Around the world and back home: the biggest news in sports today
Ava Henderson, Staff Writer
Photo Courtesy of Elizabeth Dunne on Unsplash
From the biggest stages in Europe to home fields, the sports world never slows down. This sports news roundup captures everything from international upsets to local teams getting ready for big games and standout performances across the country. This is everything you need to know to keep your head in the game.
Starting off with the international sports news, there was a wild upset in the Champions League. The Champions League is an annual club soccer tournament hosted by the Union of European Football Association (UEFA). During the quarterfinals, Real Madrid was knocked out of the tournament by Bayern Munich, causing fans everywhere to be in disbelief.
Real Madrid has won this tournament more than anyone else and is known for winning big games no matter the pressure they face. The team is also known for their comebacks and big game moments, meaning even when they’re down, they still find a way to end up on top.
Matchups between these two teams are always electric, but it’s been Real Madrid winning in the end, until this match. Bayern Munich pulling off the upset has many soccer fans in shock. Not many people expect Real Madrid to lose games like this because they are known for winning, making this a major international headline.
While this global upset captured the world’s attention, the spotlight quickly shifted back to the national stage, where headlines are just as compelling. Big fan-favorite events are about to take place in professional sports and these are the details behind them.
First, the NBA Playoffs have just gotten underway, with the one seed in the west being the reigning NBA Finals Champion Oklahoma City Thunder and the one seed in the east being the Detroit Pistons. These and 14 other teams will battle it out until only one remains. The Thunder are favorites to win it all; however, the field is full of competitive teams and athletes with dreams of hanging a championship banner.
Over in the NFL, the 2026 NFL Draft is set to start on Thursday, April 23rd, 2026, and continue through Saturday. The Las Vegas Raiders hold the no. 1 overall pick, and many commentators expect them to select quarterback Fernado Mendoza from the Indiana Hoosiers. Mendoza is coming off an undefeated, national championship season and also won the Heisman Trophy.
In the golf world, the biggest tournament of the season just wrapped up, The Masters in Augusta, Georgia. Rory McIlroy won this year’s Masters and went back-to-back after winning last year as well. He is the first golfer to win this major tournament back-to-back since Tiger Woods in 2001 and 2002, and just the fourth golfer to ever accomplish this feat.
America’s greatest pastime has just begun its next season. MLB teams are a month into the season and already things are getting very competitive. Top teams in each division to start the season are the Tampa Bay Rays, the Minnesota Twins, the Texas Rangers, the Atlanta Braves, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the Los Angelas Dodgers. The Dodgers are holding strong at the top and are looking to 3-peat for the first time since the New York Yankees from 1998-2000.
In college sports, March Madness just ended and two new champs were crowned. The Michigan Wolverines from the men’s side beat the UConn Huskies to win their second national championship. On the women’s side, the UCLA Bruins beat the South Carolina Gamecocks to claim their first national championship.
The WNBA Draft also just took place, and the no. 1 overall pick Azzi Fudd took her talents from UConn to the Dallas Wings to team up with former UConn teammate and 2025 no. 1 pick Paige Bueckers.
Closer to home, state-level competition is heating up with standout performances and rising storylines. Starting off, as mentioned above, the South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball team pulled off a major upset in beating the UConn Huskies in the Final Four of the NCAA March Madness Tournament. However, this celebration was short lived after they were beat by UCLA 79-51 in the final game, making them the NCAA Women’s Basketball runner ups.
There is major news in state baseball, starting with the college level. The Coastal Carolina Chanticleers are ranked no. 12 in the country with a record of 26-9. They are looking to win their second ever national championship, their first coming in 2016.
Even closer to home, local athletes are proving that big moments don’t need a big stage. Starting with local Minor League Baseball storylines. The Greenville Drive and the Hub City Spartanburgers have started their seasons, neither are off to the greatest start, however. The Drive have a record of 3-8 to start off and the Spartanburgers have a 5-5 record to begin.
Even more locally, North Greenville University baseball has had one of their greatest seasons to date, other than the 2022 season when they won the national championship. They are cruising through this season with a 40-7 record and are ranked no. 1 in both the NCAA D2 rankings and in the Conference Carolinas standings. The team is looking to finish the season off even stronger than they started and has hopes of winning the conference tournament and the national championship.
NGU has a few other sports wrapping up regular seasons. Men’s and women’s golf and track and field are all preparing for conference and national tournaments, and each hoping to bring home some hardware.
From global arenas to hometown fields, the game continues to make great headlines at every level. Something is always going on in the world of sports, there never seems to be a break.
