Sports
Michael M. Gallegos Heaven gained a handsome angel on
Michael M. Gallegos Heaven gained a handsome angel on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. Michael M. Gallegos left this world at age 18 he was born and raised in New Mexico; he resided in Rio Rancho. He was born on May 31, 2006 at 11:32 PM. Michael attended Rio Rancho High School for his Freshman and Sophomore years and did schooling online getting his high school diploma. Michael was taken by the hands of someone on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. Michael was such an amazing man he was loved by many, and will forever be remembered for his kind heart and his ability to shine a light like no other in everyone he knew. As a child, he started playing sports, his first sport was baseball on the I9 Baseball Teams, then he started playing football, he then started skateboarding-he was so good at everything he played but skateboarding was his all-time favorite. Michael also loved playing his PlayStation with his best friends. If they weren’t together, they were in his game. His favorite football team was the Eagles, and every Sunday we would watch the game with Michael and his sisters. He loved going to the races every Sunday and racing his car with all his closest friends. He loved his car so much it was his baby. He loved to eat his favorite food steak from Long Horn Steak House. Michael also had to make sure he looked fresh, he had the best style, and smelled so good. God has gained a handsome Angel, who was greeted by his grandpa, Jaycob; his great great-grandma, Virginia; his aunty, Renee; and uncle, Richard. He left behind his mother, Kymberly and father, Jude; his three siblings, Gage, Serenity, and Millani; his grandmothers, Donna and Darlene; grandfather, James; his nana, Sandy; his stepfather, Daniel; great-grandma, Rebecca; and great-grandfather, Rudy. He also left behind his cat, Nala, who he loved so much; as well as many cousins; his best friend, Alex; and many extended friends. Michael touched so many lives and was so funny to be around, he always had a big smile on his face. He lit up any room, we will carry Michael’s name forever, he will never be forgotten! Visitation is Saturday, April 19, 2025, from 1:00 PM-3:00 PM, with a Celebration Service following at FRENCH-Lomas. The reception will be held at Moose Lodge, 2721 Edith Northeast Albuquerque, NM 87102 from 6:00 PM-10:00 PM. Please visit our online guest book for Michael www.FrenchFunerals.com
Terpsgiving is one of College Park’s best annual traditions, and it returned this year in a monumental way.
Terpsgiving was a successful effort as Maryland’s student-athletes worked hard to give back to the local community. This year, the Terps collected the most cans they have ever had hosting Terpsgiving, collecting a grand total of 2,561 cans, 876 more cans than the previous record!
Facilitated through Maryland Made/SAAC, student-athletes, coaches and athletic staff participated in Terpsgiving to fight food insecurity in College Park. They held a food drive from Oct. 1 to Oct. 22 and collected non-perishable food donations in designated campus locations, including Gossett Hall, Jones-Hill House, Varsity Team House, and XFINITY Center.
Field hockey’s Ava Trexler was a Director of Share the Shell for SAAC and played a big role in the monumental drive.
“Knowing that we were able to donate more cans than ever this year fills me with so much excitement and gratitude towards our student-athletes,” Trexler said. “Knowing that more people will be fed this year due to our student-athletes’ involvement gives me so much pride in this SAAC program. At the same time, I am not surprised we were able to reach this goal because everyone on our board was doing their part to emphasize the importance of community involvement which made everyone want to be a part of it.”
Trexler hasn’t taken a moment for granted during her time at Maryland and she knows the value of giving back.
“Every student-athlete here knows that getting the opportunity to be a Terp is an honor, and more importantly a privilege,” Trexler said. “I find it extremely important that we give back to the local community that may not have the same opportunity and resources that we do. It is so important that we are committed to supporting the communities around us, and nothing connects a group of people more than banning together to help others.”
Kofe led the MW this season with 11.70 assists per set during league play, the most by any MW player since Colorado State’s Katie Oleksak recorded 11.76 assists per set in 2018. Kofe recorded the most assists by a MW player this season in a three-set match (44 at New Mexico), a four-set match (65 at San Jose State) and a five-set match (62 vs Boise State). She is one of only two players in the nation with multiple matches of 60 or more assists and currently ranks fifth over the full season with 10.94 assists per set. Kofe has also added 18 service aces and 19 blocks and averaged 2.63 digs per set during MW play.
Kofe is USU’s first-ever conference player of the year. USU has twice received conference freshman of the year honors previously, twice each in the WAC and Big West.
In addition to Kofe, senior middle blocker Tierney Barlow, sophomore opposite side hitter Loryn Helgesen and sophomore outside hitter Mara Štiglic were named all-MW selections while sophomore outside hitter Andrea Simovski earned honorable mention.
Barlow earned the honor for the third time in her career after leading the conference with a .471 hitting percentage in league play, ranking as the third-highest hitting percentage in MW history and the highest since 2017. Barlow recorded 11 matches during league play with a .500 hitting percentage or better, including a streak of seven-straight to end the season, while still averaging 3.0 kills per set. She led the MW with three instances of hitting over .650 with at least 12 kills; no other player in the MW recorded more than one. Barlow compiled a streak of 97 consecutive attacks without an error during MW play, the longest-known such streak in Division-I history according to available research. Barlow also averaged 0.90 blocks per set and added 21 aces during conference play.
Helgesen was the only MW player to rank in the top 10 for hitting percentage while also averaging over 3.50 kills per set. Helgesen ranked second in the league with 260 total kills during conference play and ranked second with 4.49 points per set and ninth with a .328 hitting percentage. Helgesen broke USU’s program record for hitting percentage on 20 or more attempts, hitting .704 (20-1-7) against Grand Canyon. She recorded six matches during league play with a hitting percentage over .300 with at least 25 attempts.
Štiglic was named to the all-MW team after ranking seventh in kills per set (3.63) and fourth in points per set (4.27) during conference play. Štiglic also ranked sixth in the MW with 0.31 aces per set, totaling 21. She hit double-digit kills in 17 of 18 matches during MW action, totaling nine kills in her lone match not reaching the plateau. Štiglic also recorded seven matches with multiple aces.
Simovski earned honorable mention after ranking just outside the top 10 during league play both with 2.84 kills and 3.39 points per set. She also ranked third in the league with 0.36 aces per set. One of the top five passing outside hitters in the MW, Simovski recorded a .964 reception percentage on a team-high 335 total reception attempts. Simovski recorded four double-doubles during conference play, including a 19-kill, 20-dig outing against Boise State.
Neilson was named the MW Coach of the Year for the third time in the past five seasons, also receiving the award in 2021 and 2023. Neilson guided the Aggies to an 18-0 record in MW play this season, becoming just the sixth team in MW history to go undefeated in conference play.
Up Next
The Aggies prepare for the Mountain West Tournament held at the Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. Utah State enters as the No. 1 overall seed and will begin its run in the semifinals on Friday, Nov. 28, at 2 p.m. (MT), against the winner between Boise State and Grand Canyon. Should USU advance, the MW Championship will be on Saturday, Nov. 29, at 4 p.m. (MT).
Fans can follow the Aggie volleyball program on Twitter, @USUVolleyball, on Facebook at /USUVolleyball or on Instagram, @usuvolleyball. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program on Twitter, @USUAthletics, Facebook at /USUAthletics and on Instagram, @USUAthletics.
– USU –
Olympian Quincy Wilson, a record-breaking track star, chooses the University of Maryland, joining their track team.
WASHINGTON — Olympian and world record holder, Quincy Wilson, announced he will be attending the University of Maryland. Wilson has also signed with the school’s track and field team.
Wilson chose UMD over South Carolina, Southern California, Texas A&M, and UCLA. In 2024, The Bowie native became the youngest track and field male Olympian in U.S. history at the Paris Olympics. That same year, he was also named the USATF Young Athlete of the Year.
Wilson shattered the under-18 world record in the 400 meters last summer with a time of 44.66. He currently holds the national high school record in the 400, both indoors and outdoors.
Wilson is currently a senior at Bullis School, located in Potomac, Maryland.
Photo Gallery (by Sandy King)
Panthers volleyball team will advance to the OVC championship match tomorrow, November 25th, at 6:00 PM against Morehead State. EIU moved past SEMO in four sets in a match where the Panthers set a new four-set match blocks record at 19.
Set One: The semifinal match was a game of runs between both teams taking turns scoring multiple points in a row. SEMO began the set with a 4-0 scoring, followed by an EIU response, scoring four straight, including back-to-back service aces by Tori Mohesky. The Panthers headed into the media timeout with a 15-13 lead after a kill by Emma Schroeder, who had a .733 hitting percentage for the match. After the break, EIU exploded out of the gate, scoring three in a row off two straight kills by Katie Kopshever. The Panthers defense held strong, anchored by Schroeder and Ariadna Pereles to close out set one 25-21.
Set Two: Both teams battled closely to start the new set, with SEMO holding their largest lead of the match, 10-4. Like set one, EIU responded to adversity, ripping off 5 in a row led by Destiny Walker. The theme of the match continued as SEMO tallied four straight to hold a 14-11 advantage. The Panthers came roaring back with a 5-0 run using two Lilli Amettis kills and two SEMO attack errors. The scoring runs continued between both teams, with SEMO leading 21-18 heading into the final stretch. The Panthers threatened to rally from behind, forcing a SEMO timeout. However, the Redhawks stood strong; winning set two 25-23.
Set Three: The pivotal set three began with the Redhawks stunning the Panther nation to take a quick 7-3 lead. EIU battled back to tie the match at 13. SEMO led 15-14 as both teams stepped away for the media timeout. SEMO continued to lead until the Panthers ignited a mini scoring run using two Walker attacks. SEMO was forced to call a timeout, trailing 20-19. After the break, SEMO responded with two points, which resulted in an EIU timeout. With the crowd on their feet, Destiny Walker used a monstrous block to reach set one. The Panthers used their defense once again with a block by Amettis and Schroeder to close out set three.
Set Four: With the chance to move on to the OVC championship match, Eastern Illinois and SEMO battled tightly to start with, EIU having a small 10-7 advantage. The Panthers continued to stay afloat using their high-powered offense led by Walker and Mohesky. Eastern Illinois took control of the momentum heading into the media timeout after an attack error with Katy St. John. The Panthers stood pat, keeping the Redhawks an arm length away, but the Redhawks caused an EIU timeout. The Panthers responded, led by Waker and Mohesky once again, to remain out in front. After a SEMO timeout, the Panthers recovered from a service ace by scoring two kills by Kopshever and Amettis to win the match.
By The Numbers: EIU set a record of 19 blocks in a four-set match. The previous record was 18, which was set against Murray State in 2012. Destiny Walker led the way offensively with 20 kills and 10 digs. Lilli Amettis was Walker’s partner in crime with 17 kills. Emma Schroeder had a season-high night with 11 kills, 5 blocks, and a .733 hitting percentage. Arianda Pereles and Anaya Rawlinson anchored the defense, with Pereles recording 12 digs and Rawlinson producing 4.5 blocks.
OVC Tournament Bracket:
Sunday, November 23
Match 1 – #2 Morehead State 3, #7 SIUE 0
Match 2 – #3 Southern Indiana 3, #6 Tennessee Tech 1
Match 3 – #1 Eastern Illinois 3, #8 Lindenwood 2
Match 4 – #4 Southeast Missouri 3, #5 Little Rock 2
Monday, November 24
Match 5 – #2 Morehead State 3, #3 Southern Indiana 1
Match 6 – #1 Eastern Illinois 3, #4 Southeast Missouri 1
Tuesday, November 25
Match 7 – No. 1 Eastern Illinois vs. No. 2 Morehead State, 6 p.m. (ESPN+)
All Times Central
EIU will compete in the OVC championship match tomorrow against Morehead State at 6:00 PM CT. The match can be followed on ESPN+ and live stats.
Syracuse University Athletics holds a special place in the hearts of fans, creating a sense of pride that spans generations. That’s because our championship culture is built on collective leadership—from student-athletes and coaches to alumni who continue to champion Orange excellence.
Here are a few recent examples of how this shared commitment has created winning moments this season.
Ian McIntyre Becomes Men’s Soccer’s Winningest Coach
Ian McIntyre is considered one of the brightest head coaches on the college circuit.
Men’s soccer head coach Ian McIntyre became the winningest coach in program history following a 3-0 victory over Colgate on Sept. 23. A hat trick by senior Carlos Zambrano—a feat not accomplished by a Syracuse player since 2019—contributed to McIntyre’s 142nd win.
“It was nice to break the record at home with this group of guys,” recalls the two-time ACC Coach of the Year.
During his 16 seasons at Syracuse, McIntyre has led the Orange to a national championship (2022), two ACC titles (2015 and 2022) and nine NCAA Tournament appearances.
Men’s Cross Country Team Continues To Shine as a National Power
The Syracuse University men’s cross country team proved once again to be among the nation’s top programs, placing fourth in the NCAA Division I Championships at Columbia, Missouri, and securing its best finish in the meet since a third-place showing in 2016.
The strong performance was Syracuse’s fourth straight top-12 finish and 17th straight appearance at the national meet. The Orange were led in the 10K race by senior Sam Lawler, who finished 31st in 29:00.6 and collected All-America honors for the third time, and senior Peter Walsdorf, who placed 37th (29:03.9) to also earn All-America accolades. Rounding out the scoring for Syracuse were senior Assaf Harari (48th), sophomore Benne Anderson (63rd) and junior Matthew Neill (73rd), with freshman Ben Gabelman (100th) and junior Louis Small (161st) also competing. In the women’s 6K championship, sophomore Selma Anderson finished 97th.
For head coach Brien Bell, it was the team’s best finish since he took over the program in 2018, after serving for 13 seasons as an assistant and associate head coach and helping build the program into a national power. The Orange—who finished behind champion Oklahoma State, New Mexico and Iowa State—led the way among ACC and other Eastern schools.
Heading into the nationals, Syracuse captured its second straight NCAA Northeast Regional Championship and finished second in the ACC meet.
Basketball Programs Boast ‘Winning Pedigree’
Head coach Felisha Legette-Jack ’89 is in her fourth season with the Orange.
All eyes are on basketball head coaches Adrian Autry ’94 and Felisha Legette-Jack ’89 as they return their respective programs to national glory.
In his third season with the men’s program, Autry has revamped his roster to include returning starters J.J. Starling ’27 and Donnie Freeman ’28, six transfers and a highly ranked freshman class led by Sadiq White and Kiyan Anthony, the latter of whom is the son of program legend Carmelo Anthony.
“Our players are fast, long and athletic,” says Autry, who took over the program from his mentor and former coach, Jim Boeheim ’66, G’73, H’24.
Legette-Jack, who is in her fourth season with the women’s program, is also sporting a new lineup. Leading the charge are co-captains Sophie Burrows ’27, the Orange’s returning leading scorer; Dominique Darius, a graduate transfer from USC and daughter of Syracuse football star Donovin Darius ’98; and Laila Phelia, a graduate transfer from Texas.
“Our players have confidence and a winning pedigree,” says Legette-Jack, noting the arrival of two other transfers and four new recruits. “They’re making an immediate impact.”
Orange Score in the Classroom
Syracuse student-athletes are recognized for their academic and athletic prowess.
One hundred and fifty-eight Syracuse student-athletes have been named to the 2025 All-ACC Academic Team. Honorees represent the following programs: football (17), women’s rowing (16), women’s soccer (16), women’s lacrosse (15), men’s lacrosse (14), cross country (13), men’s soccer (12), outdoor track and field (12), softball (11), volleyball (10), women’s basketball (9), indoor track and field (6), women’s tennis (5) and men’s basketball (2).
To qualify, student-athletes must achieve a 3.0 GPA for the semester and maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA throughout their academic career and meet performance requirements established by the league for each sport.
Meanwhile, all 24 members of the women’s ice hockey team are part of the Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) All-Academic Team. Ten players have received the American Hockey Coaches Association’s All-American Scholars honors—the third most in the AHA.
Training for Success After Football
Head football coach Fran Brown has established a program to help players land a job in their field of study within 60 days of graduation.
In response to the hypercompetitiveness of the NFL draft, head football coach Fran Brown has created the Syracuse 60 program. The new program helps players land a job in their field of study within 60 days of graduation if they don’t get invited to an NFL training camp.
“It’s important to do something meaningful with your degree,” says Brown, noting that only 1.5% of student-athletes ever see the inside of an NFL locker room.
So far, Syracuse 60 has achieved a 100% success rate. “After year one, we’re 18-for-18,” says Brown, adding that 12 members of the 2024 team reached NFL training camps while six others found jobs in their career path.
Players are required to attend a weekly financial literacy course and are encouraged to start an LLC to manage their name, image and likeness earnings. Such steps ensure they have a foundation for managing long-term business ventures after college.
“It’s the difference between building a team and building a program,” Brown says.
Rowing Shines on Global Stage
On the heels of its first-ever ACC championship, the women’s rowing team is training for its spring season.
For the second year in a row, British native Ellie-Kate Hutchinson ’26 won the gold in the women’s four at the World Rowing Under-23 Championships. She competed in Poland alongside New Zealander graduate student Mackenzie Tuffin and Chilean Antonia Pichott ’28, who respectively placed ninth and 14th overall in the women’s double sculls.
The regatta also saw New Zealander Nicholas Bryan ’28 earn a silver medal in the men’s eight. He was one of eight Syracuse oarsmen, representing six countries, at the four-day event.
The men’s team posted its best finish at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association National Championship Regatta, placing sixth in team scoring. All four boats advanced to the Grand Final for the first time in program history.
Women’s Lacrosse Welcomes Regy Thorpe Era
Regy Thorpe ’01 returns to his alma mater to lead the women’s lacrosse program.
Women’s lacrosse is excited to welcome its fourth head coach in program history, Regy Thorpe ’01. The Hall of Famer brings a wealth of coaching experience at the college, international and professional levels, including a decade on Syracuse’s women’s lacrosse coaching staff.
“This is my dream job,” says Thorpe, who has guided teams to Championship Weekend eight times. “It’s great to be home.”
Among Thorpe’s staffers is former Orange standout Nicole Levy ’19, who previously coached with him at Florida.
Syracuse Toasts Orange Legends
Field hockey standout Alyssa Manley ’16 with Director of Athletics John Wildhack ’80.
Field hockey national champion and 2015 Honda Sports Award winner Alyssa Manley ’16 saw her jersey retired this fall. In addition to a Sept. 26th ceremony at J.S. Coyne Stadium, she’s being honored again on Nov. 29 in the JMA Wireless Dome.
Art Monk ’80 is revered as one of the greatest wide receivers of all time.
Manley captained field hockey to its first NCAA Championship and later represented Team USA in several international competitions, including the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Her November celebration coincides with the return of all seven members of the men’s 2015 national championship cross country team. They included professional runner and former Olympian Justyn Knight ’18.
Manley joins College and Pro Football Hall of Famer Art Monk ’80, whose jersey retirement has been rescheduled for 2026. One of the greatest wide receivers in football history, he still leads the Orange in receptions and receiving yards for three straight seasons (1977-79).
Monk also played with the Washington Commanders, becoming a three-time Super Bowl champion, two-time First Team All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowl selection.
Five Alumni Named LetterWinners of Distinction
Director of Athletics’ John Wildhack with this year’s LetterWinners of Distinction (from left): Crystal Kelch ’08, G’09, Halley Griggs ’10, Shannon Taylor ’08, Hal Cohen ’80 and Seamus Lyman ’95, G’01.
The 60th celebration of the LetterWinner of Distinction award was held at Drumlins Country Club on Nov. 1. The ceremony recognized Hal Cohen ’80 (men’s basketball), Halley Griggs ’10 (women’s lacrosse), Crystal Kelch ’08, G’09 (women’s soccer), Seamus Lyman ’95, G’01 (wrestling and men’s lacrosse) and Shannon Taylor ’08 (field hockey).
The LetterWinner of Distinction is one of the highest honors that Syracuse Athletics bestows on former student-athletes and teams. The award is a potent reminder of the transformative power of sport, emphasizing life skills and lessons learned through bold leadership and teamwork. It’s work that also aligns with the broader goals of the University to foster intellectual growth, person and social responsibility, and lifelong learning.
The Kentucky Wildcats volleyball team opened up SEC Tournament play with a sweep of Auburn and move on to the next round. Today, they took on the Tennessee Volunteers in the semifinal with the winner playing for the tournament championship. It was a battle, but Kentucky won it 3-1 (20-25, 25-22, 25-15, 25-23)
As Always, Brooklyn DeLeye and Eva Hudson led the scoring for Kentucky, with 22 and 18 kills respectively. DeLeye also had 10 digs, which were huge in a game that hinged on defense. Hudson had 3 blocks.
DeLeye and Hudson had plenty of help too. Kassie O’Brien has been one of the best freshmen in the country, and had 46 assists, 8 digs, and 3 blocks in this one. Lizzie Carr had 9 kills and 5 blocks. Jordyn Dailey had 4 kills and 2 blocks.
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