There’s no question volunteers help make water polo happen. This National Volunteer Week, Water Polo Australia celebrates the incredible individuals who give so much of themselves to support our sport and community.
Fleur Fotheringham, who recently joined the Water Polo South Australia board last year as Appointed Director, began her journey volunteering her time almost five years ago when her son represented South Australia at junior representative level.
As with many parents who devote their time behind the scenes to support their children in the pool, Fotheringham was just happy to help wherever possible.
“I think it’s really rewarding to be able to support and encourage your child in whatever sport they choose,” Fotheringham said.
“I’m an individual that likes to give my time, and I find it really rewarding and valuable.”
Fotheringham further emphasised the importance of volunteers amongst sporting organisations, noting the crucial role they play at all levels of sport.
“It’s a really supportive environment. We’re not a big club, we’re not a big state, but the environment and the culture that we have is such a supportive one to all of our players,” said Fotheringham.
Fotheringham recounted the fundraising efforts amongst the local South Australian community to support their youth teams’ participation at the recent Australian Youth Water Polo Championships held in Perth last month.
“We had wine sales, sausage sizzles, chocolate drives, hot cross buns sales, in an attempt to get all of our teams here as youth teams.”
The Water Polo South Australia 16&U Boys Team Manager was grateful for the community spirit and unity shown in aid of their Youth Championships campaign, highlighting the importance volunteers play in nurturing the next generation of water polo stars.
“It’s about what we can do to get them here and to allow them to have the best time possible.”
OREM — The first NCAA Division I national championship in Utah Valley University has been vacated.
Multiple reports Monday indicated that former UVU distance star Everlyn Kemboi had her 10,000-meter national title from the 2023 NCAA outdoor track and field championships vacated by the association’s committee on infractions.
The Metkei, Kenya, native who transferred to Utah Valley after starting her career at Arizona and El Paso Community College won the school’s first individual national championship with a time of 32 minutes, 39.08 seconds June 9, 2023 at the University of Texas-Austin’s Mike A. Myers Stadium.
Kemboi’s runner-up finish in the 5,000-meter run has also been removed from the association record books, as first reported by The Stride Report.
The decision first drew attention Dec. 19, when former Utah distance athlete Emily Venters revealed in a statement on Instagram that an appeal she filed with the NCAA asking to move up her 10K runner-up finish in June 2023 due to the disqualification of an athlete had been denied.
Venters, the Utes’ program record-holder in the 10,000 and 5,000 meters in outdoor track and field, finished second to Kemboi in 32 minutes, 47.70 seconds in June of her senior season in 2023. She also finished third in the 5,000 meters in 15:42.40.
Both times were the fastest by a Utah track athlete at an NCAA championship event. But Venters said her and her family were told by NCAA officials that the athlete who finished first in the 10K and second in the 5K — she did not identify Kemboi by name in her statement — had tested positive for a banned substance and had her results revoked.
“Today’s decision from the NCAA is beyond disappointing,” Venters said in a statement posted to Instagram under: “This is something I never wanted to have to post, but staying quiet would mean accepting something that isn’t right.”
“With the support of my dad and Utah’s athletic department, we fought for what we believed was right, to have the results corrected,” she added. “Today, the NCAA denied that request. What hurts most is that I will never get that moment back. I will never get to experience being named a national champion, standing on the top step of that podium, hearing my name called. That moment was taken from me by someone who chose to cheat, and now by a system that refuses to fix it.”
She called the decision “an emotional loss” and one that has “real consequences for my future” including financially for the now-professional runner sponsored by Nike and Xendurance. She also joined Utah-based Run Elite Program last June for training and support.
“But this is bigger than me,” Venters added. “This sets a dangerous standard for the next generation of NCAA athletes. It tells them that cheating can happen, that athletes can test positive, and yet the right thing still will not be done. It sends the message that clean athletes who do things the right way may never be protected or rewarded. That is not the sport we love.
“If the NCAA is willing to let this stand, then it needs to take a hard look int he mirror. Accountability matters. Clean athletes deserve better. I am speaking out because this should not be swept under the rug. This is not just my story. It is about the future of our sport, and unless things change, the message being sent is that cheating is tolerated. That is a standard we should never accept.”
Officials from Utah Valley University have not commented on the situation. But an addition to the school’s press release from June 2023 indicates that Kemboi’s national championship “was later vacated by the committee on infractions.”
A former three-time All-American and five-time Western Athletic Conference champion, Kemboi has since turned pro and appeared in 18 professional track and road races that include top events like the Portland Track Festival and the Fairmouth Road Race, according to The Stride Report.
Utah runner Emily Venters poses for photos at the University of Utah track in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. (Photo: Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)
Hawaii setter Tread Rosenthal, who is coming of a All-American season as a sophomore, was one of three Rainbow Warriors picked to the Big West Men’s Volleyball Preseason Coaches Team today.
The defending Big West champion Hawaii men’s volleyball team isn’t the favorite to repeat in the conference this year.
The Rainbow Warriors were slotted No. 2 in the Big West Men’s Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll today as voted on by the league’s six head coaches.
Hawaii earned two of six first-place votes to finish two points behind defending national champion Long Beach State, which topped the poll for the third consecutive season.
UC Irvine was picked to finish third and Cal State Northridge, UC San Diego and UC Santa Barbara all tied for the fourth spot with nine points each.
Hawaii was the only school to have three players selected to the Big West Men’s Volleyball Preseason Coaches Team.
Junior setter Tread Rosenthal, who has finished on the All-Big West first team in each of his first two seasons, and was a AVCA first-team, All-American last season, made the team along with sophomores Adrien Roure and Kristian Titriyski.
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Roure, who started 32 matches at outside hitter and hit .327 while averaging 3.10 kills per set as a freshman, was named the Most Outstanding Player in the Big West Championships and also made the AVCA All-America first team.
Titriyski, who started 23 matches at opposite hitter before a suffering a season-ending injury in early April against CSUN, was a AVCA second-team, All-American.
UH opens the season Friday hosting NJIT for the first of two matches at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
14 Total Phoenix Receive Phil Steele All-CAA Postseason Recognition
ELON – Elon redshirt senior punter Jeff Yurk earned First Team All-American honors and was tabbed as the CAA Special Teams Player of the Year by Phil Steele on Monday. Kahmari Brown (Fourth Team All-American) and Landen Clark (Third Team Freshman All-American), headline a deep list of 14 Phoenix who received 2025 Phil Steele All-CAA football postseason accolades.
The 14 Phoenix to receive postseason recognition included three first-team selections, two second-team honorees, seven third-team picks and three fifth-team choices. For the full list of FCS All-Americans and All-CAA selections visit PhilSteele.com.
Jeff Yurk – P First Team All-American, CAA Special Teams Player of the Year
· Ranked second in the FCS and third in all of college football with 48.3 yards per punt
· Tallied 17 punts inside the 20 and 24 punts of 50-plus yards
· Averaged five yards more per punt than any other CAA punter
Kahmari Brown – DL Fourth Team All-American
· First Elon player ever with double-digit sacks in a season (12.0)
· Broke Elon’s single-season FCS sacks record; tied program’s FCS career sacks record (16.5)
· Led the CAA in sacks by 2.5; only CAA player with double-digit sacks
· Ranked top-15 nationally in forced fumbles, sacks, and tackles for loss
· Two-time CAA Defensive Player of the Week selection
Landen Clark – QB Third Team Freshman All-American
· The third Phoenix to earn CAA Rookie of the Year honors, joining Davis Cheek (2017) and Jaylan Thomas (2018)
· First Elon freshman to win three CAA Rookie of the Week awards
· Broke Elon’s single-season FCS rushing touchdown record (11)
· Ranked second among CAA quarterbacks with 614 rushing yards
· Threw for 2,321 yards, ranking sixth in the CAA and second among CAA freshman quarterbacks
· Accounted for 29 total touchdowns (18 passing, 11 rushing), the second most in a season in program history
· Ranked fourth in the CAA in total offense (2,935 yards)
The following players were selected as Phil Steele All-CAA selections:
Isaiah Fuhrmann (WR) – First Team
Kahmari Brown (DL) – First Team
Jeff Yurk (P) – Special Teams Player of the Year, First Team
Dylan Magazu (HB/FB) – Second Team
Ishmel Atkins (DB) – Second Team
Timothy Hogan (OL) – Third Team
Brodie Carroll (LB) – Third Team
Asher Cunningham (LB) – Third Team
DJ James-Hamilton (DB) – Third Team
Tony Hart III (DB) – Third Team
Luke Barnes (PK) – Third Team
TJ Thomas Jr. (AP) – Third Team
Brayden Walker (OL) – Fifth Team
Jake Louro (DL) – Fifth Team
TJ Thomas Jr. (KR) – Fifth Team
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RENO, Nev. – Jason Borchin, who helped lead Cal Poly Women’s Volleyball to back-to-back Big West titles and an NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 appearance in 2025, has been named the next Nevada Women’s Volleyball head coach, Director of Athletics Stephanie Rempe announced Monday.
Borchin spent 10 years and nine seasons (the 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic) over two separate stints at Cal Poly, serving as assistant coach from 2015-17, then returning to the Mustangs from 2019-25, serving as recruiting coordinator that whole period and adding the associate head coach title in 2025.
During Borchin’s tenure in San Luis Obispo, the Mustangs posted a combined 184-86 record with two Big West regular-season titles, two runners-up, and five third-place finishes in the standings along with three NCAA Tournament appearances (2017, 2019, 2025). The Mustangs picked up at least one win in each of those three postseason appearances, most recently scoring upsets of No. 5 seed BYU and No. 4 seed USC in Los Angeles to reach the Sweet 16 in Lexington, Kentucky.
“We are thrilled to welcome Jason Borchin and his family to the Wolf Pack. He brings a wealth of experience, having cut his teeth at the club level and worked alongside several highly-respected coaches. Growing up and starting his career in our region gives him a deep understanding of the culture and talent here. Known for his elite training in the gym, his ability to build strong rosters, and his extensive recruiting ties in California, Jason is exactly the leader we need to elevate our program and compete at the highest level in the Mountain West,” Rempe said.
Cal Poly finished Big West play with a winning record in each of the nine seasons with Borchin on staff, going 120-38 including a perfect 16-0 mark in 2017. Since the advent of the Big West Women’s Volleyball Championship in 2023, the Mustangs have gone 4-2 at the event and won the title in 2025.
“I am honored to be named the Head Women’s Volleyball Coach at the University of Nevada. I want to thank President Brian Sandoval, Athletic Director Stephanie Rempe and the University administration for their trust in me and belief in my vision for this program,” Borchin said. “This is an incredible opportunity for my family and me, to be part of a University with such a strong tradition and bright future. Nevada has tremendous potential to compete in the Mountain West Conference and I’m excited to get to work building a program our players, alumni, and fans can be proud of. Go Pack!”
Between his stints at Cal Poly, Borchin spent the 2018 season on the staff at Notre Dame. Prior to his first stint with the Mustangs, Borchin began his collegiate coaching career as a volunteer assistant with Sacramento State in 2007 and became a full-time assistant coach in 2010. In 2007, the Hornets went 29-8, capturing the Big Sky tournament title and defeating Minnesota in the NCAA Tournament First Round at Stanford.
In addition to his indoor coaching duties, Borchin also served as co-head coach of the Sacramento State beach volleyball program for its first three seasons (2013-15).
Borchin coached club volleyball in the Sacramento area for 10 years and was the head coach of the Northern California Volleyball Club (NCVC) Girls 18s team that earned a fifth-place finish at the Junior Nationals in Dallas. His club head coaching background began during the 2005-06 season with the High Impact Girls 14s team.
A native of Roseville, Calif. and a graduate of Oakmont High School, Borchin boasts a total of 18 years of coaching experience between the intercollegiate, high school and club levels.
Borchin’s collegiate playing career included two seasons with the Hornets, earning All-Big Sky first-team and team MVP honors in 2006 and was a second-team all-conference selection in 2007. He then transferred to Pacific, where he played in 86 career matches from 2008-10 and was consistently among the team’s top five players in kills, finishing his playing career with 611 kills, 423 digs, 142 blocks and 59 aces.
Borchin graduated from Pacific in 2010 with a degree in sports sciences.
Nevada hired Jason Borchin, the associate head coach at Cal Poly, to run its volleyball program Monday.
Borchin helped Cal Poly win back-to-back Big West titles with an NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 appearance last season. Borchin spent nine seasons over two stints with the Mustangs, serving as assistant coach from 2015-17 before returning to the Mustangs from 2019-25 where he was the team’s recruiting coordinator before adding the associate head coach title in 2025.
During Borchin’s tenure in San Luis Obispo, the Mustangs posted a 184-86 record with eight top-three Big West finishes and three NCAA Tournament berths, those coming in 2017, 2019 and 2025. The Mustangs advanced in each of those tournaments, most recently upsetting No. 5 seed BYU and No. 4 seed USC in Los Angeles to reach the Sweet 16.
“We are thrilled to welcome Jason Borchin and his family to the Wolf Pack,” Nevada athletic director Stephanie Rempe said in a news release. “He brings a wealth of experience, having cut his teeth at the club level and worked alongside several highly-respected coaches. Growing up and starting his career in our region gives him a deep understanding of the culture and talent here. Known for his elite training in the gym, his ability to build strong rosters and his extensive recruiting ties in California, Jason is exactly the leader we need to elevate our program and compete at the highest level in the Mountain West.”
Between his stints at Cal Poly, Borchin spent the 2018 season at Notre Dame. Borchin began his college coaching career as a volunteer assistant with Sacramento State in 2007 and became a full-time assistant coach in 2010. In 2007, the Hornets went 29-8, capturing the Big Sky Tournament title and defeating Minnesota in the NCAA Tournament first round. In addition to his indoor coaching duties, Borchin also served as co-head coach of the Sacramento State beach volleyball program from 2013-15 when the team went 11-23 overall in its first three seasons of existence.
“I am honored to be named the head women’s volleyball coach at the University of Nevada,” Jason Borchin said in a news release. “I want to thank President Brian Sandoval, athletic director Stephanie Rempe and the university administration for their trust in me and belief in my vision for this program. This is an incredible opportunity for my family and me to be part of a university with such a strong tradition and bright future. Nevada has tremendous potential to compete in the Mountain West Conference, and I’m excited to get to work building a program our players, alumni and fans can be proud of. Go Pack!”
A native of nearby Roseville, Calif., Borchin has 18 years of coaching experience between the college, high school and club levels. Borchin played two seasons at Sacramento State, earning first-team All-Big Sky and team MVP honors in 2006. He was second-team all-conference in 2007. He then transferred to Pacific where he played in 86 matches from 2008-10 and was among the team’s top-five players in kills.
Borchin coached club volleyball in the Sacramento area for 10 years and was the head coach of the Northern California Volleyball Club Girls 18s team that earned a fifth-place finish at the Junior Nationals in Dallas. His club head-coaching background began during the 2005-06 season with the High Impact Girls 14s team.
Borchin replaces Shannon Wyckoff-McNeal, who quit earlier this month two seasons into a five-year contract. He inherits a Wolf Pack program that has struggled in recent decades.
Nevada reached five NCAA Tournaments from 1998-2005 but has posted just three winning records in the last 20 seasons, those coming in 2007, 2016 and 2019. The Wolf Pack has finished second-to-last in the MW in 2024 and 2025 with last-place finishes in 2018, 2020, 2021 and 2023, meaning Nevada has placed in the bottom two of the MW in five of the last six seasons.
Last year, Nevada went 8-20 overall and 4-14 in the MW while winning just 17 sets in 18 conference matches. The Wolf Pack’s best conference finish since moving to the MW in 2012 is fifth place. While the MW’s top-three teams this year — Utah State, Colorado State, Boise State — are moving to the Pac-12 in 2026, MW additions UTEP (16th in RPI) and UC Davis (48th) were elite this season with Hawaii (161st) historically excellent.
The Wolf Pack is scheduled to return just two starters from last season (Kamryn Tifft and Jess Walkenhorst) after the transfers of Haylee Brown (Grand Canyon), Audrey Jensen (UConn) and Kinsley Singleton (Oklahoma). Nevada’s home arena, Virginia Street Gym, has seen recent upgrades with a new video board installed before the 2024 season and new playing surface before the 2025 campaign.
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Cal Poly volleyball associate head coach and recruiting coordinator Jason Borchin — who helped the Mustangs reach the NCAA Tournament three times during his time with the program — was named the next head coach of the University of Nevada volleyball program on Monday.
Borchin spent nine seasons on the Cal Poly coaching staff across a pair of stints (2015-17, 2018-25), aiding the Mustangs to an 187-86 overall record, two Big West regular season championships and a conference tournament title during his tenure with the program.
“I’m incredibly proud that what we’ve built together here at Cal Poly has opened doors for Jason and his family,” Cal Poly volleyball head coach Caroline Walters said. “We’ve been together for more than half of my coaching career, and that’s a testament to the quality of work he does, but speaks even more to the person, coach, and friend he is. Jason has made a lasting impact on our program, and while he’ll be missed, we’re excited for him as he takes this next step. We wish Jason, Jessie, Colt, Vaughn, and Beckett nothing but the best as they embrace this new challenge at Nevada.”
Borchin, who was promoted to associate head coach for the Mustangs prior to the 2024 season, helped the program reach historic heights in his final season this fall. After defeating No. 1 seed UC Davis to capture the Big West Tournament Championship and punch its ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019, Cal Poly took down No. 5 seed BYU and then No. 4 seed USC — both in five sets — to advance to the Sweet 16 for the seventh time in program history and the first time since 2007.
The Mustangs were the lone unseeded team to reach the Third Round in this year’s NCAA Tournament, serving as the country’s Cinderella story. Cal Poly finished the year ranked No. 21 in the nation, its highest ranking to end a season in 18 years and the first time since 2018 the team ended a season nationally ranked.
After serving as a full-time assistant coach on the Sacramento State volleyball staff for five seasons (2010-14), Borchin joined the Cal Poly staff for the first time in 2015 as an assistant. While serving under then head coach Sam Crosson for three seasons, Borchin aided the Mustangs to a Big West regular season championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2017.
In 2018, Borchin served as an assistant coach at Notre Dame before returning to Cal Poly in 2019 to be an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Mustangs during Walters’ first season as the head coach. Borchin served in that role for four seasons before being elevated to associate head coach in 2024, helping Cal Poly capture a Big West regular season title and a conference tournament championship in his final two seasons.
Across his nine seasons with the program, the Mustangs saw 42 players earn All-Big West Team honors, eight named to the All-Big West Freshman Team, seven secure All-Region praise and four grab AVCA All-American status.
Prior to beginning his coaching career as a volunteer assistant at Sacramento State in 2007, Borchin played for the Hornets’ men’s team for two seasons (2006-07) before transferring to Pacific, where he appeared in 86 matches from 2008-10. The Roseville, Calif. native graduated from Pacific in 2010 with a degree in sports sciences.
