To say that 2024 was a difficult year for the Long Beach Poly football team would be an understatement.
A young Jackrabbits team went 0-4 against a tough nonleague schedule (with three blowouts), then lost their first Moore League game since 2009 in a 53-40 defeat at Millikan. The Jackrabbits were unceremoniously bounced from the quarterfinals of the Division 4 playoffs by Pacifica, after being outscored 21-0 in the fourth quarter. To wrap it up, Poly coach Stephen Barbee stepped down after the season, effectively hitting the reset button after the toughest season the Jackrabbits had seen in decades.
First-year head coach Justin Utupo didn’t inherit a broken program full of players mired in self-pity, however. He was surprised at the energy up and down the roster.
“I think the culture was the biggest surprise, it was already really strong,” said Utupo. “There’s a standard here, and it brings out the best in these kids, and in myself and the entire staff. This is a really hungry group, and a very talented group. I think for us it was just instilling discipline and structure, and I think that’s going to set us apart.”
Utupo’s wife, Leilani, was his programs’ strength and conditioning coach during his coaching tenure at his alma mater, Lakewood. She made a difference there and watching a recent Poly practice, it’s obvious she’s made a difference with the Jackrabbits too. Poly, long known for strength and discipline in the weight room, was underdeveloped and not physical last year, especially on defense–with an extra year of experience and a daily offseason weight room schedule, the Jackrabbits look like a completely different roster this year.
“She’s helped them with the importance of nutrition as well as the weight room, but it’s night and day in the weight room for sure,” said Utupo. “Coach Sabrina (Vaifanua) as well, those two female coaches on our staff have the most respect from the players. You win games in the fourth quarter based off your offseason weight room program. We track everything, we have a spreadsheet of starting height/weight, what they’re repping and maxing on an initial test. Eight weeks later the entire program is in a very different place.”
Senior Jaden Hernandez will be a key on both ends of the ball at tight end and defensive end.
Senior tight end/defensive end Jaden Hernandez, a Colorado State commit, said that the change from last season to this season has been dramatic.
“I think leadership is a big thing, and the connection we have as a team this year,” he said. “Everybody’s young, but everyone played varsity so they know what to expect. And also the weight room–the weight room is critical. We had kids under 200 pounds playing D Line last year at Poly. That’s not really acceptable. The weight room has gotten everyone bigger and stronger this year.”
There’s no shortage of talent at 1600 Atlantic this year, with 13 players entering the season carrying at least one Division 1 scholarship offer. On offense, Weber State-committed QB Deuce Jefferson will lead a balanced attack that features running backs Elijah “Bubba” Dawson, Harry Johnson, and Tristan Ventura. Running routes will be alpha dog Kamarie Smith, a Sacramento State commit who’s one of the most electric players in SoCal this year, as well as Jayden Coley, Zion Anderson, Kymere Smith, and highly-rated DBs Julius Johnson and Donte Wright as well.
“I think we’re a lot better than last year, coach Utupo has done a good job of running practices more like a pro style, everything is more efficient, it’s faster, we aren’t wasting any time,” said Wright.
Most encouraging though is the size upgrade up front, where Poly will feature linemen Anthony Rodriguez, Langston Gibson, Savion Day, Denzel Rosen, Tyler Gaines, Sammy Timu, and Brian Mercardo. When Hernandez stays in to block, Poly will have four blockers with Division 1 offers–a big change from last year, where an undersized Poly front got bullied.
On defense, Hernandez, Timu, Toa Tamasoa, and Ray Umi form a ferocious front with Legend Galeai and Kevin Alexander in as well. LInebackers Patrick Taliauli, Jordan Moreno, Dezmen Howard, Toa Cagnolatti and Taj Bordeaux will all contribute as well, and Poly’s defensive backfield is loaded with five-star recruit Julius Johnson, Georgia commit Donte Wright, Cal commit Deon Jackson, Kasim Shepherd, Steven “Budda” Hunter, Kavika Afemata, and others.
Poly also returns kicker and punter Jonas Mendoza, who will solidify the team on the special teams side.
Every time his team’s talent level is mentioned, Utupo shrugs it off and focuses instead on their work ethic.
“Since I’ve been here, everyone’s on the same page as far as doing whatever it takes to win,” he said. “There’s a ton of expectations and a lot of responsibility. That’s what I love is that they embrace it. This is one of the most motivated groups I’ve ever been around–in the weight room, in the meeting room, on the field. They want to compete and get after it all the time. I remind them every day that whenever we line up across from an opponent it’s going to be that team’s Super Bowl, and we have to expect everybody’s best.”
There are still plenty of question marks for the Jackrabbits this year. For one, the QB position. Jefferson struggled at times last year, especially in big games–he had five touchdowns and six interceptions in Poly’s four nonleague games. His ability to grow and improve will determine a lot about Poly’s season.
The other biggest question mark won’t be on the field, but rather on the sideline. Utupo has proven himself able to come into a program and re-energize it, which certainly seems to have happened at Poly thus far. But his teams have rotated through coordinators in the last few seasons at Lakewood, without much stability and with plenty of play-calling issues. He said he expects his coordinators, Justin Williams on offense and Brandon Beaver on defense, to be a strength of the program.
“They love Poly, they want to do what’s best for the program and for the kids,” he said. “They’re not looking to catapult into another position–they’re here for the kids, they’re dialed in, they’re holding their position coaches accountable. And I love the competitive spirit with both guys.”
Utupo’s schedule for his first year with the Jackrabbits features Leuzinger to open up, Lincoln, Tustin, and Mission Viejo. Poly will once again be tested by back-to-back games against Mission Viejo and Millikan in the middle of the season, which was a trying two week period for the Jackrabbits last year.
Poly will also enjoy one last season at historic Veterans Memorial Stadium at LBCC, the team’s home since the 1950s when it was built. The iconic stadium will be torn down at the end of the year.
Rodriguez, one of the team’s leaders on the offensive line, said the Jackrabbits are ready and raring to go.
“Last year lit a fire obviously, we had NFL alums talking smack on Instagram on us losing Moore League, we’re just ready to go,” he said.
For Utupo and the Jackrabbits, the focus isn’t on what happened last year, or on expectations about this year–it’s about the daily practice of building and getting better.
“Our guys are challenging one another every day, the competitive spirit is high,” said Utupo. “Whether we’re doing one on ones, we’re doing conditioning, they’re competing. If you want to be the best you have to beat the best. What I love about here is each and every day, they’re competing against the best and pushing each other, every single rep.”
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Scott Dolson and head volleyball coach Steve Aird have agreed to a contract extension through the 2031 season. Aird, who will enter his ninth season in 2026, guided the Hoosiers to 20+ win seasons in two of the last three years.
“We are very excited to announce that we have agreed to a new contract with IU volleyball coach Steve Aird,” Dolson said. “When we brought Steve to Bloomington, we did so with the belief and goal that the program could compete at a very high level in the Big Ten and nationally. Steve is turning that vision into reality.”
Aird and the Hoosiers are coming off the most successful season in program history. During the 2025 campaign, IU broke single-season records in the NCAA era for wins (25), regular season wins (23), Big Ten wins (14), road wins (9) and ranked road wins (3). IU finished in the top five of the Big Ten for the first time since 1999.
“This past year was historic. In addition to our program-record 25 wins and our first Sweet 16 appearance in 15 years, we energized our fanbase and the IU community and turned Wilkinson Hall into one of the best environments in Big Ten Volleyball,” Dolson said. “On top of that, with an amazing group of returnees back in the fall plus a talented incoming recruiting class, I believe that the future is even brighter. We look forward to Steve’s continued leadership as we build on this momentum and pursue even bigger things in the years to come.”
IU finished the year ranked No. 13 in the AVCA poll – the highest ranking in the program history. The Hoosiers hosted the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament at Wilkinson Hall, sweeping Toledo and No. 24 Colorado to advance to the second NCAA regional semifinal in program history.
Aird helped oversee the development of three First Team All-Big Ten selections, two AVCA All-Americans and two selections in the Major League Volleyball Draft in 2025. Outside hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles became the program’s winningest player (77) while finishing her career at number eight on the all-time kills list (1,386).
“My family and I are proud to call Bloomington home,” Aird said. “Indiana University is a special place and my staff and I are excited to continue this journey. 2025 was a historic season and I strongly believe the best is yet to come. The department’s leadership is outstanding and the momentum around IU Athletics is contagious. President Whitten, Scott Dolson and Jeremy Gray have shown tremendous belief in our staff and we are grateful for their support. Our focus is to continue to develop great human beings that compete at the highest level and represent the institution and state with pride. From day one I believed that IU volleyball had a rightful place amongst the nation’s elite and we will work hard every day to chase that goal.”
IU’s program has been on an upward trajectory over the past several seasons. Since the 2022 campaign, IU has gone 77-51 (.602) overall and 42-38 (.525) in Big Ten action. The Hoosiers have finished .500 or better in each of the last four seasons with two 20-win campaigns to their name. In each of those four years, IU has met or exceeded preseason conference expectations.
The Hoosiers have built their program behind elite recruiting at the prep level and the development of impactful transfers. Aird and his staff have signed three top-15 classes since 2020 – including an impressive seven-player class in 2025. Three of the four highest ranked recruits in school history have signed to play for Aird.
Under his watch, Wilkinson Hall has become one of the toughest venues to play at in the Big Ten. Since the start of the 2022 season, IU has gone 40-15 (.727) in its home arena. That run of form includes ranked wins over No. 15 Purdue (Oct. 11, 2023) and No. 24 Colorado (Dec. 5, 2025). IU has won 23-straight games against unranked teams at Wilkinson Hall.
“The program is ready to take the next step. We have proven to be able to develop professionals and win big matches,” Aird said. “The team thrives in the classroom and values their education. They care about the community and love Bloomington. The growth and popularity of the game is reflected in the crowds and energy at Wilkinson Hall. You are a good coach when you have good players and the program is full of them. We have eight months to prepare for the 2026 season and we will attack each day with the intent to make more history.”
Since he became the head coach in 2018, 13 players have graduated from IU and gone on to play at least one season of professional volleyball. Of the 17 student-athletes on IU’s 2025 roster, 14 of them began their collegiate career in Bloomington. All 13 eligible players are set to return for the 2026 campaign. IU was the only program this past season to have a different freshman record 1,000 assists (Krickovic), 380 kills (Jager) and 100 blocks (Gray).
UNION, N.J. (1/6/2026) – The Kean University Men’s Volleyball team has been chosen sixth with 20 points in the Continental Volleyball Conference Preseason Poll.
Southern Virginia topped the poll with 46 points and received five first place votes. Juniata was slotted second with 43 points and two first place votes. Rutgers-Newark rounded out the top three with 38 points and one first place vote. Marymount (31) and Elizabethtown (23) were just ahead of the Cougars in fourth and fifth place, respectively. The rest of the poll is as follows: Drew (17), and Wilkes (6).
This will be the last season for Kean in the CVC as the Cougars depart for the Landmark Conference in 2027.
Kean opens the season in a tri-match at Kings (PA) on Jan. 17th.
Georgia Southern volleyball is reloading. The Eagles are welcoming Grace Thomas and Beka Pfefferkorn to Statesboro, as announced by head coach Chad Willis.
Georgia Southern volleyball and head coach Chad Willis announced the addition of two transfer signees recently, as the Eagles welcome Grace Thomas and Beka Pfefferkorn to Statesboro.
“It is a great day for our program!” head coach Chad Willis said. “As we announce two final additions to our roster heading into the 2026 season. Once again, we are fortunate to add depth and talent from the transfer portal as we continue to build for championships. By adding Grace and Beka, we will now have our entire team for next season on campus and training this spring semester. This will be one of our program’s deepest and most competitive groups. I could not be more proud of our staff for building and shaping this roster and I can’t wait to get to work with our team on bringing a Sun Belt Conference Championship home to Statesboro.”
Grace Thomas | MB | Dublin, Ohio | Central Michigan
A 6-foot-1 middle blocker from Dublin, Ohio, Grace Thomas joins the Eagles after spending her first two collegiate seasons with the Chippewa of Central Michigan. In her first collegiate season, Thomas played in 119 sets over 30 matches, tallying 239 kills (2.00/set) and registered a season high 16 twice against Western Michigan and Buffalo. She earned All-Tournament Team honors at the SUNY – UAlbany Tournament, earned a spot on the MAC All-Freshman Team, and was named to the Second Team All-MAC. In her sophomore season she appeared in 104 sets over 30 matches, collecting 205 kills (1.97/set). During her two seasons at Central Michigan, she combined to post 170 total blocks (25 BS/145 BA), averaging 0.8 per set.
“Grace is a dynamic attacker whose versatility will be an important component to our offensive and defensive systems. Grace has valuable experience as a two-year starter in the MAC; her speed and physicality drive her efficiency as an attacker and her competitive maturity on and off the court will add great leadership and stability to our squad. We are looking forward to introducing Grace to Eagle Nation!”
Beka Pfefferkorn | OH | Cypress, Texas | FIU
A 6-foot-3 outside hitter from Cypress, Texas, Beka Pfefferkorn joins the Eagles after completing her freshman campaign at Florida International. In her first collegiate season, Pfefferkorn appeared in 103 total sets, collecting 245 kills, averaging 2.45 kills per set, earning her CUSA All-Freshman Team honors. Defensively, the Cypress, Texas, native tallied 64 digs and 45 total blocks. She recorded a career-high 18 kills against Stetson in early September and posted a career-best five block assists against Georgia on the road in Athens.
“Beka is a physical offensive and defensive presence who will add immediate depth and experience to the opposite position. In her freshman campaign, Beka competed and put up some big numbers against quality opponents on her way to earning CUSA All-Freshman Team honors. Beka has an incredibly high ceiling and we’re excited to watch her growth and seeing her impact on and off the court.”
Eva Travis, an outside hitter who transferred from UC-Santa Barbara, brings an explosive skill set and outstanding arm speed to the Badgers.
A late-night phone call with Sheffield and a conversation with future teammate Charlie Fuerbringer helped her make the last-second decision.
Travis believes Wisconsin’s high-level program will help her achieve her goal of playing professionally after college.
MADISON – Some of Eva Travis’ former teammates from the Midwest warned her.
“They’re like, ‘Girl, you need a parka,’” Travis said. “And I’m like, ‘I don’t even know, first of all, what that is. And second of all, I don’t know how to even go about that.’”
Yes, Travis had heard of the word “parka” before. “But I couldn’t tell you what it looks like.”
It’s perhaps easier to picture the impact the 5-foot-11 outside hitter could have on the volleyball court after transferring from UC-Santa Barbara to Wisconsin. She transferred to the Badgers with two remaining seasons of eligibility after an impressive 2025 season that included a 21-kill performance against USC and a 30-kill performance against UC-Irvine.
“I think I’m pretty explosive, and what makes me different is I have a pretty fast arm,” Travis said in a phone call with the Journal Sentinel. “I play all the way around, so I have a good back-row attack. And I think that’s what really drew me to [coach] Kelly [Sheffield].”
Those skills also drew her to many other potential transfer portal visits before eventually announcing her commitment to the Badgers on Dec. 22.
“I was talking to people at schools in all the Power Four conferences,” Travis said. “I went to a lot of visits in the Midwest and the South. … I was definitely deciding between some big programs, but this one definitely took the cake.”
Wisconsin ironically was the one school that she did not visit. The timing of Wisconsin’s postseason run – ending with a Final Four loss on Dec. 18 while the transfer portal had been open since Dec. 7 – made that impractical.
In fact, Sheffield’s call to Travis was barely in time, even as she tried giving herself more time with coaches before making a decision.
“I was supposed to give an answer to someone that night, and he ended up calling me that night,” Travis said.
Travis’ phone call with Sheffield “went super late into the night.”
“We talked for a while, and obviously it was kind of a no-brainer because I really respect his coaching and respect that program,” Travis said. “Obviously they went to the Final Four, and that’s amazing. But there’s been so many All-Americans that have come out of this program.”
Wisconsin setter Charlie Fuerbringer got a call from Travis after that. (What was getting late for Sheffield in the Central Time Zone was not as late for Fuerbringer back home in southern California.)
Travis played her last year at the club level in the same organization as Fuerbringer – and had Fuerbringer’s mother, Joy McKienzie-Fuerbringer, as her coach. Travis and Fuerbringer had mutual friends in the volleyball community as well.
“I gave her a call before I committed, just kind of asking her to lay down the way of the land,” Travis said. ‘She was super helpful in outlining everything that they do, and she basically said you were going to love it. … She sold me on it.”
Travis joins a program that has advanced to the Final Four in five of the last seven seasons and boasted multiple players with All-America recognition in each of Sheffield’s 13 seasons as head coach. (This year, Mimi Colyer was an AVCA first-team All-American, and Carter Booth was a third-team All-American.)
“Obviously it’s awesome to go to a really esteemed program and such an amazing fan base like this,” Travis said. “But I think just the way they talked about each other and held each other at such a high standard was really something that resonated with me.”
Wisconsin’s recent success with Colyer surely does not hurt when recruiting transfers like Travis in this portal cycle. (The Oregon transfer elevated her game in her one season with the Badgers to the point of being an AVCA national player of the year finalist and the first-overall pick in the Major League Volleyball draft.)
“I want to play pro when I graduate,” Travis said. “And so I wanted to find a program that is at that higher level where I can keep developing myself and align myself with a program that can help me get to that level.”
Outside hitter also became an increasingly pressing need because of transfer portal attrition at the position. Una Vajagic and Trinity Shadd-Ceres entered the transfer portal, and Vajagic departed despite having a starting role on the 2025 Final Four team.
“He did tell me that he had a need for my position and that two outsides left,” Travis said. “I didn’t know exactly who they were at the time. I knew Mimi Colyer was graduating, but yeah, he just said there was a need and that he liked what he saw from my film.”
Travis is looking forward to playing at the UW Field House, where the environment “looks insane” during the matches she has watched on television. The UCSB transfer already has felt the energy from fans since committing, too.
“The community is so inspiring and so welcoming,” Travis said. “I’ve already been getting DMs and text messages from fans and random people, and it’s been super exciting. I’m really excited to come to such a welcoming and spectacular community.”
First, though, she needs a winter coat.
“Wisconsin probably has a better selection,” Travis said.
INDIANA, Pa. – Patrick Gildea, a former NCAA Division I student-athlete and assistant coach, has been appointed the next director of cross country and track & field at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Gildea served as a successful assistant coach at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga since 2023, helping grow the Mocs’ cross country and track and field programs. Gildea competed as an accomplished cross country and track student-athlete at the University of Tennessee in the early 2000s.
“I am excited to bring my experiences to Indiana and the Crimson Hawk family,” Gildea said. “I am grateful to Todd (Garzarelli) and the search committee, who introduced me to the campus during the interview process.”
“I am proud to formally welcome Patrick to the IUP department of athletics,” director of athletics Todd Garzarelli said. “I’m confident in Patrick’s ability to restore the national prominence of our cross country and track and field programs.”
Gildea helped both UT-Chattanooga men’s and women’s cross country programs to top-20 finishes in a very competitive NCAA DI South Regional this past fall. He’s recruited and mentored numerous student-athletes on the UT-Chattanooga rosters to personal records, all-conference honors and individual conference championship honors.
“Patrick is a very accomplished runner, recruiter and versatile coach who understands what it takes to build a championship culture without sacrificing a quality academic or student-athlete experience,” Garzarelli continued.
Individual accolades under the tutelage of Gildea include Ryleigh Simmons, who became the first-ever UTC sprinter to claim the 100-meter title for the Mocs. Lesley Boyd and Maddie Wheatcroft finished first and third, respectively, in the 5000-meter. Emma Thweatt earned Southern Conference all-freshman honors in the 10,000-meter during the 2025 outdoor season.
“Everyone had positive things to say about the IUP and the Indiana community,” Gildea said. “I believe that IUP is a place where student-athletes can thrive and be successful. I am looking forward to working with coach (Hanoj) Carter and our student-athletes, while continuing to build foundational relationships within our program.”
As a student-athlete, Gildea helped Tennessee to the 2002 Southeastern Conference (SEC) Outdoor Track and Field Championship.
He earned all-region honors in cross country in 2001 and 2002 and was named to the All-SEC Team. Gildea was named a SEC Cross Country Athlete of the Week and the Most Valuable Runner. He was one of two Vol runners to score in every race of the season. Gildea received the Vega-Watts Award given for the greatest sacrifice to compete for the team.
Following his collegiate career, he went on to compete professionally in track and field. He placed in the top-10 overall in numerous competitions in 2008 and 2009. Gildea achieved international recognition, selected for a pair of International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) World Championship events in 2006 and 2008. He finished seventh at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the 10,000-meter run.
After running professionally, Gildea was a graduate assistant coach at Saint Francis University from 2010-2012, where he guided numerous student-athletes to All-NEC performances in both cross country and track and field. Following his time at Saint Francis, he was the head cross country coach and assistant track and field coach at West High School, in addition to his teaching duties from 2012-2020.
About IUP
Since its founding in 1875, IUP has evolved from a teacher-training institution into a doctoral research university recognized for its commitment to student success and achievement. As IUP celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2025 and through the Impact 150 comprehensive campaign, the university honors a legacy of educational excellence while looking to its next 150 years of student success, innovation, leadership in healthcare education, and public service.
NIL Club App Delivers 1M+ Impressions for Subway, Exceeding Goals by 206% Through 174 Athlete Creators
ATLANTA, Jan. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — NIL Club announced the results of a nationwide Brand Deal campaign with Subway, showing how large-scale, athlete-led content can outperform traditional influencer strategies when authenticity and scale are combined.
The campaign featured 174 college student-athletes across multiple sports and programs, who collectively created 183 original posts on TikTok, Instagram Reels, and Instagram Stories. The campaign was initially projected to generate 350,000 impressions. By the conclusion of the activation, it delivered 1,071,174 total impressions, exceeding expectations by 206 percent.
Engagement exceeded benchmarks across every major metric. Viewers interacted with the content through likes, comments, shares, and saves, with shares surpassing projected targets by more than four times. Short-form video drove the majority of reach, led by Instagram Reels with 720,399 impressions (67%), followed by TikTok and Instagram Stories.
Instead of relying on a single high-profile athlete or scripted creative, the Subway Brand Deal was intentionally built around scale and authenticity. Student-athletes were encouraged to create content in their own voice, sharing real moments from their daily routines. The posts blended naturally into social feeds and resonated strongly with Gen Z audiences who value relatability, trust, and realism over polished advertising.
“This campaign showed what happens when student-athletes are given the freedom to create content that reflects their real lives,” said Mick Assaf, co-founder of YOKE. “Instead of scripted promotions, we saw genuine moments shared at scale. These outcomes highlight why brands are increasingly turning to college athletes to reach Gen Z effectively.”
The Subway campaign ran through NIL Club’s Brand Deals feature, launched in August 2025, which allows athletes to discover and opt into brand partnerships directly through the NIL Club app. The feature expands access to NIL opportunities for athletes while enabling brands to work with large groups of creators at once, without sacrificing creative freedom or authenticity.
All partnerships on NIL Club are reviewed through a compliance-first process to ensure alignment with NCAA guidelines and applicable state laws. This structure allows athletes to participate confidently while providing brands with regulatory clarity.
The results of the Subway Brand Deal underscore NIL Club’s ability to deliver performance-driven marketing at scale. By leveraging a network of more than 650,000 student-athletes, representing a combined 1.5 billion social followers, brands gain access to diverse, highly engaged audiences in an organic and measurable way.
As NIL Club continues to expand compliant, performance-based opportunities for athletes and brands, the platform remains focused on building sustainable infrastructure that supports the long-term growth of the NIL ecosystem.
About NIL Club
NIL Club, developed by YOKE, is a leading NIL platform that empowers student-athletes to monetize their name, image, and likeness through compliant brand partnerships and fan subscriptions. The platform connects athletes and brands through scalable, performance-based campaigns while prioritizing transparency, trust, and protection of eligibility.
Fans can join their favorite athletes’ clubs at https://nilclub.com/colleges
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