SAN DIEGO — Defender Lauren Watson became the first player in USD beach volleyball history on Monday afternoon when she signed a grant-in-aid agreement to play for the Toreros.

Watson, who hails from Phoenix, Arizona, attends Notre Dame Preparatory High School, where she was twice named the Arizona Beach Volleyball Player of the Year by the Arizona Republic. She will join San Diego for its inaugural beach volleyball season in the spring of 2027.

“Lauren is a really good all-around talent,” said USD beach volleyball head coach Derek Olson. “As a defender that can sit in the pocket and run shots down, she has good defensive instincts and covers a lot of sand.”

Her high school career thus far has seen her earn two Arizona Beach Volleyball Pairs State Championships, three All-League First-Team honors, and her league’s Defensive Player of the Year award.

“She also knows how to win and that’s very apparent by her results in tournaments,” Olson added. “But what I appreciate most about Lauren is her ability to play with anyone and make them better. She adds value to the environment that she is in.”
 

On Tuesday, Dec. 23, UC San Diego Athletics announced that USC associate head coach Spencer McLachlin will be the next head coach of Triton women’s volleyball. He replaces Melanie Greene, who stepped down on Dec. 6 after two seasons as head coach.

The coaching change comes after a tumultuous 6-24 season where a promising Triton team never found its rhythm. The Tritons were eliminated from postseason contention with three games left in the season following a loss to UC Riverside on Nov. 17. Assistant coach Kara Barkdoll Coy was named interim head coach for the final six games of the season after Greene’s departure.

“Spencer brings exactly what we need at this moment,” athletic director Andy Fee said in a press release. “He’s helped build winning programs, developed All-Americans, and knows how to compete at the highest level.”

McLachlin played collegiately at Stanford, winning a national championship with the Cardinal in 2010 and ending his four years in Palo Alto ranked third in career kills. McLachlin then served as an assistant coach at Hawai’i, California, UCLA, and Indiana before joining USC as associate head coach in 2023. This past season, the Trojans went 25-7 but fell in the second round of the NCAA Championship in a five-set upset loss against Cal Poly. McLachlin’s new position at UCSD will be his first head coaching role.

“I am thrilled to join UC San Diego as the Head Coach of the women’s volleyball program,” McLachlin said. “This is an incredible opportunity for my family and me to be part of an historic and beautiful university and build a program with great potential.”

DALLAS (SMU) – The SMU Volleyball team announced the signings of outside hitter Suli Davis, libero Victoria Harris, opposite hitter Gabi Placide and setter Ava Sarafa to the 2026 roster on Monday. 

Arriving for the spring 2026 semester, Placide brings in three years of collegiate playing experience; Harris and Sarafa come to the Hilltop with two and Davis comes to SMU with one year playing at the college level. 

 

Details of the four transfers are below.  

Suli Davis, So., 6-2, Outside Hitter, Euless, Texas – BYU

AVCA Second Team All-American (2025) 

AVCA West Region Freshman of the Year (2025) 

AVCA All-West Region First Team (2025) 

Big 12 Freshman of the Year (2025) 

All-Big 12 First Team (2025) 

Big 12 All-Rookie Team (2025) 

6x Big 12 Rookie of the Week (Sept. 9, Oct. 7, Oct. 21, Nov. 4, Nov. 25, Dec. 2, 2025) 

2025 (Freshman at BYU) 

–Broke BYU’s all-time freshman kills record during the Cougars’ five-set win over Utah on Nov. 26 

–Broke BYU’s rally-scoring era freshman kills record against Arizona on Nov. 19 

–27th player in Big 12 history with 500+ kills in a single season 

–30 double-digit kill matches, third-most in the rally-scoring era at BYU 

–Team-leading 10 double-doubles 

–Led the team in kills in 22 matches, including 13 of the Cougars’ final 14 

–Played in all 31 of the Cougars’ matches and 119 sets, starting 29 matches 

–Recorded 541 kills, third-most in a rally-scoring era season at BYU, 252 digs, 43 total blocks, including 10 solo stuffs, 31 assists and 25 service aces 

–Finished No. 1 in total kills (541), kills per set (4.55) and points per set (4.97) in the Cougars’ all-time freshman record book 

–Finished No. 1 in sets played (119), total kills (541), kills per set (4.55), total points (591.5) and points per set (4.97) in the freshman rally-scoring era at BYU 

–Is also second in double-doubles (10) and third in solo blocks (10) in the Cougars’ freshman rally-era record book 

–Career-high 28 kills in back-to-back matches (at Utah on Nov. 14 and vs. Arizona Nov. 19), the second-most kills by a freshman in the rally-scoring era at BYU 

Victoria Harris, Jr., 5-4, DS/Libero, Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina

SEC Community Service Team (2025) 

SEC All-Freshman Team (2024) 

SEC Freshman of the Week (Nov. 18, 2024) 

 

2025 (Sophomore at South Carolina) 

-Appeared in all 26 matches for the Gamecocks in her second season with the program 

-Finished fourth in the SEC with 4.11 digs per set, totaling 399 digs 

-Added 120 assists and 16 aces in her sophomore campaign 

-Had seven matches with 20+ digs and 21 matches with double-digit digs 

-Logged a season-best 27 digs at Missouri on Oct. 24  

-Second in the SEC during conference play, averaging 4.31 digs per set for South Carolina 

-Finished with 795 digs, 223 assists and 35 aces as a Gamecock in two seasons 

Gabi Placide, Sr., 6-0, Opposite Hitter, Centennial, Colo. – Ole Miss 

AVCA South Region Honorable Mention (2025) 

SEC Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 22, 2025) 

AVCA West Region Honorable Mention (2024) 

Big Sky All-Conference First Team (2024) 

2x Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 21, Oct. 28, 2024) 

Big Sky Conference Fall All-Academic Team (2024) 

Big Sky Outstanding Freshman Award (2023) 

Big Sky All-Academic Team (2023) 

 

2025 (Junior at Ole Miss) 

-Started and played in all 29 matches for the Rebels 

-Led the team with 558.5 total points, 5.12 points per set, ranking third in the SEC and 15th in the NCAA 

-Registered 488 kills (31st in the NCAA) on a .213 hitting percentage in her lone season with Ole Miss 

-Logged 34 aces (sixth in the SEC) to lead Ole Miss and added 182 digs, 1.67 digs per set.  

-Had 10 matches with 20+ kills and logged double-digit kills in 25 of 29 matches  

-Registered five double-doubles, including a 19-kill and 14-dig outing against LSU on Nov. 2 

-Had a career-high 28 kills against Alabama on Oct. 31 

-Notched 22 kills, 10 digs and five aces against Texas on Oct. 24 

 

Ava Sarafa, R-Jr., 6-0, Setter, Bloomfield Hills, Mich. – Kentucky 

Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll (2024) 

First-Year SEC Academic Honor Roll (2023-24) 

OREM — The first NCAA Division I national championship in Utah Valley University has been vacated.

Multiple reports Monday indicated that former UVU distance star Everlyn Kemboi had her 10,000-meter national title from the 2023 NCAA outdoor track and field championships vacated by the association’s committee on infractions.

The Metkei, Kenya, native who transferred to Utah Valley after starting her career at Arizona and El Paso Community College won the school’s first individual national championship with a time of 32 minutes, 39.08 seconds June 9, 2023 at the University of Texas-Austin’s Mike A. Myers Stadium.

Kemboi’s runner-up finish in the 5,000-meter run has also been removed from the association record books, as first reported by The Stride Report.

The decision first drew attention Dec. 19, when former Utah distance athlete Emily Venters revealed in a statement on Instagram that an appeal she filed with the NCAA asking to move up her 10K runner-up finish in June 2023 due to the disqualification of an athlete had been denied.

Venters, the Utes’ program record-holder in the 10,000 and 5,000 meters in outdoor track and field, finished second to Kemboi in 32 minutes, 47.70 seconds in June of her senior season in 2023. She also finished third in the 5,000 meters in 15:42.40.

Both times were the fastest by a Utah track athlete at an NCAA championship event. But Venters said her and her family were told by NCAA officials that the athlete who finished first in the 10K and second in the 5K — she did not identify Kemboi by name in her statement — had tested positive for a banned substance and had her results revoked.

“Today’s decision from the NCAA is beyond disappointing,” Venters said in a statement posted to Instagram under: “This is something I never wanted to have to post, but staying quiet would mean accepting something that isn’t right.”

“With the support of my dad and Utah’s athletic department, we fought for what we believed was right, to have the results corrected,” she added. “Today, the NCAA denied that request. What hurts most is that I will never get that moment back. I will never get to experience being named a national champion, standing on the top step of that podium, hearing my name called. That moment was taken from me by someone who chose to cheat, and now by a system that refuses to fix it.”

She called the decision “an emotional loss” and one that has “real consequences for my future” including financially for the now-professional runner sponsored by Nike and Xendurance. She also joined Utah-based Run Elite Program last June for training and support.

“But this is bigger than me,” Venters added. “This sets a dangerous standard for the next generation of NCAA athletes. It tells them that cheating can happen, that athletes can test positive, and yet the right thing still will not be done. It sends the message that clean athletes who do things the right way may never be protected or rewarded. That is not the sport we love.

“If the NCAA is willing to let this stand, then it needs to take a hard look int he mirror. Accountability matters. Clean athletes deserve better. I am speaking out because this should not be swept under the rug. This is not just my story. It is about the future of our sport, and unless things change, the message being sent is that cheating is tolerated. That is a standard we should never accept.”

Officials from Utah Valley University have not commented on the situation. But an addition to the school’s press release from June 2023 indicates that Kemboi’s national championship “was later vacated by the committee on infractions.”

A former three-time All-American and five-time Western Athletic Conference champion, Kemboi has since turned pro and appeared in 18 professional track and road races that include top events like the Portland Track Festival and the Fairmouth Road Race, according to The Stride Report.

Football
12/29/2025 6:10:00 PM

Elon Athletics

14 Total Phoenix Receive Phil Steele All-CAA Postseason Recognition

ELON – Elon redshirt senior punter Jeff Yurk earned First Team All-American honors and was tabbed as the CAA Special Teams Player of the Year by Phil Steele on Monday. Kahmari Brown (Fourth Team All-American) and Landen Clark (Third Team Freshman All-American), headline a deep list of 14 Phoenix who received 2025 Phil Steele All-CAA football postseason accolades.
 
The 14 Phoenix to receive postseason recognition included three first-team selections, two second-team honorees, seven third-team picks and three fifth-team choices. For the full list of FCS All-Americans and All-CAA selections visit PhilSteele.com.
 
Jeff Yurk – P
First Team All-American, CAA Special Teams Player of the Year
·       Ranked second in the FCS and third in all of college football with 48.3 yards per punt
·       Tallied 17 punts inside the 20 and 24 punts of 50-plus yards
·       Averaged five yards more per punt than any other CAA punter
 
Kahmari Brown – DL
Fourth Team All-American
·       First Elon player ever with double-digit sacks in a season (12.0)
·       Broke Elon’s single-season FCS sacks record; tied program’s FCS career sacks record (16.5)
·       Led the CAA in sacks by 2.5; only CAA player with double-digit sacks
·       Ranked top-15 nationally in forced fumbles, sacks, and tackles for loss
·       Two-time CAA Defensive Player of the Week selection
 
Landen Clark – QB
Third Team Freshman All-American
·       The third Phoenix to earn CAA Rookie of the Year honors, joining Davis Cheek (2017) and Jaylan Thomas (2018)
·       First Elon freshman to win three CAA Rookie of the Week awards
·       Broke Elon’s single-season FCS rushing touchdown record (11)
·       Ranked second among CAA quarterbacks with 614 rushing yards
·       Threw for 2,321 yards, ranking sixth in the CAA and second among CAA freshman quarterbacks
·       Accounted for 29 total touchdowns (18 passing, 11 rushing), the second most in a season in program history
·       Ranked fourth in the CAA in total offense (2,935 yards)
 
The following players were selected as Phil Steele All-CAA selections:
Isaiah Fuhrmann (WR) – First Team
Kahmari Brown (DL) – First Team
Jeff Yurk (P) – Special Teams Player of the Year, First Team
Dylan Magazu (HB/FB) – Second Team
Ishmel Atkins (DB) – Second Team
Timothy Hogan (OL) – Third Team
Brodie Carroll (LB) – Third Team
Asher Cunningham (LB) – Third Team
DJ James-Hamilton (DB) – Third Team
Tony Hart III (DB) – Third Team
Luke Barnes (PK) – Third Team
TJ Thomas Jr. (AP) – Third Team
Brayden Walker (OL) – Fifth Team
Jake Louro (DL) – Fifth Team
TJ Thomas Jr. (KR) – Fifth Team
 
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-ElonPhoenix.com-