August 2026
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The University of Alabama in Birmingham (UAB) has hired Megan Curry as the seventh head softball coach in program history. Curry comes to UAB after two successful seasons as the head coach at Samford, where she guided the Bulldogs to 61 victories, including a Southern Conference Championship game appearance and a second-place finish in 2026 and a third-place finish in the Southern Conference in 2025. A Fairhope native with deep roots in the Birmingham softball community, Curry has played, coached and built her career in the Magic City. She and her husband, Parker, UAB's assistant baseball coach, have two daughters, Lauren and Peyton. “We are thrilled to welcome Megan Curry to the UAB family,” said UAB Director of Athletics Mark Ingram. “Megan has quickly established herself as one of the brightest young coaches in collegiate softball. She has a proven track record of developing student-athletes, building championship-caliber cultures and elevating programs, and we’re excited for her to bring that leadership to UAB. Her ties to Birmingham and our university make this a tremendous fit for our softball program, and we look forward to what the future holds under her leadership.” During the 2026 season, Curry led Samford to a 28-31 record while facing one of the nation’s toughest schedules, including nine nationally ranked opponents. The Bulldogs’ season was highlighted by a 3-2 victory over then-No. 2 Alabama, and Curry coached Southern Conference Preseason and Regular Season Player of the Year Olivia Shaw while leading Samford to the Southern Conference Championship game. In her first season with the Bulldogs in 2025, Curry guided Samford to a 33-23 overall record, winning five of seven conference series and finishing in third place. “I am incredibly grateful to Mark Ingram and the entire search committee for the opportunity to lead UAB Softball,” said Curry. “This is a special opportunity for my family and me. Through Parker’s time at UAB, I’ve had the chance to experience firsthand the people, culture and passion that make Blazer Athletics so special, and it’s an honor to now lead this program. I can’t wait to build relationships with our student-athletes, alumni and fans as we work together to compete for championships and represent UAB with pride.” Megan Curry Named UAB Softball Coach
Photo Courtesy of SEC
College Football Super 16 Ohio State Ranked Preseason No. 1 TOP DAWG - University of Georgia head coach Kirby Smart speaks to the media during the 2026 SEC Media Days. The Bulldogs are ranked No. 5 in the College Football FWAA Super 16.
The College football Super 16 Rankings from the Football Writers Association of American (FWAA) have been released. Ohio State, last 2026 season's Big Ten runner- up, opens the season at No. 1 after receiving 28 of 56 first-place votes. It marks the Buckeyes' 25th all-time appearance atop the preseason poll and their first since 2015. Only Alabama (62) and Georgia (37) have more No. 1 appearances. Oregon begins the season at No. 2 following an appearance in last
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season's College Football Playoff Semifinals. It marks the highest preseason ranking in program history. The Ducks' previous best was No. 4 in 2024. Notre Dame enters the season at its highest preseason ranking ever at No. 3, surpassing its previous best of No. 6 in 2025 and 2022. Texas is No. 4, joining Ohio State and Georgia as the only teams to open each of the last three seasons ranked in the top five. The UGA Bulldogs are ranked at No. 5 this year.
ranked teams, followed by the Big Ten with five, the Big 12 with two, the ACC with one and the FBS Independents with one. Rounding out the Super 16's final three spots are USC at No. 14, BYU at No. 15, and the Michigan Wolverines at No. 16. The next top ten teams receiving votes for the preseason Super 16 were: Penn State (49), Tennessee (33), SMU (32), Washington (12), Utah (9). Clemson (8), Vandy (7), Houston (7), Auburn (7) and Florida (5).
champion is ranked No. 6. It is the first appearance in the preseason poll in program history for the Hoosiers. Miami (FL) is the ACC's lone ranked team at No. 7. Three SEC teams Indiana round out the Top 10 spots. Ole Miss is ranked No. 8, Texas A&M is No. 9, and Oklahoma is ranked No. 10. Texas Tech, at No. 11, is the Big 12's highest- ranked team. LSU is ranked No. 12 and Alabama is No. 13. The SEC leads all conferences with seven
Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
BEAR TRAP - Plainview defenders Jathon Reynolds (25), Tyde Debter (52) and Janzen Currie (1) force a fumble during the Bear's Jamboree game at Fort Payne on August 13, 2026. Although there was no official game score, the visiting Bears defense shut out the Wildcats during the opening varsity half. Plainview's offense scored three times in the half to go up 20-0 at the break. Both team's will officially kick off the 2026 season on August 21. Plainview will travel to Good Hope, while Fort Payne will travel to Scottsboro for the battle of the Wildcats.
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