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Legendary NSU track and field coach Leon Johnson passes away at 86

By: Jason Pugh, Associate Athletic Director for External Relations Story Links NATCHITOCHES – Longtime, legendary Northwestern State track and field coach Leon Johnson, who led the Demons and Lady Demons to national prominence and tutored a pair of USA Olympians before retiring in 2013, died Tuesday after a brief illness.   […]

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NATCHITOCHES – Longtime, legendary Northwestern State track and field coach Leon Johnson, who led the Demons and Lady Demons to national prominence and tutored a pair of USA Olympians before retiring in 2013, died Tuesday after a brief illness.
 
Funeral arrangements will be announced soon for Johnson, 86, whose decades-long career at Northwestern made him a nationally recognized name in track and field. He is survived by his wife, Elaine, and his son, Dean, a former NSU assistant, another son, Kendon, and daughters Darla and Molly, and many grandchildren and great grandchildren.
 
“I’ve known Leon Johnson for many years, since he was coaching and teaching at Opelousas High School, and he has always been an exceptional person, mentor, educator, coach, neighbor, and family man,” Northwestern State President James T. Genovese said. “He brought out the best in people, not just his athletes. What he did in his coaching career in high school and then for 33 years at Northwestern is remarkable not only for the championships won, the records broken, but for the tremendously positive, nurturing influence he had on the young people around him along with his coaches and colleagues.
 
“As a coach and as a man, he made impact in the communities where he lived for generations of people whose lives are better because of him.”
 
The second-longest serving head coach in Northwestern State athletics history, Johnson’s impact on both the Demons program and the Southland Conference is indelible.
 
Johnson’s 31-year head coaching career at Northwestern ranks second in school history only to H. Lee Prather’s 36-year run as the Demons basketball coach. Like Prather, Johnson’s name resonates across campus.
 
Track and field fans enter the Walter Ledet Track Complex by walking or driving down Leon Johnson Lane. Northwestern’s annual track and field meet was renamed the Leon Johnson Invitational in 2011, making Johnson the exceedingly rare coach who led a team in a competition that bears his or her name.
 
A high school basketball coach in Colorado before moving to Louisiana and becoming a high school track and field coach, Johnson took the reins of the Northwestern track and field program in 1982.
 
For the next 31 years, he presided over 57 All-Americans, nearly 100 NCAA championship qualifiers, including national champions and a pair of Olympian triple jumpers – LaMark Carter (2000 Sydney Games) and Kenta Bell (2004 Athens Games and 2008 Beijing Games).
 
He helped Brian Brown develop into one of the world’s best high jumpers in the early 1990s after he won the 1989 USA Outdoors and the 1990 NCAA Indoors, setting a meet record with a 7-8 clearance. Brown went on to earn his doctorate and is the deputy director of athletics for student-athlete development, integrated healthcare and inclusion at Missouri.
 
“All of us at Northwestern State are saddened by the loss of Leon Johnson,” Director of Athletics Kevin Bostian said. “Coach Johnson’s impact on our track and field program is both tangible and intangible. His standout career helped cement the foundation for a tremendous stretch of competitive success that is reflected in the current state of our program – especially our women’s program that has captured five of the past six Southland championships. Coach Johnson earned the respect of so many of his contemporaries as evidenced by the Southland Conference’s Leon Johnson Coach of the Year Award. He was in a class by himself and we are grateful for all he poured into Northwestern State track and field, the university and our community.”
 
In 1986, Johnson was tasked with starting the Lady Demons track and field program. Under Johnson’s direction, and with his protégé and former competitor Mike Heimerman coaching her, Trecey Rew became Northwestern’s first female track and field national champion, capturing the 2011 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Discus championship.
 
Student-athletes like Carter, Bell and Rew – and a slew of other All-Americans — flourished under the tutelage of Johnson, a 1999 N-Club Hall of Fame inductee.
 
His Northwestern teams were fixtures near the top of the Southland Conference, capturing conference titles in 1993, 1999 and 2002 while finishing in the upper half of the conference standings each year from 1989-2005.
 
Johnson’s Northwestern squads collected top-20 team finishes in both the NCAA Division I Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
 
That extended run of success landed Johnson in the Southland Conference Hall of Honor in April 2017. Since 2014, the Southland presents the Leon Johnson Coach of the Year award to the top men’s track and field coach in the conference each season.
 
“Coach Johnson was one of the nation’s best mentors in his sport, and made a meaningful impact on his university, the league, and certainly the championship student-athletes he led in his program,” Southland Conference Commissioner Tom Burnett said upon Johnson’s receipt of the Southland’s top individual honor.
 
Johnson’s impact stretched far beyond the track, throwing areas, and jump pits where he spent most of his career – especially as it pertained to the student-athletes he coached.
 
He was the driving force behind bringing the Louisiana High School Athletic Association’s Cross Country State Championships to Natchitoches and keeping it here for more than 30 years, making it a staple of the city’s athletic calendar.
 
An active volunteer, Johnson gave his time to the Louisiana chapter of the Special Olympics, the American Heart Association, and the American Cancer Society.
 
Following his retirement from coaching track and field, Johnson became a volunteer assistant and advisor to former Mike McConathy’s Northwestern State men’s basketball team, providing insight on flexibility and conditioning for student-athletes while also imparting his vision to McConathy and his staff.
 
 



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Bryant earns AVCA Team Academic Award

Story Links LEXINGTON, KY. – The Bryant University women’s volleyball team has been recognized with the 2025 Team Academic Award by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), honoring its outstanding performance in the classroom. The Bulldogs posted a 3.73 team GPA in the spring and a 3.69 GPA in the fall. […]

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LEXINGTON, KY. – The Bryant University women’s volleyball team has been recognized with the 2025 Team Academic Award by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), honoring its outstanding performance in the classroom.

The Bulldogs posted a 3.73 team GPA in the spring and a 3.69 GPA in the fall. Sixteen student-athletes earned Dean’s List honors in both semesters. London Hunt and Arianna Ugolini were named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team, and the program also received the Bryant Athletics Academic Excellence Team Award earlier this year.

Carrina Barron, Nina Gavin, and Madison Koeller recorded perfect 4.0 GPAs in both semesters, with Gavin maintaining a 4.0 GPA for every term of her collegiate career. Fabi Castro and Morgan Smith achieved 4.0s in the fall, while Natalie Ricevuto, Kaitlyn Rossini, Claudia Camacho-Castro, Ana Fuertes-Brito, and Carolina Camacho earned 4.0s during the spring semester.



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Women’s Basketball Ranks Second Nationally in Team GPA

ATLANTA – For the fourth-straight season, Boise State women’s basketball earned a spot in the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Academic Top 25 Division I Team Honor Roll, the WBCA announced Tuesday. The Broncos posted a team GPA of 3.803, second to Green Bay (3.862). It is the highest national ranking in school history. Boise State […]

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ATLANTA – For the fourth-straight season, Boise State women’s basketball earned a spot in the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Academic Top 25 Division I Team Honor Roll, the WBCA announced Tuesday.

The Broncos posted a team GPA of 3.803, second to Green Bay (3.862). It is the highest national ranking in school history. Boise State is one of six schools nationally to earn a spot in the rankings each of the last four seasons. The Broncos have three top 10 rankings in that span, with only Green Bay having more.

The Broncos’ four top 25 rankings in the last four years are more than the rest of the Mountain West combined with Wyoming (three appearances) being the only other school ranked during that time.

The WBCA Academic Top 25 recognizes NCAA Division I, II and III, NAIA and two-year college women’s basketball teams across the nation that carry the highest combined GPA inclusive of all student-athletes on their rosters for the entire season. The 2024-25 season is the 30th in which the WBCA has compiled the honor rolls.

The full Division I top 25 is listed below.





























Rank Institution Head Coach GPA
1 Green Bay Kayla Karius 3.862
2 Boise State Gordy Presnell 3.803
3 Youngstown State Melissa Jackson 3.781
4 Western Illinois JD Gravina 3.775
5 South Dakota State Aaron Johnston 3.760
6 Creighton Jim Flanery 3.757
7 DePaul Jill Pizzotti 3.750
8 Drake Allison Pohlman 3.741
9 California Baptist Jarrod Olson 3.733
10 Utah Valley Dan Nielson 3.716
11 Davidson Gayle Fulks 3.711
12 Saint Peter’s Jennifer Leedham 3.700
13 Tennessee Tech Kim Rosamond 3.699
14 Montana State Tricia Binford 3.694
15 Wyoming Heather Ezell 3.692
16 Maine Amy Vachon 3.691
17 Cleveland State Chris Kielsmeier 3.685
18 Northern Kentucky Jeff Hans 3.678
19 Kent State Todd Starkey 3.669
T20 Manhattan Heather Vulin 3.667
T20 Milwaukee Kyle Rechlicz 3.667
22 Iowa State Bill Fennelly 3.658
23 Lafayette Kia Damon-Olson 3.630
24 Purdue Fort Wayne Maria Marchesano 3.624
25 Northern Iowa Tanya Warren 3.621



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Rehr Adds Trio to Volleyball Support Staff

HOUSTON – University of Houston Head Coach David Rehr added a trio of new support staff entering the 2025 season, the team announced Tuesday. Cougar great Kate Georgiades and two-time All-American at Arizona State Claire Jeter join Rehr’s staff as graduate assistants while Simone Sardanelli will serve as technical coordinator.   Both Georgiades and Jeter bring Big […]

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HOUSTON – University of Houston Head Coach David Rehr added a trio of new support staff entering the 2025 season, the team announced Tuesday. Cougar great Kate Georgiades and two-time All-American at Arizona State Claire Jeter join Rehr’s staff as graduate assistants while Simone Sardanelli will serve as technical coordinator.
 
Both Georgiades and Jeter bring Big 12 playing experience to the coaching staff after Georgiades completed a storied career with Houston in 2024, and Jeter shined as a middle blocker for Arizona State from 2021-2024. Sardanelli arrives in Houston following time in Italy’s professional volleyball system.
 
ABOUT KATE GEORGIADES | GRADUATE ASSISTANT
Georgiades, Houston’s first four-time All-American and All-Conference First Team selection, quickly rejoins the team following her final collegiate season in 2024. One of the best players to come through the storied Houston program, Georgiades completed her playing career with 2,562 digs, the 22nd most in NCAA history. 
 
Georgiades was also a three-time Conference Libero of the Year honoree, collecting the accolade from The American in 2021 and 2022 as well as the Big 12 Conference in 2023, Houston Athletics’ first positional player of the year in the league. She finished her Cougar career with the third-most digs (2,335) in program history with the second-most digs per set (5.07).
 
Georgiades spent the spring and summer as Houston’s latest professional Cougar, playing with the Pro Volleyball Federation’s Columbus Fury after being the second from the program drafted by the league. In 54 sets, she recorded 171 digs with her average of 3.17 per set ranking second on the team. 
 
ABOUT CLAIRE JETER | GRADUATE ASSISTANT

Jeter arrives in Houston following a standout career for Arizona State after a year at Texas A&M. An AVCA All-American in both 2023 and 2024, Jeter finished her collegiate eligibility with 462 blocks as well as 933 kills, a .355 hitting percentage and 109 aces.
 
Jeter finished third on Arizona State’s career blocks list with 451, the most by a Sun Devil since 1990. She also broke the team’s career block assists record with 379. In her senior season, she hit .426, leading the Big 12 and ranking 10th nationally. 
 
Overall, she earned All-Big 12 First-Team honors in her lone season in the league with All-Pac 12 Honorable Mention accolades in 2023. She was also a VolleyballMag.com All-American in 2024 and an AVCA All-Region honoree in both 2023 and 2024. 
 
ABOUT SIMONE SARDANELLI | TECHNICAL COORDINATOR
Sardanelli joins the Cougar staff following both international playing and coaching careers in Italy. Following 10 seasons playing professional volleyball at various levels, including stints in Italy’s top division, Sardanelli shifted to technical staff, assisting at multiple levels including in SuperLega. 
 
Sardanelli began play with Vibo Valentia in SuperLiga, Italy’s top division, in 2013. He continued with the team as they transitioned to Serie A2, winning the Serie A2 Italian Cup in both 2015 and 2016. Following a loan to Lagonegro in 2017-19, he rejoined Vibo Valentia in SuperLiga and aided the team as it finished fifth in 2020-21 and qualified for the playoffs in the best season in the team’s history. After playing with Galatina in Serie A3 in 2021-22, he retired as a player and shifted to technical staff.
 
Sardanelli began coaching with Taranto in SuperLega for the 2022-23 season, providing technical and tactical support during the season while conducting the team’s scouting and analytic efforts. For the next season, he joined Vero Volley as an Assistant Sporting Director, helping to push the club to one of its most historic seasons as the team reached the finals in six out of seven competitions across the men’s and women’s teams. 
 
SUPPORT YOUR COOGS
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Volleyball by joining the Point Houston Club which provides financial support directly to Houston Volleyball for needs beyond its operating budget.
 
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarVB on X, formerly known as Twitter, and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team’s Facebook page at UHCougarVB. Fans also can follow the team on Instagram at @UHCougarVB.
 

– UHCougars.com –





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Channel Islands United 14u boys water polo win championship at JOs

IRVINE, Calif. – The Channel Islands United Water Polo Club did exactly what they set out to do, win the 14u Boys Platinum Division championship at the Junior Olympics. CIU defeated Greenwich Aquatics of Connecticut 13-7 in the finals. Channing Wigo and Ren Fugikake were named Co-MVPs of the tournament. The CIU boys 14u captured […]

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IRVINE, Calif. – The Channel Islands United Water Polo Club did exactly what they set out to do, win the 14u Boys Platinum Division championship at the Junior Olympics.

CIU defeated Greenwich Aquatics of Connecticut 13-7 in the finals.

Channing Wigo and Ren Fugikake were named Co-MVPs of the tournament.

The CIU boys 14u captured the gold, going undefeated in the tournament including a thrilling 13-12 semifinal victory over Patriot of Irvine who claimed the bronze.

The team is coached by Wolf Wigo.

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Seven Track and Field Student-Athletes, Teams Earn USTFCCCA Academic Honors

Story Links NEW ORLEANS, La. – Seven Navy track and field athletes and the teams as a whole earned academic honors from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) for the 2024-25 season, the organization announced on Monday.  Pete deJonge, Layne Rivera, Brian Schloeder, Murphy Smith, Zoie Tesi, […]

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NEW ORLEANS, La. – Seven Navy track and field athletes and the teams as a whole earned academic honors from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) for the 2024-25 season, the organization announced on Monday.  Pete deJonge, Layne Rivera, Brian Schloeder, Murphy Smith, Zoie Tesi, Sheldon Ulmer and Caleb Walker were named to the All-Academic Team.
 
Navy’s men’s and women’s programs were also recognized as All-Academic Teams for each attaining a team GPA of 3.00 or higher for the academic year. This marks the seventh-consecutive year the men’s team (3.22) has earned the honor and it is the fifth-straight year in which the women’s team (3.21) has garnered the accolade.
 
Individually, recent graduates deJonge and Walker were honored for the second time, while 2025 graduates Rivera and Smith, rising junior Ulmer and rising sophomores Schloeder and Tesi received All-Academic Team recognition for the first time in their careers.
 
To be eligible for individual distinction, a student-athlete must have posted a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.25 on a 4.0 scale and must have completed at least two (2) semesters or three (3) quarters at the nominating institution.
 
Additionally, a student-athlete must meet the following athletic criteria for the award: for the indoor season, student-athletes must have finished the season ranked in the top 96 in any championship individual event, or in the top 48 in any championship relay event; for the outdoor season, nominees must have participated in any round of the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships (the Preliminary and/or the Final Championship) or for the multi-events, must have finished the season ranked in the top 48 in the east or top 48 in the west.



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West Seattle Blog… | What you won’t see on Alki Beach this summer

(July 2023 photo by Jamie Kinney) The annual tribal Canoe Journey, involving tribes’ canoe families from all over the region, has begun – but no Alki Beach stop with a large number of canoes is expected this time. This year, the journeys comprise Paddle to Elwha, hosted by the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. Since that […]

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(July 2023 photo by Jamie Kinney)

The annual tribal Canoe Journey, involving tribes’ canoe families from all over the region, has begun – but no Alki Beach stop with a large number of canoes is expected this time. This year, the journeys comprise Paddle to Elwha, hosted by the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. Since that makes it a northbound journey for most, few will be passing this way; for those that do, the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, which has hosted canoe families at Alki Beach in past years, will be hosting at Saltwater State Park in Des Moines this time (Saturday, July 26). According to the newest official map for the journeys, the West Seattle-based Duwamish Tribe canoe family plans to set out from Alki on Sunday (July 27). The official landing at Lower Elwha, just west of Port Angeles, is July 31, and the canoe families will be gathered for a celebration August 1-5. (The host tribe has been dealing with the effects of last Friday’s tanker-truck spill but that’s not sidelining the plan.)





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