WAUWATOSA, WI (CBS 58) – After a year filled with ups and downs, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee’s Natalie Block is back in the NCAA Track and Field West Preliminary Round. 

Block made both the 100-meter hurdle and 400-meter hurdle races down in College Station, Texas. Block did the same thing a year ago, qualifying for the 400-meter semifinals before injury forced her to withdraw. 

The Franklin native stepped back on the track this spring and is coming off two more Horizon League Championships. She races with newfound perspective. 

“When it comes to the track, I’m grateful to be here. This is a great experience and so I think taking that pressure off a little bit of having an expectation or I got to hit this time, I got to hit this time like nah – I’m here to have fun and I’m here to do what I want to do and at the end of the day if you’re following your passion and you’re having fun, the times are going to be there,” said Block.

On Thursday, May 29, Block runs in the 100-meter hurdles quarterfinals round race at 6:00pm and the 400-meter hurdle race at 7:25pm. 

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Coastal Carolina senior first baseman Georgia Hood has been named to the 2025 National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-America Third Team, the association announced Wednesday.
 
Hood becomes just the second player in program history to earn All-America honors, joining Meagen Johnson, who was selected in 2006. She is one of 54 student-athletes named to this year’s team.
 
The Mount Gambier, Australia, native had a standout season at the plate, leading the Chanticleers in batting average (.430), hits (64), RBIs (51), slugging percentage (.866), and on-base percentage (.548). She recorded 19 multi-hit games and 15 multi-RBI performances, and drove in the game-winning run in 13 contests.
 
Nationally, Hood ranked 22^nd in on-base percentage and 25^th  in home runs. Within the Sun Belt Conference, she led in slugging percentage, ranked second in home runs, and was third in both batting average and on-base percentage.
 
Her season was highlighted by several key performances, including a three-run homer in the season opener against Creighton on Feb. 7, a walk-off single against Notre Dame on Feb. 14, and a season-high five RBIs in a 3-for-3 game versus Kennesaw State on Feb. 23. She also hit back-to-back home runs in two games, including a four-RBI effort against Appalachian State on May 3, and delivered decisive home runs to clinch series wins over Georgia State on April 12 and Texas State on March 22.
 
Hood helped lead Coastal Carolina to its first-ever Sun Belt Conference Championship title and its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2012. Her honors also include being named Sun Belt Player of the Week, earning a spot on the All-Sun Belt second team, and being selected to the NFCA All-Region first team.
 
For complete coverage of CCU softball, follow the Chanticleers on social media at @CoastalSoftball (X), @GoCCUSports (Instagram) and facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at GoCCUSports.com.
 

Doha, Qatar: President of the Qatar Volleyball Association (QVA), Ali Ghanem Al Kuwari, extolled the achievements made by Qatari national teams and clubs during the 2024-2025 sports season.

He underscored that the current season ranks among the most exceptional across all levels, both for national teams and local clubs, crediting this success to the fact that all entities were operating in an all-hands-on-deck approach, along with the QVA’s pursued strategic planning framework.

Al Kuwari noted the remarkable milestones of the national beach volleyball team, which secured three consecutive gold medals in the Asian Beach Volleyball Tour, followed by a gold medal in the most recent World Beach Pro Tour Challenge event in China.

This is in addition to the team’s persistent strong showing in elite and global challenge tournaments, which reinforces its international ranking, particularly after having previously held the world number one position.

With respect to the club level, Al Kuwari commended Al Rayyan Sports Club for its historic triumph in the Asian Men’s Club Volleyball Championship, describing it as a source of immense pride for Qatari sport. He also lauded Al Rayyan’s women’s team for securing the title in the inaugural edition of the Qatar Women’s Volleyball League, with Al Arabi finishing as runners-up, and Qatar SC placing third.

In addition, he hailed the notable technical progression of the women’s teams, announcing the full readiness of the Qatar men’s national indoor volleyball team to participate in the upcoming 2025 AVC Men’s Volleyball Nations Cup in Bahrain next month, and the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship in the Philippines this September.

Preparations are afoot at the highest coaching and organizational levels. The upcoming participation of the Qatar Girls’ U18 National Volleyball Team in the Asian Women’s U18 Volleyball Championship is set to be hosted by Jordan in July, Al Kuwari highlighted.

He also commended the Qatar Beach Volleyball Team, represented by the duo Mahmoud Essam and Saif Al Majid, for securing second place in the inaugural edition of the West Asia Beach Volleyball Tour, followed by a third-place finish in the second round held in Jordan.

Al Kuwari further extolled the strong showing of the pair Mehdi Samoud and Mohamed Ehab, who clinched the runner-up position in the second round, in addition to the Qatar Women’s Beach Volleyball Team, which finished fourth in the same tournament.

Al Kuwari indicated that these tremendous achievements are consistently supported by the Qatar Olympic Committee, chaired by HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, to advance the objectives of the Qatar National Vision 2030.

He emphasized that the future holds even greater promise, driven by energized efforts and high aspirations. 

WPOLO5/28/2025 2:57 PM | By: Cal Athletics

4 Seniors Earn Honor For Third Time

Eleven California women’s water polo student-athletes have been named to the MPSF All-Academic Team, the conference office announced.

Seniors Ruby Swadling, Rozanne Voorvelt, Jessie Rose and Claire Rowell each earned the honor for the third time while graduate student Elena Flynn and junior Abbi Magee are now two-time selections. Sophomore Kate Meyer, Feline Voordouw, Julia Bonaguidi, Julianne Snyder and redshirt freshman Talia Fonseca all earned the accolade for the first time. True freshmen and first-year transfers are ineligible for the award.

In addition to being at least a sophomore academically and having spent at least one full year at an institution, candidates for MPSF All-Academic honors must also possess a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.0 and have competed in at least 50 percent of her team’s games during the season.

The Golden Bears went 19-6 this season and advanced to the NCAA Championship for the 11th time since 2010.

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For further coverage of Cal women’s water polo, follow the Bears on X (@CalWWPolo) and Instagram (@CalWWPolo).

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Amelia Svidal just keeps making Bellarmine University women’s track and field program history.

The Atlantic Sun Conference on Wednesday announced its postseason awards for the outdoor season, and the unveiling included ASUN Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors for Svidal.

It was an unprecedented acknowledgement, as the Knights sophomore becomes the women’s program’s first-ever ASUN superlative award winner.

The recognition comes on the heels of another groundbreaking feat by Svidal, who became Bellarmine’s first-ever gold medal winner in any gender after placing first in the triple jump at the ASUN Outdoor Championship. That excellence extends to the classroom, where she carries a 4.0 GPA majoring in psychology.

On the men’s side, Chase Akins completed a 2024-25 sweep of Academic All-ASUN Team accolades. The Knights junior garnered the recognition for cross country — along with the Scholar-Athlete of the Year laurel in that sport — and in both T&F campaigns.

Atkins earned a silver medal in the 10000m at the ASUN Outdoor Championship while also scoring in the 5000m after placing fifth. Off the track, he carries a 3.79 GPA majoring in exercise science.

For more coverage of Bellarmine athletics, follow BUKnights on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook.

 

 

 

Nebraska volleyball releases schedule for coach Dani Busboom Kelly’s first season

Updated: 5:09 PM CDT May 28, 2025

The Huskers will have eight matches against teams that finished in the 2024 top 10 in coach Dani Busboom Kelly’s first season.Nebraska volleyball unveiled the 2025 schedule Wednesday, featuring 10 matches against non-conference opponents and 20 conference matches.NU opens the season with the AVCA First Serve Showcase against Pittsburgh on Aug. 22 and Stanford on Aug. 24 at Pinnacle Bank Arena.READ MORE: Nebraska introduces new volleyball coach Dani Busboom Kelly with welcome ceremonyThe Huskers also travel to Omaha to face Creighton at the CHI Health Center on Sept. 16.Nebraska’s double play — home and away — opponents in conference play are Michigan, Michigan State and Penn State. NU will also host Illinois, Iowa, Ohio State, Maryland, Northwestern, Washington and Oregon.The Huskers will travel to Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Purdue, Rutgers, UCLA and USC.Nebraska volleyball 2025 scheduleAug. 22, PittsburghAug. 24, StanfordAug. 29, at Lipscomb (Allen Arena in Nashville)Aug. 31, vs. Kentucky (Bridgestone Arena in Nashville), 11 a.m.Sept. 5, Wright State, 7 p.m. Sept. 7, California, 1 or 2 p.m. Sept. 12, Utah, 6 p.m. Sept. 13, Grand CanyonSept. 16, at CreightonSept. 20, Arizona, 7 p.m.Sept. 24, MichiganSept. 27, MarylandOct. 3, at Penn StateOct. 4, at RutgersOct. 10, WashingtonOct. 12, at PurdueOct. 17, at Michigan StateOct. 19, at MichiganOct. 24, NorthwesternOct. 25, Michigan StateOct. 31, at WisconsinNov. 2, OregonNov. 6, IllinoisNov. 8, at MinnesotaNov. 14, at UCLANov. 15, at USCNov. 20, IowaNov. 22, at IndianaNov. 28, Penn StateNov. 29, Ohio State