Sports

Spartan Student-Athletes Earn President’s & Dean’s Scholar Designation – SJSU Athletics – Official Athletics Website

Published

8 months ago

May 20, 2025

SAN JOSE, Calif.—As finals wrap up for the spring semester, San José State student-athletes excelled in the classroom over the past two semesters as 176 current and former student-athletes, cheer and dance team members and department student workers were recognized as either a President’s Scholar or Dean’s Scholar at SJSU.

The President’s Scholars were honored at the 63rd annual Honors Convocation held inside the Provident Credit Union Event Center in April. The celebration honored over 2,590 undergraduate students who achieved the distinction for the Spring and/or Fall 2024 semesters.

To earn a President’s Scholar designation, a student must earn a 4.00 grade-point average in one of the two semesters (Spring 2024 & Fall 2024) before the Honors Convocation. A Dean’s Scholar is a San José State student with a 3.65 or higher grade-point average in a semester during the same academic calendar.

There are 47 student-athletes from 18 sports designated as a President’s Scholar. Women’s soccer had seven President’s Scholars, followed by women’s golf, women’s swimming and diving and women’s water polo with five each.

All 22 sports are represented among the 176 honorees, including nine teams who have double-digit honorees – women’s soccer with 18 honorees; men’s water polo with 16 honorees; women’s water polo and cheer & dance with 15 honorees; women’s swimming & diving, football and women’s gymnastics with 13 honorees; and women’s track & field/cross country with 11 honorees and softball with 10 honorees.

President’s Scholars (47)

Nereyda Alvarez Gonzalez Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field Kinesiology

Moa Andersson Women’s Golf Business Administration/International Business

Mya Azzopardi Women’s Swimming & Diving Psychology BA

Marissa Ashton Women’s Gymnastics Business Administration/Management

Hamish Bonnar Men’s Water Polo Justice Studies/Criminology

Ava Bynes Women’s Soccer Public Relations

Tyler Chen Football Undecided – Pre-Nursing

Darae Chung Women’s Golf Psychology BA

Kyah Coady Women’s Soccer Kinesiology

Emma Cornwell Cheer & Dance Justice Studies/Criminology

Katie Dargani Cheer & Dance Undeclared – Pre-Nursing

Camille Donnelly Cheer & Dance Psychology BA

Duru Durgun Tennis Psychology BA

Cole Ehrhorn Baseball Business Administration/Management

Kayla Fortenberry Women’s Soccer Sociology

Anabel Foster Women’s Track & Field Psychology BA

Chloe Frank Women’s Gymnastics Business Administration/Management

Avinash Iyer Men’s Golf Business Administration/Finance

Ashley Jackson Women’s Swimming & Diving Biological Sciences/Systems Physiology BS

Mitchell Keightley Men’s Water Polo Chemistry BS

Tasaria Kilpatrick Women’s Water Polo Undeclared

Tessa Kremser Women’s Golf Business Administration/Human Resources

Lucia Lopez Ortega Women’s Golf Biological Sciences/Systems Physiology BS

Sebastian Macaluso Football Communication Studies

Connor Macmillan Men’s Water Polo Interdisciplinary Engineering

Sophia Martel Women’s Soccer Business Admin./Management Information Systems

Reagan Mathieson Women’s Swimming & Diving Public Health/Population Data

Shay McDowell Softball Kinesiology

Charlotte Memoly Women’s Soccer Kinesiology

Sophia Memory Women’s Soccer Advertising

Lucy Miszewski Women’s Water Polo Mechanical Engineering

Bente Pernot Women’s Soccer History

Sinia Plotz Women’s Water Polo Psychology BA

Alexey Poletaev Men’s Water Polo Biological Sciences BA

Ella Power Women’s Gymnastics Biological Sciences/Systems Physiology BS

Paxtyn Riehs Women’s Water Polo Psychology BA

Mia Reynolds Softball Art/Studio Practice

Kate Roberts Women’s Golf Political Science

Anna Salmon Beach Volleyball Biological Sciences BA

Lina Schubert Women’s Track & Field Psychology BA

Ellie Shorten Women’s Swimming & Diving Business Admin./Management Information Systems

Emilia Sjostrand Women’s Track & Field Sociology

Paris Thai Cheer & Dance Communicative Disorders & Science

Keira Vail Women’s Swimming & Diving Journalism

Kaylob Walker Men’s Soccer Kinesiology

Katherine Weyhmiller Women’s Gymnastics Psychology BA

Nynke Willemsen Women’s Water Polo Marine Biology

Dean’s Scholars (129)

Ronin Axelson Men’s Soccer Psychology BA

Luna Balbuena Women’s Swimming & Diving Business Administration/Business Analytics

Nathan Balestrieri Football Communication Studies

Olaya Bances Iglesias Women’s Tennis Business Administration/Marketing

Alyssa Bean Women’s Track & Field Psychology BA

Dino Beslagic Football Communication Studies

Joseph Bey Football Business Administration/Entrepreneurship

Alyssa Bjork Volleyball Public Health

Mateja Bosic Men’s Water Polo Business Administration/Entrepreneurship

Keely Brown Women’s Soccer Mechanical Engineering

Carly Burns Women’s Soccer Psychology BA

Victor Cabanas Men’s Soccer Kinesiology

Letizia Cammillucci Volleyball Communication Studies

Alvaro Cardenas Men’s Basketball Kinesiology

Kyra Cato Women’s Gymnastics Psychology BA

Tiana Cello Women’s Soccer Advertising

Michael Chadwick Men’s Cross Country/Track & Field Kinesiology

Caitlin Chea Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field Psychology BA

Taylor Chillingworth Softball Kinesiology

Isabella Cioe Women’s Golf Economics

Itai Cohen Men’s Golf Business Administration/Marketing

Autemn Coleman Cheer/Dance Biomedical Engineering

Nathan Correia Men’s Water Polo Business Administration/Finance

Ashley Cummings Cheer/Dance Psychology BA

Sawyer Deeman Football Communication Studies

Addison DeMarse Beach Volleyball Psychology BA

Sarah Deplitch Softball Business Administration/Marketing

Anisha De Silva Cheer/Dance Undecided – Pre-Nursing

Djessira Diawara Women’s Basketball Philosophy

Hunter Dorraugh Baseball Justice Studies/Criminology

Niklas Dossmann Men’s Soccer Economics BA

Andreea Dragoi Women’s Swimming & Diving Psychology BA

Erik Duesund Men’s Water Polo Business Administration/Accounting

Jade Epps Volleyball Kinesiology

Hannah Ernst Women’s Swimming & Diving Biological Sciences BA

Morgan Eoff Cheer & Dance Art/Digital Media Art

Eamon Fakhri Men’s Soccer Psychology BA

Louis Fehrensen Men’s Water Polo Biological Sciences BA

Renee Fleming Women’s Water Polo Kinesiology

Bella Flocchini Women’s Soccer Advertising

Natasha Forrand Women’s Gymnastics Physics BS

Greta Fraraccio Women’s Track & Field Business Administration/Management

Ela Freiman Women’s Swimming & Diving SAGE Biomedical Engineering

Roy Gardner Jr. Football Kinesiology

Hazel Gaspaire Women’s Track & Field Justice Studies/Criminology

Ashley Goard Softball English (Teaching Prep)

Veronica Gourley Women’s Swimming & Diving Business Administration/Marketing

Katharina Graaman Women’s Track & Field Economics BS

Colin Grabman Cheer & Dance Mechanical Engineering

Luke Griskey Football Kinesiology

Madison Gustitus Women’s Gymnastics Business Administration/Marketing

Rebecca Gyllner Women’s Golf Business Administration/Management

Kyler Halvorsen Football Justice Studies

Lacie Ham Softball Psychology BA

Rowan Henige Men’s Track & Field Kinesiology

Gabriella Hernandez Women’s Track & Field Business Administration/Accounting

Austin Hexter Men’s Water Polo English

Julianna Hogan Sports Information Communication Studies

Evan House Women’s Soccer Kinesiology

William Humer Men’s Basketball Business Administration/Entrepreneurship

Iliana Jasso Women’s Soccer SAGE Justice Studies/Criminology

Rose Jensen Women’s Water Polo Environmental Studies

Trinity Johnson Women’s Gymnastics Business Administration/Management

Nicola Kaminski Women’s Golf Kinesiology

Catie Kelly Women’s Water Polo Environmental Studies BS

Eda Koker Volleyball Philosophy

Sophia Konieczny Women’s Gymnastics Forensic Science/Biology

Nathan Lau Men’s Track & Field Electrical Engineering

Lexington Leffall Men’s Track & Field Geography

Nate Lewis Football Business Administration/Management

Kaylani Lim Softball Political Science

Jaudai Lopes Women’s Gymnastics Justice Studies/Criminology

Ryann Lucchesi Women’s Water Polo Psychology BA

Xuan Luo Men’s Golf Business Administration/Analytics

Alyssa Malla Women’s Basketball Undeclared – Pre-Nursing

Katerina Marghieri Women’s Swimming & Diving Physics BS

Ava Martin Volleyball Business Administration/Management

Jovanah Maruri Cheer & Dance Child & Adolescent Development

Kennedy Mayo Women’s Soccer/Sports Info. Journalism

Hannah McCabe Cheer & Dance Kinesiology

Alaric Mercie de Soultrait Men’s Golf Business Administration/Finance

Hudson Mesa Football Business Administration/Management

Carolina Millan Women’s Tennis Philosophy

Elon Milroy Beach Volleyball Kinesiology

Irena Muradyan Women’s Tennis Business Administration/HTEM

Zsófia Muzsnay Women’s Swimming & Diving Psychology BA

Mia Nelson Women’s Gymnastics Biological Sciences BA

Itay Nemet Men’s Water Polo Business Administration/Management

Terence O’Donnell Men’s Water Polo Child & Adolescent Development (Teach Prep)

JC Osorio-Agard Baseball Economics BA

Jennine Osorio Women’s Water Polo Kinesiology

Maiken Pardon Women’s Water Polo Mechanical Engineering

Taylor Peacock Softball Undeclared

Dane Pendleton Men’s Soccer Philosophy

Taylor Phillips Women’s Soccer Business Administration/Finance

Emmitt Phinney Baseball Philosophy

Tatianna Raffin Women’s Water Polo Justice Studies/Criminology

Zach Ramans Men’s Water Polo Business Administration/Finance

Olivia Reardon Women’s Gymnastics Kinesiology

Timmy Reeve Baseball Communication Studies

Jasmine Rihal Sports Information Communication Studies

Adrianna Ross Cheer & Dance Advertising

Jessica Ross Women’s Water Polo Aviation

Karissa Ruble Women’s Soccer SAGE ISE/Engineering Management BS

Mattin Sarhaddi Men’s Water Polo Data Science

Rachel Schrock Cheer & Dance Liberal Studies/Int. Teacher Prep

Ricardo Scarafia Men’s Soccer Business Administration/Entrepreneurship

Ty Seligman Men’s Track & Field Biomedical Engineering

Cheuk Ying Shek Women’s Tennis Kinesiology

Jasmine Singleton Women’s Basketball Sociology

Grace Smith Women’s Water Polo Biological Sciences BA

Amelia Snyder Women’s Swimming & Diving Business Administration/Marketing

Taylor Squires Softball Mathematics (Intg. Teaching Prep)

Jake Steele Football Undeclared – Pre-Nursing

Lauren Strazzeri Women’s Track & Field Justice Studies/Criminology

Mael Suchet Men’s Water Polo Business Administration/Management

Shayla Sugai Women’s Soccer SAGE Justice Studies/Criminology

Bence Szabo Men’s Water Polo Business Administration/Management

Cameron Tarver Men’s Track & Field Business Administration/Human Resources

Aubrie Thomas Softball Psychology BA

Maro Tiozzo Men’s Water Polo Business Administration/International Business

Devyn Valuch Women’s Gymnastics Justice Studies/Criminology

Brady Van Bennekum Football Business Admin./Management Information Systems

Jack Vanoncini Baseball Business Administration/Marketing

Cammy Ventura Women’s Soccer Kinesiology

Alexander Walker Men’s Cross Country/Track & Field Chemical Engineering

Theresa Wesson Cheer & Dance Child & Adolescent Development (Teach Prep)

Sarah Woren Women’s Water Polo Psychology BA

Kalia Wyatt Cheer & Dance Sociology

#AllSpartans

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Sports

No. 11 CSUN Opens 2026 Season With Three Matches at UCSB Asics Invitational

Published

48 minutes ago

January 8, 2026

Your Sports Nation

CSUN THIS WEEK:

UCSB ASICS INVITATIONAL

MATCH #1

CSUN Matadors (0-0) vs. Maryville Saints (0-0)

Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026 – 7:00 p.m. PT

Rob Gym – Santa Barbara, Calif.

ESPN+

Live Stats

MATCH #2

CSUN Matadors vs. Harvard Crimson

Friday, Jan. 9, 2026 – 2:00 p.m. PT

Rob Gym – Santa Barbara, Calif

ESPN+

Live Stats

MATCH #3

CSUN Matadors vs. Kentucky State Thorobreds

Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026 – 4:30 p.m. PT

Rob Gym – Santa Barbara, Calif

ESPN+

Live Stats

In-game X updates: @CSUNMensVB

CSUN Men’s Volleyball Media Notes

FOR STARTERS

The preseason 11th-ranked CSUN Men’s Volleyball team (0-0, 0-0 Big West) opens the 2026 season, its 50th season of men’s volleyball, against Maryville on Thursday at the UCSB Asics Invitational in Santa Barbara. The match is the first of three for the Matadors at the annual tournament held at Rob Gym on the UCSB campus. CSUN opens the tournament Thursday against Maryville at 7 p.m., before taking on Harvard on Friday at 2 p.m. The Matadors conclude the three-day event on Saturday, taking on Kentucky State at 4:30 p.m. Fellow Big West teams UC Irvine and host UC Santa Barbara round out the six-team field this weekend.

FOLLOW YOUR MATADORS ONLINE

All nine matches of UCSB’s Asics Invitational will stream live on ESPN+ and will have live stats available (links at GoMatadors.com). CSUN home matches this season will also stream live on the ESPN+ platform, with Darren Preston handling a majority of the play-by-play this season.

Fans can also follow CSUN Matador men’s volleyball online at the official home of CSUN athletics, www. GoMatadors.com for related links to the match, including any live stats, audio, and video. Fans are also encouraged to check the CSUN Athletics Department’s official X feed (@ GoMatadors) and the volleyball-specific feed (@CSUNMensVB) for news and notes throughout the week, as well as updates of matches in progress.

CSUN RANKED 11TH IN 2026 AVCA PRESEASON MEN’S VOLLEYBALL POLL

After finishing the 2025 season ranked ninth in the final AVCA National Collegiate Poll, CSUN opens the 2026 season ranked 11th in the national preseason poll (Dec. 23). The Matadors, who finished 18-11 in 2025, finished in the top 10 in the final poll for the first time since 2018 and the second time in the last seven seasons. After being ranked in all 18 polls last season, CSUN received 238 points in the preseason poll to rank ninth.

Since reclaiming a spot in the AVCA national poll in 2023, the Matadors have been ranked in the top 20 in 36 consecutive polls and 46 of the last 49 AVCA national polls since the 2023 season. CSUN has been a fixture in the national polls historically, having previously been ranked in the AVCA Top-15 for 62 consecutive weeks and 262 of the last 289 weekly polls dating back to the 2002 season.

UCLA opens the 2026 season ranked first in the preseason poll, collecting 12 of 24 first-place votes and 481 total points. Hawai’i is second after receiving seven first-place votes and 473 points, followed by defending national champions Long Beach State, which received five first-place votes and 460 points. The remainder of the preseason top five includes Pepperdine and USC with UC Irvine, Loyola Chicago, BYU, Stanford, and UC San Diego rounding out the preseason top 10. The second half of the preseason top-20 poll includes the Matadors, Lewis, Penn State, Ohio State, McKendree, Ball State, UC Santa Barbara, Princeton, George Mason, and Lincoln Memorial.

SCOUTING THE ASICS INVITATIONAL FIELD

Maryville (0-0) opens its fifth season of men’s volleyball on Thursday in Santa Barbara. The Saints were picked to finish second in their inaugural season as members of the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Maryville earned four first-place votes and 43 total points to finish second to Rockhurst in the polling. Junior OH Makai Scott returns after leading the Saints with 307 kills (3.37 kps) and 211 digs last season. After finishing 19-9 in 2025, the Saints return 13 players while adding six newcomers in 2026. All-time series: Thursday’s match marks the first-ever meeting between the Matadors and Saints in men’s volleyball.

Harvard (0-0) opens the 2026 season on Thursday against UC Irvine. The Crimson, who finished 9-15 in 2025, were picked to tie for fifth in the EIVA Coaches’ Preseason Poll. Seniors Zach Berty and Brian Thomas were named as Players to Watch by the conference’s seven head coaches. Berty averaged 2.22 kills per set in 2025, while Thomas averaged 0.94 blocks per set to lead the team. All-time series: Friday’s match is the seventh meeting all-time between CSUN and Harvard, with the Matadors holding a 5-1 edge in the series. The two teams also met at the UCSB Invitational in 2019, with CSUN pulling out a five-set win.

Kentucky State (0-0) also opens its 2026 season in Santa Barbara. The Thorobreds, who were picked to finish sixth in the SIAC (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) Preseason Poll, will open against UC Santa Barbara on Thursday, before taking on UC Irvine and the Matadors to conclude the weekend. All-time series: Saturday’s match marks the first-ever meeting between the Matadors and Thorobreds in men’s volleyball.

CSUN AT THE UCSB ASICS INVITATIONAL

Thursday’s match against Maryville marks CSUN’s 25th appearance in UC Santa Barbara’s annual tournament in the last 29 years. The Matadors are 56-37 (.602) all-time in the tournament dating back to 2001. Last season, the Matadors finished 3-0 in the tournament with wins over Tusculum (3-0), Missouri S&T (3-0), and Menlo (3-1).

Since 2019, the Matadors are 8-7 in UCSB’s annual event, finishing 1-2 three times (2019, 2023, 2024) and 2-1 in 2019. After the 2021 tournament was canceled due to the COVID pandemic, CSUN was scheduled to open the 2022 season in Santa Barbara but due to COVID protocols within the program, the Matadors were forced to withdraw, snapping a streak of 16 consecutive appearances. In 2019, CSUN dropped a five-set decision to Grand Canyon, which snapped a streak of 11 straight Matador wins in the tournament dating back to a loss to Princeton in 2015. CSUN won its first-ever UCSB Invitational championship in 2009 after upsetting No. 2 UCLA (3-1) and defeating No. 14 UCSB (3-1) and No. 8 Stanford (3-1). The Matadors then won their second straight crown in 2010, topping UCSB (3-1), California Baptist (3-1), and BYU (3-1).

THREE MATADORS NAMED AVCA ALL-AMERICAN, ALL-BIG WEST IN 2025

For the first time since 2018, CSUN had three student-athletes named to the All-Big West First Team in 2025. The Matadors had three first-team selections as senior Donovan Constable, redshirt sophomore Jalen Phillips, and freshman Stilian Delibosov were all named to the top team. The last time CSUN had three players named first team was 2018, when Eric Chance, Arvis Greene, Jr., and Dimitar Kalchev earned top honors. All three players went on to earn AVCA All-America honors as Phillips was named to the First Team and Constable and Delibosov earned honorable mention accolades.

NEW FACES IN 2026

In addition to returning 10 letterwinners and five starters from the 2025 season, CSUN welcomes an impressive list of newcomers in 2026. The group includes a trio of 2025 redshirts, including sophomore Owen Douphner, who steps in for departed All-American Donovan Constable at setter. Transfer Jordan Lucas (Grand Canyon) and redshirt freshman Grayson Albers (Sacramento) each open their first season on the active roster in 2026. CSUN also welcomes a trio of true freshmen in 2026 that includes Kingston Jerome, Joel Eanes, and Noah Douphner. Jerome comes to CSUN from Shadow Ridge High School in Las Vegas, Nev., while Eanes is a 6-9 opposite from Kellam High School in Virginia Beach, Va. Douphner is a local product from nearby Stevenson Ranch and the younger brother of the CSUN setter.

MATADORS IN THE BIG WEST

The 2026 season marks CSUN’s ninth as a member of the Big West in men’s volleyball. With a 3-7 regular season record in 2025, the Matadors are 18-52 (.257) in 70 Big West matches over eight seasons since the conference’s inaugural campaign in 2018. CSUN finished 5-5 in the first Big West season in 2018 before finishing 3-7 in 2019, 2024, and 2025, 2-8 in 2021 and 1-9 in both 2022 and 2023. Prior to 2018, the Matadors played 25 seasons as a member of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) from 1993-2017 and 16 seasons in the Western Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (WIVA) from 1977-92.

EDWARDS IN FOURTH SEASON AS CSUN HEAD COACH

Theo Edwards is in his fourth season as CSUN’s head coach in 2026 after leading the Matadors back into the AVCA national rankings in his first three seasons. Now in his 16th season at CSUN, Edwards was named the successor to Jeff Campbell on Dec. 9, 2022. CSUN finished 12-16 in Edwards’ first season (1-9 in the Big West) in 2023 and the Matadors have steadily improved in each of Edwards’ three seasons. CSUN finished 13-16 in 2024 and 18-11 in 2025. Under Edwards’ leadership, CSUN earned a No. 7 national ranking on Mar. 10 of the 2025 season, its highest national ranking in seven seasons. The Matadors finished the 2025 season with a No. 9 national ranking, also its best since 2018.

LOOKING AHEAD

Following three matches at the UCSB Asics Invitational, the Matadors will remain on the road for two more matches next week. CSUN will travel to the Midwest for the 2026 Under Armour Invitational at Lindenwood in St. Charles, Mo. The Matadors will take on the host Lions on Jan. 16 before meeting Purdue Fort Wayne on Jan. 17 at 2:00 p.m. PT.

#GoMatadors

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Sports

Jenna Ibieta named head coach of Loyola indoor, beach volleyball programs – Crescent City Sports

Published

1 hour ago

January 8, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Jenna Ibieta steps into her new role after earning SSAC Assistant Coach of the Year honors in November

NEW ORLEANS – The Loyola University New Orleans indoor and beach volleyball program has a familiar face grabbing the reins, as Jenna Ibieta was named the new head coach for the two teams, Assistant Vice President of Athletics Brett Simpson announced Wednesday. Ibieta made the move to her new role after serving as assistant coach for the indoor fall 2025 season.

She’s the eighth head coach in program history.

“We’re excited to announce Jenna Ibieta as our next Head Volleyball Coach at Loyola University New Orleans,” Simpson said. “Jenna has already made a significant impact on our program through her leadership and deep understanding of the game, earning SSAC Assistant Coach of the Year honors this past season. With head coaching experience at the high school level, extensive club coaching in New Orleans, and a strong background as a student-athlete at Tulane, she is well-positioned to lead our program forward and build on our recent success.

Ibieta joined the Wolf Pack in May and helped the indoor team collect 29 wins, the second-most in program wins, the program’s first SSAC Championship title, and the second NAIA national tournament appearance in three years. She was also named the SSAC Assistant Coach of the Year.

“This is home for me, and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to lead these programs,” Ibieta said. “What last season’s group accomplished set a strong foundation, and with a talented recruiting class coming in, I’m excited to continue building a culture grounded in excellence. I’m looking forward to what’s ahead and honored to be part of the ongoing growth and success of the Indoor and Beach programs.”

Ibieta’s roles with the program have been leading the recruiting efforts, player development, travel logistics, and on-court training, with a focus on offensive systems. She coached five members of the SSAC All-Conference team, including SSAC Freshman and Attacker of the Year Isis Harink, all-conference first-teamers Alexa Palmer and Kala Emanuelli, along with Harink, and members of the second team: Ivana De Carvalho Peixe and Samantha Guillotte.

Before joining the Loyola staff, Ibieta spent the four years prior in Lafayette, serving as the Head Volleyball Coach at Acadiana High School (2024–2025) and Sacred Heart Grand Coteau (2021–2024), while also working as an Admissions Coordinator. She brings additional experience from the club volleyball scene, having coached with the Cajun Elite and Louisiana Volleyball programs during that four-year stretch.

A former collegiate setter at Tulane University (2017–2019), Ibieta tallied 1,497 assists and 556 digs over her career. She was named to the All-State Sugar Bowl Collegiate Classic All-Tournament Team, was a member of the Tulane Athletic 3.0 Club, and earned American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team honors in 2018–2019. She holds a B.S. in Communications with minors in Sociology and Business.

Ibieta’s volleyball roots run deep. As a standout player at Metairie Park Country Day, she led her team to four LHSAA State Championships (2012–2014, 2016) and was named Louisiana Miss Volleyball in 2016. She holds the school record with over 5,000 career assists and was a four-time all-state selection. Her coaching journey began early, contributing to NOLA Volleyball during her high school and college years.

Volleyball excellence runs in the family, too. Her mother, Julie Stempel Ibieta, is a former LSU volleyball standout and co-director of NOLA Volleyball. Her father, Juan Ibieta, played baseball at Tulane. Her brothers, Justin and Jake, are also involved in collegiate athletics — Justin as a graduate assistant with Tulane Football and Jake as a member of the LSU football team.

A reception to introduce Coach Ibieta will take place at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 12, in the University Sports Complex’s Hall of Fame Room.

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Two Scholar Athletes Highlight Academic Awards for Hornet Volleyball

Published

2 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Women’s Volleyball | 1/7/2026 2:00:00 PM

January 7, 2026 – Emporia State volleyball had two MIAA Scholar Athletes and six players in total earn MIAA Academic recognition for the 2025 season.

Mia Frisbie and Brailee Bogle were both MIAA Scholar Athletes for their performance on the court and in the classroom, as both were named Honorable Mention All-MIAA for the 2025 season.

Along with Frisbie and Bogle, Brenna Smith, Willow Deckinger, Sydney Fiatte and Camilla Ossola were named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll. All six players earned their second career recognition on the Academic Honor Roll.

To be recognized on the Academic Honor Roll, one must have a grade point average used by the institution for purposes of NCAA academic certification of 3.00 at the certifying member institution. The individual must also have at least two terms of attendance at the certifying member institution, excluding summer terms.

To qualify as a Scholar-Athlete an individual must have a grade point average used by the institution for purposes of NCAA academic certification of 3.50 at the certifying member institution. The student-athlete must have at least two terms of attendance at the certifying member institution, excluding summer terms. If competing in a championship sport of the MIAA, the student-athlete must also earn All-MIAA honors from the 2024 season.

MIAA Scholar Athletes

Mia Frisbie	Sophomore	3.98	Health & Human Perf.	Overland Park, Kan.
Braile Bogle	Junior	3.55	Biology	Wichita, Kan.

MIAA Academic Honor Roll

Mia Frisbie	Sophomore	3.98	Health & Human Perf.	Overland Park, Kan.
Brenna Smith	Sophomore	3.84	Health & Human Perf.	St. Mary’s, Kan.
Willow Deckinger	Sophomore	3.76	English	Wichita, Kan.
Sydney Fiatte	Senior	3.73	Health & Human Perf.	Shawnee, Kan.
Camilla Ossola	Senior	3.72	Biology	Gavirate, Italy
Braile Bogle	Junior	3.55	Biology	Wichita, Kan.

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Sports

No. 7 Ramblers Start Season at No. 2 Rainbow Warriors

Published

2 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Your Sports Nation

LEADING OFF
No. 7 Loyola Chicago opens its 2026 season with a two-match series at No. 2 Hawai’i on Thursday, Jan. 8 and Friday, Jan. 9. First serve for both matches is set for 11 p.m. CT.

QUICK HITS

Loyola headlines the MIVA conference in the preseason poll; Ryan McElligott, Daniel Fabikovic and Aleksander Sosa tabbed Preseason All-MIVA. The Ramblers were picked seventh in the AVCA Preseason Poll.

McElligott finished 2025 as both the MIVA and NCAA assists leader, averaging 10.9 per set.

The Ramblers returned 15 student-athletes and welcomed five new faces, including two freshmen and three transfers.

Assistant coach Dalton Solbrig lettered four years for the Rainbow Warriors from 2016-19. He was a member of two NCAA Tournament teams, including the national runner-up squad in 2019.

Head coach Shane Davis enters his 14th season at Loyola, sporting a 289-92 (.759) career record. In his first season back, Davis led the Ramblers to a 25-4 ledger, their fourth MIVA Tournament title and fourth NCAA Tournament berth.

2026 marks the 30th anniversary of Loyola’s men’s volleyball program, which is home to two of the university’s three NCAA national championship titles.

SCOUTING REPORT
Hawai’i kicked off its season with a two-match series sweep of NJIT (Jan. 2, Jan. 4), in which sophomore opposite Kristian Titriyski combined for 23 kills on .438 hitting. The 6-foot-8 Bulgarian national added five service aces against NJIT. As a team, the Rainbow Warriors hit .517 in both matches. Junior setter Tread Rosenthal led each match in assists, recording 26 in the first and 30 in the rematch. He also contributed 11 total blocks across the series.

Head coach Charlie Wade entered his 17th season at the helm of the program and boasts a 321-131 career record at Hawai’i. Last season, he led the Rainbow Warriors to their fourth overall Big West Tournament title and 10th NCAA Tournament appearance.

SERIES HISTORY

The Rainbow Warriors lead the all-time series, 13-3, with the Ramblers and are 12-3 at home against the MIVA opponent. In their last meeting, Loyola left Hawai’i 1-1 after falling 3-0 in match one then taking the second in a five-set thriller. This year’s two-match series marks Davis’ 11th overall matchup against Hawai’i, and his fifth as head coach.

FOLLOW THE ACTION

Stream both matches on ESPN+. Follow men’s volleyball on Instagram and X @RamblersMVB for in-game updates.

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Sports

South Tahoe High School graduate completes first year as NCAA Division I university head volleyball coach

Published

2 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Shawn McLaughlin has just completed his first year as volleyball head coach at Lehigh University

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – For Shawn McLaughlin, a South Lake Tahoe native, being part of a team was something that came naturally.

Growing up in Tahoe, McLaughlin was accustomed to community involvement, watching as his father coached track and eventually varsity volleyball as the head coach at George Whittell High School.

“I used to joke that I was the youngest assistant coach in the country,” said McLaughlin. “I would just go around and help him keep stats.”

McLaughlin’s father was extremely successful as head volleyball coach, going on to win several state championships over his 18-year run at both Whittell and South Tahoe High Schools, allowing McLaughlin the opportunity to find interest in following in his footsteps.

Playing volleyball throughout his school years, McLaughlin was also part of a junior club team in the Bay Area before going on to play varsity volleyball at Lindenwood University in St. Louis.

After graduating from college, McLaughlin started volunteer coaching at a number of different schools including UC Davis, University of Nevada, Reno, University of the Incarnate Word, and more all around the country.

“My dad had a huge impact on my wanting to coach,” McLaughlin said, and pretty early on, he determined that a career in education was the direction he wanted to go in. “Volleyball is my means, in education, in growth and learning. I’ve always loved that element and I think that’s part of the reason that coaching has gone the way it’s gone.”

Among McLaughlin’s accomplishments, he brought many teams to their national tournaments through the club ranks. In addition, he won gold in 2014 at the USA Volleyball Junior National in 14’s USA. In terms of college, he’s been coaching for 15 years, winning several conference championships and attending the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tournament several times.

En route to becoming a Division I (D-I) coach, the opportunity presented itself in the form of his father running a club and bringing in college coaches.

“One of the coaches he brought in was Jamie Holmes, she was at UC Davis. I approached her and said ‘How do I get into this?’ and she said, ‘come be my volunteer,’” said McLaughlin. “It was a great start to my program and a great start to my career and that pushed me into the rest of it.”

McLaughlin is now in his first headcoaching opportunity at Lehigh University, a D-I school in Pennsylvania, and with his first year completed, the competitive program is allowing him to utilize the skills he’s learned over the years assisting other D-I coaches. “Now this is my opportunity to be super successful and to run my own ship.”

McLaughlin aims to focus on the development of the holistic student athlete

Despite suffering a major injury, his team was still able to overcome adversity and make it to the Patriot League Tournament, an unprecedented accomplishment for Lehigh.

“I think 2026 could be a really fun year for this team,” added McLaughlin, and with seven seniors on the team, they are striving to be victorious.

Although McLaughlin is now soaring high as head coach, he doesn’t forget his roots, and continues to return to South Lake Tahoe every Christmas.

“[South Lake Tahoe] is one of the best places in the world to grow up. It’s also a very active community,” McLaughlin said. “It’s just home. It still feels like home to me.”

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Sports

What is LOVB? 2026 pro volleyball preview, rosters and what to expect

Published

3 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Jan. 7, 2026, 6:02 a.m. ET

If you’re still feeling the excitement of Texas A&M women’s volleyball’s first national title in program history, then look no further than League One Volleyball (LOVB) to serve up more elite action.

The second season of LOVB (pronounced “love”) gets underway Wednesday, Jan. 7, and opening week is filled with five marquee matchups, including a semifinal rematch Sunday between LOVB Atlanta and LOVB Austin, the defending champions.

A handful of All-American collegiate stars will make their professional debuts, including a trio that played in the NCAA title match. Texas A&M opposite hitter Logan Lednicky signed with LOVB Houston and middle blocker Ifenna Cos-Okpalla LOVB Salt Lake. Kentucky outside hitter Eva Hudson heads to LOVB Atlanta.

The players on LOVB’s six teams have a combined 21 NCAA Division I titles, 101 AVCA All-American awards and 23 Olympic medals. Here’s what you need to know ahead of season two:

College stars will add instant impact

Here’s a handful of college players that will begin their rookie season:

Rebekah Allick, Nebraska, LOVB Madison: The 6-4 middle blocker racked up a team-high 128 blocks (19 solo) and 259 kills on .450 hitting. She was named AVCA second-team All-American.
Ifenna Cos-Okpalla, Texas A&M, LOVB Salt Lake: The 6-foot-2 middle blocker lead the nation with 199 total blocks (22 solo) and had a team-high 1.69 blocks per set. The AVCA first-team All-American was named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team.
Eva Hudson, Kentucky, LOVB Atlanta: The 6-1 outside hitter was named the SEC Player of the Year after hitting .319 with 4.59 kills per set and 546 total kills. She was a finalist for national player of the year finalist after leading Kentucky to the 2025 title game.
Logan Lednicky, Texas A&M, LOVB Houston: The 6-3 opposite hitter led the Aggies’ championship squad in points (534), kills (467) and kills per set (4.10) and hit .310. She recorded double-digit kills in 29 of 33 matches her senior season and was named a AVCA second-team All-American.
Bailey Miller, Arizona State, LOVB Austin: The 6-foot-3 outside hitter was named first-team All-Big 12 after recording 462.5 points, 392 kills, 3.29 kills per set and 39 service aces.
Maya Sands, Missouri, LOVB Houston: The 5-foot-7 Illinois native was named the SEC Libero of the Year after recording 511 digs, including a career-high 32 against South Carolina on Oct. 24. She also had 108 assists.

LOVB Austin reloads ahead of title defense

Despite finishing the regular season with a 5-11 record, LOVB Austin got hot in the postseason and cemented itself as the inaugural champion. They did so with reverse sweeps of LOVB Salt Lake in the quarterfinals and top-seeded LOVB Atlanta in the semifinals, before taking down LOVB Omaha in the title match behind dominant performances by Logan Eggleston (22 points) and Madisen Skinner (21 points). Skinner, who finished the season ranked fourth overall in points (227) and kills (201), was named the Finals MVP.

Skinner and Eggleston are among 10 players returning as LOVB Austin looks to defend its title. Skinner, Eggleston, Asjia O’Neal, Zoe Jarvis and newcomer Bella Bergmark all won an NCAA title together at Texas in 2022. Skinner, Bergmark and O’Neal successfully defended the Longhorn’s title in 2023. Skinner, who also won a NCAA title with Kentucky in 2020, has won four championships in the past five years.

LOVB Austin suffered a major offseason blow after Chiaka Ogbogu, the middle blocker of the year with a league-high 53 blocks, accepted an offer to play in Turkey. But head coach Erik Sullivan will rely on Molly McCage and O’Neal to shore up Austin’s league-leading defense. McCage had 39 blocks last year, fourth in the league. Austin has the talent to pull off a repeat, but it’s paramount they get off to a better start.

LOVB Nebraska looks to continue momentum

LOVB Austin wasn’t the only team to undergo a dramatic postseason turnaround. LOVB Nebraska (formerly LOVB Omaha) finished at the bottom of the standings with a 5-11 record, but went on a Cinderella run in the playoffs. LOVB Nebraska took out LOVB Madison in the quarterfinals and reverse swept LOVB Houston in the semifinals. LOVB Nebraska was subsequently swept in the finals by LOVB Austin, but its deep playoff run highlighted the team’s potential.

LOVB Nebraska will be led by team co-owner Jordan Larson, who finished top 5 in the league in aces (14). She’s not the only Nebraska alum. Libero Lexi Rodriguez is returning and will look to take on a more prominent role after two-time U.S. Olympic medalist libero Justine Wong-Orantes left to move closer to home.

LOVB Nebraska also signed renowned Brazilian middle blocker Ana Carolina da Silva. The 34-year-old led the Brazilian national team to two Olympic medals — silver at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics — in addition to two world championships. LOVB Nebraska was the only team shut out of the end of season awards last season, but that’s likely to change if the team can recapture its postseason magic.

LOVB Atlanta seeks redemption

LOVB Atlanta is stacked. The team is made up of three-time Olympic medalist Kelsey Cook, the league’s inaugural MVP, in addition to McKenzie Adams (outside hitter of the year) and Tia Jimerson (who ranked second in blocks with 52). The team dominated the regular season with a 13-3 record, but was upset in the semifinals by LOVB Austin. “There was just a lot left out on the court,” Cook said after the shocking loss.

Another season brings a chance at redemption, although LOVB Atlanta will be without their superstar outside hitter. Cook announced her pregnancy in October out for the 2026 season. Adams is capable of carrying the load, ranked top five among outside hitters in the league last season in points (193), kills (163), digs (146), blocks (20) and aces (10). LOVB Atlanta also added Kentucky grad Eva Hudson, who should fit seamlessly into the lineup after being named the SEC player of the year and a national player of the year finalist.

LOVB is expanding (teams + moms)

LOVB is expanding from six teams to nine next season in 2027, with the addition of LOVB Los Angeles, LOVB Minnesota and LOVB San Francisco, but that’s not the only way to the league is growing. Three-time Olympic medalist Kelsey Cook is one of several LOVB players preparing for motherhood.

Cook (LOVB Atlanta) announced her pregnancy in October and her U.S. national teammate Justine Wong-Orantes (LOVB Houston) is expecting a baby boy in March. In fact, Cook and Wong-Orantes revealed they are due two weeks apart.

LOVB Madison middle blocker Anna Hall is returning to LOVB after giving birth to son Louie last September. Hall revealed she was pregnant with her son during LOVB’s inaugural season.

2026 LOVB team rosters

Here’s a look at each team’s roster, by position:

LOVB Atlanta roster

Head coach: Paulo Coco

Liberos: Beatrice Negretti, Piyanut Pannoy
Middle Blockers: Magdalena Jehlarova, Tia Jimerson, Onye Ofoegbu, Jess Robinson
Outside Hitters: McKenzie Adams, Kelsey Cook, Miroslava Paskova, Julia Sangiacomo, Eva Hudson
Opposite Hitters: Carly Dehoog, Tessa Grubbs, Ivonee Montano
Setters: Rachel Fairbanks, Ella May Powell

LOVB Austin roster

Head coach: Erik Sullivan

Liberos: Kotoe Inoue, Zoe Jarvis
Setters: Carli Lloyd, Brie O’Reilly
Outside Hitters: Madi Banks, Logan Eggleston, Leah Hardeman
Opposite Hitters: Khat Bell, Juliann Faucette, Madisen Skinner, Bailey Miller
Middle Blockers: Bella Bergmark, Magdalena Jurczyk, Molly McCage, Asjia O’Neal

LOVB Houston roster

Head coach: Sanja Tomašević

Liberos: Lauren Briseño, Justine Wong-Orantes, Maya Sands
Middle Blockers: Anita Anwusi, Raphaela Folie, Amber Igiede, Jazmine White,
Outside Hitters: Julia Brown, Madi Kingdon Rishel, Sara Loda, Jess Mruzik, Karin Palgutova
Opposite Hitters: Grace Frohling, Jordan Thompson, Logan Lednicky
Setters: Kaisa Alanko, Micha Hancock

LOVB Madison roster

Head coach: Matt Fuerbringer

Liberos: Milica Medved, Anna Pogany
Middle Blockers: Ana Beatriz Correa, Anna Hall, Annayka Legros, Callie Schwarzenbach, Rebekah Allick
Outside Hitters: Claire Chaussee, Anna Haak, Mariena Hayden, Andrea Mitrovic, Indrė Sorokaitė
Opposite Hitters: Xiangyu Gong, Temi Thomas-Ailara
Setters: Lauren Carlini, Argentina Ung

LOVB Nebraska roster

Head coach: Suzie Fritz

Liberos: Annie Cesar, Lexi Rodriguez
Middle Blockers: Ana Carolina da Silva, Candelaria Herrera, Emily Thater, Iga Wasilewska
Outside Hitters: Anne Buijs, Alexis Hart, Jordan Larson, Vicky Savard, Jaali Winters, Julia Hanson
Opposite Hitters: Kimberly Drewniok, Audriana Fitzmorris
Setters: Gabby Blossom, Laura Dijkema

LOVB Salt Lake roster

Head coach: Tama Miyashiro

Liberos: Manami Kojima, Mary Lake
Middle Blockers: Tori Dixon, Sophie Fischer, Serena Gray, Haleigh Washington, Ifenna Cos-Okpalla
Outside Hitters: Dani Drews, Alexa Gray, Maddie Haynes, Claire Hoffman, Roni Jones-Perry
Opposite Hitters: Heidy Casanova, Skylar Fields
Setters: Madi Bugg, Jordyn Poulter

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