Sports
Seneca Valley tops Penn-Trafford, gets another shot at WPIAL boys volleyball title
By: Josh Rizzo Tuesday, May 20, 2025 | 9:11 PM Josh Rizzo | For TribLive Seneca Valley’s Mason Chapman high fives a teammate following the game-winning point in the fifth set against Penn-Trafford. Josh Rizzo | For TribLive Penn-Trafford middle hitter Nick Laskey pushes a shot past Seneca Valley’s Jordan Hoover during the second set of […]
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Tuesday, May 20, 2025 | 9:11 PM
Jordan Hoover desperately wants to be part of the Seneca Valley boys volleyball team that kicks down the door and wins a WPIAL Class 3A championship.
The 6-foot-5 senior middle hitter and his teammates needed a strong fifth set to make sure they didn’t fall over the front stoop on their way in Tuesday night at Fox Chapel. Seneca Valley held off a ferocious effort from sixth-seeded Penn-Trafford, picking up a 3-2 (25-20, 22-25, 25-20, 20-25, 15-3) win to reach the WPIAL title game for the fourth time in the past 10 years.
The Raiders lost to Fox Chapel in 2015 and had a pair off losses to North Allegheny in 2021 and 2022.
“It would mean a lot,” Hoover said. “My older brother, Grant, came through the program, and he was on one of the teams that lost to NA. Just to be able to be the one to finally win and get a WPIAL banner up would be a big deal for me.”
The second-seeded Raiders (13-4) couldn’t get out of their own way. Seneca Valley had 23 errors during the first two sets.
The Raiders’ serving was erratic through the match.
“We struggled all night,” Seneca Valley coach Brett Poirier said. “This was probably the worst match we played all year. I can’t believe it came in the semis. When you struggle, you need little breaks and little things to go through. In the fifth set, I said we have to block better, pass better and do everything better.”
The Raiders made sure the fifth set was a formality. Penn-Trafford gave away the first point on an attack error. Mario Adolino followed with a service ace that dipped inside the line.
After a service error from Penn-Trafford, Malachi DeGraaf and Hoover had kills to stake the Raiders out to a 5-1 lead in the final set.
Penn-Trafford (12-7) wouldn’t get any closer.
Warriors coach Jim Schall said he was happy with the Warriors’ effort. Penn-Trafford still has a chance to reach the PIAA playoffs with a win in the third-place match.
“I’m really proud of the guys,” Schall said. “We were a third-place team in our section, I thought we were pretty good. I’m proud of the guys for the way they fought hard through the match. Unfortunately, we needed to get through that stretch in the fifth set still in the ballgame.”
Schall’s greatest challenge was to find a way to handle Seneca Valley’s middle blockers, 6-foot-9 Brandon Suski and Hoover. Once Penn-Trafford dropped a closely contested first set, Schall believed the Warriors would have a chance to make Seneca Valley sweat.
Owen Gisi and Nick Laskey hit well for the Warriors.
“For the most part, we handled their middle guys OK,” Schall said. “(Hoover) has a fantastic fifth game hitting and blocking. We did well enough to take their big guy (Suski) out. They had to put another guy in. We had to serve well.”
Hoover finished with 15 kills for the Raiders, and DeGraaf had 12. Seneca Valley now needs to find the combination necessary to earn a long-coveted championship.
“I just wanted our team to stay up and have the energy,” Hoover said. “When we get down on ourselves, that’s when we play worse. Even when we are playing badly, we have to keep the energy up.”
Tags: Penn-Trafford, Seneca Valley
Sports
Huskies hold Volleyball Camp – The New Era
Fifth-grader Hannah Opel gets some tips on serving from Coach Amy Tyler. Hensley Haigh, a fifth-grader, passes the ball as high-schooler Raelyn Andrews observes. Tayslee Eddings, a sixth-grader, works on her passing technique. Natalie Dargis, left, a sixth-grader, and Alayna Brooks, a fifth-grader, practice passing. Link 0

Fifth-grader Hannah Opel gets some tips on serving from Coach Amy Tyler.
Hensley Haigh, a fifth-grader, passes the ball as high-schooler Raelyn Andrews observes.
Tayslee Eddings, a sixth-grader, works on her passing technique.
Natalie Dargis, left, a sixth-grader, and Alayna Brooks, a fifth-grader, practice passing.
Sports
News – Water Polo Australia
Ten athletes are heading back to school to help young Australians tackle problems, think creatively and connect with sport. Aussie Stingers player Luci Marsh, Australian boxer Adrian Paoletti and two-time Olympic sailor Olivia Price are among the lineup of ambassadors for the 2025 AIS Problem Solvers Program. “Sport has always taught me how to think […]

Ten athletes are heading back to school to help young Australians tackle problems, think creatively and connect with sport.
Aussie Stingers player Luci Marsh, Australian boxer Adrian Paoletti and two-time Olympic sailor Olivia Price are among the lineup of ambassadors for the 2025 AIS Problem Solvers Program.
“Sport has always taught me how to think clearly under pressure, break down problems and use frameworks to keep learning through every setback,” Price said.
“I’m excited to share that mindset with young students and show them that problem-solving is a skill anyone can build with the right tools, a bit of courage and a willingness to try.”
Now in its third year, the program sees elite athletes present primary school students with a sporting challenge that encourages outside-the-box thinking.
Over several weeks students work together to solve the problem with the help of AIS-designed resources, before delivering their solution back to the athlete.
Among the four returning ambassadors is Para Matildas co-captain Carly Salmon, who’s passionate about making sport accessible for all.
“I was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at 18 months of age and was told I would never be able to play sport,” Salmon said. “I worked hard to defy those odds and have now competed in athletics, volleyball and soccer at an elite level.
“Having accessible opportunities to participate in physical activity and the education to increase my health has had a profoundly positive impact on my life.”
Olympic kayaker Yale Steinepreis agrees and is also excited to return.
“It’s been incredibly rewarding to visit schools and speak with future problem solvers about how we can create meaningful change, not just in sport and their given problem, but in their own lives as well,” Steinepreis said.
Many athletes balance dual careers, bringing diverse expertise to the classroom. This year’s cohort includes three teachers, an osteopath, an engineering student, a creative industries student, a lawyer and a member of the Army Reserve.
“As a teacher and athlete I am passionate about education and youth development,” Melbourne Mavericks netballer Kimberley Brown said. “Now I’m using my experience and leadership to inspire the next generation both in the classroom and through sport.”
Two-time Olympic rower and returning ambassador Ria Thompson said students also gain insight into the life of an athlete and the opportunities sport can unlock.
“I love sharing what I’ve learnt through my life and journey as an athlete to help the next generation build resilience, find solutions and make a positive difference in the world,” Thompson said.
For the athletes, the experience is just as meaningful.
“This is an amazing opportunity for me to engage with the next generation,” Paoletti, who fights in the 92kg division, said. “Ultimately I am grateful to be able to give back to the community and build strong connections along the way.”
The AIS Problem Solvers Program is free and on offer to all students in years 4-6. Schools can apply here.
Proudly supported by HART Sport – Australia’s leading supplier of sporting equipment and training aids – the program’s inclusive approach reflects HART Sports’ mission to get everyone active, regardless of age, circumstance or ability.
2025 Ambassadors
- Adrian Paoletti, Boxing Australia
- Aiden Carberry, Paddle Australia
- Carly Salmon, Football Australia
- Katerina Paul, Snow Australia
- Kimberley Brown (nee Jenner), Netball Australia
- Luci Marsh, Water Polo Australia
- Olivia Price, Australian Sailing
- Ria Thompson, Rowing Australia
- Stefanie Fejes, Volleyball Australia
- Yale Steinepreis, Paddle Australia
Sports
Eight CCIW Women’s Volleyball Teams Earn AVCA Academic Honors
Story Links 2025 AVCA Team Academic Awards NAPERVILLE — Eight College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) women’s volleyball programs earned the 2025 Team Academic Award from the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) on Monday. Teams that maintained a year-long grade-point average of […]

NAPERVILLE — Eight College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) women’s volleyball programs earned the 2025 Team Academic Award from the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) on Monday.
Teams that maintained a year-long grade-point average of at least 3.3 on a 4.0 scale (or 4.1 on a 5.0 scale) were recognized. Carroll earned the additional distinction of the Team Academic Honor Roll, celebrating programs in the top 20% of GPAs for their division.
2025 AVCA Team Academic Award
Augustana
Carroll*
Elmhurst
Illinois Wesleyan
Millikin
North Central
North Park
Wheaton
* — denotes AVCA Team Academic Honor Roll
| CCIW on X | CCIW Instagram | CCIW Facebook |
The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) was founded in 1946 and currently services nine member institutions including Augustana College (Rock Island, Ill.), Carroll University (Waukesha, Wis.), Carthage College (Kenosha, Wis.), Elmhurst University (Elmhurst, Ill.), Illinois Wesleyan University (Bloomington, Ill.), Millikin University (Decatur, Ill.), North Central College (Naperville, Ill.), North Park University (Chicago, Ill.) and Wheaton College (Wheaton, Ill.).
Sports
Women’s Volleyball Announces 2025 Schedule
Women’s Volleyball | 7/22/2025 3:20:00 PM Story Links Women’s Volleyball Schedule Page PITTSFORD, N.Y. – The St. John Fisher women’s volleyball team announced its full 2025 schedule on Tuesday. The Cardinals’ 27-match schedule features six home, nine neutral-site and 12 road contests. They play in […]

Women’s Volleyball | 7/22/2025 3:20:00 PM
PITTSFORD, N.Y. – The St. John Fisher women’s volleyball team announced its full 2025 schedule on Tuesday.
The Cardinals’ 27-match schedule features six home, nine neutral-site and 12 road contests. They play in multi-match events at Itahca College, Clarkson University, St. Lawrence University, Hamilton College, Buffalo State University and SUNY New Paltz.
Fisher opens the season against Ithaca College in the Bomber Invite at 3 p.m. Friday, August 29. The Cardinals don’t open the home portion of their schedule until they face Fredonia State at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19, at Manning and Napier Varsity Gym.
Always one of the decisive matches of the year in the Empire 8 Conference, the Cardinals face East Avenue rival Nazareth at Kidera Gymnasium at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21. Fisher swept Nazareth in the E8 title match last November to punch its ticket to the NCAA Division III Women’s Volleyball Tournament.
The Cardinals, who finished 21-9 and lost just two E8 contests in 2024, have won five of the last six conference championships.
View the Cardinals’ full 2025 schedule below:

Sports
Volleyball Earns AVCA Team Academic Award for 11th-Straight Year
Home Uncategorized Volleyball Earns AVCA Team Academic Award for 11th-Straight Year Volleyball Earns AVCA Team Academic Award for 11th-Straight Year By FHSU Sports Information The Fort Hays State volleyball team earned the 2025 AVCA Team Academic Award, sponsored by INTENT, announced Monday (July 21) by… Previous Post Evergy seeks $55 million in damages for BNSF’s […]
Volleyball Earns AVCA Team Academic Award for 11th-Straight Year
Sports
Men Reach Water Polo World Final After Women’s Triumph
The Hungarian men’s water polo team defeated the Olympic champion Serbs 19-18 in Tuesday’s semifinal at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, meaning that they will now play for gold alongside the women’s team. The Hungarians were leading by five goals with six minutes to go, but their rivals managed to make the final minutes […]


The Hungarian men’s water polo team defeated the Olympic champion Serbs 19-18 in Tuesday’s semifinal at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, meaning that they will now play for gold alongside the women’s team. The Hungarians were leading by five goals with six minutes to go, but their rivals managed to make the final minutes exciting. This is the first time since 1998 that the Hungarian team has triumphed over Serbia at the World Championships.
After the success in Fukuoka in 2023, national team coach Zsolt Varga can now prepare for his second World Championships final at the helm of the men’s team, with European champions Spain as their opponents in Thursday’s final. The two teams met in the third round of the group stage at this year’s World Cup, with Spain winning by one goal thanks to a 5-1 victory in the fourth quarter. Outside of the World Cup, they last met in January this year, when Spain triumphed in the final match of the World Cup qualifiers in Otopeni.
So far, only once, in 2005 in Montreal, have both the men’s and women’s national teams played in the World Championships final, with the women returning home with gold medals and the men with silver.
The Hungarian men’s team is preparing for its eighth classic World Championships final, winning three times, in 2003, 2013 and 2023. The Spanish have the same record, with their three successes to date coming in 1998, 2001 and 2022 (the latter in Budapest).

Krisztián Manhercz. Photo: MTI/Koszticsák Szilárd
The strength of the Spanish team is demonstrated by the fact that they have won medals in five consecutive world championships and, with the exception of two Olympic Games, have been on the podium at every major world competition since 2018. The Spanish team is extremely experienced, with 11 members of the 2022 Budapest-winning team still on the roster today.
Márton Vámos is on the verge of a historic achievement for the Hungarian team, as he could become the first Hungarian water polo player to win three world championships.
Zsolt Varga could become the first Hungarian national team coach to win two world championships, but Dénes Kemény leads the coaching rankings with one gold and three silver medals.

Gergő Fekete. MTI/Koszticsák Szilárd
According to Zsolt Varga, in an incredibly difficult match, the Serbs were “outplayed” in the semifinals, which was also a triumph for the heart. “I would like to start by congratulating the girls, they played fantastically yesterday, it is a huge achievement, and we can be proud that both teams are playing in the final,” said Zsolt Varga in his assessment to M4 Sport in the mixed zone.
“Today’s match started well, but as three-time Olympic champions, the Serbs know how to win these games. We had to work very hard to stay in it at the end, the defense was incredibly tough, they fought for a lot of penalties, but today we simply managed to outscore them, which was one of the keys to victory.” The expert said that in the final minutes, a “huge chess game” began, with the aim of taking the tired Serbian players, who had made several personal mistakes, out of the game. This strategy was largely successful, although Dusan Mandic still managed to make his mark, but that was to be expected from him, he explained.

Kristóf Csoma goalkeeper (R) and Dusan Mandic of Serbia. Photo: MTI/Koszticsák Szilárd
The national team coach noted that the stakes will be no higher in the final against Spain than they were in this match:
The two teams know each other well, we train together regularly, we know that they are a very strong opponent, but it is the heart that we showed today that is needed for success.”
The Hungary-Spain World Championships final will be held on Thursday at 3:35 p.m. Central European Time.
Via MTI, M4 Sport; Featured image: MTI/Koszticsák Szilárd
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