Will Wade’s work building N.C. State into an immediate winner included the pursuit of an entrant in the NBA draft, just in case he returned to college.
NIL
House v. NCAA Settlement Explained
Zach Stipe Associate AD / Communications Story Links Donate to the Impact Fund CINCINNATI – A new path for college athletics begins July 1, as athletics departments nationwide will begin directly sharing revenue with student-athletes following the approval of the House v. NCAA settlement […]
Zach Stipe
Associate AD / Communications
CINCINNATI – A new path for college athletics begins July 1, as athletics departments nationwide will begin directly sharing revenue with student-athletes following the approval of the House v. NCAA settlement on Friday by Judge Claudia Wilken.
The University of Cincinnati Athletics Department has spent months preparing for this shift and has opted into the settlement. The settlement allows schools to directly share up to approximately $20.5 million with student-athletes, while also providing back-pay to certain former athletes. The newly established College Sports Commission will oversee this system, alongside strengthened regulation of third-party NIL deals through NIL Go, ensuring a more transparent and sustainable model for the future of college sports.
Cincinnati plans to be a full revenue-sharing participant in line with its Big 12 peers to compete for championships.
The Athletics Impact Fund, created earlier this year, will play a key role in helping Cincinnati fund this new model by providing critical resources to support revenue sharing and ensure the Bearcats continue to compete for championships.
“This is a transformative moment for college sports and for Cincinnati Athletics,” said Director of Athletics John Cunningham. “We anticipated this change and have been planning carefully to position the Bearcats for continued success in this new model.”
Here is everything you need to know about the House settlement and how it affects the Bearcats.
Revenue Sharing and the Impact Fund
Under the settlement, athletics departments may distribute up to an estimated $20.5 million annually in direct revenue to student-athletes, which includes scholarships.
Cincinnati intends to be full participants in revenue sharing, and will use the newly-formed Athletics Impact Fund to support it.
Fans interested in contributing to the Impact Fund can visit GoBearcats.com/Impact to learn more.
NIL Go
To bring consistency and transparency to NIL deals, the settlement introduces NIL Go, a new reporting platform for all third-party NIL agreements valued at $600 or more. This ensures deals reflect legitimate business partnerships.
Director of Athletics John Cunningham played a key role in shaping the future of college athletics as a member of the House Settlement Implementation Committee, where he served on the subcommittee that partnered with Deloitte to help define and formalize the national NIL process—work that will directly support Cincinnati’s efforts to thrive in this new model of student-athlete compensation.
College Sports Commission
Oversight of revenue sharing and NIL activity will be handled by the independent College Sports Commission, which was established to provide fairness and consistent enforcement of the new system. Learn more at collegesportscommission.org.
UC Positioned to Thrive in New NIL Landscape
Cincinnati is uniquely positioned to thrive in this more regulated NIL landscape, with eight Fortune 500 companies headquartered in the region and a strong network of local businesses that can engage with UC student-athletes through compliant, transparent partnerships.
UC’s Director of NIL & Innovation Eddie Taylor just won the NIL Educator of the Year Award at AthleteCon on Friday. The Bearcats took home the Best Institutional NIL Department at the NIL Summit in 2024, as well.
Businesses interested in pursuing NIL partnerships with Bearcats student-athletes should contact Taylor at eddie.taylor@uc.edu for more information.
Roster Flexibility and Student-Athlete Support
The settlement also removes previous NCAA scholarship limits, giving Cincinnati greater flexibility to offer more educational and athletic opportunities. Cincinnati will utilize this flexibility to continue supporting its 16 varsity sports and maximizing opportunities for student-athletes.
What About Former Student-Athletes?
Former and current student-athletes who began competing in 2016 through Sept. 15, 2024 are eligible for name, image, and likeness (NIL) backpay. Both parties negotiated a settlement to distribute $2.78 billion to eligible student-athletes. Backpay amounts will be determined by a distribution plan designed by the plaintiffs in the case. Institutions will not have a say in backpay amounts.
Backpay monies will not be paid to former student-athletes directly from UC but as a part of the NCAA’s legal settlement process.
The deadline for former student-athletes to apply for backpay was Jan. 31, 2025.
How Can I Help?
In anticipation of this decision, Cincinnati Athletics and the University of Cincinnati launched the Athletics Impact Fund in April. The purpose of the Impact Fund is to provide UC with the resources to recruit and retain top student-athletes who will position its athletic programs to compete for championships in the Big 12 Conference and on the national stage.
Please visit this link if you would like to make a donation to the Athletics Impact Fund.
Looking Ahead
As this new model begins, Cincinnati is ready. The Bearcats are committed to providing an unparalleled student-athlete experience and competing for championships in this evolving landscape.
“We are confident in our position and excited for what’s ahead,” Cunningham said. “Thanks to the support of our community and the strength of our department, we are well-prepared to thrive in this new era.”
About Cincinnati Athletics:
The University of Cincinnati Department of Athletics competes at the highest level of intercollegiate athletics with the vision to reach Next Level Success for all 18 varsity teams and more than 450 student-athletes. The Bearcats have a proud athletics history, winning eight national championships and 118 conference titles. The Cincinnati men’s basketball team is among the 15 winningest programs all-time, while the football team became the first non-Power Five program to compete in the College Football Playoff in 2021. Olympic gold medalist volleyball player Jordan Thompson, NBA Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson and Major League Baseball legend Sandy Koufax are among the several luminaries who have competed as Bearcats.
In 2023, the Bearcats entered a new era as a Power Four School when they officially joined the Big 12 Conference, positioning Cincinnati among the nation’s premier athletics programs.
Off the field, UC student-athletes continue to find success, as well, collectively posting a school-record 3.52 GPA in the spring of 2025.
Under the leadership of Director of Athletics John Cunningham, and supported by more than 150 full-time staff members, UC Athletics’ mission is to connect our community, enhance our university and impact the lives of student-athletes as they prepare to change the world on and off the field.
For more information visit gobearcats.com.
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NIL
College Football Playoff Prediction: A fresh projection of the straight-seeded, 12-team bracket in 2025
In mid-May, I did the insane thing of trying to not only project who will make the College Football Playoff, but also trying to guess which teams would win in the postseason. A few weeks later, the CFP opted to move to the straight-seeding model. As we learned last year, seeding can have a profound […]
In mid-May, I did the insane thing of trying to not only project who will make the College Football Playoff, but also trying to guess which teams would win in the postseason.
A few weeks later, the CFP opted to move to the straight-seeding model. As we learned last year, seeding can have a profound impact on how the entire tournament shakes out, so we took the same rankings, updated the seeding and tried to project again how it would play out.
It changed. Let’s get into it.
First Round
No. 12 Boise State vs. No. 5 LSU
Boise State makes its second consecutive trip to the College Football Playoff. And because of the new seeding rules, the Broncos have a more manageable test in the first round instead of playing Ohio State, who would have been the No. 5 seed behind the Big 12 Champion enjoying a bye. Boise State had a first-round bye a year ago and didn’t measure up with Penn State, so it’s hard to imagine a Group of 5 team playing their way into a top-four seed this year, regardless of record. Boise loses to LSU in the first round.
No. 8 Oregon vs. No. 9 Illinois
Oregon got screwed with last year’s seeding rules. Had the rules not changed, Oregon would have had to face Texas in the first round, so the Ducks actually get a break. And because the Big Ten is too big and everyone can’t play everyone, this would be an in-conference matchup happening for the first time. Though Illinois had a great run of a season, it faces a better Big Ten team it was fortunate to avoid on its regular-season schedule and comes up short.
No. 11 BYU vs. 6 Notre Dame
Go try to pick the Big 12 champion in June. It’s impossible. I went with BYU because I like the pieces the Cougars bring back. The Big 12 champion gets an automatic spot in the CFP, but the new rules don’t guarantee a bye, so the Cougars will likely find themsleves in the back half of the final top 12. It faces a Notre Dame team that has one of the best offensive lines in the country, and though BYU plays a hard-fought game, the Irish advances to the next round.
No. 10 Alabama vs. No. 7 Georgia
The thing about the 12-team CFP era that people didn’t really acknowledge when we expanded was how many rematches we would get. Here’s another example of two SEC superpowers who met in the regular season once and have to play again. Though it’s really hard to tell right now which of these two will be better this year, I find it hard to believe either of these teams would go 2-0 against each other. I have Georgia winning the regular-season matchup and Alabama advancing under second-year head coach Kalen DeBoer.
Quarterfinals
No. 5 LSU vs. No. 4 Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl
Ohio State didn’t win the Big Ten but it was one of two teams from that conference to enjoy a first-round bye. It doesn’t have an easy road though, having to play a top-tier SEC team in LSU its first time out. Though there is some question about whether the bye can kill momentum, Ohio State captures some of that magic from last year and gets hot in the CFP, ending Brian Kelly’s first postseason run with the Tigers in the quarterfinals.
No. 8 Oregon vs. No. 1 Texas
Oregon had the benefit of not playing Texas in the first round, but the Ducks’ reward for winning their first-round-game was a date with the Longhorns. Texas is the deepest, most talented team in college football in 2025. That team is led by Arch Manning, who will be fresh off a trip to New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony. It’s not that Oregon hasn’t gotten better year over year, but the Ducks continue to have an unfortunate path to the College Football Playoff semifinal. Texas wins.
No. 6 Notre Dame vs. No. 3 Clemson
Though there is some doubt lingering about just how good Clemson will be this year, it’s hard to picture a world in which the Cade Klubnik-led Tigers don’t won the ACC. The Tigers, backed by head coach Dabo Swinney, fall back on some of the postseason experience and handle Notre Dame in the second round. Notre Dame’s program is building in the right direction and the Irish, especiall after a hot month on the recruiting trail, know they’ll be back in this position for many years to come.
No. 10 Alabama vs. No. 2 Penn State
Alabama didn’t win the SEC or win its first matchup with Georgia, but the Crimson Tide get hot at the right time. Penn State is still trying to prove it can win against top-tier competition in the postseason and it has the unfortunate reality of facing an ultra-talented Alabama team that’s feeling good about itself right out of the gate. Alabama advances.
Semifinals
No. 4 Ohio State vs. No. 1 Texas in the Fiesta Bowl
There have been a lot of familiar matchups in this CFP projection, both in terms of 2025 rematches and games from last year’s Playoff popping back up again. But even though the CFP has expanded, there are still going to be usual suspects in the semifinals. So we get another Ohio State-Texas game, which is expected given the talent both teams possess. This year, though, Texas finally gets over the hump and knocks off the Buckeyes to advance to the title game.
No. 10 Alabama vs. No. 3 Clemson
We get a classic CFP matchup in the semifinals between two teams who are very familiar with seeing each other in the postseason. After people spent the entire year doubting Swinney, he proves he’s a made scientist with a well-rounded roster. The Tigers return to the national championship game by beating Alabama, proving everything is well and good with the Clemson football program.
National Championship Game
No. 1 Texas vs. No. 3 Clemson in the national title game
It has been 20 years since Texas won the national championship and it has been a rough two decades for Longhorns fans. But Steve Sarkisian has built a program that was good enough to consistently knock on the door before finally kicking it down. Manning becomes the next star of the sport and Texas asserts itself as one of the premier programs in college football, conquering the SEC and the the nation. Clemson, though disappointed, has a regained confidence in Swinney and his plan.
NIL
Fewer early entrants, more college stars staying put
FILE – Texas Tech forward Darrion Williams (5) celebrates during the second half in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament against Florida, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in San Francisco. Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP FILE – McNeese State head coach Will Wade calls to his players during the first half in the first round […]
FILE – Texas Tech forward Darrion Williams (5) celebrates during the second half in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament against Florida, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in San Francisco.
Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP
It wasn’t a huge risk: With all the cash flowing in college, the number of early entrants to the NBA draft has continued to shrink. This year’s draft starts Wednesday night with its lowest total of those prospects in at least 10 years.
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“Now you can play the long game a little bit more,” Wade told The Associated Press, referring to how college players can look at their futures. “Look, I can get paid the same I would get paid in the G League, the same I would get paid on a two-way (contract), some guys are getting first-round money.”
And more money is on the way.
It’s been four years since college athletes were permitted to profit off the use of their name, image and likeness (NIL), opening the door for athlete compensation that was once forbidden by NCAA rules. Next week, on July 1, marks the official start of revenue sharing where schools can begin directly paying athletes following the $2.8 billion House antitrust settlement.
For Wade, that led to signing Texas Tech’s Darrion Williams after 247sports’ fifth-ranked transfer withdrew from the draft.
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“Basically now if you’re an early entry and you’re not a top-20, top-22 pick — where the money slots — you can pretty much make that in college,” the new Wolfpack coach said.
It’s all part of a seismic change that has rippled through college athletics since the pandemic, its impact touching the NBA. Players willing to “test the waters” in the draft before returning to school now have a lucrative option to consider against uncertain pro prospects.
And it shows in the numbers.
“With all the money that’s being thrown around in NIL, you’re having a lot less players put their names in,” Detroit Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon said. “You’re having pretty good players pulling their names out.”
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Declining number of early entrants
This year’s drop is significant when compared to the years before anyone had heard of COVID-19. There was a spike of college players jumping into the draft in the pandemic’s aftermath, when they were granted a free eligibility year to temporarily make even a fourth-year senior an “early” entrant.
But those numbers had fallen as those five-year players cycled out of college basketball, and they’re now below pre-pandemic levels. That decline coincides with NIL’s July 2021 arrival, from athletes doing paid appearances or social-media endorsements to boosters forming collectives offering NIL packages amounting to de facto salaries.
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— Eighty-two players appeared on the NBA’s list of early entrants primarily from American colleges with a smattering of other teams, down 49% from 2024 (162) and nearly 47% compared to the four-year average from 2016-19 (153.5);
— Thirty-two remained after withdrawal deadlines, down from 62 last year and 72.0 from 2016-19;
— Adding international prospects, 109 players declared for the draft, down from 201 last year and 205.0 from 2016-19;
— And only 46 remained, down from 77 in 2024 and 83.8 from 2016-19.
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More college players weighing options
Duke coach Jon Scheyer understands draft dynamics, both for no-doubt headliners and prospects facing less clarity. He sees college athlete compensation as a “legitimate gamechanger.”
“Hopefully it allows players to decide what’s truly best for their game,” Scheyer told the AP. “It allows them to analyze: ‘Am I actually ready for this or not?’ Where money doesn’t have to be the deciding factor. Because if money’s the deciding factor, that’s why you see kids not stick. The NBA’s cutthroat. It just is.”
The Blue Devils are expected to have three players selected in the first-round Wednesday, including presumptive No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg alongside top-10 prospects Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach. They also had players sorting through draft decisions.
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Freshman Isaiah Evans — a slender wing with explosive scoring potential — withdrew instead of chasing first-round status through the draft process. Incoming transfer Cedric Coward from Washington State rapidly rose draft boards after the combine and remained in the draft.
“There’s no substituting the money you’re going to make if you’re a top-15, top-20 pick,” said Scheyer, entering Year 4 as successor to retired Hall of Famer Mike Krzyzewski. “But if you’re not solidified as a first-round pick, why risk it when you can have a solid year and a chance to go up or be in the same position the following season?”
College compensation is re-shaping the draft pool
Langdon, himself a former Duke first-rounder, sees that evolution, too.
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His Pistons had their first playoff appearance since 2019, but lack a first-round selection and own a single pick in Thursday’s second round. Fewer candidates could make the already imperfect science of drafting even trickier in this new reality.
According to the NBA’s 2024-25 rookie scale, a player going midway through the first round would make roughly $3.5 million in first-year salary. That figure would drop to about $2.8 million at pick No. 20, $2.3 million at No. 25 and $2.1 million with the 30th and final first-round draftee.
A minimum first-year NBA salary? Roughly $1.2 million.
“These NIL packages are starting to get up to $3 to $4 to $5 to $6 million dollars,” Langdon said. “These guys are not going to put their name in to be the 25th pick, or even the 18th pick. They are going to go back to school in hopes of being a lottery pick next year. With that pool of players decreasing, it kind of decreases the odds of the level of player we get at No. 37, just the pure mathematics.”
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Current NBA players offer insight
Indiana Pacers big man Thomas Bryant and Oklahoma City Thunder counterpart Isaiah Hartenstein, who both played in the seven-game NBA Finals that ended Sunday, illustrate Langdon’s point.
They were back-to-back second-rounders in 2017 (Bryant at 42, Hartenstein at 43), pushed down a draft board featuring early-entry college players in 33 of the 41 picks before them.
Bryant played two college seasons at Indiana before stints with five NBA teams, including Denver’s 2023 championship squad. Would the ability to make college money have changed his journey?
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“To be honest, I see it from both sides,” Bryant said. “If you’re not going to get drafted, you understand that a kid needs money to live in college and everything. So, I understand where they’re coming from on that end.
“But for me, I took the chance. I bet on myself, and I believed in myself, and I worked to the very end. And the thing about me is that if I went down, I was going down swinging. I hang my hat on that. For some, it might not be the same case.”
The American-born Hartenstein moved to Germany at 11 and played in Lithuania before being drafted. As he put it: “I think everyone’s journey is different.”
“I think you should have the right people around you to kind of guide you,” said Hartenstein, a newly minted NBA champion. “I mean, I was lucky that my dad, who was a professional before, kind of guided me. Depending on your circumstances, it’s hard to turn down guaranteed money. If there’s an opportunity to get in a good situation in the NBA, you do that. But it’s a hard decision.”
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College now can be more of an allure
At N.C. State, Wade’s pitch to Williams included a leading role and a shot at boosting his draft stock.
The 6-foot-6 junior averaged 15.1 points with multiple big NCAA Tournament performances as the Red Raiders reached the Elite Eight, nearly beating eventual champion Florida.
“He was most likely going to be a second-round draft pick, and his package here is better than probably he would’ve gotten as a second-round pick,” Wade said, adding: “We certainly talked about that. We went over that. We went over the math of everything. We went over the plan on how to accomplish that.”
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That’s not to say it’s easy at the college level in this new landscape. Roster management is tricky, including a balancing act of maintaining financial resources to potentially land one player while risking missing out on others.
“It’s the way life works, it’s the way it should work,” Wade said. “If there’s no risk, there’s no reward. The riskiest players, in terms of waiting on the money and waiting them out, are the best players. That’s why they’re in the draft process. We’re not going to be scared of that.”
Nor should he, not with the allure of campus life these days.
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AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds and AP Sports Writer Larry Lage contributed to this report.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba
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Nebraska hires Florida play-by-play commentator Kyle Crooks as Greg Sharpe replacement
Following the death of Greg Sharpe, the longtime voice of Nebraska football, the Cornhuskers have selected a replacement. Kyle Crooks will fill the role. Crooks comes by way of Florida, where he spent the last eight years as broadcast coordinator and play-by-play broadcaster. He has worked on the radio network’s football, men’s basketball, baseball, softball […]
Following the death of Greg Sharpe, the longtime voice of Nebraska football, the Cornhuskers have selected a replacement. Kyle Crooks will fill the role.
Crooks comes by way of Florida, where he spent the last eight years as broadcast coordinator and play-by-play broadcaster. He has worked on the radio network’s football, men’s basketball, baseball, softball and soccer broadcasts.
Now he’ll transition to calling games for one of the Big Ten’s premier programs. Nebraska announced his hire with a press release on Monday.
“I am incredibly excited for this opportunity! It’s a dream come true to broadcast the great moments ahead for the Cornhuskers,” Crooks said. “I can’t wait to get to Lincoln and meet Husker Nation. It will be an honor to work alongside a talented team in the Greg Sharpe Radio Booth. Greg is a legend in the broadcast industry and beyond, and I will work passionately to continue his elite standard of excellence both in the booth and in the community.”
Greg Sharpe died after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 61.
The veteran broadcaster arrived at Nebraska in 2008, serving as a senior announcer, host and producer. He became the “Voice of the Huskers,” calling football and basketball games on the radio and running point on the Sports Nightly show. He announced his cancer diagnosis in April 2024.
Amid his battle, Nebraska honored Sharpe, who kept working as much as he could. The Cornhuskers also honored him by renaming the radio booth the Greg Sharpe Radio Booth in December.
Suffice it to say, Crooks will have big shoes to fill. But Nebraska is confident in his abilities.
“Kyle Crooks is a rising star in the broadcast world, and we are thrilled to have him join the Huskers Radio Network and our Nebraska family,” Director of Athletics Troy Dannen said. “Kyle’s play-by-play abilities and voice speak for themselves, and I was equally impressed with his dedication to his craft and his energy.
“I would like to credit Playfly Sports for leading a successful search with many excellent candidates. Kyle will be a great lead voice on one of the nation’s best football broadcasts, and we are so fortunate to have him join our impressive group of play-by-play voices across all sports.”
NIL
Justin Thomas’ hot hitting earns him final baseball Razorbacker of the Week
The Arkansas Razorbacks 2025 baseball season didn’t quite deliver the happy ending most fans wanted but one player who saved his best for last was junior centerfielder Justin Thomas Jr. The Savannah, Ga., native finished the season by going eight for 10 at the plate last week over three games in the College World Series […]
The Arkansas Razorbacks 2025 baseball season didn’t quite deliver the happy ending most fans wanted but one player who saved his best for last was junior centerfielder Justin Thomas Jr. The Savannah, Ga., native finished the season by going eight for 10 at the plate last week over three games in the College World Series against Murray State, UCLA and LSU to earn the final Razorbacker of the Week Award for the Diamond Hogs.
Justin Thomas CWS performance earns him final baseball ROW
Hear from @CBCJakeMck and Justin Thomas Jr. after his 4-4 day in Arkansas historic 3-0 win over Murray State in which his teammate Gage Wood threw a 19 K no hitter. pic.twitter.com/o13Tlxw0Xj
— College Baseball Central (@CollegeBaseCNT) June 16, 2025
“After (the Murray State) game I just wanted to come in with that same approach,” Thomas said last week. “I feel like I did that. Batting practice was really good for me. It gave me a little bit more confidence going into (Tuesday). Hopefully I can just keep it going.”
That he did.
Thomas, who was eight for 14 overall at the CWS played at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska, also joined junior pitcher Gage Wood — who pitched a complete game shutout against Murray State June 16 — as Arkansas’ two representatives named to the CWS’ All-Tournament team.
Your 2025 #MCWS All-Tournament Team
pic.twitter.com/FEI1YScG2W
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) June 22, 2025
While Wood was capturing national headlines by throwing a near perfect game against the Racers, Thomas was a perfect 4-for-4 in Arkansas’ 3-0 win last Monday. Thomas followed that up by going 2-for-3 with an RBI in each of Arkansas’ next two games — a 7-3 victory on June 17 against UCLA and Thursday’s heartbreaking 6-5 loss to the eventual national champion LSU Tigers.
https://t.co/PrDqbd8RoX #thebc400 #NextLevelBC
— Benedictine Military School (@TheBC400) June 23, 2025
Thomas said he was inspired by Wood’s historic performance on the mound and that energy carried through the rest of the week.
“I feed off of it like really good because I like when I see a pitcher getting energized like that, ” Thomas said. “I feel like the rest of our hitters feed off of it too.”
I said JT would be the guy tonight.
You didn’t let me down #WPS https://t.co/pg6jBScToB
— Unbiased Brim (@UnbiasedBrim1) June 19, 2025
Thomas had an RBI double against the Bruins and delivered a clutch two-RBI single in the top of the ninth inning to give Arkansas a two-run lead going into the final stanza against LSU. On the season Thomas finished with a .303 batting average with nine home runs, 38 RBIs and six doubles.
We have to give a shout out to Arkansas baseball’s Justin Thomas Jr.
Although the Razorbacks lost a heartbreaking elimination game to LSU in the College World Series last night, the junior OF led the 2025 CWS in hits (8) and went 2-4 with 2 RBIs last night.
ESPN pic.twitter.com/lc9lteGsAG
— First and Pen (@firstandpen) June 19, 2025
Thomas added that his team embraced the challenge of playing on college baseball’s biggest stage.
“It’s a bit challenge to get into with a bigger outfield and a bigger gap, but it’s nothing our outfielders can’t handle,” Thomas said of playing at Charles Schwab Field.
Justin Thomas Jr. wrote in the dirt after Arkansas’ season ended.
@Thomasjustin04 played some of his best baseball all season while in Omaha, including a 4-4 performance. pic.twitter.com/ncStx6yzG5
— Hurrdat Sports (@HurrdatSports) June 20, 2025
NIL
The Basketball Tournament Releases 2025 Bracket Ahead of $1M, Winner-Take-All Event
The Basketball Tournament (TBT) is returning to FOX Sports this summer. The $1 million, winner-take-all tournament is set to get underway on July 18 and will feature 26 games broadcast live on FOX, FS1 and FS2. The single-elimination tournament will be split into eight separate regions, with each hosted by alumni teams representing locally renowned […]
The Basketball Tournament (TBT) is returning to FOX Sports this summer.
The $1 million, winner-take-all tournament is set to get underway on July 18 and will feature 26 games broadcast live on FOX, FS1 and FS2. The single-elimination tournament will be split into eight separate regions, with each hosted by alumni teams representing locally renowned college basketball programs.
The field includes the alumni teams representing Indiana, Kentucky, Louisville, Maryland, Ohio State, Syracuse, UConn and more. Many of the top participants in the 2024 event are set to return this year, including the likes of Willie Cauley-Stein (Kentucky), Montrezl Harrell (Louisville), Russ Smith (Louisville) and Yogi Ferrell (Indiana).
There will also be several big-name newcomers in the 2025 version of TBT, including former first-round NBA Draft pick Archie Goodwin, who will play for La Familia (Kentucky alumni) and former Syracuse superstar Buddy Boeheim, who will play for Boeheim’s Army (Syracuse alumni).
For the eighth consecutive year, TBT will feature the Elam Ending, a format where the game clock is turned off at a predetermined time in the fourth quarter, and a “target score” is set. The first team to reach that target score wins the game.
This year’s event will also feature TBT’s “Home Court Advantage”, which will allow host teams to play games in their home arena all the way through the championship game. “Home Court Advantage” was determined by a race to 4,000 tickets sold. Louisville fans won the race, and will now have the right to host the quarterfinals, semifinals, and the championship game as long as the Louisville alumni team continues to win.
Here is a look at the complete 2025 TBT schedule:
Regional Host Locations – July 18-23
- Memorial Coliseum – Lexington, Ky. – headlined by La Familia (Kentucky alumni)
- Freedom Hall – Louisville, Ky. – headlined by The Ville (Louisville alumni)
- Hinkle Fieldhouse – Indianapolis, Ind. – headlined by All Good Dawgs (Butler alumni) and Assembly Ball (Indiana alumni)
- SRC Arena – Syracuse, NY – headlined by Boeheim’s Army (Syracuse alumni)
- Charles Koch Arena – Wichita, Kan. – headlined by AfterShocks (Wichita State alumni)
- Municipal Arena – Kansas City, Mo. – headlined by JHX Hoops (Kansas alumni) and Purple Reign (Kansas State alumni)
- Atlantic Union Bank Center – Harrisonburg, Va. – headlined by Founding Fathers (James Madison alumni)
- Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center – Charleston, W.Va. – headlined by Best Virginia (West Virginia alumni)
Quarterfinals
- July 27 and 28 (home court advantage awarded to host teams that advance)
Championship Weekend Schedule
- Semifinals -Thursday, July 31
- $1 Million Championship – Sunday Aug. 3
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George Mason Names Janard Estell Inaugural Director of Player Management & NIL
FAIRFAX — George Mason University Athletics is proud to announce the appointment of Janard Estell as the department’s inaugural Director of Player Management and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL). Estell will report directly to Ashton Henderson, Senior Deputy Athletics Director and Chief Operating Officer. Estell will transition from his current position as Associate Director of Development, Major Gifts for […]
FAIRFAX — George Mason University Athletics is proud to announce the appointment of Janard Estell as the department’s inaugural Director of Player Management and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL). Estell will report directly to Ashton Henderson, Senior Deputy Athletics Director and Chief Operating Officer.
Estell will transition from his current position as Associate Director of Development, Major Gifts for the Patriot Club, where he has worked closely with ICA senior leadership, advisory board members, and coaches to elevate philanthropic support for Mason Athletics.
In this new role, Estell will lead a comprehensive NIL and entrepreneurship strategy, focused primarily on supporting men’s and women’s basketball student-athletes, while also enhancing education, group licensing, and NIL strategy for all Mason student-athletes.
Estell will also collaborate with Malcolm Grace, Deputy AD for Compliance & NCAA Governance, to ensure all third-party NIL deals are properly reported and tracked within NIL GO, powered by Deloitte—a system recently adopted by the department to enhance transparency and compliance.
Estell brings extensive experience in player management, athletics administration, and corporate engagement.
Prior to joining George Mason, he served as an assistant men’s basketball coach at Chipola College, where he played a key role in program development. His efforts included securing financial sponsorships, organizing fundraising events, and fostering community partnerships to support the team’s operational needs. He played a pivotal role in enhancing athlete development programs, improving training facilities, and increasing team visibility through targeted public relations and marketing efforts—ultimately helping to elevate the program’s competitive standing.
As Director of Player Management and NIL, Estell will oversee NIL contract execution, donor and sponsor engagement, student-athlete benefit distribution, and educational programming designed to empower student-athletes to thrive both on and off the court.
“We are thrilled to have Janard Estell transition from his impactful role within the Patriot Club to help shape and lead our growing NIL ecosystem,” said Henderson. “His passion for student-athlete development, business acumen, and deep understanding of the evolving NIL landscape makes him an ideal leader for this role. Janard’s leadership will be instrumental as we continue to develop champions and transform lives through the power of sports.”
Aligned with George Mason’s mission to unite communities and inspire transformation through athletics, Estell’s appointment reinforces the department’s commitment to delivering innovative, ethical, and student-first NIL solutions. He will work closely with internal and external partners to create new revenue streams, enhance visibility for Mason student-athletes, and support their long-term success through entrepreneurship and brand-building education.
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