(BPT) – Daydreaming about your next family getaway? Look no further than Northwest Florida! The location and climate are ideal, and thanks to its recent $35 million makeover, the sensational Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa in South Walton, Florida, offers everything you could wish for in a vacation destination.

Here are the 5 top reasons why this resort will be your ultimate family paradise.

1. It’s all about that beach

Wish you were on the beach right now? As the largest full-service beachfront resort on Northwest Florida’s Gulf Coast, Hilton Sandestin Beach lets you immerse yourself in calm, clear emerald-green water and sink your toes into the pristine white sandy beach. You’ll enjoy exclusive sun-bathing, sandcastle building, swimming, and soaking up the stunning views such as one of the most colorful sunsets you’ll ever see along Miramar Beach.

When all that swimming and sunbathing makes you hungry and thirsty, Barefoot’s Beachside Bar & Grill lets you dine and sip while gazing out at the Gulf. And when you need a break from sand and saltwater, you can enjoy the two outdoor pools, and whirlpools.

Rainy day? No worries. Hilton Sandestin Beach has thought of everything, including a newly renovated indoor pool in a spacious tropical-themed atrium.

2. Endless fun

Adventure awaits at Hilton Sandestin Beach and beyond! Whether you’re up for a round of golf at world-class courses, or a game of beach volleyball, tennis, biking, paddleboarding, or kayaking, this resort has it all.

The resort is also near several off-property opportunities for water sports galore, like snorkeling, scuba diving, boating, and fishing.

Nearby, explore the surrounding area by taking a complimentary shuttle to the Village of Baytowne Wharf for family-friendly attractions like zip lines, water parks, a rope course, go-karts, shopping, seasonal events and live music, and more.

For a change of pace, you can also visit nearby state parks, including the Underwater Museum of Art, which is a diving area located off the state park where five resort-sponsored sculptures can be found among the growing aquatic installation 58 feet below the water’s surface.

3. Total relaxation

Need a place to chill beyond all that fun in the sun? Hilton Sandestin Beach is able to recommend local babysitting services, allowing parents to unwind at the renovated Serenity by the sea Spa — a world-class 14,500-square-foot spa offering an extensive menu of treatments, relaxation areas with cascading whirlpools, sauna and steam rooms, plush robes, zero-gravity loungers, and a 24-hour fitness center featuring top-of-the-line Precor equipment and Peloton stationary bikes, with fitness classes like yoga, Pilates, and more.

Relax with your partner in the spa’s new area for couples, complete with a wet bar and cozy fireplace. Adding to the wide selection of facials, body treatments, massages, salon services and rejuvenating experiences, the spa now offers new features including touchless wellness, using innovative technology to offer individualized experiences — like Hydrojet Massages or Prism Red Light Pad therapy.

If you want to update your look, the full-service spa also offers two styling rooms with a wide range of hair, makeup, and nail services.

4. Unforgettable events

Celebrating a momentous occasion? From weddings and anniversaries to birthdays, reunions, and more, Hilton Sandestin Beach has you covered with customizable venue options and group activities. The resort offers three main ballrooms, in addition to numerous outdoor and indoor event spaces of different sizes suitable for all kinds of get-togethers — plus event planners to work alongside each couple or family to plan their special occasion. Spa treatments, beachfront yoga on the deck, dining experiences, volleyball tournaments, beach relay races, and more can enhance your celebration.

For soon-to-be newlyweds, Hilton Sandestin Beach is one of the only resorts in the Northwest Florida area offering an all-encompassing wedding experience. Your full wedding itinerary is customizable — including options from a welcome beach bonfire to a farewell brunch.

5. Culinary delights

Savor a variety of on-site dining options at Hilton Sandestin Beach to tantalize your taste buds, including fine dining at Seagar’s Prime Steaks & Seafood (the area’s only AAA Four-Diamond steakhouse), plus casual eateries like Sandcastle’s Restaurant and Lounge, The Coffee Shop, and Hadashi Sushi Bar. Beachside and poolside dining with seasonal hours include Barefoot’s Beachside Bar & Grill and Picnix Poolside Market. In-room dining is also available.

Plan your visit

Ready to make your dream vacation a reality? Great accommodations await you and your family at Hilton Sandestin Beach, with 590 spacious guest rooms and suites including private balconies with partial or full Gulf views, and first-floor rooms feature a covered patio. Junior deluxe suites are ideal for families, with bunk beds and sleeper sofas. The resort also offers ADA-equipped rooms.

Explore the possibilities for your next family vacay at HiltonSandestinBeach.com, and check out great package offers at HiltonSandestinBeach.com/vacation-packages.

EASTON, Mass. (May 29, 2025) – Stonehill College track and field head coach Michael Delgado and his staff were named the Northeast Conference Outdoor Track & Field men’s coaching staff of the year, the conference announced on Thursday.
 

Delgado (Throws/Hurdles/Horizontal Jumps), in his sixth season at the helm of the Skyhawks Track & Field program, led a staff of head cross country coach Karen Boen and assistant cross country coach Carl Boen (Distance/Mid-Distance), along with assistant track & field coach Dan Schwartz (Vertical Jumps/Sprints), to the staff’s first postseason honor at the Division I level, as voted on by the other NEC head coaches.
 
This is Delgado’s second Coaching Staff of the Year award in total, having earned the honor in the Northeast-10 at the Division II level in 2019. He joins Boen, who was given the honor of NEC Cross Country Coach of the Year in both 2022 and 2023, leading the women’s squad to the NEC title in 2023.
 
At outdoor championships at W.B. Mason Stadium this past May, the men’s team propelled itself from sixth place after the first day of competition, up to second place in the final standings with a team score of 105.50 points, trailing only Central Connecticut, which won the title with 235 points.
 
This was the highest placement for the men’s team at NEC Outdoor Championships, placing fourth last year and ninth the year before. Their second-place finish included seven top-three finishes and four silver medals. The women’s team placed third with 124 points, their best finish at the DI level after coming in sixth in 2024 and fourth in 2023.
 
Along with the Skyhawks coaching staff receiving postseason recognition, graduate students Jacob Pacheco (Merrimack, N.H.) and Cody DeAngelo (Old Saybrook, Conn.), and senior Parker Hagen (Newport, R.I.) were named to the NEC All-Conference Second Team for their silver medals in the javelin throw, pole vault, and the triple jump. The Skyhawks’ 4×100-meter relay team also earned Second Team honors.
 
The men’s NEC All-Rookie Team included freshmen Kyle Kwiatek (Lynn, Mass.) and Jacob Tobin (Natick, Mass.), who were the top first-year finishers in the 5,000-meter and 10,000-meter races.
 
On the women’s side, graduate student Abigail Larsson (Bayport, N.Y.) won the pole vault to be the lone Skyhawk to earn All-Conference First Team honors. Classmate Kaytlin Encarnacao (Reading, Mass.) was named to the All-Conference Second Team after earning a silver medal in the 400-meter race. Joining her with second team honors was senior Madison Rousseau (Canton, Mass.) for her performance in the 100-meter hurdles and sophomore Kayla Oakes (Kingston, N.Y.), who placed second in the long jump.
 
Stonehill’s 4×400-meter relay and 4×800-meter relay teams were also additions to the NEC All-Conference Second Team. The Skyhawk women led the conference with four student-athletes on the NEC All-Rookie Team, as freshmen Hannah Santos (Swansea, Mass.), Rachael Korowski (Hudson, Mass.), Emmy Belvin (Chepachet, R.I.), and Makenna Dube (North Andover, Mass.) were all recognized by the conference. Santos was the top freshman finisher in the high jump, Korowski in the 1500-meter race, Belvin in the 800-meter race, and Dube in the shot put.

For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Airi Cowie of Maple Ridge has won a silver medal with the women’s national U17 water polo team at the PanAm Aquatics Championships, held from May 13 to 25 in Medellin, Colombia.

Cowie said the win was a highlight of her career, on par with last year’s appearance with the U16 national team that competed at the World Championships in Turkey. She won player of the match in one of those games, with a four-goal performance.

At the PanAms, Cowie played more of a defence and assisting role she said, but scored seven goals during the tournament – including a four-goal performance in one game.

The Canadian women started the tournament with three wins: 28-24 against Mexico, 25-9 over Brazil and 21-9 over Argentina.

They then lost 16-10 to Team USA, but bounced back and beat Colombia 28-13, and Peru 24-1. That put them in the championship game, and the U.S. won the battle again, by a score of 18-7. 

“The U.S. is obviously very strong,” said Cowie. “I definitely think our team under-performed against them.”

However, she noted Team Canada still won a big prize – a qualifying spot in the 2026 U18 World Championships. The host venue has yet to be decided, but Cowie is hoping it’s someplace exotic and interesting.

“I love that I get to travel a lot with my sport,” she said.

Cowie is a Grade 11 student at Maple Ridge Secondary, and plays for the Surrey Water Polo club. She said her place on next year’s team is not guaranteed, but she is confident she will have a good chance of again wearing the Maple Leaf at the worlds.

Her coach was happy with the team’s overall improvement at the PanAms.

“These two weeks, our team had an amazing progression,” said Water Polo Canada’s women’s U17 national team head coach David Paradelo. “Starting from one week training in California where we were able to come together for the first time, the athletes were hungry for more every day and the staff was easily able to get the girls in a professional behaviour that lead to a quick evolution of the team chemistry.

“We were able to start the tournament in Colombia setting the tone in the first few games. We were able to maintain this through the tournament, yet lacked some composure in the games versus the USA,” Paradelo added. “The girls learned a lot within adversity from in and out of the water in an experience that will teach them for their future in water polo and in life.”

The Canadian men’s U17 team won gold, making it the best-ever finish for the Canadian delegation at the event.

Cowie has a big summer ahead of her.

Her club team will compete at the U18 national championships in Calgary from June 5 to 7. After that, she is going to be on the roster of a U.S. club team, competing in high-level water polo events in California this summer.

Long-term, Cowie is hoping to follow in the footsteps of her older siblings Yuri and Andy, who both played water polo on scholarships for U.S. universities in the NCAA.

Day One Results 

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (May 29, 2025) – Four Northern Arizona track and field athletes have qualified for the next round of the NCAA West Preliminary Round today in College Station, Texas.

 

LiNay Perry is on to Saturday’s quarterfinals in the 400-meter hurdles after breaking her own school record once again with a time of 57.40. She auto qualified by finishing third in her heat and placed 12^th overall in the first round after entering the event ranked 17^th.

 

She will race at 5:25 Mountain Standard time on Saturday, May 31.

 

All three Lumberjacks entered in the 1,500-meters advanced to Saturday’s quarterfinals by auto-qualifying in their heat. Maggi Congdon placed second in her heat with a time of 4:17.10 which was good for 12^th overall. Alexandra Carlson raced in the same heat as Congdon and placed fifth, clocking 4:18.79 to place 17^th overall. Keira Moore ran a near personal best of 4:18.80 to place fifth in her heat and 18^th overall after coming in ranked 33^rd.

 

Congdon is looking to punch her second-straight ticket to the National Championships in the 1,500-meters. The quarterfinals take place on May 31^st at 3:15 p.m. Mountain Standard time.

 

In the 400-meters, Kyairra Reigh placed 28th with a time of 53.35.

 

Odessa Zentz placed 32^nd in the 800-meters with a time of 2:07.93, followed by Kiki Vaughn in 38^th with a time of 2:10.09.  

 

Sariyah Horne-Kemp placed 31^st in the hammer throw with a toss of 57.02-meters.

 

Alexis Kebbe placed 35^th in the 10,000-meters with a time of 35:49.09.

 

The men are back in action tomorrow, beginning with the field events at 11 a.m. MST and the track events at 3 p.m. MST. The meet is streamed on ESPN+ with live results available here.

 

JU junior qualifies for nationals in long jump

• Multiple Hodges Stadium records tumbled at the NCAA Track and Field East First Round competition in Jacksonville, Florida.
• Evan Puckett, Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan, and Tima Godbless set new stadium records in pole vault, shot put, and the women’s 100-meter dash, respectively.
• Jacksonville University’s Julia Sue-Kam-Ling qualified for nationals in the women’s long jump.
• Grace Hartman added a facility record in the women’s 10,000.

Evan Puckett sent a message on May 29. Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan did, too. Then, Tima Godbless.