WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

The Rogers State Hillcats women’s basketball team erased a 4-point deficit entering the final quarter and exploded for 27 fourth-quarter points to defeat Oklahoma Christian Eagles 70-66 last Saturday at the Claremore Expo Center.

RSU [4-8] leaned on pressure defense and efficient ball movement to flip the game, scoring 19 points off turnovers and piling up 40 points in the paint. Despite Oklahoma Christian [5-6] leading twice and tying the game five times, the Hillcats’ late surge proved decisive.

RSU set the tone early, opening the game on a 7-0 run sparked by an Ella Hafer layup and a fast-break 3 from Samantha Shanks.

The Hillcats controlled the paint throughout the opening quarter, building an 18-12 lead behind inside buckets from Destiny Jones and Michelle Arens.

The Eagles rallied late in the second quarter, capitalizing on RSU turnovers to edge ahead 25-24 at halftime.

Oklahoma Christian maintained momentum into the third quarter, but steals from Hafer and Kate Melton helped keep the Hillcats within striking distance. RSU entered the final frame trailing 47-43.

Everything changed in the fourth.

Shanks drilled a 3-pointer at the 6:53 mark to tie the game at 50, and the Hillcats never looked back.

Bailey Layman buried a clutch 3 with 2:05 remaining to give RSU the lead, then added a jumper moments later. Ataya Casaus sealed the outcome with a tough jumper in the paint with 37 seconds left, as RSU closed the quarter on a 27-19 run.

Casaus and Shanks each scored 14 points, with Shanks adding 8 rebounds and 5 assists. Layman finished with 12 points, while Jones added 10 points and 2 steals.

Taylor Jackson led Oklahoma Christian with 22 points and 9 rebounds, while Sofia Lopez chipped in 10 points.

The Hillcats return to action on New Year’s Day in Wichita, Kansas, against Newman Jets at 5:30 p.m.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

On the men’s side, Jabryn Anderson delivered a performance rarely seen in Claremore.

Anderson recorded a triple-double — 12 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds — to lead Rogers State men’s basketball to an 87–59 win over Texas A&M–Kingsville at Northside Sports Gym in the final game of the River City Holiday Classic on Dec. 17. He became just the second Hillcat to record a triple-double in program history.

RSU dominated from the opening minutes, building a 17-point halftime lead behind sharp shooting and relentless defense.

The Hillcats knocked down 11 3-pointers, dished out 25 assists and forced 16 turnovers, converting those miscues into 23 points.

Caden Fry sparked the offense early with multiple 3-pointers and closed the first half with a dunk as RSU led 46-29.

The Hillcats continued to pour it on after halftime, with Benard Omooria opening the half with a 3 and Fry adding another moments later.

Fry finished with a game-high 20 points and 6 rebounds, while Omooria added 14 points. Damondre McKnight chipped in 12 points as RSU cruised to the 28-point victory.

The Hillcats will face Newman on New Year’s Day in Wichita at 7:30 p.m.

MEN'S SOCCER

Rogers State men’s soccer capped a historic season with its highest national ranking ever.

The Hillcats [14-4-5] finished sixth in the final United Soccer Coaches Top 25 poll, marking a landmark achievement in coach Jake Simpson’s first season.

RSU hosted the first three rounds of the NCAA Tournament, earning home wins over No. 17 Cedarville and No. 15 Lincoln before advancing to the quarterfinals.

Rogers State also finished second in both the GAC/MIAA regular-season and tournament standings.

Alex Laing claimed the program’s first GAC/MIAA Defensive Player of the Year award, while Louis Bassett and Artur Carvalho earned All-GAC/MIAA First Team honors.

The accolades continued at the national level.

Laing was named a D2CCA All-America Second Team selection, Bassett earned United Soccer Coaches All-America Third Team honors and Brandon O’Rourke and Jaxon Kendall were recognized as College Sports Communicators Academic All-Americans.

The New Year’s ball still hasn’t dropped, yet the UW-River Falls football team is already celebrating.

Last weekend, the Falcons clinched their first appearance in the NCAA Division III championship game. They will head to Canton, Ohio, and face defending champion North Central (Ill.) on January 4.

One of those excited to participate in the game is Falcons defensive back Bradley Arndorfer.

The former Eau Claire Memorial defensive back has mainly manned a special teams role in his sophomore campaign. He said he always knew the Falcons could go on a deep run in the playoffs.

“This year, I think that the group of guys we had, we’re all really tight,” Arndorfer said. “We had a bunch of older guys on the team in the past two seasons. I think collectively as a group, we have stepped up.”

UW-River Falls lost its opening WIAC game at UW-Oshkosh. Unlike the last two seasons, where the Falcons finished 7-3, they responded.

“The group just rallied together,” Arndorfer said. “Nobody flinched at all. We all just doubled down on what we were doing, and we won next week at home versus Platteville. And if you ask (Falcons) coach (Matt Walker), that’s the big turning point in the season.”

The Falcons didn’t lose again in the regular season, and clinched an automatic appearance in the NCAA Division III playoffs, their first since 1996. Their 9-1 record was also good enough for the program’s first conference title since 1998.

Quarterback Kaleb Blaha was selected as the conference’s Offensive Player of the Year after leading the NCAA Division III’s top-ranked offense. Gage Timm was named the Defensive Player of the Year and Walker was honored as the Coach of the Year.

“The whole culture here has been great since I’ve got here, and I think this place has always had a really strong culture,” Arndorfer said.

UW-River Falls’ first playoff win, a 58-7 thrashing of Chapman, established a new school record for wins.

Their third round matchup against Saint John’s represented a different challenge, as the Falcons hadn’t beaten the Johnnies since 1937.

“One thing for us going into the playoffs is we know we play in one of the toughest regular season conferences in the country, and so when we play playoff teams, it’s like we’ve been playing playoff teams for five, six weeks,” Arndorfer said. “When a good team like Saint John’s comes into town, we don’t flinch.”

A 42-14 win over the Johnnies proved just that.

In the quarterfinals, Wheaton College came to town and were greeted with a 46-21 River Falls win. That advanced the Falcons to their first NCAA semifinal.

The pinnacle of the Falcons’ postseason run came in its semifinal against Johns Hopkins.

“It was a great game to be around,” Arndorfer recalled. “For those who love the game of football, these are the kind of games that, when you’re kid, you dream about.”

Blaha found wide receiver Blake Rohrer for a 79-yard touchdown in the final minute to give the Falcons a dramatic 48-41 win.

“It was just the most electric, energetic celebration on the sideline I’d ever been a part of,” Arndorfer said. “It was the biggest game in River Falls history and it felt like that.”

UW-River Falls extended its home-winning streak to 14 games.

“It was awesome to do it at home,” Arndorfer said. “The town has always been rallying around the football team, but I think we’ve just united the town even more. You go anywhere in River Falls right now wearing anything Falcon football, and there’s somebody saying, ‘Congrats.’

“For me personally, I love being a Falcon football player, and this team has given me so much.”

Arndorfer said he has at least 10 members of his close circle planning to attend the national championship game.

“My family has been huge in supporting me. My dad’s probably my number one supporter, and guy that I go to when I’m struggling with things,” Arndorfer said. “I got a bunch of people from Eau Claire, whether it be former coaches or trainers, that I’ve seen a bunch of things on Facebook and gotten messages online (saying), ‘Congrats on making it to the championship. Go win this whole thing.’”

Arndorfer said he and River Falls are excited for the opportunity and look forward to saving their best game for the start of 2026.

“It’s really just about playing and living up to our best standard that’s been carrying us through this whole season,” Arndorfer said. “That’s what we’re going to need to do to end up bringing the trophy home to River Falls.”

Dec. 26—GRAND FORKS — Matt Smaby was asked what he likes about this year's UND hockey team.

"How much time do you have?" he responded.

Then, UND's first-year associate head coach got into it.

"A lot," he said. "If you take the results out of it, take the hockey out of it, we have really good kids. That is the starting point for success for any good team. You need character, you need leadership, you need full buy-in from the guys. And you need a group of guys that really gets along well together. That's what we have in this room. We feel we have a tremendous group of kids in that room that really want to do it the right way."

The Fighting Hawks have returned from Christmas break to begin preparations for the second half.

The first half went about as well as they could have imagined under first-year head coach Dane Jackson, considering the massive roster turnover — 15 new players, which ties 1973 and 1951 for the most in a single season since Year 2 of the program.

UND is 14-4 and ranked No. 4 nationally. It is also No. 4 in the NPI, which is used to select and seed the NCAA tournament.

"I think we put ourselves in a really good spot," Smaby said. "The key for us is not the start, it's the finish. So, to build moving forward is the most important focus point for the group. We've still got better, we know that."

UND finished the first half of the season going 10-1 in its last 11 games. It swept St. Cloud State and Omaha in the last two weekends, but Smaby didn't think the Fighting Hawks were at their best in those games.

"If you look at the last four games heading into the break, probably not our best in regards to team play, but we still found a way," Smaby said. "I think the second half, it's really cranking it up, tightening things up, really continuing to grow our game a little bit day in and day out, and really looking to keep building. Really good first half. Happy with where we're at. But we're turning the focus point moving forward and trying to get better."

The Fighting Hawks host Mercyhurst on Jan. 2-3 in their final nonconference series of the season.

UND will be shorthanded for that series.

Forward Cole Reschny, forward Will Zellers, defenseman E.J. Emery and defenseman Keaton Verhoeff are at the World Junior Championship in the Twin Cities. They will all miss the series.

Junior defensemen Jake Livanavage and Abram Wiebe are at the Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland. They are expected to arrive in Grand Forks on Jan. 2, but that arrival could be expedited if the U.S. Collegiate Selects are eliminated early.

If Livanavage and Wiebe are unable to play, UND will have five defensemen for the Mercyhurst series — captain Bennett Zmolek, Andrew Strathmann, Sam Laurila, Jayden Jubenvill and Ian Engel.

"We talk about our goals at the beginning of the season," Smaby said. "What are our big aspirations? We know that taking care of nonconference is extremely important for us. We've got two more coming out of break that are going to be extremely important as well. We have to be super dialed, super focused."

There were several factors behind UND's big start.

In net, freshman Jan Špunar has been sensational, going 9-0 with a .934 save percentage.

On the back end, UND's defensive corps has been as good as advertised.

Up front, Ben Strinden is having a breakout senior season. Strinden leads UND in goals (11) and points (19) at the break.

But UND's depth has worn out opponents, too.

"I really like a lot of the things our team is doing," Smaby said. "I know the rest of the coaching staff does as well. Regardless of the outcomes, the team is playing really hard. That's a great baseline to have. If you make mistakes giving 100% effort, it's much easier to correct those. That's what our team has shown in spades. They're not perfect, but the guys are working really hard.

"If we can carry that over, having that baseline work as we evolve, as we work on things, as we fix things, it becomes much easier for the group."

Deion Barnes, who had been on the Penn State football coaching staff since 2020, resigned earlier this week to become the defensive line coach at South Carolina.

A Philadelphia native, Barnes is a former Penn State defensive end who played from 2012-14 and was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2012.

He joined James Franklin’s staff as a graduate assistant in 2020 and was promoted to defensive line coach in 2023 after John Scott Jr. left the Nittany Lions to join the Detroit Lions staff.

Barnes was instrumental in developing such players as Abdul Carter, Chop Robinson, Adisa Isaac and Dani Dennis-Sutton.

Barnes’ departure leaves offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, special teams coordinator Justin Lustig, co-defensive coordinator Anthony Poindexter, linebackers coach Dan Connor and wide receivers coach Marques Hagans as Franklin’s only former assistants whose futures are uncertain.

Interim head coach Terry Smith will remain on the Penn State staff with new head coach Matt Campbell, who was hired earlier this month after spending 10 years at Iowa State.

Barnes will join Stan Drayton on the South Carolina staff. Drayton has spent this season at Penn State and has remained there through Saturday’s Pinstripe Bowl.

Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, who spent one season at Penn State, has resigned to take the same job at Tennessee.

Offensive line coach Phil Trautwein, who’s headed for Florida, also has stayed with the Lions and will coach in Saturday’s game against Clemson before leaving for the Gators.

Tight ends coach Ty Howle and quarterbacks coach Danny O’Brien have left Penn State to join Franklin’s staff at Virginia Tech.

As far as the Penn State roster goes, cornerback A.J. Harris and defensive end Zuriah Fisher are no longer with the team. Harris has one year of eligibility left, but Fisher would have to request a waiver from the NCAA to play another year in college.

Harris reportedly will enter the transfer portal, joining cornerback Elliot Washington II, defensive end Chaz Coleman, wide receiver Aaron Enterline, linebacker Kari Jackson and tight end Joey Schlaffer, the former Exeter standout.

In addition, three more high school seniors who had been committed to Iowa State and had received their release from the Cyclones committed this week to Penn State. All three have been rated three-star prospects.

They are offensive tackle Mason Bandhauer, Fort Collins, Colo.,; linebacker Keian Kaiser, Sidney, Neb.; and offensive tackle Pete Eglitis, Columbus, Ohio.

More additions and departures are expected next week leading up to the start of the NCAA transfer portal on Jan. 2.

EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern assistant head coach Harlon Barnett has a long list of nicknames ready to use whenever he addresses or talks about safety Robert Fitzgerald.

The Terminator. The World’s Greatest Tackler. The Face of the Big Ten. The Eraser. The General. The Example. Mr. Consistent.

“He’s going to start forgetting his own name,” Barnett said.

Fitzgerald has given Barnett a lot of reason to talk about him in a breakout season that continues at noon Friday in Northwestern’s game against Central Michigan in the GameAbove Sports Bowl on ESPN.

The redshirt junior goes into the game at Detroit’s Ford Field as the Big Ten leader with 68 solo tackles for a Wildcats defense that fueled their 6-6 regular season. He ranked fourth in the conference with 109 tackles and also had 6 1/2 tackles for a loss, three passes defended, an interception and a fumble recovery.

“He’s maximizing his gifts, talents and abilities that the Lord has given him,” Barnett said. “And he takes no days off.”

Fitzgerald’s season, for which he was named second-team All-Big Ten by coaches, comes after three years of working his way into bigger roles with Northwestern. He began with the Wildcats scout team and then played primarily on special teams in his first two seasons before earning more time on defense last year.

Throughout the climb, he focused on the process, determined that when the Wildcats needed him, he would be prepared.

“You’ve got to put the work in, day in, day out, no matter how long it takes,” Fitzgerald said. “But eventually your opportunity is going to come. And when that opportunity came, I knew that I was going to be ready based on all the work that I’ve been putting in for the past three years, on and off the field, in the weight room, in the training room, getting my body right, learning the playbook, studying film.”

Fitzgerald’s approach — and his understanding of the value of each day — was developed in part before his time at Northwestern. During his senior year of high school in Dallas, he watched his father, Matthew, fight ALS, and his memories of his dad have shaped how he lives now.

In the stands

The Fitzgerald family would have Italian beef and Lou Malnati’s shipped to Dallas for Chicago Bears-Green Bay Packers games. Fitzgerald and his sister, Olivia, were Packers fans because of their mom, Amy, who is from Wisconsin. Matt, who grew up in the Wildwood/Edgebrook area of Chicago, cheered for the Bears.

“He always said that my mom brainwashed me and my sister to be Packers fans,” Fitzgerald said.

Fitzgerald said his father was passionate about the work he did as a marketing executive. Midway through his career, he met Mark Cuban at the gym, became friends with him and became the Mavericks senior vice president for marketing and communications, a job that allowed Fitzgerald to be a Mavs ball boy and meet Dirk Nowitzki as a kid.

Matt could light up a room and was passionate about his family and friends, a trait Fitzgerald carries with him to his relationships.

And the former Loyola Academy safety loved football, a passion he passed on to his son. Fitzgerald remembers spending countless hours on the couch watching NFL Sunday Ticket with his dad. They would play in the backyard, reenacting Super Bowl-winning drives, making sideline grabs or playing goal-line tackle, the latter game one his mother didn’t love.

Fitzgerald said his dad was the biggest influence on his football career, giving him everything he needed to be successful. And he kept cheering on his son even after he was diagnosed with ALS the summer before Fitzgerald’s senior year at Jesuit College Prep. Fitzgerald, an All-State safety and running back that season, would look up into the stands to see his dad.

“I’d be like, ‘Whatever I’m going through — I’m tired out here; I’m exhausted — whatever I’m going through is minuscule compared to what he’s going through,’” Fitzgerald said. “So that kind of drove me in high school my senior year, and I’ve kind of been able to use that as fuel going forward.”

Fitzgerald, who is no relation to former Wildcats coach Pat Fitzgerald, chose Northwestern in part because of his father’s connection to the Chicago area. His grandmother still lived at the time in the same home Matt grew up in. Fitzgerald’s aunt lives in Naperville. His dad’s friends are around and come to games.

But Matt didn’t get to see him play for the Wildcats. Matt died on July 22, 2022, just as Fitzgerald was beginning fall camp with Northwestern.

“The whole thing changed my perspective on life for sure,” Fitzgerald said. “I don’t take a single day for granted anymore. Just watching the way he handled it and the way he attacked it just really was amazing to see. And it was amazing to see how strong my mom was throughout the entire disease. And it was also amazing how many people showed up for my family. The community really showed up for us.”

When Fitzgerald thinks about how he got through that time in his life — getting acclimated at a new school in the midst of losing his father — he said his family helped, especially his mom, who was “the rock throughout the whole thing.”

And his Northwestern teammates and coaches helped too. It wasn’t just letting him know they were sorry or there for him. Sometimes it was just acting normally, because he needed that too.

“My teammates just really rallied around me, and they kind of became like 110 brothers that I never had,” he said.

‘Baddest dude out there’

Fitzgerald’s freshman season wasn’t easy on the field either as he realized he would be playing behind guys with several years of experience.

He played scout team for a 1-11 squad before getting a few reps on special teams at the end of the year, which became a redshirt season. But he believed that if he kept working, he could increase his opportunities.

In his second season, he started on three special teams units and played in a third-down subpackage. By his third year, he made the defensive rotation and started some at nickel for the Wildcats.

Barnett, who joined Braun’s staff before the 2024 season, saw a player who was intentional and diligent with his work. He told Fitzgerald at the end of that season that he probably should have played more at safety, and he saw that message take hold to build Fitzgerald’s confidence in the offseason.

“I saw toughness,” Barnett said. “I saw a willingness to get better. I saw a guy that takes coaching. He’s one of those guys who’s going to do exactly what you tell him. He’s going to take it to heart, he’s going to listen to you and he’s going to apply it. And that’s what you like to see as a coach.”

Barnett, who played defensive back at Michigan State and in the NFL, always tells his players that they need to believe that they are the best player on the field.

Fitzgerald said he knew he was meant to be in the starting-safety role after the opener against Tulane, when he had 13 tackles. But his confidence was really in place by the fourth game of the season against UCLA, a 17-14 Northwestern win in which Fitzgerald had nine tackles, including a tackle for a loss. He wouldn’t freak out if he missed a tackle. He told himself he was the best player on the field.

“Then he started playing like that — ‘I’m the baddest dude out here. I’m the baddest guy on the field,’” Barnett said.

Fitzgerald had numerous big plays in Northwestern’s near-upset of Michigan at Wrigley Field on Nov. 15. He had a career-high 15 tackles, including a tackle for a loss, and picked off quarterback Bryce Underwood in the fourth quarter, but Barnett got excited about a hit on a Wolverines running back late in the fourth.

“He came in and smacked one of the running backs,” Barnett said. “I am vicariously playing through the players. And so, oh, man, I was so fired up. … And I don’t like Michigan, so that also adds to it.”

Fitzgerald will have one more chance this season to show up Friday against Central Michigan. He said the Wildcats want to finish with a winning record, send their seniors out on a high note and build some momentum heading into next season.

Barnett said in the offseason Fitzgerald will continue to work on his speed and change of direction, on honing his already solid ball skills and tackling and improving his “vision and break” to where the quarterback is sending the ball.

He expects him to continue to develop his leadership too. Fitzgerald delivered a speech to the team before the Tulane game to rally his teammates and said he is working on being a more vocal leader, which comes naturally after he feels like he has earned it.

That merit has come this season. Earlier this year, Northwestern coach David Braun said Fitzgerald should be proud of the demeanor and the consistency with which he has played, adding “there’s no one in this program that reflects our values more than that young man.”

Fitzgerald has thought about how his dad would view this breakout season, and he knows he would revel in it.

“He would eat this season up,” Fitzgerald said. “He would love to see me. I know he’s watching, but he would love to be in those stands and see me out there, just like I was playing in high school.”

RELATED PHOTO GALLERY Before a capacity crowd and with a full-hearted effort, the Hawaii football team willed a 35-31 victory over California in Wednesday night’s Sheraton Hawaii Bowl.

It was an improbable finish, with a backup quarterback firing the winning pass to a Canada native who picked up American football as a freshman in 2022.

“Unbelievable, ” UH coach Timmy Chang said of the conclusion to the Warriors’ 9-4 season. “I’m grateful for all the guys. They did it. I’m just speechless.”

The Golden Bears regained the lead at 31-28 on Campbell High graduate Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele’s 1-yard quarterback sneak with 1 :57 to play.

UH quarterback Micah Alejado then drove the Warriors to the Cal 22 with a 13-yard pass to running back Cam Barfield. But Alejado fell in a heap after aggravating an injured right ankle, forcing the Warriors to call a timeout with 15 seconds to play.

Luke Weaver, who was a junior college All-American last season, was summoned as Alejado’s replacement. Weaver, who was 2-0 as a UH starter, was held to four regular-season games to qualify for a redshirt. But the limits were lifted for the postseason, freeing Weaver to be activated for the bowl.

Chang called for a switch route. Nick Cenacle, aligned as the right slotback, cut toward the near sideline and then went into a sprint.

“I saw the corner low, and Nick Cenacle open, ” Weaver said. “I had to give it a shot. The protection held up and he made the play.”

In full stride, Cenacle extended his arms to make the catch in the end zone for a 34-31 lead with 10 seconds to play. Kansei Matsuzawa, who has not missed a point-after kick this season, was true again to make it 35-31.

“That was our go-to, ” Cenacle said. “We run it all season. I just did a little front-foot set, a little move (on the cornerback ), and went. It seemed like time stopped. All the confidence in the world in Luke. All our quarterbacks are amazing.”

Chang said : “I called it, but I didn’t execute it. They executed it. What an amazing throw and catch by Luke and Nick.”

Weaver said : “That was all God. That’s as simple as I can put it. … It’s been that way the whole season. Just be ready if I’m needed. That’s my role.”

It was a fond adieu for senior Cenacle, who grew up in Montreal and had to adjust to American football as a freshman. Last year, Cenacle entered the transfer portal, but then withdrew to remain at UH for his senior season. Cenacle was hindered by ailments this year, but he used the 25-day break from the regular-season finale to be healthy for the bowl.

“I’m happy I stayed, ” Cenacle said.

It was an emotional game, from the pairing of former UH quarterbacks—Chang and Cal’s interim head coach Nick Rolovich were teammates in 2000 and 2001—to the duel of left-handed signal callers. Alejado, who moved to Las Vegas in the eighth grade, and Sagapolutele grew up in Ewa Beach.

Sagapolutele directed the Golden Bears to touchdowns on their first three drives. Set up by elusive running back Kendrick Raphael (who entered averaging 3.02 post-contact yards while amassing 46 missed tackles ) and pre-snap motions, Sagapolutele picked apart the Warriors with a horizontal game featuring screens and throws to the flats.

“I know some people might have turned their TVs off, ” Barfield said of the three-touchdown deficit, “but we fight hard for everything we have.”

Alejado sparked the comeback despite several ailments. He has played on an injured right ankle suffered in the season opener against Stanford. He also has an injury to his left foot. And the left-hander’s throwing arm has experienced soreness.

“It’s a constant grind, ” Alejado said of the ailments. “It’s part of football. … We started off slow. But we’ve been resilient all year. It started off with that Stanford game when the first play was a strip-sack. Now we’re here.”

The Warriors scored 21 points in a row to tie it. The Warriors got on the board on Pofele Ashlock’s 13-yard scoring catch.

Matsuzawa added a 29-yard field goal with 27 seconds remaining in the first half, and a 39-yarder on the Warriors’ first drive of the second half.

Later, Ashlock caught a pass at the threshold of the end zone, then curled the ball around the right pylon for the touchdown to cut the deficit to 21-19.

Chang decided to go for the two-point conversion. Barfield faked receiving a handoff and went through the heart of the defense. Alejado then underhanded a shovel pass to Barfield to tie it at 21.

“That’s something we worked on since January, ” Barfield said. “It was a shovel pass, but (Alejado ) can sprint out and throw it. It’s built for situations like that.”

Alejado said : “It was fun to watch the hard work come to fruition.”

Ashlock, a junior from Euless, Texas, also was prominent in the night of comebacks. After Ashlock dropped a pass in the flats, he rebounded to make an acrobatic one-handed grab for a 30-yard gain. Ashlock finished with 14 catches (on 17 targets ) for 123 yards and two touchdowns.

“It’s a constant thing I have to remember, the confidence I have to have in myself, ” Ashlock said.

In the aftermath—when mid-field scuffles calmed between the teams—Alejado was able to raise the trophy.

“It means a lot to me, but more for the state, ” Alejado said. “I’m happy for the state. I’m trying to bring back the pride to the state. It was a great season. But we’re focusing on what we can do better.”

GAME STATS FIRST QUARTER CALIFORNIA—Jacob De Jesus 41 pass from Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele.

Chase Meyer kick.—Drive : 8 plays, 72 yards, 4 :11 elapsed time.—Time : 7 :01. Score : California 7, Hawaii 0 SECOND QUARTER CALIFORNIA—Kendrick Raphael 19 run.

Meyer kick.—Drive : 8 plays, 68 yards, 3 :02 elapsed time.—Time : 14 :55. Score : California 14, Hawaii 0 CALIFORNIA—Anthony League 8 run. Meyer kick.—Drive : 8 plays, 49 yards, 3 :13 elapsed time.—Time : 9 :38. Score : California 21, Hawaii 0 HAWAII—Pofele Ashlock 13 pass from Micah Alejado. Kansei Matsuzawa kick.—Drive : 12 plays, 75 yards, 5 :41 elapsed time.—Time : 3 :57. Score : California 21, Hawaii 7 HAWAII—FG Matsuzawa 29—Drive : 7 plays, 21 yards, 1 :18 elapsed time.—Time : 0 :27. Score : California 21, Hawaii 10 THIRD QUARTER HAWAII—FG Matsuzawa 39—Drive : 13 plays, 61 yards, 6 :20 elapsed time.—Time : 5 :58 Score : California 21, Hawaii 13 FOURTH QUARTER HAWAII—Ashlock 3 pass from Alejado.

Cam Barfield pass from Alejado.—Drive : 8 plays, 53 yards, 3 :41 elapsed time.—Time : 13 :50 Score : California 21, Hawaii 21 CALIFORNIA—FG Meyer 22—Drive : 10 plays, 71 yards, 4 :54 elapsed time.—Time : 8 :56 Score : California 24, Hawaii 21 HAWAII—Brandon White 17 pass from Alejado. Matsuzawa kick.—Drive : 4 plays, 59 yards, 1 :27 elapsed time.—Time : 7 :19. Score : Hawaii 28, California 24 CALIFORNIA—Sagapolutele 1 run.

Meyer kick.—Drive : 9 plays, 75 yards, 5 :22 elapsed time.—Time : 1 :57. Score : California 31, Hawaii 28 HAWAII—Nick Cenacle 22 pass from Luke Weaver. Matsuzawa kick.—Drive : 10 plays, 68 yards, 1 :42 elapsed time.—Time : 0 :10. Score : Hawaii 35, California 31 TEAM STATISTICS CAL UH First downs 29 24 Rushing 10 6 Passing 18 16 Penalty 1 2 Net Yards Rush. 145 93 Attempts 29 23 Avg. Per Rush 5.0 4.0 Rushing TDs 3 0 Yards Gained 151 98 Yards Lost 6 5 Net Yards Pass. 343 302 Comp-Att-Int 28-39-0 34-49-0 Avg./Attempt 8.8 6.2 Avg./Completion 12.3 8.9 TDs 1 4 Total Offen. Yards 488 395 Plays 68 72 Avg./Play 7.2 5.5 Fumbles-Lost 0-0 0-0 Penalties-Yards 8-85 8-55 Punts-Yards 2-47 2-91 Avg./Punt 23.5 45.5 Net /Punt 23.5 28.5 Inside 20 1 1 50 + Yards 0 0 Touchbacks 0 0 Fair Catch 1 0 Kickoffs-Yards 6-347 7-418 Avg. Yards /KO 57.8 59.7 Net Yards /KO 41.7 46.4 Touchbacks 2 3 Punt Ret.-Yards 2-34 0-0 Punt Ret.-Avg. 17.0 NA Time of Poss. 29 :40 30 :20 3rd Down Conv. 6-10 8-17 4th Down Conv. 0-1 3-3 Red Zone Conv. 4-4 5-5 RZ Touchdowns 3 3 RZ Field Goals 1 2 Sacks Total-Yards 0-0 1-6 PATs 4-4 3-3 Field Goals 1-2 2-3

Dec. 24—Mark Few was purely going off memory.

Turns out the longtime Gonzaga coach has pretty impressive recall, to go along with the other qualities that have cemented him as one of sport's best over the last 30 years.

Following Gonzaga's 91-82 victory over Oregon last Sunday in Portland, Few, in a brief moment of reflection, speculated the seventh-ranked Zags (12-1) had just completed the most impressive nonconference run in his 27 years at the helm.

Maybe not the best from a sheer record standpoint — past teams have sprinted through nonleague play without losing — but best win-loss total against the strongest schedule? There's a case to be had.

"27 years of this stuff. We've always tried to schedule difficult, especially this last 10 years or 12 years, we've been trying to schedule to be a 1 seed in the noncon," Few said. "And I think — I'm sure somebody will try to dispute this with analytics, but I think it's the best run we've had in the nonconference."

Analytics, win-loss record, eye test, etc. However you choose to measure it, Gonzaga's recent 13-game stretch holds up against any the program's had, both during Few's tenure and in the modern era.

The Zags have finished nonconference play with one or zero losses on just seven occasions. The 2020-21 national runner-up team was unbeaten, but it played four fewer nonconference games due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2016-17 squad that reached the national final entered West Coast Conference play with a 12-0 mark, but didn't go through the nonleague gauntlet the 2025-26 team just completed.

Which brings us to the next relevant data point: Gonzaga's record against programs competing in the "power conferences" (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Big East, SEC). The Zags won a program-record eight games against teams in that category during November and December, and tied the record for most games played against power-conference opponents under Few (9).

"Literally with who we've played, where we've played, how the games have stacked up. It just felt like that and that's not taking anything away," Few said. "We've had teams go undefeated to the very, very end of the season, but sometimes we weren't able to play the type of schedule we played. The COVID year, we certainly weren't and I can't off the top of my head remember how we did in '17 or '19."

Analytics make a compelling case for this year's group, too. According to KenPom.com, which computes "strength of schedule" for every Division I team, Gonzaga completed the fourth toughest slate in school history with a rating of +8.7 — a figure that will continue to move throughout the season. Previous Gonzaga teams have faced more challenging competition according to the KenPom metric — +10.6 (2008-09), +9.5 (2006-07) and +8.9 (2024-25) — but each dropped at least four games during nonleague play.

The 2025-26 Zags also matched the school record for ranked nonconference wins, beating No. 23 Creighton, No. 8 Alabama, No. 18 Kentucky and No. 25 UCLA. Their nonleague schedule featured eight teams that played in last year's NCAA Tournament, seven that made the Round of 32 and four that advanced to the Sweet 16 (Michigan, Maryland, Alabama, Kentucky).

Updated bracket projections from ESPN's Joe Lunardi estimate five of Gonzaga's nonconference opponents will make the field this March, with unbeaten Michigan as the top overall seed and Oklahoma as the last team in.

Margin of victory leans in favor of the 2025-26 Zags. Previous Gonzaga teams have put together solid resumes, but it often required scraping by top opponents in single-possession or overtime games.

As one of only two teams in the country that rank top-10 in both adjusted offense (No. 4) and defense (No. 9) per KenPom, the Zags blitzed through their nonconference schedule, outscoring opponents by 24.8 points per game. That signifies the highest nonleague scoring margin under Few, edging six other teams that finished with a margin of 20 ppg or higher.

It's even more impressive when you consider the damage inflicted by Gonzaga's only setback, a 40-point loss to Michigan in the championship game of the Players Era Festival. Remove the Michigan game from the equation and GU's margin rises to 30.1 ppg.

Gonzaga won 11 of its 12 nonconference games by double figures. That would've been a perfect 12 for 12 had the Zags not conceded a layup to Oregon's Dezdrick Lindsay with three seconds remaining in Sunday's nine-point victory. Outside of the shortened 2020-21 campaign, Gonzaga's played in at least two single-digit games every other year since Few's debut season in 1999-2000.

The nonconference run included the largest margin of victory against a Division I opponent under Few — a 122-50 victory over Southern Utah. Gonzaga also won three nonconference games by at least 50 points for the first time in the coach's tenure.

"Certainly as good as we've done in the nonconference and super proud of these guys," Few said.

Location and environment are two other things to consider.

The Zags won a true road game at Arizona State and a pseudo-road contest against Kentucky at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena, where Wildcats fans accounted for well over 90% of the 18,507 fans in attendance. Gonzaga played just six of its 13 nonconference games in Spokane, matching the fewest since Few's first season in 1999-2000, when the Zags played all but five of their games outside city limits.

Fourth-year junior Braden Huff, the longest-tenured player on Few's roster, has watched or played in 19 nonconference games against ranked opponents since arriving at Gonzaga in 2022-23. Without access to the numbers and data, Huff agreed this year's nonleague schedule has been the most demanding he's been a part of.

"Since I've been here, for sure," Huff said. "Like coach said, not too familiar with the 2017, 2019 team, COVID year nonconference schedules. But since I've been here, definitely the best and I'm proud of how we've approached every game in this noncon. Want to continue for WCC play."

Dec. 24—What do we know about West Coast Conference women's basketball teams after nonconference games?

Truth is not much more than most knew in late October when teams were preparing for their season openers.

Ready or not, though, WCC play begins a 10-week season Sunday.

The coaches put out their preseason poll, but no team has stepped up and declared it is the team to beat.

There are a handful of contenders. Oregon State got the preseason nod. The Beavers received nine of 12 first-place votes (coaches couldn't vote for their teams). Gonzaga, which shared the regular-season championship with Portland last year, was tabbed second, receiving the other three first-place votes.

To be fair, coaches had little substance in which to base their preseason rankings. Most teams had significant turnover.

Nonconference results would suggest that some of the predictions are off. Here are the records through nonconference play: Oregon State (8-5), Gonzaga (8-5), WSU (1-12), Portland (6-6), Santa Clara (10-3), San Francisco (7-4), Saint Mary's (9-4), Pacific (5-6), LMU (5-6), Pepperdine (9-3), San Diego (6-7) and Seattle (4-7).

The champion is likely to come from this group — Gonzaga, OSU, Santa Clara, San Francisco, Saint Mary's or Portland.

Noteworthy

At first glance, coaches picking WSU third was largely a guess. WSU lost six players to the transfer portal, including two starters.

In the Cougars' defense, they've played a challenging schedule and haven't been at full strength yet.

—Pepperdine, in its second season under former Lake City High and Montana standout Katie (Baker) Faulkner, is off to its best start in 45 years. The Wave had to replace all 11 players from a year ago.

—Santa Clara has gotten the attention of followers nationally. The Broncos have been projected to win the WCC's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. Their 10 wins have all been by double digits.

—Portland, which went into WCC play a year ago undefeated, has replaced five starters off a team that finished with a school-best 31-5.

—The nine nonconference wins by Saint Mary's is the most since 2013.

—OSU was picked to win before it lost a returning starter for the season to a knee injury. The Beavers were tabbed based on winning the WCC Tournament last winter.

"It puts a large target on our back, for sure," OSU coach Scott Ruek said. "You're going to get everybody's best shot. ... That's a great challenge and I welcome that."

—The addition of Seattle to the league forced the WCC to go to an unbalanced schedule. Each team plays seven teams twice and four teams once (two at home, two on the road) for 18.

Gonzaga and OSU have the same four single games against LMU, Pepperdine, Saint Mary's and Seattle. The addition of Seattle to the league forced the WCC to go to an unbalanced schedule. Each team plays seven teams twice and four teams once (two at home, two on the road) for 18.

Gonzaga and OSU have the same four single games against LMU, Pepperdine, Saint Mary's and Seattle.

—Gonzaga, OSU and WSU move on to the rebuilt Pac-12 next year.

—Gonzaga has won 18 of the last 21 league titles and nine of 11 under 12th-year coach Lisa Fortier. The Zags are seeking a fourth straight title this season.

So history says Gonzaga will finish near or at the top of the WCC heap.

—Six teams the Zags have played — North Dakota State, South Dakota State, Stanford, Indiana, Colorado State and Arizona State — are projected to make the NCAA Tournament by ESPN's Charlie Creme. Gonzaga went 1-5 against those teams, beating North Dakota State and losing by an average of 6.4 points including a two-point setback to Arizona State.

For the Zags. a difficult nonconference schedule has to count for something, right? They begin league having won five of their last six.

"It's kind of a funky year with an unbalanced schedule," Fortier said. "Really, every game is more important than ever before."

Had Gonzaga taken better care of the ball, it might have a couple more wins. The Zags have been in all their games well into the fourth quarter.

Gonzaga's starting lineup is an interesting mix, not all of it home grown. The Zags returned one starter in sophomore guard Allie Turner, the WCC's Freshman of the Year last season. Redshirt freshman forward Lauren Whittaker has played older than her age, and lone senior Ines Bettencourt, who shares point duties with Turner, started half the season a year ago. Manning the other two spots are junior transfers Zeryhia Aokuso (guard), the 2023-24 WCC Freshman of the Year at Saint Mary's, and Taylor Smith (forward), both of whom were two-year starters previously.

Turner and Aokuso were preseason All-WCC picks.

Fortier has said often the past two months that her team has all the pieces it needs to reach its potential.

So after a trying nonconference schedule Gonzaga must believe things will lighten up in WCC play. Not exactly.

"The emphasis going into WCC is it just keeps getting harder because now these teams know you pretty well," Fortier said. "These (nonconference) teams know that we're Gonzaga, but the teams in the conference don't like us. So there's always that piece. A different level of something at stake."

Fortier is looking forward to WCC play.

"Our emphasis will be consistency, competitive stamina which plays into consistency, continuing to improve as a team in all areas," Fortier said. "I don't think there's one area where we're saying 'oh, we're good' — hopefully they get some rest and they're ready to dial it in in the next phase of our season."

—Don't send any sympathy cards to WSU coach Kamie Ethridge. She sees improvement even if her team has just one victory.

"Preseason polls are just a joke right now in this day and age," Ethridge said during WCC Media Day in late October. "And people made the all-league team that didn't even play in the league last year. Half of them (weren't in the league) last year. How do you judge that."

Ethridge said OSU and Gonzaga always win and that shouldn't change in league.

"(But) I think it's going to be a wild league," Ethridge said.

WSU junior guard Eleonora Villa is the WCC's second-ranked scorer (17.2).

—Gonzaga opens at home against LMU on Sunday at 2 p.m. followed two days later against Pepperdine.

WSU is at home Sunday against Pepperdine in a noon tipoff and entertains LMU on Tuesday.

Contenders for top honor

Gonzaga has taken the last three Players of the Year honors.

There's only been one freshman win the honor and that occurred in the WCC's first season. It could happen a second time this winter.

That candidate is Gonzaga's 6-foot-3 Whittaker, who is making a case for National Freshman of the Year honors. She ranks second among freshmen in the nation at 19.5 points per game and seventh in rebounding (9.3).

Whittaker, who broke Gonzaga's freshman record for double-doubles at five in the Zags' final nonconference game, ranks first in scoring, first in field goal percentage (58.1) and second in rebounding in the WCC. Santa Clara graduate forward Sophie Glancey is fourth in scoring (15.6) and third in rebounding (8.0).

Whittaker was named both the WCC Player of the Week and the Freshman Player of the Week on Monday. It's the fourth time she's been tabbed Freshman of the Week.

—Whittaker averaged 19.7 points and 12.7 rebounds in three games last week, including a pair of double-doubles. She now has the Gonzaga freshman record for double-doubles (five). The five double-doubles is tied for first among freshmen in the nation this season.

In a win at Missouri State, Whittaker had a career-high 16 rebounds. That vaulted her into second among freshmen for rebounds in a game. She was a rebound shy of a third double-double last week when she had 24 points and nine rebounds in a 68-66 loss to undefeated Arizona State.

—The double-double WCC honors for Whittaker was topped Tuesday when she was named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Tamika Catchings National Freshman of the Week.

The honor was based on the aforementioned accomplishments of last week. No previous Gonzaga freshman has ever won the award.

The honor is named after Catchings, a former Tennessee All-American.

Around the area

Idaho and Eastern Washington are off until opening Big Sky Conference play next week.

Idaho (9-4) visits Eastern Washington (6-6) on Jan. 3 in a league opener.

The Vandals were picked third in both the coaches' and media polls and EWU was tabbed sixth in both.

OXFORD – Ole Miss’ lone blemish in the 2025 season still doesn’t sit quite right. But as fate would have it, the Rebels will get their chance at redemption.

The No. 6 Rebels (12-1) will face No. 3 Georgia (12-1) in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1 at 7 p.m. It is a rematch of their Oct. 18 contest in Athens, Georgia, a game the Bulldogs won 43-35. Ole Miss led the game by nine heading into the fourth quarter but was outscored 17-0 over the final 15 minutes. After racking up 338 yards over the first three quarters, Ole Miss managed just 13 total yards on 11 plays in the fourth. The Bulldogs totaled 143 yards in the game’s final quarter and held the ball for more than 13 minutes.

The Rebels scored touchdowns on each of their first five drives in the game but punted twice and turned the ball over on downs in their three fourth-quarter drives. Georgia did not punt once in the game and scored on every drive minus the game’s final one. The Bulldogs finished with 510 yards of offense – including 221 yards on the ground – and quarterback Gunner Stockton threw for 289 yards and four touchdowns and scored a rushing touchdown.

Moments after defeating Tulane 41-10 in their College Football Playoff debut, Rebels defenders already had their eyes on the challenge awaiting New Year’s Day in New Orleans.

“Me and TJ Dottery, I swear we were just literally just talking about that, like, 30 minutes ago,” sophomore defensive tackle Will Echoles said postgame. “So, man, it's a personal thing now. … We know we have to go play our best, like I said, and go be dominant like we know we can.”

In six games since their lone loss of the season, the Rebels have held opponents to an average of 313.7 yards and 15.5 points per game. Georgia, the SEC champion that had a first-round bye in the CFP, is averaging just under 29.8 points per game and 381.8 yards per game in six games since last facing the Rebels.

Dottery, who leads Ole Miss with 83 tackles, is looking forward to another chance at Georgia.

“It means a lot to get another shot at that game,” Dottery said. “Honestly, right after the game when we lost, I kind of figured we were going to have another shot at them, not knowing when. But what better opportunity than now?”

In the late 1990s, UConn embarked on the world of top-level college football, a decision that has brought highs and lows. One of the rewards was the chance to play in a bowl game, which, before the playoff system was adopted and began expanding, was the ultimate destination.

After a transitional period of two seasons as an independent, coach Randy Edsall led the Huskies into the Big East, meant to be a formidable conference of traditional football schools like Syracuse, Pitt, Boston College, West Virginia, Miami, among others. The Huskies began to compete for a bowl bid and earned their first in 2004.

In the two decades since, UConn has played in eight bowl games, with No.9 to come against Army at the Fenway Bowl in Boston on Saturday at 2:15 p.m. Here is a look at the Huskies’ bowl history:

Dec. 27, 2004: Motor City Bowl

Ironically, UConn’s first bowl opponent was Toledo, the school from which their new head coach, Jason Candle, was lured. The Big Ten could not provide a qualifying team for its tie in, so the Huskies (7-4) were invited to Detroit’s Ford Field and knocked off the MAC champs, 39-10, before 52,552 fans.

UConn rolled up 398 yards in offense, with 239 though the air as MVP Dan Orlovsky kept the chains moving and threw a TD pass. Larry Taylor returned a punt 68 yards for a touchdown and Matt Nuzie kicked four field goals.

Dom Amore’s Sunday Read: UConn hasn’t lost appetite for bowls, Sun’s possible parting gift and more

Dec. 29, 2007: Meineke Car Care Bowl

Three years later, Edsall and the Huskies (9-3) were back in the bowl business, invited to play Wake Forest in the bowl game in Charlotte, N.C., providing a bit of a home field advantage for the Deacons, their campus 80 miles from the NFL home of the Panthers. Wake Forest won, 24-10, before 53,126. Taylor again returned a punt 68 yards for a touchdown as the Huskies took a 10-0 lead, but it was all Deacons after that. They gained 412 yards to UConn’s 213.

Jan. 3, 2009: International Bowl

UConn (7-5) crossed north of the border to play in the Rogers Centre, retractable-roofed home of the Blue Jays. Buffalo, another opponent that didn’t have to travel far, was the victim when UConn got its first-ever FBS win. The Huskies beat the Bulls again, 38-20, before 40,184.

This was Donald Brown’s day, he ran for 261 yards, including a 45-yard touchdown, to win the game’s MVP, and declared afterward he would skip  his senior year and enter the NFL Draft, the first Husky ever taken in the first round. QB Tyler Lorenzen ran for two scores.

Jan 2, 2010: Papajohns.com Bowl

One of the most satisfying days in program history, UConn (7-5) was capping a season that included five losses by a total of 15 points, the dramatic OT win at Notre Dame and the death of teammate Jasper Howard. Now they faced the SEC’s South Carolina Gamecocks and famed coach Steve Spurrier at Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala.

Kashif Moore’s one-handed touchdown catch helped the Huskies take a 13-0 lead in the first half, and Andre Dixon’s 10-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter sealed the 20-7 victory before 45,254. Dixon was player of the game with 126 yards rushing.

Jan. 1, 2011: Fiesta Bowl

Still the high-water mark in UConn football history, Dave Teggart’s clutch 50-yard kick at South Florida lifted the Huskies (8-4) to the Big East championship and into a New Year’s Day game at Glendale, Ariz., site of Super Bowls. They Huskies hung in for a while with one of the sport’s blue bloods, but lost to Oklahoma, 48-20, before 67,232.

Dwayne Gratz’s interception return got UConn on the board, but the Huskies were trailing by 24 before Robbie Frey’s 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Teggart kicked two field goals, but UConn was overmatched. After the game, Edsall accepted the job at Maryland, abruptly ending his first tenure at UConn.

Dec. 26, 2015: St. Petersburg Bowl

After several losing seasons, coach Bob Diaco’s Huskies managed a 6-6 record and represented the American Athletic Conference at Tropicana Field, the stadium in which UConn won its first men’s basketball championship 16 years earlier. Marshall won a forgettable game, 16-10, before 14,652. Ron Johnson scored on an 8-yard run and Bobby Puyol kicked a 52-yard field goal for UConn.

Dom Amore: Joe Fagnano has taken his last snap for UConn football, now he’s aiming for the NFL

Dec. 19, 2022: Myrtle Beach Bowl

UConn was 10-41 between the St. Pete Bowl and Jim Mora’s arrival as coach in 2022, as neither Diaco nor Edsall, who returned in 2017, could turn things around. The Huskies, now an independent again, staged a series of upsets behind freshman quarterback Zion Turner, over Fresno State, Boston College and Liberty, to edge into bowl territory. At Myrtle Beach, S.C., they faced Marshall again and, after falling behind 28-0, lost 28-14 before 12,023. at Brooks Stadium. Turner threw three interceptions, but Bristol’s Victor Rose capped his freshman season with touchdown runs  of 14 and 24 yards.

Dec. 28, 2024: Fenway Bowl

Seeking an attendance surge, the Fenway Sports Group found another bowl for their AAC tie-in and invited the independent Huskies to face North Carolina. It worked, as a record 27,900 filled the ancient home of the Red Sox and UConn won, 27-14, in the shadow of The Green Monster — and Bill Belichick, who was soon to take over the Tar Heels.

Joe Fagnano, the game’s MVP, completed 16 of 23 for 151 yards and two touchdowns. Mel Brown rushed for 96 and Skyler Bell caught three for 77 and a touchdown. The Huskies (9-4) completed their first winning season since 2010.

JAMM AQUINO / APRIL 26 Hawaii men’s volleyball coach Charlie Wade guided the Rainbow Warriors to 27 wins and a Big West Conference championship last season.

JAMM AQUINO / APRIL 26 Hawaii men’s volleyball coach Charlie Wade guided the Rainbow Warriors to 27 wins and a Big West Conference championship last season.

The Hawaii men’s volleyball team will open its 2026 season in 10 days ranked No. 2 in the country according to the AVCA National Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Preseason Poll released today.

The Rainbow Warriors, who finished 27-6 last season and won a Big West championship before losing in the semifinals of the NCAA Championship, received seven of 25 first-place votes and was eight points behind No. 1 UCLA, which ended Hawaii’s season in a three-set sweep in Columbus, Ohio in May.

Defending national champion Long Beach State received five first-place votes and is ranked No. 3 going into the season, ahead of Pepperdine and No. 5 Southern California, which earned the final first-place vote.

The other Big West teams in the top 20 include No. 6 UC Irvine, No. 10 UC San Diego, No. 11 Cal State Northridge and No. 17 UC Santa Barbara.

UH’s nonconferene schedule includes home matches on Jan. 6 and 8 against No. 7 Loyola Chicago and road trips at No. 9 Stanford and No. 13 Penn State.

Hawaii also hosts the fourth-ranked Waves and will play No. 12 Lewis and the top-ranked Bruins in the Outrigger Invitational.

A four-team NIL Tournament in currently scheduled for Feb. 19 and 20 in the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., and will feature four of the top five teams in the poll.

Hawaii lost starters Kurt Nusterer and ‘Eleu Choy to graduation last season but return its top four leaders in kills as well as junior setter Tread Rosenthal.

Rosenthal was named to the All-Big West first team along with returning sophomores Adrien Roure and Kristian Titriyski.

UH opens the season against NJIT on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, at 7 p.m. at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.

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Dec. 23—GRAND FORKS — UND has its new volleyball coach.

The Fighting Hawks have hired David Nguyen from Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey.

He replaces Jesse Tupac, whose contract was not renewed at the end of the season.

Nguyen brought Fairleigh Dickinson to the NCAA tournament in 2022 and won the Northeast Conference (NEC) regular-season championship in 2023.

Nguyen was named NEC coach of the year twice in four seasons at Fairleigh Dickinson.

His teams went 9-5, 11-3, 11-3 and 12-4 in the NEC. Before his arrival, Fairleigh Dickinson went 3-11, 2-6, 3-13, 0-14, 1-13 and 1-13 in the NEC.

"What he has been able to do at FDU was nothing short of remarkable in such a short amount of time," UND athletic director Bill Chaves said. "To be a two-time NEC Coach of the Year and leading the Knights into the NCAA tournament for the first time in their history is something that he and we believe can be replicated at UND."

Nguyen will have a similar rebuilding project at UND.

The Fighting Hawks have posted eight consecutive losing seasons as the program spiraled from a strong mid-major under Ashley Hardee (2009-13) and Mark Pryor (2014-18) to a floundering team in the Summit League.

UND went 7-20 and 4-12 in the Summit last season. It has not yet won a match at the Summit League tournament since joining the conference in 2018.

"My mission is to provide our student-athletes a first-class experience by being competitive on and off the court," Nguyen said. "We are going to work together to build a legacy our student-athletes, alumni, fans and donors can be proud of. I am excited to take this next step in my career, and I look forward to building a volleyball family at North Dakota."

This will be Nguyen's first coaching venture out West.

He attended Virginia Commonwealth University from 2013-18, serving as team manager. He was the director of operations at Virginia from 2018-19.

Nguyen was hired as an assistant coach at William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va., from 2019-21. He served as an assistant at Coastal Carolina in Conway, S.C., from 2021-22, before heading to Fairleigh Dickinson in Madison, N.J.

When he was hired at Fairleigh Dickinson, he had support from people at his previous stops.

"Coaching is in David's DNA," William and Mary coach Tim Doyle said in 2022. "He's built to lead volleyball teams. I'm excited to see his purpose come to life at Fairleigh Dickinson. They say a team takes on the personality of its head coach. If that's the case, FDU will be known for working tirelessly, and like David, they'll never quit."

UND has a tie with Fairleigh Dickinson. Chaves' son, Derek, is a graduate assistant with the Knights this year.

Tupac spent four seasons at UND, going 35-77 (.313). His contract expires Dec. 31. UND announced last month that the school and Tupac mutually agreed to part ways at the end of his contract.

Dec. 23—GRAND FORKS — College hockey is sending an all-star team to the Spengler Cup for the first time.

The U.S. College Selects will compete in Davos, Switzerland, from Dec. 26-31, in a six-team tournament that has been held since 1923.

But they don't want it to be the last.

"We understand the responsibility to college hockey players in the future to have this opportunity and platform," U.S. College Selects coach Guy Gadowsky said. "We want to represent college hockey extremely well so we continue to get to do this."

The U.S. College Selects began building the team by offering spots to last year's All-Americans — a reward for staying in college another year.

UND's Jake Livanavage was one of those players. The other returning All-Americans who accepted invites were defenseman Mac Gadowsky (Army, Penn State), UConn forward Joey Muldowney, Penn State forward Aiden Fink and Minnesota State goaltender Alex Tracy.

All-American goalies Trey Augustine of Michigan State and Albin Boija of Maine were unable to join the Selects.

General managers Steve Metcalf and Sean Hogan continued building the team with players who had strong starts to the 2025-26 NCAA season like Fighting Hawks defenseman Abram Wiebe, Minnesota Duluth forward Zam Plante and Denver defenseman Eric Pohlkamp of Brainerd, Minn.

College hockey officials acknowledged to the Herald that they're hoping to build a rapport with the Spengler Cup to bring future NCAA all-star teams.

It might not be an annual thing, but it could be biennially.

"We're the pioneers in this tournament," Gadowsky said. "We're going to learn a ton about how to improve it for future years."

Dec. 23—AMES, Iowa. — Nate Heise has made a successful transition from the University of Northern Iowa to Iowa State University, the Lake City graduate a basketball standout at both schools.

Heise was at UNI for four years, one of them during COVID and one of them when he was injured and took a medical redshirt season. That allowed him two more seasons after using the transfer portal to move up in the basketball world and attend Iowa State, a Big 12 school that is currently unbeaten (12-0) and ranked fourth in the country.

Heise, a defensive specialist, gets things done at both ends of the court. He is averaging 5.8 points per game (shooting 47% from the field), 3.5 rebounds and 2 steals per game.

"He's doing a lot of what we'd hoped he'd do," said Iowa State assistant Erik Crawford, who also was an assistant at UNI when Heise played there. "It's his competitive nature that allows him to be very good. He's very confident on defense for sure. He doesn't back down from any challenge and he is an extremely smart basketball player."

Here is a Q&A with Heise, who next year hopes to be playing professional basketball overseas.

Post Bulletin: How good a fit has Iowa State been for you?

Heise: I would say that had I come here as a freshman it wouldn't have been the best fit for me. But four years later, it's the perfect fit. The growth of my game and where it is at now makes it perfect. I learned a lot at Northern Iowa.

What are your thoughts as you look back at your years at Northern Iowa?

I look back at it the best way possible. I met great people there and had great coaches. The amount of stuff I learned there is through the roof. I look back at it very fondly. Ben Jacobson was a great coach and I got along with him really well, and he had great assistants, too. I wouldn't be where I am now without them.

What made you want to use the transfer portal and go to Iowa State?

I got my degree at Northern Iowa, and I spent four years there. I'd fulfilled my commitment to them and I knew I had two years left, one because of COVID and one because of an injury. I knew that I wanted to play at the highest level possible and this opportunity presented itself. It fit the bill to move to the next level. I knew they were a top-five kind of team and at UNI, we'd never made it to the NCAA Tournament. So, being on a top-five team meant a lot to me.

Your Iowa State team is currently 12-0 and ranked fourth in the country. What makes the Cyclones so good?

I think it's the way that (head coach) T.J. (Otzelberger) has put together the roster and how all the pieces fit together. And it's the guys' personalities. He recruits high-character guys who want to work hard and who want to practice and play together. There are no ego guys on our team and that is scarce in today's college game. We have guys who are kind and want to play and work hard.

Besides recruiting the right guys, what are Otzelberger's strengths as a coach?

With basketball, it is the mental side that is more important than the physical side at this level. What (Otzelberger) has done is shape our mindset every day. He is very process oriented. If we do the same things every day, our confidence is going to grow daily.

What kind of pressure comes with being ranked No. 4 in the country, including having had a blowout win over powerhouse Purdue and beaten an excellent and rival Iowa team by four points?

It depends on how you handle pressure. We have amazing fans at Iowa State. For some of them, their day revolves around whether we win or lose. I don't want winning and losing to dictate how I feel day to day, so I don't let it.

What do you see as your primary responsibilities on this team?

I would say two things. One is to be our best defensive guy and one who leads our defense, communicating, taking on that role, getting guys organized and always guarding one of the other team's best players. And with my experience from having played as long as I have (six years in college), it is important that I impart some of that wisdom on our young guys. It is fun and these guys are open to learning. It's just me being able to share my experiences and share what's coming at them.

You have good size, at 6-feet-5, 212 pounds. What makes you such a good defender?

It's my ability to be able to move my feet and be physical. I can guard any position, which is helpful for any team. I can guard the point guard and I can guard the (power forward). When you play basketball as long as I have you learn tendencies (of offensive players) and use your intellect.

You were a double-figure scorer at Northern Iowa. At Iowa State, you're averaging just under 6 points per game. Does that bother you at all?

No, I don't concern myself with my scoring in the slightest. What I want to do at the end of the day is win, so scoring doesn't cross my mind much at all. You mature as you get older and realize that at the end of the day, winning is what you want. I am completely content with my role.

What has been your most meaningful win so far this year?

It was beating Iowa. It is such a rivalry. It was more a sense of relief when we did it as much as anything, especially because we were playing at home and were favored to win. There is just so much riding on that game. It means a lot to so many people. But it was fun. Iowa has good players and a good coach.

Dec. 22—PORTLAND — Gonzaga can bank on at least two more chances to play in the state of Oregon this season. The Zags are scheduled to return in February for road West Coast Conference games against Portland (Feb. 4) and Oregon State (Feb. 7).

Whether the seventh-ranked Zags return in March for a few bonus games at the Moda Center will hinge on how they hold up over the next two months during WCC play.

The NCAA Tournament is returning to the Rose City, with first- and second-round games taking place at the Portland Trail Blazers' home arena, where Gonzaga polished off an impressive nonconference run with a 91-82 victory over Oregon on Sunday afternoon.

Early bracket projections have Gonzaga slotted in as a No. 2 seed, which would all but guarantee Mark Few's team is back in Portland to open March Madness.

We'll spend the next two to three months revisiting that possibility, but for now we'll stick with the rewind of Sunday's game, and how Gonzaga completed an impressive 12-1 run through nonconference play.

Back and forth with Bittle

Gonzaga made a push to land Nate Bittle five years ago, recruiting the five-star center out of California's Prolific Prep. The logjam in Mark Few's frontcourt may have been one of the things that steered Bittle away from Spokane after initially listing GU as one of his four finalists. All-American Drew Timme was only a sophomore at the time and the Zags were heavily involved with Chet Holmgren, who'd give his commitment to Few's staff the following spring.

Gonzaga can't complain with how things turned out, but Sunday's game also would've gone smoother had the 7-foot Bittle been wearing a GU jersey as opposed to a UO one.

Through the first 20 minutes, Oregon's center was equally effective preventing Gonzaga's frontcourt from getting quality looks at the basket as he was scoring from a variety of places on the court.

Bittle, who led Oregon in four statistical categories, turned away Braden Huff's shot inside the first three minutes and blocked Graham Ike a few minutes after that. Bittle then rattled off seven straight Oregon points, converting on a 3-pointer, knocking down a jumper and adding a layup to keep the Ducks locked in a one-possession game.

"He's a really skilled player, can shoot it really well, good post game," Huff said. "Then defensively he's really big in there. So I think just the same approach every game, regardless of the matchup just attacking down low and being physical and not changing the approach is the biggest thing. But he's a really, really skilled player and he had a good one tonight."

Bittle scored 16 of his game-high 28 points in the first half and also squeezed each of his four blocks into the opening frame. The 7-footer finished 10 of 19 from the field, 3 of 8 from the 3-point line and 5 of 5 from the free throw line. In addition to points and blocks, Bittle also led the Ducks in rebounds (9) and assists (5).

"We recruited Nate and he comes from a great family and had a great high school career," Few said. "It's great to see him healthy, I think when you see him healthy you can see how skilled he is and I think when you play him, you forget how big he is. And listen there's a lot of guys in college basketball that are doing that, he's not the only one. They've taken advantage of it and good for them. Until we can get some organization and some rules around this thing, I think we'll continue to see that."

Now in his fifth college basketball season, Bittle has dealt with a handful of physical setbacks, including an ankle injury suffered during the Players Era Festival. His 37 minutes on Sunday were a season high and 12 more than he'd played in any game since hurting his ankle against San Diego State.

"He looked a lot bouncier than he has for weeks," Oregon coach Dana Altman said. "That first half was by far his best half all around defensively, offensively. He hasn't blocked a shot for a month, so getting him back. That first half, their points in the paint had eight and I thought Nate was big in the second half, but I thought he was just gassed.

"We kept him out there, but 27 minutes coming off of a month where he hasn't practiced and played more than 20 minutes in a game."

Razor sharp

Gonzaga's assist numbers have hovered in the high teens and low- to mid-20's most of the season. The Zags are also averaging 10.3 turnovers and probably addressed that statistical category coming out of Wednesday's game against Campbell, when they committed a season-high 15 turnovers.

The assist numbers looked good against Oregon, but the turnover numbers were even better.

Gonzaga had 20 assists compared to a season-low five turnovers, including nine assists with zero turnovers in the second half.

Backup point guard Braeden Smith dictated a lot of what Gonzaga did offensively, totaling seven assists without committing a single turnover.

"I thought it was a pretty good performance, was able to take care of the ball, play make a little bit and score when needed," Smith told The Sideline's Andy Katz after the game. "I think it was a great team win tonight, we rallied through some adversity and it was a great way to win nonconference."

Gonzaga turned the ball over on just 7.4% of its offensive possessions — the lowest rate of the Few era versus a power conference opponent. The Zags' five turnovers were the fewest in a game they've also had at least 20 assists since Jan. 14, 2023, against Portland. Before Sunday, Gonzaga has never registered at least 20 assists and five or fewer turnovers against a high-major opponent during Few's tenure.

Modest Moda turnout

Oregon fans slightly outnumbered Gonzaga fans at the Moda Center, but the turnout in general was smaller than anticipated in a game featuring neighboring Pacific Northwest programs that hadn't played in the continental U.S. since 1983.

The Zags and Ducks drew 10,055 for Sunday's game, filling slightly more than half of the available seats at the downtown Portland venue, which lists a capacity of 19,393 for basketball games.

"Listen, we have a great following and I really, really appreciate everybody that showed up today. That was the plan when Dana and I set this thing up. I've got to be honest with you, I thought we'd have more of Zag nation than we had. We usually draw like crazy wherever we go and especially in the Northwest. A little disappointed in that, but I was so happy for everybody that did show."

Gonzaga entered the game with a top-10 ranking and sparkling nonleague record, but its opponent, which came into the receiving Top 25 votes, was just 6-5 before losing Sunday — perhaps one reason more Eugene- or Portland-based Duck fans didn't attend. Many Oregon fans also attended a College Football Playoff game against James Madison at Autzen Stadium the night before.

Gonzaga fans didn't necessarily show up in droves, possibly because many located in the Northwest elected to attend the team's showdown with another Big Ten school, UCLA, eight days prior at Seattle's Climate Pledge Arena. As mentioned earlier, Portland-based GU fans could have two to four more chances to see the Zags within a 90-mile radius of the city over the next two months.

Dec. 22—If anybody questioned what would provide the motivation for Washington State's players going into the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, it was the same that got them playing the game in the first place.

It was a chance to go out and play ball with their buddies.

The simplest and purest reason there is.

More importantly, the Cougars' enthusiasm for the game, and the joy of competing, was so obvious that this 34-21 win over Utah State had to equate to a three-hour infomercial for WSU football.

You can't buy advertisements like that.

For recruits considering becoming a Cougar, or for alums thinking about prying open their wallets, or just football lovers who wanted to watch a fun football game, WSU put on a convincing show.

It was a chance to show off an exciting offense and mad-dog defense rather than having to debate staff defections, financial shortcomings and a conference torn asunder.

At a time when the college football playoffs are diminishing the appeal of the lesser bowls, and players are entering the giant portal vortex that will transport them other venues with strangers becoming teammates, these Cougars hung together.

Those that remained went to Boise and smacked the heck out of Utah State — one of the teams they'll be seeing in future years in the new Pac-12.

The televised crowd shots at Boise State's Albertson's Stadium showed a scant crowd, but those in attendance (announced at 17,013) witnessed a spirited Cougar performance akin to last season's fiery performance in a Holiday Bowl loss to Syracuse. This was even better, though, because of the outcome.

Adding even more viewer appeal than the dancing tater tot mascot on the sideline, the Cougars used a balanced offense (373 passing yards, 255 rushing) and a hyper-aggressive defense that held USU to just 13 first down.

Utah State's Aggies wore their "Battle Cattle" helmets (white with irregular black spots, presumably to resemble Holstein cows) as a nod to their heritage as an agriculture school.

At first glance, they looked like a pack of 300-pound Dalmatians. But cows, okay.

Sometimes bowl games for teams on the fringe of getting a berth (both WSU and USU matched 6-6 records) are won by the team that has the most interest in actually being there.

With defensive coordinator Jesse Bobbit (soon to join former head coach Jimmy Rogers at Iowa State), guiding the team, the Cougars certainly came out fired up. Bobbit reportedly pitched the concept of finishing strong and playing the game for each other.

The Cougars obviously bought in. They looked like teams are supposed to in a bowl, revived from the grind of 12 regular-season games, practicing together with less pressure, and having some fun in the host city.

Senior quarterback Zevi Eckhaus, who had become an even more prominent voice of leadership through a time of transition in the program, had mixed results against the Aggies, with three touchdowns and three interceptions.

But even with the Cougar turnovers, the starchy WSU defense kept the Aggies from capitalizing, and USU trailed 20-0 before scoring its first touchdown late in the third period.

In a quick sideline broadcast interview at halftime, Bobbit was asked what he liked about the team's defensive performance. "The swarm, the effort, the mentality, the response."

Good answer. The well-prepared defense swarmed with high effort, and few if any missed assignments. This was the group that had stepped up in big games, keeping the Cougars close in three games against ranked opponents this season — including holding No. 4-ranked Mississippi to 24 points (matching a season-low).

A couple of those six losses this season could have been reversed by a more consistent and efficient offense. Which brings us to a second-quarter broadcast-booth interview with newly hired head coach Kirby Moore, formerly offensive coordinator of Missouri.

Moore stressed the importance of sustaining continuity and expanding the offense through the passing game. Accomplishing both could produce noticeable results.

As Moore was talking, Eckhaus and the Cougs were continuing their success with converting passes on third-and-long, and driving for a second touchdown on the short pass to tight end Hudson Cederland that put the Cougs up 14-0.

When Moore first met the public in a recent press conference, he referenced the Pac-12 Conference's realignment by pointing out the new configuration could boost the Cougars' chances for an ascension to the top of the pack.

With Utah State being among the new Pac-12 lodge brothers, maybe they'll become a rival of the future.

But on Monday in Boise, WSU was the superior team. For most of the game, the guys in the spotty helmets got physically manhandled by the Cougars.

It was clear that while the Aggies may have had the cows, WSU had the horses.