By Bret Strelow. BOONE, N.C. — A record-setting debut led App State quarterback AJ Swann to be named the Sun Belt Conference’s Offensive Player of the Week, a Manning Award Stars of the Week honoree and a member of the Davey O’Brien Award’s Great 8.

Swann completed 31 of 46 passes for 368 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in App State’s 34-11 win against Charlotte in the Duke’s Mayo Classic held at Bank of America Stadium. He is one of eight quarterbacks to be recognized by the Manning Award, and being included on the “Great 8” list leads to inclusion on the Davey O’Brien Award Midseason Watch List.

Making his first appearance for the Mountaineers after starting his career at Vanderbilt and spending last season at LSU, Swann set a record for passing yards by a quarterback in his App State debut and accounted for the seventh-highest total by an App State quarterback in the FBS era.

The 368 yards rank as the fifth-highest total by an FBS quarterback this season and the third-highest total by an FBS quarterback against an FBS opponent, behind only the 419 yards from Baylor’s Sawyer Robertson (against Auburn) and the 401 yards from WKU’s Maverick McIvor (against Sam Houston State).

Swann’s 31 completions are tied for the eighth-highest total in a game by an App State quarterback.

By Layne McNary. TOWSON, Md. — The App State Mountaineers defeated the Georgetown Hoyas 3-1 to close out opening weekend on Sunday.

The Mountaineers once again never trailed, taking control in the second half.

“Really proud of the resilience and effort our team gave today,” said head coach Emily Dinsmore. “We had some opportunities on cage that didn’t fall our way, but our team stayed united and got the job done. Thankful to be 2-0 on the weekend and we are looking forward to our first home game on Sept. 7.

Frederique Grimbergen, Lise Boekaar, and Baylie Phillips all scored in today’s matchup, with all goals coming in the second half.

With two assists, Boekaar now has 22 in her career, tying her with Taylor Cimbalist for second all-time. She also ties her single-season assist total of seven from last season, which puts her at tenth all-time in that category.

How It Happened

• 1st Quarter: Both teams were held scoreless. The Mountaineers generated two corners but failed to score on two shots.
• 2nd Quarter: It was more of the same, with the Mountaineers earning three corners and getting one shot on goal but couldn’t break the scoreless tie. Claire Grenis made a save on a penalty corner to keep the Hoyas off the scoreboard.
• 3rd Quarter: Grimbergen broke the scoreless tie late in the period, scoring her first goal of the season, assisted by Boekaar. The Mountaineers kept the pressure on, generating four corners and four shots on goal.
• 4th Quarter: The Mountaineers opened the period with a goal from Boekaar, her third of the weekend, extending the lead to two. Phillips then scored the third goal for the Mountaineers, assisted by Boekaar in a memorable moment that came on her birthday, as App State closed out the game with a 3-1 win.

Match Notes

Goals

• App: Boekaar (1), Grimbergen (1), Phillips (1)
• GU: Lee (1)

Assists

• App: Boekaar (2)
• GU: Yodh (1)

Winning Goalkeeper – Claire Grenis (2-0): 2 saves, 1 goal allowed
Losing Goalkeeper – Ella Fahey (1-1): 7 saves, 3 goals allowed

Up Next

The Mountaineers will return to the High Country to host the Davidson Wildcats next Sunday for the first home game of the season. First touch at the Dr. Jan C. Watson Field at the Brandon & Erica M. Adcock Field Hockey Complex is slated for noon.

By Matt Present. CLEMSON, S.C. — App State Soccer dropped a non-conference match 3-0 at Clemson on Sunday to close out the opening month of play.

The Tigers (2-1-2) got on the board first in the 10th minute of play when Juju Harris was able to tuck a low angle shot just underneath the crossbar.

App State (3-2) battled hard defensively throughout the match with timely tackles, highlighted by efforts from Sydney Snowden and Reagan Sturgill, and a couple of impressive saves from Anna Claire Jacobi.

Snowden and fellow defenders Morgan Chapman and Maddie Williams played all 90 minutes for the Mountaineers. Izzi Wood led App State with two shots on target, while Kyli Switalski added a pair of shot attempts. Hanna Skogsfors made her collegiate debut in goal, playing the final 14 minutes of the contest.

Clemson added on in the 65th minute when Clemson’s Emily Brough won the ball near the top of the box and fed a pass across to Renee Lyles for the finish. The Tigers added a penalty goal in the 69th minute.

App State will return to action on Thursday, Sept. 4 when the team hosts East Carolina (1-2-2) for Senior Day at The Valley. First touch is now set for 4 p.m. and the pregame ceremony will take place at approximately 3:30 p.m. The contest will be broadcast on ESPN+.

By Katherine Jamtgaard. CHARLESTON, S.C. — The App State volleyball team posted a pair of five-set victories over College of Charleston (3-2 (18-25, 22-25, 25-23, 25-21, 15-7)) and Eastern Kentucky (3-2 (19-25, 25-21, 15-25, 25-18, 16-14)) in Charleston on Saturday.

The weekend was highlighted by a career milestone from redshirt senior Addison Heidemann as well as a trio of Mountaineers landing on the C of C Classic’s All-Tournament team. Closing out competition at the C of C Classic, the Mountaineers will enter their home opener against Elon on Tuesday with a 3-0 record.

“This was a hard-fought start to our season, especially opening with wins against two conference champions from last season. The confidence that we will take from this will serve us well with our goals for this season and beyond,” said head coach Chad Sutton. “The maturity this team showed to battle through adversity and be intentional in their choices is a very positive sign for what seems to be limitless possibilities. I’m excited for what’s to come and love this group.”

Senior Maya Winterhoff and sophomores Lou Johnson and MeMe Davis earned spots on the C of C Classic All-Tournament for their efforts on the weekend. The trio started all three of the tournaments’ matches and appeared in all 13 sets for the Mountaineers. Winterhoff earned the distinction of Tournament MVP after totaling 37 kills on the weekend, averaging 2.85 per set, with a hitting percentage of .456. She also made 12 blocks (three solo, nine assists). Johnson made 24 kills with a hitting percentage of .419 and totaled six blocks (two solo, four assists). Davis tallied 49 digs, averaging 3.77 per set, and served up six aces. She also made seven assists and two kills on the weekend.

App State 3, College of Charleston 2

Saturday’s morning match against the Cougars was highlighted by a career milestone from Heidemann, who surpassed 1,000 collegiate career assists. She made a team-high 56 assists as well as seven digs, four blocks, three kills, and one ace. Four Mountaineers recorded double-figure kills, led by Winterhoff, who slammed down 17 with a clip of .560. Winterhoff also led the team in blocks, totaling six (two solo, four assists). Fellow senior Ali Morris and sophomore Bella Hutchens matched with 15 kills apiece, followed by Johnson who made 10 kills. Davis tallied a team-high 20 digs.

The Mountaineers and Cougars tied on nine occasions and swapped the lead five times in the first set, but College of Charleston found momentum with a 5-0 run to take the set, 25-18. In the second set, App State and C of C tied 11 times and swapped the lead twice. The Black and Gold managed to meet the Cougars at 20 all with a kill from redshirt sophomore Delanie Grevengoed, but the Cougars answered with a 4-0 run. Despite holding the Cougars to two set points, College of Charleston took the second set 25-22.

The Mountaineers fought through a tight third set, tying twice and trading the lead twice. Hutchens opened the set with a kill before C of C took a steady lead. App State kept pace with the Cougars and managed to edge ahead, 23-21, with a 4-0 run built off back-to-back kills from Morris, an ace from Davis, and a kill from Winterhoff. A Cougar attack error brought App State to set point and a kill from Winterhoff secured the set for the Mountaineers, 25-23.

Despite five ties and two lead changes early in the fourth set, App State broke a 16-16 tie with a kill from Morris and a block from the duo of Winterhoff and Hutchens. The Mountaineers built off a kill from Winterhoff, a pair of consecutive kills from Hutchens, and a Heidemann ace to take a 22-18 lead. With a pair of kills from Johnson, App State reached set point (24-20). The Cougars managed to hold App State to one set point, but Morris capped the set with a kill (25-21).

App State commanded the fifth set, defeating the Cougars, 15-7 to capture the match 3-2. The Mountaineers held the Cougars to a hitting percentage of .056, while hitting .421 during the final set. The Mountaineers opened with a 2-0 lead as Morris made a kill, which was followed by a Cougar error. App State broke a 4-4 tie with an 8-1 run that featured a pair of Winterhoff kills, a pair of Hutchens kills, a pair of Winterhoff aces, and a block from the duo of Winterhoff and Heidemann. Davis made a kill to extend App State’s lead to 13-7. Back-to-back kills from Johnson sealed the set, 15-7, and clinched the match 3-2, for the Mountaineers.

App State 3, Eastern Kentucky 2

Senior Keionna Mackey played a key role in the Mountaineers’ gritty afternoon victory against Eastern Kentucky. Mackey led the Mountaineers in kills (13) and served up four of the Mountaineers’ eight aces. Winterhoff and Morris also contributed double-figure kills. Heidemann and junior Maria Contreras combined for 37 of App State’s 46 assists. For a third consecutive match, Davis led the Black and Gold with 17 digs and was followed by freshman Bella Dafforn, who made a career-high 11 digs. The Mountaineers led EKU in aces (8-3) and blocks (13-10).

App State steadily chipped away at EKU’s early lead in the first set, managing to knot the score thrice, but it wasn’t enough as the Colonels found late momentum and broke an 18-18 tie with a 7-1 run to take the set, 25-19.

The Mountaineers battled through a tight second set, tying the score on 12 occasions with the Colonels. After the Colonels took a 12-8 edge with a 6-0 run, App State answered with a 4-0 run that tied things up at 12 all. Building off kills from Grevengoed and Winterhoff, a block from the duo of Winterhoff and Morris, an ace from Dafforn, and a solo block from Contreras, App State caught up with EKU at 17 all. Mackey slammed down five kills and made a solo block to clinch the set for the Black and Gold, 25-21.

EKU maintained a steady lead in the third set. Despite App State’s efforts, EKU reached set point with a late 4-0 run. A kill from Johnson held the Colonels at set point, but it wasn’t enough as EKU took the set, 25-15.

App State opened the fourth set with a kill from Hutchens and an ace from Mackey. The Mountaineers established an 11-2 lead with an impressive 8-0 run that included kills from Winterhoff, Davis, and Morris, a block from the duo of Morris and Winterhoff, and solo blocks from Winterhoff and Contreras. The Black and Gold held the lead for the duration of the set, never allowing a tie. As EKU narrowed the deficit to 22-18 with a 4-0 run, Mackey locked in, making a kill and serving back-to-back aces to take the set, 25-18, for App State.

In the fifth and final set, EKU jumped to an early 4-0 lead. The Mountaineers patiently chipped away at the deficit, narrowing it to 10-9 after kills from Mackey, Winterhoff, a block from Johnson and Mackey, and a solo block from Johnson. Kills from Johnson and Morris, in addition to a Colonel error, knotted the score at 12 all. The momentum shifted in App State’s favor as kills from Winterhoff and Morris pushed the Mountaineers ahead, 14-13. EKU managed to tie the score at 14-14, but a pair of Colonel errors sealed the set (16-14) and win (3-2), for App State.

Looking Ahead

The Mountaineers return to Boone for their home opener against Elon on Tuesday. First serve is slated for 6 p.m. Fans are encouraged to pack Holmes and there will be a free t-shirt giveaway for all fans as well as free food for students. The match will also be available to stream on ESPN+.

By David Rogers. CHARLOTTE, N.C. — And so, the Dowell Loggains Era for App State Football begins. A lot of preseason questions were answered in the Aug. 29 Duke’s Mayo Classic at Bank of America Stadium, where the Mountaineers dominated Charlotte in all phases of the football game, 34-11.

As much or more than any college football game in 2025, this matchup was unique, featuring two high level programs with new head coaches and coaching staffs, as well as historic levels of roster turnover. More than 100 of the teams’ combined rosters were new to their programs. We counted 43 FBS-level transfers on the Charlotte roster, 33 on App State’s. Throw in some junior college, FCS and even NCAA Division II transfers, as well as a slew of promising freshman recruits, and both coaching staffs faced similar indoctrination challenges. In preparing for this game, both head coaches afterwards described the challenges of preparing for the contest, not fully knowing what they would face in an opponent.

The game produced several storylines:

• Loggains and his staff of assistants — with plenty of NFL and major college coaching experience on their resumes — are the real deal, in all three phases of the game.
• On offense, App State produced a pass-heavy, yet balanced attack that rolled up 586 yards of net total yards (404 passing, 182 rushing), the team’s most prolific offensive output since against Georgia Southern in 2022, a 51-48 double-overtime loss to the Eagles in which App State produced 629 yards of total offense.
• LSU transfer A J Swann emerged as the Mountaineers’ starting quarterback after a months-long competition with redshirt sophomore and Iowa State transfer J J Kohl, as well as strong consideration for 2024 Southern Miss transfer Billy Wiles, redshirt freshman Matthew Wilson, and true freshmen Noah Gillon and Gregory Fee. Loggains revealed after the game that he told the QBs of his decision on Thursday, Aug. 28.
• Swann responded with a record-breaking performance for an App State QB making his debut, completing 31-of-46 passes for 368 yards and three TDs and zero interceptions, plus adding 25 rushing yards at key moments. Kohl came in to lead the last two offensive possession in the fourth quarter, completing two of four passes for big gains of 19 and 17 yards, for 36 yards.
• Swann and Kohl combined to complete passes to 10 different receivers, led by Jaden Barnes (6 catches, 134 yards and 1 TD on 8 targets) and Dalton Stroman (8 catches for 88 yards on 11 targets). Other receivers included Izayah Cummings (5 catches, 57 yards), running back Rashod Dubinion (5-31), tight end David Larkins (3-27), William Fowles (2-30), Jackson Grier (1-19), Kanen Hamlet (1-19, TD), Alex Sanchez (1-1, TD), and Doopah Coleman (1).
• Running back Rashod Dubinion was the focus of App State’s rushing attack, carrying the ball 22 times for 111 yards and 1 TD.
• On defense, App State defensive coordinator D J Smith’s unit smothered Charlotte, limiting the 49ers to 218 net total yards, 142 passing and just 76 rushing. With the Mountaineers leading, 14-3, and less than 25 seconds remaining in the first half, defensive back Ja’Den McBurrows produced the game’s only turnover with an interception of 49er QB Conner Harrell near midfield. Harrell was pressured by redshirt senior defensive lineman Kevin Abrams-Verwayne.
• McBurrows and redshirt sophomore defensive back Zyeir Gamble were the team leaders in tackles, with six each, followed by redshirt sophomore linebacker Colton Phares, with five.
• On special teams, freshman placekicker Dominic De Freitas won the 4-way kicking competition with redshirt sophomore Jackson Moore, redshirt junior Carter Everett, and redshirt senior Cash McVay — and responded with field goals of 47 and 35 yards in the season-opening game for 2025..
• Punter Ian Ratliff only had to punt three times, but put two of them inside the Charlotte 20 yard line. He totaled 110 yards.

Once App State healed itself from self-inflicted wounds, including three penalties on offense and two more on defense just in the first quarter, the Mountaineers got into rhythm and never looked back. The only serious setbacks in the second half were two calls for targeting, resulting in the ejection of Elijah McCantos and Jaelin Willis, both penalties coming in the third quarter after video review.

The first targeting call came at the end of a 17 yard run by Charlotte’s QB, Harrell, for a first down at the App State 6-yard line. The penalty was enforced half the distance to the App State goal line, to the 3-yard line. Charlotte had momentum and appeared poised to score with a first down at the three, but on the very next play, the 49ers senior running back Cameren Smith was met in the backfield by blitzing defensive back Dylan Hasz (a junior transfer from Arkansas). The Mountaineer DB punched out the ball, which went flying back and toward the sidelines where it was scooped up by returning redshirt senior linebacker Kyle Arnholt and run back 8 yards, to the Mountaineer 23-yard line. Just like that, the damage from a targeting call was undone and the 49er scoring threat diminished.

What followed was the rare instance where Swann & Co. could not move the ball, recording a three-and-out, and punted the ball back to Charlotte, at their own 43. After an offensive holding call pushed the 49ers back to their own 33, what at first appeared to be brilliant defensive play by the Mountaineers turned into potential disaster. Harrell scrambled backwards under pressure by App State’s defensive lineman, Nick Campbell, forcing a fumble after a 28-yard loss. But near simultaneous contact by Jaelin Willis was judged to be targeting on video review. The senior linebacker transfer from Lenoir-Rhyne was tossed and the 49ers were given new life with a first down at their own 48.

This time, Charlotte was able to capitalize, fashioning a 12 play drive the rest of the way for their first and only TD of the night.

Even aided by those penalties and player ejections, Charlotte got little relief from App State’s relentless pressure. While Swann and the Mountaineer offense rolled up 586 yards of total offense, the App State defense limited Charlotte to just 218 net total yards, 142 passing (completing 33 of 50 pass attempts) and 76 net rushing yards (on 29 rush attempts).

The most potent offensive weapon for the 49ers on this night? Redshirt junior punter Bronson Long, a 6-4, 200 lb. transfer in 2023 from South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, who played high school ball in Gothenburg, Nebraska. On six punts, Long flipped the field position, averaging 48.3 yards per punt and 290 yards total. His longest was 57 yards, but he also had another that travelled more than 50 yards. One of his six punts pinned the Mountaineers back inside their own 20-yard line.

Things won’t get any easier for the 49ers when they host another new head coach team on Sept. 6: Bill Bellichick’s North Carolina Tar Heels, also in Charlotte, at Jerry Richardson Field.

Who is Lindenwood?

App State returns to Boone for a first home game of the 2025 campaign, hosting a new Division I (FCS) school in Lindenwood University, from St. Charles, Missouri. Like App State, the Lions’ colors are black and gold but that may be the only similarity for the Ohio Valley Conference member, with a student enrollment of 7,000. According to an entry in Wikipedia, the private university was founded in 1832 as the The Lindenwood School for Girls, and was the first women’s college west of the Mississippi.

With several steps in between, it became a co-ed school in 1969 and began an extensive expansion of academic, residential and athletic facilities in the mid-1990s. According to a St. Louis Post-Dispatch article in 2006, Lindenwood University was the fastest growing university in the Midwest from the mid-1990s to the early 2000s. The school’s endowment fund has grown since, from approximately $50 million in 2006 to more than $200 million today. It sits on a 500-acre campus overlooking downtown St. Charles and the Missouri River.

Lindenwood’s athletic rise has been relatively swift. Before moving to the FCS level, the Lions and Lady Lions competed (for most sports) in the Great Lakes Valley Conference of the NCAA Division II from 2019 to 2022. Previously, it was an NAIA member school competing in the Heart of America Conference. It was an NAIA member for 40 years before beginning the transition to NCAA DII in 2010.

For the full Wikipedia entry, CLICK HERE.

SELECTED GAME STATS (by StatBroadcast)

By Katherine Jamtgaard. CHARLESTON, S.C. — The App State volleyball team opened the 2025 campaign with a 3-0 (25-17, 25-16, 25-15) sweep of Mercer at the College of Charleston Classic on Aug. 29. The victory marked head coach Chad Sutton’s first at the helm of the program. Additionally, the Mountaineers’ all-time record against the Bears remains unblemished and now stands at 5-0.

App State 3, Mercer 0

App State outpaced Mercer in all but one category, matching with the Bears with 46 digs apiece. The Mountaineers tallied 35 kills and 34 assists, while holding the Bears to 28 kills and 28 assists. The Black and Gold also recorded a team hitting percentage of .286 while holding the Bears to a mark of .046.

Sophomore Lou Johnson made eight kills on 10 attacks for a .800 hitting percentage. Senior Maya Winterhoff matched Johnson with eight kills of her own. In the assists category, redshirt senior Addison Heidemann made 31 of the Mountaineers’ 34 assists and is now 28 away from reaching 1,000 career assists. Sophomore MeMe Davis led the team in digs, registering 12, and was followed by junior Caroline Farthing, who made nine. Senior Ali Morris was the Mountaineers’ top blocker on the day with four, three of which were solo. Fellow senior Keionna Mackey served up three of the Mountaineers’ seven aces, which came consecutively in the third set.

App State came out strong in the first set, jumping to a 5-1 lead early, which featured a kill from redshirt sophomore Delanie Grevengoed and an ace from sophomore Bella Hutchens. Mercer managed to take an 11-10 edge, but a kill from Hutchens knotted the score at 11 all. A pair of 4-0 runs that featured kills from Johnson, Morris and Winterhoff as well as aces from Farthing and Davis, pushed the Black and Gold ahead, 19-14. Despite Mercer’s efforts, App State took the set 25-17, building off kills from Grevengoed, Winterhoff, and Hutchens.

The Mountaineers’ momentum carried into the second set as they established a hefty 12-3 lead, built on kills from Hutchens, Grevengoed, Johnson, and Winterhoff, as well as a Morris solo block and block by the duo of Johnson and Grevengoed. Mercer managed to narrow the deficit to 15-11, but the Mountaineers were quick to push ahead, 20-13 with a kill from Hutchens and a trio of kills from Johnson. Winterhoff slammed down a kill before going up for a block alongside Morris. Morris went up for a solo block, which Mackey followed up with her first kill of the match to bring the Mountaineers to set point (24-16). With an ace, Morris secured the second set for the Mountaineers, 25-16.

In the third set, Mercer pulled ahead 8-4 early before the Mountaineers found their footing with a 4-0 run, tying the score at 8-8. The Mountaineers gained an 11-9 edge after a kill from Winterhoff and a pair of Mercer errors. With a 5-0 run that featured three consecutive Mackey aces sandwiched by a pair of Johnson kills, App State pulled ahead, 17-11. Regaining momentum, the Black and Gold saw back-to-back kills from Grevengoed and Winterhoff, both assisted by Heidemann. A kill by Morris, assisted by junior Maria Contreras, brought the Mountaineers to set point (24-14). Contreras, assisted by Davis, scored set and match point (25-15).

Looking Ahead

Competition continues at the C of C Classic on Saturday as the Mountaineers take on host College of Charleston at 11 a.m. and Eastern Kentucky at 4:30 p.m. Saturday’s morning match against College of Charleston will be available to stream on FloCollege.