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Interviews, stadium, accounts and protests

Tuesday marked exactly 1,000 days since RedBird Capital Partners acquired a majority stake in AC Milan from Elliott Management. While the celebrations for the 19th Scudetto were continuing in the Piazza Duomo, a then-mysterious figure emerged, photographed among the masses. His name is Gerry Cardinale, and those stood around him at the time had no […]

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Interviews, stadium, accounts and protests

Tuesday marked exactly 1,000 days since RedBird Capital Partners acquired a majority stake in AC Milan from Elliott Management.

While the celebrations for the 19th Scudetto were continuing in the Piazza Duomo, a then-mysterious figure emerged, photographed among the masses. His name is Gerry Cardinale, and those stood around him at the time had no idea of what was to come in the next three years.

RedBird bought Milan from Elliott Management ahead of the 2022-23 campaign and it was already known back then that it would be an even more important season in the tapestry of the Rossoneri’s resurgence.

The hope was that winning the Scudetto was not an end point but rather a starting gun, one that brought fresh impetus to the plans of the ownership. When the very top of the club changed, there were question marks – from ourselves as well – about whether it could disrupt the stability.

Mission statement

As mentioned, it is exactly 1000 days ago on Tuesday that Cardinale officially became a majority shareholder of Milan via RedBird, and he introduced himself in a very bold way.

“Our vision for AC Milan is clear: we will support our talented players, coaches and staff in their efforts to achieve success on the pitch and to enable our fans to share the extraordinary experiences of this historic Club,” he said.

“We will ensure that we leverage our global sports and media network, our expertise in data collection and analysis, our track record in the development of sports stadiums and hospitality to achieve one goal: to keep AC Milan at the top of European and world football.”

However, there is one phrase that Cardinale said not too long into his tenancy that struck a chord with the fan base, and not for the right reasons. Speaking at Technology’s ‘Investing in Global Sports’ seminar as part of their Sports Analytics Conference, he made alarming statements.

gerry cardinale
Image: AC Milan

“One of the things that surprised me is that Milan has the second most number of Champions League trophies after Real Madrid. I hadn’t really kept up with that,” he said.

“But it’s an undermanaged asset. Serie A has a right to have a seat at the world table and Milan have a right at that table. It’s our job to do that.

“In sport, you can’t buy championships. I would obviously like to win the Scudetto and the Champions League every year, but if we did it would be contrary to our job.

“Our job is to get a return on this investment and if every year the same people win it wouldn’t work, right? It would make the evaluation completely dilutive.”

These are not exactly the words of someone driven to win every competition that the club are involved in, especially if it were to even slightly rock the economic balance and the vision of self-sustainability.

Transition to ‘entertainment entity’

During his time at Milan, Cardinale has almost lived three lives. The first was his first year, in which he rarely made an appearance, staying out of the way and observing the Rossoneri’s methods.

The second, currently still active, started in the summer when he decided to part ways with Paolo Maldini and Ricky Massara (more on that to come). After that, he was certainly much more present and engaged with the media too.

Just as Cardinale adapted to his new environment, so did Milan. Innovation is the word that RedBird liked to use when describing their work with the club, effectively trying to ‘modernise’ the club to turn it from just a football team to a media entity.

A lot of focus was put on the commercial side of things and continues to be, as seen by various partnerships with the New York Yankees, Off-White, New Era, Main Street Advisors and others. Under the new owners, the idea was to see Milan grow globally as a brand above all else.

He would go on to speak in an interview with Harvard Business School as part of a document which analysed the club and the transition to ownership by a US-based fund.

“When we bought AC Milan, a lot of American sports team owners called me and said, ‘You’re crazy.’ They said, ‘You can’t do business in Italy,’ and ‘It’s impossible to make money in European soccer.’ Most people who invest in sports clubs do it because they’re emotionally invested.

“They put winning trophies above everything else, and that often leads them to make the mistake of thinking that spending too much to field a team of stars is linearly related to winning. But that’s the worst thing you can do as an investor.

“We bought it for a figure that corresponded to 3.6 times the revenues of the club; the new owners of Chelsea FC bought it for a multiple of seven times the revenues when you consider the earn out.

“I brought the New York Yankees with me for a small minority stake, given our long-standing partnership with them and our desire to bring the best practices of American sports to Italy. I think Milan has the potential to become a €5bn company.”

Further proof of the mission statement: financial and brand growth is first, and if winning comings along with that then happy days. The latter, however, was never the priority.

Fading ‘Milanismo’

Concerns began to arise that Milan had moved from a successful and winning organisation – as shown by the 2021-22 Scudetto and the 2022-23 Champions League semi-final run – to one that was on a slippery slop.

At the start of the the 2023 summer window, Cardinale decided to sack Maldini and Massara, putting CEO Giorgio Furani and chief scout Geoffrey Moncada – promoted to technical director – at the top of the hierarchy.

Of course, this didn’t go down well with the fans. We wrote at length about the developments at the time, and about how Maldini’s ‘Milan first over everything’ approach and demand for more control caused a souring relationship to reach a bitter end.

The situation got even more heated with the sale of Sandro Tonali to Newcastle for €70m, given that the midfielder was a fan favourite and a boyhood Milan fan. Not to mention the fact that he’s a very good player, of course, and is now shining for the Magpies.

Worries about RedBird’s plan for the future only escalated with what followed. The famous ‘replace him in the aggregate’ line from the film was applied after Tonali’s sale, with Tijjani Reijnders and Christian Pulisic being the only real hits of the summer spree that followed.

It became very clear from Cardinale’s regular interviews that he wanted Milan to make the most of statistics and algorithms, with the Moneyball protagonist Billy Beane involved. And with that, he has been criticised for not understanding how Italian football works.

There was even an article from the French source FootMercato, suggesting that there was internal friction with regard to the ‘NBA model’ Cardinale has planned for the Rossoneri and how it was not compatible with the pre-established ecosystem of calcio, with all its complexities and stubbornness.

Zvonimir Boban summed things up well in the eyes of many on Andrea Longoni’s podcast in which he spoke about the signings he almost got over the line and the sacking of Paolo Maldini. You can read it in full here, while below is an excerpt about the feeling of belonging.

“I spoke about ‘de-Milanisation’, that was the fear. And it was clear that they wanted to make people lose that strength of wanting to belong. Because it is too big an emotion for someone who wants to control things differently. ‘Always Milan’: what the f*** does that mean?

“The whole world knows what Milan is, they even put ‘Always Milan’ on the bus. Please… Obviously it annoys, it flattens, it almost makes you become a robot. The idea is that, that the fans become customers, the players become assets. And so on, this is their way.

“Maldini’s sacking? A shameful page, done in a shameful way. Indecent, unacceptable and I could say a thousand other bad things. Above all, inexplicable even for them. For them Paolo represented the last obstacle to do what they wanted.

“And the Tonali thing had a big impact, Paolo would never have let him go. We are looking at a difference of 70 million, I don’t know how much specifically. A lot of money but that should never have come to Milan because Tonali shouldn’t have left Milan. Because the boy is a Milan fan.”

Internal power struggles

So, an American-based fund might not be entirely clued up on what it takes to establish a winning model and culture in Italian football, but with the right people in place the correct advice can follow to build such a structure.

The problem is that after Maldini and Massara’s unceremonial farewell, a power vacuum opened up that three figures rushed to fill without actually being qualified to do so. Thus, a great power struggle emerged inside the management.

It was once again Footmercato who painted a grim picture of life inside the walls of Casa Milan. They stated that the Milan management was ‘more than ever divided into several camps’ and on crucial issues that concern the steering of the ship moving forward.

The French outlet claimed that the CEO Giorgio Furlani and RedBird Capital Senior Advisor Zlatan Ibrahimović were ‘tearing each other apart’. There was talk of an ‘internal clash between directors’ currently being witnessed within the Rossoneri ranks, with Ibrahimović being ‘questioned more than ever’.

For example, Furlani reminded everyone before the Lazio game who is in charge, stating: “All decisions pass through me.” This was as a response to the fact that Zlatan had proclaimed himself ‘the boss’ within Milan.

Ibra meanwhile is believed to have lost a lot of support internally during recent months, and he was/is Cardinale’s right-hand man. One thing his detractors point at is his decision to give another accomplice in Jovan Kirovski a job with Milan Futuro, who are having a dreadful debut campaign.

Showing up at events like Sanremo Festival or Formula 1 Grand Prix has not done anything to ease the concerns that Ibra is simply focused on PR rather than building the best possible Milan. It is not too dissimilar to how the ownership were acting.

The result of the aforementioned squabble, which now seems to be a bit calmer, is that Furlani has flew to the United States flanked by lawyers to remind the owner Cardinale who is actually in charge among the directors.

The shadow of Elliott and the Middle East

Why does Furlani have so much sway? Well, in addition to the fact he remained the CEO after the sale (following Ivan Gazidis’ departure), there is the vendor loan factor.

When Gerry Cardinale bought AC Milan from Elliott Management in 2022, he only paid €650m for a deal that was valued at a total of €1.2bn. The remaining €550m was transformed into a so-called vendor loan, granted by Elliott to RedBird, with an interest rate of around 7%.

In recent months, with the repayment deadline set for August 2025, there has been a great debate regarding the vendor loan and whether Cardinale would be able to repay it. All kinds of potential solutions were touted in the media, including the possible sale of a minority stake.

As announced by the club in December, however, said loan has been refinanced until June 2028. That gives RedBird and Cardinale an extra three years to be able to find the money to pay it off.

Finance expert Alessandro Giudice explained at the time why it was something that worked for both parties. However, there still continues to be a bit of fog shrouding the ownership situation moving forward. Will the loan be paid off in full, or will external investment be required to help?

Speaking on Carlo Pellegatti’s YouTube channel, Carlo Festa – a writer for Il Sole 24 Ore – recently cast a further shadow on the future.

“There is no process underway, but there is certainly an interest in evaluating subjects that can bring new finance, therefore new money, into the coffers of Cardinale who, as you know, made this acquisition with debt,” he said.

Scaroni, Cardinale, Singer and Furlani
Gerry Cardinale and Gordon Singer [Elliott]

“He bought Milan for 1.2 billion with almost 700 million in financing from Elliott. This financing was then reduced over the course of these months with the repayment of 170 million, therefore towards Elliott it went down to almost 500 million.

“So, what does that mean? He always finds himself with a very high debt, and therefore he is looking, but he was already doing it before, then this process slowed down, he is evaluating equity partners.

“It is also well known that in these weeks he is in Qatar, in that area where there are the only investors interested in Italian football today. Between Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia there is possibly money for Italian clubs and therefore possibly also for Milan.

“Cardinale is a very silent shareholder. It seems to me that since September he has not revealed himself. This is because for him Milan is not a sporting affair, but a pure and simple business. Let’s say he does not reveal himself, he does not show himself, he does not give interviews also because his management is very financial.

“What I predict is that he will evaluate possible partners, obviously to a partner who enters in the minority you cannot deny an option to then purchase the majority later, but it is certainly more than a hypothesis. They are detailed rumours that say precisely that he is evaluating a partner, an activity that he had already previously studied.”

Stadium project

Cardinale made it clear from day one that he saw Milan as a club capable of growth, and a new stadium is certainly at the helm of that. However, nearly three years on from their arrival, there are still no spades in the ground.

During his interview on the Bloomberg podcast The Dealwhich you can also read in full, Gerry Cardinale spoke about Milan’s stadium plans. After suggesting it in a previous interview, he now confirmed his intentions to create a company to build more stadiums in Italy.

“It will be the first stadium built in Italy since 2011, an American-like stadium with 70,000 seats. We are going to bring music to Milan and build a live entertainment campus, which will be anchored by the team.

“You know, something like AC Milan, it’s interesting because we are going to need to find a way to crystallise value there. But, I mean, that [a stadium] is something that you should probably own forever. That is as iconic as it gets.

“We are going to build this new stadium, and when we are done building that stadium, I promise that we will have a company out of that to build other stadiums.”

After the initial joint project with Inter to build a ‘new San Siro’ launched in 2019, Cardinale and co. went a different route. Land was purchased at a site in San Donato, down in the south east of the city. For some time after, it seemed that the Rossoneri were favouring a move away from San Siro.

Things went quiet while president Paolo Scaroni continued to contradict himself every single time he spoke about the stadium plan in the media. San Donato went from Plan A to Plan B on each occasion he opened his mouth.

Fast-forward to March 2025, Milan and Inter announced a joint bid for San Siro and the surrounding areas. The intention is to partly demolish the existing stadium and then to build a new one on the adjacent parking lot, as part of a wider-ranging investment that includes real estate.

As a result of this, the Diavolo would ‘abandon’ the San Donato project they committed around €55m to, permitting that the council accept the proposal from the clubs. If not, we might well be back to square one, or whatever square they claim to be on.

Italian bureaucracy deserves some blame for the lack of movement on the stadium front, but it undoubtedly went from RedBird’s flagship plan for Milan to a source of embarrassment.

The accounts

While things were up and down (mostly down) on the field, RedBird – headed of course by the commercial team – were at least making positive strides on the financial side.

Milan made a profit of €6.1m on revenues of €404.5m in 2022-23 after a loss of €66.5m had been reported in 2021-22, so that was certainly a marked improvement and a leap forward in the self-sustainability mission.

The following year, 2023-24, the Rossoneri’s net profit for the 2023-24 season was €4.1m, marking the second consecutive year of profit for the club. This profit was achieved despite a €40m decrease in combined audiovisual and ticketing revenue due to a weaker performance in European competitions.

The club’s revenue reached a record €457m, with a 13% increase compared to the previous year. however, all of this should have served to provide a platform from which to build, and what has happened in the last financial year threatens to undo a lot of good work.

Casa Milan, Mark Dowley and Gerry Cardinale
Mark Dowley and Gerry Cardinale

As Calcio e Finanza write, the accounts are in the red for this season, for the first time in two years, and the expectation is that the losses will stand at around €25m. The exact reasoning will be fully revealed in the accounts, but it is obviously down to increasing costs and declining revenues.

Things could change with the season ‘ending’ on June 30, so the mercato will have an effect, probably. However, it is definitely not a good sign if the books are balanced by sacrifices like the sale of Reijnders to Manchester City.

In that Harvard Business School paper, Cardinale took a swipe at Inter’s old owners Suning, stating: “They won the Scudetto last year and then went bankrupt: is this really what we want?!”

With no involvement in European competitions in 2025-26, there is a worry that things could further spiral with a further €80-100m gap in revenues. Those words have, unfortunately, aged like milk.

Protests and hope

Everything seemed to come to a head on Saturday night, which was the game closest to the 1,000-day marker for RedBird Capital. While a 2-0 win over Monza was played out on the field, the real headlines were away from the pitch.

It started at 17:00 CEST when thousands of fans gathered at the club’s Casa Milan headquarters to protest, calling for the return of Paolo Maldini. Then, there was a further show of discontent after 15 minutes of the match as fans – the Curva Sud above all – led a mass walk-out.

It made worldwide news. The Athletic had a piece headlined: ‘Milan ultras stage choreographed ‘Go Home’ protest against club’s RedBird owners’. The intro reads: ‘Milan fans staged a remarkable protest against the club’s ownership ahead of their Serie A match against Monza on Saturday.’

Given that The Athletic are owned by the New York Times, we have zero doubts that Cardinale was well aware of the demonstration that took place. Those protests came after the Curva showed up at the 125th anniversary party for a sort of ‘people’s court’, along with many banners at Casa Milan.

Photos by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images | SportItalia

Where is Cardinale while all this is going on? The most recent public traces date back to a few days ago, when the news of the acquisition of the historic The Telegraph by RedBird Capital came out. In the news story, Cardinale spoke about the purchase.

Of course it is well known and to a point accepted by Milanista that the Rossoneri are one of many investments that he must devote his time to, but the objection is just how little attention the club seems to be getting.

The last time the owner was at Milanello dates back to August 26. The last time he was in the stands for a match at San Siro was the Venezia game in September, and the last time he saw any game in the flesh – as far as we know – was the Real Madrid Champions League game on November 5.

The hope that Milan fans can cling to is that the management have understood that they have failed, and this clearly has to be a directive from above too. The first move: Igli Tare’s arrival as a sporting director, to fill a crucial gap in the currently ill-functioning Venn diagram of the management.

The coach will be the second step, then the summer window will follow and from there the results tell the story. Because ultimately, in another 1,000 days it is the field we will point to first in determining where Milan stand in the scene of Europe’s elite, whether RedBird are still around or not.

Sports

52 athletes from Southern Arizona earned NJCAA All-Academic status from Pima, EAC, Arizona Western and Central Arizona; Jamie Black named FC Tucson MVP

Share Tweet Share Share Email (FC Tucson Graphic) This list will be updated all year in an effort to recognize all former local prep stars who have gone on to win either academic and/or athletic awards at the next level. These are not high school […]

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(FC Tucson Graphic)

This list will be updated all year in an effort to recognize all former local prep stars who have gone on to win either academic and/or athletic awards at the next level. These are not high school awards but collegiate and professional recognition. NOT CHAMPIONSHIPS. If you are aware of anything I have missed along the way, please let me know. amoralesmytucson@yahoo.com

Portions from news release.

Jamie Black/Soccer
Canyon del Oro/FC Tucson Women
FC Tucson MVP (7/22)

Carsyn O’Daniels/Softball
Salpointe/Monroe
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Bailey Nichols/Softball
Sabino/Scottsdale CC
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Annalise Holthaus/Basketball
Ironwood Ridge/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Mat’Tanaya Vital/Basketball
Amphitheater/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Katie Burns/Basketball
Catalina Foothills/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Amelie Buffill-Gutierrez/Basketball
Sabino/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Trevor Carlson/Baseball
Tanque Verde/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Oscar Rocha/Baseball
Sabino/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Clarissa Figueroa/Softball
Mountain View/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Talia Martin/Softball
Mountain View/Pima
ACCAC D-II Player of the Week (3/12)
First Team All-ACCAC (5/7)
All-Region I, Division II (5/7)
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Sariah Ferrentino/Softball
Sabino/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Julissa Lopez/Softball
Tucson/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Aubrey Marx/Softball
Cienega/Pima
ACCAC Player of the Week (4/25)
Second Team All-ACCAC (5/7)
All-Region I, Division II (5/7)
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Taiya Teixeira/Softball
Salpointe/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Belen Camacho/Softball
Pueblo/Pima
ACCAC Pitcher of the Week (4/13)
ACCAC Pitcher of the Week (4/25)
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Cheyanne Ortiz/Softball
Tucson/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Natalya Rivera/Softball
Sunnyside/Pima
NJCAA D-II National Player of the Week (2/20)
ACCAC D-II Player of the Week (2/20)
ACCAC D-II Player of the Week (1/29)
First Team All-ACCAC (5/7)
All-Region I, Division II (5/7)
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Jasmin Joseph/Volleyball
Tanque Verde/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Julia Weatherbie/Volleyball
Mountain View/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Julia Ford/Volleyball
Catalina Foothills/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Elli Meinke/Volleyball
Ironwood Ridge/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Kendall Snyder/Volleyball
Canyon del Oro/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Phoebe Knisley/Soccer
Canyon del Oro/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Viviana Sanchez/Soccer
Tucson/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Uriah Burrell/Soccer
Catalina Foothills/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Solaris Graves/Soccer
Ironwood Ridge/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Emma Beach/Soccer
Ironwood Ridge/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Savannah Michel/Soccer
Walden Grove/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Ella Allred/Track and Field
Benson/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Elexia Aragon/Track and Field
Flowing Wells/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Maylee Thompson/Track and Field
Willcox/Pima
NJCAA Indoor All-American Long Jump (3/9)
NJCAA Indoor All-American Pentathlon (3/9)
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Elizabeth Coppola/Track and Field
Pusch Ridge/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Reatta Danhof/Track and Field
Ironwood Ridge/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Elsie Ibarra-Borboa/Track and Field
St. Augustine/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Layla Konski/Track and Field
Ironwood Ridge/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Morgan Pepe/Track and Field
Ironwood Ridge/Pima
NJCAA Indoor All-American Pole Vault (3/9)
All-American (5/17)
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

D’Andre Pickett/Soccer
Tucson/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Eric Nguyen/Soccer
Salpointe/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Missael Montilla/Soccer
Tucson/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Mateo Soto/Soccer
Tucson/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Cooper Jones/Basketball
Buena/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Kota Benson/Basketball
Baboquivari/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Noah Brunet/Track and Field
Ironwood Ridge/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Jace Schaub/Track and Field
Canyon del Oro/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Tayvien Biancuzzo/Track and Field
Mica Mountain/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Jackson Koontz/Track and Field
Salpointe/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Yasmin Villa/Softball
Tucson/Eastern Arizona
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Analise Montiel/Softball
Cholla/Eastern Arizona
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Ariana Aguirre/Softball
Ironwood Ridge/Eastern Arizona
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Malayah Renteria/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Eastern Arizona
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Ailani Rodriguez/Softball
Rio Rico/Eastern Arizona
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Kason Jacquez/Baseball
St. David/Eastern Arizona
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Reese McFarland/Softball
Sabino/Eastern Arizona
All-ACCAC First Team (5/7)
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)
Riley McFarland/Softball
Sabino/Eastern Arizona
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Brianna Wunderle/Softball
Marana/Central Arizona
ACCAC Player of the Week (4/18)
All-ACCAC First Team (5/7)
All-Region I, Division I (5/7)
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Kaitlyn McLaughlin/Softball
Tanque Verde/Arizona Western
NJCAA All-Academic (7/24)

Mychal Castillo/Baseball
Salpointe/Northland College
UMAC Academic All-Conference (6/11)

Demetrio Crisantes/Baseball
Nogales/ Hillsboro Hops (Diamondbacks A)
MLB Pipeline Top 10 (7/16)

Juan Hernandez/Baseball
Tucson/Pima
Sun Belt All-Star (7/4)
Sun Belt Player of the Game (7/15)
Sun Belt Most Outstanding Player (7/16)

Aciel Guillen/Baseball
Salpointe/Pima
Sun Belt Player of the Game (7/16)

Aleksander Krupa/Baseball
Cienega/Embry-Riddle
Sun Belt Player of the Game (7/15)

Noah Miller/Baseball
Pusch Ridge/Cochise
Sun Belt Player of the Game (7/14)

Jose Angel Olivarez/Baseball
Buena/Emporia State
Sun Belt Player of the Game (7/13)

Dominic Phillips/Baseball
Sahuaro/Adams State
Sun Belt All-Star (7/4)
Sun Belt Player of the Game (7/11)

Benji Cazares/Baseball
Tucson/Oklahoma Christian
Sun Belt All-Star (7/4)

Michel Muniz/Baseball
Sunnyside/Pima
Sun Belt All-Star (7/4)

Giovanni Toledo/Baseball
Sunnyside/Emporia State
Sun Belt All-Star (7/4)

Austin Monge/Baseball
Buena/Central Christian
Sun Belt All-Star (7/4)

Francisco Aldan-Sablan/Baseball
Sahuaro/Dickinson State
Sun Belt All-Star (7/4)

Ruben Villaescusa/Baseball
Tucson/Cochise College
Sun Belt All-Star (7/4)

Ruben Castro/Baseball
Tucson/Oklahoma Christian
Sun Belt All-Star (7/4)

Branden Franz/Baseball
Catalina Foothills/Ottawa Kansas
Sun Belt All-Star (7/4)

Maddox Jones/Baseball
Tucson/Bemidji State
Sun Belt All-Star (7/4)

Ezra Vidal/Baseball
Sahuarita/Pima
Sun Belt All-Star (7/4)

Jacob Solis/Baseball
Sahuaro/Arizona Christian
Sun Belt All-Star (7/4)

Liam Padden/Baseball
Canyon del Oro/Ottawa University
Sun Belt All-Star (7/4)

Austin Cushman/Baseball
Buena/Cochise
Sun Belt All-Star (7/4)

Camren Hanamoto/Baseball
Mica Mountain/Ottawa
Sun Belt All-Star (7/4)

Michael Escalante/Baseball
Flowing Wells/Crown College
Sun Belt All-Star (7/4)

Sammy Padilla/Baseball
Flowing Wells/Emporia State
Sun Belt All-Star (7/4)

Andre Jackson/Baseball
Cienega/Yokohama DeNA BayStars
NPB All-Star (7/7)

Miia Campos/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Texas at Tyler
CSC Academic All-America (6/17)

Leah Salas/Softball
Sahuarita/Embry Riddle
GSAC Player of the Week (3/10)
GSAC Player of the Year (4/28)
GSAC All-Conference (4/28)
GSAC Gold Glove Team (4/28)
NFCA NAIA All-Region (5/23)
CSC Academic All-America (6/17)

Rumur Rouille/Volleyball
Ironwood Ridge/LSU
SEC Academic Honor Roll (6/27)

Libby Axen/Golf
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Bobby Bragan Slugger Award watch list (4/27)
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All-American (6/12)

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All-American (6/12)

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All-Region I, Division I (5/7)
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GSAC Pitcher of the Year (4/28)
GSAC All-Conference (4/28)
NFCA NJCAA West Region (5/27)

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MWC Performer of the Week (2/17)
Midwest All-Conference (3/4)
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Cornell Freshman of the Year (5/10)
All-Midwest Conference (5/10)

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Second Team All-ACCAC (5/7)
All-Region I, Division II (5/7)
Larry Toledo Award (5/28)

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Cienega/Arizona State
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Walden Grove/Arizona
Big 12 Honorable Mention (5/20)

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All-American (5/17)

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All-American (5/17)

Hannah Droeg/Track and Field
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All-American (5/17)

Ella Allred/Track and Field
Benson/Pima
All-American (5/17)

Reatta Danhof/Track and Field
Ironwood Ridge/Pima
All-American (5/17)

Linda Rivero/Track and Field
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All-American (5/17)

Angel Addleman/Basketball
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GSAC Winter Scholar Athlete (2/25)
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Tanvi Narendran/Tennis
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Arizona Unsung Hero Award (4/28)

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MEAC Preseason First Team (1/30)
CSE Top 50 (1/25)
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MEAC All-Academic (5/5)
MEAC All-Conference (5/6)

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ACCAC D-II Pitcher of the Week (1/29)
ACCAC D-II Pitcher of the Week (2/5)
ACCAC D-II Pitcher of the Week (2/13)
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ACCAC D-II Co-Pitcher of the Year (5/7)
First Team All-ACCAC Division II (5/7)
All-Region I, Division II (5/7)

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ACCAC D-II Player of the Week (2/13)
ACCAC D-II Player of the Week (2/26)
First Team All-ACCAC D-II (5/7)
All-Region I, Division II (5/7)

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All-Region I, Division II (5/7)

Destanee Nez/Softball
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All-Region I, Division I (5/7)

Mya Hernandez/Softball
Sahuaro/Central Arizona
All-ACCAC First Team (5/7)

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Walden Grove/Pima
ACCAC D-II Pitcher of the Week (2/20)
ACCAC D-II Second Team (4/29)
All-Region Second Team (4/29)

Paul Vasquez/Wrestling
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NWCA Coach of the Year (4/2)

Savannah Gutierrez/Soccer
Tucson/Texas A&M International
Defensive Player of the Year (4/29)

Gianna Pancost/Softball
Sabino/Colorado Springs
All-RMAC Second Team (4/30)

Daniel Miranda/Wrestling
Mountain View/ASU
NWCA Scholar All-American (4/2)

Trayvion White-Austin/Track
Sahuaro/Arizona
NCAA Indoor All-American (3/15)
Arizona Sapphire Ward Finalist (4/26)

Michael Masunas/Football
Sabino/Michigan State
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CSC Academic All-District (3/27)

Audrey Jimenez/Wrestling
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NJCAA West District COY (3/25)

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NJCAA Region II Pitcher of the Week (3/1)

Isaiah Roebuck/Baseball
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Kennedy S. Wanner Award (4/4)

Lucas Casey/Baseball
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ACCAC D-II Pitcher of the Week (1/29)
ACCAC D-II Pitcher of the Week (3/26)

Diego Bejarano/Baseball
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Athlete of the Week (3/24)
D-II Top Hitter (3/25)

Lillian Gradillas-Flores/Wrestling
Mountain View/Southern Oregon
NAIA All-America (3/15)

Marisol Peña/Wrestling
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NCWC All-American (3/15)

Paris Mikinski/High Jump
Salpointe/Arizona
NCAA Indoor All-American (3/15)

Maddie Hairgrove/Softball
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Alma Garcia/Softball
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Midwest College Classic Player of the Tournament (3/7)

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Sean Elliott/Basketball
Cholla/Arizona
UA Humanities Alumni of the Year (3/3)

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Mat’Tanaya Vital/Basketball
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ACCAC D-II Player of the Week (2/27)

Makayla Holthaus/Basketball
Ironwood Ridge/OUAZ
GSAC Winter Scholar Athlete (2/25)

Landyn Lewis/Golf
Tucson/PGA Southwest
PGA Southwest Patriot Award (2/28)

Bruno Fina/Football
Salpointe/Duke
CSC Academic All-District (1/7)
CSC Academic All-America 2nd Team (1/28)

Nayeli Nidez Acuña/Basketball
Sunnyside/Knox College
MWC Performer of the Week (1/21)

Lathan Ransom/Football
Salpointe/Ohio State
PFF Highest Graded Run Defender (1/17)

Bryce Cotton/Basketball
Palo Verde/Perth Wildcats
Game 23 MVP (1/16)
Game 22 MVP (1/15)
Game 21 MVP (1/6)

Wes Ball/Basketball
Marana/Pima
ACCAC Player of the Week (1/9)

Dylan Cook/Football
Ironwood Ridge/Morehead State
CSC Academic All-District (1/7)

Tyler Mustain/Football
Pusch Ridge/Arizona
CSC Academic All-District (1/7)










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Spain Captain Felipe Perrone Ends Legendary Career with Storybook Title

Spain Captain Felipe Perrone Ends Legendary Career with Storybook Title Felipe Perrone described it like a movie ending, one that maybe even Hollywood would’ve thought a little too on the nose Thursday. Perrone’s last acts as an international water polo player unspooled at the OCBC Aquatic Centre in Singapore. With 18 seconds left in the […]

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Spain Captain Felipe Perrone Ends Legendary Career with Storybook Title

Felipe Perrone described it like a movie ending, one that maybe even Hollywood would’ve thought a little too on the nose Thursday.

Perrone’s last acts as an international water polo player unspooled at the OCBC Aquatic Centre in Singapore. With 18 seconds left in the gold-medal match of the World Aquatics Championships, Perrone scored to give Spain a three-goal lead over Hungary, the final touch on a 15-13 victory.

It meant Perrone would end his 14th World Championships with two different countries with a gold medal around, the final entry in one of his generation’s most illustrious careers.

“It was really like a movie,” the Spain captain said. “I couldn’t believe it. I think even the best movies are not so organized like this — like the last goal, winning the world championship. I’m so, so happy and so proud of the team.”

All the beats were there for the 39-year-old. He may not be the dominant force he once was, making the all-tournament team at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. (The former came when his current Spain teammate, Biel Gomila, was just two years old.) But Perrone’s game has not fallen far. He was the MVP of the World Championships final in 2022, when Spain beat Italy in the shootout for its first title in 21 years, and made the all-tournament team in 2023.

This year, Perrone had two goals on nine shots and three assists in the first six Spain games. But when his team needed him in the final, he produced two goals and an assist.

Perrone answered when Hungary got out to its biggest lead, at 10-8, with a goal at 3:23 of the third quarter. Spain scored five of the first six goals of the fourth quarter to take the lead, the last by Unai Biel with 3:10 left. It was enough to weather the red card shown to Bernat Sanahuja, the finals MVP, with 3:51 left.

Perrone finished it off personally. When Adam Nagy got Hungary within two at 14-12 with 51 seconds left, the captain replied by drawing the exclusion, then scoring on the power play with 18 ticks left to make it 15-12 and remove all doubt that he’d go out a winner.

Spain Felipe PErrone

Photo Courtesy: World Aquatics/Singapore 2025

“It wasn’t easy,” he said. “Hungary played amazing, but I think our team, we really showed our capacity. As a team, we played amazing. And I think more than that, it was an amazing game for water polo. I think people who watched it just see the best and the most beautiful water polo of all time.”

Perrone’s career is a wild ride. Born in Brazil, he moved to Spain at age 15 and represented both nations at the Olympics, with four Olympic for Spain and the home Games for Brazil in Rio in 2016. An Olympic medal eluded him, Spain finishing fourth in Tokyo, fifth in Beijing and sixth in Paris and London. But Spain has long been one of the most outstanding programs of Worlds.

Thursday was Spain’s fourth World Championship, moving into a tie with Hungary and Italy for the most in the competition’s history. Perrone led two, and he’s medaled in seven World Championships – silver in 2009 and 2019; bronze in 2007, 2023 and 2024. He has five European Championships medals, including gold in 2024.

The dramatic ending fit the emotional build Perrone felt leading to his final games.

“I was crying for the last six months, and every time all the guys were saying beautiful words for me,” he said. “I think it’s more than the result, because now it’s easy to talk about the results, but it was so, so many years with them. I spent more time with them than with my family. For me to finish like this and have them next to me, it is really a special feeling.”

Perrone has dominated domestic competition with 15 titles with CN Atletic-Barceloneta over four stints. He’s won the LEN Champions league with CNAB, Italian club Pro Recco and Croatia’s Jug Dubrovnik, with domestic titles in each league.

He is an icon in the sport.

“There are no words to describe Felipe,” said Alvaro Granados, the MVP of the tournament and perhaps Perrone’s heir apparent. “When the game finished, I said to him that one of the most beautiful things that sport ever gave me was being able to be a friend of him. He was my idol growing up watching water polo and being able to become his friend, his roommate for the last four years is some of the most beautiful things sport has ever given to me and will give to me for sure.

“He’s always for the good of the team. He has zero ego being one of the best players in history, for sure, and he puts always the others in front of him for the best of the group. We all learnt a lot from him, so he’s super humble, super good person and a great friend.”

The tributes came from both sides in the final.

“I cannot describe how happy I am for him,” Hungary’s Vince Vigvari said after giving his Barceloneta teammate a big hug. “If there was one player today who deserves it, it’s him. He knows that I love him so much, and I can’t wait to see him again in Barcelona, because I have to learn a lot more from him.”

It’s been a long journey for Perrone, who said he’s looking forward to a break from the year-round grind to spent time with family. It’s difficult to walk away, not from the accolades and trophies but from the people he’s won them alongside.

“I wouldn’t say that winning is an addictive feeling,” he said. “I think sport is an addictive feeling. I shared this with my teammates. It is the sport, every training session. This feeling of being connected with the guys. This is something really special. And sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and I lost a lot. For me, I would say that more than winning. It is the feeling of the relationship that we constructed during these years.”



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Four DI Transfers, Three State Champions, Two National Team Members Highlight Soccer Recruits

Story Links MOREHEAD, Ky. – A 15-member class that features multiple members with collegiate and international experience highlight coach Paul Cox‘s first full recruiting class for the Morehead State women’s soccer team. The group also includes three state champions and three others with state finals experience. The global group features players from […]

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MOREHEAD, Ky. – A 15-member class that features multiple members with collegiate and international experience highlight coach Paul Cox‘s first full recruiting class for the Morehead State women’s soccer team. The group also includes three state champions and three others with state finals experience.

The global group features players from Switzerland, England, California, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey and Kentucky. Virtually every newcomer enters MSU with a long history of playing for highly successful and championship teams.

They will join 10 returnees from an Eagle squad which finished 2024 with a 9-8-6 overall record and a 4-3-2 Ohio Valley Conference mark, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament, while setting school records for best road mark, lowest team goals against average and most games played.

“We are excited to bring in a wealth of players that offer something different,” Cox said. “We brought in four transfers in the spring who helped rejuvenate our team culture. We are now bringing in a large freshman class that has international experience for national teams. We have players coming from top level clubs as well as some in-state talent that is going to help our program grow again this year as we look to go back to the NCAA tournament.”

Cox hit the portal hard with five transfers, including four who enrolled in the spring and played with the Eagles in the 2025 offseason. One freshman also joined the squad in January after graduating early from high school. That group helped MSU post an undefeated (4-0-1) spring campaign and outscored its opponents 12-1.

Junior midfielders Hannah Carter (Bowling Green, Ky./Murray State) and Molly Tapak (Greenwood, Ind./Southern Illinois), junior forward Keara Chafee (Blair, Neb./Omaha), redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Sofia Rodriguez (Taylor Mill, Ky./Western Carolina) and freshman defender Faith Peper (Mahtomedi, Minn./Mahtomedi HS) joined the program earlier this year.

Carter spent two years at Murray State, where she played in 35 matches, starting 20. During that time, she recorded 12 shots and had one assist. As a freshman, she recorded the second most minutes on the squad. A graduate of Greenwood High School, her teams finished with a 69-17-6 record over four seasons, winning the state title in 2019 and advancing to the state semifinals in 2020. In her final two years, GHS was the regional runner-up. As a senior for the Lady Gators, Carter recorded 15 points on seven goals and one assist. She finished second in goals and third in points on the team. Overall, she tallied 13 goals, seven assists and 33 points. Academically, she was a member of the National Honors Society. She played for the Nashville United club side.

Tapak comes to MSU after two seasons at Southern Illinois. In her time as a Saluki, she played in 27 games, starting 20, and finished taking 12 shots. In her first season, she played the full 90 minutes in 14 of 17 contests, finishing with the second-most minutes on the team and fourth most in program history. A two-year starter and team captain at Center Grove High School, her squad was a semi-state runner-up after winning the regional and sectional. She also competed in gymnastics and track and field, qualifying for the state meet in two events in the latter sport. Tapak earned Academic All-State and Second Team-All District honors and also won a team sportsmanship award in track and field. She was a starter for her club team, Indy Premier United GA, which qualified for nationals.

Chafee enters MSU after spending two years with Omaha, where her Mavericks’ teams posted a 17-8-12 overall record. As a sophomore, she played in 16 games and recorded one assist and one shot. As a freshman, she saw action in 11 outings, starting once, and taking one shot. She led her Blair High School team in scoring as a freshman with 20 goals and 10 assists in just 13 games. For her efforts, she earned first-team all-conference and honorable mention all-state honors, as well as being named both the Team and the Offensive MVP. On the club level, she was a member of the Gretna Elite Academy ECNL. There, she earned first-team all-conference honors in the 2021-22 campaign. Her team qualified for the ECNL Nationals three years. She graduated high school after the fall semester and was an early enrollee at Omaha.

Rodriguez did not see the pitch in either of her two seasons at Western Carolina and consequently earned a redshirt. The Newport Central Catholic graduate played and started two seasons for the Thoroughbreds, earning team MVP honors both times. In 2020, she averaged 6.5 saves per game, while posting a 2.8 goals against average and five shutouts. In 2019, she notched 4.7 spg and a 2.0 GAA, while collecting three shutouts. She was recognized as first-team all-state as a sophomore and “Defensive Player of the Year” as a freshman. Rodriguez was named on the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll in 2023-24. She spent three years with the Cincinnati United Premier club team, with the squad finishing third nationally in 2020-21.

Peper graduated a semester early from Mahtomedi High School after the Zephyrs won the Class 2A state title with a 17-2-1 record last fall. As a senior, she finished with six goals and five assists. She was named to the all-classes, all-state team by the Minnesota Star Tribune and 2A First-Team All-State by the state coaches’ association. Peper also earned All-Metro East honors. She was named the Zephyrs co-Best Defender of the Year after helping hold her opponents to just seven goals all season. Mahtomedi had a successful run while she was there, finishing with a 60-10-3 in her four years. Her club team was the Tonka-Fusion Elite.

Aston Villa FC’s Charlotte Lee (Nottingham, England) and Olivia Lowe (Nottingham, England), as well as freshman forward Joni Bandi (Bern, Switzerland) add international flavor to the roster. Lowe, a freshman defender, and Lee, a freshman midfielder, both have extensive experience with their U21 WSL Academy club, while Bandi, who is already 21, plays in the first tier Swiss Women’s Super League with the Thun Berner-Oberland club.

Lee has been a member of the U19 Welsh National Team for the past year. She also has been a regular starter for her Aston Villa side. In 2022-23, AVFC finished 14-6-2 (W-L-T), with Lee appearing in all but one contest and starting all but three. That season, she tallied two goals and six assists. In 2021-22, she played in four games, starting two. That team finished 15-2-3. She is a graduate of Sutton High School.

Lowe made her international debut as a 13-year-old in 2020-21. She has been training as a member of the Premier League Futures Program since June 2024. Prior to that, she played at Redhill Academy from 2017-23. In Aston Villa’s 2022-23 season, she played and started in one game, with the team finishing 14-6-2 (W-L-T). She graduated from Nottinghamshire High School.

Bandi most recently played for Thun Berner-Oberland in the top league in Switzerland. She saw action in 17 matches, starting nine, scoring twice and collecting four points in 2024-25. The team finished 2-14-2 (W-L-T). In the two previous years, she also played in the Swiss Women’s Super League. In 2023-24, she also was a member of Thun Berner-Oberland, where she again played in 17 matches, starting nine, and was on the pitch for 770 minutes. She also scored twice that year. As a 17-year-old, she spent her first season in the WSL on the Young Boys club, where she saw action in three games.

Graduate student midfielder Karissa Vela (Chino Hills, Calif.) is joining her third collegiate program after spending the last two years at West Virginia State and her first two campaigns at junior college powerhouse Mt. San Antonio. She earned all-conference honors at both schools.

In 2024, Vela helped lead WVSU to the conference tournament title and its first-ever Division II national tournament, where it won its opening game before falling in the second round. The team finished 16-4-3. She started all 22 games as a senior, tallying four goals, four assists and 12 points on 37 shots (18 shots on goal). She also had two game winners and was named second-team all-conference. As a junior, she started 18 games, was a reserve in another, and recorded two goals, one assist and five points on 21 shots. As a sophomore, Mt. SAC posted a 20-2-1 record, won its conference tournament and advanced to the fourth round of the playoffs. She again was named second-team all-conference after registering 16 goals, seven assists and five game-winning goals for a total of 39 points. She did all that in just 26 shots. That season, she started 22 of the 23 games and had a hat trick versus Citrus College and three assists against Compton College. As a freshman, Vela helped the squad to a 16-3-6 mark and the semifinals of the California Community College Athletic Association, after winning another conference tournament crown. That year, she had eight goals, three assists and 19 points, while playing in 22 games, starting 10. She also had three game-winning goals and took 17 shots. At one point in the middle of the season, she scored in five consecutive games that she played. Vela graduated from Chino Hills High School, where she was first-team all-league and named the Most Improved Player. She played club soccer for Legends FC.

Six additional freshmen enter MSU with a bevy of impressive credentials. Included among that group are midfielder Hailey Hernandez-Repreza (Huntington Park, Calif./Warren HS), midfielder Natalie Lentine (Fraser, Mich./Regina HS), midfielder Alyssa Brians (Saint Leon, Ind./East Central HS), forward Lily Burt (Voorhees, N.J./Eastern Regional HS), midfielder Addison Petry (Louisville, Ky./Sacred Heart Academy) and goalkeeper Hannah Sullivan (Louisville, Ky./Eastern HS).

Hernandez-Repreza has spent time with El Salvador’s national team playing in the CONCACAF Women’s U17 Championship. She topped the squad during that tournament with three goals. She also trains at the country’s U20 National Team Camp. As a senior at Warren High School, Hernandez-Repreza helped the squad post a 21-4-3 record and was the Division 3 state runner-up for Southern California. In her four seasons at Warren, the team boasted a 46-32-16 mark. She also played for FRAM SC.

Lentine’s Regina High School soccer team was the state runner-up this spring. She also ran track and cross country, and was a member of the basketball team. Over the last two years, her RHS soccer squad posted a 15-11-8 record. She is a member of the state ODP team and also coaches soccer at the Lake St. Clair Sports Club. On the club level, she plays for the Nationals 07 Girls Academy Gray Team. Academically, Lentine boasts a GPA of over 4.0. She twice attended the State Leadership Conference and was a presenter there in 2023.

Brians was a standout for the state semifinalist East Central High School soccer team, which notched an 18-3-1 record this past season. She tallied eight goals and added six assists for the Trojans. Her squad surrendered just six goals in her senior campaign, finishing the year with 17 shutouts. As a junior, ECHS posted a 17-2 record, with Brians tallying three goals and five assists in 16 games. In her four years with the team, it boasted a 66-12-4 record and advanced to the state playoffs each season. She finished her career with 12 goals, 13 assists in 71 games. The Trojans went 27-1 in conference play during her tenure, and she earned the Top Team Player Award from the state coaches’ association. She also is a member of the volleyball team. She notched a 4.0 GPA in high school and was recognized for her academics. She plays for the Ohio Elite club side.

Burt’s Eastern Regional High School was the state runner-up in her senior season. She collected 19 points on eight goals and three assists for the Vikings, which posted an 18-7-2 record. As a junior, ERHS was 19-2-3, with Burt accounting for 29 points on eight goals and 13 assists. As a sophomore, the squad went 23-2-2, with her scoring twice and adding eight assists. She also ran track for the school. She is a member of the PDA South club team.

In 2024, Petry played in all 27 games for Sacred Heart, one of the nation’s top girls’ soccer sides. The Valkyries finished the campaign with a state title and a 24-1-2 record. The club allowed just 10 goals all season. Multiple organizations ranked Sacred Heart among the top 20 teams in the country. In 2023, the Valkyries finished 20-3-3 and were the state runners-up. In that campaign, she played in 24 contests, finishing with a goal and an assist. As a sophomore, she recorded two goals and three assists for the 20-4-0 district champs. In her three years on the varsity, SHA posted a 64-8-5 mark and allowed just 48 goals. She is a member of Racing Louisville FC.

Sullivan was a teammate of Petry on Racing Louisville’s U19 Purple side. At Eastern High School, she was a four-year starter in the net. In 16 games in 2024, she averaged 10 spg, had five shutouts and a 2.8 GAA. The previous season, she posted a 2.3 GAA, with three shutouts and 12.6 spg. In 2022, she finished with a 3.2 GAA and 10.6 spg. As a freshman, she registered a 3.0 GAA with 12.3 spg and two shutouts.

Three All-OVC honorees return from a squad that was among the league’s best defenses. However, the club will have to replace 16 players, including three graduates.

Morehead State begins preseason camp on Monday, July 28. The team’s first exhibition game is on Thursday, Aug. 7 at home against Brescia (Ky.), before opening its regular season on Thursday, Aug. 14 at home against Marshall.



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AJ Middleton – Stanford Cardinal

AJ Middleton is in his first season as a football sports performance coach in 2021. He came to The Farm following five seasons as an assistant strength and conditioning coach with the BYU football program. At BYU, Middleton worked with the linebackers, tight ends and fullbacks. He also integrated freshmen and return missionaries into the team training […]

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AJ Middleton is in his first season as a football sports performance coach in 2021. He came to The Farm following five seasons as an assistant strength and conditioning coach with the BYU football program. At BYU, Middleton worked with the linebackers, tight ends and fullbacks. He also integrated freshmen and return missionaries into the team training structure. Middleton played a key role in the development of the 2020 team that finished the season ranked No. 11 in the AP Top 25. 

Before joining the Cougars in Provo, Middleton worked one season at UNLV after stints at USC and the University of Redlands strength and conditioning programs the two years prior. He was also an assistant track and field coach at the University of Puget Sound in 2013.

Middleton played football and competed in track and field at Puget Sound and was a first-team All-Northwest Conference honoree at nose tackle in 2008. He was also a two-time NWC champion in the shot put in 2006 and 2007.

He is an NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), NSCA Registered Strength and Conditioning Coach (RSCC) and a Level 1 USAW Performance Coach.

He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biology at Puget Sound in 2009 and then earned a master’s degree in management from Redlands in 2015. He is married to his college sweetheart, Jessica Scarsella, and the couple has one son, Maximillian.



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T.J. Crater – Penn State

Coaching Awards and Honors:* 2007 USTFCCCA Division II Men[apos]s Assistant Coach of the Year* 2007 USTFCCCA West Region Men[apos]s Assistant Coach of the Year Outstanding Athletes Coached: Blake Eaton* 2010 NCAA Outdoor Bronze Medalist (Shot Put)* Two-Time NCAA All-American* Two-Time Big Ten Outdoor Champion (Shot Put)* USTFCCCA Mid-Atlantic Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year Joe Kovacs* […]

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Coaching Awards and Honors:
* 2007 USTFCCCA Division II Men[apos]s Assistant Coach of the Year
* 2007 USTFCCCA West Region Men[apos]s Assistant Coach of the Year

Outstanding Athletes Coached:

Blake Eaton
* 2010 NCAA Outdoor Bronze Medalist (Shot Put)
* Two-Time NCAA All-American
* Two-Time Big Ten Outdoor Champion (Shot Put)
* USTFCCCA Mid-Atlantic Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year

Joe Kovacs
* Two-Time NCAA Indoor Bronze Medalist (Shot Put)
* 2011 Big Ten Indoor Champion (Shot Put)
* Two-Time USTFCCCA Mid-Atlantic Indoor Field Athlete of the Year

Karlee McQuillen
* 2010 NCAA Bronze Medalist (Javelin)
* 2011 Big Ten Champion (Javelin)
* 2009 and 2010 Big Ten Silver Medalist (Javelin)
* 2011 USATF Finalist

Kim Hanslovan
* 2009 NCAA Qualifier (Javelin)
* Penn State Javelin Record Holder (178-4/54.35m)

Laura Loht
* 2011 Big Ten Bronze Medalist (Javelin)
* 2011 NCAA Qualifier/Second Team NCAA All-American

Kim Hanslovan
* 2009 NCAA Qualifier (Javelin)
* Penn State Javelin Record Holder (178-4/54.35m)

Emma Schmelzer
* 2009 Big Ten Co-Field Athlete of the Championships
* Three-Time Big Ten Silver Medalist
(Indoor; Weight, Outdoor; Hammer, Discus)
* NCAA Regional Qualifier (Shot Put, Hammer, Discus)

Tanner Evak
* 2009 Big Ten Javelin Champion
* 2009 Penn Relays Javelin Champion
* USATF Qualifier

Inger Appanaitis (Nevada)
* 2008 NCAA Qualifier (Javelin)
* 2008 US Olympic Trials Qualifier (Javelin)
* 2008 WAC Champion (Javelin)
* 2008 NCAA Regional Qualifier
(Shot Put, Discus, Hammer, Javelin)

Cameron Neel (Central Washington)
* Five-Time NCAA All-American (Division II)
* Eight-time GNAC Champion
* Four-time GNAC conference record holder

Former NCAA Division II Assistant Coach of the Year T.J. Crater is in his fourth year on the Nittany Lion coaching staff. Crater came to Happy Valley following coaching stints at Nevada and Central Washington and coaches the Nittany Lion throwing events.

Over his first three years in Happy Valley, Crater has led the Nittany Lion throws contingent to outstanding success, overseeing a trio of NCAA bronze-medal finishes, six NCAA All-America efforts, and five Big Ten victories.

Crater, who guided nine athletes to the NCAA First Round competition in 2011, also coaches world-class shot putter and Nittany Lion volunteer assistant, Ryan Whiting. Whiting qualified for the final at the IAAF World Championships last summer, and is one of the top five-ranked athletes in the world in the event.

Crater[apos]s throwers were sensational at the conference level in 2011, with senior Joe Kovacs taking the Big Ten indoor title in the shot put, thanks to an NCAA automatic-qualifying effort of 65-1.25 (19.84) – which also stands as the second-best throw in the Nittany Lion record books.

Outside, Crater tutored senior Blake Eaton to his second-straight Big Ten outdoor title in the shot, with Kovacs following in second to complete the Nittany Lion sweep. Senior Karlee McQuillen would also add a Big Ten victory, taking top honors in the javelin. Crater[apos]s women[apos]s javelin contingent put on a clinic at the conference meet, with freshman Laura Loht placing third, and classmates Megan Boyer and Kaitchen Dearborn finishing fifth and seventh, respectively, to build on McQuillen[apos]s victory.

Nationally speaking, Crater guided Kovacs and Eaton to NCAA berths during both the indoor and outdoor seasons. Kovacs would place third at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, adding his second NCAA bronze medal to the Nittany Lion trophy case, after finishing third in the event at the NCAA Indoor Championships in 2010.

On the women[apos]s side, Crater led McQuillen to the NCAA Outdoor Championships for the third-straight year, along with Loht, who made her first-career NCAA appearance in 2011. Both athletes would earn Second Team All-America status.
Crater also oversaw notable improvements from a trio of Nittany Lion newcomers in 2011, with junior Jane Swenson posting an effort of 52-6 (16.00) – the fourth-best toss in school history – in the shot put. Also showing outstanding promise was freshman Taylor McNally, who recorded a season-best toss of 157-6 (48.02) in the discus, and would go on to qualify for the USATF Junior Championships in the event. On the men[apos]s side, redshirt-freshman Will Barr also proved to be one-to-watch in the over the next three years, ending the 2011 season with a top toss of 179-0 (54.55) in the discus.

Under Crater[apos]s watch, the current crop of Nittany Lion throwers have rapidly made their into the Penn State record books, with Eaton (64-2.50/19.57) and Kovacs (62-10 /19.15) ranked second, and fourth, respectively, in the all-time Nittany Lion outdoor shot put standings, and Crater coached athletes claiming three of the top six spots on the the discus top 10 list.

Prior to 2011, Crater coached a Big Ten winning effort from Tanner Evak in the javelin in 2009. The same year, Crater saw Emma Schmelzer earn Big Ten Field Athlete of the Championship honors, thanks to 21-point total indvidiual via second-place finishes in the discus and hammer, and a fourth-place standing in the shot.
In just one year at Nevada, Crater led senior Inger Appanaitis to a WAC title in the javelin, as well as appearances at the NCAA Championships and U.S. Olympic Trials. Appanaitis was also an NCAA regional qualifier in all four throwing events. Crater also saw Wolfpack sophomore Constance McAlman also recorded regional qualifying marks in the hammer and discus.

At Central Washington University, Crater was named the 2007 United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA)-Division II West Region Men[apos]s Assistant Track and Field Coach of the Year and the 2007 USTFCCCA-Division II National Men[apos]s Assistant Track and Field Coach of the Year. At CWU, Crater coached 30 national qualifying performances from 10 national qualifiers. He also coached nine All-Americans at the Division II level and 12 Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) individual champions. Crater[apos]s throwers recorded 104 of Central Washington University[apos]s 238 points to help lead the men[apos]s track and field team to a 2007 GNAC Title.

One of Crater[apos]s top athletes at Central Washington was Cameron Neel, who finished his career as a five-time NCAA All-American, eight-time GNAC Champion, and was named the NCAA West Region Athlete of the Year in 2007. Crater also made quite an impact on the GNAC conference as Crater-coached athletes hold eight conference records. He lettered four years in track and field at the University of Idaho, from 1998-2002. While competing for the Vandals, Crater was an NCAA Championships qualifier in 2002 (35lb weight) and was a five-time All-Big West Conference Performer, three times in the hammer throw and two times in the shot put.



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Eleven Football Players Combine for 13 Phil Steele Preseason All-Ivy Honors

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Eleven members of the Brown football team combined for 13 Phil Steele Preseason All-Ivy honors, the organization has announced. Two Bears landed on the first and second teams, while eight honorees landed on the third team.   Reigning Ivy League and Phil Steele Ivy League Rookie of the Year Matt Childs helps […]

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PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Eleven members of the Brown football team combined for 13 Phil Steele Preseason All-Ivy honors, the organization has announced. Two Bears landed on the first and second teams, while eight honorees landed on the third team.
 
Reigning Ivy League and Phil Steele Ivy League Rookie of the Year Matt Childs helps headline the first team at running back, along with linebacker John Perdue. Perdue had previously earned a spot on the Phil Steele Second Team in 2024.
 
A pair of seniors in receiver Solomon Miller and defensive back Elias Archie landed on the preseason second team. Archie was a member of Phil Steele’s Third Team last season and earned Second Team All-Ivy honors, as selected by the league’s head coaches.
 
Eight players combined for nine third team honors with Qwentin Brown (RB), Chason Barber (WR), Ty Pezza (WR), Beau Smith (OL), Sam Smith (LB), Ryan Haley (LB), Nick Hudson (DB) and Solomon Miller (AP/PR). Last season, Hudson was named to Phil Steel’s Fourth Team, while Beau Smith and Childs each landed on the publication’s Freshman All-America Team.
 
The Bears are set to open the season on Saturday, September 20 at home against Georgetown. Season tickets are on sale now for all five home games in the 100th anniversary season of Richard Gouse Field at Brown Stadium.
 


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