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How Gainbridge and USL Super League Both Won Naming Rights Deal

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How Gainbridge and USL Super League Both Won Naming Rights Deal

As women’s sports rack up wins, league sponsorships are less about slapping a brand on the game than finding the right teammate to keep the streak alive. That’s where brands like Gainbridge come in.

The Indiana-based finance and insurance firm recently purchased the naming rights to the USL Super League, effective at the start of the upcoming 2025-26 season. Now, through its network of women’s sports sponsorships—including this year’s WNBA All-Star events in Indianapolis—and its support of the Indianapolis 500, Formula 1’s Miami Grand Prix, and race teams in both NASCAR and IndyCar, Gainbridge has a chance to expand its own reach while elevating the Super League from an underdog to a contender.

Reading the pitch

The United Soccer League’s Super League women’s division launched at the end of 2024 as a step up from the USL’s semi-pro W League. At the highest level of women’s soccer right next to the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), the eight-team Super League is in the middle of its first playoffs after a season in which it didn’t draft players, didn’t have a salary cap, and streamed all its matches on NBCUniversal’s Peacock.

Though the Super League is just wrapping up its first season, the USL has existed as an organization for nearly 40 years and includes a men’s side that has just announced a Division One league for 2027, which would compete with Major League Soccer for attention and talent, allowing for promotion from and relegation to its lower USL Championship and USL League One divisions. Both its men’s and women’s sides have academy systems for player development, while the Super League already has franchises in North Carolina, Dallas, Tampa Bay, and Brooklyn; has an expansion franchise awaiting in Jacksonville next season; and has a seven-city waiting list for teams after 2026 that includes Phoenix, Oakland, and Indianapolis. 

“When we launched the league, part of our ethos was about creating more opportunities and more communities for women’s professional soccer so people can watch, work, and play the game that they love in more markets than have ever had access to the professional women’s game,” said Amanda Vandervort, USL president.

So, why did the Super League not only agree to take on Gainbridge as a sponsor and financial services provider, but also rename itself the Gainbridge Super League, starting in the 2025-26 season later this year? Here’s a hint: It’s not just to soften up fans in Gainbridge’s hometown.

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Cail Named to 2025 AVCA Central All-Region Team

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JONESBORO, Ark. (12/9/25) – Arkansas State volleyball middle blocker Daedrianna Cail was named to the Division I Central All-Region First Team by the American Volleyball Coaches Association, as the organization announced its regional teams for the 2025 campaign on Tuesday.
 
Cail is the Red Wolves’ 10th AVCA All-Region selection in program history and the first to secure a spot on the first team since Mallory Warrington and Markie Schaedig achieved the feat in 2016.
 
The Marion native tallied a program-record 183 total blocks alongside 282 kills and a .355 attack percentage over 31 matches and 119 sets played. The All-Sun Belt Conference First Team selection ranks second nationally for total blocks and fifth for blocks per set, averaging 1.54.
 
Cail posted five-plus blocks in 18 matches and registered a career high of 15 to lead A-State past Texas State in a 3-2 (15-25, 25-23, 25-23, 22-25, 15-10) victory in the Sun Belt Volleyball Tournament semifinals. In addition, the senior landed double-digit kills in 14 matches, including a season and career high of 19 at Georgia State on Sept. 26.
 
Cail was named Sun Belt Volleyball Tournament Most Outstanding Player following the Scarlet and Black’s victory over James Madison in the championship round.
 
Following the all-region selection, Cail is eligible for AVCA All-America consideration. All-America teams will be announced on Wednesday, Dec. 17.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Fans can follow the team on Twitter (@AStateVB) and Instagram (astatevb) along with liking the Arkansas State Red Wolves Volleyball page on Facebook for the latest news and updates regarding the team.



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EIU Hosts Former OVC Rival On Wednesday

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EASTERN ILLINOIS (2-6) vs. Eastern Kentucky (2-7)

Wednesday, December 10  •  7 pm 

Charleston, Ill.  •  Groniger Arena

GAME INFO

RADIO: Hit Mix 88.9 WEIU

TV: ESPN+

LIVE STATS: www.eiupanthers.com

SERIES RECORD: EKU leads 28-18

LAST MEETING: EIU 81, EIU 66 on Dec. 14, 2024 at Berea College (Ky.)

NOTES: EIU Complete Game Notes

GAME 9

Eastern Illinois plays its second straight home game as the Panthers will have four of five contests at Groniger Arena in the month of December.   The Panthers host former Ohio Valley Conference rival Eastern Kentucky on Wednesday night.  EIU lost its OVC opener on Saturday against Lindenwood falling to 2-6 on the season with three straight losses.   It was EIU’s first loss at home this season and snapped a four game home win streak.  Eastern Kentucky snapped its seven game losing skid at home over the weekend with a big win over IU East to move the Colonels to 2-7 on the season.  

JACOBI WITH A DOUBLE-DOUBLE

Graduate student Kooper Jacobi posted his first double-double of the season on Saturday with 20 points and 10 rebounds against Lindenwood.  Jacobi led the OVC in both rebounding (8.9 rpg) and double-doubles (9) last year and had just missed adding to his career total in two other games this season.  The double-double against Lindenwood was the 12th of his EIU career as he continues to inch his way towards 500 career rebounds at EIU (453 at EIU … 8.1 rpg for EIU career / 538 college career).  

OLAFIOYE WITH A CAREER HIGH 

Last season Malik Olafioye scored in double figures in two games cracking the double figure mark for the first time with ten points in the OVC opener at Southeast Missouri and posting a season high 11 points in a win over Blackburn.  In this year’s OVC opener with Lindenwood, Olafioye again opened conference play with double figure scoring as he finished with a career high 14 points going 5-of-10 from the field and 3-of-4 from the line.  His previous high this season was nine points in the opener at Valparaiso.

PANTHERS GOOD IN THE FIRST HALF 

Eastern Illinois opened the first half of OVC play on Saturday connecting for the Panthers best 20 minutes of the season as they shot 54.8 percent from the floor to take a 41-34 lead into the break.  It was the fourth time this season EIU has shot 50 percent or better in a half with 51.7 percent at home against Tiffin in the first half and second half efforts at Central Arkansas and at Purdue.  On the season EIU is shooting 41.0 percent from the field (10th in the OVC) while averaging 62.1 points per game (11th in the OVC). 

UP NEXT

Sunday – December 14, 2025 at #4 Iowa State (12 pm on ESPN+)



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NIU Women’s Golf Signs One for 2026-27 Season

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Women’s Golf | December 8

DeKALB, Ill.—Northern Illinois University women’s golf coach Kim Kester has announced the signing of Nethra Sheri for the upcoming season.
 
Sheri comes to the Huskies women’s golf program after competing for Coppell High School in Irving, Texas. With the Cowboys, Sheri was a member of the team that claimed the 2025 6A State Championship, placed third at the 2024 6A State tournament, and claimed District championships in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Sheri also tied for first place at District championships and took third at Regionals.
 
Sheri has made her mark on the junior golf tour, competing with the Texas Junior Golf Team, All-American Tour, and American Junior Golf Tour. With the Texas Junior team, Sheri has claimed two victories and six top-5 finishes. Sheri added four top-15 finishes with the American Junior Golf tour, and two wins with the All-American tour. Additionally, Sheri was the Women’s Southern Amateur Quarterfinalist in 2025.
 
“We are excited to welcome Nethra to the NIU golf family,” noted Kester. “She brings a lot of tournament experience to NIU. She has had a great junior career. We are excited to see what she can do academically and athletically.”
 
The 2025-26 NIU women’s golf team returns to action on January 25-27 as they compete at the UCF Challenge in Orlando, Florida.
 
Want to stay in the know with NIU Women’s Golf? Follow the team on Facebook (Northern Illinois University Women’s Golf), X/Twitter (@NIUWomensGolf), and on Instagram (@niuwomensgolf).
 





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Watch Nebraska volleyball vs Kansas: TV channel, time, streaming

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Dec. 9, 2025, 5:15 a.m. CT

The Nebraska volleyball team enters the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament after sweeping Kansas State last Saturday. The Huskers now face the Kansas Jayhawks, who defeated Miami in four sets.

Nebraska’s offense ranks first nationally with a .352 hitting percentage. The defense is equally impressive, ranking first nationally in opponent hitting percentage at .125. 

Junior Harper Murray leads the team with 3.55 kills and 2.15 digs per set and a team high 30 aces. Setter Bergen Reilly runs the offense at an elite level with an average of 10.31 assists and 2.73 digs per set. Middle blocker Andi Jackson is averaging 2.75 kills per set on .467 hitting with 1.13 blocks per set. 





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Liberty League Performers of the Week for December 8

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Men’s Basketball Performer of the Week – Evan Cabral

Evan Cabral had a monster week for Ithaca as he averaged 26.7 points on 33-of-49 shooting for the floor, to go along with 6.7 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 2.3 assists per game. Cabral started the week with a career-high 31 points in a loss to Rochester as he went 12-for-23 shooting with seven rebounds and four steals. He then shot 12-for-16 for 27 points with eight boards and four steals at Vassar. Cabral concluded the week with 22 points on 9-of-10 shooting in a win at Skidmore.

Women’s Track & Field – Field Performer of the Week – Rachel Larson

Rachel Larson was a fourth place finisher with a time of 8.58 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles to open the 2025-26 season at Cornell’s Greg Page Relays. That time is currently No. 1 in Division III after the opening weekend of the season.

Women’s Swimming & Diving – Swimmer of the Week – Elizabeth Bodie

Sophomore Elizabeth Bodie had an impressive three day Bomber Invitational in which Ithaca totaled 2,307 points to outpace Rochester (2,037.5) and Smith College (1,135). Bodie won the 100-yard butterfly (56.54) added a runner-up in the 200 fly (2:08.15) and was third in the 100-yard backstroke (58.68) in an IC 1-2-3 finish. She also contributed to Ithaca’s 800-yard freestyle relay winning team that produced a finals time of 7:49.41.

Women’s Track & Field Rookie of the Week – Lola Gitlin

Lola Gitlin posted a time of 10:25.57 in the 3000-meter run to finish third overall in her first collegiate track race at the Cornell Greg Page Relays.

HONOR ROLL

Junior guard Tori Drevna had another steady week for the Bombers averaging 14.0 points per game across three appearances. Drevna connected on 3-of-4 and 2-of-3 from downtown against Rochester and Vassar, as she tallied 17 points along with seven boards and six assists in the loss to the ‘Jackets. She also nearly tallied her first double-double of the season in the 69-54 win over Skidmore with 13 points and eight rebounds.

Senior diver Kian Long was able to earn valuable team points for Ithaca as they nearly doubled the score of second-place University of Rochester across the three day Bomber Invitational. Long began his weekend winning on the 3-meter as he was second going into the evenings finals before outpacing Hobart’s Daniel Barrientos with a finals score of 513.95, compared to Barrientos who put together a 504.90. The senior diver followed it up with nearly a 50 point win on the 1-meter boards as he put together a finals score of 482.25, which bested Alfred University’s Jaxson McQuaid (436.00).

Graduate freestyler Matthew Mitros was impressive across Ithaca three day Bomber Invitational in which they won over the University of Rochester and five other schools. Mitros captured the 50 free (20.26, NCAA B‑cut) and powered Ithaca’s winning 200 free (1:22.48) and 400 medley relays (3:21.88) on opening night, then helping the Bombers take Friday’s 200 medley relay to cap a three‑relay sweep. He also scored a second-place finish in the 100-yard butterfly (50.05).

Lily Seyfert claimed fifth in the shot put with a heave of 12.78 meters, which is currently ninth in the nation, to begin the season at the Cornell Greg Page Relays.



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Sheehan, Parker, Jones and Munson Among the NJAC Athlete of the Week Winners

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PITMAN, NJ  – Rowan’s Braden Sheehan of the men’s swim team and Anthony Parker, Nyla Jones, and Naa’ilah Munson of the track & field teams were among the student-athletes honored by the NJAC with its weekly honors in those sports.

Sheehan was named the Men’s Swimmer of the Week as he won two events in Rowan’s 101.5-84.5 win over Swarthmore. The junior took first in the 100 free (46.92) and the 100 IM (51.55), while also clocking a split of 22.54 in the 200 mixed medley relay where the Profs finished second (1:38.98).

 

Rowan’s track and field teams got the new year underway at the Fastrack Season Opener. Parker was named the NJAC as claimed the long jump in his collegiate debut with a leap of 7.08 meters, which was the #13 mark in Division III.

 

Jones was picked as the Women’s Track Athlete of the Week as she clocked a 40.69 in the 300 meters,  which is the 11th all-time best in Division III and current tops in the NJAC.  The sophomore also was second in 60 hurdles with top conference time (8.93).

 

Munson was named the Women’s Track Rookie of the Week as she made her collegiate debut, posting the top NJAC mark in the triple jump. The freshman reached 11.16 meters to place fourth in the meet at Ocean Breeze.

 

Rowan’s men’s and women’s swim teams and the men’s and women’s track and field teams will return to competition in January.

 

 



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