 70.3 participants, up 5.4%. Early registration data for 2026 suggests that more than a quarter of Ironman 70.3 athletes will be women.

Younger women are also leading the charge. Registrations among women under 30 grew 36% this year, with women ages 25–29 alone growing nearly 44% year over year. For the first time, the average age of female Ironman athletes dipped below 40.

Europe Leads the Surge

Geographically, the growth story is just as pronounced and playing out across key regions.

Across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, participation reached record levels in 2025, led by the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark. France emerged as a standout, overtaking Germany as Europe’s second-largest triathlon market after a 25% increase in athlete registrations and a 31% rise in international participants.

Demand is already spilling into future seasons. Thirty-two Ironman and Ironman 70.3 races are already sold out for 2026, including 11 of the 14 early-season EMEA Ironman 70.3 events scheduled between February and June.

To meet growing demand, new races have been introduced in France, Spain and Italy, including the return of Ironman Vichy and the debut of Ironman 70.3 Alghero in Sardinia. The coming year will also see the debut of the first full-distance triathlon in the Middle East, with Experience Oman Ironman Oman set to take place in December.

North America is seeing a similar pattern. New races debuted in 2025 in Rockford, Illinois, Boise, Idaho and Ottawa, Canada, with additional events planned for 2026 in Ruidoso, New Mexico, Omaha, Nebraska, Dallas, Texas and Jacksonville, Florida.

Growth is accelerating across Latin America and Asia as well. Mexico remains the region’s most represented country, accounting for nearly a quarter of Latin American athletes, while new events drove year-over-year increases of 24% in Colombia and 50% in Costa Rica.

Asia expanded its footprint with races across Malaysia, India, China, Japan, Southeast Asia and Korea, with Vietnam set to host its first full-distance Ironman next year.

Participation, Explained

The brand, of course, has long had its devotees, some of whom mark the achievement permanently with Ironman tattoos. But the participation rates are also being shaped by other shifts beyond Ironman’s challenging courses.

Part of the draw may be that participatory events like Ironman offer structure and purpose, giving athletes a clear goal to train toward and a shared experience with a greater community, rather than solitary workouts in the gym.

In an interview last fall with ATN, Ironman CEO Scott DeRue pointed to several macro trends that he says are boosting overall participation in endurance events, including the desire for experiences over products and sports-related travel. 

“That’s true for spectator sports, but it’s also true for participation,” he said. “The third trend is from a health and fitness perspective – the degree to which people are investing in their own health, fitness and wellness, broadly defined, is growing exponentially. … So it’s no surprise that we’re seeing demand for participation sports grow globally.”

Looking to the year ahead, Ironman says it is prioritizing partnerships with younger athletes, emerging markets and global federations to strengthen participation pipelines and support long-term growth.