Last Week around the Leagues
by Fran Stuchbury
April 29, 2025 - SPHL (SPHL)
This past week The Evansville Thunderbolts won their first SPHL Championship in the team's nine-year history, the Midwest League's Wisconsin Timber Rattlers were sold to Diamond Baseball Holdings, Vancouver was awarded a Professional Women's Hockey League expansion team next season, and Major League Rugby announced the 2025 Championship will be played at Centreville Bank Stadium in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Highlights from this week come from the SPHL, Professional Women's Hockey League, Western Hockey League, Midwest League, South Atlantic League, Southern League, Texas League, United Football League, Canadian Football League, Indoor Football League, Arena Football One, Major League Soccer, Northern Super League, MLS NEXT Pro, National Lacrosse League, and Pro Volleyball Federation.
HOCKEY
SPHL
The Evansville Thunderbolts incredible run through the President's Cup Playoffs came to a victorious end on Thursday night at Ford Center, with Aidan Litke's overtime goal completing the sweep of the Knoxville Ice Bears in the final series, as the Thunderbolts captured their first-ever President's Cup Championship. Late in the first period, the Thunderbolts grabbed the game's first lead as Logan vande Meerakker scored on the rush on a power play at 19:14 from Nolan McElhaney. Following a relatively low-event second period, the Ice Bears tied the game 1-1 as Brendan Dowler scored 2:25 into the third period of play. In overtime, unlike Wednesday night's Game One in Knoxville which required double overtime, it took only 1:30 for Litke to score the golden goal, as Ethan Price fed Litke with a pass from the near corner to the net-front, where Litke sniped the puck over Knoxville goaltender Stephen Mundinger to finish the climb to the top of the mountain, with captain Matthew Hobbs fittingly earning a secondary assist on the goal as well.
Aidan Litke delivers the Evansville Thunderbolts their first SPHL President's Cup Championship with an overtime goal.
The Peoria Rivermen, along with the SPHL, are proud to announce today that Rivermen forward Jordan Ernst has been named the league's most valuable player for the 2024-25 season. Ernst, a native of Mokena, Illinois, is coming off his best season of professional hockey after notching 57 points (37 goals, 20 assists) in 55 games this season for the Rivermen. A three-time President's Cup champion, Ernst has just completed his seventh professional season and sixth in the SPHL. He finished the regular season ranking first in goals, fifth in points, first in power-play goals (17), and first in shots-on-goal (239). Ernst also tied an SPHL record with five goals in a single game, and he scored on the road in Evansville back on January 4.
The SPHL announced that Roanoke rookie forward Carson Gallagher has been named as the SPHL's Rookie of the Year for the 2024-2025 season. Gallagher is the first Rail Yard Dawg to win the league's Rookie of the Year award in the franchise's history. After starting the season with Evansville and Pensacola, Gallagher dominated for the Rail Yard Dawgs once he was acquired shortly before Thanksgiving. The Roanoke winger tied for the team-high with a plus-18 rating on the ice, while also leading all SPHL rookies with 18 goals and 47 points throughout 51 regular season games, 42 of which came for Roanoke (46 points for the Dawgs). In the first round of the President's Cup Playoffs against Knoxville, Gallagher had three points, tallying goals in both Game One and Game Three of the series against the Ice Bears.
The SPHL announced that Colby Muise of the Peoria Rivermen has been named the SPHL Goaltender of the Year in a vote of league coaches, broadcasters, and staff. Muise, who went 23-3-4 for the Rivermen, set a new SPHL record by posting a 1.68 goals against average and matched the league mark for shutouts in a season with eight. Muise also led netminders with a 0.933 save percentage and was tied for third with 23 wins. A native of Yarmouth, NS, Muise also established the second-longest scoreless streak by a goaltender at 230:09, during which he posted three consecutive shutouts.
Professional Women's Hockey League
The Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) announced that it will expand to Vancouver, British Columbia, with the newest team set to begin play with the 2025-26 season. The historic Pacific Coliseum, located on the property of the PNE, will serve as the Vancouver team's home venue with the practice facility just steps away at PNE Agrodome. Ahead of the team's debut, the Coliseum and Agrodome will undergo comprehensive upgrades to locker rooms and training facilities. The Coliseum will also receive enhanced technology and broadcast capabilities- all while preserving the venue's charm and renowned hockey sightlines. As part of today's announcement, the team also revealed its primary colour, Pacific Blue, and secondary colour, Cream. The team will operate as PWHL Vancouver until the permanent brand identity is announced.
TSN Hockey Analyst Cheryl Pounder is joined by PWHL Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations Jayna Hefford to discuss the PWHL's expansion to Vancouver.
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League announced today that San Jose Barracuda forward Andrew Poturalski has been voted the winner of the Les Cunningham Award as the AHL's most valuable player for the 2024-25 season.
The American Hockey League announced that Texas Stars forward Justin Hryckowian has been voted the winner of the Dudley (Red) Garrett Memorial Award as the AHL's outstanding rookie for the 2024-25 season. After making his pro debut with Texas late in the 2023-24 season, Hryckowian was one of the top two-way forwards in the AHL in 2024-25. He finished first on the league's rookie scoring list with 60 points (22 goals, 38 assists) and tied for third among all rookie forwards in plus/minus rating (+15) in 67 games for the Stars, never going more than three consecutive games without a point all season. Hryckowian was named the AHL's Rookie of the Month for December and also represented Texas at the AHL All-Star Classic in February, where he had a goal and three assists to help the Central Division win the annual All-Star Challenge. This is the first MVP award for Poturalski whose AHL career accolades include three scoring titles and two Calder Cup championships. Despite missing the final three weeks of the 2024-25 regular season, Poturalski led the league with 73 points in 59 games to lead the Barracuda to their best record and first Calder Cup Playoff appearance since 2019. He also ranked second in the AHL only to teammate Danil Gushchin with 13 power-play goals as San Jose finished with a league-best 24.0 percent efficiency with the man advantage. San Jose was 31-19-5-4 (.602) with Poturalski in the lineup - compared to 5-8-0-0 (.385) without him - as well as 24-10-4-3 (.671) in games when he registered at least one point.
The American Hockey League announced that Michael DiPietro of the Providence Bruins is the winner of the Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award as the AHL's outstanding goaltender for the 2024-25 season. DiPietro was one of the top goaltenders in the league from start to finish in 2024-25, beginning the season with seven consecutive starts allowing two goals or fewer and closing with a 9-1-1 record in his final 11 decisions. All told, DiPietro went 26-8-5 in 40 appearances for Providence, finishing second in the league in victories, second in save percentage (.927) and third in goals-against average (2.05) while establishing career bests in all three categories. DiPietro garnered his first selection to the AHL All-Star Classic in February - where he earned a share of the CCM Top Goaltender award during the annual Skills Competition - and he was voted a First Team AHL All-Star last week.
The American Hockey League announced that Jacob MacDonald of the Colorado Eagles is the winner of the Eddie Shore Award as the AHL's outstanding defenseman for the 2024-25 season. MacDonald rewrote the AHL record books in 2024-25 by scoring 31 goals, the most ever by a defenseman in the league's 89-year history. He added 24 assists to lead all AHL blueliners in scoring with 55 points, equaling his career high, and finished with a plus/minus rating of plus-24 to rank tied for 10th in the entire league. MacDonald scored 13 times on the power play and tallied five game-winning goals for the Eagles, who led the AHL in offense (3.47 goals scored per game) and tied for fourth in defense (2.57 goals allowed per game) en route to capturing their first Pacific Division title this season.
The American Hockey League announced that Pascal Vincent of the Laval Rocket is the winner of the Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award as the AHL's outstanding coach for the 2024-25 season. A Laval native, Vincent guided his hometown Rocket to the best record in the AHL in 2024-25, capturing the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy with a mark of 48-19-3-2 (101 points) that represented the second-best points percentage (.701) ever by a Montreal Canadiens AHL affiliate as well as a 27-point improvement over last season's Laval club. Vincent's Rocket allowed 2.47 goals per game, tied for the fewest in the league, and he has been instrumental in the development of many young Canadiens prospects including nine players who have competed with Montreal this season, among them Owen Beck, Joshua Roy, Logan Mailloux and Jakub Dobeš.
ECHL
The Greenville Swamp Rabbits, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Los Angeles Kings, announced that the team is parting ways with Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations, Kyle Mountain. Mountain, 34, was promoted to Head Coach on June 22, 2024, becoming the fifth Head Coach in Swamp Rabbits/Road Warriors history. He posted a 27-37-6-2 record, earning his first professional win on October 25, 2024, with a 3-2 victory against the South Carolina Stingrays. Mountain previously served as the Assistant Coach in the 2023-24 ECHL Season, running the Swamp Rabbits defense corps and penalty kill, in addition to holding other responsibilities in various hockey operations capacities. He helped lead the team to a finish inside the top-10 defensively in the ECHL, sharing eighth with 2.94 goals against-per-game, en route to the team's fourth consecutive Kelly Cup Playoff appearance and the 2024 South Division Regular Season Championship.
Federal Prospects Hockey League
Mississippi Professional Hockey of the Federal Prospects Hockey League is looking to the community to help rebrand their professional hockey team before their fourth season in the FPHL. After three seasons under the previous ownership group, it was important to the new owners to have a fresh start. As hockey continues here on the Gulf Coast it will be a product that the city and fans can truly claim as their own. New team name submissions will be accepted beginning on Monday April 28th at the current website, mississippiseawolves.com. After a two-week nomination period ending Sunday May 11th, the name submissions will be narrowed down to 5 and then put out to the community for an area wide vote beginning on May 19th and ending on June 1st. The team will reveal the new team name, logo, and jersey design live at a press conference on June 2nd,2025.
The Baton Rouge Zydeco and Head Coach Everett Thompson have mutually agreed to part ways. "We are incredibly grateful for everything Coach Thompson has contributed to the community and team over the past year and a half. I appreciate all of Everett's hard work and wish him nothing but the best," said Zydeco Team President Don Lewis. Coach Thompson shared, "I've truly enjoyed my time with the front office staff, all of my players, and the team at the Raising Cane's River Center. I will always be cheering for the Zydeco."
Western Hockey League
Exceptional-status defenceman Landon DuPont has been awarded the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy as the WHL Rookie of the Year.
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) announced that Owen Sound Attack forward Pierce Mbuyi is awarded the Emms Family Award as OHL Rookie of the Year as voted by the League's General Managers. Mbuyi led OHL rookies with 29 goals and 52 points over 63 games, setting a new single season points record by an Owen Sound 16-year-old rookie in the process. He had a highly productive second half of the season, producing 38 points (21-17--38), including three hat-tricks, over 33 games after January 1st. Mbuyi was the OHL's Rookie of the Month for February and earned Rookie of the Week honours three different times.
United States Hockey League
Forward Ryker Lee of the Madison Capitols was named United States Hockey League (USHL) Rookie of the Year. He is the first USHL Rookie of the Year in team history. In his first full USHL season, Lee led USHL rookies with 68 points on 31 goals, most among rookies, and 37 assists to lead Madison to a third-place finish in the Eastern Conference.
BASEBALL
Midwest League
Third Base Ventures, led by Craig Dickman, Rob Zerjav and Brad Raaths, announced today that it has agreed to sell the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers to Diamond Baseball Holdings (DBH), an organization that owns and operates select Minor League Baseball (MiLB) clubs affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB). The Timber Rattlers will remain in the Fox Cities as the High-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. The existing front office staff will continue to operate the club under the leadership of Zerjav, who is the team's President and CEO. As part of the transaction, DBH is also purchasing Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium, the team's home ballpark since it opened in 1995. "It has always been our goal to ensure baseball remains a part of the fabric of Northeastern Wisconsin and we are excited to be joining DBH, who shares our passion for baseball and community," said Zerjav, who is in his 23rd season leading the club. "Their commitment to preserving what makes the Timber Rattlers special, while helping us grow into the future, made this the right move for the organization and the Fox Cities.
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers sold, but local leaders will remain in place
South Atlantic League
A day that will live in Dash lore for years to come. Winston-Salem (6-12) silenced Rome (10-8) and stamped their name into the history books. Tommy Vail, Frankeli Arias, Madison Jeffrey, and Joseph Yabbour combined to throw the 16th no-hitter in Dash history in the 12-2 win over the Emperors.
White Sox prospect Joseph Yabbour closes out High-A Winston-Salem's no-hitter with a strikeout
Southern League
A play so unbelieveable it had to be seen twice. Columbus' Chandler Seagle breaks his bat on what looks to be a sure out that instead turns into a run-scoring single after the dribbling ball ricochets off the broken barrel of the bat, which had got flying past the pitcher.
Texas League
Rangers prospect Aaron Zavala leaps and robs a home run for Double-A Frisco
FOOTBALL
United Football League
UFL Top 10 Plays From Week 5
Canadian Football League
New CFL commissioner Stewart Johnston joins TSN's Matthew Scianitti to discuss how important it is to innovate the game, including rules, fan engagement at home and in stadium and player safety. Johnston also explains how his experience at TSN as a broadcaster of the league has helped him look forward to new objectives and more.
Indoor Football League
Plays of the Week - Week 5
Arena Football One
Hold onto your helmets, folks! The Albany Firebirds turned the gridiron into a scorched earth policy, torching the Corpus Christi Tritons with a jaw-dropping 100-12 victory. With the Tritons' roster looking more like a game of musical chairs due to financial woes and key players sitting out, Albany's backup QB Robert McCoy Jr. seized the spotlight, tying the AF1 single-game record with seven touchdown passes. Kicker Henry Nell wasn't just kicking balls-he was kicking records, racking up 26 points with five deuces, six dropkicks, and even snagging a 2-point conversion catch. The Firebirds didn't just play; they performed a symphony of touchdowns, leaving the Tritons in a dazed haze of smoke and scoreboard confetti.
National Arena League
Carolina Cobras ownership has officially informed the National Arena League that due to circumstances beyond their control, the team will go dormant for the remainder of the 2025 season. They stated the decision was not made lightly and comes after extensive internal discussions and external challenges impacting the team's operations.
SOCCER
Major League Soccer
Kevin Denkey BEAUTIFUL Bicycle Kick Goal For Brace!
National Women's Soccer League
The North Carolina Courage are excited to welcome U.S. Women's Soccer legend Lauren Holiday to the ownership group, as announced by the club on Wednesday. Holiday and her husband, two-time NBA Champion Jrue Holiday, have invested in the Courage through the Holiday Family Trust. Lauren Holiday will also serve as an advisor and ambassador with the club, impacting on-field, business, community, and player initiative decisions. "I'm incredibly honored to join the North Carolina Courage. This club represents the future of women's soccer-not just in how we play the game, but in how we empower athletes, connect with communities, and build a sustainable future for the sport. I believe deeply in the mission and vision of the Courage, and I'm excited to contribute in meaningful ways-especially when it comes to player development and overall culture," Holiday said.
USL Super League
Carolina Ascent became the first team to clinch a playoff spot Saturday night, defeating Fort Lauderdale FC 5-2 in a dominant performance for their 6th straight win. Mia Corbin buried her league-leading 11th and 12th goals, Audrey Harding added a pair of her own, and Sarah Troccoli notched her third of the season in the victory. The three points extends Carolina Ascent's first place lead in the league standings with three regular season games to play.
The United Soccer League (USL) and Gainbridge, a Group 1001 company, today announced a historic, long-term partnership, making Gainbridge the first-ever entitlement partner of a professional soccer league in the United States. As part of a multi-year agreement, Gainbridge will become the Official Partner and Exclusive Financial Services Partner of the newly named Gainbridge Super League, a Division One professional women's soccer league, beginning in the 2025/26 season. This marks a major milestone in the growth of women's sports and the business of soccer. This is a landmark moment for professional soccer, said Amanda Vandervort, President of the USL Super League. Gainbridge's belief and investment in what we're building demonstrates a long-term commitment to the success of professional women's soccer and will help elevate our league, clubs, players, and communities by driving resources, expanding visibility, and creating lasting opportunities for growth. This partnership reinforces that women's sports are thriving and deserve investment at the highest level.
Northern Super League
Worth the wait - In this episode, we reflect on the opening two matches of the Northern Super League, the vision that brought it all to life, and already inspiring in young fans everywhere.
MLS NEXT Pro
In this episode of Coaches Corner, Huntsville City FC Head Coach Chris O'Neal sat down with MLS NEXT Pro to talk about his views on player development, giving players confidence, challenging himself, and much more.
BASKETBALL
Women's National Basketball Association
Three-time WNBA All-Star Danielle Robinson has been promoted to Sparks assistant coach. The 14-year WNBA veteran will continue to serve as the Sparks' Manager of Basketball Integration. "We've loved what Danielle has brought to the Sparks since she joined the organization in January," Sparks General Manager Raegan Pebley said. "Her leadership and experience will continue to make a meaningful impact on our team."
Canadian Elite Basketball League
The Calgary Surge are thrilled to announce the signing of guard Jameer Nelson Jr. for the 2025 CEBL season. A 6'1" sparkplug from Haverford, Pennsylvania, Nelson Jr. brings relentless energy, defensive toughness, and a deep basketball pedigree to Calgary's backcourt. The son of former NBA All-Star Jameer Nelson, Nelson Jr. has forged his own path through NCAA Division I basketball. He began his college career at George Washington before transferring to Delaware, where he earned All-CAA honors and helped lead the Blue Hens to the NCAA Tournament. He later transferred to TCU to compete in the Big 12, further sharpening his skillset as a dependable two-way combo guard. "Signing Jameer Nelson Jr. is a landmark moment for the Calgary Surge," said Surge General Manager Shane James. "Not just because of his explosive talent and high basketball IQ, but because of the legacy he carries. This is a full-circle moment for our head coach Kaleb Canales, who once coached Jameer's father during his time with the Dallas Mavericks. That shared history adds a deeper layer of connection and purpose to this signing. We're excited for what Jameer Jr. will bring to our team and to the city of Calgary."
The Calgary Surge are proud to announce the re-signing of guard Sean "Rugzy" Miller-Moore for the 2025 CEBL season. Entering his third season with the Surge, the 6-foot-5 Brampton native has been a cornerstone of the franchise since its inaugural season, bringing elite athleticism, defensive intensity, and veteran leadership to the court. Miller-Moore has been named to the CEBL All-Canadian Teams in both 2023 and 2024, underscoring his consistent impact on the league. In the 2023 season, he started all 23 regular season and playoff games, leading the team with averages of 16.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game. In the 2024 season, Miller-Moore put up 16.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists across 22 regular season and playoff games. His consistent performance has been instrumental in propelling the Surge to back-to-back CEBL Championship Weekend appearances in their first two seasons.
"Rugzy is everything you want in a competitor," said Surge General Manager Shane James. "He plays with heart, he leads by example, and he gives you 100% every time he steps on the floor. He's been with us from the beginning, and we're proud to have him back for year three."
LACROSSE
National Lacrosse League
Matt Vinc makes 48 saves to lead the Bandits to a 5-4 win over San Diego, the lowest-scoring playoff game in NLL history.
Premier Lacrosse League
Carolina Chaos attackman Josh Byrne will not return to the team for the 2025 season. Carolina Chaos General Manager Spencer Ford and Josh Byrne released the following statements: While we're disappointed in Josh's decision, we respect his choice to prioritize his health and family, and wish him well, said Spencer Ford, General Manager of the Carolina Chaos. Our priorities are building a roster of competitive, dynamic players dedicated to our fans and team culture for the long haul, as well as bringing a championship back to this franchise. With the incredible depth of professional and collegiate talent available, Coach Colsey and I are positioned to construct a team that will be ready to win on Opening Weekend."
OTHER SPORTS
Pro Volleyball Federation
The Indy Ignite are playoff bound! With their victory over the visiting San Diego Mojo, the Ignite clinched a spot in the Pro Volleyball Federation postseason in the franchise's first season. Shrugging off the pressure to clinch and bearing the burden of a five-match losing streak coming in, the Ignite put together a spirited and complete match to defeat the Mojo by scores of 25-22, 25-19, 20-25 and 25-23. Indy (13-13) is two games ahead of Grand Rapids (11-15) with two matches remaining for both teams, but even if they finish with identical records, the Ignite hold the tiebreaker advantage over the Rise.
Indy is locked in as the fourth seed in the PVF playoffs and will play the No. 1 seed in the semifinal round on Friday, May 9. The semifinal winners advance to the championship match on Sunday, May 11 - the "Match for a Million" that pays a $1 million bonus to the winning team.
KVVU FOX5 caught up with Vegas Thrill GM Fran Flory to talk all things PVF Championship-and it's all going down May 9-11 at Lee's Family Forum!
Atlanta Vibe setter Marlie Monserez gets the nod for PVF Player of the Week after a record-setting performance in Atlanta's PVF-record 11th consecutive win. Monserez tallied 46 assists in the Vibe's three-set road sweep of first-place Omaha on Saturday, April 19. The total is a PVF record for a three-set match. She ranks No. 2 in the league in assists per set at 10.61 and No. 3 in overall assists with 849, a total that has her in sixth place on the PVF all-time single-season assists list.
Major League Rugby
Major League Rugby, the premier professional rugby league in North America, is proud to announce that it has named Pawtucket, R.I. as the host site for the 2025 MLR Championship. The Quest for the Shield will culminate at Centreville Bank Stadium on Saturday, June 28, 2025 at 2 p.m. (EST) featuring the champions from the Eastern and Western conferences. The 2025 MLR Championship, will be broadcast on ESPN2 and ESPN+. "It's another season of growth and opportunity for Major League Rugby, and we're thrilled to bring that energy and excitement to one of the best new sports venues in the U.S.," said Nic Benson, Commissioner of MLR. "The team in Rhode Island has built a remarkable stadium that is going to host some incredible events in the coming years, and we're excited that the MLR Championship will be the first major sporting event to take the field at Centreville Bank Stadium. We can't wait to host die-hard rugby fans and welcome in sports fans from across New England to what promises to be another thrilling MLR Championship."
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SPHL Stories from April 29, 2025
- 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.
