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Natalie Dumas And Luke Pash Named Ed Grant Award Winners

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NJ MileSplit is proud to announce the winners of the third annual Ed Grant Award!

This award, named after legendary track and field journalist and New Jersey track and field historian Ed Grant, who passed away in May of 2021, honors the top high school male and female athlete in New Jersey track and field and cross country.

Winners were selected by a committee after reviewing all the top performers during this past 2024-2025 school year across all three seasons.

Here’s a look at the winners along with the list of the other finalists. 

More: In-Depth Feature on Ed Grant’s Life

ED GRANT AWARD WINNERS 


Girls Winner

After winning the 400-meter title at the indoor Meet of Champions at Ocean Breeze in March, Natalie Dumas followed that up by putting together one of the greatest seasons in U.S. high school history this past spring.

The biggest highlights for the indefatigable junior at Eastern came when she threw down a pair of historic triples last month at both the NJSIAA Meet of Champions and the New Balance National Championships. 

At the Meet of Champions at Pennsauken High on June 4, Dumas became the first athlete to ever win the 400m hurdles, the 400m, and the 800m!!!

Dumas won the 400 hurdles for the second straight year in 1:00.25, then repeated as champion in the 400 in 53.16, matching her winning time last year,  and less than 30 minutes later, she won the 800 in a meet record 2:02.45!


A couple weeks later at the NB Nationals at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Dumas showcased her breathtaking and electrifying talent once again by sending the track and field world into an absolute frenzy by completing a head-spinning triple by becoming the first woman in the history of the world to run 51.14 for 400, 2:00.11 for 800, and 55.99 for the 400 hurdles!!

In her trifecta for the ages, Dumas won all 3 races and shattered the meet records in each race, broke the NJ records in the 400 (she had shared it with Sydney McLaughlin-Levonre) and the 800 (Ajee’ Wilson had held it), and dropped some of the fastest times ever run in U.S. high school history! Her 51.14 and 55.99 are No. 6 in U.S. high school history, and her 2:00.11 in the 800 is No. 5 all-time.  

Oh, and Dumas also earned All-American honors with a 2:03.90 anchor split on the runner-up SMR squad!! So she was a quadruple All-American!

The 2:00.11 by Dumas is No. 8 on the all-time U.S. Under-20 list and makes her the 8th fastest NJ woman ever on any level!!! Trenton’s Athing Mu, the current American outdoor record holder in the 800 and the 2021 Olympic gold medalist in the 800, is No. 1 on the U.S. U20 list, and Wilson is No. 2 at 1:58.21.

The legendary Dumas is now the second fastest junior in U.S. high school history in the 800. The only junior to go faster is Mary Cain of New York, who went 1:59.51 at the 2013 Prefontaine Classic at Hayward Field in Oregon.

She did all that at the age of 16!!! She won’t turn 17 until Aug. 7.

There just isn’t anyone who can match the kind of range that Dumas has.

Did you know that she’s also run 4:55.66 for 1600m, 24.02 for 200m, and she ran 20:26 for 5K at Holmdel Park last fall!!!   

Dumas is scheduled to run the 800 at the Toyota USATF Championships, scheduled for July 31st – August 3rd at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

The top three finishers in each event at the U.S. Championships who meet the world qualifying standard will earn a place on the U.S. team that will compete at the World Championships in Tokyo from September 13-21.

Boys Winner

Luke Pash solidified his status as a New Jersey legend with one of the greatest outdoor seasons by a distance runner in state history.

Pash, the only boy in the state to be named First-Team All-State in all 3 seasons this past school year, made a strong run at becoming the second runner in state history to crack 4 minutes in the mile when the University of North Carolina-bound star burned a 4:03.02 to place third at the RunningLane Championships at Milton Frank Stadium on May 24 in Huntsville, Alabama.

With that time, Pash moved all the way up to No. 2 in NJ history behind Marty Liquori of Essex Catholic, who ran 3:59.8 when he placed seventh at the National AAU Championships at Bakersfield College’s Memorial Stadium in California on June 23, 1967.

Pash, who shattered the Bergen County record of 4:05.69 that Ben Malone of Pascack Valley ran to place second at the 2013 Penn Relays, ripped a 59.62 final quarter to move from 11th to third on the final lap. Pash, who had split of 61.17, 2:01.82, and 3:03.40 before closing in sub 60, finished behind TJ Hansen of Michigan (3:59.02) and Corbin Coombs of New Mexico (3:59.23).


Pash, who passed some of the biggest names in NJ history on the all-time mile list, like Edward Cheserek of St. Benedict’s Prep (4:03.29 in 2011) and Olympian Robby Andrews of Manalapan (4:03.49 in 2009), said it’s an honor to be right behind Liquori on NJ’s all-time list.

“Having the 2nd fastest time in NJ history is so amazing and I am super blessed to have my name up so high on that list,” said Pash. “It is so cool for me that I’m being talked about in the category of the state record in the mile. Marty Liquori was an amazing runner, so having me up there with him is again so cool.”

Pash concluded his illustrious high school career by running 4:04.41 to finish fourth and earn All-American honors in the mile at the New Balance National Championships. 

Pash also won two more Meet of Champions titles this past school year to raise his career total to 4. After winning the 3200m at the indoor Meet of Champions and the 1600m at the outdoor Meet of Champions as a junior in 2024, Pash repeated as 3200m champ indoors and also won the 3200m outdoors.

In addition to his 4:03.02 mile, Pash also ran personal bests of 1:51.50 in the 800 this spring and 8:54.81 in the 3200m indoors.


Girls Finalists

Blair Bartlett, Lawrenceville School
Egypt Bolan, Lindenwold
Taylor Cox, Union Catholic
Natalie Dumas, Eastern Regional
Liliah Gordon, Northern Burlington
Hannah Byrd-Leitner, Moorestown
Hannah Nuhfer, Delsea Regional
Jessica Oji, Livingston
Paige Sheppard, Union Catholic
Sianni Wynn, Pennsauken

Boys Finalists

Past Winners

2024-2025


Natalie Dumas – Eastern Regional HS


Luke Pash – Ridgewood HS

2023-2024

– Article –


Taylor Cox – Union Catholic HS


Malachi James – Burlington City HS

2022-2022

– Article –

Layla Giordano – NV Old Tappan HS


Xavier Donaldson – Seton Hall Prep





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Viking track and field in Fargo on Thursday.

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VALLEY CITY, N.D. – The Valley City State University Men’s and Women’s Track and Field teams will be in Fargo on Thursday, December 11th for the NDSU Dakota Alumni Classic at the Shelly Ellig Indoor and Track and Field facility on the campus of North Dakota State University.

The men are coming off a fourth-place finish at the Mike Thorson Open in Bismarck at the University of Mary on Saturday. Cameron Champagnie took first in the triple jump with a jump of 13.58m. The men had 18 top eight finishes on the day and scored 91 team points.

On the women’s side, Frida Barrera continues to impress. The freshman took second in the 1 Mile run and the 800m run. He time in the 1 Mile run of 5:21.61 set the school record in that event by 4.67 seconds. He time in the 800m of 2:26.69 was 2.45 seconds off the school mark. The women had nine top eight finishes and scored 59 team points which was good enough for third place.

The field events on Thursday begin at 12:00 p.m. with the weight throw. The running events will begin at 4:30 p.m. with the preliminaries of the 60m hurdles.

Live results can be found here

 

 



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2025 Big 12 Volleyball National Honors

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The following Big 12 volleyball players have earned national postseason recognition. Check back frequently for updates.

2025 AVCA Division I Women’s Volleyball All-Region Teams & Awards

Central Region

Rachel Van Gorp, Iowa State, First Team

Reese  Ptacek , Kansas, First Team

Jovanna Zelenovic, Kansas, First Team, Region Freshman of the Year

Ava LeGrand, Kansas State, First Team

Shaylee Myers, Kansas State, First Team, Region Player of the Year

Morgan Brandt, Iowa State, Honorable Mention

Rhian Swanson, Kansas, Honorable Mention

 

Pacific Region

Noemie Glover, Arizona State, First Team

Bailey  Miller, Arizona State, First Team

Colby   Neal, Arizona State, First Team

Jordan Wilson, Arizona, First Team

 

Southeast Region

Avah Armour, UCF, First Team

 

Southwest Region

Evan Hendrix, TCU, First Team

Ksenia Rakhmanchik , Baylor, First Team

Alice Volpe, TCU, Honorable Mention

 

West Region

Suli Davis, BYU, First Team, Region Freshman of the Year

Brielle  Kemavor, BYU, First Team

Ana Burilovic, Colorado, First Team

Kamryn Gibadlo, Utah, First Team

Alex Bower, BYU, Honorable Mention

Claire  Little Chambers, BYU, Honorable Mention

 





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Volleyball Returns to National Stage, Faces Concordia-St. Paul in NCAA Quarterfinal

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ELITE EIGHT QUARTERFINAL PREVIEW
 
No. 7 Gannon vs. No. 2 Concordia-St. Paul
Thursday, December 11 • 2:30 PM (ET)
Sanford Pentagon – Sioux Falls, S.D.
 
The Matchup
The NCAA Division II Elite Eight opens with a high-profile quarterfinal as No. 7 Gannon challenges one of the most dominant programs in Division II history, No. 2 Concordia-St. Paul.
 
Gannon enters the national tournament for the second straight year and the fourth time in the last five seasons. Concordia-St. Paul arrives in Sioux Falls seeking its 10th national title under head coach Brady Starkey, who has built a 688-96 record over 22 seasons and has guided the Golden Bears to 13 Elite Eight appearances.
  
This will be the second all-time meeting between the two programs. The Golden Bears earned a 3–1 victory in a neutral-site match earlier this season on September 7.
 
Head-to-Head
Gannon is making its second straight trip to the Elite Eight and fourth in the last five years. The Golden Knights face a renowned Concordia-St. Paul team in the quarterfinals. The Golden Bears are in search of their tenth NCAA national championship, last winning in 2017. This marks the 13th trip to the Elite Eight in head coach Brady Starkey’s 22 seasons. Starkey owns an incredible 688-96 record as head coach. After losing to St. Cloud State in the NSIC championship match Concordia-St. Paul came back to defeat the Huskies in the Central Regional title game on Saturday, winning 3-2.
 
Series History: Concordia-St. Paul leads 1–0 (last meeting: Sept. 7, 2024 – CSP 3, Gannon 1)

Quotes from Gannon Head Coach Matt Darling

On facing Concordia-St. Paul:

“Concordia is one of the most storied Division II programs, and they have earned that status. Competing against them on this stage creates a tremendous challenge and an opportunity for our team.”

 

 On the Gannon team’s progress:

“I am proud of what this group has accomplished this season. They are a connected and resilient team, and I look forward to having another week with them.”

 

How Gannon Advanced: Atlantic Regional Champions

Gannon hosted the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional for the fourth straight year and came away with a second straight regional crown.  The Golden Knights opened up with a 3-0 win over CIAA champion and No. 8 seed Fayetteville State in the quarterfinals. Next was a familiar foe in No. 4 Pitt-Johnstown. After dropping the first set to the Mountain Cats the Golden Knights won the next three games for a 3-1 win. 

 

For the third time this season Gannon defeated Indiana (Pa.), prevailing by scores of 25-15, 25-15, 25-20. The Crimson Hawks had upset PSAC champion East Stroudsburg in the semifinals. Gannon is making its fourth trip to the Elite Eight in the last five years.

Atlantic Regional Results

Thursday, December 4 – Quarterfinals

No. 1 Gannon 3, No. 8 Fayetteville State 0

  • Kills: Wake 15, Williams 11
  • Assists: Arslan 38
  • Blocks: Williams 4, Smith 3

Friday, December 5 – Semifinals
Gannon 3, Pitt-Johnstown 1

  • Kills: Williams 17, Wake 11, Smith 10
  • Assists: Arslan 47
  • Digs: Fowler 13
  • Blocks: Smith 5, Atwell 3, Arslan 3

Saturday, December 6 – Championship Match
Gannon 3, Indiana (Pa.) 0

  • Kills: Yazicioglu 13, Wake 11
  • Assists: Arslan 41
  • Digs: Williams 11
  • Blocks: Atwell 5, Smith 3, Yazicioglu 

 All-Tournament Honors
Gannon had five players named to the 12-member Atlantic Regional All-Tournament Team. They included Bengisu Arslan (Ankara, Turkey/Private Çankaya Doga Anatolian), Lauren Atwell (Mars, Pa./Mars Area), Alexis Fowler (Cranberry Township, PA/Eden Christian Academy), Sydney Wake (Massillon, Ohio/Jackson) and Abbey Williams (Chicago, Ill./Mother Mcauley Liberal Arts).  Arslan was previously named to the All-Tournament Team in 2022 as a freshman.

 
Arslan earned her second career regional tournament honor, previously recognized in 2022.
 
National and Regional Accolades
AVCA All-Americans (Honorable Mention)

AVCA All-Atlantic Region – First Team

 
D2CCA All-Atlantic Region

  • Arslan – First Team
  • Atwell – Second Team
  • Wake – Second Team

 
PSAC West Major Awards

 All-PSAC West

  • First Team: Arslan, Atwell, Wake
  • Second Team: Yazicioglu

 Record Book Performances
Bengisu Arslan (Ankara, Turkey/Private Çankaya Doga Anatolian) — Senior Setter

  • 4,481 career assists (2nd all-time at Gannon)
  • 1,375 assists this season (2nd all-time at Gannon)
  • Also ranks in the top 10 in service aces, matches played, and sets played

Lauren Atwell (Mars, Pa./Mars Area) — Junior Middle Blocker

  • 365 career blocks (3rd all-time)
  • Top 10 in single-season hitting percentage

Additional Notes

  • Kasey Smith (Meadville, Pa./Villa Maria) ranks 7th in single-season hitting percentage (.360)
  • Atwell ranks 9th (.333)

 Gannon’s Elite Eight History
The Golden Knights are making their eighth appearance in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight. They lost in the quarterfinals in 1991, ’92, and ’93 with head coach Gerry Burbules at the helm. Gannon returned to the Elite Eight in 2017 under head coach Matt Darling and posted a 3-0 win over Regis to advance to the semifinals, where Florida Southern edged the Golden Knights, 3-2. Gannon reached the Final Four for a second time in 2021, upsetting No. 4 seed Hillsdale, 3-1, before losing to host and top-seeded Tampa in the semifinals.
 
1991 (No. 8 seed, Canyon, Texas) 

vs. West Texas A&M – L, 0-3 (14-16, 8-15, 4-15)
1992 (No. 8 seed, Portland, Ore.)
vs. Portland State – L, 0-3 (6-15, 5-15, 4-15)
1993 (Marquette, Mich.)
vs. CSU Bakersfield – L, 0-3 (8-15, 7-15, 6-15)
2017 (No. 7 seed, Pensacola, Fla.)
vs. No. 2 Regis – W, 3-0 (25-20, 28-26, 25-17)
vs. No. 3 Florida Southern – L, 3-2 (25-16, 15-25, 23-25, 26-24, 12-15)
2019 (No. 7 seed, Denver, Colo.) 
vs. No. 2 Nebraska-Kearney – L, 1-3 (25-19, 22-25, 17-25, 15-25)   
2021 (No. 5 seed, Tampa, Fla.)
vs. No. 4 Hillsdale – W, 3-1 (20-25, 25-20, 25-21, 25-16)
vs. No. 1 Tampa – L, 1-3 (21-25, 20-25, 25-23, 18-25) 
2022 (No. 5 seed, Seattle, Wash.)   
vs. No. 4 Cal St. LA – L, 0-3 (11-25, 14-25, 18-25)
2024 (No. 6 seed, Sioux Falls, S.D.)
vs. No. 3 Angelo State – L, 2-3 (26-28, 25-15, 25-17, 19-25, 6-15)
 
What’s at Stake
The winner of the Gannon–Concordia-St. Paul quarterfinal will advance to the NCAA Division II semifinals on Friday, December 12 at 5:00 p.m. (ET), facing the winner of No. 3 Point Loma vs. No. 6 Bentley.

 

 



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Brendan Sorsby from Cincy would be interesting

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I think I saw it rumored that he might portal…pretty nice stats against ACC-comparable competition…maybe he doesn’t see B12 starter to ACC starter as a logical move though…unless he’s just unhappy at Cincy

I don’t see us taking someone like Minchey…4-star or not, he’s only managed 15 attempts in 3 years. I think we’ll see someone with a proven on-field track college track record



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Historic Pairing: Bickley, Sears Collect AVCA All-America Recognition

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LEXINGTON, Ky. (December 10, 2025) — Lubbock Christian University Volleyball added another milestone to its record-setting 2025 campaign on Tuesday, as seniors Lily Bickley and freshman Camdyn Sears were both named AVCA All-America Honorable Mention, becoming the first NCAA-era All-Americans in program history. The selections cap a landmark season in which the Lady Chaps finished 25–8, claimed their first Lone Star Conference Regular Season Championship, and earned the program’s first NCAA Division II postseason berth, advancing to the South Central Regional in Denver.
 
Bickley closes her LCU career as one of the most decorated and productive players of the rally-scoring era. The AVCA All-Region selection finished the season with 368 kills (fifth in LSC), a .325 hitting percentage (fifth in Lone Star Conference), 100 blocks (eighth in LSC), and 435 points (3.48 points per set ranked 16th in LSC), ranking among the LSC’s top offensive threats while appearing in national statistical charts throughout the season. The First Team All-LSC selection ends her four-year career with 1,177 kills—the second-highest total in LCU’s rally-scoring era—and 266 total blocks, including 225 block assists, the fourth-highest rally-era total and top-10 overall in program history. Already the LSC’s Academic Player of the Year, Bickley’s All-America honor adds a fitting final accolade to a senior season in which she served as one of the league’s most efficient and consistent attackers.
 
Sears’ recognition completes one of the strongest freshman campaigns in school history. The LSC Freshman of the Year and Setter of the Year (first player in LSC history to claim those two honors in the same season) and AVCA All-Region Honorable Mention setter recorded a double-double in each of her final five matches, finishing the season with 23 double-doubles and solidifying herself among the most reliable setters in the South Central Region. She totaled 1,309 assists (ranks seventh nationally) — the 10th-best single-season total in program history and the second-best in LCU’s rally-scoring era—while adding 385 digs (12th in LSC), 29 blocks, and directing an offense that ended the season leading the LSC in both kills per set and assists per set. The LSC Championship All-Tournament Team selection delivered 39 assists and 11 digs in LCU’s NCAA Tournament match, continuing a late-season surge that helped carry the Lady Chaps to their first postseason appearance.
 
The honors mark the 23rd and 24th All-America honors issued to LCU student-athletes in the volleyball program’s history, and Bickley and Sears mark the first pair of LCU volleyball student-athletes to claim All-America honors (same season) since Jordan Goings and Elissa Loynes were recognized in 2009. Bickley and Sears mark LCU’s first-ever All-America recipients in the NCAA era and the first recognized since Goings received recognition in 2009 during LCU’s NAIA era.
 

LCU Volleyball All-America Honorees

NAIA Era


























Year Student-Athlete Team/Honor Organization
1998 Kari Beznar Second Team NAIA All-America
1998 Mindy Jones Third Team NAIA All-America
1999 Kari Beznar Second Team NAIA All-America
1999 Mindy Jones Honorable Mention NAIA All-America
2000 Mindy Jones Second Team NAIA All-America
2000 Shelby Smith Honorable Mention NAIA All-America
2001 Beth Lankford Honorable Mention NAIA All-America
2001 Mandy Moffitt Honorable Mention NAIA All-America
2002 Beth Lankford Honorable Mention NAIA All-America
2002 Mandy Moffitt Third Team NAIA All-America
2002 Julie Williams Honorable Mention NAIA All-America
2003 Beth Lankford Honorable Mention NAIA All-America
2003 Mandy Moffitt Second Team NAIA All-America
2003 Stacy Simpson Honorable Mention NAIA All-America
2004 Mandy Moffitt Second Team NAIA All-America
2004 Meagan Kamplain Honorable Mention NAIA All-America
2007 Rachel Stuyvesant Third Team NAIA All-America
2008 Rachel Stuyvesant Second Team NAIA All-America
2009 Elissa Loynes Third Team NAIA All-America
2009 Jordan Goings Honorable Mention NAIA All-America
2010 Jordan Goings Honorable Mention NAIA All-America
2011 Jordan Goings Honorable Mention NAIA All-America

NCAA Era (2013–Present)






Year Student-Athlete Team/Honor Organization
2025 Lily Bickley Honorable Mention AVCA All-America
2025 Camdyn Sears Honorable Mention AVCA All-America

 



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Jeremiah Harris and Collin Bui-Hayes Earn First Big South Weekly Honors of the Season – University of South Carolina

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. – After a first successful meet of the indoor season, the USC Upstate men’s track and field team has collected two Big South Athlete of the Week honors.

Jeremiah Harris was named the Big South Men’s Track Athlete of the Week following his performance at the Visit Winston-Salem College Kick-Off. Harris currently sits first in the Big South for the men’s 200m with his time of 21.53. His time was both a personal best and moved him to second all-time in school history.

Picking up the second weekly award for the Spartans was Collin Bui-Hayes. Tabbed the Big South Men’s Freshman of the week, Bui-Hayes sits second in the Big South for the 60m. In his first collegiate meet, the freshman posted a time of 6.88, a personal best. The time ranks him fourth all-time in school history.

Connect with the Spartans     

Facebook.com/UpstateAthletics     

Twitter | @UpstateXCTrack @UpstateSpartans     

Instagram | @UpstateXCTrack @UpstateSpartans     

YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans 

INVEST IN CHAMPIONS – Join the Upstate Athletic Fund (UAF) and enjoy enhanced benefits for your support of all USC Upstate programs! Make your gift today, click here!

 



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