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MIAA lacrosse, volleyball, baseball state championship recaps for Friday

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MIAA championships: Friday schedule and results

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Yet another championship moment for Izzy Kittredge as Medfield girls’ lacrosse repeats in Division 3 — 11:45 p.m.

Trevor Hass

WELLESLEY — As dynamic as she is on a daily basis, Medfield junior Izzy Kittredge has a habit of saving her absolute best for state championship games.

This winter, she racked up 28 points, 10 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 blocks, and 3 assists to cement back-to-back Division 2 titles for the girls’ basketball program.

In Friday’s Division 3 girls’ lacrosse final against Newburyport, Kittredge exploded for a team-high 6 goals, 3 assists, and 7 draw controls to spearhead an 18-8 triumph and clinch back-to-back championships as well.

“She shows up for the big games,” said Medfield coach Mary Laughna. “She loves to compete. She loves winning. She can take over those games.”

Continue reading Trevor Hass’s story

A Chelmsford Division 1 baseball championship 59 years and nine innings in the making — 11:15 p.m.

Mike Puzzanghera

WORCESTER — In Chelmsford, they’re partying like it’s 1966.

For the first time in 59 years, the Lions are state champions, after a heroic ninth-inning rally plated six runs to topple Braintree, 8-2, Friday night at Polar Park.

But to give the town its long-awaited triumph, the 14th-seeded Lions (19-8) needed their superstar — senior Matt Stuart — to put in a herculean effort. That’s exactly what the Gardner-Webb committed righthander did.

Stuart fired a complete game, striking out six and surrendering just a pair of runs, and added three hits and a run at the plate.

Continue reading Mike Puzzanghera’s story

Kris Vaivers smashes the clincher, resilient Brookline boys’ volleyball bounces back to rule Division 1 — 10:40 p.m.

AJ Traub

WESTWOOD — One more point to win in his high school career. Kris Vaivars knew the ball would come his way.

The senior smashed the last of his 24 kills off defending fingertips, the ball sailing out the back as Brookline’s title drought since 1992 came to an end at Xaverian Brothers.

“It’s surreal,” Vaivars said. “Nothing feels real right now. Just being here is amazing.”

Continue reading AJ Traub’s story

Scenes as Brookline nets long-sought volleyball title — 10:25 p.m.

Brookline’s Alec Smagula sets the ball during the second set of its Division 1 boys’ volleyball championship game against Needham in Westwood.Ken McGagh for The Boston Globe
Brookline’s Amir Tomer (center) celebrates a point with Alec Smagula during the second set.Ken McGagh for The Boston Globe
Kristaps Vaivars (right) celebrates with Brookline teammates Liam Raybould and libero Jacob Lam after his championship-clinching kill in the fourth set.Ken McGagh for The Boston Globe
Kristaps Vaivars lifts the Division 1 trophy, Brookline’s first since 1992.Ken McGagh for The Boston Globe

Scenes from Medfield’s Division 3 dominance — 10:15 p.m.

Izzy Kittredge scores one of her six goals in Friday’s victory over Newburyport at Babson College.Heather Diehl for the Boston Glo
Medfield captain Michaela McDonald looks to make a pass.Heather Diehl for the Boston Glo
Newburyport’s Reese Bromby is fouled by Medfield’s Izzy Kittredge.Heather Diehl for the Boston Glo
Medfield’s Sarah Faust (left) celebrates with her team after scoring.Heather Diehl for the Boston Glo
The Medfield girls celebrate their latest Division 3 state championship.Heather Diehl for the Boston Glo

Chelmsford is the champion — 10:00 p.m.

No. 14 is No. 1 as Chelmsford finished off Braintree with a 6-run ninth at Polar Park, the Lions winning the school’s first Division 1 baseball state championship since 1966.

Mid 9: Chelmsford 8, Braintree 2 — 9:55 p.m.

Chelmsford is on the cusp of ending its Cinderella run in the Division 1 baseball tournament as the belle of the ball.

The Lions loaded the bases with no one out in the ninth, then retook the lead in the state final when freshman Aidan Brackett — who took a ball to the neck earlier in the game — faked a bunt, then drove a ground ball through the left side.

A Matt Hall sacrifice fly made it 4-2. A John Latham chopper got through the drawn-in infield at shortstop to make it 6-2, and a wild pitch and a Will Colucci single made it a six-run inning.

Matt Stuart, who needed only 86 pitches to get through the first eight innings, sits three outs away from delivering a championship.

Chelmsford, Braintree on to the ninth, 2-2 — 9:40 p.m.

More zeros traded in the eighth inning at Polar Park. Peter Brooks made the final out from third base after a pair of Matt Rogers strikeouts in the top half, and Matt Stuart answered for Chelmsford in the bottom half, erasing a leadoff single.

If you’re curious, we’ve got a long way to go until reaching the record books for the longest Division 1 championship game. Chelmsford needed 14 innings to beat Stoughton, 6-5, in 1966.

Seven innings weren’t enough to decide the Division 1 baseball champion.

Three Matt Stuart strikeouts finish off the seventh, stranding a pair of runners, and a raucous crowd at Polar Park will get to see the state’s two best teams play on.

Medfield wins Division 3 girls’ lacrosse title — 9:10 p.m.

The Warriors repeat with a dominant 18-8 victory, against beating Newburyport. Izzy Kittredge injured her ankle in the fourth quarter, but not before she potted six goals for the state champions.

It’s Medfield’s third Division 3 state championship in four years.

All even between Chelmsford, Braintree — 9:00 p.m.

It’s 2-2 at Polar Park.

Matt Rodgers’s sixth-inning RBI single drove in Peter Brooks, who reached base on a dropped third strike and advanced on a sacrifice bunt in the sixth, and the Division 1 baseball final is tied going into the seventh inning.

Superb defensive play keeps it 2-1, Chelmsford — 8:50 p.m.

John Latham looked ready for the WooSox in the bottom of the fifth, not only running down Sean Canavan’s long shot to center field, but turning it into a double play.

The Division 1 final remains a one-run game.

Brookline claims Division 1 boys’ volleyball title — 8:45 p.m.

A back-and-forth battle was anything but in the fourth set, as the Warriors ripped off a 15-3 run on their way to a 25-15 victory in the clincher.

Medfield pulling away from Newburyport — 8:43 p.m.

With Newburyport down a player due to accumulated cards, Medfield scored the final three goals of the third, taking a 13-7 lead — its largest of the game — into the final quarter of the Division 3 girls’ lacrosse final at Babson.

Mid 5: Chelmsford 2, Braintree 1 — 8:35 p.m.

The scoreboard has flipped at Polar Park.

With two outs and the bases loaded, a infield fly dropped in and scored a pair of runs, the latter via Will Colucci racing home from second.

North Reading baseball’s two-year trek to a Division 3 state championship ends in elation — 8:22 p.m.

Graham Dietz

WORCESTER — With no seniors on his roster last year, North Reading baseball coach Eric Archambault felt the road to a state championship required two seasons.

“This was really like a two-year journey for us,” Archambault said. “In our last practice, I just told them ‘This isn’t practice 38 for us. This is practice 75, 76 — something in that range.’ Because it’s a two-year journey when you don’t graduate anyone.”

Archambault’s plan blossomed into a reality Friday at Polar Park as the ninth-seeded Hornets captured the Division 3 state championship, 10-3, over No. 11 Arlington Catholic thanks to a five-run first inning.

Continue reading Graham Dietz’s story

Brookline claims third set, within one of title — 8:20 p.m.

The Warriors have made it two sets in a row at the Division 1 boys’ volleyball final, building leads of 17-12 and 20-15, then hanging on despite a run of Matty Cloonan kills to get Needham within 22-21.

Kris Vaivars helped close it out, 25-22, and Brookline is within a set of its first state title in more than 30 years.

Kittredge, Medfield in control at the half — 8:15 p.m.

Reese Bromby and Avery Tahnk pulled Newburyport within 6-5 with the first two goals of the second quarter in the Division 3 girls’ lacrosse final, but Izzy Kittredge ripped off three straight for her team in response.

She has five goals, and it’s a 9-6 lead for top-seeded Medfield at the half.

Determined and relentless, no denying Walpole girls’ lacrosse the Division 2 championship — 8:05 p.m.

Trevor Hass

WELLESLEY — After each Walpole goal, coach Mike Tosone put his head down, briskly paced the sideline, then immediately returned to his home base, bent over, and placed his hands on his knees.

Even as the Timberwolves’ lead ballooned once, then again after a Reading comeback, Tosone wouldn’t allow himself or his team to get complacent.

For a perennial contender appearing in its fifth state title game in the last 10 years, including last spring, Friday’s Division 2 girls’ lacrosse championship game served as an opportunity to finish what they started.

Walpole didn’t squander it, earning a hard-fought, 16-11, victory at Babson College.

Continue reading Trevor Hass’s story

Braintree opens the scoring at Polar Park — 8:00 p.m.

Connor Grieve smacked the last of three two-out singles in the bottom of the third, giving the Wamps an early edge on upset-minded Chelmsford in Division 1 baseball.

Medfield girls’ lacrosse up, 6-3, after one — 7:50 p.m.

The defending champions scored five of the first six goals in the Division 3 final, but after a pair of Newburyport tallies, Izzy Kittredge built the lead back to three goals with a free position shot 12 seconds from the end of the quarter.

Brookline snipes second set from Needham to pull even — 7:45 p.m.

The Rockets pulled out to leads of 6-1 and 13-9 in the second, but the top seeds battled back to pull even at 18-18. The teams largely traded points into extras from there, and after Needham squandered multiple chances at a two-set lead, an Amir Tomer kill and an Alex Smagula block finished it, 27-25.

Medfield takes early lead in Division 3 girls’ lacrosse — 7:30 p.m.

In just four minutes, top-seeded Medfield has built a 3-0 lead as it seeks to again beat No. 2 Newburyport for a state championship.

Izzy Kittredge, Kendall Herrick, and Mia Macropoulous have the goals, the last coming with 8:16 left in the opening quarter.

Division 1 baseball final nearing first pitch at Polar Park — 7:10 p.m.

It’s not the matchup anyone expected, except maybe these two teams, as eighth-seeded Braintree (16-8) takes on 14th-seeded Chelmsford (18-8).

Needham takes first set — 7:05 p.m.

Will McDonald sealed the first set, 25-20, for the Rockets.

Needham takes first lead — 6:55 p.m.

Andrew Kurdziel started the match with a pair of kills and Needham is up 6-1 in the first set. Timeout Brookline.

After the timeout Needham continued to extend its lead, going up 13-6 in the first set.

Division 1 boys’ volleyball championship about to start — 6:45 p.m.

Top-seeded Brookline (22-1) is making its first title-game appearance since 1992, while No. 3 Needham (21-5) is here for the fifth-straight year in an all-Bay State final at Xaverian.

Walpole wins its first girls’ lacrosse state championship — 6:40 p.m.

Final: Walpole 16, Reading 11

Caitlyn Naughton, Jenna Wong, and Ava MacLean all scored four goals for the Timberwolves, who end their title drought.

Walpole inching closer to state title — 6:30 p.m.

Walpole playing keep-away, up 15-10 with 3:30 to play in the Division 2 girls’ lacrosse championship game.

Walpole builds on its lead in fourth quarter — 6:25 p.m.

Walpole 15, Reading 9, 9:23 left 4th quarter

With back-to-back goals from Ava MacLean, the Timberwolves have built their largest lead of the game.

North Reading wins the Division 3 baseball championship! — 6:20 p.m.

Final: North Reading 10, Arlington Catholic 3

The ninth-seeded Hornets led the entire way to capture their first crown in 13 years.

Nick Torra was 3 for 4 at the dish with a double and three RBIs, Matt Mancinelli went 2 for 3 with two RBIs and Christian Lava was 2 for 4 with three RBIs.

North Reading taking control — 6:15 p.m.

North Reading 10, Arlington Catholic 3, bottom 6th

Matt Macinelli doubles to deep left, scoring Christian Lava and Gavin Brady as the Hornets are now three outs away from their first state championship since 2012.

After 3 quarters: Walpole 13, Reading 8 — 6:10 p.m.

Timberwolves end the quarter on a 6-1 run to build a five-goal lead heading into the final 12 minutes.

North Reading pulling away in sixth — 6:05 p.m.

North Reading 8, Arlington Catholic 3, bottom 6th

Walpole regains the lead — 6:00 p.m.

Walpole 10, Reading 7, 4:41 left 3rd quarter

Caitlyn Naughton’s third goal of the day put the Timberwolves up 8-7, Lily Rodgers completed her own hat trick shortly after, and Emily Hagan pushed the advantage to three goals.

Reading ties it up in third quarter — 5:55 p.m.

Walpole 7, Reading 7, 8:15 left 3rd quarter

A minute out of halftime, Walpole’s Riley Halloran scores for a 7-5 lead, but Libby Quinn scores on a free position shot to make it 7-6 before Lily Rodgers nets her third goal of the game for a 7-7 tie. Reading is on a 6-1 run since falling behind 6-1.

North Reading extends its lead — 5:45 p.m.

North Reading 6, Arlington Catholic 3, top 6th

The Hornets scored in the bottom of the fifth for the first time since the first inning when Matt Mancinelli raced from first to score on a bloop single to center.

There’s also a pitching change to start the sixth. North Reading starter Dylan Matthews pitched five innings, pitching around eight hits and five walks to allow three runs. Glenn Melo coming on in relief.

Arlington Catholic also went to its bullpen in the sixth, pulling starter Patrick Clair after he allowed eight hits, two walks, and six runs in five innings. EJ LaValle relieves him.

Halftime: Walpole 6, Reading 4 — 5:42 p.m.

The Rockets scored three unanswered goals to end the second quarter and got six saves from Addyson Mathews to get right back in this game. Reading’s final goal of the half came from Abby Shanahan off a feed from Molly Trahan.

Middle 5th: North Reading 5, Arlington Catholic 3 — 5:38 p.m.

The Cougars put two on with one out in the fifth but a 6-4-3 double play from North Reading ended the threat.

Reading cuts its deficit again — 5:35 p.m.

Walpole 6, Reading 3, 6:57 left 2nd quarter

Walpole, Reading trade goals early in 2nd — 5:30 p.m.

Walpole’s Jenna Wong scores 13 seconds into the second frame for a 6-1 lead, but sophomore Lily Rodgers gets one back for Reading, still in the opening minute of the second quarter.

End 1st quarter: Walpole 5, Reading 1 — 5:25 p.m.

Caitlyn Naughton’s second goal gave the Timberwolves a four-goal advantage after the opening 12 minutes.

Arlington Catholic inching closer — 5:25 p.m.

North Reading 5, Arlington Catholic 3, bottom 4th

For the third-straight inning, the Cougars cut their deficit by a run, this time on an RBI single from Trey Flaherty.

Walpole puts three on the board in a flurry — 5:20 p.m.

Walpole 4, Reading 1, 1st quarter

Emily Hagan, Sophia Fruci, and Ava McLean scored in a 70-second span for the Timberwolves.

After 3: North Reading 5, Arlington Catholic 0 — 5:15 p.m.

The Hornets haven’t put one on the board since the first, while the Cougars have scored one run in each the second and third innings.

Reading, Walpole knotted at 1-1 in early going — 5:10 p.m.

Jacklyn Shimansky scored for Reading and Caitlyn Naughton answered for Walpole and it’s only three minutes into the game.

Arlington Catholic closes the gap in 3rd — 5:05 p.m.

Tyler Valente singled to center, scoring a run and pulling the Cougars within 5-2 in the top of the third.

Division 2 girls’ lacrosse final about to start — 5 p.m.

Second-seeded Walpole will face fourth-seeded Reading at Babson College.

Walpole looking for its first state title, despite playing in its fifth championship game, while Reading, also looking for its first title, is coming off an upset of top-ranked and three-time defending champion Notre Dame (Hingham).

Arlington Catholic gets one back — 4:45 p.m.

North Reading 5, Arlington Catholic 1, middle 2nd

Connor Fleming-Benison, the No. 9 hitter, gets ahold of an RBI double, sending it to deep center and scoring Patrick Clair (walk) for the Cougars’ first run.

Top 2nd: North Reading 5, Arlington Catholic 0 — 4:40 p.m.

When it was all said and done, the Hornets scored five runs in the bottom of the first, the last two coming home on Nick Torra’s single to left.

North Reading goes ahead in bottom 1st — 4:30 p.m.

North Reading 3, Arlington Catholic 0, bottom 1st

Christian Lava’s RBI single scored Antonio Ricca for the game’s first run and moments later, Gavin Brady’s RBI groundout scored Jason Curran and Max Forristall added an RBI single for a 3-0 North Reading lead, still in the first.

Mid 1st: Arlington Catholic 0, North Reading 0 — 4:17 p.m.

Arlington Catholic leadoff hitter Trey Flaherty got on base with a single through third base, and Matthew Toland was intentionally walked to put two Cougars on base. Both were stranded.

Lineups for Game 1 — 4:00 p.m.

How North Reading and Wakefield got here — 3:50 p.m.

Semifinals:

North Reading 6, Wakefield 0 — North Reading starting pitcher Ethan Quan felt shaky. His curveball wasn’t turning. His changeup wouldn’t dip.

But he trusted his gut through a bases-loaded jam in the top of the first, and completed all seven innings in shutout fashion, clinching the ninth-seeded Hornets (20-4) a spot in the state championship at Polar Park.

“My arm couldn’t feel any better,” Quan said. “Wasn’t the best start, had the bases loaded, but I have a great staff. My pitching coach over there, my coaches and my teammates, they helped me keep the ball low and that seemed to be effective.”

The North Reading baseball team is headed to the Division 3 championship game after taking down Wakefield, 6-0.Graham Dietz

Quan only registered two strikeouts but limited No. 13 Wakefield (18-6) to zero runs on four walks and five hits.

“Honestly, the key to the game for him was those first three innings,” North Reading coach Eric Archambault said. “I think they had base runners in all three innings, and for him to be able to work out of those jams — I mean, if they rip a double there it’s a completely different game.”

North Reading centerfielder Gavin Brady (3), right fielder Max Forristall, and second baseman Antonio Ricca celebrate after Forristall caught the final out of the Hornets’ 6-0 win over Wakefield Wednesday at Fraser Field in Lynn. North Reading will face Arlington Catholic in the Division 3 championship.Robert Marra Photography

Christian Lava scooted a two-run single through the right side of the infield to put the Hornets on the board in the top of the third inning. A Glenn Mello moonshot scored Nick Torra in the top of the fifth, and effective baserunning led to two more North Reading runs.

Jason Curran scored on a passed ball, and Gavin Brady raced home on a sacrifice bunt by Max Forristall.

North Reading players swarm the mound to celebrate their 6-0 win over Wakefield Wednesday at Fraser Field in Lynn.Robert Marra Photography

Archambault wisely chose to intentionally walk Wakefield junior Jack Pennacchia whenever he stepped up to bat. Andrew Nemec led the Warriors with a single and a double.

“We just weren’t going to let [Pennacchia] beat us,” Archambault said. “He is such a phenomenal player. I’ve seen him in person, seen his highlights, talked to a few people and I know he’s a key cog when he gets going.”

Junior Ethan Quan pitched a complete game and shut out Wakefield 6-0 at Fraser Field in Lynn to lead North Reading into the MIAA Division 3 baseball championship this weekend against Arlington Catholic.Robert Marra Photography

Arlington Catholic 5, Sandwich 4 — With Tyler Valente singling home Matt Toland with the winning run in the top of the eighth, the 11th-seeded Cougars (16-6) clawed past No. 7 Sandwich (18-6) and into the championship game. Toland finished with two hits and two RBIs, and Patrick Clair pitched three hitless, scoreless innings of relief with two strikeouts after starter Tyler Nelson went five innings, allowing four runs on six hits and three walks with six strikeouts.

It’s a beautiful day for baseball at Polar Park — 3:40 p.m.

The first game of the day is the Division 3 baseball final, pitting ninth-seeded North Reading (20-4) and 11th-seeded Arlington Catholic (16-6) and Graham Dietz will have coverage from Worcester.

Brendan Kurie can be reached at brendan.kurie@globe.com. Follow him on X @BrendanKurie.





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Colorado Volleyball’s Burilovic Named to AVCA All-West Region First Team

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December 10, 2025

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LEXINGTON, Ky. – Colorado volleyball junior pin attacker Ana Burilovic (Split, Croatia) was named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association’s (AVCA) All-West Region First Team on Tuesday, Dec. 9. 
 
Burilovic’s all-region selection marks the program’s 30th postseason regional selection all-time. This is also her second postseason award after being named to the 2025 All-Big 12 First Team last week. The last time Colorado was named to the All-Region First Team was middle blocker Naghede Abu and outside hitter Alexa Smith in 2018. Colorado’s last all-region selection was an honorable mention for middle blocker Meegan Hart in 2020. Colorado’s first appearance on the all-region team was the first team for setter Nicole Vranesh in 1992. 
 
Burilovic leads the Big 12 in points per set (5.47) and kills per set (4.71). She is also third in conference for aces per set (0.43). This is Burilovic’s first all-region selection of her career. In her 32 matches in 2025, she has accumulated 565 kills, 211 digs, 51 aces, 64 blocks and 19 assists. Burilovic has four kill-dig double-doubles on the season, now totaling 10 in her career. She has had 13 matches with 20 or more kills this season (a CU VB record), including two 30+ kill matches against UCF (Oct. 2) and at Northern Colorado (Oct. 28) – she is only the second player in Colorado Volleyball history to have two matches in one season with over 30 kills. On Sept. 30, Burilovic was named AVCA Player of the Week after aiding the Buffs in their road-sweep over then-No.14 BYU, and then-No.23 Utah. She was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week on Nov. 4, after leading Colorado’s win over Northern Colorado with 30 kills, hitting .329, nine digs, two blocks and one ace (Oct. 28). Burilovic surpassed 1,000 career kills at West Virginia, becoming the 19th Buff to total over 1,000 career kills. She now has 1,061 career kills, 521 career digs, 118 career aces and 116 career blocks.
 
Fourteen student-athletes were selected to the AVCA All-West Region First Team, and six were named Honorable Mention. A full list of the honorees can be found after this release.
 
Under 10th-year head coach Jesse Mahoney, Colorado finished the 2025 season 23-9 and went 12-6 against Big 12 opponents. Coach Mahoney has led the Buffs to a 164-135 record in his 10 seasons at the helm. The Buffs made their 22nd appearance in the NCAA tournament after the conclusion of the regular season, sweeping American in the first round before falling to four-seed Indiana in the second round. The Buffs’ last match against the Hoosiers marks the 12th second round appearance in program history. Colorado has 20 wins this season, marking the program’s 13th 20-win season and its first since 2022. With 23 wins this season, this is the most in a season since 2017 and ties for the third-most wins in a season in program history.
 
For more information on the Colorado volleyball team, please visit cubuffs.com/vb. Fans of the Buffs can follow @cubuffsvb on Instagram, X, and Facebook.
 
 
West Region
1st       Rebekah Allick             University of Nebraska             MB       Sr
1st       Tierney Barlow             Utah State University               MB       Sr
1st       Ana Burilovic               University of Colorado             OH       Jr
1st       Laney Choboy             University of Nebraska             L          Jr
1st       Suli Davis                    Brigham Young University       OH       Fr
1st       Kamryn Gibadlo           University of Utah                    OH       Jr
1st       Andi Jackson               University of Nebraska             MB       Jr
1st       Brielle Kemavor           Brigham Young University       MB       Jr
1st       Kaylie Kofe                  Utah State University               S          So
1st       Annalea Maeder          Creighton University                S          Sr
1st       Ava Martin                   Creighton University                OH       Sr
1st       Harper Murray             University of Nebraska             OH       Jr
1st       Bergen Reilly               University of Nebraska             S          Jr
1st       Kiara Reinhardt           Creighton University                MB       Sr
                                                           
Honorable Mention
HM      Virginia Adriano           University of Nebraska             RS       Fr
HM      Alex Bower                  Brigham Young University       S          So
HM      Loryn Helgesen           Utah State University               RS       So
HM      Taylor Landfair             University of Nebraska             OH       Sr
HM      Claire Little Chambers Brigham Young University       OH       Jr
HM      Avery Page                  Utah Valley University             OH       Sr
                                                           
West Region Award Winners
Region Player of the Year: Bergen Reilly, University of Nebraska, S, Jr
Region Freshman of the Year: Suli Davis, Brigham Young University, OH
Region Coach of the Year: Dani Busboom Kelly, University of Nebraska
 
 



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Big 12 Prepares for NCAA Volleyball Sweet 16

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December 10, 2025

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Arizona State and Kansas advanced to the Regional Semifinal round of the 2025 NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship. This is the fifth time in the last seven years that the Big 12 has sent at least two programs to the Sweet 16 and the first time since 2022. Additionally, the Big 12 finished with eight wins in the first round, the most in Conference history, surpassing the previous high of six (2004, 2006, 2023).
 
No. 2 seed Arizona State defeated Coppin State and Utah State to make its fourth trip to the regional semifinals in program history, and the second time in the last three years. The Sun Devils improved to 28-3 on the year, the second-most wins in school history. This marks the first time in the NCAA era that Arizona State has finished the year undefeated at home and the second time in Arizona State history. The 2025 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, Noemie Glover, recorded 17 kills, the second-most for the Sun Devils behind only Bailey Miller (18 kills). Arizona State will next play No. 3 seed Creighton on Thursday, Dec. 11 at Noon CT/11 a.m. MST.
 
No. 4 seed Kansas will play in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2021, and the fourth time in program history after two wins at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena. The Jayhawks swept High Point (3-0) before taking down No. 5 seed Miami (3-1) behind seniors Rhian Swanson and Katie Dalton. Swanson increased her season total to 19 games with double-digit kills, while Dalton added 59 assists across the two matches. Kansas will play top-seeded Nebraska on Friday, Dec. 12 at 8:30 p.m. CT.
 





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Players to watch at NCAA volleyball tournament’s Sweet 16

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December 10, 2025

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Dec 10, 2025, 07:00 AM ET

The 2025 NCAA volleyball tournament is down to its final 16 teams. But countless pressing questions remain as the tournament makes its way to the final four in Kansas City. Can Nebraska, the No. 1 overall seed, finish undefeated and claim the program’s sixth national title? Can Pitt advance to its fifth straight final four appearance? Will SEC champion Kentucky return to the final four for the first time since winning its first national championship in 2020? Is a young Texas team ready to cash in ahead of schedule?

Here are the 10 (OK, 11) players who will have a major say in answering those questions and more.

Olivia Babcock, Pitt: If the volleyball gods could issue a warning for the NCAA tournament’s stretch run, it would read something like this: “Do not take your eyes off Olivia Babcock, or else…” Arguably the most dynamic player in the college game, the 6-foot-4 Babcock averages 5.9 points per set and 5.1 kills per set for a team that is looking to return to the final four for the fifth straight time. The ACC Player of the Year had more than 40 kills in two matches this season from her opposite hitter position. With springy legs and a powerful arm from the front row, back row and behind the service line, Babcock, the 2024 AVCA Player of the Year, is magic in motion. Look away at your own risk.

Ella Swindle, Texas: Surrounded by strangers at the start of the season, the Longhorns’ junior setter holds the key to the powerful Texas attack. The 6-foot-3 Swindle led Texas to the national title in 2023 but then played a backup role a year ago when Texas fell to Creighton in the regional semifinals. This year, she has 898 assists — mostly to hitters she had never played with before the season. Texas’ top three hitters are Pitt transfer Torrey Stafford (488 kills) and freshmen Cari Spears (338 kills) and Abby Vander Wal (268 kills), and Swindle has the offense hitting at a .316 clip, tied for third-best in the nation.

Rebekah Allick, Nebraska: The top-seeded Cornhuskers take the court with a pick-your-poison approach. Every attacker around Big Ten Player and Setter of the Year Bergen Reilly can terminate (see: Andi Jackson, Taylor Landfair, Harper Murray). Every defender on the court can dig (see: Laney Choboy, Olivia Mauch, Teraya Sigler). On volleyball’s balanced behemoth, Allick stands out for her passion. Make no mistake: Allick, a 6-foot-4 senior middle blocker, is having the best statistical season of her career, hitting .437 (eighth-best in the country but seven slots below fellow middle blocker Jackson) with 235 kills. But nothing fires up the No. 1 overall seed more than an Allick roar after a stuffed block or a kill on an opponent’s overpass. The Huskers will be tested. And when they are, they’ll turn to Allick for inspiration.

Brookeva DeHudson, Kentucky: Don’t google her. It’s impossible to pick one Kentucky superstar outside hitter over the other. Brooklyn DeLeye and Eva Hudson are both that good, so we merged them into one spot. DeLeye was the SEC Player of the Year in 2024. Hudson, in her first year with the Wildcats after transferring from Purdue, is the SEC Player of the Year in 2025. The 6-foot-2 DeLeye has 495 kills on the season and averages 4.7 per set. The 6-foot-1 Hudson has 482 kills and averages 4.6 per set. Slow down one? Maybe. Stop both? Nearly impossible. Together they are the most lethal pair of pin hitters in the tournament and the engine driving Kentucky toward a shot at a second national title.

Chloe Chicoine, Louisville: Now we come upon the rarest of all sightings in the latter half of the NCAA tournament: a 5-foot-10 outside hitter. Chicoine, a transfer-portal addition to the reigning national runners-up, brings her impressive vertical leap and feisty play from Purdue to Louisville. She comes into the regional semifinals with her arm blazing. Chicoine crushed a season-high 28 kills in a five-set win over Marquette in the second round. She leads the balanced Cardinals with 387 kills and is second in digs with 332.

Mimi Colyer, Wisconsin: Two words: Instant. Offense. The 6-foot-3 senior outside hitter and Oregon transfer was a unanimous all-Big Ten selection in her first season with the Badgers. How could she not be? Colyer averages 5.32 kills per set, tops among players remaining in the tournament, and hits .340. She spent her free time getting 220 digs and 67 blocks. With setter extraordinaire Charlie Fuerbringer healthy and back on the court, the Badgers bring an offense that can pose problems for anyone and everyone.

Averi Carlson, SMU: The 5-foot-11 setter started for two seasons at Baylor, then started at Texas, then led the U.S. U23 national team to gold at the Pan American Cup, and now she orchestrates a high-powered Mustangs attack. The ACC Setter of the Year runs an offense that hits .316, tied for third-best (with Texas) in the country. She has developed a quick and lethal connection with fellow transfer Malaya Jones (503 kills) from Colorado State. She also puts up a strong block, with 85 on the season.

Noemie Glover, Arizona State: Since transferring from Oregon before the season, the Sun Devils’ opposite hitter has had exactly one match in which she didn’t produce double-digit kills — but even in that match she hit .444. The 6-foot-2 Glover has 406 kills, 108 blocks and 80 digs. Fun fact: Her dad, La’Roi Glover, played 13 seasons in the NFL and was a six-time Pro Bowler.

Elia Rubin, Stanford: The senior and four-year Cardinal starter has become synonymous with Stanford volleyball over the past four seasons. She brings a host of awards — AVCA All-America, All-ACC, All-Pac 12 — and 1,607 career kills into the regional semifinals. This season, she leads the second-seeded Cardinal in kills (378) and aces (45) and is second in digs (296). About the only thing Rubin hasn’t done in her Stanford career is play in the final four.

Logan Lednicky, Texas A&M: The 6-foot-3 senior opposite hitter is as steady as they come. She has been killing it for the Aggies for four straight seasons, and she’s poised to go out with a bang in her final NCAA tournament run. Through her first two tournament games, she has 39 kills on a .429 percentage and is averaging 6.21 points per set. The AVCA Player of the Year semifinalist plays some mean defense too — she has 83 blocks and 275 digs this season, both second-most among the Aggies.



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NIL’s marketing success proves the value of athletes as creators

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December 10, 2025

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Brands have long turned to professional athletes for their star power in big-budget commercials, but recent shifts in name, image, and likeness (NIL) policy have pushed marketers to widen the talent pool.

On July 1, the House v. NCAA settlement took effect, allowing colleges to compensate athletes for their NIL usage. Marketers expect that these athletes, many of whom have built-in communities and an engaged digital fanbase, can help brands stand out in the influencer space.

  • Student athletes boast a social media engagement rate 3.7x higher than traditional influencers (5.6% compared to 1.9%), according to a June Opendorse report.

“College athletes bring a new edge by commanding hyper-loyal, local communities,” said Alison Bringé, CMO of Launchmetrics, “shaping culture on campuses and connecting with younger consumers with a level of authenticity traditional influencers can’t reach.”

Why college athletes resonate

NIL compensation has shown that sports influence functions like creator influence, as fans want more from their favorite players than just highlight reels. US sports fans look for personal life updates (31%) almost as much as game highlights (34%), according to an April YouGov survey.

“With jam-packed schedules, they don’t always fit the mold of the ‘always-on’ influencer, which makes the glimpses they share into their daily lives, routines, and preferences even more special and exciting to fans,” said Ajalin Williamson, strategy director at The Goat Agency in an October report.

Inside the sports creator economy

With the NIL settlement giving new opportunities to athletes and marketers, brands are reconsidering who is influential, recognizing that considering the full sports sphere can lead to more memorable work.

Cameo, an app where consumers buy personalized videos from celebrities, is recognizing the value of expanding athlete partnerships through a partnership with the Pro Athlete Community (PAC). The goal is to highlight how “brand deals have historically been limited to only the most prominent names,” according to a press release.

You no longer need to be in the big leagues to be a top sports creator. The Savannah Bananas, an exhibition baseball team that is known for their choreographed dances and social presence, has 11.1 million TikTok followers. The Yankees have 1.8 million, and The Mets only 801.7 thousand.



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NCAA women’s volleyball players with famous NBA, NFL dads

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December 10, 2025

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Dec. 10, 2025, 6:02 a.m. ET



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2026 Nebraska volleyball reseating concerns some longtime fans

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December 10, 2025

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Nebraska Athletics is increasing capacity inside the John Cook Arena for the 2026 Husker Volleyball season, but some fans say the reseating is a worrisome change.The arena, inside the Bob Devaney Sports Center, will go from 8,300 to 10,000 seats next year. It’s the first full reseating in the program’s history. Longtime ticket holders like Jim Bunch said their season-ticket spots will no longer be guaranteed under the reseating. “A lot of people in our section, that have now been dispersed, have been together for over well over 30 years,” Bunch said. “It’s really sad.”The Athletic Fund says the reseat will increase revenue for the program. Bunch said he worries that Nebraska Athletics is prioritizing profit over fans.”I understand the landscape of college athletics today, NIL, transfer portal, and now the revenue sharing. But you know, the feeling in Nebraska for me is we’re no longer fans, we’re consumers, and they’re trying to squeeze every nickel out of us that they can,” Bunch said. In a February interview with KETV Sports, UNL Athletic Director Troy Dannen said updates like this one are part of keeping up with the evolution of college athletics.”In this new era of college athletics, for moving into how we generate revenues, stadiums are the primary revenue generators that every institution that plays at this level have,” Dannen said.Bunch said the changes are already beginning, after the University announced the reseating would begin for the NCAA tournament. Bunch said many friends of his no longer could sit in their season-ticket spots.”If you’re a current season ticket holder, you will get a seat somewhere in the building. That has not been true,” Bunch said. The process is outlined on the Nebraska Athletic Fund website, where it lists that season ticket holders will get an assigned appointment time to select their seats, as well as the donation and priority seating costs. The contribution deadline is March 18, 2026, and ticket holders will be notified in April and May of their selection date and time.”We don’t know where we’re going to be for next season, and we’re hopeful that we’re going to be able to stay close to the action,” Bunch said.

LINCOLN, Neb. —

Nebraska Athletics is increasing capacity inside the John Cook Arena for the 2026 Husker Volleyball season, but some fans say the reseating is a worrisome change.

The arena, inside the Bob Devaney Sports Center, will go from 8,300 to 10,000 seats next year. It’s the first full reseating in the program’s history. Longtime ticket holders like Jim Bunch said their season-ticket spots will no longer be guaranteed under the reseating.

“A lot of people in our section, that have now been dispersed, have been together for over well over 30 years,” Bunch said. “It’s really sad.”

The Athletic Fund says the reseat will increase revenue for the program. Bunch said he worries that Nebraska Athletics is prioritizing profit over fans.

“I understand the landscape of college athletics today, NIL, transfer portal, and now the revenue sharing. But you know, the feeling in Nebraska for me is we’re no longer fans, we’re consumers, and they’re trying to squeeze every nickel out of us that they can,” Bunch said.

In a February interview with KETV Sports, UNL Athletic Director Troy Dannen said updates like this one are part of keeping up with the evolution of college athletics.

“In this new era of college athletics, for moving into how we generate revenues, stadiums are the primary revenue generators that every institution that plays at this level have,” Dannen said.

Bunch said the changes are already beginning, after the University announced the reseating would begin for the NCAA tournament. Bunch said many friends of his no longer could sit in their season-ticket spots.

“If you’re a current season ticket holder, you will get a seat somewhere in the building. That has not been true,” Bunch said.

The process is outlined on the Nebraska Athletic Fund website, where it lists that season ticket holders will get an assigned appointment time to select their seats, as well as the donation and priority seating costs. The contribution deadline is March 18, 2026, and ticket holders will be notified in April and May of their selection date and time.

“We don’t know where we’re going to be for next season, and we’re hopeful that we’re going to be able to stay close to the action,” Bunch said.



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