The Aquatic Sports Association of Malta, in collaboration with Bank of Valletta, announced a new dynamic format for the BOV Waterpolo competitions to mark the 100th anniversary of the local governing body.

This was announced by Karl Izzo, the Aquatic Sports Association of Malta president, in the presence of Ernest Agius, Chief Operations Officer at Bank of Valletta, ASA vice-president Andrew Paris and general secretary General George Farrugia during a press conference in the presence of club representatives.

“The revamp of the competitions is aimed to enhance competitiveness, increase fan engagement, and elevate the standard of the game across all participating clubs,” said the ASA president.

“The new format will also see the top performing clubs of the previous season benefitting from direct participation in the BOV Premier League with the top-placed clubs in the BOV First Division League having the opportunity to play for promotion to the BOV Premier League,” Izzo explained.

The top four-placed clubs from last season, champions Sliema, San Ġiljan, Neptunes and Sirens will automatically participate in the BOV Premier League.

The bottom two clubs of the top division, Valletta and Birzebbuga, will play a round robin with the top two placed teams in last year’s First Division League last year, namely champions Marsaxlokk and Exiles.

The two top-placed clubs in this round robin will then proceed to take part in the BOV Premier League.

Ta‘ Xbiex, Otters, Marsascala and Barracudas will play directly in the BOV First Division League.

The teams in each division will compete in a double round-robin format, with the top four teams advancing to the playoffs scheduled between August 26 and 30.

Each club will have one foreign player on their books, and a number world renowned players have been engaged by local clubs.

The traditional Santa Marija week in August will be an intensive week for local waterpolo where the knockout competitions for both divisions will be played with the finals being held on August 14.

The BOV Championship will be played under the new competition rules with a smaller 25-metre pitch and a shorter possession and second attack time.

This will likely lead to faster transitions between attack and defence, making counter-attacks more frequent, favouring aggressive offensive strategies and discouraging prolonged build-up.

The BOV Women’s League will be played concurrently throughout the summer where the three competing teams, Sirens, Sliema and San Giljan will compete for the BOV ASA Centenary Cup.

The ASA is celebrating their 100th anniversary just one year after BOV celebrated its 50th – and the two organisations hold a longstanding and influential place in Maltese culture, according to BOV COO Ernest Agius.

“Bank of Valletta is proud to have been a main sponsor of the ASA since 2008, a partnership that has seen the successful development of the game as evident in the level of play both at domestic level and on the international playing field, where just this week we have just seen Malta qualify for the European Championships for the sixth consecutive time,” Agius said.

PLAYING ON SATURDAY

Birżebbuġa vs Exiles            17.30

San Ġiljan vs Sirens             18.45

Sliema vs Neptunes            20.00

Two years ago just before the inaugural season of sanctioned boys volleyball, then Maple Mountain assistant coach and current head coach Napoleon Galang got a call he didn’t think much of. To Galang, it seemed just like a curious mother just inquiring about a team for her son.

Little did Galang know that call came from BYU women’s basketball alumni Alisha Thortnton and would lead to the best player in the state in Trey Thornton, and two consecutive state championships.

“They would laugh if I said it, but his mom had called me before the school year was about to begin,” Galang said. “She said, ‘My son Trey is moving in and he’s a really great player. What clubs are around and what’s the high school schedule look like?’”

“I got to talk to his mom before I met Trey,” Galang continued. “As a coach, you kind of take some things with a grain of salt because you know every parent’s going to say their kid is the best player. But once he started playing, I knew that he knew how to play.”

In nearly every measurable aspect Thornton just screams ‘elite volleyball player’. The 6-foot-7 BYU signee finished second in the state in kills with 422 and did so with a .431 hitting percentage, which is also the second best in the state.

But what pushes Thornton past just a good high school player and into legit D1 player territory is his versatility.

Thornton is an equally impactful defensively as he is offensively. He tallied 43 blocks on the year and also proved himself as a strong backline player with 169 digs.

Thornton’s ability to impact the game from any spot on the court named him the recipient of Deseret News’ 2025 Mr. Volleyball. This is Thornton’s second time earning Mr. Volleyball honors.

Thornton will join BYU’s mens volleyball team later this year and plans to serve a mission for the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after a year with the Cougars.

“(Playing for BYU has) been a dream since the beginning,” Thornton said. “I knew how much work it took and growing up my coaches really instilled a drive in me that kind of allowed me to keep that as my priority in life.

“You have to make sacrifices to get where you want to be. I think just keeping my priorities in line, obviously family and God is first, but volleyball came above some things like social life. I had to give up a few dances and a few parties, but it paid off in the end.”

It hasn’t been an easy journey by any stretch for Thornton. Originally from Alabama, Thornton had to play on girls teams, then play for a boys team three hours away in order to play organized volleyball.

While it was inconvenient, it helped Thornton find a small, tight-knit community which helped him develop his volleyball talent. The stars aligned perfectly for Thornton as the first season of sanctioned high school boys volleyball came right after he moved to Utah.

Before the move, Thornton wasn’t sure if he’d ever get to play high school volleyball. But now, Thornton has two state championships and two Mr. Volleyball awards.

“My club in Alabama, which was the Girls Club, they still follow me really closely,” Thornton said. “The girls I played with growing up, we still talk pretty much every day, and the coaches reach out all the time.

“If you asked me three years ago, ‘Are you ever going to play high school volleyball?’ I would have said there’s no way I’m going to play high school volleyball, let alone win two state championships.”

When June 15, 2024 rolled around, Division 1 schools were allowed to contact students entering their junior year. Thornton had a strong tournament appearance in early June which got the eyes of colleges on him.

Quite a few schools showed interest in Thornton and he did some campus visits despite his dream to play for BYU. Even during those visits, he knew no school could pry him away from the Cougars. In the end, he stuck with his gut and decided to follow in his mothers footsteps to Provo.

“I was honestly surprised, I didn’t think that I was going to be a very big recruit,” Thornton said. “I talked to other recruits and most said, ‘I had two or three schools interested,’ while I had around 10. I was just really blessed.”

Boys volleyball is still a young sport in Utah, but Thornton leaves a significant legacy at Maple Mountain after helping build a hardworking, winning culture.

“I think his work ethic and his play has been the biggest influence over these kids that haven’t played volleyball before and even those who have been playing volleyball for several years now,” Galang said. “He has shown in his work ethic, his practicing and his gameplay just how fun volleyball can be for boys this age. I think he genuinely has inspired a lot of our players in our program to say, ‘Hey, I want to be like Trey.’”

The conclusion of the 2025 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships is on the horizon, as Saturday’s lineup will close out a week filled with record-breaking talent and crown the final round of national collegiate champions. 

Wednesday and Thursday debuted the student-athletes that qualified for the championships back in May at the East and West Regionals and revealed the men’s and women’s final field winners. Friday began the first round of track finals, beginning with the men, while Saturday hosts the women’s track finals. 

Hosted at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, all eyes will be on runners such as JaMeesia Ford, who matched the sixth-fastest time in NCAA history in the 100m dash with a 10.87, and Michaela Rose, who ran a record-breaking 1:58.95 in the 800m, to see if they can stay poised enough to bring home a national title. 

Here’s Saturday’s full lineup of events for the last day of the NCAA DI Outdoor Track and Field Championships. 

NCAA DI Outdoor Track and Field Championships Saturday Schedule

Track Events

• 9:02 PM – 4x100m Relay, Final, Women
• 9:11 PM – 1500m, Final, Women
• 9:24 PM – 3000m Steeplechase, Final, Women
• 9:42 PM – 100m Hurdles, Final, Women
• 9:52 PM – 100m, Final, Women
• 10:02 PM – 400m, Final, Women
• 10:14 PM – 800m, Final, Women
• 10:27 PM – 400m Hurdles, Final, Women
• 10:37 PM – 200m, Final, Women
• 10:55 PM – 5000m, Final, Women
• 11:21 PM – 4x400m Relay, Final, Women

Field Events

• 3:30 PM – Discus, Final, Women
• 8:30 PM – High Jump, Final, Women
• 9:10 PM – Triple Jump, Final, Women

Combined Events

• 6:30 PM – Long Jump, Heptathlon, Women
• 7:45 PM – Javelin, Heptathlon, Women
• 10:43 – 800M, Heptathlon, Women

Where To Watch NCAA Track And Field Championships 2025

All Times Eastern.

Wednesday, June 11

• Men’s Day 1: 7:00 PM | ESPN

Thursday, June 12

• Women’s Day 1: 7:00 PM | ESPN

Friday, June 13

• Men’s Day 2: 8:00 PM | ESPN2

Saturday, June 14

• Women’s Day 2: 9:00 PM | ESPN2

FloTrack Is The Streaming Home For Many Track And Field Meets Each Year

Don’t miss all the track and field season action streaming on FloTrack. Check out the FloTrack schedule for more events.

FloTrack Archived Footage

Video footage from each event will be archived and stored in a video library for FloTrack subscribers to watch for the duration of their subscriptions.

Join The Track & Field Conversation On Social

UNIVERSITY PARK — After missing on two prior attempts, the Manheim Central boys volleyball team is bringing PIAA Class 2A gold back to 400 E. Adele Drive.

The Barons blitzed District 10 champion Meadville 3-1 — by scores of 21-25, 25-23, 25-16 and 27-25 — on Saturday at Penn State’s Rec Hall. The District Three kings also avenged a 3-1 setback to the Bulldogs from the 2024 title tilt to raise their first state trophy.

Landon Mattiace powered Central (24-1) through the thick of a back-and-forth match. The senior eclipsed double-digit kills while Dylan Musser teed up a fountain of teammates, and Blake Neiles was the defensive linchpin.

Mattiace served match point for the Barons. Reagan Miller delivered the clincher.

Meadville (19-1) was seeking its fourth crown.

• This story will be updated.

Courtesy: Pepperdine Athletics

MALIBU, Calif. — Olympians, national champions and All-Americans highlight the 2025 Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Fame class, which was announced Friday.

The inductees include five former student-athletes: Lynn Biyendolo (’15, women’s soccer), Stacy Davis (’16, men’s basketball), Mike Gates (’79, baseball), Kim Hill (’12, women’s volleyball) and Chip McCaw (’95, men’s volleyball). Additionally, the 2012 AVCA Sand Volleyball National Championship team, the late Pepperdine swimming and diving head coach Nick Rodionoff and alumni supporters Ted (’59, MBA ’75) and Carolyn (’57) Porter will be inducted into the hall of fame with Special Achievement Awards. Historically, Special Achievement Awards are given to those who have made exceptional contributions or provided extraordinary service to the athletic program at Pepperdine University..

The ceremony will be held during Waves Weekend and will take place on the evening of October 4, 2025, at Firestone Fieldhouse. Those interested in supporting the Hall of Fame through sponsorship, purchasing a table, or purchasing tickets may complete this form for first access.

“The 2025 Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Fame Class is truly special,” said Tanner Gardner, Director of Athletics. “The student-athletes, coaches, and supporters who we are welcoming into our Hall of Fame represent the best of Pepperdine. I look forward to celebrating their accomplishments together in October!”

The Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Fame was established in 1980. This year’s group will join 140 individuals, 14 teams and eight special achievement award recipients that have already been enshrined.

To be eligible for induction, nominees must have competed, coached for, or rendered an extraordinary service to Pepperdine University Athletics. After compiling a list of nominations, Pepperdine’s Hall of Fame Committee selected this year’s inductees, which were endorsed by the Pepperdine Athletics Board. A list of Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Fame members can be found here.

Here is more information about the newest Pepperdine Hall of Famers:

Lynn Biyendolo, Women’s Soccer, 2011-15
Fresno, Calif.

• The first Pepperdine Wave to represent Team USA on the international stage, Lynn Biyendolo (née Williams) is among the most successful women’s soccer players in program history. Making an immediate impact for Pepperdine as a true freshman, Biyendolo was the 2011 WCC Freshman of the Year and eventually became a three-time All-West Region and WCC First Team selection throughout her highly decorated career. As a senior, Biyendolo put together an All-American season and helped the Waves reach the NCAA Round of 16 for just the third time in program history. She graduated from Pepperdine in 2015 as the program’s second-leading goal scorer and currently holds four individual top-10 program records.
• Biyendolo was drafted by the Western New York Flash in the 2015 NWSL Draft, kicking off a long and successful professional career. During her 2016 season, Biyendolo won the NWSL Golden Boot and MVP awards en route to helping the Flash win the NWSL Championships. Biyendolo went on to win three more NWSL titles: back-to-back titles with the North Carolina Courage in 2018-19, and most recently with one with Gotham FC in 2023. She is currently a member of the Seattle Reign.
• Biyendolo has found success on the international stage as well. In 75 matches for Team USA, Biyendolo scored 21 goals and tallied 13 assists. She helped the United States win the 2023 World Cup and is a two-time Olympic medalist. She most recently helped Team USA win the gold medal at the 2024 Olympics, where she scored a goal in group play versus Germany.

Stacy Davis, Men’s Basketball, 2012-16
Laveen, Ariz.

• Wrapped up one of the most decorated careers in Pepperdine men’s basketball history as the all-time leading scorer with 1,786 points and second all-time in rebounds with 994. He also finished among the program’s top 10 in 10 additional categories, including games played (125), minutes (3,939), and double-doubles (35), showcasing remarkable consistency and longevity.
• Recognized as one of the conference’s elite players, he was a three-time All-WCC first team selection — the first Wave to do so since 1998 — and the first since 1994 to earn All-WCC honors in all four seasons. He also earned back-to-back NABC All-District 9 second team accolades for his standout performances.
• Averaged 14.3 points and 8.0 rebounds per game over four seasons, while becoming the first player in Pepperdine history to lead the team in rebounding each year. He became the seventh in program history to lead the team in both scoring and rebounding in consecutive seasons (2013-15). His impact was felt across the league as well, earning WCC Player of the Week honors four times during his career.

Mike Gates, Baseball, 1978-79
Reseda, Calif.

• The star player on Pepperdine’s 1979 College World Series team, Mike Gates left a mark on the Pepperdine baseball program in two short years. Coming to Pepperdine after spending two years in junior college, Gates became the Waves’ starting second baseman in 1978 and put together one of the finest single seasons in program history as a senior.
• Playing for eventual Pepperdine Hall of Famer Dave Gorrie, Gates led the team in batting average, runs, hits and home runs during what was the most successful season in school history. Gates was instrumental in helping Pepperdine win a school-record 53 games and led the Waves to their first-ever College World Series, where they finished third. That year, he was a first-team All-American, an ABCA first team selection and a first-team All-West Region and All-Southern California Baseball Association award winner. Gates made the All-CWS team for his postseason efforts.
• Gates was drafted by the Montreal Expos in the 7th round of the 1979 MLB Draft. He made his major-league debut for Montreal in 1981 and appeared in 37 games across two seasons.  He had a .236 batting average over 123 at-bats.

Kim Hill, Women’s Volleyball, 2008-12
Portland, Ore. 

• A two-time Olympian and three-time All-American, Kim Hill is one of the most successful women’s volleyball players in Pepperdine history. She was the first college volleyball player to earn AVCA All-American First Team honors in indoor and beach volleyball after helping Pepperdine win the 2012 AVCA National Championship.
• Hill made an immediate impact as a true freshman by winning WCC Freshman of the Year honors and All-WCC First Team honors. Her best season came in 2011, when she was an AVCA First Team All-American and helped guide the Waves to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Volleyball Championships. Then, in the spring, Hill joined the Pepperdine sand volleyball team for its inaugural season and helped the Waves win the 2012 AVCA National Championship. All told, she was a three-time All-WCC First Team selection, a two-time AVCA All-Region award winner and graduated from Pepperdine ranked sixth with 1,300 career kills, plus ranked in the program’s top-10 in four other statistical categories.
• After enjoying a successful professional career overseas, Hill was persuaded by a family friend to participate in the 2013 Team USA Women’s Volleyball tryouts. Hill not only made the team but also earned a starting role right away. She played in 95 of a possible 118 sets during her rookie year on Team USA, then one year later, she was named the MVP at the 2014 FIVB World Championships after helping USA win gold. Hill’s meteoric rise in international play continued in 2016, as she earned a spot on the US Olympic team. A two-time Olympian, Hill won a bronze medal in 2016 and helped Team USA win the gold medal in 2020.

Chip McCaw, Men’s Volleyball, 1992-95
Tulsa, Okla.

• A four-year starter at Pepperdine who never missed a match from 1992-95, Chip McCaw directed the Waves to the NCAA title as a freshman in 1992. He served as a volunteer assistant coach at Pepperdine during the 1997 season. During his six-year affiliation with the U.S. National team, McCaw competed at numerous international tournaments. He was an alternate for the 1996 U.S. Olympic team.
• As a player, McCaw earned first-team All-American accolades from the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) and Volleyball Magazine as a junior in 1994. He was a third-team selection by Volleyball Magazine as a senior in 1995, and garnered honorable mention acclaim from the publication as a freshman and sophomore.
• In his debut season, McCaw set a single-match school record with 117 assists in Pepperdine’s four-game victory over Long Beach State in the title match of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) Tournament. McCaw was tabbed to the NCAA All-Tournament team, as Pepperdine swept Stanford in three games to claim the national title.
• A first team All-MPSF selection in 1994 and a second team pick in 1993 and 1995, McCaw represented the U.S. at the 1992 World University Games in Buffalo, New York, and in 1995 in Fukuoka, Japan.

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
2012 Sand Volleyball AVCA National Championship Team
Led by legendary Pepperdine indoor volleyball head coach Nina Matthies, the 2012 Pepperdine sand volleyball team couldn’t have had a better inaugural season. The Waves went 14-0 and won the inaugural AVCA Collegiate Sand Volleyball National Championship, becoming Pepperdine’s first women’s national championship-winning team.

Matthies was instrumental in establishing beach volleyball, then called sand volleyball (name officially changed prior to the 2016 season), as an NCAA Division I sport. Her efforts paid off. Bringing over nine players from the indoor volleyball team, the Waves adapted to the outdoor game with relative ease. The 2012 squad featured four All-Americans in Lilla Fredrick, Kim Hill, Caitlin Racich and Summer Ross — the latter of whom went on to win the AVCA Collegiate Sand Volleyball National Championship pairs title one day after helping Pepperdine win the team title. With its loaded roster and experienced coach, it was unsurprising that the Waves went 11-0 in dual-match play.

The Waves arrived at the AVCA National Championships in Gulf Shores, Ala. as the team to beat. Pepperdine won all three of its matches convincingly, first by shutting out College of Charleston, and then by blanking Long Beach State 3-0 in the semifinals. Meeting Long Beach State in the championship match, Pepperdine blanked them again with a 5-0 sweep to win the national title.

Ted (’59, MBA ’75) and Carolyn (’57) Porter
Longtime supporters of Pepperdine’s athletics programs, dedicated alumni Theodore “Ted” and Carolyn Porter have brought enthusiasm to the university’s athletic mission for decades. A former Pepperdine football defensive end, Ted and his wife, Carolyn met as students at the original George Pepperdine College campus and have remained committed to our Waves teams long after Ted’s graduation in 1959. Ted went on to earn his MBA from Pepperdine University in 1975.

Over the years, the Porters have encouraged Waves student-athletes in countless ways. Among their many contributions, Ted and Carolyn have graciously established the Porter Student-Athlete Fifth Year Scholarship to support student success and have invested in several of Pepperdine’s athletic teams. Ted has been a faithful member of the Athletics Board for many years, providing his wise counsel and strategic insight to the department’s leadership. The Porters are often regulars at Waves athletic events,  enjoying courtside seats at Pepperdine men’s basketball games in the Firestone Fieldhouse.

Blessed with sixty-seven years of marriage, Ted and Carolyn live in Rancho Palos Verdes, California and enjoy spending time with their children and grandchildren. They are particularly proud of their granddaughter, Paige Porter (’25), who recently graduated from Seaver College with her bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts and was a dedicated member of the Pepperdine cheer team.

Nick Rodionoff, Women’s Swimming and Diving
An International Swimming and Diving Hall of Famer, Nick Rodionoff‘s affiliation with Pepperdine spanned four decades. Rodionoff came to Pepperdine in 1974 to coach the men’s swimming and diving team, yet his biggest accomplishment came in 1987, when he established the women’s swimming and diving program. Despite being a new program, the Waves promptly went undefeated for five consecutive seasons.

As a head coach for the women’s team from 2000-2018, Rodionoff helped guide the Waves to 14 top-five team finishes at the Pacific Collegiate Swim and Dive Conference (PCSC) Championships — including a runner-up finish in 2008. Individually, Rodionoff was a two-time PCSC Coach of the Year recipient.

Yet one of Rodionoff’s greatest accomplishments was not winning an award. After the 2008 national recession forced Pepperdine to cut the women’s swimming and diving program, Rodionoff helped rescue the team he once founded. Thanks to rallying former alumni and donors, Rodionoff was instrumental in reinstating the program in 2009. Without his efforts, the program wouldn’t exist today.

Individually, Rodionoff guided seven women to 12 conference titles and four to six NCAA Championship berths. Jessica Mosbaugh earned back-to-back PCSC Division I Swimmer of the Year honors in 2014 and 2015, plus six other student-athletes were named PCSC Diver of the Year: Michelle Barker (2003), Amanda Pond (2009), Tiffany Martz (2011), Kristin Scribner (2012), Klair Korver (2013), and Sydney Newman (2017).

Rodionoff’s teams routinely succeeded in the classroom, too. His teams won College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America All-Academic Team awards regularly, and three of his student-athletes won Pepperdine’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards.

Rodionoff passed away in 2023 and will be inducted into the Hall of Fame posthumously. His wife Carrie will accept the award on his behalf.