Sports
Players to watch at reborn SEC volleyball tournament
The Florida Gators won the SEC volleyball tournament title the last time it was played, but not a single player on this year’s team remembers it. In fact, just over half of the players on top-seeded Kentucky’s roster were alive. To put a finer point on it: Kentucky was still 15 years from becoming the first team in the SEC to win an NCAA volleyball championship. And Texas, a four-time NCAA champion, was still 19 years from joining the conference.
The SEC volleyball tournament returns this week for the first time since 2005. It features four teams ranked in the top 25, including three in the top six. The games begin Friday at Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia, and a champion will be crowned Tuesday.
The winner earns an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
“It reminds me of March Madness,” Texas star Torrey Stafford said. “It’s kind of like that vibe, and I’m excited for it.”
Kentucky, the No. 1 seed, is ranked second in the country. Texas A&M, ranked sixth, is the No. 2 seed, and Texas, ranked third in the nation, is the tournament’s No. 3 seed. Tennessee, the fourth seed, is ranked 18th in the country. The top four seeds get byes into the quarterfinals. The SEC is the only Power 4 conference that will hold a postseason tournament this season.
“I think it’s a good testing and steppingstone for going into the NCAA tournament,” Kentucky’s Brooklyn DeLeye said. “Because it’s one and done, and you kind of can figure out your weaknesses going into the biggest part of the year.”
Here are 10 players to watch in the tournament that has been revived after a 20-year hiatus.
Torrey Stafford, Texas: In her first season in Austin, the junior transfer from Pittsburgh leads the Longhorns in kills per set (4.64) and aces (27). The 6-foot-2 outside hitter warmed up her arm for the postseason with a career-high 32-kill performance against Auburn on Nov. 12. She added 25 in Texas’ regular-season finale against South Carolina on Nov. 16. Stafford delivers booming attacks from both the front and back rows with a heavy arm that can go over, inside and outside blocks. Stafford, who made back-to-back trips to the final four with the Panthers, is surrounded by determined freshmen who will look to her to guide them to postseason success.
Cari Spears, Texas: The 6-3 outside hitter is part of a fantastic freshman class at Texas that is making an immediate impact. Spears has played in every set since joining the team and has had double-digit kills in 19 of the Longhorns’ 23 matches, including a career-high 18 against Baylor. Alongside fellow freshman outside hitter Abby Vander Wal (225 kills) and freshman middle blocker Taylor Harvey, look for Spears to deliver a dominant postseason debut.
Brooklyn DeLeye, Kentucky: You won’t find a better pair of pin hitters in the country than the dominant duo at Kentucky. DeLeye, a 6-2 junior, was the 2024 SEC Player of the Year and is still putting up big numbers this season in a more balanced offense. She led Kentucky in kills (401) and points (436) during the regular season, averaging 4.66 kills per set (second-best in SEC) and 5.07 points per set (fourth-best in SEC).
Eva Hudson, Kentucky: There’s no rest for the weary when DeLeye rotates to the back row because it means that Hudson, the 2025 SEC Player of the Year, rotates to the front. The 6-1 senior transfer from Purdue has numbers eerily similar to DeLeye’s: 390 kills (fifth-best in SEC) and 4.94 points per set (sixth-best in SEC). The most noticeable difference between the two Wildcats might be that Hudson plays with fire while DeLeye is mostly ice. Hudson, who led the Big Ten in kills last season, gets one shot at the postseason with Kentucky, so the urgency will be there from first serve on.
Logan Lednicky, Texas A&M: The senior’s dad, granddad and great-granddad were all Aggies. So expect the 6-3 left-handed outside hitter to bring some extra fervor to Savannah for her first SEC tournament. Lednicky, who has 333 kills while hitting at a .312 clip, also averages a team-high 2.81 digs per set. She had 11 double-doubles during the regular season, including a 12-kill, 17-dig upset of Texas on Halloween night.
Ifenna Cos-Okpalla, Texas A&M: The 6-2 senior middle blocker’s name litters the national leaderboards. She’s third in the country in blocks per set with 1.66, ninth in total blocks with 146 and fifth in hitting percentage with a .441 clip. In the Aggies’ five-set win over Texas, Cos-Okpalla had a season-high 15 kills, including four in the fifth set, and a season high in points with 19.5.
Hayden Kubik, Tennessee: The senior outside hitter started her career at Nebraska alongside big sister Madi Kubik, but Hayden became a star at Tennessee. The versatile 6-2 Kubik had 338 kills during the regular season and averaged 4.23 per set. Her 4.67 points per set rank eighth in the SEC. She served 22 aces and racked up 175 digs heading into the postseason.
Alexis Stucky, Florida: The setter’s long list of accolades goes back to her childhood when she was a nine-time 4-H Horse state champion in Wyoming. The 6-2 redshirt junior brings a blend of poise and craftiness to Florida, which lost three of its final four matches heading into the tournament. Stucky, who missed parts of the past two seasons recovering from a torn ACL, had a rare volleyball triple-double in October against Auburn, finishing with 10 kills, 12 digs and 42 assists. Florida, the No. 5 seed, will be looking to win its 13th SEC tournament title.
Maya Sands, Missouri: The back-to-back-to-back SEC Libero of the Year had double-digit digs in all but two matches during the regular season and leads the conference with a total of 490. You can hardly blame her teammates when they claim there’s no need for them to play defense while Sands is on the court. The former UNLV star set a career high with 32 digs in an October win over South Carolina. The senior also has 29 aces this season, including three in a loss to Kentucky earlier this month. Missouri, the No. 6 seed, will count on Sands to help build its résumé for Selection Sunday.
Jurnee Robinson, LSU: She doesn’t overwhelm opponents with her 6-1 frame, but Robinson’s velocity and passion are another story. The Tigers’ junior outside hitter has one of the hardest swings in the country and more kills (495) than anyone in the SEC. For evidence of her dominance, rewind to early October when she totaled 67 kills on 139 attacks while hitting a combined .338 in back-to-back five-setters against Tennessee and Florida. Robinson, who pummeled 23 kills vs. UCLA in her first collegiate game two years ago, tallied her 1,000th career kill earlier this season. LSU, the No. 11 seed, will need a big week from Robinson if it hopes to earn a bid to the NCAA tournament.
ESPN’s Alyssa Haduck and Karina Mattera provided reporting for this story.
Schedule
Friday
No. 9 Oklahoma 3, No. 16 Arkansas 1
No. 13 South Carolina vs. No. 12 Alabama, 2, SEC Network
No. 15 Vanderbilt vs. No. 10 Mississippi State, 5, SEC Network
No. 14 Ole Miss vs. No. 11 LSU, 7, SEC Network
Saturday
Arkansas/Oklahoma vs. No. 8 Auburn, noon, SEC+
South Carolina/Alabama vs. No. 5 Florida, 2, SEC+
Vanderbilt/Mississippi State vs. No. 7 Georgia, 5, SEC+
Ole Miss/LSU vs. No. 6 Missouri, 7, SEC+
Sunday
Arkansas/Oklahoma/Auburn vs. No. 1 Kentucky, noon, SEC Network
South Carolina/Alabama/Florida, vs. No. 4 Tennessee, 2 , SEC Network
Vanderbilt/Mississippi State/Georgia vs. No. 2 Texas A&M, 5, SEC Network
Ole Miss/LSU/Missouri, vs. No. 3 Texas, 7, SEC Network
Monday
Semifinal 1, 6, SEC Network
Semifinal 2, 8:30, SEC Network
Tuesday
Championship, 7, SEC Network
Sports
Transfer rumors, news: Man City, Man United in for Anderson
Local rivals Manchester City and Manchester United are set for a battle to sign Nottingham Forest‘s Elliot Anderson this summer, while Liverpool‘s Curtis Jones is a target for Serie A leader Inter Milan. Join us for the latest transfer news and rumors from around the globe.
Transfers home page | Men’s winter grades | Women’s grades
TRENDING RUMORS
– Manchester City and Manchester United are vying to sign Elliot Anderson this summer, the Daily Mirror reports. According to the outlet, the Nottingham Forest midfielder is a top target for both clubs after establishing himself as a key player in the England national team. Anderson, 23, is valued at around the £75 million mark, although a bidding war could see that rise. Should Forest be relegated from the Premier League at the end of the season, it’s reported that the club will have “no choice” but to let Anderson leave.
– Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones could be back on Inter Milan’s radar, according to Corriere dello Sport. Both Inter and AC Milan clubs were linked with moves for the England international in January, although concrete offers didn’t materialise. Jones, 25, will enter the final year of his Liverpool contract in June, meaning he could be signed for a cut-price fee. The Italian club are also interested in taking Liverpool defender Giovanni Leoni on loan, should he become available in the summer.
– Barcelona remain optimistic that they can secure a permanent agreement for winger Marcus Rashford in the summer, according to Fabrizio Romano. The 28-year-old is on loan at from Manchester United, but a clause in the loan agreement means the Spanish club can sign him permanently for a fixed fee. While personal terms are “almost done” on the player’s side, United’s insistence that the full €30 million fee be paid could still complicate matters. Rashford has played 21 times in La Liga this season for the club, scoring four goals and grabbing seven assists.
– Aston Villa are one of several Premier League sides keen on signing Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford, so says TEAMtalk. The 23-year-old has largely played second fiddle to Gianluigi Donnarumma this season, having made only 11 appearances in all competitions to date. Newcastle United are also keeping tabs on Trafford after attempting to sign him in January.
– Tino Livramento could leave Newcastle United at the end of the season with Manchester City among his suitors, the Daily Telegraph has revealed. Livramento is currently unwilling to extend his contract at St James’ Park, with a view now emerging that he’d be willing to move if a “top club” comes in for him. The Telegraph suggests that even if Livramento signs a new contract at Newcastle, it will almost certainly include a release clause. The England international’s current deal is set to expire in July 2028.
EXPERT TAKE
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Gab Marcotti explains why there has still been no verdict for Manchester City’s 115 financial charges.
OTHER RUMORS
– Juventus will need to qualify for next season’s Champions League competition if they wish to pursue a deal for Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker. The Italian club are “keen admirers” of Alisson, but they currently face an uphill battle to be able to finance a move for him. (Football Insider)
– Norwich City defender Kellen Fisher is “firmly on the radar” of several Premier League clubs, including Everton. Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle United have also watched him in recent weeks. (TEAMtalk)
– Chelsea are not entertaining the idea of letting Cole Palmer leave the club in the summer in order to generate transfer revenue. (Standard)
– Bayern Munich are big admirers of Tottenham youngster Luka Vuskovic, who is on loan at Hamburg this season. (Christian Falk)
– Arsenal have been handed a boost in the race to sign Julián Alvarez, as Barcelona chief Deco has confirmed he has not held talks with the Argentine over a summer move. (Daily Mirror)
– Arsenal scouts have been to watch Cagliari right-back Marco Palestra in recent matches. (Nicolo Schira)
– Emil Krafth is ready to leave Newcastle United this summer as a free agent. (Nicolo Schira)
– Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush is keen on a move to Barcelona in the future. (Ekrem Konur)
– Jesse Lingard‘s move to Corinthians is in the “final stages”, with all paperwork now completed. (Ekrem Konur)
Sports
Ex-pitcher Serafini sentenced to life in prison for 2021 murder
AUBURN, Calif. — Former MLB pitcher Daniel Serafini was sentenced Friday to life in prison without the possibility of parole in the 2021 shooting of his wife’s parents during a burglary at their home by Lake Tahoe, authorities said.
Serafini, 51, was convicted in July 2025 of first-degree murder of his father-in-law, Gary Spohr; attempted murder of his mother-in-law, Wendy Wood; and first-degree burglary. Spohr was killed, and Wood survived, though she died a year after the shooting.
Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire said in a statement Friday that Spohr and Wood were loving grandparents and that Serafini’s crimes greatly impacted family members and friends.
“The impact of this attack has extended far beyond the immediate victims, deeply affecting family members and the broader community, and highlighting the lasting harm caused by deliberate violence,” Gire said.
Serafini’s attorney did not return requests for comment.
During his sentencing hearing, Serafini addressed the court and maintained his innocence, according to MyNews4. He said he was out partying with his wife the night of the shooting and described himself as a “broken, imperfect man that makes mistakes.”
Serafini was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in 1992. In a career spanning 11 years, the left-hander played for the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies.
Prosecutors said Serafini hated his wife’s wealthy parents and was heard saying he was willing to pay $20,000 to have them killed, according to the Sacramento Bee. Prosecutors showed jurors transcripts of angry emails and text messages between Serafini and his in-laws.
During the six-week trial, Serafini’s attorney, David Dratman, argued that there was no physical evidence linking his client to the crime scene. Dratman told the jury that although Serafini had a rocky relationship with his in-laws, he did not have a motive to kill them.
After his conviction, Serafini filed multiple motions for a new trial, but those were denied.
Serafini will serve his sentence at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, according to the Placer County District Attorney’s Office.
Sports
‘Not impossible’: Pakistan to take on Sri Lanka in hope of reaching T20 World Cup semis
- Pakistan to beat Sri Lanka by 64 runs in hope of reaching semis.
- If chasing, Green Shirts have to complete target within 13.1 overs.
- Men in Green yet to register win against ICC full-member in event.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign flickers with life-faint, fragile yet not extinguished, as Green Shirts are set to take on Sri Lanka in an all-important must-win match on Saturday (today).
Against all odds, the Men in Green, The News reported, still have a mathematical pathway to the semi-finals, but it demands nothing short of an extraordinary performance at the Pallekele Stadium on Saturday.
The equation is brutally simple and brutally demanding i.e., defeat Sri Lanka by 64 runs or more, or chase down the target within 13.1 overs.
Only then can Pakistan dream of marching into the last four, most likely to face South Africa in the semi-final.
It is a scenario that leaves no room for caution, no space for hesitation. Pakistan must attack from ball one, dominate in all three departments, and deliver a performance for the ages.
For a brief moment on Friday evening, it appeared that Pakistan’s fate was sealed. New Zealand, after defeating Sri Lanka, looked poised to secure a comprehensive win over England and storm into the semi-finals at the top of the table.
England were staring at a stiff requirement of 42 runs from the final three overs. But cricket, as it often does, produced high drama. Will Jacks (32 not out) and Rehan Ahmad (19 not out) turned the tide spectacularly, smashing part-time off-spinner Glenn Phillips for 23 runs in the third-last over. The momentum swung violently.
England clinched victory by four wickets with three balls to spare. That result did more than just reshape the table; it handed Pakistan a lifeline.
Pakistan’s Super Eight journey has been underwhelming. Their solitary point came from a rain-affected washout against New Zealand. Throughout the tournament, they have struggled to assert dominance against top-tier opposition.
The men in green are yet to register a win against an ICC full-member nation in this campaign. Victories over the Netherlands, Namibia, and the USA, including a miraculous rescue act by Faheem Ashraf against the Dutch, have done little to silence critics.
Defeats to arch-rivals India and England have exposed frailties in both batting stability and middle-over acceleration. Now, the task ahead is steep, perhaps the steepest Pakistan have faced in recent ICC history.
Since 2023, Pakistan have consistently fallen short at the business end of global tournaments. They failed to reach the semi-finals in the 2023 ODI World Cup, the 2024 T20 World Cup, and the Champions Trophy. Each campaign began with a promise but ended in disappointment.
Today’s match presents not just a mathematical challenge, but a psychological one. The ghosts of recent tournaments linger. The inconsistency, the collapses, the missed opportunities, all form the backdrop of what could be a defining evening. The weather forecast for Pallekele is clear and sunny.
To qualify, Pakistan must produce a complete performance, explosive batting, disciplined bowling, and razor-sharp fielding. There is no margin for mediocrity.
It is not impossible. Cricket has witnessed improbable turnarounds before. Pakistan, a team historically known for unpredictability, thrives when cornered. But this requires something beyond unpredictability, it demands precision, courage, and belief.
Only a once-in-a-generation performance, a miracle forged under pressure, can carry Pakistan into the semi-finals. On Saturday at Pallekele, destiny awaits.
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