Silver Spring native Akil Baddoo called up by Detroit Tigers

Silver Spring native Akil Baddoo is back in the big leagues. The speedy outfielder was called up by the Detroit Tigers on May 14, and yesterday delivered what one Sports Illustrated writer argued might have been "the best defensive inning ever" in left field. Hyperbole or not, Baddoo's big plays were credited as key to the Tigers' victory Sunday. Along with his magnetic glove, Baddoo adds a power bat and major stolen base threat to the Detroit lineup. He'll have a chance to recapture or exceed his impressive 2021 and 2023 performances on a team that appears playoff-bound in the Motor City this season.

Good Counsel/WVU OL Kyle Altuner enters transfer portal

West Virginia Mountaineers offensive lineman Kyle Altuner has entered the NCAA transfer portal, Sports Illustrated reported this morning. The Olney native and Our Lady of Good Counsel alumnus can now be contacted by other universities interested in recruiting him. A four-year starter for the Falcons, Altuner was a three-time Max Preps All-American, an Under Armour All-American, a three-time All-Washington Catholic Athletic Conference First Team honoree, and a two-time Washington Post All-Metro Area First-Team honoree. Sports Illustrated reports that Altuner will retain four years of eligibility if he transfers to another program.

Photo courtesy WVU

DTLR opens in Silver Spring

DTLR has opened at Ellsworth Place mall in downtown Silver Spring, the mall announced yesterday. The chain sells top name brand athletic shoes, sportswear, and accessories. Nike, Puma, Adidas, and North Face are among the labels offered. DTLR has an existing store at Westfield's Wheaton Plaza mall.

Wheaton Target offers Prince for Target pickleball collection

Target has added a small pickleball section to most of its stores, in cooperation with sporting goods brand Prince. Called "Pickleball Point," it appears to have everything a beginner needs to get started. The section is an exclusive partnership between Target and Prince, and is planned to be a limited-time promotion. Among the 80 items in the "Prince for Target" collection are retro track suits and pleated skirts, as well as paddles with colors that match the apparel. Target says the merchandise will be available "while supplies last." Pricing starts at $9.99, and most items are under $50.

Monumental Sports Network to broadcast Old Glory DC pro rugby matches for 2024 season

Monumental Sports Network has reached an agreement to broadcast 13 of Old Glory DC's Major League Rugby matches during the 2024 season. Old Glory DC plays its home games here in Montgomery County, at the Maryland Soccerplex in Germantown. The season and broadcast schedule will begin with Old Glory DC's road opener against the New Orleans NOLA Gold this coming Saturday, March 2 at 4:00 PM EST. The games streamed by Monumental Sports Network can be watched through your Pay TV subscription on cable TV, on monumentalsportsnetwork.com, or by downloading the Monumental streaming app on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV, and using an "eligible TV Everywhere log-in."

"Monumental Sports Network is the ideal partner to carry Old Glory and bring all the action, intensity and elegance of professional rugby to the entire Greater Washington Region," Old Glory DC Chairman Chris Dunlavey said in a statement Wednesday. "Rugby is the greatest team sport in the world, and Monumental is bringing it to your living room."

“We are thrilled to welcome Old Glory to the Monumental Sports Network family,” Monumental Sports Network VP of Content & Programming Caitlin Mangum said. “We are happy to bolster our live programming lineup and offer D.C.-area sports fans the chance to enjoy this exciting and quickly growing sport.”

The schedule for Old Glory DC matches on Monumental Sports Network will be as follows:

Saturday, March 2 at NOLA Gold at 4pm

Saturday, March 9 at New England Free Jacks at 2pm

Saturday, March 16 vs. Chicago Hounds at 4pm

Saturday, March 23 vs. San Diego Legion at 4pm

Saturday, March 30 at Charlotte Rugby at 6pm

Saturday, April 6 vs. RFC Los Angeles at 5pm

Saturday, April 20 vs. Houston Sabercats at 5pm

Saturday, May 11 at Chicago Hounds at 6pm

Friday, May 24 at Seattle Seawolves at 10:30pm

Saturday, June 1 vs. Charlotte Rugby at 7pm

Saturday, June 8 vs. New England Free Jacks at 7pm

Saturday, June 22 at Miami Sharks at 7:30pm

Saturday, June 29 vs. NOLA Gold at 7pm

Old Glory DC pro rugby team to host open training session for fans today in Germantown

Professional rugby arrives at the Maryland Soccerplex at 18031 Central Park Drive in Germantown today, February 24, 2024. Old Glory DC, a Major League Rugby team, will host an open training session from 1:00 to 3:00 PM this afternoon. In addition to a preview of the team in action, fans can meet the coaches and players after the session ends. Team ambassadors will provide "Rugby 101" explanations and provide real-time match analysis, and food and beverages (including adult beverages) will be available for sale from vendors on-site. Admission to the event is free.

Old Glory DC's new head coach is Simon Cross. This season's roster features stars from 11 countries around the world, including Team Captain Jamason Faanana-Schultz (AUS), DC native Jack Iscaro (USA) Rob Harley (GBR) of the Glasgow Warriors, Damien Hoyland (GBR) of the Edinburgh Rugby Club, Axel Muller (ARG), and Perry Humphreys (GBR). 

The team's season will begin March 2, 2024 with a road game against the New Orleans NOLA Gold. Old Glory DC's home opener at the Soccerplex will be on March 16, when the club hosts the Chicago Hounds. Single match and season tickets can be purchased during today's event, or online.

Notre Dame recruiter headed to Good Counsel today

Notre Dame football defensive coordinator Al Golden will be on a recruiting trip in the Washington, D.C. area today, and Sports Illustrated reports that one of his stops will be Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Olney. That's where heavily-recruited linebacker Aaron Chiles plays for the Falcons defense. "He's a prospect the Irish staff is very high on," SI's Bryan Driskell reports, "but Notre Dame has some making up to do with the talented backer." Chiles has already received offers from at least 34 colleges, so he will be in the catbird seat for this decision.

Big South Freshman of the Year transfers to University of Maryland

Silver Spring native Kat Parris

Silver Spring native Kat Parris, the women's soccer Big South Freshman of the Year, is coming home to Maryland. After two successful years playing for Radford University in Virginia, Parris will be a Terp at the University of Maryland at College Park, where she'll begin training this spring. Maryland Women's Soccer head coach Meghan Ryan Nemzer made the transfer announcement in a press release yesterday.

Photo courtesy University of Maryland

World Cup coming to Wheaton this Saturday, November 19

Get the World Cup celebration off to an exciting start tomorrow, Saturday, November 19, 2022 from 12:00 to 2:00 PM at Westfield's Wheaton Plaza mall. Former D.C. United goaltender Bill Hamid will be a special guest for the event, which will be held in the outdoor dining area between Macy's and the food court on Parking Level 2. Join in a friendly soccer match, enjoy free hot chocolate and apple cider, and take part in activities like face painting, prize giveaways, a live DJ, and much more. 

“We are very excited to kick off the 2022 FIFA World Cup and holiday season with our family-friendly sporting event this Saturday,” Westfield Wheaton General Manager Stuart Amos said in a statement. “This event will be fun for the whole community with games, music, food and is a great opportunity to celebrate the vibrant cultures present in this year's World Cup tournament.” 

Photo courtesy Westfield Wheaton

Wheaton High School's Crystal Jones is Shorewoman of the Week for Washington College

Former Wheaton High School varsity women's basketball player Crystal Jones is the Shorewoman of the week for the third time in her collegiate career at Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland. Jones did it again by averaging 13.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game in a 3-1 week for the Washington Shorewomen. The team beat Ursinus, Franklin & Marshall, and McDaniel during that run.

Jones was voted the most-improved-player on the team in 2020. The Silver Spring native had already racked up a number of honors and awards at Wheaton HS, lettering in basketball four times, and once each in soccer and volleyball there. She was the first player in the school's history to reach 1000 points, and made the honor roll all four years. In the process, Jones received the Maryland Athletic Association Scholar Athlete Award twice.

Villanova to retire jersey of Silver Spring's Josh Hart

Villanova University announced it will retire the No. 3 jersey of Josh Hart during halftime of the Wildcats' game vs. Marquette on January 19, 2022. Hart, a native of Silver Spring, attended Wheaton High School and Sidwell Friends before spending four seasons with Villanova. 

Playing for the Wildcats, Hart amassed a large resume of accolades and awards, thrice being named Big East Rookie of the Week for starters. He was Big East Player of the Year in 2017, and MVP of the Big East tournament twice.  Hart is the only Villanova player in history to record 1,900 or more points (1,921), 800 or more rebounds (812), 250 or more assists (266) and 150 or more steals (161) in his collegiate career.

Drafted by the Utah Jazz in the first round in 2017, his rights were traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. After two years on the west coast, he now plays for the New Orleans Pelicans. Villanova coach Jay Wright calls Hart "one of Villanova's all-time greats."

"We're thrilled to be able to honor a true Villanova Basketball legend," Wright said in a statement yesterday. "Josh is a relentless competitor who elevated our team from the moment he joined us as a freshman. His tenacity as a rebounder, scorer and defender was instrumental to our team's success." Villanova's game against Marquette is currently scheduled to air on the CBS Sports Network at 8:00 PM on January 19.

Photo courtesy Villanova University

Paint Branch's Jean Germain chooses Towson

Paint Branch High School varsity football standout Jean Germain has chosen Towson University to launch his college career. The Burtonsville resident is ranked as the 23rd-best player in the state of Maryland by MaxPreps.com.

Another Tigers team had their eye on the 6'5", 340-pound tackle: Clemson University. Germain has earned All-Met First Team honors from the Washington Post, according to a statement from Towson, and is a shot-putter on the Paint Branch track team.

Towson Tigers 2019 season tickets will go on sale starting on January 7, 2019.

SILVER SPRING STUDENT LEADING VILLANOVA TEAM AS WILDCATS FACE GEORGETOWN THIS SUNDAY

Sunday's women's soccer matchup between Villanova and Georgetown will be a homecoming for one local athlete. Silver Spring's Victoria Gersh, a graduate of Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, is leading the Wildcats this season with 3 goals, 2 assists and 8 points. The 5'9" senior and her team are coming off a 2-0 victory at Creighton last week, and are ranked 6th in the Big East.

The game will be at 1 p.m. tomorrow, and will be broadcast live on the Big East Digital Network.

Photo courtesy Villanova University