Latest news with #Big8
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kansas hiring former star, ex-Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn as an assistant
Jacque Vaughn is headed back to Lawrence. Kansas struck a deal to hire the former Jayhawks star and NBA head coach as an assistant on Wednesday afternoon, the school announced. Back where it all began. — Kansas Men's Basketball (@KUHoops) May 21, 2025 "We're very excited to welcome Jacque and [his wife] Laura into the fold," Kansas coach Bill Self said in a statement. "I've known Jacque from a distance for several years now and have always admired how he has conducted himself professionally and how he has treated people. I think he will be an excellent addition to our program, while also serving as a great mentor, coach and representative of Kansas basketball. We lost an awesome coach in Norm [Roberts] when he retired but feel very fortunate to have replaced him with a tremendous Jayhawk that has a unique and impressive resume." Vaughn spent four seasons at Kansas from 1993-97. He averaged 9.6 points and 6.4 assists per game throughout his career there while earning Big 8 Player of the Year honors and twice being a consensus All-American. The Jayhawks made it to the Sweet 16 three times and the Elite Eight while Vaughn was with the program, too. Vaughn, who was selected with the No. 27 overall pick in the draft, played in the league for 12 seasons. He was a member of the San Antonio Spurs when they won the NBA Finals in 2007, too. Vaughn was first hired as an assistant coach with the Spurs in 2010, and he remained there under Gregg Popovich for two seasons before he was hired for the head job in Orlando. Vaughn spent three seasons leading the Magic, though they went just 58-158 under his watch. He landed in Brooklyn as an assistant ahead of the 2016-17 campaign, and he was then promoted to head coach during the 2022-23 season after Steve Nash was fired just seven games in. Vaughn never got a full season running the team, though. He was fired late the following season. Vaughn will now join Self's staff in Lawrence and attempt to help a Kansas program that has struggled to live up to expectations in recent seasons. After winning the national championship in 2022, the Jayhawks have failed to make it out of the first weekend of the NCAA tournament in three straight seasons. They've been ranked No. 1 in the nation to start the past two years, too, before largely falling apart down the stretch. The Jayhawks went 21-13 last season and fell to Arkansas in the first round of the NCAA tournament. While it will take more than Vaughn simply coming aboard to turn the blueblood program around, his presence will undoubtedly help that effort.
Miami Herald
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Coral Springs Charter rolls to another BCAA Big 8 softball championship
Championship teams continuously find ways to win when it counts most. The Coral Springs Charter High softball team apparently owns the blueprint when it comes to the BCAA Big 8 tournament. Led by Heather Roberston, Gio Gurgel and Courtney Wahlbrink, who combined for six RBI, the Panthers rolled to a 9-4 victory over Western on Wednesday for the team's third consecutive Big 8 title at Pompano Beach Community Park. It was the Panthers (19-3) fifth Big 8 title in seven attempts. '[Western] is a seasoned team and three games in a row is tough on pitching staffs,' Coral Springs Charter coach Mark Montimurro said. 'They have a lot of good hitters, and we felt they would put a lot of balls in play. They put some runs on the board, but we did enough to come out with trophy.' Charter has defeated Western seven consecutive times by a combined score of 62-11 since 2019. They finished the tournament, by outscoring their three opponents 26-7. 'Our team has moxie and grit and everybody in the county thought we'd be way down because we lost a lot of players,' Montimurro said. 'They stepped up and played up to their level. With our pitching we can play with anybody.' Charter took an early 5-0 lead keyed by Roberston's fourth home run in five at bats. She was named the tournament MVP with her four homers and 10 RBI. 'I honestly wasn't expecting it,' Robertson said. 'I was looking for some hits and putting pieces together for the team. I wasn't expecting the home runs. I was just swinging to swing. Today I came out hot and was ready to play hitting a home run in my first at bat.' The Wildcats didn't cave, rallying for four runs between the third and fifth innings, closing to within 5-4. Analie Diaz, Kennedy Butter and Emma Konieczny had consecutive RBI singles in the top the third inning and Butter added another RBI singles in the fifth inning. 'It's frustrating, but there's a silver lining and that's that we fought to the end,' Western coach John Bradshaw said. 'I was super proud of the girls fighting to the end. Mark's teams never quit and he's got us three years in a row.' The Panthers seized the Wildcats (15-5-1) comeback bid in the bottom of the sixth inning. Addi Michel had an RBI bunt single, which was followed by an RBI single to left field by Gurgel and a two-RBI double to left by Wahlbrink a five-run advantage. 'We can up too flat, but we did bring it up throughout the game,' Gurgel said. 'When our pitching and hitting come up big, we win.' District play begins next week with Coral Springs Charter and Western as No. 1 seeds.
Miami Herald
09-04-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
St. Thomas Aquinas' Dwayne Wimbley is Broward 7A-4A Boys' Basketball Player of the Year
Dwayne Wimbley Jr. said he got exactly what he wanted when he chose to transfer to St. Thomas Aquinas. Wimbley Jr., a four-star prospect and 6-6 power forward, was already an established standout at his prior school, Westminster Academy, and on one of the best teams in the state. But this season, he and the Raiders took things up a notch and turned in arguably the best seasons in Aquinas' school history. Led by Wimbley Jr., the Raiders won their first state championship since 2001 and second ever when they took home the Class 6A title in March. 'From the beginning of this year, we've been making history and that was the motto of this team this year,' Wimbley Jr. said. In recognition of those efforts, Wimbley Jr. is the Miami Herald's Boys' Basketball Broward County 7A-4A Player of the Year. Wimbley Jr. averaged 16 points, seven rebounds, three assists and 2.5 blocked shots per game this season. His skillset gelled efficiently with an already-talented Aquinas squad that included All-Broward guards DJ Sandi and Clarence Westbrook Jr. Wimbley Jr. had been committed to Florida State until mid-March when he reopened his commitment following the coaching change from veteran Leonard Hamilton to new coach Luke Loucks at the end of the season. Wimbley Jr. is ranked No. 31 nationally among power forwards by 247Sports and the No. 148 overall prospect in this year's class. He helped St. Thomas Aquinas win its first BCAA Big 8 title. The Raiders then worked their way through the postseason and make it to Lakeland. In the state final, the Raiders showed the most resilience. Down by 16 against Orlando Evans, Aquinas rallied with an incredible second half to claim the state title. 'It was the best feeling ever because this is exactly what I came to Aquinas to do,' Wimbley Jr. said at state. 'We were in that situation, I don't even know how many times this year. For this to happen like that showed the heart this team's got. I love these boys. Every tournament we were in we were down, but we really wanted it.'
