Sports

Ranking The 20 Hottest MLB Prospects

Published

7 months ago

May 19, 2025

Baseball America’s Hot Sheet ranks the 20 hottest prospects from the previous week. This week’s installment considers how minor league players performed through May 18. Contributing this week were BA staffers Josh Norris, Geoff Pontes, Jesús Cano and J.J. Cooper.

The Hot Sheet simply recognizes how the hottest prospects in the minors did in the past week—it’s not a re-ranking of the Baseball America Top 100 Prospects.

We host our weekly Hot Sheet Show on YouTube at 3:30 p.m. ET on Mondays. We’ll also be answering prospect questions in our weekly Hot Sheet chat on Tuesdays at 2 p.m. ET.

1. Rainiel Rodriguez, C, Cardinals

Team: FCL Cardinals
Age: 18
Why He’s Here: .438/.500/1.188 (7-for-16), 6 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 8 RBIs, 3 BB, 4 SO

The Scoop: In 41 games last year in the Dominican Summer League, Rodriguez slammed 10 home runs. In 10 games this year in the Florida Complex League, he’s already got six. Half of his 12 hits have landed somewhere over the fence. He closed the week with long balls in four straight games. His six home runs are more than double the next-closest contender in the FCL and are just four away from the total that led the league last year. If he keeps going deep every day, chances are good he won’t be around long enough to challenge last year’s high-water mark. (JN)

2. Jonathon Long, 1B, Cubs

Team: Triple-A Iowa
Age: 23
Why He’s Here: .545/.560/.955 (12-for-22), 7 R, 2 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 10 RBIs, 1 BB, 3 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: After a breakout 2024 that ended with a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League, Long is now showing out once again in Triple-A. On the year, he is hitting .367/.429/.533 with four home runs over 40 games. Last week, Long tallied four multi-hit games and three games with three hits. On Wednesday, he drove in six runs, and on Friday he racked up eight total bases, doing the heavy lifting on his week. Long has an advanced hit tool and above-average power, but his lack of defensive value puts pressure on him to continue hitting. (GP)

3. Connor Burns, C, Reds

Team: High-A Dayton (Midwest)
Age: 23
Why He’s Here: .350/.381/1.050 (7-for-20) 6 R, 2 2B, 4 HR, 7 RBIs, 1 BB, 8 SO

The Scoop: Catchers can mature at the plate slower than hitters at other positions because of the many demands of catching. That’s the hope with Burns. He’s an exceptional defender and generally a pretty awful hitter. This four home-run week raised his overall slash line to .184/.241/.378, as he came into the week with two doubles and one home run all season. Pitchers love throwing to Burns, and his defense will keep him employed for a long time. But to reach the big leagues, he’s going to need a lot more weeks like this one. (JJ)

4. Andrew Pintar, OF, Marlins

Team: Triple-A Jacksonville (International)
Age: 24
Why He’s Here: .520/.586/.840 (13-for-25), 4 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 4 SO, 4 BB, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: When the Marlins acquired Pintar from the Diamondbacks in the A.J. Puk deal, the organization was thrilled to get a player who impacts the game in a lot of ways. He hit some bumps early, struggling in Double-A and again in the Arizona Fall League, but his production this season is starting to show the potential Miami saw when they brought him in. His .346 batting average leads Jacksonville among hitters with at least 50 at-bats. His best showing this week came on May 17 when he racked up four hits, including a two-run homer with a 104.5 mph exit velocity. (JC)

5. Patrick Copen, RHP, Dodgers

Team: High-A Great Lakes (Midwest)
Age: 23
Why He’s Here: 2-0, 1.32 ERA, 13.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 18 SO, 1 HR

The Scoop: When we’re talking about High-A Great Lakes on the Hot Sheet, it’s usually because of that stacked outfield that keeps producing at the plate. This time, it was Copen’s dominance on the mound that made him the team’s lone representative. The righthander showed off his command and ability to pound the zone against the Guardians’ High-A team this week, but really, he’s been one of the most reliable arms in the rotation all season. He’s given up just one home run across 39.1 innings. (JC)

6. Bubba Chandler, RHP, Pirates

Team: Triple-A Indianapolis (International)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: 0-0, 1.93, 2 GS, 9.1 IP, 11 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 HBP, 5 BB, 15 SO

The Scoop: When Paul Skenes lost 1-0 in a complete game on Sunday, the Pirates offered a reminder that unless, Chandler goes back to being a two-way player and starts mashing some home runs, his arrival won’t do anything to fix Pittsburgh’s lack of offense. But he is showing every week that he’s ready to help the big league rotation. This week was almost pedestrian by Chandler’s standards, and he still struck out 15 in 9.1 innings. Chandler has an ability to force hitters to prepare for pitches over a nearly 25 mph range. He can touch 100+ mph with his fastball, and he’ll drop in a high-70s curve when they least expect it. (JJ)

7. C.J. Kayfus, 1B, Guardians

Team: Triple-A Columbus (International)
Age: 23
Why He’s Here: .524/.583/.810 (11-for-21), 3 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 6 RBIs, 3 BB, 3 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: It would be reasonable to argue that Kayfus has been the most productive hitter in the minor leagues to start 2025. Even a promotion to Triple-A couldn’t slow him down, as he’s been even more productive since the jump in level. Over 15 games in Triple-A, Kayfus has hit .379/.448/.638 with seven extra-base hits. Last week, he started the series off with Omaha with an O-fer. That would be the last time Kayfus didn’t collect two hits in a game during the series. His standout game came on Thursday, as he went 4-for-6 with three singles and a triple. Kayfus has been knocking on the door but may not have a place to play with the Guardians at the moment. (GP)

8. Matt Shaw, 3B, Cubs

Team: Triple-A Iowa (International)
Age: 23
Why He’s Here: .346/.452/.923 (9-for-26), 10 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 5 HR, 7 RBI, 2 SO, 4 BB 2-for-2 SB

The Scoop: Is it time for the Cubs to start thinking about giving Shaw another look at the hot corner? With the way he’s swinging the bat—and the lack of steady production at third base in the big leagues—it’s at least a conversation worth having. Shaw had a historical performance on Thursday when he homered to both lead off and walk off the game, a feat only five other players have done at the major league level. That’s a tough act to follow, but he didn’t let up. He came right back with another big showing, going deep twice more in his next game. It wasn’t historic this time, but it was just as loud. Shaw is trending in the right direction, and the Cubs are surely taking notice. (JC)

9. Henry Bolte, OF, Athletics

Team: Double-A Midland (Texas)
Age: 21
Why He’s Here: .458/.523/.833 (11-for-24), 5 R, 2 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 8 RBIs, 4 BB, 6 SO, 2-for-2 SB

The Scoop: It’s been a breakout first month of 2025 for Bolte, as he’s significantly cut his strikeout rate this season. The significant jump in contact has been a welcomed development for Bolte, who’s blessed with power and speed. Last week, he started the series off against El Paso with multi-hit games in the first four games. His best came on Tuesday, as he went 4-for-5 and finished a home run short of hitting for the cycle. Bolte is an exciting, tooled-up player who’s coming into his own in 2025. (GP)

10. Carson Whisenhunt, LHP, Giants

Team: Triple-A Sacramento (Pacific Coast)
Age: 24
Why He’s Here: 2-0, 0.00, 14 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 14 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: Quietly, Whisenhunt has been one of the most dominant pitchers in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. His 14 strikeouts this week vaulted him into first place in the league in that category. He also tops the PCL in WHIP (1.00) and innings pitched (51) and is second in ERA with a mark of 3.00. He got 13 whiffs in his most recent start, including five (on 11 swings) against his slider. If this trend continues, San Francisco might be in the offing. (JN)

11. Jack Perkins, RHP, Athletics

Team: Triple-A Las Vegas (Pacific Coast)
Age: 25
Why He’s Here: 1-0, 1.74 ERA, 10.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 14 SO, 1 HR

The Scoop: Perkins has dealt with early-season injuries in each of the past two years, but when he’s healthy, the A’s view him as one of their prized pitching prospects—and he’s been pitching like it lately. After ending the previous week on a strong note, he followed it up with two more impressive outings, continuing to show why there’s so much belief in his upside. Command has been a sticking point in the past, but this season, there are signs of progress. He’s been more consistent in the zone and limiting walks. If he can stay healthy and keep trending in this direction, Perkins could be in line for a big step forward. (JC)

12. Konnor Griffin, SS/OF, Pirates

Team: Low-A Bradenton (Florida State)
Age: 19
Why He’s Here: .545/.542/.773 (12-for-22), 8 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 7 RBIs, 0 BB, 4 SO, 4-for-4 SB

The Scoop: Entering the year, it was no secret that Griffin was one of the most athletic prospects in the sport. With each passing day, it’s becoming clear that he’s also one of the best prospects in the sport. He’s particularly menacing in May, so far producing a .411/.433/.589 line with four doubles, two home runs and a strikeout rate of just 20%. Has he worked even a single walk? No, he has not. But he’s making plenty of contact and turning it into enough electricity to rival a typical Florida lightning storm. Griffin’s development will require plenty of patience, but the reward could be as great as any seen from a Pirates position player in years. (JN)

13. Hao-Yu Lee, 2B/3B, Tigers

Team: Triple-A Toledo (International)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: .481/.533/.778 (13-for-27) 10 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 4 RBIs, 3 BB, 2 SO, 1 SB

The Scoop: After a slow start, Lee is once again hitting like normal. After just four multi-hit games combined in March and April, he has seven so far this month, including five in the past week. The Tigers have had Lee work at both second and third regularly this year. He is a very reliable second baseman defensively, but for now, he’s a pretty unreliable third baseman. He has six errors in just 17 games there while recording no errors in 20 games at second base. For his career, Lee has 14 errors in 180 games at second and 15 errors in 54 games at third. (JJ)

14. Mitch Jebb, 2B/CF Pirates

Team: Double-A Altoona (Eastern)
Age: 23
Why He’s Here: .500/.556/.708 (12-for-24) 6 R, 1 2B, 2 3B, 4 RBIs, 2 BB, 1 SO, 4 SB, 1 CS

The Scoop: Jebb is the type of player that is affectionately described as “pesky.” He has a career .371 slugging percentage, but he rarely strikes out and he makes tons of contact. And once he reaches base, he can steal at will. The Pirates are working center field into his repertoire more and more, and that may eventually be his best fit as a top or bottom-of-the-order bat who gets on base and steals once he reaches. His lack of power makes it more likely he’ll fit the bottom-of-the-order part. (JJ)

15. Bryce Eldridge, 1B, Giants

Team: Double-A Richmond (Eastern)
Age: 20
Why He’s Here: .364/.391/.864 (8-for-22), 3 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 6 RBIs, 1 BB, 6 SO

The Scoop: After missing the early days of the season with an injury suffered late in spring training, Eldridge appears to have found his sea legs—and he’s making it everyone’s problem. The sequoia-sized slugger slammed three home runs against Erie, one more than he’d produced in the previous 16 games since joining Double-A Richmond on April 22. The outburst included a two-homer game on May 16 and made his May look even more magnificent. In the season’s second month, San Francisco’s top prospect is slashing .322/.385/.593 with four doubles, four homers and 11 RBIs. (JN)

16. Nick Morabito, OF, Mets

Team: Double-A Binghamton (Eastern)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: .462/.517/.731 (12-for-26), 6 R, 4 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBIs, 3 BB, 7 SO, 6-for-6 SB

The Scoop: Selected out of Gonzaga HS in Washington D.C. in the supplemental second round of the 2022 draft, Morabito has been a productive player in his three years as a professional. This week, he put all of his tools on display, collecting hits in all seven games last week while going wild on the bases and stealing six bags on six attempts. Morabito’s standout game came on Saturday when he went 3-for-4 and finished a triple short of the cycle. He is blessed with speed, power and the ability to collect hits in bunches. (GP)

17. Harry Ford, C, Mariners

Team: Triple-A Tacoma (Pacific Coast)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: .435/.458/.783 (10-for-23), 7 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 1 BB, 2 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: Ford has sat near the top of the Mariners’ prospect rankings since they took him in the first round back in 2021. He’s always shown he can hit when he makes contact, but he has struck out over 100 times in each of the last three seasons. This year, though, there’s been real progress. Ford has shown more discipline at the plate, nearly matching his strikeouts (26) with walks (25). The season’s still young, but it’s an encouraging sign. What the Mariners decide to do with Ford moving forward will be interesting. They signed Cal Raleigh to a six-year, $105 million extension, signaling he’s the long-term answer behind the plate. Ford played eight games in the outfield at Double-A last season, but so far this year, he’s been catching full-time. If the bat keeps trending up and there’s no clear path to playing time in Seattle, he’s the kind of prospect who could draw interest at the trade deadline. (JC)

18. Jacob Misiorowski, RHP, Brewers

Team: Triple-A Nashville (International)
Age: 23
Why He’s Here: 0-0, 1.29, 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO, 1 HR

The Scoop: From the moment he became a professional, Misiorowski has been the owner of some of the most wicked pitches in the minor leagues. At its best, his arsenal can make even the finest hitters look foolish. At each level, however, a key question lingered: Will he throw enough high-quality strikes to stake out a spot in a starting rotation? He’s spent the last month making his case. After going seven strong in his most recent turn, Misiorowski’s May line looks like this: 2-0, 0.92 with 21 strikeouts against six walks in 19.2 innings. Overall this season, he’s punched out 59 hitters in 49.1 innings. Oh, and he threw a fastball at 103 mph. (JN)

19. Yohendrick Pinango, OF, Blue Jays

Team: Double-A New Hampshire (Eastern)
Age: 23
Why He’s Here: .412/.583/1.000 (7-for-17) 5 R, 1 2B, 3 HR, 3 RBIs, 7 BB, 2 SO, 1 SB

The Scoop: Pinango was one of five players we recently highlighted for their excellent analytical data this year, and since then, he’s only added to that production. Acquired in last year’s Nate Pearson trade, Pinango is pushing for a promotion to Triple-A. He’s one of the most selective hitters in the Eastern League and features the power to punish pitchers with hard line drives. (JJ)

20. Walker Martin, SS, Giants

Team: Low-A San Jose (California)
Age: 21
Why He’s Here: .364/.464/.864 (8-for-22), 7 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 7 RBIs, 5 BB, 10 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: It was a struggle for Martin in his professional debut in 2024, as he struck out at a rate of 41% in 2024. So far in 2025, things are headed in the right direction, as Martin has been scorching hot the last two weeks, leading to his first Hot Sheet appearance. Martin collected hits in all six games last week, kicking things off with home runs in the first two games of the series. Martin has major hit tool concerns but power and tools worth waiting on. (GP)

Helium

Stharlin Torres, RHP, Reds

The domestic complex leagues are in full swing, and the annual pop-up prospects are starting to make themselves known. Early word from the desert is that the Reds have a stable of fireballers flying under the radar. One pitcher who fits that description in Torres, who fronts a three-pitch mix with a riding fastball that sits in the 94-97 mph range. He backs it with a changeup and a slider. So far, the 18-year-old Torres has punched out 13 hitters and issued just one walk over seven innings. He fanned 51 against 13 walks a year ago in the Dominican Summer League. (JN)

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RTR board votes against Brown’s renewal as volleyball HC | News, Sports, Jobs

Published

10 minutes ago

December 11, 2025

Your Sports Nation

TYLER –The Russell-Tyler-Ruthton school board voted not to approve Daynica Brown’s return as the RTR head volleyball coach at its monthly board meeting on Wednesday. The 5-2 vote to let Brown go came despite superintendent David Marlette and activities director Darren Baartman both recommending Brown.

Wednesday’s vote comes in the wake of volleyball parents Dan Ellefson and Shallyn Dybdahl, as well as RTR volleyball alumnus Janel Peterson, voicing concerns at the October board meeting about the culture Brown fostered with the volleyball team. They alleged that Brown curated a toxic environment for the athletes and that favoritism played a heavy role in team dynamics.

For Brown’s part, she said at Wednesday’s meeting that she believes her actions in the public eye spoke volumes to the positive culture of the team, and that the team’s success this season wouldn’t have been possible if she had not actively worked to create a positive environment.

Seven stakeholders had voiced concerns about the state of the RTR volleyball program since the end of the 2024 season, Marlette said.

Marlette added that he felt that any issues in the program could potentially have been fixed earlier had they been followed proper chain of command policy by being brought to Brown or Baartman, but recommended that Brown be given another year as head coach with a Plan of Assistance in place wherein specific items and corrective actions are identified before the start of the season. While he did not specify the items in need of correction, he said that they were all small issues that could be quickly corrected.

A replacement candidate for Brown is yet to be named.

Ted Kern was also approved by a 7-0 vote to return as football head coach at the meeting, as well as a unanimous approval for Sandy Carpenter as the head cheerleading coach. No candidate was presented for the RTR cross country coaching vacancy.

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Trees open 2025-26 indoor season with John Gartland Invitational

Published

14 minutes ago

December 11, 2025

Your Sports Nation

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State track and field begins its 2025-26 indoor campaign Friday and Saturday, as the Sycamores play host to the John Gartland Invitational inside the Indoor Track and Field Facility.

Friday’s proceedings begin at 4:50 p.m., while Saturday’s first event starts at 11 a.m.

The Dynasty
Indiana State’s sweep of the 2025 MVC Outdoor Championships gave the Sycamores 50 conference titles between the cross country, indoor track and outdoor track programs. Since the start of the 2021-22 season, Indiana State has won 12 MVC Championships between indoor and outdoor track and field.

Indiana State has swept the last two MVC Outdoor Championships, while the Sycamore women have also won the last two MVC Indoor Championships.

Back For More
Indiana State returned nearly all of its 2025 individual indoor conference champions, with throwers Noah Bolt and Wyatt Puff being the only departures among the Sycamores’ first-place finishers at Gately Park last season.

The Sycamores’ returning indoor conference champions from last season are Casey Hood Jr. (60m and 200m), Rachel Mehringer (60m hurdles), Janiya Bowman (long jump), Jahnel Bowman (triple jump) and Niesha Anderson (weight throw).

Hood Jr. was a Second Team All-American during the 2025 indoor season, while Mehringer was a Second Team All-American during the 2025 outdoor season.

Top-Tier Trees
Indiana State’s 2025 indoor season was a story of depth, as the Sycamores finished the season with the top-ranked athlete in eight different events. Casey Hood Jr. (60m and 200m), Rachel Mehringer (60m hurdles), Will Staggs (pole vault), Brooklyn Pfaff (pole vault), Jahnel Bowman (triple jump), Noah Bolt (weight throw) and Niesha Anderson (weight throw) all recorded the top mark in the MVC in their respective events last year.

Half of those top-ranked marks came from athletes who are back in the fold for the Blue and White for the 2025-26 campaign (Hood Jr., Mehringer, Bowman and Anderson).

Strength In Numbers
Indiana State has taken pride in its overall depth, as the Sycamores earned 22 all-conference honors at the 2025 MVC Indoor Championships and followed that with 29 all-conference accolades as part of their 2025 MVC Outdoor Championship sweep.

The vast majority of those all-conference honors came from returning athletes, as the Sycamores return 14 indoor all-conference and 24 outdoor all-conference honorees. Every event discipline is represented by multiple returning all-conference accolades for the 2025-26 campaign.

The Namesake
Now in his 37th season on the staff at Indiana State, John Gartland is one of the most decorated coaches in Missouri Valley Conference history. He served as the women’s head cross country coach from 1988-2014 and the head women’s track & field coach from 1988-2010 before handing over the reins to his former pupil and current director of the cross country and track and field programs, Angela Martin. Although he officially retired in 2015, Gartland has remained on staff as an assistant, focusing on the high jumpers.

Gartland is one of only 11 coaches in the Missouri Valley Conference to be named to the league’s track and field All-Centennial Team. The veteran women’s head coach joins John McNichols on the list to form the only coaching tandem in the league on the all-time list. His teams won 12 conference titles and have finished in the top-10 at the NCAA Championships three times, including a fifth-place finish at the 1993 NCAA Indoor Championship and a sixth-place finish at the 1994 NCAA Outdoor Championships.

As a head coach, Gartland coached 11 NCAA Champions, six NCAA runners-up, 50 All-Americans, 88 NCAA qualifiers, 200 MVC individual champions and 212 MVC Scholar-Athletes. He has been named the Conference Coach of the Year 10 times and the NCAA District V Coach of the Year four times (indoor track & field and outdoor track & field in both 1993 and 1994). Gartland was inducted into the Indiana State Athletics Hall of Fame in January 2025.

Up Next
Indiana State’s next meet comes after the calendar turns to 2026, as the Sycamores face longtime rival Illinois State for the annual Coughlan-Malloy Cup dual meet January 17 inside the Indoor Track and Field Facility.

Follow the Sycamores

For the latest information on the Sycamore Track & Field and Cross Country teams, make sure to check out GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook and Twitter. Fans can also receive updates on Sycamore Athletics by downloading the March On App from the both the App Store and the Google Play Store.

– #MarchOn –

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Nevada volleyball continues to be stuck in a deep rut

Published

26 minutes ago

December 11, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The Nevada volleyball team’s season ended Nov. 22 with a 3-0 loss to Utah State. At the conclusion of the year for each Nevada sport, we will offer a final report card. Here is that report card for Wolf Pack volleyball.

Nevada volleyball

Preseason expectations: The Wolf Pack finished 10th out of 11 teams in the Mountain West in 2024, which was coach Shannon Wyckoff-McNeal’s debut season, and the team then lost three key players (Gabby McLaughlin, Tehya Maeva, McKenna Dressel) to Power 4 schools via transfer. In this year’s preseason poll, Nevada was picked to finish 10th out of 12 schools (Grand Canyon was added to the league), so outside expectations were limited entering Wyckoff-McNeal’s second season.

Final record: 8-20 overall, 4-14 Mountain West (11th out of 12 schools)

Player of the year: Haylee Brown — The Wolf Pack added three Division I transfers last offseason in Brown (George Washington), Jess Walkenhorst (Miami-Ohio) and Ceren Sert (Idaho) who were expected to be impact players. Brown played that part, leading Nevada in kills (351) and points (374) while adding 36 blocks. Brown was named All-MW honorable mention for the Wolf Pack but has hit the transfer portal again this offseason with the expectation she will leave Nevada after just one year.

Stat to note: 17 — Nevada won only 17 sets in 18 MW matches, showing how far the Wolf Pack was from being competitive in league. Of Nevada’s 14 MW losses, eight were 3-0 sweeps and the other six were 3-1 defeats. Nevada was swept in 13 of its 28 matches.

Best win: Beat Wyoming, 3-2, on Oct. 16 — Nevada won four matches in non-league, topping Southern Utah (3-21), Eastern Washington (3-25), Pacific (8-21) and Montana State (13-15). It followed that with league victories over Fresno State (7-22, twice), Air Force (15-15) and Wyoming (17-13). That means Nevada beat one team with a winning record, that being Wyoming, which was third in the MW at 13-5. One of those losses came to Nevada in a match the Wolf Pack won 15-13 in the fifth set. Brown had 21 kills in the win. That loss dropped Wyoming to 8-10 before the Cowgirls won nine of their final 11 regular-season contests to finish 99th in RPI.

Season in short: Nevada began the season 4-5 with two of those losses to Power 4 schools (NC State and Kansas State), so it was a solid enough start before things turned sour when MW play began. The MW is a strong volleyball league with five top-100 RPI teams, including No. 29 Utah State, which advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Nevada was unable to navigate league play with much success, being dominated in most MW matches. Nevada lost its first five matches of MW play before back-to-back wins over Fresno State and Wyoming in mid-October. But the Wolf Pack stumbled to losses in seven of its final eight matches, including five sweeps.

Final grade: D — Nevada finished second-to-last in the MW but was bottom of the league in RPI at 274 out of 348 Division I teams. That was a step back from 2023 and 2024 when the Wolf Pack was 245th in RPI. This year, Nevada won just 17 sets in MW play while losing 45. The year prior, it won 26 sets in league while losing 42. That margin went from minus-16 to minus-28 with Nevada being swept in almost half its overall matches (46.4 percent). After making five NCAA Tournament berths from 1998-2005, Nevada has posted a winning record in just three of the last 20 seasons (2007, 2016 and 2019). This program has been in a rut for a while that Wyckoff-McNeal is tasked with digging the Wolf Pack out. While the MW’s top-three teams this year — Utah State, Colorado State, Boise State — will be in the Pac-12 in 2026, additions UTEP (16th in RPI) and UC Davis (48th) were elite this year with Hawaii (161st) historically great. Things aren’t going to get much easier, plus Nevada has already lost three of its best players to the transfer portal (Brown, Audrey Jensen and Kinsley Singleton).

Sports columnist Chris Murray provides insight on Northern Nevada sports. Contact him at crmurray@sbgtv.com or follow him on Twitter @ByChrisMurray.

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ULM Track and Field Announces 2026 Schedule

Published

30 minutes ago

December 11, 2025

Your Sports Nation

MONROE, La. – The 2026 ULM track and field schedule has been announced and features five indoor and 11 outdoor meets, not including the NCAA Prelims or Championships.

The Warhawks start indoor season with two back-to-back meets in Baton Rouge at the LSU Purple Tiger on Jan. 16 and the LSU Bayou Bengal on Jan. 23. They then travel two states east to Birmingham, Ala., for the UAB Green and Gold Invite.

ULM makes its trip to Nashville at a later date compared to 2025, with the Vanderbilt Music City Challenge taking place from Feb. 13-14. The team will make its way back to Birmingham for the Sun Belt Indoor Championships from Feb. 23-24. The NCAA Indoor Championships take place on Mar. 13-14 in Fayetteville, Ark.

Outdoor competition begins on the same weekend at the McNeese Cowboy Relays in Lake Charles before heading east the Baton Rouge to compete in the LSU Opener. The Warhawks then start their three-meet Texas road trip with the Clyde Hart Classic in Waco from Mar. 27-28. The next weekend, the team competes in two meets, with the Texas Relays from Apr. 1-4 in Austin, and the Bobcat Invitational from Apr. 2-4 in San Marcos. The one-state slate ends on Apr. 10-11 in College Station at the Texas A&M 44 farms Team Invitational

ULM has another double-meet weekend with the Wake Forest Invitational from Thursday, Apr. 16, through Friday, Apr. 17, and the Jim Mize Invitational on Saturday, Apr. 18 in Ruston. The team then goes back to Baton Rouge for the LSU Alumni Gold on Apr. 25.

From May 1-2, the Warhawks will host their annual meet with the Warhawk Classic at Brown Stadium. They then travel to Mobile, Ala., for the Sun Belt Outdoor Championships hosted by South Alabama from May 14-16.

The NCAA Prelims – East will be held from May 27-30 in Lexington, Ky., and the NCAA Outdoor Championships are from June 10-13 in Eugene, Ore.

The full 2026 ULM Track and Field schedule is below:

Indoor
Jan. 16 | LSU Purple Tiger
Jan. 23 | LSU Bayou Bengal
Feb. 6 | UAB Green and Gold Invite
Feb. 13-14 | Vanderbilt Music City Challenge
Feb. 23-24 | Sun Belt Indoor Championships
Mar. 13-14 | NCAA Indoor Championships

Outdoor
Mar. 13-14 | McNeese Cowboy Relays
Mar. 21 | LSU Opener
Mar. 27-28 | Clyde Hart Classic
Apr. 1-4 | Texas Relays
Apr. 2-4 | Bobcat Invitational

Apr. 10-11 | Texas A&M 44 Farms Team Invitational
Apr. 16-17 | Wake Forest Invitational
Apr. 18 | Jim Mize Relays
Apr. 25 | LSU Alumni Gold
May 1-2 | Warhawk Classic
May 14-16 | Sun Belt Outdoor Championships
May 27-30 | NCAA Prelims – East
June 10-13 | NCAA Outdoor Championships

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BYU women’s volleyball and coach Heather Olmstead parting ways – Deseret News

Published

42 minutes ago

December 11, 2025

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One of the most successful coaches in the history of BYU athletics is leaving the school to “pursue new professional avenues.”

Women’s volleyball coach Heather Olmstead announced Thursday that she is moving on after 11 seasons at the helm. Associate head coach David Hyte will serve as interim head coach.

Olmstead took over in the 2015 season. She amassed a record of 279-55 and was the fastest coach to reach 200 Division I wins, doing so in just 225 matches. She was also the third-fastest coach all time to reach 100 Division I wins, doing so in just 111 matches.

“Coaching at BYU has been an incredible chapter — one filled with championships, NCAA tournament runs and record-setting seasons,” Olmstead said in a school news release. “But the true highlight has always been the people. I’m grateful for every athlete who let me be part of her journey and for the chance to help shape strong leaders, teammates and women who go on to make a difference long after their playing days.

“As I move into this next chapter, I do so with deep gratitude for the BYU community, for the players who trusted me with their development and for the staff who stood beside me through every challenge,” Olmstead continued. “I wish this program continued success, and I’m excited for what’s next.”

BYU director of athletics Brian Santiago said Olmstead will be remembered as one of the best coaches in program history. He said the school will begin a “national search” for a new coach immediately.

“I want to thank Heather for everything she has done to make BYU women’s volleyball great,” said Santiago. “She poured her heart and soul into this program and guided incredible teams that have had consistent national relevance and success and represented BYU well.

BYU head coach Heather Olmstead cheers on her team during a volleyball playoff match against UNLV in Provo on Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016. BYU swept UNLV 3-0 to advance to the Sweet 16. | Nick Wagner, Deseret News

“Her student-athletes have gone on to do remarkable things. We wish Heather all the best as she pursues new opportunities, and we will open a national search for a new women’s volleyball head coach immediately.”

The 2018 AVCA National Coach of the Year, Olmstead and her staff’s development of players has led to 14 different All-Americans, 23 different All-Region honorees, nine different All-Big 12 honorees and 22 different All-WCC honorees in addition to a national player of the year candidate, the 2018 AVCA National Freshman of the Year and multiple West Coast Conference awardees.

Olmstead led the 2018 team to one of the greatest seasons in program history, ranking No. 1 for 11-consecutive weeks as they won their first 27 matches, including against then-No. 1 Stanford. BYU was awarded its highest-ever NCAA Tournament seed at No. 4, then reeled off wins against Stony Brook, Utah, Florida and Texas in front of standing-room-only crowds at the Smith Fieldhouse to advance to the Final Four before falling to eventual champion Stanford in the national semifinals.

Olmstead led BYU to Sweet 16 appearances six times as well as six WCC titles. The Cougars have won at least 19 matches each year (17 during COVID-19) during her time as head coach.

Olmstead has also contributed internationally, including serving as head coach of the U.S. Women’s U21 National Team that won gold at both the 2025 NORCECA Pan American Cup and the 2024 NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship, the U.S. Collegiate National Team in Japan in May 2019 and as the assistant coach on the U.S. team that won gold at the 2015 Pan American Games.

BYU head coach Heather Olmstead, gestures as she walks off the court after the Cougars defeated Utah in Provo on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. BYU won 3-1 | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

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After Historic Win, SMU Volleyball Remains Focused For Sweet 16, Purdue

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57 minutes ago

December 11, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Even though the SMU volleyball team is in uncharted territory, the Mustangs are acting like they’ve been here before because it’s where they expect to be.

The past two seasons ended in the second round, but with victories against Central Arkansas and Florida, second-seeded SMU reached the third round of the NCAA tournament for the first time in program history. The Mustangs celebrated the accomplishment when it was achieved, but it’s back to business as they will face third-seeded Purdue in the Sweet 16 on Thursday night in Pittsburgh.

“We are so excited to be here, just had a great practice, and are ready to compete,” SMU head coach Sam Erger said on Wednesday. “I think having that big hurdle of getting past the second round, we’re not going to be happy with just that. We honestly haven’t really talked about that much, just that it was the first for our program because the expectation is that we’re going to keep competing.”

Even though there is a lot of new when it comes to this round of the tournament, there is some familiarity. SMU and Purdue played back on September 14. The Mustangs also played in Pitt’s Petersen Events Center earlier this season, at the start of ACC play at the end of September.

While Purdue got the better of the Mustangs 3-1 (23-25, 25-22, 27-25, 25-18) during the regular season, it was a long time ago. SMU has played 24 matches since then.

“That feels like a world ago,” Erger said. “We’ve gone through quite a bit of adversity. The silver lining to that is we’ve had players get to shine in a way that maybe they wouldn’t have been able to, and we’ve been able to test our depth, and we’ve been able to see some freshmen have breakout seasons, and we’ve addressed where we were lacking defensively. … We’ve grown a ton, and I’m just happy and hopeful that we’ll keep getting to grow.”

The Mustangs also know Purdue will be a different team than the one they faced nearly four months ago. Even though the Boilermakers haven’t had some of the lineup changes SMU has, there has been time to develop and take the next steps as a team.

“I don’t think they’ve gotten any crazy new personnel in the way that we have,” Erger said. “Like Kennedi Rogers didn’t even play the first time, I believe. So that’s exciting on our end. I don’t think Maggie Croft played. That’s exciting on our end. For them, they’ve just gotten better, and they’re so good tactically. So I would assume that their game plan will, maybe, be a little different. I think that they have just been able to perform at a high level very consistently across their season. … The game probably should look different (Thursday). We’re both better.”

One area the Mustangs have improved is defensively. It was something Erger and her staff challenged the team with, and the team has responded.

“We’ve addressed where we were lacking defensively,” Erger said. “It was an area we needed to really grow early on in the season. And both of these two (Averi Carlson and Malaya Jones) have grown a ton defensively.”

Libero Jordyn Schilling leads the team with 349 digs, with Carlson (249) and Jones (247) second and third, respectively.

But the other key piece to SMU’s defense has been Favor Anyanwu at the net. She had six blocks in the second-round win against Florida and now has 175 for the season, 14 blocks shy of the SMU single-season record. Croft had a career-high nine blocks in the match, helping give the Mustangs double-digit blocks 17 times in 32 matches this season.

Jones (94) and Carlson (85) are also second and third on the team in blocks.

“Of course, we want to block every ball ever hit,” Jones said. “But a huge part of it is (assistant coach) Trent (Sorensen). He helps us so much with our eye work and getting low and over to the baseline. Sam says that every single day, trying to ingrain that into our brains. And then also, Favor is just one of the most insane blockers in the country. She sets a standard for how we need to be every single practice and how we need to be in games. She just keeps encouraging us to be the best blockers and have the best eye sequence. She has constant feedback for us all the time.”

When it comes to playing in their first Sweet 16 match, the players aren’t making the game any bigger than it is, either. Jones noted she goes into every match being her ‘biggest, baddest self,’ making this one no different.

And ultimately, it’s volleyball.

“Just treating it like a normal game, not really hyping it up too much because it’s still the same game that we’ve been playing for so long,” Carlson said. “At the same time, just really knowing the game plan and just doing our best to be the best players that we can be.”

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