COLLEGEVILLE — Max Lelwica is a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion.

The St. John’s University senior and 2021 Brainerd graduate showed out at the MIAC Championship May 1-2 and placed first in the decathlon with 6,905 points at Carleton’s Laird Stadium.

Lelwica finished just 27 points off the St. John’s record set by Maguire Peterson at the 2022 NCAA Division III Championships.

Lelwica will get one last chance to break that mark at the NCAA Division III Championships May 22-24 in Geneva, Ohio.

Lelwica is the fifth Johnnie to win the decathlon at the MIAC championship. It’s also his first MIAC title in any event.

“It was a pretty gloomy day, but that’s almost nice because then the sun doesn’t beat you down over the course of the two days,” Lelwica said. “My buddy and I had been training all throughout the fall and preparing the whole year just for this big meet. It was fun to go out with my teammates and compete. It’s a long two days, but it’s a lot of fun. I was just trying to score points for the team because it’s always close between us and Bethel.”

Lelwica posted personal bests in four events and won six of the 10. On the second day, Lelwica won the 110-meter hurdles, discus and pole vault, while placing second in the 1500 run to clinch the title.

“Right before the last event, the 1500, I asked my coach who I needed to stick with just to score points,” Lelwica said. “Thankfully, by then, it didn’t matter quite what I ran in terms of winning the MIAC. However, I was trying to get our school record.

“It feels good to get a payoff for the hard work you put in and I’m just very thankful it came together. It’s easy during the decathlon for stuff to go wrong just because there’s so much going on.”

He ran a 15.17 in the 110 hurdles and threw a personal best 39.29 meters in the discus. He tied for first in the pole vault, clearing the bar at 4.2 meters. He threw 46.48 meters in the javelin to place fourth — his worst finish.

During the first day of competition, Lelwica ran a personal best 11.39 in the 100 dash for third. He followed it with a personal best 6.48 meters in the long jump to win. He won the high jump at 1.89 meters and the 400 dash with a personal best time of 50.31.

He collected third in the shot put with a throw of 11.83 meters.

“I had a really solid Day One, which is usually my weaker point,” Lelwica said. “I was in the lead after Day One and felt like if I came out and took care of business on Day Two, I should be able to get it done because I’m a better Day Two performer. I tried not to think about it too much and just stayed focused on the task at hand.”

His favorite event in the decathlon is the hurdles.

“I get that question a lot and I usually answer with just whatever is going well because it’s kind of hit or miss,” Lelwica said.

Lelwica said it was Mike Degen who recommended he try the decathlon in college. Degen’s son, Mitch, graduated from Brainerd in 2022 and is currently a thrower for St. John’s. Degen won the javelin with a first-place 58.46 toss.

“He thought I would do very well at it,” Lelwica said. “When I toured here and talked to the coaches, they told me they’ll take anyone interested in it. They’ll never force us to do anything, but for the decathlon, you have to want to put the work in to do it because it’s so many events. I’ve never been a top-end athlete and just been decent at a bunch of things and I went into college right away thinking I was going to try this out.”

The biggest learning curve for Lelwica we43 the hurdles, high jump and pole vault.

“The vault has been tough, but learning the events wasn’t as tough for me as just getting faster,” Lelwica said. “I was pretty slow coming out of high school and didn’t have a ton of athleticism. I was just a jumper and learned a lot on how to get faster and more powerful.”

Lelwica was fifth in the heptathlon in the MIAC Indoor Championships Feb. 27-March 1. He placed ninth at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships March 14-15.

Before the Indoor Championships, Lelwica won the Wartburg Invite with 5,063 points in the heptathlon.

Lelwica will graduate with a degree in biochemistry and plans to go to medical school after taking a gap year. He was a three-sport athlete at Brainerd High School competing in soccer, basketball and track and field

“I’ve had really good coaches here at St. John’s and they’re willing to work with me,” Lelwica said. “I’ve learned a lot from them. My teammates and coaches have given me the right regimen and kind of helped me figure out things, so I can apply them.”

CONRAD ENGSTROM may be reached at 218-855-5861 or conrad.engstrom@brainerddispatch.com. Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/the_rad34.

Year: Senior
School: St. John’s University
Sport: Track and field
Major: Biochemistry
High School: Brainerd class of 2021
Highlights: He won the MIAC Decathlon with 6,905 points and collected personal bests in four events.

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota volleyball team has announced its 2025 non-conference schedule. The Gophers will compete in 11 non-league games from Aug. 25 through Sept. 21 before Big Ten play begins on Sept. 24.

“We’re thrilled to finally be able to announce our non-conference schedule,” said head coach Keegan Cook. “It’s been a tremendous amount of work and I want to give special thanks to assistant coach Pedro Mendes for the work he did to bring it together.”

Year three of the Keegan Cook era in Minneapolis officially kicks off with the AVCA First Serve event against Texas A&M on Monday, Aug. 25. The match will be played at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. 

“Our non-conference schedule priorities were both numerous and specific for fall 2025,” said Cook. “First and foremost we want a schedule that allows us to develop our team and prepare them for Big Ten play. 11 matches over five weeks gives us that opportunity. We will be a better team after these five weeks of competition.”

The Gophers will then head home to take on Cal Poly, Ball State and St. Thomas in a three-day tournament at Maturi Pavilion. Each team in the event will play a match each day from Friday, Aug. 29-Sunday, Aug. 31. B1G+ will stream the event.

Minnesota will play two matches in Nashville, Tenn., the next weekend, playing at Vanderbilt on Friday, Sept. 6 and at Lipscomb on Saturday, Sept. 7. The 2025 season will be Vanderbilt’s first season competing in Division I volleyball. Both match times are to be determined.

The Diet Coke Classic will take place from Friday, Sept. 12-Sunday, Sept. 14 at Maturi Pavilion. The Gophers will host South Florida, Dayton and South Dakota State in another three-day event. Each opponent will get the chance to play one another and B1G+ will stream.

“This schedule needs to position our program to earn a seed and host the NCAA tournament in the Pav again. Our 2025 non-conference opponents cumulative win percentage was over .700 in 2024, with many of the teams returning their core contributors. We sought to schedule programs with winning traditions and cultures, and we achieved that,” said Cook.

Minnesota’s preseason slate closes with a pair of regional road games against 2024 NCAA Tournament teams in Loyola Chicago and Marquette. The match with Loyola Chicago will be on Friday, Sept. 19 at 6 p.m. while the match against the Golden Eagles in Milwaukee will be at 1 p.m. CT.

Of the Gophers 2025 opponents, Dayton, Marquette and Texas A&M made the Sweet 16 in 2024. Loyola Chicago and South Dakota State each made the NCAA Tournament as well, with the Ramblers upsetting No. 5-seeded BYU in a first round sweep.

Six of Minnesota’s 11 matches will be at home, giving the Gophers 16 total home matches, including Big Ten play.

“We knew we wanted more non-conference home matches in the Pav,” said Cook. “The support from our community and season ticket holders has been incredible these past seasons, and getting the team in front of them six times was a priority.”

Television networks are still to be determined and information on tickets will be available at a later date.

“We want to give our athletes unique, challenging and memorable road matches. The matches against Texas A&M, Lipscomb, Vanderbilt, Loyola Chicago, and Marquette are exactly that,” said Cook. 

In 2024, the team finished with a 21-11 (13-7 Big Ten) record, a four-win improvement from the year prior. Minnesota made its 10th straight NCAA Tournament and fell in the Round of 32 to Kentucky. The ‘U’ earned top-10 wins over then No. 1 Texas and No. 7 Wisconsin, both in five sets. It was the first time Minnesota defeated a No. 1 ranked team since 2019 and the program’s second straight home win over Wisconsin.

2025 Non-Conference Schedule:

Mon. Aug, 25.: No. 18 Minnesota vs. No. 16 Texas A&M in Sioux Falls, S.D. (Sanford Pentagon) – TBA

Friday, Aug. 29: St. Thomas vs. Ball State – 3 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 29: No. 18 Minnesota vs. Cal Poly – 6 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 30: Cal Poly vs. St. Thomas – 2 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 30: No. 18 Minnesota vs. Ball State – 5 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 31: Cal Poly vs. Ball St – 11 a.m.

Sunday, Aug. 31: No. 18 Minnesota vs. St. Thomas – 2 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 5: No. 18 Minnesota at Vanderbilt – TBA

Saturday, Sept. 6: No. 18 Minnesota at Lipscomb – TBA

Friday, Sept. 12: South Dakota State vs. Dayton – 3 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 12: No. 18 Minnesota vs. South Florida – 6 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 13: South Florida vs. South Dakota State – 2 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 13: No. 18 Minnesota vs. No. 17 Dayton – 5 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 14: No. 17 Dayton vs. South Florida – 11 a.m.

Sunday, Sept. 14: No. 18 Minnesota vs. South Dakota State – 2 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 19: No. 18 Minnesota at Loyola Chicago – 6 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 21: No. 18 Minnesota at No. 21 Marquette – 1 p.m.

*2024 AVCA Final Ranking

Non-Conference Schedule Notes:

-Matches against teams that finished in the AVCA Top-25: 3

-Road/Neutral matches against teams that finished in the AVCA Top-25: 2

-Home matches against teams that finished in the AVCA Top-25: 1

-Matches against 2024 NCAA Tournament Teams: 5

-Matches against 2024 Sweet 16 Teams: 3

-Team records: .730 combined win percentage of Minnesota’s opponents in 2024

LAKE CHARLES – McNeese track and field’s “Baton Brothers” aka, the 4×100-meter relay team, has recorded the most productive and memorable outdoor season in school history and will head into this week’s Southland Conference Championships looking to make more history.
 
Built with twin brothers Kalen Beavers and Keon Beavers, along with Amari Godette and Jaden Powell, the 4×100 team broke the school record three separate meets this season, and a fourth time was disqualified due to an official error.
 
All four sprinters are from Louisiana which makes this group closer and more connected.
 
“This relay team is so special to me because we’re a bunch of guys from Louisiana with different backgrounds and able to showcase Louisiana-born talent,” said Kalen, a native of Carencro and who also holds the team’s fastest time in the 200-meters.
 
His twin, Koen, feels the same.
 
“What makes this team so special is the diversity in all of our backgrounds. Me and Kalen are the young bucks and just our second year out of high school while Jaden and Amari are the seasoned vets coming from different universities.”
 
Godette is a junior from Lake Charles and prepped at Barbe High School before starting his college career at Nicholls. Powell is a senior from Monroe and attended Garden City Community College before coming to McNeese.
 
The team first broke the then 25-year-old school record at the ULL Louisiana Classics on March 22 with a time of 40.05, beating the school record by .04 seconds. Three weeks later, the team clocked a 40.00 time at the NSU Leon Johnson Invitational on April 12. Then two weeks following that on April 26, the quartet became the first McNeese relay team to clock a sub-40 second time with a 39.98 at the LSU Alumni Gold meet.
 
The team initially broke 40 seconds at the Florida Relays on April 4, but controversial judgement by an exchange official ruled the exchange between Powell and Godette was out of the zone and the team was disqualified after clocking a 39.95.
 
But that setback only seemed to strengthen the squad as they went on to break the school record three different times and will head into the conference championships ranked fifth in the league but well within competition range for a gold medal, something a McNeese unit has done only once before and not since 2004.
 
A main part of relays is the exchanging of the baton.
 
“Exchanges might be the most critical part of the relays,” said Kalen. “Of course you need speed, but one simple mistake during an exchange can jeopardize the whole race. A fast team with bad exchanges can lose to a mediocre speed-based team who completes good hand-offs. Plus, if you drop the stick during the race, it’s over for you.”
 
Being prepared both mentally and physically for race days start early.
 
“I get up early and start my day with reading my Bible,” said Koen. “Sometimes I don’t eat breakfast. It just depends on how early I get my runs in.”
 
“I eat a good breakfast and make sure I hydrate,” said Kalen. “I put my Air Pods in and listen to some music to get me ready and locked into my race. I always make time to thank the Lord for the opportunities and blessings he has given me.”
 
The 4×100 relays will take place on Saturday evening at 5:10, the final day of the league championships which will be held at Holloway Field and Ley Track at Rice University in Houston.
 
When asked if the group has been given a nickname, the answer was no.
 
So for now, we’ll just call them “The Baton Brothers.”
 
 

Two new teams appear in the latest 2025 USA TODAY Sports/American Volleyball Coaches Association boys volleyball Super 25. Inside the top 10, Roncalli High School made the most significant move of the week, with the Indianapolis squad landing just behind SoCal power Loyola High School. At the top of the pack, Mira Costa held firm at No. 1, with the Mustangs’ streak now hitting eight weeks in a row atop the boys volleyball hierarchy.

As more action tips off across the country, here is the full Super 25.

More: 2025 USA TODAY Sports/AVCA boys volleyball regional rankings: Week 10

National scoreboard from ScoreStream: Live in-game results around the nation as they happen

1. Mira Costa High School (Manhattan Beach, Calif.)

Region: West | Record: 32-2 | PR: 1

2. Marist High School (Chicago, Ill.)

Region: Midwest | Record: 30-2 | PR: 2

3. Huntington Beach High School (Calif.)

Region: West | Record: 34-3 | PR: 3

4. Carlsbad High School (San Diego, Calif.)

Region: West | Record: 33-2 | PR: 4

5. Corona Del Mar High School (Calif.)

Region: West | Record: 24-6 | PR: 5

6. Newport Harbor High School (Newport Beach, Calif.)

Region: West | Record: 26-11 | PR: 6

7. Glenbard West High School (Glen Ellyn, Ill.)

Region: Midwest | Record: 28-3 | PR: 9

8. Redondo Union High School (Redondo Beach, Calif.)

Region: West | Record: 27-10 | PR: 7

9. Loyola High School (Los Angeles, Calif.)

Region: West | Record: 27-7 | PR: 8

10. Roncalli High School (Indianapolis, Ind.)

Region: Midwest | Record: 23-3 | PR: NR

11. Torrey Pines High School (Calif.)

Region: West | Record: 31-7 | PR: 23

12. Perry High School (Gilbert, Ariz.)

Region: West | Record: 39-4 | PR: 10

13. Meadville High School (Pa.)

Region: Northeast | Record: 26-1-2 | PR: 11

14. Cumerberland Valley High School (Mechanicsburg, Pa.)

Region: Northeast | Record: 14-0 | PR: 12

15. Oak Park River Forest High School (Oak Park, Ill.)

Region: Midwest | Record: 25-4 | PR: 19

16. Lake Howell High School (Winter Park, Fla.)

Region: South | Record: 26-2 | PR: 15

17. Timber Creek High School (Orlando, Fla.)

Region: South | Record: 27-2 | PR: 16

18. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)

Region: West | Record: 25-12-2 | PR: 18

19. Downers Grove North High School (Ill.)

Region: Midwest | Record: 27-4 | PR: 20

20. Lincoln-Way East High School (Frankfort, Ill.)

Region: Midwest | Record: 23-5 | PR: 13

21. Sandburg High School (Orland Park, Ill.)

Region: Midwest | Record: 25-4 | PR: 14

22. St. Xavier High School (Cincinnati, Ohio)

Region: Midwest | Record: 19-2 | PR: 21

23. Beckman High School (Irvine, Calif.)

Region: West | Record: 32-7 | PR: 22

24. Brother Rice High School (Chicago, Ill.)

Region: Midwest | Record: 26-6 | PR: 25

25. Saint Xavier High School (Louisville, Ky.)

Region: Midwest | Record: 26-1 | PR: NR

NORFOLK, Va. – The 2025 MEAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships are set for May 15-17 at William Dick Price Stadium in Norfolk, Va. North Carolina Central’s men’s and women’s track & field teams are set to compete against the seven other conference institutions.

The championships begin on Thursday with the men’s decathlon at 1 p.m. The men’s and women’s discus, high jump and 10,000m champions will be crowned on day one.

Friday’s events include long jump, shot put, 3,000m steeplechase and hammer, along with all track preliminary races.

On the final day, all race events in the oval will go final. Pole vault, triple jump and javelin events will also wrap up to conclude the championships. Saturday’s competition will be live streamed on ESPN+ starting at 1 p.m.

The Eagles had eight medalists in last year’s outdoor championships, with both teams finishing sixth. At the indoor championships this season, the men’s team also finished sixth and the women’s team earned its highest finish ever in the Division I era, placing third.

Tickets for the championships are available online only HERE. All-Tournament passes are a one-time fee of $40, which grants access each day. Daily passes cost $15 per day.       

Before the outdoor championships kick off, the MEAC announced the 2025 Outdoor Track & Field All-Academic selections. The Eagles had 21 honorees out of 149 student-athletes, tied for the most alongside Delaware State.

All MEAC competitors must be at least a sophomore with a 3.0 or better cumulative grade point average. Transfers are also eligible under the same academic requirements.

Below are the 2025 All-Academic honorees from the NCCU men’s and women’s track & field teams. The full list including selections from every school can be found HERE.

North Carolina Central (21) 
Nelson Anderson 
Nyree Bacchus 
Allen Barnes 
Ryan Chong 
Alitza Dennard 
Sa’Niya Fowler 
Jaeda Harris 
Naliah Hope 
Laila Jackson 
Kayla Johnson 
Evans Kimutai 
Corey Little 
Tia Lucas 
Gianna Marquez 
Emmanuel Paddyfote 
Christopher Rollinson 
Octavious Smith 
Travis Stuckey  
Melanne Sutton 
Matthew Swepson  
Victoria Swepson 

For more information on NCCU Athletics, visit NCCUEaglePride.com, or download the NCCU Eagles Athletics app.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Following a national search, Lehigh Athletics has named Shawn McLaughlin the 13th head volleyball coach in program history. McLaughlin brings more than 15 years of coaching experience, having spent the previous three years as associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Delaware.

“We are thrilled to welcome Shawn to Lehigh as our new head coach of women’s volleyball,” said Murray H. Goodman Dean of Athletics Jeremy Gibson. “His energy and experience, particularly his impactful role in building a strong program at the University of Delaware, stood out in our search. We are confident that his leadership, and commitment to student-athlete development will elevate our program and inspire excellence both on and off the court.”

McLaughlin was instrumental in leading one of the most successful stretches in Delaware Blue Hens history that included a 61-23 record, Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Championship in 2023 and runner-up finishes in 2022 and 2024. Under his leadership, McLaughlin helped coach and develop the 2023 CAA Player of the Year and All-American, 2024 CAA Setter of the Year and eight All-CAA honorees.

“I’m honored to step into the role of head volleyball coach at Lehigh University,” said McLaughlin. “This program has a strong tradition of excellence – both athletically and academically – and I’m excited to build on that legacy. Together, we will grow as individuals and as a team, representing Lehigh with pride and purpose.

“I want to sincerely thank Jeremy Gibson, Sue Troyan, Stacy Shiffert and the entire search committee for the opportunity,” McLaughlin continued. “I’m thrilled to represent Lehigh Athletics and to lead a program that reflects integrity, excellence and community.”

Prior to his time at Delaware, McLaughlin served as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at South Alabama for the 2021 season, helping lead the Jaguars to the program’s first-ever Sun Belt Conference (SBC) regular-season title, first SBC Tournament championship and first NCAA postseason appearance. The Jaguars posted a 25-7 overall record, including a 15-1 mark in conference play. McLaughlin also assisted in coaching four all-SBC selections and two all-tournament honorees, including the SBC Championship Most Valuable Player.

McLaughlin spent three seasons (2018-20) as an assistant coach, recruiting and offensive coordinator at the University of Alabama Birmingham. While in Birmingham, McLaughlin coached two Conference USA all-freshman selections and an all-conference honoree. McLaughlin also worked as an assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word (2013-18), helping the Cardinals make the transition from Division-II to Division-I. While in San Antonio, McLaughlin coached and developed four all-conference honorees and qualified for the Southland Conference tournament every season.

In addition to his roles in Texas, Alabama and Delaware, McLaughlin also served in assistant and volunteer assistant coach roles with UC Davis (2009-11), the University of Nevada (2011-12) and the University of Denver (2012-13). His coaching career kicked off in the club volleyball circuit, where he has worked as head coach of Force Volleyball Club (2009-11), head coach and lead trainer of Silver State Volleyball Club (2011-12), head coach of San Antonio Magic Volleyball Club (2013-18) and oversight director of the Lower Alabama Volleyball Club (2022). While with San Antonio Magic, McLaughlin won a gold medal at the 2014 USAV Nationals, coached two Prep Volleyball All-Americans and achieved a top 50 ranking in 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017.

McLaughlin was an accomplished player in college, playing at Lindenwood University from 2004-09. The Lions three-peated during his time there, winning conference championships in 2004, 2005 and 2006.

McLaughlin graduated in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in history education from Lindenwood.

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