Dame Sarr, the No. 17 overall ranked player in the 2025 recruiting class, committed to Duke earlier this year on May 22.

The 6-foot-6 shooting guard from Italy had most recently been playing with FC Barcelona, where he averaged 5.8 points and 1.7 rebounds in 12.8 minutes per game this season.

Sarr hopped on “The Brotherhood Podcast” with assistant coach Emanuel Dildy last month and discussed his decision to head to college basketball and play at Duke.

“It was always a dream to play in a school like Duke,” Sarr said. “When I saw the guys from last year that went to the Draft and I saw that there was this chance for me. Talking with coach [John] Scheyer and coach [Emanuel Dildy], I had a very clear picture of what they saw in me and the team. I liked that picture and thought it was great. I was playing for Barcelona in the FIBA cup so I wanted to be in a big college. So I think this is the biggest stage and I want to play with and against the best players and win. I think it was a very easy decision. I’m very happy that I made the decision and that’s what I felt in my heart.”

The Oderzo, Italy native joins the No. 1 ranked recruiting class in the country. He is surrounded by a talented group, consisting of five-star forward Cameron Boozer, four-star forward Nikolas Khamenia, four-star guard Cayden Boozer and four-star forward Sebastian Wilkins.

“I saw that college basketball is a big opportunity,” Sarr said. “You can play in these big stages and be an important player and improve a lot. For me that was key. And I think that having played overseas and being able to have this experience is also going to help me a lot with college work and professional work. If I combine them it’s going to be great for my career and I’m so excited to start.”

Sarr is just one of a few elite international talents to commit to Duke in recent seasons, joining Khaman Maluach, Tyrese Proctor and RJ Barrett.

“The Brotherhood is a big family,” Sarr continued. “I think everybody wants to succeed in basketball and things other than basketball. I talk to people who have had only good words about this program and I felt really good about it.”

Duke is the No. 3 ranked team in On3’s Way-too-early Top 25 college basketball rankings 7.0.

STARKVILLE – Mississippi State head baseball coach Brian O’Connor has added another key piece to his inaugural coaching staff in Starkville, announcing the hiring of longtime Virginia assistant Matt Kirby as an assistant coach for the Bulldogs.
 
Kirby spent the past 14 seasons at Virginia, including 12 years as a volunteer assistant before being promoted to full-time assistant and recruiting coordinator in 2023. Known for his work with position players – particularly catchers and outfielders – Kirby played a key role in developing talent for one of the most consistent programs in college baseball. He also served as the Cavaliers’ first base coach. 
 
“Matt has been a steady and trusted presence throughout my time as a head coach,” O’Connor said. “He’s an elite teacher, recruiter, communicator and innovative thinker who has helped build championship teams. He will pour everything he has into Mississippi State, and I’m glad that he is joining our efforts in Starkville.”
 
In his first season as a full-time assistant, Kirby helped Virginia reach its seventh College World Series appearance since 2009 and guided the Cavaliers through a late-season surge that saw them win 20 of their final 27 games. Over his 14 years in Charlottesville, UVA reached the NCAA Tournament nine times, captured five regional championships, and won the 2015 national title.
 
Virginia was named the program of the decade (2010–19) by D1Baseball.com, with O’Connor earning Coach of the Decade honors. Kirby helped UVA rack up 467 wins during his tenure in Charlottesville, the eighth most of any college baseball program in that span.
 

A former catcher at William & Mary, Kirby has been instrumental in developing some of the top backstops in college baseball. Under his guidance, four catchers earned All-ACC recognition, including first-round MLB Draft picks Matt Thaiss (16th overall, 2016) and Kyle Teel (14th overall, 2023). Overall, UVA produced 30 All-ACC position players and nine All-Americans during his time on staff.
 

Prior to Virginia, Kirby held coaching roles at Georgetown, Villanova, Brown, William & Mary and VMI. He served as a recruiting coordinator at both Georgetown and Villanova, where his 2008 signing class was ranked among the nation’s top 100 by Collegiate Baseball.
 

Kirby is a 2003 graduate of William & Mary, where he was a four-year letterman and two-time team captain. He led the Tribe to a CAA Tournament title in 2001 and was a Second-Team All-CAA selection in 2002 while catching for future major leaguers Chris Ray and Bill Bray.
 
“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to join Coach O’Connor’s staff at Mississippi State,” Kirby said. “The minute you step onto Dudy Noble Field, you immediately feel the rich tradition and can sense the passion and unrelenting excitement of the fanbase. I’m excited to help build something special in StarkVegas.”
 
Kirby and his wife, Mallory, have one daughter, Renate.

Visit www.HailState.com for the latest news and information on the baseball program. Fans can also follow the program on social media by searching ‘HailStateBB’ on X, Facebook and Instagram.

 

GREENWOOD, IN — Congratulations to Saint Mary’s Softball’s very own Taylor Lane and Chelsea Bennett on being named members of the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team. The Academic All-District Softball teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the diamond and in the classroom. 

In her fourth year with the program and third of competition, Taylor Lane continued to provide a solid pop of power in the Gaels lineup this year. The redshirt junior hit 0.255 for the year with four doubles, a triple, three home runs and 20 driven in while starting primarily at first base in 33 games. Lane graduated this spring with a degree in special education and a 3.68 GPA, but does have an additional year of eligibility after redshirting her first year in Moraga. Lane was also a WCC Honorable Mention All-Academic team member.

Chelsea Bennett put up her best season to date in the circle, serving as one of the Gaels top bullpen arms in 2025. The Warriewood, Australia native made 14 appearances, 10 of which were in relief in her junior campaign, working 37 innings and putting up a career-low 3.78 ERA. She finished her third year as a biology major at Saint Mary’s, maintaining a 3.75 cumulative GPA. Bennett was named a first team member of the WCC All-Academic team this past season for the first time in her career as well. 

#GaelsRise 

A recent report from Inside Carolina set off alarm bells among college basketball fans when it claimed that North Carolina had allocated an astonishing $14 million to its basketball program.

Even considering the NCAA’s new reality — full of massive NIL contracts, transfer portal decisions, and the upcoming result of the House vs. NCAA lawsuit — this sum far exceeds what many expected.

Basketball Insider Says 2025 is the “Ultimate ‘No Excuse’ Year for Hubert Davis”

In the Inside Carolina reports, writer Greg Barnes explained that multiple sources have confirmed that the North Carolina Tar Heels have spent over $14 million in NIL deals for next basketball season.

College basketball analyst Tim Donnelly was surprised by the report. The host of “The Drive” on 99.9 The Fan, he stated that Davis is at a crucial moment in his leadership of the Tar Heels.

“This is the ultimate ‘no excuse’ year for Hubert Davis,” Donnelly explained. “This is the ultimate no-excuse year for the brain trust that is running UNC basketball right now.”

He continued, “With great money comes great responsibility,” he added. “If you give a coach $14 million to put together a roster and the roster is not stellar at the end of the year, you look at that coach and you go, ‘I don’t know if I’m ready to give you $14 million again.’ Right?”

Donnelly shared his vision for the future of Davis and his team after receiving $14 million.

“If you give a coach $14 million and they come back the next year and say, ‘Hey, I need another 14, $15 million,’ ‘Hey, what’d you spend the last 14 on?’”

“You better have a trophy, you better have something worth, you better have a long run into the NCAA tournament, cuz if not, I’m not giving you more money… You better win with $14 million, is what I’m saying, you better win with $14 million.”

RELATED: Analysts ‘Miffed’, Fans ‘Betrayed’ by Ven-Allen Lubin’s Decision to Transfer from North Carolina to NC State

According to the report, the $14 million sum is nearly triple what UNC Basketball spent last season.

The report also states that the expenditure includes adding six new players, including Montenegrin guard Luka Bogavac, guards Kyan Evans and Jonathan Powell, and center Henri Veesaar.

While massive NIL deals aren’t a new phenomenon in the world of college sports, this investment into Carolina basketball is a big move, considering they are also seemingly going “all in” on Bill Belichick and the football team.

College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!

No. 1 College Basketball Recruit AJ Dybantsa Receives Massive $4.1 Million NIL Update originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

BYU Cougars signee AJ Dybantsa is one to watch for as he enters college basketball next season. As a high school recruit, he was a five-star and rated as the No. 1 player in the class of 2025 (On3 Sports).

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Back in December, the 6-foot-9 small forward announced his commitment to BYU, choosing the Cougars over three of college basketball’s biggest names: UNC, Kansas and Alabama.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, Dybantsa saw a significant jump in his On3 NIL valuation—up $274k to a total of $4.1 million.

We are living in a new era of college sports, with the leading beneficiaries being the players and the schools with big-market athletic programs. Including his landing of brand deals with Nike and Red Bull, Dybantsa is on a contract with BYU to receive over $7 million this season, according to Adam Zagoria of the New York Times.

The Cougars have emerged as an NIL juggernaut, especially after the hiring of head coach Kevin Young back in April. Young, in fact, was reportedly one of the biggest reasons Dybantsa elected to take his talents to Provo, Utah.

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“A lot stood out during my visit,” the Massachusetts native said on ESPN’s “First Take.” “Obviously, coach Kevin Young’s there. My ultimate goal is to get to the NBA, and he coached my favorite player of all time, Kevin Durant.”

When asked who he models his game after, Dybantsa listed household names like Tracy McGrady and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the current front-runner for finals MVP (-550, ESPN Bet).

“KD, my favorite player, I take a lot from his game, but I don’t think I play like him,” Dybansta added. “I think he really one of one… I play like a mix of Tracy McGrady and Shai.”

Related: BYU Basketball moves up in ESPN’s early top 25 preseason poll

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 5, 2025, where it first appeared.