From June 11 to August 11, GoMatadors.com will present the top CSUN Moments from the 2024-25 sports season. Today, we celebrate the Men’s Volleyball and Women’s Water Polo teams who were each nationally ranked during the 2024-25 academic year. 
 

CSUN Athletics produced a pair of programs that reached national rankings in their respective sports during the 2024-25 season. CSUN men’s volleyball finished the season ranked ninth, while women’s water polo reached as high as 16th during the 2025 campaign.

In men’s volleyball, CSUN finished with an 18-11 overall record and was ranked ninth in the final AVCA National Collegiate Coaches Poll of the season. The Matadors, under third-year head coach Theo Edwards, were ranked in the top-10 in the final poll of the season for the second time in the last seven seasons and 17th time since the creation of the AVCA national poll in 1986.

After concluding the season with a heartbreaking five-set loss to No. 4 UC Irvine in the Quarterfinals of the Outrigger Big West Men’s Volleyball Championship, the Matadors would finish the season ranked ninth. During the 2025 season, CSUN reached a season-high No. 7 national ranking a total of three times. After opening 2025 ranked No. 15 in the Preseason Coaches Poll, the Matadors steadily climbed in the rankings, culminating with a 12-2 record and a No. 7 national ranking on Mar. 3. That marked the highest national ranking for the Matadors since also ranking seventh on Jan. 15, 2018.

One week later, CSUN received a season-high 302 points (Mar. 10) to also rank seventh where it would remain until Mar. 17. The Matadors, ranked in all 17 national polls during the 2024 season, were ranked in all 17 polls during the 2025 season (7th three times, 8th, 9th five times, 10th, 12th, 13th, 15th three times, and 16th twice).

 

Over the course of the 2025 season, the Matadors defeated a total of eight ranked teams including No. 5 Hawai’i (Apr. 4), No. 8 Grand Canyon (Feb. 19), No. 10 UC San Diego (Apr. 10, Apr. 12), No. 10 Pepperdine (Feb. 8), No. 15 Lewis (Mar. 20), No. 19 Princeton (Mar. 12), and No. 20 George Mason (Feb. 2).

The CSUN women’s water polo team finished the 2025 season at 16-13 overall. CSUN was ranked in the Collegiate Water Polo Association top-25 national poll in 12 weeks of the season. 

The Matador water polo team would be ranked as high No. 16 on the year, marking the highest the program had been ranked nationally in a decade. CSUN remained ranked in the top-20 through the first three weeks of the season after winning seven of its first eight matches. The team would also collect a victory over nationally-ranked Villanova in a 17-14 decision at Matador Pool on March 2.

CSUN’s 2025 season marked the third consecutive year the water polo program had recorded a winning season, the first for the program since notching three straight winning years from 2013-2015. Head coach Matt Warshaw also moved up to second place in school history in all-time coaching victories at 117, just 11 off the pace from breaking the program’s all-time win mark. 

#GoMatadors

 

Loading…

facebookexternalhit/1.1 (+http://www.facebook.com/externalhit_uatext.php)

c404a3583430c53c35161d199c7d215276e4b4e2

1

Colorado Springs, Colo. (July 7, 2025) – The U.S. Girls U19 National Team came back from an eight-point deficit in the fourth set to defeat Türkiye, 3-1 (25-19, 20-25, 25-22, 25-23) on Monday at the 2025 FIVB Girls U19 World Championship in Osijek, Croatia.

The U.S. (3-2) advanced to the round of 16 against Germany (4-1), tomorrow, July 8, at 12:15 p.m. PT. Watch on VBTV or on the Volleyball World YouTube channel.

The U.S. finished with a 10-3 advantage in aces and a small edge in kills (50-48). Though the U.S. Girls U19 squad gave up one more block (12-11), it out-blocked Türkiye, 4-1 in the fourth set.

Outside hitter Suli Davis led all players with 15 kills, two blocks and a match-best four aces. She led the team with 10 successful receptions and contributed 10 digs.

Libero Lily Hayes led the U.S. with 18 digs and five successful receptions. Setter Genevieve Harris finished with 41 assists. Middle blocker Jordan Taylor led the U.S. with five blocks, adding nine kills and an ace for 15 points.

Outside hitter Cari Spears and opposite Henley Anderson each scored 11 points. Spears posted 10 kills and an ace, while Anderson totaled seven kills, three blocks and an ace in addition to 10 digs.

“Preparing for this game, we knew what to expect and what to execute on,” Davis said. “We had much support, love and inspiration from (U.S. National Team middle blocker) Dana Rettke and our loved ones this morning. Using this motivation, we were able to finish the match strong and set ourselves up for the next stage of the tournament.”

In set one, Taylor recorded two kills and a block to help stake the U.S. to a 7-3 lead that forced Türkiye to use a quick timeout. A Davis ace stretched the lead to eight points, 11-3. Türkiye pulled within three points, 19-16, but the U.S. scored the next three points out of a timeout.

In spite of a great pancake save by Türkiye, a Spears kill on the next swing and then a block by Anderson pushed the lead back to five points. Spears led all players with six kills while Davis added five points on three kills and both of her team’s aces.

A Taylor kill gave the U.S. a 7-4 lead in the second set but Türkiye took the lead with a 5-1 run. A block later extended the Türkiye lead to three points, 15-12. A Taylor kill on a slide and a Harris ace brought the U.S. within one, 18-17, but three consecutive U.S. errors gave Türkiye breathing room with a four-point advantage. Anderson led the team with five kills on three kills and the team’s two blocks.

Spears tooled the block to give the U.S. a 9-5 lead in the third set before Türkiye used a 6-1 run to take the lead. The U.S. responded with its own 6-1 stretch to regain a four-point lead, 16-12 and forced a timeout. Anderson scored three times during the run, Wiest served an ace, and Spears made a strong hustling save on a point that ended with a Türkiye hitting error.

A scrambling effort by the U.S. led to a Taylor block that extended the lead to five points, but back-to-back blocks highlighted a 4-0 Türkiye run that cut the lead back to one, 19-18. The set was tied twice after that, but Davis provided a huge block and a kill to set up two set points at 24-22 and a hitting error ended the set. Davis finished the set with four kills and the block, and Spears recorded three kills and an ace.

Türkiye took early control of the fourth set by scoring the first four points and seven of the first nine, prompting a U.S. timeout. The lead grew to eight points, 15-7, before the U.S. used a 13-5 run to tie the set.

A Davis ace and kill from the back row brought the U.S. to within two points, 20-18, for the first time since the opening two points of the set. A Taylor block closed the gap to one when Davis served another ace to even the set at 20-20.

Taylor scored on a slide to tie the set at 21 and a Nichols kill put the U.S. ahead for the first time in the set. Taylor set up set point with an ace and a 24-21 lead. After Türkiye saved two match points, Wiest ended the match with a kill.

Davis scored nine points in the final set on six kills, a block and two aces. Taylor (two kills, two blocks, one ace) and Wiest (three kills, one block, one ace) each contributed five points.

2025 U19 National Team Roster for World Championship

(Name, Pos., Birth Year, Height, Hometown, School, Region)
3 Jordan Taylor (MB, 6-5, 2007, Houston, Texas, University of Minnesota, Lone Star)
5 Lily Hayes (L, 5-9, 2007, Tampa, Fla., Berkeley Prep HS, Florida)
6 Suli Davis (OH, 6-1, 2007, Euless, Texas, Brigham Young University, North Texas)
8 Abbey Emch (MB, 6-3, 2007, New Waterford, Ohio, University of Pittsburgh, Ohio Valley)
10 Isabelle Hoppe (S, 5-8, 2008, Gibsonia, Pa., Pine Richland HS, Ohio Valley)
11 Kelly Kinney (OH/OPP, 6-2, 2007, West Palm Beach, Fla., The Kings Academy, Florida)
12 Genevieve Harris (S, 5-11, 2007, Raleigh, N.C, Cardinal Gibbons HS, Carolina)
13 Gabrielle Nichols (MB, 6-3, 2007, Winston Salem, N.C., Penn State University, Carolina)
16 Cari Spears (OH, 6-3, 2007, Dallas, Texas, University of Texas, North Texas)
17 Lameen Mambu (OH, 6-0, 2007, Chantilly, Va., Georgia Tech, Chesapeake)
19 Henley Anderson (OPP/OH, 6-3, 2007, Dripping Springs, Texas, Dripping Springs HS, Lone Star)
20 Devyn Wiest (OH, 6-3, 2007, Peoria, Ariz., University of Utah, Arizona)

Alternates
1 Izzy Mogridge (S, 5-11, 2007, Lutz, Fla., Berkeley Prep HS, Florida)
2 Charlotte Vinson (OPP, 6-2, 2007, Muncie, Ind., Yorktown HS, Hoosier)
4 Kalyssa Blackshear (MB/OPP, 6-4, 2007, Torrance, Calif., University of Louisville, Southern California)
7 Ayanna Watson (OH/OPP, 6-3, 2007, Henderson, Nev., Bishop Gorman HS, Southern California)
9 Natalie Wardlow (MB/OPP, 6-5, 2007, Lincoln, Neb., Lincoln Southeast HS, Great Plains)
15 Logan Bell (L, 5-11, 2007, Beech Grove, Ind., Roncalli HS, Hoosier)
18 Aniya Warren (L, 5-8, 2007, Lockport, Ill., Benet Academy, Great Lakes)

Coaches
Head Coach: Keegan Cook (Minnesota)
Assistant Coach: Alyssa D’Errico (Utah)
Assistant Coach: April Sanchez (New Mexico)
Performance Analyst: Jon Wong (Florida State)
ATC: Cherryl Bueno (Coast to Coast AthletiCare)
Team Lead: Courtney Smith (NTDP)

2025 FIVB Girls U19 World Championship Schedule
All times Pacific/Osijek, Croatia
Matches live on VBTV and Volleyball World YouTube

July 2: USA def. Spain, 3-1 (22-25, 25-16, 25-12, 25-23)
July 3: USA def. Peru, 3-0 (25-19, 25-18, 25-18)
July 4: Poland def. USA, 3-2 (25-23, 23-25, 25-17, 25-27, 16-14)
July 6: Bulgaria def. USA, 3-2 (25-15, 16-25, 27-25, 13-25, 15-5)
July 7: USA def. Türkiye, 3-1 (25-19, 20-25, 25-22, 25-23)
July 8: Round of 16, 12:15 p.m.: USA vs. Germany
July 11: TBA Playoffs/Quarterfinals
July 12: TBA Playoffs/Semifinals
July 13: Finals

NCAA RELEASE

“Congratulations to Hunter on this tremendous honor that puts an exclamation point on his incredible career as a Jackrabbit,” Head Coach Rod DeHaven said. “He worked very hard in the classroom, labs, and as an athlete to achieve this award! All the best to him in his future endeavors.”

The NCAA awards a one-time, non-renewable $10,000 scholarship to 21 men and 21 women three times a year across three seasons (fall, winter, spring) to encourage student-athletes to pursue postgraduate education. To be considered for the scholarship, student-athletes must be in their final year of undergraduate studies, hold at least a 3.200 cumulative GPA, and have performed with distinction in the varsity sport for which they are nominated.

Wallster receives this award following an impressive four-year stint with the Jackrabbits. During his time at SDSU, Wallster collected four conference titles, two in the weight throw and two in the hammer throw. He also made the Summit League All-League team from 2023-2025 in both indoor and outdoor track and field seasons. 

Wallster holds the school record in the hammer throw. He threw 207-01 (63.12m) to take the program record and finish runner-up at the 2023 Summit League Outdoor Championships. Wallster’s program record qualified him for the 2023 NCAA West First Round Regionals where he threw 183-06 (55.93m) to finish 43rd.

-GoJacks.com-

LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV volleyball program will play a total of 28 regular-season matches during the 2025 campaign, with 14 of those taking place inside the friendly confines of the Cox Pavilion. The fall slate, the third under head coach Malia Shoji, will feature 18 contests against Mountain West foes as well as 10 more versus nonconference competition.

Breaking the schedule down further, UNLV will play a total of two matches against a pair of MW squads that competed in 2024 postseason competition, with one (Colorado State) that participated in the NCAA Tournament and one (Wyoming) that partook in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship.

UNLV will face three teams each from the Big West and WAC as well as two from the WCC. Furthermore, the Rebels will face one from the Big Sky and Big Ten over the first four weekends of the season.

The Scarlet & Gray’s first 10 contests will be played over the first four weekends with a pair of home tournaments and two more on the road. UNLV will open the season at home by hosting a three-day tournament in the Cox Pavilion against Iowa (Aug. 29), CSU Bakersfield (Aug. 30) and Utah Tech (Aug. 31). 

The next two weeks will see UNLV hit the road for a pair of tournaments, the first being in Santa Clara where the Scarlet & Gray will face California Baptist (Sept. 5) and the Broncos (Sept. 6). UNLV will then head to Corvallis, Oregon against UC Irvine (Sept. 11), Montana State (Sept. 12) and the host Beavers (Sept. 13). The final nonconference slate will see UC Riverside (Sept. 18) and Southern Utah (Sept. 20) come to town.

The Mountain West slate begins the final weekend of September with the Rebels heading to the Golden State to face San Jose State (Sept. 25) and Fresno State (Sept. 27). UNLV will open the home portion of their conference schedule against Colorado State (Oct. 2) and Wyoming (Oct. 4) before heading to San Diego State (Oct. 7). The Rebels will return home on Oct. 11 to face New Mexico before they compete in a two-match road trip against Utah State (Oct. 16) and Boise State (Oct. 18).

The Rebels will then face UNR – a Silver State Series contest (Oct. 23 – home) and Air Force (Oct. 25 – road) once in the 18-match slate. UNLV’s longest conference home stand will be Oct. 30 (Boise State), Nov. 1 (Utah State) and Nov. 4 (San Diego State). The final road matches will take place Nov. 6, Nov. 13 and Nov. 15 against New Mexico, Wyoming and Colorado State, respectively, while the regular season concludes at home versus Fresno State (Nov. 20) and San Jose State (Nov. 22) the following week.

NONCONFERENCE NOTES:

– UNLV has squared off with UC Irvine (2019), Utah Tech (2022) and Southern Utah (2023) within the past five seasons; however, the Rebels have not faced UC Riverside (2014) CSU Bakersfield (2012), Oregon State (2010), Santa Clara (2007) and Montana State (1984) in over 10 or more years. Moreover, this will be the first meetings all-time against California Baptist and Iowa.

RETURNING REBELS: UNLV returns seven letterwinners from the 2024 squad: Alondra Alarcon, Rheanna Deen-Jackson, Jada Ingram, Caligh King, Isha Knight, Basia Latos and Kennedy Peery.

LOOKING AHEAD: The Scarlet & Gray is coming off of a 15-win campaign in 2024. The Rebels, who closed out the year 15-14 overall and 8-10 (7th), return MW Honorable Mention honoree Basia Latos, who joined the All-MW after just her first season with the program. The then-freshman, who was a two-time MW Freshman of the Week, led the team during the MW slate with 2.98 kills per set. Capping the season with a hitting percentage of .247 during conference matches, the outside hitter wrapped up each of the program’s last six matches with a single-game hitting efficiency of .280 or higher, hitting over .340 in four of those aforementioned six matches. The Lazy, Poland native also found defensive success in both the front and back rows during the season, notching three double-doubles in kills & digs along with three or more block assists in four of the previously mentioned six matches.

Junior libero Caleigh King headed the lineup with 112 sets played as a sophomore last season, stepping on the court in every set the Rebels played. The Southlake, Texas native led the team with 3.13 digs per set, eclipsing 600 career digs. She broke into the Mountain West top-10 rankings in digs per set during conference matches, rounding out the list with 3.03 digs per set and ninth for all matches during the 2024 campaign.

UNLV SEASON TICKETS: Season tickets for the 2025 home schedule, which are available to get now for as low as $40, can be purchased here. Season tickets for active alumni, faculty & staff as well as senior Rebels (62+) are available for purchase at $40, regular season ticket pricing being marked at only $50. Single-game tickets will be available at a later date.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 7, 2025) – USA Volleyball is proud to announce the launch of the inaugural USA Volleyball Girls Junior Club Championship (GJCC), a new national event scheduled for June 5-7, 2026, at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio.

Designed as a stand-alone, non-bid championship event, the GJCC will offer competition for girls teams in the 10u through 17u divisions, creating exciting new opportunities for junior clubs across the country. The event will initially welcome 450 teams and is projected to grow into a 1,000+ team championship in the coming years.

Importantly, the GJCC will replace the existing Patriot Division within USA Volleyball’s Girls Junior National Championship (GJNC) structure for these age groups, which will now allow for additional bids in each division for GJNC beginning with the 2026 season. This initiative will enable USA Volleyball to expand its network of junior national qualifiers across the country, helping to reduce travel costs for clubs and families while meeting the growing demand for USAV-sanctioned events.

“The launch of the USA Volleyball Girls Junior Club Championship is an exciting step forward for our membership,” said USA Volleyball Chief Operating Officer Steve Bishop. “This new event is ideal for USA Volleyball clubs looking to compete in a high-quality, three-day, non-bid national championship during the early June window each year. This championship is just one of several initiatives we are rolling out during this quadrennial to expand opportunities and pathways for our clubs, athletes and coaches nationwide. We look forward to seeing this event grow in size and impact in the years to come.”

Hosted in one of the country’s premier volleyball venues, the inaugural GJCC will feature:

• Eight age divisions (10u–17u)
• Wave assignments: AM-10u/12u/14u/16u, PM-11u/13u/15u/17u
• Three-day event format (pool play, challenge rounds, bracket play)
• Multiple playoff divisions after pool play (Divisions 1, 2, 3)
• Awards for division champions and an overall Club Cup for the top performing club

“Columbus is excited to host another big event with the inaugural USA Volleyball Girls Club Championship in 2026,” said Linda Logan, CEO and president of the Greater Columbus Sports Commission. “Two key factors in what makes this a great market for volleyball are the strength of the Ohio Valley Region and a top host venue in the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Combined with the city’s central location, that makes Columbus ideal for participants and their families to explore some of our unique neighborhoods. USA Volleyball is a great partner, and we look forward to working with them again to create special memories for the girls playing in this championship.”

By creating this dedicated national championship platform for non-bid teams, USA Volleyball is providing an exciting new pathway for participation, opening the door for more teams to experience a national event atmosphere and helping to grow the sport across the country.

Read our FAQ for more details about the event.