Last Week around the Leagues
by Fran Stuchbury
April 2, 2024 - BIG3 (BIG3)
This past week college basketball superstar Caitlin Clark received a $5 million offer to play for the BIG3 league, the United Football League kicked off its inaugural season, and the Pro Volleyball Federation announced Omaha, Nebraska, will host the league's first-ever championship. Highlights from this week come from the BIG3, NBA G League, United Football League, Canadian Football League, Indoor Football League, Pro Volleyball Federation, Major League Rugby, Ultimate Frisbee Association, National Lacrosse League, Premier Lacrosse League, Major League Soccer, National Women's Soccer League, USL Championship, Canadian Premier League, Major Arena Soccer League, MLS NEXT Pro, American Hockey League, ECHL, Southern Professional Hockey League, Professional Women's Hockey League, Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, North American Hockey League, United States Hockey League, and International League.
BASKETBALL
BIG3
BIG3 founder Ice Cube joins The Pat McAfee Show to explain the $5 million offer and benefits of Caitlin Clark joining the 3-on-3 basketball league before speaking on the music industry at large.
NBA G League
Top 10 Plays of the Week
Top G League Dunks of the Month - March 2024
FOOTBALL
United Football League
Check out the Top 10 plays from week 1 of the 2024 UFL season!
Michigan Panthers' Jake Bates drills a 64-yard game-winning FG - Drive of the Week
Canadian Football League
Donnovan Bennett and Marshall Ferguson highlight some of the top performers from the 2024 CFL Combine
Indoor Football League
IFL Plays of the Week Two
Congratulations Massachusetts Pirates WR Thomas Owens for one-hand snagging the #1 play on ESPN's Top 10!
OTHER SPORTS
Pro Volleyball Federation
Pro Volleyball Federation has announced that its first championship will take place in a city that supports professional volleyball like no other in the United States - Omaha, Nebraska. The semifinals on May 15 and title match on May 18 will take place at the CHI Health Center and be broadcast nationally on CBS Sports Network. The home of the Omaha Supernovas has already established the attendance standard for professional volleyball in America, with four of the top five U.S. attendance records coming this season - including all of the top three marks. "No one supports volleyball like the great fans in Nebraska," touted Pro Volleyball Federation CEO Jen Spicher. "We couldn't be more excited to play the culmination of our season there and look forward to working with the outstanding staffs in place for both the Supernovas and CHI Health Center to put on a championship that our phenomenal athletes and the fantastic fans of our league deserve."
The championship weekend for Pro Volleyball Federation will come to a fantastic conclusion with the players from the winning team being awarded a $1,000,000 bonus. It will highlight some of the top athletes the sport has to offer in front of some of the best fans in the nation.
Omaha will host the first-ever championship for the Pro Volleyball Federation.
Major League Rugby
All of the best plays from Week 4 of MLR's 2024 Season
Ultimate Frisbee Association
Best Backhand Throws from the 2023 Season
LACROSSE
National Lacrosse League
Happy Women's History Month. This month we honor and celebrate the achievements of all of the women who keep our game moving!
Ryan Benesch shares his thoughts on passing Dan Dawson to move into the 4th most all-time goals in the NLL.
Premier Lacrosse League
The Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) named legendary coach Bill Tierney head coach and general manager of the Philadelphia Waterdogs. A member of the USA Lacrosse Hall of Fame and seven-time NCAA Champion, Coach Tierney brings more than 40 years of world-class coaching experience to the Waterdogs organization.
"We're excited to unveil a monumental addition to the Philadelphia Waterdogs family as one of lacrosse's most esteemed head coaches, Bill Tierney, joins our ranks," said Paul Rabil, Co-Founder and President of the Premier Lacrosse League. "With a remarkable seven NCAA Championships, Coach Tierney embarks on a groundbreaking mission-to become the first to win both a college and professional championship as head coach. The City of Brotherly Love and our devoted Waterdogs fans will get to witness Tierney's coaching debut this June, marking the commencement of a multi-year partnership. ¬Â
The Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) announced the dates and locations for its 2024 Cash App Playoffs. Boston, Long Island, and Philadelphia have been selected to host the league's quarterfinals, semifinals, and Cash App Championship. Quarterfinals - Sept. 2, 2024 - Gillette Stadium, Boston, Semifinals - Sept, 8, 2024 - Shuart Stadium at Hofstra University, Long Island, Cash App Championship - Sept. 15, 2024 - Subaru Park, Philadelphia, "Our teams' pursuit of a PLL Championship for their new home cities will run through Boston, Long Island and Philadelphia - three top performing markets fit to host our most important games of the season," said Paul Rabil, Co-Founder and President of the Premier Lacrosse League. "We're grateful to Kraft Sports + Entertainment, Hofstra University, the Philadelphia Union, and Cash App, and look forward to delivering a world-class experience for the players, and our fans. The 2024 PLL Cash App Championship Trophy is coming home. ¬Â
LACROSSE in JAPAN - Wildest Moments from Tokyo ¬Â¦
SOCCER
Major League Soccer
Inter Miami's Luis Suárez Scores 5th Goal with Perfect Feed from Julian Gressel!
National Women's Soccer League
Former USWNT defender Ali Krieger joins Sebastian Salazar on Futbol Americas to look back at the best goals from the latest round of NWSL fixtures.
USL Championship & USL Super League
Western New York native and experienced sports executive Peter Marlette, Jr., today announced the formation of Buffalo Pro Soccer - a group that plans to bring a USL Championship club to Buffalo by 2026 through an exclusive partnership with United Soccer League (USL). "Given soccer's incredible growth trajectory in the United States, it's time that Buffalo - one of America's most passionate sports cities - joins the movement with its own professional club," said Peter Marlette, Jr., President of Buffalo Pro Soccer. "This club will represent the hard work, resilience, innovation, and pride that our community is known for. I'm committed to building a winning USL Championship club and I look forward to collaborating with everyone who believes in Buffalo. Together, we'll write a new chapter in our city's vibrant civic and sports history. ¬Â While the club's initial focus is on launching its USL Championship men's team, Buffalo Pro Soccer also intends to pursue a professional women's soccer team in the USL Super League, which launches in August with Division I sanctioning.
A discussion about the new pro soccer team coming to Buffalo. The group, led by Peter Marlette Jr., is seeking to bring both men's and women's professional soccer to Western New York.
Roswell, a close suburb of Atlanta, City officials said if an agreement is reached, the stadium will host a USL Super League women's team and a USL Championship men's team.
Canadian Premier League
INTERVIEW: Cavalry FC's Tommy Wheeldon Jr speaks ahead of 2024 season
MLS NEXT Pro
Jack Collison sits down with Michelle Montaine to talk about how Huntsville City FC has grown as a club from year 1 to year 2, how HCFC and Nashville SC align on player development, and more in this feature.
Major Arena Soccer League
MASL Ten for Ten - San Diego Sockers Jonathan Greene
Week 18 in the MASL was a great one! Catch up on the week that was with this week's MASL in 5 with Alex Bastyovanszky!
Major League Indoor Soccer
In a groundbreaking development poised to reshape the landscape of indoor soccer in the United States, the National Indoor Soccer League (NISL) proudly announces its merger into the Major League Indoor Soccer (MLIS), effective immediately. This integration marks a significant milestone for indoor soccer, with the MLIS inheriting the entirety of the NISL, adding six additional teams to its men's, and recently added women's divisions. Both teams will finish out their 2023-24 seasons as planned. Established in 2022, the MLIS currently boasts six men's teams for its 2023-24 season: Cleveland OH (Crunch), Omaha NE (Kings), Grand Rapids MI (Rapid City), Denver CO (Colorado Bucks), Chicago IL (Mustangs) and Lima OH (Ohio Extreme). The NISL was founded in January 2021 by a group of seasoned sports team and league owners with over 50 years of ownership experience and currently includes a roster of six teams: Albany GA (Aces), Orland FL (Central Florida Crusaders), Fayetteville NC (Fury), Pelham AL (Magic City SC), Tampa Bay FL (Strikers), and Columbus GA, (Foundry FC), each competing in both men's and women's divisions.
HOCKEY
American Hockey League
Carson Golder's first AHL goal proves to by the game winning goal for the Manitoba Moose.
ECHL
The ECHL's Cincinnati Cyclones made history on Saturday night as the first team in the history of professional hockey to start with a lineup featuring five Black skaters.
Southern Professional Hockey League
Week 23 Goals
Federal Prospect Hockey League
The FPHL announces its newest expansion franchise in Athens, GA. The team will kick off the 2024-25 season playing at the Classic Center Arena that is currently being constructed. The arena will seat 5,500 for FPHL games and already has 50% of its premium seating (including suites) already spoken for. The team has yet to announce its team names but will be doing a fan vote with the 4 name finalists which are between the Athenians, Athens Owls, Rock Lobsters and the Classic City Panic. The fan vote will take place next week on their social media pages with the final name to be announced in a few weeks.
Professional Women's Hockey League
PWHL Toronto superstar Sarah Nurse discusses why representation is so important in hockey, and why the Black Girl Hockey Club and her "Nursey Night" promotion mean so much to her.
PWHL Boston helped lead the Learn to Play clinic at Philips Academy Ice Rink in Andover, MA in partnership with the Boston Bruins. Over 50 youth players between the ages of 4-9 attended the event.
Western Hockey League
WHL Player of the Week Moose Jaws Warriors forward Jagger Firkus
Ontario Hockey League
OHL Plays of the Week
North American Hockey League
NAHL Top Plays - March 18-24, 2024
United States Hockey League
The Fargo Force were presented with the Anderson Cup as USHL regular-season champions.
BASEBALL
International League
New York Mets prospects Drew Gilbert and Luisangel Acuña homer on consecutive pitches for their first Triple-A hits for Syracuse.
Rays No. 1 prospect Junior Caminero crushes a solo home run to center field in the top of the 1st inning for Triple-A Durham
MLB's top prospect Jackson Holliday has another strong performance at the plate, collecting a two-hit game for Triple-A Norfolk
Check out the top performances by your favorite prospects, including Jackson Holliday and Paul Skenes, on This Week in Minor League Baseball! (March 29-31, 2024)
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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BIG3 Stories from April 2, 2024
- 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.
