The best of the best local student-athletes, coaches and teams were celebrated at Monday’s Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table Evening with the Athletes at Marjorie Luke Theater.
High school and college Athletes of the Year were named and two coaches were named Coaches of the Year, as selected by the local sports media.
SBART also honored this school year’s Scholar-Athletes of the Year, Phil Womble Ethics in Sports Award Winners, Special Award Winners and scholarship recipients.
Greg Zuffelato of Santa Barbara High boys basketball was named the 2024-25 High School Coach of the Year.
The Santa Barbara High boys basketball team had one of its most successful seasons in program history this year, led by coach Zuffelato. The Dons put together an overall record of 27-7 and a 13-1 league record to capture the Channel League championship.
In the regular season, the team earned a marquee win over Sierra Canyon to put the program on the map as one of the best in the state. They also reached the CIF Southern Section Division 1 Semifinals in a bracket full of powerhouse programs.
Meanwhile, Jo Evans of UCSB Softball was named the 2024-25 College Coach of the Year.
UCSB Softball head coach Jo Evans led her team to a historic 2025 campaign, earning herself the SBART College Coach of the Year Award. (Jeff Liang / UCSB Athletics Photo)
Evans was at the helm as the Gaucho softball program made history this spring, winning the Big West Tournament Championship for the first time ever. They followed that up by winning a pair of NCAA Regional games and reaching the Regional championship, also for the first time in program history.
When all was said and done, the Gauchos went 36-26 and set new single-season program records for home runs, runs, runs batted in, doubles and hits.
The special award and scholarship winners included Arlette Godges (Master Athlete), Gabriela Gomez (Russ Morrison Memorial Golf Scholarship), Gianna Mandarino (SBART Founders Scholarship), Francesca Court (James Ranta Memorial Scholarship) and Adair Rosas (Larry Crandell Memorial Scholarship).
Fall High School Athletes of the Year
Boys Water Polo – Sam Rich – San Marcos
Rich, the starting goalie, led the Royals to a Channel League championship and a spot in the CIF Open Division playoffs. He racked up 300 saves, was named the Channel League MVP and to the All-CIF Open Division Third Team.
Girls Volleyball – Eliana Urzua – Bishop Diego
Urzua put together a Tri-Valley League MVP season, leading to a Tri-Valley League championship and a CIF Division 3 Runner-Up finish. She averaged 18.5 kills per match, tallying 554 kills, 80 aces and 37 blocks in 30 matches played.
Bishop Diego’s Eliana Urzua stuffed the stat sheet all season for the Cardinals, capping off a stellar career with the High School Girls Volleyball Athlete of the Year Award. (Lily Chubb / Noozhawk Photo)
Girls Golf – Sagarika Manian – Dos Pueblos
Manian won her fourth straight Channel League individual championship in dominant fashion, finishing three strokes ahead of the rest of the field. She ended her year with a 25th-place out of 114 golfers at the CIF Northern Regional Individuals.
Girls Tennis – Nicole Buist – Santa Barbara
Buist won the Singles MVP with an individual record of 48-10. She was also the League Doubles Champion and reached the Round of 16 in the CIF Championship Tournament alongside her sister, Caitlyn.
Boys Cross Country – Cullen Gully – Dos Pueblos
Gully placed 1st in the CIF Prelim race, 9th at the CIF Finals and was the team’s top finisher with an 18th-place finish at the State Championship Race. He also came in second in the Channel League race.
Girls Cross Country – Cate Bishop – Dos Pueblos
Bishop helped her team to a first-place finish at the Santa Barbara County Championship with a third place individual showing. She took third in the Channel League championship and 43rd at the CIF Finals race.
Girls Flag Football – Rio Chesluk – San Marcos
Chesluk won the Channel League Two Way Player of the Year Award. On offense, she ended with 96 catches for 1,104 yards and 24 touchdowns, while also passing for seven touchdowns. She was also a ballhawk defensively, recording 14 interceptions.
Football – Kai Mault – Santa Barbara
Mault did it all to lead the Dons to the Division 4 playoffs. As a receiver, he caught 28 passes for 601 yards, while as a quarterback, he threw for 302 yards and rushed for 652. He ended with 18 total touchdowns and was named the Conejo Coast League Receiver of the Year.
Fall College Athletes of the Year
Men’s Soccer – Alexis Ledoux – UCSB
Ledoux was the Big West Offensive Player of the Year Award and a member of the All-Big West First Team. He ended the season with 14 goals and 33 points, both of which were good for second in the nation.
Girls Soccer – Devin Greer – UCSB
Greer helped her team win the Big West Championship Tournament in her freshman year. She scored 10 goals and totaled 24 points to earn the Big West Freshman of the Year honor and spots on the All-Big West First Team and All-Big West Freshman Team.
Women’s Golf – Annie Betts – SBCC
Betts won the 3C2A SoCal Regional Championship for the Vaqueros with an impressive two-day score of 4-under-par. She followed that performance up with a strong eighth-place showing at the 3C2A State Championship.
Football – Jack Myers – SBCC
Myers anchored an SBCC defense that faced some of the toughest competition in the nation last fall, earning him a spot on the All-Conference Second Team. He finished the season with 55 tackles and 6 ½ tackles for a loss.
Men’s Cross Country – Zola Sokhela – Westmont
Sokhela raced his way onto the All-PacWest First Team. He took fifth place individually at the PacWest Championships where Westmont came in fourth and followed that up with a 29th place individually at the NCAA D2 West Regionals.
Women’s Cross Country – Ava Maier – UCSB
Maier led her team to a spot in the NCAA Division 1 West Regionals. In the Big West Championship meet where UCSB finished in eighth place as a team, Ava came in 26th place individually.
Women’s Water Polo – Addie Lane – SBCC
Lane was a key member of the WSC Champion and State Runner-Up Vaqueros in the fall, leading the team in goals with 99, finishing second in assists with 41 and third in steals with 84. She was named to the WSC 1st Team, the SoCal All-American 1st Team, and the All-State 1st Team.
Men’s Water Polo – Levi Lentin – UCSB
Lentin was in the middle of the Gauchos’ defensive success in the pool all season as one of the top goalies in the conference. He was named to the All-Big West Second Team after leading the conference in saves with 196 and steals per game with 1.4.
Winter High School Athletes of the Year
Boys Basketball – Luke Zuffelato – Santa Barbara
Zuffelato averaged 24.9 points, 10.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game to win Channel League MVP and lead his team to a league title and a CIF Division 1 Semifinal appearance. He leaves as the program’s all-time leader in points, rebounds, and three-pointers made.
Santa Barbara High’s Luke Zuffelato wrapped up a historic high school career by leading his team to a Channel League title and a spot in the CIF-SS Division 1 Semifinals. (Lily Chubb / Noozhawk Photo)
Girls Basketball – Taylor Grant – Dos Pueblos
Grant averaged 10.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per game while guarding the other team’s top options. She led her team to a playoff win in Division 2AA and was named to both the All Channel League First team and the All Ventura County Second Team.
Boys Soccer – George Marin – Cate
Marin scored 30 goals in 13 regular season games and scored all four of his team’s goals in their two Division 1 playoff wins. He was named the Tri-Valley League Offensive Player of the Year and led his team to an undefeated regular season and league title.
Girls Soccer – Natalie Gonzalez – Carpinteria
Gonzalez gave up just 11 goals in 19 games played while recording 10 shutouts. She was named the Citrus Coast League Goalie of the Year for the third straight season and led her team to a 2nd place finish in league and a playoff win.
Girls Water Polo – Charlotte Raisin – San Marcos
Raisin helped lead the Royals to a Channel League Championship and a spot in the CIF Open Division Playoffs. She scored 68 goals, dished out 42 assists and had 38 earned exclusions. She was the Channel League Co-MVP.
Girls Water Polo – Lucy Haaland-Ford – San Marcos
Haaland-Ford was the other Channel League Co-MVP, after playing a key role in the team’s success throughout the league schedule. She scored 60 goals of her own and racked up 67 steals while also tallying 30 earned exclusions.
Boys Wrestling – Jonathan Corona – Santa Barbara
Corona captured a Channel League Championship for the 190 pound division. He also came in 4th place at the CIF-SS Masters Meet and was the first ever Santa Barbara High male wrestler to reach the State Meet.
Girls Wrestling – Sierrah Kendig – Dos Pueblos
Kendig was the only local girls wrestler to reach the CIF playoffs this winter after winning the Channel League Championship in the 135-pound division. She came in 8th place at the CIF-SS Eastern Division Meet.
Winter College Athletes of the Year
Men’s Basketball – Adrian McIntyre – Westmont
McIntyre finished the year first in the nation at the Division 2 level with 27.9 points per game. He set the single-season scoring record with 723 points and single-game record with 51. He was the PacWest Player of the Year and a Division 2 First-Team All-American.
Women’s Basketball – Alyssa Marin – UCSB
Marin averaged 14.3 points per game along with two assists and two rebounds per contest on her way to being named to the All-Big West Second Team.
Men’s Swimming – Kyle Brill – UCSB
Brill was the Big West Swimmer of the Year Award. He set or had a hand in setting new program records in the 200 breaststroke, 200 IM, 400 IM, 400 freestyle relay and 400 medley relay. He won Big West titles in the 200 medley and 400 medley to help his team to a conference championship.
Women’s Swimming – Samantha Banos – UCSB
Banos played a key role in her team capturing the Big West Championships this season. As an individual, she took home first place in the 200 butterfly, the 200 freestyle, and the 500 freestyle as the team’s leading point getter in the Big West Championship meet.
Spring High School Athletes of the Year
Girls Beach Volleyball – Josie Gamberdella/Cora Loomer – San Marcos
Gamberdella and Loomer went undefeated against league opponents to win league MVP awards and lead their team to a Channel League Championship. They reached the CIF-SS Individual Tournament Quarterfinals and took home 5th place.
Baseball – Eric Anthony – Santa Barbara
Anthony was the ace of a Santa Barbara High team that won its second straight Channel League title. He ended the year with a 6-3 record, a 1.41 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP, 61 strikeouts and a .183 batting average against in 64 ⅔ innings.
Softball – Anastasia Brunner – Dos Pueblos
Brunner was a hitting machine for the Chargers, hitting .490 with an on base percentage of .592. She ended the year with 47 hits, including seven homers, while driving in 22 runs and scoring 38 of her own. She was named to the All-Channel League First Team.
Boys Lacrosse – Jack Finneran – Dos Pueblos
Finneran scored 78 goals, good for 8th in California, and had 54 assists to finish 5th in the state. His 127 total points is the All-Time Channel League Record and is 4th in California. He led his team to an undefeated regular season and a league title.
Dos Pueblos’ Jack Finneran was the go-to offensive option on this year’s historic Charger boys lacrosse team that went undefeated in the regular season. (Lily Chubb / Noozhawk Photo)
Girls Lacrosse – Livanna Plourde – San Marcos
Plourde was the Channel League Midfielder of the Year on a San Marcos squad that went 10-0 in league play on the way to a Channel League title. She ended the season with 78 goals, 51 ground balls, 114 draw controls and 21 assists for the Royals.
Boys Volleyball – Matteo Burdick – San Marcos
Burdick was a dynamic outside hitter for the Royals all season, racking up kills for a team that put together a 23-10 record. He led the way on the offensive end as San Marcos went 9-1 against league opponents and captured the Channel League championship.
Boys Tennis – Carter Cotich – San Marcos
Cotich was dominant on the singles courts, helping his team on its way to a CIF-SS Division 3 Runner-Up finish. As an individual, Carter went undefeated in Channel League play and never lost a set, finishing it off with a Channel League Singles Title.
Boys Swimming – Bennett Sullivan – Laguna Blanca
Sullivan was a critical member of the CIF Division 3 champion 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle relay Laguna Blanca teams. Individually, he came in 4th in the 100 breaststroke and 5th in the 200 IM at the CIF Championship meet.
Girls Swimming – Sierra Tallman – San Marcos
Tallman set the school record in the 100 butterfly and 100 breaststroke and set the Channel League record with an All-American time in the 200 IM. She helped lead the Royals to a league title and a 4th-place finish at the CIF-SS Finals Meet.
Girls Swimming – Taylor Steelman – San Marcos
Steelman’s year was headlined by a second-place finish in the 500 freestyle at the State Meet to earn All-American status. She placed 1st in both the 500 freestyle and 100 backstroke at the league finals, and followed that up with 5th in the 500 freestyle and 7th in the 200 freestyle at the CIF Finals.
Boys Track & Field – Carter Battle – Santa Barbara
Battle won the County and Channel League championship in the high jump. He set the school record in the event with a mark of 6 feet, 8.75 inches. He ended his season in sixth place in the CIF Finals and 10th place at the Masters Meet.
Boys Track & Field – Malachi Johnston – Santa Barbara
Johnston was the County and League Champion in both the shot put and the discus. He also made a strong run in the CIF playoffs, placing 4th in the shot put at the CIF Finals and 11th place at the Masters Meet.
Girls Track & Field – Elina Stump – Santa Barbara
Stump won the County and League Championships in the long jump, triple jump and 100-meter hurdles. She also earned a CIF Division 2 title in the long jump. She paired that with second-place finishes in the triple jump and 100 hurdles at the CIF Finals.
Boys Golf – Teddy Vigna – Dos Pueblos
Vigna finished the Channel League Individual Tournament with a total score of one-under-par, good for 3rd place. In the postseason, he placed 9th with a 5-under-par at the State Qualifier and came in 29th in the CIF State Championship.
Papia and Thorne-Thomsen helped lead the team to a co-WSC Championship. As a duo, they reached the 3C2A State Pairs Championship and played a key role in SBCC coming in third place as a team in the 3C2A State Championship Tournament.
Baseball – Ryan Humphreys – Westmont
Humphreys went 11-1 with a 2.44 ERA, a 1.02 WHIP and 107 strikeouts in 81 innings pitched. He was named the PacWest Pitcher of the Year and a First Team Division 2 All-American, helping the Warriors to a PacWest Championship and hosting a Regional Tournament.
Softball – Malaya Johnson – UCSB
Johnson was the go-to arm for the Gauchos, who went on an incredible run to win the Big West Championship Tournament. She was named the Big West Pitcher of the Year after going 22-10 with 1 2/68 ERA, a 1.26 WHIP and 112 strikeouts in 198 ⅔ innings pitched.
Women’s Swimming – Lily Carrick – SBCC
In the conference meet, Carrick won the 500 freestyle and 400 IM. She followed that up by winning Swimmer of the Meet at the State Meet after winning the 500 freestyle, 400 IM and 1,650 freestyle to give her team a State Runner-Up finish.
Men’s Volleyball – George Bruening – UCSB
Bruening collected an All-Big West Honorable Mention to go along with his spot on the All-Big West Freshman team. He racked up 201 points and 178 kills on the season, while also serving as the team’s go-to hitter in conference play.
Men’s Tennis – Mauritz Seitz – SBCC
Seitz captured the WSC Singles Championship and was named the WSC Co-Most Valuable Player. To go along with his singles dominance, he was also the WSC Doubles Runner-Up with teammate Ada Guler.
Women’s Tennis – Amelia Honer – UCSB
Honer earned her third straight Big West Player of the Year award. She was ranked the #16 player in the country at the end of the regular season after going 16-2 atop the Gaucho lineup. Of her 16 victories, 13 came in straight sets as UCSB captured the Big West Championship.
Women’s Track & Field – Kennedy Johnson – UCSB
Johnson first in the triple jump at the Crimson Elite Invite, Bruce Lehane Scarlet & White Invite, Gaucho Relays and Challenge Cup. Her jump of 12.61 meters set a new UCSB program record. She won the Big West title in the event and jumped a mark of 12.46 meters at the NCAA West Regionals.
Men’s Track & Field – Brad Thomas – UCSB
Thomas took first place in the Decathlon at the Big West Championships. He accumulated 8,108 points at the championship, setting a new UCSB and Big West record in the event. He also competed in the Javelin at the conference championship meet and took home fifth place.
Women’s Water Polo – Annie Kuester – UCSB
Kuester was the spark plug for the Gaucho offense this season, leading the way with 60 goals while also chipping in 21 assists to bring her season-long point total to 81. She also collected 32 steals on her way to an All-Big West Second Team selection.
Men’s Golf – Dylan Ma – UCSB
Ma earned himself an All-Big West Honorable Mention nod. He finished in second place individually at 9-under-par at the Big West Championships. On the season, he had a 74.1 stroke average, two top 10 finishes and four top 25 finishes.
Gray’s Creek’s Taylor Baggett’s senior season was one for the record books.
The Bears’ outside hitter and defensive specialist capped her high school career with a dominant final season that helped Gray’s Creek get to put together a ground-breaking year as the first high school volleyball team in school and county history to make it to an NCHSAA Final Four.
CLEVELAND, Ohio – St. Olaf College recorded its second-highest-ever finish in the fall standings of the Learfield Directors’ Cup by placing 15th out of 429 NCAA Division III institutions, as the standings were announced on Tuesday by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).
St. Olaf accumulated 241.0 points – its second-highest total ever in the fall – to rank 15th out of the 178 NCAA Division III institutions who earned points this fall. The initial release of the standings included all of the fall results except for the championship game of the NCAA Division III Football Championship. Neither of the institutions competing in the football title game can surpass St. Olaf regardless of the outcome of that game.
The Learfield Directors’ Cup is a program that honors institutions maintaining a broad-based athletics program, awarding points based on each institution’s national finishes in the NCAA Championships. This fall, St. Olaf’s men’s cross country, women’s cross country, men’s soccer, and women’s volleyball teams contributed to St. Olaf’s point total.
Men’s soccer earned 83 points by advancing to the national semifinals for the second time in program history. Men’s cross country collected 63 points thanks to its 13th-place finish at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships. Volleyball added 50 points with its second-round appearance in the NCAA Division III Women’s Volleyball Championship, while women’s cross country picked up 45 points after placing 29th nationally.
This year marked the sixth consecutive fall that St. Olaf has finished among the top 30 institutions in NCAA Division III, with the 15th-place finish being one spot shy of the t-14th finish in 1996-97 for the highest in school history. It was also St. Olaf’s sixth top-20 and eighth top-25 fall finish in the history of the Learfield Directors’ Cup, which first included NCAA Division III in 1995-96.
LA JOLLA, Calif. – UC San Diego Director of Athletics Andy Fee has announced the hiring of Spencer McLachlin as the Tritons’ new women’s volleyball head coach. McLachlin becomes the eighth head coach in program history. The 2026 season will mark UC San Diego’s final in The Big West before the program transitions to the West Coast Conference prior to the 2027 campaign.
“Spencer brings exactly what we need at this moment. He’s helped build winning programs, developed All-Americans, and knows how to compete at the highest level,” Fee said. “His playing career at Stanford and coaching experience at Hawaii, Cal, UCLA, Indiana, and USC give him a deep understanding of what championship volleyball looks like in major conferences. But what really stood out was his approach to the whole scholar-athlete experience. He gets what we’re building here at UC San Diego as we establish ourselves in Division I and look ahead to the West Coast Conference. Our scholar-athletes are going to love playing for him, and I’m confident he’ll have this program competing for championships.”
McLachlin recently completed his third season as an associate head coach for the USC women’s volleyball program. He helped lead the Women of Troy to 25 wins, a fourth-place finish in the ultra-competitive Big Ten, and an NCAA second round appearance. The 2025 team placed six on all-conference teams. In 2024, the Trojans advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament for the third straight year and finished 22-10 overall with a 13-7 mark in the Big Ten (tied for sixth). Setter Mia Tuaniga was named to the AVCA All-America third team. In his first season with the Women of Troy, McLachlin helped USC go 19-13 with a 12-8 mark in Pac-12 matches for a fifth-place finish. Outside hitter Skylar Fields was honored with AVCA All-America first-team recognition.
“I am thrilled to join UC San Diego as the Head Coach of the women’s volleyball program,” McLachlin said. “This is an incredible opportunity for my family and me to be part of an historic and beautiful university and build a program with great potential. I want to thank Andy Fee for trusting my family and me with this role, for his commitment to supporting the future of Triton athletics, and for his vision of the volleyball program specifically. His leadership and commitment to excellence make this an exciting time to be part of the UC San Diego athletic department. Go Tritons!”
Previously, McLachlin served as the associate head coach at Indiana in 2022 where he was responsible for coordinating the defense and blocking. The Hoosiers were 16-16 and went 9-11 in the Big Ten to finish eighth in the conference standings. IU’s nine conference victories were its most since 2010 and the team had its highest finish since the Big Ten expanded to 14 teams (2014).
Prior to Indiana, McLachlin was an assistant coach for the UCLA men’s volleyball program for four years, from 2018-2021. He has also had experience coaching at the international level with the U.S. men’s national team where he was on staffs for squads which competed in the Pan American Cup and NORCECA Champions cup.
Before he joined the UCLA men’s program, McLachlin spent two seasons (2016-17) as an assistant coach at California for the Golden Bears’ women’s team. In 2017, he was named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Thirty Under 30 list, an honor presented to up-and-coming coaching talents across all levels of volleyball. McLachlin got his start in coaching as an assistant for the men’s volleyball program at Hawai’i. During his time with the Warriors, the team earned a bid to the NCAA tournament for the first time in 13 seasons.
As a student-athlete, McLachlin competed at Stanford from 2008-11 as an outside hitter. He won a national championship with the Cardinal in 2010 and finished his career among the program’s all-time leaders in kills with 1,288. McLachlin was a senior captain, an All-MPSF second team selection, and received MPSF all-academic team recognition three times.
McLachlin graduated from Stanford with a degree in political science in 2011 and completed a Master of Education in 2012 while serving as a club coach for the Bay-to-Bay Volleyball Club.
As a professional athlete, McLachlin was an outside hitter for Mas NIKI Aiginio in Greece for three years from 2012 to 2014.
McLachlin and his wife Diane have three children: daughters Leila and Malia, and a son, Koa.
About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program has begun a new era as a member of The Big West inNCAA Division I. The 24-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world’s preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in NCAA Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.comor follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.
Hawaii men’s volleyball coach Charlie Wade guided the Rainbow Warriors to 27 wins and a Big West Conference championship last season.
The Hawaii men’s volleyball team will open its 2026 season in 10 days ranked No. 2 in the country according to the AVCA National Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Preseason Poll released today.
The Rainbow Warriors, who finished 27-6 last season and won a Big West championship before losing in the semifinals of the NCAA Championship, received seven of 25 first-place votes and was eight points behind No. 1 UCLA, which ended Hawaii’s season in a three-set sweep in Columbus, Ohio in May.
Defending national champion Long Beach State received five first-place votes and is ranked No. 3 going into the season, ahead of Pepperdine and No. 5 Southern California, which earned the final first-place vote.
The other Big West teams in the top 20 include No. 6 UC Irvine, No. 10 UC San Diego, No. 11 Cal State Northridge and No. 17 UC Santa Barbara.
UH’s nonconferene schedule includes home matches on Jan. 6 and 8 against No. 7 Loyola Chicago and road trips at No. 9 Stanford and No. 13 Penn State.
Hawaii also hosts the fourth-ranked Waves and will play No. 12 Lewis and the top-ranked Bruins in the Outrigger Invitational.
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A four-team NIL Tournament in currently scheduled for Feb. 19 and 20 in the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., and will feature four of the top five teams in the poll.
Hawaii lost starters Kurt Nusterer and ‘Eleu Choy to graduation last season but return its top four leaders in kills as well as junior setter Tread Rosenthal.
Rosenthal was named to the All-Big West first team along with returning sophomores Adrien Roure and Kristian Titriyski.
UH opens the season against NJIT on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, at 7 p.m. at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
MADISON, Wis. – The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics and LEARFIELD released its Fall Division I Learfield Directors’ Cup standings this Tuesday, with Wisconsin placing eighth after a another successful fall season.
The Badgers finished the season with 236.00 points, within 10 points of Georgetown, Colorado and BYU who finished in seventh, sixth and fifth, respectively. North Carolina finished as the top program with 359.00 points.
This is the third straight fall season where the Badgers have finished within the top-ten schools. UW also was the Big Ten’s top finisher, edging out Washington at No. 10 overall with 228.00 points
Wisconsin’s point total was bolstered this fall by a final four appearance from the volleyball team, led by AVCA All-American Mimi Colyer. The team made its third final-four appearance in the past five seasons, compiling a 28-5 overall record, including a 13-1 stretch in its last 14 matches. Wisconsin finished as the third-ranked volleyball team in Learfield standings, coming up with 83 points.
The men’s cross country team contributed the second most points with 55, after a third place NCAA regional placement led to a 19th place finish at the NCAA Championships in Columbia, Missouri. Liam Newhart led the team with 29:28.5 time at the 10K Gans Creek Cross Country Course.
The Badgers were rewarded 50 points from their women’s soccer team after clincing their third straight NCAA Tournament appearance. Wisconsin took down three top-10 ranked teams on its way to a 14-6-2 record, peaking with a 3-2 overtime victory over Western Michigan in NCAAs. The Badgers finished the season as the 17th ranked women’s soccer program in the standings.
Additionally, the women’s cross country competed at the NCAA Championships in their fifth consecutive appearance in the final meet of the season. The unit finished in 26th place, providing 48 points to round out the scoring for the Badgers.
The Learfield Directors’ Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today. Points are awarded based on each institution’s finish in NCAA Championships.
Wisconsin’s history in the LEARFIELD Directors’ Cup can be viewed here.
Lauren Lee’s journey to an unprecedented 5,000 career assists for the Hope College volleyball team began on the beach.
The standout Hope setter often traveled to sandy courts with her family as a child. Lee did not need to look far for inspiration to pick up the sport — or to decide where she wanted to play.
“I started playing volleyball because my dad played at the University of Michigan. He was a setter on their men’s team,” Lee said of her father, Dr. Stan Lee, an orthopaedic spine surgeon at Lucent Spine, PLLC, Specialists in Spine Surgery, in the Detroit area. “I grew up watching him play beach volleyball with his friends. I became a setter because of my dad’s passion for the position and the game. He showed me all the tricky things you can do as a setter and how impactful the position can be.”
Lee, a biology major, closed an outstanding four-year career for the Flying Dutch that included numerous individual achievements:
5,001 career assists over 129 matches, a school record;
four All-America selections from the American Volleyball Coaches Association;
four All-MIAA First Team honors, including Most Valuable Player as a senior and Freshman of the Year in 2022;
one AVCA Freshman of the Year award.
Lee played a central role in an exceptional four-year stretch for Hope volleyball.
The Flying Dutch finished as national runner-up in 2023, reached the national semifinals in 2024 and advanced to the national quarterfinals in 2022. Hope earned three consecutive MIAA regular-season championships for the second time in program history and captured back-to-back MIAA Tournament titles for the first time.
Setting the Table
In all, Lee set the table for the Flying Dutch’s success, head coach Becky Schmidt said.
“I’m super proud of Lauren — 5,000 assists is absolutely huge,” Schmidt said. “She’s an incredible setter and just does so much for us. It’s been so much fun to watch.”
Schmidt believes Hope benefited greatly from Lee playing for the Flying Dutch.
“If she were four or five inches taller, she’d be playing in the Big Ten and doing really great things,” Schmidt said. “I am so thankful for her contributions over her four years. She has done really great things.”
Lee is grateful she chose Hope four years ago as well. While the team’s accomplishments have been rewarding and the individual accolades and milestones bring pride, she said they happened because of the people she played with.
“I am super proud of myself, but more importantly, I am thankful for the help of my team for the past four years,” Lee said. “The primary reason I have been able to reach 5,000 assists is because of the amazing hitters who have put the ball away, the passers who have handled serves and swings so that I can have full offensive autonomy, and the coaching staff who has helped us extend our season as long as possible every year.
“I am humbled and grateful to receive the credit and praise, but this milestone is truly a product of a team effort.”
The journey to 5,000 collegiate assists — and so much more — started with logging countless hours on the beach as a young fan.
Like her father, Lee has shown others how to set and assist teammates on the court. It’s a shared family passion.
“I just love the feeling of chasing down the ball and fixing plays,” Lee said. “When it’s perfect, I love setting others up for success because I know I can’t hit the ball as hard as Kamryn Burbridge or Ella Contant. It’s so awesome to see someone hit the ball as hard as possible.”
