• If approved it will feel like college basketball is becoming college football, where mediocrity is rewarded with bowl trips.
• It’s not just the men’s game that will change, the NCAA women’s basketball tournament would also expand.

Tournament expansion sits squarely as the biggest item on the agenda as the NCAA Division I men’s basketball committee meets in Savannah, Georgia. Any hour now, there could be an announcement that the nation’s best championship sporting event, the NCAA Tournament, will be adding an additional four or eight teams.

For some reason, it seems like they’re clamoring to make college basketball like college football.

The Football Bowl Subdivision watered down its game with the proliferation of so many bowl games. A team that goes 6-6 is now rewarded with a trip, sometimes bowl rings for the winners, all for finishing the regular season without a losing record.

What helped make the tournament’s popularity explode and what turned March into madness was because it was not like college football. It was watching schools many viewers had never heard of, like St. Peter’s in 2022, knock off historical giants like Kentucky.

NCAA Tournament expansion ultimately won’t ruin the collective love for the Big Dance, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do. Far from it.

It should be tougher to make the tournament, not easier.

As of last season there were 35 bowl games played that were not involved in the College Football Playoff. That means 70 of 134 (52%) teams competing in the Football Bowl Subdivision made the postseason.

One of the arguments present for expanding is that Division I basketball now has 364 schools. That’s about 80 more schools than there were full time in Division I back in 1985 when the tournament expanded to 64 teams.

Bellarmine was among a recent wave of schools reclassifying to Division I. The Knights are not a reason to expand. Had it not been for the NCAA’s arbitrary transition period making them ineligible, they would have already participated in the Big Dance having won the 2022 Atlantic Sun Conference tournament.

The list of new Division I schools hasn’t created a plethora of new conferences taking away automatic bids. And they haven’t added much in terms of winning to the mix either. According to CBS Sports, Division I schools added since 1985 have won only 19 games in the first round or later out of 2,520 games played.

A less publicly stated reason for expansion is about revenue. The NCAA could ask for a bump in its broadcast rights for more games and, in turn, pass those earnings on to the participants. A few coaches that live on the hot seat can tout making the tournament and survive another year.

But those added games aren’t likely to bring any added excitement.

So, please forgive me if I can’t get behind the expansion talk. I can’t be too thrilled that a team like Ohio State, which finished 17-15 last season and was one of the first four out, will be receiving a bid if the field increases to at least 72 teams.

There will be collateral damage, too.

Although the men’s basketball committee is doing the voting, the women’s basketball tournament will follow suit, if approved.

As much as the women’s game is evolving and growing, there is not an extra four or more worthy teams each season that should get bids to the tournament.

Since the First Four was introduced in the women’s tournament in 2022, only one of the eight teams that advanced to the round of 64 has won a game.

Mississippi State won in 2023 as an 11 seed, toppling No. 6 seed Creighton, before losing to No. 3 seed Notre Dame in the second round. There has been no team like UCLA that went from an 11 seed in the 2021 First Four to the Final Four.

As it stands, the gap is still incredibly wide between the top seeds and those that sneak into the women’s tournament. Expanding it will just make for more meaningless and unwatchable games.

Reach sports columnist C.L. Brown at clbrown1@gannett.com, follow him on X at @CLBrownHoops and subscribe to his newsletter at profile.courier-journal.com/newsletters/cl-browns-latest to make sure you never miss one of his columns.

EA Sports College Football 26 officially dropped on Thursday, marking the second consecutive year of the game’s release. The video game made its return last summer for the first time in over a decade. 

While EA did not release a full official list, On3 went looking through the video game’s rosters to compile the top-50 freshmen in this year’s edition. It’s worth noting that not every top-ranked high school recruit entering the 2025 season opted in to the game in time to make the intial release date. For example, Ohio State cornerback and No. 6 overall recruit Devin Sanchez is not featured in the game.

For the second time in EA Sports College Football’s history, athletes are being compensated for having their name, image and likeness. That also means on-field performances are being factored into the players’ ratings. Here’s the full breakdown of the top-50 freshmen in EA Sports College Football 26:

1. Oregon WR Dakorien Moore – 84 Overall
The top-ranked freshman in the game, Dakorien Moore, enters the 2025 season with high expectations. Previously committed to LSU and Texas, the Ducks were able to pull the wide receiver from Texas. With Evan Stewart expected to miss time this season, Moore is thrust into a big-time role in Year 1 at Oregon. Over his four-year high school career at Duncanville (Texas), he caught 204 passes, amassing 4,113 yards and 48 touchdowns while averaging better than 20 yards per catch.

2. Clemson RB Gideon Davidson – 83 Overall
Already being tabbed as one of the top running backs in the ACC, Gideon Davidson is expected to contribute immediately this fall at Clemson. Quarterback Cade Klubnik compared Davidson to Clemson great Travis Etienne in fall camp. A four-star recruit in the Class of 2025, the running back finished his high school career with 7,438 rushing yards on 701 career carries with a 10.53-yard average and 118 rushing touchdowns.

3. LSU RB Harlem Berry – 83 overall
The most electric running back in the 2025 cycle, Harlem Berry, has flashed the ability to be a game-changer in the passing game, too. The 5-foot-10, 182-pound running back was heavily utilized in the spring as returners Caden Durham and Kaleb Jackson were the only players getting as many reps as him. He is expected to immediately be a factor in LSU’s passing game. He topped the 2,000-yard mark for rushing yards all four years of high school.

4. Clemson DL Amare Adams – 82 overall
At 6-foot-4 and 315 pounds, Amare Adams was as a top-five defensive linemen in the 2025 cycle. The top-ranked recruit in the state of South Carolina, Adams collected 250 career tackles, 40 tackles for loss and 14 sacks in his high school career. The Tigers have a deep defensive line with Peter Woods and T.J. Parker returning, but Adams will be a contributor as a true freshman.

5. Georgia DL Elijah Griffin – 82 overall
Ranked by On3 as the No. 1 defensive lineman in the class of 2025, Elijah Griffin has turned heads since the minute he arrived at Georgia. He posted 53 tackles, 27 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks as a senior in 2024 at Savannah Christian Preparatory School.

“[Defensive lineman] Elijah Griffin is a bulletproof prospect. Really talented, really driven, one of the best I’ve been around. Maturity, habits — this guy is a pro,” a source told On3 in the winter.

6. Texas RB James Simon – 81 overall
Ranked as the No. 10 running back in the 2025 class in the On3 Industry Ranking, James Simon left Louisiana for the state of Texas as a recruit. As a senior at Calvary Baptist Academy, he rushed for 1,280 yards and 16 touchdowns on 149 carries. He averaged 8.6 yards per carry and logged six 100-yard rushing performances.

7. Maryland ATH Zymear Smith – 81 overall
Zymear Smith was ranked as a top-10 athlete nationally as a recruit, picking Maryland over Penn State and South Carolina. A one-time Alabama commit, Smith carried the ball 71 times for 609 yards and 7 touchdowns while also catching nine passes for 380 yards and four touchdowns as a senior at Denton (Md.) North Caroline. He’s listed as a wide receiver on Maryland’s roster and a running back in EA Sports College Football 26.

8. Texas WR Kaliq Lockett – 81 overall
Kaliq Lockett ranked as the No. 20 overall prospect in the 2025 On3 Industry Ranking. The five-star recruit is the highest-ranked wide receiver commit of the Steve Sarkisian era. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound wide receiver gives the Longhorns a big-body wideout on the outside. He caught 47 passes for 625 yards and seven touchdowns as a senior at Sachse (Texas).

9. Kansas State TE Linkon Cure – 81 overall
The biggest win for Kansas State in the 2025 recruiting cycle, Linkon Cure, will immediately be a top target for quarterback Avery Johnson. Cure picked the Wildcats at the end, even with Oregon making a big-time push. The 6-foot-4.5, 225-pound tight end with a 32-inch arm and 10-inch hand finished his senior season with 1,049 yards and 17 touchdowns on 57 catches in just nine games.

10. Michigan QB Bryce Underwood – 81 overall
On3’s No. 1 recruit in the 2025 class, Bryce Underwood, stunned the nation last November when he flipped his commitment from LSU to Michigan. The 6-foot-4, 214-pound quarterback finished his high school career with a 50-4 record, winning state championships as a freshman and sophomore. He broke the Michigan high school football records for career passing and total touchdowns.

11. Auburn DL Malik Autry – 81 overall
12. Miami RB Girard Pringle Jr. – 81 overall
13. Florida WR Vernell Brown – 80 overall
14. Texas WR Jaime Ffrench – 80 overall
15. Alabama RB AK Dear – 80 overall
16. Texas DL Justus Terry – 80 overall
17. Alabama OL Michael Carroll – 80 overall
18. Texas A&M OL Lamont Rogers – 80 overall
19. Georgia OL Juan Gaston – 80 overall
20. LSU CB DJ Pickett – 80 overall

21. Georgia Tech RB JP Powell – 80 overall
22. Florida WR Dallas Wilson – 80 overall
23. Ohio State QB Tavien St. Clair – 80 overall
24. Alabama QB Keelon Russell – 80 overall
25. Ohio State RB Bo Jackson – 80 overall
26. Tennessee OL David Sanders – 80 overall
27. Georgia EDGE Isaiah Gibson – 80 overall
28. Oregon RB Dierre Hill – 80 overall
29. Texas CB Kade Phillips – 80 overall
30. Alabama CB Dijon Lee – 79 overall

31. Texas A&M TE Kiotti Armstrong – 79 overall
32. Florida State DL Kevin Wynn – 79 overall
33. Miami EDGE Hayden Lowe – 79 overall
34. Oklahoma OL Michael Fasusi – 79 overall
35. UCLA RB Karson Cox – 79 overall
36. Penn State RB Tikey Hayes – 79 overall
37. Colorado QB Julian Lewis – 79 overall
38. Texas EDGE Lance Jackson – 79 overall
39. Texas WR Daylan McCutcheon – 79 overall
40. UCF RB Taevion Swint – 79 overall

41. Utah RB Daniel Bray – 79 overall
42. Missouri RB Marquise Davis – 79 overall
43. Miami OL SJ Alofaituli – 78 overall
44. Syracuse S Demetres Samuel – 78 overall
45. USC CB Trestin Castro – 78 overall
46. Washington OL Champ Taulealea – 78 overall
47. Penn State TE Andrew Olesh – 78 overall
48. Cincinnati RB Zion Johnson – 78 overall
49. Georgia LB Zayden Walker – 78 overall
50. Florida EDGE Jalen Wiggins – 78 overall

The schedule for the 26^th season of Murray State Women’s Soccer finds the Racers hosting 11 games at Carlisle Cutchin Field beginning with a pair of exhibition matches against Western Kentucky (Aug. 2) and Bellarmine (Aug. 8).

The Racers host Troy, Lindenwood, Tennessee Tech, Marshall and Southeast Missouri prior to opening their fourth season in the Missouri Valley Conference at Illinois State (Sept. 18).

MSU’s first home games in the 2025 MVC season happen (Sept. 25) against Northern Iowa and Drake (Sept. 28).

The nine-game MVC schedule finishes with a trio of road games at UIC (Oct. 23), Valparaiso (Oct. 26) and Indiana State (Oct. 30).

In 2025, the MVC Tournament will be played among the top-6 teams from the regular season. The event begins with quarterfinal matches hosted by the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds with the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds hosting the semifinals and the highest remaining seed being host for the championship (Nov. 9).

The MVC season closes out at Northern Iowa (Oct. 24) and at Drake (Oct. 27), before the MVC Tournament is hosted at various campus sites (Oct. 31, Nov. 3, Nov. 7 & Nov. 10).

Follow the Racers on Twitter (@MSURacers), Instagram (@RacersAthletics) and Facebook to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Murray State Athletics. Follow Murray State women’s soccer on Twitter and Instagram (@RacersSoccer).

 

The new agency in charge of regulating name, image, likeness (NIL) deals in college sports sent a letter to schools Thursday saying it had rejected deals between players and donor-backed collectives formed over the past several years to funnel money to athletes or their schools.

Those arrangements hold no “valid business purpose,” the memo said, and don’t adhere to rules that call for outside NIL deals to be between players and companies that provide goods or services to the public for profit.

The letter to Division I athletic directors could be the next step in shuttering today’s version of the collective, groups that are closely affiliated with schools and that, in the early days of NIL after July 2021, proved the most efficient way for schools to indirectly cut deals with players.

Since then, the landscape has changed yet again with the $2.8 billion House settlement that allows schools to pay the players directly as of July 1.

Already, collectives affiliated with Colorado, Alabama, Notre Dame, Georgia and others have announced they’re shutting down. Georgia, Ohio State and Illinois are among those that have announced plans with Learfield, a media and technology company with decades of licensing and other experience in college athletics, to help arrange NIL deals.

Outside deals between athlete and sponsor are still permitted, but any worth $600 or more have to be vetted by a clearinghouse called NIL Go that was established by the new College Sports Commission and is being run by the auditing group Deloitte.

In its letter to the athletic directors, the CSC said more than 1,500 deals have been cleared since NIL Go launched on June 11, “ranging in value from three figures to seven figures.” More than 12,000 athletes and 1,100 institutional users have registered to use the system.

But the bulk of the letter explained that many deals could not be cleared because they did not conform to an NCAA rule that sets a “valid business purpose” standard for deals to be approved.

The letter explained that if a collective reaches a deal with an athlete to appear on behalf of the collective, which charges an admission fee, the standard is not met because the purpose of the event is to raise money to pay athletes, not to provide goods or services available to the public for profit.

The same would apply to a deal an athlete makes to sell merchandise to raise money to pay that player because the purpose of “selling merchandise is to raise money to pay that student-athlete and potentially other student-athletes at a particular school or schools, which is not a valid business purpose,” according to the NCAA rule.

Sports attorney Darren Heitner, who deals in NIL, said the guidance “could disproportionately burden collectives that are already committed to spending money on players for multiple years to come.”

“If a pattern of rejections results from collective deals submitted to Deloitte, it may invite legal scrutiny under antitrust principles,” he said.

On a separate track, some college sports leaders, including the NCAA, are seeking a limited form of antitrust protection from Congress. 

The letter said a NIL deal could be approved if, for instance, the businesses paying the players had a broader purpose than simply acting as a collective. The letter uses a golf course or apparel company as examples.

“In other words, NIL collectives may act as marketing agencies that match student-athletes with businesses that have a valid business purpose and seek to use the student’s NIL to promote their businesses,” the letter said.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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MANHATTAN, Kan. – A summer update of current and former Wildcats.
 
MLB
Will Brennan – OF – Cleveland Guardians
Years at K-State: 2017-19
Brennan played 35 games for the Guardians Triple-AAA squad before he was recalled on May 12. In six games with Cleveland, Brennan is slashing .091/.231/.091 over 11 at bats. He was put on a 60-day injured list on May 22.
 
Jordan Wicks – LHP – Chicago Cubs
Years at K-State: 2019-21
On July 4, the Cubs recalled Wicks from Triple-A Iowa Cubs. With Chicago, Wicks boast a 5.06 ERA with a 0-1 record. He has struck out four in 5 1/3 innings and posts a 1.69 WHIP. His longest outing with Chicago came on July 6, logging 3 1/3 scoreless innings in relief.
 
TRIPLE-A
Carson Seymour – RHP Sacramento River Cats (SF, AAA)
Years at K-State: 2020-21
Seymour is in his second season with the Giants Triple-AAA affiliate, the Sacramento River Cats. This season, he boasts a 3.89 ERA with a 3-8 record and opponents hitting .228 against him. He has struck out 83 against 37 walks, that included striking out a season-high nine over 5 2/3 innings against Tacoma on June 13. Seymour made his MLB debut on June 29, logging one scoreless inning against the Chicago White Sox and was sent back to Sacramento a few days later.
 
Nick Martini – OF – Las Vegas Aviators (OAK, AAA)
Years at K-State: 2009-11
Martini played 43 games with the Colorado Rockies, slashing .225/.288/.294 with four doubles, one home run and four RBI before he was elected to free agency. He signed as a free agent with the Athletics and is hitting .282 with eight extra-base hits, including three home runs with 16 RBI for the Las Vegas Aviators.

DOUBLE-A

Blake Adams RHP Hartford Yard Goats (CO, AA)

Years at K-State:2022

In 14 starts, Adams is 4-5 with a 5.88 ERA (39 ER, 59.2 IP). He has struck out 60, while registering a 3.53 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Adams recorded a season-high five strikeouts over five scoreless innings on April 9, picking up his first win of the season.

 

Kaelen Culpepper – INF – Wichita Wind Surge (MIN, AA)

Years at K-State: 2022-24

Following a strong start to the season with High-A Cedar Rapids, the 6-foot shortstop was quickly promoted to Double-A Wichita Surge. A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Culpepper is slashing .349/.431/.460 with an .891 OPS for Wichita. He went 2-for-4 in his Double-A debut and homered in both his third and fourth games.  

 

Brendan Jones – OF – Somerset Patriots (NYY, AA)

Years at K-State: 2022-24

Jones produced a slash line of .236/.349/.362 with 41 hits, including four home runs, before his promotion to Double-A Somerset. In 28 games with the Patriots, Jones is hitting .253 with 11 extra-base hits and 21 RBI. Jones went 2-for-2 on July 9 with a home run and triple, driving in four RBI.

 

Zach Kokoska – OF – Hartford Yard Goats (CO, AA)

Years at K-State: 2019-21

Kokoska is slashing .189/.275/.400 with 34 hits, including nine home runs in his fifth season in the minors and second in Double-A.

 

Tyson Neighbors – RHP – San Antonio Missions (SD, AA)

Years at K-State: 2022-24

After a hot start with High-A Fort Wayne where he owned a 1.18 ERA and averaged 15.49 strikeouts per nine innings, Neighbors was promoted to Double-A San Diego on June 11. With the Missions, Neighbors is 2-0 with a 4.50 ERA, striking out 15 in 12 innings with two holds.

HIGH-A

Nick Goodwin IF Vancouver Canadians (TOR, A+)

Years at K-State: 2020-23

Goodwin is in his third season in the minors. In 57 games, the Overland Park product is slashing .231/.359/.418 with 42 hits, including 10 homers. He produced a multi-home run game on June 3 against Tri-City, going 3-for-4 with two home runs and four RBI.

 

Wesley Moore – LHP – Jersey Shore BlueClaws (PHI, A+)

Years at K-State: 2020-22

Moore has split time between High-A and Double-A in 2025. In High-A with Jersey Shore, he is 0-2 with a 5.63 ERA.

 

Dylan Phillips – RHP – Tri-City Dust Devils (LAA, A+)

Years at K-State: 2019-22

Phillips has split time between High-A and Triple-A in 2025, making his Triple-A debut on May 11. A native of Omaha, Nebraska, Phillips boasts a 3.92 ERA this season with a 2-3 record and 40 strikeouts over 41 1.3 innings. He fanned a season-high four batters with Triple-A Salt Lake on May 13.

 

Christian Ruebeck – RHP – Great Lakes Loons (LAD, A+)

Years at K-State: 2022

Ruebeck boasts a 9.43 ERA in 2025 with a 1-2 record, striking out 28 over 21 innings.

 

Jackson Wentworth – RHP – Vancouver Canadians (TOR, A+)

Years at K-State: 2023-24

In his first season in the pros, Wentworth has a record of 1-4 with a 5.13 ERA. He has struck out 72 batters over 73 2/3 innings in his 16 starts with a 1.47 WHIP. Wentworth logged six innings of one-run ball with a season-high nine strikeouts on June 24 against Tri-City.

SINGLE-A

Brady Day – INF – Clearwater Threshers (PHI, A)

Years at K-State: 2022-24

Day is slashing .255/.341/.340 in his second season with Clearwater, registering 54 hits and driving in 24 RBI. Day has produced nine multi-hit games, including three-hit performances on May 8 and May 10, both against St. Lucie.

 

REHAB ASSIGNMENT

German Fajardo RHP Modesto Nuts (SEA, A)

Years at K-State: 2020-23

Fajardo, who signed as a free agent with the Mariners organization in 2023, was placed on the 7-day injured list.

 

Connor McCullough – RHP – Birmingham Barons (CHW, AA)

Years at K-State: 2020-22

McCullough was placed on rehab assignment to the ACL White Sox on May 1.

 

2025 MLB DRAFTEES

The 2025 MLB Draft will take place in Atlanta, Georgia on July 13-14, 2025, as part of MLB’s All-Star Week festivities. The draft will assign amateur baseball players from the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico to Major League Baseball teams.

 

WILDCATS IN SUMMER BALL

 

Player	Position	Year in ’26	Hometown	League	Team
Adam Arther	LHP	JR	Altadena, Calif.	Cape	Harwich
Tazwell Butler	RHP	R-SR	Sandy Springs, Ga.	Cape	Harwich
AJ Evasco	INF/OF	SO	Lincoln, Neb.	NECBL	Newport
Austin Haley	INF/RHP	JR	Howe, Texas	Northwoods	St. Cloud
Shintaro Inoue	INF	SR	Yamaguchi, Japan	Cape	Harwich
Cadyn Karl	OF	R-JR	Edmond, Okla.	Appy	Elizabethton
Dee Kennedy	INF	JR	Fort Worth, Texas	Cape	Harwich
Donte Lewis	RHP/OF	SO	Pearland, Texas	Appy	Elizabethton
Adan Longoria	RHP	JR	Plant City, Fla.	Cal Ripken	Alexandria
Chandler Murray	INF	R-FR	Honolulu, Hawaii	Appy	Tri-State
Rohan Putz	OF	R-SO	Loch Lloyd, Mo.	Valley	Purcellville
Jack Quetschenbach	OF	FR		Futures	Westfield
Miles Smith	RHP	R-SR	Flintville, Tenn.	Appy	Bristol
Ty Smolinski	INF	SO	Gretna, Neb.	Appy	Tri State

By EDDIE PELLS – AP National Writer

The new agency in charge of regulating name, image, likeness deals in college sports sent a letter to schools Thursday saying it had rejected deals between players and donor-backed collectives formed over the past several years to funnel money to athletes or their schools.

Those arrangements hold no “valid business purpose,” the memo said, and don’t adhere to rules that call for outside NIL deals to be between players and companies that provide goods or services to the general public for profit.

The letter to Division I athletic directors could be the next step in shuttering today’s version of the collective, groups that are closely affiliated with schools and that, in the early days of NIL after July 2021, proved the most efficient way for schools to indirectly cut deals with players.

Since then, the landscape has changed yet again with the $2.8 billion House settlement that allows schools to pay the players directly as of July 1.

Already, collectives affiliated with Colorado, Alabama, Notre Dame, Georgia and others have announced they’re shutting down. Georgia, Ohio State and Illinois are among those that have announced plans with Learfield, a media and technology company with decades of licensing and other experience across college athletics, to help arrange NIL deals.

Outside deals between athlete and sponsor are still permitted, but any worth $600 or more have to be vetted by a clearinghouse called NIL Go that was established by the new College Sports Commission.

In its letter to the ADs, the CSC said more than 1,500 deals have been cleared since NIL Go launched on June 11, “ranging in value from three figures to seven figures.” More than 12,000 athletes and 1,100 institutional users have registered to use the system.

But the bulk of the letter explained that many deals could not be cleared because they did not conform to an NCAA rule that sets a “valid business purpose” standard for deals to be approved.

The letter explained that if a collective reaches a deal with an athlete to appear on behalf of the collective, which charges an admission fee, the standard is not met because the purpose of the event is to raise money to pay athletes, not to provide goods or services available to the general public for profit.

The same would apply to a deal an athlete makes to sell merchandise to raise money to pay that player because the purpose of “selling merchandise is to raise money to pay that student-athlete and potentially other student-athletes at a particular school or schools, which is not a valid business purpose” according to the NCAA rule.

A deal, however, could be approved if, for instance, the businesses paying the players had a broader purpose than simply acting as a collective. The letter uses a golf course or apparel company as examples.

“In other words, NIL collectives may act as marketing agencies that match student-athletes with businesses that have a valid business purpose and seek to use the student’s NIL to promote their businesses,” the letter said.

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AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports