GRAND FORKS — UND drew more fans per home game last season than any North American hockey team outside of the NHL.

An average of 11,614 attended UND’s 18 regular-season home games in Ralph Engelstad Arena.

It ranked No. 1 among college hockey teams for the 11th consecutive season.

It also ranked ahead of any American Hockey League, ECHL, Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League team.

The Cleveland Monsters of the AHL, the top affiliate of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets, were second at 11,438. The University of Wisconsin was third with 10,461.

UND also outdrew one NHL team — the Utah Hockey Club. Utah averaged 11,131.

“It’s unbelievable how much support there is across our whole region,” UND coach Dane Jackson said. “To have those kind of numbers every Friday and Saturday night, it’s incredible. It’s definitely motivating for our players and staff to play at a high level because of how much interest and backing we have. It’s something that differentiates our program from all the others — the level of support and commitment from our fans.

“No matter what’s going on, they’re always there supporting us. It’s hugely appreciated and humbling.”

Ralph Engelstad Arena general manager Jody Hodgson said the numbers are especially impressive given the size of Grand Forks.

While Grand Forks’ metro area is about 100,000, the others in the top five are all more than 400,000.

“We’re so lucky and grateful to have one of the best fan bases in all of sports,” Hodgson said. “We often say we have one of the best fan bases in college hockey. But when you look at our size and market, it might be one of the best fan bases in all of sports.”

Ralph Engelstad Arena has traditionally been a difficult place for opponents to play.

UND has posted a winning record at home for 23 seasons in a row.

UND went 31-2 in The Ralph during a 33-game stretch spanning parts of four seasons from 2019-21.

The Fighting Hawks went 19-4-1 in 2023-24. Three of the four losses were in overtime.

UND’s 4-3 loss to Boston University on Oct. 26 last season marked the first time in more than a full year that UND lost a home game in regulation. The Fighting Hawks were average at home the rest of the way, though, finishing the season 10-7-1 in The Ralph.

“You want to make it hard to play in our rink,” Jackson said. “Last year wasn’t the best for that, but it’s definitely a point of pride. We’ll work to make sure when teams come into The Ralph, they know it’s an extremely hard to place to play and they’re going to have to compete to try to get points out of here. That’s going to be a point of emphasis.”

Jackson said UND’s fan support is big for recruiting, too.

“To get them for visits in our rink on a game night is huge,” Jackson said. “It’s a special spot. Not many places have what we have in terms of support. To be able to continue to point to that year after year — it’s been a decade and a half of leading college hockey — it’s big.”

UND opens next season with an exhibition Oct. 4 against the University of Manitoba.

The regular-season opener is scheduled for Oct. 10 against St. Thomas in Ralph Engelstad Arena. A week later, the Fighting Hawks host rival Minnesota.

Hodgson said Ralph Engelstad Arena and UND are constantly working to evaluate how to best fill the venue.

“We’re focused on continuing to try to provide a best-in-class fan experience,” he said. “We’re digging in on promotional schedules for next year, what elements we can include in games and continuing to try to be aggressive with our outbound sales team to make sure we maintain the attendance history we’ve had.”

Outside of the NHL
1. North Dakota (NCAA) 11,614
2. Cleveland (AHL) 11,438
3. Wisconsin (NCAA) 10,461
4. Laval (AHL) 9,925
5. Quebec (QMJHL) 9,805
6. Hershey (AHL) 9,744
7. Jacksonville (ECHL), 9,234
8. Minnesota (NCAA) 9,233
9. London (OHL) 9,060
10. Chicago (AHL) 9,027
11. Halifax (QMJHL) 8,221
12. Fort Wayne (ECHL) 8,185
13. Toledo (ECHL) 8,037
14. Coachella Valley (AHL) 7,905
15. Grand Rapids (AHL) 7,634
16. Tulsa (ECHL) 7,585
17. Ontario (AHL) 7,568
18. Edmonton (WHL) 7,527
19. Savannah (ECHL) 7,485
20. San Diego (AHL) 7,262
21. Providence (AHL) 7,109
22. Boston College (NCAA) 7,009
23. Charlotte (AHL) 6,964
24. Lehigh Valley (AHL) 6,795
25. Florida (ECHL) 6,758

The latest complication in the ongoing fight over how college athletes should be paid could come straight from the pen of President Donald Trump.

The president is considering an executive order regarding NIL payments after a meeting with former Alabama head football coach Nick Saban on Thursday night, according to the Wall Street Journal.

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Saban reportedly complained about NIL to Trump, who was in Tuscaloosa to deliver the University of Alabama’s commencement address, and said he believed the system has damaged college sports. However, the coach didn’t propose eliminating NIL but instead “reforming” it to address an allegedly uneven playing field.

Trump reportedly said he agreed with Saban and would look at drafting an executive order, directing aides to begin studying what such an order would say.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., helped set up the meeting with the hope it could be a first step in changing NIL, as he said Wednesday:

“Hopefully we’ll get to sit down with Coach Saban. President Trump wants to help on this NIL. I don’t know how he can do it through an executive order. But possibly we can sit down and talk some insight of what Coach Saban thinks about it, what I think about it and we can come up with some sort of agreement because right now it’s in a tailspin.”

What would an executive order from President Trump mean for NIL?

If Trump follows through, an executive order would potentially upend years of legal fights involving the NCAA and various levels of government. The NCAA has had its restrictions on student-athlete income and transfers regularly struck down in court over the past five years, a process that is still ongoing.

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The modern college football landscape now features athletes who can transfer immediately and earn millions of dollars in money from boosters. That landscape could further change soon, as the House settlement, which would open the door for schools to directly pay athletes, is clearing its final legal hurdles.

With the executive order not even drafted, it’s impossible to tell how the NCAA, its schools and the legal system might react. The White House does not formally oversee college athletics, so an executive order would usually bear little weight, but a directive from Trump to either limit NIL payments or strike them down would draw attention for at least a couple of reasons.

Most of the changes in college athletics over the past five years have been built on the bedrock of decisions from the Supreme Court and other major courtrooms, and trying to reverse any of that would further escalate Trump’s attempts to subvert the authorities of courtrooms in the United States.

The Trump administration has also not been shy about threatening to pull federal funding from schools if they don’t comply with its wishes, most notably its restrictions on diversity programs and transgender policies.

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Nick Saban has railed against NIL for years

It’s not a surprise Trump and Tuberville found a notable anti-NIL voice in Saban.

Even by the standards of college football coaches, Saban has been withering in his disapproval of the system that shaped his final years at Alabama, though he has denied it was the reason for his retirement. He called for federal legislation to address the matter in 2022, among many comments that year pleading for something to change.

That outlook roped Saban into feuds with both Jimbo Fisher, then the head coach of Texas A&M, and Deion Sanders, then of Jackson State.

Jade Carey: “I do, every once in a while, feel like maybe there is more to give.”

That’s faded a bit for Carey, who just wrapped up one of the most celebrated careers in collegiate gymnastics history. The Oregon State Beaver never fell in her career, only recording one score below 9.800 in her four seasons.

Last month, she won the AAI Award, which honours the nation’s best senior gymnast.

“I think after having the college season and just having so much fun and only focusing on that, I didn’t wanna do this summer because I wanted to end on just being able to focus on college gymnastics and take a break,” said Carey of her decision not to compete in elite gymnastics this year. “I knew that if 2028 was something that I wanted to go for, maybe taking 2025 off would just help my body and mind relax a little more.”

Carey isn’t ready to jump fully aboard the 2028 train, but she’s not ruling anything out at this point – even a run at a third Olympic Games.

“Honestly, I have no idea,” she said of her future in the sport. “I do, every once in a while, feel like maybe there is more to give.”

For now, it’s time for a break – the first in nearly five years, says Carey.

“This summer, I definitely wanna go on vacation since that’s been a really long time coming for me, just be able to go away, relax, unplug, and just truly take my mind away from gymnastics,” she said.

Whether her next big goal is back on the Olympic stage or somewhere else entirely, Carey is content.

“I have had such an amazing career in elite and college gymnastics. I’m super happy with and proud of myself,” she said. “At the end of the day, my heart has to be there for it, if I really want to do it. I think just taking some time off will really let me realise if that’s still there or not.”

Carey isn’t rushing a decision. For the first time in a long time, she’s standing still, stepping back in order to see what comes next.

“Right now, [I’m] taking time and going to see where things end up,” she says. “So, it’s not a no, but it’s not a yes.”

More than 2,641 households and businesses across Centre County are still without power as of 8 p.m. Friday after a powerful windstorm hit central and western Pennsylvania on Tuesday.

265 State College customers are currently without electricity, according to FirstEnergy’s interactive outage map.

About 35,000 Centre County residents lost power during Tuesday’s storm. More than 24 hours later, 28,764 were still without electricity, including 7,913 in State College,

As of Thursday at 7:30 p.m., 9,089 out of 69,189 households and businesses remained offline.

Residents are encouraged to report outages directly to their utility provider and to take necessary safety precautions during extended service disruptions.

The Borough of State College sent out a press release Thursday afternoon stating that West Park Avenue between Fairway Drive and Franklin Street and Keller Street between Calder Way and Beaver Avenue remain temporarily closed due to storm impacts. 

Brush collection service will proceed as scheduled on May 5. Residents must place items at the curb in the morning and submit a collection request in advance via SeeClickFix or by calling the borough during regular business hours. Requests must be received by 5 p.m. on May 4 for pickup next week.

From May 6 through May 8, residents may place up to two additional bags of garbage beside their regular container at no extra cost. Any additional waste beyond this limit will require a bulk collection request through either of the same contact methods.

West Penn Power has also implemented its water and ice program to assist residents still without power. Free supplies can be obtained at participating locations listed on its website.

The borough also encourages community members to support local businesses affected by the storm this weekend.

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For months, Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney had joked with Ian Schieffelin that the 6-foot-8 power forward for the Tigers’ men’s basketball team would make an excellent tight end, but Schieffelin assumed it was all in good fun. Two weeks ago, however, he got a call from Swinney with a serious offer: spend the next six months with the Tigers football team and see what happens.

Schieffelin announced on Instagram on Friday that he is taking Swinney up on the offer, forgoing any pro basketball prospects for now in favor of one last season in a Clemson jersey — this time on the gridiron instead of the hardwood.

“I’ve been just training for basketball, getting ready for the next level,” Schieffelin told ESPN. “Dabo just walked me through the opportunity he was willing to give me, and it all sounded great, something I wanted to jump on. It really just sparked my interest in wanting to try, and being able to put on a Clemson jersey again was very enticing to me. To be able to be coached by Dabo and [tight ends coach Kyle] Richardson is just a huge opportunity I couldn’t pass up.”

Schieffelin blossomed into one of the key cogs for the Tigers’ hoops team the past two years. He averaged 12.4 points and 9.4 rebounds per game last season as Clemson earned a 5-seed in the NCAA tournament, losing to McNeese in the first round.

He had entered the transfer portal last month hoping for a fifth year of eligibility amid several ongoing lawsuits against the NCAA, though Schieffelin said the likelihood of an outcome in time for him to play basketball in 2025-26 was slim. He had been preparing for a crack at the pros — likely overseas or in the G League — when Swinney called with the offer.

“I’d never rule out me going back to basketball,” Schieffelin said. “I’ll see how these next six months go, see how development goes, see if I really like playing football. But I think this is a good opportunity for the next six months.”

Clemson lost starting tight end Jake Briningstool after last season. Briningstool, who signed as an undrafted free agent with the Kansas City Chiefs last week, played in 48 games and made 127 catches over four years at Clemson. The Tigers’ depth chart at the position is thin on experience, with Josh Sapp (13 catches), Olsen Patt-Henry (12 catches) and Banks Pope (1 catch) the only tight ends on the team to have recorded a reception.

In October, Swinney teased his interest in adding Schieffelin to his roster, suggesting he would fit in nearly anywhere on the field for the Tigers.

“He could play tight end, D-end. He could play whatever he wanted to play. He’d be an unbelievable left tackle,” Swinney said. “I’ll definitely have a spot. We have a lot of rev share ready too if he wants to pass up wherever he’s going [after basketball].”

Schieffelin said he hadn’t taken Swinney’s suggestions seriously during basketball season, assuming the coach was just teasing, but when the opportunity became real, he quickly understood the vision Swinney had for him.

“The call two weeks ago was very serious,” Schieffelin said, “and I thought, maybe it’s an opportunity to stay around a little longer and join a national championship contender.”

Swinney said he believes Schieffelin can make the move and succeed at college football.

“He has elite football measurables that I believe will translate well,” Swinney said. “I’m looking forward to helping him transition and build a football foundation that will give him a chance to not only help us at Clemson but also give him a chance to play pro football. It should be fun.”

Schieffelin said he is not expecting to earn serious NIL money but does think his body type could allow him to blossom into a potential NFL prospect.

He played quarterback as a ninth grader before opting to focus on basketball the following year. Schieffelin said he will spend the next few months working on conditioning and strength gains to prepare for the rigors of football as well as working to build relationships with his new teammates, but he said he doesn’t have any set expectations for the season.

“Playing college basketball for four years, I’m used to the grind and used to work,” Schieffelin said. “But it looks different on the football side, so just getting in the weight room and learning everything.”

Before making his decision, Schieffelin said he spoke with Colts tight end Mo Alie-Cox, who was a four-year starter in basketball for VCU before signing with Indianapolis. Alie-Cox hadn’t played football since his freshman year of high school but is now entering his eighth NFL season.

“We talked about what went into his decision to go the football route,” Schieffelin said. “He helped me just knowing why he decided, and it made me decide to just give it a chance and see where I could take it.”

Alie-Cox is one of a handful of basketball players who have made a successful transition to football. Greg Paulus played hoops at Duke before becoming the starting quarterback at Syracuse in 2009. Jimmy Graham and Julius Peppers played both sports in college before becoming All-Pro NFL players. Antonio Gates played basketball at Kent State before giving football a try. He was announced as a Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee in February.

“Just being able to compete with these guys and impact the team any way I can,” Schieffelin said of his goals. “I’m going into this very optimistic and ready to learn. Being able to compete every day is something I enjoy. To learn football and have fun.

“Maybe I’ll be really good, maybe I’ll be really bad. It’s something that was worth a shot. And being able to put a Clemson jersey on again is really special to me, and to do it this time in Death Valley is going to be amazing.”

When Paul Skenes couldn’t be there to support his girlfriend Livvy Dunne after her season-ending injury, the Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher still found a way to comfort the gymnast.

Dunne, 22, suffered an avulsion fracture in her kneecap on March 6, forcing her to sit out her final meet with the LSU Tigers after a five-year career. “I was very bummed,” she tells PEOPLE, while at a photo shoot with Raising Cane’s to celebrate her graduation.

Skenes was with the team for the start of spring training when Dunne’s injury happened. Still, Dunne says the baseball star made sure she knew he was thinking of her. “He DoorDashed me Starbucks and flowers and Raising Cane’s,” she shares.

Her Cane’s order, for those wondering? “A 3 Finger Combo with an extra Cane’s sauce and an unsweetened tea,” Dunne tells PEOPLE.

Dunne also had the support of her parents, Katherine and David, who she says came to visit her at LSU after her injury.

“I’m so grateful for them and the support that they’ve given me throughout my whole gymnastics career, not just when they found out that I was hurt and couldn’t compete,” says the social media star.

With the world becoming Dunne’s new oyster, she’s still figuring out her next moves. “I want to stay, somehow, involved in sports or advocating for women’s sports at least, because that’s something I’m very passionate about,” she says.

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She’ll likely get her fill of Pirates baseball this MLB season, sharing that she likes to travel with Skenes to the “warm places” when he has a road game.

“I’m excited to be part of his world during his season,” says Dunne. “Whenever it was vice versa and I was starting to get into season, he would come to my meets. We love to support each other.”

Dunne kicked off celebrating the culmination of her LSU career with a stop at Raising Cane’s in Baton Rouge, La. recently. “This shoot with Cane’s is a fun way to start my summer vacay,” she says, “But I’m very excited to try and take some time off.”

After five years of balancing gymnastics, college and a booming social media career, Dunne is looking to the future.

“I’ve been trying to crunch in a lot of things that I said no to in the past, but I’m excited to relax and travel and go see Paul,” she says. “I’ve got a lot to look forward to.”