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High School Sports

Six high school takeaways, with New Balance track, coaching moves, college commitments …

Ryan Kyle was named the Gatorade Boys’ Track and Field Athlete of the Year after breaking the state record in the 400-meter hurdles during a Meet of Champions win. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff After a record-breaking outdoor season, Westford Academy’s Ryan Kyle has been named the Gatorade Massachusetts Boys’ Track and Field Athlete of the Year. […]

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Six high school takeaways, with New Balance track, coaching moves, college commitments ...

Ryan Kyle was named the Gatorade Boys’ Track and Field Athlete of the Year after breaking the state record in the 400-meter hurdles during a Meet of Champions win.
Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff

After a record-breaking outdoor season, Westford Academy’s Ryan Kyle has been named the Gatorade Massachusetts Boys’ Track and Field Athlete of the Year. The 6-foot, 185-pound senior, who has committed to Rhode Island, won both the 400-meter and 110 hurdles, as well as the decathlon, at the Division 1 championship, then broke his own state record in the 400 hurdles at the Meet of the Champions, winning in 51.72 seconds.“These last couple years, I’ve learned not to put limits on the times I can run or the achievements I can get,” Kyle said after the Meet of Champions. “Once I beat the state record at the league championships, I knew I could keep climbing.” Kyle went on to finish ninth at New Balance Nationals in the 400 hurdles (52.50). Ryan Kyle of Westford Academy was all smiles after seeing his 110-meter hurdles win displayed on the scoreboard during the Division 1 championship. Barry Chin/Globe Staff“Ryan is the athlete every coach dreams of having: talented, driven and never satisfied,” said Westford coach Philip Archambault. “All are terrific attributes, but his ability to bring others along and make them a critical part of the team is what makes him one to watch.” Kyle, who graduated with a 3.27 GPA, volunteers with the Special Olympics and as a youth football and basketball coach. With one more announcement to be made (girls’ track) the 2024-25 Gatorade winners are:Phillips Andover’s Tam Gavenas (boys’ cross-country), Needham’s Greta Hammer (girls’ cross-country), Milton Academy’s Josh Partal (boys’ soccer), Hopkinton’s Maddie Recupero (girls’ soccer), Needham’s Aidan Williams (football), Newton North’s Sasha Selivan (girls’ volleyball), Bedford’s Alyx Rossi (softball), Austin Prep’s Bradley McCafferty (baseball), CATS Academy’s Jaylen Harrell (boys’ basketball), and Noble & Greenough’s Christina Pham (girls’ basketball).

1. Bay Staters go national

Kyle wasn’t the only Massachusetts track star to shine at the New Balance Nationals last weekend at Franklin Field in Philadelphia.

While there were no national champs from the Bay State, there were three runners-up. Gavenas was second in the boys’ two mile in 8:53.71, Marblehead senior Nate Assa placed second in the 5,000 in 14:25.19, and Brookline’s distance medley relay of Theodore Butty, Elijah Sweeney, Harry Flint, Altamo Ashkenasy snagged silver in 9:55.24.

Seven other individuals and four relays turned in top-10 finishes: Catholic Memorial sophomore Amar Skeete of West Roxbury placed third in the boys’ triple jump (50-5.25), Westford junior Abigail Hennessy took third in the girls’ mile (4:34.69), Peabody senior Alessandra Forgiona placed third in the javelin (144-1), Lexington junior Aubrey Deardorf was fifth in the girls’ long jump (19-9), Belmont Hill senior Josiah Gomes, of Dorchester, was sixth in the boys’ discus (188-7), BB&N senior Avery Hart was eighth in the girls’ long jump (19-4.5), Weymouth senior Ainsley Weber was eighth in the javelin (134-8), Lexington junior Ainsley Cuthbertson claimed ninth in the girls’ hammer throw (160-8), and Hopedale junior Ari Levine was ninth in the boys’ shot put (60-6).

The Lexington girls’ 4×800 relay, made up of Callie Glenn, Natalie Bielat, Jane Conrad, and Amelia Whorton, placed fourth in 9:09.84, while Conrad, Glenn, Whorton and Lucy Kontos teamed up to give the Minutewomen a seventh-place finish in the 4-by-mile (20.41.66). The Old Rochester boys’ 4×110 shuttle hurdles relay (Wesner Archelus, Calder Eaton, Malik Washburn, Sebastian Harrigan) placed seventh in 59.88, as did the Boston Jesuit 4-by-mile, with Shamus Larnard, John Wilson, Owen Geagan, and Greg McGrath finishing in 17:29.22.

Other top 20 finishes included Holliston senior Connor Teague in the long jump (18th at 22-6.5), North Reading girls’ shuttle hurdles (14th in 1:06.61), Winchester girls’ distance medley (19th in 12:19.47), Weymouth’s girls’ distance medley (20th in 12:19.50), Danvers senior Kye McClory in the javelin (16th at 173 feet), Hennessy in the 800 (12th in 2:08.22), Acton-Boxborough senior Emerson Gould in the girls’ pole vault (15th in 12-1.5), Lexington junior Franz Schroder in the boys’ hammer throw (29th in 188-1), Weston junior Oscar Torres in the boys’ triple jump (47-4.25), Lincoln-Sudbury senior Gabrielle Pierre in the girls’ triple jump (12th at 39-9.25), Natick junior Chloe Elder in the girls’ 400 (16th in 54.73), Natick’s mixed 4×400 relay (11th in 3:40.32), Lowell’s mixed 4×400 relay (14th in 3:41.29), Natick senior Sydni Chandler in the girls’ heptathlon (14th with 4,100 points), North Reading senior Giuliana Ligor in the 400 hurdles (14th in 1:00.76), Weston junior Solana Varela in the 400 hurdles (18th in 1:00.84), Lowell’s boys’ sprint medley relay (17th in 3:30.38), Haverhill’s Madeline Goncalves in the girls’ shot put (14th at 41-10), Arlington’s Bella Hayes in the girls’ shot put (17th at 41-5), and Peabody’s Alex Jackson in the boys’ discus (12th at 183-10).

In the middle school competition, Charlet Livingston of Boston, who competes for the MetroCobras Track Club, placed sixth in the shot put with a throw of 41-0.5. Other Top 20 middle school finishers included West Roxbury’s Desmond Sullivan, who runs with the FXD Hawks Track Club, taking 15th in the 800 (2:02.94) and 16th in the mile (4:37.66), Millis’s Emma Genovese placed 15th in the mile (5:07.97), Sterling’s Annika Kindorf was 16th in the 800 (2:17.09), and Lexington’s Daniel Sun finished 19th in the shot put (42-8.75).

2. Commitment central

After an incredible career at Medfield, including a Division 3 state championship in 2024 and All-American honors, senior FOGO Johnny Olenik will continue his lacrosse career at Syracuse, owner of 15 national championships, and a Final Four participant in 2025.

Randolph’s Amahn Williams, a rising senior at Tabor Academy, announced his commitment to play football at Central Florida. The 6-foot-5-inch, 280-pound interior offensive lineman had offers from BC, UMass, UConn, Buffalo, Old Dominion, and Sacramento State.

Burlington senior Grace Seaman, the two-time Middlesex League Freedom Division MVP, announced she will play volleyball at Hamilton. The Red Devils’ single-season record holder for aces and kills, Seaman also holds career marks for aces, digs, and kills.

Carver senior Jack Balzarini, a 6-2, 190-pound quarterback, has committed to play football at Hudson Valley Community College. He threw for 2,229 yards and ran for 546 as a senior, totaling 40 touchdowns and throwing for a state-record seven scores in a win over Bourne.

Former Sandwich hockey standout Chris Cotillo, who last played for the Smith Falls Bears in the CCHL, has committed to skate for UMass Dartmouth.

Eldon Terry, a 6-9, 210-pound center who attended Brockton High and CASH in Boston, announced he’ll be leaving Quincy College to play basketball at Concord University, a Division 2 school in West Virginia.

Former Amesbury and Austin Prep baseball standout Jake Harring is transferring from Hofstra to Salve Regina. The 5-7, 155-pound rising sophomore played in 15 games for the Lions.

Patrick Otey, a Westwood resident who just finished his sophomore season at CATS Academy, announced he will be transferring to St. Thomas More (Conn.). A 6-5 guard and the No. 29 recruit in the Class of 2027, he has offers from Providence, Florida State, and Villanova.

Tabor added a pair of recruits with size: 6-9 junior forward Isaac Saas, a rising junior from Beverly, and Billy Stewart, a 6-7 rising junior forward from the Bancroft School who hails from Auburn.

Leshon Crawford, a former football and basketball star at Rockland, will take over the girls’ basketball program at Weymouth. Crawford has served as an assistant at Quincy College and is director of the Level Up Hoops AAU program.

Weymouth is coming off an 0-19 season, but was 20-5 and reached the Division 1 quarterfinals in 2023-24 with Doug Kirby at the helm.

▪ BC High announced that Mark Whitehouse has been promoted to head soccer coach. Whitehouse has coached at the school since 2011, working his way up from freshman assistant. Whitehouse also coaches rugby and teaches math at BC High, which went 7-6-7 in its final season under Billy Ryan.

“I’m truly excited to get started,” Whitehouse said in a statement. ”My goal is to take the next big step with the program —modernizing our style of play and competing to win the state championship.”

Whitehouse played at Long Island and with the Longridge Town Football Club in the English Conference League, and has coached club and youth teams.

“Mark has a clear vision for the soccer program,” said BC High AD Tom Conley in a statement. “I am confident our young men will develop as players and he will help them reach their goals and get them to the next level while becoming better men.”

Ryan retired in May after coaching BC High for 32 years, winning more than 300 games and a state championship.

▪ After 11 seasons, Anthony Palladino is stepping down as the Joseph Case football coach. He will remain the school’s athletic director. Palladino, who played at Bridgewater State, helped turn the Cardinals around, leading them to a South Coast Conference title in 2019, their first in 27 years. Assistant coach Alex Monteiro, also a BSU graduate and assistant coach with the Bears, will serve as Case’s interim head coach for the 2025 season.

▪ After three straight seasons struggling to compete in the Patriot League, Quincy and North Quincy will be combining their hockey programs for the 2025-26 campaign and 16-year North Quincy coach Matt Gibbons will take the helm of the co-op. They will continue to compete in the Fisher Division.

The Presidents and Raiders combined to go 11-29-1 last season, and the last winning record between them was Quincy’s 12-8-2 mark in 2021-22. They’re a combined 27-91-5 since.

Robbie Winter is taking over as the Whitman-Hanson/Silver Lake girls’ hockey coach. W-H/S-L is coming off an 11-10 record and a Division 1 tournament appearance under Jim Stone.

Winter, who played men’s hockey at Curry, is director of Boston’s Eastern Hockey Federation, the largest club youth hockey league in the country. He has coached the Boston Jr. Terriers U14 Tier 1 team for six years, is a member of the Massachusetts Hockey Board of Directors, and served as girls hockey director of the South Shore Eagles.

“We are excited to welcome coach Winter to our program,” said Whitman-Hanson AD Bob Rodgers in a statement. “His extensive experience in girls hockey and proven track record of player development make him an ideal fit.”

Keith Davie will be taking over as Newton South athletic director after Patricia Gonzalez retired after 11 years in the position. Davie is being promoted from assistant AD and has experience as athletic director at Nyack College.

Richkaard Verrier is the new athletic director at Westwood High. Previously the assistant AD at Needham and Brookline, he also worked for the New England Revolution for five years. He has coached boys’ JV soccer at Milton and Foxborough and played at Curry. He succeeds Matthew Gillis, who announced his retirement earlier this month after 33 years in the school district.

4. ‘Wally’ Seaver Invite adds North tournament

The 14th “Wally” Seaver High School Invitational has a new addition this year, with a North event to be held at St. John’s Prep on Saturday and Sunday, followed by the main event at Mass Premier in Foxborough and The Dana Barros Basketball Club in Stoughton July 26-27. More than 150 teams are slated to compete between the two events.

5. Red Sox hand out scholarships

One hundred public high school graduates from across New England received $1,000 college scholarships the Red Sox Foundation as part of the New England Service Scholarships.

The recipients, 31 of whom are from Massachusetts, will be honored before the Red Sox vs. Blue Jays game Friday at Fenway Park. They were selected for their meaningful impact through local community service.

Malden’s Abigail Lee will receive the inaugural Somers Scholarship, which honors the late Helen Somers, a 1946 Malden graduate and the mother of Fenway Sports Group partner Steve Somers.

The program has provided scholarships to more than 1,900 students since 2010.

6. NFHS teams with RefReps

The National Federation of State High School Associations is entering an exclusive deal with RefReps as its officiating education technology and curriculum partner.

The NFHS, and the MIAA, have previously worked with RefReps, which led to the launch of NFHS Digital, a mobile app for distributing and accessing official rules publications.

“Making this partnership official was an easy decision,” said Dr. Karissa Niehoff, NFHS CEO and a Marblehead High graduate (Class of ’83). “RefReps reimagined the officiating education experience, and it is easy to see the remarkable impact that it has had on the industry. What they have accomplished with their digital platforms and curriculum is reshaping the future of sports as a whole.”


Brendan Kurie can be reached at brendan.kurie@globe.com. Follow him on X @BrendanKurie.

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TSSAA football

TSSAA football: Watch Mt. Pleasant preseason full pads practice News Sports Entertainment Opinion Advertise Obituaries eNewspaper Legals Watch Mt. Pleasant hold its second full pads practice of the TSSAA football preseason with Week 1 kickoff just over three weeks away. Harrison Campbell Watch Next   © 2025 www.columbiadailyherald.com. All rights reserved. 0

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TSSAA football


TSSAA football: Watch Mt. Pleasant preseason full pads practice

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Kaden Rylance & Watertown Post 17 teammates looking to make run at State A Legion Baseball title

WATERTOWN — It couldn’t have been easy for Kaden Rylance to follow in the footsteps of one of the greatest all-around athletes in Watertown High School history — his father Heath. But the younger Rylance has already made his mark and could put a big exclamation point on his own stellar athletic career this week […]

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Kaden Rylance & Watertown Post 17 teammates looking to make run at State A Legion Baseball title


WATERTOWN — It couldn’t have been easy for Kaden Rylance to follow in the footsteps of one of the greatest all-around athletes in Watertown High School history — his father Heath.

But the younger Rylance has already made his mark and could put a big exclamation point on his own stellar athletic career this week when Watertown Post 17 hosts the 2025 South Dakota State Class A American Legion Baseball Tournament at Watertown Stadium.

Rylance is the ace pitcher, and also pretty-noted hitter, for a Post 17 team that is hosting the state tourney for the first time in 34 seasons and hopes to challenge for the program’s first state title in 94 years.

“I think there’s been some pressure for us going all the way back to the high school season when we were ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll,” Kaden Rylance said. “That threw the team for a little swirl but we worked through that during the high school and now the Legion season. Obviously there’s some pressure, but you couldn’t ask for a better opportunity to play at home and have a good shot at winning.”

The state Legion tourney will be the final high school level athletic event for Rylance, who also was a standout golfer for WHS, played some basketball through the middle school years and even had his share of success for the Watertown Area Swim Club as a youngster. He committed in 2024 to play baseball for the South Dakota State University.

Watertown Post 17 pitcher and South Dakota State University recruit Kaden Rylance (center) is pictured with his mother Anne and father Heath during a Senior Night program at Watertown Stadium this summer.

Some good family bloodlines

Heath Rylance was in the eighth grade when Ray and Roberta Rylance moved their family to Watertown. His father was a such a talented catcher that he later became the first University of South Dakota baseball player to be inducted into the Coyote Hall of Fame.

Sure, Heath’s athletic accomplishments may have cast a big shadow for Kaden, but there’s definitely some rich athletic tradition in the Rylance family.For the Arrows, Rylance was a three-year starter at quarterback who earned Class 11AA all-state honors a senior in 1989. In basketball, he earned Class 11AA all-state second team honors in 1990 and also starred three years for Watertown Post 17, earning all-state honors in both 1989 and 1990.”I caught a lot, played some outfield and a little third base,” Heath Rylance said.Heath Rylance, a 1990 WHS graduate, batted .433 in his Post 17 career, including .482 as a senior and added 41 doubles, 14 homers, 79 stolen bases and 131 runs batted in over the three-year span. He drew the attention of college baseball coaches, even receiving a partial scholarship offer from the University of Illinois.Back then, scholarship money for college baseball players (in South Dakota for sure) wasn’t great and Rylance chose Augustana College (Division II) because it had agreed to allow him to play both football and baseball. After playing on the diamond his freshman year, he tore a ligament in his thumb as a sophomore and when a new football coaching staff arrived prior to his junior season with the Vikings, he had to turn his focus to football.”Football was the full ride and that was important,” he said. “It’s true that baseball was my favorite sport. Football kind of took over with the success we had and baseball took a back seat.”Rylance earned All-North Central Conference honors four years (1991-94, twice first team and twice second team) and even was named the NCC’s Most Valuable Offensive Player in 1994 before spending five years a signal-caller for Saskatchewan Roughriders and Calgary Stampede in the Canadian Football League.He was inducted into the Watertown High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002, Augustana College Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Watertown Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022.More family athletic history will follow.Watertown Arrows Post 17 pitcher Kaden Rylance flips the ball to first after fielding a grounder during an American Legion Baseball doubleheader against Brandon Valley on Thursday, May 29, 2025, at Watertown Stadium. Post 17 won 12-2 and 5-4.A somewhat different athletic pathAfter his CFL days ended, Rylance moved back to Watertown and helped establish a financial consulting business.For years, Watertown fans have had discussions about why the son (Kaden) of one of the greatest Arrow football players didn’t compete in the sport.At a young age, Kaden took to golf and also spent his time swimming and playing baseball. He did play basketball through his freshman year before his two favorite sports (golf and baseball) took over. His football career consisted of some flag-football games in elementary school.”People ask me how I felt about Kaden not playing football, but it was never difficult. Really, he was extremely passionate about golf as a very young age. I could see very clearly where his passions were and I just wanted to support what he wanted,” Heath Rylance said. “Baseball just continued to evolve and become more important later.”Kaden Rylance of Watertown hits a shot to No. 3 Yellow during the final day of the state Class AA high school boys golf tournament on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024 at Cattail Crossing Golf Course in Watertown.Since the Class AA high school boys golf and football seasons each run in the fall in South Dakota, golf was the sport he continued to play. He had five top-10 finishes in state tournaments (including a second-place finish as an eighth-grader in 2020 and a third-place finish in 2023 as a junior) and helped lead the Arrows to back-to-back state golf titles in 2023 and 2024 (Watertown’s first title since 1971).Success has also came on the baseball diamond, where his Reliabank Rattlers baseball 8-and-under and 12-and-under teams won state titles in 2015 and 2019.Fellow Post 17 seniors Nash Berg and Talan Jurgens (Dakota State), Mitch Olson (University of Sioux Falls), Treyton Himmerich and Hayden Ries (Mount Marty), Nathan Briggs (Wayne NE State) and Max Dylla have been together on the same team since 2020 and have produced a run that included South Dakota Class A Baseball state titles in 2020 (13U, Grey Sox) and 2021 (14U, Black Sox), a trip to the semifinals of the state Class A Junior Legion tournament in 2022 and a third-place finish in the state Class A Legion tournament last summer.20 FAVORITES: Links to the stories highlighting the best northeastern South Dakota athletes since 1984

Kaden’s always been a middle-of-the-order hitter with some pop, much like his father, but it’s his prowess on the pitcher’s mound that has fueled his baseball opportunities.

He announced his choice to compete for South Dakota State in February of 2024.

South Dakota had a number of Class A pitchers during the spring high school season who have signed to pitch for Division I teams and a few of those, including Rylance and Harrisburg’s Eli Kokenge (University of Minnesota), will hit the mound this week in Watertown.

“I was a thrower but not a pitcher,” Heath Rylance said. “He’s (Kaden’s) a very different athlete and baseball player, especially on the mound. That’s a skill set I never had. We both throw hard but he has an analytical mind that has really set up with his pitching.”These five Watertown High School seniors and Watertown Post 17 American Legion Baseball players signed to play college baseball during National Signing Day on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. Pictured, from left in front, are Hayden Ries (Mount Marty University), Talan Jurgens (Dakota State University), Kaden Rylance (South Dakota State University), Treyton Himmerich (Mount Marty University) and Nathan Briggs (Wayne, Neb. State College). In back is Post 17 head coach Ryan Neale.What’s ahead for the future JackrabbitKaden Rylance said from the time he stepped on campus that he was going to South Dakota State, where his cousin Zach Heins (son of Heath’s older sister Jodi) was a standout tight end in the early 2020s before signing last summer as an undrafted free agent with the National Football League’s San Diego Chargers. Lincoln Semchenko, another cousin and son of Heath’s younger sister Dayna, will be a freshman offensive lineman this fall for the Jacks. Heins starred at Sioux Falls Washington and Semchenko at Sioux Falls Christian.Kaden Rylance certainly can hold his own with any pitcher in the state tourney. So far this spring and summer, he has thrown 81 1/3 innings, allowed only 44 hits, walked 37 and fanned 139 while compiling an 8-2 record with a 1.29 earned-run average.GIMME 5 or 10 LINKS: Roger Merriam’s look at the top athletes for all area high schools since December of 1984

“From a coaching perspective, he’s a once-in-a-lifetime guy especially here in Watertown where we don’t see many Division I pitchers,” Post 17 coach Ryan Neale said. “He’s not only one of the best players but also the hardest worker and that sets the tone for the rest of team.”

Rylance’s announcement to join the Jackrabbits listed him as a potential catcher and pitcher for the Jacks, but both father and son know that it won’t be a shock if he never leaves the mound.

His repertoire includes a four-seem fastball that has been clocked as high as 93 miles-per-hour. There’s also a slider, curveball, splitter and another new pitch.

“I added a sinker about halfway through the year and that’s really been helping me a lot,” Rylance said.

Heath Rylance and his wife Anne (1994 WHS graduate Anne McAtee) married in 2000. Heath had a daughter Amanda Rylance Bednar, who is now 31 and lives in Lexington, KY). Heath and Anne have raised daughter Jennika (now heading into her fourth year at SDSU), Kaden and younger brother Nikolas, who will be a seventh-grader this fall at the Watertown Middle School. He plays football, basketball and baseball like his father.

“I’d say baseball is now my favorite sport but for awhile it was pretty much 50-50 between baseball and golf,” Kaden said. “I still like golf a lot, but I really started to like baseball more after all the success I had in my sophomore and junior years.”

Rylance was expected to start Post 17’s state-tournament opener against Pierre on Tuesday, July 28, and could potentially pitch again come Saturday, Aug. 2, which could mean a shot at a state championship. If that indeed happens, Post 17 certainly wouldn’t mind its chances.

Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com

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Kentucky Basketball Offers 7

Mark Pope‘s coaching staff is casting a wider net following the summer evaluation period. In recent days, we’ve seen a wave of offers extended to players in the 2027 recruiting class. On Tuesday night, Kentucky officially entered the fray for a 7-footer in the class of 2026. Ethan Taylor shared on social media that he’s […]

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Kentucky Basketball Offers 7

Mark Pope‘s coaching staff is casting a wider net following the summer evaluation period. In recent days, we’ve seen a wave of offers extended to players in the 2027 recruiting class. On Tuesday night, Kentucky officially entered the fray for a 7-footer in the class of 2026.

Ethan Taylor shared on social media that he’s received a scholarship offer from the Wildcats. It’s the center’s 15th scholarship offer so far. Oklahoma, Florida State, Kansas State, Missouri, and Kansas are the schools generating the most buzz early in his recruitment.

The 7-foot, 230-pound athlete plays prep school basketball at Link Academy in Kansas. A four-star prospect, he’s the second-ranked center in the 2026 class and No. 23 overall player, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking.

It’s been a solid summer for Taylor. Despite only playing 16 minutes a game in the Peach Jam, the Big Man averaged 9.4 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game. A few weeks prior, he was a standout at the NBPA Top 100 camp.

“Ethan Taylor has a lot of upside with his size, and continued upward trajectory of his game,” said Rivals’ Jaime Shaw. “He rebounded his area well and finished plays around the basket. He also showed interesting passing ability. Still growing into his frame as he continues to add strength, there is a pretty high upside for him.”

Mark Pope’s first full high school recruiting class features a talented 7-footer from the state of Kentucky, Malachi Moreno. The Commonwealth doesn’t regularly produce 7-footers. He’ll have to look elsewhere to find space-eaters in the paint. Taylor is a target that fits the bill.

Want more Kentucky Basketball Recruiting? Join KSR+

KSR has been delivering UK Sports news in the most ridiculous manner for almost two decades. Now, you can get even more coverage of the Cats with KSR+. In the middle of a busy Kentucky basketball offseason, now is the perfect time to join our online community. Subscribe now for premium articles, in-depth scouting reports, inside intel, bonus recruiting coverage, and access to KSBoard, our message board featuring thousands of Kentucky fans around the globe. Come join the club.

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Moncada's clutch hit highlights 4

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Pinch-hitter Yoán Moncada keyed a four-run sixth inning with a two-run single, Gustavo Campero also drove in two runs and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Texas Rangers 8-5 on Tuesday night. Texas took a 4-3 lead with two runs in the sixth, one scoring on Ezequiel Duran’s RBI single and […]

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Moncada's clutch hit highlights 4

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Pinch-hitter Yoán Moncada keyed a four-run sixth inning with a two-run single, Gustavo Campero also drove in two runs and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Texas Rangers 8-5 on Tuesday night.

Texas took a 4-3 lead with two runs in the sixth, one scoring on Ezequiel Duran’s RBI single and the other on an error. But two walks by Rangers reliever Jon Gray (1-1) opened the door for the Angels in the bottom half.

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Lobo Roundup

The University of New Mexico is making waves across the board this summer — from national academic honors on the baseball diamond to bold new fan initiatives and a freshly released volleyball schedule packed with marquee matchups. With a renewed focus on community engagement, student-athlete excellence, and growing the Lobo brand, UNM Athletics is laying […]

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Lobo Roundup

The University of New Mexico is making waves across the board this summer — from national academic honors on the baseball diamond to bold new fan initiatives and a freshly released volleyball schedule packed with marquee matchups. With a renewed focus on community engagement, student-athlete excellence, and growing the Lobo brand, UNM Athletics is laying the groundwork for a high-energy 2025 season across all sports.

Academic Excellence on the Diamond: UNM Baseball Honored by ABCA

In a testament to their dedication both on and off the field, the University of New Mexico baseball team has been recognized with the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Team Academic Excellence Award for the 2024–25 academic year. The honor, announced Wednesday, celebrates programs across high school and college baseball that achieved a cumulative team GPA of 3.0 or higher — a standard the Lobos soared past with a 3.51.

UNM is one of more than 750 programs nationwide to earn the distinction, which is presented in partnership with Sports Attack. The recognition marks the fourth consecutive year that the Lobos have earned the award, further solidifying their reputation as a program that values academic achievement as much as athletic performance.

Head coach Tod Brown continues to set a high standard in the classroom, having guided the team to 25 semesters of a 3.0 GPA or better over the last 26 grading periods. Each of the program’s five best semester GPA marks has come under Brown’s leadership.

The Lobos also put together a successful season on the field, finishing 30–23 and reaching the Mountain West Tournament for the second year in a row — a reflection of the program’s strong all-around culture.


UNM Athletics Opens the Gates: Free Admission Initiative for Key Sports

UNM Athletics is lowering the barrier to entry — literally.

In a move aimed at enhancing fan experience and deepening ties to the community, the department announced a new initiative to offer free admission to all home events for women’s soccer, softball, baseball, and outdoor track & field starting with the 2025–26 season.

These sports now join others — including swimming & diving, men’s and women’s tennis, and golf — as non-ticketed events. The announcement reflects a strategic fan-focused shift led by Vice President/Director of Athletics Fernando Lovo.

“Engaging our community in all aspects of Lobo Athletics is one of our highest priorities,” Lovo said. “By offering complimentary admission to several of our Olympic sports, we’re making a strategic decision in access, energy, and community pride.”

This initiative is not just about increasing attendance but about fostering stronger connections across the state — inviting more families, students, and aspiring athletes to experience Division I competition in their backyard.

Ticketed events, such as volleyball and indoor track meets at the Albuquerque Convention Center, will continue as paid admission events. In response to questions from fans, UNM has clarified that the Lobo Pride Pass — which previously granted access to Olympic sports — will be discontinued for these now-free events. Volleyball season tickets will be available separately for the first time ever, offering a new way for fans to support the program while enjoying savings across a full home schedule.

Fans looking to further support Lobo Athletics are encouraged to contribute to the Lobo Club, the Lobo Alliance, or sport-specific funds — with ticket purchases for football, men’s basketball, and women’s basketball still playing a vital role in supporting student-athletes across the department.


Volleyball Ready to Roll: 2025 Season Features 14 Home Matches, NMSU Rivalry, and New MW Opponent

Lobo Volleyball fans won’t have to wait long for the action to start in 2025.

UNM has released its full 2025 volleyball schedule, featuring 14 home matches and several exciting highlights, including the return of in-state rival New Mexico State and the Mountain West debut of new conference member Grand Canyon University.

The season begins Aug. 23 with a home exhibition against D-II New Mexico Highlands, followed by the annual Lobo Invitational (Aug. 29–30), featuring Manhattan, Northern Arizona, and Houston Christian. The Lobos, who have averaged over 800 fans per match for three straight seasons, will look to continue that strong home support at the Johnson Center.

A pair of road tournaments follow — one hosted by Tarleton State (Sept. 4–6) and another in Riverside, Calif., hosted by Cal Baptist (Sept. 11–13) — before the team dives into the 18-match Mountain West schedule.

Conference play kicks off at home with a four-match stretch against Utah State, Boise State, Colorado State, and Wyoming between Sept. 25 and Oct. 4. UNM’s first conference road test comes Oct. 9 at San Diego State, followed by matchups at Grand Canyon (Oct. 11) and UNLV (Oct. 16).

The Lobos will also host Grand Canyon (Oct. 18), Nevada (Oct. 30), Air Force (Nov. 1), UNLV (Nov. 6), and San Diego State (Nov. 8) in a critical late-season stretch that includes Senior Day against the Aztecs.

UNM closes the regular season with a tough road slate at Nevada, Air Force, Wyoming, and Colorado State. If the Lobos qualify, they’ll head to Las Vegas for the 2024 Mountain West Volleyball Championship (Nov. 26–29), hosted at Cox Pavilion on the UNLV campus.

After a rocky start in 2024 that saw the Lobos lose seven straight, they finished strong by winning four of their final six. Despite missing the MW tournament last fall, the team led the conference in digs per set (15.77) and ranked second in blocks per set (2.53) — two promising metrics as they aim to return to postseason play in 2025.

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Machado's homer highlights Padres' 7

By BERNIE WILSON, Associated Press SAN DIEGO — SAN DIEGO (AP) — Manny Machado hit a three-run homer during a five-run seventh inning and the San Diego Padres won 7-1 on Tuesday night against the NL East-leading New York Mets, who watched slugger Juan Soto leave the game after fouling a ball off his left […]

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Machado's homer highlights Padres' 7

— SAN DIEGO (AP) — Manny Machado hit a three-run homer during a five-run seventh inning and the San Diego Padres won 7-1 on Tuesday night against the NL East-leading New York Mets, who watched slugger Juan Soto leave the game after fouling a ball off his left foot in the fourth.

The Mets announced that Soto has a bruised foot. He was in considerable pain as he was checked by a trainer. He took a few swings and finished his at-bat, grounding out as second baseman Jake Cronenworth made a diving stop.

New York got just four hits in losing its second straight to the Padres following a seven-game winning streak.

Machado greeted reliever Chris Devenski by hitting his 20th homer of the season off the facade of the second deck in left field with two outs in the seventh.

Elías Díaz hit a two-run double with one out in the seventh, off José Buttó (3-2).

Jackson Merrill broke a 1-all tie in the sixth when he hit a chopper off Buttó that bounced over the head of first baseman Pete Alonso and rolled into the right-field corner for an RBI triple. Luis Arraez, aboard on a single, scored easily.

Merrill also had a run-scoring single off starter Sean Manaea in the first.

New York tied it in the fifth on pinch-hitter Starling Marte’s bases-loaded sacrifice fly.

Manaea, who pitched for the Padres in 2022, allowed one run and three hits in five innings, with four strikeouts and no walks.

Padres rookie Ryan Bergert loaded the bases with no outs in the fifth and made way for Jeremiah Estrada. He struck out Francisco Lindor and then allowed Marte’s sac fly before retiring slugger Pete Alonso.

Wandy Peralta (5-1) pitched a scoreless inning for the win.

Machado’s homer put a charge into the sellout crowd of 45,088.

Machado joined five other active big leaguers who have at least 10 seasons of 20 homers.

Mets RHP Clay Holmes (9-5, 3.40 ERA) and Padres RHP Yu Darvish (0-3, 9.18) are scheduled to start Wednesday’s series finale.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

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