HELENA, Mont. – Head Coach Rachelle Sayers has officially announced the addition of seven new student-athletes to complete the 2025 Carroll Women’s Basketball recruiting class.
 
Following a 2024-25 season in which the Fighting Saints once again qualified for the NAIA Women’s Basketball Championship, Coach Sayers has brought in another high-quality class of incoming freshmen and transfers to fill out the 52^nd roster in program history.
 
“We are really excited about this group of newcomers.” said Sayers. “We not only added much needed depth to every position but also added a lot of fire power. Beyond being great players and tremendous students, they all fit our culture, and they know how to win. Having them around this summer has been so valuable and important for our team as we prepare for another season that will include a lot of new faces.”

Mallory Tommerup | 5-5 | G | Plentywood, Mont. / Plentywood HS –

One of several multi-sport standouts in the ’25 class, Tommerup was an Academic All-State, All-Conference, and All-State performer in both Basketball and Volleyball over the course of her High School career. A proven leader, Tommerup was a two-year captain of both the Basketball and Volleyball teams. In addition, she was named First Team All-Defensive team and was the Track team’s Most Outstanding Athlete in her junior season. The highly decorated individual was a large part of her team’s success, helping lead the Wildcats to multiple District, Divisional, Conference championships as well as one State Championship across her three sports. She averaged 17.3 points and 2.7 assists per game, finishing third in all-time scoring in school history, while holding the school record for most points in a single quarter (17).
 
“Mallory is a tough, competitive scorer.” said Sayers. “She competes hard on every play and will be a great defender at this level. She will play primarily the point position but also has the scoring capability of an off-guard. We are excited to see her progress over the next four years.”

Maddy Moy | 5-11 | G/F | Kalispell, Mont. / Flathead HS / Montana Western –

A familiar name for those who follow Frontier Conference Basketball, Moy joins the Carroll program following two seasons at Montana Western. In accordance with inter-conference transfer rules, Moy will not play in the 2025-26 season but will have two years of eligibility starting in ’26-27. As a prep star at Flathead, Moy was a state qualifier in Track & Field and was an All-State performer on Bravette teams that finished second and third in the state (Basketball) and competed at the state tournament in volleyball. A member of the Montana-Wyoming All-Star game in 2023, At Western, Moy was named the Female Newcomer of the year in 2023 and was twice named Frontier Conference Defensive Player of the Week last season. Throughout her two seasons in Dillon, Moy averaged 7.1 points and 5.3 rebounds per game for the Bulldogs.
 
“Unfortunately, we will not get to see Maddy in a Carroll uniform for another year, but she is one of the most athletic players we will have the privilege to coach.” said Sayers “She has untapped potential and will be a big-time playmaker for us. We are excited she will end her career here!”

Jillian Kanduch | 5-9 | G | Miles City, Mont. / Custer County HS –

Kaundich was a two-time team captain of the Cowgirls, running point for a pair of Custer County teams that repeated with trips to the State tournament. A multi-time First Team All-Conference selection, Kaundich was also an All-State performer, and the 1v1 Champion at the 2024 Montana Elite Invitational. In both 2022-23 and 2023-24 Kaundich led her team in both steals and assists. She averaged 14.1 points and 5.0 rebounds per game, finishing sixth in all-time scoring at Custer County HS. Last year she ranked eighth in free throw percentage, third in steals, and fifth in assists in Class A.
 
“As a point guard, Jillian brings great size and physicality.” said Sayers. “She is also a great shooter and can score at all three levels which makes it easy for her to play multiple guard positions. We watched her throughout her high school career and knew she was a player we had to get.”

Kelly Howard | 5-8 | G | St. George, Utah. / Snow Canyon HS –

A sharpshooter from range, Howard holds the Snow Canyon record for individual three-pointers made in a single season (52). Throughout her prep career, Howard was a four-year varsity starter on a Snow Canyon team that three-times were undefeated Region 9 Champions and twice finished State Runner-Ups. She was a four-year Academic All-State selection, two-time First Team All-Region selection, a Second Team All-State selection, and a team captain. Last year, she averaged 12.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.7 steals  per game at Snow Canyon. 
 
“Kelly is a long, athletic lights-out three-point shooter.” said Sayers. “Both of Kelly’s parents played basketball for Westminster in Salt Lake City, so we were thrilled to steal her out of the state of Utah. She has limitless range and her size on the perimeter allows us to play in multiple positions on the outside.”

Avery Kraft | 5-5 | G | Helena, Mont. / Helena HS / Portland State – 

Helena-native Avery Kraft makes her return to the Capital City following one season at NCAA Division I Portland State. The multi-sport star was a three-time All-State Soccer performer for the Bengals and is the all-time leading scorer for Helena High’s Girls Soccer team. A captain both on the hardwood and the pitch, Kraft was twice named an All-State selection in Basketball and finished her prep career as an eight-time Academic All-State selection.
 
“Avery has grown so much as a player in a year and has continued to grow throughout the summer.” Said Sayers. “She can get to the rim and finish, make plays for her teammates and has developed into a great perimeter shooter, it is going to be fun for our Helena community to have her here for the next 4 years”
 
Kennedi Niemann | 5-6 | G | Cody, Wyo. / Cody HS / Pima CC –

One of the best Athletes to come out of Wyoming this century, Niemann comes to the Hilltop after a two-year stint at Pima CC in Tucson, Ariz. In high school, Niemann was an All-Conference performer in Soccer, Volleyball and Basketball, also garnering All-State honors in the later two sports. In 2023, she was named the Wilford Mower Award given to the most outstanding female senior student-athlete in the Northwest quadrant of Wyoming and was also named the Milward Simpson Award winner as the most outstanding female senior student-athlete in Wyoming. She was a three-time state champion for Cody, twice in Soccer and once in Basketball. Last season at Pima, Niemann and the Aztecs won the NJCAA Region 1 Championship, and ultimately finished runner-up at the NJCAA National Championship. Throughout the national tournament run, Niemann averaged 14.3 points and 3.3 rebounds per game while going nearly perfect at the free throw line.
 
“Kennedi is a winner, she has won everywhere she has been.” said Sayers. “She is a great defender and someone that can play both the point and off-guard position. She has a high motor and a great mind for the game.  She is someone that can create a lot of offense with her speed and game sense, and having her here this summer has been a great start to what will be a great three-year career here at Carroll.” 

McKenzie Allen | 5-8 | G | Grantsville, Utah / Grantsville HS / Utah State Eastern –

A four-year letterwinner across three different sports, Allen spent two seasons at Utah State Eastern prior to her Carroll commitment. Allen was outstanding in her prep career, earning All-State honors in Soccer, Softball, and Basketball in both her junior and senior years. She is one of the few members of Grantsville’s 1,000-point club and last season earned NJCAA National Player of the Week honors. Last season, the guard averaged 8.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game for the Eagles.

“Kenzie brings athleticism, experience and a toughness that fans are going to love.” said Sayers. “She can really guard and can play all three guard positions. She can score at all three levels, will also be one of toughest perimeter defenders, and can really push the pace offensively.”

 

In addition to the seven varsity recruits, the Saints have added the following players to the JV roster for the upcoming season:

 

Callie Wiseman | 5-5 | G | Bozeman, Mont. / Gallatin HS

Sophia Mortag | 5-3 | G | Cascade, Mont. / Cascade HS

Taryn Borgen | 5-9 | G/F | Columbia Falls, Mont. / Columbia Falls HS

Rachel Stirewalt | 5-10 | F | Imbler, Ore. / Imbler HS

Visit www.carrollathletics.com to continue to stay up to date on everything going on in Carroll Athletics.

 

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Women’s track and field and football led the way 

BOISE, Idaho – Boise State received 165 selections from 146 student-athletes to earn Mountain West Scholar-Athlete honors for the 2024-25 academic year as the conference announced its complete list of academic award winners on Thursday.

The Broncos were led by women’s track and field with 29 and football with 19 for the most selections among the 14 Boise State teams that compete in the Mountain West.

Five other teams secured double digit honors, including soccer (17), gymnastics (15), women’s basketball (15), women’s cross country (13) and men’s track and field (10).

The other programs with honorees included softball (8), women’s tennis (8), women’s golf (7), men’s cross country (6),  men’s golf (6), volleyball (5), men’s basketball (4), and men’s tennis (3).

Boise State student-athletes closed out the 2024-25 academic year with the highest cumulative grade-point average (GPA) in department history with a 3.46. The Broncos also turned in an all-department single-semester GPA of 3.39, which is the best spring semester in department history.

Over half of Boise State’s sports programs earned a new GPA record, whether cumulative or semester, during the school year, while women’s golf (3.82), softball (3.57) and football (3.18) set all-time records for semester GPA. 

As a department, all 18 sport programs secured a 3.0 GPA or higher, 87% of all student-athletes earned a 3.0 GPA or higher, and 70 student-athletes secured a perfect 4.0 GPA.

The MW Scholar-Athlete Award is one of the highest academic honors bestowed by the Conference. All student-athletes who meet the following criteria qualify.

* Must have completed at least two semesters or three quarters at the certifying member institution.

* Must have a cumulative grade-point average, at the member institution, of 3.50 or higher.

The Mountain West Scholar-Athlete Awards follow the conference’s announcement yesterday of the Spring 2025 Academic All-Mountain West honorees, with 101 Bronco student-athletes recognized.

Boise State’s scholar-athletes are listed by sport below.

 

SINGAPORE — The 2025 World Aquatics Championships is an opportunity for the best swimmers on the planet to shine in the lead up to the 2028 Olympics.

Here’s everything you need to know about this year’s championships, information on who is competing, and when, as well as how to watch all of the action in Australia.

When is the 2025 World Aquatics Championships?

The 2025 World Aquatics Championships begin on Friday, July 11 and conclude on Sunday, August 3. The championships consist of six disciplines: swimming, open water swimming, artistic swimming, diving, high diving, and water polo. Swimming competition will take place from Sunday, July 27 to Sunday, August 3.

Where are the 2025 World Aquatics Championships?

The 2025 World Aquatics Championships will take place in Singapore. It marks the third consecutive championships held in Asia, following Fukuoka, Japan (2023) and Doha, Qatar (2024). These championships were originally scheduled for Kazan, Russia, but were relocated to Singapore on February 9, 2023.

The majority of competition will take place at the Singapore Sports Hub, which was initially built for the 2015 Southeast Asian Games. A temporary pool venue has been built at the complex for swimming and artistic swimming competition.

Where can I watch the World Aquatics Championships in Australia?

The 2025 World Aquatics Championships will be broadcast in Australia on the 9Network and the 9Now streaming platform. The broadcaster will show every heat and final throughout the championships.

What time will the swimming finals take place?

As is standard in swim competition, heats will take place during the day sessions with semifinals and finals staged in the evening sessions. The evening sessions will begin at 7 p.m. local time (9 p.m. AEST).

Who are the biggest names competing in Singapore?

Over 2,500 athletes from 210 national federations will compete across the six disciplines of water polo, diving, artistic swimming, open water swimming, high diving, and swimming.

The biggest names competing in swim competing include French national icon Leon Marchand, who will take part in the 200m and 400m medley events, American superstar Katie Ledecky, and Canadian sensation Summer McIntosh.

From an Australian perspective, Olympic champion Mollie O’Callaghan will feature in the 100m and 200m freestyle events as well as several relay teams. Backstroke star Kaylee McKeown will be in action in the 50m, 100m, and 200m races, and like O’Callaghan will take part in several relay squads. Rio Olympic 100m champion Kyle Chalmers will also be in action, as will rapid middle distance improver Lani Pallister.

Why is Ariarne Titmus not competing in Singapore?

Australian star Ariarne Titmus declared she would be taking a 12-month break after the Paris Olympics, meaning no appearance at these championships in Singapore.

The four-time Olympic champion, 24, is eyeing a return to the pool later this year as she begins her long preparation for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

Like many top swimmers, Titmus did not compete at last year’s world championships in Doha, but won two gold medals, a silver, and a bronze at the previous championships in Fukuoka in 2023.

What’s the swimming schedule for the world championships?

Swimming heats will take place during the day sessions, while semifinals and finals will be staged in the evening. Here’s the schedule for all swimming finals:

SUNDAY, JULY 27
Women’s 400m freestyle
Women’s 4x100m freestyle relay
Men’s 400m freestyle
Men’s 4x100m freestyle relay

MONDAY, JULY 28
Women’s 100m butterfly
Women’s 200m medley
Men’s 100m breaststroke
Men’s 50m butterfly

TUESDAY, JULY 29
Women’s 1500m freestyle
Women’s 100m backstroke
Women’s 100m breaststroke
Men’s 200m freestyle
Men’s 100m backstroke

WEDNESDAY, JULY 30
Women’s 200m freestyle
Men’s 800m freestyle
Men’s 50m breaststroke
Men’s 200m butterfly
Mixed 4x100m medley relay

THURSDAY, JULY 31
Women’s 50m backstroke
Women’s 200m butterfly
Women’s 4x200m freestyle relay
Men’s 100m freestyle
Men’s 200m medley

FRIDAY, AUGUST 1
Women’s 100m freestyle
Women’s 200m breaststroke
Men’s 200m backstroke
Men’s 200m breaststroke
Men’s 4x200m freestyle relay

SATURDAY, AUGUST 2
Women’s 800m freestyle
Women’s 200m backstroke
Women’s 50m butterfly
Men’s 50m freestyle
Men’s 100m butterfly
Mixed 4x100m freestyle relay

SUNDAY, AUGUST 3
Women’s 50m freestyle
Women’s 50m breaststroke
Women’s 400m medley
Women’s 4x100m medley relay
Men’s 1500m freestyle
Men’s 50m backstroke
Men’s 400m medley
Men’s 4x100m medley relay

Who are Australia’s current world record holders?

Australia boasts a number of reigning Olympic champions in various long course distances and disciplines, as well as six current world records:

Women’s 200m freestyle – Ariarne Titmus (1:52.23, Brisbane, 2024)
Women’s 50m backstroke – Kaylee McKeown (26.86, Budapest, 2023)
Women’s 200m backstroke – Kaylee McKeown (2:03.14, Sydney, 2023)
Women’s 100m relay – Mollie O’Callaghan, Shayna Jack, Meg Harris, Emma McKeon (3:27.96, Fukuoka, 2023)
Women’s 200m relay – Mollie O’Callaghan, Shayna Jack, Brianna Throssell, Ariarne Titmus (7:37.50, Fukuoka, 2023)
Mixed 100m relay – Jack Cartwright, Kyle Chalmers, Shayna Jack, Mollie O’Callaghan (3:18.38, Fukuoka, 2023)

Above: Kendrick Jones Jr – Photo by Chance Kirby

– – –

The AAU Junior Olympic Games are right around the corner – and the next crop of rising talent is ready to take the stage. The AAU was once home to many of the athletes you see on the Diamond League Circuit, from Sha’Carri Richardson to Jasmine Moore to Brandon Miller and more.

There are a few young high school stars that have the potential to rise to the next ranks from their humble beginnings in AAU. Here is a look at a few athletes who have run at previous AAU Junior Olympics and who could be the next best thing.

You can watch the 2025 AAU Junior Olympic Games LIVE on FloTrack from July 26 until August 2.

Related Link: A Grand Rapids Native, Donavan Brazier Is Set For London DL

Related Link: 2025 Wanda Diamond League Standings

1. Ruel Newberry (Texas – Class of 2028)

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State placed three women’s volleyball players on the Preseason All-Big Ten Team, as announced by the conference office on Thursday. Additionally, the Nittany Lions were picked to finish second in the 18-team conference by a vote of the league’s head coaches.

Gillian Grimes, Kennedy Martin, and Izzy Starck all earned Preseason All-Big Ten honors for the first time. Grimes enters her senior season as the team’s libero, Martin is set to begin her junior season on the right side after putting together two All-America seasons at Florida, and Starck is ready for her sophomore campaign at setter after winning AVCA National Freshman of the Year recognition last season.

Penn State, the defending National Champion and the co-Big Ten champion alongside Nebraska last year, was picked second behind only the Cornhuskers. Rounding out the top 10 in order were Wisconsin, Minnesota, UCLA, USC, Purdue, Washington, Illinois, and Michigan.

Grimes established herself as one of the top liberos in the country last season, which was capped by her making the NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team after Penn State secured its eighth national title. That honor came just one week after she made the All-Regional Team following the Nittany Lions’ wins over Marquette and Creighton at Rec Hall. Grimes was a second-team All-Big Ten honoree last season.

Martin was a unanimous selection to the Preseason All-Big Ten Team. She comes to Penn State for her third season of collegiate volleyball after two outstanding seasons starring at Florida, where she was a first-team All-American in 2024 and a second-team All-American in 2023. Martin led the Gators to a spot in an NCAA Regional last year while leading the nation in points/set (6.28) and finishing second in kills/set (5.57).

Starck burst on to the scene in her first season last year, earning AVCA National Freshman of the Year, AVCA East Coast Region Freshman of the Year, and Big Ten Freshman of the Year accolades. She started all 37 matches at setter for a team that went 35-2 on the way to Big Ten and national titles. Starck, a second-team All-American and a first-team All-Big Ten selection in her debut campaign, was the recipient of six Big Ten Freshman of the Week and five Big Ten Setter of the Week awards.

Penn State is less than a month away from its season opener. The Nittany Lions open against Creighton in a rematch of a five-set thriller that Penn State won in the NCAA Regional Final at Rec Hall last season. That match is scheduled for August 23 and will take place in Lincoln, Nebraska as part of the AVCA First Serve event.