Sports
New faces, new places the theme for Polk volleyball in 2025
It’s the question that Molly Hill has heard a few times this year, maybe even asked herself once or twice.
So, now what?
Hill begins her 12th season at Polk County with back-to-back state championships in hand and a rebuilding job ahead. The Wolverines played seven players in November’s state 1A final triumph over Perquimans – six of those graduated in May, including three players now gearing up for their first collegiate seasons.
So when Polk travels Tuesday to R-S Central to open the 2025 season, it will be a very different group taking the court than faced the Hilltoppers – or anyone else – in recent years.
“There are a lot of openings this season,” Hill said. “A lot of big shoes to fill. So we’re trying to figure out what that dynamic is going to look like and trying things and slowing things down so we can evaluate and look at what is going to be our best scenario.
“We have a lot of options. Where everything was kind of set in stone (in recent seasons), this year there’s so much that’s open. We could do this, or I could try her here. So I’m putting them in different scenarios and lineups and we’ll see how it’s going to play out.”
The roster includes another large senior class of seven, and that group will be tasked with taking on leadership for a squad that has plenty of talent, if not experience.
That senior cohort begins with Charley Dusenbury, the lone returning starter from last year’s 22-3 squad. Dusenbury piled up 740 assists as the Wolverines’ primary setter and has been recognized by several media outlets as one of the area’s top returning players at the position.
Yet how much she’ll actually play there this year remains to be seen.
“We depend on her so much to run our offense,” Hill said of Dusenbury. “I did bring Abby (Lewis) up. She has beautiful hands and just really has that whole setter package. And that gives me an opportunity to put Charley in a different role and put some pressure on her in a different way than I ever have before.
“I told her the first day of practice, you have to hit. She was kind of like, what? And I’m like, yes, you’re going to hit this year. So it’s just retraining her brain into thinking, while I’m on front row, I don’t have to take this second ball. I need to focus on blocking and trying to do something dynamic and big for the hitting.”
Senior Akeela Cunningham saw action last season while standout Sophia Overholt was injured and will be a key part of Polk’s attack this year. She’ll be joined outside by junior Beija Olivari, with sophomores Jill Brown and Elena Greve expected to fill the key role of middle hitter.
Lewis may see some time hitting on the right side along with junior Jessie Bradley and seniors Naomi Martinez and Mahaley Wilson.
Another potential hitter is sophomore Reeve Carroll. But Hill expects Carroll to step into the libero role, a key aspect of the Wolverines’ game plan and the position where Hill played in college.
“I need somebody consistent and powerful on the back row that I can leave in the whole game and have that person there,” Hill said. “You know how I am with that position. I am real picky and I hold them to a really high standard. So I’ve been practicing Reeve at that position and she’s doing great.
“But I also have lineups written out where she is hitting. I know I could put on the outside or the middle. And with Beija, I can do the same thing. So it’s just a lot of options.”
Joining Carroll in the back row will be seniors Riyah Schroyer, Aslyn Scruggs and Junie Mitchell as well as junior Zulum Ramirez. Foreign exchange student Manuela Sanchez could also see time in the back as well as some action as a hitter.
It will be a lot of familiar and new faces in new places, but Hill said she’s not the only coach in the area encountering that scenario.
“(At a scrimmage) I was talking to some other coaches, and they’re in the same boat,” she said. “They’re young, they’ve got freshmen and sophomores starting on varsity, just trying to see what that is going to look like.
“So even for other teams around us, it’s going to be a big puzzle of, OK, what is going to be our best? I talked to the girls about that, that it can change week to week. Who are the six people that we feel are the most comfortable and can get us the win? That’s what we’re going to do.”
One other bit of new this season for Hill really isn’t unfamiliar at all. After four seasons in the Mountain Foothills 7 Conference, Polk County has returned to the Western Highlands Conference, which it dominated for several seasons, as part of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s realignment for 2025-2029. That same process also moved the Wolverines into the 3A ranks as the NCHSAA has expanded from four to eight classifications beginning this season.
Joining the Wolverines back in the WHC is Hendersonville, and the Bearcats could be Polk’s biggest threat with a core group of returnees bolsted by junior transfer Arden Arkansas, who played last season at Brevard.
“I can’t say that I’m thrilled about the long travel, but I am confident,” Hill said of the return to the WHC. “We’re going to have to play Polk County volleyball and play our style. But it is something we’re familiar with, we’ve seen before and we know all these teams.
“So going into it I’m confident, and hopefully it works out in our favor.”
Sports
Tigers Win Six Events at Alexis Jarrett Invitational
Mizzou track and field opened its indoor track and field season Saturday hosting the second annual Alexis Jarrett Invitational at the Hearnes Center Fieldhouse and claimed six event titles, despite competing a limited number of student-athletes.
Other schools competing included SIU-Edwardsville, Central Methodist, Kansas City, Iowa Western Community College, Barton County Community College and Cottey College.
TOP TIGERS
Senior sprinter Robert Hines was a two-time winner. He claimed the 200m dash with a time of 21.82 – just four-tenths of a second off his indoor personal best – and also won the 60m dash in 6.87.
Senior Anna Vedral won the women’s pole vault at the Alexis Jarrett Invitational for the second straight year clearing 3.90m (12-9.5) and sophomore Anna Ferguson (3.60/11-9.75) took second after tying for the runner-up spot a year ago.
Senior Petra Gombas secured the Alexis Jarrett Invitational title for the second straight year with a throw of 19.91m (62-11.5).
RECAP
Sophomore Marlena Tresnjo won the women’s high jump at 1.76m (5-9.25).
The Tigers were especially strong in the throwing events.
Junior Garik Pozecki had a spirited competition with SIU-Edwardsville’s Grant Milbrath in the men’s weight throw and finished second by a single centimeter, throwing 21.62m (70-11.25), a personal best and the sixth-best mark ever at Mizzou, to Milbrath’s 21.63m (70-11.75). Teammates Clayton Kamp and T.J. Wiggins followed Pozecki in third and fourth with respective throws of 17.92m (58-9.5) and 16.83m (55-2.75).
The Tigers swept the women’s weight throw, taking the top five positions. Gombas’ victory was followed by teammates Reagan Kimrey (19.12/62-8.75), Delilah Pippen (PR – 16.72/54-10.25), Ames Burton (16.62/54-6.5) and Kaitlyn Morningstar (PR – 16.60/54-5.5).
Junior Chase Crawford won the men’s shot put with a personal best throw of 17.62m (57-9.75). Teammates Sam Albert (PR – 15.83m/51-11.25) and Kamp (14.86m/48-9) were third and fifth, respectively.
In his Mizzou debut, Houston transfer Dillon Leacock was second in the 60m hurdles (8.29) and eighth in the 200m dash (22.44) – both events in which he had not competed before.
Multi-event athlete Sophia Wydra, a freshman, also made her debut in the black-and-gold and competed in three events: women’s long jump, sixth, 5.45m (17-10.75); women’s 60m hurdles, ninth, 9.24; and shot put, third (11.42m/37-5.75).
Former Tiger Arianna Fisher, competing unattached, won the women’s triple jump (12.81m/42-0.50), an event in which she holds the Missouri school indoor record (14.06m/46-1.5).
UP NEXT
Next week, Missouri hosts its second of five consecutive home meets – the Show-Me Showdown – inside the Hearnes Center Fieldhouse on Friday, Jan. 16.
FOLLOW THE TIGERS
For all the latest on Mizzou Track and Field, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Facebook, Instagram and X (MizzouTFXC).
Sports
Second School Record Falls; Sewell Succeeds in World Championships on Saturday – University of Cincinnati Athletics
Sports
Giles Breaks Shot Put Program Record at Tryon International Collegiate Opener
TRYON, N.C. – The High Point University women’s track and field team traveled to the western part of the state to compete at the Tryon International Collegiate Opener hosted by Big South Conference foe UNC Asheville. The Panthers used this meet as practice for the Big South Indoor Championships that will take place at the same facility at the end of February.
High Point had a group of throwers and combined events student-athletes make the trip.
In the throwing events, Ashlyn Giles broke her own program record in her second meet as a Panther in the shot put. She threw a 15.43m throw for first place which was 0.43m farther than her previous record. She also competed in the weight throw and launched the weight 15.32m for third place.
Vanessa Kobialka placed in second behind Giles in the shot put with a 13.27m throw. Jill Stroup placed fourth in the weight throw and matched Giles’ throw with a 15.32m launch.
Jhanelle Thomas and Mya Hines competed in the 60m hurdles and crossed the finish line in back-to-back times as Thomas registered a 9.08 time and Hines posted a 9.25 time for fourth and fifth place respectively. Thomas also competed in the high jump and cleared 1.47m for a six-way tie for third. Kaitlyn Green was right there with Thomas in the high jump also clearing 1.47m for third place.
UP NEXT: High Point travels to Blacksburg, Virginia for the Virginia Tech Invitational on January 16-17.
#GoHPU x #OnTheProwl
Sports
Ufodiama Sets Program Record at Rod McCravy Memorial
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky – East Carolina opened the indoor season with several strong performances at the Rod McCravy Memorial Meet, hosted by the University of Kentucky at the Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center, highlighted by a program-record run from Kelly Ufodiama and multiple finals appearances across the two-day competition.
Ufodiama delivered the standout performance of the meet for the Pirates, setting a new ECU program record in the women’s 60-meter dash semifinals with a time of 7.14. The mark further cemented her place atop the record book, as she now holds the top eight performances in program history in the event.
On the men’s side, East Carolina made a strong statement in the sprints. Tyson Tippett finished runner-up in the men’s 60-meter dash finals, clocking 6.85, while Jace Coleman added a fourth-place finish at 6.89 to give the Pirates two top-four finishes in one of the meet’s deepest events.
The Pirates also found success in the hurdles, where Kailey Elliott advanced through the rounds to place fourth in the women’s 60-meter hurdles finals with a time of 8.27. Her performance marked one of ECU’s top technical-event finishes of the weekend.
Abrielle Schweitzer continued her strong indoor campaign with a third-place finish in the women’s mile, crossing the line in 4:52.34. On the men’s side, Alex Sawyer placed ninth in the mile with a time of 4:14.67, while Elliott Kleckner followed closely in 11th at 4:21.33.
Additional solid efforts came in the 300 meters, where Brianna Clayton finished 13th in the women’s race at 38.70, and in the men’s 600 meters, where Jordan Good narrowly missed the podium with a fourth-place finish in 1:18.34.
In the field events, Shakiel Dacres led the way for East Carolina with a sixth-place finish in the men’s shot put with 16.66m. Dacres’ performance marked the Pirates’ top result in the throws.
East Carolina finished strong over the weekend and will look to carry their victories toward the Dick Taylor Challenge, hosted by North Carolina starting January 16.
Sports
Track & Field Wins Six Events, Topples School Record in Excellent Close to Rod McCravy Memorial – Ole Miss Athletics
All-American sophomore Jordan Urrutia, fresh off a strong freshman campaign, set right to work on his second season with the Rebels. Urrutia clocked the fastest proper 300-meter race in Ole Miss history (trailing only a converted 300-yard time on an oversized track by Olympian Tony Dees in 1984), finishing second overall in a blistering 33.06 seconds. That time dropped nearly three-quarters of a second off his freshman best 33.71, and trailed only a 32.89 by Indiana’s Trelee Banks-Rose.
Fellow sophomore Wesley Todd clocked a PR of his own, finishing 10th at 34.07.
The duo were not done there, though, as Ole Miss would close the day with an excellent opening 4×400-meter relay for the 2026 season. The quartet of senior Joshua Knox, Todd, senior Cade Flatt and Urrutia passed the stick in 3:08.85 – which ranks fourth-best in Ole Miss history indoors and is the fastest by any Rebel relay indoors since the 2004 record of 3:06.83.
Ole Miss was particularly excellent on the back half, with Flatt dropping a 46.93 third leg and then Urrutia blazing a 45.45 anchor leg.
The success on the track did not stop there for the Rebels. Earlier in the day, Patchnalie Compere ran the fastest time ever by an Ole Miss freshman in the women’s 300-meter dash, winning the event overall at an eye-opening 37.40. Olympian and three-time NCAA Champion McKenzie Long set the Ole Miss record in the event at 37.38 in 2023 on Vanderbilt’s oversized track.
Senior Cassie Williamson, in her final year of competition this indoor season, took the crown in the women’s 800-meter at an Ole Miss career-best 2:08.51 – which ranks her seventh in school history indoors. Freshman Owen Kelley rounded out the track wins for Ole Miss with a victory in the 3K, clocking in at 8:16.11 in his collegiate debut.
Other notable runs on the track included a runner-up finish by senior Chase Rose in the 800-meter (1:49.56), a third-place finish and PR by Samuel Ferguson in the 3K (8:21.18), and a third-place 3K finish by freshman Leah Penick in her collegiate debut (9:45.89).
In the field, reigning NCAA Indoor shot put champion Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan began his title defense in earnest. Robinson-O’Hagan – a member of the preseason watch list for The Bowerman, college track & field’s version of the Heisman Trophy – won on a sixth-round blast of 20.76m/68-01.50 for his first win of the season, the best mark by an collegiate shot putter this early into the season (Jan. 10) in available records since at least 2008.
Freshman Ashton Hearn began his Ole Miss career with an impressive heave of his own, finishing third at 17.84m/58-06.50 – already good for No. 6 in school history indoors.
In the women’s edition, All-American junior Akaoma Odeluga had her best-ever season opening performance as well, winning on a blast of 17.92m/58-09.50. Freshman Natalie Brown also made the final, finishing ninth at 13.71m/44-11.75 in her first college shot put competition.
In the men’s triple jump, two key portal additions for the Rebels – juniors Sterling Scott (Missouri) and Kyle Johnson (UConn) – had great opening performances to their Ole Miss careers. Scott, a three-time NCAA qualifier with the Tigers, took runner-up honors at 15.97m/52-04.75 – already making him the sixth-best triple jumper in Ole Miss history indoors. Johnson was fourth at 15.67m/51-5, good for No. 12 in the Rebel record books.
Fellow junior Mikoy Holmes made the final as well, finishing eighth at a career-best leap of 14.81m/48-07.25.
Ole Miss will next head to Nashville for the Vanderbilt Invitational, which is set to run Jan. 16-17.
REBELS IN DAY TWO COMPETITION
Women’s 300-Meter Dash
1. Patchnalie Compere – 37.40 – Collegiate Debut, Ole Miss Freshman Record
51. Royannah Farmer – 41.04 – Division I Debut, First Career 300
Men’s 300-Meter Dash
2. Jordan Urrutia – 33.06 – PR, Ole Miss Proper 300-Meter Record
10. Wesley Todd – 34.07 – PR
Women’s 800-Meter
1. Cassie Williamson – 2:08.51 – Ole Miss Best, No. 7 Ole Miss History Indoors
Men’s 800-Meter
2. Chase Rose – 1:49.56
DNF Cade Flatt
Men’s Mile
2. John Shoemaker – 4:10.39 – Collegiate Debut
Women’s 3K
3. Leah Penick – 9:45.89 – Collegiate Debut
6. Hannah Doyle – 9:55.25 – Collegiate Debut
10. Brooke Preputnick – 10:09.99 – PR
11. Madison Archdale – 10:10.22 – Collegiate Debut
12. Addy Mitchell – 10:11.94 – Collegiate Debut
Men’s 3K
1. Owen Kelley – 8:16.11 – Collegiate Debut
3. Samuel Ferguson – 8:21.18 – PR
Men’s 4×400-Meter Relay
1. A Relay: Joshua Knox, Wesley Todd, Cade Flatt, Jordan Urrutia – 3:08.85 – No. 4 Ole Miss History Indoors
11. B Relay: Tarique Wright, Dekell Minor, Jonathan Stock, Chase Rose – 3:18.47
Men’s Pole Vault
5. Logan Kelley – 5.00m/16-04.75
Women’s Triple Jump
10. Indya Dotson – 11.94m/39-02.25 – PR, No. 15 Ole Miss History Indoors
11. Bayli Major – 11.83m/38-09.75 – Collegiate Debut
FOUL Madison Martinez
Men’s Triple Jump
2. Sterling Scott – 15.97m/52-04.75 – Ole Miss Debut, No. 6 Ole Miss History Indoors
4. Kyle Johnson – 15.67m/51-5 – Ole Miss Debut, No. 12 Ole Miss History Indoors
8. Mikoy Holmes – 14.81m/48-07.25 – PR
11. Solomon Finley – 13.96m/45-09.75 – Ole Miss Debut
Women’s Shot Put
1. Akaoma Odeluga – 17.92m/58-09.50
9. Natalie Brown – 13.71m/44-11.75 – Collegiate Debut, No. 15 Ole Miss History Indoors
12. Temidayo Owoyemi – 13.27m/43-06.50 – Collegiate Debut
Men’s Shot Put
1. Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan – 20.76m/68-01.50
3. Ashton Hearn – 17.84m/58-06.50 – Collegiate Debut, No. 6 Ole Miss History Indoors
26. Caughran Fowler – 10.91m/35-09.50
28. William Numnum – 10.56m/34-07.75 – Collegiate Debut
—–
REBELS IN DAY ONE COMPETITION
Men’s 60-Meter Dash – Prelims
7. Tarique Wright – 6.79q – PR, T-No. 11 Ole Miss History
Men’s 60-Meter Dash – Semifinals
11. Tarique Wright – 6.79 – Ties PR
Women’s 200-Meter Dash
27. Lizzie Hatton – 25.22 – Indoor PR
Women’s 400-Meter Dash
13. Patchnalie Compere – 59.17 – Collegiate Debut
Men’s 600-Meter
6. Jonathan Stock – 1:19.51 – PR
Men’s 1000-Meter
2. Stone Smith – 2:28.65 – Event Debut
Women’s 60-Meter Hurdles – Prelims
35. Bayli Major – 8.90 – Collegiate Debut
40. Carmela Coulter – 9.15 – Collegiate Debut
44. Nyajah Gordon – 9.38
Men’s 60-Meter Hurdles – Prelims
12. Caughran Fowler – 8.46q – PR
17. William Numnum – 8.80q – Collegiate Debut
Men’s 60-Meter Hurdles – Semifinals
12. William Numnum – 8.66 – PR
17. Caughran Fowler – 8.67
Women’s High Jump
NH Carmela Coulter
Men’s High Jump
1. Arvesta Troupe – 2.23m/7-03.75 – Indoor PR, No. 3 Ole Miss History Indoor
Women’s Pole Vault
5. Lily Beattie – 4.05m/13-03.50
T6. Mary Cate Doughty – 3.90m/12-09.50
11. Katie McFarland – 3.75m/12-03.50
13. Aly Francolini – 3.75m/12-03.50
T14. Rachel Homoly – 3.75m/12-03.50 – Ole Miss Debut, No. 15 Ole Miss History Indoors
NH Katelyn Hulsey
Women’s Long Jump
10. Indya Dotson – 5.73m/18-09.75
25. Nyajah Gordon – 5.19m/17-00.50
FOUL Lizzie Hatton
Women’s Weight Throw
1. Akaoma Odeluga – 22.95m/75-03.50 – 5-foot PR, No. 5 Ole Miss History
2. Skylar Soli – 22.21m/72-10.50 – PR, No. 6 Ole Miss History
4. Nyah Edwards – 20.50m/67-03.25 – Ole Miss Debut, 4-foot PR, No. 9 Ole Miss History
9. Natalie Brown – 18.87m/61-11 – Collegiate Debut, No. 13 Ole Miss History
13. Naomi Woolfolk – 17.90m/58-08.75 – PR, No. 15 Ole Miss History
16. Temidayo Owoyemi – 16.66m/54-8 – Collegiate Debut
Men’s Weight Throw
2. Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan – 23.78m/78-00.25 – Top Collegiate Finisher
3. Bryson Smith – 22.11m/72-05.50 – PR, No. 2 Ole Miss History
4. Mason Hickel – 21.27m/69-09.50
Sports
Streit and Godfred Shine at Minnesota Open
Streit secured her first lifetime best in the weight throw since February of 2025 (Gopher Classic) to finish second on Saturday behind only teammate Anthonett Nabwe (22.82m | 74-10 1/2). Streit, a 2025 weight throw First Team All-American, moved up from No. 5 all-time at Minnesota to No. 4 with the performance and now is No. 3 in the NCAA this season.
On the men’s side it was Godfred who captured the attention of the crowd with his two runs in the 60m. The two-time Big Ten outdoor long jump champion, running unattached, posted lifetime bests of 6.65 and 6.62 to secure the event win in Minneapolis. Godfred’s previous lifetime best in the event was 6.70 (2024 M City Classic) and would rank the Nigerian inside the top three nationally among men’s NCAA sprinters in 2026.
The other seven event wins for the in-uniform Gophers on Saturday included: Victory Godah (60m – 7.58), LauBenra Ben (200m – 25.09), Zeal Kuku (400m – 55.68), Kitania Headley (800m – 2:13.00), Charlotte Lange (3000m – 9:54.82), Sofia Condon (Pole Vault – 4.01m) and Nabwe (Shot Put – 16.11m).
Eight other Minnesota victories on Saturday came from unattached student-athletes. Jordan Dunigan capped the day off with a lifetime best in the weight throw at 20.52m (67-4) while teammates Precious Opinion (Triple Jump – 15.25m), Brooke Moore (Triple Jump – 12.49m) and Waukeem Walters (Long Jump – 7.27m) also picked up wins in field events at the Minnesota Open. On the track Minnesota’s unattached runners won three other events, which included: Joseph Manser (400m – 48.84), Ramy Ayoub (600m – 1:18.37) and Nontokozo Ncube (600m – 1:30.55).
The ‘U’ will head out to Lincoln, Neb., for the Graduate Classic, the first road meet of 2026, from January 16-17. Minnesota will not return home until January 30, at the Jack Johnson Classic.
For more information on the Gophers, continue to check back with GopherSports.com. Keep up with the University of Minnesota cross country and track and field team on X.com (Twitter) and Instagram (@GopherCCTF) and on Facebook, so you do not miss any content during the season.
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