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Serve receive dooms Arizona Wildcats volleyball 2nd rd NCAA Tournament

Published

3 days ago

December 8, 2025

Arizona Wildcats volleyball players Haven Wray (8), Carlie Cisneros (12), and Brenna Ginder (3) smile during a Second Round NCAA Tournament match against Stanford on Dec. 6, 2025

Photo courtesy of Arizona Athletics

The Stanford Cardinal didn’t have their starting setter against Arizona on Saturday evening, but they did have a powerful serve. The Wildcats couldn’t handle or match it in a 3-1 (25-16, 25-27, 25-17, 25-20) loss in the second round of the 2025 NCAA Volleyball Tournament.

It wasn’t a disappointment for Arizona head coach Rita Stubbs, who was making her first appearance in the tournament as a head coach and leading the program to its first since 2018. The Wildcats won a match, giving them their first win in the tourney since 2016. They just couldn’t make it to the Sweet 16 for the first time since the same year.

“We took each day and the challenge that was before us, and we just gave it everything we had, which is exactly what you want,” Stubbs said. “You know, you want to battle and compete the entire time. And I like to think we exposed some issues that Stanford has, so that’s exciting.”

But that serve and pass game wasn’t one of them. Stanford had eight aces against nine service errors. The Wildcats committed 10 errors without serving a single ace.

“Before I went in, I was like, it’s all about the serve and pass,” Stubbs said. “And we were missing too many balls to the libero when we did serve it in, and then the serves just weren’t tough enough. And so I told them in the fourth set before we started, I was like, I don’t care if we miss a serve, we just got to be aggressive. And we missed the serve and wasn’t aggressive.”

The Wildcats still fought through it despite starting just one senior and one junior. The starting group of four sophomores and a freshman, along with the three seniors and one junior who subbed in, never let go of a set even when they looked to be buried by the Cardinal.

“It wasn’t for lack of effort,” Stubbs said. “It was just you got to be used to it,and then what I shared with them is that we have to go through things like this to get to our next. So much of this is still new for us with this group. The difference is your seniors are finished, and so now it’s about competing and doing better than we did this year next year to honor the seniors. That’s the direction we’re going.”

Stanford led wire-to-wire in the first set. The Cardinal never went on a big run. The biggest run was four points, but by that time they had put enough small runs together to build a nine-point lead at 22-13. It was the largest of the set and ended as the final margin.

Arizona didn’t fold despite Stanford running out to a 4-0 lead in the second set. The Wildcats used their own 4-1 run to tie the set at five points each. It stayed tight throughout, but Arizona got to set point at 24-23.

The Cardinal wiped away two set points, but they couldn’t string two points together to earn one of their own. The Wildcats put their third one away to even the match with a 27-25 second set.

Arizona never really bothered Stanford in the third. The Cardinal were able to put together larger runs and eventually led by 10 at 22-12. The Wildcats cut into the lead a bit, but they still dropped the set by eight and were one set from ending their season.

Things were tight early in the fourth set, but a critical call went against Arizona and seemed to turn the tide. At 7-5, Stanford’s Elia Rubin hit an attack that was called out. The television replay didn’t appear to show a touch by Arizona. It certainly didn’t appear to show anything definitive enough to overturn the call on the floor.

Stanford challenged and won the challenge. The call was overturned and the point went to the Cardinal. A one-point gap became three points. From there, they went on an 8-2 run to take a 16-7 lead.

The Wildcats knew it was their last chance. They continued to fight. The teams traded points for a while, then Arizona started to string a few together. A 5-1 run cut the lead to four points at 23-19.

The service errors raised their ugly head again. Giorgia Mandotti’s error gave Stanford several match points. Jordan Wilson’s final kill of her college career saved one, but that’s as far as it went. Jordyn Harvey put the next point away to win it for the home team.

Wilson finished her college career with a match-high 17 kills, seven digs, and two total blocks (one solo). That gave her 499 kills, 269 digs, 26 aces, 10 assists, and 44.0 total blocks in 108 sets this season. The outside hitter took over 9th place in total kills in a season, surpassing Kendra Dahlke’s 496 in 2016, the last year Arizona won an NCAA Tournament match. She also grabbed 10th in kills per set in a season with 4.62, knocking out Barb Bell’s 1994 season (4.51 k/s).

In her three years as a Wildcat, Wilson had 1,191 kills, 593 digs, 55 aces, 27 assists, and 127 total blocks in 310 sets over 86 matches. Her 3.84 kills per set (minimum of 200 sets played) over her Arizona career place her fifth in Wildcat history, surpassing the 3.82 of Tiffany Owens (2007-10).

Carlie Cisneros had 12 kills on .275 hitting, committing just one hitting error in four sets. Her nine digs kept her just shy of a double-double. It was the third straight match with 10 or more kills for Cisneros and the eighth in the last nine matches.

The development of Cisneros as a regular scoring threat was huge for the Wildcats in the tournament and down the stretch of the regular season. It also gives Stubbs hope for next season when Wilson is gone.

“That happened at Kansas, as well,” Stubbs said. “When Jordan struggled, she stepped up. It happened against Texas Tech when Jordan didn’t play. So, you know, she definitely wants to be the go-to player, and has shown that she’s capable of doing it.”

As has so often bee the case this season, it was a true team effort. Twelve members of Arizona’s 17-player roster made an appearance in the match, including all four seniors. Six players had at least two kills. Seven had at least one block. Eight had at least one dig.

“I was pleased with us and how we competed and how people that went in tried to make a difference and did a good job,” Stubbs said.

Journey Tucker once again showed that she can be a dominant force in the middle. The junior had four kills on .400 hitting and led the team with five total blocks.

Fellow junior MB Sydnie Vanek didn’t start, but she also made an impact when she came in. Vanek also had four kills. She tied for second on the team with three total blocks.

The match may have ended the season and the college careers of Wilson, Haven Wray, and Ana Heath; Mandotti still has a year of eligibility left either at Arizona or elsewhere. There were still a lot of positives to walk away with.

“I’m just grateful,” Stubbs said. “I’m grateful for the fact that Haven did it five times, and that Jordan transferred in, and that Ana stuck with it through the ups and downs of not having a position, per se. After her setting years, made the commitment to say, ‘Hey, I’m going to do this and commit to it.‘ It just says a lot about who they are as people, and you just always want the best for them, which is why I told them not to hang their heads. The best thing we can do to honor them is to be good from here on out, so that this was not for naught.”

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Blinn makes Bentley history with All-American nod

Published

4 minutes ago

December 10, 2025

Your Sports Nation

WALTHAM, Mass. – The 2025 Bentley volleyball team continues to make history. Elizabeth Blinn is the first player in program history to be named to an All-America team, as she landed on the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-America Third Team, the AVCA announced Wednesday morning.

Sophia Poehlein, Tory Vitko, and Lulu Pavan each received All-American Honorable Mention from the AVCA.

Prior to 2025, only two players in Bentley history earned AVCA All-American honors. Christiana Sadowski is a three-time All-American Honorable Mention (2005, 2006, 2007), and Alyssa Carter was an All-American Honorable Mention in 2003.

Heading into Thursday’s NCAA Quarterfinal match, Blinn leads the country in blocks per set (1.67). She is the Northeast 10 Defensive Player of the Year in 2025, and she was named the Most Outstanding Player during the NE10 Tournament.

Poehlein is Bentley’s leading outside hitter, averaging 3.74 kills per set. Three times this year she reached at least 20 kills, each in just four sets. She had a career-high 23 kills in Bentley’s 2025 home-opener against Post.

Vitko is the 2025 NE10 Setter of the Year. She enters the NCAA Quarterfinals averaging 9.37 assists per set, and she has 10 double-doubles this season. Two of those double-doubles were during the NE10 Tournament.

Pavan’s 2.87 kills per set rank second on the team, and she has reached double-digit kills 12 times this season. Pavan’s collegiate career began with 10+ kills in each of her first four matches.

Bentley won the NCAA East Regional title for the third consecutive year. The Falcons are the only program in the country to reach the NCAA DII Championship Quarterfinals in each of the past three seasons.

The Falcons enter the NCAA DII Quarterfinals as the #6 seed, which is the highest seed ever for a team from the East Region. Thursday’s game time against #3 Point Loma is at 12 p.m. (EST).

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Nwachukwu, Walker Tabbed B1G Athletes to Watch – Iowa Hawkeyes Athletics

Published

19 minutes ago

December 10, 2025

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IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa sprinters Chioma Nwachukwu and Kalen Walker were tabbed as the program’s Big Ten Indoor Track & Field Athletes to Watch, the conference announced on Tuesday afternoon.

Nwachukwu, a sophomore from Asaba, Nigeria, enters her second collegiate season as Iowa’s leader in the 400 meters. She posted the team’s top time at the Big Ten Championships a season ago, earning third place in 52.07.

Nwachukwu is a strong presence for Iowa’s relays and ran on the program’s top three 4×400 relays last year. She ran the second leg of the school-record breaking relay (3:30.42) at the New Mexico College Classic last season. Additionally, Nwachukwu earned second-team All-Big Ten honors at the conference meet after helping the relay place second in 3:31.04. She is also a part of Iowa’s third-fastest 4×400 relay time that ran a 3:31.62 at the 2025 Tyson Invite.

Highlighting her indoor season, Nwachukwu was named to the All-Big Ten Freshman team and was a two-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week.

Walker redshirted the 2025 indoor season and returns to round out his career in 2026. The senior from Eddyville, Iowa, was a first-team All-American and national runner-up in the 60 meters during his last full indoor season in 2024. He was also the Big Ten’s runner up in the event that year. Walker’s decorated career also includes a second-team All-America honor in the 60 meters during his first season as a Hawkeye in 2022. He finished 13th overall at the NCAA Indoor Championships.

Walker holds Iowa’s school record in the 60 meters, racing 6.51 at the 2024 Jarvis Scott Open in Lubbock, Texas. Walker was twice named the Big Ten Men’s Track Athlete of the Week during the 2024 campaign after performances at the Jarvis Scott Open and Jimmy Grant Invitational.

Iowa track and field opens its 2025-26 season with the Jimmy Grant Invite on Dec. 12-13.

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Cal Volleyball Adds Siena MacCudden

Published

20 minutes ago

December 10, 2025

Your Sports Nation

MacCudden is the third member of the Bears’ 2026 class to receive AVCA All-America recognition.

VB12/10/2025 9:28 AM | By: Cal Athletics

Defensive Specialist Is A 2025 AVCA All-America Honorable Mention

The California volleyball team has added another member to its incoming freshman class, with defensive specialist Siena MacCudden officially set to join Abby Zimmerman, Anna Flores and Nicole Milosevic as new Golden Bears in 2026. Both MacCudden and Flores have enrolled early and will be practicing with the team this spring.

“Siena is a great competitor and has played high level volleyball her entire career,” Cal volleyball head coach Jen Malcom said. “We appreciate how she carries herself on the court – steady in serve receive and scrappy on the defensive end. She will be a great addition to our back court group this spring. When she said she wanted to join the team early, we knew that we got someone who is all in and wants to be great.”

A native of Nashotah, Wisconsin, the 5-foot-9 product of Arrowhead Union High School was named an American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-America Honorable Mention after a senior season in which she collected 685 digs, third most in the state, and was named Wisconsin Volleyball Coaches Association (WVCA) All-State and the Classic 8 Conference Libero of the Year for the second consecutive season while earning AVCA All-Region 6 honors. MacCudden was also named WVCA All-State and All-Conference Honorable Mention as a sophomore in 2023 after leading her team to the first of two consecutive regional titles.

With MacCudden’s assistance, her club team, Milwaukee Sting, won the national championship at the 2023 Girls Junior National Championships (GJNC) 15s, a year in which she was named to the AVCA Phenom and Junior Volleyball Association (JVA) Watch Lists for the first time. MacCudden was also recognized by the JVA Watch List in 2024 and 2025.

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Bryant, Walker Win CAA Track and Field Weekly Honors

Published

35 minutes ago

December 10, 2025

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GREENSBORO – The North Carolina A&T men’s and women’s track and field programs started off their respective seasons with programs capturing four first-place finishes apiece over the weekend at the Visit Winston-Salem College Kick-off hosted by the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem, NC.

The Coastal Athletic Association awarded some of those accomplishments by naming junior sprinter Hayleigh Bryant Women’s Track Athlete of the Week and senior Dyimond Walker Men’s Track Athlete of the Week.

Bryant captured her first career weekly honor. She took first place in the seeded 200 meters by running an indoor personal-best 24.03, the eighth-fastest time in the country and the best in the CAA. Bryant joined junior Kymara Brodie, freshman Richari Wildgoose, and junior Serenity Brazell to win the 4×400-meter relay in 3:45.85. Their time is also a CAA-best thus far this season.

Meanwhile, Walker led a strong contingent of Aggies in the 800m. Walker won the event with a time of 1:52.68. Four other Aggies finished in the top 10 to dominate the event, including freshman Taysaun Wilson (2nd, 1:53.05), senior Dawson Grogan (3rd, 1:54.25), sophomore Elijah Thomas (5th, 1:55.69), and junior Kaleb Conway (9th, 1:59.15).

Walker also joined senior Ha’Mir Hampton, Wilson, and junior Isaiah Taylor to run a 3:12.29 to win the 4×400-meter relay. Walker’s 800m time is the best in the CAA and ranks ninth nationally. The Aggies are second in the CAA in the 4×400 and 12th nationally. Bryant, Walker, and the Aggies are not scheduled to return to action until January 17, when they will participate in the Mondo Collegiate Invitational at the JDL Fast Track.

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Indiana Wesleyan Makes History with Third Red Banner

Published

36 minutes ago

December 10, 2025

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SIOUX CITY, Iowa – [BOX SCORE | BRACKET] The Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats won their third consecutive Red Banner on Tuesday night in the Tyson Events Center against the Northwestern (Iowa) Red Raiders in four sets (25-23, 23-25, 25-18, 25-19).

At the beginning of the season, Indiana Wesleyan had a bumpy start, battling injuries. The Wildcats recorded losses to Concordia (Neb.), Bellevue (Neb.) and Viterbo (Wis.) before hitting their stride. IWU then went on a 17-match win streak before a loss to Crossroads League opponent Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio). The Wildcats then went on a 12-match winning streak, which culminated in a conference title and a trip to the NAIA national championship match for the third consecutive year.

Northwestern had only three blemishes on its record this season, the last of which came on Sept. 20 to Oklahoma Wesleyan. Since then, the Red Raiders have gone on a 22-match win streak that saw them capture the Great Plains Athletic Conference title and advance to the NAIA national championship match for the second time in three years.

The 2025 championship match is a rematch of the 2023 championship match, in which Indiana Wesleyan won its first title, and Northwestern made its first championship appearance. They also met earlier this season on August 20, when Northwestern traveled to Indiana Wesleyan and the Wildcats won the match in four sets.

Tonight, the two teams meet again, with the Wildcats hoping for a third title and the Red Raiders their first.

The match opened with teams trading points until seven all on the scoreboard before Indiana Wesleyan went on a 12-point run. Northwestern hung around and made their move at 23-18, where the Red Raiders went on a five-point scoring run to tie the score at 23. However, with a kill by Eva Joldersma and a solo block by Marin Sanchez, IWU took the opening set 25-23.

NWC opened up the second set with the first three points and held the lead until a 7-2 scoring run that gave the Wildcats their first lead of the set at 11-9. A quick back-and-forth and the teams were tied again at 11 and 12 before another 7-2 scoring run by the Wildcats. But Northwestern wasn’t done yet as they went on a five-point run at 23-20, sparked by a kill off the hand of Stella Winterfield that closed out set two, 25-23 in favor of the Red Raiders.

With a tie of one set apiece on the scoreboard, the teams continued the Battle for the Red Banner into set three. IWU struck first blood in the third set with a kill from Marissa Mullins. The teams fought through seven ties, but at 14 all, a kill from Shae Williams sparked a four-point run that gave the Wildcats the advantage they would not relinquish for a 25-18 set four win, which was clinched with a kill from Eva Joldersma.

Marissa Mullins started things off for the Wildcats in set four as IWU took the initial lead in the set. The teams traded points until 14 all when an 8-2 scoring run gave Indiana Wesleyan a six-point lead that they would see through to a 25-19 set and match win.

With the win, IWU became part of an elite group with three other teams (Fresno Pacific (Calif.), Brigham Young-Hawaii, and Hawaii-Hilo) that have won three consecutive titles.

All-Tournament Team

Eve Fountain, Bellevue (Neb.)

Ashley Keck, Concordia (Neb.)

Ella Waters, Concordia (Neb.)

Makayla Roginski, Corban (Ore.)

Kiera Vaughn, Eastern Oregon

Brooke Womack, Eastern Oregon

Eva Joldersma, Indiana Wesleyan

Shae Williams, Indiana Wesleyan

Marissa Mullens, Indiana Wesleyan

Enya Fierens, McPherson (Kan.)

Gabi Jakubowska, Missouri Baptist

Zavyr Metzger, Northwestern (Iowa)

Stella Winterfeld, Northwestern (Iowa)

Bella Thompson, Providence (Mont.)

Setter of the Tournament: Bella Thompson, Providence (Mont.)

Defender of the Tournament: Zavyr Metzger, Northwestern (Iowa)

Attacker of the Tournament: Stella Winterfeld, Northwestern (Iowa)

Tournament MVP: Eva Joldersma, Indiana Wesleyan

Coach of the Tournament: Candace Moats, Indiana Wesleyan

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Buccaneer Track & Field Programs Release Schedule for 2026 Outdoor Season

Published

51 minutes ago

December 10, 2025

Your Sports Nation

CHARLESTON – The Charleston Southern Track & Field programs released their schedules for the 2026 outdoor season on Wednesday afternoon. They will compete in seven meets up and down the East Coast during the regular season with each scheduled for consecutive weekends.

The season will begin in mid-March with some student-athletes traveling to Charlotte for the 49er Classic while others will stay back to compete in the home meet, the Buccaneer Invitational. The home meet is scheduled for Friday, March 20 while Charlotte’s is from Thursday, March 19 through Saturday, March 21.

Following this, they will be on the road for four consecutive trips to ACC and SEC programs before finishing the regular season at Charlotte. Those big trips include the Raleigh Relays, hosted by NC State, (3/26-3/28), Florida Relays (4/3-4/4), Duke Invitational (4/9-11) and Georgia Tech Invitational (4/17-4/18). The season ends at the Charlotte Invitational, which is held from Friday, April 24 through Saturday, April 25.

The Buccaneers will then enjoy a pair of weekends of rest and recovery before traveling to High Point, North Carolina for the Big South Championships. The Panthers are serving as the hosts for this year’s championship meet which is scheduled for Monday, May 11 through Wednesday, May 13.

The NCAA East First and Second Round Regional meet returns to Lexington, Kentucky with the University of Kentucky to host the event. It is scheduled for Wednesday, May 27 through Saturday, May 30. The NCAA Championships are in Eugene, Oregon with the University of Oregon hosting. The meet is scheduled for Wednesday, June 10 through Saturday, June 13.

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