FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (May 29, 2025) – Head volleyball coach Ken Murphy has announced the addition of a new Lumberjack who will join the squad for the Fall 2025 semester.

Ella Hosfeld, a 5’8″ setter from Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, will join after playing two seasons at Westmont College.

As a freshman, she appeared in seven matches with 128 assists and averaged 4.74 assists per set while recording five service aces. Hosfeld capped off her freshman year with 30 assists in a five-set win over Concordia during Westmont’s season finale.

During her sophomore season, she appeared in 27 matches, where she recorded double-digit assists in all but one match – 11 of which she recorded at least 20 assists. She had a season high 30 assists against Academy of Art on November 2, 2024.

Hosfeld is a graduate of Lake City High where she was a four year starter and letter winner. She was part of the Inland Empire League All-Conference team and runner up at the CPA Volleyball Club U18 Las Vegas Classic and made the all-tournament team.

She chose NAU for the kind and amazing coaching staff, high competitive level, team culture, excellent facilities and the opportunity to play alongside a former teammate, Hanah Stoddard.

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The world of sports sponsorship has always been about visibility and brand recognition. For decades, we’ve seen everything from soft drink companies to car manufacturers plaster their logos across jerseys, stadiums, and broadcast graphics. But something different has been happening lately. Digital currency companies have entered the game in a big way, and they’re changing how sponsorship deals work.

This shift isn’t just about new logos replacing old ones. The relationship between crypto companies and sports organizations represents a fundamental change in how sponsorship value gets created and delivered.

Why Crypto Companies Want Sports

Digital currency companies face a unique challenge that traditional businesses don’t have to worry about. They’re selling something that many people still don’t fully understand or trust, whether it’s basic concepts like USD to XRP conversions or more complex blockchain technologies. Sports offer them something incredibly valuable: legitimacy and mass appeal.

When a crypto company sponsors a major sports team or event, they’re not just buying advertising space. They’re buying credibility. Sports have this amazing ability to make things feel mainstream and trustworthy. If your favorite team trusts a company enough to put its logo on the field, many fans figure that the company must be legitimate.

Sports also provide access to demographics that crypto companies really want to reach. The typical sports fan often overlaps with the target audience for digital currency adoption. These are people who are comfortable with technology, willing to try new things, and have disposable income to invest.

The exposure factor is massive, too. A single game can reach millions of viewers, and unlike traditional advertising, sponsorship integration feels more natural and less intrusive. Fans expect to see sponsor logos during games, so the message doesn’t feel forced.

What Sports Organizations Get in Return

For sports teams and leagues, crypto sponsorships often come with benefits that go beyond the typical cash payment. Many of these deals include opportunities for innovation and fan engagement that weren’t possible with traditional sponsors.

Some organizations receive their sponsorship payments partially in digital currency, which can be an interesting investment opportunity if the value increases over time. Others get access to blockchain technology that can improve how they handle ticketing, merchandise authentication, or fan loyalty programs.

The partnership often extends into creating new revenue streams. Teams might launch their own fan tokens or digital collectibles, giving supporters new ways to engage with the organization while generating additional income.

These sponsorships also help sports organizations appear forward-thinking and tech-savvy. In an industry where staying relevant to younger audiences is crucial, having crypto partnerships can signal that a team or league is embracing the future rather than clinging to the past.

The Fan Experience Changes

For fans, crypto sponsorships have introduced some interesting new experiences. Rather than just seeing a logo and moving on, supporters now have opportunities to interact with sponsors in ways that weren’t possible before.

Some teams offer exclusive digital content or experiences that can only be accessed through crypto-related platforms. Others have created loyalty programs where fans can earn digital tokens for attending games or purchasing merchandise and then use those tokens for special perks.

The educational aspect has been significant, too. Many fans have gotten their first exposure to digital currency concepts through their favorite teams. When a trusted sports organization explains blockchain technology or digital assets, it often carries more weight than hearing about it from financial news sources.

However, this hasn’t been universally welcomed. Some longtime supporters feel uncomfortable with their teams promoting something they view as speculative or risky. The challenge for sports organizations has been balancing innovation with maintaining their traditional fan base.

Challenges and Growing Pains

This new sponsorship landscape hasn’t been without problems. The volatility of digital currency markets means that deals can become much more or less valuable than originally anticipated. A sponsorship agreement signed when crypto prices are high might look very different a few months later.

Regulatory uncertainty has created complications, too. Sports organizations have had to navigate changing rules about digital currency advertising and promotion, sometimes having to modify or end partnerships unexpectedly.

There’s also been a learning curve for both sides. Traditional sports marketing teams have had to understand entirely new technologies and business models. Meanwhile, crypto companies have had to adapt their typically tech-focused messaging for mainstream sports audiences.

Some partnerships have faced criticism for promoting products that critics argue are too complex or risky for average consumers. Sports organizations have had to balance their desire for innovative partnerships with their responsibility to their fan communities.

Looking Ahead

The relationship between crypto and sports sponsorship will likely continue evolving as both industries mature. As digital currency becomes more mainstream and regulated, we’ll probably see these partnerships become more sophisticated and stable.

The technology behind crypto offers genuine opportunities to improve fan experiences, from more secure ticketing systems to new forms of digital merchandise. As sports organizations become more comfortable with these technologies, we’ll likely see more creative applications.

The key will be finding the right balance between innovation and accessibility, ensuring that new technologies enhance rather than complicate the fan experience.

THE TEAM AND COACHES 1 Delaney Rich Sr.2 Emma Stromsness So.3 Kayleigh Bell Jr.4 Peyton McDonald Jr.5 Raina White Jr.6 Addison Green Sr. 7 Allie Hepworth Jr.8 Estelle Reese Jr.9 Izabella Beech Sr.10 Colby Coolbaugh Jr.11 Payten Boster Jr.12 Carmyn Ferguson Sr. 13 Lilah Trombley Fr.15 Rylie Hartig Fr.16 Bella Satterwhite Sr.17 Sienna Wnetrzak Sr.18 Sydney Sutter Jr. Head Coach […]

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State head volleyball coach Kristen Kelsay and the Big Ten Conference announced the 2025 league schedule on Wednesday. MSU will play a 20-match conference slate that features 10 matches at the Breslin Center. 

Renewals for current season ticket members are on sale now and can be purchased HERE. Information for new season ticket holders will be available soon.

For the second-straight season, B1G teams will have 14 single-play opponents and three two-play opponents based on geography and competitive balance. The Spartans’ two-play opponents (home and away) are Iowa, Michigan and Nebraska. 

Nine of the conference’s 18 teams played in last year’s NCAA Tournament, with seven of those teams advancing to the second round, five reaching the Sweet 16 and three advancing to the Elite Eight before Nebraska and Penn State met in the national semifinals. Penn State went on to win that match and defeated Louisville in the NCAA Championship to win its eighth title in program history. 

MSU opens the B1G season on the road on Sept. 25 against Minnesota, where Kelsay will make her return to the Twin Cities after serving as the Gophers’ associate head coach for the last two seasons. The Spartans then return home to host in-state rival Michigan on Sept. 27 for the fourth annual Battle at Breslin. 

The Spartans head back on the road for a pair of matches at Northwestern (Oct. 3) and Illinois (Oct. 5) before returning to the Breslin Center for four-straight home contests. Iowa and Indiana will visit East Lansing on Oct. 10 and Oct. 12, respectively, before MSU hosts defending B1G co-champion Nebraska on Oct. 17 and Maryland on Oct. 19. The Spartans’ top two single-game attendance totals have come in their two most recent matches against the Cornhuskers – 8,789 fans in 2023 and 8,291 last season. 

MSU meets Iowa for the second time on Oct. 24 in Iowa City and wraps its two-play with Nebraska in Lincoln on Oct. 25. The Spartans then close October action against Purdue at home on Oct. 31 and host Rutgers on Nov. 1. 

After visiting UCLA and USC last season, the Spartans will travel to the West Coast to take on Washington and Oregon in 2025. MSU visits Washington on Nov. 7 for its second-ever match with the Huskies in Seattle and first since the second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. The Spartans will also face Oregon on the road for the second time ever and first since 2014 on Nov. 9. 

The Spartans return to Michigan the following weekend for a home contest against 2024 NCAA Final Four participant Wisconsin on Nov. 14 before traveling to Ann Arbor to face Michigan on Nov. 16 for the first of three-straight road contests. MSU visits defending NCAA champion and co-B1G champion Penn State on Nov. 21 and concludes the road portion of its B1G schedule on Nov. 23 at Ohio State. 

The conference’s California teams will visit East Lansing during the final week of the regular season, with USC making its first trip since 2009 on Nov. 26 before the Spartans close out conference action against UCLA on Nov. 28. MSU’s match with the Bruins will be the first-ever between the two schools in East Lansing. 

Match times and television designations, along with MSU’s full 2025 schedule, will be announced at a later date.