HOUSTON – University of Houston Head Coach David Rehr added a trio of new support staff entering the 2025 season, the team announced Tuesday. Cougar great Kate Georgiades and two-time All-American at Arizona State Claire Jeter join Rehr’s staff as graduate assistants while Simone Sardanelli will serve as technical coordinator.
 
Both Georgiades and Jeter bring Big 12 playing experience to the coaching staff after Georgiades completed a storied career with Houston in 2024, and Jeter shined as a middle blocker for Arizona State from 2021-2024. Sardanelli arrives in Houston following time in Italy’s professional volleyball system.
 
ABOUT KATE GEORGIADES | GRADUATE ASSISTANT
Georgiades, Houston’s first four-time All-American and All-Conference First Team selection, quickly rejoins the team following her final collegiate season in 2024. One of the best players to come through the storied Houston program, Georgiades completed her playing career with 2,562 digs, the 22^nd most in NCAA history. 
 
Georgiades was also a three-time Conference Libero of the Year honoree, collecting the accolade from The American in 2021 and 2022 as well as the Big 12 Conference in 2023, Houston Athletics’ first positional player of the year in the league. She finished her Cougar career with the third-most digs (2,335) in program history with the second-most digs per set (5.07).
 
Georgiades spent the spring and summer as Houston’s latest professional Cougar, playing with the Pro Volleyball Federation’s Columbus Fury after being the second from the program drafted by the league. In 54 sets, she recorded 171 digs with her average of 3.17 per set ranking second on the team. 
 
ABOUT CLAIRE JETER | GRADUATE ASSISTANT

Jeter arrives in Houston following a standout career for Arizona State after a year at Texas A&M. An AVCA All-American in both 2023 and 2024, Jeter finished her collegiate eligibility with 462 blocks as well as 933 kills, a .355 hitting percentage and 109 aces.
 
Jeter finished third on Arizona State’s career blocks list with 451, the most by a Sun Devil since 1990. She also broke the team’s career block assists record with 379. In her senior season, she hit .426, leading the Big 12 and ranking 10^th nationally. 
 
Overall, she earned All-Big 12 First-Team honors in her lone season in the league with All-Pac 12 Honorable Mention accolades in 2023. She was also a VolleyballMag.com All-American in 2024 and an AVCA All-Region honoree in both 2023 and 2024. 
 
ABOUT SIMONE SARDANELLI | TECHNICAL COORDINATOR
Sardanelli joins the Cougar staff following both international playing and coaching careers in Italy. Following 10 seasons playing professional volleyball at various levels, including stints in Italy’s top division, Sardanelli shifted to technical staff, assisting at multiple levels including in SuperLega. 
 
Sardanelli began play with Vibo Valentia in SuperLiga, Italy’s top division, in 2013. He continued with the team as they transitioned to Serie A2, winning the Serie A2 Italian Cup in both 2015 and 2016. Following a loan to Lagonegro in 2017-19, he rejoined Vibo Valentia in SuperLiga and aided the team as it finished fifth in 2020-21 and qualified for the playoffs in the best season in the team’s history. After playing with Galatina in Serie A3 in 2021-22, he retired as a player and shifted to technical staff.
 
Sardanelli began coaching with Taranto in SuperLega for the 2022-23 season, providing technical and tactical support during the season while conducting the team’s scouting and analytic efforts. For the next season, he joined Vero Volley as an Assistant Sporting Director, helping to push the club to one of its most historic seasons as the team reached the finals in six out of seven competitions across the men’s and women’s teams. 
 
SUPPORT YOUR COOGS
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Volleyball by joining the Point Houston Club which provides financial support directly to Houston Volleyball for needs beyond its operating budget.
 
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarVB on X, formerly known as Twitter, and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team’s Facebook page at UHCougarVB. Fans also can follow the team on Instagram at @UHCougarVB.
 

– UHCougars.com –

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NEW ORLEANS, La. – Seven Navy track and field athletes and the teams as a whole earned academic honors from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) for the 2024-25 season, the organization announced on Monday.  Pete deJonge, Layne Rivera, Brian Schloeder, Murphy Smith, Zoie Tesi, Sheldon Ulmer and Caleb Walker were named to the All-Academic Team.
 
Navy’s men’s and women’s programs were also recognized as All-Academic Teams for each attaining a team GPA of 3.00 or higher for the academic year. This marks the seventh-consecutive year the men’s team (3.22) has earned the honor and it is the fifth-straight year in which the women’s team (3.21) has garnered the accolade.
 
Individually, recent graduates deJonge and Walker were honored for the second time, while 2025 graduates Rivera and Smith, rising junior Ulmer and rising sophomores Schloeder and Tesi received All-Academic Team recognition for the first time in their careers.
 
To be eligible for individual distinction, a student-athlete must have posted a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.25 on a 4.0 scale and must have completed at least two (2) semesters or three (3) quarters at the nominating institution.
 
Additionally, a student-athlete must meet the following athletic criteria for the award: for the indoor season, student-athletes must have finished the season ranked in the top 96 in any championship individual event, or in the top 48 in any championship relay event; for the outdoor season, nominees must have participated in any round of the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships (the Preliminary and/or the Final Championship) or for the multi-events, must have finished the season ranked in the top 48 in the east or top 48 in the west.

The Dutch Miller End Zone Deck

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – New for 2025, fans have an opportunity to experience the ‘Dutch Miller Deck’ – the most exciting and interactive fan experience to Joan C. Edwards Stadium.

The ‘Dutch Miller Deck’ is a collaboration between Dutch Miller Automotive Group, the Big Green Scholarship Foundation and the ThunderTrust – Marshall’s NIL collective – that will not only provide fans with an all-inclusive premium seating opportunity and unique way to enjoy Marshall Football, but also benefit Marshall student-athletes.

“A rising tide raises all ships! And the future of athletics at Marshall University is so bright,” said Chris Miller, President at Dutch Miller Auto Group. “Dutch Miller is excited to once again partner with Marshall on the new ‘Dutch Miller Deck’ to provide a state-of-the-art game-viewing experience to all Marshall football games for all Marshall University football fans.”

Dutch Miller’s generosity and partnership with Marshall Athletics and the ThunderTrust is another forward-thinking plan to keep Marshall at the top of its game when it comes to a premium fan experience.

“When you have families like the Millers who just think differently and embrace being bold, especially when it benefits others, it is very special,” said Christian Spears, Marshall Director of Athletics. “We are grateful to have partnered with them on this project, which honors the legacy of their family, honors their involvement in our community and honors the student-athletes we serve. This is a transformative gift and will help ensure we can compete in the next collegiate model. We are tremendously grateful to Chris and Sam and their respective families.”

Located in the North End Zone at Joan C. Edwards Stadium, the ‘Dutch Miller Deck’ offers the “Best Seat In The House”, along with several amenities that enhance the gameday atmosphere and experience while bringing fans closer to the team than ever before.

The Dutch Miller Deck is located in the North End Zone at Joan C. Edwards Stadium with newly constructed premium space within the Shewey Athletic Building that allows patrons the ability to network with fellow high-level supporters in an exclusive setting while enjoying premium gameday dining and drinks throughout the contest – all while bearing the Dutch Miller name, which has become synonymous with success in Huntington.

“The Dutch Miller Family is deeply engrained into the fabric of Marshall Athletics and the Big Green Scholarship Foundation,” said Teddy Kluemper III, Interim Senior Associate Athletic Director for Development and Executive Director of the Big Green. “Their gift and commitment to this project enhances our ability to be successful in the ever-changing landscape of college athletics, but more importantly, firmly establishes their commitment to our student-athletes’ success.”

Those who purchase a pass also receive Sideline Access, which gets fans closer to the action than ever before. Parking passes are also available with the purchase of Dutch Miller Deck passes with patrons receiving one parking spot for every 2 Dutch Miller Deck passes purchased. Cost for the Dutch Miller Deck is $2,500 per pass and can be purchased HERE.

“We’re excited to launch this expansive initiative designed to elevate the gameday experience for Marshall fans,” said Brad Ferrell, Vice President of Regional Sales for the ThunderTrust. “In this new era of NIL, we’re especially grateful for the continued support of Dutch Miller Automotive Group as the naming rights partner of the End Zone Deck and a key provider of automotive resources for Marshall student-athletes.”

Marshall fans’ first look at the new Dutch Miller Deck will be on Sept. 6 when the Thundering Herd host Missouri State in the first home game for new head coach Tony Gibson.

 

For all the latest information about Marshall Athletics, follow @HerdZone on Twitter and Instagram.

To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS and Android.

 —HerdZone.com—

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Central Washington University Volleyball team has been honored from the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award sponsored by INTENT.
 
“Our department emphasizes excellence on the court and in the classroom,” CWU Head Volleyball Coach Mario Andaya said. “The academic accomplishments are simply from the priorities and standards our players set for themselves. Winning the GNAC Academic Title and this AVCA Award is a pretty cool way to cap of the year.”
 
The award, initiated in the 1992-93 academic year, honors volleyball teams that maintain a year-long grade-point average of at least a 3.3 on a 4.0 scale, or a 4.1 on a 5.0 scale.
 
The Central Washington Volleyball team posted an outstanding GNAC-best 3.66 GPA.
 
“It is very exciting to see that the record-setting, on-court successes during the 2024-25 season have extended to the classroom,” says AVCA CEO Jaime Gordon. “The fact that more programs earned the Team Academic Award than ever before is evidence of how committed our coaches are when it comes to helping their players reach their goals as both students and athletes.”
 
CWU is less than a month away from returning to campus for the 2025 season, which kicks off at the WWU Invitational in Bellingham, Wash., from September 4–6. The Wildcats will face some of the nation’s top NCAA Division II programs, including perennial powerhouse St. Cloud State, last year’s West Regional host Cal Poly Pomona, and national runner-up San Francisco State.