At Laguna Beach High School, the grass is greener — and safer — thanks to a million-dollar upgrade replacing the campus’ decade-old turf track and field with environmentally-friendly options that feel like natural grass while reducing upkeep and the risk of athletic injuries.

The $1.165 million project features a new track surface overlay and Shaw Sports Turf with Geofill, a natural infill made of 80 percent coconut husks and 20 percent sand. Free of petroleum and other harmful chemicals, the new field offers cooler surface temperatures in hot weather and better traction in all conditions, translating into more opportunities for practices and games.

Laguna Beach Unified School District officials noted that the project was completed in just four weeks due to a manufacturing process that wove field lines and graphics directly into the turf before delivery. The work was carefully scheduled to avoid disruptions to its year-round community sports and athletics activities.

“As one of the few shared-use playing fields in the city, this stadium is an important resource for school and community athletics,” said Ryan Zajda, facilities and sustainability director at Laguna Beach Unified.

The new field will hold its first game on Aug. 29, when the Laguna Beach Breakers host Santa Monica High School in their season home opener. Before kickoff at 7 p.m., district leaders will celebrate the debut of the upgraded facility in a brief 50-yard-line ceremony.

“This project is a thoughtful investment that will keep our kids active, our community connected and enhance the health and wellness of our students and neighbors,” said Laguna Beach Board President Dee Perry.

The scrimmage is free and open to the public.

The Bobcats return twelve players that were in the practice gym spring semester. Coupled with six freshmen and redshirt opposite hitter Makenzie Jackson, Head Coach Matt Houk and the rest of the Bobcat coaching staff are cautiously optimistic heading into the season which gets underway August 29-31with a home tournament in Shroyer Gym featuring Big 10 power Oregon, South Dakota and Prairie View A&M.

 

MOSES LAKE – As the Vikings return to the court for practices, there is a lot of optimism in the air for head coach, Lindsey Linthicum. As they prepare for their first scrimmage game today at Centralia, she said the team is starting to gel.  

“That’s been really fun to see the girls kind of making those connections,” Linthicum said. “It’s just fun to see their personalities coming out, and the girls are recognizing those personalities, and every once in a while, we get a good laugh out of each other.”  

Linthicum said one of her preseason captains, Jah Chong, is playing a key role in that. According to her, Chong often laughs to herself whenever she dives for the ball. To her peers, it looks like she might be hurt. 

“We all then go to her, like, ‘Okay, what hurts? What? Why are you crying?’ And then she starts laughing out loud. We’re like, ‘Girl, you got to start laughing out loud right away,’ so it’s been fun,” Linthicum said.  

Linthicum used to be on the Vikings coaching staff as an assistant coach before taking a hiatus in 2021. Now that she has returned to the Vikings program this year as the head coach, she does feel there is some rust to shake off.  

“A lot has changed within four years, which is kind of crazy to think, and it’s not even necessarily just drills,” she said. “It’s reigniting those things like, ‘Okay, this is what this is and that’s what this is.’ So I would say we’re rebooting the system, we’re downloading again.” 

Last season, the Vikings lost their final four games and finished 11-18. However, with a new coach and overhauled roster, Linthicum said she is optimistic on what this team can accomplish.  

She said it will be important for them to remember to take the game one set at a time. They are working to remain mindful throughout the game and be adaptable to adjustments. Linthicum said she see’s a fire lit under her players that will grow the more her players see it themselves.  

“I think our strengths are going to outweigh the weaknesses as the season continues, we are a team that just does not let that ball drop. That’s been really great to see how these girls go all out for the ball and will not cease to let it fall to the ground,” she said.  

When she held her first practice with the team last month, she introduced the team motto for this year.  

“For such a time as this.”  

In a sense, the Vikings volleyball program is hitting the restart button. Linthicum said any of her players could have chosen to go another path due to the effort it takes to help a program rebuild. However, they have decided to stick it out, she credits incoming freshman for also taking the leap of faith, too.  

“For these girls, even the returners and even the freshmen that had signed on before, for them to say, ‘I want to stay and be a part of this,’ that speaks volumes to me. Already, they’re showing that commitment of, ‘Let’s make something of this program, and let’s get Big Bend on the map,’” Linthicum said.  

Linthicum said the scrimmage at Centralia will beneficial for the player to get game reps before the regular season starts. She wishes they had more scrimmages to play in, she said. She feels it will be helpful to see where the team clicks the best, what rotations work and evaluating strengths versus weaknesses.  

The Vikings play their first regular season game at home against the Walla Walla Warriors on Aug. 26. The match will start at 10 a.m. 

“There’s something special about these girls, but they have to want it,” Linthicum said. “For me personally, how do we bring this community back together? How do we how do we show joy? How do we become a memorable team? Because I think that’s what’s going to set us apart and take us a long way.”  

 
  

    Vikings volleyball Head Coach, Lindsey Linthicum, coaching her players and attendees of their volleyball camp, last month. Linthicum joined BBCC in May as the new head coach of the Vikings volleyball program.
  

    Vikings volleyball Head Coach, Lindsey Linthicum, participates in exhibition games with attendees at the volleyball camp. Linthicum said she is hoping to bring a family culture to the Vikings volleyball program.
  

Here are players entering the 2025 college volleyball season that I think are not talked about nearly enough. 

RANKINGS: 2025 AVCA preseason rankings

The biggest name that I think is not talked about enough is Julia Hanson at Minnesota. A lot of fans know how good she is, but she needs more attention. Hanson averaged a team-best 4.57 points per set last season for the Gophers. She is a high flyer and difference-maker.

Juuuulesss 🥳

📺: ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/INl3jjVvum

— Minnesota Volleyball (@GopherVBall) December 7, 2024

Caylen Alexander is now at Missouri. Alexander lead the NCAA in kills last season and was fifth in the nation with over five kills per set, tallying 20 or more kills in 15 matches to go with 15 double-doubles last season. Now she will be taking over that offense at Missouri, a team that made waves last year. I think she will be a very popular name this season. 

WORKING IN THE OFFSEASON: Teams that won the 2025 transfer portal

Cheridyn Leverette at UCLA is next. The 6-foot outside had a breakout year last year, as she was sixth in the Big Ten in kills per set. Paired with Maggie Li, I think they could be a lethal outside duo, and Leverette should be in more conversations. 

The 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞 🤌

💻: B1G+
📲: https://t.co/d2Xff7Cjzk#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/LuuF2uB0HI

— UCLA Women’s Volleyball (@UCLAWomensVB) November 24, 2024

Ava Martin at Creighton is definitely given credit for her talent, and last year she finished a third team All-American, but again — she is not talked about enough. She averaged over 3.66 kills per set while playing with Norah Sis last season, but more impressively hit .312 on the year.

WHO’S UP FIRST? Teams competing at the 2025 AVCA First Serve Showcase

Then there’s Caroline Kerr at Tennessee. This is one of the best setters in the country — she it not talked about enough.

Jalyn Stout at Coastal Carolina is also a phenomenal talent. We’re talking about a player that leads all active players in triple-doubles. A 6-2 setter that does it all — she led the team in kills last season.

Alexis Shelton at Oklahoma was third team All-American last season and can take over a match. She put up 27 kills against Texas last season and had seven blocks vs. Pitt in the tournament. As one of the best outside in the NCAA, she affects the game in so many ways and again, is not talked about enough. 

READ MORE: 8 storylines to know before the 2025 season

A few more I want to rattle off — and this might be a hot take — but I don’t think Rebekah Allick is talked about enough at Nebraska. A lot of talk about Andi Jackson, understandably so, but Allick is unbelievably good. There’s Kamryn Gibadlo at Utah, Claire Little at BYU, Nia Washington now at LSU and so many more.

Abdelrahman Awad (Cairo, Egypt) transferred from the University of Indianapolis after competing during the 2024-2025 season. During his time at UINDY, he participated in multiple meets, competing in the 100 Y Breast, 200 Y Breast, and 100 Y Free. He competed in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championships, where he placed third with a time of 2:06.66. Awad placed 5th in the 100 Y Breast with a time of 58.80 at the INDY vs. NKU meet. Prior to his time at the University of Indianapolis, Awad competed for Lake Erie Silver Dolphins, in which he placed 3rd with a time of 59.11 in the 100 Y Breast in the Lake Erie Senior Champs Prelims. 

Riley Blaisuis (Brownsburg, Ind.) competed in swimming at Brownsburg High School and Zionsville Swim Club. At Brownsburg, coached by Matt Elliott, Blaisuis was a 5x IHSAA Sectional Champion and a 2x IHSAA State Qualifier. At the IHSAA Boys Sectional, he placed first with a time of 2:00.77 in the 200 Y IM and 1:00.31 in the 100 Y Breast as a senior. At the Indiana Senior State Championship, Blaisuis came in 22nd in the 200 L Breast Finals with a time of 2:35.94. During his junior season campaign, he won the IHSAA Boys Sectional in the 100 Y Breast with a time of 1:00.07. His successes started early on in high school, as he was a 2x time champion in the AAU Junior Olympic Games with a first-place finish in the 100 L Breast at 1:10.31 and a 200 L Breast gold medal with a time of 2:36.27. 

Shane Gabel (Lockport, Ill.) competed in swimming at Lockport Township High School and Rise Aquatics Swim Club. Gabel helped lead his team to two team sectional championships while holding multiple high school and conference records. At the IHSA Class 3A Boys Sectional, Gabel earned gold by breaking two Southwest Suburban Conference records, including the 50 Y Free with a time of 21.10 and the 100 Y Free with a time of 46.29. Gabel placed 9th in the 100 L Free 400 with a finals time of 55.10. In Orlando, Florida, Gabel earned a time of 21.48 in the 50 Y Free. With his club team, Rise Aquatics Swim Club, Shane swam a seasonal best, earning 9th place in the 50 Fly with a time of 29.56. Throughout his high school career, he would earn twelve first-place sectional medals. 

Luke Helm (Wilmette, Ill.) competed in swimming for Loyola Academy High School. During his school career, he was a High School All-American in the 200 medley relay and 400 free relay. Coached by Mike Hengelmann, Helm placed second in the Minneapolis Sectional Time Trials with a time of 2:23.41 in the 200 L IM. At the Illinois Senior Championship, Luke swam a 24.49 in the 50 L Free, earning him thirteenth place. As a senior, Helm received 7th place in the 50 Y Free with a time of 21.72 at the 3A IHSA Boys Sectional. Over the summer, Luke got first place at the ISI Summer ECSST Regional, competing in the 100 Y Back. While competing at the Blue Devil Swim Club May Mania, Helm placed second in the 50 L Free with a time of 26.05. 

John Howaniec (Orland Park, Ill.) competed in swimming for Carl Sandburg High School. Outside of swimming, John participated in water polo and football. He was a 4x swimming all-conference, 2x water polo all-conference, 2x swimming all-sectional, and 1x water polo all-sectional. As a senior, Howaniec placed second in the 200 Y IM with a time of 2:02.51 and fourth in the 100 Y Fly with a time of 54.88. He won gold at the IHSA Boys Sectional with two first-place finishes in the 200 Y IM and 100 Y Fly. In the summer of 2024, Howaniec competed in the IL SCST Summer Regional Championship, where he placed third in the 400 Y IM with a time of 4:29.83 and sixth in the 500 Y Free with a time of 4:56.70. 

Alexander Sadowski (McHenry, Ill.) attended McHenry Community High School, where he was a 3x team MVP while swimming in various events. At the Illinois Senior Championship, Sadowski finished first in the 50 L Back with a time of 28.04 and first in the 100 L Back with a time of 59.17. In the 2024 IHSA Boys Sectional, he earned eighth place in the 50 Y Free with a time of 22.64 and eighth place in the 100 Y Back with a time of 54.71. While swimming for the Rise Aquatic Club, he competed in the IL RISE Kendall Pickering, where he finished first in the 100 L Back and fourth in the 50 L Back. At the IL PAC North Shore Open, he swam a couple of first-place races, including the 100 L Back and 200 L Back. 

Joshua Campion (Las Cruces, New Mexico) competed in swimming at Centennial High School, Las Cruces, New Mexico. Campion left his mark on his high school program by holding five school records, including the 50 Free, 100 Free, 100 Breast, 100 Fly, and 200 IM. To go along with his records, he is a 2x District Champion and an All-State Second Team member for the 2024-2025 season. In addition, he helped lead his team to multiple district championships. As a senior, he finished fifth in the 100 L Breast with a time of 1:12.06 at the NMS State Championship. At the NMAA State Championship in February, Campion finished second in the 100 Y Breast with a time of 59.56. 

Simonas Rimskis (Tinley Park, Ill.) competed in swimming and water polo at Andrew High School. This past summer, Rimskis participated in the Illinois Senior Championship, in which he recorded a top five finish in the 100 L Breast with a time of 1:06.52. In addition, he participated in the USA Swimming Futures Championship, in which he recorded a time of 29.86 in the 50 L Breast. As a junior, Rimskis earned two second-place finishes in both the 50 Y Free and 100 Y Free at the IHSA Class 3A Boys Sectional. While competing at the IL SCST Summer Regional Championship, Rimskis won gold in the 100 Y Free with a time of 48.14. 

Jack Rivera (Austin, TX.) swam at Westlake High School in Austin, Texas. The four-year letterman was named to the Texas 6A Region 13 All-District first team as a junior and senior. Rivera helped lead his team to the Texas 6A Region 13 District championship as a freshman, sophomore, and senior. In addition, he was named to the TISCA All-American High School Academic Team as a junior and senior. As a junior, Rivera competed in the UIL District 26-6A Championship and recorded two top ten finishes in the 500 Y Free and 200 Y Free. Rivera swam for the Austin Swim Club and recorded a third-place finish with a time of 4:28.48 at their club showcase. 

You can see these newcomers in action on October 3rd at 3:30 p.m. as they face Valparaiso at Padovan Pool.