Author: Brooke Ackerman

  • Before Alexis Eberz begins her journey at Villanova, she has unfinished business with Archbishop Carroll

    Before Alexis Eberz begins her journey at Villanova, she has unfinished business with Archbishop Carroll

    Alexis Eberz knew she wanted play in the Big East. So when it came down to deciding between Maruqette or Villanova, the Archbishop Carroll senior guard did what most high schoolers do: she asked for her mother’s advice.

    “I just told her to pray on it,” said Michelle Eberz, Alexis’ mother.

    Her advice came at the perfect time. It was the end of Eberz’s junior year, and she was about to embark on a religious retreat called “Kairos,” which was hosted by Carroll. It was a four-day, three-night retreat at the Malvern Retreat House with no cell phones. It was the perfect opportunity for Eberz to reflect on where she wanted to play college basketball.

    “I said, ‘Alexis, listen to me. Go to Kairos and pray on it. You will find your answer,’” Michele said. “And, honestly, it was almost like the pressure melted off her.”

    Eberz decided on Villanova and signed with the team in November. Besides getting to play in the Big East, Villanova has always felt like home, which stems for her parents. Michele and her husband, Eric, played basketball on the Main Line and exposed their daughter to the school at a young age.

    However, Alexis has forged her own connection to the program and is ready to take her game to the next level. But first, the senior has some unfinished business to take care of at Carroll.

    This season, Eberz is averaging 17.5 points and was named Catholic League MVP. The Patriots will face Cardinal O’Hara on Sunday at the Palestra in the Catholic League final, marking their third consecutive appearance. The last time Carroll won a PCL title was in 2019.

    No stranger to ’Nova

    Long before she picked up a basketball, Villanova has been part of Eberz’s life.

    “It’s a parent’s dream that she’s actually not only at [our] alma mater, but so close to home,” Michele said. “So many people know her already before she even steps on campus.”

    Alexis Eberz added: “I’m really close with Maddy Siegrist. I would shoot with her and do workouts with her [and former coach] Harry Perretta.”

    Learning from Siegrist, Villanova’s all-time leading scorer for men and women, contributed to Eberz wanting to play for Villanova. But it wasn’t the only factor.

    “I was around Villanova at such a young age,” Eberz said. “And then I never really went away from it. You’re never going to get that tight-knit community anywhere else. It’s awesome. The players, the coaching staff, everyone’s so nice. That really stuck out to me.”

    Plus, Villanova coach Denise Dillon viewed Eberz as an elite addition to the roster.

    “I think [what stood out to us] was a combination of the tangibles and intangibles,” Dillon said. “The tangibles being her ability to make shots. She’s a great shooter, great passer, moves well without the ball. The intangibles [being] her toughness. I just think she is a competitor. She doesn’t care who it is: post player, perimeter player, she’s going to battle.”

    It also doesn’t hurt that Dillon has been longtime friends and former teammates with Michele.

    Their time also overlapped at Villanova from 1993 to 1995. During Michele’s senior season, the Wildcats went 19-9 overall and 13-5 in the Big East.

    “The years I played with Denise, we really grew as a team and friends,” Michele said.

    Alexis Eberz was named Catholic League MVP this season.

    The two even are in a group chat with old teammates.

    But Michele and Eric were careful to stay out of their daughter’s recruiting process. They wanted their daughter to make the decision for herself, even if they were rooting for her to be a Wildcat.

    “A coach is going to be hard on you on the basketball court, but [Villanova] also cares a lot about developing players into a young woman or becoming successful in school,” said Eric, who played at Villanova from 1992 to 1996. “You know that your coach’s job is to help kids find their path in life, too, and I think Denise does a great job at that.”

    ‘A really good teammate’

    Alexis Eberz has had quite an accomplished career with the Patriots.

    During her junior year, she averaged 17.6 points and earned first-team All-State honors. She also was named first-team All-Philadelphia Catholic League, first-team All-Delaware County, and scored her 1,000th career point.

    “When [Alexis] was a freshman, she was a very good shooter and had a great IQ for the game,” Archbishop Carroll coach Renie Shields said. “What she’s progressed into was a really good teammate [who] understands more about the game, and that’s just what her continual growth has been: increasing her skill set, shooting, ballhandling, and then now it’s movement without the ball and how to find openings for herself and her teammates.”

    She’s one of the senior leaders this season, alongside Ursinus pledge Bridget Grant, who happens to be Dillon’s niece and Eberz’s best friend. Also on the roster are Eberz’s younger twin sisters, Kelsey and Kayla, who are sophomores.

    “It’s awesome,” Eberz said. “It’s been surreal. It’s so special getting the chance to play with my sisters. I’m also really blessed, because some people don’t get a chance to play with their younger sisters, so I’ve been really grateful to have that chance.”

    With Grant and her sisters, Eberz is leading Carroll to a memorable season, as the team is 19-5 entering Sunday’s matchup. While the Palestra is an arena filled with history and tradition, for Eberz, it represents redemption.

    Archbishop Carroll will face Cardinal O’Hara in the Catholic League girls’ basketball final on Sunday.

    The Patriots have been to the PCL final the past two seasons, but lost both years.

    “There’s no other option,” Eberz said. “I have to win.”

    With one final shot at a PCL title, Eberz is looking to rewrite her team’s story.

    “Obviously we have a target on our back, being undefeated. … but I think that also gives us more of a reason to want it more,” she said. “It’s just the fact that we played so hard all season, and we beat all the teams so that we can get to this point. I think it just makes us want it more.”

  • Philly connections to the Winter Olympics, from a young figure skater to Donovan McNabb’s niece

    Philly connections to the Winter Olympics, from a young figure skater to Donovan McNabb’s niece

    The Winter Olympics are underway — and the opening ceremony was Friday night. Team USA features 232 athletes — 117 men, 115 women, 98 returning Olympians, and 18 Olympic champions. And there are a few Philly-area natives competing in Milan and Cortina.

    Here’s look at some Olympians with ties to the region and how to watch them compete:

    Isabeau Levito, figure skating

    Isabeau Levito, who was born in Philadelphia and lives and trains in Mount Laurel, will make her Olympic debut in front of family in Milan, where her mother was born and some family still lives. The 18-year-old Levito, who has been skating since she was 3 years old, burst onto the scene with a third-place finish at the 2022 U.S. Figure Skating Championships and won the event the next year when she was 15. She also won a silver medal at worlds in 2024.

    How and when to watch? The women’s individual figure skating competition doesn’t take place until the second half of the Winter Games. The women’s singles short program is Feb. 17 (12:45 p.m. Philadelphia time), and will air on NBC (Part I) and USA Network (Part II). The women’s singles free skate is scheduled for Feb. 19 (1 p.m.), and will air on NBC. Both events will stream live on Peacock, NBCOlympics.com, NBC.com, the NBC Olympics app, and the NBC app. You can check out the full women’s singles figure skating TV schedule here.

    Taylor Anderson-Heide (center) grew up in Broomall and learned to curl with her identical twin sister.

    Taylor Anderson-Heide, curling

    Taylor Anderson-Heide, another Philadelphia-born Olympian, grew up in Broomall and graduated from Marple Newtown High School before attending the University of Minnesota. Anderson-Heide began curling with her identical twin sister, Sarah Anderson, at a young age and trained at the Philadelphia Curling Club in Paoli.

    Anderson-Heide is a five-time national champion, winning twice in mixed doubles (2015, 2018); three times in the women’s event, including twice alongside her sister (2019, 2021); and again in 2025. While Anderson-Heide has finished in the top three in women’s curling in two U.S. Olympic trials, the Milan Games will be her first Olympic events.

    How and when to watch? Mixed doubles curling is underway, but Anderson-Heide is competing in the women’s event, which doesn’t begin until Feb. 12. The U.S. women’s team has round-robin sessions every day between Feb. 12-19, and if it advances, the semifinals take place on Feb. 20. The women’s bronze medal match is on Feb. 21, and the women’s gold-medal match takes place on Feb. 22. You can check out the women’s curling TV schedule here, as the games will air at different times and on a trio of networks — CNBC, USA, and NBC — throughout the tournament.

    Andrew Heo, speedskating

    Heo, the son of South Korean immigrants, grew up in Warrington. He followed his cousins and older brother into speedskating and made his first U.S. national team at just 17. Three years later, he made his Olympic debut at the 2022 Beijing Games, finishing seventh in the men’s 1,000-meter race, 28th in the 1,500, and eighth in the 2,000-meter mixed relay. Heo is a two-time world bronze medalist, and he won his first ISU Short Track World Tour race, the 500 meters, in 2025. Also helping Heo at this Olympics: His parents can attend, after COVID-19 restrictions forced them to watch from their home in Bucks County in 2022.

    How and when to watch? Men’s speedskating runs from Feb. 7-21, with events airing on NBC, USA Network and streaming live on Peacock. Heo will compete in the 1,500- and 500-meter races, and the 2,000-meter mixed relay. The mixed relay finals will be held on Feb. 10; the 1,500-meter finals will be held on Feb. 14; and the 500-meter finals will be on Feb. 18. For more time and channel information, click here.

    Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet is serving as an assistant coach for Team Canada.

    Flyers players and coaches

    While they weren’t born in Philly, there are four members of the Flyers in Italy for the Olympics.

    Rick Tocchet: Tocchet, who represented his native Canada in World Championships and Canada Cups as a player, will get his first Olympic experience in Milan as an assistant coach with the Canadians. The tournament will have added meaning for the Flyers’ bench boss, as both of his parents emigrated from Italy.

    Travis Sanheim: Sanheim’s rise from a small Manitoba town of 500 people to the pinnacle of the sport has been nothing short of remarkable to watch. After winning a 4 Nations Face-Off title last year with Canada, the Flyers defenseman will look to add an Olympic gold medal to his trophy case.

    Dan Vladař: The goaltender, who is in his first year with the Flyers and has been the team’s MVP through the Olympic break, will represent Czechia in Milan. Vladař has the best NHL numbers of the three Czech goalies and could push starter Lukáš Dostál for the net.

    Rasmus Ristolainen: A year after missing out on the 4 Nations Face-Off due to injury, Ristolainen will return to the Finnish setup for the first time in nine years. Pesky Finland always seems to be in contention for a medal, and Ristolainen will provide size and snarl to their blue line.

    *Rodrigo Ābols: The Flyers centerman was announced as one of Latvia’s initial six players, but will be unable to participate after suffering a nasty-looking ankle injury on Jan. 17.

    You can check out the full men’s hockey TV schedule here.

    Penn State’s Tessa Janecke is making her Olympic debut at the Milan Cortina Games.

    Athletes from Penn State

    In addition to Philly natives and pro athletes, there are also some Olympians from Penn State.

    Tessa Janecke, ice hockey: Janecke, 21, holds the title for most career goals, assists, and points in Penn State women’s hockey history. She was named to the U.S. women’s hockey team three years ago and scored the golden goal in the 2025 IIHF World Championships when the U.S. defeated Canada, 4-3. Janecke was raised in Warren, Ill., and started playing hockey at age 3.

    The U.S. women’s hockey team began its schedule with a 5-1 win over Czechia on Thursday, and Janecke recorded a pair of assists. The team’s three remaining preliminary games run through Feb. 10. The knockout rounds begin with the quarterfinals on Feb. 13, and the tournament wraps up with the gold and bronze medal games on Feb. 19. Women’s ice hockey will be live primarily on Peacock, which will stream every game. TV coverage is also available for select games on NBC, USA, and CNBC.

    Dan Barefoot, skeleton: Another Nittany Lion, the 35-year-old Johnstown, Pa., native didn’t take up skeleton until his mid-20s. Barefoot was inspired to start training after looking up online which Olympic sports a novice could learn later in life with little to no experience. When the skeleton was the search result, he got to work. Since then, Barefoot, who graduated from Penn State with a degree in landscape architecture, has competed in three world championships for the U.S. and finished 11th at the 2025 IBSF World Championships in Lake Placid, N.Y. The 2026 Games will be his Olympic debut.

    Skeleton events can be watched live on Peacock, NBC, and USA Network from Feb. 12-15.

    Chloe Kim won gold in the women’s halfpipe at each of the last two Winter Olympics.

    More local connections

    There are more athletes just a bit farther outside the Philadelphia area, as well as one with a familial connection to the city. You can check out the times and TV information for their events here.

    Summer Britcher, luge: Britcher was raised in Glen Rock, Pa., in York County and is no stranger to the Olympic stage. She is a veteran of four Olympic Games, and was the youngest member of the U.S. luge team at the 2014 Sochi Games when she was just 19. Britcher has five career World Cup victories, making her the all-time singles leader in U.S. luge history.

    Kelly Kurtis, skeleton: Kurtis first made history at the 2022 Beijing Games when she became the first Black athlete to compete for Team USA in skeleton. She was raised in Princeton, N.J., and grew up hating the cold. She first took up bobsled in 2013 before transitioning to skeleton a year later after watching the event during the 2014 Olympic Games. In the 2022 Olympic Games, Curtis finished 21st overall.

    Brianna Schnorrbusch, snowboarding: Schnorrbusch grew up in Monroe Township, N.J., and was just 17 when she was named to the U.S. snowboardcross Pro Team. Her specialty is women’s snowboardcross, while her sister, Ty Schnorrbusch, competes in slopestyle snowboarding. Now, at just 20 years old, Schnorrbusch will make her Olympic debut.

    Chloe Kim, snowboarding: A household name for Team USA, Kim made her Olympic debut in the 2018 Pyeongchang games where she won gold in the women’s halfpipe at 17 years old, making her the youngest woman to win an Olympic snowboarding gold medal. She defended her title in the 2022 Beijing Games. Kim, who attended Princeton, is also the first athlete to win titles at all four major snowboarding events — the Olympics, Youth Winter Olympics, X Games, and FIS World Championships. At age 25, the Torrance, Calif., native is already tied with Shaun White for the most halfpipe wins in X Games history (8).

    Sarah Nurse, ice hockey: Nurse isn’t from the area — and doesn’t even play for Team USA — but she’s one of the stars of women’s hockey and is an Olympic veteran. So why should Philadelphians care? She’s also Donovan McNabb’s niece. But the family’s athletic bloodlines extend beyond the former Eagles quarterback. Nurse’s cousins, Darnell and Kia Nurse, play in the NHL and WNBA, respectively. And their father, Nurse’s other uncle, played in the CFL. Nurse has helped Canada, the favorite again this year, to a pair of Olympic medals — gold in 2022 and silver in 2018 — and three World Championships titles.

  • Many Sixers fans came to love Jared McCain and his social media flair. And now their hearts are broken.

    Many Sixers fans came to love Jared McCain and his social media flair. And now their hearts are broken.

    After less than two seasons with the Sixers, Jared McCain is saying goodbye to the City of Brotherly Love.

    In what is one of the biggest surprises of the 2026 trade deadline so far,the Sixers traded McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for the Houston Rockets’ 2026 first-round pick and three second-round picks.

    McCain got off to a quick start in his rookie campaign in Philly, averaging 15.3 points, 2.6 assists, and 2.4 boards on 46% shooting from the floor in 23 games before a meniscus tear sidelined him for the remainder of the season.

    While he had a standout rookie season, McCain struggled in his second year since returning from his injury, averaging 6.6 points in 16.8 minutes. But he did have a breakout game against the Milwaukee Bucks last week, scoring 17 points on 5 of 6 shooting from deep, and had scored in double digits in three of his last six games before the trade.

    But Sixers fans weren’t just falling in love with McCain’s presence on the court. The 21-year-old guard also made a name for himself on social media, boasting 4.9 million followers on TikTok and 1.9 million followers on Instagram.

    So it’s no surprise that Philly fans took to social media to express their condolences about the trade. That’s right, condolences. Sixers fans are mourning the trade and reluctantly saying goodbye to McCain in the process.

    Other fans were less emotional, but the common theme remained disappointment, even though star rookie VJ Edgecombe and All-Star starter Tyrese Maxey are blocking him from playing more minutes.

    While Sixers fans continue to cope with the loss in their own way, there are plenty in the media, who get paid to think with their heads and not their hearts, who weighed in on the deal …

  • Jason Kelce and Michael Strahan share their Super Bowl predictions, recap Championship Sunday, and more from ‘New Heights’

    Jason Kelce and Michael Strahan share their Super Bowl predictions, recap Championship Sunday, and more from ‘New Heights’

    On the latest episode of New Heights, Jason and Travis Kelce break down Championship Sunday and make their Super Bowl predictions.

    The brothers welcomed Hall of Famer Michael Strahan, who spoke about his transition to television host after his NFL career and shared some personal anecdotes of his time with the Giants.

    Here’s what you missed from this week’s New Heights

    Championship Sunday recap

    Strahan was quick to point out that Denver should have beat New England — and even Houston should have came up with a win over the Patriots in the divisional round two weeks ago, he said.

    “[Denver] should have kicked that field goal and gone up,” Strahan added. “Early on, take the points — but I don’t get these coaches now because fourth down now is automatic go for it more than it’s not.

    “I get analytics but you got to feel the team. You got to feel the situation. … I felt bad for Sean Payton — I talked to him before the game, very confident in what they were doing.”

    Michael Strahan said Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton was “very confident in what they were doing,” ahead of their matchup against New England in the AFC Championship.

    In the NFC Championship, Jason, Travis, and Strahan acknowledged the tough battle between the Rams and Seahawks, but were happy to see Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold get his opportunity on the big stage.

    “I’m happy for Sam Darnold,” Strahan said. “I played in New York, it’s hard. He comes in here as the third overall pick, doesn’t go well, gets beat down; mentally, physically, and then five teams in eight years, and everyone thinks he’s washed.

    “Why Seattle pay him all this money? Now you see why.”

    Super Bowl predictions

    When it comes to Super Bowl LX, there seemed to be a mutual consensus on a favorable winner.

    While Travis Kelce can’t share his opinion since he’s still in the league, he said he’s looking forward to watching the matchup between Seattle receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez.

    As for Jason Kelce and Strahan, they were in agreement: Seattle.

    “I think Seattle has the edge,” Strahan said. “I don’t think it’s going to be a cakewalk — football’s not like the other sports, if you don’t show up with your best one day, it’s a wrap.”

    Jason Kelce, however, did praise the Patriots’ defense, noting their not getting enough credit.

    Strahan reflects on playing career

    Strahan, who spent 15 seasons with the Giants, said his real challenge in the NFL came five years into his career, when Jon Runyan was traded from Tennessee to the Eagles.

    “The whole thing was ‘We brought him to Philly to stop Strahan,’ which pissed me off,” Strahan said.

    “I studied Jon Runyan probably more than I studied anybody. I could tell what he was going to do before he could do it.”

    Michael Strahan gets blocked by former Eagle Jon Runyan on Jan. 1, 2001.

    As the two went head-to-head throughout their careers, the tougher the matchup became: Runyan got savvier and Strahan studied more. But the two ended their careers as friends. Strahan even recalled how Runyan attended Strahan’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

    “Jon made me a better player, because playing against him made everyone else seem easy,” he said.

    Life outside of the NFL

    Strahan retired from the NFL in 2008 and quickly got involved with television and broadcasting. He’s appeared as a football analyst on Fox NFL Sunday, and served as a co-host of ABC‘s Good Morning America.

    He shared some retirement advice on the podcast, including how to think about life after being a professional athlete, how he prepared himself for a new career, and when he knew it was time to walk away.

    “I realized, for me, after 15 years, I had done everything,” Strahan said. “There was no way I was going to cry at the final press conference. I knew I had put everything I had into it.”

  • What is Unrivaled, which kicks off its tour in Philly Friday night, and how is it different from the WNBA?

    What is Unrivaled, which kicks off its tour in Philly Friday night, and how is it different from the WNBA?

    The WNBA kicks off its 30th season in May, but that doesn’t mean fans have to wait until the spring to see stars take the court.

    Unrivaled, the three-on-three professional women’s basketball league, tipped off its season on Jan. 5. In its second season, the league is hitting the road for Philly is Unrivaled, in which four of the eight teams will head to Xfinity Mobile Arena for a doubleheader.

    Here’s everything you need to know:

    What is Unrivaled?

    Unrivaled is a three-on-three professional women’s basketball league that provides WNBA players with an opportunity to play domestically during the offseason.

    Its inaugural season tipped off on January 17, 2025, with six teams. The league now has eight teams and a total of 54 players.

    The teams are: Laces, Mist, Rose, Lunar Owls, Phantom, Vinyl, and the two new additions — Hive and Breeze.

    Gameplay features three seven-minute quarters with a game clock, an 18-second shot clock, and six fouls per player.

    The fourth quarter of play uses a “winning score” rule. This means at the end of the third quarter, officials determine a winning score by adding 11 points to the leading team’s score. The first team to get to that winning number wins the game.

    In addition to the two new teams, another change this season is a development pool of six players. None of these athletes are assigned to a specific team at the start of the season but remain on-site and serve as injury-relief players.

    Lunar Owls forward Napheesa Collier (right) and Skylar Diggins are among injured Unrivaled players this season.

    How did Unrivaled start?

    WNBA players Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier founded Unrivaled in 2023 to give players a new option for offseason play.

    Within just one year, the league raised $35 million in capital and attracted sponsors like Miller Lite and Under Armour, while being backed by other professional athletes including U.S. women’s soccer star Alex Morgan.

    Unrivaled began with six teams and 36 total players, with each of the 36 earning more than $220,000 in salary. The league also offers players equity and revenue sharing, which has created an incentive for WNBA players to not head overseas during the offseason.

    In its second season, the league will feature more than a dozen first-time players, including Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum, Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell, and Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers.

    What is Philly is Unrivaled?

    While Unrivaled games typically are played at Sephora Arena in Medley, Fla., the 2026 season has one scheduled stop in Philadelphia.

    Philly is Unrivaled, a doubleheader announced in October at LOVE Park, is set for Friday at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    Game 1 is Breeze against Phantoms (7:30 p.m.), while the second game features last year’s champion, Rose, against the Lunar Owls (8:45 p.m.).

    Breeze guard Paige Bueckers (5) is defended by Phantom guard Tiffany Hayes in their Unrivaled season opener.

    How can I watch Unrivaled?

    For the 2026 season, Unrivaled games can be viewed on traditional TV via TNT and truTV or streamed on HBO Max. Both games of Philly is Unrivaled will air on those channels.

    Stateside Live! has partnered with the league and Miller Lite to offer watch parties for Friday’s doubleheader. The official pregame begins at 4:30 p.m.

    Who should I be on the lookout for?

    Natasha Cloud, a guard for Phantom, is a Broomall native and graduate of Cardinal O’Hara and St. Joseph’s. Cloud, a three-time WNBA All-Defensive team honoree, was traded to New York Liberty ahead of the 2025 WNBA season after stints with the Phoenix Mercury and Washington Mystics.

    This also is a pro hoops homecoming for North Philly native Kahleah Copper, who plays for Rose and the Mercury. She starred at Prep Charter before moving on to Rutgers. Copper, a four-time WNBA All-Star, also won a gold medal with the United States women’s basketball team at the Paris Olympics in 2024.

    While she won’t be competing in Philly is Unrivaled, former Villanova star Maddy Siegrist is playing for Laces in her debut Unrivaled season. Siegrist set Villanova’s all-time scoring record before getting drafted third overall by the Wings.

    Can I still get Unrivaled tickets?

    While Philly is Unrivaled is officially sold out, tickets are still available on the secondary market via websites such as Ticketmaster and StubHub. Prices started at $35 for standing room only, as of Wednesday afternoon.

    Unrivaled tickets for the league’s Florida games can be purchased on their website or resale ticket websites, including Ticketmaster, Vivid Seats, and GoTickets.