We knew some news would be on the horizon, after Mizzou head coach Shannon Welker reported at the team’s banquet on Sunday that he’d scored a commitment or two, but he wouldn’t say much more than that, much to my dismay. This coaching staff operates in stealth mode, as the new commit wasn’t even listed on College Gym News’ transfer tracker yet!

Well, fans didn’t have to wait too long to get the news, as on Sunday night, Illinois transfer and bars specialist Makayla Green announced her commitment to Mizzou Gymnastics on Instagram, and holy hell, this is a big one.

The nation’s no. 4 bars squad is set to lose four of this season’s six rotation members to graduation, so reinforcements are desperately needed. And they have arrived, thanks to Makayla!

Per Road to Nationals data, the 5-foot-3 New Jersey native scored 9.90-plus five times last season, including four 9.925 scores. Two of those 9.925 scores were at the Seattle Regional and Big 10 conference meet, respectively, so we know that she can shine under the bright lights.

Makayla’s average score was a 9.850 and 9.890 NQS scores will put her towards the top of the bars rotation next season. She won seven individual bars titles in her final season at Illinois, including in the head-to-head matchup with UC-Davis in the Washington Regionals Round I.

How much eligibility does she have? Per sources, it is likely to be one, though Road to Nationals data doesn’t show her as competing in either 2022 or 2024.

Here’s how the roster stacks up right now. While we wait to see if Lauren Macpherson and Grace Anne Davis return from injury to take one final go-around in the black & gold, they’re grayed out.

Stay tuned for more Gym news here at Rock M. I suspect we’ll be hearing more news very soon.

Texas universities would be able to pay athletes as part of the realignment that has upended college sports

Texas House Bill 126 (HB 126) is meant to allow Texas universities to become compliant with updated terms of rights for both the university and student athletes following the looming decision of the NCAA court case. 

“We will be killing college football in Texas if we do not pass this bill,” said Rep. Carl Tepper, R-Lubbock, who sponsored the bill.  “…Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Michigan will be able to recruit our student athletes, student athletes from around the country, and give them a certain deal to play for their colleges.”

​The NCAA’s landmark $2.78 billion settlement, known as the House v. NCAA case, has received preliminary approval from U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilkin (Oakland, Calif.) and is poised to transform college athletics by allowing schools to directly compensate athletes. The agreement includes approximately $2.78 billion in back pay for athletes who competed before NIL rules were implemented, covering those who played between 2016 and 2021. The new rules proposed by the NCAA would also allow universities to offer scholarships for all members of a collegiate team. However, they would be enforcing roster caps with this change to allow for this. 

HB 126 represents a shift in collegiate athletics by permitting universities to directly compensate student-athletes for the use of their name, image, and likeness. The bill is a departure from previous restrictions that limited such compensation to only third-party arrangements. 

Rep. Tepper said the bill would not allow the student athletes to be paid before enrolling in their institution, and colleges would be capped at a $24.5 million spending budget. However, they are allowed to present probable offers in recruiting. If the prospective athlete receives NIL compensation in high school, they will be ineligible for anything further.

When asked where the money would be coming from by Rep. Jolanda Jones, Tepper responded that no money would be out of taxpayer dollars, but from television contracts, tickets, suites and concessions –  primarily through the universities’ football programs. 

“Mostly, these athletic departments are paid for through the football program. Football is king. Some basketball, a little from baseball, but mostly football,” Tepper said. 

HB 126 also promises that the language of the NIL laws outlined will be updated every two years to keep up with any changes to ensure the Bill does not become outdated. 

Speaker of the Texas House, Dustin Burrows, took to X on April 14 when it passed the first time, saying he was “Proud of the Texas House for passing major achievements that will support our veterans and military students and preserve Texas universities’ competitive edge in recruiting student athletes.” 

He further congratulated Rep. Tepper, posting that HB 126 “keeps Texas institutions competitive in recruitment by letting colleges and universities offer NIL deals directly with prospective student athletes, in anticipation of the NCAA lifting its nationwide prohibition on the practice.”

In opposition to the Bill, Rep. Mitch Little (R-Denton) said to the House: “ …What we have done as a country is began to deconstruct and cheepen that experience [attending a university] to the point where the people who are competing on your television on saturday afternoon in college football are just a series of subcontractors there for our entertainment.” he said. “The state of Texas takes a backseat to no one in collegiate athletics…we do not need to follow other states.”

The Lone Star State is no stranger to NIL-leading athletes, even without the universities being involved. According to On3.com’s NIL player rankings, Arch Manning, quarterback for the University of Texas, leads the NCAA with an NIL valuation of $6.6 million. His predecessor, Quinn Ewers, is valued at $4.5 million. Texas Tech Basketball’s Power Fielder JT Toppins follows ranked No. 13 with a valuation of $2.8 million.  TCU Football’s quarterback Josh Hoover ranks in the top 20, coming in at No. 18, also with a valuation of $2.8 million. 

There is no mention in the bill of its effect on student athlete scholarships. Rep. Tepper said that, as designed by HB 126 and previous legislation that “They [student athletes] are specifically not employees of the university,” in response to Rep. Little’s question to him on such. 

Stan Kroenke doesn’t own the Avalanche. The Dallas Stars do.

Whiny Pete DeBoer does. Still. After all these years. After all those trades. After all those draft picks.

If not now, when?

The Avs were up 2-0 in the third period on Saturday night, laughing old demons away while the fans partied back home. With about eight minutes left on the clock, PDB reached into his back pocket, pulled out the title and waved it in the face of Mikko Rantanen.

The Moose got loose. The Avs got hoosed, as they say in Saskatoon.

If not now, when?

Colorado went into Dallas with a full series from Val Nichushkin, depth at center, a fourth line with real teeth, two new goaltenders and a miraculous return from Gabe Landeskog.

The Stars came in limping after a so-so April and without top scorer Jason Robertson and top defenseman Miro Heiskanen.

Dallas won anyway.

Jared Bednar has been a tremendous servant to this organization, the kind of stand-up guy who leaves a room better than he found it.

By: Justin Lafleur

LEONIA, N.J. — The Dartmouth men’s lightweight rowing team wrapped up a strong dual; season on Sunday with a varsity eight victory at Columbia to retain the Subin Cup. The Big Green earned an impressive victory of just over six seconds to head into Eastern Sprints in two weekends on a high note.
 
“I’m really proud of our performance across all three boats today,” said Dartmouth head coach Trevor Michelson. “Two of our top guys were missing this weekend, so we headed down to Columbia in new lineups and a little under-gunned.”
 
The varsity eight finished with a time of 5:44.10, more than six seconds ahead of Columbia (5:50.19).
 
“The varsity did a great job firing off the blocks to retain the Subin Cup,” said Michelson.
 
Meanwhile, the 2V had a narrow defeat to the Lions, finishing with a time of 5:50.64 which was just under four seconds behind the Lions (5:46.80).
 
The Big Green’s varsity four finished with a time of 7:04.37, but it wasn’t enough against Columbia’s A and B boats.
 
“Our second varsity got jumped off the start, fought back through the middle of the race,” said Michelson. “They showed some real grit in the third 500 to keep the margin close to a boat length at the finish.
 
“The third varsity, forced to race a four due to our missing guys, did a nice job racing down the course,” Michelson continued. “A huge shoutout to our two walk-ons for their quick progression to get up to speed. I’d also like to commend Brendan Chia, Jack Schwartz, and Katharine Kramer, the seniors who did a great job managing the crew throughout the week and weekend.”
 
Dartmouth returns to action in two weekends at Eastern Sprints at Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, Mass.
 
Complete Results
 
Varsity Eight
1. Dartmouth – 5:44.10
2. Columbia – 5:50.19
 
Second Varsity Eight
1. Columbia – 5:46.80
2. Dartmouth– 5:50.64
 
Varsity Four
1. Columbia A – 6:44.10
2. Columbia B – 6:45.22
3. Dartmouth – 7:04.37