“THE SCOREBOARD”
HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL SCORES
SILVER CREEK 3 SALEM 0
MERRILLVILLE 3 LOWELL 1
RICHMOND 3 WINCHESTER 0
PORTAGE 3 HIGHLAND 0
OLDENBURG ACADEMY 3 SWITZERLAND COUNTY 0
INDIANA DEAF 3 FOUNTAIN CENTRAL 1
KOUTS 3 KNOX 0
FLOYD CENTRAL 3 JENNINGS COUNTY 2
LINTON STOCKTON 3 WHITE RIVER VALLEY 0
MUNCIE CENTRAL 3 ELWOOD 0
HAMILTON HEIGHTS 3 LEBANON 0
PLAINFIELD 3 NORTHVIEW 0
WOOD MEMORIAL 3 MOUNT VERNON 1
GREENFIELD CENTRAL 3 GREENSBURG 0
SOUTH-CENTRAL 3 BOONE GROVE 0
WHITING 3 WESTVILLE 2
MORGAN TWP. 3 HANOVER CENTRAL 1
COLUMBIA CITY 3 FORT WAYNE NORTHRUP 1
RONCALLI 3 CARMEL 0
ZIONSVILLE 3 PIKE 0
TERRE HAUTE SOUTH 3 OWEN VALLEY 0
CATHEDRAL 3 BROWNSBURG 0
DEKALB 3 LAKELAND 0
NEW HAVEN 3 FORT WAYNE LUERS 1
PROVIDENCE 3 MERCY 0
NOBLESVILLE 3 MOUNT VERNON 2
MCCUTCHEON 3 FISHERS 0
LINCOLN 3 SETON CATHOLIC 2
CARROLL 3 E. NOBLE 1
PENDLETON HEIGHTS 3 ANDERSON 0
ANGOLA 3 FORT WAYNE DWENGER 0
HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SOCCER
CHESTERTON 4 LAPORTE 0
FORT WAYNE WAYNE 8 WOODLAN 0
BELLMONT 4 HERITAGE 0
BREMEN 4 SOUTH BEND RILEY 1
WHEELER 5 LOWELL 1
NEW PRAIRIE 8 GLENN 0
NORTH HARRISON 1 MITCHELL 0
BOONE GROVE 1 KANKAKEE VALLEY 0
CROWN POINT 9 MICHIGAN CITY 0
ILLIANA CHRISTIAN 10 RIVER FOREST 0
OWEN VALLEY 4 MONROVIA 3
VALPARAISO 2 PORTAGE 0
BROWNSBURG 9 LEBANON 0
CARROLL 3 LEO 1
ANDREAN 1 HIGHLAND 0
LAKE CENTRAL 7 MERRILLVILLE 1
BEN DAVIS 2 GREENFIELD CENTRAL 0
PROVIDENCE 1 JEFFERSONVILLE 0
MARION 1 FORT WAYNE SNIDER 0
HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER
NOBLESVILLE 6 PENDLETON HEIGHTS 0
MERRILLVILLE 9 RIVER FOREST 0
HEBRON 1 MARQUETTE CATHOLIC 0
GRIFFITH 4 BOONE GROVE 4
CASCADE 1 N. PUTNAM 0
MONROVIA 11 OWEN VALLEY 1
LAFAYETTE JEFF 3 LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC 0
MANCHESTER 3 MISSISSINEWA 0
MARTINSVILLE 2 MOORESVILLE 0
SWITZERLAND COUNTY 5 MADISON 0
CULVER 9 PERU 0
WAWASEE 6 W. NOBLE 1
WEST LAFAYETTE 4 MCCUTCHEON 2
HOMESTEAD 1 BELLMONT 0
PERRY MERIDIAN 2 DECATUR CENTRAL 0
CARROLL 0 LEO 0
ZIONSVILLE 1 GUERIN CATHOLIC 0
BREBEUF 2 BROWNSBURG 0
PLAINFIELD 4 WHITELAND 0
BLOOMINGTON SOUTH 3 CENTER GROVE 0
HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN 9 FRANKLIN CENTRAL 0
AVON 2 TERRE HAUTE NORTH 1
CATHEDRAL 8 TRI-WEST 0
WESTFIELD 2 FISHERS 0
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
TAMPA BAY 6 SAN FRANCISCO 1
CINCINNATI 7 CLEVELAND 2
HOUSTON 12 MIAMI 5
OAKLAND 8 ST. LOUIS 0
WASHINGTON 6 BOSTON 2
PHILADELPHIA 9 TORONTO 4
ATLANTA 2 NY YANKEES 0
CHICAGO CUBS 4 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 3
SAN DIEGO 5 BALTIMORE 2
DETROIT 8 MINNESOTA 7
LA ANGELS 2 TEXAS 0
SEATTLE 6 KANSAS CITY 5
NY METS 8 PITTSBURGH 3
ARIZONA 9 COLORADO 7
LA DODGERS 7 MILWAUKEE 1
BOX SCORES: HTTP://HOSTED.STATS.COM/MLB/SCOREBOARD.ASP
STATS: HTTP://HOSTED.STATS.COM/MLB/INDEX.ASP
PLAYER NEWS: HTTP://HOSTED.STATS.COM/MLB/NEWS.ASP
MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INDIANAPOLIS 4 ST. PAUL 3
WEST MICHIGAN 4 SOUTH BEND 3
FORT WAYNE 6 DAYTON 4
WNBA
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL WEEK 1:
BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE AT MARTINSVILLE
BEECH GROVE AT LUTHERAN
BEN DAVIS AT CINCINNATI MOELLER
BREBEUF JESUIT AT BISHOP CHATARD (INDIANA SRN BROADCAST)
BROWNSBURG AT FW BISHOP DWENGER
CARMEL AT HOMESTEAD
CARDINAL RITTER AT MONROVIA
COVENANT CHRISTIAN AT SPEEDWAY (INDIANA SRN BROADCAST)
CRISPUS ATTUCKS AT FW WAYNE
DANVILLE AT GREENCASTLE
DECATUR CENTRAL AT COLUMBUS NORTH
EASTERN HANCOCK AT FRANKTON
FW CARROLL AT HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN
FW CONCORIDA VS. SCECINA
FW SNIDER AT WARREN CENTRAL
FRANKLIN CENTRAL AT PERRY MERIDIAN
GREENWOOD AT SEYMOUR
GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN AT PARK TUDOR
INDIAN CREEK AT BATESVILLE
LAFAYETTE JEFF VS. CATHEDRAL, 6 P.M. (AT LUCAS OIL)
LAPEL AT HAMILTON HEIGHTS
LAWRENCE CENTRAL AT TECH
LAWRENCE NORTH AT AVON
LEBANON AT PENDLETON HEIGHTS, 7:30PM
MADISON AT GREENFIELD-CENTRAL, 8PM
MOORESVILLE AT BLOOMINGTON NORTH
NEW ALBANY AT FRANKLIN
NEW LEBANON DIXIE (OHIO) AT IRVINGTON PREP
NEW PALESTINE AT WESTFIELD
NOBLESVILLE VS. MT. VERNON, 8:30PM (AT LUCAS OIL STADIUM)
NOBLESVILLE HOMESCHOOL AT CHRISTEL HOUSE MANUAL
NORTH CENTRAL AT FISHERS
PIKE AT ZIONSVILLE, 7:30PM
PLAINFIELD AT TERRE HAUTE SOUTH
SHERIDAN AT WESTERN BOONE
SHORTRIDGE AT PURDUE POLY
SOUTHPORT AT RONCALLI
TINDLEY AT EDINBURGH
TRITON CENTRAL AT CASCADE
WASHINGTON AT PROVIDENCE
WHITELAND AT JEFFERSONVILLE
STATE: INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL WEEK 1
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
| BOYLE COUNTY (KY.) | AT | GIBSON SOUTHERN | 6:00 PM | ||
| CENTER GROVE | VS. | ST. EDWARD (OHIO) | 12:05 AM | ||
| SOUTHSIDE HOMESCHOOL | AT | PHALEN ACADEMY | 5:00 PM |
BIG 10 WEEKLY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
WEEK 1
MINNESOTA VS. NEBRASKA
THURSDAY, AUG. 31
WISCONSIN VS. BUFFALO
MICHIGAN STATE VS. CENTRAL MICHIGAN
MICHIGAN VS. EAST CAROLINA
PURDUE VS. FRESNO STATE
RUTGERS VS. NORTHWESTERN
INDIANA VS. OHIO STATE
ILLINOIS VS. TOLEDO
MARYLAND VS. TOWSON
IOWA VS. UTAH STATE
PENN STATE VS. WEST VIRGINIA
COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
WEEK 0
SATURDAY, AUG. 26
NOTRE DAME VS. NAVY (DUBLIN, IRELAND) | 2:30 P.M. | NBC
MERCER VS. NORTH ALABAMA (MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA) | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN
JACKSONVILLE STATE VS. UTEP | 5:30 P.M. | CBSSN
NEW MEXICO STATE VS. UMASS | 7 P.M. | ESPN
SAN DIEGO STATE VS. OHIO | 7 P.M. | FS1
VANDERBILT VS. HAWAI’I | 7:30 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
JACKSON STATE VS. SOUTH CAROLINA STATE (ATLANTA, GEORGIA) | 7:30 P.M. | ABC
USC VS. SAN JOSE STATE | 8 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
LOUISIANA TECH VS. FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL | 9 P.M. | CBSSN
WEEK 1
THURSDAY, AUG. 31
WAKE FOREST VS. ELON | 7 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
UCF VS. KENT STATE | 7 P.M. | FS1
GEORGIA STATE VS. RHODE ISLAND | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
WESTERN MICHIGAN VS. ST. FRANCIS (PA) | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
UCONN VS. NC STATE | 7:30 P.M. | CBSSN
MINNESOTA VS. NEBRASKA | 8 P.M. | FOX
MISSOURI VS. SOUTH DAKOTA | 8 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
UTAH VS. FLORIDA | 8 P.M. | ESPN
TULSA VS. ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
UAB VS. NORTH CAROLINA A&T | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
ARIZONA STATE VS. SOUTHERN UTAH | 10 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
FRIDAY, SEPT. 1
EASTERN MICHIGAN VS. HOWARD | 6:30 P.M. | ESPN+
MICHIGAN STATE VS. CENTRAL MICHIGAN | 7 P.M. | FS1
MIAMI (FLA.) VS. MIAMI (OHIO) | 7 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
GEORGIA TECH VS. LOUISVILLE (MERCEDES-BENZ STADIUM IN ATLANTA) | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN
KANSAS VS. MISSOURI STATE | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
HAWAI’I VS. STANFORD | 11 P.M. | CBSSN
SATURDAY, SEPT. 2
IOWA VS. UTAH STATE | 12 P.M. | FS1
KENTUCKY VS. BALL STATE | 12 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
LIBERTY VS. BOWLING GREEN | 12 P.M. | CBSSN
MICHIGAN VS. EAST CAROLINA | 12 P.M. | PEACOCK
PURDUE VS. FRESNO STATE | 12 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
SMU VS. LOUISIANA TECH | 12 P.M. | ESPNU
TENNESSEE VS. VIRGINIA (NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE) | 12 P.M. | ABC
TCU VS. COLORADO | 12 P.M. | FOX
BOSTON COLLEGE VS. NORTHERN ILLINOIS | 12 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
OKLAHOMA VS. ARKANSAS STATE | 12 P.M. | ESPN
OLE MISS VS. MERCER | 2 P.M. | ESPN+/SECN+
IOWA STATE VS. UNI | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
TEMPLE VS. AKRON | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
OHIO VS. LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
AIR FORCE VS. ROBERT MORRIS | 2 P.M. | ALTITUDE SPORTS
OREGON VS. PORTLAND STATE | 3 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
INDIANA VS. OHIO STATE | 3:30 P.M. | CBS
AUBURN VS. UMASS | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN
MARYLAND VS. TOWSON | 3:30 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
WISCONSIN VS. BUFFALO | 3:30 P.M. | FS1
WESTERN KENTUCKY VS. SOUTH FLORIDA | 3:30 P.M. | CBSSN
WASHINGTON VS. BOISE STATE | 3:30 P.M. | ABC
NOTRE DAME VS. TENNESSEE STATE | 3:30 P.M. | NBC
PITT VS. WOFFORD | 3:30 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
CINCINNATI VS. EASTERN KENTUCKY | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
TEXAS VS. RICE | 3:30 P.M. | FOX
APPALACHIAN STATE VS. GARDNER-WEBB | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
ARKANSAS VS. WESTERN CAROLINA | 4 P.M. | ESPN+/SECN+
MISSISSIPPI STATE VS. SE LOUISIANA | 4 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
NORTH TEXAS VS. CAL | 4 P.M. | ESPNU
SYRACUSE VS. COLGATE | 4 P.M. | ESPN+/ACCNX
GEORGIA VS. UT MARTIN | 6 P.M. | ESPN+/SECN+
CHARLOTTE VS. SOUTH CAROLINA STATE | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
FLORIDA ATLANTIC VS. MONMOUTH | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
GEORGIA SOUTHERN VS. THE CITADEL | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
JAMES MADISON VS. BUCKNELL | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
MARSHALL VS. ALBANY | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL VS. MAINE | 6:30 P.M. | ESPN+
USC VS. NEVADA | 6:30 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
TEXAS A&M VS. NEW MEXICO | 7 P.M. | ESPN
UL MONROE VS. ARMY | 7 P.M. | NFL NETWORK
VANDERBILT VS. ALABAMA A&M | 7 P.M. | ESPN+/SECN+
COLORADO STATE VS. WASHINGTON STATE | 7 P.M. | CBSSN
BAYLOR VS. TEXAS STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
HOUSTON VS. UTSA | 7 P.M. | FS1
KANSAS STATE VS. SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
OKLAHOMA STATE VS. CENTRAL ARKANSAS | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
MEMPHIS VS. BETHUNE-COOKMAN | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
SOUTHERN MISS VS. ALCORN STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
TROY VS. STEPHEN F. AUSTIN | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
ALABAMA VS. MIDDLE TENNESSEE | 7:30 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
ILLINOIS VS. TOLEDO | 7:30 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
SOUTH CAROLINA VS. NORTH CAROLINA (CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA) | 7:30 P.M. | ABC
PENN STATE VS. WEST VIRGINIA | 7:30 P.M. | NBC
WYOMING VS. TEXAS TECH | 7:30 P.M. | CBS
LOUISIANA VS. NORTHWESTERN STATE | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN+
VIRGINIA TECH VS. OLD DOMINION | 8 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
TULANE VS. SOUTH ALABAMA | 8 P.M. | ESPNU
NEW MEXICO STATE VS. WESTERN ILLINOIS | 9 P.M. | ESPN+
UTEP VS. UIW | 9 P.M. | ESPN+
ARIZONA VS. NORTHERN ARIZONA | 10 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
BYU VS. SAM HOUSTON | 10:15 P.M. | FS1
UCLA VS. COASTAL CAROLINA | 10:30 P.M. | ESPN
SAN DIEGO STATE VS. IDAHO STATE | 10:30 P.M. | CBSSN
SUNDAY, SEPT. 3
RUTGERS VS. NORTHWESTERN | 12 P.M. | CBS
SAN JOSE STATE VS. OREGON STATE | 3:30 P.M. | CBS
FLORIDA STATE VS. LSU (ORLANDO, FLORIDA) | 7:30 P.M. | ABC
MONDAY, SEPT. 4
DUKE VS. CLEMSON | 8 P.M. | ESPN
NFL PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE
WEEK 2
THURSDAY, AUGUST 17
CLEVELAND AT PHILADELPHIA, 7:30
FRIDAY, AUGUST 18
CAROLINA AT N.Y. GIANTS, 7:00
CINCINNATI AT ATLANTA, 7:30
SATURDAY, AUGUST 19
JACKSONVILLE AT DETROIT, 1:00
MIAMI AT HOUSTON, 4:00
BUFFALO AT PITTSBURGH, 6:30
CHICAGO AT INDIANAPOLIS, 7:00
TAMPA BAY AT N.Y. JETS, 7:30
KANSAS CITY AT ARIZONA, 8:00
NEW ENGLAND AT GREEN BAY, 8:00
TENNESSEE AT MINNESOTA, 8:00
DENVER AT SAN FRANCISCO, 8:30
LAS VEGAS AT L.A. RAMS, 9:00
DALLAS AT SEATTLE, 10:00
SUNDAY, AUGUST 20
NEW ORLEANS AT L.A. CHARGERS, 7:05
MONDAY, AUGUST 21
BALTIMORE AT WASHINGTON (ESPN), 8:00
WEEK 3
THURSDAY, AUGUST 24
PITTSBURGH AT ATLANTA, 7:30
INDIANAPOLIS AT PHILADELPHIA (PRIME VIDEO), 8:00
FRIDAY, AUGUST 25
DETROIT AT CAROLINA (CBS), 8:00
NEW ENGLAND AT TENNESSEE, 8:15
L.A. CHARGERS AT SAN FRANCISCO, 10:00
SATURDAY, AUGUST 26
BUFFALO AT CHICAGO, 1:00
SEATTLE AT GREEN BAY, 1:00
CLEVELAND AT KANSAS CITY, 1:00
ARIZONA AT MINNESOTA, 1:00
N.Y. JETS AT N.Y. GIANTS, 6:00
CINCINNATI AT WASHINGTON, 6:05
MIAMI AT JACKSONVILLE, 7:00
BALTIMORE AT TAMPA BAY, 7:00
LAS VEGAS AT DALLAS, 8:00
L.A. RAMS AT DENVER, 9:00
SUNDAY, AUGUST 27
HOUSTON AT NEW ORLEANS (FOX), 8:00
WEEK 1 REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE
DETROIT LIONS AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (THU) 7:20P (CT) 8:20P NBC
CAROLINA PANTHERS AT ATLANTA FALCONS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX
HOUSTON TEXANS AT BALTIMORE RAVENS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS
CINCINNATI BENGALS AT CLEVELAND BROWNS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS 12:00P (CT) 1:00P CBS
TENNESSEE TITANS AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 12:00P (CT) 1:00P CBS
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX
ARIZONA CARDINALS AT WASHINGTON COMMANDERS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX
GREEN BAY PACKERS AT CHICAGO BEARS 3:25P (CT) 4:25P FOX
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS AT DENVER BRONCOS 2:25P (MT) 4:25P CBS
MIAMI DOLPHINS AT LOS ANGELES CHARGERS 1:25P (PT) 4:25P CBS
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 4:25P (ET) 4:25P CBS
LOS ANGELES RAMS AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS 1:25P (PT) 4:25P FOX
DALLAS COWBOYS AT NEW YORK GIANTS 8:20P (ET) 8:20P NBC
BUFFALO BILLS AT NEW YORK JETS (MON) 8:15P (ET) 8:15P ESPN/ABC
TOP NATIONAL RELEASES/HEADLINES
BASEBALL NEWS
MLB ROUNDUP: CUBS EARN WALK-OFF WIN OVER WHITE SOX
Christopher Morel clubbed a three-run, walk-off homer in the ninth inning as the host Chicago Cubs rallied for a 4-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night.
The Cubs managed just three hits over seven innings and struck out seven times against White Sox starter Mike Clevinger. They trailed 3-0 entering the eighth, when Nick Madrigal delivered a pinch-hit solo home run off Aaron Bummer.
After Gregory Santos (2-1) allowed a double to Cody Bellinger and walked Dansby Swanson to open the ninth, Morel lined a 1-2 pitch into the right-center-field bleachers.
Morel’s homer made a winner of Drew Smyly (9-8), who struck out two in a scoreless top of the ninth. Gavin Sheets clubbed a two-run homer for the White Sox.
Angels 2, Rangers 0
Reid Detmers carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning and Los Angeles prevailed in a pitchers’ duel at Arlington, Texas.
Detmers (3-9) did not allow a hit until Marcus Semien’s one-out double in the eighth. The hit came on Detmers’ 108th and final pitch. Shohei Ohtani tallied three of Los Angeles’ eight hits in the victory, including a solo home run in the first inning. Matt Thaiss added a solo shot in the top of the ninth.
By dropping the finale of a three-game series, Texas saw its nine-game home winning streak end. Rangers starter Jon Gray (8-6) gave up six hits and one run in seven innings.
Diamondbacks 9, Rockies 7
Christian Walker hit a pair of two-run homers and finished with three hits, Kyle Lewis and Corbin Carroll had two hits each and Arizona beat Colorado in Denver.
Walker finished the series with four two-run home runs, and the last one proved to be a game-winner. With the Rockies leading 7-6 in the eighth, Tommy Pham led off with a single off Tyler Kinley (0-1) and Walker hit his 28th homer into the Arizona bullpen to make it 8-7.
Kyle Nelson (7-3) got the win and Paul Sewald picked up his 25th save for the Diamondbacks, who have won four of their past five. Ryan McMahon homered among his three hits, Nolan Jones also went deep and Ezequiel Tovar had three hits for Colorado, which has lost seven of eight.
Dodgers 7, Brewers 1
Clayton Kershaw gave up one run over five innings, Miguel Rojas and Chris Taylor hit home runs and Los Angeles extended its season-best winning streak to 10 games with a victory over visiting Milwaukee.
Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Will Smith, the top three hitters in the Dodgers’ order, each had three hits. Betts scored four runs as the Dodgers improved to 14-1 in August. Kershaw (11-4) allowed three hits in his second start since missing six weeks with a shoulder injury.
Mark Canha homered and Wade Miley (6-3) gave up four runs (three earned) in five innings for the National League Central-leading Brewers, who have dropped the first two games of the three-game series to the NL West-leading Dodgers after arriving on a four-game winning streak.
Mets 8, Pirates 3
DJ Stewart homered twice and finished with three RBIs for host New York, which beat Pittsburgh in the rubber match of a three-game series.
Francisco Lindor’s two-run single closed out a three-run second inning and Pete Alonso added a solo shot in the seventh for the Mets. New York starter Tylor Megill (7-6) surrendered two runs on five hits over five innings.
Bryan Reynolds homered for the Pirates and Alika Williams laced a sixth-inning RBI single. Pittsburgh starter Johan Oviedo (6-13) gave up four runs on five hits over four-plus innings.
Tigers 8, Twins 7
Spencer Torkelson hit two home runs, Riley Greene added a homer and drove in four and Detroit rallied from an early four-run deficit to defeat Minnesota at Minneapolis.
It was the fourth multi-homer game of Torkelson’s career. Tyler Holton (2-2) picked up the win with 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief.
Jorge Polanco and Max Kepler hit home runs, Edouard Julien had four hits and two RBIs and Royce Lewis had three hits for Minnesota, which had a three-game winning streak snapped.
Rays 6, Giants 1
Aaron Civale threw six shutout innings, Luke Raley hit an inside-the-park home run and Tampa Bay won at host San Francisco to take two of three in the series.
Making his third start for the Rays after he was acquired from the Cleveland Guardians, Civale (6-3) allowed five hits and a walk. He struck out five. Josh Lowe and Brandon Lowe also homered for Tampa Bay.
All three Rays home runs came off Giants bulk-innings reliever Ross Stripling, who was charged with five runs on 11 hits in six innings. Opener Ryan Walker (4-2) took the loss after surrendering an unearned run in the first.
Nationals 6, Red Sox 2
Keibert Ruiz broke a tie with a three-run homer in the eighth inning as Washington beat visiting Boston.
Stone Garrett homered twice for the Nationals, who have won four of their last five games. Jose A. Ferrer (2-0) pitched two-thirds of an inning for the win.
Boston’s Pablo Reyes hit a two-run homer off Jordan Weems with one out in the top of the eighth to tie the score 2-2. Garrett Whitlock (5-4) gave up Ruiz’s decisive blast.
Braves 2, Yankees 0
Charlie Morton threw six shutout innings to help Atlanta sweep a three-game interleague series against visiting New York. The Braves prevailed despite producing just three hits.
The Braves have won six of their last seven. The Yankees have lost five in a row, the last two by shutout, completed their road trip with a 2-7 record and dropped below .500 for the first time this season.
Morton (12-10), who walked seven batters in his previous start, allowed only one walk and matched his season high with 10 strikeouts. The veteran allowed four hits, all singles. New York starter Randy Vasquez (2-2) worked 3 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on two hits.
Mariners 6, Royals 5
Julio Rodriguez collected four hits and Seattle took advantage of a rare error by Maikel Garcia to slide past host Kansas City.
The score was 4-4 in the eighth when Seattle’s Dylan Moore led off with a short-hop grounder to third base. Garcia couldn’t make the play on the backhand, his first error in 28 games. Moore stole second and eventually scored on Teoscar Hernandez’s foul-ball sacrifice fly against Dylan Coleman (0-1).
Mariners starter Luis Castillo (9-7) surrendered four runs on nine hits in seven innings. Garcia went 1-for-5, extending his hitting streak to 18 games.
Astros 12, Marlins 5
Alex Bregman, Kyle Tucker and Chas McCormick homered during a five-run first inning as Houston defeated host Miami in the rubber match of a three-game series.
Bregman and Tucker each drove in three runs, helping Justin Verlander (8-6) earn the victory. Verlander struggled through five innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on nine hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
The Astros, who never trailed, are now 10-5 this month. The Marlins’ Jake Burger had three hits, including a two-run double.
Athletics 8, Cardinals 0
Paul Blackburn threw seven scoreless innings as visiting Oakland blanked St. Louis.
Blackburn (3-3) held the Cardinals to six hits and a walk while striking out eight. Austin Pruitt pitched the last two innings to complete the shutout.
Zack Gelof and Jordan Diaz each drove in two runs for the A’s, who snapped a five-game losing streak. Gelof went 4-for-5 with a stolen base, and Diaz reached base three times.
Reds 7, Guardians 2
Matt McLain had three hits, three RBIs and two steals and TJ Friedl added three hits, three runs and a pair of spectacular catches to lead Cincinnati past visiting Cleveland.
Reds rookie Andrew Abbott (8-3) allowed just two runs on six hits in five innings. He struck out five without issuing a walk. Cincinnati has won 11 of his 14 starts this season.
Cleveland, which lost for the 10th time in 15 games, hurt its own cause by committing four errors.
Phillies 9, Blue Jays 4
Bryce Harper hit two solo homers and Jake Cave added a solo shot as visiting Philadelphia defeated Toronto.
Cave also had a sacrifice fly as the Phillies ended a three-game losing streak while gaining a split of the two-game set.
Daulton Varsho hit a two-run homer for the Blue Jays.
Padres 5, Orioles 2
Fernando Tatis Jr. had three hits, an RBI and a straight steal of home to lead San Diego over visiting Baltimore in the rubber match of a three-game series.
Padres starter Blake Snell (10-8) gave up two runs on three hits and two walks with five strikeouts in six innings. His major-league-leading ERA rose from 2.63 to 2.65. Josh Hader tossed a scoreless ninth inning for his 27th save.
Ryan Mountcastle homered for the Orioles. Dean Kremer (11-5) yielded three runs on five hits in six innings.
CUBS RHP MARCUS STROMAN HAS A RIB CARTILAGE FRACTURE, AND THERE IS NO TIMETABLE FOR HIS RETURN
CHICAGO (AP) Chicago Cubs right-hander Marcus Stroman has a right rib cartilage fracture, and there is no timetable for his return.
The new injury for Stroman, who was placed on the 15-day injured list Aug. 2 because of inflammation in his right hip, is a blow for the Cubs as they try for the franchise’s first playoff appearance since 2020.
“He’s been an important part of our success when he’s healthy, and you know, it stinks. Bad news,” manager David Ross said. “But we’ll continue on. This game moves on.”
Stroman was slated to come off the IL and start Wednesday against the White Sox, but he experienced some discomfort in the rib area after throwing a bullpen session Sunday in Toronto. He visited a doctor Monday and had an MRI that showed the cartilage fracture.
“We had no idea what it was,” President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer said. “It’s not your usual pitching injury. It’s not an arm. It’s not a shoulder. It’s not an elbow.”
The Cubs want Stroman to be symptom-free before he resumes baseball activities, and they aren’t sure when the All-Star might get to that point – given the unusual injury for a pitcher. So Hoyer and Ross had little to offer when asked for a potential timeline for Stroman’s return.
“We don’t really know at this point,” Hoyer said. “I think we’ll obviously give him a real rest period and see how he feels. But again, it’s not a real common pitching injury. I’ve never seen that before, so for me to speculate, would be just false.”
The 32-year-old Stroman, who can become a free agent after the season, had a 2.28 ERA after his first 16 starts this year. But he had struggled before his IL stint, going 1-4 with a 9.00 ERA in his last nine games.
Javier Assad started the series finale against the White Sox, pitching six innings of three-run ball in the Cubs’ 4-3 victory. Ross mentioned Drew Smyly and Hayden Wesneski as two rotation possibilities while Stroman is out.
Smyly has pitched a scoreless inning in each of his last two appearances, picking up the win on Wednesday night. The Cubs are hoping he can find his form after a rough stretch when he had a 9.00 ERA over eight appearances, including six starts.
“I think we’ve got a great team,” Ross said. “We’ve got a great starting staff. We got a really good bullpen. Stro’s a really good pitcher. We all know that, and he’s been a big part of our success. But anybody can win on any given day, and we’ve got a lot of talent in that room.”
RANGERS RELEASE C KEVIN PLAWECKI FROM TRIPLE-A ROSTER
The Texas Rangers released veteran catcher Kevin Plawecki, who had been assigned to their Triple-A club at Round Rock.
Plawecki, 32, now becomes a free agent and can try to catch on with a team in the playoff hunt that needs depth at catcher. The deadline to add playoff-eligible players is Sept. 1.
His release was posted on the minor league baseball transactions page.
Plawecki has had trouble sticking with a team after he became a free agent last November. He’s been in the Washington, Pittsburgh and San Diego organizations this season, and the Rangers bought his contract from the Padres on July 28. He has not appeared in a major league game in 2023.
He played in 10 games with Round Rock, hitting .294.
The 35th overall pick by the Mets in the 2012 MLB Draft, Plawecki has a career batting average of .235 with 22 home runs and 137 RBIs in 447 games with New York, Cleveland, Boston and Texas.
NFL NEWS
RAVENS UNSURE WHEN MARLON HUMPHREY CAN RETURN FROM FOOT SURGERY; HARBAUGH SAYS INJURY NOT LONG TERM
OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey was set to have foot surgery Wednesday, a potentially significant blow to the team’s defensive backfield.
Coach John Harbaugh said it isn’t a long-term injury, but he didn’t give a more specific timeline and the start of the regular season is less than four weeks away.
“There’s no long-term concern, and that’s good,” Harbaugh said. “There’s plenty of short-term concern. We’ve got to look at that, and it starts with the guys you have. We have guys that are ready to play.”
Aside from star quarterback Lamar Jackson, Humphrey might be Baltimore’s most important player. He made his third Pro Bowl last season and is a reliable presence at a cornerback position that has been in a bit of flux this past offseason.
Gone is Marcus Peters, who had been with the Ravens since 2019. He was a free agent for a while, but he finally signed with Las Vegas just before the beginning of training camp.
The Ravens signed Rock Ya-Sin, but his health has been an issue so far. Same with fellow cornerbacks Jalyn Armour-Davis, Pepe Williams, Arthur Maulet and Trayvon Mullen.
The Ravens and Washington Commanders held their second of two joint practices at Baltimore’s facility Wednesday. After a couple of fights broke out Tuesday, there were two more significant tussles early Wednesday, but the rest of practice went pretty much without incident.
Harbaugh said Humphrey’s injury is an issue that’s lingered. The defensive back spoke to reporters Tuesday and gave no indication anything was amiss.
“They took a look at it, and said, ‘You know what? That’s something we want to take care of now instead of waiting,’” Harbaugh said.
Humphrey has been with the Ravens through his first six NFL seasons. He is one of three players in franchise history – joining Hall of Famers Ray Lewis and Ed Reed – to reach double digits in interceptions (12) and forced fumbles (13) in his career.
“It definitely hurts the defense when a leader like Marlon is not out there with us, but I know he’ll get back as soon as he can,” linebacker Roquan Smith said. “We’ll try to pick up the slack when he’s not out there. But I’m looking forward to him being up there pretty soon.”
The Ravens open the season Sept. 10 against Houston.
Cornerback Kevon Seymour made a couple of starts for the Ravens in 2021 and is still with the team, and Baltimore recently made some additions to its secondary, adding Tae Hayes and DeAndre Houston-Carson. It’s not a great time to be looking for help in the free agent market.
“It’s late. Most guys are on teams right now, so part of that with the guys who are veteran guys is: Who’s in shape? Who’s been working?” Harbaugh said. “You have to be ready to go. When you look at that, it’s really on those guys to be ready to play.”
LIONS RECEIVERS ST. BROWN, WILLIAMS LEAVE JOINT PRACTICE WITH JAGUARS WITH INJURIES
ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) Lions wide receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams went down with injuries on the first day of joint practices with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Wednesday.
St. Brown, one of the Lions’ top stars on offense, injured his right ankle after a catch during a 7-on-7 drill. He needed a hand to get up and off the turf. The third-year receiver stayed on the sideline and attempted to walk it off, but never got back into practice.
Williams was going for a deep ball when he pulled up and grabbed his right hamstring. He went for treatment and never returned to the practice field.
It is the second injury this camp for Williams, who injured his leg on the second day and missed four practices. His time on the field during camp is crucial because once the season starts he will be suspended for six games for violating the league’s gambling policy.
Williams, who is coming off an injury-shortened rookie season, played deep into the third quarter in the preseason win over the New York Giants on Friday night. He was targeted seven times with two catches for 18 yards.
St. Brown, a key to the Lions’ big expectations this season, has been impressive throughout training camp making tough catches, picking up where he left off last season when he was the Lions top receiver with 1,161 yards and six touchdowns in 16 games.
Depth at receiver is not at issue with veterans including Kalif Raymond, Josh Reynolds and Marvin Jones, along with several youngsters who could see more playing time.
“Whatever happens in this league, it’s, ‘Hey, we need people to step up.’ It gives them more reps and as many reps as they could have, that could benefit them,” Jones said Wednesday. “They always have to take advantage of that.”
The Jaguars and Lions will hold another joint practice on Thursday and then play a preseason game on Saturday at Ford Field.
TITANS HOPE TREYLON BURKS ISN’T SERIOUSLY HURT AFTER LEFT LEG INJURY IN PRACTICE VS. VIKINGS
EAGAN, Minn. (AP) Tennessee Titans wide receiver Treylon Burks was injured during practice with the Minnesota Vikings on Wednesday and unable to put weight on his left leg, a potential setback for an offense counting on a significant contribution from the second-year player.
Burks caught a deep pass in a one-on-one drill against Vikings cornerback Akayleb Evans, stumbling forward as his momentum carried him to the ground. The 2022 first-round draft pick limped to his feet as he grabbed at his leg and realized he’d need help off the field. Titans medical staff carted him off for further examination. Titans coach Mike Vrabel was not available for comment after practice.
“You hate seeing that. We’ll find out more information and see what’s really going on, but hopefully he’s going to be all right,” quarterback Ryan Tannehill said. “He seemed obviously upset and understandably so. Our thoughts and prayers are with him right now, and hopefully it’s not too bad.”
Burks, the 18th overall selection last year out of Arkansas, had 33 catches for 444 yards and one touchdown as a rookie. He’s paired with newcomer DeAndre Hopkins in the starting lineup at wide receiver, after the Titans ranked third worst in the NFL last season in passing yards.
The Titans and Vikings held the first of two joint practice sessions ahead of their preseason game on Saturday night.
Vikings rookie wide receiver Jordan Addison didn’t participate because he’s in the concussion protocol with minor symptoms after a recent practice, coach Kevin O’Connell said.
RAIDERS ACTIVATE FIRST-ROUND PICK DE TYREE WILSON (FOOT)
The Las Vegas Raiders activated rookie defensive end Tyree Wilson from the non-football injury list Wednesday.
The No. 7 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft has been sidelined since undergoing foot surgery last November.
The 6-foot-6, 275-pound Wilson is clear to start practicing with the Raiders, coach Josh McDaniels confirmed.
“It’s progressing the way we thought it would,” McDaniels said. “So now it’s time to take the next step here and get him on the field and in his pads. Start working toward the ability to be in team drills and all that stuff.”
Wilson, 23, played three seasons at Texas Tech (2020-22) after one season at Texas A&M. He racked up 17 sacks and 122 tackles for loss in 43 games.
REPORTS: BUCS WR RUSSELL GAGE SUFFERS SERIOUS KNEE INJURY
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Russell Gage was carted off the practice field with a knee injury Wednesday.
NFL Network said the non-contact injury, sustained while he was backpedaling during a joint practice with the New York Jets, is potentially season-ending.
Gage, 27, was said to be emotional and in tears as he was leaving the field, with teammates taking a knee around him in Florham Park, N.J.
Gage caught 51 passes for 426 yards and a career-high five touchdowns in 13 games (four starts) in his first season with the Buccaneers in 2022.
He has 244 receptions for 2,491 yards and 14 scores in 74 games (25 starts) with the Bucs and Atlanta Falcons, who drafted him in the sixth round in 2018.
Gage is listed as a starter on the Tampa Bay depth chart, along with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. His absence would give more playing time to Trey Palmer, Deven Thompkins and David Moore, among other wide receivers on the roster.
DOLPHINS DT CHRISTIAN WILKINS SITS OUT, SEEKS NEW DEAL
Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Christian Wilkins skipped team drills on Wednesday due to his ongoing contract negotiations.
The 2019 first-round draft pick (13th overall) has started every game the past two seasons and is entering the final year of his rookie deal. He is set to earn $10.75 million this season on his fifth-year option but is seeking a long-term contract.
Wilkins, 27, has been attending practice this week but has remained on the sidelines during team drills.
“Christian is such a good player, such an important person in the locker room who has made it clear he feels that his play is deserving of a contract,” head coach Mike McDaniel said Wednesday, per ESPN. “We would agree, as the Miami Dolphins organization. Henceforth, we are in negotiations, as a result, he has not participated in team [drills]. When he next participates, that’ll be up to him.”
McDaniel said he is “comfortable” with the situation and has remained in constant contact with Wilkins throughout the negotiation process.
A team captain the past two seasons, Wilkins has recorded 290 tackles, 11.5 sacks, four fumble recoveries and one interception in 64 games (60 starts).
Many of his NFL contemporaries have signed lucrative deals this offseason. The Washington Commanders’ Daron Payne signed a four-year, $90 million extension, and the New York Giants’ Dexter Lawrence will earn $87.5 million over his four-year pact. The Tennessee Titans’ Jeffery Simmons got a four-year, $94 million deal, and the New York Jets signed Quinnen Williams to a four-year, $96 million contract.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW: UTAH UTES
2022 Record: 10-4 overall, 7-2 in Pac-12
Head Coach: Kyle Whittingham, 19th year: 154-74
Take a wee step back for a moment and think about the high-rent district issues Utah is currently facing.
Okay, so it hasn’t been able to make the College Football Playoff yet. Think of it this way. If the CFP expansion that’s coming next season was in place from the start, we’d be wondering whether or not 2023 Utah was about to make it four playoff appearances in the last five seasons.
Here’s the other way to put it. 13 years ago Utah was still in the Mountain West Conference. Ten years ago the question was whether or not 2014 was a win-or-else season for head coach Kyle Whittingham after two straight 5-7 campaigns. Now Utah is a two-time defending Pac-12 champion coming off two straight Rose Bowl appearances.
Even more impressive is that now the success is expected – that’s how consistently good this program is. Even more impressive than that is how Whittingham – if everything breaks right – might have one of his strongest teams yet.
The schedule is challenging for a team with playoff dreams – and a disaster for anyone else – and the Utes are paying the cost of doing business as a powerhouse program with the loss of some major parts of the two conference champion teams.
But in a year when most of the attention will be paid to USC and UCLA before they leave, and Oregon with its dangerous team, and Coach Prime in Colorado, and Washington with its high-powered offense, and with the coaching changes at Arizona State and Stanford, and with Oregon State and Washington State rising up …
Until further notice, the Pac-12’s top dog is in Salt Lake City.
Utah Utes Preview: Offense
Is Cameron Rising healthy enough to keep being the ultra-consistent Cameron Rising who led the way to the two Pac-12 titles? He suffered a torn ACL in the Rose Bowl and is on track to being all systems go by the start of the season, but it’s not like there’s a ton of time to ease back in with Florida and at Baylor to kick things off.
Over the last two seasons he threw for over 5,500 yards with 46 touchdowns and ran for close to 1,000 yards and 12 scores. Bryson Barnes saw time in the Rose Bowl, and Brandon Rose might be the star of the future with high-end pro passing skills, but Rising is the main man for the attack.
The receiving corps will be fine. Devaughn Vele led the wide receivers in receptions, Money Parks is a big play threat averaging close to 16 yards per pop, and coming off an injury, TE Brant Kuithe should go back to being his dangerous self – he led the team in receptions in 2021 – with a little bit of time, but …
It’s Utah. It’s going to pound away. The offensive line is very tough, very powerful, and it’s going to once again be great in pass protection and a steamroller for a ground game that should be among the most effective in college football.
Sataoa Laumea is the all-star who’ll be someone’s NFL right tackle or guard next year at this time, the guards are great, and Falcon Kaumatule is promising as the new left tackle to takeover for Braeden Daniels.
Again, it’s Utah. It’ll all be fine up front, especially for the 1-2 rushing punch of Ja’Quinden Jackson – who averaged 6.8 yards per pop with nine scores – and veteran Micah Bernard who averaged well over five yards per carry with 1,056 yards over the last two seasons.
Utah Utes Preview: Defense
The defense will be another killer, and could and should be better than last year’s version. The Utes led the Pac-12 in sacks and tackles for loss, was second in total defense behind Oregon State, and was a brick wall against the run. It was also dominant on third downs for one of the nation’s best teams at controlling the time of possession battle.
Leading sacker Gabe Reid is gone from one end, and top tackle for loss guy Mohamoud Diabate is done at linebacker. Pretty much everyone else is back, starting with another talented defensive front around future NFL DT Junior Tafuna. With Tafuna combining with a nice rotation on the ends, the line will be outstanding and …
The linebackers are potentially devastating. Karene Reid is a great hitter with strong pass rushing skills in a hybrid role, and Lander Barton should be a stat-sheet filler taking over in the middle for Diabate. There’s a nice mix of size, speed, a whole lot of depth, and …
Good luck getting physical on this secondary. S Cole Bishop is the All-Pac-12 star of the show – he led the team with 83 stops – and the corners might turn out to be the team’s not-so-hidden gem. Clark Phillips is now an Atlanta Falcon, but things are fine with JaTravis Broughton and Zemiah Vaughn two veterans in place along with the very big, very good Ole Miss transfer Miles Battle.
Utah Preview 2023: Keys To The Season, Top Players, What Will Happen
Utah Utes Key To The Season
Beat a really, REALLY good team away from Rice-Eccles. How does Utah with that toughness and that talent and that style of play not power its way to more big wins on the road?
This doesn’t even count the season-opening loss to Florida last year, which set the tone from the start. Since 2016, Utah is 3-13 away from Salt Lake City against teams that finished with nine wins or more. Two of those wins were the last two Pac-12 Championships, and the other was in 2018 against Stanford. That doesn’t include the loss to Washington in 2020 – who went 5-1 – but it does include bowl games.
There will be several brutal road games to deal with – more on that in the end – and Utah can only afford to drop one if it has any hope of the CFP.
Utah Utes Top Transfer, Biggest Loss
CB Miles Battle in from Ole Miss, C Paul Maile gone to BYU. The Utah line will be fantastic no matter what – it always is – but it would’ve been that much better with its veteran center around who started most of the last three years somewhere in the interior.
Battle is a 6-4, 195-pound tough corner who made 60 tackles with two picks and 12 broken up passes over the last two seasons for Ole Miss. He’ll fit right in as part of the great rotation of defensive backs.
NBA NEWS
CELTICS C KRISTAPS PORZINGIS (PLANTAR FASCIITIS) OUT 4-6 WEEKS
Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis will spend the next four to six weeks rehabbing his right foot after being diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, the team announced Wednesday.
The veteran big man, acquired in a three-team trade from the Washington Wizards in June, is expected to be ready for the start of training camp.
The foot injury forced Porzingis to announce Tuesday that he won’t compete for Latvia at the upcoming FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Porzingis, 28, averaged a career-best 23.2 points for the Wizards last season as well as 8.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.5 blocks in 65 games. He also shot a career-best 49.8 percent from the floor, with his 38.5 percent accuracy on 3-pointers the second best of his career.
A 2017-18 All-Star, Porzingis has averaged 19.6 points and 7.9 rebounds in seven seasons with the New York Knicks (2015-18), Dallas Mavericks (2019-22) and Wizards (2022-23).
Porzingis exercised the $36 million option on his contract for the upcoming season to facilitate the trade that saw guard Marcus Smart dealt to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Boston later signed Porzingis to a two-year extension that runs through the 2025-26 season.
NUGGETS’ JAMAL MURRAY WON’T PLAY FOR CANADA IN WORLD CUP
Nuggets standout Jamal Murray will not play for Canada in the FIBA Men’s Basketball World Cup, citing the physical drain that resulted from Denver’s NBA championship season.
“When I came into training camp, I wanted to see how my body would respond after a long and demanding season and if I would be physically able to compete at the highest level required for the World Cup,” Murray, 26, said in a statement released by Canada Basketball on Wednesday.
“In consultation with medical staff and the team, it is clear that additional recovery is required, and I have made the difficult decision to not participate in the tournament. It’s still a dream of mine to represent Canada at the Olympics, and I will support the team every step of the way as they pursue this goal.”
Canada is one of 32 teams taking place in the World Cup between Aug. 25 and Sept. 10. The Canadians can advance directly to the 2024 Paris Olympics with a top-two finish among teams from the Americas.
“After numerous discussions over the last several weeks with Jamal and team medical staff, it became clear that additional recovery and rehab would prevent Jamal from joining our team for the upcoming FIBA Men’s Basketball World Cup,” said Rowan Barrett, the team general manager.
Canada, 15th in the FIBA world rankings, opens group play against France on Aug. 25 and also will face Lebanon and Latvia in Jakarta, Indonesia, in its quest to qualify for the final phase in Manila, Philippines.
Even without Murray on the roster, the Canadians have an impressive group in their camp, including NBA players Nickeil Alexander-Walker, RJ Barrett, Dillon Brooks, Luguentz Dort, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Kelly Olynyk and Dwight Powell.
Purdue center Zach Edey, the reigning NCAA National Player of the Year, also is set to play for Canada.
Murray played 65 regular-season games for the Nuggets in 2022-23 after missing the previous season due to an ACL injury. He added 20 playoff games, and he averaged 26.1 points, 7.1 assists and 5.7 rebounds over 40 minutes per game during the championship run.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
US WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM COACH VLATKO ANDONOVSKI RESIGNS AFTER EARLY WORLD CUP EXIT, AP SOURCE SAYS
(AP) — U.S. women’s national team coach Vlatko Andonovski has resigned, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
The move comes less than two weeks after the Americans were knocked out of the Women’s World Cup earlier than ever before.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the move had not been officially announced. An announcement was expected Thursday.
The four-time tournament champions struggled throughout the World Cup. A victory over Vietnam to kick off the group stage was followed by a pair of draws against Netherlands and Portugal – barely enough to get the team into the knockout stage,
The Americans played well in the Round of 16 against Sweden, but ultimately fell on penalties after a scoreless tie. The U.S. scored just four goals over the course of the tournament.
The United States had never finished worse that third at the World Cup.
The 46-year-old Andonovski was named coach of the United States in October 2019, taking over for Jill Ellis, who led the United States to back-to-back World Cup titles. He finished 51-5-9 during his time with the team, and was 3-2-5 in major tournaments.
Following the match against Sweden, Andonovski said he wasn’t thinking about his future with the team – only his young players. Fourteen players on the U.S. roster were appearing in their first World Cup, and 12 of them had never played in a major tournament.
“We spent four years together. They got their first caps with me, they got their first national-team call-ups with me,” Andonovski said. “We spent tough times, good times. I don’t want to see them like that. That’s all I think about.”
It wasn’t just the World Cup that hurt Andonovski’s chances of keeping his job. The United States also finished with a disappointing bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
Following the Olympics, Andonovski turned his attention on developing young players ahead of the World Cup. Some of the players who emerged were Sophia Smith, last year’s U.S. Soccer Player of the Year, and Trinity Rodman.
The United States was bitten by injuries in the run-up to the tournament, losing a pair of key players. Mallory Swanson injured her knee during a friendly in April, and captain Becky Sauerbrunn couldn’t recover from a foot injury in time.
Promising young forward Catarina Macario tore her ACL playing for her club team Lyon last year and also wasn’t ready to play in the World Cup.
The World Cup was challenging for many elite teams because of the ever-growing parity in the women’s game. Germany, Brazil and Canada, the winners in Tokyo, also got knocked out early. Sunday’s final between England and Spain in Sydney will give the tournament a first-time winner.
Andonovski was head coach of Seattle’s OL Reign in the National Women’s Soccer League when he was hired. During his seven years in the NWSL, he led the now-defunct FC Kansas City from the league’s inception in 2013 until the club folded in 2017, winning two league titles with the team.
Andonovski, a native of Skopje, Macedonia, played for several teams in Europe before embarking on a professional indoor soccer career in the United States.
His predecessor on the U.S. team, Ellis, was named coach of the team in 2014 and led the U.S. to eight overall tournament titles, including victories at the World Cup in 2015 and 2019. Over the course of her tenure, the United States lost just seven matches.
Now the process will start to find a replacement, and the timeline is relatively short. The United States has already qualified for the 2024 Olympics in France.
Before that, the team has a pair of exhibition matches against South Africa on Sept. 21 in Cincinnati and Sept. 24 in Chicago.
MEN’S GOLF
LUCAS GLOVER VIES FOR THIRD STRAIGHT AT BMW CHAMPIONSHIP
Jon Rahm, Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy remain Nos. 1-3 in the FedEx Cup standings, and they’re widely considered the three best players on the PGA Tour. But no golfer has been in hotter form than Lucas Glover.
The 43-year-old finds himself in the spotlight after winning back-to-back weeks to leap to the No. 4 spot in the FedEx Cup playoffs, which resume Thursday at the BMW Championship in the Chicago suburb of Olympia Fields, Ill.
“Obviously a pretty fun couple of weeks, not to put it too lightly,” Glover said Tuesday. “Been a bit of a whirlwind, as well.”
After outlasting a star-studded field at the FedEx St. Jude Championship and beating Patrick Cantlay in a playoff Sunday, Glover was able to catch his breath Monday while heavy rain at Olympia Fields Country Club kept players from seeing much of the golf course.
Glover’s claim to fame was winning the 2009 U.S. Open, but for the better part of the past 10 years he battled the yips with his putter. He’s fared much better in 2023 and won the Wyndham Championship two weeks ago to make the playoff field at the last possible moment.
Glover has a tall task ahead of him to keep his winning streak going. The last player to win three weeks in a row on the PGA Tour was Tiger Woods in 2006.
“I think it’s just kind of the story of being stubborn the right way and persevering,” Glover said. “… Gotten a lot of encouragement from the fans the last couple weeks and then the last couple days here. If it gives one person hope, then it makes me happy, too.”
When Olympia Fields last hosted the BMW Championship in 2020, Rahm won a playoff against Dustin Johnson in stunning fashion. The Spaniard hit a 66 1/2-foot birdie putt that took a 90-degree right turn down a slope and tracked straight into the cup.
Rahm and Johnson shot 4-under 276 that week amid difficult scoring conditions.
“It’s a great layout, a great test, especially last time getting to see it basically as a U.S. Open setup, right,” Rahm said this week. “We don’t usually get at this time of year events where 4 under goes into a playoff. That was unbelievable to see.
“It’s going to be a little bit different because we’re not going to get that. It’s been wet and rainy, so we’ll see how it plays. It’s going to play a lot longer, let me tell you.”
The top 30 in FedEx Cup points after this tournament will advance to the season-ending Tour Championship.
Jordan Spieth (No. 27), Sungjae Im of South Korea (No. 28) and Sam Burns (No. 30) are among the notable players teetering on the edge of the top 30. The first man out as of now is Sahith Theegala, while Englishmen Justin Rose (No. 32) and Matt Fitzpatrick (No. 40) and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama (No. 47) also have work to do to advance.
One subplot for the Americans in the field is the Ryder Cup. The BMW is the final chance for American players to earn qualifying points toward one of the six automatic berths onto the U.S. roster; Zach Johnson will then make six captain’s picks to round out the team.
Scheffler and Wyndham Clark have already locked up two of the automatic spots.
“I think about the Ryder Cup every second I’m awake, basically,” said Keegan Bradley, who enters the week No. 11 in the U.S. standings. “My biggest thing right now is trying not to think about it while I’m playing because it’s important to me.”
2023 BMW CHAMPIONSHIP: PREVIEW, PROP PICKS, BEST BETS
Just as everyone expected, the star of the show at this year’s FedEx Cup playoffs is not Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm or Scottie Scheffler, but Lucas Glover.
The 43-year-old’s claim to fame before this month was his major victory at the 2009 U.S. Open. On paper he looked like a one-hit wonder, but he’s changed that perception this summer with terrific golf, culminating in two straight wins.
The first, at the Wyndham Championship, got Glover into the FedEx Cup playoffs at the last minute. The next, at last week’s FedEx St. Jude Championship, has rocketed him into the discussion of who will win the coveted FedEx Cup.
The top 50 players in the FedEx Cup standings after last week’s playoff opener qualified for the BMW. After this week’s tournament in the Chicago suburbs, the top 30 players in points will make it to the season-ending Tour Championship.
Our golf experts break down the BMW Championship, which begins Thursday at Olympia Fields Country Club, and provide their favorite prop picks along with best bets to win this week.
BMW CHAMPIONSHIP
Location: Olympia Fields, Ill.
Course: Olympia Fields Country Club (Par 70, 7,366 yards)
Purse: $20M (Winner: $3.6M)
Defending Champion: Patrick Cantlay
FedEx Cup leader: Jon Rahm
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday, 2-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday, 1-3 p.m. (GC), 3-6 p.m. (CBS); Sunday, 12-2 p.m. (GC), 2-6 p.m. (CBS)
Streaming (ESPN+): Thursday-Sunday, 9:15 a.m.-6 p.m.
PROP PICKS
–Tyrrell Hatton to finish Top 10 (+180 at DraftKings): Olympia Fields is a long par-70 where players are already saying they’ll need to stay in the fairway to have a chance. Hatton is one of those players who’s both long enough and accurate enough with his driver, leading to a No. 11 ranking this season in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee. He’s had four top-10s since May, and though he’s coming off a pedestrian week at the St. Jude, Hatton is in the right form to improve on his respectable T16 finish at this course in 2020.
–Jordan Spieth and Hideki Matsuyama both Top 20 (+175 at BetMGM): Here are two guys who know how to get results when the pressure is on. And the pressure is on: Spieth is precariously on the bubble at No. 27 in the FedEx Cup standings, and Matsuyama is way back at No. 47, needing a three-way tie for fourth or better to qualify for the Tour Championship. Both players had promising showings last week, and Matsuyama can rely on the course knowledge he gained during his T3 finish at Olympia Fields in 2020.
–Emiliano Grillo to beat Sepp Straka in first-round 2-ball (+100 at BetMGM): Time to fade Straka after his stellar run from the John Deere (win) to The Open (T2). He finished 63rd of 70 last week and may struggle with the length of this course. Meanwhile, Grillo keeps showing up on the first pages of leaderboards this year and is in better form than his counterpart (three straight top-20s, including two top-10s).
2023 Prop Picks Record: 37-49-2
BEST BETS
–McIlroy (+700 at BetMGM) used a final-round 65 last week to finish tied for third, one off the pace of Glover and Cantlay. That extended his streak of eight top-10 finishes, starting way back at the PGA Championship.
–Scheffler (+700) is the co-favorite with McIlroy despite the end of his own streak of dominance. He had finished in the top 12 of 18 straight official events, and seven straight in the top five, before tying for 23rd at The Open Championship and tying for 31st last week.
–Rahm (+1000) not only won the last time the tour came to Olympia Fields, he had a bogey-free, 6-under 64 in the final round. He tied for 37th last week but has a win and two second-place finishes since April.
–Cantlay (+1000) will be a popular pick to three-peat at the BMW after his narrow miss at the St. Jude. Three of his past four wins on tour have come at playoff events.
–Viktor Hovland (+1600) hasn’t cracked the top 10 of an event since winning the Memorial Tournament in June, but he tied for 13th last week after finishing with rounds of 64, 65 and 69.
–Tommy Fleetwood (+2200) has never won on North American soil, but starting with his sudden-death playoff loss at the Canadian Open, he has five top-10s and four top-six finishes in six starts, including T3 last week.
–Glover (+3300) has a tall task ahead of him to keep his winning streak going. The last player to win three straight weeks on the PGA Tour was Tiger Woods back in 2006.
–Tony Finau (+4000) may be coming off a 64th-place finish at the St. Jude, but the last time the BMW was played at Olympia Fields he placed fifth. He’s won a playoff event once before, the 2021 Northern Trust.
NOTES
–Glover’s second win in as many weeks catapulted him to fourth in the standings, behind only Rahm, Scheffler and McIlroy. Cantlay, who fell to Glover in a playoff, moved up to fifth.
–Cantlay is the two-time defending champion of the BMW, albeit at two different courses: Caves Valley in 2021 and Wilmington Country Club in 2022.
–The BMW returns to Olympia Fields for the first time since 2020, when Rahm drained a 65-foot putt to beat Dustin Johnson in a playoff. Johnson had made a 45-footer to force the playoff.
–Sam Burns enters the week in the No. 30 spot, while Sahith Theegala is first man out at No. 31. Notable names around the bubble include Hatton (No. 26), Spieth (No. 27), Sungjae Im (No. 28) and Justin Rose (No. 32). Matt Fitzpatrick (No. 40) and Matsuyama (No. 47) will need strong finishes to jump into the top 30.
COLLEGE SPORTS
COMMISH: BIG 12 HAD EXPANSION TALKS WITH UCONN, GONZAGA
Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark said Wednesday that he had expansion talks around basketball with Gonzaga and UConn before the league opted to go in a different direction — landing its “dream scenario.”
Yormark made the comments as a guest on the “Marchand and Ourand Sports Media Podcast.”
The Big 12 recently brought in Pac-12 programs Arizona, Arizona State, Utah and Colorado.
“Unfortunately, things didn’t work out only because the dream scenario unfolded for us, so those conversations are no longer,” Yormark told podcast hosts Andrew Marchand and John Ourand. “I’m a big admirer of both of those programs. They’re fantastic for all the right reasons but I’m focused on the transition of those four (new schools) right now.”
The already deep Big 12 adds perennial top 10 hoops programs in Arizona as well as Houston, one of four schools the conference added last year (Cincinnati, UCF and BYU).
“We are the deepest conference, I think, in America when it comes to football but arguably, we are the No. 1 conference in basketball and I’m excited about that,” Yormark said.
TOP INDIANA NEWS/RELEASES FROM ORGANIZATIONS
COLTS NEWS
TAYLOR LEAVES COLTS TRAINING CAMP FOR 2ND TIME; TEAM CALLS IT AN ‘EXCUSED ABSENCE’
WESTFIELD, Ind. (AP) Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor left the team’s training camp complex for the second time in a week, team officials confirmed in a statement.
The announcement came shortly before Indy and the Chicago Bears held the first of two joint practices at Grand Park in Westfield, Indiana, about a 30-minute drive from team headquarters on the city’s west side.
The 2021 NFL rushing champion has been on the physically unable to perform list since reporting to camp July 25. He had offseason ankle surgery.
“Jonathan Taylor returned to Indianapolis to continue his rehab, however he had a personal matter arise,” the team said. “He is not currently with the team and his absence is excused.”
Taylor left the facility last week to continue rehabbing after the injury forced him to miss six games last season. The former Wisconsin Badgers star also has been embroiled in an ugly contract dispute as he enters the final season of his rookie contract. Taylor is scheduled to make about $4.3 million this year.
Taylor has been one of several prominent running backs leaguewide to publicly complain about how backs are valued given the franchise tag currently sits at $10.1 million – the lowest of any position other than kickers and punters.
Colts owner Jim Irsay and Taylor met for about an hour in Irsay’s motorhome during the first night practice at camp.
Afterward, Irsay said he remained hopeful Taylor would play and play well this season. Then word leaked that Taylor had requested a trade.
The New Jersey prep star produced two 2,000-yard seasons for the Badgers and nearly did it again during his second season with the Colts when he finished with a league-best 1,811 yards. His 20 total TDs that season also tied for the most in the league.
But after totaling 2,980 yards and 29 TD runs in his first two NFL seasons, Taylor missed six games because of the ankle and wound up with 861 yards, four TDs and an average of 4.5 yards per carry – all career lows.
INDIANS BASEBALL
GONZALES HITS, SAINTS ERRORS LIFT INDIANS TO FOURTH STRAIGHT WIN
ST PAUL, Minn. – The Indianapolis Indians capitalized on Nick Gonzales’ fourth hit and St. Paul’s fourth error to plate the game-winning run in the ninth inning and extend their winning streak to four games on Wednesday night at CHS Field, 4-3.
With Mason Martin on second base and one out in the ninth inning, the Indians (54-60, 21-19) were gifted the game-winning run when a ground-ball single by Gonzales went under the glove Gilberto Celestino. Oliver Ortega (L, 3-1) suffered the loss for St. Paul (66-49, 23-18) after taking the mound for the ninth inning.
The game was bookended by errors committed on Gonzales singles, with Indy plating its first run in the opening frame when right fielder DaShawn Keirsey Jr. sailed a throw into the stands along the third-base line to score Ji Hwan Bae.
Indianapolis took a 2-0 lead in the third inning on Gonzales’ seventh homer of the season, a leadoff shot off Saints starter Louie Varland. Gonzales’ homer was the only earned run charged to Varland, with his third and final run surrendered coming on a little league home run by Bae to break a 2-2 tie in the fifth.
Jared Jones took the hill for Indianapolis and fanned a season-high nine batters across 5.1 three-run innings. He exited the game with Indy leading 3-2 in the sixth, but a sacrifice fly by Chris Williams with John O’Reilly (W, 3-3) on the mound tagged Jones with his third run.
O’Reilly took Indianapolis through the eighth inning with 2.2 innings of one-hit ball. Hunter Stratton (S, 4) then came in for the ninth and sat down the final three Saints in order.
Gonzales’ four-hit performance was his second this season, the first coming on April 15 vs. St. Paul. Against the Saints this season, Gonzales is hitting .415 (22-for-53) with nine extra-base hits in 13 games.
The Indians will look to continue their win streak tomorrow night at 8:07 PM ET at CHS Field. RHP Blayne Enlow (2-5, 9.85) will take the mound for St. Paul against LHP Cam Alldred (7-5, 5.14).
INDIANA WOMEN’S SOCCER
HOOSIERS HOST ILLINOIS STATE, VIRGINIA TECH IN WEEK ONE OF THE REGULAR SEASON
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Indiana women’s soccer team begins the 2023 regular season hosting two-games in the week one of the regular season. The Hoosiers will kick off the season against Illinois State on Thursday, Aug. 17 at 8 p.m. ET followed by a Sunday afternoon match against Virginia Tech at 12 p.m. ET at Bill Armstrong Stadium.
B1G+ will provide a stream of both matches. Josh Bode (PxP) and Hayden Smith (Analyst) will be on the call for game one followed by Joe Brennan (PxP) and Cruz Martin (Analyst) in game two.
ABOUT THE REDBIRDS
• Illinois State finished the 2022 season with a 3-14-1 record.
• The Redbirds will return sophomore forward Kelsi McLaughlin who was named to the pre-season All-Conference Honorable Mention team. She started in 15 out of 18 games played, scored two goals and had 19 shots on the season.
• Illinois State also returns key players in sophomore defender Jade Rehberger. She totaled 1,448 minutes on the pitch and started in all 17 games in her rookie season.
• Redshirt freshman Keeper Audrey Brown started in 13 games for the Redbirds making 62 saves between the posts. She totaled three wins along with a .721 save percentage.
ABOUT THE HOKIES
• Virginia Tech will open the season in Indianapolis with a match against the Butler Bulldogs on Thursday, Aug. 17.
• The Hokies finished last season with a 10-7-2 record.
• VT earned their 13th berth into the NCAA Tournament before falling 2-0 in the first round against West Virginia.
• Sophomore forward Taylor Price led the Hokies with eight goals, three assists and 41 shots last season. She tallied four game winning goals and a .488 shot on goal percentage.
• Junior goalkeeper Lauren Hargrove started 17 games between the posts and held 1.43 goals against average. Hargrove posted a 9-7-2 record with six shutouts on the season.
SERIES HISTORY
• This will be the first match up in the series against Illinois State.
• Last season, the Hoosiers battled the ACC team to a 0-0 draw in Blacksburg, Va.
• Virginia Tech leads the series 1-2-1. Last season, the Hoosiers battled the ACC team to a 0-0 draw in Blacksburg, Va.
B1G PRESEASON PLAYERS TO WATCH
• Junior goalkeeper Jamie Gerstenberg, senior defender Zoe Tiger and graduate forward Paige Webber were all named to the Big Ten Preseason Player to Watch list.
• Tiger played in 14 games, making eight starts for the Hoosiers her junior year and played over 800 minutes to aid the Indiana’s defense. Tiger, a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, helped the team to eight shutouts and a defensive record of 788 minutes without conceding a goal. Tiger played a season high 90 minutes in Indiana’s win over Michigan.
• Webber played in 17 games and made 13 starts last season. The Grand Blanc, Mich., native recorded 771 minutes on the pitch last season. Webber, a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, netted the gamewinner over Indiana State and leads the Hoosiers offense. She posted a team-high 23 shots and nine shots on goal.
• Gerstenberg played in 14 games last season totaling 52 saves with .77 goals against average. She totaled six clean sheets leading the Hoosiers to eight straight shutouts and recorded a career-high eight saves in a 0-0 result at Virginia Tech. Gerstenberg was named the Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week twice last season and was named to the All-Big Ten Third Team at the conclusion of the season. She has been a standout between the post and was a member of the 2021 Big Ten All-Freshman Team after she tied the Indiana program record with nine shutouts in her rookie campaign.
2022 SEASON RECAP
• The Hoosiers finished the season with a 3-7-7 record.
• IU ended on a high note after defeating the Michigan Wolverines 1-0 in Ann Arbor.
• Indiana’s backline put up a strong defense after they shutout eight consecutive opponents to open the season. They extended the scoreless streak to a total of 788 minutes this season for a program record of longest consecutive scoreless streak which was set in the 1993 inaugural season.
RANKED OPPONENTS
• Indiana has seven teams that are ranked second edition of the United Soccer Coaches rankings, highlighted by three top-20 Big Ten opponents in No. 10 Penn State, No. 17 Michigan State, No. 18 Northwestern and RV Virginia Tech and Rutgers.
• In the non-conference slate, Indiana will face Virginia Tech who is currently receiving votes as well as Big Ten foe Rutgers.
• Since rankings were tracked during the 2001 season, Indiana has not played more than five ranked opponents in a single season. The Hoosiers took on five ranked foes in 2007, 2009 and 2015.
• The Hoosiers last toppled a ranked opponent on Sept. 8, 2017, with a 1-0 triumph over No. 23 SMU in Dallas, but did earn a result after a 0-0 draw against No. 7 Michigan on Oct. 3, 2021, and against No. 8 Penn State on Sept. 18, 2022.
HOOSIER REWIND
• The 2013 campaign was the most successful season of Indiana women’s soccer. The season featured a school-record 15 victories and included a program-record-tying nine-game single-season unbeaten stretch to open the schedule, a stretch that saw the Hoosier defense concede just two goals.
• The Hoosiers secured the program’s eighth 10-win season in program history, a feat not accomplished since the run put on by the ’13 squad.
• Indiana advanced to the semifinal of the Big Ten Tournament in ’13 before falling to the top-seeded and No.18-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers by a final tally of 3-1.
• IU was selected as an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2007 season. Indiana knocked off DePaul in the first round in a thrilling 1-0 result at Bill Armstrong Stadium. Then freshman Veronica Ellis scored the winner in the 76th minute to secure Indiana’s third NCAA Tournament victory in school history.
• The dream season would end at the hands of the second-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels in the second round.
PURDUE WOMEN’S SOCCER
SEASON BEGINS WITH BGR MATCHUP AGAINST NO. 24 UCF
By: Charlie Healy
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The 2023 season commences at Folk Field as the Purdue soccer team hosts No. 24 UCF on Thursday, August 17, at 7 p.m. ET, in West Lafayette, Indiana.
Admission is free for all fans to the Boiler Gold Rush kick-off game. The first 1,500 students in attendance will receive free Purdue Soccer thunder sticks as they look to create an unmatched home field advantage at Folk Field. The attendance record has been broken each of the last two years at the BGR season-opener, and another large crowd is expected once again on Thursday night.
The game will be broadcast live on B1G+, and live stats are available at PurdueStats.com. Updates also can be found by following and connecting with @PurdueSoccer on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, while direct links to follow along are available on the schedule page at PurdueSports.com/Soccer.
Thursday marks the third annual Boiler Gold Rush game. The season-opening tradition began with a then-record crowd of 2,125 in 2021 that saw the Boilermakers play to a 1-1, double-overtime draw against Kentucky. Last season, the attendance record was broken again as 3,296 fans streamed through the Folk Field gates and encircled the pitch more than 30 minutes before kickoff. The record crowd, which almost doubled what is now No. 3 on the list, saw Purdue upset No. 15 USC, 3-0.
The 2023 Boilermakers feature 21 returners and nine newcomers. Seven of Purdue’s nine goal-scorers from a season ago are back, including the three leading point-scorers from 2022. This year’s roster is made up of one fifth-year, four seniors, nine juniors, eight sophomores and eight freshmen. On the pitch, three goalkeepers are set up behind 15 defenders, seven midfielders and nine forwards.
The 2023 campaign marks the 26th season of Purdue Soccer. It is the team’s 25th year in the Big Ten after a non-conference-only inaugural year in 1998. This also marks the ninth season under head coach Drew Roff.
OPENING WEEKEND SUCCESS
Purdue owns an 8-4-2 record in opening-weekend games in Roff’s first eight seasons. That includes a 6-1-1 mark in season openers and a 7-0-1 record in home-opening contests.
Thursday night’s game is just the third time the Boilermakers will open a campaign against a ranked opponent and the second in as many years. Prior to last season’s 3-0 upset of No. 15 USC, the Boilermakers downed No. 16 St. Mary’s, 1-0 at a neutral site, to begin the 2002 season.
RECORD-BREAKING CROWDS
Purdue fans have helped break multiple attendance records the last two years at Folk Field. The single-game mark of 3,296 was set in the 2022 season-opener, easily topping the previous record of 2,125, set in the 2021 opener. Both passed what is now third on the list, 1,712 set in 2016, as last year’s crowd almost doubles what was the record just more than a year before.
Last season’s average attendance of 822 broke the record of 737, set the previous year. The 2021 mark was fueled by a total of 9,578 fans who packed Folk Field, which remains the best in program history. Also in 2021, Purdue had two home games with at least 1,000 fans, the first time that accomplishment had ever been achieved.
SCOUTING UCF
In its first year in the Big 12 in 2023, UCF is coming off an NCAA Tournament Second Round appearance last season. The Knights went 9-2-7 overall and were 7-0-1 in their final season in the AAC to win the conference’s regular-season crown. UCF’s season concluded with a draw to UCLA in the NCAA Tournament, though the Bruins advanced on penalty kicks on their road to the national championship.
UCF enters the year ranked No. 24 in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE KNIGHTS
The Boilermakers are 1-1 all-time against UCF in a series that began in 1998, Purdue’s inaugural season. That first matchup took place in Orlando, where the home side claimed a 2-1 win. The following season in West Lafayette, Purdue earned a 4-2 win. That 1999 victory was part of a six-game win streak.
UP NEXT: HOSTING THE GAELS
Purdue’s opening weekend concludes against Iona on Sunday, August 20. Kickoff at Folk Field is at noon ET, and admission is free for all fans.
A LOOK BACK AT A MEMORABLE 2022 OPENER
The 2022 opening-night win over No. 15 USC was the Boilermakers’ highest-ranked home win since 2006, and it came in front of 3,296 fans, the largest home crowd in program history by more than 1,000.
In a matchup between two NCAA Tournament, top-25 and conference runners-up from the previous season, Purdue took a 1-0 lead late in the first half on a goal by then-freshman Naomi Splittorff. Then-sophomore Gracie Dunaway added two goals in the second half to seal the top-15 victory while then-freshman Kayla Budish registered two assists.
A complete recap from the match, including box score, postgame comments from coach Drew Roff and highlights, can be found at PurdueSports.com/Soccer.
BIG TEN PLAYERS TO WATCH
Senior midfielder Emily Mathews, junior forward/midfielder Gracie Dunaway and sophomore forward Kayla Budish have been named to the Big Ten Players to Watch List. Dunaway and Mathews also were recognized on the league’s Players to Watch list in 2022. All three are coming off impressive 2022 campaigns, and more about this preseason honor, and the three Boilermakers, can be found here.
BUTLER VOLLEYBALL
KINLEY REPRESENTS BUTLER ON THE PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST TEAM
NEW YORK – Two-time BIG EAST Libero of the Year Jaymeson Kinley was named to the 2023 BIG EAST Volleyball Preseason All-BIG EAST Team on Wednesday afternoon after a vote from the leagues head coaches. The Bulldogs were also picked to finish eighth in the conference standings.
Kinley made the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team for the second-straight season. In 2022, she became the first Bulldog libero to earn the preseason honor since Butler joined the conference in 2013. The 2022 AVCA East All-Region Team honoree heads into her redshirt-senior season with 1,454 career digs, the seventh most in program history. Kinley has averaged 5.29 digs per set throughout her career, ranking first all-time in BU history.
The redshirt-senior will lead a Bulldog team that was picked eighth in the preseason poll after being selected seventh a year ago. Butler finished sixth in the standings in 2022 with a 10-8 BIG EAST record to go along with 16-15 overall record.
For the second consecutive season, Creighton’s Norah Sis is the BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year.
Marquette amassed 97 points, including seven first-place votes, to lead the league. The Golden Eagles edged reigning BIG EAST Tournament Champion, Creighton, who received four first-place votes.
Xavier was tabbed to finish third (78) following a semifinal finish at the 2022 BIG EAST Volleyball Championship. The Musketeers were followed by fellow tournament competitors St. John’s, in fourth (64), and UConn, in fifth (63). DePaul collected 59 points for a sixth-place finish. Villanova placed seventh (46) in front Butler in eighth (40), Seton Hall in ninth (30), and Providence in tenth (18). Georgetown closed the group in eleventh with 16 points.
The Preseason All-BIG EAST team features four unanimous selections in Sis, Kendra Wait (Creighton), Yadhira Anchante (Marquette), and Carsen Murray (Marquette). They are joined by Jaymeson Kinley (Butler), Ava Martin (Creighton), Jill Pressly (DePaul), Hattie Bray (Marquette), Aubrey Hamilton (Marquette), Giorgia Walther (St. John’s), Brooklyn Cink (Xavier), and Carrigan O’Reilly (Xavier).
Of note, all five of last season’s major award winners are represented on the Preseason squad. In 2022, Kinley was voted BIG EAST Libero of the Year, Anchante was recognized as the Setter of the Year, and Martin was named Freshman of the Year. Cink and O’Reilly return under the leadership of Xavier’s Christy Pfeffenberger, Ed Tolentino, and Andre Foster- the 2022 Coaching Staff of the year.
The 2023 BIG EAST Volleyball Championship will take place November 22-25 at the Al McGuire Center on the campus of Marquette University. The three-round tournament will feature the conference’s top six teams, as determined by the results of the regular season.
2023 Preseason Coaches Poll
Marquette (7) 97
Creighton (4) 94
Xavier 78
St. John’s 64
UConn 63
DePaul 59
Villanova 46
Butler 40
Seton Hall 30
Providence 18
Georgetown 16
2023 BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year: Norah Sis, Creighton, Jr., OH
2023 Preseason All-BIG EAST
Jaymeson Kinley, R-Sr., Butler, DS
Ava Martin, So., Creighton, OH
Norah Sis, Jr., Creighton*, OH
Kendra Wait, Jr., Creighton*, S
Jill Pressly, Sr., OH, DePaul
Yadhira Anchante, Jr., Marquette*, S
Hattie Bray, Jr., Marquette, MB
Aubrey Hamilton, Sr., Marquette, OH
Carsen Murray, Sr., Marquette*, MB
Giorgia Walther, Jr., St. John’s, OH
Brooklyn Cink, Gr., Xavier, OH
Carrigan O’Reilly, Gr., Xavier, S/RS
*Unanimous selection
BUTLER WOMEN’S SOCCER
BUTLER WOMEN’S SOCCER HOSTS VIRGINIA TECH IN SEASON OPENER
Matchday Information – Butler vs. (rv) Virginia Tech
DATE: Thursday, August 17 / 7PM
LOCATION: Indianapolis / Sellick Bowl
LIVE VIDEO: FloSports
LIVE STATS: butlersports.com
TICKETS: butlersports.com
Full Notes
The Butler women’s soccer team opens its 2023 campaign with a stout test in (rv) Virginia Tech. The Hokies finished 10-7-2 (4-5-1 ACC) last season and were one of ten programs from the ACC that participated in the 2022 NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs are coming off a 7-7-4 season that saw a 4-3-3 conference record and an eighth-consecutive postseason berth in the BIG EAST Tournament.
Bulldog Bits
- Abigail Isger was selected Preseason BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year. She is joined on the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team by Talia Sommer.
- Butler was chosen fourth in the BIG EAST preseason poll by the conference coaches.
The top five includes 1st-No. 16 Georgetown, 2nd- (rv) Xavier, 3rd-St. John’s, and 5th-Creigthon.
- Five of Butler’s scheduled opponents were ranked or received votes in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll: (rv) Virginia Tech (Aug. 17), No. 3 Notre Dame (Aug. 24), No. 9 TCU (Sept. 10), (rv) Xavier (Sept. 21), No. 16 Georgetown (Oct. 22).
- Butler has added alumna Annika (Schmidt) Creel ’19 to its coaching staff. The Zionsville, Indiana, native originally committed to UConn but transferred to Butler after two seasons. She was a three-time All-BIG EAST First Team selection with the Bulldogs, from 2017-2019. After graduation, she signed with Gotenborg FC in Sweden and then played for the Houston Dash in the NWSL for two seasons.
The Matchup
- Thursday’s match will be the first between the programs
Scouting (rv) Virginia Tech
- 2022 Season: Finished 10-7-2 (4-5-1 ACC), losing in first round of NCAA Tournament to West Virginia (0-2)
- Notable results last season:
No. 3 North Carolina (W, 2-1), No. 5 Notre Dame (L, 0-1), No. 13 Virginia (T, 3-3), No. 22 N.C. State (W, 1-0)
Individual (2022) Statistics - Offensive standouts for Virginia Tech include:
#25 Taylor Price (8g, 3a)
#12 Tori Powell (6g, 4a)
#24 Natalie Mitchell (3g, 8a)
#22 Taylor Bryan (4g, 2a)
#15 Sophie Maltese (4g, 1a) - Lauren Hargrove returns as the primary keeper for the Hokies. In 2022, she was 9-7-2, conceding 25 goals for a 1.43 GAA. She made 57 saves (0.695) and earned six shutouts.
IUPUI WOMEN’S SOCCER
WOMEN’S SOCCER PICKED SIXTH IN #HLWSOC PRESEASON POLLS
INDIANAPOLIS – The IUPUI women’s soccer team has been picked to finish sixth in the Horizon League this season as the league office announced the #HLWSOC Preseason Polls on Wednesday (Aug. 16). Milwaukee collected 10 of the 11 first-place votes to earn the top spot, followed by Oakland, Purdue Fort Wayne and Youngstown State, respectively.
Head coach Chris Johnson’s squad went 1-1 in the preseason with a resounding win at Eastern Illinois before suffering a 3-2 defeat at Toledo. Leah Shumate and Sam Slimak paced the attack with two goals apiece in the preseason.
The Jaguars return the bulk of last year’s roster, keyed by Slimak (3 goals, 3 assists) and fellow attacker Emma Antoine (6 goals, 2 assists). Sophomore Sarah Henson (2 goals, 2 assists) and senior Carlie Werner (2 goals) also return to the attack while sophomore midfielder Emma Frey (3 goals, 2 assists) is expected to miss significant time due to injury. In goal, junior Ashton Kudlo (0.88 GAA, 8-2-6 W-L-T) is the incumbent starter and sophomore Cailynn Junk (1.40 GAA, 7 GP) was a reliable presence last season as well.
Sophomore Kailyn Smith was second on the team in minutes played a season ago with 1,411 and will anchor a defense that also returns Alex Stocker along the back line. Junior Makenna Collins, who tied for second on the team with three assists last season, will also miss time due to injury to start the year.
The Jaguars will open the season against Southern Indiana on Thursday (Aug. 17) at Carroll Stadium and will begin Horizon League play at Northern Kentucky on Sept. 14. The Horizon League Tournament will begin on Sunday, Oct. 29 with the top six finishers in the regular season standings qualifying for postseason.
BALL STATE MEN’S SOCCER
CARDINALS OPEN 2023 CAMPAIGN AT HOME AGAINST LAKERS
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State soccer team being the 2023 season on Thursday against Mercyhurst on Thursday at the Briner Sports Complex. The Cardinals look to improve on a 7-5-8 record from 2022.
Last season, the Cardinals reached the Mid-American Conference Tournament Championship after being voted to finish tied for seventh in the conference. Earlier this week, Ball State was voted to finish third in the MAC and received the second-most votes to win the MAC Tournament in 2023 with two votes by the coaches in the conference.
Ball State is returning four of its five All-MAC selections from last season, including MAC Freshman of the Year in Delaney Caldwell. Avery Fenchel and Lexi Fraley each landed on the All-MAC First Team, while Abby Elgert earned a second-team nod. BSU brings back its top points scorers from last season, led by Fenchel with 22 points, Caldwell with 15, and Fraley with 12. All three combined for 23 of the squads 34 goals from last year.
Scouting the Lakers
Mercyhurst was voted to finish third in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West division in the preseason poll. The Lakers return six all-conference honorees including, the PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Year in Taryn Baxter. Karah Van Horn led the Lakers in goals with seven last season. Maddie Elbro returns to the net for Mercyhurst and is a two-time All-PSAC team member.
Series Outlook with Mercyhurst
Thursday will be the first meeting between the two sides.
NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S SOCCER
SEASON OPENER: #3 IRISH HOST MILWAUKEE
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – High expectations abound for the 2023 rendition of the Notre Dame women’s soccer team, who enters the year ranked No. 3 in the country. The Fighting Irish finished one win shy of reaching the College Cup in 2022, dropping a 2-0 decision to ACC foe UNC. They also were one win against Duke away from a share of the ACC regular-season championship and one penalty shoot kickout away from their first ACC Tournament final appearance.
Notre Dame will begin its 2023 journey on Thursday, Aug. 17, at home against Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The Panthers were selected to finish first in the Horizon League this season. A year ago, Milwaukee claimed both the regular-season title and Horizon League Tournament crown for the fifth consecutive year, making their 16th all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
Kickoff on Thursday is set for 7 p.m. ET inside Alumni Stadium. Gates open an hour before first touch and admission is free.
2022 Irish Highlights
- A 17-3-3 record – Coach Norman’s most wins at the helm of the program. Also went 6-2-3 against top-25 ranked teams
- First No. 1 NCAA Tournament seed since 2008
- First NCAA Quarterfinal Round appearance since 2012
- Knocked off two top-three teams during the regular season for the first time in program history (No. 2 Virginia & No. 3 FSU)
- ACC Coach of the Year, ACC Midfielder of the Year (Korbin Albert) and ACC Defender of the Year (Eva Gaetino). Notre Dame tied its most-ever All-ACC selections with five
- Notre Dame went unbeaten in its last 12 matches before the NCAA Quarterfinal loss to North Carolina. They outscored its opposition 33-6 in that stretch.
- Irish posted a +40 goal margin – its best since 2010. They recorded 2.43 goals per match – its best since 2008.
- Three players (Albert, Wingate, Mercado) posted 10 or more goals for the first time since 2006.
The Anchor of the Backline Returns
The ACC Defender of the Year, First Team All-American and Mac Hermann Trophy Semifinalist, Eva Gaetino returns for her senior year, once again anchoring the three-woman backline in the center. This time around, Gaetino will be sporting the captain armband alongside Kiki Van Zanten.
Gaetino will once again be joined by ring-back and graduate student Waniya Hudson. Sophomore Leah Klenke will look to move up from left-back to left-wing midfield, as that spot is up for grabs.
Notre Dame’s defensive line was absolutely stingy last season. First off, they completed 14 shutouts on the year – their most since 2016 (15). Their shutout percentage of 0.609 ranked 8th in the country and first in the ACC.
The backline only allowed 16 goals. Furthermore, they only allowed 70 shots on goal over 23 games – which equates to a stout 3.0 SOG per game. There were seven games last year in which they only allowed one SOG or fewer.
Lastly, the Irish posted a six-match shutout streak which tied for the third longest in program history.
Van Zanten Returns After World Cup Experience
The Jamaican National Team made history at the 2023 World Cup, becoming the first Caribbean nation to advance to the Round of 16. On said team, none other than Notre Dame captain and graduate student Kiki Van Zanten. Van Zanten even earned a start in the Round of 16 against Colombia, adding to her unforgettable experience.
Van Zanten was the 9th Irish player to suit up for a national team at a World Cup and the first for Jamaica. Irish-USA alums include Kate Markgraf, Holly Manthei and Shannon Boxx.
In the year prior, in the women’s CONCACAF Championship Tournament, Van Zanten scored the game-winning goal for Jamaica in the bronze medal game. That win secured a spot for Jamaica in the Olympics play-in game later this year.
Collegiately speaking, Van Zanten is coming off a year in which she tied her career high in goals (7) and set new career highs in game-winners (3), assists (4) and points (18).
More From Mercado
In a preseason interview with Fighting Irish Media, Mercado said she wants one part of her legacy to be setting the goal for yourself to get better each and every year. And to put that into perspective, last year was Mercado’s best in an Irish uniform. She scored a career-best 10 goals up top, which ranked 8th in the ACC and third on the team. She also set a new career high in game-winners with four, which included the 1-0 victory over No. 2 Virginia. Lastly, she tied her career high in assists with four, to total a new career best of 24 points.
With that said, what a preseason it has been for Mercado. With exhibitions against Virginia and Valpo, she has recorded back-to-back braces.
Becoming More of An Offensive Threat
Speaking of expanded roles, look for the growth in sophomore Leah Klenke. Last season, she was named the 7th best freshman in the country by Top Drawer Soccer and made their Freshman Best XI First Team. She also earned ACC All-Freshman Team honors. She started all 23 games as a freshman at left-back and even added two goals and two assists to her name. This year, Klenke looks to get a little more offensive, pushing up into the left-wing midfield position.
Klenke is also coming off a summer where she helped the USA U20 squad win the U20 CONCACAF championship.
Irish Lynch-pin
Irish fans will have to wait no more to see their hometown girl on the pitch this season. Florida State transfer, national champion, and Granger, Indiana, native, Kristina Lynch will be back in action for the 2023 season – expected to start in the midfield on the right wing.
Lynch missed all of last season rehabbing an ankle injury sustained in the preseason.
At FSU, she was a two-time NCAA champion (2018 & 2021). She played in 77 games as a Seminole, including 51 starts. She scored a total of 12 goals, with three assists, good for 27 points. The most notable goal at Florida State – scored the game-winning goal in the ACC Championship over North Carolina in 2018.
Home Sweet Home
Alumni Stadium is becoming one of the most difficult venues for opposing programs to earn a result in. Since its creation in 2009, Notre Dame has gone 119-29-8 (.789). Over the last 2 seasons – an impressive 21-3-3 record inside Alumni
At home in the NCAA Tournament, and why it’s so important to earn a No. 1 seed – Irish are 15-1-1 in NCAA Tournament games at Alumni. Overall, they are 50-4-1 at home in NCAA Tourney games.
WHO’S IN NET?
2022 starting goalkeeper Mackenzie Wood is now with the Chicago Red Stars, leaving the starting position in net up for grabs. The Irish have two seniors and two freshmen on the roster vying for the spot.
Senior Ashley Naylor brings the most experience. Over the past two seasons, she’s posted a 14-6-1 record. She was the main starter in 2021, when she notched a GAA of 1.04. A season ago, she made one of the most impressive saves of the year in the closing minutes of the 2nd round of the NCAA Tournament over Santa Clara.
INDIANA STATE WOMEN’S SOCCER
HITTING THE ROAD – SYCAMORES OPEN 2023 SEASON AT LOUISVILLE ON THURSDAY NIGHT
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State opens up the 2023 season on the road on Thursday night at Dr. Mark & Cindy Lynn Stadium in Louisville, Ky. as the Sycamores take on the University of Louisville. Kickoff between the Sycamores and the Cardinals is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on ACC Network Extra.
First-year head coach Paul Lawrence takes the sidelines for the Sycamores for his first regular season game in the Blue & White after a decorated coaching stint at Florida Southern. The Sycamore head coach is coming off a 2022 campaign in which he guided the Moccasins to the first Sunshine State regular season in program history.
He inherits a squad that is coming off a 2-11-3 overall season, but showed promise led by 2022 All-Freshmen selections Adelaide Wolfe and Ella Gorrie. The Sycamores return veteran leaders Carlie Jensen, Mackenzie Kent, Chloe Tesny, and Maddie Alexander to the pitch among 21 players returning to the roster in 2023.
Newcomers to keep an eye on include transfers Brooklyn Woods, Emma Elliott, Anna Chor, and Lina Fasquelle, while freshmen Trystyn Divich, Gabby Starman, Isabel Garcia, and Audrey Roberts are all in the mix for playing time right away.
Indiana State battled through an 0-1-1 mark in their preseason exhibition season with the Sycamores tying with Purdue, 1-1, while falling at home to Bellarmine, 2-1. Sasha Thompson and Tesny both scored for ISU in the preseason as the Sycamores developed their offensive strategies under Lawrence.
Other players that stood out early in the attack include Alexa Mackey, Isabella Hunter, Nora Henderson, and Kent, while Gorrie and Ella Roesch are prepared to reprise their role in the midfield this season.
The defense has been strong throughout the preseason with Wolfe, Kloe Pettigrew, Woods, Maddie Helling, Corynn DeGroote and Josie Bakaitis, as well as Roberts, have been providing strong looks throughout the year. Olivia Lovell has also been in the early mix on both the offensive and defensive ends.
All three keepers on the ISU roster saw playing time in the 2023 preseason. Maddie Alexander, Alexa Seiler, and Madeline Lotspeich all spent time between the pipes in the early portion of the year. Alexander is two seasons removed from receiving All-MVC accolades as a sophomore after finishing among the conference leaders in saves and save percentage.
ISU will face a stiff test to open the 2023 regular season as the Cardinals return 19 players from last year’s team that went 6-8-2 overall on the year. Louisville boasted a 3-1-2 mark against non-conference competition in 2022 allowing four goals over the six contests.
The Cardinals enter the season in their 24th year under head coach Karen Ferguson-Dayes. Louisville was selected 11th overall in the 2023 ACC women’s soccer preseason poll as voted on by the league’s head coaches.
The season opener at Louisville marks the first of two road matches to open the 2023 season for Indiana State. ISU will continue the opening week of the season on Sunday evening at Miami (Ohio) with a kickoff time of 6 p.m. in Oxford.
PURDUE FT. WAYNE MEN’S BASKETBALL
MASTODON MEN’S HOOPS ANNOUNCES 2023-24 NON-LEAGUE SCHEDULE
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Purdue Fort Wayne men’s basketball program has announced an 11-game non-league slate for the 2023-24 season.
Road/Neutral Site Preview
The 2023-24 season opener is set for Nov. 7 in the Windy City at Big East member DePaul. Nov. 17 and 18 the ‘Dons will travel to Phoenix to play in the Arizona Tip-off. The Mastodons’ first opponent will be Northern Arizona. A contest with either VMI or South Dakota will follow on Nov. 18. Purdue Fort Wayne will stay out west for a road game at San Francisco in a battle of the Dons and the ‘Dons on Nov. 22. Dec. 6 will see the ‘Dons visit Southern Indiana for the first time since 2000 in a battle of former Division II league rivals. The Mastodons will close out non-league play on Dec. 20, going to ACC member Pitt for the first-ever meeting with the Panthers.
Home Preview
Five of the 11 non-league games will be played in Fort Wayne. The home opener is set for Nov. 9 against Andrews. Three days later Texas A&M-Commerce will come to Fort Wayne for the second-straight season with a contest on Nov. 12 at the Coliseum. Wittenberg will visit the Gates Sports Center on Saturday, Nov. 25 for the Mastodons’ first home game after Thanksgiving. Purdue Fort Wayne will face 2023 NCAA Tournament qualifier Southeast Missouri on Dec. 9 at the Coliseum. The two teams have been familiar foes recently with the ‘Dons defeating SEMO each of the last two years. Bethune-Cookman will make their first-ever visit to Fort Wayne on Dec. 16 to close out the home non-league slate.
DePaul, Northern Arizona, San Francisco, Bethune-Cookman and Pitt will all be first-time opponents for the ‘Dons.
The Horizon League portion of the 2023-24 schedule will be released at a later date.
EVANSVILLE WOMEN’S SOCCER
WOMEN’S SOCCER OPENS SEASON THURSDAY AT MERCER
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Evansville women’s soccer team will kick-off the 2023 regular-season on Thursday night, as the Purple Aces will travel to Macon, Georgia to battle the Bears of Mercer. Kick-off is set for 6 p.m. central time.
Evansville returns 22 players from last season’s squad, led by 2022 third-team all-Missouri Valley Conference defender Rachel Rosborough (Mt. Brydges, Ontario/Strathroy District CI) and 2023 preseason honorable mention all-conference forward Hailey Autenrieb (Cincinnati, Ohio/Seton). UE has also added eight talented freshmen to this year’s roster, including local standouts Ella Hamner (Evansville, Ind./Memorial) and Taylor Johnson (Evansville, Ind./Reitz) and Georgia natives Ashlyn Koutsos (Cumming, Ga./West Forsyth) and A’Liyah Warrick (Mableton, Ga./Campbell). Overall, UE is a young squad, with 16 players in either their first or second year of collegiate soccer, however, those young players have played well beyond their years so far in pre-season.
“I have been really pleased so far with how we have looked in the preseason,” said UE head coach Chris Pfau. “We have come in fit and ready to go, and the young players have fit in very well with our system and our program so far. We are excited to get the season started!”
Mercer will provide a tough opening test for UE, as the Bears went 9-4-7 a year ago, including posting a 4-1-4 mark in the Southern Conference, while advancing on to the SoCon Tournament semifinals. The Bears were undefeated on their home turf last year, going 7-0-3 at Mercer’s Betts Stadium. Mercer played SEC foe Auburn to a 0-0 tie in its only exhibition match of the 2023 preseason.
SOUTHERN INDIANA VOLLEYBALL
ANDERSON NETS SECOND-STRAIGHT PRESEASON ALL-OVC HONOR
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Senior outside hitter Leah Anderson (Bloomington, Illinois) received enough votes to be named to the Preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference Team for the second-straight season. University of Southern Indiana Volleyball received 24 votes in the preseason poll, claiming 11th place in the predicted order of finish as voted on by league coaches and communication directors.
Anderson, who nabbed second-team All-OVC last season, finished the year with 347 kills, 316 digs, and 28 aces, all team highs. She claimed the fourth most points per set (3.77), fifth most kills per set (3.24), and 10th most digs per set (2.95) within the conference. Anderson is on pace to make more history after becoming the fifth Screaming Eagle to earn 1,000 kills and digs in the program’s history. Currently, she is third in career aces (167), seventh in kills (1,231), and 10th in digs (1,106).
Receiving the most votes in the preseason poll were Southeast Missouri State University and Tennessee Tech University with both squads earning 168 total votes and six first-place votes each. Also earning six first-place votes was the University of Tennessee at Martin who finished with 164 total votes to sit in third.
Eastern Illinois University took sole possession of fourth after recording 156 total votes and two first-place votes. Morehead State University followed with 134 votes and reigning OVC Champion, Tennessee State University, was predicted to finish sixth with 126 votes and two first-place votes.
Rounding out the final five are Lindenwood University (80), Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (78), University of Arkansas at Little Rock (58), Western Illinois University (40), and USI (24).
USI will welcome head coach Jeffrey Aucoin as the 13th head coach in USI Volleyball program history. Aucoin takes over the reins of the Eagles after spending 10 years at Harvard University’s women’s volleyball program as an assistant coach. USI also welcomes five newcomers to the roster and will return 11 players from last season, including five starters.
The Eagles season will begin in Bloomington, Indiana for the Indiana Invitational where USI will battle the University of New Hampshire and Radford University on August 25 before facing Indiana University on August 26. The first matches at Screaming Eagles Arena will be during the USI Invitational where the Eagles will take on a trio of opponents on September 8 and 9.
For more information, go to our website at USIScreamingEagles.com or find us on social media at USIAthletics.
2023 OVC Volleyball Predicted Order of Finish
(as voted on by the league’s head coaches and communication directors)
T1. Southeast Missouri (6 first-place votes) – 168
T1. Tennessee Tech (6) – 168
3. UT Martin (6) – 164
4. Eastern Illinois (2) – 156
5. Morehead State – 134
6. Tennessee State (2) – 126
7. Lindenwood – 80
8. SIUE – 78
9. Little Rock – 58
10. Western Illinois – 40
11. Southern Indiana – 24
2023 Volleyball Preseason All-OVC Team
(as voted on by the league’s head coaches and communication directors)
Zoey Beasley, Southeast Missouri
Tara Beilsmith, Southeast Missouri
Kaitlyn Flynn, Eastern Illinois
Maddie Isringhausen, Tennessee Tech
Jordan Karlen, Tennessee Tech
Giovana Larregui Lopez, Eastern Illinois
Irene Wogenstahl, Morehead State
Kennedy Davis, Tennessee State
Sydney Wyman, Morehead State
Christina Martinez Mundo, Eastern Illinois
Skylar Boom, Tennessee Tech
Daedrianna Cail, Little Rock
Leah Anderson, Southern Indiana
Sydney Hummert, SIUE
SOUTHERN INDIANA WOMEN’S SOCCER
WOMEN’S SOCCER OPENS SEASON THURSDAY AT IUPUI
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Soccer kicks off the 2023 season on the road Thursday at 6 p.m. CT against Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI).
Thursday’s matchup will technically be the first all-time meeting between the two schools after last year’s game at USI was abandoned and declared a no-contest at halftime due to inclement weather.
USI enters the 2023 season after going 5-8-4 overall and 1-5-2 in conference play last season. The 2022 season was USI’s inaugural season in NCAA Division I and as an Ohio Valley Conference member. USI finished last season with a berth in the OVC Tournament, but the Screaming Eagles fell in the first-round match against Lindenwood, 2-1.
The 2023 USI squad features 31 players – 17 returning players and 14 newcomers. Head Coach Eric Schoenstein heads into his eighth season at the helm and 10th overall season on the USI coaching staff. In the previous seven seasons as head coach of the Screaming Eagles, Schoenstein has accumulated a 70-44-18 record.
Returning for the Screaming Eagles in 2023 include senior midfielder Avery Schone (Galena, Ohio) and sophomore defender Charli Grafton (Sunriver, Oregon), both of whom scored a goal last season while holding down USI’s defensive midfield. USI also has senior leadership this coming season in defender Alexis Schone (Galena, Ohio) and midfielder Paige Vanek (St. Charles, Missouri). The two combined for 15 shots last season. Alexis Schone also tallied two assists.
Also returning is last year’s leading scorer in sophomore midfielder Peyton Murphy (Bargersville, Indiana), who was named to the 2023 OVC Preseason Players to Watch List. Murphy paced the team last season with five goals, 12 points, 25 shot attempts, and 16 shots on goal, starting all 17 matches as a freshman. Murphy was named to the 2022 OVC All-Newcomer Team.
USI lost eight seniors to graduation and two fifth-year seniors from the 2022 roster, including five goal scorers from a season ago. Plus, the 2023 campaign will feature a changing of the guard in front of goal.
USI was projected to place seventh in the Ohio Valley Conference in a vote submitted by the league’s head coaches and communication directors. Tennessee Tech University topped the OVC preseason poll with 156 points and 12 first-place votes. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville was picked second with 146 points and eight first-place votes.
IUPUI went 9-4-6 last season with a 4-3-3 record in Horizon League play, which landed the Jaguars a sixth-place finish. IUPUI won in the quarterfinal round of the 2022 Horizon League Tournament before falling in the semifinals against the No. 1 seed University of Wisconsin Milwaukee.
The Jaguars return six of their top eight scorers from a season ago. Pacing the returning goal-scorers is senior forward Emma Antoine, who tallied six goals, two assists, and 14 points. She placed 12 of 19 shots on goal. Junior goalkeeper Ashton Kudlo returns in the net for IUPUI after starting 16 matches, recording a 0.88 goals against average with 59 saves. Kudlo split time with sophomore keeper Cailynn Junk, who made three starts last season.
Thursday’s match can be seen with a subscription to ESPN+. Additional coverage links are on the USI Women’s Soccer schedule page on usiscreamingeagles.com.
VALPO MEN’S BASKETBALL
LUKE CARROLL JOINS VALPO MEN’S BASKETBALL PROGRAM AS WALK-ON
The Valparaiso University men’s basketball program has added walk-on Luke Carroll (Westfield, Ind. / Hamilton Heights [Lake Land]) to head coach Roger Powell Jr.’s squad for the 2023-2024 academic and athletic year.
Carroll joins the program as a junior college transfer from Lake Land College in Mattoon, Ill., where he played in the first 12 games of the 2022-23 season for the Lakers before suffering a season-ending torn ACL.
“The culture, purpose, belief and everything they are building this program around was something I wanted to be a part of,” Carroll said. “I started playing basketball at a young age, when I was around 4 or 5. I was born with a basketball in my hand, but I really started falling in love with the game when I was in ninth or 10th grade. From then on, I was interested in playing college basketball.”
Carroll’s father was a men’s basketball graduate assistant at the University of Illinois and coached briefly at Southern Illinois University during his younger years. That led to the family’s continued interest in Illini basketball and eventually a connection to Powell, who was part of the Illinois team that reached the national title game in 2005.
As a senior in high school, Carroll averaged 17.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game while shooting 54 percent from the field. He earned Hamilton County First Team and first team all-conference honors.
Away from the court, he is pursuing a degree in business and enjoys golfing and fishing in his spare time.
“I want to win,” Carroll said. “I want to play my part. I’m always going to work hard and want to be one of the first guys in the gym, pushing and leading. I’m excited about the chemistry and how close we are with each other. When I got here, everyone welcomed me with open arms. It feels like home; it’s a family with everyone at Valpo.”
U OF INDY MEN’S BASKETBALL
OFFENSE HEATS UP IN CANADA FINALE
HALIFAX, N.S. – The UIndy men’s basketball team wrapped up its foreign tour on Wednesday evening with a 91-72 victory over an All-Star team comprised of players from Nova Scotia.
No official stats were kept during the contest.
The Greyhounds upped their game after a sluggish first quarter, outscoring the All-Stars over the next 20 minutes, 54-35. Late 3-pointers from Jesse Bingham and Paul Zilinskas stretched the UIndy lead to a game-high 23 with under five minutes remaining.
Zilinskas, who most likely led the team in scoring with quite a few buckets, showed a toughness down the stretch as the game became a little rough. UIndy cleaned up the glass, with hometown player Josiah Tynes seemingly securing each opponent miss when he saw the floor.
David Ejah kept the momentum alive after the third quarter with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer right in front of the All-Star bench. It was cool.
The program will host a free kids clinic on Thursday morning from 10:30 a.m. until 12 p.m. local time at the North Preston Community Centre. A short recap with a statement from Josiah will be published following the conclusion of the camp.
Now hear from junior Zac Szul:
“We made a trip to Acadia University for our second game of our Canadian Tour and it was definitely an experience. As we walked out on to the court we were welcomed with another packed house. The atmosphere was electric, I have never been in an atmosphere quite like that in my college career. We had a slow start and faced some early adversity but we started to get a lid going in the third. Despite our efforts the crowd would just not go away, at times it was hard to hear Coach Corsaro when he was standing a foot away from me in the huddle. Down the stretch of the fourth Acadia benefited from the energy of the arena and got the upper hand. After a hard fought battle Acadia continue to have great hospitality supplying us with road meals for the drive back to the hotel.
On Wednesday we had an early wake up for breakfast and our morning workouts and stretch. Once we completed our workouts we had a team meeting and Coach Corsaro gave us the day to ourselves to rest and enjoy some of what Nova Scotia had to offer. Some guys went to see the new Megaladon movie, while others stayed in the hotel to swim or rest and recover. I decided to take advantage of the pool and the indoor slide. After enjoying the pool, as a team we went to Quiznos, a restaurant that I have never heard of, and it was delicious. I wish they had it in Toledo. After getting our pregame meal we got some more down time to prepare for our game and get taped for the trip over the Dalplex Arena, where we played Monday. Today would be one of our bigger tests coming off a tough lose and facing a talented opponent in the Canadian All Stars. Again the Dalplex Arena was full. Canada really loves its basketball and the support was outstanding. We really bounced back today, as a team we started playing some textbook Greyhound basketball and we jumped out to an early lead. As the game went on we maintained the lead and continued to stretch the margin into the fourth. We completed our effort with a 19 point win 91-72. It felt great to play a complete game and send Josiah off with a hometown win the UIndy way.”
MARIAN MEN’S SOCCER
KNIGHTS SHOW FIGHT IN EXHIBITION DRAW AT IUPUI
INDIANAPOLIS – The Marian men’s soccer team embarked on their 2023 season on Wednesday night, opening their slate with an exhibition contest at IUPUI. Interim head coach James Jenkins’ squad showed promise in their first showcase of the season, playing to a draw in their first contest of the year with a 1-1 result against Jaguars in the friendly.
Marian played strong against IUPUI throughout the opening 45 minutes of the match, playing stout defense with the Jaguars owning possession for much of the first half. Keeper Juan Torres was forced into early action, facing seven total shots in his half of work. Between Torres and his back line, the Knights were able to hold IUPUI scoreless for the first 35 minutes of the match, but in the 37th minute Emerson Nieto was able to rip a shot past the keeper for the game’s opening goal. Marian held the Jaguars off the board for the remainder of the half, and threatened at times with five first half corner kicks, but came up empty in a scoring chance.
In the second half the Knights offense out-matched that of IUPUI’s, as Marian held a 4-2 shot advantage in the final 45. Marian found the equalizing goal in the 56th minute, as Sebastian Gonzalez ripped a long shot in for a goal after Kelton Hooker set up the senior striker. Alvaro Rueda took over in goal for the final 45 minutes, and did his part to hold the draw following Gonzalez’s goal, as he and the defensive unit allowed just two shot attempts.
The game would end in a draw after neither team produced a score in the final 34 minutes of play, with the result standing at 1-1. Sebastian Gonzalez led Marian in shot attempts with three, taking one of the two shots on goal for his team in the game. Phillip Seifert and Brandon Santos would take the other shots on goal in the match, while Miguel Luna and Keiji Nakamae each took one shot. Torres made one save in the match while Rueda did not see a shot on frame in his half of action.
Marian trailed the match in corner kicks 11-7, and trailed in total possession 56/44. Two Knights saw a full 90 minutes of work in the lone tune up match of the season, with Kyle Alb and Sam Goodin playing the entire match.
Marian will return to action in seven days time, as they begin the regular season on the road at Indiana Tech. The first official game of the 2023 season is set for a 7 p.m. start in Fort Wayne.
MARIAN WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
MARIAN TABBED 21ST IN NAIA PRESEASON RANKINGS
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Marian volleyball team was ranked 21st overall entering the 2023 season, as revealed Wednesday morning in the NAIA Coaches’ Preseason Poll. The Knights, who finished in the NAIA Quarterfinals one season ago, are beginning the season with their lowest appearance in the poll since 2019, when the Knights were rated preseason number 24. Marian would go on to win the NAIA Championship in 2019.
Jamestown (N.D.) opens the 2023 season at No. 1 in the NAIA Women’s Volleyball preseason coaches’ Top 25 rating after the team claimed its first title in 2022.
Marian is one of three Crossroads League teams ranked in the top-25, with Taylor ranked 12th and Indiana Wesleyan ranked 16th. Bethel sits outside of the top-25 by four spots as a receiving votes team.
Marian will face seven teams featured as a ranked or receiving votes team in a total of 10 matches during the regular season, facing a tall task on their opening weekend of the season this Saturday as they play No. 7 Viterbo and (RV) Indiana Tech.
The Knights will take on Wayland Baptist and IU Northwest on Friday night in their regular season opener.
Rating Methodology
The rating was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences/Continental Athletic Conference (Independents/unaffiliated groups.
The Coaches Top 25 is determined by a points system based on how each voter ranks the best teams. A team receives 30 points for each first-place vote, 29 for second place and so on through the list.
The highest and lowest ranking for each team (a non-rating is considered a low rating) is removed and the team’s ranking will be recalculated with an additional point added to each team for every ballot (including discounted ballots) that the teams appear on.
Teams that receive only one point on the ballot are not considered “receiving votes”
INTRODUCING MARIAN VOLLEYBALL’S 2023 SIGNING CLASS
INDIANAPOLIS – The Marian volleyball team begins their season on Friday, August 18, as they travel to Fort Wayne to play in the University of St. Francis’ Tournament. Before the season begins, it’s time to meet the 2023 signing class for head coach Kallie Noble, who brings in seven new faces to campus in her first season as head coach of the Knights.
“As we gear up for the season, the addition of talent from our five impressive freshmen and two dynamic transfers has brought a new surge of athleticism and excitement into our volleyball team,” said Coach Noble on her first class as head coach. “Their arrival sparks a fire of determination that will propel us to even greater heights, and I am confident that together, we will have a very prosperous season.”
Noble’s inaugural signing class at Marian features seven student-athletes, all from the state of Indiana. The group consists of five true freshman and two transfer student-athletes, each of whom are in their third season as a collegiate athlete. Below is the entirety of the signing class, along with accolades and honors. Players are listed by their Marian jersey number.
#7 | Nicole Wilkinson | MH | 5’11 | New Castle, Ind. | New Castle HS | Rider University
Rider: After redshirting as a freshman, appeared in 32 sets and 14 matches as a second-year player for Rider in 2022 … Logged 45 kills, 12 digs, 15 blocks, and one service ace in the 2022 season … Earned All-Tournament team honors at Georgetowns Dig for the District Tournament … Member of teh MAAC All-Academic Team.
High School: Earned honor roll honors throughout high school … Ended her career with 487 kills, 227 total blocks, 100 digs, and 54 aces for New Castle … Helped lead New Castle to IHSAA state titles in 2017, 2018, and 2019.
Personal: Daughter of Bonner and Tina Wilkinson … Has one sister, Ashley … Majoring in marketing.
#15 | Mikayla Christiansen | OH | 6’1 | Fishers, Ind. | Fishers HS | McNeese State University
McNeese State: Appeared in 33 matches in two seasons at McNeese … Saw 86 sets of action in 2022, logging 173 career kills on 638 attacks … Recorded 83 digs, 31 total blocks, and three service aces in her two seasons at McNeese … Named to the 2022 Baylor Invitational All-Tournament Team.
High School: Three time Academic All-American as a prep student … Three-time varsity letter winner at Fishers … Helped guide the Tigers to a 2019 sectional title
Personal: Daughter of Sven and Stacy Christiansen … Has five siblings, three brothers Connor, Chase, and Drew, and two sisters, Kelsey and Kaylee … Majoring in business management.
#20 | Chloe Cook | OH | 5’9 | Muncie, Ind. | Wapahani HS
High School: A four-year varsity letterwinner, reached the state championship game three times in her career, winning as a senior in 2022 … Was a four-time all-conference honoree and four-time all-county honoree … Earned Class 2A First Team All-State three times in her career … Earned Class 3A All-State honors as a junior in 2021 … Joined the Wapahani 1000 kill club in her junior year … Rated an Indiana Prep top-20 player in the class of 2023 … Three year member of the honor roll.
Personal: Daughter of Jim and Torey Cook … Has two brothers, Walker and Graham … Plans to major in nursing.
#22 | Khori Dryden | OH | 5’9 | Indianapolis, Ind. | Pike HS
High School: Earned MIC All-Conference honors … Named to the All-Marion County Team in 2021 and 2022 and was a MIC Scholar-Athlete … Tabbed to the 2022 AVCA All-America Watch List and Junior Volleyball Association Watch List… Was named an IHSAA Volleyball Player of the Week nominee in 2022 (September 5-10) … Garnered the Pike High School Distinguished Athlete Award … Excelled academically, earning Academic All-State (2022), Principals Excellence Award, and was a member of the National Honors Society.
Personal: Daughter of Kevin and Sabrina Dryden … Has one sister, Kendall … Plans to major in business/marketing.
#23 | Sami Luttel | S | 5’6 | Greensburg, Ind. | North Decatur HS
High School: A 3x All-Sectional Team selection for volleyball … Named Mid-Hoosier All-Conference in 2022 … Garnered All-County Team honors and All-South Team honors … Excelled in the classroom, earning Academic All-American in 2022 … Was a captain for three consecutive seasons (2020-22) … Earned All-Sectional Team honors for softball in 2022 … Off the court, was the president of FCA, a member of the National Honors Society, student council, Kids Closet, Spirit Club, and Sunshine Society
Personal: Daughter of Jeff and Tricia Luttel … Has a brother, Aiden, and sister, Emma … Plans to major in nursing.
#24 | Lexa Zimmerman | OH/DS | 5’8 | Fort Wayne, Ind. | Bishop Dwenger HS
High School: Was a three-year varsity letterwinner after earning JV MVP honors as a freshman … Helped her high school to the IHSAA State Championship in class 3A as a sophomore … Was second team All-State as a junior in 2021 … Earned MVP honors as a senior … Was a two-time all-conference honoree as a junior and senior … Earned high honor roll honors throughout high school.
Personal: Daughter of David and Laura Zimmerman … Has one sister, Leah … Plans to major in nutrition.
#25 | Emerson Evans | S | 5’10 | Carmel, Ind. | Carmel HS
High School: Two-time high school scholar athlete and All-MIC academic team honoree … Shined as a senior and recorded 802 assists for the Greyhounds … Logged 210 career digs, 25 total blocks, and 60 aces … Helped her team to a 22-10 overall record as a senior.
Personal: Daughter of Brian and Erin Evans … Has three siblings, a brother Joe and sisters Lauren and London … Plans on majoring in elementary education.
Marian will be in action on Friday and Saturday as they play at the Allen County War Memorial Colosseum. Marian’s first game of the weekend on Friday comes against Wayland Baptist. Visit MUKnights.com for the full schedule for the weekend.
INDIANA WESLEYAN VOLLEYBALL
VOLLEYBALL COMES IN AT NO. 16 IN PRESEASON NAIA COACHES’ TOP 25 POLL
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Indiana Wesleyan volleyball will open the season at No. 16 in the preseason NAIA Women’s Volleyball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll, announced by the national office on Wednesday.
Taylor University (No. 12) and Marian University (No. 21) join the Wildcats as Crossroads League Teams in the preseason Top-25.
The team opens their season in the Columbia College Hampton Inn Classic, facing Dakota Wesleyan University on August 25th at 2pm. Their home opener will be held on September 2nd at 12:00pm against Cornerstone University.
TAYLOR ATHLETICS | TAYLOR RECEIVES VOTES IN 2023 NAIA PRESEASON COACHES’ POLL
UPLAND, Ind. – The Taylor Trojan women’s soccer team received plenty of top-25 votes in the annual NAIA Preseason Women’s Soccer Coaches’ Poll, finishing with 75 total points.
Only two other teams sat between TU and No. 25 MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.), which tallied 109 points. Both the No. 1- and No. 2-ranked teams in the poll are Crossroads League members, with Spring Arbor and Marian finishing first and second, respectively.
Taylor turned heads following last season’s strong showing in the Crossroads League, where it finished above .500 at 4-3-2 in league play, highlighted by a 1-1 draw at Grace late in the season and a 2-1 victory over then-No. 11 Indiana Wesleyan in the CL Quarterfinals.
The Trojans’ dominant non-conference performance in 2022, where they finished 8-0-0 in the regular season, complemented their respectable CL play to aid them in reaching the NAIA Tournament for the second time in school history.
TU returns nine starters from 2022, including six of its seven most prolific goal-scorers, and its starting goalkeeper, Hannah Brackenbury. Top returners to watch for as Taylor looks to build on its success from last season are leading goal-scorers Kiana Siefert and Lauren Collins, as well as the team’s leader in assists, Claire Massey.
A host of other key contributors return from last season’s squad, as well as 12 freshmen newcomers recruited by head coach Scott Stan.
#RV Taylor opens its season Thursday against Concordia (Mich.) at Turner Stadium. The match is slated to kick off at 7 p.m.
SMALL COLLEGE ATHLETIC SITES:
INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/
EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/
WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/
FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/
ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/
ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index
TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index
BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/
DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/
HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/
MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/
HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/
OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx
ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index
IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/
IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/
IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/
PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/
INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx
GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/
ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/
GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/
HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php
TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/
VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index
“SPORTS EXTRA”
MLB STANDINGS
| American League | |||||||||||
| East | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Baltimore | 74 | 47 | .612 | – | 36 – 23 | 38 – 24 | 24 – 14 | 18 – 7 | 13 – 10 | 5 – 5 | L 2 |
| Tampa Bay | 73 | 50 | .593 | 2 | 40 – 22 | 33 – 28 | 20 – 14 | 20 – 6 | 11 – 11 | 6 – 4 | W 1 |
| Toronto | 67 | 55 | .549 | 7.5 | 32 – 27 | 35 – 28 | 11 – 23 | 18 – 8 | 14 – 11 | 5 – 5 | L 1 |
| Boston | 63 | 57 | .525 | 10.5 | 35 – 28 | 28 – 29 | 16 – 14 | 16 – 10 | 12 – 10 | 6 – 4 | L 1 |
| NY Yankees | 60 | 61 | .496 | 14 | 35 – 28 | 25 – 33 | 15 – 21 | 12 – 10 | 16 – 13 | 2 – 8 | L 5 |
| Central | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Minnesota | 63 | 59 | .516 | – | 34 – 25 | 29 – 34 | 12 – 17 | 23 – 19 | 11 – 8 | 5 – 5 | L 1 |
| Cleveland | 58 | 63 | .479 | 4.5 | 31 – 28 | 27 – 35 | 10 – 12 | 18 – 18 | 13 – 12 | 4 – 6 | L 1 |
| Detroit | 54 | 66 | .450 | 8 | 26 – 33 | 28 – 33 | 5 – 20 | 22 – 14 | 9 – 13 | 5 – 5 | W 1 |
| Chi White Sox | 48 | 73 | .397 | 14.5 | 25 – 33 | 23 – 40 | 8 – 17 | 19 – 17 | 9 – 17 | 5 – 5 | L 1 |
| Kansas City | 39 | 83 | .320 | 24 | 23 – 39 | 16 – 44 | 6 – 18 | 13 – 27 | 5 – 13 | 3 – 7 | L 2 |
| West | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Texas | 72 | 49 | .595 | – | 42 – 21 | 30 – 28 | 14 – 11 | 17 – 5 | 21 – 15 | 7 – 3 | L 1 |
| Houston | 70 | 52 | .574 | 2.5 | 33 – 26 | 37 – 26 | 10 – 10 | 11 – 11 | 26 – 14 | 7 – 3 | W 2 |
| Seattle | 65 | 55 | .542 | 6.5 | 34 – 28 | 31 – 27 | 12 – 15 | 14 – 12 | 19 – 11 | 7 – 3 | W 2 |
| LA Angels | 60 | 62 | .492 | 12.5 | 31 – 28 | 29 – 34 | 12 – 11 | 14 – 8 | 18 – 22 | 4 – 6 | W 1 |
| Oakland | 34 | 87 | .281 | 38 | 18 – 41 | 16 – 46 | 7 – 19 | 7 – 11 | 6 – 28 | 3 – 7 | W 1 |
| National League | |||||||||||
| East | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Atlanta | 78 | 42 | .650 | – | 40 – 20 | 38 – 22 | 25 – 7 | 16 – 6 | 11 – 9 | 8 – 2 | W 3 |
| Philadelphia | 66 | 55 | .545 | 12.5 | 34 – 24 | 32 – 31 | 15 – 17 | 11 – 8 | 14 – 13 | 6 – 4 | W 1 |
| Miami | 63 | 59 | .516 | 16 | 37 – 27 | 26 – 32 | 14 – 19 | 13 – 10 | 10 – 12 | 5 – 5 | L 2 |
| NY Mets | 55 | 66 | .455 | 23.5 | 31 – 28 | 24 – 38 | 17 – 17 | 9 – 16 | 15 – 13 | 5 – 5 | W 1 |
| Washington | 54 | 67 | .446 | 24.5 | 26 – 35 | 28 – 32 | 11 – 22 | 12 – 14 | 14 – 14 | 6 – 4 | W 1 |
| Central | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Milwaukee | 65 | 56 | .537 | – | 33 – 27 | 32 – 29 | 10 – 9 | 24 – 12 | 10 – 18 | 6 – 4 | L 2 |
| Chi Cubs | 62 | 58 | .517 | 2.5 | 33 – 29 | 29 – 29 | 11 – 17 | 21 – 14 | 9 – 8 | 6 – 4 | W 1 |
| Cincinnati | 63 | 59 | .516 | 2.5 | 30 – 32 | 33 – 27 | 13 – 16 | 16 – 23 | 16 – 9 | 4 – 6 | W 1 |
| Pittsburgh | 54 | 67 | .446 | 11 | 29 – 32 | 25 – 35 | 10 – 10 | 14 – 19 | 16 – 15 | 4 – 6 | L 1 |
| St. Louis | 54 | 67 | .446 | 11 | 27 – 34 | 27 – 33 | 10 – 9 | 13 – 20 | 10 – 16 | 6 – 4 | L 1 |
| West | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| LA Dodgers | 73 | 46 | .613 | – | 40 – 20 | 33 – 26 | 11 – 7 | 18 – 14 | 23 – 12 | 10 – 0 | W 10 |
| San Francisco | 64 | 57 | .529 | 10 | 35 – 28 | 29 – 29 | 10 – 12 | 18 – 9 | 18 – 11 | 3 – 7 | L 1 |
| Arizona | 61 | 60 | .504 | 13 | 30 – 31 | 31 – 29 | 13 – 15 | 11 – 10 | 22 – 18 | 4 – 6 | W 2 |
| San Diego | 58 | 63 | .479 | 16 | 32 – 29 | 26 – 34 | 13 – 13 | 8 – 15 | 16 – 19 | 3 – 7 | W 2 |
| Colorado | 46 | 75 | .380 | 28 | 26 – 32 | 20 – 43 | 14 – 17 | 11 – 13 | 8 – 27 | 2 – 8 | L 2 |
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1894 The Phillies rout the Colonels at the Philadelphia Baseball Grounds, 29-4. Louisville right-hander John Wadsworth sets a National League record by giving up 28 singles in one game.
1904 Boston American hurler Jesse Tannehill no-hits the White Sox at Chicago’s South Side Park, 6-0. The 30-year-old southpaw issues one walk, hits a batter, and strikes out three en route, tossing the third no-hitter in the American League’s brief history.
1909 Nap Lajoie resigns as the manager of the faltering Cleveland club. The fans still support the popular skipper when a response to a newspaper poll indicates the overwhelming choice is to keep the team name as the Naps instead of choosing a new one, which will not happen until they become the Indians following the 1914 season.
1920 Indians’ shortstop Ray Chapman dies after being hit by a pitch thrown by Yankee submariner Carl Mays in yesterday’s contest at the Polo Grounds. The death of the 29-year-old expectant father remains the only on-field fatality of a player in major league history.
1933 On his way to establishing the mark of playing in 2,130 consecutive games, Yankees’ first baseman Lou Gehrig quietly surpasses Everett Scott’s previous record of 1,308 games, appearing in every inning of all but 42 contests. The first baseman’s single and triple don’t prevent the last-place Browns from beating the Bronx Bombers in ten innings at Sportsman’s Park, 7-6.
1937 In Cincinnati, the Cardinals beat the Reds, 8-6, in nine innings at Crosley Field. The final out of the two-and-a-half-hour contest is recorded at 12:02 a.m., marking the first time a major league game ends after midnight.
1944 Johnny Lindell, who enjoys a five-for-five day at the plate, hits four consecutive doubles at Yankee Stadium. The New York center fielder scores twice and drives in two runs in the team’s 10-3 victory over Cleveland at the Bronx ballpark.
1947 The Lowell Orphans, a bankrupt minor league team that moved from Lawrence, (MA) last month, draws only 85 paying customers to a doubleheader. The team’s poor performance, which includes a twenty-game losing streak, causes the city to evict the New England League franchise from Alumni Field, making it necessary for the club to finish the season on the road.
1948 At Yankee Stadium, an estimated 100,000 fans view the body of Babe Ruth. After the funeral mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the ‘Bambino’ burial occurs at the Cemetery of the Gate of Heaven in Hawthorne (NY).
1948 Yankee first baseman Tommy Henrich hits his fourth grand slam of the season, tying one of the major league records established by Babe Ruth, who died yesterday. The Bambino set the record playing for the Red Sox in 1919 when he hit 29 round-trippers in his final season in Boston.
1957 In a game against New York at Connie Mack Stadium, a foul ball off the bat of Richie Ashburn breaks the nose of spectator Alice Roth, the wife of an editor for Philadelphia’s Bulletin. While on a stretcher, the Phillies leadoff hitter nails her again during the same at-bat.
1966 After tying Jimmie Foxx yesterday for most career home runs hit by a right-handed batter, Giants slugger Willie Mays passes ‘Double X’ with his 535th homer. The San Francisco center fielder now takes second place on the all-time list, trailing only Babe Ruth’s 714.
1967 The Tigers obtain Eddie Mathews from the Astros to replace a slumping Norm Cash, who skipper Mayo Smith had benched. Detroit’s new first baseman will hit .231 in 36 games for pennant contenders.
1968 After four tries, the Mets still haven’t scored a run when Jim McAndrew starts a game with their 1-0 loss to Houston at Shea Stadium. In his first four major league appearances, the 24-year-old rookie right-hander has a puny 1.82 ERA but is 0-4 due to the team dropping two 2-0 and two 1-0 decisions.
1969 The Mets sweep a doubleheader from the Padres for the second consecutive day, beating San Diego 3–2 in both ends of the Shea Stadium twin bill. Yesterday, behind solid starts by Tom Seaver and Jim McAndrews, the Amazins beat the Friars, respectively, 2-0 and 2-1.
1971 After getting hit by a pitch in the third inning by a Steve Arlin fastball, Ron Hunt takes exception of getting plunked again two frames later by the Padres pitcher. The combative Expo second baseman, who will be the only player ejected from the San Diego Stadium contest, shows his displeasure by ripping off backstop Bob Barton’s mask and punching the catcher squarely in the face, igniting a bench-clearing brawl.
1971 During a visit to the White House, 21-year-old Vida Blue, who is presently 22-4, is told by President Nixon that he is the most underpaid player in the game. The Commander-in-Chief shares with the eventual Cy Young Award winner and AL MVP he would like to negotiate the A’s southpaw’s next contract, much to the chagrin of Oakland owner Charlie Finley.
1972 On his wife’s birthday, Steve Carlton extends his streak to 15 consecutive victories when he beats Cincinnati 9-4 to win his 20th game of the season. After the contest, ‘Lefty’ returns from the clubhouse and stands near home plate to acknowledge the deafening cheers from the sold-out crowd at Veterans Stadium.
1973 At Shea Stadium, 42-year-old Willie Mays hits the 660th and final home run of his career off Cincinnati southpaw Don Gullett. The Mets first baseman, who played 21 seasons roaming the outfield for the Giants before coming home to New York last season, is third on the all-time home run career list behind Babe Ruth (714) and Hank Aaron (703).
1976 After stroking a one-out single in the tenth inning, George Brett steals second base and advances to third base on a throwing error by Cleveland catcher Rick Cerone. With Dave Nelson’s at-bat, the Kansas City third baseman steals home, giving the team a 4-3 walk-off victory over the Tribe at Royals Stadium.
1980 George Brett reaches the .400 mark when he goes 4-for-4 in the Royals’ 8-3 victory over Toronto. The Kansas City third baseman receives a standing ovation from the Royals Stadium crowd of 30,693 fans after blasting a bases-clearing double in the eighth inning.
1980 Al Oliver compiles 21 total bases in a twin bill, tying the American League record when Texas sweeps a doubleheader from the Tigers, 9-3 and 12-6. The Ranger left fielder homered, doubled, and tripled in the opener before going deep three times in the nightcap.
1980 The Tigers retire Al Kaline’s uniform #6, making ‘Mr. Tiger’ the first player in franchise history to receive the honor. The Hall of Famer, who joined the team as an 18-year-old, roamed the outfield for Detroit from 1953 to 1974, becoming the team’s leader in home runs (399) and games played (2,834) during his 22-year career in the Motor City.
1984 Pete Rose returns to the Cincinnati lineup for the first time in six years, going 2-for-4, including a single in his first at-bat, in the team’s 6-4 victory over Chicago at Riverfront Stadium. ‘Charlie Hustle,’ traded by the Expos yesterday for infielder Tom Lawless, also replaces Vern Rapp in the dugout in his new role as the club’s player-manager.
1984 A stamp featuring Roberto Clemente, the fourth in a series honoring American sports heroes, is unveiled in Carolina, Puerto Rico, the late Pirates outfielder’s home. The twenty-cent six-color commemorative, designed by Juan Lopez-Bonilla, shows the pensive Hall of Famer wearing his Pittsburgh cap with the Puerto Rican flag in the background.
1986 The Reds player-manager Pete Rose makes his final major league plate appearance, pinch-hitting in the eighth inning of a 9-5 loss to the Padres at Riverfront Stadium. The all-time hit leader, who will end his 24-year career with a .303 batting average, is struck out by future Hall of Famer Goose Gossage.
1990 In the team’s 4-2 victory over Texas at Arlington Stadium, Carlton Fisk breaks Johnny Bench’s record for home runs by a catcher when he hits his 328th, a deep shot to left field off Charlie Hough in the top of the second inning. The White Sox backstop, who hit 162 round-trippers while playing for the Red Sox, will end his 24-year Hall of Fame career with 376 homers, 351 as a catcher.
1992 Kevin Gross, retiring 22 of the final 23 batters he faces on his wife’s birthday, no-hits the Giants at Dodger Stadium, 2-0. The LA right-hander’s no-no averts the team from being swept in a four-game series at home against the Giants for the first time in 69 years.
1999 Jesse Orosco sets a major league mark pitching in his 1,072nd game, passing Dennis Eckersley on the all-time career appearance list. The 43-year-old Baltimore reliever, who will finish his 24-year career appearing in 1252 big-league contests, retires the only batter he faces on a fly ball to center field in the Orioles’ 8-3 victory over Minnesota at Camden Yards.
2001 After hitting a double, triple, and homer, Blue Jay Jeff Frye elects to turn an apparent additional double in the seventh inning into a single, making the infielder only the second player in Blue Jay history to hit for the cycle. Kelly Gruber, the other player to accomplish the feat for the franchise, makes it to the SkyDome in time to give an on-field hug after Frye’s fourth at-bat.
2002 Homering in the seventh inning off Mariner starter James Baldwin, Yankee All-Star Alfonso Soriano becomes the first second baseman to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in the same season. Bobby Bonds is the only other Yankee to post a 30/30 season, accomplishing the feat in 1975.
2002 Alex Rodriguez becomes the sixth player and the first infielder to compile five consecutive 40-home run seasons. The Rangers’ shortstop joins Ralph Kiner (1947-51), Duke Snider (1953-57), Ken Griffey Jr. (1996-2000), Sammy Sosa (1998-2002), and Babe Ruth (1926-32), who established the record with seven straight 40-homer seasons.
2003 Good grief, Peanuts character Charlie Brown joins the late broadcaster Bob Prince, Negro League star Josh Gibson, former catcher Manny Sanguillen, and current shortstop Jack Wilson honored by the Pirates with a bobblehead doll giveaway day. Almost ten percent of the nearly 18,000 Peanuts strips created by Charles Schulz focused on baseball.
2003 The Rally Monkey, the Angels’ unofficial mascot, is honored for contributing to last season’s world championship with a promotion featuring a bobblehead doll wearing an Anaheim jersey with the primate’s name on the back. The Rally Monkey Bobble Belly joins other giveaways paying tribute to Angel legends, including Troy Glaus (2002 World Series MVP), Adam Kennedy (ALCS MVP), and Mike Scioscia (AL Manager of the Year).
2004 Mark Teixeira becomes the second player in franchise history to complete the cycle, stroking a seventh-inning single off Cliff Bartosh in the team’s 16-4 rout of the Indians at Arlington’s Ameriquest Field. The 24-year-old switch-hitting first baseman finishes the day, going 4-for-5 and driving in a career-high seven runs.
2004 At 19, B.J. Upton becomes the first teenager in more than six years to homer in a major league game when he goes deep at Tropicana Field in the Rays’ 8-3 victory over Anaheim. Aramis Ramirez was the last major leaguer to hit a round-tripper before his 20th birthday when he connected off Philadelphia’s Tyler Green, playing for the Pirates in 1998.
2004 As she enters Sacramento’s Raley Field at 6:27 p.m., five-year-old Olivia Perez is honored by the River Cats as she becomes the four millionth fan in franchise history. The Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland A’s reaches the milestone faster than any club in minor league baseball history.
2005 St. Louis announces the franchise has broken its single-season attendance record of 3.43 million set in 1989. The first-place Cardinals have sold 3.45 million tickets for the team’s farewell season at 40-year-old Busch Stadium.
2006 For the first time in big-league history, both teams hit leadoff home runs in the first two innings of a game. In a 5-4 White Sox victory over Kansas City at U.S. Cellular Field, Royals batters David DeJesus and Emil Brown homer leading off in the first and second inning, respectively, as do Pablo Ozuna and Jermaine Dye for Chicago.
2008 Melvin Mora collects five hits, including two homers and a pair of doubles, in the Orioles’ 16-8 rout over Detroit. The Birds’ third baseman, who drives in a career-high six runs with 12 total bases, leads Baltimore’s 22-hit attack at Comerica Park.
2008 The Nationals play their longest game in team history in terms of time when it takes five hours and 29 minutes to beat Atlanta at Turner Field, 8-7. Adam LaRoche breaks the 7-7 tie when he leads off the top of the 15th inning with a home run over the right-field wall off right-hander Kris Medlen.
2008 During the fifth inning of an 11-8 loss to the Twins at the Metrodome, Mariners’ right-hander R. A. Dickey throws four wild pitches, tying a major league record for WPs in one frame. The infamous inning includes a passed ball charged to Seattle’s backstop Kenji Johjima.
2008 The Blue Jays set a team record for two-baggers, slugging ten doubles in a 15-4 victory over the Red Sox at Fenway Park. With his 5-for-6 performance, Alex Rios ties a club mark, becoming the third player in franchise history to hit four doubles in one game.
2008 In a pregame 55-minute ceremony at Minute Maid Park, Craig Biggio becomes the ninth Astro to have his jersey number retired. The Smithtown, N.Y. native, who wore number 7, is the team’s all-time leader in games (2,850) and seasons (20).
2008 Josh Hamilton is only the sixth major leaguer intentionally walked with the bases loaded. Rays’ manager Joe Maddon’s decision to give the Rangers’ slugger a run-producing free pass in the ninth inning is successful when Tampa Bay goes on to win the game in Arlington, 7-4.
2012 Lugazi, Uganda, becomes the first team from Africa to appear in the 66-year history of the Little League World Series when Aguadulce, Panama, defeat them, 9-3. None of the African youths, who have become the tournament’s darlings, have played baseball for more than two years.
2013 Baseball suspends Miguel Tejada for 105 games, one of the longest in baseball history, after he tested positive on multiple occasions this season for Adderall, an amphetamine used to treat attention-deficit disorder. The 39-year-old Royals infielder, a six-time All-Star, apologizes to the organization, his teammates, and the Kansas City fans, explaining his medical condition requires medication but that he was wrong to take it while re-applying for a Therapeutic Use Exemption.
2013 Clayton Kershaw blanks the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, 5-0, giving the Dodgers their first double-digit winning streak since 2006. In their last fifty games, the team’s 42 victories, including a 25-3 mark since the All-Star break, equals the 1941 Yankees and 1942 Cardinals for the best record for that span of games since 1900.
2014 Michael Cuddyer is the 30th player to hit for multiple cycles but becomes only the third player to accomplish the feat in both the American and National League, joining Bob Watson (Astros, 1977, and Red Sox, 1979) and John Olerud (Mets, 1997, and Mariners, 2001). An eighth-inning double off Reds reliever Manny Parra, who yielded three hits in the outfielder’s first cycle in 2009 while pitching for the Brewers, completes the rare baseball occurrence.
BASEBALL HALL OF FAME
TED SIMMONS
Catcher
Ted Simmons was the rarest of the rare in baseball: A catcher who could hit for power and average. Born Aug. 9, 1949, in Highland Park, Mich., Simmons excelled in both baseball and football in high school, earning gridiron scholarship offers from Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue and Colorado. But when the Cardinals made Simmons their first-round draft pick (10th overall) in 1967, the switch-hitting catcher knew his future was on the diamond. Simmons debuted in the big leagues in 1968 as a 19-year-old prodigy. He led the California League in hitting in 1969, then joined the Cardinals for good in 1970. The next season, Simmons hit .304 with seven homers and 77 RBI – finishing 16th in the National League Most Valuable Player voting before he turned 23. In his first seven full seasons in the majors, Simmons hit at least .303 five times, garnered MVP votes in six seasons and was named to four All-Star teams. His 193 hits in 1975 are the most of any catcher who caught at least 150 games in a season, and his 192 hits in 1973 rank second on that same list. And Simmons kept on hitting. From 1971-83, he averaged 17 homers and 90 RBI per season to go along with a .294 batting average. He was named to six of his eight career All-Star Games in the 1970s. Simmons was traded to the Brewers after the 1980 season, and in Milwaukee he helped the Brewers reach the playoffs in 1981 and advance to the World Series the following year. In the Fall Classic, Simmons hit two home runs – but his former Cardinals team won the title in a seven-game thriller. Simmons finished his playing career from 1986-88 as a part-timer with the Braves then served as the Pirates’ general manager in the early 1990s. His final playing totals: A .285 batting average, 2,472 hits, 483 doubles, 248 home runs and 1,389 RBI. His 182 National League home runs ranked first on the all-time NL switch-hitters list at the time of his retirement. Among those who played at least 50 percent of their games at catcher, Simmons ranks second in hits, second in doubles, second in RBI and fifth in runs. Simmons was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2020.
FOOTBALL HISTORY
August 17, 1928 – The Detroit Wolverines franchise is launched on this date.
August 17, 1951 – At Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois the 18th edition of the Chicago College All-Star Game is played and it is the Cleveland Browns who take apart the college stars 33-0. The game’s MVP, always the top College All-Star performing player was Lewis McFadin from Texas.
August 17, 1969 – Yale Bowl, New Haven, Connecticut – The New York Jets get their first ever game with their cross town rival New York Giants in a preseason game. The defending Super Bowl champion New York Jets defeated the New York Giants 37-14 in an exhibition game, resulting in the firing of Giants head coach Allie Sherman according to Yahoo.com. It was the first game between the Jets and Giants, who have played annually in the preseason every year since.
August 17, 1991 – Arena Bowl V is played at Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena and it is the visiting Tampa Bay Storm that wins the title over the Detroit Drive in an exciting 48-42 final score. Stevie Thomas, the wide receiver/linebacker is named the games’ MVP.
August 17, 2002 – Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts opens during with pre-season tilt where the New England Patriots hosted the Philadelphia Eagles.
HALL OF FAME BIRTHDAY
August 17, 1905 – Rags Matthews was an end from Texas Christian University was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame in the induction ceremonies of 1971. Rags played both the defensive and offensive end positions for the Horned Frogs. His outstanding play earned Matthews the honor of being TCU football’s MVP both the 1926 and the 1927 seasons.
BIRTHDAYS OF THE NOT YET IN THE HALL PLAYERS
August 17, 1966 – Tuscaloosa, Alabama – Alabama State’s former offensive tackle Zefross Moss was born. Moss signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 1988 but also played with the Colts, Lions, and Patriots according to Yahoo.com. Mr. Moss started in 137 of his 154 career NFL games.
August 17, 1968 – Waynesboro, Pennsylvania – Stanford’s great wide receiver Ed McCaffrey arrived into the world. Mr. McCaffrey was the 83rd overall pick by the New York Giants in the 1991 NFL Draft. Ed’ great career included 565 receptions for 7,422 yards and 55 touchdowns with the Giants, 49ers and Broncos. McCaffrey per a Yahoo.com report was a Pro Bowl selection and a Second-team All-Pro in 1998. He won three Super Bowls in his career: Super Bowl XXIX with the 49ers and Super Bowls XXXII and XXXIII with the Broncos.
August 17, 1972 – Renton, Washington – University of Washington’s former tight end Ernie Conwell was born. The St. Louis Rams chose Ernie in the 1996 NFL Draft with the 59th overall pick. His career spanned not only with the Rams but also Saints as he hauled in 203 career receptions for 2,188 yards and 15 touchdowns. Yahoo.com reports that Conwell was an All-Pro in 2001. He won Super Bowl XXXIV with the Rams.
August 17, 1979 – Riverdale, Illinois – Wide receiver Antwaan Randle El who once donned the uniform of the University of Indiana from 1998 through the 2001season arrived into this life. Randle El was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 62nd overall pick in the 2002 NFL Draft. Besides having two stints with the Steelers he also plyed 3 seasons with Washington. For his career according to Yahoo.com Antwaan grabbed 370 receptions for 4,467 yards and 15 touchdowns as well as 79 carries for 438 yards with 311 punt returns for 2,557 yards and five touchdowns and 79 kick returns for 1,759 yards and one touchdown. Mr. Randle El won a Super Bowl Ring as he was part of the Pittburgh team that won Super Bowl XL, where he threw a touchdown strike to the games MVP, Hines Ward on a gadget play.
FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME
HARRY BAUJAN
Position: Coach
Years: 1923-1946
Place of Birth: Beardstown, IL
Date of Birth: May 24, 1894
Place of Death: Dayton, OH
Date of Death: Dec 30, 1976
Harry Baujan lettered four years as an end on the Notre Dame football team. In his first year, 1913, Knute Rockne was captain of the team. In the next three years, Rockne was assistant coach; in all four years, Jesse Harper was the head coach. Baujan made the all-Indiana and all-Western teams. He played for pro teams in Massillon and Cleveland and served in the Army in World War I. He became head coach at the University of Dayton in 1923 and guided the team through 1946, with three years out for World War II. He posted a final record of 124-64-8. It was not his won-lost record alone that boosted Baujan to greatness. It was his successful conduct of the football program, guiding Dayton from a small, independent entry to membership in the Ohio Conference and, later, the Buckeye Conference. He built a new stadium and drummed up the crowds to fill it. He finished his career as director of athletics, and he also served his city as boxing commissioner, baseball commissioner, and playground supervisor. The Knute Rockne Clubs of America named him College Athletic Director of the Year in 1962. The “Blond Beast” died December 30, 1976.
NUMBERS IN SPORTS
4 – 8 – 1 – 9 – 24 – 44 – 3 – 32 – 35 – 5 – 14
August 17, 1933 – MLB player Lou Gehrig, Number 4 of the New York Yankees, played in a record 1,308th consecutive game in St. Louis. Gehrig got two singles in a 7–6 loss to the Browns to reach the milestone. The record was previously held by Everett Scott set 1925. Gehrig would go on to play 822 more straight games, and his record would last until it was broken by Number 8 of the Baltimore Orioles, Cal Ripken Jr. on September 6, 1995
August 17, 1944 – New York Yankees star Johnny Lindell, Number 8 tied a record with 4 consecutive doubles in a game
August 17, 1950 – Pee Wee Reese (Number 1 with the Dodgers) and Sam Calderone (Giants Number 6) each hit an inside park home run during the game between these two New York area teams.
August 17, 1957 – Baseball player Richie Ashburn, Number 1 fouled off a ball and hit a fan named Alice Roth twice in the same game at bat playing for the Philadelphia Phillies. The 1st hit broke her nose and the 2nd one hit her while she is on the stretcher being carted out of the stadium after an initial delay.
August 17, 1963 – Jim Hickman, Number 9 became the first New York Met to hit for cycle.
August 17, 1966 – Willie Mays, Number 24 reached 2nd place on all-time HR list with a blast off of Number 44, Ray Washburn, the starting pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. Mays launched a 3-2 fastball straight over the right field fence at Candlestick Park to surpass long time Number 3 legend, Jimmie Foxx with the 535 home run of his career.
August 17, 1972 – MLB Philadelphia Phillies Steve Carlton, Number 32 won his 15th straight game
August 17, 1973 – Willie Mays, Number 24 hits 660th & last HR (off Don Gullett, Number 35 of Cincinnati)
August 17, 1980 – George Brett, Number 5 went 4-for-4, raising his batting average to .401
August 17, 1984 – Pete Rose, Number 14 returns to Cincinnati Reds as player-manager (gets 2 hits)
TV WEDNESDAY
AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL
5:30 a.m. (Friday)
FS2 — AFL: Brisbane at Collingwood
AUTO RACING
9 p.m.
ESPN — SRX: Racing Series, Wheatland, Mo.
CFL FOOTBALL
7:30 p.m.
CBSSN — Edmonton at Hamilton
COLLEGE SOCCER (WOMEN’S)
6 p.m.
PAC-12N — Michigan at Southern Cal
7 p.m.
BTN — North Carolina at Penn St.
8 p.m.
PAC-12N — Baylor at Oregon
SECN — Florida St. at Texas A&M
10 p.m.
PAC-12N — Georgia at UCLA
GOLF
8 a.m.
GOLF — LPGA Tour: The ISPS Handa World Invitational, First Round, Galgorm Castle Golf Club/Castlerock Golf Club, Antrim, Northern Ireland
2 p.m.
GOLF — PGA Tour: The BMW Championship, First Round, Olympia Fields North Course, Olympia Fields, Ill.
7 p.m.
GOLF — USGA U.S Men’s Amateur: Round of 16, The Ridgewood Country Club, Paramus, N.J.
HORSE RACING
1 p.m.
FS2 — Saratoga Live: From Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL
1 p.m.
ESPN — Little League World Series: Sydney, Australia vs. Willemstad, Curacao, International Bracket, Williamsport, Pa.
3 p.m.
ESPN — Little League World Series: Seattle vs. Gray, Maine, United States Bracket, Williamsport, Pa.
5 p.m.
ESPN — Little League World Series: Taoyuan, Chinese Taipei vs. Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, International Bracket, Williamsport, Pa.
7 p.m.
ESPN — Little League World Series: New Albany, Ohio vs. El Segundo, Calif., United States Bracket, Williamsport, Pa.
MLB BASEBALL
2 p.m.
MLBN — Seattle at Kansas City
5 p.m.
MLBN — Boston at Washington (Joined in Progress)
7 p.m.
FOX — Regional Coverage: Detroit at Cleveland OR NY Mets at St. Louis
10 p.m.
MLBN — Regional Coverage: Milwaukee at LA Dodgers OR Arizona at San Diego (9:40 p.m.)
NFL FOOTBALL
7:30 p.m.
NFLN — Preseason: Cleveland at Philadelphia
RUGBY (MEN’S)
5:30 a.m.
FS2 — NRL: Cronulla-Sutherland at North Queensland
SOCCER (MEN’S)
9:55 p.m.
FS2 — CONCACAF Central American Cup Group Stage: FC Motagua vs. Olancho FC, Group D, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
TENNIS
11 a.m.
TENNIS — Cincinnati-ATP/WTA Early Rounds
WNBA BASKETBALL
10 p.m.
PRIME VIDEO — New York at Las Vegas