Utah State Track & Field Excels on Final Day of Mountain West Outdoor Championships
CLOVIS, Calif. — Utah State track & field claimed two titles and eight medals, earned 93 team points and posted two performances that rank in the top 10 in school history on the third and final day of the 2025 Mountain West Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Clovis, California, on Saturday. “We’re really […]
CLOVIS, Calif. — Utah State track & field claimed two titles and eight medals, earned 93 team points and posted two performances that rank in the top 10 in school history on the third and final day of the 2025 Mountain West Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Clovis, California, on Saturday.
“We’re really proud of how our kids competed,” said Artie Gulden, USU’s director of track & field and cross country. “Having two conference champions and lots of all-conference kids is great. Our athletes broke two school records on the women’s side and set multiple all-time top-10 marks. Logan broke his own meet record in the vault in less than favorable conditions for vaulting.”
On a windy evening at Veterans Memorial Stadium, junior Logan Hammer won the men’s pole vault competition with his clearance of 5.65 meters (18-6.5), earning the fifth Mountain West title of his career. He broke his own meet record of 5.62 meters (18-5.25), set at last year’s championships. Of the seven clearances of 5.65 meters (18-6.5) by collegiate pole vaulters during the 2025 outdoor season, Hammer now owns four of them, all of which have come in his last four competitions. Junior Marshall Rasmussen cleared 5.11 meters (16-9.25) to win the silver medal, his second of the 2025 campaign. Junior Javin Richards jumped a height of 4.96 meters (16-9.25) to win bronze and complete the Utah State podium sweep.
Utah State continued its recent dominance of the men’s 800 meters on Saturday. Sophomore Landon Bott, the gold medalist at the 2025 indoor championships, claimed another title with his winning time of 1:49.68. Bott held the lead despite a late charge from the runner-up, New Mexico’s Matthew Endrody. Graduate Brennan Benson, who won the 2023 title in the event, won bronze with his time of 1:51.27, securing his seventh career medal at the Mountain West Championships. Junior Ernest Green rounded out the Aggie scorers, finishing fourth with a time of 1:51.59.
Aggie throwers claimed the silver and bronze medals in the men’s discus. Senior Nate Franz had three personal-best throws in his first three attempts, with his third mark of 57.13 meters (187-5) earning him second place in the competition. Sophomore teammate Joseph Turner earned his second career MW medal in the discus, throwing a personal record of 56.37 meters (184-11) to claim third place. Franz moved into fourth in Utah State history with his performance, while Turner’s personal-best mark ranks sixth all-time. Air Force’s Texas Tanner won the competition with a mark of 63.59 meters (208-7), breaking an 18-year-old meet record.
Freshman Ayodele Ojo claimed his first career Mountain West medal in the 100 meters, running in 10.32 seconds to finish second in the race. With a lean forward at the finish line, Ojo beat out the third-place runner, Air Force’s Javin Bostic, by 0.002 seconds. Freshman Daniel Chase added to the Aggie scoring in the event, clocking in at 10.47 to finish seventh. New Mexico’s Cam Watts, who played cornerback for the Lobos under current Utah State head football coach Bronco Mendenhall, won the title with a winning time of 10.23.
Freshman Diego Aguirre-Stewart and Ojo claimed sixth and seventh place in the men’s 200 meters, finishing in 20.99 and 21.08, respectively. Collectively, Utah State’s freshman sprinters Aguirre-Stewart, Chase and Ojo earned 25 team points for the Aggies. San José State’s Cameron Tarver won the 200-meter title, clocking in at 20.54.
Sophomore Joshua Armstrong scored the Aggies’ first track points of Championship Saturday, running the 1,500-meter final in 3:47.01 to finish seventh in the field. New Mexico’s Collins Kiprotich won the title in the event with a time of 3:41.05, beating teammate Habtom Samuel by 0.02 seconds.
Junior Krysthina Vlahovic continued her run of solid performances in the 100-meter hurdles, finishing in 13.96 to take sixth place in the field. Vlahovic has placed sixth in the event at three consecutive Mountain West Championships. San Diego State’s Jada Pierre won the race with a time of 13.12.
Senior Adi Nielson secured her best individual finish of her Utah State career, running the 400-meter hurdles in 1:00.96 to earn a sixth-place finish in the final. Fresno State’s Jewel Ash won the event title with her time of 57.63.
Senior Emma Thornley capped off her tremendous Mountain West career by finishing sixth in the women’s 5,000 meters, running her race in 16:18.50. The Utah State record holder in the event scored at the conference championships for the sixth time in her Aggie career. New Mexico’s Pamela Kosgei won the title with a time of 15:50.96, leading a group of six Lobos in the top eight.
In the women’s 200 meters, senior Emma Reeves earned the first individual point of her Aggie career, taking eighth place in the race with a time of 23.92. UNLV’s Kennedi Porter, who was named the Women’s Outstanding Track Performer of the Year, won the race with a time of 22.95, her third gold medal of the day.
The championships concluded with the women’s and men’s 4×400-meter relays. On the women’s side, the crew of Reeves, Nielson, junior Alison Richter and freshman Mashaylee Jones, who set the Utah State record last week, finished in fourth place with a time of 3:42.20. The Aggie men’s team of Aguirre-Stewart, Ernest Green, Benson and Bott, who had not competed in the event all season, finished seventh with a time of 3:17.91. New Mexico swept both relays, winning the women’s race in 3:35.54 and the men’s in 3:13.68.
The Utah State men finished in third place with 114.5 points, their highest team finish since 2021. The women’s team placed ninth in the team competition with 38 points. Colorado State and New Mexico completed their sweeps of the Mountain West men’s and women’s team titles, with the Rams’ men earning 192.5 points and the Lobo women accumulating 153 points.
“From a team perspective, it’s great that the men finished third,” said Gulden. “We had a number of guys step up to help us do that. The women collectively had a rough day today, and our team performance isn’t indicative of how good our team is. But at the end of the day, we did not get it done and we have to improve moving forward.”
Utah State’s individual athletes will await their postseason fate, with invited athletes set to compete at the NCAA West First Rounds in College Station, Texas, from Wednesday to Saturday, May 28-31.
Fans can follow the Utah State track and field programs on X at USUTF_XC, on Facebook at USUTrack and on Instagram at USUTF_XC. Aggies fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program on X at USUAthletics or on Facebook at Utah State University Athletics.
2025 Mountain West Outdoor Track and Field Championships – Day 3 Veterans Memorial Stadium | Clovis, California | May 17, 2025
USU Men’s Results:
Event
USU Finishers (scorers in bold)
100 Meters
2. Ayodele Ojo, 10.32; 7. Daniel Chase, 10.47.
200 Meters
6. Diego Aguirre-Stewart, 20.99; 7. Ayodele Ojo, 21.08.
800 Meters
1. Landon Bott, 1:49.68; 3. Brennan Benson, 1:51.37; 4. Ernest Green, 1:51.59; 9. Sam Green, 1:52.09.
Setúbal Soundbites | Open water athlete insights ahead of third World Cup stop
Preparations are well underway for the event, which will present different conditions for the athletes to those they experienced during the first two stops in Somabay and Ibiza. Five swimmers who are hoping to play a big part in Setúbal give us an insight into what we might expect. Kristóf Rasovszky – Hungary Image Source: […]
Preparations are well underway for the event, which will present different conditions for the athletes to those they experienced during the first two stops in Somabay and Ibiza. Five swimmers who are hoping to play a big part in Setúbal give us an insight into what we might expect.
Kristóf Rasovszky – Hungary
Image Source: Olympic champion Kristóf Rasovszky is among the stars set to compete in Setúbal (Luke Hales/Getty Images)
The reigning Olympic champion is no stranger to racing at this venue, having first competed here back in 2017. Although his sights are set on the World Aquatics Championships, the Hungarian open water stalwart says that a podium finish in Setúbal would be a great signifier before Singapore.
On how he’s feeling coming into this event: “I’m feeling really good, we had the European Championships two weeks ago which went really well so I hope I can do the same here and have a good race in the 10km and the knockout as well. I hope I can be on the podium; that would be a great sign before the Worlds.
“I’m really looking forward to racing here again because it’s one of my best venues where I compete. My first ever result here was sixth place last year. I’ve been on the podium almost every time so I’m really happy to be here and hopefully going to continue with this series being in the top six and maybe on the podium.”
On race tactics: “The water is going to be a bit chilly but it’s good for me so I’m happy with that. A big wind could come and make it a bit choppy so I’m preparing for a hard race. I think most of the best are going to stay together until the end but maybe there’s going to be a little pack on the front, like 10-12 swimmers that could get away from the big pack.”
On knockout sprint racing: “It’s a new format, I’ve done it already twice at Ibiza and the Europeans and it went quite well. In Ibiza I was fourth and in the Europeans I won. It’s really tactical and you have to prepare for everything. You have to focus on the places and in the 500 you have no time to be tactical, you just have to push it as hard as you can.
“The [new course] is not really a big change but hopefully it gives a better view for the audience to see the race results, especially for the knockout on Sunday. I hope a lot of spectators will be there and it’s going to be a great event this year as it has been.”
Enjoyment over pressure: “I’m just trying to enjoy it and be as good as I can. Right now I’m feeling like I don’t have too much pressure on me to win all the medals because I already got an Olympic gold so for my career, it’s my biggest achievement so far. Anything else that comes is a plus.”
Bettina Fabian – Hungary
Image Source: Bettina Fabian has six World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup medals to her name (Emanuele Perrone/Getty Images)
Having carried her success as a junior into the senior ranks, Fabian admits that her first visit to Setúbal some three years ago came at a time when she considered stepping away from open water altogether. Now, the former world junior champion has six World Cup medals to her name, most recently taking silver and bronze in the 3km knockout and 10km at the previous stop, and says that Setúbal offers the perfect backdrop for learning.
On her growth in Setúbal: “When I was here for the first time it was the European Junior Championships and I was about to stop open water swimming. But after I came here one year later, I got fourth at my third World Cup so I would say that I’m getting better year by year here and I’m starting to like this venue and this place more and more. I’m actually very excited for tomorrow and hope that I will achieve an even better result than two years ago.
“Tomorrow, there are specific girls who can reach the podium, and I really hope that I can be one of them. I won’t say names because all of the athletes are so good here.”
On the racing conditions: “I’m excited for the conditions, it’s a very hard venue. I think this is the perfect place to teach people how to swim open water. I developed so much in the past few years by competing here so I’m just glad that I can race here every year and improve more and more during the years.
On looking ahead to Singapore: “[This race] is the perfect time slot because we are weeks before the World Champs and this is the last race that we wanted to participate in. After this race, we are going to a training camp and just focus on the preparation for the World Champs so that we can perform our best there.”
Dario Verani – Italy
Image Source: Dario Verani is set for his debut in the 3km knockout sprint event this weekend (Emanuele Perrone/Getty Images)
Fresh from his silver medal-winning performance in the 10km at the Ibiza leg of the World Cup, Verani is gearing up for a challenging weekend of racing; one that will also mark his debut in the 3km knockout sprint event this Sunday.
On racing in Setúbal: “I feel good, I love this place and every year we come here so I’m very happy to do the race. It will be a hard race because there are waves and cold water so it will be a good challenge.”
On the Italian podium clean sweep in Ibiza: “I felt good in Ibiza, I had a good race with my teammates Andrea and Giuseppe so I hope that here will be the same, but the race changes every time so we will see. My tactic is to stay on the group and then the last kilometre is a real race because the race pace is faster.”
On his 3km knockout sprint debut: “I will do it on Sunday for the first time because in Ibiza after the 10km I didn’t feel good. For this new race, it’s my first time and we will see the result but I hope it will be good. It’s a good way to change the sport because it’s important that more swimmers from the swimming pool come to our sport so it will be a good challenge and a good race.”
Caroline Jouisse – France
Image Source: Caroline Jouisse competed at the French Open Water Swimming Championships in Martigues last weekend (Clive Rose/Getty Images)
Open water veteran Jouisse has eight World Cup medals to her name, stretching back to the Lac St-Jean stop in 2019. Having come home sixth in the 10km event in Ibiza, she arrives in Setúbal with back-to-back racing under her belt, most recently doing the triple (10k, 5k, knockout) at the French Open Water Swimming Championships in Martigues last weekend.
On her preparation for this weekend: “My preparation had a lot of ups and downs because I didn’t go to the Europeans, but then I did the triple last week in our championships, so I’m pretty happy about that; I didn’t expect to win the knockout so that’s pretty cool.
On Setúbal as a favourite: “Coming here to Setúbal, I’m really happy about it because this is one of my favourite races. I know a lot of people hate it because there are waves and it’s cold and everything but I just love it. I always do good here so fingers crossed it’s going to happen again.
“The first time I ever competed here I finished sixth and that was my best result ever in a World Cup, so I always come in kind of confident because I did sixth, first and fourth. So I just have something special with this race, it’s always in my favour.”
On her unlikely love for knockout sprint: “I mean, I love it to be honest, coming from the 25km I would not expect myself to like that kind of race but I think for the public and the people to watch it, it’s really good to see the swimmers actually coming out of the water, seeing our faces, it’s really good for the people.
“I tried one strategy in Ibiza that didn’t work out, I didn’t make it to the final. I did another strategy last week at Nationals, which has less people of course. I’m going to try something else again this week so we’ll see.”
On back-to-back racing: “I was tapered for last week, not too much but I’m still in good shape. I did some big kilometres this week so we’ll see how I react but I think it’s okay; I’ve always been good at doing races back to back to back. I always perform doing that so I know I need that. Having Nationals last week, the week before another competition in the week and this week Setúbal will be fine.
“I loved cold water when I started open water but the older I get, the less I like it. It’s still fine for a race, I can put it aside like if it’s too hot or too cold, I can try to focus on something else but if I had to choose between Setúbal or Singapore, that’s Setubal 100%.”
Angela Martinez Guillen – Spain
Image Source: Angela Martinez Guillen is hoping to build on her success at the last World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup in Ibiza (Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
21-year-old Martinez Guillen cemented herself as a serious contender over this distance in Ibiza where she took home gold in front of a home crowd. Despite it being her first time racing in Setúbal, the former European Junior silver medallist is hoping to emulate that performance.
On competing in Setúbal: “I’m very excited to compete here, it’s my first time and I hope to do the same like in Ibiza. I didn’t prepare especially for this competition so it will be a surprise for me.”
On her sprint finishes: “That’s always my tactic, sometimes I do it better or worse and I hope it will be better this weekend. I will swim the 3km knockout sprint and for me it’s new, I hope I will learn in that race.”
How to Watch NCAA Outdoor Championships, Men’s Day 2: Live Stream College Track and Field, TV Channel
By Ben Verbrugge is a freelance sportswriter with a journalism degree from CSU Dominguez Hills. He is a member of the Los Angeles media and spends most of his time covering the NBA, NFL, and MLB. When not writing, he is either playing or watching sports. Ben Verbrugge Contributing Sports Network news article Based on […]
Ben Verbrugge is a freelance sportswriter with a journalism degree from CSU Dominguez Hills. He is a member of the Los Angeles media and spends most of his time covering the NBA, NFL, and MLB. When not writing, he is either playing or watching sports.
Ben Verbrugge
Contributing Sports Network
news article
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Share
✓ Link copied to clipboard!
English (Original)
Español
中国人
Français
Deutsch
Portuguese
हिन्दी
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Read original
Voice is AI-generated. Inconsistencies may occur.
The NCAA Outdoor Championships continue on Friday in Eugene, Oregon, at Hayward Field, and you can catch all the action with FuboTV.
Mason Mangum of California competes in the men’s long jump during the Pac-12 Track & Field Championship at Hayward Field on May 14, 2022 in Eugene, Oregon. Mason Mangum of California competes in the men’s long jump during the Pac-12 Track & Field Championship at Hayward Field on May 14, 2022 in Eugene, Oregon. Steph Chambers/Getty Images
How to Watch NCAA Outdoor Championships, Men’s Day 2
Date: Friday, June 13, 2025
Time: 8:00 PM EDT
Channel: ESPN2
Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
After the completion of six events on Wednesday, Minnesota leads the way going into Friday. 35 teams have scored points after the first day of competition and will look to add to their totals with the finals of most running events on Friday.
In the 100m qualifier on Wednesday, Auburn’s Kanyinsola Ajayi was the only runner to break the 10-second mark, running 9.92 seconds. Jelani Watkins and Jaiden Reid of LSU followed right behind with 10.02 times.
In the 200m qualifier, Auburn once again came out on top. Makanakaishe Charamba ran 19.94 seconds, with Jordan Anthony of Arkansas and Garrett Kaalund of USC both running 20.01.
In the 400m qualifier, Samuel Ogazi from Alabama ran 44.77 seconds, while Gabriel Moronta of South Florida ran 45.10, and William Jones of USC finished third with a qualifying 45.12 seconds.
In the 4X100m relay, Auburn ran 37.97 seconds, while South Florida ran 38.12 seconds and LSU ran 38.14 seconds. In the 4x400m relay, Arkansas and USC both ran sub-3:03 times, with the Razorbacks qualifying for the final with the fastest time of 3:02.53, while the Trojans ran 3:02.76 and Texas A&M ran 3:03.09.
Live stream the NCAA Outdoor Championships, Men’s Day 2 on Fubo: Start your free trial now!
Regional restrictions may apply. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.
Eden Prairie completes epic comeback to capture first boys volleyball state title
Senior captain Hardhik “Avi” Kommalapati (center) and his teammates celebrate with the first-ever MSHSL boys volleyball state championship trophy Thursday night at St. Thomas’ Schoenecker Arena. The Eagles completed a stunning reverse sweep, overcoming a 2-0 set deficit to defeat Rogers 3-2 and claim the inaugural sanctioned title. Photos by Jeremy Peyer Down two sets […]
Senior captain Hardhik “Avi” Kommalapati (center) and his teammates celebrate with the first-ever MSHSL boys volleyball state championship trophy Thursday night at St. Thomas’ Schoenecker Arena. The Eagles completed a stunning reverse sweep, overcoming a 2-0 set deficit to defeat Rogers 3-2 and claim the inaugural sanctioned title. Photos by Jeremy Peyer
Down two sets to none in the inaugural Minnesota State High School League boys volleyball championship, the top-seeded Eagles stared down elimination.
“In our last timeout to end the third set, we talked about not giving up, getting one point at a time and trusting our team and skills,” head coach Steph Chapek said.
With a roaring crowd assisting, the Eagles engineered a stunning reverse sweep, winning the next three sets to seal Eden Prairie’s place in history Thursday night at St. Thomas’ Schoenecker Arena.
The Eden Prairie bench and crowd erupt after winning the pivotal third set, 27-25. The dramatic victory, in which the Eagles fended off two match points, shifted momentum and energized the team for their historic comeback from a two-set deficit.
The Eagles’ 21-25, 19-25, 27-25, 25-20, 15-9 victory over Rogers delivered the first-ever MSHSL-sanctioned title in boys volleyball, completing what Chapek called “one of the greatest matches I have been a part of in my whole playing and coaching career.”
Advertisement
Head coach Steph Chapek rallies the team during a timeout.
The championship seemed unlikely after Rogers rallied from deficits to win the opening sets. But the Eagles found their rhythm midway through the third set behind senior Avi Kommalapati’s 19 kills and senior Gabriel Hernandez’s 16. The turning point came when Eden Prairie fended off two match points to steal the crucial third set 27-25.
“It was intense to defend off two match points, but winning that third set gave us the confidence boost we needed going into sets four and five,” Chapek explained. The dramatic swing fired up the loud Eden Prairie crowd that packed the arena.
“I was so excited to see all of the EPHS students come through and show up,” said senior captain Deion Lange. “Having them there made it more like a home game than anything else. It was not just the students who showed up, we had family, friends, and EPHS Staff all over the gym supporting us the whole game.”
Senior captain Deion Lange (left) celebrates a late point against Rogers as teammates look on. Lange helped lead the Eagles’ comeback from a two-set deficit to win the first MSHSL boys volleyball state championship.
The Eagles’ composure under pressure showed the chemistry built over years of playing together. They entered the tournament as the top seed, and even as Rogers kept battling back throughout the match, Eden Prairie stuck to their defensive game and stayed together as a team.
“We are a great team in all sense of the word team,” Chapek said. “The players genuinely like and care for each other on and off the court. The group has been playing together for a few years now and they know each other well. We don’t need to freak out when things get tough.”
The team culture stems from Chapek’s leadership approach, according to players. “Coach Steph has very high expectations for her team, always believing we can do better,” Lange said. “Her ability to coach all 16 players during practice, keeping everyone involved, shows why she is a true leader. Before each state tournament game, Coach Steph encouraged the team to do some form of bonding or hang out together. She understands how important strong team chemistry and good relationships on the court are.”
Senior captain Hardhik (Avi) Kommalapati focuses before delivering a serve during the state championship match. Kommalapati led the Eagles with 19 kills and earned All-Tournament Team honors.
Beyond the comeback victory, Chapek emphasized the moment’s broader significance.
“Our whole program is so grateful for the opportunities this season,” Chapek reflected. “It was so much work to get it sanctioned, and so many great people from the last four to five years helped build boys volleyball to this point. It’s such an honor to play this season – and to top it off with the state title is beyond special.”
Three Eagles earned All-Tournament Team honors: senior captains Hardhik (Avi) Kommalapati and Deion Lange, along with junior Ghauthamasankar Padmanaban.
Comments We offer several ways for our readers to provide feedback. Your comments are welcome on our social media posts (Facebook, X, Instagram, Threads, and LinkedIn). We also encourage Letters to the Editor; submission guidelines can be found on our Contact Us page. If you believe this story has an error or you would like to get in touch with the author, please connect with us.
Butte Central names former Montana Tech volleyball standout Karina Mickelson as new head coach | Montana High School Sports
BUTTE, Mont. — Though the return of high school volleyball is still a couple months away, it’s fresh on the mind of Butte Central, who introduces a new face to lead their program this month–though, she’s hardly a new face to the city of Butte. Call it a sort of homecoming for Karina Mickelson, the […]
BUTTE, Mont. — Though the return of high school volleyball is still a couple months away, it’s fresh on the mind of Butte Central, who introduces a new face to lead their program this month–though, she’s hardly a new face to the city of Butte.
Call it a sort of homecoming for Karina Mickelson, the newest head coach of Butte Central volleyball. Though the California native has been a part of Butte since she started her All-Frontier Conference playing career at Montana Tech a decade ago, Mickelson considers a chance to coach as a significant step forward.
“It’s very special to be able to say, ‘Hey, I’m a coach and a big part of the community now,'” Mickelson said. “I played a small role at university. People look up to when you’re a player and everyone kind of knows you as that, but to be able to step into the coaching role, it’s really special.”
Mickelson has previously spent time coaching in Butte’s club volleyball ranks, but she also brings with her a rare experience, having most recently played professionally in the Czech Republic.
She plans on taking the lessons she learned abroad with her, including a unique take on teamwork.
“You have so many different cultures and languages and things, but you’re not so different at the end of the day,” Mickelson said. “To be a really good teammate on a team like that that has so many international and foreign player on it, it was probably the best part of it.”
As the Maroons rebuild off the heels of back-to-back single-win seasons, Mickelson hopes her team-building approach will return Butte Central to its former relevance.
“Fundamental skills number one, then just team bonding, the team experience,” Mickelson said. “These are high school girls. I had some of my favorite volleyball memories when I was in high school, so I’m looking forward to that being a thing.”
Mickelson’s first official practice as BC coach starts in August.
Story Links
Outstanding Female Athlete Award History
SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State women’s basketball standout Lacy Stokes (Mt. Vernon, Mo.) has been named as the recipient of the 2025 Missouri State Outstanding Female Athlete Award, announced by MSU Athletics on Friday (June 13). First awarded […]
SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State women’s basketball standout Lacy Stokes (Mt. Vernon, Mo.) has been named as the recipient of the 2025 Missouri State Outstanding Female Athlete Award, announced by MSU Athletics on Friday (June 13).
First awarded in 1981, the MSU Outstanding Female Athlete Award is presented annually to the university’s top female athletic performer, as voted by the head coaches of the MoState’s 13 women’s intercollegiate programs.
Stokes received MVC Defensive Player of the Year, All-MVC first team, MVC All-Defensive Team and MVC All-Tournament Team accolades this year while leading the Lady Bears in scoring (14.4 ppg), assists (148), steals (90), free throw percentage (.793) and minutes (34.8 mpg). She turned in the fourth-best season assist-to-turnover ratio in program history (2.114) and captured the program’s career record for assist-to-turnover (2.06). Likewise, she played the second-most minutes in a single-season in Lady Bear history and ranked inside the top 25 in NCAA Division I in steals (19th) and steals per game (23rd).
Stokes helped lead coach Beth Cunningham‘s team to a 26-9 overall record this season. The Lady Bears earned a share of the MVC regular-season title and earned a berth in the WBIT for the second straight year.
She is the 13th basketball player to earn this award and the fourth Lady Bear in eight years to be so honored, joining recent recipients Danielle Gitzen (2019), Alexa Willard (2020) and Brice Calip (2021).
Other finalists for MSU’s 2024-25 Outstanding Female Athlete Award were: Camielle Day (soccer), EllaRose Goser (acrobatics and tumbling), Allyson Larkin (beach volleyball), Olivia Rogers (track and field), Morgan Sprague (volleyball) and McKenzie Vaughan (softball).
UIL Legislative Council tables shot clock; alters baseball playoffs
WATCH: Tate Taylor sets the national record in the 100 meters Watch multiple angles of Northside Harlan’s Tate Taylor sets the national record in the 100 meters at the Texas UIL State Track & Field Meet. The University Interscholastic League once again tabled the biggest item on the docket during its annual summer Legislative Council. […]
WATCH: Tate Taylor sets the national record in the 100 meters
Watch multiple angles of Northside Harlan’s Tate Taylor sets the national record in the 100 meters at the Texas UIL State Track & Field Meet.
The University Interscholastic League once again tabled the biggest item on the docket during its annual summer Legislative Council.
The UIL’s Athletic Committee announced it would continue to study the addition of a shot clock for basketball and did not make a motion to implement the oft-discussed proposal.
The two most significant changes the council adopted were the move to make water polo a fully sanctioned sport after several years as a pilot program and a change to rules for Class 3A and 4A baseball playoffs through the state semifinals.
Class 5A and 6A baseball have been under a pilot program that stipulated all rounds of the playoffs through the state semifinals will be best-of-three series unless both coaches agree to a one-game playoff.
Beginning in the 2026 playoffs, that edict will include Class 3A and 4A. Previously, coaches that differed on length of series would flip to see if they would play one game or a series.
In addition to studying the proposal to add a shot clock, the Athletic Committee announced it would continue to study other proposals, notably: adding girls flag football, adding lacrosse, adding a mileage cap for playoff games and a proposal to change the soccer scrimmage structure.
Among the noteworthy proposals the committee denied or took no action on were a proposal to add Class 3A in soccer and a proposal to give district champions in all sports home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs in every classification.