CONWAY, Ark. – Central Arkansas Track and Field head coach Josey Weaver was announced as the 2024-25 winner of the Raymond Bright Award this morning. The honor comes after a dominant season for the Bears, led by Weaver and his staff.
 
Weaver and the Bears swept the ASUN Track and Field Championships this year, both the indoor and outdoor titles, claiming both men’s and women’s title sweeps for the first ASUN championships in program history. With a dedicated staff and roster, Weaver’s squads continue to build the brand of Central Arkansas track and field, rewriting a good chunk of the program’s record books over his first three seasons in Conway. On a conference level, freshman Jeremiah Boudreaux earned Most Valuable Performer at both championships, and sophomore Joia Perry earned both the indoor and outdoor Most Outstanding Field Performer awards.
 
“I am extremely grateful and honored to receive the Raymond Bright Award. Especially after finding out about Coach Bright’s track and field background,” Coach Weaver said of the honor. “This is an individual award made possible by an incredible group of coaches, student athletes and our amazing support staff at the University of Central Arkansas. I hope to continue to honor Coach Bright’s legacy through out track and field program for years to come.”
 
Weaver is the fourth Central Arkansas coach to claim the award, and the third in the last five seasons, after Jenny Parsons in 2022 and David Kuhn in 2021.
 
“Coach Weaver is very deserving of this recognition. Sweeping the ASUN Indoor and Outdoor titles is an incredible feat in just year three,” Director of Athletics Matt Whiting said of Weaver. “Not only have his teams experienced success in competition, they have also been able to achieve high marks academically. We are fortunate to have him and his staff at UCA, and I look forward to seeing the continued success of our cross country and track and field programs under his leadership.”
 
The award is named in honor of Raymond Bright, who was one of the most successful and revered coaches in Conway’s history and impacted many lives through his dedication. A native of Hope, Bright served in the Navy during World War II. He then graduated from Arkansas State Teachers College, now the University of Central Arkansas. 
 

Bright began his coaching career at Conway Junior High School in 1949 then continued at Conway High coaching football and track from 1951 to 1958. His Wampus Cats won three track & field state championships. Bright moved across town to UCA to coach track from 1959 to 1965 and then football from 1965 to 1971. His teams won multiple AIC titles in both sports. He is a member of the Wampus Cat Sports Hall of Fame, the UCA Sports Hall of Fame, the Arkansas Track & Field Hall of Fame, and the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.
 
 

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Ava Toppin has been selected as the captain of the Navy volleyball team for the 2025 fall campaign, head coach Paco Labrador announced today.

“Ava has established herself as a true servant leader on this team,” said Labrador. “She has overcome many challenges over her three years at Navy, including a season ending injury, while at the same time elevating her mental, physical and tactical game to emerge from this spring as our top attacker and blocker.  Ava will bring an excellent mix of empathy and accountability to this team.  I’m excited to share in her leadership journey this year.”

The rising senior middle blocker from Carolina Beach, N.C., started 23 of her 25 matches during her 2024 junior season.  She averaged 1.61 kills and 0.87 blocks per set on the year to go along with a .258 hitting percentage.  Toppin ranked first on the team in total blocks, second in hitting percentage and third in total kills.  She improved her statistics to 1.65 kills, 0.96 blocks and a .265 attack percentage during the league season.

The English major has received academic honors from the USNA in four semesters and was named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll last fall.

The women’s track & field team continued to re-write the record books and competed in the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships.

Sophomore JaMeesia Ford earned the Commissioner’s Trophy at the SEC Outdoor Championships after taking gold the 100 meter and 200 meter events and joined senior Jayla Jamison, and sophomores Cynteria James and Zaya Akins in taking gold in the 4×100 meter relay and 4×400 meter relay events. She also won gold in the 200m at the SEC Indoor Championships and was named the SEC Women’s Runner of the Year after the Outdoor Championship. Sophomore Salma Elbadra won the SEC Outdoor title in the 1500 meter event and was the SEC Women’s Newcomer Runner of the Year.

The Gamecocks sent eight competitors to the NCAA Outdoor Championship in Eugene, Oregon. where Ford was crowned champion in the 200 meters, while Jamison finished seventh in event, allowing both to take All-American honors. Jamison, James, Akins, and Ford were also the runner-up in the 4×100 meter relay, clocking a program record 42.40 to take silver as well as First Team All-American honors.

Ford captured her third All-America nod at the National Championship event after finishing as the runner-upin the 100 meters, running 11.14 and finishing just .003 seconds behind Southern California’s Samirah Moody. Salma Elbadra and Cheyla Scott were each named to the Second Team All-American squad after placing in the Top 16 in their respective events.

As a team, South Carolina finished with 28 points and took seventh place in the overall standings. This was the first Top 10 finish since placing 10th in 2019 and marks the best team finish since 2006 when the Gamecocks placed third.

Rest up and get ready for the 2025-2026 academic year!

The USC women’s water polo team was beyond its last gasp in the final minute of an eventual 11-7 loss May 11 to Stanford in the NCAA Division I title game.

“Yaacobi fires,” the announcer said. “Stanford saves! Carpenter clears. That should shut the door on the championship final.”

Up in the stands, the parents of Stanford goalkeeper and Yucaipa High School graduate Christine Carpenter, Matt and Amy, high-fived. A wafer-thin smile appeared on Cardinal coach John Tanner’s face.

Soon all the Cardinal players and the coaching staff were in the water celebrating. It was the program’s 10th NCAA title and third in the past four years.

“It was a dream moment,” said Christine Carpenter, who recorded nine saves and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. “As long as I’ve been playing, I wanted to play college ball and go to Stanford and play in big games. It was surreal to do it, and the fact we beat USC on Mother’s Day made it more special.”

The Cardinal’s victory kept alive Stanford’s athletic program’s streak of winning at least one national title in 49 consecutive years, dating back to 1976-77.

BORN TO PLAY

Christine Elizabeth Carpenter is 6 feet tall and was born to be an athlete. Her parents were star athletes at Yucaipa High and in college. Her brother Mitchell was a 6-6 standout water polo goalkeeper at Biola University.

Carpenter fancied soccer as a young girl but switched to water polo.

The national championship was the culmination of a glittering career at Yucaipa High and much hard work since.

“It was crazy,” Carpenter said of Stanford’s title. “It was like taking the final steps of climbing up a tall mountain. It was fun to look in my teammates’ eyes and realize that we did it, and we did it together.”

Carpenter finished the season with 165 saves. She was one of five Cardinal players named an Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches’ All-American.

Meanwhile, her parents suffered in the stands.

“Oh gosh, it took years off our lives,” quipped Matt Carpenter, who is Yucaipa High’s athletic director. “Watching the game as a parent is a different deal.”

‘PRESSURE IS A PRIVILEGE’

Christine Carpenter fretted going into the title game. Stanford finished 25-1, but its lone loss was to USC.

“It was extremely nerve-racking,” Carpenter said. “I was nervous before the game; I was taking deep breaths. But I remembered that we were prepared for the game and nothing was left unchecked. Pressure is a privilege.”

Stanford trailed USC 6-5 in the last minute of the first half, but the Cardinal’s Juliette Dhalluin scored with one second left.

The Cardinal defense blanked USC for more than 14 consecutive minutes – until the Trojans finally scored with less than 2 minutes left in the game.

“It was amazing,” Carpenter said. “USC usually scores a lot and is very powerful. But we were fluid and confident, and we were playing off each other.”

LOOKING AHEAD

Championship trophy in tow, Stanford returned to the Bay Area the following Monday. The team was treated to a steak dinner.

Carpenter has finished school for the year and continues to train at Stanford. Soon she will attend tryouts in Long Beach, hoping to make the USA senior national team or the 20-and-under junior squad.

“I played in the junior world championships two years ago and we finished fifth,” Carpenter said. “I’d like to get another shot.”

MIAMI — FIU track and field’s Ethan Riley was recognized with the prestigious Conference USA (CUSA) Spirit of Service award for outdoor track and field, of which honors student-athletes with significant community service endeavors, good academic standing and participation in their sport. 

Riley, a senior pole vaulter, contributed volunteering hours at the local elementary school every week of the Spring term, mentoring students during lunch and assisting with signature events like Field Day and the Holiday Village. 

He also managed preparation and day-of responsibilities for the FIU Athletics team and served as a Relay for Life Student Athlete Leadership Council representative and will be an upcoming executive board member. The Palm Harbor, Florida, native boasts a 3.55 GPA while majoring in Exercise Science.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Get all the latest information on the team by following @FIUTrackXC on Twitter, @FIUTrackXC on Instagram and @FIUTrackXC on Facebook. General athletic news can also be found at @FIUSports on Facebook and @FIUAthletics on Twitter and Instagram.

Katie Schumacher-Cawley went right to work in the Class of 2027.

Just 19 hours after coaches could legally contact the rising juniors, Schumacher-Cawley earned two commitments.

Right-side hitter Nejari Crooks and middle blocker Taylor Harrington officially committed simultaneously, becoming the first two commits of the 2027 class.

Crooks ranks as the No. 11 overall player in her class, while being ranked the top right-side hitter in the country, according to Prep Dig.

Harrington ranks as the No. 16 overall player and the No. 3 middle blocker in the Class of 2027, according to Prep Dig’s 2027 rankings.

The two commits will compete in the 2025 U19 Pan American Cup in Canada for the United States starting on June 24.

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