Sports

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SPORTS 5/11/26 11:46am

Betting boom hits North Carolina campuses, reshapes sports culture

By Benjamin Berfield

North Carolina has collected over $250 million from sports betting since it was legalized in the state, according to the North Carolina Department of Revenue. Sports betting allows people to wager money on different outcomes for sporting events, whether it’s the final score or an individual player’s performance. 

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SPORTS 5/7/26 12:01am

Elon eliminated from Coastal Athletic Association softball championship

By Kathan Gandhi

In Elon’s first game of the Coastal Athletic Association softball championship tournament, it was a battle to the finish against No. 3-seeded Campbell University. Elon returns to the tournament this year as the defending champions, after winning the CAA for the first time in program history last year. This time, the tournament is hosted at Hunt Park in Elon. 

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SPORTS 5/5/26 10:49am

Elon men’s, women’s tennis sweep championship weekend

By Kathan Gandhi

The Elon Phoenix took over championship weekend. Both Elon men’s and women’s tennis captured titles at the Colonial Athletic Association Championships on April 19, marking a program sweep defined by breakthrough moments and a shared emphasis on team energy.

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SPORTS 4/27/26 2:22pm

Elon University redshirt sophomore transfers to Virginia Tech

By Anjolina Fantaroni

Redshirt sophomore Ned Hull has announced his decision to transfer to Virginia Tech University on Instagram April 27. Hull announced his decision to enter the transfer portal March 23 through social media.

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SPORTS 4/26/26 5:32pm

Elon baseball gets swept by UNC Wilmington

By Benjamin Berfield

The Elon University baseball team was defeated by the University of North Carolina Wilmington, 8-1 for their 26th loss of the season. The Phoenix struggled to keep up with the Seahawks’ hitting as they fell behind early and couldn’t muster any momentum.

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SPORTS 4/25/26 8:08pm

Beyond the Athlete conference highlights mental health in sports

By Savannah Hameed

Students and community members gathered in McKinnon Hall for the first-ever Beyond the Athlete Conference. Leaders in sport spoke about the challenges that Black or African American and allied community members, identifying as women, face during and after their athletic career.

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SPORTS 4/25/26 12:25pm

Rising defensive mind joins Elon football coaching staff

By Riley Hale

Elon has hired experienced defensive coach Jalen Hairston to lead its secondary. Hairston comes to Elon after many years of success in Division II football. He joins the Phoenix coaching staff after spending the past two seasons as the defensive backs coach for the University of Maine. While there, he also served as the safeties coach and defensive passing game coordinator for the Black Bears. Before he was a coach, Hairston played three seasons with the University of Charleston from 2015-2018.

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SPORTS 4/23/26 12:22pm

Elon University dance team wins 2 national titles

By Abigail Hines

The Elon dance team huddled on stage with linked arms, waiting to hear their placement in Division I pom at the 2026 National Dance Association’s College National Championships. When the announcer proclaimed Elon champions, the dancers burst into cheers, realizing they’d secured Elon’s first pom category win in program history. The next day, they became two-time national champions with a first place finish in Division I hip hop. 

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SPORTS 4/21/26 1:49pm

Elon’s long-time women’s golf head coach retires

By Kathan Gandhi

The Elon University women’s golf head coach Chris Dockrill announced his retirement on April 20 after 27 years with the program.Women’s golf finished in 4th place this year in the Coastal Athletic Association tournament. 

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SPORTS 4/18/26 11:57am

Elon women’s tennis builds championship culture on energy, trust

By Kathan Gandhi

As junior Mariana Reding was preparing for her serve, she first checked in with fellow junior and longtime doubles partner Simone Bergeron. Reding nodded, affirming Bergeron’s suggestion. The small gesture was enough. Bergeron called for a kick serve out wide. The plan worked. Reding served outside, moving her opponent off the court. Bergeron pounced on the shallow angle the team got in response, forcing their opponents to hit a weak return. Reding had an easy volley to finish off the point. She missed it. But walking back — it’d be hard to tell. Instead of screaming or crying, Reding laughed. 

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SPORTS 4/15/26 3:42pm

The Throwers: Competition fuels Elon’s dynamic duo

By Kathan Gandhi

A subtle shift between the feet. Grounded, controlled, step by step, the circle shrinks beneath them. Then the turn. One rotation becomes two, then three — the weight trailing behind before rising, faster each time. Steel and momentum build in sync until everything snaps forward at once.

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SPORTS 4/15/26 11:31am

Savannah Bananas change baseball through fan-focused play

By Sam Weiss

The Savannah Bananas aren't playing traditional baseball -- and it's working. This potassium-powered bunch of performers brings a new twist to America’s pastime in a sport they call Banana Ball.

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SPORTS 4/13/26 1:44pm

Baseball coach mentors students on sportsmanship, service

By Sarah T. Moore

Elon baseball head coach Mike Kennedy has spent most of his adult life at Elon. As a student, he was catcher for the baseball team. Kennedy signed with Oakland Athletics in 1990 then returned to Elon in 1993 as a pitching coach. He’s worked with the team ever since and was named head coach in 1996. 

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SPORTS 4/11/26 6:48pm

Elon University baseball loses in mercy rule against William & Mary

By Sam Weiss

The weather was warm, but the Elon University baseball team’s bats were cold as the Phoenix lost 13-1 on April 11 at Latham Park against the College of William & Mary.

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SPORTS 4/9/26 2:54pm

Elon’s No. 2 singles player embraces new mindset for sophomore season

By Benjamin Berfield

When sophomore men’s tennis player Rafael Ymer arrived at Elon last year, toward the end of January, he admitted that it took a little time to adjust to a new setting. He was coming from Stockholm, Sweden, by himself and would be playing tennis away from home for the first time. 

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SPORTS 4/7/26 7:41pm

Long-tenured Elon guard enters transfer portal

By Kathan Gandhi

Redshirt senior guard Kamryn Doty is entering the NCAA transfer portal. She announced her decision April 7 via Instagram. The Arizona native has one year of eligibility remaining. 

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SPORTS 4/6/26 1:53pm

Elon University forward declares for NBA draft

By Benjamin Berfield

Elon graduate forward Chandler Cuthrell has declared for the NBA Draft following the 2024-25 season. Cuthrell announced his decision on his Twitter account April 6.

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SPORTS 4/4/26 8:44pm

Women’s lacrosse overcomes early deficit, earns impressive Senior Day win

By Benjamin Berfield

The Elon women’s lacrosse team capped off their Senior Day with an impressive 9-4 win over William & Mary. In a game that was delayed by four hours from its initial start time at noon due to a chemical spill, the Phoenix furiously rallied from an early 3-0 deficit to outscore the Tribe 9-1 the rest of the way. The victory moves Elon back up to .500 at 6-6.

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SPORTS 3/29/26 6:11pm

2 key Elon basketball players enter transfer portal in latest roster shakeup

By Kathan Gandhi

Two key contributors for Elon men’s basketball — juniors Ned Hull and Isaac Harrell — have entered the NCAA transfer portal. It signals potential roster changes ahead of the 2026 season.

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SPORTS 3/25/26 5:31pm

Basketball player’s unlikely rise follows historic scoring leap

By Kathan Gandhi

Getting to the free-throw line is a major part of graduate forward Chandler Cuthrell’s game. He has attempted the 10th most free throws per game of any player in Division I men’s basketball this season, per ESPN. He was shooting 69% from the free-throw line through his first 27 games. In his final four appearances, he only missed two. As Cuthrell sank 11 of his 12 free throws at the Schar Center on March 2, he ended his only regular season with Elon men’s basketball on an emphatic, somber note. 

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