The halls of the United States Sports Academy echoed with holiday cheer as the university hosted a group students from the Callahan Regional School for the Deaf and Blind for a Christmas party. The students from Mobile, Ala., were greeted by USSA artist in residence Nancy Raia, who treated them to a campus art tour, holiday-themed art activities, Christmas caroling with USSA faculty and staff, and a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus. In addition to fun for the children, Amy Arnold Hess taught USSA staff how to navigate walking with a cane while blindfolded so they could gain an understanding of the daily life of the students. Baldwin County veteran, longtime dentist, and veteran’s advocate Dr. Barry Booth provided bus travel, lunch, gifts, and more for the students. Finally [...]

The United States Sports Academy is pleased to announce the launch of Track & Field for the 2024-25 season with the hiring of head coach Andy Canegitta. Canegitta comes to the Eagles with an impressive collegiate Cross Country and Track & Field coaching resume.  Since 2014, Canegitta has served as the Head Cross Country and Track Coach at the University of Mobile, where he built the Rams to be a top NAIA program. Andy won two NAIA National Championships, two Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) Championships, and was SSAC Conference Runner-ups seven times. Canegitta is a three-time SSAC Coach of the Year, earning the title in 2017, 2021, and 2022.  At Mobile, Canegitta instructed 21 All-Americans, 7 All-Freshman, 152 National Qualifiers, 340 SSAC All-Conference runners, 60 SSAC Outdoor Champions, and [...]

United States Sports Academy students who excelled during the Summer 2023 semester were honored by being included on the President’s List and Dean’s List. Those on the President’s List had a grade-point average of 4.0. Undergraduates on the Dean’s List had a grade-point average of 3.4-3.99, while graduate students on the Dean’s List had a grade-point average of 3.8-3.99. President's List:  Steven Graulau Charles Allen Maleka Autman Austin Caporale Jeremie Collins Alfred Greenwood Andrew Heard Hilary Lakes Eric Mann Gregory O’Toole-Bierals Adriel Olea Edward Senter Dean's List:  Michael Grijalba Gabriel Pacheco Coleman Sprague Demetrius Clark Sergio Contreras Andy Hobbs Bartholomew Doucet Carlos Duprey Jeremy Henderson Richard Houk Christopher Reed Megan Tuttle Taylor Trawick

The United States Sports Academy announces the hire of Mike Neal as its inaugural Head Baseball Coach.  Neal comes to the Eastern Shore after spending 25 years as the Head Baseball Coach at Blackburn College in Carlinville, Illinois. Neal is the winningest coach in Blackburn College history in any sport finishing with 362 victories at Blackburn and currently has 437 victories collegiately.  During his time at Blackburn, Neal’s teams set the school record for victories in a season three times.  His 2002 team won the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) for the first time in school history and advanced to the NCAA Division III regional in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. A year later his Blackburn team defeated Division I Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.  In 2004, his team won the SLIAC conference for [...]

United States Sports Academy’s President and Director of Athletics Dr. Steve Condon has named Morgan Cinello as the inaugural Head Softball Coach. Cinello comes to the Eagles from Gulf Shores High School, where she was an assistant since 2021.   Before her time at Gulf Shores, Cinello served in two stints at the University of Alabama as a graduate assistant and assistant coach. While there, the team went 188-55 and were named the SEC Regular Season Champions in 2019 and SEC Tournament Champions in 2021. The Crimson Tide made two super regional appearances and two College World Series appearances. Cinello worked for Wichita State University as their pitching coach for the 2020 season.  "After a national search, we are thrilled to announce the newest addition to our athletic family, Morgan Cinello, [...]

Intelligent.com, a trusted resource for program rankings and higher education planning, has included United States Sports Academy in its list of institutions assessed for 2024. Intelligent.com's institutional rankings, which are set apart from other conventional ratings, are deemed the benchmark of academic evaluations for online and hybrid programs. An exclusive methodology is used to rank each institution on a scale from 0 to 100 across six categories. Evaluations are based on quantitative measures such as academic quality, graduation rate, cost and ROI, and student resources. With top picks that are highly-regarded, affordable, and offer the tools and resources students need to successfully graduate and excel in their fields. Recent studies show that Bachelor’s degree holders earn 75% more than those with just a high school diploma. Moreover, the trajectory of [...]

The United States Sports Academy (USSA) is working to provide degree and non-degree sport education programs to members of the USA Rugby Eagle Alumni Association to help them find careers in the sports field when their playing days end. USA Rugby, the USA Rugby Eagle Alumni Association and the United States Sports Academy (USSA) are proud to announce a new partnership aimed at career advancement for the USA Eagles rugby alumni and athletes. Through the partnership, USSA will provide discounted education opportunities to previous, current, and future USA Rugby National Team players accepted into its academic programs. Known around the world as America’s Sports University, USSA offers accredited undergraduate and graduate degrees in sports management, sports coaching, sports exercise science, and sports studies. It also offers non-degree courses, continuing education, [...]

For more than 50 years, the United States Sports Academy (USSA) has been dedicated to providing students with high quality sport education programs, while preserving the legacy of sport and its athletes across the span of time. Now, USSA is carrying its mission forward after it received permission from the family of Jim Thorpe to offer scholarships, an educational course, and memorabilia room in the name of the legendary multi-sport athlete. In addition, USSA has submitted an application to receive designation as an official Olympic Studies Center, as recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). If approved, USSA will name its Olympic Studies Center – the only one of its kind in the United States – after Thorpe. Born in Indian Territory in what is now modern day Oklahoma, Thorpe [...]

In September, the USSA Eagles men’s soccer team won its historic first match 3-2 against Union 10 at Trione Park in Daphne. Andrew Flad scored the go-ahead goal midway through the second half. Leonardo Argote started the scoring with USSA’s first ever goal – a stunning midfield shot early in the first half – and the Eagles added a goal on a penalty kick from Henry McMurphy. The team plays under the leadership of longtime collegiate and professional coach Peter Fuller. “It is an honor and a privilege to be the first head coach for soccer at the United States Sports Academy,” Fuller said. “We are excited to welcome in our first class of players for this fall, and we are looking forward to what the future holds for this [...]

Because of his fine attention to detail, super realistic style, and inspirational story, Steve Skipper is the United States Sports Academy’s 2023 Sport Artist of the Year. Skipper will receive the Academy’s Sport Artist of the Year award on the USSA campus in Daphne, Ala., on November 9 at a special event beginning at 5 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, and light hors d'oeuvres will be served. A native of Homewood, Ala., Skipper is the first African American artist to complete art pieces sanctioned by NASCAR, the University of Alabama, Auburn University, the Dallas Cowboys, the Green Bay Packers, the Professional Bull Riders Association and the Professional Golfers’ Association. With no formal art training, Skipper’s inspirational story is one of an ex-gang member and drug [...]

The public is invited as the USSA Eagles men’s soccer team plays its historic first home match against Mississippi College on Wednesday, October 4, at 4 p.m. at the Fairhope Soccer Complex. Meet USSA faculty, staff, and soccer players and get to know the university admissions staff at this special event. Admission is free, and concessions will be available for purchase. The first 20 high school students who visit our admissions tent will receive a USSA Eagles shirt, USSA swag bag, and will be entered into a drawing for a soccer ball autographed by the inaugural USSA Eagles team and coaches. The Eagles (2-2) are fresh off a 6-2 win on the road in north Mississippi against Blue Mountain College. The Fairhope Soccer Complex is located at 18383 County Road [...]