Sports

Holland Christian boys volleyball serves way into state finals

HUDSONVILLE – Grant VanderZee admits his serving could use some work. But the Holland Christian star was nearly perfect when it counted. VanderZee served six-straight points to finish off a 3-0 victory over Kalamazoo Christian to advance to the Division 2 boys volleyball state championship game. The Maroons won 25-12, 25-21 and 25-15 on Friday […]

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1 month ago

June 7, 2025

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HUDSONVILLE – Grant VanderZee admits his serving could use some work.

But the Holland Christian star was nearly perfect when it counted.

VanderZee served six-straight points to finish off a 3-0 victory over Kalamazoo Christian to advance to the Division 2 boys volleyball state championship game.

The Maroons won 25-12, 25-21 and 25-15 on Friday afternoon at Hudsonville High School in the state semifinals.

“It feels awesome,” said VanderZee, who was named Michigan’s Mr. Volleyball last week. “Obviously, last year we didn’t get the chance (to make it this far). But this year we’ve pulled it off and it’s the farthest we’ve gone in the program’s history. It means a lot.”

Holland Christian will play the winner of Lowell on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Hudsonville.

“I’m ecstatic,” Maroons coach Mark Walraven said. “It’s the first time for Holland Christian to get this far in the state. We’ve got a team that can go all the way.”

Walraven said he was surprised the Maroons cruised to three-straight wins.

“You don’t expect to win in three,” he said. “In volleyball, sometimes you lose momentum and then you gain momentum back. I would have expected to drop a set this deep in the playoffs. But we played great. Hats off to Kalamazoo Christian, but we just played well and had it all together today.”

VanderZee, a 6-foot-6 senior, has a powerful arm at the net. And his coach said his jump serve is just as powerful. But not very accurate. So they came up with a solution.

“I only jump served last year,” he said. “But I developed the float serve in the offseason. It’s just more reliable. The jump serve is a pretty easy ball to receive. So the float moves back and forth and it’s hard for them to control them. It can move side to side.”

So VanderZee was thrilled to reel off six-straight points in the final game.

“It was awesome,” he said. “I’ve been really struggling with my serves lately. The float serve was going in today. I picked a spot and aimed for it and just see what happens. And they were struggling with it.”

Junior brings much-needed energy

Jacob Tinholt is an athletic, bouncy volleyball player and had some big plays at the net on Friday.

“Jacob played great,” Walraven said. “Everything about his game is good. He passed well in the backcourt and he’s always great at the net. Our focus is to minimize mistakes in games like this and he did that today.”

But his enthusiasm is what really stands out about the Holland Christian junior.

“He is as passionate as anyone on the court,” Walraven said. “Sometimes his emotions are too much. But that’s part of the sport. His emotions can bring a lot to the game and he can rally the team around his passion.”

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Sports

Pentecost Joins Elite Club As Three-Time Academic All-American

Story Links Complete List of Honorees GREENWOOD, Ind. – UIndy student-athlete Zoe Pentecost was voted to the 2025 Academic All-America® Division II Track & Field Team, as selected by the College Sports Communicators (CSC) and announced Tuesday. A third-team honoree this year, Pentecost became […]

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13 minutes ago

July 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

GREENWOOD, Ind. – UIndy student-athlete Zoe Pentecost was voted to the 2025 Academic All-America® Division II Track & Field Team, as selected by the College Sports Communicators (CSC) and announced Tuesday. A third-team honoree this year, Pentecost became just the 10th student-athlete and first women’s trackster in UIndy Athletics history to garner three consecutive Academic All-America® accolades. The annual list recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the track and in the classroom.

Pentecost wrapped up a stellar career this academic year. She placed third in the weight throw at the 2025 NCAA DII Indoor Championships meet in March and just missed All-America status with a ninth-place showing in the hammer throw at outdoor nationals this past May. All told, the Westfield, Ind., native racked up six NCAA All-America laurels in her time at UIndy, including a pair of national titles.

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State semifinal volleyball regional sites announced

State AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWashington D.C.West VirginiaWisconsinWyomingPuerto RicoUS Virgin IslandsArmed Forces AmericasArmed Forces PacificArmed Forces EuropeNorthern Mariana IslandsMarshall IslandsAmerican SamoaFederated States of MicronesiaGuamPalauAlberta, CanadaBritish Columbia, CanadaManitoba, CanadaNew Brunswick, CanadaNewfoundland, CanadaNova Scotia, CanadaNorthwest Territories, CanadaNunavut, CanadaOntario, CanadaPrince Edward Island, CanadaQuebec, CanadaSaskatchewan, CanadaYukon Territory, Canada Zip Code Country United States of […]

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14 minutes ago

July 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

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USF Men’s Soccer Announces 2025 Schedule

Story Links TAMPA, Fla., July 15, 2025 – The University of South Florida Men’s Soccer program and Head Coach Bob Butehorn have announced the Bulls’ 2025 schedule, featuring a competitive slate of 19 contests designed to prepare the squad for another strong run in the American Athletic Conference. The Bulls will play […]

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18 minutes ago

July 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

TAMPA, Fla., July 15, 2025 – The University of South Florida Men’s Soccer program and Head Coach Bob Butehorn have announced the Bulls’ 2025 schedule, featuring a competitive slate of 19 contests designed to prepare the squad for another strong run in the American Athletic Conference.

The Bulls will play their home opener at Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg, followed by eight matches at Corbett Stadium. The Bulls have seven contests on the road slate, including opening their season at St. Louis and Lipscomb. Butehorn’s squad gets ready for the season with three preseason exhibitions, including a neutral-site contest against Vermont on its preseason trip to Maine.

“We’ve put together another challenging schedule, in particular at Corbett, with perennially strong opponents,” said Butehorn. “This season, fans throughout the Bay Area will have a great opportunity to see us play at home as well as in St. Pete at Al Lang Stadium. It’s a good mix of first-time opponents, some bigger names, and in-state rivals to help prepare us for the always-tough AAC schedule.”

Key Highlights of the 2025 Schedule:

Preseason Tune-Ups: USF kicks off the year with three exhibition matches — vs. reigning national champion Vermont (Aug. 11, neutral site), Southeastern (Aug. 13, home), and Florida Tech (Aug. 17, home).
Season Opener: The regular season begins on the road at St. Louis University (Aug. 21) and continues at Lipscomb (Aug. 24) before returning home.
Home Non-Conference Matches: The Bulls’ home opener is at Al Lang Stadium vs. UNC Greensboro (Aug. 28). The Corbett Stadium opens up for regular season play vs. FGCU (Aug. 31), and continues vs. UCF (Sept. 4), Western Michigan (Sept. 30), and Stetson (Oct. 7).
Conference Slate: USF opens AAC play at home against UAB (Sept. 12). The Bulls will also host Charlotte (Sept. 27), Missouri State (Oct. 17), and FAU (Oct. 29). Conference road trips include Tulsa (Sept. 21), FIU (Oct. 12), Temple (Oct. 24), and Memphis (Nov. 2).

TICKETS
Fans can purchase men’s soccer tickets by calling 1-800-GoBulls or at USFBullsTix.com.

FOLLOW USF MEN’S SOCCER
To stay up-to-date on the latest USF Men’s Soccer news, follow the Bulls on social media (Twitter | Facebook | Instagram).

ABOUT USF MEN’S SOCCER
USF Men’s Soccer competed in the school’s first-ever intercollegiate athletic contest on Sept. 25, 1965, beating Florida Southern 4-3. Since then, the oldest program on campus has built a winning tradition, claiming 14 conference championships and making 22 NCAA Tournament appearances, including three trips to the Elite Eight.

The program also has a strong reputation within the professional game and boasts 30 MLS draft picks. Notable alumni include two-time MLS Golden Boot winner Jeff Cunningham, USA 1994 World Cup star Roy Wegerle, and 2013 MLS Cup winner Dom Dwyer. Men’s Soccer has three Alumni and a coach in the USF Athletics Hall of Fame: Fergus Hopper, Jeff Attinella, Jeff Cunningham & Dan Holcomb.

– #GoBulls –

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Tarpley Earns CSC Academic All-America® Honors for Track & Field

Story Links KENOSHA – Carthage College women’s track and field student-athlete, Nicole Tarpley, has been named to this year’s 2024-2025 NCAA Division III College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America Third Team. Tarpley, a graduate student from Bloomingdale, Ill., studying education, earned this honor after a stellar season in the ring […]

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33 minutes ago

July 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

KENOSHA – Carthage College women’s track and field student-athlete, Nicole Tarpley, has been named to this year’s 2024-2025 NCAA Division III College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America Third Team.

Tarpley, a graduate student from Bloomingdale, Ill., studying education, earned this honor after a stellar season in the ring and the classroom. Tarpley placed third in the discus throw and fourth in the hammer throw at the 2025 CCIW Outdoor Championships. At the 2025 CCIW Indoor Championships, Tarpley took first place in the weight throw. On the national level, Tarpley competed at both the NCAA Division III Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Tarpley earned All-American honors at both championships. At the indoor championships, Tarpley placed eighth in the weight throw and 12th at the outdoor championships in the discus throw. Nationally, in the North Region, Tarpley had the fifth-best mark in the indoor weight throw, sixth in the outdoor discus throw, and fifth in the outdoor hammer throw.

To be considered for CSC Academic All-America Honors, individuals have to maintain a 3.50 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) at their institution. Nominated athletes must be ranked in the top 50 in the region in a single event (XC, indoor, or outdoor) and must be an individual performance, not a relay performance. Nominees must have completed one full calendar year at their institution and have reached sophomore athletic eligibility. Additionally, individuals must have been chosen for the CSC Academic All-District Team and advance to the national ballot. The CSC Academic All-America program is voted upon strictly by members of the College Sports Communicators Association.

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Barton Hall-of-Famer, Former Coach of the Year Named Nickerson Volleyball Coach – Ad Astra Radio

NICKERSON, Kan. – Trish Wade, a Barton Community College Hall of Fame inductee, four-time All-American, and 2011 1A Coach of the Year, has been hired by Nickerson High School as their new Head Volleyball Coach. Wade coached high school volleyball for 17 years at St. John, racking up over 420 career wins, coaching 10 state tournament […]

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34 minutes ago

July 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

NICKERSON, Kan. – Trish Wade, a Barton Community College Hall of Fame inductee, four-time All-American, and 2011 1A Coach of the Year, has been hired by Nickerson High School as their new Head Volleyball Coach.

Wade coached high school volleyball for 17 years at St. John, racking up over 420 career wins, coaching 10 state tournament Final Fours, and four state championships. She has a track record of excellence going back to her playing days where she played volleyball and basketball at Barton Community College.

While with the Cougars, Wade played under legendary head coach Ray Bechard in 1985 and 1986, earning two All-American honors. She then moved on to play volleyball at Florida Southern where she also won all-conference and All-American honors. She was inducted to the Barton Community College Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.

Trish Wade is also the mother of former St. John basketball star, former K-State basketball star, and current member of the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers Dean Wade.

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Video: Watch how Intuit Dome is transformed into Intuit Beach

AVP, the biggest and longest-running professional volleyball league, hosted beach volleyball matches for the first time in an NBA arena this past weekend. Hosted at the Intuit Dome, crews were tasked with bringing 300 tons of sand from a quarry in Palm Springs, which is roughly 16 truck loads. AVP is looking for creative ways […]

Published

38 minutes ago

July 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

AVP, the biggest and longest-running professional volleyball league, hosted beach volleyball matches for the first time in an NBA arena this past weekend.

Hosted at the Intuit Dome, crews were tasked with bringing 300 tons of sand from a quarry in Palm Springs, which is roughly 16 truck loads. AVP is looking for creative ways to attract a new audiences to the sport, often hosting their marquee volleyball events in unconventional locations.

Timelapse of Intuit Dome transforming into an indoor beach vollyball court. (Kelvin Kuo / Los Angeles Times)

A wooden sandbox was constructed to contain the prewashed sand and form a single court.

It took the crew, which consists of about 150 people for a change over a typical event at Intuit Dome, five hours after the conclusion of the event to ready the arena for Clippers season ticket-holders the following day.

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