BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – James “Jim” Drexel Lepper, beloved father, grandfather, and educator, passed away peacefully at his home in Palm Bay, Florida, on November 6, 2025, after a long illness. He was 84 years old.

Born on March 29, 1941, in Melbourne, Florida, Jim was a lifelong resident of Brevard County and a proud graduate of Melbourne High School, Class of 1959. A standout athlete, he lettered in all four varsity sports, was voted Most Athletic, and was inducted into Mel-Hi’s Baseball Hall of Fame.

Jim set track records that stood for more than two decades and earned MVP honors in both football and basketball.

After high school, Jim was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals and received a football and baseball scholarship to the University of Florida, where he was voted All-SEC Freshman Quarterback before a knee injury ended his athletic career. He went on to graduate from UF in 1964—a lifelong Gator through and through.

Jim devoted more than 50 years to teaching American History in Brevard County.

His career included teaching at Southwest Junior High, Melbourne High School, Florida Air Academy, and Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy. He also served as a football coach at Melbourne Central Catholic, Florida Air Academy, and Melbourne High, where his passion for sports and mentorship left a lasting legacy on generations of students and athletes.

A man of great intellect and curiosity, Jim found joy in conversations about history, literature, and sports.

He loved poetry—especially the works of Carl Sandburg, Robert Frost, and Shakespeare—and enjoyed lively trivia matches and deep discussions with family and friends. His family fondly remembers his “high fives” with his twin great-granddaughters, Maeve and Finley; Gator talks with his son-in-law Doug; and history debates with his grandson Clay.

Jim is survived by his daughter, Robin Slentz (Doug); three grandchildren, James Slentz (Jamie), Sarah DeJong (Patric), and Clayton Slentz (Mikayla); and seven great-grandchildren—Grace, Brennan, Nolan, Nora, Cade, Maeve, and Finley. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife and high school sweetheart, Jacqueline, and his daughter, Kelly.

Jim will be remembered for his love of family, his sharp mind, his passion for teaching, and his fondness for the music of Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, and Johnny Cash.

A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, November 14, at 9 a.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Melbourne, followed by interment at St. Joseph’s Cemetery on Miller Street in Palm Bay.

A “Celebration of Life” barbecue will follow on Sunday, November 16, at 1 p.m. at Kingery Pavilion, 3575 Hield Road, West Melbourne. All are welcome to attend.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Melbourne Central Catholic High School in Jim’s memory.

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BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Eastern Florida State College men’s basketball player Sean Register Jr. was named the FCSAA Division I Player of the Week on Tuesday.

Register averaged 25 points and seven rebounds in the three games as the Titans took third place in the Battle for the Boot Tournament hosted by the College of Southern Idaho.

In the first game against McCook College, the freshman scored 27 points and 10 rebounds in the Titans win. They would fall in the semifinals to North Idaho to go to the third-place game.

Register had 31 points to lead the Titans past Clarendon College to finish in third place.

Register is averaging 24.8 points and 8.3 rebounds after four games this season. The Titans, who are 3-1, received votes in the latest NJCAA Division I National Poll.

The Titans will host the Eastern Florida Classic on Friday and Saturday at Titan Field House. Games Friday begin at 4 p.m. and admission is free.

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MEET & GREET SET SATURDAY, NOV. 15 AT RON JOHN SURF SHOP

BREVARD COUNTY • COCOA BEACH, FLORIDA — On Saturday, Nov. 15, at 1 p.m., the familiar scent of salt air and sunscreen will mingle with excitement as one of the Space Coast’s most celebrated athletes, Olympic gold medalist Caroline Marks, returns home to greet fans at Ron Jon Surf Shop.

At just 23, Marks has already carved her name into surfing history — from the mellow breaks of Melbourne Beach to the thunderous barrels of Teahupoʻo, Tahiti.

This weekend, she’s coming back to where it all began.

The meet-and-greet at Ron Jon will give fans the chance to meet the world champion, snag a free poster, and enter a special prize giveaway. The line will begin forming at noon, and event organizers anticipate a big turnout of locals, visitors, and young surfers eager to meet their hometown hero.

A 2016 Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame Inductee

Caroline Marks’ story begins in Boca Raton, where she was born on February 14, 2002, before her family settled in Melbourne Beach.

The youngest of six siblings, she learned to surf alongside her brothers near the family’s dock, and it quickly became clear she had a special connection with the ocean.

By age 11, she was dominating amateur competitions across the country. At just 15, she became the youngest surfer ever to qualify for the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour, earning the 2018 Rookie of the Year title and finishing seventh overall in her debut season.

Over the next several years, Marks cemented her place among the sport’s elite — claiming her first WSL event win in 2019, finishing as the world runner-up twice, and ultimately securing the 2023 Women’s World Surf League Championship.

Then came the crowning achievement: an Olympic gold medal at the 2024 Paris Games, where the surfing competition took place at Teahupoʻo, Tahiti. Her powerful backhand and fearless approach to the reef break earned her a dominant victory, solidifying her legacy as one of the greatest young surfers in the world.

WATCH: Long before she reached global stardom, the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame Committee recognized her extraordinary promise. In 2016, at just 14 years old, she was inducted into the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame, the youngest honoree in its history. (2016 video)

Long before she reached global stardom, the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame Committee recognized her extraordinary promise. In 2016, at just 14 years old, she was inducted into the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame, the youngest honoree in its history.

The Space Coast Hall of Fame, which celebrates athletes and coaches who have made significant contributions to Brevard County sports, praised Marks for “shattering records and redefining what’s possible for young women in surfing.”

At the induction ceremony at the Cocoa Beach Country Club, Marks shared the stage with local legends from baseball, football, basketball, and motorsports. She was recognized not only for her competitive achievements but also for her sportsmanship and role in inspiring a new generation of female surfers.

“Caroline exemplifies the energy, confidence, and determination that define the Space Coast,” said Space Coast Daily President and Publisher Tom Palermo at the time. “She’s a world-class talent who never forgot where she came from.”

Beyond her accomplishments, Caroline Marks has become a role model for young athletes — especially girls — showing that competitive fire and humility can coexist.

“I never forget where I came from,” Marks said after winning Olympic gold. “The waves here taught me everything — balance, patience, and to never stop having fun.”

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TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Governor Ron DeSantis announced that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission formally submitted an Exempted Fishing Permit to U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick that, upon approval, will allow Florida to assume management of the recreational red snapper fishery in state and federal waters off the Atlantic Coast beginning in 2026.

“State management and expansion of Gulf snapper season have been a major boon for our Gulf of America communities, allowing so many Floridians and visitors to enjoy the Red Snapper our waters have to offer,” said DeSantis.

“I was proud to announce that Florida anglers will soon be able to enjoy more Atlantic Red Snapper fishing as well. The Trump Administration has taken action to rein in the bureaucracy and return this power to the states, where it belongs.

“To that end, Florida has submitted a formal request to the federal government for state management of the recreational red snapper fishery. Just as it has on the Gulf coast, Florida’s management of Atlantic Red Snapper fishing will boost local economies along our Atlantic coast, supporting tackle and bait shops, hotels, restaurants, and the entire recreational fishing community.”

Since January, the Trump Commerce Department, under the leadership of Secretary Lutnick, have stood firm for our angling community. Earlier this year, Secretary Lutnick put fishermen first, rejecting the Biden Administration’s last-ditch attempt to force sweeping closures off our coast, a move to begin the path of finally reversing decades of failed federal control and to empower state-led management.

Further, today’s announcement follows recent actions by the Governors, Attorneys General, and Congressional delegations of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.

“Florida has proven it can effectively and efficiently manage the Atlantic recreational red snapper fishery,” said Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Executive Director Roger Young.

“Under Governor DeSantis’ leadership, the state has expanded access for and delivered greater opportunities for anglers in the Gulf year after year, demonstrating a strong commitment to both conservation and the fishing community. We are excited and ready to bring this level of expertise to manage the Atlantic recreational red snapper fishery.”

As submitted to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Florida would implement a 39-day Atlantic Red Snapper season —a dramatic expansion from the two-day federal season allowed in 2025 and a 1850% increase in fishing.

The proposed season includes:

• Summer: From May 22 (Memorial Day Weekend) through June 20

• Fall: Three-day weekends in October (Oct. 2–4, 9–11, and 16–18)

Florida’s application leverages the same process used in the Gulf, where state management has produced results that support the species and anglers. Since assuming management in the Gulf, the Red Snapper season has risen from 3 to 127 days, an over 4100% increase for Florida’s Gulf anglers and for-hire operators.

The expanded season is expected to drive major economic growth for coastal communities, benefiting tackle and bait shops, hotels, restaurants, and Florida’s robust boating and fishing industries. Florida remains the nation’s leader in recreational fishing and boating, home to over 4 million licensed anglers, 922,000 registered boats, and a $31.3 billion recreational boating industry supporting over 100,000 jobs statewide.

The Governor also reinforced the success of the ongoing Second Amendment Sales Tax Holiday, which suspends the collection of sales tax on the retail sale of items needed for hunting, fishing, or camping in Florida’s great outdoors

Anyone fishing for red snapper from a private recreational vessel, in state or federal waters, must be registered as a State Reef Fish Angler, with annual renewal, even if exempt from fishing license requirements. Registration is available at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com.

For more on recreational snapper regulations, visit MyFWC.com/Marine.

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BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – The Eastern Florida State College cross country teams traveled to compete at the NJCAA Division II National Championship in Fort Dodge, Iowa this weekend. Both men’s and women’s teams placed in the championships.

The Eastern Florida State College women’s cross country team placed 16th overall at the NJCAA Division II National Championship in Fort Dodge, Iowa on Saturday afternoon.

It was a cold afternoon in Iowa with snow on the ground and the Titans finished among the top 20 teams in the meet for the third time in program history.

Sophomore Rori Pandolfini finished 56th overall in the race crossing the finish line of the 5K race in 21 minutes and 13.2 seconds.

Teammate Malinda Underwood finished in 21:59.1 and finished 90th overall while teammate Aubrey Orcutt crossed in 22:35.9. Ember Michaels was right behind Orcutt, finishing in 22:42.1 while Maddison Lusk finished in 24:04.7. Abigail Derisme finished in 24:51.1 and Kyla Waymire crossed in 26:25.5.

Mesa Community College won the team title ahead of Paradise Valley. Paradise Valley’s Arianna Mason won the individual title in 18:43.9.

The Eastern Florida State College men’s cross country team placed 26th overall at the NJCAA Division II National Championships in Fort Dodge, Iowa on Saturday.

In cold conditions and snow on the ground, freshman Jaiden McKee finished 37th overall in the 8K race with a time of 28 minutes, 01.1 seconds. It was the top finish by a Titan at a national championship.

McKee went out fast and was in the top 16 for the first 2K of the race and stayed around there for much of the race.

Teammate Morgan Vici rebounded from a slow start, moving steadily up the field throughout the 8K race. The sophomore finished 127th overall with a time of 29:40.5. Brandon Faris and Noah McMann finished together as Faris crossed in 30:43.7 and McMann finished in 30:43.8. Wyatt Pittman finished the race right behind them, crossing in 30:51.5.

Joshua Torres ran the race in 31:25.6 and Toby Grissom finished in 34:00.1.

Lansing Community College repeated as the NJCAA Division II National Champion and Cowley College’s Esteban Boisseau won the individual title, finishing in 26:15.8.

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BREVARD COUNTY • FLORIDA – The Eastern Florida State College women’s basketball team overcame a slow start to pick up a win on the road Sunday afternoon.

The Titans missed their first eight shots and trailed 14-5 after the first quarter but won each of the final three quarters to defeat Tallahassee State College 68-60.

Milica Lazarevic made her debut and came up big early for the Titans. The freshman hit her first 3-pointer to put the Titans on the board but Eastern Florida State College would trail by nine after one quarter. The Tallahassee lead would reach 10 points in the second half but the Titans responded as Angela Mirkovic scored six straight to get the Titans back into the game.

Lazarevic had 11 of the team’s 26 in the first half as the Titans cut the Eagles lead to one at halftime.

Ofir Parpara gave the Titans its first lead toward the end of the third quarter as Parpara scored six in the quarter. A couple of free throws with 29 seconds left gave the Titans a 47-44 lead heading to the fourth quarter.

It was a one-point game with two minutes left but the Titans would finish on a 7-0 run to win the game.

Lazarevic finished with 14 points and six rebounds while Shadia Lara Santacruz had 13 points and Mirkovic had 11 for the Titans. Bruna DaSilva had eight points, nine assists and five rebounds for the 2-1 Titans.

Leanna Pabst had 17 points for Tallahassee.

Eastern Florida State College will be home for the first time this season on Friday, Nov. 21 when they will host South Georgia Tech at 5:30 p.m. at Titan Field House.

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POLK COUNTY, FLORIDA – The Merritt Island Mustangs’ incredible volleyball season ended just short of a championship Saturday, falling in a five-set thriller in the Class 4A State Final to North Broward Prep (Coconut Creek).

The Mustangs battled hard but came up short, 17-25, 25-22, 25-18, 10-25, 10-15.

Merritt Island fell in the first set, but battled back to win the next two sets. Their opponent responded in the next two sets, capitalizing on Mustang error.

The final set was tight, but North Broward Prep closed strong to claim the title 15-10 in the final set.

Despite the loss, Merritt Island’s season was one to remember. Under head coach Angie Patrick, the Mustangs captured district and regional championships and earned a spot among the best in Florida with a overall record of 29-3.

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BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – The Eastern Florida State College men’s basketball team won the third-place game at the Battle for the Boot Tournament at the College of Southern Idaho on Saturday evening.

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The Titans defeated Clarendon College 107-94 to finish the tournament 2-1 and are now 3-1 on the season.

Sean Register had another big night for the Titans, scoring a game-high 31 points in the win. Register also grabbed six rebounds and had three assists. Five Titans finished with at least 12 points as the Titans eclipsed the 100-point mark for the second time in the first four games.

Eastern Florida State College jumped out to a quick start behind Register as he had eight of the team’s first 15 points. The lead would reach double digits late in the first half and one final run gave them a 50-34 lead at halftime.

Joviel Acevedo-Arroyo had 14 points in the second half including a couple of key 3-pointers to stop runs by Clarendon. The Bulldogs cut the lead to under 10 with 2:49 left but Acevedo-Arroyo hit two free throws, then Tyson Wilson and Register hit shots to build the lead back up.

Nick Oliver hit six 3-pointers off the bench for the Titans to finish with 22 points while Acevedo-Arroyo finished with 20. Wilson had 16 and Djiby Ly scored 12 in the victory.

Eastern Florida State College will be home for the home opener this weekend, hosting the Eastern Florida Classic beginning Friday.

The Titans will play South Georgia State College at 4 p.m. of Friday with Indian River State College facing South Georgia Tech in the second game.

Then on Saturday, the Titans will play South Georgia Tech at 2 p.m. with Indian River State College playing South Georgia State College in the second game. Admission is free and the games will be shown live online at the EFSC Titans YouTube page.

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BREVARD COUNTY • FLORIDA – The Eastern Florida State College men’s basketball team finished strong to pick up an opening-round win at the Battle for the Boot Tournament at the College of Southern Idaho on Thursday.

The Titans scored 111 points and defeated McCook Community College 111-101 to advance to the semifinals in the tournament.

Eastern Florida State College held a two-point lead with eight minutes to go but would go on an 8-0 run and go on to post the win to improve to 2-0.

The first half saw McCook take as much as a six-point lead but Sean Register and Nick Oliver hit some big shots in the final four minutes and Register hit a shot with eight seconds left to give the Titans a one-point lead, 49-48. But McCook Community College would hit a 3-pointer to take a two-point lead at halftime.

Register led the way with 12 points in the first half and finished with his second straight double-double. The freshman from Cleveland, Ohio finished with a team-high 27 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.

Oliver finished with a season-high 18 points off the bench for the Titans. Tyson Wilson also had 18 points to go with 11 assists for his first double-double while Joviel Acevedo-Arroyo finished with 16 points. Eby Ogoh had 12 points and seven rebounds in the win.

The Titans will play in one of the semifinals on Saturday in the tournament, facing the winner of the Casper College and North Idaho game.

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BREVARD COUNTY • FLORIDA – Three Eastern Florida State College women’s volleyball players were named to the Division I All-FCSAA Volleyball team on Thursday.

Diara Gaye, Emma Cook and Sophia Iglesias were all honored during Thursday night’s FCSAA Division I Volleyball Championship banquet in Fort Myers.

Gaye and Cook were both named to the first team with Iglesias being named to the second team.

Gaye, a freshman middle hitter from Turin, Italy, recorded 147 kills and averaged 1.67 kills per set. Gaye had 72 total blocks this season.

Cook, a sophomore middle hitter from Fernandina Beach, finished the regular season with 158 kills and 56 total blocks in 25 matches.

Iglesias, a sophomore setter from Oviedo, finished with over 600 assists for the second straight season and averaged 7.85 assists per set in 26 matches. She also had 69 kills and 39 service aces. It is the second straight season that Iglesias has made the all-Region 8 team.

The trio will lead the Titans into the tournament Friday morning against No. 4 seed Hillsborough Community College. Eastern Florida State College is the No. 5 seed in the tournament. The two teams split the two meetings this season with both teams winning at home.

The match will tip off at 10 a.m. at Suncoast Credit Union Stadium on the campus of Florida Southwestern State College. Fans can watch the match live online.

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GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA — Florida Gators fans finally got a glimpse of the towering figure they had been eagerly anticipating.

Redshirt freshman Olivier Rioux, standing 7-foot-9, made his long-awaited college basketball debut Thursday night during Florida’s 104-64 rout of Northern Florida, officially becoming the tallest player in NCAA history to take the court.

The moment came late in the game, with 2:09 left on the clock, as chants of “We Want Ollie” reverberated through the O’Connell Center. Coach Todd Golden, who had resisted early-season pressure to play Rioux, finally gave the Canadian center his first taste of collegiate action.

“I said, ‘Listen, it will happen, the time will come,’” Golden said. “I can be stubborn. When they’re yelling at me to do it, it’s kinda like, ‘Well, maybe I’ll wait a little longer.’”

Rioux, who had spent the 2024-25 season as a redshirt while Florida captured the national championship, walked onto the court to a standing ovation. Although he logged just two minutes and did not record any statistics, the appearance alone was historic.

“It felt great,” Rioux said after the game. “The support from everybody was amazing, even on the bench and even the fans. I’m very grateful.”

The 19-year-old has been a national sensation since committing to Florida, largely because of his extraordinary height.

Rioux was recognized by the Guinness World Records in 2022 as the tallest living male teenager, standing an inch taller than former college record-holder Paul Sturgess and towering over legends like Yao Ming and Manute Bol.

Golden had offered Rioux the chance to play sparingly last season or use the year as a redshirt campaign. Rioux chose the latter, allowing him to preserve a year of eligibility while still enjoying moments of prominence, including a viral moment cutting down the nets after Florida’s championship win.

“It’s just mental, and you keep going and grind,” Rioux said of his wait.

Thursday’s debut was a team decision, with assistant coach Carlin Hartman escorting Rioux to the scorer’s table and teammate Micah Handlogten offering encouragement. “He’s put in a lot of great work and kept a great attitude without a lot of reward,” Golden said. “The game was in our control, so it was a good opportunity to give him his first college experience.”

As the Gators look ahead to defending their title, Rioux’s debut adds another intriguing storyline. While he didn’t score, fans and teammates alike celebrated the historic moment, marking the start of what could be a remarkable collegiate career.

“It’s another day, I guess,” Rioux said modestly after the game, but for Florida basketball, Thursday night will be remembered for a milestone that literally reached new heights.

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POLK COUNTY, FLORIDA – The Merritt Island High School Lady Mustangs are heading to the Class 4A State Championship after defeating South Walton 3-1 on Friday at Polk State College, and are now on a 23-game winning streak!

Set scores were 25-22, 19-25, 25-23, and 25-20, as the Mustangs showed poise and resilience to close out the match and secure their spot in the Class 4A title game.

With the victory, Merritt Island continues its remarkable postseason run, adding another milestone to a season that already includes Cape Coast Conference, District, and Regional championships.

The Mustangs will now face either North Broward Prep or Lemon Bay in the State Championship on Saturday at 4 p.m., again at Polk State College.

The Mustangs’ dominant season continues a long tradition of excellence under head coach Angie Patrick, who earlier this year celebrated her 500th career win — a milestone more than two decades in the making.

Patrick, who has led Merritt Island’s volleyball program for 23 seasons, has built one of Florida’s most respected dynasties. Under her leadership, the Mustangs have compiled a 500–133 record, captured 17 Cape Coast Conference championships, 20 consecutive district titles, and made eight Final Four appearances, including state championships in 2011 and 2018 and three runner-up finishes in 2012, 2014, and 2021.

Patrick’s influence extends well beyond the court. A 2014 inductee into the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame, she’s known for mentoring generations of student-athletes, emphasizing teamwork, character, and resilience.

“Our volleyball program is unlike any other,” Patrick said. “We are a family bonded together by our love for the sport. Merritt Island Volleyball has many accomplishments because of hard work, dedication, respect, and love for the game.”

The Mustangs’ current success — reflected in their 22 straight victories — is a testament to that culture. Patrick said the team’s collective mindset has been central to this year’s run.

“This group comes to compete every single day,” she said. “They’ve stayed focused on improving, trusting one another, and keeping a winning attitude no matter the situation.”

Patrick’s story is one of passion and perseverance. Originally from Wisconsin, she traded basketball for volleyball, leading her high school to a state championship before playing collegiately at Florida Tech, where she earned recognition as Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Now a marine science and biology teacher at Merritt Island High, Patrick balances her academic and coaching roles — inspiring students both in the classroom and on the court.

As the Mustangs prepare to take the floor in Winter Haven, they carry not only a winning streak but also the weight of a proud legacy built over more than two decades.

For Patrick, another state title would be yet another chapter in a remarkable career that has shaped the face of Merritt Island volleyball and the now multi-generational young women she has inspired.

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