Last Week around the Leagues

by Fran Stuchbury
June 25, 2024 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)

This past week the American Hockey League's Hershey Bears won back-to-back Calder Cup championships, the Arena Football League's West Texas Desert Hawks ceased operations, and the National Women's Soccer League's San Diego Wave FC parted ways with head coach Casey Stoney. Highlights from this week come from the American Hockey League, Professional Women's Hockey League, Arena Football League, United Football League, Canadian Football League, Indoor Football League, National Women's Soccer League, Canadian Premier League, MLS NEXT Pro, Women's National Basketball Association, BIG3, Pacific Coast League, Midwest League, Florida State League, Premier Lacrosse League and Ultimate Frisbee Association.

HOCKEY

American Hockey League

Pierrick Dubé recorded a hat trick and Matt Strome scored 66 seconds into overtime to lift the Hershey Bears (14-6) to a 5-4 victory over the Coachella Valley Firebirds (12-6) in Game 6 of the 2024 Calder Cup Finals in front of a franchise-record crowd of 11,013 at GIANT Center, winning the best-of-seven 2024 Calder Cup Finals four games to two. Hendrix Lapierre was awarded the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as the most valuable player of the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs after leading the postseason in scoring with 22 points (7g, 15a) in 20 games. Lapierre also tied with teammate Joe Snively for the league lead in power-play assists (9) and power-play points (11). Lapierre's 20 points are tied with Josef Marha (1997) for the eighth-most points by a Bear in a playoff year. Lapierre's seven points (3g, 4a) tied with teammate Alex Limoges for the team scoring lead against Coachella Valley in the championship round.

Hershey Bears win back to back Calder Cup Championships

The moment the Hershey Bears won their second straight Calder Cup!

The Tucson Roadrunners announced that all 36 of their home games during the 2024-25 American Hockey League (AHL) season will be played at the Tucson Convention Center in downtown Tucson. The decision to play all 36 home games at Tucson Arena came after the last week's decision by the Arizona State Land Department to cancel their June 27 land auction. Previously, six Tucson Roadrunners home games during the 2024-25 season were scheduled to be played at Mullett Arena in Tempe, Arizona. Fans who had previously purchased tickets for games at Mullet Arena will be refunded this week.

Pittsburgh Penguins President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Kyle Dubas announced that Kirk MacDonald has been named head coach of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. A native of Victoria, British Columbia, MacDonald becomes the 12th head coach in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton history. The 40-year-old MacDonald joins the Penguins organization with over 10 years of coaching experience, most recently as the head coach of the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the United States Hockey League (USHL) from 2022-24. This past season, MacDonald led Dubuque to the best record in the USHL's Eastern Conference, going 41-13-8 in the regular season before capturing the USHL Eastern Conference championship in the Clark Cup Playoffs. Prior to his time in Dubuque, MacDonald spent eight seasons with the Reading Royals of the ECHL in various roles including assistant coach, head coach and director of hockey operations. MacDonald got his start in coaching at the collegiate level with his alma mater, R.P.I., where he served as an assistant coach in 2013-14.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins announce new head coach

ECHL

The Adirondack Thunder, proud ECHL affiliate of the New Jersey Devils Devils and Utica Comets, have announced that the club has signed a two-year extension to affiliate with the NHL's New Jersey Devils and the AHL's Utica Comets through the 2025-26 season. "We are extremely excited to continue our relationship with the New Jersey Devils and Utica Comets for two more seasons," said Adirondack Thunder President Jeff Mead. "We are coming off our best season yet, both on and off the ice. With the help and support from New Jersey and Utica, we are looking forward to putting another winning team on the ice this season while also developing prospects. ‚¬Â

Professional Women's Hockey League

2024 Rookie of the Year, Minnesota's Grace Zumwinkle, has all eyes on season two.

United States Hockey League

The United States Hockey League (USHL), in conjunction with Member Clubs, has announced its schedule for the 2024-25 season. The season will consist of 62 games for each team in a cross-conference schedule, with preseason matchups for the upcoming season released at a later date. The 29-week regular season is scheduled to begin in September and comes to a close on Saturday, April 12, 2025.

The Dubuque Fighting Saints Fighting Saints have announced Evan Dixon as the seventh head coach in the organization's Tier-I history. After joining the Fighting Saints' coaching staff in 2019 as an assistant coach, Dixon has remained on the Saints staff through three different head coaching tenures. Prior to the 2022-23 season under Kirk MacDonald, Dixon was elevated to the team's associate head coach. "I've had the privilege of working with some great coaches in my time in Dubuque. Oliver David, Greg Brown, and Kirk MacDonald have all played an tremendous part in my development as a leader and I cannot thank them enough for their guidance and mentorship," said Dixon. "I feel honored and excited to take on this new experience. I look forward to continuing to make a positive impact on our players, staff and the Dubuque community. ‚¬Â

FOOTBALL

Arena Football League

West Texas Desert Hawks shutting down. Zack Bugg, the franchise's owner, officially announced that the team is ceasing operations.

Canadian Football League

CFL Plays of the Week

Canadian receivers in the league have SHOWN OUT so far in the first few weeks of CFL action. Henoc Muamba and Donnovan Bennett break down their top 3 Canadian wide receivers currently playing in the CFL.

United Football League

The United Football League has announced that Michigan Panthers kicker Jake Bates has signed a two-year contract with the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. Bates broke onto the UFL scene in Week 1, nailing a 64-yard field goal attempt which would go on to be the game winner, against the St. Louis Battlehawks. During the 2024 season, he was dependable from deep, converting 7-of-11 from 50+ yards and 3-of-4 from 60+ yards. Bates finished the season 17-of-22, and his longest of 64 was the longest field goal in the league. He earned All-UFL honors following the season for his kicking efforts. The Tomball, Texas native was heavily relied on throughout the season, kicking two game-winning field goals and tallying five games with multiple field goals in each. Bates notably went 5-for-5, including a 42-yard game winner, against the Arlington Renegades Renegades in Week 6.

The UFL has announced that St. Louis Battlehawks running back Jacob Saylors has signed a contract with the New York Giants of the National Football League. Voted All-UFL honors, Saylors led all running backs while setting a franchise single-season record with 461 rushing yards on 94 carries (4.9 avg). He was also tops in the league with 8 touchdowns (5 rush/3 rec) and tied for the most 2-point conversions (3). The 24-year old out of Tennessee State also matched a team record of 104 rushing yards in a single game and finished fourth on the team with 23 receptions and ranked fifth with 152 receiving yards.

UFL Season 2 and Expansion Update

Indoor Football League

IFL Plays of the Week - Week 14

National Arena League

The Wheeling Miners announced that they have joined the National Arena League. The Miners will begin NAL competition in the upcoming 2025 season and play their home games at the Wesbanco Arena in Wheeling, WV. Owner Chris Duffy made the announcement during a press conference. Duffie said that he looked forward to taking the Miners into the established league. "The National Arena League provided us an opportunity to partner with like minded owners and teams that are dedicated to bringing a professional product both on and off the field," Duffy said. "We are excited to build on our success this season and also bring the competition, and nationally recognized teams of the NAL, to our fans here in Wheeling. ‚¬Â Wheeling Head Coach Josh Resignalo previously spent time in the NAL as Head Coach and General Manager of the Cobras in 2021 and 2022, and has over 18 years of experience coaching the indoor game.

SOCCER

National Women's Soccer League

San Diego Wave FC announced that the club has parted ways with head coach Casey Stoney. Paul Buckle will serve as interim head coach. "We are immensely grateful to Casey for her commitment to our club and the positive impact she has had both on and off the pitch." said San Diego Wave FC President Jill Ellis. "Over the past seasons, Casey has guided us to significant milestones, and her contributions have been instrumental in laying a strong foundation on which to build. The decision to part ways was very hard and not made in haste, but given the ambition of this club, and where we are in our season, we felt a change was necessary at this time. ‚¬Â After joining Wave FC in July 2021 as the club's first head coach, Stoney entered 2024 as the longest-tenured coach in the league. Stoney led San Diego to its first two trophies, the 2023 NWSL Shield and the 2024 Challenge Cup, while amassing a 24-15-18 regular season record as a head coach.

Bay FC, the new women's professional soccer franchise representing the Bay Area in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), announced today that Lucy Rushton has resigned from her role as the club's General Manager. The club has accepted her resignation, and Matt Potter will serve as head of football and interim sporting director. "Being a part of building a new club in the sport I love is something that I will forever be grateful for," said Rushton. "I am extremely proud of all of the players, coaches, and staff at Bay FC for what they have already accomplished and what I know they will continue to build. The club was founded with the vision of building a premier global sports franchise on and off the field and I have no doubt this group will make that a reality. I love this team, group of people, and our fans. It has been a privilege and honor to lead them into the inaugural season and I will always hold Bay FC close to my heart. This has been one of the hardest decisions of my life, but I believe the right one for me right now. I am excited for and look forward to my next chapter. ‚¬Â

NWSL Road to the Shield - Mid Season Update

Major League Soccer

The San Jose Earthquakes announced that the club has parted ways with head coach Luchi Gonzalez. Assistant coach Ian Russell has been named interim head coach, while assistant coaches Steve Ralston, Luciano Fusco and Adin Brown will remain in their current roles. "We want to thank Luchi for his hard work, commitment to the club and professionalism," said general manager Chris Leitch. "Luchi and his staff have worked extremely hard the past year and a half, but we have not met expectations this year as a club. We felt that we needed to make a change, and it was in the best interests of the club to move in a different direction. ‚¬Â Gonzalez was named head coach of the Quakes on Aug. 17, 2022, and joined the club on a full-time basis following the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where he served as U.S. Men's National Team assistant coach. During the past two seasons, Gonzalez posted a 13-24-16 record. He led San Jose to the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs in 2023, taking Sporting Kansas City to penalty kicks before Sporting prevailed in the shootout.

Canadian Premier League

As the CPL wraps up Week 11, catch up on the highlights and some of the best moments you might have missed

MLS NEXT Pro

John Gall has coached in the FC Dallas Academy system, the club's MLS NEXT Pro affiliate North Texas SC, and now he's an Assistant Coach for the FC Dallas First Team. Gall's rise through the ranks is the latest example of how the pathway works. He sits down with Michelle Montaine to discuss this MLS NEXT Pro season and much more.

United Soccer League One

Naples unveiled its crest and colors at an event held at the Paradise Coast Sports Complex. "As we embarked on this journey to establish the first professional soccer team in Naples, it was never uniquely about injecting excitement through professional sports into Southwest Florida. Our goal is to rally the community around the values that make us stronger. The club's crest and colors won't just represent the team, they will represent the unique beauty that we cherish about Naples as well as a powerful drive to succeed that is in the heart of local residents," said Roberto Moreno, CEO of USL Naples.

BASKETBALL

Women's National Basketball Association

The Indiana Fever (7-11) fell, 88-87, to the Chicago Sky at Wintrust Arena. Fever guard Caitlin Clark ended with 17 points, a franchise-record 13 assists, six rebounds and tied a career-high with four steals. Fever guard Erica Wheeler owned the previous franchise record of 12 assists in a game, which was set on June 6, 2023 also at Chicago.

The Las Vegas Aces announced that they have sold out the entirety of their ticket inventory for the team's 2024 regular season home schedule, which includes 18 games at Michelob ULTRA Arena, and 2 games-July 2 vs. Indiana, and September 3 vs. Chicago-at T-Mobile Arena. They are the first team in the history of the WNBA to sell out their entire regular season slate of home contests.

Natalie Esquire and Callie Lawson-Freeman talk about the WNBA Rookie of the Year race and whether anyone will keep up with Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark

NBA G League

Raptors 905, NBA G League affiliate of the Toronto Raptors, announced that Andrew (Drew) Jones III will serve as the sixth head coach in franchise history. "Drew is stepping up to lead our G League team during an important phase of the Raptors' franchise. We believe that success at 905 contributes to the success of the Raptors, and we feel that Drew, with his experience and commitment to player development, will help our young players reach their goals - and ours," Raptors 905 general manager Luke Winn said. "I'm excited for the opportunity to coach Raptors 905, continuing my development as a coach and a leader" Jones said. "After conversations with Coach Rajaković and the Raptors front office we are aligned in maintaining the tradition of developing players and coaches who can contribute at the highest level. ‚¬Â

BIG3

2024 BIG3 Week 1 Recap - Paul Millsap & Jeff Teague Debut, Too Short Performance, Ice Cube Birthday.

BASEBALL

Pacific Coast League

Astros Dixon Machado, Jesús Bastidas and Will Wagner turn a triple play for Triple-A Sugar Land

Midwest League

Padres right-hander Yu Darvish strikes out three while allowing six runs in 3 1/3 innings in his first rehab start for High-A Fort Wayne.

Florida State League

Pirates No. 15 prospect Shalin Polanco hits a walk-off grand slam for Single-A Bradenton

Reds No. 30 prospect Adam Serwinowski throws an immaculate inning to begin his start for Single-A Daytona

LACROSSE

Premier Lacrosse League

Paul Rabil and ESPN analyst Paul Carcaterra sat down and had an open discussion about all things PLL and the future of both men's and women's lacrosse.

OTHER SPORTS

Ultimate Frisbee Association

The Top 10 plays from Week 8 of the 2024 UFA regular season!

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

• Discuss this story on the National Women's Soccer League message board...

National Women's Soccer League Stories from June 25, 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.