Sports
Viking Pride Is Evident On PSU Athletics Staff As Alums Now Contribute Off The Field
Portland State University has always been a breeding ground for outstanding athletic talent, and now some of its most accomplished alumni are returning to contribute in a new way.
There are many ways to judge the quality of experience student athletes have during their years in a specific athletic program. One of those is the number who decide to return and work for their alma mater.
“We have a number of student-athletes who have returned to PSU as coaches or in athletic administrative capacities and that shows that they liked their experience enough here that they wanted to come back after graduation,” said Lund.
The nearly 20 coaches and staff members who are alums currently working are a testament to the experience these people had at Portland State and should be a good indication to anyone considering coming here of the value as athletes and students that’s intrinsic in the PSU experience, he added.
“These are people who want to give back to the institution and to help others have the same quality experience they had,” said Lund.
He pointed to four current athletic administrative staff members as good examples of people wanting to help younger athletes have the same fun and productive experience they had.
Paige Donathan, Malik Thirdgill, Tyson Pauling and Olivia Dean—once student athletes who wore PSU colors with pride—have returned to the university to work within the athletic department, bringing their unique experiences and insights to empower the next generation of Vikings.
Donathan, a former soccer star (2017-2020), donned the PSU jersey as a dynamic forward, leading her team in goals during her senior year. Her journey to PSU was spurred by a desire to remain in the Pacific Northwest and participate in a strong collegiate soccer program. Throughout her athletic career, adversity taught her valuable lessons in resilience.
“I was recruited as a defender and played that position until injuries restricted me from consistently playing 90 minutes. But, I wanted to make a difference on the field, so I transitioned to forward my senior season. Adapting to change is what defined my time here, and it shaped the way I want to support future athletes,” Donathan said.
Now, as an Athletic Academic Advisor to women’s soccer, women’s softball and men’s basketball, she is committed to fostering the same spirit of perseverance among current student athletes.
“I enjoy the constant interaction with the student-athletes I oversee,” she said. “Seeing their growth throughout the years, both academically and athletically, is amazing.”
Donathan’s involvement as president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) also has equipped her to advocate for the athletes she now mentors.
Her athletic academic advisor left a positive impact on her life. “I remember not knowing exactly what I wanted to do after graduation with my Masters and telling my family it would be really cool to do what my athletic academic advisor did,” Donathan said.
“The thing that interested me the most was the ability to encourage, support and cheer on the student-athletes in the classroom and on the field, court or track. You have the power to positively impact these athletes during their student-athlete experience at PSU,” she said.
“I enjoy the constant interaction with the student-athletes I oversee. Seeing the growth throughout the years academically and athletically is amazing. I am part of their support team and in a position to advocate for them throughout their student-athlete experience here. Assisting athletes to discover their passions academically and professionally is very rewarding,” said Donathan.
Thirdgill, a tight end for the PSU football team from 2018 to 2022, shares a similar belief in giving back to the program he once trained in. Thirdgill felt PSU was a great school to build on the connections he had already made as a native Portlander who prepped at Central Catholic High School.
“I ended up at Portland State because I felt like this was a good school to be able to build on my connections,” he said. “I loved my time at Portland State. I was able to grow individually, athletically, professionally and educationally. As I hung up my cleats and moved on in life, I’ve been able to focus on sharing the environment that helped me become the person I am today and I’m able to share what college athletics has to offer to youth programs and organizations.”
As Director of Ticket Sales and Service, Thirdgill said he sees the impact he can have on sports from a different angle.
He enjoys “the day-to-day interactions with campus partners and athletic staff and being able to collaborate with campus partners and outside organizations to find a way that athletes can contribute and help their mission, is by far the best part of my job.”
Pauling and Dean round out this impressive group of returning athletic alumni, both of whom have brought their own experiences and expertise to the athletic department.
Pauling, a standout offensive lineman from 2018-2022, joined the Viking program out of Victorville, CA. He enjoyed his PSU experience on and off the field, especially upsetting the University of Montana on a 52-yard field goal in 2018 and Eastern Washington in 2022 on their home turf.
“I liked that PSU is in the heart of downtown Portland and that there is so much to do. Coming from Victorville, CA, sort of in the middle of nowhere, I had many opportunities right in the palm of my hand in Portland,” he said.
As Compliance Coordinator, Pauling said “there is something very special about being able to come back into this building (Stott Center) because it still feels like I am still going to work as a student-athlete. My biggest thing is giving back to PSU because there was so much that was given to me from this athletic department…it will always have a special place in my heart.”
His Portland State student experience “gave me growth in my football career and the opportunity to play with the Calgary Stampeders. It gave me the growth academically enabling me to walk out of here with a Master’s degree and it gave me growth within the friendships that will last a lifetime. Those are the things that drew me back here.”
He said the “impact I have when I am able to have conversations with some of our student-athletes is what I enjoy most because I was once standing in the same spot they are now. I like working with the staff here because I see the time and effort that goes toward making sure our student-athletes succeed at the highest level.”
Dean, an All-Big Sky Conference selection as shortstop on PSU’s women’s softball team (2021-2023), transitioned from player to assistant coach for PSU Softball Head Coach Meadow McWhorter.
“I knew that I wanted a career in athletics because it has always been a passion of mine, so when Coach Meadow asked me to come on as a volunteer coach last year, it was a no-brainer,” she recalled.
Dean was also working in game operations while coaching and soon moved into a role as assistant director of operations.
“What interests me the most is the ability to be hands-on with every sport. I’ve learned to respect what goes into running a game and the support it takes to be a successful athlete,” Dean said.
Coming back (well, never really going away), has been a perfect fit. “I love that it feels like home. I’ve been here for almost five years now. Throughout my time as an athlete, I made so many wonderful connections, from coaching staff to friends and now great coworkers. It has been important during my transition into the workforce to feel so welcomed in a career right out of college. The PSU staff was immediately there for me,” said Dean.
The collective experiences of Donathan, Thirdgill, Pauling and Dean create a powerful network of support within the athletic department. All four alumni share a profound understanding of the challenges and triumphs that student athletes face, and they are uniquely positioned to guide and advocate for them.
“Our goal is to create an atmosphere where student athletes feel empowered to pursue their dreams, both on the field and in the classroom,” Donathan said.
With their backgrounds in athletics, they are keenly aware of the pressures that accompany being a student-athlete and are dedicated to providing tailored support to help current Vikings overcome those challenges. This new wave of leadership at PSU symbolizes a bright future for the university’s athletic programs.
Donathan and her colleagues bring not just their experiences, but a shared passion for uplifting the student-athlete community.
As these four returnees – and a number of other Viking alums on staff – leave their mark on the PSU athletic landscape, their stories serve as a reminder of the potential that lies within every student-athlete. They embody the spirit of perseverance, community and mentorship that PSU instills. With a commitment to equity, inclusion and support, PSU’s returning alumni—both administrative and in coaching—aim to uplift and guide the next generation of athletes.
Their journey back to PSU is not just a homecoming—it’s a mission to empower young athletes to achieve their dreams, carry forward the legacy of PSU, and create a lasting positive impact on the university community. As they strive to make a difference, the future looks promising for PSU athletics, backed by a team of dedicated alumni who understand the heart and hustle required to succeed in both sports and life.
Coming out of high school, Morgan Creer’s first offer to play collegiate volleyball came from the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith (UAFS). She jumped at the chance to play for the Lions, and hasn’t looked back.
Creer, a 6-foot right side hitter, recently finished up her sophomore season with the Lions. For her first two seasons, she was third on the team in kills and second in blocks.
“Sometimes in volleyball, it’s not always about slamming the ball,” Creer said. “You’ve got to work on your shots, you’ve got to tool (hitting the ball off a blocker’s hands) and roll (a technique to get in better defensive position after a hard hit) and throw down the ball. So, I like playing mind games on other people.”
As a sophomore, Creer finished with 191 kills, and had seven matches where she had at least 10 kills, including 14 in a September match against Ouachita Baptist. She also had 14 blocks.
“I signed with UAFS, and that was my first offer,” Creer said. “I think I was at my sister’s volleyball game, and I got a phone call from (coach Jane Sargent). Right after she gave me the offer. I was like, I’m completely down (with accepting it). … And I’m grateful to be here.”
Playing at UAFS also checked a lot of boxes in other ways for Creer. It wasn’t too far from home, having played high school ball at Hooks, Texas, just outside of Texarkana. She likes the program and playing for Sargent, the Lions’ longtime coach.
Creer said the school has the degree – media communications and business – she’s pursuing. But she hasn’t ruled out possibly being a coach after college, as she has also coached youth volleyball on the side.
Volleyball has been a lifelong passion for Creer, whose mother coached the sport. Having spent time in the gym at a young age, Creer also used volleyball as a diversion from having to do her homework. What also drew Creer to volleyball was the sport’s mental aspect.
“It’s like a mental sport where you can have fun and then cancel all the noise in the outside world and all your problems,” she said. “And like if you’re upset, like take it out on a ball and then have fun at the same time. … And when you’re inside those lines in the volleyball court, your problems go away. That for me, that makes life so much easier.”
Creer recorded more than 1,000 kills in her high school career. While in high school, she also played AAU volleyball in Dallas, going there three times a week, even on school nights. Though Creer also played basketball in high school, it still didn’t compare to playing volleyball and the bonds she shared with her teammates in that sport.
“You just have fun and you make friends and like my AAU team, we still talk to this day,” she said. “Without volleyball, I would not be traveling the world or I would still be in Texarkana if I was not in volleyball. … I have had fun, like I have a great support system and everybody just wants to watch me be great and everybody knows that I’ve been playing this sport since I was five years old and nothing has changed my mind.”
In preparation for her third season, Creer wants to add another dimension to her game. Not to mention attaining a few goals.
“I’m really trying to train to be a six-rotation right side serving and passing; that’s a goal for me,” she said. “Then, I want to keep building team chemistry with each other. Be the leader on the court, be the vocalist on the court. Stars don’t yell all the time, but you need to back it up on the court so I would be that person.”
Related
Smith brings extensive experience working within the USA Volleyball pipeline and most recently served as an assistant coach at TCU in 2025, helping guide the Horned Frogs to a 21-11 record and a win in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. TCU appeared in every AVCA poll during the season and finished the 2025 campaign ranked No. 9, marking the first top-10 ranking in program history. The Horned Frogs also recorded a program-best six victories over top-25 opponents.
“I’m excited to welcome Keith to Utah State as our new head volleyball coach,” said Walker. “He’s a proven recruiter with a strong track record of developing players. From the start of the hiring process, his professionalism and expertise were evident, and his attributes and vision aligned with those of our volleyball student-athletes, making him the ideal choice to advance Utah State volleyball. His background with USA Volleyball will be invaluable as the program works to reach the next level.”
Before the 2025 season, Smith served as an assistant coach for the women’s U21 national team at the 2025 NORCECA Pan American Cup, helping Team USA capture a gold medal in Costa Rica. The team swept all five matches en route to the championship.
“I am grateful to USU Vice President and Director of Athletics Cameron Walker and the search committee for trusting me with the opportunity to continue Utah State volleyball’s rich history,” said Smith. “My goal is not to rebuild the program, but to retool it for long-term, sustainable success that keeps it on an upward trajectory.”
At Auburn, Smith spent three seasons (2022–24) as an assistant coach. The Tigers posted back-to-back 20-win seasons, including a modern program-record 22 victories in 2022, and earned back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 2022 and 2023 for the first time in school history. Auburn recorded six top-25 wins during his tenure, matching the program’s combined total from the previous 15 seasons. In 2023, the Tigers also made their first-ever appearance in the AVCA Poll.
Working primarily with the setters, Smith helped elevate Auburn’s offensive production. Jackie Barrett became the sixth setter in program history to reach 1,000 assists in a season, achieving the milestone in 2022 while earning SEC Setter of the Week honors twice. Barrett again surpassed 1,000 assists in 2023 and guided the Tigers to a .241 hitting percentage, the third-best in program history.
Smith also played a key role in planning and conducting daily practices, including skill development, game strategy, and preparing scouting reports.
“My philosophy and core values focus on putting people and connections first while maintaining the standards and discipline that lead to excellence,” Smith added. “Success begins with the daily decisions we make to build winning habits. I’m excited to bring a highly competitive staff to Logan and develop a roster that will chase championships in the new Pac-12 and wins in the NCAA Tournament.”
Before Auburn, Smith served as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Grand Canyon, helping the men’s program emerge as a national contender. The Lopes recorded 19 wins over top-15 opponents, including a straight-set upset of No. 1 BYU in 2021, climbed as high as No. 6 in the AVCA Poll and produced five All-Americans.
An accomplished recruiter, Smith helped GCU secure the nation’s No. 8-ranked signing class in 2021, highlighted by 10 of the top 50 recruits nationally. His work earned national recognition as a 2021 AVCA 30 Under 30 award winner, honoring the top coaches in the country under the age of 30.
As an assistant coach at Providence in 2017, he helped the team earn its first winning season in 10 years and its most conference wins since it rejoined the Big East.
In seven years with USA Volleyball, Smith has worked with the National Team Development Program, including the women’s U21 national team in 2025 and as an assistant coach for the men’s national team at the 2021 NORCECA Championships, where Team USA finished fifth.
During his collegiate career, Smith was a setter at Grand Canyon, finishing with a school record 4,484 career assists. He totaled 1,294 assists in 2013, ranking 10th all-time in NCAA history during the 25-point scoring era.
After college, Smith played professionally with Orion TopVolley in the Netherlands, helping the team finish in the top four in the regular season, playoffs and national club tournament.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in sports management and a master’s degree in business administration from Grand Canyon University.
Smith and his wife, Kierstin, have one son, Theodore.
PARKERSBURG – Wood County Christian and Ohio Valley University graduate Kayla Ward has been hired as the next head volleyball coach at Parkersburg Catholic.
Ward, who works for the IRS in human resources and is replacing Michelle Wiltse, most recently served as an assistant and junior varsity coach at Williamstown.
“We’re going to do that after Christmas break and try to get the kids excited,” replied Ward when asked if she had a chance to meet with the team yet. “Just try to get them excited and get other kids excited about going.
“My goal this year is definitely just to create some ways for Catholic volleyball and hopefully other people will want to join the program.”
A 2006 graduate at Wood County Christian, Ward was recruited to play volleyball at OVU for head coach Paul Jacoby where she earned her degree in elementary education and special education in 2010.
“I did not,” admitted Ward when asked if she played volleyball for the Fighting Scots. “I had a baby instead.”
During her time as a Wildcat, Ward competed in volleyball, basketball and track.
Along with serving as an assistant girls basketball coach at Belpre, Ward coached middle school track for three years and was an assistant for two years for cross country.
Ward, who also was an assistant track coach at Williamstown Middle School and an assistant cross country at the high school, led the WMS volleyball team to three state Wood County championships.
“I definitely jumped at the chance,” Ward said. “They had a need and I got asked if I was interested and I jumped on it.”
Parkersburg Catholic is in its final year as a member of the Little Kanawha Conference as they are set to be members of the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference.
“I do know we’ll have more regional opponents that we’ll see,” Ward added. “We’ll still play some of the LKC rivalries, but still have those regional opponents as well.”
Ward won’t be in the building at PCHS, which she admitted “definitely helped” in the past.
“That’s a little bit of a challenge now. I was able to sub during the government shutdown,” she added. “We’re going to have some summer stuff and hopefully we can get some interest that way and get the conditioning started in the spring, summer and start rolling.
“I’m excited for the opportunity. Definitely a little nervous. My goal is to have fun, but I want them to be competitive. Ultimately my goal is to build a championship program. That’s the ultimate goal. We’re going to work hard, compete and have fun at the same time.”
Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com
HONOLULU — Charlie Wade will take it every single time.
The No. 2 Hawaii men’s volleyball team proudly showcased its stacked roster in its season-opening sweep of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, 25-11, 25-16, 25-14 on Friday night at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
UH, which reached last year’s national semifinals, dismissed the Highlanders with a 13.5-0 advantage in blocks and a 6-0 advantage in aces.
A crowd of 5,685 passed through the turnstiles (6,721 tickets issued) for the brisk show. Opposite Kristian Titriyski pounded 12 kills on 22 swings, Adrien Roure added eight and UH committed only four attack errors as it hit .517 to NJIT’s .045.
Junior setter Tread Rosenthal made good on the extra inch he grew since last season — he’s up to 6 feet 11 — with a career-high-tying eight blocks and three aces dealt. On a prolonged second match point, Rosenthal ended it himself with a dump shot.
With a roster stocked with national team-caliber players, one of Wade’s biggest challenges on the night was not the opponent — it was how to get everyone involved. But the massive talent was definitely not an unbearable weight for the 17th-year head coach as UH won its 13th straight season opener.
“It’s a lot better than not having any talent, you know what I’m saying?” Wade said. “I don’t think you can ever have too many good players.”
So stacked was the lineup that two experienced players who would start for a significant portion of the country, hitter Finn Kearney and middle Ofeck Hazan, were limited to serving-sub duty in the first two sets, then got some run in the third with the match well in hand.
Hazan, the native of Israel who was effective as a true freshman last year, was displaced from the starting lineup by Grand Canyon transfer Trevell Jordan, who registered four kills on six swings, four digs and six blocks.
“It was a lot of the fans, the community,” Jordan said post-match of what made UH his choice as he had to leave the GCU program that suddenly shut down at the NCAA Division I level in the spring. “Just what the program has built and become. And it just really invited me. I knew a lot of the guys too, and they helped me get here and made it so much easier for me.”
Wade quipped, “And the coaching?” Jordan smiled and nodded.
Among the other starters, Louis Sakanoko put down four kills on eight swings and Justin Todd was 3-for-3 in the middle. UH made do without sophomore opposite Kainoa Wade, the coach’s son who missed the match after taking some balls off the head in practice this week.
Wade said he felt the program is still ascendent with Rosenthal the centerpiece coming off a sweep loss to UCLA in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
UH broke through for national titles in 2021 and 2022, but has been a half-step behind old rivals UCLA and Long Beach State in the endgame in the last few years. Wade’s longtime associate head coach, Milan Zarkovic, left for UCLA in the offseason. To counter, Wade promoted alumnus Kupono Fey to be his new right-hand man and added former Ball State head coach Donan Cruz to his staff.
The 6-foot-10 Jordan ball-hawked above the net about a foot higher than the reach of anyone for NJIT. He was clearly Wade’s kind of competitor as UH looks to make up for the loss of vocal team leader Kurt Nusterer in the middle.
UH also didn’t appear to lose a step with libero Quintin Greenidge of Canada stepping into the starting lineup for ‘Eleu Choy, the fan favorite who completed a six-year college career in 2025. Greenidge was named a co-starter with UH veteran Kai Taylor, though Greenidge received the bulk of the playing time.
Hawaii libero Quintin Greenidge received a serve against NJIT in the 2026 season opener. (Spectrum News/Brian McInnis)
“The best players want to go play with other good players,” Wade said. “If there’s a guy who doesn’t want to come, and we’ve had this — we clearly have missed some recruits that are like, ‘ehhh, I’m not going in that gym, because I’m years away from playing. It’s the wrong spot.’
“We want guys who are going to come in and battle and are confident enough, good enough players where they think, ‘look, I’m going to play. I’m a good player. Doesn’t matter, my first year, my fourth year.’ So, everybody here knows what they signed up for. This is the best of the best on a global level. These are the best players in the world at their age group, and that is not hyperbolic. That is a fact. So they all signed up for it, and here we go — let’s try to win as many matches (as) we can, let’s let them keep trying to improve and become professionals and Olympians and hopefully win a boatload of matches along the way.”
UH gets its next chance to add one to its ledger in a rematch with NJIT at 5 p.m. Sunday. Andre Aleixo led the Highlanders with 10 kills and 10 digs.
Brian McInnis covers the state’s sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.
Hawaii men’s volleyball overwhelms NJIT in season opener
Playing volleyball checks a lot of boxes for UAFS sophomore Morgan Creer
Sports Economist Concocts His $25 Million Recipe for Silverfield’s First Arkansas Roster
Keith Smith Named USU Head Volleyball Coach
Kayla Ward hired as Parkersburg Catholic volleyball coach | News, Sports, Jobs
Men’s Volleyball vs NJIT on 1/2/2026 – Box Score
Tulsa Shootout – Championship Saturday Adjusted To 10AM Start Time – Speedway Digest
More than 170M youth sports complex proposed for Big Bend
Hawaii men’s volleyball sweeps NJIT in 2026 season opener
Rockingham Speedway Changes Ownership as IHRA Completes Purchase
Ranking potential CFP National Championship games: Miami vs. Oregon leads the way
Brown Deer youth sports facility project proceeds with site purchase
Hockey vs Trine (St. Cloud Youth Hockey Night) on 1/2/2026 – Box Score
Long Beach State Men’s Volleyball Sweeps Calgary to Conclude First Day of North American Challenge – The562.org
Midwest Racers’ Expo offers free entry for top racers | Washington Co. News
SoundGear Named Entitlement Sponsor of Spears CARS Tour Southwest Opener
Donny Schatz finds new home for 2026, inks full-time deal with CJB Motorsports – InForum
David Blitzer, Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment
How Donald Trump became FIFA’s ‘soccer president’ long before World Cup draw
DeSantis Talks College Football, Calls for Reforms to NIL and Transfer Portal · The Floridian
Elliot and Thuotte Highlight Men’s Indoor Track and Field Season Opener
JR Motorsports Confirms Death Of NASCAR Veteran Michael Annett At Age 39
#11 Volleyball Practices, Then Meets Media Prior to #2 Kentucky Match
Rick Ware Racing switching to Chevrolet for 2026
Colleges ponying up in support of football coaches, programs
West Fargo volleyball coach Kelsey Titus resigns after four seasons – InForum
Maine wraps up Fall Semester with a win in Black Bear Invitational
Nascar legal saga ends as 23XI, Front Row secure settlement
Ross Brawn to receive Autosport Gold Medal Award at 2026 Autosport Awards, Honouring a Lifetime Shaping Modern F1
Temple Begins Indoor Track & Field Season at UPenn This Weekend
-
Motorsports2 weeks agoRoss Brawn to receive Autosport Gold Medal Award at 2026 Autosport Awards, Honouring a Lifetime Shaping Modern F1
-
Rec Sports3 weeks agoStempien to seek opening for Branch County Circuit Court Judge | WTVB | 1590 AM · 95.5 FM
-
Rec Sports2 weeks agoPrinceton Area Community Foundation awards more than $1.3 million to 40 local nonprofits ⋆ Princeton, NJ local news %
-
NIL3 weeks agoDowntown Athletic Club of Hawaiʻi gives $300K to Boost the ’Bows NIL fund
-
NIL2 weeks agoKentucky AD explains NIL, JMI partnership and cap rules
-
Rec Sports3 weeks agoTeesside youth discovers more than a sport
-
Motorsports3 weeks agoPRI Show revs through Indy, sets tone for 2026 racing season
-
Sports3 weeks agoYoung People Are Driving a Surge in Triathlon Sign-Ups
-
Sports3 weeks agoThree Clarkson Volleyball Players Named to CSC Academic All-District List
-
Sports3 weeks agoCentral’s Meyer earns weekly USTFCCCA national honor