Sports

Ranking The 20 Hottest MLB Prospects

Published

6 months ago

May 26, 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 25. Contributing this week were BA staffers Josh Norris, Geoff Pontes, Jesús Cano, Matt Eddy 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.

Note that our Hot Sheet Show on YouTube will air at 3:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday this week due to the Memorial Day holiday. We’ll also be answering prospect questions in our weekly Hot Sheet chat on Tuesday at 2 p.m. ET.

1. Jac Caglianone, 1B/OF, Royals

Team: Triple-A Omaha (Pacific Coast)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: .346/.357/.923 (9-for-26) 5 HR, 10 RBIs, 1 BB, 4 SO

The Scoop: Kyle Isbel leads all Royals outfielders in home runs… with three. He’s the only Royals outfielder with more than one homer this year. Royals outfielders have combined for seven home runs this season, which is two more than Caglianone hit this week. So, it’s fair to say that the Caglianone countdown is starting to get deafening in Kansas City. There still are real questions about whether he’s capable of holding down an outfield spot defensively—he’s played just 10 games there so far—but there’s little question at this point that, the moment he gets the call, Caglianone will immediately become one of the biggest power threats in the Royals’ lineup. (JJ)

2. Chase Burns, RHP, Reds

Team: Double-A Chattanooga (Southern)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: 2-0, 1.80 ERA, 10 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 17 SO, 1 HR

The Scoop: Well, what more can you say? Burns has been dominant at every stop—from the backfields, to High-A and now Double-A. The hard-throwing righty wrapped up a stellar week with a career-best 10 strikeouts, showcasing the kind of electric stuff that demands attention. He’s flashed elite command, issuing just one walk over his two outings. His fastball touches triple digits and pairs with a wicked slider. Both carry 70 grades—a rare combination for a pitcher this young and this polished. (JC)

3. Gage Jump, LHP, Athletics

Team: Double-A Midland (Texas)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: 2-0, 1.38 ERA, 12 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 16 SO, 1 HR

The Scoop: Jump has been one of the most-featured players on the Hot Sheet over the past month. Could a leap onto the Top 100 Prospects list be next for the LSU product? At his current pace, he’s making quite the case. Jump has 20 strikeouts in 18 innings and has allowed just two runs in his first three starts at Double-A. The lefty’s success originates from his fastball, which sits at 94-95 mph, mixing in strong control and causing batters to whiff. He’s drawn comparisons to Cubs lefty Shota Imanaga, who is another undersized southpaw whose deceptive delivery amplifies the effectiveness of his arsenal. (JC)

4. Ryan Ritter, SS, Rockies

Team: Triple-A Albuquerque
Age: 24
Why He’s Here: .433/.452/1.000 (13-for-30), 8 R, 5 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 8 RBIs, 1 BB, 5 SO, 0-for-0 SB

The Scoop: After hitting 24 home runs in his first professional season, Ritter only hit seven in 2024. This season, he’s reversed course, slugging his 10th, 11th and 12th home runs of the year on Sunday. Ritter’s first three home-run game might have gotten him onto the top of the Hot Sheet this week, but he’s been hot all season. He has improved his contact and swing decisions in 2025 and looks to be knocking on the door for a callup. Over 45 games with Triple-A Albuquerque, Ritter is hitting .284/.400/.580 with a 137 wRC+. A strong defender who can stick at shortstop long term, Ritter’s bat has caught up to his glove. (GP)

5. Travis Sykora, RHP, Nationals

Team: High-A Wilmington (Nationals)
Age: 21
Why He’s Here: 0-0, 0.00, 7 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 14 SO, 1 HR

The Scoop: Sykora’s season was delayed by hip surgery, leaving him to rehab until May 3 when he made the first of two rehab appearances in the Florida Complex League. Those were followed by two more at Low-A, a level he dominated in 2024. On May 25, the Nationals bumped the righty to High-A. You’ll never guess what happened next: Sykora sliced and diced the Aberdeen IronBirds for four innings, finishing with nine strikeouts, no runs and just a hit and a walk on his ledger. The 16 swings and misses he coaxed were tied for the second-most in all of High-A. For the season, Sykora has punched out 32 hitters in 15 innings. (JN)

6. Lazaro Montes, OF, Mariners

Team: High-A Everett (Northwest)
Age: 20
Why He’s Here: .375/.400/.792 (9-for-24), 5 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 6 RBIs, 1 BB, 6 SO

The Scoop: Hitting a baseball so high and so far that it clears the batter’s eye might leave a mark. Doing it twice in one series? Let’s call that a Laz-eration. Montes pummeled a pair of pitches from Hops hurlers over the big blue wall in dead center field at Hillsboro Stadium for two of his three longballs over the past week. The outburst helped make Montes the first player in the Northwest League to reach 10 home runs. For context, the NWL’s leader in that category last year was Cole Carrigg, who hit 16 home runs. Montes is just six off of that mark with more than three months to go in the season. (JN)

7. Jesus Baez, SS/3B, Mets

Team: High-A Brooklyn (South Atlantic)
Age: 20
Why He’s Here: .647/.739/1.059 (11-for-17), 6 R, 1 2B, 2 HR, 10 RBIs, 6 BB, 0 SO, 0-for-1 SB

The Scoop: Baez reached High-A as a 19-year-old last year but lost momentum when he had season-ending meniscus surgery on his knee in July. The Mets slow-played Baez in spring training, and his rust was evident early this season. After hitting just .187 with no thump in April, it’s been a different story in May. Baez collected six hits with two homers and seven RBIs in a May 23 doubleheader at Jersey Shore and, overall in May, is hitting .377/.482/.594 with four homers, 21 RBIs, 12 walks and 10 strikeouts in 20 games. (ME)

8. Arjun Nimmala, SS, Blue Jays

Team: High-A Vancouver (Northwest)
Age: 19
Why He’s Here: .364/.400/.773 (8-for-22), 4 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 6 RBIs, 2 BB, 3 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: This is what future stars look like. Young for the level? Nimmala was the second-youngest player in the Northwest League on Opening Day. Premium position? Nimmala has played shortstop on all of his non-DH days. Big-time performance? Nimmala’s name is all over the NWL’s offensive leaderboard, including the top spot for doubles (12) and extra-base hits (22, tied with Lazaro Montes), and second in home runs (nine), slugging percentage (.540) and total bases (87). With his early-season output, it’s clear that Nimmala has staked his claim as the best in the nest. (JN)

9. Kyle Teel, C, White Sox

Team: Triple-A Charlotte (International)
Age: 23
Why He’s Here: .500/.636/1.188 (8-for-16) 7 R, 2 2B, 3 HR, 6 RBIs, 65 BB, 5 SO

The Scoop: If you can string together a decent game night after night, you can put together a very solid season. And Teel has strung together a long run of solid games, even if he’s rarely been spectacular. He’s gotten a hit in 20 of his past 21 games, although his two three-hit games this week were his first three-hit games since March. He had a 10-game hitting streak earlier this month where he never had a multi-hit game. But Teel is hitting .356/.465/.644 this month and .293/.397/.490 overall. (JJ)

10. Sal Stewart, 3B, Reds

Team: Double-A Chattanooga (Southern)
Age: 21
Why He’s Here: .400/.444/.680 (10-for-25), 5 R, 4 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 4 SO, 2 BB

The Scoop: When Stewart gets hits, they tend to come in bunches—and he’s been piling them up. He’s notched 18 multi-hit games this season—including three more this past week—and is continuing to showcase the consistency and bat-to-ball skills that made him such a highly-regarded prospect. Long praised for his advanced approach at the plate, Stewart is backing it up with the numbers. He’s missing just 22.4% of the time overall, and his in-zone whiff rate sits just under 20%—a strong indicator of his pitch recognition and feel for the barrel. Stewart owns a 104.6 mph 90th percentile exit velocity, showing he’s consistently squaring balls up with authority. His max exit velocity of 110.4 mph adds even more intrigue, hinting at untapped power that could show up more consistently as he matures. (JC)

11. David Davalillo, RHP, Rangers

Team: High-A Hub City (South Atlantic)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 10 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: Last season, Davalillo led the minor leagues with a 1.88 ERA. This year, he’s doing it again… only better. Through eight starts, Davalillo has allowed just four earned runs. After some quick work on a nearby abacus, we can conclude that he’s averaging one earned run every two starts. That’s good for an ERA of 0.92. Davalillo’s most recent turn might have been his finest yet. He struck out a season-best 10 and got 18 swings and misses in the process. Over his last two turns, Davalillo has allowed four hits and two walks, struck out 17 and allowed—get this—no earned runs. (JN)

12. Trey Yesavage, RHP, Blue Jays

Team: High-A Vancouver (Northwest)
Age: 21
Why He’s Here: 0-0, 2.25, 8 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 6 BB, 19 SO, 1 HR

The Scoop: Promoted to High-A just a week ago, Yesavage did a two-step in his first week with Vancouver. The 2024 first-round pick made two starts against Eugene striking out 10 on Monday and then punching out another nine on Sunday. Yesavage did struggle with command in each start, however, as he walked three batters in each outing. Up to this point, Yesavage has dominated both levels of A-ball with his high-rise four-seam fastball, cutter and splitter. If he continues to beat up on High-A competition, Yesavage should be in Double-A by the all-star break. (GP)

13. Franklin Arias, SS, Red Sox

Team: High-A Greenville (South Atlantic)
Age: 19
Why He’s Here: .571/.571/.762 (12-for-21), 4 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 3 RBIs, 0 BB, 1 SO, 2-for-3 SB

The Scoop: Last year, in BA’s annual article surveying scouts about the best players they saw in the backfields during spring training, one evaluator had this to say about Arias: “His arrow is pointing up this spring after a minor league camp where he showed off fluid athleticism and a swing that was both malleable up and down the zone and geared toward shooting line drives to all sectors.” More than a year later, those words look prophetic. The 19-year-old Arias made quick work of Low-A Salem in the early days of the season and didn’t skip a beat after moving to High-A. He’s 32 for his first 89 in 21 South Atlantic League games and has struck out just eight times in 96 plate appearances. (JN)

14. Braxton Ashcraft, RHP, Pirates

Team: Triple-A Indianapolis (International)
Age: 25
Why He’s Here: 0-1, 4.50, 6 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 9 SO, 2 HR

The Scoop: The Pirates, despite being one of the worst teams in MLB, boast one of the best Triple-A rotations in the game with Bubba Chandler, Thomas Harrington and Braxton Ashcraft. Despite giving up some hard contact on Wednesday (two home runs) Ashcraft walked just one batter while striking out nine. Ashcraft had the swing-and-miss stuff working in this start as he generated a season-high 19 swinging strikes. Ashcraft has shown serious development over the last few seasons, displaying starter upside after an injury-plagued start to his career. (GP)

15. Emil Morales, SS, Dodgers

Team: ACL Dodgers (Arizona Complex)
Age: 18
Why He’s Here: .381/.409/.905 (8-for-21), 5 R, 1 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 9 RBIs, 1 BB, 3 SO, 0-for-0 SB

The Scoop: The Dodgers’ embarrassment of riches seems to be never-ending, as Morales is one of the top prospects in the Arizona Complex League. Morales tallied a hit in all five games this week and had multiple-hit games on Monday and Thursday. He bookended the week with home runs on Monday and Saturday. Morales is hitting .266/.333/.563 with four home runs over 16 ACL games. He’s shown some concerning swing-and-miss early, but it’s coming with impact power in-game. (GP)

16. Jacob Gonzalez, SS, White Sox

Team: Double-A Birmingham (Southern)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: .304/.292/.696 (7-for-23) 6 R, 3 HR, 5 RBIs, 5 SO, 2 SBs

The Scoop: This is easily the best week of Gonzalez’s relatively young pro career. The 2023 first-round pick had never hit three home runs in a month before he hit three this week. Power is not usually Gonzalez’s calling card, but you wouldn’t be able to tell that from a week in which he was a pull-happy slugger. (JJ)

17. Keiner Delgado, 2B, Pirates

Team: High-A Greensboro (South Atlantic)
Age: 21
Why He’s Here: .409/.581/1.000 (9-for-22), 8 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 10 RBI, 6 SO, 7 BB

The Scoop: Delgado was revealed as the player to be named later in the trade that sent JT Brubaker to the Yankees back in April 2024. After back-to-back strong seasons in the Yankees system, he struggled to carry that momentum into his first year with the Pirates. But in 2025, he’s starting to trend in the right direction and looking more like the version of himself that once impressed. This past week may have been his best yet, highlighted by a three-homer performance in what was his first career multi-homer game. It’s an encouraging sign of things possibly turning around. That said, there’s still work to do, particularly with his approach, as swing-and-miss and chase remain areas to tighten up. (JC).

18. Blaze Jordan, 1B/3B, Red Sox

Team: Double-A Portland (Eastern)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: .435/.500/.739 (10-for-23) 4 R, 1 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBIs, 2 BB, 3 SO, 2 SB

The Scoop: Jordan came to fame in high school because of his power, but in pro ball, he’s actually proven to be a pretty polished hitter with modest power. He’s a career .289 hitter, and his excellent work this week boosted him to a .306/.401/.485 line this year in his return to Portland. Jordan is showing improved power, and he’s extremely difficult to strike out (10.8% rate). He has started to play more first base than third, flipping what had been a pretty 50-50 job share. At this point, Jordan seems quite likely to reach the big leagues, and as a 22-year-old, there’s still time for his power to further blossom. (JJ)

19. Luis Morales, RHP, Athletics

Team: Triple-A Las Vegas (Pacific Coast)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 6 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: First impressions matter, and Morales made his count in a big way. In his Triple-A debut, he picked up right where he left off in Double-A, spinning six no-hit innings. Most impressively, he filled up the zone with 62 of his 88 pitches for strikes. Developing homegrown pitching hasn’t traditionally been the A’s calling card, but that narrative might be shifting. Along with Gage Jump, Morales is one of two rising arms in the system who have turned heads all season, earned well-deserved promotions and continue to shine on the mound. (JC)

20. Sterlin Thompson, OF, Rockies

Team: Triple-A Albuquerque (Pacific Coast)
Age: 23
Why He’s Here: .389/.522/.889 (7-for-18) 5 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 7 RBIs, 3 BB, 3 SO, 1 SB

The Scoop: Thompson needed a week like this. Albuquerque is a very hitter-friendly environment, and the Isotopes also play at places like Reno that are even better for hitters. As a team, the Isotopes are hitting .271/.357/.467 this year, so Thompson’s .255/.349/.443 slash line is actually below average. But a few weeks like this one could fix that quickly. (JJ)

Helium

Victor Figueroa, 1B, Padres

We reported Figueroa as an under-the-radar player making noise in his first week of ACL play, and he’s kept right on rolling. He was promoted to Low-A soon after and left the ACL as one of its best hitters, leading the league in nearly every major category while hitting over .600. At 22 years old, however, he was one of the older players in the desert. The new level didn’t seem to faze him either. Figueroa slugged two homers in his first week at Low-A and looked like he belonged. An 18th-round pick out of Florida SouthWestern State College, he’s showing the same mix of power, speed and contact that made him successful in the junior college ranks. (JC)

Sports

Season Preview: Men’s Indoor Track and Field Ready to Build off Previous Seasons

Published

6 minutes ago

December 6, 2025

Your Sports Nation

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. The Hartford Men’s Track and Field team is eager to start the upcoming indoor season. The Hawks come off the heels of a Conference Championship a season ago, as well as a 14th place finish in the NCAA Division III New England Championship. The group looks to build on last year’s success to push themselves even further in the 2025-26 season.

Familiar Faces:

Head coach Connor Green comes back for his third year at the helm of both the Men’s and Women’s Track and Field coach. He welcomes back 34 returners who look to make their mark following a successful season last year. Amongst the top returners is sophomore Aidan Lybarger (South Burlington, Vt.) who last year was honored as USTFCCCA Outdoor Track & Field All-Region in Discus, CNE All-Conference First Team (Discus), as well as becoming a school record holder (Outdoor Discus – 52.49 Meters).

“I think we’re going to have a pretty good season overall, especially from the throwers perspective. We all have gotten a lot better from last year which is amazing.” Lybarger said.

Senior Peter Effinger (Washingtonville, N.Y.) is also a key returner for the Hawks, coming off a CNE Academic All-Conference season, a year ago.

“I’d like to go out and have a good season, set some PRs, and hopefully win another championship. Continue with hard training, making good progress in workouts, and trying to get under those milestones.” said Effinger.

Another key returner is junior Thomas Yonkers (Farmington, Conn.), who last season was honored as CNE Academic All-Conference, College Sports Communicators Academic All-District, School Record (Outdoor Pole Vault – 4.25 Meters).

“I think we’re looking to get back to the CNE and win the conference again, and we’re looking like a good team like last year. I’m most excited to see how the freshmen really develop their spots on the team. We’ve got a couple new vaulters, who I’m really excited to see this year in their first college season. ” Yonkers said.

Season Outlook:

The Hawks will begin their season at the Yale invitational on Dec. 6th. Following that event they will take on the Wesleyan University Invitational on Jan. 24th. They will also compete in the John Thomas Terrier Classic at Boston University on Jan. 31st. The Hawks will close out the indoor track and field season at the NCAA Division III New England Championships in Boston at the New England at the Track of New Balance.

For the latest information on Hartford Athletics follow the Hawks on Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube.

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Sports

Kentucky Track and Field Opens 2025-26 Indoor Season at Commodore Winter Challenge – UK Athletics

Published

22 minutes ago

December 6, 2025

Your Sports Nation

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky Wildcats track and field team is set for the start of a new indoor season this Saturday in Nashville, Tenn. at the Commodore Winter Challenge, hosted by Vanderbilt University.

For the first event of the new season, the Wildcats will send 45 total athletes to Nashville, competing across 21 separate events. The travel list for the weekend’s event is highlighted by returners Camden Bentley, Hannah Douglas, Sharmelle Holmes, Stacey Onyepunuka, Kate Powers and Emmi Scales on the women’s side and Grayson Brashear, Patrick Faust, Miles Jones, Devin Sealey and Anthony Waterman on the men’s side.

The Wildcats welcome 40 total newcomers to the 2025-26 roster, including 22 on the men’s side and 18 on the women’s side. Of the 40 new additions, 30 feature as true freshman, looking to make their collegiate debut this weekend for the Wildcats.

During the indoor portion of the 2025-26 schedule, the Wildcats will compete in eight meets, beginning with tomorrow’s event in Nashville. Following the turn of the calendar, Kentucky will host the Rod McCravy Memorial on Jan. 9-10 at the Norton Center in Louisville, Ky.

The final stretch of the regular season for the Cats consists of the Crossroads of America Invitational (Jan. 23-24), Razorback Invitational (Jan. 30-31) and the David Hemery Valentine Invitational and the Tiger Paw Invitational on Feb. 13-14.

For the second consecutive season, the Texas A&M Aggies will play host to the 2026 SEC Indoor Championships at the Fasken Indoor Track & Field Facility in College Station, Texas on Feb. 26-28. The 2025-26 indoor season will conclude on Mar. 13-14 in the Cats’ second trip to Fayetteville, Ark. for the NCAA Championships.

On Saturday in Nashville, Kentucky will compete against fellow SEC programs Tennessee and host Vanderbilt, as well as Arkansas State, Austin Peay, Belmont, Chattanooga, Lipscomb, Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky.

Competition for the Commodore Winter Challenge in Nashville is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. ET, starting with Meagan Ewers, Gwyneth Lori, Kate Powers and Addison Stadsholt representing the Wildcats in the women’s weight throw event.

Event Schedule

Commodore Winter Challenge: Saturday, December 6: ALL TIMES IN EASTERN TIME
Women’s Weight Throw	9:30 a.m.	FINAL	Meagan Ewers, Gwyneth Lori, Kate Powers, Addison Stadsholt
Women’s High Jump	9:30 a.m.	FINAL	Kemarah Howard
Men’s High Jump	9:30 a.m.	FINAL	Devin Sealey
Men’s Long Jump	11:00 a.m.	FINAL	Kingi McNair
Men’s Pole Vault	11:00 a.m.	FINAL	Grant Harrison, Jack Marek
Men’s Weight Throw	11:30 a.m.	FINAL	Grayson Brashear, Brock Conrad, Cian Crampton
Women’s Long Jump	12:30 p.m.	FINAL	Dahlia Beasley, Julia Gunnell, Kemarah Howard, Skyler Reynolds
Women’s 60m Hurdles	1:00 p.m.	PRELIMS	Dahlia Beasley, Camden Bentley, Julia Gunnell, Kashia Hoo, Kori Martin, Rukia Nusra Omulisia, Emmi Scales, Alene Washington
Men’s 60m Hurdles	1:25 p.m.	PRELIMS	Anthony Waterman
Women’s Shot Put	1:30 p.m.	FINAL	Dahlia Beasley, Meagan Ewers, Julia Gunnell, Gwyneth Lori, Addison Stadsholt
Women’s 60m	1:45 p.m.	PRELIMS	Briley Cline, Sharmelle Holmes, Naseera Efua Quansah, Briana St. Louis
Women’s Pole Vault	2:00 p.m.	FINAL	Kaylee Daniel, Annie Murphy, Chelsea Wetzel
Men’s 60m	2:00 p.m.	PRELIMS	Coy Hyre, Miles Jones, Jack Marek, Zyrie Stewart-McLaren, Oscar Baltan Vivero
Men’s 60m Hurdles	2:45 p.m.	FINAL	TBD
Women’s 60m Hurdles	2:55 p.m.	FINAL	TBD
Men’s 60m	3:05 p.m.	FINAL	TBD
Women’s 60m	3:15 p.m.	FINAL	TBD
Men’s/Women’s Triple Jump	3:30 p.m.	FINAL	Theo Mudzengerere
Men’s Shot Put	3:30 p.m.	FINAL	Grayson Brashear, Brock Conrad
Women’s 300m	3:35 p.m.	FINAL	Dahlia Beasley, A’Laji Bradley, Briley Cline, Tressia Davis, Hannah Douglas, Julia Gunnell, Kashia Hoo, JahQueen McClellan, Rukia Nusra Omulisia, Emmi Scales, Briana St. Louis, Alene Washington
Men’s 300m	3:55 p.m.	FINAL	Tyrique Johnson, Brandon Nyandoro, TK Pahuwa, Zyrie Stewart-McLaren, Oscar Baltan Vivero
Women’s 600m	4:15 p.m.	FINAL	Vanice Kerubo Nyagisera
Men’s 600m	4:35 p.m.	FINAL	Patrick Faust
Women’s 4x400m	5:05 p.m.	FINAL	Kentucky
Men’s 4x400m	5:20 p.m.	FINAL	Kentucky

Follow Kentucky Track and Field and Cross Country on Facebook, Instagram, X, and UKathletics.com.

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Sports

Cyclones meet St. Thomas for NCAA Volleyball Championship first round – Iowa State Daily

Published

23 minutes ago

December 6, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The Iowa State volleyball team will return to the NCAA Tournament after missing out last season. The No. 23 Cyclones (22-7, 12-6 Big 12) will face the St. Thomas Tommies (21-9, 11-5 Summit League) in the opening round.

“This is the first time I get to experience something like this, and I’m just really happy I get to experience it with this group of girls in this program,” senior middle blocker Tierney Jackson said. “I’m ready to have a long run in Minnesota.”

Iowa State will be participating in its 18th NCAA Tournament, while the Tommies are making their first appearance in program history.

This is the first postseason St. Thomas is eligible to compete in after elevating to the Division I level for the 2021 season. The Tommies won their first Summit League Tournament, making them undefeated in Division I postseason play.

The Tommies secured their NCAA Tournament berth by claiming the Summit League title. St. Thomas defeated No. 1 seed South Dakota State in the Summit League Tournament championship.

The Tommies are the only team to defeat the Jackrabbits over the past two seasons, winning in 2024 and 2025.

The Summit League champion has not won an NCAA Tournament match for 28 seasons. The last tournament victory for the conference came in 1977 — a five-set win for Oral Roberts over Arizona.

The Big 12 does not hold a conference tournament, giving its automatic NCAA bid to the regular-season champion.

No. 8 Arizona State (26-3, 17-1 Big 12) had a near-perfect conference schedule, their one loss coming to the Cyclones on Oct. 31. The Halloween victory was Iowa State’s biggest win of the season.

“I am super excited to make the tournament and continue on our run with my favorite group of girls, and we’re excited to go to Minnesota,” senior setter Morgan Brandt said.

Iowa State team in huddle after loss against Kansas State, Hilton Coliseum, Ames, Iowa, Nov. 29, 2025. (Jaxon Carr)

Brandt was the Big 12 Setter of the Year and leads all active Big 12 players with 3,736 career assists. She also led a Cyclone offense that topped the conference in assists at 13.03 per set.

Iowa State occasionally switched from a 5-1 to give sophomore setter Ava Martin opportunities.

St. Thomas had an impressive nonconference schedule, with its best win coming against Big Ten opponent Northwestern. The Tommies won seven straight matches after defeating Northwestern, a program best since joining Division I.

The match will be played at Minnesota’s Maturi Pavilion, a venue where St. Thomas has already taken a set this season. The Tommies took a set from then-No. 11 Minnesota on Aug. 31, the first set victory against a ranked opponent in program history.

While the Cyclones are favored in this matchup, they have lost their last two matches, while the Tommies have won five straight.

These teams have met once before. In 2021, Iowa State swept St. Thomas in the same building as part of the Diet Coke Classic. The only active player from that match is Iowa State redshirt senior defensive specialist Paula Krzeslak. She has appeared in 94 matches across her Cyclone career.

Both head coaches have led their programs for more than 20 years. Christy Johnson-Lynch is in her 21st season with Iowa State, and Thanh Pham is in his 23rd season at St. Thomas. Pham coached the Tommies to a Division III national championship in 2012, while Johnson-Lynch has guided Iowa State to two Division I regional finals (2008, 2011).

“We never want to take the day for granted,” Johnson-Lynch said. “So we’re excited to get up there and get going.”

St. Thomas will play Iowa State at 4:30 p.m. Friday at Maturi Pavilion and will stream on ESPN+. The winner will advance to face either No. 4 seed Minnesota or Fairfield in the second round Saturday.

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Sports

Pilots Open Indoor Season at BU Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener

Published

38 minutes ago

December 5, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Event: BU Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener
Host: Boston University
Date: Saturday, Dec. 6, 2024
Location: Boston University Track and Tennis Center (Boston, Mass.)
Live Results: PortlandPilots.com
Live Video: PortlandPilots.com

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS & PILOTS’ ENTRIES
• Women’s Mile: 9 a.m (PT) | Rose Perotin
• Men’s 3000m: 11:40 a.m (PT) | Mark Milner
• Men’s 5000m: 4:15 p.m (PT) | Jonas Price

THIS WEEK
• The Pilots are set to compete at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener, hosted by Boston University in Boston. They will be represented in three events.
• Live results and video streaming are available on PortlandPilots.com.

Get Your Tickets Now!
Secure your spot now for any upcoming Portland Pilots ticketed home event by visiting PortlandPilots.com/Tickets or by downloading the Portland Pilots App. For group and fan experience package information, email pilotsboxoffice@up.edu.

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Sports

Craig Announces 2025-26 Track & Field Schedule

Published

54 minutes ago

December 5, 2025

Your Sports Nation

ROCK HILL, S.C. — Winthrop Track & Field Head Coach Raffael Craig has unveiled the Eagles 2025-26 indoor and outdoor schedule on Friday, outlining a slate that begins in early December and runs through the end of May.

“I’m proud of the work they have all put in,” said Craig. “This first meet will be a good opportunity to see where we are at heading into the holiday season.”

The Eagles open the indoor season on Dec. 7 at the Visit Winston-Salem College Kick-Off in Winston-Salem, N.C. Winthrop continues at the Gamecock Opener on Jan. 10 in Columbia, S.C., followed by three meets in Tryon, the Tryon International Classic (Jan. 16-17), the Tryon College Banked Invitational – East Coast Elite (Jan. 30), and the Tryon Mid-Winter Collegiate Invite (Feb. 13-14).

The Big South Conference Indoor Championship is scheduled for Feb. 27-28 in Tryon.

Outdoor competition begins with the Big South vs. Southern Conference Challenge on Mar. 20-21 in Asheville, N.C. Winthrop will also compete at the Raleigh Relays (Mar. 26-27) and the VertKlasse Meeting (Apr. 2-3) in High Point, N.C.

The program will host the annual Winthrop Invitational on Apr. 17-18 at the Irwin Belk Complex. The regular season concludes at the Lenoir-Rhyne Open on Apr. 25 in Hickory, N.C.

The Big South Conference Outdoor Championship is set for May 11-13 in High Point, N.C. Qualifiers will advance to the NCAA Championships East First Round, held on May 27-30 in Lexington, Ky.

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Sports

Broncos Produce Strong Results in Season-Opening Meet

Published

1 hour ago

December 5, 2025

Your Sports Nation

ALLENDALE, Mich. — Despite having just four student-athletes in action, the Western Michigan track and field team was able to post some strong results at the GVSU Holiday Open earlier today.

Laurine Elisa Marimon stole the show, earning the sixth best triple jump mark in program history. She finished the meet with a top leap of 12.07 meters. The meet was her first in the Brown and Gold.

Sierra Sommers also impressed in her college debut, competing in both the shot put and weight throw. She opened the meet with a weight throw mark of 12.87 meters. She followed that up with a throw of 14.14 meters in the shot put. That was good enough to win the event and just missed a top-10 mark in program history.

Mickaliliah Vassell made her WMU debut by racing in both the 60-meter dash and 60-meter hurdles. She crossed the finish line in a time of 7.89 in the 60m and earned a time of 9.19 in the 60m hurdles.

To conclude the meet, Shannon Gillahan was great in her season debut. She was able to produce a time of 11:07.28 in the 3000-meter run.

UP NEXT

The Broncos will be off until the start of the new year. WMU will be back in action at the Wolverine Invite on Jan. 10.

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