Sports
What helped Hamilton finally make progress at Ferrari

Lewis Hamilton says he knows where to “search for now” as the seven-time world champion feels he made a breakthrough with the understanding of his Ferrari in the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Despite a surprising win in the Chinese GP sprint, Hamilton’s first season with Ferrari had not been going as smoothly as the British driver hoped, as he believed his car was underperforming compared to team-mate Charles Leclerc‘s.
The Scuderia was the team with the most upgrades in Bahrain, with the introduction of a new floor the highlight as it seeks more performance to get closer to the front-running squads.
Hamilton qualified a disappointing ninth on Saturday, six places behind Leclerc, but overnight changes that moved his set-up closer to the Monegasque lifted both his fortunes and his spirits on Sunday.
Although the pace appeared not to change significantly over the Sakhir weekend, Hamilton thinks it helped him in making progress to better adapt to the car’s demands to at least match Leclerc’s pace.
The Briton finished fifth in the race, a place behind Leclerc, as he felt the car changes had made a “night and day” difference that he believes can now build on in future races.

Hamilton felt like one with the car during the middle stint in Bahrain
Grand Prix Photo
“It’s not easy out there, everyone’s so close and the car is sometimes quite hard to drive so and I’m really working hard to adapt my driving style, that’s what I really want to do,” Hamilton said after the race.
“Also get the set-up where I need to. We’ve got a much better set-up where I moved to where Charles was. I think just getting confidence in that and then adjusting the driver’s style to it.”
He added: “I learned a lot today. That middle stint I really was in line with the car and in that moment I had the pace and I was moving forwards. I needed that in the beginning and I needed it in qualifying, so I know what to search for now.”
Ferrari’s race, and particularly Leclerc’s, was somewhat hurt by the timing of the safety car in Bahrain, as it narrowed its tyre strategy options and cost him a potential shot at a podium finish.
Sports
Rowan Women’s Indoor Track and Field opens season in New York – The Whit
The Rowan Profs traveled to New York on Friday to make their season debut at the Armory Collegiate Distance Carnival in New York City and the Fasttrack Season Opener in Staten Island. There was no team scoring at either meets, but the events allowed to get some competition in early.
The team’s season opener welcomed two first-place finishes and two second-place finishes, but head coach Shedrick Elliott III says this first meet was just to get the team warmed up.
“Overall, it was a good opportunity for them to get their feet wet through the indoor oval,” Elliott III said. “It was an opportunity for them to… hopefully give them motivation through winter break, because this is the most difficult point.”
The team had a handful of standout performances at the Fasttrack Meet. Freshman Naa’ilah Munson from Cinnaminson, New Jersey, made her collegiate debut this past week. The walk-on hit a new PR of 11.16 meters in the triple jump, landing her in fourth place. The Prof was later named the New Jersey Athletic Conference’s (NJAC) Rookie of the Week.
“Talking her out of high school, that young lady has really worked really hard just for this opportunity … she’s taking advantage of the opportunity. So I was extremely impressed, and hopefully it builds her confidence,” Elliot III said.
Nyla Jones, the sophomore, took home a first-place finish in the 300-meter dash, defeating the 32 athletes competing against her. The Prof finished the race with a time of 40.69. Jones went on to take the second-place spot with a time of 8.93 in the 60-meter hurdles.
Jones’ success doesn’t surprise Elliot III.
“I’m not surprised. Nyla is gonna be one of the best in probably ever, in Division three,” Elliott III said.
Another standout was junior Ava Rizzo. Rizzo got a first-place finish with her 1:38.68 time in the 600-meter race, followed by Lisa O’Sullivan with a time of 1:39.57.
With winter break on the horizon, the team isn’t expected to compete until mid January. The break may be filled with holiday cheer and time with family, but Elliott III hopes his team will continue to focus on running and progressing over their month-long break.
“Hopefully this year, they all decide to really work out, but I’m definitely nervous,” Elliott III said. “Because it’s outside my control. There’s nothing I can do other than give them what to do, and then they got to go do it.”
After winter break, the team will travel back to New York to compete in the Gotham Cup on Friday, Jan. 16.
For comments/questions about this story, DM us on Instagram @thewhitatrowan or email [email protected]
Sports
Kerrigan Habing Named AVCA DII All-Americans Honorable Mention
LEXINGTON, KY. – Southern Connecticut volleyball standout Kerrigan Habing was named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association Division II All-Americans Honorable Mention team, as announced by the AVCA on Wednesday, Dec. 10. The AVCA selects All-Americans which include 42 players—14 on the first, second, and third teams—from 29 schools, and 117 honorable mention selections. This is the first time that a SCSU Volleyball player has received AVCA All-American Honorable Mention since Alyssa Gage earned the honor in 2018 and Leanna Jadus earned the honor in 2017. This comes after just last week, Kerrigan Habing earned the AVCA DII East Region Honorable Mention.
Kerrigan Habing had an impressive first-year with the Owls. Habing earned All-NE10 Second Team honors for her outstanding play with Southern as she played and started in all 24 matches. In the NE10, Habing ranked third in kills with an average of 3.13 kills per set and ranked fifth in points with an average of 3.48 points per set. She was in the top five of digs, assists, service aces and blocks for the Owls.
Habing led the Owls with 275 kills, had a total of 182 digs, 37 assists, 28 blocks and 14 service aces. In addition, she had the most double-doubles on the team, with six. Habing recorded the second-most kills recorded in a single-match in SCSU Volleyball history with a career-best of 24 kills and a career-best of 14 digs in a 3-2 victory over Pace. She notched back-to-back double-doubles in one day, with 12 kills and 10 digs against Jefferson and 19 kills and 13 digs in a 3-2 win against Millersville.
Sports
Volleyball Ends Postseason Award Run with Two Earning AVCA Honorable Mention All-American Honors
Wheeling, W. Va. – With the 2025 NCAA DII Volleyball National Championship coming up this weekend, the postseason awards for the 2025 season wrapped up on Wednesday. The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) released their annual All-America teams and the Wheeling University Volleyball team had two players earn honors. Junior Katie Wilking and freshman Camryn Matus each earned Honorable Mention All-American honors after both led the Cardinal’s offensive push throughout the season.
The Wheeling Volleyball team continued their winning ways after a tough non-conference schedule to start the year. The Cardinals finished the regular season 16-13 overall, including a 10-4 mark in Mountain East Conference (MEC) play. It was enough to earn them a share of the MEC North Division title, splitting the crown with West Liberty and Fairmont State, and the Cardinals entered the MEC Volleyball Tournament as the #3 seed from the North. Their run would come to an abrupt end, falling to the eventual MEC Champions the University of Charleston 3-2 in the Quarterfinals, but their postseason award run has been a successful one. The Cardinals had four players earn a spot on the annual All-MEC lists, and added two more honorees on the AVCA’s All-Region list. Despite falling short of the NCAA DII Atlantic Regional Championships, the young Cardinals got good experience that they can build off of on the court.
The first honoree was junior Katie Wilking, who is taking home the first All-American honor of her career. The junior middle blocker earned First Team All-MEC honors for her work on the Cardinal front line, and coupled that with an Honorable Mention All-Region award. Wilking was one of the most efficient hitters in the conference this past season, sitting third in the conference with a .325 mark, knocking down 257 kills on 622 total attacks, while finishing with just 55 attack errors. Her season-best effort would come against CAL-U on September 20th, when she knocked down 18 kills on 27 total attacks to put together a .556 hitting percentage. Along with her success on the offensive side of the ball, Wilking was one of the team’s premiere defenders, leading the way with 82.0 total blocks. She finished with 14 solo and 68 assisted, ranking 10th in the conference in both total blocks and solo blocks, while sitting eighth in block assists.
The other Cardinal honoree was freshman outside hitter Camryn Matus, who wrapped up a big award season with the an Honorable Mention All-American honor. Matus was named the 2025 MEC Freshman of the Year this past season, while also taking home both First Team All-MEC and AVCA All-Regional honors. She led all freshman in the MEC with 297 kills on the season, while sitting fourth overall in the conference in kills. She would add to that a .220 hitting percentage, having only 126 errors in 778 attempts, while finishing tied for third on the team with 59 assists during the season. She put together a historic night in an October 7th match-up with Frostburg State, where she picked up the first triple double in over a decade for the Cardinals. She would finish with 10 kills and 10 digs, while being the team’s top setter with 23 assists in the effort. Matus would finish with 18 double digit kill efforts on the season and looks to continue building her success on the court.
The 2025 AVCA All-Americans list included 42 players – 14 on the first, second, and third teams from 29 schools. The list would also include 117 Honorable Mention selections, with two programs having three players on those teams. The MEC had six honorees on the list, with all six earning spots on the AVCA Honorable Mention team. Fairmont State led the way with three honorees, followed by Wheeling with two, and Charleston with one. The 2025 All-America selections are made by the AVCA DII All-America Committee, consisting of head coaches from across the country.
The Wheeling University Volleyball team continues their off-season push as they make preparations for the 2026 season.
Sports
Wright Steps Down As Head Beach Volleyball Coach
“It has been an honor and privilege to lead this program and represent the University of North Florida,” Wright said. “The championship culture we built and the milestones we reached are a direct result of our student-athletes’ hard work and our staff’s dedication. This was an extremely difficult decision, but it is the right one as I prioritize what is best for my family. While the timing is not ideal, I believe there is never a wrong time to do what is right. I am deeply grateful to Nick Morrow for the opportunity to lead this program and for all the moments I was able to experience along the way. I care deeply about the coaches and players in this program, and I am confident they will continue elevating it to new heights.”
“Doug Wright has been an incredible coach for the North Florida Beach Volleyball program, and his impact on our student-athletes and the entire Osprey community cannot be overstated,” Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics Nick Morrow added. “While we are saddened by his decision to step down, we respect his choice and are deeply grateful for the difference he has made in our program. Doug leaves behind a new standard of excellence that will continue to guide us. We wish him nothing but the best in his next chapter.”
Wright compiled a 100-48 record at North Florida, the fastest to reach the 100-win milestone in program history.
Wright led North Florida to a program-record 26 wins in 2025 that culminated in the program’s second-ever appearance in the NCAA Championship, which have both occurred in the last two seasons under Wright, after it added its sixth and second-straight Atlantic Sun Conference Championship title. North Florida earned a program-best No. 12 seed after it secured the No. 16 seed in 2024. ?
For three-straight seasons under Wright, North Florida secured the most combined selections between the ASUN Conference First and Second Team in 2025. With the six selections in 2025, North Florida collected 26 honorees under Wright and the most in the conference in his tenure. North Florida was a top-three seed at the ASUN Championship each season under Wright. He coached four Ospreys to All-Freshman team honors, including 2023 ASUN Freshman of the Year Madison Espy.
In addition to a program-record win total, North Florida earned its highest ranking in program history at No. 14 in the final AVCA Collegiate Beach Coaches Poll in 2025. The Ospreys were ranked in each installment of the poll in 2025 for the first time in program history.
Wright recorded the program’s first-ever win at the NCAA Championship against No. 17 seed Chattanooga on May 3, 2024. In 2024, North Florida became the first team in ASUN Conference history to sweep the entirety of the ASUN Championship without giving up a single match point.
Wright coached two pairs in Mariana Feliciano Sanchez and Madison Espy in 2025 and Iris Fletcher and Katie Camp in 2024 to ASUN Pair of the Tournament. He developed six pairs to ASUN All-Tournament Team honors. North Florida had two ASUN Scholar Athlete of the Year honorees under Wright.
Wright guided Presley Murray and Mackenzie Murphy to AVCA Top Flight Pair 1 honors in 2025. He coached four AVCA Top Flight pairs at the helm of North Florida.
Wright was named 2023 ASUN Coach of the Year and won at least 24 matches each of his four seasons.
A national search for a new head coach will begin immediately.
Sports
Colonels Claim Four ASUN Performer of the Week Honors
RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University men’s and women’s track and field teams took four of the first six ASUN Performer of the Week honors in the 2025-26 indoor track and field season as announced by the conference office on Wednesday.
On the track, Taha Er Raouy and Edna Chelulei earned the men’s and women’s weekly honors, with Daroyce Flemons and Kristan Simmons taking the honors in the field after all four broke school records in their respective events to open the indoor season.
Er Raouy took the men’s track honors after breaking the school record in the invite section of the 3,000 meters with a time of 7:40.56, finishing 6th in a mixed field of top collegiate athletes and professionals at the BU Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener last Saturday.
At the same meet, Chelulei set the EKU indoor record in the women’s 5,000 meters with a time of 15:42.14.
Back in the Commonwealth, Flemons and Simmons set new program records in the men’s and women’s weight throw at the KTCCCA Commonwealth College Opener in Louisville to earn Field Performer of the Week honors.
Flemons’ record-breaking throw went 17.81m (58.05.25) in his Colonel debut to take first in the men’s event, while Simmons threw 17.28m (56-08.50) to take first on the women’s side.
The Colonels will next compete in the new year at the Bellarmine Open on January 16.
Sports
Katelynn Oxley to Join Women’s Basketball Roster for Remainder of 2025-26 Season
“We’re excited about the opportunity to bring a 6-4 player like Katelynn to our roster. It’s a rare occasion when you can add someone with size, who you know well, who you’re genuinely excited about, and who has competed at a high level,” said Pizzotti. “Katelynn is a great fit for our program, and we’re thrilled for her to continue her Blue Demon career with our team.”
In four seasons as a volleyball letterwinner, Oxley appeared in 106 matches for the Blue Demons and totaled 483 kills and 318 blocks. In her senior campaign, the Lincoln, Neb. native ranked sixth in the BIG EAST with 1.12 blocks per set while her .318 hitting percentage ranked eighth.
In her prep career, Oxley played two seasons of varsity basketball at Lincoln Lutheran and led her squad in points, blocks and rebounds her junior and senior campaigns. Her teams went 45-7 in two seasons and finished top three in C1 State championship in back-to-back seasons. Oxley won multiple all-city, all-conference and all-state accolades in her time on the hardwood.
Oxley earned her undergraduate degree in Finance in June of 2025 and is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration in Business Analytics. She has been named to the BIG EAST All-Academic Team on three occasions and compiled a 4.0 GPA throughout her time in Chicago.
Up Next
The Blue Demons return home to host UMass Lowell Thursday, Dec. 11. Tipoff from Wintrust Arena is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Follow the Blue Demons
For all the latest information on DePaul Women’s Basketball, please visit DePaulBlueDemons.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Blue Demons on X, Instagram and Facebook.
Ticket Information
Season tickets for the 2025-26 DePaul women’s basketball season are on sale now, starting at just $115. Season ticket holders receive access to every game at Wintrust Arena and exclusive benefits! Secure your seats today at DePaulBlueDemons.com/Tickets. Group ticket options are also available now for parties of 10 or more, making it easy to bring your team, company or friends to a game. Explore all group ticket options at DePaulBlueDemons.com/Groups.
Flex plans, mobile passes and single-game tickets are also on sale. To stay up-to-date, sign up for DePaul Athletics email updates or text alerts.
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