Sports
Nebraska volleyball perfect under Dani Busboom Kelly, poised for title run
Dec. 2, 2025, 6:01 a.m. ET
When the Nebraska women’s volleyball team steps onto the court, inspiration is always within reach for Harper Murray. All the outside hitter has to do is look down at her fingers, which she carefully tapes before every match.
She inscribes ’27’ on the tape binding her left ring finger in honor of her late father Vada Murray, who died when she was 5 years old. He wore No. 27 while playing football at Michigan. Murray then writes former coach John Cook’s initials on her left pointer finger, “a father figure” that helped her grow as a player. She also adds Huskers head coach Dani Busboom Kelly’s initials on her middle finger as a reminder to lay it all on the line.
The initials on her right hand changes every year.
“Every year for the past three years, I have written the location of the Final Four,” Murray told USA TODAY Sports. “On my pointer finger and my middle finger, I have the letters ‘KC,’ which is Kansas City, which is where the NCAA Tournament is held this year.”
Nebraska was named the top overall seed during the NCAA Tournament selection show on Sunday and will begin its journey to Kansas City against Long Island University at 8 p.m. ET Friday. The Cornhuskers, who have won five national titles, fell short of their first since 2017 losing to Penn State in the semifinals last season.
Nebraska (30-0) has since kicked off the Busboom Kelly era with its first undefeated season since 2000. The Huskers will make their 44th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance after winning the Big Ten title while dropping six sets the entire season. Although Busboom Kelly said “whoever is (coaching Nebraska) would be doing well,” her players argue otherwise.
“When (Busboom Kelly) came in here, that Nebraska standard wasn’t lost at all. She knew what she wanted and she really pushes us to reach that level,” Nebraska middle blocker Andi Jackson told USA TODAY Sports. “She’s been in our shoes before and … she can really relate to us and she knows what we’re feeling and she knows what it takes to win.”
Long before succeeding longtime coach and mentor John Cook in January, Busboom had already done a lot of winning at Nebraska. The Cortland, Nebraska, native won national titles as a player in 2006 and as an assistant coach in 2015.
But even the best coaches have their limitations. During an appearance on the Welcome To The Party podcast earlier this month, Busboom Kelly described her coaching style compared to Cook, who “was so good for so long, but he had his way. He had his plan and there wasn’t a lot of deviating from that.”
“We’re really a collaborative group. I’m huge on that as a head coach,” Busboom Kelly said. “I really trust my players to give me honest feedback. … It never has to be my way or the highway. Our team has grasped that. They love the collaboration and they love the ownership.”
Busboom Kelly’s credentials and reputation earned instant buy-in from the team, but it was her commitment to empowering her players that took the elite program to another level this season.
“Anyone off of our bench, any of our game-changers, they can go in and the level stays the exact same,” Jackson said. “It’s rare. I don’t think at a lot of programs can say your bench can be the second best team in the country. We have the privilege of getting to say that and (Busboom Kelly) has just been such a huge part of that.
“She just gives us so much confidence and we know that with her as our coach, we just can play fearless.”
Nebraska’s three Player of the Year semifinalists
When the AVCA Player of the Year semifinalists were announced earlier this month, Nebraska had three of the 14 players on the list — Jackson, Murray and junior setter Bergen Reilly. It’s another example of the Huskers’ depth.
“We have arguably the best in each position for the country,” Jackson said. “We have the best setter in the country, we have the best outside in the country. And I think it just shows how strong our team is, especially at that front row that we have. When Harper (Murray), Bergen (Reilly) and I are up, we always give each other a smile because we know what we have to offer.”
The trio has led Nebraska to the nation’s top hitting percentage (.352) and the fourth-highest kill per set mark (14.70). Murray leads the Huskers with 3.55 kills per set and is averaging 2.15 digs per set. Jackson is averaging 2.75 kills per set on .471 hitting with 1.13 blocks per set, while Reilly is averaging a team-high 10.31 assists per set and 2.73 digs per set.
“We’ve been side by side for three years and it’s such a special row, because we just know that all of us have been through thick and thin together and our bond is so strong,” Jackson added.
Huskers blocking out ‘outside noise’
Busboom Kelly knew Nebraska would be a title contender this season. “I was expecting us to be great, but certainly not undefeated. … They continue to exceed our expectations.”
Nebraska has asserted its dominance, winning 48 straight sets between Sept. 20 and Nov. 14, a streak that came to an end in the Huskers’ 3-1 win over UCLA. Players said dropping the set was “relieving” and “freeing.”
“It was just getting shoved down our throats how much Nebraska was winning … every time you opened any platform it was there,” Jackson said. “After we lost that set, I looked at (my teammates) and I was like, ‘That is the best thing that could have happened to us.’ It’s over now. The weight is off of our shoulders. We don’t have to hold it up anymore, because I do think as much as we like to say play free, when that outside noise does creep in, it can just feel like there’s kind of a weight on the court while we’re playing.”
Murray added, “At some point we’re going to drop a set and we don’t want that to come in the NCAA Tournament and not be prepared and not know how to come back from it.”
Playing volleyball at Nebraska comes with a national spotlight and relentless attention. As Busboom Kelly put it, Nebraska “volleyball is so serious” and “that is of course is why people come here,” but with, as with any storied program, there’s pressure to execute.
“There is a standard and we are expected to win … but we don’t want to put too much pressure on ourselves,” Jackson said. “One thing that makes being at Nebraska so special is the team culture that we have. … We do such a good job of just caring for each other … especially when that noise starts to get really big towards the end of the season.
“We just remember where our value actually comes from, because there can be so much outside noise and so many things being said with our team clustered all over the media. There can be lots of negativity.”
Murray said she and her teammates set social media limits to ensure the group maintains focus and aren’t “consumed” by the onslaught of attention: “Not everyone’s going to be perfect and know how to handle criticism online or have a boundary for themselves, but that’s something that just comes with experience. And I think a lot of the older girls have done a good job guiding the newcomers.”
When the Huskers step on the court ahead of first serve, their attention will be on the team.
“Before every game, we always say what matters are the six on the court and the 10 girls on the bench, not anyone else,” Murray said. “The biggest thing for us is focusing on what we have going on on the court.”
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
The Aggies are coming off a historic 2025 campaign, as the men’s team captured the programs 10th national title after winning the NCAA Outdoor National Championships, as well as the men’s teams first SEC indoor title. On the women’s side they carry plenty of momentum into this season after placing third at the NCAA Outdoor Championships and seventh at the indoor championships.
Texas A&M returns three individual national champions to this year’s roster, including Jaiya Covington who was the first Aggie ever to win the women’s indoor 60m hurdles title, Winny Bii who also secured a program first national crown this time in the outdoor triple jump and finally Aleksandr Solovev for the men won the outdoor pole vault.
The Maroon & White also returned an abundance of production on the conference level, as the men have three individual conference champions back and four members of title-winning relay teams. The women also bring back two gold-medal winners from the field, in Sofia Yakushina in the outdoor heptathlon and Bii in the indoor triple jump.
Four programs will join Texas A&M in Aggieland for Saturday’s meet, including Abilene Christian, Sam Houston, SMU and UTSA.
Fans can follow the meet on SEC Network+ or keep track of live results at the event through Flash Results.
TICKETS & PARKING
- Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets before meet day through 12thmanfoundation.com.
- Parking for the meet will be in lots 100J and 100G.
12TH MAN REWARDS
- 12th Man Rewards is the free program that appreciates fans for standing with the 12th Man and attending Texas A&M Athletics events in support of creating a homefield advantage for our student-athletes and coaches.
- The more events you attend, your points will increase. Those points can be redeemed via the online Giveaway Store for a variety of items. Register today within the 12th Man Mobile app to earn 50 points at the meet.
To learn more about Texas A&M Track & Field/Cross Country, visit 12thMan.com and follow @aggietfxc.
Updated Dec. 4, 2025, 4:22 p.m. MT
The UTEP Miners volleyball team, playing in its second consecutive NCAA tournament, is looking for its first-ever victory when it takes on North Carolina in Madison, Wisconsin.
UTEP’s 25-4 record and regular-season Conference USA championship earned it a No. 6 seed and the right to play the 21-8 Tar Heels. The NCAA deemed North Carolina one of the last four teams in. It finished fifth in the ACC, a Power 4 conference, with a 14-6 league record.
This is the first of two games Thursday at the Wisconsin Field House, as host No. 3 Wisconsin takes on Eastern Illinois in the second game of the doubleheader. The winner of that match will take on the winner of UTEP/North Carolina at 6 p.m. Friday.
All matches in the first and second rounds are on ESPN+. Check here for live updates.
2nd set: UNC 22, UTEP 11
4:20 p.m. MT: The tone for this set was established early when a string of UTEP errors dug a hole. It never came back together for them. But the match is about to be tied.
– Bret Bloomquist
2nd set: UNC 20, UTEP 10
UNC is hitting lots of shots. They can do no wrong right now. Lots breaking their way.
– Bret Bloomquist
2nd set: UNC 17, UTEP 7
4:17 p.m. MT: Since digging a 10-2 hole it hasn’t gotten worse. But it hasn’t gotten much better either. UTEP came out flat and isn’t climbing out yet.
– Bret Bloomquist
2nd set: UNC 16, UTEP 6
UNC takes double figure lead. UTEP needs a momentum shift.
– Bret Bloomquist
2nd set: UNC 13, UTEP 4
4:08 p.m. MT: UTEP has yet to join the battle in the second set. A number of overpasses have led to Carolina points. Those weren’t happening as much in the first set. It’s enabling UNC to find a rhythm and they are taking advantage.
– Bret Bloomquist
2nd set: UNC 10, UTEP 3
The second set is getting away from UTEP. Miners finally score another point.
– Bret Bloomquist
2nd set: UNC 8, UTEP 2
UNC is taking control of the net. UTEP calls time out.
– Bret Bloomquist
2nd set: UNC 4, UTEP 2
4:08 p.m. MT: Miners with a rash of early errors, looked like they relaxed a bit after the big comeback in the first set. But Lovesee gets a kill!
– Bret Bloomquist
2nd set: UNC 3, UTEP 0
UNC off to quick start.
– Bret Bloomquist
1st set: UTEP 26, UNC 24
4:01 p.m. MT: Miners with the answer! Washington with a kill to stave off set point, a Tar Heels error, then a Pustahija kill to win it. Miners hit .071 but find a way with their defense.
– Bret Bloomquist
1st set: UTEP 26, UNC 24
UTEP wins first set.
– Bret Bloomquist
1st set: UNC 24, UTEP 24
UTEP ties it up.
– Bret Bloomquist
1st set: UNC 24, UTEP 23
3:58 p.m. MT: UTEP has led most of the way but back-to-back blocks have given UNC a set point. UTEP, one of the best offensive teams in the country, is hitting .027
– Bret Bloomquist
1st set: UNC 24, UTEP 23
UNC gets first lead of the set. UTEP timeout.
– Bret Bloomquist
1st set: UTEP 23, UNC 22
UTEP back on top.
– Bret Bloomquist
1st set: UTEP 22, UNC 21
3:55 p.m. MT: A big Tar Heels block completes a 6-1 run and ties the first set. But then a service error and UTEP is back up.
– Bret Bloomquist
1st set: UTEP 21, UNC 19
UTEP scores again.
– Bret Bloomquist
1st set: UTEP 20, UNC 18
UTEP serve error. UNC also gets a UTEP net violations.
– Bret Bloomquist
1st set: UTEP 19, UNC 15
4:49 p.m. MT: Another Tar Heels hitting error and UTEP has a lead as it gets to winning time of the first set. Braziel and Pustahija each have three kills, the rest of the Miners have two. The four aces loom large.
– Bret Bloomquist
1st set: UTEP 18, UNC 15
4:49 p.m. MT: Lovesee has been out since early in the set. UTEP may have to do this without her. Pustahija will need to take over. And speaking of, she forces a net violation with a big hit.
– Bret Bloomquist
1st set: UTEP 17, UNC 14
Miners back on top with three straight scores.
– Bret Bloomquist
1st set: TIMEOUT: UTEP 14, UNC 13
4:45 p.m. MT: Inevitably UNC has improved its hitting. Tar Heels have four straight points and are back in it. UTEP still struggling to hit. They are now at .053 while UNC has headed up to .222. UTEP’s passing hasn’t been great the last few points.
– Bret Bloomquist
1st set: UTEP 14, UNC 13
UNC is on a 5-0 run. Close in on UTEP.
– Bret Bloomquist
1st set: UTEP 14, UNC 7
3:41 p.m. MT: UTEP looks to have settled in. A big kill from Pustahija is just their fourth as a team but they have four aces and have let Carolina make some errors.
– Bret Bloomquist
1st set: UTEP 13, UNC 8
After 6-0 run, UNC scores.
– Bret Bloomquist
Another ace for UTEP
3:39 p.m. MT: Miners were trailing 6-4, but are now on a 7-1 run to force a timeout. Miners hitting just .111 but have three aces from three different players.
– Bret Bloomquist
1st set: UTEP 11, UNC 7
UTEP gets hot. Pulls ahead. UNC tries to regroup with a timeout.
– Bret Bloomquist
1st set: UTEP 7, UNC 7
UTEP has back-to-back aces to brief take the lead.
– Bret Bloomquist
1st set: UNC 4, UTEP 4
3:35 p.m. MT: Right now more errors than kills as both teams are expectedly a bit tight. But Sekita ties it win an ace.
– Bret Bloomquist
First serve
3:32 p.m. MT: Lovesee is going to start. She’s on the back row but will rotate to the front on the first side-out.
– Bret Bloomquist
Pregame introductions
3:27 p.m. MT: All sorts of videos before they start introductions. Both teams are lined up on the baselines watching. North Carolina brought a fair sized contingent of fans.
– Bret Bloomquist
8 minutes on pregame clock
3:15 p.m. MT: Miners are now back in their locker room as UNC holds the floor. Volleyball has structured pregames that give both teams exclusive use of the floor for a stretch.
– Bret Bloomquist
NCAA volleyball tournament format
4:10 p.m. MT: Volleyball’s format is best-of-5 sets, so the first team to three sets wins the match. A set is first team to 25 and you have to win by two points. So if it’s tied at 24-24, the match will go on.
– Bret Bloomquist
24 minutes to first serve
3:59 p.m. MT: Warmups continue, if the clock is accurate this match will start early, but that clock is when lineups are announced, etc. Lovesee definitely looks game to try playing. UTEP has six cheerleaders here.
– Bret Bloomquist
36 minutes to first serve
3:48 p.m. MT: Lovesee is hopping around on the ankle and doesn’t look too bad. Big difference between that and leaping as high as you can go, but she’s going to try to gut it out.
– Bret Bloomquist
52 minutes to first serve
Torrance Lovesee, who has a sprained ankle, is stretching with the team, though noticeably limping. Coach Ben Wallis said she is going to try to go and noted that great sports stories are often told through a player overcoming an injury in the biggest moment.
– Bret Bloomquist
What channel is the NCAA volleyball tournament on?
All games in the first two rounds will be streamed on ESPN+.
Carolina volleyball vs UTEP: How do they match up?
North Carolina is led by 6-1 outside hitter Safi Hampton, a first-team all-ACC selection after finishing with a team-high 377 kills. Libero Maddie May, a 5-10 senior, led the team with 422 digs while being named second-team all-conference. Chelsea Thorpe, a 6-3 junior outside hitter, has 299 kills and 83 blocks.
UTEP is led by Torrance Lovesee, who is questionable for this game with an ankle injury, and Sara Pustahija offensively, as they have 320 and 253 kills, respectively. Setters Kalia Kohler and Mattie Gantt quarterback the two-setter offense.
Where is the NCAA volleyball Final Four in 2025?
The Final Four of the 2025 NCAA volleyball tournament will be held at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.
NCAA volleyball tournament rounds schedule
- Second round: Dec. 5-6
- Regionals: Dec. 11 and 13 or Dec. 12 and 14
- Semifinals: Thursday, Dec. 18
- National championship: 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 21
NCAA volleyball tournament schedule: First round
All times Mountain. Games listed in bracket order
Kentucky Quadrant
- No. 1 Kentucky (25-2) vs. Wofford (17-13), 5 p.m. MT, Thursday
- No. 8 UCLA (18-12) vs. Georgia Tech (16-13), 2:30 p.m. MT, Thursday
- No. 5 BYU (22-8) vs. Cal Poly (25-7), 6 p.m. MT, Thursday
- No. 4 USC (24-6) vs. PrinceTon (18-6), 8:30 p.m. MT, Thursday
- No. 3 Creighton (25-5) vs. Northern Colorado (17-15), 6 p.m., Thursday
- No. 6 Northern Iowa (25-5) vs. Utah (15-14), 3:30 p.m. MT, Thursday
- No. 7 Tennessee (20-7) vs. Utah State (23-7), 4:30 p.m., Thursday
- No. 2 Arizona State (26-3) vs. Coppin State (23-11), 7 p.m. MT, Thursday
Texas Quadrant
- No. 1 Texas (23-3) vs. Florida A&M (14-16), 6 p.m. MT, Friday
- No. 8 Penn State (18-12) vs. South Florida (17-12), 3:30 p.m. MT, Friday
- No. 5 Colorado (22-8) vs. American (24-4), 1 p.m. MT, Thursday
- No. 4 Indiana (23-7) vs. Toledo (23-10), 3:30 p.m. MT, Thursday
- No. 3 Wisconsin (24-4) vs. Eastern Illinois (24-7), 6 p.m. MT, Thursday
- No. 6 UTEP (25-4) vs. North Carolina (21-8), 3:30 p.m. MT, Thursday
- No. 7 South Dakota State (23-4) vs. Arizona (16-12), 5:30 p.m. MT, Friday
- No. 2 Stanford (27-4) vs. Utah Valley (16-10), 8 p.m. MT, Friday
Pitt Quadrant
- No. 1 Pitt (26-4) vs. UMBC (13-11), 4:30 p.m. MT, Friday
- No. 8 Xavier (26-4) vs. Michigan (21-10), 2 p.m. MT, Friday
- No. 5 Iowa State (22-7) vs. St. Thomas (21-9), 3:30 p.m. MT, Friday
- No. 4 Minnesota (22-9) vs. Fairfield (25-5), 6 p.m. MT, Friday
- No. 3 Purdue (24-6) vs. Wright State (21-10), 5 p.m. MT, Thursday
- No. 6 Baylor (17-9) vs. Arkansas State (22-8), 2:30 p.m. MT, Thursday
- No. 7 Rice (21-9) vs. Florida (15-11), 3 p.m. MT, Friday
- No. 2 SMU (25-5) vs. Central Arkansas (18-11), 5:30 p.m. MT, Friday
Nebraska Quadrant
- No. 1 Nebraska (30-0) vs. LIU (20-8), 6 p.m. MT, Friday
- No. 8 San Diego (25-4) vs. Kansas State (17-3), 3:30 p.m. MT, Friday
- No. 5 Miami (26-5) vs. Tulsa (25-6), 3 p.m. MT, Thursday
- No. 4 Kansas (22-10) vs. High Point (18-9), 5:30 p.m. MT, Thursday
- No. 3 Texas A&M (23-4) vs. Campbell (23-6), 5:30 p.m. MT, Friday
- No. 6 TCU (20-10) vs. Stephen F. Austin (23-7), 3 p.m. MT, Friday
- No. 7 Western Kentucky (27-5) vs. MarquMTte (17-10), 2 p.m. MT,
- No. 2 Louisville (24-6) vs. Loyola Chicago (17-15), 4:30 p.m. MT, Friday
Bret Bloomquist can be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @Bretbloomquist on X.
Waterville, Maine – The Colby Men’s and Women’s Track & Field teams are ready to kickoff the 2025-26 indoor season hosting the Elm City Classic beginning Friday, December 4th and concluding the following day Saturday, December 5th. On top of the two-day event, distance runners will also compete at Boston Univerisity’s Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener on that Saturday.
In the Elm City Classic, the Mules will compete alongside Thomas, UMaine – Farmington, and Saint Joseph’s with some individuals from the University of Southern Maine.
Head Track & Field Coach Dave Cusano will once again lead the team now entering his 11th season with the Mules. He is assisted by Troy Irvine who has been with the team since the 2019-2020 season. The Track & Field distance runners will be led by Head Coach Jared Beers ’01 in his 21st season coming off an excellent cross country campaign. Beers is assisted by Seth Hasty who joined the program this fall.
Colby Track & Field is coming off a historic year, claiming two NCAA Division III National Championship titles with the women’s indoor 4x400m relay and Levi Biery’s outdoor 400m hurdles performance. 11 individuals were added to the All-American board combined from the indoor and outdoor seasons. As a group the Mules totaled a whopping 22 new school records which they will look to break once again this season.
The annual Elm City Classic will begin at 4:00pm Friday afternoon and continue on Saturday starting at 10:00am. Fans can follow alongside the action using the live video (Saturday only) and live results links as well as check out the schedule tab to catch the Mules when they come to a location near you.
Dec. 4, 2025, 11:46 a.m. CT
The surging Wisconsin volleyball team begins its NCAA tournament run in a familiar and comfortable setting.
The third-seeded Badgers play Eastern Illinois in a first-round match on Thursday, Dec. 4, at the UW Field House. It’ll follow the matchup between the Texas-El Paso and North Carolina.
As a top-four seed, it’s the seventh straight year, not counting the 2020 COVID season, that coach Kelly Sheffield’s team is hosting the first two rounds of the tournament. And that means good things.
Wisconsin hasn’t lost in these rounds at home during this stretch and is 28-2 all-time at the UW Field House in the NCAA tournament. Overall, for the last 12 seasons under Sheffield, the Badgers have advanced out of the opening weekend and into the regional semifinals every year.
Watch Wisconsin volleyball vs Eastern Illinois on ESPN+The Badgers (24-4), who lost in the reginal finals last season to Nebraska, are also playing their best volleyball of the season over the last month. Since a loss to the No. 1 Huskers on Oct. 31, Wisconsin has won its last nine matches, seven of them sweeps. The Badgers will be playing in their 29th NCAA tournament.
Eastern Illinois (24-7), the Ohio Valley Conference champion, is making just its third trip to the tournament, but the second in three years. And the Panthers are getting familiar with teams from Wisconsin in the tournament. They lost in the first round to Marquette two years ago.
Here’s how to watch and listen to the Wisconsin-Eastern Illinois match in the first round of the 2025 NCAA tournament:
What channel is Wisconsin volleyball vs Eastern Illinois on tonight? TV, livestream
Wisconsin volleyball vs Eastern Illinois time tonight
- Date: Thursday, Dec. 4
- Time: It’s 30 minutes after the 4:30 p.m. first-round match between Texas-El Paso and North Carolina
How can I listen to Wisconsin volleyball vs Eastern Illinois on the radio?
Wisconsin NCAA volleyball tournament schedule
Here’s the schedule for the NCAA volleyball tournament if the Badgers win:
- Dec. 5: Second-round match at UW Field House, 7 p.m. CT
- Dec. 11-14: Regional semifinals and finals at highest-seeded teams, dates and times TBD
- Dec. 18: National semifinals at Kansas City, Missouri
- Dec. 21: National championship match at Kansas City, Missouri
Wisconsin volleyball bracket
Here are the top eight seeds in the Badgers’ region and their first-round opponents. The top four seeds host first- and second-round matches. If the seeds hold after the first two rounds, Wisconsin will play second-seeded Stanford in the regional semifinals.
- Texas, vs. Florida A&M
- Stanford, vs. Utah Valley
- Wisconsin, vs. Eastern Illinois
- Indiana, vs. Toledo
- Colorado, vs. American
- UTEP, vs. North Carolina
- South Dakota State, vs. Arizona
- Penn State, vs. South Florida
2025 NCAA tournament bracket
Nebraska, Kentucky, Texas and Pittsburgh are the No. 1 seeds in the 2025 NCAA tournament.
Here’s the full bracket of the NCAA volleyball tournament
MINOT, N.D. – The Minot State women’s track and field team was picked to finish 11th at the NSIC Indoor Track and Field Championships later this winter, as the NSIC released its 2025-26 NSIC Women’s Indoor Track & Field Preseason Coaches’ Poll today.
The NSIC also named its Preseason Track and Field Athletes of the Year, and highlighted track and field athletes to watch this season from each team, with Minot State sisters Bailey and Afton Wride being named the Beavers’ track and Beavers’ field athletes to watch, respectively.
“The women’s team should have a nice balance across the sprints, middle distance, jumps, and throws to be competitive at the conference level,” Minot State head coach Jordan Aus said. “We have some upperclassmen with a lot of experience that should be competing at the top of the conference in their respective events.
“I look forward to watching the hard work pay off for this group.”
Minot State, which received 64 points in the poll, opens the indoor season this weekend, competing Saturday at the Mike Thorson Open hosted by the University of Mary. The NSIC Indoor Track and Field Championships will be hosted by Minnesota State, Mankato, on February 28 and March 1.
The host Mavericks were picked to win their 7th straight indoor title.
Two-time NSIC indoor champion Bailey Wride was named the track athlete to watch for the Beavers as the junior from Kalispell, Montana, won the 600 meters in 2024, and the 1,000 meters in 2025.
“Bailey is the returning indoor conference champ in the 1,000 meters, and she will look to continue to be at the top of the conference in the middle-distance events,” Aus said. “Bailey has put in the work this fall and she is ready to have another strong season in the middle-distance events.”
Her younger sister, Afton, a sophomore, was named the Beavers’ field athlete to watch and comes in holding the No. 2 mark in Minot State’s NCAA era in the indoor triple jump (35 feet, 11.25 inches). Afton also was ninth in the triple jump at the NSIC Outdoor Championships last spring with a mark of 37-0.5.
“Afton is coming off a strong outdoor track season in which she made the finals in the triple jump at the conference meet,” Aus said. “She should continue to build off of her strong freshman season and should look to be very competitive at the conference level in the triple jump.”
While the Mavericks were a heavy favorite to win the NSIC title with 14 first-place votes and 196 points, Mary was picked 2nd with one first-place vote and 181 points.
Augustana was picked 3rd with 164 points, Winona State 4th with 150 points, Sioux Falls 5th with 147 points, Northern State 6th with 135 points, Minnesota Duluth 7th with 125 points, Minnesota State Moorhead 8th with 92 points, Southwest Minnesota State 9th with 79 points, Concordia-St. Paul 10th with 68 points, Minot State 11th with 64 points, Bemidji State and Wayne State tied for 12th with 56 points, Jamestown was 14th with 37 points, and St. Cloud State was 15th with 27 points.
Minnesota State’s senior sprinter and hurdler Ashanti Harvey, an NCAA All-American in the 100-meter hurdles outdoors last season, was named the NSIC Track Preseason Athlete of the Year, and the Mavericks’ senior All-American pentathlete, Miranda Lauvstad, was named the NSIC Field Preseason Athlete of the Year.
| RANK | TEAM | POINTS |
| 1 | Minnesota State (14) | 196 |
| 2 | Mary (1) | 181 |
| 3 | Augustana | 164 |
| 4 | Winona State | 150 |
| 5 | Sioux Falls | 147 |
| 6 | Northern State | 135 |
| 7 | Minnesota Duluth | 125 |
| 8 | Minnesota State Moorhead | 92 |
| 9 | Southwest Minnesota State | 79 |
| 10 | Concordia-St. Paul | 68 |
| 11 | Minot State | 64 |
| t12 | Bemidji State | 56 |
| t12 | Wayne State | 56 |
| 14 | Jamestown | 37 |
| 15 | St. Cloud State | 27 |
COMMERCE – East Texas A&M University has released the 2025-26 track and field schedule on Thursday morning, the first season for the Lions as full members of NCAA Division I.
The Lions are slated to take part in four indoor meets before the Southland Conference Championships and then take part in the NCAA Indoor Championships for the first time in the Division I era. The outdoor season sees the Lions participate in six meets prior to the postseason, which includes the SLC Championships, the NCAA West Regional Championships, and the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
The first meet of the year comes on January 16 at the Owen Hewett Invitational in Norman, Oklahoma, hosted by Oklahoma. The next two meets for the Lions are in College Station with the Ted Nelson Invitational on January 23-24 and then Charlie Thomas Invitational on February 6-7.
The final meet before the conference championships during the indoor portion of the schedule is the Arkansas Qualifier in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on February 25.
The Southland Indoor Championships return to Birmingham, Alabama, on February 25-26. The top qualifiers around the country will advance to the NCAA Indoor Championships, which take place on March 13-14 in Fayetteville.
The Lions begin the outdoor season on March 20-21 at the TCU Alumni Invite in Fort Worth. The annual trip down I-35 is next as the Texas Relays take place in Austin on April 1-4 and the Bobcat Invitational is held in San Marcos on April 2-4.
Another trip down to College Station is next for the 44 Farms Team Invitational on April 9-11, followed by the J. Fred Duckett Twilight on April 25 in Houston, and the final regular season outdoor meet comes on May 8 at the Arkansas Twilight in Fayetteville.
The Southland Outdoor Championships are hosted by SFA in Nacogdoches this year on May 14-16.
Top qualifiers in the western half of the country following the conference championships will advance to the NCAA West Regional Championships in Fayetteville on May 27-30, with the best performers punching their tickets to the NCAA Outdoor Championships held at the historic Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, on June 10-13.
2025-26 LION TRACK & FIELD SCHEDULE
| DATE | MEET | LOCATION | HOST INSTITUTION |
| Jan. 16 | Owen Hewett Invitational | Norman, Okla. | Oklahoma |
| Jan. 23-24 | Ted Nelson Invitational | College Station | Texas A&M |
| Feb. 6-7 | Charlie Thomas Invitational | College Station | Texas A&M |
| Feb. 20 | Arkansas Qualifier | Fayetteville, Ark. | Arkansas |
| Feb. 25-26 | SLC Indoor Championships | Birmingham, Ala. | Southland Conference |
| March 13-14 | NCAA Indoor Championships | Fayetteville, Ark. | NCAA |
| March 20-21 | TCU Alumni Invite | Fort Worth | TCU |
| April 1-4 | Texas Relays | Austin | Texas |
| April 2-4 | Bobcat Invitational | San Marcos | Texas State |
| April 9-11 | 44 Farms Team Invitational | College Station | Texas A&M |
| April 25 | J. Fred Duckett Twilight | Houston | Rice |
| May 8 | Arkansas Twilight | Fayetteville, Ark. | Arkansas |
| May 14-16 | SLC Outdoor Championships | Nacogdoches | Southland Conference |
| May 27-30 | NCAA West Regional Championships | Fayetteville, Ark. | NCAA |
| June 10-13 | NCAA Outdoor Championships | Eugene, Ore. | NCAA |
-ETAMU-
Love named Packers nominee for 2025 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award
Track & Field Opens Indoor Campaign with McFerrin Invitational – Texas A&M Athletics
UTEP vs. UNC volleyball score
Track & Field Hosting Elm City Classic to Begin Indoor Season
Watch Wisconsin volleyball in NCAA tournament tonight; time, TV
Michael Jordan set to testify in NASCAR antitrust trial, sources say
Wride sisters highlighted as Beaver women’s track and field picked 11th
3 reasons NIL won’t destroy Ohio high school sports| Opinion
Lions announce 2025-26 Track and Field Schedule
Dick’s Sporting Goods Execs on Foot Locker Turnaround, 2026 Retail Growth
WSU Track Heads to Boston Opener
This Week in WAC Volleyball – NCAA Tournament
Nevada track and field season underway on Reno’s $5.3 million track
Boerstra Named to WCC Volleyball All-Academic Team
BangShift.com IHRA News: IHRA Announces Leah Martin as President, Marking a Historic Moment in Motorsports Leadership
First Tee Winter Registration is open
Fargo girl, 13, dies after collapsing during school basketball game – Grand Forks Herald
Volleyball Recaps – November 18
CPG Brands Like Allegra Are Betting on F1 for the First Time
F1 Las Vegas: Verstappen win, Norris and Piastri DQ tighten 2025 title fight
Two Pro Volleyball Leagues Serve Up Plans for Minnesota Teams
Utah State Announces 2025-26 Indoor Track & Field Schedule
Texas volleyball vs Kentucky game score: Live SEC tournament updates
Sycamores unveil 2026 track and field schedule
Redemption Means First Pro Stock World Championship for Dallas Glenn
Bowl Projections: ESPN predicts 12-team College Football Playoff bracket, full bowl slate after Week 14
Pohlman admits ‘there might be some spats’ as he pushes to get Kyle Busch winning again
Troy Football Need to Know; Gameday at The Vet — Georgia State Game
Indiana’s rapid ascent and its impact across college football
How this startup (and a KC sports icon) turned young players into card-carrying legends overnight
Why a rising mid-major power with an NCAA Tournament team opted out of revenue-sharing — and advertised it
NBA Legend Michael Jordan to Join NBC Sports as Special Contributor
Falcons mailbag
Portal Update – Basketball and Gymnastics Take Hits
has always dreamed in Mercurial. Now his initials are on the boots.
The new Kyl…
-
Rec Sports1 week agoFirst Tee Winter Registration is open
-
Rec Sports1 week agoFargo girl, 13, dies after collapsing during school basketball game – Grand Forks Herald
-
Sports2 weeks agoVolleyball Recaps – November 18
-
Motorsports1 week agoCPG Brands Like Allegra Are Betting on F1 for the First Time
-
Motorsports2 weeks agoF1 Las Vegas: Verstappen win, Norris and Piastri DQ tighten 2025 title fight
-
Sports1 week agoTwo Pro Volleyball Leagues Serve Up Plans for Minnesota Teams
-
Sports1 week agoUtah State Announces 2025-26 Indoor Track & Field Schedule
-
Sports1 week agoTexas volleyball vs Kentucky game score: Live SEC tournament updates
-
Sports1 week agoSycamores unveil 2026 track and field schedule
-
Motorsports1 week agoRedemption Means First Pro Stock World Championship for Dallas Glenn