The Santa Ynez Valley Community Aquatics Foundation is honored to announce a $25,000 donation from the Santa Barbara Foundation in support of the Everybody in the Pool! capital campaign. This leadership gift will help advance the development of a new community aquatics complex designed to serve the entire Santa Ynez Valley region.

Jackie Carrera, President & CEO of the Santa Barbara Foundation, states, “The Santa Barbara Foundation is pleased to support local organizations that contribute meaningfully to the quality of life in Santa Barbara County. We commend the team that is working on developing this important community asset and look forward to the day when the residents of the Santa Ynez Valley can enjoy all that it will offer.”

This transformative project represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to bring accessible, year-round public swim to the Valley while honoring the legacy of community volunteerism that built the original 60-year-old high school pool.

The future SYV Community Aquatics Complex will feature two state-of-the-art pools: a 25-yard warm water pool for recreation, swim instruction, and therapeutic use, and a 33-meter competition pool designed for CIF-sanctioned swim meets, water polo, and diving. The facility’s innovative design allows for simultaneous school and community use, ensuring that at least one pool remains accessible to the public at all times while maintaining a secure environment for students.

The complex is built around three core goals:

• Promote Health and Wellness through fitness, rehabilitation, and inclusive programming coordinated with local partners;
• Provide a CIF-sanctioned Pool to host competitive athletic events and support student athletes;
• Partner for Youth Development and Education with local schools and youth organizations to expand swim education and water safety.

“The Santa Barbara Foundation’s early investment sends a powerful message about the importance of local access to health, safety, and recreation,” said Lisa Palmer, Board President and Campaign Chair of the Santa Ynez Valley Community Aquatics Foundation. “This support brings us one step closer to creating a facility that will benefit our entire community—youth, families, seniors, and individuals with special or therapeutic needs.”

The SYV Community Aquatics Complex addresses a critical regional gap: the Valley currently has the lowest access to public aquatics programs in Santa Barbara County. The nearest public pools are 25 to 35 miles away, leaving thousands of residents with limited options for affordable swim programs, water safety education, and aquatic therapy.

The Everybody in the Pool! campaign seeks to raise $13.7 million to make the project a reality by December 2026. The Santa Barbara Foundation’s grant marks an important milestone in this community-driven effort.

To learn more about the project or to support the campaign, visit syvaquatics.org or contact us at campaign@syvaquatics.org.

SPRINGFIELD — As a department, Missouri State’s student-athletes combined for a collective 3.314 grade-point average with nearly 6,000 academic hours of class time for the spring 2025 semester, the university has announced. 

It marks the second-highest semester GPA on record for the department with 15 teams posting a 3.0 grade-point average or better for the term. Only last semester’s (fall 2024) 3.368 exceeds this spring’s semester academic standard.

All told, 315 Bears recorded a 3.0 GPA or better this spring while 213 individuals made the Dean’s List with a 3.5 GPA or better. Likewise, 83 student-athletes posted a perfect 4.0 GPA this semester.

The spring term also represents the highest semester GPA on record for women’s track & field (3.561) and STUNT (3.304), as well as the second-highest semester GPA’s for football (2.940), beach volleyball (3.734), softball (3.706) and women’s tennis (3.792).

Led by cross country (3.784), beach volleyball, softball and tennis, all 13 MoState women’s programs achieved a 3.0 or higher. Additionally, women’s soccer (3.687), women’s swimming and diving (3.563), and women’s track and field each eclipsed a 3.50 GPA for the semester.

On the men’s side, swimming and diving (3.312) led all programs, followed closely by men’s soccer (3.184) and baseball (3.177). Football’s semester GPA marked the program’s best spring semester on record and second-highest overall in any semester.

All Missouri State student-athletes with a 3.0 spring semester GPA are recognized as honorees on the MSU Athletic Director’s Honor Roll, which will be announced at a later date.

 

#GoBears

LARAMIE — The Wyoming Cowgirl volleyball team has announced its 2025 schedule, coinciding with the Mountain West’s release of the conference volleyball slate.

The Cowgirls, who are entering year three under Head Coach Kaylee Prigge, will host a pair of non-conference tournaments, along with the customary nine home conference matches. Wyoming opens the regular season at home with the Rumble in the Rockies August 29-31.

Cleveland State, Colorado and Tulsa will be the opponents to kick off 2025. UW will also host the UniWyo Invite September 18-20, welcoming in Idaho State, Long Beach State and Portland.

Wyoming will make trips to South Dakota State and TCU during the non-conference. The Cowgirls will face Ole Miss and South Dakota State Sept. 6 and 7 before heading to Fort Worth, Texas to face Missouri, Rhode Island and TCU Sept. 11 and 12.

Mountain West play opens at home for the Cowgirls this season with matchups against Colorado State and New Mexico Sept. 23 and 25, respectively. UW’s first road matches of conference action will be Oct. 2 and 4 at San Diego State and UNLV. Senior Day is Nov. 15, also against the Aztecs. Other home matches during MW play are Oct. 9 and 11 against Utah State and Boise State, Oct. 23 versus Fresno State, Oct. 30 and Nov. 1 against Air Force and Nevada, while UNLV comes to town Nov. 13.

The annual Brown and Gold Scrimmage is slated for Saturday, Aug. 16 at the UniWyo. The Cowgirls’ annual outreach match is scheduled for Aug. 23 against Denver for an exhibition held in Cheyenne.

Times for every match will be announced later. All dates are subject to change. For the full 2025 schedule, head to GoWyo.com.

– University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Nova Southeastern Sharks Volleyball will be showcased on the international stage as Head Coach Kacie Ehinger, junior defensive specialist Marley Navaretta, and senior setter Gabrielle Spankus will represent USA D-2 Volleyball on the Brazil Tour.  

Ehinger will lead the USA D-2 Volleyball Blue Team, which features both Navaretta and Spankus, as well as team members representing East Stroudsburg, Florida Tech, Ashland, Alabama-Huntsville, West Florida, Rollins, and Trevecca Nazarene.  

The USA D-2 Volleyball team tour will run from May 12th through May 21st. The teams opened competition on May 13th, competing in Jundiai. Today, the team will travel to, and play in the city of Sao Paulo. On Thursday, May 15th, the USA D-2 teams will then travel to Rio de Janeiro, beginning the International Challenge on Saturday, May 17th.  

In addition to competing in the International Challenge in Rio de Janeiro, team USA will then host a youth clinic at the Marina Barra Clube, hosted by Ripper Volei, as part of their social outreach project.  

While in Brazil the team will experience educational, cultural, and social aspects of Brazilian life through city, school and sports club visits. While in Rio the team will be staying on the famous Copacabana Beach (location for the 2016 Rio Olympic Beach Volleyball) and touring the Christ the Redeemer Statue and Sugar Loaf Mountain, two of the most recognizable landmarks in the world. The team will visit the popular international market in Ipanema and Ipanema Beach. 

To stay up-to-date on Head Coach Kacie Ehinger, Marley Navaretta, and Gabrielle Spankus during the USA D-2 Volleyball international competitions, be sure to follow on Instagram at NSU_Volleyball and X at NSU_VB.  

LOS ANGELES – Sophomore Spencer Johnson of UCLA Men’s Tennis has been selected the Student-Athlete of the Week for competitions held between May 6-12.
 
Johnson delivered the deciding point as UCLA knocked off crosstown rival USC to continue its improbable NCAA Championship run. The 4-2 win moved the Bruins through to the quarterfinal round, a first for their program since 2018. It also marked the first time an unseeded team accomplished the feat since 2010. With the only other in-progress match still up for grabs, Johnson faced a 1-4 deficit in his third set with Volodymyr Iakubenko. Johnson would take the next four games and served for the match with a 40-0 advantage before Iakubenko clawed back to force a deuce point. Then, on his second serve, Johnson deposited an ace past the Trojan. Johnson and Aadarsh Tripathi also stayed perfect as a doubles pair, winning for the eighth time in as many decisions together.
 
The sophomore secures his second-career UCLA student-athlete of the week award.
 
Previous Winners
Aug. 21 – Bridgette Marin-Valencia, W. Soccer; Aug. 28 – Lilly Reale, W. Soccer; Sept. 4 – Cheridyn Leverette, W. Volleyball; Sept. 11 – Ryder Dodd, M. Water Polo; Sept. 18 – Bode Brinkema, M. Water Polo; Sept. 25 – Sofia Cook, W. Soccer; Oct. 2 – Pablo Ereño, M. Golf; Oct. 9 – Quincy McMahon, W. Soccer; Oct. 16 – Jose Contell, M. Soccer; Oct. 23 – Ethan Garbers, Football; Oct. 30 – Grayce Olson, W. Volleyball; Nov. 6 – Carson Schwesinger, Football; Nov. 13 – Quincy McMahon, W. Soccer; Nov. 20 –  Maggie Boyd/Sally Perez, Beach Volleyball; Nov. 27 – Lauren Betts, W. Basketball; Dec. 4 – Carson Schwesinger, Football; Dec. 11 – Ryder Dodd, M. Water Polo; Dec. 18 – Tyler Bilodeau, M. Basketball; Dec. 24 – Kiki Rice, W. Basketball; Jan. 1 – Eric Dailey Jr., M. Basketball; Jan. 8 – Lauren Betts, W. Basketball; Jan. 15 – Jordan Chiles, Gymnastics; Jan. 22 – Lauren Betts, W. Basketball; Jan. 29 – Aday Mara, M. Basketball; Feb. 5 – Jordan Chiles, Gymnastics; Feb. 12 – Taylor Tinsley, Softball; Feb. 19 – Mulivai Levu – Baseball; Feb. 26 – Lauren Betts, W. Basketball; March 5 – Jordan Chiles, Gymnastics; March 12 – Lauren Betts, W. Basketball; March 19 – Jordan Woolery, Softball; March 26 – Chae Campbell, Gymnastics; April 2 – Lauren Betts, W. Basketball; April 9 – Megan Grant, Softball; April 16 – Megan Grant, Softball; April 23 – Jordan Chiles, Gymnastics; April 30 – Omar Morales, M. Golf; May 7 – Jeremy Zammit, M. Track & Field