Introducing the 2025 All-News-Herald Volleyball Second Team

FAITH BALLANTYNE | Grosse Ile: Arguably their best and most important player, Faith Ballantyne consistently delivered for a Grosse Ile team that played its best ball late in the season. The senior Ballantyne was named all-Huron League and all-region after averaging over four kills and digs per game, serving at a 91 percent success rate, and posting an above-average serve receive rating as well.

Hoboken, N.J. – Looking to defend their Middle Atlantic Conference Championship, the Stevens Institute of Technology men’s volleyball team was selected first in the MAC Preseason Coaches Poll, it was announced Friday.
 
The Ducks collected 62 points and six first-place votes, with Messiah earning 58 points and the remaining three first-place votes. Rounding out the top four were Misericordia (51 points) and Stevenson (40 points).
 
Arcadia was slotted fifth with 35 points, while Widener registered 29 points to place sixth. Rounding out the poll were Eastern (25 points), King’s (16 points), and Hood (8 points).
The Ducks, who won their fourth consecutive MAC Championship last season, open the 2026 campaign by hosting St. Joseph’s (Long Island) and Drew in a tri-match on January 16.
 
2026 MAC Men’s Volleyball Preseason Poll

GRAND FORKS — When it comes to athletics, geography isn’t always a benefit in attracting those outside the region to Grand Forks and UND.

For new UND volleyball coach David Nguyen, however, his move from New Jersey to North Dakota had a lot to do with location.

“Knowing that there’s a really big hub in recruiting, that as a coach, kind of just threw green flags right away,” said Nguyen, who made his first public comments in Grand Forks on Wednesday in the media room at Ralph Engelstad Arena. “The research I’ve done with my family — and family is a huge thing for me — it’s making sure my family is in a good situation. Everything I’ve researched about Grand Forks and the Midwest, it’s community is the first thing that comes up. That’s really important for me, and I’m excited to be part of that.”

As head coach, Nguyen brought Fairleigh Dickinson to the NCAA tournament in 2022 and won the Northeast Conference (NEC) regular-season championship in 2023.

Nguyen was named NEC coach of the year twice in four seasons at Fairleigh Dickinson. His teams went 9-5, 11-3, 11-3 and 12-4 in the NEC. Before his arrival, Fairleigh Dickinson went 3-11, 2-6, 3-13, 0-14, 1-13 and 1-13 in the NEC.

Nguyen wants to establish a base of recruiting within UND’s traditional footprint.

“We will be strategic with our recruiting process, starting with the regional players within our area,” Nguyen said. “My job is to make sure that we keep the North Dakota players that are quality players and quality for the culture. This whole recruiting process is going to be all over the place, but we do live in the hot bed of volleyball, so our focus will start with Minnesota, along with Wisconsin and Nebraska. There’s going to be a lot of really good volleyball around this area for us to recruit.”

Nguyen said UND’s campus can be a recruiting tool.

“The campus is beautiful,” he said. “I’ve done a lot of research, as well, so I’m able to see the campus while it’s green. I’m excited for the area, and I’m excited to explore a little bit more, as well.”

Nguyen will have a rebuilding project at UND. The Fighting Hawks have posted eight consecutive losing seasons as the program spiraled from a strong mid-major under Ashley Hardee (2009-13) and Mark Pryor (2014-18) to a floundering team in the Summit League.

UND, under previous head coach Jesse Tupac, went 7-20 and 4-12 in the Summit last season. It has not yet won a match at the Summit League tournament since joining the conference in 2018.

“We need to get this program back to where it used to be,” Nguyen said. “I think we can get there. The support and everything that the university has given us, it’s right there. It’s right there for the taking, and we’ve just got to make sure that we move it in the right direction.”

Nguyen said his successful teams at FDU were known for creativity.

“Position-less volleyball is kind of how I come at it,” Nguyen said. “I like players that come in and have the ability to play multiple positions and are able to adapt to different things. I think that’s what we’ve been successful at at my previous school, and I’m looking to do the same thing here at UND. I want to bring in players that are adaptable into different situations.”

UND athletic director Bill Chaves and UND President Andrew Armacost were in attendance for Nguyen’s initial press conference. Nguyen said when he received the call about landing the job, he couldn’t believe it.

“I can’t believe how far my family and I have come throughout this process,” Nguyen said. “I started at the very bottom of the things, being a volunteer assistant, being a manager. Now, it’s just like a big flagship school like UND is offering me a position … I’m just grateful.”

Former Hallsville standout Pyle signs with Sam Houston volleyball

Published 10:35 am Friday, January 2, 2026

Lauren Pyle, a three-year starter at Hallsville High School and two-year standout at Tyler Junior College, will continue her academic and athletic career at the 4-year level after signing a volleyball national letter of intent with Sam Houston State University recently.

“Sam Houston reached out to me, and that gave me a lot of confidence,” Pyle said of her decision to sign with the Conference USA school located in Huntsville.

“I went to visit, and just liked the environment,” she added. “It felt like family, and I really liked the program they are building there. The campus is awesome, and the program is just a good fit for me. I just felt strongly it was where I wanted to be for the next two years.”

Pyle spent the past two seasons at Tyler Junior College, recording 1,415 assists, 171 kills, 372 digs and 102 aces during that span.

She was the Region XIV Conference Setter of the Year and a first team all-region selection after the 2025 season, recording 995 assists, 122 kills, 50 aces and 285 digs during a season that saw the Apache Ladies finish 17-14 overall and 10-6 in conference play.

“Tyler was awesome,” Pyle said of her time at TJC. “I was able to grow and learn as a player, and was able to become more of a strategic player, a better player and a better all-around athlete.”

Prior to heading to TJC, Pyle was a standout at Hallsville High School – recording 2,975 assists, 1,052 digs, 464 kills, 261 aces and 101 blocks in her final three seasons with the Ladycats.

She played sparingly as a freshman, and then recorded 830 assists, 55 aces, 72 kills, 34 blocks and 246 digs as a sophomore. Pyle had 1,042 assists, 100 aces, 167 kills, 25 blocks and 382 digs as a junior for Hallsville, and capped her high school career by recording 1,103 assists, 106 aces, 225 kills, 42 blocks and 424 digs her senior season.

Pyle said she will be a setter – either in a 6-1 or 5-2 offense – at Sam Houston, and looks forward to taking the next step.

“I plan to go in and fight for my spot,” she said. “They have another setter coming out of high school, but they want my experience that comes with having two years (of college) under my belt. They know how competitive our conference is, and they want my leadership and experience.”

Tyler competed in the Region XIV Conference along with Trinity Valley, Blinn, Panola, Navarro, Lee, Wharton and Coastal Bend.

Sam Houston is a member of Conference USA with UTEP, Western Kentucky, Kennesaw State, Florida International, Liberty, Jacksonville State, New Mexico State, Missouri State, Delaware, Middle Tennessee and Louisiana Tech

Trevor Clevenot has been part of the French men’s national team for more than a decade, during a period that has delivered the greatest results in the programme’s history. Across that time, he has built a reputation based on consistency and reliability rather than visibility.

Even after winning Olympic gold medals in Tokyo and Paris, Clevenot does not speak about success as something that lasts by itself. For him, high-level volleyball remains subject to constant change, a reality he acknowledges when reflecting on the past year with the national team.

Trevor Clevenot shares a moment on court with setter Antoine Brizard and superstar outside hitter Earvin Ngapeth during France’s gold medal run at Paris 2024.

“I think 2025 was a difficult year for our national team. We didn’t manage to reach our objectives,” he said. “Yesterday’s truth is not today’s truth in high-level sport, and especially in volleyball. We will have to go back to work and improve if we want to perform in 2026.”

Clevenot has been a regular presence in the French lineup throughout the most successful era in the team’s history. While others have often taken attacking responsibility, his role has focused on defence, stability and decision-making, particularly in tight moments.

At club level, he is now based in Ankara with Ziraat Bankasi, where he plays alongside stars Nimir Abdel-Aziz of the Netherlands and Poland’s Tomasz Fornal, players he has faced frequently at international level. The shift from opponents to teammates has been straightforward, forged by familiarity and the daily demands of training.

“I was lucky enough to play with them in my previous clubs. They are great players, but above all great people,” he said. “Training every day with top-level players is very inspiring and pushes you to keep improving.”

Life in Turkey has required adjustment after spells in France, Italy and Poland, but Clevenot says he has settled quickly. Living in a different environment has influenced not only his professional routine but also his life away from the court.

“Ankara is a big city, and for me the balance between volleyball and life outside the court is very important,” he said. “I’ve found a very good balance here. You have to adapt to the culture, but that’s also a real source of personal growth.”

Trevor Clevenot stays locked in during Volleyball Nations League action, focused on his role and the details that hold France together.

Looking ahead to 2026, Clevenot does not frame the season around personal targets. With commitments at both club and international level, his approach remains unchanged and focused on consistency rather than outcome.

“2026 will be another very demanding year, both for the club and the national team,” he said. “I don’t set myself specific objectives, but I always try to give the best of myself. The results will be a consequence of our preparation and the level of commitment we put in throughout the season.”

Trevor Clevenot during Volleyball Nations League 2025 action.

Success does not come with a finish line for Trevor Clevenot, only the reality that each season starts again on equal terms.

MOVING ON: Former Hallsville standout Pyle signs with Sam Houston volleyball

Published 8:33 am Friday, January 2, 2026

Lauren Pyle, a three-year starter at Hallsville High School and two-year standout at Tyler Junior College, will continue her academic and athletic career at the 4-year level after signing a volleyball national letter of intent with Sam Houston State University recently.

“Sam Houston reached out to me, and that gave me a lot of confidence,” Pyle said of her decision to sign with the Conference USA school located in Huntsville.

“I went to visit, and just liked the environment,” she added. “It felt like family, and I really liked the program they are building there. The campus is awesome, and the program is just a good fit for me. I just felt strongly it was where I wanted to be for the next two years.”

Pyle spent the past two seasons at Tyler Junior College, recording 1,415 assists, 171 kills, 372 digs and 102 aces during that span.

She was the Region XIV Conference Setter of the Year and a first team all-region selection after the 2025 season, recording 995 assists, 122 kills, 50 aces and 285 digs during a season that saw the Apache Ladies finish 17-14 overall and 10-6 in conference play.

“Tyler was awesome,” Pyle said of her time at TJC. “I was able to grow and learn as a player, and was able to become more of a strategic player, a better player and a better all-around athlete.”

Prior to heading to TJC, Pyle was a standout at Hallsville High School – recording 2,975 assists, 1,052 digs, 464 kills, 261 aces and 101 blocks in her final three seasons with the Ladycats.

She played sparingly as a freshman, and then recorded 830 assists, 55 aces, 72 kills, 34 blocks and 246 digs as a sophomore. Pyle had 1,042 assists, 100 aces, 167 kills, 25 blocks and 382 digs as a junior for Hallsville, and capped her high school career by recording 1,103 assists, 106 aces, 225 kills, 42 blocks and 424 digs her senior season.

Pyle said she will be a setter – either in a 6-1 or 5-2 offense – at Sam Houston, and looks forward to taking the next step.

“I plan to go in and fight for my spot,” she said. “They have another setter coming out of high school, but they want my experience that comes with having two years (of college) under my belt. They know how competitive our conference is, and they want my leadership and experience.”

Tyler competed in the Region XIV Conference along with Trinity Valley, Blinn, Panola, Navarro, Lee, Wharton and Coastal Bend.

Sam Houston is a member of Conference USA with UTEP, Western Kentucky, Kennesaw State, Florida International, Liberty, Jacksonville State, New Mexico State, Missouri State, Delaware, Middle Tennessee and Louisiana Tech