IRVINE, Calif. – Before you know it, the first serve of a brand new women’s volleyball season will be upon us!

This week the PacWest Conference Preseason Polls are being announced for all the fall sports with women’s volleyball leading things off. Concordia University Irvine was voted third by the league’s volleyball coaches, coming off a tie for fourth place a yar ago in head coach Eryn Leja-Martin‘s first season at the helm.

The Golden Eagles welcome back a good portion of last year’s team including a pair of former All-PacWest honorees. First Team All-Conference selection Kayden Croy is now a junior and led CUI last fall with over 350 kills and 410 points. She also racked up 1.79 digs per set. 

CUI senior Caitlin Jarrell was a Second Team All-PacWest selection in 2023 as a sophomore, and hit .291 with 230 kills as a junior with 79 total blocks. Delaney Gregg returns as another key middle blocker entering her sophomore campaign. Gregg was first on the team a year ago with 20 solo blocks and averaged 0.90 blocks per set as well.

Redshirt sophomores Dominique VadeBoncoeur and Celia Dowell are also back for the 2025 campaign. Dowell is the leading returner with 259 digs last year (2.42 digs/set) and played a chunk of games in the libero jersey.  Meanwhile, sophomore setter Macy Scheer handed out 110 assists as a true freshman.

Twin sisters Mattie and Cassie Prior join Ally Scheidle as part of a strong senior class. Mattie Prior serves as the team representative on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, and is also the SAAC President at Concordia as well as the PacWest SAAC President.

In addition to those nine talented returners, CUI added a crop of 11 new Golden Eagles. CLICK HERE for the Full Article on Coach Leja-Martin’s First Recruiting Class

The ladies are gearing up to host the Golden Eagle Classic and begin the regular season the first week of September. It is a three-day tournament from Thursday, Sept. 4 to Saturday, Sept. 6 with six games being played at Concordia.

The Golden Eagles will play their first two games on Friday, Sept 5 at 12:30 p.m. against Western Oregon and then at 7:00 p.m. that night against Cal State Dominguez Hills.

CLICK HERE for the full CUI women’s volleyball schedule

CLICK HERE for the full PacWest Preseason Poll for Women’s Volleyball

By DOUG FEINBERG

NEW YORK (AP) — Caitlin Clark is Nike’s newest signature athlete, expanding the athletic wear company’s partnership with the WNBA star.

Nike on Monday revealed a new logo of interlocking Cs to represent the Indiana Fever player. Clark’s first signature shoe and apparel collection will debut next year. Her logo collection will launch on Oct. 1, with a T-shirt in the Fever’s colors — yellow and navy blue — coming out a month earlier.

“Nike’s signature roster features all-time greats, and I am incredibly proud to join some of the best athletes in the world,” Clark said in a statement. “I’m excited to share a first look at what we’ve started to create together.”

Clark has missed 24 games during an injury-plagued second season, including the last 15 with a right groin strain. She has not played or practiced since July 15.

She did, however, participate in Indiana’s pregame shootaround Sunday at Minnesota. Last season’s WNBA Rookie of the Year is averaging 16.5 points, 8.8 assists and 5.0 rebounds in 13 games.

Clark has had a huge impact in women’s basketball ratings and attendance over the last few years, dating from her time setting the NCAA all-time scoring record at Iowa.

In June, Nike released a pair of Kobe Bryant’s signature sneakers in the colors of the Fever. The shoes sold out nearly as soon as they were offered.

Clark becomes the third WNBA player to get a signature deal with Nike, following A’ja Wilson and Sabrina Ionescu. Wilson’s shoe and apparel are coming out this year.

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

DALLAS, Texas (SMU) — Bridgette Owens is entering her second season with the SMU Track & Field program and her first year as Assistant Coach for Sprints and Hurdles. She continues to serve as the team’s Director of Operations, a role she held exclusively during the 2024–25 season.

“I’m thankful to Coach A’ Havahla Haynes for the opportunity to be part of this program and for trusting me with more responsibility,” Owens said. “I’m excited to step into this coaching role and help our student-athletes grow on and off the track.”

Owens served a vital role in bringing track and field back to Dallas in her first year as part of the program. SMU hosted its first track meet in 27 years during the 2024-25 season, and she held the role of Day Of Meet Director for the SMU Invitational.

Before joining SMU, Owens served as an assistant coach at the University of Illinois during the 2023–24 season. While in Champaign, she played a key role in guiding the Fighting Illini to the 2024 Big Ten Indoor Championship title. That same year, she coached the women’s 4×100-meter relay team to a school-record time of 43.50, breaking a 28-year-old program mark and advancing to the NCAA Final Round for the first time since 2016.

Prior to Illinois, Owens was an assistant coach at UTEP for the 2022–23 season. She helped the Miners sweep the 2023 Conference USA Track Athlete of the Year honors, mentoring women’s honoree Marissa Simpson to C-USA titles in the 60m and 100m hurdles, along with second-team All-America honors at the NCAA Championships.

Owens previously spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Western Michigan (2019–2022) and began her collegiate coaching career as a volunteer assistant at Cal State Northridge.

As an athlete, Owens was a seven-time NCAA All-American at Clemson University and the University of Florida. She graduated from UF as the school record holder in both the 60-meter hurdles and 100-meter hurdles. A Detroit native, she competed in the 2012 and 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials and placed 10th at the 2019 USA Outdoor Championships under the coaching of Olympic coach Lawrence “Boogie” Johnson.

Owens holds a bachelor’s degree in Family, Youth, and Community Sciences from the University of Florida and a master’s degree in business administration and human resources from DeVry University.

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. — The Bridgewater State University volleyball team has been picked to finish in second place in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) standings as the 2025 MASCAC Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll was released today by conference director of media relations, Emily Loux.

The defending MASCAC Tournament champion Bears received 60 points in the poll including four first-place votes. Westfield State University is the preseason favorite to capture the conference title as the defending regular season champion Owls recorded 61 points with five first-place votes. Framingham State University rounds out the top three teams in the poll with 47 points.

Under the guidance of head coach Tony daSilveira (7th Year), the Bridgewater State volleyball team will open the 2025 season on Tuesday, September 2nd as the Bears travel to Keene State College to take on the Owls at 6:00 PM.

The 2025 home opener is slated for Tuesday, September 9th at 6:00 PM against Curry College.

MASCAC play gets underway on Tuesday, September 23rd (6:00 PM) as the Bears welcome the Buccaneers of Massachusetts Maritime Academy to the Tinsley Center. 

Returning All-MASCAC selection Lily Welch (Jr., OH, Hanson, Mass.) will help lead the Bears in 2025.

Bridgewater State finished in second place in the 2024 MASCAC standings with a 6-1 conference mark (13-10 overall). The Bears knocked off Framingham State in the MASCAC Tournament semifinals before rallying for a 3-2 victory over top-seeded Westfield State in the conference title match to advance to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the 11th time in program history and first since 2008.

East Texas A&M University students looking for a fun, low-stress way to stay active will have plenty of opportunities this semester through the intramural sports program provided by Campus Recreation.

Intramural sports bridge the gap between competitive athletics and casual play, offering a chance for students to compete, meet new people and build lasting memories.

“Intramurals are all about giving students a chance to stay active, make friends and play the sports they enjoyed in high school without the huge time commitment,” said Coordinator of Sports Programs Xavier Deloatch. “It’s free, it’s fun and it’s a great way to be part of the ETAMU community.”

This semester’s lineup includes a mix of leagues and tournaments:

• Fantasy football
• Coed sand volleyball
• Flag football
• Ultimate Frisbee
• Tennis singles
• Pickleball
• Soccer
• Volleyball
• Futsal
• Golf scramble
• Cricket
• Dodgeball
• Badminton singles
• Super Smash Bros
• NBA 2K
• Table tennis singles
• 3v3 basketball

Most leagues run three to four weeks with weekly games, followed by playoffs and a chance to win championship prizes.

Registration is free for all current East Texas A&M students, faculty and staff with a Campus Rec membership. Students can sign up individually or as part of a team through IMLeagues.com.

With many sports offered throughout the year, Campus Recreation encourages students to get involved.

“Sports are a healthy way to have fun, create memories and develop teamwork and leadership skills that will last a lifetime,” Deloatch said.

Registration ends for some of the sports on September 2. For deadlines and game schedules, visit MANESync. Follow the Community Calendar to stay abreast of Campus Rec activities and other events.

Cooper Lutkenhaus, a 16-year-old 800m runner set to become the youngest American to compete at a World Track and Field Championships, is now the youngest U.S. track star in recent history to turn professional.

Lutkenhaus, who is starting his junior year of Northwest High School outside of Dallas, is forgoing his remaining high school and college racing eligibility, said Ray Flynn, his new agent.

“Being able to sign with Nike, I feel like that’s every kid’s dream when they get in the sport of running,” Lutkenhaus told Flotrack. “You don’t get this chance every day, and nothing’s guaranteed in this sport.”

Most high school phenoms who turn pro do so after after their senior seasons.

Lutkenhaus turns 17 on Dec. 19. In 2021, sprinter Erriyon Knighton turned pro less than a month before turning 17. Allyson Felix turned pro in 2003 at age 17.

Lutkenhaus finished second to Donavan Brazier in the 800m at the Toyota USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships on Aug. 3, clinching a spot on the team for the World Championships in Tokyo in mid-September.

He is set to become the first 16-year-old to compete for the U.S. in World Track and Field Championships history. Currently, the youngest American to ever compete at worlds is Mary Cain, who did so in the 1500m at age 17 in 2013.

Lutkenhaus’ time in the U.S. 800m final — 1 minute, 42.27 seconds — crushed the U18 world record by 1.1 seconds. (U18 world records are for athletes who turn 17 or younger in the year of their competition. Kenyan Timothy Kitum ran 1:42.53 for 2012 Olympic bronze when he was 17 years old, but turning 18 later that year.)

Lutkenhaus went into nationals with a personal best of 1:45:45 (a U.S. high school record time) from the Nike Outdoor Nationals high school meet in June.

That seeded him 13th in the senior U.S. men’s 800m field by best time in 2025.

“Obviously wasn’t supposed to make the team,” he said Aug. 3. “A lot of people didn’t think I’d make the final.”

Lutkenhaus’ three-second PR launched him from outside the 90 fastest Americans in history to fourth behind the best times from Bryce Hoppel, Josh Hoey and Brazier.

His time would have been the American record as recently as Aug. 10, 2024, when Hoppel lowered the record to 1:41.67 to place fourth in the Olympic final.

Lutkenhaus plans to stay with his high school coach, Chris Capeau, the next two years.

“But I’m going to get to race the best athletes in the world,” Lutkenahus said. “Who doesn’t want that chance, especially at 16 years old?”

Cooper Lutkenhaus finished second to Donavan Brazier in the U.S. 800m final.