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Kyle Pifer named Western Carolina Director of Athletics

Story Links Link to Tuesday’s Introductory Press Conference Release on WCU.edu Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina University Chancellor Kelli R. Brown announced today, Monday, May 19, the selection of Kyle Pifer to serve as the director of athletics following approval […]

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Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina University Chancellor Kelli R. Brown announced today, Monday, May 19, the selection of Kyle Pifer to serve as the director of athletics following approval of his contract by the university’s Board of Trustees during a special-called meeting earlier in the day.
 
Pifer (pronounced PIE-furr) has served as the deputy athletics director and chief operating officer for WCU Athletics since November 2020 and, most recently, as the interim director of athletics following the departure of Alex Gary.
 
The appointment, effective immediately, follows a national search conducted by a 13-member committee, chaired by WCU Provost Richard Starnes. The North Carolina-based executive search consulting firm CSA assisted the search committee.
 
A formal introduction and campus reception is set for 10 a.m. on Tuesday, May 20, in the Hospitality Room of the Ramsey Regional Activity Center. The press conference will be streamed live through both WCU’s and the Catamount Athletics YouTube channels.
 

2025 - Kyle Pifer - Press Conference - BANNER

Pifer has served as a WCU Athletics senior staff member and second in command within the department for the past four years, managing all internal functions for the Catamounts, including budget and finance, capital projects, sport administration, event and facility operations, and human resources.
 
A skilled administrator, Pifer has spent the past 23 years of his professional career working in higher education and intercollegiate athletics. He served previously as the senior associate athletics director for compliance at Oregon State in Corvallis, Oregon, from 2013 until 2020, when he came to Cullowhee. He also held an associate athletic director position at the University of Washington in Seattle from 2009 until 2013 and worked in NCAA compliance positions at Oregon State and Gonzaga.
 
Pifer’s professional experience in major collegiate athletic conferences, such as the Pac-12, combined with his strong relationships on campus, in the community, with regional leaders, and within the Southern Conference, make him a good fit to lead the Catamount athletics program.
 
“After a comprehensive national search for WCU’s next Director of Athletics, I’m incredibly pleased that the best candidate was already a member of our Catamount family. Mr. Kyle Pifer is an outstanding choice to lead Catamount Nation into its next era,” said Brown. “In the short amount of time that Kyle has served as interim AD, he has distinguished himself as a collaborative and strategic university leader with a commanding grasp of the landscape of intercollegiate athletics. Catamount Athletics is in good hands with Kyle at the helm, and I am confident and excited about the future for our amazing student-athletes.”
 
Over the last four years in Cullowhee, Pifer has spearheaded the formation of the sport administrator committee and the student-athlete well-being committee, both aimed at the better management of the teams and to evaluate the student-athlete experience at Western Carolina. He has also served on numerous campus committees, including the institutional planning, well-being, health and safety, and emergency crisis management teams.
 
Pifer began his professional career as an NCAA compliance officer in 2003 at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. In 2007, Pifer departed for the first of his two stints at Oregon State, beginning as an assistant director of compliance. He then took on the role of the director of compliance at the University of Washington in Seattle, advancing rapidly and earning four promotions in under five years, working his way to an associate athletics director position. He was a member of the UW Athletics department senior staff. 
 
As the senior associate athletics director for compliance at Oregon State, Pifer has experience within on-campus and department operations, including a wealth of knowledge on NCAA compliance within the changing landscape of intercollegiate athletics. As a part of the OSU athletics executive staff, he was the sport supervisor for the Beavers’ men’s golf and the women’s cross country/track and field teams. He was also particularly influential in the development of the Oregon State track and field program, rekindling the program after a nearly 20-year hiatus from the sport sponsorship.

Kyle Pifer - Catamount Club GalaDuring his eight-plus years at OSU, concluding as the senior compliance administrator, Pifer served on a variety of campus committees, including the Enrollment Management Leadership Team, the High Incident and Event Group, and the Criminal History Attendance and Participation Committee.

 

A native of Frankfort, Indiana, Pifer is a former intercollegiate student-athlete at Francis Marion University, where he was a four-year track and field letter winner and earned academic all-district honors. He possesses a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Francis Marion where he was a member of the Francis Marion Honor Society and graduated summa cum laude in 1999. He earned his master’s degree in sport and athletic administration from Gonzaga in 2021.

 

Pifer and his wife, Sydney, have three daughters: Reese, Delaney, and Ellis.

 

Pifer was selected from an exceptionally competitive and well-qualified pool of candidates. The search committee identified three finalists who participated in on-campus interviews in Cullowhee. 

 

Kyle Pifer has the experience, vision, and energy to build on the great momentum Catamount athletics has experienced in recent years to take us to the next level,” Starnes said. “He is deeply committed to the success of our student-athletes in competition, in the classroom, and their lives after graduation.”

 

Brown appointed the search committee in March and set an ambitious and accelerated timetable to find a permanent successor for Gary, who served as WCU’s athletics director from February 2020 until March 2025.

 

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Wake Forest Concludes Season with Stellar Performance at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships

EUGENE, Ore. – The Wake Forest Track and Field team closed out their season on Friday evening with a stellar performance at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, as all four Demon Deacon participants earned All-American honors. Sophomore Rocky Hansen led the way for the Demon Deacons during the men’s 5000m final, finishing in […]

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EUGENE, Ore. – The Wake Forest Track and Field team closed out their season on Friday evening with a stellar performance at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, as all four Demon Deacon participants earned All-American honors.

Sophomore Rocky Hansen led the way for the Demon Deacons during the men’s 5000m final, finishing in fifth with a time of 13:22.47 to earn First Team All-American honors. This marked the Hendersonville, N.C., native’s second All-American honor in outdoor track and field during his collegiate career, having previously been named a Second Team All-American during last year’s NCAA Championships.

With his performance on Friday, Hansen closes out an incredible sophomore season as he set the program record in the men’s 5000m during the Raleigh Relays with a time of 13:22.06. 

Meanwhile, senior Luke Tewalt earned his second All-American honor of his career, placing 14th with a time of 13:37.47 to become a Second Team All-American. Tewalt had previously been named an All-American back in 2023.

Freshman JoJo Jourdon ended his stellar debut season by recording a personal best time of 13:41.00 to cross the finish line in 18th place, earning him an All-American Honorable Mention.

On the first day of competition, senior Rynard Swanepoel ended his Wake Forest career with a 13th-place finish during the men’s 800m semifinal, earning him Second Team All-American honors for the second consecutive season. The Johannesburg, South Africa, native finished third in his semifinal heat on Wednesday with a time of 1:47.37, barely missing out on an automatic qualifier spot for the NCAA finals.

Swanepoel closes out his time with the Demon Deacons as the program record holder in the men’s 800m with a mark of 1:45.28, which he recorded last season at the NCAA East Region First Round in Lexington. Swanepoel also finishes his collegiate career as a four-time All-ACC performer, including a Second Team All-ACC honor this season following a fourth-place finish.

Wake Forest Results

  • Men’s 800m Semifinals

  • Men’s 5000m Finals

Wake Forest Men’s Track and Field All-Americans

  • Steve Brown – 110m Hurdles (1989, 1990)
  • Ben Schoonover – 10,000m (1991)
  • John Sence – 10,000m (1992, 1993)
  • Andy Bloom – Shot Put, Discus (1995, 1996)
  • Warren Sherman – 800m (1995)
  • Kyle Armentrout – 10,000m (1995)
  • Nolan Swanson – 10,000m (1999)
  • Michael Bingham – 400m (2007, 2009)
  • Brent LaRue – 400m Hurdles (2010)
  • Ben Lincoln – Javelin (2012)
  • Kyle Graves – 1,500m (2015)
  • *Robert Heppenstall – 800m (2016, *2017, *2018)
  • *Tony Jones – High Jump (2022)
  • *Thomas Vanoppen – 1500m (2022)
  • *Zach Facioni – 5000m (2022)
  • *Luke Tewalt – 5000m (2023, 2025)
  • *Rynard Swanepoel – 800m (2024, 2025)
  • *Rocky Hansen – 5000m (2024, 2025)
  • *JoJo Jourdon – 5000m (2025)

*During John Hayes era

From the Staff

“On Wednesday, Rynard [Swanepoel] concluded his amazing career here at Wake Forest. He’s really been a special athlete. He hung back a little too long on that slower pace through the first 400 meters. He closed faster than anyone in the field, but came up just short of advancing to the final. Today in the 5000 meters, the pace once again started slow so Rocky [Hansen] too the lead. We talked about tactics earlier and I gave him the green light to what he thought was right. It was a super gutsy race from him today. When he started getting passed, I thought he was done, but he kept fighting. He ran 4:01 for his last 1600 meters. What he did takes courage and toughness. What an incredible year for Rocky! Luke [Tewalt] closed out his career tonight. I cannot say enough about what he has done for our program. Losing him will certainly sting. As I told him after the race, it’s been a great ride. He and Rynard will run professionally and both will do well. JoJo [Jourdon] was incredible. What an impressive freshman year from him. He was top 50 at the NCAA cross country meet, ran a 3:56 indoor mile, and he currently ranks third in the world in the 1500 for U20 in 2025. Advancing to the NCAA meet in this field was a great way to finish his freshman year. We also qualified for program of the year. In order to do that you have to be top 31 in cross country and score in both indoors and outdoors. We were ranked 13th going into NCAAs, so I look forward to seeing where we finished. It’s quite an exclusive club. It’s great to be a Wake Forest Demon Deacon!” – Director of Track and Field and Cross Country John Hayes

Season Highlights

During the ACC Outdoor Track and Field Championships, which was hosted at Kentner Stadium, the Deacs earned nine All-ACC honors, including multiple from senior Luke Tewalt.

 

  • All-ACC Honorees

    • Men’s Second Team

    • Women’s Second Team

There were several changes to the record book this season, including having five program records being broken. Individually, senior Emma Douglass broke the program record in the women’s 800m multiple times across three consecutive meets, including during the ACC Outdoor Track and Field Championships where she ran a 2:03.25 during her semifinal heat. The Wellington, New Zealand, native also broke the school record in the women’s 1500m earlier in the season at the Duke Twilight on May 4.

2025 Outdoor Track and Field Top-10 Marks in School History

  • Men’s 1500m

  • Men’s 3000m Steeplechase
  • Men’s 5000m
  • Men’s 10,000m
  • Women’s 400m
  • Women’s 400m Hurdles
  • Women’s 800m
  • Women’s 1500m
  • Women’s 5000m
  • Women’s 10,000m
  • Women’s Long Jump
  • Women’s Hammer Throw
  • Women’s Shot Put
  • Women’s Javelin
  • Women’s Heptathlon

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Maple Mountain star Trey Thornton leaves a legacy in boys volleyball, named 2025 Mr. Volleyball for second consecutive year – Deseret News

Two years ago just before the inaugural season of sanctioned boys volleyball, then Maple Mountain assistant coach and current head coach Napoleon Galang got a call he didn’t think much of. To Galang, it seemed just like a curious mother just inquiring about a team for her son. Little did Galang know that call came […]

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Two years ago just before the inaugural season of sanctioned boys volleyball, then Maple Mountain assistant coach and current head coach Napoleon Galang got a call he didn’t think much of. To Galang, it seemed just like a curious mother just inquiring about a team for her son.

Little did Galang know that call came from BYU women’s basketball alumni Alisha Thortnton and would lead to the best player in the state in Trey Thornton, and two consecutive state championships.

“They would laugh if I said it, but his mom had called me before the school year was about to begin,” Galang said. “She said, ‘My son Trey is moving in and he’s a really great player. What clubs are around and what’s the high school schedule look like?’”

“I got to talk to his mom before I met Trey,” Galang continued. “As a coach, you kind of take some things with a grain of salt because you know every parent’s going to say their kid is the best player. But once he started playing, I knew that he knew how to play.”

In nearly every measurable aspect Thornton just screams ‘elite volleyball player’. The 6-foot-7 BYU signee finished second in the state in kills with 422 and did so with a .431 hitting percentage, which is also the second best in the state.

But what pushes Thornton past just a good high school player and into legit D1 player territory is his versatility.

Thornton is an equally impactful defensively as he is offensively. He tallied 43 blocks on the year and also proved himself as a strong backline player with 169 digs.

Maple Mountain’s Trey Thornton poses for a portrait after being named Deseret News’ Mr. Volleyball at Maple Mountain High School in Spanish Fork on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News

Thornton’s ability to impact the game from any spot on the court named him the recipient of Deseret News’ 2025 Mr. Volleyball. This is Thornton’s second time earning Mr. Volleyball honors.

Thornton will join BYU’s mens volleyball team later this year and plans to serve a mission for the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after a year with the Cougars.

“(Playing for BYU has) been a dream since the beginning,” Thornton said. “I knew how much work it took and growing up my coaches really instilled a drive in me that kind of allowed me to keep that as my priority in life.

“You have to make sacrifices to get where you want to be. I think just keeping my priorities in line, obviously family and God is first, but volleyball came above some things like social life. I had to give up a few dances and a few parties, but it paid off in the end.”

It hasn’t been an easy journey by any stretch for Thornton. Originally from Alabama, Thornton had to play on girls teams, then play for a boys team three hours away in order to play organized volleyball.

While it was inconvenient, it helped Thornton find a small, tight-knit community which helped him develop his volleyball talent. The stars aligned perfectly for Thornton as the first season of sanctioned high school boys volleyball came right after he moved to Utah.

Before the move, Thornton wasn’t sure if he’d ever get to play high school volleyball. But now, Thornton has two state championships and two Mr. Volleyball awards.

“My club in Alabama, which was the Girls Club, they still follow me really closely,” Thornton said. “The girls I played with growing up, we still talk pretty much every day, and the coaches reach out all the time.

“If you asked me three years ago, ‘Are you ever going to play high school volleyball?’ I would have said there’s no way I’m going to play high school volleyball, let alone win two state championships.”

When June 15, 2024 rolled around, Division 1 schools were allowed to contact students entering their junior year. Thornton had a strong tournament appearance in early June which got the eyes of colleges on him.

Maple Mountain’s Trey Thornton poses for a portrait after being named Deseret News’ Mr. Volleyball at Maple Mountain High School in Spanish Fork on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News

Quite a few schools showed interest in Thornton and he did some campus visits despite his dream to play for BYU. Even during those visits, he knew no school could pry him away from the Cougars. In the end, he stuck with his gut and decided to follow in his mothers footsteps to Provo.

“I was honestly surprised, I didn’t think that I was going to be a very big recruit,” Thornton said. “I talked to other recruits and most said, ‘I had two or three schools interested,’ while I had around 10. I was just really blessed.”

Boys volleyball is still a young sport in Utah, but Thornton leaves a significant legacy at Maple Mountain after helping build a hardworking, winning culture.

“I think his work ethic and his play has been the biggest influence over these kids that haven’t played volleyball before and even those who have been playing volleyball for several years now,” Galang said. “He has shown in his work ethic, his practicing and his gameplay just how fun volleyball can be for boys this age. I think he genuinely has inspired a lot of our players in our program to say, ‘Hey, I want to be like Trey.’”

Maple Mountain’s Trey Thornton accepts his gifts as Mr. Volleyball from Britten Maughan, president of Megaplex and Larry H Miller Sports and Entertainment COO, at the Deseret News High School Sports Awards 2025 at the Ballpark at America First Square in South Jordan on Monday, June 9, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News



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NCAA Women’s DI Outdoor Track & Field Championships 2025 Saturday Schedule

The conclusion of the 2025 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships is on the horizon, as Saturday’s lineup will close out a week filled with record-breaking talent and crown the final round of national collegiate champions.  Wednesday and Thursday debuted the student-athletes that qualified for the championships back in May at the East […]

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The conclusion of the 2025 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships is on the horizon, as Saturday’s lineup will close out a week filled with record-breaking talent and crown the final round of national collegiate champions. 

Wednesday and Thursday debuted the student-athletes that qualified for the championships back in May at the East and West Regionals and revealed the men’s and women’s final field winners. Friday began the first round of track finals, beginning with the men, while Saturday hosts the women’s track finals. 

Hosted at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, all eyes will be on runners such as JaMeesia Ford, who matched the sixth-fastest time in NCAA history in the 100m dash with a 10.87, and Michaela Rose, who ran a record-breaking 1:58.95 in the 800m, to see if they can stay poised enough to bring home a national title. 

Here’s Saturday’s full lineup of events for the last day of the NCAA DI Outdoor Track and Field Championships. 

NCAA DI Outdoor Track and Field Championships Saturday Schedule

Track Events

  • 9:02 PM – 4x100m Relay, Final, Women
  • 9:11 PM – 1500m, Final, Women
  • 9:24 PM – 3000m Steeplechase, Final, Women
  • 9:42 PM – 100m Hurdles, Final, Women
  • 9:52 PM – 100m, Final, Women
  • 10:02 PM – 400m, Final, Women
  • 10:14 PM – 800m, Final, Women
  • 10:27 PM – 400m Hurdles, Final, Women
  • 10:37 PM – 200m, Final, Women
  • 10:55 PM – 5000m, Final, Women
  • 11:21 PM – 4x400m Relay, Final, Women

Field Events

  • 3:30 PM – Discus, Final, Women
  • 8:30 PM – High Jump, Final, Women
  • 9:10 PM – Triple Jump, Final, Women

Combined Events

  • 6:30 PM – Long Jump, Heptathlon, Women
  • 7:45 PM – Javelin, Heptathlon, Women
  • 10:43 – 800M, Heptathlon, Women

Where To Watch NCAA Track And Field Championships 2025

All Times Eastern.

Wednesday, June 11

  • Men’s Day 1: 7:00 PM | ESPN

Thursday, June 12

  • Women’s Day 1: 7:00 PM | ESPN

Friday, June 13

  • Men’s Day 2: 8:00 PM | ESPN2

Saturday, June 14

  • Women’s Day 2: 9:00 PM | ESPN2

FloTrack Is The Streaming Home For Many Track And Field Meets Each Year

Don’t miss all the track and field season action streaming on FloTrack. Check out the FloTrack schedule for more events.

FloTrack Archived Footage

Video footage from each event will be archived and stored in a video library for FloTrack subscribers to watch for the duration of their subscriptions.

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Manheim Central boys volleyball dethrones Meadville for first PIAA Class 2A crown | High School Sports

UNIVERSITY PARK — After missing on two prior attempts, the Manheim Central boys volleyball team is bringing PIAA Class 2A gold back to 400 E. Adele Drive. The Barons blitzed District 10 champion Meadville 3-1 — by scores of 21-25, 25-23, 25-16 and 27-25 — on Saturday at Penn State’s Rec Hall. The District Three […]

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UNIVERSITY PARK — After missing on two prior attempts, the Manheim Central boys volleyball team is bringing PIAA Class 2A gold back to 400 E. Adele Drive.

The Barons blitzed District 10 champion Meadville 3-1 — by scores of 21-25, 25-23, 25-16 and 27-25 — on Saturday at Penn State’s Rec Hall. The District Three kings also avenged a 3-1 setback to the Bulldogs from the 2024 title tilt to raise their first state trophy.

Landon Mattiace powered Central (24-1) through the thick of a back-and-forth match. The senior eclipsed double-digit kills while Dylan Musser teed up a fountain of teammates, and Blake Neiles was the defensive linchpin.

Mattiace served match point for the Barons. Reagan Miller delivered the clincher.

Meadville (19-1) was seeking its fourth crown.


• This story will be updated.



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Former Coach Nick Rodionoff To Be Inducted Into Pepperdine HOF With Special Achievment Award

Courtesy: Pepperdine Athletics MALIBU, Calif. — Olympians, national champions and All-Americans highlight the 2025 Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Fame class, which was announced Friday. The inductees include five former student-athletes: Lynn Biyendolo (’15, women’s soccer), Stacy Davis (’16, men’s basketball), Mike Gates (’79, baseball), Kim Hill (’12, women’s volleyball) and Chip McCaw (’95, men’s volleyball). Additionally, the 2012 AVCA Sand Volleyball National Championship team, the late […]

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Courtesy: Pepperdine Athletics

MALIBU, Calif. — Olympians, national champions and All-Americans highlight the 2025 Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Fame class, which was announced Friday.

The inductees include five former student-athletes: Lynn Biyendolo (’15, women’s soccer), Stacy Davis (’16, men’s basketball), Mike Gates (’79, baseball), Kim Hill (’12, women’s volleyball) and Chip McCaw (’95, men’s volleyball). Additionally, the 2012 AVCA Sand Volleyball National Championship team, the late Pepperdine swimming and diving head coach Nick Rodionoff and alumni supporters Ted (’59, MBA ’75) and Carolyn (’57) Porter will be inducted into the hall of fame with Special Achievement Awards. Historically, Special Achievement Awards are given to those who have made exceptional contributions or provided extraordinary service to the athletic program at Pepperdine University..

The ceremony will be held during Waves Weekend and will take place on the evening of October 4, 2025, at Firestone Fieldhouse. Those interested in supporting the Hall of Fame through sponsorship, purchasing a table, or purchasing tickets may complete this form for first access.

“The 2025 Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Fame Class is truly special,” said Tanner Gardner, Director of Athletics. “The student-athletes, coaches, and supporters who we are welcoming into our Hall of Fame represent the best of Pepperdine. I look forward to celebrating their accomplishments together in October!”

The Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Fame was established in 1980. This year’s group will join 140 individuals, 14 teams and eight special achievement award recipients that have already been enshrined.

To be eligible for induction, nominees must have competed, coached for, or rendered an extraordinary service to Pepperdine University Athletics. After compiling a list of nominations, Pepperdine’s Hall of Fame Committee selected this year’s inductees, which were endorsed by the Pepperdine Athletics Board. A list of Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Fame members can be found here.

Here is more information about the newest Pepperdine Hall of Famers:

Lynn Biyendolo, Women’s Soccer, 2011-15
Fresno, Calif.

  • The first Pepperdine Wave to represent Team USA on the international stage, Lynn Biyendolo (née Williams) is among the most successful women’s soccer players in program history. Making an immediate impact for Pepperdine as a true freshman, Biyendolo was the 2011 WCC Freshman of the Year and eventually became a three-time All-West Region and WCC First Team selection throughout her highly decorated career. As a senior, Biyendolo put together an All-American season and helped the Waves reach the NCAA Round of 16 for just the third time in program history. She graduated from Pepperdine in 2015 as the program’s second-leading goal scorer and currently holds four individual top-10 program records.
  • Biyendolo was drafted by the Western New York Flash in the 2015 NWSL Draft, kicking off a long and successful professional career. During her 2016 season, Biyendolo won the NWSL Golden Boot and MVP awards en route to helping the Flash win the NWSL Championships. Biyendolo went on to win three more NWSL titles: back-to-back titles with the North Carolina Courage in 2018-19, and most recently with one with Gotham FC in 2023. She is currently a member of the Seattle Reign.
  • Biyendolo has found success on the international stage as well. In 75 matches for Team USA, Biyendolo scored 21 goals and tallied 13 assists. She helped the United States win the 2023 World Cup and is a two-time Olympic medalist. She most recently helped Team USA win the gold medal at the 2024 Olympics, where she scored a goal in group play versus Germany.

Stacy Davis, Men’s Basketball, 2012-16
Laveen, Ariz.

  • Wrapped up one of the most decorated careers in Pepperdine men’s basketball history as the all-time leading scorer with 1,786 points and second all-time in rebounds with 994. He also finished among the program’s top 10 in 10 additional categories, including games played (125), minutes (3,939), and double-doubles (35), showcasing remarkable consistency and longevity.
  • Recognized as one of the conference’s elite players, he was a three-time All-WCC first team selection — the first Wave to do so since 1998 — and the first since 1994 to earn All-WCC honors in all four seasons. He also earned back-to-back NABC All-District 9 second team accolades for his standout performances.
  • Averaged 14.3 points and 8.0 rebounds per game over four seasons, while becoming the first player in Pepperdine history to lead the team in rebounding each year. He became the seventh in program history to lead the team in both scoring and rebounding in consecutive seasons (2013-15). His impact was felt across the league as well, earning WCC Player of the Week honors four times during his career.

Mike Gates, Baseball, 1978-79
Reseda, Calif.

  • The star player on Pepperdine’s 1979 College World Series team, Mike Gates left a mark on the Pepperdine baseball program in two short years. Coming to Pepperdine after spending two years in junior college, Gates became the Waves’ starting second baseman in 1978 and put together one of the finest single seasons in program history as a senior.
  • Playing for eventual Pepperdine Hall of Famer Dave Gorrie, Gates led the team in batting average, runs, hits and home runs during what was the most successful season in school history. Gates was instrumental in helping Pepperdine win a school-record 53 games and led the Waves to their first-ever College World Series, where they finished third. That year, he was a first-team All-American, an ABCA first team selection and a first-team All-West Region and All-Southern California Baseball Association award winner. Gates made the All-CWS team for his postseason efforts.
  • Gates was drafted by the Montreal Expos in the 7th round of the 1979 MLB Draft. He made his major-league debut for Montreal in 1981 and appeared in 37 games across two seasons.  He had a .236 batting average over 123 at-bats.

Kim Hill, Women’s Volleyball, 2008-12
Portland, Ore. 

  • A two-time Olympian and three-time All-American, Kim Hill is one of the most successful women’s volleyball players in Pepperdine history. She was the first college volleyball player to earn AVCA All-American First Team honors in indoor and beach volleyball after helping Pepperdine win the 2012 AVCA National Championship.
  • Hill made an immediate impact as a true freshman by winning WCC Freshman of the Year honors and All-WCC First Team honors. Her best season came in 2011, when she was an AVCA First Team All-American and helped guide the Waves to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Volleyball Championships. Then, in the spring, Hill joined the Pepperdine sand volleyball team for its inaugural season and helped the Waves win the 2012 AVCA National Championship. All told, she was a three-time All-WCC First Team selection, a two-time AVCA All-Region award winner and graduated from Pepperdine ranked sixth with 1,300 career kills, plus ranked in the program’s top-10 in four other statistical categories.
  • After enjoying a successful professional career overseas, Hill was persuaded by a family friend to participate in the 2013 Team USA Women’s Volleyball tryouts. Hill not only made the team but also earned a starting role right away. She played in 95 of a possible 118 sets during her rookie year on Team USA, then one year later, she was named the MVP at the 2014 FIVB World Championships after helping USA win gold. Hill’s meteoric rise in international play continued in 2016, as she earned a spot on the US Olympic team. A two-time Olympian, Hill won a bronze medal in 2016 and helped Team USA win the gold medal in 2020.

Chip McCaw, Men’s Volleyball, 1992-95
Tulsa, Okla.

  • A four-year starter at Pepperdine who never missed a match from 1992-95, Chip McCaw directed the Waves to the NCAA title as a freshman in 1992. He served as a volunteer assistant coach at Pepperdine during the 1997 season. During his six-year affiliation with the U.S. National team, McCaw competed at numerous international tournaments. He was an alternate for the 1996 U.S. Olympic team.
  • As a player, McCaw earned first-team All-American accolades from the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) and Volleyball Magazine as a junior in 1994. He was a third-team selection by Volleyball Magazine as a senior in 1995, and garnered honorable mention acclaim from the publication as a freshman and sophomore.
  • In his debut season, McCaw set a single-match school record with 117 assists in Pepperdine’s four-game victory over Long Beach State in the title match of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) Tournament. McCaw was tabbed to the NCAA All-Tournament team, as Pepperdine swept Stanford in three games to claim the national title.
  • A first team All-MPSF selection in 1994 and a second team pick in 1993 and 1995, McCaw represented the U.S. at the 1992 World University Games in Buffalo, New York, and in 1995 in Fukuoka, Japan.

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
2012 Sand Volleyball AVCA National Championship Team
Led by legendary Pepperdine indoor volleyball head coach Nina Matthies, the 2012 Pepperdine sand volleyball team couldn’t have had a better inaugural season. The Waves went 14-0 and won the inaugural AVCA Collegiate Sand Volleyball National Championship, becoming Pepperdine’s first women’s national championship-winning team.

Matthies was instrumental in establishing beach volleyball, then called sand volleyball (name officially changed prior to the 2016 season), as an NCAA Division I sport. Her efforts paid off. Bringing over nine players from the indoor volleyball team, the Waves adapted to the outdoor game with relative ease. The 2012 squad featured four All-Americans in Lilla Fredrick, Kim Hill, Caitlin Racich and Summer Ross — the latter of whom went on to win the AVCA Collegiate Sand Volleyball National Championship pairs title one day after helping Pepperdine win the team title. With its loaded roster and experienced coach, it was unsurprising that the Waves went 11-0 in dual-match play.

The Waves arrived at the AVCA National Championships in Gulf Shores, Ala. as the team to beat. Pepperdine won all three of its matches convincingly, first by shutting out College of Charleston, and then by blanking Long Beach State 3-0 in the semifinals. Meeting Long Beach State in the championship match, Pepperdine blanked them again with a 5-0 sweep to win the national title.

Ted (’59, MBA ’75) and Carolyn (’57) Porter
Longtime supporters of Pepperdine’s athletics programs, dedicated alumni Theodore “Ted” and Carolyn Porter have brought enthusiasm to the university’s athletic mission for decades. A former Pepperdine football defensive end, Ted and his wife, Carolyn met as students at the original George Pepperdine College campus and have remained committed to our Waves teams long after Ted’s graduation in 1959. Ted went on to earn his MBA from Pepperdine University in 1975.

Over the years, the Porters have encouraged Waves student-athletes in countless ways. Among their many contributions, Ted and Carolyn have graciously established the Porter Student-Athlete Fifth Year Scholarship to support student success and have invested in several of Pepperdine’s athletic teams. Ted has been a faithful member of the Athletics Board for many years, providing his wise counsel and strategic insight to the department’s leadership. The Porters are often regulars at Waves athletic events,  enjoying courtside seats at Pepperdine men’s basketball games in the Firestone Fieldhouse.

Blessed with sixty-seven years of marriage, Ted and Carolyn live in Rancho Palos Verdes, California and enjoy spending time with their children and grandchildren. They are particularly proud of their granddaughter, Paige Porter (’25), who recently graduated from Seaver College with her bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts and was a dedicated member of the Pepperdine cheer team.

Nick Rodionoff, Women’s Swimming and Diving
An International Swimming and Diving Hall of Famer, Nick Rodionoff‘s affiliation with Pepperdine spanned four decades. Rodionoff came to Pepperdine in 1974 to coach the men’s swimming and diving team, yet his biggest accomplishment came in 1987, when he established the women’s swimming and diving program. Despite being a new program, the Waves promptly went undefeated for five consecutive seasons.

As a head coach for the women’s team from 2000-2018, Rodionoff helped guide the Waves to 14 top-five team finishes at the Pacific Collegiate Swim and Dive Conference (PCSC) Championships — including a runner-up finish in 2008. Individually, Rodionoff was a two-time PCSC Coach of the Year recipient.

Yet one of Rodionoff’s greatest accomplishments was not winning an award. After the 2008 national recession forced Pepperdine to cut the women’s swimming and diving program, Rodionoff helped rescue the team he once founded. Thanks to rallying former alumni and donors, Rodionoff was instrumental in reinstating the program in 2009. Without his efforts, the program wouldn’t exist today.

Individually, Rodionoff guided seven women to 12 conference titles and four to six NCAA Championship berths. Jessica Mosbaugh earned back-to-back PCSC Division I Swimmer of the Year honors in 2014 and 2015, plus six other student-athletes were named PCSC Diver of the Year: Michelle Barker (2003), Amanda Pond (2009), Tiffany Martz (2011), Kristin Scribner (2012), Klair Korver (2013), and Sydney Newman (2017).

Rodionoff’s teams routinely succeeded in the classroom, too. His teams won College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America All-Academic Team awards regularly, and three of his student-athletes won Pepperdine’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards.

Rodionoff passed away in 2023 and will be inducted into the Hall of Fame posthumously. His wife Carrie will accept the award on his behalf.





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University of Southern California – Official Athletics Site

USC’s men’s track and field scored in seven events to win a share of the team title during the final day of the 2025 NCAA Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Championships being held at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. today (June 13).  USC finished with 41 points to tie with Texas A&M for the team […]

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USC’s men’s track and field scored in seven events to win a share of the team title during the final day of the 2025 NCAA Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Championships being held at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. today (June 13).  USC finished with 41 points to tie with Texas A&M for the team title, the first NCAA shared outdoor team title since 2013.  The first-ever shared NCAA team title came in 1965 when the Trojans tied Oregon as the top team. USC also became just the third team to both the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field titles in the same year, first since 2015. 

USC won its first outdoor track and field title since 1976 and now has won 27 outdoor titles, more than double the next program.  USC also became the first Big Ten school to win the outdoor track and field team title since Minnesota won in 1948.

USC scored all of its points on the final day and won a share of the team title without winning any individual event titles, just like they did in winning the 2025 NCAA Indoor title.  Also like the indoor title, USC had to await the results of an unsuccessful Arkansas protest in the 4x400m relay before it could celebrate.

“It is just an awesome feeling for the program, the University, the USC community, all of our fans and these student-athletes, they worked their butts off,” said USC Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Quincy Watts.  “I am just so proud of them.  It is a journey and throughout the journey you are going to have hurdles and adversity.  We had some adversity when one of our top runners Garrett Kaalund was having some issues with his hamstring which I learned after receiving a call from Bronson (Sagon) our athletic trainer, who informed me that Garrett would not be available for the mile relay.  I gathered everybody that was here with the men’s team and we surrounded Garrett while he was on the training table.  We let him know we were going to win the team title for him.  We wanted to look him in the eye and let him know we had his back.  Garrett has been there for us all year.  Just a tremendous team with tremendous character as human beings.”

  • The day began with sophomore Racquil Broderick breaking his school discus throw record of 207-0 (63.09m) with a mark of 207-8 (63.31m) to place fourth and earn the USC men’s team its first five points of the championships.  He had the top throw of 197-9 (60.28m) in the first flight which advanced him to the finals in seventh place.  His record-breaking throw of 207-8 in the fifth round temporarily moved him into third, but after the round was complete, he stood in fourth.  Broderick had a final-round throw of 206-11 and landed a fair throw in all six attempts.  Broderick, who placed second as a freshman, earned first-team All-America honors for the second time.  Broderick is the first Trojans to score in back-to-back NCAA Championships in the discus throw since Ralph Fruguglietti placed second in 1976 and 1977.
  •  The men’s 4x100m relay team of senior Travis Williams, junior Max Thomas, graduate transfer Taylor Banks and junior transfer Garrett Kaalund placed second with a time of 38.46.  Their time moved them to second on USC’s all-time 4x100m relay list.  The quartet earned USC another eight points in the team competition.
  • Thomas then took second in the men’s 100m dash final with a strong finish and a time of 10.10 (+0.7) to earn USC eight points.  He out-leaned the third-place finisher by 0.001 seconds.  Thomas became USC’s first male athlete to score in the 100m finals since Davonte Burnett in 2021 and was USC’s highest finisher in the event since Andre DeGrasse won the title in 2015.  Sophomore transfer Edward Nketia placed ninth with a time of 10.30 to earn second-team All-America honors and Thomas became a first-team All-American.
  • Junior William Jones took second in the men’s 400m final with a time of 45.53 to earn the Trojans eight more points.  That gave USC a total of 29 points and the temporary lead with 14 of 21 events scored.  It was the first time Jones earned All-America honors in the outdoor 400m race and his finish was the highest by a Trojan since Michael Norman won the title in 2018.
  • Senior Johnny Brackins Jr. placed seventh in the men’s 400m hurdles final with a time of 50.15 to earn the Trojans two team points.  After 18 scored events, USC had 31 points and were in second place, two points behind Texas A&M.  Brackins Jr. became the first Trojan to earn first-team All-America honors in the event since Cameron Samuel in 2021.
  • Kaalund then placed third in the men’s 200m dash final with a time of 19.96 (+0.3) and Thomas took sixth with a time of 20.23 (+0.3) to earn USC a key nine points in move them into first place with 40 points, five ahead of Auburn, six ahead of Arkansas and seven ahead of Texas A&M with the 5000m race and the 4x400m relay remaining.  It is the first time for both Kaalund and Thomas to earn first-team All-America honors in the 200m dash. It was the first time any Trojan scored in the 200m final since 2021, Kaalund’s finish was the highest by a USC athlete since Andre DeGrasse won the title in 2015 and the first time USC had a pair of athletes score in the 200m since 2013, when Bryshon Nellum and Aaron Brown scored.
  • USC ran a 4x400m relay team of junior Jacob Andrews, Thomas, junior Jaelen Knox and Jones to closeout the meet and they did just enough to earn a share of the team title, finishing eighth with a time of 3:03.18, despite a couple of balky exchanges.  USC earned a point and Texas A&M eight, to finish tied with 41 points each.  USC also finished eighth in the event at the 2024 NCAA Championships.
  • Graduate transfer Jaren Holmes placed 11th in the men’s triple jump.  His best jump of 51-8.25/15.75m (+0.6) came in the first round and placed him seventh, but he did not improve and after three rounds had slid to 11th.  Holmes earned second-team All-America honors in the event.
  • Junior Elias Gerald placed 12th in the men’s high jump with a best clearance of 7-0.50 (2.15m).  He went out at the next height of 7-2.50 (2.20m), which only seven athletes cleared today.  Gerald earned second-team All-America honors in the event.


Tomorrow will be the finals for the 2025 NCAA Women’s Track & Field Championships.  The action for the Trojans will begin with the women’s 4x100m relay at 6:02 p.m. 

Final Men’s Top 10 Team Scores:

  1. USC – 41 and Texas A&M – 41, 3.) Arkansas – 40, 4.) Auburn – 35, 5.) New Mexico – 31, 6.) Oklahoma – 30.5, 7.) Minnesota – 25, 8.) Florida – 22, Kentucky -22, Mississippi – 22

 

 
 



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