Sports

GCU eliminates men’s volleyball program, blindsiding players, recruits

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Players, coaches and recruits are feeling blindsided by the news that Grand Canyon University is discontinuing its men’s varsity volleyball program after 17 years. The GCU men’s volleyball team has been one of the best in the country, finishing 18-10 this year and making the NCAA Final Four in 2024. But the […]

Published

2 weeks ago

April 30, 2025

Your Sports Nation

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Players, coaches and recruits are feeling blindsided by the news that Grand Canyon University is discontinuing its men’s varsity volleyball program after 17 years.

The GCU men’s volleyball team has been one of the best in the country, finishing 18-10 this year and making the NCAA Final Four in 2024. But the team’s success wasn’t enough to save the program. School officials shocked the Valley sports world Monday when they announced that GCU is eliminating men’s volleyball.

Cole Duncanson played on the team this year and had one year left of eligibility. His plans now are to turn pro, but his teammates are left scrambling, trying to transfer to another school. “The younger players definitely took it the hardest,” said Duncanson. “I think because they came to GCU expecting to play four years of volleyball, and dedicate themselves to the program, day in and day out.”

The sudden announcement is also having an impact on incoming recruits like Thatcher Fahlbusch, from Mira Costa High School in the Los Angeles area. Thatcher’s father, Chad, can’t understand why GCU didn’t give them more notice, dropping the news on them just 30 days before graduation. “They pride themselves on being a school that has high morals,” said Chad Fahlbusch. “I think based on the activity of yesterday, they completely botched this, and have done a terrible disservice to our family and to the boys on that team.”

GCU posted this statement on its website:

Grand Canyon University announced the discontinuation of its varsity men’s volleyball program after 17 years following the end of the team’s season last week. Men’s volleyball will continue to be offered as a club sport at GCU. In a rapidly evolving college athletics landscape, GCU is constantly evaluating how it can best position itself as a Division I athletic department and a university. The move will allow GCU to focus on supporting its remaining 20 athletic programs at the highest levels in their respective conferences. Men’s volleyball is currently sponsored by 27 of more than 360 Division I institutions and no current members of the Mountain West Conference. GCU is committed to providing support services to its impacted student-athletes. Those wishing to finish their academic careers at GCU will be able to do so at their existing athletic scholarship levels. The university also offers one of the nation’s most robust club sports programs that includes men’s volleyball. Those wishing to transfer to other institutions will receive assistance and support in doing so.

A former assistant coach has started a petition drive to get GCU to reconsider and reinstate its volleyball program. GCU will be offering men’s volleyball as a club team.

See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.

Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.

Link

Sports

Roseville track and field athlete Jayda Wilson looks to Minnesota record books

“I can watch back, even when I PR, and I’m like, ‘Wow, it was a good jump, but there’s still so much room for improvement,’ ” Wilson said. In addition to a fifth-place Class 3A finish in pole vault as a freshman and first place last year, Wilson placed second in long jump as a […]

Published

5 minutes ago

May 17, 2025

Your Sports Nation

“I can watch back, even when I PR, and I’m like, ‘Wow, it was a good jump, but there’s still so much room for improvement,’ ” Wilson said.

In addition to a fifth-place Class 3A finish in pole vault as a freshman and first place last year, Wilson placed second in long jump as a sophomore with a personal-best of 18-5½. Her track and field success has caught the eye of multiple Big Ten schools, including Minnesota, which has offered her a scholarship.

“I think what sets Jayda apart is she’s just fearless,” Ueland said. When Wilson is asked to make changes, “she’s willing to throw it all out for the big picture, which is really hard for a high school kid to do, hard for us adults to do.”

Link

Sports

High school volleyball: Southern Section boys’ playoff results

SOUTHERN SECTION BOYS VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS FRIDAY’S RESULTS FINALS At Cerritos College DIVISION 1 Mira Costa d. Huntington Beach, 25-19, 22-25, 25-19, 29-31, 15-11 At Mater Dei DIVISION 2 Mater Dei d. Peninsula, 20-25, 25-17, 25-13, 25-19 At Crossroads DIVISION 8 Wildwood d. Katella, 3-0 SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE FINALS At Cerritos College DIVISION 3 Orange Lutheran vs. […]

Published

20 minutes ago

May 17, 2025

Your Sports Nation

SOUTHERN SECTION BOYS VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS

FRIDAY’S RESULTS

FINALS

At Cerritos College

DIVISION 1

Mira Costa d. Huntington Beach, 25-19, 22-25, 25-19, 29-31, 15-11

At Mater Dei

DIVISION 2

Mater Dei d. Peninsula, 20-25, 25-17, 25-13, 25-19

At Crossroads

DIVISION 8

Wildwood d. Katella, 3-0

SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE

FINALS

At Cerritos College

DIVISION 3

Orange Lutheran vs. Tesoro, 10 a.m.

DIVISION 5

Esperanza vs. Kennedy, 12:30 p.m.

DIVISION 9

CAMS vs. Downey Calvary Chapel, 3 p.m.

DIVISION 6

Quartz Hill vs. El Toro, 6 p.m.

At Santa Barbara

DIVISION 4

Sage Hill vs. Santa Barbara, 1 p.m.

Link

Sports

Jefferson boys beat Morristown in NJAC Tournament final

FLORHAM PARK – Allan Czerwinski didn’t want to play in the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference volleyball final on Friday night. Czerwinski had a lot on his mind. His father, Bodgan, had died suddenly the previous day at age 50. Czerwinski hadn’t even gone to school. But when the Jefferson volleyball team began walking from head […]

Published

40 minutes ago

May 17, 2025

Your Sports Nation

FLORHAM PARK – Allan Czerwinski didn’t want to play in the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference volleyball final on Friday night. Czerwinski had a lot on his mind.

His father, Bodgan, had died suddenly the previous day at age 50. Czerwinski hadn’t even gone to school.

But when the Jefferson volleyball team began walking from head coach Gino Rose’s classroom to get on the bus, Czerwinski was there to meet them.

His presence on the court gave the Falcons a much-needed emotional lift in their 25-21, 25-23 victory against Morristown. It is Jefferson’s first boys volleyball title in its third appearance.

After the Falcons (10-12) came from behind to clinch victory, Allan and his older brother Patrick Czerwinski shared a long, tearful hug on the court. Allan’s teammates formed a semicircle around them, applauding quietly.

Each of the Jefferson players had written “B.C.” on their wrists, either on tape or bare skin – and also put the initials on their shoes.

Rose handed Allan the NJAC plaque. Tears mixed with sweat as Czerwinski held it up to the rafters at the FDU-Florham Recreation Center.

“I want to thank my dad for being the man who raised me. I couldn’t do anything without him,” said Czerwinski, a junior outside hitter who had eight kills and eight digs in the final. “This was for him, only for him. I didn’t want to come (to the match) but I wanted to do it for him, to make him proud.”

Allan Czerwinski had only begun playing volleyball when he got to Jefferson, but he’d spent lots of time hitting with his father.

“I’m just so proud of my brother,” said Patrick Czerwinski, 21, who had planned to come to the final with their father. “I know my dad would be so proud.”

Road to the NJAC title

The fourth-seeded Falcons topped Sparta, then upset No. 1 Randolph, 25-23, 26-24 in a semifinal on Wednesday. Morristown (12-11), the second seed, beat Dover and defending champion Vernon en route to the final.

The Morristown girls had reached the Morris County Tournament final in the fall, but lost to Montville in three games. This was the Colonials’ boys first time playing for the NJAC title, after reaching the semifinal in their first two varsity seasons.

“It’s bittersweet,” said Kathy Hormaza, a Morristown alumna who coaches both teams. “It’s exciting to know both programs have been able to come here. It hurts times two. If it didn’t hurt before, it hurts now.”

There were 180 boys and 323 girls volleyball teams in New Jersey in 2023-24, according to National Federation of State High School Associations data. That would place the state’s boys sixth, behind California (1142), Illinois (255), Pennsylvania (252), Florida (246) and New York (245).

New Jersey’s boys volleyball participation has almost tripled since 2002-03, and mushroomed to 229 teams this spring – eight in the NJAC.

The NJAC, which began sponsoring volleyball in 2018, is the ninth conference or county with a boys volleyball tournament, joining the Greater Middlesex Conference and Passaic and Hudson counties. Dover athletic director Sean Bullock originally pitched the tournament to his NJAC colleagues after the 2019 season. It was unanimously approved, but they had to wait out the COVID pandemic to launch it.

The NJSIAA has sanctioned a girls volleyball tournament since 1981, and boys since 1988 – the same year Vernon’s team was born. The boys volleyball tournament will be seeded on May 27, with championships slated for June 11 and 12.

“We weren’t just playing for the title,” Jefferson setter Jack Schild, who had 26 assists, a kill and six digs. “We were playing for something bigger than ourselves. It meant the world to us.”

Link

Sports

Three former Cougars join the 2025 U.S. Men’s VNL Roster and Staff – BYU Athletics – Official Athletics Website

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Gabi Garcia Fernandez was named to the 2025 U.S. Men’s VNL roster, with former BYU coaches and players Luka Slabe and Chris McGown added to its staff. Fernandez is one of 32 players competing on the roster, being listed as one of six opposites as well. Luka Slabe (BYU assistant coach […]

Published

1 hour ago

May 17, 2025

Your Sports Nation

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Gabi Garcia Fernandez was named to the 2025 U.S. Men’s VNL roster, with former BYU coaches and players Luka Slabe and Chris McGown added to its staff.

Fernandez is one of 32 players competing on the roster, being listed as one of six opposites as well. Luka Slabe (BYU assistant coach 2016-18, player 2000-04) was named assistant coach and Chris McGown (BYU head coach 2012-15, player 1990-94) was named a consultant coach.

The U.S. Men’s National Team, under newly appointed head coach Karch Kiraly, will select 14 athletes from the long list to compete at each stop: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (June 11-15), Hoffman Estates, Illinois (June 25-29), and Chiba, Japan (July 16-20). The VNL Final Round will take place July 30-Aug. 3 in Ningbo, China.

View the full VNL roster and the team’s schedule at the USA Volleyball website.

Link

Sports

Women’s Cadet National Team Roster Announced for 2025 PanAm Aquatics Water Polo Championships

Story Links Irvine, CA – May 14 – The roster for the Women’s Cadet National Team has been announced for the 2025 PanAm Aquatics Water Polo Championships in Medellin, Colombia. The competition will take place from May 19-25 and will showcase some of the top pipeline athletes in the country. Live streaming of all matches will […]

Published

1 hour ago

May 17, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Irvine, CA – May 14 – The roster for the Women’s Cadet National Team has been announced for the 2025 PanAm Aquatics Water Polo Championships in Medellin, Colombia. The competition will take place from May 19-25 and will showcase some of the top pipeline athletes in the country.

Live streaming of all matches will be available on the PanAm Sports YouTube channel. More information can be found from PanAm Aquatics. See below for roster and schedule.

Women’s Cadet National Team

1 (C) – Shelby Killingsworth, Goalkeeper, 680 Water Polo, Pacific Zone

2 – Jade Pattison, Center Defender, Santa Barbara 805, Coastal California Zone

3 – Kiernan Hogan, Center Defender, Stanford Water Polo Foundation, Pacific Zone

4 – Kennedy Fahey, Center Defender, Newport Beach Water Polo, Southern Pacific Zone

5 – Addison Ting, Attacker, Newport Beach Water Polo, Southern Pacific Zone

6 – Campbell Pence, Attacker, Newport Beach Water Polo, Southern Pacific Zone

7 – Madison Mack, Attacker, Newport Beach Water Polo, Southern Pacific Zone

8 – Gia Jacob, Attacker, Odin Water Polo Club, Pacific Southwest Zone

9 – Juliana Horton, Attacker, Santa Barbara 805, Coastal California Zone

10 – Emilia Haast, Attacker, Lamorinda Water Polo, Pacific Zone

11 – Eden Coughran, Attacker, Clovis Water Polo Club, Central California Zone

12 – Paige Segesman, Center, Regency Water Polo Club, Southern Pacific Zone

13 – Gianna Adams, Goalkeeper, San Diego Shores Water Polo Club, Pacific Southwest Zone

14 – Teodora Diaconu, Center, Greenwich Aquatics, Northeast Zone

15 – Caroline Daniel, Center, Newport Beach Water Polo, Southern Pacific Zone

Women’s Cadet National Team Staff

Head Coach: Brenda Villa

Asst. Coach/Team Lead: Alyssa Diacono

Asst Coach: Christopher Vidale

Asst. Coach: Gina Castagnola

ATC: Meghann McCall

Medical: Dr. Ken Lin

Women’s Cadet National Team Schedule

May 19 – USA vs. Brazil at 9:40am pt

May 20 – USA vs. Mexico at 1:00pm pt

May 21 – USA vs. Peru at 6:00am pt

May 23 – USA vs. Argentina at 7:00am pt

May 24 – USA vs. Colombia at 10:00am pt

May 25 – TBD

Link

Sports

Harmonic, Inside Edge, Pixotope, RED Digital Camera, and TwelveLabs Renew Corporate Sponsorships.

The Sports Video Group is pleased to announce that Harmonic, Inside Edge, Pixotope, RED Digital Camera, and TwelveLabs have renewed their Corporate Sponsorships. Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT), the worldwide leader in video delivery technology and services, enables media companies and service providers to deliver ultra-high-quality broadcast and OTT video services to consumers globally.The company has also revolutionized […]

Published

1 hour ago

May 17, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The Sports Video Group is pleased to announce that Harmonic, Inside Edge, Pixotope, RED Digital Camera, and TwelveLabs have renewed their Corporate Sponsorships.

Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT), the worldwide leader in video delivery technology and services, enables media companies and service providers to deliver ultra-high-quality broadcast and OTT video services to consumers globally.The company has also revolutionized cable access networking via the industry’s first virtualized CCAP solution, enabling cable operators to more flexibly deploy gigabit internet service to consumers’ homes and mobile devices.Whether simplifying OTT video delivery via innovative cloud and software-as-a-service (SaaS) technologies or powering the delivery of gigabit internet cable services, Harmonic is changing the way media companies and service providers monetize live and VOD content on every screen.

Inside Edge, Inc. is a sports data and analytics company that has given professional teams a winning edge since 1993. Inside Edge’s in-depth analytics products, powered by their patented “Remarkable” AI technology, break down big data and deliver key insights that are tailored to specific audiences like teams, broadcasters, sports bettors, daily fantasy players and fans. Inside Edge is a trusted analytics provider for sports including baseball, football, basketball, and more sports to come.

Pixotope® is the world’s leading Mixed Reality solution for live media production. Leveraging the full power of the Unreal (UE4) render engine, Pixotope® empowers content creators and broadcasters to produce best in class Mixed Reality content for television, online streaming, and film.Mixed Reality for media production enables content owners, creators, and distributors to tell stories in new and exciting ways, catching the attention of an increasingly fragmented audience. The Pixotope Technologies Customer Success department is trusted by global industry leaders and has been instrumental in supporting some of the world’s most ambitious AR/MR/VR productions to date such as Superbowl, League of Legends Championship broadcasts, Euro-vision, and The Weather Channels mixed reality experiences.

RED Digital Cinema is a leading manufacturer of professional digital cameras and accessories. In 2006, RED began a revolution with the 4K RED ONE digital cinema camera. By 2008, RED had released the DSMC (Digital Stills and Motion Camera) system that allowed the same camera to be used on award-winning features, television, commercials, music videos and magazine covers like “Vogue” and “Harper’s Bazaar.” Today, RED cameras are being used on some of the most lauded movies and episodics, including award winners “Mank,” “Navalny,” “Hacks,” “100 Foot Wave,” “The Last Dance,” “The Queen’s Gambit,” and “Our Planet.” RED’s latest technology includes the highly advanced V-RAPTOR [X] and V-RAPTOR XL [X] systems, the flagship DSMC3 generation systems and the first available large format global shutter cinema cameras. The RED lineup also includes KOMODO-X and KOMODO, which features a global shutter sensor in a shockingly small and versatile form factor.

Their team began with twelve members, each bringing a diverse blend of research expertise spanning language, video, machine learning, and perception. TwelveLabs helps developers build programs that can see, hear, and understand the world as we do by giving them the world’s most powerful video-understanding infrastructure. TwelveLabs is pioneering the first multimodal, video-native AI that sees and understands like humans do – setting a new standard and unlocking the full potential of video for the world. They assist people in navigating the ever growing content landscape, unlocking new possibilities for creation and discovery.