Christopher sophomore Diego Rodriguez goes up for the kill during the first set against Hollister on April 30. Photo: Jonathan Natividad
A strong and deep Christopher boys volleyball team had a superb season and closed strong for a league title and the playoffs.
The Cougars finished 13-3 in the Blossom Valley Athletic League, Santa Teresa Division, and took the crown by prevailing in tiebreakers over rivals Westmont and Pioneer, who both finished with the same mark.
CHS, 22-10 overall, advanced into the Central Coast Section Division II playoffs and lost a tight contest at Peninsula Athletic League, Bay Division runner-up Burlingame. The scores were 25-20, 25-22, 25-19.
The accomplishments were major steps forward for the program. Just two years ago, Christopher was 5-25 overall. That number was blemished by an 0-12 record in the ultra-competitive Mt. Hamilton Division yet the Cougars were also just 5-13 in non-league games.
“We’ve been doing pretty well,” said coach Lee Guerrero, after a win over Hollister on April 30. “I think we exceeded expectations. It’s due to hard work. Diego (Rodriguez) is a high-level player. He has a lot of skill and is only a sophomore. Sam (Bravo) at setter is our quarterback. It’s his first season running the team and he is doing really good. He is a leader and is very consistent. Nolan Smith at libero is one of our team captains and a leader. He is a great team player. Every team should have a player like him.”
Diego Rodriguez smashed 398 kills with an amazing attack percentage of .364. Marc Luna had 266 kills and Matthew Garamendi put down 130. Nolan Smith led in digs with 135, Rodriguez had 109 and Rylan Antipuesto and Steven Jiminez Palao had 97 and 96 respectively. Serving leaders were Rodriguez at 31 aces and Bravo with 25.
Christopher’s winning formula began with two sophomores, the smooth Bravo with his spot-perfect sets, and the tall and talented outside hitter Rodriguez. Smith, a junior, led the defense at libero.
Christopher’s success came from having several other major contributors. The front line attack was bolstered by the athletic duo of Luna and Garamendi. In the middle, Alberto Zaragoza, Noah Guerrero and Evan Arisa were stellar. Additional depth came from Antipuesto, Jiminez Palao and Cruz Carrasco on defense.
The Cougars came roaring out of the gate in league play this season. CHS beat Sobrato, Hill, Westmont, Pioneer, Prospect, Silver Creek, Oak Grove, Santa Teresa and Hill in succession.
The wins over Westmont in a sweep on March 13 and at Pioneer on March 18, also 3-0, were huge. Stumbles came in an April 15 loss at Westmont, a four-set defeat to Pioneer on April 17 and a five-set decision in favor of Prospect on April 22. The Cougars topped Silver Creek to start getting back on track and then performed superbly in the prestigious and challenging Bellarmine tournament on April 25 and 26.
“After spring break, we got out of the gate slow,” coach Guerrero said. “But after that, we played in the Bellarmine Tournament and went 3-3. We beat De La Salle, Carlmont and Amador Valley there.”
The Cougars got back in gear again and closed the regular season with a six-match winning streak. After winning the last two contests in that tournament, Christopher bounced Oak Grove in a sweep on April 29, Hollister in a non-league match a day later, topped Santa Teresa on May 5 and then swept Sobrato.
The Hollister contest showed their strength in a 25-16, 25-16, 23-25, 23-25, 15-10 decision on April 30. The Haybalers, from the fierce Pacific Coast Athletic League, Gabilan Division, gave them a real run for the money.
Rodriguez was dealing early, and Luna and Garamendi supported to diversify the offense and allow Bravo to pass to different players and varied points of attack. CHS charged out to a big early lead in both the first two sets. Strong serving and passing kept Hollister out of system. But the visitors tightened up their defense and pulled out dead-even sets three and four.
The Cougars regrouped in the fifth, scoring the first five points and keeping Hollister at bay thereafter. Noah Guerrero scored early with a roll shot and with a big kill, Rodriguez utilized his quick arm swing and impressive vertical to drive two powerful kills and Luna scored off the block. Bravo and Luna combined for a double block for a point and Bravo surprised the Hollister defense with a perfectly-placed setter dump.
“It was a good game,” Bravo said. “It was fun and intense. In sets three and four, they hustled. In the time out before the fifth set, we talked it over and talked about what we do better. It was our covering, our hustling and our serving.”
Smith and the defense were particularly strong again. The passing was spot-on to Bravo, which enabled Christopher to utilize different options at the net.
“You can’t take anything for granted,” coach Guerrero said. “We learned you can’t just walk on the court and win. Hollister never gave up and they really hustled. This was a very good experience for us, as we’re still young. In the fifth set, our passing got better. And it was again great plays by Diego.”
Last year’s team was 16-11 overall, 7-5 in league play and did not qualify for the CCS playoffs. This team captured a league title and competed in the post-season. That accomplishment was a great reward for the seniors. With underclassmen already playing key roles, the future looks very bright for Cougars boys volleyball.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – It was announced today [Dec. 19] that Providence College will induct 10 individuals into its Athletics Hall of Fame, in addition to the 2013 Women’s Cross Country Team, which claimed the program’s second NCAA Division I National Championship. Inductees will be honored on Friday, June 5 at 6:30 p.m. at the Ruane Friar Development Center on the Providence College campus. Fans can purchase tickets to the event using the following link: 2026 Providence College Athletics Hall of Fame Ceremony
The inductees will be Lisa Brown-Miller ’88 (women’s ice hockey), Bryce Cotton ’14 (men’s basketball), Gerry Deegan (men’s cross country/track), Danette Doetzel ’09 (women’s cross country/track), Paul Guay ’90 (men’s ice hockey), Paul Kostacopolous ’87 (baseball – student-athlete & head coach), John Linehan ’02 (men’s basketball), Kerry Lyons ’94 (women’s soccer), Emily Sisson ’14 (women’s cross country/track) and Paula Wagoner ’98 (field hockey). Members of the 2013 women’s cross country team who will be inducted are Sarah Mary Collins ’16, Molly Keating ’16, Erin Murphy ’14, Laura Nagel ’14, Catarina Rocha ’17, Grace Thek ’14 and Sisson.
Brown-Miller, who will be inducted posthumously, is tied for 13th all-time in scoring at Providence with 154 points (92 goals, 62 assists). Her 92 goals rank as the seventh-highest total at the College. In 1985, her freshman season, she scored the winning goal against New Hampshire as Providence captured the ECAC Championship title. In 1988, she was the ECAC Division I Player of the Year. She also made the ECAC All-Star Team her sophomore and senior years. Brown-Miller played for the 1998 Gold Medal U.S. Olympic Team. She also played on six U.S. Women’s National Teams (1990, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1997), recording 13 goals and 25 assists in 30 games. She was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009 as a member of the 1998 U.S. Olympic Team.
Although not heavily recruited out of high school, Cotton left his mark on Friartown. In his final two seasons, Cotton helped bring the Friars to the NIT (2013) and NCAA Tournament (2014). In his junior season, Cotton earned All-BIG EAST First-Team honors. He was the league scoring leader (18.3 points BIG EAST, 19.7 overall) in 2013. As a senior he did everything for the Friars, leading the team to its first BIG EAST title since 1994 and its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2004. He led the BIG EAST in assists (6.1 apg) and ranked second in the league in scoring (21.8 ppg, 23.4 ppg BIG EAST play). Cotton led the nation in minutes played (39.9 mpg). He established the team record for minutes played in a season at 1,398. He finished his career with 1,975 points and currently ranks fifth all-time in scoring at PC. In addition to earning Associated Press Honorable Mention All-America accolades in 2014, Cotton also was named BIG EAST Tournament Most Outstanding Player, First Team All-BIG EAST and a Lute Olson All-American. After going undrafted in the 2014 NBA draft, Cotton had a number of short stints in the NBA over his first two professional seasons, playing for the Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns and Memphis Grizzlies. He also played in the NBA Development League, China, Turkey and Italy between 2014 and 2018. He has enjoyed a long and decorated career in the Australian National Basketball League (NBL). As a member of the Perth Wildcats between 2017 and 2025, he won three NBL championships and five NBL Most Valuable Player Awards. He is also a two-time NBL Grand Final MVP, eight-time All-NBL First Team recipient and collected eight NBL scoring titles. He currently plays for the Adelaide 36ers of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL).
Deegan is one of five Friars to ever win a NCAA title. In 1978, Deegan captured the NCAA Indoor two-mile run. He earned All-America honors in cross country in 1977 after finishing third at the NCAA Championship. He also received All-America accolades during the 1978 indoor season (two-mile run) and the outdoor season where he placed second in the 5,000 meters at the NCAA Championship.
Doetzel claimed an NCAA 10,000-meter title, five All-America honors and three BIG EAST titles during her career at Providence College. She claimed the 10,000-meter BIG EAST title twice (2008, 2009) and the 3,000-meter indoor title in 2009. Doetzel became the sixth PC female athlete to win an NCAA individual title when she captured the 10,000 meters at the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Track Championships. She became the first Providence College Track athlete to win an NCAA title in the 10,000 meters.
Guay, while only playing two seasons with the Friars, made quite the impression upon hockey fans in Rhode Island. He scored 34 goals in his last season as a Friar, the most goals in a single season in program history. In just 75 games, Guay registered 57 goals and 48 assists. He was a member of the 1982-83 All-New England squad and was an ECAC Second Team selection. He was the first Providence College Friar to become a hockey Olympian. After attending the Sports Festival for the 1984 Olympics, Guay made the 1984 U.S. Olympic Team. Guay decided to forego his last two years of eligibility to play for the Philadelphia Flyers. He continued his NHL career in Boston, New York (Islanders), Hartford and Los Angeles, appearing in a total of 117 NHL games over seven seasons.
In seven seasons as a head coach of the Friar baseball program, Kostacopoulos registered a 220-137-1 mark (.616) and he led the team to two NCAA Tournament appearances. His Friar squads also posted an 87-61 BIG EAST record (.588), finishing first during the regular season in 1995 and 1996. Kostacopoulos served as an assistant at Providence for two seasons before he became the youngest Division I head coach in the country in 1990 at age 25. By his third season in charge, Providence was 29-23 in 1992 and won the Big East Tournament to advance to the NCAA South I Regional. In 1995, the Friars were 44-15 and won a school-record 16 BIG EAST games to claim the regular-season BIG EAST Championship, going on to finish as the tournament runner-up and receive an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament. In Kostacopoulos’ time with the Friars, he was named the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Northeast Coach of the Year in 1992 and 1995 and received both BIG EAST and New England Coach-of-the-Year honors in 1995. Kostacopoulos earned his bachelor’s degree from Providence College in 1987, capping a four-year career as a member of the Friar baseball team in which he played 139 games and batted .260. As a senior, he was both captain and defensive player of the year. Three future Major League Baseball players played under Kostacopoulos at Providence. Lou Merloni (1990–1993), John McDonald (1995–1996) and Keith Reed (1996). He left Providence in 1996 to coach at Maine. He spent nine years at Maine, where he led his Black Bear teams to a 274-195 mark. Kostacopoulos was named the Head Coach at Navy in 2006. He guided the Midshipmen for 18 seasons and producing a 523-373-5 record (.591). He retired from the Naval Academy in 2023 after coaching for 34 years and amassing a 1,017-705-5 record (.590). Kostacopoulos also is a member of the Maryland Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame (2018) and the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame (2014). He is married to former Friar women’s basketball standout Joanie Powers and he serves as the athletic director at St. Mary’s High School in Annapolis, Maryland.
Linehan left Providence College with the NCAA career steals record and is known as one of the greatest defenders to ever play for the Friars. His NCAA steals record stood for 20 years before being broken in 2022. In his senior year as a Friar (2002), Linehan recorded 139 steals to total 385 in his career. He also scored 990 career points. Linehan was voted Defensive Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons (2001 and 2002). In 2001, he was named to the Basketball Times Third Team All-America, NABC All-District Second Team and the All-BIG EAST Second Team. In 2002, Linehan was an Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention as well as the NABC, ESPN.com, Basketball America and CollegeInsider.com Defensive Player of the Year. He was also named to the Second Team All-BIG EAST, USBWA All-District 1, NABC First Team All-District 1 and the Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team. During the 2001 NBA Playoffs, Kobe Bryant was asked to name the toughest defender he ever faced. Bryant responded, “John Linehan.” After graduating Linehan, played professionally in the National Basketball Development League (NBDL) and the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), where he won the league championship with the Dakota Wizards in 2004. After winning the CBA championship, Linehan moved to Europe and played professionally in France and Estonia until 2015. He then began his career as a basketball coach in 2015 and has served as an assistant coach at Drexel, Brown, Hartford, Georgia and Saint Joseph’s. Currently, he is an assistant coach at BYU.
Lyons helped guide the women’s soccer team to the BIG EAST title in 1993 enroute to the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance. Lyons was a prolific scorer, having finished her career with 98 points on 41 goals and 16 assists. To date, she remains the program leader in career goals (41) and career points (98). She also scored a program-record 17 goals during the 1992 campaign.
Sisson became the third Friar to earn multiple NCAA titles in the same year. Sisson claimed the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor 5,000-meter titles in her final year at Providence. On her journey to becoming a two-time NCAA Champion, she also broke Kim Smith’s NCAA Indoor 5,000-meter record (15:12.22) with a solo effort at the 2015 BIG EAST Indoor Championship. Sisson also co-captained the 2013 NCAA Championship cross country team to the program’s second NCAA title. Over the course of her career at Providence, Sisson claimed 10 All-America honors and seven BIG EAST titles. Her 10 All-America honors are tied for the most all-time at Providence College. Sisson competed in the 10,000 meters at the 2020 Olympics. In 2022, Sisson broke the American half marathon record with a time of 1:06:52 and the American marathon record in a time of 2:18.29. Sisson competed in the marathon at the 2024 Paris Olympics finishing 23rd in a time of 2:29.53.
Wagoner was a two-time All-American for the field hockey program, having earned NFHCA Third-Team honors in 1996 and Second-Team accolades in 1997. She also was a three-time NFHCA Division I All-Northeast Region First-Team selection and three-time All-BIG EAST First-Team honoree (1995, 1996, 1997). Wagoner is one of only two players in program history to earn All-BIG EAST First-Team recognition three times, and the only field hockey player from Providence College to be named BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year, which she earned in 1997. As a freshman in 1994, she claimed BIG EAST Rookie of the Year and was named to the BIG EAST All-Rookie Team. Wagoner completed her career with 66 points on 15 goals and 36 assists. Her 36 assists rank fourth all-time at Providence and she still holds the single season record for assists (19), which she set in 1997. She helped guide her team to three BIG EAST Tournament appearances and advanced to the Championship Game in 1996.
The 2013 women’s cross country team had one of the most successful seasons in Friar history, winning seven of eight races, defending the 2012 Northeast Regional title and capturing the program’s sixth BIG EAST title on the journey to taking the ultimate crown. The 2013 NCAA title marked the second NCAA Championship in program history. The team produced three All-Americans, including Emily Sisson ’14, Laura Nagel ’14 and Sarah Collins ’16. In addition to Sisson, Nagel and Collins, the other members of the team were Molly Keating ’16, Erin Murphy ’14, Catarina Rocha ’17 and Grace Thek ’14.
Kentucky volleyball defeated Wisconsin in a five-set thriller to advance to the NCAA Tournament National Championship.
The Wildcats will face Texas A&M for the national title, their second championship appearance since winning in 2020-21.
Eva Hudson led Kentucky with 29 kills, while Brooklyn DeLeye had 15 kills and a team-high five blocks.
Coverage from the match:
Kentucky volleyball won Brooklyn DeLeye’s heart. Star embraces journey
KANSAS CITY, MO — Top-seeded Kentucky volleyball defeated third-seeded Wisconsin in a five-set thriller Thursday at the T-Mobile Center to advance to the NCAA Tournament National Championship.
Eva Hudson led the Wildcats in kills with 29. Brooklyn DeLeye led the team in blocks (five). And Kassie O’Brien led UK with 54 assists.
Kentucky will battle No. 3 Texas A&M at 3:30 p.m. ET Sunday in Kansas City, Missouri, for a national championship title. It’ll be UK’s second championship match and first since it won in 2020-21.
Coverage during the match:
The Wildcats will take on Texas A&M in an all-SEC national title game. Hudson led the Wildcats with 29 kills, followed by DeLeye with 15.
The Wildcats are on a 4-0 run courtesy of two Hudson kills, an ace by freshman Trinity Ward and a huge block from Carr and O’Brien.
A little bonus volleyball for all the folks at home. Hudson is up to 23 kills, followed by DeLeye’s 11 and Carr and Thigpen with eight each. The Wildcats defense is keeping them in this one despite hitting .231 on the match.
Set 5 is first to 15 winning by a margin of two.
UK is on a 5-0 run. Star outsides Hudson and DeLeye both have double-digit kills now, with 18 and 10, respectively. Carr has eight, and Thigpen has seven.
This is a must-win set for the Wildcats.
The Badgers had 21 kills and four errors in the set compared with the Wildcats’ 16 and two. Wisconsin ended the frame on a 3-0 run. It is now one set away from the national championship match.
The Badgers are on a 3-0 run. Colyer has a match-high 17 kills. Wisconsin is hitting .625 this set compared with Kentucky at .364.
Hudson came alive this set with six kills, including three of Kentucky’s last four in the set. She has nine total. DeLeye and Carr each have four.
The Wildcats are still struggling to get their offense in a rhythm, hitting .158 this set and .091 for the match. But they’re holding the Badgers to less production (.333 and 10 kills compared to .682 and 15 kills in the first).
The Badgers hit a whopping .682 as a team in that set, while the Wildcats hit .056. Wisconsin had no attacking errors either, siding out 100%. DeLeye and Hudson have only combined for five kills on 21 total attempts.
The Wildcats are staring down their largest deficit of the NCAA Tournament. Wisconsin is holding UK to just .211 hitting percentage. The Badgers, meanwhile, are hitting a perfect 1.000, led by Colyer’s five kills.
The Wildcats have had trouble getting their offense going early. Meanwhile the Badgers are hitting 1.000, with Carter Booth and Mimi Colyer a perfect 4 for 4 and 3 for 3, respectively.
UK’s two kills have come from outside Brooklyn DeLeye (1 for 3) and setter Kassie O’Brien (1 for 1). The 3-0 run by Wisconsin prompted Skinner to call a timeout.
The Aggies’ sweep of Pitt marks their second upset of a No. 1 seed in a row after defeating Nebraska in the Elite Eight. If Kentucky defeats Wisconsin, the Wildcats and Aggies will face off Sunday in the national championship match.
The match will start about 30 minutes after the first national semifinal between No. 1 seed Pitt and No. 3 seed Texas A&M concludes. That match is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
Buy Kentucky volleyball tickets here
No. 1 seed Kentucky vs. No. 3 seed Wisconsin will be broadcast live on ESPN from the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
Authenticated subscribers can access ESPN via TV-connected devices or by going to WatchESPN.com or the WatchESPN app.
Those without cable can access ESPN via streaming services, with Fubo offering a free trial.
UK plays Wisconsin tonight for a spot in the national title game. The Wildcats or Badgers will play No. 3 seed Texas A&M on Sunday. Here’s a look at the tournament schedule:
Semifinals: Today at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri
Championship: Dec. 21 at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri
Dec. 18: Kentucky 3, Wisconsin 2 (NCAA Tournament National Semifinal)
Dec. 21: Kentucky vs. Texas A&M (NCAA Tournament National Final)
Read about how UK volleyball coach Craig Skinner’s people-first approach has vaulted the program to sustained national relevance here.
The Wildcats are known for their bench choreography. Read how UK’s sideline antics have helped lead it to the NCAA Volleyball Tournament national semifinal here.
Kentucky and Wisconsin volleyball did not play this season, so today’s match will be their first meeting of the year.
Today’s national semifinal will be the third meeting between UK and Wisconsin. The Wildcats are 0-2 against the Badgers, having played in Madison in 2021 and in Lexington in 2022.
UK volleyball won the 2020 NCAA Tournament, which was played in April 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Wildcats have played in 27 NCAA Tournaments, including this one (1983, 1987-88, 1990, 1992-93, 2005-2025). Twenty-one of those appearances came under Skinner.
UK has made 15 NCAA Regional Semifinals and now two Final Fours. The program has one national championship from the 2020-21 season.
Click here to see who the Badgers have faced this season.
Kentucky’s 2025 and 2020-21 teams were both crowned SEC champions.
The 2020-21 team went 24-1, dropping one conference match to Florida (3-2) and never losing on its home court.
The 2025 team is 29-2, riding a 26-match win streak dating back to September and encompassing the whole SEC slate as well as every match at Historic Memorial Coliseum.
The Wildcats have won nine consecutive conference titles, which is a Power Four conference volleyball record.
Kentucky volleyball takes a 26-match win streak into the Final Four after going perfect in SEC play and at Historic Memorial Coliseum this season.
Skinner’s contract with Kentucky volleyball runs through June 30, 2029. His base salary is as follows:
July 1, 2022-June 30, 2023: $450,000
July 1, 2023-June 30, 2024: $475,000
July 1, 2024-June 30, 2025: $525,000
July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026: $525,000
July 1, 2026-June 30, 2027: $525,000
July 1, 2027-June 30, 2028: $525,000
July 1, 2028-June 30, 2029: $525,000
Skinner also receives $5,000 per contract year (payable on July 31 and Jan. 31) for “media and endorsement” obligations.
His incentive-based bonuses are not cumulative and include:
$50,000 for a Final Four berth;
$75,000 for an NCAA Championship
Yes, UK is spending its 2025-26 revenue-sharing budget on the following sports: football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, baseball, softball and volleyball. The athletics department declined to provide a sport-by-sport spending breakdown when asked by The Courier Journal earlier this year.
Other schools that confirmed to The Courier Journal that they’re spending revenue-sharing dollars on volleyball are:
Louisville
Nebraska
Ohio State
Minnesota
Creighton
BYU
TCU
Texas A&M
Eva Hudson and Brooklyn DeLeye are Kentucky’s star outside hitters. DeLeye is a junior and was named the Lexington Regional’s Most Outstanding Player.
Hudson transferred to Kentucky from Purdue for her senior season. She was named to the Lexington Regional All-Tournament Team. Hudson was also awarded SEC Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year.
Both players have been critical for UK’s success all season. They proved especially clutch during the Elite Eight match, combining for 32 of the team’s 47 kills.
Reach college sports enterprise reporter Payton Titus at ptitus@gannett.com and follow her on X @petitus25. Subscribe to her “Full-court Press” newsletter here for a behind-the-scenes look at how college sports’ biggest stories are impacting Louisville and Kentucky athletics.
Kentucky has become a prominent state for volleyball, rivaling its reputation for basketball and horse racing.
Youth clubs like KIVA and strong high school programs have been instrumental in developing top-tier talent.
Both UK and UofL have shown significant institutional support by including volleyball in their athlete revenue-sharing budgets.
Regardless if Kentucky brings back its second NCAA women’s volleyball national championship in the last five years, the commonwealth is winning in volleyball from the colleges down to the grassroots level.
And it will be for the foreseeable future.
Kentucky is no longer just known best for thoroughbred racing and its basketball programs. Volleyball has spiked its way into being associated with the state’s top sports now, too.
That’s why the NCAA brought its women’s volleyball championship to the KFC Yum! Center last year for the second time.
The Wildcats’ run to the national title game this season and Louisville’s run to the Final Four three times in the past four years, including title-game appearances in 2021 and last season, is the exclamation point on just how far the sport has come.
“Kentucky, for whatever reason, generates and creates unbelievable volleyball talent,” said ESPN volleyball analyst Katie George, who played at UofL and was the 2015 ACC Player of the Year. “That’s a testament to the youth coaches, certainly there’s so many great clubs, there’s so many great high school programs.”
Ron Kordes, Assumption High’s Hall of Fame coach, can remember the times when, in the early 1990s, he’d take club teams to compete at national tournaments in Chicago and they would get picked on with the laziest of Kentucky stereotypes, including California kids acting surprised they wore shoes.
They got beat a lot during those early tournaments to the point where Kordes called them “oh-for-weekends” because they would go and not win a single match.
“We’ve got their respect now,” Kordes said.
Known as the “Godfather of Volleyball,” Kordes is responsible whether directly or indirectly for helping develop the state into a volleyball hotbed.
He and Jesse Flynn helped build the Ohio Valley Volleyball Center. It was just the second volleyball-only facility in the nation when it was built after the Great Lakes Volleyball Center outside of Chicago.
The center became the home of the Kentucky Indiana Volleyball Academy (KIVA) grassroots volleyball program, and Kordes said participation in the junior clubs is maxed out.
“Who would have ever imagined anything like this?” he said. “It’s just become overwhelming, and I couldn’t be happier.”
KIVA is responsible for producing many of the best players to come out of Kentucky in any given year, including two who were on display in Thursday’s semifinal match between UK and Wisconsin.
Kristen Simon, who played at Assumption, was the Badgers’ libero/defensive specialist. Her counterpart with the Wildcats was Trinity Ward, who played at Holy Cross. Despite the rival high schools and being on opposite sides in the semifinals, they were friends who were former teammates at KIVA.
It’s not the first time that KIVA produced multiple Final Four participants, and it won’t likely be the last.
The same can be said of UK and UofL pursuing championships. The programs not only have a strong talent base to recruit from but they also have the institutional support to help them excel.
That’s not always a guarantee for those outside of football and men’s basketball.
Volleyball was among the sports prioritized at both schools to receive part of the $20.5 million revenue-sharing budget allocated to pay athletes. That’s a big-time commitment, considering every sport will not be included as football and men’s basketball devour most of those funds.
The foundation has been set. The rise to be among the best is complete. Those shoes California girls once joked about are like footsteps now because volleyball in the commonwealth of Kentucky is right on the heels of every state claiming to be the best.
Reach sports columnist C.L. Brown at clbrown1@gannett.com, follow him on X at @CLBrownHoops and subscribe to his newsletter at profile.courier-journal.com/newsletters/cl-browns-latest to make sure you never miss one of his columns.
UK volleyball is headed to the national championship for just the second time in program history.Kentucky and Wisconsin volleyball battled it out in Kansas City to determine who would play against Texas A&M for the national championship.The Badgers made quick work in the first set, winning 25-12.Kentucky would answer with a 25-22 win in the second set to even things out.But Wisconsin would fire back again, taking the third set 25-21.UK wasn’t going down without a fight, forcing a fifth set after winning the fourth 26-24.The fifth set was another back and forth between the two teams, but Kentucky held on for a 15-13 win, advancing to the title game.The Wildcats will play Texas A&M for the national championship at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. —
UK volleyball is headed to the national championship for just the second time in program history.
Kentucky and Wisconsin volleyball battled it out in Kansas City to determine who would play against Texas A&M for the national championship.
The Badgers made quick work in the first set, winning 25-12.
Kentucky would answer with a 25-22 win in the second set to even things out.
But Wisconsin would fire back again, taking the third set 25-21.
UK wasn’t going down without a fight, forcing a fifth set after winning the fourth 26-24.
The fifth set was another back and forth between the two teams, but Kentucky held on for a 15-13 win, advancing to the title game.
The Wildcats will play Texas A&M for the national championship at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Wisconsin fans took over downtown Kansas City and saw their team nearly pull off an upset of No. 1 seed Kentucky.
Photos by Taylor Wolfram
Words by Preston Schmitt
The Badger volleyball team’s upset bid for a national championship came up just short Thursday, Dec. 18, after falling to No. 1 seed Kentucky in five unforgettable sets in the semifinals. UW got off to a dominating start, winning the first set 25-12 under the heavy hitting of star seniors Carter Booth and Mimi Colyer. Booth famously said that she refuses to lose after taking down another No. 1 seed in Texas in the regional finals. She made Badger fans believe in those words all over again on Thursday, delivering a career high 21 kills in the match. It took Kentucky three match points in the fifth set to finally put away the never-back-down Badgers.
And Badger fans — who showed up to Kansas City in big numbers — refused to be anything but proud of the players and their remarkable effort.
MUMBAI: Naman Mathur, popularly known as Mortal has joined cricketing star Smriti Mandhana, youth icon Rannvijay Singha, and rapper Srushti Tawde for Royal Challenge Packaged Drinking Water’s new campaign ‘Main Nahi Toh Kaun Be’.
This is a celebration of self-belief and authenticity. It reflects a shift from living by inherited norms to defining success on one’s own terms, from “what will people think” to “what do I think.” Brought to life through Srushti Tawade’s spirited anthem of the same name, the campaign is a tribute to those who’ve chosen bold at every turn and earned the right to say, Main Nahi Toh Kaun Be.
As an esports athletes and co-founder of S8UL Esports, Mortal’s inclusion in this national campaign highlights the growing influence of gaming and content creation within India’s youth culture. His journey from starting out as a mobile gamer to representing India on the global stage in esports and winning the Esports Content Creator of the Year 2024 award at the global Esports Awards symbolizes a new generation of achievers who have turned unconventional passions into professional careers.
“Gaming has never just been about winning, it’s about the mindset. Every match is a test of strategy, patience and self-belief. You enter the battlefield knowing anything’s possible if you trust your grind. That’s why ‘Mai Nahi Toh Kaun Be’ isn’t just a line- it’s a reminder to back yourself, every single time,” said Naman Mathur aka Mortal.
Representing diverse passions that define young India, from sports and entertainment to music and gaming, the campaign speaks to a generation unafraid to dream big and carve its own path.
The film opens with an energetic montage capturing each icon in their own world: Mandhana on the pitch, commanding every shot; Singha pushing boundaries with confidence; Mortal deep in gameplay strategy; and Tawde delivering fiery verses that echo her individuality. Their journeys unfold through moments of hustle, passion and triumph, all connected by one powerful idea, belief in oneself. ‘Main Nahi Toh Kaun Be’ goes beyond being a campaign. It is a movement that encourages everyone to make boldness a defining part of who they are.
Varun Koorichh
Speaking on the launch, Varun Koorichh, VP marketing – Portfolio Head Premium and Luxury, Diageo India, said, “Main Nahi Toh Kaun Be is the next chapter in our Choose Bold journey, and it mirrors the wave of confidence shaping India today. Being bold is no longer limited to the big screen or the big stage – it’s about backing yourself in any arena where ambition runs high.
“That’s why this campaign champions everything from high-pressure cricket moments to the explosive rise of e-sports – a space where young Indians are proving that skill, resilience and self-belief are the new markers of success. Whether you’re battling it out in a competitive gaming lobby, creating in the fast-moving digital landscape, or building something from the ground up – it’s that inner conviction that sets you apart. With this campaign, we’ve brought together cultural icons who embody this fearless spirit and we hope it inspires every young Indian to step up and say, ‘If not me, then who?”
According to the FICCI EY Media and Entertainment Industry Report 2025, the number of brands investing in esports is set to rise from 68 in 2024 to 75 in 2025. Royal Challenge Packaged Drinking Water’s association with India’s gaming and esports industry reflects this growing trend. The brand has been consistently engaging with the gaming community, from creating a “Cricket Gaming Zone” with NODWIN Gaming at Mumbai Comic Con 2025 to hosting branded game nights and collaborating with leading Indian gaming creators, showcasing its commitment to the country’s thriving gamer ecosystem.
With this campaign, Royal Challenge Packaged Drinking Water is looking to champion a generation that steps up, takes risks, and embraces boldness in every moment. It stands as a celebration of confidence, courage, and conviction — a reminder to make things happen, because if not you, then who?
