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Olympian Dana Rettke Returns for 2025 VNL Week Two

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 14, 2025) – 2024 Olympian Dana Rettke returns to the U.S. Women’s National Team lineup for week two of the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL), June 18-22, in Belgrade, Serbia. Libero Lexi Rodriguez and middle blocker Brionne Butler will also make their first appearances this year. Rodriguez is making her VNL […]

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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 14, 2025) – 2024 Olympian Dana Rettke returns to the U.S. Women’s National Team lineup for week two of the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL), June 18-22, in Belgrade, Serbia.

Libero Lexi Rodriguez and middle blocker Brionne Butler will also make their first appearances this year. Rodriguez is making her VNL debut, although she competed for the senior team at the 2024 Pan American Cup Final Six. Butler made her senior national team debut in 2019 and was on VNL rosters in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

The VNL brings together the world’s top 18 teams for three action-packed weeks of preliminary play, with each team competing in four matches per week. Only the top eight teams will earn a spot in the Final Round, where a VNL title will be on the line.

Get Tickets to Women’s VNL in Arlington, Texas, July 9-13

Returning for week two are outside hitters Sara Franklin, Roni Jones-Perry and Logan Eggleston; middles Molly McCage and Amber Igiede; opposites Logan Lednicky, Madi Skinner and Olivia Babcock, Setters Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres and Ella Powel, and libero Morgan Hentz.

The U.S. Women are the reigning Olympic silver medalists and ranked No. 3 in the world. They have won the VNL three times (2018, ’19, ’21) since its inception in 2018. In 2024, they lost in the quarterfinals to eventual Olympic champion Italy, who will be their first opponent in Brazil.

U.S. Women’s Week Two Roster for 2025 VNL

U.S. Women’s Preliminary Roster for 2025 VNL
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lexi Rodriguez (L, 5-5, Sterling, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska Great Lakes)
8 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
9 Madisen Skinner (OH, 6-2, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
13 Amber Igiede (MB, 6-3, Baton Rouge, La., Univ. of Hawaii, Delta)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
21 Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
22 Sarah Franklin (OH, 6-4, Lake Worth, Fla., Univ. of Wisconsin, Florida)
24 Olivia Babcock (Opp, 6-4, Los Angeles, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
27 Ella Powell (S, 6-0, Fayetteville, Ark., Univ. of Washington, Delta)
28 Logan Lednicky (Opp, 6-3, Sugar Land, Texas, Univ. of Texas A&M, Lone Star)
29 Molly McCage (MB, 6-3, Spring, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
32 Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres (S, Honolulu, Hawaii, Univ. of Texas, Aloha)
33 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)

Reserve
15 Rachel Fairbanks (S, 6-0, Tustin, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)

Coaches
Head Coach:  Erik Sullivan
Assistant Coach: Mike Wall
Second Assistant Coach: Brandon Taliaferro
Second Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Second Assistant Coach: Joe Trinsey
Team Manager: Rob Browning
Team Doctors:  William Briner, James Suchy, Chris Lee, Andrew Gregory
Physiotherapist: Kara Kessans
Physical Trainers: Shawn Hueglin, Shannon Boone
Mental Performance Coach: Andrea Becker, Katy Stanfill
Performance Analyst: Virginia Pham

Week 2 Schedule: Belgrade, Serbia (all times PDT)
Matches will be shown on VBTV, Big Ten Network and/or CBS Sports Network. Please check listings for BTN and CBSN.

June 18 at 11 a.m. vs. Serbia
June 19 at 7:30 a.m. vs. Poland
June 21 at 7:30 a.m. vs. Netherlands
June 22 at 7:30 a.m. vs. France

Week 1 Results: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
June 4 Italy def. USA, 3-0 (25-13, 25-13, 30-28)
June 5 Brazil def. USA, 3-0 (25-18, 25-17, 25-19)
June 6 Czechia def. USA, 3-2 (23-25, 20-25, 25-17, 25-20, 27-25)
June 8 USA def Korea, 3-0 (25-13, 28-26, 25-17)



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Multiple Hawai‘i youth volleyball teams win national championships

A handful of Hawai‘i-based youth volleyball teams recently took home national championships across multiple events on the Mainland. In the AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships in Orlando, Fla., Honolulu’s Spike and Serve Volleyball Club won the boys 14 Open Division with a three-set victory over California’s Rockstar Volleyball Club on Monday, finishing the tournament with […]

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A handful of Hawai‘i-based youth volleyball teams recently took home national championships across multiple events on the Mainland.

In the AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships in Orlando, Fla., Honolulu’s Spike and Serve Volleyball Club won the boys 14 Open Division with a three-set victory over California’s Rockstar Volleyball Club on Monday, finishing the tournament with a record of 11-1.

Spike and Serve also won the 13 Open Division championship in 2024, marking its second consecutive year with a national title.

In an earlier event in the same AAU tournament, Hilo’s Pilipa‘a Volleyball won the boys 18 Club Division with a victory over California’s San Diego Beach Volleyball on July 3. Pilipa‘a finished the tournament with a mark of 12-1.

The 2025 AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships was the 52nd edition of the tournament, with thousands of teams competing in a wide variety of age groups and divisions. The AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships holds the distinction of being the world’s largest volleyball tournament, according to Guinness World Records.

In another youth volleyball tournament across the country, Maui’s Hawaiian Style Volleyball won the 2025 USA Volleyball Boys national championship in Minneapolis over the weekend, becoming the first team from the Valley Isle to win a tournament at a USA Volleyball junior national tournament, running the table in the 15U Open Division at 7-0. Additionally, Big Island Boys took home the championship in the 18s American Division.

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up here for our free Daily Edition newsletter.

Christian Shimabuku can be reached at christian@alohastatedaily.com.



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Western Swim and Dive earns Brechler Award

Open Audio Article Player Team awarded for 3.6 GPA Gregg Petcoff | Special to the Times Western Colorado University’s swim and dive program earned its fourth consecutive Brechler Award on July 3. The Brechler Awards, named in honor of former RMAC commissioner Paul W. Brechler and his wife Wanda, were the first inductees into the […]

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Open Audio Article Player

Team awarded for 3.6 GPA

Western Colorado University’s swim and dive program earned its fourth consecutive Brechler Award on July 3. The Brechler Awards, named in honor of former RMAC commissioner Paul W. Brechler and his wife Wanda, were the first inductees into the RMAC Hall of Fame. The award honors teams with the highest GPA in each of the RMAC sport offerings.

Posting a cumulative team GPA of 3.601, the 2024-25 swim and dive program improved on last year’s leading GPA of 3.518 to extend a string of Brechler honors that began with the 2021-22 award. The program earned its first Brechler in the 2014-15 academic year.

Also on Thursday, the College Swim Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) released its list of Scholar All-America teams. Western was one of the 763 teams from NCAA Divisions 1, 2, and 3, the NAIA and the junior college ranks to earn a spot on the list.

Scholar All-America teams are required to post a cumulative team GPA of 3.00 in the spring semester. Western registered a cumulative GPA of 3.65 to earn its place on the Scholar All-America team list.

(​Gregg Petcoff is the assistant athletics director for communications at Western Colorado University and can be reached at gpetcoff@western.edu.)



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Broncos Land 13 on GCC All-Academic Team

Story Links The Santa Clara University women’s water polo team had 13 student-athletes named to the 2025 Golden Coast Conference All-Academic team Monday, marking the eighth consecutive year the Broncos have had double-digit GCC All-Academic honorees.   Santa Clara has had no fewer than 11 GCC All-Academic Team members […]

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The Santa Clara University women’s water polo team had 13 student-athletes named to the 2025 Golden Coast Conference All-Academic team Monday, marking the eighth consecutive year the Broncos have had double-digit GCC All-Academic honorees.
 
Santa Clara has had no fewer than 11 GCC All-Academic Team members since 2018, and has posted 13 or more for six consecutive years (since 2020). The conference all-academic honors follow two Broncos – Francesca Moynihan and Libby Slater – being named to the Academic All-District At-Large team by College Sports Communicators in June.
 
The GCC All-Academic Team consists of student-athletes that have competed in at least 50% of games in the current season, carry over a 3.0 cumulative Grade Point Average while being classified as a “full-time” student for all terms of the academic year, and have completed a minimum of one academic year at her institution (including true freshmen).
 
Slater led Santa Clara’s award winners with a 3.857 GPA in her communication major, giving her three career GCC All-Academic Team awards (2023, ’24). Moynihan – who graduated in the winter with her bachelor’s in finance, earned her fourth career GCC All-Academic Team nod with a 3.733 cumulative GPA.
 
Mikayla Crowe, Makenna Genco, Chloe Rizof and Khloe Tarbet made the conference all-academic team as true freshmen this year. Rizof added a GCC All-Freshman Team award in April to cap off her first collegiate season.
 
The GCC honored a total of 111 student-athletes Monday. California Baptist and San Diego State tied for the most honorees this year with 18 each.
 
2024 GCC All-Academic Team (Santa Clara honorees)
Mia Barkett, SCU (SO, DR)
Annika Burks, SCU (SO, 2MD)
Megan Chambliss, SCU (JR, UTL)
Mikayla Crowe, SCU (FR, 2MD)
Makenna Genco, SCU (FR, UTL)
Sophia Harvey, SCU (JR, UTL)
Evelyn McLaughlin, SCU (SO, UTL)
Francesca Moynihan, SCU (SR, DR)
Chloe Rizof, SCU (FR, DR)
Kate Rodman, SCU (SR, DR)
Libby Slater, SCU (SR, 2M)
Khloe Tarbet, SCU (FR, UTL)
Haley Tassell, SCU (SO, GK)



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WolfPack Top 20 Moments in 20 Years

Story Links Join the WolfPack in celebrating our past!    With the upcoming 2025-26 season marking the 20th year of the WolfPack, we are excited to launch our Top 20 moments in 20 years campaign.   Recognizing the top moments both on and off the field of play from the ‘Pack, this campaign […]

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Join the WolfPack in celebrating our past! 
 
With the upcoming 2025-26 season marking the 20th year of the WolfPack, we are excited to launch our Top 20 moments in 20 years campaign.
 
Recognizing the top moments both on and off the field of play from the ‘Pack, this campaign will celebrate the many outstanding achievements that our WolfPack student-athletes have achieved since 2005-06.
 
Whether it’s a playoff victory, an overtime winner or a monumental occasion for the department  – nominate your favourite moment at the link below and have your say in the top 20 moments of the first 20 years of the WolfPack.

NOMINATION LINK

 



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Season Review: 2025 Michigan Women’s Track and Field

Big Ten Indoor Championships: T10th of 17 (31 points) NCAA Indoor Championships: T28th (8) Big Ten Outdoor Championships: 9th of 19 (46) NCAA Outdoor Championships: T26th (10) The University of Michigan women’s track and field team had another successful season, earning one NCAA individual championship, two Big Ten individual titles and seven Big Ten medals, […]

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Big Ten Indoor Championships: T10th of 17 (31 points)

NCAA Indoor Championships: T28th (8)

Big Ten Outdoor Championships: 9th of 19 (46)

NCAA Outdoor Championships: T26th (10)

The University of Michigan women’s track and field team had another successful season, earning one NCAA individual championship, two Big Ten individual titles and seven Big Ten medals, as well as setting seven program records, three national records, one collegiate record, one NCAA Outdoor Championships meet record, and one Big Ten record during the indoor and outdoor seasons.

Individual Highlights

• The Maize and Blue earned three individual medals at the Big Ten Indoor Championships, with Savannah Sutherland claiming the 400-meter dash title (51.74 seconds) for the second straight year. Aasia Laurencin finished second in the 60-meter hurdles (7.97), and Elizabeth Tapper finished third in the shot put (18.26 meters/59 feet, 11 inches).

• Laurencin’s time set the St. Lucia 60-meter hurdles national record while Tapper’s mark set the program shot put record and is 24th all-time on the NCAA performers list.

• The trio represented Michigan at the NCAA Indoor Championships, with Sutherland placing fourth in the 400-meter dash (51.23) and Laurencin placing sixth in the 60-meter hurdles (8.09). Sutherland’s time set the program and Canadian national records for the 400-meter dash. Tapper finished 12th (16.90m/55-5.5) in her NCAA Championships debut.

• Earlier in the season, Sutherland also set the program 200-meter dash record (23.26) and came just 0.01 seconds shy of the 60-meter dash mark with a time of 7.34 at the Michigan Invitational.

• In the outdoor season, Sutherland claimed her third straight Big Ten 400-meter hurdles title (55.37) before setting the NCAA East First Round meet record in the event for the second consecutive year with a time of 54.39 to punch her ticket to the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

• Tapper finished second in the shot put at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships and set the program record with a mark of 17.65m (57-11). Sidney Green also took home silver in the 400-meter hurdles (57.47), while the 4×400-meter relay team of Payton Smith, Sutherland, Green and Trinity Henderson earned bronze (3:32.47). Emma Yungeberg finished fourth in the javelin throw, improving on her program-record personal best with a mark of 53.08m (174-1).

Clare McNamara had a breakout performance in the heptathlon at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships, setting six personal-best marks, including coming in at No. 3 on the program performers list in the heptathlon (5,698 points) to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

• Four Wolverines qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships as individuals, with Sutherland (400-meter hurdles), Yungeberg (javelin throw), Tapper (shot put) and Abigail Russell (shot put) punching their tickets at the NCAA East First Round. The 4×400-meter relay team of Smith, Green, Sutherland and Noelani Phillips set the program record (3:29.22) for the second time during the season to advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

• In her final race for the Maize and Blue, Sutherland won her second NCAA 400-meter hurdles title (52.46). The time set a new collegiate, program, Big Ten, NCAA Championship meet and Canadian national record and is ninth all-time in the world. She is now just the second NCAA athlete to break 53 seconds in the event (Sydney McLaughlin, 52.75) and the third Wolverine to earn multiple individual national titles. Sutherland was named the United States Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year and a 2025 finalist for track and field’s highest honor, The Bowerman. She is the first Bowerman finalist in program history and is the first female finalist to represent the Big Ten for the honor.

• Tapper earned second team All-America honors with a 14th-place finish in the shot put (16.97m/55-8.25), while Russell, Yungeberg, McNamara and the relay team were named All-America honorable mention.

Savannah Sutherland
Savannah
Sutherland
Aasia Laurencin
Aasia
Laurencin
Elizabeth Tapper
Elizabeth
Tapper
Emma Yungeberg
Emma
Yungeberg
Abigail Russell
Abigail
Russell
Clare McNamara
Clare
McNamara
Payton Smith
Payton
Smith
Sidney Green
Sidney
Green
Noelani Phillips
Noelani
Phillips

Honors and Awards

NCAA

All-America (First Team): Savannah Sutherland (indoor 400m, outdoor 400m hurdles), Aasia Laurencin (indoor 60m hurdles)

All-America (Second Team): Elizabeth Tapper (indoor shot put, outdoor shot put)

All-America (Honorable Mention): Emma Yungeberg (outdoor javelin throw), Abigail Russell (outdoor shot put), Clare McNamara (outdoor heptathlon), Payton Smith (outdoor 4x400m relay), Savannah Sutherland (outdoor 4x400m relay), Sidney Green (outdoor 4x400m relay), Noelani Phillips (outdoor 4x400m relay)

Big Ten

Track Athlete of the Year: Savannah Sutherland (outdoor)

All-Big Ten (First Team): Savannah Sutherland (indoor, outdoor)

All-Big Ten (Second Team): Aasia Laurencin (indoor), Sidney Green (outdoor), Elizabeth Tapper (outdoor)

Sportsmanship Award: Sam Tran (indoor), Aasia Laurencin (outdoor)

USTFCCCA

Track Athlete of the Year: Savannah Sutherland

Great Lakes Region Track Athlete of the Year: Savannah Sutherland (indoor, outdoor)

Great Lakes Region Assistant Coach of the Year: Steven Rajewsky (indoor, outdoor)

College Sports Communicators

Academic All-District: Savannah Sutherland

Academic All-Big Ten

Riley Ammenhauser, Sr., Sport Management

Maya Anderson, So., Sport Management

BreeAna Bates, Sr., Sport Management

Abby Bonnema, Jr., Pharmaceutical Sciences

Haley Deighan, Jr., Psychology

Natalie Desarbo, Sr., Environment

Trinity Franklin, Jr., Psychology

Sidney Green, So., Political Science

Amare Harlan, So., LSA Undeclared

Samantha Hastie, Sr., Data Science

Adele Havlick, So., Environment

Mary Caroline Heinen, Gr., Management

Trinity Henderson, Jr., Business Administration

Leah Hill, Jr., Organizational Studies

Kennedy Johnson, Sr., Sport Management

Brooke Johnston, So., LSA Undeclared

CC Jones, So., LSA Undeclared

Catrin Koselka, Sr., History and Political Science

Aasia Laurencin, Gr., Interpersonal Practice in Integrated Health, Mental Health, & Substance Abuse

Alyna Lewis, Jr., History

Mara Longenecker, Jr., Movement Science

Lisa Luecke, Jr., International Studies and Spanish

Yasmine Mansi, Sr., Business Administration

Mia Manson, Gr., Management

Clare McNamara, Gr., Business Analytics

Gabbie Michael, Sr., Molec, Cell & Dev Biology

Gabriella Newman, Jr., History BA and Political Science

Chiamaka Odenigbo, Gr., Mechanical Engineering

Lauren Pansegrau, Jr., Biology

Lucy Petee, Gr., Cognitive Science and Communication and Media

Noelani Phillips, Gr., Movement Science

Hannah Pricco, So., LSA Undeclared

Meredith Soule, Jr., Art and Design

Savannah Sutherland, Sr., Biology, Health, & Society

Elizabeth Tapper, So., Biomolecular Science

Rylee Tolson, Jr., Anthropology

Ainsley Workman, Jr., Neuroscience and History

Emma Yungeberg, Jr., Communication and Media

Jadyn Zdanavage, So., Economics



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Boys U19 National Team Sweeps Canada at 2025 Pan American Cup

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. (July 9, 2025) – The U.S. Boys U19 National Team earned its second straight win at the 2025 NORCECA U19 Pan American Cup with a commanding 3-0 (25-20, 27-25, 25-17) sweep over Canada on Wednesday in Cuernavaca, Mexico.  The U.S. (2-0) will continue pool play tomorrow, Thursday, July 10th at 3:00 p.m. […]

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COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. (July 9, 2025)The U.S. Boys U19 National Team earned its second straight win at the 2025 NORCECA U19 Pan American Cup with a commanding 3-0 (25-20, 27-25, 25-17) sweep over Canada on Wednesday in Cuernavaca, Mexico. 

The U.S. (2-0) will continue pool play tomorrow, Thursday, July 10th at 3:00 p.m. PT against Puerto Rico. 

“They had some pretty big guys and we did a good job of slowing them down. They had some great servers and we passed really well,” said U.S. outside hitter Blake Fahlbusch. “It felt great to get a win against Canada. They’re a good team but we came out hotter than we did yesterday and got the win in three.” 

The U.S. outperformed Canada in service aces (9–2) and was once again led by opposite Corbin Batista with 12 points on nine kills two blocks and one ace. Middle blocker Isiah Powell followed closely with nine points, including three kills three blocks and three aces.

Outside hitter Logan Hutnick added seven points on seven kills, while Blake Fahlbusch tallied seven points as well with six kills and one ace. 

On the defensive end, libero Ben Bayer anchored the backcourt with 10 digs. The U.S. serve receive and defensive discipline limited Canada’s ability to find offensive rhythm throughout the match. 

From the start, the U.S. controlled the tempo, maintaining a steady lead throughout the opening set and closing it out 25-20. In the second set, the U.S. held a dominant lead for much of the first set, but Canada battled back to tie the score at 25-25. However, the U.S. had the final say, claiming the last two points to secure the set, 27-25. 

The U.S. was consistent in their execution in the third set, as the team closed out the third set, 25-17 to complete the sweep. 

With strong serving efficient attacking and steady defense, the U.S. will look to carry this momentum into its next match against Puerto Rico. 

2025 Boys U19 National Team Pan American Cup Roster

Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, School, USAV Region)

2 Ben Bayer (L, 6-1, Menomonee Falls, Wisc., Sussex Hamilton HS, Badger)
3 Thomas Phung (L, 5-10 Garland, Texas, Harvard University, Southern)
6 Thomas Demps IV (OH, 6-4, Raleigh, N.C., Broughton HS, Carolina)
9 Dante Cayaban (MB, 6-7, Saint Cloud, Fla., Saint Cloud HS, Florida)
13 Logan Hutnick (OH, 6-6, Huntington Beach, Calif., Huntington Beach HS, Southern California)
15 Blake Fahlbusch (OH, 6-8, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Loyola HS of Los Angeles, Southern California)
17 Peter Chriss (S, 6-6, Menlo Park, Calif., Menlo Atherton HS, Northern California)
18 Brett Novak (S, 6-6, Lancaster, Calif., Paraclete HS, Southern California)
22 Kale Cochran (OH, 6-7, Roseville, Calif., Whitney HS, Northern California)
23 Corbin Batista (OPP, 6-7, St. George, Utah, Alta HS, Intermountain)
24 Isiah Powell (MB, 6-7, Silver Spring, Md., Springbrook HS, Chesapeake)
25 Brodie Heshler (MB, 6-7, Harrisburg, Pa., Central Dauphin HS, Keystone)

Coaches

Head Coach: Jonah Carson (MVVC)
Assistant Coach: Sean Byron (Marist College)
Assistant Coach: Spencer Wickens (Stanford)
Performance Analyst: AJ Ruttenberg (UCLA)
Team Doctor: Dr. Chris Cornell (Coduhi Clinic)
Team Lead: Brandon Oswald (NTDP)

Schedule

All times PDT

July 8: USA def. Venezuela, 3-1 (20-25, 25-18, 25-16, 32-30)
July 9: USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-20, 27-25, 25-17)
July 10: USA vs. Puerto Rico, 3 p.m.
July 11: Quarterfinals
July 12: Classification 7/8, 5/6 and semifinals
July 13: Medal matches



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