Malibu High senior sets school record twice in final season, capping a standout track and field journey

Wiley Murphree set the Malibu High track and field team’s discus throw record twice during his senior campaign.

The 18-year-old athlete spun his body and tossed the 1.6-kilogram discus a Sharks’ record 132 feet, 7 inches to finish fifth at the Maurice Green Invitational at Oaks Christian High School on March 22. Then on May 17, Murphree launched a 137’3” bomb during the CIF-Southern Section Division 4 Finals at Moorpark High School.

That final heave — his last throw as a high school athlete — placed him fifth out of nine competitors in the championship event, but it solidified his spot atop Malibu’s disc dynamos. 

Murphree, a discus thrower since his freshman year, improved each season and had long strived to own the school record. 

“I like seeing my name on that leaderboard,” he said. “It’s fun. That last throw of my high school career was my best one. I was pumped up. I was happy.”
 
Murphree credits another sport — karate — for his success in discus.

Having earned his second-degree black belt in February, he said the martial art known for its striking techniques and discipline instilled in him the mental focus and technical rigor needed to launch the discus with power and precision. He collected at least 14 first-place finishes across frosh/soph and varsity levels.

“I picked up discus pretty quickly because in karate, you have to be hard on yourself technically — all the little details, all the forms,” he explained. “You have to pay attention to the details. With me not being the biggest person ever, I had to rely on technique. Karate helped me find the passion for perfecting my discus technique.”
 
Murphree has practiced karate for nine years and currently teaches classes twice a week at Joey Escobar Karate in Malibu. 

“I really love karate because when I teach someone something and they improve, they get really happy,” Murphree explained. “It makes me feel accomplished to know that I helped them.” 

Murphree opened the season on March 1 with a first-place throw of 129’8” at the Marie Smith/Malibu Invitational. He then recorded another first-place toss of 122’6” in a meet against Carpinteria five days later. Murphree tallied six top finishes across Malibu’s eight final regular season meets. 

He finished fifth out of 15 in the Citrus Coast League Championships. Murphree’s fourth-place throw of 124’6” in the CIF-SS Division 4 Preliminaries on May 10 propelled him to the finals, and eventually, a record.
Murphree was never intimidated by other opponents when he stood in the discus circle. 

“I stay calm,” he said. “I clear my mind and focus on what I’m doing at the moment. Karate gave me athleticism in terms of mindset and strength and helped with my technique.” 

Malibu head coach Mike Halualani said Murphree is “the ultimate competitor.” 

“He finds a way to throw it far,” the coach noted. “He is mentally focused, mentally tough, and technically good. He is in fantastic shape.” 

Murphree tried swimming, basketball, baseball, and soccer as a younger athlete. When he reached high school, his focus — aside from karate — narrowed to soccer and track and field, but ankle injuries sidelined his sprinting aspirations on the track. 

Liam Quinn

Chelmsford

Player of the Year

Named the Merrimack Valley Conference Division 1 Player of the Year and to the All-State team, Quinn led the Lions to a terrific 17-4 record. A senior captain and outside hitter, Quinn is a three-time Sun All-Star, a three-time MVC All-Conference selection and a two-time team MVP. He finished the season with 374 kills, 150 digs, 66 aces and 53 blocks, while finishing his career with 850 kills, 250 digs, 142 blocks and 108 aces. He had eight matches of 20 or more kills and four matches of 25 or more kills. He led the MVC in kills and ranked third in the state. Quinn will continue his playing days at Division 1 Merrimack College.

Om Hirani

Billerica

Hirani was instrumental in the Indians’ first winning season in 20 years, finishing with a 12-10 record, which included a 3-1 preliminary round playoff win over Greater Lawrence before falling to West Springfield. Named a Merrimack Valley Conference second team all-star, the 6-foot-4 senior outside hitter finished the season with 173 kills and 72 solo blocks. A three-year member of the DECA program, vice president of the senior class and an honor roll student, Hirani will attend Boston University in the fall.

Ridty Tauch

Chelmsford

A sophomore outside hitter, Tauch helped the Lions finish with a 17-4 record, including a Division 1 playoff appearance. He finished the season with 282 kills, 202 digs, 33 aces and 22 blocks. He averaged 14 kills and 10 digs per game, and had 15 matches of 10 or more kills, five matches with 20-plus kills and 10 matches of 10-plus digs. Tauch was named to the Merrimack Valley All-Conference team, a year after making the second team as a freshman and was also an All-District North honorable mention selection. “He had a great season and carried our offense,” said head coach Edgar Valdez.

Ryan Heng

Chelmsford

A talented libero, Heng was named to the Merrimack Valley All-Conference team. The junior had 15 matches of 10-plus digs and 10 matches of 15-plus digs, while helping the Lions win 17 games and compete in the Division 1 state tournament. On the season, he had 215 digs, 61 assists and 20 aces. Among his highlights was a 24-dig performance against Winchester. “Ryan had a really solid season for us and was one of the top liberos in the league,” said head coach Edgar Valdez.

Logan Phousengthong

Dracut

Named the team MVP and to the Merrimack Valley All-Conference team, Phousengthong was one of the top outside/middle hitters in the area. He finished the season with 160 kills, 211 digs, 15 blocks, 15 assists, 117 service points and 28 aces. He registered 22 and 16 kills, respectively, against Central Catholic and 15 against Haverhill and Billerica. “Logan is a strong passer and strong with serve receive. He led our team in kills, was a strong hitter with versatile skill. He is hoping to continue to play in college,” said head coach Roberto Fontanez.

Jacob Louk

Dracut

One of the two Middies named to the Merrimack Valley All-Conference team, Louk, a junior captain, was versatile on the court, switching between outside hitter and libero. He excelled on the defensive end. He finished the season with 221 digs, 132 service points, 84 kills, 19 assists and 16 aces. He had a big 13-kill, 14-dig performance in a win over Central Catholic. Named the team’s Coaches Award winner, Louk is a member of the DHS boys basketball team and the National Honor Society. Eventually he would like to study biomedical engineering.

Justin Tejeda

Greater Lowell

A two-time Commonwealth Athletic Conference League MVP and two-time All-District selection, Tejeda, a senior outside hitter, had 355 kills this season, while helping the team finish 18-4, which included a first-round state tournament win over Somerville. He finished his career with 776 kills, 404 digs, 113 blocks and 75 aces. Part of the engineering shop which helped design and build a solar umbrella for a park in Lowell, Tejeda will play volleyball at Division 2 Lemoyne-Owen College in Memphis, Tenn.

Luis Carrasquillo

Greater Lowell

A senior setter, Carrasquillo set the program record for most assists in a season with 521 and most in a career with 1,136. A two-time Commonwealth Athletic Conference all-star, he played a huge part in the team’s 18-4 record, including a 1-1 record in the Division 2 state tournament. In the tournament win over Somerville, he had an incredible 44 assists. He also had over 100 digs as a junior and a senior, combining for 239. A member of the NE Storm Club team in the offseason, Carrasquillo was part of the plumbing shop at GLTHS. He has committed to serving in the Marines.

Vitou Seng

Lowell

Seng was instrumental in Lowell’s 19-3 record, which included winning the Merrimack Valley Conference championship and advancing to the second round of the Division 1 state tournament. Named to the MVC All-Conference and All-District North team, the junior setter had an eye-popping 550 assists and 661 regular season sets. He had a memorable 61-assist performance against Methuen. “Vitou is a great leader and role model for our underclassmen,” said head coach Paul McCarthy. Seng is also a member of the LHS National Honor Society.

Gianni Rodriguez

Lowell

After taking a year off, Rodriguez returned to form and was terrific as an outside hitter for the Red Raiders. The senior outside hitter finished with 146 kills and 45 blocks, while helping Lowell finish as league champions. Lowell (19-4) reached the second round of the Division 1 state tournament. He was named to the MVC All-Conference team. “He always provided such a great effort in working with our younger athletes,” said head coach Paul McCarthy. Rodriguez plans to attend Middlesex Community College.

Ian Mao

Lowell

The senior, who played all over the court, played a huge role in the team’s league championship, the 19 wins and first-round tournament win over Boston Latin. He finished the season with 234 digs and 184 kills. He was named to the MVC All-Conference team and the All-District honorable mention team. “Ian was the first player to arrive in practice and the last one to leave. He was a true inspiration for the younger athletes,” said head coach Paul McCarthy. Mao will attend Middlesex Community College.

Matteo Wright

Lowell Catholic

Wright was selected as a Commonwealth Athletic Conference All-Star, finishing second in league MVP voting, and was named the Crusaders’ team MVP. He led the team to a 15-6 record, including a Division 1 first-round state tournament loss to Barnstable. The junior captain and outside hitter closed out the season with 321 kills, 178 digs, 48 aces, 18 assists and 13 blocks. A manager for LC’s girls volleyball team in the fall, Wright also played for the 16-1 National Mill City Club team.

Coach of the Year

Devin Lekan

Billerica

In his third season as head coach, Lekan led the Indians to a 12-10 overall record, the first winning season in the past 20 years. The team’s 12th win came in the preliminary round of the Division 2 state tournament over Greater Lawrence. A former Chelmsford High football and basketball standout who went on to play football at Westfield State, Lekan is also the head boys basketball coach and assistant football coach at BMHS, having been a part of both programs since 2019. That same year he became a special education teacher at BMHS.

Second team

Ayer-Shirley: Miles Pyatt, sr., outside hitter. Billerica: Drew Schlehuber, sr., outside hitter; Peter Vincent, sr., outside hitter. Chelmsford: Gavin Lin, jr., outside hitter; Landon Brach, fr., outside hitter; Justin Buckley, sr., middle hitter; Jayden Som, jr., setter; David Pham, jr., setter. Dracut: Micah Owowoh, jr., middle blocker; Alexander Sophuok, so., setter. Greater Lowell: George Robles, sr., libero; Joel DeLaCruz, so., outside hitter. Lowell: Aundre Rivera, so. outside hitter; Logan Uy, so., libero; Bobby Pappas, jr., middle hitter; Angel So, jr., middle blocker. Lowell Catholic: Aren Lyttle, jr., middle blocker; Luke Dennis, so., setter. Nashoba Tech: Felipe Cangirana, sr., Elijah Oxender, so., setter; Hermes Prak, so., outside hitter.

By earning Livingston County Female Athlete of the Year for the 2024-25 school year, senior Tommi Kleinschmidt becomes only the third Fowlerville recipient since the award’s inception in 1996-97.

WILLIAMSBURG — Former Tribe volleyball star Amy Schwem was recognized by the ESPYs Sports Humanitarian Awards as a regional recipient of the Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award, ESPN announced earlier this week.

The Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award celebrates and honors young people who use the power of sport as a catalyst for change and make a positive impact on society. There are three Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award honorees and 20 regional recipients.

Schwem started The Autoimmune Athlete, a platform that functions as a support system for athletes who are battling an autoimmune disease. The Chicago-area native was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease in 2021, a disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks its own healthy tissue. The disease causes a variety of complications, including joint and muscle pain, fatigue, headaches, skin and mouth rashes or ulcers, nausea, and recurring fever. The organization provides education and camaraderie for athletes dealing with autoimmune disease.

“I am exceptionally honored just to have been considered for this award, let alone receive it. When you enter any sort of advocacy work, you never expect any recognition. So when recognition comes, it truly is a chance to shine some light on whatever change you are striving to make. I’m so thankful to have been selected for this award and hope that it will guide others toward The Hidden Opponent and The Autoimmune Athlete who are in need of a community of support,” Schwem said.

Schwem is also on the board of directors for The Hidden Opponent, a nonprofit organization that promotes mental health awareness, education, and support for athletes, and has developed her own merchandise line for The Autoimmune Athlete. She graduated from William & Mary in the spring with a Bachelor of Science in psychology and kinesiology.

On the court, Schwem racked up 2,124 assists as the team’s setter, ranking second-most in the current scoring era (since 2008). She led the Tribe in helpers all four years of her career and is one of seven players to reach the 2,000-assist plateau. She also ranks top-five in career service aces (67) and top-10 in digs (744).

The 11th annual Sports Humanitarian Awards will celebrate and honor athletes, teams, leagues and members of the sports industry who use the power of sport to make a positive impact on society. This year’s Sports Humanitarian Awards returns Tuesday, July 15, at the Ray Dolby Ballroom in Hollywood, California, the evening before the ESPYS, as part of ESPYS Week.

The Awards will be featured in ESPN studio programming and during The 2025 ESPYS, airing live on Wednesday, July 16, at 8 p.m. on ABC from The Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

Zoe Arancini has announced her retirement from international water polo, concluding an illustrious 16-year career that has cemented the New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship holder as one of the sport’s most respected figures. Arancini made her debut for the Aussie Stingers in 2009 and went on to amass 330 international caps (highest WA female athlete capped), representing Australia at the highest level across four Olympic cycles.

Her career highlights include three Olympic Games appearances – Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 – and seven FINA World Championships, where she claimed a silver medal in 2013 and bronze in 2019. Her career culminated in captaining the Stingers to the silver medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Having achieved podium success at every major international competition in world water polo, Arancini said the timing felt right to step away, with the Stingers’ recent Olympic silver providing the perfect bookend to her journey.

“I’ve done this for 16 years now, and to finish on such an amazing note at Paris 2024 is pretty special,” Arancini said. “I’m ready for the next chapter of my life… I know it’s the right decision because I’m happy, I’m content, and it’s my choice. I’m immensely proud of what we’ve achieved, and I’m so excited for the next generation to step in.”

Reflecting on her journey, Arancini said it’s the people and memories along the way that will stay with her.

“I still remember making the Aussie Stingers squad for the first time – it doesn’t feel that long ago, but it was 2009!” Arancini said. “Winning silver at the 2013 World Championships in Barcelona was incredibly special, especially after missing out on the London Olympics. Then to be selected for Rio 2016 was a dream come true, and to captain the team to silver in Paris 2024 – that’s something I’ll carry with me forever.”

“There have been some amazing and challenging moments that have shaped not only my career but also the person I’ve become. Thank you to everyone who’s played a part in this journey, which started way back when I was a 12-year-old playing Flippa Ball at Melville.”

Although stepping back from the international stage, Arancini won’t be lost to the sport. While focusing on her next chapter outside the pool, she will continue to give back by playing domestically for Melville and Fremantle next summer – helping to support and mentor the next generation of Australian athletes.

The offseason is here, with all of Arizona’s sports done for 2024-25 season and the 2025-26 campaigns still a little ways away.

Which makes this a great time to step back and see how all of the Wildcats’ programs are doing and how they’ve handled the move from the Pac-12 to the Big 12

Over the next few weeks we’ll take a look at each of the UA’s men’s and women’s athletic programs to see what shape they’re in and what prospects they have for the near future. We’ll break down each team and evaluate how it is performing under its current coaching staff, looking at the state of the program before he/she arrived and comparing it to now while also evaluating how that program fits into its new conference.

Next up: Steve Walker’s beach volleyball team

How it looked before

Walker has been Arizona’s head coach since the UA introduced beach volleyball in 2013. Over the last decade plus, Walker has kept Arizona competitive on a national level, though never quite up there with the sport’s elite programs. Arizona has posted a winning record in every season under Walker’s watch. The Wildcats made the NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship in 2016, the year the sport became sanctioned by the NCAA. Arizona hasn’t made it back to the NCAAs since, in part because it competed in the Pac-12 for the majority of that time, and the league’s auto bid always went to one of the Southern California schools.

Where things stand now

Arizona is coming off an 18-12 season in which it lost all its matches to ranked opponents. The Wildcats went 0-2 against rival ASU, losing at home 4-1 and getting swept in Tempe. It was the first season in program history that Arizona went winless against the Sun Devils. Arizona put one player on the Big 12 All-Conference Team: Ashlyn Zilliken, a rising junior. The Texas native led the team in wins with 21, tied for eighth-most in program history in a single season,

Big 12 vs. Pac-12

By moving to the Big 12, Arizona’s program stands to benefit in the long run by having a better opportunity at securing a precious auto bid to the NCAA Championship. UCLA and USC have dominated beach volleyball since the sport’s inception, and one of the two programs had won every NCAA championship until this year. Maybe it’s Arizona’s luck, but the top power in the sport now resides in the Big 12: TCU. The Horned Frogs won the NCAA title this year and also took home the Big 12 championship. Only four Big 12 teams sponsor beach volleyball: Arizona, ASU, TCU and Utah. Arizona went 0-2 in the Big 12 Tournament, getting swept by ASU and Utah.

One big question

How much will Arizona invest in beach volleyball? Arizona’s 18 wins in 2025 were the program’s fewest since 2017. Part of that could be losing some key seniors from the previous year and having a younger roster overall. However, Arizona’s level of competition last season was a step down from the Pac-12 gauntlet, yet the program won fewer matches. The way the season ended with back-to-back sweeps to ASU and Utah was discouraging. While Walker doesn’t appear to be on the hot seat, it’s not a great look that Arizona is decidedly the third-best program in its own state behind ASU and GCU. In the new college athletics revenue sharing model, Walker needs to prove beach volleyball is a program worth putting serious cash into. The best way to do that would be to improve next season.