Allison Lang has always loved playing sports. She took up swimming, football, skiing, and snowboarding as a child, but it was sitting volleyball that truly gave her a sense of belonging and a community that welcomed her.
Nearly a decade after finding the sport, she made history with her teammates—whom she calls her friends—at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Lang helped Canada win their first Paralympic sitting volleyball medal, as well as the country’s first team sport medal since London 2012.
“It feels amazing to say that we accomplished that, especially alongside so many of my friends,” Lang said during a TikTok live on @Paralympics.
“It feels like a sisterhood I never had growing up because I never had role models or knew people that were living with disability in such a positive light.”
Canada won bronze in the women’s sitting volleyball tournament at Paris 2024. @Steph Chambers/Getty Images
Business on court and good friends off the court
At the Paris 2024 Paralympics, Canada defeated Tokyo 2020 medallists Brazil in straight sets in the women’s bronze medal match at the North Paris Arena. After securing the match point, players and team staff rushed to the net, embracing in celebration.
The USA won their third straight gold medal in the women’s tournament after beating China 3–1. Heather Nicole Erickson was named Most Valuable Player of the Games, while Kaleo Kanahele Maclay was selected Best Setter.
Standing on her first Paralympic podium, Lang had a surge of emotions, and memories of her hard work and dedication flashed before her.
“It was a play by play of all the work, the hours, the effort and the training that we’ve all put in,” Lang said. “Seeing the video back of them putting the medal on me, it was that sigh of relief.”
Lang, right, made her Paralympic debut in Paris, nearly a decade after discovering sitting volleyball. @Elsa/Getty Images
For Maclay, it was also a dream come true, winning her third straight gold medal in front of her family, including her two sons.
“For them to be there, seeing that moment and getting to experience it was like, we did it, I can breathe,” Maclay shared during the same TikTok live, adding that she thinks “it’s for her kids to see the sacrifice but to also see what it’s all for.”
Maclay also reflected on how special it was to compete against sitting volleyball players from around the world on the biggest stage.
“In elite sports, it’s such a specific experience that allows, the ability to have people who understand disability and are on the same page as you in life, experiencing this very unique thing alongside you is so special,” she said.
“We are competitors but also, we can be friends. We can try to push the movement together, ultimately leaving the sport better than I found it.”
Maclay, who made her Paralympic debut at London 2012, helped Team USA win their third consecutive gold medal at Paris 2024. @Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Finding a community
Lang and Maclay discovered a sense of empowerment from being surrounded by athletes with similar experiences—a feeling that deeply influenced them at a young age and helped them truly “own the space” they were in.
Lang found out about Para sports when she was invited to play sitting volleyball at a charity event at the age of 16.
“I finally met women with disabilities that were great role models for me and made me feel a lot more secure (about) living with a disability,” said Lang, who was born missing half her leg.
“For so long I thought my disability was the obstacle that held me back but in fact it has given me more opportunity in life.”
Lang helped Canada make sporting history at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. @Elsa/Getty Images
Full-time content creator, model, motivational speaker, and a Paralympic medallist, Lang looks to be the same call for the coming generations.
“If you would have asked 13-year-old Ally if she ever thought that would be a possibility, I would have said no because I was so insecure,” Lang said. “It’s really special to give that message to kids and I wish I had heard that when I was younger.”
For Maclay, her two sons Duke and Kai are her greatest legacy—bringing them along on her journey, including at Paris 2024, and helping them grow up with a broader, more inclusive view of the world.
“Duke has grown up watching sitting volleyball, so when he saw standing volleyball, he said, ‘What is that?’ And I just love that for him,” Maclay said with a smile.
Lang and Maclay want to grow and strengthen this community, whether it is by hosting talks to inspire the youth, advocating for women in sports, or engaging in the “recruiting phase” by calling out young female athletes during a TikTok live session with @Paralympics in May.
“My team along with Team USA, we try to showcase sitting volleyball in such a positive light and are hoping to find more athletes in Canada. So, if anyone is watching, yes, we are recruiting right now,” Lang said.
Maclay, centre, played in front of her family at the North Paris Arena. @ Andy Lyons/Getty Images
Gearing up for LA28
This year, both Lang and Maclay have already started gearing up for the next Paralympic Games, now just three years away.
Sitting volleyball will be one of the 23 sports featured on the LA28 Paralympic Games programme. Eight of the world’s best teams will compete for gold in the women’s tournament at the Arena in Long Beach, California, as part of the Games taking place from 15–27 August 2028.
“We’re getting amped up and already training for LA28, like I’m sure Kaleo’s team is,” Lang said.
With four gold medals on the line and the energy of a home crowd behind them, the pressure is real for Maclay and Team USA.
When asked about the weight of chasing a fourth consecutive gold medal, Maclay smiled and quoted tennis legend Billie Jean King:
“Pressure is a privilege.”
Team USA will be chasing their fourth straight sitting volleyball gold medal at LA28. @ Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for USOPC
Women’s Track & Field Rookie of the Week – Lola Gitlin
Lola Gitlin won the 3,000-meter race by more than 12 seconds at Cornell’s Southern Tier Invitational as she clocked a time of 10:37.55. Gitlin’s time is good for 24th nationally.
Women’s Track & Field – Field Performer of the Week – Lily Seyfert
Lily Seyfert placed third in the shot put at the Cornell Southern Tier Invitational with a mark of 12.72 meters, which is just shy of her top mark of 12.78 this season (17th in Division III). Seyfert also finished third in the weight throw at 16.20 meters and ranks eighth in the country after that performance.
Men’s Track & Field Rookie of the Week – Raphael Campanile
Raphael Campanile placed fifth in the pole vault with a mark of 4.50 meters at the Cornell Southern Tier Invitational on Saturday and currently ranks 25th in Division III with that performance.
HONOR ROLL
Matthew Zenker totaled 44 points on 18-of-31 shooting, to go along with nine rebounds and three steals in a 1-1 week for Ithaca. Zenker netted 20 points on 8-of-16 shooting in a 101-72 win over RIT and followed up with 24 points and eight rebounds as he shot 10-of-15 from the floor in a loss to Union.
Junior forward McNamara delivered a pair of strong performances despite setbacks against RIT and Union. Against the Tigers, she was flawless from the floor, going 3-for-3 while adding seven rebounds and two blocks. She carried that momentum into the Union matchup, coming just shy of her first career double-double with nine points and eight boards.
Shenandoah University men’s volleyball freshman Simon Bellenbaum was named the ODAC’s Defensive Player of the Week on Monday.
The York, Pennsylvania, native accumulated six solo blocks and eight digs in SU’s two matches against Randolph and Regent, with three blocks in each game and five digs versus the Royals.
Boys’ basketball: Sherando 48, Strasburg 44
STEPHENS CITY — Sherando defeated Strasburg for its fourth straight win on Monday. The Warriors are 9-4.
Girls’ basketball: Strasburg 39, Sherando 29
STRASBURG — Strasburg completed a season sweep with a win over Sherando on Monday.
The Warriors (3-11) trailed 18-7 after one quarter, 23-10 at the half and 29-22 after three quarters.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Two Keene State College student-athletes honored by the Little East Conference for their achievements accomplished for the week of January 5-11.
Men’s Swimming and Diving
Freshman diver Keegan Johnson (Durham, N.H.) was named the LEC Diver of the Week and the Rookie Diver of the Week from his dives across the Owls’ final two home meets this season over the past weekend. Against Eastern Connecticut State University, Johnson placed first in the 1M diving with a score of 129.75 on Friday afternoon, and on Saturday morning against Norwich University, he placed first in the 1M diving with a score of 141.38 and first in the 3M diving with a score of 170.31.
Johnson and the Owls return to action for a double-dual meet against Brandeis University and Bridgewater State University on Saturday, January 17 at 12:00 PM.
Men’s Indoor Track and Field
Senior Eden Damis (Nashua, N.H.) was named the LEC Field Athlete of the Week from his performance at the Middlebury Snowflake Invitational on Saturday for the Owls. In the long jump, Damis posted a mark of 14.00 in the triple just for a new personal record in his final attempt of the day. His mark became the 21st best mark in NCAA Division III on the season, just one position for qualifying for nationals later this season.
Damis and the Owls return to action at the Panther Invitational I at Plymouth State University on Saturday, January 17, at 10:00 AM.
PITMAN — The New Jersey Athletic Conference announced its women’s indoor track & field weekly honors for the week ending Jan. 11
TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
LUCIA GARCIA-BELTRAN • The College of New Jersey
Senior • Hopewell, NJ/Hopewell Valley Central
Garcia-Beltran earned NJAC Track Athlete of the Week honors after setting a new program record in the 60 meters at the Lions Indoor Invitational. The senior sprinter and Rutgers transfer clocked a time of 7.63 seconds, which ranks fifth in NCAA Division III.
FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
SARAH SCEPKOWSKI • The College of New Jersey
Senior • Garwood, NJ/Arthur L. Johnson
Scepkowski claimed NJAC Field Athlete of the Week recognition after clearing 1.60 meters in the high jump at the Lions Indoor Invitational. The senior’s mark ranks 20th in NCAA Division III and stands as one of the top performances in the conference this season.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
AMELIA VITALE • Farmingdale State College
Freshman • Hauppauge, NY/Hauppauge
Vitale was named NJAC Rookie of the Week after posting a time of 2:30.87 in the 800 meters at the Spartan Invitational. The freshman’s performance represents the top mark in the event thus far in the NJAC this season and establishes her as the conference’s early leader in the middle-distance event.
PITMAN — The New Jersey Athletic Conference announced its men’s indoor track & field weekly honors for the week ending Jan. 11.
TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
MAXIM RYCHKOV • The College of New Jersey
Sophomore • Robbinsville, NJ/Robbinsville
Rychkov earned NJAC Track Athlete of the Week honors after setting a new program record in the 400 meters at the Lions Indoor Invitational. The sophomore clocked a time of 47.95 seconds, which ranks sixth in Division III. Rychkov’s record-breaking performance also leads both the NJAC and NCAA Metro Region in the event.
FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
BRADEN PAULMENN • The College of New Jersey
Sophomore • Monmouth Junction, NJ/South Brunswick
Paulmenn claimed NJAC Field Athlete of the Week recognition after a strong showing in two throwing events at the Lions Indoor Invitational. The sophomore recorded a mark of 15.38 meters in the shot put (third place) and 13.98 meters in the weight throw (fourth place). His weight throw mark ranks third in the NJAC and 10th in the Metro Region. Paulmenn also owns the second-best shot put mark in the NJAC and NCAA Metro Region and is 26th in Division III.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
VICTOR AKINBOBOYE • The College of New Jersey
Freshman • Jackson, NJ/Jackson Liberty
Akinboboye was named NJAC Rookie of the Week after clocking a time of 35.54 seconds in the 300 meters at the Lions Indoor Invitational. The freshman’s performance ranks 18th in Division III and establishes him as one of the top first-year sprinters in the conference.
Oldani had a match-high and career-high 10 digs in BYU’s season opener Friday night in Provo. He added another three digs on Saturday. Oldani also had five blocks over the two matches, as the Cougars started the season 2-0 for the fourth consecutive season.
Oldani is one of three transfers from Grand Canyon on this season’s BYU squad. He was a key contributor as a freshman last season for the Antelopes and has picked up where he left off with the Cougars.
Oldani and the No. 8 Cougars won in back-to-back sweeps last weekend over Saint Francis and have two more home matches this Friday and Saturday, as No. 10 UC San Diego visits the Smith Fieldhouse.
