College Sports

Three-Time NCAA Champion Theresa Andrews Among 2025 Florida Gator Hall of Fame Inductees

Courtesy: Florida Athletics GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A storied group of Gators is set to be inducted into the 2025 UF Athletic Hall of Fame class, the University of Florida F Club and Gator Boosters announced on Wednesday. The Hall of Fame Banquet is Friday, October 17, 2025, prior to the Mississippi State home football game. […]

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2 weeks ago

May 7, 2025

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Courtesy: Florida Athletics

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A storied group of Gators is set to be inducted into the 2025 UF Athletic Hall of Fame class, the University of Florida F Club and Gator Boosters announced on Wednesday.

The Hall of Fame Banquet is Friday, October 17, 2025, prior to the Mississippi State home football game.

2025 Florida Hall of Fame Class:
The F Club Committee chooses UF Athletic Hall of Fame inductees based on three categories: Gator Greats, Distinguished Letterwinners and Honorary Letterwinners.

The 2025 class is composed of seven Gator Greats and one Honorary Letterwinner.

The list of Gator Greats in this year’s class includes:

Name	Sport	UF Career
Theresa Andrews	Swimming	1981-83
Charlotte Browning	Track & Field/Cross Country	2008-10
Kitty Cullen	Lacrosse	2010-13
Marquis Dendy	Track & Field	2012-15
Lauren Haeger	Softball	2012-15
Kytra Hunter	Gymnastics	2012-15
Maurkice Pouncey	Football	2007-09

The seven Gator Greats were part of 10 national and 16 conference title teams. They won a combined 16 NCAA and 28 SEC individual crowns.

This year’s class includes a distinguish letterwinner:

Gator Greats are Letterwinners who brought recognition and prominence to the University of Florida and themselves by their athletic accomplishments as a student-athlete.

A Distinguished Letterwinner is a letterwinner who has made major contributions to the University athletic program through personal time, effort, interest and through many years of continued service. Additionally, Distinguished Letterwinners must have distinguished themselves as exception in their chosen field or endeavor.

More About the 2025 UF Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees

Gator Greats

Theresa Andrews - 2025 Florida Athletics Hall of Fame

Theresa Andrews | Women’s Swimming, 1981-83
A three-time NCAA champion and 18-time All-American, Andrews helped Florida win its first NCAA women’s swimming and diving national championship in 1982. She also captured back-to-back Southeastern Conference titles in the 50-yard and 100-yard backstroke and was part of four relay conference title winning relay teams in 1982 and 1983.

Andrews earned gold medals in the 100-meter backstroke and as a part of the 400m medley relay team at the 1984 Olympics. Her 100m victory was voted in 2005 as No. 6 out of the 10 greatest upsets in Olympic swimming history.

She became the third overall Gator to be awarded the NCAA Silver Anniversary Award in 2008, which recognizes former student-athletes who completed successful collegiate careers in various sports and have excelled in their chosen professions. The Silver Anniversary Award acknowledges the former student-athletes on their 25th anniversary of completing their athletics eligibility.

Prior to joining Florida for the 1981-82 season, Andrews attended Indiana University, Bloomington for a year. During the 1980-81 season, Andrews won six Big Ten titles and participated in six events at the 1981 Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women championships.

Charlotte Browning - 2025 Florida Athletics Hall of Fame

Charlotte Browning | Women’s Track & Field/Cross Country 2008-10
A two-time NCAA Individual champion and three-time SEC Individual champion, Browning emerged as one of the top middle-distance and distance runners in the collegiate ranks by her senior season in 2010. In the 2010 campaign, she won both the indoor one-mile and outdoor 1500m NCAA titles. At the SEC Indoor Championships, she won both the one-mile and 3,000m crowns, earning 20 team points for the Gators en route to their first SEC Indoor team championship since 2004. As the high point athlete, she was awarded the Cliff Harper Trophy at the 2010 SEC Indoor Championships. She was named the USTFCCCA South Region Women’s Indoor Runner of the Year following the 2010 indoor season.

Browning set the school record in both the mile and 1500m that season, with former standing for nearly 14 years.

In the 2009 cross country season, Browning led the Gators’ efforts at the NCAA Championships, being named a USTFCCCA All-American for her 21^st-place finish in the 6k, and added All-SEC and All-South Region honors for her runner-up finishes in both races. Her finish at the national title race led the Gators to seventh overall, which ranked then as the program’s highest NCAA cross country placing and first top-10 showing.

Kitty Cullen - 2025 Florida Athletics Hall of Fame

Kitty Cullen | Lacrosse, 2010-13
Kitty Cullen, a part of Florida’s first four teams, is also the first lacrosse player to join the Gators Athletics Hall of Fame. She appeared in 79 games with 73 starts during her Florida career. Cullen was a three-time IWLCA All-American, earning first-team honors in 2012 and 2013, while capturing second-team honors in 2011. The Rockville, Md., native totaled 261 points on 203 goals and 58 assists in her Gator career, which still stands as fifth all-time in goals and seventh in points. She led UF scoring as a sophomore, junior and senior. The attacker was a three-time Tewaaraton Top-25 nominee.

She earned top American Lacrosse Conference (ALC) honors twice – 2011 ALC Player of the Year and the first 2013 ALC Offensive Player of the Year. Cullen was an All-ALC First Team selection in 2011, 2012 and 2013.

Cullen helped the Gators reach their first ever NCAA semifinal in 2012, posting eight hat-tricks and three games with five goals during that season.

Marquis Dendy - 2025 Florida Athletics Hall of Fame

Marquis Dendy | Men’s Track and Field, 2012-15
One of the greatest and most decorated jumpers in collegiate history, Marquis Dendy won an incredible seven NCAA individual titles and seven SEC titles during his four seasons in Gainesville. In 2015, Dendy became unstoppable in the horizontal jumps, sweeping the long jump and triple jump titles at the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships, as well as both SEC Championship meets. He set the school record in all four events – all of which stand to this day.

Following his senior season, Dendy won the long jump crown at the U.S. Championships, and would go on to represent team USA at the World Championships. He won the 2016 World Indoor Championships long jump title.

Dendy became the first athlete in Florida Gators history to win The Bowerman Trophy in 2015, collegiate track and field’s highest individual honor.

A singular talent and personality, Dendy’s professional career has continued to flourish, donning his colorful kits and iconic hats in international competition to this day, currently holding the No. 25 long jump mark in the world for 2025 season.

Lauren Haeger - 2025 Florida Athletics Hall of Fame

Lauren Haeger | Softball, 2012-15
Lauren Haeger was one of the most dominant Gators in the circle and at the plate in Florida program history. As a senior, she became just the third in NCAA history to claim each of softball’s highest honors in a single season – Honda Award, USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year and Women’s College World Series Most Outstanding Player. After leading Florida to its second consecutive NCAA team title as a senior in 2015, Haeger claimed the Southeastern Conference Female Athlete of Year award.

Haeger joined Babe Ruth as the only players in Division I softball, baseball or Major League Baseball history to reach the 70-70 plateau (career victories and career home runs). The 2015 SEC Pitcher of the Year led the Gators that season with 19 home runs and 71 RBI. A first-team All-American in 2015 and 2013, Haeger still is the Gators career home run (71) and RBI (260) leader. Haeger closed her four seasons in the circle ranking in the top 10 in win percentage, win, ERA, innings pitched, shutouts and appearances. Haeger also ended among UF’s top 10 in career slugging percentage, hits, total bases and walks.

Kytra Hunter - 2025 Florida Athletics Hall of Fame

Kytra Hunter | Gymnastics 2012-15
Kytra Hunter made an impression from the opening competition of her Gator career. The first of her 21 all-around wins came in her collegiate debut at NC State in 2012. As a freshman, she won all-around titles at the Southeastern Conference and NCAA Championships. She was the first Gator to win the NCAA all-around title, which she repeated as a senior in 2015. Hunter helped the Gators win their first NCAA title in 2013 and continued to be a key member for Florida’s 2014 and 2015 national title teams. In addition to her two NCAA all-around titles, Hunter won NCAA vault (2012) and floor exercise (2015). Her seven SEC individual titles shares the program career total lead. Hunter finished her career third on Florida’s career all-around wins (21) and event titles (83) lists, which includes a career-high nine all-around wins in 2015.

She was the first Gator to repeat as a Honda Award winner as the nation’s top collegiate gymnast in 2012 and 2015. Hunter found perfection six times – two 10.0s for vault and four for floor. She’s one of 10 in league history to be both SEC Freshman (2012) and Gymnast (2015) of the Year.

Maurkice Pouncey - 2025 Florida Athletics Hall of Fame

Maurkice Pouncey | Football 2007-09
During his time in Gainesville, Maurkice Pouncey established himself as one of the best offensive linemen in Florida history. From 2007-09, Pouncey started 41 games for the Gators, earning 39 starts. He helped UF win the BCS National Championship and SEC in 2008, starting all 14 games that season at center.

In 2009, Pouncey became the first Gator in program history to win the Rimington Trophy, awarded to the nation’s best center. That year, he was also earned first-team All-America honors from Walter Camp, CBSSports.com, Sporting News and the FWAA, while also being named a unanimous first-team All-SEC selection.

In 2007, he was named a first-team freshman All-American by CollegeFootballNews.com and Rivals.com after playing in all 13 games, while earning 11 starts.

Pouncey was selected with the 18^th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He would go on to have a stellar NFL career, playing 11 seasons with the Steelers, starting all 134 games he appeared in. Pouncey was a two-time first-team All-Pro, a three-time second-team All-Pro, nine-time Pro Bowl selection and a member of the NFL’s 2010s All-Decade Team.

Distinguished Letterwinner

Phil Pharr - 2025 Gators Athletics Hall of Fame

Phil Pharr | Football 1978-80
A veteran of over 44 years with Gator Boosters, Inc., Phil Pharr has been a mainstay at UF since his playing days with the Gator football team. A three-year letterman from 1978-80, Pharr was a member of the 1980 team that posted an 8-4 record, earning a ranking as high as No. 18 during the season. The Gators ended the 1980 season with a 35-20 win over Maryland.

After graduating with a degree in public relations, Pharr joined the Gator Boosters staff in 1981 as Field Secretary, a role he held until 1986, where he developed the Lettermen’s Association (currently the F Club), the Hall of Fame nominations process and banquet and helped coordinate the University Athletic Association’s involvement in Gator Clubs throughout the southeast.

In 1986, Pharr was elevated to Assistant Director of Major Gifts in which he coordinated endowment fundraising efforts and cultivated major gift donor prospects. In 1993, he was promoted to Associate Executive Director of Major Gifts where he has directed all aspects of identifying prospective donors, major gifts programs for athletics, and cultivation and stewardship of existing and potential future donors for Gator Boosters.

Pharr has served as the Executive Director of Gator Boosters since 2012, where he oversees the major gift and annual giving programs for the athletic department, including capital gifts, scholarship endowment and ticket-related giving.

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Keegan O’Toole, Helen Hu and Shannon Welker were among Mizzou’s best in 2024-25

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Two Mizzou athletes, two comebacks. Wrestler Keegan O’Toole had the kind of injury that keeps most athletes on the shelf for a year but no plans to let that get in the way of his quest for silverware. Helen Hu had ground herself through recovery from an ACL tear, walking away from […]

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May 24, 2025

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COLUMBIA, Mo. — Two Mizzou athletes, two comebacks.

Wrestler Keegan O’Toole had the kind of injury that keeps most athletes on the shelf for a year but no plans to let that get in the way of his quest for silverware. Helen Hu had ground herself through recovery from an ACL tear, walking away from gymnastics with nothing left in the tank.

Both came back to their sports in different ways, and both made the most of it, putting together the most captivating performances by Missouri athletes in the 2024-25 sports cycle. Their comebacks — and the heights that came with them — make them the Post-Dispatch’s choices for MU men’s and women’s athlete of the year, part of the newspaper’s annual honors capping the year in sports at the school.

NCAA Championships Wrestling — Missouri’s Keegan O’Toole celebrates after defeating Iowa State’s David Carr in the championship round at the NCAA Division I wrestling championships on Saturday, March 18, 2023, in Tulsa, Okla.

Ian Maule, Tulsa World

Men’s Athlete of the Year: O’Toole, wrestling

A couple of weeks after finishing as the Big 12 champion and national runner-up at 174 pounds, O’Toole posted a picture from a hospital bed, his left knee bandaged and stabilized with a beefy brace.

He’d had finally had surgery to repair a torn ACL, but only after wrestling — in dominant fashion — through the normally debilitating injury.

O’Toole first hurt the knee during a mid-November meet at Virginia Tech, when he felt a little pop somewhere inside the joint.

“It kind of hurt for a minute, but the pain went away,” he told FloWrestling. “I just thought that I popped my calf or something.”

About a month later, O’Toole felt an odder sensation in that knee during a match: something he described as the tissue connecting bones finally giving way. The next morning, he needed help getting out of bed. An MRI revealed he’d torn his ACL.

The immediate option, which most athletes probably would’ve taken, was to undergo surgery to repair the ligament. That would’ve ended O’Toole’s season, though, and he wanted no such thing.

Instead, he stopped competing for two months but put off surgery. As swelling went down in the injured knee, he started to get some strength back. O’Toole returned for the final dual of the regular season, a short run-up to the postseason.

He looked neither rusty nor badly injured during the Big 12 championships, winning all four of his matches en route to a conference title. He then went 4-1 at the NCAA Championships, which was good for second place and an All-American nod — the fifth of his career.

All that, with a torn ACL.

“I still had fun,” O’Toole said.

Shortly after his surgery, Mizzou coach Brian Smith announced that O’Toole has been hired as an assistant.

In the running: Triple jumper Jonathan Seremes won a national title with a personal-best 17.04-meter effort at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championship in March. … Football right tackle Armand Membou was Mizzou’s highest-selected player in the NFL draft in more than a decade. … Men’s basketball’s Mark Mitchell earned third-team All-SEC honors while leading the team in scoring, and Caleb Grill was the league’s Sixth Man of the Year after an incredible 3-point shooting run.

NCAA Womens Championships Gymnastics — Missouri’s Helen Hu, right, celebrates with a coach after competing on the balance beam during the NCAA Championships on Saturday, April 19, 2025, in Fort Worth, Texas.

Tony Gutierrez, Associated Press

Women’s Athlete of the Year: Hu, gymnastics

The first time Helen Hu left Mizzou gymnastics, she was burned out and hurting. The second time she did so, she was a national champion. It was a good thing she came back in between.

Hu had been one of the Tigers’ best gymnasts the first time around, returning from an ACL injury to star on the balance beam. But she’d had enough after the 2023 season, in which she earned second-team All-American honors but no perfect 10 score.

After a year of globetrotting around Central America, Europe and Asia, gymnastics coach Shannon Welker pitched Hu, back in Columbia for a former teammate’s wedding, the idea of returning to use her final year of eligibility.

“I took it as a joke,” Hu said, but it wasn’t.

She earned her elusive 10 during a meet at Oklahoma, then added another in the regular-season finale at Arkansas. Hu then added another during the second round of the NCAA Tournament, driving the Tigers into the late stages of the postseason by closing out meets with clutch routines.

Hu won the national beam title at the NCAA Championships, where Missouri finished third in the team competition.

“When I decided to come back, I did not have it in my mind to accomplish so much that I did this year,” she said. “It was really quite a shock.”

In the running: Volleyball outside hitter Mychael Vernon was named a third-team All-American after ranking third in the SEC in kills. … Gymnasts Elise Tisler and Mara Titarsolej joined Hu as first-team All-Americans. … Softball catcher Julia Crenshaw made the All-SEC first team after leading the Tigers with a .343 batting average and sound defensive work.

Missouri gymnastics — University of Missouri head gymnastics coach Shannon Welker gives some advice to Amari Celestine during a practice session Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024, at Mizzou’s gymnastics training facility in Columbia, Mo.

David Carson, Post-Dispatch

Coach of the Year: Welker, gymnastics

In the immediate aftermath of Mizzou gymnastics advancing narrowly out of an NCAA Championship semifinal and into the finals for the first time in program history, Welker was running late to his news conference.

“Sorry I’m late,” he joked to reporters on site in Fort Worth, Texas. “I was renegotiating my contract.”

He did get a new contract with Missouri, albeit near the start of a 2025 season that goes down as one of the most impressive in recent MU athletics history. It’s much deserved for the coach running the school’s highest-performing team at present.

Welker’s 12th season coaching the Tigers netted the aforementioned third-place finish, plus the program’s first national champion (Hu), most perfect 10s in a season (five) and first team score of 198 in a meet. He built that success through recruitment and development of a senior class that made two runs to the NCAA Championships, well-timed transfers and wooing Hu out of retirement for one more year — the kind of roster building necessary in today’s college sports environment.

Welker was named both the national gymnastics and SEC coach of the year for his efforts.

In the running: Volleyball coach Dawn Sullivan captured regional coach of the year honors after leading the Tigers to the Sweet 16 in her second season. … Eli Drinkwitz became the second-ever MU football coach to win 10-plus games in back-to-back seasons. … Dennis Gates brought Mizzou men’s basketball back to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in his three years at the helm.

Basketball's rebound, football missing CFP among 5 biggest Mizzou stories of 24-25

Mizzou gymnastics finishes 3rd at NCAA Championships

Mizzou records worst baseball season in 66 years. 'We need to get back on track,' AD says

Transfer portal retrospective: Mizzou men's hoops prioritized retaining, complementing 'nucleus'

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Why golf phenom Kihei Akina chose BYU – Deseret News

Standing on the first tee of the Black Desert Championship last October in Ivins, Utah, Kihei Akina caught a glimpse of his future. With a large crowd gathered around him, BYU’s prized five-star golf recruit took out his driver and readied himself to make his PGA Tour debut. “I was fine and felt normal,” Akina […]

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May 24, 2025

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“I was fine and felt normal,” Akina told the “Y’s Guys” podcast this week. “But I put the tee in the ground and as I stood over the ball, my legs went to jelly. I couldn’t feel my hands. I couldn’t feel anything. I thought, ‘Oh crap! Just make contact!’ Somehow, I hit it down the fairway.”

By the third hole, Akina was back to being his confident self and over the course of two days he went toe-to-toe with the professionals and made eight birdies and finished just outside the cut line at 4 under par.

Special Collector’s Issue: “1984: The Year BYU was Second to None”

Get an inclusive look inside BYU Football’s 1984 National Championship season.

“It was definitely different from junior golf and high school golf,” said the three-time state champion at Lone Peak High. “I just tried to learn as much as I could from those guys.”

Akina hails from an athletic family. His older sister, Kiani, played rugby at Harvard, and older brothers Keanu golfed at BYU and Kawika played basketball at NYU in Manhattan. Now it’s his time to shine.

When it came time to decide on a college, Akina received offers and NIL pitches from 50 programs, including BYU, which presented a competitive proposal — and an environment that has less to do with golf and more to do with the golfer.

“I wanted to surround myself with likeminded people. People in the church who have the same beliefs as me,” Akina said. “I think it will help build me and help build my testimony of the Savior and help me be a better person and get to where I want to be in life.”

Akina also wants to win. Bruce Brockbank’s current Cougars are competing this weekend at the NCAA championships in Carlsbad, California, where BYU is chasing its first national title since 1981.

“I also wanted to come in and build the program up and I want to compete for a national championship,” Akina said. “At BYU you represent so much. You represent the church and this great state of Utah. It’s really cool to be able to do that. Hopefully we can make a run next year.”

Akina is a big piece of an unprecedented wave of prized prep recruits bringing their talents to Provo, including No. 1 recruit AJ Dybantsa (basketball), No. 1-ranked Jane Hedengren (women’s cross-country), No. 1-ranked Daniel Simmons (men’s cross-country) and the No. 5-ranked tight end Brock Harris (football).

“BYU is on the rise for sure. It’s really cool to see. Everything is building up with every sport,” Akina said. “I’m excited to be a part of it. I’ve been itching to get to campus for the last year and a half.”

Dave McCann is a sportswriter and columnist for the Deseret News and is a play-by-play announcer and show host for BYUtv/ESPN+. He co-hosts “Y’s Guys” at ysguys.com and is the author of the children’s book “C is for Cougar,” available at deseretbook.com

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Oklahoma surges to first round lead at the 2025 NCAA DI men’s golf championships

CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA – Oklahoma surged to the first round lead at the 2025 NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championships, carding an 8-under-par 280 to lead by five strokes at the finals being played at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa North Course (7,528 yards/par 72). Texas A&M senior Phichaksn Maichon is alone atop the […]

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55 minutes ago

May 24, 2025

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CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA – Oklahoma surged to the first round lead at the 2025 NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championships, carding an 8-under-par 280 to lead by five strokes at the finals being played at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa North Course (7,528 yards/par 72).

Texas A&M senior Phichaksn Maichon is alone atop the individual leaderboard, carding a bogey-free round of 66 (6-under-par). One-stroke back at 67 are Vanderbilt senior Jackson Van Paris, Georgia junior Carter Loflin and Texas junior Tommy Morrison.

UPDATES: Follow the 2025 DI men’s golf championship here

After the first 18 holes, the Sooners have a five-stroke team lead over Florida State, Florida and Texas, with each school recording a 285. Arizona State, Illinois and defending national champion Auburn are six strokes back at 286. The Sooners were led on Friday by scores of 4-under 68 from Clark Van Gaalen, 3-under 69 from Jase Summy, 2-under 70 from Drew Goodman and 1-over 73 from Ryder Cowan.

“Today was a great start for our group,” said Oklahoma head coach Ryan Hybl. “Last year we got off to a tough start, so coming out strong on day one this time around was huge for us. It’s a long week and we still have a lot of work ahead, but this was a solid beginning. Our guys are feeling confident, and we’re ready to get back after it tomorrow morning.”

Starting on hole No. 1, Maichon had a clean card with six birdies (holes 2, 5, 7, 9, 10 and 16) along with 12 pars.

“It was good,” Maichon said. “I hit a lot of fairways and greens. I made a couple putts along the way. It wasn’t anything special. It wasn’t like I was hitting it super close or anything. I just kind of kept it in front of me. It’s a championship golf course and it’s tough, so you just have to play smart shots and limit your mistakes.”

Morrison fired a 5-under 67 in the afternoon wave, tallying six birdies (holes 1, 2, 6, 9, 10 and 11) against just one bogey (hole 4). This marked his 17th round in the 60s this season (37 total rounds).

“Everything was pretty solid today and I kept it right in front of me,” said Morrison. “It wasn’t necessarily all out of the middle of the face, but it was going where I was looking for the most part. I made some nice putts early which was important, as you need to get off to a good start here. I played with nice freedom.”

“I love it out here,” Morrison continued. “Since we first saw it last year, I’ve been a big fan of the golf course, the design and what they did with it. The rough is slightly more down than last year. The greens firmed up really nice today, and the course still showed its teeth.”

Loflin recorded the top individual score in the morning wave at 5-under 67. Starting on hole 10, he had a clean card with five birdies (holes 12, 18, 2, 6 and 7) and 13 pars. He tied his collegiate career-low 18-hole score with his 67 (set twice before).

“Bogey-free rounds are fun,” said Loflin. “I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I would be this morning. Our entire group of coaches talk a lot about mental approach and just making sure that expectations aren’t too high, which obviously really helps. I’ve been trending in the right direction for a few weeks now so you know I know my golf game is good but it’s really just all about not making it too big of a deal. I can shoot the scores at home but doing it when the lights on is a completely different thing or at least you can make it that way so it feels good.”

The second round of the championship will tee off on Saturday, May 24 at 6:30 a.m. PST.

Finals play for the 2025 championships consists of three days of stroke play over 54 holes on Friday thru Sunday (May 23-25), after which the top 15 teams and nine individuals not on an advancing team will be determined. That is followed by a final day of 18 holes of stroke play (Monday, May 26) to determine the top eight teams that will advance to match play as well as the 72-hole individual champion. The team national champion will be determined by a match-play format that will consist of quarterfinals and semifinals conducted on Tuesday, May 27, followed by the finals on Wednesday, May 28.

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US beats Sweden 6-2 to reach the final at ice hockey worlds | National Sports

State AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWashington D.C.West VirginiaWisconsinWyomingPuerto RicoUS Virgin IslandsArmed Forces AmericasArmed Forces PacificArmed Forces EuropeNorthern Mariana IslandsMarshall IslandsAmerican SamoaFederated States of MicronesiaGuamPalauAlberta, CanadaBritish Columbia, CanadaManitoba, CanadaNew Brunswick, CanadaNewfoundland, CanadaNova Scotia, CanadaNorthwest Territories, CanadaNunavut, CanadaOntario, CanadaPrince Edward Island, CanadaQuebec, CanadaSaskatchewan, CanadaYukon Territory, Canada Zip Code Country United States of […]

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May 24, 2025

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Rogan ’28 third in women’s steeplechase final at track and field nationals

Story Links GENEVA, Ohio – Hamilton College’s Keira Rogan ’28 finished in third place out of 12 runners in the final of the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2025 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships held at SPIRE Academy on Friday afternoon, May 23. Rogan eclipsed her own […]

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2 hours ago

May 24, 2025

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GENEVA, Ohio – Hamilton College’s Keira Rogan ’28 finished in third place out of 12 runners in the final of the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2025 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships held at SPIRE Academy on Friday afternoon, May 23.

Rogan eclipsed her own team record with a time of 10:24.46. Her previous best of 10:27.88 was set on April 4 in the Hamilton Outdoor Invitational. Rogan finished less than a second behind runner-up Audrey MacLean (10:23.59) of Middlebury College. Calvin University’s Sophie Bull was the race winner in 10:11.73.

Rogan was in third place after five of the eight laps and was never out of the top four after the first 200 meters. A lead pack of four runners emerged midway through the race and Rogan was in the middle of it.

Bull and MacLean pulled away in the seventh lap as Rogan slipped to fourth place. Rogan responded with her fastest lap of the race with a time of 1:20.65 in the final 400 meters as she moved back into third place and nearly caught MacLean.

Rogan clinched her spot in the final by winning her heat with a time of 10:37.18 on Thursday night. She was seeded third in Division III in the steeplechase going into this week’s championships.

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Dom Amore's Sunday Read

On May 25, 2010, Herculez Gomez punched in a goal for the U.S. men’s soccer team at Rentschler Field, a ray of light in the second half of a 4-2 loss to the Czech Republic at Rentschler Field, and it vaulted him onto the team for that year’s World Cup. Among the 36,000 in the […]

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2 hours ago

May 24, 2025

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Among the 36,000 in the stadium that day was a local kid. Patrick Agyemang, 9 years old, was watching and began to dream about being down there on the turf with the USMNT.

“Crazy,” said Gomez, now one of ESPN’s soccer analysts. “… Unbelievable story.”

Agyemang, 24, who grew up a corner kick or two from the stadium in East Hartford, will be in the lineup when the U.S. plays Turkey at Rentschler on June 7. He was called up from his MLS team, Charlotte FC, this week and added to the 27-man roster for June matches, with the Gold Cup matches to follow.

From East Hartford to a top MLS draft pick, Patrick Agyemang may have bloomed late but he’s made up for lost time

“He may not have the pedigree of some of the (forwards) in that pool, who were playing in Europe at a young age, with top set-ups and resources or recognition,” Gomez said. “But he’s got a skill set that not many in the pool have, the size of the kid, athleticism, the ability to win duels in the air, to get in behind, how much of a handful he is, his speed.

“He’s got a nose for the goal, one of those intangibles that goal-scorers must have. The ball finds you, you find the ball, that sixth sense. That’s a handful for any defender around the world.”

As the 2026 World Cup approaches, Agyemang’s story will surely become an international phenomenon, the almost unfathomable rise from East Hartford High, where he didn’t start right away, to Division III college soccer at Eastern Connecticut, then to Rhode Island, to MLS and to the USMNT, scoring three goals in his first four caps.

But when Coach Mauricio Pochettino announced his roster, it raised a few eyebrows. Many of the familiar names are not on it, including Christian Pulisic, the team’s most prominent player, who scored a memorable goal in the loss to Germany last time the U.S. team played in East Hartford. He’s dealing with injuries and fatigue from his season with AC Milan and will step back for a bit.

Dom Amore: USA men’s soccer goalkeeper Matt Turner returning to play in Connecticut, where remarkable rise began

“Before, you had a national team where if there were 26 on the roster, 25 were playing on European teams,” Gomez said. “Now you have 17 of 27 culled from Major League Soccer. There seems to be lot of doubt right now as to how this team has been assembled and the chips that are at the disposal for Pochettino to play.”

With the World Cup a year away, it is unusual to be auditioning younger players now, so Gomez is not sure what the objectives will be for the U.S. on June 7.

“If you hear what Pochettino has been saying, he seems to be sending a message about players wanting to be here, players trying to win their spot and not be comfortable,” Gomez said. “I’m all for that, but a year out from the World Cup, it’s not really about identifying players, it’s about solidifying the project you have, that you have been working on for quite some time.”

Pochettino does have a few players who were on the World Cup team in 2022, including goalkeeper Matt Turner, who played at Fairfield. But in revealing the roster he said he is trying to create competition and looking for energy — and where there is uncertainty there is opportunity for a dynamic player to break through.

“It’s a great opportunity for different players to challenge and to try to get a place in one year’s time for the World Cup,” Pochettino said. “That is really important for us. What we want to create in our national team is people desperate to come to perform.”

East Hartford's Patrick Agyemang will be trying to win a spot for the World Cup when USMNT plays Turkey at Rentschler Field June 7. (AP Photo/John Raoux) — East Hartford’s Patrick Agyemang will be trying to win a spot for the World Cup when USMNT plays Turkey at Rentschler Field June 7. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Agyemang, 6 feet 4, has 32 goals in 56 games for Charlotte FC, an indication of the game-changing explosiveness he can bring to the U.S, team, perhaps something no other player in the U.S. pool can add.

“If you’re a coach and (Agyemang) is not your starter,” Gomez said, “and the game calls for somebody to shake something up, somebody to make something out of nothing, somebody to be a difference maker, having a player with those intangibles can come in very handy. I think that gives him an advantage over other (candidates). … When he has played, he’s scored, and take it from a guy who used that same ability to get onto the U.S. national team for the World Cup.

“I had an opportunity in East Hartford right before the World Cup, coming on at halftime and scoring and I heard it from the coaches, ‘One of the reasons we brought you on is you have this knack of scoring goals in limited time.’”

West Hartford’s Casey D’Annolfo goes for title

Casey D’Annolfo, from Conard-West Hartford, will coach Tufts men’s lacrosse in the Division III national championship game for the second time in three years. The Jumbos (22-0) play Dickinson on Sunday at 7 p.m. at Gillette Stadium for the trophy.

D’Annolfo, who took over at his college alma mater in 2016, has a 144-18 record at Tufts.
Steve Pikiell, the former UConn basketball captain and coach at Rutgers, also has some stake in the lacrosse finals. His daughter, Liv Pikiell, is playing for the unbeaten North Carolina women’s team, which defeated Florida 20-4 in the semifinals Friday, and will play Northwestern on Sunday for the championship..

Boldly charging into Division I at warp speed, this CT school may find sailing not always smooth

Charging ahead in football

The University of New Haven, moving to Division I next season, has reworked and released its football schedule for 2025. The Chargers will play as an independent program, with a mix of Division II, III and FCS opponents, including a few of its future conference rivals from the NEC. All things considered, it’s a pretty good slate for a program in transition.

Road games include Marist, Mercyhurst, Albany, Duquesne, LIU and Sacred Heart. Home games include Saginaw Valley State, Pace, Western Connecticut and Merrimack. Duquesne, LIU and Mercyhurst are NEC opponents, Sacred Heart and Merrimack are FCS independents who play for a “Yankee Conference title.” Marist plays in the FCS Pioneer League, Albany in the CAA, Pace and Saginaw Valley are Division II, WCSU is D-III.

Geno Auriemma: Locked in and reloaded for No. 13? (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

Sunday short takes

*The phrase “we don’t rebuild, we reload” has become a tired mantra and, in fact, very wishful thinking in many places. But UConn men’s and women’s basketball, with their brand and access to the transfer portal, can claim this offseason as a legit reload. Joe Lunardi projects the men as a No. 1 seed. The women, with two big gets in the portal in Kayleigh Heckel and Serah Williams, are poised for Geno Auriemma to go for the baker’s dozen.

Wethersfield's Nicole Gwynn has finished s distinguished college career. (Courant file photo) — Brad Horrigan/The Hartford Courant

Wethersfield’s Nicole Gwynn has finished s distinguished college career. (Courant file photo)

*Ran into John Gwynn, “microwave” scorer on UConn men’s 1989-90 Dream Season team, and his daughter, Nicole this week. Nicole Gwynn, who played at Wethersfield High, just finished her college career at Georgia Southern with 1,569 points, and is now hoping to play overseas. In 2023, while at Queens (N.C.) University, she scored 26 in a game vs. LSU.

*Windsor High has announced its latest class of Hall of Fame inductees during its baseball game against Tolland at Dunkin Park this week. They are: Terrance Knighton (’04), football, basketball, who played in the NFL from 2009-16; Wayne Dobrutsky (’79), football/baseball; Mairin Dudek (’98), soccer, softball; Paul Lepak (’04), soccer; Cole Ormsby (’13), football; Michael Phang (’14), soccer, track; Kelsey Jepsen (’14), swimming; Dominique Fox, coach; Neil Beaulieu, contributor. They will be inducted Nov. 1 at LaNote in East Windsor. More information will be at the Hall of Fame’s website.

*Some exciting movement for local baseball players in the pros this week. Waterford’s Mike Burrows, who finished last season with the Pirates and picked up a late-season win at Yankee Stadium, was recalled from Triple A to make his first MLB start Thursday. He allowed four runs in five innings vs. Milwaukee. … Frank Mozzicato, from Ellington and East Catholic, Royals first-round pick in 2021, was moved up to Double A Northwest Arkansas this week, a crucial step. He allowed six runs in 4 2/3 innings in his first start. … Former UConn slugger Kyler “The Warden” Fedko, with the Twins Double A affiliate in Wichita, has eight home runs already.

*Rookie of the year Steph Castle wasn’t the only UConn guy making a mark with the Spurs. Mike Noyes of Granby, a high-IQ walk-on who eventually earned a scholarship during the Kevin Ollie era, is an assistant coach/director of player development. Noyes graduated from UConn with his degree in math and actuarial science in 2017, then worked for the Grizzlies as data scientist and video coordinator. This is the type of career path that often leads to high places in the NBA.

*UNH is planning a memorial service for its legendary baseball coach, Frank “Porky” Vieira on June 17 at 10:30 a.m. at the school’s baseball field. Vieira died April 25 at age 91.

*Earlier this month, SCSU hired Joe Loth to be its new football coach. Loth was 77-45 with six postseason appearances in 12 seasons at Western Connecticut.

Dom Amore’s Sunday Read: Soto, Judge, Knicks in a NY minute; Paige Bueckers’ challenge and more

Last word

Whatever it is that appears to be eating Juan Soto, the Mets need to address it forcefully and fast, as it has risen from social media banter to take on a life of its own. Two months into a 15-year, three-quarter billion dollar contract, he has not looked, or sounded like the same confident, exuberant player he was across town. If the narrative that he regrets his choice begins to harden like cement, it will be very difficult to get completely rid of it.

Originally Published: May 24, 2025 at 10:10 AM EDT