Orlando

Orlando City SC Acquires U.S. MNT Midfielder Sacha Kljestan

Published

8 years ago

January 3, 2018

ORLANDO, Fla. (January 3, 2018) – Orlando City SC acquires midfielder Sacha Kljestan and $150,000 in Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) from the New York Red Bulls in exchange for forward Carlos Rivas and defender Tommy Redding. Orlando City will retain a percentage of any future transfer of Rivas and Redding.

“We are thrilled to bring Sacha to Orlando,” Lions general manager Niki Budalic said. “His ability to see the field and make the final pass will be huge assets for us. But more than that – he’s a winner. He’s won everywhere he’s gone, and we look forward to that continuing here.”

Kljestan joins the Lions following three standout seasons in New York. Kljestan played 97 regular season games for the Red Bulls since 2015 and his 51 assists since then are the most in the league. Kljestan scored 16 MLS goals for New York, led the league in assists in 2017 (17) and 2016 (20), and led the Red Bulls to the 2015 Supporters’ Shield. He also scored two goals in the CONCACAF Champions League in 2016.

Kljestan spent his first five seasons in MLS with Chivas USA from 2006-10, when he scored 15 goals and added 33 assists in 114 appearances before transferring to Belgian first division side RSC Anderlecht. In five years at Anderlecht, he scored 25 goals in 180 appearances across all competitions, helping the team win three consecutive league titles and four Belgian Super Cups.

The California native represented the United States at the U-20 and U-23 levels before making his senior international debut on June 2, 2007, when he earned an assist to help the U.S. to a 4-1 win over China. Kljestan has six goals in 51 senior appearances for the U.S. and also represented the U.S. at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Kljestan was an MLS All-Star in 2016 and was selected to the 2008 All-Star team, but chose to play in the Olympics instead. Kljestan was selected to the MLS Best XI in 2008 and 2016. In his eight years in MLS, Kljestan has played in seven MLS Cup Playoffs, scoring two goals and four assists in 17 appearances.

Rivas was one of the Club’s first three Designated Player signings ahead of its inaugural MLS season in 2015. The Colombian recorded eight goals and 13 assists in 42 starts among 78 MLS appearances. Redding was the team’s first MLS signing in March 2014 at age 17. The Oviedo, Fla., native made 31 starts among 38 MLS appearances for Orlando City.

“I want to thank Carlos and Tommy for all they’ve done for our Club,” Budalic added. “I would also like to recognize Tommy for the five years he spent with our organization from USL to MLS, and Carlos as well for being with us since the inaugural season in 2015.”

TRANSACTION: Orlando City SC acquires Sacha Kljestan and $150,000 TAM in exchange for Carlos Rivas and Tommy Redding. Orlando City will retain a percentage of any future transfer of Rivas and Redding.

Name: Sacha Bryan Kljestan (Sasha Kles-chen)
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 170 lbs.
Birth Date: Sept. 9, 1985
Birthplace: Anaheim, Calif.
Citizenship: USA

Golf

Russell Henley Wins Red Cardigan at 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational

Published

1 year ago

March 9, 2025

Mike Brodsky

Russell Henley wins the 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN Sports) – Russell Henley wins his first red cardigan at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, today, along with $4 million of the $20 million prize pool. The red cardigan was first awarded in 2017, in memory of Arnold Palmer who passed the year before. This is Henley’s fifth win on the PGA Tour.

Russell Henley is greeted by his family on the 18th green after winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

Henley finished at 11 under par for the four day tournament, carding a 70 today. Collin Morikawa finished in second place at 10 under par. API defending champion, Scottie Scheffler, finished today at 4 under par, tied for 11th place.

Scottie Scheffler tees off at the Arnold Palmer Invitational (Photo Credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

This coming week, the top golfers head to TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, for The Players Championship. The winner will walk away with $4.5 million of the $25 million up for grabs. This is the PGA Tour’s largest regular season purse. Stay tuned to www.FloridaNationalNews.com for more.

NFL

UCF Hall of Fame Inductee Shaquem Griffin Launches Search For Greatness Combine With Joey Grant and GMTM

Published

1 year ago

October 30, 2024

Mike Brodsky

UCF Hall of Fame Inductee Shaquem Griffin Launches Search For Greatness Combine With Joey Grant and GMTM

Former UCF football players Shaquem Griffin and Joey Grant have partnered with GMTM to launch their Search for Greatness Combine at UCF on Saturday, November 9th. They’re giving local athletes a chance to showcase their talents and explore new sports opportunities. Griffin will be inducted into the UCF Hall of Fame on Saturday, November 2nd, during halftime of the Arizona vs. UCF football game. He is remembered for his tenacity, setting an NFL Combine record with the fastest 40-yard dash by a linebacker, and playing four seasons in the NFL, overcoming the challenge of only having one hand. He is now training to make the USA Paralympic Track and Field Team and hopes to compete in the 2028 Olympics. Joey Grant, the co-founder and CEO of GMTM, is a former UCF team captain, playing mostly Center for the Knights from 2011-2015.

Participation at the upcoming combine is free and invite-only, targeting athletes over the age of 18. To be considered, athletes must submit a highlight video via GMTM’s platform, showcasing their athleticism. GMTM will evaluate submissions and invite the most promising athletes to participate in the combine. The goal for this year’s event is to get 1,000 athletes to submit videos and be part of the combine process. Athletes chosen will receive personalized invites with further instructions, including event time slots and details. The athletes will be evaluated for their key athletic traits, to identify opportunities for them across multiple Olympic sports or professional sports programs. To learn more, or to apply for the combine, visit: https://gmtm.com/articles/the-search-for-greatness-at-ucf-with-shaquem-griffin-what-you-need-to-know.

Florida National News spoke with Shaquem and Joey about the combine, college football in the era of NIL and the transfer portal, and Griffin’s hall of fame induction. You can watch the full interview here:

Shaquem Griffin and Joey Grant interview

Stay tuned to www.FloridaNationalNews.com and www.FloridaSportsChannel.com for more.

Florida

Scottie Scheffler Wins Second Red Cardigan at 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational

Published

2 years ago

March 10, 2024

Mike Brodsky

Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN Sports) – Scottie Scheffler wins his second red cardigan at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, today, along with $4 million of the $20 million prize pool. The red cardigan was first awarded in 2017, in memory of Arnold Palmer who passed the year before. Scheffler first won the API in 2022.

Scottie Scheffler wins the Arnold Palmer Invitational. (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

The number one ranked golfer in the world, Scheffler finished at 15 under par for the four day tournament, carding a 66 today. Wyndham Clark finished in second place at 10 under par. API defending champion, Kurt Kitayama, did not make the cut, this weekend, finishing 7 over par after the first two rounds on Thursday and Friday.

This coming week, the top golfers head to TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, for the 50th anniversary of The Players Championship. The winner will walk away with $4.5 million of the $25 million up for grabs. This is the PGA Tour’s largest regular season purse. Stay tuned to www.FloridaNationalNews.com for more.