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Three on Women's Tennis Earn SWAC Second Team Post Season Honors

Ntokozo Zungu, Valentine AbideTalaki and Sofia Sotelo Raya were all named to the 2025 Southwestern Athletic Conference women’s tennis Second Team, the conference office announced Thursday evening. At first singles, Zungu has dropped just one conference match, but picked up crucial wins over Alabama State and Jackson State. The senior led her courts in all […]

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Three on Women's Tennis Earn SWAC Second Team Post Season Honors

Ntokozo Zungu, Valentine AbideTalaki and Sofia Sotelo Raya were all named to the 2025 Southwestern Athletic Conference women’s tennis Second Team, the conference office announced Thursday evening.

At first singles, Zungu has dropped just one conference match, but picked up crucial wins over Alabama State and Jackson State. The senior led her courts in all unfinished conference battles and recorded three bagels (6-0) and one bread stick (6-1) during league play. She also tallied five conference doubles wins alongside freshman Naomi Blanks.

Abide Talaki added four singles wins this during conference play, earning consecutive victories over Florida A&M, Prairie View, Alcorn State, Southern and Bethune-Cookman. The sophomore recorded three bagels and three bread sticks during the conference swing.

At fifth singles, Sofia Sotelo Raya has gone undefeated during conference play, picking up wins over Mississippi Valley, Southern, Grambling, PVAMU, B-CU and Jackson State, and held the lead in the pair of matches that went unfinished. Sotelo Raya has recorded four bagels and three bread sticks during the conference slate. Sotelo Raya, with partner Garbielle Henderson, added seven doubles win to their tally during the conference swing.

First and Second Team Awards  

Player of the Year 
Sara Rakim, Florida A&M 
 
Freshman of the Year 
Kesmat El Tawil, Alabama State 
 
Singles Position One 
First Team: Sara Rakim, Florida A&M 
Second Team: Ntokozo Zungu, Alabama A&M 
 
Singles Position Two 
First Team: Zeina Shaaban, Jackson State 
Second Team: Melisa Mekic, Alabama State 
 
Singles Position Three 
First Team: Carmelle Vial, Alabama State  
Second Team: Valentine Talaki, Alabama A&M 
 
Singles Position Four 
First Team: Reagan Harris, Florida A&M 
Second Team: Cleanne Pickel, Alabama State 
 
Singles Position Five 
First Team: Kesmat El Tawil, Alabama State 
Second Team: Sofia Sotelo Raya, Alabama A&M 
 
Singles Position Six 
First Team: Chiara Desia, Jackson State 
Second Team: Susan Salinas, Florida A&M

UP NEXT
The Bulldogs compete in the 2025 SWAC Women’s Tennis Tournament on Friday, April 18th at 9 a.m. AAMU will take on Prairie View A&M at City Park Tennis Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.

For complete coverage of Alabama A&M Athletics, check out the official homepage at www.aamusports.com. Remember to follow us on social media: Instagram: (@aamuathletics), Facebook (aamubulldogathletics), Twitter (@_aamuathletics) and TikTok (aamuathletics). 

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AU’s Avery Jaynes completes historic career at NCAA D-II National Championships

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The most decorated athlete to ever run on Augusta University’s Track and Field team has completed a career to remember. After breaking his own school record in the 10,000-meter race back in March, Avery Jaynes grabbed a pair of top-15 finishes in the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships, […]

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AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The most decorated athlete to ever run on Augusta University’s Track and Field team has completed a career to remember.

After breaking his own school record in the 10,000-meter race back in March, Avery Jaynes grabbed a pair of top-15 finishes in the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships, hosted in Pueblo, Colorado.

In Colorado, Jaynes finished fifth overall in the 10,000-meter race and thirteenth overall in the 5,000-meter race, which would be his final race as a Jaguar.

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Jaynes’s performance earned him All-American honors, and he became the first AU Track and Field athlete to podium at the NCAA outdoor national meet.

On top of a historic performance at nationals, Jaynes also took home the 2025 Peach Belt Conference Outstanding Track Athlete award and graduated with two AU Male Athlete of the Year awards.

According to AU, before his graduation earlier this month, Jaynes was honored in a private graduation ceremony on campus earlier this month, hosted by Augusta University President Russell T. Keen, EdD, in recognition of his academic achievement while competing at the NCAA Championships.

Jaynes graduates and leaves AU as the most accomplished distance runner in school history.



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Springfield area top Class 1-3 performances

Jackson Cantwell Commitment: Miami Hurricanes football lands top recruit Nixa High School’s Jackson Cantwell picked Miami (Florida) as his college destination during a ceremony on Tuesday afternoon in Nixa. A handful of individuals put on impressive performances throughout the weekend. Here are the most notable athletes from the area. The Southwest Missouri region performed well […]

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A handful of individuals put on impressive performances throughout the weekend. Here are the most notable athletes from the area.

The Southwest Missouri region performed well at this week’s state track and field championships in Jefferson City, which included the Dora boys claiming a state championship.

Dora boys’ track and field team

The Dora boys’ track and field team won the Class 1 championship, beating McAuley Catholic by two points. The Falcons’ win in the 400-meter relay late in Saturday’s competition sealed the deal, behind the team of Joshua Nold, Brayden Decker, Daniel Tomlinson and Cade Nold.

Cade Nold, Dora

Speaking of Cade Nold, he also won a pair of individual events, the 400-meter and 800-meter runs, which included a new Class 1 record in the 800-meter, running it in 1 minute, 53.81 seconds.

He’s the three-time defending champion in the 400 and 800 as he ends his decorated career.

Sinry Mendoza, Hollister

Mendoza won a pair of individual titles over the weekend. He won the 1600- and 3200-meter championships. He also finished second in the 800-meter run, just 0.37 seconds behind the winner.

On Friday, he ran the mile in 4 minutes, 13.42 seconds. The next day, he ran the two-mile in 9 minutes, 14.5 seconds.

El Dorado Springs girls’ relay teams

The El Dorado Springs girls’ relay teams had themselves a weekend. They won the Class 3 400-meter relay with Lainey Dody, Braylie Steward, Neely Schaaf and McKinli Mays claiming the championship. They won at 4 minutes, 3.52 seconds.

The same group finished third in the 800-meter relay, while Schaaf and Mays contributed to Friday’s 200-meter victory.

Ava Lane, Strafford

Strafford’s standout freshman won the 400-meter dash by two-hundredths of a second, finishing with a time of 57.87 seconds. She also finished third in the 100-meter.

Brandon Garner-Sims, Stockton

Garner-Sims was one of the best linemen in the area this season for the Tigers’ football team. He claimed his second-straight state championship in the Class 2 shot put, with a throw of 16.88 meters (55 feet, 4.75 inches).

Brady Ripp, Strafford

Strafford’s multi-sport standout emerged as a state champion this weekend by winning the Class 3 high jump title with a leap of 2.01 meters to come out on top.

Brooke Daniels, Fair Grove

Fair Grove’s all-everything athlete finished second in the Class 3 300-meter hurdles final, running it in 45.16 seconds. She also participated in numerous relay races throughout the weekend.

Keller Bradshaw, Norwood

Bradshaw won the Class 1 high jump title, reaching 6 feet, 5 inches to emerge with the championship.



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Schaumburg graduate Arokoyo soars to the top of NAIA discus

St. Xavier University senior Ayobami Arokoyo, a Schaumburg High School graduate, celebrates with Cougars throws coach Anthony Kowalczyk after winning the NAIA men’s discus title May 22 in Marion, Ind. Courtesy of the NAIA St. Xavier University senior Ayobami “Ayo” Arokoyo (Schaumburg High School) won the discus championship at the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field […]

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St. Xavier University senior Ayobami Arokoyo, a Schaumburg High School graduate, celebrates with Cougars throws coach Anthony Kowalczyk after winning the NAIA men’s discus title May 22 in Marion, Ind.
Courtesy of the NAIA

St. Xavier University senior Ayobami “Ayo” Arokoyo (Schaumburg High School) won the discus championship at the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships last week in Marion, Ind.

A three-time NAIA All-American, Arokoyo’s second attempt of 54.37 meters (178 feet, 5 inches) made him the first individual from the men’s team at the Chicago school and the second overall to win a national title. Arokoyo finished fourth in discus in 2023, sixth in 2022.

On May 4 in Joliet, Arokoyo earned his third straight Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Most Outstanding Field Performer honor after winning both shot put and discus. According to St. Xavier records, Arokoyo owns the 26 farthest discus marks in program history, and 15 of the Cougars’ best 16 outdoor marks in shot put, eight of the top nine indoors.

Ayobami Arokoyo, a three-time NAIA All-American, owns the 26 farthest discus marks in St. Xavier University history.
Courtesy of the NAIA

Finishing strong

At the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championship in Geneva, Ohio, Aurora University senior Deedee Colon Maldonado (East Aurora) moved from 10th place at one point up to third in the 10,000-meter run. On Saturday, she placed ninth in the 5,000. The Spartans’ 2023-24 Female Athlete of the Year and a 10-time Division III All-American spanning outdoor and indoor track and cross country, Maldonado owns nine Aurora University records and seven Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference records.

Baseball and softball

Taking two of three baseball games from Wisconsin-Oshkosh in last weekend’s super-regional, Wisconsin-Whitewater (44-6) advanced to the NCAA Division III World Series starting Friday in Eastlake, Ohio. Warhawks starters include junior pitcher Logan Eisenbarth (Barrington), sophomore catcher Aaron Holland (Wheaton North), junior third baseman Danny Hopper (Palatine), and senior outfielders Sam Paden (Libertyville) and Matt Scolan (Downers Grove South). More on the Warhawks next week.

Michigan senior pitcher Lauren Derkowski (York) was named Most Outstanding Player at the Big Ten Conference softball tournament. Earning the award a second straight season, Derkowski pitched 5 shutout innings in a 2-0 title-game win over UCLA and finished the tournament with a 3-0 record and 1.11 ERA. Her 653 strikeouts rank ninth all-time at Michigan.

Lawrence University junior third basemen Zoe Doherty (Huntley), who led the league in OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) and was in the top-10 in nine other categories, earned all-Midwest Conference softball honors. Lawrence junior second baseman Janessa Gonzalez (Conant) joined her on the all-conference team, her second league honor. Illinois College junior first baseman Kendall Cole (Downers Grove North) and Grinnell College freshman outfielder Kayla O’Malley (Buffalo Grove) also made the all-Midwest team.

Lewis University senior second baseman Mikey Kocen (Warren) earned the Great Lakes Valley Conference player of the year award, and then was named Division II Midwest Region player of the year by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and the Division II Conference Commissioners’ Association. Kocen hit .407 with 16 doubles, 19 home runs, 63 RBI and 61 runs scored, plus an OPS of 1.319 and an .825 slugging percentage.

For a second-straight year in the College Conference of Illinois-Wisconsin, Illinois Wesleyan junior pitcher Gianna Certa (Grayslake North) was a first-team selection. She helped the Titans (37-9) become the first team to go 16-0 in league play; they advanced to a Division III super-regional for the first time since 2019. The right-hander went 19-3 with a 2.26 ERA and 10 complete games in 124 innings. Titans outfielders included freshmen Grace Wilkens and Julia Wilkens (Bartlett), the twin daughters of Glenbard North football coach Ryan Wilkens.

Other CCIW first-teamers included North Central College graduate students Ronnie Latka (Kaneland), an outfielder, and Talia Torosian (Schaumburg), a utility player mainly at third base and shortstop.



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CCIW Piles Up All-America Nods at NCAA Women’s Outdoors

Story Links GENEVA, Ohio – The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) saw 18 individuals and a relay earn All-America First Team status at the NCAA Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Championship on Thursday through Saturday in Geneva, Ohio.   Two from the league won national titles – Augustana’s Charlotte […]

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GENEVA, Ohio – The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) saw 18 individuals and a relay earn All-America First Team status at the NCAA Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Championship on Thursday through Saturday in Geneva, Ohio.
 
Two from the league won national titles – Augustana’s Charlotte Frere in the discus and Illinois Wesleyan’s Imani Ogunribido in the triple jump. Frere’s title was her second in a row.
 
On the strength of five First Team All-America performances, Augustana placed fifth nationally as a team with 31 points, its highest finish in program history. Elmhurst was ninth with 22 points.
  
CCIW in the Final Team Standings
5. Augustana, 31 points
9. Elmhurst, 22 points
T14. Illinois Wesleyan, 17 points
T27. Carroll, 10 points
T38. North Central, 7 points
T41. Carthage, 6 points
T73. Millikin, 1 point

CCIW Women’s First Team All-Americans

Augustana


Charlotte Frere, Discus (1st, 48.35m)

McKenzie Reser, 400 Meter Dash (2nd, 54.07)

Lina Maatouk, 800 Meter Run (4th, 2:08.52)

Heather Michalski, Javelin (5th, 41.30m)

McKenzie Reser, 200 Meter Dash (5th, 24.06)

 

Carroll

Maria Falk, Shot Put (3rd, 14.63m)

Vanessa Uitenbroek, Discus (5th, 43.66m)

 

Carthage

Alexis Mattox, Hammer Throw (5th, 55.53m)

Abigail Calhoun, Triple Jump (7th, 12.23m)

 

Elmhurst

4×100 Meter Relay — Tiana Grady, Lauren Marshall, Hannah Schwarz, Alyssa Busker (2nd, 45.41)

Alyssa Busker, 100 Meter Dash (3rd, 11.64)

Alyssa Busker, 200 Meter Dash (3rd, 23.96)

Paulina Tinajero, Long Jump (7th, 5.77m)

 

Illinois Wesleyan

Imani Ogunribido, Triple Jump (1st, 12.96m)

Lauren Huber, Heptathlon (4th, 4,918 points)

Adriana Crabtree, 3000 Meter Steeplechase (7th, 10:36.43)

 

Millikin

De’Andranay Chism, 200 Meter Dash (8th, 24.23)

 

North Central

Faith Ladin, Javelin (3rd, 41.58m)

Faith Ladin, Heptathlon (8th, 4,861 points)

 

CCIW Women’s Second Team All-Americans

Augustana


Laina Nelson, Javeline (9th, 39.91m)

Emma Odle, 3000 Meter Steeplechase (11th, 11:02.27)

 

Carthage

Nicole Tarpley, Discus (12th, 40.60m)

Mikayla Wright, Shot Put (14th, 13.42m)

Madison Payne, Shot Put (15th, 13.41m)

 

Elmhurst

Chloe Selmer, Long Jump (9th, 5.74m)

 

North Park

Thea Ring, Heptathlon (11th, 4,800 points)

 

Follow the CCIW
CCIW on X | CCIW Instagram | CCIW Facebook |
 
The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) was founded in 1946 and currently services nine member institutions including Augustana College (Rock Island, Ill.), Carroll University (Waukesha, Wis.), Carthage College (Kenosha, Wis.), Elmhurst University (Elmhurst, Ill.), Illinois Wesleyan University (Bloomington, Ill.), Millikin University (Decatur, Ill.), North Central College (Naperville, Ill.), North Park University (Chicago, Ill.) and Wheaton College (Wheaton, Ill.).





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BC’s Heckstall earns All-America honors in 100

Open Audio Article Player From staff reports Barton’s Aniya Heckstall earned All-America honors by placing seventh in the women’s 100-meter dash Saturday, May 24, at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Pueblo, Colo. Barton College PUEBLO, Colo. — Aniya Heckstall blazed into Barton College track and field history as its first […]

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Barton’s Aniya Heckstall earned All-America honors by placing seventh in the women’s 100-meter dash Saturday, May 24, at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Pueblo, Colo. Barton College

PUEBLO, Colo. — Aniya Heckstall blazed into Barton College track and field history as its first female All-American on Saturday afternoon, May 24, at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

The junior sprinter finished seventh in the 100-meter dash at CSU Pueblo’s ThunderBowl, tying her own school record of 11.41 seconds. The performance made her Barton’s first female All-American in outdoor track and field and first overall since long jumper Larry Russell in 2018. Russell, now a Barton assistant coach, was also the last Bulldog to compete in the national championship meet.

She ran the same time in Thursday’s prelim race, finishing ninth to grab the last spot for finals by a hundredth of a second ahead of Shantae George of Lincoln (Missouri).

Lenoir-Rhyne’s Alexis Brown, who was the top seed with an 11.06 prelim time, set a Div. II record in the finals with a 10.93 time.

Barton’s Aniya Heckstall displays her All-America plaque after finishing seventh in the women’s 100-meter dash Saturday, May 24, at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Pueblo, Colo. Barton College

The Scotland Neck and Southeast Halifax High product earned a spot in the NCAA championships after setting the program record in the 100 of 11.49 seconds this season. Heckstall then earned the top women’s track athlete honor at the Conference Carolinas Outdoor Championships in April after winning the 200 dash and taking second in the 100 and 400.





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Valwood student-athletes win big at Jax Beach volleyball tournament

Valwood student-athletes win big at Jax Beach volleyball tournament Published 6:38 pm Sunday, May 25, 2025 Valwood School Caroline Copelan, Beckham Gallahan and Nola Hughes at the Jax Beach volleyball tournament. HAHIRA – Valwood School student-athletes made waves at the First Coast Volleyball Jax Beach Series earlier in May, clinching championship titles and earning an […]

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Valwood student-athletes win big at Jax Beach volleyball tournament

Published 6:38 pm Sunday, May 25, 2025

HAHIRA – Valwood School student-athletes made waves at the First Coast Volleyball Jax Beach Series earlier in May, clinching championship titles and earning an opportunity at the upcoming 2025 USA Volleyball Beach National Championships.

On Sunday, May 11, junior athletes competed in the junior division of the beach volleyball tournament held in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. In the Girls 14U division, Valwood 8th graders Caroline Copeland and Nola Hughes emerged victorious, showcasing strong teamwork and skill throughout the day to lock in first place.

Beckham Gallahan, a current 4th grader at Valwood School, and Landry Melvin, a 6th grade student at Hahira Middle School, dominated the Girls 12U division to secure first place.

Both teams’ first-place finishes earned them coveted bids to the 2025 USA Volleyball Beach National Championships in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where they will compete against top talent from across the country later this summer.



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