Latest news with #ASUN
USA Today
01-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Florida softball lands FGCU transfer RHP Allison Sparkman
So excited for this next chapter! Go gators!🧡💙 Florida softball added right-handed pitcher Allison Sparkman from the transfer portal on Friday. Sparkman ranked 28th in the nation with a 1.18 ERA as a freshman and was a unanimous ASUN All-Freshman in 2024. As a sophomore, she held an 18-12 record and a 2.35 ERA through 169 2/3 innings pitched, throwing 45% of Florida Gulf Coast's total innings in 2025. Her lifetime ERA is 2.09 over 274 innings, and opposing batters are hitting .219 against her. "We're really excited to add Allison Sparkman to our program." Florida softball coach Tim Walton said. "Allison brings in a lot of experience in the circle. We believe she will be a great complement to our pitching staff." Florida struggled with injuries on its pitching staff in 2025, namely to ace Keagan Rothrock who missed a month of the season dealing with compartment syndrome. Ava Brown, Kara Hammock, Olivia Miller and Katelyn Oxley all saw increased innings, but the unit was clearly not at full strength when it needed to be during the playoffs. Adding Sparkman is a direct response to last year's results and is likely an upgrade from the departing Hammock, who threw 64 of 405 total innings for Florida. Sparkman is the fifth addition to Florida's softball team this offseason, following South Carolina catcher/infielder Fiulia Desiderio, Eastern Illinois infielder Kendall Glover, Missouri infielder Madison Walker and Mississippi State catcher/outfielder Ella Wesolowski. The program saw several depth players exit via the transfer portal, including catcher Makenna Bellaire, infielders Alyssa Hovermale and Layla Lamar, and outfielder Kylie Shaw. The biggest transfer departure is second baseman Mia Williams, who hit 19 home runs and drove in 44 runs last season. Four starters, center fielder Kendra Falby, shortstop Rylee Holtorf, left fielder Korbe Otis and first baseman Reagan Walsh, are graduating as well. Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
ASUN Conference announces upcoming strategic alliance with a rebranded Western Atlantic Conference
The Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) and the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) announced a strategic alliance on Thursday, set to begin in July 2026. The alliance aims to enhance operational efficiency and encourage collaboration between the two NCAA Division I conferences. Jeff Bacon, the current ASUN Commissioner, will lead the consortium as Executive Director. Advertisement 'We are proud to launch this innovative Division I conference alliance, creating an environment where institutions can elevate their programs,' said Jeff Bacon, Executive Director of the consortium. The WAC will rebrand as the United Athletic Conference (UAC) in July 2026, with eight member institutions. The ASUN will maintain a roster of seven members: The University of North Florida, Jacksonville University, Bellarmine University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Lipscomb University, Queens University of Charlotte, and Stetson University. >>> STREAM ACTION SPORTS JAX 24/7 LIVE <<< Advertisement [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] ASUN says the alliance will allow both conferences to retain their independent structures while gaining new benefits, like collaborative scheduling and the ability to leverage collective assets. The decision also aims to strengthen the geographic footprint of both conferences, providing more competition opportunities for student-athletes. Rebekah Ray, WAC Commissioner, emphasized the importance of bold leadership in this transformational era for collegiate athletics. 'Our alliance with the ASUN positions our institutions for long-term success.' [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Reuters
31-05-2025
- General
- Reuters
Report: FGCU Athletics vacates 82 wins, 2 ASUN titles
May 31 - The NCAA concluded its investigation of Florida Gulf Coast athletics and the university will vacate 82 combined wins and two Atlantic Sun Championships between 2022 and 2024, the Fort Myers News-Press reported Friday. Last month, the NCAA placed FGCU Athletics on two years of probation and fined the program $25,000 in a settlement agreement. The investigation concluded that FGCU allowed student-athletes to compete before certifying their eligibility. The programs involved were men's tennis, softball, baseball, men's and women's basketball and women's golf. Per the News-Press, the diamond sports both vacated ASUN titles. The softball program vacated 31 wins, its 2024 conference championship and an NCAA Tournament win over Florida Atlantic. The baseball program vacated 22 victories, their 2024 co-championship and a win over the 16-ranked Florida State Seminoles on March 4. The troubles for the Fort Myers, Fla. school started in the summer of 2023 when tennis coach Davidson Kozlowski violated NCAA rules in the recruitment of Harrison Gold, a student from Bucknell University. Gold continued to take classes at the Lewisburg, Pa. university, but trained with the Eagles, lived in southwest Florida and ran up $10,000 in hotel costs. Kozlowski, who had just been hired from Drake University in June 2023, was fired seven months later before ever coaching a match. During an internal investigation of Kozlowski, FGCU discovered that 18 athletes in 10 different sports practiced or competed prior to becoming eligible. These occurred in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 academic years. The university self-reported and cooperated with the NCAA over a 16-month review. Seventeen of the 18 student-athletes were eventually reinstated. The men's basketball team vacated nine victories, including a win over No. 7 Florida Atlantic on Dec. 30, 2023. The men's tennis team vacated its entire 2024 season, when they lost 14 of 19 matches. --Field Level Media
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
ASUN baseball championship canceled due to rain, Stetson earns AQ bid to NCAA tournament
Florida Gulf Coast baseball's season came to a controversial end on Sunday night. FGCU led Stetson 6-5 in the seventh inning when a rain delay came, which lasted over six hours. The game was never resumed, as the Atlantic Sun was forced to cancel the game and declare both teams co-tournament winners, despite FGCU being named the winner of Sunday's game. However, Stetson was declared the ASUN's automatic qualifier to the 2025 NCAA baseball tournament, as announced by Atlantic Sun Conference commissioner after the game was called. REQUIRED READING: NCAA baseball tournament: Regional host sites for College World Series bracket "Despite tremendous efforts, we were unable to complete the 2025 Atlantic Sun Conference Baseball Tournament due to inclement weather," ASUN commissioner Jeff Bacon said in a statement. "Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) has been declared the winner of today's first championship game and, with FGCU and Stetson University (Stetson) having a 1-1 record versus each other, both FGCU and Stetson will be recognized as 2025 ASUN co-tournament champions. "Per ASUN policy, Stetson University will be awarded our 2025 automatic qualifier. Congratulations to both teams for an outstanding season, and best wishes to the Hatters as they continue on." Stetson was the No. 1 overall seed of the ASUN tournament, and had a 24-6 conference record this season compared to FGCU's 16-14 mark. Stetson was also in the winner's bracket of the double-elimination tournament, entering the championship with a 3-0 record (and having beaten the Eagles in the second round of the winner's bracket 5-4 on May 22). REQUIRED READING: NCAA baseball tournament bracket: Who has received automatic bid to CWS field? That meant FGCU (3-1 in tournament play) would have needed to beat the Hatters a second time to win the automatic qualifier from the ASUN. An email sent to the Atlantic Sun asking for clarification on the policy was not immediately returned to the USA TODAY Sports Network. Stetson now awaits its name to be called on Monday, when the full 64-team NCAA baseball tournament field will be revealed. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ASUN baseball championship canceled, Stetson earns AQ bid
USA Today
26-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
ASUN baseball championship canceled due to rain, Stetson earns AQ bid to NCAA tournament
ASUN baseball championship canceled due to rain, Stetson earns AQ bid to NCAA tournament Show Caption Hide Caption UNC baseball press conference vs Boston College in ACC Tournament Following UNC baseball's win vs. Boston College in the 2025 ACC Tournament, three Tar Heels discussed the comeback and looked ahead to Florida State. Florida Gulf Coast baseball's season came to a controversial end on Sunday night. FGCU led Stetson 6-5 in the seventh inning when a rain delay came, which lasted over six hours. The game was never resumed, as the Atlantic Sun was forced to cancel the game and declare both teams co-tournament winners, despite FGCU being named the winner of Sunday's game. However, Stetson was declared the ASUN's automatic qualifier to the 2025 NCAA baseball tournament, as announced by Atlantic Sun Conference commissioner after the game was called. REQUIRED READING: NCAA baseball tournament: Regional host sites for College World Series bracket "Despite tremendous efforts, we were unable to complete the 2025 Atlantic Sun Conference Baseball Tournament due to inclement weather," ASUN commissioner Jeff Bacon said in a statement. "Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) has been declared the winner of today's first championship game and, with FGCU and Stetson University (Stetson) having a 1-1 record versus each other, both FGCU and Stetson will be recognized as 2025 ASUN co-tournament champions. "Per ASUN policy, Stetson University will be awarded our 2025 automatic qualifier. Congratulations to both teams for an outstanding season, and best wishes to the Hatters as they continue on." Stetson was the No. 1 overall seed of the ASUN tournament, and had a 24-6 conference record this season compared to FGCU's 16-14 mark. Stetson was also in the winner's bracket of the double-elimination tournament, entering the championship with a 3-0 record (and having beaten the Eagles in the second round of the winner's bracket 5-4 on May 22). REQUIRED READING: NCAA baseball tournament bracket: Who has received automatic bid to CWS field? That meant FGCU (3-1 in tournament play) would have needed to beat the Hatters a second time to win the automatic qualifier from the ASUN. An email sent to the Atlantic Sun asking for clarification on the policy was not immediately returned to the USA TODAY Sports Network. Stetson now awaits its name to be called on Monday, when the full 64-team NCAA baseball tournament field will be revealed.
