Florida Sports Wire

  North Division Semifinals (Best of Seven) #1 Wheeling Nailers (46-20-6) vs. #4 Reading Royals (36-26-10) Series Matchup Sheet Wheeling enters the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the third consecutive season off of its first division title since 2003-04 while Reading is in the postseason for the fourth time in five years. The two teams are meeting in the playoffs for the fourth time, with the Nailers coming out on top in two of the three previous series, including the last meeting in 2016. The Nailers went 46-20-6 in the regular season, and were one of three teams to win at least 22 games both at home and on the road. Connor Lockhart (21g-34a) and Brent Johnson (12g-43a) shared the team lead with 55 points. Johnson, who was named to the ECHL All-Rookie Team, led all ECHL defensemen in scoring this season. Taylor Gauthier was tied for the ECHL lead with a .929 save percentage and ranked third with a 2.09 goals-against average while going 21-9-5 in 36 appearances. The Royals posted a 36-26-1...

 LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – Brian Navarreto lashed three hits and drove in two but the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp surrendered a pair of five-run leads in an 11-9 defeat to the Gwinnett Stripers from Gwinnett Field. The Jumbo Shrimp (11-12) led 9-4 when Aaron Schunk singled with one out in the sixth. Brett Wisely followed with a double before José Azocar’s RBI ground out pulled the Stripers (15-8) within 9-5. An inning later, Brewer Hicklen was hit by a pitch and Jim Jarvis walked with one out. After a foul out, Chadwick Tromp singled to load the bases. Schunk drove in two with a base hit and Wiseley doubled home another run to cut the Jacksonville lead to 9-8. In the eighth, Jumbo Shrimp reliever William Kempner (0-2) walked Luke Williams with one out. Hicklen then put Gwinnett in front for the first time all day with a two-run home run. Jarvis walked and Nacho Alvarez Jr. singled before the runners advanced on a wild pitch. After a pop out, Schunk lined an RBI single to make it 11-9. Sc...

TALLAHASSEE – Florida State University Athletics announced the 2026 FSU Athletics Hall of Fame inductees and the date of the induction banquet on Monday. The ceremony will take place on campus Friday, September 25, in the University Center Club. Florida State’s 2026 class features football stars Nick O’Leary and Bjoern Werner, baseball All-American Sean Gilmartin, former Director of Athletics Dave Hart, soccer ACC Defensive Player of the Year Kassey Kallman, three-time NCAA track national champion Maurice Mitchell, FSU’s first-ever beach volleyball hall of fame selection Jace Pardon and two-time Olympian and two-time All-American diver Katrina Young. In addition to the formal induction ceremony Friday night, the inductees will be recognized at the football game against Central Arkansas on Saturday. A limited number of tickets for the induction ceremony will be available for purchase at a later date through Seminole Boosters, Inc. Sean Gilmartin, Baseball (2009-11) One of the finest pi...

JACKSONVILLE – A pair of wild pitches allowed two runs to score which gave Edward Waters University the lead for good in a 7-4 win over Flagler College in a non-conference baseball game Tuesday evening at Henry L. Aaron Field at James P. Small Memorial Ballpark. Edward Waters won its fourth game in a row to improve to 26-19. Flagler dropped to 30-15. The Saints wrap up conference play this weekend with a three-game series at Augusta University. The first game of the series is on Friday at 6 p.m. A sacrifice fly and a squeeze bunt by Flagler in the fourth inning knotted the game at 3-all. Edward Waters loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the fourth. After a pitching change and a strikeout, the Tigers took advantage of some wild pitches and scored two runs to take the lead for good. They added two more runs in the sixth for insurance. Cason Shurling (4-1), the third pitcher used by the Tigers, allowed two runs on three hits in four innings to get the win. Ty Mitzel set down al...

  JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville Icemen, ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres and the AHL’s Rochester Americans announced today that forward Adam McMaster has been named the Inglasco ECHL Player of the Week for April 13-19. McMaster scored two goals and added four assists for six points in three games last week. The 25-year-old had a goal and an assist in a 5-4 shootout loss at Greenville on Friday, dished out a pair of assists in a 4-3 win over the Swamp Rabbits on Saturday and had a goal and an assist in a 7-5 victory against Orlando on Sunday. A native of Beamsville, Ontario, McMaster totaled 43 points (21g-22a) in 70 games with Jacksonville and Tulsa this season. He made his pro debut with the Oilers last season, recording three points (1g-2a) in eight games. Prior to turning pro, McMaster tallied 61 points (26g-35a) in 103 career games at Acadia University and 145 points (50g-105a) in 254 career games in the Ontario Hockey League with North Bay and Owen Sound. On behal...

By JEFF MOELLER, Jacksonville Sports News For Matt Fitzpatrick, it was another successful trip to his home away from home. Over the years, the 31-year-old Sheffield, England native and his family vacationed on Hilton Head Island, and they also attended the annual PGA event there that has dated back to 1966.  When he won the RBC Heritage in 2023 , Fitzpatrick became an instant fan favorite, as he defeated Jordan Spieth in a playoff. Fitzpatrick won on the third playoff hole after hitting his approach shot to within one foot to set up the winning birdie. Late Sunday afternoon, the Hilton Head Island magic was back again. As Yogi Berra once aptly put it, “It was deja vu all over again.”  It was another vintage day on Hilton Head, where residents there and from nearby communities are totally enraptured with the annual tournament. It arguably is the social event of the year with another batch of overflow crowds. Fitzpatrick beat Scottie Scheffler - another Island favorite - in a pl...

  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...