INDIANA, Pa. – Patrick Gildea, a former NCAA Division I student-athlete and assistant coach, has been appointed the next director of cross country and track & field at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
 
Gildea served as a successful assistant coach at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga since 2023, helping grow the Mocs’ cross country and track and field programs. Gildea competed as an accomplished cross country and track student-athlete at the University of Tennessee in the early 2000s. 
 
“I am excited to bring my experiences to Indiana and the Crimson Hawk family,” Gildea said. “I am grateful to Todd (Garzarelli) and the search committee, who introduced me to the campus during the interview process.”
 
“I am proud to formally welcome Patrick to the IUP department of athletics,” director of athletics Todd Garzarelli said. “I’m confident in Patrick’s ability to restore the national prominence of our cross country and track and field programs.”
 
Gildea helped both UT-Chattanooga men’s and women’s cross country programs to top-20 finishes in a very competitive NCAA DI South Regional this past fall. He’s recruited and mentored numerous student-athletes on the UT-Chattanooga rosters to personal records, all-conference honors and individual conference championship honors.
 
“Patrick is a very accomplished runner, recruiter and versatile coach who understands what it takes to build a championship culture without sacrificing a quality academic or student-athlete experience,” Garzarelli continued. 
 
Individual accolades under the tutelage of Gildea include Ryleigh Simmons, who became the first-ever UTC sprinter to claim the 100-meter title for the Mocs. Lesley Boyd and Maddie Wheatcroft finished first and third, respectively, in the 5000-meter. Emma Thweatt earned Southern Conference all-freshman honors in the 10,000-meter during the 2025 outdoor season.
 
“Everyone had positive things to say about the IUP and the Indiana community,” Gildea said. “I believe that IUP is a place where student-athletes can thrive and be successful. I am looking forward to working with coach (Hanoj) Carter and our student-athletes, while continuing to build foundational relationships within our program.”
 
As a student-athlete, Gildea helped Tennessee to the 2002 Southeastern Conference (SEC) Outdoor Track and Field Championship.
 
He earned all-region honors in cross country in 2001 and 2002 and was named to the All-SEC Team. Gildea was named a SEC Cross Country Athlete of the Week and the Most Valuable Runner. He was one of two Vol runners to score in every race of the season. Gildea received the Vega-Watts Award given for the greatest sacrifice to compete for the team.
 
Following his collegiate career, he went on to compete professionally in track and field. He placed in the top-10 overall in numerous competitions in 2008 and 2009. Gildea achieved international recognition, selected for a pair of International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) World Championship events in 2006 and 2008. He finished seventh at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the 10,000-meter run.
 
After running professionally, Gildea was a graduate assistant coach at Saint Francis University from 2010-2012, where he guided numerous student-athletes to All-NEC performances in both cross country and track and field. Following his time at Saint Francis, he was the head cross country coach and assistant track and field coach at West High School, in addition to his teaching duties from 2012-2020.
 
About IUP
Since its founding in 1875, IUP has evolved from a teacher-training institution into a doctoral research university recognized for its commitment to student success and achievement. As IUP celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2025 and through the Impact 150 comprehensive campaign, the university honors a legacy of educational excellence while looking to its next 150 years of student success, innovation, leadership in healthcare education, and public service.
 
 
 
 

ATLANTA, Jan. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — NIL Club announced the results of a nationwide Brand Deal campaign with Subway, showing how large-scale, athlete-led content can outperform traditional influencer strategies when authenticity and scale are combined.

The campaign featured 174 college student-athletes across multiple sports and programs, who collectively created 183 original posts on TikTok, Instagram Reels, and Instagram Stories. The campaign was initially projected to generate 350,000 impressions. By the conclusion of the activation, it delivered 1,071,174 total impressions, exceeding expectations by 206 percent.

Engagement exceeded benchmarks across every major metric. Viewers interacted with the content through likes, comments, shares, and saves, with shares surpassing projected targets by more than four times. Short-form video drove the majority of reach, led by Instagram Reels with 720,399 impressions (67%), followed by TikTok and Instagram Stories.

Instead of relying on a single high-profile athlete or scripted creative, the Subway Brand Deal was intentionally built around scale and authenticity. Student-athletes were encouraged to create content in their own voice, sharing real moments from their daily routines. The posts blended naturally into social feeds and resonated strongly with Gen Z audiences who value relatability, trust, and realism over polished advertising.

“This campaign showed what happens when student-athletes are given the freedom to create content that reflects their real lives,” said Mick Assaf, co-founder of YOKE. “Instead of scripted promotions, we saw genuine moments shared at scale. These outcomes highlight why brands are increasingly turning to college athletes to reach Gen Z effectively.”

The Subway campaign ran through NIL Club’s Brand Deals feature, launched in August 2025, which allows athletes to discover and opt into brand partnerships directly through the NIL Club app. The feature expands access to NIL opportunities for athletes while enabling brands to work with large groups of creators at once, without sacrificing creative freedom or authenticity.

All partnerships on NIL Club are reviewed through a compliance-first process to ensure alignment with NCAA guidelines and applicable state laws. This structure allows athletes to participate confidently while providing brands with regulatory clarity.

The results of the Subway Brand Deal underscore NIL Club’s ability to deliver performance-driven marketing at scale. By leveraging a network of more than 650,000 student-athletes, representing a combined 1.5 billion social followers, brands gain access to diverse, highly engaged audiences in an organic and measurable way.

As NIL Club continues to expand compliant, performance-based opportunities for athletes and brands, the platform remains focused on building sustainable infrastructure that supports the long-term growth of the NIL ecosystem.

About NIL Club

NIL Club, developed by YOKE, is a leading NIL platform that empowers student-athletes to monetize their name, image, and likeness through compliant brand partnerships and fan subscriptions. The platform connects athletes and brands through scalable, performance-based campaigns while prioritizing transparency, trust, and protection of eligibility.

Fans can join their favorite athletes’ clubs at https://nilclub.com/colleges

Download the NIL Club App

• Download on the App Store
• Get it on Google Play

Follow NIL Club

For media inquiries or partnership opportunities, contact:

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nil-club-app-delivers-1m-impressions-for-subway-exceeding-goals-by-206-through-174-athlete-creators-302653506.html

SOURCE NIL Club

Football

Jan. 5, 2026

Walk-off overtime TD on 4th down to clinch 2026 FCS Championship

Jan. 5, 2026

Watch the final play of the 2026 FCS championship game, where Montana State quarterback Justin Lamson connected with Taco Dowler on a must-get fourth down touchdown to tie the game in overtime, setting up the walk-off extra point to clinch MSU’s first title since 1984.

NEW ORLEANS – Despite a late 12-0 run in the final five minutes of Monday night’s game, the East Texas A&M University men’s basketball team could not mount the comeback at Lakefront Arena and fell 83-73 to the New Orleans Privateers.
 
The Privateers scored the first five points of the game and never trailed, nor was the game tied at any point beyond the opening seconds. Being held to just five points through the first 10 minutes and trailing 17-5, the Lions answered with a 9-3 run to bring the game within six.
 

Six of the nine field goals made in the first half for the Lions came from deep. In the second half, East Texas A&M brought the game within one possession for the first time since the early minutes of the game on a 9-2 run at the 15:12 mark.
 
The next six points were scored by the Privateers over the next 1:30 to increase their lead back to nine and then jumped out to a game-best 65-50 lead with 7:51 to go. The Privateers were up 69-54 at the 5:53 mark of the second, tying their largest lead of the night.
 
For the next three minutes and 44 seconds, the Lions did not allow a point and cut the deficit down to 69-66. The next eight points were scored by the Privateers, cooling off the Lion rally.
 
Ronnie Harrison (Forney) totaled another double-double as he scored season-best 29 points, while adding 12 rebounds. Damian Garcia (Houston – Dobie) added 18 points for the Lions and Vinny Sigona (Prestonwood Christian Academy) scored 12 off the bench.
 
Gianni Hunt (Lakewood, Calif.) stuffed the stats sheet with five points, six rebounds, and team-high seven assists. For the Privateers, Coleton Benson scored 17, going 10 for 11 at the line.
 
The Lions have now lost five in a row and drop to 6-10 on the season and 1-5 in Southland play, while the Privateers improve to 5-10 overall and 3-3 against Southland opponents.
 

POST GAME INTERVIEW
 
UP NEXT

The Lions return home to Commerce to host A&M-Corpus Christi on Saturday at 5 p.m. and then A&M-Corpus Christi next Monday at 6:30 p.m.

 

-ETAMU-

LONGVIEW — East Texans earned all-state honors, including first-teamer Elizabeth Corbitt of Spring Hill, on the Blue Bell/Texas Sports Writers Association Class 4A volleyball team, the organization announced on Sunday.

Corbitt, who helped Spring Hill to the state semifinals,  made the team as an outside hitter. She was the All-District 16-4A Hitter of the Year as the Panthers were unbeaten in league play.

She had a school record 559 kills, along with 46 blocks, 300 digs and 35 aces.

Earning second-team honors at middle blocker was Lindale’s Alyssa Potts, who helped the Lady Eagles to the state semifinals. She had 323 kills, .433 hitting efficiency, 51.4 kill percentage and 145 blocks.

Earning third-team were the Spring Hill duo of outside hitter Savannah Irwin and Libero/defensive specialist Kaylee Londeau, and middle blocker Brooklyn Brannen of Bullard and Giselle Webster of Kilgore.

East Texans making honorable mention were middle blockers Brooke Gisell of Lindale, Alli Bitter of Carthage and Maggie Thompson of Sulphur Springs.

HM outside hitters were Julie Guidry of Bullard, Preslee Hardy of Sulphur Springs, Jordan Flodder of Van, Kayla White of Van, Addison Alexander of Canton, Kalia Andres of Bullard, Ella Hutchens of Lindale, Rainey Johnson of Sulphur Springs and Bryleigh Mayhan of Pine Tree.

Setter honorable mentions were Carly Chadwick of Pine Tree, Elle Litchenburg of Kilgore, Caroline Cockerham of Carthage, Julia Garrick of Bullard, Harper Hodges of Sulphur Springs and Macy Luster, Lindale.

Peyton Taylor of Sulphur Springs and Laney Alexander of Carthage were honorable mention at Libero/defensive specialist.

Division I state champion Decatur landed the two top honors. Ava Green of Decatur was voted Player of the Year and Decatur’s Stormi Snider was Coach of the Year.

Green, a sophomore, was an outside hitter. She had 556 kills, 95 digs and 56.5 blocks for state champs.

Voting was conducted by TSWA members based on nominations from coaches and media members from around the state.

 Blue Bell/Texas Sports Writers Association

Class 4A All-State Volleyball Team

COACH OF THE YEAR: Stormi Snider, Decatur

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Ava Green, Decatur

FIRST TEAM

Middle blockers: Keoni Williams, Eagle Mountain; Emma Pollard, Gatesville; Rebecca Lucksinger, Bellville

Outside hitters: Ava Green, Decatur; Elizabeth Corbitt, Spring Hill; Paisley Pavliska, La Vernia

Setter: Molly Aubert, Eagle Mountain

Libero/Defensive Specialist: Lexi Nichols, Eagle Mountain

SECOND TEAM

Middle blockers: Shaelyn Ward, Aubrey; Alyssa Potts, Lindale; Harper Smith, Decatur

Outside hitters: Libby Tedder, Springtown; Allegra Foreman, Stephenville; Avery Keck, La Vernia

Setter: Grace Fortune, Decatur

Libero/Defensive Specialist: Hannah Forshee, Sweeny

THIRD TEAM

Middle blockers: Sayler Peck, Decatur; Brooklyn Brannen, Bullard; Giselle Webster, Kilgore

Outside hitters: Savannah Irwin, Spring Hill; Brooke Lacewell, Eagle Mountain; Belle Seibert, Sweeny

Setter: Bailey Hampton, Aubrey

Libero/Defensive Specialist: Kaylee Londeau, Spring Hill

HONORABLE MENTION

Middle blockers: Janey Baker, China Spring; Addison Kramer, Lorena; Makenna Hertless, Floresville; Brooke Gisell, Lindale; Alli Bitter, Carthage; Elsie Law, Salado; Jadyn Lindgren, CC Calallen; Maggie Thompson, Sulphur Springs; Bella Elliott, Liberty; Jessa Cox, Cuero; Austyn Flowers, Seminole

Outside hitters: Charlee Mack, Hillsboro; Meredith Muramoto, China Spring; Julia Guidry, Bullard; Trinity Laney, Wimberley; Peighton Purser, Farmersville; Lilli Sandoval, Wimberley; Mazzy Johnson, Salado; Preslee Hardy, Sulphur Springs; Jordan Flodder, Van; Kayla White, Van; Addison Alexander, Canton; Kalia Andres, Bullard; Ella Hutchens, Lindale; Rainey Johnson, Sulphur Springs; Bryleigh Mayhan, Pine Tree

Setter: Carly Chadwick, Pine Tree; Elle Litchenburg, Kilgore; Caroline Cockerham, Carthage; Julia Garrick, Bullard; Caitlyn Gerick, China Spring; Stevie-Kate LaDuque, Stephenville; Charli Niu, Salado; Grace Martinez, CC Calallen; Harper Hodges, Sulphur Springs; Macy Luster, Lindale

Libero/Defensive Specialist: Emma Conley, Aubrey; Peyton Taylor, Sulphur Springs; Hope Escobar, Decatur; Brooklyn Quintanilla, Springtown; Karis Carpenter, La Vernia; Laney Alexander, Carthage

LA JOLLA, Calif. — The 2026 men’s volleyball season gets underway this week as UC San Diego welcomes three opponents to La Jolla and LionTree Arena.
 
The Tritons host Jessup on Tuesday in the season opener before facing Daemen on Friday and Rockhurst on Sunday. All three contests begin at 7:00 p.m., with Tuesday and Friday’s matches airing on ESPN+.
 
MATCH DETAILS
Match 1
UC San Diego vs Jessup
Tuesday, Jan. 6 | 7:00 p.m.
LionTree Arena | La Jolla, Calif.
Series Record: First Meeting
Watch | Live Stats
 
Match 2
UC San Diego vs Daemen
Friday, Jan. 9 | 7:00 p.m.
LionTree Arena | La Jolla, Calif.
Series Record: UC San Diego leads 1-0
Last Meeting: UC San Diego 3, Daemen 0 on Jan. 10, 2025 (Box)
Watch | Live Stats
 
Match 3
UC San Diego vs Rockhurst
Sunday, Jan. 11 | 7:00 p.m.
LionTree Arena | La Jolla, Calif.
Series Record: First Meeting
Live Stats
 
ABOUT THE UC SAN DIEGO TRITONS
Roster | Schedule & Results | Statistics

• Location: La Jolla, Calif.
• Conference: Big West
• AVCA National Ranking: 10
• Big West Preseason Poll: Tied 4th out of 6

ABOUT THE JESSUP WARRIORS
Roster | Schedule & Results | Statistics

• Location: Rocklin, Calif.
• Conference: MPSF
• AVCA National Ranking: None
• MPSF Preseason Poll: 9th out of 10

ABOUT THE DAEMEN WILDCATS
Roster | Schedule & Results | Statistics

• Amherst, N.Y.
• Conference: NEC
• AVCA National Ranking: None
• 2025 NEC Finish: 3rd out of 5

2026 BIG WEST CHAMPIONSHIP
The Hawaiian Islands presents the 2026 Outrigger Big West Men’s Volleyball Championship will be April 23-25 at the Bren Events Center on the campus of UC Irvine. All six Big West squads will participate.
 
The top two seeds after the regular season will earn a bye to the semifinal round of the single-elimination championship. Tickets will go on sale at a later date.
 
UC San Diego Athletics completed a department-wide transition to NCAA Division I in 2024. All Tritons sports are eligible for conference and national postseason play.
 
AMONG THE RANKS
The preseason AVCA National Collegiate Poll sees the No. 10 Tritons set to face fellow ranked opponents in 16 of their 25 matches this season. Those contests will be an even split between home and away.

• No. 1 UCLA
• No. 2 Hawai’i
• No. 3 Long Beach State
• No. 6 UC Irvine
• No. 7 Loyola Chicago
• No. 8 BYU
• No. 11 CSUN
• No. 12 Lewis
• No. 17 UC Santa Barbara
• No. 18 Princeton

2026 BIG WEST OUTLOOK
The Tritons were picked to finish in a tie for fourth in the 2026 Big West Men’s Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll. That mirrors UC San Diego’s finish at the end of the 2025 season.
 
All six Big West teams are ranked nationally. Hawai’i has the best national ranking, checking in at No. 2.
 
Long Beach State was picked to win The Big West after winning the national championship last season.
 
BIG SHOES TO FILL
In 2025, UC San Diego saw opposite hitter Anthony Cherfan, setter Bryce Dvorak and outside hitter Josh Schellinger earn both All-Big West and All-American honors in their final season with the Tritons.
 
HEAD COACH BRAD ROSTRATTER
Brad Rostratter enters his fourth season leading UC San Diego in 2026. He was named head coach of the men’s volleyball program on October 7, 2022. Rostratter earned his first career win with the Tritons on Jan. 5, 2023, when the team defeated Lincoln Memorial in five sets at UC Santa Barbara’s Asics Invitational. It was the team’s season opener. Rostratter collected his first Big West victory on the road at CSUN when the Tritons swept the Matadors on March 16, 2023. A National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Coach of the Year and two-time Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) Coach of the Year, Rostratter came to La Jolla from Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, Calif., where he served as the men’s volleyball head coach since the program’s inception in 2019. He led the Lions to a pair of GSAC regular season titles, a league tournament title, and two appearances at the NAIA National Tournament.
 
Complete Rostratter Bio
 

 
UC SAN DIEGO ON THE WORLDWIDE LEADER
Most UC San Diego home men’s and women’s basketball games, men’s and women’s soccer matches, men’s and women’s volleyball matches, baseball and softball games are broadcast live on ESPN+. For more information on where to watch UC San Diego volleyball, visit UCSDTritons.com/live.

WHY THE TRITONS?

The Triton is described as the offspring of Poseidon and Amphitrite, a demigod of the sea with a lower part of the body like that of a fish. It is known as a mighty and fierce sea warrior. Given UC San Diego’s close proximity to the Pacific Ocean and its connections with the world-famous Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the Triton became our mascot in 1964.

TRITON VOLLEYBALL TALK

As part of UC San Diego’s transition to Division I, the Athletics Department launched a weekly podcast, Tritoncast. New episodes of Tritoncast are available on the most popular podcasting apps and on UCSDTritons.com. For individual show information and listen links, follow Tritoncast on X @Tritoncast.

GET SOCIAL WITH UC SAN DIEGO VOLLEYBALL

Keep up with the Tritons all season long on social media through X and Instagram. The team’s handle is @ucsdmvb.

FOR THE YOUNGER CROWD

Got some young Triton fans in your family? If they are eighth grade or under, check out the Junior Triton Club. Membership includes a free t-shirt, admission to over 100 UC San Diego home athletic events, and much more!

GEAR

For the latest Triton apparel and accessories, click here.

UP NEXT

The Tritons will travel to Utah for their first road trip of the season. Two matches with No. 8 BYU are set for Jan. 16-17.

About UC San Diego Athletics

After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program has begun a new era as a member of The Big West in NCAA Division I. The 24-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 39 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world’s preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in NCAA Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.