Oscar Pareja believes it is important for Orlando City to rediscover their self-confidence ahead of Saturday's clash with in-form Los Angeles FC at Inter&Co Stadium.
The international break means Orlando have been out of action since a 1-0 defeat to the New York Red Bulls on June 2, their third straight game without a victory.
While they sit a lowly 11th in the Eastern Conference standings with 17 points, LAFC are second in the West with 30 points after winning five in a row in MLS play.
Asked about the value of having time off to reflect on their poor run, Pareja said: "It's important, because with the work we do, the intensity of how we do things is important.
"We are optimistic after having a refresh when we needed it."
On the challenge of facing LAFC, the Orlando coach added: "Many teams have challenges with players being away. We are professionals, we expect a team that is playing well.
"But at the same time, it's a great opportunity for us to play well and raise our confidence, to get the points we need right now."
In all competitions, LAFC have won their last six matches without conceding, becoming the first team from MLS to ever accomplish that feat.
Head coach Steve Cherundolo believes that achievement is the result of a team effort, saying: "I think the team is playing a mature, professional, complete 90 minutes.
"Some teams have better defensive solutions against us so we don't have quite as many chances, but in every game we are creating chances and we are not giving up many chances.
"Our collective defending is very good. You're seeing it all come together."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Orlando City – Nicolas Lodeiro
Lodeiro has been involved in nine goals in MLS play against Los Angeles (five goals, four assists, including playoffs).
Only Cristian Espinoza (15) and Zlatan Ibrahimovic (11) have been involved in more versus them.
Los Angeles FC – Denis Bouanga
Bouanga scored LAFC's goal in their 1-0 win over FC Dallas last time out on June 1.
The goal was Bouanga's 48th in all competitions since the start of last season, 16 more than any other MLS player in that time.
MATCH PREDICTION – LOS ANGELES FC WIN
LAFC are unbeaten in four all-time meetings with Orlando (two wins, two draws), though the Lions did eliminate them on penalties from the quarter-finals of MLS is Back in 2020.
Orlando are winless in their last five home matches, drawing two and losing three while failing to net in each of their last three – they had only previously gone three home matches without netting in their second, third and fourth home MLS games back in 2015.
LAFC, meanwhile, have won seven successive matches in all competitions, the last six of them to nil. They will fancy their chances of victory, even without home advantage.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Orlando City – 37.7%
Los Angeles FC – 35.9%
Draw – 26.4%
Caleb Porter praised his "evolving" New England Revolution side as they prepare to face Vancouver Whitecaps on the back of consecutive wins.
In their opening 13 games, New England only had two wins on the board in the Eastern Conference, sitting bottom with seven points.
Though they still prop up the standings, they are now on 13 points after wins over Nashville SC and New York Red Bulls, with Porter hopeful they can keep building on this momentum.
"The biggest key is our mentality has been stronger," Porter said, as quoted in The Blazing Musket substack.
"We're finding ways to get results. That evolution, I'm very pleased with, so I think, for me, it's unquestionable, we're evolving in every aspect."
"We know we're in a hole, there's no doubt about it. We have to continue to fight our way out, and it's going to take every game, and it's going to take until the end of the season."
Vancouver, meanwhile, are fifth in the Western Conference after back-to-back victories of their own against Sporting Kansas City and Colorado Rapids.
After their mid-season break, Vanni Sartini is aiming to improve on some of the weaknesses shown in the first half of the campaign.
"I think we did okay [in the first half]," he said. "We're doing well. I think that we were doing very well defensively - I'd say the best in my years as head coach here.
"I think we can do a little more in the final third. We are playing well, but we need to be better at finishing the action more. If we can do that, we can aspire to go to the top four positions."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
New England Revolution – Carles Gil
Gil assisted Emmanuel Boateng on the lone goal of the match in New England's win Saturday. The Spaniard has been involved in seven (five goals, two assists) of the Revs’ 12 goals this season.
Vancouver Whitecaps – Ryan Gauld
Gauld assisted both of Vancouver's goals in their win over Colorado on June 1, taking him to 31 assists to go along with 30 goals in regular-season play.
The Scotsman is one of three players (Luciano Acosta, Hany Mukhtar) with at least 30 goals and 30 assists since he joined the MLS in August 2021.
MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW
The Revolution have lost only two of their 11 all-time meetings with Vancouver (W5 D4), including winning four of the six meetings at Gillette Stadium (D1 L1).
New England have also won back-to-back matches for the first time since July last year after winning just two of their first 13 league matches this season. All four of New England's wins this year have been by a one-goal margin.
Meanwhile, the Whitecaps have won back-to-back matches, recording 2-1 wins against Sporting Kansas City and Colorado Rapids. This is Vancouver's sixth set of consecutive wins since the start of last season, though they have not won three league matches in a row since September-October 2022.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
New England Revolution – 38.6%
Draw – 26.5%
Vancouver Whitecaps – 34.9%
New York Red Bulls captain Sean Nealis has vowed the team will learn from last week's defeat to the New England Revolution, when they were hamstrung by several absences.
The Red Bulls were beaten 1-0 in Foxborough following a run of four wins in five matches, with Lewis Morgan and Emil Forsberg among the big names missing due to international duty.
The result left them fourth in the Eastern Conference standings, six points adrift of Supporters' Shield frontrunners Inter Miami.
"We separated ourselves from the bottom half of the group and now we're kind of just lying there in the middle," centre-back Nealis said as he reflected on New York's last result.
"We'll learn from this. We'll get better from it. This is a young group out there.
"A lot got their first minutes of the season and I think we'll all learn how to get better and how to understand these environments and then get over the hump."
Nashville, meanwhile, sit ninth in the East, 10 points adrift of the Red Bulls.
They have taken four points from four games (one win, two draws, one defeat) since Rumba Munthali took over as interim head coach following the firing of Gary Smith.
They were also beaten by the Revs on their last MLS outing before the international break, and Munthali believes keeping players fresh will be key if they are to improve.
"It's a quick turnaround, and we have a lot of confidence in the group," Munthali said.
"We try to balance that, and we want to make sure guys are available for the whole season, not just game to game.
"It's about managing and making sure we're not straining guys and breaking them."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
New York Red Bulls – Elias Manoel
Having seen the likes of Morgan and Forsberg go on international duty, the Red Bulls could be left to rely on Manoel.
He has three goals and three assists in MLS play this term, despite only making eight starts. Only Morgan (nine) and Forsberg (six) have outscored him for New York.
Nashville SC – Hany Mukhtar
Mukhtar scored Nashville's only goal in their defeat to New England on June 1 from the penalty spot.
He has been directly involved in each of Nashville's last four MLS goals (two goals, two assists, with the last Nashville goal without a Mukhtar involvement coming on May 15.
MATCH PREDICTION – NEW YORK RED BULLS WIN
Nashville ended a seven-game run without an away victory by beating FC Cincinnati 2-0 on May 29, just their second win in their last 16 away league matches.
However, they may struggle on Saturday against a team unbeaten in 10 straight home games (seven wins, three draws), dating back to last year's playoffs.
The Red Bulls are also unbeaten in their last five meetings with Nashville, winning two and drawing three while only conceding once in that sequence.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
New York Red Bulls – 52%
Nashville SC – 23.5%
Draw – 24.5%
Nick Cushing has been impressed with New York City's preparations for their MLS return against the Columbus Crew on Saturday.
NYCFC headed into the international break having achieved their longest winning run in a single domestic campaign since 2019 (five games), leaving them third in the Eastern Conference and six points behind Inter Miami with two games in hand.
Cushing explained the break in play halted his side's momentum, but was pleased to see a renewed focus among the players upon their return to training.
“You can look at the break in two ways,” Cushing said. “It wasn’t the perfect timing because we had momentum and results, but at the same time, you have to take the rest when you get it because the schedule is so brutal.
“It was a great opportunity to rest and recover and give the players some family time as well as refresh and regenerate. I was really pleased with the focus they came back with.
“We know Columbus is going to be difficult, but I’m really pleased with the way the players have prepared this week.”
Columbus come into the fixture on a winning streak of their own, beating Orlando City 2-0 away from home to secure a third straight away success last time out in MLS.
The Crew have had two weeks to recover from their CONCACAF Champions Cup defeat against Pachuca, in which many of their players spent the two days leading up to the match suffering from food poisoning.
"It’s true that something happened over there," head coach Wilfried Nancy said. "We were all good, and suddenly when we woke up, we were all sick.
"So, it was difficult for me, during the game also, to assess and to do changes and to help my team to get better because they weren't in a normal state."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
New York City – Alonso Martinez
Martínez came off the bench to score a hat-trick in nine minutes and 57 seconds in the second half of NYCFC’s win over San Jose Earthquakes last time out.
In doing so, Martínez became the seventh player in MLS history to score three goals from the bench.
Columbus Crew – Diego Rossi
Rossi has scored four goals in his last three MLS games, the fourth time he has managed to do so in his career.
New York City are one of only seven teams in MLS that Rossi has failed to score against since his move to America in 2023.
MATCH PREDICTION – COLUMBUS CREW WIN
The Crew have won their last three regular-season matches, all on the road, including a 2-0 win at Orlando in their last MLS match on May 25. Columbus have won four straight regular-season road matches just once before in club history, doing so in August-September 2015.
Columbus are unbeaten in their last three encounters against NYCFC, last tasting defeat against Saturday's opponents in August 2022.
But, New York have lost only one of their last 10 home matches against the Crew (seven wins, two draws, including playoffs) after losing the first meeting in 2015, also scoring in all 11 home matches against them.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
New York City – 34%
Draw – 25.8%
Columbus Crew – 40.3%
In a not-so surprising turn of events, Trinidadian netball sensation Samantha Wallace-Joseph has been released by the New South Wales Swifts, by mutual agreement, mere months after returning from a two-year hiatus due to knee surgery. The Suncorp Super League franchise announced the departure on Thursday, citing issues related to her behavior within the team environment.
Wallace-Joseph, a pivotal player for the Swifts, had missed multiple games recently, contributing to the team’s three-game losing streak. The Swifts, last year’s grand finalists, now find themselves in a three-way tie for fifth place on the ladder, a position far below their usual standards.
The Swifts confirmed the split in a statement, explaining that it was a mutual decision made after weeks of discussions with Wallace-Joseph and her management.
"For the past number of weeks, the club has been working with Samantha Wallace-Joseph and her management in relation to a matter which concerned her behaviour within the team environment,” the statement read. “For the wellbeing of all concerned the nature of the matter will remain confidential. However, it has been mutually agreed that parting ways is the best way forward for both Samantha and the club.”
This development comes after the Swifts had previously shown unwavering support for Wallace-Joseph during her recovery from a serious knee injury. Her comeback, however, was overshadowed by controversy following anti-transgender comments she made on social media, which stirred significant public backlash.
The Swifts emphasized the importance of maintaining high behavioral standards within their team, stating, “The behavioural standard expected of everyone in the Swifts environment – across players, coaches and staff – is team first and there are no exceptions to that.”
Wallace-Joseph, who joined the Swifts in 2017, has been a key figure in the team’s success, playing 84 games and securing Premierships in 2019 and 2021. Despite her departure under strained circumstances, the Swifts expressed their gratitude for her contributions, saying, “The Swifts thank Samantha for her service to the Club.”
As the netball community processes this shocking news, the Swifts have made it clear that they will not be making any further comments on the matter at this time.
Wallace-Joseph's departure marks a significant chapter in her career, and her next steps will be closely watched by fans and analysts alike. Meanwhile, the Swifts will need to regroup quickly as they aim to recover from their current slump and return to their winning ways.
In a final bid to secure their spot at the Paris Olympic Games this summer, Jamaica's Administrative Athletics Association (JAAA) has announced a six-man relay team set to compete in the 4x400m relay at the New Life Invitational in the Bahamas on Sunday, June 17. The squad aims to surpass the qualifying mark of 2:58.45, a time that would move them ahead of France and Zambia, who have clocked 2:59.12, in the global rankings.
The selected athletes, Tarees Rhoden, Kimar Farquharson, Raheem Hayles, Jevaughn Powell, Shevioe Reid, and Malik James-King, bring a wealth of recent performance successes, particularly from the NCAA National Division 1 Championships held at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
Powell, who ran a season-best 44.54 seconds to place third in the 400m final, demonstrated his relay prowess with a blistering 44.34-second split for the Florida Gators, contributing to their third-place finish in the 4x400m relay. Meanwhile, Farquharson, primarily an 800m specialist, demonstrated his versatility with a 44.38-second split on the third leg for Texas A&M, securing the gold medal.
Hayles also put in a solid performance at the NCAA Championships, finishing seventh in the 400m final with a time of 45.58 seconds. James-King, who ran 45.59 seconds earlier this year, rounds out the team, bringing additional depth and speed.
This upcoming race in the Bahamas represents Jamaica's last opportunity to qualify for the Olympics, as the national championships scheduled for June 27-30 at the National Stadium in Kingston fall within the Olympic qualification window, which closes on June 30.
The urgency of this attempt is underscored by Jamaica's disappointing performances at the World Relays in May, where the team failed to crack the top 16 globally.
In the preliminary round of the World Relays, a team consisting of Assinie Wilson, Zandrion Barnes, Demish Gaye, and Malik James-King posted a time of 3:02.48. The second-round team, which included Rusheen McDonald, Wilson, Gaye, and James-King, fared even worse with a time of 3:05.09, highlighting the need for a revitalized and more competitive squad.
Accompanying the athletes to the Bahamas are Team Manager Brian Smith, Head Coach Mark Elliott, Coach Lamar Richards, and Massage Therapist Oral Thompson, all of whom are integral to ensuring the team's optimal performance.
On paper, Jamaica's new lineup boasts the credentials to make a successful bid for Olympic qualification. With key athletes hitting peak form at the NCAA Championships, there is a renewed sense of optimism and determination within the team. As they take to the track at the New Life Invitational, the eyes of a nation will be watching, hopeful that this talented group can deliver a performance worthy of Olympic contention.
Lionel Messi knows his illustrious career is running out of time as the Argentina great suggested his club playing days will end with Inter Miami.
The Barcelona legend completed a switch to MLS side Miami last year after two decades of European football with the Blaugrana and Paris Saint-Germain.
As Messi starts to prepare for Argentina's Copa America defence this month, retirement remains a pertinent question for the global superstar.
The 36-year-old, speaking to ESPN, acknowledged Miami will likely "be my last club" as the fear sets in over ending his playing career sooner rather than later.
"I've done this all of my life; I love playing ball," the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner said on Wednesday.
"I enjoy the practices and the day-to-day, the games. There's a bit of fear that it's all ending. It's always there. It was a difficult step leaving Europe to come here [Miami].
"The fact we won the World Cup helped, it helped a lot, to see things in another way. But I try not to think about it, I try to enjoy it.
"I do that more now because I'm aware that there's not a lot of time left. So I have a good time with the club, being lucky to have good team-mates and friends at my side.
"I enjoy my time with the national team, where I also have good friends, too, and a lot. I enjoy those small details that I know I'll miss when I stop playing."
Messi is Barcelona's all-time top scorer with 672 goals, as well as lifting four Champions League trophies amid a glittering career.
Yet the ageing forward insists World Cup glory in 2022 remains his crowning moment, following in the footsteps of late Albiceleste great Diego Maradona.
"Obviously, I was sad that he couldn't experience what we experienced [winning the 2022 World Cup], because I know what he felt for the national team and what he would say about Argentina being world champion again," he added.
"We went through a World Cup together which aside from the result was an impressive experience, going through that day-to-day with him, how happy he was, seeing him enjoy being the manager.
"So I try to remember all the good times that we had together. I know that he loved me a lot, and I loved him, despite what was said in the media.
"The reality is we had a lot of affection for each other, and since he met me he was always supportive and wanted the best for me.
"It was a shame that he couldn't live to experience it like the rest of the country did."
In an extraordinary display of athleticism, Nikisha Pryce capped her collegiate career in spectacular fashion, being crowned NCAA National Division 1 400m champion on Saturday. Pryce, representing the University of Arkansas, achieved a lifetime best of 48.89 seconds, setting a new standard as the fastest time ever run by a collegiate woman.
This remarkable performance also established a new Jamaican national record, making Pryce the first Jamaican woman to run the 400m under 49 seconds. Her time was the world-leading mark this year until American Sydney McLaughlin Levrone ran 48.75 seconds at the New York Grand Prix on Sunday.
The achievement was part of a larger triumph for the University of Arkansas Women's team, which claimed the national title. Pryce, alongside teammates Kaylyn Brown, Amber Anning, and Rosey Effiong, completed a historic 'super sweep' by securing the top four places in the 400m finals. The quartet later shattered the collegiate record in the 4x400m relay with a time of 3:17.96, cementing a dominant victory and a memorable conclusion to their NCAA season.
On Tuesday, Pryce took to Instagram to reflect on her incredible journey and express her gratitude. "As my college athletic career came to a close, I couldn’t have asked for a better finish. It was a moment I will never forget, and it was the perfect way to end my time as a college athlete. Looking back on all the hard work and dedication I put into my sport over the years, I felt proud and grateful for the memories I had made along the way," she shared.
Pryce continued, "It was a fitting conclusion to a collegiate chapter of my life that I will always cherish. I want to take a moment to express my gratitude to @razorbacktfxc @capt_johnson and each and every member of our college track team. It has been an incredible journey filled with hard work, dedication, and unforgettable moments. I am so grateful for the support and encouragement that you have all shown me throughout my time on the team. Thank you for pushing me to be the best athlete I could be and for always believing in me. I will cherish the memories we have made together on and off the track forever. Thank you for being a part of my college track experience and for making it truly special."
Pryce's record-setting 48.89 seconds and her contributions to the 4x400m relay marked significant milestones in her career. "48.89, 400m Collegiate Record Holder, 4x400m Collegiate Record Holde, Jamaican National Record Holder??," she proudly posted, signing off with, "Signing Out ~ N. Pryce."
Looking ahead, Pryce is expected to sign a professional contract soon as she prepares to compete at Jamaica's national championships later this month. Her sights are set on securing a spot on her country's team for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, a goal that now seems well within her reach given her recent performances.
Pryce's collegiate career may have come to an end, but her legacy at the University of Arkansas and in the realm of collegiate athletics will endure, inspiring future generations of athletes to reach for greatness.
After sitting out the past two Suncorp Super Netball League matches, Samantha Wallace-Joseph’s future with New South Wales Swifts seems up in the air, as the club remains evasive about her omission from the match-day squad.
Though speculations were rife that the Trinidad and Tobago stalwart’s cut was due to anti-transgender social media post earlier this year, the club –while distancing itself from the post –confirmed that the current issue was unrelated. Wallace-Joseph did apologise for the post which she said was taken out of context.
NSW Swifts, in a recent statement, confirmed that Wallace-Joseph “would be unavailable for selection,” as they dealt with a matter relating to behaviour within the team environment. The club also stated that it was working with Wallace-Joseph and her management team.
However, indications are that the negotiations could be headed towards Wallace-Joseph’s termination or a mutual parting of ways, which is unprecedented in netball.
Wallace-Joseph's role in the team has been a focal point of discussion given the fact that the now 30-year-old goal shooter has been a beloved member of the team since her signing in 2017. Since joining the club, the Trinidadian assisted the Swifts to two Super Netball titles, and was named club MVP on three occasions.
Wallace-Joseph, who only returned to action this season after recovering from a career-threatening anterior cruciate ligament injury that sidelined her for the past two seasons, tallied over 138 goals, 289 Nissan Net Points, four deflections, one intercept and seven rebounds in the seven games she played before being dropped.
Louisiana State University (LSU) sophomore Brianna Lyston has decided to shut down her 2024 season meaning she will not compete at the Jamaican National Championships from June 27-30 at the National Stadium in Kingston.
The 20-year-old announced her decision in an Instagram post on Sunday after competing at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
“Thank you 2024, Breezy signing out,” she said.
This marks the end to an excellent second collegiate season for the former St. Jago and Hydel High standout.
Lyston enjoyed a perfect indoor season, going unbeaten in eight 60m races from January 27-March 9.
That included titles at both the SEC Indoor Championships as well as the NCAA Indoor Championships as well, establishing a personal best 7.03 at the latter.
Her season then moved outdoors where, in her first two 100m races of the season on March 30 and April 20, she produced wind-aided times of 10.87 and 10.84 at the Battle on the Bayou and the LSU Alumni Gold, respectively.
A month later at the SEC Championships, Lyston ran a personal best 10.91 to win the 100m title and 22.37 to finish fourth in the 200m.
Lyston secured 100m silver at the recently concluded NCAA Championships with a wind-aided 10.89 but she failed to advance to the final of the 200m after running 22.76 to finish fifth in her semi-final.
She also ran the opening leg on LSU’s silver medal-winning 4x100m quartet.
The St Kitts & Nevis Patriots have confirmed the players they have retained and signed ahead of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) draft. They have 13 confirmed players for the 2024 season and will have four spots to fill at the draft in July.
Sri Lankan leg spinner Wanindu Hasaranga and South African opening batter Rilee Rossouw headline their 2024 signings, with Zimbabwean international Sikandar Raza and hugely exciting Sri Lankan seam bowler Nuwan Thushara also in the squad.
Their final overseas signing is South African batter Tristan Stubbs who had an excellent IPL for the Delhi Capitals.
The local players the Patriots have retained include Evin Lewis, Sherfane Rutherford and Andre Fletcher. The Patriots have also secured the services of Odean Smith who has been transferred from the Guyana Amazon Warriors.
The Patriots finished last in the 2023 CPL with one win in ten games.
The 2024 edition of the CPL is set to run from August 30 to October 7. The Patriots will open their campaign against St Lucia Kings on September 1 in Basseterre.
Despite the fact that West Coast Fever suffered a tough round nine loss to Adelaide Thunderbirds, Jamaica’s Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard remains atop the Nissan Net Points tally, with her compatriots Romelda Aiken-George, Shamera Sterling-Humphrey and Latanya Wilson also in pole across other categories.
With 959.5 Net Points to her credit, Fowler-Nembhard is well over 100 points ahead of Sunshine Coast Lightning’s Liz Watson (809.5 points), with Sterling-Humphrey (780 points) in third.
Fowler-Nembhard also has a strangle hold on the goals and attempts leaderboards, with 494 goals and 514 attempts. She has Australian goal shooters Donnell Wallam (378 goals and 440 attempts), Sophie Garbin (363 goals and 413 attempts), and Cara Koenen (340 goals and 376 attempts) keeping close company. Aiken-George is fifth on both standings with 306 goals and 353 attempts.
However, Aiken-George continues to lead the offensive rebounds ladder with 43, ahead of Garbin (37), Koenen (33), Wallam (30), and Fowler-Nembhard (25).
A massive week from Wilson ensured the Sunshine Girl retains pole position on the intercepts ladder, as her tally of 33 now pushed her five ahead of teammate Sterling-Humphrey (28).
Still, Sterling-Humphrey has a firm grip on the deflections leaderboard (62) and defensive rebounds (22), both marginally ahead of Ash Ervin, who has 53 deflections and 18 defensive rebounds. Wilson (49) is third on the deflections ladder.
Meanwhile, despite another Swifts loss, Helen Housby’s willingness to shoot from range has not stopped. She is still leading the Suncorp Super Shots (53) and attempts (81) categories, while Liz Watson has continued her midcourt dominance, with 232 goal assists to her name to go with her 236 centre pass receives.
The Antigua & Barbuda Falcons have confirmed the players they have signed ahead of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League draft.
They have 12 confirmed players for the 2024 season and will have five spots to fill at the draft in July.
The Falcons, who are replacing the Jamaica Tallawahs in this year’s tournament, will feature Pakistani internationals Mohammad Amir, Imad Wasim and Fakhar Zaman, all of whom are currently featuring in the T20 World Cup which is taking place in the Caribbean and USA.
Their overseas contingent will be rounded out by Australia’s Chris Green and Afghan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai.
Omarzai, currently representing Afghanistan at the T20 World Cup, recently took part in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the first time with the Gujarat Titans.
Brandon King and Fabian Allen will also be part of the Falcons squad for 2024 as well as hugely exciting Antiguan batter Jewel Andrew who starred at the Under 19 World Cup earlier this year.
King previously represented the Guyana Amazon Warriors and the Jamaica Tallawahs, who he captained to the title in 2022, while Allen has previously represented the Patriots and Tallawahs.
The full list of signed players for the Falcons is as follows: Mohammad Amir, Imad Wasim, Fakhar Zaman, Brandon King, Jewell Andrew, Chris Green, Shamar Springer, Joshua James, Azmatullah Omarzai, Kelvin Pitman, Hayden Walsh Jr, Fabian Allen
In an exclusive interview with Sportsmax.TV, University of Arkansas Head Coach Chris Johnson revealed that Jamaican long sprinter Nikisha Pryce, the 2024 NCAA champion, has not yet peaked this season, despite her outstanding performance at the NCAA National Outdoor Championships.
Pryce, 23, clocked a lifetime best of 48.89 seconds on Saturday, setting the fastest time ever run by a Jamaican woman and briefly holding the world lead before Sydney McLaughlin's 48.75 at the New York Grand Prix on Sunday.
Pryce's 2024 season has been nothing short of spectacular. Entering the year with a personal best of 50.21, she managed to run four lifetime bests—50.13, 49.72, 49.32, and finally 48.89—culminating in a historic performance at the NCAA Championships. However, Johnson believes Pryce's best is yet to come.
"Well, obviously she hasn't peaked yet. I mean, she's still training. She's still training hard right now, so she'll be ready to go," Johnson said. "We plan for this. Keep ahead to keep it motivated. She's run fast. We didn't say, 'Oh, we're gonna just try to peak at NCAA.' She ran fast, that's impressive, but no one wants to sneeze on 48, but I just think that she has more in the tank."
Johnson outlined a strategic plan to prepare Pryce for the upcoming Jamaica National Championships later this month and ultimately, the Olympic Games in Paris this summer.
"First of all, we're doing some active recovery stuff for the next three or four days, and then we'll start to ease back into training just to be able to let her body recover mentally and physically and emotionally. We've got to make sure that we take good care of her and have her go when the time comes," Johnson explained.
Pryce's immediate focus is on the Jamaican trials, which she must navigate successfully to secure her spot for Paris. Johnson stressed the importance of not taking anything for granted.
"She's going to do the trials, obviously. We don't have any plans for the circuit just yet. I'm sure we'll try to get something before Paris, maybe one race before Paris, but right now, it's really just retooling her, getting her ready, getting her refocused. Obviously, we take the trials very seriously, so we got to take care of that business," he said.
"We don't want to assume anything as pertains to that. And then after that, we'll prepare for the road, maybe one race before the Paris games," he concluded.
As she continues to train and refine her skills, all eyes will be on Pryce to see just how far she can push the boundaries of her potential.
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