Florida Sports Wire

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. –   After experiencing the pain of the South Carolina Stingrays' Game 7 2015 Kelly Cup Finals loss, Chuck Liebenrood wants to erase that bitter feeling lingering in his mind. Liebenrood, 32, hails from Summerville, South Carolina, approximately 20 miles from the North Charleston Coliseum, and played hockey at Summerville High School. Growing up, he frequently attended Stingray games with his family and was at the North Charleston Coliseum the night the Stingrays clinched their second Kelly Cup Championship in 2001. Experiencing both highs and lows, Liebenrood is hungry to help the Stingrays compete for a fourth Kelly Cup title this season. However, he won't be suiting up for action on the ice. He serves a crucial behind-the-scenes and often unseen role as the Stingrays' Head Equipment Manager.  Some of Liebenrood's duties as Head Equipment Manager start the night before a game day include sharpening skates, hanging laundry bags, and preparing back

  TAMPA BAY —  The Tampa Bay Lightning will unveil a unique and innovative fan initiative on Friday during the team’s Lightning Launch 2024 event at AMALIE Arena, as ‘Bolt for Life’ members, partners and suite holders will get to see their names, more than 6,000 in total, that have been frozen into the bolt at center ice.  The initiative comes as a tribute to the team’s key supporters, especially as the team rebrands its Season Ticket Members to Bolts for Life. As part of the two-day ice install process on August 19 and 20, a special version of the team’s iconic lightning bolt, which also serves as the new Bolt for Life logo, was frozen into the ice.  For the first time in the franchise’s history, the bolt features the names of more than 6,000 individuals and partners as a symbol that they are at the center of everything the organization does and are now physically at the center of the 2024-25 season.   This summer, the Lightning underwent a complete re-brand of their Season Ticket Mem

  JACKSONVILLE  – Miami Marlins’ infielder Vidal Bruján and outfielders Derek Hill and Dane Myers will begin their injury rehabilitation assignments presented by H2 Health with Tuesday’s 7:05 p.m. contest for the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp against the Gwinnett Stripers from 121 Financial Ballpark. Bruján has been on the 10-day injured list since August 31 with a right shoulder AC joint sprain. In 98 games with the Marlins this season, Bruján has slashed .224/.307/.322 with 14 doubles, two home runs, and 16 RBIs.   Hill has been on the 10-day injured list since September 7, retroactive to September 5 with a left shoulder impingement. In 25 games with the Marlins, Hill has hit .227/.242/.409 with four home runs and 17 RBIs.   Myers has been on the injured list since July 15, retroactive to July 13 with a left ankle fracture. In 40 games with the Marlins this season, Myers has posted a .265/.337/.422 line with 22 hits and 14 RBIs.     A San Pedro de Macoris, Dom. Republic native, Bruján w

  LOUISVILLE, Ky.  –  After falling behind early, the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp slugged their way to a 9-8 win over the Louisville Bats in 10 innings Sunday afternoon from Louisville Slugger Field. Tied at eight in the top of the 10th, Jakob Marsee started the inning at second as the ghost runner for Jacksonville (65-71, 30-31). With two outs, Will Banfield doubled off Louisville (62-75, 24-39) hurler Alan Busenitz (L, 5-4), plating Marsee to put the Jumbo Shrimp ahead 9-8.   Following a single from Ivan Johnson to start the bottom of the 10th, Austin Roberts (S, 1) induced a pop up and then a game-ending double play to secure the win for the Jumbo Shrimp.   The Bats opened the scoring with three in the bottom of the first. With one out, Levi Jordan singled and went to second after an errant pickoff attempt. Two batters later, Davis Wendzel knocked him in with a base hit for a 1-0 advantage for Louisville. PJ Higgins followed with a base hit. With runners on first and second, Joey Wiem

BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Florida Atlantic football team fell to Army West Point on Saturday afternoon by a score of 24-7.  With the loss, the Owls fall to 0-2 and 0-1 in American Athletic Conference play.  A quick-moving first half saw the Owls come to life with just under four minutes to go. Facing a 3rd-and-1 and defending Army in FAU territory, true freshman safety C.J. Heard made a veteran play, forcing a fumble and recovering it himself for the takeaway. On the ensuing offensive possession, redshirt junior QB Cam Fancher found redshirt sophomore Omari Hayes wide open for an eight-yard score, his first career touchdown reception, to finish the half down 14-7.  Hayes continued to shine in the second half, taking the ball 27 yards for the team's biggest play of the game.  The Owls gave up a field goal and a touchdown in the game's final 30 minutes for 24-7 final.  Hayes continues to lead the team in receiving, recording a game-high 45 yards on four receptions Graduate WR Marly

  TUSCALOOSA, ALA.  –  The South Florida football team gave No. 4-ranked Alabama all it wanted Saturday in Tuscaloosa, battling in a one-point game through three quarters before the Crimson Tide strung together points late in a 42-16 victory that was much closer than the final score. Before a crowd of 100,077 at Bryant-Denny Stadium, the largest ever to witness a USF football game, on the night the field was dedicated to legendary Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban, USF led Alabama in total yards, 210-209, and trailed by one, 14-13, with under 11 minutes to play in the game. But the Tide strung together 21 points in the final six minutes using big plays of 43, 56 and 29 yards to put the game away.   The Bulls were playing their fifth ever game against a top-five ranked opponent and their highest-ranked opponent in a road game since falling at No. 2 Oklahoma in 2002. USF fell 17-3 last year to No. 10-ranked Alabama in Raymond James Stadium in a game that was a one score contest into the fina