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Welcome ladies and gentlemen, Iowa wrestling fans of all ages. With Independence Day in our rearview mirror, the middle of July lies ahead of us. And that can only mean one thing: It’s time for the USMC Junior Nationals. Or in other words, it’s time for Fargo. [embedded content] That’s right, the world’s largest wrestling […]


Welcome ladies and gentlemen, Iowa wrestling fans of all ages.
With Independence Day in our rearview mirror, the middle of July lies ahead of us. And that can only mean one thing:
It’s time for the USMC Junior Nationals.
Or in other words, it’s time for Fargo.
That’s right, the world’s largest wrestling competition has arrived once again, and thousands upon thousands of the top high school wrestlers from around the country will descend upon the Fargodome for a week of wall-to-wall action.
Among the mass of humanity will be plenty of prep stars worth monitoring – including several signees/commits to the Iowa men’s and women’s programs, plus a whole host of recruiting targets in the upcoming 2026 and 2027 classes.
I can’t watch every match/competitor for you, of course. But I can serve as a compass of sorts, so you’ll have a better idea of when/where to look.
So please, allow me to be your guide for this edition of this annual wrestling extravaganza.
And as such, let’s first look at the schedule for the week’s proceedings.
How to watch
A handy Fargo event schedule can be found at THIS LINK courtesy of FloWrestling – or if you prefer, RIGHT HERE in slightly greater detail thanks to USA Wrestling’s event page.
The quick and dirty of it, however, is as follows:
Junior/16U Girls Freestyle
- Saturday/Sunday (July 12-13)
Junior/16U Boys Freestyle
- Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday (July 14-16)
Junior/16U Boys Greco-Roman
- Friday/Saturday (July 18-19)
Finals will be held on the final day of each given timeframe, with action ongoing from 8:00/9:00 a.m. until the late afternoon/evening just about every day of the tournament.
Every single Fargo match will be livestreamed on FloWrestling, with all results/brackets/statistics/bout orders/etc. accessible through USA Bracketing (free profile required).
Now, with all the housekeeping out of the way, let’s get into the fun stuff.
Women’s signees
A quartet of (known) future Hawkeyes will toe the line in Fargo over the next eight days. And in keeping with the order in which they’ll compete, we’ll start with the women.
Two incoming freshmen from the 2025 class will officially conclude their prep careers this Saturday/Sunday – ideally with a freestyle national title in hand.
Harlee Hiller, IL – 115lbs (JR)
- #4 at 115lbs (#23 pound-for-pound)
Libby Dix, IA – 190lbs (JR)
- #5 at 190lbs
Hiller – who joined Iowa’s 2025 class back in early May – is a must-watch for any unfamiliar Hawkeye fans.
Her elite Judo background constantly shows up in her wrestling – where she’ll hit big throws from all angles.
The Evanston (IL) native – whose mom and dad are head/assistant coach of the powerhouse Northwestern women’s lacrosse program – is a three-time Fargo placer to date. Her best finish thus far was a runner up result in 2023.
If Hiller wants to nab a ‘Stop Sign’ (the moniker for an individual Fargo title) in her final opportunity, she’ll have to navigate a field at 115 pounds littered with 11 other ranked wrestlers. Tops among them is #3 Taylor Whiting (WI) – a returning Fargo champ and potential 2026 target for the Hawkeyes.
Meanwhile, Libby Dix will be making her Fargo debut just days after announcing her commitment to the Iowa program.
In fact, one of the best upper weight prospects in America was a complete freestyle novice until this summer. Now, the multi-sport prep star will see where she stacks up amongst the nation’s best in the unfamiliar discipline.
The field at 190 pounds includes 11 nationally ranked wrestlers – five of whom reside in the top 10 (including Dix).
Men’s commits
The other two Iowa pledges in the Fargo field are on the men’s side – both from the Class of 2026.
Each is entered in the Junior Men’s Freestyle division, set to be contested Monday-Wednesday (July 14-16).
Owen McMullen, PA – 150lbs (JR Freestyle)
- Unranked at 144/150lbs
Michael Mocco, FL – 285lbs (JR Freestyle)
- #3 at 285lbs (#15 overall in 2026)
For Owen McMullen – Iowa’s first 2026 commit as of last fall – Fargo is another step in a long, arduous return.
The Pennsylvania native missed his entire 2024-25 high school season due to injury and only recently returned to competition. And while he may not be nationally ranked due to that long absence, Fargo represents a prime opportunity to reestablish his standing within the prep hierarchy.
Of the nine ranked wrestlers in the field at 150 pounds, none sits higher than #10. It wouldn’t shock me in the least to see McMullen make a deep run and show he’s just as deserving of a number next to his name when the next Flo rankings are released.
On the flip side, it’s no secret what Michael Mocco is capable of, nor whom he’ll likely have to prove it against this week.
Iowa’s heavyweight of the future was a double Fargo champ (Freestyle/Greco) in the 16U division back in 2023. He took a break last summer to bring home a U17 World title instead.
But after falling just short of the 2025 World team, he’s heading back to the Fargodome to throw down amongst possibly the toughest field at the event.
#1 Dreshaun Ross (Oklahoma State), #2 Coby Merrill and #4 Dean Bechtold (Lehigh) all present huge challenges.
Mocco may well have to knock off two of the three to be crowned champion.
Class of 2026 women’s wrestlers to watch
I won’t get too deep in the weeds with the following prospects – each of whom I detailed much more in my 2026 women’s recruiting breakdown.
However, all will be worth watching as they (potentially) audition to be a part of what could be an extremely small 2026 recruiting class for Coach Chun.
Madison Nieuwenhuis, MI – 105lbs (JR)
- #5 at 100lbs
Taylor Whiting, WI – 115lbs (JR)
- #3 at 115lbs (#22 pound-for-pound)
Carley Ceshker, WI – 140lbs (JR)
- #3 at 135lbs
Faith Bane, NC – 145lbs (JR)
- #6 at 145lbs
Michigander Madison Nieuwenhuis has reached back-to-back 16U finals at 100 pounds – winning in 2023. She steps up to 105 in the Junior Division this year, where several hammers await – including McKendree commit Heather Crull.
Elsewhere, the aforementioned Whiting/Hiller matchup is one I’d very much like to see during Sunday evening’s 115-pound final, especially with Whiting looking to repeat as Fargo champ.
At 140, Carley Ceshker bumps up from her weight class of current ranking to join a field filled with top competition. In the process, the two-time 16U Fargo runner up (2022-23) may get a rematch of her 2025 Wisconsin High School state final loss against Riley Hanrahan.
And at 145, Faith Bane is one of my sleeper recruits to watch. She doesn’t have a plethora of high-end results just yet, but she’ll have every chance to earn some this week amidst a bracket filled with six other athletes ranked #12 or better in the country.
Keep an eye on the following in-state prospects as well:
Katie Biscoglia – 105lbs (JR)
- #24 at 105lbs
Greta Brus – 145lbs (JR)
- #12 at 140lbs
Skylar Slade – 145lbs (JR)
- Unranked at 145lbs
Anastasia Simon – 155lbs (16U)
- #25 at 145lbs
Autumn Elsbury – 170lbs (JR)
- #13 at 170lbs
Class of 2026 men’s wrestlers to watch
Similar to the women, I just broke down the 2026 recruiting landscape for the Iowa men’s program ten days ago.
And to no surprise, you’ll find many of the same names in the list to follow.
Rylan Seacrist, OH – 113lbs (JR Freestyle) *Arizona State commit
- #9 at 113lbs (#96 overall in 2026)
Jordyn Raney, KY – 138lbs (JR Freestyle + Greco) *Oklahoma State commit
- #4 at 138lbs (#5 overall in 2026)
Haakon Peterson, WI – 144lbs (JR Freestyle) *Michigan commit
- #18 at 150lbs (#24 overall in 2026)
Liam Crook, WI – 165lbs (JR Freestyle) *Virginia commit
- Unranked at 165/174lbs (#23 overall in 2026)
You’ll notice that all four of the wrestlers listed are currently committed to schools other than Iowa. And in indeed, that’s one of the major challenges as the Hawkeyes seek to salvage a once promising 2026 class.
The top 38 prospects in Flo’s rankings are either committed to Iowa, elsewhere, or are not on Iowa’s board for various reasons. And that leaves flipping current commits as the only viable option to reel in some top talent before this cycle ends.
Each member of the quartet above has either visited (Raney/Seacrist) or once planned to visit Iowa City (Crook/Peterson) before committing to their current school – which makes all of them sensible targets to rekindle their recruitment.
Or perhaps a lesser ranked, uncommitted prospect will make waves at Fargo this week and Iowa can pounce.
For now, we’ll have to wait and see.
Class of 2027 women’s wrestlers to watch
Once again, I’ll spare folks (and myself) an exhaustive breakdown of these 2027 prospects.
(I already went through that process a few weeks ago – which I’d highly encourage checking out if you missed it.)
But it’s safe to say there will be no shortage of potential Iowa targets from the soon-to-be women’s junior class present in Fargo this week. That’s because as many as 15 Hawkeyes could exhaust their eligibility following the 2026-27 season – and this will be the class stepping onto campus to fill their massive shoes.
(Yeah, no pressure.)
Here are some of the national names to keep an eye on:
Jaclyn Bouzakis, PA – 100lbs (JR)
- #1 at 100lbs (#4 pound-for-pound)
Kayla Batres, CT – 110lbs (JR)
- #7 at 110lbs
Emma Bacon, PA – 125lbs (JR)
- #1 at 125lbs (#12 pound-for-pound)
Taina Fernandez, MD – 135lbs (JR/16U)
- #1 at 135lbs (#2 pound-for-pound)
Riley Hanrahan, WI – 140lbs (JR)
- #2 at 140lbs (#20 pound-for-pound)
Violette Lasure, PA – 145lbs (JR)
- #1 at 145lbs (#10 pound-for-pound)
Ella Poalillo, NJ – 155lbs (JR)
- #1 at 155lbs (#14 pound-for-pound)
Janiya Johnson, TN – 155lbs (16U)
- #3 at 155lbs
Kaili Manuel, MI – 170lbs (16U)
- #5 at 155lbs
Brooke Huffman, WI – 190lbs (JR)
- #3 at 190lbs
And on the in-state front, keep tabs on these local prospects as well:
Violet Diaz – 105lbs (JR)
- #21 at 110lbs
Camille Schult – 120lbs (JR)
- Unranked at 120lbs
Isabella Miller – 130lbs (16U)
- #15 at 135lbs
Eve Skrocki – 145lbs (16U)
- #3 at 145lbs
Class of 2027 men’s wrestlers to watch
My comprehensive deep dive into 2027 recruiting for the Iowa men also went up on the site last month.
There, you’ll find detailed information on most of the prospects listed below – though there have been a few additions since.
Regardless, the Iowa coaching staff has reached out to each of these rising juniors since the recruiting contact period opened in mid-June. And they’ll all be in North Dakota this week to strut their stuff in front of the wrestling world.
We’ll start with the national recruits:
Shamus Regan, PA – 126lbs (JR Freestyle)
- #5 at 120lbs (#22 overall in 2027)
Joe Bachmann, PA – 138lbs (JR Freestyle)
- #10 at 138lbs (#3 overall in 2027)
Lucas Boe, FL – 157lbs (JR Freestyle + Greco)
- #15 at 157lbs (#10 overall in 2027)
Jimmy Mastny, IL – 190lbs (JR Freestyle + Greco)
- #5 at 190lbs (#6 overall in 2027)
And here are your local products who’ve jumped onto Iowa’s early recruiting radar for 2027:
Gage Spurgeon – 126lbs (JR Freestyle)
- Unranked at 126lbs
Dawson Youngblut – 138lbs (JR Freestyle)
- Unranked at 138lbs (#29 overall in 2027)
Maximus Dhabolt – 165lbs (JR Freestyle + Greco)
- Unranked at 165lbs (#49 overall in 2027)
Other names to watch (men/women)
Since we’ve all come this far, I figured I’d leave you with a few more names to watch just for fun.
Most are members of the 2028 class or beyond, and all have some sort of tie to Iowa wrestling.
Chase Karenbauer, PA – 113lbs (16U Boys Freestyle)
- Class of 2028
- #3 at 106lbs
- Has previously visited/camped at Iowa
Hadyn Strittmatter, PA – 132lbs (16U Boys Freestyle + Greco)
Rocco Cassioppi, IL – 138lbs (JR Boys Freestyle + Greco)
- Class of 2027
- Unranked at 138lbs (#49 overall in 2027)
- Younger brother of former Hawkeye wrestlers Tony/Rose Cassioppi, twin brother to Bruno
Bruno Cassioppi, IL – 144lbs (JR Boys Freestyle + Greco)
- Class of 2027
- Unranked at 144lbs
- Younger brother of former Hawkeye wrestlers Tony/Rose Cassioppi, twin brother to Rocco
Mario Hutcherson, PA – 190lbs (16U Boys Freestyle)
- Class of 2028
- #19 at 175
- Has previously visited/camped at Iowa
Peter Mocco, FL – 190lbs (16U Boys Freestyle + Greco)
- Class of 2028
- Unranked at 190lbs
- Younger brother of 2026 Iowa commit Michael Mocco, son of former Hawkeye Steve Mocco
Amalia Djoumessi, IA – 155lbs (16U Girls Freestyle)
- Class of 2028
- #23 at 155lbs
- Younger sister of current Iowa women’s wrestler Kiara Djoumessi
Short time
Alright that should just about do it.
The world’s largest wrestling competition warranted a Hawkeye-centric preview of equal proportions, I think. And some 2000 words later, I feel as though I’ve delivered such – for better or worse.
Thank you all so much for sticking with me this far and/or skipping to the end where you’re reading this now.
I’ll be back with a Fargo wrap-up article once all the action has concluded many moons from this typing. But in the meantime, enjoy the heck out of an incredible week of wrestling.
I know I will.
Sports
UTSA’s Taussig, South Florida’s Brown Highlight American Scholar-Athletes of the Year
Story Links IRVING, Texas – UTSA baseball standout James Taussig and South Florida soccer star Georgia Brown have been chosen as the 2024-25 American Conference Scholar-Athletes of the Year, as chosen by the conference’s Academic Committee. Taussig, who was chosen as the American’s Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and Brown, the American’s […]

IRVING, Texas – UTSA baseball standout James Taussig and South Florida soccer star Georgia Brown have been chosen as the 2024-25 American Conference Scholar-Athletes of the Year, as chosen by the conference’s Academic Committee.
Taussig, who was chosen as the American’s Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and Brown, the American’s Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, will each receive a $4,000 postgraduate financial scholarship.
Taussig and Brown were chosen from a group of 22 individual sport Scholar-Athletes of the Year who received $2,000 postgraduate scholarships. The 23 Scholar-Athletes of the Year include 16 individuals who won individual conference titles or earned all-conference accolades during the 2024-25 season.
Taussig, a native of Houston, becomes the first UTSA student-athlete and the fifth baseball player to be named as the American Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Taussig led the Roadrunners to their most successful season in program history in 2025 as he hit .344 with 10 home runs and 65 runs batted in to help UTSA to a win in the NCAA Austin Regional and its first appearance in the Super Regionals. He was named as Most Outstanding Player of the Austin Regional and was a first-team all-conference selection in the American.
Taussig graduated with a 3.94 grade-point average as a double major in finance and real estate finance and development. He was a four-time Dean’s List selection, a three-time President’s List honoree and was named the Will and Mary Hathaway Male Academic Athlete of the Year in 2025.
Brown, who hails from Highworth, England, becomes the third South Florida student-athlete to be chosen as the American Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, joining 2021 winner Georgina Corrick (softball) and 2023 winner Dulcy Fankam- Mendjiadeu (basketball). She is the first women’s soccer player to earn the American’s top academic honor.
Brown is a two-time College Sports Communicators. Academic All-America selection, including a first-team choice in 2024, when she earned first-team all-conference honors. A standout defender, Brown also contributed four goals and two assists in 2024 on her way to a second consecutive all-conference selection
Brown earned a 4.00 grade-point average as an undergraduate, completing a bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences.
Selections for the 22 Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards, as well as the Male and Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors, are made by the Academic Committee on the basis of academic credentials and athletic performance. Each conference school may nominate one student-athlete per sport who has achieved senior academic standing as determined by the institution. A winner is chosen from each of the conference’s 20 sponsored sports in addition to at-large selections from sports not sponsored by the conference.
Scholar-Athletes of the Year
The American Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards are among of a number of scholarships presented by the conference during the academic year.
The conference has presented individual sport Scholar-Athletes of the Year in baseball, men’s basketball and women’s basketball since the 2013-14 season. The conference has presented individual awards in all other sports beginning with the 2017-18 season.
2025 American Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year
James Taussig, UTSA (Baseball)
2025 American Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Georgia Brown, South Florida (Soccer)
2025 American Scholar-Athletes of the Year
Sport | Student-Athlete | School | Highlights |
Baseball | James Taussig | UTSA | First-team all-conference; NCAA Austin Regional Most Outstanding Player |
Men’s Basketball | Xavier Bell | Wichita State | First-team all-conference; averaged 15.2 ppg in 2024-25 |
Women’s Basketball | Synia Johnson | East Carolina | 112 career games; Most Outstanding Player of 2023 American Championship |
Men’s Cross Country | Ryan Adkins | Tulane | Member of 2024 American Championship team; placed 29th |
Women’s Cross Country | Amelie Attenborough | Rice | Registered top-25 finish at 2024 American Championship |
Football | Bryson Daily | Army | American Offensive Player of the Year; Sixth in Heisman Trophy voting |
Men’s Golf | Jake Peacock | South Florida | Two-time American Player of the Year and conference champion |
Women’s Golf | Lovisa Gunnar | Tulsa | Two-time all-conference; member of 2025 American championship team |
Women’s Lacrosse | Gianna Cutaia | Charlotte | First-team all-conference; led the American in ground balls per game |
Men’s Soccer | Logan Longo | Memphis | All-conference second team selection for 2024 regular-season champion |
Women’s Soccer | Georgia Brown | South Florida | First-team all-conference in 2024; 2023 Academic All-America selection |
Softball | Lauren Lucas | Wichita State | Three-time first-team all-conference; 2023 All-America selection |
Women’s Swimming and Diving | Andrea Zeebe | Tulane | American champion in 800 freestyle relay in 2025 |
Men’s Tennis | Danijal Muminovic | UTSA | Runner-up at American Individual Championships |
Women’s Tennis | Darya Schwartzman | Rice | All-conference selection for nationally ranked Owls |
Men’s Indoor Track and Field | Hudson Bailey | Wichita State | 2025 American heptathlon champion |
Women’s Indoor Track and Field | Destiny Masters | Wichita State | Most Valuable Performer at 2025 American Championship |
Men’s Outdoor Track and Field | Joakim Genereux | Wichita State | Honorable mention All-America in 4×400 relay at 2025 NCAA Championships |
Women’s Outdoor Track and Field | McKyla van der Westhuizen | Rice | Two-time American champion in javelin throw |
Women’s Volleyball | Lara Kretschmer | Charlotte | Played 127 career matches; named to CSC Academic All-District Team |
Men’s At-Large (Gymnastics) | Joseph Buselmeier | Army | USA Gymnastics All-America; All-ECAC selection on floor and rings |
Women’s At-Large (Beach Volleyball) | Olivia Stant | UAB | First-team all-conference after going 26-7 on top court |
Sports
NVL newcomers part seven – Farnborough Phoenix
In the seventh of the summer series of articles on the new teams who will join the NVL for the 2025-26 season, Farnborough Phoenix speak about their Division 3 South West prospects. Year formed: 1997. NVL Coach: Nigel Spierts. Social media handles: farnborough_volleyball_club (Instagram). Farnborough Volleyball Club- FVC (Facebook). Website: Click here. After two hugely […]

Year formed: 1997.
NVL Coach: Nigel Spierts.
Social media handles: farnborough_volleyball_club (Instagram). Farnborough Volleyball Club- FVC (Facebook).
Website: Click here.

After two hugely successful seasons locally and regionally, Farnborough Phoenix are relishing playing National League volleyball and testing out just how good they can be at that level.
Things certainly bode well for the Hampshire club, given recent achievements, having won Division 1 of the Berkshire League for the last two years running and also twice finishing as SEVA winners during that time.
Alongside that, in last year’s National Shield competition, the team also enjoyed success where they swept to a 25-17, 25-13, 25-20 victory at the Last 64 stage over a Cheltenham and Gloucester side which had just been promoted to NVL Division 2 West.
Farnborough also put up a fight at the Last 32 stage before being edged out in five sets by Portsmouth, who completed a reverse sweep on the south coast (21-25, 18-25, 25-23, 25-14, 15-12).
From the autumn, they can look forward to the new challenge of facing the likes of Bedminster 2, Plymouth, Plymouth Mayflower, Portsmouth, Weymouth, Southampton 2, City of Bristol and Bristol 2 in NVL Division 3 South East.
“We are consistently winning everything we can on a local and South East level,” said Head Coach Nigel Spierts. “We want to take it to new levels and see how far we can go.
“We want to finish as high as possible in our new league. A top-three finish is the ambition, but we’ll be happy with playing our level consistently and peaking towards the end of the season.
“Playing different teams with different styles and players is going to make things very interesting and we would love to have a good run in the Shield to go with our league matches.”
While it is the highest-ranked women’s side that is making the foray into the NVL, Farnborough is an active club from top to bottom.
It operates two men’s and two women’s teams, as well as a number of junior teams that play in a combination of the Berkshire Volleyball League and Surrey Volleyball League.
In addition, the U18 boys team entered in the national Junior Grand Prix Series for the first time last season.
With a main indoor venue for training and matches at Samuel Cody Sports College (GU14 8SS), the club welcomes people from year seven to adults who want to train, enjoy competitive volleyball and potentially play in a team.
Nigel added: “It started as some friends coming together to play, but quickly expanded to form the club as it is now.
“The last three years has seen significant changes with the club growing from 84 to 178 members we have to date (junior and adults).
“There’s lots being done in the junior setting to develop things, with the club part of the Thames Valley High Performance Training (TVHPT) programme.”
Phoenix will go into the NVL season with a 14-player squad who Nigel says are all important and have the potential to impact the game.
In fact, he cites the strength of the bench as one of the key components to its ongoing success.
“The experience and leadership of Carly Lane and Ramona Dienel will be important to us, as ex-Super 8s players, as well as the versatility and quality of captain Weronika Korkosz,” said Nigel.
“The strength of this team comes from a deep bench which are alert and ready to step in at any stage.
“One to watch is 13-year-old Maria Smolinska who played at the U15 Inter Regional Championships in May and is part of the national team pathway.”
Find out more about the NVL by clicking here.
Sports
Rachel Davis Named Big South Woman of the Year Nominee – University of South Carolina
Story Links CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Big South Conference announced the nominations for the Big South Woman of the Year this afternoon. Nominees for the annual honor are submitted by the league’s member institutions, and a Selection Committee of Conference Administrators will determine the Big South Woman of the Year, who will […]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Big South Conference announced the nominations for the Big South Woman of the Year this afternoon.
Nominees for the annual honor are submitted by the league’s member institutions, and a Selection Committee of Conference Administrators will determine the Big South Woman of the Year, who will advance as the Conference’s official nominee for the national NCAA Woman of the Year Award.
A total of 10 individuals comprise this year’s institutional nominees, seven of which are the official candidates for Big South Woman of the Year — Charleston Southern golfer Odette Font Garcia (Mallorca, Spain), High Point lacrosse player Esprit Cha (Ellicott City, Md.), Longwood soccer player Alex Dinger (Fredericksburg, Va.), Longwood softball player Er’ron Burton (Suffolk, Va.), Radford volleyball player Meredith Page (Murfreesboro, Tenn.), USC Upstate track & field athlete Rachel Davis, and Winthrop lacrosse player Maddy Hodgson (Lebanon, Ohio). Also among the institutional nominees from non-sponsored Big South sports were Presbyterian top/tumbler Abigail Katz (Columbia, S.C.), Presbyterian wrestler Chiara Barbieri (Brampton, Ontario) and UNC Asheville swimmer Riley Edmundson (Flower Mound, Texas).
Davis, a Management major, participated in the USC Upstate Gospel Choir, was a teacher for kids aged 8-14 at Emmanuel Anglican Church, and volunteered as a basketball coach at Drayton Mills Elementary School.
Head Coach Carson Blackwelder stated, “Rachel is the perfect candidate for this award. She embodies all the qualities you think of for Woman of the Year.”
Connect with the Spartans
Facebook.com/UpstateAthletics
Twitter | @UpstateXCTrack @UpstateSpartans
Instagram | @UpstateXCTrack @UpstateSpartans
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans
INVEST IN CHAMPIONS – Join the Upstate Athletic Fund (UAF) and enjoy enhanced benefits for your support of all USC Upstate programs! Make your gift today, click here!
SAVE THE DATE FOR SPARTY’S BALL – MAY 17th – Support USC Upstate Athletics at Sparty’s Ball, the largest fundraising event of the year for the Upstate Athletic Fund (UAF), to be held Saturday, May 17, 2025 at the Milliken Club at Fifth Third Park. For tickets, sponsorship and auction information, click here!
Sports
Annika Hester – Women’s Volleyball
Oregon State 2024 • First Team All-WCC • Appeared in 110 sets across the 28 matches played • Led Oregon State in kills with 340, ranked eighth in the WCC • Hit .441 on 34 swings, collected 20 kills to just five errors in a five-set win over San Francisco (Oct. 12) • Had 25 […]

2024
• First Team All-WCC
• Appeared in 110 sets across the 28 matches played
• Led Oregon State in kills with 340, ranked eighth in the WCC
• Hit .441 on 34 swings, collected 20 kills to just five errors in a five-set win over San Francisco (Oct. 12)
• Had 25 kills in a road win over Gonzaga (Oct. 19) and also tallied a season-best 25 points
• Season-best eight digs in the season finale at Pepperdine (11/30)
San Diego (2021-23)
• Appeared in 53 sets across 23 matches played in two seasons (took redshirt in 2022)
• Tallied 58 kills and totaled 12 digs
• Recorded 40 kills in 2023, including a season-best 11 against Tennessee, along with a career-best 13.0 points (Aug. 31)
HIGH SCHOOL & CLUB
• Three-time Gatorade Player of the Year (2018, 19, 20-21) in Maine
• 2020 Under Armour All-America First Team
• Twice named Southern Maine Activities Association (SMAA) MVP (2018, 19)
• Three-time SMAA All-Conference Team choice (2017-19)
• Back-to-back SMAA Class A State Champ (2018-19)
• Holds record at high school – Falmouth HS – for kills in a match (36)
• Won NERVA Regional Tournament with Maine Juniors VBC in 2018
• Trained with USA Volleyball High Performance (A1, 2019 and 2020; A1 Beach, 2019; A2, 2018)
• Finished third at Swedish National Beach Volleyball Championship Tournament (Tylösand, Sweden) in 2017 with partner Johanna Bengtsson
• National Honors Society member
• Volunteered at Good Shepherd Food Bank and served as a volunteer volleyball coach at Falmouth Middle School
PERSONAL
• Daugher of Louise and Matt Hester
• Has one brother, Niklas
• Father, Matt, played basketball at Hope College before professionally and later coached in Denmark
• Mother, Louise, played professional basketball in Sweden and Denmark before collegiately in the USA at Grand Valley State
• In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, baking, painting, traveling and spending time with friends and family
Sports
Five Olympic sports to try in the summer months
Running: Happiness in every stride Ok, hear us out. We know athletics can have a reputation as a PE class punishment or the thing you do when you’re late for a bus. But there’s also a whole world of joy, clarity and community waiting just beyond that first kilometre. Yes, it’s great for your body, […]

Running: Happiness in every stride
Ok, hear us out.
We know athletics can have a reputation as a PE class punishment or the thing you do when you’re late for a bus. But there’s also a whole world of joy, clarity and community waiting just beyond that first kilometre.
Yes, it’s great for your body, strengthening your heart, lungs and muscles, but as with many sports above, the real magic is in what it does for your mind. Studies show running can ease anxiety, sharpen focus and lift your mood.
There’s the rush of endorphins that leaves you proud post-run. The peace of a solo jog after work, letting the day melt off your shoulders one footfall at a time. And the finish lines (real or metaphorical) that remind you how far you’ve come in a sport that asks only that you begin.
You don’t need to be the next Noah Lyles. You don’t need to sprint like Julien Alfred or clock marathon splits like Eliud Kipchoge. In fact, you don’t need to race at all. As distance runner John Bingham wrote in The Courage to Start, “If you run, you are a runner. It doesn’t matter how fast or how far… You just run.”
There’s something beautifully simple about it. Running doesn’t care what shoes you wear, how fast you go, or how long you’ve been doing it. It just asks you to move.
And chances are, you will enjoy it.
Kara Goucher, a two-time Olympian, said it best: “Running allows me to set my mind free. Nothing seems impossible. Nothing unattainable.” Or take it from Mo Farah, one of the greatest distance runners of all time: “I need it as much for my head as I do for my body.”
And here’s a bonus: running doesn’t have to be lonely. From early morning parkruns to massive marathon festivals, the running community is warm, welcoming, and wonderfully weird. These days, run clubs are popping up everywhere, gathering people of all paces and playlists to join the movement.
But it’s also there when you need solitude, when you want to lace up, zone out, and listen to your breath and the steady beat of your feet on trail or pavement.
Whether you’re sprinting down a track, jogging through the woods, or taking your first ever walk-run around the block, know this: you’re in the club.
Besides, if cross-country skiing can be fun (and it is), then running can be too. Especially when it’s less about the destination and more about the joy of moving forward: slow, steady and free.
So if you want to channel the energy of Paris 2024, try organising your own mini Olympics with friends. Sadly, your medals may not feature Eiffel Tower fragments, but the memories will be just as golden.
Sports
UT Dallas athletes blindsided after track and field programs cut – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth
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