53 June 27- July 3, 2024 New Times b e s T o f m i a m i ® 2 0 2 4 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com again put on a kicking clinic, earning 2023 First- Team All-ACC honors and becoming a semifi- nalist for the Lou Groza Award to recognize the top kicker in the nation. In the regular season, he nailed 21 of 25 field goal attempts and success- fully converted 41 of 42 extra point attempts across 12 games. Borregales was reliable when the rest of the Hurricanes squad was anything but, and he was a lead-pipe lock to put the pig- skin between the uprights when the team needed him most. When a kicker puts on the sort of reliable display Borregales has over his career, you have to find ways to reward him. In this case, New Times is pitching in by awarding him the ti- tle Best College Football Player of 2024. BEST SPORTS RADIO PERSONALITY Brendan Tobin WQAM-AM (560) instagram.com/brendan_tobin To say the man, the myth, the absolute South Florida AM sports radio legend, Brendan To- bin, continues to outwork the competition would be an understatement. He’s going above and beyond to ensure he laps all comers. Be- tween his midday show airing from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on WQAM 560 with co-host and former star NFL running back LeRoy Hoard to his widely popular late-night YouTube video streams, Brendan is burning the candle at both ends while also finding time in the middle to be knowledgeable on all things boxing and martial arts. With a career in local radio spanning more than a decade, Tobin has cemented himself as a local legend and a voice fans hope to hear for many more decades. From pulsed whale calls when the Miami Heat were rumored to be after a star player to his hilarious Marlins Macho Man character, you never know what you’ll get next from Brendan. That makes him all that much more notable, thriving in an industry that is increasingly up against the drive of a new dig- ital world. BEST SPORTSCASTER Ken LaVicka instagram.com/kenlavicka The voice of Florida Atlantic University sports, Ken LaVicka, is more than just a sportscaster — he’s a fixture in the homes of those who root for the Owls. LaVicka was a must-follow during the Owls’ incredible run to the NCAA Final Four during March Madness in 2023, offering a fly-on-the-wall view of all things FAU that in- cluded everything from the team boarding the bus to his preparations for the big games in sto- ried arenas such as New York’s Madison Square Garden. In the fall, LaVicka routinely begins the morning of an Owls’ game by offering social media followers a sunrise view of the stadium where he will call games just a few hours later. His connection to the fanbase on social media is just one example of how the voice of a local team can do more than just explain to the fans what they’re seeing, making the game more en- joyable. LaVicka brings to FAU precisely what the team needs: a recognizable voice and, at times, a cheerleader in a sports scene cluttered with many options. Those extra points — in ad- dition to his spectacular vocal chops — make him the finest sportscaster in town. BEST SPORTS REPORTER Derryl Barnes Jr. instagram.com/derrylroyce This recent University of Miami grad is just get- ting his journalism career started — and yet, he’s already one of the most coveted rising sports reporters in the industry. Derryl Barnes Jr., originally from the suburbs of Chicago, has always stood out, landing internships at both ESPN and the Wall Street Journal during his undergrad years. He recently received the honor of the Oscar Pope Lift Every Voice Fel- lowship, which gives students of color with a passion for sports journalism the opportunity to work with TNT Sports during NBA All-Star Weekend. He also won the 2024 Jim Nantz Award from the Sportscasters Talent Agency of America (STAA), several College Television Awards from his work on UMTV’s SportsDesk, and roughly 20 other regional and national awards. As this issue was being prepared for press, Barnes shared that he’s taken a job with Front Office Sports. Though he’s just getting started, he’s the next Bryant Gumbel — Sha- quille O’Neal’s words, not ours. BEST BASKETBALL COURT Margaret Pace Park 1745 N. Bayshore Drive Miami, 33132 305-533-3552 miami.gov/Parks-Public-Places /Parks-Directory/Margaret-Pace-Park Walking distance from the Miami Heat’s home at the Kaseya Center is 94 feet of concrete where ballers of all shapes and sizes chuck up bricks and swishes, each shot carrying its own hoop dreams. The Pace Park basketball court’s central location draws players from all over Dade to run game. The winds pushing off Bis- cayne Bay can make three-pointers challeng- ing, but the shadows from the nearby skyscraping Edgewater condos make up for it, giving players respite from the harsh afternoon sun. Even more refreshing for vampires and hoopers with day jobs is that the court has lights, so you can play after the sun sets, all the way until the park closes at 10 p.m.
