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Gastonia Honey Hunters

Last Week around the Leagues

by Fran Stuchbury
November 28, 2023 - Atlantic League (AtL)
Gastonia Honey Hunters


This past week the Gastonia Honey Hunters were terminated by the Atlantic League, FC Cincinnati Head Coach Pat Noonan was named the 2023 Sigi Schmid Major League Soccer Coach of the Year, the National Lacrosse's Saskatchewan Rush named Ryan Keenan as the third captain in club history and the USL Super League announced the awarding of a new franchise to Fort Lauderdale for their inaugural 2024 season. Highlights from this week come from the Atlantic League, Major League Soccer, National Women's Soccer League, Canadian Premier League, Major Arena Soccer League, American Hockey League, Professional Women's Hockey League, Western Hockey League, North American Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, United States Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Canadian Football League, NBA G League, Pro Volleyball Federation and the American Ultimate Disc League.

BASEBALL

Atlantic League

A Gaston County baseball team with a long trail of financial issues has been kicked out of its league and is facing a lawsuit from the city it plays in for millions of dollars of unpaid debt. The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) has chosen to terminate the Gastonia Honey Hunters and NC Gas House Gang, LLC, the company that owns the team, from the league, officials confirmed to WCNC Charlotte on Wednesday. The league still plans to field a team in Gastonia in 2024. The Honey Hunters and its ownership team are also facing a lawsuit from the city of Gastonia for allegedly breaching a contract between the two sides and failing to pay millions of dollars of owed money.

The City of Gastonia is suing the company that operates the Gastonia Honey Hunters for failing to meet financial obligations and breaching agreements.

SOCCER

Major League Soccer

FC Cincinnati Head Coach Pat Noonan has been named the 2023 Sigi Schmid Major League Soccer Coach of the Year, the league announced today. The second-year head coach of the Orange and Blue led the club to unprecedented heights in 2023, winning the Supporters' Shield with a league-best 69 points and 20 wins. FC Cincinnati's on-field turnaround began immediately in Noonan's first season in 2022 - when the club reached new heights including the club's first MLS Cup Playoff berth and win - and the success carried over in an extraordinary way in 2023. Under Noonan's direction this season, Cincinnati tied for the fourth-most points in a single MLS season and the most since the New England Revolution set the MLS record with 73 points in 2021.

SURPRISE REVEAL Pat Noonan named 2023 MLS Coach of the Year

FC Cincinnati eliminated Philadelphia Union in the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs Eastern Conference Semifinals with a late, dramatic 1-0 win on Yerson Mosquera's stoppage time goal in front of a sellout crowd at TQL Stadium

National Women's Soccer League

The National Women's Soccer League announced today that the 2024 NWSL Draft, presented by Ally, will take place Friday, January 12 at 8 p.m. ET during the United Soccer Coaches Convention at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. The league has also opened player registration for the NWSL Draft. Live coverage of the 2024 NWSL Draft, presented by Ally, will be televised on ION from 8 to 10 p.m. ET. All rounds of the draft will be streamed on ION Plus.

2023 NWSL Skills Challenge presented by CarMax RECAP

The North Carolina Courage finished the 2023 National Women's Soccer League season in third place in the NWSL standings at 9-7-6 for 33 points. During the season the Courage won its second NWSL Challenge Cup Championship with a 2-0 victory over Racing Louisville FC on September 9th. After losing leading scorer Kerolin Nicoli to injury, the Courage fell 2-0 in the Quarterfinal Round to Gotham FC which went on to win the NWSL championship. Here is the 2023 North Carolina Courage season by the numbers.

USL Super League

The USL Super League announced the awarding of a new Super League franchise to Fort Lauderdale. Super League Fort Lauderdale is founded by Tommy Smith. The club has plans for a modernized stadium and on-site training facilities in partnership with Nova Southeastern University, at the former practice facility of the NFL's Miami Dolphins. More details will be announced in the coming months. "South Florida is ready for professional women's soccer," USL Super League President Amanda Vandervort said. "Fort Lauderdale is a great addition to an already strong contingent of Super League markets, and we're looking forward to kicking off next fall. ‚¬Â Set to kick off in August 2024, the USL Super League intends to launch as a first division league, reflecting its commitment to the highest standards in American soccer and a collective vision to be a global leader in women's soccer on and off the field.

Canadian Premier League

Presenting the 2023 Allstate Canada Good Hands Saves of the Year!

Major Arena Soccer League

In his first game with the yellow and black, Correa gets the golden goal to send the Milwaukee Wave home with a 2-1 win.

LACROSSE

National Lacrosse League

The Saskatchewan Rush have named Ryan Keenan as the third captain in club history. Keenan, has spent his entire six-year NLL career in green, amassing 374 points in 107 games, while helping the team capture the 2018 league championship against Rochester. When he signed his two-year extension this summer, the goal was simply laid out, lead the Saskatchewan Rush back to the playoffs. With an extension signed and the challenge accepted, it's now time for Keenan to be the next captain and cement his legacy on the Saskatchewan Rush. "Another championship would be special. It's our ultimate goal and as you get older you realize you only have so many opportunities to win another one. I definitely want it bad and I know the rest of our group does as well. ‚¬Â

Full sit down interview with Ryan Keenan, the new captain of the Saskatchewan Rush.

Welcome to the Next Major League

HOCKEY

American Hockey League

Thank you fans for another successful Teddy Bear Toss - we collected over 5,000 stuffed animals that will now be donated to various local nonprofits!

TYLER SPEZIA MAKES THE TEDDY BEARS FLY

KENT JOHNSON HOW ARE YA?!

Professional Women's Hockey League

The PWHL has just kicked off training camp, so NESN invited Boston's Hilary Knight to the Booth to break down the Bruins game, and everything you need to know about the new professional women's hockey league.

Western Hockey League

WHL Top 10

North American Hockey League

NAHL Top Plays - November 13-19, 2023

Ontario Hockey League

OHL Plays of the Week

United States Hockey League

USHL Goals Of The Week

Quebec Major Junior Hockey League

Corey Crawford's legendary #29 jersey will ascend to the rafters at the Avenir Centre in Moncton, NB. Relive his standout moments and breathtaking saves during his time with the Moncton Wildcats!

QMJHL Plays of the Week

FOOTBALL

Canadian Football League

It is with great sadness the Calgary Stampeders learn of the death of Harald Hasselbach. A member of the Stampeders' 1992 Grey Cup-championship team, Hasselbach was 56. Hasselbach's family announced on that the Dutch-born, Canadian-raised defensive lineman had been battling cancer. An alumnus of South Delta Secondary School in Tsawwassen, B.C., and the University of Washington, Hasselbach was a fifth-round draft pick by the Stampeders in 1989 and he played 50 games for the Red and White from 1990-93. He was a West Division and league all-star in 1993. Hasselbach joined the National Football League's Denver Broncos in 1994 and played 112 games over seven seasons. He was part of a pair of Super Bowl-winning clubs in Denver.

Broncos Super Bowl champ Harald Hasselbach dies at 56

Re-live the Montreal Alouettes historic Grey Cup victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the 110th Grey Cup at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton from the exclusive vantage point of our CFL sideline cameras.

XFL

Former St. Louis Battlehawks quarterback A.J. McCarron has signed a contract to the 53-man roster with the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. McCarron had been on the Bengals practice squad since September. Playing in nine games for the Battlehawks in 2023, McCarron led the XFL with 24 passing touchdowns and 26 touchdowns overall. He also posted an XFL-best 68.8% completion rate and ranked 2nd in the league with 203 completions and 2,150 passing yards.

Former D.C. Defenders wide receiver Chris Blair has been promoted to the Atlanta Falcons 53-man roster. Blair, who was signed to the Falcons practice squad on September 27, saw action in Sunday's 24-15 victory over the New Orleans Saints. Blair led the Defenders in receiving yards (594) and yards per catch (22.9) during the 2023 XFL season, to go along with 26 receptions and three touchdowns.

BASKETBALL

NBA G League

The Motor City Cruise, NBA G League affiliate of the Detroit Pistons, announced that two-way player Jared Rhoden was awarded NBA G League Player of the Week. Rhoden is the second Cruise player to receive this honor in franchise history (Saben Lee, 2021). Rhoden averaged 27.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists in three appearances, leading the Cruise to a 3-0 start in the first week of the NBA G League Showcase Cup. The Baldwin, N.Y., native scored a career-high 36 points in the season opener at Grand Rapids on Sunday, Nov. 12.

Oscar Tshiebwe Breaks Mad Ants Record After Career-High 28 REB!

OTHER SPORTS

Pro Volleyball Federation

The Grand Rapids Rise announced the signing of setter Taylor Bruns for the team's inaugural Pro Volleyball Federation season in 2024. "Taylor is an experienced volleyball player who has played professionally and with USA Volleyball over the course of the last 10 years. That experience and volleyball IQ will give us additional confidence in pressure moments," Rise head coach Cathy George said. "Taylor is also a lefty who is a strong attacker and blocker. Other teams will have to pay attention to her around the net because of her second ball attacking skills. This offensive option will give opposing defenses more to worry about. ‚¬Â

Inspire Together - Pro Volleyball Federation

American Ultimate Disc League

John Randolph's Best Plays from the 2023 season. In his first full season with the New York Empire, John Randolph showed why he's one of the best defenders in the league, earning All AUDL and All Defense honors.

Did we miss anything newsworthy or fun? Have a nomination for next week's column? Contact us today and let us know.

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Atlantic League Stories from November 28, 2023


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