5-24-26 roundup: Pro football, basketball, baseball, auto racing, soccer and rodeo, High school baseball, soccer and softball, College baseball, Middle school athletics
By Richard Walker
Drew Burress became Georgia Tech’s career leader in home runs, Alex Hernandez drove in four runs as the Yellow Jackets defeated North Carolina 13-6 on Sunday to claim the ACC baseball championship for the 10th time.
The top-seeded and third-ranked Yellow Jackets (48-9) won the tournament for the first time since 2014. Georgia Tech won its 10th ACC baseball tournament title, leaving it one behind record-holder Clemson (11) and breaking its tie at nine titles with North Carolina.
Burress led off the bottom of the third inning with his 58th career home run to snap a 1-all tie and spur on a five-run inning that gave the Yellow Jackets the lead for good and included Hernandez’s three-run double.
After the Tar Heels (45-11-1) closed within 8-6 after the top of the seventh, Georgia Tech scored three runs (all on wild pitches) in the bottom of the frame to seal the victory.
Both teams are expected to among the country’s top seeds – and will host regionals next week – when the NCAA tournament field is announced on Monday.
ACC baseball tournament championship game history (with tournament MVPs when they were awarded):
1973 N.C. State 3, Clemson 2
1974 N.C. State 8, Clemson 6
1975 N.C. State 3, Clemson 2
1976 Clemson 3, Maryland 2
1977 Wake Forest 22, Clemson 9
1978 Clemson 7, Wake Forest 2
1979 no tournament
1980 Clemson 12, North Carolina 3
1981 Clemson 7, North Carolina 5
1982 North Carolina 3, Virginia 2
1983 North Carolina 10, Clemson 1 (Scott Bankhead, P, North Carolina)
1984 North Carolina 9, Georgia Tech 4 (Todd Wilkinson, OF, UNC)
1985 Georgia Tech 7, Clemson 5 (Scott Jordan, OF, Georgia Tech)
1986 Georgia Tech 9, N.C. State 6 (Jeff Distasio, 1B, Georgia Tech)
1987 Georgia Tech 6, N.C. State 0 (Todd Shiver, P, Georgia Tech)
1988 Georgia Tech 6, North Carolina 2 (Ty Griffin, 2B, Georgia Tech)
1989 Clemson 12, North Carolina 4 (Brian Barnes, P, Clemson)
1990 North Carolina 5, N.C. State 0 (Steve Estroff, 1B, North Carolina)
1991 Clemson 24, Georgia Tech 8 (Michael Spiers, OF, Clemson)
1992 N.C. State 7, Clemson 3 (Matt Donahue, P, N.C. State)
1993 Clemson 11, N.C. State 7 (Jeff Morris, 2B, Clemson)
1994 Clemson 4, Florida State 1 (Shane Monahan, OF, Clemson)
1995 Florida State 8, Clemson 2 (Jonathan Johnson, P, Florida State)
1996 Virginia 12, Florida State 1 (Seth Greisinger, P, Virginia)
1997 Florida State 10, Clemson 0 (Jeremy Morris, OF, Florida State)
1998 Wake Forest 6, Florida State 3 (John Hendricks, P, Wake Forest)
1999 Wake Forest 8, Clemson 4 (Andrew Riepe, C, Wake Forest)
2000 Georgia Tech 9, Clemson 8 (Jason Basil, OF, Georgia Tech)
2001 Wake Forest 17, N.C. State 4 (Dave Bush, P, Wake Forest)
2002 Florida State 4, Clemson 1 (Stephen Drew, SS, Florida State)
2003 Georgia Tech 6, N.C. State 5 (Brian Burks, P, Georgia Tech)
2004 Florida State 17, Georgia Tech 5 (Shane Robinson, OF, Florida State)
2005 Georgia Tech 4, Virginia 3 (Tyler Greene, SS, Georgia Tech)
2006 Clemson 8, N.C. State 4 (Tyler Colvin, OF, Clemson)
2007 North Carolina 3, Wake Forest 2 (Josh Horton, DH, North Carolina)
2008 Miami 8, Virginia 4 (Dave DiNatale, OF, Miami)
2009 Virginia 6, Florida State 3 (Dan Grovatt, OF, Virginia)
2010 Florida State 8, N.C. State 3 (Harold Riggins, 1B, N.C. State)
2011 Virginia 7, Florida State 2 (Steven Proscia, 3B, Virginia)
2012 Georgia Tech 8, Miami 5 (Jake Davies, 1B/DH/UT, Georgia Tech)
2013 North Carolina 4, Virginia Tech 1 (Cody Stubbs, 1B, North Carolina)
2014 Georgia Tech 9, Maryland 4 (Dusty Isaacs, P, Georgia Tech)
2015 Florida State 6, N.C. State 2 (Boomer Biegalski, P, Florida State)
2016 Clemson 18, Florida State 13 (Mike Triller, DH, Clemson)
2017 Florida State 7, North Carolina 3 (Jackson Lueck, OF, Florida State)
2018 Florida State 11, Louisville 8 (Cal Raleigh, C, Florida State)
2019 North Carolina 10, Georgia Tech 2 (Michael Busch, 1B, North Carolina)
2020 (Cancelled – coronavirus pandemic)
2021 Duke 1, N.C. State 0 (Joey Loperfido, OF, Duke)
2022 North Carolina 9, N.C. State 5 (Vance Honeycutt, OF, North Carolina)
2023 Clemson 11, Miami 5 (Caden Grice, P, Clemson)
2024 Duke 16, Florida State 4 (Devin Obee, OF, Duke)
2025 North Carolina 14, Clemson 4 (Luke Stevenson, C, North Carolina)
2026 Georgia Tech 13, North Carolina 6 (Ryan Zuckerman, 3B, Georgia Tech)
Sites:
Boshamer Stadium, Chapel Hill – 1973, 1975, 1981, 1982, 1983
Doak Field, Raleigh – 1974, 1980
Tiger Field, Clemson, S.C. – 1976, 1977, 1978
Durham Athletic Park – 1984, 1986
Chandler Stadium, Atlanta, Ga. – 1985
Greenville, S.C., Municipal Stadium – 1987-95
Durham Bulls Athletic Park – 1996, 1998-99, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015-16, 2018-19, 2023, 2025
Florida Power Park, St. Petersburg, Fla. – 1997, 2002
Knights Stadium, Fort Mill, S.C. – 2000-01
Salem, Va., Memorial Baseball Stadium – 2003-04
Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville, Fla. – 2005-08
NewBridge Bank Park, Greensboro – 2010, 2012, 2014
Louisville, Ky., Slugger Stadium – 2017
Truist Field, Charlotte – 2021-22, 2024, 2026
-2026 ACC tournament at Truist Field, Charlotte
(Tuesday, May 19)
No. 9 (N.C. State) vs. No. 16 (Duke) – Duke 21-12
No. 12 (Stanford) vs. No. 13 (California) – Stanford 11-4
No. 10 (Notre Dame) vs. No. 15 (Clemson) – Notre Dame 5-4
No. 11 (Louisville) vs. No. 14 (Pittsburgh) – Pittsburgh 16-8
(Wednesday, May 20)
Duke vs. No. 8 (Virginia) – Virginia 6-4
Stanford vs. No. 5 (Miami) – Miami 11-2
Notre Dame vs. No. 7 (Virginia Tech) – Virginia Tech 17-10
Pittsburgh vs. No. 6 (Wake Forest) – Pittsburgh 7-4
(Thursday, May 21)
Virginia vs. No. 1 (Georgia Tech) – Georgia Tech 16-10
Miami vs. No. 4 (Boston College) – Miami 8-2
(Friday, May 22)
Virginia Tech vs. No. 2 (North Carolina) – North Carolina 10-4
Pittsburgh vs. No. 3 (Florida State) – Pittsburgh 8-6
(Saturday, May 23)
Semifinal- Georgia Tech vs. Miami – Georgia Tech 9-3
Semifinal- North Carolina vs. Pittsburgh – North Carolina 13-5
(Sunday, May 24)
Championship- Georgia Tech vs. North Carolina – Georgia Tech 13-6
High school baseball
Here are the area’s postseason pairings:
-NCHSAA playoffs
(First round- Tuesday, May 5)
Class 1A No. 8 Thomas Jefferson hosts No. 9 Jackson Day – Thomas Jefferson 5-1
Class 2A No. 1 Cherryville- bye
Class 2A No. 8 Mountain Island Charter- bye
Class 2A No. 13 Highland Tech hosts No. 20 Alleghany – Highland Tech 12-2 in 5
Class 3A No. 16 Piedmont Community Charter hosts No. 17 East Surry – East Surry 21-6 in 5
Class 3A No. 19 Shelby at No. 14 Madison – Madison 6-2
Class 3A No. 15 West Lincoln hosts No. 18 Hendersonville – West Lincoln 4-3
Class 4A No. 2 Burns- bye
Class 4A No. 4 Lincoln Charter- bye
Class 4A No. 6 Cramer- bye
Class 4A No. 16 East Gaston hosts No. 17 West Stokes – West Stokes 7-2
Class 5A No. 1 North Lincoln- bye
Class 5A No. 2 South Point- bye
Class 5A No. 3 Crest- bye
Class 5A No. 6 East Lincoln- bye
Class 5A No. 9 North Gaston hosts No. 24 Concord – Concord 21-4 in 5
Class 5A No. 19 Forestview at No. 14 Northwest Cabarrus – Northwest Cabarrus 12-0 in 5
Class 6A No. 13 Kings Mountain hosts No. 20 Ashbrook – Kings Mountain 7-0
Class 6A No. 20 Ashbrook at No. 13 Kings Mountain – Kings Mountain 7-0
(Second round- Friday, May 8)
Class 1A No. 8 Thomas Jefferson at No. 1 Kernersville N.C. Leadership Academy – Leadership Academy 9-0
Class 2A No. 1 Cherryville hosts No. 17 Mitchell – Cherryville 8-5
Class 2A No. 8 Mountain Island Charter hosts No. 9 East Wilkes – East Wilkes 6-1
Class 2A No. 13 Highland Tech at No. 4 Corvian Community – Corvian Community 9-1
Class 3A No. 15 West Lincoln at No. 2 East Rutherford – East Rutherford 18-1 in 5
Class 4A No. 2 Burns hosts No. 18 Ashe County – Burns 13-0 in 5
Class 4A No. 4 Lincoln Charter hosts No. 20 Wilkes Central – Lincoln Charter 10-5
Class 4A No. 6 Cramer hosts No. 22 Bandys – Cramer 3-1
Class 5A No. 1 North Lincoln hosts No. 17 Parkwood – North Lincoln 9-0
Class 5A No. 2 South Point hosts No. 15 North Buncombe – South Point 4-3
Class 5A No. 3 Crest hosts No. 14 Northwest Cabarrus – Crest 6-1
Class 5A No. 6 East Lincoln hosts No. 11 Franklin – East Lincoln 7-3
Class 5A No. 9 North Gaston at No. 8 North Davidson – North Davidson 7-5
Class 6A No. 13 Kings Mountain at No. 4 St. Stephens – St. Stephens 5-1
(Third round- Tuesday, May 12)
Class 2A No. 1 Cherryville hosts No. 9 East Wilkes – Cherryville 10-1
Class 4A No. 2 Burns hosts No. 7 Lake Norman Charter – Burns 9-2
Class 4A No. 4 Lincoln Charter hosts No. 12 Forbush – Lincoln Charter 12-2
Class 4A No. 6 Cramer at No. 3 Pisgah – Cramer 4-3
Class 5A No. 1 North Lincoln hosts No. 8 North Davidson – North Lincoln 11-3
Class 5A No. 2 South Point hosts No. 10 Hickory – South Point 11-4
Class 5A No. 3 Crest hosts No. 6 East Lincoln – Crest 14-9
Class 5A No. 6 East Lincoln at No. 3 Crest – Crest 14-9
(Fourth round- Friday, May 15)
Class 2A No. 1 Cherryville hosts No. 4 Corvian Community – Cherryville 12-2 in 6
Class 4A No. 4 Lincoln Charter at No. 1 West Stanly – Lincoln Charter 5-1
Class 5A No. 1 North Lincoln hosts No. 5 East Rowan – North Lincoln 4-3
Class 5A No. 2 South Point hosts No. 3 Crest – South Point 5-4
Class 5A No. 3 Crest at No. 2 South Point – South Point 5-4
(Fourth round- Saturday, May 16)
Class 4A No. 2 Burns hosts No. 6 Cramer – Burns 16-2 in 5
Class 4A No. 6 Cramer at No. 2 Burns – Burns 16-2 in 5
(Regional finals- Tuesday, May 19 through Saturday, May 23)
Class 2A No. 1 Cherryville vs. No. 6 Greensboro Cornerstone Charter
Game 1 May 19 at Cherryville – Cherryville 5-2
Game 2 May 20 at Guilford College – Cherryville 12-6 (Cherryville wins series 2-0)
Class 4A No. 2 Burns vs. No. 4 Lincoln Charter
Game 1 May 19 at Burns – Burns 3-1
Game 2 May 21 at Lincoln Charter – Burns 16-6 in 6 (Burns wins series 2-0)
Class 5A No. 1 North Lincoln vs. No. 2 South Point
Game 1 May 19 at North Lincoln – South Point 4-3 in 8
Game 2 May 21 at South Point – North Lincoln 9-7
Game 3 May 23 at Cherryville – North Lincoln 9-0 (North Lincoln win series 2-1)
(State championships- Wednesday, May 27 through Saturday, May 30)
Class 2A Cherryville vs. Rosewood
Class 4A Burns vs. Bunn
Class 5A North Lincoln vs. Pittsboro Seaforth
-NCISAA playoffs
(First round- Tuesday, May 5)
2A: Northwood Temple Academy at Gaston Day – Gaston Day 12-0 in 5
3A: Gaston Christian- bye
(Second round- Thursday, May 7)
2A: Gaston Day at Greensboro Caldwell Academy – Greensboro Caldwell Academy 2-1
3A: Gaston Christian- bye
(Third round- Saturday, May 9)
3A: Gaston Christian hosts Cary Christian – Gaston Christian 2-1
(Semifinals- Tuesday, May 12)
3A: Gaston Christian at High Point Christian – High Point Christian 5-0
High school softball
Here are the area’s postseason pairings:
-NCHSAA playoffs
(First round- Tuesday, May 5)
Class 2A No. 7 Highland Tech- bye
Class 2A No. 11 Cherryville- bye
Class 2A No. 14 Mountain Island Charter hosts No. 19 Elkin – Mountain Island Charter 9-7
Class 3A No. 1 West Lincoln- bye
Class 3A No. 10 Bessemer City hosts No. 23 Patton – Bessemer City 9-2
Class 3A No. 21 Piedmont Community Charter at No. 12 East Davidson – East Davidson 12-2 in 6
Class 3A No. 22 Shelby at No. 11 East Surry – East Surry 13-0 in 5
Class 4A No. 7 East Gaston- bye
Class 4A No. 12 Burns at No. 21 Ashe County – Burns 11-5
Class 4A No. 17 Lincoln Charter at No. 16 Monroe Central Academy – Lincoln Charter 7-2
Class 5A No. 2 North Lincoln- bye
Class 5A No. 5 Crest- bye
Class 5A No. 7 East Lincoln- bye
Class 5A No. 15 South Point hosts No. 18 Carson – Carson 10-5
Class 5A No. 17 North Gaston at No. 16 W-S Atkins – W-S Atkins 8-5
Class 5A No. 22 Forestview at No. 11 Clyde Erwin – Clyde Erwin 11-0 in 5
Class 6A No. 1 Kings Mountain- bye
Class 6A No. 19 Ashbrook at No. 14 Freedom – Freedom 16-0 in 3
(Second round- Friday, May 8)
Class 2A No. 7 Highland Tech hosts No. 10 Queen’s Grant – Highland Tech 7-1
Class 2A No. 11 Cherryville at No. 6 Murphy – Murphy by forfeit
Class 2A No. 14 Mountain Island Charter at No. 3 Swain County – Swain County 6-5 in 8
Class 3A No. 1 West Lincoln hosts No. 17 Wheatmore – West Lincoln 8-6
Class 3A No. 10 Bessemer City at No. 7 Walkertown – Walkertown 5-0
Class 4A No. 7 East Gaston hosts No. 10 Mount Pleasant – Mount Pleasant 11-5
Class 4A No. 12 Burns at No. 5 Pisgah – Pisgah 6-0
Class 4A No. 17 Lincoln Charter at No. 1 West Stokes – West Stokes 14-3 in 5
Class 5A No. 2 North Lincoln hosts No. 18 Carson – North Lincoln 12-2 in 5
Class 5A No. 5 Crest hosts No. 12 Northwest Cabarrus – Crest 9-5
Class 5A No. 7 East Lincoln hosts No. 10 East Rowan – East Rowan 12-0
Class 6A No. 1 Kings Mountain hosts No. 17 Sun Valley – Kings Mountain 1-0
(Third round- Tuesday, May 12)
Class 2A No. 7 Highland Tech at No. 2 Roxboro Community – Roxboro Community 15-0 in 4
Class 3A No. 1 West Lincoln hosts No. 8 Union Academy – Union Academy 2-1
Class 5A No. 2 North Lincoln hosts No. 10 East Rowan – North Lincoln 3-0
Class 5A No. 5 Crest hosts No. 13 West Rowan – Crest 8-7
Class 6A No. 1 Kings Mountain hosts No. 8 Charlotte Catholic – Kings Mountain 14-1 in 5
(Fourth round- Friday, May 15)
Class 5A No. 2 North Lincoln hosts No. 3 North Davidson – North Davidson 3-0
Class 5A No. 5 Crest at No. 1 Enka – Enka 6-5
Class 6A No. 1 Kings Mountain hosts No. 5 Alexander Central – Kings Mountain 3-0
(Regional finals- Tuesday, May 19 through Saturday, May 23)
Class 6A No. 1 Kings Mountain vs. No. 2 South Caldwell
Game 1 May 19 at Kings Mountain – South Caldwell 9-0
Game 2 May 21 at South Caldwell – South Caldwell 7-6 (South Caldwell wins series 2-0)
-NCISAA playoffs
(First round- Tuesday, May 5)
Division 2: Gaston Christian- bye
(Second round- Thursday, May 7)
Division 2: Gaston Christian hosts Fayetteville Freedom Christian – Gaston Christian 2-1
(Third round- Saturday, May 9)
Division 2: Gaston Christian at Sanford Grace Christian – Grace Christian 11-1 in 5
High school girls soccer
Here are the area pairings:
(First Round – Monday, May 11)
Class 1A No. 3 Thomas Jefferson hosts No. 14 Carolina International – Thomas Jefferson by forfeit
Class 2A No. 2 Mountain Island Charter- bye
Class 2A No. 5 Highland Tech- bye
Class 2A No. 14 Cherryville hosts No. 19 Queen’s Grant – Cherryville 2-1
Class 3A No. 13 Lincolnton hosts No. 20 Madison – Lincolnton 3-0
Class 3A No. 14 Piedmont Community Charter hosts No. 19 Shelby – Piedmont CC 4-2
Class 3A No. 17 West Lincoln at No. 16 McMichael – West Lincoln 10-2
Class 3A No. 19 Shelby at No. 14 Piedmont Community Charter – Piedmont CC 4-2
Class 4A No. 3 Burns- bye
Class 4A No. 6 East Gaston- bye
Class 4A No. 21 Lincoln Charter at No. 12 North Surry – Lincoln Charter 2-1
Class 4A No. 23 Cramer at No. 10 Forbush – Forbush 8-2
Class 5A No. 3 East Lincoln- bye
Class 5A No. 4 South Point- bye
Class 5A No. 7 Forestview- bye
Class 5A No. 13 Crest hosts No. 20 Enka – Crest 2-1
Class 5A No. 18 North Lincoln at No. 15 W-S Atkins – W-S Atkins 3-1
Class 5A No. 23 North Gaston at No. 20 Smoky Mountain – Smoky Mountain 6-0
Class 6A No. 14 Kings Mountain hosts No. 19 Southeast Guilford – Kings Mountain 2-1
(Second Round – Wednesday, May 13)
Class 5A No. 4 South Point hosts No. 13 Crest – South Point 9-0
Class 5A No. 13 Crest at No. 4 South Point – South Point 9-0
(Second Round – Thursday, May 14)
Class 1A No. 3 Thomas Jefferson at No. 6 Clover Garden School – Thomas Jefferson 5-0
Class 2A No. 2 Mountain Island Charter hosts No. 15 East Wilkes – Mountain Island Charter 10-0
Class 2A No. 5 Highland Tech hosts No. 12 Bradford Prep – Bradford Prep 4-2
Class 2A No. 14 Cherryville at No. 3 Murphy – Murphy 1-0
Class 3A No. 13 Lincolnton at No. 4 Wheatmore – Wheatmore 2-0
Class 3A No. 14 Piedmont Community Charter at No. 3 Polk County – Polk County 7-1
Class 3A No. 17 West Lincoln at No. 1 Pine Lake Prep – Pine Lake Prep 7-0
Class 4A No. 3 Burns hosts No. 14 Bandys – Bandys 4-0
Class 4A No. 6 East Gaston hosts No. 11 Wilkes Central – Wilkes Central 2-1
Class 4A No. 21 Lincoln Charter at No. 5 Salisbury – Lincoln Charter 3-1
Class 5A No. 3 East Lincoln hosts No. 14 Concord – East Lincoln 8-0
Class 5A No. 7 Forestview hosts No. 10 Smoky Mountain – Forestview 3-2
Class 6A No. 14 Kings Mountain at No. 3 A.C. Reynolds – A.C. Reynolds 6-1
(Third Round – Monday, May 18)
Class 1A No. 3 Thomas Jefferson at No. 2 Kernersville N.C. Leadership Academy – N.C. Leadership 2-0
Class 2A No. 2 Mountain Island Charter hosts No. 10 Corvian Community – Mountain Island Charter 6-2
Class 4A No. 21 Lincoln Charter at No. 4 Ashe County – Ashe County 2-0
Class 5A No. 3 East Lincoln hosts No. 6 North Davidson – East Lincoln 3-0
Class 5A No. 4 South Point hosts No. 12 North Henderson – South Point 3-0
Class 5A No. 7 Forestview vs. No. 2 Hickory – Hickory 4-1
(Fourth Round – Wednesday, May 20)
Class 5A No. 3 East Lincoln at No. 2 Hickory – Hickory 2-0
Class 5A No. 4 South Point at No. 1 Northwest Cabarrus – South Point 5-1
(Fourth Round – Friday, May 22)
Class 2A No. 2 Mountain Island Charter hosts No. 6 Community School of Davidson – Mountain Island Charter 3-2
(Regional finals – Tuesday, May 26)
Class 2A No. 2 Mountain Island Charter hosts No. 4 Christ the King
Class 5A No. 4 South Point at No. 2 Hickory
(State championships at Durham County Stadium – Thursday, May 28 through Saturday, May 30)
-NCISAA playoffs
(First round- Tuesday, May 5)
2A: Salem Christian at Gaston Day – Gaston Day 2-0
3A: Gaston Christian- bye
(Second round- Thursday, May 7)
2A: Hickory Christian at Gaston Day – Gaston Day 2-1
3A: Gaston Christian- bye
(Third round- Saturday, May 9)
2A: Gaston Day at Rocky Mount Academy – Rocky Mount Academy 9-0
3A: Asheville Christian at Gaston Christian – Gaston Christian 3-1
(Semifinals- Tuesday, May 12)
3A: Gaston Christian at Cape Fear Academy – Gaston Christian 1-1 (3-1 in penalty kicks)
(State championships- Saturday, May 16)
3A: Raleigh Grace Christian at Gaston Christian – Gaston Christian 3-2 in 2OT
Legion baseball
Area schedule/results:
x-non division games
Tuesday, May 19
x-Matthews vs. Gaston Braves (at East Gaston) – Matthews 5-4
Wednesday, May 20
x-Gaston Braves at Rock Hill, S.C. – Rock Hill 6-3
Thursday, May 21
No games
Friday, May 22
No games
Saturday, May 23
x-Davidson County at Cherryville, DH (ppd., no date)
Sunday, May 24
No games
Monday, May 25
x-Matthews at Cherryville (ppd., no date)
Tuesday, May 26
No games
Wednesday, May 27
No games
Thursday, May 28
x-Cherryville at Union County
Friday, May 29
No games
Saturday, May 30
x-Easley, S.C. at Shelby, 3 p.m.
Sunday, May 31
x-Garner at Cherryville, 1:30 p.m.
Caldwell County at Cherryville
Pro soccer
Charlotte FC on Sunday announced forward Wilfried Zaha will depart the team after the conclusion of his loan on June 30, 2026.
During his 1 1/2-year tenure in Charlotte, Zaha had 13 goals and 14 assists during his 46 games.
“Wilfried has been an important part of Charlotte FC since his arrival on loan last winter and has played a key role in our attack since joining,” General Manager Zoran Krneta said in a news release. “Last season, Wilf helped us reach the top four in the Eastern Conference for the first time, and he approached every match with a hunger and desire to perform for our supporters. Everyone at Charlotte FC thanks Wilfried for his contributions to the Club, and we all wish him and his family continued success throughout the rest of his career.”
The Club will enter the summer with a Designated Player and international roster spot open.
Major League Soccer’s secondary transfer window opens on Monday, July 13 and runs through Wednesday, September 2. For the first time in two decades, excluding the COVID-adjusted 2020 season, the conclusion of the MLS window will align with top leagues from around the world.
Charlotte is beginning a two-month break for the FIFA World Cup and returns to action on July 22.
The 2026 Charlotte FC schedule:
(6-6-3 record)
Saturday, Feb. 21 at St. Louis (T 1-1)
Saturday, Feb. 28 at L.A. Galaxy (L 0-3)
Saturday, March 7 Austin (W 3-1)
Saturday, March 14 Miami (T 0-0)
Saturday, March 21 New York Red Bulls (W 6-1)
Saturday, Apr. 4 Philadelphia (W 2-1)
Saturday, Apr. 11 Nashville (L 1-2)
Saturday, Apr. 18 at New York (W 2-1)
Wednesday, Apr. 22 at Orlando (L 1-4)
Saturday, Apr. 25 at Nashville (L 2-4)
Saturday, May 2 at New England (L 0-1)
Saturday, May 9 Cincinnati (T 2-2)
Wednesday, May 13 New York (L 0-1)
Saturday, May 16 Toronto (W 3-1)
Saturday, May 23 New England (W 1-0)
Wednesday, July 22 Atlanta, 8:00 PM
Saturday, July 25 at New York Red Bulls, 7:30 PM
Saturday, Aug. 1 at Chicago, 8:30 PM
Saturday, Aug. 15 Columbus, 7:30 PM
Wednesday, Aug. 19 at Toronto, 7:30 PM
Saturday, Aug. 22 DC, 7:30 PM
Saturday, Aug. 29 at Atlanta, 7:30 PM
Saturday, Sept. 5 Houston, 7:30 PM
Wednesday, Sept. 9 at Montreal, 7:30 PM
Saturday, Sept. 12 at Cincinnati, 7:30 PM
Saturday, Sept. 19 at DC, 7:30 PM
Saturday, Sept. 26 Chicago, 7:30 PM
Saturday, Oct. 10 Dallas, 7:30 PM
Wednesday, Oct. 14 at Columbus, 7:30 PM
Saturday, Oct. 17 at Philadelphia, 2:30 PM
Saturday, Oct. 24 at Portland, 10:30 PM
Wednesday, Oct. 28 Montreal, 7:30 PM
Saturday, Oct. 31 Orlando, 1:00 PM
Saturday, Nov. 7 at Miami, 4:00 PM
(U.S. Open Cup)
Wednesday, Apr. 15 Charlotte Independence (W 6-0)
…at Mecklenburg County Sportsplex
Tuesday, Apr. 28 Atlanta United FC (L 0-2)
…at Mecklenburg County Sportsplex
Pro football
Here is the Panthers’ full 2026 schedule:
(preseason)
Aug. 6 – Arizona (at Canton, Ohio), 8 p.m.
Aug. 15 – at Buffalo, 1 p.m.
Aug. 21 – at Jacksonville, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 28 – Houston, 7 p.m.
(regular season)
Sept. 13 – Chicago, 1 p.m.
Sept. 20 – at Atlanta, 1 p.m.
Sept. 27 – at Cleveland, 1 p.m.
Oct. 4 – Detroit, 8:20 p.m.
Oct. 8-12 – BYE week
Oct. 18 – at Philadelphia, 1 p.m.
Oct. 25 – Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.
Oct. 29 – at Green Bay, 8:15 p.m.
Nov. 8 – Denver, 1 p.m.
Nov. 15 – at New Orleans, 1 p.m.
Nov. 22 – Baltimore, 1 p.m.
Nov. 30 – at Tampa Bay, 8:15 p.m.
Dec. 6 – at Minnesota, 4:25 p.m.
Dec. 13 – New Orleans, 1 p.m.
Dec. 20 – Cincinnati, 1 p.m.
Dec. 24-28 TBA – at Pittsburgh, TBA
Jan. 3 – Seattle, 1 p.m.
Jan. 9-10 TBA – Atlanta, TBA
Pro basketball
(Eastern Conference play-in tournament)
Tuesday, April 14: Miami at Charlotte – Charlotte 127-126 in OT
Wednesday, April 15: Orlando at Philadelphia – Philadelphia 109-97
Friday, April 17: Charlotte at Orlando – Orlando 121-90
(Eastern Conference quarterfinals)
*-if necessary
No. 1 Detroit vs. No. 8 Orlando
Game 1: Orlando at Detroit- Sunday April 19 – Orlando 112-101
Game 2: Orlando at Detroit- Wednesday, April 22 – Detroit 98-83
Game 3: Detroit at Orlando- Saturday, April 25 – Orlando 113-105
Game 4: Detroit at Orlando- Monday, April 27 – Orlando 94-88
Game 5: Orlando at Detroit- Wednesday, April 29 – Detroit 116-109
Game 6: Detroit at Orlando- Friday, May 1 – Detroit 93-79
Game 7: Orlando at Detroit- Sunday, May 3 – Detroit 116-94 (Detroit wins series 4-3)
No. 2 Boston vs. No. 7 Philadelphia
Game 1: Philadelphia at Boston- Sunday April 19 – Boston 123-91
Game 2: Philadelphia at Boston- Tuesday, April 21 – Philadelphia 101-97
Game 3: Boston at Philadelphia- Friday, April 24 – Boston 108-100
Game 4: Boston at Philadelphia- Sunday, April 26 – Boston 128-96
Game 5: Philadelphia at Boston- Tuesday, April 28 – Philadelphia 113-97
Game 6: Boston at Philadelphia- Thursday, April 30 – Philadelphia 106-93
Game 7: Philadelphia at Boston- Saturday, May 2 – Philadelphia 109-100 (Philadelphia wins series 4-3)
No. 3 New York vs. No. 6 Atlanta
Game 1: Atlanta at New York- Saturday April 18 – New York 113-102
Game 2: Atlanta at New York- Monday, April 20 – Atlanta 107-106
Game 3: New York at Atlanta- Thursday, April 23 – Atlanta 109-108
Game 4: New York at Atlanta- Saturday, April 25 – New York 114-98
Game 5: Atlanta at New York- Tuesday, April 28 – New York 126-97
Game 6: New York at Atlanta- Thursday, April 30 – New York 140-89 (New York wins series 4-2)
No. 4 Cleveland vs. No. 5 Toronto
Game 1: Toronto at Cleveland- Saturday April 18 – Cleveland 126-113
Game 2: Toronto at Cleveland- Monday, April 20 – Cleveland 115-105
Game 3: Cleveland at Toronto- Thursday, April 23 – Toronto 126-104
Game 4: Cleveland at Toronto- Sunday, April 26 – Toronto 93-89
Game 5: Toronto at Cleveland- Wednesday, April 29 – Cleveland 125-120
Game 6: Cleveland at Toronto- Friday, May 1 – Toronto 112-110 in OT
Game 7: Toronto at Cleveland- Sunday, May 3 – Cleveland 114-102 (Cleveland wins series 4-3)
(Eastern Conference semifinals)
No. 1 Detroit vs. No. 4 Cleveland
Game 1: Cleveland at Detroit- Tuesday, May 5 – Detroit 111-101
Game 2: Cleveland at Detroit- Thursday, May 7 – Detroit 107-97
Game 3: Detroit at Cleveland- Saturday, May 9 – Cleveland 116-109
Game 4: Detroit at Cleveland- Monday, May 11 – Cleveland 112-103
Game 5: Cleveland at Detroit- Wednesday, May 13 – Cleveland 117-113 in OT
Game 6: Detroit at Cleveland- Friday, May 15 – Detroit 115-94
Game 7: Cleveland at Detroit- Sunday, May 17 – Cleveland 125-94 (Cleveland wins series 4-3)
No. 7 Philadelphia vs. No. 3 New York
Game 1: Philadelphia at New York- Monday, May 4 – New York 137-98
Game 2: Philadelphia at New York- Wednesday, May 6 – New York 108-102
Game 3: New York at Philadelphia- Friday, May 8 – New York 108-94
Game 4: New York at Philadelphia- Sunday, May 10 – New York 144-114 (New York wins series 4-0)
(Eastern Conference finals)
No. 4 Cleveland vs. No. 3 New York
Game 1: Cleveland at New York- Tuesday, May 19 – New York 115-104
Game 2: Cleveland at New York- Thursday, May 21 – New York 109-93
Game 3: New York at Cleveland- Saturday, May 23 – New York 121-108
Game 4: New York at Cleveland- Monday, May 25 (8 ET, ESPN)
Game 5*: Cleveland at New York- Wednesday, May 27 (8 ET, ESPN)
Game 6*: New York at Cleveland- Friday, May 29 (8 ET, ESPN)
Game 7*: Cleveland at New York- Sunday, May 31 (8 ET, ESPN)
(Western Conference play-in tournament)
Tuesday, April 14: Portland at Phoenix – Portland 114-110
Wednesday, April 15: Golden State at L.A. Clippers – Golden State 126-121
Friday, April 17: Golden State at Phoenix – Phoenix 111-96
(Western Conference quarterfinals)
*-if necessary
No. 1 Oklahoma City vs. No. 8 Phoenix
Game 1: Phoenix at Oklahoma City- Sunday April 19 – Oklahoma City 119-84
Game 2: Phoenix at Oklahoma City- Wednesday, April 22 – Oklahoma City 120-107
Game 3: Oklahoma City at Phoenix- Saturday, April 25 – Oklahoma City 121-109
Game 4: Oklahoma City at Phoenix- Monday, April 27 – Oklahoma City 131-122 (Oklahoma City wins series 4-0)
No. 2 San Antonio vs. No. 7 Portland
Game 1: Portland at San Antonio- Sunday April 19 – San Antonio 111-98
Game 2: Portland at San Antonio- Tuesday, April 21 – Portland 106-103
Game 3: San Antonio at Portland- Friday, April 24 – San Antonio 120-108
Game 4: San Antonio at Portland- Sunday, April 26 – San Antonio 114-93
Game 5: Portland at San Antonio- Tuesday, April 28 – San Antonio 114-95 (San Antonio wins series 4-1)
No. 3 Denver vs. No. 6 Minnesota
Game 1: Minnesota at Denver- Saturday April 18 – Denver 116-105
Game 2: Minnesota at Denver- Monday, April 20 – Minnesota 119-114
Game 3: Denver at Minnesota- Thursday, April 23 – Minnesota 113-96
Game 4: Denver at Minnesota- Saturday, April 25 – Minnesota 112-96
Game 5: Minnesota at Denver- Monday, April 27 – Denver 125-113
Game 6: Denver at Minnesota- Thursday, April 30 – Minnesota 110-98 (Minnesota wins series 4-2)
No. 4 L.A. Lakers vs. No. 5 Houston
Game 1: Houston at Los Angeles- Saturday April 18 – L.A. Lakers 107-98
Game 2: Houston at Los Angeles- Tuesday, April 21 – L.A. Lakers 101-94
Game 3: Los Angeles at Houston- Friday, April 24 – L.A. Lakers 112-108 in OT
Game 4: Los Angeles at Houston- Sunday, April 26 – Houston 115-96
Game 5: Houston at Los Angeles- Wednesday, April 29 – Houston 99-93
Game 6: Los Angeles at Houston- Friday, May 1 – L.A. Lakers 98-78 (L.A. Lakers win series 4-2)
(Western Conference semifinals)
No. 1 Oklahoma City vs. No. 4 L.A. Lakers
Game 1: Los Angeles at Oklahoma City- Tuesday, May 5 – Oklahoma City 108-90
Game 2: Los Angeles at Oklahoma City- Thursday, May 7 – Oklahoma City 125-107
Game 3: Oklahoma City at Los Angeles- Saturday, May 9 – Oklahoma City 131-108
Game 4: Oklahoma City at Los Angeles- Monday, May 11 – Oklahoma City 115-110 (Oklahoma City wins series 4-0)
No. 2 San Antonio vs. No. 6 Minnesota
Game 1: Minnesota at San Antonio- Monday, May 4 – Minnesota 104-102
Game 2: Minnesota at San Antonio- Wednesday, May 6 – San Antonio 133-95
Game 3: San Antonio at Minnesota- Friday, May 8 – San Antonio 115-108
Game 4: San Antonio at Minnesota- Sunday, May 10 – Minnesota 114-109
Game 5: Minnesota at San Antonio- Tuesday, May 12 – San Antonio 126-97
Game 6: San Antonio at Minnesota- Friday, May 15 – San Antonio 139-109 (San Antonio wins series 4-2)
(Western Conference finals)
No. 1 Oklahoma City vs. No. 2 San Antonio
Game 1: San Antonio at Oklahoma City- Monday, May 18 – San Antonio 122-115 in 2OT
Game 2: San Antonio at Oklahoma City- Wednesday, May 20 – Oklahoma City 122-113
Game 3: Oklahoma City at San Antonio- Friday, May 22 – Oklahoma City 123-108
Game 4: Oklahoma City at San Antonio- Sunday, May 24 – San Antonio 103-82
Game 5*: San Antonio at Oklahoma City- Tuesday, May 26 (8:30 ET, NBC/Peacock)
Game 6*: Oklahoma City at San Antonio- Thursday, May 28 (8:30 ET, NBC/Peacock)
Game 7*: San Antonio at Oklahoma City- Saturday, May 30 (8 ET, NBC/Peacock)
(NBA finals)
Starts June 3
Pro hockey
NHL playoff results/schedule for Carolina Hurricanes and Stanley Cup playoff pairings (*-if necessary):
(Eastern Conference Round 1)
-No. 1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. Wild Card No. 2 Ottawa Senators
Game 1: Saturday, April 18- at Carolina – Carolina 2-0
Game 2: Monday, April 20- at Carolina – Carolina 3-2 in 2 OT
Game 3: Thursday, April 23- at Ottawa – Carolina 2-1
Game 4: Saturday, April 25- at Ottawa – Carolina 4-2 (Carolina wins series 4-0)
-No. 2 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. No. 3 Philadelphia Flyers (Philadelphia wins series 4-2)
-No. 1 Buffalo Sabres vs. Wild Card No. 1 Boston Bruins (Buffalo wins series 4-2)
-No. 2 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. No. 3 Montreal Canadiens (Montreal wins series 4-3)
(Western Conference Round 1)
-No. 1 Colorado Avalanche vs. Wild Card No. 2 Los Angeles Kings (Colorado wins series 4-0)
-No. 2 Dallas Stars vs. No. 3 Minnesota Wild (Minnesota wins series 4-2)
-No. 1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. Wild Card No. 1 Utah Mammoth (Vegas wins series 4-2)
-No. 2 Edmonton Oilers vs. No. 3 Anaheim Ducks (Anaheim wins series 4-2)
(Eastern Conference Round 2)
-No. 1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. No. 3 Philadelphia Flyers
Game 1: Saturday, May 2- at Carolina – Carolina 3-0
Game 2: Monday, May 4- at Carolina – Carolina 3-2 in OT
Game 3: Thursday, May 7- at Philadelphia – Carolina 4-1
Game 4: Saturday, May 9- at Philadelphia – Carolina 3-2 in OT (Carolina wins series 4-0)
-No. 1 Buffalo Sabres vs. No. 3 Montreal Canadiens (Montreal wins series 4-3)
(Western Conference Round 2)
-No. 1 Colorado Avalanche vs. No. 3 Minnesota Wild (Colorado wins series 4-1)
-No. 1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. No. 3 Anaheim Ducks (Vegas wins series 4-2)
(Eastern Conference Finals)
-No. 1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. No. 3 Montreal Canadiens
Game 1: Thursday, May 21- at Carolina – Carolina 6-2
Game 2: Saturday, May 23- at Carolina – Carolina 3-2 in OT
Game 3: Monday, May 25- at Montreal (8 ET, TNT)
Game 4: Wednesday, May 27- at Montreal (8 ET, TNT)
Game 5*: Friday, May 29- at Carolina (TBD, TNT)
Game 6*: Sunday, May 31- at Montreal (TBD, TNT)
Game 7*: Tuesday, June 2- at Carolina (TBD, TNT)
(Western Conference Finals)
-No. 1 Colorado Avalanche vs. No. 1 Vegas Golden Knights
Calder Cup playoff results/schedule for Charlotte Checkers:
(Atlantic Division First Round)
-No. 3 Charlotte vs. No. 6 Springfield
Game 1: Wednesday, April 22- at Charlotte – Charlotte 8-1
Game 2: Friday, April 24- at Charlotte – Springfield 5-2
Game 3: Saturday, April 25- at Charlotte – Springfield 2-1 in OT (Springfield wins series 2-1)
Pro baseball
Charlotte 3, Gwinnett 2: After falling behind 2-0 after three innings, the Knights scored single runs in the fourth, fifth and eighth innings to win the finale of the six-game road series. After a day off on Monday, Charlotte returns home for a six-game series against Jacksonville that begins Tuesday at 6:35 p.m.
Here is the full Charlotte Knights’ 2026 schedule:
(26-25 record, 25-25 1st half, 0-0 2nd half)
March 27-29 Durham 3-0 (W 19-2, W 2-1 in 11, W 4-3)
March 31-April 5 at Nashville 1-4 (L 3-7, W 9-3, L 0-4, L 6-7, ppd, L 5-7)
April 7-12 Memphis 3-3 (L 4-9, W 7-3, L 1-4, W 9-8 in 10, L 4-6, W 13-4)
April 14-19 at Jacksonville 2-4 (L 0-3, L 2-3, L 3-5, L 1-4, W 2-0, W 9-4)
April 21-26 Nashville 4-3 (L 1-5, W 9-4, W 3-2 in 10, W 11-9, L 5-12, W 16-6, L 1-5)
April 28-May 3 Gwinnett 3-3 (L 7-10, W 10-9, L 5-9, L 3-4, W 21-1, W 10-9)
May 5-10 at Jacksonville 3-3 (W 5-3, L 6-8, W 16-1, W 8-5, L 5-6, L 1-6)
May 12-17 Norfolk 3-3 (L 6-9, L 8-9, W 4-1, W 4-1, L 10-11, W 15-3)
May 19-24 at Gwinnett 4-2 (W 5-4, W 4-3, L 3-7, W 4-3 in 10, L 1-5, W 3-2)
May 26-31 Jacksonville
June 2-7 at Durham
June 9-14 Oklahoma City
June 16-21 at Buffalo
June 23-28 Rochester
June 30-July 5 at Memphis
July 7-12 Nashville
July 17-19 at Durham
July 21-26 Norfolk
July 28-August 2 at Nashville
August 4-9 Durham
August 11-16 at Rochester
August 18-23 at Scranton-WB
August 25-30 Memphis
September 1-6 at Gwinnett
September 8-13 Buffalo
September 15-20 at Norfolk
Here is the full Gastonia Ghost Peppers’ 2026 schedule:
(18-12 record, 18-12 1st half, 0-0 2nd half)
-1st half
April 21-23 at High Point 1-2 (W 3-1, L 5-6, L 0-5)
April 24-26 High Point 3-0 (W 4-3, W 18-8, W 9-2)
April 28-May 3 at York 4-2 (W 14-2, ppd, W 2-1, W 5-4, L 4-5, W 10-2, L 3-9)
May 5-10 Southern Maryland 1-5 (L 2-3, L 11-18, L 2-12, L 4-5, W 7-3, L 1-14)
May 12-17 at Long Island 3-3 (L 3-6, L 3-11, W 10-0, L 4-6, W 8-6, W 6-5)
May 19-20 Charleston, W.Va. 3-0 (W 9-4, W 6-2, W 9-6)
May 22-24 at Charleston, W.Va. 3-0 (W 17-4, W 8-4, W 12-4)
May 26-28 at Lexington
May 29-31 Charleston, W.Va.
June 2-7 Lancaster
June 9-14 at Lexington
June 16-21 Staten Island
June 23-28 at Lexington
June 30-July 2 Lexington
-2nd half
July 3-5 Charleston, W.Va.
July 7-12 at Hagerstown
July 14-19 Lexington
July 21-26 at Charleston, W.Va.
July 28, 30-31-Aug. 2 Hagerstown
Aug. 4-6 Southern Maryland
Aug. 7-9 at Lexington
Aug. 11-16 at High Point
Aug. 18-23 Charleston, W.Va.
Aug. 25-30 at Southern Maryland
Sept. 1-6 High Point
Sept. 8-10 Lexington
Sept. 11-13 at High Point
Auto racing
Here is the full 2026 NASCAR Cup Series schedule with race winners in parentheses:
Feb. 4 — Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium (Ryan Preece)
Feb. 15 — Daytona 500 (Tyler Reddick)
Feb. 22 — Atlanta (Reddick-2)
March 1 — Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas (Reddick-3)
March 8 — Phoenix (Ryan Blaney)
March 15 — Las Vegas (Denny Hamlin)
March 22 — Darlington, South Carolina (Reddick-4)
March 29 — Martinsville, Virginia (Chase Elliott)
April 5 — off weekend
April 12 — Bristol, Tennessee (Ty Gibbs)
April 19 — Kansas (Reddick-5)
April 26 — Talladega, Alabama (Carson Hocevar)
May 3 — Texas (Elliott-2)
May 10 — Watkins Glen, New York (Shane van Gisbergen)
May 17 — All-Star Race (Dover) (Hamlin-2)
May 24 — Coca-Cola 600 (Charlotte) (Daniel Suarez)
May 31 — Nashville, Tennessee
June 7 — Michigan
June 14 — Pocono in Long Pond, Pennsylvania
June 21 — San Diego
June 28 — Sonoma, California
July 5 — Chicagoland
July 12 — Atlanta
July 19 — North Wilkesboro
July 26 — Brickyard 400 (Indianapolis)
Aug. 2 — off weekend
Aug. 9 — Iowa
Aug. 15 — Richmond, Virginia
Aug. 23 — New Hampshire
Aug. 29 — Daytona, Florida
Sept. 6 — Darlington
Sept. 13 — Gateway in Madison, Illinois
Sept. 19 — Bristol
Sept. 27 — Kansas
Oct. 4 — Las Vegas
Oct. 11 — Charlotte Roval
Oct. 18 — Phoenix
Oct. 25 — Talladega
Nov. 1 — Martinsville
Nov. 8 — Homestead, Florida
Rodeo
Professional Bull Riding Unleash the Beast tour schedule for Greensboro-based Carolina Cowboys:
Feb. 1 – Golden 1 Center Sacramento- Austin Gamblers (L 173.90-256.90)
Feb. 21 – Progressive PBR Jacksonville- Florida Freedom (L 158.70-169.25)
March 22 – Ram Trucks PBR Indianapolis- Nashville Stampede (W 88.70- 0.00)
(DNQ for playoffs)
Team Challenge playoff results
March 29 at Albuquerque: Semifinal- (No. 1 Missouri Thunder def. No. 4 Florida Freedom 83.65-0.00)
April 17 at Billings: Semifinal- (No. 2 Austin Gamblers def. No. 3 Kansas City Outlaws 87.10-84.50)
April 26 at Tacoma: Championship- (No. 1 Missouri Thunder def. No. 2 Austin Gamblers 254.75-171.35)
Upcoming events:
May 10 – PBR World Finals at Cowtown Coliseum
Sept. 18-20 – Greensboro First Horizon Coliseum Complex
Golf
The Rutherford County Sports Hall Of Fame (RCSHOF), presented by Hardin’s Drug, in conjunction with Golf Sponsors Forest City Honda and Chick-fil-A of Forest City, is pleased to announce that registration is now open for the 2026 T. Max Champion Memorial Golf Tournament.
The tournament will be held on Friday, July 31 at the Apple Vally Golf Course in Lake Luke, with a shotgun start at 9 a.m. Registration fee is $100.00 per player or $400.00 for a team of four and covers the green fee, cart usage and lunch.
First prize for Gross and Net Winners is $600.00 per team. Other prizes will be awarded based on the number of entries. Proceeds from the event go to support the RCSHOF Scholarship Fund and registration deadline is July 21.
For information or to register, please visit the RCSHOF website: https://www.rcshof.org/ or call Randy Page at 828-429-7773.