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UCLA

GULF SHORES, Ala. — Third-ranked and top-seeded UCLA (30-6) is in Gulf Shores, Ala., for the 2025 NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship (May 2-4) at Gulf Place Beach. The Bruins will face 16th-seeded Chattanooga (26-5) on Friday, May 2 at 10:00 a.m. CT/8:00 a.m. PT. The dual will be televised live on ESPN2. THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE Opponent: No. 16 Chattanooga […]

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2 months ago

May 2, 2025

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GULF SHORES, Ala. — Third-ranked and top-seeded UCLA (30-6) is in Gulf Shores, Ala., for the 2025 NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship (May 2-4) at Gulf Place Beach. The Bruins will face 16th-seeded Chattanooga (26-5) on Friday, May 2 at 10:00 a.m. CT/8:00 a.m. PT. The dual will be televised live on ESPN2.

BRUINS IN THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP

UCLA is making its ninth NCAA Tournament appearance in 2025 and has won two national titles (2018 and 2019). The Bruins set a school, Pac-12, and NCAA record with 40 wins during the 2018 and 2023 campaigns. UCLA is 26-11 (.703) all-time in duals at the NCAA Championship and has three second-, two third- and one fifth-place finish in addition to the two national titles. Additionally, the Bruins have a 233-144 (.618) record in total sets played during the NCAA Championship.

BRUINS AGAINST THE 2025 NCAA FIELD

UCLA plays one of the most difficult schedules in the country every year and this year’s slate was no different, having faced teams in the 2025 NCAA Championship field a total of 24 times out of 36 completed duals for a record of 18-6 (.750). The Bruins were just 9-6 (.600) against the Top 5 seeds and 9-0 against teams seeded sixth through 16th. On the year, UCLA went 2-1 vs. No. 2 TCU, 3-1 vs. No. 3 Stanford, 2-1 vs. No. 4 LMU, 1-2 vs. No. 5 USC, 1-1 vs. No. 6 Cal Poly, 2-0 vs. No. 7 Texas, 2-0 vs. No. 8 Florida State, 1-0 vs. No. 9 Long Beach State, 2-0 vs. No. 10 California, 2-0 vs. No. 11 LSU, 0-0 vs. No. 12 North Florida, 0-0 vs. No. 13 Florida Atlantic, 0-0 vs. No. 14 Boise State, 0-0 vs. No. 15 Georgia State, and 0-0 vs. No. 16 Chattanooga.

2025 AVCA ALL-AMERICANS

The UCLA Bruins have four players represented on the 2025 AVCA All-America teams, as announced by the AVCA, which unveiled its 13th annual Collegiate Beach All-America Teams on April 30. This year, the first and second teams include 16 members each, and the 32 players honored represent 12 schools. UCLA has now produced 30 AVCA All-Americans. The Bruins’ court one pair of junior Maggie Boyd and freshman Sally Perez were both named AVCA First Team All-Americans. It marked the third-straight year that Boyd has made the First Team. Perez was the only freshman in the country to earn First Team accolades. The duo is 28-4 (all on court one) on the year entering the NCAA Championship. UCLA’s court two pair of graduate Peri Brennan and senior Natalie Myszkowski landed on the Second Team. For Brennan, it was her third-straight Second Team All-America plaudits while it was the first for Myszkowski. A quartet of schools each have four All-Americans. That group includes Cal Poly, Stanford, UCLA, and USC.

BRUINS SWEEP 2025 MPSF AWARDS

The UCLA Bruins swept the 2025 MPSF Beach Volleyball postseason awards as announced by the league on May 1. Junior Maggie Boyd was named Player of the Year, her partner on court one, Sally Perez, was named Freshman of the Year, the duo was named the MPSF Pair of the Year, and Bruin Head Coach Jenny Johnson Jordan was tabbed the Coach of the Year.

Boyd (Flower Mound, TX) earned the inaugural MPSF Beach Volleyball Player of the Year award. Boyd has played on court one for 32 of UCLA’s 36 matches. She takes a 29-4 record (.879) into the NCAA Tournament, including 28-4 on court one and 1-0 on court two. She is currently on an 11-match win streak, including an unbeaten MPSF Tournament, completing a stretch of seven wins over the top-five in April. Of her 29 wins, 25 have come against ranked opponents (24 with Sally Perez on court one), including 17 wins against the top-10, and 10 wins over top-five competition. Boyd earned two MPSF/Molten Pair of the Week awards (Apr. 15 & Mar. 11). Her second honor was following the Bruins’ capturing of the Center of Effort Challenge in San Luis Obispo, in which she went 4-0, including handing Daniela Alvarez and Hailey Hamlett of No. 1 TCU their first loss of the year. Boyd’s first weekly award came after she and the Bruins went 4-0 at Stanford’s Midseason Rumble, which also earned her and Perez AVCA National Pair of the Week honors.

Perez (Apex. NC) earned the inaugural MPSF Beach Volleyball Freshman of the Year award. Perez has played on court one for 32 of UCLA’s 36 matches, taking a 28-4 record (.875) into the NCAA Tournament, including a 10-match win streak. Of her 28 wins, Perez has partnered with Maggie Boyd to defeat 24 ranked opponents, including 17 wins against the top-10, and 10 wins over top-five competition. Perez was unbeaten in the MPSF Tournament, completing a stretch of seven wins over the top-five in April. Perez earned two MPSF/Molten Pair of the Week awards (Apr. 15 & Mar. 11). Her second honor was following the Bruins’ capturing of the Center of Effort Challenge in San Luis Obispo, in which she went 4-0, including handing Daniela Alvarez and Hailey Hamlett of No. 1 TCU their first loss of the year. Perez’ first weekly award came after she and the Bruins went 4-0 at Stanford’s Midseason Rumble, which also earned her and Boyd AVCA National Pair of the Week honors.

Johnson Jordan earned the inaugural MPSF Beach Volleyball Coach of the Year award. The Bruins take the top seed to the 2025 NCAA Tournament with a 30-6 record (.833). UCLA has posted 25 wins over AVCA ranked opponents, 10 wins over the Top-10, and seven wins over the top-five which included the final three matches of the regular season. Additionally, UCLA has spent the entire season ranked in the AVCA’s Top-three, and ranked either first or second since late February. UCLA picked up five of the nine MPSF/Molten Pair of the Week awards, as well as an AVCA National Pair of the Week recognition for Maggie Boyd and Sally Perez (Mar. 9), and placed three of its four all-conference student-athletes on the first team.

Additionally, Boyd and Perez were joined by graduate Peri Brennan as First-Team All-MPSF selections. Brennan’s partner on court two, senior Natalie Myszkowski was the lone Bruin to earn Second-Team All-MPSF honors. Brennan and Myszkowski have gone 29-6 on the year (27-6 on court two and 2-0 on court one).

Perez also landed on the MPSF All-Freshman team where she was joined by Bruin Alexa Fernandez. Fernandez is 19-13 on the year going 17-8 on Kaley Mathews (1-0 on court three, 14-8 on court four, and 2-0 on court five), 2-4 with Tessa Van Winkle (all on court four), and 0-1 with Kenzie Brower (on court three).

BRUINS SWEEP 2025 MPSF AWARDS

The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) named Jose Loiola as the AVCA National Assistant Beach Coach of the Year on May 1, 2025. Loiola just completed his second season as an assistant with the UCLA beach volleyball team in 2025, helping the Bruins earn a No. 1 seed in this weekend’s NCAA Championship.

Loiola and the Bruins arrive in Gulf Shores as the top seed in the NCAA Championship after going 30-6 during the 2025 season.

This is the beach volleyball Hall of Famer‘s second year as an assistant under Bruin Head Coach Jenny Johnson Jordan.

He has helped the Bruins to the No. 1 ranking in the AVCA Beach Poll in seven of the 11 weeks this season.

The 2025 UCLA team had four players earn AVCA All-American honors: Maggie Boyd, Peri Brennan, Natalie Myszkowski, and Sally Perez.

This is Loiola‘s first AVCA Assistant Coach of the Year award.

UCLA Head Coach Jenny Johnson Jordan also earned this distinction in 2019.

MPSF BEACH VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP RECAP

The top-seeded Bruins finished third in the inaugural 2025 MPSF Beach Volleyball Championship (April 23-25). UCLA opened with a 3-0 win over ninth-ranked California in the semifinals (April 24) but fell to third-ranked Stanford, 3-1, in the winner’s bracket final (April 24). Fifth-ranked USC defeated UCLA, 3-1, in the finals of the contender’s bracket (April 25), eliminating the Bruins from the tournament.

BOYD, PEREZ NAMED MPSF/MOLTEN BEACH PAIR OF THE WEEK AGAIN

UCLA junior Maggie Boyd (Flower Mound, Texas) and freshman Sally Perez (Apex, N.C.) have been named the MPSF/Molten Pair of the Week as announced by the league office on April 15. The Bruin duo went 4-0 to help UCLA win all four duals and capture the Center of Effort Challenge crown in San Luis Obispo, Calif. (April 11-12). UCLA opened with a 3-2 win over No. 4 LMU with Boyd and Perez winning in straight sets, before the pair defeated No. 12 Arizona State in straight sets. Day two began with the Bruins knocking off No. 1 TCU, 3-2, with Boyd and Perez rallying for a three-set win after dropping the first set, which handed Daniela Alvarez and Hailey Hamlett their first loss of the year. The top pair concluded the tournament with a straight-set win over No. 5 Stanford. This is the second MPSF award for Boyd and Perez this season.

BRENNAN, MYSZKOWSKI NAMED MPSF/MOLTEN BEACH PAIR OF THE WEEK

UCLA graduate student Peri Brennan (Laguna Beach, Calif.) and senior Natalie Myszkowski (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) have been named the MPSF/Molten Pair of the Week as announced by the league office on March 18. The Bruin duo helped UCLA go 6-0 last week with four wins over ranked teams. The Bruins defeated (RV) Concordia and Morehead State, 5-0 (Mar. 11) before heading to Manhattan Beach to host the East Meets West Invitational (Mar. 14-15). There, the Bruins took down No. 12 Texas and No. 11 LSU 4-1 on day one, and beat No. 8 Florida State and No. 19 FIU 5-0 on day two. Myszkowski and Brennan went 6-0 on the week without dropping a set. They went 5-0 on court two and 1-0 on court one, and only allowed their opponents to reach 17 in three of the 12 sets they played. This is the second MPSF award for Brennan and Myszkowski.

BOYD, PEREZ NAMED MPSF/MOLTEN BEACH PAIR OF THE WEEK

UCLA junior Maggie Boyd (Flower Mound, Texas) and freshman Sally Perez (Apex, N.C.) have been named the MPSF/Molten Pair of the Week as announced by the league office on March 11. The UCLA duo played a pivotal role in the Bruins’ 4-0 team record at the inaugural MPSF Midseason Rumble at Stanford (March 7-8), where the court one pair was also unbeaten. Boyd and Perez secured the team-clinching dual victories over No. 5 Stanford and No. 9 California, which included a 5-1 run at the end of set three for the win over Cal. The duo also finished off the 5-0 team sweeps with their top court wins over Oregon and No. 16 Grand Canyon. This is the first MPSF award for Boyd and Perez.

BOYD, PEREZ NAMED AVCA/CBVB NATIONAL COLLEGIATE BEACH PAIR OF THE WEEK

Junior Maggie Boyd (Flower Mound, Texas / Marcus HS) and freshman Sally Perez (Apex, N.C. / Middle Creek HS) have been named the AVCA/CBVB Collegiate Beach Pair of the Week as announced by the AVCA on March 10. This is the second AVCA/CBVB weekly national honor for Boyd and the first for Perez. Boyd and Perez played a pivotal role in UCLA’s impressive performance at the inaugural MPSF Midseason Rumble where the Bruins went 4-0, as did this tandem. Boyd and Perez showcased their resilience and skill by securing crucial victories at No. 1. They clinched the dual against No. 5 Stanford and No. 9 California and completed the 5-0 sweeps over Oregon and No. 16 Grand Canyon.

BRENNAN, MYSZKOWSKI NAMED MPSF/MOLTEN BEACH PAIR OF THE WEEK

UCLA graduate Peri Brennan (Laguna Beach, Calif.) and senior Natalie Myszkowski (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) were named the MPSF/Molten Beach Pair of the Week as announced by the league office (Feb. 25). The Bruin duo helped UCLA go 5-1 (all against Top-12 teams) to win the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Beach Classic for the fourth consecutive year in Honolulu, Hawaii (Feb. 20-22). The No. 2 pair also went 5-1 in the tournament, including the clinching point of the Bruins’ win over No. 2 TCU in straight sets, 21-17, 29-27. They also posted straight-set wins over No. 12 Hawai’i (21-14, 21-8), No. 7 LMU (23-21, 21-16), and No. 1 USC (21-14, 23-21), and had a three-set victory over No. 11 Arizona State (21-9, 19-21, 15-13). This is the first-ever recognition of any kind presented in MPSF Beach Volleyball. For Brennan, this is her fourth weekly conference award (three-time Pac-12 Pair of the Week; March 21, 2023, March 19, 2024, April 16, 2024), and for Myszkowski, this is her third (two-time Pac-12 Pair of the Week; March 22, 2022, April 2, 2024).

RETURNING STARTERS

The Bruins return seven of 10 starters from last year’s second-place team at the NCAA Championship that saw UCLA end the year with an overall record of 35-7. The Bruins lost the services of Lexy Denaburg (33-7 overall, 133-36 career), Devon Newberry (32-7 overall, 103-27 career), and Jaden Whitmarsh (25-13 overall, 110-29 career). UCLA also lost the services of reserve Rileigh Powers (3-1 overall, 95-29 career). The seven starters returning include: from court one, All-American Maggie Boyd (33-7 overall and 60-13 career), from court two, Peri Brennan (32-7 overall, 69-12 career), from court three Kenzie Brower (26-15 overall, 26-15 career), and Jessie Smith (24-13 overall, 77-30 career), from court four Tessa Van Winkle (26-13 overall and 56-24 career) and from court five Ensley Alden (29-6 overall and 29-6 career) and Natalie Myszkowski (30-6 overall, 69-15 career).

RETURNING BRUINS LOOKING TO MAKE AN IMPACT

The Bruins also return a starter from the 2022 season in Sophie Moore (2-1 overall, 43-12 career). There are two additional players coming back from last year’s team and ready to compete for a spot in the Bruins’ lineup. This group includes Madeline Bonanni (1-0 overall, 1-0 career), and Reagan Hope (2-0 overall, 21-12 career). Additionally, Jayla Shanks (0-0), Ky Vaickus (0-0), Taylor Ford (0-0), Hannah Fleming (0-0), Harper Cooper (0-0), and Kaley Mathews (0-0) all return looking to make an impact in 2025.

FRESH FACES

The Bruins also brought in a trio of young players that will all debut in 2025. The class includes Sally Perez (Apex, N.C./Middle Creek HS), Alexa Fernandez (Friendswood, Texas./Lutheran South Academy), and Adelina Okazaki (San Diego, Calif./Point Loma HS).

NO DUAL PARTICIPATION

For the fifth time in program history (and fifth consecutive year), the UCLA beach volleyball program does not have a single player from the Bruins’ indoor volleyball team currently playing on the roster. UCLA only has one player with collegiate indoor experience in senior transfer Reagan Hope (Oregon in 2021-22).

A BRUIN SHALL LEAD US

In her 12th year with the Bruins and second season as UCLA’s Head Coach in 2025, Jenny Johnson Jordan sports an overall record of 65-13 (.833).She served three seasons as the Associate Head Coach at UCLA prior to assuming the lead role. She guided the Bruins to second-place finishes at the Pac-12 Championship and NCAA Championship with an overall record of 35-7 in her first year as the mentor. An Olympian, a National Champion, and a UCLA Hall of Famer (2018), Johnson Jordan won NCAA titles as both a player (1991 – indoor) and a coach (2018 and 2019 – beach). Jordan was inducted into the CBVA Hall of Fame (Nov. 3, 2018) and was named the AVCA National Assistant Beach Coach of the Year on May 9, 2019.

ASSISTING TRIPLE J

Jose Loiola: Beach volleyball Hall of Famer (CBVA in 2014 and International Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2017) and USA Beach Volleyball National Team head coach Jose Loiola returns for his second season an assistant coach. He was named the AVCA Collegiate Beach Assistant Coach of the Year on May 1, 2025. Loiola was a volunteer assistant coach for the Bruins in 2021, helping guide UCLA to a Pac-12 Championship and NCAA runner-up finish. After Loiola’s previous season with the Bruins, he went on to coach 2020 Olympian Tri Bourne and also served as head coach of the USA Volleyball squad that won gold at the 2021 U19 World Championships. In 2022, he coached Miles Partain and Andy Benesh to gold at the FIVB Challenger Dubai.

Kelly Reeves: UCLA standout, Kelly Reeve, the Bruins’ first-ever All-American in beach volleyball (2013) returns for her second season as an assistant coach. In addition to her playing career, Reeves has developed a coaching career in all levels of the sport, including juniors, collegiate, USAV development, and amateurs. In 2022, Reeves helped the LMU Lions finish 4th at the NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship, the best finish in the program’s history. That same year, Reeves was a recipient of the Thirty Under 30 Beach coaches award from the AVCA. Reeves is also a National Champion, helping the Bruins win the indoor title in 2011. She has played on the AVP since 2016 and has also competed on the NORCECA Tour and FIVB World Tour.

MPSF BEACH VOLLEYBALL, THE FIRST SEASON

The Bruins have moved into the MPSF for beach volleyball starting with the 2025 season. UCLA will be joined by California, Grand Canyon, Oregon, Stanford, USC, and Washington. In 2024-25, the MPSF will sponsor competition in 15 Intercollegiate Olympic sports, while serving 86 teams from 46 universities across 14 states. MPSF teams compete primarily at the NCAA Division-I level in men’s and women’s water polo, indoor track and field, gymnastics, swimming and diving, fencing, beach volleyball, and men’s volleyball. MPSF teams are eligible to compete in the NCAA Championships with men’s and women’s water polo, men’s volleyball, and beach volleyball conference champions earning automatic qualification. The MPSF’s newest sports–beach volleyball, men’s rowing, and men’s and women’s wrestling–make their debut seasons in the conference in 2024-25.

MPSF BEACH VOLLEYBALL EXPANDING IN 2026

The MPSF has announced the addition of Florida State, LSU, South Carolina, and Texas to its beach volleyball programs, giving the conference 11 teams beginning with the 2026 season. The Seminoles, Tigers, Gamecocks, and Longhorns, who are competing in their final season in the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association (CCSA) this year, will each be making their first-ever appearance in any sport in the MPSF. The MPSF’s inaugural beach volleyball season in 2025 features California, Grand Canyon, Oregon, Stanford, UCLA, USC, and Washington. The first edition of the MPSF Beach Volleyball Championship will be held at Spiker Beach in Huntington Beach, Calif., April 23-25, 2025.

A TRIO OF BRUINS CHASING 100 CAREER WINS

Three Bruins are seeking to reach 100 career wins in 2025 and two of them are all currently tied for 11th place on the UCLA career wins list with 98 victories. Those two include graduate Peri Brennan and senior Natalie Myszkowski. Senior Jessie Smith is currently in 14th place with 91 victories. Four-time All-American, Lexy Denaburg, became the UCLA all-time leader in career victories last year with a win over Stanford in the semifinals of the contender’s bracket of the 2024 Pac-12 Championship.

1. Lexy Denaburg (133, 2020-24)

2. Abby Van Winkle (128, 2019-23)

3. Izzy Carey (123, 2016-19)

4. Savvy Simo (119, 2017-21)

5. Lea Monkhouse (117, 2019-22)

6. Megan McNamara (111, 2016-19)

7. Jaden Whitmarsh (110, 2019-24)

8. Nicole McNamara (109, 2016-19)

9. Devon Newberry (103, 2019-24)

10. Elise Zappia (102, 2015-18)

11. Peri Brennan (98, 2021-25)

11. Natalie Myszkowski (98, 2022-25)

13. Rileigh Powers (95, 2020-24)

14. Jessie Smith (91, 2022-25)

15. Lily Justine (87, 2017-20)

UCLA AS NO. 1 AND VS. NO. 1

As the No. 1 team in the country, UCLA has gone 134-19 (.876) all-time, and is 9-9 (.500) against USC when the Bruins are No. 1. The first time UCLA was ranked No. 1 came in April of 2018 and since then, UCLA has been ranked No. 1 for multiple weeks every season, including going 16-1 in 2018, 31-3 in 2019, 7-2 in 2020, 13-3 in 2021, 12-2 in 2022, 19-3 in 2023, 17-2 in 2024, and 15-3 in 2025 as the nation’s top-ranked team.

The UCLA Bruins are 12-20 (.375) all-time against the top-ranked teams in the country. UCLA began 0-5 against the nation’s top-ranked programs (2013-16) before breaking through with its first-ever win over a No. 1 team in the 3-2 home win over then top-ranked Pepperdine on March 30, 2016. Here’s a breakdown of the Bruins against the No. 1 teams: Pepperdine 2-3; TCU 2-0; USC 8-17.

The Bruins have been involved in No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchups 30 times in program history with a 12-18 record (.400) in those meetings. Interestingly, UCLA is just 3-11 (.214) as the top-ranked team in those matchups but 9-7 (.563) as the underdog.

MORE ON RANKINGS

UCLA has been ranked in the AVCA Poll in 122 of 123 weeks.

UCLA has been ranked No. 1 in 42 of 123 weeks (Leaders: USC 50, UCLA 42, Pepperdine 17, TCU 9, LSU 4, Florida State 1, Hawai’i 1).

Only seven teams have ever been ranked No. 1: USC (50, last 2/13/25), UCLA (42, last 4/22/25), Pepperdine (17, last 3/26/18), TCU (9, last 4/29/15), LSU (4, last 3/2/21), Florida State (1, last 3/16/21), Hawai’i (1, last 3/10/15).

UCLA has been ranked in Top 3 in 89 of 123 weeks (Leaders: USC 98, UCLA 89, Florida State 45, Pepperdine 45, TCU 29, Hawai’i 19).

UCLA has been ranked in Top 5 in 106 of 123 weeks (Leaders: USC 120, UCLA 106, Florida State 105).

Since 2018, no team has been ranked No. 1 for more weeks than the UCLA Bruins (42). Others: USC (27), TCU (9), Pepperdine (4), LSU (4), Florida State (1).

POLLING THE BRUINS

UCLA slid two spots to No. 3 in this week’s 2025 AVCA Collegiate Beach Volleyball Poll (April 29).

AVCA COLLEGIATE BEACH VOLLEYBALL POLL (April 29, 2025)

Rank	School (First-Place Votes Adjusted)	Total Points Adjusted	Record	Previous Week
1	TCU [9]	537	28-5	2
2	Stanford [8]	530	31-8	3
3	UCLA [10]	523	30-6	1
4	Loyola Marymount [1]	473	35-6	4
5	USC	433	26-10	5
6	Cal Poly	415	29-7	6
7	Texas	396	27-9	7
8	Long Beach State	356	27-11	10
9	Florida State	346	25-12	8
10	California	315	27-9	9
11	LSU	280	24-12	11
12	Arizona State	251	22-14	12
13	Grand Canyon	201	23-11	13
14	North Florida	181	26-10	17
15	FAU	167	21-14	16
16	Stetson	149	25-11	14
17	Georgia State	110	22-16	18-T
18	Hawai’i	63	14-21	15
19	Florida Gulf Coast	56	22-13	18-T
20	Washington	53	17-18	20

Rank

School (First-Place Votes Adjusted)

Total Points Adjusted

Record

Previous Week

TCU [9]

537

28-5

Stanford [8]

530

31-8

UCLA [10]

523

30-6

Loyola Marymount [1]

473

35-6

USC

433

26-10

Cal Poly

415

29-7

Texas

396

27-9

Long Beach State

356

27-11

Florida State

346

25-12

California

315

27-9

LSU

280

24-12

Arizona State

251

22-14

Grand Canyon

201

23-11

North Florida

181

26-10

FAU

167

21-14

Stetson

149

25-11

Georgia State

110

22-16

18-T

Hawai’i

14-21

Florida Gulf Coast

22-13

18-T

Washington

17-18

Others receiving votes: Boise State (20), Tulane (14), Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (3), Coastal Carolina (2), FIU (2), Utah (2), South Carolina (1) and Concordia (1).

Dropped Out: None

Next Poll: May 6 (Final 2025 Poll)

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Texas A&M men’s track wins national title, women finish top 3

Tony Catalina, Austin American-Statesman | Hearst – Austin Transition WATCH: ESPN’s Heather Dinich on House Settlement ramifications ESPN college football insider Heather Dinich joins On Second Thought to discuss how the newly passed House Settlement will affect college athletics. Texas A&M men’s track and field took home an NCAA title for the fifth time in program […]

Published

7 minutes ago

June 16, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Tony Catalina, Austin American-Statesman
| Hearst – Austin Transition

Texas A&M men’s track and field took home an NCAA title for the fifth time in program history.

The Aggies tied with Southern California, each finishing with 41 points and capturing a share of the national championship. This is the first time there have been co-champions since 2013 (Texas A&M was also part of that honor, tying with Florida).

The victory marks the Aggies men’s fifth outdoor title and head coach Pat Henry’s 10th national title —including men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor — with A&M. A&M had a pair of individual national champions and two runner-up finishes to highlight the weekend in Eugene, Ore.

The meet came down to the 4×400 meter relay, with USC in the lead with 40 points. Entering the race, only the Trojans, Aggies and Razorbacks were in striking distance for the title. USC scored one point while A&M scored eight to secure the shared victory.

Entering the final relay, A&M sat in fourth place in the team standings. Title hopes rested on the performance of men’s 4x400m quartet of Hossam Eddine Hatib, Cutler Zamzow, Kimar Farquharson and Auhmad Robinson. Hatib set the pace for the Aggies before handing the baton to Zamzow, who led at the break. Another strong leg had Farquharson right in the mix at the three-quarters mark, with Robinson left to run. Robinson battled down the stretch and secured a second-place finish in the event with a season-best time of 3 minutes, 0.73 seconds, capturing the eight points needed to deliver the title.

Sam Whitmarsh drove the Aggies up the team standings when he won the men’s 800m crown with a 1:45.86 finish. On the opening day of the meet, Aleksandr Solovev contributed 10 points to the men’s total with title in the pole vault. The duo of Ja’Qualon Scott and Bryce McCray added 11 points to the team tally following a pair of personal-best performances in the 400m hurdles. Scott broke the school record in the event to claim a runner-up finish with a time of 48.29 and McCray came in sixth (49.52).

USC was the first team to sweep the indoor and outdoor titles since 2015.

A&M women’s track and field captures top 3 finish

The Texas A&M women’s track & field team secured a third-place finish at the NCAA Championships Saturday evening at Hayward Field in Eugene.

Junior Winny Bii captured A&M’s first national title in the women’s triple jump. After leaping 13.96 meters on her first attempt to capture the lead, she landed at the top of the podium for the win. The women’s 4x100m relay quartet of Jasmine Harmon, Camryn Dickson, Bria Bullard and Jasmine Montgomery took third in the event with a season-best time of 42.89 seconds. Junior Jaiya Covington finished second (12.93) in the 400m hurdles, capturing eight points for the Aggies.

The final meet capped off the 2024-2025 track and field season. Cross country will resume in the fall, and track and field will return in January 2026.

Reach Texas A&M Beat Reporter Tony Catalina via email at Anthony.Catalina@hearst.com. Follow the American-Statesman on Facebook and X for more. Your subscription makes work like this possible. Access all of our best content with this tremendous offer.

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University of Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Head volleyball coach Cheri Lindsay has announced her first signing class at the helm of Memphis volleyball. The class includes six transfers and seven incoming first-year players. “I could not be more excited to kick off this upcoming season at Memphis,” said Lindsay. “We have an incredible mix of talent, leadership and […]

Published

8 minutes ago

June 16, 2025

Your Sports Nation

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Head volleyball coach Cheri Lindsay has announced her first signing class at the helm of Memphis volleyball. The class includes six transfers and seven incoming first-year players.

“I could not be more excited to kick off this upcoming season at Memphis,” said Lindsay. “We have an incredible mix of talent, leadership and grit coming together, and the energy in the gym is going to be electric. This group is hungry, unified and ready to compete, and I cannot wait to see what we build together this season.”

The Tigers roster also features three returners in liberos Courtney Nix and Abigail Schlueter, along with Jasmyn Tate, who has been granted a year of eligibility due to the NCAA junior college ruling.

Madelyn Bach | Freshman | Setter | Parkway West High School | St. Louis, Mo.

Bach finds her way to Bluff City after a highly decorated career at Parkway West and with the Rockwood Thunder. She helped lead Parkway West to MSHSAA Class 4 and District 2 Championships as a junior. Bach is a three-time MHSVCA First Team All-District selection while also being named to the MSHSAA All-Conference First Team twice.

Her senior season culminated in setting the Parkway West program record in assists with 2,939, leading to her being selected to the AVCA All-Region team, AVCA All-American honorable mention list, and MHSVCA Class 5 All-State team. She also earned an invitation to the USA Volleyball National Team Development Program Accelerator.

Mandy Lawson | Freshman | Libero | St. Dominic High School | O’Fallon, Mo.

Lawson comes to Memphis after securing three straight All-District and All-Conference nods during her prep career at St. Dominic. The Missouri native finished her time at St. Dominic as the school’s leader in career digs, totaling 1,512 in her four years.

She was also a member of the Rockwood Thunder Volleyball Club, where she played with fellow incoming freshman, Madelyn Bach.

Riley McCloskey | Freshman | Outside Hitter | Notre Dame Academy | Newport, Ky.

McCloskey becomes a Tigers after a successful career at the prep and club levels. As a sophomore, she helped Notre Dame Academy secure a 2022 Kentucky Volleyball State Championship. She also helped them to finishes within the top three in 2023 and 2024. McCloskey was named to the Region 9 All-Tournament Team in 2021 and 2023.

McCloskey also was a member of the USA Volleyball High Performance Training Team in 2019 and 2020, also securing an invite to the 2022 USA National Team Development Program Fall Training Series.

Camryn McCollum | Freshman | Middle Blocker | Avon High School | Avon, Ind.

McCollum joins the Tigers after a successful prep career at Avon High School. Prior to sitting out due to injury in 2024, McCollum ranked fourth in the state of Indiana in total blocks and fifth in hitting percentage as a junior. She also was named an Academic All-State selection in 2024, also earning an Indy Star Preseason All-USA Super Team nod.

Brianna Washington | Freshman | Middle Blocker | Woodbridge High School | Triangle, Va.

After being named an All-District and All-Region selection in her senior season, Washington finds her way to Memphis after also competing for Triangle Volleyball Club.

Taylor Hampton | Freshman | Libero | Cypress Springs High School | Cypress, Texas

Hampton comes to Memphis after a successful prep career at Cypress Springs High School. She became a libero as a senior in high school and totaled 713 digs, leading to being selected to the District 16-6A All-District First Team and earning District Defensive Player of the Year.

As a member of Texas Tornados Volleyball Club, Hampton helped her club team win the Lone Star Classic at the 16U and 18U levels, along with the Ohio Valley Region 18 Championship.

Zaniah Hoskins | Freshman | Outside Hitter | Moe & Gene Johnson High School | Austin, Texas

Hoskins finds her way to Memphis after being a four-year letterwinner in volleyball and track and field at Moe & Gene Johnson High School. Hoskins was a three-time All-District selection, having been named to the first team in each of the last two seasons.

In her senior season, Hoskins was named an AVCA All-American, District MVP, Austin Sports Journal Hitter of the Year and was named to the TGCA 6A All-State team. She finished her prep career with 1,731 kills, including 762 in a season.

Amanda Hardt | Junior | Outside Hitter | University of Nebraska Omaha | Glendale, Ariz.

Hardt joins the Tigers after appearing in 46 matches at Omaha over two seasons. In 209 sets played, Hardt amassed 498 kills with 24 double-digit kill performances, including a career-high of 18 against North Dakota State.

Additionally, Hardt was named to the Summit League All-Freshman Team in 2023 and was a one-time Summit League Offensive Player of the Week.

Arianna Mongare | Graduate | Middle Blocker | University of Tulsa | Mansfield, Texas

After spending three seasons at Tulsa where she logged 334 sets played, Mongare joins the Tigers. As a middle blocker, Mongare tallied 472 kills and 237 total blocks. Her career point total stands at 661 and she led the Golden Hurricane in blocks in two of her three seasons on the team.

Génesis Rodríguez | Junior | Right-Side Hitter | Trinity Valley Community College | Cartagena, Colombia

The Colombia native finds her way to Memphis after spending two seasons at Trinity Valley Community College. In two seasons as a Cardinal, Rodríguez racked up 659 kills with a .242 attacking percentage. She ended her career as a Cardinal with 824.5 points and was named a Volleyball Mag NJCAA DI All-American in 2023, along with being selected to the Region XIV All-Freshman team and All-Conference first team.

Sydney Marshall | Sophomore | Setter | UNC Wilmington | Lake Mary, Fla.

Marshall joins the Tigers after completing her freshman season at UNCW. The Lake Mary, Fla. native tallied 374 assists in 84 sets in her lone season with the Seahawks, including reaching a career-high of 21 assists in each of four matches against Queens, Delaware, Hampton and North Carolina A&T.

Janyah Henderson | Junior | Middle Blocker | Prairie View A&M | Chicago, Ill.

Henderson reunites with her former coach in Memphis after two successful seasons as a Panther, culminating in an invitation to the WNT Open program, an initiative by USA Volleyball to scout and develop players for national competitions, this past February.

In her two seasons at Prairie View A&M, Henderson earned All-SWAC Freshman of the Year honors and was a two-time all-conference selection, being named to the first team in 2023 and second team in 2024.

Za’Niya Boyles | Junior | Outside Hitter | UIC | Columbia, S.C.

Boyles becomes a Tiger after appearing in 47 matches over two seasons with the UIC Flames. She tallied 142 kills in 93 sets for an average of 1.53 kills per set. In her time with the Flames, she had five double-digit performances in kills, recording a career high of 12 twice during her freshman campaign.

HOW TO FOLLOW THE TIGERS:

For complete information on Memphis Tigers Volleyball, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team’s social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

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Sports

K-State to Host Summer Cross Country Camp

MANHATTAN, Kan. – K-State cross country invites runners of all ages to participate in a summer camp around the university campus and city of Manhattan. Two four-hour dates are available with campers set to expect training runs, educational lectures on nutrition, recovery, sports psychology and training as well as fun and games. Dates […]

Published

27 minutes ago

June 16, 2025

Your Sports Nation

MANHATTAN, Kan. – K-State cross country invites runners of all ages to participate in a summer camp around the university campus and city of Manhattan.

Two four-hour dates are available with campers set to expect training runs, educational lectures on nutrition, recovery, sports psychology and training as well as fun and games.

Dates of sessions:
Friday, July 11, 1-5 p.m.
Saturday, July 12, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

All ages are welcome with a $250 fee while coaches receive free access with their athlete. Housing and meals will not be provided. Campers will receive a free K-State cross country t-shirt as well as other prizes awarded during games and lectures.

For more information, contact assistant coach Trey Brokaw at tbrokaw@kstatesports.com or (309) 335-3895.

— k-statesports.com —

How to follow the ‘Cats: For complete information on the K-State Track and Field and Cross Country Teams, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team’s social media channels on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook.

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Sports

BVB | Gaels Hit the Portal for the First Time in the 2025-26 Recruiting Class, Add Alisia Silverthorn

Story Links MORAGA, Calif. — Coming off of a program record tying 20 win season in 2025, the Gaels are hard at work adding to their 2025-26 roster, and have gone to the portal for their most recent signing, as Alisia Silverthorn will join the Gaels, heading to Moraga from Houston Christian […]

Published

28 minutes ago

June 16, 2025

Your Sports Nation

MORAGA, Calif. — Coming off of a program record tying 20 win season in 2025, the Gaels are hard at work adding to their 2025-26 roster, and have gone to the portal for their most recent signing, as Alisia Silverthorn will join the Gaels, heading to Moraga from Houston Christian University. Silverthorn will come to Saint Mary’s as a senior after three years of competition with the Huskies.

Originally hailing from Auburn, Washington, Silverthorn prepped at Auburn Riverside High School, where she was teammate with Hannah Couch. There, the dynamic duo led the Ravens to four straight district titles. At the prep level, Silverthorn was three times named All-Conference, seeing time as both a setter and outside hitter, demonstrating the versatility that she would go onto use throughout her beach career. Her outstanding indoor high school career was culminated by being named the 2021 3A/4A North Puget Sound Cascade District MVP.

Silverthorn chose Houston Christian to be her home for her collegiate career. After appearing in six matches in her first two collegiate seasons for the Huskies, split between the four and five spots, she made her way into the everyday lineup this last season, appearing in 30 of 33 matches at the twos. She went 9-21 for the campaign, including her first collegiate win against Central Arkansas (Feb. 23), and her first two match clinching wins against Cal State Bakersfield (Feb. 28) and New Orleans (Apr. 11). At the culmination of her junior year, Silverthorn entered the portal, where she was found by Coach Harrer and her staff.

About Alisia, Coach Harrer noted, “Given her background as a beach volleyball player and her academic pursuits, we are pleased to welcome Alisia to the Gael family! Saint Mary’s College aligns with her athletic and educational goals.” She went on to say, “Silverthorn has made significant strides in her volleyball career. Transitioning to beach volleyball, she found her groove in the sand. Beach Volleyball showcases her adaptability and passion for the sport!”

About her choice to commit to Saint Mary’s, Alisia stated, “My dream is to play volleyball at the highest level I can for as long as I can while still prioritizing my education.”

This statement reflects her commitment to balancing athletic excellence with academic achievement.

The first transfer to be added to the 2025-26 Saint Mary’s Beach Volleyball, the Gaels have had good success with transfer players in recent years, including Hawley Harrer (UCLA), Paola Peralta (MiraCosta College), Sedona Sherman (Pacific), Sadie Shipman (Stephen F. Austin) and Chloe Swanson (Irvine Valley College)

#GaelsRise

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Sports

Darm named head coach, drops interim title

Story Links BUIES CREEK – Evan Darm has officially been named the head coach of the Campbell Track & Field and Cross Country teams, dropping the interim tag after one season at the helm during the 2024-25 athletic year. “Evan has done a remarkable job leading our cross country and track and […]

Published

46 minutes ago

June 16, 2025

Your Sports Nation

BUIES CREEK – Evan Darm has officially been named the head coach of the Campbell Track & Field and Cross Country teams, dropping the interim tag after one season at the helm during the 2024-25 athletic year.

“Evan has done a remarkable job leading our cross country and track and field teams over the last year on an interim basis and we are excited to officially name him head coach,” Director of Athletics Hannah Bazemore said. “Evan is a Camel through and through and knows what it means to wear the Orange and Black. His passion for this program is unmatched. With the positive culture and determination he brings to both training and competition, he will continue to elevate our program and develop our student-athletes.”

Darm, a 2015 Campbell graduate, worked for three seasons in The Creek following graduation as a graduate assistant and then a volunteer assistant. After a year away, Darm returned to the program for a season in 2019, helping guide the men to the Big South title. He left to take a head coaching job for cross country at Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.) for two years, before returning again to Campbell in 2022 where he has remained and taken over the head coaching position.

“I have to first thank my wife and family for the support through my career,” Darm said. “I wouldn’t be in this position I am today without the support system I have. Next, I would like to thank Director of Athletics Hannah Bazemore and Senior Athletic Director Melissa Wendt. Hannah has a clear vision to continue to lead this athletics department forward in the ever-changing NCAA landscape. I am grateful that this plan shares a vision that aligns with my drive to continue to grow the program in the classroom and on the track.

“Lastly, I’d like to thank the current team and support staff. At this level, it takes a village to believe in Campbell University, to buy into the training, and the belief in the direction this program is heading. I look forward to building upon the legacy of the past generations.”

During cross country season, both the women and men won the Wilmington Beach Blast 5K to kick off the season. Two Campbell women finished 1-2 individually in the event, and the men placed four runners in the top 10.

Darm’s spring track and field season saw Reagan Wise break a 40-year-old school record in the men’s pole vault and take the CAA Championship in the same event. Mekhi Dupree also won a CAA title in the men’s 200m. Dupree and Ticora Gaskin both qualified for the NCAA East Regionals in the men’s 200m and women’s long jump, respectively.

As an assistant, Darm primarily worked with distance runners, featuring all-American Dorcus Ewoi, who finished second in the Big South during cross country season, and claimed four first-place finishes between the indoor and outdoor Big South championships in 2022-23. Ewoi then went on to finish fifth at the NCAA National Championships in the 800m, the best finish for the Campbell women in program history at the national event.

Darm, a 2015 Campbell alum, ran cross country for the Camels and earned all-Big South honors in 2014.

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Sports

Green announces additions of Hausler, Wielonski to Volleyball staff

Story Links DAYTON – Wright State head volleyball coach Travers Green has announced the additions of Cam Hausler and Megan Wielonski to his coaching staff to join him on the Raider sidelines. Hausler remains at Wright State after playing for the Raiders, while Wielonski joins the staff after a standout career […]

Published

47 minutes ago

June 16, 2025

Your Sports Nation

DAYTON – Wright State head volleyball coach Travers Green has announced the additions of Cam Hausler and Megan Wielonski to his coaching staff to join him on the Raider sidelines.

Hausler remains at Wright State after playing for the Raiders, while Wielonski joins the staff after a standout career at Ball State. The pair join another former Raider, Megan Alders, on the bench with Green.

“I’m excited to introduce our coaching staff at Wright State – an exceptional group of former student-athletes who know what it takes to win,” Green said. “Each of them has competed at a high level and won conference championships. As we pursue championships, we’re being shaped by the journey we’re on together. I look forward to watching them mentor our players, as they’ve all walked in their shoes and understand what it takes along with how rewarding of an experience it is.”

Hausler was a part of three NCAA Tournament teams as a Wright State player. She appeared in 101 sets over her Raider career and was part of Wright State teams that won Horizon League regular season championships in 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024 and captured Horizon League tournament titles in 2020, 2022 and 2023. A native of Lakewood, IL in the Chicagoland area, Hausler is currently working on her graduate degree in Physical Education. She earned her undergraduate degree in Marketing from Wright State in April 2024.

Wielonski racked up a slew of honors on and off the court at Ball State. The 2021 MAC Freshman of the Year and 2022 MAC Setter of the Year, Wielonski was a three-time First Team All-MAC selection. She earned a spot on the 2021 AVCA All-Midwest Region team and was a 2022 AVCA All-Midwest Region Honorable Mention, and was also named an alternate for the 2023 USA Volleyball Women’s Collegiate National Team. Off the court, she was named to three-straight College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA) Academic All-District Women’s Volleyball Teams from 2022-2024.

Alders begins her second year as an assistant, helping the Raiders to a Horizon League regular season title last fall. She aided a Raider offense that finished third nationally with a 14.53 kills per set average and passed out 13.75 assists per set, tops in the nation. Individually, Lauren Yacobucci finished the year first nationally with her 11.92 assists per set average and had 1,335 total assists, a mark that finished seventh in the country.