Former Husker Sarah Pavan on John Cook’s Retirement, Dani Busboom Kelly, and Podcasti
On this week’s Volleyball State, Jeff Sheldon and Lincoln Arneal welcomed former Husker Sarah Pavan to the podcast to discuss the newsy offseason for Nebraska volleyball, when she knew it was time to retire, and what it’s like covering volleyball now. Below is a lightly edited transcript of selected discussions. “We need to be honest […]
On this week’s Volleyball State, Jeff Sheldon and Lincoln Arneal welcomed former Husker Sarah Pavan to the podcast to discuss the newsy offseason for Nebraska volleyball, when she knew it was time to retire, and what it’s like covering volleyball now.
Below is a lightly edited transcript of selected discussions.
“We need to be honest at the same time”
Jeff: For our listeners who maybe haven’t been able to listen to your show yet, give us a little bit of a flavor of what it’s like. Are you talking about mostly college? You talking about pros? How’s it sort of set up?
Sarah: So, in looking at the volleyball podcasting landscape, we realized that the majority of shows do a lot of interviews and things like that with athletes and coaches. And they are a teaching platform sometimes and we found that a gap in the volleyball podcast like market was kind of like an analysis type of show. I love watching ESPN and the debriefs after games and seeing how they break them down and thoughts like that. So, I was like, “there’s nobody doing this. I think it would be cool to do it for volleyball.”
And so, we kind of do breakdowns and analysis and what is going on in the sport from college to professionally, both domestically and overseas. And once VNL starts up, the international side.
Lincoln: You cover a wide gamut too. You talk European professional leagues. You’re talking the men collegiate game. You’re talking about the United States professional game too. And you also talk a lot about the women’s college game as well. How much more volleyball are you watching because of the podcast? Or were you already this immersed into the volleyball world in just in your regular day-to-day life?
Penn State’s Camryn Hannah, bottom left, serves to Nebraska during a Big Ten volleyball match at Rec Hall on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, in State College, Pa. / Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Sarah: I would say we’re watching significantly more now. We have always been really into the NCAA women’s side of things and we’ve been really into VNL. We would follow NCAA men. We’d follow the leagues, just cause of former teammates and things like that. But I would say since we started, we have become much more invested and a lot of our time is spent watching volleyball now.
Jeff: You know, we sort of noticed the same thing when we were kicking around the idea of starting a podcast about volleyball. There’s some educational aspects to it. We know there’s a lot of fans, you know, particularly of Nebraska, who really liked the sport, but maybe don’t know that much about it. And we are certainly not at a coaching or a playing level of expertise, but we’re able to explain a few things.
I think one of the other parts of this space that was kind of missing, and you and your show fill that very nicely, is the ability to be critical of play and point out some ways where people are falling short. And I think that there is maybe a little bit of a tendency to go lighter on women’s volleyball players than there would say to football or men’s basketball players. But you’re able to point out areas that need to be improved. Have you caught any kind of negative feedback about that?
Sarah: Yeah. Simple answer is yes. It is a pattern that I have seen in volleyball as a sport in general, but particularly on the women’s side is it’s very positive, which is great. You know, we want to highlight what athletes are doing well. We want to promote the teams and the athletes that have good followings. But I think we need to be honest at the same time.
And so it has rubbed some people the wrong way. Getting feedback, “you’re supposed to be growing the sport. Why are you talking like this?” And it’s like, you need some education. Not everything is perfect. And I’m not saying the athletes aren’t trying; they’re working hard. They’re trying. But I think from like a strategy perspective, people need to understand, because volleyball is not well understood from a strategic or tactical perspective by the general population. So, yes, it may be critical, but I think it’s a learning experience for the listeners to understand what is actually happening.
“My body had kind of betrayed me”
Lincoln: How did you know it was time for [retirement] and how difficult the decision was that for you to make saying, “playing days are finally done?”
Sarah: I’m somebody who takes a long time to come to decisions, but once I make them, I don’t look back. I think evaluating the landscape; finishing my career on the beach side and evaluating the landscape of beach volleyball in Canada and the future. It was a grind and you know, I actually tore my meniscus in January of last year. Had to have surgery and then like fighting back from that while trying to qualify for the Olympics; it was not ideal. And you know, a lot of life stuff had been happening on the side. Pretty serious stuff. And I think my life experience, my life perspective, had kind of evolved and while at my healthiest, I was still very capable of playing at a very high level. There’s more to life. And the sport had given me so, so much in such a long career that I just felt like it was time.
And like the injury was the first time in my life that my body had kind of betrayed me. And I think it was kind of a wakeup call of like, “I’ve used my body as a tool for so long and I’ve done so much and put it through so much. I think it’s giving me a sign that like it’s time.”
What would you do if you were commissioner of all of volleyball?
Lincoln: There’s two currently professional leagues. There could be a third professional league with athletes unlimited in there as well, too. If you were named commissioner of all professional volleyball in North America, what would that look like? What would you change and how would you set it up?
Feb 21, 2024; Columbus, OH, USA; Outside hitter Megan Courtney-Lush, spikes the ball during the Columbus Fury home game against the Omaha Supernovas at Nationwide Arena. / Courtney Hergesheimer/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Sarah: Oh dear. Wow.
Jeff: We’ve just given you an incredible amount of power!
Sarah: Honestly? We’ve had discussions with it, because people submit a ton of questions on our podcast. So, we’ve had to think about things like this. In an ideal world, because there’s so many leagues in this country, I would probably structure the North American leagues, like they do the European ones. Where you have your A level, B level, C level. Basically, the way overseas works is if you come last in your division, you get demoted.
Jeff: Yeah, promotion relegation; I’m all about it.
Sarah: Yeah, I love that. The styles and the formats of the leagues would obviously have to be similar. Like the way that they operate now is just so different that it would be tricky. But I think having the promotion and relegation would just really keep it interesting. And then you would see so much more excitement and investment for every single match.
So, you’ve kind of seen the leagues differentiate themselves as far as level goes like already. If that were to remain the case, it would be really cool if the winner of the PVF moves up to LOVB and then the like last place team in LOVB goes down and then it would just be so entertaining, I think.
“I don’t think that that expectation intimidates her”
Lincoln: John Cook retired this year. Were you surprised by the timing of the retirement? Were you caught off guard when that news broke?
Jan 30, 2025; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers volleyball head coach Dani Busboom Kelly and former coach John Cook embrace while being recognized during a break in the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Pinnacle Bank Arena. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images
Sarah: Okay. Yes, I was surprised at the timing. But let me tell you, I was watching LOVB Omaha. I was watching one of the Omaha pro teams playing. And Dani was in the crowd. And I was like, “there’s a reason she’s here.” And I had thought for years, when Coach Cook retires, he will give the program to Dani. 100%.
So when I saw her there in like a random January match, I was like, something is up. But I didn’t expect the announcement to come so soon. I figured that he would want to win one more. But then in thinking about it more, I think he really thought, and everybody thought, that he would win one with Lexi Rodriguez. And then when that didn’t happen, it was like, OK, kind of time to move on. But Rachel Holloway actually was the one who messaged me because she saw the news before I did. And she messaged me. She’s like, “look at this!” And we were both just shocked.
Jeff: You had mentioned Dani earlier – that she seemed kind of like the long-time natural choice – What do you remember about her? What do you know about her that makes you think that, “obviously this is the person to take over the program?”
Louisville head coach Dani Busboom Kelly instructed her players against Penn State during the NCAA Championship Volleyball match at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky. on Dec. 22, 2024. / Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Sarah: Well, a lot of reasons. Just to see how she built Louisville into what it is. At such a young age, she has clearly proven herself to be capable of growing and maintaining a perennial powerhouse program. Secondly, just she’s no [BS]. I think, you know, which is perfectly suited for a program of Nebraska’s stature and prowess.
Nebraska expects to win. And I think that that can be intimidating for a lot of people, but she experienced it as a player, which the expectation was always to win. And to walk into that, she’s already familiar. And so I don’t think that that expectation intimidates her. Being from Nebraska, just the connection with the community and the university and volleyball fans; aside from the on-court stuff, which she has proven herself more than capable of just who she is as a person in her leadership and her communication style is just like winner.
Lincoln: You played with her. Did you, did you sense that as a player that she kind of had the right approach to make a successful coach? Is that something she developed and kind of grew into?
Sarah: My freshman year. I was just like eyes wide open. “Let’s survive.” But I think the thing that really highlighted her character for me was when she was told she would be a libero of the team. She had started as a setter for three years and then all of a sudden it was just like, “Thank you so much, but you’re going to be a libero now.” And to see her response, it was both very human, but very mature. And to see how she was able to put her ego aside for the good of the team and how much of a factor she was able to be in that season in a new position. She gained so much respect for me in how she handled that.
Watch the rest of the interview below and also get Jeff and Lincoln’s thoughts on Nebraska’s spring season, transfer portal talk, and more!
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The Bermuda Volleyball Association is sending teams to compete at the 2025 USA Volleyball Open National Championship in Denver this month. A spokesperson said, “The Bermuda Volleyball Assocation is please to announce the two teams who will be competing in the 2025 USA Volleyball Open National Championship. The teams will compete in their respective competitive […]
The Bermuda Volleyball Association is sending teams to compete at the 2025 USA Volleyball Open National Championship in Denver this month.
A spokesperson said, “The Bermuda Volleyball Assocation is please to announce the two teams who will be competing in the 2025 USA Volleyball Open National Championship. The teams will compete in their respective competitive BB Divisions of the tournament from May 26 to 28, held this year in Denver, Colorado. The BVA will be streaming matches on their Facebook Page: “Bermuda Volleyball National Team”. Alternatively, people can watch via BallerTV.
Women’s Team: Devil’s Isle VC
Kayley Hamilton [1]
Kate Marcotte [2]
Caitlin Bento [3]
Demetria Hollis [4]
Kayla Grant [6]
Sharri Weldon [7]
Anna Marcotte [8]
Olivia Taylor [11]
Amber Simons [24]
Head Coach: Braedon Madeiros-Cooke
Assistant Coaches: Kyle Hamilton and Stacey Madeiros Cooke
“Devil’s Isle VC, Bermuda’s Women’s National Volleyball Club, proudly announces its participation in the 2025 USA Volleyball Open National Championship. The team will compete in the competitive BB Division of the tournament, held this year in Denver, Colorado.
“The U.S. Open is a prestigious annual event that brings together elite adult volleyball teams from across the United States and around the world. Representing Bermuda, the Devil’s Isle VC squad will showcase its talent and determination on a national stage, competing against top-level clubs and athletes in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.”
“We’re incredibly proud of this group of athletes and all the hard work they’ve put in,” said Kyle Hamilton, Coach of Devil’s Isle VC. “This is a great opportunity to test ourselves against strong competition and represent Bermuda on the international volleyball scene.”
The spokesperson said, “The tournament will take place from May 24–29, 2025, and promises an exciting lineup of matches and a valuable development experience for all participants.
“Follow us on social media [@bdavolleyball] for live updates and results throughout the competition.
Ace Boyz VC
Jake Roberts [1]
Braedon Madeiros-Cooke [2]
Tyler Siese [4]
Connor Somerville [5]
Dylan Somerville [6]
Benjamin Barnett [7]
Eron Woods [8]
Tiago Morais Ferreira [9]
Tristan Mullan [11]
Brandon Sousa [13]
Head Coach: Mike Smith
Assistant Coaches: Juanita Blee, Chad Stoddard and Robert Saraiva
“The coaching staff are very excited about our upcoming tournament in Denver. The team we are bringing to Colorado is strong, and ready to compete. There are a few new faces this year, and they complement the rest of the team well. We have added depth on the court and the bench, and a bigger arsenal of tools to work with.
“After an incredible showing at the ECVA’s in October, we realized that we have the potential to be a very technically sound team and have spent this season tightening that up. We have focused a lot of time dialling in our ball control, blocking, and coverage on defence. We’ve also spent a considerable amount of time working with our Middle and Pin Hitters, on offensive transition, and strengthening our setter-hitter connection. We’re happy to report that the tedious work has paid off. With our passing percentage much higher, we are able to run a more well-rounded offence. The Middles are getting into the game more and our Pin Hitters are as effective as ever.
“I want to give a quick shout out to the entire Men’s National Team. They have all worked very hard to get us to where we are. Due to the nature of our practices, and really honing in on the technical part of the game, its taken a tremendous amount of discipline to stay present and dedicated. We believe their hard work will pay off and that will be proven in Denver.
“Finally, one last shout out to Olek Rymon-Lipinski. His dedication and hard work throughout the year have been inspiring for the entire team. Unfortunately, due to an ACL injury he can no longer travel with us. We all wish him a speedy recovery, and his presence in Denver will be missed.”
(KMAland) — Regional sports news updates are posted throughout the day. Continue to refresh for all of the latest from regional schools listed below. Iowa State -Men’s basketball to play home and home exhibitions with Northwestern: https://cyclones.com/news/2025/5/21/mens-basketball-iowa-state-to-face-northwestern-in-home-and-home-exhibition-games Iowa -Field hockey finalizes 2025 schedule: https://hawkeyesports.com/news/2025/5/21/hawkeyes-release-2025-schedule-fh Northern Iowa -Qualifiers set for West Preliminary meet: https://unipanthers.com/news/2025/5/21/track-and-field-uni-track-and-field-qualifiers-set-for-ncaa-west-preliminary-meet Creighton -Izzy Ashburn hired […]
(KMAland) — Regional sports news updates are posted throughout the day. Continue to refresh for all of the latest from regional schools listed below.
Iowa State
-Men’s basketball to play home and home exhibitions with Northwestern: https://cyclones.com/news/2025/5/21/mens-basketball-iowa-state-to-face-northwestern-in-home-and-home-exhibition-games
Iowa
-Field hockey finalizes 2025 schedule: https://hawkeyesports.com/news/2025/5/21/hawkeyes-release-2025-schedule-fh
Northern Iowa
-Qualifiers set for West Preliminary meet: https://unipanthers.com/news/2025/5/21/track-and-field-uni-track-and-field-qualifiers-set-for-ncaa-west-preliminary-meet
Creighton
-Izzy Ashburn hired as assistant volleyball coach: https://gocreighton.com/news/2025/5/21/ashburn-named-volleyball-assistant-coach
-Tory Lanham named Most Outstanding Performer: https://kcroos.com/news/2025/5/21/track-and-field-lanham-named-most-outstanding-performer-six-roos-earn-all-league-designations
Kansas
-Men’s basketball hires Jacque Vaughn as assistant: https://kuathletics.com/news/2025/5/21/mens-basketball-kansas-great-jacque-vaughn-named-mens-basketball-assistant-coach.aspx
Kansas State
-Bowling Green transfer Marcus Johnson commits to Kansas State: https://x.com/TiptonEdits/status/1925235206010630603
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At KMA, we attempt to be accurate in our reporting. If you see a typo or mistake in a story, please contact us by emailing kmaradio@kmaland.com.
Kerber cousins help Marquette top Kirkwood to repeat as girls water polo district champion
Steve Overbey | Post-Dispatch KIRKWOOD — Marquette sophomore attacker Cassidy Kerber rarely gets a chance to outscore her uber-talented senior cousin Nevaeh. “She’s just that good,” Cassidy said. Yet for one night, at least, Cassidy has family bragging rights. Cassidy scored six times to lead the Mustangs to a 14-7 win over Kirkwood on Wednesday in […]
KIRKWOOD — Marquette sophomore attacker Cassidy Kerber rarely gets a chance to outscore her uber-talented senior cousin Nevaeh.
“She’s just that good,” Cassidy said.
Yet for one night, at least, Cassidy has family bragging rights.
Cassidy scored six times to lead the Mustangs to a 14-7 win over Kirkwood on Wednesday in the Missouri Water Polo girls district championship contest at the Walker Natatorium on the Kirkwood High campus.
Nevaeh added five goals for Marquette (24-1), which claimed its second successive area title and third overall since play began in 2021.
The Mustangs, who also won the initial crown in 2021, have quickly become a dynasty in the up-and-coming sport. The have won 43 of their last 44 matches following an unbeaten campaign last season.
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And the Kerber family has played a huge role in that domination.
Nevaeh scored a record 123 goals this season and tallied approximately 370 times in her four-year career. A dominating force for the past three seasons, she is taking her talents to Wagner College in Staten Island, New York.
Cassidy is a younger version of Nevaeh and closed the season with 90 goals.
“They work so hard, every morning, every practice, they’re always out there trying to get better,” Marquette coach Claire Maniscalco. “In the game that mattered most, they were calm and they went out and did their best.”
The dynamic duo worked in perfect sync against a gutsy Kirkwood team that never let the contest get too far out of hand.
The Pioneers (12-7-2) had never beaten Marquette in 12 previous tries and were outscored 186-85 since the first meeting on March 31, 2022. The Mustangs beat Kirkwood 15-3 just 19 days ago.
“We played them as hard as we could and I felt like it was a really good effort,” Kirkwood coach Robert Peglar said. “I’m super proud of them.”
Marquette is just that talented. Its only loss was a 14-6 setback to Illinois power Naperville North, which is ranked sixth nationally.
The Kerber girls weren’t the only standouts on this night. Junior keeper Olivia Brzyski recorded 18 saves and was particularly effective in the first half when the contest was close. She made 198 saves over 19 matches this season and her performance often gets overlooked under the Mustangs offensive explosions.
“She’s not only the best goalie and my best friend, but she’s so good at throwing the ball on those counter attacks,” Nevaeh said.
Brzyksi even made a stop with the top of her head and knocked the ball out to Cassidy Kerber, who scored to push the lead to 11-4 midway through the third period.
Marquette used a three-goal blitz over the final 3 minutes and 8 seconds of the first of four 7-minute quarters to take a 4-1 lead. Nevaeh snapped the tie with back-to-back tallies in less than a minute. Her nifty shot that skidded off the water and into the net pumped the advantage to 3-1.
Kirkwood stayed close behind three goals from senior Chloe Inion. Her tally early in the second period brought the Pioneers to within 4-2.
Cassidy Kerber took over from there with a three goal-explosion in 95 seconds. Two of the goals came on assists from Nevaeh.
The Mustangs, who carried an 8-2 lead into the break, took control with two goals early in the third period. Isla Sattler led the charge with a drive from close range. Sattler had three goals.
“We’ve worked our butts off all season long,” Brzyski said. “This is proof that hard work gets it done.”
Cassidy, who will likely take over the role as face of the program, doesn’t plan on reminding Nevaeh of her 6-5 goal advantage in the title game.
The two lived together for seven years and get along like sisters.
“We all have our jobs and sometimes mine is assisting and hers is shooting,” Nevaeh said. “I’m just glad I’m able to share this experience with her.”
Marquette became the first team to win back-to-back area titles. Oakville won the crown in 2022, and Ladue claimed the gold in 2023.
“Last year, winning it all was definitely new and there was a lot of stress with it,” Cassidy Kerber said. “This year, I liked doing it again a lot more.”
Missouri Water Polo girls district championship: Marquette 14, Kirkwood 7
The Marquette students row the boat after a goal against Kirkwood in the Missouri Water Polo girls championship game at Kirkwood High School on Wednesday May 21, 2025.
Paul Baillargeon
Dani Hume (2) of Marquette takes a shot against Kirkwood in the Missouri Water Polo girls championship game at Kirkwood High School on Wednesday May 21, 2025.
Paul Baillargeon
Nevaeh Kerber (14) of Marquette fends off Anna Huebner (10) of Kirkwood lin the last few second of the game in the Missouri Water Polo girls championship game at Kirkwood High School on Wednesday May 21, 2025.
Paul Baillargeon
Nevaeh Kerber (14) of Marquette leans back and will shoot and score against Kirkwood in the Missouri Water Polo girls championship game at Kirkwood High School on Wednesday May 21, 2025.
Paul Baillargeon
Cassidy Kerber (13) of Marquette helps run down the shot clock late in the game against Kirkwood in the Missouri Water Polo girls championship game at Kirkwood High School on Wednesday May 21, 2025.
Paul Baillargeon
Cassidy Kerber (13) of Marquette takes a shot against Kirkwood in the Missouri Water Polo girls district championship game at Kirkwood High School on Wednesday May 21, 2025.
Paul Baillargeon
Kirkwood coaches talk to their swimmers during a trime out against Marquette in the Missouri Water Polo girls championship game at Kirkwood High School on Wednesday May 21, 2025.
Paul Baillargeon
Chloe Inion (7) of Kirkwood passes the ball against Marquette in the Missouri Water Polo girls championship game at Kirkwood High School on Wednesday May 21, 2025.
Paul Baillargeon
Cassidy Kerber (13) of Marquette looks to score against Kirkwood in the Missouri Water Polo girls championship game at Kirkwood High School on Wednesday May 21, 2025.
Paul Baillargeon
Nevaeh Kerber (14) of Marquette throws a pass against Kirkwood in the Missouri Water Polo girls championship game at Kirkwood High School on Wednesday May 21, 2025.
Paul Baillargeon
Cece Medeiros (19) of Kirkwood takes a shot against Marquette in the Missouri Water Polo girls championship game at Kirkwood High School on Wednesday May 21, 2025.
Paul Baillargeon
Cassidy Kerber (13) of Marquette tosses the ball in the air to get a better grip against Kirkwood in the Missouri Water Polo girls championship game at Kirkwood High School on Wednesday May 21, 2025.
Paul Baillargeon
Cece Medeiros (19) of Kirkwood fends off Avery Anthony (3) of Marquette in the Missouri Water Polo girls championship game at Kirkwood High School on Wednesday May 21, 2025.
Paul Baillargeon
Dani Hume (2) of Marquete takes a shot against Kirkwood in the Missouri Water Polo girls championship game at Kirkwood High School on Wednesday May 21, 2025.
Paul Baillargeon
Abigail Graf (3) of Kirkwood leans back to keep the ball away from Dani Hume (2) of Marquette in the Missouri Water Polo girls championship game at Kirkwood High School on Wednesday May 21, 2025.
Paul Baillargeon
Annaya Sethi (8) of Marquette pulls duty as a photographer during a time out against Kirkwood in the Missouri Water Polo girls championship game at Kirkwood High School on Wednesday May 21, 2025.
Paul Baillargeon
Mia Rogles (8) of Kirkwood throws a pass against Marquette in the Missouri Water Polo girls championship game at Kirkwood High School on Wednesday May 21, 2025.
Paul Baillargeon
Nevaeh Kerber (14) left, and Olivia Brzyski (1) hold up their championship trophy after defeating Kirkwood in the Missouri Water Polo girls championsip game at Kirkwood High School on Wednesday May 21, 2025.
Paul Baillargeon
Kirkwood goalie Leila Ambuehl (1) reaches out to make the save on a scoring attempt from Marquette in the Missouri Water Polo girls championship game at Kirkwood High School on Wednesday May 21, 2025.
Paul Baillargeon
Nevaeh Kerber (14) of Marquette takes a shot against Kirkwood in the Missouri Water Polo girls championship game at Kirkwood High School on Wednesday May 21, 2025.
Paul Baillargeon
Avanell Mitchell (6) of Kirkwood swims to the net looking to score against Marquette in the Missouri Water Polo girls championship game at Kirkwood High School on Wednesday May 21, 2025.
Paul Baillargeon
Cassidy Kerber (13) of Marquette shoots and scores a goal against Kirkwood in the Missouri Water Polo girls championship game at Kirkwood High School on Wednesday May 21, 2025.
Paul Baillargeon
Chloe Inion (7) of Kirkwwood moves the ball uo the pool against Marquette in the Missouri Water Polo girls championship game at Kirkwood High School on Wednesday May 21, 2025.
Paul Baillargeon
The Marquette Mustangs celebrate their win over Kirkwood with a dip in the pool after the Missouri Water Polo Girls district championship at Kirkwood High School in Kirkwood on Wednesday, May 21, 2025.
Paul Baillargeon
Olivia Brzyski (1) the goalie for Marquette stood tall for the Mustangs in the net against Kirkwood in the Missouri Water Polo girls championship game at Kirkwood High School on Wednesday May 21, 2025.
Paul Baillargeon
Anna Huebner (10) of Kirkwood goes after a loose ball in the pool against Marquette in the Missouri Water Polo girls championship game at Kirkwood High School on Wednesday May 21, 2025.
Paul Baillargeon
Anna Huebner (10) of Kirkwood swims to the goal against Marquette in the Missouri Water Polo girls championship game at Kirkwood High School on Wednesday May 21, 2025.
Paul Baillargeon
Avanell Mitchell (6) of kirkwood takes a shot against Marquette in the Missouri Water Polo girls championship game at Kirkwood High School on Wednesday May 21, 2025.
Paul Baillargeon
Mia Rogles (8) of Kirkwood shoots against Marquette in the Missouri Water Polo girls championship game at Kirkwood High School on Wednesday May 21, 2025.
Paul Baillargeon
Cece Medeiros (19) of Kirkwood looks to pass as Gabriella Sillasi (15) of Marquette defends in the Missouri Water Polo girls championship game at Kirkwood High School on Wednesday May 21, 2025.
Paul Baillargeon
Octavia Durnin (14) of Kirkwood gets control of the ball against Marquette in the Missouri Water Polo girls championship game at Kirkwood High School on Wednesday May 21, 2025.
Winter Park Boys Volleyball repeats as state champions
The Winter Park High School boys volleyball team has cemented its place as a powerhouse in Florida, winning its second straight state title and third in four seasons. The Wildcats captured the championship by sweeping Miami Southwest in straight sets, closing out a flawless postseason in which they didn’t drop a single set — going […]
The Winter Park High School boys volleyball team has cemented its place as a powerhouse in Florida, winning its second straight state title and third in four seasons. The Wildcats captured the championship by sweeping Miami Southwest in straight sets, closing out a flawless postseason in which they didn’t drop a single set — going 21-0.
California (CIF) State boys volleyball high school playoff bracket (5/18/2025)
All eight No. 1 seeds during the first round of the first CIF State boys volleyball high school playoff tournament on Tuesday. North California top seeds Mitty (D1), Buchanan (D2), Leigh (D3) and Ben Holt College Prep Academy (D4). and No. 1 Southern California Mira Costa (D1), Mater Dei (D2), Sage Hill (D3) and Mater […]
All eight No. 1 seeds during the first round of the first CIF State boys volleyball high school playoff tournament on Tuesday.
North California top seeds Mitty (D1), Buchanan (D2), Leigh (D3) and Ben Holt College Prep Academy (D4). and No. 1 Southern California Mira Costa (D1), Mater Dei (D2), Sage Hill (D3) and Mater Dei Catholic (D4) lost a total of three games while combing to win 24.
Semifinal matches in each divisions and region take place Thursday with regional finals on Saturday, and state championship matches scheduled for May 31 in Fresno City College.
Three Fresno area teams, all from the Tri-River Athletic Conference (TRAC), advanced to semifinal play including Clovis and Clovis East in the Division 1 North region. Clovis, the fourth seed, defeated No. 5 Northgate 25-20, 25-18, 19-25, 25-23, while Clovis East swept sixth-seed Saint Francis. The top two seeds in Division 1 North, Mitty and Harker, also swept first-round matches.
A third TRAC team breezed to a first-round victory in top D2 North seed Buchanan, which knocked off West Park, 25-9, 25-17, 25-13. Other first-round North winners were second seed Amador Valley, No. 3 Del Oro and fourth-seed Los Gatos, which will travel to Buchanan for a 6 p.m. Thursday semifinal.
In Division I South, there were a pair of mild upsets, though top seed Mira Costa and second seed Huntington Beach cruised to first-round wins. Fifth-seed Newport Harbor
Top seeds in the North are Mitty (D1), Buchanan (D2), Leigh (D3) and Ben Holt College Prep Academy (D4).
Top seeds in the South are Mira Costa (D1) and Huntington Beach won handily, but fifth seed Newport Harbor went on the road to beat fourth-seed Torrey Pines, 25-13, 25-23, 25-20 and sixth-seed Corona del Mar upset third seed and host Carlsbad, 25-22, 20-25, 26-24, 25-21. Semifinal matchups pit Newport Harbor (27-11) at Mira Costa (34-2), while Huntington Beach (34-6) hosts Corona del Mar (25-6). These Southern Section rivals have met before.
Mira Costa beat Newport Harbor earlier this season, 25-15, 20-25, 30-28, 25-22. while Huntington Beach twice defeated Corona del Mar, three games to none and 3-1.
In the Northern California D1 semifinals, Clovis (29-4) travels to Mitty (38-2), and Harker (26-8) hosts Clovis East (26-11). Clovis and Mitty haven’t met this season, however Harker upended Clovis East 25-18, 22-25, 17-15 in a tournament match on April 26.
The Playful Science: Theology and the Art of Volleyball
I don’t know when Hart House, the student center on the University of Toronto’s St. George campus, first began advertising drop-in volleyball on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Perhaps it’s been going on for a while now and I somehow missed it. However that may be, over the semester just past these games have become among the […]
I don’t know when Hart House, the student center on the University of Toronto’s St. George campus, first began advertising drop-in volleyball on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Perhaps it’s been going on for a while now and I somehow missed it. However that may be, over the semester just past these games have become among the high points of my week. Hart House is next door to Wycliffe College, where I teach, and I find the game a wonderful way of unwinding at the end of a long day.
It’s a young crowd, for sure. Senior members like me make extensive use of the weight room and other gym facilities, and I had assumed that I’d see at least a few of my fellow professors on the volleyball court. But no, it’s almost all undergraduates, joined by the occasional medical student or Ph.D. in the sciences. (Not, for some reason, graduate students in the humanities; whatever happened to mens sana in corpore sano?) The students seem bemused by my presence—friendly, welcoming, but also a bit uncertain about how they should regard this gray-haired Boomer among them.
It helps that I am actually pretty good at volleyball. Some of these young men and women are highly experienced players, with devastating overhand serves, and the ability to spike the ball with power. I’m not at that level, certainly. But I hold my own. I’m especially strong at setting—bump-passing the ball to a teammate in the front row, who (ideally) finishes off the play with a score. My serving has grown markedly better over time, and I’ve graduated from a gentle underhand to a fairly effective overhand. So far, I have managed to avoid serious injury, apart from the strained finger or two. One time, the ball hit me smack on the forehead—nothing serious, but it gave me a great excuse to do a Euro Cup-style “flop,” to the amusement of my fellow players.
Both the students and I are out there to have fun. I am not sure if “fun” is a theological category, but play certainly is; what else is liturgy but a kind of solemn play? Although volleyball games at Hart House are far from solemn, the element of play is real; that’s what makes the matches such a refreshing break from academic and other work. Athletes talk about being “in the zone.” Surely that’s a secular analogue for religious ecstasy, that experience of being taken outside oneself and just so finding oneself at a truer or higher level. As we play, we are “in the zone” or even “in the Spirit,” a condition that does not suppress the individual, but sets him or her free to participate in a larger purpose.
I wrote the preceding sentence before I read the fine recent Covenant essay by Dane Neufeld, “Competition and Performance,” in which he writes:
[It] is possible to understand the competitive environs of youth as a kind of preparation for the gospel. Like the law (an imperfect analogy), competitive pursuits can impart a moral code that helps to restrain and mold human desire in ways that helpfully prepare young people to live with others and to contribute in meaningful ways to a broader purpose.
I am inclined to agree with Neufeld, though with the caveat that the more professional the competition is, the more likely it is that competition will be distorted in harmful ways. When winning is everything (or the only thing, as Vince Lombardi said), fellowship and camaraderie are replaced by what Augustine called the libido dominandi, the desire for domination, which is more or less humanity’s default setting after the Fall.
Thankfully, afternoon volleyball at Hart House is a truly amateur affair—amateur, meaning lover—and therefore blessedly free from the meaner aspects of sport. Indeed, one of the things that has impressed me most is the students’ patience and concern for weaker players. Beginners to the game, for instance, are given almost unlimited do-overs on serves. A good deal of informal pedagogy happens in real time, as veterans offer tips to newcomers on the proper techniques. After an unforced error, a player can expect to be on the receiving end of some good-natured abuse, but no more than that. Play means laughter, and there’s no shortage of that on the court.
Volleyball sides consist of six players each. When more than 12 people show up, various schemes of rotation are adopted, meaning that one can expect to spend part of the match standing on the sidelines. One day I was waiting for my turn to be rotated back in, and fell into conversation with one of the students, who asked me what I did. “I’m a professor at Wycliffe next door,” I said. He asked me what I taught, and I answered simply “Theology.”
“Oh,” he replied—“is that like Religious Studies?” I explained that the University does indeed have an excellent Religious Studies faculty, with whom we maintain a good working relationship, but that Theology is different. It’s an inquiry into God, undertaken by the community that worships and confesses God in Jesus Christ—the church. Our college is a school in the Lord’s service. He found this interesting, and then asked simply: “So you’re a believer?”
It’s a good question. There’s a longstanding debate about whether “doing theology” requires that the theological subject be a religious practitioner. To me, the answer has always been obvious: yes! If theology is faith in search of understanding, as Anselm taught us, then faith is something like a key job requirement. There are smart people, good theologians, who think otherwise; but to me, the idea of “unbelieving theologian” has always seemed a contradiction in terms.
It’s tricky, though, because you also don’t want to make the quality of one’s faith the determining factor in theological work. This would be to place self before God, law before gospel, grim duty before playful delight—a totally wrongheaded set of priorities. Theology is an activity in which the object of inquiry, the triune God, is the very One who sets you free for the activity. Subverting Nietzsche, Karl Barth called evangelical theology the true fröhliche Wissenschaft, the joyful science, or as we might also put it, the playful science.
I did not share any of that with my teammate. I simply answered his question with a “Yes”—and before we knew it, both of us were being rotated back onto the court. Maybe he and I will pick up that conversation at a point in future. But I appreciated the opportunity for the existential check-in and small moment of witness. Yes, I am a believer—not because my faith is anything much, but by the grace of God, who sets me free to worship, learn, teach, write, and otherwise play my part in the work of the kingdom.
The term is over, exams are ended, and the students have scattered to the four winds. I doubt there will be enough warm bodies to field two teams for the next couple of months. But I could be wrong—there’s always summer school. Even if I must wait till September, I look forward to being back on the court again, hoping for a good rally.
Joseph (Joe) Mangina is professor of theology at Wycliffe College, Toronto.
