Sports
Women’s Volleyball Sweeps Gonzaga as Wong Earns 200th Win
MALIBU, Calif. — Pepperdine women’s volleyball (20-8, 14-3 WCC) earned a 3-0 sweep over Gonzaga (14-14, 7-10 WCC) Wednesday afternoon from Firestone Fieldhouse.
With the victory, head coach Scott Wong earned his 200th victory with the Waves in his 11th season.
Pepperdine earned a tightly-contested 25-23 win in set one, before claiming set two by a 25-17 mark while set three saw the Waves earn the sweep with a 25-21 win.
Maggie Beauer led the Waves with 13 kills and four blocks while Chloe Pravednikov added 10 kills and three digs. Tristen Raymond recorded a game-high 13 digs and 32 assists.
Ella Piskorz added six blocks and seven kills on her way to 11 points for the contest while Irelynd Lorenzen had a team-high seven blocks.
“Once again, a real nice job by our block and serve today as we created some issues for Gonzaga,” said head coach Scott Wong. “I am proud of how we have been growing in becoming more efficient in our offense and today was a great example of that.”
The match opened with a back-and-forth series of runs as there were six lead changes by the time the Waves used a 5-0 run to jump ahead 15-11. Following a service error by the Bulldogs while up 11-10, Emma McMahon used an ace and pair of Pravednikov kills as Pepperdine took the four-point advantage.
Beauer led the way for the Waves with seven kills in the first set on 10 attacks as Pepperdine posted 10 blocks compared to four from the Bulldogs. Beauer accounted for three consecutive kills to put the Waves ahead 24-19, as the Bulldogs then put together a run to make it a 24-23 scoreline. Pepperdine was able to take the set 25-23, with a Lorenzen kill from Tristen Reymond securing the set.
The second set saw the Bulldogs get out to a 4-0 lead, a run that was quickly answered by the Waves to go ahead 5-4 with Charis Kai on serve. Pravednikov earned a pair of kills in the run, as the Waves were able to hold the lead throughout the set.
It was a balanced attack for Pepperdine in the second, with five Waves notching multiple kills and Raymond logging seven digs defensively. The Waves continued extending their lead throughout the latter half of the set, holding leads of 20-14 and 23-16 before securing the set, 25-17.
The third set a back-and-forth affair as the first 3-0 spurt came in favor of the Bulldogs to give them a 16-14 advantage. The Waves then used a pair of kills from Lorenzen and a key block from Lorenzen and Polk to take an 18-17 lead.
With the third set in the balance and Pepperdine leading 23-21, Beauer registered her 13th kill of the match while Lorenzen and Raymond combined for the match-clinching block as the Waves secured their 11th sweep of the season.
The Waves will close out the regular season against Saint Mary’s on Saturday, with game time set for noon on ESPN+.
ABOUT PEPPERDINE WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Pepperdine women’s volleyball has reached 26 NCAA Tournaments since 1981 as one of the most successful collegiate programs on the West Coast. The 12-time WCC Champions Waves have consistently produced top talent with 21 All-American selections with honorees in six straight decades. With multiple Olympians going through the program, Kim Hill brought home the program’s first gold medal at the 2020 Olympic Games.
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To stay up-to-date on the latest Pepperdine women’s volleyball news, follow the Waves on social media @PepperdineWVB.
Fresh off leading the Aggies to their first NCAA title, Cos-Okpalla was announced as one of seven collegiate athletes selected for LOVB and will take her talents to Utah. The middle blocker was highly sought after following her senior season, as she garnered First Team All-America honors and led the country in blocks with 199 on the year.
“I couldn’t be happier for Ifenna [Cos-Okpalla] as she starts her pro career,” head coach Jamie Morrison said. “When I took this job one of my goals for the program was to become the best place to develop our athletes into professional and international players. We want to build a clear pathway from college to the professional game, and I know Ifenna is going to thrive at the next level.”
The Flower Mound, Texas, native made history in the final match of her career, setting the program record for career blocks. She entered the contest with 561, one shy of the Jazzmin Babers former record (562), and with her second of the match passed the milestone and added two more to finish her career with 565. Her senior season on its own also made history, as she tallied 199 stuffs which was a single-season record.
Cos-Okpalla’s versatility is what made her stand out, as offensively she recorded 629 kills over her four years while recording back-to-back years with over 200 in 2024 (228) and 2025 (236). Not only did her production rise every year, so did her efficiency which culminated in the program record for hitting percentage in a season this year at .422 percent.
The All-American separates herself from other middle blockers nationwide from the service line, racking up a team-high 42 aces this season which is the most by an Aggie since 2019. Her variety of scoring helped her accumulate 396.5 points on the year.
Leaving a legacy, Cos-Okpalla departs Aggieland a two-time All-American, two-time All-SEC First Team honoree, three-time All-Region selection, an NCAA and SEC All-Tournament Team member and a program record 14-time SEC weekly award winner.
FOLLOW THE AGGIES
Visit 12thMan.com for more information on Texas A&M volleyball. Fans can keep up to date with the A&M volleyball team on Facebook, Instagram and on Twitter/X by following @AggieVolleyball.
After transferring to South Carolina prior to the 2025 season, defensive back Myles Norwood will enter the transfer portal in hopes of finishing his last year of eligibility elsewhere next fall. Norwood began his career at Iowa State, transferred to Ball State, and then to South Carolina. He will be looking for his fourth home this offseason.
Norwood was a collegiate track star turned defensive back in his college career. His journey began at Iowa Western Community College where he was a track and field participant for the Reivers. Following his freshman year in track he moved on to Iowa State to play for then head coach Matt Campbell (now Penn State). He spent two seasons with the cyclones appearing in just one game against West Virginia in 2022. In 2024, he transferred to New Mexico State in February, but never played for the Aggies before transferring to Ball State just three months later.
At Ball State, Norwood appeared in all 12 games for the Cardinals making seven starts. He was credited with with 38 tackles including 2.0 tackles for loss, one fumble recovery and a team-leading 10 pass breakups. After his breakout season with the Cardinals, Norwood commited to the Gamecocks for the 2025 season. He appeared in 10 games, with two starts, in his time in Columbia as he racked up 19 total tackles this past season.
Updated Transfer Portal Tracker
In addition to Norwood, 11 other Gamecocks have entered the portal so far with the offensive line room taking the biggest hit. That list includes OL Tree Babalade, OL Cason Henry, WR Brian Rowe Jr., QB Air Noland, OL Mac Walters, OL Nick Sharpe, OL Trovon Baugh, DL Zavian Hardy, LB Jaron Willis, LB Taeshawn Alston, and K Peyton Argent.
A few others have already declared their move to the 2026 NFL Draft. Wide receiver Jared Brown was the latest to make his intentions known. He joins defensive tackle Monkell Goodwine, defensive tackle Nick Barrett, and defensive end Bryan Thomas Jr. as those entering their names in the 2026 NFL Draft, with tight end Jordan Dingle expected to be the next name as his eligibility is out.
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By Jeff Bowe, TTU Athletics Media Relations
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech (6-7, 1-1) men’s basketball plays its final game of 2025 against Tennessee State (7-5, 1-1) at Hooper Eblen Center at 7:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday, Dec. 30.
The Golden Eagles return to the hardwood after an extended break for the holidays to face the Tigers. TSU has won five of the last seven games but most recently fell, 91-82, to SEMO, opening OVC competition 1-1. Tech has won three of the last four games and opened conference play with an 85-74 victory over SEMO, then fell to UT Martin (L, 62-86).
TTU enters today’s game 4-2 at home this season with wins over SEMO, Bethel (101-69), Berea (86-64), and Va. Lynchburg (118-58), and losses to West Ga. (L, 59-61) and UT Martin (L, 62-86).
GAME INFORMATION
Matchup: Tennessee Tech (6-7, 1-1 OVC) vs. Tennessee State (7-5, 1-1 OVC)
Date & Time: Tuesday, Dec. 30 at 7:30 p.m. CT
Venue: Hooper Eblen Center
Watch: ESPN+ | Dylan Vazzano (PxP) and Frank Harrell (Analyst)
Radio: 106.1 The Eagle | Noah McKay (PxP) and Jacob Vinson (Analyst)
Promotion: Purple Haze – WEAR PURPLE!
INSIDE THE SERIES
Overall: TSU leads, 41-39
In Cookeville: Tech leads, 23-17
In Nashville: TSU leads, 18-22
Neutral sites: TSU leads 2-0
Current Streak: TTU won 1
Last Meeting: TTU won 77-74 in Cookeville (Feb. 22, 2025)
TECH NOTES
Dani Pounds leads Tech in scoring, averaging 12.5 points per game (19th in OVC), and Mekhi Cameron is second on the team with 12.2 points per game (20th in OVC). Pounds is fourth in the OVC in free-throw percentage, shooting 84.1 from the line. Pounds leads the Golden Eagles in rebounds with 4.8 per game (20th in OVC).
JaJuan Nicholls is second on the team in rebounds per game (4.7), which is 23rd in the conference.
Tennessee Tech’s 118 points against Va. Lynchburg (W, 118-58, 11/10/25) mark the third-most points scored in a single game by an OVC team this season.
Ty Owens is second in the OVC with 4.2 assists per game (54 total). Nicholls is tied for fifth in the conference in blocks per game (1.2) and fourth in the OVC in total blocks (16).
The Golden Eagles are second in the conference in points per game (79.7), as well as fourth in the conference in scoring margin (3.5). TTU holds the second-best shooting percentage in the OVC (47.0, 365-777), making three fewer shots than the conference leaders (Lindenwood, 47.4).
OPPONENT NOTES
Tennessee State (7-5, 1-1) leads the all-time series 41-39 as the teams split the last two matchups during the 2024-25 season.
The Tigers are coming off a hard-fought 91–82 loss to Southeast Missouri at the Gentry Center, while the Golden Eagles also enter the contest following a defeat.
The game marks the return to action for both programs after a 10-day break. Tennessee State will open the 2026 calendar year on the road at Little Rock on Saturday, Jan. 3.
Aaron Nkrumah leads the Tigers in scoring with 17.0 points per game, averaging 4.8 rebounds per contest and 2.6 assists per game. Travis Harper II is second on the team with 15.8 points per game, and Dante Harris is third on the squad per contest with 12.6 points on average.
PURCHASE TICKETS
Tickets for Tennessee Tech Men’s Basketball are on sale now – call (931) 372-3940, visit the Hooper Eblen Center ticket office, or order online at TTUsports.com.
FOLLOW THE GOLDEN EAGLES
Fans can be sure to follow the Golden Eagles men’s basketball team on X (@TTU_Basketball), Instagram (TTUMBB), and Facebook (TTU MBB) for all of the news, notes, and updates.
Helms, a transfer from Texas A&M, bested his previous Heptathlon score of 5394 which he earned at the Stan Scott Invite and Multis taking place on Jan. 30-Feb. 1, hosted by Texas Tech. He has had immense success in the Key City, posting three different splits at the Red Raider open in the 60m hurdles (8.30), 4x400m (3:16.21, 49.27 split) and pole vault (16-2/4.93m).
At the Mountain West Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Robertson has etched herself in the record books. At the NCAA Outdoor National Championships, she recorded the best finish by a Bronco since the 2022 campaign by finishing 53rd in a field of 254 total runners.
Robertson was the first Bronco woman to earn All-America honors in the 1,500 since 2019 (Emma Bates). Hanna Ackermann also posted a top finish while in Eugene. Ackermann recorded a time of 9:54.21 in the steeplechase. The time was the third-fastest time in Boise State history.
Helms registered a score of 7,696 in the decathlon. His mark ranks third in Boise State school history and improved his previous mark in the decathlon at the 2025 Mountain West Outdoor Track and Field Championships which were hosted by Fresno State in Clovis, California.
Dec. 28, 2025, 10:54 a.m. ET
The 2025 Palm Beach Post All-County teams are here!
The Palm Beach County High School Sports Awards is proud to announce the Player of the Year nominees for small school volleyball.
Player of the Year winners will be announced at the South Florida Fair in a live ceremony on Saturday, Jan. 24. Nominees will be able to register to attend for free, thanks to sponsors. For more information about the show, please reach out to deputy sports editor Eric J. Wallace (ejwallace@pbpost.com).
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