Newsday Player of the Year: Logan Coady, Massapequa, OH, Sr.
Coady was the engine that drove Massapequa to its first state title.
He had 22 kills, including the final point, and a block in Massapequa’s five-set win over reigning champion Penfield in the Division I final and was named the MVP of the state tournament.
Coady, who was Newsday’s Nassau Player of the Year as a junior, was the unquestioned leader of the team on and off the court.
Massapequa’s Logan Coady Credit: Adrian Kraus
“It’s a kind of leadership that is not loud and boisterous, it’s that you lead by example and that’s exactly what Logan does,” coach Elissa DiSalvo said. “The younger kids have been figuring it out just by following his example.”
Coady even had fans from opposing teams approach him after matches to ask for a picture with him.
After missing Massapequa’s loss in the 2023 Nassau quarterfinals with an illness, Coady returned to lead his team to two straight Nassau titles. Massapequa went 21-0 this season, dropping just eight sets. Coady finished with 267 kills, 111 digs, 37 blocks and 25 aces.
“I always trust the guys around me and it’s awesome not to just be a one-man army out there,” Coady said. “The spotlight might be on me, but we have people just as good as me that can put the ball away.”
Suffolk Player of the Year: Jack Cain, Eastport-South Manor, MB/RS, Sr.
Eastport-South Manor’s Jack Cain Credit: Adrian Kraus
Cain played a big role in the Sharks’ run to the 2024 Division II state title. His role only grew this year.
“He was the best middle in the county last year, but I knew he had more to offer. I wanted him to play all six rotations,” coach Bill Kropp said. “We moved him to the right side, something he’s never done. He took on the challenge and he went from being the best middle, to the best right side, to, in my opinion, the best player.”
Cain had 319 kills, 201 digs, 57 blocks and 45 aces and seven assists and led the Sharks back to the state final. Eastport-South Manor went 17-1 and lost just six sets behind Cain’s outstanding play and high energy.
“He is our emotional anchor. He’s able to pump everybody up,” Kropp said. “He’s everything you want in a player.”
FIRST TEAM
Tyler Bottcher, Eastport-South Manor, L, Sr.
He totaled 264 digs, 29 assists, five aces and had a 2.65 serve receive rating. He was the backbone of the Sharks’ defense on their run to two straight appearances in the state final.
Tyler Cope, Connetquot, L, Soph.
The anchor of Connetquot’s defense had 256 digs, 57 assists and 21 aces to lead the T-Birds to the Suffolk Division I title.
Matthew Fitzgerald, Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK, OH, Sr.
He totaled 201 kills, 31 blocks, 97 digs, nine aces and seven assists as the focal point of the Hawks’ offense.
Niall Haughney, Bay Shore, MB, Sr.
The Merrimack commit totaled 259 kills, 70 blocks, 187 digs, 23 aces and 17 assists and led the Marauders to the Suffolk Division I final.
Joseph Kim, Roslyn, OH, Jr.
He totaled 292 kills, 26 blocks, 25 assists, 141 digs and 30 aces to lead the Bulldogs to their second straight Nassau Division II title.
Colin O’Connor, Connetquot, OH, Sr.
He had 249 kills, 156 digs, 11 assists and nine aces to lead Connetquot’s balanced offense.
Arkaidiy Rivkin, Syosset, OH, Sr.
The NJIT commit was one of Nassau’s most feared hitters and a rock for Syosset’s offense the last two years.
Jack Stanley, Massapequa, MB, Sr.
At 6-6, Stanley’s presence in the middle helped spur Massapequa to a state title. He emerged as a superstar alongside Logan Coady and had 10 kills and eight blocks in the Nassau Division I final. He finished with 167 kills, 76 blocks and 25 aces.
Zach Thomas, West Islip, OH, Sr.
He racked up 395 kills, 172 digs, 39 aces, 21 assists and 13 blocks to lead the Lions to the Suffolk Division II final.
Peter Zhang, Great Neck South, S, Sr.
He totaled 677 assists, 162 digs, 45 kills, 45 blocks and 24 aces to lead the Rebels to the Nassau Division I final.
Nassau Coach of the Year: Bryan Patterson, Great Neck South
He led the Rebels to a 12-7 record and their first appearance in the Nassau Division I final.
Suffolk Coach of the Year: Mark Jensen, Bay Shore
He led Bay Shore (15-2) to the Suffolk Division I final after the Marauders went 7-7 and missed the playoffs in 2024.
SECOND TEAM
Nick Altmann, Plainview-Old Bethpage-JFK, S, Sr.
Emerson Atkins, Commack, OH, Sr.
Brayden Bannen, East Islip, OH, Jr.
Nick Dempsey, West Islip, OH/MB, Sr.
James Downey, East Islip, S, Sr.
Andrew Dragos, Eastport-South Manor, OH, Sr.
Tomer Gilady, Roslyn, OH, Sr.
Cameron Giordano, Westhampton, S/RS, Sr.
Zareb Gonzalez, Bay Shore, OH, Sr.
James Huber, Bay Shore, S, Jr.
Andrew Jennette, Oyster Bay, OH, Sr.
Bryan Kuhl, Sachem North, S, Jr.
Jake McBride, Massapequa, S, Sr.
Colin Mizuguchi, New Hyde Park, OH, Sr.
Leo Rohman, Levittown District, OH, Sr.
Benjy Rubin, Roslyn, MB, Sr.
Jack Ryan, Great Neck South, L, Sr.
Gavin Sack, Sayville, OH, Soph.
Ryan Sguigna, Connetquot, OH, Jr.
Braeden Vetro, Massapequa, L, Jr.
Matt Lindsay is a high school sports reporter who joined Newsday in 2022 after graduating from Stony Brook University.
MADISON, Wis. — In a surprising move on the volleyball court, Una Vajagic has announced that she is entering the transfer portal. This news is a stunner for Badger fans, as the sophomore ranked second on the team in kills and becomes the first Badger starter to leave since their national semifinal run.
Vajagic was expected to take on a larger role next season with the graduation of Mimi Colyer and Carter Booth. However, head coach Kelly Sheffield is already taking steps to replenish the roster, bringing in Florida’s Jaela Auguste, a Middle Blocker, and Eva Travis, an Outside Hitter from UC-Santa Barbara.
Looking ahead, there is promising news for Wisconsin volleyball. According to PrepDig, Wisconsin boasts the #1 recruiting class in the nation, incoming in 2026. This signals a bright future for the program despite the unexpected departure of Vajagic.
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PRINCETON, N.J. – The Tigers were picked to finish fourth in the EIVA preseason poll, announced Monday. Mason Rice and Ryan Vena were named EIVA preseason players to watch.
With 26 points, Princeton is fourth in the rankings behind Penn State, which was unanimously selected first, NJIT, and George Mason.
Vena and Rice were named players to watch by the EIVA coaches. Vena, a senior middle blocker, was a First Team All-EIVA honoree in 2025. Rice, a sophomore pin, was named to the Second Team All-EIVA after a breakout freshman season.
In 2025, the Tigers went 15-11 overall and 10-2 in the EIVA, winning the EIVA regular season championship before falling to Penn State in the EIVA tournament finals.
The Tigers will kick off the 2026 season on January 3rd as they take on Toronto Metropolitan on the road in Canada. First serve is set for 8 p.m.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Senior middle blocker Ally Barth has been named to the Summit League Volleyball All-Academic Team for the first time in her career, the league office announced on Monday afternoon.
Barth boasts a 3.94 GPA in Management Communication and was one of seven players in the Summit League to earn a spot on the Academic All-League Team. The Verona, Wis., native was also named to the CSC Academic All-District Team for the third time in her career earlier this month.
To be eligible for the Academic All-League team, a student-athlete must have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.30 (on a 4.0 scale), completed at least one full academic year at the current institution and participated in 50 percent of their team’s competitions, except pitchers who must have participated in 20 percent of their team’s total contests.
Nominations are brought forth by sports information directors from the league’s participating members, and voting is conducted by both SIDs and FARs.
The full Summit League release can be viewed here.
FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason Men’s Volleyball team has been selected to finish third in the 2026 EIVA Preseason Coaches Poll, the conference announced Monday afternoon. The Patriots are only behind Penn State and NJIT, with the Nittany Lions claiming the unanimous choice to top the group for the second straight year.
George Mason ended their 2025 season with a 16-13 overall record and a conference record of 6-6. After sweeping Charleston (WV) in the first round of the EIVA tournament, the Patriots’ season came to a close when they lost 3-1 to top-seeded Princeton in the semifinals
Redshirt senior outside hitter Liam French and sophomore middle blocker Alexander Lillie were also selected to the 2026 EIVA Players to Watch list. French played 72 sets from 24 matches and scored 233 points with 191 kills. The Virginia Beach, Va., native also had 29 service aces, the second-most on the team, as well as a .242 hitting percentage, 57 digs and 22 blocks. French recorded a season-high of four service aces against Charleston (WV) on April 23rd.
Lillie’s freshman campaign was a decorated one, as he was named a three-time EIVA Defensive Player of the Week and was also selected to the EIVA First-Team. The Ronkonkoma, N.Y., product appeared in 82 sets across 24 matches and recorded 30 solo blocks, which was the second-most in the country. In total, his 94 blocks with 1.132 blocks per set was good enough for ninth-best in the country as well.
George Mason starts off the 2026 season in Salisbury, N.C., on January 10th when the Patriots face off against Catawba College. After two more away games in Columbus, Ohio, against Ohio State (Jan. 15) and Long Beach State (Jan. 16), the Patriots will host their home opener against Merrimack on Jan. 24th at 6 pm at the Recreation Athletic Complex (RAC).
Flathead High School on Friday announced the resignation of head coach Emily Russell, who had led the Bravettes Volleyball program for the past six years.
The Flathead Activities Department will begin the hiring process after the holiday break, aiming to present a candidate recommendation to the Board of Trustees by February, according to a press release from the school.
“We are excited about the level of work ethic and talent that our returning players bring to the program,” Matt Allison, assistant principal and activities director, said. “The Flathead Activities mission is developing champions in life and tomorrow’s leaders.
“We will continue to push our student-athletes and this program forward.”
Russel took the helm of the program for the 2020 season, marking a return to her alma mater where as a player she helped lead the Bravettes to the school’s most recent hardware finish at the state tournament.
“A Flathead High School alumna and former setter on the 2012 state runner-up team, Russell returned to her alma mater with a passion for the program and a commitment to developing student-athletes both on and off the court,” the school said in the press release.
During her time as a coach with the program — one year as an assistant coach and six years as head coach — Russell led the Bravettes to the Class AA state tournament in 2021 where the team finished 1-2.
That state tournament appearance proved to be the winningest season during Russell’s tenure. The Bravettes finished the 2025 season 5-21 overall and 4-10 in the Western AA conference. Both the 2024 and 2025 seasons came to a close with 3-0 defeats in Class AA state tournament games.
“We are excited about the level of work ethic and talent that our returning players bring to the program,” Allison said. “The Flathead Activities mission is developing champions in life and tomorrow’s leaders. We will continue to push our student-athletes and this program forward.”
KANSAS CITY, Missouri — No. 3 seed Texas A&M showed the “grit” it has displayed throughout the NCAA Division I women’s volleyball tournament in Sunday’s final, beating No. 1 seed Kentucky 3-0 to capture the program’s first national championship.
In the first all-SEC title-game showdown, the Aggies trailed by as many as six points in the first set and were down a set point. A kill by redshirt sophomore Kyndal Stowers tied the game at 24-24. A block by Ifenna Cos-Okpalla gave the Aggies a set point. And a Stowers kill sealed it.
The Aggies never trailed the rest of the way.
“As soon as we got within two, I was like, ‘Oh no’ for them,” Texas A&M coach Jamie Morrison said. “They should know better on this team. This team is not going to back down.”
The Aggies had a string of upsets just to make it to the title game, starting with a regional semifinal reverse sweep of No. 2 seed Louisville, followed by a regional final upset against previously undefeated No.1 Nebraska. Texas A&M continued its upset streak by sweeping No. 1 Pitt 3-0 in the semifinals before claiming the national title against Kentucky.
“I just said, ‘We’ve been here before. We’ve been there twice. I brought up the Louisville match,” Morrison said of his team’s first-set deficit. “We talked about Louisville being down 0-2. We talked about Nebraska. We said, ‘Hey, we’ve been here.’ … I just said, ‘It’s going to take one or two points, start to get firing, they’re going to be there.'”
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In the second set, the Aggies held a consistent lead over the Wildcats, finishing 25-15 after an attack error by Kentucky. Texas A&M held onto its lead in the third set and clinched the title when senior middle blocker Cos-Okpalla’s kill brought the score to 25-20.
After leading her team with 11 kills, Texas A&M senior Logan Lednicky fought back tears as she looked back at her four-year career in College Station. The 6-foot-3 opposite hitter credited the nine seniors on her team for helping build this program.
“I was pretty emotional all day today just knowing that no matter the outcome of this game, it would be my last getting to represent A&M on my chest,” Lednicky said. “Being able to do this with these girls, end with the trophy, end like this, I just can’t even believe it.”
Stowers, who had 10 kills in the title match, claimed the Most Outstanding Player award. The transfer from Baylor medically retired because of concussions before transferring to Texas A&M. Stowers had 17 kills against Louisville, 25 against Nebraska and 16 against Pitt.
“A year ago today, I sat on my couch and watched some good friends of mine actually win this game,” Stowers said of Penn State’s victory over Louisville. “Now, to be living that is genuinely surreal. It was a journey to get here. Good days; bad days. It took this guy, sitting next to me, Morrison, believing in me after not playing volleyball for over a year and a half, to take me on his roster and coach me every single day.”
Throughout the NCAA tournament, Texas A&M credited its “grit.” The Aggies were two points away from elimination in the regional semifinals against Louisville. Since that upset, the Aggies outscored their opponents 317-276.
“It’s a testament to the work we put in in the practice gym and just generally in all of our careers,” Lednicky said after the semifinals. “It’s been a long time coming for us, a lot of work put into this moment.”
Kentucky had won four matches in a row against Texas A&M, including a four-set victory Oct. 8. Wildcats coach Craig Skinner pointed to A&M’s passing as the difference.
“They handled our serve really well early,” Skinner said. “Our serving pressure didn’t allow them to get in sync when we were down at College Station. Today, they were in sync.
“Credit their first contact with their passers of Underwood, Applegate, Hellmuth, and Stowers for really doing a good job of providing Waak opportunities to set their whole offense. It was a difficult thing to try and score points on defense.”
