Florida Sports Wire

GREENWOOD, S.C. – Tymoteusz Pszczola finished with a double-double as he scored 13 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in Flagler College’s 66-58 loss to No. 25 (NABC Division II Top 25) Lander University in a Peach Belt Conference Tournament men’s basketball semifinal game Saturday afternoon at Finis Horne Arena. Flagler, the No. 5 seed, finished its season with an 18-12 overall record. Lander, the top seed, improved to 24-5 overall. The Bearcats will take on the University of North Georgia tomorrow in the tournament’s championship game at 1 p.m. The winner receives the league’s automatic berth to the NCAA Division II National Tournament. The Saints led by as many as nine in the first half and went into the locker rooms holding a 33-26 lead. The Bearcats used a 14-6 run midway through the second half to regain the lead. A Jacob Daniels layup tied the game at 52 and his dunk with 6:24 left gave Lander its first lead, 54-52, since the 15:40 mark of the first half. With 4:25 left in the game,...

By Mike Bonts TALLAHASSEE - Led by returning first-team All-ACC wide receiver Duce Robinson, Florida State kicks off its spring practice tomorrow. Robinson and Micahi Danzy headline a wide receiver group once again coached by Tim Harris Jr., now promoted to offensive coordinator for the 2026 season. Robinson led the ACC in 2025 with 1,081 receiving yards, the most by a Seminole since 2019, and as a Biletnikoff Award semifinalist, ranked 11th nationally.  His five games with at least 120 receiving yards tied for the most among P4 receivers, while he finished second in the conference behind Danzy’s 21.15 yards per catch, which ranked fourth nationally.  Danzy also led the country with six plays of 50-plus yards and contributed to FSU’s first men’s indoor track and field ACC title since 2019.  On defense, standout lineman Mandrell Desir returns after an All-American freshman year, posting 30 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and a pass breakup, with ...

Florida Sports Wire  CORAL GABLES – The University of Miami men’s basketball team battled but ultimately fell to Louisville, 92-89, Saturday inside the Watsco Center to close out the regular season.  Louisville (22-9, 11-7 ACC) took a 46-37 lead into the half after shooting 62.1% from the floor and 60% (9-of-15) from three. The Cardinals led by as many as 12 midway through the first 20 minutes before Miami (24-7, 13-5 ACC) cut the lead to following Noam Dovrat’s third 3-pointer of the half.  The Cardinals kept the pressure on, leading by 11 nine minutes into the second half before Malike Reneau hit a pair of free throws and Tre Donaldson hit a 3-pointer to trim the advantage to six, 68-62.  Louisville pushed the lead back up to eight before Reneau hit five free throws on the next three offensive possessions to cut the lead to 77-74 with 5:11 remaining. Coming out of the timeout, Reneau blocked J’Vonne Hadley’s shot that led to a three from Donaldson to tie the game....

Isabella Fierro’s final round was nothing short of spectacular. Sitting one shot behind the lead heading into Championship Saturday. the Mexico native felt some nerves as she chased the second victory of her young professional career. The 25-year-old carded six birdies to climb to the top of the leaderboard, starting strong with a birdie on the opening hole before a bogey on the par-4 2nd.  After sharing her nerves with caddie Juani Lebbad, the Epson Tour champion rolled in birdie putts on holes three and six to make the turn at 2-under.  “My hands were just shaking, and I told my caddie, and he goes, ‘This is what we practice for, right?’ Feeling the adrenaline, feeling the nerves—this is what an athlete practices for, and this is how you want to feel,” said Fierro. “So, instead of avoiding that sensation, I just let it pass, and man, it’s the best feeling ever.”  The Oklahoma State alumna kept her steady play going, sealing the deal with back-to-back birdies on holes 14...

GAINESVILLE — The 2026 Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series season opened this weekend at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway. T The four-car SCAG Racing lineup saw Daniel Wilkerson advance to the second round of eliminations, while Justin Ashley and Dave Richards suffered first-round exits.  Will Smith narrowly missed the field and did not qualify for Sunday eliminations. Wilkerson and the SCAG Power Equipment Ford Mustang Funny Car qualified No. 7 after posting a strong 3.961-second pass at 323.19 mph during a nighttime Q2 session on Friday. That effort paired him with No. 10 qualifier Hunter Green in the opening round. Wilkerson held a slight advantage at the starting line with a .078-second reaction time and powered down the track to a 4.027-second run at 317.79 mph, advancing to the second round after Green lost a cylinder. In round two, Wilkerson faced JR Todd but lost a cylinder during the run and could not keep pace. Wilkerson posted a 4.154-se...

By Jeff Moeller, Florida Sports Wire Unlike most teams, the Jaguars should have a relatively quiet free-agency period. There won't be a huge couple of shopping days this week due to their lack of major space under the cap. Instead, general manager James Gladstone will need to fill some holes and create some depth with April’s draft and cutdown leftovers. The Jags did restructure the contracts of guard Patrcik Mekari and cornerback Jourdan Lewis that did open up some cap space. Still, they won’t be big spenders. Fortunately, the Jags have a solid structure on both sides of the ball in place. They also have the luxury of Travis Hunter, who is currently penciled in to play in the secondary. But Hunter, who only played seven games before his season ended last year, should get some reps at wide receiver or possibly in the backfield. Yet, the defending AFC South champs likely will lose two key pieces. Edge rusher/linebacker Devin Lloyd and running back Travis Etienne have been targeted t...

JACKSONVILLE – North Florida Women's Basketball junior guard Alonya Waldon has been recognized as ASUN Newcomer of the Week on Monday. "Alonya [Waldon] has been a difference-maker for our team all season. Whether she is scoring 25 plus, taking five charges, getting to the free throw line or hitting a game-winning shot, our opponents have to key in on her," Head Coach Erika Lambert said. "Alonya is a tough competitor, and I'm thrilled that she is being recognized for her impact this week!" Waldon posted 21.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.0 steals on 52.0 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from three and 86.7 percent from the free-throw line in 28.1 minutes per game for North Florida in the latest stretch.  She notched a career-high 27 points, four rebounds and three assists on 7-16 from the field, 3-8 from three and 10-11 from the free-throw line in 31 minutes off the bench at Stetson on Feb. 19. For Waldon, it marked her fourth game this season ...

JACKSONVILLE - The Jacksonville Sharks announced three new additions to the Tank for the 2026 season. QB Sammy Edwards, DB Robert Jones III and DL/LB Brice Bass arrive in Jacksonville ready to make an instant impact on the field. Edwards (6'2, 195 lbs.) spent all four years of his collegiate career at Valdosta State, where he accumulated 4,662 total yards, 66 passing TDs and 10 rushing TDs in 613 total plays. In his junior season, Edwards established himself among Division II's elite, finishing second in the nation with 4,223 passing yards (just three shy of Valdosta State's single-season mark) and playing a central role in the Blazers' Gulf South Conference title and NCAA DII playoff run. For his efforts, Edwards was named Gulf South Conference Offensive Player of the Year and VSU Male Athlete of the Year. Known for his accurate arm and ability to make plays with his feet, Edwards is expected to add a dynamic element to the Sharks' offense. Jones III (6'0 190 l...

JACKSONVILLE – Sporting Club Jacksonville (Sporting JAX) announced the adjustment of the kickoff time for their inaugural men’s USL Championship match taking place on Saturday, March 7. The match against Hartford Athletic, which was originally slotted for a 3 p.m. kickoff time, now has a scheduled kickoff of 7:30 p.m. This time change allows Sporting JAX to start its inaugural season in the USL Championship under the lights at Hodges Stadium, giving the historic occasion a true primetime feel. “We’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time, and now will wait a few extra hours for the new nighttime start,” said Sporting JAX President and CEO Steve Livingstone. “Having this match kick off under the lights will make for a special atmosphere as we write the newest chapter of professional soccer history on the First Coast.” Fans can find upcoming match details and ticket information at sportingjax.com, and can stay connected with the latest news, matchday updates, and behind-the-scene...

  ARLINGTON, TEXAS – The United Football League today kicked off – United We – the UFL’s league-wide promotional campaign to rally fans and communities as the league’s eight teams head towards the new season that starts on Friday, March 27.  Designed to ignite and inspire team fandom, United We emphasizes the unique communal spirit of the UFL. While United is at the core brand identity, it also represents the true value of the league. The campaign unites fans by bringing them closer to game from the huddle to the play on the field to the enthusiasm in the stands to the dynamic television broadcasts. It embodies the unifying quality of the UFL, which is bringing new excitement to the game of football through new teams, new cities, new coaches, new rules, and new stadiums.  In addition, the word – We – represents the other aspect of the campaign by connecting fans to the broader UFL family. Each national spot will be tagged with We Are The United Football League, punctuati...

  AUGUSTA, Ga. – Flagler College's Ava Matthews was selected as the Peach Belt Conference's Freshman of the Week for the period ending February 22, as released by conference officials. The Sanford, Florida native appeared in two of Flagler's three games last week and posted a 1-0 record with a 2.10 earned run average. She retired nine of the last 11 batters she faced.  Matthews received her first win against No. 6 (NFCA Division II Top 25) Francis Marion University as she tossed four scoreless innings and allowed one hit in a 9-3 win. In her next appearance, Matthews came in to finish their second game against Francis Marion. She allowed two runs on five hits in 2.2 innings in a 3-0 loss. Matthews is eighth in the Peach Belt in strikeouts with 17 and is sixth in strikeouts looking (8) Flagler heads to Savannah State University for a doubleheader Wednesday at 2 p.m.

    Jimmie Johnson Jimmie Johnson: 2027 Daytona 500 will be his final NASCAR race DAYTONA BEACH – Jimmie Johnson isn’t going away, but the countdown clock started ticking the moment he climbed out of his No. 84 Toyota Sunday at the Daytona International Speedway. He has nothing more to prove. He’s tied with Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt with a record seven NASCAR Cup Series Championships. He walked away as a full-time driver after the 2020 season. He tinkered with IndyCars, selected NASCAR starts and the 24 Hours of LeMans. But as a co-owner of LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, he’s decided his time is more valuable in the shop and boardroom. That’s why he announced next year’s Daytona 500 will be his last. “I didn't use the word retirement way back when in 2020,” Johnson said. “I still love to compete and want to be on the track and racing. The journey as an owner, and certainly where I am in life right now, to compete at the Cup level, week in and week out, is just a door that's...

  Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images-NASCAR Six-time NBA Champion and Co-Car Owner Michael Jordan and driver Tyler Reddick hold the Harley J. Earl Trophy after Reddick passed Chase Elliott 150 yards short of the finish line to win Sunday's Daytona 500 at the Daytona International Speedway. Victory makes NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordon Championship Car Owner   DAYTONA BEACH – Wildfires burned out of control four miles south of the Daytona International Speedway at the end of Sunday’s Daytona 500. They were so bad, the Florida Highway Patrol closed a portion of Interstate 95. North of I-95, a line of severe weather was moving closer with lightning, rain and high winds. But it was nothing in comparison to the storm brewing in the closing laps of the Great American Race. Twenty-five cars were wadded in a three- and four-wide scrum for a victory in the biggest stock car race in the world, each jockeying like lottery ping pong balls for last-lap run to the finish line. ...

Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images/NASCAR The best way to make speed in Sunday's Daytona 500 is to line up nose-to-tail in long lines of traffic with trailing cars pushing the lead car. Daytona 500 starting time  moved up to 1:30 p.m. to avoid forecast of  late afternoon storms   DAYTONA BEACH – Chevrolets have the numbers and a new front nose for their ZL1. Fords have an advantage with experienced drivers and horsepower  with Doug Yates engines. And Toyota always plays the teammate game better than any of the  manufacturers  at the Daytona 500.   But one thing they all will share in Sunday’s Great American Race (1:30 p.m., FOX), are cars that are edgy and hard to handle.   “ Say a prayer.  It’s  going to be crazy,” said Joey Logano , who won in a Ford in 2015.   One thing  a   field of 41   probably won’t  have to worry about at the Daytona International Speedway is  bad weather . NASCAR moved the starting ...