Sports

Meet Boulder woman, ex

Published

6 months ago

June 15, 2025

For Kacie Breeding, this was never about dollars. It was about sense.

“This isn’t about football and basketball,” said Breeding, a Boulder resident, engineer and former Vanderbilt runnerzon who’s one of eight plaintiffs who filed an appeal against the NCAA’s historic antitrust settlement. “I hope you get your bag.

“But we all were athletes at this school … there were not rules in place that we were on different pay rates. We should all be getting paid the same. You think about Caitlin Clark or Livvy Dunne, they’re superstars in their own right. Are you going to pay them minimum wage because they weren’t born male and went into football and basketball?”

Are you a university that receives federal financial aid? Fine. You’re subject to Title IX. Do you insist that your athletes are not entertainers, not contractors, and certainly not employees, because they go to class? Groovy. Then they’re students. Which means they’re subject to Title IX, too.

Look, the “House” settlement, which finally made it over the line last week, is a victory for student-athletes. Anything that pokes a hole in the NCAA’s cartel is a win for college sports.

Yet when you read the fine print, it’s also a fail when it comes to Title IX, the federal mandate preventing discrimination in education that was enacted in 1972. Which is where Breeding’s appeal, filed last Wednesday by the Boulder firm of Hutchinson Black and Cook, comes in.

“(People), if they don’t understand this case, they would say, ‘You’re in this for a money grab,’” Breeding told me Friday. “And I am someone of very strong moral convictions, not someone that would get into something just for the press.

“It’s not going to be a huge payout. This is more of a statement to say, ‘Look, if you’re going to pay reparations, why not pay them to the letter of the law?’”

She also wants to make a couple of things clear. The appeal of last Friday’s “House vs. NCAA” ruling, which will allow colleges to pay student-athletes directly starting July 1, won’t stop the money going to current athletes. What it will do is freeze the $2.8 billion in back damages sent to students who played from 2016-2024.

Because what’s on the table, to Breeding, isn’t Title IX compliant. CBSSports.com reported that distributions are expected to “mirror” the same formula as the back payments: 75% of future revenue will be shared with football players, 15% with men’s basketball players, 5% with women’s basketball players and the remaining 5% to all other sports.

“This settlement as a whole is a response to the commercialization of college sports,” Ashlyn Hare, one of the attorneys representing Breeding and the other seven athletes listed in the appeal, told The Post. “All the (Power 4) schools have made a decision that they’re going to treat their athletes and their sports like big business. And that’s what they want to do; that’s perfectly fine. But they’re still subject to education-related laws like Title IX.”

Ashlyn Hare photographed at Hutchinson Black and Cook office in Boulder, Colorado on Thursday, June 9, 2022. Ashlyn was a high jumper at Vanderbilt University and Oregon University and her experience as an NCAA athlete led her to law school and plans to become a Title IX lawyer when she graduates from the University of Denver's Sturm College of Law. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post) — Ashlyn Hare photographed at Hutchinson Black and Cook office in Boulder, Colorado on Thursday, June 9, 2022. Ashlyn was a high jumper at Vanderbilt University and Oregon University and her experience as an NCAA athlete led her to law school and plans to become a Title IX lawyer when she graduates from the University of Denver’s Sturm College of Law. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)

The Department of Education under former President Joe Biden had suggested, in anticipation of the settlement, that revenue-sharing would be subject to Title IX compliance. That recommendation was rescinded in February when the Trump administration took over the department.

To be compliant with Title IX, a university has to provide opportunities, financial aid and/or scholarships proportionate, by gender, to the campus population as a whole.

In fall 2024, for example, CU reported an undergraduate female enrollment rate of 46.8%. Which is a heck of a lot more than the 10%-ish of revenue sharing on the table. As “House” currently stands, how is the ratio of payments consistent with the law? Or with the core academic mission of a university?

“I think it’s perfectly plausible that we get a court ruling that says Title IX is going to regulate these payments,” Hare said. “(But) I can never predict what the Trump administration is going to do.”

This isn’t the first Title IX rodeo for Hare — or for her peers at Hutchinson Black and Cook, which specializes in federal gender equity law. They’ve taken on some massive cases over the years, most notably the sexual assault case involving CU football roughly 20 years ago, as well as one filed against New York Giants quarterback Jameis Winston when he was at Florida State.

“I would be ashamed to admit how many hours of sleep I got this week,” Hare cracked. “We’ve been extremely busy.”

Their opening brief for the appeal is due on Sept. 3. When I asked how many more Title IX lawsuits were coming now that “House” is official, Hare let out an almost pensive chuckle.

“A lot,” she replied. “I can’t give out an exact number. But it’s going to be a lot.”

After decades of winking, nodding, Teflon and kid gloves, the NCAA’s definition of amateurism is toast. The question is what emerges from the ashes.

Some sort of unionization of student-athletes would open the door for collective bargaining. With players, that’s a chance to codify uniform standards for financial compensation, short-term and long-term health care, workplace standards, hours, et cetera.

For schools, such bargaining might be the only way to get some roster control back when it comes to the transfer portal — contracts to remain at an institution for “X” amount of seasons would be legally binding. Free agency (via the portal) could require a certain amount of tenure first, the way it does in the pros. Everything has to be on the table now.

“I think unionizing college sports would do a lot to alleviate the antitrust lawsuits against the NCAA,” Hare said. “If you have a union, you’re not subject to antitrust suits, at least (within) the realm of employee compensation.”

And athletic directors, administrators and coaches are still employees of a college — not a sports and entertainment academy.

Even with the Deion Sanders Effect, CU athletics still hasn’t been entirely self-sufficient. In the university’s most recent report to the state auditor’s office for the ’23-24 fiscal year that ended last June 30, of the $146.6 million reported in athletics revenues, $27 million of that was categorized as coming from “direct institutional support.” Another $1.6 million stemmed from student fees.

At the same time, football ticket sales provided the single-biggest revenue line item on CU’s ’24 fiscal year — $31.2 million for the fall of 2023. No other Buffs sport reported more than $3 million in ticket revenue. Among women’s sports, only women’s basketball reported more than $125,000.

“Amateurism is dead and gone,” Hare said. “It would be great for athletes to have the ability to be paid by schools. But it’s important to figure out how Title IX is going to factor into that.”

Look, Breeding understands the counterarguments, too. That “House,” at its core, is a framework for economics, not societal gatekeeping. She gets that football is the tide that has to lift all boats. That most women’s sports don’t make money. Why should they receive it?

“That’s a good question,” Breeding said. “Why do we deserve to get paid equally? Because it’s the law. It may not be fair, but if you want to make it fair, you need to change the law.”

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College Notes: Track & field alums continuing success | Sports

Published

11 minutes ago

December 18, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Standout performances were the order of the day for a number of indoor track and field athletes with ties to South County in the opening weeks of the season, with those efforts providing a base for potential improvement later in the campaign.

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Texas Longhorns volleyball: 5 key offseason questions

Published

1 hour ago

December 18, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Texas Longhorns setter Ella Swindle (1) celebrates a score during the NCAA Regional Final volleyball match against Wisconsin at Gregory Gym on Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025 in Austin.

Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman

After Sunday’s home loss to Wisconsin in the NCAA Tournament regional finals, Texas volleyball coach Jerritt Elliott gave himself about eight hours or so before he jumped back into the grind.

After all, the Longhorns’ staff had to conduct player meetings Monday morning to assess who’s staying, who may leave and who has questions or concerns before the team members left campus for the holiday break. But that’s how Elliott and his peers have to attack the offseason, which no longer means much off time in the portal era.

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“You try to turn it off, but if you’re going to survive in this profession, you can’t turn it off,” Elliott said after the loss to Wisconsin. “Maybe a few hours here and there, but at some point, you’re waking up in the middle of night with the thoughts of what needs to happen and what pieces you need.”

Texas Longhorns head coach Jerritt Elliott cheers on his team as Texas volleyball plays Indiana in a Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament match in Gregory Gymnasium in Austin, Friday, Dec. 12, 2025. The Longhorns will advance to Elite Eight with a 3-0 win.

Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman

Fortunately for Elliott, Texas doesn’t need many new pieces based on the returning talent as well as a strong crop of freshmen that will arrive in time for the spring semester. The Longhorns lose star libero Emma Halter to graduation and starting middle blocker Ayden Ames to the portal, but enough returning talent from a team that went 26-4 and earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament should make the Longhorns one of the preseason favorites in 2026.

“We feel really good about it,” Elliott said, referring to the offseason. “We’ve got some really good human beings, and we’re in a healthy spot. Obviously we’ll spend some time as a coaching staff going through a lot of different aspects of the program and evaluating and understanding and then trying to rebuild the blocks that we need to be able to be more successful.”

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Here are five key questions Texas must answer in the offseason:

The Texas Longhorns bench watches from the sideline during the NCAA Regional Final volleyball match against Wisconsin at Gregory Gym on Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025 in Austin.

Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman

Who will replace Emma Halter?

It won’t be easy to step into the shoes of the three-year starting libero; one of the Longhorns’ most popular players ever who ended her career No. 8 on the program’s all-time list with 1,307 career digs. But Ramsey Gary, a junior who started as a defensive specialist this season, spent two seasons as an All-Big Ten libero at Indiana before joining Texas and seems like a natural replacement. Reserve Anja Kujundžić also has starting experience as a libero, and incoming freshman Emma Cugino ranks as the No. 2 libero prospect in the 2026 class.

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MORE: Jerritt Elliott excited about new Texas volleyball arena, says it may open for 2029 season

How much will Texas miss Ayden Ames?

A lot, depending on who Elliott can lure in the portal. The 6-foot-4 middle blocker didn’t quite live up to her potential as the nation’s top recruit during a pair of seasons with Texas, but she did have more blocks than any other Longhorn over the past two years while starting almost every game. Right now, freshman Taylor Harvey and redshirt sophomore Nya Bunton are the only middles on the roster, and there wasn’t a middle signed in the 2026 class.

Texas Longhorns outside hitter Cari Spears (23), Texas Longhorns middle blocker Nya Bunton (55) and Texas Longhorns outside hitter Torrey Stafford (4) triple block a hit from Indiana Hoosiers outside hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles (3) as Texas volleyball plays Indiana in a Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament match in Gregory Gymnasium in Austin, Friday, Dec. 12, 2025. The Longhorns will advance to Elite Eight with a 3-0 win.

Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman

What will be the top portal targets?

The middle blocking position will be the No. 1 priority in the portal. And No. 2. Heck, Elliott may try and sign three portal middles. And there’s already good options available in the portal:

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• Kansas’ Aurora Papac, who earned All-Big 12 freshman honors this past season;

• Florida’s Jaela Auguste, a first-team All-SEC player and a Texas native;

• Tennessee’s Zoe Humphrey, another Texas native who earned All-SEC freshman honors this season;

• and Tennessee’s Kiki Granberry, a multitime All-SEC player who redshirted this season because of an injury and has one year left of eligibility.

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Texas Longhorns outside hitter Torrey Stafford (4) spikes the ball during the NCAA Regional Final volleyball match against Wisconsin at Gregory Gym on Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025 in Austin.

Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman

Which freshman has the best chance to make an immediate impact?

Outside hitter Henley Anderson of Dripping Springs is the top pin recruit in the nation for the 2026 class and the two-time Central Texas player of the year may be too good to keep off the court. She’ll join arguably the top set of outsides in the country with junior All-American Torrey Stafford and current freshmen Cari Spears and Abby Vander Wal. Expect Anderson to fill the rotational roll that graduates Devin Kahahawai and Whitney Lauenstein shared this past season.

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Will Ella Swindle remain the starting setter?

It’s been a bit of a roller-coaster career for the fiery Swindle, a 6-foot-3 junior who helps set the emotional tone for the Longhorns. She started as a freshman and led Texas to the 2023 national title, she got benched in favor of the since-departed Averi Carlson in 2024, and she shared time with sophomore Rella Binney this season. Swindle may not be the most efficient setter in the SEC, but her size and spirited play remain an integral part of the Longhorns’ identity. Texas does have a touted setter coming with 2026 recruit Genevieve Harris, but whether the team pursues a setter in the portal could be a telling sign of Swindle’s status as a starter.

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Householder Earns Honorable Mention All-America Status from AVCA

Published

1 hour ago

December 18, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Youngstown, Ohio — The circuit of impressive honors continued for Youngstown State’s Abbie Householder on Wednesday as she was named an Honorable Mention All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.

Householder is just the second player in program history to earn All-America status, joining Paula Gursching in 2022. The outside hitter from Canfield, Ohio, was previously named the Horizon League Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year, and she was an Honorable Mention AVCA All-Midwest Region selection.

Householder is the Horizon League’s only player to garner All-America honors this season, and Dayton’s Kamryn Hunt is the only other player from Ohio’s 13 Division I institutions or native of the Buckeye State to be on the prestigious list of All-Americans.

“We are so proud of Abbie for earning All-America honors,” said YSU head coach Riley Jarrett. “This is an amazing way to finish up her historic career here at YSU, and to truly leave her mark on our program. A lot of hard work and determination has gone into this recognition for Abbie, and I am so happy for her!”

Even with Youngstown State’s season ending on Nov. 22, Householder still ranks 20th in the country in total kills with 502, and she ranks 22nd in total points with 562.5. She ranks 42nd nationally with 4.22 kills per set, and she is 44th with 4.73 points per set. Each of those statistics led the Horizon League in 2025.

Householder finished her career as YSU’s all-time leader in kills with 1,427, passing the previous mark of 1,408 that had stood since 1999. She also is the career record holder with 4,241 attempts, and she ranks third in digs, fourth in points and sixth in aces. Householder is one of three Division I players who surpassed 1,400 career kills and 1,200 career digs this season.

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Rising Senior Libero Dionii Fraga Joins Alabama Volleyball

Published

2 hours ago

December 18, 2025

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama volleyball announced the addition of Dionii Fraga to its 2026 roster, who will join the Crimson Tide as a rising senior following previous stops at Oklahoma and Fresno State.

Fraga was the starting libero last season at Oklahoma and across two preceding seasons at Fresno State. In 27 matches with the Sooners last year, she led the team with 277 digs (2.61/set), including a season-best 16 win a five-set win over Missouri on Oct. 5. Prior to her arrival in Norman, she played in 63 matches over two seasons at Fresno State, earning All-Mountain West honors each year. She led the Bulldogs with 481 digs (3.91/set) as a sophomore after setting the program’s freshman digs record in 2023 with 544 (4.15/set). Following her breakout freshman campaign, she was named AVCA Pacific South Region Freshman of the Year.

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Volleyball’s M.E. Hargan Garners All-America Honorable Mention

Published

2 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Morehead, Ky. – The honors keep coming for Morehead State Volleyball’s M.E. Hargan. The senior outside hitter from Elizabethtown, Ky., has been named Honorable Mention All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.

“The honor is definitely something I’ve always wanted to achieve,” said Hargan. “Hearing about and seeing these amazing players before me gave me motivation to show up and put in the work in a sport I love. I am so happy and thankful it finally came to be at the end of my collegiate career.”

Hargan becomes the fifth player in program history to earn All-America recognition. She joins Katelyn Barbour (2008), Holly Evans (2010), Ellie Roberson (2012) and Olivia Lohmeier (2020).

“M.E. being named Honorable Mention All-American is a tremendous honor, and very well deserved,” said Morehead State head coach Kyrsten Becker-McBride. “I’m incredibly proud of her season, the way she represents Morehead State University, and the type of student and person she is on daily basis.”

Hargan led the Ohio Valley Conference with 493 kills this season, averaging 4.61 kills per set ranking 16^th in the country in NCAA Division I. Her 569 points (5.32 points per set average) ranked 11^th in the country.

She was named the OVC Player of the Year, the sixth Eagle to earn the award, joining Dayle Hammontree (1988. 1989), Amy Almond (2001, 2002), Holly Evans (2010), Roberson (2012) and Lohmeier (2018, 2020).

“Hitting .275 while taking over 1,200 swings is hard to do, especially given that much of her role is managing out-of-system sets,” said Becker-McBride. “She’s made big strides in how she scores in those situations, and her growth over her four years at Morehead State has been rewarding to watch.”

One of Morehead State’s most prolific hitters, Hargan finished her career with 1,488 kills ranking third in program history for the modern era (2008-present when rally scoring changed to 25-point sets). Her 493 kills this season were the third-highest total in the modern era in the Eagle record book. Hargan finished with three seasons in the top 10 in program history for kills.

Her 2,575 total attacks’ tally is the second-highest in the program’s modern era. She also finished with 956 career digs, ranking ninth in the records. Her 98 career service aces and 36 career block solos both rank 10^th in the program, as does her 439 career sets played.

In November, the Ohio Valley Conference named Hargan an OVC Scholar-Athlete, the highest recognition awarded by the conference. She is just the fifth Morehead State volleyball player to have earned the award.

“To earn the OVC Scholar-Athlete award and an All-American honor in the same year speaks volumes about who M.E. is and how she truly excels in every area of her life,” said Becker-McBride. “She is a great example of the true meaning of a student-athlete, since her on court accomplishments are accompanied by hundreds of hours of community service, outstanding grades in a challenging pre-vet degree, and great relationships with her teammates.

Hargan was an All-OVC First Team selection the last three seasons becoming the seventh player in program history to be named to the All-OVC First Team at least three years. This season, she was named OVC Player of the Week five times, including a run of three straight weeks (September 8 to September 22).

“M.E. would be the first person to say she can’t accomplish any of this without her teammates, which is why it’s fitting that this distinction also reflects as an honor for our whole program,” said Becker-McBride. “Her contribution to this program and university should highlight what is possible at a university like Morehead State.”

“This season had a lot of good moments on and off the court and I’m very grateful that I’ve gotten to share all of the experiences with amazing people,” said Hargan. “They definitely make it that much sweeter.”

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Deniz Dakak Named an AVCA All-American

Published

2 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Your Sports Nation

WASHINGTON – Deniz Dakak adds an AVCA All-American honorable mention selection to her outstanding sophomore season, announced on Wednesday morning by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. She is the ninth player in program history to receive the honor in addition to her All-Region selection on Dec. 9.

Dakak’s young career was put into the spotlight this season after she led the Patriot League in assists each week of the 2025 campaign. She was the quarterback of AU’s offense, which put up staggering numbers. The Eagles hit .294 at the end of the regular season, ranking 12th in the country before they hit a Patriot League Tournament record .500 in the conference championship match.

The Istanbul, Turkey native averaged 10.53 assists per set this year, and finished the season with over 1,028 after the NCAA Tournament. Dakak was named the Patriot League Player and Setter of the Year, just the third player to ever earn both awards. With two seasons left, Dakak is on pace to finish in the top 10 of AU’s all-time assists list.

AVCA All-American Awards

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For the latest on American University Volleyball, stay tuned to AUEagles.com and follow the team on Twitter (@AU_Volleyball), Facebook (/AU.Volleyball) and Instagram (@au_volleyball).

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