Sports
Top Seed Long Beach State Ready To Compete Against No. 5 Seed Pepperdine in the NCAA Final Four
#1 LONG BEACH STATE (28-3) vs. #5 PEPPERDINE (21-9) Date: Saturday, May 10 Time: 2:00 p.m. (PT) | 5:00 p.m. (ET) Arena (Capacity): Covelli Center (3,700) Location: Columbus, Ohio TV: ESPN+ Live Stats: OhioStateBuckeyes.com/sidearmstats/mvball Top Seed Long Beach State Ready To Compete Against No. 5 Seed Pepperdine in the NCAA Final Four No. 1 and top-seeded […]

Date: Saturday, May 10
Time: 2:00 p.m. (PT) | 5:00 p.m. (ET)
Arena (Capacity): Covelli Center (3,700)
Location: Columbus, Ohio
TV: ESPN+
Live Stats: OhioStateBuckeyes.com/sidearmstats/mvball
Top Seed Long Beach State Ready To Compete Against No. 5 Seed Pepperdine in the NCAA Final Four
No. 1 and top-seeded Long Beach State brings a 28-3 record into the 2025 NC Men’s Volleyball Championship Semifinals as the Beach face No. 5 seed Pepperdine on Saturday, May 10. First serve is set for 2 p.m. (PT) / 5 p.m. (ET) at the Covelli Center in Columbus, Ohio. The winner of the match will advance to the Championship match on Monday, May 12 and face the winner of the No. 2 seed Hawaii-No. 3 seed UCLA match.
Catch All The Action
The 2025 National Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Championship Opening Round, Quarterfinal, and Semifinal rounds will be broadcast live on ESPN+ . Fans can also follow all the action via live stats at NCAA.com or OhioStateBuckeyes.com/sidearmstats/mvball. The National Championship match will be televised on Monday, May 12 at 4 p.m. (PT) / 7 p.m. (ET) on ESPN2.
Staying Social
Follow Long Beach State Men’s Volleyball on X and Instagram at @LBSUMVB. You can also stay up-to-date on all things Long Beach State by following @LBSUAthletics on X. Be sure to “like” us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram at @LBSU. And don’t forget our hashtag #GoBeach.
In the Rankings
• Long Beach State has been ranked No. 1 in the AVCA National Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Poll for 14 consecutive weeks. In the most recent poll, the Beach garnered 451 total points and 14 first-place votes after boasting a 28-3 overall record.
• No. 5 seed Pepperdine finished the regular season ranked sixth in the AVCA National Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Poll. With a 21-9 overall record, the Waves punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament by winning the MPSF Championship.
• The Big West is one of the most competitive Division I Men’s Volleyball conferences as all six Big West schools are nationally ranked, with three of them sitting in the Top 5.
• The season, Long Beach State has faced 11 nationally ranked opponents Overall, the Beach own a 15-3 record against nationally ranked opponents this season.
The Beach In The Postseason
• Top-ranked Long Beach State will make its 15th NCAA Final Four appearance.
• Overall the Beach’s NCAA Tournament record is 17-11.
• This season is the fourth-consecutive NCAA Tournament in which the Beach has competed. In the last four years, LBSU has put together a postseason record of 5-3 for a .625 winning percentage.
• LBSU has been to the NCAA Tournament in eight out of the last nine seasons. During that span, the Beach captured two NCAA National Championships in 2018 and 2019.
• This is the second time in program history that Long Beach State will play in Columbus, Ohio for the postseason. The Beach previously competed in the NCAA Semifinals in Columbus in 2017 against BYU.
• In all, Long Beach State has won three NCAA National Championships (1991, 2018, 2019).
10-4
• Throughout program history, LBSU has seen action in in 15 Final Fours and owns a 10-4 record (.714) in the NCAA Semifinals.
• Overall, Long Beach State has seen action in 10 NCAA National Championship matches.
• In conference tournament history, Long Beach State has made 21 MPSF Tournament appearances and seven Big West showings.
• Since its creation in 2018, Long Beach State has been the regular season Big West Champion in six of seven seasons (2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025) as there was not a postseason tournament held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. LBSU owns an 8-5 Big West Championship record.
• The Beach previously won The Big West Championship in 2018 and 2024.
• Prior to The Big West, Long Beach State was part of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF). In the MPSF, LBSU owned a tournament record of 18-21.
• In all, Long Beach State is 26-26 in conference tournaments.
About The Beach
• No. 1 Long Beach State has put together one of its most successful seasons to date as the Beach own a 28-3 overall record and won The Big West Regular Season Title with an 8-2 mark.
• The 28 victories for Long Beach State is tied for second place for most wins in program history. The 2025 squad’s 28 victories have equaled the win totals of the 1990, 2004, 2018, and 2019 teams, which trail only the 1991 team that won the program’s first-ever NCAA National Championship with 31 victories.
• Earlier this season, the Beach strung together 20-straight victories marking the team’s fourth-longest winning streak in program history.
• With 22 three-set wins this season, the 2025 Long Beach State team has set a new program record for most sweeps in a single season besting the 2017 squad’s 20 three-setters.
• In addition to setting the single-season record for most sweeps, the 2025 Beach team has served up a total of 227 aces which is also a new program single-season record. That mark is 10 service aces away from tying the NCAA single-season rally scoring aces record of 237 which was set last season by Saint Francis (Pa.).
• Individually, freshman setter Moni Nikolov has been superb this season from the service line. He set the Long Beach State program record earlier this season, before going on to set The Big West single-season record as he now has 97 aces on the year. He is just three away from tying the NCAA record.
• This season, Long Beach State went on an impressive 20-match winning streak that began with the season opener on January 10 with a sweep over Saint Francis (Pa.) and came to an end on March 28 with a straight-set loss to UC Irvine. That 20-match winning streak is good for fourth in program history. The 2025 team will go down in the annals behind the record holding 2018 team which strung together 24-consecutive wins. From 2018-19, LBSU won 23-straight matches and from 1991-92 the Beach put together a 22-match winning streak to round out the top three.
• Last night, Long Beach State had a pair of players win two major awards at the NCAA Social. Sophomore Georgi Binev became the first-ever Long Beach State Men’s Volleyball student-athlete to win the Elite 90 Award which is awarded to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA at the finals site for each of the NCAA’s 90 championships.
• The other major award winner at the NCAA Social was freshman Moni Nikolov who took home both National Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year.
• On Monday, the AVCA announced the All-America Team and Long Beach State boasted five All-Americans in Moni Nikolov (First Team), Sykler Varga (First Team), DiAeris McRaven (Second Team), Daniil Hershtynovich (Honorable Mention), and Kellen Larson (Honorable Mention).
• In addition to his First Team AVCA All-America selection, • Prior to the AVCA All-America Team announcement, The Big West announced the all-conference selections and Long Beach State dominated those awards as well with four players on the First Team, one Honorable Mention selection, and a pair on the All-Freshman Team.
• Earning All-Big West First Team accolades were Alex Kandev, DiAeris McRaven, Moni Nikolov, and Skyler Varga. Meanwhile, Daniil Hershtynovich claimed Honorable Mention status. Kandev and Nikolov also made the All-Freshman squad.
• Offensively, LBSU is led by Alex Kandev. The freshman outside hitter is averaging 3.07 kills per set to go along with a team-leading .451 hitting percentage (178-39-308). His attack percentage ranks him second in The Big West, while his kills per set average is sixth. Kandev also ranks in the conference top 10 in points per set (5th – 3.72) and aces per set (8th – 0.36).
• Junior outside hitter, and team captain, Skyler Varga has been an efficient and balanced asset to the squad this season. Varga ‘s .369 hitting percentage comes in 14th in nation and third in The Big West. His aces (0.35), assists (0.66), and points per set (3.51) are all good for top 10 in the conference.
• Leading the Beach to a nation-leading .395 attack percentage is freshman setter Moni Nikolov. The product out of Sofia, Bulgaria has been on-point this season distributing 10.00 assists per set. He has been a force on all sides of the ball with 1.53 kills per set and a team-best 1.51 digs per set. If that weren’t enough, Nikolov also leads the nation with 0.94 aces per set. He is currently at 97 aces on the year which is a new LBSU and Big West single-season record. His 74 service aces are just three shy of tying the NCAA All-Eras single-season mark (100).
• Middles Ben Braun and DiAeris McRaven have patrolled the net leading the Beach to a 2.65 blocks per set average. That mark leads The Big West and is good for second in the country.
• Braun, a 6-11 junior from Rancho Mirage, Calif., is averaging 1.28 blocks per set after totaling 77 over 84 sets. His blocks per set average is tops in The Big West.
• McRaven, meanwhile has put up a team-leading 86 blocks to average 0.96 blocks per set. He is ranked fifth in the conference and 27th in the nation in blocks per set.
• In his 22nd season at the helm, Long Beach State Head Coach Alan Knipe is the winningest coach in LBSU Men’s Volleyball program history, Knipe owns a career record of 448-172 for a winning percentage of 723.
• Knipe’s staff of Associate Head Coach Nick MacRae, Assistant Coach McKay Smith, Volunteer Assistant Coach Andy Read, and Technical Coordinator Jon Parry are a seasoned quartet having worked together for the last eight seasons helping Long Beach State capture two NCAA National Titles, two Big West Championships, and have led the Beach to seven NCAA Tournament appearances in the last eight years.
Scouting Pepperdine
• Pepperdine comes into the 2025 National Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Championship as the No. 5 seed after being ranked sixth in the AVCA National Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Poll.
• The Waves own a 21-9 overall record and punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament after winning the MPSF Tournament.
• The Waves are averaging 12.36 kills per set on a .326 attack percentage. Additionally, Pepperdine adds 7.95 digs per set and 1.92 blocks per set to go along with 1.75 aces per set.
• Pepperdine had five players named to the AVCA All-America Team in Ryan Barnett (First Team), Cole Hartke (Second Team), Jacob Reilly (Second Team), Gabe Dyer (Honorable Mention), and James Eadie (Honorable Mention).
• Barnett and Hartke lead the Waves with 3.67 and 60 kills per set, respectively. Barnett is hitting .337 on the year to go along with 1.16 digs and 0.53 blocks per set. He also leads the team with 46 aces. Meanwhile, Hartke adds 1.14 digs and 0.50 blocks per set, to go along with 45 aces, while hitting .298.
• At setter, Gabriel Dyer runs an efficient offense that is hitting .326 on the year. He has dished out 9.66 assists per set, while also chipping in 1.71 digs per set, 0.47 kills per set, and 0.28 blocks per set.
• In the backrow, Jacob Reilly anchors the defense with 1.79 digs per set.
• At the net, James Eadie has posted a team-leading 78 blocks to average 0.96 per set. He also adds 1.56 kills per set on a .411 attack percentage, while posting 0.42 digs per set.
The Series: The Beach vs. The Waves
Long Beach State and Pepperdine will meet for the 90th time in program history, and the Beach hold the edge in the all-time series 46-43. LBSU has won the last eight matchups against the Waves, including a five-set win in Malibu, Calif., earlier this season. When playing each other at a neutral site, the Waves lead the series 6-2. The Beach and the Waves have squared off twice before in the NCAA Tournament. Pepperine won the first meeting back in 2008 when the Waves swept the Beach, 3-0, in the Final Four at the Bren Events Center in Irvine, Calif. In their most recent postseason match, Long Beach State defeated Pepperdine in four, 3-1, in the 2019 Final Four, which was held at the Walter Pyramid in Long Beach, Calif. That year, the Beach would go on to capture their third NCAA Championship overall, and second in the last two years.
Complete Transformation
After losing 10 seniors and nearly their entire starting lineup from 2024, the Beach have done a superb job rebuilding. A year ago, outside hitter Skyler Varga and middle blocker DiAeris McRaven were the only two starters who returned in 2025. Varga, however, has returned in a different position as he went from playing on the right to playing on the left. In addition, Long Beach State has made several lineup changes throughout the year all while managing to stay in the Top 5 in the AVCA Rankings, and holding the top spot for the last 14-straight weeks. With a new core group on the court in outside hitters Alex Kandev and Sotiris Siapanis, along with middles Ben Braun and Lazar Bouchkov, opposites Daniil Hershtynovich and Nato Dickinson, setter Moni Nikolov, liberos Kellen Larson, Chris Connelly and Ford Harman, as well as several key subsitutions such as Connor Bloom and Sebastiano Sani, the Beach has done an excellent job adapting to a new look on the court and not missing a beat competitively as the top-ranked team in the nation.
Aces Wild
Freshman Moni Nikolov is leading a charge against numerous serving records at Long Beach State, The Big West and the NCAA. With what is believed to be the fastest recorded serve in NCAA history, Nikolov has set a new program single-season record with 97 service aces thus far. That mark is also a new Big West record, and currently is second in NCAA history across all eras. He is just three aces shy of tying the national record. Long Beach State has served up 227 in total as a team, another program single-season record. The Beach just became the new Big West record holder for aces in a single-season, besting the 2022 Hawai’i team which finished the season with 224 aces. Meanwhile, the NCAA 25-point rally scoring record that was set last year by Saint Francis (Pa.) is just 10 more (237) than the Beach’s current total.
The Sky’s The Limit
Junior outside hitter and team captain Skyler Varga has led the team both on and off the court all season. With his extensive volleyball IQ and prowess on the court, coupled with his leadership skills off the court, Varga has led by example and has helped pace Long Beach State to nation leading marks in hitting percentage (.395) and aces per set (2.20) as he leads the way with a .376 clip which is good for 14th in the nation. Meanwhile, his 0.35 aces per set average ranks him in the top 50 in the country. Among Big West opponents, Varga is in the top 10 over four statistical categories (3rd – .376 hitting, 7th – 0.35 aces per set, 9th – 0.66 assists per set, 9th – 3.51 points per set) and has helped the Beach lead the conference in five of seven disciplines (.395 hitting, .207 opponent hitting percentage, 13.28 kills per set, 2.65 blocks per set, and 2.20 aces per set.
Big Ben
Ben Braun, a 6-foot-11 junior middle blocker, has been a huge presence on the court this season – not just in stature but also on the stat sheet. Braun is The Big West leader in blocks per set with 1.28 on the year. He earned a starting spot in the middle on March 21 and has made the most of his opportunity. His solid blocking defense has helped Long Beach State lead the conference and rank second in the nation in blocks per set (2.65). Additionally, the Beach’s defensive efforts have limited opponents to a .207 hitting percentage this season which leads The Big West and ranks second in the nation.
Moni Mania
Freshman sensation Moni Nikolov has caused quite a stir among the collegiate volleyball scene. His powerful serve, which is believed to be the fastest recorded serve in NCAA history, has led him to breaking the Long Beach State and Big West single-season marks. With 97 aces and counting, Nikolov heads into the NCAA Final Four just three service aces shy of the national record. A five-tool player, Nikolov boasts 10.00 assists, 1.56 kills, 1.51 digs, and 0.76 blocks per set, while hitting .403 on the year. With his overall popularity growing, the Beach are selling out arenas all over the country so fans can get a glimpse of the setter out of Sofia, Bulgaria.
Alex The Great
Freshman outside hitter Alex Kandev has seen increased playing time and has worked his way into the starting lineup. The Sofia, Bulgaria native has started on the outside for the last nine matches. In doing so, he has made his way up The Big West rankings coming in second in hitting percentage (.451), fifth in points per set (3.72), sixth in kills per set (3.07), and eighth in service aces per set (0.34). With his solid overall performance, Kandev earned Big West Honorable Mention accolades.
The Big Toe
Senior opposite Nato Dickinson had a career weekend to close the regular season, then bested that performance at The Big West Championship. The product out of Corona Del Mar, Calif., set a new career-high for himself with 21 kills and seven digs at Hawaii in the championship match on Saturday, April 26. He continues to build upon his career numbers as he closed the regular season with a career-best two aces from the service line. Other career-highs for Dickinson include seven blocks with he obtained against Princeton (3/15) and three assists which he has amassed a trio of times this season.
Among The Nation’s Best
Long Beach State is ranked in the Top 5 in in the country in five different statistical categories this season. The Beach lead the nation in hitting percentage (.395) and aces per set (2.20). The team ranks second in blocks (2.65) and kills (13.28), and fourth in assists per set (12.19).
Individually, the Beach boasts four players who rank in the Top 50 in the nation in their respective disciplines. Leading the way, setter Moni Nikolov leads the nation in aces per set (0.94), and is ranked 14th in assists per set (10.00). DiAeris McRaven comes in 27th in the nation with a 0.96 blocks per set average, while Skyler Varga leads the way with a .369 hitting percentage which is good for 14th in the country, while his aces per set (0.35) are good for 47th. Rounding out the Fab Four, is Daniil Hershtynovich who is ranked in the NCAA Top 50 in three different statistical categories. His .354 clip is good for 19th in the nation, while his points per set average (3.77) ranks him 42nd and his kills per set mark (3.18) puts him 47th.
Up Next
Should the Beach win the semifinal match against No. 5 seed Pepperdine, Long Beach State will advance to the National Championship match which is scheduled for Monday, May 12 at 4 p.m. (PT)/7 p.m. (ET) at the Covelli Center in Columbus, Ohio.
Sports
Hamlett Tabbed to 2025 Beach Collegiate National Team
Story Links COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Volleyball announced on Monday that TCU senior Hailey Hamlett will be a member of the 2025 Beach Collegiate National Team. The selection marks the second straight year Hamlett has been named to the prestigious team. The elite group of 17 women will participate in a 10-day training […]

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Volleyball announced on Monday that TCU senior Hailey Hamlett will be a member of the 2025 Beach Collegiate National Team.
The selection marks the second straight year Hamlett has been named to the prestigious team. The elite group of 17 women will participate in a 10-day training block running until Thursday, June 19, in Hermosa Beach, California.
The Beach Collegiate/U26 National Team will train alongside USA Volleyball’s Beach A2 National Team, gaining valuable experience in a high-performance environment. The training block will conclude with the NORCECA Playoff on June 18-19, where BCNT/U26 and Beach National Team athletes will compete for the chance to represent the United States at upcoming NORCECA international events.
Throughout the training block, athletes will also take part in classroom sessions led by members of USA Volleyball’s Beach National Team performance staff.
A maximum of four females on the BCNT/U26 may be selected to represent the U.S. on the U23 and/or U26 Beach Age Group National Teams following the training block.
In 2025, Hamlett competed in 34 matches for TCU and posted a record of 25-7. She competed alongside Daniela Alvarez at the No. 1 position, and the pair posted an 11-1 record. The senior also saw action with Maria Gonzalez at the No. 2 spot with the duo going 10-4. She began her season with Anhelina Khmil at No. 2, going 4-2.
One of the highlights of her season came at the TCU Invitational, when she compiled a 4-0 record with Gonzalez to earn the duo Big 12 Pair of the Week honors. She also picked up All-Big 12 Team and Second Team AVCA All-America accolades as a result of her strong season.
BCNT/U26 Women’s Roster
Gella Andrew (6-4, Newport Beach, Calif., FSU, Lone Star)
Gabrielle Bailey (6-1, Canton, Ohio, LSU, New England)
Kelly Belardi (5-9 (Torrance, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
Charlotta Bell (6-3 Moraga, Calif., Stanford, Northern California)
Maggie Boyd (5-11, Lewisville, Texas, UCLA, North Texas)
Kennedy Coakley (6-2, Tampa, Fla., USC, Florida)
Ella Connor (6-1, Kihei, Hawaii, Cal Poly, Aloha)
Emma Donley (6-4, Arlington Heights, Ill., Cal, Northern California)
Alexis Durish (5-10, Sarasota, Fla., FSU, Florida)
Piper Ferch (5-10, Aurora, Colo., Cal Poly, Southern California)
Malia Gementera (5-6, Chula Vista, Calif., Long Beach State, Southern California)
Taylor Hagenah (5-11, Oceanside, Calif., Long Beach State, Southern California)
Hailey Hamlett (5-11, Bulverde, Texas, TCU, Lone Star)
Erin Inskeep (5-9, Hermosa Beach, Calif., Cal Poly, Southern California)
Audrey Koenig (6-3, Wesley Chapel, Fla., FSU, Florida)
Izzy Martinez (5-9, Winnetka, Calif., Cal Poly, Southern California)
Natalie Myszkowski (5-11, Manhattan Beach, Calif., UCLA, Southern California)
Michelle Shaffer (5-10, West Hills, Calif., Loyola Marymount, Southern California)
Portia Sherman (5-9, Ventura, Calif., Cal, Southern California)
Logan Walters (6-0, San Mateo, Calif., Cal Poly, Northern California)
Sports
Greenwich Native Dedicated To Raising Awareness For Tunnel To Towers Foundation
GREENWICH, CT — Even though Greenwich native Jack Holl wasn’t alive when the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks took place, he’s dedicated to making sure people of all ages never forget the events from that day, while also raising awareness about a good cause. Holl, a graduate of Greenwich High School and a senior water […]

GREENWICH, CT — Even though Greenwich native Jack Holl wasn’t alive when the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks took place, he’s dedicated to making sure people of all ages never forget the events from that day, while also raising awareness about a good cause.
Holl, a graduate of Greenwich High School and a senior water polo player at Pennsylvania State University-Behrend, was recently announced as the newest member of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation Student-Athlete Advocate Program for spring 2025.

Caitlin Collins, a freshman lacrosse player from Rutgers University, was also named as a member.
Find out what’s happening in Greenwichfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
“We are excited to expand the Tunnel to Towers Foundation Student-Athlete Advocate Program and have Jack and Caitlin join the ranks of other incredible student athletes across the nation to raise awareness of the Foundation’s mission to do good,” said Tunnel to Towers CEO and Chairman Frank Siller in a recent announcement. “Not only are they champions in their respective sports, but they are becoming champions for America’s military and first responder families. Their commitment inspires hope and ensures the legacy of our fallen heroes lives on.”
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation was founded by Siller as a way to honor the sacrifices made by first responders on 9/11, notably by his brother, FDNY Firefighter Stephen Siller, who was off-duty on that day but responded to the World Trade Center after the attacks began.
Find out what’s happening in Greenwichfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Stephen got to the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, which was closed off to traffic, and made the trek to lower Manhattan on foot wearing 60 pounds of firefighting gear. He later died when the towers fell.
The nonprofit has supported Gold Star and fallen first responder families with mortgage-free homes and specially-adapted smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders.
To date, according to Holl, Tunnel to Towers has delivered over 1,500 mortgage-free homes and committed over $1 billion across all of the nonprofit’s programs. Additionally, over 10,000 of America’s homeless veterans have been provided housing assistance and services to date.
The nonprofit’s advocate program allows student-athletes to serve as brand ambassadors, representing the foundation to media, donors and sponsors. The program is made possible through the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) initiative, which began in 2021.
John Daniel Marshall, who was best friends going back to childhood with Holl’s father, John, and served as best man at John’s wedding, was an FDNY firefighter with Ladder 23. He died on 9/11 at the age of 35.
“He’s been our family role model,” Holl said of Marshall. “My dad definitely always talked about John growing up.”
Holl credits his father with instilling in him a respect for all first responders and members of the armed forces. His family visits the 9/11 reflecting pools at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum each year to pay respects to the victims.

Holl’s grandfather also served in the New York City Police Department for a number of years, so when he found out about the Tunnel to Towers Student-Advocate Program in 2021, he jumped at the opportunity to apply.
Holl believes there’s a growing responsibility to ensure that younger generations not only understand what happened on 9/11, but to understand what came out of that day: selflessness, courage and unity.
“The Tunnel to Towers Foundation plays an essential role in making this possible. Through outreach, education, and their tireless support of Gold Star Families, injured veterans, and first responders, they ensure that the legacy of all those lost on 9/11 lives on in our hearts and minds to ensure that their courageous actions may never be forgotten,” Holl added.
Holl noted that 93 cents of every dollar the foundation takes in goes directly towards programs and services.
Programs include the Smart Home Program, Fallen First Responder Home Program, Gold Star Family Home Program, Homeless Veteran Program, the Tunnel to Towers 9/11 Institute, and Footsteps to the Future Endowment.
Holl, who is studying business economics, has one more semester of school left. Next school year, he’ll be on the water polo coaching staff at Penn State-Behrend. After he graduates, he could pursue a master’s degree overseas at Durham University in Durham, England.
For now, he’s focused on Tunnel to Towers and spreading the nonprofit’s message far and wide.
“Being a part of something so big and collective is an amazing feeling,” Holl said.
For more information on Tunnel to Towers or to donate, visit the organization’s website.
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Sports
How to watch the NCAA Track and Field Championships: Full TV schedule, free streams
The 2025 NCAA Division I Track and Field Championships take place from Wednesday, June 11 to Saturday, June 14 in Eugene, Oregon. Here’s your full guide on how to watch the championships every single day. 2025 DI NCAA Track & Field Championships TV Schedule All times listed in ET Wednesday, June 11: 7-11 p.m. | […]

The 2025 NCAA Division I Track and Field Championships take place from Wednesday, June 11 to Saturday, June 14 in Eugene, Oregon. Here’s your full guide on how to watch the championships every single day.
2025 DI NCAA Track & Field Championships TV Schedule
All times listed in ET
Wednesday, June 11: 7-11 p.m. | ESPN | STREAM
Thursday, June 12: 7-11 p.m. | ESPN | STREAM
Friday, June 13: 8-10:30 p.m. | ESPN2 | STREAM
Saturday, June 14: 9-11:30 p.m. | ESPN2 | STREAM
How to watch 2025 DI NCAA Track & Field Championships
There’s multiple ways to view the Track and Field Championships. If you have cable, ESPN will have the main broadcast on Wednesday and Thursday night, and that’ll transition to ESPN2 on Friday and Saturday night.
If you’re looking to stream the event, there’s multiple ways to do so for free. DirecTV and fuboTV both have access to ESPN and ESPN2, each of which offer free trials.
ESPN+ does not offer a free trial, but has the most broadcasts for the event. Along with access to the main broadcasts each day, ESPN+ offers individual event streams Wednesday through Saturday. They’re the ideal streaming service for those who want as much track and field access as possible.
Streaming services such as Sling and Hulu + Live TV are other viable streaming options to watch this week’s track and field events.
Other things to know
The event takes place at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, which is on the University of Oregon’s campus. You can find tickets for the event on Vivid Seats.
For information on the daily event schedules, parking and shuttles you can find that on the NCAA website.
Here’s a recent NCAA sports story from the Associated Press:
Sydney Moore and Sabrina Ootsburg were surrounded by hundreds of college athletes at a convention in Charlotte when news broke that the $2.8 billion NCAA settlement had been approved by a federal judge. In a room full of college athletes, they felt like the only two people who understood the gravity of the situation.
“I’m about to get paid,” Moore said a Division I football player told her.
“Yes, you are about to get paid, and a lot of your women athlete friends are about to get cut,” she responded.
Moore acknowledged that her response might be a stretch, but while the sprawling House settlement clears the way for college athletes to get a share of revenue directly from their schools and provides a lucky few a shot at long-term financial stability, it raises genuine concerns for others.
Schools that opt in will be able to share up to $20.5 million with their athletes over the next year starting July 1. The majority is expected to be spent on high-revenue generating sports, with most projections estimating 75% of funds will go toward football.
So what happens to the non-revenue-generating sports which, outside of football and basketball, is pretty much all of them?
It’s a query that’s top of mind for Ootsburg as she enters her senior year at Belmont, where she competes on the track and field team.
“My initial thought was, is this good or bad? What does this mean for me? How does this affect me? But more importantly, in the bigger picture, how does it affect athletes as a whole?” Ootsburg said.
“You look at the numbers where it says most of the revenue, up to 75% to 85%, will go toward football players. You understand it’s coming from the TV deals, but then it’s like, how does that affect you on the back end?” Ootsburg asked. “Let’s say $800K goes toward other athletes. Will they be able to afford other things like care, facilities, resources or even just snacks?”
Moore has similar concerns. She just completed her fifth and final year of eligibility at Syracuse University, where she was a key member of the volleyball team. Like Ootsburg, she’s become a pioneer in the NIL space and an advocate for college athletes, even though her on-court ventures are behind her.
Moore says most female athletes aren’t worried about how much – if any – money they’ll receive. They fear how changes could impact the student-athlete experience.
“A lot of us would much rather know that our resources and our experience as a student-athlete is going to stay the same, or possibly get better, rather than be given $3,000, but now I have to cover my meals, I have to pay for my insurance, I have to buy ankle braces because we don’t have any, and the athletic training room isn’t stocked,” Moore said over the weekend as news of Friday night’s settlement approval spread.
One of the biggest problems, Ootsburg and Moore said, is that athletes aren’t familiar with the changes. At AthleteCon in Charlotte, North Carolina, they said, perhaps the biggest change in college sports history was a push notification generally shrugged off by those directly impacted.
“Athletes do not know what’s happening,” Ootsburg said. “Talking to my teammates, it’s so new, and they see the headlines and they’re like, ‘OK, cool, but is someone going to explain this?’ because they can read it, but then there’s so many underlying factors that go into this. This is a complex problem that you have to understand the nuances behind, and not every athlete truly does.”
Some coaches, too, are still trying to understand what’s coming.
Mike White, coach of the national champion Texas softball team, called it “the great unknown right now.”
“My athletic director, Chris Del Conte, said it’s like sailing out on a flat world and coming off the edge; we just don’t know what’s going to be out there yet, especially the way the landscape is changing,” he said at the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City. “Who knows what it’s going to be?”
What about the walk-ons?
Jake Rimmel got a crash course on the settlement in the fall of 2024, when he said he was cut from the Virginia Tech cross-country team alongside several other walk-ons. The topic held up the House case for weeks as the judge basically forced schools to give athletes cut in anticipation of approval a chance to play — they have to earn the spot, no guarantees — without counting against roster limits.
Rimmel packed up and moved back to his parents’ house in Purcellville, Virginia. For the past six months, he’s held on to a glimmer of hope that maybe he could return.
“The past six months have been very tough,” he said. “I’ve felt so alone through this, even though I wasn’t. I just felt like the whole world was out there – I would see teammates of mine and other people I knew just doing all of these things and still being part of a team. I felt like I was sidelined and on pause, while they’re continuing to do all these things.”
News that the settlement had been approved sent Rimmel looking for details.
“I didn’t see much about roster limits,” he said. “Everyone wants to talk about NIL and the revenue-sharing and I mean, that’s definitely a big piece of it, but I just didn’t see anything about the roster limits, and that’s obviously my biggest concern.”
The answer only presents more questions for Rimmel.
“We were hoping for more of a forced decision with the grandfathering, which now it’s only voluntary, so I’m a little skeptical of things because I have zero clue how schools are going to react to that,” Rimmel told The Associated Press.
Rimmel is still deciding what’s best for him, but echoed Moore and Ootsburg in saying that answers are not obvious: “I’m just hoping the schools can make the right decisions with things and have the best interest of the people who were cut.”
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Sports
Stuttgart volleyball begins inaugural season today
Stuttgart’s inaugural volleyball season gets underway this afternoon when the junior high and senior high teams hold their first official practices. Head Coach Hannah Work says she is excited and ready to see her teams take the floor. “I was surprised at how much raw talent came to try out,” said Work. “Over the three […]



Stuttgart’s inaugural volleyball season gets underway this afternoon when the junior high and senior high teams hold their first official practices. Head Coach Hannah Work says she is excited and ready to see her teams take the floor.
“I was surprised at how much raw talent came to try out,” said Work. “Over the three days of skills and drills before tryouts, the girls picked up on some stuff and improved tremendously, so I’m ready to see how much we can learn this summer.”
Both the senior high and junior high teams will practice four days a week throughout the summer. The Junior Birds will practice each afternoon from 2 to 3 p.m., while the Senior Birds will practice from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday’s practice is scheduled in the George Burke Fieldhouse, and Thursday’s practice will be held in Ricebird Arena.

Working on a schedule
Because Stuttgart is starting its program in the middle of a two-year Arkansas Activities Association (AAA) athletic cycle, the team faces challenges in building a full schedule. That, however, is not stopping Work from doing her best.

“We’ve got some games scheduled right now, and we might even have the junior high team in a tournament,” said Work. “Most teams already have their schedules made, so we’re trying to fit in where we can.”
Work said Stuttgart may have several scrimmage-style dates this fall.
“We’ll get as many games as possible. We might scrimmage a lot. I know Watson Chapel is beginning a program this fall too, so we might play them several times.”
Volleyball on the AAA calendar
High school volleyball in Arkansas runs parallel to football on the AAA’s athletic calendar.
This means that volleyball benefit games begin during week seven (Aug. 17–23), while official games begin during week eight (Aug. 24–30).
According to Coach Work, the volleyball season runs through the end of October and sometimes overlaps with the start of basketball.
Helping Work lead Stuttgart’s program is newly hired assistant coach Savannah Shandy, who graduated from Arkansas Tech in May of this year.
Shandy is a Cabot High School graduate who played both softball and volleyball. She will teach fourth grade at Park Avenue Elementary and played softball during her time at Arkansas Tech.
Sports
Power of family drives Shaw, as she aims to become All-American in 400
By: Jonathon Zenk, Assistant Director of Communications Story Links EUGENE, Oregon—Ever since she was a little girl, track and field has been in Maygan Shaw’s blood. In a long line of athletes in her family, the Northwestern State sprinter has not only proved to be the best in her family, but […]

EUGENE, Oregon—Ever since she was a little girl, track and field has been in Maygan Shaw’s blood.
In a long line of athletes in her family, the Northwestern State sprinter has not only proved to be the best in her family, but also arguably the best women’s sprinter the school has ever produced.
Shaw, a native of Pineville, has a chance to do what other family members couldn’t—become an All-American in an open event.
In 2024, she earned her way to a Second Team All-American spot as a member of the 4×400 relay team after finishing 16th in the relay finals.
Shaw made the nationals after running a 51.68 in the 400-meter dash at the NCAA East First Round in which she finished eighth to earn a spot in Oregon. She is one of 12 in the event to go to nationals from the East regional, which includes fellow Southland Conference runner Onyah Onyinye Favour of Southeastern Louisiana.
“It feels good to be able to go back,” Shaw said. “Eugene is such a beautiful city. And they have such a nice facility, so I’m excited to be able to run on such a quality track.”
She has the opportunity to become an All-American at the NCAA nationals on the campus of the University of Oregon in the 400, as the women’s time at nationals begins Thursday.
The semifinals in the 400 start at 7:41 p.m. Shaw is in the third heat out of three with each heat having eight runners, and it can be viewed on ESPN.
It did not take long for associate head coach Adam Pennington to see greatness in her as a freshman.
“Early on in her career, I knew how special she would be,” he said. “She won a conference title in her first ever championship. But I’d say this year I seen something different. It’s been the first year she hasn’t been overshadowed by other ladies. From the beginning of the fall you could just see she was on a mission.”
Growing up in a family with so many track athletes, she was able to forge her own path, but her love for the sport started with her parents, Rickey and Maggie Sanders.
Rickey (high jump) and Maggie (hurdles) each helped Maygan reach this point, especially Rickey, who helped her train in high school.
“I love my dad, and I appreciate how far I’ve been able to come with his help, especially since he helped me train a lot in high school,” Shaw said.
While her parents had a giant impact on her career in track and field, she held a special relationship with her grandfather.
Maygan’s grandfather, Larry Shaw, ran track when he was in high school, clocking in the 51s in the 400.
“My grandpa and I were really close,” Shaw said. “We used to visit him often and he would babysit us all the time growing up. I really loved spending time with him and I’m glad he got to see some of my races in middle school.”
One of Maygan’s goals was to run in the 51s, just like her departed grandfather.
Mission accomplished.
Going into her home meet, the Leon Johnson NSU Invitational, she had a month—or as it turned out, two months—remaining in her collegiate career.
It turns out the elder Shaw was with her that day, as she ran a blistering personal best time of 51.87. Not only did she run a personal record, school record, meet record and Walter P. Ledet Track and Field Complex record, she also accomplished that elusive goal of running in the 51s—just like her grandfather.
“It felt rewarding,” Shaw said. “It felt great to be able to reach a goal that seemed impossible for my circumstances growing up. I’m glad I got to meet that goal, and I know he’s really proud of me.
“At first, it didn’t feel real. It was mind-boggling. And to this day, it feels surreal. I just really want to do it again.”
And then she did it again, just two weeks later, smashing that previous best with a new personal record, clocking a blistering 51.19 on April 26 at the LSU Alumni Gold.
If her grandfather were here right now, he would be excited for how much his granddaughter has accomplished and will be right with her every step of the way, both on the track and off. On the track, she has one more goal in mind—to become a first team All-American.
“Being an All-American would be huge,” Pennington said. “I believe if she became an All-American, it would be the first lady sprinter ever in an open event for NSU. We didn’t just come this far to come this far. So that would be huge for her and every lady to ever wear a Demon uniform.”
Going to college in Natchitoches made sense for the Pineville High standout, as she could compete and go to school near her family.
It also didn’t hurt that Pennington is from the area.
“When recruiting her. what stood out most was her just being from central Louisiana,” he said. “We are from the same area and for her to have some success in high school in that area, we knew she had upside.”
As she prepares for her final collegiate meet, what Shaw will miss the most is not what happened on the track, but the relationships built off it.
“I think what I remember most are at the relationships that I formed while going to this school,” Shaw said. “I’ve said it countless times, but the team is really close and I really feel like it’s a home away from home when I step on the track. I’m sure I’ll see a bunch of them at my wedding.”
Sports
Volleyball Signs Transfer Britt Carlson
Story Links TUCSON, Ariz. – Arizona Volleyball has announced the addition of opposite Britt Carlson, a transfer from UCF, to the 2025 roster. “We are very excited to welcome Britt to Tucson,” head coach Charita Stubbs said. “She will bring experience and size to the right side for us. She is […]

TUCSON, Ariz. – Arizona Volleyball has announced the addition of opposite Britt Carlson, a transfer from UCF, to the 2025 roster.
“We are very excited to welcome Britt to Tucson,” head coach Charita Stubbs said. “She will bring experience and size to the right side for us. She is a great competitor and she will make an immediate impact on the team.”
Carlson comes to Arizona after two seasons at UCF and one season at Washington State. During her two years at UCF, she appeared in 39 matches and tallied 244 kills, 61 blocks, and 51 digs as a pin player. In 2024, Carlson ranked third on UCF’s team with 49 blocks and fourth with 202 kills. She averaged 2.10 kills per set during the season and recorded a career high of 16 kills with a .522 hitting percentage against Florida Atlantic.
In 2023, Carlson played in 12 matches and tallied 42 kills and 12 blocks in her first season as a Knight. Carlson did not play in a match during her season at Washington State in 2022.
Carlson will join freshmen Maya Flemister, Chloe Giehtbrock, Brookelyn Hatton, Renee Jones, Paige Thies, and Shea Davis in the fall.
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