Women’s Outdoor Track and Field | 6/5/2025 2:00:00 PM

SUNY Geneseo senior Penelope Greene was named the 2025 Niagara Region Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year and sophomore Jillian Ambler was named the Field Athlete of the Year. Geneseo Track and Field Head Coach Chris Popovici earned the 2025 Niagara Region Head Coach of the Year award and Assistant Coach Dan Moore Assistant Coach of the Year announced by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) .

Greene, who hails from Sah Harbor, New York, was named the Empire 8 Indoor Track Athlete of the Year after winning 2025 NCAA Championships in both the 5,000- and 10,000-meter events in dominant fashion from the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, OH from May 22-24. Greene began the meet by winning the 10,000-meters by 33 seconds in a time of 33:46.70. She then rolled to a nearly 15 second win in the 5,000-meters, crossing the finish line in a time of 16:01.55. She ran the sixth-fastest 5,000-meter time in NCAA history. Greene did lose an individual race against Division III competition during the spring, as she took the 5,000- and 10,000-meter title at the E8 Championships and won the 1,500-meters at the All-Atlantic Region Championships. Greene also set all-time Empire 8 records in the 1,500- (4:22.23), 5,000- (16:01.55) and 10,000-meters (33:42.16).

Ambler, a Fairport, NY native, was an All-Niagara Region selection in the 4×100-meter relay, 100-meter hudles and the long jump. At the 2025 NCAA Division III Championships her 4×100-meter relay team finished with a time of :47.28 and her 4×400-meter relay team finished at 3:49.56. She finished in tenth place in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of :14.13.

Popovici, in his tenth season coaching the Knights, and Moore in his ninth season, led their team to their first Empire 8 Outdoor Track & Field Championship in dominant fashion and placed seventh at the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Overall, Geneseo had 21 different student-athletes earn All-Conference honors, while Greene was national champion in the 5,000- and 10,000-meter events 400-meter dash, Greene, Gabriella McCarthy (10,000-meters) and Ann Brennan (3,000-meter steeplechase) earned First Team All-American honors. The Knights, who had 16 different student-athletes combine to earn 24 USTFCCCA All-Region accolades, shattered six E8 Outdoor Track and Field Championship records and 11 overall league marks in 2025.

ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE

The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit www.empire8.com.
 
EMPIRE 8 SOCIAL MEDIA
YouTube – Facebook – Twitter – Instagram

CHELMSFORD, Mass. (AP) — An immigration judge granted a bond on Thursday to a Massachusetts high school student arrested on his way to volleyball practice last weekend.

Marcelo Gomes da Silva, 18, who came to the U.S. from Brazil at age 7, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents Saturday. Authorities have said the agents were looking for the Milford High School teenager’s father, who owns the car Gomes da Silva was driving at the time and had parked in a friend’s driveway.

Bond was set at $2,000 for the teen, who appeared via video for an immigration court hearing in Chelmsford.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said earlier this week that ICE officers were targeting a “known public safety threat” and that Gomes da Silva’s father “has a habit of reckless driving at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour through residential areas.”

“While ICE officers never intended to apprehend Gomes da Silva, he was found to be in the United States illegally and subject to removal proceedings, so officers made the arrest,” she said in a statement.

Gomes da Silva initially entered the country on a visitor visa and was later issued a student visa that has since lapsed, said his attorney, Robin Nice. She described him as deeply rooted in his community and a dedicated member of both the school marching band and a band at his church.

A federal judge considering Gomes da Silva’s request to be released while his immigration case proceeds has given the government until June 16 to respond and has ordered that Gomes da Silva not be moved out of Massachusetts without 48 hours’ notice given to the court. The government sought permission Wednesday to move Gomes da Silva to a detention facility in a different New England state, Nice said, a move his lawyers opposed because they feared it would delay the immigration hearing. A judge quickly denied the request.

“I love my son. We need Marcelo back home. It’s no family without him,” João Paulo Gomes Pereira said in a video released Wednesday by his son’s attorney. “We love America. Please, bring my son back.”

Students at Milford High staged a walkout Monday to protest his detainment. Other supporters wore white and packed the stands of the high school gymnasium Tuesday night, when the volleyball team dedicated a match to their missing teammate.

Gulf Breeze High’s Class of 2025 officially became alumni Friday as the school’s 55th graduating class. Commencement Exercises took place at the Pensacola Bay Center (the middle of three ceremonies — after Navarre’s and before Pace’s). Peyton Dykes performed the national anthem before Principal Sarah Barker introduced Salutatorian Derek Smith and Valedictorian Connell Bartling, who both gave addresses. Barker then […]

The Dutch Olympic and Paralympic Committee NOC*NSF, Team NL, and Sportinnovator launched a subsidy call for innovators to help athletes in the upcoming edition of the Olympic Games, which will take place in Los Angeles in 2028. This call seeks groundbreaking ideas that can enhance performance in elite sports such as paracycling, triathlon, and swimming, among others. 

Launched by the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, SportInnovator orchestrates collaboration among diverse stakeholders, including centers of innovation, sports institutions, businesses, and municipalities. This conglomerate has assessed over 1250 innovative ideas since its inception in 2015, ensuring that over 100 innovations not only reach the market but also transform sporting practices.

The call for groundbreaking sports innovations 

The call, financed with €250,000, offers innovators the chance to test their ideas with elite athletes. For this call, sports associations and Team NL identified eight challenges across 11 disciplines: 

• Para cycling and paratriathlon: better performance due to less vibration from the handbike
• Swimming: Improved swimmer’s physical condition through data-driven training schedules
• Water polo: recognize opponents’ tactical patterns faster
• Rowing: higher speed through better aerodynamics
• Wheelchair tennis: player and wheelchair in perfect harmony
• Sailing, windsurfing, and kitefoiling: collecting sensor data and providing real-time feedback
• Synchronized swimming: optimal training and performance during extreme oxygen deficiencies
• Wheelchair basketball: higher scoring chances through greater insight into tactical choices

Entrepreneurs, knowledge institutions, or other innovators are all invited to apply. Each innovation project can receive up to €50,000 in funding, with applicants contributing to 30% of the total project budget. Selected projects can then apply for an extra €30,000 subsidy for the implementation phase. 

The timeline for applications includes an online information session on June 25, 2025, and a mandatory matchmaking session registration deadline on July 15, 2025. The matchmaking event is scheduled for September 3, 2025, at the National Sports Center Papendal in Arnhem, offering a platform for collaboration and partnerships. The final grant application must be submitted by 14 October 2025, with a subsequent funding decision expected in mid-December.

5 TU Delft innovations that are boosting sports performances

The Delft University of Technology Sports Engineering Institute is making a difference in athletes’ performances. Here are five examples.

Quanz led the squad in community service hours throughout the year, participating in both events and programs offered through the Student-Athlete Experience department.

Participating in both volleyball and soccer’s trick or treat events, food drives, volunteering at department events and local schools. Quanz has represented both the program and Mississippi State in the community and on campus, being involved heavily at the TK Martin Center.

Quanz has been a staple on the cross country and track and field teams, competing in the long-distance races. She was the 2024 U20 Canadian champion in the 3000m steeplechase.

Quanz will return in the fall to compete in the 2025 cross country season for the Bulldogs.

For more information on the Mississippi State track and field program, visit HailState.com and follow “HailStateTF” on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook.

 

 

By BSU Sports,

Bluefield, WV—Bluefield State University athletics has named Keyonna Morrow the new head volleyball coach. Morrow brings a strong background in collegiate and club volleyball, emphasizing player development and dedication to building well-rounded student-athletes.

Morrow joins Bluefield State from Oklahoma Panhandle State University, where she served as the assistant volleyball coach for two seasons before taking on the role of director of volleyball operations. During her time at OPSU, Morrow played a vital role in player development, strength and conditioning programming, and academic coordination.

Prior to OPSU, Morrow was the head JV coach and assistant varsity coach at Madison Central High School, and coached multiple AAU teams with Lexington United Volleyball. Her leadership developed young athletes across age groups, ranging from 14U to 18U.

“I’m thankful for the opportunity to lead and continue to build this program,” said Morrow. “I am committed to helping develop student-athletes on & off the court.”

Morrow graduated from West Virginia University Institute of Technology with a B.S. in Athletic Coaching Education and a minor in Sports Management. She is currently pursuing a Master of Education in Higher Education with a concentration in Student Affairs from Liberty University.

Morrow was recently named a recipient of the 2024 American Volleyball Coaches Association Diversity Award, recognizing her commitment to expanding opportunities and representation within the sport.