Sports

Tennis clay season starts here

Published

8 months ago

April 9, 2025

The king is dead, long live the king. As tennis moves to clay courts for the next few months, one of the sport’s greatest on the surface will be abscent for the first time in two decades. A clay-court swing without Rafael Nadal seemed implausible for so long, but now it has arrived.

In his absence, a cast of men’s tennis characters will be looking to take up the mantle, while on the women’s side, another clutch of players will be looking to topple the contemporary queen of clay, Iga Świątek.

Elsewhere, there’s a return from a doping ban, a new umpiring system and much more to contend with. Here’s what to look out for during the European clay-court swing.

El Rey in absentia

The main character of the men’s clay-court season will be someone other than Nadal for the first time in around two decades. He may not have won the French Open every year from 2005 onwards, but even when he didn’t, the state of his game and body was always the main talking point. Before Nadal lost to Alexander Zverev in the first round of his final French Open last year, all anyone was talking about in April and May was how his body would hold up on the surface he had owned for the previous 19 years.

With Nadal retired, someone else has the opportunity to make the next couple of months their own. Maybe it will be Carlos Alcaraz, the reigning French Open champion, or one of the last two runners-up, Zverev and Casper Ruud. The world No. 1, Jannik Sinner, will surely fancy his chances when he returns to tennis at the Italian Open in May, with most of his rivals in various states of disrepair.

The most intriguing player in all this is Novak Djokovic, the man who suffered more than anyone from Nadal’s absurd domination at Roland Garros. Djokovic is considered one of the greatest clay-courters of all-time, but his relationship with Roland Garros is one of frustration and disappointment. Three titles would be a dream-like haul for pretty much every other player, but for Djokovic, the tally would likely be far higher were it not for Nadal (and a red-lining Stan Wawrinka in 2015.)

Djokovic won his only title of 2024 at Roland Garros, beating Alcaraz in their titanic Olympic gold medal match. As he searches for his 25th Grand Slam title (and if he does not win a title before late May, his 100th overall), the red clay of Paris may be his best surface for success.

A date with destiny for a clay-court star

This is where it gets real for Świątek.

She has not won a tournament since last year’s French Open. That includes a semifinal loss to Zheng Qinwen in the 2024 Paris Olympics on the red clay that she has ruled for three years. This season, she has come up short of her past successes on hard courts in February and March, relinquishing the Qatar Open title she had won three times in a row and losing to the eventual champion at the Australian Open and also at Indian Wells, where she was defending champion.

If similar dominoes fall on the red dirt, alarm bells might start going off. Whether they should or not is another question. Świątek was a point from the Australian Open final before Keys played three inspired points in a row; her loss to Alexandra Eala, the 19-year-old wild card from the Philippines who beat her in Miami, was the kind of one-off upset that any player can suffer.

Iga Świątek has been imperious on the Roland Garros clay for the last three French Opens. (Dan Isitene / Getty Images)

Then there’s the fact the ranking system means winning a tennis title one year becomes par the next year; if Świątek goes four for four at Roland Garros, or defends her titles at the Madrid and Rome Opens, she’ll get no change in her gap to world No. 1 Sabalenka despite those being remarkable achievements.

“It’s nice to learn from losses, but there are other things ahead,” she said after the loss to Eala. But then came a bit of a hedge.

“I’m happy that we’re going to play on clay. I don’t know how it’s going to look like this year, but for sure I’ll work hard to be ready.”

She will need to be ready, fair or not. The surface which spins her forehand highest and gives her the time to plow through opponents may also afford her the comfort to work on the elements of her game that she is changing, including her serve and her tendency, in some defeats, to descend into a flurry of wild groundstroke errors. The pressure of it being her favorite surface may have the opposite effect. Whatever happens, a few wins where a tennis player feels comfortable is usually a good place from which to build.

Another world No. 2 at an inflection point

It might get worse for Zverev before it gets better.

After the Australian Open, he became the de facto world No. 1, with Sinner sidelined for his doping suspension. Zverev, last year’s French Open finalist and Italian Open champion, headed to South America to play the Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro Opens, figuring he could clean up on points given his clay court prowess and make a play for the summit.

It hasn’t worked out that way.

Zverev, an avid golfer, has been well below par since then. He’s 6-6 since Australia. Worse, he doesn’t seem to know what’s wrong with his game.

He was 3-3 on the clay in South America, and the early events on clay in Europe haven’t been kind to him historically. In a news conference in Miami, Zverev said the adjustment from hard courts to red clay takes some time for him. He returns from further back in the court. He puts a different shape on the ball; because of the change in bounce, he even adjusts his swing path.

As a result, Monte Carlo and Munich, both of which are sort of home tournaments for him, rarely go all that well. Madrid can be better. He won it in 2021 and made the final in 2022. By Rome, he’s ready to roll, but the question this year is how his psyche will absorb any early losses after two months of falling short of his own expectations. There was a world where he could have snatched the No. 1 ranking from Sinner.

Right now, that’s something of a fantasy world, as Zverev has been the first to admit. He did so once more after frittering a third-set lead to Arthur Fils in Miami.

“I have to look at myself more than anything else,” he said.

And two world No. 1s with a point to prove

Sabalenka is in the enviable position of being world No. 1 but not having a great deal of pressure on her shoulders over the next couple of months.

She won’t see it like that and will be desperate to win a first French Open title, but Świątek is the de facto No. 1 in this part of the year.

Sabalenka is so good and so absurdly consistent that there’s no reason she can’t have a great season on the clay and end it with a proper crack at winning at least a third title on the surface and perhaps a first major away from hard courts. She was a French Open semifinalist two years ago and would likely have repeated the feat in 2024 were it not for a bout of food poisoning that left her shaken against Mirra Andreeva in the quarterfinals. Before that, she reached the final in both Madrid and Rome, losing to Świątek on both occasions.

Sabalenka has also added tools to her game, particularly the slice and the drop shot, which are vital for success on the surface. Right now, she looks ready to capitalize on any wobble from her adversary, and in a sport in which timing is everything, she could spy an opportunity.

Maybe there will be some pressure on her after all.

Meanwhile, Sinner’s form after his return from a three-month doping ban could decide the destination of this year’s French Open title.

He will come back well-rested, but that’s unlikely to be the key to his causing Alcaraz, Djokovic and co a problem in Paris. Even for the best player in the world, three months without elite-level competition is a long time, and he’ll have just two tournaments — his home event in Rome and the Hamburg Open in Germany — to get match-tough for the French Open. For a player who has tended to struggle in the longest Grand Slam matches he has played, that may not be enough.

Off the court, he might be on the receiving end of some lingering frostiness in public and in private, but Sinner has, on numerous occasions, said he is used to blocking out external voices.

The 1990s generation could be on the way down again

For the poor lost boys of men’s tennis, the so-called “sandwich generation” born in the 1990s, it could be another rough couple of months.

Players born in the 2000s have dominated the start of 2025, with Sinner, Jack Draper and Jakub Menšík winning the three biggest titles, and things could be about to get worse for Stefanos Tsitsipas, Casper Ruud and Andrey Rublev in particular. They all have a lot of points to defend and none of them have been very consistent at the biggest events this season, despite all of them having 500-level titles or finals to their names in 2025.

Tsitsipas won the Monte Carlo Masters last year. Ruud lost to Tsitsipas in the final there and won the Barcelona Open, while Rublev won the Madrid Open. Ruud and Tsitsipas have semifinal and quarterfinal points to defend at the French Open, too. By the end of the clay-court season, all three could join Daniil Medvedev, another struggling member of their generation, in exiting the top 10.

The glass-half-full read on this is that Tsitsipas and Ruud are excellent clay-court players, so this period offers them the chance to rediscover their best level.

But a young star in waiting could be ready to ascend

Twenty years ago, a 19-year-old who grew up on clay showed up at Roland Garros for the first time and walked away with the French Open title.

Strange as it may seem, Nadal was the favorite that year, with good reason. He’d won all three of the warm-up tournaments in Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome.

No one is suggesting that’s where Joao Fonseca of Brazil will be in six weeks. He is just 18 and he’s probably not going to sweep the red-clay ATP 1,000s. If he does, he certainly will be the favorite heading into Roland Garros.

That said, Fonseca may have the X-factor for men’s tennis this clay-court season. He won Buenos Aires, becoming the fourth-youngest man to win an ATP Tour title this century, and he’s played more tennis on clay in his life than on any other surface. Fonseca has only just cracked the top 60, but there is widespread agreement that he’s way better than his ranking right now. That makes him one of the most dangerous floaters in any draw, especially on a surface he knows well.

Maybe he’s a year or two away from competing for these big titles in historic venues, but any player who sees Fonseca’s name next to theirs on a draw sheet is going to immediately think they’re not just facing a hot prospect, but also a future clay-court champion.

Joao Fonseca is most experienced on the red of a clay court. (Wang Tiancong / Xinhua via Getty Images)

What’s a good clay-court campaign for a woman not named Świątek or Sabalenka?

Świątek and Sabalenka are clearly the big favorites to win the big titles this clay-court season. So if not them, who else? And what does a good clay-court season even look like for a player in the next collection of contenders?

Starting with the players who cut against the stereotype of Americans being allergic to clay because they all played on it plenty growing up, Coco Gauff and Keys look well-placed. Gauff was 10 when she started spending time at the Mouratoglou Academy in the south of France. Keys and Stephens, both French Open finalists, spent their formative years at the Evert Academy in Florida. When it rained basically every afternoon, the green clay courts there dried out the fastest, so that’s where they headed.

Emma Navarro grew up in Charleston, S.C., where there is plenty of green clay, including at the Charleston Open. She relishes physical three-set battles, which clay can often bring.

Jessica Pegula, the world No. 3, and a U.S. Open finalist in September, has not had a ton of success on clay, but said after her loss in the Miami final that she remains hopeful.

“I know I’m known more as a hard court player, but I think I can do well on the clay, too,” she said. “Hopefully, with some of those intangibles that I have added to my game, that can help me have a good clay season.”

She duly won this year’s Charleston title, beating Sofia Kenin, another American French Open finalist of the past.

Gauff, the 2022 French Open finalist, is 11th in the race for the WTA Tour finals and still trying to find consistency with her serve and her forehand. Still, it’s unlikely she and Keys will leave the European clay satisfied with anything less than making the final in one of the big events. If Pegula and Navarro are playing beyond the round of 16, they will feel like they’ve made progress.

Outside of the Americans, Zheng Qinwen, the 2024 Olympic champion who toppled Swiatek on the way to a gold medal at Roland Garros, has every right to believe she should be in the mix each week. She’s based in Spain and her coach, Spaniard Pere Riba, knows his way around a clay court.

Likewise, Andreeva is expecting big things from herself. Her original breakthrough came on clay. She was a semifinalist in Paris last year. Can Jasmine Paolini get to another final? She believes she can. Elena Rybakina has beaten Świątek twice on clay, though one win came when Świątek retired with injury. She’s looking to arrest her slide down the top 10.

It may prove that a late-round loss to Świątek or Sabalenka awaits some or all of these players. It will be gutting in the moment, but in hindsight, it might not look so bad. Keys lost to Świątek in the semifinals of the Madrid Open and the quarterfinals of the Italian Open last year. She then went to Strasbourg in France and won the title. In Paris, she fell to Navarro in the third round in two tiebreak sets, a loss that has also aged quite well.

Coco Gauff is one of several Americans hoping to have an impactful clay-court campaign — with two major obstacles. (Clive Mason / Getty Images)

Things to keep an eye on…

Electronic line-calling, or ELC. Ball marks on clay are capricious, sometimes creating a false impression of whether or not a shot has clipped the line. ELC gets rid of this problem, but it doesn’t erase the physical marks, so look out for umpires asking players to not believe their eyes at a key moment. Historically, transitions in systems of knowledge aren’t smooth. This one likely won’t be either.
Surface tension. Especially between Madrid and Rome, the back-to-back ATP and WTA 1,000 events. Madrid’s altitude (657m above sea level vs. 140 for Rome) makes it much more hospitable to servers.
The world No. 32s. Some players say they don’t care about their rankings; some players say they consume them. What’s not in question is that at the Grand Slams, 32 is the magic number, the cut-off for being seeded. That’s even more important with two 1,000s to come, whose 96-player draws also feature 32 seeds. Speaking of floaters…
The floaters. Fonseca is the player no one wants to meet on the ATP, alongside a resurgent Gael Monfils. On the women’s side, Belinda Bencic and Kenin will be players to avoid, along with Ons Jabeur and Camila Osorio.
The Z-game. Tennis is a three-dimensional sport, but the benefits of using elevation are never clearer than when it arrives on clay. In last year’s French Open men’s final, Alcaraz used a succession of groundstrokes lofted high into the air to break Zverev’s rhythm. These arcing shots aren’t lobs — the intention is not to hit the ball over a player. Rather, a looping shot hit with topspin kicks up off the dirt and gets players to hit the ball way above their shoulders, but the surface slows the ball down so much on contact that they also have to use all their might to generate the power to get it back with any interest. Along with the drop shot, this tactic can be one of the keys to success on clay.

Tell us the storylines and players you’ll be watching out for — and don’t forget to leave your predictions in the comments.

(Top photo: Anne-Christine Poujoulat / AFP via Getty Images)

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BC Opens Indoor Season at Sharon Colyear-Danville

Published

11 minutes ago

December 5, 2025

Your Sports Nation

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – The Boston College Women’s Track & Field team is set to kick off the 2025-26 indoor season at the BU Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener on Saturday, December 6.

Last year’s attempt at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener saw five top ten marks set at the BU Track & Tennis Center. Kyla Palmer ran the second fastest 600m in program history, while Kylee Bernard and Ava Carter recorded top five marks in the 300m.

Following this weekend, the team has a month long break before returning for the Suffolk Ice Breaker Challenge, held at the TRACK at New Balance on January 18.

Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener

Saturday, Dec. 6 | 9:30 a.m. | Boston, Mass. – BU Track & Tennis Center
Live Results | Watch | Meet Info

Eagles Competing: Elizabeth Barlow, Anna Becker, Kylee Bernard, Iris Bergman, Ellie Buckley, Ava Carter, Gina Certo, Claire Crowley, Ella Fadil, Erin Finley, Imogen Gardiner, Gabrielle Hamel, Kyra Holland, Hanna Hollins, Kyla Palmer, Sydney Segalla, Anna Sonsini, Yaroslava Yalysovetska, Ron-Niah Wright

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Mountaineers Open Indoor Season at the Visit Winston-Salem College Kick-Off

Published

28 minutes ago

December 5, 2025

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BOONE, N.C. – The App State women’s track and field team launches the 2025-26 indoor season at the Visit Winston-Salem College Kick-Off at the JDL Fast Track on Saturday. Field events will start at 9:30 a.m., and track events are scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.

Twenty-five Mountaineers return to the High Country after guiding App State to a third-place finish at the 2025 Sun Belt Indoor Championships, the best team finish for the Black and Gold since winning the title in 2016. Lilly Nichols, who set the school, conference, and Polish U20 women’s indoor pole vault record with a clearance of 4.26m (13′ 11.75″) in her collegiate debut, returns for her sophomore season. The Broomfield, Colo., native secured silver and earned Second-Team All-SBC honors in the women’s pole vault with 4.18m (13′ 8.5″) at last year’s indoor championship. Joining Nichols in the pole vault and returning for her senior season is Ava Studney. Studney matched Suzanne Makinson’s 2004 clearance of 4.06m (13′ 3.75″) during the 2024 campaign and stands tied for second on the App State all-time list. She also finished sixth at the conference championship last year with a clearance of 3.73m (12′ 2.75″).

Sprinters Kendall Johnson, Nicole Wells and Jayla Adams return for their junior seasons. Johnson set the school record with a time of 7.42 in the women’s 60-meter prelims at the SBC Championship and finished seventh overall in the final with a time of 7.51. The previous record was 7.44, set in 2005 by Jennifer Claud. Additionally, Johnson, alongside Addison Ollendick-Smith, Ja’Naya Linder and Adams, earned Second-Team All-SBC honors for their performance in the women’s 4×400-meter relay at the conference championship. The quartet stopped the clock at 3:45.19, coming within two seconds of the program record of 3:43.85, which was set at the 2023 Sun Belt Indoor Championships.

Ollendick-Smith, who holds the program record in the women’s 600 meters (1:33.95) and stands second all-time in the women’s 800 meters (2:11.13), returns for her senior season, specializing in mid-distance events. In addition to helping the Mountaineers to a second-place finish in the women’s 4×400-meter relay, she was a part of the women’s distance medley relay team that also secured silver at the conference championship meet with a time of 11:35.52.

Junior Rhys Ammon and sophomore Savannah Moore return to the track for the Mountaineers’ distance squad this year. The duo secured spots in both the women’s 600 meters and women’s 1,000 meters last winter, with Moore leading the way, ranking second all-time in the 600 meters (1:36.45) and third all-time in the 1,000 meters (2:57.90). Junior Dianna Boykin and sophomores Emily Edwards and Brittany Ellis make their returns for App State’s throws squad. Boykin and Ellis both recorded personal bests in the women’s weight throw with marks of 14.20m (46′ 7.25″) and 12.86m (42′ 2.25″), respectively at the SBC meet. Edwards led the team in the shot put last season with a personal best mark of 12.57m (41′ 3″), which she set at the 2025 Virginia Tech Invitational.

For the 2025-26 campaign, thirteen newcomers will don the Black and Gold. Senior Damyja Alejandro-Ortiz, who spent three seasons at Lenoir-Rhyne, and sophomore Micayla Collins, who spent her freshman season at Virginia Tech, joins App State’s sprints squad alongside freshman Tatiana Blake. Freshmen Alana Braxton, Kelly MacBride, and Ashlynn Wimberly will specialize in the jumps events this season. Distance freshmen Josie Jackson, Allie Kinlaw, Tessa Massa, Julia Mayer, Elizabeth McCart, Lika Strydom, and Ashby Williams are set to step onto the track after making their collegiate debuts on the cross country course this fall. Massa, Jackson, and McCart earned All-SBC honors after helping the Mountaineer women to their second consecutive Sun Belt Cross Country team title. Additionally, Massa was tabbed as the Sun Belt Women’s Cross Country Freshman of the Year for her efforts.

On Deck
App State’s indoor season will resume on Saturday, Jan. 10, with the UNC Asheville Collegiate Opener at Tryon International in Mill Spring, N.C.

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Track & Field Prepares for Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener

Published

44 minutes ago

December 5, 2025

Your Sports Nation

BOSTON – The Boston University track & field program is set to kick off the indoor season with the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener at the Track & Tennis Center Saturday, beginning at 9:45 a.m. and being broadcast live on FloTrack.

The Track & Tennis Center will host some of the top athletes in the world over the course of the day, including a 90-minute “FloTrack Night in America” session featuring top heats in mid-distance and distance events beginning at 3 p.m.

During the meet, the Terriers will honor the late Sharon Colyear-Danville ’83, who passed away in 2024. The two-time Olympian and BU Hall of Famer’s legacy will be honored with a ceremony at approximately 9:40 a.m. with her husband of 43 years Bob Danville and their two sons, Reid and Neil Danville, in attendance.

How to Watch

FloTrack brings you live coverage of the track events from the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener. Catch all of the action and start your subscription today! SIGN UP HERE: https://flosports.link/3HPCJzR. In addition to live race coverage you’ll gain access to track news, events, original content, and more.

How To Watch: Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener

When: Saturday, December 6

TV: Download the FloSports TV app on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Chromecast

Mobile: Download the FloSports iOS and Android apps

Web: Bookmark FloTrack.org in your favorite browser

Parking Advisory

Indoor Track & Field – Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener (Track & Tennis Center) – 10 a.m.

Very limited parking is available at an event rate of $14 in the Langsam Garage (LOT B) located at 142 Gardner St., Boston, MA 02215. Those arriving after 8:30 a.m. should proceed directly to the Essex Street Garage & Lot (LOT F) located at 148 Essex Street, Brookline, MA 02446.

Track Schedule (Faster heats first):

9:45 a.m.     Women’s 60H FINAL

9:50 a.m.     Men’s 60H FINAL

9:55 a.m.     Men’s 60m Trials

10:00 a.m.   Women’s 400m

10:05 a.m.   Men’s 400m

10:15 a.m.   Women’s 600m

10:25 a.m. Men’s 600m

10:35 a.m. Women’s 300m

10:45 a.m.   Men’s 300m

10:57 a.m.   Women’s 60m Final

11:00 a.m. Men’s 60m Final

11:05 a.m.   Women’s 800m

11:12 a.m. Men’s 800m

11:18 a.m.   Women’s 200m

11:25 a.m.   Men’s 200m

11:35 a.m.   Women’s 4x400m

11:40 a.m.   Men’s 4x400m

12:00 p.m.   Women’s Mile

12:20 p.m.   Men’s Mile

12:55 p.m.   Women’s 3k

1:40 p.m. Men’s 3k

2:55pm – Start of FloTrack Night in America (elite window)

3:00 p.m. Women’s 800m Invite

3:05 p.m.     Men’s 800m Invite

3:11 p.m.     Women’s Mile Invite

3:19 p.m.     Men’s Mile Invite

3:27 p.m.     Women’s 3k Invite

3:39 p.m.     Men’s 3k Invite

3:52 p.m.     Women’s 5k Invite

4:13 p.m.     Men’s 5k Invite

4:29 p.m.     Men’s 600m Invite

4:30 p.m. Women’s Open 5k (9 HEATS)

7:15 p.m. Men’s Open 5k (9 HEATS)

Field Schedule (Best flights last):

Rolling start beginning at 11 a.m.

Women’s High Jump followed by Men’s High Jump

Women’s Shot Put followed by Men’s Shot Put

Women’s Pole Vault followed by Men’s Pole Vault

Women’s Long Jump followed by Men’s Long Jump

Women’s Weight Throw (Following men’s shot put) followed by Men’s WT

Women’s Triple Jump (Following men’s long jump)

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Women’s Track & Field Travels to Chicago State for Season Opener

Published

60 minutes ago

December 5, 2025

Your Sports Nation

CHICAGO — The 2025-26 season begins for the University of Chicago women’s track and field season on Friday afternoon as the Maroons travel just South of campus to Chicago State for the Cougar Alumni Classic.

MEET DETAILS:

Friday, December 5 – 2 PM CT

Cougar Alumni Classic

Chicago, IL

Chicago State University

UCHICAGO WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD NOTES:

* The University of Chicago women’s track and field team returns to action on Friday after a successful 2025 season.
* The Maroons brought home a 6th-place finish in the National Championships and a 2nd-place finish in the UAA Championships last season.
* Marina Semple was ranked 16th in NCAA Division III, 5th in the Midwest Region, and 2nd in the UAA in the Long Jump with a mark of 5.70 meters.
* Nora Holmes was ranked 21st in NCAA Division III, 6th in the Midwest Region, and 3rd in the UAA in the 3000m Run with a time of 9:48.40.
* Estelle Snider was ranked 23rd in NCAA Division III, 7th in the Midwest Region, and 5th in the UAA in the 3000m Run with a time of 9:48.72.
* Snider was also ranked 30th in NCAA Division III, 3rd in the Midwest Region, and 6th in the UAA in the 5000m Run with a time of 17:15.83.
* Emma Kelly was ranked 30th in NCAA Division III, 8th in the Midwest Region, and 4th in the UAA in the 800m Run with a time of 2:14.16.
* Elizabeth Mulvaney was ranked 32nd in NCAA Division III, 9th in the Midwest Region, and 4th in the UAA in the High Jump with a mark of 1.65 meters.
* Celeste Taylor was ranked 39th in NCAA Division III, 4th in the Midwest Region, and 2nd in the UAA in the Pole Vault with a mark of 3.58 meters.
* Alexandra Watson was ranked 42nd in NCAA Division III, 11th in the Midwest Region, and 5th in the UAA in the Long Jump with a mark of 5.58 meters.
* After competing in the Cougar Alumni Classic this weekend, the Maroons will break for the holidays before hosting the Phoenix Invite at Henry Crown Fieldhouse on January 10.

ATHLETES COMPETING:

* Brooke Caldwell – Shot Put
* Selah Dungey – High Jump
* Camila Garanton – 200m Run / 400m Dash
* Chloe Hayden – 400m Dash
* Katherine Hunt – 60m Dash
* Maddie Lyons – 60m Dash / 200m Run
* Evelyn McCabe – 60m Dash / 200m Run
* Rielley McNeill – Shot Put
* Lindsay Recker – Pole Vault
* Nicole Roesler – 600m Run
* Ellocin Samborski – 60m Dash / 200m Run
* Lillian Seaver – Shot Put
* Alexa Shepherd – 600m Run
* Celeste Taylor – Pole Vault
* Juliet Winiecki – 60m Hurdles

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Long Beach State Men’s Volleyball Announces 2025 Wall of Honor Class

Published

1 hour ago

December 5, 2025

Your Sports Nation

LONG BEACH, Calif. — Long Beach State Men’s Volleyball will honor five exceptional contributors to the program’s legacy this summer, as Curtis Jackson, Taylor Gregory, Nick Amado, Ralph Smith and longtime assistant coach Andy Read are set to be inducted into the Wall of Honor.

The Wall of Honor recognizes individuals who have elevated the Beach through competitive excellence, leadership, service, and lifelong commitment to the program.

“This year’s Wall of Honor recipients embody the true spirit of Beach culture and its decades-long tradition of excellence,” said Harold Noriega, co-chair of the Wall of Honor Committee. “I’ve had the privilege of watching Andy Read coach and mentor these outstanding athletes over the past thirty years, as well as the honor of sharing the court with my former teammate and fellow inductee, Ralph Smith. It’s an extraordinary group of men who continue to support the program and give back in meaningful ways. Welcome, Legends!”

“This year’s Wall of Honor committee has nominated five new inductees to the men’s volleyball Wall of Honor,” added co-chair Mike D’Alessandro. “These five honorees all had outstanding volleyball careers at the Beach. Andy Read is being honored for the three decades of coaching expertise he provided for the program. He helped develop countless great players and great teams and has been a major contributor to the Beach’s success over the years.

“There are four all-time great players for the Beach being inducted as well. Curtis Jackson, an extremely gifted player as both an outside hitter and libero, was a great leader who competed with our 1999 Final Four team and deserves to be honored among the very best who have ever played here.

“Congratulations to all of this year’s inductees. All are extremely well deserved and tremendous additions to the group of Long Beach State’s best-ever men’s volleyball players and contributors. Welcome to the group, guys!”

Head Coach Alan Knipe also expressed his pride in the 2025 class, saying “this is a spectacular class of Long Beach State greats! Each of these men has played a vital role in shaping Long Beach State men’s volleyball into what it is today. As competitors, leaders and coaches, they have left an undeniable mark on our program. I couldn’t be happier or prouder of this group. I thank them for their tremendous contributions to our culture, and I’m thrilled to see them recognized for their impact.”

Curtis Jackson (1999–2000)

A dynamic and fiercely competitive two-year standout, Curtis Jackson played a pivotal role in Long Beach State’s run to the 1999 NCAA Championship match. After transferring from Golden West College, where he was the Junior College National Player of the Year, Jackson immediately stepped in as a starting outside hitter and helped guide the Beach to the national finals.

In 2000, Jackson made one of the most selfless position changes in program history, converting to libero during the NCAA’s first season using the position. Despite being a 6-1 outside hitter capable of producing at an elite level, he embraced the transition wholeheartedly, becoming Long Beach State’s first libero and setting a standard for toughness, team-first mentality and relentless competitiveness. His impact helped bridge eras of Beach volleyball history and cemented his standing as one of the program’s most respected teammates.

Taylor Gregory (2013–16)

One of the most influential middle blockers of the modern era, Taylor Gregory was a four-year starter, an All-American and a captain whose leadership helped spark the resurgence of Long Beach State men’s volleyball in the mid-2010s.

Gregory was a freshman in head coach Alan Knipe‘s first year back from coaching the U.S. Olympic Team, and his development was central to reestablishing the Beach as a national contender. In 2016, he captained LBSU to its first NCAA Final Four appearance of the decade, the launching point for the championship era that followed.

He set, and still holds, several individual program records, establishing himself as one of the most productive and reliable middle blockers in Long Beach State history. After a successful professional playing career, Gregory transitioned into collegiate coaching and is now thriving as the Associate Head Coach at Ole Miss, continuing to develop elite blockers and defensive systems.

Nick Amado (2017–19)

A steadying force and championship anchor in the middle, Nick Amado embodied resilience, poise and competitive fire during one of the greatest eras in program history.

A junior college transfer who worked tirelessly to elevate his game, Amado became a two-year starter for the Beach. In those two seasons he won back-to-back NCAA Championships. Widely regarded as the final piece of the puzzle for the 2018 and 2019 title teams, Amado’s presence, leadership and ultra-competitive edge solidified the lineup and helped drive Long Beach State to the top of college volleyball.

He authored one of the most iconic moments in program history, delivering the championship-clinching kill to secure the 2018 NCAA title. Amado has since enjoyed a successful professional career and is currently coaching at Golden West College, continuing to shape the next generation of players.

Ralph Smith

A standout setter and one of the premier players of his era, Ralph Smith played and set for one of Long Beach State’s best teams ever during the late 1970s and early 1980s. His playmaking, competitiveness and on-court command established him among the elite setters in program history.

After his collegiate career, Smith went on to set for the U.S. Men’s National Team for multiple seasons and became a multi-time USAV All-American with the famed Outrigger Canoe Club. His longevity and excellence in both indoor and club competition helped shape an entire era of American volleyball.

And, as longtime teammates still love to joke, he “could never beat his old buddies and teammates who played for Raymond Construction.” A beloved competitor with a legendary résumé, Smith’s career represents the golden foundation of Beach volleyball history.

Andy Read

Few individuals have contributed more sustained dedication to Long Beach State men’s volleyball than longtime assistant coach Andy Read. A cornerstone of the program for nearly three decades, Read has served as an invaluable mentor, strategist and architect of the Beach’s championship success.

He coached through multiple Final Four runs, three NCAA national championships and some of the most decorated rosters in program history. Read also served as interim head coach from 2010–12 during Alan Knipe‘s tenure with the U.S. Olympic Team and has been instrumental in developing countless All-Americans, Olympians and professional athletes.

More than the wins, Read represents the heart of the program: a coach who has invested extraordinary time, energy and personal commitment. His loyalty, expertise and enduring presence have been foundational to the Beach’s culture, stability and championship identity.

The 2025 Wall of Honor Class will be formally recognized at the Randy Sandefur Memorial Golf Tournament, celebrating the legacy, history and future of Long Beach State Men’s Volleyball.

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Sports

UT Arlington Track & Field Announces 2026 Indoor Schedule

Published

1 hour ago

December 5, 2025

Your Sports Nation

ARLINGTON, TEXAS – The UT Arlington track and field program has officially announced its 2026 indoor schedule, featuring six-regular season meets across the region before the Mavericks head to WAC Indoor Championships and pursue qualifying spots at the NCAA Indoor Championships.

UTA opens the season on January 16 at the Arkansas Invitational in Fayetteville, marking the program’s third trip to one of the nation’s best indoor facilities.

The Mavericks follow with a limited roster competing at the Robert Platt Invitational, hosted by the University of Houston, on January 30-31.

UTA will then travel down I-35 to College Station for Texas A&M’s Charlie Thomas Invitational. The two-day event is set for February 6-7 and is one of the largest, most high-profile collegiate meets in the state.

The Mavs then head to west Texas for the Texas Tech Jarvis Scott Invitational on February 13-14 in Lubbock.

UTA will close the month of February at the WAC Indoor Championships, set for February 27-28 in Spokane, Wash. The Mavericks will look to build momentum in their fourth year in the Western Athletic Conference.

Qualifying Mavericks from the conference tournament will advance to the NCAA Indoor Championships, hosted by Arkansas on March 13-14 in Fayetteville, Ark.

#BuckEm

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