When Clarke County High School graduate Bella Stem stepped onto the volleyball court at Kean University, she sparked a long-awaited comeback. Thanks to her efforts, the NCAA Division III Cougars are heading to the national tournament for the first time since 2018.

Less than a year after losing several member schools and facing the potential loss of its NCAA Division III playoff berth, the American Southwest Conference has resurrected itself through expansion and is once again on stable ground.