Last Week around the Leagues
by Fran Stuchbury
June 29, 2021 - MLS NEXT Pro (MLS NEXT Pro)
This past week Major League Soccer created a MLS Developmental League that will begin play in 2022, Las Vegas officially became the 15th National Lacrosse League team, and for the second time in the last three seasons played, the Shreveport Mudbugs have been crowned North American Hockey League Robertson Cup National Champions. Highlights from this week are from Major League Soccer, the National Women's Soccer League, Canadian Premier League, United Soccer League Championship, United Soccer League One, National Lacrosse League, North American Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Women's National Basketball Association, BIG3, Low-A East League, Canadian Football League, European League of Football, Major League Rugby and American Ultimate Disc League.
SOCCER
MLS Developmental League
Continuing its deep commitment to growing and elevating the sport of soccer throughout North America, Major League Soccer announced plans to launch a new professional league in 2022 that will complete the player pathway, from the youth development platform MLS NEXT to the professional ranks, while also bringing the excitement and passion of professional soccer to cities that currently do not have a professional soccer team. Consisting of 20 MLS clubs along with the potential for independently owned teams for the inaugural season in 2022, the league will begin in late March and conclude with playoffs in the fall and a championship match in early December.
The Portland Timbers announced they will field a team to participate in Major League Soccer's new second league in the 2022 inaugural season. "We made the difficult decision to halt T2 this year knowing that MLS was likely to start its own league in 2022," said Timbers owner and CEO Merritt Paulson. "Strategically this new league makes a ton of sense. It will be integrated and aligned with all the clubs participating in it and it will be exciting to watch it grow and develop. The Timbers will have a team competing in the new MLS initiative next year and I look forward to it. ¬Â
Major League Soccer
Philadelphia Union midfielder Quinn Sullivan at 17 years old makes history by scoring his ever goal in his first ever start for the Union by scoring a crazy bicycle kick goal!
LA Galaxy 19-Year-Old Efrain Alvarez Scores 93rd minute Game Winner!
National Women's Soccer League
Kansas City Abby Smith takes home the Verizon Save of the Week honors with this diving penalty kick save against the Portland Thorns.
Canadian Premier League
The Canadian Premier League announced today the season format for 2021 during a press conference with Commissioner David Clanachan. The 2021 CPL season will have all 8 Clubs playing a 112-match season with 28 matches per Club in a single table format. The season begins on Saturday June 26 in Winnipeg, Manitoba with The Kickoff Presented by Volkswagen with each club playing eight matches (32 games total).
CPL Commissioner David Clanachan sits down with Kristian Jack ahead of the 2021 season
United Soccer League Championship
The USL Championship announced the Team of the Week Presented by Cleer Audio for Week 9 of the 2021 regular season, with Louisville City FC's Cameron Lancaster voted Player of the Week after he led his side to a two-win week with three goals that moved LouCity to the top of the Championship's Central Division.
United Soccer League One
USL League One Goal of the Week - Michael Tsicoulias - New England Revolution II
Major Arena Soccer League
The Dallas Sidekicks are kicking off a new era as the organization officially announces Jesse Llamas as President of the club. Llamas is stepping into his new role after serving as the General Manager and Director of Operations for three seasons. Llamas brings with him an in-depth understanding of the operational and player management elements of the organization. "I am very excited," Llamas states. "This is something I have been working towards over the last three seasons. ¬Â
LACROSSE
National Lacrosse League
The National Lacrosse League announced the city of Las Vegas has been awarded an expansion franchise and will become the NLL's 15th team, beginning play in the Fall of 2022. The new franchise will be co-owned by Wayne Gretzky, Dustin Johnson, Steve Nash, and Joe Tsai. Mark Fine has been named the Las Vegas team's Chief Executive Officer. The team will play at MGM Resorts International's Michelob ULTRA Arena - located inside the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino - beginning in the 2022-23 season.
The NLL announced the team will play its home games at Michelob Ultra Arena inside the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino beginning in the 2022-23 season. The Las Vegas franchise will be the NLL's 15th team.
HOCKEY
North American Hockey League
For the second time in the last three seasons played, the Shreveport Mudbugs have been crowned North American Hockey League (NAHL) Robertson Cup National Champions, thanks to a 4-2 win over the Aberdeen Wings at Fogerty Arena in Blaine, MN. The Mudbugs never trailed in the game and got 19 saves from Tournament MVP Cole Hudson in the win. The Robertson Cup is awarded to the national playoff champion of the North American Hockey League.
The best sights and sounds from the 2021 Robertson Cup playoffs!
The top plays in the NAHL from the 2021 Robertson Cup
Black Bear Sports Group, the largest youth hockey and ice rink business in North America ("Black Bear Sports"), is pleased to announce the immediate hiring of Kimberly Weiss as Assistant Bench Coach for the Maryland Black Bears (the "Black Bears"), a Tier II Junior Hockey team that plays in the North American Hockey League. Ms. Weiss joins the Black Bears' coaching staff following the highly successful 2020-21 season which saw the Black Bears advance to the Eastern Conference Finals in their first ever playoff appearance. Kim joins the Black Bears following almost 10 years coaching with the nationally dominant Washington Pride Girls Hockey Program. Previously, Kim was an All-American four-year starter at Trinity College in Hartford, CT. Kim is also a Maryland native.
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
Top 10 Goals of the Month
BASKETBALL
Women's National Basketball Association
Six first-time Olympians join a revered group of veterans in pursuit of a historic seventh-straight gold medal. The women that will represent the U.S. in Tokyo will be: Ariel Atkins, Sue Bird, Tina Charles, Napheesa Collier, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Brittney Griner, Sylvia Fowles, Jewell Loyd, Chelsea Gray, Breanna Stewart, Diana Taurasi, and A'ja Wilson. The Olympic Games begin on July 23rd.
NBA G League
International standout Dyson Daniels, a highly touted guard out of NBA Global Academy in Australia, has signed with NBA G League Ignite, NBA G League President Shareef Abdur-Rahim announced. Daniels joined NBA Global Academy, an elite basketball training center at Basketball Australia's Centre of Excellence at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, Australia, in 2019. The Bendigo, Australia native emerged as one of the country's top young prospects, participating in the NBA Academy Games 2019, exhibition games at the 2019 NBA G League Winter Showcase and the 2020 Torneo Junior Ciutat de L'Hospitalet in Barcelona, Spain.
Wisconsin Herd Head Coach Chase Buford has been named head coach of the Sydney Kings of the National Basketball League in Australia. "We are excited for Chase to pursue this opportunity with one of the best clubs in Australia," said Wisconsin Herd General Manager Dave Dean. "We thank him for his dedication and leadership during our historic 2019-20 season and wish him all the best in his next chapter. ¬Â In his lone season with the Herd, Buford, 32, led Wisconsin to a league-best 33-10 record before the season was suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
BIG3
As the BIG3 prepares for it's fourth season, we can take a stroll down memory lane to some of the best BIG3 highlights from the past. Let's look back as Brian Custer voices The History of the BIG3. Changing the game since 2017!
BASEBALL
Low-A East League
Four Myrtle Beach Pelicans' pitchers combined for a no-hitter on with a 5-0 win over the Columbia Fireflies. The no-hitter is the first since Nick Tepesch and Jimmy Reyes combined to no-hit the Wilmington Blue Rocks on May 19, 2012. With the win, the Pelicans have matched their season-long win streak at three games and moved to 20-23 on the season.
DJ Herz, Jeremiah Estrada, Bailey Reid, and Danis Correa combine to throw a no-hitter against the Columbia Fireflies.
Atlantic League
The contracts of more than 50 Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) players have been purchased by Major League Baseball affiliated teams and Mexican League teams, the Atlantic League announced. League officials report the number is extraordinary in scope and timing. It represents more than 25% of the total number of active roster players among the eight Atlantic League clubs, and, remarkably, the Atlantic League, an MLB Professional Partner League, has completed less than one month of its 2021 Championship Season. Nearly 95% of the player transfers have resulted in AAA or AA assignments.
FOOTBALL
Canadian Football League
After a nine-season CFL career that saw him emerge as both a star player and fan favourite, REDBLACKS receiver Brad Sinopoli has announced his retirement from professional football. Sinopoli, who will go down as one of the best REDBLACKS in team history, finishes his career having played five campaigns with the REDBLACKS, racking up 5,741 receiving yards and 19 touchdowns in 139 games. He also won a pair of Grey Cup rings, the second of which came with the REDBLACKS in 2016, ending a 40-year championship drought for Ottawa.
Brad Sinopoli is hanging them up. After a nine-season CFL career that saw him emerge as both a star player and fan favourite, REDBLACKS receiver Brad Sinopoli has announced his retirement from professional football. Thank you for your unflappable presence on the field, your dedication to the game, and the endless laughs.
Even without star QB Bo Levi Mitchell for much of 2019, the Stampeders were still competitive in a difficult west division. CFL.ca's Marshall Ferguson looks at what has transpired since we've seen them last and how the Stamps may fare in 2021.
Montreal was the breakout team of 2019 thanks to the arm (and legs) of QB Vernon Adams Jr. and the leadership of head coach Khari Jones. Marshall Ferguson looks at what is working in the Alouettes favour going into 2021 and where they can improve.
European League of Football
Week 2 is in the books! See the best TD's we had this weekend! The season kicked off for every franchise! See how the franchises make their road to the championship game.
OTHER SPORTS
Major League Rugby
Top 5 Tries - Round 14
Biggest Hits - Week 14
American Ultimate Disc League
Top 10 Plays from Week 3
Did we miss anything newsworthy or downright fun? Have a nomination for next week's column? Contact us today and let us know.
MLS NEXT Pro Stories from June 29, 2021
- 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.
