NCAA office of inclusion sponsors 4 HBCU student-athletes to attend Black Student-Athlete Summit
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For Anaya Martin, being nominated to attend the Black Student-Athlete Summit came at the perfect time in her career. “We talked about life after athletics,” said the Tuskegee track and field student-athlete who finished her sophomore year on the team. “You have to think about (the future) now before it […]
For Anaya Martin, being nominated to attend the Black Student-Athlete Summit came at the perfect time in her career.
“We talked about life after athletics,” said the Tuskegee track and field student-athlete who finished her sophomore year on the team. “You have to think about (the future) now before it even happens. If you wait, it’s gonna be too late.
“That was a great eye-opener. You see so many eye-openers being here, and it kind of helps you realize that you’re not alone.”
The NCAA office of inclusion sponsored four student-athletes from historically Black colleges and universities to attend the Black Student-Athlete Summit in Chicago last month. The NCAA’s inclusion, education and community engagement team works with HBCU conference commissioners to provide opportunities for student-athletes to take part in this life-changing experience.
The summit, held May 21-24, united student-athletes, athletics professionals and industry leaders for four days of programming. Participants engaged in career development sessions, financial literacy workshops and wellness activities designed to prepare them for life beyond sports.
The NCAA sponsored four student-athletes to attend the Black Student-Athlete Summit. From left are Clay Green, Aidan Starling, Ethaliah Edouard and Anaya Martin. (Photo courtesy of the NCAA office of inclusion)
Aidan Starling, a track and field and cross country student-athlete from Grambling, used the summit to reflect on his position coming from an HBCU.
“HBCUs haven’t always been afforded the same opportunities. It’s usually a pretty stark difference. This kind of initiative, this fellowship, has really given me, as a representative of my school, an opportunity to be in a space and voice some of the struggles we’ve had and learn from people we couldn’t have possibly learned from before.”
Starling’s time in Chicago empowered him to see how far he has come while recognizing his future path.
“There are points of time when I never would have seen myself making it as far as I have,” he said. “When you get out, when you make it, when you get these positions you’re dreaming of, go back and bring somebody else out to where you are.”
The Black Student-Athlete Summit equipped participants with tangible skills, connections and pathways to leadership in business, culture and community. The programming brought in speakers from myriad industries.
Ethaliah Edouard, a volleyball student-athlete from Johnson C. Smith, plans to enter the medical field. An impactful moment for Edouard was the opportunity to listen to a session with a former student-athlete who became a doctor.
“She was talking about how she learns, how her brain works and how it was a struggle for her to study, how it was a struggle for her to focus,” she said. “It was like looking into a mirror. The things that she described are the exact things that I spent so much time going through.”
Additionally, Edouard said meeting participants who attend predominantly white schools allowed her to reflect on her own experience at a historically Black university.
“A lot of them talked about how they’re the only ones on their team, in their school, in their classrooms. They’ve never had black professors. Honestly, it made me appreciate my HBCU even more. It showed me there is so much power in me playing with and being surrounded by other Black girls.”
Clay Green, a golf student-athlete from North Carolina Central, said the law session broke down the process of becoming a sports attorney, a path he is interested in pursuing.
Ultimately, Green’s time at the summit will allow him to bring the lessons he learned back to campus.
“We’re trying to build a foundation of not only just financial literacy but understanding that there’s opportunities outside of sports. Knowing I’m not alone set a good foundation of what I want to talk about when I come back.”
Meeting other Black student-athletes, administrators and industry leaders allowed these four student-athletes to gain new perspectives, visualize different career paths and see representation in the professional world.
“Coming from an HBCU, I already see Black excellence,” Green said. “But seeing it outside of your HBCU is always a pleasure.”
Nevada AD Stephanie Rempe on new era of revenue sharing, future of Wolf Pack athletics
Nevada athletic director Stephanie Rempe will enter her fourth season leading Wolf Pack athletics this fall. Rempe recently sat down with Nevada Sports Net to talk about a variety of topics for our annual Wolf Pack Year In Review show. Among the topics were a recap of the 2024-25 athletic season, looking ahead to future […]
Nevada athletic director Stephanie Rempe will enter her fourth season leading Wolf Pack athletics this fall. Rempe recently sat down with Nevada Sports Net to talk about a variety of topics for our annual Wolf Pack Year In Review show. Among the topics were a recap of the 2024-25 athletic season, looking ahead to future facility projects, how revenue sharing will impact Nevada, staying competitive within the Mountain West, the future of college athletics and the upcoming Governor’s Dinner with Hall of Fame coach Chris Ault as this the keynote speaker. You can watch the full interview below.
Stephanie Rempe interview
0:24: Thoughts on 2024-25 athletic season
0:38: How facility improvements impact future of Nevada athletics
2:57: Indoor Fieldhouse project
4:52: House vs. NCAA settlement and revenue sharing
Nebraska volleyball sets line up for Big Ten Media Days
The Nebraska Cornhuskers have announced the scheduled attendees for the upcoming Big Ten Volleyball Media Days. Head coach Dani Busboom Kelly will be joined by senior middle blocker Rebekah Allick and junior outside hitter Harper Murray. Nebraska finished the 2024 season with a trip to the NCAA semi-finals and a share of the Big Ten […]
The Nebraska Cornhuskers have announced the scheduled attendees for the upcoming Big Ten Volleyball Media Days. Head coach Dani Busboom Kelly will be joined by senior middle blocker Rebekah Allick and junior outside hitter Harper Murray.
Nebraska finished the 2024 season with a trip to the NCAA semi-finals and a share of the Big Ten Championship. The season ended with a 33-3 record and a 19-1 conference mark.
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The Huskers will open the 2025 volleyball season on Friday, Aug. 22, when Nebraska hosts Pittsburgh at the Pinnacle Bank Arena as part of the AVCA First Serve.
Big Ten Media Days will take place on July 28 and 29 in Chicago, IL.
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This article originally appeared on Cornhuskers Wire: Nebraska volleyball sets line up for Big Ten Media Days
Howard Hits a Hole-in-One with Bison at the Beach – ATL Edition
Above photo: Howard University Director of Golf Sam Puryear (l) and actor Chris Tucker. Howard alumni and friends supported the golf team through Bison at the Beach events. Howard University brought the spirit of golfing excellence to Atlanta with the 2025 Bison at the Beach – ATL Edition, a three-day event that showcased the strength […]
Above photo: Howard University Director of Golf Sam Puryear (l) and actor Chris Tucker.
Howard alumni and friends supported the golf team through Bison at the Beach events.
Howard University brought the spirit of golfing excellence to Atlanta with the 2025 Bison at the Beach – ATL Edition, a three-day event that showcased the strength of its championship golf program while galvanizing alumni and supporters to help drive the program forward.
Held June 28-30, the weekend focused on the sensational growth of the program, which was established just five years ago with the generous support of four-time NBA champion Stephen Curry. In that time, the men’s team has won back-to-back Northeastern Conference championships while the women’s team has produced several successful players, including recent graduate Kendall Jackson (B.A. ‘25), the most decorated women’s player who will be going pro in August, and Paris Fieldings, a second-year player who earned a trip to the NCAA regional tournament last May.
The event was also an acknowledgement of how Howard University’s program has advocated for increased access in a sport where Black representation has historically been limited.
More than 100 Atlanta-area youth came out to Howard’s junior golf clinic.
The weekend started off with a junior golf clinic where upwards of 100 Atlanta-area youth came out to the Sugar Creek Golf Club to learn fundamentals from members of Howard University’s golf team and coaches. Prior to getting on the green, Howard University Director of Golf Sam Puryear spent time chatting with parents and children, giving them invaluable information about how to prepare for playing on the college level and beyond.
The momentum carried over to the next day with a fast-paced evening at the Porsche Experience Center Atlanta, where guests gathered for dinner and an auction to benefit the program. The evening featured an opportunity for attendees to take several laps around the Porsche Center’s 1.6-mile track with a professional driver in one of the luxury brand’s cars. The dinner, emceed by sports journalist Stan Verrett (B.A. ‘87), featured a series of testimonials from current and former members of Howard’s men’s and women’s teams as well as a passionate address by Puryear. During his remarks, Puryear was especially grateful for the support of Porsche, which returned for a second consecutive year as a Bison at the Beach sponsor.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens speaks at the Bison on the Beach event at the Porshe Experience.
Ayesha Coker, vice president of marketing for Porsche Cars North America, Inc., said the decision to support Howard University golf was an easy one since the program, like Porsche, is driven by dreams.
“We love golf at Porsche — and we’re proud to return as a sponsor of Howard University’s Bison at the Beach Golf Classic. This partnership celebrates excellence, access, and the student-athletes driving the future of the game,” Coker said.
The weekend ended with a golf tournament at the prestigious East Lake Golf Club, an iconic course that has hosted some of the biggest names and events in the sport. There, Howard alumni, supporters, and friends, including Verrett and actor Chris Tucker, hit the links for a day full of fun and fellowship — all for a worthy cause.
Howard alumni and supporters attend Bison on the Beach events.
These students aren’t just successful on the course and in the classroom. They’re making history and chartering a path for others in the process.”
“Bison at the Beach – ATL Edition” is a testament to the power of our community and all that is possible when we invest in our student-athletes. These students aren’t just successful on the course and in the classroom. They’re making history and chartering a path for others in the process,” said Puryear, who spent many years as director of youth golf at East Lake. “We’re not just building a team; we’re building a legacy.”
Hawai’i Places 79 Spring Student-Athletes On Academic All-Big West List
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HONOLULU – A total of 79 University of Hawai’i student-athletes earned Academic All-Big West honors for the spring sports during the 2024 season. The sports included are baseball, beach volleyball, men’s golf, women’s golf, softball, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, women’s track and field, men’s volleyball, and women’s water polo. The […]
HONOLULU – A total of 79 University of Hawai’i student-athletes earned Academic All-Big West honors for the spring sports during the 2024 season. The sports included are baseball, beach volleyball, men’s golf, women’s golf, softball, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, women’s track and field, men’s volleyball, and women’s water polo.
The track and field team had the most honorees with 14 followed by softball (13), baseball (10) and water polo (10).
To be eligible for the All-Academic team, student athletes must maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average, complete one full year at the member institution prior to the season and compete in at least 50 percent of their team’s contests (baseball pitchers are exempt of participation standards, track and field must either compete in 50 percent or conference championship).
The following is a list of the spring honorees from UH teams:
Kyle Dobyns – Sociology
Jordan Donahue – Human Development & Family Studies
Hunter Faildo – Finance
Elijah Ickes – Exploratory
Matthew Miura – Sociology
Cory Ronan – Interdisciplinary Studies
Itsuki Takemoto – Exploratory
Zacary Tenn – Economics
Dylan Waite – Economics
Ben Zeigler-Namoa – Economics
Sydney Amiatu – Political Science
Sarah Burton – Pre-Psychology
Sophie Buschmann – Health & Exercise Science
Alana Embry – Psychology
Julia Lawrenz – Journalism
Caprice Lorenzo – Finance
Jesse Mann – Mechanical Engineering
Sydney Miller – Fashion Design & Merchandising
Kristen Serrano – Management
Anson Cabello – Exploratory Business
Josh Hayashida – Finance
Tyler Ogawa – Finance
Garrett Takeuchi – Finance
Dane Watanabe – Health & Exercise Science
James Whitworth – Finance
Varnika S. Achanta – Exploratory Business
Maline Kraus – Sociology
Wendy Song – Marketing
Emiko Sverduk – Pre-Psychology
Kellie Yamane – Accounting
Carys Murakami – Pre-Psychology
Jamie McGaughey – Exploratory
Amelia “Millie” Fidge – Health & Exercise Science
Maycen Gibbs – Health & Exercise Science
Larissa Goshi – Health & Exercise Science
Milan Ah Yat – Sociology
Ellyanna Cinzori – Marketing
Maya Ichimura – Chemistry
Cierra Yamamoto – Psychology
Liliana Thomas – Psychology
Izabella Martinez – History
Addison Kostrencich – Communication
Chloe Borges – Management
Diego Dalisay – Communication
Andy Hernandez – Electrical Engineering
Quinn Snyder – Economics
Sohta Urano – Finance
Hannah Galindo – Pre-Engineering
Nikola Homolkova – Educational Psychology
Joelle Lanz – Political Science & Comms.
Sheena Masuda – Senior Economics
Ana Vilcek – Psychology/Human Development & Family Studies
Grace Blanchette – Kinesiology & Rehab Science
Allison Bliss – Food Science & Human Nutrition
Ruby Brook – Biochemistry
Rose Forshaw – Earth Sciences
Greta Fraraccio – Finance
Helen Hoadley – Mechanical Engineering
Emilie Kirk Langschwager – Microbiology
Isabella Kneeshaw – Communication
Zola O’Donnell – Mathematics
Valo Sopoaga – Exploratory Health Sciences
Catherine Touchette – Junior Finance
Lilian Turban – Communication
Samaria Vital – Political Science
Tara Wyllie – Psychology
‘Eleu Choy – Civil Engineering
Kurt Nusterer – Finance
Kai Taylor – Sociology
Alia Burlock – Biology
Bernadette Doyle – Marketing Management
Tara Logan – Health & Exercise Science
Daisy Logtens – Health & Exercise Science
Raha Peiravani – Finance
Roni Perlman – Interdisciplinary Studies
Camille Radosavljevic – Finance
Esmee Roijen – Sociology & Political Science
Emilia Schorr – Biological Engineering
Jordan Wedderburn – Health & Exercise Science
80 Aggies Recognized as 2025 Big West Spring Academic All-Conference Honorees
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2025 Spring Academic All Conference
DAVIS, Calif. — A total of 80 UC Davis student-athletes who competed in spring sports across the Big West were honored for their work in competition and in the classroom, as members of the 2025 Big West […]
DAVIS, Calif. — A total of 80 UC Davis student-athletes who competed in spring sports across the Big West were honored for their work in competition and in the classroom, as members of the 2025 Big West Spring Academic All-Conference Team.
The Spring Academic All-Conference Team highlights student-athletes who compete in Big West-sponsored spring sports, including Women’s Water Polo, Men’s Golf, Women’s Golf, Women’s Tennis, Men’s Tennis, Beach Volleyball, Men’s Volleyball, Women’s Outdoor Track and Field, Men’s Outdoor Track and Field, Softball, and Baseball.
To qualify for this honor, student-athletes must meet three key requirements. First, they must maintain a minimum 3.00 cumulative institutional grade point average, with no rounding permitted. Second, they must have completed at least one full academic year at their member institution prior to the season in which the award is received, meaning they must be at least a sophomore academically. Third, they must have competed in 50 percent of their team’s contests during the season. Exceptions to this participation requirement include baseball and softball pitchers, as well as cross country and track & field athletes, who can qualify by either competing in 50 percent of their team’s events or by participating in the Conference Championship.
The Big West proudly recognizes these student-athletes for their commitment to achieving excellence both in competition and in the classroom.
UC Davis’ total of 80 student-athletes, was tied for the second most in the conference. A full list of the Aggie honorees can be found below:
Skylan Pleasant signs with Maryville College | Sports
Cookeville High School graduate Skylan Pleasant officially extended his athletic and academic careers back on May 29 in front of friends, family and coaches at CHS as he signed a national letter of intent to compete for Maryville College in track and field throwing events such as discus and shot put. “I feel pretty good […]
Cookeville High School graduate Skylan Pleasant officially extended his athletic and academic careers back on May 29 in front of friends, family and coaches at CHS as he signed a national letter of intent to compete for Maryville College in track and field throwing events such as discus and shot put.
“I feel pretty good and a little nervous at the same time,” Pleasant said. “I chose Maryville because I like the coach a lot, and I feel like they will accept me more than any other school I looked at. I got a chance to walk around the campus, and everything is really close together. I like that.
“I’m definitely ready to compete at the next level, and my time competing here has helped me with that. I’m going to miss the people I’ve been throwing with here and the coaches obviously, but I’m looking forward to just growing as a person and being a better athlete.”
MC is a private liberal arts college in Maryville, TN, and the Scots compete in the Collegiate Conference of the South within the NCAA’s Division III. They finished the CCS Track & Field Championships tied for 4th out of six total teams with a 5th-place finisher and a 7th-place finisher in the discus event.
“He’s a phenomenal young man. He’s one of those guys that is going to work as hard as he can for you. He’s going to do anything you ask him to do, and he’s never going to complain. He’s going to give you every bit of effort that he has, and he’s just going to be a solid, dependable guy. He’s been an unbelievable joy to coach and be around for four years, and it’s going to be hard to replace him.
“I absolutely think he’s ready to step up to that next level. It’s been unbelievable to watch him grow all throughout high school as a football player, as a wrestler and as a track athlete. I really think he’s just now starting to scratch the surface of what he’s capable of in track and field because he’s had to focus a lot of his time on football and wrestling. I think Maryville is a great fit for him. I think that’s the kind of culture and atmosphere that he will flourish in, and I’m excited to see what he can do.”
