PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Players, coaches and recruits are feeling blindsided by the news that Grand Canyon University is discontinuing its men’s varsity volleyball program after 17 years.

The GCU men’s volleyball team has been one of the best in the country, finishing 18-10 this year and making the NCAA Final Four in 2024. But the team’s success wasn’t enough to save the program. School officials shocked the Valley sports world Monday when they announced that GCU is eliminating men’s volleyball.

Cole Duncanson played on the team this year and had one year left of eligibility. His plans now are to turn pro, but his teammates are left scrambling, trying to transfer to another school. “The younger players definitely took it the hardest,” said Duncanson. “I think because they came to GCU expecting to play four years of volleyball, and dedicate themselves to the program, day in and day out.”

The sudden announcement is also having an impact on incoming recruits like Thatcher Fahlbusch, from Mira Costa High School in the Los Angeles area. Thatcher’s father, Chad, can’t understand why GCU didn’t give them more notice, dropping the news on them just 30 days before graduation. “They pride themselves on being a school that has high morals,” said Chad Fahlbusch. “I think based on the activity of yesterday, they completely botched this, and have done a terrible disservice to our family and to the boys on that team.”

GCU posted this statement on its website:

A former assistant coach has started a petition drive to get GCU to reconsider and reinstate its volleyball program. GCU will be offering men’s volleyball as a club team.

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USA Volleyball has named three-time Olympic medalist April Ross as head of coaching for the beach national teams, turning to one of the country’s most successful beach volleyball players after the Americans had their first-ever medal shutout in Paris.

The national governing body said the southern California native will work to improve the performance of “our top American athletes on the international stage” as it looks ahead to hosting the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

“I’m honored to join USA Volleyball in this new role and look forward to working with our coaches and athletes to continue the legacy of success on the international stage,” Ross said. “I’ve always believed in the power of collaboration, and I’m excited to be part of a team that shares that vision.”

Ross, 42, won a silver medal in London, a bronze in Rio de Janeiro and a gold medal in Tokyo — with three different partners; she also won back-to-back NCAA indoor volleyball titles at Southern California.

“April brings a unique combination of elite-level experience, deep technical knowledge, and a passion for mentoring,” said Sean Scott, director of beach national teams. “She’s competed at the highest levels and understands what it takes to succeed. I’m excited to work alongside her as we continue to build a world-class coaching culture that supports our athletes’ growth and prepares them to win at the highest level.”

The Americans dominated beach volleyball after the sport that was conceived on the coasts of Hawaii and California was added to the Olympic program in 1996, winning seven of the first 14 Olympic gold medals. But the haul has sputtered as the generation that included Ross and three-time gold medalists Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings aged out.

The U.S. women failed to medal in Paris for the first time since 2000; the American men have not medaled at all since 2008.

USA Volleyball said Ross will be based at the beach volleyball training center in Torrance, California, and work to improve the quality of coaching and training at all levels of the national team program.

“April’s leadership and dedication to the sport are unmatched, and we are thrilled to have her in this new role,” USA Volleyball President and CEO John Speraw said. “She is a true champion and a mentor who understands the value of collaboration and developing the next generation of elite athletes. We are confident that her expertise will continue to elevate U.S. Beach Volleyball on the global stage, especially as we look ahead to LA 2028.”

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ERIE, Pa. – The Gannon University athletic department held its 16th Annual Golden Knight Awards on Tuesday night at the Bayfront Convention Center. The event honored Gannon’s student-athletes while also handing out season-ending awards. Coaches from each of Gannon’s sports gave a brief wrap-up of their season.
 
The highlight of the evening was the announcement by Director of Athletics Lisa Goddard McGuirk of the 2024-25 Senior Female and Male Student-Athletes of the Year. Bautista Corti was named Male Student-Athlete of the Year, while Co-Female Student-Athletes of the Year going to Ditte Petersen and Emma Hall. 

Corti essentially never came off the field for the men’s soccer team and was part of a squad that advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament. He was named to the All-PSAC West four times, was the PSAC West Defensive Player of the Year in 2021, a first team All-Atlantic Region selection, and was a cornerstone piece of other deep postseason runs.

Hall has been a part of a program that has secured three PSAC titles, three NCAA Regional titles and a NCAA Final Four appearance in 2021. She was recognized as a two time All-American, three-time Atlantic Regional All-tournament team, two time AVCA Atlantic Region first team, three-time D2CCA All-Region, and a three- time All-PSAC West selection. Hall was also the 2022 & 2024 PSAC Defensive Athlete of the Year and this season set a program record for the most digs, eclipsing the 2000 mark, with 2,468 career digs. That eclipsed the previous school record by 465 digs.  She became the first GU player to have four consecutive 500-dig seasons and is also the first Gannon player with three 600-dig seasons.

Petersen has helped the women’s golf team dominate the PSAC for the last four years as Gannon won its sixth straight PSAC Championship this past weekend. She has been named to the All-Region team, was the 2022-23 and 2023-24 PSAC Women’s Golf Athlete of the Year, a member of four PSAC team championships, and just this past weekend captured her third consecutive PSAC individual championship, becoming the first women’s golfer ever to do so. The win over the weekend also tied her for most individual wins in program history with seven. She will be known as one of the greatest golfers in program history.  

The ceremony also recognized student-athletes for a variety of accomplishments, including the Doc Beyer Award, presented to a male and female student-athlete for Outstanding Achievement in Scholarship and Athletics, along with the Team MVPs and the Play of the Year, which was voted on through social media.

 

Jillian Sullivan was selected the female recipient of the Doc Beyer Award, while Ryan Barclay received the award for the men’s sports. Sullivan is a four-year member of the competitive dance team. She is an outstanding student in the classroom, carrying a 3.941 GPA in biochemistry and pre-med. Sullivan has also proven to be a standout leader on the dance team during her time at GU and has served as the Competitive Cheer & Dance Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC) representative for the past two years. 

Barclay is a four-year member of the men’s swimming team and a leader both in and out of the pool. Boasting a cumulative GPA of 4.0 in mechanical engineering, he was named the PSAC Men’s Swimming Champion Scholar both in 2024 and 2025. Barclay is also a PSAC Scholar-Athlete. 

 

2024-25 TEAM MVPS

Acrobatics & Tumbling – Peyton Oliver

Baseball – Alex Bemis

Men’s Basketball – Tasman Goodrick

Women’s Basketball – Bri Claxon

Cheer – Kiera Donnelly

Dance – Jillian Sullivan

Men’s Cross Country – Ely Personius

Women’s Cross Country – Emily Bowers

Football – Trey Baker

Men’s Golf – Mattia Parrini

Women’s Golf – Ditte Petersen

Women’s Lacrosse – Charlie Hunter

Men’s Soccer – Sverre Orten

Women’s Soccer – Brooklyn Respecki

Softball – Katie Armstrong

Men’s Swimming – Will Retsch

Women’s Swimming – Emily Hedges

Men’s Water Polo – Alvaro Marco

Women’s Water Polo – Jade Strickland

Men’s Wrestling – Dorian Crosby

Women’s Wrestling – Nyla Burgess

Ali Sorenson – Volleyball

 2024-25 PLAY OF THE YEAR WINNER: … Women’s Soccer: Paige Taylor scores with 28 seconds left in regulation to lift Gannon to the regional title game. 

The Southern Virginia University men’s volleyball team — which includes 17 members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — made school history by defeating Springfield College, 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 27-25), to clinch its first NCAA Division III national championship in Salem, Virginia, on Monday, April 28.

The Knights ended the year with a record of 35-1 and avenged their only loss of the season by capturing the first set and outlasting Springfield — a five-time Division III national champion — in both the second and third sets.

Winning the national title marked a fitting end to a magical season, said SVU head coach Tom Peterson, who was recently named the AVCA Division III Men’s Coach of the Year.

“I’m not sure you can describe it, you can only feel it,” Peterson said in an SVU news release. “I’m not sure I could imagine anything better than winning a championship with these guys.”

Southern Virginia’s Christian Sheaffer recorded 13 kills and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.

Teammates Justin Madsen and Jayton Hall contributed 12 and 10 digs, respectively, and Gehrig Tolman had 36 assists. Knights’ Kristo Bianchin and Kyler Evans also turned in key performances.

SVU’s Sheaffer, Madsen, Tolman and Jeremy Brown were named to the all-tournament team.

“We won this game because of momentum,” Brown said in a news release. “This is for every individual that puts in work and for the many people that drove here to support us.”

The Knights launched their volleyball program in 2017, with Peterson serving as the head coach from the beginning. Before coaching at SVU, Peterson guided the BYU men’s volleyball team to the 2004 Division I national title and Penn State to the DI national championship in 1994.

Peterson’s Southern Virginia teams have earned a spot in the NCAA tournament five straight seasons — and six overall — but had never advanced to the national championship until Monday night. The Knights advanced to the championship by defeating Juniata, 3-2, in the semifinals.

Southern Virginia is a private, faith-based university that aligns itself with values of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and 90% of the students are members, according to the school’s website, svu.edu.

Bonnie H. Cordon, who served as the Church’s Young Women general president from 2018 to 2023, serves as president at Southern Virginia University. She praised the team’s unprecedented accomplishment.

“What a joy to celebrate our national champion Knights. This incredible men’s volleyball team has lifted more than a trophy — they’ve lifted our hearts,” she wrote in an email to the Church News. “With an amazing coach and a team that believes deeply in the Savior Jesus Christ and hard work, this victory is richly deserved. I’m honored to know these faithful men and cheer them on. We are so grateful. Go Knights.”

Of the 20 student-athletes on Southern Virginia’s men’s volleyball team, 17 are Latter-day Saints, including one recent convert. Of the 17, eight are returned missionaries, and two others are preparing to serve missions.

Watch a full replay of SVU’s win over Springfield College at www.ncaa.com.

Gulf Coast Beach Volleyball made history by securing its first-ever district championship. The Sharks entered the postseason with a 10-3 record, marking a significant achievement for a team led by seniors who transitioned from indoor to beach volleyball.

A senior beach volleyball player, Ella Domain, expressed excitement over the victory.

“It felt amazing actually, because I’ve never been on a team for volleyball that won district,” said Domain.

The team overcame challenges with the guidance of new head coach Carla Egger and a roster primarily consisting of indoor volleyball players. 

“I am so proud to see them like the growth that they’ve had from the beginning of the season to what they’re capable of doing now on the beach court,” said Egger. “Now I have some girls that look like they can play some beach volleyball.”

Strong team chemistry fueled the Sharks’ success. Senior player Cameryn Kent highlighted the bonds formed within the team.

“These girls are my best friends. They’re there for me no matter what. Our connection just kept building and building, and the friendships I’ll have forever,” said Kent.

Gina Goldblatt and Ella Hazelett also emphasized the importance of these relationships.

“A lot of friendships were built, and a lot of the freshmen got a lot more comfortable with us seniors, and it became like a family,” said Goldblatt and Hazelett. “I think we just, like, improved a lot. Last year, we struggled getting courts and having a direct schedule every week.”

While several seniors are graduating, the future remains promising for Gulf Coast Beach Volleyball as rising talent steps up. This season will be remembered for the championship banner and the strong bonds formed among teammates.