Sports

USF Women’s Lacrosse Travels to AAC Championship Tournament in Norfolk, Va.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 3, 2025

The University of South Florida women’s lacrosse team (12-4) has concluded their inaugural regular season, finishing second in the American Athletic Conference standings (4-2).

They now travel to Old Dominion University’s campus in Norfolk, Virginia, with eyes set on becoming the second team in NCAA history to win a conference championship in their first year of competition.

The Bulls (no. 2 seed) will play ECU (no. 3 seed) at 7:15 p.m. on Thursday, May 1st, in the Semifinal of the AAC Championship Tournament.

Series History:
This is the second meeting between USF and ECU (7-9) in women’s lacrosse history. The first came earlier this season on March 22nd at ECU. The Bulls scored a program record 23 goals, taking down the Pirates 23-9.

Setting The Stage:
Following the Bulls and Pirates’ last game, ECU won five of their next nine games, with their four losses coming to top-15 teams in the NCAA RPI. They finished 4-2 in conference play, also losing to No. 11 JMU (14-13 in OT) in conference play. Their only other losses were to No. 15 Clemson, No. 12 Duke, and No. 1 UNC.

The Bulls have won four of their last six games since March 22nd, only falling to Charlotte (17-16) and No. 11 JMU (20-6).

The game will be played on Old Dominion University’s campus at L.R. Hill Sports Complex. This will be the first time the Bulls have ever played on astroturf.

If the Bulls win, they will advance to the championship against the winner of James Madison University (no. 1 seed) and Vanderbilt (no. 4 seed). The two play on Thursday, May 1st at 4:30 p.m.

The winner of the AAC Championship tournament earns an automatic bid to the 2025 Women’s Lacrosse NCAA Tournament.

High Point University (2011) is the only program to ever win a conference championship in their first year of competition. Their conference (NLL) did not have an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament at that time. No first-year program has ever advanced to the NCAA tournament.

Note-A-Bull:
South Florida ranks first in the NCAA in shots per game (37.07). They also rank third in the NCAA in shots on goal per game (26.79).

All those shots have led the Bulls to be sixth in the nation in goals per game (16.36). South Florida ranks fourth in the nation in scoring margin, winning by an average of 6.86 goals per game.

This has led the Bulls to the ninth-best win percentage in the NCAA (0.786 percent).

They’re led by attacker Sofia Chepenik, with 57 points. Her 46 goals rank first in the AAC and 39th in the NCAA.

Ava Uphues ranks 26^th in the NCAA in shot percentage, scoring her 30 goals at a 56.6 shooting percentage clip.

Additional Notes:

The Bulls have scored at least 11 goals in all but one game this season, having tied their program record (23 goals) vs. Stetson last week.
South Florida as a team ranks:
- 2nd in NCAA and 1^st in AAC in Shots (36.63 shots per game).
- 5^th in NCAA and 1^st in AAC in Shots on Goal (26.50 shots on goal per game).
- 7^th in NCAA and 1^st in AAC in Scoring Offense (16.13 points per game).
- 8^th in NCAA and 1^st in AAC in Scoring Margin (6.19 goals per game).
- 8^th in NCAA and 1^st in AAC in Points (23.50 points per game).
- 12^th in NCAA and 1^st in AAC in Win Percentage (0.750 percent).
- 15^th in NCAA and 2^nd in AAC in Assists (7.38 per game).
- 23^rd in the NCAA and 1^st in the AAC in Ground balls (18.13 per game).
- 24^th in the NCAA and 1^st in the AAC in Scoring Defense (9.94 points per game).
The Bulls have seven players with 20 or more points this season (Sofia Chepenik – 63; Juliana George – 54; Maggie Newton – 46; Ava Uphues – 36; Kaitlyn Tartaglione – 33; Alison Harbaugh – 29; and Kali Cleary – 24).

Follow us:
To stay up-to-date on the latest USF Women’s Lacrosse news, follow the Bulls on social media (Twitter | Facebook | Instagram).

About USF Women’s Lacrosse
The University of South Florida announced the addition of women’s lacrosse to its now 21-sport varsity athletics department in November of 2021. Fast forward to Feb. 7, 2025, the program embarked on its inaugural season in a 19-6 win over KSU, setting the State of Florida’s regular season attendance record (2,386 fans). The Bulls named eight-time conference coach of the year Mindy McCord to lead the program in May of 2022. McCord, who came to USF with 240 career wins, earned 21 regular season and conference tournament titles at Jacksonville University. She led the program to eight NCAA appearances after launching and leading the Dolphins’ program over its first 13 years. She developed 13 All-Americans, 81 all-conference selections, and 13 conference Player of the Year honorees during that span, departing JU following to back Sweet Sixteen berths. USF runs a fast-paced, high-scoring offense influenced by the early 1990s Loyola Marymount men’s basketball record-setting fast break, which ranked among the national leaders in shots, points per game, and scoring margin numerous seasons during McCord’s tenure at JU.

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PSG or Inter? De Zerbi picks Netflix over UCL final

Published

3 hours ago

May 16, 2025

Austin Reed

Marseille manager Roberto De Zerbi has said he will be watching a movie on Netflix when Paris Saint-Germain take one Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League final on May 31.

Marseille and PSG are arch rivals in French football with the former still the only French club to lift the prestigious European title since 1993.

This time, PSG are chasing a treble after claiming the Ligue 1 title with the French Cup and Champions League finals scheduled in the next two weekends.

On the other hand, Inter Milan are city rivals of De Zerbi’s boyhood club AC Milan where he started his professional career.

During a press conference attended by Sports Talk Florida on Friday, De Zerbi clearly stated that he would get a good movie to watch instead of following the game that will take place in Munich on May 31.

When asked if he would be watch this year’s Champions League final, the Italian said: “I will watch a movie on Netflix.”

De Zerbi impressed with debut season in Marseille

Marseille secured their qualification for Champions League a week ago but they still need to finish strong against Rennes on Saturday to cement their second position behind PSG.

De Zerbi further assessed his team’s overall performance and he stated his desire to continue as the club manager even as he await evaluation with the club management.

He said: “It’s been a long, difficult season. I want to stay here. Staying as long as Rudi Garcia is a great goal.

“We need to talk to the club about what went wrong. Qualifying for the Champions League is a starting point. It should be normal, we should qualify every year, but the other clubs aren’t sleeping.

“We need to get organised and improve year on year.”

Should PSG win next week’s French Cup final against Reims, Luis Enrique’s men will face second-placed team in the Ligue 1, either Marseille or AS Monaco for the Champions’ Trophy – an equivalent of the Super Cup.

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Josh Lowe homers in 1st game back since opening day and helps Rays beat Blue Jays 8-3

Published

19 hours ago

May 16, 2025

Austin Reed

Tampa Bay Rays’ Brandon Lowe, center, is greeted in the dugout after hitting a two-run home run in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto, Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

TORONTO (AP) — Josh Lowe had a homer among his three hits in his first game since getting injured on opening day, Brandon Lowe homered twice and the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 8-3 Thursday.

Josh Lowe, recovered from an oblique strain, scored on Brandon Lowe’s sixth and seventh homers of the season and hit his first of the season in the fifth inning. Brandon Lowe finished 3 for 5 with four RBIs.

Kameron Misner hit his fourth homer. José Caballero had two hits, as did Danny Jansen, including an RBI single against his former team.

Zack Littell (3-5) worked 7 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on eight hits with a walk and two strikeouts. The Rays have won Littell’s last four starts, a span in which he has posted a 3.23 ERA over 25 1/3 innings.

Kevin Gausman (3-4) pitched 5 2/3 innings, giving up six runs on 10 hits, including three homers. The 34-year-old right-hander didn’t walk a batter and struck out six.

Addison Barger hit his second homer, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. added his fifth and Nathan Lukes his third, all off Littell. Bo Bichette had three hits.

Josh Lowe was activated after Travis Jankowski was put on the injury list with a groin strain.

Key moment

After Lukes homered and Bichette doubled, Manuel Rodríguez came on in relief with one out in the eighth and the Rays leading 6-3. He walked Guerrero before getting the final two outs, the last on George Springer’s deep fly ball to center.

Key stat

The Blue Jays played with the Rogers Centre roof open for the first time this season.

Up next

The Rays’ Taj Bradley (3-2, 4.24 ERA) pitches against Miami’s Max Meyer (2-4, 4.37), and Toronto’s Bowden Francis (2-5, 5.40) faces Detroit’s Jack Flaherty (1-5, 4.61) on Friday.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

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Let’em Run: Capital Sports Network a Preview of the 150th Preakness plus Gulfstream.

Published

20 hours ago

May 16, 2025

Austin Reed

By: Fred York and Jim Williams

Let’em Run will take a trip on Saturday to Old Hill Top in Baltimore for the second leg of the Triple Crown, marking the 150th and final Preakness race to be held at Pimlico. The absence of Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty has left a very strong field to consider, with the early favorite being Journalism at 8-5. This three-year-old colt finished as the runner-up in the Kentucky Derby and has demonstrated impressive speed and stamina. Other strong contenders include Sandman at 4-1, Clever Again at 5-1, and River Thames at 9-2.

Join us at 12:30 p.m. on Capital Sports Network as we will give you the best information on the Preakness as well as our “One Horse Wonders,” plus everything you need to know about the race. We will also offer extra credit coverage of Gulfstream Park Races 7 thru 11

After the race the old Pimlico Track will be demolished to make way for a new state-of-the-art racetrack complex, which is expected to cost over a billion dollars.

The Preakness Stakes will move to nearby Laurel Park in 2026 while construction of the new Pimlico takes place, with the aim of the second jewel of horse racing returning Triple Crown returning to its historic home in Baltimore in 2027.

“I’m going to really miss it,” 89-year-old Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas said. “It’s always been one of my favorites, and I speak for the other trainers, too. I have never talked to a trainer that worked through the Preakness that didn’t enjoy this the most.”