Garner will assume the role Jan. 15 after having served as Limestone University’s offensive line coach since 2022.

Garner has coached at high school, college, and professional levels since 2018 following a seven-year career with the Miami Dolphins. 

He takes over from long-time NGU Head Coach Jeff Farrington, who stepped away from the program in early December after 12 years at the helm.

Following Farrington’s departure, NGU Athletic Director Will Lowrey worked with a search committee of athletics staff, faculty, administrators, and alumni to narrow the field of candidates for the position with the NCAA Division II program.

Garner will lead NGU into the first season of Conference Carolinas competition, as the football team completes a move from the Gulf South Conference. The Trailblazers’ 2025 season begins at Delta State University on Sept. 6, with a home opener against conference foe Barton College on Sept. 13.

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The new inductees are the first class to join the hall of fame since 2014.

The group includes the posthumous induction of three pioneers from Greenville’s Black baseball community — Manning “Kingfish” Clark, Rico Dawson and Thomas Hallums.

The four other inductees are:

• Travis Barbary — Triple-A Oklahoma City Comets manager. An Easley native, Barbary is entering his 30th season with the Dodgers organization and has been a player, coach and staff member.
• Greg Burgess — Vice president of operations and grounds for the Greenville Drive. Burgess also serves as the head groundskeeper at Fluor Field. A Rock Hill native, he majored in turfgrass management at Clemson University.
• Eric Jarinko — Greenville Drive general manager. A native of Harleysville, Pennsylvania, Jarinko has a degree in sports management from Clemson University.
• Bob Kipper — Greenville Drive pitching coach. A native of Aurora, Illinois, Kipper was a left-handed pitcher in the Major Leagues from 1985-1992 before entering coaching.

The inductees will be formally honored at a banquet Jan. 21 at the AFL Champions Club at Fluor Field.

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The Rangers unveiled field staff picks for their minor league affiliates this week including coaching staff for their newest High-A club in Spartanburg.

Comer comes to the Spartanburgers after spending the past two seasons with the Rangers’ High-A Hickory Crawdads.

Rounding out the Spartanburgers coaching staff are:

• Julio Valdez — pitching coach
• Drew Sannes — hitting coach
• Jay Sullenger — development coach
• Elevys Gonzalez – development coach
• Kiley Brown — athletic trainer
• Bryce Gist — strength and conditioning coach
• Pete Stasio — clubhouse manager

The Hub City Spartanburgers 2025 season begins April 4 on the road in Aberdeen, Maryland, before the home opener at Fifth Third Park April 15 in downtown Spartanburg.

Read more about the Hub City Spartanburgers

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Farrington’s college-coaching career spans 42 years and he has served as head coach with NGU for a dozen years.

During his tenure at NGU, Farrington compiled a 59-61 overall record, with a 32-23 home record. He led the university’s team to the National Christian College Athletic Association Victory Bowl championship in 2014. The team also reached the NCAA Division II playoffs in 2016.

“I have been blessed and honored to serve North Greenville University, administration, faculty, staff, football coaches, student-athletes, student body and alumni the last 12 years as head football coach,” Farrington said. “Thank you for all the support, guidance, spirit and love from all in Tigerville. Traci and I look forward to following the Trailblazers’ future success.”

Farrington is a graduate of Greer High School and The Citadel. He played football while at both schools.

After graduation, he joined The Citadel’s coaching staff as a graduate assistant, launching a four-decade journey that took him to nine different collegiate programs, including East Carolina, Florida State, Lenoir Rhyne, Presbyterian College, West Georgia, East Tennessee State, Furman University, Mercer and Virginia Military Institute, prior to arriving at NGU in 2013.

Following Farrington’s decision to step down, NGU offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Donny Baker was named acting head coach for the school’s football program.

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An informal request was made during a meeting of the Greenville County Council Finance Committee on Nov. 18. There was no vote on the matter. The presentation to the committee made it clear the stadium would be built even if the county declined to contribute.

Greenville Pro Soccer is the parent company of Greenville Triumph SC and Greenville Liberty. On Oct. 30, it announced plans for a 10,000-seat, multipurpose facility at the Bridges Road exit of Interstate 385. The financial partners at the time of the announcement included Greenville Pro Soccer, the state of South Carolina and the city of Mauldin. Hughes Investments, which owns BridgeWay Station, is providing the land.

The final cost of construction is expected to be $80 million to $100 million. Joe Erwin, chairman and co-founder of Greenville Triumph SC and Greenville Liberty, told the Finance Committee $45 million would come from private funding. The state has committed $10 million. Mauldin City Council gave initial approval during its meeting on Nov. 18 to contribute $4.25 million from its hospitality and accommodations tax fund.

Hospitality and accommodations taxes are collected from prepared food and on-site beverage sales, and from hotel bookings. The money collected is used to benefit tourism at the discretion of state and local governments.

Erwin said the $14 million in upgrades would allow the stadium to compete for more events, bringing in additional tax revenue to offset the county’s investment. Those upgrades include: concert infrastructure, including a stage; additional locker rooms to host multiteam tournaments; enclosed suites, which Erwin said are required to bid for certain NCAA events; a field turf protection system; and a hybrid turf system.

Related: Mauldin advances $4.25M bond issue to support stadium: City Council notes

Both Erwin and Heath Dillard, CEO of VisitGreenvilleSC, told the committee the intent was to “make the building sweat” – in essence, keep it booked for as many dates as possible. Triumph and Liberty games only account for about two dozen dates per year.

VisitGreenvilleSC is tasked with driving tourism and visitation to the city of Greenville and Greenville County. Dillard emphasized his organization’s support for the plan, which he said would boost both economic development and quality of life.

Upgrades to the stadium would also make it possible for both the Triumph and Liberty to move to higher leagues, Erwin said. The Triumph currently play in USL League One, the third tier of men’s professional soccer. The Liberty play in the women’s pre-professional USL W League. He said the men could move up the USL Championship, the second tier of professional soccer in the U.S., and the women’s team could move to a professional level.

Greenville Triumph SC first brought a stadium plan to Greenville County Council in 2022, at the time seeking majority funding from the county. The Finance Committee struck it down and sent the Triumph back to the drawing board. Since that time, it reorganized under Greenville Pro Soccer LLC and brought in additional investors.

“We’re better off for not succeeding two years ago,” Erwin said.

Groundbreaking for the stadium, which will be located near the intersection of Holland and Bridges roads in Mauldin, is planned for early 2025. Construction is expected to be complete by mid-2026 in time for the FIFA World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico. It is considered soccer’s most prestigious tournament and has expanded to include 48 international teams. Some of the matches will be played in Atlanta.

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Under this agreement, a majority of the Spartanburgers’ 132 regular-season games and postseason games will be broadcast live on Fox Sports Spartanburg 98.3 FM. Throughout the year, the station will also work with the team to develop radio entertainment and host live shows from Fifth Third Park in Spartanburg.

“Fox Sports Spartanburg is a radio broadcast leader in Spartanburg and the greater Upstate area, and I am excited our fans will tune in to 98.3 FM to stay up to date for all things Spartanburgers Baseball,” said Tyson Jeffers, general manager of the Spartanburgers. “This is another step toward professional baseball officially being back in The Burg.”

The Hub City Spartanburgers’ home games will also be simulcast on MLB At Bat, MiLB.tv and the Bally Live App.

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The stadium will serve as home field for the Greenville Triumph and Greenville Liberty soccer clubs, which are collectively owned by Greenville Pro Soccer LLC. It will be located at BridgeWay Station, with a groundbreaking planned for early 2025.

It is expected to cost $80 to $100 million to build, made possible by a partnership between Greenville Pro Soccer, the city of Mauldin, and the state of South Carolina. The stadium is part of a development agreement with Hughes Investments, which owns BridgeWay Station.

In addition to serving as the home of the Triumph and Liberty clubs, the stadium is expected to be a hub for professional and youth sports – hosting lacrosse, rugby, football and more. It will also be used as a venue for concerts, festivals and community events.

The new facility is expected to be complete by 2026 to coincide with, and take advantage of, the FIFA World Cup coming to North America that summer. That tournament, featuring 48 international men’s soccer teams, includes matches in Atlanta.

According to the stadium’s development team, the project will put the Upstate firmly on the map as a sports tourism destination.

“This stadium represents the next chapter for our clubs,” said Joe Erwin, chairman and co-founder of Greenville Triumph SC and Greenville Liberty SC. “We’ve always envisioned a home that would not only serve as a place for soccer matches but as a gathering point for the entire community to enjoy an array of field sports, concerts and community events.”

Greenville Triumph SC, founded in 2018, competes in USL League One and won the league championship in 2020. The Greenville Liberty, a women’s pre-professional team, competes in the USL W League and just completed its third season.

BridgeWay Station, which held its official grand opening in April, currently includes a mix of residential, retail and commercial development.

“This stadium aligns perfectly with our goal of creating a vibrant and engaging environment that offers something for everyone,” said Phil Hughes, president of Hughes Investments. “The stadium will contribute significantly to the vibrancy of our community.”

Members of the project team also include McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture of Greenville, and McCullers Group, a sports and real estate consultant group based in Ohio.

The stadium was initially proposed by Greenville Triumph SC in early 2022 as a public-private project with Greenville County, under which the county would have owned the facility. Greenville County Council’s finance committee rejected that proposal.

Stadium plan fast facts:

• 10,000-seats
• Home field for Greenville Triumph and Greenville Liberty soccer clubs
• Located at BridgeWay Station, adjacent to Interstate 385 in Mauldin
• $80-100 million estimated cost
• Groundbreaking expected in early 2025, with completion in 2026

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Photos by Stephen Moore for the Greenville Track Club.

Spinx Run Fest results

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“This year’s Gran Fondo Hincapie was a last-minute shift in focus, but it quickly became a full-scale fundraising effort,” said Rich Hincapie, president of Hincapie Events. “Once we decided to pivot, George, myself, and the whole family started reaching out to our networks.”

Photos: 2024 The Cliffs Celebrity Chef Dinner

The fundraising efforts involved both cyclists and non-cyclists participating in several events:

• Fundraising dinners on Oct. 17-18 which attracted roughly 500 people combined.
• Donations made by race attendees on Oct. 19.
• Local artist Jared Emerson created a speed painting of Mark Cavendish, winner of a record 35 Tour de France stages, during an after party on Oct. 19. Cavendish signed the painting and it raised $92,500.
• A downtown Greenville fund raising gala which raised more than $240,000.
• An auction of George Hincapie’s 2006 Tour de France Prologue bicycle, which raised $45,000.

The goal is to raise more than $1 million. Fundraising efforts are still active. For those interested in donating, visit polkcountycommunityfoundation.ddock.gives.

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“This year we’re looking we’re looking at more than 2,800 (runners), but at the same point in time we’re actually 200 registrants ahead of last year,” said Greenville Track Club President Jim Roberts.

All events begin at Fluor Field on South Main Street. The marathon, which is 26.2 miles, begins at 7 a.m. and follows the Swamp Rabbit Trail to Travelers Rest and back. The half marathon kicks off at 7:30 a.m., followed by a 10K at 7:45, and a 5K at 8 a.m. The kids run begins at 7:50 a.m.

On Oct. 25, a vendor expo will be held at the Kroc Center, 424 Westerfield St., as well as runner packet pickup and late registration. Runner packets can also be picked up at 6 a.m. on race day at Fluor Field.

Additional information, including signup links and age divisions, is available at runsignup.com/Race/Info/SC/Greenville/SpinxRunFest.

See Spinx Run Fest in photos

Greenville-based Spinx – which operates gas stations, convenience stores and car washes in the Carolinas – is the longtime sponsor of the event.

“They’ve been a very generous sponsor,” Roberts said.

The Greenville Track Club was founded in 1972. It organizes local running events and serves as a resource for runners through the region. The club currently has nearly 1,400 members.

In addition to regular weekly and monthly events, it organizes roughly 20 races. Information about club activities and races can be found at greenvilletrackclub.com/upcoming-events.html.

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The extension was announced Oct. 16. All games will be played at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. The tournament was first held in Greenville in 2005, then in 2017, 2019-21, and 2023-24. Greenville hosts the 2025 tournament March 5-9.

“The city of Greenville and Bon Secours Wellness Arena have proven to be successful hosts of the SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament and we are pleased to call Greenville home for three additional years,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey in a news release. “The city’s hospitality and organization combined with the quality of the arena make Greenville an ideal location to provide a memorable experience for SEC women’s basketball student-athletes, coaches and fans.”

South Carolina won the tournament the last four times it was hosted in Greenville, including a 79-72 victory in the final over LSU in March 2024.

“Together with the SEC and VisitGreenvilleSC, we strive to create an amazing tournament experience for student athletes, coaches, administrators, institutions and of course, the fans, at the arena and throughout their stay in Greenville,” said Beth Paul, general manager of Bon Secours Wellness Arena. “The tournament’s impact on our region is tremendous, bringing in thousands of visitors and fostering a vibrant atmosphere for local businesses.”

Tickets for the 2025 SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament can be purchased at eventticketscenter.com/sec-womens-basketball-tournament-greenville-tickets/942497/e.

 

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The party mixes a pep rally, block party, fireworks and a concert. This year, X Ambassadors will perform, dividing the party into two halves, with the pep rally headlining the first half and the band leading the second half.

The event begins at 4:30 p.m. outside Clemson’s Memorial Stadium. The pep rally starts at 7 p.m. with doors opening 6:30 p.m. The fireworks show begins at 8:30 p.m. and the concert begins at 8:45 p.m.

Tigerama raises over $30,000 in scholarships each year through its Tigerama Scholarship Endowment. The block party is free and a ticket will secure the attendee entrance into the pep rally, fireworks show and concert.

Donations for Tigerama’s endowment can be made at clemsontigerama.com/donate-1. Tickets can be purchased at clemsontigerama.com/tickets-1.

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That was in 2012, when new NCAA eligibility requirements contributed to sacking his scholarship at North Carolina A&T. So he transferred to the private Saint Augustine’s University, another HBCU. That lasted a semester, the Atlanta native said.

“I just didn’t truly have my head wrapped around what it meant to be a college student, and it just didn’t quite work out for me as I had intended,” he said.

He suited up again for academia, this time at Greenville Technical College, for the first time in spring 2014 and then again in fall 2016.

“Unfortunately, I just didn’t see the long-term vision or purpose in it,” he said.

Next, he bounced around various jobs in automotive manufacturing, production assembly, as a car rental agent, sales associate, production associate and supply chain warehouse operations, among others.

Last year, a new vision appeared to him during his frequent drives along North Pleasantburg Drive — Greenville Tech’s park-like Barton campus.

“Just driving past it gave me a feeling I had needed to finish something that I started,” the 29-year-old said. “I always said that Tech kind of gave you a four years’ view.”

Stewart is close to earning an associate’s degree in science and a bachelor’s in computer information systems. He is also part of Greenville Tech’s innovative African American Male Scholars Initiative. On Oct. 22, Greenville Technical Foundation’s Champions for Student Success will feature him at its premier annual event to be held in the sparkling new Prisma Health Center for Health & Life Sciences.

He has become something of a fixture in the new Barton building, which houses a variety of disciplines beyond health care. Stewart is finishing up his high-tech coursework there.

“Javontey Stewart is the kind of student who lifts other’s spirits,” said Michael Burgess, AAMSI director, who noted that Stewart often drops by the office. “We ask what we can do for him. Most times he simply smiles and says, ‘Oh, nothing, I was just stopping by to check y’all out.’ It’s pretty cool to have a student whose journey has progressed to the point that he seems to be gliding into home base with no worries whatsoever.”

Today, the former football star and soon-to-be college graduate plans to become a high school football coach or athletic director, hopefully in Greenville.

“It’s just crazy everything that is coming toward me, everything that I currently have,” Stewart said, expressing his gratitude to Greenville Tech and GTF for opportunities and awards. “I have the maturity and the level-mindedness to understand life and what it throws at you. Recognition will come if you take pride in what you’re doing. Eventually, it will come. I don’t do anything for recognition. I just put my best foot forward.”

Javontey ‘Jay’ Stewart
Scholar at Greenville Technical College

Resume and selected accomplishments

• “Magnetic salesperson with thorough experience”
• Greenville Tech Dean’s List 2024
• Power industrial equipment operator at Grainger, Simpsonville
• Warehouse supervisor at PGW Auto Glass, Greenville
• Outbound sales at Spectrum, Simpsonville
• Automotive assembler at MAU@BMW, Greer

Source: LinkedIn

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She chose the passionate thing, pursuing a shot at professional soccer in the inaugural season of the USL Super League. Mackin and Liberty teammate Courtney Jones both signed with the Lexington Sporting Club and began play in the Super League in August.

Both Mackin and Jones had starred at Clemson, but Mackin had already begun work as a nurse while playing for the Liberty, a women’s pre-professional team founded in 2022 as part of Greenville Triumph SC. There, Mackin said she rediscovered a desire to play professionally. The pragmatic thing, at least financially, would have been to throw herself full-time into her nursing career, but the little girl inside Mackin had another goal.

“The Liberty allowed me to kind of come back into soccer and really regain the love of the sport I kind of lost in college,” Mackin said. “I regained my confidence and everything – built that up, and then made me think, ‘OK, maybe I still do want to play professionally.’

“The Liberty kind of formed a pathway for me to kind of go back into that pro environment, and now I’m living out the dream I’ve always had.”

Julie Carlson, Liberty head coach and technical director, said getting players like Jones and Mackin to the next level is part of a player-development path that runs parallel with putting a good product on the field for Greenville.

The Liberty roster is composed mostly of young women in college or recent graduates who are looking to grow their games in a summer league.

“You have an array of ages, so player development is a very general term,” Carlson said. “The development can focus on many different facets of a player. It can be their mental development. It can be their physical development. It can be their tactical and technical development. It can be their leadership development. It’s a very broad term because it hits so many different areas because their age range and their pro pathways are so broad.”

Related: Soccer legend Ronaldinho joins Greenville Triumph SC ownership group

For both Mackin and Jones, their careers with the Liberty helped them, as Jones said, “regain my passion for soccer,” while also redefining their performance on the field.

Jones, who spent most of her time rehabbing an injury this past summer with the Liberty, also worked on a position change, moving to fullback-outside back, where she rightly thought she would have a better chance to make a professional roster.

“Teams like (the Liberty) are giving so many young players amazing opportunities to develop their game in the offseason. Young women from some of the best universities can play and develop their game with one another,” Jones said. “They get to challenge one another and hone their skills. Teams like the Liberty in the W League also allow players to get more exposure to scouts and coaches within higher ranking leagues. I’ve had a few friends that played this summer that were able to sign National Team Replacement contracts within the NWSL or eventually play within the USL Super League. It’s been amazing to see this league raise the level of soccer and provide players opportunities that they may not get during a college season.”

This past season, the Liberty provided those opportunities for players from as far away as the University of Montana and Oral Roberts in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and as close as USC Upstate and Clemson.

“We have a saying here on the men’s side (the Triumph) – and I’ve heard it in different places – ‘Why not us?’” Carlson said. “It’s the same question raised for players like Julie and Courtney when they look at themselves and say, ‘Well, why not me?,’ and to have that opportunity because they just don’t come along every day.

“(Mackin and Jones) are great role models and great examples (for) what you have to commit to and what the lifestyle is like. Now they can touch and feel it. They can see it versus seeing something that is unachievable. They actually now see something that is achievable. I think that’s what is really important here.”

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The deal was signed Oct. 9 after Ronaldinho rang the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange, according to a news release.

Ronaldinho, considered among the greatest players in history, won the World Cup in 2002 with Brazil. His 17-year professional career featured time at high-profile clubs such as Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan. His international career included 97 appearances for Brazil’s senior team.

It is the latest addition to the Greenville Pro Soccer ownership group, which has added several new investors in recent months. The Triumph and Liberty currently play matches at Furman University’s Paladin Stadium, and previously played at Legacy Early College. The club has been attempting for several years to get a new stadium built.

The new investment also comes as the next World Cup approaches. The largest event on the soccer calendar will be held June 11 to July 19, 2026, in the U.S., Mexico and Canada. Some of the games will be played in Atlanta, and the 48 nations competing will be traveling and practicing throughout North America.

In addition to Ronaldinho, the Greenville Pro Soccer ownership group now includes club co-founder and chairman Joe Erwin and his wife Gretchen Erwin; Wallace Cheves; William M. Webster IV; Rick Pennell; Jim Casey; Doug Erwin; and Shannon Wilbanks.

“We are honored to welcome Ronaldinho into the Triumph family,” Erwin said. “His influence in the sport is unmatched, and his presence within our ownership group speaks volumes about the direction we are heading as a club.”

Cheves, founder of SkyBoat Gaming and principal of Cheves Capital, has an existing investment partnership with Ronaldinho and brought the former soccer star on board after joining the GPS ownership group in July.

The Triumph, a men’s professional team, competes in USL League One and won the league championship in 2020. The Liberty, a women’s pre-professional team, plays in the USL W League.

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