The following are recaps from App State athletic teams for the week of Aug. 18 to Aug. 25.

Aug. 19

• BOONE — Registration is now open for the annual App State Basketball Tip-Off Dinner, scheduled for Oct. 21 at the Holmes Convocation Center.

The event will be headlined that Wednesday night by college basketball analyst, national-championship-winning coach and Army veteran Chris Spatola, who will serve as the keynote speaker.

Tickets cost $150 per person. A table sponsorship that includes eight seats, plus your company logo featured on the sponsored table, event program and videoboard, is available for $1,800.

A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, Spatola was a four-year starter on the Army basketball team. He graduated as the Academy’s No. 5 career scorer with 1,543 points, which ranked 15th in Patriot League history.

Following his playing career, Spatola served in the United States Army as a company commander and executive officer. After being promoted to the rank of captain, he was awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal for exceptional combat performance during a deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the Army Commendation Medal for outstanding performance as a company commander.

After his military service concluded, Spatola served as an assistant coach under fellow West Point graduate Mike Krzyzewski at Duke from 2007-12, winning four ACC Tournament titles and capturing a national championship in 2010. Since 2012, Spatola has worked in college basketball media, highlighted by his work as a game analyst and studio analyst at ESPN and TNT Sports.

“Chris Spatola is someone I have tremendous respect for, both as a basketball person and as a leader,” Kerns said. “His experiences at West Point, in the military, at Duke and now with ESPN give him a unique perspective on leadership, teamwork and what it takes to build something special. We’re excited to have Chris join us for our Tip Off Dinner and share his story with our players, staff and supporters.”

Attendees to the Tip-Off Dinner will be treated to dinner and get an inside look from Coach Kerns on the upcoming season. There will also be a question-and-answer session with this year’s team and a silent auction.

To register, go to goapp.st/26TipOffDinner. For questions regarding the event, contact Chris Hammond at hammondcp@appstate.edu or 828-262-6302.

Aug. 20

• BOONE — App State Soccer dominated possession and generated numerous chances offensively but ultimately could not find the back of the net in a scoreless draw with Western Carolina on Thursday at The Valley.

App State (1-1-1) outshot Western Carolina 11-3 for the match. The Catamounts (1-1-1) did not record their first shot until the 75th minute of play. App State also outgained Western Carolina 10-3 in corner kicks.

The Mountaineers best scoring opportunity came on a penalty kick in the 50th minute of play when Libby Birmingham was fouled in the box. Following a two-goal game on Sunday, Birmingham stepped to the dot but saw her attempt glance off the left post and ricochet across the goal mouth without crossing the white line.

Olivia Simon led the Mountaineers with four shots, including a top-shelf effort that was saved in the opening half of play. Birmingham added three shots for the Mountaineers. Yonah Dias also had a quality scoring chance at the tail end of the first half but just missed wide of the goal.

Lucy Harrington, Taylor Duff, Olivia Simon, Anaya Jones and Maddie Williams all played the full 90 minutes for the Mountaineers. Goalkeeper Hanna Skogsfors also played the full match, recording one save.

Aug. 21

• BOONE — App State Athletics had 194 student-athletes honored as the Sun Belt Conference recognized recipients of the 1A FAR Academic Excellence Award as well as members of the Commissioner’s List and Academic Honor Roll for the 2025-26 academic year.

App State Women’s Cross Country led the Sun Belt’s 13 programs in that sport with a 3.76 GPA and did so while repeating as the league champion at the conference meet in late October.

The 1A FAR Academic Excellence Award recognizes student-athletes at FBS football-sponsoring institutions who earned their undergraduate degrees and compiled a cumulative GPA of 3.8 or better upon graduation. In addition, the student-athletes must have participated in at least two years of NCAA intercollegiate athletics at an FBS institution. App State’s 12 honorees in that category were:

Sarah Callery, Field Hockey

Samantha Connors, Field Hockey

James Gradisek, Men’s Golf

Emily Hege, Women’s Basketball

Addison Heidemann, Volleyball

Martha Henkel, Softball

Sarah Perkins, Field Hockey

Maddie Quinn, Women’s Cross Country

Kate Richardson, Field Hockey

Isabela Romanichen, Tennis

Emma Smith, Women’s Basketball

Shannon Studer, Soccer

App State had 120 members of the Commissioner’s List, which honors student-athletes who earned a 3.5 GPA or better during the 2025-26 academic year. There were 62 Mountaineers on the Academic Honor Roll, which recognizes student-athletes who maintained a GPA between 3.00 and 3.49 for the academic year.

App State student-athletes from Field Hockey (MAC) and Wrestling (SoCon) were not included in the Sun Belt lists for the Commissioner’s List or Academic Honor Roll.

Aug. 23

• BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – App State Soccer gained control of the match early and never took its foot off the accelerator, generating a record number of scoring opportunities in a 2-0 victory over Gardner-Webb on Sunday.

The Mountaineers (2-1-1) registered 28 shots in the match, the most for the program since a 29-shot effort against Gardner-Webb in 2016. Additionally, App State’s 13 corner kicks were the most since a 2019 contest against ULM.

App State broke onto the scoreboard in the 31st minute. Off a corner kick, Sofia Goclowski served the ball into the far side of the box and Lucy Harrington volleyed it back across the goalmouth where Taylor Duff was able to knock it home for her first goal as a Mountaineer.

Nine minutes later, off a corner kick from Walker Bristow, Harrington connected on a header, sending the ball just inside the near post for her first career goal to cap a three-point effort.

Ellie Garrison led the offense with six shots and four shots on goal, while Harrington and Libby Bermingham added three shots apiece.

Millie Paton, Ella Hover, Kendall Barley and Jordyn Burns made their debuts for the Mountaineers in the field. Anneliese Hindelang made her debut in goal, playing the second half and recording one save. Hanna Skogsfors tallied one save in the first 45 minutes, completing the second clean sheet of the week.

App State will return to action on Thursday as the team travels to face East Carolina at 7 p.m. The match will be broadcast on ESPN+. ECU is 0-1-3 on the season following a 2-2 draw with High Point on Sunday.

Aug. 24

• BOONE — The next evolution of game days at The Rock is here.

App State is introducing Yosef’s Yard Party – a new pregame fan zone near Kidd Brewer Stadium – for Saturday home football games this fall.

Fans can enjoy a family-friendly, tailgating-style experience in the residence hall lawn a short walk from the stadium across Jack Branch Drive. Admission is free. Food, water and Pepsi products will be available for purchase. Full details can be found in the list below.

Due to the Aug. 15 FanFest being canceled due to weather, App State is excited to offer fans additional opportunities to engage with the Mountaineers before and after the Sept. 5 season opener against Maine (3:30 p.m. kickoff).

SPECIAL FOR SEPT. 5 GAME DAY:

· FREE ice cream bars for fans at Yosef’s Yard Party, courtesy of Mars

· Student-athletes from several sports will sign autographs from 1:30-3 p.m.

· App State alum Adam Church performing live!

· Fans are invited to join the football team on the field postgame

YOSEF’S YARD PARTY – ALL SEASON LONG:

· Opens 3 hours before kickoff

· Ends 15 minutes before kickoff

· FREE ADMISSION

· Yard games

· Inflatable bounce house

· DJ/live music

· Appearances by Yosef, cheer team and Marching Mountaineers

· Merchandise, water and Pepsi products available for purchase

· Food/dessert trucks expected

· Photo ops with App State items

· Free posters

· No Yosef’s Yard Party on Thursday, Oct. 22 (JMU game)

• CHARLOTTE — A trio of top-10 finishes, highlighted by Alisa Pressley sharing runner-up honors, contributed to App State Women’s Golf placing third as it opened the fall schedule Monday at the inaugural Truist Access, Opportunity & Development (AOD) Summit.

The 36-hole competition Monday at Quail Hollow Club followed Sunday activities that included exposure to industry leaders, career development opportunities and meaningful networking experiences.

With six teams from the Carolinas participating, No. 55 Charleston finished first, followed by No. 86 Charlotte and App State, which posted a 37-over total of 305-308—613.

Competing as an individual, Pressley recorded a 2-over total of 146 thanks to a 3-over 75 in the morning round and a 1-under 71 in the afternoon. She opened the final round with an eagle on the par-5 first hole and closed it with her eighth birdie of the day to tie Charleston’s Molly Hardwick for second, three shots behind Charlotte standout and individual medalist Pinky Chaisilprungruang (1-under 143).

Fellow App State sophomore Zoe Duval tied for seventh place at 6 over (74-76—150) to contribute the lowest total to App State’s team score, and Ona Lukes tied for ninth at 7 over (75-76—151).

Two freshmen making their App State debuts (Hayden Cherry, Addison Douglass) both had a pair of 78s to tie for 16th place at 12 over. Salem Lee, who opened the fall with an eagle on her first hole, placed 27th.

The Mountaineers are back in action next month at the Pirate Collegiate Classic hosted by East Carolina from Sept. 14-15.