FanDuel has banned the sports bettor who heckled three-time Olympic gold medalist Gabby Thomas at a Grand Slam Track meet last weekend and later boasted that his actions helped him win a bet placed on one of her competitors.

“FanDuel condemns in the strongest terms abusive behavior directed towards athletes,” a FanDuel spokesperson said in a statement to The Athletic. “Threatening or harassing athletes is unacceptable and has no place in sports. This customer is no longer able to wager with FanDuel.”

The betting platform took action after Thomas said Monday that a sports bettor followed her around Franklin Field in Philadelphia, the site of the track event, and heckled her.

“This grown man followed me around the track as I took pictures and signed autographs for fans (mostly children) shouting personal insults- anybody who enables him online is gross,” Thomas wrote on X.

In response to a previous post from Thomas, a man posted a video on X where he can be heard heckling Thomas at the starting line. He calls himself “The Track and Field Bully” and “The King of Track and Field and Sports Betting Dramedy” in his X bio.

The man also shared a screenshot of a winning bet slip showing he won over $800 on a parlay, which included a victory by Melissa Jefferson-Wooden in the women’s 100m. Thomas, who won gold at the Paris Olympics in the 200m, was bested by Jefferson-Wooden in the 200 on Saturday and then beaten by Jefferson-Wooden again Sunday in the 100.

The man wrote, “I made Gabby lose by heckling her. And it made my parlay win.”

Grand Slam Track said Tuesday that it was working to identify the man in the video and opened an investigation into the incident.

Thomas is the latest athlete to address the growing trend of alarming treatment from fans related to sports betting.

Last month, Houston Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. and his family received death threats from a fan on social media after his rough outing in a 13-9 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. The Astros alerted Major League Baseball and the Houston Police Department, which later identified the fan as a frustrated bettor who lashed out online while inebriated.

NBA players have reported an uptick in verbal abuse at games and receiving threatening or harassing messages on social media from bettors in recent years, prompting the league to put processes in place that allow players to report incidents to their teams and/or the league office.

“I’ve never felt genuinely threatened, but there has been some really disrespectful s— said,” the New York Knicks’ Jalen Brunson told The Athletic earlier this year when asked if he’s felt threatened by messages he receives. “It’s a lot of people who don’t have profile pictures. There is part of me that has thought about airing them out, but s— always comes back around.”

Editor’s note: The Athletic has a partnership with BetMGM. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.

(Photo: Patrick Smith / Getty Images)

Warm weather draws crowds to Plattsburgh City Beach

Beachgoers say the steady breeze coming off Lake Champlain provided welcome relief from the heat

Updated: 5:36 PM EDT Jun 4, 2025

Wednesday’s warm weather brought residents and visitors flocking to local beaches, eager to soak up the sunshine and unwind by the water. At the Plattsburgh City Beach, people of all ages could be seen enjoying the day — whether playing beach volleyball or simply lounging in the sand.Despite the inviting atmosphere, beachgoers reported that the waters of Lake Champlain were still too cold for a swim. However, the steady breeze coming off the lake provided welcome relief from the heat.“It’s nice. It’s relaxing and it’s not so hot down here on the beach because of the breeze,” said Stacey Simpson, a Plattsburgh resident enjoying the afternoon. “Nice, cool air off the water. So, it’s nice.”For those who didn’t get a chance to enjoy the sun this time, there’s no need to worry. The Plattsburgh City Beach will remain open through Labor Day.

4 Jun 2025

Getting our game on with Steve Bevan (Brisbane Hustlers) and Abbie Jane (The Rainbow Shoelace Project)

Health, Sports & Recreation

Welcome to Game On JOY 94.9’s Home of Sport every Wednesday from 6-7pm where you’ll hear where you can get your game on! This show is all about showcasing where sport is safe, inclusive, welcoming and fun for the Rainbow community!

We chat Heart, Hustle and Hits with Steve Bevan, President of the Brisbane Hustlers, Brisbane’s gay and inclusive rugby team. There is a lot going on! A new women’s team and a first in Australia for the league! The 2025 IGR Purchas Cup will be held in Auckland from September 11-14, celebrating inclusive rugby with fierce competition, camaraderie, and a focus on diversity and unity in the sport. The 12th Edition of the Bingham Cup will be hosted by the Hustlers! This prestigious global event, which celebrates gay and LGBTQIA+ inclusive rugby, will take place in late August of 2026 and opportunities to volunteer to support the event are a plenty! And there a some fun social events on the Brisbane Hustlers’ calendar! (Starts 3mins 08secs)

We are joined by Abbie Jane, Founder of The Rainbow Shoelace Project – an initiative that started in Broken Hill to counter bullying that is now a global movement. Abbie Jane is an author, speaker, LGBTIQA+ advocate and entrepreneur and is only fifteen with the goal of tackling homophobia in sport. (Starts 15mins 30secs)

The Rainbow Sports Wrap keeps you up to date with news and events in the LGBTQIA+ sporting world (Starts 27mins 40secs) and we hear from Thomas Swords, Research Assistant Australian Ballet and Vice-President Melbourne Surge Water Polo Club as our Who is getting their game on weekly special guest! (Starts 37mins 33secs)

A big thank you to our wonderful guests for their support of an inclusive and supportive sporting culture and mindset, and encouraging everyone in the Rainbow community to get their game on!

And thank you for being a part of Team Game On!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()

Subscribe or Follow Us: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS

NEW ORLEANS – The Sun Belt Conference has announced the eight student-athletes selected to receive 2025 Sun Belt Conference Postgraduate Scholarships.

Old Dominion’s Kiersten Donnelly (Women’s Swimming & Diving) and Marshall’s Ethan Bowens (Men’s Track and Field) were the top honorees, each receiving a $9,750 scholarship.

 

Donnelly, a three-year letterwinner for the Monarchs as a swimmer, earned a bachelor’s degree in bio-medical science. She plans to attend medical school to follow her passion for family medicine and has been accepted to the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine.

 

Bowens, a three-year letterwinner for the Thundering Herd as a sprinter for the men’s track and field team, earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise science with a minor in chemistry. He plans to attend medical school with a desire to become a physician for the U.S. military.

“We are thrilled to recognize the accomplishments of these decorated Sun Belt student-athletes and to provide postgraduate scholarships to support their continued education,” said Sun Belt Conference Commissioner Keith Gill.

As the overall female and male postgraduate award winners, Donnelly and Bowens will be formally recognized at the Sun Belt Conference Honors Banquet in conjunction with the Sun Belt Fall Meetings on October 16, 2025 in Atlanta.  

 

Texas State’s Sierra Dickson (Women’s Basketball), Troy’s Abby Grosinske (Women’s Track & Field), South Alabama’s Delien Kleinhans (Women’s Tennis), Georgia Southern’s Ellie McIntyre (Women’s Soccer), Coastal Carolina’s Nicolette Picone (Softball) and Georgia State’s Alaina West (Women’s Soccer) will also be awarded $4,500 scholarships.

Dickson, a five-year women’s basketball letterwinner for the Bobcats, graduated from Texas State with a bachelor’s degree in marketing. In 2024-25, she served as Vice President for Texas State’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and is currently pursuing her MBA at her alma mater.

 

Grosinske, a four-year letterwinner as a thrower on the Trojans’ women’s track & field team, graduated from Troy with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and a minor in psychology. She will attend Northern Illinois University to pursue a doctorate degree in physical therapy beginning in the fall of 2025.

 

Kleinhans, a four-year letterwinner for the Jaguars’ women’s tennis program, graduated from South Alabama with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science. She has been accepted to multiple schools to pursue her doctorate degree in physical therapy.

 

McIntyre, a three-year letterwinner on the Eagles’ women’s soccer team, graduated from Georgia Southern with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science. She was hired as a graduate assistant coach at her alma mater in May 2025 and will begin pursuing her master’s degree in coaching education.

 

Picone, a four-year letterwinner and 2025 Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year for the Chanticleers’ softball program, earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in pre-health professions from Coastal Carolina. She will attend the State University of New York at Stony Brook to pursue her doctorate degree in occupational therapy with a focus on serving children with special needs.

 

West, a four-year letterwinner for the Panthers’ women’s soccer team, graduated from Georgia State with a bachelor’s degree in biological science. In 2024-25, she served as Vice President for Georgia State’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, and her next goal is to attend medical school.

The scholarships are awarded to selected student-athletes with stated intentions to pursue a graduate degree following the completion of their undergraduate requirements and are sent directly to the graduate school of each recipient’s choice. The recipients were selected by the Sun Belt Postgraduate Scholarship Committee, which is comprised of Faculty Athletic Representatives from across the conference.

 

To be eligible for Sun Belt Conference Postgraduate Scholarships, nominees must have exhausted eligibility, been declared or designated a varsity letter winner in a Sun Belt-sanctioned sport at a member institution for at least two seasons and achieved a minimum undergraduate cumulative grade point average of 3.3 (on a 4.0 scale).

 

2025 Sun Belt Conference Postgraduate Scholarship Recipients

Overall Female Postgraduate Award Winner:

Kiersten Donnelly, Old Dominion (Women’s Swimming & Diving)

Overall Male Postgraduate Award Winner:

Ethan Bowens, Marshall (Men’s Track and Field)

Postgraduate Scholarship Award Recipients:

Sierra Dickson, Texas State (Women’s Basketball)

Abby Grosinske, Troy (Women’s Track & Field)

Delien Kleinhans, South Alabama (Women’s Tennis)

Ellie McIntyre, Georgia Southern (Women’s Soccer)

Nicolette Picone, Coastal Carolina (Softball)

Alaina West, Georgia State University (Women’s Soccer)

It’s been just over three months since Tom Mendoza was hired as the sixth head coach in Marquette women’s volleyball history, and he’s still not done adding to the roster quite yet.

Last Wednesday, the program announced the additions of transfers Allie Korba and Julia Stanev.

Korba, a 5-foot-9 setter from Arlington Heights, Illinois, was the 2024 Mid-American Conference Setter of the Year at Central Michigan University after posting 1,137 assists over 126 sets in 2024. She played under current MU assistant coach Stef Jankiewicz the past three seasons in Mount Pleasant, helping the Chippewas to 69 wins.

“We are excited to add Allie to the team,” Mendoza said in a release from Marquette Athletics. “She brings experience and leadership, coming in the reigning MAC Setter of the Year. We know Allie’s presence will be a difference maker in our gym.”

In addition to earning Setter of the Year honors, Korba was a First Team All-MAC selection. She posted 11 double-doubles and her 1,137 assists ranked 12th on CMU’s single-season list. She was also named MAC Setter of the Week twice in 2024.

Korba has big shoes to fill after the departure of former Big East Setter of the Year Yadhira Anchante. It looked like setter Malayah Long was slated to become MU’s starting setter this fall after Anchante graduated, but Long announced that she was transferring to Michigan State just hours after Mendoza was hired in March, leaving MU with one true setter on its roster in first-year Isabella Haggard. Korba has one year of eligibility remaining.

Marquette also announced the addition of Stanev, a 6-foot-3 middle blocker from Reggio Emilia, Italy. She joins the Golden Eagles after two seasons at Eastern Illinois, where she helped lead the Panthers to a 28–5 record and an OVC title in 2023.

“Adding Julia to the team will provide great depth and experience to our middle group,” Mendoza said. “She can impact the game both with her block and attack and she’s excited to compete at a highest level.”

Stanev appeared in both of Eastern Illinois’ recent matches against Marquette — in the First Round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament and in the 2024 season opener in Charleston, Illinois. She played one set in the tournament and two in the rematch last fall.

For her career at EIU, Stanev averaged 0.96 blocks per set, 0.82 kills per set and was hitting at a .250 clip. She led the Panthers with 99 blocks in 2023 and has recorded up to seven blocks in a match.

Stanev played club volleyball for Pallavolo Alsenese (Piacenza) and attended Liceo Linguistico G. Marconi School in Parma. She has two years of eligibility remaining.

Earlier last month, Marquette unveiled its 2025 non-conference schedule. The Golden Eagles will face six teams that participated in last year’s NCAA Tournament, including returning to Fiserv Forum for the second time to face Wisconsin on Sept. 17. The Golden Eagles notably also welcome Florida to the Al McGuire Center just two days later, which will mark the first time that former head coach Ryan Theis will return to Milwaukee after leaving for Florida after 11 seasons at MU.

The rest of Marquette’s schedule is expected to be released in the coming weeks.

This story was written by Matthew Baltz. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter/X @MatthewBaltzMU.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 4, 2025) – The young U.S. Women’s National Team opened its 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) season with a 3-0 (25-13, 25-13, 30-28) loss to reigning Olympic champion and the world’s No. 1 team Italy in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The U.S., the Olympic silver medalists and world’s third-ranked team, return to the court tomorrow at 5 p.m. PDT against host Brazil.

“Obviously excited to compete and get going,” said head coach Erik Sullivan. “We learned a few things about where we need to be, but I am proud of how we continued to fight. We played with grit and determination. There were a few points where it was easy to give up at the end and we didn’t do that. Italy is a great team and the ability to play them early is huge. They are going to set the bar for us the rest of the summer. Looking ahead to Brazil, there may be some lineup changes, but it is another opportunity to improve by playing an elite team in their home environment.”  

Italy finished with advantages in kills (45-30), blocks (13-6) and aces (3-0). Middle blocker Molly McCage of the U.S. led all players with four blocks.

Opposite Logan Lednicky shared the team-high with nine points on eight kills and a block in her U.S. Women’s National Team debut. Outside hitter Sarah Franklin led the squad with nine kills. McCage added three kills to total seven points. Middle blocker Amber Igiede contributed six kills.

Get Tickets to Women’s VNL in Arlington, Texas, July 9-13

Italy used a strong serve and block to control the first set, taking its biggest lead on the set-clinching point. Lednicky, who will enter her senior year at Texas A&M this fall, led the U.S. with four kills in her first set as a U.S. Women’s National Team member.

The U.S. played some scrappy defense early in the second set, but a 14-4 Italy run turned a one-point U.S. deficit into an 11-point Italy lead, 20-9. Franklin recorded a pair of kills for the second consecutive set.

It was the U.S.’s turn to jump out in front in the third set. Lednicky’s third kill of the set gave the U.S. a 16-9 lead. The lead remained seven points at 21-14 before Italy scored eight points in a row to take its first lead of the third set.

A strong serve by outside hitter Logan Eggleston led to a kill by Franklin on an overpass to give the U.S. set point at 24-23. Italy scored the next two points to reach match point. The U.S fought off four match points before Italy won the set 30-28.

Franklin (five kills), Lednicky (four kills, one block) and McCage (two kills, three blocks) each scored five points in the final set.

U.S. Women’s Week One Roster for 2025 VNL

No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
9 Madisen Skinner (OH, 6-2, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
13 Amber Igiede (MB, 6-3, Baton Rouge, La., Univ. of Hawaii, Bayou)
14 Anna Dodson (MB, 6-5, Fort Collins, Colo., UCLA, Rocky Mountain)
17 Zoe Jarvis (previously Fleck) (L, 5-6, Granada Hills, Calif., UCLA and Univ. of Texas, Southern California)
21 Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
22 Sarah Franklin (OH, 6-4, Lake Worth, Fla., Univ. of Wisconsin, Florida)
24 Olivia Babcock (Opp, 6-4, Los Angeles, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
27 Ella Powell (S, 6-0, Fayetteville, Ark., Univ. of Washington, Delta)
28 Logan Lednicky (Opp, 6-3, Sugar Land, Texas, Univ. of Texas A&M, Lone Star)
29 Molly McCage (MB, 6-3, Spring, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
32 Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres (S, Honolulu, Hawaii, Univ. of Texas, Aloha)
33 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
43 Serena Gray (MB, 6-2, Temple City, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)

Head Coach: Erik Sullivan
Assistant Coach: Mike Wall
Second Assistant Coach: Brandon Taliaferro
Second Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Second Assistant Coach: Joe Trinsey
Team Manager: Rob Browning
Team Doctors: William Briner, James Suchy, Chris Lee, Andrew Gregory
Physiotherapist: Kara Kessans
Physical Trainers: Shawn Hueglin, Shannon Boone
Mental Performance Coach: Andrea Becker, Katy Stanfill
Performance Analyst: Virginia Pham

Week 1 Schedule: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Matches will be shown live and on-demand on VBTV. CBS Sport Network and the Big Ten Network will also air matches.

All times PDT
June 4 Italy def. USA, 3-0 (25-13, 25-13, 30-28)
June 5 at 5 p.m. vs. Brazil
June 6 at 5 p.m. vs. Czechia
June 8 at 1 p.m. vs. Korea