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Florida International fires coach Jeremy Ballard

NCAA Basketball: Florida International at NebraskaNov 8, 2025; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Florida International Panthers head coach Jeremy Ballard talks during a timeout in the first half against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Florida International fired men’s basketball coach Jeremy Ballard on Wednesday after eight seasons and a 113-141 record.

Ballard, 44, guided the Panthers to just one postseason appearance, reaching the CIT second round in his first year at the Westchester, Fla., program in 2018-19.

Florida International just completed a 15-17 campaign (8-12 Conference USA) with a 75-72 loss to Missouri State in the first round of the conference tournament on Tuesday.

Including a 20-14 record in his debut season at FIU, Ballard’s only other winning record came the following season at 19-13. The Panthers have not been to the NCAA Tournament since their lone appearance in 1995.

“I want to thank Jeremy for pouring his heart and soul into the program the past eight years, and for the genuine and respectful manner in which he operated every day,” FIU athletic director Scott Carr said. “Jeremy is one of the best human beings and leaders I have ever encountered, and his authenticity carried over into the student-athletes he coached and the culture he established.

“Jeremy has left the program in a better position than what he inherited, and I want to thank him for that improvement. However, the on-court success has not been to the level we aspire to; we want to be competing for conference championships and NCAA Tournament berths. With that standard in place, a comprehensive national search will begin immediately, and there will be no further comment until that is completed.”

Ballard was an assistant coach at VCU, Pitt, Illinois State, Tulsa and his alma mater, Colgate, before taking over at FIU.

Associate head coach Jesse Bopp has been named the Panthers’ interim head coach.

–Field Level Media

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Galaxy extend D Jakob Glesnes through 2028-29

MLS: Preseason-Coachella Valley InvitationalFeb 8, 2026; Indio, California, USA; LA Galaxy defender Jakob Glesnes (5) poses for a photo after the MLS preseason match against Chicago Fire FC at Empire Polo Club. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The LA Galaxy signed star defender Jakob Glesnes to a contract extension through the 2028-29 season.

The team acquired Glesnes the 31-year-old Norwegian center back from the Philadelphia Union in December.

Glesnes, the 2022 MLS Defender of the Year, is a two-time MLS Best XI selection and a three-time MLS All-Star.

“Jakob has been an exemplary addition to the Galaxy, and we are excited to announce that he is extending his time with the club,” Galaxy general manager Will Kuntz said in a news release Tuesday.

“His impact in the dressing room and in all phases of the game on the field have provided a huge boost to our group from the first day of preseason. We are thrilled that Jakob will be a key part of our future and look forward to what we’ll accomplish together.”

Glesnes has recorded nine goals and 10 assists in 184 MLS regular-season matches (181 starts) with Philadelphia (2020-25) and the Galaxy.

–Field Level Media

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Report: Chargers re-signing All-Pro special teamer Del'Shawn Phillips

NFL: Pittsburgh Steelers at Los Angeles ChargersNov 9, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Del’Shawn Phillips (53) celebrates after a muffed punt recovery against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the fourth quarter of the game at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Chargers are re-signing special teams standout Del’Shawn Phillips to a two-year, $7.5 million contract worth up to $10.5 million in incentives, the NFL Network reported on Wednesday.

Phillips, 29, was selected second-team All-Pro for special teams in his first season with the Chargers in 2025. Phillips played in 17 regular-season games (one start) and had 37 tackles, one sack and one fumble recovery.

He participated on 80% of special teams plays (352).

Phillips has 113 tackles, two sacks, one forced fumble and three fumble recoveries in 86 career games (three starts) for the Buffalo Bills (2020), New York Jets (2021), Baltimore Ravens (2022-23), Houston Texans (2024) and Chargers.

–Field Level Media

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PGA Tour targets marquee courses, big markets and meritocracy

Syndication: Florida Times-UnionPGA Tour CEO Brian Rolopp addresses a the media, tournament sponsors and Tour employees during a news conference on March 11 at the PGA Tour Global Home in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – While no final decisions have been made, plans are being laid out to “build the best version of the PGA Tour” possible with an emphasis on meritocracy, a 26-event season and the possible introduction of matchplay at the end of the year, says CEO Brian Rolapp.

During a massively attended press conference Wednesday at the PGA Tour’s ‘Global Home,’ Rolapp outlined six pivotal themes shaping the Tour’s future.

“This remains a work in progress, and it is by no means a baked cake,” said Rolapp, who was speaking ahead of the Players Championship. “These are simply areas where we are starting to see a meaningful consensus….this is a complex process with many constituencies impacted. We will continue to move with urgency, but we are focused on getting it right.

“We went into this project with a very clear objective: to build the best version of the PGA Tour, one that better serves our fans, players, and partners. Throughout the process we are keeping today’s fans and the fans of tomorrow at the center of our work, making sure that everything we do and every decision we consider is evaluated through that lens.”

Rolapp continues to work closely with Tiger Woods and the Future Competitions Committee with their collective focus placed on a competitive model built on meritocracy.

“This is not a closed shop,” Rolapp said. “We are aiming to create a more cohesive schedule with a simpler point system, one where the best players compete against one another more frequently.

“Fans know who the best players are. They are the players who perform best on the course. Our competitive model will be built around elevating those who prove themselves to be the top performers inside the ropes.”

Rolapp unveiled plans to double the number of signature events to 16, add in the four existing majors and the Players Championship and then designate a secondary wave of Tier II events.

“As we look at the calendar, there is an emphasis on playing our season from late January to early September … we are looking at roughly 21 to 26 tournaments on a first track of elevated events with the best players competing for higher purses,” he said. “We will then have a second track of PGA Tour tournaments which will ladder up to those elevated events.”

As a second theme, Rolapp said that more consistent fields would be established, with a move away from small fields and no-cut events.

“Ideally, we are targeting something closer to 120-player fields with a cut,” he added. “That consistently matters. It helps fans know who they will see and showcases who they want to see, the most competitive players. It helps partners know what they’re investing in, and it helps players better understand the competitive landscape in their schedules, all while embracing meritocracy.”

Opening the season with a marquee event at an iconic venue on the West Coast was another piece of the expanded vision for the PGA Tour, according to Rolapp.

“That will then allow us to finish on network television in primetime on the East Coast,” he said.

A fourth theme would focus on where the PGA Tour played its tournaments, and plans were afoot to include bigger markets such as New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Washington DC and Boston.

“Today the PGA Tour competes in only four of the top 10 largest U.S. media markets,” said Rolapp. “That is an opportunity. We are evaluating other markets … places where there is a strong fan demand for our sport, and a chance to reach new fans.”

Rolapp dispelled any idea that his definition of “scarcity” in scheduling meant a reduction in the number of events each year.

“Ultimately, scarcity is not about the number of events we have, but rather scarcity is about making every event we have matter,” he explained. “This is why we are evaluating the role of promotion and relegation between these two tracks within our competitive model… what we envision is a merit-based system that leans into what makes professional golf so compelling, players earning their way to the top, with every event having greater meaning.”

The sixth and final theme hinged on adding more drama to the PGA Tour schedule, including the possible addition of match play.

“We are exploring ways to enhance the post-season,” said Rolapp. “We have heard from our fans and our partners, they want more drama. We are considering the potential integration of match play, either at the Tour Championship or across the post-season as a whole, bringing win-or-go-home moments to the conclusion of our season.”

While everything outlined by Rolapp on Wednesday remains a work in progress with nothing yet decided, he planned to have further updates in late June.

“Nothing has been finalized,” he said. “We are still doing our work and gathering input from our players, our partners, and other key stakeholders. No recommendations have gone to our player-led boards. Looking ahead, we expect to make more meaningful progress by this

summer, and following our June 22nd board meeting, I plan to host another press conference at the Travelers Championship.”

-Mark Lamport-Stokes, Field Level Media

-Mark Lamport-Stokes, Field Level Media

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