The best stories of from the sports section from the 2024 to 2025 school year.
Menu
The best stories of from the sports section from the 2024 to 2025 school year.
The sports section remained incredibly active this school year, covering all 13 of Loyola’s NCAA Division I sports through athlete profiles, game recaps and other athletics-related news.
In this year’s review, the Phoenix covered nearly every Loyola home game and occasional road matches, which included notable postseasons such as the men’s basketball’s NIT run, the women’s volleyball first-ever NCAA tournament appearance and the cross country’s women’s team three-peating as Atlantic 10 conference champions.
Coverage also extended to highlighting changes in the world of college athletics, either on a school-specific level — with coach hirings like men’s volleyball returning Hall of Famer Shane Davis — or national developments in the world of Name, Image and Likeness.
None of the in-depth and exhaustive coverage would be possible without our team of passionate writers taking joy in highlighting the happening, history and humans of Loyola athletics while also vocalizing their own unique sports takes through columns, such as the recurring “Hometown Sports.”
We remain committed to delivering quality sports media for readers and thank you for your continued support of both the Ramblers and ourselves. Have a great summer, thank you for reading, and we’ll see you next year.
Men’s Volleyball’s Klein and Hawks Bring Home U21 Gold Medal
Originally published Sept. 4.
Aidan Klein, a second-year middle blocker on Loyola men’s volleyball and head coach John Hawks represented the United States at the U21 North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation Continental Championship June 11-16 in Nogales, Mexico. The team finished with a gold medal and a spot in the 2025 FIVB World Championship.
Hawks was selected by USA Volleyball to serve as head coach for the championships, his second time in the role. Hawks has worked with USA Volleyball before as assistant coach on the 2008, 2010 and 2018 Pan American Cup team as well as head coach for the US National Men’s Volleyball team in 2019.
Hawks said despite previous appointments to the team, he remains continuously grateful.
“The honor and the privilege of being selected to run a USA team never gets old,” Hawks said. “I don’t take those for granted.”
Read more here.
Kira Chivers Organizes Fundraiser for Alzheimers Awareness
Originally published Feb. 26.
Women’s basketball third-year guard Kira Chivers announced on her Instagram Feb. 10 she’d be organizing a fundraiser for Alzheimer’s awareness.
Chivers’ grandfather, Jack, was diagnosed about a year ago with early-onset Alzheimer’s, according to Chivers.
Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia that affects memory, thinking and behavior, with symptoms eventually growing severe enough to interfere with daily tasks, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Around 7 million people live with Alzheimer’s in the U.S., with the number expected to increase in the coming years, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Chivers said her grandfather’s condition has rapidly declined over the past year.
“Within the past year, my grandfather went from kind of fully functioning to now he’s in a wheelchair,” Chivers said. “He’s able to speak, but a lot of the time he’s nonverbal.”
Read more here.
Student-Athlete Couple Release Merch for Change
Originally published Sept. 18.
Loyola athletes and graduate students Sitori Tanin of women’s basketball and Parker Van Buren of men’s volleyball recently released a new Name, Image and Likeness merchandise line, which donates all proceeds to Crohn’s disease research.
The recently engaged couple was initially planning on creating a fundraiser for a different organization, but their plans changed in October 2022 when Tanin’s family found out her brother, Elliot, had been diagnosed with Crohn’s disease.
Crohn’s disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease which results in swelling of the digestive tract, and can cause abdominal pain, weight loss, fatigue, severe diarrhea and malnutrition, according to the Mayo Clinic.
More than half a million Americans are affected by Crohn’s disease, with it becoming more common in people aged between 20 and 29-years-old, according to the National Institute of Health.
When Tanin’s brother was diagnosed, his life and the lives of those closest to him changed dramatically.
Read more here.
The History of Loyola Football
Originally published Feb. 19.
Loyola has a wide variety of sports and athletics to offer. But despite the university’s 13 NCAA-level sports programs, we don’t have a football team.
The draw for students at some universities is football. The tailgating, endless cheering and intense chants are long-standing and lively traditions, according to U.S. News.
The “Flutie Effect” — named for legendary Boston College quarterback Doug Flutie — describes the pattern of students applying to schools as a result of the football program’s popularity, according to Ivy Wise. One study published by The Wire showed a university’s incoming student applications increased by 18.7% after winning a major bowl game.
Football has become the most popular American sport, and college football can be particularly exciting. This leaves Loyola students wondering why football isn’t a part of the Athletics Department.
Read more here.
Column: Crying in the Stands on Senior Night
Originally published Nov. 6.
Every year, many of our Loyola student-athletes take the court, field or track for the last time. We hear from the coaches about each graduating fourth-year, watch them receive a framed jersey commemorating their time as a student-athlete and maybe even tear up a little.
Last year, as I sat in the stands at the final home softball game, I saw a whopping seven team members receive recognition. Seven players I’ve watched during my time at Loyola I’d soon never see play again.
As they walked toward the rest of their team holding their frame-encased jersey with announcers reading statements from the coaches, it hit me.
Being The Phoenix’s softball beat writer last season, I attended every game and even traveled to Northwestern where I happily sat in the cold and rain, watching the team play.
As someone who’s spent years cheering for our Rambler athletes, I can say the Senior Nights we’ve seen so far for our fall sports teams have felt different. Worse, even.
Read more here.
Women’s Basketball Suffers Quick Exit in A10 Tourney
Originally published March 5.
The Loyola women’s basketball team was the first to depart the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament in Henrico, VA., following a 65-44 loss to George Washington University. Poor shooting doomed the Ramblers, who shot just 28% from the field and 18% from three.
Head coach Allison Guth acknowledged the teams’ poor shooting and lackluster defense as key items to avoid in the long term.
“It’s a pretty devastated locker room, because you never want to leave the floor not giving your best performance,” Guth said. “We couldn’t throw the ball into the ocean. So that was a tough, tough way to go out, and we needed to find ways to get stops. We know there’s better basketball for us, and we want to honor the sisterhood by playing better in the future.”
Three Revolutionaries — graduate guard Makayla Andrews, second-year guard Kamari Sims and first-year guard Gabby Reynolds — recorded double-figures, while graduate guard Naelle Bernard was the lone Rambler to cross the threshold with 13 points.
Read more here.
Tanin Leaves Her Mark on Women’s Basketball
Originally published Feb. 26.
Sitori Tanin has seen a lot in her five years with the Loyola women’s basketball team, undergoing a switch of head coaches from the former Kate Achter to the current Allison Guth. She’s also one of the few in the program to have experienced life before the switch to the Atlantic 10 Conference.
The graduate forward — colloquially known as “Sit” by teammates and coaches — made an instant impact as a first-year, appearing in all 27 games in the 2020-21 season and starting in six before receiving a spot on the Missouri Valley Conference All-Freshman Team.
Since Achter’s departure a year later, Tanin’s role has steadily increased under Guth’s regime, both on the court and off it, as she’s served as a liaison for Loyola in conference media days, in Name, Image and Likeness conferences and makes consistent appearances on program gameday posters.
Tanin has utilized the experience of becoming a face of Loyola’s brand as an opportunity to best represent her teammates, coaches and the school itself. She said she consistently tries to stay true to Loyola values — being a servant for others and always remaining grateful.
Read more here.
Softball’s Alicia Abbott Amasses 100 Wins
Originally published Feb. 26.
Loyola softball head coach Alicia Abbott reached 100 career wins Feb. 14 following a win against St. John’s University during the Fonesca Memorial Tournament at the University of South Florida.
Having played the sport herself, Abbott said she attributes the win to the players, and how important their dedication has been during her five years with Loyola.
The New Lenox, Ill. native has been around softball her entire life — from watching her dad win slow-pitch softball state championships to starting to play herself at 7 years old.
“I basically came out of the womb doing it,” Abbott said. “I think it was just one of those things that I was pretty fortunate to be relatively naturally gifted at.”
Abbott started her collegiate career at the University of Illinois-Chicago, where she earned the Horizon League Newcomer of the Year award in 2008. After two years with the Flames, she transferred to North Carolina State University and hit .283 over two more years.
Read more here.
A Decade of Watson: Athletic Director Nears 10 Year Milestone with Loyola
Originally published Sept. 4.
From the top floor of the Norville Center, Athletics Director Steve Watson has a complete view of Loyola’s West Quad and its surrounding buildings. Along the hallways of the floor are photographs of former players and coaches, representing 13 NCAA Division I sports he’s responsible for managing.
Watson has served as Athletic Director for nearly a decade now, with the Nov. 12 anniversary of his signing two months away. Before joining Loyola, Watson had settled into his seventh year as the athletic director at St. Bonaventure University.
He was first made aware of the position when Loyola Sr. Vice President for Administration Tom M. Kelly reached out via a random phone call, according to Watson. Loyola had failed to find a new athletic director in a previous search, and Kelly pinpointed him as a potential target in a revitalized effort.
A Franklinville, New York native who grew up just thirty minutes away from St. Bonaventure, Watson said he felt comfortable in his position but connected with Kelly during the call and gave it some more thought.
Read more here.
College Athletics Changes After Lifting of NIL Recruitment Ban
Originally published April 9.
After a coalition of five states sued the NCAA in January 2024 for their Name, Image and Likeness recruitment ban — on the grounds of antitrust violations — a federal judge for the eastern district of Tennessee at Knoxville approved the final settlement agreement March 24.
While NIL deals offer student-athletes the opportunity to earn monetary compensation through partnerships with independent brands or businesses, the ban restricted them from negotiating or discussing potential NIL deals before enrolling at a college.
The lawsuit was spearheaded by Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti and Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, who were later joined by attorney’s general from New York, Florida and Washington D.C..
The plaintiffs challenged the recruitment ban and said it was an unfair restriction which prevented student-athletes from considering all opportunities regarding commercial success.
Read more here.
Loyola Club Soccer Player Represents Palestine
Originally published Dec. 4.
Fourth-year Emily Ibrahim not only serves as Vice president for Loyola women’s club soccer, but she’s also co-president of the LUC Refugee Coalition and plays for the Palestine women’s national football team.
Ibrahim said she has been playing soccer since she was 3-years-old, and she was recruited to play for the Palestine women’s national team in 2019 when Amer Khair, the team’s head coach at the time, saw her in action during a match for the Palestinian American Athletic Association.
Ibrahim said she began her national career in the youth ranks before being called up to the senior squad in 2021.
Soccer has always been a part of Ibrahim’s life, but getting to play for the national team is much more than just the game — it’s about representing Palestine, according to Ibrahim.
“To get to represent your country is such an incredible, surreal experience,” Ibrahim said. “But getting to represent people who have been so resilient and have been forced to endure violence, brutality and occupation for decades, that’s an entirely unique experience.”
Read more here.
For Sarah: How Tragedy Shaped Emma Watcke’s Career
Originally published Jan. 29.
Content Warning: Suicide
This isn’t the first time graduate mile runner Emma Watcke and Loyola track and field head coach Gavin Kennedy have shared the track.
Four years ago, before either had even stepped foot on Loyola’s campus, the pair were both members of the University of Wisconsin-Madison track and cross country program. Watcke was a redshirt first-year, and Kennedy was in his eighth and final season as coach.
After finishing four years at Wisconsin and entering the transfer portal as a graduate, Watcke said she received a call from Kennedy expressing interest in her joining the program at Loyola.
When the Hinsdale, Ill. native visited Rogers Park for the first time, she said she loved the campus and the team. Watcke said she was excited to be part of the momentum she felt was building in the program.
Before Watcke joined this past fall, the Loyola women’s cross country team were winners of five straight conference championships — three in the Missouri Valley Conference and two back-to-back championships in the Atlantic 10.
Read more here.
Running Around the World with James Lawrence
Originally published Nov. 13.
Before bringing his talents to Loyola this fall as a graduate transfer, James Lawrence called Dartmouth College home for the past four years.
During his fourth-year, Lawrence served as captain of Dartmouth’s cross country team. He said he hoped to similarly establish himself as a leader at Loyola.
Both Lawrence and head coach Gavin Kennedy agreed his experience helped transform him into a leader heading into his fifth year of collegiate sports.
“He does bring that to our program whether it’s in uniform or out of uniform,” Kennedy said. “I always see him talking with the guys on the team, giving them his experience. I would certainly consider James a leader not only by what he does in the uniform, but what he does outside of the uniform too.”
Read more here.
Loyola Women’s Cross Country Three-Peat, Men Fall Short
Originally published Nov. 2.
Following back-to-back Atlantic 10 championships for the men’s and women’s cross country teams after Loyola joined the conference in 2022, the program headed to Mechanicsville, VA Nov. 2 looking to secure a third straight conference title before the NCAA Midwest Regionals take place in Peoria, IL Nov. 15.
The Loyola women managed to capture their A10 three-peat, while the men’s team fell just short with a second-place finish.
Women’s Cross Country Championship:
Loyola’s women dominated their 6K race as a group. Fourth-years Delia McDade-Clay, Emma Watcke and Grace Kuhn, along with third-year Roisin Treacy, crossed the finish line at the same time of 20:45.4, tying for fourth place. The time set new personal records for both Treacy and Watke.
Rounding out the Ramblers’ qualifying runs was fourth-year Grace Jostock, who set her personal record with a time of 21:07.9. Jostock’s 14th place finish secured the championship win for the Ramblers as they finished with a total of 36 points, far ahead of the rest of the competition.
Read more here.
Loyola Clinches Share of Regular Season Title on Senior Night
Originally published April 12.
The Loyola men’s volleyball team defeated conference rival Ball State University April 12 in front of a noisy Gentile Arena, earning a share of the regular season title.
The Ramblers ended the season ranked sixth nationally and had standout players in the MIVA regular season, including fourth-year middle blocker Nicodemus Meyer — No. 1 in the nation in blocks per set — and third-year setter Ryan McElligott who is third in assists per set. Captain and fourth-year outside hitter Parker Van Buren is third in kills and points per set.
The 2014-2015 National Championship team was honored at midcourt before the match.
The Cardinals took an early lead after fourth-year outside hitter Raje Alleyne tallied the first points. Third-year middle blocker Brad Bell responded with a kill while Meyer and McElligot added a block assist.
A back-and-forth, including kills from Van Buren and McElligott against one from fourth-year outside hitter Tinaishe Ndavazocheva, put Loyola ahead 6-4.
Read more here.
Jake Read’s Breakout: Loyola’s Outside Hitter Making His Mark
Originally published March 12.
Jake Read has quickly established himself as a key player with Loyola men’s volleyball. The Newport Beach, Calif. native and second-year outside hitter played in 83 sets and started 22 matches as a first-year, finishing with a .458 hitting percentage — third-best on the team.
From his journey to Loyola as a dominant high school athlete, to his recent matchup against his older brother—fourth-year libero Brendan Read at Pepperdine University— Jake has highlighted his rise as a competitor in the sport.
Jake wasn’t initially on the volleyball track, as he grew up a multi-sport athlete with a large passion for basketball. His brother said he excelled in every sport he played growing up.
“He’s always been one of the bigger kids in his age group, and he always kind of dominated,” Brendan said. “Basketball, soccer and whatever other sports — he was always pretty good.”
In seventh grade, Jake said he made a pivotal decision which defined his future and followed his brother’s footsteps — quitting baseball in pursuit of playing for Balboa Bay Volleyball Club.
Read more here.
Shane Davis: From Small Town to National Champion
Originally published Jan. 29.
Head coach Shane Davis had an unconventional journey to becoming a cornerstone of Loyola’s men’s volleyball program. After playing three seasons with the Ramblers as a student-athlete and graduating in 2003, Davis went on to lead the program for the next 12 years.
Born and raised in the small town of Denver, Iowa, Davis said volleyball wasn’t a common sport for boys growing up, and his area had no boy’s volleyball at the high school level.
Instead, Davis said his volleyball exposure arose from a special place — his parents.
“My parents would play in a lot of rec volleyball leagues in nearby towns,” Davis said. “My sister and I would just tag along, and we’d pass back and forth. We couldn’t play because we were too young, but we were always there.”
Eventually, someone at one of the recreation leagues suggested Davis’ sister, Shari, try volleyball, which opened the door for Davis to play nearby.
Read more here.
Men’s Basketball Season Ends in NIT Semifinal
Originally published April 2.
The Loyola men’s basketball team’s season came to an end April 1 in Indianapolis at the historic Hinkle Fieldhouse, as the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga defeated the Ramblers 80-73. The Mocs advance to the championship round of the tournament to take on No. 1 seed the University of California Irvine.
Prior to the game, Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, BVM shared a message with The Phoenix for students in which she offered support and guidance.
“Dear Ramblers,” Schmidt wrote. “I’m with you in prayer and spirit. The game on Tuesday night is late, so study early. I’ve been watching the team play from home and sending prayers to the players. Thank you to all for your care and concern. Amen and GO RAMBLERS.”
Fourth-year guard Des Watson — in his final year at Loyola — said he’ll remember the team for what they’ve built both on and off the court.
“The family, the culture that we’ve built as players within each other,” Watson said. “Just like us as players and us coming together. Like I said the other day, just being humans and being able to create actual relationships, I think that’s what I’ll miss the most.”
Read more here.
Sheldon Edwards Jr: From MVC Rival to A10 Star
Originally published Feb. 5.
If you can’t beat them, join them.
This rings true for graduate guard Sheldon Edwards Jr.’s collegiate career, after dropping a season high 23 points against the Loyola men’s basketball team Feb. 16, 2022, in an eventual loss while playing at Valparaiso University.
The next season, he was on Loyola’s roster.
Edwards Jr. started his collegiate career at Valparaiso — his first and only college visit. In two years with the Beacons, Edwards Jr. received a Missouri Valley Conference All- Freshman team nod in the 2020-21 season, an MVC All-Bench team shout and a Most Improved award a year later.
After the conclusion of his second season with the Beacons — averaging 10 points per game and shooting just under 40% from the field — he said he realized it wasn’t the experience he wanted, and decided to enter the transfer portal.
“Obviously, things didn’t turn out the way I feel like it could’ve or should’ve, but everything happens for a reason,” Edwards Jr. said. “I ended up here. And now I feel like I’ve really embodied what Loyola means as a person and an athlete.”
Read more here.
Get the Loyola Phoenix newsletter straight to your inbox!
