She was a national champion on balance beam as an Oklahoma Sooner. She has been a force in recruiting and training as the associate head coach of the Arizona GymCats. Now, Taylor Spears is looking for the next challenge.

“Wearing the Block A and representing this university has meant so much to me,” Spears wrote in her social media posts. “After much consideration, I have decided to step away from college athletics to pursue other personal goals in life.”

Spears announced her departure from Arizona on Wednesday afternoon. She has been on the staff of head coach John Court since the 2019 season and was elevated to associate head coach after the 2022 season. She joined the staff for Court’s first full season as the GymCats’ head coach.

“Taylor has made incredible contributions to our program over the past seven years,” Court said. “She has helped with our competitive growth, has coached the team to record-breaking performances, has experienced coaching in the postseason, and helped all of our gymnasts graduate in her seven years with Arizona. I will miss her and will support her anyway I can as she writes her next chapter.”

Spears joined fellow assistants Kylie Kratchwell and Shelby Martinez as the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association’s Regional Assistant Coaches of the Year for the South Central Region after the 2025 season. It was the second time Spears had received WCGA recognition as part of the Arizona coaching staff.

Kratchwell joined Spears with the title of associate head coach after last season’s great showing, which had Arizona reach the regional finals for the first time since the postseason format changed in 2019. The program went 5-1 in its first Big 12 season and finished second at the Big 12 Gymnastics Championships. It also produced the Big 12 co-Specialist of the Year and the Big 12 Coach of the Year. Spears joined Kratchwell as the primary event coaches of conference specialist of the year Elena Deets, who competed on bars and beam.

Court plans to conduct a national search for the third assistant position, but he’s comfortable with the current staff handling training until he finds the right person.

“Arizona is a special place and we have an amazing program with great people,” Court said. “It has to be the right fit.”

Martinez will take over as the primary coach of balance beam, at least until the third assistant position is filled. The 2014 Pac-12 co-champion on vault during her time as a GymCat was the primary vault coach last season. Court was the primary vault coach before Martinez joined the staff last year.

Boston Bruins top prospect James Hagens has announced he will return to Boston College for his sophomore season. In a brief interview with Scott McLaughlin of Boston’s WEEI 93.7, Hagens shared that he’s in no rush to advance to the next step, acknowledging that development is a, “marathon, not a sprint”. Hagens revealed the news while participating at the Bruins’ 14th annual back-to-school celebration, alongside current Bruins Mason Lohrei and John Beecher.

Few announcements will shake the college scene as much as the news of Hagens’ return. He was among the best freshmen in college last season, tracking to 37 points in 37 games. That scoring earned him a unanimous selection to Hockey East’s All-Rookie team – an accolade he shared with teammate Teddy Stiga and Boston University rival Cole Hutson. Hagens reached those heights while filling an interesting role with the Eagles, stepping in between wingers Gabe Perreault and Ryan Leonard after the two spent their last three years centered by San Jose Sharks prospect Will Smith.

Each of Perreault, Leonard, and Hagens scored fewer points than the Eagles’ top-line managed in 2023-24, though it seemed that was more the cause of a low-scoring year across Hockey East. The top unit recorded points on 36 percent of BC’s goals this season, an ever-so-slight improvement over the 34 percent contributed by Smith, Leonard, and Perreault in 2024.

But while Hagens faced questions of his scoring upside relative to other top draft-eligible talents in the NCAA, it was hard not to be impressed by his on-ice results. He’s long been a dynamo among his age group, with an innate ability to predict movement and put himself in position to make a play. Hagens is strong on the puck – with an ability to use finesse moves and bulky shoulders to force his way into the dangerous areas of the ice. More than that, he showed clear signs of improvement as the year went on – developing his physical presence and ability to make a difference even when he wasn’t the first man in on a play.

Those signs of growth give Boston a prospect to be excited over. Hagens was lauded as the clear first-overall talent in the 2025 draft class, prior to the beginning of the 2024-25 season. Much of that claim came from his command of the U.S. NTDP over the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, where he served as the team’s top-line center and snappy playmaker next to electric goal-scorer Cole Eiserman. With Eiserman’s help, Hagens was able to become the fifth-highest scoring player in NTDP history, with 187 points in 118 games. He also set the scoring record at the World U17 Hockey Challenge in 2023, with 21 points in seven games, and the World U18 Championship in 2024, with 22 points in seven games.

Hagens will be returning to a fresh-faced Boston College lineup next season. Both Leonard and Perreault signed their NHL entry-level contracts at the end of last season, leaving the Eagles with vacancies on both wings on their top-line. One of those spots will be occupied by Stiga, who has shown years of chemistry playing next to Hagens. The other spot will be closely contested, but could land in the hands of transfer forward Ryan Conmy, or fellow Bruins draft pick William Moore. Hagens and Moore will be two of six Bruins prospects on next year’s Eagles squad, providing local fans with plenty of reasons to walk to Conte Forum when the puck drops.

PRINCETON, WV (WVNS) – Beginning Friday, August 8, 2025, West Virginia high school athletes can cash in on their name, image, and likeness.

Communities in Schools Greenbrier County holds supply drive at State Fair

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NIL has been a hotly debated topic on the college scene, as schools are finally figuring out how to navigate a world where their athletes can get paid close to what the pros make before they even hit the big leagues.

The Mountain State joined 43 other states where amateurs can strike their own NIL deals. The West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission passed new regulations where eligible middle and high school athletes can make deals with businesses and other entities to build their own brands.

“It could be a cool opportunity for kids in our program to potentially make some money off that, if that is what comes out of it,” said Princeton Senior High School Football Coach Nathan Tanner.

Coach Tanner was not able to offer any other comments on the new NIL rules.

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One of the rules states that no school or school employee, like coaches, interfere or be involved with a student athlete’s use of NIL. Athletes cannot make any reference to the WVSSAC or their schools when they engage in NIL activity. These athletes also cannot promote anything from their NIL deals during team activities. Advertisements of drugs, alcohol, or weapons are not permitted.

There has been push-back on this new rule, as some athletes think the money might taint the high school sports they know and love.

“You cannot really go for the money. It is all about if you if you love the sport. I mean, like me personally, I am not really worried about getting money while I am in high school because I want to have fun and, you know, like make memories and just play the game. I love football. Always being about the love of the game,” said Wyatt Cline, a local high school student athlete.

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On the flip side, others like parent David Robinson, Sr. argue that NIL at the high school level could help student athletes like his son get a head start on their careers and life beyond high school.

“With the NIL just now here in West Virginia, I believe it will help him financially coming into college. But as far as him changing, you got to love the game first in order to get paid,” said Robinson, Sr.

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No matter what side you’re on, NIL has arrived for West Virginia high school sports.

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The former ECHL and Swedish professional player spent four seasons on the coaching staff at Holy Cross under head coach Bill Riga, including the final season as the associate head coach for the Crusaders. Before then, he was an assistant for the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds from 2017-21.

“It was difficult to leave a place as special to me as Holy Cross, but my family and I are very excited to come to Quinnipiac,” Sommer said. “I have heard nothing but great things about Rand, Joe, and Justin, and I look forward to learning from them and continuing upon all the success that they have had.”

Sommer joins the Bobcats with a standout resume at Holy Cross, most recently helping Holy Cross to its first AHA Regular Season title since 2006. The squad also appeared in a pair of AHA title games, also their first two since the 2006 season. 

He mentored at least one player in all three recruiting classes to the AHA All-Rookie team and coached a total of 21 players to the All-Atlantic Hockey teams, including a two-time AHA Scoring Champion, AHA Player of the Year and Hobey Baker finalist.

The teams’ special teams also thrived under Sommer, with the penalty kill finishing top in the nation at 91 percent and the power play finishing ninth in the country at 25 percent.

Quinnipiac will begin its 2025-26 campaign on Oct. 3 when they head to Chestnut Hill to take on Boston College. The home opener will be Oct. 17 when the Bobcats open a two-game series against Maine.

For an inside look at the Quinnipiac men’s ice hockey program, be sure to follow it on social media @QU_MIH or go to gobobcats.com/mih.