WASHINGTON (May 13, 2025) – Howard University Department of Athletics rolls on with the senior spotlight series, featuring rising junior advertising major Nala James chatting with Romario Simpson (Toronto, Canada) from the men’s soccer team.
 
Q: What inspired you to pursue soccer at the collegiate level?
A: What inspired me to play soccer at the collegiate level was the opportunity to go to college because I am a first-generation college graduate—my parents did not attend college. I was also aiming to go pro and playing at the collegiate level was the best route to achieve my goal. My high school club, Vaughn Soccer Club, produced several players who went the NCAA Division I route and played pro, so I am following in their footsteps.
 
Plus, getting a full scholarship pushed me to further my education and take the leap to come to the states to play soccer.
 
Q: How did you get started in soccer?
A: I started playing soccer at around 11 years old when my mom moved us to a different area in Toronto. I was originally living in North York, near the soccer field, and I would always be there with my mom looking for me. One day, while playing, a team let me train with them and after the session, they contacted my mom saying I needed to be on a team and take it seriously. Since then, I kept playing and eventually moved up to the academy levels.
 
Q: What kept you motivated throughout your journey?
A: The thing that kept me motivated throughout my journey was seeing the benefits of playing soccer because the sport kept me out of a lot of trouble growing up, especially in high school, and it was my outlet. I fell in love with playing and watching the game.
 
Health-wise, it was a great source of physical activity and I loved the fun it brought me. Also, seeing it take me places, like going on trial in Italy when I was a kid, made me want to keep pushing to see how far it could take me.
 
Q: Do you have a favorite soccer player to watch and what qualities do you admire in them?
A: It is hard to pick just one player, but I would say FC Bayern Munich (German Professional Sports Team). I used to watch them on GoTV because that was the only station I had for soccer and players like Arjen Robben (former Dutch Professional Footballer) and David Alaba (Austrian Professional Footballer) are ones I admire. They have great skill and a strong commitment to the game.
 
Q: Reflecting on your time at Howard University, what has been the most rewarding aspect of being a student-athlete?
A: The people I have met is most rewarding, for sure, because the athletics department and my team really felt like a family. Howard excels at building a sense of community and making sure that you are part of it and you are represented in the best possible way. The support from the alumni and the school helped me balance both, athletics and academics.
 
Q: Who or what will you miss the most about being part of the athletic community here?
A: I will miss the discipline and routine. Even though, we sometimes took it for granted, waking up early for training and running became a big part of my life.
 
Also, I will miss being around my team like traveling, eating together, laughing and joking with my coaches. The journey of the season and the relationships are the biggest takeaway, not just the results.
 
Q: How has Howard’s culture and community shaped your experience as a student-athlete?
A: The support from others is something I definitely got here that I did not get at my old school as a transfer. The Caribbean support is especially strong. It is amazing having so many alumni come to our games and seeing how our friends and family support us.
 
Q: Is there anyone you would like to give a shout-out to for their support on your soccer journey?
A: First and foremost, shout out to God. Without Him, nothing would be possible.
 
Also, a big thank you to my mother—without her, nothing would be possible for me.
 
Lastly, shout out to my youth coach Shondell Busby and Coach JG and Coach Alex.
 
Q: What are your plans after graduation?
A: My main goal is to help people. I am currently doing my master’s in finance and I want to become a financial advisor and focus on wealth management for marginalized communities. I also want to create financial literacy courses and coaching programs and still be involved in soccer by coaching.
 
Q: What advice would you give to anyone coming in as a student-athlete at Howard?
A: Definitely enjoy every moment because time flies by quickly. My previous coach warned me that these four years would pass in the blink of an eye. Even when you are injured or not playing, enjoy every moment with your teammates because before you know it, you will be graduating and life will start moving faster.
 
About Simpson

• Personal:
  

  • Hometown: Toronto, Canada
  • Education: B.A. in Communications at Purdue Fort Wayne

 
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.

McNary’s boys volleyball team got what it had been seeking all season – its first win.

The Celts defeated Cascade High School in a tough match on Tuesday, May 6.

“It was a gripping, edge-of-your seat match the entire time,” reported Coach Kinley Hickok. “Both teams fought hard and competitively.”

McNary won in five sets 23-25, 25-19, 16-25, 25-17, 15-9.

Junior Juan Anthony Medina had 18 kills and what Hickok described as “a staggering 33 digs.”

Senior Anthony Rosales had 24 digs and junior Lucian Bader had three solo blocks and one block assist.

The team had 10 acres, including four from senior Jayson Ball.

“This was a well-earned win, after weeks of losses and pushing ourselves to correct the issues getting in our way,” Hickok said. “This team has been finding their footing not only in their volleyball skills, but also in their ‘glue’ as a team.”

Others on the team include Tullimwar Casio, Jativo Engichy, Anthony Lopez Macias, Liam Koenig, Elija Aneo, Jacob Gruendfeldt, Jarod Johnmark, R. Joe Ruhr, Vibol Neang and Daniel Marines.

The Celts lost to West Salem 3-0 on Thursday, May 6. They close out regular season play this week against Silverton on Tuesday, May 13, and South Salem on Thursday, May 15.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

Celt players building skills in boys volleyball venture

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Tadeas Trousil & Matyas Dzavoronok (pictured in the main photo; credits: cev.eu) decorated their pair’s Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour debut with gold. The 23-year-old Czechs topped the podium at the Madrid Futures in Spain, accompanied on the podium by silver medalists Nils Ringoen & Even Aas of Norway, who have been approved for FIVB Volleyball Empowerment coach support, and bronze medalists Alejandro Huerta & Javier Huerta of Spain.

After losing their second match in Madrid, Trousil & Dzavoronok finished second in their pool and had to take the detour route in the playoffs. The 10th-seeded Czechs went on a victorious run of four knockout matches in a row to claim the trophy. In the semifinals, they delivered a 2-0 (21-15, 21-17) upset of the top-seeded home favorites Huerta brothers and, in Sunday’s final, they mastered a 2-0 (21-11, 21-19) victory over Ringoen & Aas. While both Czech athletes had previously medaled on the Beach Pro Tour with other partners, only Dzavoronok had once managed to get gold, at the Ios Futures back in 2022.

The Madrid Futures men’s final between Czechia and Norway (photo credits: cev.eu)

On the way to their first-ever Beach Pro Tour silver, the 11th-seeded Norwegians won all four of their matches before the final, persevering through tie-breaker resolutions in the last three of them. They crowned their winning streak with a hard-fought 2-1 (21-19, 17-21, 16-14) upset of second-seeded Mathias Seiser & Laurenc Grossig of Austria in the semifinals.

Failing to secure their third Beach Pro Tour gold, after winning in Madrid two years ago and in Valencia last week, Juerta & Juerta still managed to collect their third medal. In the third-place match in the Spanish capital on Sunday, they achieved a 2-0 (21-18, 21-19) victory over Seiser & Grossig to claim the bronze.

The 2025 Madrid Futures men’s podium (photo credits: cev.eu)

28 men’s teams representing 20 different countries took part in last week’s Madrid Futures. A women’s Futures tournament will be held in the Spanish capital this week, from May 15 to 18.

Madrid Futures: men’s results and standings

Eva Murray enjoyed a solid season for the Green River volleyball team in 2024 and was an integral part of the Wolves’ success as they went 20-12 and qualified for the State Tournament. Murray will take her skills to the next level, joining the Northwest College in Powell program.

The 6-2 middle hitter was an All-Conference selection in 4A this past season with 174 kills, 17 solo blocks, 68 assisted blocks, and 67 digs. Muirray played in 87 sets for the Wolves with 23 aces. In her junior season, she was on the floor for 77 sets with 167 kills, 23 solo blocks, and 61 digs.

Murray also played on the Green River girls’ basketball team, appearing in 24 games, and also ran in track and field. At the 2024 4A State Outdoor Meet, her 4×400 relay team took 8th, and Murray ran 28.47 this season in the 200, which is the 11th-best time in school history.  She has the 7th-best time in school history in the 400 and also competed in the triple jump and the 1600 medley relay in her track career.

Northwest College in Powell is a junior college institution that went 20-9 in volleyball this past season.

Women’s Track and Field | 5/12/2025 3:37:00 PM

PITTSFORD, N.Y. – The St. John Fisher men’s and women’s track and field teams competed in the Cardinal Last Chance meet on Sunday at the Polisseni Track and Field Complex. 

Top Meet Highlights (Women)

• Olivia Grinnell placed first and met the NCAA regional qualifying mark in the 800m run with a time of 2:20.67. 

• Veronica Duell placed second in the women’s long jump (5.62 meters). 

• Ciarra Franz placed second in the 100-meter hurdles event with a time of 14.43 seconds. 

• Abigail Dorunda placed second in the 100-meter run (12.34 seconds). 

• Sophia Leach placed second in the 400-meter run (1:00.22).

Top Meet Highlights (Men)

• Hayden Penna placed first in the pole vault with a mark of 4.60 meters. 

• Oren Welch placed fourth in the pole vault with a mark of 4.30 meters. 

• Ethan Fox placed second in the 100-meter run with a time of 11.02 seconds. 

• Manuel Sepulveda placed first in the triple jump, recording a mark of 14.58 meters. 

• Bryant DePaull placed first in the high jump at 1.91 meters. 

Up Next

The Cardinals’ regional qualifiers will compete in the AARTFC Championships at Williams College on Wednesday and Thursday.