BOISE, Idaho — Boise State Beach Volleyball Head Coach Allison Voigt announced her decision to step down from the program on Thursday, citing a desire to focus on her family.

“After multiple conversations with my family, friends and Director of Athletics Jeramiah Dickey, I have decided to step away from my coaching role at Boise State to focus on my family,” Voigt said. “At this stage in my life, I want to focus on being the best mother I can be to my two girls.”

Voigt, the winningest coach in program history, leaves behind a legacy of success. Since taking over the program in 2019, she amassed a 119-63 career coaching record. Under her leadership, the Broncos became a dominant force in the West, winning over 20 games in each of the past four seasons. This past season, Voigt led the team to its first regular season and conference tournament championship, earning an automatic spot in the NCAA Beach Volleyball National Championship for the first time in program history.

Jeramiah Dickey, Boise State Director of Athletics, praised Voigt’s contributions. “Allison is a tremendous human, and we’re grateful for her leadership for the last seven years with our beach volleyball program and 10 years total at Boise State,” he said. “She was a Bar Raiser for us, setting up our program for future competitive excellence.”

Voigt’s commitment to developing student-athletes off the sand was also notable. The Broncos earned back-to-back SLC Student-Athletes of the Year and received the AVCA Team Academic award every season under her guidance.

Alex Venardos, who has been with the program since 2016, will succeed Voigt as head coach. Venardos expressed gratitude for the opportunity, saying, “I’m honored and humbled by the opportunity to take over this historic program. I’m extremely passionate about Boise State beach volleyball and can’t wait to continue leading this program to compete among the nation’s best.”

Venardos has been instrumental in the program’s recent success, helping guide the Broncos to their first NCAA Beach Volleyball National Championship appearance and a conference championship title. His promotion marks a new era for Boise State Beach Volleyball as the team looks to build on its achievements.

Rock Hill, S.C. – Winthrop University Athletic Director Chuck Rey announced the hiring of Raffael Craig as the head track & field/cross country coach on Thursday afternoon, to see Craig become the third head coach in the history of the track & field program

“We are excited to welcome Raffael Craig as the next Head Coach for Track & Field and Cross Country, a leader whose integrity, vision, character, and energy sets the tone for a bold new era in our program’s history,” stated Rey. “His commitment to developing culture, character, and well-rounded student-athletes, while striving for championships, aligns perfectly with Winthrop Eagles values and mission.”

He spent the last two years as an assistant coach at Purdue, coaching the jumpers and combined athlete events. Under his guidance, he saw 17 All-Big Ten athlete honors, including a First-Team All-American in the pentathlon, with a Second-Team All-American honor in the triple jump. Rounding out his time in West Lafayette, he helped lead thirteen athletes to Purdue All-Time Top-Ten honors, adding on three school records in the women’s pentathlon in 2025.

“I’m incredibly honored to be named the head track & field and cross country coach at Winthrop University,” said Craig. “This program has tremendous potential, and I’m excited to build a culture focused on development, discipline, and long-term success. I look forward to working with our support staff to give our student-athletes the best experience while they help me Rock the Hill.”

Prior to Purdue, Craig served as an assistant coach at Louisiana Tech University, coaching the Conference USA Champion in the heptathlon event, along with three additional top-six finishes in long jump and triple jump. Before his time with the Bulldogs, he tipped his toes into the collegiate sphere with a volunteer position at Texas Tech University, helping to lead six Red Raiders to earn All-American accolades, being highlighted by the 2021 NCAA Indoor triple jump champion, Ruth Urso.

Ahead of his time in the college ranks, Craig spent 15 years at Millville High School in Millville, New Jersey. At Millville, he led the team to #1 Ranked Public School spot in New Jersey, following that up with a 2020 Preseason New Jersey #1 Public School ranking. Under his tutelage, Craig guided 18 athletes to colleges on scholarships, coaching the 2019 New Balance Outdoor National Champion, Bryanna Craig, in the heptathlon.

Craig, a 2000 Big East pentathlon champion at the University of Connecticut, earned All-Big East honors four times during his collegiate career. He was inducted into the South Jersey Track Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2013 and went on to become an eight-time USATF Masters Indoor Track & Field national champion in 2018 and 2019.

World Championships: Japan Routs Great Britain, Italy Squeaks Through Women’s Water Polo Crossover

Japan made the quarterfinals of the World Aquatics Championships for the first time, and Italy just squeaked by China Thursday in the women’s water polo tournament in Singapore.

Japan was the lone third-place team to win in the crossover matches, the last chance to reach the quarters, with a 23-10 win over Great Britain. The other matches when to second-place sides, but not always easily. Italy got the biggest scare, a 13-11 win over China. The Netherlands handled New Zealand, 14-9, while Greece is in the quarters for the 12th straight edition of the tournament via a 23-9 romp past France.

Japan scored 11 times in the first half and never looked back. Shoka Fukuda and Eruna Ura each paired three goals with four assists. Maho Kobayashi had four and two. Kako Kawaguchi, Ai Sunabe and Fuka Nishiyama each tallied hat tricks for Japan, which shot 66 percent (23-for-35).

“This is a big, big success for Japan,” Sunabe said. “It’s the first time we’re in the top eight of the world championships and it’s a really good experience for us.”

Japan books a quarterfinal date with the U.S. on Saturday. The eight-time World Champion qualified directly winning Group B.

Italy never trailed but could never unlatch itself from China in a game that was just 11-10 with six minutes left. Seven steals as a team and nine saves from Aurora Condorelli helped Italy survive the scare.

Dafne Bettini led the offense with three goals and four assists. Roberta Bianconi scored three goals (albeit on eight shots), and Chiara Ranalli paired two goals on two shots with two assists. Italy gets a date with Hungary in the quarterfinals.

Siya Yan led China with two goals and two assists, Shiyun Wang scored twice and Yineng Shen made eight saves.

The Dutch eased past New Zealand thanks to five goals and two assists from Simone van de Kraats. Maartje Keuning (two goals) was the only other Dutch player with multiple goals. Millie Quin had a hat trick for the Kiwis.

Foteini Tricha was 5-for-5 shooting to move into the tournament lead with 20 goals and pace Greece. Eleftheria Plevritou scored four times, and Vasiliki Plevritou added three goals. Greece’s defense limited France’s Ema Vernoux to 1-for-7 shooting.

The Netherlands plays Spain in Saturday’s quarterfinal, a rematch of the 2023 gold-medal match, won by the Dutch. That’s the nightcap. Australia and Greece play in the first game of the day.

Crossover round losers head to the 9-12 placement round.

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16 Jul 2025 Harding Track’s Blankinship named Academic All-American

SEARCY – Harding University women’s track and field high jumper Kiera Blankinship has been named to the College Sports Communicators Second Team Academic All-America, recognizing her exceptional achievements both on the track and in the classroom. It was her second career Academic All-America honor.

Blankinship, a senior athletically and a graduate student academically, maintained a perfect 4.00 undergraduate grade-point average as a psychology major and is now seeking a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy.

In the 2025 outdoor season, Blankinship, a native of Chickasha, Oklahoma, and 2021 graduate of Amber-Pocasset High School, placed second at the Great American Conference Championships with a season-best height of 1.72m (5-7.75). She advanced to the national meet, where she earned Second Team All-America honors with a 10th-place finish, clearing 1.68m (5-6).

Blankinship’s honor is the 16th for the Harding women’s track and field program since Dawn Mason became the first Lady Bison to earn the award in 1987. She is one of eight women’s athletes at Harding to earn All-America and Academic All-America honors in her career.