SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Samford University volleyball has earned three postseason awards from the Southern Conference. Kaleigh Meritt was named to the All-SoCon First Team, Ally Cordes was selected to the All-SoCon Second Team, and Sydney Waller earned a spot on the SoCon All-Freshman Team.
Meritt, a redshirt junior outside hitter, put together one of the top offensive seasons in the league. She led the Bulldogs in kills with 380 and consistently produced in important moments.
Cordes, a junior outside hitter, was recognized on the All-SoCon Second Team after guiding the Bulldogs offense throughout the season with a total of 362 kills and 33 service aces.
Waller, a redshirt freshman right-side hitter, earned a place on the SoCon All-Freshman Team after an impressive first season. She quickly became a key contributor at the net with 146 kills and finishing the season among the team leaders in blocks with 24.
Bulldogs will face the Wofford Terriers in the Southern Conference tournament on Friday, November 21st at 6:30 p.m. The match will be broadcasted on ESPN+ and can be followed on live stats.
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For the latest news and information on Samford volleyball, visit the official website for Samford Athletics at SamfordSports.com. Fans can also follow the Bulldogs on social media at /SamfordVolleyball (Facebook), @SamfordVB (Instagram) and @SamfordVB (Twitter).
THE FLATS – Georgia Tech student-athletes collectively had an astonishing Fall 2025 semester academically, highlighted by all 13 of the Yellow Jackets’ programs earning team grade point averages of 3.0 or higher for the first time in history.
In addition to all 13 teams achieving a 3.0 team GPA, Georgia Tech’s 328 student-athletes had a mean GPA of 3.30, which matched Tech athletics’ all-time high for the third-straight semester.
“As the landscape of college athletics changes, one thing that remains constant here on The Flats is the value of a Georgia Tech education and degree,” vice president and director of athletics Ryan Alpert said. “The young people that choose to come to Georgia Tech are truly making a 40-year decision. Therefore, I couldn’t be more proud of how our student-athletes embrace and take advantage of the opportunity through their hard work in the classroom. I’m also incredibly grateful for our academic support staff, our coaches and our partners on campus for all that they do to support our student-athletes’ academic endeavors.”
Other highlights from the fall semester include:
77% of student-athletes (252) posting a 3.0 GPA or higher;
68% (222) earning Faculty Honors or Dean’s Lost recognition;
first-year student-athletes achieving a 3.22 mean GPA;
nationally ranked golf leading all teams with a 3.68 GPA;
NCAA qualifier women’s tennis leading women’s teams with a 3.65 GPA;
football shattering its team record with a 3.17 team GPA – prior to this semester, its highest all-time GPA was 3.03 (spring 2025) and its highest in-season GPA was 3.00 (fall 2024);
men’s basketball also obliterating its team record with a 3.16 team GPA, surpassing 3.0 for the first time in program history.
Making Georgia Tech athletics’ academic achievements even more impressive is that 84% of its student-athletes major in business (53%), engineering (20%), sciences (7%), design (2.5%) and computing (1.5%).
GEORGIA TECH TEAM GRADE POINT AVERAGES (Fall 2025) Baseball: 3.35 Men’s Basketball: 3.16 Women’s Basketball: 3.20 Men’s Cross Country/Track and Field: 3.29 Women’s Cross Country/Track and Field: 3.29 Football: 3.17 Golf: 3.68 Softball: 3.28 Men’s Swimming and Diving: 3.24 Women’s Swimming and Diving: 3.46 Men’s Tennis: 3.34 Women’s Tennis: 3.65 Volleyball: 3.44
Fans can celebrate and support the academic success of Georgia Tech student-athletes by participating Alexander-Tharpe Fund’s Fourth Quarter Initiative, which gives supporters the opportunity to receive four A-T Fund priority points for every $100 donated to the Athletic Scholarship Fund through Dec. 31. For more information, visit atfund.org/4th-quarter.
Full Steam Ahead
Full Steam Ahead is a $500 million fundraising initiative to achieve Georgia Tech athletics’ goal of competing for championships at the highest level in the next era of intercollegiate athletics. The initiative will fund transformative projects for Tech athletics, including renovations of Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field (the historic home of Georgia Tech football), the Zelnak Basketball Center (the practice and training facility for Tech basketball) and O’Keefe Gymnasium (the venerable home of Yellow Jackets volleyball), as well as additional projects and initiatives to further advance Georgia Tech athletics through program wide-operational support. All members of the Georgia Tech community are invited to visit atfund.org/FullSteamAhead for full details and renderings of the renovation projects, as well as to learn about opportunities to contribute online.
For the latest information on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram and at www.ramblinwreck.com.
JAMESTOWN — Julia Skari has a history with excellence when it comes to athletics.
Northern State University is hoping history keeps repeating itself.
Skari, a Jamestown High School Class of 2025 graduate, is currently training and competing for the Northern State University track and field team.
“I was so excited to go to college and have a little bit of change,” Skari said. “I knew going into college I wouldn’t know anyone since no one from Jamestown went to NSU (Northern State University), so I was a bit scared for that, but I was excited to meet new people. … Within the first week at Northern State it was clear that I made the best academic and athletic decision, I can’t imagine not being there.”
Skari began running track in 2021 as an eighth grader. She is a five-time state placer in the 300 hurdles and a two-time state placer in the 100 hurdles. Skari also competed in triple jump and the sprint relays when she was with the Blue Jays.
In her senior year, Skari was crowned the WDA champion in the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles at the West Region Track and Field Meet. Skari clocked times of 15.59 and 45.62 seconds, respectively, in her races. The senior sprinter also placed eighth in the 100-meter dash and fifth in the 200.
At State, Skari placed third in the 300 hurdles, posting a season-best time of 45.35 seconds. In the 100 hurdles, the Blue Jay senior finished second 0.38 seconds behind Fargo Davies’ Kate Laqua who crossed the finish line at 14.38 seconds.
Her resume made her a natural recruit target for Northern State’s track coaches. The Wolves announced Skari’s signing via social media in May. Skari is planning to compete in both the 100- and 400-meter hurdles. The freshman said she is also hoping to compete in some relays but is open to wherever her coaches put her.
“It is both nervewracking and exciting to be a freshman,” Skari said. “I have a lot to learn, improve and build on throughout this year and the following years. Being a freshman is nervewracking because I know I have to prove myself to not only coaches but my teammates. It’s exciting because it’s a fresh new start with whole new experiences with a new team, coaches and level of competition. The upperclassmen are so willing to take time, critique my form and give advice.”
Northern State opened the indoor track and field season on Nov. 24 with the school’s Maroon vs. Gold Meet. Skari and the Wolves competed again on Dec. 5 at South Dakota State University’s Holiday Meet.
“Coming into my first collegiate meet I was very nervous,” Skari said. “The thought of competing against not only (Division) two athletes but also (Division) one made the nervous go up more. After I competed in my first event … I had a huge sign of relief realizing it’s not much different then high school, just more teams and more competitive.”
Julia Skari, second from left, is enjoying her first season with the Northern State University track and field team.
Contributed / Julia Skari
In her first meet, Skari competed in the 60-meter hurdles and the 4-by-400 meter relay.
“For my first meet I knew I just had to get my nervousness out of the way so my standards weren’t very high besides I just wanted to get my first meet done and get the feeling of how the meets feel,” Skari said. “My time in the 60-meter hurdles was almost my PR (personal record) in high school which means I only plan on getting faster.”
Skari’s continual progression is a testament to how hard she trains with her team.
Skari said as a team, the Wolves train Monday through Saturday with days switching either from a hurdles to sprinting to cross-training on her own time. The team lifts on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.
“I train hurdles on Monday and Thursday,” Skari said. “Tuesday is normally a sprinting workout which is our hard workout. On Wednesday and Saturday we train on our own and on Fridays we switch from sprinting or either hurdle work again. We normally practice around three or three and a half hours a day when we lift and practice.
“Workouts became more intense than high school, so it definitely was a good change,” she said. “College track differs from high school track because practices started back in the beginning of September and it lasts til May. It takes more time than any of my other sports did because it is a bigger commitment.”
The Wolves’ next indoor meet is scheduled for Jan. 15 against the University of Jamestown.
Northern State’s conference indoor track and field season will conclude at the end of February. The NCAA Division 2 Indoor Championships will be held March 13-14. The outdoor season will begin with a three-day invite in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
“No matter how I do (this season), I know I can always get better but I think my main goal is to just train hard, believe in myself and give it my best effort,” Skari said. “I think that’s would make me have a successful first year of colligate track and field athlete. In order for me to be at my best I need to have a positive mindset and be willing to do the hard stuff.”
Katie Ringer is a sports reporter for the Jamestown Sun. Katie joined the Sun staff in the summer of 2019 after graduating from the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire with a degree in journalism. She can be reached by email at kringer@jamestownsun.com or by phone at 701-952-8460.
Isabelle Hoppe, a 2026 setter prospect, has flipped her commitment from Pittsburgh to Wisconsin.
Hoppe fills the roster spot of former backup setter Addy Horner, who transferred to TCU.
She was ranked as the No. 2 setter in her class by Prep Dig and was named an Under Armour All-American.
Wisconsin volleyball has found its backup setter.
Class of 2026 setter Isabelle Hoppe has flipped her commitment from Pittsburgh to Wisconsin, she announced on Dec. 23 via Instagram.
She fills the void left by Addy Horner – Wisconsin’s 2025 backup setter and the starter while Charlie Fuerbringer was out – who announced her plans to enter the transfer portal on Dec. 19 and committed to TCU earlier on Dec. 23.
Hoppe was rated No. 21 nationally and No. 3 among setters in Prep Dig’s 2026 recruiting rankings. Her outlook at Pitt recently changed as the Panthers signed former Penn State setter Izzy Starck, who was the 2024 AVCA national freshman of the year.
Hoppe is 5-foot-8 and hails from Gibsonia, Pennsylvania. She was named an Under Armour All-American and competed on USA Volleyball’s 2025 U19 world championship team. When she signed with Pitt earlier this year, Pitt coach Dan Fisher said she was a “proven setter at the high school, club and USA Volleyball levels.”
She is the fifth incoming freshman for the Badgers in 2026, joining outside hitters Halle Thompson and Audrey Flanagan and middle blockers Lynney Tarnow and Kymora Scott.
The Homewood High School volleyball team finished as one of the top eight teams in Class 6A this fall, making its appearance at the state volleyball tournament Oct. 28 at the Birmingham CrossPlex.
The Patriots matched up with a stout Saraland team in the opening round of the tournament, falling in three sets to close the season with a 25-20 record.
Homewood was in the state tournament for the first time since 2021. The Patriots won three straight matches in the North Super Regional Tournament last week to advance.
“I’m so grateful for our community, our kids and for this to be the new standard; to expect to be here and want to be here,” Homewood head coach Grace Burgess said. “The kids worked so hard with that in mind the whole season, but without talking too much about it. They believe in themselves and they’re confident kids.
Saraland won the state tournament match in straight sets: 25-20, 25-21, 27-25. The Spartans put forth a tremendous rally to draw even late in the third set and eventually prevailed.
For Homewood, Mary Ellis Jarmon led the offense with 12 kills, adding a pair of aces. Walker Binkley added seven kills and four blocks. Kamryn Coleman directed things with 34 assists, also compiling eight digs and four aces. Sarah Johnson nearly had a double-double, finishing with nine kills and nine digs. Addison Wood had six digs and an ace as well.
The Patriots will conclude their season as the only team from Alabama to knock off 7A favorite McGill-Toolen. They also defeated 6A semifinalist Saraland during the year. They won the area championship, finished runner-up at regionals and advanced to the gold bracket in all but one of their tournaments this year.
“The season was up and down, but they never stopped working when things weren’t going well,” Burgess said. “They didn’t listen when people said they couldn’t accomplish anything. The fact it worked out for them makes me really happy for them.”
Photos: Wisconsin volleyball 2025 season in photos
Wisconsin outside hitter Grace Egan (32) serves against UW Milwaukee on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin middle blocker Alicia Andrew (17) is greeted by fans after taking the floor prior to a match against Southern California at the Wisconsin Fieldhouse in Madison, Wis. Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
JOHN HART,STATE JOURNAL
Wisconsin defenders jump to block a spike by Kansas outside hitter Jovana Zelenovic (9) on Friday, Aug. 29, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wis.
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The Wisconsin student section reacts after Wisconsin wins the third set against Kansas on Friday, Aug. 29, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin setter Charlie Fuerbringer (24) sets the ball for a spike against Texas on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025 at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin setter Charlie Fuerbringer (24) sets the ball against Eastern Illinois on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wiss.
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Wisconsin outside hitter Grace Egan, left, and middle blocker Carter Booth, right, go up for a block against UC-Davis Sept. 4.
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Wisconsin outside hitter Grace Egan (32) and Wisconsin middle blocker Carter Booth (52) yell after a block to win the first set against Purdue on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin outside hitter Mimi Colyer (15) elevates to contest a ball at the net against Illinois on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin outside hitter Mimi Colyer (15) is introduced prior to the match against Illinois on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin setter Charlie Fuerbringer (24) high-fives kids lined up before playing UC-Davis on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin outside hitter Grace Egan (32) hits the floor after saving the ball from touching the ground against Texas on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025 at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin outside hitter Mimi Colyer (15) helps setter Charlie Fuerbringer (24) off the floor after losing a point to Texas on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025 at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin head coach Kelly Sheffield huddles with his senior players following the teamÕs win over UNC during a second round NCAA Tournament match between the teams at the Wisconsin Fieldhouse in Madison, Wis. Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
JOHN HART,STATE JOURNAL
Wisconsin outside hitter Grace Egan (32) watches as the ball flies in the air before a serve against Notre Dame on Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin outside hitter Grace Egan (32) goes up for a spike against UC-Davis on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin players react after a Minnesota touch goes out of bounds on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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The Wisconsin bench celebrates after a point against UW Milwaukee on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin outside hitter Mimi Colyer (15) attempts to spike over three Iowa defenders on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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Nebraska middle blocker Rebekah Allick (5) yells after a block on Wisconsin outside hitter Grace Egan (32) on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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A young fan smiles after getting a high-five from a Wisconsin player during introductions against Minnesota on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin outside hitter Una Vajagic (1) dives for a ball flying out of bounds against Michigan on Saturday, Oct.5, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin outside hitter Mimi Colyer (15) is introduced prior to the teamÕs non-conference match against Florida at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
JOHN HART,STATE JOURNAL
Wisconsin outside hitter Mimi Colyer (15) blocks a spike against Michigan on Saturday, Oct.5, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin outside hitter Madison Quest (10) emerges from the locker room before playing Michigan on Saturday, Oct.5, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin right side hitter Addy Horner (2) and Wisconsin middle blocker Natalie Wardlow (12) collide trying to set the ball against Nebraska on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin outside hitter Mimi Colyer (15) extends to hit a ball going out of bounds against Minnesota on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin middle blocker Alicia Andrew (17) and right side hitter Wisconsin setter Charlie Fuerbringer (24) put up a block against Indiana outside hitter Jaidyn Jager (24) in the first set of a match at the UW Field House in Madison, Wis. Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
AMBER ARNOLD STATE JOURNAL
Wisconsin outside hitter Grace Egan (32) lines up a bump after a return by Iowa on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin middle blocker Carter Booth (52) reacts after a point against Kansas on Friday, Aug. 29, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wis.
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Wisconsin players, including Wisconsin middle blocker Alicia Andrew, left, and libero/defensive specialist Kristen Simon (7) celebrate the teamÕs win over UNC during a second round NCAA Tournament match between the teams at the Wisconsin Fieldhouse in Madison, Wis. Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL