Sports

Polar Park's second inning

Published

5 months ago

August 25, 2025

Since a tense November meeting between Worcester Redevelopment Authority and key ballpark district stakeholder Madison Properties, not much has changed in terms of groundbreakings or sales at Madison-owned parcels near the Polar Park baseball stadium.

But Denis Dowdle, president of Madison Properties, said communication has improved since the meeting, which saw WRA Chair Michael Angelini get into a back-and-forth with Madison’s counsel over missed project deadlines, in wake of it pulling out from a key tax-break deal involving the Left Field Building site just beyond Polar Park’s walls.

“There’s been more frequent and consistent conversations with the City,” Dowdle said. “The level of communication has improved dramatically. There’s a lot more back-and-forth.”

Photo | Courtesy of Madison Properties

Denis Dowdle, president of Madison Properties

Now, Dowdle said he is nearing an agreement to sell one of the parcels in his original five-development proposal, while the highest-profile property – the Left Field Building – has been listed for sale. The long-planned hotel might unveil a new partnership for construction to begin in a few years, while Madison’s one completed development, apartment complex The Revington, is filling up.

The slower-than-expected development of the Madison properties is the main reason the City of Worcester expects to have another revenue shortfall of around $792,000 in the ballpark district this year. This will mark the second year in a row the City will need to use general taxpayer funds to cover the bonds payments on the publicly owned $160-million stadium and reverses the promise made in 2018 to only use revenues generated in the ballpark district to pay for Polar Park, even as City finance officials remain optimistic the stadium and its surrounding developments will become a net-positive for taxpayers funds over the 35-year life of the bonds.

Meanwhile, Polar Park and the Worcester Red Sox are still attracting crowds that rank among the biggest in Minor League Baseball, albeit smaller than the ones they drew in 2022, as MiLB has gone through a league-wide dip in attendance.

“I don’t want to discount the importance of that financial aspect, but looking just at the [ballpark district] revenues and the [district] expenses is a myopic view of the benefits,” said Peter Dunn, the City’s chief development officer. “I think it’s underdiscussed, the environmental benefits, and family benefits. I’ve been with the city for 12 years now, and I remember years of people saying there’s nothing for families to do in terms of affordable entertainment.”

Madison properties, for sale

Madison Properties’ Left Field Building site is listed on the market, subject to offer, with Worcester-real estate brokerage Kelleher & Sadowsky Associates. The site contains a building foundation and underground parking garage.

Dowdle is open to selling the site, leasing it, or finishing the building for an eventual user. The building essentially sits within Polar Park, with WooSox fans often milling in front of the partially completed development while they enjoy baseball.

The WooSox are patiently waiting for the development beyond left field, said team President Charles Steinberg.

“We’ve watched the visions for a Left Field Building change the way a kaleidoscope changes,” Steinberg said. “Would it be an office building? Would it be a biotech building? We’re still all eager to see what ultimately becomes of that area.”

New York-based Diamond Baseball Holdings, which purchased the WooSox in December 2023, has been investing more in real estate around ballparks for the clubs it owns. This is an expansion in the scope of the business that has purchased 45 minor league teams since forming in 2021. So far, DBH is taking a wait-and-see approach with Worcester.

“We’ve had conversations with Diamond,” Dowdle said. “We’ve briefed them on everything we’re doing in the ballpark district. I don’t know what their appetite for investment in Worcester is at this point, but they’re aware of everything we’re doing.”

Moving beyond left field, Dowdle said a purchase agreement with a buyer is in the works for the undeveloped residential site at 110 Madison St.

A potential partner for the planned 175-room hotel project has been identified by Madison, said Dunn.

The hotel was originally set to be completed by May 2024, according to a 2020 report from then city manager Edward Augustus. Even with the partner-related progress, Dunn doesn’t believe shovels will be in the ground this year.

Other than the 350-space Green Island Boulevard parking garage, the one Madison Properties project completed in the district is The Revington, a 228-unit mixed-used building finished in November 2023. Dowdle said he’s pleased with how that project has played out.

Photo | Matt Wright

The Revington, Madison Properties’ residential building across from Polar Park

The average asking residential rent at The Revington is $2,600, and the building has an occupancy rate of 87%, according to real estate date firm CoStar. Retail tenants include acai bowl franchise Playa Bowls and a branch of Whitinsville-based UniBank.

Despite the public back-and-forth between the two parties, Dowdle agrees with City leaders who feel the ballpark experiment is a noble one.

“This project has been great for Worcester,” Dowdle said. “It has slowed down a bit with some of the factors that have happened in the economy and markets recently, but I’m still bullish.”

Ballpark revenue shortfall

The WooSox have met their financial obligations, and attendance isn’t the reason for ballpark district budget shortfalls, said City of Worcester CFO Timothy McGourthy.

“The attendance at the ballpark has no bearing on the City,” McGourthy said. “It would impact parking revenues potentially, but ticket sales and all that has no bearing on the City.”

Instead, the shortfalls are the result of slower-than-anticipated developments of key parcels, many of them owned by Madison Properties. Building permits and additional taxes on new development are a key part in funding.

Fiscal 2024 saw a $792,000 shortfall between what was budgeted for versus what was collected for revenues in district improvement financing (DIF) area around Polar Park. The final fiscal 2025 revenue numbers are still to be calculated per the three-month schedule, but McGourthy expects around a similar shortfall.

The City continues to make bond payments and expects future district revenue to eventually make up for year-to-year shortfalls. This is a budget shortfall, rather than an account shortfall, and isn’t coming from money budgeted for other purposes, McGourthy claimed.

“When we do the budget, if we weren’t moving monies into the District Improvement Financing account, those monies would be used for other municipal purposes,” McGourthy said. “So in that sense, the DIF would compete against every other public purpose that the City does. But we’ve never taken money out of a school account or road account and moved it over to the DIF.”

While the Left Field Building site (front) awaits completion, The Cove opened in 2023, bringing tax revenue and residents to the ballpark district.

Revenues are generated from other projects in the district, like the 173-unit mixed-use building The Cove and 83-unit affordable housing District 120.

A 53-unit mixed-used project by Newton-based Rossi Development at the former Table Talk Pies site is under construction, with other projects planning to bring 450+ more units to a Canal District neighborhood that looks much different than just a few years ago.

“If you look at fiscal 2019, which was the year the DIF was established, it was about $10.5 million in private assessed value within the ballpark district,” McGourthy said. “Today, it’s $128 million in private assessed value. That’s both the combination of these new projects … and the increase in property values on all of the land owners in that area.”

Dunn and McGourthy said shortfalls are a temporary adjustment to a long-term project they still see as a home run, stressing the other benefits of turning the formerly contaminated industrial lot into a $160-million ballpark.

The home team

The WooSox made their rent payment of $2.8 million in fiscal 2025, with an increase to $2.84 million slated for 2026.

The team has regularly ranked at the top of MiLB in terms of attendance per game, coming in 10th of 120 in 2024 and 6th in 2023. Through 56 home games as of Aug. 14, the WooSox have drawn an average attendance of 5,783.

Photo | Matt Wright

The Worcester Red Sox drew an official attendance of 5,503 at their Aug. 5 game against the Buffalo Bisons, a total that is less than the team’s average attendance this year but still higher than the International League average.

This is about 81% of the 7,131-per-game the team drew through 56 games in 2022, its first season without COVID restrictions, and about 97% of the attendance through 56 games last season.

MiLB attendance figures represent tickets sold to a game, not turnstile numbers. So, 5,700+ tickets sold per game doesn’t necessarily mean 5,700+ people came to the Canal District to pay to park, eat at restaurants, etc.

The WooSox drew a total of 479,636 fans in 2024, about 90% of what it drew in 2022, its first full-capacity season. Triple A-level clubs in Minor League Baseball saw a total attendance of 9.16 million in 2024, about 95% of the 9.52 million fans drawn in 2022.

For comparison, the Charlotte Knights drew 628,173 fans in 2016, about 91% of what they drew in 2014, their first year at a new stadium. The Nashville Sounds drew 565,545 fans in 2017, actually 5% more than what they drew in 2015 when they opened their new stadium. The Omaha Storm Chasers drew 390,957 fans in 2013, about 95% of what they drew in 2011 as they opened a new park.

Polar Park is the only Triple A ballpark built in the last decade. All three other clubs play in markets bigger than Worcester, and the International League, the league within Triple A the WooSox play in, has seen attendance dip from 9,827 per game in 2014 to 6,157 in 2024.

This year’s International League attendance sits at 5,302-per-game as of Aug. 14, although MiLB attendance tends to improve as the season goes on, according to Baseball America.

Steinberg is pleased with how the ballclub is performing from an attendance standpoint and new developments in the area, including American Flatbread’s new candlepin bowling alley.

The WooSox are drawing fewer fans then their first season without COVID-related restrictions in 2022, but continue to rank at the top of the list when it comes to MiLB attendance.

“It’s amazing where the people are coming from,” he said, noting an increase from Rhode Island, former home of Pawtucket Red Sox. “They’re coming from Williamstown in the northwest corner of Massachusetts. They’re coming from Hingham and Weymouth, from New Hampshire and Maine.”

Last off-season saw the addition of the Royal Wooters Club, a space with a bar and pool table allowing season-ticket holders to escape the elements. More upgrades are in the works.

“We’re in the conjuring stage right now of plans for 2026, and it does follow that theme of listening to people to hear what are the turning points on the decisions to come to a game,” Steinberg said.

Eric Casey is the managing editor at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the manufacturing and real estate industries.

About 3 out of 4 WBJ readers either want Madison Properties to sell their plots in the Canal District, either now or at some point soon if work doesn’t get started on other projects.

Sports

Bauer Named CSC Third Team All-American

Published

4 minutes ago

January 13, 2026

Your Sports Nation

AUSTIN, Texas — College Sports Communicators announced their Academic All-American teams on Tuesday, with WKU’s Callie Bauer earning Third Team Academic All-American.

Bauer becomes only the third player in program history to earn CSC Academic All-American, joining Natalie Furry (2002) and Paige Briggs (2023).

To be selected, athletes must maintain a minimum 3.50 GPA and meet athletic eligibility requirements.

The 2025 Alyssa Cavanaugh CUSA Player of the Year was one of the top setters in the country, finishing the regular season ranked 22nd nationally and first in the conference in assists per set at 10.42. Her 1,073 total assists during that time ranked 48th nationally and second in CUSA. Bauer also helped the Hilltoppers to the third-best hitting percentage in the country (.312), fifth-best assists per set (13.63), and sixth-best kills per set rate (14.57) in the country.

Playing in 106 of the 108 total sets this season, Bauer finished her senior year with a total of 88 kills, 1,109 assists, 25 service aces, 225 digs, and 32 blocks. The CUSA First Team All-Conference selection also posted a total of five double doubles on the season, totaling 17 in her career. Bauer was also named CUSA tournament MVP.

In the classroom, Bauer carried a 3.88 GPA as a Business Management major.

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Sports

Reilly Named Academic All-America Team Member of the Year – University of Nebraska

Published

16 minutes ago

January 13, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Bergen Reilly was named the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Division I Women’s Volleyball Academic All-America Team Member of the Year, in addition to earning first-team Academic All-America honors on Tuesday.

The junior setter is the 13th Nebraska student-athlete all-time and the fifth volleyball student-athlete to be named Academic All-America Team Member of the Year. The last Nebraska volleyball student-athlete to do so was Sarah Pavan in 2007. Drew Wiseman (men’s track and field) was the last Husker overall to earn the distinction in 2017.

Reilly’s selection increased Nebraska volleyball’s total to 45 Academic All-America awards, the most of any volleyball program in NCAA history. The University of Nebraska has produced 374 NCAA Division I Academic All-Americans across all sports.

Reilly earned first-team Academic All-America honors for the second year in a row. The junior from Sioux Falls, South Dakota has a 3.83 cumulative GPA as a business and law major.

Reilly set the Huskers to a school-record .351 hitting percentage, as the Big Red concluded their season with a 33-1 overall record and 20-0 mark in Big Ten play en route to a third straight conference title. Reilly averaged 10.47 assists per set and 2.70 digs per set. She also totaled 73 kills, 67 blocks and 19 aces.

Reilly was named a first-team AVCA All-American, AVCA Setter of the Year, Big Ten Player of the Year, Big Ten Setter of the Year, AVCA Region Player of the Year and All-Big Ten First Team. NU’s .351 hitting percentage ranked first nationally and was the best hitting percentage by a Big Ten team since 2009 Penn State.

Reilly set Nebraska to a .400 or better hitting percentage nine times this season, a school record in the rally-scoring era. Reilly had double-doubles in all six of the Husker matches that went longer than three sets, and she had four double-doubles in sweeps.

A three-time AVCA All-American and one of four finalists for AVCA Player of the Year, Reilly ranks No. 3 in school history in career assists in the rally-scoring era with 3,723. Her career assists per set average of 10.70 ranks No. 4 among active Division I players and No. 2 in school history in the rally-scoring era.

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Sports

Examining the Winners, Losers from Volleyball’s First Transfer Window

Published

21 minutes ago

January 13, 2026

Your Sports Nation

As we enter the second full week of January, the chaos of the transfer portal is giving way to the calm of roster clarity.

More than 600 Division I players have entered the transfer portal since the beginning of December. Many of those student-athletes have found new homes as the second semester begins. However, once an athlete is in the portal, they do not have a deadline to find a new home. The academic calendar and personal preference dictate their timeline.

Even though the number of transfers was still massive, the transfer season lacked the pizzazz of the last few years, as the movement lacked the high-end talent changing programs. Overall, only five All-Americans (and three honorees from the past season) changed schools. It was a good time to be looking for a new setter, as many quality quarterbacks of the volleyball court opted for a change of scenery.

Nebraska has been quiet on both the coming and going fronts. No player entered the portal at the end of the season for the second straight season. However, the portal reopens at the beginning of May for two weeks, and the Huskers might see some movement during that window.

Here’s a list of the biggest winners from the transfer portal and a few teams that came out on the short end — so far. (All players are listed by their eligibility for the 2026 season.)

Winners:

𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐬’ 𝐁𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞!

Mustangs, help us welcome home one of the best outside hitters in the country, Suli Davis ✌️#GoMustangs | @SMUMustangs pic.twitter.com/W16cYI4L8F

— SMU Volleyball (@SMUVolleyball) December 17, 2025

SMU

Added: OH Suli Davis, sophomore, from BYU; OPP Gabi Placide, senior, Ole Miss; S Ava Sarafa, junior, Kentucky; L Victoria Harris, junior, South Carolina.

Lost: OH Kennedi Rogers, sophomore, to Tennessee.

SMU needed to find a few plug-and-play pieces after losing six players from last year’s team, which included 11 freshmen and sophomores. Once again, the Mustangs hit the portal hard to fill in the roster holes.

Davis was one of the biggest prizes in the portal. However, the Big 12 Freshman of the Year wasn’t really on the market as she entered the portal with a “Do Not Contact” tag and ended up with her hometown Mustangs. The Euless, Texas, native was a second-team All-American this past year and offers long-term potential as she reunites with several other players she played club volleyball with at TAV in the Metroplex.

In addition to Davis, the Mustangs added three undervalued SEC players. Placide was fifth in kills per set and third in points per set at Ole Miss. Harris was fourth in the SEC in digs per set for the Gamecocks and had a 54.6 good pass percentage. Sarafa got beat out by freshman Kassie O’Brien, the AVCA National Freshman of the Year, as the starting setter at Kentucky and will compete with Hannah Beauford for the job at SMU.

An All-American making her way down to Aggieland 👍#GigEm // #AggieVB pic.twitter.com/AkJGiuJGp1

— Texas A&M Volleyball (@AggieVolleyball) December 23, 2025

Texas A&M

Added: OH Natalie Ring, senior, Marquette; MB Kaia Castle, sophomore, Ohio State; MB Eliza Sharp, sophomore, Boise State.

Lost: None.

The Aggies needed to boost their roster after losing nine seniors and three All-Americans from the national championship-winning team. They also needed to bridge the gap before a pair of 2027 Top 10 prospects (OH Isabel Incinelli and S Sophee Peterson) arrive on campus next year.

The highlight of the group is Ring, who earned All-American honors at Marquette last season. She’s a proven arm and averaged 4.60 kills per set while hitting .274. She’ll pair very well with tournament breakout star Kyndal Stowers on the left pin.

The other area of need for A&M was the middle blocker position after the graduation of Ifenna Cos-Ipkalla and Morgan Perkins. The Aggies signed Sharp, the Mountain West Freshman of the Year, and Castle, who flashed her potential in an otherwise dreadful season at Ohio State and broke the OSU school record with 15 blocks against Troy.

Penn State

Added: S Alexis Stucky, senior, from Florida; MB Ryla Jones, junior, Pitt; OH/RS Whiteny Lauenstein, senior, Texas

Lost: S Izzy Starck, junior, to Pitt; OH Karis Willow, senior, uncommitted; MB Catherine Burke, junior, Wake Forest; OH Marin Collins, sophomore, Georgia.

After Starck left the team in September, the Nittany Lions’ biggest need was a setter. The need was amplified later in the fall when 2026 signee Danielle Whitmire suffered a knee injury during her final prep season. PSU got the answer from Stucky, who will reunite with her former Gator teammate Kennedy Martin for their final collegiate season. Stucky also suffered a knee injury in her second year at Florida after earning All-American honors as a freshman, but has remained one of the top setters in the country, which should elevate the Nittany Lions’ offense.

Jones should step in at middle to fill the absence of Maggie Mendelson and Jordan Hopp. She hit .404 as a freshman with 1.14 kills and 1.03 blocks per set, but lost playing time this past year to freshman Abbey Emch. Lauenstein adds more firepower to the offense, but doesn’t do much to solve one of PSU’s biggest weaknesses from last year: passing. She likely won’t displace Martin, so she will join a crowded group on the left pin that includes fellow former Nebraska opposite Caroline Jurevicius, along with Emmi Sellman, Alexis Ewing and freshman Finley Krystkowiak.

Pretty good Christmas gift 😉

Everyone welcome Izzy Starck to the Pitt fam!

🔗 https://t.co/Y5CnRP62bS pic.twitter.com/LVxhNKMjnf

— Pitt Volleyball (@Pitt_VB) December 23, 2025

Pittsburgh

Added: S Izzy Starck, junior, from Penn State; MB Jordyn Daily, junior, Kentucky;

Lost: MB Ryla Jones, junior, to Penn State; MB Dalia Vîrlan, junior, Oregon; S Kiana Dinn, sophomore, South Carolina.

It was no secret that Stark was entering the portal after she left the Nittany Lions in September. She didn’t leave Pennsylvania and will team up with two-time reigning Player of the Year Olivia Babcock. Starck is an elite talent, having been an All-American, the National Freshman of the Year, and a key contributor to Penn State’s 2024 national title. Stark is listed as a junior on the Panthers’ roster. If she has contemporaneous medical documentation from the past year, she could be granted a medical hardship and receive an additional year of eligibility.

Pitt’s other big need was at middle blocker. The Panthers lost Bre Kelley to graduation, and then two other reserves left via the portal. They added Dailey, who can also play opposite, and should pair well with Abbey Emch.

The newest Bluejay setter 🔥

Katie Dalton, welcome to Creighton Volleyball!

📰: https://t.co/eiZ8v5OvJf#GoJays pic.twitter.com/1Sm4RPX3bg

— Creighton Volleyball (@CreightonVB) December 23, 2025

Creighton

Added: S Katie Dalton, senior, from Kansas; MB Ayden Ames, junior, Texas; OH Trinity Shadd-Ceres, junior, Wisconsin

Lost: OH/OPP Sophia Wendlick, junior, uncommitted; S Emersen Strain, junior, Jacksonville.

The Bluejays didn’t miss a beat in Brian Rosen’s first year at the helm. Creighton returned to the Elite Eight but faces another challenging task in replacing three All-Americans. The Bluejays hope to have their next great setter in Dalton, who led Kansas to the regional semifinals. She will follow in the footsteps of Kendra Wait and Annalea Maeder. Ames started 55 of 57 matches in her two years at Texas and should slide in seamlessly to the starting lineup for All-American Elise Goetzinger. Finally, Shadd-Ceres doesn’t get much court time at Wisconsin, appearing in 13 matches over two seasons, but she oozes athleticism and potential.

Our 2026 roster is shaping up nicely 🤩

Read about our five transfer signees below!#ForksUphttps://t.co/N0dO0OvzHI

— Sun Devil Volleyball (@SunDevilVB) January 9, 2026

Arizona State

Added: OH Aniya Clinton, senior, from Kansas State; OH Una Vajagic, junior, Wisconsin; MB Aurora Papac, sophomore, Kansas; MB Tosia Serafinowska, sophomore, Wisconsin; S Isabella Costantini, senior, UTRGV.

Lost: L Bella Faria, junior, uncommitted

The Sun Devils lost six seniors following the 2025 season but reloaded through an international-flavored portal shopping spree, with four coming from outside the United States. Clinton and Vajagic (Serbia) added instant offense as they look to build on their roles as the second-best attackers on their respective teams last year. Costantini (Brazil) was a two-time Southland Setter of the Year. Papac (Croatia) recorded 107 blocks at Kansas. Serafinowska (Poland) appeared in five matches in two years at Wisconsin.

✍️ Welcome to the 608, @JaelaAuguste!

📝 | https://t.co/Ohchs5CCUI pic.twitter.com/jNbEc4KOky

— Wisconsin Volleyball (@BadgerVB) December 22, 2025

Best single-player additions

Kentucky — The national runners-up needed to replace Eva Hudson at the left pin and found a capable candidate in Morgan Gaerte. The junior outside hitter averaged 4.64 kills for Notre Dame last season and earned All-ACC honors.

San Diego — The Toreros returned to the NCAA tournament last year and then increased their odds of returning with the addition of former Washington Kierstyn Barton. The All-Big Ten outside hitter averaged 3.57 kills and 1.96 digs per set for the Huskies last year.

Wisconsin — The Badgers were a mixed bag. They got the best middle blocker available in Florida’s Jaela Auguste, who should lessen the departure of seniors Carter Booth and Alicia Andrew. Auguste was an All-American last year for the Gators after putting up 2.69 kills on a .368 hitting percentage. On the downside, Wisconsin lost six other players to the portal, including rising sophomore outside hitter Una Vajagic. Her departure caught UW coach Kelly Sheffield off guard, as she was expected to take a bigger role in the offense next year. The other transfers were primarily young reserves, including setter Addy Horner to TCU. Overall, Wisconsin should be fine as it brings in four Top 25 recruits to bolster its ranks.

Also under consideration: S Marina Crownover from Missouri to Oregon; MB Brooke Bultema from Kentucky to Louisville and OPP Jovana Zelenovic from Kansas to Miami (Florida).

Mixed Bag:

All in on Florida 🐊

Welcome to the Gator family, Kamryn Chaney!

ℹ️ https://t.co/HlRgU4NHqn pic.twitter.com/kWUczz09GZ

— Gators Volleyball (@GatorsVB) December 17, 2025

Florida

Added: OH Kamryn Chaney, senior, Vanderbilt; OH Selena Leban, junior, Kansas; S Bri Denney, senior, Baylor; MB Bri Holladay, sophomore, Virginia Tech

Lost: S Alexis Stucky, senior, to Penn State; MB Jaela Auguste, junior, Wisconsin; MB De’Andrea McMillian, sophomore, TCU

The Gators lost two of their top players from this past season in Stucky and Auguste. Junior setter Taylor Parks should soften the blow of Stucky’s departure, but losing an All-American at middle blocker hurts. McMillian redshirted this past year. Chaney and Leban should help breakout star Jordyn Byrd on offense, and Holladay showed potential in her one year at Virginia Tech.

Tennessee

Added: OPP/S Jalyn Stout, senior, from Coastal Carolina; OH Kennedi Rogers, sophomore, SMU; OH Nia Hall, senior, South Carolina; L Marta Lazzarin, sophomore, Georgia State.

Lost: S Izzy Mogridge, sophomore, to Utah; OPP Paityn Chapman, junior, Illinois; S Camdyn Stucky, sophomore, Kansas State; OPP Starr Williams, senior, Grand Canyon; OH/OPP Sydney Jones, junior, Houston; OH Cate Schnell, junior, uncommitted; MB Zoë Humphrey, sophomore, Georgia Tech; MB Kiki Granberry, senior, Indiana.

The Lady Vols saw a mass exodus as eight players hit the portal shortly after their season ended. Those players combined to start 50 matches, so they won’t lose much in production, but it’s never a good sign when that many players leave. Eve Rackham Watt will have a roster reset with that much player turnover.

The one victory for UT was that 2023 All-American setter Caroline Kerr decided to stick around Knoxville. The Lady Vols added Rogers to the mix, who showed out in her first year with SMU, as well as triple-double machine Jalyn Stout to the roster, although with Kerr still running the offense, Stout will likely be limited to just attacking.

Gamecock Student-Athletes Continue Academic Excellence in 2025 Fall Semester – University of South Carolina Athletics

Published

32 minutes ago

January 13, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Student-Athletes at the University of South Carolina ended the Fall 2025 semester with a departmental grade point average (GPA) of 3.51, the second highest semester departmental GPA in program history (Spring 2020 – 3.70).

This marks the department’s 38th consecutive semester with a departmental GPA above 3.0.

The cumulative grade point average for student-athletes in each sport since they arrived at Carolina is 3.52, which stands as the highest cumulative GPA ever for Gamecock student-athletes. In addition, department named 105 student-athletes to the President’s List for earning a 4.0 GPA, 194 student-athletes to the Dean’s List (3.5 GPA) and 435 to the Athletics Director’s Honor Roll (3.0 GPA).

“In this new era of intercollegiate athletics, the commitment to being a student-athlete has not changed,” said Athletics Director Jeremiah Donati. “Our student-athletes work hard at their athletic craft and in the classroom. We appreciate their hard work and the efforts of our academic services staff for the outstanding support they provide our student-athletes. Also, we are incredibly appreciative of our Gamecock Club members whose philanthropic giving helps fund scholarships, meal and housing costs, medical expenses, and other areas of support.”

“To have 38 consecutive semesters of a 3.0 GPA is a result of the culture of excellence that has been developed by our student-athletes,” said Charlie Ball, Senior Associate AD for Academics. “The Dodie Academic Team is dedicated to the academic accomplishments of our student-athletes, which helps build a foundation for career success.”

All 18 teams earned a 3.0 GPA or higher for the semester for the second time in program history. Women’s Tennis had the highest team GPA for the fall at 3.77, followed closely by Men’s Soccer at 3.71, and Equestrian at 3.70.

A total of 26 student-athletes graduated after the Fall semester, with 262 student-athletes earning degrees during the last four semester graduation exercises (since Spring 2024).

Team – Fall 2025 Semester GPA
Baseball – 3.49*
Men’s Basketball – 3.36*
Women’s Basketball – 3.56
Beach Volleyball – 3.69
Equestrian – 3.70*
Football – 3.28
Men’s Golf – 3.54
Women’s Golf – 3.64
Men’s Soccer – 3.71
Women’s Soccer – 3.69
Softball – 3.63
Men’s Swimming and Diving – 3.70*
Women’s Swimming and Diving – 3.69
Men’s Tennis – 3.05
Women’s Tennis – 3.77
Men’s Track and Field – 3.51*
Women’s Track and Field / Cross Country – 3.30
Volleyball – 3.54

* – Highest semester GPA in sport program history

The Fall 2025 Semester continued a history of academic excellence for Gamecock athletics. A snapshot of recent successes include:

* From 2015-16, South Carolina leads all schools with 4,225 members in the Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll. South Carolina led all schools in the SEC Academic Honor Roll in seven of the last 10 years and in top 3 in the remaining three years.

* Ten Gamecocks earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-America honors in 2024-25, the most ever for USC in the history of the Academic All-America program (previous high: 7 – 2013-14 & 2008-09). A total of 53 Gamecocks earned CSC Academic All-District honors in 2024-25.

* Two Gamecocks earned conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors in their respective sports. Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk was the SEC Men’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year and Louise Rydqvist earned the SEC Women’s Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors.

* All University of South Carolina’s countable intercollegiate sports posted a multiyear score of 950 or better, according to the Academic Progress Rate (APR) statistics for the 2023-24 academic year. Carolina had 13 sports reach a perfect single-year score (1000) for the 2023-24 academic year, the second highest total ever by Gamecock Athletics, only behind 14 sports total in 2015-16. Sixteen of the 18 sports maintained or improved on their previous year APR scores. Eleven of the 18 measured sports surpassed the national multi-year average while volleyball registered a perfect single-year score for the 11th-straight year. Beach Volleyball continues its streak of perfect APR scoring since the NCAA started collecting data for the sport.

* USC athletic programs tied for third in the Southeastern Conference in the latest Graduation Success Rates (GSR), which measures the number of scholarship student-athletes that graduate within a six-year period of their initial full-time enrollment. For the report, the GSR is based on student-athletes who entered college in the fall of 2017. South Carolina’s athletic teams had a 94 percent score, which tied with Auburn University and the University of Mississippi in the SEC behind Vanderbilt (96) and Alabama (96). South Carolina’s Football GSR score (95) ranked second among SEC schools and South Carolina schools. It tied for ninth among all Power 4 schools.

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Brady Stump Named NEC Player Of The Week For Men’s Volleyball

Published

37 minutes ago

January 13, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Men’s Volleyball | 1/13/2026 1:02:00 PM

Brady Stump, a member of the Saint Francis men’s volleyball team, has been named the NEC Player of the Week.

Stump showed exactly why he deserved Player of the Week honors, even in a pair of tough losses to No. 8 BYU. He was an offensive threat, totaling 17 kills on the weekend and delivering a 12 kill performance against one of the nation’s top programs. Stump also made his impact felt from the service line with five aces and contributed defensively with four digs.

Saint Francis returns to action with two games in Kentucky on Friday and Saturday. Game time is 7 p.m. and 4 p.m.

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Van Gorp Earns First Team Academic All-America

Published

53 minutes ago

January 13, 2026

Your Sports Nation

AMES, Iowa – The College Sports Communicators (CSC) has named Rachel Van Gorp a First Team Academic All-American, announced Tuesday.

Van Gorp is the second to earn first team honors, and sixth overall Academic All-American in program history. The sophomore was one of seven 2025 First Team Academic All-America selections.

The star on the court and in the classroom was named the AVCA National Libero of the Year and a Second Team All-American last month. Van Gorp has put up a GPA of 3.97 as she works toward her degree in kinesiology in health.

Van Gorp also concludes the season with the honors of AVCA First Team All-Region, Big 12 Libero of the Year and All-Big 12 First Team.

Iowa State Volleyball Academic All-Americans

2025 – Rachel Van Gorp, First Team

2022 – Alexis Engelbrecht, Third Team

2017 – Alexis Conaway, First Team

2012 – Jamie Straube, Second Team

1995 – Kirstin Hugdahl, Third Team

1994 – Kirstin Hugdahl, Third Team

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