Sports
High school scores for May 3
Baseball Aurora Central Catholic 10, Leo 0 (5 Inn.) Barrington 7, Whitney Young 0 Bartlett 3, Riverside-Brookfield 2 Benet 6, Carmel 5 Burlington Central 10, Coal City 1 Cary-Grove 9, Niles North 1 Crystal Lake South 21, Chicago University 2 (6 Inn.) Fremd 10, Warren 9 Geneva 4, Batavia 3 Glenbard South 7, Wheeling 3 […]

Baseball
Aurora Central Catholic 10, Leo 0 (5 Inn.)
Barrington 7, Whitney Young 0
Bartlett 3, Riverside-Brookfield 2
Benet 6, Carmel 5
Burlington Central 10, Coal City 1
Cary-Grove 9, Niles North 1
Crystal Lake South 21, Chicago University 2 (6 Inn.)
Fremd 10, Warren 9
Geneva 4, Batavia 3
Glenbard South 7, Wheeling 3
Glenbrook North 18, Conant 1 (5 Inn.)
Glenbrook South 10, Hersey 5
Jacobs 2, Lake Zurich 1
Lake Park 2, Glenbard North 1
Lane Tech 10, York 5
Libertyville 1, Highland Park 0
Lyons 11, Leyden 3
Maine South 7, Normal West 5
Marist 8, St. Viator 0
Marmion Academy 10, Fenwick 9
Metea Valley 9, Taft 2
Montini 14, De La Salle 3 (5 Inn.)
Naperville Central 6, Prospect 3
Neuqua Valley 10, Crete-Monee 0 (5 Inn.)
Oak Park-River Forest 7, Downers Grove South 5
Parkview Christian 9, Timothy Christian 3
Plainfield Central 5, Elk Grove 1
Plainfield North 17, Huntley 12
Prairie Ridge 4, Buffalo Grove 3
Rolling Meadows 2, Dundee-Crown 0
South Elgin 2, Stevenson 1
St. Charles North 3, St. Charles East 0
St. Francis 7, IC Catholic 3
Tolono Unity 5, Burlington Central 0
Waubonsie Valley 8, Glenbard East 4
Westmont 27, Bulls Prep 6 (4 Inn.)
Wheaton Academy 15, Sandwich 2
Wheaton North 3, Wheaton Warrenville South 0
Yorkville Christian 5, Westminster Christian 1
Zion-Benton 7, Vernon Hills 5
Softball
Marengo Tournament
St. Charles East 8, Kaneland 2
Huntley 7, St. Charles East 6
Others
Barrington 9, York 0
Batavia 6, Naperville North 5
Benet 8, Rock Island 3
Dundee-Crown 14, Elk Grove 4 (5 Inn.)
Elmwood Park 2, Palatine 1
Fenton 17, Proviso East 2 (4 Inn.)
Fenton 17, Proviso East 0 (4 Inn.)
Harvest Christian 15, Wheeling 12
IC Catholic Prep 18, Trinity 0 (5 Inn.)
Jacobs 7, Lake Zurich 2
Lake Zurich 12, Jacobs 5
Lincoln-Way East 15, Libertyville 0 (4 Inn.)
Lockport 3, Naperville Central 1
Maine West 2, Maine South 0
Oswego East 10, Downers Grove South 9
Oswego East 9, Downers Grove South 5
Stevenson 7, Taft 4
Waubonsie Valley 16, Joliet Central 0 (4 Inn.)
Westmont 19, Bulls Prep 4 (4 Inn.)
Wheaton Warrenville South 17, Glenbard South 9
Girls soccer
Iowa Tournament of Champions
Arrowhead (WI) 1, Metea Valley 1 (A wins 4-2 in PKs) (Championship)
Middleton (WI) 2, Batavia 2 (M wins PKs)
Morton 1, Wheaton Academy 0 (3rd place)
St. Teresa Academy (MO) 2, Kaneland 1
Others
Bartlett 2, Elgin 0
Burlington Central 3, Belvidere North 1
Glenbard East 3, Elmwood Park 1
Hersey 1, Fremd 0
Jacobs 2, Larkin 1
Lisle 6, Cristo Rey Jesuit 0
South Elgin 1, Hampshire 0
Sycamore 7, Crystal Lake South 1
Timothy Christian 2, Argo 0
Wheaton Warrenville South 7, East Aurora 0
York 1, Minooka 0
Boys track and field
Glenbard West Jim Arnold Invitational
Evanston 121, Glenbard West 102, Wheaton North 81, Lake Park 62.5, Naperville North 52, Glenbard South 47.5, Bartlett 41, Morton 20, Lowell 15, St. Rita 10, South Elgin 5, Bloom 1
Palatine Relays
Oswego East 160, Palatine 120, Schaumburg 90.33, Portage 67, Jacobs 46.33, Carmel 31.33, Mundelein 21, Proviso East 13, Proviso West 12, Northridge Prep 12, Notre Dame 9, St. Ignatius 3
Waubonsie Valley Red Ribbon Classic
York 140, Yorkville 117.33, Waubonsie Valley 98.17, Metea Valley 76, Moline 75, Wheaton Warrenville South 75, Marmion Academy 49, Neuqua Valley 31, Oswego East 19.5, Taft 19
Girls track and field
New Trier Trevian Invitational
Homewood-Flossmoor 114, New Trier 96, Whitney Young 82, Maine South 79, Lake Park 66, Glenbrook South 54, Loyola Academy 35, Niles West 27
Palatine Relays
Hersey 119, York 99, Palatine 90, Lane 64, Evanston 59, Mundelein 39, Portage 33, Jacobs 28, Proviso East 23, De La Salle 1
Boys lacrosse
Barrington 14, Lake Zurich 8
Carmel 9, Prospect 2
Catholic Central (MI) 10, St. Viator 5
Crystal Lake South 1, Marian Central 0
Geneva 10, Rockford Boylan 5
Glenbard West 10, Warren 6
Glenbrook North 10, Fremd 9
Hersey 15, Glenbrook South 2
Lake Forest 10, Wheaton Academy 7
Lockport 8, Lake Park 2
Neuqua Valley 16, Lincoln Way West 4
St. Francis 8, Kaneland 6
Vernon Hills 5, Conant 4 (OT)
Girls lacrosse
Carmel 12, Neuqua Valley 2
Cary-Grove/Crystal Lake Co-op 19, Bay Port (WI) 1
Glenbard West 15, Wheaton Co-op 5
Hinsdale Central 15, York 6
Lake Zurich 15, St. Francis 4
Naperville North 13, Maine South 10
Prospect 15, Libertyville 4
Sandburg 18, Jacobs/Hampshire Co-op 3
Boys volleyball
Geneva Invitational
Metea Valley d. Bartlett 25-16, 25-10
Maine West d. Willowbrook 25-9, 22-25, 15-7
Maine West d. Harlem 25-17, 31-29
Maine West d. Metea Valley 25-17, 25-20
Maine West d. Neuqua Valley 23-25, 25-20, 15-12
Maine West d. Geneva 20-25, 25-16, 15-12
Metea Valley d. Harlem 25-10, 25-17
Metea Valley d. Neuqua Valley 25-22, 25-23
Metea Valley d. Plainfield Central 24-26, 25-17, 15-10
Hersey Invitational
Maine South d. Hersey 25-15, 25-16 (Championship)
Fenton d. Nazareth 18-25, 25-21, 15-4
Hersey d. Nazareth 25-10, 25-19
Maine South d. Fenton 25-19, 25-18
Maine South d. Lake Forest 25-12, 25-13
Maine South d. Nazareth 25-10, 25-20
Maine South d. Von Steuben 25-19, 25-20
Libertyville Invitational
Prospect d. DePaul Prep 26-24, 25-17
Libertyville d. Prospect 25-22, 25-12
Libertyville d. Deerfield 25-11, 25-17
Lincoln-Way East Invitational
Glenbard West d. Lincoln-Way East 24-26, 25-8, 25-20 (Championship)
Downers Grove North d. Brother Rice 25-21, 25-19 (3rd place)
Downers Grove North d. Lake Park 25-19, 25-20
Glenbard South d. St. Francis 23-25, 25-19, 15-8
Glenbard West d. Cathedral (IN) 25-17, 20-25, 15-10
Glenbard West d. Downers Grove North 25-23, 25-17
Hinsdale Central d. Glenbard South 25-19, 26-24
Lake Park d. Glenbrook South 25-14, 18-25, 15-9
Minooka d. Naperville North 25-14, 21-25, 15-7
Minooka d. West Aurora 26-24, 25-21
Naperville North d. Lockport 14-25, 25-20, 15-10
Riverside-Brookfield d. Hinsdale Central 26-24, 25-22
West Aurora d. Lockport 25-14, 25-23
Yorkville d. Downers Grove South 26-24, 25-19
Boys water polo
Conant Invitational
Buffalo Grove 12, Conant 9
Buffalo Grove 12, Lincoln-Way Central 8
Buffalo Grove 13, Niles West 12
Conant 12, Niles West 8
Maine South 10, Neuqua Valley 9
Neuqua Valley 10, Libertyville 7
Hoffman Estates Invitational
McHenry 13, Hoffman Estates 9
McHenry 15, Elk Grove 3
Fremd Quad
Fremd 9, Evanston 4
Fremd 13, Mundelein 4
Fremd 13, Lockport 4
Stevenson Invitational
New Trier 8, Naperville North 5 (Championship)
Lincoln-Way East 13, Palatine 9
Naperville North 13, Lincoln-Way East 5
New Trier 13, Naperville Central 6
New Trier 14, Palatine 2
Stevenson 11, Palatine 7
York 14, Lincoln-Way East 3
Others
Bremen 15, Rolling Meadows 5
Girls water polo
Lyons 7, Hersey 2
Hersey 14, Mother McAuley 5
Hersey 9, New Trier 2
Upcoming
Monday, May 5
Baseball
Addison Trail at Downers Grove South, 4:30 p.m.
Aurora Christian at Timothy Christian, 4:30 p.m.
Bartlett at Elgin, 4:30 p.m.
Batavia at Geneva, 4:30 p.m.
Benet at Nazareth, 4:30 p.m.
Buffalo Grove at Hersey, 4:45 p.m.
Chicago Christian at Wheaton Academy, 4:30 p.m.
Crossroads at Westminster Christian, 4:30 p.m.
Crystal Lake Central at Jacobs, 4:30 p.m.
Crystal Lake South at McHenry, 4:30 p.m.
Dundee Crown at Hampshire, 4:30 p.m.
East Aurora at South Elgin, 4:30 p.m.
Elmwood Park at Fenton, 4:30 p.m.
Fremd at Barrington, 4:45 p.m.
Glenbard East at Riverside-Brookfield, 4:30 p.m.
Hampshire at Dundee Grove, 4:30 p.m.
Harvest Christian at Parkview Christian, 4:30 p.m.
Hoffman Estates at Conant, 4:45 p.m.
Huntley at Cary-Grove, 4:30 p.m.
IC Catholic Prep at Aurora Central Catholic, 4:30 p.m.
Kaneland at Morris, 4:30 p.m.
Lake Park at Glenbard North, 4:30 p.m.
Larkin at Streamwood, 4:30 p.m.
Leyden at Hinsdale South, 4:30 p.m.
Lyons at Hinsdale Central, 4:30 p.m.
Maine South at New Trier, 4:45 p.m.
Maine West at Niles North, 4:45 p.m.
Montini at Marmion Academy, 4:30 p.m.
Mundelein at Lake Zurich, 4:45 p.m.
Naperville Central at Metea Valley, 4:30 p.m.
Naperville North at Waubonsie Valley, 4:30 p.m.
Neuqua Valley at DeKalb, 4:30 p.m.
Niles West at Maine East, 7 p.m.
Prairie Ridge at Burlington Central, 4:30 p.m.
Prospect at Elk Grove, 4:45 p.m.
Rochelle Zell at Westmont, 4:30 p.m.
Schaumburg at Palatine, 4:45 p.m.
South Beloit at Christian Liberty, 4:30 p.m.
St. Charles North at St. Charles East, 4:30 p.m.
St. Edward at Bishop McNamara, 4:30 p.m.
St. Francis at De La Salle, 4:30 p.m.
St. Patrick at St. Viator, 4:30 p.m.
Streator at Lisle, 4:30 p.m.
Vernon Hills at Highland Park, 4:45 p.m.
Warren at Stevenson, 4:45 p.m.
West Chicago at Ridgewood, 4:30 p.m.
Wheaton North at Wheaton Warrenville South, 4:30 p.m.
Willowbrook at Morton, 4:30 p.m.
York at Glenbard West, 4:30 p.m.
Zion-Benton at Libertyville, 4:45 p.m.
Softball
Barrington at Buffalo Grove, 4:45 p.m.
Batavia at Lake Park, 4:30 p.m.
Chicago Hope at Timothy Christian, 5 p.m.
Conant at Elk Grove, 4:45 p.m.
Cristo Rey at Westmont, 5 p.m.
Crystal Lake South at Burlington Central, 4:30 p.m.
DeKalb at Neuqua Valley, 4:30 p.m.
Elgin at East Aurora, 4:30 p.m.
Evanston at Maine West, 4:45 p.m.
Fremd at Hersey, 4:45 p.m.
Glenbard South at Glenbard East, 4:30 p.m.
Glenbard West at Lyons, 4:45 p.m.
Grant at Carmel, 4:30 p.m.
Hampshire at Crystal Lake South, 4:30 p.m.
Hoffman Estates at Prospect, 4:45 p.m.
Jacobs at Cary-Grove, 4:30 p.m.
Kaneland at Rochelle, 4 p.m.
Leyden at Addison Trail, 4:45 p.m.
Libertyville at Lake Zurich, 4:45 p.m.
Maine South at Niles West, 4:30 p.m.
Marian Central at Aurora Christian, 4:30 p.m.
McHenry at Dundee Crown, 4:30 p.m.
Metea Valley at Naperville Central, 4:30 p.m.
Palatine at Rolling Meadows, 4:45 p.m.
Prairie Ridge at Huntley, 4:30 p.m.
Proviso West at Hinsdale Central, 4:45 p.m.
Riverside-Brookfield at Fenton, 4:30 p.m.
Schaumburg at Wheeling, 4:45 p.m.
South Elgin at Elmwood Park, 4:30 p.m.
St. Charles East at Glenbard North, 4:30 p.m.
St. Charles North at Wheaton North, 4:30 p.m.
St. Ignatius at St. Francis, 4:45 p.m.
St. Viator at Benet, 4:30 p.m.
Stevenson at Mundelein, 4:45 p.m.
Streamwood at Larkin, 4:30 p.m.
Streator at Lisle, 4:30 p.m.
Warren at Waukegan, 4:45 p.m.
Waubonsie Valley at Naperville North, 4;30 p.m.
West Aurora at Bartlett, 4:30 p.m.
West Chicago at Ridgewood, 4:30 p.m.
Wheaton Academy at St. Edward, 4:30 p.m.
Wheaton Warrenville South at Geneva, 4:30 p.m.
Willowbrook at Downers Grove South, 4:45 p.m.
York at Downers Grove North, 4:30 p.m.
Girls soccer
Aurora Central Catholic at St. Edward, 4:30 p.m.
Benet, Fremd, Geneva, Hinsdale Central, Naperville Central, Neuqua Valley, St. Charles North, Waubonsie Valley at Naperville North Ed Watson Invitational, TBA
Hampshire at Dundee Crown, 4:30 p.m.
Joliet Catholic Academy at Carmel, 5 p.m.
Lyons at Downers Grove North, 4:30 p.m.
Morris at Kaneland, 4 p.m.
Proviso West at Maine East, 5 p.m.
Resurrection at Streamwood, 7 p.m.
Riverside Brookfield at Glenbard East, 6:30 p.m.
Senn at Wheeling, 4:45 p.m.
Westmont at Chicago Prep Conference Tournament, TBA
Boys track and field
Addison Trail Quad, 4:30 p.m.
Burlington Central at Dundee Crown, 4:30 p.m.
Burlington Central, Hampshire at Dundee Crown, 4:30 p.m.
Cary-Grove at Crystal Lake South, 4:30 p.m.
Crystal Lake South Invitational, 4:30 p.m.
Grayslake North at North Chicago, 4:30 p.m.
Harvest Christian at Marian Central Catholic, TBA
Hinsdale South at Romeoville Quad, 4:30 p.m.
Huntley at Jacobs, 4:30 p.m.
Kaneland at Plainfield North, 4:30 p.m.
Round Lake at Antioch, 4:30 p.m.
St. Edward at Marian Central Catholic, 4:30 p.m.
Girls track and field
Addison Trail Quad, 4:30 p.m.
Cary-Grove, Crystal Lake South at Crystal Lake Central, 4:30 p.m.
Downers Grove North, Glenbard East, Glenbard South, Willowbrook at Glenbard West Invitational, 4:30 p.m.
Dundee Crown, Hampshire at Burlington Central Invitational, 4:30 p.m.
Grayslake North at North Chicago, 4:30 p.m.
Harvest Christian at Marian Central Catholic, TBA
Huntley at McHenry, 4:30 pm.
Round Lake at Antioch, 4:30 p.m.
Boys lacrosse
Andrew at Metea Valley, 7 p.m.
Andrew at Waubonsie Valley, 7 p.m.
Barrington at Schaumburg, 7 p.m.
Benet at Neuqua Valley, 6:30 p.m.
Buffalo Grove at Wheeling, 7 p.m.
Cary-Grove at Grant, 6 p.m.
Conant at Fremd, 7 p.m.
Crystal Lake Central at Wauconda, 5 p.m.
Elk Grove at Hersey, 5:30 p.m.
Geneva at Wheaton North, 7 p.m.
Glenbard North at St. Charles North, 6:30 p.m.
Grayslake at Warren, 6:45 p.m.
Hampshire at Huntley, 6:30 p.m.
Libertyville at South Elgin, 6:30 p.m.
Oak Park-River Forest at Downers Grove South, 6:30 p.m
Palatine at Hoffman Estates, 7 p.m.
Rolling Meadows at Prospect, 7 p.m.
St. Charles East at Batavia, 6:30 p.m.
St. Francis at Oak Forest, 4:30 p.m.
St. Rita at Marmion Academy, 5 p.m.
Wheaton Warrenville South at Lake Park, 7 p.m.
York at Lockport, 6:45 p.m.
Girls lacrosse
Benet at Sandburg, 7 p.m.
Cary-Grove/Crystal Lake Co-op at Lake Forest, 6:45 p.m.
Fremd at Conant, 7 p.m.
Hersey at Elk Grove, 6 p.m.
Hoffman Estates at Palatine, 6:30 p.m.
Huntley at Downers Grove North, 7 p.m.
Libertyville at Deerfield, 5 p.m.
Lincoln Way Central at York, 5:30 p.m.
Naperville North at Glenbard West, 5 p.m.
Neuqua Valley at Montini, 5 p.m.
Prospect at Rolling Meadows, 7 p.m.
Riverside-Brookfield at Wheaton Co-op, 6:30 p.m.
Schaumburg at Barrington, 6:30 p.m.
St. Francis at Trinity, 5 p.m.
Streamwood at Jacobs/Hampshire, 5 p.m.
Boys tennis
Aurora Central Catholic at Timothy Christian, 4:30 p.m.
Bartlett at West Chicago, 4:30 p.m.
Belvidere North at Kaneland, 4:30 p.m.
Conant at Hoffman Estates, 4:30 p.m.
Glenbard North at Larkin, 4 p.m.
Glenbard West at Glenbard South, 4 p.m.
Grant at Antioch, 4:30 p.m.
Grayslake Central at Libertyville, 4:45 p.m.
Hinsdale South at DePaul Prep, 4:30 p.m.
Lakes at Zion-Benton, 4:30 p.m.
Latin at Hersey, 4:30 p.m.
Marmion Academy at West Aurora, 4 p.m.
McHenry at Cary-Grove, 4 p.m.
Nazareth at St. Francis, 4:30 p.m.
Neuqua Valley at Lyons, 4:30 p.m.
Prospect at Maine South, 4:30 p.m.
Streamwood at Maine East, 4:15 p.m.
Vernon Hills at Stevenson, 4:45 p.m.
Waubonsie Valley at Wheaton Academy, 4:30 p.m.
Wheaton North at Downers Grove North, 4:30 p.m.
Willowbrook at Riverside-Brookfield, 4:30 p.m.
Woodstock at Hampshire, 4:30 p.m.
Boys volleyball
Antioch at Zion-Benton, 6 p.m.
Bremen at Glenbard South, 5:30 p.m.
Elk Grove at Rolling Meadows, 6 p.m.
Grant at Warren, 6 p.m.
Highland Park at Vernon Hills, 6 p.m.
Hinsdale Central at Bolingbrook, 6 p.m.
Hinsdale South at Oswego East, 5:30 p.m.
Lake Zurich at Lakes, 6 p.m.
Libertyville at Glenbrook North, 6 p.m.
Naperville Central at Wheaton Warrenville South, 5:30 p.m.
Niles North at Maine East, 5 p.m.
Niles West at Maine West, 6 p.m.
North Chicago at Mundelein, 6 p.m.
Plainfield North at Neuqua Valley, 5:30 p.m.
Wheaton Academy at Chesterton Academy, 6 p.m.
Boys water polo
Neuqua Valley at Lincoln Way East, 5 p.m.
Girls water polo
Hersey at Lyons, 4:45 p.m.
Hinsdale South at Homewood Flossmoor, 5 p.m.
Lincoln Way East at Neuqua Valley, 6 p.m.
Lockport at Metea Valley, 6 p.m.
York at Sandburg, 5 p.m.
Sports
GCU provides mental edge for MLB coaches
University of Miami pitching coach Laz Gutierrez (center) is one of several mental skills or performance directors who have earned doctorates from Grand Canyon University. (Photo by University of Miami) As a former major league baseball scout, Laz Gutierrez recognized that a player’s mental game is what separates most Division I college athletes. So when […]


As a former major league baseball scout, Laz Gutierrez recognized that a player’s mental game is what separates most Division I college athletes.
So when he wanted to study why pitchers suffered from the yips – the sudden and unexplained loss of ability to execute certain skills, such as throwing the ball – he enrolled at Grand Canyon University.
Gutierrez, who spent five years as the mental skills coordinator for the Boston Red Sox and serves as the pitching coach and mental skills director at the University of Miami, is one of several current or former major league mental skills or performance directors who have earned doctorates from GCU.

After being a part of five World Series championships with the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers, Carl Kochan was hired as director of performance for the St. Louis Cardinals in December, around the same time he graduated after successfully defending his doctorate, titled “The Longitudinal, Grounded Theory Study on Psychological Resilience and Professionals.”
Kellen Lee is in his third season as the mental skills coach for the Seattle Mariners, five years after earning his doctorate from GCU in 2020 and serving as a master resilience trainer/performance expert for the U.S. Army.
Chad Bohling, who is scheduled to earn his doctorate this year, is in his 21st season with the New York Yankees, currently serving as the senior director of organizational performance.
And Justin Su’a, who is on track to earn his doctorate from GCU next spring, was the head of mental performance for the Tampa Bay Rays for five years before starting the Performance Advisory Group, which assists coaches, players and executives in professional sports.
The groundswell of mental skills staffers in baseball over the last 20 years illustrates teams’ efforts to address their players’ well-being, as well as their physical tools.

“Remember, this is a people-person industry,” Kochan said. “So before a player is ever an athlete, he’s a human being. So, really, making sure that we have that human connection is priority No.1.”
He added, “Ultimately, getting to know somebody and understanding what they value, versus balancing what the organization needs, both as a player and as a staff member – that’s the fine line that we get to walk every day. And then, oh, by the way, try to win baseball games, too.”
One of the biggest ingredients is trust, and it didn’t hurt that Gutierrez knew Chris Sale – the 2024 National League Cy Young Award winner with Atlanta – when Sale pitched at Florida Gulf Coast University and Gutierrez scouted the South Florida region for Boston.
Sale was drafted by the Chicago White Sox, but the two connected quickly after Sale was traded to Boston after the 2016 season, when Gutierrez already transitioned to the mental skills department.
“He’s an easy guy to talk to because he was in the game and knew both sides of the ball,” Sale said. “He knew how to get information out of people and make them feel comfortable, but he also knew the game and knew when was the right time to go about it.”

Before one of Boston’s off-days, Sale planned to fly to Naples, Florida, to visit his wife and three children and invited Gutierrez, who then could rent a car to drive about 100 miles to see his family.
“There might have been only 14 seconds of silence the entire time,” Sale recalled of the flight. “We spent the whole time talking about anything and everything. Laz is one of my guys.”
As a former strength and conditioning coach, Kochan sought ways to improve his craft and marveled at how mental skills coach and former major league pitcher Bob Tewksbury and sports psychologist/former minor league manager Derin McMains conveyed tough and easy conversations and getting players to view things in a different light while with the Giants.
That swayed Kochan to pursue his doctorate in hopes of understanding what makes players and coaches tick when faced with adversity on a daily basis.
Lee has worked with service members who were thinking about their family and with college student-athletes concerned about an examination, so he recognizes the importance of helping a player direct their focus toward the task at hand and remain fully present.
“Being able to control their focus and focus on essentially what they can control in the moment is a key skill, a key tool in their toolkit to be able to optimize performance in the moment,” said Lee, who played baseball at UC San Diego, served as director of baseball operations at Santa Clara University and taught mental skills and physical education at Presentation High School, an all-girls school in San Jose, California.

Lee’s dissertation focuses on the mental component of injury rehabilitation.
“I just saw that particular subgroup of athletes could seriously benefit from just making sure that their mind is good, super confident going back into sport,” Lee said. “Because fear of injury is really common. Fear of like, ‘Oh no, like, am I going to be as good as I was before?’”
Lee’s sounding board includes wife Jaclyn, who is an athletic trainer in San Jose, and brother Korey, a catcher with the Chicago White Sox and his spring training roommate, thanks to the proximity of their spring facilities.
“I tell our players that I feel like I have the answers to the test, because my brother will tell me everything about what players are thinking about, what the pressure are at the high level, and I’m able to use some of those stories to connect what I spent years and years and years studying and understanding and being able to apply it in a very real way,” Lee said. “I’m using real-life examples coming directly from a player.”
Lee liked that GCU professors emphasized that he choose a topic he was passionate about, rather than be steered in a certain direction.
“I felt the power to be able to determine where I wanted to go and how I wanted to go about it,” he said.
GCU News senior writer Mark Gonzales can be reached at [email protected]
***
Related content:
GCU News: Doctoral graduate earns green light on traffic stop study
GCU News: Prized baseball possessions in hands of GCU student
Sports
Women’s Track & Field Qualifies Three for NCAA Outdoor Championships
Story Links ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College women’s track & field team will send three student-athletes to the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships at SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio from May 22-24. Laura Suppa and Rachel Larson will compete in the 100-meter hurdles, while Madeleine Wright will be in […]

ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College women’s track & field team will send three student-athletes to the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships at SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio from May 22-24.
Laura Suppa and Rachel Larson will compete in the 100-meter hurdles, while Madeleine Wright will be in action in the high jump.
Suppa, who finished 13th at last year’s Outdoor Championships, just set IC’s school record in the event at 13.86 seconds to move up to fourth nationally, while Larson is seeded seventh at 13.98 seconds. Both will run in the preliminary race at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, May 23, with the final set for 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 24.
Wright is seeded 11th in a jammed high jump competition at 1.68 meters. Eight qualifying athletes are tied for 11th entering the 11:30 a.m. start on Friday.
All three athletes have been named All-Americans during their career. Suppa is a three-time All-American with a top finish of fourth in the 60-meter hurdles, which occurred at this year’s NCAA Division III Indoor Championships, while Larson finished sixth in the same race. Wright was a Second Team All-American at indoors this season, placing 14th.
Sports
From Kentucky Wildcat to Pro Volleyball Champion: Kaz Brown shines on PVF’s biggest stage
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Former Kentucky Wildcat, Kaz Brown, is a Professional Volleyball Federation champion after she and the Orlando Valkyries defeated the Indy Ignite in four sets on Mother’s Day to claim the league’s second ever title. “The overwhelming emotion was joy,” Brown said. “The moment felt very joyful to be spending that championship […]


BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Former Kentucky Wildcat, Kaz Brown, is a Professional Volleyball Federation champion after she and the Orlando Valkyries defeated the Indy Ignite in four sets on Mother’s Day to claim the league’s second ever title.
“The overwhelming emotion was joy,” Brown said. “The moment felt very joyful to be spending that championship weekend with teammates, with family, with friends, which is one of the biggest perks.”
But before she was winning championships at the professional level, Brown dominated at the University of Kentucky, becoming the Wildcats all time leader in total blocks, solo blocks and block assists. After college, she would take her talents overseas, playing volleyball in Germany, Ukraine, France and Greece for a handful of years. That experience would shape her into the player she is today, becoming the first ever Middle Blocker of the Year in 2024.
“Being overseas prepared me a lot from a mental standpoint,” Brown said. You’re kind of over there alone and you kind of have to be the one to check yourself and and keep yourself in check. I think that benefited me greatly in my professional career.”
In the 2025 regular season, Brown set new career highs with 228 kills, 73 blocks, 56 digs and 19 aces. And in the playoffs, she picked up right where she left off, finishing with a career high seven blocks in the semifinals against the Atlanta Vibe and helping Orlando close out in day for the championship.
“I would have to say our experience is really what set us apart,” Brown said. “Having players who have been on a big stage before and have been able to perform and compete at that level, I think was huge for us.”
From Lexington stand out to 2025 champion, Brown is proving that Kentucky talent belongs at the top.
“I love the University of Kentucky,” Brown said. “I had the best four years of my life there to date. And so to be able to win a title at the pro level, I mean, I have I have so many people to thank, And the University of Kentucky volleyball program is definitely at the top of that list.”
Sports
Cal Poly Athletics Unveils Next Chapter
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Cal Poly Athletics has announced the establishment of the Players Trust, a groundbreaking initiative that will help attract and retain student-athletes through the support of alumni, parents and friends, putting Cal Poly on the forefront of the new landscape of college athletics. The House v. NCAA settlement has allowed universities […]

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Cal Poly Athletics has announced the establishment of the Players Trust, a groundbreaking initiative that will help attract and retain student-athletes through the support of alumni, parents and friends, putting Cal Poly on the forefront of the new landscape of college athletics.
The House v. NCAA settlement has allowed universities more freedom to increase the number of scholarships provided and offer supplemental scholarship opportunities alongside existing NIL policies. This has opened the door for Cal Poly Athletics to create a balance of financial opportunity for student-athletes who thrive both athletically and academically, leading to the creation of the Players Trust.
Sports
NCAA Reforms Put Olympic Sports on the Ropes
NCAA Reforms Put Olympic Sports on the Ropes: What’s at Stake for Swimming and Beyond The Knight Commission will convene Tuesday, May 20, for what may be one of the most consequential conversations in the history of college athletics. With NCAA President Charlie Baker on the agenda and Olympic sport leaders in attendance, the stakes […]
NCAA Reforms Put Olympic Sports on the Ropes: What’s at Stake for Swimming and Beyond
The Knight Commission will convene Tuesday, May 20, for what may be one of the most consequential conversations in the history of college athletics. With NCAA President Charlie Baker on the agenda and Olympic sport leaders in attendance, the stakes are high—and for swimming, they’re personal. Formed in 1989, the Knight Commission is designed to promote reform in collegiate athletics.
Triggered by the $2.8 billion House v. NCAA settlement, the collegiate sports model is shifting fast. Schools are preparing to directly pay athletes. Scholarship limits are being lifted. And in the scramble to manage new financial pressures, Olympic sports are being cut.
Cal Poly eliminated men’s and women’s swimming this spring, citing a $450,000 annual burden from the settlement. Grand Canyon dropped its nationally ranked men’s volleyball team. Coaches from every corner of the country are already reducing rosters—often without notice. This isn’t theoretical. It’s happening now.
While football and men’s basketball will absorb the coming changes, non-revenue sports are left to fend for themselves. And the NCAA’s own data confirms the threat: more than 65% of U.S. Olympians have come through college programs.
What’s at Risk
Swimming & Diving is not alone. Programs across Olympic sports—from wrestling to rowing to track—are bracing for impact. Some will lose scholarships. Others will shrink teams. A few may be gone for good. Here’s a look at how Division I sports stack up under the pressure of the settlement:
Sport | Revenue? | Programs (M/W) | Risk of Cuts/Roster Reductions |
---|---|---|---|
Swimming & Diving | No | 137 / 200 | High (Cal Poly) |
Track & Field / XC | No | 300+ / 300+ | High (roster limits underway) |
Wrestling | No | 80 / 4 | High (historically vulnerable) |
Water Polo | No | 29 / 37 | High (few programs, high cost) |
Rowing (W) | No | 93 | High (caps hit walk-on depth) |
Gymnastics | No | 12 / 4 | Medium–High (few programs remain) |
Soccer | No | 212 / 349 | Medium–High (caps shrinking teams) |
Baseball / Softball | Partial | 307 / 309 | Medium (cuts to baseball walk-ons) |
Basketball | Yes / Moderate | 364 / 362 | Low (minimal changes) |
What We’re Looking For
The May 20 meeting will set the tone for how Olympic sports are—or aren’t—protected going forward. Swimming World will be in the room, listening to what Baker and others say not just about revenue sharing and governance, but about opportunity, equity, and the role of swimming and similar sports in the future of college athletics.
We know the scoreboard. We know the cuts. And we know what’s at stake.
Now it’s time to see who will stand up for the sports that built Team USA.
We’ll have a followup after the meeting with analysis and insight from Tuesday’s session. Until then, the message is clear:
The pipeline to the Olympics runs through college campuses. Let’s not shut it down.
Sports
Kamara to Represent Bowie State at NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships
Story Links BOWIE, MD – Bowie State standout thrower Yassine Kamara is set to make her second-straight appearance at the 2025 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships, that will take place from Thursday, May 22 to Saturday, May 24 in Pueblo, Colo., at Colorado State University Pueblo’s Thunderbowl Stadium. Meet: NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field […]

BOWIE, MD – Bowie State standout thrower Yassine Kamara is set to make her second-straight appearance at the 2025 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships, that will take place from Thursday, May 22 to Saturday, May 24 in Pueblo, Colo., at Colorado State University Pueblo’s Thunderbowl Stadium.
Meet: NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championship
When: Thursday, May. 22 – Saturday, May. 24
Location: Pueblo, Colo. (CSUP Thunderbowl)
Meet Information: Click Here
Event Schedule: Click Here
Watch: Click Here
Tickets: Click Here
Also accompanying Bowie State from the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) conference is Claflin University who leads the league with four student-athletes while Johnson C. Smith and Virginia State add two qualifiers each, respectively.
Kamara will compete in the women’s discus throw on Friday, May 23 at 2 p.m., and the women’s shot put on Saturday, May 24 at 1:15 p.m., both taking place at CSUP Thunderbowl Stadium.
Last Timeout
Kamara’s last outing was during the CIAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships where she captured the gold medal in the discus with a throw of 50.16 meters and secured the silver medal in the shot put with a mark of 13.09 meters at the Durham County Stadium in Durham, N.C., on May 3.
For the most up-to-date information on Bowie State Athletics and its 13 varsity sport teams, visit bsubulldogs.com.
-
College Sports3 weeks ago
Duke basketball's Isaiah Evans on 2025 NBA Draft early entry list
-
Fashion2 weeks ago
How to watch Avalanche vs. Stars Game 7 FREE stream today
-
High School Sports2 weeks ago
Web exclusive
-
Sports1 week ago
Princeton University
-
Sports1 week ago
2025 NCAA softball bracket: Women’s College World Series scores, schedule
-
Motorsports2 weeks ago
Bowman Gray is the site of NASCAR’S “Advance Auto Parts Night at the Races” this Saturday
-
NIL2 weeks ago
2025 Big Ten Softball Tournament Bracket: Updated matchups, scores, schedule
-
NIL2 weeks ago
Patty Gasso confirms Sophia Bordi will not finish season with Oklahoma softball
-
Motorsports2 weeks ago
MOTORSPORTS: Three local track set to open this week | Sports
-
Motorsports2 weeks ago
$1.5 Billion Legal Powerhouse Announces Multi-Year NASCAR Deal With Kyle Busch