LEGENDS OF POLK’S PAST: Chavez Fernander, P (Baseball) A native of the Bahamas, right-handed pitcher Chavez Fernander spent two seasons at Polk State College and helped the Eagles claim a Suncoast Conference championship. At 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, Fernander became an asset for the Polk State, serving as setup man for 2017 Suncoast Conference Fireman of the Year Zach Schneider before becoming a starter. For the 2017 season, Fernander made 18 appearances and posted a stellar 1.80 ERA. Over his 25 innings, Fernander registered 39 strikeouts – good for a team-best 14.04 strikeouts per nine innings – and just five walks. He finished the year with a 1-1 record and with one save as the Eagles claimed the Suncoast title. As a sophomore in 2018, Fernander led the team in wins, finishing 8-4 with a 3.09 ERA and 63 strikeouts in more than 58 innings of work while earning second-team All-Suncoast Conference honors. He would go on to be selected in the 35th round of the 2018 Major League Baseball Draft by the Detroit Tigers where he has spent the last six seasons. As a professional, Fernander has reached as high as the Triple-A level. For his professional career, he is 14-11 with a 3.87 career ERA, seven saves and 205 strikeouts.

Polk State Basketball coaches Brandon Giles and Josh Jackson will be featured on Our News Bahamas! The two spent the last two days hosting a free basketball camp in Nassau with more than 100 participants! Coach Giles and Coach Jackson traveled with a faith-based nonprofit and spoke at four local schools with the goal of empowering students.

Congratulations to Polk State Head Baseball Coach Al Corbeil! With tonight's victory, Corbeil has tied legend Bing Tyus atop the program's all-time wins list.