Virginia
Region/state roundup: Grafton’s Alexis Keeter named Gatorade Virginia Volleyball Player of the Year
HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Grafton senior Alexis Keeter was named the Gatorade 2023-24 Virginia Volleyball Player of the Year. Keeter, who will play in college for Florida Gulf Coast, is the first Grafton player ever to receive the award.
Keeter, a 6-foot outside hitter, had 544 kills and 442 digs in 2023 in leading Grafton to the Class 3 state championship match. She finished her career with 1,583 kills and 1,223 digs.
The Class 4 state Player of the Year in 2022, Keeter was named the Class 3 state Player of the Year in 2023. Volleyballmag.com recently named her the Virginia Player of the Year and gave her All-American honorable mention.
HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING
Gloucester second, Lafayette third in Mathews Invitational
Gloucester was second, Lafayette third, Menchville fourth, Mathews fifth and Warwick sixth among 14 teams in last weekend’s Mathews Invitational. Varina of Richmond took the team title.
Weight-class champs included Gloucester teammates Aiden Sheesley (113 pounds), Christian Hartz (126), Corey Skay (138), Karl Dean (144), Kenneth Hamilton (165) and Makai Scatliffe (175), plus Menchville’s Kingston Goncalves (190) and Lafayette’s Cooper Coleman (106).
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Ex-Clemson tight end commits to UVA
Virginia gained a commitment from former Clemson tight end Sage Ennis, reuniting him with Cavaliers head coach Tony Elliott — his former position coach with the Tigers.
Ennis, a 6-foot-4, 235-pounder, decommitted from Florida A&M, located in his hometown of Tallahassee. He had six catches for 77 yards in 38 games as a Tiger.
West Virginia lands ex-ODU safety
Old Dominion transfer safety Tahj Ra-El committed to West Virginia for his final year of eligibility after a visit to Morgantown. In 2023, Ra-El recorded 84 total tackles, six pass deflections, 5.5 tackles for a loss, and one interception. He had 132 tackles in three years as a Monarch.
Four CAA teams finish in top 25
Four Coastal Athletic Association teams were named in the final Stats Perform FCS Top 25: No. 5 Albany, No. 6 Villanova, No. 10 Delaware and No. 15 Richmond.
South Dakota State was first and Montana second, reflecting the results of Sunday’s 23-3 championship game in Frisco, Texas.
Celebration Bowl champion Florida A&M was 11th. North Carolina Central, coached by Tabb High graduate Trei Oliver, was 20th after losing at Richmond in the playoffs’ first round.
In the coaches’ poll, Albany was seventh, Villanova ninth, Delaware 11th and Richmond 22nd. Florida A&M was 10th and NCCU 18th.
Tribe’s Crowell captures academic award
Offensive lineman Marcus Crowell, a William & Mary captain, was one of 52 athletes selected to the 2023 FCS Athletics Directors Association Academic All-Star Team.
He appeared in 37 games and started 22, including all 11 in 2023. Pro Football Focus rated him the No. 4 guard in the CAA this season. Crowell earned an undergraduate degree in finance and will earn his MBA this spring, and he will work for Goldman Sachs.
COLLEGE BASEBALL
UVA to start 2025 season in Puerto Rico event
For the first time, Virginia will play regular-season baseball games outside the continental U.S. when it opens its 2025 season at the inaugural Puerto Rico Challenge on the opening weekend of Feb. 13-16.
UVA is committed to the event alongside Connecticut, Michigan, Missouri, Penn State, Rice, Stetson and Villanova.
COLLEGE WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Cavaliers sign Virginia Tech transfer hitter
Virginia coach Shannon Wells announced the signing of outside/right side hitter Elayna Duprey, a transfer from Virginia Tech.
She appeared in 191 sets across 65 matches in three years with the Hokies, tallying 374 kills and 204 digs. In 2023, Duprey led the Hokies with 222 kills. She is from Flint Hill School in Northern Virginia.
Watch CBS News
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Four new trollies will join the VB Wave Trolley fleet beginning May 10, when Virginia Beach Wave Trolley will resume its seasonal service along the oceanfront.
Trolley season lasts through September 25-27 for the Virginia Beach Neptune Festival.
A total of 14 new trollies will be part of the fleet this year, gradually replacing the older versions. The 29-foot trolley replica buses seat 29 people and feature wooden seats, with “sky-blue and sand-colored brown exterior,” according to Hampton Roads Transit (HRTS). Last year, 281,507 riders used the trolley system.
“This year marks the 42nd season of the VB Wave trolley, and these new trollies will provide a comfortable, safe, and efficient ride for visitors and locals alike,” William E. Harrell said. He is the president and CEO of HRT. “As part of our partnership with the city of Virginia Beach, the VB Wave makes it easy for everyone to visit attractions and explore the Oceanfront and beyond without the hassles of parking or the high cost of gas,” Harrell said.
The following routes will operate May 10 through Sept. 27 for the Neptune Festival:
Route 30 is the Atlantic Avenue Trolley, running along the Oceanfront between JT’s Grommet Island Park to Fortieth Street. This service operates daily from 8 a.m.- 2 a.m.
Route 31 is the aquarium and campground trolley along General Booth Boulevard. It runs daily from 9:30 a.m.-11:10 p.m. through Labor Day and again on Fridays through Sundays from Sept. 11 through Sept. 27. Route 31 also extends to Atlantic Avenue and 18th Street.
Route 35 is the Bayfront Bus, providing service between Parks Avenue and 19th Street and Shore Drive and Pleasure House Road, enabling customers to visit Chesapeake Bay beaches, First Landing State Park, and Bayfront restaurants. It operates daily from 8 a.m.-12:30 a.m. through Labor Day and then Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays only from Sept. 11 through the Sept. 27 festival
The VB Wave trolley connects to HRT bus lines, Routes 20 and 960, with access to the Newtown Road Light Rail Station and the Downtown Norfolk Transit Center.
Fares are $2 one way or $4.50 for an all-day pass. Kids 17 and under ride free with a paying adult. Riders can pay for tickets using HRT’s GoMobile app and a credit card. Riders can create and manage multiple virtual cards and reload value for easy group boarding, and need to have a unique scannable virtual card for boarding. Children are not required to scan a virtual card or pay fare when boarding with an adult.
Customers can also tap to pay using credit and debit cards. KOA Campground, Virginia Gift Shop, nine Sunsations locations, and Ocean Wave Gift Shop sell tickets. Riders can also pay with exact change cash onboard the trolley.
In addition, HRT is introducing a new route in Virginia Beach beginning May 10. The new Route 981 will connect the Amazon Fulfillment Center (ORF 4) at 1795 Dam Neck Road with the Downtown Norfolk Transit Center.
Route 33 service is being restored to Atlantic Avenue and 68th Street 365 days a year to support the oceanfront hospitality industry.
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