Braden Homsey: Homsey ended his senior season at Division III Ferrum College as the all-time wins leader in school history. Competing at the Division III National Championships at the Berglund Center in Roanoke, VA, Homsey lost his opening match in the 197-pound championship to Dylan Wellbaum of Adrian College. Homsey advanced in the consolation bracket by forfeit over Gage Linahon of Central College. Josh Harkless of Rochester Institute of Technology pinned Homsey in an elimination match. Last month, Homsey defeated Gable Crebs of Lycoming 10-2 to become the Panthers’ all-time wins leader with 110 victories.
Joey McMullin: McMullin ended a two-year stint with the Sandhills Community College men’s basketball team when the Flyers reached the National Junior Community College Division III National Championship game against Brookdale Community College on March 18. It was the third time the Flyers reached the national title game. Brookdale defeated Sandhills 90-82 in Herkimer, NY. McMullin scored six points in 12 minutes in his final game for the Flyers. He shot 3-of-8 from the field and also had two rebounds. On March 4, Sandhills won the Mid-Atlantic District championship when they defeated Butler County Community College 114-91. McMullin came off the bench to score 22 points in 21 minutes. He shot 10-of-14 from the field and grabbed six rebounds. In the opening round of the Division III National Tournament, Sandhills defeated Mohawk Valley Community College 92-85. McMullin had eight points and three rebounds. In the semifinals, Sandhills defeated Northampton Community College 88-78. McMullin had eleven points, one of four Flyers in double-figures. This season, McMullin was the second-leading scorer on the team with 14 points per game. He also averaged 3.8 rebounds per game. Sandhills ends the year 30-4 and the Region X Champions of the NJCAA.
Ashley Cowan: Cowan, who graduated from Orange in 2021, is in her freshman year as a gymnast at LSU. She made her college debut on February 10 against #5 Auburn. She registered an 9.775 on the uneven bars. Auburn was the dual meet 197.750 to 197.500. On March 10, Cowan registered a career-best 9.990 on the uneven bars as the Tigers defeated West Virginia 198.025-196.450 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rogue, LA. On March 3, during the Podium Challenge, Cowan scored a 9.850 against George Washington. The Tigers, ranked #6 in the country, finished 3rd at the Southeastern Conference championships in Duluth, GA over the weekend.
Bryse Wilson: As the regular season creeps closer for Major League Baseball, Wilson has appeared in six Spring Training games for the Milwaukee Brewers. On February 27, Wilson threw a scoreless relief inning against Kansas City. He surrendered one hit. Against Cleveland on March 3, Wilson started and threw two innings. He struck out four and allowed one hit. On March 13 against Cincinnati, Wilson threw three-and-two-thirds innings and allowed one hit. He had two walks and two strikeouts. In six games, Wilson threw 13.2 innings and had a 6.59 ERA with strikeouts and three walks. Milwaukee starts the season against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday.
Joey Berini: Berini is starting regularly for the #8 East Carolina baseball team this season. On Tuesday, UNC Wilmington defeated the Pirates 9-3 at Clark-LeClaire Stadium in Greenville. Berini finished 0-for-2. Over the weekend, the Pirates swept a three-game series from George Mason. Berini went 1-for-2 with a sacrifice bunt as ECU defeated George Mason 11-3 on Friday. Berini went 1-for-2 in the Pirates’ 8-1 win over the Colonials on Saturday. Berini hit his first home run of the season on Sunday as the Pirates rolled to an 8-0 win in eight innings on Sunday. This season, Berini is hitting .318 over 23 games, 22 of which he has started. He has two home runs with nine RBIs. After he spent much of 2022 at second base, Berini is starting at shortstop, the position he played at Orange.
Dante DeFranco: DeFracno has played 19 games this season for the Charlotte 49ers, who are in their final season in Conference USA. He is hitting .269 with eight RBIs. On March 18, DeFranco went 5-for-5 as the 49ers defeated Louisiana Tech 14-6 at JC Love Field in Ruston, LA. DeFranco had three RBIs and a double. On Sunday, DeFranco went 1-for-4 with two RBIs in the 49ers 8-1 win over Dallas Baptist at Hayes Stadium in Charlotte. The 49ers are 11-13, 3-3 in CUSA.
Phillip Berger: The all-time winningest pitcher in Cedar Ridge history, Berger has started his junior season at Division III William Peace University in Raleigh. Berger is 5-1 with a 3.41 ERA. On Sunday, Berger earned the win as the Pacers defeated Mary Baldwin 15-3 at Moxie Stadium in Staunton, VA. Berger threw five innings and allowed three runs off six hits. He struck out four with three walks. On March 18, Berger took the win as the Pacers defeated #17 Methodist 9-7 at the USA Baseball Complex in Cary. Berger surrendered only one run off four hits with three strikeouts. William Peace is 11-11, 4-2 in the USA South Athletic Conference.
Cooper Porter: The Pensacola State Pirates of the National Junior College Athletic Association are 26-7 overall. Porter has appeared in eleven games for the Pirate and is hitting .154 with one RBI.
Will Walker: In 21 games this season for the Pitt Community College baseball team, Walker is hitting .344 with two home runs with 19 RBIs. On Saturday, Walker hit a home run and finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs as the Bulldogs defeated Bryant & Stratton College 14-3 at Minges-Overton Complex in Greenville. On March 22, Walker went 2-for-5 as Pitt edged Louisburg College 11-10 in eleven innings. Walker drew a bases-loaded walk in the eighth inning to bring in the game-tying run.
Davis Horton: The 2021 Big 8 Conference Player of the Year, Horton continues to catch regularly for the Rockingham Community College baseball team. In 26 games, Horton is hitting .293 with 20 RBIs. He has a team-high 92 at-bats. On Sunday, in Rockingham’s 4-3 win over Surry Community College, Horton went 2-for-4 with an RBI double. He started at first base. In the opening game of Saturday’s doubleheader against Surry, Horton went 3-for-5 with two doubles and two RBI as the Eagles won 9-8.