VINCENT, Ohio (WTAP) – Today marked the halfway point of Warren’s junior high volleyball camp. Up and coming Lady Warriors came to learn from coaches and players. The emphasis for this camp, as always, is the fundamentals. Building on the basics is how head coach Ann Skufca wants the campers to learn the game.

“Well, the best part is from our coaching staff, from the high school all the way down in the middle school, everybody’s on the same page,” Skufca says. “So we know what to look for if a kids not making the correct motion or play on the court, we know all right, let’s go make it better. And it’s very uniform going through across the board at all levels.”

 So far so good for the first session of campers. Coach Skufca has been thrilled with the young players’ efforts thus far.

“It is going phenomenal. We’ve had about 70 just junior high athletes come out for this camp and I could not be happier with how much love for the game in this community that these girls are showing. And it’s another day to get better for them.”

 Helping coach run the camp has been some of her players. For senior Mya Stemple, it’s been a full circle experience as she’s enjoyed working with the campers and her teammates.

“I remember going to these camps when we were really young and I definitely like sparked my interest of volleyball and it definitely was like a peak moment of me beginning to learn how to play volleyball,” says Stemple. “It’s been great. We’ve definitely been, like working together as a team and learning on having to build together while helping girls up and coming learn how to play volleyball.”

 Junior Elayna Greenwalt has had a similar experience. Going to camps like this one was a big part of her summers growing up.

“I was always like when I was a kid,” Greenwalt says. “I was always looking forward to coming to camp, getting better. I’m sure they’re thinking the same thing and as a coach, it’s being like getting fun to coach them.”

 For young camper Reagan Lawrentz, it’s been a great chance for her to get some work in with potential future teammates and coaches.

“Probably being able to serve like with all my friends and teammates, future teammates and the coaches,” says Lawrentz. “My setting skills and I’ve learned a lot from my serves.”

 Tomorrow will conclude the junior high camp. Warren will be back with their kids camp starting Monday of next week.

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Frankie Velez, a veteran with 30 years of coaching experience, including with Team USA, will be Wiley University’s new head volleyball coach, as announced by Director of Athletics Rafael Gonzalez. Velez will become the sixth head coach since 2005.

“When our head volleyball coaching position opened, I knew exactly who I wanted to hire,” Gonzalez said. “Coach Velez has a great track record and experienced incredible success. Most importantly, he knows the State of Texas and will be able to bring in quality athletes who will help turn our program into contenders for Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) titles.”

Velez joins the Wildcat coaching staff after spending the last 13 years coaching club volleyball in the Houston Area. Since 2020, he’s been with the Houston/Katy Stars. From 2001 to 2008, he was responsible for training athletes and coaches at Team Texas Elite. Velez played a key role in the program’s consistent participation in the USA Volleyball Junior National Tournaments each year. The team reached the semifinals from 2002 to 2006, with a notable final appearance in 2003.

“I’m excited to return to college and getting to stay in Texas, where I received my first collegiate position,” Velez said. “I love coaching and making a positive impact. I’m ready to get started, not only to build a strong team but also to help these young women succeed in life.”

From 1999-2001, Velez was on the coaching staff with USA Women’s National Volleyball Team. He served as an assistant coach under the legendary coach Toshi Yoshida. Velez helped with on-court training, preparing them for the 2000 Summer Olympics. He also served as the director of developmental camps.

“It was an amazing opportunity,” Velez said. “I not only learned more about the game but the mental aspects — how I should feel and think as a coach. Coach Yoshida taught me to be more in tune with myself.”

Velez’s first collegiate position was at Lon Morris College, serving as head volleyball coach from 2010 to 2012, where he met Gonzalez, who was serving as the head soccer coach at the time.

Velez inherits a Lady Wildcat squad that has won nine matches the last two seasons and missed the postseason for the first time since 2005. From 2006-2019, the Lady Wildcats were annual contenders for the Red River Athletic Conference championship, reaching at least the semifinals in seven straight seasons (2015-2022) and winning the conference tournament in 2008 and 2018. Velez said establishing the culture will be key to returning to that level of success and beyond.

“Winning will happen,” Velez said. “It’s going to be important for us to buy into the culture. We will focus on the fundamentals of communication, ensuring that it’s executed at a high level. The mental aspects of the game are just as important as the physical ones. It’s crucial that we approach the match with the right mindset, stay focused, and keep our emotions in check.”

Velez graduated from Houston Christian University, formerly Houston Baptist University, with Bachelor of Arts degrees in physical education and management with a background in Marketing and Economics. He has already begun recruiting and moved to Marshall with his son Noah.

Campbell County High School’s Reese Dorr has chosen her track and field career at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS). Dorr was a two-time state champion during her prep career. She earned all-state honors in indoor and outdoor track and field. Reese qualified for the indoor track state championships three times and all four years for the outdoor state track meet.

Dorr won the 2024 state championship in the pole vault at the Wyoming Indoor Track State Championships. Her best vault saw her clear 11 feet. She was also part of Campbell County’s victorious 4×100-meter relay at the 2022 Wyoming Outdoor Track and Field State Championships. Their time was 49.34 seconds. Dorr also won a pair of regional pole vault titles in 2023 and 2025 during the outdoor track seasons.

Dorr earned varsity letters four times in outdoor track and field, three times in indoor track, and also in volleyball at CCHS. She has played club softball with Wicked 307. Dorr was part of two club state championships. Reese had offers to play softball at the next level but chose to pole vault collegiately.

She was a member of the National Honor Society and was a Salutatorian this year at Campbell County High School in Gillette. Dorr plans to study nursing and specialize in Labor and Delivery.

UCCS is in Colorado Springs, CO. The Mountain Lions compete at the NCAA Division II level. They are members of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC).

TOD, the sports and entertainment streaming platform in the MENA region, has extended its exclusive digital streaming rights for the English Premier League (EPL) for another three seasons. This renewal cements TOD’s position as the sole destination in the region where fans can watch every match of one of football’s most popular leagues.

The extension underscores TOD’s dedication to delivering premier live sports content with an enhanced digital experience. Viewers will continue to enjoy full coverage of all Premier League matches — including games featuring top clubs like Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City — available in HD and 4K across mobile devices, smart TVs and desktops.

Speaking about the deal, John-Paul McKerlie, VP of Marketing and Sales at TOD, said: “The Premier League holds a special place in the hearts of football fans across the region, and we are proud to continue being their home for it. This extension reflects our ongoing mission to deliver not just games, but unforgettable moments, through live coverage, available in multiple languages and in the highest quality possible.”

In addition to live and on-demand match coverage, TOD’s offerings include real-time match statistics, instant highlights, and multi-angle replays. The platform also provides personalised content in Arabic, English and French, tailored to local audiences for a more engaging experience.

The new EPL season on TOD will offer fans across MENA seamless access to every match from the kickoff, reinforcing the platform’s reputation as a digital hub for global sports. Alongside the Premier League, TOD remains the regional home of other major sports events including the UEFA Champions League, LaLiga, NBA, and Formula 1, solidifying its status as a comprehensive sports streaming destination.

All Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City matches, along with every other Premier League team, will be streamed live on TOD when the new season kicks off.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Cleveland State volleyball head coach Chuck Voss announced the 2025 schedule Wednesday, featuring a 29-match slate, including 13 matches inside Woodling Gymnasium.
 
Tickets are on sale now for the 2025 slate, including season tickets, single-match tickets and group packages. Season tickets are just $75 for all 13 matches, while single-match tickets are $12 (general admission) or $10 (youth 12 and under). Fans can purchase tickets online by CLICKING HERE.
 
Fans that are interested in group packages can call the Cleveland State Ticket Office at (216) 687-4848 for more information and to purchase.
 
Cleveland State will begin the season at the Wyoming Tournament (August 29-31), facing Colorado, Tulsa and the host Cowgirls throughout the three-day event.
 
The Vikings will then open their home slate on Wednesday, September 3, hosting Akron as part of the CSU Invitational. To round out their first weekend inside Woodling Gymnasium, the Vikings will host American (Friday, September 5) and ETSU (Saturday, September 6).
 
Next up for Cleveland State will be the NC State Tournament (September 12-14), where the Vikings will face Coastal Carolina, Duke and the host Wolfpack.
 
Cleveland State will then close out non-league play by hosting Kent State on Thursday, September 18, before traveling to Akron on Friday, September 19.
 
The Vikings, who will begin Horizon League play as the defending #HLVB Tournament Champions, will kick off the league slate with a trio of road matches, traveling to Northern Kentucky (September 26-27) and Oakland (September 30), before hosting Wright State (October 3-4) in a weekend series for the first league matches inside Woodling Gymnasium.
 
Cleveland State will then return to the road for matches at Green Bay (October 10-11) and Purdue Fort Wayne (October 17-18), before opening a five-match homestand against RMU (October 24-25).
 
Also included in this homestand will be a midweek matchup against Oakland (September 28) and a weekend series against IU Indy (October 31-November 1).
 
Next up for the Vikings will be a roadtrip to Youngstown State (November 6-7), before hosting Milwaukee (November 14-15) in the regular season finale.
 
The 2025 Horizon League Tournament is set for Friday, November 21 through Sunday, November 23, hosted by the regular season champions.

The 417 boys volleyball club started pretty green.

“I would say 95 percent of the boys we get have zero experience,” 417 boys volleyball director and coach Layne Louallen. “So they come in not knowing how to play not knowing their rotations, not even knowing how many people are on the court and then we go from there.”

“It was still competitive, but it was like, okay ‘this is how you pass’ and ‘this is how you set properly’,” said 18U volleyball player Garrett Yelvington. “It was nice having like the same level all across and then we could build together and have the same potential.”

That potential turned into a team who is now back to back national qualifiers.

“We are a winning club,” said 18U volleyball player Preston Harris. “It sounds really cocky to say that, but we we do win a lot. We go to Kansas City and Saint Louis and we play in these pretty large Midwest Regionals. Dennis Lafata tournaments with teams from all over the country and we would be able to compete. We got second at Dennis Lofata this year, which has teams from literally everywhere.”

They set the bar high from the get-go.

“Since the beginning of the season, they said no less than a final four appearance,” Louallan said. “They’ve held true. I mean, we’ve played in nine tournaments, they’ve made nine championships, so the 10th one, that’s the goal too.”

This 18U team elevated their skill sets and they are elevating the direction of 417 Boys Volleyball.

“Between their two years, they’ll finish around like 118 as a record,” Louallen said. “If you would have told me that five years ago, there’s no way I would have [believed it]. That may sound negative, but it’s so it’s just just been so surreal.”

The 18U team as well as the 16U team begins their AAU Nationals run in Orlando, FL on Monday, June 30.