Central Florida News
Jamie Merrill Named President & CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida
ORLANDO, Fla. – The Board of Directors of Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida (BGCCF) has announced the appointment of its new President & CEO, Jamie Merrill.
Merrill is an expert in operations management. A resident of Lake County, Merrill has spent the last 16 years in positions of increasing responsibility in the senior living and health care industries, culminating in the position of Chief Operating Officer of Sonata Senior Living in Orlando. Previously, she served as Senior Vice President of Operations for Brookdale Senior Living, directing the operations for 72 senior living communities across Florida. Merrill serves on several local and national boards, including Florida Senior Living Association, The University of Central Florida Senior Living and Hospitality and Argentum Women in Leadership, and was awarded the 2022 McKnight’s Woman of Distinction. A graduate of Wayne State University, Merrill and her husband Blake are parents of two children.
“Jamie is a visionary leader with a heart for service and developing others,” said Lisa Mihelich, Chair of BGCCF. “She has the clear-eyed vision and experience-forged wisdom necessary to help build on the tremendous strengths of our organization, and our staff’s outstanding track record enriching the lives and prospects of underserved children.”
Brock Nicholas, a BGCCF board member and past chair who led the search committee, said, “Jamie’s management and communication skills will attract and retain top talent in a competitive environment. Her operational expertise will ensure delivery of enriching programming and growth to the children in our community. The search committee is enormously confident in the strength of leadership, and future of our organization, with Jamie’s appointment as CEO.”
As CEO, Merrill will lead Florida’s largest Boys & Girls Club organization. Currently, BGCCF operates 40 Club sites in 6 counties—Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Lake, Brevard and Nassau. Last year, the organization served more than 11,000 children, offering them academic support, extracurricular enrichment and positive adult role models during the non-school hours. The Clubs are located in neighborhoods that rank, on average, at the 80th percentile for household poverty, nationally.
“My personal and professional life has always encompassed serving others, from youth to seniors,” says Merrill. “I am excited to join BGCCF and eager to serve beside such a dedicated team, who is focused on the critical mission of developing our future generations while reaching forward for new opportunities to broaden our impact.”
As CEO, Merrill will follow BGCCF’s longtime leader, Gary Cain, who served in the role for 29 years. Cain will remain with the organization in an emeritus role, focusing on special projects.
New team will debut at the Yuengling Center in summer 2027 as fans help shape the franchise’s identity
TAMPA, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — UPSHOT League officially announced the arrival of professional women’s basketball in Tampa Bay, with the new franchise scheduled to begin play at the Yuengling Center in summer 2027.
UPSHOT Tampa branding unveiled as the league prepares for its inaugural 2027 season in Tampa Bay. Image courtesy of UPSHOT Tampa.
Owner Morgan Busby introduced the vision behind bringing elite women’s basketball to the region, while Garland Cooper was announced as team president. UPSHOT Deputy Commissioner Taj McWilliams-Franklin also joined the launch alongside local leaders as the organization emphasized community involvement, fan experience and competitive excellence as core parts of the franchise.
FAN INVOLVEMENT: The Tampa franchise does not yet have an official team name. Fans are being invited to submit ideas and take part in helping shape the team’s identity ahead of its inaugural season. Season-ticket deposits and founding membership opportunities are also available.
UPSHOT Tampa President Garland Cooper speaks with media following the announcement of Tampa Bay’s new professional women’s basketball franchise. Photo courtesy of UPSHOT Tampa.
Community outreach began immediately with a “Shoe a Day” initiative supporting young athletes in the Tampa Bay area. During media availability, Cooper also spoke about the importance of giving young girls an opportunity to see what is possible through professional women’s sports.
Hillsborough County Administrator Bonnie Wise and Advisory Board Chair Kathleen Shanahan were among the community leaders in attendance, highlighting the potential economic and social impact of adding another professional sports organization to the region.
INAUGURAL SEASON: UPSHOT Tampa is scheduled to tip off at the Yuengling Center in summer 2027, adding professional women’s basketball to an established Tampa Bay sports market that already includes the Buccaneers, Lightning and Rays.
The team name, branding and additional franchise details are expected to be announced as the organization continues building toward its first season.
– Nisey Spruill is a reporter and photojournalist for Florida National News (FNN), covering major news, sports and special events across Florida and nationwide. Contact sports@FloridaNationalNews.com
Bulls move to 4-1 as Hartline turns attention toward corrections and the week ahead
TAMPA, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — South Florida’s unbeaten start ended Saturday night at Raymond James Stadium as Temple defeated the Bulls 17-13. USF struck first behind a Nico Gramatica field goal but went into halftime trailing 10-3 before finding momentum after the break.
USF responded in the third quarter as D.J. Crowther’s one-yard touchdown tied the game at 10.
USF and Temple battle at the line of scrimmage. Photo Credit: Nisey Spruill / Florida National News
The Bulls’ defense added a key stop when No. 1 C.J. Hicks recovered a Temple fumble in the end zone. Gramatica later connected from 49 yards to give USF a 13-10 fourth-quarter lead. Temple answered with the defining possession of the night, driving 96 yards before quarterback No. 13 Ajani Sheppard scored on a 34-yard run to put the Owls ahead for good.
Temple’s 96-yard fourth-quarter drive became the turning point in the 17-13 finish.
Joshua Porter sprints for catch with Adrian Laing closing in for Temple. Photo Credit: Nisey Spruill / Florida National News
USF was unable to answer late, dropping to 4-1. Following the game, head coach Brian Hartline focused on returning to the film, correcting the mistakes that surfaced and making sure the Bulls use the loss to improve heading into the next week.
FINAL: Temple 17, USF 13
Up Next: USF travels to San Antonio to face UTSA on Thursday night.
– Nisey Spruill is a reporter and photojournalist for Florida National News (FNN), covering major news, sports and special events across Florida and nationwide. Contact sports@FloridaNationalNews.com
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