By Bret Strelow. HATTIESBURG, Miss. — App State Football hit the road for its Sun Belt Conference opener and suffered a 38-22 loss at Southern Miss on Saturday night.

App State (2-1, 0-1) has a bye next weekend before playing two consecutive nonconference games, starting with a Sept. 27 visit to Boise State.

Hosting the Sun Belt’s first league game of the season and playing at home for the third straight week, Southern Miss improved to 2-1 overall.

Turnovers a Problem

Despite falling behind 24-7, with three first-half interceptions on plays inside the Southern Miss 10, including a 99-yard return for a touchdown, the Mountaineers pulled within 24-14 when true freshman running back Jaquari Lewis took a handoff from true freshman quarterback Noah Gillon and scored his first touchdown on a 10-yard run late in the third quarter.

Elijah Mc-Cantos recovered a surprise onside kick at midfield, and Gillon followed a sack with a completion to Izayah Cummings to push App State into scoring range, but a 49-yard field-goal attempt aimed at making it a one-score game sailed wide. Southern Miss then broke the game back open by scoring touchdowns on each of its next two possessions, moving 69 yards on five plays and 61 yards on just three plays.

AJ Swann completed 15 of 23 passes for 217 yards but was helped off the field after his third interception and didn’t return. Gillon, a Mississippi native who attended Tupelo High School about 3.5 hours north of Hattiesburg, completed 11 of 24 passes for 109 yards in his first career game appearance before giving way to Billy Wiles, a former Southern Miss quarterback.

Wiles threw his first touchdown pass in an App State uniform, hitting Jaden Barnes for a 3-yard score in the final minute.

Barnes caught 10 passes for 132 yards and Cummings hauled in seven passes for 82 yards, while running back Rashod Dubinion scored App State’s first touchdown as part of a 95-yard outing on the ground.

The Golden Eagles’ three first-half interceptions occurred in or just outside the end zone, with App State turning the ball over on snaps from the Southern Miss 4, 4 and 7.

The first miscue — stopping a productive opening drive — was an end-zone pick that followed a low snap from the 4 and a rushed, errant throw intended as a fade toward the back-right corner.

The Mountaineers quickly forced a three-and-out punt and took the lead via a 62-yard drive that ended with Dubinion’s 2-yard touchdown run, but Southern Miss scored the final 17 points of the half.

The Golden Eagles answered App State’s score with a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, forced a three-and-out punt and moved into scoring range for a 39-yard field goal after Thomas Davis recorded a third-down sack to open the second quarter.

App State quickly marched back down the field to set up a first down from the 10, and Swann’s third-and-goal pass from the 4 sailed toward an open Dubinion leaking out along the right sideline. A lunging Dubinion tried to corral the pass, but as his momentum carried him down to the ground, the ball popped up into the air and into the hands of Southern Miss safety Ian Foster, who had no one near him as he started his 99-yard sprint down the sideline.

The INT was upheld after a video review, enabling Southern Miss to claim a 17-7 lead with 10:40 remaining in the second quarter.

The Mountaineers looked poised to come up with a big answer of their own, as Barnes gained 26 yards to midfield on the second play of the next series, and App State moved inside the 10 before a first-down carry lost 6 yards. On a third-and-goal pass from the 7-yard line, a pressured Swann forced a pass into traffic, and USM linebacker Mathis Haywood came up with an interception in the end zone.

To make matters worse, with Haywood returning the ball 19 yards, Swann and senior left tackle Jayden Ramsey had to be helped off the field in the aftermath of Swann getting knocked into the back of his teammate. Gillon and true freshman left tackle Denell Nix Jr. started App State’s final offensive series of the half and played most of the second half.

With time to regroup at the break, App State kicked off to open the second half, and Southern Miss moved ahead 24-7 with a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive before forcing a three-and-out punt.

DJ Burks‘ second interception of the season — off a pass tipped by cornerback Emory Floyd — ended the next Southern Miss drive, and the offense had another three-and-out punt before moving the ball effectively late in the third quarter. A roughing-the-kicker penalty on a 37-yard field-goal attempt prolonged the drive, setting up Lewis’ touchdown run on the next play.

POSTGAME NOTES: Southern Miss 38, App State 22

App State fell to 2-1 on the season and 0-1 in Sun Belt play.

The Mountaineers outgained their opponent in total yards (470-389) for the third time in as many games.

App State lost the turnover battle (3-1) for the second straight game, with all three interceptions thrown when the Mountaineers were inside the Golden Eagles’ 10-yard line.

Since joining the Sun Belt Conference, App State is now 9-3 in league openers and lost its second straight.

True freshman quarterback Noah Gillon made his college debut in relief of injured starter AJ Swann. True freshman offensive lineman Denell Nix Jr. also made his debut.

OFFENSE

• Running back Rashod Dubinion rushed for 95 yards on 24 carries with his second touchdown of the season. He has amassed 400 rushing yards through three games for a 133.3-yard average.
• True freshman running back Jaquari Lewis scored a third-quarter touchdown on a 10-yard sprint up the middle to cut the Golden Eagles’ lead to 10. He rushed twice for 12 yards, caught four passes for 28 yards and scored a 2-point conversion.
• Jaden Barnes went over 100 receiving yards for the second time in three games as a Mountaineer, catching 10 passes for 132 yards and a touchdown. He’s the first Mountaineer to amass double-digit catches in a game since Kaedin Robinson had 10 against ULM in 2023.
• Playing against his former team, quarterback Billy Wiles led a scoring drive to close the game, going 5-for-5 passing and tossing a 3-yard touchdown to Barnes.

DEFENSE

• This was defensive back DJ Burks’ second straight game with an interception. He made a one-handed catch off an Emory Floyd deflection in the third quarter.
• Linebacker Colton Phares led the team with eight tackles, including three of the team’s six tackles for loss. It was his second straight game with eight tackles, which matches his career high.
• Edge Thomas Davis came up with a timely sack to force a fourth down field-goal at the start of the second quarter.

SPECIAL TEAMS

• Dominic De Freitas initiated a momentum-shifting play with an onside kick that was recovered by Elijah Mc-Cantos after App State scored to cut its deficit to 24-14 late in the third quarter.

By Matt Present. NORFOLK, Va. — App State Soccer drew against Old Dominion, 1-1, to begin Sun Belt Conference play for the 2025 season.

A late goal by Old Dominion (4-1-2, 0-0-1) was countered by a clutch, free kick score from the Mountaineers’ (4-3-1, 0-0-1) Kyli Switalski with four minutes remaining in the contest.

Behind with time winding down, App State mounted a counterattack and drew a yellow card from Old Dominion, outside the Monarchs’ penalty box. In the 86th minute, Switalski took the set piece after Olivia Simon faked the shot, burying it in the right side of the net for the equalizing goal for her third goal of the season.

The Monarchs, who held a 59% of possession advantage, outshot the Mountaineers 16-6 in the match. They also had more shots on goal, with five compared to App State’s three. Despite the disparity in offensive opportunities, the game remained scoreless through the first half.

Old Dominion put the pressure on early, taking 10 shots in the first half to App State’s two. App State goalkeeper Hanna Skogsfors made two saves in the first 45 minutes to keep the game deadlocked.

The Mountaineers made a change at goalkeeper at the start of the second half, with Anna Claire Jacobi taking over for Skogsfors. The Monarchs finally broke through in the 74th minute of the match, leading to App State’s late equalizer.

The Mountaineers will continue conference play against Georgia State on Sept. 18, in Atlanta. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. and will be streaming on ESPN+.

BOX SCORE

By Katherine Jamtgaard. KENNESAW, Ga. — The App State volleyball team rallied for a 3-2 (20-25, 25-23, 25-28, 23-25, 15-11) victory over Kennesaw State on Saturday to cap competition at the Kennesaw State Invitational. The Mountaineers improve to 7-1 on the season and now hold a 2-1 edge in their series with the Owls.

Saturday’s match marked the Mountaineers’ third, five-set victory in the month of September and fifth of the 2025 campaign.

“Another road trip, another set of five-set matches. We missed an opportunity to beat Michigan State and gutted out enough points to beat Kennesaw State. I’m very fortunate to coach a team that simply doesn’t give up,” said head coach Chad Sutton. “We need to focus on our training and continue to elevate our level of play each day as our schedule does not let up. We’re excited to be heading home with a ‘dub’ and looking forward to a great opportunity at Chapel Hill.”

App State 3, Kennesaw State 2

Senior Ali Morris recorded her 30th career double-double with a team-high 15 kills and 11 digs. Fellow senior Maya Winterhoff also registered a double-double with 10 kills and a career-high 10 blocks (two solo, eight assists). Redshirt senior Addison Heidemann tallied a team-high 20 assists and eight digs, while junior Maria Conteras made 12 assists and a career-high seven blocks. Sophomore MeMe Davis led the Black and Gold with 14 digs and served up four of App State’s nine aces. The Mountaineers outpaced the Owls in aces (9-5) and blocks (16-10).

App State and Kennesaw State kept pace with each other in the first set. Winterhoff knotted the score at 14 all with a kill. The Owls found momentum with a 6-1 run to jump ahead, 22-16. The Black and Gold answered with a 4-1 run, building off kills from senior Keionna Mackey, Davis, and Contreras, and a block from the duo of Contreras and Winterhoff. KSU managed to take the set, 25-20.

The Owls’ momentum carried into the second set as they established a 10-4 lead. The Mountaineers steadily chipped away at the deficit, cutting it down to two (20-18) with a 4-0 run that featured a Heidemann ace and a kill from sophomore Bella Hutchens. A kill by fellow sophomore Lou Johnson, followed by a block from the duo of Johnson and Morris, kept the Mountaineers within two of the Owls’ lead (22-20). With a late 5-0 surge built off a pair of Owl errors, a Davis ace, and kills from Morris and Winterhoff, App State secured the second set, 25-23.

In the third set, App State and Kennesaw State knotted the score five times before the Mountaineers broke a 10-10 tie with a Hutchens kill for the only lead change in the set. Davis served up an ace and Winterhoff went up for a solo block to extend App State’s lead to 13-10. The Mountaineers maintained the lead for the remainder of the set, jumping ahead 22-14 with a 4-0 run that featured a Contreras kill and block from the duo of Johnson and Contreras. Kills from Contreras and Johnson brought the Black and Gold to set point (24-16). Despite being held to two set points, App State took the third set, 25-18, after an Owl service error.

App State and Kennesaw State battled through a tight fourth set, tying the score on 13 occasions, but only trading the lead four times. Down 14-10, App State pushed ahead, 15-14, with a 5-0 run that featured a kill from Hutchens, a block from the duo of Morris and Winterhoff, and back-to-back kills from Morris. Late in the set, KSU managed to push ahead, 23-21. App State knotted the score at 23 after a kill from Morris, but Kennesaw State edged ahead to take set No. 4, 25-23.

The Mountaineers erased a 7-2 deficit in the fifth and final set with an impressive 7-0 run. With kills from Hutchens, Winterhoff, and Morris, and a pair of Davis aces, App State pushed ahead, 9-7. Another 5-0 run that featured a kill from Morris and a pair of Winterhoff kills brought the Mountaineers to set and match point (14-8). Kennesaw State held App State to a trio of match points before Contreras set Winterhoff up for a kill to cap the set, 15-11, and match, 3-2, for the Mountaineers.

Looking Ahead

The Mountaineers will travel down to Chapel Hill, N.C. to take on No. 25 UNC on Sept. 16 before returning to Boone to host Duke and Davidson for the 2025 Mountaineer Classic on Sept. 19-21. Tuesday’s match against UNC will be available to stream on ACCNX. The Mountaineer Classic matches will be available to stream on ESPN+.

BOX SCORE

By Katherine Jamtgaard. KENNESAW, Ga. — The App State volleyball team suffered its first setback of the 2025 campaign after falling short to Michigan State in five sets (24-26, 25-21, 25-23, 21-25,10-15), at the Kennesaw State Invitational on Friday. The Mountaineers will enter Saturday’s noon match against Kennesaw State (4-2) with a 6-1 record. Saturday’s match will be available to stream on ESPN+.

Michigan State 3, App State 2

A quartet of Mountaineers made double-figure kills on Friday, led by senior Ali Morris, who slammed down 13. Redshirt sophomore Delanie Grevengoed made 12 kills, followed by senior Maya Winterhoff and sophomore Bella Hutchens, who tallied 11 kills apiece. Winterhoff recorded a hitting percentage of .450 and made a team-high six blocks. Redshirt senior Addison Heidemann made 31 assists and helped App State to a team hitting percentage of .243. Heidemann also made 14 digs to register her second double-double of the season and 13th of her career. Heidemann, Ali Morris, and Hutchens combined for six of App State’s seven aces, each contributing two. Sophomore MeMe Davis led the team with 16 digs.

Despite Friday’s outcome, App State and Michigan State were closely matched in their first meeting in program history. Each served up seven aces. The Mountaineers kept pace with the Spartans in blocks, only trailing by one (13-12) and only trailing by two in assists (60-58) and digs (64-62). Friday’s clash marked the Black and Gold’s third consecutive five-set match in the month of September and fifth five-set match this fall.

In the first set, the Mountaineers and Spartans tied things up 10 times and traded the lead four times. Late in the set, a kill from Hutchens pushed the Mountaineers ahead, 21-20. Michigan State answered with a pair of kills, but Morris knotted the score at 22 all. As MSU reached set point, back-to-back kills from Winterhoff and Davis tied things up at 24 all. Michigan State managed to push ahead to secure the set, 26-24.

The Mountaineers broke a 9-9 tie in the second set with a block from the duo of sophomore Lou Johnson and Morris, which was followed up by a Winterhoff kill. App State extended the lead to 18-14, building off kills from Morris, Winterhoff, and Hutchens. As MSU chipped away at the deficit, App State secured the set, 25-21, after a kill from Winterhoff, an ace from Morris, and a Spartan error.

App State and Michigan State battled through a tight third set. The Mountaineers erased a 14-10 deficit with kills from Hutchens and Johnson, an ace from Hutchens, and a block from the duo of junior Maria Contreras and Winterhoff, knotting the score at 16 all. With a Contreras kill, Morris ace, and a Winterhoff kill, App State edged ahead, 20-19. Michigan State managed to catch up to the Black and Gold at 23 all, but a Spartan error brought App State to set point. Grevengoed slammed down a kill to seal the set, 25-23, in App State’s favor.

Similar to the first set, App State and Michigan State matched on 10 occasions and swapped the lead three times in the fourth set. The Black and Gold met MSU at 12 all after a kill from Morris, a solo block from Contreras, and a block from the duo of Morris and Winterhoff. The Spartans managed to pull away with a 7-2 run. App State held MSU to several set points with a 4-0 run that was punctuated by a kill from Johnson, but Michigan State took the set, 25-21.

In the fifth and final set, App State managed to tie things up early with kills from Johnson and Morris, but the Spartans found momentum with a 7-1 run to take a hefty 9-3 lead. The Mountaineers had a late surge, cutting the deficit to 11-8 with a 5-1 run that featured a Heidemann ace and a trio of kills from Hutchens, Grevengoed, and Johnson. Despite the Mountaineers’ efforts, Michigan State took the set 15-10, and the match, 3-2.

BOX SCORE

By Layne McNary. CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The App State field hockey team suffered its first setback of the season Friday, falling 5-0 to No. 2 North Carolina.

The Mountaineers (4-1) couldn’t find their rhythm against the Tar Heels (5-0), falling behind early. Lise Boekaar, Frederique Grimbergen and Kate Richardson each had a shot on goal, but none found the back of the cage.

How It Happened

1st Quarter: The Tar Heels started fast, scoring less than a minute into the game. App State had chances in the striking circle but failed to get a shot off. North Carolina scored again late in the first period to make it 2-0.

2nd Quarter: The period was a back-and-forth affair, but with about three minutes left, the Tar Heels scored twice within 20 seconds to take a 4-0 lead into halftime.

3rd Quarter: North Carolina scored its fifth goal of the game with 9:50 remaining in the period. The Mountaineers kept up the pressure, earning their first penalty corner of the game, but the Tar Heels maintained their 5-0 lead.

4th Quarter: The Mountaineers continued to press in the period, with Boekaar and Richardson each getting a shot on goal and the team earning another penalty corner. Despite their limited opportunities, they couldn’t get past the UNC goalkeeper, ultimately losing their first game of the season.

BOX SCORE

By Katherine Jamtgaard. CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — The App State men’s and women’s cross country teams wrapped competition at the Virginia Invitational on Friday. The men’s team placed third with 88 points, while the women finished sixth in the team standings with 141 points.

For a second consecutive race, sophomore Thomas Wlazlowski was the first Mountaineer to cross the finish line, clocking an 8K time of 24:58.1 to place 10th. His time was 13 seconds shy of his personal best of 24:45.6, which he set at the 2024 Joe Piane Invitational. Senior Ethan Lipham placed 11th with a time of 24:59.4. Redshirt senior Chase Burrell and freshman Tate Shore finished 19th (25:10.8) and 21st (25:12.7, PR), respectively. Thomas Ashley and sophomore Henry Stark rounded out the top 30 with times of 25:19.4 (PR) and 25:20.9. In his debut in the Black and Gold, freshman Bryant Young clocked an 8K personal best of 25:30.6 to place 32nd.

“The guys got into groups and worked on racing together. We did not do a great job at the home meet of running together, so we have been working on it,” said men’s distance coach Brad Herbster. “Wlazlowski and Lipham ran tough, as did Burrell and Shore. Ashley had a nice improvement, it was good to get Stark back in the team mix, and Young had a good first 8K. We have three weeks to make adjustments and improve before the next race at home.”

WOMEN’S DIVISION

In the women’s 5K, freshman Elizabeth McCart set pace for the Mountaineers, clocking a time of 18:06.1 to improve her personal best by 36 seconds and place 21st overall. Sophomore Breanna Budzinski took 24th after stopping the clock at 18:09.3. Freshman Josie Jackson (18:20.6), sophomore Savanah Moore (18:26.2, PR), and freshmen Ashby Williams (18:28.5) and Tessa Massa (18:31.2, PR) rounded out the top 40.

“Today was a great opportunity to preview the course that we will run at the NCAA Southeast Regional this season,” said women’s distance coach Annie Richards. “I was impressed with how our team ran as a pack throughout the race. McCart, Budzinski, and Jackson were strong as our first three runners for our team today. Our freshmen continue to show up and score for our team, which is exciting for the future of the program.”

Virginia’s Justin Wachtel won the men’s race with a time of 23:52.6, while Virginia’s Gillian Bushee won the women’s race with a time of 16:39.9.

Up Next

The Mountaineers return to Boone for the Firetower Project Run on Oct. 3. The men’s 8K is scheduled for 5 p.m., with the women’s 6K to follow at 5:40 p.m.

Virginia Invitational Team Scores

Men’s Team Scores
1.Virginia – 18 points
2. Johns Hopkins – 59 points
3. App State – 88 points
4. William & Mary – 103 points
5. George Washington – 107 points
6. Norfolk State – 162 points
7. Western Michigan – 205 points
8. Mary Washington – 250 points
9. Howard – 265 points

Women’s Team Scores
1.Virginia – 19 points
2. William & Mary – 65 points
3. Johns Hopkins – 77 points
4. Richmond – 105 points
5. George Washington – 116 points
6. App State – 141 points
7. Western Carolina – 240 points
8. Howard – 246 points
9. Norfolk State – 274 points
10. Mary Washington – 292 points