“What makes us unique is that, when it gets close and everyone gets tense, our team
thrives,” says Ryan Barnett, an outside hitter for Pepperdine University’s men’s volleyball team. “It’s the opposite
of most people.”

Pepperdine men’s volleyball team celebrating their berth into the final four

Barnett offered these comments in the postgame press conference following the Waves
quarterfinal victory over Loyola Chicago on Thursday, May 8.  In that contest, Pepperdine
dropped the first set and  was forced to fend off three set points in the second  to
avoid falling behind 0-2 in the match. As pressure built, Barnett and his teammates
didn’t flinch. They settled in and seized sets two, three, and four—a reverse sweep—to
earn a spot in the NCAA final four.

Now the Waves take on Long Beach State—a non-conference rival who defeated them in
five sets early on in the year. With the stakes at an all-time high, Pepperdine needs
to play its best on the game’s biggest stage. But after overcoming a year of unexpected
hardships—including devastating wildfires—this particular group of Waves are equipped
to do just that. 

“A huge identity of our group is our toughness,” says Jonathan Winder (’08), Pepperdine University’s men’s volleyball head coach. “We’ve been through an
insane amount this year. The adversity we’ve battled through has been fantastic and
has really prepared us for these moments.”

A Stress-Filled Start

On January 7, 2025—one week into the collegiate men’s volleyball season—black smoke
began to billow over the Pacific Ocean. On that day, the Palisades Fire erupted and
burned quickly through the Santa Monica Mountains toward Malibu. At the same time,
other blazes broke out as record high winds battered Southern California. In total,
37,000 acres were burned, and 16,000 structures were destroyed.

As the inferno spread, Pepperdine’s men’s volleyball team relocated their early season
practices to Long Beach. Unable to travel to campus because of road closures, the
Waves stayed in a hotel together near their new training facility and watched as the
community around them managed the natural disaster.

“It was scary,” says Grant Lamoureux, a redshirt freshman on the team. “I feel like
no other team has gone through something like that this year . . . The team got close
by finding ways to make it through hard times like that.”

In the face of this initial adversity, the Waves squad and season was altered. The
catastrophe raging around them forced them to slow down, take things one day at a
time, and be grateful for one another and the game that brought them together. More
than anything though, the Los Angeles wildfires gave Pepperdine something to play
for. 

“Anytime you see such suffering, it produces something,” says Winder. “For us, it
produced more pride in the community where we live. We wanted to rally behind it and
support it.”

While practicing and living in Long Beach, the team volunteered to help with fire
relief efforts. They loaded semitrucks with clothes and water for those living in
affected areas. They met their neighbors in a time of need. And when the time came
to take to the court again, the Waves did so with greater unity and purpose than ever.

A Willingness to Pivot

Hopping back into the season after a difficult start to the year was not easy given
the Waves challenging schedule. Of the 29 matches they played, 17 of them were against
nationally ranked opponents, including a string of particularly grueling games against
Long Beach State, Loyola Chicago, and California State University, Northridge (CSUN).

In these three matches, Pepperdine went 0-3. They lost in five sets to Long Beach
State and Loyola Chicago in consecutive matches. Being so close but unable to escape
with the wins, Winder and his coaching staff felt like they needed to amp up the intensity
in practice heading into the contest against CSUN. Yet, after doing so, the Waves
lost again—that time in four sets.

“Following that match, we had some tough conversations with the players,” explains
Winder. “They gave us feedback that it was too much—they were too tired going into
that match . . . We ended up changing some practice structures and have adhered to
them ever since.”

Pepperdine men’s volleyball team celebrating

The team began to engage in shorter, more purposeful practice sessions. They prioritized
being fresh mentally and physically prior to matches, while still ensuring that they
had a grasp on the fine details of their opponents. 

These adjustments led to an immediate six-match winning streak, but more importantly,
overcoming adversity together engendered Winder’s team with a strong sense of trust
in one another. When things weren’t breaking their way competitively, the Waves began
to believe in their ability to preserve and win nonetheless—a strength that eventually
led them to the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) tournament title and a berth
in the NCAA tournament.

The Trust Is Tested

In order to qualify for the NCAA tournament Pepperdine had to first defeat UCLA and
USC  in their conference championships. The Waves had battled both of these teams
earlier in the year, losing three times while winning only once against USC.

With the odds stacked against them, Pepperdine defeated UCLA in the semifinals and
beat USC in the championship to take the MPFS title—an unexpected result given the
individual contest stat lines. In both matches Pepperdine had lost in every single
statistical category—serves, kills, blocking, digs—but still managed to claim victory.

“We won with the ability to respond to adversity,” says Barnett. “That’s something
beautiful about volleyball. Everyone thinks you have to be a monster, who can hit
the ball as hard as you can. Everyone thinks you have to be seven foot to block a
ball. But that’s not the case. Being smart and being crafty are often the biggest
differences in these important matches.”

After a season full of lessons—on the court and off of it—Pepperdine is now prepared
for its biggest competitive challenge yet. In the final four, the Waves must take
down the number one team in the nation in order to compete in the national championship
match. However, if the 2025 season has proved anything, it’s that this particular
Pepperdine team thrives in pressure-packed situations like the one its now in.

“I’ve been impressed by them,” says Winder. “I haven’t had that feeling in a long
time. It’s impressive the pride they’ve taken in getting our program back to this
spot.”

The Waves take on Long Beach State, in the NCAA semifinals on Saturday, May 10, 2025,
at 2 PM PDT. The match will be streamed live on ESPN+.

Published: May 10, 2025 6:50 am

Newtown High School’s boys’ volleyball team defeated host Kolbe Cathedral of Bridgeport 3-1 on April 30, fell 3-2 at Cheshire on May 2, and topped visiting Brookfield 3-0 on May 5, improving to 11-2 overall.

Against Kolbe, the set scores were 25-14, 25-21, 24-26, 25-11. Nate Twitchell had 17 kills, two aces, and 16 digs; A.J. Zatulskis logged 11 kills, two aces, and 11 digs; Warner Bacon had eight kills, two aces, six blocks, and seven digs; Eli Sullivan compiled 25 digs; Noel McLeod racked up a dozen digs; Dima Frunza had three blocks, eight digs, and 35 assists; and Cole Sgaglardich added three blocks.

The Cheshire competition was a rematch from an earlier clash won by Cheshire in three. This time the Rams won in five with scores of 25-27, 25-13, 25-22, 23-25, 15-12. Twitchell had 15 kills, two aces, six blocks, and 19 digs; Bacon ten kills and four blocks; McLeod five kills and 15 digs; Zatulskis 11 digs and six kills; Sgaglardich five blocks and six kills; Frunza 41 assists and 14 digs; and Sullivan 23 digs.

NHS defeated Brookfield 25-12, 25-16, 25-13. Twitchell had 17 kills to go along with two aces; Zatulskis had five aces; Sullivan 13 digs; Bacon seven digs and six kills, McLeod eight digs and six kills; Sgaglardich five blocks; and Dearney 23 assists.

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.

Noel McLeod serves the ball into play for the Nighthawks. —Bee Photo, Hutchison

At 19 years old, Cole Hartke, was offered an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. Pepperdine
University—a school on the California coast some 2,000 miles away from his hometown
in Barrington, Illinois—had invited him to play outside hitter as a member of its
storied volleyball program. For Hartke, the decision was simple. From his perspective,
the  Waves were offering more than a chance to continue playing the game he loved.

“Pepperdine gave me a family,” says Hartke when asked why exactly he chose to leave
the Midwest behind. As he reports it, the distance from home and the new environment
were all outweighed by the community he found with his teammates. Upon entering school,
Hartke felt immersed in a supportive culture that promoted his volleyball passion,
academic interests, and Christian faith all while uplifting him, he believes, into
a better person.

Since making the move this fall, the first-year student has gone on to enjoy one of
the strongest athletic and academic years one could hope for. His success story illustrates
the nurturing effects of an encouraging environment filled with exciting new growth
opportunities.

“At Pepperdine, I felt like I was in the right place,” Hartke explains. “As soon as
I got here, I knew where I wanted to be—where I needed to be.” 

A First Year of Flourishing

The facts back up Hartke’s gut feeling. In his first-year campaign, the outside hitter
recorded a total of 346 kills while appearing in 25 matches. He racked up an average
of 3.60 kills, 0.50 blocks, and 4.34 points per each set, making him the highest-scoring
freshman in the nation and an American Volleyball Coaches Association’s (AVCA) second-team All-America selection.

Cole Hartke celebrating

Concurrently, the business administration major thrived in the classroom. He held
a 4.0 grade point average throughout his initial year at Seaver College—an arduous
task for any student given Pepperdine’s rigorous and nationally competitive academic
curriculum.

“Not often do you have an athlete who is a great teammate, has a great head on their
shoulders, and is incredibly talented,” says Jonathan Winder (’08), head coach of the Pepperdine men’s volleyball team. “We’re really excited
to continue to work with Cole. A big part of the journey for us was identifying him
as a talented player with a great mindset and a strong desire to learn, improve, and
constantly get better.”

This commitment to steady improvement earned Hartke a spot in Pepperdine’s starting
lineup, where he serves as a consistent contributor. He earned double figure kills
in all but five of the matches he competed in while maintaining a .298 attacking percentage.
On Thursday, during his first NCAA tournament appearance, the first-year scored a
total of 11 kills and 14 points en route to Pepperdine’s quarterfinal win over Loyola
Chicago. While these are significant individual accomplishments, Hartke credits his
teammates rather than himself. 

“They really push me in practice, and we get on each other a lot,” he explains. “We
don’t like to lose. The first four months of training really showed [me] what it’s
like at this level.”

A Place of Growth

“On my visit to Pepperdine, I witnessed what the coaches are trying to instill in
the team, and that’s a big reason why I committed to play here,” says Hartke. “Our
coaches teach us that there’s more to life than just volleyball. There are things
beyond the game.”

A  person of faith, Hartke was also drawn to playing in Malibu because of the school’s
focus on personal and spiritual development. He emphasized that the initial lesson
the coaching staff and veteran players imparted on him as a first-year student was
centered around respect—not just for the team or the game, but for everyone he met. 

Hartke serving

Hartke knew that eye contact, intentionality,  and gratitude were all crucial elements
in how he should treat others, but he and his teammates were encouraged to actively
practice living out these behaviors. The coaching staff regularly urged athletes to
walk around the athletic facilities and thank support staff. Pepperdine volleyball
players like Hartke approached custodians, landscapers, and athletics staff members,
introduced themselves, expressed their appreciation for their work,  and shook their
hands. 

This unique facet of the team culture is emphasized by Winder, who attempts to instill
four key values in each of his athletes—respect, competition, learning, and resilience.
The program-wide concentration on living a life of character outside of volleyball
has proven successful at recruiting top talent and developing current players. With
the Waves volleyball program, excellence is demanded on and off the court—a strict
standard propelling student-athletes toward their dreams. 
 
Noticing this exceptional culture as a recruit, Hartke chose to chase the new learning
opportunity straight across the country. In the process, he discovered a second family
and a chance to achieve some of his loftiest goals. Indeed, as a result of his excellent
play throughout the season, Hartke has been invited to serve as a practice player
for USA Volleyball and compete on the USA’s U21 team this summer.

“My ultimate goal is to play in the Olympics,” says Hartke. “In the last couple of
years, I began to understand that this dream was a possibility . . . I didn’t expect
the opportunity to play for USA Volleyball or see it coming, but I’m super excited
for the chance to learn from the best.”

Hartke and the Waves take on California State University, Long Beach, in the NCAA
semifinals on Saturday, May 10, 2025, at 2 PM PDT. The match will be streamed live
on ESPN+.

No. 8 Harvard women’s water polo (26-7) made its first program NCAA Tournament appearance in Friday’s first-round match, ultimately falling 18-7 to No. 3 University of Southern California (28-4).

The loss ended the Crimson’s historic 2025 season, which included achievements such as a new single-season win record of 26 and the program’s first-ever CWPA Championship Title.

Battling throughout the season against several Top 25 teams, Harvard rose from No. 21 to No. 8 in the CWPA polls. But, in the first-round NCAA matchup, the Crimson could not prevail over USC’s strong offense, failing to put together enough goals to close the gap.

The first period began with both teams taking speed and power off their shots, focusing instead on placing the ball strategically out of both talented goalkeepers’ reaches.

In less than a minute, USC scored its first point, but was promptly countered by junior attacker Ruby Hodge’s goal less than 30 seconds later.

On several instances, the Trojans’ fast-paced offense allowed them to speed ahead of the Crimson defenders and get one-on-one shots on the Harvard goal. However, freshman goalkeeper Orli Cooper shut down many of these attempts, tallying 10 total saves in the game.

More than halfway through the first quarter, USC managed two successive goals from quick passes and scrambles in front of the net. The Crimson struggled to get close to the Trojans’ goal, as its opponent’s aggressive defense kept Harvard far from it.

The Trojans scored again on another breakaway, racing ahead of the Crimson and putting themselves up 4-1. But Hodge kept Harvard’s momentum alive by muscling the ball past the goal line soon after.

With only seconds left in the first quarter, the Crimson left the goal unattended to make a seven-man push, but were unsuccessful.

In an unfortunate turn of events, a USC player, left with only a second on the clock, launched the ball across the pool into the empty Harvard net to put the Trojans up 5-2 at the end of the first quarter.

Seemingly demoralized by the buzzer-beater goal, the Crimson could only score a point in the second period after USC put away two of its own more than three minutes in.

Sophomore center defender Emma Gilbert delivered the back-hand goal, but the Trojans remained well above the Crimson throughout the eight minutes, finishing the first half of the match up 10-3.

The third period began on a more promising note for Harvard, as sophomore attacker Maya O’Dea earned a penalty shot in the first few seconds.

USC’s offensive onslaught – especially in transition – outpaced the Crimson despite facing resistance from Cooper, who secured key back-to-back blocks.

Harvard fought hard for power play opportunities, but failed to capitalize on them. Several of the Crimson’s passes missed their marks, causing scrambles and wasting precious shot clock seconds.

Hodge once again disrupted Harvard’s scoring drought, earning her hat trick with an impressive skipper shot past three Trojan defenders and the goalkeeper.

O’Dea then ended the third quarter with her second successful penalty shot, but the Crimson entered the final eight minutes facing a difficult 13-6 deficit.

Much to Harvard’s dismay, USC scored within the first 35 seconds of the period. Continually beating their opponents to their own goal, the Trojans’ transition plays seemed like unstoppable points.

The Crimson’s passes, barely missing the mark, continued to harm its offense by preventing the team from converting on defensive efforts and steals.

USC’s defenders swarmed any Harvard attackers who pushed close to the goal, stifling all shot attempts but one. With less than two minutes remaining, senior attacker Erin Kim outsmarted the Trojans with an unexpected, distanced goal to put the Crimson on the scoreboard for the period.

However, the buzzer sounded soon after, signaling the end of Harvard’s record-breaking season as USC moved on to the NCAA semifinals.

“Now that we have a CWPA title and NCAA experience under our belt, we now have zero doubts that we can win again, and we have so much confidence in this group,” Hodge wrote to The Crimson.

Looking ahead to the 2026 season, the Crimson will say goodbye to three seniors and welcome its incoming freshmen class.

“But first, we are able to take this time to appreciate how special this group is and how this group made Harvard history in so many ways this season,” Hodge wrote. “This is just the beginning.”

ORLANDO — The George Jenkins boys volleyball team knew the competition would ramp up in the Class 3A regional semifinals Friday at Freedom High School.