• McHenry aims to compete in high jump, long jump and the 100-meter dash for the Sun Devils, hoping to regain his peak form after a knee injury.

One of the best high school jumpers in state history is headed home.

Brennen McHenry, a 2023 Phoenix Brophy Prep graduate, is transferring from the University of Texas to Arizona State University. McHenry is the only high school combo jumper ever from Arizona to clear 7 feet in the high jump and hit 24 feet in the long jump. 

With the track and field program at Texas undergoing a change that is seeing an influx of transfers, McHenry didn’t feel that the Longhorns were the best fit for him moving forward.

“I really wanted to go somewhere I was much more valued,” McHenry said. “Our Texas team is kind of going through a rebuild. This was the perfect opportunity for me to come back home.”

Both of McHenry’s parents attended ASU and he grew up attending football games. Being back in the Valley is a dream come true.

“When I was a little kid, I always thought I was going to go to ASU,” McHenry said. “It’s a full-circle moment to be here right now and represent them in athletics and doing track and field. That’s huge for me.”

The day after McHenry entered the transfer portal, he received a phone call from Phillip Butler Jr., the jumps coach at ASU. Butler already had a personalized plan ready for McHenry and acted quickly once he saw McHenry’s name in the portal.

As a senior at Brophy, McHenry exploded onto the scene when he opened the season with a 7-0 in the high jump and ended the year as the AIA state champion in the long jump at 24-10.25, which earned him a scholarship to Texas.

“When I was a senior, that was his (Butler) first year in the program,” McHenry said. “He called my dad and he actually apologized to myself and my dad. He was like, ‘I’m sorry for not recruiting Brennen harder. I was given the team I had and I couldn’t really add to it. I’m really sorry about it. This is my chance to make it up.’ It was very sincere.”

McHenry hasn’t been able to do much of the long jump and high jump in college. He sustained a knee injury after his coaches at Texas had him try out the triple jump.

Since 2023, McHenry has competed in only 13 long-jump competitions and seven high jumps.

The plan is for McHenry to do both the long jump and high jump at ASU and also run the 100 meters, where McHenry owns a personal best of 10.57 seconds. He will train with the sprinters and jumpers at ASU.

McHenry is a part of a 2025 men’s recruiting class that is starting to take shape for the Sun Devils track and field program and head coach Dion Miller. 

College track and field coaches across the country are having to re-adjust their approach to team building as the impacts of the House settlement, which allows schools to directly pay athletes, start to take effect with roster limits. Some schools are just focusing on a few events, some are going hard on the transfer portal and international athletes.

ASU also has signed sprinters and brothers Duaine and Dontay Mayrant from California. Their mother, Lashinda Demus, was the 2012 Olympic gold medalist in the 400-meter hurdles.

Additional signees include: Nolan Bartle, the 2025 Texas 6A state runner-up in the 100-hurdles; Kingston Waring, the 2025 California state runner-up in the 300-hurdles; and Nasir Tucker, one of the top junior college long jumpers from Pima Community College in Tucson.

“I think the team is going to be good,” McHenry said. “I really do think the track and field team is going to be much better. We signed some great people so far across the board. I trust Dion with this. He seems like a great coach. I believe this team has great potential. People better look out for us. We’re not going to be quiet. We’re going to be out there.”

McHenry hasn’t been able to quite reach the form he had in high school, failing to record a personal best in the high jump in college. He was able to hit 25-0 in the long jump this past season, adding a couple inches to his personal best.

With specialized training and a new setting, McHenry is energized as he gets ready to compete for the Sun Devils. McHenry said his knee is “pretty close” to being at full strength.

“One of the things that is going to immediately help me is that I’m finding myself here. I’m back home. I’m at a college I really do resonate with and have grown up around,” McHenry said. “I really am expecting some big things for this next season. I believe it’s going to happen with the Sun Devils.

“I want to come there and I want to win the Big 12 championship. I want to bring it home to Sun Devil nation. That’s my goal.”

Logan Stanley is a sports reporter with The Arizona Republic who primarily focuses on high school, college and Olympic sports. To suggest ideas for human-interest stories and other news, reach out to Stanley at logan.stanley@gannett.com or 707-293-7650. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @LSscribe.

RUSTON – Louisiana Tech head coach Scott Mattera announced the 2025 Bulldog Volleyball schedule, which will feature 11 matches inside the Thomas Assembly Center.

“We are excited about the 2025 slate of matches,” Mattera said. “All four of our preconference weekends include a mix of teams that will both challenge and give us a solid chance to build some momentum before we head into a tough conference schedule.”

The Bulldogs will spend the majority of the nonconference portion of the schedule in Louisiana

They open the season with a trip to Hammond for the Southeastern Showdown. Tech will open up with Jackson State and Southeastern on August 29. The Bulldogs will end the weekend against ULM on August 30.

LA Tech starts September with a trip to Alcon State on September 2, before heading down to New Orleans for the Pelican Invitational from September 5-7. The Bulldogs will take on Southern, Tulane and Lamar.

The first home matches of the season will be a part of the Bulldog Bash on September 11-13. Jackson State, ULM and Houston Christian will participate in the three-day event.

“We are pumped to be hosting a nonconference weekend September 11th-13th,” Mattera continued. “With night home matches Thursday and Friday, and a morning match on Saturday before an evening football game, so Tech fans can hit a volleyball match before starting their football tailgates!”

The Bulldogs will head to Stephenville, Texas, for the Tarleton State Invitational on September 18-20. Tech will take on North Texas, Tarleton State and Arkansas-Pine Bluff before closing out the nonconference schedule at Grambling on September 23.

LA Tech starts conference with a trip to Liberty on September 26-27. The ‘Dogs will then welcome CUSA newcomer Delaware to the TAC on October 3-4. WKU will make the trip to Ruston the following weekend on October 10-11.

October will conclude with trips to UTEP on October 17-18 and Missouri State on October 24-25. New Mexico State will be part of Homecoming weekend, featuring games on October 31 and November 1.

The Bulldogs will take a final road trip to Sam Houston on November 7-8, before hosting Jacksonville State on November 12-13.

“We’ve got some cool promotions and theme matches planned with Jacob [Guillot] and his marketing crew,” said Mattera “We are looking forward to showing the Tech community what a great time volleyball matches can be.”

The Conference USA Championship will take place on the campus of FIU in Miami from November 21 to 23.

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GREEN BAY (WLUK) — The City of Green Bay is ready to move forward with phase two of the Shipyard project.

The outdoor space sits along the west bank of the Fox River, just north of the Mason Street bridge.

A riverfront promenade, boat slips and a kayak launch are just part of the original redevelopment of the Shipyard. The swings and serenity of the former brownfield appeal to locals.

“I actually brought my grandbabies here just the other day, just so they can take a look at it. This is a great place, we can come here,” said Mary Trevino of Green Bay.

With another $10 million, including half in grant funding, for the project, the city is prepared to attract even more people to the riverfront.

Officials unveiled concept renderings for phase two of the Shipyard during a committee meeting. The plans lay out what the city and residents want to see in the project.

“A lot of different features, a lot of different things. It will really kind of bring this park kind of to the next level,” said James Andersen, the deputy director of Green Bay’s Parks, Forestry and Recreation Department.

Plans include the addition of a great lawn — a space where festivals and concerts can be held. A statement art piece framing the riverfront will be the focal point, and a stage could be brought in for shows.

The Shipyard will also include a dog park, a playground for kids of all ages and a splash pad.

Andersen said, “We’re putting a lot in here, but the things that are in here are going to really be, I think, a little bit higher level than what we’re traditionally used to in a neighborhood park.”

Close to the water with river views, there will be a beach. The city is proposing space for two to four sand volleyball courts where leagues or tournaments could be played.

“Near the bridge is going to be where the sand volleyball courts and beer garden are,” Andersen said. “You’re also going to have an urban beach feel, with hammocks and different things that people can put their toes in the sand.”

The Shipyard isn’t just a park. It’s meant to be a destination for recreation and tourism.

“There’s a lot of different things in here, amenities that will bring people together. But it’s really the programming and the space activation that will anchor this and that comes obviously down the road once you have the amenity,” added Brian Johnson, executive director of OnBroadway and a Green Bay city councilmember.

Construction on phase two at the Shipyard is expected to get underway sometime next year.

In phase three of the project, the city would like to see a container park built. It would be a space for businesses to operate, within the park, attracting more visitors.

SINGAPORE – Day one of the World Aquatics Championships may have kicked off with a swathe of empty seats in the 3,000-seater OCBC Arena, but it was still business as usual for the big guns as the women’s water polo tournament got underway on July 11.

Olympic silver medallists and world No. 6 Australia recorded the biggest win of the day with an opening 34-2 win over the 22nd-ranked Singapore. In the other Group A game, Italy came from behind to down New Zealand 14-9.

Despite the defeat, the hosts felt they had improved from their 32-1 loss to the same opponents in their championship debut in Doha a year ago.

Singapore goalkeeper Rochelle Ong said: “There are definitely still more things to work on in defence and attack, but we have grown as a team in terms of chemistry, strategies, gameplay and bonding since we last played Australia.

“We are excited for our upcoming games against New Zealand (July 13) and Italy (July 15) and we aim to continue to improve.”

Earlier in the day, Olympic champions and world No. 1 Spain kicked things off with a 23-4 drubbing of South Africa in Group D, while 11th-ranked Britain came from behind to beat France (10th) 12-9.

In Group B, world No. 2 the Netherlands thumped Argentina 25-6, while China was level at 4-4 with defending champions and world No. 3 United States, who eventually pulled away with a 15-9 win.

Japan gave Asia something to cheer about with a 25-12 victory over Croatia in Group C, while Hungary edged Greece 9-8 in a rematch of their 2024 semi-final, which the Hungarians won in a shoot-out after a 9-9 draw.

Recent rule changes have made the game faster as the maximum first and second ball possession times have been reduced for both the men and women.

Singapore goalkeeper Rochelle Ong said: “Game play is definitely a lot faster now, and we have to be more mobile in moving the ball, and be more careful of the time. It forces us to play a more dynamic game, to move the ball quicker and try to find a free man to score.”

While the changes appear to suit the faster and stronger teams, South Africa skipper Shakira January felt they also provide the impetus for weaker teams to improve.

She said: “The professionals swim so much faster, so it’s better for them and more challenging for us because we take a little bit longer to get up the pool. But we have to do our best with our coach to be fitter and faster so we can become more competitive.”

As the action heats up in the pool, the players – many of whom are here for the first time – have only praise for the hosts’ sporting facilities, accommodation, food, hospitality and cityscape.

Noting that the people she has met here are “so nice and welcoming”, January said: “The competition venue is nice and big, and the pool is triple the size of what we see in South Africa. We don’t have facilities like this at home, so it’s so nice to come and play here.”

Spain centre-forward Paula Leiton struggled with the 32 deg C heat and 80 per cent humidity, but liked how the pool’s water temperature was cool and regulated, while China’s Zhang Qishuo enjoyed the food options at her team hotel.

There have been some teething issues for the first-time hosts.

Netherlands captain Sabrina van der Sloot noted that the team bus was arranged too early as they arrived at the OCBC Aquatic Centre more than two hours before their 10.35am start time – they usually arrive 90 minutes ahead of their match.

While she liked how it “feels like a special competition pool”, she also noted that the lane line fasteners on the drain covers may cause players to trip, pointing out that players have broken their toes at other venues. During the Greece-Hungary match, there were also a number of lengthy Video Assistant Referee review delays.

Local players also hope to see more fans turn out to watch them play.

While some of the July 11-Aug 3 championship events, such as the high diving finals and some swimming and diving finals are already sold out, the first-day attendance for water polo was in the low hundreds and mostly comprised the athletes’ friends, international fans and Team Nila volunteers.

The Straits Times understands that sales for tickets – priced between $10 and $140 – for the water polo, open water swimming and artistic swimming events have been slower.

Ong said: “My family, friends and colleagues are here to watch, and that’s good enough for me because they don’t usually get to watch me play in person.

“But I do agree that more people can come and watch women in sports, or just top-level aquatic sports in general. Hopefully, over the weekends, there will be more Singaporeans bringing their families down to come and watch us play.”

World Aquatics ChampionshipsWater poloSingapore Sports Hub

SALT LAKE CITY – Recent Utah Ski Team alumni Joe Davies and Kaja Norbye have hauled in Academic All-America honors, announced this week by College Sports Communicators (CSC). Davies earned a second team spot, while Norbye was placed on the third team.
 
It is the second straight season Davies has been recognized for his racing and academic prowess; in 2024 he was a third-team honoree. Norbye has earned third-team placement for the second straight year.
 
A civil engineering major, Davies came to Utah before the 2024 racing season as a transfer from Alaska Fairbanks. He made 14 collegiate starts over his two seasons with the Utes, totaling 11 podiums and four wins. Davies finished his overall four-year career as a two-time NCAA individual champion, seven-time all-American, four-time All-RMISA selection and an RMISA/NCAA West Regional Champion.
 
He made six starts with the Utes in 2025—each netting a podium result—with a pair of victories along the way. The native of Pemberton, British Columbia, put on a dominant victory at the NCAA Championships in the 20K freestyle mass start, winning that race by over a minute as Utah came away with its 17^th team national title all-time. He took his talents to the World Cup circuit again this past season, making six starts with four top-20 finishes.
 
During his time with the Utes, the coaching staff presented Davies with the Alf Engen Sportsmanship Award (2025) and David Novelle Memorial Award (2024).
 
Norbye completed her Bachelor’s degree in finance in 2024 and went on to complete a Master’s in the same discipline this past May. She had a standout career on the alpine side, making 48 starts during her four-year career at Utah with 18 podiums and four wins. Originally from Oslo, Norway, she was a four-time all-American on the hill at Utah and named the 2024 RMISA MVP in women’s slalom. She was part of national championship-winning teams in 2022, ’23 and ’25 as well as a runner-up squad in 2024.
 
In 2025, she started all 14 races, earning 11 individual top-10 results and first-team all-America in women’s giant slalom. Over her final six starts, she skied to five podiums, including silver in slalom during the RMISA Championships. At NCAAs, Norbye placed fifth in GS and 15th in slalom.
 
Following her freshman season, the program’s coaching staff named Norbye the recipient of the 2022 Toril Forland Award. She received that honor again in 2024 as the outstanding female skier, as well as the Alpine MVP Award in 2025.
 
With this pair of honorees, the Utah Ski Team now has had 23 Academic All-America selections (12 men, 11 women) in its recorded history, and at least one in four straight seasons. This honor is generally considered more difficult to attain in skiing than in other sports; most sports have their own CSC Academic All-America selections, but skiing is part of the “at-large” program which groups 10 sports together.
 
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CHATTANOOGA — For the first time in school history, Chattanooga volleyball will be playing matches in McKenzie Arena later this fall as the Mocs will officially host the 2025 Chattanooga Classic at the Roundhouse from September 4-6, head coach Julie Torbett Thomas announced on Friday.

Built in 1982 and entering its 43^rd year of existence, McKenzie Arena has played home to wide variety of events ranging from Chattanooga men’s and women’s basketball games to Taylor Swift concerts to WWE title bouts. The Roundhouse will now officially add Chattanooga volleyball to that list for the first time EVER, as the team’s annual Chattanooga Classic tournament is set to be played under the McKenzie Arena lights later this September.

“Getting the opportunity to play in McKenzie Arena for the first time in school history is a dream come true for our program,” Torbett Thomas said. “This moment represents growth—not just for our team, but for the sport of volleyball as a whole. We are incredibly grateful to Athletic Director Mark Wharton and SWA Laura Herron for their unwavering support and guidance in making this vision a reality.”

A total of seven matches make up the tournament slate for the 2025 Chattanooga Classic, which marks the 18^th installment of the tournament all-time. The Mocs will welcome opponents from near and far alike to take part in the momentous weekend for UTC volleyball, as Alabama, Cincinnati, Ohio and Jacksonville State are all set to attend.

“Volleyball is taking the country by storm, and we hope hosting Alabama, Ohio, Cincinnati and Jacksonville State in McKenzie Arena will be a celebration that the entire university, city and surrounding communities will rally behind,” continued Torbett Thomas. “We are so excited!”

The entire weekend’s slate of matches, much like the rest of Chattanooga volleyball’s 2025 home schedule, will be free to attend for the public. All of UTC’s matches in the tournament will also be available to stream via ESPN+.

2025 Chattanooga Classic hosted at McKenzie Arena

Thursday, September 4

6:00 p.m. ET – Cincinnati vs. Ohio

Friday September 5

12:00 p.m. ET – Chattanooga vs. Ohio

3:00 p.m. ET – Cincinnati vs. Jacksonville State

6:00 p.m. ET – Chattanooga vs. Alabama

Saturday, September 6

12:00 p.m. ET – Ohio vs. Jacksonville State

3:00 p.m. ET – Cincinnati vs. Alabama

6:00 p.m. ET – Chattanooga vs. Jacksonville State

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