Florida Sports Wire

For the first time in the history of the event, two American professional triathletes took out the Cairns Airport IRONMAN Cairns triathlon titles, with Jackie Hering (USA) securing her third IRONMAN triathlon victory, while Matthew Marquardt (USA) claimed a maiden professional IRONMAN triathlon win. Both Hering and Marquardt claim the maximum 5,000 IRONMAN Pro Series points and each earn $18,000 USD for their wins. Hering broke the tape in 8:42:15, almost four minutes ahead of defending IRONMAN Cairns triathlon champion Hannah Berry (NZL), with Australian-based Dutch athlete Lotte Wilms making it back-to-back podium finishes in Tropical North Queensland in third.  Hering’s performance on Sunday was all the more remarkable given she only made the decision to head to Cairns in the last week, after not finishing at the Qatar Airways IRONMAN Hamburg European Championship triathlon in Germany a fortnight ago.  Hering was fifth out of the water behind Rebecca Clarke (NZL), Wilms, Be...

  PONTE VEDRA BEACH– The PGA TOUR today announced that Brian Rolapp has been named Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Rolapp joins the TOUR after spending more than two decades with the National Football League (NFL), where he helped reshape how fans experience live sports and most recently served as the league’s Chief Media and Business Officer. After an extensive process, the PGA TOUR CEO Search Committee—consisting of Arthur M. Blank, Tiger Woods, Adam Scott, Jay Monahan, Joe Gorder and Sam Kennedy—unanimously recommended Rolapp for the role. Rolapp is a seasoned sports and media executive who has the specific skill set necessary to build on the TOUR’s momentum—experience scaling sports businesses in a fast-changing landscape and a clear appreciation for what makes the TOUR special and where it can go next. Rolapp will officially begin his new role later this summer. Having formed the Search Committee to find his successor, Commissioner Jay Monahan will transition his day-to-day re...

  ORLANDO — The Orlando Solar Bears, ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Tampa Bay Lightning, announced today Head Coach and General Manager Matt Carkner will be leaving his position immediately to pursue a coaching role in the American Hockey League. Carkner, 44, was hired by the Solar Bears prior to the start of the 2022-23 season following a five-year stint (2016-21) as an Assistant Coach with the Bridgeport Islanders of the American Hockey League (AHL) and led the Solar Bears to two playoff appearances in his three seasons at the helm. In each of their playoff appearances under Carkner, the Solar Bears knocked off the first place team in the South Division, including the 2025 Kelly Cup Playoffs, when Orlando upset the Brabham Cup Regular Season Champion South Carolina Stingrays in seven games. Carkner's 105 regular season wins are the second most in Solar Bears history trailing only Drake Berehowsky. As a player, Carkner enjoyed a 15-year professional career that in...

  PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida, PEBBLE BEACH, California, and DALLAS – The PGA TOUR, AT&T, Inc. (NYSE: T), Monterey Peninsula Foundation and the Pebble Beach Company jointly announced today that AT&T has renewed its longtime sponsorship of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. A Signature Event on the PGA TOUR schedule, AT&T has sponsored the tournament since 1986, making it the PGA TOUR’s longest-running continuous title sponsor. The 2025 tournament, won by Rory McIlroy, marked the telecommunications company’s 40th consecutive year sponsoring the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Next year’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am begins Thursday, February 12, 2026, and will be broadcast on CBS/Paramount+, GOLF Channel, PGA TOUR LIVE on ESPN+, Sirius XM and distributed internationally via the TOUR’s World Feed. The 2026 tournament marks the 80th all-time playing of the event. “We are honored to extend with our longest-running title sponsor in AT&T, a committed supporter of Monterey Pe...

JACKSONVILLE – Miami Marlins catcher Rob Brantly will begin an injury rehabilitation assignment with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp when he serves as the starting catcher and hits third on Tuesday at the Syracuse Mets from NBT Bank Stadium.   Brantly was placed on the 10-day injured list on April 21, 2025, with a right lat strain. He was transferred to the 60-day injured list on May 24, 2025. He played three games for the Marlins this season, has last being April 20. Brantly cracked three hits in seven at-bats while also recording one RBI.   A native of San Diego, California, Brantly was drafted in the third round of the 2010 draft by the Detroit Tigers. The Marlins acquired Brantly via a trade with the Tigers on July 23, 2012. He debuted in the major leagues the following season, his first game being the Marlins’ Opening Day matchup against the Washington Nationals.   Since his first stint with the Marlins, Brantly has played for 10 different organizations over 12 profes...

  SHREWSBURY, N.J. – For the 25th consecutive year, the ECHL is represented on the Stanley Cup champion with Florida Panthers Assistant General Manager Brett Peterson; Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations Paul Krepelka; Assistant Coach Jamie Kompon; Goaltending Coach Robb Tallas; players Vitek Vanecek and Carter Verhaeghe; Professional Scouts P.J. Fenton and Sean Backman; Amateur Scouts Dillon Donnelly, Josh Monk and Ken Morin; Assistant Athletic Trainer Brian Riedel; Assistant Equipment Managers Thomas Anderson, Dakota King and Joe Wiezczek and Radio Broadcaster Doug Plagens. The Savannah Ghost Pirates are the ECHL affiliate of the Panthers. The ECHL had affiliations with 29 of the 32 teams in the NHL in 2024-25, marking the 28th consecutive season that the league has had affiliations with at least 20 teams. The ECHL had 71 players on NHL opening-day rosters, marking the 22nd year in a row that there have been over 50 former ECHL players on opening-day rosters. Peterson skat...

JACKSONVILLE – Sporting Club Jacksonville has added four dynamic talents to the club’s inaugural Gainbridge Super League roster, signing midfielders Madison Kemp and Sophia Boman, and defenders Paige Kenton and Katie Sullivan. The new signings build on the recent roster additions of Georgia Brown, Ashlyn Puerta, Zara Siassi, Parker Roberts and Carolina Murray. “The four talents bring fearlessness, confidence and a fierce competitive edge to our team,” said Stacey Balaam, head coach for Sporting JAX. “As they transition to a professional level, I’m confident they will rise to every challenge and make an immediate impact on the field.” Madison Kemp, originally from Camas, Washington, began her college career at Gonzaga University before a standout final season at the University of Kentucky. She started all 21 matches for the Wildcats in 2024, netting five goals and five assists, and earned All-SEC third team honors. Kemp also scored 28 goals over five collegiate seasons. Sophia Boman, a...

JACKSONVILLE – Matt Mervis smacked a home run, but the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp fell to the Durham Bulls 7-1, contest from VyStar Ballpark. Locked in a scoreless tie, Dominic Keegan walked to leadoff the second for Durham (33-25). He advanced to second on a wild pitch, scoring two batters later on an RBI single from Tristan Peters giving the Bulls a 1-0 lead. Leading by a run, Kenny Piper reached on an error and Chandler Simpson singled to start the fifth. With runners at the corners, Ha-Seong Kim smacked a sacrifice fly, extending the Durham lead to two. The Bulls’ bats stayed hot in the sixth. A Bob Seymour single, coupled with a Keegan fielder’s choice, gave the Bulls two baserunners to start the frame. Two batters later, Peters (6) smashed a three-run home run, extending the lead to 5-0. Jacksonville (34-24) answered in the bottom of the sixth. Mervis (1) crushed a leadoff home run, bringing the Jumbo Shrimp within four. Durham struck again in the seventh inning. With two outs, T...

  HILTON HEAD, S.C. – The Flagler College Saints were named the winners of the Peach Belt Conference David R. Brunk Commissioner's Cup on Tuesday night at the league's annual dinner. The award was renamed for the retiring PBC commissioner just prior to the presentation. Flagler won the award for the third time in the past six years. The first came in the 2018-19 season and the second in 2020-21. Flagler is the smallest school, in terms of enrollment, in the PBC with just under 2,500 students. "We are certainly proud of the competitive success that our teams had this year and particularly humbled to be the first recipient of the Commissioner's Cup named in honor of out outstanding outgoing commissioner, Dave Brunk," said Director of Athletics Jud Damon. The Brunk Cup is presented annually to the best overall athletic department based on regular-season standings and select championships results from cross country, golf and track & field. Associate members are n...

JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp Director of Broadcasting & Media Relations and play-by-play voice Scott Kornberg will join the Marlins Radio Network to broadcast nine Marlins regular season games from June 6-15, when Miami plays at the Tampa Bay Rays, Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Nationals. Kornberg made his major league debut on the Marlins Radio Network on May 18, 2024 and had the walk-off call in the Marlins’ 10-9 win over the New York Mets. He also called seven additional regular season games for Miami during the 2024 season and has broadcast select Marlins’ Spring Training games each of the last five seasons.  He will be paired with Miami Marlins broadcaster Jack McMullen and pregame host Stephen Strom on the Marlins Radio Network. Fans can listen on 940 WINZ AM and 94.9 HD2 in South Florida, as well as worldwide on MLB.tv and the MLB app. “I recognize how lucky I am, in that an opportunity like this does not always come to my colleagues in the minor leagues,...

  JACKSONVILLE — Deisiane Teixeira and Sanaa Hebron led the way for the University of Miami track and field team Thursday as Teixeira secured a spot in the NCAA Championships and Hebron advanced to the 400m hurdles quarterfinals. Teixeira opened the day in the javelin with a season-best throw of 52.72m to advance to the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon. The junior will be making her second appearance at the championships after earning first team All-America honors a year ago. Hebron secured a berth to the quarterfinals of the 400m hurdles after winning her heat by nearly seven-tenths of a second with at time of 56.05. Hebron will compete in the quarterfinals Saturday at 7:25 p.m. The Hurricanes return to Hodges Stadium at 10 a.m. for the women’s shot put while the men’s discus begins at 1 p.m. Action on the track gets underway at 5 p.m. with the 4x100m relay. The NCAA East First Round will be streamed on ESPN+ while live results can be found on www.flashresults.com. To stay up...

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – A three-run eighth inning on Thursday vaulted the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp by the Gwinnett Stripers 3-1 at Coolray Field. Gwinnett (21-33) led 1-0 reliever Rolddy Muñoz (0-1) walked Jack Winkler to begin the eighth. Albert Almora followed by tying the game with an RBI double.  Maximo Acosta then gave Jacksonville (33-21) its first lead with an RBI single. Acosta maneuvered to second on a wild pitch, went to third on a ground out and then scored on Xavier Edwards’ RBI ground out to make it 3-1. George Soriano (2-1) pitched the final 3.0 innings, fanning three without a hit to earn the win. The lone Stripers run came in the first. Carlos Rodriguez singled and then José Devers doubled. A James McCann RBI ground out made it 1-0 three batters into the bottom of the first, but Gwinnett mustered just one more hit the rest of the night. Jacksonville and Gwinnett meet again in Friday’s 7:05 p.m. contest. RHP Robinson Piña (3-2, 3.48 ERA) starts for the Jumbo Shrimp ag...

  JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville Icemen, ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres and the AHL’s Rochester Americans are pleased to announce the removal of the interim tag to Sean Teakle and Garrett Cockerill.  Teakle officially becomes the fourth head coach in Icemen history, while Cockerill will officially return as assistant coach.   “We are very pleased to announce Sean Teakle as our new head coach,” said Zawyer Sports VP of Hockey Operations Joe Ernst. “Sean proved over the last half of this past season that he is the right person both on and off the ice to lead the Icemen. The passion, enthusiasm, teaching and communication that Sean brings to the rink every day is second to none. We cannot think of a more deserving and prepared individual to lead the Jacksonville Icemen Hockey Team while having the confidence that he will put a competitive team on the ice each night that will continue to make Jacksonville proud.”  Teakle was initially elevated from ass...

By Steve Eubanks Six-time winner and one of the original LPGA pioneers, Jo Ann Prentice, passed away on Sunday, May 18, 2025, at the age of 92. A native of Birmingham, Ala., Prentice is one of few female golfers in the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame alongside several notable Alabamians such as Jesse Owens, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Carl Lewis. Prentice was also instrumental in creating the Birmingham Classic, a tournament she never won but one that remained a popular mainstay on the LPGA Tour for a decade from 1972 to 1982.  Her most notable victory came in 1974 in Rancho Mirage, Calif. at the Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner’s Circle, the event that would become the LPGA’s first major of the season, The Chevron Championship. On April 21, 1974, Prentice defeated Jane Blalock and Sandra Haynie in a playoff for what was, at the time, the largest check in women’s golf.  She won again three weeks later, this time a two-shot victory over Laura Baugh at the American Defender Raleigh Classi...

  JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp have promoted long-time employee Brian DeLettre to Director of Production. A native of Jacksonville, DeLettre’s sports career began with the Jacksonville Suns in 1998. Over more than 25 years with the Jacksonville baseball franchise, DeLettre’s roles have included bat boy, clubhouse assistant, playground coordinator, usher, box office assistant, official scorer and media relations assistant. He joined the full-time staff in 2013. As the Director of Production, DeLettre oversees all aspects of the HD videoboard displays installed at VyStar Ballpark. He also helps manage www.jaxshrimp.com, supervises the press box staff, designs the digital publications and sells season and group ticket packages. DeLettre earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education with emphasis in sports administration from Jacksonville University, where he worked in the athletic media relations office from 2005 to 2013. He also worked as a communications assistan...

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2025 regular season schedule was released by the National Football League. After winning the NFC South division title for the fourth consecutive year, the Buccaneers will again face five division winners from the 2024 season – the maximum number a team can play in the 17-game format. Tampa Bay’s 50th season will commence with a trip to take on the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1 at 1 p.m. ET on FOX. The Buccaneers will have a chance to extend their run to a franchise record five consecutive wins in season openers, and are 1-of-4 teams to have won their season opener in each of the past four seasons. In Week 2, the Buccaneers will return to the city of their 1976 inaugural game as they pay a visit to the Houston Texans and play on the primetime stage of Monday Night Football (7 p.m. ET on ABC). The home opener at Raymond James Stadium will take place in Week 3 when the Buccaneers take on the New York Jets (1 p.m. ET on FOX). In Head Coach Todd Bowles’ first regular se...

  JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville Jaguars have announced three additions to the coaching staff as part of the NFL’s Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship program: Ari Confesor, Anthony Gaitor and Dawson Odoms. The three coaches will be with the team for the Jaguars’ offseason program from May to June. For over 30 years, the league-wide fellowship program has helped outstanding coaches gain exposure to NFL training camps and offseason workout programs. Confesor brings 15 years of coaching and scouting experience with stops at the University of Rhode Island (2009-12 and 2013-18), the Kansas City Chiefs (2012-13), College of the Holy Cross (2018-19), the United States Air Force Academy (2019-23) and Wake Forest University (2023-25). He most recently served as wide receivers coach at Wake Forest University and tutored the program’s all-time leader in receiving yards, WR Taylor Morin, to Honorable Mention All-ACC honors in 2024. Confesor earned a bachelor’s degree in political scien...

JACKSONVILLE – Miami Marlins infielder Otto Lopez will begin an injury rehabilitation assignment for the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. Lopez was placed on the 10-day injured list on May 4 with a right ankle sprain, retroactive to May 3. Thus far in 2025, he has played in 30 games for the Marlins and slashed .229/.294/.330/624, walking 10 times while driving in 11. Born in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic before spending part of his childhood in Montreal, Lopez was originally signed by the Toronto Blue Jays on July 4, 2016 as an international free agent. He played in Toronto’s system before making his major league debut for the Blue Jays on August 17, 2021 in a game against the Washington Nationals. In 2022, Lopez was 6-for-9 at the plate in eight games with Toronto. He played the entirety of the 2023 campaign with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons in Western New York, slashing .258/.313/.343/.656 with nine doubles, six triples, two home runs, 35 RBIs, 48 runs and 13 steals in 84 games. ...

  The Tampa Bay Buccaneers confirmed the dates and times of the team’s 2025 preseason slate, which will feature matchups with the Tennessee Titans, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Buffalo Bills. Tampa Bay will kick off its 2025 preseason with a home game at Raymond James Stadium against the Tennessee Titans on Saturday, August 9, at 7:30 p.m. ET. This will be the first preseason contest between the teams after playing back-to-back in 2021 and 2022. In preseason Week 2, the Buccaneers will travel to face the Pittsburgh Steelers for a 7:00 p.m. ET kickoff on Saturday, August 16. The Buccaneers have played six prior preseason contests against the Steelers, with the most recent matchup coming in 2023. The Buccaneers will close out the 2025 preseason at home against the Buffalo Bills on Saturday, August 23, at 7:30 p.m. ET, marking the first preseason game between the two teams since 2014. All three preseason contests will be aired locally on WFLA News Channel 8, the Buccaneers official home f...

JACKSONVILLE - The Gator Bowl Sports Board of Trustees recently elected its 2025-26 full slate of volunteer leadership including Chairman, Officers and Advisory Board. Elected as Chairman for the 2025-26 season is Sara Pomposo, Vice President of Sales for Money Pages.  Prior to her new role with Money Pages, Sara built strong corporate and community relationships through her previous leadership as VP of Marketing & Brand Strategy for BHRS Companies and as Publisher and Market President for the Jacksonville Business Journal, which brought her to Jacksonville in 2017.   Chairman Pomposo joined Gator Bowl Sports in 2017 and has served in a variety of volunteer leadership positions.  In 2021, she was instrumental in founding “The Bowl’d Ladies” which is the women’s membership group of the Gator Bowl. In her spare time, Sara and her husband Chris Pomposo own Wick ‘n Twisted, a pour your own experience in Jacksonville Beach featuring custom candle scents and the beach’...