Monroe, LA.(VDN)—Gabrelle “Gabby” McLeod, a native of Vicksburg, was crowned Miss Louisiana 2025 on Saturday night, capping off a standout weekend at the state competition.

Representing Miss Cane River, McLeod emerged as the winner after advancing through the Top 11 and Top 5 on the final night of competition. Just a day earlier, she claimed the Overall Fitness Award for the second year in a row—a testament to her dedication and preparation.

This victory marks a significant leap from her 2024 performance, when she was named fourth runner-up and a Top 5 finalist in her first year competing at Miss Louisiana. During that competition, she also took home the Preliminary Health and Fitness Newcomer Award and the Overall Fitness Award.

Now, as Miss Louisiana 2025, McLeod will represent the state at the upcoming Miss America pageant, continuing her journey on a national stage.

Though she will now serve as an ambassador for Louisiana, McLeod has deep roots in Mississippi. A graduate of River City Early College, she was a standout track and field athlete at Warren Central High School before attending the University of Louisiana at Monroe.

Her background in athletics, combined with her pageant experience, has helped shape her into a strong and poised competitor. McLeod’s win is not only a personal triumph, but a proud moment for her hometown.

Despite representing a neighboring state, McLeod continues to receive strong support from Vicksburg, where her accomplishments are being celebrated across the community and over social media as many individuals are posting her success.

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On this day …

Sunday, June 22, 1994 — The United States beat Colombia 2-1 for its first FIFA World Cup victory since 1950 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.

Today

AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL

Lewis-Clark Cubs at Kuna Tribe A 18U (2), 10 a.m.

Lewis-Clark Bucs at Washington Awards 16U, 10:15 a.m.

Lewis-Clark Bucs at Wenatchee Valley Baseball Club 15U, 12:30 p.m.

Moscow Blue Devils at Flathead A’s, Big Bucks Tournament, Libby, Mont. 7 a.m.; possible second game to follow, noon

Palouse Patriots vs. TBD, Murr Sports Park, Walla Walla, 11:45 a.m.

SPORTS ON RADIO

MLB — Seattle at Chicago Cubs, 11:20 a.m., KOZE-AM (950), KHTR-FM (104.3), KLER-AM (1300)

SPORTS ON TV

Auto racing — FIM MotoGP: The Brembo Grand Prix of Italy, Tuscany, Italy, 4:30 a.m., FS1; NTT IndyCar Series: Warmup, Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wis., 7 a.m., FS1; NXT IndyCar Series: The Grand Prix at Road America, Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wis., 8 a.m., FS1; IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship: The Saleh’s Six Hours of Glen, Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, N.Y., 9 a.m., NBC; NTT IndyCar Series: The Xpel Grand Prix at Road America, Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wis., 10:30 a.m., FOX; NASCAR Cup Series: The Great American Getaway 400 Presented by VISITPA.COM, Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, Pa., 11 a.m., PRIME VIDEO; FIM Motocross: The MX2, Matterly Basin, Great Britain (taped), 1 p.m., CBSSN; NHRA: The Virginia NHRA Nationals, Virginia Motorsports Park, North Dinwiddie, Va., 1 p.m., FOX; FIM Motocross: The MXGP, Matterly Basin, Great Britain (taped), 2 p.m., CBSSN

Beach volleyball — AVP League: Week 4 – Day 2, East Hampton, N.Y., 10 a.m., CBSSN; AVP League: Week 4 – Day 2, East Hampton, N.Y., noon, The CW

BIG3 — Week 2: Detroit Amps vs. Miami 305, Boston Ball Hogs vs. DMV Trilogy, Houston Rig Hands vs. Chicago Triplets, L.A. Riot vs. Dallas Power, Baltimore, 10 a.m., CBS

College baseball — Men’s College World Series – Final: LSU vs. Coastal Carolina, Game 2, Omaha, Neb., 11:30 a.m., ABC

Golf — PGA Tour: The Travelers Championship, Final Round, TPC River Highlands, Cromwell, Conn., 10 a.m., GOLF; PGA Tour: The Travelers Championship, Final Round, TPC River Highlands, Cromwell, Conn., noon, CBS; PGA Tour Champions: The Kaulig Companies Championship, Final Round, Firestone Country Club South Course, Akron, Ohio, noon, GOLF; LPGA Tour: The 2025 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship: Final Round, Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco, Frisco, Texas, noon, NBC

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Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University (APSU) Assistant Director of Athletics for Sports Performance Medgar Harrison added Assistant Sports Performance Coaches Austin Van Buskirk and Michael Fiorito and graduate assistants Alan Anderson and Austin Okruta to his staff ahead of the 2025-26 academic year.

“In the ever-evolving landscape of college athletics, change is both constant and necessary,” said Harrison. “Over the past 30 days, we’ve seen the departure of six valued staff members, each of whom contributed significantly to the development of our student-athletes and the success of our programs. We thank them for their dedication and wish them continued success in their next chapters. At the same time, I’m excited to announce the addition of four dynamic new professionals to our sports performance team. Each brings unique experiences, fresh energy, and a shared commitment to helping our student-athletes thrive both on and off the field. Their arrival marks a new chapter for our department—one filled with innovation, collaboration, and an unwavering focus on performance, health, and development.”

“We are moving forward with great momentum, and I am confident that this team will not only meet the demands of our growing programs but will also help shape the future of sports performance department at APSU.”

Van Buskirk remains on Harrison’s staff after serving as a volunteer assistant last season while working with the Governors. baseball and track programs.

In addition to his duties for APSU in 2024-25, Van Buskirk also served as a strength and conditioning coach for the 101st Airborne Division on Fort Campbell since July 2023, where he was attached to 1st Brigade, working alongside the 2-32 field artillery regiment and the 2-327 infantry battalions. He helped develop and coach platoon-sized element strength and conditioning programs and supported physical training leaders in managing a battalion of 600-plus soldiers, collaborated with health professional staffs, created and ran Air Assault Prep Academy within the battalion, and more.

Prior to arriving at Fort Campbell, Van Buskirk was a strength and conditioning intern at Ohio State, August 2022-January 2023, working with the 12 Buckeyes programs, where he led team warms ups, recovery sessions, and worked with injured student-athletes’ rehabilitation.

Van Buskirk began his career as an Air Force ROTC in Bowling Green, Ohio, where he completed a semester’s worth of coaching and programming for 80 cadets.

Van Burskirk earned his bachelor’s degree from Bowling Green in 2021 and graduated with his master’s from Concordia of Chicago in 2023.

Fiorito comes to Clarksville after serving as a Strength and Conditioning Assistant for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers since April 2024, working alongside the Buccaneers’ head of strength and conditioning, Anthony Piroli, in Tampa Bay’s performance rehab department.

In addition, Fiorito also assisted with practice and pregame dynamic warm-up groups, utilized key performance indicators to prescribe and implement programming at the positional and individual levels, and more.

Prior to his time in Tampa, Florida, Fiorito was an Assistant Strength Coach and Recreational Center Coordinator at the New Mexico Military Institute, Jan.-April 2024, where he was responsible for the direct development and implementation of year-long performance training programs for the Broncos’ baseball, basketball, and cross country teams. He also assisted the head strength coach in the programming and execution of training programs for the football and volleyball programs. 

Fiorito’s first postgraduate experience came as an NFL Bill Walsh Fellowship Strength Intern for the Buccaneers, July-Sept. 2023, where he met daily with the Director of Sports Performance Rehab, led groups through gameday and pre-game warmups and activations, and more.

He served as a graduate assistant for Toledo’s football team, August 2021-June 2023, leading in-season lifts for developmental groups, trained incoming freshman and pro day athletes, and created and led high needs program for athletes to achieve better exercise technique and general mobility. He began his career as an intern for Cincinnati’s football team.

Fiorito earned his bachelor’s degree from Illinois State in 2021 and his master’s from Toledo in 2023. 

Okruta joins Harrison’s staff after previously serving as a strength and conditioning intern for Pittsburg’s football team since Jan.

While with the Panthers’ he helped to set up and break down daily lifts, direct injured student-athletes through their return-to-play progression, demonstrating lifts and drills, and assisted in Pro Day training.

Okruta began his strength and conditioning career at the NST Sports Performace in Twinsburg, Ohio as an intern where he assisted in training, ran drills, and more.

Okruta graduated from Kent State in August 2024 and currently is working towards his Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist certification.

Anderson remains on Harrison’s staff after previously serving as a strength and conditioning coaching intern since July 2024, where he primarily worked with the Governors’ baseball, softball, and track and field programs.
 
Anderson served in the 101st Airborne Division, 2021-25. During his time in the Army, Anderson served as a Brigade Innovations Officer, DSSB Battalion Adjutant, TC Executive Officer, and a Maintenance Platoon Leader/Battalion Maintenance Officer. 
 
Prior to his time on Fort Campbell, Anderson was a member of the Auburn Army ROTC, July 2019-21.
 
Anderson earned his bachelor’s degree in physical activity and health in May 2021

LAPEER — The Lapeer varsity volleyball team and its coaches hosted their second youth camp of the summer Thursday at Rolland-Warner Middle School. Leading the camp was Lawrence Technological University coach Gustavo Heidrich, along with former LTU player and assistant graduate coach Kristi Doherty and others from Volleyball Academy and Shoebox Sports, both located in Fenton. This was an intermediate […]