San Diego, CA

NWSL Vibe Check: Why Maria Sanchez moved from Houston to San Diego; Marta retires from Brazil national team

Published

2 years ago

April 26, 2024

NWSL Vibe Check: Why Maria Sanchez moved from Houston to San Diego; Marta retires from Brazil national team

The NWSL is officially five weeks into its 2024 regular season and the primary transfer window is officially closed so it’s time for another Vibe check! This is the place where you will get an insider’s view and my unfiltered takes on all things women’s soccer. There was plenty of action during the transfer window and every team is back in action for week 6, so let’s get to it! Obviously the question on everybody’s mind is what exactly happened with Maria Sanchez?

San Diego gets their player

Wave FC head coach Casey Stoney confirmed during a pre-match conference that San Diego has been in the running for Sanchez’s services for a couple of years now. The player was on their radar in their build-up as an expansion side, and again during the offseason free agency period. The club pitched themselves to the attacker in December, but she ultimately signed with Houston.

Now, just four months later, San Diego have finally acquired the player.

“It’s been a tough month for me mentally, I’m excited to be here and excited to focus on soccer,” Sanchez said in her introductory press conference. “I do wish there were different rules but at the end of the day, it’s what we have … I’m lucky that everything worked out in a way that I liked … hopefully, [the rules] can change.”

Stoney further explained that the move for Sanchez happened quickly, and the second attempt was mostly handled by club executives and the player’s management team. The head coach also said she found out just hours ahead of their Orlando Pride game on the road that the winger would be a Wave FC player.

There’s a bit of all is well that ends well here, with Sanchez also mentioning in her press conference that she “thinks” she is in good standing with former Dash coaches and players.

Houston Dash Saga

As for the Houston Dash, while plenty of teams were active during the recent transfer window, no club got more attention than the Texas side. Having the franchise player you signed to a record contract only months ago demand a trade will do that. The transfer window brought lots of attention around the club, good and poor, in terms of players moving in and out of the club.

Of course, the main focal point was Sanchez. After days of will-they-won’t-they, she was eventually dealt at the deadline to San Diego Wave FC for a record $300,000 in Intra-League Funds, $200,000 in allocation money and international slots for 2024 and 2025.

That paved the way for other moves. Houston also traded goalkeeper Emily Alvarado to Portland Thorns FC for $35,000 in allocation money, a deal that CBS Sports understands was made in part by the player’s desire for a different environment. Sources also say there were additional players interested in moving on from the club during the April window.

The Dash welcomed centerback Paige Nielsen in a trade with Angel City FC and acquired Brazilian defender Tarciane from Corinthians. It’s an immediate upgrade for the Dash who need defensive help after leading the league in goals allowed (14) and sitting in 12th place on a 14-team table.

Getting defensive reinforcements is a huge gain for the Dash, but ultimately, the transfer window added to a decade-long narrative around the club’s ability to cultivate a competitive environment that leads to success. The Texas side has been an NWSL franchise since 2014 but has never put a consecutive run of successful seasons together.

The club recently celebrated its 10th anniversary, a decade that includes an inaugural Challenge Cup title and one playoff appearance in 2022. It also featured eight different coaches across positions from full-time head coach, to acting head coach, and interim roles. Current coach Fran Alonso, who was hired this season, is the eighth person to lead the club.

Two of the former coaches, Vera Pauw and James Clarkson, have had allegations against them regarding workplace discrimination, harassment, and bullying. Pauw departed from the club in 2018, after one season, before the NWSL anti-harassment policy was put into place. Clarkson was suspended during an investigation into allegations during the 2022 season and his contract was not renewed as it expired at the end of that season.

With so much change there’s hardly been an opportunity for success, and after ten years of sub-par seasons despite star individual performances (Kealia Ohai Watt, Rachel Daly, Jane Campbell), the recent transfer window has possibly brought a turning point for the Dash. That may all depend on perspective because for others maybe it’s a breaking point.

Marta set to retire from Brazil women’s national team

It will truly be the end of an era for Brazil women’s football. After playing in her final World Cup in 2023, Marta announced on CNN Brazil that 2024 would be her final year playing on the national team.

“This is my last year, and I can already confirm it here. There is a moment when we have to understand that the time has come. I am very calm about this, because I see with great optimism the development that [Brazil national team] is having in relation to young athletes.”

Marta’s rise to provenance came before the social media era on the internet. She made her international debut in 2002 with the U20 team and was with the senior team in 2003. Fuzzy clips of her greatness can now be found all over pockets of the internet. Her impact on the game is felt across the globe, after playing on three continents, and we were reminded of if it as players continue to pay homage to her.

The 38-year-old player was on Brazil’s 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup roster that was eliminated during the group stage. The South Americans are already qualified for the upcoming Olympic Games in France and the tournament is set to begin on July 25. They were drawn into Group C with Spain, Japan, and Nigeria.

Brazil manager Arthur Elias has rotated the player pool a lot during his time with the national team. While Marta was not named to the Concacaf W Gold Cup roster, he did call her into camp for the SheBelieves Cup, alongside veteran teammate Cristiane. Still, cracking an Olympic roster is a challenge, with only 16 field players typically chosen along with two goalkeepers.

“If I go to the Olympics, I will enjoy every moment, because, regardless of whether I go to the Olympics or not, this is my last year with the national team. There is no longer Marta in the national team from 2025 onwards,” she said.

She is currently under contract with Orlando Pride through the 2024 season, and she has not made an official decision on retiring from club play at this time. Still, a final World Cup, and now a final year with Brazil, can only mean the legend is evaluating her future. That means that those fortunate enough to attend Orlando Pride games at home or on the road still have a chance to witness women’s soccer’s biggest icon.

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San Diego, CA

San Diego Bishop Is Out of a Job

Published

10 hours ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

Pope Leo XIV has accepted the resignation of the Chaldean Catholic bishop of San Diego, California, a decision announced Tuesday by the Vatican after the bishop was arrested on embezzlement charges. The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office said last week it had arrested Bishop Emmanuel Shaleta on Thursday at San Diego International Airport as he tried to leave the country, reports the AP. The office said it acted after someone from Shaleta’s church provided a statement and documentation “showing potential embezzlement from the church.” Shaleta was being held on $125,000 bail on eight counts of embezzlement, money laundering, and aggravated white collar crime, the statement said. Shaleta pleaded not guilty on Monday, reports NBC San Diego.

“He was on his way to Germany,” prosecutor Joel Madero said. “Given his access to funds, the fact that he had over $9,000 in the bag when he was stopped, and the fact that he has these international ties … I do believe that some bail to ensure he shows up is appropriate.” There was no immediate reply to an email sent to Shaleta’s parish, St. Peter Chaldean Church, seeking comment and contact information for his attorney. The Vatican said in its daily bulletin Tuesday that Leo had accepted Shaleta’s resignation under the code of canon law for eastern rite churches that allows for the pope to agree if a bishop asks to step down.

Leo actually accepted the resignation when Shaleta presented it in February, but an announcement was not made until Tuesday, according to the Vatican embassy in Washington. The Holy See appears to have waited to announce the decision to avoid interfering with the police investigation. Leo named Bishop Saad Hanna Sirop as a temporary administrator. Shaleta, 69, was ordained a priest of the Chaldean Catholic Church in Detroit in 1984. He was named to the San Diego branch of the eastern rite Catholic Church in the US in 2017.

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San Diego, CA

Padres roster review: Germán Márquez

Published

22 hours ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

Padres roster review: Germán Márquez – San Diego Union-Tribune

GERMÁN MÁRQUEZ

Position(s): Right-handed pitcher
Bats / Throws: Right / Right
2026 opening day age: 31
Height / Weight: 6-foot-1 / 230 pounds
How acquired: Signed as a free agent in February 2026
Contract status: Will make $1 million in 2026 with a $750,000 buyout on a mutual option for 2027; can add up to $3.25 million in performance bonuses.
fWAR in 2025: 0.3
Key 2025 stats: 3-16, 6.70 ERA, 83 strikeouts, 48 walks, 1.71 WHIP, .317 opponent average, 126⅓ innings (26 starts)

STAT TO NOTE

36.9 — The percentage of groundballs that Márquez yielded in 2025, a career low and significantly below his career average (48%). Márquez’s groundball rate was regularly above 50% before requiring Tommy John surgery in early 2023. He made one start in 2024 and struggled mightily while making 26 starts last year.

Down — Márquez had a 4.40 ERA through his first seven years in the majors, not bad considering he pitched roughly half his games at one of the best hitting environments in the majors. In fact, Márquez has a 5.17 ERA in his career at Coors Field and a 4.22 ERA in road environments. But Márquez underwent Tommy John surgery early in 2023, made one start in the majors in mid-July in 2024 (4 IP, 3 ER) and struggled throughout his first full year back in the Rockies rotation. The season was so difficult for Márquez that he was actually worse on the road (7.32 ERA) than he was in 11 starts at Coors Field (5.98 ERA). His strikeout rate (5.9 per nine innings) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (1.73) were the worst of his careers, as was his walk rate (3.4 per nine innings), while his hit rate (12.0 per nine innings) was the second worst of his career. On top of that, Márquez’s groundball rate was also the lowest of his career (see stat to note) and ranked in the bottom 22nd percentile of the league and his hard-hit rate (48.5%) and average exit velocity (91.7 mph) both ranked in the bottom 2 percentile of the league. One reason: a 94.8 mph four-seamer is down a few ticks than the height of his effectiveness. Márquez reached free agency after the season and signed with the Padres in February.

2026 OUTLOOK

Márquez has a big-league deal with the Padres, but he’ll have to rediscover his pre-elbow-reconstruction form to hold onto a roster spot, as RHP Griffin Canning (Achilles) is expected to push for a spot at some point this season and the likes of LHP JP Sears, RHP Matt Waldron and minor league signees like Marco Gonzales could warrant looks if Márquez’s struggles continue into 2026.

German Marquez #33 of the San Diego Padres participates in drills during spring training workouts at the Peoria Sports Complex on Monday, Feb. 16, 2026 in Peoria, Ariz.(Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

ROSTER RANKINGS

1. OF Fernando Tatis Jr.
2. 3B Manny Machado
3. OF Jackson Merrill
4. RHP Nick Pivetta
5. RHP Michael King
6. RHP Mason Miller
7. OF Ramón Laureano
8. SS Xander Bogaerts
9. LHP Adrián Morejón
10. RHP Jeremiah Estrada
11. RHP Jason Adam
12. 2B Jake Cronenworth
13. RHP Joe Musgrove
14. RHP Randy Vasquez
15. OF Gavin Sheets
16. LHP JP Sears
17. RHP Yu Darvish
18. RHP Bradgley Rodriguez
19. RHP David Morgan
20. C Freddy Fermin
21. LHP Wandy Peralta
22. C Luis Campusano
23. LHP Yuki Matsui
24. INF Sung-Mun Song
25. RHP German Marquez
26. RHP Matt Waldron
27. OF Bryce Johnson
28. OF/1B Nick Castellanos
29. RHP Ron Marinaccio
30. RHP Bryan Hoeing
31. LHP Kyle Hart
32. INF Will Wagner
33. RHP Garrett Hawkins
34. RHP Miguel Mendez
35. RHP Daison Acosta
36. RHP Ty Adcock
37. RHP Alek Jacob
38. INF Mason McCoy

Removed from 40-man roster

OF Tirso Ornelas (designated for assignment)
RHP Jhony Brito (60-day injured list)

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San Diego, CA

Blount named Head Basketball Coach at San Diego – HoopDirt

Published

1 day ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

Blount named Head Basketball Coach at San Diego – HoopDirt

In today’s Daily Dirt, I mentioned that the search at San Diego was done. Here’s the official announcement from USD on the hiring of JR Blount as their next head men’s basketball coach:

University of San Diego Athletics has named JR Blount the 15th head coach in San Diego men’s basketball program history, USD Associate Vice President and Executive Director of Athletics Kimya Massey announced on Monday.

Blount arrives in San Diego with a reputation as one of college basketball’s rising coaching talents after helping lead Iowa State to four NCAA Tournament appearances in four seasons.

He joins the Toreros after five seasons on T.J. Otzelberger’s staff at Iowa State, where the Cyclones compiled a 95-45 record during his tenure, won the 2024 Big 12 Tournament Championship and reached the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 in 2022 and 2024 — one of the most successful stretches in program history. Iowa State finished in the AP Top 15 in each of those four seasons and climbed as high as No. 2 nationally in each of the last two years. During the 2025-26 season, the Cyclones opened with a 16-0 start, highlighted by victories over No. 1 Purdue, No. 2 Houston, No. 9 Kansas and No. 14 St. John’s.

“After a thorough and highly competitive national search, we are proud to welcome JR Blount as the next head coach of USD men’s basketball,” said Massey. “JR is an outstanding leader, a relentless competitor and one of the brightest rising coaches in college basketball. Even more importantly, throughout this process I came to know him as a humble leader with strong integrity and deep family values. JR has been a part of winning at every level of his career and understands what it takes to build a program that competes with toughness, discipline and consistency. Just as importantly, he believes in developing young men holistically and leading in a way that reflects the values of this university.

“This is a pivotal moment for our program and JR’s vision aligns with our belief that San Diego men’s basketball should compete in the upper tier of the WCC and position itself to be a regular NCAA Tournament participant. We are excited about what lies ahead under his leadership.”

“As a product of Catholic education and deeply committed to USD’s mission and values, Coach Blount is an outstanding role model for the young men in our Torero basketball program,” said USD President James T. Harris III. “He brings an impressive resume with deep experience, a winning track record and — above all — a commitment to the overall wellbeing of our student-athletes.”

“I’m incredibly honored and grateful for the opportunity to lead USD men’s basketball,” Blount said. “We are so thankful to Athletic Director Kimya Massey and President Harris for this opportunity. This is more than just a coaching position for me — it’s a chance to become part of a community and build something meaningful. My wife and our three daughters are excited to make this move together and we can’t wait to invest in this university and the relationships that make it special.

I come to USD with a deep desire to win — to compete relentlessly, to develop our young men to their fullest potential and to build a program our fans can be proud of. Winning championships is important, but so is building a culture of toughness, accountability and love. We’re going to work every day to represent USD the right way, on and off the court. I’m ready to get started.”

Blount played a key role in Iowa State’s rise under Otzelberger, helping orchestrate one of the most significant program turnarounds in recent Division I history. In his first season with the Cyclones in 2021-22, Iowa State rebounded from a two-win campaign the year before to finish 22-13 and advance to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. The Cyclones quickly established a national reputation for defensive toughness, ranking among the nation’s best in scoring defense, defensive efficiency, steals and turnovers forced.

Over the next three seasons, Blount helped Iowa State sustain that momentum. In 2022-23, the Cyclones advanced to the NCAA Tournament and recorded nine wins over AP Top 25 opponents, tied for the most in school history. In 2023-24, Iowa State won the Big 12 Championship, finished 29-8, posted an undefeated 18-0 record at Hilton Coliseum and advanced to the Sweet 16. Most recently, the 2024-25 Cyclones finished 25-10, climbed as high as No. 2 in the Associated Press poll, earned another NCAA Tournament appearance and closed the season ranked No. 17 nationally.

Known for his work in player development, recruiting and culture-building, Blount has mentored multiple all-conference and All-America caliber players throughout his coaching career. At Iowa State, he developed some of the Big 12’s top performers while contributing to a program identity rooted in toughness, connectivity and competitive excellence.

Prior to Iowa State, Blount spent three seasons at Colorado State, where he helped elevate the Rams into one of the Mountain West’s top programs. During his tenure in Fort Collins, Colorado State signed the highest-rated recruiting class in program history and posted consecutive 20-win seasons, including a 20-8 finish and a run to the NIT semifinals in 2020-21. He also played a leadership role in Colorado State’s Together Initiative, which promoted social justice and racial equality on campus.

Blount also previously served in coaching roles at Drake and Saint Leo and began his collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant at Wisconsin-Stevens Point, where the program won the 2010 NCAA Division III National Championship.

A former three-year team captain and two-time team MVP at Loyola University Chicago, Blount later played professionally for the Leicester Riders of the British Basketball League during the 2010-11 season. He earned degrees in psychology and sociology from Loyola in 2009 and later received his master’s degree in education from UW-Stevens Point in 2012.

A native of Milwaukee, Blount and his wife, Ashley, have three daughters: Maya, Zuri and Gema.

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