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Women’s Volleyball is Traveling to Rutgers for the First Time Since 1991

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Women’s Volleyball | 9/10/2025 10:22:00 AM

Thursday, September 11 | Rutgers | Piscataway, N.J. | Jersey Mike’s Arena | 6 p.m. |  LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO (BIGTEN+) 

Friday, September 12 | New Hampshire | Piscataway, N.J. | Jersey Mike’s Arena | 1 p.m. | LIVE STATS 

Saturday, September 13 | Rider | Lawrenceville, N.J. | Alumni Gymnasium | 6 p.m. |  LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO 

OPENING SERVE VS RUTGERS
Saint Francis will play its first game of the tournament against Rutgers. Back in 1991, Rutgers took a 3-0 win, putting them ahead in the series against the Red Flash. Flash forward two decades, Saint Francis is looking to tie the series after its long-awaited match. 

THE WORD ON THE SCARLET KNIGHTS

Rutgers come into the tournament with a 4-2 record after going 6-25 during the 2024 season. They have two main returners including a sophomore outside hitter, Aspen Maxwell, and a junior middle blocker, Zora Hardison. Maxwell leads Rutgers in kills (97), falls third in digs (36), second in blocks (17), and third in aces (9). She was also named to the Buffalo Invite All-Tournament Team. Hardison leads the team in blocks with 26 and second in kills with 52. Of those 26 blocks, 11 were solo and 15 were assisted.

OPENING SERVE VS NEW HAMPSHIRE

Saint Francis and New Hampshire will have their second meeting of all time; this dates back to 1996. The last time Saint Francis faced the Wildcats was during a 3-1 loss for the Red Flash. This will be the first matchup in almost two decades as the Red Flash look to add a tally to their win column to tie the overall series.  

THE WORD ON THE WILDCATS

New Hampshire left off with an 18-10 season in 2024 but kicked off this year with a 4-2 record. They brought back a key middle blocker, Rachel Grier, and brought in a freshman outside hitter, Lucy Chertock. Grier was named to the 2024 America East All-Conference second-team and currently leads her team with most blocks (29) and is second in kills (51). Chertock started her collegiate career off strong, leading her team in kills (80), third in digs (43), and second in blocks (15).   



OPENING SERVE VS RIDER

The Red Flash and Broncs will meet up for the 24th time since they started as opponents in 1984. The last time they faced off was in 2011 when the Red Flash were on a five-game win streak in the series. Saint Francis is looking to extend its series win streak to six.  

THE WORD ON THE BRONCS

During 2024, the Rockets ended their season with a 16-17 record. This season they are starting off 1-4 but have two returners that are trying to reverse the record. Senior opposite hitter, Kiannisha Santiago and senior libero/defensive specialist, Keegan O’Connor. Santiago was All-MAAC first-team, Northern Colorado All-Tournament team, and MAAC All-Tournament team in 2024. She currently leads her team in kills (49), second in digs (44), and second in service aces (5). O’Connor was named to the Georgetown/George Washington All-Tournament team, and she led Rider with 337 digs. She leads the team in digs with 73.

PRESEASON POLL 
Saint Francis women’s volleyball was picked third in the Northeast Conference (NEC) Preseason Poll. LIU earned four first-place votes and earned the distinction of being the preseason favorite. FDU garnered the three other first-place nods to finish in second. After the Red Flash in third place, the defending NEC Champions, Chicago State, Mercyhurst, Stonehill, CCSU, New Haven, and Le Moyne round out the nine-team poll. New Haven is in its first year in the NEC, and along with Mercyhurst, is not eligible for postseason play.

NEXT TIME OUT 

Saint Francis is set to travel to play Robert Morris (September 19) and Duquesne (September 20) during the Four Twelve Project Volleyball Invitational.



RETURNERS TO TALK ABOUT

Korrin Burns returns for her final year as the team’s top kills per set leader (4.07) after ranking second in the NEC with kills (342) and sixth in service aces (0.45). To start this season, she burned the competition, collecting 134 total kills and 58 digs. Burns also leads the NEC in kills per set (5.58) and points per set (5.98). She currently is the number one leader for kills, kills per set, and points in the nation. 

Kori McClure also registered 215 kills, coming in third in hitting percentage (.313). Both of these outside hitters earned All-NEC first team looking to come back this season with a clear attack. McClure started the 2025 season off with 42 kills, 14 digs, and 11 blocks.  

Alexandra Sappia returns to collect more aces as she paced service aces per set (0.54), and she ranked second in assists (812). She was also announced to the All-NEC second team in 2024. Sappia showed out over the last two tournaments, dishing out points as she gathered 248 assists, which leads the NEC charts, and 43 digs.

 

NEC HONORS
Korrin Burns (Clarion, Pa./Clarion Area), a member of the Saint Francis women’s volleyball team, has been named the NEC/Molten Women’s Volleyball Player of the Week. It is the sixth time that she earned Player of the Week and ninth time she received a weekly conference award in her career. Gwen Atkins (Morristown, N.J./Morristown) has been named NEC/Molten Women’s Volleyball Rookie of the Week. This is the first time that she has earned this award and the 34th time that a Saint Francis player has received it. 
 
Burns, leading the team in kills and kills per set, set a new program record for most kills in a home game with 30 in the win against Siena on Friday. She collected a total of 69 kills over the weekend, including a 24-kill game to help the Red Flash take its second win of the weekend against Lafayette. In both of these wins, Burns added 11 (Siena) and 12 (Lafayette) digs to bring her career record to 15 double doubles. She also recorded six aces and four assisted blocks.  
 
The senior was also named Player of the Week two times in 2023, once during August and again in November. Then two more times during 2024, in September and October. Burns now earns her sixth award in this category, surpassing Megan Taliaferro as the program record holder since 1997.   
 
This is the 30th time that a Red Flash women’s volleyball player has won Player of the Week, and Burns is the 11th different player to earn the distinction. 
 
Atkins turned in a standout weekend for the Red Flash, racking up 24 kills, including a career-high 12 in the victory over Siena. She also contributed five service aces, five assisted blocks, and 28 digs, showcasing her all-around impact on both sides of the ball.  


BURNING PAST MILESTONES

Korrin Burns is creeping up to the 1,000-kill milestone as she adds 65 more kills to her previous count, bringing her to a total of 820. She only needs 180 more kills to reach this, adding her name in with seven other record holding women. Currently, Kristin Buter (2005-08) holds the most kill record of 1,427.

Alexandra Sappia added 141 assists to her total, which allows her to pass 1,500 assists in her career. She now passes Kimmy Sweeney (2018-21) who held the number six place with 1,555 assists. Sappia sits with 1,698 assists looking to continue moving up in the top-10 career assists. 

WELCOME TO THE LO’ 
At the home opener in Loretto, two freshmen continued to help the Red Flash gain two more wins: Gwen Atkins (Morristown, N.J./Morristown) and Hailey Atkins (Morristown, N.J./Morristown). Gwen Atkins collected 28 digs and 24 kills over the weekend, adding a new career best of 12 kills in a win over Siena. 

Nevaeh Ingram (Rocky Mount, N.C./Northern Nash) is looking for her first collegiate start this weekend. 

 

In addition, sophomore Paloma Gonzalez Jaramillo (Coahuila, Mexico/Bishop Lynch) got her first Saint Francis start against UAlbany. During the 2024 season she played for Stonehill and collected 140 kills and 36 digs. This season she started for the Red Flash bringing in 31 kills and 29 digs, including her first double-double of her career in a Saint Francis win against Robert Morris.  

Sophomore Elsa Richards (Wilmington, Mass./Essex North Shore Technical and Agricultural) came from Adelphi. Richards is looking for her starting debut for Saint Francis this weekend. 

Graduate student Chandler Alter (Powder Springs, Ga./McEachern) transferred from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She finished the 2024 season with 244 digs and 19 aces. Alter got her starting debut in the home tournament for the Red Flash where she contributed 22 digs. 

Staying with the team but from a viewpoint, is graduate assistant Raegan Rosi.  

ABOUT THE COACH 
Sara Spielvogel begins her tenth season in Loretto. She earned her first overall winning season in 2023, going 15-11 with a 10-4 record in conference play. Saint Francis earned two players on the First-Team All-Conference Team and made the NEC tournament for the third consecutive year. In her first season in Loretto, Spielvogel guided the team to wins over Buffalo of the Mid-American Conference and Iona in non-conference play. She picked up her first NEC victory in a triumph over FDU. In her first season, the Red Flash finished third in the NEC in digs and digs per set and had a pair of attackers record over 200 kills. Prior to Saint Francis, Spielvogel sent a season on the staff at the College of Wooster. The Fighting Scots had a four-win improvement from the previous season and had their best start to a season since 1969. 



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Women’s Basketball Beats CSUN for Best Start in 45 Years

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December 21, 2025

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MALIBU, Calif. – Pepperdine women’s basketball (9-3) beat CSUN (5-6) 69-63 Saturday afternoon in Firestone Fieldhouse for the program’s best start in 45 years.
 
“We created a lot of great opportunities, and found a way when shots weren’t falling,” head coach Katie Faulkner said. “I think we know we want a better effort defensively in the second half but people stepped up in different ways throughout the game.”
 
Shooting just .382 on the afternoon, including .280 from distance, the Waves had to find a way to win with the offense being cold for the majority of the game.
 
The most from a single player in the first quarter on either side would be Shorna Preston with four points as neither squad found an offensive rhythm. With an average of .270 shooting from the field for both teams after the opening 10, Pepperdine led 12-11.
 
More than doubling the first quarter’s production, the Waves’ shots started to fall in the second. Lina Falk led the way with eight points as Shorna Preston hit her second from distance, nearly securing a double-double before the half with 11 rebounds and nine points. With the defense outrebounding CSUN 9-4, the Waves erased all second-chance opportunities for the Matadors, taking a 31-18 lead into the locker room at half.
 
Momentum swung in the visitor’s favor coming out of the break as the 13 point-lead was erased for Pepperdine throughout the third quarter. Two separate lead changes and three ties in the 10-minute stretch proved the game would come down to the wire. Being outshot .294 to .558, the Waves fought through the swing of favorability, taking a slim 44-43 lead into the final quarter.
 
After another cold 10-minute stretch, the offense found a groove for the final stretch. Shooting .500 from the field as well as from three, the Waves kept a hungry CSUN team at bay. Seleh Harmon hit one of her two from distance in the fourth, making it six straight games with a three from the freshman who has netted one in 11 of the 12 games played this season. Falk led Pepperdine to victory in the second half with 10 points as the Waves pulled off the 69-63 win.
 
Closing out the nonconference stretch of the season 9-3, it is Pepperdine’s best start in 45 years and the fourth best start in program history. After the Holidays, the Waves begin West Coast Conference play on the road, going to Pullman, Wash. to take on the Cougars of Washington State Dec. 28. The game will be available on ESPN+ (subscription required) with live stats available at pepperdinewaves.com.
 
GAME NOTES
 

  • Lina Falk dropped a season-high 18 points, two shy of her career-high. 

  • Falk’s season-high of 18 led the team this afternoon.

  • Shorna Preston secured her fourth double-double of the season with 13 points and a season-high 16 rebounds.

  • The third and final Wave in double digits was Seleh Harmon, dropping 10.

  • Taija Sta. Maria, who leads the team in assists, was the leader once again tonight with four.

  • The Waves and Matadors split 30 turnovers evenly with 15 apiece.

  • Pepperdine scored 13 in transition compared to CSUN’s zero.

  • The Waves outrebounded the Matadors 47-36, including 17-10 on the offensive side of the glass.

 
 
 
ABOUT PEPPERDINE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Pepperdine women’s basketball has made four NCAA postseason appearances in its history, having won the WCC regular-season four times and the WCC Tournament on three occasions. With six All-American selections in program history, the Waves have also seen success in the WNIT Tournament which included a run to the Sweet Sixteen in 2019.
 
TICKETS
For more information and to purchase tickets to upcoming home events, visit here.
 
FOLLOW
To stay up-to-date on the latest Pepperdine women’s basketball news, follow the Waves on social media @PepperdineWBB



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Craig Skinner, Addi Applegate represent Muncie in NCAA volleyball final

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December 21, 2025

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Dec. 21, 2025, 4:02 a.m. ET



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How to watch Kentucky vs. Texas A&M volleyball in NCAA championship

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December 21, 2025

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Dec. 21, 2025, 6:04 a.m. ET



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How to watch 2025 NCAA women’s volleyball championship: Texas A&M, Kentucky play for title

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December 21, 2025

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By now, almost everything that can be said about the NCAA women’s volleyball final has been said. The serve zones have been diagrammed. The rotations studied. Every star has been labeled and ranked and debated into exhaustion. What Sunday in Kansas City does is ask two teams that have spent the whole season proving themselves to do it again, once more, as if none of it counted yet.

It is No. 1 Kentucky vs. No. 3 Texas A&M, the first all-SEC championship match in Division I women’s volleyball history. Kentucky has been here before, winning the 2020 national title. Texas A&M has not. 

2025 NCAA women’s volleyball championship

ABC is available for free over the air and also streams on ESPN Unlimited. 

The Aggies bulldozed their way into the program’s first championship match by knocking out top overall seed Nebraska in five sets and then sweeping Pitt, another No. 1 seed, in the national semifinal. They arrive with a first-time finalist’s resume and are led by Jamie Morrison, who was just named the national coach of the year.

They’re also the harder team to know. You think you’ve seen their ceiling, and then they elevate. When the Aggies are in system, they can bury you before you’ve adjusted. When they’re not, they don’t panic. Texas A&M standout Logan Lednicky called the Aggies “the grittiest,” and they’ve played like it, especially during the late-set messiness that usually eats upstart teams. Clean volleyball doesn’t really exist in a title match, anyway.

Kentucky comes in with the steadier resume and scar tissue. The Wildcats survived Wisconsin in five sets in the semis. Kentucky’s Craig Skinner and Wisconsin’s Kelly Sheffield coached junior varsity volleyball together in Muncie, Ind., in 1990 and went undefeated. That history is part of how you get here. So is what happened Thursday, when Skinner’s team ended Sheffield’s season.

Here’s the boring truth of a championship: It usually comes down to first contact. If serve receive holds, the setter has options and the block can be manipulated. If serve receive cracks, the whole thing turns into emergency swings.

Notably, Kentucky beat Texas A&M 3-1 when they met during the regular season in early October. That matters as evidence that Kentucky can solve this puzzle. It does not matter as a prediction. Finals are their own species.

Ticketing and streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process, and do not review stories before publication.



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UK Wildcats News: Kentucky Volleyball National Championship Gameday

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December 21, 2025

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Good morning, BBN! It’s game day!

The Kentucky Wildcats compete for a volleyball national championship this afternoon against Texas A&M. It’s Kentucky’s second appearance in the NCAA Volleyball National Championship and Texas A&M’s first appearance. It’s also the first time two SEC teams have competed for the national championship.

It’s been a fantastic postseason run for the Wildcats, going back to that thrilling win over Texas in the SEC Championship and all the way to that come-from-behind win over Wisconsin in the semifinals. Now, the Cats have a chance to top it off with a national championship.

Game time is set for 3:30 PM ET on ABC.

This will serve as today’s open thread, so make sure to come back here to talk about the game!

The SEC is stepping up its volleyball game.

She’s been a key piece for this team.

JQ wasted no time making his presence known.

Big performances from Quaintance and Lowe.

He certainly looks like a difference-maker moving forward.

Will Stein’s offense looked good last night.

Texas Tech vs Oregon is the most interesting to me. How about you?

Could you imagine how different things look?

Not a great Year 1 for Schottenheimer.

That’s a game Duke will wish they could have back.



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Lady Vols Announce Addition of Outside Hitter Nia Hall

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December 21, 2025

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee volleyball head coach Eve Rackham Watt announced the signing of outside hitter Nia Hall.

Hall spent the 2025 season at South Carolina after transferring from Cleveland State. At Cleveland State she was named a 2024 All-Horizon League First Team selection where she put up 397 kills and 143 digs. In her lone season with the Gamecocks, Hall recorded 273 kills and 89 digs during the 2025 campaign. Hall’s 273 led South Carolina in 2025 in both kills and kills per set (3.07).

The Lorain, Ohio native has played in 83 matches in her collegiate career, where she has posted 823 kills, 274 digs, 160 blocks over three seasons. Hall has reached double figure kills in 43 matches in her career. She owns five 20-plus kill performances in her career, and has racked up seven double-doubles.

Known for her defensive prowess as well, Hall has notched 80 or more digs in consecutive seasons. Hall set a career-high 143 in 2024 at Cleveland State, before helping solidify South Carolina’s backrow with 89 in 2025. Hall is also strong at the net, tallying 35-plus blocks in all three seasons. Hall totaled 35 blocks for South Carolina this past season, while setting a career-high in 2024 of 85.

In 2024, Hall helped lead Cleveland State to a Horizon League Championship and its first NCAA appearance since 2017. Before beginning her college career, Hall was a standout at Amherst Steele where she earned All-State, All-County, and All-Conference honors. Hall recorded 1,215 kills on a .365 hitting percentage.

Tennessee is coming off a 20-8 campaign in 2025 and its fifth-straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The 20-win season marked the 26th in program history, and fourth under head coach Eve Rackham Watt. The Lady Vols finished with a 10-5 record in the SEC, earning the fourth seed in the SEC Tournament. The Big Orange has totaled six 10-plus win seasons in conference play under Rackham Watt.



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