Sports
LA28 Names Arena at Long Beach as Home of Paralympic Sitting Volleyball
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 4, 2025) — Following official approval from the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), LA28 has unveiled its updated Paralympic Venue Plan—marking a major milestone for adaptive sport and reinforcing Southern California’s legacy as a global hub for inclusive, athlete-centered competition.
Sitting volleyball will be hosted at the Arena in Long Beach, a decision that aligns with LA28’s commitment to elevating visibility, fostering community, and providing elite athletes with a world-class stage.
Both the U.S. Men’s and Women’s Sitting Volleyball National Teams have qualified for the LA28 Paralympic Games. The women’s team will return as three-time defending gold medalists, while the men’s team will make its first Paralympic appearance since Rio 2016.
“The Arena in Long Beach is a world-class venue that will help elevate the sport of sitting volleyball and create a stage worthy of our athletes’ dedication and excellence,” said Bill Hamiter, head coach of the U.S. Women’s Sitting Team and director of sitting volleyball at USA Volleyball. “We’re grateful to LA28 for its commitment to accessibility and representation.”
With iconic venues, a passionate fan base, and a city ready to welcome the world, LA28 promises not only an unforgettable Paralympic Games—but also a sitting volleyball experience that will inspire, unite and leave a lasting legacy.
“Having both Olympic beach volleyball and Paralympic volleyball disciplines showcased in Long Beach is a tremendous moment for the sport,” said John Speraw, president and CEO of USA Volleyball. “I know this environment will energize athletes and fans alike.”
As sitting volleyball returns to the global stage in 2028, the sport is poised to spark new fandom, empower future generations of adaptive athletes, and redefine excellence—both on and off the court.
For more information on the LA28 Paralympic Venue Plan, visit paralympic.org.
Sports
Central’s Parrott named a finalist for the conference scholar-athlete award
PELLA—Recent Central College graduate Addison Parrott has been named a finalist for the American Rivers Conference’s Johana Olson Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award.
Parrott is among three finalists for the Johanna Olson Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award, along with Nebraska Wesleyan University track and field athlete Avery Decker and Simpson College women’s soccer/track and field athlete Madison Hays.
Parrott graduated with a 3.85 cumulative grade point average as a sociology and psychology major with a minor in religious studies. She is now in graduate school to achieve her master’s in clinic mental health counseling from Liberty University (Va.).
A distance runner at Central, Parrott tallied third All-American performances between cross country and track and field. In 2024, she became the first Central female to win the American Rivers Conference cross country title, earning league Most Valuable Performer honors. She also won the indoor 5,000-meters title at the 2025 conference meet.
Parrott was a two-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-District selection. She was a member of the American Rivers Academic All-Conference six times across track and field and cross country. She also earned USTFCCCA All-Academic honors five times.
The league awards were established in 2000-01. Central student-athletes have received the men’s award five times and the women’s award three times. Central’s most recent winner was NCAA Today’s Top 10 Award and Gagliardi Trophy winner Blaine Hawkins in 2021-22.
Sports
Indiana volleyball gains new addition in Tennessee transfer Keondreya Granberry
Indiana volleyball’s historic season came to end after a loss to the University of Texas at Austin on Dec. 12 in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament. However, since the loss, the Hoosiers have already begun assembling their roster for next season.
Indiana gained a new asset to its roster in middle blocker Keondreya Granberry, according to an Instagram post Tuesday. The 6-foot-3 University of Tennessee transfer was sidelined for most of her senior season in 2025 with an injury. However, in 2024, Granberry averaged 1.93 kills and .93 blocks per set while maintaining a .455 average hitting percentage.
She finished her Tennessee career ranked second all-time in career hitting percentage at .372 and ranked eighth in program history in career blocks per set.
After the 2025 season came to end, the Hoosiers lost valuable pieces to their roster in outside hitters Candela Alonso-Corcelles and Jessica Smith, middle blocker Madi Sell and opposite hitter Avry Tatum.
In turn, Indiana is bringing in a nationally ranked freshman class for the second consecutive season. As of National Signing Day (Nov. 12), all three incoming freshmen in setter Mallory Matheny, outside hitter Sara Snowbarger and defensive specialist Ellie Hepler were ranked top 60 in the Prep Volleyball Rankings.
The NCAA Women’s Volleyball winter transfer portal opened Dec. 7 and will close Jan. 5. In that window, Indiana volleyball will look to continue stacking pieces to replenish the highly talented 2025 roster that led the Hoosiers to a 25-8 overall record and first NCAA Tournament appearance in 15 years.
Sports
UTA Volleyball Adds Two Transfers to 2026 Roster
ARLINGTON, TEXAS – The UT Arlington volleyball program welcomed two transfers, Erica Dellesky and Karisa Martin, to its 2026 signing class, Tania Schatow announced on Wednesday.
ABOUT THE RECRUITS
ERICA DELLESKY
S, 5-10, Junior
Katy, Texas/Obra D. Tompkins HS—Virginia Tech
Erica Dellesky, a 5’10 setter from Katy, Texas, joins UTA after an impressive start to her collegiate career at Virginia Tech. In 52 matches and 167 sets played, Dellesky has totaled 629 assists and 214 digs.
In high school, Dellesky was a four-year letterwinner at Obra D. Tompkins High Schol and the program’s all-time career assists leader. She totaled more than 2,000 career assists, along with 911 digs and 132 service aces. Dellesky was a two-time undefeated District 6A champion and a three-time Academic All-District selection. As a senior, she earned a spot on the 2022-23 AVCA Phenom Watch List, was named team captain and MVP and received Preseason Second Team All-America honors.
“We are so excited to have Erica join the team. From the first phone call we had, I had a feeling she would be a great fit with this group. She is a setter that has great location on her sets, while showing the ability to keep the tempo,” Schatow stated. “Her experience in the ACC will be great to have in our gym, while building connections with our hitters this Spring. I am looking forward to working with her as we grow and advance our offense.”
KARISA MARTIN
RS, 6-1, Junior
Monroe, Washington/Monroe HS—Bellevue College
Karisa Martin, a 6’1 rightside hitter from Monroe, Wash., comes to UTA after spending two seasons at Bellevue College. In her collegiate career, Martin is a four-time NWAC Region Offensive Player of the Week, a two-time NWAC First Team selection and a 2025 NWAC All-Tournament Second Team honoree.
Before college, Martin competed at Monroe High School and played club volleyball for Seattle Juniors and Sudden Impact Volleyball Club.
“I had a very similar feeling while taking to her on the phone that she would fit in perfectly with the team we are building. She is a physical lefty, that has proven her ability to terminate at a high level,” Schatow said. “She finished her career at Bellevue College with a hitting percentage over 0.300 and over 2 kills per set. I am looking forward to integrating her into our offense this Spring.”
#BuckEm
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For the latest news on UTA Volleyball, log on to UTAMavs.com or stay connected to the Mavs on social media. Follow the Mavericks on Twitter @UTAMavsVB, on Instagram @UTAMavsVB and on Facebook at Facebook.com/UTAMavsVB.
Sports
County Partners with Santa Barbara Volleyball Club on Indoor Facility | Local News
A new four-court indoor volleyball facility is moving into the Goleta Valley.
The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a 15-year lease for the facility with youth sports nonprofit Santa Barbara Volleyball Club.
The agreement allows the club to demolish the current duplexes and storage sheds at 4550 Hollister Ave., adjacent to the Page Youth Center and Fire Station 13, to build the 18,400-square-foot steel facility.
Alongside the courts, there will be restrooms, reception, storage and 18 parking spots, one of which will be an ADA-compliant space, all funded through donations and community fundraising.
SBVC’s lead on the demolition will save costs for the county, as it will not have to pay anything for this project. Additionally, the club will not pay rent during the lease in exchange for the facility’s construction.
Construction is expected to start in 2026 and will not be completed until 2027, according to Matt Riley, SBVC executive director.
“The new gym will address a long-standing shortage of indoor court space in the region and will allow SBVC to expand programming, reduce reliance on shared school facilities, and increase access for local families,” he said in a statement.
The site has been formerly used to house county departments that were in the process of relocating.
However, the buildings are not suitable for county use, Kirk Lagerquist, general services director, wrote in a letter to the board. If SBVC did not propose to take over the space, the county would be responsible for abatement and demolition.

Instead, it will be transformed into a modern space for the community and local youths to promote health and wellness while reducing county liability with the unsafe structures, Lagerquist added in the letter.
The project still needs to acquire a conditional-use permit from the county Planning & Development Department.
“This project represents a major investment in the future of youth sports in Santa Barbara,” Riley said.
Sports
Three Wildcat Volleyball Standouts Name CSC Academic All-District
ELLENSBURG, Wash. – Three Central Washington University volleyball student-athletes were named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Division II Academic All-District Women’s Volleyball Team. This will be Scottie Ellsworth’s second time earning Academic All-District while Ellie Marble and Kayleigh-Shay Chang both will earn the honor for the first time.
The 2025-26 Academic All-District Women’s Volleyball teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America program separately recognizes women’s volleyball honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.
Student-athletes selected as CSC Academic All-America finalists will advance to the national ballot to be voted on by CSC members. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America honorees will be announced January 13, 2026.
The Division II and III CSC Academic All-America programs are partially financially supported by the NCAA Division II and III national governance structures to assist CSC with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2025-26 Divisions II and III Academic All-America programs. The NAIA CSC Academic All-America program is partially financially supported through the NAIA governance structure.
Ellsworth, an AVCA Honorable Mention All-American and a three-time Academic All-GNAC honoree, owns a 3.99 GPA in Elementary Education. Marble, a First Team All-GNAC and two-time Academic All-GNAC honoree, has a perfect 4.0 GPA in Physical Education & School Health. Chang, an Honorable Mention All-GNAC and Academic All-GNAC honoree this season, has a 3.75 GPA and is undeclared on a major.
The entire CSC Academic All-District list can be found HERE
Sports
CSC Announces 2025 Women’s Volleyball Academic All-District
NEW YORK – A total of seven CUNY Athletic Conference women’s volleyball student-athletes were named to the 2025-26 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team for NCAA Division III announced Tuesday afternoon.
The 2025-26 Academic All-District® Women’s Volleyball Team, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom.
To be eligible for CSC Academic All-America® honors, a student-athlete must maintain at least a 3.50 grade-point average, be a sophomore, junior, or senior, and be a starter or significant reserve.
Academic All-District® honorees advance to the CSC Academic All-America® ballot. First-, second, and third-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced on January 13, 2026.
CUNY Athletic Conference
2025-26 CSC Women’s Volleyball Academic All-District
Karolina Lundqvist, Baruch
Ruti Joshi, Brooklyn
Malia Reyes, Brooklyn
Ivanna Zamora Sanchez, CCNY
Alex Overcamp, John Jay
Hailey Waugaman, John Jay
Maritza Argueta, Medgar Evers
For the latest news on the CUNY Athletic Conference, log on to cunyathletics.com – the official site of the CUNY Athletic Conference. Also, become a follower of the CUNYAC on Instagram (@CUNYAC), Twitter (@CUNYAC) and YouTube (@CUNY Athletic Conference), and “LIKE” Us on Facebook (CUNY Athletic Conference).
Sign up to receive the latest CUNY Athletic Conference news delivered right to your email inbox HERE.
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