Best of Sports 2025-26

This year, the sports section actively covered all 13 NCAA Division I sports through game recaps, athlete profiles and other athletics-related news. 

In this year’s editions, the Phoenix covered almost every home game, as well as occasional away matchups, which featured a historic post-season run for women’s basketball in the WNIT, another Atlantic 10 championship and NCAA Tournament appearance for women’s volleyball and a championship sweep for men’s and women’s cross country. 

Coverage extended into school-wide stories — Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt’s passing, coaching staff shake-ups and basketball transfer portals — as well as weekly Windy City Wrap Ups and nation-wide athletic stories. 

None of this would be possible without our team of wonderful writers who are dedicated to covering the people and happenings of Loyola athletics while also voicing their sports opinions through columns, like the recurring “Hometown Sports.”

We remain committed to providing quality sports stories and media for our loyal readers and thank you for the continued support of not only the Ramblers, but The Phoenix as a whole. God bless, and go ‘Blers. 

Women’s Soccer’s Sandoval’s Key to Success: Failure

Originally published Sept. 24

After seven years of coaching at Northern Michigan University, Jon Sandoval was appointed head coach of Loyola women’s soccer Dec. 20, 2024.

Sandoval was named Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 2023 and 2024 and led Northern Michigan to three consecutive NCAA Division II Tournament appearances in 2022, 2023 and 2024, where they exited the first round each year. He boasts a 62-20-15 record and .716 winning percentage over his five years in Marquette, Mich..

Sandoval’s draw to Loyola goes back to visiting campus during his days playing at Western Illinois University, where he was impressed with the city feel of the campus. After his interview for the head coach position, he said he knew Loyola was where he wanted to be.

“I remember telling my now bosses, being like, ‘Listen, if you offer me this job, I’m packing up tomorrow,’” Sandoval said. “‘I’m either taking this job or staying at Northern Michigan.’”

Read more here.

Loyola Students Stride into Finishing the Lifetime Chicago Half-Marathon

Originally published Oct. 1

Since 1997, the Lifetime Chicago Half Marathon and 5K has brought around 10,000 runners together at 7 a.m. in Jackson Park to complete the 13.1 miles up Lake Shore Drive and back.  

Many Loyola students were among the runners to complete the race this year, sparking emotion in some.

“I feel very proud of myself,” said third-year Spanish major Ezekiel Callahan. “I never thought this would be something I thought I would be doing. It was such an emotional experience. Towards the end, I was tearing up, being like, ‘Oh my god, I did it.’” 

Students had varying reasons for wanting to run in the race. Family was a deciding factor for third-year political science and criminal justice major Lauren Mullan. 

Read more here.

‘She had more energy than any of us’: Loyola Athletics Remembers Sister Jean

Originally published Oct. 15

Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, BVM, chaplain of the men’s basketball team, died Oct. 9 at 106 years old. Schmidt provided students with faith guidance beginning in 1996 and became an international legend after the Ramblers went on their Final Four, Cinderella story run in 2018. 

Schmidt started working for the athletic department in 1994, transitioning from her role as an academic advisor to working specifically with the men’s and women’s basketball teams, helping student-athletes remain academically eligible, according to the university. 

Schmidt’s involvement with the team included overseeing the team on the court and in practice, providing an arena-wide prayer before games in Gentile Arena and writing up a scouting report for opponents, The Phoenix previously reported. 

Loyola’s Athletic Director Steve Watson released a statement following the press release on her death, reminiscing about her impact on student-athletes and all those who entered Norville. 

Read more here.

Traveling Goalkeeper Velasco Finally Finds Home at Loyola

Originally published Oct. 29

Third-year goalkeeper Gabe Velasco joined the men’s soccer team this season following a transfer from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). Despite being on the roster for two years, Velasco saw no playing time with the Tar Heels. Since joining the Ramblers, he has tallied over 700 minutes of play and 30 saves in his first season.

Born in Venezuela, Velasco started playing soccer at three years old after his family moved to Memphis, Tenn., where he grew up playing the sport. He began playing competitively at eight years old when his family moved to São Paulo, Brazil for his dad’s job.

During his time in Brazil, Velasco played for the Brazilian club Sport Club Corinthians Paulista, where he said he began developing his skills as a goalkeeper through Futsal, an indoor soccer game where teams are composed of five players each, and a heavier ball is used.

Velasco also began playing as a goalkeeper with Corinthians Paulista and attributes part of his goalkeeping abilities to developing his skills during his early years in Brazil.

Read more here.

Cross Country Leaves A10 in the Dust En Route to Conference Championship

Originally published Nov. 2

Loyola cross country ended its conference season on a high note with both the men’s and women’s teams taking home first place at the Atlantic 10 (A10) Championships at the Elvin R. King Cross Country Course in Dayton, Ohio. 

The men reestablished themselves as champions for the third time in four years since joining the conference following a second-place finish last year. The women won their fourth-straight A10 title and seventh conference championship in a row after ending their time in the Missouri Valley Conference on a three-peat. 

Read more here.

Loyola Women’s Volleyball Secures Second Straight A10 Championship Title

Originally published Nov. 24

Loyola women’s volleyball defeated Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in five sets to win their second consecutive Atlantic 10 (A10) Championship. Second-year outside hitter Kaitlyn Burke spearheaded the win, tallying 20 kills, while the Rams’ fourth-year outside hitter Alija Jaryszek tabbed 21 kills. 

Burke tallied back-to-back kills to start the first set. VCU’s fourth-year right side hitter Julia Rienks responded with a kill, which was followed by two consecutive service aces from VCU’s fourth-year outside hitter Kalina Pylinska. Service errors from both sides gave VCU a 4-3 lead. 

First-year right side hitter Karli Molnau and Burke traded kills with VCU’s third-year middle blocker Nina Boledovicova and Rienks. Jaryszek followed with a service ace. Molnau tabbed another kill, but the Rams held the lead at 8-6. 

Boledovicova grabbed a kill and service ace, but fourth-year middle blocker Ann Marie Remmes and Molnau combated with a kill and second-year defensive specialist Jae Fitting tallied a service ace. VCU’s graduate setter Elif Ozsoy and Rienks tallied three kills, but were negated by three service errors, along with a Molnau kill to even the set at 13. 

Read more here.

Kevin Robson: A Championship Mindset Takes Root at Loyola

Originally published Jan. 28

When Kevin Robson was introduced as Loyola’s new men’s soccer head coach, he arrived with a championship background and a clear plan for how he wanted the program to move forward.

A former Indiana University (IU) soccer player and two-time national champion, Robson spent the last 12 years with the Hoosiers’ coaching staff. He worked multiple different roles within the Indiana men’s soccer program, including associate head coach and recruiting coordinator. 

During his time in Bloomington, Ind., Robson was a part of squads which posted a 169-46-47 record, reached the NCAA College Cup four times and captured nine Big Ten Championships. 

His background is what Robson said prepared him for the head coach position at Loyola.

Read more here.

Men’s Basketball’s Walk-on Caleb Reese Sees Perseverance Payoff 

Originally published Jan. 28

When fourth-year guard Caleb Reese entered his final season as a walk-on with the Loyola men’s basketball team, he was expecting business as usual — checking into games in the last couple minutes and not seeing much playing time unless the Ramblers were blowing out their opponents. 

Nonetheless, Reese continued putting everything he had into practices and worked to build his confidence on the court, despite not expecting any significant time to show it.

This season, with six of Loyola’s top players injured, Reese stepped up to the plate. Starting in the past four games for the Ramblers and receiving his first athletic scholarship, Reese has proved himself on the court as a key member of the Loyola squad. 

Since the start of conference play, Reese has averaged 27 minutes per game. His longest time on the court was 34 minutes against St. Bonaventure University. It was also against the Bonnies where Reese recorded a career-high in points, assists and rebounds. 

Read more here.

Alex-Anne Bessette Brings Women’s Basketball to the Forefront of the A10

Originally published Jan. 28

Loyola women’s basketball dropped a 70-58 home loss to the University of Rhode Island Jan. 3. The team sat at 4-10, 0-3 in the Atlantic 10 (A10), facing the reality of what could be another washout of a season. Since then, the Ramblers have rattled off five wins in their last six, finding themselves now 9-11 with a 5-4 conference record. 

Behind the turnaround is a scoring force who’s led Loyola in points in three of those five wins, and earned two A10 Rookie of the Week honors in that time — first-year guard and forward Alex-Anne Bessette. 

Bessette, a native of Québec City, Québec, started playing basketball after seeing her father Pierre-Alexandre and brother Louis-Félix play when she was young. From there, Bessette began playing at a local basketball club at the end of their street and instantly fell in love with the game. 

Originally, Bessette said she didn’t realize playing Division I basketball was a possibility when she left her hometown to play in the AAU circuit for Kia Nurse Elite, of the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League, which is regarded for attracting the top talent in Canada and consistently producing D1 athletes. This is when Bessette said she began gaining the attention of colleges like Loyola. 

Read more here.

Digging Up Men’s Volleyball’s ‘happy go lucky’ JJ Sowa

Originally published Feb. 25

Men’s volleyball’s fourth-year libero JJ Sowa is known not just for his volleyball skills on the court but for his positive, people-loving personality. 

His teammate, fourth-year setter Ryan McElligott expressed how Sowa’s personality shines in all aspects of life. 

“He’s just a fun, loving guy,” McElligott said. “He’s always happy. Always brings a lighter mood to the gym. I can’t imagine Loyola without him.” 

A native of Orange, Calif., Sowa’s been playing volleyball since sixth grade, when he joined his middle school’s club volleyball team. 

Read more here.

Guth Steps Down From Women’s Basketball Head Coach After Fourth Season

Originally published March 31

Loyola women’s basketball head coach Allison Guth stepped down from her position March 31, announced in an Instagram post on the official women’s basketball account. 

Guth, who’s been head coach since the 2022-2023 season, said in an official statement her decision to leave the university was due to family reasons. 

“It is with deep love and respect for the opportunity that I communicate my decision based on my personal need for more time with my family,” Guth said in the statement. 

Over four seasons with the Ramblers, Guth boasted a 50-75 record. The women’s basketball team made two post season runs during her time — winning a single game in the conference tournament in 2024 and the historic run in the Women’s National Invitational Tournament (WNIT) this year where Loyola won multiple postseason games for the first time in program history.

Read more here.

Morgan Paige Named Head Coach of Women’s Basketball

Loyola women’s basketball announced Morgan Paige as their new head coach April 12. Paige will be the 12th head coach in program history. Paige was the former associate head coach at the University of Kansas for five seasons, boasting winning records every year and postseason appearances in four of her five years in Lawrence, Kansas. 

Director of Athletics Steve Watson announced Paige as head coach in a release from Loyola Athletics. 

“[Paige] is a proven leader with a championship mindset and a strong commitment to student-athlete development,” Watson said. “We are confident she will build on our recent successes and elevate Loyola women’s basketball to new heights.”

In Paige’s first season at Kansas, the Jayhawks finished 21-10, securing their first 20-win season since the 2012-13 season. The team earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament as the No. 8 seed in the Spokane Regional.

Read more here.