NIL

Baseball Heads To The Citadel Wednesday Afternoon After Long Layoff

Story Links Rock Hill, S.C. – Coming off consecutive midweek games at home vs. Queens and Wofford last week and a six-day break due to final exams, Winthrop heads to Charleston for a re-match with The Citadel beginning on Wednesday, May 7. The game will start at 2:00 p.m. on ESPN+. […]

Published

3 weeks ago

May 7, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Rock Hill, S.C. – Coming off consecutive midweek games at home vs. Queens and Wofford last week and a six-day break due to final exams, Winthrop heads to Charleston for a re-match with The Citadel beginning on Wednesday, May 7. The game will start at 2:00 p.m. on ESPN+.

A LOOK AT THE CITADEL

The two schools will meet for the 63^rd time with Winthrop leading the series, 33-29

The most recent meeting was on Apr. 2, 2025 in Rock Hill with the Bulldogs winning 7-5

The Eagles and the Bulldogs met for the first time on Mar. 31, 1988 in Rock Hill, with Winthrop winning 14-2 on the way to winning 17 of the first 29 contests from 1988-2006

From 2007-2015, The Citadel won 14 of the next 18 meetings

But since then, Winthrop has struck back by winning 12 of the next 15

TJ Anderson was honored as the SoCon Player of the Week after leading The Citadel to a 2-1 record against UNCG

He achieved a 5-for-8 performance (.625) with two doubles, one home run, and four RBIs. He recorded a 1.250 slugging percentage and a .727 on-base percentage and drew three walks.

Travis Elliott, the second baseman for The Citadel, was named to the 2025 Southern Conference Preseason First Team

A native of Lexington, South Carolina, Elliott has been a member of The Citadel baseball program for four years and is in his fifth season as a graduate student

During the 2024 season, Elliott enjoyed his best season as a Bulldog. He started in all 52 games and recorded a batting average of .282 with 48 hits, 11 doubles, one triple, one home run, and 20 RBIs

The Bulldogs were selected to finish seventh in the preseason coaches poll

LAST TIME OUT

Winthrop scored their most runs since 2003 as the Eagles shutout Queens 25-0 in seven innings at home on Apr. 29

Eagles led 11-0 after three innings of play

Winthrop scored 10 runs in the sixth to wrap up the night

Queens never threatened in the contest

It was the most runs the Eagles have scored this season

It was also the most runs the Eagles have scored vs. any opponent since defeating Wagner 28-5 on Feb. 21, 2003

Winthrop scored in every inning

Three Eagles had three or more hits

Winthrop then won their fifth straight contest in a re-match with the Wofford Terriers at home the next night on Apr. 30, 5-3

A LOOK BACK AT 2024

The Eagles finished the 2024 season with a 19-29-1 (8-15 Big South) record

Jaylen Hernandez and Owen Sarna were both named to the Big South All-Freshman Team

The Sacramento Athletics in the 13th round selected Riley Huge in the MLB Draft

Overall, Huge marks the 37th Eagle in history to be selected in the MLB Draft

This was the second straight year that a Winthrop baseball player was drafted

Winthrop also earned the Team Academic Excellence Award from the ABCA for the fifth consecutive year

Winthrop finished last season having recorded the most strikeouts in nine inning games in a single season in program history (9.60 over 413.1 IP)

Winthrop also finished last season sixth in a single season in program history with 440 strikeouts

Against Davidson on Apr. 16, 2024, Winthrop set a new team single-game record for most times hit by pitch with seven

In a minimum of 500 chances, Nate Chronis is currently tied for fourth in school history with a .989 fielding percentage

He also finished last season tied for fifth in school history in most times hit by pitch in a single season with 12

Chronis led the team in putouts last season with 275 and total chances with 306

He was named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team. Chronis started in 33 of 44 games played, batting in a season-high two runs vs. Radford on May 5

Joey Hylinski led the team in lowest ERA last season with 2.35

WINTHROP AT A GLANCE IN 2025

Winthrop enters 2025 predicted to finish sixth in the Big South Conference

In his first season at the helm of the program is Mike McGuire

McGuire is the fourth head coach in program history

His career record is 504-377-1 in 16 years as a head coach

McGuire returns to the Winthrop baseball program after serving as head coach at USC Upstate the last five seasons. This marks McGuire’s third stint with the Eagle program as he spent 12 seasons as an assistant coach from 1997-2002 and again in 2006-11

The Eagles also welcome back 13 players, 11 of them starters and 27 newcomers, all either freshman or transfers

The program has a record of 1,408-1,021-7

Winthrop is 890-407-4 all-time at home

Winthrop is 494-373 all-time in conference play, the winningest record in conference history

Winthrop is 28-17 all-time in season openers

Winthrop leads the nation in hit by pitches with 129 as of Tuesday, May 6

Gabe Natividad is 2^nd in the nation in hit by pitch with 27 as of Monday, Apr. 28

Following a 10-3 win over UNC Asheville, Winthrop had been hit by pitch up to that point in the season with 92

This set a new school single-season team school record

Last year’s team was hit by pitch 86 times

Winthrop is 18^th in the nation in doubles with 107 as of Tuesday, May 6

Winthrop is 14^th in the nation in runs with 420 as of Tuesday, May 6

Koby Kropf and Owen Sarna were voted to the Big South Conference Preseason All-Conference Team

Kropf was selected as part of D1Baseball’s Top 100 Outfielders entering the 2025 season, slotting Kropf as the 26-best in the country

Kropf started all 60 games for conference rival USC Upstate in 2024, and became just the third player in Big South history with 20 doubles (21) and 20 home runs (20) in a season. He hit .352 overall with 20 homers, 67 runs batted in, a .704 slugging clip, 81 hits and 56 runs scored. Kropf also drew 29 walks and five hit-by-pitch and finished with a .431 on-base percentage. Kropf recorded a career-high five hits versus Presbyterian on April 27, collected a career-high five RBI versus Queens on April 16, and recorded 25 multi-hit and 19 multi-RBI games a season ago

In Big South contests, Kropf batted .363 with eight home runs, 28 RBI, a .714 slugging average and .463 on-base clip

Last season at USC Upstate, he earned Second-Team All-Big South honors and was a back-to-back Player of the Week honoree (April 22 and April 29)

Kropf was named the 2025 Big South Preseason Baseball Player of the Year Kropf is the first Winthrop baseball player to earn Preseason Player of the Year honors since 2007 and the third time overall

Sarna is coming off a freshman campaign in which he was named to the 2024 Big South Conference All-Freshman Team. He finished 9th in the Big South in overall pitching with an ERA of 4.74. His most notable performances last season were pitching a season-high 6.0 innings vs. Longwood on Mar. 17 and a season-high six strikeouts vs. Maine on Mar. 3

Sarna ended 2024 having pitched 49.1 innings with a record of 4-4 in 13 games played. He was 2nd on the team in ERA and wins with four. He started nine games, striking out 38 batters, which was good for 4th on the team

Harrison Wilson was named to the initial Watch List for the 20th Annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award, given to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I Baseball

Wilson is one of the key relievers to return for the Eagles in 2024. Wilson started in nearly all the 49 games that the Eagles played last season. He started in 45 of 47 games he played in and pitched three games in relief, the only Winthrop offensive player on the season to do so. Wilson pitched a season-high 4.0 innings with 10 strikeouts and one walk at Queens (2/27) and offensively had a season-high five RBI’s vs. USC Upstate (4/6). Wilson will also play infield as well

Wilson was also recognized by D1 Baseball as the #3 top prospect in the Big South Conference

He tied for the team lead in walks last season with 44

Hernandez had a terrific freshman season with the Eagles in 2024. He finished tied for 7th in the Big South in doubles with a team-leading 15 doubles; starting in all 45 games he played in, finishing the season with 157 at-bats. He was also tied for the team lead in games started and home runs with seven and led the team in RBI’s with 30 and walks with 19. He was named the Big South Freshman of the Week on May 6, which was the first weekly award of his career. A versatile player, Hernandez will DH, play first base and play in the outfield in 2025

2025 SEASON HONORS

Koby Kropf – Redshirt senior – Outfielder
- 2025 Big South Preseason Player of the Year/Preseason All-Conference Team

Owen Sarna – Sophomore – Pitcher
- 2025 Big South Preseason All-Conference Team

Koby Kropf – Redshirt senior – Outfielder
- 2025 D1Baseball’s Top 100 Outfielders

Koby Kropf – Redshirt senior – Outfielder
- 2025 DIBaseball’s Big South Preseason Player of the Year

Harrison Wilson – Junior – Infielder/pitcher
- 2025 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award Initial Watch List And The #3 Pro Prospect By The Big South Conference

Owen Sarna-Big South Co-Starting Pitcher of the Week
- Sarna allowed one hit and no runs over 5.2 innings to earn the win for Winthrop against Merrimack
- He walked one and struck out nine, a new career-high
- The right-handed sophomore struck out the side in the top of the first inning and the first four batters of the game overall
- He finished with at least one strikeout in every inning, including fanning the final batter he faced in the sixth
- The only hit Sarna allowed was a single to center in the top of the fifth

Colin Crowley-Big South Freshman of the Week
- Crowley batted .429 (6-14) with seven runs, four RBI and four doubles in Winthrop’s three-game sweep of Merrimack
- He posted at least one double and one RBI in all three games and walked once
- The freshman infielder went 3-for-5 with three runs, a double and one RBI in his collegiate debut on Friday
- He added another double and an RBI in the second game of Friday’s doubleheader and then capped off the weekend with two doubles, three runs, and two RBI in the final game of the series on Sunday

Harrison Wilson-Big South Co-Starting Pitcher of the Week
- Wilson earned the win for Winthrop with a career-long 7.0 innings against UNC Asheville
- The junior right-hander allowed just three hits and one run while striking out a season-high nine batters
- He walked only two, didn’t allow an extra-base hit, and surrendered his lone run on a fielder’s choice groundout in the fourth
- Wilson recorded strikeouts in six of his seven innings and got stronger as the game went on, fanning two batters in each of his final three frames

Harrison Wilson – Junior – Infielder/pitcher
- 2025 John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award Watch List by the College Baseball Foundation

Liam McCallum – Senior – Pitcher/first baseman
- 2025 John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award Watch List by the College Baseball Foundation

Walker Brodt-Big South Relief Pitcher of the Week
- Brodt came on in relief in consecutive games
- He pitched one inning vs. Davidson, giving up just one hit and striking out three batters
- He then outdid himself two days later in the first game of the series with Gardner-Webb, pitching the final four and one thirds inning to cement the 7-5 victory, giving up a pair of hits, one and punching out six Runnin’ Bulldogs

Nate Chronis-Big South Player of the Week
- Chronis batted .438 (7-for-16) for the week with 15 RBI in a series sweep at Longwood, highlighted by a historic nine-RBI performance on Saturday
- Over four games overall, he tallied four doubles, a home run, four runs scored, and two stolen bases
- The senior delivered a career day in game two against the Lancers, going 3-for-5 with a two-run homer, a pair of bases-clearing doubles, and a sacrifice fly to finish with nine RBI, tying for the most in the NCAA this season
- Chronis opened the week by going 2-for-4 with a double at Davidson, then added a double and two RBI in Friday’s series opener in Farmville
- He capped the weekend with another four RBI and two stolen bases to help lead the Eagles to a three-game sweep in conference play
- He rounded out the week slugging .875 with a .455 on-base percentage

Josh Skowronski-Big South Freshman of the Week
- Skowronski homered twice, doubled twice, posted a pair of three-hit games, and drove in five runs across four games for Winthrop
- He batted .421 (8-for-19) for the week, recorded at least one hit in every game, and added six runs and two stolen bases
- After opening the week with an RBI double at Davidson, Skowronski totaled seven hits during a three-game series sweep at Longwood
- He went 3-for-6 on Saturday, blasting a solo homer, adding an RBI single and a double, and scoring three times
- He followed that performance by going 3-for-5 with a two-run homer on Sunday to help cap off the sweep
- Skowronski finished the week slugging .842 with a .476 on-base percentage

Mason Tompkins-Big South Freshman of the Week
- Tompkins earned the midweek win for the Eagles by limiting Queens to just two hits and four total baserunners over 6.0 scoreless innings, striking out four
- He needed only 75 pitches to complete his outing, inducing 10 popups and four groundouts while striking out the side in the second inning
- The only hits he allowed were a leadoff single in the first and another to open the fifth, with just one runner advancing into scoring position all game

WATCH THE EAGLES ON ESPN+
Of the 33 home games this season, 22 of them will air live on ESPN+. You can also catch most of the road games in Big South Conference play on ESPN+. To watch Big South games on ESPN+ you must have a subscription to ESPN+. For more information on how to subscribe, click here.

WHERE TO SHOP
Find all your needs for Winthrop gear– ShopWinthropeagles.com | ShopWinthropGear.com | BSNTeamSports.com

LOOKING AHEAD
Winthrop heads to Radford for a three-game weekend Big South series with the Highlanders beginning on Friday, May 9 at 6:00 p.m. All three games of the series will be televised on ESPN+.

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

To keep up with the latest news on the Winthrop baseball program follow the Eagles on Twitter (@WinthropBSB), Instagram (@winthropbaseball) and Facebook (winthropbaseball).

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Cowboys Climb Into Top Five At NCAA Championship

Round 3 Results CARLSBAD, Calif. – For the second day in a row, Oklahoma State’s men’s golf team improved its position at the NCAA Championship after posting a 291 on Sunday during the third round of action at Omni La Costa Resort and Spa. The second-ranked Cowboys moved into a tie for fifth place at 869, […]

Published

1 hour ago

May 26, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Round 3 Results

CARLSBAD, Calif. –

For the second day in a row, Oklahoma State’s men’s golf team improved its position at the NCAA Championship after posting a 291 on Sunday during the third round of action at Omni La Costa Resort and Spa.

The second-ranked Cowboys moved into a tie for fifth place at 869, 5-over par, with Texas at the par-72, 7,480-yard layout. The 30-team field will be trimmed in half tomorrow after a playoff to determine the No. 15 spot between Georgia Tech and Wake Forest.

Tomorrow’s fourth round will determine the eight teams who will advance to the tournament’s match play bracket to determine the national champion.

Preston Stout continued his impressive play, moving into a tie for fourth place at 211 after signing his second consecutive 70. The sophomore went out in 2-under 34 with birdies at the first and seventh. He would move to 3-under on the day with a birdie at the 10th. After posting bogeys at the 12th and 14th before closing with his fourth birdie at the 18th.

Stout will begin play tomorrow six shots off the pace of leader Michael La Sasso of Ole Miss. He will be looking to become the program’s 10th individual NCAA champion.

Sophomore Ethan Fang posted his low round of the event, a 71, to move up eight spots into a tie for 36th place at 219.

Sophomores Gaven Lane and Eric Lee finished the day tied for 46th place at 220 after posting rounds of 76 and 75, respectively.

Freshman Filip Fahlberg-Johnsson carded his third consecutive 75 to stand at 225 and tied for 86th place.

The Cowboys will begin their final round tomorrow at 1:25 p.m. (CST) and will be grouped with Florida and Texas.

Live scoring for the event is available at scoreboard.clippd.com and Golf Channel coverage will begin at 5 p.m. (CST).

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Big Update in Recruitment of Memphis Transfer PJ Haggerty

On Wednesday morning, news broke that one Big 12 basketball team was picking up steam for Memphis transfer PJ Haggerty. That team was the Kansas State Wildcats, who reportedly “have the momentum” to land Haggerty, according to Hitmen Hoops. One team expected to push the Wildcats for the commitment was Bruce Pearl and the Auburn Tigers, however, […]

Published

1 hour ago

May 26, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Big Update in Recruitment of Memphis Transfer PJ Haggerty

On Wednesday morning, news broke that one Big 12 basketball team was picking up steam for Memphis transfer PJ Haggerty.

That team was the Kansas State Wildcats, who reportedly “have the momentum” to land Haggerty, according to Hitmen Hoops.

One team expected to push the Wildcats for the commitment was Bruce Pearl and the Auburn Tigers, however, a recent report from NYTSports’ Adam Zagoria disputed that fact.

“Auburn is not involved for Memphis transfer PJ Haggerty and has not spoken to him, per source,” Zagoria wrote. “K-State remains the main school involved, although sources confirm he’s seeking around $4M in NIL. A return to Memphis would ‘only’ get him about $1.2M, per sources.”

“Kansas State has emerged as a serious contender for Memphis transfer and All-American G PJ Haggerty,” the report states. “NC State had been the favorites for the top transfer, but sources add that Kansas State has the momentum. Source adds that Kansas State’s financial offer is expected to be stronger than NC State’s.”

Last season with the Tigers, Haggerty earned All-American honors by averaging 21.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. He connected on 47.6% of shots from the field, 36.4% from three-point range, and 81.8% from the free throw line.

After back-to-back years averaging 20+ points, Haggerty understandably has earned some serious praise. He currently checks in as 247Sports‘ second-ranked player in the transfer portal, only behind Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg.

The transfer portal officially opened on Monday, March 24, 2025. According to NCAA data, 1,296 FBS basketball players entered the transfer portal in the 2023-24 school year, with 864 (66.7%) undergraduates and 432 (33.3%) graduate transfers. Of the entrants, 70% reported that they enrolled in another school, 6% withdrew their names from the portal, and 23% are still active, transferred to a non-NCAA school, or left their sport.

The Heartland College Sports Twitter account is an excellent resource for keeping up with the latest Big 12 news and announcements. Make sure to check out our HCS member forum to connect with other Big 12 sports fans.

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Cowboys Climb Into Top Five At NCAA Championship

Published

2 hours ago

May 26, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Cowboys Climb Into Top Five At NCAA Championship

Round 3 Results

CARLSBAD, Calif. –

Tomorrow’s fourth round will determine the eight teams who will advance to the tournament’s match play bracket to determine the national champion.

Stout will begin play tomorrow six shots off the pace of leader Michael La Sasso of Ole Miss. He will be looking to become the program’s 10th individual NCAA champion.

Sophomore Ethan Fang posted his low round of the event, a 71, to move up eight spots into a tie for 36th place at 219.

Sophomores Gaven Lane and Eric Lee finished the day tied for 46th place at 220 after posting rounds of 76 and 75, respectively.

Freshman Filip Fahlberg-Johnsson carded his third consecutive 75 to stand at 225 and tied for 86th place.

The Cowboys will begin their final round tomorrow at 1:25 p.m. (CST) and will be grouped with Florida and Texas.

Live scoring for the event is available at scoreboard.clippd.com and Golf Channel coverage will begin at 5 p.m. (CST).

NIL

Let This Bull Run

Why NCAA should stand for “Not Competent At All” after latest ruling on Louisville basketball center Aly Khalifa. The NCAA is a funny organization – and when I say “funny,” I don’t mean ‘Richard-Pryor-in-a-red-suit-talking-about-prison-on-the-Sunset-Strip-in-1982’ funny. No…the NCAA is more ‘how-a-landfill-next-to-a-dog-food-factory-on-a-sweltering-hot-day-following-a-flash-flood-smells’ funny. In a decision that is as bewildering as it is aggravating, the governing body […]

Published

2 hours ago

May 26, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Why NCAA should stand for “Not Competent At All” after latest ruling on Louisville basketball center Aly Khalifa.

The NCAA is a funny organization – and when I say “funny,” I don’t mean ‘Richard-Pryor-in-a-red-suit-talking-about-prison-on-the-Sunset-Strip-in-1982’ funny. No…the NCAA is more ‘how-a-landfill-next-to-a-dog-food-factory-on-a-sweltering-hot-day-following-a-flash-flood-smells’ funny. In a decision that is as bewildering as it is aggravating, the governing body of college athletics denied Louisville basketball center Aly Khalifa’s request for an extension of his five-year eligibility clock.

That request would have allowed him to participate in a fourth season following last year’s knee surgery that caused him to miss the season. The consensus reaction of the basketball world has been shock, disappointment, and outrage: this ruling, like a hot, wet city dump, stinks.

Aly Khalifa ruled ineligible by the NCAA?

Something’s not adding up.

He’s played three seasons. Last year was a medical redshirt.

If this stands, it’s a blow to Pat Kelsey’s roster rebuild.

We still believe he’ll suit up for his final year with The Cards. And this appeal… pic.twitter.com/yaDAELh2kQ

— State of Louisville (@thestateoflou) May 22, 2025

The rule is five years to play four seasons unless there’s a medical redshirt year, in which case you get six.

Khalifa:
-1 redshirt season
-3 seasons playing
-1 season injured

This shouldn’t be difficult, especially an age where 99.8% of waivers are approved. https://t.co/hAilBYakJR

— Mike Rutherford (@CardChronicle) May 15, 2025

26 year old Chad Baker-Mazara is a world traveler who is on his 5th team since 2020 and is currently eligible for next season.

Aly Khalifa had knee surgery last year and is wanting to play his 4th college season but deemed ineligible

NCAA: “woah buddy, we make the rules” https://t.co/8A4K1Zg4iJ

— CardsCrusader (@josh_paul12) May 15, 2025

Khalifa, a 6-foot-11 center from Egypt who cut his basketball teeth in Australia, had high hopes for next season. His skill set, as a five who can shoot the three and distribute the ball with the prowess of an elite guard, is as dynamic as it is rare amongst men of his stature. Add to that the fact the Khalifa shed fifty pounds following his surgery rehabilitation and practiced in Kelsey’s system for most of 2025, and the stage was effectively set for Aly to shine as a potential starter for Louisville basketball.

The NCAA, however, seeks to close the curtains, turn off the spot lights, and get the Cards’ resurgent center off center stage.

And nobody understands why.

Also relevant: Kasean Pryor makes Card a National Title contender

Aly Khalifa’s path to Pat Kelsey

Khalifa’s college career looks like this in a nutshell: Aly spent his freshman year in Charlotte, where he redshirted in 2020-21. He was then an on-court 49er for two seasons before transferring to BYU, where he played under current Kentucky coach Mark Pope in 2023-24.

He became a Cardinal last year, but never clocked a minute of game-time basketball in Louisville basketball red. Instead, he spent the first half of the season mending his knee, then practiced with the team from January, on.

Do the math: that’s three years of on-court college basketball. What’s more, Khalifa’s redshirt season in Charlotte fell during the COVID year, which has been universally written off do to the viral shutdown’s effect on the season, for everyone…

Everyone, except Aly Khalifa, it would seem.

Smells like bullshirt to me

In an era during which the landscape of college basketball has been completely transformed by NIL money and the transfer portal, players are seeking more extra eligibility than ever. More often than not, they get it.

Gonzaga’s Khalif Battle, for example, played games in six different college seasons. Battle was granted extensions because two of his seasons were cut short by injury, limiting him to seven and eleven games in them, respectively. How on Earth is it then possible that the NCAA permitted Battle’s extensions because multiple seasons were ended because of injury, while simultaneously denying Khalifa, whose seasons-in-question never even began?

Listen/Watch Starting Five02 Podcast of the State of Louisville Network Now!

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If the NCAA is trying to assert its authority in an age when it is becoming increasingly irrelevant, the hypocrisy of this decision only further subverts the Association’s validity.

Grabbing the bull by the horns

Khalifa has lawyered up, filing an appeal that most experts believe he should win. At face value, there is no reason he is not cleared to play. His first season at Charlotte shouldn’t be an issue for multiple reasons: either because he redshirted, or because of COVID. If that were the issue, then the NCAA should have notified Louisville basketball long before May of 2025.

I’m aware that the redshirt paperwork doesn’t get filed until after the season, which is problematic in and of itself: take a look at the current predicament. Still, the fact that Khalifa was even allowed to transfer to Louisville should have made his eligibility waiver a mere formality: his intention to have knee surgery and sit out was made public and tied to his decision to transfer from BYU.

As the transfer was approved, the waiver should have followed, because without the waiver the transfer had no point.

Khalifa is a big deal… no bull

With or without Khalifa, Pat Kelsey has the Cards loaded for next season. But if Khalifa’s appeal is denied, things could get dicey for the Cards in the front court should anything else go awry.

James Scott became an Ole Miss Rebel after Kasean Pryor declared his intent to return and the Cards acquired Sananda Fru: playing time could have been scarce for Scott with Pryor, Fru, and Khalifa all competing (I would have liked to see him stay and elevate his game, though). But Pryor is coming off a torn ACL, and Fru is a freshman from Germany, untested by American elite talent.

Without Scott and Khalifa, the roster that seemed to be bursting at the seams with talent when the portal opened now seems an injury away from having some quite literally sizable gaps to fill.

Kentucky coach Mark Pope said that Khalifa changed the very way he thought about the game of basketball. Any player that can profoundly impact the way an experienced college player and coach like Pope sees the game would surely have a remarkable impact within it.

And Pope coached a Khalifa who was fifty pounds heavier and struggling with a bad knee.

Let this bull run

Hopefully, the NCAA will do the right thing. But in denying Aly’s waiver, and allowing things to enter the legal realm, the NCAA risks setting a new precedent for player eligibility if they lose in court. Make no mistake: if Aly wins, and my God I pray he does, there will be further lawsuits for more eligibility by other players. It is this precedent, and nothing at all to do with the validity of Aly’s claim, that makes me wary of the upcoming face-off in court. But I, quite honestly, couldn’t care less about the implications for the NCAA, or NCAA in general, for that matter. I just want to see what Aly can do in the eye of the storm of talent Kelsey has coming to Louisville.

All things considered, Aly Khalifa is a Master’s level immigrant student who has played in only three seasons of college basketball. If anybody deserves another year of eligibility, it’s Aly. Unfortunately, though, if Louisville’s past dealings with the NCAA have showed us anything, it’s that it rarely gives the Cards what they deserve, and takes things from them that they have earned.

NIL

Tennessee Boss Says Only One Way to Solve Revenue Sharing, NIL Issues

The House vs. NCAA settlement is still waiting approval, but one prominent athletic director isn’t sure it’s going to solve the problem. U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken hasn’t ruled on the final proposed settlement. That could come next week. If approved, it will usher in a new world of college athletics, that includes revenue-sharing with […]

Published

3 hours ago

May 26, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The House vs. NCAA settlement is still waiting approval, but one prominent athletic director isn’t sure it’s going to solve the problem.

U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken hasn’t ruled on the final proposed settlement. That could come next week. If approved, it will usher in a new world of college athletics, that includes revenue-sharing with student athletes.

It’s a geography Tennessee athletic director Danny White has been navigating for nearly a year. As part of a power conference, he and the Vols are required to opt into the settlement and pay as much as $20.5 million in direct money to student-athletes in 2025-26 — if House is approved.

It’s a lot to keep up with, White admits — but he believes there is a real solution that few seem prepared to discuss.

In a one-on-one conversation with Tennessee chancellor Donde Plowman, White talked about the issues of dealing with all of this on a day-to-day basis.

“My job is to lead the University of Tennessee, but we also have a national issue in college sports that’s a real problem,” White said. “I talk about like the Tennessee hat versus the college sports hat and I’ve been probably wearing the Tennessee hat a lot more recently, thinking about just what’s our opportunity to be competitively excellent in this new world. But it’s a real issue and we could go on and on about what we need.”

Tennessee has already implemented new initiatives to increase revenue, even though it is in the SEC and it receives television payouts that are among the biggest in college sports. The House settlement may usher in a new age of college sports, but White isn’t sure it’s going to solve every issue.

In fact, he believes there is only one way to truly solve the issues that came up in the House settlement and level the playing field for everyone.

“I’ll say it. We’ve got a camera on this, but I don’t really care at this point,” he said. “Collective bargaining is the only issue, the only solution, it’s the only way we’re going to get there.”

The House settlement does not include collective bargaining.

The House v. NCAA settlement is a combination of three different cases brought by current and former student-athletes. It will allow for $2.75 billion in damages will be paid to thousands of college athletes over 10 years as part of restitution for their inability to access things like Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) opportunities.

The new settlement won’t prohibit student-athletes from leveraging NIL, but they will need to report any deals valued at $600 or more.

The settlement also caps scholarships and, in some cases, expands them for certain sports through roster limits.

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Texas Tech softball to face Ole Miss in Women’s College World Series first

Texas Tech softball’s Gerry Glasco on Super Regional vs. Florida State Texas Tech softball’s Gerry Glasco on Super Regional vs. Florida State The field for the 2025 Women’s College World Series is set and the Texas Tech softball team knows its path toward the national championship. Texas Tech was the first team to punch its […]

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4 hours ago

May 26, 2025

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The field for the 2025 Women’s College World Series is set and the Texas Tech softball team knows its path toward the national championship.

Texas Tech was the first team to punch its ticket to Oklahoma City, sweeping Florida State in the Super Regionals with the series concluding Friday afternoon. The Red Raiders had to wait for the final possible game of the weekend to find out their opponent.

Ole Miss will be first up for Texas Tech with the game set for 6 p.m. Thursday in a game that will air on ESPN2. The Rebels pulled off another upset by taking out 4th-seeded Arkansas 7-4 in the third game of their Super Regional series.

Like Texas Tech, Ole Miss will be making its first appearance in the WCWS in program history. Those two are joined by Big Ten teams Oregon and UCLA on their side of the bracket. The Ducks and Bruins will square off in the final game of opening day.

Other teams to make the WCWS field include Oklahoma, Texas, Florida and Tennessee.

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