Florida Sports Wire

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....

  ST. LOUIS – The University of Miami men’s basketball team had its season come to an end Sunday as it fell to No. 2 seed Purdue, 79-69, in the NCAA Tournament Second Round inside the Enterprise Center.  The Hurricanes finished its historic season under first-year head coach Jai Lucas with a 26-9 ledger.  Miami jumped out to a 10-6 lead three and half minutes into the game following a Shelton Henderson layup before Purdue (29-8) went on a 13-2 run as Fletcher Loyer scored 10 of the Boilermakers’ 13 points.  The Hurricanes cut the lead to two before going on a 9-0 run to take a seven-point advantage, 36-29, with just over two minutes remaining. Purdue’s C.J. Cox then hit three 3-pointers on Purdue’s final three possessions to tie the game as Tre Donaldson hit a runner just outside the lane to end the half, giving Miami a 40-38 advantage at the break. After a Malik Reneau layup to start the second half, the Boilermakers went on a 9-0 to take a 47-42 advantage. Purdue ...

TAMPA – The University of South Florida men's basketball team announced today that head coach Bryan Hodgson has accepted the head men's basketball coaching position at Providence. In his lone season in Tampa, Hodgson delivered the most successful campaign in program history. South Florida tied the program record for wins, posting a 25-8 record, captured the American Conference regular season and tournament championships — earning two new banners for the Yuengling Center rafters — and returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2012. "Coach said he would come and win championships, and he delivered on that promise by leading the most successful season in the history of our program," said CEO of Athletics Rob Higgins. "This year's team earned not one, but two championship banners for the Yuengling Center rafters, and we're forever grateful to our student-athletes, Coach Hodgson, his family, and his staff. We did everything within reason to try...

  By Jeff Moeller, Florida Sports Wire As most of us know, the Jaguars had a modest free-agency signing period. They did ink cornerback Montaric Brown, linebacker Dennis Gardek, former Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez - who could turn out to be a steal - and tight end Quintin Morris. The Jags also quietly signed Seattle wide receiver Jake Bobo to an offer sheet. Bobo made $3.51 million last season. But are the Jags the favorite in the AFC West? The Colts brought back quarterback Daniel Jones and Alec Pierce, and there’s talk that Russell Wilson will be Jones’ backup. Jones went down with a torn Achilles last year against Jacksonville in a game the Jags were apparently set to lose. Houston has picked up some pieces, and they have strengthened the pocket around controversial quarterback C.J. Stroud. On paper, the early look has the division looming as a tussle among all four teams The team to watch, though, is the Titans. They could be a true spoiler to the Jags’ upcoming seas...

  Photo by Jim Brady/Florida Sports Wire Third-Round Leaderboard Pos. Player R1 R2 R3 Total 1 Ludvig Åberg 69 63 71 203 (-13) 2 Michael Thorbjornsen 74 65 67 206 (-10) 3 Cameron Young 68 67 72 207 (-9) T4 Six players tied       208 (-8)               Ludvig Åberg (1 st /-13) 26-year-old seeks his third career PGA TOUR victory in his 62 nd  start (2023 RSM Classic, 2025 Genesis Invitational) Third 54-hole lead/co-lead on TOUR (1-for-2); won the 2023 RSM Classic, finished T4 at the 2024 Genesis Scottish Open His three-stroke lead is the largest 54-hole lead at THE PLAYERS Championship since 2018 (Webb Simpson/7 strokes) Matched the most eagles by a player in a single PLAYERS Championship (3), the 18th instance all-time at THE PLAYERS; his second time making three eagles in a PGA TOUR event (previous instance: 2024 PLAYERS Championship) Would become the youngest winner of THE PLAYERS since 2017 at 26 years, 4 months, 15 days (Si W...