Category: College

By Katherine Jamtgaard. FOLEY, Ala. – The App State volleyball team opened Sun Belt Tournament action on Wednesday with a 3-0 (25-21, 25-16, 25-22) sweep of the West Division’s No. 7 seed, ULM. The East Division No. 6 seed, App State advances to the second round to take on the West Division’s No. 3 seed, Troy, Nov. 16, 4:30 p.m. CT (5:30 p.m. ET).

“I’m super proud of our team,” said head coach Sarah Rumely Noble after the match. “No one on this current roster has ever won a match in the conference tournament and so they’ve just been so driven and focused all week. I’m ecstatic that we could get the win here today.”

App State 3, ULM 0

Fifth-year senior McCall Denny recorded a team high 13 kills in addition to 11 digs for her 31st career double-double. Junior Lulu Ambrose recorded 11 kills on the afternoon. Sophomore Maya Winterhoff recorded a hitting percentage of .600 and totaled a team-high seven blocks (two solo, five assists) for the Black and Gold. Redshirt freshman Katie Cruise led the team in the aces (2) and assists category (17). In the digs category, sophomore Alyssa McBean recorded a team-high 20 digs.

App State recorded 12 blocks compared to ULM’s two. App State also led ULM in digs (59-52), aces (5-2), and kills (43-41).

App State went on an early 4-0 run in the first set to take a 6-4 edge over ULM. The Mountaineers built a 12-6 lead with another 4-0 run that included a pair of kills from Ambrose, a kill from junior Lauren Pledger, and an ace from Cruise. ULM tried to catch up, but the Mountaineers maintained an 18-12 lead after a block from freshman Ava Leahy/Winterhoff, which Leahy followed up with a kill. ULM cut App State’s lead to three (23-20), but Denny slammed down a kill that sealed the set, 25-21, for the Mountaineers.

Set 2

The Mountaineers went on an early 3-0 run with a kill from Denny, a block from Denny/Winterhoff, and a Warhawk error. ULM took a 6-5 edge after a 3-0 run of its own, but App State answered with a 5-0 run that included blocks from Pledger/Ambrose, Pledger/Leahy, and an ace from Winterhoff (10-6). A trio of kills from Leahy, freshman Delanie Grevengoed, and Ambrose, in addition to a block from Pledger/Ambrose, extended App State’s lead to 14-7. Building off a pair of 3-0 runs, App State jumped ahead, 23-11. An Ambrose kill brought App State to set point. Despite being held to three set points, the Black and Gold clinched the set, 25-16.

Set 3

In the third set, App State edged ahead, 3-2, after a 3-0 run that included back-to-back kills from Grevengoed and Winterhoff. A pair of kills from Winterhoff, as well as a kill from Ambrose, kept App State ahead, 6-4. A kill from Leahy and an ace from Cruise gave the Mountaineers a 9-8 edge. After a 3-0 run from ULM, App State tied the score at 11 all. Meeting at 12-12 after a kill from Denny, Grevengoed/Winterhoff went up for a block to give the Mountaineers a 13-12 lead. Back-to-back kills from Denny and Ambrose kept App State ahead, 16-14. As the Mountaineers and Warhawks fought point-for-point, App State broke away for a 22-19 lead. A kill from Grevengoed and solo block from Denny brought App State to set and match point (24-21). A kill from Denny secured the set, 25-22, and the match, 3-0, for the Mountaineers.

Up Next

The Mountaineers will take on the West Division’s No. 3 seed, Troy, in the second round of the Sun Belt Tournament on Thursday, Nov. 16, at 5:30 p.m. CT (6:30 p.m. ET). The tournament will be available to stream on ESPN+. Thursday’s match will be Troy’s first in the tournament after earning a first-round bye.

Scouting Troy

The Trojans went 14-12 (12-4 SBC) this fall. Troy had a rocky start to the season with six consecutive non-conference losses before it was able to muster a 3-1 victory against the College of Charleston on Sept. 8. The Trojans went on a 10-match win-streak that spanned from their SBC opener against Louisiana on Sept. 21, to Oct. 21. South Alabama broke the streak with a sweep of the Trojans on Oct. 26, before Troy defeated the Jaguars, 3-1 on Oct. 27. Troy posted a pair of losses against Texas State before splitting a pair of matches with Georgia Southern to close the regular season.

Tori Hester is one kill away from 400 kills this season for the Trojans and leads the team in the service aces category with 42. Following Hester in the kills category is Amiah Butler, who has 327. Janelle Stuempfig is one assist away from breaking 1,000 assists this fall. Jaci Mesa boasts a team-high 335 digs this fall, while Julia Brooks has tallied a team-high 82 blocks.

The winner of Thursday’s match will advance to Friday’s 4:30 p.m. CT (5:30 p.m. ET) quarterfinal match against East Division No. 2 seed James Madison.

2023 Sun Belt Volleyball Tournament Schedule
November 15-19, 2023 | Foley, Ala. | Foley Sports Tourism Complex

First Round Results
(6W) Arkansas State 3, (7E) Georgia State 1
(6E) App State 3, (7W) ULM 0

Second Round – Thursday, November 16
Match 3 – 11:00 a.m. CT – (3E) Georgia Southern vs. (6W) Arkansas State
Match 4 – 1:30 p.m. CT – (4W) Louisiana vs. (5E) Old Dominion
Match 5 – 4:30 p.m. CT – (3W) Troy vs. (6E) App State
Match 6 – 7:00 p.m. CT – (4E) Marshall vs. (5W) Southern Miss

Quarterfinals – Friday, November 17
Match 7 – 11:00 a.m. CT – (2W) South Alabama vs. Winner Match 3
Match 8 – 1:30 p.m. CT – (1E) Coastal Carolina vs. Winner Match 4
Match 9 – 4:30 p.m. CT – (2E) James Madison vs. Winner Match 5
Match 10 – 7:00 p.m. CT – (1W) Texas State vs. Winner Match 6

Semifinals – Saturday, November 18
Match 11 – 2:00 p.m. CT – Winner Match 7 vs. Winner Match 8
Match 12 – 5:00 p.m. CT – Winner Match 9 vs. Winner Match 10

Championship – Sunday, November 19
Match 13 – 3:00 p.m. CT – Winner Match 11 vs. Winner Match 12

By Jacob Plecker. CORVALLIS, Ore. – After trailing by 11 points at the halftime break, a Donovan Gregory tip-in layup at the buzzer capped off an incredible second-half comeback to force overtime on Nov. 14, but a hot overtime period by Oregon State (3-0) propelled the Beavers to an 81-71 victory over App State (1-2) in Gill Coliseum.

In a back-and-forth second-half slugfest that saw the Mountaineers hold the Beavers to just 20 points, Gregory and Terence Harcum helped spark a second-half comeback to force overtime in Corvallis. Gregory netted eight points in the final frame while Harcum poured in nine.

Despite the loss, it was a good night for a trio of Mountaineers as both Harcum and Justin Abson set season highs in points, while Abson added 10 rebounds and blocked a career-high six shots. Abson’s double-double was his first of the season.

Gregory notched 17 points for the second consecutive game on an efficient 8-of-2 from the field while also grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out four assists.

How it Happened
Jordan Pope and the Beavers got off to a hot start on Tuesday as he accounted for Oregon State’s first nine points on the evening, helping the Beavers jump out to a quick 9-3 lead. The Mountaineers responded well to Pope’s barrage, going on a 14-6 run to take the lead with 10 minutes to play in the first half.

The defensive intensity by the Mountaineers picked up during their 14-6 run as App State recorded back-to-back steals to take a two-point lead. CJ Huntley’s and Tre’Von Spillers’ fastbreak layups helped cap off the App State swing.

Three-point shooting was a huge factor for the Beavers in the first half as Pope and the Beavers drained four three-pointers in the next four minutes to take the lead right back before a media timeout (under eight minutes). Pope racked up his third and fourth made three-pointers of the half before the timeout to give him 17 first-half points.

App State couldn’t capitalize on close chances to cut into the Beaver lead and Oregon State capitalized to end the first half as seven different players made a “three” in the first half for head coach Wayne Tinkle’s team. Pope’s huge first half and Oregon State’s 10 three-pointers propelled the Beavers to an 11-point lead at the break.

Abson and Gregory each played a strong half of basketball for the Mountaineers as they each tallied seven points. Abson added seven rebounds to his seven first-half points while also sending back one shot.

After a strong showing by the Beavers in the first frame, the Mountaineers answered after the break with a strong second-half start, punctuated by Spillers’ put-back dunk that cut the lead back to two with 13 minutes to play. Defensively, the Mountaineers  did well to cool off the Beavers to start the final frame. Oregon State shot just 1-for-11 and turned the ball over three times during App State’s 11-2 run.

It was an offensive struggle for both teams in the second half, however, as both teams endured long scoring droughts. Oregon State enjoyed a six-point lead at the under-12-minute media timeout.

After the timeout, the Mountaineers came out aggressive and jumped back in front with a quick 7-0 run fueled by four consecutive points from Gregory. Gregory’s layup to give App State a 50-49 lead marked the first time App State led in the game since it was 19-17 in the first half.

The lead changed hands once more in favor of Oregon State after Pope scored his first points of the second half. A Terence Harcum free throw trimmed the lead back to just one point before Pope drilled a three-pointer to give him 22 points — and it put the Beavers back in front by four, forcing a Mountaineer timeout.

The Beavers went on a 7-1 run after Pope’s big three to extend their lead back to seven at the under-four timeout. App State was fouled just before the timeout to put them in the double bonus for the remainder of the contest. That proved to be vital to App State’s offensive aggression to close the game.

Forcing a K C Ibekwe turnover, the Mountaineers stormed down the court looking to trim the deficit. After nearly turning the ball over, Harcum drove the paint and made an acrobatic layup with his left hand to trim the lead to just four with three minutes to play.

The Mountaineers fouled Dexter Akanno with two minutes to play, sending him to the line where he made one of two free throws to push the lead back to three. On the other side of the floor, the Mountaineers tied the game at 61 thanks to a clutch three-pointer by Christopher Mantis, his fourth of the game. Mantis has made at least three, 3-pointers in every game this season and now has 11 on the young campaign.

Mantis’ shot from long distance silenced the Beaver faithful, but Ibekwe answered right back with a put-back layup to give the Beavers the lead again with 70 seconds to play. After a pair of misses by both teams, Mantis grabbed a defensive rebound with 14 seconds to play and dished to Gregory who advanced the ball up the floor.

Gregory attacked the paint and muscled up a shot that was missed initially, but Oregon State failed to secure the possession and Gregory calmly tipped the ball back in as the horn sounded to tie the game and send it to overtime.

Gregory’s game-tying buzzer-beater forced App State’s first overtime game since last January when they went into OT at Coastal Carolina.

The extra five minutes were all Beavers as Oregon State jumped out to a fast, seven-point lead a little less than 90 seconds into the frame. An Akanno three-pointer in the corner off a nice find by Pope helped spark the run.

Gregory and the Mountaineers trimmed the lead back to five with a driving layup to tie his season-high in points with 17. Despite the bucket by Gregory, a turnover and a made transition three by Pope pushed the Beaver lead to 10 with 2:28 remaining in the contest and all but sink App State’s hopes of an impressive road win on Tuesday.

It was another strong second-half performance for App State as they fought back from an 11-point halftime deficit to force the extra five minutes, but the Beavers’ found their shooting stroke again in the overtime period and secured their third win of the year.

Top Performers
It was a strong night for a few Mountaineers on Tuesday against a Power 5 level opponent. Gregory’s heroics in the second half helped lead the Mountaineer comeback as he filled the stat sheet with 17 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Harcum’s team-high 18 points set a new season-high for the junior as he was also a factor in the comeback, scoring nine second-half points.

Abson notched a new season-high in points on Tuesday with 12 while also setting a career high with six blocks and recorded his first double-double of the year in a very strong showing. Xavion Brown’s defense on Jordan Pope in the second half was yet another reason the Mountaineers were able to come back in this game as he held Pope to just five second-half points on 2-of-5 shooting after scoring 17 points on 6-6 shooting in the first half.

Next Up
The Mountaineers will have the next week to prepare before traveling to Fort Myers, Fla., to take on the UNC Wilmington Seahawks next Tuesday at the Fort Myers Tip-Off Event. Tip off from Suncoast Arena is set for noon.

By David Rogers. ATLANTA, Ga. — Dominating Georgia State has become an autumn tradition for Appalachian State football. On Nov. 11, the Mountaineers upheld the tradition with conviction, 42-14 — and the game wasn’t even that close.

App State has five running backs on the team’s depth chart and all of them saw action against the Panthers. Three  scored touchdowns, including Nate Noel, Kanye Roberts and Watauga High School alum Anderson Castle, who showed no signs of the pre-season foot injury that kept him off the field for the first several weeks of the 2023 campaign.

Noel is also rounding into form after being sidelined midseason. On a 61-yard romp through perimeter defenders then racing down the left sideline, the junior from Miami, Fla. looked a lot like the running back who was among the nation’s leading rushers through the first few weeks of the 2023 season.

Inserted in the third quarter, Castle punched a path through the line of scrimmage for a 9-yard TD run, twisting to break a tackle before surging into the end zone.

Roberts accounted for the Mountaineers’ final scoring with a 20-yard rush to paydirt early in the fourth quarter.

Meanwhile, “Joey California” (quarterback Joey Aguilar) was having his way with the Panthers’ defense. He threw for two TDs in the first half, a 44-yard sizzler to Makai Jackson at the beginning of the second quarter, and then a 3-yarder to Kaedin Robinson midway through the second stanza.

With App State getting the ball to start the second half, the Aguilar and the Mountaineers wasted no time. Aguilar threw a perfect strike to wide receiver Dalton Stroman crossing from left to right over the middle, the big redshirt sophomore from Rockingham breaking free from a would-be tackler before sprinting to the end zone for what went into the history books as a 77-yard passing TD. And it came on the first play from scrimmage to open the second half.

Aguilar finished the day having completed 14 of 21 pass attempts, including three TDs vs. just one interception. Yet again the Mountaineers rolled up more than 500 yards of total offense (509), perfectly balanced between rushing (254 yards) and passing (255).

As good as the Mountaineer offense was, perhaps the real stars of this game were members of the defensive unit, which held the Panthers to just 260 yards of total offense. Most of that came in the fourth quarter when the game was already out of hand. App State linebacker Andrew Parker had a big day with 14 total tackles, including 2 tackles for loss and a quarterback hurry. Defensive back T. Alan Yowe hauled in an interception.

Early in the game, Georgia State appeared to be in control when the Panthers manufactured a 20-play drive that advanced the ball from their own 35 yard line to the Mountaineer 4-yard line, but the scoring effort was foiled when GSU quarterback Darren Grainger looked to run left on a keeper, but lost control on a forced fumble credited to APP’s Trevor Moffitt and the ball was recovered by Parker at the 8-yard line.

Georgia State never again really threatened until its two fourth quarter TDs when the game was already out of reach.

“Our guys came out ready to go,” starting center and team captain Isaiah Helms said afterwards. “We brought the energy and played complementary football all the way around (offense, defense, and special teams).”

With its sixth win of the season, App State is now bowl-eligible. There is still a small probability that the Mountaineers can represent the Sun Belt Conference’s East Division in the conference’s Championship game. It would require them to defeat both James Madison and Georgia Southern in the final two regular season games and, in all probability, see Coastal Carolina to lose its game against James Madison in those teams’ regular season finale.

James Madison is so far undefeated, but remains ineligible to play in the conference championship game per the requirements of its joining the conference two years ago.

SUN BELT CONFERENCE SCORES ON THE WEEKEND

• Appalachian State 42, @Georgia State 14
• @Liberty 38, Old Dominion 10
• @James Madison 44, UConn 6
• Troy 45, @Louisiana-Monroe 14
• @Coastal Carolina 31, Texas State 23
• @South Alabama 21, Arkansas State 14
• @Marshall 38, Georgia Southern 33

POSTGAME NOTES from App State Sports

• App State won its third straight game to move to 6-4 and earn bowl eligibility. It’s the eighth time in nine years that the Mountaineers have been bowl eligible since transitioning to the FBS level.
• The 28-point margin of victory is the largest against a Sun Belt opponent since a 45-7 win at Troy in 2021. The Mountaineers have won their last three games by an average margin of 20 points. In the team’s four losses this season, the average margin of defeat was 4.8 points.
• Interestingly enough, App State scored a touchdown on the first offensive play of the second, third and fourth quarters.
• The Mountaineers defeated the Panthers for the 10th time in 10 tries since they became conference opponents in 2014.
• App State improved its road record to 2-3 this season. The Mountaineers’ 34 road victories since 2014 are tied with Oklahoma for fifth-most in the FBS over that span. Only Ohio State, Boise State, Clemson and Alabama have more.
• App State and Georgia State tied with two turnovers apiece. Under head coach Shawn Clark, the Mountaineers are 17-1 when winning the turnover battle, 6-11 when losing, and 9-4 when they have the same number of turnovers as the opponent.
• App State’s 85 wins since 2015 are sixth-most in the FBS behind Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State and Oklahoma.
• Earning his first career start was defensive end Kevin Abrams-Verwayne, while DL Jason Hertz, QB David Hernandez and OL Danny Stevens made their Mountaineer debuts.

OFFENSE

• App State eclipsed 30 points for the third straight game and the seventh time this season.
• The Mountaineers piled up 509 total yards – 254 on the ground and 255 in the air.
• Joey Aguilar completed 14 of 21 passes for 255 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. He increased his Sun Belt lead to 26 passing touchdowns, which also ranks top 10 in the country.
• Back to 100 percent health, Nate Noel rushed 10 times for 86 yards, including a 61-yard touchdown four plays after the Mountaineer defense ended Georgia State’s 20-play drive with a forced fumble inside the 5-yard line.
• During the game, Noel became the eighth player in school history to eclipse 3,000 career rushing yards.
• Kanye Roberts tacked on 77 rushing yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown.
• After missing the first eight games of the season due to a fall camp injury, in his second game back on the field, Anderson Castle rushed for 26 yards and his first touchdown of the season on a 9-yard burst to open the fourth quarter.
• Makai Jackson caught three passes for a season-high 98 yards. His 44-yard touchdown from Aguilar on the first play of the second quarter made it the second straight game Jackson found the end zone.
• On the first play of the third quarter, Dalton Stroman hauled in a deep crossing route, made a man miss, and scored a 77-yard touchdown, the longest touchdown catch by a Mountaineer since Christan Horn’s 80-yard reception last year against The Citadel. Stroman finished with three catches for a season-high 93 yards.
• Kaedin Robinson had four catches for 29 yards and his team-leading sixth touchdown grab of the season.

DEFENSE

• The Mountaineer defense held Georgia State to 260 total yards. The Panthers entered the game averaging 394 per game.
• App State pitched a shutout until the Panthers first scored with 11:57 left in the fourth quarter.
• App State’s defense forced eight 3-and-outs and nine Panther punts.
• GSU quarterback Darren Grainger entered the game averaging 269.1 yards of total offense (seventh-most among Sun Belt quarterbacks). App State held him to 133 (115 passing, 18 rushing).
• Andrew Parker Jr. led the way with a career-high 14 tackles (10 solo), with 2.0 TFLs and a fumble recovery. It was his fifth double-digit tackle game of the season.
• Trenton Alan Yowe snagged his first App State interception, while also posting a season-high five tackles, a tackle for loss and two pass breakups.
• Trevor Moffit forced a fumble that was recovered by Parker and ended Georgia State’s 20-play first-quarter drive with the Panthers within 5 yards of a touchdown.

By Jacob Plecker. BOONE, N.C. — App State softball has added eight newcomers to the 2024-25 roster, head coach Shelly Hoerner announced Wednesday.

“We are very excited about the 2024 class,” Hoerner said. “These eight players will bring the talent needed to keep elevating our program, especially in a tough Sun Belt Conference. They are all high-character individuals which align with our core values. Their team-first mentality and selfless attitude exemplify what we believe in and will help us to continue building our strong culture here on the mountain. All eight players exemplify what we are all about at App State softball: blue-collar, gritty, competitive and ‘all-in’ culture players.”

Mollie Bulla
RHP / Belews Creek, N.C. / Uwharrie Charter Academy
Bulla hails from nearby Belews Creek, N.C., where she has dazzled in the circle for Uwharrie Charter Academy the last three seasons. Bulla led the team in appearances last season, making 16 trips to the circle and posted an exceptional 1.29 ERA. She struck out 137 of the 250 batters she faced, which is good for a 39 percent strikeout percentage, while only walking 21 hitters. Her low walk rate resulted in an extremely low .249 opponent on base percentage, ranking the best on her team. Bulla has also been a force at the plate as she posted a .448 batting average last season in 67 at-bats. She also led the team in home runs, doubles and RBI last season, while posting an .820 slugging percentage, which was better than anyone else on her team by 141 points.

“Mollie is a very competitive right-handed pitcher with late life on her pitches that will keep hitters off balance,” Hoerner said. “She works all quadrants of the zone and will bring a north-to-south element to our staff. Mollie has a high pitching IQ and knows how to tunnel all of her pitches while using her deceptive changeup.”

Julia Girk
OF/UT / Bradenton, Fla. / Parrish Community High School
Girk is a Florida product that has shined on the diamond for Parrish Community High School in Bradenton. She was the District Player of the Year her freshman year, the Bay Made Fast-pitch Player of the Year her junior season and is listed as one of the top utility players in Florida for the class of 2024 as listed in FLVarsity. Girk will bring a nice balance of contact and speed to the High Country as she batted .573 in 82 at-bats while stealing 34 bases in her junior season. For her career, she has totaled 93 hits, 93 runs scored, 60 stolen bases 24 extra-base hits and 37 RBI, while also posting a career batting average of .497 coming into her last season at Parrish.

“Julia is very athletic with a high softball IQ and competes at a very high level,” Hoerner said. “Her athleticism and skillset will help her fit right in and make an immediate impact to our softball program. She has plus speed, is a great defender and can spray the ball all over the field.”

Leah Gore
C / Apex, N.C. / Middle Creek High School
Gore is an Apex, N.C., product that has had a tremendous career at Middle Creek High School, earning SWAC Conference Player of the Year, all-district and all-state honors in her career. Last season, she led her team in batting average by almost 200 points as she smacked 35 hits in 63 plate appearances, good for a .556 batting average. Gore also led the team in extra-base hits, RBI and runs scored in her junior year. Gore has an incredible eye at the plate as she did not strike out a single time last season to post a .600 on base percentage. On the academic side, Gore has been an academic all-conference selection three times, while also being a member of the National Honor Society.

“Leah is a very athletic catcher with a good defensive skill set,” Hoerner said. “She is a very competitive, hardworking softball player who will also bring a consistent bat to our lineup. She has gap-to-gap power, and we are looking for her to drive in a lot of runs for the team. Leah will also bring great leadership for us behind the plate.”

Madison McIntyre
1B / Mt. Juliet, Tenn. / Green Hill High School
McIntyre hails from Mt. Juliet, Tenn., where she helped lead her high school team to an impressive 45-2 record and a state championship in her junior season. She has also been a 2x district champion, a 2x All-District Tournament team selection, a regional champion and a sectional champion during her career. McIntyre carries a strong bat that is capable of producing big-time power to the lineup at any given moment as she slugged .597 last season with 11 extra-base hits for her travel team. For her high school team, McIntyre produced more power with eight home runs, while also being a great run-producer, driving in an impressive 41 runs. She has a keen eye at the plate as she walked more times than she struck out last season, leading to a very high on-base percentage.

“Madison is a great defensive first baseman that brings a powerful left-handed bat to the lineup,” Hoerner said. “She has the ability to spray the gaps and drive the ball out of the yard. We look for her to be a run producer and to make a big impact in our program.”

Lily Proffit
RHP / Boone, N.C. / West Wilkes High School
A hometown product, Proffit comes to App State after compiling several notable accomplishments at West Wilkes High School. She was a three-time Mountain Valley  Conference pitcher of the year and the 2022 regional pitcher of the year. She was a 3x MVP of the West Wilkes softball team and was twice named the Chik-fil-A athlete of the year. Proffit pitched to a 1.03 ERA in her junior season at West Wilkes while striking out 182 of the 375 batters she faced, good for a 48.5 strikeout percentage. Proffit has also been a force at the plate in her high school career, as she led her team in multiple hitting categories, including posting an astounding .522 batting average, while also smacking seven home runs and driving in 27 RBI. On the academic side, Proffit was a three-time scholar athlete, garnering that award every year since 2021, while also being an Honors English and Weightlifting student.

“Lily will bring a power arm to the circle and a power bat to the plate,” Hoerner said. “She has the potential to shut an offense down and the power to change a game with one swing. She will strengthen our pitching staff with her ability to spin and spot the ball, while also adding a change of speed to keep opposing hitters off balance.”

Grace Taylor
SS/UT / Downers Grove, Ill. / Downers Grove South High School
Taylor comes from Downers Grove, Ill., where she has played for Downers Grove South High School the past three years. She is a two-time all-conference Player of the Year and was a third team all-state selection in her junior year. Taylor plays travel ball for the Chicago Cheetahs 18U Bowman, where she was coached by Brian Bowman and Shannon Felde. She will bring good power the High Country as she hit 10 home runs last summer for her club team. Taylor is also a capable run-producer as she drove in 66 runs across travel ball and school ball last season while also adding a very high slugging percentage. She is an excellent fielder, playing a variety of positions in the field, compiling a fielding percentage above .900 last season. Taylor will bring a good bat and solid field skills to the High Country.

“Grace is a strong, athletic, versatile athlete that can compete at multiple positions,” Hoerner said. “She has a high softball IQ and has the ability to stay composed when the game speeds up. We look for her to be a consistent hitter with power potential.”

Bel Veradi
LHP / Greensboro, N.C. / Northwest Guilford High School
Veradi comes to Boone out of Northwest Guilford High School in Greensboro, N.C., where she has been a dominant pitcher her first three seasons. She has compiled a 32-7 record in her career, while posting a career 0.51 ERA coming into her senior season. Her sophomore season deserves specific note as Veradi allowed just three earned runs in 115.2 innings pitched, striking out 182 of 424 batters faced. The lefty has allowed just 18 earned runs in her career in 248.1 innings pitched. She sits just 21 strikeouts away from 400 for her career, while only walking 35 hitters over her first three seasons. Last season, Veradi posted 13 complete games and six complete game shutouts and only gave up 12 earned runs.

“Bel will provide a different look to our pitching staff,” Hoerner said. “She is a left-handed pitcher with a lot of movement on her pitches that will keep hitters off balance. She works mainly east-to-west and has great command. Bel loves the game and will bring a team-first mentality to our staff.

Carly White
OF / Winston-Salem, N.C. / Oak Grove High School
White is a nearby Winston-Salem, N.C., product that will bring a strong balance of speed and contact to the High Country. White has stolen 47 career bases and boasts a .429 career batting average over her three seasons at Oak Grove. White is also a solid defender in the outfield that has only committed two errors in her career, playing many of her games in center field. White’s strong bat helped her post a .422 batting average last season in 90 at-bats, while also being a presence on the basepaths as she scored 25 runs. For her career, she has slapped 90 hits and has driven in 35 runs. Her best season came in her sophomore year when she had a slash line of .470/.481/.500, while driving in 17 runs.

“Carly will add plus speed and an ability to utilize her offensive tools to strengthen our team from the left side,” Hoerner said. “Her athleticism, strong arm and defensive skills will add another great addition to our outfield.”

App State is excited to welcome the class of 2024 to the mountain.

By Katherine Jamtgaard. NEW ORLEANS, La. — App State men’s distance coach Brad Herbster has been named Sun Belt Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year, the league announced Thursday. In addition to Herbster’s Coach of the Year honor, six Mountaineers earned all-conference honors.

“I’m thankful for the opportunity to coach a strong team and one that is dedicated to improving,” said Herbster. “The student-athletes put in the work and it showed at conference. We have a lot of work to do at the regional meet and look to build off a strong conference performance.”

“I want to congratulate Coach Herbster on the Coach of the Year honor as well as the athletes who have earned all-conference awards,” said director of track & field/cross country Damion McLean. “They have worked hard this year and it shows.”

In his first season as App State men’s distance coach, Herbster led the App State men’s cross country team to its first Sun Belt title since 2019 at the Sun Belt Championships on Oct. 28. The Mountaineers scored 28 points – the lowest team total at the championship meet since 2013 – and five Mountaineer men earned all-conference accolades after finishing in the top-13.

Herbster guided senior Oliver Wilson-Cook to a second-place finish at the Sun Belt Championships after Wilson-Cook earned three Sun Belt Runner of the Week honors during the regular season. Over the course of the season, Herbster also guided the Mountaineers to a pair of second-place finishes at the Firetower Project Run (Sept. 1) and Covered Bridge Open (Sept. 15) as well as a top-10 team finish at the Live In Lou Cross Country Classic (Sept. 30).

Seniors Oliver Willson-Cook, Calbert Guest, and Dwayne Lillie earned first-team all-conference accolades after finishing second (24:40.4), third (24:46.3), and fourth (24:53.6), respectively, in the men’s 8K race at the Sun Belt Championships. Junior Garrett Bivens earned second-team all-conference honors after finishing sixth overall (25:05.0), while graduate student Jonah Bird earned third-team All-SBC recognition after placing 13th (25:42.7).

Donahue earns second team All-SBC honors for women’s team

Senior Jasmine Donohue placed eighth in the women’s 5K at the Sun Belt Championships with a personal best time of 17:36.9. Donohue, who earned second-team All-SBC honors for her performance, helped the women’s squad to a fifth-place finish in the team standings.

The Mountaineers are set to compete in the NCAA Southeast Regional in Spartanburg, S.C. on Friday. The women’s 6K race is set for 11 a.m. with the men’s 10K race to follow at noon.

2023 Sun Belt Cross Country Awards
2023 Sun Belt Men’s Coach of the Year: Brad Herbster, App State
2023 Sun Belt Men’s Newcomer of the Year: Carlo Martinez-Jaramillo, ULM
2023 Sun Belt Men’s Runner of the Year: Teagan Flanagan, South Alabama
2023 Sun Belt Men’s Freshman of the Year: Carlo Martinez-Jaramillo, ULM

2023 Men’ First-Team All-Conference
Teagan Flanagan, South Alabama
Oliver Wilson-Cook, App State
Calbert Guest, App State
Dwayne Lillie, App State
Dawson Mayberry, Arkansas State

2023 Men’s Second-Team All-Conference
Jacob Pyeatt, Arkansas State
Garrett Bivens, App State
Evan White, Marshall
Carlo Martinez-Jaramillo
Cash Kunkel, Arkansas State

2023 Men’s Third-Team All-Conference
Rylan Brown, Arkansas State
Natnael Enright, Arkansas State
Jonah Bird, App State
Jonathon Hrivnak, Texas State
Ethan Mychajlonka, Arkansas State

Sun Belt Women’s XC Awards

2023 Sun Belt Women’s Coach of the Year: Jesse Duvall, Arkansas State
2023 Sun Belt Women’s Newcomer of the Year: Katherine Lawson, James Madison
2023 Sun Belt Women’s Runner of the Year: Molly Jones, Coastal Carolina
2023 Sun Belt Women’s Freshman of the Year: Rahel Broemmel, Arkansas State

2023 Women’s First-Team All-Conference
Molly Jones, Coastal Carolina
Abby Herring, Marshall
Ellie Wolski, Coastal Carolina
Rahel Broemmel, Arkansas State
Isabela Ross, Southern Miss

2023 Women’s Second-Team All-Conference
Jaybe Shufelberger, Arkansas State
Miranda Stanhope, James Madison
Elizabeth Martin, Arkansas State
Jasmine Donohue, App State
Kylee Mastin, Marshall

2023 Women’s Third-Team All-Conference
Katherine Lawson, James Madison
Starlynn Costa, South Alabama
Mary Beth Bailey, Arkansas State
Amilia Wise-Sweat, Coastal Carolina
Charleen Elizondo, South Alabama

By Katherine Jamtgaard. BOONE, N.C. — App State women’s basketball coach Angel Elderkin announced the signing of two athletes to the 2024-25 signing class on Thursday.

“It is with great excitement that we welcome Nya Smith and Bella Weary to our App State family,” said Elderkin. “Both of these young women have the character and skill sets to elevate our program.”

Nya Smith | 5-9 | G | Roswell, Ga. | Milton HS
Smith will join the Mountaineers as a guard next season and intends on pursuing a degree in marketing. During her high school career, Smith was named First Team All-Region and Rotary Honor Air Tournament MVP. Smith earned Second Team All-State recognition. She also competed on the track team, ranking fifth in the state of Georgia in the 4×400-meter relay and 7th in the state in the 400 meters.

Smith enjoys basketball, track and field, crocheting, baking, lifting and photography.

Why Smith Chose App State: “I loved the family atmosphere of the women’s basketball team and how App State would set me up for both social and professional success in the future.”

Elderkin on Smith: “Nya Smith is a dynamic guard with great size and versatility to play in our uptempo system. She plays with great intensity on both sides of the ball and has a work ethic that is unmatched. She brings leadership’s qualities that will impact our community immediately.”

Bella Weary | 5-6 | G | Jacksonville, Fla. | DME Sports Academy | USF | Daytona State
Weary will join the Mountaineers as a guard for the 2024-25 season after spending a season at Daytona State. Prior to her time at Daytona State, the Jacksonville, Fla. native made a stop at USF. While at South Florida, Weary appeared in eight games and competed in the first round of the inaugural Women’s Battle 4 Atlantis.

During her high school career, Weary scored 2,000 points and was named to the Florida Times-Union All-First Coast First Team. She also was named to the Sunshine State Independent All-Conference Team.

Weary plans on pursuing a degree in communications. After finishing college, she would like to play basketball professionally or box professionally. Her father, Fred, was an All-American football player at the University of Florida, was part of the 1996 National Championship team, and played in the NFL.

Why Weary Chose App State: “I chose App State because of the overwhelming support of the coaching staff.”

Elderkin on Weary: “Bella Weary brings us college experience with an elite competitive mindset. She has a scoring mentality and a skill set that matches our style of play. We are excited about the maturity and leadership that she will bring to our program.”

By Katherine Jamtgaard. BOONE, N.C. – App State head volleyball coach Sarah Rumely Noble announced the addition of four athletes to the volleyball team on Wednesday. Joining the Mountaineers for the 2024 season will be Julianna Horta, Bella Hutchens, Elise Marchel, and Maddie Smith.

“I am so excited about the addition of these four amazing women to our program,” said Rumely Noble. “Not only are they high character individuals, they are incredibly gifted athletes with unmatched work ethic and drive. They are all committed to giving their all to App State and will help us take App to the top.”

Julianna Horta | Setter | Clayton, N.C. | Corinth Holders HS
Horta will be joining the Mountaineers for the 2024 season as a setter. Horta, who intends on pursuing a degree in exercise science, was an all-conference honoree and tournament standout. Horta also competed for the NC Volleyball Academy club team under the direction of Jon Garner, Andi Bentley, and Romel Lightbourne.

Horta has one brother and enjoys working out, shopping and sleeping.

Why Horta Chose App State: “I chose App State because from the moment I stepped on campus, I immediately felt at home and knew this place would allow me to achieve my dreams and be part of something bigger than myself.”

Rumely Noble on Horta: “We are really excited to add Jules to our program in the setting position. She is incredibly driven, a hard worker, and a natural setter. Her ability to locate from anywhere on the court will help our offensive efficiency greatly. We are excited for her to join us this spring.”

Bella Hutchens | Outside Hitter | Pilot Mountain, N.C. | East Surry HS
As an incoming freshman, Hutchens will join the Mountaineers as an outside hitter next fall. Hutchens holds the East Surry High School record for most kills in a match and posted over 1,000 kills during the course of her high school career. She is a four-time All-Conference selection and two-time Player of the Year. She also earned an All-Tournament selection. In addition to her high school career, she played for the Twin City Volleyball Academy club team under the direction of Caley Gilley and Amber Brandon as well as the Triad United Volleyball Academy under the direction of Jan Dowling.

Hutchens intends on majoring in business. Her mother, aunt, and uncle are App State alumni and she has a cousin who is currently attending App State. Hutchens enjoys fishing and hanging out with friends.

Why Hutchens Chose App State: “I’ve grown up being a fan of App State. I love the atmosphere of this beautiful school, not only in academics but in athletics as well.”

Rumely Noble on Hutchens: “Bella is a Mountaineer through and through. She is fast off the ground, incredibly twitchy, and her potential is unmatched. She hits a heavy ball, is dynamic on both pins and has a super fast arm. We can’t wait to see where the future takes her in the Black and Gold.”

Elise Marchal | Middle Blocker/Outside Hitter | Kings Mills, Ohio | Kings HS
Marchal will be joining the Mountaineers as a middle blocker/right side hitter next season. During her high school career, Marchal was a two-time all-conference and all-district honoree. She also was named to the 2021, 2022, and 2023 USA Volleyball Nationals All-Tournament Team. Marchal was named the 2023 OHSCVA District 16 Player of the Year on Nov. 7 and will compete with the Kings High School volleyball team in the Final Four of the OHSAA State Volleyball Tournament on Nov. 11. The Kings Mills, Ohio native also played for the Elevation Volleyball club team under the direction of Greg Ulland.

Marchal has three siblings and enjoys playing basketball, playing pickleball, traveling, painting and working out.

Why Marchal Chose App State: “I chose App State because I instantly felt connected to the coaching staff and players. The culture is strong and focused, and the team works hard and has fun!”

Rumely Noble on Marchal: “Elise is an exciting athlete with a huge skill set. She can pass, play defense, play middle, play on a pin and she is going to kill a lot of balls for us in the Black and Gold. She has incredible versatility and a huge upside. We are thrilled that she is a Mountaineer.”

Maddie Smith | Outside Hitter | Hickory, N.C. | University Christian HS
Smith will be joining the Mountaineers as a true freshman outside hitter. During her high school career, Smith was a three-time all-state selection, two-time Player of the Year, and helped her team to the 2022 NCISAA 2A State Champion title. She also tallied over 1,300 kills. The Hickory, N.C. native also competed on the Carolina Union Volleyball club team under the direction of John Brannon, Bill Ferguson, and Abbi Hayes.

Smith intends to pursue a degree in exercise science and would like to play volleyball professionally after college before attending PA school to be a dermatology PA. Smith’s grandmother, uncle, and aunt all attended App State. Smith enjoys shopping, traveling, walking her dogs, and drawing landscapes.

Why Smith Chose App State: “I chose App State because I love the campus and the culture. The family atmosphere is awesome, and the coaches and my teammates are really special. I also love that it is close to home.”

Rumely Noble on Smith: “Maddie is a gritty outside hitter who isn’t afraid to take big swings. She has a heavy arm, great athleticism and she never backs down. Her ability to play six rotations coupled with her ability to score, makes her an exciting addition for our program. We are glad she will get to be with us this spring.”

By Joey Jones. BOONE, N.C. – Robert Thomas “Tommy” Sofield Jr., ’76, his wife, Debbie, and the Sofield family have donated a significant gift to Appalachian State University in support of athletics facilities enhancements, including a new, multipurpose indoor practice facility.

Sofield, who played football for the Mountaineers and was captain of the 1975 team that went 8-3 with wins over East Carolina, Wake Forest and South Carolina, has been a successful businessman and real estate developer in Boone since graduating from App State. He also currently serves as Vice Chair of the Appalachian State University Board of Trustees among other leadership positions in the community.

“Appalachian State University means the world to my family and me,” said Sofield. “We are committed to the success of Mountaineer student-athletes on and off the field and carrying on the tradition of championships and a world-class college experience. We love investing back into the program and encourage others to join us in investing in the future of App State Athletics.”

appalachian state means the world to my family and me.

“App State has long been the beneficiary of the generosity of the Sofield Family,” said Dr. Sheri Everts, App State’s Chancellor, when she announced the gift. “Tommy distinguished himself among his peers as a leader when he came to App State, starting a small business that employed other students while playing football and carrying a full-time class load. Since his graduation in 1976, he has become a pillar of the App State Community, well known for his kindness and generosity, as well as his business acumen.

“In 2007, Tommy and his family took the lead on supporting a facility to provide better training opportunities for App State student-athletes, continued Everts. “This additional lead gift will continue to foster our Mountaineers’ competitive drive to excel in their sports as well as in the classroom, and will contribute to the recruitment, growth and development of future student-athletes for many years to come. We thank the Sofield family for their continued support and engagement with App State.”

The Sofields’ lead gift will help fund a new indoor practice facility – with a 100+ yard artificial turf surface – to replace the current Sofield Family Indoor Practice Facility that opened in October 2007, for which the Sofields also donated the lead gift.

“We thank Tommy and the entire Sofield family for their generosity throughout the years,” said Director of Athletics Doug Gillin. “From his time as a student-athlete to supporting his alma mater as an alumnus, Tommy’s commitment to the success of App State Athletics is unparalleled. His relational impact on generations of App State student-athletes will also leave an enduring legacy for many more decades.”

A native of Virginia Beach, Virginia, Sofield began his career as an entrepreneur during his junior year at App State when he opened a Boone sandwich shop that he ran successfully for 14 years. His many business ventures since earning a bachelor’s degree in physical education from App State are highlighted by starting companies such as U.S. Buildings, U.S. Chemical Storage, U.S. Explosive Storage, U.S. Safe Room, Elephant Structures and Harmony Timberworks.

He was recognized with Appalachian State University’s Outstanding Service Award in 2017.

With his latest gift, the university has raised $41 million toward the $100 million goal for the All for App initiative to invest and build for the future of App State Athletics. Other current athletics facility plans include the construction of a fieldhouse, outdoor tennis courts, softball field and indoor tennis courts at the Appalachian 105 facility.

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Take away a forgettable night shooting free throws and there was a lot to like about the Appalachian State men’s basketball team’s season opening win over Oakland City on Nov. 7, 87-49, in front of 2,010 paying customers in the Holmes Convocation Center.

The Mighty Oaks may only be a small school, NAIA-member contender, but they provided a few challenges to the Mountaineers. That said, AppNation had to have been pleased with the energy, focus and ball-sharing mindset of their favorite sons.

The Mountaineers’ pesky defense led to 18 turnovers by the Mighty Oaks compared to just seven by App State. As a result, Appalachian held a 20-8 advantage in points off of turnovers.

Taking advantage of size and athleticism mismatches, Appalachian was dominant on the boards, pulling down 51 total rebounds vs. 39 by Oakland City.

Head coach Dustin Kerns all but emptied his bench in the second half, 13 of 15 rostered players seeing court time and the Mountaineers hardly skipping a beat even deep into the reserves on the floor.

Transfer student Tre’Von Spillers, a 6-7 junior forward from Charleston by way of Moberly Area Community College, may be one of the newer faces on the team but made his presence felt with 16 points and five rebounds to lead all scorers. Another 6-7 junior forward, Mountaineer returnee Christopher Mantis, was also in double figures with 12 points, including 4-of-8 shooting from beyond the 3-poiint arc. The sharpshooter from Lowell, Ind., brought the crowd to its feet in the second half with consecutive 3-pointers.

A 6-9 sophomore forward from Pompano Beach, Fla., Justin Abson picked up where he left off a year ago as a freshman team leader in rebounding, pulling down 12 on the evening.

Among the other Mountaineer newcomers, the fans got a good look at Myles Tate, a 6-0 guard from Spartanburg, transferring from Butler University. Another new face is freshman Josh Hayes, a 6-9 forward from Gainesville, Fla., who scored eight points and pulled down seven rebounds in 19 minutes on the floor.

Afterward, Kerns opened the press conference by expressing appreciation for the crowd and the fan support, then acknowledged how well his team played, paying attention to a lot of the little things they address in practice. He was particularly pleased with the relatively few turnovers and how well his players shared the ball.

“Everyone played and everyone scored,” said Kerns.

Up next, App State will be tested on the road first at Northern Illinois on Nov. 11, a MAC/Sun Belt Challenge game hosted by NIU in DeKalb, Ill. After that, the Mountaineers head west to Corvallis, Ore., where they will take on Oregon State on Tuesday, Nov. 14. On Nov. 21 and 22, App State will travel south to Fort Myers, Fla., for the Fort Myers Tip-Off event where they will play UNC-Wilmington and Murray State, respectively.

 

 

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — After a first quarter in which UNC-Greensboro jumped out to an 8-0 lead and Appalachian State couldn’t seem to buy a basket — but kept things close with strong defense and good shooting at the free throw line — the Mountaineers “settled in” and fought back to take a season-opening win, 71-65, in front of almost 700 basketball fans at the Holmes Convocation Center.

App State won the night in characteristic Mountaineer style, with offensive attacks coming from all directions and the points scored spread among multiple players. Led by senior Faith Alston’s 15 points, four Mountaineers scored in double figures, including J’Mani Ingram (13 points), Rylan Moffitt (12), and Emily Carver (11).

The Mountaineers were also active on collecting errant shots by both teams, clearing the glass for a total of 50 rebounds vs. just 35 for the visiting Spartans. Noteworthy: App State limited UNCG to just three offensive rebounds in the second half with a focus on controlling possession. COVID senior Taylor Lewis, a transfer from Middle Tennessee State, and Carver, a junior from Asheville, both reached double figures in rebounding with 10 apiece. Impressively, Carver collected eight of her boards off the offensive glass to keep Mountaineer offensive opportunities alive.

While the offensive scoring was fairly even both in the paint and from the perimeter, a difference maker for this game was App State being successful on 21-of-31 free throw opportunities. The Spartans were flagged 25 times for personal fouls, oftentimes with a Mountaineer driving to the basket in the act of shooting. By comparison, App State drew 17 whistles for fouls, the Spartans making good on just 8-of-13 attempts from the charity stripe.

After the game, head coach Angel Elderkin was obviously pleased with the result, even after the slow start.

“As you noted, we couldn’t buy a basket in the first quarter, shooting 1-for-14 in the opening period, but I think that just comes from settling in. We had only two starters out there from last year, so we had different players in different roles. They didn’t get discouraged by the ball not going in the basket, but we continued to fight,” said Elderkin.

“Another thing that I’m super proud of is just our rebounding,” added Elderkin. “Anybody who’s watched our program in the last year knows that (rebounding) has been something that has been really hurting us. UNCG came in as one of the top-40 offensive rebounding teams in the country and they returned all those players. We held them in the second half without an offensive rebound and that’s just a testament to the fight and the toughness of our team. We’re not the biggest team, but we’ve got a lot of grit and we’ve got a lot of scrap to us. It feels good just to get one game under our belt, together.”

App State will try to keep the good times rolling on Saturday, Nov. 11, when they host Ohio at the Holmes Center in a 2 p.m. tilt on Youth Day. The game is the first of two MAC/Sun Belt Challenge games. The second MAC/SBC Challenge game is scheduled for Feb. 10, opponent to be determined.