Many U.S. gymnasts have gone from junior all-around national champions to stars on the senior level. Claire Pease may have taken an early step to joining that list on Saturday.

Pease, a 16-year-old Texan, won the Saatva U.S. Classic, the primary tune-up meet for the U.S. Championships in three weeks.

Pease overtook Simone Rose on the last rotation, totaling 54.6 points to prevail by four tenths over Rose. Joscelyn Roberson, a Paris Olympic alternate, was third in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.

Gymnasts use Classic as a building block for nationals (Aug. 7-10 in New Orleans).

U.S. CLASSIC: Results

After nationals, the four-woman team for the World Championships in October in Indonesia will be named after a two-day selection competition in early autumn. This year’s worlds include individual events only and no team competition.

Pease, the second senior rookie to win Classic in the last 17 years (Alyona Shchennikova, 2017), can join the list of U.S. junior all-around champions to make global championship teams on the senior level.

Over the years, that’s included Olympic all-around champions Carly Patterson and Nastia Liukin (whose parents coach Pease) and world all-around champions Shawn Johnson and Jordyn Wieber.

Plus Hezly Rivera, the 2023 U.S. junior all-around champ who made the 2024 Olympic team as the youngest American competing in Paris in any sport.

Rivera, the lone Olympian competing at Classic, tied for 12th on Saturday after falling on her first two routines — bars and beam. She trains at World Olympic Gymnastics Academy outside Dallas, just like Pease.

Paris Olympic alternate Leanne Wong competed on two events at Classic, tying for fifth on beam and tying for 11th on bars.

One gymnast not at Classic who is expected at nationals is Skye Blakely. She was second to Simone Biles at the 2024 U.S. Championships, then ruptured her right Achilles in practice two days before Olympic Trials began.

2025 Saatva U.S. Classic Gymnastics Results

1. Claire Pease — 54.6
2. Simone Rose — 54.2
3. Joscelyn Roberson — 53.25
4. Brooke Pierson — 52.6
5. Reese Esponda — 52.35
6. Ally Damelio — 52.05
7. Ashlee Sullivan — 52
7. Alicia Zhou — 52
7. Harlow Buddendeck — 52
10. Jordis Eichman — 51.9

Olympians took home the biggest awards at the 2025 ESPYs, including best female and male athletes.

PROVO — Utah United never set out to win a league title in its first year in franchise history.

But that’s exactly what they did Saturday night.

McKenzie Evans-Tostado, Seven Castain, Lilliah Blum and Ruby Hladek all scored as Utah won a USL W League championship with a 4-0 win over defending champion North Carolina Courage U23 at BYU’s South Field.

The loss was the first of the year for the Courage (13-1-3), which was playing in its third consecutive W League final.

But for Utah United (13-1), it was the chance to make history in going from an expansion team in the 93-team pre-professional W League scattered across the continental United States in four conferences and 15 divisions.

“There aren’t a lot of people who get to compete for national championships at any level,” said Castain, who set a Utah high school record with 71 goals en route to 2A MVP honors at Waterford. “To get this opportunity, and to do it at home with all of our family and friends surrounding us was amazing.”

For Utah United head coach Scott Halasz, the former Utah and Washington State assistant who is heavily involved in local club soccer, the initial aim for a group that had never played together before tryouts in January was more simple: provide a high-quality training environment for dozens of returning college soccer players who just wanted to be home for the summer (and a few local college players who stuck around the Beehive State).

Quality training, and several strong friendships were a championship-winning formula.

“The girls just love being around each other,” Halasz said. “It started from day one, and we just had to foster it and keep it going. But I was blessed to work with these young women.”

The group included several names that local college soccer fans know, like BYU’s Ellie Walbruch, who was named championship final MVP after contributing to Utah’s first two goals; Castain, the All-Big 12 striker at TCU who grew up in Draper; and Hladek, the former American Fork and BYU standout who will be a senior at Utah Valley in the fall.

It also combined a few names that only the most die-hard fans might know, like Utah State goalkeeper Taylor Rath, a graduate transfer from Las Vegas via Pepperdine; starting center back Kaitlyn Richins, the Layton native who was a star at Utah State and will transfer to Connecticut for her final NCAA season; and Evans-Tostado — the former Lone Peak and BYU-Hawaii standout who moved from striker to outside back with the team after the birth of her third child.

Through training sessions and road trips to Colorado, the only USL W team in Utah bonded quickly, Walbruch noted — both on and off the field.

“Growing off the field made us that much better on the field. We’ve known each other since I was little, and just being familiar with each other really helped us.

“Utah homegrowns; that’s all I have to say.”

It was the former Kenzie Evans who gave United a 1-0 lead at halftime, lacing a screamer into the top shelf after Walbruch’s initial attempt on frame was deflected to her feet just outside the penalty box in the 37th minute.

Castain doubled the advantage in the 53rd minute with a tap-in from Walbruch for her 21st goal of the season.

A few moments later, Blum — the Utah rising senior who had as second assist on Castain’s goal — then converted off a defensive error to stretch the host’s lead to 3-0 in the 55th minute.

By the 60th minute when Hladek finished a corner kick from Lucy Kesler, the rout was on for Utah United.

“I think we’ve got a lot of depth, and we were able to come in after they prepared for a team that they played in the first half — and we had a different team in the second half, with fresh legs and new energy,” Castain said. “We came out really strong, and they weren’t ready for it.

“We did a really good job of utilizing our depth to our advantage.”

With limited training opportunities due to travel schedules — Utah United’s playoff run moved from the Western Conference finals in Stockton, California, to Eagan, Minnesota in last week’s USL W semifinals — the club bonded even closer.

“I think the results speak for themselves,” Rath said. “Our chemistry from day one and our first game, we’ve carried ourselves so well throughout.

“Every person played their part, and that was really important for getting the result tonight.”

Dr. Eugene F. Orbaker, age 95, of Brockport, New York, passed away peacefully on July 17, 2025. A devoted educator, coach, veteran, and mentor, he left behind a legacy of service, scholarship, and sport that profoundly shaped generations of students and athletes.

Born on April 21, 1930, Dr. Orbaker dedicated much of his life to education and athletics. He served with distinction as a member of the faculty at SUNY College at Brockport from 1958 until his retirement in 1995. As Associate Professor of Physical Education and Sport, he played a foundational role in the development of both the academic and athletic programs at the college. Upon retirement, he was honored with the title of Associate Professor Emeritus.

Dr. Orbaker was a standout athlete in his own right. As a student at Brockport, he was recognized as an All-New York State soccer player in 1950, 1951, and 1952, and an All-American in 1951 and 1952. He competed in the 1951 Olympic Trials and earned spots on the All-North and All-South teams. His leadership was evident early on, serving as treasurer of the Student Faculty Association and being elected to Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities.

A proud veteran, Dr. Orbaker served in the U.S. Army from 1953 to 1962, both in active duty and the reserves. During his military service, he played international soccer throughout Latin and South America as part of the Military Team.

Before and during his tenure at Brockport, Dr. Orbaker shared his love of sport and education as a teacher and coach. He taught health and physical education and coached soccer, wrestling, and track and field in the East Meadow Public Schools on Long Island. At Brockport, he coached varsity lacrosse, women’s varsity soccer, varsity tennis, and the freshman men’s soccer team. He also served as director of intramurals and the College Camp, and as co-adviser to the college’s ice hockey club.

Dr. Orbaker was predeceased by his beloved wife, Mary. He is survived by his sister Betty Eaton; sons, Daniel (Darlene) and Thomas (Brandy); grandchildren Colton (Kayla), Caleb (Margaret), Jacob, and Molly; and five great-grandchildren, who carry on his values of commitment, education, and community.

Family will receive friends on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, from 4-6 pm at Fowler Funeral Home Inc., 340 West Ave., Brockport where a funeral service will follow at 6 pm. Interment will be held privately in Lakeview Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, those wishing may contribute to your favorite charity in Eugene’s memory.

A life so richly lived leaves a lasting imprint. Dr. Orbaker will be remembered for his integrity, mentorship, and the enduring impact he made on the lives of his students, colleagues, friends, and family.

USC Trojans coach Lincoln Riley joined the program ahead of the 2022 college football season with high expectations. The program has yet to make the College Football Playoff under Riley, and are coming off a disappointing season.

In 2024, the Trojans finished with a 7-6 record, going 4-5 in Big Ten conference play. Though the team did earn and win a bowl game, it was Riley’s worst season with USC. Only winning four conference matchups and going on a three-game losing streak was not a good look for Riley, leading to the belief that he is on the hot seat.

With college sports video games making a return, players may have a valid reason for being concerned about their ratings.

EA Sports’ new College Football 26 game has altered the way college players are compensated. Not only will players receive a check for being in the video game, but their schools will also see revenue depending on how often their university is featured in the game.

Back in 2022, the New York Times put together an article about the new NIL era in college athletics. LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne was a part of the story, with a picture of her being used. The headline ended with the two words “Sex Sells” and it’s something Dunne has been critical of ever since.

She expanded on the topic recently when appearing on the What’s Your Story? podcast. Dunne explained the process of how the New York Times went about a photoshoot. Nothing different than what she would normally wear as a gymnast.

“They came to our gymnastics facility at LSU, took pictures of me,” Dunne said via What’s Your Story? “They said, ‘wear your team-issued attire, put on a leotard,’ and they took a picture of me standing in front of the beam, like any gymnast would, and then they blew it up on the screen and put the headline, ‘Sex Sells.’

“Okay, well, you just came into the facility and took pictures of me in our team-issued attire and blew it up on a screen… So I was like, ‘okay, well, this is crazy.’ And there was obviously a lot of backlash to the New York Times because of that.”

Dunne has been one of the faces of NIL since college athletes were allowed to be paid. Not many athletes out there have built a bigger brand for themselves in that time. The portfolio expands well outside gymnastics too, as Dunne partners with a large number of brands out there.

This is not the first time Dunne has called out this specific article, either. Once describing it as “BS,” Dunne knew something was off from the very beginning while being interviewed.

“The interviewer called me and he was asking me very odd questions,” Dunne said in 2023 on the FULL SEND PODCAST. “It was worded quite weird. He was like, ‘So, how does it feel to be a small petite blonde gymnast doing so well with NIL?’ I was just like, ‘Why does it matter that I’m petite and blonde?’ You can just ask me about NIL without you having to use these weird ways of saying it.”

Dunne has since run out of eligibility, ending her gymnastics career. Her affinity for LSU has not changed though, most recently cheering on the Tigers in Omaha as Jay Johnson led them to another national championship.