College Sports

Former NHLer Eriah Hayes steps down as La Crescent-Hokah hockey coach – Post Bulletin

La CRESCENT — Eriah Hayes set all of the scoring records for the La Crescent-Hokah boys hockey program during his four seasons on the varsity team, from 2003-07. He had a front row seat over the past six years to watch his records be broken by 2024 La Crescent-Hokah graduate Wyatt Farrell. But after six […]

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3 weeks ago

May 9, 2025

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La CRESCENT — Eriah Hayes set all of the scoring records for the La Crescent-Hokah boys hockey program during his four seasons on the varsity team, from 2003-07.

He had a front row seat over the past six years to watch his records be broken by 2024 La Crescent-Hokah graduate Wyatt Farrell.

But after six seasons at the helm of the program he grew up dreaming of starring for — then actually starring for — Hayes has decided to resign as head coach of the La Crescent-Hokah boys hockey team after six seasons in that role.

Hayes, a former Division I college and high-level pro hockey player, has more than one reason for stepping away from the high school program. He and his wife Katie have four children now; Hayes would like to spend more time with them than the grind of the winter sports season allows. He also wants to devote more time to the Five7 AAA developmental program he has started within the past five years.

Specifically, Hayes will spend two or three days per week coaching an Eau Claire-based Tier I AAA team this winter. Justin Kendall, one of his top assistant coaches at La Crescent-Hokah, will make the move, too, and continue to coach with him. They’ll lead a team of 2013-born players from across Wisconsin.

“That age group, one thing that excites me is just how hard-working this group of kids is,” Hayes said. “Every single kid has aspirations to play at the Division I (college) level. The work they put in on a day-to-day basis, that’s what I’m most excited about.”

La Crescent-Hokah Schools is in the process of searching for a new varsity coach.

Whoever fills those skates will have a relatively full cupboard to work with, and more help on the way. Hayes built up a program that went to the Section 1, Class 1A semifinals — the deepest the Lancers have ever gone in the playoffs — twice in his six seasons. They won a program-record 24 games in 2023-24, a team that sparked a bit of a hockey revival in the town tucked in the extreme southeastern corner of the state.

That group was led by then-seniors Wyatt Farrell and Noah Gillette. Farrell tied former Little Falls star Ben Hanowski’s state record for goals in a high school career (196), while Gillette finished second in the state in scoring (47 goals, 86 points).

“It’s definitely a tough thing to step away from,” Hayes said, “but I’m really excited to see the numbers in our youth program. The high school team, with the year we had last year, it’s helped our youth program immensely, the numbers we have, all the way down to our mite and squirt levels.”

Hayes and his family will continue to live in La Crescent — “we’re not moving; my roots are deeply planted in La Crescent,” he said.

“I’ll still be heavily involved in the youth hockey association,” he said. “My daughter will be on a squirt team next year, so I’m hoping I can help coach her team, too.”

The Lancers went 9-14-4 in 2024-25, a year after losing perhaps the best senior class to come through the program, a class led by Farrell and Gillette.

La Crescent-Hokah had a 75-66-6 record in Hayes’ six seasons as head coach. It reached the section semifinals in 2021, falling to Mankato West, and in 2024, when it lost a fast-paced, entertaining 4-3 decision against Dodge County.

Hayes and his wife, Katie, moved back to southeastern Minnesota in the fall of 2017, when Eriah retired from playing pro hockey at age 29 after suffering multiple concussions and a fractured skull. A 6-foot-4, 210-pound right-shot forward, Hayes played three-plus seasons of pro hockey, including scoring one goal in 19 games in the NHL, all with the San Jose Sharks, the team that signed him out of Minnesota State University, Mankato, in 2013.

“I think it was my 13th game, against Calgary, and Patty Marleau made a really nice feed to me,” Hayes told the Post Bulletin in 2017, of his only NHL goal, which came in the 2013-14 season and was one of Marleau’s 574 career assists with the Sharks. “I’ll always remember getting to play alongside guys like Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski and Brent Burns. Scoring a goal was the cherry on top.”

Hayes also played 164 games in the American Hockey League, the top minor league in the world. He scored 29 goals and had 32 assists, for 61 points, with the Worcester Sharks (2013-15) and Chicago Wolves (2015-16).

He played four seasons of Division I hockey at Minnesota State, from 2009-13, accumulating 52 goals and 44 assists, for 96 points. He scored 20 goals as a senior, his best college season, under then-first year MSU head coach Mike Hastings.

That college career came on the heels of an outstanding high school and junior hockey career. Hayes played for the North American Hockey League’s Topeka (Kan.) Roadrunners in 2007-08, putting up 30 goals and 56 points. He was elevated to the USHL the following year, where he had 27 goals and 45 points for the Waterloo (Iowa) Black Hawks.

Prior to that, Hayes set Lancers records with 135 career goals and 232 career points, marks that stood for 17 years. He’s proud to leave the La Crescent-Hokah high school program in a great spot.

“It means everything,” he said. “When you take over a program, that’s the ultimate goal is to grow the game of hockey in your area and I feel like we’ve done a good job of that. The numbers at the youth level speak for themselves. There’s a buzz with hockey in La Crescent and I think it’ll be that way for a long, long time.”

The La Crescent-Hokah boys hockey program had its best stretch ever over the past six years, with former Lancers star Eriah Hayes as the team’s head coach. Here’s a year-by-year look at the Lancers’ success under Hayes:

Season	Record	Playoffs
2024-25	9-14-4
2023-24	24-3-0	Reached Section 1A semifinals
2022-23	18-8-0
2021-22	14-11-1
2020-21	6-14-0	Reached Section 1A semifinals
2019-20	4-16-1
TOTAL	75-66-6	— —

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College Sports

BEHIND THE SCENES

KSHB 41 reporter Lily O’Shea Becker covers Franklin and Douglas counties in Kansas. Share your story idea with Lily. — A behind-the-scenes look at Rock Chalk Park in Lawrence, Kansas, previews the amenities it would offer to a 2026 World Cup team if it’s chosen by a country as a training site. Rock Chalk Park […]

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40 minutes ago

May 28, 2025

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KSHB 41 reporter Lily O’Shea Becker covers Franklin and Douglas counties in Kansas. Share your story idea with Lily.

—

A behind-the-scenes look at Rock Chalk Park in Lawrence, Kansas, previews the amenities it would offer to a 2026 World Cup team if it’s chosen by a country as a training site.

Rock Chalk Park is home to the University of Kansas women’s soccer and softball teams, but its amenities can serve teams on the road: a laundry room, a medical room, a weight training room, and what Jason Booker with KU Athletics calls a locker room made for match days.

READ | KC Current training center being considered for World Cup team base camp

“I think they (countries) were a little bit surprised because they’ve seen some photos and things like that, but until you actually walk the facility, they were like, ‘Oh, OK, now I get it,'” Booker, KU deputy athletic director for external revenue, said. “These are large countries you would consider the A-class of soccer.”

Booker said two countries have toured the facility, and KU anticipates several more tours throughout the year.

“Getting the read on their faces, it felt like it was very special, made us feel like we were onto something, that we were really going to do a great job being able to host,” he said.

Booker serves on the executive board of the Kansas City Sports Commission.

“I think what’s unique about this market is the opportunity to potentially host three base camps,” he said. “Two in Kansas City and one here (Lawrence), and we really consider ourselves as part of the Kansas City market.”

He said countries touring base camps seem interested in Midwest sites due to their centralized location and distance from both coasts.

But, it wasn’t just the countries impressed by the tour, according to Booker. He said officials with FIFA took notice of the pitch.

“They came out and did a soil sample and said it would hold up to any English Premier League soccer pitch,” he said. “They were almost surprised when they came out and walked on the field, and they kind of looked at each other and were like, ‘Is this really a college soccer field?’”

Booker also mentioned Rock Chalk Park’s proximity to Lawrence Memorial Health West Campus and Topeka Regional Airport, where KU teams charter planes for sporting events, as external but nearby amenities for a team.

Booker said resources from the University of Kansas could help with hosting an international team, and the university itself could benefit from being in the spotlight.

“To be able to showcase this facility, we hope it will help with future recruiting, not only of student athletes but students on campus from an international perspective,” he said.

Booker said on open practice days, fans could fill the 2,000 seats around the pitch, and an additional 4,000 could watch from the lawn that surrounds the field.

Booker is planning alongside the City of Lawrence, which he said could see thousands of soccer fans next summer.

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College Sports

Kirby Smart says recruits are making $20K/month in NIL to stay committed

We cannot leave well enough alone, now can we? As a society, we love to meddle and consume ourselves with other people’s business, mostly because we cannot stomach the lives we are currently leading. It is the sad state of existence in today’s world, so the wonderful world of NIL shall be no different. Man, […]

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1 hour ago

May 28, 2025

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Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart told Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports “that collectives are striking deals with high school recruits to keep and gain their commitments — paying them as much as $20,000 a month in this unregulated market. If they de-commit, they are being asked to return the compensation.” So a top college football recruit can make $100,000 over a semester for being loyal?

This is not about Georgia getting or not getting someone. It is all about the entire system being established on a house of cards with an even flimsier foundation. It is why Deloitte is setting up a college sports clearinghouse for NIL called “NIL Go”. This is to make sure every NIL deal is legit. Dellenger does a far better job of explaining what all is going on in this with his latest for Yahoo.

This feels like NIL is becoming part of the FDIC, but who knows what each collective is trying to do.

Smart argued that teams who are recruiting abnormally well are taking advantage of this system.

Why is Kirby Smart so mad about the state of college football NIL?

Look. This is not about Georgia as much as it is about the rest of the sport. Georgia regularly recruits inside the top 10 as a top-five program of today and a top-15 program of all time. It is about those punching up and trying to have a seat at the big kid’s table. Collectives appear to be gumming up the process and preventing free enterprise from happening. NIL is still the wild west, but it is being tamed.

Not to say Smart’s opinions of this are directly tied to what one of his former players experienced coming out of high school, but he did coach Jaden Rashada for a year. His recruitment was a nasty mess, painting everyone involved in an awful light. We also saw a former quarterback of a rival team in Nico Iamaleava leave Tennessee abruptly for less money at UCLA over a hostile internal NIL debate.

What I am gathering from all this is there could be even more dirty money being exchanged under the table than we even realized. Collectives are not part of a university, but serve as a slimy conduit to one. Again, this is not about Georgia missing out on recruits, but rather prospective teenagers effectively being paid hush money to stay silently with the team that offered them the biggest bag.

Eventually, we will get the regulations the players and coaches deserve. Everybody deserves to get a slice of the pie, but we cannot be handing out pies that do not meet the requirements of the FDA of college football. Red tape will kill us all, but not as fast as red meat will. For the last time, these are kids. Many of them want to do the right thing. They may not always have the best people in their ears.

Bringing in $20,000 a month to stay quiet for one year could give a kid who cannot even vote nearly $250,000!

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Gator Gymnastics lands All-American emJae Frazier

Ten-time All-American gymnast eMjae Frazier transferred from Cal to Florida Tuesday. The New Jersey native will compete in the Orange and Blue for her senior season. So thankful to join the fam!!! — emjae frazier (@EmjaeFrazier) May 27, 2025 Career Highlights Frazier has three perfect 10.0s in her career. She was the first to ever […]

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1 hour ago

May 28, 2025

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Ten-time All-American gymnast eMjae Frazier transferred from Cal to Florida Tuesday. The New Jersey native will compete in the Orange and Blue for her senior season.

So thankful to join the fam!!!

— emjae frazier (@EmjaeFrazier) May 27, 2025

Career Highlights

Frazier has three perfect 10.0s in her career. She was the first to ever score a 10 on floor for Cal, which she first accomplished in her freshman year. In the second week of the 2024 season, Frazier achieved a 10 on beam, becoming the first Bear to score perfectly on two events. She also holds the three highest all-around scores in Cal history.

In 2024, the Bears placed second in the NCAA National Championship Finals, its highest finish in program history. The Gators placed fourth, while LSU won the national title for the first time. At that competition, Frazier shared the highest all-around score of the meet with Haleigh Bryant of LSU.

In Cal’s first year in the ACC, Frazier received five all-conference honors after earning six in the Pac-12. She was also a member of the 2025 ACC Championship team.

“eMjae comes to us with a wealth of competitive and leadership experience,” Florida head coach Jenny Rowland said. “We can’t wait to see her make an impact in Orange and Blue both on and off the floor this season!”

The Gators eliminated the Bears in the regional finals in Tuscaloosa in April, ending Cal’s season and Frazier’s time with the squad. She did not qualify for any individual events at the national championship despite finishing the year prior as the No. 3 all-around gymnast in the NCAA.

The Transfer

On April 21, Frazier announced on Instagram that she would graduate after three years at Cal. She said she would use her final year of eligibility while pursuing a master’s degree.

She now joins Selena Harris-Miranda — who transferred to Florida from UCLA after the 2024 season — on the east coast in their senior seasons. Frazier’s all-around talent can help fill the hole left behind from Gator graduates Leanne Wong and Victoria Nguyen.

The news of Frazier’s flip to Florida comes days after she tumbled across the graduation stage at the University of California, Berkley.

Thank you University of California, Berkeley, Class of 2025! pic.twitter.com/bY8AIfVFWj

— emjae frazier (@EmjaeFrazier) May 24, 2025

More change is to be made at Cal, as it lost its co-head coaches to Clemson on May 12. After being with the Bears since 2012, husband and wife Justin Howell and Elisabeth Crandall-Howell replace Amy Smith in the Tigers’ third season.

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College Sports

Elvert to Lead Colby's Men's Soccer Program

Story Links Waterville, Maine – Colby College is excited to announce the selection of Sean Elvert, a multi-faceted and accomplished professional in the soccer industry with a history of success as a player, assistant coach, and head coach, as the new leader of its men’s soccer program. He becomes the fourth coach of the men’s […]

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3 hours ago

May 28, 2025

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Elvert to Lead Colby's Men's Soccer Program

Waterville, Maine – Colby College is excited to announce the selection of Sean Elvert, a multi-faceted and accomplished professional in the soccer industry with a history of success as a player, assistant coach, and head coach, as the new leader of its men’s soccer program. He becomes the fourth coach of the men’s soccer program since 1975.

“I’m honored and grateful to lead this dynamic Colby team,” said Elvert, “and I am thankful to Amanda DeMartino and the search committee for their trust and support. The last three years with Scott Palguta at a program as distinguished as Colorado College has prepared me well for the opportunity and I couldn’t be more excited to help shape the future of Colby men’s soccer.”

Colby competes in the highly competitive New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC), a conference that saw eight member institutions selected for the 2024 NCAA Division III tournament, with three advancing to the Final Four.

Elvert comes to Colby from Colorado College where he served as an assistant coach from 2022-2025. He helped guide the Tigers to a 22-0-5 record in the SCAC conference over his three seasons with back-to-back NCAA Division III tournament appearances, advancing all the way to the Elite Eight in 2023. Colorado College held a 13-game unbeaten streak in 2022 and in their most recent season maintained an NCAA top-10 ranking for the entirety all the way from preseason through the tournament.

Elvert also had a remarkably successful career as a leader in the net during his time as a student-athlete at Loras College, guiding the Duhawks to four conference championships and two trips to the NCAA Division III Final Four. Entering into the coaching realm, Elvert held assistant stints at Ohio Northern and Bluffton Universities before landing the head coaching role at Bluffton, guiding the Beavers to their first winning season in 30 years.

Elvert has also been active in the junior ranks, guiding Colorado’s top youth players for Arsenal Colorado and Real Colorado in the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL).

“We are incredibly excited to welcome Sean to Mayflower Hill,” said Amanda V. DeMartino, the Harold Alfond Director of Athletics. “The search committee was impressed with the combination of his high level playing and coaching experience, his passion for Division III athletics and his vision for the next era of Colby men’s soccer. Sean understands the importance of striving for competitive excellence while providing a stellar student experience. He has proven to be a talented recruiter yielding high-academic athletes, and his commitment to developing students as both players and people aligns perfectly with our values.”

“With a strong foundation in place, I’m thrilled to provide stability and guidance for the program moving forward,” continued Elvert. “We’re well positioned to offer a holistic student-athlete experience rooted in on-field success, and I cannot wait to get started with the Mules.”

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College Sports

Will Howard names ‘best college player in country’ ahead of 2025 season

Will Howard led Ohio State to a National Championship this past season after defeating Notre Dame before moving on to the NFL, before naming the player to watch in college football this year Charlie Wilson US Sports Reporter 09:48 ET, 28 May 2025 Will Howard believes Jeremiah Smith to be the best player in college […]

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3 hours ago

May 28, 2025

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Will Howard led Ohio State to a National Championship this past season after defeating Notre Dame before moving on to the NFL, before naming the player to watch in college football this year

Charlie Wilson US Sports Reporter

09:48 ET, 28 May 2025

Will Howard believes Jeremiah Smith to be the best player in college football

Will Howard has named his former Ohio State number one wide receiver as Jeremiah Smith as the best player in college football ahead of the 2025 season.

Quarterback trio Arch Manning, Garrett Nussmeier and Cade Klubnik are above Smith as the best odds to win the Heisman Trophy next season, but Howard believes his former college teammate to be the best talent in the nation after what he showed in his freshman year.

As a true freshman, Smith dominated like no wide receiver ever has in college football, with 1,200 yards and 14 touchdowns and winning a National Championship – including catching a deep-ball from Howard in the final against Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame team. His incredible performances have seen him on the cover of EA Sports College Football 26, alongside fellow second-year receiver in Alabama’s emerging superstar, Ryan Williams.

READ MORE: USC coach blasted for ‘pathetic mentality’ over Notre Dame rivalry stanceREAD MORE: Shedeur Sanders told chances of being Browns starter with ESPN analysts in agreement

Speaking to EA Sports ahead of their release of the new game, Howard was asked who he believes should be the cover star for the second edition after it’s return.

He said: “Give me Jeremiah Smith… Best player in the country right there, man.”

While Manning will be disappointed not to be on the cover, not too many would argue with Smith being chosen after his incredible first year in college football – something his older cousin Geno Smith had seen coming.

Jeremiah Smith had a dominant freshman year

The Las Vegas Raiders starting quarterback had warned college football coaches that his younger cousin would dominate as soon as he entered the NCAA.

In a 2023 press conference when Smith had been with the Seattle Seahawks game, Geno had discussed his abilities before a reporter asked his name. He replied: “His name? Jeremiah. You’ll all know it next year.”

Geno was then asked about Jeremiah again after news had broke that he won the starting position as a true freshman, before replying: “I’ve seen a lot of great receivers, and I’ve had the chance to watch a lot of JJ since he was about 10 years old. He’s gonna be the best receiver ever. I really believe that.”

Arch Manning is the current favorite to win the Heisman Trophy

Smith had dominated through his first year, but put in a statement performance in the Rose Bowl as Ohio State advanced over Oregon earlier this month, having 187 yards and two touchdowns.

In that game, he was given a 94.6 grade by Pro Football Focus (PFF) for his performance – one of the highest ever given to a receiver.

Smith will not be draft eligible until 2027, in what looks to be a generational class alongside the aforementioned Williams, with quarterbacks DJ Lagway, Dylan Raiola and potentially, Manning, if he stays at Texas.

**Want to watch more live sports? Peacock has your favorite sports, shows, and more all in one place. **Peacock offers plans starting at $7.99** so you can stream live sports like NFL, Premier League, and Big Ten Football.**

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Biggest winners and every star on the move

With all of the big names changing teams, the 2026 NCAA Gymnastics championship is firmly up for grabs with multiple teams in the mix. Morgan Price and the Arkansas Razorbacks Morgan Price is no stranger to bright lights, but now she’ll take her talents to arguably the biggest stage in the sport — the SEC. […]

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3 hours ago

May 28, 2025

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With all of the big names changing teams, the 2026 NCAA Gymnastics championship is firmly up for grabs with multiple teams in the mix.

Morgan Price and the Arkansas Razorbacks

Morgan Price is no stranger to bright lights, but now she’ll take her talents to arguably the biggest stage in the sport — the SEC. Originally committed to Arkansas in high school,Price decided to compete for Fisk University and made history several times in her three years there. Fisk became the first HBCU to launch a gymnastics program in 2023 and while there, Morgan became the first HBCU gymnast to earn a perfect 10 and win a national title. She won six national titles in her three years at Fisk, sweeping the event titles at the WGNIC Nationals this year along with defending her 2024 All-Around title.

Now, Morgan joins her older sister, Frankie Price, a fan-favorite Gymback who is taking her fifth year for the 2026 season after being injured during her floor routine at this year’s regional meet. Morgan has the scores on all four events to compete in the All-Around for the Razorbacks, and will especially make an impact on bars and beam.

Price will be joined at Arkansas by San Jose State University transfer Madison Gustitus. Gustitus has three years of eligibility after spending her freshman year at SJSU, where she competed on bars, beam, and floor. Arkansas lost a lot of their depth on beam to graduation this year, so she should fill an immediate need there, while also joining a dynamic floor rotation anchored by Joscelyn Roberson and Frankie Price. She also brings a lot of Level 10 competitive experience, having competed at the Development Program Nationals and Nastia Liukin Cup and won events at the regional level.

Arkansas lost two athletes to the transfer portal this season — Chandler Buntin and Dakota Essenpreis. Essenpreis is returning to her home state of Missouri to compete for SEC rival Mizzou. The vault specialist competed at every meet this season, breaking 9.850 five times, including a career high 9.900. Buntin did not compete in her two years at Arkansas, but could be a strong depth piece on vault and bars at her new program, which she has yet to announce.

Madison Ulrich and Emily Innes to the LSU Tigers

Madison Ulrich competed the last two years for the Big 12’s Denver Pioneers. This year, Ulrich was named a three-time All American by the WCGA and qualified to the NCAA national championships as an all-around individual competitor. She has career highs of at least a 9.900 on all four events and regularly competed in the All-Around for Denver.

Ulrich was one of the hottest commodities in the portal this year, taking official visits at three high-profile schools — Louisiana State, Utah, and Oklahoma — before committing to LSU. LSU tasted glory last year with their first ever national championship, and Ulrich will be instrumental in their quest to reach that peak again. She’ll make a strong case to be a regular three-event competitor on bars, beam, and floor after ending the NCAA season ranked in the top 20 on beam and bars. She owns a career high 9.925 on vault, but LSU has a deep lineup on the event that she might not slot into.

Senior Emily Innes is trading one shade of purple for another as she joins the LSU Tigers after three seasons with the Washington Huskies. She qualified to regional competition this year as an individual competitor on floor and beam, earning a 9.750 on floor and a 9.800 on beam. Last season, she won the regional floor title with a career high 9.950.

Innes will bring stability and experience to a young LSU roster that saw 10 seniors graduate from the program this year. She should consistently make the floor and beam lineups and could contribute on vault as well. She competes a Yurchenko Full that has typically scored in the low-mid 9.800s at UW, but LSU has a strong lineup of Yurchenko 1.5s with higher scoring potential that they’re more likely to include on a regular basis. That said, Innes will at least provide depth on that event while competing regularly on two others.

eMjae Frazier to the Florida Gators

The first big splash in the transfer portal was the surprising news that eMjae Frazier would graduate early from Cal Berkeley and transfer as a graduate student for her final year of eligibility. Over a month after she announced that she would enter the portal, Frazier put the speculation to rest and announced that she would be taking her talents to the Florida Gators.

Frazier would have been a great pick-up for any team in the NCAA, but the Gators in particular will benefit from her poise and consistency. Before college, she was an elite gymnast for Team USA and represented the country internationally. As a sophomore, she broke the NCAA single season scoring record and has scored multiple perfect 10s on different events over her career. In her three years at Cal, Frazier racked up 10 All-American honors across the regular and post-season. She should immediately be competing in the all-around, but watch for her to make a huge impact on beam and floor, both events she holds a career-best 10.0 on.

Florida finished third in the SEC conference meet this year before a shocking meltdown on vault ended their search for a title in the national semi-finals. Frazier will join the Gators quest to maximize their potential next season alongside a strong incoming freshman class and returning stars Selena Harris-Miranda and Kayla DiCello. Frazier led Cal to the team silver medal in the 2024 National Championship, and she’s certainly hungry to return to the podium after Cal failed to qualify to Nationals this year.

Georgia departures

This season, Georgia had a bit of a renaissance under new head coaches Cecile Landi, formerly of World Champions Centre in Texas, and Ryan Roberts. After a strong regular season, Georgia faltered in SEC championships and then placed third in regional finals, failing to advance, but qualifying two individuals to nationals. After the conclusion of the season, three gymnasts announced their intent to transfer, including fan-favorite Naya Howard, who had been missing from the GymDogs’ regional lineups.

All three former GymDogs are moving to the Big Ten, with Sadie Jane Berry transferring to Ohio State, Alexis Czarrunchick heading to Maryland, and Naya Howard announcing her commitment to Michigan State.

Czarrunchick is headlining a large transfer class for Maryland with five athletes recommitting to the Terps so far. She’s joined by a pair of Bowling Green transfers in Megan Bingham and Katrina Mendez Abolnik, Aine Reade from New Hampshire, and Towson’s Chelsey Dennis. Czarrunchick will bolster Maryland’s vault lineup and contend for a spot on bars as well.

Naya Howard has one year of eligibility remaining and she’ll be spending it in East Lansing, Michigan. The Spartans advanced to their first National Championship since 1988 this year, finishing with the fifth-highest score in the semi-final field. Howard has scored at least a 9.900 on all four events and will bring solid experience to the beam lineup in particular and reliable depth on the other events.

Biggest winners in the NCAA Gymnastics transfer portal

Missouri

Missouri has gained three gymnasts from the portal so far and reloads after their historic third place finish at NCAAs this season. They show no signs of slowing down, even after graduating an incredible senior class headlined by Helen Hu and Amari Celestine. They bring in hometown vault specialist from Dakota Essenpreis from Arkansas, Sara Wabi from Illinois State, and Makayla Green from Illinois.

Wabi will spend her fifth year of eligibility as a graduate student at Mizzou. She competed on the uneven bars as an individual competitor at regionals this year after earning All-MIC (Midwest Independent Conference) First Team honors on floor, bars, and vault. She won the conference title on bars and took third on floor and vault. She should shine, especially on bars for the Tigers.

Green will also join the Tigers bars lineup this year after hitting a career high of 9.925 on the event three times this season, including in the high pressure situations of Big 10 Championships and NCAA regionals. She also competed on vault and beam during her career as an Illini, but after being injured in 2024, only competed on uneven bars this season.

Green and Wabi will both help the Tigers continue where they left off last year and fill the void left in the bars lineup left by 2025 SEC co-champion Mara Titarsolej. Essenpreis will bolster the vault lineup with her consistency and the growth she’s shown across her first two seasons.

Ohio State

Ohio State’s bars lineup is getting a huge boost with Sadie Jane Berry (formerly competing for Georgia) and their vault, beam, and floor lineup will be strengthened by the addition of Natalie Martin (formerly competing for Maryland).

Sadie Jane Berry competed nine times on bars as a freshman, earning a career-high 9.875 twice. She was a really strong beam worker in Level 10, placing in the top ten on the event at the 2024 Level 10 Development Program Nationals. It will be interesting to see what lineups she can break into at Ohio State for her sophomore season and beyond.

Natalie Martin, an Ohio native, is coming home with two years of eligibility. She regularly competed three events (vault, beam, and floor) for Maryland and was instrumental in Maryland advancing to the second round of regionals this year with a pair of 9.850s on vault and beam in the first round. She outdid her first round performance with a 9.900 on beam, repeating her 9.850 on vault, and joining the floor lineup for a 9.875 in the second round.

Arkansas, Ohio State, Missouri, Louisiana State, and Maryland come out of this year as the biggest winners, picking up star athletes and filling out their lineups. And, with plenty of athletes still in the portal, the roster shakeups are far from over as we look ahead to the 2026 season.

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