Over 100 athletes from 22 nations leapt from the Gloria Sports Arena platform and springboards, during seven days of competition as 11 of the 13 defending champions from Belgrade 2024 returned for the latest instalment of the continental championships.
Oleksii Sereda, who became the youngest-ever European champion diver at the age of 13 back in 2019, was undoubtedly the standout star in Antalya, adding to his already impressive list of honours with the three further titles.
His nation, Ukraine, topped the medal standings with five golds, but it was Germany who won the ‘team of the tournament’ trophy, after attaining 12 podium finishes.
For their athletes, like many of the elite divers in the field though, the event served as key marker ahead of this year’s World Aquatics Championships.
Here World Aquatics takes a look at some of the standout results at the European Diving Championships and assesses what it might mean for Singapore 2025, across July and August.
Image Source: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images
The now 19-year-old began his campaign with a strong Mixed Team victory alongsideKseniia Bailo, Kirill Boliukh and Sofiia Lyskun, in what served as a strong warm-up for his main disciplines, the synchronised 10m and individual 10m platform contests.
Although a strong favourite in the men’s traditional blue-ribbon event the teenager has struggled with sporadic back injuries in recent seasons and in a sport like diving, with margins so acutely fine, there was no guaranteed he would return to the European summit.
While he will face stronger challenges at the Worlds – via athletes most likely hailing from China, Japan, Mexico and Australia – Sereda was supreme against his continental opponents.
In the post-Tom Daley era Sereda is arguably now the most recognisable name in Europe and despite the war in his homeland understandably impacting his preparations for this event, as well as last year’s Olympics, he was peerless.
Image Source: Oleksii Sereda and Mark Hrytsenko compete in a Men’s 10m Synchronised Final on the 2025 Diving World Cup tour in Beijing, China (Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)
His victory alongside 15-year-old Mark Hrytsenko was particularly impressive given they are a new pair and something of an unknown quantity at this level.
“I’m very happy with my results and three gold medals shows I am on the right track,” Sereda told World Aquatics.
“For me this is just another step towards a big goal, so I have to keep moving forwards with more confidence at the World Championships.”
Image Source: Lintao Zhang/Getty Images
Moritz Wesemann attained breakthrough successes in 2023 with individual 3m titles at both the European Games and European Championships, the former of which secured Germany a place in the discipline for Paris 2024.
While the Olympian had to settle for bronze in his favoured event in Antalya, with silver in the Mixed Team discipline, but he would land both the 1m and synchronised 3m titles, for the first time in his career, the latter alongside Timo Barthel.
“The first time I competed at the European Championships (in 2022) I was fourth and to now be winning gold is very, very encouraging,” he said.
Image Source: Adam Pretty/Getty Images
Also heading back to her homeland with four European honours was Wesemann’s countrywoman Lena Hentschel.
As Olympic disciplines, successes in the synchronised 3m – silver alongside Jette Muller – and individual 3m bronze, will understandably gain the most attention, but her dramatic victory with teenage debutant Luis Avila was also highly celebrated.
The pair impressively overalled multiple World medal-winning duo Chiara Pellacani and Matteo Santoro in the final round, much to the delight of the strong German support on site.
“I’m so proud to be part of this amazing team and finishing the European Championships with four medals feels incredible,” said Hentschel, who was also part of Germany’s silver medal-winning Mixed Team line-up on the opening day of competition.
Another German diver worthy of strong acknowledgment is Ole Johannes Rosler, with the 17-year-old World junior medallist claiming three maiden senior honours – silver in the 10m platform, synchronised 10m and Mixed Team events.
Image Source: Hector Vivas/Getty Images
Italian Sarah Jodoin di Maria is no stranger to success, having previously claimed six European medals since her first in 2021, but for the first time in her career the 25-year-old attained a maiden individual title, with an impressive 10m victory.
The Canada-born diver finished ahead of surprise medal-winners Pauline Alexandra Pfeif of Germany and Else Praasterink, who created a rare moment of Dutch delight in the sport, with bronze.
Jodoin would complete the set of medals with silver in the Mixed Synchronised 10m event and bronze in the Mixed Team discipline.
Image Source: Lintao Zhang/Getty Images
Team-mate Chiara Pellacani was also part of that latter line-up and had entered the 2025 Europeans with an impressive haul of 20 continental honours already to her name.
She would further expand her collection by adding 1m gold to her synchronised and team successes in Antalya.
“I’m just very happy because I was missing this gold medal – it’s my first one in the 1m,” the Italian said after the final.
The USA-based diver would suffer two fourth-place finishes though, alongside new partner Elisa Pizzini in the synchronised 3m event as well as the individual 3m discipline, which was won my Michelle Heimberg of Switzerland.
Image Source: Adam Pretty/Getty Images
While Heimberh would top the women’s 3m podium, Aleksandra Bibikina of Armenia made history in that event, placing second and recording her nation’s best-ever European Diving Championships result.
Andrzej Rzeszutek of Poland continued to show that age does not have to be a barrier to elite performance with the 33 -year-old adding to the 1m title he claimed in 2024, with his nation’s first-ever men’s European 3m title.
It was a final which also saw Britain’s Noah Penman secure a shock silver in what was a high-class line-up featuring serial medal-winners Timo Barthel, Giovanni Tocci and Kirill Boliukh.
Image Source: Kseniia Bochek competes in the Girls 1 Meter Springboard finals at the World Aquatics Junior Diving Championships 2024 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Wagner Meier/Getty Images)
At the other end of the age range, Ukrainian teenagers Kseniia Bochek (16) and Diana Karnafel (18) marked their international debut with gold in the women’s synchronised 3m springboard final.
12 months after Anton Knoll helped secure Austria a first European diving medal for eight years, with gold alongside Dariush Lotfi in the synchronised 10m platform event, he achieved another landmark with individual 10m bronze.
For a full run-down of the results at the 2025 European Aquatics Championships, CLICK HERE.
Ripon High School’s Adriana Dorn is The Modesto Bee Volleyball Player of Year.
Andy Alfaro
aalfaro@modbee.com
The Ripon High volleyball team spent the majority of the 2025 season ranked in the top 10 of the MaxPreps Sac-Joaquin Section rankings. The team came back to reverse sweep Pitman High in a highly anticipated five-set, top-10 thriller and then, weeks later, secured a third consecutive undefeated Trans-Valley League season, three-peating as league champions.
But none of that was senior Adriana Dorn’s favorite part of the season.
Asked about her favorite memory from the season, the decorated leader thought back to a loss.
Dorn and the Indians were trailing two sets to zero in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III championship match against Christian Brothers (Ripon was moved up after winning the 2024 title in D-IV).
Ripon’s Adriana Dorn floats a ball over the net during the Sac-Joaquin Section D3 volleyball championship match with Christian Brothers at Cosumnes River College in Sacramento on Nov. 8, 2025. Andy Alfaro aalfaro@modbee.com
They rallied back to produce arguably the most exciting match of the championship day slate at Cosumnes River College, winning the next two sets and forcing a winner-take-all fifth set. Though they lost 15-8, the team showed the hundreds of attendees what Dorn knew about her team all along.
“Even though we didn’t win, we played with so much grit and so much fight,” she said. “Every single point, we gave it our all. Even if we didn’t come out on top, that was just a really important game and one of my last as a Ripon High volleyball player.”
Dorn grew into a leadership role for the Stanislaus District’s top-ranked team, according to MaxPreps. She guided the Indians to a fourth straight section championship appearance and a fourth straight CIF Northern California Regional playoff berth.
Dorn was one of the top hitters in California, finishing ninth in hitting percentage (.408), and eighth in kills (544). Those numbers rank second and fourth in the section, respectively.
In her final high school season, Dorn finished with career highs in not only kills and hit percentage but kills per set (5.3) and kill percentage (51.9%). Dorn this season also was named the TVL’s Most Valuable Player for the second straight year.
For her efforts, Dorn is The Bee’s Volleyball Player of the Year for a second straight season.
“I’m just honored,” she said of winning the award for a second straight season. “I’m blessed to play with such a really good group of girls two years in a row and they helped me achieve this. I couldn’t have done any of it without them.”
Ripon High School’s Adriana Dorn is The Modesto Bee Volleyball Player of Year Andy Alfaro aalfaro@modbee.com
A successful senior season
Dorn, a four-year varsity player, saw her skills improve and her role change every year she played. As a freshman, she tallied 254 assists and just 76 kills. As a senior, her 544 kills were a team high.
She also grew as a leader.
“This program has taught me so many lessons and given me so many memories that I’ll cherish forever.”
As a senior, she reached the milestone of 1,000 career kills, was one of the driving forces in Ripon’s third straight season with over 25 overall wins and led the team through one of toughest volleyball leagues in California, beating multiple state qualifiers and a state champion twice in a 12-0 TVL season.
“Our first goal was always to win league,” Dorn said. “I think (head coach) Greg (Soliz) did a good job preparing us for that. Those games are always really fun because you have rivalries like RC and Escalon. They’re super fun to compete in.”
While her ability to put the ball away as an outside hitter earned her back-to-back Bee Player of the Year honors, Dorn’s versatility has made her a coveted recruit across the West Coast.
According to recruiting website prepdig.com, she is the No. 13 overall player in California and the state’s No. 4 ranked setter/right side.
“I’m willing to do anything to help the team,” she said. “I love to set and I love to hit. I’m good with doing whatever one.”
Fourth title game caps decorated career
In addition to over 1,300 kills, Dorn’s career was defined by winning. The most she lost in a season was 11 games as a freshman. In her final three high school seasons, Ripon never lost more than seven games in a season.
Dorn has never missed a section title match. Each varsity season, her teams played for a blue banner. They won titles during her freshman and junior seasons, 2022 and 2024, and lost in her sophomore and senior seasons, 2023 and 2025. In her four-year varsity career, Dorn and the Indians went 110-27 overall and 44-2 in league matches.
She still remembers her first section title match as a wide-eyed 14-year-old under the brightest lights the SJS offers. She jokingly said she had “no idea what I was doing playing in front of a crowd that big.”
As a senior, she became one of the team’s steady voices, talking the players through tough stretches in a match and guiding them to a near comeback in front of a rowdy crowd in a college gym.
“This was my fourth section championship and I was just able to kind of drown out the noise and just focus on the team,” she said. “My time (at Ripon) has really taught me that.”
2025 Modesto Bee All District Teams
COACH OF THE YEAR
Coming into the season, Pitman head coach Ariah Amini knew his team would be young in key areas. The girls lost their starting middle and second-leading hitter, their leader in service aces, blocks and their starting setter.
He also knew they would be returning some talent, like kills leader and Portland State signee Maryn Hall and key players like Kayliyah Williams, Aila Reich and Alyssa Moreno.
It was just about how everyone would fit together.
Amini asked players to step into bigger roles than they had last season. He had some returners play out of position, coaching them through tough nonleague matchups as they prepared to defend their three-time undefeated run as Central California Athletic League champions.
Though the Pride fell in the Division I quarterfinals, it did not mark the end of their season.
As the season progressed, the Pride only got better. They ended the season with 27 wins and just 11 losses and finished as undefeated CCAL champions for the fourth straight season. The Pride have now won 40 straight league games.
For his efforts, Amini was named CCAL Coach of the Year for the second time and is The Bee’s 2025 Volleyball Coach of the Year.
Pitman, a top 15 team in the section all season, advanced to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs, competing against the best schools the area offers. As the No. 5 seed, they beat Franklin of Elk Grove in a competitive five-set match.
Despite not advancing to the section semifinals and earning an automatic bid into the CIF Northern California Regional playoffs, they did receive an at-large bid granted by the seeding committee. The Pride hosted a first round match in the Division III NorCal tournament as the No. 3 seed, but fell in a competitive five-set thriller to Shasta.
Pitman secured its fourth straight season with at least 25 wins and the third straight under Amini. The league champions had the CCAL MVP, co-Defensive Player of the Year and Setter of the Year.
FIRST TEAM
OH: Zaniyah Corneille, Sophomore, Downey
OH: Faye Dobson, Sophomore, Big Valley Christian
OH: Maryn Hall, Senior, Pitman
OH: Amelia Spaulding, Junior, Turlock
OH/OPP: Olivia Piazza, Junior, Hughson
MB/MH: Brynn Bohn, Senior, Ripon Christian
MH/MB: Emma Gomes, Senior, Hilmar
L: Audrey Mensonides, Senior, Turlock
L: Aila Reich, Senior, Pitman
S: Stella Pires, Senior, Hilmar
S: Jaedyn Riley, Senior, Oakdale
S: Alayna Sprinkle, Junior, Ripon
S: Izabella Ziencina, Sophomore, Pitman
SECOND TEAM
OH: Alyssa Colston, Senior, Hilmar
OH: Jorie Eskes, Junior, Ripon
OH/OPP: Ashlyn Malone, Sophomore, Ripon
OH/OPP: Alyssa Thomas, Senior, Central Catholic
OH/OPP: Addison Yarbrough, Freshman, Hughson
MH/MB: Reese Ahlem, Junior, Hilmar
MB/MH: Haley Kootstra, Senior, Ripon Christian
DS/L: Caitlin Echegoyen, Freshman, Big Valley Christian
DS/L: Izzy Piazza, Sophomore, Hughson
S: Ella Alavezos, Senior, Big Valley Christian
S: Alanna Blanco, Senior, Ripon Christian
S: Aniston Hunt, Junior, Escalon
S: Alyssa Vasquez, Senior, Davis
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Quinton Hamilton
The Modesto Bee
Quinton Hamilton covers high school sports for The Modesto Bee. He is a Southern California native and received his bachelor’s degree from Pacific Union College and a master’s in journalism from Quinnipiac University in Connecticut. Quinton has worked at the Record-Journal in Meriden and helped on projects at Hearst Connecticut.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia volleyball head coach Shannon Wells announced on Monday (Dec. 29) the addition of Reese Wuebker (Centreville, Ohio), an outside hitter from Ohio State. Wuebker intends to enroll and join the Cavaliers for the spring semester.
“We knew exactly what we were looking for to round out our 2026 roster and it is an important one for us as we have goals of the NCAA tournament: A six-rotation outside hitter who could stabilize our back row, terminate and bring a winning mentality to our gym,” Wells said. “Reese checks every one of those boxes. Her two years competing in the Big 10 have prepared her to win at the highest level and her drive to be the best is evident every day. Just as important, she’s an outstanding teammate who will step into a leadership role right away. We’re thrilled to welcome Reese to the UVA volleyball family.”
Wuebker comes to Grounds after a pair of seasons with the Buckeyes. She saw action in 48 matches throughout her two-year stint at Ohio State.
During the 2025 campaign, Wuebker posted 260 kills, 157 digs, 14 service aces and 11 total blocks. She ranked second on the squad by averaging 2.65 kills per set and 1.60 digs per set. Wuebker notched 12 matches with double-digit kills, including a season-best 21 kill performance against Wright State. Overall, she recorded three double-doubles during the season.
As a freshman at Ohio State, Wuebker registered 102 kills, 97 kills, 21 total blocks and nine service aces. She tallied double-digit digs in a pair of contests and recorded a career-high five blocks in a match against ACC foe Miami.
Wuebker prepped at Centerville High School, where she was named Conference and District Player of the Year as a senior and was a three-time first team all-conference performer. She played her club volleyball at Tri State Elite and earned Prep Volleyball All-American honors in 2023.
Caleb Atwood, Scarborough junior outside hitter: Atwood guided Scarborough to the top seed in Class A. She had 162 kills and 62 digs, and was exceptional at the line with a 92.3 service percentage and 39 aces. “She’s someone we tried to gameplan against,” Thornton coach Corey Huot said.
Maya Babcock, York senior libero: With Babcock in back, the Wildcats had someone who made a habit of turning kills into game-turning rallies. She totaled 363 digs, and also dished out 36 assists while adding 34 aces. “(She was) the best defensive player I saw this year,” Washington Academy coach Corey Schwinn said.
Liana Edwards, Gorham junior setter: Our choice for Varsity Maine Player of the Year for the second straight season was the versatile centerpiece for the three-time Class A champion Rams. Her precise passing helped Gorham hit an extra gear, but she was also a strong defender and hitter. The University of Rhode Island commit totaled 337 assists, 171 digs and 90 kills.
Lily Hennessey, Washington Academy senior setter: The Raiders’ attack featured options from all angles, and setting them up was Hennessey, who ran everything with what coach Corey Schwinn called “pinpoint accuracy.” She handed out 460 assists and also totaled 43 aces for the season.
Grace Keaney, Yarmouth senior middle hitter/outside hitter: A dominant middle hitter, the 6-foot-3 Keaney also had the versatility to affect the game elsewhere on the line. The University of Rhode Island commit, a three-time Varsity Maine All-State selection, totaled 149 kills with what Washington Academy coach Corey Schwinn called a “terminating swing,” as well as 87 digs and 41 aces.
Bella Parrotta, York senior setter: With Parrotta at the center of the operation, the Wildcats overpowered most of their opponents en route to a second Class B final appearance. She totaled the 1,000th assist of her career and finished with a whopping 425 for the season, and she added 130 digs, 64 aces and 43 kills.
Addie Petit, Thornton Academy junior setter: Petit was a game-changer for the Golden Trojans and guided them to their first Class A final. The SMAA first-team pick had 369 assists, 98 digs and 40 aces. “She’s amazing,” Gorham coach Emma Tirrell said.
Kellan Schwinn, Washington Academy senior outside hitter: A three-time All-State selection, Schwinn did everything well for the Class B champions. Her powerful, consistent and accurate hits allowed her to take over matches, and she led the Raiders with 199 kills, 107 digs, and 75 aces.
Anabelle Talley, Greely junior outside hitter: Talley was the big hitter that helped the Rangers reach the Class B semifinals. The two-time Varsity Maine selection totaled 193 kills, 158 digs and 30 aces this fall, and was credited with a .479 hitting percentage. “If she got swinging, we were in trouble,” Yarmouth coach Erin Hancock said.
Quinn Wherley, Kennebunk senior libero: While setter Charlotte MacDonald ran the offense, Whirley was the full-tilt defender whose anticipation and hustle allowed her to get to hit after hit, even those she seemingly wouldn’t be able to reach. She piled up 264 digs, handed out 20 assists and was an excellent server with 61 aces.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Corey Huot, Thornton Academy: Huot, the SMAA Coach of the Year, guided the Golden Trojans to their first state championship match. To get there, the fourth-seeded Trojans had to take down No. 1 Scarborough. He also led the Trojans to a victory over eventual state champion Gorham during the regular season.
Drew Bonifant covers sports for the Press Herald, with beats in high school football, basketball and baseball. He was previously part of the Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel sports team. A New Hampshire…
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When Alexa Borgman was a high school volleyball player, her height, power and athleticism loaded her with potential.
But at West Ottawa, she was never the best player on the court, leaving her a little uncertain about her abilities – but they were there.
Borgman just needed the right college situation to grow her confidence.
Fast forward four years and Borgman was NCCAA Regional Player of the Year and second-team All-American at Grace University.
“I felt like I left everything on the court this year and I dominated, and that showed in my stats quite a bit,” she said. “I just wanted to play with a passion this year. When I was first-team all-region I just broke into tears because I never expected it, then the bigger awards came, and I was just in shock.”
Grace made it to the regional finals, led by Borgman, who was in the top three in the NCCAA in kills and kill percentage.
“That was not something I thought about in high school. I was pretty uncertain,” she said. “But it has been really cool to see. Something in me clicked this year and I went in with confidence the entire time.”
One thing that she was certain about in high school was her blocking ability. She has continued that through college.
But this year, Grace graduated its entire starting lineup except Borgman and one other player. So the team needed offense.
After playing right-side as a freshman, then spending a year looking to finesse her shots as an outside, Borgman brought back her powerful swing and simply dominated. She had 369 kills, while hitting .301. She also had 25 aces and 22 blocks. She had 813 kills in her career and will look to reach 1,000 in her final season.
“When I first started, I started on the right-side because that is where they put the biggest block,” Borgman said. “I had never played outside before, so it involved a lot of training outside of the gym. I was lifting a lot and working on my jumping and when I got to practice it was about hitting shots instead of just hitting with power. I know I have a powerful swing, but I knew if I was on the outside, I would have to hit smarter.
“This year coach wanted me to work on my power, and my confidence came with it. I feel more grown up as a player and my character really developed.”
Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.
For a second straight season Manitowoc Lutheran’s Ava Stuebs is the Lakeshore Elite volleyball player of the year.
The junior helped guide the Lancers to their second-straight WIAA state championship, this time in Division 3 after winning the Division 4 title in 2024.
She was first team all-Big East Red and unanimous first team all-state in Division 3 by the Wisconsin Volleyball Coaches Association.
