MITCHELL — After a 35-year coaching and teaching career, it won’t be easy for Deb Thill to retire.

It’s been the reward of helping kids succeed, grow and develop that has kept the Kernel coach involved in four decades.

Thill, who has been Mitchell High School’s only volleyball coach in Kernel history, formally announced her retirement on Friday, set to retire at the end of the school year from the only school district she’s ever worked for. Thill is also leaving her position as a physical education teacher at L.B. Williams Elementary and as the Kernels’ track and field head coach.

She joked Friday that retirement had to happen eventually, but she’s looking forward to having more time for herself and her family going forward.

“I’ve been in the education and coaching field for so long, and I thought it was probably time for me to do some other things before I’m too old to do it,” she said.

Thill’s volleyball coaching career included Class AA state championships in 1995 and 2003, and 15 trips to the state tournament, including a final trip in 2025. The first was in 1993, sending the Kernels to the state tournament in four different decades. She reached 500 career volleyball coaching victories in 2024 and she was the longest-tenured high school volleyball coach in Class AA volleyball history.

“Deb Thill’s impact on Mitchell athletics is truly extraordinary. As the first and only head volleyball coach in program history, she built a standard of excellence that continues to define our school,” Mitchell High School Activities Director Cory Aadland said in a statement. “Beyond the success of her teams, Deb’s greatest legacy is the countless student-athletes she mentored, inspired and prepared for life. Her dedication, leadership, and passion for education-based athletics will be felt in our community for generations.”

Mitchell Republic file photo

In an interview, Thill recalled that Mitchell and Yankton were the final two Class AA schools to start a volleyball program in 1991-92, and Mitchell had more than 100 girls out for volleyball, with only three levels of teams in the program to start.

“We kept growing as a program and there was a lot of interest and a lot of girls wanted to play volleyball,” Thill said. “In four years, we were vying for the state championship against Yankton, and that was pretty memorable. We were blessed with good athletes right at the beginning.”

From that standpoint, Thill isn’t that surprised that volleyball has grown as much nationally as it has, flourishing collegiately and with professional leagues popping up.

“Once you play the game, and if you have good people around you, you’re kind of hooked, between playing or watching or coaching because it is very much a team sport,” she said. “And the game itself has changed so that it’s much more fan friendly from when it first started.”

Thill has coached track and field since 2012 and been the head coach for four seasons, a role she will continue to do through May. She also was a girls basketball coach with the Kernels for 13 years, with 11 as an assistant for Gary Munsen and then two years as head coach after South Dakota switched its volleyball and girls basketball seasons, moving volleyball to the fall and basketball to the winter, which didn’t allow Munsen to coach both anymore.

Marcus Traxler / Mitchell Republic

Once again, it was the right place, right time for Thill, who led the Kernels to a state championship in her first season as head coach in 2003 and finished third in 2004, with Mitchell 43-3 under her leadership in two seasons. In 2004, she relinquished the girls basketball job to spend more time with her family.

“Looking back, it was a little much. At the Class AA level, it’s just pretty rare to find someone that will coach multiple sports,” Thill said on Friday. “And just in general, people don’t coach very long. To coach for 35 years, that’s probably an anomaly. … One of my goals was to be a good role model for young women to show you can have a career, you can have a family, you can do a lot of those things and make it work and do it well.”

Thill was the state’s volleyball coach of the year in 2003 and is a past president of the South Dakota High School Coaches Association.

In retirement, Thill said she’s looking forward to more time with her children and family and to be able to take some trips.

Aadland said the search for Mitchell’s next coaches for volleyball and track and field will begin immediately.

Marcus Traxler is the assistant editor and sports editor for the Mitchell Republic. A past winner of the state’s Outstanding Young Journalist award and the 2023 South Dakota Sportswriter of the Year, he’s worked for the newspaper since 2014 and covers a wide variety of topics. A Minnesota native, Traxler can be reached at mtraxler@mitchellrepublic.com.

Wesleyan Christian junior Nejari Crooks was named the N.C. Gatorade Player of the Year in volleyball.

Crooks is ranked as one of the top 15 juniors in the nation and has committed to Penn State.

She made the HighSchoolOT all-state first team this past season, her third time making the state’s top all-state team, featuring players from all associations, and the second time on the first-team.

List as six feet tall, the right-side hitter and setter is closing in on 1,000 kills and 1,000 assists in her career.

She was also an American Volleyball Coaches Association First Team All-American, and a member of the USA Volleyball Under-19 Women’s National Team that won the gold medal at the Pan American Cup in Canada last June.

According to a press release, Crooks has a 4.84 GPA.

This past season she posted 405 kills (a whopping 6.5 per set) with a 52.8 kill percentage and a 42.6 hitting percentage. She had 104 aces, 65 blocks, 216 digs (3.5 per set) and  351 assists (5.7 per set).

She made first-team all-state as a sophomore and was an honorable mention selection as a freshman.

Lynchburg, Va. – The University of Lynchburg indoor track & field teams hosted the Burg Open to resume competition for the 2025-2026 season at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex.

Although the Hornets competed in their third indoor meet, several distance athletes made their season debuts following an extended training block. On the field events side, Lynchburg posted 23 top-10 performances, including individual victories in the women’s weight throw and men’s high jump.

For the men’s team, Lamont Victoria and Alex Jordan earned first-place finishes against stellar competition. Victoria bested the field in the men’s high jump by clearing the 6′ 9″ (2.06m) bar, while Aidan Hipp finished second at the 6′ 5¾” (1.98m) height. Elijah Rose and Jaren Lee (6′ 3¾” or 1.93m) earned third and fourth, respectively.

Alex Jordan posted an 8:24.78 performance in the men’s 3,000m to win the race, which featured 11 Hornets. Jack Weddle clinched second with an 8:32.30 result, while Mercer Alden accelerated into third with an 8:45.82 finish.

Delaney Saulsbury led the women’s 3,000m coast-to-coast and registered a personal-best 10:40.53 for first place. Winter Tietjen posted 10:46.70 for second place in her collegiate track debut, while Mya Baker earned 10:48.84 for third.

Rylee Turner also secured a pair of podium finishes, clocking 7.95 for third in the 60-meter dash finals and 26.02 for second in the 200-meter dash. In the 400m, Kaitlyn Ruiz crossed the line in 59.99 for second, while Parker Marshall finished fifth in the men’s race with a 51.33 result.

In jumping events, Kacey Kelly displayed her versatility with three top-10 finishes. The senior placed second in the women’s triple jump with a 36′ 3¼” (11.06m), fourth in the women’s long jump (16′ 8¾” or 5.10m) and sixth in the women’s 60-meter hurdles (10.84).   

First-year Audrey Lacombe joined Kelly with a sixth-place mark in the women’s triple jump (30′ 11″ or 9.42m) and an eighth-place finish in the women’s 60-meter hurdle final (11.11).

Kenzie Swicegood earned her third first-place finish of the season with an individual victory in the women’s weight throw, posting a 53′ 4½” (16.27m) throw. The former Old Dominion Athletic Conference Field Athlete of the Week also claimed a fourth-place finish in the women’s shot put with a 37′ 1″ (11.30m) performance.

The Hornets registered 11 top-ten finishes between the women’s weight throw and shot put, and Kya Rucker joined Swicegood on the podium for the weight throw with a 46′ 3¾” (14.12m) mark.

To round out the day, the women’s 4x400m relay team clocked 4:04.72  for second in the field, while the men’s 4x400m squad clinched 3:20.39 for second.

Lynchburg returns to action on Friday, Jan. 16 and Saturday, Jan. 17 with a split-squad weekend, traveling to the Virginia Tech Invitational and Finn Pincus Invitational, hosted by Roanoke College.

For full results from the Burg Open, click here.

Visit Lynchburg athletics’ home online, LynchburgSports.com, anytime for up-to-the-minute news on all Hornets sports and coverage from the Lynchburg Hornets Sports Network.

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–LYN–

GOLETA, Calif. — Joao Favarim and Hank Kaufman powered a balanced attack as CSUN defeated Harvard 25-16, 25-19, 26-28, 25-18 to improve to 2-0 at the Asics Invitational Friday afternoon at UCSB’s Rob Gym.

CSUN (2-0) struggled a times offensively, hitting .206 as a team, but controlled the match with steady serving and a strong block. The Matadors finished with a 9.5–7 edge in total team blocks as Favarim had a match-high six block assists. The sophomore middle also led the Matadors offensively with 10 kills on 17 swings to hit .471. Kaufman finished the match with nine kills (.065), two aces, and two blocks, while senior Shane Nhem chipped in six kills (.455) and a pair of blocks.

Setter Owen Douphner helped CSUN to a sizable 10-4 edge in team aces as he served a career-high five in the win. Doughner directed the offense with 30 assists and chipped in five kills, as CSUN placed four players in double figures in points. Shane Nhem added six kills on .455 hitting, and Joao Avila contributed a match-high 10 digs, seven kills (.214), and two aces.

CSUN jumped out early, rolling to a convincing win in the opening set behind efficient sideout play and four aces. The Matadors carried that momentum into the second set, pulling away late to take a two-set lead.

Harvard (0-2) extended the match by outlasting CSUN in a tightly contested third set, but the Matadors responded with their most complete effort in the fourth. CSUN broke open a close set with a decisive run midway through and closed the match on a kill by Grayson Albers.

Sawyer Nichols led Harvard with 15 kills, but the Crimson hit just .037 for the match and struggled to find consistency against the CSUN block and serve pressure.

HEAD COACH THEO EDWARDS SAID

“I thought we were inconsistent at times today. We had four guys out there that are starting to really learn how to do this and how to play at a consistent level. There were some great performances; Owen (Doughner) commanded the match for the most part. For me, it’s just about us learning and making progress throughout the season. Part of the struggle for us today was playing back-to-back days. We’re having some conversations about that and how to get the proper rest and get ready for tomorrow.”

UP NEXT

CSUN concludes the 2026 Asics Invitational on Saturday afternoon, meeting Kentucky State (0-1) at 4:30 p.m.

#GoMatadors

IRVINE, CALIF. – In a thrilling five-set showdown to kick off the 2026 men’s volleyball season, the Golden Eagles showcased heart, hustle, and plenty of promise in front of a spirited home crowd – ultimately falling in a close 3-2 (19-25, 25-22, 25-21, 27-29, 13-15) to Rockhurst. Despite the loss, CUI took numerous positive takeaways from an electric night of volleyball that highlighted depth, leadership, and grit. 

Fresh into his Golden Eagle debut, Aidan Case delivered a standout performance, delivering 54 assists, which is currently tied for ninth in the CUI record books for a five-set match. His ability to distribute the ball kept the Green and Gold competitive through every set and provided real momentum swings for the Golden Eagles. 

CUI’s offense was firing on all cylinders at times, with several players stepping up to the plate. Christian Galoppo led the Green and Gold with 15 kills and eight digs. Logan Whitaker and Nathan Habermas added 13 and 11, respectively. 

Defensively, the Golden Eagles were active at the net, finishing with 10 total blocks. Players like Paul Schulties and Logan Whitaker were particularly disruptive to the Hawks’ offense, recording nine blocks between the two of them. The back row also made key plays that extended rallies and pressured Rockhurst’s offense. The energy never wavered, even as the match went the distance. 

While the Green and Gold came up just short in their home opener, the performance laid a strong foundation for the rest of the season. The Golden Eagles will be on the road Sunday, January 11, to take on #1 UCLA at 5:00 PM in their first MPSF match-up. 

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE SCHEDULE FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON

MALIBU, Calif. –  The Pepperdine men’s volleyball team (1-0) took three straight sets from the Spartans of Saint Thomas Aquinas (0-1) to open the 2026 season in Firestone Fieldhouse Friday night.
 
“It was great to start off our season with a win,” head coach Jonathan Winder said. “Our serving was really strong for a few stretches with Aidan Tune and Grant Lamoureux in different sets that opened up the games. All in all, pleased with the effort and focus of the group and ready to get prepared for Sunday’s game.”
 
In the closest of the three sets, the Waves went back and forth with the Spartans in the first, withstanding opposing runs while maintaining the lead. Hitting a monster .700, Cole Hartke led the squad with seven kills to give Pepperdine a 25-18 win in the opening set of the 2026 season.
 
Forcing a negative hitting percentage for STAC in the second set, the Waves kept the foot on the gas. Ryan Barnett and Lamoureux split the heavy lifting for Pepperdine with three kills on five attempts a piece. After a close set through the opening 14 points, Tune took his turn at the service line to compose the Waves, aiding in a 6-0 run on seven-straight serves to give Pepperdine a 20-11 lead. From there, it was smooth sailing as Pepperdine took the second set 25-17.
 
Five aces by Lamoureux highlighted the third and final set of the night as Pepperdine shut down the Spartans completely to close the night out. Six errors by the opposing side helped the Waves hold STAC to 12 points, finishing the sweep with a 25-12 set win.
 
WAVES VS. SPARTANS
 
PEPPERDINE ATTACK BY SET
Set      K         E         TA       Pct 
1         13      2         19       .579
2         12       2         22       .455
3         7         1         13       .462
 
STAC ATTACK BY SET
Set      K         E         TA       Pct 
1         10       3         25       .280
2         7         9         24       -.083
3         7         6         19       .053
 
The Waves have the second home match of the weekend Sunday against Daemen. First serve is scheduled for 2 p.m. with streaming available on B1G+ (subscription required) and live stats available at www.pepperdinewaves.com
 
 
GAME NOTES
• Cole Hartke led the Waves offensively, hitting .381 on 21 attempts.
• Grant Lamoureux shined from the service line, leading the Waves with five aces.
• The Waves only recorded five errors on the night, compared to the Spartans 18.
• Noé Matthey had a hand in the most blocks tonight, with three assists and one solo block.
• Andrej Polomac recorded over 85 percent of Pepperdine’s assists with 26.
• Polomac also led the team in digs with five.
• Zach Chapin, Matthey, Polomac, Lamoureux, and Ford Harman made their Wave debuts tonight.
• Chapin recorded an ace in his third collegiate set.
 
ABOUT PEPPERDINE MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Pepperdine men’s volleyball boasts one of the richest histories in collegiate volleyball, with five NCAA National Championships. Four of those championships came under the direction of Hall of Fame coach Marv Dunphy who totaled 612 victories in 34 seasons at the helm. With 19 NCAA Appearances and 63 All-Americans, the program has consistently been a destination for top talent across the country. Under current head coach Jonathan Winder, the Waves reached the NCAA Final Four in his third season at the helm in 2025.
 
TICKETS
For more information and to purchase tickets to upcoming home events, visit here.
 
FOLLOW
To stay up-to-date on the latest Pepperdine women’s soccer news, follow the Waves on social media @PepperdineMVB_ .