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Twins Minor League Report (8/2)

Published

4 months ago

August 3, 2025

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Twins Video

What an interesting day in the Twins minor leagues on Saturday. While the Twins offense continues to struggle, the Saints scored double digits again. The Wind Surge hitters powered their way to a 16-run game. Even the DSL Twins scored 15. The Kernels and Mussels just earned regular wins with normal amounts of runs.

On Sunday, the attention may be turned to the mound where three of the new members of the Twins organization will make their Twins organization debut.

TRANSACTIONS
Bailey Ober was activated from the Injured List on Saturday morning.

SAINTS SENTINEL
St. Paul 10, Toledo 4
Box Score
The Saints scored three runs in the first and second. Then they took an inning off before scoring a single run in the next four innings. And then they hung on for the 10-4 win.

Luke Keaschall led off the game with a triple. With one out, Kyler Fedko was hit by a pitch. Payton Eeles drove in both runners with another triple. Gabriel Gonzalez drove in the third run with a sacrifice fly.

The second inning began with a single. Johnny Pereda walked. Nine-hitter Aaron Sabato drilled a three-run homer to make it 6-0.

In the fourth inning, Pereda tripled and scored on a Keaschall sacrifice fly.

The fifth inning began with Fedko walking, stealing second, and going to third on a balk. Eeles was hit by a pitch. Fedko scored on a double play ground ball by Gonzalez.

With two outs in the sixth inning, Aaron Sabato hit his second homer of the game.

Fedko led off the seventh inning with his first Saints double. He went to third on a groundout and scored the 10th run on a single by Gonzalez.

Trent Baker made the start for the Saints. He tossed four innings and issued one walk while striking out six batters. He gave up no runs, and no hits. Jarret Whorff came in and gave up one hit, one walk and hit one batter over two scoreless innings. He gave up the first hit to the Mudhens in the sixth inning.

Kyle Bischoff gave up two runs on two hits and two walks over two innings. Cole Percival gave up two runs on three hits and a walk.

Aaron Sabato went 2-for-4 with his sixth and seventh homers and drove in four runs. Keaschall went 2-for-3 with a walk and a triple. Fedko went 2-fo-3 with a walk, his first Triple-A double, his first Triple-A triple, and his first Triple-A stolen base. Gonzalez was 2-for-4 with two RBI. Eeles hit a triple and drove in two runs. Perada hit a triple and walked.

WIND SURGE WISDOM
Wichita 16, Amarillo 11
Box Score
In a game with 27 runs and 34 hits and six errors and six wild pitches and a hit batter, the Wind Surge scored in each of the first eight innings. The Sod Poodles scored in six of nine innings. A six-run sixth inning gave the Wind Surge a lead that they were able to hold onto.

Wichita got off to a fast start in the first inning. Kaelen Culpepper and Walker Jenkins each singled. With one out, Ricardo Olivar drilled a three-run homer to give the team the lead.

In the second inning, Ben Ross drilled a solo homer to make it 4-1.

In the third inning, newcomer Hendry Mendez drove in Kala’i Rosario with a sacrifice fly.

With one out in the third inning, Ross singled. He advanced on a throwing error on a pickoff attempt and then scored on a wild pitch. Next, Jose Salas singled. Culpepper and Jenkins walked to load the bases. Salas scored on a Kala’i Rosario fielder’s choice to make it 7-4.

Mendez singled to start the fifth inning. He stole second and went to third on a throwing error. He scored on a Rubel Cespedes single to tie the game at 8-8.

But the Wind Surge broke things open with a six-run sixth inning. With one out, Walker Jenkins singled. With two outs, he stole second. Andrew Cossetti walked. After a pitching change, Mendez singled to load the bass. Nate Baez cleared the bases with a double to make it 11-9.

Rubel Cespedes doubled to drive in Baez. Finally, Ben Ross hit his second homer of the game, a two-run shot to make it 14-9.

In the seventh inning, Andrew Cossetti homered to make it 15-10.

In the eighth inning, Jenkins homers to make it 16-11.

To the pitching. Alejandro Hidalgo made his first Double-A start and gave up four runs (2 earned) on three hits and three walks. He had four strikeouts. Jaylen Nowlin pitched one inning and gave up four runs on two hits and three walks. Darren Bowen came out of the bullpen and gave up three runs on six hits and a walk in 2 2/3 innings. Eston Stull got the next four outs, two on strikeouts. Hunter Hoopes pitched a quiet ninth.

All 10 Wind Surge batters had at least one hit. Three players had two hits, and four hitters had three hits. The three hitters that had one hit also had one walk.

Ben Ross was 3-for-5 with a walk, his seventh and eighth homers. He scored and drove in three runs. Jenkins went 3-for-5 with a walk and his fifth home run. In his first game in the Twins organization, Mendez went 3-for-5. Rubel Cespedes went 3- for-5. Richardo Olivar was 2-for-3 with his 12th homer and three RBI. Andrew Cossetti came in for him later in the game and he hit his 10th homer.

KERNELS NUGGETS
Cedar Rapids 6, Lansing 3
Box Score
The hometown Lugnuts scored a run in each of the first two innings. The Kernels scored two runs in the first and two runs in the second inning. From that point, the offense provided a little insurance and the pitching carried the day.

In the first, Kyle DeBarge led off with a walk and stole second. In his first at-bat in the Twins organization, Eduardo Tait lined a single to center, hit too hard to score DeBarge from second. But, DeBarge scored soon after on a wild pitch. After Billy Amick walked, there was another wild pitch that allowed Tait to score.

In the top of the second, Caden Kendle led off with his seventh home run of the season. It was followed by Poncho Ruiz’s first Kernels homer.

Leading 4-3 in the top of the sixth, Brandon Winokur reached on an infield single and went to second on a throwing error. Danny De Andrade drove him in with a single to center.

They added one more insurance run in the top of the ninth. With one out, Poncho Ruiz walked and went to third on a Maddux Houghton single. Kyle DeBarge flew out, but Ruiz was able to score.

Jose Olivares was on the mound to start for the Kernels. He was charged with three runs on six hits. He walked three and had five strikeouts in five innings. Sam Perez came in and struck out four batters over two scoreless, one-hit innings. Paulshawn Pasqualotto threw the final two innings and allowed just one hit to record his eighth save.

Winokur went 2-for-3 with a walk in the game. De Andrade was 2-for-4. DeBarge stole his 56th base.

MUSSEL MATTERS
Fort Myers 3, Dunedin 2 (10 innings)
Box Score
Saturday was an intriguing match up between two of the top prep left-handed pitchers from the 2024 draft. The Twins used the 69th overall pick to select Dasan Hill from Grapevine High School in Texas. With the 95th overall, the Blue Jays took Johnny King out of Naples High School in Florida. Hill was committed to Dallas Baptist while King had committed to Miami. Hill got a $1,997,500 million bonus while King agreed to $1,247,500.

Safe to say that both did well in the matchup. Johnny King tossed five scoreless innings. He gave up two hits, walked two and had seven strikeouts. Dasan Hill went four shutout innings. He gave up just one hit, walked none, and had three strikeouts.

Let’s keep going. Johnny King threw 65 pitches, 38% sinkers. His sinker averaged 93.4 mph with a max of 94.5 mph. Hill threw just 45 pitches. One-third of those pitches (15) were sliders. 14 more pitches were changeups. He threw eight pitches that were called sinkers and eight more that were called 4-seam fastballs. The average sinker was 95.5 mph and the average four-seamer was 96.1 mph. His maximum velocity on a pitch was 96.8 mph.

But yes, other people played in the game too. There was no score in the game through six innings. Eli Jones worked four innings and gave up just a seventh-inning run. He gave up five hits, walked one and had a strikeout.

Enrique Jimenez led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a single. With one out, Shai Robinson walked. With two outs, Marek Houston singled to center to drive in Jimenez with the game-tying run.

That was it until extra innings. Dylan Questad pitched a scoreless ninth inning, and then he gave up a single run (the unearned Manfred run).

Ryan Sprock began the bottom of the 10th inning on second base. He advanced to third base when Robinson grounded out to second base (#ProductiveOut). Next, JP Smith was hit by a pitch. Dameury Pena ran for him.

That brought Houston back to the plate, and he came through with a single to right which scored Sprock with the tying run. Pena advanced to third. Houston went to second on defensive indifference. The rehabbing Khadim Diaw stepped up and lined a single to left field to score Pena with the game winner!

The Mussels managed their three runs on seven hits and three walks. Houston went 2-for-4 with a walk and his first stolen base. He also drove in the game-tying run twice in the game. Diaw had the game-winning RBI and was also hit by a pitch. JP Smith had a single and was hit by a pitch.

DOMINICAN DAILIES
DSL Twins 15, DSL Giants 6
Box Score
16-year-old Geremy Villoria made his first start in the Twins organization on Saturday afternoon. He came over from the Phillies side of their shared Dominican complex in Boca Chica following the trade that sent Harrison Bader to the city of brotherly love. The first inning went 1-2-3 with a groundout, a strikeout and a pop up that Villoria caught all by himself.

In the top of the second frame, Joyner Perez and Jhomnardo Reyes doubled, the latter driving in the former with the game’s first run. Darwin Almanzar was hit by a pitch. The bases were loaded after a Dencer Diaz single. Aaron Salazar came up and lined a double that cleared the bases and put the Twins up 4-0.

Vilooria came back out for the second inning. Following a leadoff double in the bottom of the second, runners were on second and third after a play that involved a fielding error and a throwing error. A run scored on a ground out, but it was followed with a walk. A single pushed two runs across with the help of another throwing error. Another single, and another run happened before he got a ground out to end the inning. I normally don’t go into that much detail with how the opponent scores, but once in a while it’s a good reminder of what life in the DSL (and FCL sometimes too) can look like at times.

Through six innings, the game was tied at 5-5.

Then the Twins brought out the big lumber for the late innings. They scored four more runs in the seventh. Gerardo Cardona doubled and went to third base on a Teilon Serrano single. Santiago Leon singled to load the bases. Hartizon Castillo drove in a painful run as he was hit by a pitch. Joyner Perez walked to drive in a second run. After a pitching change and one out, Almanzar singled to drive in two runs and make it 9-5.

Gerardo Cardona and Teilon Serrano walked to start the bottom of the eighth. Leon singled to drive in a run. A second run scored on a ground out. Perez walked and went to second on a passed ball. Jhomnardo Reyes hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Leon with the 12th run. Diaz walked, Salazar was hit by a pitch. Soon after Almanzar scored on a wild pitch. Next, Cardona was hit by a pitch to re-load the bases. A walk by Serrano drove in the 15th and, thankfully, final run of the game.

Marlon Mirabel came on and got two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning when the game was called due to weather. Aaron Carranza gave up one run on one hit and three walks over three innings. Rainer Marin gave up an unearned run over two innings.

The Twins scored 15 runs on 10 hits, eight walks and five hit batters. Almanzar went 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored Serrano went 2-for-4 with two walks and two runs scored and two RBI.

PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Hitter of the Day
Ben Ross (Wichita): 3-for-5, BB, 2 HR (8), 3 R, 3 RBI

Pitcher of the Day
Trent Baker (St. Paul): 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, 6 K.

PROSPECT SUMMARY
Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on our Twins Top 20 prospects after seeing how they did on Saturday.

#1– Walker Jenkins (Wichita) – 3-for-5, BB, HR(5), 3 R, RBI (DHd)
#2 – Luke Keaschall (Minnesota) – rehab SP: 2-for-3, BB, 3B(1), R, SF RBI (played 2B)
#3 – Kaelen Culpepper (Wichita) – 2-for-6, BB, R, 2 K (played SS)
#6 – Dasan Hill (Fort Myers) – 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 45 pitches, 31 strikes (%)
#8 – Gabriel Gonzalez (St. Paul) – 2-for-4 (played RF)
#10 – Marek Houston (Fort Myers) – 2-for-4, BB, 2 RBI, K, SB(1)
#11 – Brandon Winokur (Cedar Rapids) -2-for-3, BB, K, CS(4). (Played SS)
#14 – Kyle DeBarge (Cedar Rapids) – 0-for-3, BB, R, SF RBI, K, SB(56).
#16 – Billy Amick (Cedar Rapids) – 0-for-0, BB (played 1B)
#17 – Khadim Diaw (Cedar Rapids) – rehab FM: 1-for-4, GW RBI, HBP, K (DHd)
#19 – Eduardo Beltre (Fort Myers) – 0-for-4, 2 K (played RF)
#20 – Ricardo Olivar (Wichita) – 2-for-3, HR(12), R, 3 RBI (caught)

SUNDAY PITCHING PROBABLES
St. Paul @ Toledo (3:05 PM CT) – RHP Mick Abel (1st start in Twins organization),
Wichita @ Amarillo (6:05 PM CT) – RHP Ryan Gallagher (1st start in Twins organization)
Cedar Rapids @ Lansing (12:05 PM CT) – LHP Garrett Horn (1st start in Twins organization)
Dunedin @ Fort Myers (11:05 AM CT) – RHP Sam Rochard (1st Mussels start)
DSL Rockies @ DSL Twins (10:00 AM CT) – TBD

CURRENT W-L Records
Minnesota Twins: 51-59
St. Paul Saints: 47-58
Wichita Wind Surge: 53-48
Cedar Rapids Kernels: 59-41
Fort Myers Mighty Mussels: 45-54
FCL Twins: 39-20 (finished 2nd in FCL playoffs)
DSL Twins: 17-27

Please feel free to ask questions about the teams, the rosters, and discuss today’s games, or anything else Twins minor-league related!

Interested in learning more about the Minnesota Twins’ top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!

View Twins Top Prospects

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NCAA Women’s Div I Volleyball Tournament Glance

Published

14 minutes ago

December 9, 2025

Your Sports Nation

2025 NCAA Women’s Div I Volleyball Tournament Glance All Times EST First Round Thursday, Dec. 4 No. 4 Colorado def.…

2025 NCAA Women’s Div I Volleyball Tournament Glance All Times EST

First Round

Thursday, Dec. 4

No. 4 Colorado def. American, 25-16, 25-19, 25-16

No. 4 Kansas def. High Point, 25-20, 25-15, 25-18

No. 6 Baylor def. Arkansas St., 23-25, 25-20, 30-28, 23-25, 15-10

No. 5 Miami (FL) def. Tulsa, 25-22, 13-25, 25-22, 25-20

No. 4 Indiana def. Toledo, 25-18, 25-15, 25-17

North Carolina def. No. 6 UTEP, 24-26, 25-11, 25-18, 25-21

No. 8 UCLA def. Georgia Tech, 24-26, 25-19, 23-25, 25-18, 25-10

No. 6 N. Iowa def. Utah, 15-25, 21-25, 26-24, 25-20, 15-10

Utah St. def. No. 7 Tennessee, 25-19, 25-15, 20-25, 18-25, 15-11

No. 3 Purdue def. Wright St., 25-13, 25-21, 25-19

No. 1 Kentucky def. Wofford, 25-11, 25-19, 25-12

Cal Poly def. No. 5 BYU, 25-19, 17-25, 20-25, 25-20, 15-10

No. 3 Creighton def. Northern Colorado, 25-12, 23-25, 23-25, 25-17, 15-8

No. 2 Arizona St. def. Coppin St., 25-11, 25-14, 25-12

No. 4 Southern Cal def. Princeton, 25-19, 25-12, 25-13

No. 3 Wisconsin def. Eastern Ill., 25-11, 25-6, 25-19

Friday, Dec. 5

Marquette def. No. 7 W. Kentucky, 25-22, 25-21, 25-16

Michigan def. No. 8 Xavier, 25-19, 25-15, 25-23

Kansas St. def. No. 8 San Diego vs., 21-25, 25-17, 26-28, 25-22, 15-12

No. 6 TCU def. Steven F. Austin St., 25-8, 26-24, 25-20

Florida def. No. 7 Rice, 27-25, 25-23, 25-19

No. 5 Iowa St. def. St. Thomas (Minn.), 21-25, 25-13, 25-16, 21-25, 15-8

No. 8 Penn St. def. South Florida, 25-23, 12-25, 25-21, 25-19

No. 1 Pittsburgh def. UMBC, 25-10, 25-17, 25-13

No. 2 Louisville def. Loyola Chicago, 25-17, 25-9, 25-12

No. 2 SMU def. Cent. Arkansas, 25-13, 25-13, 25-13

No. 3 Texas A&M def. Campbell, 25-17, 25-9, 25-12

Arizona def. No. 7 South Dakota St., 25-21, 22-25, 25-15, 25-15

No. 1 Nebraska def. LIU, 25-11, 25-15, 25-17

No. 1 Texas def. Florida A&M, 25-11, 25-8, 25-14

No. 4 Minnesota def. Fairfield, 25-12, 25-7, 25-13

No. 2 Stanford def. Utah Valley, 21-25, 25-21, 25-13, 25-14

Second Round

Friday, Dec. 5

No. 3 Purdue def. No. 6 Baylor, 25-16, 25-19, 23-25, 25-20

No. 4 Indiana def. No. 5 Colorado, 25-20, 25-17, 25-13

No. 1 Kentucky def. No. 8 UCLA, 30-25, 25-16, 28-30, 25-17

No. 4 Kansas def. No. 5 Miami, 25-17, 25-22, 22-25, 27-25

No. 3 Creighton def. N. Iowa, 25-18, 23-25, 25-22, 25-21

No. 2 Arizona St. def. Utah St., 25-15, 25-18, 22-25, 25-15

No. 3 Wisconsin def. North Carolina, 25-14, 25-21, 27-25

Cal Poly def. No. 4 Southern Cal, 25-19, 25-20, 20-25, 14-25, 15-7

Saturday, Dec. 6

No. 2 Louisville def. Marquette, 21-15, 25-11, 23-25, 25-19, 15-12

No. 1 Pittsburgh def. Michigan, 25-23, 25-23, 25-18

No. 1 Texas def. No. 8 Penn St., 25-16, 25-9, 25-19

No. 1 Nebraska def. Kansas St., 25-17, 25-21, 25-16

No. 2 SMU def. Florida, 25-11, 25-21, 26-24

No. 3 Texas A&M def. TCU, 23-25, 25-22, 25-23, 29-27

No. 4 Minnesota def. No. 5 Iowa St., 25-22, 25-21, 25-14

No. 2 Stanford def. Arizona, 25-16, 25-27, 25-17, 25-20

Third Round

Thursday, Dec. 11

No. 2 Arizona State vs. No. 3 Creighton, 1 p.m.

No. 1 Kentucky vs. Cal Poly, 3:30 p.m.

No. 1 Pittsburgh vs. No. 4 Minnesota, 7 p.m.

No. 2 SMU vs. No. 3 Purdue, 9:30 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 12

No. 1 Texas vs. No. 4 Indiana, noon

No. 2 Stanford vs. No. 3 Wisconsin, 2:30 p.m.

No. 2 Louisville vs. No. 3 Texas A&M, 7 p.m.

No. 1 Nebraska vs. No. 4 Kansas, 9:30 p.m.

Copyright
© 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

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Info on Purdue Volleyball’s Regional Semifinal Match vs. SMU Released

Published

32 minutes ago

December 9, 2025

Your Sports Nation

For a third consecutive year, Purdue’s volleyball team is headed to the Regional Semifinals of the NCAA Tournament. The Boilermakers defeated Wright State in the opening round and took down Baylor in the second round to advance to college volleyball’s Sweet 16, where they’ll face a familiar foe.

No. 3 seed Purdue will travel to Pittsburgh to play No. 2 seed SMU on Thursday, Dec. 11. The two teams played earlier this season in Lexington, Ky., with the Boilers pulling out a 3-1 victory over the Mustangs. The winner of the match will play the winner of No. 1 Pitt and No. 4 Minnesota, with a trip to the National Semifinals hanging in the balance.

Purdue’s match against SMU will be the second matchup of the night in Pittsburhg. Host Pitt will play Minnesota at 7 p.m. ET, with the Boilermakers and Mustangs scheduled to play 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first match.

Both matches will air on ESPN2.

Here’s a look at what you need to know for Thursday’s match between Purdue and SMU.

Purdue Boilermakers head coach Dave Shondell looks up to watch a replay | Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

How to watch No. 3 Purdue vs. No. 2 SMU

What: NCAA Tournament Regional Semifinal Round
Who: #3 Purdue (26-6) vs. #2 SMU (27-5)
When: Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025
Where: Fitzgerald Field House in Pittsburgh, Pa. (4,122 capacity)
Time: 30 minutes after conclusion of Pitt-Minnesota match (approx. 9 p.m. ET)
TV: ESPN2

Purdue beats SMU earlier this year

Thursday night’s matchup between No. 3 Purdue and No. 2 SMU will be the second time the two teams have met on the volleyball court this season. The two squads also played in Lexington on Sept. 14, just a few weeks into the 2025 season.

Ranked No. 14 at the time, that was Purdue’s biggest win of the season to that point, taking down an SMU team that was ranked No. 10 nationally. The Boilers had to rally to win that match, too.

The Mustangs took the first set 25-23, but the Boilermakers responded in a big way. The churned out tight victories in the next two sets, defeating SMU 25-22 in the second and 27-25 in the third. Purdue had a convincing 25-18 fourth-set win to close out the match.

While a lot has happened in the three months since they last played, Purdue will carry confidence into this match, knowing it’s capable of beating a team like SMU. The Mustangs, on the other hand, will be looking for revenge against a team that defeated them early in the season.

It should make for a fun postseason matchup on Thursday.

Get top Boilermakers stories, expert analysis, and can’t-miss moments straight to your inbox for free by signing up for the Purdue Boilermakers on SI newsletter!

Longtime Utah volleyball coach Beth Launiere retires – Deseret News

Published

48 minutes ago

December 9, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Beth Launiere, the longest-tenured volleyball coach in Utah history, has retired, the school announced Monday.

Over 36 years as Utah’s coach, Launiere amassed 689 wins and took Utah to the NCAA tournament 20 times.

With Launiere in charge, the Utes won six Mountain West titles and advanced to the Sweet 16 four times, most recently in 2019.

“After 36 years as the head volleyball coach at the University of Utah, I have made the difficult decision to announce my retirement,” Launiere said in a school press release.

“While it is not easy to walk away from a lifetime’s work, I am ready and excited to begin the next chapter of my life. Thank you to the hundreds of players whom I have had the privilege to coach, and the many assistant coaches, support staff and administrators who were my daily collaborators to build this program into what it is today.

“I will miss the daily interactions, but I know our relationships will last a lifetime. It has been an honor to represent one of the greatest universities in the country. I will forever love Utah and will always be a Ute!”

Utah was ranked in the AVCA Coaches Top 25 poll for 183 weeks under Launiere’s leadership, and the program produced 16 All-Americans.

During her 36-year career at Utah, Launiere was rewarded with three Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year awards and one Pac-12 Coach of the Year award in 2019.

In her final season, Launiere and the Utes made the NCAA Tournament, finishing the season with a 15-15 record with wins over No. 23 BYU and No. 13 Kansas before losing to the University of Northern Iowa in the first round of the NCAAs.

Launiere will leave a lasting legacy as the volleyball program’s greatest coach.

Utah athletic director Mark Harlan wasted no time naming her successor, appointing Alyssa D’Errico as the sixth head coach in program history.

“Alyssa D’Errico is a tremendous identifier of talent and is elite in developing student-athletes and building genuine relationships,” Harlan said. “With her championship pedigree, All-America playing experience, and the three years she has spent at the University of Utah as associate head coach, she is uniquely equipped to take over leadership of our volleyball program.

“I’m thrilled to appoint Alyssa as our new head coach, and excited to see her establish herself as this program’s leader, building on the legacy that Beth Launiere has built.”

D’Errico is a three-year assistant of Launiere’s, joining the program ahead of the 2023 season.

“I want to sincerely thank Mark Harlan, Charmelle Green and Jason Greco for their trust and support in giving me this opportunity to lead Utah volleyball,” said D’Errico in a press release.

“Of course, I also must thank Beth Launiere. I am deeply grateful to Beth for bringing me out here to be a part of this incredible volleyball program and athletic department. Her countless contributions to our sport, her care for the athletes, and the legacy she leaves behind are inspiring — truly leaving the program better than she found it.

“As I step into this role, I am honored and energized to help guide our program into the next era, with new heights in sight and a strong vision for sustained excellence. I look forward to building on our foundation, elevating our competitive standard, and fostering a culture where our student-athletes thrive on and off the court.”

Utah head coach Beth Launiere talks with her players between sets during the NCAA tournament match against Marquette at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News

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Nevada volleyball’s team leaders in kills, assists and digs enter the transfer portal

Published

1 hour ago

December 8, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The Nevada volleyball team’s leader in kills (Haylee Brown), assists (Audrey Jensen) and digs (Kinsley Singleton) all entered the transfer portal Monday, as reported by College Volleyball Transfers and shared by those players on Instagram.

Brown was an All-Mountain West honorable mention selection in 2025 after transferring to Nevada following two seasons at Georgia Washington. The 6-foot-2 outside hitter from Maricopa, Ariz., hammered 351 kills, which were 165 more than the team’s second most. She led the Wolf Pack with 374 points and added 36 blocks. Brown will have one season of eligibility remaining at her next school.

Jensen was Nevada’s top freshman and starting setter, racking up a team-best 658 assists (391 more than second place) and adding 63 kills, 49 blocks (third on team), 203 digs (second on team) and 26 services aces (second on team). The 6-footer from Parker, Colo., was one of the Mountain West’s top rookies and started a team-high 27 of 28 matches for Nevada, racking up 116 points. She will have three seasons of eligibility remaining at her next school.

Singleton is a 5-4 libero from Phoenix who led Nevada with 361 digs while adding 104 assists. The defensive specialist also had a team-best 28 service aces and was one of Nevada’s top players each of the last two years. She will have two seasons of eligibility remaining at her next school.

Nevada volleyball has struggled with player retention for several seasons and lost stars Gabby McLaughlin and Tehya Maeva to Syracuse last season with McKenna Dressel also transferred to Mississippi State. The Wolf Pack went 8-20 overall and 4-14 in the MW this season, ranking 11th out of 12 schools under second-year head coach Shannon Wyckoff-McNeal.

With the transfer departures, Nevada would retain just one of its top-five players last season in matches started in sophomore-to-be Kamryn Tifft, whose 20 starts were the fourth most on the team.

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Adrian College SID, Mike Prang, Earns Distinguished CSC 30 Under 30 Recognition

Published

1 hour ago

December 8, 2025

Your Sports Nation

GREENWOOD, Ind. — College Sports Communicators announced its 30 Under 30 Class of 2025 on Monday afternoon, naming 30 of the nation’s top collegiate athletic communicators under the age of 30 to its recipient’s list. Landing his name on the list is Adrian College’s own, Mike Prang, who serves as the Sports Information Director, leading the charge for all 53 athletic programs in the department for the last 5+ years.

The annual honor recognizes emerging athletics communications professionals at all levels of college sports in strategic, creative, and digital spaces.

“We are proud to recognize and honor the rising talent and amazing achievements of so many incredible individuals with the latest 30 Under 30 class,” said 2025-26 CSC President Patrick Crawford. “College Sports Communicators, at its core, is an organization that is driven by the strengths, skills and passions of its members. As new communicators join our ranks and begin to build their careers, we are fortunate to take this opportunity to celebrate the best of CSC’s young professionals. This class is representative of both the diversity of our membership and the breadth of our overall community. Congratulations to this year’s honorees.”

The 28-year old from Carol Stream, Illinois attended Loras College in Iowa, where he studied Sport Management, worked as an Athletic Communications student-worker, and played on the varsity Baseball team. Prang graduated in the Fall of 2019 before relocating up to Michigan where he joined the Bulldogs’ Athletic Communications staff shortly after in December 2019.

Mike first began his tenure at Adrian as the Assistant Sports Information Director, where he assisted in athletic communication operations for just over a year before he was promoted to the head Sports Information Director role in March 2021. Since then, Mike has been stewarding the operations of the largest Athletic Department in the nation, overseeing the everyday tasks of covering 53 athletic programs, from graphic design to social media and statistics among other duties.

During his time as a Bulldog, Mike has traveled to four NCAA Division III Frozen Fours and two National Championship games, as well as the 2021 NCAA DIII College World Series. His experience also includes attending three NCAA DIII Baseball Regionals, hosting one Regional, and traveling to a Super Regional. He has hosted four NCAA Men’s Wrestling Regionals—two at Loras and two at Adrian—along with one Women’s Wrestling Regional and two Women’s Wrestling National Championships. Additionally, he traveled to the NCAA DIII Women’s Golf National Championship and has hosted six NCAA DIII Tournament Hockey games. His work has taken him to a Men’s Rugby National Championship, an NCAA DIII Track & Field Championship, and three NCAA Tournament Men’s Basketball games, including two at Loras and one for Adrian. He also served as the official scorer for the 2019 NCAA DIII Women’s Volleyball National Championship (Final 8) and has covered two Bass Fishing National Championships. Mike has also been around for three ACHA Hockey National Championship victories at Adrian.

Mike handled the redesign of the adrianbulldogs.com website in 2021, reshaping the image of the department online. In addition, he has helped grow the department’s social media following, increasing the Instagram follower count by 6,000+, the Twitter follower count by 4,000+, and the Facebook follower count by roughly 3,500+ in just over five years. As the lead point of media contact for the department, Mike also works with local media outlets to promote Adrian Athletics through television and radio, including the likes of Adrian College TV, BCSN, 96.5 The Cave, and more.

“I’m truly honored to receive the CSC 30 Under 30 Award. This recognition reinforces my commitment to growing within the profession,” said Prang. “Working with 53 athletic teams at Adrian College has been both challenging and incredibly rewarding. The success of our teams and student-athletes, along with the relationships I’ve built with them, continues to motivate me every day. Thank you so much to those who nominated me for the award, and to those who have helped me grow into the SID that I am today. I can’t take all the credit for this honor. I’m incredibly thankful for every member of the Adrian College Sports Information staff, past and present. To our student workers and interns, thank you for all you do. I couldn’t do my job the same without you.”

To bolster his resume, Mike is a two-time D3SIDA Regional SID of the Year nominee and an active member of the College Sports Communicators Young Professionals Committee (YPC), where he also serves on the YPC Programming Subcommittee. In the summer of 2024, he was selected as a speaker for the CSC U-Summit. Additionally, he contributes to institutional recognition efforts as a member of the Adrian College Athletic Hall of Fame Committee.

“I’m excited to keep growing Adrian College Athletics and to continue sharing the stories and promoting the amazing teams and student-athletes who proudly call themselves Bulldogs,” added the newest 30 Under 30 recipient.

Adrian College congratulates Mike Prang on this prestigious honor and extends their gratitude for everything Mike continues to do for the Athletic Department. He will be honored at the 2026 CSC Convention in Las Vegas next summer.

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Sports

D’Errico Named Head Coach of Utah Volleyball Program

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1 hour ago

December 8, 2025

Your Sports Nation

SALT LAKE CITY—Alyssa D’Errico has been named head coach of the Utah volleyball program, Director of Athletics Mark Harlan announced today. D’Errico, who has served as the Utes’ associate head coach for the past three seasons, becomes just the sixth head coach in program history, succeeding 36-year head coach Beth Launiere who announced her retirement earlier today.

A press conference to introduce D’Errico and celebrate Launiere’s career is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 10, at 3 p.m., at Crimson Court.

“Alyssa D’Errico is a tremendous identifier of talent and is elite in developing student-athletes and building genuine relationships,” Harlan said. “With her championship pedigree, All-America playing experience, and the three years she has spent at the University of Utah as associate head coach, she is uniquely equipped to take over leadership of our volleyball program. I’m thrilled to appoint Alyssa as our new head coach, and excited to see her establish herself as this programs’ leader, building on the legacy that Beth Launiere has built.”

Through three seasons in Salt Lake City, D’Errico has made her presence known, helping the Utes improve from an 11-19 record in 2023 to 25-6 in 2024, including a return to the NCAA Tournament for the 19th time and a final AVCA ranking of 23rd. She helped guide Utah to its 20th NCAA Tournament appearance in 2025. Primarily responsible for the defense, D’Errico has overseen all scouting and training concerning that side of the net, as well as Utah’s serve/receive strategy.

“I want to sincerely thank Mark Harlan, Charmelle Green and Jason Greco for their trust and support in giving me this opportunity to lead Utah Volleyball,” said D’Errico. “Of course, I also must thank Beth Launiere. I am deeply grateful to Beth for bringing me out here to be a part of this incredible volleyball program and athletic department. Her countless contributions to our sport, her care for the athletes, and the legacy she leaves behind are inspiring—truly leaving the program better than she found it. As I step into this role, I am honored and energized to help guide our program into the next era, with new heights in sight and a strong vision for sustained excellence. I look forward to building on our foundation, elevating our competitive standard, and fostering a culture where our student-athletes thrive on and off the court.”

D’Errico came to Utah after six seasons on the staff at Dayton. Hired in 2017, she was promoted to associate head coach in 2019, and served as the program’s recruiting coordinator. D’Errico specialized in the blocking and defensive efforts for the Flyers, while also being involved in all aspects of recruiting and program-wide decisions. She helped guide Dayton to two A-10 regular season championships (2020, ’21) and four A-10 Tournament championships (2018-21). Additionally, the Flyers saw two athletes earn A-10 Libero of the Year honors under D’Errico’s watch while coaching four All-Americans and leading the Dayton defense to a top-30 ranking in 2020 and ’21. D’Errico’s astounding early efforts as a coach was recognized by the AVCA in 2018 as part of its Thirty Under 30 honorees.

D’Errico began her coaching career at Louisville from 2015-2016, where she was instrumental in helping the Cardinals to their first ACC Championship shortly after her arrival, and coaching 2015 ACC Defensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year Molly Sauer.

“I couldn’t be more pleased for Alyssa D’Errico to be named the next head volleyball coach at the University of Utah,” said Beth Launiere. “She has great knowledge of the game, and a work ethic second to none. Alyssa is a leader who invests in her players in both time and care, and is a tremendous role model for young women. Her exceptionalism as a four-time NCAA Women’s Volleyball National Champion was a prelude to her extraordinary attributes as a coach and what she brings to the profession. I have no doubt Alyssa will maintain the culture we have strived to create and continue Utah Volleyball’s winning tradition.”

D’Errico’s competitive spirit became immediately apparent during her impressive college career at Penn State as a member of four Big Ten championship and national championship teams from 2007-2010 where she served as team captain for three of those seasons. She is the only player in NCAA Division I volleyball history to have won four national championships after winning state championships in her last three years of high school.

The 2010 All-Big Ten honorable mention selection was a member of the Nittany Lions’ record-setting 109- match win streak, and won 24-straight NCAA tournament matches through her four seasons in Happy Valley. D’Errico amassed 1,245 career digs, 146 career aces, and was named the 2011 NCAA Woman of the Year to wrap up her illustrious collegiate career.

After graduating, D’Errico placed her sights on Europe, playing three seasons overseas as a libero with stops in Spain, Croatia and France. During her professional career, D’Errico was the MVP of the Princess Cup, a four-time Superliga weekly MVP, and a “Super 7” All-League honoree with the Feel Volley Alcobendas Club in Spain.

D’Errico is not only accomplished as a college coach, but has built an extensive resume with USA Volleyball, having spent eight years with the organization in various roles including serving as an assistant on the 2020 Youth National Team, an assistant coach for the U17-U18 National Team Development Program summer training series in 2023 and 2024, an assistant coach for the U17-U18 NTDP spring training series in 2024, the head coach for the U18-U20 NTDP spring training series in 2025, and the U.S. Women’s National Team Open Program evaluator in 2025. Most recently, D’Errico served as an assistant coach for the 2025 U19 National Team that took home the silver medal at the World Championships this past summer.

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT ALYSSA D’ERRICO

Penn State Head Coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley:

“I am absolutely thrilled for Alyssa and for Utah Volleyball. She is stepping into a program built on excellence under Beth, and there is no doubt she will honor that foundation while elevating it even further. Alyssa’s energy, passion, and unwavering commitment to doing things the right way will only strengthen the culture and push the program to new heights.

She has always led with heart, humility, and an incredible competitive drive, and Utah is gaining not only a great coach but an even better person. I couldn’t be happier for her and for the bright future ahead.”

Former Penn State Head Coach Russ Rose:

“Alyssa arrived at Penn State with terrific skills, natural leadership and confidence, and she graduated with four Big Ten and four National Championships on her resume. She received numerous academic and athletic awards, and was always committed to the University, the team and its members.

After a brief professional playing career, Alyssa entered the coaching track and experienced great mentoring at Louisville with Anne Kordes, at Dayton with Tim Horsman, and then of course with Beth Launiere at the University of Utah. At each of her stops she gained not only meaningful experience, but the benefits of working with elite coaches.

I’m confident that Alyssa will continue to excel and build on the exceptional tradition established by Beth, and I expect to see great things in the future.”

Dayton Head Coach Tim Horsmon:

“I’m really excited for Alyssa to get this opportunity as the head coach of the Utah program. Utah made a great hire. She’s won as a player, winning four national championships, and she continues to win as a top-25 coach.

I’m not sure I’ve been around someone so passionate about this sport or our profession. Alyssa is smart, hard-working and connects with her players on and off of the court. She is a real pro, and more importantly a great human being who demonstrates great character in all things she does. I couldn’t be happier for one of my favorite people in this world.”

Minnesota Head Coach Keegan Cook:

“Congratulations to the University of Utah on the hiring of Alyssa D’Errico. Simply put, there is no one better prepared or more capable of seizing this opportunity than Alyssa. The Utes have ensured that the legacy of leadership and championship-caliber coaching at the University of Utah will continue.”

Michigan State Head Coach Kristin Kelsay:

“I can’t think of anyone better than Alyssa D’Errico to lead the Utah Women’s Volleyball Program. Alyssa is a champion on and off the court and will lead the Utes with character, integrity, and her competitive fire. Alyssa’s passion to grow the game of volleyball and her relational leadership will mentor, guide, and challenge the student-athletes in her program. I am so excited for this next chapter of Utah Volleyball with Alyssa at the helm”

Oregon Head Coach Trent Kersten:

“Huge congratulations to Alyssa D’Errico on being named the head coach at University of Utah. She’s a phenomenal coach and an even better person. Beth built an incredible foundation there, and Alyssa is the perfect leader to honor that legacy while putting her own stamp on the program. I’m excited to see Utah Volleyball thrive under her leadership.”

GENERAL ADMISSION TICKETS FOR 2026 UTAH VOLLEYBALL AVAILABLE NOW

https://utahutes.evenue.net/events/VBNS

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For an inside look at the Utah Volleyball program, including tournament, roster and news updates, fans can follow the Utes on social media (Twitter: @UtahVolleyball | Instagram: @utahvolleyball).

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