Sports

The Graduation Issue 2025

Credit: Weining Ding With graduation right around the corner, here are the best graduating women’s student-athletes in the Class of 2025. Women’s basketball — Stina Almqvist Credit: Weining Ding Senior guard Stina Almqvist poses at Williams Hall on Sept. 20. The hallowed halls of the Palestra will never be the same after senior guard Stina […]

Published

4 weeks ago

May 16, 2025

Your Sports Nation

12-3-23-w-gymnastics-red-v-blue-intrasquad-meet-weining-ding — Credit: Weining Ding

With graduation right around the corner, here are the best graduating women’s student-athletes in the Class of 2025.

Women’s basketball — Stina Almqvist

Credit: Weining Ding

Senior guard Stina Almqvist poses at Williams Hall on Sept. 20.

The hallowed halls of the Palestra will never be the same after senior guard Stina Almqvist walks across the stage.

Almqvist came across the pond from Sweden and landed in the new area of Philadelphia. Over the years, she progressed from a new face on the team and freshman still getting her bearings to a senior captain and a member of the 1,000-point club.

During her freshman and sophomore seasons, she gained respectable minutes on the bench on a team led by senior guards like Kayla Padilla, who graduated in the Class of 2023. But after the Class of 2023’s graduation, Almqvist moved into a bigger role on the team. She went from averaging 3.4 points per game to 15.3 points per game within one year as she became one of the team’s primary scorers. Her breakout season as a junior earned her a second-team All-Ivy mention, which was her first All-Ivy mark of her career.

The level of consistency and new career highs put her on the road to 1,000 points. And this past season, she did just that, becoming the 26th player in program history to achieve that milestone. Her continued excellence during her senior year, including 17.7 points per game and seven double-doubles in the season, earned her a first-team All-Ivy and first-team All-Big 5 mentions to cap off her time with the Red and Blue.

Softball — Payton Bean

Senior right-handed pitcher Payton Bean was a consistent leader for the Quakers’ softball team. She won Ivy League Rookie of the Week in February 2022 after appearing in 19 games and pitching a 4-0 shutout. From there, Bean would throw a complete game shutout in 2024. She led the Red and Blue in wins and also starred in a career-high 15 games this season. From the 2022 season onwards, the Quaker softball team finished with an all-time record of 34 wins and 132 losses.

Gymnastics — Emma Davies

Credit: Sydney Curran
Senior gymnast Emma Davies performs her floor routine on Mar. 22.

Senior gymnast Emma Davies, hailing from Sweden, has been a consistent contributor for the Quakers throughout her collegiate career. In her four years as a Quaker, Davies helped her team complete four straight Gymnastics Eastern Conference championships – a Penn program record.

During her four campaigns, Davies earned a multitude of All-Ivy Classic and All-GEC bids for her efforts, rotating through vault and bars while being a mainstay in floor competition throughout her career. In her final year, she scored a career and season-high of 9.925 on floor exercise at George Washington, the top event score of the year for the Quakers.

Few athletes get to be as successful as Davies over a four-year period, and as one of the greatest generations of Penn gymnasts don their caps and gowns, Davies will surely be missed in the coming years of competition.

Track and field — Jocelyn Niemiec

Senior sprinter Jocelyn Niemiec, known amongst her peers for her effortless confidence, has been the definition of consistency ever since she stepped onto Franklin Field in her freshman year. As a first year, she placed first in the 4×400-meter relay three times, hard-launching a tradition in what would become one of her signature events.

Niemiec has only grown faster throughout her years at Penn, eventually breaking the program records for both the indoor and outdoor 4×400 relay and simultaneously breaking Ivy League all-meet records that have stood since 2023 and 2016, respectively. She also ranks second in the Penn record book for the indoor 500-meter and third for both the indoor and outdoor 400-meter.

While Niemiec certainly is capable of finding success on her own, she is strongest when surrounded by her relay teammates. The proof is in the pudding, as she is a three-time NCAA Championships qualifier in the outdoor 4×400 (2022, 2023, and 2024) and a three-time Ivy League Heptagonal Champion in the outdoor 4×400 (2022, 2023, and 2024). With such strong chemistry, Niemiec’s best track and field memories are with her relay teammates – the longest one being senior sprinter Aliya Garozzo.

Like most confident athletes, no amount of program accolades will satiate Niemiec’s competitive spirit. Even with multiple Second-Team All-Ivy awards and even a Second-Team All-America qualification on her back, the California native will certainly be looking to repeat her success at this year’s Ivy League Outdoor Heptagonal Championships on May 10-11. As she said during her junior year, “The sky is truly the limit” with Jocelyn Niemiec.

Field hockey — Meghan McGinley

A four-year starter, not missing a single game for the Quakers, senior Meghan McGinley was the backbone of the backline for Penn. Ending her career as captain, McGinley was the perfect model of leadership throughout her tenure.

Besides being available, McGinley was also potent on the turf, receiving two All-Ivy honors, an honorable mention in 2022 and a second team nod in 2024. In 2023, in the inaugural Ivy League field hockey tournament, McGinley was also named to the all-tournament team for her performance.

Specifically in her final season, one which saw the team go through turmoil, McGinley stayed strong, becoming one of just nine players in the Ivy League to finish with at least two defensive saves.

Tennis — Eileen Wang

Credit: Justin Abenoja
Senior tennis player Eileen Wang poses with a tennis racket and balls on Mar. 27.

Senior Eileen Wang has had a big impact on the women’s tennis team, on and off the court. She came out of the gate with a strong freshman season, going 13-11 overall in singles and 21-8 overall in doubles, playing mostly with partner and senior Sabine Rutlauka.

By junior year, she had really hit her stride making first team All-Ivy for doubles as she and Rutlauka had an 8-4 overall record and a 5-2 Ivy record at No. 1 in doubles. In singles, she went 14-9 in the spring and was named Academic All-Ivy and an ITA Scholar-Athlete. Wang and sophomore Esha Velaga also qualified for NCAA doubles – the first pair of Quakers to do so since 2013.

Finally, this season, she finished with a 9-7 overall record, where she usually played No. 2 singles. She also had a 7-4 overall record at No. 1 doubles with Rutlauka. Their performance earned them an honorable mention for doubles in the Ivy League this season. Over the course of her college career, Wang’s skill at doubles has aided her team many times. Her connection with Rutlauka as well as her ability to partner with anyone and raise the level of their play has contributed to many Quakers wins.

Her perseverance on the court was perfectly highlighted by her final match this season against Yale, where she clinched the victory for her team in straight sets, scoring 7-5 then 6-4. This win secured the team second in the Ivy League.

Golf — Natalie Cao

Coming from Sugar Land, Texas, senior golfer Natalie Cao has been as consistent as they come on the course for the Red and Blue. Even since her freshman year, Cao has repeatedly scored as one of the top Penn performers in competition after competition, playing at least 20 tournament rounds each year of her collegiate career.

During her four campaigns, Cao’s crowning achievement was a second team All-Ivy bid earned after her sixth-place finish at the Ivy League championships in 2022. Since then, Cao has continued to rack up top-five finishes or better among the Penn team at major tournaments.

To cap off her career, Cao carded a 10-over-par, or 226 stroke finish, at her final Ivy League championships, tying for sixth in program history.

Lacrosse — Anna Brandt

Credit: Sydney Curran
Then-junior midfielder Anna Brandt evaded Northwestern’s defense on May 16, 2024.

There are hundreds of collegiate lacrosse players. But there is only one Anna Brandt.

The Red and Blue will never be the same without Brandt, a senior midfielder who now holds two program records: the all-time goal record with 201 and the all-time draw controls with 212. She has had phenomenal season after phenomenal season to make an impact on the program. Brandt has accumulated two Ivy League Midfielder of the Year awards, once as a sophomore and once as a senior.

Her sophomore season marked the start of something great for Brandt. After a solid 24 goals and 44 draw controls in her freshman season, she exploded on the scene with more than double the goals made in her previous season, reaching 54 goals and 62 draw controls in her sophomore year.

She continued her run of excellence as a junior. Consistency was key, and she put up similar marks in both goals and draw controls and was a strong contributor on the ground balls. After her junior season, she was named to the United States women’s lacrosse national team training roster to compete for a spot on the team for the 2026 World Lacrosse Women’s Championship.

Soccer — Maya Leschly

Senior defender Maya Leschly started in all 16 matches for Penn this past season, locking down the back line. The Brookline, Mass. native was awarded second team All-Ivy for her efforts on defense.

Leschly and Penn’s defense garnered four shutouts in the 2024 campaign. In total, the Quakers’ defense let up 1.25 goals per game. She recorded the second-most minutes on the team with 1,426.

In total, Leschley started in 57 games throughout her career with the Red and Blue. Through her four years, Penn’s defense garnered 17 shutouts.

Along with her athletic achievements, Leschly was also a weapon in the classroom. She took home two awards at the Penn Athletics Senior Student-Athlete Awards for her grade-point average.

Squash — Emma Wolf

Senior squash player Emma Wolf joined Penn women’s squash team with a bang, competing in 15 of 18 matches during team competition, the most among all the freshmen that year. She helped lead Penn to its Howe Cup victory in 2022 at the CSA Team Championships.

In her following years at Penn, Wolf continued to stack up the wins, beating Bowdoin to win in the Kurtz Cup quarterfinal match and winning two games in Howe Cup play in her final season. Though the women’s squash team was ravaged with injuries at critical moments in her junior year, Wolf rose to the occasion and won critical sets. Eventually, the team would see its season end at the hands of No. 1 Trinity. Despite the results, her wins and hard work shown throughout her years at Penn, with Wolf proving time and time again that she is a consistent teammate and force on the court.

Rowing — Brooke Caragher

Traveling all the way from Seattle, senior rower Brooke Caragher has occupied a spot in the vaunted varsity 8+ boat all four years of her time with the Red and Blue. Earning the illustrious position in her freshman year, Caragher would earn four first-place finishes to start her career.

Now a captain with her team ranked 16th in collegiate rowing heading into the Ivy League championships, Caragher has plenty to look back on in her career. The highest honor she has received was being named second team All-Ivy last year following the program’s second-place finish at the Ivy League championships. The program followed this success up with a 10th-place finish at the NCAA championships only weeks later.

With plenty of time left in this season to add more to her trophy case, Caragher will look to go out with a bang as her season concludes.

Volleyball — Kat Alexander

Penn volleyball senior defensive specialist/libero Kat Alexander has made a career digging out the ball for the Red and Blue. Earning starting spots in her freshman year and never relinquishing her position, Alexander has provided much-needed consistency and grit throughout her time at Penn.

Despite Penn’s team going 8-15 during her first season, Alexander’s sophomore and junior campaigns would see her succeed as the team fell. In two consecutive seasons, the team would go 2-22 and 4-20, respectively, leaving Alexander looking for her first winning season in her senior year. With an influx of youth, the team would succeed in this goal, going 13-10 with Alexander playing a significant role in defending the middle of the court.

Leaving a program with a much brighter future than when she found it, Alexander’s ability to defend against an opponent’s onslaught will surely be missed in the coming seasons.

Fencing — Sabrina Cho

Credit: Samantha Turner
Junior foilist Sabrina Cho parries an attack from Notre Dame’s Nicole Pustilnik during their bout on Jan. 22, 2023.

Surrounded by Olympians and friends, senior foilist Sabrina Cho always finds the right mindset around her teammates. Throughout her years on the mat, that mindset allowed her to set various records at the NCAA championships for the Red and Blue.

Cho had always been a strong presence on the mat since finishing with a 30-15 record during her first season. From there, Cho had an impressive 47-13 finish in the 2022-23 season. That same season, she ultimately finished sixth at the NCAA championships. Cho would continue at the NCAA tournament with a qualification the following season, and a 14th-place finish in the 2024-25 season.

As she steps off the mat for the final time, Cho is grateful for the people who bolster her, both athletically and personally.

Swimming — Izzy Pytel

Credit: Samantha Turner

Sophomore Izzy Pytel placed first in the 100-yard backstroke event against Rider with a time of 59.02 at Sheerr Pool on Jan. 27.

Captain and senior breaststroke specialist Izzy Pytel has proved time and again that consistency is key. Throughout all four years of her career with Penn women’s swimming and diving, she has consistently qualified for the Ivy League championships. Her name has been etched into the record books, breaking the program times of the 100-yard breaststroke twice in 2023 and 2024 as well as the 200 breaststroke in 2023. She was named a College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America second-team Scholar All-America and gained a College Sports Communicators Academic All-District selection.

More importantly, however, Pytel has comfortably stepped into the role of co-captain in her senior year, helping guide the women’s team through a season without the home base that is the Sheerr Pool at the Pottruck Health and Fitness Center. Other swimmers on the team, such as junior freestyle and individual medley specialist Anna Moehn and freshman freestyle and butterfly specialist Kayla Fu, have cited Pytel as a source of strength and leadership as the girls adapt to changing environments. Coach Mike Schnur has cited her influence on the newer swimmers, especially the freshmen, and her positivity as being what the team needed to carry home a much-improved fifth-place finish for the women’s team in the 2025 Ivy League championships.

A biologist-in-training, Pytel has both the skills and the character of a Quakers athlete. The words of her teammates and coaches are a testament to her dedication to the program’s success and lay the foundation for whatever road she takes in the future.

The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.

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USA Men Beat Australia 13-12 At The Buzzer To Begin Exhibition Series

Courtesy: USA Water Polo Walnut, CA – June 8 – The USA Men’s National Team beat Australia 13-12 today at Mt. San Antonio College. Ryder Dodd led the charge for Team USA with five goals, including the game-winner, while Bernardo Herzer went the distance in net to record 12 saves. Team USA will play against Australia again on Wednesday night at […]

Published

6 minutes ago

June 10, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Courtesy: USA Water Polo

Walnut, CA – June 8 – The USA Men’s National Team beat Australia 13-12 today at Mt. San Antonio College. Ryder Dodd led the charge for Team USA with five goals, including the game-winner, while Bernardo Herzer went the distance in net to record 12 saves. Team USA will play against Australia again on Wednesday night at JSerra Catholic High School at 10:00pm et/7:00pm pt. Tickets to the match are available here. The match will stream LIVE on Overnght with stats from 6-8 Sports.

Australia jumped out to an early lead in this game as the visitors scored four in the first quarter behind Nathan Power (2), Jacob Mercep, and Matthew Byrnes. Team USA managed just one goal from Chase Dodd who converted a power play opportunity with a nice skip shot and the Aussies led 4-1 after one. In the second period, the Americans began to fight back. Ryder Dodd and Nicolas Saveljic scored early before Jett Taylor recorded his first career goal with the Senior National Team. Ryder Dodd converted on a five meter attempt late in the period for the final goal. The visitors scored thrice in the period from Mercep, Marcus Berehulak, and Angus Lambie to hold a 7-5 lead at halftime.

Team USA flipped the game on its head in the third quarter. Dominic Brown, Jake Ehrhardt, Hannes Daube, Dylan Woodhead, and Ryder Dodd all found the back of the net offensively while the team defense held strong to allow zero goals from Australia, leaving the United States ahead 10-7 after three. In the final frame, Tristan Glanznig put one home for the Aussies early but Ryder Dodd answered shortly after. From there, Luka Krstic and Lambie cut into the deficit before Chase Dodd fired a rocket cross cage for a goal to push the Americans back up by two. Mercep and Krstic each scored natural goals to level the score with 0:19 remaining. The United States called for a timeout and then put the ball in Ryder Dodd’s hands on its final possession and he did the rest. After a series of fakes to either side, Ryder Dodd unloaded a rocket into the upper right corner for a game-winning goal with less than one second left. Australia would have one final heave from half tank but Ryder Dodd was there again with a field block to secure the 13-12 victory.

Team USA went 4/8 on power plays and 3/5 on penalties while Australia went 0/6 on power plays and 1/2 on penalties.

Scoring – Stats
USA 13 (1, 4, 5, 3) R. Dodd 5, C. Dodd 2, H. Daube 1, D. Woodhead 1, N. Saveljic 1, J. Ehrhardt 1, D. Brown 1, J. Taylor 1
AUS 12 (4, 3, 0, 5) J. Mercep 3, N. Power 2, A. Lambie 2, L. Krstic 2, M. Byrnes 1, M. Berehulak 1, T. Glanznig 1
Saves – USA – B. Herzer 12 – AUS – L. Baker 10, N. Porter 8
6×5 – USA – 4/8 – AUS – 0/6
Penalties – USA – 3/5 – AUS – 1/2

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MLB purchases stake in Jomboy Media creating digital partnership

Major League Baseball is all-in on growing the game, and just as importantly, meeting fans where they actually are. That’s why MLB is teaming up with Jomboy Media. On Tuesday, it was announced that MLB has purchased an undisclosed stake in Jomboy Media through a strategic partnership that will weave Jomboy’s content throughout the league’s […]

Published

10 minutes ago

June 10, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Major League Baseball is all-in on growing the game, and just as importantly, meeting fans where they actually are.

That’s why MLB is teaming up with Jomboy Media.

On Tuesday, it was announced that MLB has purchased an undisclosed stake in Jomboy Media through a strategic partnership that will weave Jomboy’s content throughout the league’s digital platforms. This collaboration means you’ll see Jomboy’s presence front and center at MLB’s marquee events, like the All-Star Game and Home Run Derby.

MLB and Jomboy will also collaborate on “Warehouse Games,” Jomboy’s backyard-style hybrid series that’s been gaining steam and has nearly 400 million views total and a 63% jump in the first quarter of 2025 alone, per Deadline.

Before this MLB deal, Jomboy had already secured a deal to air Warehouse Games on Bally Sports (now FanDuel Sports Network) and its app, starting in June 2024. That includes matchups with Jomboy personalities, guest stars, and interviews with MLB players and managers from their other content.

Jomboy is also gaining access to MLB’s intellectual property, including team logos, branding, and other assets, which it will utilize for new apparel, home goods, and merchandise sold directly on their site and other outlets.

Why is MLB so eager to partner with Jomboy?

Well, it’s one of the great success stories of the modern digital media age. What started as Jimmy “Jomboy” O’Brien detailing the Houston Astros’ 2017 cheating scandal has now grown into a full-fledged outlet that spans social media, podcasts, and video.

And a lot of it has to do with O’Brien himself, who has built a massive following.

He’s become known for his viral play breakdowns and distinctive voiceovers. In 2024 alone, Jomboy Media tallied 93 million social media interactions and boasts over 2.1 million YouTube subscribers. Their podcasts, like Talkin’ Baseball and Talkin’ Yanks, regularly dominate the baseball podcast charts. They also have two podcasts that joined The Dan Patrick Podcast Network.

“I continue to be amazed by what our community enables us to do through their endless support,” O’Brien said in a statement via Deadline. “When we started talking about baseball on the internet, it was just a fun hobby. Our community is the reason we’ve been able to turn this from ‘just a hobby’ into something bigger than we ever could’ve imagined.”

“We have long admired the passionate fandom of Jimmy O’Brien and his unique ability to connect with baseball fans,” said Noah Garden, MLB Deputy Commissioner, Business and Media. “This partnership will ensure that Jomboy Media will have the resources and access to MLB intellectual property necessary to help it continue to grow. We are looking forward to bringing baseball fans more entertaining content to help further expand baseball’s online presence and deepen the connection between our sport and its fans.”

Financial details were not made readily available at the time of the announcement.

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Eagles add 31 newcomers for 2025-26 season

Story Links CHENEY, Wash. — With eyes already on the future, Eastern Washington University’s track and field and cross country programs have announced a major boost to their rosters. EWU Director of Track and Field, Erin Tucker, officially unveiled the signing of 31 student-athletes set to join the Eagles for the 2025–26 […]

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16 minutes ago

June 10, 2025

Your Sports Nation

CHENEY, Wash. — With eyes already on the future, Eastern Washington University’s track and field and cross country programs have announced a major boost to their rosters. EWU Director of Track and Field, Erin Tucker, officially unveiled the signing of 31 student-athletes set to join the Eagles for the 2025–26 season.

“This is our third recruiting class, and we believe each class has been stronger than the last,” said Tucker. “When you consistently bring in athletes who elevate your team, you put yourself in a great position to improve within the conference. I’m excited about this new group—they’ll grow alongside the athletes we signed in years one and two. We’re coming!”

The incoming athletes will compete for the cross country team starting this fall, with the track and field season kicking off in the winter.

Women

Josie Alselmo

Shadle Park High School / Spokane, Washington

Pole Vault

From Coach Clark: Josie has some raw talent; within the next few years I anticipate her making quite the name for herself. I’m excited to see what the future holds for her.

Kirsten Anderson

Walla Walla High School / Walla Walla, Washington

Pole Vault

From Coach Clark: Kirsten was the last one to commit but I’m super happy she did. There is so much potential in her and she is going to be such a fun and bubbly vibe to join the vault squad.

Madison Bond

Moses Lake High School / Moses Lake, Washington

Long Jump and Triple Jump

From Coach Jo: Super excited for Madi to Join Flight Crew, she has a lot of talent and room to grow. I see her contributing Big Points in the Jumps, and getting into the EWU Top 10. Stay Tune for her progression!

Samarra Davis

Auburn Mountainview High School / Auburn, Washington

Long Jump

From Coach Jo: Excited to work with Samarra and see where her speed takes her on the runway! Flight Crew is excited to have her and see her progressions.

Jenae Francis

West Humber Collegiate Institute / Etobicoke, Ontario

Hammer Throw and Shot Put

From Coach Maj: Talent is an understatement of what Jenae Francis has. Theres an X factor in this young lady that you just have to see for yourself! She will do great things for Eagle nation… Its inevitable!

Ashley Fuller

Colonial Forge High School / Stafford, Virginia

Discus and Hammer Throw

From Coach Maj: Ashley is a fierce competitor and a consistent hard worker. She’s amazing to watch in action and I cannot wait to put her in an Eagles uniform! I feel blessed to have my name connected with hers in her journey to NCAA greatness.

Shai Gray

Sumner High School. / Summer, Washington

Long Jump and Triple Jump

From Coach Jo: Shai has raw talent and power, having Women Wrestling in her back pocket, adapting and learning technique will come quick and we should see her on the Big Sky Podium soon.

Brooke Henkin

Arlington High School / Everett, Washington

Events: 1600m, 3200m, and Cross Country

From Coach Sam: I think Brooke is going to take off once she gets with our group of women who are going to consistently be pushing her to another level. Her ceiling is so high and she has the mentality to go with it.

Alivia Hernandez

Sehome High School / Bellingham, Washington

1600m and Cross Country

From Coach Sam: I’m expecting her to bring some fire and have a breakout year for us. Liv understands what being part of this team means, and I can’t wait to add her. I’m expecting her to bring some fire and have a breakout year for us.

Judith Koumedzina

Iowa Western Community College / Lome, Togo

60m, 100m, 200m

From Coach Tuck: Judith is going to be a force in the Big Sky. She has competed at multiple National Championship meets at the Jr College level, that valuable experience and talent will be welcomed in the Women’s Sprint Corp. We are targeting records immediately.

Abigal “Abby” MacDonald

Great Falls High School / Great Falls, Montana

200m and 400m

From Coach Tuck: Abby is a great pick-up for us. She huge potential and has only scratched the surface, I look forward to her growing and become who she is supposed to be become.

Lenah Martin

Richland High School / Richland, Washington

Long Jump, Triple Jump, and High Jump

From Coach Jo: Lenah brings versatility to Flight Crew; Her determination and can-do attitude was one thing that stood out in her recruiting process. Super excited to see where we land and excel.

Ifechi Okoye

Puyallup High School / Puyallup, Washington

800m, 1600m, and Cross Country

From Coach Sam: Ifechi adds another weapon to our Mid-D crew for next year. While she’s especially strong in middle-distances, the range she has to move up and down in distances might be even more impressive.

Hannah Petrillo

Sandy High School / Sandy, Oregon

Hammer Throw and Discus

From Coach Maj: Hannah will be a great addition to the Eagle family and a hammer thrower to watch in the Big Sky. The potential for greatness is unlimited as this young woman seems to already be someone who accomplishes what she sets her mind too!

Men

Hunter Allen

Hermiston High School / Hermiston, Oregon

Hammer Throw and Weight Throw

From Coach Maj: Hunter is a talented hammer thrower who we are excited to bring to the eagle nation! His dedication and drive to be great are sure to put him amongst the best eagles to compete at EWU. We haven’t started yet, but I’m already excited to be part of his legacy.

Alex Blecha

Pinnacle High School / Phoenix, Arizona

Pole Vault

From Coach Clark: Coming from AZ with having already jumped 16’6″, Alex is a very knowledgeable and skilled vaulter. He will definitely be someone who will make a name for himself here at EWU.

Tristan Breier

Chiawana High School / Pasco, Washington

200m and 400m

From Coach Tuck: Tristan is going to fill a few holes for us in the men’s sprints. I can see him fighting to get on both relays, scoring in the 60m all the way up to the 400m. Pay attention to this young man, the sky is the limit.

Bryson Chase

Eisenhower High School / Moxee, Washington

Shot put, Discus, and Hammer Throw

From Coach Maj: Bryson is a very talented, multifaceted thrower who is soon to be a great contributor to the ever-growing success here at Eastern. I am excited to work with this exceptional young thrower!

Mason Davis

Monroe High School / Snohomish, Washington

60m, 100m, and 200m

From Coach Tuck: Mason is a wired for sound and he will be great fit for our men’s short sprint group. He will have one year to learn from KP and Enoch and then they hand the reigns to him and AJ. I cannot wait to get him in the blocks. Beware Big Sky, he is coming.

Grady Fournier

Arlington High School / Arlington, Washington

800m, 1600m, 3200m, and Cross Country

From Coach Sam: Grady has been on a tear to prove that he is one of the best runners in the state running big PRs in the 800 up to the 3200. Grady has been on a tear to prove that he is one of the best runners in the state running big PRs in the 800 up to the 3200. He has the ability to raise the ceiling of our program!

Andrew Garcia

Sunnyside High School / Sunnyside, Washington

1600m, 3200m, and Cross Country

From Coach Sam: I’m certain that no challenge will be too big, hard, or fast for Andrew to want to take head on. He will be someone we can slot right into our team without skipping a beat.

Toren Garcia

Issaquah High School / Issaquah, Washington

60HH, 110HH, 400m, and 400IH

From Coach Tuck: Toren is going to assault our 400IH records books. He will be a factor in the Big Sky 400IH right away and I am excited to finally have my male 400IH guy. He will run some High Hurdles races as well and I see some easy points for him there. We are going to do some big things!

Ian Lash

Walla Walla High School / Walla Walla, Washington

3200m and Cross Country

From Coach Sam: Ian was our first distance guy to commit. He saw the vision right away and got the ball rolling on what is a great incoming freshman class. He has the potential to be a leader on and off the track.

Santana Luna

Royal Knights High School / Royal City, Washington

Long Jump and Triple Jump

From Coach Jo: Santana has so much potential in Jumps, being a multi-sport athlete, the phases of triple Jump will grow, and he will definitely contribute points to the Men side.

Pry’nce Millman

Higley High School / Gilbert, Arizona

Decathlon

From Coach Jo: having Multiple years of experience in the Decathlon, I see Pry’nce on the podium year 1 and doubling back in a few events. His attitude it contagious and will impact Flight Crew in a strong way. This young man has a bright future!

Litani MoiMoi

Foster Senior High School / Federal Way, Washington

Discus and Hammer Throw

From Coach Maj: Litani is a fast-improving discus thrower who has potential to build and leave a legacy here at Eastern that will not soon be forgotten. I look forward to having this determined young man as he continues his throwing career!

Henry Nelson

Aberdeen High School / Aberdeen, Washington

800m and Cross Country

From Coach Sam: Henry is an 800 metronome. He has the consistency of a veteran runner and that will translate right away to the next level. I’m very excited to get him rolling with our Mid-D crew.

Erick Simpson

Reno High School / Reno, Nevada

200m and 400m

From Coach Tuck: Reno High is taking over, Erick is our 2^nd Reno sprinter in the last two years, and we love it. Erick has amazing range and will be fighting to get on both relays and should be an immediate point scorer in the Big Sky. His training group just got better.

Lucas Spurling

Arlington High School / Arlington, Washington

1600m and Cross Country

From Coach Sam: I predict Lucas to be the runner that when we need a piece to step up and fill a role, big or small, he is someone that we will be able to count on. So excited to have him joining the squad.

Andrew Strawn

Cheney High School / Spokane Valley, Washington

Pole Vault

From Coach Clark: One of the most eager and determined to improve, Andrew is a young and up in coming vaulter who you will want to keep an eye out for.

Trajn Swalstad

Worland High School / Worland, Wyoming

1600m, 3200m, and Cross Country

From Coach Sam: 5-time Wyoming State champ, Trajn is an aerobic machine. Most freshmen struggle making the jump up in distance to the 8k for XC; I think it will play right to Trajn strengths. I can see him being a key runner for us right away

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ABOUT EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

Eastern Washington University Athletics sponsors 14 intercollegiate sports, six for men and eight for women, both as learning opportunities for its most athletically talented students and as an enhancement to student and community life. Eastern is affiliated with Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and is a member of the Big Sky Conference, an association of 10 regional schools with comparable enrollments and academic goals.

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Volleyball Announces 2025 Schedule – University of Pennsylvania Athletics

Story Links PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania’s head volleyball coach, Meredith Schamun, has announced her program’s 2025 schedule. Click here for the 2025 Penn Volleyball Schedule! “The team is hungry to compete this fall, and we’ve scheduled accordingly to challenge ourselves,” said Schamun, who has been the program’s head […]

Published

17 minutes ago

June 10, 2025

Your Sports Nation

PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania’s head volleyball coach, Meredith Schamun, has announced her program’s 2025 schedule.

Click here for the 2025 Penn Volleyball Schedule!

“The team is hungry to compete this fall, and we’ve scheduled accordingly to challenge ourselves,” said Schamun, who has been the program’s head coach since March of 2020. “With the return of many starters, strong depth top to bottom, and a few talented incomers, this team will be one to watch. We wanted to start the non-conference season by heading out West to challenge ourselves in California before taking on some good competition here on the East Coast. This group is excited to work their way into a position to compete in the Ivy League Tournament.”

Penn begins the 2025 campaign the weekend after Labor Day at UC Irvine for the UCI Invitational, a round-robin tournament that will run Friday, Sept. 5 through Sunday, Sept. 7. The Quakers stay much closer to home the following weekend, making the short trip to Baltimore and Towson for the Tiger Invitational which will run September 12-13.

Penn’s home opener will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 17 when the Quakers host NJIT, and six days later the Red and Blue host city rival Temple at The Palestra. In between, Penn travels to Delaware for a pair of matches, one with the Blue Hens (Friday, Sept. 19) and another with Saint Peter’s University (Saturday, Sept. 20).

The Ivy League season starts with Penn hosting Princeton on Friday, Sept. 26. That is the first of three home matches in a row to start conference play, as Yale and Brown come to The Palestra on October 3-4. Penn then hits the road for the first time in conference play to face Harvard and Dartmouth on October 10-11,

The program will celebrate its annual Alumni Weekend on October 17-18, when the Quakers host Columbia (Friday) and Cornell (Saturday).

Five Ivy League road matches follow, starting with Princeton on Friday, Oct. 24 and continuing with weekend trips to Brown and Yale, then Cornell and Columbia. The Red and Blue will close out the campaign with home matches against Dartmouth and Harvard on November 14-15.

Once again this season, the top four Ivy teams from the regular-season standings will advance to the Ivy League Tournament, which is scheduled to run November 21-22 and will be hosted by the regular-season champion.

Penn Volleyball 2025 Schedule

Home matches in ALL CAPS | *Ivy League match

Sept. 5-7 – at UC Irvine’s UCI Invitational (Colorado, Fresno State)

Sept. 12-13 – at Towson’s Tiger Invitational (Coppin State, Lafayette)

Wednesday, Sept 17 – NJIT | 7 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 19 – at Delaware, 6 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 20 – vs. Saint Peter’s (at Delaware), 1 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 23 – TEMPLE | 7 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 26 – PRINCETON* | 7 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 3 – YALE* | 7 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 4 – BROWN* | 5 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 10 – at Harvard* | 7 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 11 – at Dartmouth* | 5 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 17 – COLUMBIA* | 7 p.m. – ALUMNI WEEKEND

Saturday, Oct. 18 – CORNELL* | 5 p.m. – ALUMNI WEEKEND

Friday, Oct. 24 – at Princeton* | 7 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 31 – at Brown* | 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 1 – at Yale* | 5 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 7 – at Cornell* | 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 8 – at Columbia* | 5 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 14 – DARTMOUTH* | 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 15 – HARVARD* | 5 p.m.

For the latest on Penn volleyball, follow @PennVolleyball on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, and on the web at PennAthletics.com.

#FightOnPenn

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Sports

Babson Athletics Continues its Top 50 Streak in NACDA Directors’ Cup Standings

Story Links 2025 Learfield Directors’ Cup Standings BABSON PARK, Mass.—The Babson College Department of Athletics and Recreation extended its stretch of finishing among the best 50 NCAA Division III institutions in the nation to four years by placing 50th in the 2025 LEARFIELD Directors’ Cup standings. The Beavers were 40th, 44th and 49th in […]

Published

32 minutes ago

June 10, 2025

Your Sports Nation

2025 Learfield Directors’ Cup Standings

BABSON PARK, Mass.—The Babson College Department of Athletics and Recreation extended its stretch of finishing among the best 50 NCAA Division III institutions in the nation to four years by placing 50th in the 2025 LEARFIELD Directors’ Cup standings. The Beavers were 40th, 44th and 49th in 2022, 2023 and 2024, respectively.

With approximately 430 Division III colleges and universities, the LEARFIELD Directors’ Cup is awarded annually to the nation’s best overall collegiate athletics program. Each institution is awarded points in a predetermined number of sports for men and women.

The Division III program began in 1995-96 by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA TODAY, and it has since grown into a highly recognized mark of distinction among collegiate institutions.

Accumulating 349 points, the Beavers recorded their fifth-best finish in department history (highest placement of 23rd in 2016-17), including an impressive 223 points between four teams in the spring.

Among the 12 New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) institutions, Babson placed second behind sixth-ranked MIT.

Men’s tennis made history by advancing all the way to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinal round for the first time in program annals. Babson knocked off Stevens and Bowdoin before falling to top-ranked Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. The Beavers also dethroned conference powerhouse MIT by capturing the league title.

Babson women’s tennis alongside both men’s and women’s lacrosse teams all advanced to the round of 32 in their respective NCAA Tournaments. Women’s tennis beat UMass Boston after earning an at-large bid, men’s lacrosse won its third straight league title before downing Western Connecticut State as host of an NCAA Tournament game for the first time, and women’s lacrosse defeated Worcester State as an at-large selection.

Despite not scoring in the winter, the Beavers started the year strong with men’s soccer advancing to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinal round for the first time since 1991 and field hockey continuing its impressive postseason run by reaching the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 for the fifth consecutive season.

Babson also had individual athletes compete in NCAA men’s cross country, women’s tennis and men’s track & field championships, including senior Olivia Soffer (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and junior Matia Cristiani (San Salvador, El Salvador) winning back-to-back doubles national titles.

Graduate student Anthony Rodriguez (Prairie View, Ill.) ran in both the NCAA Championships for cross country and track & field, while senior teammate Julian Ivarra (Plano, Texas) joined Rodriguez in Terre Haute, Indiana, last November for the cross country race.

Men’s and women’s alpine skiing also sent both of its teams to the United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association (USCSA) Championships. The men placed second after winning the MacConnell Division title for the first time since 1993, while the women were third.

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Natick vs. Needham MIAA boys volleyball semifinals

VIDEO: Natick boys volleyball match point in defeat of No. 1 Brookline on the road Natick’s Cody Gibendi tips the ball over the net on match point as the Redhawk boys volleyball team won its 10th in a row and handed Brookline it first loss. Natick and Needham high school boys volleyball teams will face […]

Published

33 minutes ago

June 10, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Natick and Needham high school boys volleyball teams will face off in the Division 1 state semifinals.
Needham seeks a fifth consecutive state championship appearance, while Natick returns to the semifinals for the second straight year.

CONCORD – Hello, again.

Natick is back in the Division 1 boys volleyball semifinals for the second year in a row. The No. 2 Redhawks (19-2) fell in five sets against Newton North last season.

Their opponent No. 3 Needham(20-5) is seeking a fifth consecutive trip to the state championship game. The Rockets lost to Newton North in five sets in 2024 after winning three consecutive titles from 2021-23.

First serve is set for 5 p.m. from Concord-Carlisle.

All four Final Four participants hail from the Bay State League, as No. 1 Brookline and No. 4 Newton North will meet in the second semifinal scheduled for 7:15 p.m.

Natick prevailed against Newton North 3-0 in the teams’ regular season meeting May 20. The Redhawks also have wins over Braintree and Newton North, as well.

Redhawks senior Branch Barnes is a returning all-state selection from 2024.

Natick has yet to lose a set in the state tournament. The No. 2 seed bested No. 34 Andover in the Round of 32 followed by No. 15 Winchester (Round of 16) and No. 26 Barnstable in the quarterfinals.

Needham bested No. 30 Woburn in the opening round 3-1 before sweeping Lowell in the Round of 16 and dispatching tournament Cinderella No. 27 Taunton 3-1 in the Round of 8.

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