Don Oberhelman leaned back in his chair and listed the things he was looking forward to during his retirement: house projects, travel and reading a stack of books “probably 10 feet tall.”

Then Oberhelman, who served as Cal Poly’s athletic director for 15 years took a pause. 

“There was this other sobering thought that entered my head,” Oberhelman said.

He realized if he had the same life expectancy as his father, whom he described as “one of the most healthiest and vibrant individuals” he’s been around, Oberhelman would only get to live 15 more years.

“That’s not much time. I want to spend that time with my wife doing the things we love, and that’s going to be reading, traveling, being in our home and seeing our friends,” Oberhelman said. “My father loved his retirement, and I dearly wish he had more years of it.”

Oberhelman announced his retirement on June 9. He will remain in the position until the fall or until his next replacement is hired. 

READ MORE: Cal Poly Director of Athletics Don Oberhelman announces retirement

During his time at Cal Poly, the Mustangs have secured 54 team conference championships, the most of any Big West university over that period. Additionally, the graduation rate amongst student-athletes increased from 71% in 2011 to 93% in 2024, according to Cal Poly Athletics, which is one of his produdest accomplishments.

In recent years, Oberhelman has been adjusting the department to the new changes in college athletics, such as the rise of name, image and likeness (NIL) payments along with increased use of the transfer portal. The recently approved House v. NCAA settlement will usher in an age of direct payment to athletes, roster limits and new financial burdens for institutions. 

He said, however, college athletics’ vastly changing landscape didn’t affect his decision. Yet, the timing of his decision does bring him “greater peace” by stepping down at the right time.

Across the country, many universities have decided to end sports programs. Loyola Marymount University dropped six sports in January 2024. So far in 2025, Grand Canyon discontinued a successful men’s volleyball program and UTEP cut women’s tennis. St. Francis (PA) is moving its athletics program from Division I to Division III.

Cal Poly fell into the same category when it eliminated its swim and dive program in March 2025. All schools, including Cal Poly, cited budgetary reasons and the House settlement as the reasoning for their moves.

LATEST ON SWIM AND DIVE: Uncertain future for Cal Poly swim recruits amid program cut

“It’s going to be the non-revenue Olympic spots that are going to pay the price,” Oberhelman said. “Until we’re able to change the financial structure of what the NCAA is looking like, I don’t see another way for us to do this.”

Following the cuts, the team worked toward reinstatement and put together a fundraising campaign. However, they fell short of the $15 million mark set by the university after raising $9 million. 

Oberhelman said 22 sports is too many for the department.

“We were starting to see sports suffer because we have too many mouths to feed,” he said. “It’s probably the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do as an athletic director, but I 100% believe it was the right decision for our university, and we did not go into it lightly.” 

He recognizes the pushback he and the athletic department have received. 

“We knew exactly what this is going to look like,” Oberhelman said of the criticism he’s received. “But it doesn’t make it a bad decision. It’s going to benefit the rest of our student body and the rest of our student athletes.”

With the elimination of the swim and dive team and the upcoming roster limits, he estimates there will be around 100 fewer student-athletes. 

“While that is not a great thing at all, it’s a very good thing for how we fund our program,” Oberhelman said. “It’s going to lead to greater success in our sports.”

Out of college, Oberhelman worked at a bank but didn’t enjoy his job. He had a friend who worked in public relations in the NFL and was recommended to pursue a master’s degree to break into the sports industry.

He then enrolled in graduate school at Florida State to get his master’s in athletic administration. His professor at the time offered him an internship, which he turned down.

That night, Oberhelman thought about the opportunity and changed his mind.

“The next day, when he came to his office, I was sitting outside his door, and he looked at me and said ‘I didn’t think I’d see you again,’” Oberhelman said.

From there, he worked his way up in Division I athletics working at Florida State, Texas A&M, Southern Miss and San Diego State with the ultimate goal of becoming a Division I athletic director.

Oberhelman loves the excitement of working in college sports.

“I love the energy of our hallway,” Oberhelman said. “There’s a reason there’s a hallway just like this in every athletic department in America.”

His office is located in the upstairs hallway of the Mott Athletic Center. The rest of the coaches for all sports can be found on the first or second floor.

“I love having my door open. I love hearing the student-athletes, hearing their banter and them talk about the school and practices,” Oberhleman said. “It keeps you young.”

He enjoys the opportunity to be a mentor and leader and help equip students with the skills to solve problems. 

Additionally, he said working with the other coaches has made him better.

“We have some of the best leaders and educators I’ve ever been around,” he said. “ I learned something new from one of them every single day.”

Oberhelman has an education-first approach to athletics, but the same can’t necessarily be said for the rest of Division I. He predicts an incoming split at some point between the biggest schools and conferences and everyone else.

“We’ve lost our North Star, which is educating students,” he said. “Now it’s just about compensating students.” 

With the amount of transferring, he’s worried graduation rates will tumble as credits don’t always transfer evenly between colleges. 

While not official, it appears Cal Poly is leaning toward opting into the House settlement. The university won’t necessarily engage in direct revenue sharing, at least initially, but the newly established Players’ Trust will enable programs to provide scholarship supplements to athletes, which will exceed the cost of attendance. 

The goal under the new rules will be to put as many players as they can on scholarship with no more limits on the amount. Regardless of how the university and the next athletic director tackle these problems, Oberhelman says the next person will need to be “a really good planner and change agent.”

“Change is coming at us so fast,” he said. “It’s got to be somebody who can really work through what that change means and get our organization to be able to adjust to that quickly.”

Oberhelman believes he’s built a strong framework to remain competitive. However, as has been demonstrated in recent years, the NCAA is an ever-evolving entity.

“I would say NCAA Division I athletics has been pretty constant for a very long time, and now all of a sudden it’s just all these changes coming at us,” Oberhelman said. “Everybody thinks now we have our structure. I disagree with that completely. We have our structure for today. We might have our structure for next month, but this isn’t the structure for the next year.”

After 15 years, Oberhelman is undecided about whether he has enough energy to continue leading the department through this next change. He wants to enjoy the precious time at home with his family, as he feels his father didn’t get enough of it. 

“Maybe I do. Maybe I don’t, but that doubt is enough to tell me I’m doing this at the right time,” he said. “Here’s the thing: I’d do this anyway. The timing of this is based purely on our family financial situation and what we want to do with our lives.”

But once again, Oberhelman paused and tried to find a way to explain what he meant. It isn’t purely a pursuit of more free time. It’s a move also for the betterment of the institution in his mind.

“With everything going on in the landscape, it’s not going to make me second-guess this in a couple of months, wondering if I did the right thing or not,” he said. “I believe I’m doing the right thing for me, but I also think I’m doing the right thing for this university.”

From a modest training base with limited facilities to being responsible for implementing all SAI schemes across three states and holding National Centres of Excellence (NCOEs) for hockey, athletics and volleyball, financial and professional impetus has made the Netaji Subhash Southern Centre the go-to venue for athletes seeking world-class facilities at home.

With a cumulative investment exceeding INR 140 crore, the Sports Authority of India’s Southern Centre has undergone a major transformation in the last decade. Besides the three NCOEs for comprehensive training across age-groups, the centre also hosts national camps in table tennis, kabaddi and water polo, and conducts academic programmes in 11 disciplines.

The 3000m steeplechase national record holder Avinash Sable said the venue had always helped him perform well at major competitions. “I came here for the first time in 2017 and things have changed a lot. The recovery centre is new, there are two synthetic tracks, experts for physiotherapy, medicine, biomechanics. I have trained abroad also but no facility has so many things together at one place. I have always performed well after training here,” he said.

READ | Fit again, Avinash Sable targets sub-8 steeplechase mark in 2025

The centre today has a state-of-the-art sports science centre with labs for biomechanics, sports medicine and sports psychology equipped with some of the latest testing and training machines from across the world. Out in the field, the athletics stadium boasts of a smart track with sensors that can gather and analyse data of every stride, exclusive strength and conditioning area, recovery room and modern changing rooms for hockey with more facilities planned in the near future including exclusive testing machines for para-athletes.

P. V. Sindhu, who came for isokinetic testing, was appreciative of the facilities. “I have come here a couple of times and SAI has always been very helpful. My father also used to come here as a player and things have changed completely since then,” she admitted.

The biggest change, however, has been in the diet department with the centre boasting of a state-of-the-art research kitchen headed by Chef Jeyraj that works closely with nutritionists to create customised recipes and also provides athlete’s meal cards to track their consumption.

(The writer was at the NSSC Bengaluru on invitation from the Sports Authority of India)

Update: added new Volleyball Zero Codes on June 29, 2025

When it comes to anime-inspired sports games, Chrollo never misses, and he is back with another banger. Volleyball Zero is a fresh Roblox game clearly inspired by Haikyu!!, letting you channel raw energy and slam down spikes like a pro. The goal is simple: Dunk those nets and rise to the top. But to truly dominate the court, you’ll need elite abilities. To help you get there, we’ve gathered all the active Volleyball Zero codes that grant free Style and Flow Spins. Use them to unlock your best moves and rule the arena as the ultimate legend.

All New Volleyball Zero Codes

• PLAYTEST: 6 Lucky Style Spins and 6 Flow Spins (NEW)

Expired Volleyball Zero Codes

There are no expired codes in this Roblox game yet, as the game is currently in playtest. So, get the freebies before a new update hits and the developers remove these codes. This list will be updated as any codes become inactive.

While you wait for additional codes, try the anime-inspired games like Anime Shadow 2 or Anime Rangers X. You can also play the other top anime sports games on Roblox, like Volleyball Legends and Basketball Zero. Tired of the typical anime games? Check out our Roblox game codes master list to find your next adventure.

How to Redeem Volleyball Zero Codes

Redeeming the codes for Volleyball Zero is straightforward, despite being a tough sports game. Here is how to do it:

• Run Volleyball Zero on the Roblox player.
• Click the Codes option from the bottom menu.
• Type a working code in the ‘Enter Code..’ area.
• Click the Redeem button to get rewards.

How to Get More Volleyball Zero Codes

If you don’t want to waste time searching for new codes, you can rely on us. We keep this page updated with the latest codes as soon as they drop. On top of that, we shift the expired ones to remove any confusion. Bookmark this page and keep the grind going strong!

Just like being a pro on the Volleyball court, even the toughest players need assistance. If you’re looking to stay ahead, join the official Volleyball Zero server. That’s where new codes for Volleyball Zero often get posted early. On the server, you can usually find them in channels like #code-list. You can also follow the game on its Roblox page to catch news about updates and events.

Got a better moveset with those free codes? What Style did you land from your spins? Drop your results in the comments, we’d love to see what you rolled!

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 28, 2025) —The U.S. Girls U19 National Team captured the gold medal at the 2025 NORCECA Girls U19 Pan American Cup with a 3-0 (25-21, 25-22, 25-21) victory over Mexico on Saturday on the campus of Queens College in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.

The U.S. Girls U19 National Team also won gold at the Pan Am Cup in both 2022 and 2023 and won gold last year at the NORCECA Continental Championship.

The U.S. dominated the attack as they did all tournament, doubling up Mexico with 48 kills to just 24. The U.S. held an 11-8 lead in blocks while Mexico’s strong serve gave them a 9-5 advantage in aces.

Tournament Most Valuable Player Kari Knotts carried the U.S. offense with 24 points with 19 kills and three aces to go with two blocks. Also named the tournament’s best spiker, the outside hitter totaled 18 points in the final two sets. Knotts added seven digs.

Setter Taimane Ainu’u was named the tournament’s best setter leading the high-powered U.S. offense. She contributed eight digs in the gold medal match. Libero Cala Haffner hit double digits in digs again, leading all players with 13.

Middle blocker Shayla Rautenberg scored nine points on seven kills and two blocks, and opposite Nejari Crooks finished with eight points on five kills and three blocks.

Outside hitters Olivia Henry (seven kills) and Ireland Real (five kills, one block, one ace) each scored seven points. Henry earned all her points on kills and Real, who was named the tournament’s second-best spiker, recorded five kills, a block and an ace.

With the score tied at 12 in the opening set, the U.S. scored four consecutive points to take the lead for good. After a Mexico hitting error, Knotts served an ace and Real notched back-to-back points, first on a block and then with a kill.

Mexico cut the lead to one point on two occasions but could not hold off the U.S. Rautenberg scored to make it 23-10 and after the U.S. gave up one point, Real ended the set with back-to-back kills. Real finished the set with seven points on five kills, a block and an ace, and Knotts also recorded five kills and added an ace for six points.

With the U.S. leading 16-15 coming out of a technical timeout, Kotts scored four of the set’s next five points. She started with a block, scored on an out of system swing, put a ball off the block that hit the antenna and then served an ace for a 20-16 advantage.

A late 4-0 run pulled Mexico within a point, 23-22 and forced a U.S. timeout. On the ensuing play, Henry made a mid-air adjustment before pushing a ball through the block. Her tough serve then led to Knotts’ set-ending kill. Knotts scored eight points, double the next-best total from either team, with six kills, a block and an ace.

The U.S. looked like it might run away with the third set, jumping out to a 7-2 lead. A spirited Mexico comeback, keyed by its strong serving, put the silver medalists one point ahead, 17-16. Westley Matavao, who entered the match in the third set, tied the set with a block before a block and kill by Crooks extended the lead to three points, 20-17.

Knotts scored four of the final U.S. points in the match. A Rautenberg kill on an overpass made it 24-18. After Mexico fought off three match points, Knotts sealed the gold medal with her eighth kill and 10th point of the set.

2025 U.S. Girls U19 National Team for the NORCECA Pan American Cup
(Name, Position, Height, Birth Year, Hometown, High School, Region)

1 Taimane Ainu’u (S, 5-11, 2009, Kapolei, Hawaii, Iolani HS, Aloha)
2 Nejari Crooks (OPP, 6-1, 2009, High Point, N.C., Wesleyan Christian Academy, Carolina)
3 Cala Haffner (L, 5-8, 2009, Fort Wayne, Ind., Carroll HS, Hoosier)
4 Taylor Harrington (MB, 6-3, 2009, Arlington, Va., Wakefield HS, Chesapeake)
5 Olivia Henry (OH, 6-5, 2009, Bayside, N.Y., IMG Academy, Florida)
6 Megan Hodges (MB/OPP, 6-5, 2009, Ladera Ranch, Calif., San Juan Hills HS, Southern California)
7 Marissa Jones (S, 6-2, 2009, Atlanta, Ga., Woodward Academy, Southern)
8 Kari Knotts (OH, 6-3, 2010, Marietta, Ga., Hightower Trail MS, Southern)
11 Westley Matavao (OH, 6-0, 2009, Ontario, Calif., Mater Dei HS, Southern California)
13 Shayla Rautenberg (MB, 6-3, 2009, Pleasant Dale, Neb., Milford HS, Great Plains)
14 Ireland Real (OH, 6-4, 2009, San Clemente, Calif., Santa Margarita Catholic HS, Southern California)
18 Kyla Williams (MB, 6-4, 2009, Cleveland, Ohio, Gilmour Academy, Ohio Valley)

Alternates
9 Pulelehua Laikona (L, 5-8, 2009, Gilbert, Ariz., Mesa HS, Arizona)
10 Leilani Lamar (OH, 6-2, 2009, Tampa, Fla., Tampa Preparatory School, Florida)
12 McKenna McIntosh (OH, 6-1, 2009, Stockton, Calif., St. Mary’s HS, Northern California)
15 Josalyn Samuels (S, 6-1, 2009, Harrisburg, S.D., Harrisburg HS, North Country)
16 Marlee Steiner (MB, 6-4, 2009, St. Louis, Mo., Lindbergh HS, Gateway)
17 Caroline Ward (OPP, 6-0, 2009, Lizton, Ind., Tri-West Hendricks HS, Hoosier)
19 Shaye Witherspoon (OH, 6-3, 2009, Wildwood, Mo., Lafayette HS, Gateway)

Coaches
Head Coach: Jamie Morrison (Texas A&M)
Assistant Coach: Michelle Chatman Smith (LOVB)
Assistant Coach: Maggie Eppright (LOVB)
Performance Analyst: Michael Bouril (Mississippi State)
Athletic Trainer: Rebecca Himes (PVF)
Team Lead: Alex Purvey (NTDP)

2025 Girls U19 Pan American Cup Schedule
All times Pacific
All matches will be livestreamed on Volleyball Canada YouTube

June 24:  USA def. Venezuela, 3-0 (25-9, 25-23, 25-21)
June 25: USA def. Mexico, 3-0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-23)
June 26: USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-1 (20-25, 25-20, 25-14, 27-25)
June 27: USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-22, 25-14, 25-20)
June 28: Gold Medal Match, USA def. Mexico, 3-0 (25-21, 25-22, 25-21)

The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), Central Queensland University (CQUniversity) and the Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS) developed the world-leading AIS Best Practice Recommendations to Support Elite Athletes from Preconception to Parenthood.

“The more mums and aspiring mums we see thriving in sport, the better,” Minister for Sport, The Hon Anika Wells MP said.

“Athlete mums are among our best athletes, just look at marathon mum Jess Stenson or world record holder Vanessa Low, both of whom actually achieved greatness as parents.

“There shouldn’t have to be a choice between motherhood and athletic success and in fact, the qualities developed through being a mum, including resilience, are ideal for elite competition.

“The Albanese Government wants our athletes to be treated as individuals and supported with tailored programs that can drive them to 2032 success.”

AIS Female Performance Health Initiative Project Lead Dr Rachel Harris said the recommendations will help more women thrive.

“No athlete should have to choose between a career in sport and being a parent, but unfortunately that’s the reality for a growing number of female athletes,” Dr Harris said.

“Many athletes are reaching their late 20s, early 30s and are wanting to start a family, however a lack of support is leading them to early retirement.

“These evidence-based recommendations will help sports retain great athletes who have the potential to perform for another 10-15 years.”

The recommendations underpin Australia’s High Performance 2032+ Sport Strategy: Win Well in which 62 sports and organisations have pledged to prioritise athlete wellbeing.

Three-time Olympic kayaker Alyce Wood is among a long lineup of Australian athletes who have soared to career-best performances after having children.

Wood achieved her best ever performance in the K1 500 at 35 weeks postpartum before competing at the 2023 World Championships, followed by the Paris Olympics with daughter, Florence, by her side.

“At that point in my life it was the strongest and happiest I’d ever felt, but that wouldn’t have been possible without a supportive team,” Wood said of Paddle Australia.

Olympic Water Polo player and mum Keesja Gofers also returned to training eight weeks postpartum before making history in Paris.

“I had people who advocated for me within my sporting organisation and I am very grateful for the support I received,” Gofers said of Water Polo Australia.

Both Wood and Gofers were among more than 60 athletes, coaches, high performance support staff and medical professionals who helped shape the recommendations.

CQUniversity Associate Professor Melanie Hayman highlighted that even sports with small budgets can make a real impact.

“Some of these recommendations can be implemented with little to no resources such as offering flexible training options, protecting categorisation or modifying uniforms,” Associate Professor Hayman said.

“While sports with bigger budgets can consider covering medical bills, contract extensions or childcare.”

Queensland Minister for Sport and Racing and the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Tim Mander MP, said the return to sport for postpartum and parenting athletes was critical.

“The Queensland Academy of Sport has taken a strong lead in championing female athlete research, and this research is a clear example of its commitment to driving progress in this important space,” Mr Mander said.

“With more female athletes returning to elite sport after childbirth, the QAS has played a critical role in supporting their successful return.

“To do this well, they’ve focused on understanding the real barriers and enablers so we can strengthen policies, systems and support where it matters most.

“We are incredibly proud of these recommendations and look forward to supporting our athletes in continuing to thrive as we continue on our journey to 2032 and making it our most successful Games yet.”

Gofers agreed that this will change the future of women’s sport for the better.

“Women that choose to be mum athletes are determined and resilient, which is exactly the type of athlete coaches want to achieve those one percenters,” Gofers said.

The AIS Best Practice Recommendations to Support Elite Athletes from Preconception to Parenthood can be downloaded here.

By the Australian Institute of Sport
Posted 29/6/2025