The Valpo volleyball program had three players recognized as Academic All-District honorees as College Sports Communicators released its volleyball Academic All-District roll on Tuesday.
 
Seniors Emma Hickey (Granger, Ind./Penn), who carries a 3.936 GPA as a civil engineering major, and Sam Warren (Kentland, Ind./South Newton), who owns a 4.00 GPA in the healthcare administration graduate program, both earned the honor for the third straight season. Junior Mara Thomas (Bogart, Ga./Athens Academy) received recognition for the second straight season, as she has a 3.83 GPA as a communication major, while sophomore Ava Helming (Johnston, Iowa/Johnston) earned the accolade for the first time with a 3.809 GPA as a marketing major.
 
Student-athletes must be at least a sophomore athletically and academically with at least a 3.50 cumulative GPA to be eligible for Academic All-District recognition. In competition, they must have competed in 90% of the institution’s matches or start at least 66% of the matches.
 
College Sports Communicators will release its Academic All-America teams next month.

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) announced its Athlete of the Week award winners for indoor track & field on Tuesday. Student-athletes from Concordia and St. Scholastica claimed the Conference’s weekly honors.

The MIAC Athlete of the Week awards are nominated by the Conference’s sports information directors and selected by MIAC staff. Throughout the winter season, team sports (basketball and hockey) Athletes of the Week will be recognized on Monday afternoons, with individual sports (swimming & diving and indoor track & field) announced on Tuesday afternoons. The winners of the latest Athlete of the Week awards are listed below, along with details on their outstanding performances.

The MIAC Athlete of the Week archive has complete details on each week’s selections and winners.

MIAC Men’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Week
Brayden Carlson
Concordia College
So.
East Grand Forks, Minn. / East Grand Forks

Brayden Carlson ran the 400 meters in a personal-best time of 49.98 at the NDSU Alumni Classic on 12/11. His adjusted time of 49.20 in the event ranks 18th in NCAA Division III this season. Carlson also set a PR in the 60 meters, clocking in at 7.36 in his first meet of the season.

MIAC Men’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Week
Trent Beseth
The College of St. Scholastica
Sr.
Stanchfield, Minn. / Cambridge-Isanti

Trent Beseth recorded the top shot put distance in NCAA Division III this season at The Opener meet on 12/13. Beseth’s throw of 18.12 meters (59′ 5.50″) leads D-III and ranks 19th among all collegiate heaves this season. Beseth also set new program and meet records in the weight throw with a distance of 18.37 meters (50′ 3.25″), good for the fifth-best weight throw in Division III this winter.

MIAC Women’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Week
Regan Niemi
The College of St. Scholastica
Jr.
Bemidji, Minn. / Bemidji

Regan Niemi won the mile in 5:17.57 at The Opener on 12/13. Niemi’s time is a personal best and ranks 31st in NCAA Division III this season. Niemi also ran the first leg of the Saints’ 4×400 relay team that finished in 4:37.79.

MIAC Women’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Week
Abby Lovelace
Concordia College
Jr.
Fargo, N.D. / North

Abby Lovelace posted the fourth-highest pentathlon score in NCAA Division III this season with a total of 3,164 points at the NDSU Alumni Classic on 12/11. Lovelace recorded collegiate bests in the shot put (10.84m), long jump (4.93), and 60-hurdles (9.78), while her 800-meter time of 2:24.19 is the fastest in the MIAC this season.

The 2025-26 Academic All-District® Women’s Volleyball Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.

Academic All-District® honorees were considered for advancement to the CSC Academic All-America® ballot. Student-athletes selected as CSC Academic All-America® finalists are denoted with an asterisk and will advance to the national ballot to be voted on by CSC members. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced Jan. 13, 2026. Full list can be found here.

KRISTEN BIRMINGHAM

Birmingham is pursuing her Master of Urban Design, holding a 4.0 GPA. She led the 49ers with 412 kills this season, averaging 4.00 per set on a .311 hitting percentage, earning American Conference First Team and AVCA All-East Region Honorable Mention recognition. Within conference play, she was sixth in the American with 212 kills (3.79 per set) and seventh with 241.5 points. She recorded 12 double doubles during the season highlighted by 28 kills and 11 digs in a win over UNC Greensboro, the second most kills in a game for an American player in the season. That performance earned her conference Offensive Player of the Week honors while being tabbed to the Honorable Mention list four times.

LAUREN NIXON

Nixon holds a 4.0 GPA studying Exercise Science. Lauren had her best season as a 49er in 2025 tallying 504 assists to propel her over the 1,000 career assist milestone. She dished out 46 assists in a win over College of Charleston to set a new single game career high and had 22 digs versus UNCG, earning American Conference Setter of the Week honors. This is her second time earning CSC Academic All-District honors after receiving it last year with Lara Kretchmer and Jessica Ricks.

JESSICA RICKS

Ricks is pursuing her graduate degree in Data Science and Business Analytics with a 3.63 GPA. She ended the season on a high note, notching 16 kills and 13 digs on senior day versus UAB on an efficient .419 hitting percentage. In the conference tournament versus South Florida, she led the way with 17 kills. Throughout the season she recorded 11 double doubles while turning in two outstanding performances versus Florida Atlantic, recording 20 kills and 17 digs, and 15 kills and 18 digs in the two matches, her two highest dig totals this season. She was second on the team with 373 kills averaging 3.59 per set, including 212 kills and 3.72 kills per set within conference play to rank seventh in the league. This all earned her All-Conference First Team honors.

ANNIKA THOMPSON

The American Conference Libero of the Year and All-Conference First Team selection holds a 3.92 cumulative GPA pursuing a degree in Accounting. Thompson led the conference with 514 total digs throughout the season (4.94 per set) and 277 within conference play (4.86 per set) on her way to earning Defensive Player of the Week recognition four times and an Honorable Mention once. She had the two best individual highs for digs in a match with 30 in a five-set thriller over Florida Atlantic, and 29 in four sets versus Tulane. Nationally, she was 15th averaging 4.94 digs per set and 31st with her 501 total digs. During the season, she reached the 1,000 career digs milestone highlighted by nine matches recording 20+ digs.

 

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Augusta University head track & field and cross country coach announced the hiring of Bri Tillman as the program’s assistant coach for men’s and women’s track & field and men’s and women’s cross country.

The hire marks the first full-time assistant coaching position in the history of Augusta University’s track & field and cross country programs.

Tillman, a native of Augusta, Georgia, returns home following a decorated competitive career and a long-standing connection to Augusta University. She is a graduate of the Academy of Richmond County, where she emerged as a standout sprinter and multi-event athlete. During her high school career, she was a 400-meter Region Champion, Garden City Champion, and a multi-event state qualifier. She was also recognized for her leadership and service, earning the CSRA All-Star Community Service Award and being named Georgia’s Most Positive Track Athlete.

Tillman began her collegiate career at Indiana Tech before transferring to Coastal Carolina University. As a student-athlete, she earned All-America honors three times, won two national championships, and placed on Coastal Carolina’s Top 10 list in the indoor 300 meters.

Her connection to Augusta University dates back to her high school years, when she volunteered through the Volunteen Board. She continued her involvement with the university as a VolunJag during her freshman year of college and later returned to Augusta following her undergraduate studies to volunteer with the Jaguars’ track & field program.

“I am excited to continue supporting Augusta University’s student-athletes and remain committed to uplifting my local community,” said Tillman. “This program and this city mean a great deal to me, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to give back.”

Tillman will assist with coaching responsibilities across all track & field disciplines and support both the men’s and women’s cross country programs.

Fans of Jaguar Athletics can subscribe to the email listserve by clicking here. Fans can follow Augusta University at www.augustajags.com and receive short updates on Facebook at Augusta University Athletics and on Twitter at @AugustaJags

FULL COLLEGE SPORTS COMMUNICATORS RELEASE

GREENWOOD, Ind. – Four UNC Asheville volleyball student-athletes have earned Academic All-District® honors from College Sports Communicators, the organization announced Tuesday (Dec. 16).

Payton Rolfsen, Michelle Thao, Baylor Herlehy, and Albertine van der Goot represented UNC Asheville on this year’s All-District list. To qualify for Academic All-District honors, student-athletes must be at least a sophomore academically and athletically, maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5, and appear in at least 90 percent of their team’s competitions or start in at least 66 percent.

Thao earned her second consecutive Academic All-District honor after being named to last year’s list. She was also named Big South Co-Libero of the Year, marking the first Libero of the Year honor in program history and the first on-the-court Big South major award for the program since 2000, when Kelly Budnik earned Freshman of the Year honors. UNC Asheville previously had Scholar Athlete of the Year recipients in 2023 (Ona Elkins) and 2021 (Grace Volk).

During the 2025 season, Thao played in all 30 matches and 110 sets, recording 523 digs (4.75 per set), 26 service aces, and an impressive .954 reception percentage across 585 receptions. She reached the 1,000-career-dig milestone on Oct. 17 and earned Big South Libero of the Week honors three times. Thao was also named to the Big South All-Tournament Team after helping lead the Bulldogs to their first Big South Conference Championship appearance since 2006.

Rolfsen led Asheville’s offense with 565 assists, averaging 5.28 per set. She finished second on the team with 27 service aces and totaled 18 blocks on the season. Her performance in the Big South Conference Tournament earned her All-Tournament Team honors.

In 22 matches, Herlehy recorded 137 kills and led the Bulldogs with 92 total blocks.

Van der Goot was named to the Big South All-Academic Team and earned Big South Honorable Mention recognition. She finished the season second on the team with 231 kills (2.12 per set) and ranked second in total blocks with 87.

About Women’s Athletics Presenting Partner First Bank

First Bank is the banking subsidiary of First Bancorp and is headquartered in Southern Pines, North Carolina, with total assets of approximately $12.1 billion. As a state-chartered community bank, First Bank operates 113 bank branches in North Carolina and South Carolina and a nationwide SBA platform. Since 1935, First Bank has taken a tailored approach to banking, combining best-in-class financial solutions, helpful local expertise, and technology to manage a home or business. First Bancorp’s common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “FBNC.” Visit our website at www.LocalFirstBank.com. Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender.