Svidal again makes history with ASUN Scholar-Athlete of the Year honor; Atkins also recognized
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2025 ASUN Women’s Outdoor T&F Postseason Honors
2025 ASUN Men’s Outdoor T&F Postseason Honors
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Amelia Svidal just keeps making Bellarmine University women’s track and field program history. The Atlantic Sun Conference on Wednesday announced its postseason […]
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Amelia Svidal just keeps making Bellarmine University women’s track and field program history.
The Atlantic Sun Conference on Wednesday announced its postseason awards for the outdoor season, and the unveiling included ASUN Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors for Svidal.
It was an unprecedented acknowledgement, as the Knights sophomore becomes the women’s program’s first-ever ASUN superlative award winner.
The recognition comes on the heels of another groundbreaking feat by Svidal, who became Bellarmine’s first-ever gold medal winner in any gender after placing first in the triple jump at the ASUN Outdoor Championship. That excellence extends to the classroom, where she carries a 4.0 GPA majoring in psychology.
On the men’s side, Chase Akins completed a 2024-25 sweep of Academic All-ASUN Team accolades. The Knights junior garnered the recognition for cross country — along with the Scholar-Athlete of the Year laurel in that sport — and in both T&F campaigns.
Atkins earned a silver medal in the 10000m at the ASUN Outdoor Championship while also scoring in the 5000m after placing fifth. Off the track, he carries a 3.79 GPA majoring in exercise science.
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Barbados Spending $30 Million on Sports Facilities – SportsTravel
The Barbados National Sports Council is investing $30 million in sports facilities to benefit nine sporting bodes as part of the island’s sports tourism strategy. The Capital Projects will benefit athletics, cricket, netball, basketball, volleyball, badminton, squash, beach volleyball and beach wrestling. One of the new facilities, which will accommodate beach volleyball and beach wrestling, […]
The Barbados National Sports Council is investing $30 million in sports facilities to benefit nine sporting bodes as part of the island’s sports tourism strategy.
The Capital Projects will benefit athletics, cricket, netball, basketball, volleyball, badminton, squash, beach volleyball and beach wrestling. One of the new facilities, which will accommodate beach volleyball and beach wrestling, has capacity for about 500 spectators.
“Sports tourism is top of mind as always and I believe that having this facility here will add to that,” Barbados’ Minister of Youth, Sports, and Community Empowerment CharlesGriffith told local reporters recently. “This is phase one of the project. I believe it is 90 percent completed. It is expected that this will go well in terms of us hosting tournaments.”
The Wildey facility is also home to a multi-purpose badminton and squash court, as well as a new athletics track near the aquatic center and the Wildey field hockey turf. Badminton and squash courts are expected to be completed within 18 to 24 months. A netball stadium will become a multi-purpose facility for basketball and volleyball as well.
“The truth is that we cannot build a facility for every single national federation, so what we’re trying to do as much as possible is combine sports at a particular location,” Griffith said.
Griffith told local reporters the financial initiative is about national sporting development.
“Government is committed to ensuring that our sports project on the island is growing and continues to expand in terms of the spend, as $30 million in sports is a lot of money for an island of our size, but we believe that this is a necessary investment in the future,” he said.
Gabby Keefer is the All-Minnesota Athlete of the Year in girls track and field
When St. Michael-Albertville senior Gabby Keefer arrives at the track and field state championships, she’s at home. Not just because she’s been a regular competitor in Class 3A state since eighth grade, but because the Knights have hosted the championships since 2021. Keefer’s jumping marks from practice were still notched along the long and triple […]
When St. Michael-Albertville senior Gabby Keefer arrives at the track and field state championships, she’s at home.
Not just because she’s been a regular competitor in Class 3A state since eighth grade, but because the Knights have hosted the championships since 2021. Keefer’s jumping marks from practice were still notched along the long and triple jump runways at this June’s state competition.
“You can really relax,” Keefer said. “It feels like just another day at practice.”
Except a typical practice doesn’t end with four medals around Keefer’s neck. This year, the multi-talented University of South Florida commit led the Class 3A girls field in scoring, with 40 points for her team across four events. She earned gold in the 100 meters with a time of 11.89 seconds, placed second in both the 200m and long jump (by a half-inch), and third in the triple jump.
Named Minnesota’s 2025 Ms. Track & Field, Keefer finished her high school career with three first-place, three second-place and three third-place finishes at state — and now, All-Minnesota Athlete of the Year in girls track and field.
“Her first day of practice, we had about 200 athletes,” recalled St. Michael-Albertville head coach Lily Johnson. “She came right up to me and said, ‘Hey, coach Johnson, I’m Gabby, and I’m ready to work.’”
Keefer was ready because track and field success is no rarity in her family.
Her mom and coach, Tiffini, was an All-American heptathlete at South Dakota State. Her older sister, Anna, won six individual state titles for the Knights and set a state record in the long jump (20 feet, 1.25 inches) before her All-American career at North Carolina.
Heat safety tips as heat dome brings blistering temperatures to US
Here are some of the key warning signs to watch for when temperatures rise – and ways to keep cool when the heat and humidity get too high. WASHINGTON — Story from The Conversation by Brian Bossak, College of Charleston. Beach trips, cookouts and other outdoor activities are in full swing as summer arrives and the first […]
Here are some of the key warning signs to watch for when temperatures rise – and ways to keep cool when the heat and humidity get too high.
WASHINGTON — Story from The Conversation by Brian Bossak, College of Charleston.
Beach trips, cookouts and other outdoor activities are in full swing as summer arrives and the first widespread heat wave of 2025 hits the U.S.
For many people, summer is their favorite time of year. However, summer also brings the risk of dangerously high temperatures.
In the U.S., hundreds of people working or playing outside – even those who seem healthy – succumb to heat-related illnesses each year. Older adults and people in areas that historically haven’t needed air conditioning tend to see the highest rates of illnesses during heat waves, as Chicago saw in 1995 when at least 700 people died in a heat wave.
Even in places where heat is recognized as a dangerous health threat, people can be caught off guard as the thermometer creeps higher, on average, each year. In some cases, dangerous heat can arise quickly. In 2021, a young family died of heat stroke on a California trail after setting out for a hike when temperatures were still in the 70s Fahrenheit (low to mid 20s Celsius).
I study health risks in a warming climate as a professor of public health, and I’ve seen heat become a growing concern. Here are some of the key warning signs to watch for when temperatures rise – and ways to keep cool when the heat and humidity get too high.
Signs of heat-related illness to watch for
Heat-related illnesses occur across a spectrum, and mild heat stress can quickly progress to life-threatening heat stroke if a person is exposed to dangerous conditions for too long.
Mild forms of heat-related illness include heat cramps and heat rash, both of which can be caused by extensive sweating during hot conditions. Cooling the body and drinking cool fluids can help.
When heat-related illnesses progress into heat exhaustion, the situation is more serious. Heat exhaustion includes symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, excessive sweating, feeling weak, thirst and getting a headache.
Heat exhaustion is a signal that the body is losing its ability to maintain a stable core temperature. Immediate action such as moving to a cool, ideally air-conditioned space, drinking liquids, loosening clothes and applying wet cloths are some of the recommended steps that can help keep heat exhaustion from progressing to the most dangerous form of heat-related illness, heat stroke.
Heat stroke is a medical emergency. At this point, the body can no longer maintain a stable core temperature. A body with heat stroke can reach 106 degrees Fahrenheit or higher rapidly, and that heat can quickly damage the brain, heart and kidneys.
Typically, someone suffering heat stroke has exhausted their reserves of sweat and salt to stay cool, so sweating eventually stops during heat stroke. Their cognitive ability fails, and they cannot remove themselves from danger. Heat stroke can cause seizures or put someone into a coma as their core temperature rises. If the condition is not treated immediately, and the core temperature continues to rise, heat stroke becomes fatal.
Because heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke, addressing heat-related illnesses before they progress is vital.
How to tell when the heat is too high
Heat risk isn’t just about temperature – humidity also increases the risk of heat-related illnesses because it affects how well sweating will cool the human body when it gets hot.
Instead of just looking at temperature when planning outdoor activities, check the heat index, which accounts for heat illness risk associated with temperature and relative humidity.
It doesn’t take very high temperatures or very high humidity for the heat index to enter dangerous territory.
However, the heat index is still a conservative measure of the impact of heat on humans, particularly for outdoor workers and athletes at summer practices. This is because temperature measurements used in weather forecasting are taken in the shade and are not exposed to direct sunlight. If someone is outside and exposed to the direct sun, the actual heat index can be as much as 15 F higher than the heat index chart indicates.
A more sophisticated measurement of heat effects on human health is what’s known as the wet-bulb globe temperature, which takes into account other variables, such as wind speed and cloud cover. Neither takes into account a person’s physical exertion, which also raises their body temperature, whether working at a construction site or playing soccer.
Tips for staying safe in a heat wave
How can you stay cool when heat waves set in? The answer depends in part on where you are, but the main points are the same:
– Avoid strenuous outdoor activities in high temperatures if possible. If you start to feel symptoms of heat-related illnesses, drink fluids that will hydrate you. Find shade, rest, and use cool, damp cloths to lower your body temperature. If you see signs of heat stroke in someone else, call for medical help.
– Be careful with fans. Fans can be useful if the temperature isn’t too high because they wick sweat away from the body and induce evaporative cooling. But at very high temperatures, they can accelerate heat buildup in the body and lead to dangerous conditions. If indoor temperatures reaches 95 degrees or higher, using fans can actually be dangerous and raise the risk of heat-related illnesses.
– Find a cooling center, library or community center where you can get inside and rest in an air-conditioned space in the hottest hours. In places such as Phoenix, where high temperatures are a regular hazard, cooling centers are typically opened in summer. Northern cities are also opening cooling centers as heat waves occur there more frequently than they did in the past. Urban areas with a lot of pavement and buildings – known as heat islands – can have temperatures well above the city’s average.
– Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Drink plenty of fluids, and don’t forget about the importance of electrolytes. Heat-related dehydration can occur when people sweat excessively, losing water and necessary salts from the body. Some sports drinks or rehydration fluids restore electrolytes and hydration levels.
Older adults and people with disabilities often face higher risks from heat waves, particularly if they can’t easily move to a cooler environment. Communities and neighbors can help protect vulnerable populations by providing cooling centers and bottled water and making regular wellness checks during high heat.
Summer can be a season of fun. Just remember the risks, keep an eye on your friends and neighbors when temperatures rise, and plan ahead so you can beat the heat.
This article is from The Conversation, an independent, not-for-profit news organization dedicated to spreading ideas from experts. Republished under a Creative Commons license.
ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia golfers Celine Brovold Sanne, Chantal El Chaib and Kate Song have been named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) At-Large Academic All-District team. Brovold Sanne, a sophomore from Asker, Norway; El Chaib, a graduate transfer from Abu Dhabi, UAE; and Song, a senior from Alpharetta, helped lead the Bulldogs to one […]
ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia golfers Celine Brovold Sanne, Chantal El Chaib and Kate Song have been named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) At-Large Academic All-District team.
Brovold Sanne, a sophomore from Asker, Norway; El Chaib, a graduate transfer from Abu Dhabi, UAE; and Song, a senior from Alpharetta, helped lead the Bulldogs to one of the best years academically in the history of UGA Athletics.
The women’s golfers produced the highest grade point average of any of Georgia’s 21 athletic teams in both the fall (3.68) and spring (3.78) semesters during the 2024-25 academic year. In fact, the 3.78 grade point average in the spring was the highest ever for any team in school history.
The CSC At-Large team includes student-athletes from 12 sports – beach volleyball, bowling, crew/rowing, fencing, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing and water polo. Tp be eligible, golfers must sport a 3.50 or better cumulative GPA and be in the lineup for at least 70 percent of a team’s scoring tournaments.
Three Wildcat beach volleyball players named CSC Academic All-District | Sports
WAYNE – Three players from the Wayne State College beach volleyball team were named to the 2025 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Women’s At-Large Team announced Tuesday morning and selected by College Sports Communicators. The trio includes seniors Brooklyn Kusler and Rhianna Wilhelm and junior Taylor Bunjer. The program recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for […]
WAYNE – Three players from the Wayne State College beach volleyball team were named to the 2025 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Women’s At-Large Team announced Tuesday morning and selected by College Sports Communicators.
The trio includes seniors Brooklyn Kusler and Rhianna Wilhelm and junior Taylor Bunjer.
The program recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances in competition and in the classroom. To be eligible for the award a student-athlete must maintain a 3.50 grade point average or higher and compete in 90 percent of the team’s contests or must start in at least 66 percent of matches.
Kusler carried a 3.76 grade point average this season majoring in pre-optometry and business. She played with Molly Romano in the 3’s pairing this season and recorded a 12-6 record that included a 7-1 record on the team’s spring break trip to Arizona. Kusler was a two-time NSIC All-Academic selection.
Wilhelm recorded a 3.96 grade point average majoring in sport management. On the court she teamed with Brooke Peltz in the 5’s pairing for an 11-3 record this season while also going 1-2 with JoLee Ryan in the #5 pairing.
Wilhelm and Peltz had a thrilling 21-13, 13-21, 16-14 win over Tusculum’s Nyah Gross and Katie Murphy to help WSC win a 3-2 match at the AVCA Small College Beach Championships April 17th.
Bunjer maintained a 3.52 grade point average this season majoring in applied human and sport physiology. She paired with Ava Spies this season at the #1 pairing for Wildcat beach volleyball and is a two-time NSIC All-Academic honoree.
The Wayne State beach volleyball team finished the 2025 season with a record of 14-6, tying the 2022 team for the most wins in a season for the Wildcat program.
World Aquatics celebrates trailblazing Refugee Team for Singapore 2025 on World Refugee Day
Matin Balsini, Alaa Maso and Eyad Masoud each have their own powerful stories of how they have overcome huge challenges and adversity to thrive on the highest sporting stage, and Singapore 2025 will be the latest milestone in their proud careers. Olympic Solidarity’s Refugee Athlete Scholarship programme remains open for National Olympic Committees (NOCs) to […]
Matin Balsini, Alaa Maso and Eyad Masoud each have their own powerful stories of how they have overcome huge challenges and adversity to thrive on the highest sporting stage, and Singapore 2025 will be the latest milestone in their proud careers.
Olympic Solidarity’s Refugee Athlete Scholarship programme remains open for National Olympic Committees (NOCs) to apply for financial and technical assistance for refugee athletes who are aiming to compete at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games and other international competitions.
World Aquatics Refugee Team continues to inspire refugee athletes
World Aquatics has a long-standing commitment to enabling refugee athletes to fulfil their potential and compete at major events, and is proud that Singapore 2025 will mark the fifth edition of the World Aquatics Championships to feature a Refugee Team.
Swimmers Balsini, Maso and Masoud have established their global profiles by competing at previous major events, and they will line-up again as part of the World Aquatics Refugee Team in Singapore.
Image Source: Matin Balsini represented the World Aquatics Refugee Team during the 2024 World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) in Budapest (Marton Csanadi/World Aquatics)
Balsini was selected for the IOC’s Refugee Olympic Team at Paris 2024, where he competed in the Men’s 200m Butterfly, and then represented the World Aquatics Refugee Team at the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) in Budapest, Hungary in December 2024.
Maso was the other swimming representative in the Refugee Olympic Team at Paris 2024, competing in the Men’s 50m Freestyle, and this will be his sixth appearance at the World Aquatics Championships or World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) as part of the World Aquatics Refugee Team. He discovered swimming at an early age growing up in Aleppo, but left Syria in 2015 following damage to his training facilities and the escalating impact of the conflict, ultimately settling in Germany.
Image Source: After featuring at Paris 2024, Alaa Maso will again represent the World Aquatics Refugee Team in Singapore (Mike Lewis/World Aquatics)
“Many people lose belief in themselves after moving to a new country. You have so many things to be thinking about, whether that be settling in or adjusting to a new lifestyle, your hobby isn’t necessarily the first thing on your mind,” Maso told World Aquatics during the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) in Budapest.
“But I want to show that you can achieve so much, even while navigating immense challenges”
Masoud will also be competing in his fifth World Championships across short course and long course swimming in Singapore, having set short course personal bests in the Men’s 50m and 100m Butterfly at the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) in Budapest last year. He fled Syria because of the war and settled in New Zealand, where he now trains at the AUT Millennium Sports Centre.
Image Source: Eyad Masoud is set for his fifth World Championships in Singapore (Hiroyuki Nakamura/World Aquatics)
“It’s an honour to compete on the world stage and to send a message to refugees everywhere: if you have a dream, keep working towards it”
“It’s also not just about refugees, but about anyone facing challenges,” Masoud added.
This trio of athletes will continue to inspire refugee athletes from around the world through their remarkable achievements, and their stories will continue at the World Aquatics Championships – Singapore 2025.
Refugee Athlete Support available through Olympic Solidarity
Applications remain open for NOCs whose countries host refugees to apply for Refugee Athlete Scholarships through the IOC’s Olympic Solidarity.
The standard individual scholarship budget is USD 1,500 per month per recipient, and this can cover access to appropriate training facilities, specialised coaching, regular medical and scientific assistance and monitoring, accident and illness insurance, travel and accommodation.
These scholarships are open for refugee athlete candidates who meet the conditions in the Refugee Athlete Support Guidelines, including being recognised refugees or beneficiaries of international protection according to the UNHCR, proven high-level competition results and no convictions for doping offences or actions contrary to the standards of sporting ethics.
Host NOCs with refugee athletes that fulfil the eligibility criteria can submit candidatures on Olympic Solidarity’s RELAY platform using the refugee scholarship application form.
DEBATE IS OVER?! Stephen A. and Shannon Sharpe were ‘SHELLSHOCKED?!’ | First Take
OKC
