NEW ORLEANS—First-year Amrit Rehal (Alpharetta, Ga.) and the Babson College women’s track & field team were honored for their success in the classroom when the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced its 2025 All-Academic awards last week. 

Rehal became Babson’s first USTFCCCA All-Academic selection since 2022, while the Beavers were among 212 Division III programs to achieve All-Academic Team honors after concluding the spring semester with a 3.44 team grade-point average. Under the direction of head coach Russ Brennen, the Green and White received All-Academic Team accolades for the 18th consecutive season. Teams must maintain a 3.10 GPA or better in order to qualify for the award.

In order to qualify for USTFCCCA All-Academic honors, a student-athlete must have compiled at least a 3.30 cumulative grade-point average and have competed in an NCAA Indoor or Outdoor Championship, or finished the regular season ranked in the top-50 nationally in an individual event or in the top-35 in a relay event.

Rehal put together a terrific rookie season that included breaking Babson’s 23-year-old record in the high jump while ranking second in the East Region in the event. She broke the record by clearing 5-feet, 5-inches in her collegiate debut at the Alan Connie Shamrock Invitational on March 22 and then bettered the mark by clearing 5-feet, 5.25-inches in the Farley Inter Regional at Williams on May 10. 

Just the third individual to earn USTFCCCA All-East Region honors back in May, Rehal came in second in the high jump to earn all-conference recognition at the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Championships on April 26. 

The Beavers recorded their third highest point total in program history en route to finishing eighth at the NEWMAC Championships. 

After sharing the Big Ten title and winning the national championship, Penn State will likely rely on a couple of fresh faces in addition to the veterans from the national championship team in 2024.

The national championship team featured five seniors, and for a repeat to happen, transfers and freshmen will need to step up in place of the seniors.

Coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley, libero Gillian Grimes and setter Izzy Starck took the stage in Chicago for Big Ten Volleyball Media Days ahead of the 2025 campaign to discuss expectations for this season.

“It’s a new team,” Schumacher-Cawley said. “If the goal is to win and to win the Big Ten and win a National Championship, the best players are going to be on the floor.”

Grimes and Starck are two of the major returning players to a team with repeat national championship hopes.

Right-sider hitter Caroline Jurevicius is another impactful returner, but she’ll have some company at the position with the addition of first team All-American Kennedy Martin.

Martin and Jurevicius have the flexibility to play all over the court despite being at the same position, but the duo brings up some curiosity about how they’ll both see action.

“Don’t you want to know?” Schumacher-Cawley said on how they’ll be used. “(Jurevicius) can play outside, right side, she can hit all along the net. She will make an impact.”

When Martin announced that she was entering the transfer portal after two seasons with Florida, she instantly became the most coveted transfer in the portal.

However, the Fort Mill, South Carolina, native had just a few schools on her list, making the recruiting process easier.

“We recruited Kennedy the first time around, so we had had a prior relationship with her,” Schumacher-Cawley said. “Of course she’s an exceptional player, but she’s a great person. I really enjoyed her the first time around.”

Martin was the final addition to the team, but another big-time hitter made her way to Happy Valley.

Outside hitter Emmi Sellman transferred to Penn State after one season at Ohio State, while middle blocker Gabrielle Nichols joined the Nittany Lions as one of the top recruits in the Class of 2025.

Both players have USA Volleyball experience and joined the blue and white in the spring to get a jumpstart on chemistry.

“I think they both bring such competitive energy to the gym, and I think that’s all what we need,” Grimes said.

The biggest connection that needs building is between the setter and the hitters and the additional time could be a big factor in the start to the season.

“It’s hard to get new players and build that connection fast, but the nice thing about having them in the spring, I had this whole spring to build a bond, know what they want and everything,” Starck said. “I think it’s made progress in a really great way, and I think we have a really good fluid system going right now.”

Penn State has a foundation built with its returning players, but it’ll be the newcomers that could be the difference maker in a potential back-to-back national championship run.

MORE VOLLEYBALL CONTENT

Penn State women’s volleyball has earned another commit in the class of 2027.

Plotz also pinned up a team-best six blocks at the competition and stacked up four games with hat tricks — against Australia and Türkiye in group play, in a 13-11 quarterfinal win over Japan and in the 9-6 gold-medal win over the United States. She also scored a key goal in Germany’s 9-8 semifinal win over New Zealand to advance to the final.

A native of Duisburg, Germany, Plotz is entering her second season at USC. This is her first gold medal earned representing Germany, and her first participation at the World University Games, which were held this year in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany. Plotz served as Germany’s captain for this summer’s Games.

 

Guardians’ Emmanuel Clase placed on paid leave amid MLB gambling investigation…Report: Bryce Harper, Rob Manfred clash over idea of salary cap in Phillies clubhouse meeting…WBD unveils new company names post-split.

Guardians P Emmanuel Clase has been “placed on nondisciplinary paid leave” as part of MLB’s gambling investigation. Clase will be “unable to pitch in games through at least Aug. 31.” Guardians P Luis Ortiz is “also on nondisciplinary paid leave through Aug. 31,” a decision made earlier this month. MLB informed the Guardians that “no other players or team personnel are expected to be impacted by the investigation” (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 7/28). MLB Network’s Jayson Stark said, “This is one of baseball’s biggest concerns about their sport right now, whether players are betting on their sport in any way. … This is something to watch.” MLB Network’s J.P. Morosi: “It is a time in the industry for everyone to understand thoroughly what the rules are and … about what is OK and what is not OK” (“MLB Now,” MLB Network, 7/28).

Phillies 1B Bryce Harper “stood nose to nose” with MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred during a meeting between the commissioner and the team last week, with Harper telling him to “‘get the f— out of our clubhouse’ if Manfred wanted to talk about the potential implementation of a salary cap,” according to sources. Manfred “never explicitly said the words ‘salary cap,’” however, the discussion about the game’s economics “raised the ire of Harper, one of MLB’s most influential players.” Manfred responded that “he was ‘not going to get the f— out of here,’ saying it was important to talk about threats to MLB’s business and ways to grow the game.” Manfred “eventually shook hands” with Harper, though Harper “declined to answer phone calls from Manfred the next day.” Sources said that the meeting with the Phillies “covered a variety of topics,” but “CBA negotiations, and their potential consequences, loomed large” (ESPN.com, 7/28).

RELATED: MLBPA’s Clark: Salary cap will take game ‘backward’

Warner Bros. Discovery announced its corporate names and senior leadership appointments for when the company separates in mid-2026, with the entertainment, sports, digital and news television brands — including TNT Sports and Bleacher Report — set to fall under the Discovery Global banner. Meanwhile, brands including Warner Bros. Television, Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, HBO and HBO Max will fall under the Warner Bros. banner. Warner Bros. leadership will include David Zaslav — currently President & CEO of WBD — who will serve as President & CEO. Leadership for Discovery Global includes Gunnar Wiedenfels — currently CFO of Warner Bros. Discovery — who will serve as President & CEO and TNT Sports Chair & CEO Luis Silberwasser (WBD). Following the split, Zaslav’s new employment agreement as CEO of Warner Bros. will “significantly reduce his target annual compensation.” Wiedenfels’ pay package will be “upped” from his existing CFO compensation “to reflect his expanded responsibilities” running Discovery Global (VARIETY, 7/28).

Max Eisenbud, longtime tennis agent and head of clients for IMG Tennis, has been elevated to WME Sports’ head of client representation. He will oversee WME Sports’ representation business across tennis, golf, action sports and sports content. Eisenbud, a 2010 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree, will be based out of Miami and report to WME co-chairs Christian Muirhead and Richard Weitz.

Eisenbud will continue to lead IMG Tennis including marquee names in the sport like Carlos Alcaraz, Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek, Serena Williams, John McEnroe, Andy Murray, Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe. He previously helped form the portfolios of superstars such as Maria Sharapova and Li Na when he represented them.

Eisenbud joined IMG in 2000 and was named a senior partner at WME this year (IMG Tennis is a division of WME). To support him in his new leadership role, he will have a team consisting of: WME partner and agent Lee White, who leads WME’s sports content group; partner and broadcast agent Josh Levy; partner and WME Sports EVp overseeing property solutions Mike Zavodsky; partner Jason Horrell, who will continue to lead the golf division; and Mark Ervin, partner and Olympic/action sports clients group head.

Premier League club Everton has sold its women’s team to a sister company in a “move that should generate a paper profit of tens of millions of pounds that could help the club make new signings and still comply” with the league’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules. Everton Football Club Women Ltd has been “transferred to a company called Roundhouse Capital Holdings,” which records show is controlled by Everton’s owner, Dan Friedkin. Roundhouse is the company that The Friedkin Group used to buy Everton during its takeover in December. Sources said that the move is to “ensure the women’s team is a standalone entity that can attract its own investment from the United States” but “accept that the profit will help with PSR compliance.” Everton is the third Premier League club to take advantage of a law that allows clubs to sell assets such as the women’s team to “related companies and register that as a profit for PSR calculations” joining Chelsea and Aston Villa (London TIMES, 7/28).

Speed Reads…

Following the 2025 MLB regular season, Marquee Sports Network will transition to the Ultimate TV level of service on Comcast for customers in Chicago (Comcast).

Philadelphia Soccer 2026 announced Fashion District Philadelphia as the site of its FIFA World Cup 2026 Volunteer Center (Philadelphia Soccer 2026).

Around the World….

Cricket Australia confirmed that opening day of The West Test, a cricket match between Australia and England at Optus Stadium on Nov. 21, is “officially a sell-out,” with the body viewing the match a “certainty to break Perth’s all-time attendance record” (WEST AUSTRALIAN, 7/28).

The KBO has “set a single-season record for sellouts,” reaching 224 for the season on Friday, surpassing last year’s record of 221 sellouts in 720 games. This year’s record was set in 470 games (KOREA HERALD, 7/26).

Social Scoop….

Daily Download….

Bristol Motor Speedway President/GM Jerry Caldwell joined WJHL to discuss the work put into the track to get it ready for the Speedway Classic on Saturday between the Reds and Braves.

Daily Digit….

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Eight former University of Arkansas student-athletes have been selected as members of the 2025 class of the University of Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor.

Makeba Alcide (Women’s Track & Field), Brian Baker (Men’s Track & Field/Cross Country), Zack Cox (Baseball), the late Ryan Mallett (Football), C’eira Ricketts (Women’s Basketball), James Rouse (Football), Dwight Stewart (Men’s Basketball) and Clint Stoerner (Football) will be formally inducted in a ceremony to be held on Friday, September 26, 2025, at the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville. Mallett will be inducted posthumously. The ceremony is set for the night prior to the Razorbacks’ first-ever meeting with Notre Dame at 11 a.m. inside Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

Inductees are elected to the UA Sports Hall of Honor based on a vote by former Razorback letterwinners in conjunction with the A Club.
“Every year it is a privilege to induct our Razorback greats into the University of Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor, and this year is no exception,” Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Hunter Yurachek said. “Our 2025 class represents individuals whose achievements, character and legacy have forever shaped the proud tradition of Razorback Athletics. It will truly be a fantastic weekend honoring them in September.”

Additional information, including how to secure tickets for this free event, will be released in the coming weeks. Sponsorships for the banquet are available by contacting the Razorback Foundation at (479) 443-9000.

2025 UA Sports Hall of Honor Inductees
Makeba Alcide, Women’s Track & Field
A St. Lucian native, Alcide competed for the Razorback women’s track and field team from 2009 to 2013, excelling in the pentathlon and heptathlon. She set a then-collegiate record in the pentathlon with a score of 4,569 points to win the 2013 SEC Indoor title and then finished third at the NCAA Championships. Alcide’s score currently ranks No. 9 on the all-time collegiate list 12 years later. In the heptathlon, Alcide produced a career-best score of 6,050 as the 2013 NCAA Outdoor silver medalist and that performance qualified her for the 2013 World Championships held in Moscow, Russia. Alcide won the 2013 SEC heptathlon title with a then PR of 5,968. Both of her career best scores rank Alcide No. 2 on the UA all-time list in the pentathlon and heptathlon. Those marks still serve as the national records for St. Lucia, where Alcide also holds the national record in the 100m hurdles (13.52). Alcide held the UA indoor record in the high jump at 6-2.25 (1.89) and the UA outdoor record of 6-2 (1.88) both for 11 years. She remains No. 2 in both on the UA all-time list. Alcide won the 2011 SEC heptathlon title with a then PR of 5,646 points. In 2012, Alcide claimed the SEC Indoor pentathlon title with a score of 4,126 on Kentucky’s oversized track. Outdoors, she finished third in the heptathlon at the Drake Relays and placed fifth in the SEC Championships. After placing 13th in the NCAA heptathlon, Alcide earned a bronze medal representing St. Lucia at the NACAC U23 Championships. In 2016, Alcide placed eighth in the pentathlon at the World Indoor Championships. In 2015, she finished ninth in the heptathlon at the Pan Am Cup.

Brian Baker, Men’s Track & Field/Cross Country
A member of the Razorback dynasty in the 1990s, distance runner Brian Baker was part of nine national championship team titles accumulated by Arkansas from 1990 to 1993, which included a pair of national triple crowns in 1992 and 1993. Earning seven All-America honors, Baker won the 1994 NCAA Outdoor 5,000m title and ran third leg on the collegiate record-winning distance medley relay at the 1994 NCAA Indoor. Baker won a pair of conference cross country titles, claiming the 1990 SWC and 1991 SEC races, along with a 1991 SWC Outdoor 5,000m title. Baker was part of 12 conference team titles during that time, which included three SWC titles and nine SEC titles. Collecting three All-America honors in cross country, Baker’s highest finish was third at the 1991 NCAA Championships. Baker served as an alternate for the 1996 Olympic Team in the 5,000m and finished ninth in the 3,000m at the 1999 World Indoor Championships held in Japan. In 1995, he placed 10th in the 5,000m at the World University Games. Baker was twice a member of the U.S. World Cross Country Team in 1996 and 1997 as well as a bronze medalist at the Pan American Games. Baker has been the Director of Track & Field and Cross Country at Gardner-Webb University for the past 22 years.

Zack Cox, Baseball
Cox spent two years as the third baseman for the Razorbacks in 2009-10 and quickly proved himself as one of the best hitters in school history. His season batting average of .429 and hit total of 102 in 2010 still lead all Arkansas hitters over a decade later. He finished his collegiate career with a .355 clip at the plate, good for sixth in career batting average in program history. In 2009, Cox swatted 13 home runs, a school record by a freshman, which stood for nine years. Cox was a Freshman All-American in 2009, helping lead the Razorbacks to their sixth College World Series in school history, while also earning All-SEC Tournament honors and CWS All-Tournament accolades. In 2010, he was named an All-American as well as a First-Team All-SEC honoree. Cox is one of now 11 Razorbacks under head coach Dave Van Horn to be selected in the first round of the MLB Draft, hearing his name called 25th overall by the Cardinals in 2010. He spent seven years in the minors, playing three seasons with St. Louis, before stints with Miami and Detroit.

Ryan Mallett, Football
One of the most prolific passers in Razorback history, Ryan Mallett came to Arkansas after playing his freshman season at the University of Michigan. Mallett redshirted during the 2008 season before taking the field for the Hogs in 2009 under the direction of head coach Bobby Petrino. In two years as a Razorback, Mallett completed 491 of 814 pass attempts for 7,493 yards and 62 touchdowns. He still ranks third in career touchdowns, passing yards and touchdown responsibility, fifth in pass completions and total yards and seventh in pass attempts. Ryan was named to the All-SEC second team by league coaches and the AP in both 2009 and 2010. The Razorbacks finished the 2009 season with an 8-5 record and won the 2010 Liberty Bowl against East Carolina. Mallett was named the bowl game’s Offensive MVP. In his first season, Mallett threw for 3,624 yards and 30 touchdowns. Mallett chose to forgo entering the 2010 NFL Draft and returned for his junior season at Arkansas. He recorded an epic season, passing for 3,869 yards and 32 touchdowns. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He also played for the Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens during his pro career.

C’eira Ricketts, Women’s Basketball
Ricketts was an All-Southeastern Conference guard for the Razorbacks from 2008-12. The Louisville, Ky. native’s name is sprinkled throughout the Arkansas record books, including being eighth in total career points. Ricketts was as versatile a player as the Hogs have ever had, as she still ranks first in career steals, piling up 321 career takeaways, 12th in career rebounds, pulling down 644 boards, and fourth in career assists, dishing 516 helpers. Ricketts earned SEC Co-Freshman of the Year, Second-Team All-SEC and AP SEC Freshman of the Year honors in 2009. She added a Second-Team All-SEC selection as a junior in 2011 and wrapped up her career with First-Team honors in 2012. After graduation, Ricketts played professional basketball. She was drafted 24th overall by the Phoenix Mercury and played for the Flying Foxes of Vienna, Austria, earning league MVP and player of the year honors in 2013.

James Rouse, Football
Rouse played football for four years for the Razorbacks (1985, 1987–1989), rushing for 2,887 yards and 39 touchdowns. In the 1987 season, Rouse ran for 1,004 yards and 17 touchdowns, giving the Razorbacks their first 1,000-yard rusher since Ben Cowins in 1978. Rouse was key in the Razorbacks’ back-to-back Cotton Bowl Classic appearances following the 1988 and 1989 seasons. Rouse also played in the Holiday Bowl as a freshman and the Liberty Bowl as a redshirt sophomore. In the four bowl games, Rouse rushed for a total of 281 yards on 57 carries (4.9 avg.) and one touchdown, including a 134-yard effort in the 1990 Cotton Bowl Classic. Rouse was selected in the eighth round of the 1990 NFL draft by the Chicago Bears. In two years with the Bears, Rouse had 130 yards rushing but was a regular contributor in his short career. He played in all 16 games as a rookie and saw action in 14 games in 1991, including four starts at fullback. Rouse was named to Arkansas’ All-Decade Team for the 1980s as a running back.

Dwight Stewart, Men’s Basketball
Stewart was a three-time letterwinner for the Razorbacks from 1993 to 1995, after transferring to Arkansas from South Plains Junior College. The nimble, sharp-shooting big man helped the Hogs to 85 victories, three Sweet Sixteens, two Elite Eights, two Final Fours, two consecutive NCAA Tournament Championship Games and the 1994 NCAA National Championship. In addition, Arkansas won an overall SEC and SEC Western Division title in 1994 and an SEC Western Division title in 1995. Stewart played in 95 games as a Razorback, earning 66 starts. The Memphis native averaged 7.4 points and 4.5 rebounds per game in his career at Arkansas. He also racked up 123 assists, 76 steals and 42 blocked shots. As a junior in the 1994 NCAA Championship Game against Duke, Stewart scored three field goals, totaled nine rebounds and recorded the most critical assist in school history, when he passed to Scotty Thurman for his epic three-point shot to lead Arkansas to a 76-72 win over the Blue Devils. A 6-foot-9, 260-pound center, Stewart played professionally around the world following his collegiate career, including competing in leagues in Iceland, Macedonia, Poland, Yugoslavia, Spain, Puerto Rico, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Clint Stoerner, Football
Stoerner was a Second-Team All-SEC quarterback in both 1998 and 1999 leading the Razorbacks to a share of the SEC Western Division title in 1998. Arkansas finished the season with a 9-3 record and earned a trip to the Florida Citrus Bowl. In 1999, he led the Hogs to an 8-4 mark, culminating with a 27-6 blowout of Texas in the 2000 Cotton Bowl. Stoerner was Arkansas’s offensive leader in each of three years – 1997-1999 – as well as Arkansas’s total offensive leader – 528 passes completed and 57 touchdowns. In 1998, he was second in the SEC in passing yards with 2,629 yards, touchdowns with 26, and first in the SEC in adjusted passing yards per attempt with 8.9 yards. He is currently ranked No. 5 in Razorback career passing yards with 7,422. He was the part-time starting quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in 2001 and had other professional stops in Europe and the Arena Football League. Stoerner was voted a member of the Razorbacks’ All-Decade team for the 1990s.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference and its television partners announced the TV schedule for the 2025 volleyball season. The Fighting Illini are slated for eight nationally televised regular-season matches, including four on Big Ten Network, two on FS1, one on ESPN2, and one on SEC Network.

The Orange and Blue’s match against Vanderbilt on Aug. 31 at 5 p.m. CT as part of the Broadway Block Party in Nashville will air on SEC Network. The Illini’s nonconference road contest at Louisville on Sept. 7 is set to appear on ESPN2, while three Big Ten away matches will also feature on BTN: at Purdue (Sept. 28 at 1 p.m. CT), at Wisconsin (Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. CT), and at Minnesota (Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. CT). Illinois’ contest at Nebraska will air on FS1 on Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. CT.

The Illini’s home match against reigning national champion Penn State on Nov. 9 is set for Big Ten Network, while Illinois’ matchup at UCLA on Nov. 20 will be available on FS1. Match times for those two contests will be announced at a later date.

All Big Ten matches that have not been designated for television will air on B1G+.