Sports
How Christian Yelich is carrying on Bob Uecker's legacy
-
Jesse Rogers
CHRISTIAN YELICH HAD tears in his eyes.
The Milwaukee Brewers had just been eliminated from the 2024 MLB postseason in heartbreaking fashion when New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso homered off closer Devin Williams in the ninth inning of Game 3 of their wild-card series.
But Yelich wasn’t necessarily getting emotional about just his team’s loss.
The tears came after a postgame interaction with legendary Milwaukee broadcaster Bob Uecker. The two shared a bond, grown out of years of mutual respect. Aside from Uecker, Yelich had become the face of the Brewers. An MVP season in 2018 followed by a huge contract extension to keep Yelich in town for the rest of his career cemented the man some players call “Cap” as the guy in Milwaukee — after Uecker, of course.
“Yelich bridges the evolution of our franchise, going from Prince Fielder, Ryan Braun and Rickie Weeks to Christian Yelich,” general manager Matt Arnold told ESPN recently. “I think he’s somebody that has seen a lot in his life.”
When Uecker died in January at age 90, not long after that final game-day interaction, it hit Yelich hard. Even if he had some inkling that the painful playoff loss might be Uecker’s last, he had no way of knowing at the time that it would be Uecker’s last day at American Family Field and that the 2024 season would be the final one shared with someone who had taught Yelich so much along the way.
“I think his biggest gift was he was authentically himself,” Yelich told ESPN this month. “This is Bob Uecker. He genuinely cares how you’re doing. A young player gets called up for the first time, he knows everything about him, first time he’s ever met him, but he knows where he went to school, where he’s from. What he’s about. I tried to learn from that.”
Yelich met Uecker just days after being traded from Miami to Milwaukee in January 2018. Brewers ownership sent a plane to pick up their new star outfielder, and on it were Uecker and Hall of Famer Robin Yount. Since that day, the two had been close — hanging around the office, dugout and batting cage, often with the Brewers’ managers, Pat Murphy and previously Craig Counsell (now managing the Cubs). But in Milwaukee, everyone deferred to Uecker.
“Ueck was always first,” Counsell recalled with a smile. “That’s just how it works. Everyone wanted it to be that way. Even the best player. He wanted it that way.”
After all, it was Uecker with over 50 years in the game and the countless stories that come with all that experience. Yelich listened. And learned.
“It was just the way he connects with people,” Yelich said. “When you talk to Ueck, whether he knew you or not, you would feel as though he’d known you for a long time and you guys were great friends. I’ve tried to do that with our players as well.”
On Opening Day this year, Yelich honored Uecker by wearing a checkered-plaid suit to the ballpark in New York. Then when the Brewers memorialized their iconic broadcaster before their home opener, everyone looked to Yelich — counting on Milwaukee’s MVP to lead the way as the face of the franchise from that day forward.
“He was a huge part of that celebration for Uecker,” teammate Rhys Hoskins said of Yelich. “He was probably more nervous than stepping on a baseball field.”
‘When the tough things happen, it’s your responsibility’
Lawrence Iles/Icon SportswireYELICH IS SEVERAL years removed from his MVP-caliber seasons, but he began to recapture that form when he compiled a .909 OPS over his first 73 games last season. He was also on his way to a career high in stolen bases before back problems ended his year prematurely. It was crushing. The Brewers were a contender but would have to play on without their leader.Despite missing the final two months on the field, Yelich was present cheering his teammates on during every step of Milwaukee’s march to a third NL Central title in four years.That type of leadership comes as no surprise to his former manager Counsell, who said: “It’s often when the tough things happen, it’s your responsibility. That’s Yelich.”Despite being fully recovered this season, it has been slow going at the plate for Yelich; his current .644 OPS would be a career low for an entire season.”It took a little while to get back up to speed of just playing at the major league level and feeling things out coming off of a surgery,” he said. “But I feel good.”Passan predicts MLB mega-contracts
Who will be the next star to get $100 million? $300 million? $600 million!?Jeff Passan »
Like Yelich, the entire Brewers team is scuffling so far this season. They have been shutout six times already, combined with a myriad of pitching injuries that have Milwaukee sitting in fourth place. The Brewers haven’t finished that low in the division in a decade and they’ll need their leaders more than ever to get back in the race.
Those around Yelich are confident he’ll find his form again, remembering what the Yelich experience was like during the best of times: In 2018 and 2019, he led the league in batting, slugging and OPS. It’s when his career went to another level and the Brewers began a run of making the postseason in seven of the next eight years.
“The second half of 2018 is what I remember,” Counsell said. “It changed but he didn’t change. That’s so hard to do. Everything off the field changes but he stayed true to himself.”
Asked his favorite Yelich memory, Arnold quickly recalled a game in St. Louis, late in 2018. The Cardinals intentionally walked Lorenzo Cain to get to Yelich, who promptly hit a three-run, game-changing home run off lefty Brett Cecil.
“No one could believe they pitched around anyone to get to Yelich,” Arnold said. “I remember Cain laughing, like, ‘What the heck are you guys doing?'”
Right-handed pitcher Colin Rea used to watch Yelich as a teammate but now has to face him as a member of the Chicago Cubs. He attempted to explain Yelich’s greatness: “The way the ball jumps off his bat. It’s just different. It’s like a golf swing where you’re barely trying and it goes a long way. There’s something about the point of contact.”
Pitchers’ best stories of failed new pitches
Every ace wants to add something filthy to their arsenal. Sometimes it just doesn’t work out.Jeff Passan »
As Yelich tries to get back to that version of himself, he reflected on his time in Milwaukee, calling it the “right place” for him. He could have tested free agency but chose to make one of the smaller markets in the game his home when he signed an extension ahead of the 2020 season, keeping him in Milwaukee through 2028 while knowing that every year would be a fight for his team to contend.
“Yeah, of course I’ve wondered what it would’ve been like to play in a big market and have that experience, but it’s just not how my career played out,” Yelich said. “And I liked it here. I wanted to be here. They obviously wanted me to be here too, and I think it’s a great place to play baseball.
“It’s a challenge to play in a big market, but it’s also a different kind of challenge to play in this market too.”
‘It’s essential to have that pillar’
Aaron Gash/MLB Photos via Getty ImagesMILWAUKEE IS NEVER going to be among the league leaders in payroll. After climbing as high as 18th in that department last season — and then winning the division by 10 games — the Brewers dropped to 23rd this year. Their offseason moves were nearly nonexistent aside from signing 36-year-old starter Jose Quintana for $4 million late in the winter.The year-over-year trend of low payrolls with high win totals has been the norm for Yelich’s entire career, first in Miami and the past seven seasons in Milwaukee. Despite the challenges that come with trying to do more with less, the Brewers continue to contend year after year — and that comes from a clubhouse full of players focused on the one thing in their control: playing the game the right way in order to win.”You’re in an underdog role every year so you have to make up in some other areas,” Yelich said. “You can’t just go toe-to-toe with the Dodgers or the New York Yankees or the Cubs. You’re just not going to, so you have to find advantages or closeness with your team and you have to do things differently.”
30 years of Coors Field horror stories
For three decades, baseball at altitude has bruised ERAs and egos. Here’s what it’s really like taking MLB’s scariest mound. Story »
Prioritizing speed and defense is one way the Brewers have found they can make up gaps with teams they cannot outspend or outslug. Milwaukee ranked second in stolen bases last season, and ranks first in that category this year. The Brewers have stolen more bases than any other National League team since Yelich arrived in 2018.
But their glove work has waned some over the first six weeks of this season, and their record has reflected it, leading Murphy to remind his team what the right way to play the game looks like. Yelich, despite making a costly error in San Francisco last month, has been front and center in backing his manager up.
“He knows the things that I’m about, he stands behind me,” Murphy said. “It’s essential to have that pillar.”
After his arrival in Milwaukee and elevation to one of the game’s best players, Yelich quickly understood that the “Brewers Way” was the path to success. When a team’s best player is playing the game the right way, others take notice.
“As a young guy, when you see an older guy take pride in that stuff, alarms go off,” 25-year-old outfielder Sal Frelick said.
Murphy added: “It’s not telling guys what they’re supposed to do. It’s showing them what you’re supposed to do.”
Others who have played with Yelich say he will pick the right moment to say something to the rest of them.
“During team meetings he’ll speak up,” Rea said. “Everyone tends to listen to what he has to say. He’s all-in on his career. That’s his total focus: ‘This is the way you’re supposed to play the game. You shouldn’t be playing it any other way.'”
MLB Watchability Index
Star power, mammoth home runs and … cotton candy fries!? Here are baseball’s most exciting squads for 2025. David Schoenfield »
Hoskins said Yelich has a “feel” for what the moment needs, like a good manager. The outfielder quickly understood his role had expanded when he signed his nine-year, $215 million contract before the 2020 season.
“When you take the money, there’s a certain responsibility that you have to not only perform, but it goes beyond performance,” Yelich explained. “I think for me it’s you still have to impact people and you have to do right by the organization. You can’t just take the money and shut it down whether you’re playing good or not.”
‘He’s someone I can go to for anything’
AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)BRICE TURANG WAS just 18 years old in 2018, beginning his pro career at the lowest levels of the minor leagues after being drafted in the first round by Milwaukee that year. At the same time, Yelich was at the top of his sport, winning NL MVP his first year in Milwaukee and finishing second the next year. But the Brewers star still found the time to reach out to one of the franchise’s top prospects.
“He would text me in the minor leagues just to check in on how I was doing,” Turang said. “I couldn’t believe it. He would shoot a message to me when I was 18 or 19. The year he won the MVP, he would check in with me all the time.”
Now that he was the seasoned major leaguer with a secure spot in a clubhouse, he was applying the lessons that stuck with him from early in his career, taught to him when he was still in Miami.
When Yelich was a highly touted prospect trying to secure his place with the Marlins in 2013, veteran catcher Jeff Mathis played a crucial role in making him feel like he belonged.
“He just took us under his wing and talked to us about the game and what it takes to prepare in the big league, be big leaguers, how to conduct yourself and what it means to be a pro, and I’m super thankful for that,” Yelich said. “I’m trying to do that here as well.”
Twelve years later, Mathis recalls Yelich as a player who was very “receptive” to instruction, calling his former teammate “a great human being.”
“As I was getting older, younger players feel like they have it all figured out,” Mathis said in a phone interview this week. “He stood out as someone that was willing to listen. Not just to benefit himself but everyone around him.”
The state of MLB ballparks
Two MLB teams will be playing in minor league ballparks this season. Here’s what it says about the sport. Jeff Passan »
Inside the transformation of Steinbrenner Field »
Now that Yelich is on the other end of those moments, he has found that letting interactions come naturally can have more of an impact than getting up and giving a rah-rah speech at the front of the clubhouse. It’s the same focus on cultivating connections that made Uecker a Milwaukee icon for so many years.
“I don’t force it trying to help those guys,” Yelich said. “It’s just more of, like, you be friends first and you build relationships with people and you’re welcoming and you introduce yourself and you talk to ’em about whatever, their life or joke around with whatever’s going on in the world: ‘What’s going on, dude? Where are you from? How’d you get here? What’s your story? Is everything good? Do you need anything? Do you have any questions?’
“It’s little things. They make a big difference.”
Nearly every young prospect in the Brewers’ clubhouse has their own story of Yelich’s impact. Frelick is another who heard from Yelich when he was still in the minors.
“You’ll be up here soon,” Yelich told him. “Let’s get ahead of that, teach what routine is, teach you what it is to be a big leaguer.”
“I’m forever grateful for that,” Frelick said.
Of all the young players who have heeded Yelich’s advice, few might have needed it more than outfielder Jackson Chourio, who debuted with the team last season as a 20-year-old.
“He knows the opportune moments to say something,” Chourio said through the team interpreter. “He knows when the time is right. He has a good feel for that.
“We had a long conversation about it being a long season. He told me to relax and play my game. It took some pressure off of me.”
Chourio finished third in rookie of the year voting and made his older teammate proud with his fast adjustment to life in the majors.
Top 10 prospect lists for every MLB team
Who is rising and falling in every major league farm system? Kiley McDaniel digs in.Updated top rankings for all 30 teams »
Whether it comes from an encouraging text to a minor leaguer or words of wisdom to a young major league teammate, the lessons Yelich learned from his own mentors, from Mathis to Uecker, have made him the clear face of the franchise with an impact that reaches far past his stat line.
“You want to leave wherever place you’re in better than when you got there,” Yelich said. “And for me it’s just, it’s the right thing to do to help these kids, and if you want to be on a good team, you have to play certain ways. For us, you’re going to rely on young players, and with young players there’s growing pains.
“But when people feel like a genuine connection to you, they’re more responsive and you have better relationships and you have deeper conversations and things mean more and there’s a closeness and a tightness and a bond that’s created there. That leads to winning baseball.”
Turang added: “He’s someone I can go to for anything.”
Continue Reading
One of the most successful coaches in the history of BYU athletics is leaving the school to “pursue new professional avenues.”
Women’s volleyball coach Heather Olmstead announced Thursday that she is moving on after 11 seasons at the helm. Associate head coach David Hyte will serve as interim head coach.
Olmstead took over in the 2015 season. She amassed a record of 279-55 and was the fastest coach to reach 200 Division I wins, doing so in just 225 matches. She was also the third-fastest coach all time to reach 100 Division I wins, doing so in just 111 matches.
“Coaching at BYU has been an incredible chapter — one filled with championships, NCAA tournament runs and record-setting seasons,” Olmstead said in a school news release. “But the true highlight has always been the people. I’m grateful for every athlete who let me be part of her journey and for the chance to help shape strong leaders, teammates and women who go on to make a difference long after their playing days.
“As I move into this next chapter, I do so with deep gratitude for the BYU community, for the players who trusted me with their development and for the staff who stood beside me through every challenge,” Olmstead continued. “I wish this program continued success, and I’m excited for what’s next.”
BYU director of athletics Brian Santiago said Olmstead will be remembered as one of the best coaches in program history. He said the school will begin a “national search” for a new coach immediately.
“I want to thank Heather for everything she has done to make BYU women’s volleyball great,” said Santiago. “She poured her heart and soul into this program and guided incredible teams that have had consistent national relevance and success and represented BYU well.
“Her student-athletes have gone on to do remarkable things. We wish Heather all the best as she pursues new opportunities, and we will open a national search for a new women’s volleyball head coach immediately.”
The 2018 AVCA National Coach of the Year, Olmstead and her staff’s development of players has led to 14 different All-Americans, 23 different All-Region honorees, nine different All-Big 12 honorees and 22 different All-WCC honorees in addition to a national player of the year candidate, the 2018 AVCA National Freshman of the Year and multiple West Coast Conference awardees.
Olmstead led the 2018 team to one of the greatest seasons in program history, ranking No. 1 for 11-consecutive weeks as they won their first 27 matches, including against then-No. 1 Stanford. BYU was awarded its highest-ever NCAA Tournament seed at No. 4, then reeled off wins against Stony Brook, Utah, Florida and Texas in front of standing-room-only crowds at the Smith Fieldhouse to advance to the Final Four before falling to eventual champion Stanford in the national semifinals.
Olmstead led BYU to Sweet 16 appearances six times as well as six WCC titles. The Cougars have won at least 19 matches each year (17 during COVID-19) during her time as head coach.
Olmstead has also contributed internationally, including serving as head coach of the U.S. Women’s U21 National Team that won gold at both the 2025 NORCECA Pan American Cup and the 2024 NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship, the U.S. Collegiate National Team in Japan in May 2019 and as the assistant coach on the U.S. team that won gold at the 2015 Pan American Games.
Even though the SMU volleyball team is in uncharted territory, the Mustangs are acting like they’ve been here before because it’s where they expect to be.
The past two seasons ended in the second round, but with victories against Central Arkansas and Florida, second-seeded SMU reached the third round of the NCAA tournament for the first time in program history. The Mustangs celebrated the accomplishment when it was achieved, but it’s back to business as they will face third-seeded Purdue in the Sweet 16 on Thursday night in Pittsburgh.
“We are so excited to be here, just had a great practice, and are ready to compete,” SMU head coach Sam Erger said on Wednesday. “I think having that big hurdle of getting past the second round, we’re not going to be happy with just that. We honestly haven’t really talked about that much, just that it was the first for our program because the expectation is that we’re going to keep competing.”
Even though there is a lot of new when it comes to this round of the tournament, there is some familiarity. SMU and Purdue played back on September 14. The Mustangs also played in Pitt’s Petersen Events Center earlier this season, at the start of ACC play at the end of September.
While Purdue got the better of the Mustangs 3-1 (23-25, 25-22, 27-25, 25-18) during the regular season, it was a long time ago. SMU has played 24 matches since then.
“That feels like a world ago,” Erger said. “We’ve gone through quite a bit of adversity. The silver lining to that is we’ve had players get to shine in a way that maybe they wouldn’t have been able to, and we’ve been able to test our depth, and we’ve been able to see some freshmen have breakout seasons, and we’ve addressed where we were lacking defensively. … We’ve grown a ton, and I’m just happy and hopeful that we’ll keep getting to grow.”
The Mustangs also know Purdue will be a different team than the one they faced nearly four months ago. Even though the Boilermakers haven’t had some of the lineup changes SMU has, there has been time to develop and take the next steps as a team.
“I don’t think they’ve gotten any crazy new personnel in the way that we have,” Erger said. “Like Kennedi Rogers didn’t even play the first time, I believe. So that’s exciting on our end. I don’t think Maggie Croft played. That’s exciting on our end. For them, they’ve just gotten better, and they’re so good tactically. So I would assume that their game plan will, maybe, be a little different. I think that they have just been able to perform at a high level very consistently across their season. … The game probably should look different (Thursday). We’re both better.”
One area the Mustangs have improved is defensively. It was something Erger and her staff challenged the team with, and the team has responded.
“We’ve addressed where we were lacking defensively,” Erger said. “It was an area we needed to really grow early on in the season. And both of these two (Averi Carlson and Malaya Jones) have grown a ton defensively.”
Libero Jordyn Schilling leads the team with 349 digs, with Carlson (249) and Jones (247) second and third, respectively.
But the other key piece to SMU’s defense has been Favor Anyanwu at the net. She had six blocks in the second-round win against Florida and now has 175 for the season, 14 blocks shy of the SMU single-season record. Croft had a career-high nine blocks in the match, helping give the Mustangs double-digit blocks 17 times in 32 matches this season.
Jones (94) and Carlson (85) are also second and third on the team in blocks.
“Of course, we want to block every ball ever hit,” Jones said. “But a huge part of it is (assistant coach) Trent (Sorensen). He helps us so much with our eye work and getting low and over to the baseline. Sam says that every single day, trying to ingrain that into our brains. And then also, Favor is just one of the most insane blockers in the country. She sets a standard for how we need to be every single practice and how we need to be in games. She just keeps encouraging us to be the best blockers and have the best eye sequence. She has constant feedback for us all the time.”
When it comes to playing in their first Sweet 16 match, the players aren’t making the game any bigger than it is, either. Jones noted she goes into every match being her ‘biggest, baddest self,’ making this one no different.
And ultimately, it’s volleyball.
“Just treating it like a normal game, not really hyping it up too much because it’s still the same game that we’ve been playing for so long,” Carlson said. “At the same time, just really knowing the game plan and just doing our best to be the best players that we can be.”
PITTSBURGH. Pa. — The No. 4 seeded Minnesota Golden Gophers (24-9, 12-8 B1G) are getting set to play the No. 1 seeded Pittsburgh Panthers (28-4, 18-2 ACC) in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. The match is set for 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT on ESPN2. Anne Marie Anderson, Gophers alumnae Nicole Branagh and Shelby Coppedge will be on the call. Tanner Hoops will be on play-by-play for Gopher Sports Radio.
The two teams are meeting for the fourth time in the history of the two programs and for the first time since the spring 2021 season. In that season, unseeded Pitt took down the No. 1 seeded Golden Gophers in five sets in the NCAA Tournament in Omaha, Neb.
MATCH INFORMATION
No. 4 Minnesota at No. 1 Pittsburgh
Thursday, Dec. 11
7 p.m. CT/6 p.m. CT
Petersen Events Center
Pittsburgh, Pa.
TV: ESPN2 – Anne Marie Anderson (Play-By-Play), Nicole Branagh (Analyst) and Shelby Coppedge (Sideline Reporter)
Radio: GopherSports.com – Tanner Hoops (Play-By-Play)
Live Stats
HEADING INTO THE MATCH
Minnesota Trails Pittsburgh, 2-1
First Meeting: 1990
Last Meeting: 2021
NOTES TO KNOW
1,033 — Career kills for Julia Hanson.
260 — Keegan Cook won his 260th career match as a head coach on Dec. 6 vs. Iowa State.
59 — Minnesota is 59th nationally and sixth in the Big Ten with 1.69 aces per set.
44 — The Gophers are 44th nationally (4th B1G) with 196 aces.
30 — This year is Minnesota’s 30th ever NCAA Tournament appearance. That is the 11th most of any program in the country.
26 — Julia Hanson has 26 matches with 10+ kills this year in 30 chances (missed Loyola Chicago match).
24 — Minnesota ranks 24th nationally (3rd B1G) with 2.63 blocks per set.
21 — Minnesota will be playing in its 21st regional semifinal on Thursday. The Gophers are 10-10 in regional semifinal matches.
16 — Sweeps in 33 matches for the Golden Gophers. They’ve won seven matches in four sets (1-2 in five).
15 — Minnesota ranks 15th nationally (4th B1G) in hitting % (.286).
14 — Times this season Minnesota posted 10+ blocks as a team. They’re 11-3 when going for 10-or-more blocks (losses at Oregon, Purdue, Wisconsin).
14 — Minnesota is 14-4 at home this season. Only losses were to UCLA, USC, Nebraska and Wisconsin.
11 — 2025 is Minnesota’s 11th straight NCAA Tournament. They’ve made 26 of the last 27 (missed 2014).
8 — Gophers head coach Keegan Cook is 8-26 against AVCA Top-25 ranked opponents in three seasons. (Wins vs. No. 15 Baylor, No. 5 Oregon, No. 1 Texas, No. 7 Wisconsin, No. 11 Purdue, No. 23 Iowa State, No. 23 Indiana and No. 24 Penn St.). They’ve made three Final Fours, four Sweet 16s and an Elite Eight since 2015.
6 — Jordan Taylor ranks seventh in the Big Ten with 1.24 blocks per set, a team-best. That mark leads all Big Ten freshmen.
6 — Minnesota ranked 6th in average attendance at 4,488 per match (avg.). They ranked fourth overall (80,779 total fans).
5 — Minnesota ranked fifth in the Big Ten with 183 service aces.
5 — During Big Ten play, Julia Hanson ranked fifth in the league in kills per set with 4.02.
5 — 20+ kill matches for Julia Hanson in 2025. She last had 20+ on Saturday vs. Iowa St. (23).
5 — Julia Hanson is fifth in the B1G with 4.69 points per set.
5 — Gophers were named to the AVCA All-Northwest Region Team (Hanson – Player of the Year, Gilk, Swenson, Myers and Taylor). Coach Cook was named Region Coach of the Year.
4 — Julia Hanson is fourth in the Big Ten with 4.13 kills per set.
4 — Minnesota is 4-6 against its 10 ranked opponents this season.
4 — Minnesota lost four starters to season-ending injuries in OH Alex Acevedo and Mckenna Wucherer, MB Calissa Minatee and L Zeynep Palabiyik.
4 — 4-2 NCAA Tournament record at Minnesota for head coach Keegan Cook, now in his third year.
3 — Gophers earned All-B1G honors in 2025. Julia Hanson (1st), Stella Swenson (2nd, Freshmen) and Carly Gilk (All-Freshmen). Swenson and Gilk are the first Gophers to make All-Freshmen since 2022.
3 — Straight 20+ kill matches for Julia Hanson in the Illinois, USC and Wisconsin matches. She’s the first Gopher to do so since Stephanie Samedy (’21). She’s hit 10+ in 11 of the last 13 matches.
2 — The Gophers rank second in the B1G in total blocks with 305.5. That figure is 20th nationally.
2 — During B1G play, the Gophers ranked second with 1.77 aces per set. They had 129 aces (2nd in B1G).
LAST TIME OUT
• The then No. 17 Minnesota volleyball team went 2-0 at home against Fairfield (25-12, 25-7, 15-13) and No. 23 Iowa State (25-22, 25-21, 25-14) to advance to the Sweet 16. Julia Hanson had 13 kills vs. Fairfield as the team hit a school-record .582 for the match. Minnesota also posted 11.5 blocks as a team. On Saturday vs. ISU, Hanson took her game to a new level, going for 23 kills on .488 to lead the Gophers to a sweep. Stella Swenson had 35 assists and eight digs as Minnesota made its first Sweet 16 since 2022.
GOPHERS IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
• The 2025 season marked the 30th year the Gophers advanced to the NCAA tournament. With an at-large bid, the Gophers advanced to the tournament for the 11th straight season and 26th in the last 27 seasons.
• In the first round of NCAA Tournaments, Minnesota is 29-1 all-time. In round two, Minnesota is 22-7.
• The Gophers all-time record in NCAA Tournaments is 64-29. Minnesota has made the Final Four six times (2003, 2004, 2009, 2015, 2016, 2019), and the national title game once (2004).
• The program has had 31 straight winning seasons, dating back to 1995. The ‘U’ has won 10-or-more Big Ten games in every season except for one dating back to 1999. The program has finished in the top six of the B1G standings every year since 2015.
GOPHERS IN THE RANKINGS
• The ‘U’ entered the 2025 season with a No. 11 ranking in the Preseason AVCA poll (finished 18th in 2024).
• At the end of regular season, the ‘U’ moved up to No. 17, going up one spot from the previous week.
COACH COOK IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
• Keegan Cook is 21-10 as a head coach in the NCAA Tournament. He led his Washington teams to one Final Four, three Elite Eights and two Sweet 16s. Both of his first two years at Minnesota, the ‘U’ went to the Round of 32. This is his first Sweet 16 appearance as a Gopher.
STRONG SCHEDULE PREPS ‘U’ FOR POSTSEASON
• The Gophers have gone 4-6 vs. ranked opponents in 2025. Minnesota was one of nine Big Ten teams to make the 2025 NCAA tournament. Of the Gophers 11 non-conference opponents, seven made the NCAA Tournament. Six of Minnesota’s opponents will play in the Sweet 16, including Cal Poly, Indiana, Nebraska, Purdue, Texas A&M and Wisconsin. Minnesota went 3-4 against those teams.
• The ‘U’ entered the postseason with a top-15 RPI and earned the No. 13 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
• In all, the Gophers faced 15 teams that make up the field of 64. Against teams that made the postseason, Minnesota posted a 9-8 record this season.
SCOUTING PITTSBURGH
• Pittsburgh (28-4, 18-2 ACC) is led by 13th-year head coach Dan Fisher. Under his guidance the Panthers have made four straight Final Fours since the 2021 season. Prior to that, Pitt made a regional final in 2020-21 and four straight second rounds of the NCAA Tournament before that.
• The Panthers lost their first two matches of the season vs. No. 1 Nebraska and then No. 16 Florida, but have won 28 of their last 30 since, only falling at No. 18 Miami and at No. 5 Stanford.
• Pitt is led by 2024 National Player of the Year Olivia Babcock, a three-time All-ACC First Team player and the ACC Player of the Year. She averages 5.06 kills per set on .329 hitting. Bre Kelly paces the defense with 1.49 blocks per set while setter Brooke Mosher leads the offense with 9.86 assists per set.
MINNESOTA’S HISTORY VS. PITTSBURGH
• Minnesota is 1-2 all-time vs. Pittsburgh, including 0-1 in the NCAA Tournament. The Panthers took down Minnesota in the Spring 2021 NCAA Tournament, also in the Sweet 16. It was a five-set thriller (25-21, 23-25, 25-20, 21-25, 11-15). Stephanie Samedy had 23 kills to lead the ‘U’ during the match.
• They also played in 1990 in Minneapolis, a 3-0 sweep for Pitt, and in 1999 in Hawai’i, a 3-0 win for Minnesota.
STREAKS TO WATCH
• Julia Hanson has tallied 10+ kills in 26 of her 32 matches this year, including 13 of 15 with 10+.
• McKenna Garr has totaled 10+ digs in 23 of her 32 matches, including 21 of 28 as starting libero.
• Lourdes Myers has multiple blocks in 29 of her 33 matches, including 17 matches with four-or-more.
• Stella Swenson has hit 30+ assists in 22 of 33 matches on the year. She also has eight double-doubles after tallying a career-best 58 assists and 10 digs at Iowa on Nov 16.
FIVE GOPHERS EARN AVCA ALL-REGION HONORS, COOK, HANSON WIN COACH AND PLAYER OF THE YEAR
• Senior outside Julia Hanson was named AVCA Northwest Region Player of the Year while head coach Keegan Cook was named region Coach of the Year. It was Hanson’s first region player of the year and Cook’s fourth region coach of the year (first at Minnesota).
• Joining Hanson on the AVCA All-Northwest Region First Team were freshman opposite Carly Gilk and redshirt freshman setter Stella Swenson. Redshirt senior middle blocker Lourdes Myers and freshman middle blocker Jordan Taylor both earned All-Region Honorable Mention.
LAST TIME A NO. 4 SEED OR LOWER BEAT A NO. 1 SEED
• The spring 2021 NCAA Tournament, when unseeded Pittsburgh defeated No. 1 seed Minnesota (No. 3 seed overall) in the Sweet 16. The match was played in Omaha and went five sets.
• The 2019 NCAA Tournament, when unseeded Louisville defeated No. 1 seed (No. 2 overall seed) Texas in the Sweet 16 in Austin. Before that, it was when No. 4 seed Oregon (No. 15 overall) beat No. 1 seed Minnesota (No. 2 overall) in the 2018 Sweet 16 in Minneapolis.
YOUNGEST TEAM IN NCAA TOURNAMENT
• Of all 16 teams remaining in the NCAA Tournament, Minnesota is by far the youngest group. Of the seven starters, five are freshmen and two are seniors. Only Indiana (4) starts three-or-more freshman of the Sweet 16 teams. Pitt, SMU, Louisville, Stanford and Texas all start two freshmen.
UP NEXT
If they are victorious, Minnesota will take on the winner of No. 2 SMU and No. 3 Purdue on Saturday, Dec. 13. The match time and channel are TBD.
Sports
How to Watch No. 1 Nebraska Volleyball in NCAA Sweet 16, Elite Eight with Previews, Breakdowns, TV Channel
It may have been a sloppy win for the No. 1 Nebraska volleyball team, but it doesn’t matter when you’re competing in the NCAA Tournament. As the term was coined back in NC State’s improbable run in 1983, it’s all about surviving and advancing.
Despite recording one of its worst hitting percentages of the season (.253), the Huskers came away with sweep No. 27 on the season and won its 28th consecutive home NCAA Tournament match, which is a school record. Likely first team All-Americans Andi Jackson and Harper Murray each posted a match-high 10 kills while Taylor Landfair (8 kills), Virginia Adriano (7), and Rebekah Allick (6) each tallied at least half a dozen kills.
Advancing to their 14th straight NCAA Regional, the Huskers return to John Cook Arena to face an old Big 12 foe, while an emotional reunion could be awaiting NU in the regional finals. Here’s all you need to know for this weekend’s NCAA Tournament action in Lincoln.
Sweet 16
How to Follow Along
- Matchup: No. 1 Nebraska (32-0, 20-0 B1G) vs. No. 16 Kansas (24-10, 13-5 Big 12).
- When: Friday, Dec. 12.
- Where: John Cook Arena at Bob Devaney Sports Center, Lincoln, Neb.
- Time: 30 minutes after No. 9 Louisville vs. No. 6 Texas A&M, which begins at 6 p.m. CST.
- Watch: ESPN2.
- Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates.
No. 16 Kansas Scout
Head Coach
- Matt Ulmer | 1st season at Kansas; 10th as HC.
- 24-10 (.706) at KU; 190-87 (.686) Career Record.
- 8x NCAA Tournament Apps., 3x Elite Eights, 2x Sweet 16s, 2013 beach volleyball national championship.
- Previous head coach at Oregon.
- Previous assistant at Oregon, Long Beach State & Carthage College.
2025 Record & Awards
- 24-10 (13-5 Big 12, 2nd)
- All-Big 12: 2x First Team, 4x Second Team, 2x All-Freshman.
All-Time Series
- Nebraska leads 88-0-1.
- Dec. 2, 2022, NCAA Second Round last matchup, 3-1 KU.
NCAA Tournament History
- Appearances: 14, fifth consecutive.
- All-Time Tournament Record: 25-26.
- Best Finish: NCAA National Semifinal in 2015.
Key Returners
- Reese Ptacek | MB | Soph. | Was the 2024 Big 12 Freshman of the Year and followed up with 426 points on a .317 hitting percentage while leading the team with 136 blocks; also named to the All-Big 12 First Team.
- Rhian Swanson | OH | Sr. | All-Big 12 Second Team pick after leading the Jayhawks with 3.09 kills per set and 346 kills total.
- Grace Nelson | OH | Soph. | Another All-Big 12 Second Team selection with 326.5 points made up of 284 kills, 36 blocks, and 23 aces.
- Katie Dalton | S/OH | Sr. | Did not see action last season, but beat out Oregon transfer Cristin Cline to the starting setter spot in the latter stages of the season and has averaged 8.84 assists per set.
Key Departures
- Ayah Elnady | OH | Transfer | Egyptian who spent her first four seasons at KU before transferring to Northwestern; was an All-Big 12 First Team pick in 2024.
- Caroline Bien | OH/L | Graduated | Two-time All-Big 12 performer who starred for KU with 2.56 kills and 3.11 digs per set in her final collegiate season.
- Toyosi Onabanjo | MB | Graduated | First round pick of the Omaha Supernovas of MLV after an AVCA Honorable Mention campaign in 2024 by hitting .409 with 329 points.
- London Davis | OPP | Graduated | Back-to-back All-Big 12 Second Team selections to end her college career in 2023 and 2024.
- Camryn Turner | S | Graduated | AVCA Third Team All-American in 2024 after leading the Big 12 with 11.29 assists per set.
Impact Transfers/Newcomers
- Jovana Zelenovic | OPP | Fr. | 6-foot-7 Serbian freshman that was named to the All-Big 12 First Team after recording 479.5 points and 46 aces, which both led KU and posted 123 blocks (2nd).
- Selena Leban | OH | Fr. | Serbian native and reserve attacker that averaged 2.25 kills per set in 64 sets.
- Aurora Papc | MB | Fr. | Croatian national that struggles offensively, but is one of three KU players with triple-digit blocks with 107.0.
- Cristin Cline | S | Soph. | Heralded recruit that followed Ulmer from Oregon, and started for the first portion of 2025 before Dalton created separation as the season went on.
- Ryan White | L/DS | Sr. | Oregon State transfer who was named to the All-Big 12 Second Team after averaging 3.97 digs per set as the starting libero for KU.
Outlook
Kansas was at the center of one of the biggest coaching moves in the college volleyball offseason as legendary head coach Ray Bechard announced his retirement after 27 seasons in Lawrence. It led the way for KU to grab one of the sport’s rising stars in Matt Ulmer, who left Oregon after nine seasons.
Ulmer’s rebuild was extensive, but certainly not compared to what was left behind in Eugene. The Jayhawks were hit hard as AVCA All-American middle blocker Toyosi Onabanjo (Honorable Mention) and setter Camryn Turner (third team) each turned pro after the season. Plus, two-time All-Big 12 performers Carolien Bien (OH/L) and London Davis (OPP) each graduated. Ulmer was also unable to hold onto leading point scorer and outside hitter Ayah Elnady, who transferred to Northwestern after playing her previous four seasons under Bechard.
But just like he showed at Kansas, Ulmer showcased his skill at player development, turning returning outside hitters Rhian Swanson and Grace Nelson into All-Big 12 Second Team picks. Middle blocker Reese Ptacek was the biggest holdover from Bechard’s last team as the 2024 Big 12 Freshman of the Year improved into an All-Big 12 First Team pick after ranking second on the team in points with 426 while hitting .317 and collecting a team-high 136 blocks.
Serbian national team member and freshman Jovana Zelenovic has been the most impactful addition, totaling a team-leading 479.5 points and 46 aces. Ulmer grabbed former Oregon State libero Ryan White in the portal for her last college season, and she made the All-Big 12 Second Team after producing 3.97 digs per set. A heralded recruit, Ulmer brought to Oregon, setter Cristin Cline followed him to Lawrence, but returning senior Katie Dalton — who didn’t see action in 2024 — eventually surpassed Cline on the depth chart and has averaged 8.84 assists per set as the team’s starter in the back half of the season.
Aside from Dani Busboom Kelly’s move to Nebraska, there’s an argument to be made that Kansas made the best coaching hire over the offseason, and it has already paid dividends with the school’s fourth Sweet 16 appearance. The Jayhawks will want to follow the recipe shown by Kansas State against the Huskers, as KU will need to serve tough and make an impact at the net. Reese Ptacek will need to have a career night to push NU, but that might not even be enough. Give me Nebraska in this one, but Kansas will be a team to watch in future seasons as they were arguably the biggest beneficiary of Texas leaving for the SEC.
Elite Eight
How to Follow Along
- Matchup: No. 1 Nebraska/No. 16 Kansas winner vs. No. 6 Louisville/No. 9 Texas A&M winner.
- When: Sunday, Dec. 14
- Where: John Cook Arena at Bob Devaney Sports Center, Lincoln Neb.
- Time: TBA
- Watch: TBA
- Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates
No. 6 Louisville Scout
Head Coach
- Dan Meske | 1st season at Louisville & as Division I HC.
- 26-6 (.812) at Louisville & Division I Career Record.
- 1x NCAA Tournament Apps.
- AVCA National Assistant Coach OTY (2022).
- Previous head coach at Augustana (Division II).
- Previous assistant at Louisville and Nebraska.
2025 Record & Awards
- 26-6 (16-4 ACC, T-4th).
- ACC Freshman of the Year.
- All-ACC: 3x First Team, 2x Second Team, 1x All-Freshman.
All-Time Series
- Nebraska leads 6-1.
- Sept. 22, 2024, last matchup, 3-0 NU.
NCAA Tournament History
- Appearances: 34th, 9th consecutive.
- All-Time Tournament Record: 40-33.
- Best Finish: NCAA National Runner-Up (2024, 2022).
Projected Lineup
- Chloe Chicoine | OH | Jr. | All-American transfer from Purdue who leads the Cardinals with 419 points and 3.25 kills per set.
- Payton Petersen | OH | Soph. | Part-time starter in 2024 that’s now turned into a 400-point attacker for Louisville as a sophomore.
- Kalyssa Blackshear | OPP | Fr. | 2025 ACC Freshman of the Year, who’s racked up 388 points and is one of three players with more than 100 blocks with 120 total.
- Cara Cresse | MB | R-Sr. | All-American who’s one of the premier blockers in the country with 171 total and 1.45 per set while adding nearly 300 kills for 401.5 points.
- Hannah Sherman | MB | R-Jr. | 6-foot-3 middle blocker that creates a fearsome duo with Cresse, and sits just three blocks behind her teammate with 168.
- Nayelis Cabello | S | Soph. | 2024 ACC Freshman of the Year that’s averaged 10.44 assists per set in her first college season running a 5-1 offense while adding 23 aces.
- Kamden Schrand | L | Jr. | The heir to program legend Elena Scott, who’s collected 3.98 digs per set (477 total) in her first season as the starting libero.
No. 9 Texas A&M Scout
Head Coach
- Jamie Morrison | 3rd season at Texas A&M & as Division I HC.
- 62-25 (.713) at Texas A&M & Division I Career Record.
- 3x Olympic medals with U.S. Men’s & Women’s national team.
- 3x NCAA Tournament Apps.
- Previous head coach at the Netherlands women’s national team & Austrian professional team SVS Post Schwechat.
- Previous assistant at Texas, UC Irvine, U.S. Women’s National Team, Concordia Irvine & U.S. Men’s National Team.
2025 Record & Awards
- 25-4 (14-1 SEC, 2nd).
- All-SEC: 4x First Team.
All-Time Series
- Nebraska leads 32-7.
- Nov. 27, 2010, last matchup, 3-0 NU.
NCAA Tournament History
- Appearances: 28th, third consecutive.
- All-Time Tournament Record: 35-27.
- Best Finish: NCAA Elite Eight (2001, 1999).
Projected Lineup
- Logan Lednicky | OPP | Sr. | Due to make her second-straight AVCA All-American team after leading A&M with 4.06 kills per set on a .319 hitting percentage.
- Kyndal Stowers | OH | Soph. | Former top-20 recruit that’s second on the team in points (366.5) and made the All-SEC First Team after transferring from Baylor.
- Emily Hellmuth | OH | Sr. | Former Pepperdine transfer who’s one of four players to surpass 300 points on the season.
- Ifenna Cos-Okpalla | MB | Sr. | One of college volleyball’s best middle blockers with 2.09 kills per set while leading the SEC with a .419 clip and 170 blocks.
- Morgan Perkins | MB | Sr. | Starter in the middle alongside Co-Okpalla, who’s added 1.91 points per set and 80 blocks in her senior season.
- Maddie Waak | S | Sr. | Two-year transfer from LSU that was one of four A&M All-SEC First Team picks after running the offense with 11.49 assists per set and 27 aces.
- Ava Underwood | L | Sr. | Second-year starter at libero, but has not produced at her 2024 level when she averaged 3.24 digs per set; 2.81 digs per set this season.
More From Nebraska On SI
Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.
Hope College holds the early lead in the 2025-26 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Commissioner’s Cup race, powered by top-two finishes in all six fall sports.
The fall update offers an unofficial snapshot of the Commissioner’s Cup standings and reflects results from three men’s and three women’s sports. The Commissioner’s Cup recognizes cumulative performance across the league’s 23 sports — 11 women’s and 12 men’s — with each institution’s top-eight finishes per gender contributing to the final totals.
This fall, Hope earned outright MIAA championships in men’s cross country, men’s soccer, and volleyball. The Flying Dutchmen added a runner-up finish in football, while the Flying Dutch placed second in both women’s cross country and women’s soccer, giving Hope 51 points through the fall season.
Hope is seeking a league-best 42nd MIAA Commissioner’s Cup this academic year and the sixth in a row.
Calvin University is second in the fall update with 43.5 points, supported by an MIAA title in women’s soccer, a runner-up finish in volleyball, and a tie for second in men’s soccer.
Trine University sits third with 38 points behind an MIAA championship in women’s cross country and top-three finishes in men’s cross country and women’s soccer.
Kalamazoo College (28.5 points) holds a narrow edge over Albion College (27.5 points) for fourth place, helped by a third-place finish in men’s cross country.
Adrian College (26.5 points) ranks sixth, just ahead of Alma College (22 points). The University of Olivet (17.5 points) and Saint Mary’s College (12.5 points from three women’s sports) round out the fall standings.
Bridgewater, N.J. – The Le Moyne College volleyball team was named the recipient of the NEC Fall Team Sportsmanship award for their respective sport on Thursday afternoon.
This recognition marks the first for Le Moyne’s volleyball program since beginning their transition to the Division I level in the NEC.
The Team Sportsmanship Awards were first announced in 2008 and are designed to acknowledge the team in each conference sport that, in the opinion of its peers, most closely demonstrates good sportsmanship based on the NEC Principles of Sportsmanship and Standards of Conduct. Voting is conducted at the conclusion of each season by each team and head coach, who rank teams within the conference based on a set of criteria.
“Often, it’s the moments that don’t make the box score that say the most about our student-athletes,” said NEC Commissioner Noreen Morris. “These teams showed, day after day, that true success comes from competing with respect, integrity and a genuine commitment to fair play. We’re proud to celebrate the example they set for our conference.”
About the NEC:
Now in its 45th season, the NEC is an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic association consisting of ten institutions of higher learning located throughout six states. Media coverage of the NEC extends to a number of the largest markets in the United States including New York (#1), Chicago (#3), Boston (#9). Hartford/New Haven (#32) and Syracuse (#88). Founded in 1981 as the basketball-only ECAC Metro Conference, the NEC has grown to sponsor 25 championship sports for men and women and now enjoys automatic access to 16 different NCAA Championships. NEC full member institutions include Central Connecticut, Chicago State, FDU, Le Moyne, LIU, Mercyhurst, New Haven, Saint Francis U, Stonehill and Wagner. For more information on the NEC, visit the league’s official website (www.necsports.com) and digital network (www.necfrontrow.com), or follow the league on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, all @NECsports.
Sports46 seconds ago
BYU women’s volleyball and coach Heather Olmstead parting ways – Deseret News
Rec Sports2 minutes ago
Van Ho expands community ski programs for season | News, Sports, Jobs
Motorsports6 minutes ago
600-acre motorsports park planned in Nassau County
Rec Sports10 minutes ago
Men’s Basketball: Scots Fall at Carleton Despite Big Night from Randle
Motorsports11 minutes ago
Every word as historic NASCAR trial settlement reached – Motorsport – Sports
Sports16 minutes ago
After Historic Win, SMU Volleyball Remains Focused For Sweet 16, Purdue
Rec Sports17 minutes ago
Orlando Magic brothers Franz, Moe Wagner surprise local kids
Technology18 minutes ago
Tencent Cloud Announces Strategic Partnership with MADFINGER Games
NIL20 minutes ago
LSU Football Announces Major NIL News On Pair Of Elite Weapons, Ink Massive Deals
Motorsports22 minutes ago
Michael Jordan prevails in settlement of antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR
Rec Sports26 minutes ago
The Mentoring Partnership of SWPA turns 30! This story might just inspire you and your children to get involved.
Motorsports27 minutes ago
23XI Turns NASCAR’s Own Playbook Against It in Shocking Courtroom Twist
Sports34 minutes ago
No. 4 Seeded ‘U’ Set for Sweet 16 at No. 1 Seeded Pitt
Rec Sports35 minutes ago
IOC advises sports bodies to let Russian youth teams, athletes compete again with flag and anthem
Motorsports39 minutes ago
Nascar settles year-long legal feud with 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports
Rec Sports2 weeks ago
First Tee Winter Registration is open
Rec Sports2 weeks ago
Fargo girl, 13, dies after collapsing during school basketball game – Grand Forks Herald
Motorsports2 weeks ago
CPG Brands Like Allegra Are Betting on F1 for the First Time
Sports3 weeks ago
Volleyball Recaps – November 18
Motorsports2 weeks ago
F1 Las Vegas: Verstappen win, Norris and Piastri DQ tighten 2025 title fight
Sports2 weeks ago
Two Pro Volleyball Leagues Serve Up Plans for Minnesota Teams
Sports2 weeks ago
Utah State Announces 2025-26 Indoor Track & Field Schedule
Sports2 weeks ago
Sycamores unveil 2026 track and field schedule
Motorsports2 weeks ago
Redemption Means First Pro Stock World Championship for Dallas Glenn
Motorsports2 weeks ago
Jo Shimoda Undergoes Back Surgery
Sports2 weeks ago
Texas volleyball vs Kentucky game score: Live SEC tournament updates
NIL2 weeks ago
Bowl Projections: ESPN predicts 12-team College Football Playoff bracket, full bowl slate after Week 14
Rec Sports2 weeks ago
Robert “Bobby” Lewis Hardin, 56
Rec Sports2 weeks ago
How this startup (and a KC sports icon) turned young players into card-carrying legends overnight
NIL2 weeks ago
Indiana’s rapid ascent and its impact across college football
Why a rising mid-major power with an NCAA Tournament team opted out of revenue-sharing — and advertised it
NBA Legend Michael Jordan to Join NBC Sports as Special Contributor
Falcons mailbag
Portal Update – Basketball and Gymnastics Take Hits
has always dreamed in Mercurial. Now his initials are on the boots.
The new Kyl…
-
Rec Sports2 weeks agoFirst Tee Winter Registration is open
-
Rec Sports2 weeks agoFargo girl, 13, dies after collapsing during school basketball game – Grand Forks Herald
-
Motorsports2 weeks agoCPG Brands Like Allegra Are Betting on F1 for the First Time
-
Motorsports2 weeks agoF1 Las Vegas: Verstappen win, Norris and Piastri DQ tighten 2025 title fight
-
Sports2 weeks agoTwo Pro Volleyball Leagues Serve Up Plans for Minnesota Teams
-
Sports2 weeks agoUtah State Announces 2025-26 Indoor Track & Field Schedule
-
Sports2 weeks agoSycamores unveil 2026 track and field schedule
-
Motorsports2 weeks agoRedemption Means First Pro Stock World Championship for Dallas Glenn
-
Motorsports2 weeks agoJo Shimoda Undergoes Back Surgery
-
Sports2 weeks agoTexas volleyball vs Kentucky game score: Live SEC tournament updates