NIL
Ball State University – Official Athletics Site
» THIS WEEK IN BALL STATE SOFTBALL: The Ball State softball team returns to Firestone Stadium in Akron, Ohio, for the 2025 Mid-American Conference Softball Championships May 7-10 … The Cardinals enter as the No. 4 seed and will battle No. 5 seed Akron in the opening game of the tournament Wednesday at Noon. » […]
» THIS WEEK IN BALL STATE SOFTBALL: The Ball State softball team returns to Firestone Stadium in Akron, Ohio, for the 2025 Mid-American Conference Softball Championships May 7-10 … The Cardinals enter as the No. 4 seed and will battle No. 5 seed Akron in the opening game of the tournament Wednesday at Noon.
» THE OVERALL RECORD: Ball State enters the MAC Softball Championship with a 1208-1187-4 (.504) overall record dating back to 1975 … With its 5-2 win at Ohio on April 29, the Cardinals reached the 30-win mark for the 17th time in program history and the 12th time in the past 18 campaigns.
» BALL STATE IN THE MAC CHAMPIONSHIP: Ball State enters the 2025 MAC Softball Championship with a 31-31 all-time record in league tournament play after its run to the championship series last season … The Cardinals won the event in 1998, 2010, and 2015 with perfect 4-0 marks … Ball State finished as runner-up in the 2001 (3-2 record) and 2024 (4-2 record) tournaments … A complete MAC Softball Championship history can be found on page 3.
– VERSUS NO. 1 MIAMI: After posting back-to-back shutouts of the RedHawks on April 12 to win the 2025 regular season series by a 2-1 margin, the Cardinals hold a 61-58 lead all-time versus Miami … However, the RedHawks hold a 5-2 edge in MAC Softball Championship play, including an 8-0 (5) win to claim the tournament title last season.
– VERSUS NO. 2 OHIO: The Cardinals and Bobcats split an April 29 doubleheader in Athens, helping Ball State maintain a 55-46-1 advantage in the all-time series … Ohio does hold a 3-2 edge in MAC Softball Championship play after the teams split a pair of games at last season’s tournament … BSU earned the last win, advancing to the title game with a 5-1 victory for its third elimination game win on May 10.
– VERSUS NO. 3 CENTRAL MICHIGAN: The Cardinals and Chippewas closed the 2025 regular season in Muncie this past weekend with both squads earning a shutout win … After the split, CMU holds an 80-35 advantage in the all-time series … That includes a 5-5 split in MAC Softball Championship play, with the Cardinals earning a 7-6 victory over the Chippewas in its first of three elimination game victories on May 10 last season.
– VERSUS NO. 5 AKRON: Ball State won two of the three games played in Akron this season, extending its lead in the all-time series to 49-26 … The series lead includes a 3-2 edge in MAC Softball Championship play, with the last tournament meeting being a 10-2 (6) Ball State victory on May 6, 2015 … This will be the first tournament meeting with former Ball State head coach Craig Nicholson (2007-13) leading the Zips.
– VERSUS NO. 6 NORTHERN ILLINOIS: The Huskies swept an April 1 doubleheader versus the Cardinals in Muncie, extending its lead in the all-time series to 55-40 … Included in the total is an 8-2 NIU lead in MAC Softball Championship play … The teams last met in the tournament May 12, 2018, with the Huskies eliminating the Cardinals courtesy of a 4-3 victory … NIU also handed BSU its first tournament loss that season with a 3-1 win.
BALL STATE NEWS & NOTES:
» EARNING HER SPOT AMONG THE NATION’S BEST: Thanks to her solid play so far this season, redshirt senior catcher McKayla Timmons has been recognized as one of the nation’s top catchers, including earning the No. 2 spot in the latest D1Softball.com Power Rankings released April 24 … She also moved up three spots to No. 4 in the latest SoftballAmerica.com position rankings released April 28 … Timmons has earned those accolades by leading the MAC and ranking 44th nationally with a .430 batting average … Timmons has blasted a team-leading 15 home runs this season and ranks ninth nationally in walks per game at 0.91 … In addition, Timmons ranks fourth nationally in on base percentage (.608), 14th in slugging percentage (.906), 39th in runs scored (54) and 62nd in RBIs (53).
» CAREER IMPACT: Along with all her success this season, McKayla Timmons is set to end her collegiate career as one of the most prolific players in program history … In last Tuesday’s 5-2 win at Ohio, she became just the 11th player in program history to reach 200 career hits and she currently ranks first on Ball State’s career list in on base percentage (.512), second in slugging percentage (.782), second in home runs (56), second in RBI (178), third in batting average (.383) and fourth in runs scored (157) … She also owns the program record for times being hit by a pitch at 44, while her 107 career walks are fifth.
» SHINING BEHIND THE PLATE TOO: In addition to pacing the offense, McKayla Timmons has proven to be one of the nation’s top threats behind the plate and finished the 2024 season ranked as one of the nation’s best catchers by SoftballAmerica.com … She was fifth on SA’s final catchers list and 47th among the nation’s top 100 players … The effort was aided by Timmons throwing out 11 of the 37 runners attempting to steal a base on her last season … She has already caught nine runners trying to steal this season, while surrendering just 17 stolen bases, and has picked off a pair of runners at first base.
» ON THE BASES: Ball State has proven to be one of the nation’s craftiest teams on the base paths, ranking first in the MAC and 24th among all NCAA Division I programs with a 1.81 stolen bases per game average … The Cardinals have successfully stolen 85 of the 99 bases it has attempted to steal, led by 21 stolen bases from McKayla Timmons which is third in the league and 73rd nationally … Overall, 14 different Cardinals have stolen at least one base, with redshirt junior second baseman McKenna Mulholland ranking second on the squad and seventh in the MAC with 16 and sophomore shortstop Maia Pietrzak ranking third on the squad and 10th in the MAC at 14 … Conversely, Ball State has limited opposing squads to just 19 stolen bases on 28 attempts this season … Only 11 teams in the country have limited teams to less stolen bases, with the next best MAC school being Central Michigan at 25.
» ON THE OFFENSIVE FRONT: Ball State has been putting on an offensive clinic so far this season, ranking first in the MAC and 22nd nationally by averaging 6.79 runs per game … The Cardinals have earned eight run-rule victories and have scored 10-or-more runs in 13 games this season … Overall, Ball State is out-scoring opponents 319 to 202 and owns a 24-4 record when scoring at least five runs … In fact, Ball State’s 319 runs scored are already the seventh-most in a season in program history, with the record being the 368 runs scored by the 2012 squad.
» TAKING THE HIT: Ball State’s offense is bolstered by its ability to get on base, and one area the Cardinals excel in is staying tough in the box and getting hit by pitches … The Cardinals currently lead the nation in being hit 86 times, which is already a BSU single season record topping the previous mark of 55 set in 2015 … Leading the way is McKenna Mulholland who broke the program’s single season record in the regular season finale vs. Central Michigan with her 16th HBP this season which is ninth nationally … McKayla Timmons and Maia Pietrzak are right behind at 15 and 13, respectively … The next closest team is St. John’s which has been hit 67 times over 55 games, eight more than the Cardinals have played.
» THE WHITNEY EFFECT: Junior Ella Whitney, who played her first two seasons of collegiate softball at FIU, is second in the MAC and 33rd nationally with her 18 pitching victories … Over 155.1 innings of work, the two-time MAC Pitcher of the Week honoree has compiled a 2.97 ERA which is fifth in the MAC … Whitney has also limited opposing batters to a .230 average against which ranks first in the league, while owning the third-best WHIP in the MAC at 1.23.
» MORE ON WHITNEY: A two-way player for the Cardinals, Ella Whitney is also a big offensive threat, boasting a .313 average and ranking second on the team in both home runs (9) and RBIs (47) … She recorded Ball State’s first triple of the year and is tied for second on the team with 11 doubles.
» SOME OF THE NATION’S TOUGHEST: Maia Pietrzak and senior outfielder Kara Gunter enter the MAC Softball Championship as two of the nation’s toughest batters to strike out … Pietrzak is fourth in the MAC and 37th nationally at one strikeout per every 25.3 at bats, while Gunter is sixth in the MAC and 63rd nationally at one strikeout per every 21.6 at bats.
» MORE ON PIETRZAK: Maia Pietrzak is having a spectacular sophomore season, ranking second on the team and 13th in the MAC with a .362 batting average … In fact, she leads all MAC players and ranks 18th nationally with 59 runs scored which is the third-most in a single season in program history … She is also third on the squad with seven home runs.
NIL
Trump and Coach Saban have the right game plan to save college sports » Coach Tommy Tuberville
“Regardless of which path Trump chooses to address the current state of college sports, I’m confident that his administration — which has already proven to be both effective and unafraid to shake up the status quo — can make meaningful reforms to make sure college sports remain intact.” WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) penned an op-ed […]
“Regardless of which path Trump chooses to address the current state of college sports, I’m confident that his administration — which has already proven to be both effective and unafraid to shake up the status quo — can make meaningful reforms to make sure college sports remain intact.”
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) penned an op-ed in Fox about the current state of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) and college sports amidst the everchanging NIL landscape. In the piece, Sen. Tuberville addresses the growing problems college athletes are facing with the pay-for-play environment making it nearly impossible for Olympic sports and female athletics to survive. The current “patchwork” of laws has created an uneven playing field that President Trump and Congress are well-positioned to address in the near future. Sen. Tuberville currently serves as the Chairman of the HELP Subcommittee on Education and the American Family.
Read excerpts from Sen. Tuberville’s op-ed below or the full piece here.
“As a former college football coach for 40 years, I’ve witnessed firsthand the transformative power of college sports in shaping young lives. From the locker room to the classroom, athletics instill discipline, teamwork and resilience — values that extend far beyond the field. But ever since the Supreme Court ruled that college athletes can be compensated for the use of their Name, Image and Likeness (NIL), college sports have been in a tailspin.
While I’m all for players making money, we need to create national standards to protect the integrity of college sports. Because there are no national rules for NIL contracts, every state has passed its own laws. This patchwork of laws has created an uneven playing field and given some universities advantages over their competitors.
We now have pay-to-play as bidding wars for recruits are starting in middle and high school. This is not to mention the transfer portal, which has become a revolving door with student-athletes jumping from school to school in pursuit of more money.
[…]
Regardless of which path Trump chooses to address the current state of college sports, I’m confident that his administration — which has already proven to be both effective and unafraid to shake up the status quo — can make meaningful reforms to make sure college sports remain intact.
Meanwhile, I’ll continue to work with my colleagues to hopefully draft legislation that could pass both chambers. The challenges facing college sports today are formidable, but not insurmountable. With President Trump’s leadership and a unified approach, we can navigate this new era while preserving the integrity and spirit of collegiate athletics.”
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.
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NIL
OSU announces coaching change – Oklahoma State University Athletics
STILLWATER – Oklahoma State University Director of Athletics Chad Weiberg has announced that Cowgirl golf coach Greg Robertson will not return next season. “We appreciate Greg’s service over the past six years and wish him well in the future,” Weiberg said. Annie Young will serve as interim head coach. A national search for […]
“We appreciate Greg’s service over the past six years and wish him well in the future,” Weiberg said.
Annie Young will serve as interim head coach. A national search for the next head coach will begin immediately.
NIL
Geno Auriemma, UConn Land Elite Transfer Portal Guard From Rival USC Trojans
The USC Trojans women’s basketball team lost a couple of players through the NCAA Transfer Portal including guard Kayleigh Heckel. Heckel spent one season with the Women of Troy before announcing her intentions to enter the portal on April 3. Heckel was one of the top available guards in the transfer portal after earning extended […]
The USC Trojans women’s basketball team lost a couple of players through the NCAA Transfer Portal including guard Kayleigh Heckel. Heckel spent one season with the Women of Troy before announcing her intentions to enter the portal on April 3.
Heckel was one of the top available guards in the transfer portal after earning extended minutes in the NCAA Women’s Basketball tournament. Heckel posted on her Instagram on May 20 that she will be transferring to the UConn Huskies.
“K9 by name, husky by nature. see you in storrs! Go huskiesss,” Heckel wrote.
The UConn Huskies knocked out the USC Trojans in the Elite 8 of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, 78-64. It was the second year in a row the Huskies knocked the Trojans out of the tournament in the same round. UConn went on to win the tournament.
The UConn Huskies lost star guard Paige Bueckers, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA Draft. Forward Sarah Strong just completed her freshman season, already on a path to being a top college basketball player. UConn is looking to win back-to-back championships, and Heckel is set to be a part of that team.
Coming out of high school, Heckel was a five-star recruit who committed to the USC Trojans. Throughout her freshman season, Heckel continued to develop as a player, averaging 16.9 minutes with 6.1 points. She also averaged 1.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.3 steals.
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With USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins set to miss time, though it is still unknown exact timetable, Heckel could have competed for a starting role with the Women of Troy but ultimately chose to enter the portal. Heckel chose the UConn Huskies over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
While Heckel may begin as a depth piece for the UConn Huskies, she will be led by coach Geno Auriemma, a 12-time national champion-winning head coach. Heckel will be on a squad looking to compete for another national title.
The USC women’s basketball team is heading into a season with a new starting five. With Watkins recovering from her ACL tear, center Rayah Marshall and forward Kiki Iriafen in the WNBA, USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb and the staff have their work cut out for them.
Guard Kennedy Smith will be returning which is a positive for the Trojans. Smith finished the season averaging 9.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 2.2 steals. The USC guard is entering just her sophomore season. Guard Malia Samuels only had one start in the 2024-2025 season but earned more minutes as the season progressed.
Through the Transfer Portal, the Women of Troy acquired guard Kara Dunn, from the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Dunn led Georgia Tech in scoring, averaging 15.5 points per game, and averaged 5.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.1 blocks. The Trojans also acquired former Washington State forward Dayana Mendes. The forward averaged 8.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game last season.
USC will have a standout incoming freshman next season, with five-star recruit Jazzy Davidson joining the team. While the USC team may look different next season, the Women of Troy will be just as competitive, and look to take the next step in the NCAA Tournament.
NIL
Vols' Zakai Zeigler sues for fifth year of eligibility, citing NIL pay
Field Level Media May 21, 2025 at 2:42 PM Tennessee’s Zakai Zeigler (5) during Senior Day presentations after a men’s college basketball game between Tennessee and South Carolina at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images) Tennessee guard Zakai Zeigler is suing […]
Tennessee guard Zakai Zeigler is suing the NCAA for another year of eligibility, claiming he could lose up to $4 million in NIL money if he isn’t allowed to play in 2025-26.
Zeigler’s lawsuit requests a preliminary injunction allowing him to play a fifth season and arguing he will suffer irreparable harm without immediate relief, with schools currently finalizing rosters and settling NIL deals.
According to the Knoxville News Sentinel, Zeigler’s lawsuit challenges the NCAA’s redshirt rule in which players are allowed to play a fifth year if they sit out a year of competition.
Zeigler played four consecutive seasons for the Volunteers from 2021-22 through 2024-25. He argues that he should get be allowed a fifth year of eligibility and its earning potential instead of being punished for not taking a redshirt year, per the News Sentinel.
“All NCAA athletes should be eligible to compete and earn NIL compensation during each year of the five-year window — not just those selected to redshirt,” the court filings state.
Zeigler filed his suit in the Eastern District of Tennessee. In it, he claims he could make between $2 million and $4 million in name, image and likeness money in 2025-26 after making $500,000 in 2024-25.
The lawsuit calls a fifth year “the most lucrative year of the eligibility window for the vast majority of athletes.”
Zeigler set the Tennessee career records for assists (747) and steals (251). The three-time All-SEC pick and two-time league defensive player of the year averaged 11.3 points, 5.4 assists and 2.6 rebounds in 138 career games (83 starts).
He graduated this month from Tenneseee and plans to pursue a graduate degree.
–Field Level Media
