Latest news with #St.ThomasAquinas
USA Today
14-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Notre Dame ‘27 recruit Julius Jones Jr. will play in the ‘26 Under Armour All-America game
Notre Dame legacy recruit Julius Jones Jr. has announced that he will play in the 2026 Under Armour All-America game. Jones Jr., who was recently named the MVP by On3 at the Under Armour Future 50, is one of the top recruits in the Class of 2027. The St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, FL) four-star wide receiver (No. 56 in the 247Sports Composite) is the son of former Fighting Irish running back Julius Jones. The younger Jones is one of only a few 2027 recruits that will get a chance to play in the game that takes place January. Last year, Under Armour started to allow high school juniors to participate in the event, which had previously been restricted to top prep seniors only. Jones received his offer from the Irish on March 17 during the program's Pot of Gold Day recruiting event. Last season, he led powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas in receiving as a sophomore. He caught 51 passes for 750 yards (14.7 yards per catch) and 6 touchdowns. In addition to Notre Dame, Jones has offers from major powers such as LSU, Ohio State and Penn State. Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (Formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions. Follow Dave on X: Miller_Dave
USA Today
30-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Notre Dame legacy recruit Julius Jones Jr. named MVP at Under Armour Future 50
Notre Dame has quickly become Legacy U., with several sons of former Fighting Irish or NFL players on the current roster or being heavily recruited, one of whom just picked up an honor. Julius Jones Jr., who already has a scholarship offer from the Irish, was named the MVP by On3 at the Under Armour Future 50 event Saturday. One of the top recruits in the 2027 class, the St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, FL) four-star wide receiver shined at the one-day camp at IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL, which featured dozens of elite high school juniors. Jones is the son of former ND running back Julius Jones. "Julius Jones put together an absolute clinic between the white lines on Saturday and was borderline unguardable," On3 national scout Cody Bellaire said. "He's fluid and has excellent hip looseness that he shows off at the top of his routes. He does such a great job of setting up defenders and keeping them on their heels before snapping them off and creating separation. "Jones is an easy hands catcher as well that does a good job of plucking the football away from his frame instead of letting it get to his chest. He had some serious wow plays during the competitive period, including five total touchdowns during 7-on-7. His toe-tapping grab in the back of the endzone was the catch of the day and capped off a fantastic overall performance." The 5-foot-10, 160-pounder is considered the fifth-best player in the state of Florida in the 2027 class, per the 247Sports Composite Rankings. He earned his offer from the Irish on March 17 during their Pot of Gold Day recruiting event. On a talented and deep St. Thomas Aquinas squad last fall, Jones had 51 receptions for 750 yards and six touchdowns in 13 games. The legacy recruit has several offers from major programs, including Miami, LSU, Ohio State, Florida, Penn State, Florida State and Oklahoma. Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (Formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions. Follow Dave on X: Miller_Dave
Miami Herald
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Aquinas' Wimbley Jr. and Dillard's Reid are Broward 7A-4A Overall Athletes of the Year
Dwayne Wimbley Jr. was one of Broward County and the state's best two-sport standouts through his first three years of high school. For his senior season, he chose to focus solely on basketball and transfer to Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas where he made an immediate impact and led the Raiders to a state title. At Fort Lauderdale Dillard, track and field standout Alexia Reid became the key cog in what has become a new dynasty in the sport. Reid etched her name in the record books, winning three state titles while leading the Panthers to an impressive repeat team championship. For their impressive seasons, Wimbley Jr. and Reid are the Broward County Overall Athletes of the Year for Classes 7A-4A. Wimbley Jr. is the boys' winner after leading Aquinas to its first state title in boys' basketball since 2001 and second ever for the program. Wimbley Jr., who was also the Herald's Boys' Basketball 7A-4A Player of the Year, averaged 16 points, seven rebounds, three assists and 2.5 blocked shots per game. He fit in seamlessly with an already-talented roster for the Raiders and led them to a BCAA Big 8 title and district and regional titles. 'It was the best feeling ever because this is exactly what I came to Aquinas to do,' Wimbley Jr. said at state. 'We were in that situation, I don't even know how many times this year. For this to happen like that showed the heart this team's got. I love these boys. Every tournament we were in we were down, but we really wanted it.' Reid, who will compete for UCF in the fall, finished her time with the Panthers as a state champion in both the 100-meter and 400-meter hurdles, as well as a key contributor on two of Broward County's best relays. On a deep and talented squad, Reid stood out and helped Dillard repeat as girls' team state champions in Class 3A, topping mighty Miami Northwestern for the second consecutive year after the Bulls had won a state-record 14 state titles in a row. 'It was a satisfying win, especially after we had so many (weather) delays the first day,' said Reid, who was also named the Herald's Broward Girls' Track and Field Athlete of the Year in May. 'We had to regroup and stay strong mentally and determined. It showed how together we were as a team and as a family.' BOYS' FINALISTS ▪ Christien Moreau, St. Thomas Aquinas (football, track and field): Moreau was a force on the Raiders' football team's defense, helping them win a state-record sixth consecutive state title. Moreau, who will be a senior next season and is being recruited as a defensive lineman by multiple FBS schools, had 41 tackles including 12 for loss, nine sacks and one fumble return for a touchdown. In track, Moreau was the top shot putter and discus thrower in Broward County, qualifying for state once again. ▪ Joshua Gammage, Dillard (cross-country, track and field): Gammage capped a stellar running career by running the fastest time at state by a Broward athlete (15:37) and following that up in track season with the fastest times in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters. ▪ Gio Rojas, Douglas (baseball): Rojas showed off why he is a potential first round Major League Baseball draft pick heading into his senior season as he powered the Eagles to their state-record fifth consecutive state championship. Rojas went 12-0 on the mound with a 0.72 ERA, and struck out a county-best 120 batters in 68 innings. ▪ Tyler Johnson, Cypress Bay (volleyball): Johnson is heading to BYU after a stellar career on the court for the Lightning. Johnson, a 6-3 outside hitter, once again showed off his great skill by leading the Lightning to the Class 3A regional semifinals with 302 kills, 147 digs and 52 blocks. GIRLS' FINALISTS ▪ Nykeria Flowers, Northeast (basketball): Flowers was the engine that drove the Hurricanes to the state final four for the first time since 2017. Flowers led Northeast to a school-record 28-3 season and their first BCAA Big 8 title, averaging 19.7 points, 3.8 steals, 3.5 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game. ▪ Shynah Collins, Dillard (cross-country, track and field): Collins, an eighth-grader, proved herself to be one of the rising stars in Broward and one of the key members of the Panthers state championship track team, helping Dillard repeat as team champs and win a 3,200-meter relay title. In cross-country, she finished sixth individually in Class 3A. ▪ Grace Finneran, STA (cross-country, track and field): Finneran had another dominant cross-country season, capped by running a county-best 18:26 at the state Class 4A meet. She followed that up by earning second team honors in track in the 1,600 meters. ▪ Maddison Manragh, Western (basketball, flag football): Manragh proved herself a valuable part of two of the Wildcats' top programs. In basketball, she led Western to the regional playoffs, averaging 16 points, 10 rebounds and five steals per game. In flag football, Manragh caught 46 passes for 656 yards and 12 touchdowns and had 61 flag pulls and eight interceptions on defense to lead the Wildcats to the Class 4A regional finals.
Miami Herald
18-06-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Aquinas' Emma Bear and Alexa Raymond are the Broward Beach Volleyball Players of the Year
St. Thomas Aquinas has long been a powerhouse in girls' indoor volleyball. Just this past year, the Raiders secured their eight state championship in the sport. Aquinas has yet to hoist such a trophy in beach volleyball, though. But sophomores Emma Bear and Alexa Raymond have the potential to be part of the first teams to change that. Bear and Raymond formed a dynamic tandem on the sand this past spring, leading Aquinas to its fourth consecutive trip to the state tournament and second consecutive appearance at the state semifinals in Tallahassee. For their efforts, Bear and Raymond are the Miami Herald's Broward County Beach Volleyball Players of the Year. The duo was at the top of Aquinas' lineup and led the Raiders through the Class 3A state playoffs, going 19-5 against a challenging schedule and securing another district championship along the way. Since the sport became sanctioned by the FHSAA in 2022, Aquinas has made it to the state round when it took 16 teams or when it consisted of just the final four in an expanded three-classification system as it did for the first time this season. Bear and Raymond follow in the footsteps of other Aquinas' Player of the Year recipients such as LSU signee Zoe Taylor and others who have kept the program among the best in the state in recent years. Aquinas won its first 12 matches this season before hitting a rough patch in April where it lost four of five, including three in a row against three of the best teams in the state in Miami Westminster Christian, West Palm Beach Kings Academy and Vero Beach. Raymond and Bear were instrumental in turning things around for the Raiders, who then won six in a row once the postseason began, culminating with a tough 3-2 regional championship victory over previously unbeaten Weston Cypress Bay. St. Thomas Aquinas then lost to eventual Class 3A state champion Jupiter, 3-0, in the state semifinals. But the foundation is there for the Raiders to possibly take the next step in 2026 with Raymond and Bear possibly at the forefront.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Florida recruiting 2026 football summer commitment tracker: Who's going where?
It's summertime. That means more time at the beach, road trips and, of course, high school football players making college announcements and giving the highly coveted verbal commitments. The USA TODAY Florida Network will be tracking the top commitments from around the state all summer. Advertisement Some of the top players on the USA TODAY Florida Network top 100, including St. Thomas Aquinas defensive back Justice Fitzpatrick and Milton athlete Kaiden Hall both announced their decisions during the first few days of June. Fitzpatrick (No. 14 top 100, No. 2 safety in the state) committed to Georgia. Hall (No. 23, No. 1 athlete) chose to stay in state and commit to play for the Gators. Fitzpatrick and Hall join a list of five- or four-star players who have committed in the 2026 class, including American Heritage quarterback Dia Bell (No. 2, Texas), IMG offensive tackle Keenyi Pepe (No. 5, USC) and Bolles wide receiver Naeem Burroughs (No. 7, Clemson). Several of the top players in the state remain uncommitted and are taking official visits this month. That list includes Chaminade-Madonna running back Derrek Cooper (No. 1), Jake Kreul (No. 3) and Miami Northwestern wide receiver Calvin Russell Jr. (No. 4). Advertisement Bookmark this page to stay up to date on the latest commitments, changes and other developments: Jordan Crutchfield, Vero Beach ATH Fort Pierce Westwood athlete Jordan Crutchfield plays to the camera after scoring his second touchdown at the Palm Beach Gardens spring jamboree on Saturday, May 18, 2025. Verbal commitment: Kentucky (June 11) USA TODAY Florida rank: No. 58 overall, No. 3 ATH Canon Pickett, Tampa Bay Tech OL Tampa Bay Tech offensive lineman Canon Pickett at spring football practice, May 14, 2025. Verbal commitment: Miami (June 10) USA TODAY Florida Network rank: No. 66 overall, No. 6 IOL Adam Land, Mosley TE Verbal commitment: Mississippi State USA TODAY Florida Network rank: No. 100 overall, No. 3 tight end Johnnie Jones, Berkeley Prep OT Verbal commitment: UCLA (June 9) USA TODAY Florida Network rank: No. 63 overall, No. 6 offensive tackle Kekua Aumua, IMG Academy TE Verbal commitment: Florida (June 9) Advertisement USA TODAY Florida Network rank: No. 90 overall, No. 2 tight end Daylen Green, Gadsden County LB Gadsden County Jaguars receiver Daylen Green (8) lines up during the first half of a spring football game against the Community School of Naples Seahawks at Community School of Naples in Naples, Fla., on Thursday, May 22, 2025. Verbal commitment: Arkansas (June 9) USA TODAY Florida Network rank: No. 67 overall, No. 6 linebacker Brayden Charney, Cardinal Newman OT Verbal commitment: Syracuse (June 9) 247Sports Rank: 3-star, No. 137 offensive tackle in the nation Justin Williams, Buchholz RB Buchholz Bobcats Justin Williams (13) eludes Oakleaf Knights Fareed Coleman (2) in the second half. The Bobcats hosted the Knights at Citizens Field in Gainesville, FL on Friday, November 29 2024 in the Class 6A-Region 1 Final. [Doug Engle/Ocala Star Banner] Verbal commitment: Florida (June 8) USA TODAY Florida Network rank: No. 49 overall, No. 3 running back Chancellor Campbell, Lakewood OT The First Academy's Chancellor Campbell at the 2025 Under Armour Next camp in Orlando, Feb. 23. Verbal commitment: Florida (June 8) USA TODAY Florida Network rank: No. 70 overall, No. 6 offensive tackle Kaj Baker, Somerset Academy RB Verbal commitment: UCF (June 8) Advertisement 247Sports Composite Rank: 3-star, No. 38 ATH in the nation Justin 'JJ' Edwards, Edgewater LB Verbal commitment: Rutgers (June 8) 247Sports Composite Rank: 3-star, No. 60 linebacker in the nation Jabari Brady, Monarch WR Verbal Commitment: Missouri (June 7) USA TODAY Florida Network rank: No. 45 overall, No. 7 WR Justice Fitzpatrick, St. Thomas Aquinas S Defensive back Justice Fitzpatrick (left) looks to break on a ball during the Battle 7-on-7 tournament on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025 at Mills Pond Park in Fort Lauderdale. Verbal commitment: Georgia (June 3) USA TODAY Florida Network rank: No. 14 overall, No. 2 safety Kaiden Mall, Milton ATH Verbal Commitment: Florida Milton's Kaiden Hall (3) pulls in a pass along the sideline against Pensacola in their football game at Milton High School on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. Verbal commitment: Florida (June 3) USA TODAY Florida Network Rank: No. 23 overall, No. 1 ATH G'nivre Carr, IMG IOL IMG Academy IOL G'nivre Carr after a film session, May 8, 2025. Verbal commitment: Florida (June 1) Advertisement USA TODAY Florida rank: No. 72 overall, No. 7 IOL Kymistrii Young, Cardinal Mooney WR Verbal commitment: Purdue (June 1) USA TODAY Florida rank: No. 75 overall, No. 13 WR This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Florida recruiting 2026 college football summer commitment tracker
