Sports
Tennis
After being replaced by Sabalenka as world number one at the end of last season, Swiatek has no shortage of motivation heading into the Melbourne Park major. Gauff’s sole Grand Slam title came at Flushing Meadows in 2023 and she underlined her hardcourt credentials by beating both Sabalenka and Swiatek en route to winning the […]
After being replaced by Sabalenka as world number one at the end of last season, Swiatek has no shortage of motivation heading into the Melbourne Park major.
Gauff’s sole Grand Slam title came at Flushing Meadows in 2023 and she underlined her hardcourt credentials by beating both Sabalenka and Swiatek en route to winning the WTA Finals in November.
The Pole held the top spot for 125 weeks during two spells from the 2022 season and while the clay courts of Paris continue to offer her the best chance of adding to her five major titles she is already showing strong form in Australia.
“I think after the way she finished (last season), she’s going to be really interesting to see,” said Australia’s former women’s doubles world number one Rennae Stubbs.
– Reuters
Swiatek came up short in her bid to lead Poland to victory at the United Cup after she lost in straight sets to American Gauff, who hailed the win over the Pole as one of the best performances of her career.
“You have to focus on improving yourself every day, do your best, and hope for the best. That’s my mentality going into the Australian Open.”
“I believe she has absolutely put her hands up to be one of the favourites for the Australian Open.”
Melbourne’s blue courts have often favoured big hitters like Zheng and there are few women on the tour who pack a punch like Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion.
Aryna Sabalenka will look to join a select group of players to win three straight Australian Open titles this month but the big question ahead of the year’s first Grand Slam is can anyone stop the Belarusian from tightening her grip on the women’s game?
Rybakina, who lost to Sabalenka in the 2023 Australian Open final, has bolstered her team by adding Novak Djokovic’s former coach Goran Ivanisevic and has already started to reap the rewards with dominant displays in the build-up to the 12-26 January Grand Slam.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka should also be in the mix, providing she overcomes the abdominal issue that scuttled her Auckland title bid.
Jasmine Paolini was the surprise package of the 2024 season with runner-up finishes at the French Open and Wimbledon and the ever-smiling Italian will hope she can be third-time lucky in the tournament dubbed the “Happy Slam”.
A Melbourne semi-finalist in 2022, Swiatek, 23, delivered some strong individual performances in the United Cup mixed team competition, taking Poland to the final last weekend.
Last year’s tournament highlighted the depth of the women’s game with China’s Zheng Qinwen enjoying an inspired run to the final and the Olympic champion will be fresh for another tilt at the title after opting out of warm-up tournaments.
That kind of form has earned comparisons with Serena Williams, who got to the final four at 10 Grand Slams between 2014 and 2017 during a run when the American great won six of her 23 major titles.
“I was able to overcome difficult moments by maintaining a high level of tennis for a long time. This is what all players seek, so it’s nice to feel like this already in the first week of competition.”
“Definitely, I’ve got some confidence at the Grand Slams,” said Sabalenka, who can become the first woman to capture three successive Australian Open titles since Switzerland’s Martina Hingis achieved the feat from 1997-1999.
The 26-year-old world number one is the red-hot favourite at Melbourne Park, where another victory would give her a fourth major title and widen the gap in the rankings to Poland’s Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff of the United States.
Sabalenka, who started her season by winning an 18th career WTA title in Brisbane on Sunday, has reached at least the semi-finals at nine of her last 12 Grand Slams, a run which included the addition of the US Open crown to her trophy cabinet.
Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka celebrates with the trophy after winning the Australian Open.
Photo: PATRICK HAMILTON
“I know I’m capable of so many things, that I’m able to hold that beautiful trophy. It’s good to know that. But there’s still (some) way to go. A lot of things have to be done.
“I’m very satisfied with my game,” said the world number two, who served a month-long suspension late last year over a doping violation.
Sports
Farmington Women Take Home 2025 NAC Track & Field Title
Farmington Women Take Home 2025 NAC Track & Field Title [RESULTS] WATERVILLE, Maine – The University of Maine at Farmington women’s outdoor track & field team edged Thomas College by just two points to win the 2025 North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Championship on Saturday at the Alfond Track on […]
Farmington Women Take Home 2025 NAC Track & Field Title
[RESULTS] WATERVILLE, Maine – The University of Maine at Farmington women’s outdoor track & field team edged Thomas College by just two points to win the 2025 North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Championship on Saturday at the Alfond Track on the campus of Colby College. The title marks the first NAC women’s outdoor track & field championship in program history.
UMaine-Farmington also won the men’s team title, becoming the first program to sweep the NAC outdoor championships since SUNY Delhi in 2019.
The championship wasn’t decided until the final events, as several key late performances lifted the Beavers to victory. UMF’s 4×400-meter relay team — Cara Perry, Lina Martinez Nocito, Anna MacDonald, and Carrie Burr — secured 10 crucial points with a comfortable win in the meet’s final track event. Around the same time in the throws area, senior Kaitlyn Harmon-Bolding came up clutch in the discus, recording a 29.57m effort on her final attempt to place fourth and add four vital points. Prior to her impressive sixth throw, the senior fell short of 27 meters on each of her previous five attempts.
In the final team standings, UMaine-Farmington finished with 193 points, narrowly ahead of Thomas (191 points). Husson University placed third with 151.5 points, followed by VTSU-Johnson (46.5 points) and Lesley University (1 point). UMaine-Presque Isle competed with individuals but did not record a team score.
UMaine-Farmington won seven total events, including both relay races and individual wins by five individuals: Lina Martinez Nocito (1500), Anna MacDonald (800), Carrie Burr (400-Hurdles), Eve Poteet (5000), and Erica Johnson (Triple Jump).
Thomas College standout Emma Burr put forth an incredible individual effort, as the sophomore competed in 10 total events with six victories and posted a total of 82 points. She highlighted her championship appearance by breaking a pair of NAC records in the Long Jump (5.29m) and 100-Meter Hurdles (15.44). Senior Mary DiSanto also enjoyed a solid showing with wins in the Shot Put and Discus Throw.
Husson University sophomore Alexis Freeman won the Pole Vault with a NAC Championship record 3.00m performance while Ava Dowling (3000-Meter Steeplechase), Molly Dearborn (400), and Megan Fletcher (Hammer) notched individual wins.
VTSU-Johnson junior Kali Wooster posted a second-place finish in the 400-Meter while junior Ida Eames placed second in the 400-Meter Hurdles. Both athletes ran legs for the Badgers’ 4×400-Meter Relay, which finished second with a 1:16.72 time.
Lesley University freshman Rebecca Hall was sixth in the 5000-Meter and UMaine-Presque Isle freshman Evelyn Elijah placed ninth in the Shot Put.
EVENT WINNERS:
100-METER HURDLES: Emma Burr (So., Thomas) – 15.44 – RECORD
100-METER DASH: Emma Burr (So., Thomas) – 12.77
3000-METER STEEPLECHASE: Ava Dowling (Sr., Husson) – 11:59.44
4×100 METER RELAY: UMaine-Farmington – 51.76
Cara Perry, Carrie Burr, Kennedy Todd, Erica Johnson
1500-METER RUN: Lina Martinez Nocito (Fr., UMaine-Farmington) – 5:16.12
400-METER DASH: Molly Dearborn (Fr., Husson) – 1:03.40
800-METER RUN: Anna MacDonald (Sr., UMaine-Farmington) – 2:35.04
400-METER HURDLES: Carrie Burr (Sr., UMaine-Farmington) – 1:13.02
200-METER DASH: Emma Burr (So., Thomas) – 27.20
5000-METER RUN: Eve Poteet (Jr., UMaine-Farmington) – 20:02.44
4×400-METER RELAY: UMaine-Farmington – 4:37.79
Cara Perry, Lina Martinez Nocito, Anna MacDonald, Carrie Burr
SHOT PUT: Mary DiSanto (Sr., Thomas) – 11.36m
DISCUS THROW: Mary DiSanto (Sr., Thomas) – 35.89
LONG JUMP: Emma Burr (So., Thomas) – 5.29m – RECORD
TRIPLE JUMP: Erica Johnson (Jr., UMaine-Farmington – 10.43m
HIGH JUMP: Emma Burr (So., Thomas) – 1.56m
POLE VAULT: Alexis Freeman (So., Husson) – 3.00m – RECORD
JAVELIN THROW: Emma Burr (So., Thomas) – 33.00m
HAMMER THROW: Megan Fletcher (Jr., Husson) – 38.88m
Sports
Lions Advance to GCC Championships behind Seven Goals from Yanah Gerber
Story Links LOS ANGELES – The rematch is set as LMU Women’s Water Polo advances to the Golden Coast Conference Championship Game after defeating San Diego State, 16-10, on Saturday night in the semifinals. The top-seeded Lions will face Fresno State Sunday at 1:00 PM in a rematch of last year’s […]
LOS ANGELES – The rematch is set as LMU Women’s Water Polo advances to the Golden Coast Conference Championship Game after defeating San Diego State, 16-10, on Saturday night in the semifinals. The top-seeded Lions will face Fresno State Sunday at 1:00 PM in a rematch of last year’s title game which went to overtime.
Ruth Arino Ruiz opened the scoring on LMU’s first possession, but the Aztecs provided an answer to even the score at 1-1 less than a minute into play. Sophia DeMattia scored back-to-back goals to push LMU’s lead to 3-1. The two sides split the final three goals of the first quarter as senior captains Arino Ruiz and Yanah Gerber twice gave the Lions a 6-4 lead.
A second quarter penalty goal by Carolina Magano gave LMU a 7-4 advantage. After San Diego State pulled back within two Gerber scored her third of the game to give LMU a 8-5 lead heading into the half.
The Aztecs scored the first three goals of the second half to tie the score at 8-all, forcing an LMU timeout. The Lions responded with the final three goals of the third as again Arino Ruiz scored one and Gerber added two more to bring the lead back to three.
Less than three minutes into the fourth quarter, Gerber scored her sixth and seventh goals of the game to push the Lions ahead 13-9. Mikayla Lopez, Skye Nankervis, and Lily Larson pushed the lead to seven in the final two minutes of the game. San Diego State scored one late to give the Lions a 16-10 lead and a return to the Championship Game.
Alyssa Barnuevo made 11 saves in the cage and added two assists and a steal.
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With the win, the Lions advance to the finals and will face Fresno State back at the Burns Aquatics Center at 1:00 PM.
Tickets to the 2025 GCC Women’s Water Polo Championship are available in advance of the tournament online through the LMU Ticket Office or by calling 310-338-5466. Once games begin, tickets will also be available for purchase on site at the entry gate to the Burns Aquatics Center.
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Sports
Track & Field Wraps Up Competition at Penn Relays
Story Links Philadelphia, Pa. – (April 26, 2025) – The Fordham track & field team completed its stay at the 2025 Penn Relays on Saturday, competing in the College 4×800 relays. The Fordham women were up first, as the team of Brenna Sears, Lauren Raimy, Kathleen Keefe, and […]
Philadelphia, Pa. – (April 26, 2025) – The Fordham track & field team completed its stay at the 2025 Penn Relays on Saturday, competing in the College 4×800 relays.
The Fordham women were up first, as the team of Brenna Sears, Lauren Raimy, Kathleen Keefe, and Megan McCann, placed 16th overall with a season-best time of 9:14.81.
In the men’s event, the Rams’ squad of Ben Borchers, Sean Reidy, Nathan Bezuneh, and Rodolfo Sanchez grabbed fourth in the event with a season-best mark of 7:26.12.
Fordham now looks ahead to the 2025 Atlantic 10 Outdoor Track & Field Championship, which will be hosted at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, May 3-4.
Sports
Florida State University Athletics
BATON ROUGE, La. – The Florida State beach volleyball team came up short in the CCSA Championship on Saturday, defeating LSU in the semifinals before falling to Texas, 3-0, in the final. The Seminoles earned their spot in the championship match with a 3-0 sweep of LSU in their fourth win over the Tigers this […]
BATON ROUGE, La. – The Florida State beach volleyball team came up short in the CCSA Championship on Saturday, defeating LSU in the semifinals before falling to Texas, 3-0, in the final.
The Seminoles earned their spot in the championship match with a 3-0 sweep of LSU in their fourth win over the Tigers this season and second in the postseason. FSU jumped out to an early lead with straight-set victories on courts two and five, and Carra Sassack and Bailey Higgins sealed the dual on court three with a 21-19, 21-15 win.
In the final, the Seminoles fell to Texas, 3-0. The Longhorns claimed courts two and five in hard-fought three-set matches to take a 2-0 lead, before securing the championship with another three-set win on court three. It marked Texas’ first CCSA title.
Florida State now turns its attention to the NCAA Tournament. The tournament bracket will be announced Sunday at 1 p.m. on NCAA.com, with play set for May 2-4 in Gulf Shores, Alabama.
For more information on the Florida State beach volleyball program, check Seminoles.com and follow us on social media at fsubeachvolleyball (IG) and @FSU_BeachVB (X).
#8 Florida State 3, #11 LSU 0
1. Alexis Durish/Audrey Koenig (FSU) vs. Parker Bracken/Gabi Bailey (LSU) unfinished
2. Gella Andrew/Maddie Trusty (FSU) def. Aubrey O’Gorman/Camryn Chatellier (LSU) 21-17, 21-17
3. Carra Sassack/Bailey Higgins (FSU) def. Elle Evers/Julia Sprecher (LSU) 21-19, 21-15
4. Makenna Wolfe/Myriah Massey (FSU) def. Tatum Finlason/Kate Baker (LSU) 21-12, 21-16
5. Jordan Boulware/Kenzie Hultquist (FSU) vs. Emily Meyer/Skylar Martin (LSU) unfinished
#7 Texas 3, #8 Florida State 0
1. Alexis Durish/Audrey Koenig (FSU) vs. Chloe Charles/Eva Liisa Kuivonen (UT) unfinished
2. Emma Grace Robertson/Katie Hashman (UT) def. Gella Andrew/Maddie Trusty (FSU) 21-16, 14-21, 24-22
3. Karin Zolnercikova/Maddison Parmelly (UT) def. Carra Sassack/Bailey Higgins (FSU) 21-7, 16-21, 15-10
4. Noa Sonneville/Macey Butler (UT) def. Makenna Wolfe/Myriah Massey (FSU) 21-16, 14-21, 15-12
5. Jordan Boulware/Kenzie Hultquist (FSU) vs. Ava Patton/Vivian Johnson (TX) unfinished
Sports
North Florida Claims the Fifth Tournament Title in Program History
Story Links HUNTSVILLE, AL. – The second seeded North Florida Ospreys won the fifth Atlantic Sun Conference Championship Beach Volleyball tournament title in program history after defeating #1 Stetson in the final. The day began with a semifinal matchup between #2 North Florida and #3 FGCU where the Ospreys came out on top 3-2. It […]
