Sports
Prep Rally: High school football is changing, but for the better or for the worse?
Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. Whether you’ve been paying attention or not, high school football is changing. Let’s discuss. Dealing with changes Corona Centennial football coach Matt Logan. (Jeremiah Soifer ) Rolling your eyes has been the theme if you follow college football and high school football. Changes keep happening because […]

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. Whether you’ve been paying attention or not, high school football is changing. Let’s discuss.
Dealing with changes

Corona Centennial football coach Matt Logan.
(Jeremiah Soifer )
Rolling your eyes has been the theme if you follow college football and high school football. Changes keep happening because rules are in flux regarding name, image and likeness. Transfer numbers keep growing. Agents are picking up clients who are teenagers. Parents are examining options. Coaches are adjusting on the fly.
It’s the best of times and the worst of times. Many believe things will settle when court cases are finalized. Others believe amateur football has been changed forever.
Here’s a look at some of the issues, good and bad, that are affecting the high school football world.
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Baseball

El Camino Real pitcher Devin Gonor celebrates after completing three-hit shutout over Venice on Saturday in a 2-0 win in the City Section Open Division final at Dodger Stadium.
(Craig Weston)
Devin Gonor of El Camino Real proved Saturday at Dodger Stadium that trusting the process still works. He played on the freshman team, then the junior varsity team for two years. He waited his turn, made his varsity debut last season as a junior and this season is 11-1 and pitched a three-hit shutout in a 2-0 win over Venice to give El Camino Real its 10th City Section Open Division title. Here’s a look at how the Royals did it.

Carson players celebrate after a 3-1 win over Banning in the City Section Division I final at Dodger Stadium.
(Craig Weston)
Carson won its first ever City Section title in baseball by taking the Division I crown with a 3-1 comeback win over rival Banning at Dodger Stadium. Here’s the report.

Crespi players launch a victory celebration in the ninth inning of a 3-2 win over Mira Costa.
(Craig Weston)
The final week of the Southern Section season begins Tuesday with semifinals in Division 1 featuring Corona at St. John Bosco and Crespi at Santa Margarita. Here’s a report on the quarterfinals that saw four close games.

Seth Hernandez of Corona celebrates after hitting the first of his two three-run home runs.
(Nick Koza)
It also was the week Seth Hernandez of Corona hit two three-run home runs and struck out 10 in an impressive playoff performance. He’ll pitch Tuesday. Here’s a report. And Venice’s Canon King went five for five in a semifinal win over Sylmar. Here’s the report.
Here’s the complete Tuesday schedule.
Softball

El Modena players greet Kaitlyn Galasso after her first-inning home run against Sherman Oaks Notre Dame.
(Craig Weston)
It will be El Modena playing Norco for the Southern Section Division 1 softball championship this weekend in Irvine.
El Modena came through earlier in the week with a comeback semifinal win over Sherman Oaks Notre Dame. Here’s the report.
On Saturday, Norco defeated Ayala and El Modena knocked off Temescal Canyon to reach the final in a season where hitters have had the advantage over pitchers. Here’s the report.
The City Section has its semifinals Wednesday with Granada Hills hosting Venice and San Pedro hosting Carson. The championship game will be played Saturday at Cal State Northridge.
Track

Birmingham’s Antrell Harris (center) runs stride for stride with Granada Hills’ Justin Hart, left, in the boys 200-meter final at the City Section Track and Field Championships.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
Birmingham football standout Antrell Harris was one of the stars at the City Section track and field championships, winning the 100 and 200. He’s headed this weekend to compete in the state championships at Buchanan High in Clovis. The weather report is for temperatures in the triple digits.
Here’s a report from the City championships.
The Southern Section held its Masters Meet, and RJ Sermons of Rancho Cucamonga was the top qualifier in the 200 and has one more week of high school competition left before he heads off to play football at USC. Here’s the report.
Golf

Joseph Wong of Granada Hills won the City Section individual golf title.
(Steve Galluzzo)
Joseph Wong of Granada Hills won the City Section golf championship. Here’s the report.
Grant Leary of Crespi won the Southern Section individual golf championship with a 66 for a one-stroke victory. Here’s a roundup of Southern Section team champions. Here’s a look at Leary.
Volleyball
Mira Costa has qualified from Southern California to compete in the first state championship in boys volleyball Saturday at Fresno City College. The Mustangs will face Archbishop Mitty from San Jose.
Here’s the compete schedule of state championship matchups and results from regional finals.
Notes . . .
Catcher Trent Grindlinger of Huntington Beach has changed his commitment from Mississippi State to Tennessee. . . .
Former Bishop Amat football coach Steve Hagerty will become athletic director at West Covina. . . .
Ethan Damato is leaving Laguna Beach to become girls water polo coach at JSerra. . . .
Connor Ohl, a junior at Newport Harbor, has committed to Stanford for water polo. . . .
Oliver Muller is the new boys soccer coach at Oaks Christian. . . .
YULA and Shalhevet, two schools that pulled out of the Southern Section baseball playoffs to participate in a Jewish tournament in Ohio, have been placed on probation and banned from next year’s playoffs for violating Southern Section rules about outside participation during the season. Here’s an opinion piece on how the decision by the two schools will hurt coaches and athletes. . . .
Former Chatsworth football coach Marvin Street has accepted a teaching position at El Camino Real and will become the junior varsity head coach. . . .
Loyola running back Sean Morris has committed to Northwestern. . . .

Kevin Reynolds, the basketball coach at Villa Park for 30 years, died Friday morning, the school announced. He was 59. He had been diagnosed with cancer. His teams won 634 games in his coaching career. . . .
John Quick, who was a longtime basketball coach in the South Bay, has died. . . .
Loyola’s James Dell’Amico has committed to Pepperdine baseball. . . .
Former Tesoro football coach Matt Poston is the new athletic director at San Clemente. . . .
The CIF state championships in tennis will be held Saturday in Fresno. Irvine University has qualified. …
Darius Spates is the new athletic director at Verbum Dei. He’s a 2012 graduate.
From the archives: Pete Crow-Armstrong

Drew Bowser (left) won the home run derby and MVP honors at the Perfect Game All-American Classic and Harvard-Westlake teammate Pete Crow-Armstrong also played in the game.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
Harvard-Westlake has produced some outstanding pitchers who went on to the major leagues, but Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Chicago Cubs is the Wolverines’ first breakthrough every day player. As a center fielder with electric speed, he has come into his own this season to become an All-Star candidate.
He used to be a teammate of Drew Bowser, who went to Stanford instead of signing out of high school and is now working his way up in the minors.
Crow-Armstrong entered last week hitting .290 with 12 home runs. He hit a two-run home run Friday against former Sherman Oaks Notre Dame pitcher Hunter Greene of the Reds.
His senior year got cut short in 2020 because of the pandemic. Here’s an interview with Crow-Armtrong from that year and how he kept his focus on the future.
Here’s a story from 2019 on how he had become a hitting machine.
Recommendations
From the Washington Post, a story on what a rowing coxswain does.
From the Los Angeles Times, a story on UC Irvine baseball coach Ben Orloff, a Simi Valley High graduate.
From the Los Angeles Times, a story on the new Compton High campus opening this fall with fantastic athletic facilities.
Tweets you might have missed


Until next time….
Have a question, comment or something you’d like to see in a future Prep Rally newsletter? Email me at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com, and follow me on Twitter at @latsondheimer.
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Sports
SCVNews.com | TMU Women’s Volleyball 2025 Schedule Released
The Master’s University women’s volleyball team, the defending GSAC champion, which finished the season ranked No. 25 in the NAIA last year, has released its fall 2025 schedule. Once again the season starts with the Hope Summer Slam and CSM Labor Day Classic tournaments, in which the Lady Mustangs will compete against other Top 25 […]

The Master’s University women’s volleyball team, the defending GSAC champion, which finished the season ranked No. 25 in the NAIA last year, has released its fall 2025 schedule.
Once again the season starts with the Hope Summer Slam and CSM Labor Day Classic tournaments, in which the Lady Mustangs will compete against other Top 25 teams. This will be followed by a 16-match conference schedule.
“We are beyond excited for what’s on the schedule for this upcoming fall,” said first-year TMU Head Coach McKenna Hafner. “Last year we were given the opportunity to travel to a couple of high-level tournaments and face off against some ranked teams from out of our area. These matches were confidence builders for us as we realized the program has what it takes to consistently compete at the highest level of NAIA women’s volleyball, and provided a roadmap for where we needed to improve to be able to do that. We wanted to replicate that experience as much as possible this year.”
The Hope Summer Slam tournament, played at Hope International in Fullerton, will include a match against Southern Oregon on Aug. 23, one of the top four teams in the country last season.
“Not every program gets the opportunity to compete against a team that finished in the semi-finals of the NAIA national tournament the previous year,” Hafner said. “So our match against Southern Oregon is particularly exciting. I know our girls are eager for the challenge.”
With both Soka University of America and La Sierra University joining the GSAC this year, the conference will be back up to 10 schools, with five in California and five in Arizona. However, Soka will not field a women’s volleyball team, so TMU will face each of the other eight schools twice, both home and away, to make the 16-match conference schedule.
“As far GSAC play goes, there are a lot of unknowns at this point,” Hafner said. “Adding new programs and changing coaching personnel always shakes things up. We are excited to see what the other GSAC programs will look like and it’s exciting to add an extra layer of challenge with the uncertainty of what that looks like. Our team will have to show up to every match open-minded, adaptable and ready to compete because nothing will be a given.”
To see the complete schedule, click HERE.
Related
Sports
Pro beach volleyball is back, but inside Intuit Dome – Orange County Register
LOS ANGELES — Professional beach volleyball is returning to the Los Angeles area – this time, inside one of its newest sporting cathedrals. The Association of Volleyball Professionals tour will stop at the Intuit Dome, home of the Clippers, for its Week 5 action Friday and Saturday night. The touring league, stacked with Olympians and […]

LOS ANGELES — Professional beach volleyball is returning to the Los Angeles area – this time, inside one of its newest sporting cathedrals.
The Association of Volleyball Professionals tour will stop at the Intuit Dome, home of the Clippers, for its Week 5 action Friday and Saturday night. The touring league, stacked with Olympians and pioneers of the sport, will compete inside the Inglewood arena for the first time.
The Intuit Dome is the latest addition to L.A.’s pro sports infrastructure, and many players are eager to bring beach volleyball’s energy indoors. While the sport typically spikes in attention during Olympic years – ranked as the sixth most-watched sport during the Games – its leap to a major L.A. venue signals growth and offers fans a chance to see it up close in a high-profile setting.
“If fans come out and watch the event,” said Geena Urango of San Diego Smash, “those who haven’t been to one before would realize just how special and entertaining beach volleyball is.”
Urango has a unique relationship with the sport and the city. In 2007, she became the first beach volleyball recruit at USC, laying the foundation for a powerhouse that would go on to win six NCAA titles.
She’s still competing 17 years later.
Both members of the L.A. Launch women’s duo – Terese Cannon (2015-19) and Megan Kraft (2021-24) – followed in Urango’s footsteps at USC. The age gap disappears, they say, when they meet on the sand.
“It’s amazing that she’s still playing at such a high level,” Cannon said. “I sometimes forget she was the first one to play at USC Beach, because she still seems so fresh to the sport. But I know she’s a veteran and a legend.”
Urango is one of many big names in the league.
Phil Dalhausser, a 2008 Olympic gold medalist and four-time Olympian, will retire after the 2025 season. The AVP regards him as perhaps the most dominant player in the sport’s history.
Kelly Cheng, another USC alum (2014-17), competed in the past two Olympics and now plays for Miami Mayhem alongside 2016 Olympian Chaim Schalk.
San Diego Smash’s Chase Budinger joined the AVP after seven seasons in the NBA. He and partner Miles Evans competed for Team USA in 2024.
While these athletes made their names in Olympic arenas, this weekend offers a rare chance to see them compete live, at home.
“It’s the sport that only comes into people’s purview every four years,” said UCLA alum and L.A. Launch player Hagen Smith. “Everybody loves it, but now there’s more opportunity to see all those Olympic athletes. You can just latch on to some amazing new personalities, amazing athletes – and I mean, how can you beat a beach sport? Plus, it’s at Intuit, which makes it even more sick.”
The AVP runs on a team-based format with eight city-backed franchises: L.A. Launch, Miami Mayhem, San Diego Smash, Palm Beach Passion, Brooklyn Blaze, Austin Aces, New York Nitro, and Dallas Dream.
Each tour stop includes four matchups per team contest – two men’s and two women’s – with all results contributing to the team score and standings.
The format encourages continuity and chemistry. Each team travels with consistent men’s and women’s pairs, building bonds that stretch beyond the court.
“You guys are going through this together,” Smith said. “I have so many friends on the tour. When you step on the court, we’re competitors – no friends out there. But off the court, we’re all family.”
This week, Smith and the Launch return “home.”
Through four weekends, L.A. leads the league standings. Now, they’ll look to defend that top spot in front of friends and family on one of the city’s brightest stages.
“It’s so exciting to play in L.A.,” Kraft said. “It’s especially cool because we’re part of the L.A. Launch this year, so we’re able to represent the city and make it our home event. We’ll have some good people in the stands. I invited all my former teammates, friends and family. Hopefully, we get a good crowd at Intuit.”
AVP League Week 5
When: 5 p.m. Friday; 4 p.m. Saturday
Where: Intuit Dome, Inglewood
How to watch: Friday (6-7 p.m. YouTube @avpbeach; 7-9 p.m. CBS Sports Network; 9-10 p.m. YouTube @avpbeach); Saturday (5-7 p.m. The CW Network; 7-9 p.m. YouTube @avpbeach)
Originally Published:
Sports
Manor College Names New Men’s Volleyball, Women’s Volleyball and Women’s Basketball Head Coach
McCurdy, from Philadelphia, is described as a dedicated, detailed head coach who seeks effort on and off the court. Manor College Men’s Basketball vs. Central Penn College – December 17, 2024. Mike McCurdy hadn’t yet formalized his basketball training company when he began working with a seven-year-old Autistic boy in Philadelphia. The boy’s mother was […]

McCurdy, from Philadelphia, is described as a dedicated, detailed head coach who seeks effort on and off the court.

Mike McCurdy hadn’t yet formalized his basketball training company when he began working with a seven-year-old Autistic boy in Philadelphia. The boy’s mother was looking for a coach to do basic skills training and felt comfortable working with McCurdy.
Over the past three years, McCurdy worked with the boy, and each session saw the boy’s growth on the court. More importantly, the child was enjoying the game.
“The response and the reward you get from seeing a person grow and what happens after drives me as a coach,” McCurdy said. “You see the look on their face, the work they put in, it’s so rewarding. You can’t fully put words to it. It’s being inspired by a dedication to watching them grow themselves.”
McCurdy, of Northeast Philadelphia, will become the Women’s Basketball, Women’s Volleyball and Men’s Volleyball head coach for Manor College starting in the Fall 2025 semester.
“Mike is so dedicated to his craft that his hiring was a no-brainer for me,” John Dempster, Manor College Athletic Director, said. “Coach McCurdy is a great recruiter and will have this team up and running in no time. I’m really looking forward to watching our programs grow.”
McCurdy isn’t a stranger to Manor College. He graduated from Franklin Towne Charter High School and currently works as a health Teacher at MaST Community Charter School II in Northeast Philadelphia.
McCurdy was first introduced to Manor through Men’s Basketball Head Coach Leo Mahon, who saw McCurdy during a summer camp and liked McCurdy’s attention to detail. The two clicked over coaching.
“There’s no way he’s putting in the hours he does if he doesn’t love it,” McCurdy said of Mahon. “He loves the process of coaching. He’s a great mentor to me.”
McCurdy sums up his coaching style as someone who rewards effort – “give and take.”
“Whatever you give me, I expect you to reciprocate with your effort on the court,” McCurdy said. “I am not going to micromanage your game. I’m going to let you go out there and be comfortable playing your game as long as you’re giving me that effort on the court.”
McCurdy’s volleyball experience begins with playing the sport as a child. He stopped playing after breaking his arm in sixth grade, but continued to manage teams in the years since.
“I love volleyball because it can’t be won with one person,” McCurdy said. “One person can take over, but to finish it, it takes six players on the court. I’m trying to find the closest knit group and make them a family. You need to trust that your teammate has your back.”
McCurdy describes playing at Manor College as a place where one can work hard and gain opportunities.
“You’re going to get the opportunity to play and what you do with that time is up to you,” McCurdy said. “When I go there, I see it. At Manor, you have to work hard, but Manor will give you the opportunity.”
Read More:
Manor College Debuts Women’s Flag Football, Men’s Volleyball for 25-26 Academic Year
Manor College Offers Free Resources to Former Crozer Health Employees
Meet the Voices of Manor College’s 2025 Graduating Class
Learn More:
Schedule a visit to Manor College
Apply to Manor College
Become a Blue Jay Athlete
Sports
Week 5 Preview – Intuit Dome Transforms into a Beach, July 11-12
Undefeated top seed L.A. Launch (4-0) returns to the court to face their fiercest challenger yet – the red-hot Palm Beach Passion (6-2). Over eight matches across two nights, the stakes are high: can Launch keep their perfect record, or will Passion take control of the leaderboard? Top Storylines Seven Olympians, one roof. Dalhausser’s farewell […]

Undefeated top seed L.A. Launch (4-0) returns to the court to face their fiercest challenger yet – the red-hot Palm Beach Passion (6-2). Over eight matches across two nights, the stakes are high: can Launch keep their perfect record, or will Passion take control of the leaderboard?
Top Storylines
- Seven Olympians, one roof. Dalhausser’s farewell tour meets 2024 silver medalists Brandie & Mel.
- Perfect vs Proven. Launch are unbeaten but have to play the #2 ranked Passion; Saturday decides control of the standings.
- Stat monsters. Wilkerson/Humana-Paredes hit an astounding .660 last outing — one of the best pair efficiency of the season: Kraft’s four-ace run and Cannon’s four-block wall headline Launch’s counter punch.
- Newberry’s Introduction. UCLA alum Devon Newberry steps in for Smash to replace injured Rodriguez
Current Standings Snapshot
- L.A. Launch 4-0 (10 pts) — 2nd of 4 events
- Palm Beach Passion 6-2 (17 pts) — 3rd of 4 events
- Brooklyn Blaze 6-6 (19 pts)
- Austin Aces 4-4 (11 pts)
- Dallas Dream 5-7 (17 pts)
- San Diego Smash 3-5 (9 pts)
- New York Nitro 3-5 (8 pts)
- Miami Mayhem 1-3 (5 pts)
Broadcast Schedule (Pacific Time)
Day | Time | Match | Where |
Fri | 6 pm | Women – LAUNCH vs SMASH | AVP YouTube Channel |
7 pm | Women – PASSION vs MAYHEM | CBS Sports | |
8 pm | Men – PASSION vs MAYHEM | CBS Sports | |
9 pm | Men – LAUNCH vs SMASH | AVP YouTube Channel | |
Sat | 5 pm | Women – PASSION vs LAUNCH | CW |
6 pm | Men – PASSION vs LAUNCH | CW | |
7 pm | Women – MAYHEM vs SMASH | AVP YouTube Channel | |
8 pm | Men – MAYHEM vs SMASH | AVP YouTube Channel |
Recent Head-to-Head Numbers
Earlier this season, every rematch went the distance—four matches, four three-set thrillers. Week 2 in San Diego: LA Launch’s Hagen Smith & Logan Weber survived the Smash 13-15, 16-14, 18-16, while Terese Cannon & Megan Kraft out-lasted Urango/Van Winkle 15-9, 21-23, 15-11. Week 3 in Miami: Palm Beach Passion’s Phil Dalhausser & Trevor Crabb flipped a 13-15 opener into 15-13, 15-10 over Mayhem, and Brandie Wilkerson & Melissa Humana-Paredes rallied past Cheng/Shaw 18-20, 15-11, 15-10.
- Hagen Smith (.368, 5 aces) & Logan Weber (.308, 4 blocks) edged Budinger/Evans by +2 pts.
- Phil Dalhausser (.647, 2 aces, 2 blocks) & Trevor Crabb (.478) iced Schalk/Shaw by +5 pts.
- Megan Kraft (.423, 4 aces, 21 Digs) & Terese Cannon (.455, 1 ace, 4 blocks) beat Urango/Van Winkle by +8 pts.
- Brandie Wilkerson (.739, 2 aces, 4 blocks) & Melissa Humana-Paredes (.593) beat Cheng/Shaw by +7 pts.
Takeaway: Passion’s women own the efficiency crown (.666), LA Launch Men and Women’s ace + block combo, and Dalhausser still hits like it’s 2008.
Friday — July 11
Palm Beach Passion vs Miami Mayhem
- Wilkerson/Humana-Paredes vs Cheng/M. Shaw
- Dalhausser/T. Crabb vs Schalk/J. Shaw
L.A. Launch vs San Diego Smash
- Cannon/Kraft vs Urango/Newberry (rookie debut)
- Smith/Weber vs Budinger/Evans
Saturday — July 12
#1 Passion vs #2 Launch
- Wilkerson/Humana-Paredes vs Cannon/Kraft
- Dalhausser/T. Crabb vs Smith/Weber
Miami Mayhem vs San Diego Smash
- Cheng/M. Shaw vs Urango/Newberry
- Schalk/J. Shaw vs Budinger/Evans
Get in the Building
Intuit Dome, 3930 W Century Blvd, Inglewood.
Doors Open: Fri 5 pm, Sat 4 pm.
Grab seats at AVP.com/tickets
Sports
Wimbledon women's semifinals
The Wimbledon final is set. American Amanda Anisimova will take on Poland’s Iga Świątek on Saturday. The winner will walk away with the first Wimbledon title of their careers. Anisimova punched her ticket to the final first with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 win over Aryna Sabalenka. It was a fantastic, back-and-forth match, but Anisimova came […]

The Wimbledon final is set. American Amanda Anisimova will take on Poland’s Iga Świątek on Saturday. The winner will walk away with the first Wimbledon title of their careers.
Anisimova punched her ticket to the final first with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 win over Aryna Sabalenka. It was a fantastic, back-and-forth match, but Anisimova came out on top in the end.
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The American relied on a fantastic serve, which registered just two aces, but put Sabalenka in tough positions all game. While Anisimova showed signs of frustration and poor body language during the match, she recovered enough to take a huge 4-1 lead in the final set. While Sabalenka battled back, that gap proved to be too big. Anisimova pulled out a narrow 6-4 win in the final set to advance to her first Wimbledon final.
The second match of the day proved to be far less dramatic, as Świątek dominated Belinda Bencic 6-2, 6-0 to advance to the final. Świątek played a phenomenal match and looked absolutely determined to reach the final at Wimbledon for the first time in her career.
Her serve was dominant, registering two aces and contributing to Świątek’s 26 winners. While she made more unforced errors compared to Bencic, Świątek excelled everywhere else. She was 6-for-6 on net points and 5-for-5 on break points.
While Świątek will hold the advantage in the final, Anisimova could prove to be a difficult opponent. The two have never faced each other in a singles match, which could provide Anisimova with an opportunity to surprise Świątek in the final.
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How to watch the Wimbledon women’s singles semifinals
Date: Thursday, July 10
Belinda Bencic-Iga Świątek time: 9:40 a.m. ET
Location: Center Court | All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Wimbledon, London
TV channel: ESPN | ESPN+ | Disney+
Follow along with Yahoo Sports for live updates, highlights and more from the Wimbledon women’s singles semifinals:
Sports
Kansas volleyball All-American Camryn Turner joins Washburn staff
Washburn men’s basketball on Elite 8 win against Lenoir-Rhyne Washburn’s Brett Ballard, Brayden Shorter and Dillon Claussen spoke after the Ichabods’ 90-78 win over Lenoir-Rhyne in the Elite 8 on Tuesday. Provided by NCAA TOPEKA — Over a decade ago, Chris Herron was coaching Camryn Turner’s second grade volleyball team. The introductory skills and rules […]

Washburn men’s basketball on Elite 8 win against Lenoir-Rhyne
Washburn’s Brett Ballard, Brayden Shorter and Dillon Claussen spoke after the Ichabods’ 90-78 win over Lenoir-Rhyne in the Elite 8 on Tuesday.
Provided by NCAA
TOPEKA — Over a decade ago, Chris Herron was coaching Camryn Turner’s second grade volleyball team. The introductory skills and rules of the game were taught, but the Washburn volleyball coach saw something different in Turner’s skills at a young age.
“I thought she was going to be ridiculously good,” Herron told the Capital-Journal. “She was so athletic even then and she was our best passer in the second grade.”
Turner, who is a Seaman High School grad, is heading back to help one of her first coaches. She will be a part-time assistant coach for the Ichabods this season.
Turner was an All-American setter for Kansas in 2023 and 2024. She was also named the 2023 Big 12 Setter of the Year.
“I am so excited for this opportunity to see volleyball from a different perspective. Not only that but getting to coach with an amazing group of girls and coaches who will push me to grow, and I hope I can do the same in return,” Turner said in a press release.
Turner is coming off of her first professional season, where she played for the Grand Rapids Rise in the Pro Volleyball Federation. She will be helping Washburn with their camps beginning next week.
Herron explained that Turner will have the typical expectations of a graduate assistant. She will have the roles of setting bus schedules and meals. In the gym, Turner will be working with the Washburn setters.
“She’s also left-handed,” Herron said. “We’ve got a couple left-handed kids in the program that will obviously benefit from that.”
Liam Keating covers high school sports for The Topeka Capital-Journal. Send stats or information to him at Lkeating@gannett.com
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