Connect with us

College Sports

2025 National championship game predictions, odds

Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports One of the biggest factors of the expanded College Football Playoff are injuries. As teams are asked to play more games than ever before, injuries are a likely outcome. It’s a collision sport, after all, and the more physical contact any player suffers, the more likely an injury is to occur. […]

Published

on

2025 National championship game predictions, odds

fornelibestbets-editorial-v2.jpg
Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports

One of the biggest factors of the expanded College Football Playoff are injuries. As teams are asked to play more games than ever before, injuries are a likely outcome. It’s a collision sport, after all, and the more physical contact any player suffers, the more likely an injury is to occur. Notre Dame has had far worse injury luck than the Buckeyes in the playoffs. Both teams suffered injuries during the regular season, with Ohio State’s offensive line hit particularly hard and Notre Dame suffering losses all over the roster. The Irish aren’t all that dissimilar to the Texas defense, and we saw the Longhorns have plenty of success. Let’s not forget that they essentially removed Jeremiah Smith from the picture, and one of Ohio State’s touchdowns came on defense. If you’re hoping for a high-scoring shootout to finish the year, you’re probably going to be disappointed. Pick: Under 46.5Either way, these injuries are just the latest in a long list for the Irish, which makes this matchup extremely difficult for them. Ohio State might be the most talented team in the country, and outside of the loss to Michigan, the Buckeyes have been outstanding all season long. They’ve also taken their game up a notch in the playoffs. Their defensive line overwhelmed Tennessee, Oregon and Texas in consecutive weeks. While Tennessee’s OL is questionable, both Oregon and Texas have been two of the strongest in the country. As has Notre Dame’s.Furthermore, while the Irish defense has been one of the best in the country all year, and the secondary has barely lost a step since losing stud Benjamin Morrison in mid-October, you can argue they haven’t faced an offense that compares to the Ohio State unit they’ll see in Atlanta.

National Championship: (7) Notre Dame vs. (8) Ohio State

Spread

Who wins Ohio State vs. Notre Dame, and which side of the spread hits over 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out, all from the model that has simulated this game 10,000 timesThere’s only one game remaining in what has been the longest college football season in history, which started way back on Aug. 24, 2024, when Georgia Tech upset then-No. 10 Florida State 24-21 in Ireland. That Week 0 game set the tone for what would be a season full of surprises.But if Notre Dame’s offensive line is patchwork right now, how confident can we be in it to hold up against an Ohio State front that’s been crushing teams?

Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard (37.5 yards rushing): Leonard’s legs are a huge part of what Notre Dame does offensively, and they’ll continue to be in this final game. After all, there’s no reason to leave anything in the tank. There is no tomorrow. The problem is, as we’ve gone over, the Notre Dame offensive line is banged up, and this Ohio State defensive front has been going off lately. While the Buckeyes have given up some yards to rushing QBs this season, it’s important to remember in college that sacks are taken out of a QB’s rushing yardage. In their three playoff games, the Ohio State defense has 16 sacks for a loss of 118 yards. Leonard took only 11 sacks in the regular season, but he’s taken 6 in three playoff games. That’s helped keep him under this 37.5 yards total in two of the three games (Indiana and Penn State). Pick: UnderNow, nearly five months later, (7) Notre Dame and (8) Ohio State face off in the College Football Playoff National Championship in Atlanta. It’s hard to argue both teams don’t deserve to be in this game. Notre Dame had to take out Indiana, Georgia and Penn State to reach this point; Ohio State’s taken down Tennessee, Oregon and Texas.The losses have not ceased for the Irish in the playoffs. Stud defensive tackle Rylie Mills was lost early, and two more offensive linemen went down in the win over Penn State, including left tackle Anthonie Knapp, who took over the starting gig before the season began when projected starter Charles Jagusah went down. Knapp has already been declared out for the title game, but in the irony of ironies, Jagusah may start in his place!

Total

They’ve proven to be two of the best teams in the country all year, despite each having a “huh!?” loss on their résumé. But only one can take home the national title. A quick look at the spread suggests Ohio State is the heavy favorite to do so, but are the Buckeyes the best bet? Let’s break down the spread, total and a couple of props for Monday night’s clash between two of the biggest programs in college football history.We know my pick on the spread, but the truth is I’m far more confident in this play on the total. And it’s almost entirely for all the same reasons I like Ohio State to cover! I just don’t know how many points we can realistically expect the Notre Dame offense to score. You get the sense the Irish will have to find points on defense or special teams (something they’ve been outstanding at doing this season) to give themselves a chance.Ohio State TE Gee Scott (17.5 yards receiving): There’s not much science to this one, it’s pretty simple. In the regular season, Gee Scott caught 16 passes for 150 yards. In three playoff games he’s caught 10 passes for 99 yards, and has had at least 30 yards in all three games. He’s being untilized far more in the gameplan now than he was before, and there’s no reason to think it won’t be the case again in this game. Notre Dame’s secondary will be focusing its energy on Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka and Carnell Tate. That should leave some opportunities for Scott, and he probably won’t need more than two receptions to this this. Pick: Over

Props

Still, I don’t know that Ohio State’s offense will automatically be able to light up the Notre Dame defense. Yes, it’s banged up, and this could be the game in which Notre Dame’s defensive injuries finally have a significant negative impact on it. But they’ve been so good and opportunistic all season long that it seems foolish to think they can’t slow down this Ohio State unit.Finally, the Ohio State defense has faced Tennessee (37.3 ppg in the regular season), Oregon (35.9 ppg) and Texas (33.6) in the first three rounds and held those teams to 52 points total (17.3 ppg). The Irish offense was more prolific than all three (39.8 ppg), but it’s also been a heavily run-oriented unit, and I’m not overly optimistic about how that run game matches up with the Ohio State defense (possibly the best in the country) with a banged up offensive line. Notre Dame has overcome injuries all season long, but if you’re making a bet, it’s hard to put your money on the Irish here based on the info at hand. Pick: Ohio State -8

College Sports

Coffey Qualifies for Finals at NCAA Track and Field Championships

Story Links COLLEGE STATION, Texas – University of Missouri track and field’s Skylar Coffey advanced to the finals of the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in men’s discus with a throw of 58.93m (193-4) on day three of the opening round of the NCAA Championships at E.B. Cushing Stadium on Friday. Coffey, […]

Published

on


COLLEGE STATION, Texas – University of Missouri track and field’s Skylar Coffey advanced to the finals of the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in men’s discus with a throw of 58.93m (193-4) on day three of the opening round of the NCAA Championships at E.B. Cushing Stadium on Friday.

Coffey, a senior, recorded a personal-best mark in the event to punch his ticket to Eugene, Oregon, the final site of the NCAA Championships on June 11-14. With a ninth-place result, he will join Callan Saldutto and Valentina Barrios at the national championship meet.

Tarique George also posted a new top distance in the event, throwing 57.97m (190-2), taking 13th. Both Coffey and George’s results are the fifth- and eighth-best in the event in school history, respectively. 

Missouri’s day concluded in men’s triple jump, where Sterling Scott concluded his season with a 14th-place finish after a 15.84m (51-11.75) mark. 







FRIDAY, MAY 30 – NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS, ROUND ONE – DAY THRE

Field Events

Place-Athlete-Mark | Notes (PR = personal record)

Discus (M)

9th – Skylar Coffey: 58.93m (193-4), PR

13th – Tarique George: 57.97m (190-2), PR

Triple Jump (M) 

14th – Sterling Scott: 15.84m (51-11.75)

UP NEXT

The Tigers conclude action at round one of the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Saturday, May 31, beginning with the women’s discus at 1 p.m., where Ames Burton will represent Mizzou.

FOLLOW THE TIGERS

For all the latest on Mizzou Cross Country and Track & Field, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the teams on Facebook, Instagram and X (MizzouTFXC).



Link

Continue Reading

College Sports

NCAA Hockey Recruiting: North Dakota Lands Cole Reschny, Keaton Verhoeff

In one of the biggest recruiting swings in college hockey in recent memory, the University of North Dakota received verbal commitments from bluechip prospects and future first-round NHL Draft picks Cole Reschny and Keaton Verhoeff, according to multiple reports including from Grand Forks Herald reporter Brad Schlossman, who was first with the Reschny news. The […]

Published

on


In one of the biggest recruiting swings in college hockey in recent memory, the University of North Dakota received verbal commitments from bluechip prospects and future first-round NHL Draft picks Cole Reschny and Keaton Verhoeff, according to multiple reports including from Grand Forks Herald reporter Brad Schlossman, who was first with the Reschny news.

The duo played for the Victoria Royals in the WHL last season with Reschny growing into a likely top-20 pick for the 2025 NHL Draft and Verhoeff putting together a season that has him trending towards top-three selection in the 2026 NHL Draft.

Verhoeff is still just 16 years old, but it is believed he will have completed the necessary requirements to be eligible to play for UND in the fall. He turns 17 in June.

Reschny, meanwhile, turned 18 in April and is expected to be eligible to start in the fall as well.

These are two of the biggest commitments to come to the public eye out of one of the Canadian Hockey League’s three member leagues since the NCAA announced that players from the CHL would no longer be ineligible for competition.

Several high-profile CHL players have made verbal commitments, including a number of already-drafted and soon-to-be drafted players, but Reschny and Verhoeff represent two of the highest-ranked players to make the commitment to an NCAA program.

The fact that they’re both coming from the same WHL team and committing to the same school at the same time is also notable.

For the University of North Dakota, they’re gaining two elite-level players that should be able to impact their lineup immediately next season.

Who Is North Dakota Commit Cole Reschny?

Reschny shined on the international and junior stages this year with tremendous numbers. The 5-foot-10 playmaking winger had 92 points in 62 games during the WHL regular season and another 25 in just 11 games during the playoffs. He represented Canada at the preseason Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, putting up seven points in five games, and joined Canada at the IIHF World Men’s Under-18 Championship this spring, posting eight points in five games. Canada won both of those tournaments.

The Macklin, Saskatchewan native has been projected to be selected in the 15 to 25 range of the first round of this year’s NHL Draft.

Reschny has tremendous hand skills, which made him an effective producer. Despite not being especially big, he thinks the game at a high pace and is able to move pucks effectively with or without pressure. His one-on-one skills helps him beat defenders and keep goalies guessing, while he always seems to be in control. If he were bigger, we’d be talking about a player that is more in the top-10 discussion than top-20 for this year’s draft.

Who Is North Dakota Commit Keaton Verhoeff?

Verhoeff, meanwhile, has been viewed as a prodigious talent who already has the frame of a NHL defenseman at just 16 years old. The 6-foot-4, 212-pound teenager is a right-shot defenseman with a nose for the net. 

He scored 21 goals for Victoria this season, third-most by a defenseman 16 or younger in WHL history. He was the first U17 blueliner in 40 years to eclipse 20 goals in a season in the league.

Verhoeff also won gold with Reschny at the U18 Worlds in the spring and was a standout performer at last fall’s World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

He is a quality defender with good mobility for his size and has shown signs he is growing into his physical game. He projects as a two-way defenseman who should be equally capable on both ends of the ice.

He will be North Dakota’s bet defense prospect since Jake Sanderson entered the school five years ago after being selected fifth overall by the Ottawa Senators.

Verhoeff is viewed by some at this very early stage as a likely No. 2 prospect behind projected No. 1 Gavin McKenna for 2026.

What This Means For North Dakota Hockey

The University of North Dakota made some big changes to their program this season, replacing longtime head coach Brad Berry with longtime assistant Dane Jackson. The school also hired a general manager for their program, bringing in alumnus Bryn Chyzyk who served in that same role for the USHL’s Waterloo Black Hawks. UND also brought back alum Matt Smaby, a former NHL defenseman, to be an associate head coach after a successful four-year run as Waterloo’s head coach.

Chyzyk has become known in the UND fanbase for his cryptic GIF posting on X when the team has landed a new big recruit. Most, however, probably didn’t realize how big today’s recruiting news would be.

One of the blue blood programs of college hockey, North Dakota is coming off a season in which it missed the NCAA tournament and saw a number of key players including Chicago Blackhawks first-round pick Sacha Boisvert transfer out of the program.

Adding a pair of blue-chippers like Reschny and Verhoeff puts them right back on track in rebuilding its reputation as one of the top outlets for future NHL players.

Oddly enough, these commitments come at the expense of one of North Dakota’s all-time greats, James Patrick, who is the head coach of the Victoria Royals.

While Victoria is losing two of its best players, the team recently signed one of its own top prospects, Eli McKamey, who received exceptional status to play in the BCHL at 15 last season. Now 16, McKamey is also verbally committed to play college hockey in a few years — at North Dakota.

NHL Prospect Coverage On FloHockey

The best, and most complete, coverage of the NHL minor league hockey and NHL Draft is found on FloHockey. Don’t miss the latest new prospect guides, rankings and more from Chris Peters and the FloHockey staff.

Watch the AHL, ECHL, USHL, And More On FloHockey

FloHockey is the streaming home to some of the best hockey leagues in North America, including the ECHL and more. Check out the broadcast schedule to watch more hockey.

Join The Hockey Conversation On FloHockey Social





Link

Continue Reading

College Sports

Matt Davis Made His Mark in Net and in the DU Record Book

Story Links If Matt Davis could describe his collegiate career in three words, it would be “successful, relentless and fun.”   The University of Denver hockey senior—a two-time NCAA National Champion, the 2024 NCAA Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player and NCAA Frozen Four All-Tournament Team member—wrapped up his career with the Pioneers […]

Published

on


If Matt Davis could describe his collegiate career in three words, it would be “successful, relentless and fun.”
 
The University of Denver hockey senior—a two-time NCAA National Champion, the 2024 NCAA Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player and NCAA Frozen Four All-Tournament Team member—wrapped up his career with the Pioneers this past season.
 
He helped lead DU back to the NCAA Frozen Four after a historic 2023-24 season when he got his second national championship ring—but this time as the starting goaltender for Denver.
 
Across the four games in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, he recorded a 0.63 goals-against average, a .979 save percentage and one shutout in 283:32 of playing time. He posted a 35-save shutout to secure the big win in the national title game on April 13, 2024 versus Boston College, becoming the eighth goalie in NCAA history to mark a clean sheet in the title game and the third Pioneer to do it. 
 
His first ring was acquired as the backup goaltender behind Magnus Chrona as a freshman in 2022. When asked about his favorite memory at DU, he said, “Just pick and choose from which national championship. I’m not too picky.”
 
To get the team to the final in 2024, Davis recorded a 23-5-3 overall record, 2.34 goals-against average, .917 save percentage and two shutouts in 31 games. His 23 wins as a junior were the 14th-most in a season in school history and his .790 winning percentage was the best mark by a Pioneer keeper since Mike Richter Award-winner Tanner Jaillet in 2016-17 (.811). 
 
Even with Davis’ postseason accomplishments in 2024, there were still defining moments that made him develop as a player that didn’t get the spotlight.
 
“I mean it was no secret with the biggest question mark (that season) was probably in goal for us as a team, and there’s a couple games there toward the end of the year where I felt I learned a lot through the losses too,” he recalled.  “One (moment) would be when we won, but I played terribly. It was probably [Minnesota] Duluth last year. I think I let them get back into the game, and I learned a lot from that. After that I feel like we grew a lot in the goalie room and that was a pretty, pretty big defining moment for us—just learning through that adversity.”  
 
Academically, the Calgary, Alberta, native has been chosen as an ACHA National All-American Scholar three times and to the NCHC Academic All-Conference Team and as an NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete all four years. He was also recognized with the 2024-25 NCHC Senior Scholar-Athlete Award.
 
In his sophomore campaign, he posted an 8-1-0 record and one shutout while making eight starts and appearing in 13 games while leading the team with a 1.77 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage. On Dec. 16-17, 2022, he made his first consecutive start for the Pioneers, recording his second career shutout on the Friday with a 5-0 win and then stopped 17 shots for the weekend sweep against Lindenwood. In his first career postseason contest, the Canadian saved 30-of-32 shotes versus Miami in Game 1 of the NCHC Quarterfinals on March 10, 2023.
 
To begin his career with Denver, Davis saw action in six games and made four starts as a freshman while backing up Chrona. He accomplished a 3-1-0 record and one shutout while leading the team with a 1.96 goals-against average and .923 save percentage. He recorded a shutout with a 25-save effort in his first NCAA start on Oct. 16, 2021 versus Air Force. 
 
Even as a first-year player, he was making his mark in Pioneer history. He made 24 saves on 26 shots in the regular-season finale versus Colorado College on March 5, 2022 to help Denver capture its second-ever Penrose Cup as NCHC regular-season champions.
 
Among the goaltending legends of Denver, he finished his career with a .921 save percentage, a 63-17-4 record, a 2.13 goals-against average and more than 5,000 minutes in the crease for the team that bleeds crimson and gold. He’s tied for fifth in both career wins and goals-against average in the DU record book and is ninth in career save percentage and 13th in shutouts (5).
 
He didn’t leave DU quietly, as he was named a Mike Richter Award Semifinalist and posted career bests in games played and wins as a senior last year. He started in 40 games, tying for the most in a single season in program history (fourth goalie) and his 29 victories led the NCAA and marked the second-most all-time at the school; only George Kirkwood has had more with 30 wins in 1960-61. He won a career-best 20 straight games across two seasons from March 9, 2024 versus Colorado College to Nov. 14, 2024 at North Dakota, registering three career-best shutout streaks during that time.  
 
For his last run with the Pioneers, he posted a 29-10-1 record, .924 save percentage, 2.07 goals-against average and one shutout in 2024-25 as they reached the national semifinals for the 20th time in the program annals. He also made 997 saves during the year while minding 2,374 minutes in the Pioneers’ net—the ninth-most stops in DU history.
 
Throughout his four years at the University of Denver, he didn’t only grow as a goaltender, but also as a person. 
 
“I learned a lot. I mean I learned how to take care of myself outside of the rink. That’s been a big one,” says Davis. “Just kind of how to navigate playing games and all that. It’s been a pretty special experience. I’ve felt like I’ve really matured as a person. I think that’s probably the most important thing that I’ve taken from my experience here and, of course, a lot of on-ice lessons and off-ice lessons.”   

 



Link

Continue Reading

College Sports

D2 Soccer Camp set for June 16

D2 Soccer Camp set for June 16-20 at Thompson High School Published 5:01 pm Friday, May 30, 2025 The Dynamic Development Soccer Camp is set to return to Thompson High School from June 16-20 as Dan DeMasters and his team of high-level coaches prepare to train the next generation of D2 campers. (File) By ANDREW […]

Published

on

D2 Soccer Camp set for June 16

D2 Soccer Camp set for June 16-20 at Thompson High School

Published 5:01 pm Friday, May 30, 2025

By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

ALABASTER – One of the most popular soccer camps in the Birmingham area is back and bigger than ever as Dan DeMasters prepares to host the Dynamic Development (D2) Soccer Camp once again.

The 12th edition of the camp will run from June 16-20 at Thompson High School. It is open to kids from ages 5-12 and will go from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to noon on Friday. Half-day options are available for younger campers.

In addition, the ever-popular parents’ night will return on Thursday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. where kids play against their parents.

DeMasters will bring his experience as a former college soccer player as well as a successful high school coach to the camp. Most recently, he helped Thompson win its first girls soccer playoff game since 2013. He also won three-straight state championships as the Oak Mountain boys soccer coach from 2015-2017.

Last year’s edition brought out 188 kids to learn from a wide variety of coaches, from DeMasters’ staff with Thompson girls soccer to former college and current high school coaches like Oak Mountain’s David DiPiazza and Homewood’s Shaun McBride to current college soccer players who came to D2 Camp as kids.

“You get people like that (former college coaches), you get younger adolescents from like 18 to 22-year-olds that play in college and they’re the ones that the kids kind of look up to and they’re their heroes and then you mix in some of the camp alumni that have grown up that are coming to work at camp and mixed in with some of the Thompson crew that kind of understands the culture that we’re creating here in our program, all of that just encompasses together ,and we just try to create the best experience and we try to do the best we can,” DeMasters said.

Campers can expect to play games like World Cup, Baby World Cup, 3-on-3 and other competitions for awards. They will also learn essential soccer skills that they can put to use in their personal game.

Over the past decade-plus that the camp has run, it has become a beloved and important part of soccer development in Birmingham. Some of the most successful soccer players from Birmingham over the last few years cut their teeth at D2 Camp growing up and now play in college and even coach at the camp.

For DeMasters, seeing their growth as players and people is the most rewarding thing about running the camp year after year.

“A lot of those Oak Mountain boys that had such a successful season, they came through camp, and though it was a very small sliver, it was cool to see them have success and they grow up and now they’re men going off to college,” DeMasters said. “Some of my girls that were seniors this year, like one of my captains was like the bubble blowing champion, and she’s become such a fantastic soccer player, but you remember those things and you see pictures of them, and now my daughter is coming to camp and I think one of the girls that was at the very first camp ever at Oak Mountain, she was five years old, now she’s graduating from Oak Mountain and she’s working the camp this year, so it’s cool. It’s a really fulfilling thing. That’s sort of why you do it.”

The camp has evolved over the years to grow in size and scale, and while some faces that DeMasters is grateful for like Oak Mountain assistant coach Keegan McQueen are no longer part of the camp, he is excited to see the kids continue to develop and use the week to improve as players.

“As I’m getting older and you’re seeing the kids getting better and developing, it’s only a week of the year so you don’t think that you have an impact because one week out of 52 weeks of the year, you’re just thinking it’s a week of fun and gets the kids to kind of be in a different atmosphere, but I think when you see the kids developing each and every year, they’re getting taller and stronger and like just striking the ball better, that’s a very satisfying thing and rewarding thing I think as a coach,” DeMasters said.

Registration is open online at Dynamicdevelopmentcamps.com, and the cost to attend the regular camp is $230. A special Elite Group for 10-to-12-year-olds who want to receive high level training is available for $250.

Continue Reading

College Sports

Fischler, Holmgren, McNab elected to U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame

Paul HolmgrenHolmgren played 10 NHL seasons as a forward with the Philadelphia Flyers and Minnesota North Stars. He scored 323 points (144 goals, 179 assists) in 527 regular-season games and 51 points (19 goals, 32 assists) in 82 Stanley Cup Playoff games.The Flyers selected Holmgren in the sixth round (No. 108) of the 1975 NHL […]

Published

on


Paul Holmgren
Holmgren played 10 NHL seasons as a forward with the Philadelphia Flyers and Minnesota North Stars. He scored 323 points (144 goals, 179 assists) in 527 regular-season games and 51 points (19 goals, 32 assists) in 82 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
The Flyers selected Holmgren in the sixth round (No. 108) of the 1975 NHL Draft.
Over five decades, mostly with the Flyers, Holmgren is the only person in their history to be a player (1975-84), assistant coach (1985-88), coach (1988-92), general manager (2006-14) and president (2014-19). He was also director of pro scouting (1995-97), director of player personnel (1997-99), assistant general manager (1999-06) and team president (2014-19).
Holmgren made his NHL debut March 25, 1976, against the Rangers at the Spectrum in Philadelphia, the first of 500 games with the Flyers. He scored an NHL career-high 65 points (30 goals, 35 assists) in 74 games in 1979-80 to help the Flyers to a 35-game undefeated streak (25 wins, 10 ties) and the Stanley Cup Final, where they lost the best-of-7 series to the Islanders in six games. In Game 2, an 8-3 Flyers win, Holmgren became the first United States-born player to score a hat trick in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Holmgren was traded to Minnesota on Feb. 23, 1984. He retired after the 1984-85 season and returned to Philadelphia to coach under Mike Keenan. He became the first former Flyers player to become their coach on June 1, 1988 and was 107-126-31 over four seasons.
“To be able to play in the NHL, I consider a high honor,” Holmgren said. “I was able to coach in the NHL, be a GM in the NHL. All those are honors for me … I realize, I know I’ve been blessed to get to know the people I’ve got to know along the way. I got to work for (Flyers owner) Ed Snider, I worked with Bob Clarke, he was my roommate for many years. I got to know (NHL Commissioner) Gary Bettman, I got to know Brian Burke, legends in the game … I worked with Mike Keenan. I coached Mark Howe, I coached Chris Pronger. So many great things have happened because I was fortunate enough, blessed enough to be able to be part of this game, this great game of hockey.”
Holmgren worked four seasons for the Hartford Whalers. He was named coach June 15, 1992 and added general manager duties before the 1993-94 season. He stepped down as coach 17 games into that season to focus on the GM job but was reappointed coach on June 28, 1994 after Jim Rutherford was named GM. Holmgren was 54-93-14 in 161 games in four seasons coaching the Whalers.
Holmgren’s relationship with USA Hockey mirrors his time with the Flyers. He represented the United States internationally as a player, coach and in the front office. He played for the United States in the IIHF Under-20 World Junior Championship in 1974, was an assistant general manager for Team USA at the World Cup of Hockey 2016; assistant GM of the 2006 U.S. Men’s National Team; and an assistant for the United States at the 1998 Nagano Olympics and the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.
Holmgren played one season (1974-75) at the University of Minnesota and scored 31 points (10 goals, 21 assists) in 37 games.
“I look back and I hear people talk about work and this and that and I had a bad day at work,” Holmgren said. “I don’t remember having a bad day at work, I really don’t. I got to play hockey, I got to be involved in hockey, I got to watch a lot of hockey games. And if it wasn’t for USA Hockey and all the work they’ve done at the grassroots level, for me growing up, who knows what would have happened, but I was able to be involved in hockey my whole life and for that I’m grateful.”



Link

Continue Reading

College Sports

Gigliotti and Platte Recognized as 2024-25 Frank & Shirley Dick Award Winners

Story Links ADRIAN, Mich. – The Adrian College Athletics Department is proud to announce the 2024-25 recipients of the Frank and Shirley Dick Award, for both male and female athletics. Alessandra Gigliotti of the Acrobatics and Tumbling team and Zachary Platte of the Men’s Wrestling team were chosen as this year’s recipients. […]

Published

on


ADRIAN, Mich. – The Adrian College Athletics Department is proud to announce the 2024-25 recipients of the Frank and Shirley Dick Award, for both male and female athletics. Alessandra Gigliotti of the Acrobatics and Tumbling team and Zachary Platte of the Men’s Wrestling team were chosen as this year’s recipients. Recognized for their academic success, involvement in extracurricular activities and commitment to the Adrian community and volunteering their time during their respective tenures as Adrian College student-athletes.  

The Frank and Shirley Dick Award began in 2011 and is given to a male and female student-athlete that has succeeded in academics while also being involved in extracurricular activities and community service. Coaches and Athletic Department staff nominate Adrian College student-athletes based on the criteria of academics, leadership, and community service. The Frank and Shirley Dick Award is voted on by the Faculty Athletic Representatives (FAR). In some cases, athletic achievements are used to settle any tie breakers.

Alessandra Gigliotti, A native of Shelby Township, Michigan Gigliotti arrived at Adrian College in 2021 and quickly distinguished herself as a model student-athlete. She graduated with honors this past spring, earning a 3.8 GPA while double majoring in Business Administration and Exercise Science. Gigliotti was named to the Dean’s List every semester and earned a spot on the National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association (NCATA) Honor Roll throughout her academic career.

Her leadership and service did not go unnoticed, Gigliotti was awarded the President’s Leadership Award and was inducted into Mortar Board, a national honor society recognizing college seniors for their achievements in scholarship, leadership, and service. She was also named to the 2025 NCATA Division III Tournament All-Academic Team.

A four-year member of the Acrobatics and Tumbling team, Gigliotti helped lead Adrian to the Division III Invitational. She earned a spot on the 2025 NCATA DIII All-Tournament Second Team and was an All-Tournament Honorable Mention in 2024. Her teammates recognized her value and leadership by naming her Team MVP in both 2024 and 2025. Gigliotti becomes the first member of the Acrobatics and Tumbling program to be honored with the Frank and Shirley Dick Award.

Beyond athletics, Gigliotti logged over 100 hours of community service. This past year alone, she volunteered during Chi Omega’s Wish Week, assisted with homecoming preparations, the spring concert, Scholarship Day, and supported operations in the Student Life office.

“I am honored and very grateful to receive the Frank and Shirley Dick Scholar Award for the 2024-2025 academic year”, said Alessandra Gigliotti. “Being recognized for my athletic and academic excellence as well as my community service is very rewarding as my time here at Adrian college consisted of those three things. As a member of the Acrobatics and Tumbling team, I learned the power of discipline, teamwork, and resilience. All of which helped shape who I am both in and outside of the classroom. I am grateful to the faculty, my coaches, teammates, the Adrian College community, and my family for their constant support and encouragement along the way. This award inspires me to continue to strive for excellence and give back to the communities that helped me grow”.

Zachary Platte hailing from Holt, Michigan, Platte enrolled at Adrian in the fall of 2021 and pursued a Pre-Med major, graduating with a 3.5 GPA. A dedicated student, Platte was named to the MIAA Honor Roll and was a two-time Scholar All-American. He achieved Dean’s List honors in six semesters and played a key role in student engagement as the director of the Outreach Chemistry Club, frequently participating in science nights and community-based events.

In service to the Adrian community, Platte volunteered at numerous college award ceremonies, including as a valet for Goodwill Award Nights and other campus events. His leadership and character were equally evident on the mat, where he was named “Bulldog of the Year” for the men’s wrestling program. As a competitor, Platte earned First Team All-MIAA honors and was a two-time regional placer, finishing sixth and eighth in his respective appearances.

“Very proud and honored to receive such a prestigious award”, said Zachary Platte. “Could not have asked for a better community to support me my four years from professors, coaches, friends and family”

Platte becomes the first men’s wrestling athlete to be selected for the Frank and Shirley Dick Award, a testament to his relentless drive, academic dedication, and impact within the Adrian community.

The Frank and Shirley Dick Award winners will be honored during Adrian College’s 2025 Homecoming Weekend at the Hall of Fame dinner and the Homecoming football game. This year’s Homecoming Weekend will take place from September 19-21.

 



Link

Continue Reading

Most Viewed Posts

Trending