BILLINGS — Karen Sanford Gall, former Big Sky State Games executive director, will light the torch with track and field Olympians at the 40th anniversary Big Sky State Games Opening Ceremonies.

Along with Sanford Gall, Duncan Atwood, Willie Banks, Erin Aldrich Shean, Andre Phillips and Mac Wilkins will speak and be part of lighting ceremonies. The event will take place Friday July 18th at the Lockwood High School stadium.

State Games Opening Ceremonies festivities include the Soaked Run, climbing wall, family entertainment, Food Truck Olympics, games, parade of athletes, Montana Mile, Montana 100, and torch lighting. The ceremony is free to attend.

Sanford Gall was the Executive Director for the Big Sky State Games for 24 years and employed by the Big Sky State Games since 1990. She retired in 2019. Sanford Gall was a four-time Olympic Trials qualifier in the marathon (’92,’96, ’00, 04). As a collegiate athlete Karen ran for the University of Wyoming.

She was inducted into the University of Wyoming Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010. She holds many records with the Governor’s Cup and Montana Women’s Run.

Karen grew the mission of the Games to include healthy lifestyle events that included Shape Up Montana and Big Sky Fit Kids. Also, Sanford Gall played an integral role in starting the YES Cross Country Meet and the management of the Heart and Sole Race. Sanford Gall has dedicated over 30 years inspiring Montanan’s to live a healthy lifestyle.

Along with Sanford Gall, track and field Olympians from the World Record Track and Field Camp will join the torch lighting ceremony.

Following are biographies of Olympians scheduled to appear:

Mac Wilkins, Discus: Former Discus World Record Holder (1976), Gold Medalist (1976 Olympic Games), Silver Medalist (1984 Olympic Games), Gold Medalist (1979 Pan American Games). Wilkins is the former Discus World Record Holder. He broke the world record a total of four times. He ranked as the number one Discus thrower in the world from 1976 to 1980. Wilkins is the former USATF Throws Coach at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, CA.

Andre Phillips, Hurdles:Olympian, Gold Medal-1988, 1985 World Cup Champion, 1985 USATF Outdoor Champion, 1981 NCAA Champion, 2009 USATF Hall of Fame. Phillips is best remembered for winning a gold medal in the Seoul, Korea Olympic Games in 1988, beating Edwin Moses who was undefeated in more than 100 races. Phillips is an educator, receiving his Phd. in Education.

Duncan Atwood, Javelin: 1980, 1984 Olympian, two-time winner of the Pan American Games 1979, 1987, World Cup Finalist and a one-time World Championship Finalist. He was a clinician at the Ironwood Throws Camp and currently is the assistant coach for Pacific Lutheran University.

Erin Aldrich Shean, High Jump: 2000 Olympian, four-time World Championship team, Pan American Bronze Medalist. Shean competed at the 2000 Olympic Games and the World Championships in 1997, 2001, 2005 and 2007. Shean played volleyball at the highest level, competing for the United States women’s national volleyball team. She competed at the university level for the Texas Longhorns in both sports.

Willie Banks, Long Jump and Triple Jump: World Record Triple Jump Holder (1985-1995), Olympian (1980,1984,1988), Silver Medalist World Championships (1983). Banks is the former World Record holder in the triple jump. Banks held the record for over 10 years, and was inducted into the USA National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1999. He currently coaches at a local high school in California and often travels around the world teaching triple jump clinics.

For the sixth year prior to Opening Ceremonies, Banks will lead the State Games World Record Track & Field Camp on July 18 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Lockwood High School.

The entry fee is $150 (includes camp and BSSG Track and Field registration). The coaches’ fee is free if three or more of the coaches’ athletes attend. Register at bigskygames.org under Track & Field. Registration for the camp closes July 13th.

The track and field camp is sponsored by the Midland Roundtable. Wendy’s sponsors Opening Ceremonies. Major sponsors of the Big Sky State Games are Kampgrounds of America, First Interstate Bank, Rebel River Creative, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana. For information go to bigskygames.org or call 406-254-7426.

USA Water Polo Announces Men’s Roster for World Championships

USA Water Polo Men’s National Team head coach Dejan Udovicic has announced the roster of 15 athletes selected for competition at the upcoming 2025 World Aquatics World Championships set for July 11-24 in Singapore. Only 14 athletes will be eligible for each match and they will be determined prior to each game day.

Team USA has been drawn into Group C where the action begins Friday, July 11 when the United States opens play against Canada at 7:35 p.m. (pacific time). They’ll also meet Brazil and Singapore in group play. Live streaming of the World Championships will be available on Peacock (login required). It’s already been an exciting summer for the Men’s National Team program as the USA Men’s Junior National Team earned silver at the World Aquatics U20 World Championship last month in Croatia.

USA Water Polo

This event marks the Senior World Championship debut for seven athletes on Team USA including: Dominic Brown, Ryan Ohl, Connor Ohl, Jack Larsen, Ben Liechty, Bernardo Herzer and Nicolas Saveljic. Two-time Olympians Max Irving, Dylan Woodhead, Marko Vavic and Hannes Daube anchor a squad that features seven returners from the 2024 Olympic Team that won bronze last summer in Paris.

For more information on the 2025 World Aquatics World Championships, click here to visit the homepage. Be sure to follow @USAWP on social media for updates throughout the competition.

2025 World Aquatics World Championships Roster (14 athletes to be selected prior to each match)
Adrian Weinberg (Los Angeles, CA/California/Panathinaikos/Pride)
Ryan Ohl (Greenwich, CT/Stanford/Greenwich Aquatics)
Benjamin Liechty (Newport Beach, CA/UCLA/Newport Beach WPC)
Nicolas Saveljic (Kotor, Montenegro/UCLA/The Olympic Club)
Hannes Daube (Long Beach, CA/USC/Apollon Smyrnis/NYAC)
Dominic Brown (Concord, CA/California/LA Athletic Club)
Jack Larsen (Orinda, CA/UCLA/Pro Recco)
Dylan Woodhead (San Anselmo, CA/Stanford/Vouliagmeni/SHAQ)
Jake Ehrhardt (Camarillo, CA/USC/LA Athletic Club)
Chase Dodd (Long Beach, CA/UCLA/Vanguard)
Ryder Dodd (Long Beach, CA/UCLA/Mission WPC)
Max Irving (Long Beach, CA/UCLA/Pro Recco/NYAC)
Bernardo Herzer (Los Angeles, CA/USC/LA Athletic Club)
Marko Vavic (Rancho Palos Verdes, CA/USC/Savona/NYAC)
Connor Ohl (Newport Beach, CA/Newport Beach HS/Newport Beach WPC)

Head Coach – Dejan Udovicic
Assistant Coaches – Gavin Arroyo, Matt Ustaszewski, and Jack Kocur
Video Coach – John McBride
Team Manager – Paulina Bui
Sports Medicine Manager – Chris Bates

2025 World Aquatics World Championships Schedule (subject to change)
July 11 – vs Canada 7:35pm pt
July 13 – vs Brazil 6:00pm pt
July 16 – at Singapore 4:10am pt
July 18 – Crossover Round
July 20 – Quarterfinal Round
July 22 – Semifinal Round
July 24 – Final Round

The above press release was provided to Swimming World by USA Water Polo

Why it is the topic trending: Swinging Style Up the Social Feed

Overview: From Fairways to FYP – Golf as Visual Culture

Detailed findings: Fairway Fashion Power Plays

Key success factors of product (trend): Style Meets Swing

Key Takeaway: Golf Isn’t Just a Game—It’s Now a Wardrobe Moment

Main Trend: Sport-Centric Style Explosion

Description of the trend: Golfwear as Personal Branding

What is consumer motivation: Style + Swing = Self-Expression

What is driving trend: Collab, Content, Culture

What is motivation beyond the trend: Confidence. Community. Craft.

Description of consumers article is referring to: Young Style-Driven Fairway Players

Summary Profile

Detailed Profile

Conclusions: Golf Fashion Isn’t Niche—It’s Narrative

Implications for brands: Collab, Content, Credibility

Implication for society: Swinging Open the Fairway

Implications for consumers: Wear Confidence, Feel Community

Implication for Future: Sportswear as Storywear

Consumer Trend: Fashion-First Sportwear

Consumer Sub Trend: Collab-Culture Golf

Big Social Trend: Democratizing Elite Sports

Worldwide Social Trend: Active Identity Aesthetics

Social Drive: Visibility Through Vogue

Learnings for brands to use in 2025: Connect Function, Fashion, and Filmability

Strategy Recommendations for brands to follow in 2025: Align, Amplify, Actualize

Final Sentence

Final Note

Final Conclusion: Putt with Purpose – Style, Sport, Selfie

Core Trend Detailed: Golfwear is the New Streetwear

Key Characteristics of the Core trend: Function, Fashion, Fandom

Market and Cultural Signals Supporting the Trend: The Rise of Gen-Z Golfwear

How the Trend Is Changing Consumer Behavior: Teeing Off with Identity

Implications Across the Ecosystem: Swinging the Style Stakes

Strategic Forecast: Fairway Future Forward

Areas of innovation: The Next Wave of Golfwear Evolution

Final Thought: From Tees to TikToks

Jane Hedengren is no stranger to receiving honors and accolades due to her prowess in both cross-country and track and field.

The Timpview High standout — and future BYU Cougar — is a running sensation at this point, having won Gatorade National Player of the Year awards for both cross-country (2024) and track and field (2025).

The latest award (track and field) was presented to Hedengren by Katelyn Tuohy, a four-time individual NCAA Division I champion at NC State and a winner of five Gatorade Player of the Year awards before that.

Special Collector’s Issue: “1984: The Year BYU was Second to None”

Get an inclusive look inside BYU Football’s 1984 National Championship season.

BYU cross-country coach Diljeet Taylor — Hedengren’s soon-to-be head coach — was also in attendance, making the episode a particularly notable one.

Presentation of the award was caught on video, providing a “behind the scenes” look into Hedengren’s latest honor.

Hedengren was an easy choice for national girls track and field player of the year.

She is the high school national record holder in the 5,000 meters (14:57.93), mile (4:23.50), 1,600-meter (4:21.81), 3,200-meter (9:14.65) and the two-mile (9:17.75). And she recently won the 3,000 meter race at Nike Outdoor Nationals, setting an under-20 record of 8:40.3.

Hedengren is expected to star immediately for BYU and she doesn’t shy away from that pressure.

She told the Deseret News’ Krysyan Edler: “I’m sure there’s going to be many learning curves but I’m ready for that and I’m excited for that because I think that will only positively affect me as a person and as an athlete, just with building my resilience and just learning to be adaptable within many different positions.”

Colorado Springs, Colo. (July 3, 2025) –The U.S. Girls U19 National Team swept Peru, 3-0 (25-19, 25-18, 25-18) on Thursday at the 2025 FIVB Girls U19 World Championship in Osijek, Croatia.

The U.S. (2-0) will face Poland (2-0) in a matchup of undefeated teams on Friday, July 4, at 12:15 p.m. PT.

The U.S. finished with significant advantages in kills (44-25) and blocks (14-5). The U.S. hit .268 as a team for the match. Peru led 5-3 in aces.

MATCH STATISTICS (PDF)

Opposite Henley Anderson paced the U.S. with team-bests of 14 points, 10 kills and four blocks.

“In our first match against Spain we got the job done but didn’t play to our full potential. Against Peru we came out with a sharper focus and a sense of energy combined with high energy throughout the match,” Anderson said. “It really shows what we are capable of when we trust each other and compete at our level.”

Outside hitter Suli Davis totaled 10 points on nine kills and a block. Middle blocker Gabrielle Nichols scored eight points on four kills, three blocks and an ace.

Setter Genevieve Harris ran the effective offense while adding two blocks and an ace. Outside hitter Cari Spears recorded five kills and a pair of blocks for seven points.

Middle Abbey Emch registered five kills, and outside hitters Lameen Mambu (three kills and one block) and Devyn Wiest (three kills and an ace) each scored four points.

The U.S. jumped out to a 9-3 lead to begin the match and did not allow Peru to get closer than five points at any time in the set. The U.S. Girls U19 squad hit .577 as a team with 17 kills and only two errors in 26 attacks. Anderson scored six points on five kills and a block, and Spears scored five points on three kills and two of the team’s five blocks.

Peru led 6-5 in the second set before the U.S. scored nine of the next 12 points. Back-to-back blocks, the team’s eighth and ninth of the match, and an ace from Wiest gave the U.S. a 14-9 lead. A put away by Davis made it 18-12, and the lead reached eight after a Peru hitting error and another U.S. block.

Though the U.S. team was not able to continue its blistering offensive numbers from the opening set, it did continue to control the net with eight blocks in the second set. Nichols led the way with five points on two kills, two blocks and an ace, while Davis and Anderson each scored three points.

Kelly Kinney won a joust at the net to even the score at 13 in the third set. With the score tied at 14, consecutive kills by Wiest and Kinney gave the U.S. the lead for good at 16-14. Peru pulled back within a point, 18-17, but the U.S. finished the match on a 7-1 run that ended on an Anderson kill off hands. Middle blocker Jordan Taylor recorded a key block, the team’s 14th of the match, for a 22-18 lead.

2025 U19 National Team Roster for World Championship

(Name, Pos., Birth Year, Height, Hometown, School, Region)
3 Jordan Taylor (MB, 6-5, 2007, Houston, Texas, University of Minnesota, Lone Star)
5 Lily Hayes (L, 5-9, 2007, Tampa, Fla., Berkeley Prep HS, Florida)
6 Suli Davis (OH, 6-1, 2007, Euless, Texas, Brigham Young University, North Texas)
8 Abbey Emch (MB, 6-3, 2007, New Waterford, Ohio, University of Pittsburgh, Ohio Valley)
10 Isabelle Hoppe (S, 5-8, 2008, Gibsonia, Pa., Pine Richland HS, Ohio Valley)
11 Kelly Kinney (OH/OPP, 6-2, 2007, West Palm Beach, Fla., The Kings Academy, Florida)
12 Genevieve Harris (S, 5-11, 2007, Raleigh, N.C, Cardinal Gibbons HS, Carolina)
13 Gabrielle Nichols (MB, 6-3, 2007, Winston Salem, N.C., Penn State University, Carolina)
16 Cari Spears (OH, 6-3, 2007, Dallas, Texas, University of Texas, North Texas)
17 Lameen Mambu (OH, 6-0, 2007, Chantilly, Va., Georgia Tech, Chesapeake)
19 Henley Anderson (OPP/OH, 6-3, 2007, Dripping Springs, Texas, Dripping Springs HS, Lone Star)
20 Devyn Wiest (OH, 6-3, 2007, Peoria, Ariz., University of Utah, Arizona)

Alternates
1 Izzy Mogridge (S, 5-11, 2007, Lutz, Fla., Berkeley Prep HS, Florida)
2 Charlotte Vinson (OPP, 6-2, 2007, Muncie, Ind., Yorktown HS, Hoosier)
4 Kalyssa Blackshear (MB/OPP, 6-4, 2007, Torrance, Calif., University of Louisville, Southern California)
7 Ayanna Watson (OH/OPP, 6-3, 2007, Henderson, Nev., Bishop Gorman HS, Southern California)
9 Natalie Wardlow (MB/OPP, 6-5, 2007, Lincoln, Neb., Lincoln Southeast HS, Great Plains)
15 Logan Bell (L, 5-11, 2007, Beech Grove, Ind., Roncalli HS, Hoosier)
18 Aniya Warren (L, 5-8, 2007, Lockport, Ill., Benet Academy, Great Lakes)

Coaches
Head Coach: Keegan Cook (Minnesota)
Assistant Coach: Alyssa D’Errico (Utah)
Assistant Coach: April Sanchez (New Mexico)
Performance Analyst: Jon Wong (Florida State)
ATC: Cherryl Bueno (Coast to Coast AthletiCare)
Team Lead: Courtney Smith (NTDP)

2025 FIVB Girls U19 World Championship Schedule
All times Pacific/Osijek, Croatia
Matches live on VBTV and Volleyball World YouTube

July 2: USA def. Spain, 3-1 (22-25, 25-16, 25-12, 25-23)
July 3: USA def. Peru, 3-0 (25-19, 25-18, 25-18)
July 4: 12:15 p.m. USA vs. Poland
July 6: 12:15 p.m. USA vs. Bulgaria
July 7: 12:15 p.m. USA vs. Türkiye
July 8: TBA Round of 16
July 11: TBA Playoffs/Quarterfinals
July 12: TBA Playoffs/Semifinals
July 13: Finals