Connect with us
https://yoursportsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/call-to-1.png

Sports

This Day in X-Country/Track & Field History, November 22: Steve Prefontaine wins his second NCAA XC title (1971), written by Walt Murphy

Published

2 months ago

on


Walt Murphy’s News and Results Service  ([email protected])

 

This Day in X-Country/T&F -November 22

 

1948–After serving as the host school since the meet’s inception in 1938, Michigan State College (as it was known at the time), finally won the NCAA Div.I title on its home course, beating Wisconsin, 41-69.

Rhode Island junior Robert Black won the first of his two individual titles, covering the 4-mile layout in 19:52.6. Black, the winner of the NCAA 10,000 earlier in the year, went on to win his 2nd U.S. title the following week in Detroit(he also won in 1946). As impressive as Black’s credentials were, they pale in comparison to those of the two men who followed him across the finish line, both of whom were finalists in their respective events at the London Olympics just a few months earlier.

2nd was Wisconsin’s Don Gehrmann (20:02.6), who was 7th in the 1500-meters in London,  and 3rd was Villanova’s Browning Ross (20:06.4), 7th in the steeplechase.

Gehrmann, who would again finish 2nd to Black at the 1949 NCAA XC Championships, won three NCAA Outdoor titles in the 1500 (1948) and Mile (1949,1950), won 4 Wanamaker Miles at the Millrose Games, and was a World Indoor Record holder at 1000-yards.

Ross would win the 1950 U.S. X-Country title and would make his 2nd Olympic team in 1952, but he’s better known for his accomplishments off the track. He was a co-founder of the Road Runners Club of America (and its first President) and single-handedly produced the Long Distance Log, the successor to Austin Scott’s Distance Running Journal and the primary source of information for the long distance running community from 1956-1975. (It was Distance Running News that evolved into Runner’s World.

(Another notable finisher in the NCAA race was Penn State’s Horace Ashenfelter (35th), who would win the gold medal in the steeplechase at the 1952 Olympics.)

Results

1948 NCAA Cross Country Championships

MileSplit

Ross: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browning_Ross

Gehrmann: http://www.garycohenrunning.com/Interviews/Gehrmann.aspx

 

1965-After spending its first 26 years at Michigan State, the NCAA moved its X-Country Championship to Lawrence, Kansas, and increased the race distance from 4-miles to 6-miles. Western Michigan won the team title for the 2nd year in a row, while Kansas senior John Lawson  made the hometown fans happy by winning the individual title in 29:24. Montana senior Doug Brown, the reigning NCAA 3-mile and 6-mile champion, had battled Lawson through the first four miles before fading and eventually dropping out.

Finishing 23rd was Georgetown’s Ricardo Urbina, who would serve for many years as a judge in Washington, D.C.

Other notable finishers: 17.Dave Patrick (Villanova)…44.Barry Brown (Providence), 69.Howie Ryan (Houston), 72.Sam Bair (Kent State), 73.Tom Von Ruden (Oklahoma State)…in what some thought was a questionable decision, six runners, including Villanova’s Charlie Messenger, who had crossed the line in 12th place, and Miami/Ohio’s Jack Bacheler (55th) were disqualified for cutting the course!

Results

1965 NCAA Cross Country Championships

MileSplit

Urbina: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricardo_M._Urbina

 

1971–Steve Prefontaine (29:14) beat Minnesota’s Gary Bjorklund (29:21) in Knoxville to win his 2nd straight NCAA        X-Country title and led Oregon to its first team Championship. Also scoring for the Ducks were Randall James (19th), Pat Tyson (31st), Michael Long (35th), and Richard Ritchie (48th). Tyson, Pre’s roommate at Oregon, is currently the head coach at Gonzaga University.

Other notables: Kansas State’s Jerome Howe (10th), Bowling Green’s Dave Wottle (12th), Penn’s Dave Merrick (18th), Penn State’s Greg Fredericks (20th), Villanova’s Marty Liquori (30th), Manhattan’s Mike Keogh (34th), Penn’s Julio Piazza (46th-former coach at Lafayette), Stanford’s Duncan MacDonald (55th), Penn State’s Charlie Maguire (62nd), Michigan State’s Ken Popejoy (70th), Penn’s Denis Fikes (75th), Tennessee’s Doug Brown (89th).

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qId-mlFsHCw&feature=youtu.be

Results

1971 NCAA Cross Country Championships

MileSplit

 

1976–Washington State’s Henry Rono (28:06.6) beat teammate Samson Kimobwa (28:16.8) to win the first of his three NCAA titles. Some big names trailed the two Kenyans.

3.Craig Virgin (Illinois) 28:26.5–defending champion, 2-time World XC Champion…inducted into the U.S. Hall of

Fame in 2011.

4.Herb Lindsay (Michigan State) 28:30.7–became America’s best road racer in 1981-1982

5.John Treacy (Providence/Ireland) 28:34.8–1984 Olympic silver medalist in the Marathon

6.Wilson Waigwa (UTEP) 28:39.0–1977 NCAA Indoor (Mile) and Outdoor (1500) Champion

Other notables in the race:Oregon’s Rudy Chapa (9th), UTEP’s James Munyala (10th), , Arizona’s Thom Hunt (13th), Northeastern’s Bruce Bickford (14th), Michigan’s Greg Meyer (19th), Penn State’s George Malley (20th), BYU’s Henry Marsh (24th), Villanova’s Carey Pinkowski (41st), who is currently the director of the Chicago Marathon, Oregon’s Matt Centrowitz (51st)

Kimobwa would set a World Record for 10,000-meters the following June, only to see it broken by Rono in 1978!  Results

1976 NCAA Cross Country Championships

MileSplit

 

1982–The individual winner at the 2nd NCAA DIv.I Championships for women was Lesley Welch, who led Virginia to its 2nd straight Women’s team title.  Men’s winners were Wisconsin and  Colorado’s Mark Scrutton (30:12.6).

While this was the 2d year that the NCAA sponsored a women’s xc championship, it was the first all-inclusive NCAA women’s championship, as the AIAW and NCAA both conducted championships in ‘81, and many schools had stayed with the AIAW. Since the NCAA paid expenses for competing schools, that was the end of the AIAW. The ‘81-‘82 school year was the lone year of both organizations sponsoring championships in both TF and XC.

Other notable finishers

Men:2.Zak Barie (UTEP) 30:14.8, 4.Tim Hacker (Wisconsin), 8.Ed Eyestone (BYU—coach at his alma mater), 10.Gidamis Shahanga (UTEP), 18.Brian Diemer(Michigan—coach at Calvin), 33.Jeff Drenth (Central Michigan), 38.Jim Sapienza (Dartmouth), 40.Jim Spivey (Indiana), 42.Keith Brantly (Florida), 71.Sos Bitok (Richmond), 96.Matt McGuirk (Oregon-coach at Willamette), 123.Jama Aden (FDU)

Women:3.Ceci Hopp (Stanford), 10.Nan Doak (Iowa), 19.Sabrina Dornhoefer (Missouri), 20.Cathy Branta (Wisconsin), 27.Regina Jacobs (Stanford), 29.Martha White (Virginia), 37.Joan Nesbit (North Carolina), 45.PattiSue Plumer (Stanford), 49.Lynn Jennings (Princeton), 54.Polly Plumer (UCLA), 55.Lynne Strauss (Penn State), 59.Tina Krebs (Clemson), 101.Claudette Groenendaal (Oregon), 118.Joetta Clark (Tennessee)

Results

Men: https://trackandfieldnews.com/ncaa-cross-country-championships-mens-results/1982-ncaa-cross-country-championships/

Women:

1982 NCAA Cross Country Championships – Women

MileSplit

 

1993–Getting top-10 finishes from Jason Bunston (2-29:40.2), Niall Bruton (3-29:43.6) and Teddy Mitchell (8-29:51.6), Arkansas won its 4th straight men’s Div.I title, scoring a low 31 points on Lehigh’s course in Bethlehem, PA. The individual winner was Washington State’s Josephat Kapkory (29:32.4).

Villanova also had three top-10 finishers as it won the 5th of its 6 consecutive Women’s Div.I titles. With just a 5-point edge over Arkansas (66-71), it would be their smallest margin of victory during the streak.

The Wildcats looked like an easy winner after getting a 1-2 finish from Carole Zajac (16:40.3), who won her 2nd straight title, and Jen Rhines (16:44.4), with Becky Spies (16:54.6) placing 7th. However, Arkansas countered with 4 finishers in the top-15, led by future great Deena Drossin-Kastor (16:54.0) in 6th-place. The two teams were tied at 31 through 4 runners, with Emer Molloy (17:32.0) completing Villanova’s scoring in 48th place, less than 3 seconds ahead of Arkansas’ 5-6 runners!

Other notable finishers

Men-4.Kevin Sullivan(Michigan—Head Men’s coach at his alma mater), 11.Andy Keith (Providence), 14.Louie Quintana (Villanova-coach at Oregon State), 21.Jason Stewart (Army), 22.Jason Pyrah (BYU), 23.Corey Ihmels (Iowa State—coach at Boise State), 27.Andy Downin (Georgetown), 31.Alan Culpepper (Colorado), 33.Richie Boulet (Cal), 58.Bob Hamer (Penn State-coach at Rider), 84.Dan Browne (Army), 139.Erik Nedeau (Northeastern), 119.Robert Gary (Ohio State/coach at Furman)

Women-5.Amy Rudolph (Providence), 8.Megan Flowers (Arkansas), 9.Shelley Taylor (Arkansas), 14.Sarah Schwald (Arkansas), 31.Tosha Woodward (Villanova), 53,Amy McKInley (Arkansas), 54.Michelle Byrne (Arkansas), 71.Melody Fairchild (Oregon), 105.Karen Harvey (Michigan)

Results

Men: https://trackandfieldnews.com/ncaa-cross-country-championships-mens-results/1993-ncaa-cross-country-championships/

Women:

1993 NCAA Cross Country Championships – Women

MileSplit

 

1999–South Alabama’s David Kimani (30:06.6), a 6’-2” freshman from Kenya, won the Men’s individual title at the NCAA Div.I X-Country Championships in Bloomington, Indiana. The likeable Kimani, who transferred to Alabama after his freshman year, won a total of 5 NCAA titles on the track (3000&5000 indoors in 2000 and 2001, 5000 outdoors in 2002). Sadly, he collapsed and died in April, 2003, while having lunch at the Alabama dining facility. The official cause of death was “undetermined natural disease”.

The Arkansas Razorbacks won their 10th team title (4th in a row) easily, beating runnerup Wisconsin by 127 points (58-185).

Winners on the Women’s side were Brigham Young and Wisconsin’s Erica Palmer (16:39.5).

Other notable finishers

Men-4.Matt Downin (Wisconsin), 9.Keith Kelly (Providence), 12.Ryan Shay (Notre Dame), 13.Tim Broe (Alabama), 20.Jonathon Riley (Stanford), 33.Brian Berryhill (Colorado State—head T&F coach at Wyoming), 47.Jorge Torres (Colorado), 103.Bolota Asmerom (California), 123.Gabe Jennings (Stanford), 173.Anthony Famiglietti (Tennessee).

Women-2.Amy Yoder (Arkansas), 5.Lauren Fleshman (Stanford), 6.Leigh Daniel (Texas Tech), 9.Kara Wheeler-Goucher (Colorado), 12.Amy Mortimer (Kansas State) , 14.Julia Stamps (Stanford), 24.Carmen Douma (Villanova), 32.Mary Jane Harrelson (Appalachian State), 45.Sally Glynn (Stanford), 50.Lisa Aguilera (Arizona State), 104.Christin Wurth (Arkansas)

Complete Results

Men: https://trackandfieldnews.com/ncaa-cross-country-championships-mens-results/1999-ncaa-cross-country-championships/

Women: http://www.trackandfieldnews.com/index.php/special-articles/352

MileSplit

 

2010–Junior Sheila Reid (20:06.9) won the first of her two individual Div.I titles and led Villanova to the team crown on a windy day at the NCAA Div.I X-Country Championships in Terre Haute, Indiana.

“The tradition at Villanova can be daunting,” Reid said. “You hear names like Sonia O’Sullivan, Vicki Huber and Carrie Tollefson and they seem so distant and beyond us. It is incredible to maybe be amongst those names now. It is hard to believe that we are in the same shoes as these women who have done such amazing things”.

There were repeat winners on the men’s side, with Liberty’s Sam Chelanga (29:22.2) taking his 2nd individual title and Oklahoma State their 2nd team title.

Other notable finishers:

Men-2.Stephen Sambu (Arizona-29:26.5), 3.Luke Puskedra (Oregon), 8.German Fernandez (Oklahoma State), 10.Matthew Centrowitz (Oregon), 11.Dorian Ulrey (Arkansas), 15.Miles Batty (BYU), 34.Donn Cabral (Princeton)

Women-2.Emily Infeld (Georgetown-20:09.2), 3.Jordan Hasay (Oregon-20:13.0)

Results

Men: https://trackandfieldnews.com/ncaa-cross-country-championships-mens-results/2010-ncaa-cross-country-championships/

Women:

2010 NCAA Cross Country Championships – Women

https://www.milesplit.com/meets/74135-ncaa-di-cross-country-championships-2010/results#.X7kXBi9h1QI

Reports

https://www.letsrun.com/2010/ncaaxcmen-1122.php

https://www.milesplit.com/meets/74135-ncaa-di-cross-country-championships-2010/coverage#.X7kW1C9h1QI

https://www.worldathletics.org/news/news/chelanga-and-reid-prevail-at-ncaa-cross-count

 

2014—Winners of the Men’s titles at the NCAA Div.I Championships in Terre Haute, Indiana, were Colorado and Oregon sophomore Edward Cheserek (2nd in a row for both). 2nd to Cheserek was Duck teammate Eric Jenkins. Also in the field were 3 future champions-18.Patrick Tiernan (Villanova/2016), 75.Morgan McDonald (Wisconsin/2018), 143.Justyn Knight (Syracuse/2017).

“This is probably our best team ever,” Colorado head coach Mark Wetmore said. “Again, I had the team that came here with Jorge [Torres] who won and the team that followed it and great other individuals who were followed by good teams but not winners. Certainly, this is the best third, fourth and fifth we’ve ever had and certainly I think it’s the best team score that we’ve ever had. So, they are real good and they belong in the pantheon.”

“I’m really proud of those guys,” Wetmore went on to say. “It’s is hard to be the favorites, it’s so hard to have the attention. It’s so hard for nine or ten 21-year-old men to keep their egos in check and they really did it. They were talking each other up the whole time. I think any one of them would have sacrificed his day to have a bad day if it would have meant six good days for his teammates. So, that’s the biggest feeling I have. Pride, not for me, but pride for them.”

Michigan State won its first women’s title, and Iona’s Kate Avery, 3rd in 2013, was the individual winner. Avery, a junior from England, took the lead early and won by more than 8 seconds.

“I can’t say enough about the kids. I couldn’t be more proud of them,” stated MSU head coach Walt Drenth. “The way they’ve handled themselves all year and the way they are a team. The way they trust each other and Coach [Lisa] Senakiewich and I. That’s been as gratifying as anything. To win a national championship, it’s a really proud moment. I’d really like to thank Spartan nation, that was amazing to hear that ‘Go Green, Go White.’ I couldn’t be more proud to be a Spartan right now.”

Other Notable Finishers

MEN:6.Stanley Kebenei (Arkansas), 57.Sam McEntee (Villanova), 58.Jordy Williamsz (Villanova), ,

WOMEN:2.Sarah Disanza (Wisconsin), 3.Emma Bates (Boise State), 5.Rachel Johnson (Baylor), 6.Dominique Scott (Arkansas), 9.Shelby Houlihan (Arizona State), 12.Elise Cranny (Stanford), 13.Courtney Frerichs (Missouri-Kansas City), 19.Molly Seidel (Notre Dame), 23.Colleen Quigley (Florida State), 82.Annie Leblanc (Oregon), 155.Karissa Schweizer (Missouri/2016 Champion)

Results:

MEN: https://trackandfieldnews.com/ncaa-cross-country-championships-mens-results/2014-ncaa-cross-country-championships/

WOMEN:

2014 NCAA Cross Country Championships – Women

https://www.milesplit.com/meets/177497-ncaa-di-cross-country-championships-2014/results#.X7kX6C9h1QI

Race Videos:

Men:  https://www.ncaa.com/video/cross-country-men/2014-11-22/di-mens-cross-country-championship-full-replay

Women: www.ncaa.com/video/cross-country-women/2014-11-22/di-womens-cross-country-championship-full-replay

NCAA Report

Men: http://tinyurl.com/NCAA14XCReport; Women: http://tinyurl.com/NCAAXC14ReportW

https://www.letsrun.com/events/2014-ncaa-cross-country-championships/

https://www.milesplit.com/meets/177497-ncaa-di-cross-country-championships-2014/articles#.X7kYEC9h1QI

FloTrack Coverage(lots of videos): http://www.flotrack.org/coverage/251721

 

Historical Links

Div.I  Women  Men   T&F News Archives   USTFCCA

 

Also

 

1986–It might not have been on this exact date, but it was just before the Thanksgiving break when freshman Meredith Rainey, who had just turned 18, walked into Harvard coach Frank Haggerty’s office and told him she wanted to join the track team. Rainey had been an age-group star in Brooklyn while competing for Fred Thompson’s Atoms Track Club, but had concentrated on other activities during her 4 years at St.Ann’s H.S. in Brooklyn,NY.

A skeptical Haggerty allowed her to come out for the team and the rest, as they say, is history. Rainey-Valmon (she’s married to Maryland head coach Andrew Valmon), went on to win two NCAA 800m titles and was a member of the 1992 and 1996 U.S. Olympic teams

http://ivy50.com/story.aspx?sid=9/19/2006.

https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/77942

 

 

Born On This Day*

 

Geoffrey Kamworor-Kenya 33 (1992) 5-time World Champion: ½-marathon (2014, 2016, 2018), X-Country (2015, 2017)

Silver medalist in the 10,000-meters at the 2015 World Championships (2017-6th); 11th at the 2016 Olympics

Winner of the 2017 & 2019 NY City Marathon (2nd-2015, 3rd-2018, 5th-2024)

Berlin Marathon-2012 (3rd), 2013 (3rd), 2014 (4th)

2nd at the 2023 London Marathon—ran a personal best of 2:04:23

Bronze medalist at the 2019 World X-Country Championships, 4th in 2023

5th in the Marathon at the 2022 World Championships (2:07:14)

PBs:12:59.98 (2016), 26:52.65 (2015), 58:01 (2019), 2:04:23 (2023); 2025 SB: 58:44, 2:04:33

https://www.worldathletics.org/athletes/kenya/geoffrey-kipsang-kamworor-14423680

https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a24472645/is-geoffrey-kamworor-the-next-kipchoge/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Kipsang_Kamworor

2019 NYC

https://www.worldathletics.org/news/feature/geoffrey-kamworor-kenya-distance-runner-cross-half-marathon

Hillary Bor—Kenya/U.S.  36 (1989)  2016 Olympic finalist—Steeplechase (7th)

Winner at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials—didn’t make the final at the Tokyo Olympics

2022 U.S. Champion–8th at the 2022 World Championships

3rd at the 2017 U.S. Championships—eliminated in the 1st round at the World Championships in London

2nd at the 2018 U.S. Championships

All-American at Iowa State: NCAA-2008(4th), 2009(2nd), 2010(3rd)

Became a U.S. citizen after joining the Army…member of the Army’s WCAP program (World Class

Athlete Program). Bor was one of four ex-Kenyans representing the U.S. in Rio

PBs: 7:48.73i(2020), 8:08.41(2019/#4 All-Time U.S.), 13:14.96i(2019), 59:55 (2025), 2:10:47 (2025-debut/NY)

 

…



Link

5
Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sports

Greenwell Breaks 1000m School Record, Ohio Women’s Track & Field Concludes Marshall Alumni Classic

Published

15 minutes ago

on

January 11, 2026

By


HUNTINGTON, W. Va. – Junior Ellie Greenwell (Park Hills, Ky.) led Ohio women’s track & field team at the Marshall Alumni Classic with a record breaking performance in the women’s 1000 meters on Saturday, Jan.10.
 
In Greenwell’s first time competing in the 1000 meters, she won the event with a time of 2:49.92. Greenwell’s performance is a new school and program record. Two other Bobcats finished in the top three of the 1000 meters alongside Greenwell. Sophomore Kaitlyn Stewart (Floyd Knobs, Ind.) placed second (2:54.84) and senior Sara Doughman (Lebanon, Ohio) placed third (2:56.36).
 
Ohio kicked off the meet with a handful of field events. Junior Emilee Baumann (Powell, Ohio) won the women’s pole vault with a mark of 3.65 meters (11-11.75). Ohio had three throwers place in the top five of the women’s shot put. Graduate student Jasmine Correa (Holland, Mich.) placed second with a PR of 12.73 meters (41-9.25). Sophomore Lauren Mader (Green Bay, Wis.) placed fourth (11.56m/37-11.25) and sophomore Kiyah Baker (Troy, Ohio) took home fifth place (11.51m/37-9.25, PR). In the women’s weight throw, freshman Aubree Beery (Lancaster, Ohio) placed second (16.66m/54-8) in her collegiate debut while sophomore Ashley Cornathan (Hilliard, Ohio) took home fifth place (14.90m/48-10.75, PR). Freshman Kewogo Bendick finished eighth in the women’s long jump with a mark of 5.20 meters (17-0.75).
 
Ohio’s first track events of the day were the preliminaries of the 60m and 60m hurdles. In the 60m hurdles preliminaries, freshman Zoey Caldwell (9.18) and junior Gracie Smith (9.27) (Grove City, Ohio) both qualified for the finals. Caldwell went on to place fifth (9.02) in the finals and Smith took home seventh place (10.01). Freshman Alexys Sterling qualified for the 60m finals and placed seventh overall (7.97/7.82). Sterling also placed third in the women’s 200m (25.68) followed by senior Ashley Long (Hilliard, Ohio) in fourth place (25.83, PR)
 
In the women’s 300m, freshmen Sydney Huckstep and Alyvia Mentlow both recorded stellar performances in their collegiate debuts. Huckstep placed second (40.43) and Mentlow placed third (40.48). Ohio swept the top three of the women’s 800m with sophomore Jaclyn Garvey (Grand Blanc, Mich.) in first (2:14.90), senior Sophie Besett (Twinsburg, Ohio) in second (2:17.14) and junior Elinor Shuttleworth (Beavercreek, Ohio) in third place (2:20.25).

Graduate students Kelsi Harris (Liberty Township, Ohio) and Theresa Hagey (Akron, Ohio) led a slew of Ohio runners in the women’s 3,000 meters. Harris won the event with a time of 9:43.21. Hagey followed behind Harris, placing second with a time of 9:50.11.

 

The Bobcats concluded the meet with the women’s 4x400m relay. Shuttleworth, Garvey, Besett and junior Abby Wells (Westerville, Ohio) placed second with a time of 3:58.77.

 

The Bobcats will be back in action at the Indiana Invitational on Friday, Jan. 16.

 

#OUohyeah

 

 



Link

0
Continue Reading

Sports

Circumstances aside, Trent Moser happy in return to No. 8 BYU volleyball for senior season

Published

16 minutes ago

on

January 11, 2026

By


PROVO — Trent Moser said it best with a smile and a nod.

After BYU’s 6-foot-8 senior transfer from Grand Canyon opened the season with 14 kills in a 3-0 win over Saint Francis in front of 3,343 fans at the Smith Fieldhouse, Moser smirked at the simple question: Good to be home?

“It’s amazing,” Moser said after hitting .333 with a dig, two assists and four blocks. “Playing here and playing at GCU was totally different. It was good, but we got around 1,000 people per game; it was awesome. But when I get here to warm up, there are already 1,000 people in the stands.

“It feels so good having that much support.”

Moser had seven kills on his first nine swings, hitting .667 to lead the Cougars to a 25-22 win over the Red Flash (0-1) in the opening set.

The outside hitter had the first kill of the opening set, and finished with 14 kills and four blocks as the No. 8-ranked Cougars opened the 2026 season with a 25-22, 25-20, 25-18 win over NEC contenders Friday night.

After which, Moser helped gather his teammates — returners, freshmen and transfers alike — and the group threw a Super Y (the kind you probably remember Chase Roberts introduced with the football team) and cheered with the crowd.

For Moser, who started his career at BYU, that moment alone was a unique one.

The Gilbert, Arizona native played two seasons in Provo, where he earned All-MPSF freshman team honors in 2023 and started nine matches in 2024.

But Moser transferred to GCU after that season, and went on to a standout career with the Lopes, leading the team in kills and earning All-America honorable mention honors by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.

Then early in the offseason, he got a message from the coaching staff: a mandatory team meeting in the locker room, where GCU officials told the players they were cutting the program.

Such a moment is never easy. But several close friends from Provo made it a little easier for Moser.

“GCU posted it on Instagram at the same time they told us,” he recalled. “In that meeting, I was sitting down and Jackson Fife (BYU libero) called me, as well as some other friends to see what was happening.

“Jackson said, ‘Dude, you should come back’. And I said, if Shawn wants me back, I’m cool with it.”

Turns out, BYU coach Shawn Olmstead was “very cool with it.” Moser was a standout under Olmstead before, was better after a year in the Valley of the Sun, and wanted to return to the school where his sister Tristyn also played volleyball in 2016-17.

“I think it’s such a cool story,” Olmstead said. “A kid like that, who has that kind of experience, goes to another school and becomes an All-American. Then circumstances fall the way they did, and credit to him — I think it’s a credit to the guys and all the coaching staff.”

BYU libero Jackson Fife (6) makes a pass during an NCAA men’s volleyball game against the Saint Francis Red Flash at the George Albert Smith Fieldhouse in Provo on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.
BYU libero Jackson Fife (6) makes a pass during an NCAA men’s volleyball game against the Saint Francis Red Flash at the George Albert Smith Fieldhouse in Provo on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (Photo: Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News)

Olmstead sent Moser a text when he found out the program was cut, but not inviting him back to BYU or trying to schedule a campus visit. He had a simple message: If you need anything, let me know if I can help you.

“I found out that day the guys were already talking to him,” Olmstead added. “He was talking to Jackson, and Jackson called us while we were in a staff meeting … and said, I’m talking to Trent; what do you think?

“We said, you know the answer to that. And right when he hung up, that’s when I texted Trent. From there, we immediately went back and forth.”

Moser also brought along some friends, including sophomore setter Kyle Zediker and 6-foot-5 outside hitter Connor Oldani, who had six kills and 10 digs Friday night. There was also Max Philippe, a 6-foot-6 freshman from Houston who initially committed to GCU but reversed course when the program was cut and signed with BYU.

Pair them with returning players like senior setter Tyler Herget, who had 35 assists and eight digs Friday night, and BYU lived up to the billing of a top-10 team nationally on opening night.

“I had great things to say about those guys; I love those dudes,” Moser said. “They were little freshmen last year at GCU, and it was fun leading them. So when Shawn asked me about them, I only had great things to say about those guys: great workers, want to win, want to compete every day.”

BYU continues nonconference play Saturday against Saint Francis (7 p.m. MST, Big Ten+), before hosting UC San Diego next week as part of six-straight home matches to open the season.

The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.



Link

0
Continue Reading

Sports

Panthers Kick Off 2026 at Tryon International Collegiate Opener

Published

31 minutes ago

on

January 11, 2026

By


TRYON, N.C. – The High Point University men’s track and field team traveled to the western part of the state to compete at the Tryon International Collegiate Opener hosted by Big South Conference foe UNC Asheville. The Panthers used this meet as practice for the Big South Indoor Championships at the end of February at the same facility.
 
High Point sent a select group of student-athletes to compete, including throwers, high jumpers, distance runners and combined events athletes.
 
In the throwing events, Caleb Barley placed first in both the weight throw and shot put. He first threw a personal best 16.63 meters in the weight throw before throwing a personal best in the shot put, 16.72m. Bradley Weiner and Prince Brockington also placed in the top five in the weight throw as Weiner tossed in a new personal best 16.56m throw.
 
In the high jump Shaun Thomas took home first place after clearing 2.08m for a season-best height.
 
In the men’s distance events, HPU had six athletes place in the top 10 in the 3000m race led by Brendan Cook with an 8:33.33 time in his first meet of his collegiate season. Max Bonilla, Blake Nicholson, Luke Simpson, Simon Triezenburg and Jake Fiorillo were among Cook in the top 10.
 
AJ Miller placed second in the mile and clocked a 4:19.13 in his first-ever mile event of his career. Greg Abel competed in the 800m and clocked a 2:02.03 time for fifth place in his second meet as a freshman.
 
The combined events athletes competed in three events, including the 60m hurdles, the high jump and the shot put. Cole Wilson placed sixth in the shot put (14.45m), fifth in the high jump (1.93m) and sixth in the 60m hurdles (8.54). Nigel Steenwinkel placed second in the 60m hurdles (8.40), 13th in the high jump (1.73m) and 14th in the shot put (12.16m).
 
UP NEXT: High Point travels to Blacksburg, Virginia for the Virginia Tech Invitational on January 16-17.

 

#GoHPU x #OnTheProwl

 
 
 
 



Link

0
Continue Reading

Sports

Mount Markham girls volleyball wins tournament title with win over Rome Free Academy (53 photos)

Published

32 minutes ago

on

January 11, 2026

By


Coach Terry McKane has preached to his Mount Markham girls volleyball squad that the goal is to get 1% better every day of the season.

The Mustangs have done that so far with a 9-0 record and the ultimate goal of reaching the Section III Class C final once again.

Mount Markham hosted its annual Varsity Tournament on Saturday, providing the team with an opportunity to battle-tested against a field of quality Section III teams.

The Mustangs went 6-0 in pool play and made it to the tournament’s gold title game to face Rome Free Academy, also 10-0 and the reigning Class A sectional champion.

The Black Knights took the first set (25-15), but Mount Markham recorded victories in the second (25-22) and third (15-13) sets to grab the tournament crown.

“We faced such a good team in RFA,” McKane said. “The sets were really close and tight. We dropped that first set, then the kids responded. They did have us late (in the third set), but we came away with the win.”

RFA went 5-1 in pool play and beat Whitesboro, 2-0, in the gold semifinals.

“Nothing but respect for RFA,” McKane said. “They have some great players.”

Mount Markham also won 2-0 in the semis against Carthage. In the end, the Mustangs had the upper hand.

“We’re starting to get better at the right time. I think today we were 4-5% better than the 1% better we usually strive for,” McKane said. “Our seniors are leading and the flow of the defense is so good.”

South Lewis, which went 3-3 in pool play, won 2-1 over South Jefferson in the silver final. The Spartans compiled a 2-4 record in Pool A.

Also for Pool A, Whitesboro and Stockbridge Valley each had a 2-4 mark. Carthage went 4-2 and Port Byron finished 0-6 in Pool B.

“It was a good day of volleyball,” McKane said. “It’s good to have these quality teams in the tournament. It just pushes each of us to get better.”

Mount Markham faces Little Falls at 7 p.m. Monday.

All-Tournament Team

Layla Rice, Mount Markham (MVP)

Kyra Piersma, Mount Markham

Savannah Wilcox, Mount Markham

Jenna Preski, RFA

Mylee Magnanti, RFA

Brooklyn Palmer, Whitesboro

Mattingly Dorchester, Carthage

Grace Smith, South Lewis

Hannah Hedger, South Jefferson

Devyn Bingel, Stockbridge

Alivia Mills, Port Byron



Link

2
Continue Reading

Sports

Miller Sets Meet Record, Track & Field Collects 11 Wins at Leonard Hilton Memorial Invitational

Published

47 minutes ago

on

January 11, 2026

By


HOUSTON – University of Houston Track & Field freshman Zac Miller set a meet record while winning the men’s 3,000 meters as the Cougars claimed 11 event titles at Saturday’s season-opening Leonard Hilton Memorial Invitational.
 
RUNNING EVENTS
Following a successful cross country season, Miller continued his dominance by capturing the men’s 3,000 meters in 8:11.89 to set a meet record. Sophomore Remay Abraha added a third-place finish in 8:18.86.
 
Sophomore Addison Hite won the women’s 3,000-meter race with a personal-best and fourth-best time in program history at 9:38.97.
 
Sophomore Kali Magana opened the season strong as she crossed the finish line first in 1:24.08 in the women’s 600 yards.
 
Freshmen Sean Aigboboh and Micah Washington made their collegiate debuts in the men’s 60-meter as Aigboboh won the event in 6.74, followed by Washington in second at 6.78.
 
Senior Kaycee McCoy placed second in the women’s 60-meter with a personal best 7.48 while junior Ruth Agadama and freshman Zyon Alston tied for third with a time of 7.56.
 
The Cougars dominated the men’s and women’s 60-meter hurdles as graduate Jamar Marshall Jr. won the men’s race in 7.71 and sophomore Noah Hanson finished third with a personal best 7.99. McCoy captured the women’s title in 8.18, followed by graduate Miracle Thompson’s second place finish in 8.49.
 
Freshman Dominic Harper made a statement in his collegiate debut by winning the men’s 200 meters with a time of 21.12, followed by sophomore King Taylor in second at 21.82.
 
After missing the 2025 indoor season, junior Michaela Mouton started the 2026 season strong with a second place finish in the women’s 200-meters in 24.63. Sophomore Invida Maurina finished third in the women’s 400 meters with her time of 56.89.
 
The women’s 4×00-meter relay of freshman Kamree Wolridge, freshman Jada Stanford, senior Matilde Ochoa and Mouton recorded the victory in 3:46.49. Freshman Lanai Gant, freshman Mallory McLemore, sophomore Norah Nwonumah and sophomore Carlysia Cresser followed in second at 3:50.73.
 
In the final race of the day, sophomore Damarien Jacobs, graduate Ryan Mulholland, Washington and Aigboboh combined for a second place 4×400-meter relay finish in 3:18.44.
 
FIELD EVENTS
Sophomore Esther Osisike claimed the women’s weight throw title on her final attempt at 18.74 meters for the fifth-best mark in program history. Senior Zaeda Houff captured third place with a personal best 18.25 meters and moved to eighth on the top-10 program list. On the men’s side, graduate Canaan Wharry placed second with a personal best mark of 18.49 meters and sixth best mark in program history.
 
Junior Cordell Nwokeji opened his season with a victory in the men’s shot put at 18.16 meters. Sophomore Sydney Freeman finished second in the women’s shot put with a personal best 15.20 meters, good for seventh all-time while sophomore Cleo Oye-Agyepong took third at 15.14 meters.
 
Sophomore Evina Panagiotou won the women’s pole vault with a clearance of 4.13 meters while senior Aubrey Tupper, junior Nicole Prall and sophomore Kayla Byrd recorded a three-way tie for third at 3.63 meters.
 
Agadama placed second in the women’s long jump at 5.81 meters and sophomore Athena Stith finished third at 5.59 meters. On the men’s side, freshman Bradley Lowman earned second with his mark of 7.19 meters.
 
Freshman Shieana Hall finished second in the women’s triple jump at 12.42 meters, followed by freshman Saphina Stanley in third at 12.12 meters.
 
Senior Turey Stoudemire added a third-place finish in the men’s high jump at 2.10 meters.
 
SUPPORT YOUR COOGS
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Track and Field by providing NIL opportunities, purchasing tickets and joining the Podium Club, which provides support directly to Houston Track and Field for needs beyond its operating budget.

STAY CONNECTED

Fans can receive updates on #HTownSpeedCity by following @UHCougarTF on X and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team’s Facebook page at UHCougarTF or on the team’s Instagram page at @uhcougartf.

 

– UHCougars.com –





Link

2
Continue Reading

Sports

Men’s Volleyball Fights Hard But Loses to UC Santa Barbara

Published

48 minutes ago

on

January 11, 2026

By


Santa Barbara, Calif. – Harvard Men’s Volleyball battled throughout the match but ultimately fell to host UC Santa Barbara on Saturday, January 10.

The Crimson opened the night with momentum, earning the first point of the match. A steady back-and-forth followed through the middle of the opening set before Harvard surged ahead. UC Santa Barbara gradually closed the gap, but the Crimson sealed the set on a service ace by Brian Thomas.

Harvard continued to press in the second set, but the Gauchos took control early and maintained their lead as the Crimson trailed for the remainder of the frame.

Sawyer Nichols paced Harvard offensively, recording nine kills on a .391 hitting percentage. Quinn Bishop followed closely with eight kills and a .348 kill percentage. Zach Berty and Owen Woolbert each contributed seven kills, with Woolbert posting an impressive .700 hitting percentage. Brian Thomas added three kills while hitting .600, and he and Bishop anchored the defense with timely blocks at the net.

 

Harvard Highlights 

The Crimson will return home for their home opener at the Malkin Athletic Center on Friday, January 16, and Saturday, January 17, hosting Manhattan University at 7:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., respectively.

 



Link

2
Continue Reading

Most Viewed Posts

Trending