Asheville Tourists Unveil New Identity and It Snot Half Bad
Have I mentioned how much I love MiLB? The Asheville Tourists — a Minor League Baseball team of the South Atlantic League and the High-A affiliate of the Houston Astros — will have a new, one-off alter ego, and will play as the Asheville “Snot Otters” for their June 6th game. The team have unveiled […]
The Asheville Tourists — a Minor League Baseball team of the South Atlantic League and the High-A affiliate of the Houston Astros — will have a new, one-off alter ego, and will play as the Asheville “Snot Otters” for their June 6th game.
The team have unveiled a new jersey, cap and special logos to create the alternate identity.
The first question you probably have is, “What is a snot otter?” and the next would be, “and how does this relate to Asheville?” If you look at the team’s special logo…
…you might be saying “that doesn’t look like an otter!” And you’d be correct, as an actual snot otter is actually a type of salamander, also known as a “Hellbender” (wouldn’t *that* have been a much better nickname?). According to the National Wildlife Federation, the creature “is a large, fully-aquatic amphibian with a flat head, wrinkled body, and paddle-shaped tail,” one of “two subspecies of hellbenders exist in the United States. The Ozark hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi) lives in a small number of rivers in Missouri and Arkansas.”
(Yes, I know you probably weren’t expecting an etymological exercise for an MiLB mascot.)
But with that in mind, you can understand the Tourists’ decision to rebrand as the Snot Otters for one game.
Here’s a look at the cap and jersey the team will be wearing.
As you can see, the cap is navy, with a green (snot green?) brim, eyelets and squatchee. The new logo will be featured on the front of the cap.
The jersey will also be green and blue, created through the sublimination process. The top portion is in a green “slime”(?) pattern, and that color extends to the sleeves. The remainder of the jersey is blue with “Asheville” in a vertically arched font and “SNOT OTTERS” (also in VAL) in another custom slime font, below.
The rear of the jersey follows the same pattern as the front, and includes player number in the same bespoke “snot” font as seen on the front.
On the sleeve is a logo in the shape of a roundel.
For those of you not familiar with MiLB history, pro baseball in Asheville, North Carolina, dates to 1897, when the Asheville Moonshiners took the field, and has been played continuously for nearly every year since 1909, with early teams such as the Redbirds (1909) and the Mountaineers (1910–1914). The “Tourists” name dates to 1915, when local sportswriters began referring to the Mountaineers team as the Tourists. The current team has played continuously in what is now known as the South Atlantic League since 1976, although affiliations have changed over the years. The team is currently a Houston Astros affiliate, but since 1976, the team has been affiliated with the Rangers and Rockies as well. Prior to that, the team had been affiliated with the Red Sox, Cardinals, Dodgers, Phillies, Pirates, White Sox and Orioles! That’s a pretty deep history there.
Like many MiLB teams who introduce one offs or limited use jerseys, these will be auctioned off after the game and will benefit the Western North Carolina Nature Center.
The Tourists will take the field as The Asheville Snot Otters on June 6 (for one game only!) Get your Snot Otters gear at https://t.co/8amw5cgwhJ
Snot Otters jerseys will be auctioned off prior to the game with proceeds going towards the WNC Nature Center! pic.twitter.com/yku44WlvwI
For one game only the uniform and name is fine — good even. Honestly I don’t love the logo or fonts, but I do love the alter ego, and if proceeds from the sale of game worn jerseys halp out a charitable cause, then it’s even better. And I will freely admit that until the team unveiled the new identity, I would have had no idea the snot otter — or hellbender — existed.
Bonnies add Walter to track & field coaching staff
Matt Walter
College Sports, Local Sports, Sports
June 27, 2025
ST. BONAVENTURE – St. Bonaventure head cross country/track coach Bob Macfarlane has announced the addition of Matt Walter to the Bonnies coaching staff for the 2025-26 season. Walter will work exclusively with Bona’s growing track program. […]
ST. BONAVENTURE – St. Bonaventure head cross country/track coach Bob Macfarlane has announced the addition of Matt Walter to the Bonnies coaching staff for the 2025-26 season. Walter will work exclusively with Bona’s growing track program.
“We’re thrilled to have Matt join our staff. His experience and knowledge in developing sprinters and hurdlers will be a tremendous asset to our program,” Macfarlane said. “Matt’s addition strengthens our commitment to providing comprehensive training for all of our track athletes and we’re excited about the impact he’ll make.”
Walter was a collegiate track student-athlete at Lock Haven University where he was a two-time member of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference All-Academic Team.
Following graduation, the Bradford, Pa. native returned to the area as athletic director for Johnsonburg (Pa.) Area School District, overseeing the operation of seven junior high programs and 12 high school teams. He also has over a decade of experience in the business sector working with area banks.
St. Bonaventure’s running programs continue to expand with nearly 80 student-athletes set to compete for the Bonnies in the coming academic year. Macfarlane and assistant coach Sarah Lonzi will continue to focus on the cross country/track programs while Walter’s focus will be on Bona’s sprinters and hurdlers as the program continues to expand in those events for both indoor and outdoor track.
Ottawa High School Best 2025 – OttawaSportsPages.ca
The Ottawa Sports Pages’ 2025 High School Best Series profiles some of the top local student-athletes graduating from high school this year and moving on to the next level in their sport or studies. Leading up to Canada Day, we’ll post a new story each day on OttawaSportsPages.ca to tip our caps to these great […]
The Ottawa Sports Pages’ 2025 High School Best Series profiles some of the top local student-athletes graduating from high school this year and moving on to the next level in their sport or studies.
Leading up to Canada Day, we’ll post a new story each day on OttawaSportsPages.ca to tip our caps to these great grads. You can also follow along and read each story on this webpage.
Late switch from paddling to rowing sends Henrik Neuspiel to Dartmouth College
Henrik Neuspiel is a natural athlete. Pick a sport and he has likely given it a try and had success. Sport was a natural avenue to follow as his father Victor competed in three world championships in kayaking and his mother Margaret Nelson Neuspiel played for Canada’s women’s water polo squad. For 12 years, he’s played hockey in the winter and paddled in the summer. READ MORE…
Hugo Djeumeni taking his impressive running game to Yale University
Fifty years ago this August, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band released their third studio album called Born to Run. Fifty years later, there’s an Ottawa athlete who deserves to have that title stitched on his jersey to summarize his high school football career. If you put a football in the hands of Hugo Djeumeni, stand back, he was born to run and run and run. READ MORE…
Kaiya Woodcock plans to represent University of Guelph Gryphons in soccer, athletics
When Kaiya Woodcock wasn’t using her blazing speed to accomplish this, that and everything at various sports venues, she would stop to think about her future. There was a time she wanted to go to university on a basketball scholarship. She played point guard for the West Ottawa Hornets, loved the team aspect of the game and used her acceleration on fast breaks. READ MORE…
Syracuse Orange fulfilled Nissi Ogbebor’s quest for an NCAA football scholarship
Sometimes older brothers can learn from younger brothers. Nissi Ogbebor will confirm that. He was only attracted to tackle football because his younger sibling Rohi was enjoying all aspects of the game. “My younger brother started to play when he was 11 or 12. I saw how much fun he was having and I said I should give it a shot,” Nissi said. READ MORE…
Ella Beltran looks to ‘eat, sleep, breathe rugby’ with Queen’s University Gaels
When Ashbury College grad Ella Beltran heads to Kingston next season, the Queen’s University Gaels will add more than just a gritty scrum half to their roster, they’ll be gaining a player with rugby in her blood. Love of the game runs deep in Ella’s family, with both of her parents having played rugby in high school. She’s got Ashbury in her veins too. READ MORE…
Christos ‘The Big Greek’ Zigoumis excited to join the Dog Pound with UConn Huskies
The moment that shaped the trajectory of Christos Zigoumis’ young athletic life came on a tykes football field. His Orleans Bengals were down by two points at the end of the fourth quarter in their under-10 contest and his team scored a game-winning touchdown. The thrill of that early victory has stayed with Zigoumis throughout his career. READ MORE…
St. Louis-bound CCA player Jahda Denis’s dawg mentality ‘comes from love’
Jahda Denis was sitting in the back seat of coach Fabienne Blizzard’s van. For the second consecutive season, their Capital Courts Academy had had their hopes quashed by their arch-nemesis at Crestwood Prep, this time by a humiliating 94-55 scoreline in the championship game. But Denis had an epiphany in that moment. READ MORE…
Daniel Cova earns 3 gold at NCSSAA track finals, NCAA scholarship
On a cold and wet final day of the NCSSAA track and field championships at the Terry Fox Athletic Facility, it continued to rain records for athletes from the Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club. Daniel Cova wasn’t among the record-setters, but the Louis-Riel Rebelles distance runner made a valiant attempt at one of the most stubborn records on the books. READ MORE…
Quinn Beauchesne’s tough season concludes with uplifting world U18 hockey gold
In the end, the light at the end of the tunnel could not have shone brighter for London Knights top student award winner Quinn Beauchesne during his 2024-25 hockey season. The 18-year-old defenceman from Ottawa had only played four games before an injury knocked him out of the Guelph Storm’s next seven Ontario Hockey League contests. READ MORE…
U18 gold medal win over USA a ‘dream come true’ for Team Canada’s Alex Therien
There was no better way for Alex Therien to kick off her career wearing the maple leaf than by beating USA for the gold medal in the final game of the IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship on Jan. 12 in Vantaa, Finland. “It was just a dream come true and something we have all been dreaming about for so long,” reflects the 17-year-old. READ MORE…
Alex Fletcher grew out of hockey, but into being a football all-star
Alex Fletcher was like most young boys with a passion for hockey. He wanted to grow up and play in the National Hockey League. His career seemed to be going in the right direction as he climbed to the top AAA level with the Rushforth Selects Hockey program. But then the defenceman started to grow and add weight to his frame. READ MORE…
Harding Men’s Track Places Five on CSC Academic All-District Team
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SEARCY — Five members of the Harding men’s track and field team have been named to the Academic All-District Team by the Collegiate Sports Communicators (CSC), recognizing their excellence in both academics and athletics. Spencer Helms, a fifth-year senior and All-American in the discus, will now advance to the Academic […]
SEARCY — Five members of the Harding men’s track and field team have been named to the Academic All-District Team by the Collegiate Sports Communicators (CSC), recognizing their excellence in both academics and athletics. Spencer Helms, a fifth-year senior and All-American in the discus, will now advance to the Academic All-America ballot.
To qualify for the Academic All-District team, student-athletes must be at least a sophomore academically, maintain a minimum 3.50 cumulative grade point average, and be ranked in the top 50 regionally in at least one event.
Harding’s honorees include:
Nathaniel Perry (Jr., D, Purcellville, Va.) Perry, a management major with a 3.86 GPA, demonstrated strong performance in distance events. He was ranked 36th in the NCAA Division II Central Region in the outdoor 10,000 meters with a time of 32:02.36. At the 2025 Great American Conference (GAC) Championships, Perry finished ninth in both the 5,000 meters (15:11.11) and the 10,000 meters (32:02.36).
Elijah Barnes (So., PV, Argyle, Texas) Barnes, a Bible and Ministry major, boasts a perfect 4.00 GPA. He was ranked 26th regionally in the outdoor pole vault (4.61m, 15-1.5). Barnes earned honorable mention All-GAC, placing eighth in the pole vault (4.30m, 14-1.25) at the 2025 GAC Championships.
Isaac Hodges (So., PV, Omaha, Texas) Hodges, a management major with a 3.74 GPA, excelled in the pole vault. He was ranked 25th regionally in the indoor pole vault (4.63m, 15-2.25). Hodges also earned honorable mention All-GAC with a seventh-place finish in the pole vault (4.45m, 14-7.25) at the 2025 GAC Championships.
Chad Strickland (So., PV, West Monroe, La.) Strickland, a kinesiology and health education major with a 3.59 GPA, was a regional contender in the pole vault. He was ranked 33rd regionally in the outdoor pole vault (4.46m, 14-7.5). Strickland earned honorable mention All-GAC with an eighth-place finish in the pole vault (4.30m, 14-1.25) at the 2025 GAC Championships.
Spencer Helms (5th, T, Lawrenceville, Ga.) Helms, an exercise science major with a 3.65 GPA, was a dominant force in throwing events. He was ranked third regionally and ninth nationally in the outdoor discus (55.69m, 182-8). Helms won the 2025 shot put title at the GAC Championships and earned First Team All-America honors in the discus with a throw of 57.16 meters (187-6) at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Due to his All-America status, Helms will now be considered for Academic All-America.
The CSC Academic All-America program recognizes student-athletes who achieve outstanding results both academically and athletically, providing national recognition for their holistic success.
Track and Field Mourns the Loss of Oregon Legend Bill Dellinger | Sports
EUGENE, Ore. — The Oregon track and field community is mourning the loss of one of its most iconic figures, Bill Dellinger. The 91-year-old passed away on Friday, marking the end of a lifetime defined by love and legacy. At the University of Oregon, Dellinger emerged as one of head coach Bill Bowerman’s first standout […]
EUGENE, Ore. —The Oregon track and field community is mourning the loss of one of its most iconic figures, Bill Dellinger. The 91-year-old passed away on Friday, marking the end of a lifetime defined by love and legacy.
At the University of Oregon, Dellinger emerged as one of head coach Bill Bowerman’s first standout athletes. He stunned the track world as a sophomore by winning the 1954 NCAA mile title. He went on to become a three-time All-American, win every collegiate cross-country race he ran, and set an American record in the 5,000 meters at the 1956 U.S. Olympic Trials.
Dellinger was also a three-time Olympian for Team USA, competing in the 5,000 meters at the 1956, 1960, and 1964 Olympic Games. His perseverance paid off in Tokyo, where he earned a bronze medal and cemented his place among the world’s elite distance runners.
After a short stint coaching at Lane Community College, Dellinger returned to Eugene in 1967 as Bowerman’s assistant. He became Oregon’s head cross country coach in 1968, just as a young Steve Prefontaine arrived on campus. He played a pivotal role in molding Prefontaine into the national icon that he is today.
Dellinger’s impact at the University of Oregon was monumental. Over three decades, he led the Ducks to four NCAA cross country team titles, 12 top-three national finishes, and coached athletes to 45 All-America honors. His teams won 13 conference and four district titles, while Oregon individuals under his guidance claimed eight Pac-8/10 and six regional championships.
Sand Castle University secures 2 national brands for sandy commercials, pitches
GULF SHORES — Sand Castle University (SCU), Alabama Gulf Coast’s master sandcastle sculptors, launched collaborations with Toyota automotives and L’Oreal cosmetics to mark two more “big” partnerships for the local business. “These are by far the largest national brand collaborations we have done yet,” said Anita Spicer, with SCU. Spicer said the sculptors at SCU […]
GULF SHORES — Sand Castle University (SCU), Alabama Gulf Coast’s master sandcastle sculptors, launched collaborations with Toyota automotives and L’Oreal cosmetics to mark two more “big” partnerships for the local business.
“These are by far the largest national brand collaborations we have done yet,” said Anita Spicer, with SCU.
Spicer said the sculptors at SCU partnered with Toyota after the company’s marketing agent reached out asking for a commercial for their new Grand Highlander. Janel Hawkins, sculptor and owner of SCU, took up the offer.
Parts of the advertisement were posted to SCU’s social media pages with the full commercial posted to their YouTube channel.
“Janel did a great job filming and editing — very professional,” Spicer said. “She sculpted a steering wheel, a seat, a dash module and a wheel/tire. Plus, the logo.”
For L’Oreal, Hawkins sculpted the headquarters building, and on top she placed a bottle of the new sunscreen the company is pitching. This content has not been posted as of press time.
Hawkins said on the partnerships, “Having opportunities for larger collaborations in the last couple of years has been really exciting and validating to me as an artist and business owner.”
Spicer mentioned previous sculpts Hawkins did for advertising movies including Disney’s “Moana 2,” Warner Brothers’ “AquaMan 2,” Netflix’s “SpongeBob: Saving Bikini Bottom” and Hulu’s “Vacation Friends Two.”
“Of course, in our everyday life, we do quite a few business logo sculptures — including Margaritaville at The Wharf — proposal sculptures, baby announcements, etc.,” Spicer said. “Not to mention the sculptures we did for Sand in My Boots fest.”
Hawkins said she will never stop sculpting for fun and plans to continue sculpting for proposals and local business logos to “stay plugged into our community.”
“Now that we are getting more requests for big collaborations and custom sculptures, I have been able to shift my focus from teaching full time to sculpting, whether that’s under contract or simply fun social media content,” Hawkins said. “Luckily, I have built an amazing team this season and other instructors are able to take over some of my class duties. It’s been a great thing to move forward in my business and who knows what the future may bring?”
As previously reported by GCM, Hawkins launched SCU in 2017, but business “pretty much exploded” during the COVID-19 pandemic after Alabama beaches opened back up quicker than other states and families were looking for “private, outdoor activities.
SCU hosts classes and creates commissioned sand sculptures for events such as Hangout Music Festival and the NCAA Beach Volleyball Championships. SCU also sculpts for local and visiting corporate events and even creates marketing content for local businesses, such as a recent sculpt for Young’s Suncoast Realty & Vacation Rentals.
SCU has a constantly growing social media presence with Hawkins’ videos often featuring a time lapse of her working on an intricate, sandy creation or a short video of her stomping on and crushing some creations.
In December 2024, SCU reached one million followers on TikTok and currently has 444,000 on Instagram, an increase of 10,000 since the beginning of May, and 714,000 on Facebook.
SPORTS NOTES: Scottsboro alum Tiffin named SoCon Coach of the Year | Sports
Samford University men’s and women’s track and field head coach Rod Tiffin has added two more coaching awards to his resume. The 1985 Scottsboro High School alum was named the Southern Conference Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Coach of the Year after leading the Samford men’s team to a fifth straight SoCon Championship and […]
Samford University men’s and women’s track and field head coach Rod Tiffin has added two more coaching awards to his resume.
The 1985 Scottsboro High School alum was named the Southern Conference Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Coach of the Year after leading the Samford men’s team to a fifth straight SoCon Championship and the women’s team to a conference-record sixth consecutive SoCon title.
Tiffin has been awarded the conference’s men’s track and field coach of the year award for five consecutive seasons and the women’s track and field coach two straight seasons and four times in the past five seasons.
Tiffin was a three-sport standout at Scottsboro and was an All-SEC decathlete at Auburn University. Tiffin has also had assistant coaching stints at UAB and Alabama and has been the head coach track and field/cross country at Samford since 2008.
He was inducted into the Jackson County Sports Hall of Fame in 2017.
Skyline track and field thrower Hurt receives Huntingdon College offer — Skyline rising senior thrower Chandler Hurt has picked up his first scholarship offer.
Hurt received an offer to join the Huntingdon College program during a recent visit to the Montgomery school.
Hurt was a state qualifier in the discus this past season, finishing fifth at sectionals, sixth in the Jackson County Track and Field Championship meet and 19th at the AHSAA Class 1A State Championships.