OKC Spark sign Sydney Sherrill, former NCAA softball champion at Florida State
Former NCAA champion Sherrill joins OKC Spark
Former Florida State softball standout Sydney Sherrill will join the OKC Spark for the 2023 season. Sherrill, a graduate from Southmoore High School, helped lead the Seminoles to the 2018 NCAA championship.
Sherrill started all 61 games for FSU as a senior in 2022, hitting .321 with 11 stolen bases to make the All-ACC first team for the fourth time.
“I’m super excited to be back home playing for the OKC Spark," Sherrill said in a release. "I cannot wait for this summer and to be a part of the growth of this amazing game. Getting to play in my own backyard is a dream come true."
The Spark will start its inaugural season in the Women's Professional Fastpitch League next June.
SMU QB Tanner Mordecai says he's transferring to Wisconsin
Quarterback Tanner Mordecai announced on social media Friday that he is transferring from SMU to Wisconsin.
Mordecai tweeted the news two weeks after playing in SMU’s 24-23 New Mexico Bowl loss to BYU. Mordecai threw his school-record 72nd career touchdown pass for SMU in that game.
“I could not be more fired up to play at a school with rich history and a winning culture,” Mordecai said. “Let’s ride!”
Mordecai also thanked SMU’s faculty, staff and program. He said: “I have made relationships that I will cherish and carry for the rest of my life.”
After spending 2018-20 as a reserve quarterback for Oklahoma, Mordecai transferred to SMU and was the Mustangs’ starter the last two seasons.
He threw for 3,628 yards with a school-record 39 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 2021. Mordecai followed that by passing for 3,524 yards with 33 touchdowns and 10 interceptions this season. He also had two touchdown runs each of the last two seasons.
New Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell is bringing in Phil Longo from North Carolina as offensive coordinator, though that hire hasn’t officially been announced. Longo helped former North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell and current Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye put up huge numbers the last few seasons.
Mordecai is the second quarterback to announce plans to transfer to Wisconsin since Fickell’s arrival. Former Oklahoma quarterback Nick Evers tweeted two weeks ago that he had committed to Wisconsin.
Graham Mertz, Wisconsin’s starting quarterback the last three seasons, entered the transfer portal in early December and plans to play for Florida next season.
DUKE'S MAYO BOWL: Taulia Tagovailoa threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Octavian Smith, Chad Ryland kicked three field goals and Maryland outlasted No. 25 North Carolina State 16-12 to win the Duke’s Mayo Bowl on Friday. Tagovailoa finished 19 of 37 for 221 yards with two interceptions. Roman Hemby ran for 65 yards rushing on 24 carries for Maryland.
TEXAS BOWL: Michael Penix, Jr. threw for 287 yards and two touchdowns and No. 12 Washington held off No. 21 Texas 27-20 on Thursday night in the Valero Alamo Bowl. Texas scored 10 late points, pulling within seven on Bert Auburn’s 26-yard field goal with 1:40 remaining, but failed on an onside kick try. The Longhorns (8-5) stopped the Huskies (11-2) on the ensuing possession and took over on their own 16 with 32 seconds and got to the Washington 40 on the final play of the game. Penix finished the season with 4,641 yards passing to break the 20-year-old Washington season mark of 4,458 set by Cody Pickett.
Bucs' Gabbert, brothers rescue people in Tampa chopper crash
Tampa Bay Buccaneers backup quarterback Blaine Gabbert became an unexpected hero when a helicopter crashed into a bay. Gabbert and his two brothers were on jet skis Thursday when they heard a “faint noise” on the water. They arrived to find four people who were involved in a helicopter crash. Gabbert put two people on his jet ski and his brothers helped a third person. The fourth was helped by authorities. Tampa Bay police made Gabbert an honorary member of their marine unit on Friday.
—Staff and wire reports