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Soccer standout left the game, but not before it shaped her

St. Scholastica alumna Tricia Johnson always loved soccer, and it showed. The 5-foot-11 standout was named the 2009 Louisiana Gatorade Player of the Year and played two seasons at LSU before hanging up her cleats. Since stepping away from soccer, the now 34-year-old mother-to-be — she’s expecting a baby boy in September — has been […]

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Soccer standout left the game, but not before it shaped her

St. Scholastica alumna Tricia Johnson always loved soccer, and it showed.

The 5-foot-11 standout was named the 2009 Louisiana Gatorade Player of the Year and played two seasons at LSU before hanging up her cleats.

Since stepping away from soccer, the now 34-year-old mother-to-be — she’s expecting a baby boy in September — has been all over the world and owns her own drone photography business.

And she says soccer played a huge role in the person she became.

“It was the sport that I loved, “Johnson said. “I did a lot of other sports, but soccer just held a special place in my heart. And that came back to the coaches because Coach Mike (Ortner) made it such an amazing experience.”

Johnson picked up the sport at a young age. She jokingly mentioned that when she was watching old home movies recently, it was like “a blob of kids following the ball.”

It quickly became more as the 4-year-old grew up quickly and helped the Doves take home state titles in 2007 and 2009, while also playing for the Mandeville Lakers Premier team of the Mandeville Soccer Association.

Then came the Gatorade Player of the Year award in 2009 and college soccer. She played in 22 games over two seasons with the Tigers.

“Playing at the college level is a different ballgame,” Johnson said. “For me, it took a bit of the fun out of it. I had a few injuries here and there, which made it harder. I sat down with my dad, and I just said, ‘I’m not having fun.’ I was like, ‘Why did I ever start playing soccer in the first place?’ Something just took the spark away from it, so I sat down with my coach and said college soccer just wasn’t for me.”

And just like that, Johnson was on to her next adventure.

A new chapter

Johnson graduated from LSU in 2013 with a major in sports administration and a minor in business.

“I had no earthly idea what I wanted to do,” she said. 

But  time away from the sport also ignited a bit of wanderlust, and after graduation, she took what was supposed to be a two-plus week trip to New Zealand. It turned into much more.

“Growing up, I thought my whole world was soccer,” Johnson said. “The whole me wanting to go to New Zealand by myself was shocking to my parents. That kind of started me being a free spirit. I wouldn’t change how everything went for the world. I think everything worked out amazingly. I really do.”

The once quiet and “painfully shy” Johnson called her parents about a week into the trip and said she had gotten a work visa to stay in New Zealand. That turned into a two-year stay, where she discovered a passion for the wine business.

“Toward the end of my time in New Zealand, I wanted to get more into wine education,” Johnson said. “I signed myself up for a class for six months in Napa, California. I worked at a vineyard and took classes. Then, I was like, I think I need to check out the Australian wine scene.”

She ended up on the western side of Australia in Margaret River, about three hours south of Perth. She lived there for more than a year and developed a love of surfing.

“That was probably my favorite sport ever,” Johnson said. “Margaret River is a really great wine region. It’s literally the opposite side of the world from where I am now. It’s on the coast. Beautiful scenery, and it’s a huge surfing destination. I got into surfing there, which was very humbling.”

Returning home

All of those adventures eventually led Johnson back to the States, ultimately landing near Charleston, South Carolina — Folly Beach, to be exact. She got her sommelier certificate, but the long hours and nighttime work took a toll. So, she started to look for her next adventure.

“I kind of fell in love with Charleston,” Johnson said. “It’s a big food and drink scene here. It was a little bit different aspect as opposed to the wineries and the vineyards, which I do love. I got my sommelier certificate, but the hours were just too much.”

In 2021, her soon-to-be-husband had the idea of opening an RV park, so he came home with a 17-foot travel trailer and the duo went on a six-month road trip out west to research parks for recreational vehicles.

That’s when she discovered a passion for drone photography, turning what was first a hobby into a business as she got her license last year.

After nearly three years of marriage to Matt Campbell, Johnson is embarking on her latest journey — motherhood.

“I feel too young to be a mom, but I’m very excited,” she said.

Although Johnson hasn’t played in years, she traces her growth as a person back to soccer.

“I’ve had some of my hardest conversations with my college coach. I think the sport helped me come out of my shell,” she said. “And also, the ending was unique. You’re supposed to have fun at sports, but it’s not all (that) I am. That was hard. I feel that it is hard for any athlete who stops playing after a long time. You associate yourself with the sport.

“I would say that I swear I’m more than just the sport. I’d be a completely different person if I didn’t have soccer in my life and if I didn’t have the team and coaches that I did growing up. It really made me who I am today, and I’m very thankful for all the relationships I’ve made along the way.”

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Penn State earns commitment from 4-star EDGE Tyson Harley | Penn State Football News

Penn State’s newest commitment in the class of 2026 comes from a school that recently produced an NFL talent for the Nittany Lions. Saturday, Tyson Harley announced via Instagram he will be taking his talents to State College for the next chapter of his football career. He is a 4-star who ranks as the No. […]

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Penn State’s newest commitment in the class of 2026 comes from a school that recently produced an NFL talent for the Nittany Lions.

Saturday, Tyson Harley announced via Instagram he will be taking his talents to State College for the next chapter of his football career.

He is a 4-star who ranks as the No. 348 player nationally, No. 33 EDGE and No. 2 in Washington, D.C.

Harley chose the Nittany Lions over Maryland, Rugters, Michigan State and Virginia Tech. He plays for Gonzaga College High School, which former Penn State offensive tackle and current New York Jet Olu Fashanu played for.

MORE FOOTBALL COVERAGE


3-star OT Marlen Bright announces commitment to Penn State

Phil Trautwein continues to load up his offensive line for the foreseeable future. 

If you’re interested in submitting a Letter to the Editor, click here.



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Sweet Amythist loves gymnastics, arts & crafts

Amythist is a smart, sweet, and creative young girl who enjoys a variety of fun activities. She loves gymnastics, dancing, music, riding her bike, and doing arts and crafts. She attends elementary school and enjoys being around her peers, especially during social or creative activities. Though she can be a bit shy at first, Amythist […]

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Amythist is a smart, sweet, and creative young girl who enjoys a variety of fun activities.

She loves gymnastics, dancing, music, riding her bike, and doing arts and crafts. She attends elementary school and enjoys being around her peers, especially during social or creative activities. Though she can be a bit shy at first, Amythist opens up as she becomes more comfortable and shows a fun, caring personality.

She enjoys indulging in girly things and shares a special connection with her social worker over their shared love of Bath & Body Works products. Amythist thrives when she feels safe, supported, and encouraged to be herself.

Can I Adopt?

If you’re at least 18 years old, have a stable source of income, and room in your heart, you may be a perfect match to adopt a waiting child. Adoptive parents can be single, married, or partnered; experienced or not; renters or homeowners; LGBTQ+ singles and couples. As an adoptive parent, you won’t have to pay any fees, adoption from foster care is completely free in Massachusetts.

The process to adopt a child from foster care includes training, interviews, and home visits to determine if adoption is right for you. These steps will help match you with a child or sibling group that your family will fit well with. To learn more about adoption from foster care visit www.mareinc.org. Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE) can give you guidance and information on the adoption process.

Reach out today to find out all the ways you can help children and teens in foster care.



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Cole Hutson in ‘no rush’ to end college career but Capitals still plan to ‘put the push on’ and sign him after sophomore season

Cole Hutson is one of the top prospects in all of hockey and is headed back to college for his sophomore season at Boston University. The 2024 second-round pick of the Washington Capitals made it to the 2025 National Championship game with the Terriers and is heading back to school to try to avenge the […]

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Cole Hutson is one of the top prospects in all of hockey and is headed back to college for his sophomore season at Boston University. The 2024 second-round pick of the Washington Capitals made it to the 2025 National Championship game with the Terriers and is heading back to school to try to avenge the team’s loss to Western Michigan.

The 19-year-old defender will be eligible to sign an entry-level contract with the Washington Capitals after the season. However, he stated on Saturday at the end of Caps Development Camp that there is no guarantee he’ll be ready to do so next spring.

“Obviously, big reason I’m going back for school, I want to win a national championship,” Hutson said. “I want to graduate school, make my mom happy. I’m in no rush to go any place. You can’t get worse playing college hockey. Just going to enjoy the moment. If it’s two or three more years, I’m perfectly fine with that. So, just going to have fun and hopefully win maybe one or two national championships.”

Hutson finished his first year at BU as the top freshman in the nation, winning the 2025 Tim Taylor Award as NCAA Rookie of the Year and being the only freshman out of the 24 players selected to the East/West First and Second-Teams. He posted 48 points (14g, 34a) in 39 games, six more points than the next-best freshman and 22 more points than the next-best freshman defenseman.

While his sights seem firmly set on the NCAA for now, he admitted that it was exciting to be at his second development camp, building bonds with guys he could one day share a Capitals locker room with. He’s also previously shared the current Caps players he is most excited to one day play with, so his future with the team doesn’t sound uncertain.

“Yeah, I think it’s really cool, obviously, being here with draft picks and free agents,” Hutson said. “We have no idea who’s going to be a teammate in the future, and just building relationships before, hopefully, you make it to the pros. It’s good to get to know guys, build connections, and hopefully become teammates with them.”

Hutson’s 3-on-3 team won this year’s tournament at the camp, and he scored two goals in the championship victory against an opposition team that featured the highly talented Andrew Cristall. His performance throughout the five-day camp turned heads among the top Capitals brass.

“Yeah, I thought he was excellent,” general manager Chris Patrick said. “I thought he was at a different level. He certainly seems like a guy that is ready for the next step.”

The Capitals went through a similar process with top prospect Ryan Leonard last season. Leonard delivered 49 points (30g, 19a) in 37 games for Boston College during his sophomore season and then signed with the Caps once the Eagles were eliminated in the NCAA tournament.

Patrick sounded undeterred by Hutson’s assertion that he would be okay with playing longer in college than Leonard did.

“It feels like Leonard part two here,” Patrick said. “We’ll kind of give him space. I know he’s got some goals this year for what he wants to do at BU. And then once his season’s done, we’ll put the push on.”

“What I saw there this week, which really impressed me, was that we all know the skill and the skating ability, the stuff he does with Wendy, it looks easy for him. That’s not easy stuff,” Patrick added. “But to me, what I was impressed by was his competitiveness. Not just in that 3-on-3, but if he did a drill, he didn’t like the way he did it, he’s firing pucks down the other end of the ice. He wants everything to be perfect all the time. That kind of drive is a good trait to have for a guy that wants to be an NHLer.”

Hutson’s older brother, Lane Hutson, played just two seasons at BU before signing with the Montreal Canadiens. The 21-year-old rearguard won the Calder Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year this past season, recording 66 points (6g, 60a) in 82 games.

Cole watched his brother take on the Capitals during the playoffs, wearing a Canadiens ugly Christmas sweater. He met with Caps head coach Spencer Carbery after Game 3 at the Bell Centre.

Hutson will also be eligible to play in the 2026 World Juniors for Team USA after winning gold last January at his first tournament and becoming the first defenseman in World Juniors history to lead in points. He could win back-to-back golds and then end the year signing with the Caps, just like Leonard did.



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Watch video highlights of Pacific Mini Games action in Palau so far

From the pool to the track and the ocean, the first six days of the Pacific Mini Games brought packed competition despite some disruption from wet weather. Sunday 6 July is a rest day for the games, so it’s a great chance for fans to relive the action so far with daily 30-minute video highlights […]

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Watch video highlights of Pacific Mini Games action in Palau so far

From the pool to the track and the ocean, the first six days of the Pacific Mini Games brought packed competition despite some disruption from wet weather.

Sunday 6 July is a rest day for the games, so it’s a great chance for fans to relive the action so far with daily 30-minute video highlights capturing the best moments, medal wins, and standout performances across every code.

Day 1
The Pacific Mini Games kicked off with events scheduled in swimming, wrestling, va’a, volleyball, and softball. Swimmers were set to race in heats across 10 events, while va’a crews lined up for V1 and V12 500m races.

Wrestling ran through more than 40 men’s freestyle bouts, and volleyball began with women’s pool games. Softball opened with three matchups, including hosts Palau playing the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM).

Day 2
More codes joined the Games on Day Two, with medal rounds planned in swimming, va’a, wrestling, and archery. The pool hosted finals in nine races, including relays.

Va’a returned with V6 races and gold medal events while wrestling introduced Greco-Roman and women’s freestyle divisions. Archery and basketball 3×3 were added to the mix, and round robins continued in team sports.

Day 3
A full schedule was planned across nine sports. Swimming featured eight more races, while weightlifting awarded medals in lighter divisions. Archery match play continued, and beach wrestling made its first appearance.

The day also included va’a marathon races, table tennis, and more volleyball and softball. Beach volleyball pool play and basketball 3×3 gold medal games were also set.

Day 4
The Games picked up pace with events across over a dozen codes. Swimming scheduled finals in freestyle, long distance, and relays. Table tennis moved into medal rounds, including para and wheelchair events.

Weightlifting shifted to mid-weight classes, and archery prepared for finals – basketball 3×3 pool play wrapped up with gold medal matches, while other team sports continued.

Day 5
Track and field was set to feature the 10,000m and para-athletics, along with throws and relays. Va’a races covered 24km marathon distances. Swimming planned another round of medal events, and table tennis wrapped up women’s singles with men’s rounds starting.

Beach volleyball pool play continued, and weightlifting moved into heavier categories. Softball, volleyball, and archery also carried on.

Day 6
Athletics ran a full programme with 100m sprints, 800m, decathlon, heptathlon and para events on the schedule. The 5km open-water swims were scheduled for the morning, followed by a mixed relay.

Weightlifting held its final sessions in the heaviest divisions. Basketball 3×3 wrapped up with Oceania finals, while beach volleyball, softball and baseball all continued into later stages.

Medal Standings after Day 6

Medal Standings after Day 6 of the Pacific Mini Games 2025.

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MSU Hockey News – The Only Colors

As you enjoy the holiday weekend of summer sun, we at TOC thought you may need a little ice break to cool off. With the NHL draft completed, let’s take a look at current and future Spartans that were drafted as well as some other news around Munn. Speaking of the NHL draft, MSU became […]

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As you enjoy the holiday weekend of summer sun, we at TOC thought you may need a little ice break to cool off. With the NHL draft completed, let’s take a look at current and future Spartans that were drafted as well as some other news around Munn.

Speaking of the NHL draft, MSU became one of only 4 schools to have a player drafted in the NFL, NHL, and NBA 2025 drafts. Penn State, Michigan, and Wisconsin were the other schools, making it a B1G exclusive club. Way to go, MSU athletes.

MSU had two future players drafted in the first round. Ryker Lee is an incoming freshman forward who was drafted No. 26 by the Nashville Predators. Mason West was drafted No. 29 by the Chicago Blackhawks who traded up to get the forward. West will be joining the Spartans for the 26-27 season. He’s a dual athlete who is also a quarterback and was recruited by some smaller D1 schools to play football. The bigger coup is that MSU took him right out of Minnesota to play hockey which has many Gopher fans upset.

Drafted No. 45 in round two was Eric Nilson, center. He just committed last month and has an NHL pedigree as he hopes to follow his father’s 10 year NHL career. Nilson will be playing for MSU this fall and was drafted by the Anaheim Ducks.

At No. 48, current Spartan Shane Vansaghi was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers. We may be seeing Shane reunite on the ice one day with Karsen Dorwart who made his NHL debut with Philly in late March.

2026-27 incoming defenseman Brady Peddle went no. 91 to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The final draft pick was Max Heise, a forward who will also be in East Lansing for the 26-27 season. He went at pick no. 150 to the San Jose Sharks.

There are a lot of NHL draft picks on the current and future rosters that just goes to prove that MSU Hockey is brewing something special for some years to come.

In some other hockey news, Gavin McKenna, everyone’s top pick in next year’s NHL Draft, visited East Lansing on Monday. He was in Happy Valley on Sunday and people have speculated that PSU is the favorite to land the generational talent. People should not be sleeping on Sparty. I think MSU has a real solid chance to land McKenna as MSU is locked and loaded for a run next season and McKenna could very well be a one and done. Pairing up with Lindstrom (who was his teammate with the Medicine Hat Tigers), Howard, and Augustine may just be too good to pass up. Not to mention, being coached by Nightingale and learning the team is greater than the individual may all be too enticing for the most growth and success to come out of one season. His decision could come over the weekend, so stay tuned.

Lastly, I want to congratulate former Spartan, Duncan Keith on his election to the NHL Hall of Fame. This writer here is a huge Blackhawks guy. Jeremy Roenick, Tony Amonte, Chris Chelios and Eddie Belfour were my hockey heroes growing up. So of course, I watched a lot of Blackhawk hockey during their title runs in the 2010’s. Duncan Keith was an essential part of those title runs. Showtime Patrick Kane and the consistent leadership of Jonathan Toews are what many will remember from those runs. Those cups would never be raised in Chicago without Keith and Seabrook defending. Keith was crazy durable, could lead a beautiful stretch pass, push the blue line and get back and play physical. Congrats to you! I love seeing the MSU to Chicago line continue with Levshunov and now West. Of course I’m still pulling for that trade with Tampa or for Howard to not sign and join the Hawks. I mean, I can dream right?

Enjoy the holiday weekend, stay cool, let’s sign McKenna, and Go Green!



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Five-Star Recruit Lands Record-Breaking NIL Deal That’s More Than What Most NFL Players Make After Committing To Texas Tech

Five-Star Recruit Lands Record-Breaking NIL Deal That’s More Than What Most NFL Players Make After Committing To Texas Tech Home » NCAA » Five-Star Recruit Lands Record-Breaking NIL Deal That’s More Than What Most NFL Players Make After Committing To Texas Tech […]

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Five-Star Recruit Lands Record-Breaking NIL Deal That’s More Than What Most NFL Players Make After Committing To Texas Tech