Sports

Shawnee hosting Olympic athletes in first volleyball showdown

Published

4 months ago

August 29, 2025

A new volleyball tournament is bringing some of the world’s top athletes to Shawnee for its inaugural competition.

From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13, the Shawnee Mission Beach Volleyball club will host the inaugural George Brett 4v4 Volleyball Showdown, a competition featuring some of the sport’s most acclaimed athletes.

The event will feature 24 professional athletes spread across six teams as they compete for $250,000 in prizes.

Owning the volleyball club since 2023, Lance Windholz said his hopes were always to organize a big event like this with hopes of bringing out thousands of people.

“To bring another professional sport into the market, I think it’s pretty amazing,” he said.

Top-tier athletes will compete

While the Midwest may not come to mind as a sand-covered, volleyball destination, Windholz said the courts in Shawnee are something to be desired.

“We shipped in sand and built a beach in the middle of the heartland. I mean, that, in and of itself, is just kind of crazy,” he said. “I talk to people who live in California and they’re envious of what we have.”

Some of those envious people from California and beyond will be competing in the event, like Olympic athletes Taylor Crabb, Phil Daulhausser, Nick Lucena, Andy Benesh and Carli Lloyd, among others. They will be divided into six teams, three men and three women’s teams.

In bringing them all to town, Windholz wants people to think of it like a new team arriving.

“It really is like having a new professional team in town, except, with these kind of sports, they’re a little bit more like event-based,” he said.

Volleyball player Tyler Crabb. Image via Tyler Crabb website.

Organizers are “excited” about the event

The idea for the event formed with Windholz pitched it to Steve Obradovich, an Association of Volleyball Hall of Fame athlete and creator of the Newport Beach Volleyball Tournament in Newport Beach, California.

“He was just trying to grow the sport and help the players that have shaped the sport that he’s been playing his whole life. And it was a big success. And so he was like, ‘I want to do more of these,’” Windholz said.

Being friends with Kansas City Royals legend George Brett, Obradovich started looking at venues to play in Kansas and got put in touch with Windholz.

“We got connected. They checked out our facility. (Obradovich) loved it. He said, ‘This is going to be awesome.’ And so it kind of was just born out of that,” Windholz said.

When Windholz told Beth Ansell, executive director of Visit Shawnee Kansas, about the tournament, she was excited.

“He’s been working on bringing tourism there for a little while now. So when I heard he’s bringing the Olympic athletes and pro volleyball players here, it was just really exciting,” she said.

Volleyball newcomers are welcome

With the event expected to draw crowds of up to 4,000, Windholz said he understands that this might be something new to some attendees, so they added activities to help them engage with the sport.

“When you watch the game, it’s so fast-paced. There’s a ton of action,” he said. “When these men and women get a power kill, it’s like hitting a home run. It’s just a slug fest, like a boxing match, where they’re just throwing bombs back and forth. It’s so much fun to watch.”

If people need a break from the all-day action, the event will also have hands-on experiences, like kids zones, athlete meet-and-greets and “Pros Vs. Joes” demonstrations where attendees can test the might of the athletes competing in the games.

“You get to line up against a pro and see just how good they are and see how fast they move, if you want. They’ll take it easy on you, if you want. But if you say, ‘Show me the heat,’ they’ll do it,” Windholz said.

Volleyball players at Shawnee Mission Beach Volleyball club. Photo courtesy Lance Windholz.

Hopes are the event will be an annual tradition

The tournament joins other big sports events that Shawnee hosts throughout the year at venues within the city’s so-called “Valley of Champions”, including the KC Ice Arena.

Whether the tournament will become an annual tradition will be determined by how many people attend this one, Windholz said.

“We get one chance to impress these pros, and if we don’t, they’re not going to be excited to come back,” he said.

Knowing how much of a sports city the Kansas City area is, Windholz said it shouldn’t be a problem.

“We’ve got the loudest outdoor venue with Arrowhead (Stadium). We’ve got the Guinness record for loudest indoor venue with Allen Fieldhouse. If we can bring that energy to Sept. 13, these guys are gonna literally be asking, ‘When are we coming back?’” he said.

Tickets are $43.25 and available at this link. All ages are welcome.

More Shawnee sports news: Cyclists of all ages flock to newly renovated bike track at Shawnee Mission Park

Link

Sports

Alabama track star becomes first in school history to win Bowerman Award

Published

6 minutes ago

December 19, 2025

Your Sports Nation

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WAFF) – University of Alabama track and field athlete Doris Lemngole won the Bowerman Award, becoming the first UA student to receive collegiate track and field’s highest individual honor.

The 23-year-old claimed the prestigious award Thursday night after being named a semifinalist last year.

Lemngole is a four-time national champion and five-time SEC champion.

The Bowerman Award recognizes the top collegiate track and field athlete in the country.

Click Here to Subscribe on YouTube: Watch the latest WAFF 48 news, sports & weather videos on our YouTube channel!

Link

Sports

Texas A&M volleyball takes out another titan, sweeping No. 1 Pitt to reach national championship

Published

30 minutes ago

December 19, 2025

Your Sports Nation

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Texas A&M volleyball program had never appeared on a stage like the one it graced Thursday night at T-Mobile Arena, playing for a spot in the national championship match.

Pitt, meanwhile, had been here in a semifinal four times in the past four seasons.

So much for the importance of big-match experience.

The upstart Aggies rolled past the battle-tested Panthers, 29-27, 25-21, 25-20. Four days after Texas A&M upset No. 1-ranked Nebraska on its home court, coach Jamie Morrison’s team took its game up a notch.

It will face Kentucky on Sunday in an all-SEC final. The Wildcats (30-2) outlasted Wisconsin in five sets, winning the fifth 15-13 in the second semifinal.

A&M (28-4) earned a No. 3 regional seed in the 64-team tournament and needed five sets against Louisville in the regional semifinal — and five more to dispatch the previously unbeaten Huskers.

On Thursday, the Aggies swept the Panthers, one of four top seeds in regional play, behind the relentless attack of Ifenna Cos-Okpalla in the middle, Kyndal Stowers on the left pin and Logan Lednicky on the right.

“Literally, why not us?” Lednicky said. “We are considered the underdog in a lot of these moments, just because we haven’t been here before. But we know we have all the right pieces.”

Cos-Okpalla slammed the final kill against the Panthers on Thursday to secure a fifth loss in the national semifinal round since 2021 for Pitt (30-5). Cos-Okpalla, a first-team All-American, finished with eight terminations on a lethal .538 hitting efficiency.

Lednicky recorded 14 kills. Stowers had 16, including nine on .750 hitting in the marathon first set.

Stowers notched two kills among the clinching 3-0 run for the Aggies after Pitt took a 27-26 lead on a kill by Olivia Babcock, the reigning AVCA player of the year, in that tone-setting first set.

So, how was Stowers feeling?

“Every time someone asks me, genuinely, I have no idea,” the sophomore transfer from Baylor said. “I have no idea. Pure gratitude. This is crazy. This is an absolutely crazy experience. We have had faith in ourselves all year. From the first game of the season, we knew we were capable of this.

“Now living it, it’s like, ‘Wow, this is insane.’ It’s really cool.”

The Aggies split two matches this season against Texas, a No. 1 regional seed. Another top seed, Kentucky, beat Texas A&M in their only matchup. Morrison has encouraged the Aggies simply to be themselves on the big stage.

They’ve had practice.

“The more we’re in it,” he said, “the more we get comfortable (and) the more we’re used to being ourselves.”

It works.

“Just be us,” Cos-Okpalla said. “Not only just us as a team, us as individuals.”

Morrison, 45, took over the Aggies in 2023 after he spent much of his coaching career as an assistant with the U.S. men’s and women’s national teams.

He directed A&M to the NCAA Tournament in his first year, then to the Sweet 16 last season.

It’s in position to win a national championship, Morrison said, because his players bought into what he teaches.

They didn’t pick A&M for the promise of name, image and likeness riches. In addition to Cos-Okpalla, Stowers and Lednicky received second-team All-America recognition this week. Setter Maddie Waak was a third-team selection.

“These girls came here for nothing,” said Morrison, named Wednesday as the AVCA coach of the year. “Really, they came here because they love the school, they love the institution. They wanted to be developed.”

Before this fifth semifinal loss in five years, Pitt lost twice in this round against ACC rival Louisville and twice against Nebraska.

The Panthers mounted an 8-0 run in the second set to take a 15-11 lead before A&M responded with a 9-2 run. In the third set, the Aggies scored the final 4 points after the last of Babcock’s match-high 22 kills brought Pitt to within 1 point.

Link

Sports

Iowa State Honors Fall Graduates

Published

1 hour ago

December 19, 2025

Your Sports Nation

AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State athletics department recognized 29 student-athletes who have earned their degrees from the school.

Also recognized were 25 spring graduates from the softball and track and field programs, who because of their athletic schedules will likely be unable to attend next semester’s event.

The group was recognized at the fall graduation ceremony Friday afternoon at the Sukup End Zone Club.

Congratulations to the 2025 Cyclone student-athlete fall graduates.

2025 Fall Graduates

Reagan Bartholomew, Softball

Rocco Becht, Football

Kai Black, Football

Cannon Butler, Football

Drew Clausen, Football

Kiersten Fisher, Track and Field

Jace T. Gilbert, Football

Kailynn Gubbels, Track and Field

Eli Green, Football

Deylin Hasert, Football

Caleb Helgeson, Wrestling

Amiree Hendricks-Walker, Volleyball

Jenna James, Track and Field

Rachel Joseph, Track and Field

Lauren Kimball, Swimming and Diving

Kaia Holtkamp, Track and Field/Cross Country

Paula Krzeslak, Volleyball

Zachary Lovett, Football

Tyler Maro, Football

Tamatoa McDonough, Football

Will McLaughlin, Football

Tyler Moore, Football=

James Neal, Football

Domonique Orange, Football

Ana Irene Palacios, Gymnastics

Tyler Perkins, Football

Kaylee Tobaben, Track and Field/Cross Country

Xavier Townsend, Football

Sydney Willits, Track and Field

2026 Spring and Summer Graduates

McKenna Andrews, Softball

Hannah Baier, Track and Field

Riley Beach, Track and Field/Cross Country

Jadan Brumbaugh, Track and Field

Kinsey Christianson, Track and Field

Ava Cinnamo, Track and Field

Makayla Clark, Track and Field

Emanuel Galdino, Track and Field/Cross Country

Bella Heikes, Track and Field/Cross Country

Tatum Johnson, Softball

Ashlyn Keeney, Track and Field/Cross Country

Sydney Malott, Softball

Sanele Masondo, Track and Field/Cross Country

Ashley Minor, Softball

Paige Nakashima, Softball

Brooke Naughton, Track and Field

Quinton Orr, Track and Field/Cross Country

Tiana Poole, Softball

Maelle Porcher, Track and Field/Cross Country

Jaiden Ralston, Softball

Daniel Romary, Track and Field

Rodgers Rotich, Track and Field/Cross Country

Riley Simpson, Track and Field/Cross Country

Mya Trober, Track and Field/Cross Country

Ryan Watts, Track and Field/Cross Country

Link

Sports

Dan Fisher: Defense not good enough in NCAA volleyball loss

Published

2 hours ago

December 19, 2025

Your Sports Nation

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Pittsburgh volleyball coach Dan Fisher said he’s to blame after the Panthers lost in the NCAA tournament semifinals for a record fifth straight season Thursday night.

Top-seeded Pitt was swept by No. 3 Texas A&M 29-27, 25-21, 25-20 and failed to advance to the program’s first national championship game.

The Aggies finished the three sets with a .382 hitting percentage and 52 kills; the Panthers hit .344 with 45 kills.

In Sunday’s championship match, Texas A&M will face Kentucky, a five-set winner over Wisconsin in the other semifinal.

“I guess the main story from a coaching standpoint is, we hit for a high-enough percentage, that’s for sure,” said Fisher, the 13th-year Panthers coach. “If you would have told me we would hit .350, I would have been pretty pleased with that.

“We were nowhere near as good as we needed to be defensively. … I thought we were ready. It’s on me and on us as coaches. We just weren’t good enough defensively.”

Pitt was eliminated in the national semifinals by Nebraska in 2021 and 2023, and by Louisville in 2022 and 2024.

“I’m proud of being consistently good and consistently in the hunt. But I’m pretty pissed off about it right now,” Fisher said.

On Thursday, Pitt junior and 2024 American Volleyball Coaches Association National Player of the Year Olivia Babcock had a game-high 22 kills. The 6-foot-4 right-side hitter, who is a finalist for the prestigious award again, fought back tears after the loss.

“Obviously, losing sucks, but I don’t think there’s anything shameful or bad about losing in a final four,” Babcock said. “I mean only four teams got to play today. We were grateful enough to be one of them. Losing is always hard.”

She echoed Fisher’s comments on the defensive play.

“Offensively, we were great the entire night,” she said. “Normally, we’re better at getting block touches and we are making more digs. Today, I feel that we just weren’t up to our standard.”

Pitt beat Purdue in the regional finals to become the first team since Texas (2012-16) to make five straight final four appearances. The Longhorns won the national championship in 2012 and were the runners-up in 2015 and 2016.

Link

Sports

Inaugural K-State Relays High School Meet Set for April 2026

Published

2 hours ago

December 19, 2025

Your Sports Nation

MANHATTAN, Kan. – The best high school track and field athletes from the state of Kansas and surrounding states will descend on Manhattan this spring as Head Track and Field Coach Travis Geopfert and Athletics Director Gene Taylor have announced details for the inaugural K-State Relays at the R.V. Christian Track Complex.

The meet, which will be held April 10-11, will consist of six different relay events as well as seven field events and will infuse the Manhattan community with visitors from all over the state. The unique format will score the relay events and will crown both a boys and girls team champion.

“We are thrilled to host this event and help support high school track and field here in the state of Kansas,” Geopfert said. “This will be a high school-only meet that will allow every school in the state of Kansas to come to Manhattan and have their athletes compete against the best that this state, and surrounding states, have to offer.”

The relay events include the 4×100, 4×400, 4×800, sprint medley relay, distance medley relay and shuttle hurdle relay. The field events to be contested are the long jump, triple jump, shot put, discus throw and javelin throw with a field size of 32 athletes. The high jump and pole vault will have up to 24 participating athletes. The Cliff Rovelto Indoor Track will be utilized as a warm-up area while Bramlage Coliseum will house the team camps. The close proximity of these three facilities will make for a seamless experience for athletes and coaches.

“We wanted to create a unique team concept, with team-scored relays only on the track,” Geopfert added. “This allows hundreds of athletes to compete as a team in a condensed time frame that’s exciting for all track and field fans. We also wanted to make sure we created an opportunity for the best field event athletes in the state to compete. This is a slightly different concept from the traditional ‘Relays Meet’ but we’re hopeful the team score, the condensed schedule and the opportunity for elite field event competition, will attract and give a great opportunity for these high school athletes.”

Events such as the K-State Relays also provide the department with the opportunity to host visitors to not only see the Wildcat program and facilities up close but also spend time in the Manhattan community.

“When we look at hosting outside events, we want to ensure that they provide value to our department and programs, make sense from a cost/revenue perspective and are beneficial to the Manhattan community,” Taylor said. “We feel this event checks all the boxes, and we look forward to welcoming high school track athletes and their families to Manhattan in April.”

More information, including detailed schedules and ticket information, will be announced in the coming months. High school coaches and teams interested in participating in the event can contact Chris Goodwin at (785) 473-6661 or cgoodwin@kstatesports.com.

— k-statesports.com —

How to follow the ‘Cats: For complete information on the K-State Track and Field and Cross Country Teams, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team’s social media channels on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook.

Link

Sports

Badgers fall to Kentucky in National Semifinals

Published

2 hours ago

December 19, 2025

Your Sports Nation

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WMTV) – The Badgers Volleyball team lost to Kentucky Thursday night and failed to advance to the National Championship game on Sunday.

Wisconsin lost to the Wildcats 3-2 in Kansas City.

Kentucky will play Texas A&M on Sunday afternoon for the National Championship.

Click here to download the WMTV15 News app or our WMTV15 First Alert weather app.

Link