Week 2 – December 16, 2025

NE10 Track Athlete of the Week

Romel Plummer, American Int’l

Grad I Kingston, Jamaica

The Angelo State transfer posted the sixth-best 60M time in the East Region this season, racing in 7.01 this past weekend.  AIC has three of the top eight 60 M times in the East Region so far this winter.  

NE10 Field Athlete & Rookie of the Week

Harvey Lys, American Int’l

Sophomore I Andover, Mass.

Lys became just the third high jumper on the season in the NE10 and East Region to clear 2.00 meters, allowing him to take fourth place in the Seahawk Shootout hosted by Wagner College at Ocean Breeze on Staten Island. His result beat six Division I athletes. ?

Season Awards History

Track Athlete of the Week

Week 1: David Williams, Adelphi

Week 2: Romel Plummer, AIC

Field Athlete of the Week

Week 1: Carson Thomas, Franklin Pierce

Week 2: Harvey Lys, AIC

Rookie of the Week

Week 1: Sean Horrigan, Southern Connecticut

Week 2: Harvey Lys, AIC

ABOUT THE NE10

The NE10 is an association of 10 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.

Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.

Fans can subscribe via this link to follow NE10 NOW on FloSports this season.  The partnership between the NE10 and FloSports works to provide funds back to the athletic departments of the Northeast-10 Conference in support of student-athletes while promoting the league on a national platform.

Four members of the Central Connecticut volleyball team were recognized for their scholastic achievement with inclusion on the Academic All-District Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators. The Blue Devils student-athletes were recognized for a combination of athletic prowess while earning at least a 3.50 GPA.

The 2025 Academic All-District® Women’s Volleyball Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.

COMPLETE RELEASE

Academic All-District® honorees were considered for advancement to the CSC Academic All-America® ballot. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America selections are chosen from among 2,500+ nominations. For more information about CSC Academic All-District and Academic All-America® Teams program, visit AcademicAllAmerica.com.

Central Connecticut honorees included:

Weronika Poczynek, Sr., OH – Computer Science
28 Matches, 3.16 K/Set, 1.14 Digs/Set, 0.36 Block/Set

Breanna Ginley, Jr., MB – Political Science
28 Matches, 1.39 K/Set, .269 Hit %, 0.89 Block/Set

Anja Milosevic, Jr., S – Undeclared
28 Matches, 9.49 A/Set, 2.40 Digs/Set, 0.63 K/Set

Olivia Keckler, So., OPP – Political Science
28 Matches, 3.14 K/Set, 1.56 Digs/Set, 0.44 Block/Set

Ironman Participation among athletes under 30 grew 35% this year, while the 30–34 age group remained the largest category for the second consecutive season

Ironman’s name hasn’t changed, but its athlete base sure has.

As the Ironman and Ironman 70.3 season wraps with more than 250,000 global race registrations, participation data reveals a sport in transition, offering new insight into who is now showing up at the starting line of its triathlon events.

First-time participation across Ironman and Ironman 70.3 events rose 10% year over year in 2025, spanning a calendar that included 148 races worldwide.

But the more telling story is who those first-timers are.

The Youth Movement

Participation among athletes under 30 grew 35% this year, while the 30–34 age group remained the largest category for the second consecutive season. First-time participants under 30 have more than doubled since 2019, and full-distance Ironman races alone saw a 46% year-over-year increase in athletes under 30.

At the elite level, 28-year-old Casper Stornes of Norway captured the men’s Ironman World Championship title, while 26-year-old Solveig Løvseth of Norway won on the women’s side.

Women Gain Ground

Women are accounting for a growing share of Ironman participation. Nearly 49,500 women registered for an Ironman or Ironman 70.3 race in 2025, representing 22.5% of the global athlete community and marking a 7% year-over-year increase. It was the second-highest year for female participation on record, following a strong showing in 2019.

Female participation now accounts for 17% of Ironman athletes, up 10% year over year and 25% of Ironman 70.3 participants, up 5.4%. Early registration data for 2026 suggests that more than a quarter of Ironman 70.3 athletes will be women.

Younger women are also leading the charge. Registrations among women under 30 grew 36% this year, with women ages 25–29 alone growing nearly 44% year over year. For the first time, the average age of female Ironman athletes dipped below 40.

Europe Leads the Surge

Geographically, the growth story is just as pronounced and playing out across key regions.

Across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, participation reached record levels in 2025, led by the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark. France emerged as a standout, overtaking Germany as Europe’s second-largest triathlon market after a 25% increase in athlete registrations and a 31% rise in international participants.

Demand is already spilling into future seasons. Thirty-two Ironman and Ironman 70.3 races are already sold out for 2026, including 11 of the 14 early-season EMEA Ironman 70.3 events scheduled between February and June.

To meet growing demand, new races have been introduced in France, Spain and Italy, including the return of Ironman Vichy and the debut of Ironman 70.3 Alghero in Sardinia. The coming year will also see the debut of the first full-distance triathlon in the Middle East, with Experience Oman Ironman Oman set to take place in December.

North America is seeing a similar pattern. New races debuted in 2025 in Rockford, Illinois, Boise, Idaho and Ottawa, Canada, with additional events planned for 2026 in Ruidoso, New Mexico, Omaha, Nebraska, Dallas, Texas and Jacksonville, Florida.

Growth is accelerating across Latin America and Asia as well. Mexico remains the region’s most represented country, accounting for nearly a quarter of Latin American athletes, while new events drove year-over-year increases of 24% in Colombia and 50% in Costa Rica.

Asia expanded its footprint with races across Malaysia, India, China, Japan, Southeast Asia and Korea, with Vietnam set to host its first full-distance Ironman next year.

Participation, Explained

The brand, of course, has long had its devotees, some of whom mark the achievement permanently with Ironman tattoos. But the participation rates are also being shaped by other shifts beyond Ironman’s challenging courses.

Part of the draw may be that participatory events like Ironman offer structure and purpose, giving athletes a clear goal to train toward and a shared experience with a greater community, rather than solitary workouts in the gym.

In an interview last fall with ATN, Ironman CEO Scott DeRue pointed to several macro trends that he says are boosting overall participation in endurance events, including the desire for experiences over products and sports-related travel. 

“That’s true for spectator sports, but it’s also true for participation,” he said. “The third trend is from a health and fitness perspective – the degree to which people are investing in their own health, fitness and wellness, broadly defined, is growing exponentially. … So it’s no surprise that we’re seeing demand for participation sports grow globally.”

Looking to the year ahead, Ironman says it is prioritizing partnerships with younger athletes, emerging markets and global federations to strengthen participation pipelines and support long-term growth.

TROY, Ala. – Troy volleyball rounded out its 2026 roster with the addition of Sophie Ocampo on Tuesday, head coach Josh Lauer announced. 

An outside hitter, Ocampo spent the last three seasons at UT Arlington where she appeared in 74 matches and started in 47. She made 24 appearances in 2024, a season in which UTA went 29-3 and made an NCAA Tournament appearance. 

“We are excited to bring Sophie into our Troy volleyball family,” Lauer said. “Sophie is a wonderful communicator and brings championship experience and competitiveness to our team. She was eager to join a program that felt like family, offers a top-notch business degree and competes at a high level. Troy checked all the boxes and our staff and her Troy teammates are eager to welcome her as our newest Trojan!” 

Ocampo is coming off a 2025 season in which she tallied 186 kills, good for third on the Mavericks roster. She added 31.0 blocks and 49 digs. 

Ocampo set a career high with 17 kills (17-6-42) on Aug. 30 against Western Illinois. 

During the 2024 season, the Humble, Texas native hit at a .300 clip on 207 attempts, totaling 82 kills.  

As a freshman in 2023, Ocampo started in nine games and saw action in 24 matches, finishing with 112 kills. 

Ocampo joins four incoming freshmen – Kenzly Foote, Emmi Merhi, Haley Nash, and Isabella Ruether – as additions to the 2026 roster.  

TYLER, TEXAS – Four members of UT Tyler volleyball, including Kailey Manes, Autumn Perry, Saige Rivera, and Emma Vazquez have been selected as CSC Academic All-District honorees as announced Tuesday.
 
The 2025-26 Academic All-District® Women’s Volleyball teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes women’s volleyball honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.
 
This is the second straight honor for both Perry and Rivera, and the first for Vazquez and Manes.
 
Perry was an All-LSC First Team selection after leading the Patriots with 339 kills on a .198 percentage. She played all 29 matches and played in 97 sets for the year while posting 45 blocks and 174 digs.
 
Rivera was named All-LSC Second Team for the second straight year while also being a member of the LSC All-Academic Team. Rivera had 732 total assists while chipping in 26 aces and 228 digs while playing in all 29 matches and 99 total sets for the year.
 
Vazquez also played in all 29 matches this year and in 96 total sets while adding a team-high 29 aces. She also recorded 235 total digs for a 2.45 digs per set mark on the season.
 
Manes played in 25 matches and made 21 starts while posting 73 sets played. She recorded 145 kills on a .300 percentage while adding a team-high 60 total blocks.
 

To be nominated, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.50 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) at his/her current institution. Student-athletes must compete in 90 percent of the institution’s games/contests/sets played OR must start in at least 66 percent of the games/contests/sets. The 2025 Academic All-District Women’s Volleyball Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes volleyball honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.
 

Information courtesy of Athletic Communications Departments

Four Zips Named to the CSC Volleyball Academic All-District Team

Jaryn Morgan, Vanessa Del Real, Gabby Brissett and Martina Villani were named to the 2025-26 CSC Academic All-District® Women’s Volleyball team, as announced on December 16, 2025.

Ball State Cardinals

Information coming soon…

Four Falcons Named CSC Academic All-District

Four members of the Bowling Green State University volleyball team have been named to the 2025 Academic All-District® Team, selected by College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA). The teams were announced Tuesday afternoon (Dec. 16). Jessica Andrews, Sydnie Hernandez, Avery Hobson and Helen Wilford were all named to the team. The Mid-American Conference had 41 honorees. Nine teams from the conference, including Bowling Green, had the maximum number of recipients with four.

Jessica Andrews was an elite force for the Falcons during the 2025 season, landing a career-high 234 kills on top of 101 blocks. A senior, Andrews concluded her time in the Orange and Brown with multiple record book accolades, including 58 solo blocks, 401 block assists, 459 total blocks and a .302 career hitting percentage. 

Transitioning into the team’s libero this season, Sydnie Hernandez led the Falcons in both digs (471) and aces (41) this season. Her ace total also ranked fourth during the program’s Rally Scoring Era. Hernandez was the only Falcon this year to appear in all 124 sets played and was one of three to compete in all 32 matches. 

Arriving at BGSU prior to the season from Duquesne, Avery Hobson jumped into action for the Falcons, leading the team in kills with a career-high 376 during the 2025 campaign. Hobson tallied double-digit kills in 15 straight matches from Sept. 12 to Oct. 24 and logged six double-doubles for the Falcons. She was also one of two Falcons to start all 32 matches.

One of three Falcons to appear in all 32 matches, Helen Wilford led the team in blocks with a career-high 236. She finished the season tied for 40th in the nation for the stat while also tying for ninth during the program’s Rally Scoring Era. Of the 136 blocks for Wilford, 124 were logged as block assists, tying for eighth during BGSU’s Rally Scoring Era. 

Adams, Forlin, and Kleidon Earn CSC Academic All-District Honors

The University at Buffalo women’s volleyball team was represented by three student-athletes on the 2025 College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA) Academic All-District Women’s Volleyball Team, as announced by the organization.

Sophmores Eve Adams and Keira Kleidon, as well as junior Manoela Forlin were named to this year’s Academic All-District team. All three earned Academic All-MAC honors this season. This is Forlin’s second CSC Academic All-District honor.

Eve Adams, Sophomore, Outside Hitter, Early Childhood Education, 3.857

Sophomore Eva Adams appeared in all 27 matches for the Bulls this season. She had a team-high 28 aces including a career-high three aces at Akron (10/7) and at Northern Illinois (11/1). At Toledo (11/7), she tallied a career-high seven digs. This is her first Academic All-MAC honor in her career.

Manoela Forlin, Sophomore, Opposite/Right Side, Graphic Design, 3.590

Junior Manoela Forlin started all 27 matches while being second on the team in total kills with 345. Her 3.42 kills per set and 3.84 points per set were good for fourth and third in the MAC as she went on to earn Second-Team All-MAC honors. This is her second Academic All-MAC honor in her career.

Keira Kleidon, Sophomore, Defensive Specialist/Libero, Exploratory, 3.862

Sophomore defensive specialist/libero Keira Kleidon played in all 27 matches this season. She led the team with 337 digs, an average of 3.51 per set. She set a career-high 27 digs against Marist (8/30). This is her first Academic All-MAC honor in her career.

Central Michigan Volleyball Lands Four on CSC Academic All-District Team

College Sports Communicators (CSC) announced its annual All-District listing on Tuesday, including four Central Michigan Volleyball members.

The list of honorees is below:

Senior Alina Anderson (Rockford, Mich. / Rockford / Ferris State)

Senior Abby Olin (Coopersville, Mich. / Coopersville / Michigan State)

Sophomore Izzy Swiercz (Hudsonville, Mich. / Hudsonville)

Sophomore Grace Thomas (Dublin, Ohio / Dublin Coffman)

Both Anderson and Olin earned the honor for the 2024 season.

Eastern Michigan Volleyball Lands Four on CSC Academic All-District List

Eastern Michigan University volleyball student-athletes Ashlynn Belcher, Ella Grasson, Surabhi Srinivasan, and Ella Voorhees were named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team, the organization announced Tuesday, Dec. 16.

   

Belcher made the list via her 3.55 GPA while playing in all of the team’s 31 matches. Grasson’s accolade comes after posting a 3.87 GPA while seeing action in 30 contests. Srinivasan earned the honor with a 3.80 GPA after seeing action in 30 matches, and Voorhees held a 3.59 GPA, and appeared in 29 matches.

 

The award marks the second for Belcher, as she previously earned it in the 2024 season with Old Dominion while Grasson, Srinivasan, and Voorhees earned the honor for the first time in their respective careers. 

Kent State Places Four on CSC Academic All-District Volleyball List

Kent State student-athletes Greta Bolognini, Adalynn Ginley, Mackenzie McGuire and Christina Vigil and have been named to the 2025 Academic All-District® Volleyball teams, selected by College Sports Communicators (CSC).

Miami RedHawks

Information coming soon…

Northern Illinois Huskies

Information coming soon…

Pair of Rocket Volleyball Players Make CSC Academic All-District Team

Sophomore duo Grace Freiberger and Olivia Heitkamp were each named to the 2025 College Sport Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team.

Freiberger is earning her first Academic All-District selection. Toledo’s captain is majoring in recreational therapy and currently has a 3.909 GPA and saw action in all 34 matches this season at libero. Freiberger led the team in digs (626), digs per set (4.7), and service aces (50). Freiberger’s 626 digs this season were the most in a single season in Rockets’ program history.

Heitkamp is also earning her first Academic All-District selection. The outside hitter/right-side hitter is majoring in Early Childhood Education and has earned a 3.501 GPA. On the court, Heitkamp led Toledo with 364 kills and 3.1 kills per set in 34 matches played this season.

In order to be selected, student-athletes must have a minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA, an academic standing of sophomore or higher, and play in at least 90% or start in 66% of the team’s matches.

In addition to her Academic All-District nod, Freiberger also advanced to the Academic All-America ballot. The CSC Academic All-America Teams will be announced on Wednesday, Jan. 14.

2025 Toledo Women’s Volleyball CSC Academic All-District Honorees

Grace Freiberger – 3.909, Sophomore, Recreational Therapy

Olivia Heitkamp – 3.501, Sophomore, Early Childhood Education

Four Broncos Earn Academic All-District Selections

For the fourth year in a row, four members of the Western Michigan volleyball team have been named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District® Team. Seniors Reeghan Boyer, Mary Clare Brusek and Amanda Glanton were joined by redshirt freshman Leah Richmond as WMU’s honorees.

 

A Finance major with a 3.93 GPA, Boyer took over the libero role for Western Michigan late in the season, helping the Broncos charge down the stretch and earn the No. 2 seed for the 2025 MAC Volleyball Championship. The senior finished second on WMU and sixth in the MAC with 430 digs and ranked second on the team with an average of 3.39 digs per set to help the Brown and Gold lead the nation with 2,226 digs and rank fourth nationally with 17.53 digs per set. 

 

Brusek was Western Michigan’s leader in kills this season with 377 and ranked 10th in the MAC with 2.99 kills per set on the way to an All-MAC First Team selection. An Exercise Science major with a 3.77 GPA, Brusek took her game to another level in conference play, totaling double-digit kills in 17 of 18 MAC contests to finish fourth in kills per set (3.46) and fifth in hitting percentage (.352) in league action.

 

Also an All-MAC First Team selection this fall, Glanton owns a 3.84 GPA as a Mechanical Engineering major. The Davison, Mich., native finished second in the conference in both total blocks (139) and blocks per set (1.21), helping the Broncos rank second in the league with a .179 opposing hitting percentage and third in blocks per set at 2.30. In MAC play, Glanton paced the conference in both total blocks (103) and blocks per set (1.45), while also owning a .359 hitting percentage, the fourth-best mark in league play.

 

An Exercise Science major with a 4.00 GPA, Richmond was named to both the All-MAC First Team and the league’s All-Freshman Team this season. The Indianapolis native led the conference and was top-50 in the nation with 9.93 assists per set. She also ranked eighth in the league in total digs with 414, and set a Western Michigan single-season record with 26 double-doubles.

  

Brusek and Richmond have been selected to advance to the CSC Academic All-America® ballot.