Sports

McEndree Women Started Their Season With Tragedy—but Found Triumph

Published

8 months ago

May 7, 2025

Today, the McEndree University women’s water polo team kicks off the first game of the NCAA National Championship. McEndree’s inclusion would be big news on its own. It’s the first time they’ve ever made the NCAA tournament, which includes just nine teams across the U.S.—and typically few, if any, teams from the Midwest.

But this year, the private university in Lebanon, Illinois, about 30 minutes east of St. Louis, has even more reason to take pride in its season. The team lost its head coach in a fatal car crash in January, just as the season was getting underway—and they’ve been led in her absence by a 25-year-old in his first head coaching gig.

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“It’s been an interesting year,” says Alex Figueras, who was only named the women’s head coach a few weeks ago after handling the job on an interim basis. “We had one of the lowest moments and some of the highest moments in the same season.”

Figueras is the first to credit Colleen Lischwe as the person responsible for McKendree’s success. Lischwe had twice been named Missouri Female Water Polo Player of the Year at Kirkwood High School before becoming an Academic All-American at Marist College in New York and twice participating in the NCAA National Championships.

After coaching at Kirkwood High, Lischwe landed a coaching job at McKendree, and after being named the women’s head coach in 2017, also became the head coach of the men’s team the following year—making her the only woman head coach in an NCAA water polo program.

Then tragedy struck. Lischwe was on I-44 around 6 a.m. on Jan. 15, 2025, when she was struck by a semi. Her Prius fell off the highway to Vandeventer Avenue below. Lischwe, 35, left behind a husband and a 3-year-old daughter.

She also left a team in mourning. Figueras, Lischwe’s young assistant coach, was among those devastated by her death; Lischwe had coached his club team for a half-dozen years before they became colleagues. Suddenly he found himself trying to fill her shoes as the team headed into its first game of the season, less than two weeks later.

He recalls a team meeting with a sports psychologist, who explained that, tempting though it was, they should try to resist focusing on “winning one for Colleen” or making all their efforts about her. “You don’t want this to be the only thing that’s driving you, because at a certain point, things are going to go back to normal, or whatever normal looks like,” Figueras recalls him explaining. “When that happens, then you lose your motivation.”

The very idea seemed shocking, he says. “When he brought that up, it seemed weird, because I was like, things are never going to be normal again, right?” But as winter turned to spring, and the team kept winning, it began to make more sense.

“It’s not to say that we’ve moved on, because I don’t think we ever really will,” Figueras adds. “Like, there’s that little unspoken bond that I think we’re always going to have with this group and that is always going to be that extra motivating factor, that we can hear her voice still pushing us.”

McKendree University's women's water polo team celebrates with its coaches. — McKendree University’s women’s water polo team notched a 21-7 record in its 2025 season.

For Figueras, Lischwe’s death brought responsibilities he wasn’t sure he was ready for. A graduate of Saint Louis Priory School, he’d gone from playing club sports to competing in college to returning back to St. Louis to finish his degree at Washington University, where he graduated with a double major in marketing and English. He soon fell into coaching.

“Most people, I think when they get into this world, they get in as an assistant, and then they start trying to work their way up to eventually go be an assistant at a top five program, or go be a head coach somewhere,” he says. “And that was never my goal. My goal was always I wanted to do it until it wasn’t fun anymore, and then I would get out of it.”

Guiding the team has given him new appreciation for the job. In April, McKendree won its conference championship for the first time; the team finished its season with a 21–7 record.

Says Figueras, “It’s been cool to develop these relationships, and that’s the part that I’m enjoying the most. I think I’m starting to find my way and figure it out.”

He’s gotten support from another person who knew Lischwe for years—his own dad, Miguel. A former college player for Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, Miguel Figueras has spent the last 25 years coaching teams in the St. Louis area while teaching second grade for the Clayton School District. But this spring, McKendree offered him the head coach position for its men’s team—and so next year, father and son will be working together, father taking the lead with the men, son with the women.

Miguel Figueras says he’ll miss his job at Wilson Elementary School, but he jokes that his new duties won’t be all that different: “In a lot of ways, I’ll still be around seven and eight-year-olds when I’m working with college freshmen and sophomores!”

Miguel Figueras knows no one can fill Lischwe’s shoes, explaining that she did a great job of looking out for all her players, many of whom came from so far away to participate in McKendree’s program. “Colleen was always the force in making sure those kids were well taken care of,” he says.

But he’s also proud of his son. “They’ve just picked up right where Colleen left off,” he says of Alex and his assistant coach, 23-year-old Breno Tebet.

And despite not being quite old enough to parent the team, the fledgling head coach has found a way to mentor its athletes, his father says.

“It’s like he’s got 23 little sisters,” he explains. “He’s always been a very mature kid, but we’ve seen a lot of growth in him here.”

Both father and son were heading to Indianapolis yesterday for the tournament, and Alex Figueras was trying to set realistic expectations. They have a strong chance against Wagner College in the first round, he says, but Stanford is “like UConn women’s basketball” (read: not an easy foe).

He adds, “I don’t want to count ourselves out, but I think that definitely will be a challenge. But getting into this is a big deal for us, and we want to definitely not just be like, ‘Okay, we’re just happy to be here.’”

And no matter how this topsy-turvy year ends, there’s always next year. Alex Figueras will be back, and so will all but one player, he says. The graduating senior is a standout, but having so many players returning should give the coaches a lot to work with. The team Colleen Lischwe built should have plenty of victories to come, even when there’s a new roster of players who can no longer hear her voice pushing them.

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Sports

LSU Beach Volleyball Announces the Addition of Two Transfers – LSU

Published

30 minutes ago

January 3, 2026

Your Sports Nation

BATON ROUGE – LSU Beach Volleyball coach Russell Brock has announced the addition of two transfers – Emily Hellmuth and Zayna Meyer – who will join the Tigers for the upcoming season.

Hellmuth and Meyer come to LSU as grad transfers. The Tigers return 11 players from last year’s team. These two transfers join LSU in addition to six freshmen.

“Really excited about our two additions for this spring,” Brock said. “They are both athletic players with good size and great skills and are excited about the transition to beach. Both, are decorated indoor players who have been seasoned leaders for their teams. Their work ethic, positive attitudes and excitement will be fantastic additions to our culture and our team this year. Couldn’t be more excited to add them to our family.”

Hellmuth comes to LSU after a great four-year career playing indoor volleyball at Pepperdine and Texas A&M University. During her time playing indoor, she was a lethal outside hitter with over 1,000 career kills. Three of her four seasons she recorded at least 300 kills and during a match in her final season, she recorded a career high .667 hitting percentage. As a senior last year, Hellmuth helped lead the Aggies to the NCAA National Championship Title with 72 digs, 45 blocks, 12 aces and eight assists.

“Emily has been tested as a passer and has great skills as a blocker and hitter. Her offensive ability will transition really well to the sand. She’s faced the biggest challenges under the brightest lights and has excelled in those moments.”

Meyer is coming to LSU following a four-year career playing indoor volleyball in which she finished her final season at UCLA with a total of 187 assists, 62 digs and 11 blocks. During the 2023 season, Meyer was named Big West Setter of the Year while playing indoor at Long Beach State and averaged 10 assists per set.

“Zayna is quick and springy. As one of the elite offensive setters in the country, she brings excellent control of the ball both as a setter and a hitter. Her ability to play above the net will also be a great asset defensively.”

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Volleyball Adds Wisconsin Transfer Trinity Shadd-Ceres

Published

45 minutes ago

January 3, 2026

Your Sports Nation

OMAHA, Neb. — Wisconsin outside hitter Trinity Shadd-Ceres has signed to join the Creighton Volleyball program later this month. Shadd-Ceres is Creighton’s third high-profile transfer this winter, joining Ayden Ames (Texas) and Katie Dalton (Kansas).

“Everyone we have talked to about Trinity says she is the best teammate and hardest worker, so she is going to fit right in here at Creighton,” said Creighton head coach Brian Rosen. “She may also be the best overall athlete in any sport to come through! Trinity is so explosive off the floor, has a great arm, and ability to play six rotations. With experience in the Final Four this season, she can handle the big moments. With Angie’s training, there is no limit to her potential and we are all so excited to get her in the gym this spring!”

Shadd-Ceres played in nine matches for Wisconsin’s Final Four team in 2025, finishing the season with 12 kills, six digs, four assists and two blocks. Eight of her 12 kills came during the NCAA Tournament, including four kills in the First Round vs. Eastern Illinois on Dec. 4th and three more in a Regional Final win at Texas on Dec. 14th.

That came after Shadd-Ceres played in four matches as a freshman in 2024, starting two. She finished her rookie campaign with 10 kills, seven digs and three blocks in four matches played. Among her teammates in 2024 was current Bluejay defensive specialist Saige Damrow.

The 5-foot-11 native of Ontario, Canada, was named the Senior Female Volleyball Athlete of the Year in 2023 and a member of Team Canada’s U19 Women’s National Team. She was also a track standout before enrolling at Wisconsin, as she was named Junior Female Track & Field Athlete of the Year in 2022 and Senior Female Athlete of the Year in 2023. She also partcipated in Canada’s Olympic Trials in the Long Jump in 2024.

Creighton finished the 2025 season with a 28-6 record, appearing in its 14th straight NCAA Tournament, winning its 12th consecutive BIG EAST regular-season title, earning sixth BIG EAST Tournament title in a row and reaching its second straight Elite Eight.

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Sports

What Is LOVB? Everything to Know About League One Volleyball

Published

1 hour ago

January 2, 2026

Your Sports Nation

League One Volleyball is serving up a new season.

While League One Volleyball (a.k.a. LOVB, pronounced “love”) may still be new to the mainstream sports conversation, its 2025 debut was more than enough to cement it as one of the fastest-growing women’s leagues in the game.

And that momentum isn’t slowing. Before its sophomore season tips off Jan. 7, LOVB has already expanded, with the league adding three new teams of top-tier athletes to join in 2027.

So what’s next in the meantime? USA Insider has everything you need to know about LOVB ahead of the 2026 season.

Now, channel your inner Jordan Thompson and dive in.

WHAT ARE THE LOVB TEAMS

LOVB currently has six franchises located out of Atlanta, Austin, Houston, Madison, Nebraska and Salt Lake City.

Each team bears a sleek, abstract logo representing its homebase—paired with a unique shade from the league’s signature bright color palette.

WHO ARE LOVB’S A-LIST SUPPORTERS

LOVB has found champions across the sports world and beyond, including investors such as Olympian Lindsey Vonn, WNBA alum Candace Parker, Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant, Amy Schumer (who played high school volleyball) and Chelsea Handler, to name a few.

And, not to mention, supporters who are already in, well, love with LOVB.

“The momentum in women’s volleyball is unreal, and we’re fired up about what’s coming next,” Reddit co-founder and entrepreneur Alexis Ohanian shared on X, after his firm announced it will lead the ownership of LOVB’s upcoming Los Angeles franchise. “Get ready, LA. Your new favorite team has officially landed.”

DOES LOVB HAVE OLYMPIC ATHLETES

Nineteen, representing 35 Olympic appearances, in fact.

Among them, gold medalist Xiangyu Gong (LOVB Madison) and two-time Olympians Ana Carolina da Silva and Anne Buijs (LOVB Nebraska).

WHAT NEW LOVB TEAMS HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED

Starting in 2027, LOVB will expand from six to nine teams, adding Los Angeles, San Francisco and Minnesota to the roster.

“Being part of the founding of LOVB has been one of the great honors of my career, and helping launch LOVB San Francisco feels like the next chapter in that same purpose-driven journey,” three-time Olympic medalist Kelsey Cook said in a statement shared by the league. “We built LOVB to reshape what’s possible for volleyball players in this country, and bringing a pro team to one of the sport’s strongest and most passionate communities is a dream come true.”

WHEN DOES LOVB’S NEW SEASON BEGIN

LOVB’s second season begins Jan. 7, 2026, with 2025 champions LOVB Austin hosting LOVB Nebraska for the league’s First Serve.

HOW TO WATCH LOVB

To witness the excitement in person, fans can secure their tickets on LOVB’s website.

For those wanting to watch at home, the league’s Match of the Week will air on Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. ET, exclusively on USA Network (including the 2026 LOVB Championship Match).

All six teams play every week, with one weekday head-to-head match and one weekend three-match series.

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Sports

Volleyball Welcomes Four – Vanderbilt University Athletics – Official Athletics Website

Published

2 hours ago

January 2, 2026

Your Sports Nation

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt volleyball will welcome four transfer student-athletes to its roster this spring, the program announced Friday.

“Bringing this transfer class to Nashville will be a defining moment in our young program’s history,” head coach Anders Nelson said. “All four student-athletes will raise the level of athleticism in our gym immediately, but more importantly to us, they’re competitive, driven and academically gifted. We cannot wait to integrate them into our program and get to work on realizing Team 2’s potential.”

Carly Hendrickson, a 6-foot-2 outside from Cincinnati, Ohio, will join the Commodores as a graduate transfer from UCLA. In 2025, Hendrickson appeared in 29 matches and 101 sets, recording 25 service aces. This season, she registered nine kills and six blocks vs. Oral Roberts, hitting at a .412 clip. She recorded a career-high10 kills vs. Texas State. To end the season, she served up a pair of aces in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Hendrickson will return to the SEC in 2026 after beginning her collegiate career at Florida.

Molly Kate “MK” Patten, a 6-foot-5 opposite, comes to Nashville after spending two seasons at Georgia. The Alpharetta, Georgia, native played in 96 sets as a sophomore, recording 228 kills, ranked second on the team, with a .254 hitting efficiency in 2025. At the net, she posted 90 total blocks, recording seven matches with five or more blocks. As a freshman, Patten missed all of nonconference play due to an injury but saw the court in 13 matches. That season, she totaled 71 kills and 48 blocks.

Avery Scoggins, a 6-foot setter from New Bern, North Carolina, played two seasons at Arizona before transferring to Vanderbilt. During her freshman campaign, she tallied 1,184 assists and 289 digs, both stats ranking top 5 in Arizona freshman history. Scoggins was named the 2024 AVCA Pacific Region Freshman of the Year and to the All-Big 12 Second Team and Big 12 All-Rookie Team. In 2025, she led the Wildcats with 1,190 assists and ranked second on the team with 314 digs.

Hailing from Austin, Samantha Wunsch is a graduate transfer from Texas State where she garnered AVCA All-Southwest Region honors in 2024 and three All-Sun Belt Conference nods. In 2025, the 6-foot-3 opposite recorded 336 kills while hitting .205, 263 digs and 86 blocks. She led Texas State in kills during back-to-back seasons in 2024 and 2025. She was named the SBC Offensive Player of the Week on four occasions, Texas State Invitational MVP in 2023 and has earned spots on two all-tournament teams.

Fans can follow Vanderbilt volleyball on Facebook, Instagram and X at @VandyVolleyball.

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Sports

Booth signs with Italian Serie A1 League

Published

2 hours ago

January 2, 2026

Your Sports Nation

MADISON, Wis. – After an illustrious collegiate career, middle blocker Carter Booth has signed with the Unione Yamamay Busto Arisizio of the Italian Serie A1 League to begin her professional tenure.

For the second-straight season, the Wisconsin volleyball team will send an athlete overseas to Italy to play in the Serie A1 League, as Booth will join former UW standout Sarah Franklin, who is a member of Savino del Bene Scandicci.

Booth emerged as one of the most dominant middle blockers in the country over the past few seasons, earning First Team All-Big Ten and AVCA Third Team All-American honors in 2025. The graduate posted a career-high 21 kills against No. 1 Kentucky in the NCAA National Semifinals to cap off her time as a Badger—finishing the year with the highest hitting percentage in a single season in school history at .466. Booth placed second in the nation with that mark as well.

The Denver, Colorado, native caught fire down the stretch for UW—guiding the program to their seventh NCAA National Semifinal appearance in school history.

In the NCAA Tournament, Booth recorded an impressive .579 (61 – 6 – 90) swing percentage in five matches to conclude her tenure in Madison—finishing three of those tournament battles with zero attack errors.

The two-time AVCA All-American was a standout on the defensive end, too—shattering the school record for most blocks in a single season back in 2023 with 186. Booth led the team in the category in all three of her seasons in Madison.

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Making The Climb: 2025 Akron Athletics Fall Academic Success

Published

2 hours ago

January 2, 2026

Your Sports Nation

AKRON, Ohio – Student-athletes at the University of Akron combined to achieve a department-wide grade point average of 3.217 in the fall 2025 semester.

Collectively, Akron student-athletes own a cumulative departmental GPA of 3.27, with more than 69 percent of Zips maintaining an individual cumulative GPA of 3.00 or better at Akron.

The Zips registered 32 Academic All-Mid-American Conference selections across its five MAC-sponsored teams for the 2025 fall campaign.

For the fall semester of 2025, 14 of 16 Akron athletics teams achieved a semester grade point average of 3.00 or higher, led by women’s soccer earning a 3.72 team GPA for the semester. Additionally, swimming and diving (3.675), softball (3.609), rifle (3.59), lacrosse (3.563), women’s cross country (3.518), golf (3.472), baseball (3.30), women’s basketball (3.263), women’s track and field (3.241), men’s soccer (3.184), men’s cross country (3.178), volleyball (3.126) and men’s track and field (3.07) each surpassed the 3.00 team GPA threshold.

The excellence of the Zips in their academic studies was on display as nearly 73 percent of Akron’s student-athletes, 316 of 434, earned an individual GPA for the term of 3.0 or better, while more than 46 percent garnered a GPA of 3.50 or higher.

Fifty-three of the Zips’ student-athletes garnered a perfect 4.0 GPA for the fall semester, including lacrosse (7), women’s soccer (7), men’s soccer (6), swimming and diving (6), softball (5), women’s basketball (4), men’s track and field (4), women’s track and field (4), baseball (2), women’s cross country (2), football (2), rifle (2) and volleyball (2).

Football paced the combined list with 44 Zips earning between a 3.0-3.99 for the fall semester. They were followed by swimming and diving (32), baseball (26), lacrosse (24), women’s track and field (22), women’s soccer (19), softball (16), men’s track and field (16), men’s soccer (14), volleyball (10), men’s basketball (9), rifle (9), women’s basketball (7), golf (7) women’s cross country (5) and men’s cross country (3).

Sixteen Zips earned their degrees from the University of Akron following the fall 2025 semester.