Sports
Four Observations from Nebraska Volleyball’s Red-White Scrimmage
LINCOLN—The 2025 Red-White scrimmage is in the books with the Red team taking the first three sets 25-23, 25-23, and 25-22, before the White team won the fourth set 25-17.
Here are four quick takeaways from John Cook Arena.
The setter battle is still too close to call
A look at the attack percentages from Saturday’s scrimmage doesn’t reveal that either setter put together an offense that set the world on fire.
Freshman Campbell Flynn set the Red squad to .228 over the first three sets, just .032 in the fourth. Returning starter Bergen Reilly’s White squad broke .200 just once in the four sets, hitting .225 in the third.
But the production was just part of the story for Nebraska coach Dani Busboom Kelly when asked after the scrimmage to evaluate their performances.
“I thought both Campbell and Bergen were solid and played great,” Busboom Kelly said. “They both served great and played great defense. They’re both studs. I’ve been saying it all year, I truly believe we have the best setter group in the country.”
Both setters tried to push the tempo, which can lead to some misplacement. A few low sets led to some of freshman Virginia Adriano’s six hitting errors.
Reilly continues to occasionally struggle locating the ball when setting behind her, leaving sets either too low or too far inside.
But showcased their all-around strengths. Reilly had three kills herself and 10 digs. Flynn didn’t play front row, as the Red used a modified 6-2 system where she remained in the back row. But the freshman added 11 digs of her own.
The offense in the Red-White is always choppy. Players flip sides between sets and some players play in spots where they won’t be used during the regular season.
But with two weeks until the season starts, it didn’t sound like Busboom Kelly was ready to name a starter. Intangibles will likely play a big role in who earns the job at the start of the season.
“Probably leadership and who wins the most,” Busboom Kelly said when asked what will set her starter apart. “It’s going to be difficult (to choose).”
Nebraska likes its middle blockers – and for good reason
Kenna Cogill, the newest addition to Nebraska’s freshman class, earned a spot in the post-match interview session after putting down 10 kills on .421 hitting. She spent time on both units in her unofficial Husker debut.
Beside her, sat senior Rebekah Allick, who had 16 kills.
That’s not to mention returning All-American Andi Jackson (7 kills, .385) and freshman Manaia Ogbechie (4 kills, 6 blocks)
Both Husker setters looked for opportunities to force sets to the middles. And while Allick was careful to not say too much, she admitted that Nebraska was using new routes and different tempos to get balls to their middle blockers this season.
Reilly looked good getting gap sets to Allick and Jackson. But Cogill’s maturity was a welcome surprise, adding more to Nebraska’s embarrassment of riches at the position.
“I specifically remember a gap shot you had,” Allick said. “Manaia was diving in (to block), or (Jackson), one of the middles was diving in, and you cut (a shot) back. That was something we haven’t really been working on. I was very proud of her. That was a very mature swing.”
Huskers can’t go wrong at libero
Just like at setter, Nebraska has a pair of options at libero, and either would start on most teams.
Junior Laney Choboy had 17 digs over the four sets, while sophomore Olivia Mauch had 16. Both dug lasers from opposing hitters as well as made highlight diving saves on off-speed shots.
Choboy added 23 service receptions without an error. Mauch had 13 errorless receptions.
“They both played great. Passed well, dug a lot of balls. They were very solid,” Busboom Kelly said.
“They’re both neck and neck every day. You could probably flip a coin, but it’s going to be a lot about who can command the court and make the little plays look easy.”
Teraya Sigler made a statement
No one part of Sigler’s stat line stands out as exceptional, but the fact there were so many categories to total speaks volumes.
The freshman, No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2025, had 10 kills, added 10 digs, and had 22 service receptions.
She looked just as comfortable playing in the back row as she did taking swings at the net.
Even when she committed seven hitting errors, her swings were aggressive. She added an ace from the service line.
“She’s one of our athletes who can sometimes be hard on herself but it’s because she cares so much. But, I’m really proud of her,” Allick said. “Sometimes with younger athletes, you can see them get internal and not want to come out because that’s where they’re comfortable. But, even when she wasn’t making great plays, she still stayed external and from there got herself back on track making great swings.”
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Sports
Athletics News: Men’s Track & Field Excels at 2026 Season Opener
Athletics News
Men’s Track & Field Excels at 2026 Season Opener
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MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – Behind three victories and 11 New England D3 qualifying efforts, the UMass Dartmouth men’s track & field team had an outstanding opener on Saturday at the non-team scoring Wesleyan Winter Invite. The Corsairs were paced by 31 finishes in the Top-10, including wins in the 600-meters, 200-meters and the high jump.
Read full story on corsairathletics.com
Sports
Hooten rewrites 60m hurdles program record at Rod McCravy Memorial
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Senior Zander Hooten established a new men’s indoor program record in the 60m hurdles as Bellarmine University track and field competed Friday and Saturday in the University of Kentucky-hosted Rod McCravy Memorial at the Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center.
Hooten actually posted two times at the meet that bested his previous program record of 8.06 in the 60m hurdles at the 2024 ASUN Championship. His 7.99 in the semifinals will stand as the new highwater mark. He also recorded an 8.04 in the finals while placing fourth.
Bellarmine competed with a partial squad. Freshman Dylan Forster placed in the upper half of the men’s shot put at 13th (15.26m).
The men’s 4×400 relay team of sophomore Grant King, freshman Tucker Smith, senior Zac Hutslar and senior Jackson Gordon notably threatened the program record, with their 3:16.54 not far off from the 3:14.91 benchmark.
Bellarmine will host its next two meets at Norton SLC, starting with Friday’s Bellarmine Open.
For more coverage of Bellarmine athletics, follow BUKnights on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook.
Sports
No. 1 UCLA men’s volleyball to face No. 15 McKendree, Concordia in season opener
After watching a three-peat championship slip away last spring, redemption hangs in the air.
But the Bruins are stepping back onto the court with something to prove.
No. 1 UCLA men’s volleyball will kick off its season with a weekend showdown against No. 15 McKendree and Concordia at Pauley Pavilion. Taking on both teams will give the Bruins an opportunity to dictate tempo and drive early on in their redemption season.
While UCLA enters the weekend with championship aspirations, the foundation for that pursuit was laid during an intense offseason.
“I’m just super proud of the guys and how hard they work, but we need to work harder,” said coach John Hawks. “That’s something that, going from last year to this year, we’ve already dialed up. Our fall was fantastic, so I’m just excited about where we’re going.”
The Bruins will take on the Bearcats – a program they have not faced since a UCLA win in 2019 – on Friday. McKendree finished its 2025 season with a 20-8 record in the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association, bringing experience and physicality into Pauley Pavilion for the season opener.
On the other hand, Concordia enters as a more familiar opponent. The Bruins last faced the Golden Eagles in 2024, capturing two straight-set wins.
Both matches will offer UCLA the opportunity to sharpen its play and help the squad develop consistency and flow early on before its schedule intensifies.
With Pauley Pavilion set to host the 2026 national championships later this spring, UCLA’s ambitions extend far beyond its opening weekend. The Bruins aim to compete for the title on their own home court. This champion mentality, however, is not new to the program.
“The mindset has been the same all throughout,” said senior setter Andrew Rowan. “I came in, and we were looking for a championship, and every year, it doesn’t matter what’s going on if you have that common goal with the team of winning a championship. Being exposed to that as a freshman implanted that into my brain for the rest of my career.”
That standard now meets a season filled with pressure and opportunity. With a national match slated for a UCLA home game, early performances like this weekend’s will carry an added weight as the squad looks to position itself to return to the sport’s biggest stage.
Looking ahead to the season, the Bruins’ offseason exposure to international play has helped display a clear benchmark.
Sophomore outside hitter Sean Kelly, sophomore setter Trent Taliaferro and freshmen outside hitters Grayson Bradford and Marek Turner participated in the men’s U21 World Championship in China this summer. The United States squad was led by Hawks and finished third overall in the championship.
“We all worked really hard this summer,” Kelly said. “It’s really going to help us in the long run. The more we learn, the better we all get. And I think the outcome could be different. We’re hungry for it.”
The offseason emphasis now shifts into competitive application. These early-season matches against McKendree and Concordia will reveal how effectively UCLA can translate offseason progress into in-game execution, particularly in extended rallies and out-of-system plays.
As players step into expanded responsibilities, UCLA will look to establish lineup stability and dependable options across all six rotations. But beyond individual growth, the offseason exposure to higher-level competition reinforced the program’s belief in its ceiling.
“We can compete with anybody in the world,” Hawks said. “I know that we compete with these guys internationally and nationally this year.”
UCLA will begin testing that belief this weekend against McKendree on Friday at 7 p.m.
Sports
Cardinal Drops Season Opener – Stanford Cardinal
STANFORD, Calif. – In its season opener, No. 9 Stanford fell in straight sets to No. 12 Lewis, 30-28, 25-21, 25-22, Saturday, in Burnham Pavilion.
Stanford (0-1) hit .231 as a team, while Lewis (2-0) posted a .355 clip. The Flyers registered 11.0 blocks to just 2.5 by the Cardinal. Both teams tallied three service aces.
Senior opposite Moses Wagner led the team with 12 kills, six digs, an ace and a block. Outside hitter Alex Rottman, who redshirted last season, added seven kills on .417 hitting.
Senior Theoren Brouillette started the match at setter, totaling 21 assists and a team-best seven digs in two sets played. Sophomore Ryan Gant set in the third, finishing with 12 assists and two digs.
In total, 15 of 19 Cardinal players appeared in the match, including true freshmen Luke Morrison and Erik Ask. Morrison came off the bench as a serving sub in all three sets, while Ask started the third at outside hitter and totaled three kills and a dig.
Senior Theo Snoey notched five kills, four digs, two assists and two aces, while junior Nate Clinton chipped in with three kills, five digs and a block. Both Snoey and Clinton stated at outside hitter.
Junior Gray Mandelbaum and sophomore Kaumana Carreira were the starting middle blockers for the Cardinal. Mandelbaum registered four kills on six swings with just one miscue. Carreira finished with a kill, a dig and two blocks.
Sophomore Kai Schmitt started at libero, collecting two digs in two sets. Sophomore Evan Porter replaced Schmitt in the third and had six digs.
Up next, Stanford travels to Phoenix for the First Point Collegiate Challenge, Jan. 17-18. The Cardinal will face No. 7 Loyola Chicago and No. 16 Ball State at the Phoenix Convention Center.
Sports
O’Sullivan Sets School Record at Penn Select
O’Sullivan owned the previous record which he set in 2025 at the Armory. His new school record cleared the bar at 18′ 2.5 (5.5m) and was an Ott Center record as well.
“Great start to the year,” said Bobby Farrell, director of track & field and cross country. “We were able to come out of the gate strong and get some NCAA top ranked performances. The field events were outstanding today. We’re looking forward to next week when we open up the majority of the track events.”
A dominant showing in the field events helped spark one of the program’s best season-opening performances. The Scarlet Knights posted six first-place finishes and a number of marks near the top of the NCAA rankings.
Rutgers took the top spot in the triple, long and high jump events. Malachi Yehudah was first in the high jump, clearing 2.11m (6′ 11″), while Sincere Robinson won the long jump. The Big Ten Champion and NCAA qualifier posted a mark of 7.77m (25′ 6″) in his first action in nearly a year after returning from injury. Donavan Anderson finished first in the triple jump with a leap of 15.89m (52′ 1.75″).
The Scarlet Knights also took second place in three field events on the men’s side. Anthony Conrey finished runner up to Robinson in the long jump with a leap of 7.03m (23′ 0.75″), while Daniel Arana followed Anderson in the triple jump with a distance of 15.33m (50′ 3.50″). Brian O’Sullivan was second in the pole vault, clearing a height of 5.45m (17′ 10.5″).
Andrew Krall finished first in the weight throw, earning a mark of 19.43m (63′ 9″) and Celine-Jada Brown turned in the first-place effort on the women’s side. Also coming back from a yearlong hiatus, Brown returned to her Big Ten Champion and NCAA qualifier form as she took first in the long jump with a distance of 6.45m (21′ 2″). The distance from Brown set the Ott Center record for the event.
Also supporting the effort on the women’s side was Jenovia Logan, who took second in the high jump with a height of 1.78m (5′ 10″), followed by Alanna Woolfolk in third, clearing 1.72m (5′ 7.75″). Tey’ana Ames finished second in the shot put with a throw of 15.45m (50′ 8.25″), while Llyric Driscoll and Ayotunde Folawewo went 3-4 in the triple jump. Driscoll jumped 12.34m (40′ 6″), followed by Folawewo with a distance of 12.33m (40′ 5.50″).
Anna Barber finished third in the weight throw, recording a distance of 16.70m (54′ 9.5″).
Rutgers will make a return trip to the Ott Center next week for the Quaker Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 17.
Penn Select
Men’s Results
Pole Vault
1. Kevin O’Sullivan 5.55m (18′ 2.5″) – SCHOOL RECORD
2. Brian O’Sullivan 5.45m (17′ 10.5″)
High Jump
1. Malachi Yehudah 2.11m (6′ 11″)
Long Jump
1. Sincere Robinson 7.77m (25′ 6″)
2. Anthony Conrey 7.03m (23′ 0.75″)
Triple Jump
1. Donavan Anderson 15.89m (52′ 1.75″)
2. Daniel Arana 15.33m (50′ 3.50″)
Weight Throw
1. Andrew Krall 19.43m (63′ 9″)
400M
2. Gabriel Rodriguez 48.83
Women’s Results
High Jump
2. Jenovia Logan 1.78m (5′ 10″)
3. Alanna Woolfolk 1.72m (5′ 7.75″)
Long Jump
1. Celine-Jada Brown 6.45m (21′ 2″)
Shot Put
2. Tey’ana Ames 15.45m (50′ 8.25″)
Triple Jump
3. Llyric Driscoll 12.34m (40′ 6″)
4. Ayotunde Folawewo 12.33m (40′ 5.50″)
Weight Throw
3. Anna Barber 16.70m (54′ 9.5″)
Sports
Isaiah Cadengo Posts Pair of Top 10 Marks as Vikings Close Season-Opening Silver & Blue Invitational
RENO, Nev. — Isaiah Cadengo sat and watched as two of his teammates set top 10 marks on the first day of the Silver & Blue Invitational Friday. Saturday, Cadengo ran like a man eager to put his own name in the record books as the freshman sprinter posted a pair of top 10 marks to lead the Vikings on the second day of the meet at Reno Sparks Convention Center.
Cadengo opened the day in the men’s 400 meters where he placed second overall in 48.56 seconds. The time set a freshman record and moved him up to No. 2 overall in the indoor 400 meters at Portland State, all in his first-ever race as a Viking. Freshman Zach Payne followed at fourth in 49.80 seconds, moving him up to fifth in the freshman top 10.
Cadengo wasn’t done, however. He returned to the track for the 200 meters later in the day, and finished fifth in the event in 21.91 seconds. The time moved him up to second in the freshman rankings and fourth overall at Portland State.
Fellow freshman Jack Macdonald – one of the two stars for the Vikings Friday alongside Emma Stolte – nearly bettered Cadengo in the 200. Running in a later heat, Macdonald finished in 21.95 seconds, putting him third in the freshman rankings and fifth overall. Macdonald may have been able to push for a faster time but won his heat by more than half a second.
It was the second top 10 mark of the weekend for Macdonald. He got his first with a time of 6.93 seconds in the 60 meters Friday, moving him up to second in the freshman rankings and sixth overall.
Payne, meanwhile, followed his classmates with a time of 22.38 seconds in the 200 meters, earning him a second freshman top 10 of the day. Payne now ranks sixth in the 200 in the freshman record book.
Stolte, like Macdonald, followed a top 10 mark Friday with another Saturday. Fifth all-time in the mile after Friday, Stolte moved up to second all-time in the 800 meters with her finish in 2:11.99.
Stolte came within 0.34 seconds of the school record that Katie Camarena set at 2:11.65 in 2022. Camarena set seven school records that season, none of which have fallen since. Stolte came as close as anyone has to bettering one of Camarena’s records Saturday, however.
The Vikings also got a pair of event wins out of their field athletes Saturday. One didn’t come with much suspense as Edward Niyongere was the only athlete in the men’s triple jump after another athlete scratched. Even still, Niyongere jumped 46-07.50 (14.21m) on his second attempt, a mark that would have put him in the top 10 if he wasn’t already ranked sixth all-time.
Freshman Natalie Fisher, meanwhile, had a more dramatic win in the women’s shot put. She passed Nevada’s Johanna Haas on her final attempt with a personal-best throw of 40-00.00 (12.19m). Fisher, who improved on all six attempts during the competition, added close to 15 inches to her overall best in the shot put with the winning mark.
The winning throw also moved Fisher up to third in the freshman rankings in the shot put. She entered the freshman top 10 in the weight throw Friday, moving up to eighth with a throw of 38-04.00 (11.68m).
A number of other Vikings competing Saturday showed improvement over their season openers a year ago. That group included all four Vikings competing in the women’s 200 meters. Tori Forst and Sienna Rosario led that group at third and fourth overall, respectively, while finishing in 25.36 and 25.66 seconds. Forst’s time was better than her first two 200-meter times last season. Rosario’s, meanwhile, was close to two seconds faster than their season opener a year ago.
Savannah Beasley placed 14th in the women’s 200 meters in 26.76 seconds, setting a personal best by 1.7 seconds. Ashley Peterson placed 16th in 26.90 seconds, eleven-hundredths of a second faster than her season opener in 2025.
Dillon Brost did the same thing on the men’s side of the 200 meters. The sophomore placed 17th overall in 22.98 seconds, not a personal best but two and a half seconds better than his season opener as a freshman.
Aidan Sweeney set an overall personal best with his 200-meter finish in 23.71 seconds.
Freshman Farhan Ibrahim shaved close to eight seconds off his indoor best in the 3k while finishing second in the event in 8:56.79. Luke Gillingham followed at fourth in 9:03.13, shaving 13 seconds off his best in the 3k.
The Vikings will be back in action next week when they head to Seattle, Wash., for the UW Preview next Friday and Saturday.
Silver & Blue Invitational
Reno Sparks Convention Center
Reno, Nev.
Jan. 9-10, 2026
Women’s Results:
60m (Prelims): 3. Tori Forst, 7.74; 7. Sienna Rosario, 7.94; 11. Aida Wheat, 8.14. 60m (Final): 2. Tori Forst, 7.67; 7. Sienna Rosario, 7.92. 200m: 3. Tori Forst, 25.36; 4. Sienna Rosario, 25.66; 14. Savannah Beasley, 26.76; 16. Ashley Peterson, 26.90. 400m: 4. Ashley Peterson, 1:00.85. 600m: 6. Hannah Butterfield, DQ. 800m: 2. Emma Stolte, 2:11.99. 1,000m: 1. Hannah Butterfield, 3:07.26. Mile: 1. Emma Stolte, 4:54.25; 9. Sam Sharp, 5:33.24; 11. Libby Fox, 5:45.67. 3,000m: 7. Sam Sharp, 10:59.76; 10. Libby Fox, 11:26.42. 60H (Prelims): 15. Savannah Beasley, 9.66. Shot Put: 1. Natalie Fisher, 40-00.00 (12.19m). Weight Throw: 3. Natalie Fisher, 38-04.00 (11.68m).
Men’s Results:
60m (Prelims): 4. Jack Macdonald, 6.99; 16. Dillon Brost, 7.25. 60m (Final): 4. Jack Macdonald, 6.93. 200m: 5. Isaiah Cadengo, 21.91; 7. Jack Macdonald, 21.95; 9. Zach Payne, 22.38; 17. Dillon Brost, 22.98; 21. Aidan Sweeney, 23.71; Preston Jones, DNF. 400m: 2. Isaiah Cadengo, 48.56; 4. Zach Payne, 49.80; 5. Preston Jones, 51.36. 1,000m: 1. Amir Ahmed, 2:41.49. Mile: 5. Luke Gillingham, 4:29.48; 6. Farhan Ibrahim, 4:31.46. 3,000m: 2. Farhan Ibrahim, 8:56.79; 4. Luke Gillingham, 9:03.13. 60H (Prelims): 4. Aidan Sweeney, 8.66; 5. Deghlan Johnson, 8.68. 60H (Final): 4. Deghlan Johnson, 8.60; 5. Aidan Sweeney, 8.68. Triple Jump: 1. Edward Niyongere, 46-07.50 (14.21m). Weight Throw: 1. Daniel Coppedge, 50-10.75 (15.51m); 3. Carter Green, 36-05.75 (11.12m).
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