Sports
Lumberjacks Send 29 Athletes, Plus Two Relay Teams, to NCAA West Preliminary Round

Schedule
Men’s Declared Athletes
Women’s Declared Athletes
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (May 27, 2025) –
With the NCAA West Preliminary Round just around the corner, the Northern Arizona men’s and women’s track and field team will be well-represented.
Twenty-nine individuals plus two relay teams finished the year ranked in the top 48 of their respective events and have qualified for the preliminary rounds in College Station, Texas, from May 28-31.
On the men’s side, NAU will be represented by Colin Sahlman (1500m), Drew Bosley (5k/10k), David Mullarkey (5k/10k), Corey Gorgas (5k), Santiago Prosser (5k/10k), Ford Washburn (5k), Justin Keyes (5k/10k), Josiah Johnson (400mh), Jeret Gillingham (3k steeplechase), Sirr Butler (triple jump), Desmond Lott (discus/hammer), Trevor Hook (javelin), Clay Carbajal (javelin) plus the 4×100-meter relay team.
For the women, the Lumberjacks will be represented by Kyairra Reigh (400m), Odessa Zentz (800m), Kiki Vaughn (800m), Maggi Congdon (1500m), Alex Carlson (1500m), Keira Moore (1500m/5k), Ava Mitchell (5k), Agnes McTighe (5k), Elise Stearns (5k), Emma Stutzman (5k), Alexis Kebbe (10k), LiNay Perry (400mh), Karrie Baloga (3k steeplechase), Hayley Burns (3k steeplechase), Maisie Grice (3k steeplechase), Sariyah Horne-Kemp (hammer) and the 4×400-meter relay.
The meet will be streamed each day on ESPN+ with live results available here. The top 12 in each event will punch their tickets to the NCAA Outdoor National Championship in Eugene, Ore., from June 11-14.
Women’s Preview
Reigh will be making her fourth career appearance at the NCAA West Regional, competing in the 400-meters. She enters with the 29th fastest time in the field of 52.83, ran at the Desert Heat Classic in early May. Most recently, Reigh defended her 400-meter title at the Big Sky Conference Outdoor Championships. She will be looking to punch her first individual ticket to the NCAA Division I Outdoor National Championships, competing as part of the 4×400-meters in 2024. The first round of the 400-meters is set for Thursday, May 29 at 5:25 p.m. Mountain Standard time with the quarterfinals set for Saturday, May 31 at 4:50 p.m. MST.
Zentz and Vaughn will represent NAU in the 800-meters, with the first-round set for 5:50 p.m. MST on May 29 and the quarterfinals take place on May 31 at 5:05 p.m. MST. Both are making their NCAA West Regional debuts, looking to punch tickets for the first time in their careers. Zentz ranks 40th in the field with a time of 2:06.74 and Vaughn is right behind her in 2:06.85 to rank 41st. Both are personal bests that were ran at the Big Sky Championships in the prelims. Zentz placed sixth in the finals while Vaughn earned a fifth-place finish.
Congdon, Carlson and Moore will represent NAU in the 1500-meters. Congdon is no stranger to the NCAA West Regional, as she is making her second career appearance. In 2024, she punched her ticket in the event with an eighth-place finish. She went onto place ninth in the finals of the 1500-meters at the NCAA National Championships and eventually made it all the way to the finals of the Olympic trials. She placed second in the event this season at the Big Sky Championships and ranks fourth in the field with a time of 4:07.23.
Carlson competed in the NCAA East Regional in the 1500m while at Rutgers but is looking to punch her first ticket to the National Championships in the event. She is ranked 20th overall with a time of 4:14.73, ran at the Desert Heat Championships. Carlson placed fourth in the event at the Big Sky Championships.
Moore is also looking to punch her first-ever ticket to the National Championships, competing in the 1500m and making it to the quarterfinals at last year’s preliminary round. She ranks 33rd overall with a time of 4:18.01, a personal best she ran at the Bryan Clay Invitational. The first round of the 1500-meters is set for 4:30 p.m. MST on May 29. The quarterfinals take place on May 31 at 3:15 p.m.
Moore will also compete in the 5,000-meters along with Mitchell, McTighe, Stearns and Stutzman. Mitchell enters the 5k ranked eighth overall in the field with a time of 15:31.41 that she ran at the Stanford Invitational. At the Big Sky Championships, she won the 10,000-meters and placed third in the 5,000-meters. Last season, she earned a 25th-place finish in the event at the first round. The semifinals of the 5,000-meters are set for 6:10 p.m. MST on May 31.
McTighe has the 22nd fastest time of 15:44.82 that she ran at the APU Franson Last Chance Meet. She competed in the 5k at the 2024 NCAA East Preliminary Round for Florida State, looking to punch her first-ever ticket to the National Championships.
Stearns is right behind McTighe, ranked 23rd with a time of 15:45.86 that was also ran at the APU Franson Last Chance Meet. Recently, Stearns won the Big Sky Championship in the event with a meet record for 16:03.08. Stearns hasn’t competed at the NCAA West Preliminary Round since 2022 when she placed 20th in the 5,000-meters.
Stutzman, a freshman, is ranked 27th overall with a time 15:48.92 that she ran at the Stanford Invitational. Moore comes in ranked 44th with a time 16:02.50 ran at the Stanford Invitational. She placed fifth overall in the event at the Big Sky Championships and is making her NCAA West Regional debut in the event as well.
In the 10,000-meters, Kebbe will be representing the Lumberjacks with the 39th fastest time of 33:55.75, ran at the Stanford Invitational. She earned a fourth-place finish in the 10k at the Big Sky Championships and will be making her NCAA West Regional debut. The semifinal of the 10,000-meters is set for 7:10 p.m. MST on May 29.
Perry will toe the line in the 400-meter hurdles, ranking 17th with a time of 57.53 that she clocked at the Desert Heat Classic. She is the two-time defending Big Sky Champion in the event, making her third NCAA West appearance in her career and the second-straight in the 400-meter hurdles, placing 47th in the event last season. She’s looking to punch her first individual ticket in the event, qualifying in the 4×400-meters last season. The first round of the 400-meter hurdles is set for 6:20 p.m. on May 29 and the quarterfinals take place on May 31 at 5:25 p.m. MST.
Baloga, Burns, and Grice are all entered in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Baloga is a two-time defending Big Sky Champion in the event and has the third-fastest time in the field of 9:44.09 that she ran at the Bryan Clay Invitational. Last year as a freshman, she placed fourth at the NCAA West First Round to punch her ticket to the National Championships where she finished eighth in the finals with a school and U-20 record of 9:42.22.
Burns is ranked 16th overall with a time of 10:01.59 that she ran in her first and only career collegiate steeplechase race at the Bryan Clay Invitational. Grice is right behind her, ranked 17th with a time of 10:02.35, also ran at the Bryan Clay Invitational. She placed seventh in the event at the Big Sky Championships. In 2023, Grice punched her ticket to the NCAA National Championships while competing for New Mexico, placing 12th in the finals. The steeplechase is scheduled for May 31 at 3:40 p.m. MST.
The women’s 4×400-meter relay team of Congdon, Alaynah Reed, Perry and Reigh also qualified for the NCAA West Prelims. The quartet won the Big Sky Championships with a time of 3:34.23 that was a meet record and the second fastest-time in program history. Last season, Congdon, Perry, Reigh and now-graduated Madeline Wilson punched their ticket in the event after placing 11th overall with a time of 3:33.01. At the National Championships, the group earned a 14th place finish. The 4×400-meter relay will cap off the track events on May 31 at 6:45 p.m. MST.
Sariyah Horne-Kemp is the lone Lumberjack on the women’s side entered in a field event. After winning the hammer throw at the Big Sky Championships, she ranks 28th in the field with a toss of 60.10-meters. Horne-Kemp will look to punch her first-ever ticket to the National Championships and is competing in her second-straight NCAA West Prelim. The hammer throw opens the field events at 8 a.m. on May 29.
Men’s Preview
Sahlman will kick off the action as the lone competitor in the 1,500-meters on Wednesday. He enters the competition ranked 27th in the field with a time of 3:39.41 and will look to punch his ticket to the national meet in that event for the third-straight year. In 2023 he finished 12th overall in the preliminary round and in 2024 he placed third, earning a fourth-place finish at the national meet. At the Big Sky Championships, he placed second in the event with a time of 3:40.14. The 1,500-meters is set for 4:30 p.m. MST on Wednesday, May 28.
Northern Arizona will be represented by six athletes in the 5,000-meters on Friday night at 6:10 p.m. MST. Bosley has the fifth-fastest time in the field with a time of 13:17.06, followed by Mullarkey (15th, 13:29.55), Gorgas (26th, 13:35.47), Prosser (13:35.94), Washburn (45th, 13:37.69) and Keyes (48th, 13:37.90).
Bosley has not raced at the NCAA West Preliminary round since 2022 and will be looking to punch his first ticket to the outdoor national meet. Mullarkey will be aiming for his third-straight national championship meet appearance in the 5,000, qualifying in 2023 and 2024 for Florida State. He placed 18th in the finals in 2024 after placing ninth at the NCAA East First Round. Mullarkey placed fourth in the 5,000 at the Big Sky Championships.
Gorgas, Prosser, Washburn and Keyes are all looking to punch their first tickets to the national meet. Prosser competed in the 5,000-meters last year at the Preliminary Round and placed 17th. Keyes won the 5,000-meters at the Big Sky Championships while Gorgas placed third.
Mullarkey, Bosley, Keyes, and Prosser will also double and compete in the 10,000-meters on Wednesday, May 28 at 7:10 p.m. Mullarkey, the Big Sky Champion in the event, as the seventh-fastest time in the field of 27:51.80. Bosley is 10th in 27:53.48, followed by Keyes (26th, 28:20.85) and Prosser (31st, 28:22.14). At the Big Sky Outdoor Championships, Keyes placed third in the 10,000-meters and Prosser placed second.
Johnson, a freshman, will take the stage in the first round of the 400-meter hurdles on May 28 at 6:20 p.m. MST, with the finals set for May 30 at 5:25 p.m. He won the Big Sky Championship in the 400-meter hurdles, and enters the event ranked 31st in the field with a time of 50.87.
Gillingham competes in the quarterfinals of the 3,000-meter steeplechase on Friday, May 30 at 3:40 MST, making his NCAA West Preliminary Round debut. He placed fourth at the Big Sky Championships and has the seventh-fastest time in the field of 8:32.00.
NAU also enters with the 19th-fastest time in the 4×100-meters with a school-record time of 39.66. The quartet of Khamis Hassan, Kyle Smith, Ian Lipsey and Lamar Smith placed third in the event at the Big Sky Championships. The quarterfinals are set for May 30 at 3 p.m. MST.
Four Lumberjacks will represent NAU in four different field events. Butler won the triple jump at the Big Sky Championships and is 29th in the field with a personal best of 15.51-meters. Lott placed third in the discus and won the hammer throw at the Big Sky Championships. He ranks 38th in the discus (56.65m) and 25th in the hammer throw (65.27m). Two Lumberjacks will compete in the javelin, with Hook ranking 24th with a personal best of 68.98-meters. He won the event with that toss at the Big Sky Championships, breaking his own school record. Carbajal is 48th with a mark of 64.60-meters.
The hammer throw is set for 8 a.m. MST on May 28, followed by the javelin at 12:30 p.m. The discus is scheduled for 11 a.m. on May 30, followed by the triple jump at 12:30 p.m. MST.
Sports
Ufodiama Sets Program Record at Rod McCravy Memorial
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky – East Carolina opened the indoor season with several strong performances at the Rod McCravy Memorial Meet, hosted by the University of Kentucky at the Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center, highlighted by a program-record run from Kelly Ufodiama and multiple finals appearances across the two-day competition.
Ufodiama delivered the standout performance of the meet for the Pirates, setting a new ECU program record in the women’s 60-meter dash semifinals with a time of 7.14. The mark further cemented her place atop the record book, as she now holds the top eight performances in program history in the event.
On the men’s side, East Carolina made a strong statement in the sprints. Tyson Tippett finished runner-up in the men’s 60-meter dash finals, clocking 6.85, while Jace Coleman added a fourth-place finish at 6.89 to give the Pirates two top-four finishes in one of the meet’s deepest events.
The Pirates also found success in the hurdles, where Kailey Elliott advanced through the rounds to place fourth in the women’s 60-meter hurdles finals with a time of 8.27. Her performance marked one of ECU’s top technical-event finishes of the weekend.
Abrielle Schweitzer continued her strong indoor campaign with a third-place finish in the women’s mile, crossing the line in 4:52.34. On the men’s side, Alex Sawyer placed ninth in the mile with a time of 4:14.67, while Elliott Kleckner followed closely in 11th at 4:21.33.
Additional solid efforts came in the 300 meters, where Brianna Clayton finished 13th in the women’s race at 38.70, and in the men’s 600 meters, where Jordan Good narrowly missed the podium with a fourth-place finish in 1:18.34.
In the field events, Shakiel Dacres led the way for East Carolina with a sixth-place finish in the men’s shot put with 16.66m. Dacres’ performance marked the Pirates’ top result in the throws.
East Carolina finished strong over the weekend and will look to carry their victories toward the Dick Taylor Challenge, hosted by North Carolina starting January 16.
Sports
Track & Field Wins Six Events, Topples School Record in Excellent Close to Rod McCravy Memorial – Ole Miss Athletics
All-American sophomore Jordan Urrutia, fresh off a strong freshman campaign, set right to work on his second season with the Rebels. Urrutia clocked the fastest proper 300-meter race in Ole Miss history (trailing only a converted 300-yard time on an oversized track by Olympian Tony Dees in 1984), finishing second overall in a blistering 33.06 seconds. That time dropped nearly three-quarters of a second off his freshman best 33.71, and trailed only a 32.89 by Indiana’s Trelee Banks-Rose.
Fellow sophomore Wesley Todd clocked a PR of his own, finishing 10th at 34.07.
The duo were not done there, though, as Ole Miss would close the day with an excellent opening 4×400-meter relay for the 2026 season. The quartet of senior Joshua Knox, Todd, senior Cade Flatt and Urrutia passed the stick in 3:08.85 – which ranks fourth-best in Ole Miss history indoors and is the fastest by any Rebel relay indoors since the 2004 record of 3:06.83.
Ole Miss was particularly excellent on the back half, with Flatt dropping a 46.93 third leg and then Urrutia blazing a 45.45 anchor leg.
The success on the track did not stop there for the Rebels. Earlier in the day, Patchnalie Compere ran the fastest time ever by an Ole Miss freshman in the women’s 300-meter dash, winning the event overall at an eye-opening 37.40. Olympian and three-time NCAA Champion McKenzie Long set the Ole Miss record in the event at 37.38 in 2023 on Vanderbilt’s oversized track.
Senior Cassie Williamson, in her final year of competition this indoor season, took the crown in the women’s 800-meter at an Ole Miss career-best 2:08.51 – which ranks her seventh in school history indoors. Freshman Owen Kelley rounded out the track wins for Ole Miss with a victory in the 3K, clocking in at 8:16.11 in his collegiate debut.
Other notable runs on the track included a runner-up finish by senior Chase Rose in the 800-meter (1:49.56), a third-place finish and PR by Samuel Ferguson in the 3K (8:21.18), and a third-place 3K finish by freshman Leah Penick in her collegiate debut (9:45.89).
In the field, reigning NCAA Indoor shot put champion Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan began his title defense in earnest. Robinson-O’Hagan – a member of the preseason watch list for The Bowerman, college track & field’s version of the Heisman Trophy – won on a sixth-round blast of 20.76m/68-01.50 for his first win of the season, the best mark by an collegiate shot putter this early into the season (Jan. 10) in available records since at least 2008.
Freshman Ashton Hearn began his Ole Miss career with an impressive heave of his own, finishing third at 17.84m/58-06.50 – already good for No. 6 in school history indoors.
In the women’s edition, All-American junior Akaoma Odeluga had her best-ever season opening performance as well, winning on a blast of 17.92m/58-09.50. Freshman Natalie Brown also made the final, finishing ninth at 13.71m/44-11.75 in her first college shot put competition.
In the men’s triple jump, two key portal additions for the Rebels – juniors Sterling Scott (Missouri) and Kyle Johnson (UConn) – had great opening performances to their Ole Miss careers. Scott, a three-time NCAA qualifier with the Tigers, took runner-up honors at 15.97m/52-04.75 – already making him the sixth-best triple jumper in Ole Miss history indoors. Johnson was fourth at 15.67m/51-5, good for No. 12 in the Rebel record books.
Fellow junior Mikoy Holmes made the final as well, finishing eighth at a career-best leap of 14.81m/48-07.25.
Ole Miss will next head to Nashville for the Vanderbilt Invitational, which is set to run Jan. 16-17.
REBELS IN DAY TWO COMPETITION
Women’s 300-Meter Dash
1. Patchnalie Compere – 37.40 – Collegiate Debut, Ole Miss Freshman Record
51. Royannah Farmer – 41.04 – Division I Debut, First Career 300
Men’s 300-Meter Dash
2. Jordan Urrutia – 33.06 – PR, Ole Miss Proper 300-Meter Record
10. Wesley Todd – 34.07 – PR
Women’s 800-Meter
1. Cassie Williamson – 2:08.51 – Ole Miss Best, No. 7 Ole Miss History Indoors
Men’s 800-Meter
2. Chase Rose – 1:49.56
DNF Cade Flatt
Men’s Mile
2. John Shoemaker – 4:10.39 – Collegiate Debut
Women’s 3K
3. Leah Penick – 9:45.89 – Collegiate Debut
6. Hannah Doyle – 9:55.25 – Collegiate Debut
10. Brooke Preputnick – 10:09.99 – PR
11. Madison Archdale – 10:10.22 – Collegiate Debut
12. Addy Mitchell – 10:11.94 – Collegiate Debut
Men’s 3K
1. Owen Kelley – 8:16.11 – Collegiate Debut
3. Samuel Ferguson – 8:21.18 – PR
Men’s 4×400-Meter Relay
1. A Relay: Joshua Knox, Wesley Todd, Cade Flatt, Jordan Urrutia – 3:08.85 – No. 4 Ole Miss History Indoors
11. B Relay: Tarique Wright, Dekell Minor, Jonathan Stock, Chase Rose – 3:18.47
Men’s Pole Vault
5. Logan Kelley – 5.00m/16-04.75
Women’s Triple Jump
10. Indya Dotson – 11.94m/39-02.25 – PR, No. 15 Ole Miss History Indoors
11. Bayli Major – 11.83m/38-09.75 – Collegiate Debut
FOUL Madison Martinez
Men’s Triple Jump
2. Sterling Scott – 15.97m/52-04.75 – Ole Miss Debut, No. 6 Ole Miss History Indoors
4. Kyle Johnson – 15.67m/51-5 – Ole Miss Debut, No. 12 Ole Miss History Indoors
8. Mikoy Holmes – 14.81m/48-07.25 – PR
11. Solomon Finley – 13.96m/45-09.75 – Ole Miss Debut
Women’s Shot Put
1. Akaoma Odeluga – 17.92m/58-09.50
9. Natalie Brown – 13.71m/44-11.75 – Collegiate Debut, No. 15 Ole Miss History Indoors
12. Temidayo Owoyemi – 13.27m/43-06.50 – Collegiate Debut
Men’s Shot Put
1. Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan – 20.76m/68-01.50
3. Ashton Hearn – 17.84m/58-06.50 – Collegiate Debut, No. 6 Ole Miss History Indoors
26. Caughran Fowler – 10.91m/35-09.50
28. William Numnum – 10.56m/34-07.75 – Collegiate Debut
—–
REBELS IN DAY ONE COMPETITION
Men’s 60-Meter Dash – Prelims
7. Tarique Wright – 6.79q – PR, T-No. 11 Ole Miss History
Men’s 60-Meter Dash – Semifinals
11. Tarique Wright – 6.79 – Ties PR
Women’s 200-Meter Dash
27. Lizzie Hatton – 25.22 – Indoor PR
Women’s 400-Meter Dash
13. Patchnalie Compere – 59.17 – Collegiate Debut
Men’s 600-Meter
6. Jonathan Stock – 1:19.51 – PR
Men’s 1000-Meter
2. Stone Smith – 2:28.65 – Event Debut
Women’s 60-Meter Hurdles – Prelims
35. Bayli Major – 8.90 – Collegiate Debut
40. Carmela Coulter – 9.15 – Collegiate Debut
44. Nyajah Gordon – 9.38
Men’s 60-Meter Hurdles – Prelims
12. Caughran Fowler – 8.46q – PR
17. William Numnum – 8.80q – Collegiate Debut
Men’s 60-Meter Hurdles – Semifinals
12. William Numnum – 8.66 – PR
17. Caughran Fowler – 8.67
Women’s High Jump
NH Carmela Coulter
Men’s High Jump
1. Arvesta Troupe – 2.23m/7-03.75 – Indoor PR, No. 3 Ole Miss History Indoor
Women’s Pole Vault
5. Lily Beattie – 4.05m/13-03.50
T6. Mary Cate Doughty – 3.90m/12-09.50
11. Katie McFarland – 3.75m/12-03.50
13. Aly Francolini – 3.75m/12-03.50
T14. Rachel Homoly – 3.75m/12-03.50 – Ole Miss Debut, No. 15 Ole Miss History Indoors
NH Katelyn Hulsey
Women’s Long Jump
10. Indya Dotson – 5.73m/18-09.75
25. Nyajah Gordon – 5.19m/17-00.50
FOUL Lizzie Hatton
Women’s Weight Throw
1. Akaoma Odeluga – 22.95m/75-03.50 – 5-foot PR, No. 5 Ole Miss History
2. Skylar Soli – 22.21m/72-10.50 – PR, No. 6 Ole Miss History
4. Nyah Edwards – 20.50m/67-03.25 – Ole Miss Debut, 4-foot PR, No. 9 Ole Miss History
9. Natalie Brown – 18.87m/61-11 – Collegiate Debut, No. 13 Ole Miss History
13. Naomi Woolfolk – 17.90m/58-08.75 – PR, No. 15 Ole Miss History
16. Temidayo Owoyemi – 16.66m/54-8 – Collegiate Debut
Men’s Weight Throw
2. Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan – 23.78m/78-00.25 – Top Collegiate Finisher
3. Bryson Smith – 22.11m/72-05.50 – PR, No. 2 Ole Miss History
4. Mason Hickel – 21.27m/69-09.50
Sports
Streit and Godfred Shine at Minnesota Open
Streit secured her first lifetime best in the weight throw since February of 2025 (Gopher Classic) to finish second on Saturday behind only teammate Anthonett Nabwe (22.82m | 74-10 1/2). Streit, a 2025 weight throw First Team All-American, moved up from No. 5 all-time at Minnesota to No. 4 with the performance and now is No. 3 in the NCAA this season.
On the men’s side it was Godfred who captured the attention of the crowd with his two runs in the 60m. The two-time Big Ten outdoor long jump champion, running unattached, posted lifetime bests of 6.65 and 6.62 to secure the event win in Minneapolis. Godfred’s previous lifetime best in the event was 6.70 (2024 M City Classic) and would rank the Nigerian inside the top three nationally among men’s NCAA sprinters in 2026.
The other seven event wins for the in-uniform Gophers on Saturday included: Victory Godah (60m – 7.58), LauBenra Ben (200m – 25.09), Zeal Kuku (400m – 55.68), Kitania Headley (800m – 2:13.00), Charlotte Lange (3000m – 9:54.82), Sofia Condon (Pole Vault – 4.01m) and Nabwe (Shot Put – 16.11m).
Eight other Minnesota victories on Saturday came from unattached student-athletes. Jordan Dunigan capped the day off with a lifetime best in the weight throw at 20.52m (67-4) while teammates Precious Opinion (Triple Jump – 15.25m), Brooke Moore (Triple Jump – 12.49m) and Waukeem Walters (Long Jump – 7.27m) also picked up wins in field events at the Minnesota Open. On the track Minnesota’s unattached runners won three other events, which included: Joseph Manser (400m – 48.84), Ramy Ayoub (600m – 1:18.37) and Nontokozo Ncube (600m – 1:30.55).
The ‘U’ will head out to Lincoln, Neb., for the Graduate Classic, the first road meet of 2026, from January 16-17. Minnesota will not return home until January 30, at the Jack Johnson Classic.
For more information on the Gophers, continue to check back with GopherSports.com. Keep up with the University of Minnesota cross country and track and field team on X.com (Twitter) and Instagram (@GopherCCTF) and on Facebook, so you do not miss any content during the season.
Sports
Men’s Volleyball Continues Homestand Against Wildcats
MALIBU, Calif. – The Pepperdine men’s volleyball team (1-0) plays the second match of the weekend in Firestone Fieldhouse against the Daemen Wildcats (0-1) Sunday afternoon.
LAST TIME OUT
•Pepperdine opened the 2026 campaign with a three-set sweep over St. Thomas Aquinas Friday night in Malibu.
• The Waves are coming off an incredible season with the farthest run in the NCAA tournament since 2019, losing to eventual National Champion Long Beach State in the semi-finals.
• Pepperdine finished 4th in the MPSF, making a run in the conference tournament hosted in Malibu, beating higher-seeded USC and UCLA to win the whole thing.
GAME NOTES
• This season marks the 56th and final season with Firestone Fieldhouse as the home for Pepperdine Men’s Volleyball
• Pepperdine will move into the Mountain at Mullin Park for the 2026-27 season.
• The Mountain is a new 3,600-seat arena that will give Pepperdine a state-of-the-art competition venue, complete with a 360-degree high-definition scoreboard, VIP and hospitality spaces, and custom team locker rooms.
• Owning 5 NCAA titles and 18 MPSF titles, with the most recent being earned last year, the Waves are no stranger to what it takes to put together a championship-level team.
• With one of the toughest schedules in the NCAA, Pepperdine is setting the season up for success with a NCAA quarterfinal rematch against Loyola Chicago, a semifinal rematch with Long Beach State and a trip to the islands, taking on No. 2 Hawai’i in March.
• Opening No. 4 in the AVCA preseason poll, the Waves are only behind LBSU, Hawai’i, and conference-foe UCLA.
• Ryan Barnett, James Eadie, Cole Hartke, and Jacob Reilly all return as All-Americans for the Waves.
• Barnett, Hartke, and Reilly all played on some level of the national team this summer.
• Ryan Barnett earned a silver medal with the U23 team at the Pan American Cup while also playing on the senior USA team with Jacob Reilly in the Pan American Cup.
• Cole Hartke earned a bronze in the FIVB World Championship with the U21 team, the farthest the USA has ever gotten in the tournament.
• Redshirting last season, Grant Lamoureux is a player to keep an eye out for on this star-studded roster.
• Named the Junior Male Indoor Athlete of the Year this past year, the redshirt freshman brings plenty of experience regardless of never logging collegiate minutes.
• This summer, Lamoureux was a captain of the U19 World Championship squad with team USA where he led the team in kills nearly every time out.
• Redshirt Ford Harman transferred into Pepperdine from national-champion Long Beach State.
• This summer, Harman earned a Silver medal at the 2025 Men’s Beach Collegiate Challenge for team USA.
• Harman is originally from Santa Barbara, playing at Santa Barbara HS before college.
• Outside of the United States, the Waves represent three other countries in Cuba, Serbia, and Switzerland.
• Andrej Polomac, a transfer from Purdue Fort-Wayne, is the sole Serbian on the squad, brings elite experience as a setter with an average of just under 9 aces per set last season.
• The Waves add even more international experience next year with two of the three commits coming from overseas, bringing another Serbian to Malibu as well as a middle blocker from the Czech Republic.
• In his fourth year at the helm, Winder is coming off his most successful season last year with a run to the final four in the NCAA tournament.
• Last season, Winder led the Waves to an MPSF title, the program’s first since 2019.
• As the ninth coach at the helm, Winder is an alum of the program himself, earning a National Title with Pepperdine in 2005.
SERIES HISTORY WITH DAEMEN
• In two matches against the Wildcats, Pepperdine holds the 2-0 advantage.
• Two seasons ago, in the most recent meeting between the squads, Pepperdine took the 3-0 victory in Firestone Fieldhouse.
• The only other matchup came in 2020 on the road, where the Waves swept them 3-0.
SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
• Daemen dropped the opening match of the 2026 season against No. 10 UC Irvine 3-1.
• Last season, the Wildcats went 15-13, including 4-4 in conference play.
• The Wildcats are back-to-back Northeast Conference champions, winning their tournament as the three seed last season.
• Daemen has four All-conference players returning in Maverick O’Neill, Billy Wieberg, Kyle Zelasko, and Jariel Giraud
First serve is scheduled for 3 p.m. The game can be streamed on B1G+ (subscription required) with live stats available on pepperdinewaves.com
ABOUT PEPPERDINE MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Pepperdine men’s volleyball boasts one of the richest histories in collegiate volleyball, with five NCAA National Championships. Four of those championships came under the direction of Hall of Fame coach Marv Dunphy who totaled 612 victories in 34 seasons at the helm. With 19 NCAA Appearances and 63 All-Americans, the program has consistently been a destination for top talent across the country. Under current head coach Jonathan Winder, the Waves reached the NCAA Final Four in his third season at the helm in 2025.
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To stay up-to-date on the latest Pepperdine women’s soccer news, follow the Waves on social media @PepperdineMVB_ .
Sports
Muir and Hopkins Record Career-Highs In Season Opener Loss
Logan Muir and Hunter Hopkins both set new career highs in the match. Muir tied his career high of total attempts (46) to record a new high of 28 kills. Hopkins set his career-high mark in assists, totaling 63 of the Mastodons’ 71 kills.
The Miners used their one-game warm up to jump out to an early lead in the first set. The ‘Dons were able to string together a 4-0 run to bring the score back to 7-5. Owen Banner tallied six total points in the first frame, putting away four kills and two aces. Missouri S&T used their .571 hitting percentage to claim the set 25-20.
The second set was highly contested, neither side owning a lead larger than three points. Purdue Fort Wayne managed to outlast the Miners and win 25-23, as the ‘Dons hit .440 in the frame to even the set score.
The Mastodons opened up the third set with a 4-0 run, jumping out to a 7-2 lead. However, Missouri S&T went on their own run taking the lead at 9-8. The ‘Dons held the Miners to a .120 hitting percentage and forced a timeout at 22-18 before eventually winning the set 25-20. Muir carried the offensive load in the set, tallying nine kills.
The fourth set was a roller-coaster of runs between the two teams. Purdue Fort Wayne claimed the first, with a 4-0 run for a 5-3 lead. Missouri S&T took the lead at 10-8 after a 5-1 run and then extended their lead to 16-13 on another 5-1 run. The Mastodons failed the close in on that lead and dropped the fourth set 25-23. Both teams hit over .400 in the frame.
The Miners claimed a lead for the entirety of the fifth set, taking the match after a 15-13 finish.
Hopkins finished with a double-double, recording 11 digs to go along with his career-high assists. Muir added eight digs and three aces with his career-high kill number. Banner finished with 18 kills on a team-high .469 hitting percentage in his first game as a Mastodon.
Purdue Fort Wayne falls to 0-1. Missouri S&T moves to 1-1. The Mastodons will take on (RV) NJIT in the Gates Sports Center on Sunday (Jan. 11) at 5 p.m.
~ Feel the Rumble ~
Sports
Carson Caraway is Gatorade player of year in MS
Jan. 10, 2026, 1:04 p.m. CT
- Carson Caraway of Jackson Academy was named the 2025 Gatorade Mississippi Volleyball Player of the Year.
- Caraway led the Raiders to the MAIS 4A Division I state championship match.
Jackson Academy’s Carson Caraway has been named the Gatorade Mississippi Volleyball Player of the Year for the 2025 season.
Gatorade announced its winners of all 50 states on Jan. 9, with Caraway being the fourth volleyball player to win the award from Jackson Academy since 2020.
“Carson was a threat the entire game,” Brandon coach Kelsa Walker said in a press release. “Her back-row attack is just as deadly, if not more than, her front-row attack. She’s able to run so many things from the front row that you really have to be disciplined defensively.”
The award, which celebrates the nation’s top high school athletes for excellence on the court, in the classroom and in the community, distinguishes Caraway as Mississippi’s best high school volleyball player.
The 6-foot-2 junior outside hitter was credited with 625 kills and 343 digs this season, leading the Raiders (32-9-1) to the MAIS 4A Division I state championship game. Jackson Academy fell to Madison-Ridgeland Academy 3-0 (25-17, 25-17, 26-24).
Caraway, who will play for Loyola Marymount, also produced 84 aces with 54 blocks while having a .594 kill percentage and a .474 hitting percentage. Caraway is an American Volleyball Coaches Association third-team All-America selection and also the 2025 PrepDig.com Mississippi Breakout Player of the Year. She had 1,836 kills and 1,056 digs in her high school volleyball career.
Caraway joins recent Gatorade Mississippi Volleyball Players of the Year Fallon Humphries (2024, Madison-Ridgeland Academy), Kaylee Lowther (2023, Jackson Academy) and Lakin Laurendine (2021-2022, Jackson Academy), among the state’s list of former award winners.
Michael Chavez covers high school sports, among others, for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at mchavez@gannett.com or reach out to him on X, formerly Twitter @MikeSChavez.
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