Sports
Four Bears Earn Spots on All-Big 12 VB Squads
Freshman outside hitter Ksenia Rakhmanchik earned spots on both the All-Big 12 First Team and the All-Big 12 Rookie Team. Gabrielle Essix and Morgan Madison were named to the All-Big 12 Second Team, with Madison and fellow freshman Bailey Warren joining Rakhmanchik on the All-Big 12 Rookie Team. Baylor’s three rookie selections mark the most in a single season in program history.
Rakhmanchik becomes just the third freshman in the Ryan McGuyre era to earn First Team honors, capping one of the most prolific rookie seasons ever by a Bear. The three-time Big 12 Rookie of the Week and reining Offensive Player of the Week is one of only two freshmen in program history to surpass 300 kills in a season, entering the postseason with 323 kills, including three 20-plus kill performances. She has led Baylor in kills and points in seven straight matches, while ranking among the league’s most consistent six-rotation scorers.
Essix, a preseason All-Big 12 selection, anchored Baylor’s front line with a dominant defensive season. Her 123 total blocks are the most by a Bear since Kara McGhee’s 174 in 2022, and her 1.26 blocks per set rank fourth in the Big 12 this season. Essix also elevated her offensive production in conference play, hitting .338, one of the top-10 marks in league action.
Madison adds to Baylor’s postseason haul with All-Big 12 Second Team and Rookie Team honors after delivering one of the best freshman defensive seasons in school history. Her 363 digs shattered the Baylor freshman record of 233, and her 3.59 digs per set ranked eighth in the Big 12, the highest average among conference freshmen. A two-time Big 12 Rookie of the Week and one-time Defensive Player of the Week honoree, Madison anchored a Baylor defense that ranked among the league’s best in defensive metrics through Big 12 play.
Warren rounds out Baylor’s trio of All-Big 12 rookies after an impactful freshman campaign that included 215 kills, the fifth-most by a freshman in program history. A Big 12 Rookie of the Week winner, Warren posted multiple 20-plus kill performances, including 20 in Baylor’s road win at No. 20 TCU to close the regular season.
Baylor will return to action in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. CT against Arkansas State. Coverage will be available on ESPN+, with live stats available at BaylorBears.com/Stats. More tournament info can be found at the Tournament Central Page.
Follow @BaylorVball on X, Instagram and Facebook for additional updates.
Jordan Wilson, Arizona*
Noemie Glover, Arizona State*
Bailey Miller, Arizona State
Colby Neal, Arizona State
Ksenia Rakhmanchik, Baylor
Alex Bower, BYU
Suli Davis, BYU*
Brielle Kemavor, BYU
Ana Burilović, Colorado*
Avah Armour, UCF
Sydney Nolan, Cincinnati
Morgan Brandt, Iowa State
Rachel Van Gorp, Iowa State*
Reese Ptacek, Kansas
Jovana Zelenovic, Kansas
Shaylee Myers, Kansas State*
Evan Hendrix, TCU*
Kamryn Gibadlo, Utah
All-Big 12 Second Team
Carlie Cisneros, Arizona
Avery Scoggins, Arizona
Faith Frame, Arizona State
Gabrielle Essix, Baylor
Morgan Madison, Baylor
Claire Little Chambers, Brigham Young
Carly Glendinning, Cincinnati
Cayla Payne, Colorado
Tierney Jackson, Iowa St.
Katie Dalton, Kansas
Grace Nelson, Kansas
Rhian Swanson, Kansas
Ryan White, Kansas
Aniya Clinton, Kansas St.
Ava Legrand, Kansas St.
Becca Kelley, TCU
Emrie Moea’I, Utah
Trinity Sheridan, West Virginia
All-Rookie Team
Kiylah Presley, Arizona State
Morgan Madison, Baylor
Ksenia Rakhmanchik, Baylor
Bailey Warren, Baylor
Suli Davis, BYU*
Alexa Haley, UCF
Alea Goolsby, Iowa State*
Reagan Hanfelt, Iowa State
Aurora Papac, Kansas
Jovana Zelenovic, Kansas*
—Baylorbears.com—
2025 Season Honors
Victoria Davis
Preseason All-Big 12 (8/6)
Gabbi Essix
Preseason All-Big 12 (8/6)
All-Big 12 Second Team
Morgan Madison
Big 12 Rookie of the Week (9/2)
Big 12 Rookie of the Week (9/30)
Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week (11/25)
All-Big 12 Second Team
All-Big 12 Rookie Team
Ksenia Rakhmanchik
Big 12 Rookie of the Week (10/14)
Big 12 Rookie of the Week (11/11)
Big 12 Rookie of the Week (11/18)
Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week (12/2)
All-Big 12 First Team
All-Big 12 Rookie Team
Bailey Warren
Big 12 Rookie of the Week (10/28)
All-Big 12 Rookie Team
LYNCHBURG – Propelled by a pair of personal-best performances in the weight throw, the Elon University women’s track and field team opened its indoor season Thursday at the Liberty Kickoff inside the Liberty Indoor Complex.
In the women’s weight throw, the Phoenix placed two athletes inside the top four. Adriana Clarke claimed runner-up honors with a personal-best toss of 18.14m, moving into third on Elon’s all-time performance list. Isabella Johnson finished third overall at 17.33m, also marking a new PR for the sophomore.
Elon also featured three competitors in the pentathlon. Senior Lizzie Lopez was the top Phoenix finisher, placing seventh with 3,510 points. She highlighted the event by tying for first in the high jump with a clearance of 1.65m. Freshman Greta Urbonaviciute debuted with a tenth-place finish and 3,309 points, landing inside the program’s top-10 performance list. Classmate Carolina Frada scored 2,832 points to place 11th in her first collegiate pentathlon.
ON DECK
Elon continues action at the Liberty Kickoff on Friday, beginning with the women’s 5,000-meter run at 10 a.m.
— ELON —
SAN BRUNO, Calif. – The West Coast Conference officially announced its Volleyball All-Academic team for the 2025 season on Thursday afternoon.
For San Francisco, Crystal Galaviz, Jamie Low, Shannon Knight, Astrid Puig, and Abby Wadas earned WCC All-Academic Honorable Mention honors.
At the conclusion of each athletic season, the West Coast Conference selects an all-academic squad for each conference-sponsored sport. To be considered, a student-athlete must maintain at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average, while also being a significant contributor to her team and in at least their second year at their school.
The full 2025 West Coast Conference Volleyball All-Academic Team can be viewed below:
2025 WEST COAST CONFERENCE VOLLEYBALL ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
| Name | School | Class | GPA | Major |
| Genevieve Bane | Saint Mary’s | Gr. | 3.70 | Busiiness Administration |
| Olivia Bennett | San Diego | Sr. | 3.54 | Behavioral Neuroscience |
| Lucie Blazkova | Washington State | So. | 3.92 | Psychology |
| Maddie Boerstra | LMU | Gr. | 3.82 | Sociology |
| Nevaeh Bray | Portland | Gr. | 4.00 | Sports Business |
| Lucia Busso | Portland | Sr. | 4.00 | Marketing |
| Alyson Cox | Pacific | So. | 4.00 | Computer Science |
| Alyssa Eimer | Santa Clara | Sr. | 3.94 | Marketing |
| Grace Flanagan | Santa Clara | Jr. | 4.00 | Studio Art |
| Kate Herrick | Gonzaga | So. | 3.91 | Biology |
| Emma McMahon | Pepperdine | Sr. | 3.83 | Psychology |
| Chloe Pravednikov | Pepperdine | So. | 3.63 | Pre-Business Administration |
| Maui Robins | Portland | Sr. | 4.00 | Marketing |
| Lauren Rumel | Oregon State | Sr. | 3.91 | Speech Communication |
| Cate Shanahan | Santa Clara | Jr. | 3.83 | English |
| Lexi Trapani | Santa Clara | Jr. | 3.88 | Business |
For more information and updates on the University of San Francisco volleyball program, follow the Dons on Twitter @USFDonsVB, @USFDonsVB on Instagram, and @USFDonsVball on Facebook.
The Aggies ensured their third-straight tournament berth under the leadership of head coach Jamie Morrison, concluding the regular season and SEC Tournament with a 23-4 record. Their performance throughout the year earned them the highest AVCA ranking in program history of No. 6 and their first NCAA Tournament hosting opportunity since 2019.
Shining at home this season, the Maroon & White boast a 9-1 ledger at Reed Arena with its lone loss coming against then-No. 3 Kentucky (3-1). The 12th Man has been a force all year, as they helped break the program attendance record standing 9,801 strong versus Texas as well as accounting for another five top 10 attendances during the 2025 campaign.
Texas A&M’s depth of talent has been evident throughout the year and was rewarded during the SEC’s postseason honors, as a conference-high four Aggies were named to the All-SEC First Team including Logan Lednicky, Ifenna Cos-Okpalla, Maddie Waak and Kyndal Stowers. The honors didn’t stop there as Lednicky was named an AVCA Player of the Year Semifinalist, while the group accounted for 24 total accolades throughout the season.
The Matchups
Texas A&M enters its third NCAA Tournament with coach Morrison at the helm of the program, coming off a sweet 16 run during the 2024 season. The Maroon & White played the role of the hunter last season, downing No. 3 seed Arizona State in on their home court in the second round and came up just short in a five-set thriller against No. 2 seed Wisconsin.
The Aggies earned their highest seed since 2015 at No. 3 and welcome Campbell, TCU and SFA to Aggieland. They open their campaign versus the Camels who hold a 23-6 ledger and earned their second ever NCAA Tournament bid after winning the CAA Championship title in a five-set battle with Hofstra.
Friday’s meeting will be the first all-time between Texas A&M and Campbell. The Camels hold a strong 8-3 record when playing on the road but will come against the 12th Man and the Maroon & White’s 9-1 ledger in Reed Arena. On the stat sheet the Aggies hold the advantage in five of the seven team statical categories leading Campbell in kills per set, assists per set, hitting percentage, opponent hitting percentage and blocks per set, while the Camels have the upper hand in aces per set and digs per set.
Tracks and Trends
Logan Lednicky sits nine kills away from climbing to fourth in career kills at Texas A&M, she would pass three-time Olympian Stacy Sykora who has 1,586 kills.
Ifenna Cos-Okpalla has 159 blocks on the year and is three away from breaking her single season best of 161 and six from recording the most in a season since 1999 (165).
Streaming & Stats
Fans can watch the match on the ESPN+ and follow stats on 12thman.com.
Tickets
Fans can purchase their tickets to the opening round matches through 12thman.com/ncaatickets.
Students will be granted free admission to tomorrow’s game if they show their student ID’s at the north entry of Reed Arena.
Parking
Make plans to arrive early and exhibit patience for the expected traffic and parking congestion around Reed Arena. Multiple parking options are available for fans:
- General parking is available around the arena on gameday for $5 – cash AND card payments accepted.
- Fans with a valid TAMU parking pass can park for FREE in lots surrounding the arena. Make sure to have your pass barcode ready to show the lot attendant.
Follow the Aggies
Visit 12thMan.com for more information on Texas A&M volleyball. Fans can keep up to date with the A&M volleyball team on Facebook, Instagram and on Twitter by following @AggieVolleyball.
@#3 Wisconsin 3, Eastern Illinois 0
#3 WISCONSIN 3, EASTERN ILLINOIS 0
EIU dropped both sets one and two, struggling to find a rhythm early on. The Panthers trailed early in both of the first two sets right out of the gate and were unable to provide resistance. In set one, the Badgers hit 0.48% and 0.542% in set two. For the match, Wisconsin hit 0.435. EIU struggled connecting offensively, hitting 0% in set one and 0.022 overall. After the first two sets concluded, the Panthers looked for a spark, and Tori Mohesky answered the call with fireworks right from the jump. Mohesky earned a service ace to calm the Badgers crowd. EIU returned back-to-back points to hold their largest lead, fueled by Destiny Walker and a Wisconsin attack error. Shortly after, EIU trailed 15-9 heading into the media timeout. After the break in the action, both teams went back and forth trading points. Wisconsin reached set point 24-15. However, the Panthers found life and roared back into the match, scoring four straight unanswered points charged by a Katie Kopshever service ace and two blocks by Emma Schroeder and Sylvia Hasz. Unfortunately, the Badgers closed out the set 25-19.
By The Numbers: EIU records their third NCAA Tournament appearance in program history. Destiny Walker led the way offensively with 6 kills and 1 service ace. Sylvia Hasz collected 16 assists and 3 block assists. Defensively, Ariadne Pereles recorded 8 digs, while Emma Schroeder produced 5 block assists. Lilli Amettis and Katie Kopshever each collected a block assist.
The Panthers’ historic season comes to a close, finishing with a 24-8 (15-3 OVC) record. After being picked to finish 8th in the OVC preseason poll, EIU stormed through conference play, securing their second OVC title in three years. EIU also collected their fourth regular season title in the program’s history. The Panthers made their third NCAA Tournament appearance.
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- No. 25 Penn State opens its 45th-straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament with a first-round match against USF on Friday at Texas’s Gregory Gymnasium. The match is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. ET and will stream on ESPN+.
The winner of Friday’s match advances to play the winner between Texas and Florida A&M in the second round on Saturday.
HOW TO FOLLOW
Friday, Dec. 5 | 5:30 p.m. ET
No. 25 Penn State (18-12, 12-8 B1G) vs. USF (17-12, 12-4 AAC) | Live Stats | ESPN+
OPENING NOTES
• Penn State is set to open its 45th appearance in the NCAA Tournament. It is the only program in the country to play in all 45 NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Tournaments since the inaugural event in 1981.
• The Nittany Lions received an eight seed in the Austin Region and will play the first and second rounds away from Rec Hall for just the first time since the tournament was expenaded to 64 teams in 1998.
• Friday marks Penn State’s fourth NCAA Tournament appearance and 13th postseason match under Katie Schumacher-Cawley, who is in her fourth season as Penn State head coach. They are 10-2 in the NCAA Tournament under Schumacher-Cawley after going 6-0 and winning the program’s eighth national title last season.
• The Nittany Lions made it to at least the NCAA Regional Semifinal in each of Schumacher-Cawley’s first three seasons as head coach.
NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
• Penn State, which has won eight national titles, including the most recent in 2024, is 116-35 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
• Penn State has made the National Semifinals 14 times and the National Championship match 11 times.
• USF and Penn State will meet for the first time in the NCAA Tournament, making the Bulls the 76th different postseason opponent for the Nittany Lions. Just eight of those teams have a winning record against Penn State in the NCAA Tournament.
PENN STATE IN ROUND OF 64
• Penn State is 26-0 in the NCAA Tournament round of 64 since the event expanded to 64 teams in 1998.
• The Lions are 78-3 in sets played during that stretch, dropping one set to Howard in 2017, one to Towson in 2021, and one to Yale last season.
• Rec Hall was the venue for 24 of the 26 matches.
• Penn State is 3-0 in the Round of 64 under Schumacher-Cawley, beating UMBC in 2022, Yale in 2023, and Delaware State in 2024.
HOW THEY GOT HERE – PENN STATE
• Penn State earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament after going 18-12 overall and 12-8 in the Big Ten.
• The Nittany Lions are one of 14 teams in the nation with four wins over teams ranked in the top 25 of RPI, beating No. 6 Creighton, No. 11 Wisconsin, No. 13 USC, and No. 15 Kansas.
• The Nittany Lions helped secure their spot in the NCAA Tournament with four wins in their final five matches, beating Ohio State (3-2), Michigan State (3-0), Maryland (3-0), and Iowa (3-1).
HOW THEY GOT HERE – USF
• USF received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament after going 17-12 overall and 12-4 in the American Conference on its way to a second-place finish in the conference standings. The Bulls lost to Tulsa in the semifinal round of the American Conference Tournament.
• The Bulls will play in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2002. They beat Florida State in the first round that year before falling to Florida in the second round.
• USF’s highest RPI win came in conference play with a sweep over No. 36 Tulsa. The highest non-conference RPI win came in five sets over No. 47 Dayton. They also pushed Purdue to five sets before losing in their season opener.
• Senior outside hitter Maria Clara Andrade was named the American Conference Player of the Year for the second-straight season. She was joined on the all-conference team by sophomore setter Raegan Richardson (first team) and junior outside hitter Laila Ivey (second team).
SERIES HISTORY – USF
• Penn State is 3-0 in the all-time series with USF. The teams first played in 1986.
• The Nittany Lions swept all three matches, winning 3-0 in 1986, 1988, and 2015. All three matches were played in Tampa.
• Penn State and USF have never met in the NCAA Tournament.
• Kennedy Martin is the only player on the Penn State roster that has played against USF. She hit .449 with 27 kills, six blocks, and two aces in Florida’s 3-2 win over the Bulls in 2023.
PENN STATE VS. AMERICAN CONFERENCE
• Penn State is 32-4 all-time against current members of American Conference.
• The Nittany Lions have played eight of the 13 teams in the conference and have a winning record against all eight. They are unbeaten against UAB (1-0), Charlotte (1-0), East Caroline (3-0), Memphis (2-0), Rice (3-0), South Florida (3-0), and Wichita State (1-0).
TOURNAMENT EXPERIENCE
• Eight Penn State players have combined for 50 matches of NCAA Tournament experience.
• Penn State head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley (1999) and assistant coach Megan Hodge Easy (2007, 2008, 2009) combined for four national titles as players at Penn State.
Catherine Burke – 1 match
Ava Falduto – 6 matches
Gillian Grimes – 12 matches
Jordan Hopp – 6 matches (2 Iowa State, 4 Penn State)
Caroline Jurevicius – 6 matches
Kennedy Martin – 5 matches (5 Florida)
Maggie Mendelson – 8 matches (2 Nebraska, 6 Penn State)
Jocelyn Nathan – 6 matches
The 2025 Penn State women’s volleyball season is presented by Musselman’s.
The Rockets finish the season with a 23-11 record, posting the second-most wins in program history .(1983 – 27 matches)
Sophomore Olivia Heitkamp led the Toledo offense with 11 kills, including five in the first set, for her 19th match this season in double-figures. Redshirt junior Sophie Catalano poured in seven terminations while redshirt sophomore Sierra Pertzborn chipped in six kills of her own.
Senior setter Kelsey Smith tallied 26 assists and a team-high nine digs. Sophomore Grace Freiberger and senior Macy Medors each totaled six digs.
Quoting Head Coach Brian Wright
“We’ve had a pretty special season in the past 11-and-a-half months that I’ve been at Toledo. I am so proud of this team and how they played tonight’s match. This team accomplished many great things this season, from leading the MAC in attendance, to winning their first MAC Tournament championship and playing in their first NCAA Tournament match. I want the team to understand that they are enough and capable to compete with the best teams and programs in this country.”
Senior Anna Alford
(on the 2025 season)
“This group has made Toledo history and it’s been such a great season. We’ve been working so hard for the past 11-and-a-half months and we just wanted a chance to showcase our abilities on the court and the love that this team has for one another.”
Senior Macy Medors
(on the future of the Toledo volleyball program)
“Our program is built on being a family and there is a great atmosphere amongst everyone involved. The younger players will continue that tradition and help Toledo volleyball continue to grow to new heights.”
Key Moments
- Olivia Heitkamp started the match with a kill as the Rockets and Hoosiers traded points early in the first set. Heitkamp’s fifth kill of the set kept it even, 11-11, before two quick points from Indiana gave the Hoosiers a 15-12 lead at the media timeout. A block from Anna Alford and Heitkamp kept UT within four, 22-18, but a quick 3-0 run for the Hoosiers gave them the set win.
- Both sides went back-and-forth to begin the second set before Indiana jumped out to a 7-4 lead. A solo block from Jessica Costlow sent the Rockets on a 3-0 run to even the frame, 9-9. The Hoosiers responded with an 8-2 run of their own to take a seven-point advantage, 19-12. Kills from Heitkamp and Sophie Catalano put UT within five, 19-14, but Indiana took the set win with four-straight points.
- Catalano fired off a kill to give Toledo a lead in the third set, 4-3. A quick 3-0 surge by the Rockets, highlighted by a kill from Sierra Pertzborn and Catalano, kept Toledo ahead, 7-5. Two service aces and two kills from the Hoosiers put IU in front, 12-9, before Heitkamp and Catalano each buried terminations to even the frame, 13-13. Indiana went on a 3-0 run to retake the lead, 17-14. Catalano and Pertzborn combined for a second block to stay within three, 19-16, but the Hoosiers ended the match on a 6-1 run to take the win.
Follow the Rockets
Instagram: Toledo_VB
Twitter/X: Toledo_VB
Facebook: Toledo Volleyball
NCMA Announces Board of Directors Officers for 2026 – Speedway Digest
Throwers Set Personal Bests At Liberty Kickoff
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey calls for changes to college football calendar after Lane Kiffin split with Ole Miss for LSU
Five Dons Earn WCC All-Academic Honors
NASCAR chairman Jim France called ‘a brick wall’ in contentious revenue-sharing negotiations :: WRAL.com
Makers’ Market and Youth Biz Fair slated for weekend
No. 3 Volleyball Opens NCAA Tournament Versus Campbell – Texas A&M Athletics
PJUSD AWARDED GRANT TO EXPAND INCLUSIVE ATHLETIC OPPORTUNITIES | Patterson Irrigator
Roundup of news from Hull’s wide world of sports — The Hull Times
Volleyball Recaps – December 4
Maccabi USA Rugby Looking for U19 Players
Studio West 117 Fieldhouse, set to close, is millions in debt — in receivership
Animoca Brands Co-Founder & Executive Chairman Yat Siu to Speak at Global Blockchain Show & Global Games Show Abu Dhabi
Some thoughts on the Cookie Man and college football’s funniest coaching search so far
Women’s Volleyball Opens NCAA Tournament Against USF on Friday – Penn State
First Tee Winter Registration is open
Fargo girl, 13, dies after collapsing during school basketball game – Grand Forks Herald
CPG Brands Like Allegra Are Betting on F1 for the First Time
Volleyball Recaps – November 18
F1 Las Vegas: Verstappen win, Norris and Piastri DQ tighten 2025 title fight
Two Pro Volleyball Leagues Serve Up Plans for Minnesota Teams
Utah State Announces 2025-26 Indoor Track & Field Schedule
Sycamores unveil 2026 track and field schedule
Texas volleyball vs Kentucky game score: Live SEC tournament updates
Bowl Projections: ESPN predicts 12-team College Football Playoff bracket, full bowl slate after Week 14
Redemption Means First Pro Stock World Championship for Dallas Glenn
Pohlman admits ‘there might be some spats’ as he pushes to get Kyle Busch winning again
Indiana’s rapid ascent and its impact across college football
Troy Football Need to Know; Gameday at The Vet — Georgia State Game
How this startup (and a KC sports icon) turned young players into card-carrying legends overnight
Why a rising mid-major power with an NCAA Tournament team opted out of revenue-sharing — and advertised it
NBA Legend Michael Jordan to Join NBC Sports as Special Contributor
Falcons mailbag
Portal Update – Basketball and Gymnastics Take Hits
has always dreamed in Mercurial. Now his initials are on the boots.
The new Kyl…
-
Rec Sports2 weeks agoFirst Tee Winter Registration is open
-
Rec Sports1 week agoFargo girl, 13, dies after collapsing during school basketball game – Grand Forks Herald
-
Motorsports1 week agoCPG Brands Like Allegra Are Betting on F1 for the First Time
-
Sports2 weeks agoVolleyball Recaps – November 18
-
Motorsports2 weeks agoF1 Las Vegas: Verstappen win, Norris and Piastri DQ tighten 2025 title fight
-
Sports1 week agoTwo Pro Volleyball Leagues Serve Up Plans for Minnesota Teams
-
Sports1 week agoUtah State Announces 2025-26 Indoor Track & Field Schedule
-
Sports1 week agoSycamores unveil 2026 track and field schedule
-
Sports1 week agoTexas volleyball vs Kentucky game score: Live SEC tournament updates
-
NIL5 days agoBowl Projections: ESPN predicts 12-team College Football Playoff bracket, full bowl slate after Week 14