Sports

Recess Matters – California Golden Bears Athletics

Published

5 months ago

July 23, 2025

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Cal Athletics

Cal student-athletes are making an impact in the surrounding community by collaborating with local schools to promote positive play, early college awareness, and provide literacy support for students in need.

This feature originally appeared in the 2025 Summer edition of the Cal Sports Quarterly. The Cal Athletics flagship magazine features long-form sports journalism at its finest and provides in-depth coverage of the scholar-athlete experience in Berkeley. Printed copies are mailed four times a year to Bear Backers who give annually at the Bear Club level (currently $600 or more). For more information on how you can receive a printed version of the Cal Sports Quarterly at home, send an email to CalAthleticsFund@berkeley.edu or call (510) 642-2427.

If there was one thing Ari Manrique always looked forward to at school growing up, it was recess.

For about 30 minutes each day, Manrique – a former captain for the Cal women’s soccer team – was free to run around and express herself. It was an opportunity for her to take a break from learning in the classroom to have fun, spend a little quality time with her friends, and prove that she belonged athletically on the playground.

But recess doesn’t mean the same thing to every child.

For many others, it isn’t always a positive experience, which is why last year the Cameron Institute collaborated with the Berkeley School of Education to launch the “Critical Service Learning and Community Building Through Sport” course for Cal student-athletes, aimed at collaborating with local schools to promote positive play, early college awareness, and provide literacy support for students in need.

“It’s been our vision for the Cameron Institute to provide a pathway for student-athletes to go deeper in their service learning and collaboration with our local community,” Cameron Institute Director of Community Engagement Jessie Stewart said. “Our goal was to leverage our assets here at Cal, and we are grateful to have found an amazing partner in the Berkeley School of Education to develop a section of the Practicum in Education that takes a critical service learning focus.”

While the Cameron Institute has helped facilitate volunteering at local schools for years, the new course has provided a more structured approach to tending to the needs vocalized by local schools, all while simultaneously giving Cal student-athletes the chance to earn school credits as they contribute to their surrounding community.

The course aims to address inequities such as access to play and exposure to sport, early college awareness, and disparities between socioeconomic gender and racial groups, with a primary focus on promoting the importance of positive play within inclusive environments that are safe and enjoyable for all.

“We want to be more than just visitors within our local schools. We are honored to be invited into schools across our local community, and we aim to be true partners with a positive presence who provide value,” Stewart said. “The class also provides an opportunity for our student-athletes to learn and apply the approach of community-centered engagement, gain critical perspective, and take that back and become leaders on their own teams and within their communities and lives beyond Cal.”

After first hearing of the course, Manrique – who works with special needs students at Emerson Elementary in North Oakland – quickly embraced and fell in love with the work she is doing, so much so that it has sparked her continuing interest in working with the special needs community.

“When I got here, I saw that there is such a need for the next generation to receive this kind of attention and care, and that educators as a whole are spread so thin,” Manrique said. “You don’t realize how big it is to hold a kid’s hand and run with them around the playground. Instead of taking their outside time to just sit down somewhere, now they’re interacting, learning how to play tag. It’s a work in progress and it takes showing up every day for those routines to develop and for them to trust you. But once it’s there, it’s an incredible thing.”

Manrique’s athletic prowess that leads to building confidence and social skills is not a universal trait for all children, but she has been able to lean on other experiences from her youth to connect with the students and show them that no matter what their background, they can achieve big things.

“I didn’t grow up around many college-educated people who could tell me, ‘College isn’t scary.’ It wasn’t something anyone in my close circle had navigated and completed,” Manrique said. “I was lucky enough to have athletics as a safety net under me, but not everybody has that, so you try to understand that platform you have. The idea of being able to help bridge the equity gap for these kids is super important.”

In addition to physical activity, there is also an emphasis on reading support, which has seen Cal programs such as women’s basketball, football, track & field, and men’s & women’s rowing help make an impact with middle school students at KIPP Bridge Academy.

“Our students really look forward to having someone help them with their work. They love talking to the players, asking how they got to college, what they do at school and what their life is like,” KIPP Bridge Academy Student Support Specialist Cameron Stephenson said. “You can see growth in the reading levels of my reading intervention students who have worked with the tutors. Having more adults in the room helps give the kids, some whom have severe learning needs and disabilities, more one-on-one attention. The tutors help to teach them how to address their frustrations and provide support that goes beyond reading.”

The flexibility of the “Critical Service Learning and Community Building Through Sport” course, which requires between 1.5 to 7.5 hours per week working with kids at a local school, allowed Manrique to earn units even while she is in season. It’s another one of many reasons why she has encouraged her friends and teammates to follow her lead in taking the class as well. The course combines weekly readings and reflective assignments with comprehensive support – including initial onboarding and regular one-on-one advising. Schedules are tailored in partnership with the school site to accommodate training, travel, and competition demands throughout the season.

“It’s a beautiful thing that even people who don’t want to be educators get something out of working with kids and gaining a larger perspective,” Manrique said. “Being a student-athlete at Cal, we can take things for granted and get stuck focusing on excelling in sports and school, but I was fortunate to be in a place where I had great academic, athletic, and holistic support that gives you the opportunity to give back. It’s really about becoming a fully well-rounded individual so that when you walk out of here, you feel prepared to go out into the world and make a true difference. That’s something this class and the Cameron Institute in general have given me the ability to do.”

Looking ahead, the Cameron Institute aims to expand the program to engage even more student-athletes across Cal Athletics teams, and to continue to deepen collaboration with local public schools and aligned community-based organizations focused on expanding equitable access to sports, positive play and academic enrichment.

The Cameron Institute was made possible thanks to a generous endowment gift by C. Bryan Cameron in 2019. Visit CalBears.com/CameronInstitute to learn more about the Cameron Institute and the impactful work from our Community Engagement pillar.

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Sports

Dominique Brown Breaks Longstanding School Record As 31 Spartans Set PR’s at Visit Winston-Salem College Kick Off – University of South Carolina

Published

1 hour ago

December 7, 2025

Your Sports Nation

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – USC Upstate track and field began the indoor season at the Visit Winston-Salem College Kick Off today.
The first meet of the season was a successful one, highlighted by freshman Dominique Brown breaking the school record in the women’s 400m with her time of 57.51. The previous school record has stood for 10 years.

Head Coach Carson Blackwelder said, “This was a great start to the track season. We have a very talented team with a lot of potential ahead of us.” A total of 31different Spartans all set personal records in today’s meet.

In addition to Brown, Jenelda Aristhil earned a top finish in both the weight throw and shot put. Michael Moody placed third in the men’s long jump, going a distance of 7.00m.

Coach Blackwelder continued to praise his team, saying, “The 400m runners did a great job on Saturday, and we saw some of the fastest times in school history. The throwers hit some big marks and achieved PRs all around.”

Top Performances (Women):

Dominique Brown – 400m- 57.51 – fifth place (School Record)

Jenelda Aristhil – Weight Throw – 16.96m – fourth place (third all-time in school history)

Shot Put – 12.40m – seventh place (10th all-time in school history)

Paden Bell – 400m – 59.77 (eighth all-time in school history)

Ayla Osterkamp – 400m – 59.85 (ninth all-time in school history)

Aryanna Perez – High Jump – 1.49m (10th all-time in school history)

Jamyllah Handy – Triple Jump – 11.17m (seventh all-time in school history)

Personal Bests (Women)

Brittany Benson– 60m, 200m

Dominique Brown– 60m

Mya Jackson– 60m

Aryanna Perez– 60m Hurdles

Richard’ia Allen– 200m

Paden Bell– 400m

Ayla Osterkamp– 400m

Nia Glover– 400m

Emma Grace Kutilek– 800m

Aryanna Perez– High Jump, Long Jump

Jamyllah Handy– Long Jump, Triple Jump

Jenelda Aristhil– Shot Put, Weight

Saniyah Joyner– Shot Put

Top Performances (Men):

Michael Moody – Long Jump – 7.00m – third place (fifth all-time in school history )

Quintavius James – 60m – 6.83 – fourth place

Jalen Clark – Long Jump – 6.95m – fifth place (sixth all-time in school history)

Collin Bui-Hayes – 60m – 6.88 – seventh place (fourth all-time in school history)

Jeremiah Harris – 200m – 21.53 – seventh place (second all-time in school history)

Shriyaan Krishnaraj – 400m – 48.94 (second all-time in school history)

Elias Harrison – 800m -1:57.98 – 7th place

Pierce Mosley – Shot Put – 14.46m (sixth all-time in school history

Weight – 15.48m – sixth place

Joshua Sterling – Weight- 17.52m – 3rd place (fourth all-time in school history)

Shot Put – 13.68m (10th all-time in school history)

Hunter, Walston, Ruff, Krishnaraj – 4x400m – 2:22.12 – fifth place

Personal Bests

Collin Bui-Hayes– 60m

Evan Daniels– 60m

Jared Isley– 60m Hurdles

ZaCorian Johnson– 200m

Khalif Walston– 200m

Cason McKinney– 200m

Jeremiah Harris– 200m

Shriyaan Krishnaraj– 400m

Chandler Hunter– 400m

Jacob Ruff– 400m

Aidan Kenny– High Jump

Michael Moody– Long Jump

Pierce Mosley– Shot Put

Joshua Sterling– Shot Put

Sam Ketch– Shot Put

Nathaniel Bruce– Shot Put

Tristan Pressley– Triple Jump

Jaylen Pressley– Triple Jump

Up Next for the Spartans

The Spartans resume the season in January, competing at the Tryon International Classic held on the 16th and 17th.

Connect with the Spartans

Facebook.com/UpstateAthletics

Twitter | @UpstateXCTrack @UpstateSpartans

Instagram | @UpstateXCTrack @UpstateSpartans

YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans

INVEST IN CHAMPIONS – Join the Upstate Athletic Fund (UAF) and enjoy enhanced benefits for your support of all USC Upstate programs! Make your gift today, click here!

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Sports

Where to stream Kansas State Wildcats vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers NCAA Women’s Volleyball Tournament today

Published

1 hour ago

December 7, 2025

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The Nebraska Cornhuskers look to keep their impressive season going on Saturday night, as they get set to host the Kansas State Wildcats in the second round of the 2025 NCAA Women’s Volleyball Tournament.

Nebraska looked impressive in the first round of the tournament, vanquishing the Long Island Sharks in straight sets.

The Cornhuskers rolled toward another Big Ten championship. Nebraska has been dominant. Not only are they undefeated, but they have also been nearly untouchable. For two months, the team did not lose a set. The team then went on to win its final five matches in straight sets, clinching a third consecutive Big Ten Championship.

Now, the program that has played in every national tournament since the AIAW days has its sights set on advancing to the final four for the fourth time in the past five seasons. Nebraska looks to avenge last year’s disappointing semifinal exit at the hands of the eventual national champions, Penn State.

They take on a Kansas State that had to work hard to upset San Diego in the opening round, winning in straight sets on Friday. The Wildcats, who are playing in the national tournament for the first time in four years, look to grab the biggest of upsets and move on to the regional semifinal for the first time since 2011.

NCAA WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT

Second Round

Kansas State Wildcats vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers

When: Saturday, December 6

Time: 8 p.m. ET

Where: Bob Devaney Sports Center (Lincoln, Neb.)

Stream: ESPN+

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Sports

Jane Hedengren Obliterates the NCAA 5K Record in Boston

Published

2 hours ago

December 7, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Two weeks after finishing second at the NCAA Cross-Country Championships, freshman Jane Hedengren shattered the collegiate record in the 5,000 meters.

On Saturday, December 6, the Brigham Young University standout won the women’s elite race in 14:44.79 at the BU Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener. With a huge surge in the second half of the race, Hedengren improved on the previous indoor collegiate record (14:52.57) set by Doris Lemngole of Alabama at the same meet in Boston last year.

Hedengren also broke the combined collegiate record (indoor and outdoor track), 14:52.18, set by Parker Valby at the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Championships. Hedengren is now No. 2 on the U.S. all-time list and No. 11 on the world all-time list in the event, indoors.

“This season, there’s been a lot of growth, and I think there’s still so much to build on, lots of gratitude approaching this race and this season, and I’m excited to keep working,” Hedengren told Nia Gibson on the FloTrack broadcast after the race.

Hedengren showed her dominance early at Boston University’s indoor facility. From the gun, Hedengren and Pamela Kosgei of New Mexico both positioned themselves behind pacesetter Ellie Leather through the first mile in 4:48, on pace for a 14:55 finish. By the 2K split, both athletes had pulled ahead of the chase pack by 50 meters.

That gap continued to grow heading into the halfway mark as the cross-country rivals dueled for the lead. Just after the 3,000-meter split, which the pair covered in 8:59, Hedengren surged ahead of Kosgei and never looked back.

For the last 2,000 meters, Hedengren knocked off blazing 34 to 35-second splits for each lap until throwing down an impressive 66-second close for the final 400 meters. Her teammate, Riley Chamberlain, battled for second-place in 14:58.97, a 25-second personal best. Kosgei finished third in 15:05:41.

Before she graduated from Timpview High School in Provo, Utah, last spring, Hedengren broke nine national records on the track—including the 5,000 meters in April when she became the first high school girl to go sub-15 for the distance.

At 19 years old, Hedengren has already emerged as an NCAA leader in her first season running for the Cougars. In October, she dominated the Pre-National Invitational and shattered the course record in her collegiate cross-country debut. She went on to win the Big 12 Championships and NCAA Mountain Region Championships by huge margins.

In late November, Hedengren was competing for the win at the NCAA Cross-Country Championships but couldn’t match the closing speed of Lemngole, the defending champion. With a surge in the last kilometer of the race in Columbia, Missouri, the junior from Kenya claimed the 6K title in 18:25, about 13 seconds ahead of Hedengren.

In a quick turnaround to the track season, Hedengren earned a form of redemption in Boston. She is the most recent athlete in the last several years to break the collegiate record at the indoor season opener, which many elite athletes utilize as a final push of fitness before the holidays. Lemngole—and Valby prior to her—set the indoor record at the same meet.

Taylor Dutch is a writer and editor living in Austin, Texas, and a former NCAA track athlete who specializes in fitness, wellness, and endurance sports coverage. Her work has appeared in Runner’s World, SELF, Bicycling, Outside, and Podium Runner.

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Gophers volleyball wins NCAA Tournament opener, avoids St. Thomas matchup

Published

2 hours ago

December 7, 2025

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Minnesota volleyball opened NCAA Tournament play on Friday at Maturi Pavilion with a dominant sweep over Fairfield University. It marks the 11th straight year that the Gophers have won a first-round game.

And we dance on 💃 pic.twitter.com/k5zoEO1vPU

— Minnesota Volleyball (@GopherVBall) December 6, 2025

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The Gophers were seeded fourth in their region after a 22-9 regular-season campaign. The other game in their Minneapolis pod was five-seed Iowa State against in-state foe St. Thomas, which played its first-ever game in the NCAA Tournament on Friday. The Cyclones won a five-set battle before Minnesota’s game.

“I’m proud of our team for playing our brand of volleyball. Serving, blocking and playing really clean. Tomorrow will be a big challenge. Iowa State is a great team in a lot of facets, especially defensively,” Minnesota head coach Keegan Cook said after the game.

Minnesota already beat St. Thomas three sets to one in a nonconference game in August, but an NCAA Tournament clash in the Tommies’ first season eligible would’ve felt like a huge contest. Ultimately, Iowa State will face the Gophers on Saturday night at 7 p.m. CT at Maturi Pavilion with a trip to the Sweet 16 on the line.

The Cyclones had an impressive 22-7 regular-season campaign, and a 12-6 mark in the Big 12. Saturday’s showdown should be a great contest between two of the better college volleyball programs in the Midwest.

Elliot and Thuotte Highlight Men’s Indoor Track and Field Season Opener

Published

2 hours ago

December 7, 2025

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BOSTON, Mass. — Regis College men’s track and field kicked off their indoor season today at the Reggie Lewis Center, competing in the Suffolk Relays and setting two new program records.

Senior Brady Elliot (Charlestown, N.H.) made an impressive debut for the Pride, placing second in the men’s high jump with a leap of 1.85 meters, establishing a new indoor program record. Elliot also competed in the long jump, finishing 12th with a distance of 6.06 meters. Joseph Doughty (Woburn, Mass.) added a seventh-place finish in the high jump, clearing 1.70 meters.

Justin Thuotte (Lebanon, Conn.) earned three top-ten finishes. His best came in the shot put, where he took third with throw of 12.82 meters to set a new personal best. Thuotte also placed fifth in the long jump, setting a new indoor program record with a leap of 6.65 meters, and finished seventh in the weight throw with a mark of 13.28 meters. Ryan Sweeney (Lynn, Mass.) joined Thuotte on the shot put leaderboard, finishing fourth with a toss of 12.65 meters. Sweeney also set a personal best in the weight throw with an 11.28 meter toss.

Jalen Jones (Everett, Mass.) claimed fifth place in the triple jump with a mark of 11.94 meters. Meanwhile, DJ Marks (Medford, Mass.) and Luc Willems (Belchertown, Mass.) rounded out the top ten finishers in the high jump and men’s 1000m, respectively. Marks cleared 1.60 meters in the high jump, and Willems crossed the line in 3:18.18 in the 1000-meter run.

In the men’s 1600 sprint medley relay, the team of Zach Olaywole (Marlborough, Mass.), Jones, Elliot, and Nathan Thomas (Medford, Mass.) finished 13th overall with a time of 4:13.28.

The Pride will quickly turn around as they head to UMass Boston tomorrow for the Beacon Season Opener.

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No. 25 Women’s Volleyball Falls to No. 3 Texas in NCAA Second Round – Penn State

Published

2 hours ago

December 7, 2025

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AUSTIN, Texas – No. 25 Penn State’s 45^th-straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament came to an end in the second round Saturday with a 3-0 (25-16, 25-9, 25-19) loss to No. 3 Texas at Gregory Gymnasium. The Nittany Lions close the season at 19-13 overall, while the Longhorns move on with a record of 25-3.

The loss snapped Penn State’s seven-match NCAA Tournament winning streak, which included six victories on the way to last year’s national title. The Nittany Lions remain second in the nation with eight national titles, trailing only Stanford’s nine.

Kennedy Martin tallied 16 kills for Penn State and has now recorded double-digit kills for the 83^rd-consecutive match when she plays at least three sets. Caroline Jurevicius finished with seven kills, while Emmi Sellman chipped in with five.

Gillian Grimes wrapped up an outstanding collegiate career with a team-high 11 digs. She leaves Penn State as a two-time All-Big Ten honoree, making the first team this season and the second team as a junior last season. She now turns her attention to the pro ranks, where she will play for the San Diego Mojo of Major League Volleyball. Grimes was recently picked by the Mojo in the third round of the MLV Draft.

Torrey Stafford led Texas to the win, hitting .556 with 21 kills. Abby Vander Wal joined her in double-digits with 10 kills, while Cari Spears was next with nine.

Penn State now holds an 11-10 lead in the all-time series with Texas. The teams are knotted at 2-2 in NCAA Tournament matchups against each other.

Saturday’s matchup featured the past three national champions as Texas won back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023 and Penn State took home the trophy last season.

The 2025 Penn State women’s volleyball season is presented by Musselman’s.

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