EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State head volleyball coach Kristen Kelsay has rounded out her staff for the 2025 season, announcing the additions of Matt Jackson as an assistant coach and four-year Spartan letterwinner Julia Bishop as a graduate assistant Sunday.

“I am thrilled to add Matt and Julia to our staff,” said Kelsay. “Matt is a welcome addition to our Spartan family and the perfect piece to round out our coaching staff. Julia is a Spartan through and through and I cannot wait to see her coaching career flourish, starting with her alma mater.”

Big time in the 517!

Completing our coaching staff is Matt Jackson as our assistant coach and Julia Bishop as our graduate assistant!#GoGreen pic.twitter.com/BP8AEGITiM

— Michigan State Volleyball (@MSU_Volleyball) June 1, 2025

Jackson arrives in East Lansing after serving as a club coach at Winter Park Volleyball Club in Winter Park, Florida, since 2014. At WPVC, Jackson worked as a head coach for players between the ages of 12 and 18 and also worked as WPVC’s lead mentor, leading a group of 25 mentors. 

Since 2023, Jackson has served as the program lead at West Orange High School in Winter Garden, Florida, coaching both the varsity and freshman volleyball teams. 

Jackson, who hails from Ococee, Florida, holds VertiMax and USA Volleyball IMPACT certifications. He graduated from the University of Central Florida in December 2018 with a degree in sport and exercise science and was a setter on UCF’s club volleyball team. 

“I am thrilled to be joining Michigan State at such an exciting time with the return of head coach Kristen Kelsay to the program and such an amazing staff,” said Jackson. “I am looking forward to joining MSU at a time where things are on the up and can’t wait to see where we can take this program. I would like to thank Coach Kristen for giving me an opportunity to join this staff and Coach Aaron and Shawna from WPVC for giving me a platform to grow as a coach and be ready for this opportunity.”  

Bishop, a setter at MSU from 2021-24, finished her career as one of just five three-time captains in program history. In four seasons, she logged 1,761 assists, 572 digs, 131 kills and 56 service aces. Last October, Bishop was named one of 18 recipients of the American Volleyball Association (AVCA) Coaches 4 Coaches Scholarship, awarded to young coaches and recent college graduates who have interest in coaching volleyball. She was the only active undergraduate student-athlete to earn the scholarship in 2024. 

The Dearborn, Michigan, native is the owner of Zone1 Volleyball Training, where she attends and coaches interscholastic volleyball camps throughout the state of Michigan. 

Bishop graduated from MSU with a degree in computational data science this spring. She is a three-time College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honoree, three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and 2023 Big Ten Distinguished Scholar. 

“I’m incredibly grateful and excited to be joining the Michigan State volleyball staff,” said Bishop. “It is a privilege to come back in this new role and contribute to a program and university that have given me so much. I’d like to thank Coach Kristen Kelsay and the entire staff for believing in me and giving me this opportunity. I am thrilled to start this next chapter! Go Green!” 

A transgender female student athlete competing at California’s high school track and field championship finals took home first place in the high jump and triple jump, and second place in the long jump.

It marked a historic moment at the 2025 CIF Track and Field Championships held on Saturday at Buchanan High School in Clovis. There has not been a known transgender student reach the state finals in the competitions until this year.

The participation in the track and field championships by Jurupa Valley High School junior AB Hernandez has in some ways pushed the limits on how the broader participation of transgender student athletes in sports can look.

It forced the state agency that oversees high school sports to grapple with how to address when a transgender student athlete participates in games, but the agency did so in the face of heavy criticism over the fairness of allowing a transgender female to compete against non transgender females.

The championships even drew national attention, including from President Trump – who threatened to withhold federal funding from California over the student’s participation in the games. The federal Department of Justice also announced it would investigate whether California was violating the landmark civil rights laws known as Title IX. The investigation centers on a state law passed in 2013 that allows students who meet certain requirements to compete on sports teams that reflect their gender identity, rather than their biological sex.

CLOVIS, CALIFORNIA – MAY 30: Transgender athlete AB Hernandez of Jurupa Valley competes in the girls long jump during the CIF State Track and Field Championships at Veterans Memorial Stadium on May 30, 2025 in Clovis, California.

(

Kirby Lee/Getty Images

/

Getty Images North America

)

AB Hernandez gets to keep her wins, but so do the female athletes that came in just behind her in the jumping events. This is the case after the CIF changed the rules to allow for an additional female competitor to get a medal if they are beaten by the transgender female athlete.

While Hernandez secured wins in her jumping events, the changes put her virtually in a league of her own.

The CIF initially expanded the eligibility for more “biological females” to compete in the championships than had previously qualified, and later made another change to the rules to allow a girl who placed second to a transgender athlete to also share the medal and spot on the podium.

The change is an experiment that came after mounting pressure and protest by some residents and public officials in the state. Gov. Gavin Newsom and some coaches and spectators at the championship events said they thought the rules were a fair compromise.

But in what was a clamorous week of outrage, there were stronger calls to have Hernandez eliminated from the games altogether. Local officials held a press conference in Clovis on Thursday to speak out against Hernandez’s participation, as well as to call for the protection of girls’ sports.

CLOVIS, CALIFORNIA – MAY 30: A plane tows a sign that reads No Boys in Girls Sports in protest to transgender athlete AB Hernandez of Jurupa Valley (not pictured) during the CIF State Track and Field Championships at Veterans Memorial Stadium on May 30, 2025 in Clovis, California.

(

Kirby Lee/Getty Images

/

Getty Images North America

)

On Saturday, cheers erupted when Hernandez’s name was called as she stood on the track before her competition. In the distance, a small crowd of protesters tried to form a chant as her name was called. They stood outside the stadium as they had a day before.

The small protest was largely drowned out by the cheering and focus on the competitions inside the stadium. A day earlier one person was arrested for allegedly striking another during the protest. And a small airplane flew over the stadium with a banner that read “No boys in girls’ sports.”

Inside the stadium Saturday, there were no apparent disruptions or major displays of political infighting. Some spectators wore T-shirts that displayed words against the transgender athlete’s participation in the games.

There was a brief pause in one moment, when an announcer asked spectators to respect the athletes who were there to compete, including Hernandez.

Against almost any other team, the Woburn High boys volleyball team’s performance on Saturday would have allowed the Tanners to come out on top.

Woburn, however, was going up against Needham, one of the top programs in the state and winner of three of the last four state titles.

The Tanners gave the Rockets all they could handle, however, before falling 3-1 (25-22, 23-25, 25-21, 25-14) in the MIAA Division 1 state round of 32 at NHS’ DeFazio Gymnasium.

“The guys played fantastic,” said Woburn coach Scott Roy. “We tried to hang in their with the mindset that they’re playing against future Division 1 college players and you might as well go in there and do all you can and what’s the worst that can happen.”

Woburn, the 30th seed, finished its season at 14-8. The Tanners, in the third year as a varsity program, won seven straight matches before Saturday.

Needham, seeded third, advanced with an 18-5 record.

In the first set, the score was tied at 22 before the Rockets pulled away to close out the set.

Woburn came back to win the second set, however before Needham won the next two sets and the match.

“We kept it together and won the second set,” Roy said. “We stayed with them point for point in the third until it got into the 20s.”

Senior Marcio Castro made 19 kills. Ryan Le made just two errors, both late in the match. Trey Skumin added 12 kills and two blocks.

On Thursday, Woburn won its first tournament match in the program’s history, defeating North Quincy 3-1 (25-14, 23-25, 25-21, 25-21).

Castro made 16 kills and Le added 14. Castro also made five blocks.

Mateo Qirjazi made 37 assists.

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

★ To get the daily Sports Examiner Recap by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Transgender ● There were some modest protests at the California State Meet in Clovis over the participation of Jurupa Valley’s transgender female AB Hernandez, who ended up with two wins and a second in the three finals contested on Saturday.

Hernandez won the girls high jump by clearing 1.70 m (5-7) on her first try, with two others – Lelani Laruelle (Monta Vista) and Jillene Wetteland (Long Beach Poly) – also given first place, moving up from what would have been a tie for second, due to Hernandez’s status as a transgender.

In the long jump, Hernandez finished second at 6.31 mw (20-8 3/4) on her fifth jump, only to have Long Beach Wilson’s defending champion Loren Webster pass her in the fifth round and win at 6.40 m (21-0 1/4). Brooke White (River City) was also placed second, jumping 5.89 m (19-4 1/4).

It was no contest in the triple jump, with Hernandez getting out to 12.49 m (41-0) in the first round and then to 12.87 m (42-2 3/4) in round two to win easily; all six of her marks would have won. Kira Grant Hatcher (St. Mary’s) reached 12.31 m (40-5) in the second round and was scored as the co-champion in the event, according to the rules adopted by the CIF elevating biological females to any place won by a trans competitor.

¶

At the Washington State track & field championships in Tacoma, transgender Veronica Garcia (East Valley senior) repeated as the girls Class 2A 400 m winner in 55.70, well ahead of Lauren Matthew (West Valley: 56.75), who was second for the second straight year (in the same time!).

Reports indicated significantly louder and wider protests at the meet than at the California State event, including booing from the crowd after her race.

Both meets are over and the conflict will now continue, off the track.

● Badminton ● Further to Friday’s report that the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee has asked USA Badminton to voluntarily surrender its status as the National Governing Body for the sport in the United States, it turns out that this is not the first time this situation has occurred.

Mike Harrigan, the executive director of the President’s Commission on Olympic Sports (1975-77) and principal architect of the Amateur Sports Act of 1978 (now the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act), told TSX that this also happened in the sport of shooting.

In 1993, a U.S. Olympic Committee (as then known) hearing panel declared that the National Rifle Association should not be the National Governing Body for the sport and declared a “vacancy.” The NRA had, under the Act, a right to appeal the decision in arbitration, but chose not to do so and left the scene. The subsequent process created USA Shooting, which remains the U.S. NGB in the sport today.

The badminton situation, as noted in our story, is unusual, in that the USOPC has asked USA Badminton to withdraw, but has not yet – as contemplated by the Act – either placed it on probation or de-certified it; in both cases, USA Badminton could file for arbitration on the decision.

A long-time observer of U.S. badminton told TSX that it was unlikely that USA Badminton with voluntarily withdraw as the American governing body for the sport.

● Football ● The Mexico Football Federation noted in a summary from a Liga MX owners meeting on Monday (26th) that it would also host matches during the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The tournament will expand to 48 teams and 104 matches, and although the U.S. was the only bidder, it indicated that matches would also be hosted by “other CONCACAF countries.”

● Swimming ● American Olympic star Lilly King announced that she will conclude her competitive career at the end of the 2025 season. She wrote on Instagram:

“Well folks, my time has come.

“This will be my final season competing. I’m fortunate heading into retirement being able to say I have accomplished everything I have ever wanted in this sport. I feel fulfilled.”

One of the greatest Breaststroke swimmers in history, King, now 28, won the women’s 100 m gold at Rio 2016 and bronze at Tokyo 2020, and a Tokyo 2020 silver in the 200 m Breast. She also swam on two gold-medal-winning U.S. medley relay teams, in 2016 and 2024.

She won 11 World Championships golds, two silvers and a bronze from 2017-23 and could qualify for another at this week’s USA Swimming nationals in Indianapolis. Among her Worlds wins were individual wins in the 50-100 m Breast double in 2017 and 2019 and the 200 m in 2022, plus six relay golds.

King holds the 100 m Breast world record at 1:04.13 from 2017 and held the 50 m world mark at 29.40 from 2017 to 2021.

≡ RESULTS ≡

● Athletics ● Norway’s Sander Skotheim, the 2025 World Indoor heptathlon champion, is no longer an emerging star, but the man to beat in the decathlon with a huge win at the annual Hypomeeting in Gotzis (AUT), scoring a sensational 8,909 points.

Still just 23, he crushed his old best of 8,635 from 2024, winning the high jump and getting lifetime bests in the 100 m (10.70), 110 m hurdles (14.12) and discus (49.18 m/161-4). His 8,909 is a national record and moves him to equal-seventh on the all-time list!

American Kyle Garland finished second at 8,626, no. 2 in the world for 2025, followed by Swiss star Simon Ehammer (8,575 national record) and Niklas Kaul (GER: also 8,575). Health Baldwin of the U.S. finished seventh at 8,430.

Ehammer also equaled the world lead in the long jump, reaching 8.34 m (27-4 1/2) on his first try, matching Jamaica’s 2019 World Champion Tajay Gayle’s mark from February.

Olympic fifth-placer and 2023 Worlds silver medalist Anna Hall of the U.S. reached a long-time goal, becoming the fifth woman in history to reach 7,000 points, winning with a world-leading 7,032!

She won the high jump (1.95 m/6-4 3/4), shot put (14.86 m/48-9) and 800 m (2:01.23), and scored lifetime bests in the high jump, shot, javelin (46.16 m/151-5) and 800 m. She is the fifth heptathlete ever to break the 7,000-point level.

Sofie Dokter (NED) was second with a lifetime best of 6,576, then Martha Araujo (COL) with a South American record of 6.475, and American Michelle Atherley at 6,425 in fourth. Allie Jones of the U.S. was in sixth place with a lifetime best of 6,367, and Erin Marsh got a lifetime best of 6,171 in 11th.

¶

At a meet in Palermo, Sicily, Italy’s European Indoor champ Larissa Iapichino reached a world-leading 7.06 m (23-2) in the second round of the women’s long jump, a lifetime best, and her first meet beyond 7 m.

● Badminton ● Thailand scored two wins at the BWF World Tour Singapore Open, with second-seeded Kunlavut Vitidsarn (THA) won the men’s Singles over Guang Zu Lu (CHN) , 21-6, 21-10, plus a three-set win in the Mixed Doubles by Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran in the Mixed Doubles.

Yu Fei Chen won the all-China women’s Singles final over Zhi Yi Wang by 21-11, 21-11, while Malaysia won the men’s Doubles and Korea took the women’s Doubles.

● Beach Volleyball ● A brilliant final between the last two Olympic men’s winners highlighted the Beach Pro Tour Elite 16 in Ostrava (CZE).

The final pitted Tokyo 2020 champions Anders Mol and Christian Sorum (NOR) – the top seeds in this tournament – and no. 4 David Ahman and Jonatan Hellvig (SWE), the Paris 2024 winners. It took three sets, but after Mol and Sorum won a marathon, 30-28 first set, the Swedes swept back to win the last two, 21-17 and 15-7.

The 2023 World Champions, Ondrej Perusic and David Schweiner (CZE) took the bronze over Poland’s Bartosz Losiak and Michal Bryl (POL), 23-21, 21-13.

Brazil’s Thamela Galil and Victoria Tosta swept through the women’s tournament, defeating Latvia’s Tina Graudina and Anastasija Samoilova in the final by 21-16, 21-11.

Swiss sisters Anouk Verge-Depre and Zoe Verge-Depre took the bronze, 21-18, 16-21, 15-12 over sisters Dorina Klinger and Ronja Klinger (AUT)!

● Cycling ● Saturday’s 20th stage of the 108th Giro d’Italia was the last shot for all of the challengers to Mexico’s Isaac Del Toro, 21, who had led the event since stage 9. He started with a 43-second lead on Richard Carapaz (ECU) and 1:21 on Simon Yates (GBR), the 2018 Vuelta a Espana winner.

The stage had a brutal finish, with two big climbs in the final third of the 205 km ride from Verres (354 m altitude) up to the ski resort of Sestriere (2,036 m)! The Colle de Finestre rose from 500 m to 2,172 m over 18.4 km, followed by a descent and then an uphill finish to Sestriere, rising from 1,418 m to 2,036 m over the final 16.3 km.

Australian Chris Harper was able to shake free of the peloton on the Finestre climb and rode away over the final 32 km to win in 5:27:29. All the action was behind him, as Yates dropped Del Toro and Carapaz on the way up the Finestre, eventually battling with Alessandro Verre (ITA) for second.

Verre finished 1:49 behind the winner, but Yates (1:57) ended up crushing his rivals, as Del Toro was ninth (+7:10) and Carapaz was 14th (+7:14) and lost touch with the race lead. Yates led Del Toro by 3:56 and Carapaz by 4:43 with only Sunday’s ride in and around Rome remaining.

The flat, 143 km, eight-loop celebration on Sunday began at the Vatican Gardens as a salute to the late Pope Francis and new Pope Leo IV. The mass sprint at the end saw Olav Kooij (NED) win his second stage of the race, in 3:12:19 as the first 91 riders were given the same time. Kaden Groves (AUS) and Matteo Moschetti (ITA) finished 2-3.

Yates was 74th and won his second career Grand Tour in 82:31:01, ahead of Mexico’s Del Toro (+3:56) and 2019 winner Carapaz (+4:43). American Brandon McNulty was ninth overall (+13:36).

¶

Canada’s Jackson Goldstone, 2021 World Junior Champion, took the men’s UCI Mountain Bike World Series Downhill in Loudonvielle (FRA) in 3:13.192 in a tight finish with 2019 Worlds bronze medalist Amaury Pierron (FRA: 3:14.729). Jordan Williams (GBR) was third at 3:16.163 with Luca Shaw and Ryan Pinkerton of the U.S. in 5-6 at 3:16.776 and 3:17.056.

Canada’s Gracey Hemstreet made it a sweep in the women’s Downhill, winning 3:39.179, ahead of three-time defending World Champion Valentina Hoell (AUT: 3:42.348) and nine-time World Cup winner Tahnee Seagrave (GBR: 3:48.081). American Anna Newkirk finished fifth in 3:48.865.

¶

At the UCI BMX Freestyle Park World Cup in Montpelier (FRA), American 2024 Olympian Marcus Christopher – fourth in the Olympic final – won the men’s final, scoring 95.20 to edge Olympic bronzer Anthony Jeanjean (FRA), at 94.86. Britain’s Dylan Hessey got third (93.00) with Justin Dowell of the U.S. fourth at 90.00.

China’s Sibei Sun took the women’s title at 93.10, ahead of Ozawa Miharu (JPN: 89.84) and six-time World Champion Hannah Roberts (USA: 87.60). Olympic winner Yawen Deng finished fourth (82.20).

● Football ● After losses in two of their last three matches, the U.S. women faced China at St. Paul, Minnesota, and dominated the game from start to finish on the way to a 3-0 win.

After two close chances for the U.S., a shot in the box by forward Alyssa Thompson squirted free and striker Catarina Macario managed to pop it into the goal for a 1-0 lead in the 28th minute. In the 35th, another good U.S. possession had Macario sending a pass back to the middle of the box, where midfielder Sam Coffey popped the ball over the defense and into the goal for the 2-0 lead at halftime.

In the second half, the only score came from midfield star Lindsey Heaps, who sent a pass to the right side of the China zone that was picked up by forward Michelle Cooper, who sent a perfect cross back to the middle of the box. Heaps headed it into the right corner of the China goal in the 54th minute for the 3-0 final.

The Chinese had very few looks at goal, as the U.S. finished with a 70-30% possession edge and an 18-4 shots advantage. Phallon Tullis-Joyce got the shutout in goal for the Americans.

Midfielder Lo’eau LaBonta, age 32, became the oldest player to make her international debut for the U.S., as she entered in the 70th minute.

The U.S. women will face Jamaica on Tuesday (3rd) in St. Louis to finish this match set.

● Gymnastics ● At the Pan American Rhythmic Championships in Asuncion (PAR), American Alessia Keys took the All-Around gold, scoring 116.050 points, ahead of Barbara Domingo (BRA: 113.400), with fellow American Megan Chu in fourth (112.500).

The U.S. swept the apparatus finals, with Chu winning on Hoop (28.200) with Keys fourth (27.650), and on Ribbon at 28.350, with Keys second at 27.650.

Keys won on Clubs (28.350) with Chu third (27.150) and on Clubs (28.900) with Chu fourth (27.700).

The U.S., with Keys and Chu, also won the team title at 228.550 to 226.050 for Brazil.

● Shooting ● At USA Shooting national championships in Trap in Hillsdale, Michigan, 2022 World Champion Derrick Mein won the men’s final, 42-41, over Paris Olympian Will Hinton. Casey Wallace finished third (32). Hinton led the qualifying at 234/250, with Mein at 230.

Loretta Christian won the women’s final, scoring 35 to edge Aiko Bianca Coloso (34), with Ava Downs in third (26). Christian led the qualifying at 217, ahead of Downs and two-time Pan American Games medalist Rachel Tozier, both at 217.

● Sport Climbing ● The third IFSC Speed World Cup was in Denver, Colorado, finishing on Sunday. This post will be updated when results are available.

● Triathlon ● Olympic and World Champion Cassandre Beaugrand (FRA) dominated the women’s Olympic-distance competition at the World Triathlon Championship Series in Alghero (ITA).

Only seventh out of the water, she was quick onto the bike and had the third-fastest time in the field. That only expanded as she recorded the fourth-fastest 10 km run and finished in 1:55:55, a full 38 seconds ahead of runner-up Biance Seregni (ITA: 1:56:33), with Olivia Mathias (GBR: 1:57:04) in third place.

Summer Rappaport was the top American, in 28th at 2:03:41.

The men’s race had a similar story, with Brazilian Miguel Hidalgo no. 5 out of the water and then third-fastest on the bike. That means that when combined with the third-fastest run of the day, he won easily – Brazil’s first-ever WTCS men’s gold – in 1:44:05. Australia’s three-time World Cup winner Matthew Hauser was a distant second in 1:44:33, then 2022 World Champion Leo Bergere (FRA: 1:45:09).

Chase McQueen was the best American finisher, in 11th (1:46:34).

¶

★ Receive our exclusive, weekday TSX Recap by e-mail by clicking here.
★ Sign up a friend to receive the TSX Recap by clicking here.
★ Please consider a donation here to keep this site going.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

Playing a fifth set was a familiar experience for the Winchester High

boys volleyball team and that experienced helped the Red and Black live to play

another day.

Winchester prevailed, 3-2 (24-26, 25-23, 19-25, 25-19, 15-10)  against Methuen on

Friday in the round of 32 in the MIAA Division 1 state tournament at the McCall Middle

School.

“We’ve had maybe five five-set matches this season and that experience helped,” said

Winchester coach John Fleming. “We got out to an early lead (in the fifth set) and just

hung on for dear life.”

Winchester, seeded 15th, improved to 15-6 and will face the winner of Sunday’s match

between second-seeded Natick and 34th-seeded Andover. Methuen, seeded 18th,

finished its season at 15-6.

Trailing 2 sets to 1 going into the fourth set, the Red and Black climbed out to an early

4-1 lead and stayed in front throughout the set. Winchester led by as many as eight

points, 16-8, serving for four straight points. Haoran Jiang served for the final two points

of the set, sending it to the fifth set.

“When you’re down 21 it can easily go the other way,” Fleming said. “We really did well

in the fourth set and I’m proud of our guys.”

In the fifth set, the score was tied at 10 before the Red and Black forced a side-out and

stayed in the lead in the rest of the way. Arthur Sampaio made the kill for match point.

On the preceding play, Jiang made the kill.

Brian Jiang made two kills during the final set

”Everybody on the floor came through for us,” Fleming said.

In the first set, Winchester held a 24-21 lead but the Rangers scored five straight points

to win it, 26-21.

In the second set, Bryan Jiang’s kill tied the score at 23 and Haoran Jiang served for the

last two points, assuring at least a fourth set.

Methuen won the third set 25-19, 

“It was exactly what I thought it would be,” Fleming said. “It was a super-competitive,

tough match.”

Pallanuoto Siena closed the regular phase of the Uisp youth championships in the best possible way, qualifying for the regional finals with both the Under 16 and Under 14 teams. For the latter, the final act of the regular season took place in the I Tre Ragazzi pool in Porto Santo Stefano, against Torre Pontassieve Giallo. The first half was balanced, Siena took the lead and stood out for its defensive effectiveness. The second half was intense, with many chances on both sides, Siena finding the only goal of the partial. The third half, in which the teams faced each other openly, ended 4-2 for Siena. In the last quarter Pontassieve managed to overturn the result with a partial of 4-1 (6-5), but the black and whites, with determination, found the equalizer. The final moments of the match were frenetic, but the final whistle sealed the final 6-6 which, thanks to the favorable goal difference, gave the Bianconeri access to the regional final stages. Goals for Iannello’s boys included Sabaly (two goals), Vittori, Contigiani, Scarpelli, Damiani. Also at Argentario, the match between Valdarno and Siena U16 was played: already qualified, the two teams faced each other to improve their standings. Siena’s initial lead was met by Valdarno who responded with three goals in a few minutes. The second set was balanced (2-2); in the third Siena picked up the pace and took the lead 7-6. In the last set Siena closed the gap to 10-9, but in the final Valdarno scored the 11-9 goal. The Under 16s therefore finished in fourth place: in the play-offs they will face the league leaders Lucca. In goals, for Burroni’s team, Bossini 4, Grazzini 3, Calvellini 1, Giudilli 1. The qualification of both teams for the regional play-offs, scheduled for June 15 in Livorno, represents an important confirmation of the growth of the Juventus youth team. Until the end of June, free trials for children born in 2014, 2015 and 2016 continue every Tuesday afternoon. Registration is required at https://forms.gle/G7hQuvcd6cMSVCSKA.