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It's been one year since one of the wildest weeks in Kentucky Basketball history

There’s a lot happening today. We’ve got a national championship game to watch, news on the House Settlement to wait for, and plenty of transfer portal developments to track (Welcome to the family, Mo Dioubate); however, I couldn’t let today end without acknowledging an important anniversary. One year ago today, John Calipari entered negotiations to […]

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It's been one year since one of the wildest weeks in Kentucky Basketball history

There’s a lot happening today. We’ve got a national championship game to watch, news on the House Settlement to wait for, and plenty of transfer portal developments to track (Welcome to the family, Mo Dioubate); however, I couldn’t let today end without acknowledging an important anniversary. One year ago today, John Calipari entered negotiations to take the Arkansas job, setting the course for one of the wildest weeks in Kentucky Basketball history.

It was a normal Sunday night in our house when the texts started rolling in about the reports that Calipari was considering leaving Lexington for Fayetteville. At first, I dismissed them as misguided rumblings from Arkansas media, but as the night went on, more emerged, including one from the late, great Bob Holt, the dean of the Arkansas beat. By the end of the night, ESPN reported that Calipari was finalizing a five-year deal with the Razorbacks, the seeds of which we later learned were first planted during a meeting between Calipari, Arkansas mega-booster John H. Tyson, and athletic director Hunter Yurachek in Calipari’s hotel room at the Final Four two nights prior.

From there, absolute chaos broke out. The next week was a complete blur of blog posts, late night Rapid Reactions, big boards, Twitter refreshing, plane tracking, and stress. Everyone knows what happened, so I won’t bother going too in-depth, but let’s take a trip down memory lane just to remember how absurd it all was.

Sunday Night (4/7): Calipari to Arkansas news breaks

Shockwaves roll across the Bluegrass as fans learn the news.

News rolled out fast and furious that Monday, which included a three-hour radio show as Matt Jones, Ryan Lemond, and Billy Rutledge processed that the John Calipari era was over (Drew Franklin was at the Masters in Augusta with his phone off). That afternoon, we got a Calipari sighting as WKYT cameras captured him walking his dog along Richmond Road.

“No, I don’t, I’m walking my dog right now,” Calipari said when asked if he had a message for Kentucky fans. “Nah, I’m good. My dog is walking with me.”

On Monday, Calipari reportedly met with the players, who started entering the transfer portal; Karter Knox decommitted; and Jay Wright and Nate Oats took themselves out of the running for the Kentucky job. UConn also won the national championship, their second straight.

Did you remember that there was also a total solar eclipse that day, with parts of Western Kentucky in the “path of totality”? Me neither.

Tuesday (4/9): Calipari says goodbye

Around 2 p.m. on Tuesday, John Calipari finally broke his silence, confirming that he was leaving Kentucky and that it was time for a “new voice” for the program. We also got statements from Mitch Barnhart and Ellen Calipari, the latter of which tugged on BBN’s heartstrings.

On Tuesday, Dick Gabriel also reported that Calipari gave Kentucky a chance to counter Arkansas’ offer but Kentucky turned him down, which Gabriel later walked back. Billy Donovan and Scott Drew became the hot names in the coaching search, with Drew emerging as the frontrunner.

Wednesday (4/10): Scott Drew has tacos in Waco

Wednesday was Scott Drew day, as fans tracked the Baylor coach’s whereabouts. We were all thrown a curveball when a plane from Waco arrived in Lexington, but Drew tweeted a picture of himself having lunch with a Baylor booser at Mi Casita in Waco at the same time. Turns out it was Drew’s family, coming to check out the city before he made his decision.

Once the picture made the rounds, Kentucky fans called the restaurant and left reviews online. We even researched the Family Feud episode in the background to verify when the picture was actually taken.

The Scott Drew/Kentucky buzz was so loud on Tuesday that Baylor superfan Chip Gaines entered the chat, going back and forth with Kentucky fans online, including yours truly. I’m still waiting on my Magnolia gift package.

Thursday (4/11): Dan Hurley says no, Mark Pope gets the job

Scott Drew turned Kentucky down on Thursday morning, shifting the focus of the search to Dan Hurley. Kentucky reportedly offered Hurley $11-$12 million per year to come to Lexington, but he still said no. In hindsight, this proved to be a huge blessing, as Hurley went off the rails a bit during the 2024-25 season. There’s no denying his coaching talent, but as time goes on, it becomes clearer how bad of a fit Hurley and Kentucky would have been.

On Thursday afternoon, word first broke that Mark Pope was a candidate for the job, although most of us were too busy trying to figure out Billy Donovan’s postseason timeline with the Chicago Bulls to take it seriously. A few hours later, we did when word broke that Kentucky was finalizing a five-year deal with Pope to be the head coach. “Stunned” doesn’t begin to describe our Rapid Reaction to the news.

Friday (4/12): Mitch Barnhart, Rick Pitino make the case for Pope

It didn’t take us long to warm up to the hire. On Friday morning, Mitch Barnhart made the case for Pope during an appearance on the radio show, praising his passion for the program and exciting offense. Rick Pitino also went to bat for his former team captain, predicting greatness and even offering to donate NIL money. Speaking of NIL, two boosters donated $4 million to help build Pope’s program that morning, the first big wave of support.

By Friday night, the video comparing Pope’s offense to a video game started making the rounds as Kentucky fans got on board with his system. Plans were made for Pope’s introductory press conference on Sunday at Rupp Arena.

Saturday (4/13): The Popes arrive in Lexington

On Saturday, it started to become real as Mark Pope, his wife, and daughters arrived in Lexington. By the end of the day, he had already sent a pre-recorded phone call to UK students, introducing himself.

Sunday (4/14): Mark Pope is introduced to BBN

A wild week wrapped up with Pope’s introductory press conference at Rupp Arena, which served as a revival for the fanbase. Fans lined up outside Rupp for hours, and Pope even hopped out of his car to come greet them on his way inside. UK officials only expected 7,000 fans to attend the event but ended up having to turn 5,000 away because the building was filled to capacity.

It was an incredible afternoon, with Pope walking off the bus holding the 1996 championship trophy just as he had 28 years prior and vowing that he “understands the assignment,” a phrase we’ve heard a million times since. It may only be topped by the moment he brings another trophy back to Rupp, hopefully in the not-too-distant future.

Subscribe to the KSR YouTube Channel for press conferences, interviews, original shows, fan features, and exclusive content.

All of that happened in the span of just one week. As happy as I am about the end result, let’s not pack that much into seven days again, please — unless it’s for a celebration.

NIL

Sports Market Place Directory 2025

DUBLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The “Sports Market Place Directory 2025 Edition” book has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering. Sports Market Place 2025 provides a one-stop resource for this billion-dollar industry. This will be an important resource for large public libraries, university libraries, university athletic programs, career services or job placement organizations, and is a must for anyone doing […]

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Sports Market Place Directory 2025

DUBLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The “Sports Market Place Directory 2025 Edition” book has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.

Sports Market Place 2025 provides a one-stop resource for this billion-dollar industry. This will be an important resource for large public libraries, university libraries, university athletic programs, career services or job placement organizations, and is a must for anyone doing business in or marketing a product or service to the vast U.S. sports industry.

Sports Market Place is the classic sports reference work that has served the sports industry for over 50 years, offering full coverage of 103 sports – from Air Sports to Yachting – including data on fast-growing segments such as cycling, fitness, gymnastics, martial arts, running, swimming, and weightlifting. Over the years, this work has grown to include nearly 2,000 pages of valuable content, including professional, college and youth leagues and teams, sports media, events, facilities, sponsors, manufacturers, and professional services.

With this directory on your desk, you have a comprehensive tool providing current key information about the people, organizations and events involving the explosive sports industry at your fingertips. Sports Market Place provides must-have contact information (nearly 13,500 listings) including: 11,484 websites, 6,047 email addresses, and nearly 40,000 key executives.

  • Single Sports has over 2,109 sport-specific organizations, leagues and teams that comprise over 100 specific sports. It includes professional, major and minor leagues, coaches, managers, and an alphabetical index.

  • Multi Sports includes 12 specific categories, including athletic foundations, Olympic teams, halls of fame and youth sports organizations. It includes a total of 835 and an alphabetical index.

  • College Sports has 1,697 listings with associations, conferences, degree programs, and division I, II and III schools. You’ll find a comprehensive list of coaches and sports management programs, and an alphabetical index.

  • Media includes prominent newspapers and radio and television sports programming. Listings include editors, commentators, show hosts and an alphabetical index.

  • Sports Sponsors includes 119 sponsors that support most major sports, including college bowl games, and an alphabetical index.

  • Professional Services comprises 13 categories, from executive search services to ticket services, for a total of 1,684 listings, and an alphabetical index.

  • Facilities has 1,365 listings and includes seven categories from arenas to facility concession services. You’ll find stadiums, race tracks, architects, management services, and an alphabetical index.

  • Manufacturers & Retailers include 1,929 listings, with a separate section for Software Manufacturers. Listings include valuable contact information, including key executives, plus products and brands. This chapter includes two indexes – one by sport and one by subject.

  • Events, Meetings & Trade Shows include 1,060 listings, of which 130 are trade shows. Events and trade shows are listed separately by both sport and date. This section also includes two alphabetical indexes, one for trade shows and one for events.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Single Sports

  • Alphabetical Index

  • Air Sports Organizations

  • Archery Organizations

  • Arm Wrestling Organizations

  • Auto Sports Organizations

  • Auto Sports Racing Leagues/Teams

  • Badminton Organizations

  • Bandy Organizations

  • Baseball Organizations

  • Baseball, Professional Leagues/Teams: Major

  • Baseball, Professional Leagues/Teams: Minor

  • Basketball Organizations

  • Basketball, Leagues and Teams

  • Biathlon Organizations

  • Billiards Organizations

  • Boating Organizations

  • Bobsledding Organizations

  • Bowling Organizations

  • Boxing Organizations

  • Broomball Organizations

  • Canoeing Organizations

  • Climbing Organizations

  • Cricket Organizations

  • Croquet Organizations

  • Curling Organizations

  • Cycling Organizations

  • Cycling, Leagues/Teams

  • Dart Organizations

  • Diving Organizations

  • Equestrian Organizations

  • Equestrian, Commissions/Pari-Mutuel

  • Exercise/Fitness Organizations

  • Fencing Organizations

  • Figure Skating Organizations

  • Fishing Organizations

  • Football Organizations

  • Football, College Bowl/Classics

  • Football, Professional Leagues/Teams

  • Frisbee Organizations

  • Golf Organizations

  • Greyhound Racing Organizations

  • Gymnastics Organizations

  • Handball Organizations

  • Hockey, Field Hockey Organizations

  • Hockey, Ice Hockey Organizations

  • Hockey, Professional Hockey (NHL)

  • Hockey, Professional, Minor Leagues

  • Hockey, Roller Hockey Organizations

  • Horseshoe Organizations

  • Inline Skating Organizations

  • Jai-Lai Organizations

  • Kayaking Organizations

  • Kiting Organizations

  • Lacrosse Organizations

  • Lacrosse, Leagues/Teams

  • Luge Organizations

  • Martial Arts Organizations

  • Motorcycle Organizations

  • Mountainboard Organizations

  • Netball Organizations

  • Orienteering Organizations

  • Pentathlon Organizations

  • Petanque Organizations

  • Platform Tennis Organizations

  • Polo Organizations

  • Racquetball Organizations

  • Ringette Organizations

  • Rodeo Organizations

  • Roller Skating Organizations

  • Rowing/Crew Organizations

  • Rugby Organizations

  • Running Organizations

  • Sailing Organizations

  • Scuba Organizations

  • Shooting/Hunting Organizations

  • Shuffleboard Organizations

  • Skateboard Organizations

  • Skiing Organizations

  • Sled Dog Organizations

  • Snowboarding Organizations

  • Snowmobile Organizations

  • Soccer (Futsal) Organizations

  • Soccer Organizations

  • Soccer, Leagues/Teams

  • Softball Organizations

  • Softball, Leagues/Teams

  • Speedskating Organizations

  • Squash Organizations

  • Surfing Organizations

  • Swimming Organizations

  • Table Tennis Organizations

  • Tennis Organizations

  • Tennis, Leagues/Teams

  • Track & Field Organizations

  • Triathlon Organizations

  • Tug of War Organizations

  • Volleyball Organizations

  • Water Polo Organizations

  • Water Skiing Organizations

  • Weightlifting Organizations

  • Windsurfing Organizations

  • Wrestling Organizations

  • Yachting Organizations

2. Multiple Sports

  • Alphabetical Index

  • Athletic Foundations

  • Disabled Sports

  • High School Sports

  • Military Sports

  • Olympic, International Federations

  • Olympic, Organizations

  • Olympic, United States Major Governing Bodies

  • Professional Organizations

  • Sports Commissions/Convention Visitors Bureau

  • Sports Halls of Fame, Libraries, Museums

  • State Games Organizations

  • Youth Organizations

3. College Sports

  • Alphabetical Index

  • College Associations

  • College Athletic Conferences

  • NAIA I Colleges

  • NCAA Division I Colleges

  • NCAA Division II Colleges

  • NCAA Division III Colleges

  • Sport Management Degree Programs

4. Media

  • Alphabetical Index

  • Newspapers

  • Magazines

  • Sports Business Directories

  • Media Production

  • Sports Radio Networks

  • Sports Radio Programs, Local

  • Sports Radio Programs, National

  • Sports Satellite Radio

  • Sports Radio Stations

  • Sports Television, Cable & Broadcasting

  • Sports Television Pay Per View

  • Sports Television Programs, Local

  • Sports Television Programs, National

  • Sports Satellite Television

  • Sports Television Stations

  • Sports on the World Wide Web

5. Sports Sponsors

  • Sponsor by Sport Index

  • Sports-Related

6. Professional Services

  • Alphabetical Index

  • Executive Search Services

  • Event Planning & Services

  • Event Security

  • Financial Services

  • Marketing & Consulting Services

  • Technical Services

  • Sports Agents

  • Sports Attorneys

  • Sports Medicine Services

  • Sports Travel Services

  • Statistical Services

  • Student Athlete Recruiting Services

  • Ticket Services

7. Facilities

  • Alphabetical Index

  • Arenas & Stadiums

  • Race Tracks – Auto

  • Race Tracks – Equestrian Downs & Parks

  • Race Tracks – Greyhound

  • Facility Architects & Developers

  • Facility Management

  • Facility Concession Services

8. Manufacturers & Retailers

  • Company by Sport/Subject Index

  • Equipment & Product Manufacturers

  • Software Manufacturers

  • Retailers

9. Events, Meetings & Trade Shows

  • Alphabetical Trade Show Index

  • Meeting and Trade Show Calendar

  • Alphabetical Events Index

  • Events by Date

  • Events by Sport

10. All-Volume Indexes

  • Entry Index

  • Executive Index

  • Geographic Index

For more information about this book visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/fkhjzi

Source: Grey House Publishing Inc

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ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world’s leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

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Live Water Polo U16 Girls Inter-Regional Championships 2025

June 27, 2025 Eight teams are heading to Liverpool Aquatics centre as the North West’s Region hosts the U16 Girls Inter-Regional Championships this weekend. Five teams will battle it out for the top prize with North West Thunder, West Midland Warriors, South West Sharks, London Sharks and South East competing in Division One. They’ll face […]

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Eight teams are heading to Liverpool Aquatics centre as the North West’s Region hosts the U16 Girls Inter-Regional Championships this weekend.

Five teams will battle it out for the top prize with North West Thunder, West Midland Warriors, South West Sharks, London Sharks and South East competing in Division One.

They’ll face off for the top honour after finishing as the highest ranked teams at the U14 inter-regionals two years ago.

In Division 2, Scotland, East Midlands and North East Steelers will go head to head in the event, which will see each side gain plenty of vital match experience.

You can follow all the scores from the competition with our live scoreboard below.


Division 1

Division 1 Fixtures & Results

Saturday 28 June
North West Thunder v West Midland Warriors 13:15
London Sharks v South West Sharks 14:30
North West Thunder v South East 15:45
West Midland Warriors v South West Sharks 17:00
London Sharks v South East 18:15
Sunday 29 June
West Midland Warriors v South East 09:15
North West Thunder v South West Sharks 10:30
West Midland Warriors v London Sharks 11:45
South East v South West Sharks 13:00
North West Thunder v London Sharks 14:15

Division 1 Table

Team P W D L GD Pts
North West Thunder 0 0 0 0 0 0
West Midland Warriors 0 0 0 0 0 0
South West Sharks 0 0 0 0 0 0
London Sharks 0 0 0 0 0 0
South East 0 0 0 0 0 0

Division 2

Division 2 Fixtures & Results

Saturday 28 June
Scotland v East 13:15
Scotland v North East Steelers 15:45
East v North East Steelers 18:15
Sunday 29 September
East v North East Steelers 09:45
East v Scotland 11:45
North East Steelers v Scotland 14:15

Division 2 Table

Team P W D L GD Pts
Scotland 0 0 0 0 0 0
East 0 0 0 0 0 0
North East Steelers 0 0 0 0 0 0



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Digital Sports Summit takes attendees beyond broadcast

SVG Europe’s Will Strauss with Lewis Wiltshire, SVP and managing director of digital at IMG SVG Europe welcomed some 200 people to the Digital Sports Summit on Wednesday, where the strategies, tools, techniques and technology required to successfully create and distribute social, mobile and streamed sports content where explored. After opening remarks from George Lopez, […]

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SVG Europe’s Will Strauss with Lewis Wiltshire, SVP and managing director of digital at IMG

SVG Europe welcomed some 200 people to the Digital Sports Summit on Wednesday, where the strategies, tools, techniques and technology required to successfully create and distribute social, mobile and streamed sports content where explored.

After opening remarks from George Lopez, head of global operations at title sponsor Tata Communications, attention turned to IMG’s Digital Trends Report 2025.

In a presentation and fireside chat, Lewis Wiltshire, SVP and managing director of digital at IMG, outline the technologies and developments that are expected to shape the sports media landscape for rightsholders over the next 12 months. First up was the notion of a “first” or “second” screen, with Wiltshire emphasising the parity between larger screens and mobile devices.

He said: “There are more than 7bn mobile phone contracts globally…so this is not ‘second screen’ tech. We’re not saying it’s become the ‘first’ screen, we just don’t think there is a hierarchy.

Wiltshire also spoke about 2025 being the true era of wearables, and the impact of connected glasses and spectacles that are equipped with cameras on the capture of content. And he also spoke about the changing nature of search, with people now – thanks to AI – expecting answers rather than a list of results.

The session then shifted to a ranking of publishing platforms, with YouTube taking top sport thanks largely to its monetisation options for content owners.

Kahlen Macaulay, head of international sports partnerships at Snapchat (pictured, below), then shared how sports broadcasters, federations and other rights holders/owners and brands can successfully make use of the platform, particularly to reach younger viewers.

Macaulay spoke about how Snap has moved beyond a platform for video content teams to something that can “drive marketing and affinity”.

“Adidas, Nike and a host of luxury brands understand that it’s not about selling product straightaway, it’s about brand building. Sky Sports, for example, know they aren’t going to get a 15 year-old to take out a subscription, but it’s about building that relationship.”

Next, Tom Halls, SailGP, director of social, Patrick Burch-Lovell, European Tour Productions, creative director, original and branded content, Alexandra Willis, the Premier League, director of digital media & audience development and chair Richard Craig-McFeely explored strategies for engaging sports fans with short-form content, taking a detailed look at how federations, leagues and broadcasters alike can use Instagram, TikTok, and other social media platforms to attract, retain, monetise and engage with sports fans.

And then, before breaking for lunch, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and Reuters Imagen shared how they digitised and centralised the federation’s content library, with Kirsten Lincoln, Reuters Imagen, senior account manager, Tabitha Horsefield, ITF broadcast operations project lead and Eoin Kelly, ITF senior media rights manager exploring the journey from siloed management to a searchable, cloud-based platform.

After lunchtime networking, a fireside chat: with Tim Cocker, founder of Eggchasers Rugby (pictured, below), revealed how – and why – the podcast and YouTube channel acquired the rights to second tier French rugby union, the Pro D2.

Cocker spoke about adopting an “I’ll do it myself” approach, which when combined with the forward-thinking approach of French rugby authorities, resulted in the acquisition of a year long deal to air Thursday night matches live on his YouTube channel to viewers in the UK and Ireland.

Next up was a panel comprised of Colin McKevitt, Badger & Combes, MD & Lancashire CCC CIO, Duncan East, Buzz 16, MD, Joshua Barnett, After Party Studios, MD, Ed Abis, Dizplai, CEO plus chair and consultant Tom Bowers, who delved into the world of watchalongs, exploring why people want to shape content as well as watch it, and how best to enable more involved viewing experiences.

Leaning on his experience of working with the FA on the Women’s Super League (WSL), Little Dot Sport Partnerships Director David Scriven provided expert insight into how to launch, manage and run a YouTube sports channel.

And then, taking into account the sessions that preceded it, Scott Miles, Sky Sports, head of content delivery, Donald Sievewright, Matrox, EMEA director of sales and Alex Ferris, LucidLink, senior director of solutions engineering explored how content hubs can streamline the distribution of sports video across multiple platforms.

The day wrapped up with a special showcase session in which Rachael Burford, head of women’s rugby at the Rugby Players Association (RPA), and HBS/Skroller general manager Jamie Aitchison discussed how and why female rugby players are becoming digital content creators: a move that is both helping clubs and leagues resonate with new and different audiences, and also supporting current and former players as they persue new career paths beyond the game.





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The X’s Have It – North Carolina A&T

Story Links GREENSBORO – It was a big season for North Carolina A&T men’s track and field, culminating on Thursday with two postseason outdoor track and field awards from the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) for two of its student-athletes. Sophomore Xavier Partee claimed CAA Men’s Field Athlete of the Year. Sophomore teammate […]

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GREENSBORO – It was a big season for North Carolina A&T men’s track and field, culminating on Thursday with two postseason outdoor track and field awards from the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) for two of its student-athletes.

Sophomore Xavier Partee claimed CAA Men’s Field Athlete of the Year. Sophomore teammate Xzaviah Taylor captured CAA Men’s Athlete of the Year.

Taylor earned second-team All-American honors from the United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) in the 400H. Taylor advanced to the NCAA East Prelims in 2024 in the 400H, but this season, he elevated to a new level. He won CAA outdoor titles in the 400H, 400m and he helped the 4×100 team finish second.

Taylor entered NCAA nationals with the best qualifying time coming out of the NCAA East Prelims in the 400H, running a time of 49.18 to break the program record. Additionally, he ran on the 4×400-meter relay team that won at the prestigious Drake Relays.

“It means a lot to me,” said Taylor. “I went through a couple of struggles my freshman year, learning how to run my races. Coming into my sophomore year, I made a conscious effort to put in the work. I focused on my craft. I did what I had to do, and I came to conference, and I doubled. It showed how much work I put in over the years.”

In addition to having a twin brother who excels at track, his father, Angelo Taylor, was a three-time Olympian and three-time world champion in the 4×400 relay. Therefore, he fully understands the journey and is going through the process to reach his ultimate goals.

“I just need to compete more, and having competed at NCAA nationals helps,” said Taylor. “I have to compete against the best even more. That was my first time there in my individual event, so it was a little nerve-wracking for me.

Taylor also acknowledged how much fun he had at nationals competing against the nation’s best.

“It showed me how much experience they had and that they had to wait their turn. The guy who won finished fifth two years ago, then he finished second the next year, and then, of course, this year, he won. It showed me he put in the work and just stayed patient.”

XAVIER PARTEE

Partee also has a father with a familiar name. Derrick Partee is a 2000 graduate of North Carolina A&T and the head boys basketball coach at Ben L. Smith High School in Greensboro. Xavier said there is no question he comes from a basketball family. He planned to become a walk-on for the A&T men’s basketball team upon becoming a student at A&T.

Then, by some random chance, someone encouraged him to try track and field during his senior year at Smith High School. Partee started with the high jump, but he wasn’t sold on the event. Therefore, someone suggested the triple jump. Bingo!! That led Partee to come across another familiar name and face in the Triad area Roy “Spaceman” Thompson.

Thompson is the former legendary director of track and field at A&T and a former track and field athlete at A&T who has coached a few jump champions over the years.

“Shout out to Space,” said Partee. “He showed me so much about the event. I fell in love with it.”

During his freshman outdoor season, Partee finished second in the triple jump at the 2024 CAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Before winning the CAA indoor championship in the triple jump in 2025, Partee jumped 51 feet, 1 ¾ inches, at Texas Tech’s Corky Classic to finish eighth.  

“To go from 49 (feet) to skip 50 and go to 51, I wondered if it was a fluke,” said Partee.

He wondered about that for a while. Partee opened the outdoor season by sustaining an injury at High Point University during the Aggies outdoor track and field opener, forcing him to miss a month. When he returned, the Aggies were hosting the Aggie Invitational at Johnson Track. It was no fluke. Partee jumped 50 feet, 10 ½ inches, to win the event.

“I religiously rehabbed my hamstring injury every day,” Partee said. “Then, to do that, my first meet back, I believed I could really be something happen in this event.”  

Partee jumped 52 feet, 4 ¾ inches at the NCAA East Prelims to qualify for nationals as a sophomore. He finished 17th nationally at nationals, jumping 50 feet, 3 ¼ inches.

“I really haven’t had a second to sit with it,” said Partee about being named CAA Men’s Field Athlete of the Year. “Right now, I just feel ready for the next step. I feel ready for next year. We put in a lot of work obviously to get here, so I’m excited about getting back to work to see how much better we can do.”





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Looking ahead to Orioles' draft with Jim Callis

SCROLL DOWN TO READ ARTICLE Jim Callis is a senior writer for MLB.com. He covers prospects and ahead of next month’s draft, spoke about the Orioles and what their strategy might be on July 13th. This interview has been edited for brevity. Question: How does this draft class look as compared with past years? Jim […]

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Looking ahead to Orioles' draft with Jim Callis

SCROLL DOWN TO READ ARTICLE

Jim Callis is a senior writer for MLB.com. He covers prospects and ahead of next month’s draft, spoke about the Orioles and what their strategy might be on July 13th.

This interview has been edited for brevity.

Question: How does this draft class look as compared with past years?

Jim Callis: “I think it’s a little down compared to past years. You don’t have the top-of-the-draft-type talents. The last couple of years we’ve had a bunch of guys that we’d say would be overall No. 1 picks in most years

“In 2023, it was Paul Skenes and Dylan Crews and Wyatt Langford, Max Clark and Walker Jenkins. Last year, it was even more: Travis Bazzana,  Charlie Condon and Chase Burns and Hagen Smith, Nick Kurtz, JJ Wetherholt and Jac Caglianone.

“This year, I don’t think anyone has separated themselves from the pack. The strength undoubtedly is that there are a lot of high school shortstops and high school infielders

Q: Is this a good year for the Orioles to have three picks in the top 31 and six in the top 100?

Callis: “I think it’s always good to have extra draft picks. They’re not picking at the top, so I actually think you could argue that the guy they get at 19 might not be that much different than the guy they get at No. 9. You have those extra picks at the end of the first round, and that helps, too.

“Any scout will tell you there’s always talent in the draft, and it’s the team’s job is to go out and find it, and the thing the Orioles have going for them is that they don’t pick before 19, but because of those extra picks, they have  the fifth-highest draft pool in baseball. It’s only $500,000 behind the number one team. They have as much spending power as any team in baseball and can do some damage with it.”

Q: The Orioles have to restock the farm system because so many prospects have either graduated to the major leagues or been traded. Do you think they’ll draft for specific need with those first three picks or for the best available player?

Callis: “I think they’ll probably go best available player the way their draft board is lined up. You know this regime has not spent very many early picks at all on pitchers. The flip side is that the team needs pitching more than anything at both the major league level and the minor league level,

“I’m not convinced that they’re necessarily going to change that. I would be kind of surprised if they took a pitcher with one of those three first picks, especially at 19, but I do think it’s probably best player available because I think the way they line up their boards.”

Q: But isn’t there pressure on them to take a pitcher because it’s such an obvious need?

Callis: “If you look at what the organization needs, they still have a bunch of young hitters, and they’re trying to figure out how to get them in the lineup at the same time. Samuel Basallo is still in Triple-A. The pitching staff is kind of old and not really effective. I don’t think they have that many guys on the pitching staff under 30 years old playing major roles at the big league level.

“I don’t know that the owner is saying: ‘Hey, go get some pitching.’ They haven’t drafted that way, so I don’t think the front office is going to say we have to get more pitching.

“I think the pressure is more on the outside, and people saying, ‘They need to get some pitching. I don’t think they feel some internal pressure, like, ‘hey, we need to draft some pitchers.’ If you look at their philosophy, it clearly is, ‘we’re not going to spend high picks on pitchers, and we’ll find out the ways to find them. All things being equal, it would make sense that two of those first three picks to be pitchers. This regime has just not drafted many pitchers in the first three rounds.”

Q: How would you rate the Orioles’ farm system?

Callis: “It’s not as strong as it used to be, and that’s natural. It’s very hard to sustain a top farm system when you’re winning at the big league level. Instead of picking in the top five and having those huge bonus pools, you’re picking around 20, and you have less international money. You’re making trades like the Corbin Burnes trade, and you’re giving up prospects.

“It’s very rare to see a team win at the big league level and continue to sustain a top-shelf farm system. Coming into the year, we had the Orioles ranked as our No. 15 farm system. I haven’t contemplated farm system rankings because the draft’s approaching but they’d probably be down a little bit.

“Coby Mayo, who was ranked in our top 15 prospects, has graduated, out of rookie status, out of prospect status. It’s a farm system with one top 100 prospect, and that’s Samuel Basallo, who is one of the best hitters in the minor leagues, and he’s interesting.

“There’s Enrique Bradfield. He’s interesting. We have him as the No. 2 prospect, and he’s kind of polarizing. He can definitely run, steal bases and play a good center field, but there’s mixed opinions of how much impact he has on the bat. Chayce McDermott is kind of a rough year. He has a good arm. Vance Honeycutt, last year’s No. 1 pick. He had probably the best tools on the college side of the draft, but he’s hitting .185 in High-A, and they were swing-and-miss concerns with him.

“The farm system isn’t at that level where it was the best farm system in baseball. There have been some positive developments. [Aberdeen right-hander] Michael Forret has pitched pretty well. That’s a positive development. They need more of them. They’re kind of in the contender status of farm systems.”

Q: Considering those last two drafts, was it that they were drafting lower or did the Orioles lose their touch?

Callis: “Nobody has a good draft year after year. When you’re picking No. 1 and you have a huge bonus pool, you can take Adley Rutschman and you can push Gunnar Henderson down to your second-round pick. You can’t do that at 19 or at 22 or wherever they’re picking.

“It’s early, but last year’s draft does not look great right now. Vance Honeycutt is really struggling, and to be honest, there were swing-and-miss concerns with him. [Second pick in 2024] Griff O’Ferrall isn’t really hitting, and he was a glove-first shortstop. I don’t think we thought he’d be hitting .207 in High-A.

“[Second rounder] Ethan Anderson had an OK year at Virginia, and he’s struggling a little bit in High-A, too. You could argue guys are being pushed aggressively, too. Coming out of the ACC, you should be able to handle High-A in your first year, also.

“I wouldn’t say that last year’s draft is in the books, and we know what it is, but it’s not looking very good right now. The guys who made the good picks in prior drafts. I wouldn’t say they’ve lost their mojo.

“If you want a positive development, there’s a guy they spent extra money on in the 16th round, Nate George, who’s a really athletic high school kid from Illinois. He’s played really well. He might be a nice late-round find. It’s still early, but you would hope that your ’24 draft class was looking better than it has been in ’25.”

Call for questions: I answer Orioles questions most weekdays. Please send yours to: [email protected].

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Johnson Named Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year

Track & Field | 6/26/2025 5:59:00 PM Story Links GREENSBORO – Allen Johnson pulled off the double on Thursday by winning Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year three months after winning CAA Men’s Indoor Coach of the Year. The conference announced its postseason honors on […]

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Track & Field | 6/26/2025 5:59:00 PM

GREENSBORO – Allen Johnson pulled off the double on Thursday by winning Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year three months after winning CAA Men’s Indoor Coach of the Year. The conference announced its postseason honors on Thursday.
 
“I’m humbled, really,” said Johnson. “It is a time of reflection. To realize where the program was when I got here in 2022. Looking back on the journey we undertook in 2023 and seeing what we have accomplished to date is humbling.
 
There were so many trials and tribulations along the way, which was unbelievable. If it weren’t for the type of student athletes we have in this program, this wouldn’t be possible. It wasn’t for the kind of coaches I have on this staff, this wouldn’t be possible. If it weren’t for the type of people I work with in athletics and at the university, this wouldn’t be possible. I didn’t do this alone. I have had a lot of help.”
 

Johnson led the Aggies to the 2025 CAA men’s indoor and outdoor track and field championships, winning the outdoor title at A&T’s Marcus T. Johnson Track. The Aggies won the outdoor title by 36 points over Monmouth, claiming titles in the 400 meters, 800m, 400-meter hurdles, triple jump, shot put, and the 4×400-meter relay.
 
In addition, the Aggies took the top four spots in the 400m, the top three spots in the shot put, and the top two spots in the 800m and the 400H. Johnson then sent 14 male student-athletes to the NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round at the University of North Florida’s Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla.
 
Xzaviah Taylor (400H, 4×100, 4×400), his twin brother Isaiah Taylor (110H, 400H, 4×100), Partree (triple jump), Correy McManus Jr. (4×100), Jaeden Gumbs (4×100), Brandon Nya (4×100), Elijah Thomas (4×400), Caleb Gurnell (4×400), and Dyimond Walker (4×400) all advanced to the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
 
 





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