Florida Sports Wire

  By Mick Moninghoff ORLANDO – Pirates Quarterback Paxton DeLaurent threw five touchdown passes with four of them going to wideout Thomas Owens as Orlando defeated the Tulsa Oilers in overtime 61-55 at the Kia Center. The win was also the first for New Head Coach Rod Windsor in his first game at the helm. The Pirates remain undefeated at 3-0 while the Oilers (1-1) suffered their first loss of the season. Orlando trailed 35-33 at the half and did not take the lead until there were 27 seconds remaining in the game.  Trailing 52-48, DeLaurent led the Pirates on a five-play, 45-yard drive. On first and goal from the seven, he ran a quarterback counter into the end zone to give the home team a 55-48 lead as Axel Perez added the extra point. Kicker Bailey Hale of the Oilers booted a 48-yard field goal as time expired to send the game into overtime. Tulsa had the best possession in the extra session. A holding penalty on first down and a tackle for a loss by the Pirates Jacques Bris...

Special to Florida Sports Wire  JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp blanked the Charlotte Knights 3-0 behind Dax Fulton’s six shutout innings Tuesday afternoon at VyStar Ballpark in front of 5,438 fans.  The Jumbo Shrimp (8-8) picked up six hits in the ballgame and scored all three runs against Charlotte (7-9) off two swings in the sixth inning.  After two quick outs to begin the frame, Joe Mack provided a two-out single and Kemp Alderman (2) socked a two-run home run to the opposite field off Charlotte right-hander Chase Plywell (L, 0-1). One batter later, Nathan Martorella (2) launched his second home run of the season to right field to push the score to 3-0.  Jacksonville relievers Zack Brzykcy, Josh White and Josh Ekness (SV, 1) combined to shut down the Knights across the final three frames.  The series continues Wednesday with Jacksonville southpaw Patrick Monteverde (0-1, 5.79) starting on the mound opposite Charlotte right-hander Duncan Davitt ...

JACKSONVILLE – Sporting Club Jacksonville’s women’s team has officially clinched a spot in the 2026 Gainbridge Super League Playoffs, becoming the first expansion team in league history to secure a postseason berth in its inaugural season. Sporting JAX’s playoff position was confirmed following a decisive stretch of results across the league. The club earned a key victory over Brooklyn this past Saturday, while Dallas Trinity defeated Spokane (3-1) and Carolina Ascent secured a win over Tampa. With DC Power falling to FTL United in Monday night’s matchup, Sporting JAX officially locked in its place in the postseason. The milestone caps a dominant debut campaign for the First Coast’s first professional women’s soccer team. Sporting JAX has sat atop the Gainbridge Super League table continuously since Dec. 20, establishing itself as one of the league’s most consistent and formidable sides. With a playoff berth secured, Sporting JAX now turns its focus toward seeding and a championship pu...

ORLANDO – TEG Sport and The Football Association today announced that Inter&Co Stadium will host the England men's national team for an international friendly against Costa Rica on Wednesday, June 10 (4 p.m. ET), as part of the Three Lions’ preparations for the FIFA World Cup 2026™. The match will mark a rare appearance for England on U.S. soil and provides fans an opportunity to see one of international football’s most storied national teams compete in Central Florida ahead of the world’s biggest sporting event. Fans can register to receive information about ticket availability here. “We are thrilled to bring the England men’s national team to Orlando as part of their World Cup preparations," said Jarrod Dillon, President of Business Operations for Orlando City SC, Orlando Pride and Inter&Co Stadium. “Inter&Co Stadium offers an electric atmosphere and world‑class facilities, making it the ideal stage for an international matchup of this caliber. This fixture refl...

  JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp left-hander Braxton Garrett has been named the International League Pitcher of the Week for the week of April 7-13, Minor League Baseball announced Monday. Garrett is the first Jumbo Shrimp pitcher to earn a weekly honor in during the 2026 campaign. In his third start of the season, Garrett fired 6.0 no-hit innings with six strikeouts against just one walk. He needed only 66 pitches against the Norfolk Tides Sunday afternoon. Thus far in 2026, the southpaw has totaled 15.1 innings while allowing just one run (one earned run) on four hits with five walks against 17 strikeouts. He’s also held opponents to a mere .082 batting average against. Garrett’s 15.1 innings ranks seventh in the International and his 17 strikeouts are tied for 14th. A native of Foley, Alabama, the 28-year-old pitcher has spent his entire career in the Marlins organization. A first-round pick in the 2016 MLB draft, Garrett first pitched in Jacksonville in 2019 when the...

NEW YORK AND TORONTO – The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) will reach a new attendance milestone this week by surpassing 1 million fans in a single regular season for the first time in the league’s three-year history.  The milestone will come just days after Saturday’s sold-out crowd of 17,850 for the league’s first-ever game at Boston’s TD Garden and the completion of the 16-game PWHL Takeover Tour™ this past week in Edmonton. Only 15 games remain in the 2025-26 regular season with five teams still in contention for the fourth and final berth in the PWHL Walter Cup Playoffs. 1 MILLION FANS WITHIN REACH PWHL attendance through 105 games of the 2025-26 regular season stands at 976,219, just 23,781 away from reaching the 1 million milestone. This season’s average attendance is 9,297 fans per game, nearly a 29% increase over the average attendance across all 102 games played in 2024-25, including playoffs. The crowd of 17,850 at TD Garden set a new attendance record for a B...

By Jeff Moeller, Florida Sports Wire  The Jags made it perfectly clear. They recently extended Travon Walker on a four-year, $110 million deal Walker's deal is for four-years and is worth $110 million total. It will make him $27.5 million annually, including $77 million in guarantees, $50 million of which was fully guaranteed at the signing.  A year earlier, they extended Josh Hines- Allen on a five-year, $141.25 million extension,  locking him in through the 2028 season. The deal includes $88 million in total guarantees and an average annual value of $28.25 million.  Through 2028 - the year their new stadium will open- the Jags’ defense will run through Walker and Hines-Allen. Walker was the subject of trade rumors, as he was inconsistent last season with 3.5 sacks. He had a combined 20. 5 the previous two seasons and appeared ready to make a huge impact.  Hines-Allen led the league in sacks with 17.5 in 2023 and consequently received his pay day. However, the ...

ORLANDO – UCF Vice President and Director of Athletics Terry Mohajir has announced the hiring of Gabe Lazo as the next head coach of its women’s basketball program, becoming the 14th head coach in program history. A Miami native, Lazo brings a dynamic background and a proven track record of success at multiple levels of women’s basketball. Widely regarded as one of the rising coaches in the game, he has built his reputation as an elite recruiter, defensive strategist, and developer of student-athletes. “Gabe represents what we were looking for in the next leader of our women’s basketball program,” Mohajir said. “He’s a proven competitor at every level of the game, with deep Florida roots, an elite ability to connect with people, and a track record of developing student-athletes on and off the court. He has consistently helped elevated every program he’s been part of as a head coach and assistant. “His vision for UCF, his love for the state, combined with his energy and ability to conn...

Special to Jacksonville Sports Day JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp snapped their four-game losing streak with a 4-1 win over the Sugar Land Space Cowboys on Saturday night at VyStar Ballpark in front of 6,614 fans. Jacksonville (2-6) third baseman Jacob Berry (1) drove in all four runs in the win, capped off by a three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth to push the lead to 4-1. The lone Sugar Land (6-2) run arrived in the top of the first inning when Taylor Trammell (2) led off the game with a solo blast, giving the Space Cowboys an initial 1-0 advantage.  Berry tied the game at one on an RBI groundout in the home fourth after Nathan Martorella led off the inning with a single and Johnny Olmstead doubled. Bradley Blalock started for Jacksonville and tossed four innings while allowing two hits, one run and three walks and striking out one. Cade Gibson (W, 1-0) earned the win for the Jumbo Shrimp after throwing two scoreless relief innings.  Peter Lambert got ...

PHOTO COURTESY: PWHL NEW YORK — The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) made history once again Saturday night, setting a new U.S. arena attendance record for a women’s hockey game. A total of 18,006 fans sold-out the first-ever PWHL game at Madison Square Garden, presented by e.l.f. Cosmetics, as the New York Sirens hosted the Seattle Torrent. Among those in attendance for the record-breaking night of PWHL action were celebrated women’s sports icons, including boxer Amanda Serrano and soccer star Kelley O’Hara, who read the lineups for New York and Seattle respectively; Good Morning America host Robin Roberts; top WNBA prospect and recording artist  Flau'jae Johnson; New York Rangers captain JT Miller; and of course, PWHL advisory board members and sports legends, Billie Jean King and Ilana Kloss, who performed the ceremonial puck drop. This historic debut at The World’s Most Famous Arena marked the league’s eighth time breaking the U.S. arena record for a women’s hockey gam...

  Photo by Nancy DeLander Beecher/Florida Sports Wire JACKSONVILLE (Special to Florida Sports Wire) – Cole Moberg’s second of the season fueled the comeback victory Thursday night over Jacksonville 3-2 in overtime. Anthony Romano opened the scoring late in the first period on the power play to give the Florida Everblades a 1–0 lead in an otherwise evenly played opening frame. Jacksonville generated early pressure but could not solve Cam Johnson, who kept the Icemen off the board. Florida nearly struck first on an early zone entry as Logan Lambdin set up Isaac Nurse with a cross-ice feed, but Topias Leinonen sprawled out to deny the chance. Both sides traded opportunities late in the period, including a shot from Jett Jones that rang the iron, while Logan Cockerill forced a turnover for Jacksonville but was turned aside by an outstretched Johnson. A late power play proved to be the difference, as Romano buried a long-range shot 20 seconds into the man advantage for his 22nd goal of...

 JACKSONVILLE (Florida Sports Wire) – The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp fell 3-2 to the Sugar Land Space Cowboys on Thursday night at VyStar Ballpark in front of a crowd of 5,060 despite multiple opportunities with runners on base in the late innings. Colton Gordon (W, 1-0) earned the win for Sugar Land (5-1) while limiting Jacksonville (1-5) to two runs on four hits with four strikeouts and two walks.  Patrick Monteverde (L, 0-1) took the loss after going the first three innings and conceding three runs while walking three and striking out five. Jacksonville lifted the lid on the scoring in the bottom of the first after Andrew Pintar lead off with a single, Kemp Alderman worked a walk and Joe Mack singled to set up a bases loaded no-out situation. Back-to-back Nathan Martorella and Jesús Bastidas sacrifice flies sent the Jumbo Shrimp to a 2-0 lead. Sugar Land scored all three of their runs in the top of the third following back-to-back walks to Kellen Strahm and Taylor Trammell s...

JACKSONVILLE (Florida Sports Network) - The Atlantic Sun (ASUN) Conference and United Athletic Conference (UAC) have announced that the University of West Florida will transition to the NCAA Division I level and join both leagues beginning Fall 2026. UWF will compete in the ASUN as a full multi-sport member, in addition to joining the UAC as a football-playing affiliate.  Beginning July 1, 2026, the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) will rebrand as the UAC and together, the ASUN and UAC will form a consortium. This first-of-its-kind alliance will support collaborative scheduling, shared operational efficiencies and expanded competition opportunities. The University of West Florida will become the 17th member of the consortium. “This addition not only strengthens both conferences, but represents yet another growth milestone for the alliance between these two leagues,” consortium Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bacon said. “Since announcing our plans nearly a year ago, the excitement ar...

ORLANDO – The Orlando Storm etched their names in the UFL record books, winning the first game in franchise history against another new franchise in the Columbus Aviators, 23-16, to conclude week one of the 2026 UFL season. Passing and rushing hit on all cylinders for the Storm, totaling 356 yards of offense, spotlighted by a league-best 139 rushing yards. Former Carolina Panthers quarterback Jack Plummer threw an efficient 17-22, totaling 240 yards and one passing touchdown. Elijhah Badger led the night in receiving, snagging four catches for 127 yards.  Running back Jashaun Corbin played lights-out, leading the UFL in rushing yards (66) and rushing touchdowns (two) after week one. The Orlando Storm opened the season in electric fashion, as Andrew Parker forced a fumble on the opening kick, recovered by Josh Minkins, setting the Storm offense up in excellent field position to begin the season. The offense responded to the special teams’ powerful start, as Jack Plummer connected w...

JACKSONVILLE – Former Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp infielder Deyvison De Los Santos and right-handed pitcher Matt Pushard made their major league debuts on Sunday, becoming the first Jacksonville alumni to debut in The Show in 2026. De Los Santos went 1-for-2 with a double for Miami in the Marlins’ 4-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies at loanDepot park. Pushard tossed 1.0 inning for St. Louis in the Cardinals’ 11-7 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays at Busch Stadium. A 22-year old from Santo Domingo, De Los Santos was originally signed by the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 2, 2019 as an international free agent. After reaching Double-A Amarillo and Triple-A Reno in 2024, De Los Santos was traded along with outfielder Andrew Pintar to Miami in exchange for left-handed pitcher A.J. Puk.  The 2024 campaign was De Los Santos bat a combined .294/.343/.571/.914 with a Minor League Baseball-leading 40 home runs and 120 RBIs. He also led MiLB in total bases (307) while ranking in the top 20 in the min...

GREENVILLE, S.C. – Josh Zary scored his first professional goal and Keaton Mastrodonato hit pay dirt on the power play, but the Jacksonville Icemen struck twice in the final minute, including Craig Martin’s winner with 22.5 to play, to steal a win from the Greenville Swamp Rabbits 3-2 on Sunday afternoon. The loss drops the Swamp Rabbits elimination number to 14 with 11 games to go. The Swamp Rabbits jumped on the board first, carrying a lead into the intermission on a career milestone. Just 2:28 into the game, Josh Zary notched his first professional goal, tapping a rebound created off a John Parker-Jones redirect past Topias Leinonen to give the Swamp Rabbits a 1-0 lead (Parker-Jones and Cole Fraser assisted). Jacksonville halved the game in the second, but were once again answered heading into the final stanza. With 8:23 to play, Dave Jankowski snuck behind the Swamp Rabbits defense on a breakaway and rifled a shot that bounced off the crossbar, off Swamp Rabbits goaltender Isaiah ...

  FILE PHOTO/Nancy DeLander Beecher JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp earned their first win of the 2026 season against the Rochester Red Wings 4-3 Sunday afternoon at VyStar Ballpark in front of 5,635 fans.  Jacksonville (1-2) turned to William Kempner (SV, 1) to close out the ballgame after reliever Patrick Montverde yielded a double to Phillip Glasser and an RBI single to Zack Short to bring the Rochester (2-1) deficit to one run. With the tying run on base, Kempner struck out Christian Franklin and Robert Hassell III looking to lock it down. Jumbo Shrimp starting pitcher Braxton Garrett made his first regular season outing since June 2024 and tossed 4.2 innings of one-run ball while allowing two hits and two walks and striking out three.  Rochester starter Luis Perales (L, 0-1) surrendered his only run in the second inning. Ethan O’Donnell walked and advanced to third after singles from Johnny Olmstead and Jared Serna. Andrew Pintar drew a walk to bring in ...

TAMPA – University of South Florida CEO of Athletics Rob Higgins has named 2016 national coach of the year Chris Mack as the 13th head coach of the Bulls men’s basketball program. Mack, who led Xavier and Louisville to the NCAA Tournament, comes to South Florida after posting a pair of 20-win seasons at the College of Charleston. He brings a 323-153 (.679) career record to Tampa across 15 seasons as a head coach with stops at Xavier (2009-18), Louisville (2018-22), and College of Charleston (2024-26).  Mack has posted 12 20-win seasons and led teams to nine NCAA Tournament appearances (posting an 11-9 record), including four Sweet 16 and one Elite Eight appearance with Xavier. He posted 259 victories in his first 11 seasons as a head coach, marking the 12th most amassed by a coach in that time frame. As a player, assistant coach, and head coach, Mack has been a part of 19 NCAA Tournament appearances. Teams Mack has led have achieved both a No. 1 Associated Press Poll ranking (Loui...

  TAMPA – University of South Florida CEO of Athletics Rob Higgins has named veteran SEC head coach Kristy Curry as the sixth head coach of the Bulls women’s basketball program. Curry, who led Purdue to the 2001 NCAA championship game, takes over a South Florida program that has made eight NCAA Tournament appearances and won four conference titles since 2015. She comes to Tampa after leading the women’s basketball program at Alabama for the last 13 seasons, guiding the Crimson Tide to the NCAA Tournament in five of the last six seasons and posting 20-win seasons in each of the last five years. Her 2025-26 team went 24-11 and, as a No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament, fell by a point (69-68) to No. 3 seed Louisville in the second round.  “I’m thrilled to welcome Kristy Curry to our Bulls family as the leader of our outstanding women’s basketball program,” Higgins said. “Kristy is a proven winner at the highest levels, with head coaching success across the Big Ten, Big 12, and SE...

JACKSONVILLE – Sporting Club Jacksonville (Sporting JAX) announced the promotion of Mark Warburton to President of Soccer, reinforcing the club’s commitment to sustained growth, competitive excellence and global connectivity as it builds toward a landmark year for professional soccer on the First Coast. Warburton, who has played a key role in shaping Sporting JAX’s soccer operations, will now lead all sporting initiatives, including player development, recruitment and international partnerships, as the club continues to expand its presence both domestically and abroad. “Mark has been an integral part of building our soccer identity and vision from the ground up,” said Ricky Caplin, Majority Owner and Chairman, Sporting JAX. “His global experience, leadership and relationships across the game will be instrumental as we continue to establish Sporting JAX as a destination club and deepen our connections with international and strategic partners.” Under Warburton’s leadership, Sporting JA...

NEW YORK AND TORONTO – The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) is on the verge of another major attendance milestone this week, poised to surpass 2 million fans less than 27 months since the first-ever puck drop on Jan. 1, 2024. By week’s end, the league will also exceed 90 regular-season games for the first time in its three-year history as the race for the PWHL Walter Cup Playoffs heats up. 2 MILLION FANS IN SIGHT The PWHL’s record-setting 2025-26 season has seen attendance climb to 760,003 through 85 games for an average of 8,941 fans per game. Total attendance in 85 games during the inaugural season, including playoffs, peaked at 483,530, followed by 737,455 fans in 102 total games played in 2024-25. This brings all-time PWHL attendance to 1,980,988 — 19,012 shy of 2 million, a milestone that will be reached in the coming days. Last week’s attendance highlights included two sold-out games at both of Boston’s primary home venues, including regular-season records set at Agganis...

Photo by Nancy DeLander Beecher/Florida Sports Wire By Mike Bonts JACKSONVILLE (Florida Sports Wire) -- The Jacksonville Icemen (25-29-7-1) continued their ECHL playoff push Sunday afternoon with a much needed 2-1 win over the Greenville Swamp Rabbits (24-28-7-1) at Veterans Memorial Arena. The victory has the the Icemen just four points behind Savannah and the fourth playoff spot in the South Division. Topias Leinonen started in goal for the Icemen. He stopped 19 shots in picking up his second win since joining Jacksonville after seven starts with Rochester of the AHL.  Will Hillman, put the Icemen on the board in the first period. Tyler Kopff and Taos Jordan pick up the assists on Hillman's 14th goal of the season. Jacksonville added to their lead in the second on a shorthanded goal by Craig Martin, his 15th of the seaason. David Jankowski got the helper. Denis Smirnov spoiled the shutout on his 16th tally of the seaaon with 5:50 to play in the game. Patrick Polino and Wade Murp...

Photo Courtesy IMSA/Florida Sports Wire Photo by Henry Massey/Florida Sports Wire Photo by Henry Massey/Florida Sports Wire Photo by Henry Massey/Florida Sports Wire Photo by Henry Massey/Florida Sports Wire By Holly Cain SEBRING – Porsche Penske Motorsport wins again. It’s certainly become an enduring refrain at IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup races for IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship fans in recent seasons with the legendary make and famous Penske Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) team claiming its second consecutive Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring race victory Saturday – its third overall at the historic track (2008, 2025). The only real question on this warm, sunny, Florida spring day was which of the Penske team’s two Porsche 963s would take the checkered flag first at the venerable Sebring International Raceway. And that wasn’t fully settled until the dramatic final hour of the day-long race. Together the two Penske team cars combined to lead for all but 60 of the 343 total laps....