Last Week around the Leagues
by Fran Stuchbury
August 11, 2020 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
This past week Whipsnakes LC won its second consecutive Premier Lacrosse League Championship, Major League Soccer unveiled will resume its regular season on August 12th and North Carolina Courage and United States Women's National team midfielder Sam Mewis signed a contract with Manchester City. Highlights from this week are from the Premier Lacrosse League, National Women's Soccer League, World TeamTennis, Major League Rugby, Canadian Football League, American Hockey League, ECHL, Midwest League and Coastal Plain League.
LACROSSE
Premier Lacrosse League
The Whipsnakes didn't go undefeated for nothing. The defending champions faced a scare until it mattered most on and then they scored four goals within a minute. That was just a part of their 10-goal run in the fourth quarter en route to a 12-6 championship win over the upstart Chaos. The Whipsnakes won every game of the tournament, sweeping group play before winning their two playoff contests. They averaged nearly 14 goals per game -- far and away the most in the league -- en route to winning their second title in as many years.
Here are the highlights of the championship:
Chaos attack Josh Byrne between the legs goal:
National Lacrosse League
The National Lacrosse League, the longest-running and most successful professional lacrosse league in the world, announced that the 2020 Entry Draft will be held on September 17th at 7:00 ET. For the first time in league history, the Entry Draft will be done virtually. The NLL will be using Telescope Inc.'s interactive platform, CONNECT Live, to enable real-time on-air integration of Twitter fan comments and high capacity hashtag poll results powered by at-home users across the nation.
The New England Black Wolves announced the team has re-signed 2020 NLL Goaltender of the Year, Doug Jamieson to a three-year contract. New England matched the offer sheet from the Halifax Thunderbirds for Jamieson who was a restricted free agent. The transaction is pending league approval.
SOCCER
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer announced that following the conclusion of the MLS is Back Tournament, the league's 25th season will continue in the home markets of the 26 clubs with the first game on August 12. The return to play in home markets will feature comprehensive health and safety protocols, including regular testing of players, coaches and essential staff for COVID-19.
National Women's Soccer League
Three-time NWSL Champion and World Cup champion Sam Mewis has signed a contract with Manchester City, the club announced today. The North Carolina Courage retains Mewis' NWSL rights.
Since 2017, Mewis has played 5,121 minutes in a Courage uniform. She has scored 14 goals and has assisted 11 during her time in North Carolina.
Sam Mewis Signs with Manchester City
Orlando Pride and U.S. Women's National Team defender Ali Krieger has joined the Orlando City SC broadcast crew, the Club announced. Krieger, one of the most decorated and respected defenders in soccer history, will join Evan Weston and Miguel Gallardo to provide analysis and sideline reporting for the remainder of Orlando City's 2020 Major League Soccer season, once the Club returns from the MLS is Back Tournament.
OTHER SPORTS
World TeamTennis
CBS Television Network's live airing of Sunday's 2020 World TeamTennis Championship match (12:00 PM - 3:13 PM ET/9:00 AM - 12:13 PM PT) in which the New York Empire defeated the Chicago Smash on the last point of the Supertiebreaker 21-20, delivering 556,000 viewers, making it the most watched in the league's 45-year history. During the event's "Supertiebreaker" that determined the 2020 Champion viewership peaked at 1.128M viewers (3:00 PM ET - 3:13 PM ET/Noon - 12:13 PM PT).
Enjoy the show -- here's all the action from the incredible 45th season of World TeamTennis.
Major League Rugby
Round Rock native Christian Ostberg has been playing overseas to grow his rugby career, now he returns home to the city that introduced him to rugby and to play in front of his family again. Ostberg is looking forward to suiting up for the Austin Gilgronis in MLR 2021.
FOOTBALL
XFL
The sale of the XFL to a Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Dany Garcia and RedBird Capital Partners was approved in a Delaware bankruptcy court. The price was $15 million plus about $9 million in payment of cure amounts.
Canadian Football League
Winnipeg Blue Bombers 107th Grey Cup Championship ring:
Indoor Football League
The Spokane Shock are pleased to announce the re-signing of star WR Jordan Jolly. The 2019 Offensive Player of the Year, Most Valuable Player and 1st-Team All-NAL selection has teamed with Shock QB Charles McCullum the past six seasons to form indoor football's most accomplished tandem, accounting for three MVP awards, two championships, four championship game appearances and numerous records.
HOCKEY
American Hockey League
American Hockey League President and CEO Scott Howson announced that due to the ongoing COVID-19 public health crisis and the adjustment of the 2020-21 season calendar, the 2021 AHL All-Star Classic will not be held. The Laval Rocket, who had been selected to host the event, will instead host the 2022 AHL All-Star Classic during the 2021-22 AHL season. Dates for the 2022 event are yet to be determined.
2021 AHL All-Star Classic Canceled
ECHL
The ECHL Board of Governors, in conjunction with the Professional Hockey Players' Association, has approved a revised start date for the 2020-21 ECHL Season. The anticipated start date is December 4, 2020, for a full 72-game schedule. The ECHL 2020-21 Season was originally scheduled to start October 16, 2020. Adjustments to the 2020-21 ECHL Schedule will be announced at a later date.
ECHL delays start of 2020-2021 season
The ECHL Board of Governors has elected to move the 2021 ECHL All-Star Classic, originally scheduled for Jan. 18, 2021 in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jacksonville Icemen were unanimously awarded the event by the Board of Governors for the 2021-22 Season, to be played in January 2022.
BASEBALL
Midwest League
With a new riverbend stadium coming to Beloit in 2021, the Beloit Snappers baseball team began accepting submissions from fans for possible new identities for the team. Fans can submit their ideas for team names. The team will collect submissions for two weeks (August 4-18) and then present a list of finalist names to the community for fans to vote on.
Beloit Snappers offer season ticket memberships for new stadium
Coastal Plain League
Ben Anderson of the Savannah Bananas goes full extension to rob a hit:
Did we miss anything newsworthy or downright fun? Have a nomination for next week's column? Contact us today and let us know.
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National Women's Soccer League Stories from August 11, 2020
- 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.
