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Three Pine Bush athletes/coach inducted into Section IX Track and Field Hall of Fame

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Three Pine Bush High School graduates were inducted into the Section IX Track and Field Hall of Fame this fall – Al Schmidt, Adam Mires and Amber Passalaqua Sherlock.

Adam Mires is a 1998 graduate of Pine Bush. Adam was a driving force in Pine Bush winning the 1998 OCIAA championship. He won the 800 meters, 1600 meters, 3200 meters and was a member of the winning 4 x 800 relay. He was a four-time New York State champion in the 800m, 1000m, and 1600m. Adam’s 4:16 in the 1600 meters is still the Pine Bush High School record. Nationally he competed in the 800m and one mile races. He went on to compete for Rutgers University where he again was successful on the track, being a two-time Metropolitan Intercollegiate Track and Field Association champion and a three-time Big East Conference medalist.

 

Two high school boys running track.

 

Amber Passalaqua, a 2010 PBHS graduate, exemplified an all-around athlete. Her strength made her one of the best pentathletes in the nation. She was the 2009 and 2010 New York State champion in the pentathlon, and still holds the Section IX record. She was also a team player, being a part of the 2008 New York State championship 4 x 400 meter relay team that competed in the prestigious Penn Relays in Philadelphia and the Millrose Games held in New York City where they placed third. She also competed in the high jump and hurdles, as well as on the competitive cheerleading team. As a senior, she placed second in the nation at the NSIC Indoor Track and Field championships at The Armory in New York City and won the 2010 Outdoor Track and Field AAU Junior Olympics. She went to Syracuse University on a full scholarship to compete as a heptathlete, where she took fourth in the Big East Championship and won the hept at the Cortland Classic. After her freshman year, she transferred to the University of Arizona to compete in the PAC 12 Conference and complete her education and her competitive years. Among the highlights there, Amber took third place in the PAC 12 championship in the heptathlon in 2014 and qualified for the NCAA D1 championships in long jump. She found great success both on the track and off at both schools.

 

A young woman jumps hurdles.

 

Al Schmidt is a 1977 graduate of Pine Bush High School and a legendary track and field/cross country coach, serving the district for 40 years, from 1982 to 2022. Al Schmidt started his career in track and field as a runner on the modified team in 1971. In high school, he started running cross country under the great Coach Dan Brown where he found his passion for the sport. In the fall of 1976, they won the UCAL championships and Al represented Section IX at the state meet. In the spring of 1976 and 1977, they again won the UCAL championship in track and field. He was the county champion in 1977 in the two-mile run, and also held the school record in the one mile. 

A black and white photo of a young man form the 1970s. He is smiling.

He continued to run at Mohawk Valley Community College where he earned all-regional in cross country and track. He volunteered to coach both cross country and track and field at MVCC.

He came back to Pine Bush High School to coach in the spring of 1982 and never stopped until 2022. His time here is unsurpassed. During his coaching tenure here at Pine Bush he had two individual state and federation champions, as well as two relays that were state and federation champions.

“I have been blessed to coach many talented athletes who were able to excel and qualify Pine Bush High School for many championship meets such as Division I championships, multiple state meets, Penn Relays and Millrose games, along with multiple team awards over the years,” said Coach Schmidt. “I have watched the athletes grow and many went on to continue running in college and have gone on to become teachers, coaches, doctors, lawyers and sportswriters. I have been very thankful to have mentored so many individuals and many still keep in touch today.”

 

Four adults stand arm in arm and smile. Next to them is a sign that says 2025 Hall of Fame dinner Section 9 Track and Field
Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Rob Lawrence, Anthony DiMarco and Robin Renahan, stand with the legendary Pine Bush track athlete and coach Al Schmidt.

 

Current Pine Bush coaches Rob Lawrence, Anthony DiMarco and Robin Renahan attended the hall of fame dinner to honor the Pine Bush recipients.

“I have had the pleasure of being coached by and coached alongside Al Schmidt – Mr. Pine Bush Track & Field/ Cross Country, in my opinion,” said Coach Lawrence. “(He is) the best coach ever at Pine Bush. I was also a teammate of Adam Mires and recruited and coached Amber Passalaqua with Gerald Risco.”

Congratulations to Coach Schmidt, Adam Mires and Amber Passalaqua. You certainly make us Pine Bush Proud!



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LLH Healthcare buys naming rights to UH indoor track facility

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The University of Houston’s indoor track facility will be known as LLH Healthcare Indoor Track as part of a multi-year naming rights partnership announced Thursday.

In a joint statement, Live Life Healthy (LLH) Healthcare and UH said the partnership “strengthens UH’s commitment to providing student-athletes with world-class resources while highlighting LLH Healthcare’s dedication to advancing health, wellness and innovation across the Greater Houston area.”

The naming rights deal with UH’s nationally recognized track and field program joins TDECU Stadium and the Memorial Hermann Football Operations Center as university athletic facilities to enter a corporate sponsorship. Other facility names, among them Fertitta Center and Schroeder Park, are named after individuals or families.

“We wanted to do something different and outside the box with this partnership with LLH Healthcare,” UH vice president for athletics Eddie Nuñez said. “We believe this collaborative partnership between Houston Athletics and LLH raises the bar for health and wellness in our community and in our athletics department. This partnership also bolsters our historic track and field program and continues to improve the facilities needed for our track and field athletes to compete at their best. LLH is another great example of a valued partner who sees the whole picture plan and supports Houston Athletics in every facet from NIL to facilities.”

Installed in 2019, LLH Healthcare Indoor Track hosts thousands of athletes yearly for professional, collegiate, high school, youth and all-comers meets. The track includes a six-lane, 200-meter banked oval and an eight-lane straightaway for 60-meter hurdles and sprints. The installation also includes two horizontal jump runways with sand pits and two pole vault runways, boxes and pits.

“I’m so excited about the partnership with Live Life Healthy,” UH track and field coach Carl Lewis said. “It’s such an important message to people of all ages, and the support that we’re getting from the community is incredible. This partnership is going to benefit the entire City of Houston, not just the University of Houston.”

 As part of the deal, UH athletes will collaborate with LLH Healthcare in a name, image and likeness (NIL) program to promote a “Live Life Healthy” initiative.

“Partnering with the University of Houston reflects exactly who we are: committed to elevating health, performance, and opportunity for the communities we serve,” said Zachary Rogers, CEO of LLH Healthcare. “Under the legendary leadership of Coach Carl Lewis, UH has built a culture defined by speed, discipline, and excellence.”



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Kentucky volleyball score today vs Cal Poly, UK vs Creighton game time

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Updated Dec. 11, 2025, 5:28 p.m. ET



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Huskers Host Holiday Open to Begin 2026 Season – University of Nebraska

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Nebraska track and field will open their indoor season by hosting the Husker Holiday Open on Friday, December 12 at the Bob Devaney Sports Center Indoor Track. Events are set to begin at 10 a.m. (CT).

Husker Holiday Open Meet Information

Host: Nebraska
Date: December 12
Venue: Bob Devaney Sports Center Indoor Track
Start Times: 10 a.m. (CT)

Live Video
Live Results

2025 Season Preview
The Husker Holiday Open is the first chance to watch the Nebraska track and field team return to competition after a strong 2025 season. Head Coach Justin St. Clair led the Husker women to a sixth-place finish at the Big Ten Indoor Championships while helping the men to a 12th-place finish at the NCAA Indoor Championships. 

On the men’s side at last year’s NCAA Indoor Championships, the Huskers earned three indoor USTFCCCA First-Team All-America honors and six total. The Husker men finished fifth at Big Ten Indoor Championships, highlighted by two conference champions: Tyus Wilson (high jump) and Adria Navajon (Heptathlon). The NU women placed 20th with 11 points at the NCAA Indoor Championships, producing two First-Team All-Americans as well as six total All-Americans. 

Nebraska continued the success during the outdoor season with the women claiming fourth at the Big Ten championships and the men earning fifth. The women, powered by top-eight finishes from Maddie Harris and Jenna Rogers in their respective events, tied for 26th at the NCAA Championships. The men tied for 35th in the team standings, led by Keyshawn Strachan and Arthur Petersen finishing fifth and seventh, respectively and Tyus Wilson securing sixth. The men and women combined for 13 All-America honors throughout the outdoor season. 

Nebraska’s Returning All-Americans and Big Ten Champions
A four-time First-Team All-American and 2024 Olympian, Till Steinforth placed fourth in the long jump at the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Championships. The school record-holder in both the decathlon and heptathlon, Steinforth set the Drake Relays decathlon record, scoring 8,265 points. 

The senior from St. Thomas, Jamaica, Rhianna Phipps is a five-time USTFCCCA All-American, earning second-team honors in the triple jump at the NCAA Indoor Championships with a personal-best mark of 12.98m (42-7). Phipps is also a four-time placer at the Big Ten Championships, most recently earning bronze in the indoor triple jump.  

Two-time NCAA Champion, 2024 Olympian and six-time All-American, Axelina Johansson owns the shot put school record. The senior from Hok, Sweden, won her second gold at the Big Ten Indoor Championships, throwing 19.31m (63-4 ¼) improving on her school record and the Swedish record. Johansson is redshirting the 2025 indoor season. 

A 2024 Paris Olympian, Mine De Klerk earned Second-Team All-American honors at the NCAA Indoor Championships (17.15m, 56-3 ¼) placing 10th. De Klerk grabbed a fifth-place finish in shot put at Big Ten Indoor Championships, throwing 17.46m (57-3 ½). She improved upon her No. 3 mark in school history after recording a career best 17.87m (58-7 ½) at the Nebraska Tune-Up. 

Junior, Berlyn Schutz, finished 24th in the 1500m (4:16.15) at the outdoor NCAA Championships to claim an honorable mention award. The Lincoln native competed at both the indoor and outdoor track and field Big Ten Championships. Schutz currently holds the 1500m school record (4:11.01) and the 3000m record (9:14.22).

Returning sophomore from Kansas City, Mo, Desire Tonye-Nyemeck claimed his first career All-America award after finishing 11th and clearing 2.15m (7-0 ½) at outdoor NCAA Championships. Clearing 2.17m (7-1 ½ ) set a new personal best and helped him to claim ninth at the NCAA West Prelims. As a freshman, he moved on to compete in the Big Ten Championships where he cleared 2.06m (6-9). 

Reigning Big Ten silver medalist Dyson Wicker holds the second highest pole vault in school history (5.55m, 18-2 ½). The sophomore from Heath, Texas earned Second-Team All-American honors at NCAA Indoor Championships, as the highest freshman finisher in 11th. Wicker finished seventh at Big Ten Outdoor Championships clearing 5.29m (17-4 ¼).

Finishing 10th at his first NCAA Indoor Championships, Mason Kooi claimed his first All-America honors with a jump of 2.16m (7-1). The junior placed ninth in the high jump competition at Big Ten Outdoor Championships with a mark of 2.06 (6-9). At the Big Ten Indoor Championships, Kooi posted a jump of 2.16 (7-1) to take home sixth place.



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Colosimo and Saelua Earn AVCA Honorable Mention All-America Accolades

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Springfield, Mass. – December 11, 2025 – The Springfield College women’s volleyball program had two student-athletes named to the 2025 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III Women’s Volleyball All-America Teams following another outstanding season on Alden Street.

Leading the way for the Pride were junior setter Tori Colosimo (Fairport, N.Y.) and junior middle blocker Jodi Saelua (Mililani, Hawaii), who were both named AVCA All-America Honorable Mention selections. This is the second All-America honor for Colosimo, who also garnered the award in 2023, while this is the first career selection for Saelua.

Under the direction of head coach Moira Long Springfield went 23-8 this season and once again earned an at-large berth to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament. This marked the third straight season, Springfield was represented in the national tournament among the 64 best teams in the country.

Colosimo started in all 31 matches as a junior and recorded 927 total assists (8.83 per set) to go along with 81 kills, 57 aces, 41 blocks and 249 digs. She was named the Most Valuable Player and to the All-Tournament Team at the season opening Joel B. Dearing ’79 Volleyball Classic after recording over 100 assists, 13 kills, nine digs, and six blocks over three matches and became the ninth student-athlete in Springfield women’s volleyball history to eclipse 2,000 career assists. Colosimo was also recognized with New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) All-League Second Team honors and a spot on the AVCA All-Region I Team.

Saelua had a breakout junior season, making a name for herself as one of the best middle blockers in the league and the region. Saelua started in all 31 matches this fall and totaled 237 kills and a hitting percentage of .361 to go along with 104 total blocks. She ranked 20th in Division III in hitting percentage and in the top-60 nationally in blocks per set. Earlier this season, Saelua was also recognized with New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) All-League Second Team honors and a spot on the AVCA All-Region I Team.

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For the latest on Springfield College Athletics, follow the Pride on social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Be sure to tune into all Springfield College Athletic events





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Track and Field teams prepare as indoor season begins | Sports

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With the indoor season underway, the SIUE men’s and women’s track and field program is heading into competition with excitement and ambition. 

One of the newer faces on the roster, graduate student Norman Mukwada, joined SIUE after competing at Florida A&M University. Mukwada is a sprinter who mainly competes in the 200- and 400-meter sprints. Mukwada said his transition into the team has been good, in part due to the hospitality.

“It’s a different environment and new people, but we work together, and I really love my teammates,” Mukwada said. “We support each other so we can achieve what we want to achieve. It’s about togetherness.”

Freshman Olivia Hansen is an international addition to the team. Competing in hurdles and sprints, Hansen will take on her first Division I season after previously competing through private club programs in Sweden. 

“Here, I finally have a team to compete for,” Hansen said. “That gives me a higher purpose, and I want to do everything to benefit the team.”

Hansen said that, for her first season, she has set big goals for herself. She hopes to break 58 seconds in the 400 and reach the mid-8-second range in the 60-meter hurdles.

“I do track because I enjoy it,” Hansen said. “My results don’t define me as a person. If I work hard, I’ll get good results, but I want to find joy in what I’m doing.”

Returning Cougars like senior Konrad Sacha are reacclimating themselves to the indoor season. Sacha said indoor is more technical due to the tighter turns and shared lane racing in events like the 400-meter sprint. 

Last season, Sacha ran several events, including the 60-, 200- and 400-meter sprints, as well as the 4×400 meter relay. Sacha’s 400-meter time at the Ohio Valley Conference Indoor Championships was 49.2 seconds. 

Sophomore sprinter Darrelle Rice has been focusing on both her mental and physical health leading into this season. Rice is coming off a strong indoor season with personal bests of 8.13 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles and 26.4 seconds in the 200-meter sprint.

“I’ve dealt with injury, but I refuse to let it define me,” Rice said. “I plan to come back strong.”

Men’s and women’s track and field head coach Marcus Evans said he believes his opening meet will serve as a benchmark for the team, no matter how experienced.

Evans said that the key to the beginning of the season is confidence and support. Despite track being a mainly individual sport, he said his teams pride themselves on being there for each other. Evans said he wants his teams to be the loudest

With training through a period with final exams, Evans said student-athletes are encouraged to communicate needs as they balance the student-athlete schedule.

“The student side is always going to come before the athlete side,” Evans said. “There’s no competition more important than graduating.”

Evans said the program is looking to be on podiums and be national qualifiers.

“We’ve gone from near the bottom of the standings to one of the best finishes in school history last year,” Evans said. “We want to keep pushing forward. Anything can happen at a conference championship.”

For now, the Cougars are focused on their first meets of the season, competing hard, learning where they stand and returning ready to grow.

SIUE’s next meet is the Alexis Jarrett Invitational on Jan. 6 at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri.





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Creighton volleyball wins 23rd straight match, advances to the Elite Eight back-to-back years

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Creighton volleyball has advanced to the Elite Eight for the second season in a row. No. 3 seed Creighton defeated No. 2 seed Arizona State, 3-1, on Thursday.

Creighton won with set scores of 26-24, 19-25, 25-13 and 25-18. Senior outside hitter Ava Martin led the team in scoring with 23 kills, followed by Kiara Reinhardt with 15 and Jaya Johnson with 12.

With the match tied at 1-1 and following a decisive set two loss, head coach Brian Rosen said his team fought back.

“They showed incredible poise,” Rosen said. “We’ve struggled at times this season to allow one point to be one point. And I thought all match tonight, they were able to move on quickly to the next one.”

ASU’s outside hitters were really good at hitting their fastball, he added.

“We were so good defensively on everything else,” Rosen said.

He added solid serving from Creighton kept the Sun Devils off balance.

The Catholic school in Omaha has rattled off 23 consecutive wins this season following its loss to undefeated, in-state rival Nebraska in mid-September. Now, Creighton is 28-5. Thursday’s match marked Arizona State’s first loss since Halloween. The Sun Devils finished the season 28-4, including a Big 12 conference title.

In Rosen’s first season leading the program, the Bluejays will make their third Elite Eight appearance ever. The school has never made the Final Four.

Rosen’s team will look to change that Saturday. Creighton will play No. 1 seed Kentucky, who toppled unseeded Cal Poly, 3-0, on Thursday afternoon. Kentucky is the host school for this regional.



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