CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Southeast Missouri Volleyball has announced its next assistant coach for the 2025 season, the program announced Thursday morning. 
 
Head Coach Julie Yankus has hired former Redhawk standout Tara Beilsmith to join her staff in the Fall. Beilsmith, who played for the Redhawks from 2019-2023, was previously a volunteer assistant coach at Lindenwood during the 2024 season. 
 
Coach Yankus had this to say about the hiring of Beilsmith, “I’m thrilled to bring Tara back to SEMO. Her knowledge of the sport and her passion for SEMO Volleyball make her a perfect fit. Tara will do a great job leading our defense and coaching our passers, as well as continuing to help us recruit in the St. Louis area. Tara’s accomplishments as a player and a coach have already made her highly respected within the program. She already achieved so much during her time as a student-athlete at SEMO and I know we will be adding a lot more to her resume during her time here as a coach.”
 
Beilsmith most recently helped lead the Lions to their first Ohio Valley Conference Tournament title in just her first season with the program. The Lions finished 23-11 with a 14-4 mark in OVC play and captured the tournament title over Morehead State (3-0). 
 
On the club side, Tara spent the last two years coaching for St. Louis-area  ‘High Performance Volleyball Club’. She coached the 13 Royal team during the 23-24 and has spent the 2024-25 season coaching the 15 Royal team. 
 

She is a three-time OVC champion, winning twice as a player (2019 & 2021) and once as a coach (2024). She finished with one regular season title as a player during the 2021 campaign. 
 

As a player, Beilsmith played all five seasons at Southeast Missouri where she was a two-time OVC Defensive Player of the Year selection (2022 & 23). She was a two-time All-OVC First Team Selection and a three-time Second Team selection in her career. 
 
Over her time at Southeast Missouri, Beilsmith compiled 3,034 digs over 548 sets which marks her as the Ohio Valley Conference’s all-time leader in career digs.  In addition, she ranks third all-time in NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball history for career digs. 
 
During the 2023 campaign, Beilsmith added her name to the NCAA record books with 797 digs in a single season. The number marked her fourth all-time in single-season history for NCAA Volleyball. She averaged 6.38 digs-per-set in 2023, ranking her 13^th all-time in NCAA history. 
 
In addition to the 2023 campaign, Beilsmith recorded 773 digs over 131 sets during the 2022 season which ranks her 10^th all-time in the NCAA record book for a single season. 
 
The daughter of Dan and Patty Beilsmith, Tara is a native of Weldon Spring, Missouri and graduated from Southeast Missouri with a degree in Cybersecurity. She most recently completed her Master’s Degree of Business Administration in General Management at Southeast as well. 
 
 
 

Mozambique’s beach volleyball teams are pushing toward the sport’s highest stage, building on continental triumphs and back-to-back World Championship appearances. Podium finishes at the CAVB Zone VI Beach Volleyball Tour and the chance to test themselves against the world’s best have changed the outlook for the programme. With FIVB Empowerment propelling their progress, they are preparing for another shot at the World Championship, and a place among the elite.

For a programme built on raw talent and ambition, the journey to this point has not been easy. Mahomed Afzal Vala, President of the Mozambique Volleyball Federation, knows what it takes to compete in Africa and the challenges that come with staying at the top.

“Mozambique is fortunate to have athletes with great potential, and most of them with dreams,” Vala said. “We have won several regional and continental trophies since 2013, when the federation was led by the former president Khalid Cassam and I was his Vice President, and together we started revolutionising volleyball in Mozambique, across the U19, U21 and senior categories. We need to maintain the African podium, which was not, and continues not to be, an easy task.”

However, dreams alone are not enough to win matches. Limited resources and the everyday realities faced by the athletes, including balancing studies, work and training, have shaped their path.

“The first challenge is the country’s financial situation, which has not allowed us to play with the best in the world by taking part in Beach Pro Tour events to improve the performance of our athletes,” he said. “The second is that our athletes are not yet professionals, and many of them make a huge effort to play and be at the highest level while they study and work.”

In 2021, Mozambique’s beach volleyball journey gained new direction with FIVB Empowerment stepping in. The arrival of Brazilian coach Alexandre Pontel, a product of a country that lives and breathes beach volleyball, brought the experience and perspective Mozambique needed.

“Brazil lives for beach volleyball, and this experience helped us realise that we must make more of an effort to achieve macro objectives,” Vala said. “Without regular training, it will be difficult to achieve the objectives set. Our athletes have improved in several aspects, but they must dedicate themselves more because they have potential.”

FIVB Empowerment support totals CHF 390,500 and has funded training camps, international tournaments, and equipment. The support has allowed Mozambique’s teams to compete in events and environments they had limited access to before.

Jose Alberto Mondlane at Beach Pro Tour Futures Messina, gaining key international experience for Mozambique.

By competing in Italy and other events, our athletes were able to see the best and play against them, which made them believe that with hard work, it is possible,” he said. “But we need more of this type of support and partnerships with stronger National Federations that host events regularly. Only by playing with the strongest can we grow more.

Among the international tournaments Mozambique has attended, one stands out for its impact. The team’s participation at the Beach Pro Tour Futures Messina offered a valuable chance to compete against higher-ranked opponents and gain experience at the international level. It was the kind of exposure that reshaped expectations within the programme.

“Our presence at the Messina Futures of the Beach Pro Tour in Italy showed that with this type of strategy, we can improve a lot,” Vala said.

However, the changes have not been limited to the senior teams. After focusing heavily on Olympic qualification in 2021, the national federation has renewed its efforts at the grassroots level.

Team Mozambique guided by Brazilian coach Alexandre Pontel.

“We managed to maintain the level, but we had enormous difficulties since Alexandre, in 2021, focused more on Olympic qualification and we did not have coaches working on training as it should be,” Vala said. “But now things have changed. We have support for national coaches, backed by the international coach, and we are reorganising and working more effectively with a view to guaranteeing a future in the sport.”

This effort spans age groups and regional centres, offering young players a path forward. “This year we are better organised and working from U19s, U21s and seniors. We have regional centres prepared to expand the sport and feed the senior teams. At the moment we have young athletes with room to go until 2032 or 2036, so the future is guaranteed,” Vala said.

Continental competitions play a key role in Mozambique’s approach. Events like the CAVB Zone VI Beach Volleyball Tour provide ranking points and regular match experience at a time when travel beyond Africa remains limited.

“The events in Zone VI were the icing on the cake, since without the resources to travel around the world, we managed to get points and be in a position that allows us to go to the World Championship,” Vala said. “In Africa, we have few events, but enough since the teams pay all the expenses. There is no regular support, and the cost of transportation in Africa is very expensive. We are privileged to host several stages in the zone because this allows us to have many athletes participating in the event.”

Vala continues to set goals for the programme.

“Being on the podium in the African U19 and U21 events, qualifying for the Youth Olympic Games and fighting for the third time and having our athletes at the LA28 Olympic Games,” he said.

FIVB Empowerment remains central to Mozambique’s progress.

“Without this support, it would be much more difficult to maintain this work and continue to build on this small success,” Vala said. “But we still hope that with the good relationship the FIVB has with the federation, we will have support to participate in world events, since it may be easier to cover air tickets and have logistical support on site. That would be the green over the blue.”

Jose Alberto Mondlane dives for the ball during competition at the Beach Pro Tour, showcasing Mozambique’s growing presence in international events.

The results of FIVB Empowerment are not only seen in competitions but felt by the players themselves. Jose Alberto Mondlane, who reached the final of the continental qualifying phase for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, described how the programme shaped his journey.

“The support given by the FIVB through the Empowerment Programme was very good for us during the last Olympic cycle. I really enjoyed working with coach Alexandre Pontel. He brought a new vision to beach volleyball in Mozambique. Being his athlete helped me see volleyball in a different (better) way than I had seen it before, with the training he gave, the tips, the knowledge, etc. It made me believe even more in my potential as a player,” Mondlane said.

“We had many moments of overcoming because we had already worked on almost everything, so it was just a matter of remembering and executing, which most of the time worked out very well. This allowed us to achieve excellent results, good performance, more respect, etc. I believe we had more happy moments than sad ones. I hope that Mozambique continues to have support from the FIVB because it needs it, and we need it to continue to evolve.”

Mozambique’s beach volleyball teams continue to grow their programme, narrowing the gap with every tournament and keeping their pursuit of a place among the sport’s best firmly in sight.

Call it a breakthrough on the beach.

NEW YORK, May 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Brag House Holdings, Inc. TBH (“Brag House” or the “Company”), a media-tech company at the intersection of gaming, college sports, and digital brand engagement, today announced the filing of its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024.

The Company reaffirmed its confidence in the execution of its strategic plan to redefine digital engagement for casual college gamers and brands seeking to connect with the Gen Z demographic. As outlined in the Management’s Discussion and Analysis of its Annual Report on Form 10-K, Brag House continues to develop a first-of-its-kind digital platform where casual college gamers can compete, support their schools, engage in spirited banter, and win prizes in a safe, inclusive environment.

“We are creating more than a platform—we are building a new sports medium,” said Lavell Juan Malloy II, CEO and Co-Founder of Brag House. “By merging gameplay with school spirit, our student-led tournaments, proprietary Bragging Functionality, and interactive experiences offer Gen Z an entirely new way to engage with college rivalries.”

The Company highlighted its landmark strategic partnership with Learfield, which launched in April 2025 in collaboration with Florida Gators Athletics. The partnership represents a significant revenue-generating opportunity and marks the first step in a nationwide rollout designed to scale across Learfield’s network of over 200 collegiate institutions.

The Company reaffirmed its strategic focus by highlighting the launch of a landmark initiative with Florida Gators Athletics and Learfield’s Florida Gators Sports Properties, as announced in its April 28, 2025 press release titled “Brag House, Florida Gators Athletics, and Learfield Announce Strategic Partnership to Create New Digital Sports Medium for Gen Z.” This innovative collaboration introduces a new digital sports medium for Gen Z—merging school spirit, gaming, and live sports into immersive experiences, as detailed below.

The debut activation, known as the Brag Gator Gauntlet, kicks off in May 2025 at the University of Florida. This flagship series introduces:

• Live and digital gaming activations aligned with real-world sporting events;
• NIL-integrated content featuring student-athletes to amplify authenticity and school pride;
• Branded loyalty tokens and cross-channel sponsorship opportunities across digital and on-campus platforms.

By uniting Brag House’s gamified platform with Learfield’s nationwide network of collegiate institutions, this initiative redefines how fans and students engage with college sports. It also opens up high-impact, measurable opportunities for brands to reach Gen Z through student-led tournaments, influencer-driven campaigns, and serialized content. The Company believes this model will generate high-ROI advertising opportunities and serve as a foundation for future data-driven insights, enabling brands to engage Gen Z with greater precision, authenticity, and scale.

“Our development and marketing strategy is laser-focused on high-impact, revenue-producing milestones,” added Malloy. “We are investing strategically in infrastructure while maintaining disciplined cost controls expected of a public company.”

The Company’s near-term strategic goals include:

• Scaling Learfield-based activations across multiple universities;
• Deploying digital rewards through Loyalty Tokens and Bragging Functionality;
• Advancing key platform technology modules to operational beta;
• Leveraging proprietary data for brand-focused SaaS revenue generation.

Brag House remains confident in its long-term growth trajectory and will continue providing shareholders with updates as key milestones are reached.

About Brag House

Brag House is a leading media technology gaming platform dedicated to transforming casual college gaming into a vibrant, community-driven experience. By seamlessly merging gaming, social interaction, and cutting-edge technology, the Company provides an inclusive and engaging environment for casual gamers while enabling brands to authentically connect with the influential Gen Z demographic. The platform offers live-streaming capabilities, gamification features, and custom tournament services, fostering meaningful engagement between users and brands. For more information, please visit www.braghouse.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined within Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements in this press release, include, but are not limited to statements relating to the ability to generate revenue from strategic partnership with Learfield; the ability to generate any revenue, return on investment, or any specific outcomes related to scheduled or unscheduled activations or immersive experiences; the ability to deliver anticipated platform growth, including through anticipated development roadmap or scalable model; the timeliness of any anticipated beta versions; the ability to generate revenue from anonymized behavioral insights or other proprietary data; the effectiveness of marketing strategies and strategic investments on revenue; the availability or value of any digital rewards and functionality; the feasibility of near-term strategic goals; or the impact on growth of near or long-term trajectories. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as “may,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “could,” “intends,” “target,” “projects,” “forecasts,” “believes,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “potential,” “continue,” “assumption” or “judgment” or the negative of these words or other similar terms or expressions that concern our expectations, strategy, plans or intentions. These statements relate to future events or our future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.

Although the Company believes the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable when made, the Company cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements. There are a number of important factors that could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from the results anticipated by the Company’s forward-looking statements, which include, but are not limited to: the Company’s history of recurring losses and anticipated expenditures raises substantial doubts about its ability to continue as a going concern; the Company’s loss of or a substantial reduction in activity by one or more of its largest clients, vendors and/or sponsors could materially and adversely affect its business, financial condition and results of operations; the Company’s revenue model may not remain effective, and the Company cannot guarantee that its future monetization strategies will be successfully implemented or generate sustainable revenues and profit; technology changes rapidly in the Company’s business and if it fails to anticipate or successfully implement new technologies or adopt new business strategies, technologies or methods, the quality, timeliness and competitiveness of the Company’s amateur tournaments or competitions may suffer; the Company relies on information technology and other systems and platforms, and any failures, errors, defects or disruptions in the Company’s systems or platforms could diminish its brand and reputation, subject it to liability, disrupt its business, affect its ability to scale its technical infrastructure and adversely affect its operating results and growth prospects..

Additional factors include those described in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, including under the captions “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” and “Business,” in the Company’s subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, including under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” and in our subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A forward-looking statement is neither a prediction nor a guarantee of future events or circumstances. You should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Unless required by federal securities laws, the Company assumes no obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated, to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the statements are made.

Investor Relations Contact:

Adele Carey

VP, Investor Relations

ir@thebraghouse.com

Media Contact:

Fatema Bhabrawala

Director of Media Relations

fbhabrawala@allianceadvisors.com