Last Week around the Leagues
by Fran Stuchbury
April 15, 2025 - BIG3 (BIG3)
This past week two United Soccer League Championship head coaches were fired, NBA veteran Dwight Howard signed with the BIG3's Los Angeles Riot, and Austin won the inaugural League One Volleyball Championship. Highlights from this week come from USL Championship, Major League Soccer, National Women's Soccer League, Major Arena Soccer League, BIG3, NBA G League, League One Volleyball, Pro Volleyball Federation, Ultimate Frisbee Association, United Football League, Canadian Football League, American Hockey League, Professional Women's Hockey League, Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, North American Hockey League, Pacific Coast League, Southern League, Eastern League, National Lacrosse League, and Premier Lacrosse League,
SOCCER
USL Championship
Birmingham Legion FC announced on that it has parted ways with Head Coach Tom Soehn. First Team Assistant Coach Eric Avila will serve as interim head coach. "This was an incredibly difficult decision and one that was not taken lightly, because Tommy played a pivotal role in building the foundation of this club," Legion FC Chief Soccer Officer and CEO Jay Heaps said. "However, results and performances have not progressed, and we felt a change was necessary at this time to move the club forward. We thank Tommy for his hard work and dedication to our organization and wish him and his family the best moving forward. ¬Â A national search for the club's next head coach is currently underway.
The Tampa Bay Rowdies announce the club has relieved Head Coach Robbie Neilson of his duties. Assistant Coach Steve Coleman will serve as the club's interim head coach. "Appointing Steve Coleman as interim head coach reflects our confidence in the group we have," said Rowdies Vice Chairman Brian Auld. "In his short time at the club, Steve has already taken it upon himself to understand our Rowdies culture and is fully committed to supporting our players on and off the field. We believe in this roster- its talent, resilience, and ability to compete at the highest level in the USL Championship. To our fans: your continued support means everything, and we remain focused on delivering a team that represents the pride and passion of Tampa Bay. ¬Â Neilson joined the Rowdies at the start of the 2024 season. The Rowdies posted a 17-17-8 record across all competitions under Neilson and finished the 2024 season sixth in the Eastern Conference.
Buffalo Pro Soccer announced plans to construct a 7,600-seat, privately-funded stadium near the Buffalo River in the city's Valley neighborhood. Set to be located at Elk and Lee Street, the stadium will serve as a driving force in the development of a new entertainment district that is taking shape in the City of Buffalo. Buffalo Pro Soccer revealed the first official renderings of its stadium and announced construction is slated to begin this summer. Among the 7,600 seats it will host, the forthcoming stadium will feature family-friendly ticket prices, a designated high-energy, safe-standing supporters' section, and elevated experiences in its 12 hospitality suites, two private party areas, and club-level seats. Buffalo Pro Soccer's plans also call for training facilities for its athletes and academy, offices for team staff, as well as ample parking and transportation options for fans.
Buffalo Pro Soccer building stadium at Elk and Lee Streets
The United Soccer League announced the 2025 season premiere of the USL on CBS featuring San Antonio FC and Phoenix Rising FC at Toyota Field had delivered a league-record regular season viewership on the CBS Television Network on Sunday evening. The broadcast averaged 453,000 viewers* across its broadcast window, with a peak audience of 776,000 viewers as Rising claimed a 2-1 victory behind a second-half winner by Curacao international Jearl Margaritha.
The viewership of the 2025 season premiere marks a five percent increase year-on-year, with the equivalent contest between Louisville City FC and Indy Eleven at Lynn Family Stadium drawing an audience of 432,000 viewers* on April 6, 2024. It also marks a 20 percent increase from the league's average viewership in the 2024 regular season of 376,000* viewers.
Major League Soccer
Vancouver Whitecaps FC stay atop the Supporters' Shield standings thanks to White's four-goal outburst that paced a 5-1 rout of Austin FC at BC Place.
National Women's Soccer League
Denver NWSL named accomplished sports and entertainment executive Jen Millet as the club's first President. Millet joins Denver NWSL from Bay FC where she served as Chief Operating Officer for the National Women Soccer League's (NWSL) 14th expansion franchise. A Denver, Colo. product, Millet will return to the Mile High City to lead all of Denver NWSL's business operations, including partnerships, ticket sales, marketing, and venue operations. With her appointment as President, Millet is the first employee in Denver NWSL history. "We are thrilled to welcome Jen Millet to Denver NWSL as our club President," said Denver NWSL controlling owner Rob Cohen. "Jen stood out amongst an extensive list of qualified candidates. Jen's understanding of soccer, building world-class brands, ability to engage the community, and passion for creating a culture of excellence made her the ideal fit to run our club. Our ownership group is committed to providing Jen the resources she needs to grow and evolve Denver NWSL as the club takes shape. ¬Â
Denver NWSL has sold more than 10,000 season ticket deposits, breaking an NWSL record for season ticket deposits. Denver's only women's professional sports franchise reached over 10,000 deposits in less than two months since the Mile High City was awarded NWSL's 16th team on Thursday, Jan. 30. "This milestone showcases that our community is passionate about women's professional soccer and what we are building in Denver and across the front range, said controlling owner Rob Cohen. "There is still a great deal of work to be done. We are excited to continue collaborating with our community to create a club that is representative and inclusive of all of Colorado. ¬Â
Denver City Council is considering spending $70 million to buy the land for the stadium and to make improvements in the area.
Major Arena Soccer League
Miss any of our epic Ron Newman Cup Playoff weekend presented by Verizon? Join Alex Bastyovanszky as he takes you through everything you might have missed in this week's MASL In 5
BASKETBALL
BIG3
The BIG3 announced that legendary NBA veteran Dwight Howard has signed with the Los Angeles Riot and will play his final season of professional basketball with the BIG3 in summer 2025. The 2004 first-overall pick achieved numerous accolades during his nearly two-decade-long career, including his recent appointment to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Howard will tip off the league's eighth season on Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Chicago, IL at Allstate Arena at 4pm ET, live on CBS. "On behalf of the entire league, I want to be the first one to welcome Dwight Howard to the BIG3," said BIG3 CEO Ice Cube. "His legacy speaks for itself, and he still has fun playing the game. We all know that Dwight Howard can do more on the basketball court than he was able to show in the NBA. So, it's going to be nice to see him open up his game and show his all-around skills on the court in the BIG3. He's a perfect fit for the league, not just because of his athleticism and size but also due to our shared desire to grow the game of basketball around the world. We are honored that he has chosen to bring his game and star power to the BIG3. I look forward to seeing him challenge our 3-on-3 stars this summer and see if he can win himself another Championship. ¬Â
Fresh off his NBA Hall of Fame induction, Dwight Howard sits down with the legendary Ice Cube to drop a major announcement-he's officially joining the BIG3. Dwight and Cube reflect on Dwight's Hall of Fame journey, why now is the perfect time to join the BIG3, and what fans can expect from the upcoming season.
NBA G League
The Boston Celtics announced that they have signed guard JD Davison. Davison, the 2024-25 G League MVP, appeared in 30 Regular Season games for the Maine Celtics posting averages of 25.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. He ranked fourth in the league in scoring and seventh in the league in assists, the only player in the G League to rank in the top seven in both categories this season.
Two-way forward Braxton Key has been named the 2024-25 Kia NBA G League Defensive Player of the Year. Key, who signed a two-way contract with the Golden State Warriors on March 4, appeared in 33 regular season games (30 starts) this year for the San Diego Clippers and Santa Cruz Warriors. Key averaged 22.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 3.4 steals in 31.5 minutes over 11 appearances for the Warriors (10 starts). The 6'8" forward led the G League with 96 steals in the regular season, the second-most steals in a single season by any NBA G League player since 2020-21. Key is the second player in Santa Cruz history to appear in at least five regular season games and average more than 3.0 steals per game after Kent Bazemore, who averaged 4.4 steals across five appearances in 2012-13.
Catching up with Stockton Kings guard Mason Jones
Canadian Elite Basketball League
The Vancouver Bandits announced that the club has signed Canadian forward, former SEC All Star and Florida Gator standout Tyrese Samuel for the 2025 season. A six-foot-ten product of Montréal, Que., Samuel quickly established himself as a top Canadian prospect in university. After playing four seasons at Seton Hall University from 2019 to 2023, Samuel transferred to the University of Florida for his graduate year. In his final season with the Gators, he earned Second Team All-SEC honours, averaging 13.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals with starts in all 36 games played. Samuel recently completed his first professional season, playing in the NBA G League with the Phoenix Suns' affiliate, Valley Suns. In 2024-25, he recorded averages of 9.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists in 49 games. Prior to the NBA G League, Samuel appeared in four games for the Phoenix Suns in the 2024 NBA Summer League.
OTHER SPORTS
League One Volleyball
In this case, so unlikely that LOVB Austin would win the inaugural LOVB Finals, a 25-19, 25-22, 25-23 victory over Omaha that will forever be etched into American volleyball history. This was a team that, after losing in the midseason LOVB Classic semifinals, lost its coach when Marco Bonitta departed for personal reasons. McGown, the former BYU men's coach and director of Gold Medal Squared, replaced him the next week, on February 19. But the LOVB Finals meant a new start and fifth-seeded Austin opened with an incredible reverse-sweep victory over fourth-seeded LOVB Salt Lake on Thursday. Then Friday, it scored the upset of the season, knocking out top-seeded LOVB Atlanta, which went 13-3 in the regular season, by pulling off another remarkable reverse sweep. Sunday, LOVB Austin had the upper hand throughout, although the third set was a battle till the end.
Here are the highlights
LOVB Austin opposite Madisen Skinner scored 21 points Sunday, powering her team to the inaugural League One Volleyball title. The rookie landed 17 kills on a .308 attack efficiency while adding four blocks and five digs.
Pro Volleyball Federation
Team Spotlight Series: The Omaha Supernovas. Get to know the players, coaches and staff that make every Supernovas match exhilarating for fans.
Professional volleyball has arrived and it's changing the game forever. This is a defining moment for women's sports. Passionate fans. Elite athletes. New legacies. This is where history is made, one point at at time.
Ultimate Frisbee Association
A short documentary about the final season of the Dallas Legion in 2024.
Special thanks to Blake Strunk, the creator behind the project. In his own words:
FOOTBALL
United Football League
The United Football League announced that The Dome at America's Center, home of the St. Louis Battlehawks, will host the 2025 UFL Championship Game presented by Underdog airing on ABC on Saturday, June 14, at 8:00 p.m. ET. The announcement that the league will return to St. Louis for its title game for a second straight year was made by UFL Owner Dany Garcia and UFL President & Chief Executive Officer Russ Brandon at halftime of the Battlehawks home game against the D.C. Defenders. "We're proud to bring the 2025 UFL Championship back to St. Louis- a city that continues to show an incredible passion for football," said Garcia. "The energy in The Dome, the commitment of the Battlehawks organization, and the fierce loyalty of their fans made this an easy decision. St. Louis has built something special, and it's become a key part of what the UFL is all about. We're excited to celebrate this moment with a community that's helped shape the league's future and capture its soul."
St. Louis hosted the inaugural UFL Championship Game in 2024 when the Birmingham Stallions defeated the San Antonio Brahmas, 25-0, to win their third consecutive championship as 27,396 fans gathered to watch the title game.
2025 UFL Championship Game returns to St. Louis.
UFL Top 10 Plays From Week 3
Canadian Football League
The Winnipeg Football Club has released its 2024 Annual Report, announcing an operating profit of $7 million and a $7.1 million investment in capital improvements at Princess Auto Stadium. "We are very pleased with our overall financial results for 2024," said President & CEO Wade Miller. "This success reflects the continued support of our season ticket members, corporate partners and fans. They play a fundamental role in the strength of our Club both on and off the field. ¬Â In 2021, the Club entered into a new agreement with the Government of Manitoba and Triple B Stadium Inc. that established a Capital Fund dedicated to long-term stadium improvements. In 2024, the Club allocated $7.6 million to the Capital Fund and $1 million to its Operating Reserve, for total allocations of $8.6 million.
Get an inside listen as CFL quarterback prospects are wired for sound at the CFL Combine! Go beyond the drills and hear how future CFL QBs communicate, compete, and lead on the field. From calling plays to encouraging teammates, this mic'd up session gives you a front-row seat to the voices of the next generation.
National Arena League
The Carolina Cobras are pleased to announce that Theron Davis, member of the Carolina Cobras Ownership group and local Greensboro Business Owner, takes over leadership of the team's front office today becoming the Team President of the Carolina Cobras. The move puts a full-time career businessman back into one of the most key business roles in the Cobras Front Office. Previously a shared role with staff who carried multiple positions between football and front office, Theron will be discontinuing that practice, taking on the role as his primary position with the team and will still maintain his membership as a team owner. Having an owner in this position brings the ownership group closer to the day to day operations of the team, allowing full control of past, present, and future business matters. This week, Mr. Davis has hit the ground running taking over the business side of the team and influencing his work culture approach "actions speak louder than words" a culture that is spreading to all front office positions. Davis will work directly with Head Coach Bonner to keep the winning culture of the Carolina Cobras on the field.
The Omaha Beef announced Brandon Negron as their 17th Coach. Last season Negron coached the Carolina Cobras and won the 2024 NAL Coach of the Year award. In February he stepped down as head coach to become Team President of the Cobras.
HOCKEY
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League's Player Safety Committee today announced that Bridgeport Islanders forward Adam Beckman has been suspended for 10 games as a consequence of an incident in a game vs. Charlotte on Apr. 5. Beckman will miss Bridgeport's final five games of the 2024-25 regular season, as well as the next five games for which he is active on an AHL club roster.
Adam Beckman Suspended 10 Games Over Referee Abuse - Bridgeport Islanders vs Charlotte Checkers
Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog scores in the second game of his return to hockey for the AHL's Colorado Eagles.
Professional Women's Hockey League
A look back at all nine stops of the 2024-25 Takeover Tour! Which stop was your favorite?
Western Hockey League
Top 2026 NHL Draft eligible prospect Gavin McKenna submits a goal of the year candidate in Game 2 of the second round series between the Medicine Hat Tigers and Prince Albert Raiders.
Ontario Hockey League
Denver Barkey made a statement to kick off Round 2, earning OHL Performer of the Night honours with a hat-trick in London's Thursday night win. The Flyers prospect was all over the ice, scoring three times and helping the Knights set the tone early in their second round series.
North American Hockey League
NAHL Top Plays - March 31 - April 6, 2025
BASEBALL
Carolina League
The Hickory Crawdads played their first Carolina League game at LP Frans Stadium in front of 1,303 people on a cool Tuesday night. And it proved to be one for the record books! Kamdyn Perry, William Privette and J'Briell Easley combined to throw a nine-inning no hitter as Hickory defeated Augusta 6-0. The last no hitter tossed by the 'Dads was in 2022, as they tossed two on the road.
Pacific Coast League
Mariners outfielder Samad Taylor caps a two-homer, five-RBI night with a walk-off home run to left field for Triple-A Tacoma
Angels No. 2 prospect Caden Dana racks up nine strikeouts over five frames of one-run ball for Triple-A Salt Lake
Southern League
Angels No. 23 prospect Cole Fontenelle hits for the cycle for Double-A Rocket City
Eastern League
Yankees No. 2 prospect Spencer Jones lasers a pair of homers for Double-A Somerset
LACROSSE
National Lacrosse League
Jeff Teat's insane 8-goal night pushes him to the top of the League with 53 on the season.
Premier Lacrosse League
Brennan O'Neill, the 2025 first overall pick from Duke, exploded in his rookie year with the Denver Outlaws. We compiled his Top 10 Highlights from his first season as a pro.
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BIG3 Stories from April 15, 2025
- Last Week around the Leagues - OSC Original by Fran Stuchbury
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s), and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
