The top women’s volleyball stars in the world begin the road to Łódź in the 2025 Women’s Volleyball Nations League (4 June – 27 July).

Eighteen national teams from across the world will battle it out in the preliminary round, which takes place across nine pools and runs until 13 July. They will play for the chance to head to the finals in Poland at the end of July, to be contested between eight nations.

Olympic gold medallists and reigning women’s VNL champions Italy are the team on top going into the 2025 edition, and they begin with a mouth-watering clash and rematch of the Paris 2024 gold medal match against the USA.

Olympic bronze medallists Brazil are keen to go one step further and win a competition they have finished as runners-up in on three occasions. Another former finalist and title contender is Japan, who fell in the 2024 final to champions Italy.

Read on for the key details of this year’s Volleyball Nations League.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The No. 18 Oklahoma men’s track and field team closed out its last day of NCAA West First Rounds Friday night at E.B. Cushing Stadium. BJ Green (triple jump), Ralford Mullings (discus), Kyren Washington (high jump) and Floyd Whitaker (triple jump) advanced to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore., June 11-14 with top-12 finishes in their respective events.
 
Ralford Mullings secured Oklahoma’s first qualification of the day with second place in the men’s discus. The Kingston, Jamaica, native tossed 67.21m (220’6.00″) on his third attempt, with both of his two legal marks eclipsing 67 meters.
 
The triple jump wrapped simultaneously, with the Sooners adding two more entries to the final site. BJ Green extended his No. 1-ranking in the nation with a PR of 16.94m (55’7.00″) (+1.4) to claim the west regional title. His mark improves his position at No. 2 all-time in OU history and he will make his third appearance at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene. Floyd Whitaker also had a career day, posting a personal-best 16.27m (53’4.50″) (+1.0) on his final attempt for fifth place in the field. With this mark, he climbs to No. 5 on OU’s all-time performance list.
 
Kyren Washington added the Sooners’ final entry to the championships Friday evening. The sophomore tied for first in the high jump with a 2.17m (7′.1.50″) clearance, soaring over every bar from 2.04 meters on without a single miss.
 
In the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase, Evans Biwott entered the race ranked 47th in the west region. The freshman improved with a 15th-place finish and a career-best 8:42.60 time, jumping to No. 3 all-time in OU’s outdoor history books.
 
A select group of women’s athletes are set to compete on the final day of events Saturday, beginning at 1 p.m. CT. Live results of the meet can be viewed on Flash Results and a broadcast of the regional will air on ESPN+ at 5 p.m. CT.
 
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KUCHING: Sarawak’s water polo team clinched gold at the Malaysian Schools Sports Council (MSSM) Aquatic Championship 2025, held at the MBJB Aquatic Centre, Larkin Arena in Johor Bahru from May 24 to 28.

Coach Voon Yong Hui expressed pride in the team’s performance, especially given the challenges faced during the season.

“I’m happy with the result we achieved. It wasn’t easy, as several of our senior players are currently sitting for exams.

“Our juniors stepped up and performed exceptionally well. They have a bright future ahead,” he told Sarawak Tribune when contacted recently.

All seven players on Sarawak’s water polo team come from the Power Aquatic Swimming Club (PASC), highlighting the club’s key role in nurturing young talent.

Their presence formed the backbone of the state team and contributed significantly to Sarawak’s success at the national-level championship.

The seven PASC athletes who formed the core of the gold-winning squad are Bryan Lee Ming Yik, Jeremiah Luk Kah, Jon Marcus Ling Kwong Cheng, Ong Zong Lian, Presley Phang Yi Qi, Samuel Chong Yue Yang, and Tay Kee Ren.

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The University of Houston Men’s Track & Field program secured five tickets in four events to the NCAA Track & Field Outdoor Championships at the West First Round inside E.B. Cushing Stadium on Friday.
 

The men’s squad will compete at the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, in Eugene, Ore., from June 11-14, in the decathlon, high jump, 110-meter hurdles, 400-meter and 4×400-meter relay. Senior Grant Levesque qualified for the National Championship in the decathlon following competition at the Big 12 Championship.
 
After finishing in last place at the 2024 NCAA West First Round, senior Jamar Marshall Jr., ran the third fastest time of the day at 13.19 in the 110-meter hurdles to punch his ticket. Marshall Jr.’s mark of 13.19 is the third all-time fastest time run at the West First Round.  
 
The Cougars earned a second ticket in the event with senior John Adesola qualifying with a wind-assisted time of 13.26 (+2.5) for second in his heat.
 
20 minutes later, Adesola competed in the 100-meter with a time of 10.09, missing the qualification by one spot. The senior started his day in the 4×100-meter relay alongside freshman Noah Hanson, junior Ryan Mulholland and senior Brice Chabot with a time of 39.48, missing Nationals by one spot.
 
Senior Trey East III qualified for his first NCAA Division I Championships in the 400-meter with a time of 45.84.
 
East III earned a second qualification in the 4×400-meter relay with a split time of 44.25 alongside freshmen Damarien Jacobs, King Taylor and Sahfi Reed with a season best time of 3:03.49. The relay squad moved to fifth on Houston’s all-time performance list.
 
Sophomore Antrea Mita qualified for his second outdoor National Championship in the men’s high jump after a clearance of 2.17m (7′-1.50). Senior My’Kell Beck finished 18^th with a mark of 2.09m while junior Turey Stoudemire concluded the season in 33^rd place at 2.04m.
 
Senior Adam Mason concluded his career with the Cougars in 18th place with a time of 1:48.48 in the 800-meter.
 
Senior Kevin Grubbs concluded the season in the men’s discus with a 23^rd overall finish at 56.17m.
 
In the men’s triple jump, graduate Caleb Malbrough concluded his collegiate career in 20^th place with a season-best mark of 15.70m. Junior Kevin Snyder placed 25^th with a mark of 15.53m.
 
SATURDAY SCHEDULE
5 p.m. – Women’s 4×100-meter relay: Carlysia Cresser, Taylor Jackson, Norah Nwonumah, Matilde Ochoa
6:15 p.m. – Women’s 100-meter hurdles: Kaycee McCoy
7:05 p.m. – Women’s 800-meter: Invida Maurina
 
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BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Sir Jonathan Sims became the third Tarleton State Track and Field athlete to punch his ticket to the NCAA National Championships after his performance on Day 3 of the NCAA West First Rounds on Friday at E.B. Cushing Stadium.
 
Sir Jonathan Sims joins fellow jumpers, Lokesh Sathyanathan and Prestina Ochonogor who punched their tickets to Track Town USA in the long jump on each of the first two days.

“Time after time, Sir Jonathan has proved that he belongs on the big stage,” said head coach Bobby Carter. “I’m so proud of this young man. It’s always good to see the growth. He will be ready for the big show in two weeks and I’m excited to see what’s to come. “

 

Sims best jump came on his second attempt. The Arizona transfer posted a 15.83-meter leap on his opening attempt, but he had more left in the tank. Sims came back on his second jump nearly matching his season best with a 15.97-meter performance. He took one final jump landing at 15.64 meters. He finished ninth earning himself a top 12 slot.

 

“We got the job done,” said Sims after the event. “Long jump didn’t go as well as I planned, but I put my head down and I got ready for triple jump. I came out and got our business done. I appreciate my teammates for always pushing me all season. I appreciate my coaches and most importantly my trainers. We do a lot and there is a lot going on with our bodies, but they definitely take care of us. I just appreciate everyone, and we are going to Oregon, y’all!”

 

The junior entered the meet with a season best of 15.99 meters. Sims will return to the NCAA National Championships for his second consecutive season. Last year he was one of four jumpers to reach Oregon in both the long and triple jumps. He posted a pair of All-American Honorable Mention performances in his debut at the National Championships.

 

Gabriele Tosti entered the meet with the third best triple jump in the NCAA. He finished just outside of the top 12 at 14^th with his first jump his only counting attempt at 15.83 meters.

 

On Saturday, Cameron will be running in three events all with the chances to punch herself a ticket to Oregon. She will start in the 4×100 relay scheduled to run at 5 p.m. with her teammates, Hanna Dudley, Amandine Estival and Lauren Roy. She will then run in the third heat of the 100 meters slated to start at 6:35 p.m. Her final race of the day will be in the 200 racing out of the first heat at 7:50 p.m. Sofia DeGroot will make her NCAA West debut in the triple jump at 2:30 p.m.

With just one day left at the NCAA West Preliminary Rounds, the top 12 in each event of the final day will earn themselves a trip to Eugene. The Purple and White have two individuals still looking to punch their tickets to Eugene, Ore., as well as a four-women relay team. The NCAA National Championships will be held at Hayward Field from June 11-14.

 

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Wichita State men’s track and field team punched four more tickets to the NCAA Outdoor Championships Friday at the NCAA West Preliminaries at E.B. Cushing Station.
 
Sophomore Josh Parrish earned his second entry to the NCAA Championships, finishing third in his 110-meter hurdles quarterfinal with a time of 13.56 claim an auto-qualifying spot.
 
Shortly after, redshirt-junior Yared Kidane punched his ticket with a gutsy finish in the 800-meter quarterfinals, running 1:47.35 to finish 12^th overall claim the final qualifying spot.
 
In the next race, sophomore Jason Parrish auto-qualified in the 400-meter hurdles, running his third-straight sub-50 second race to finish third in his quarterfinal and get the big Q.
 
Capping the night, the Wichita State quartet of Joakim Genereux, Josh Parrish, Kidane, and Jason Parrish clocked another school record time in the 4×400-meter relay, running 3:06.38 to finish fourth in the second heat. With three heats of quarterfinals, the top three in each heat automatically advanced to the NCAA Championships, and the next three fastest times would fill out the field. The Shockers sat in the final qualifying spot prior to the third heat, needing their time to be faster than the fourth-place team in the final heat. Watching with bated breath, Wichita State saw their hopes of making it to Eugene, Ore. slip away when TCU finished fourth in 3:04.12, leaving the Shockers in 13^th place as the first team out.
 
But that wasn’t the end of the road as there had been a red flag in the first heat, leaving the relay results under review. The Shockers stuck around at the track while multiple protests were filed and reviewed, and a disqualification of Cal Poly, the 12^th-place team, for taking two steps on the lane line pushed Wichita State up into the final qualifying spot, sending the relay the NCAA Championships. While Kidane and the Parrish twins had already locked in entries to the championship meet, Genereux, the senior, who thought his track and field career had come to an end, celebrated joining his teammates at Hayward Field in June.