CHICAGO – University of Evansville volleyball commit Wren Jones earned a prestigious honor today as she was announced as the 2025-26 Gatorade Arkansas Volleyball Player of the Year following her final season at Conway High School.
 
Gatorade Player of the Year is the top honor in high school sports, celebrating the nation’s best high school athletes for their excellence in sport, academics and community. The award recognizes Jones as Arkansas’ best high school volleyball player, and she joins an elite legacy that spans professional athletes and coaches to CEOs, such as Kerri Walsh Jennings (1995-96, Archbishop Mitty High School, CA), April Ross (1999-00, Newport Harbor High School, CA) and Campbell Flynn (2024-25, Mercy High School, MI). 
 
“Winning a Gatorade Player of the Year award puts Wren in elite company, and we couldn’t be prouder of her,” University of Evansville head volleyball coach Zach Weinberg said. “Winning this award goes beyond what she does on the court; it highlights her academics, her service to her community, and most importantly, her exemplary character. Wren is a phenomenal volleyball player, but an even better human being, and we couldn’t be happier that she is an Ace!”
 
The 5-foot-11 senior outside hitter led the Wampus Cats to a 30-5 record and the Class 6A state championship this past season. Jones compiled 543 kills and 252 digs, including 25 kills and 16 digs in a 3-1 win over Fayetteville High School in the state final. Jones also recorded 51 service aces and 36 blocks while posting a .451 kill percentage. The MVP of the Class 6A state championship match, she concluded her prep volleyball career with 1,228 kills. 
 
Jones has volunteered locally with Community Connections, a nonprofit that works with special needs children. She has also donated her time as a youth volleyball coach and as part of multiple community service initiatives through her church youth group.
 
Jones has maintained a weighted 3.29 GPA in the classroom. She has signed a written letter of athletic aid to play volleyball at the University of Evansville this fall. 
 

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one state winner from each of the 50 states and Washington D.C., in 12 different sports: football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, baseball, softball, boys and girls soccer, and boys and girls track & field. In total, 610 high school athletes are honored each year. From the pool of state winners, one national winner is selected in each of the 12 sports. The selection process is administered by the Gatorade Player of the Year Selection Committee, which leverages experts including coaches, scouts, media and others as sources to help evaluate and determine the winners in each sport. 
 

Men’s Volleyball | 1/9/2026 11:00:00 AM

The 2026 Empire 8 men’s volleyball season is set to begin on Saturday, January 10, 2026 with three teams in action. This will be the final season before the Empire 8 officially sponsors men’s volleyball as championship sport in 2027. Seven teams will compete this season with Hartwick College joining the group in their inaugural season. 

Fans can watch the action all season long, free of charge on the Empire 8 Network.

2026 Empire 8 Men’s Volleyball Players to Watch

(Sorted Alphabetically by Team)

ELMIRA COLLEGE – Head Coach Eddie Daoreuang

Luke Jata, Jr., OH, Smithtown, NY/Hauppauge – Jata finished the 2025 season with 216 kills and was ninth in the United Volleyball Conference in both kills (2.67) and points (3.49) per set last season

Nick Rohman, So., S, Levittown, NY/Division Avenue – Rohman finished his debut season averaging 6.43 assists per set, totaling 135. He will be looked at to be a leader for the Soaring Eagles in 2026. 

HARTWICK COLLEGE – Head Coach Joshua Bigford

Nate Roorbach, Fr., S, East Aurora, NY/East Aurora – Roorbach is set to take the court for the first time in his collegiate career in 2026. He will be exciting to watch in the Hawks’ debut season. 

Anthony Ruggiero, Fr., OH, Schenectady, NY/Guilderland – Ruggiero will also be playing in his debut season in 2026. He will be expected to take on a big offensive role for the Hawks. 

HOUGHTON UNIVERSITY – Head Coach Mark Corbin

Jerry Buno, So., S, Portland, OH/Skyview – Buno finished his season totaling 260 assists, averaging 3.61 assists per game. Defensively, he totaled 92 digs averaging 1.26 per set. 

Devin Cline, Jr., MH, Belmont, NY, Genesee Valley-Belfast – Cline was a top contributor offensively for the Highlanders last season. He was top-three in kills totaling 102. He averaged 1.55 kills per set. He hadded 12 service aces, 45 digs and 25 blocks in 2025. 

NAZARETH UNIVERSITY – Head Coach Eben Meyer

AJ Burda, Sr., S, Fairport, NY/Fairport – Burda led the Golden Flyers with 712 assists and averaged 7.19 assists per set. He was sixth in the UVC in assists per set. He also finished third on the team in digs totaling 151. 

Ryan Murphy, So., MB, Penfield, NY/Penfield – Murphy had an outstanding first season with the Golden Flyers. He led the team in blocks with 57. He ranked ninth in his conference in hitting percentage with .349. He registered 131 kills and 31 digs on the season. 

SUNY POLY – Head Coach Daniel Short

PJ Gottler, Sr., OH, Buffalo, NY/St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute – Gottler finished his junior season leading the team in kills with 340. He averaged 3.04 kills per set, putting him fifth in his conference, and hit at .275 percent. He was also third in his conference in service aces per set with 0.44 with 41 total. 

Thomas McNulty, Sr., LB, Port Jefferson Station, NY/ Comsewogue – McNulty, the 2025 Empire 8 Co-Libero/Defensive Player of the Year, had a stellar season. He totaled 350 digs, averaging 3.10 digs per set. His dig numbers led his conference. He also had an impressive .939 reception percentage. 

RUSSELL SAGE COLLEGE – Reid Hartl

Dylan Fox, Jr., OPP, Albany, NY/Colonie – Fox, the 2024 Empire 8 Co-Rookie of the Year, was a first team E8 all-conference pick last season. He finished is 2025 season with 325 kills and averaged 3.01 kills per set. He addd 164 total digs and 60 blocks. He finished second in his conference in total kills.

Anthony Guetti, So. S, Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa – Guetti finished his debut season with 813 assists and averaged 7.26 assists per set. These numbers put him fifth in his conference. He added 116 digs and 36 blocks on the season. 

ST. JOHN FISHER UNIVERSITY – Head Coach Matt Cohen

Casey Jackson, Sr., OH, Spencerport, NY/Spencerport – Jackson played in 88 sets over 27 matches in his 2025 season. He finished third on the team with 154 kills and fourth with 93 digs. He also amassed 21 service aces and 21 total blocks on his way to second team all-E8 honors. 

Sonepith Keoviengsamay, Jr., OH, Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy – Keoviengsamay, the 2024 Empire 8 Co-Rookie of the Year, earned second team all-E8 honors last season after slamming 155 kills while hitting nearly .250 across 68 sets over 23 matches. 

 

Empire 8 Men’s Volleyball Returning All-Americans, All-Region & Major E8 Award Winners

• Dylan Fox, Russell Sage, Jr., OPP, Albany, NY/Colonie – 2024 Empire 8 Co-Rookie of the Year
• Sonepith Keoviengsamay, St. John Fisher, Jr., OH, Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy – 2024 Empire 8 Co-Rookie of the Year

RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The Southland Conference (SLC) announced the 2025 Volleyball All-Academic Awards on Friday and The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) junior setter Isabella Costantini was named the Student-Athlete of the Year. 
 
Costantini and four teammates – sophomore outside hitter Martina Franco, freshman outside hitter Dimitra Nanou, redshirt sophomore middle blocker Julianna Bryant and senior right side Valentina Sarti Cipriani – all made the All-Academic Team. 
 
To be eligible for the All-Academic Team, volleyball student-athletes must have a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or better with at least one semester completed at the nominating institution and must have participated in at least 50% of the team’s matches. To be eligible for Student-Athlete of the Year, the minimum GPA is 3.50 along with the other requirements. 
 
Costantini’s Student-Athlete of the Year award adds to a long list of accolades after UTRGV’s stellar 2025 season. Costantini was named the SLC Setter of the Year and to the All-Conference First Team for the second consecutive season. She made the SLC All-Tournament Team and was a three-time Setter of the Week honoree after helping UTRGV to the regular season championship and the conference tournament championship match. 
 
Costantini finished the season leading the conference with 10.62 assists/set, 57 aces and 0.54 aces/set. She totaled 1,115 assists while facilitating the offense to a program-record .275 hitting percentage. The CSC Academic All-District honoree was a multidisciplinary studies student at UTRGV focusing on kinesiology, biology and nutritional sciences. 
 
Franco, a kinesiology student, was named the SLC Newcomer of the Year and made the All-Conference First Team. She led UTRGV’s versatile offense averaging 3.44 kills/set and totaled 248 kills on .258 hitting in her first season with the Vaqueros. Franco tabbed six double-doubles as she averaged 2.43 digs/set and had three matches with 20+ kills. 
 
Nanou was voted as the SLC Freshman of the Year and made the All-Conference First Team. She tabbed eight double-doubles in her rookie season, recording a team-high 294 kills while averaging 3.09 kills/set on a .275 hitting percentage and 2.61 digs/set. She was second on the team with 39 aces and entered UTRGV’s freshman season record books by collecting top 5 marks in hitting percentage and aces. She is pursuing a degree in biology. 
 
Bryant made the All-Conference Second Team and the All-Tournament Team in her comeback season after her 2024 campaign was cut short due to injury. She led UTRGV averaging 1.03 blocks/set with 96 total blocks and recorded 2.09 kills/set on a .280 hitting percentage. Bryant, a criminal justice student, had six matches with five or more blocks and seven matches with double-digit kills. 
 
Cipriani entered the program record books as she tabbed the third-best single-season hitting percentage of .306 in program history. She contributed 2.53 kills/set and 0.61 blocks/set in her lone season at UTRGV. The mass communication student was extremely efficient, hitting over .400 in six matches and reached double-digit kills in nine contests. Her best hitting performance was a match at Northwestern State, when she collected 10 kills with no errors on 13 attempts for a .769 hitting percentage – the fifth-best single-match mark in program history. 
 
Southland Volleyball All-Academic Awards 
Student-Athlete of the Year: Isabella Costantini, UTRGV
 
All-Academic Team
Isabella Costantini, UTRGV
Martina Franco, UTRGV
Dimitra Nanou, UTRGV
Julianna Bryant, UTRGV
Valentina Sarti Cipriani, UTRGV

Gracie Campbell, East Texas A&M

Rendi Fetty, East Texas A&M

Haley Mullaney, East Texas A&M

Jade Washington, East Texas A&M
Allana Archie, Houston Christian University
Katy Barger, Houston Christian University
Joya Euhus, Houston Christian University
Peyton Fadal, Houston Christian University
Hannah Redrow, Houston Christian University
Alex Beauchamp, UIW
Vanessa Eregie, UIW
Finley Evans, UIW
Kyla Malone, UIW
Alexa Gonzalez, Lamar
Lyric Jordan, Lamar
Hailey McElrath, Lamar
Taisha Rhone, Lamar
Daniella Udegbunam, Lamar
Neal Grace Berry, McNeese
Lauren Fuller, McNeese
Ava Henry, McNeese
Kinga Ziolkowska, McNeese
Vanae Sapp, New Orleans
Alessandra Meoni, New Orleans
Defne Eciroglu, New Orleans
Lani Alleman, New Orleans
Courtney Roundtree, New Orleans
Tierney Terrell, Nicholls
Olivia Bush, Northwestern State
Julia Whitfield, Northwestern State
Emmarie McFarland, Northwestern State
Samaya Wesson, Northwestern State
Makenna Tryon, Northwestern State
India Bennett, Southeastern
Ainsley Driska, Southeastern
Lily Morgan, Southeastern
Alexis Logarbo, Southeastern
Peyton Stokley, Southeastern
Caroline Kahle, Stephen F. Austin
Kyanna Creecy, Stephen F. Austin
Jayden Flynn, Stephen F. Austin
Izabella Ortiz, Stephen F. Austin
Katherine Holtman, Stephen F. Austin

Brooklyn Jaeger, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

Virginia Ban Der Werff, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

Kenna Buchanan, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

Katelyn Krienke, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

Kaitlyn Baumann, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

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Talia Johnson will enroll early and join the Chanticleers this spring, while Abby Bucey, Isabele Filardo, and Viara Parapunova will join the program for the fall semester.

“We’re incredibly excited to welcome this group into our Coastal volleyball family,” Loeswick said. “This class brings a great balance of size, athleticism, ball control, and international experience; each of these student-athletes fits the culture and competitive mindset we’re building within our program. They are high-level competitors who love the game and are eager to grow, and we can’t wait to get them on campus and in teal.”

Bucey is a 5-foot-7 libero from Tampa, Fla., who attends Plant High School and plays for No Name Volleyball Club. As a sophomore, she helped Plant capture the 2023 Florida High School Athletic Association Class 7A state championship and earn runner-up finishes in each of the following two seasons. She received AAU All-America honors in 2023.

“Abby is an elite-level libero who brings toughness, consistency, and leadership to the backcourt,” Loeswick said. “She reads the game extremely well and has a great platform. Coming from No Name Volleyball Club, she has been trained at a high level and will immediately raise the level of our ball control and defensive culture.”

Filardo is a 6-foot-1 outside hitter from Brazil who attended Vila Militar College and competed on the club circuit for Círculo Militar do Paraná. She led her team to a second-place finish at the 2025 Brazilian National Teams Championships after capturing the title at the 2025 Brazilian Youth Games National Championship.

“Isabele brings a wealth of international experience that is rare at this stage,” Loeswick said. “Competing at a high level both indoors and on the beach while representing Brazil has shaped her into a versatile, skilled and composed athlete. Her physicality and volleyball IQ will be a big asset to our program.”

Johnson is a 6-foot outside hitter from Savannah, Ga., who attends Richmond Hill High School and plays for ClubSAV. She was voted the 2025 Georgia High School Association Class AAAAAA Player of the Year and Co-Offensive Player of the Year. Johnson also earned Georgia Volleyball Coaches Association Class AAAAAA all-state honors. She was selected to the 2024 AVCA All-Region Team after being named to the AVCA Phenom Watch List before the season.

“Talia is a dynamic pin attacker with great size and physicality,” Loeswick said. “She can score in a variety of ways and plays with confidence and intensity. Her work ethic and competitive edge really stood out to us, and we believe she has a high ceiling in our system.”

Parapunova is a 5-foot-11 outside hitter from Bulgaria who helped lead her national team to the 2025 FIVB U19 World Championship and the 2024 CEV U18 European Championship. She also competed for Levski Sofia on the club circuit, helping her team earn a silver medal at the 2025 Bulgarian Cup.

“Viara is a high-level competitor who has already proven herself on the international stage,” Loeswick said. “She plays with speed, intensity and a strong all-around game, and her experience against top global competition will translate well to the collegiate level.”

 

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Jan. 8, 2026) – Two of the most accomplished beach volleyball players in the United States, Kelly Cheng and Megan Kraft, have announced a new partnership that brings together two elite-level athletes, one with Olympic experience and the other a rising world talent, as they look to represent the U.S. at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

This new partnership brings together Cheng, a two-time Olympian, World champion, and one of beach volleyball’s most decorated stars, and Kraft, a standout young competitor with national championships and top honors at every level of competition. Both were highly successful athletes at USC, where each captured multiple NCAA national titles and All-American recognitions. They will look to establish that same level of success with their new partnership

“I’ve watched Meg grow into one of the most complete beach players in the world,” said Cheng. “We both share a deep drive to compete, improve, and represent our country with pride. But even more than that, we share a deep commitment to our faith. This partnership is about building something big together, not just for one season, but for the long run. We want to inspire the next generation of beach volleyball players here in the United States.”

“Kelly is a fierce competitor and a proven winner,” said Kraft. “I think our playing styles and personalities fit really well, and I’m beyond excited to have the chance to compete alongside her with the ultimate goal being the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. That would be a dream come true!”

The duo will be coached by Jordan Cheng and assistant coach Mike Placek.

Cheng, 30, is a two-time Olympian and has won an elite-level tournament with multiple partners since 2019 (Sarah Sponcil, Betsi Flint, Sara Hughes, and Molly Shaw) and is recognized as one of the best attackers in the world. A four-time NCAA national champion, All-American, and Player of the Year (2017) at USC, she is one of the most successful collegiate beach volleyball players of all time.

Kraft, 23, is a rising star in beach volleyball, who dominated at USC with four NCAA national championships and was named the 2024 AVCA Collegiate Beach Player of the Year. Just a few months after graduating from USC, Kraft was named the 2024 Beach Pro Tour Rookie of the Year. She has already achieved success on both domestic and international circuits. She made her AVP debut at the age of 16 and has medaled in multiple FIVB events with former partner, Terese Cannon.

One of the best volleyball players in history announced Friday she’s closing the chapter on her historic volleyball playing career.

Husker and Olympic legend Jordan Larson, who now plays for the Omaha team in League One Volleyball, said this will be her final season as a player.

In a news conference Friday morning, Larson said “every gym, every jersey, every team, coach and band has played a role” in her playing career.

“This season isn’t about an ending. It’s about celebrating that made the journey possible,” Larson said. “After this year, I’ll be stepping away from competitive volleyball, and rather than making this the finish line, I want to spend the season honoring the people, places and moments that shaped it all.”

The volleyball great fought tears as she spoke about her last season playing competitive volleyball. She said she wants to spend the season honoring the “people, places and moments that shaped it all.”

“I’ve been incredibly fortunate to play this game alongside people who have challenged me, pushed me and supported me and believe in something bigger than myself,” she said. “None of this would have happened alone. This season is for the shared work, the memories and the lessons, and for the love for the game that has been constant from the very beginning.”

She said she’s grateful for every season spent on the court and is excited for her last one to be with the Omaha Supernovas, in a state where it all started.

“I’m grateful for every step… and how special it is for me to be home and be able to do this in front of a state that just really loves volleyball,” Larson said.

Larson, from Hooper, Nebraska, was a Husker player from 2005-2008, helping lead the team to a 127-8 record, including a runner-up finish in 2005 and a national championship in 2006.

She was a three-time All-American and was inducted into the Nebraska Athletic Hall of Fame in 2020.

As an Olympian, Larson was on four medal-winning teams, including the team that won the gold medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. The four medals ties for most all time for any player. She also played on numerous other teams that won gold medals in international competitions.

Her 15-year pro career has included stints with teams in Russia, China, Turkey and Italy. She spent her final two years in Omaha, where in addition to playing, she also became a co-owner of the Omaha team.

Larson also spent time as an assistant coach at Nebraska, helping lead the 2023 team to a 33-2 record and a national runner-up finish.