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PANORAMA: Public swimming in Seine OK’d for July; Carl Lewis says split off college football & basketball; new trash-WADA hearing coming!

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★ ★ To get the daily Sports Examiner Recap by e-mail: sign up here! ★ ≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡ ● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● Following through on promises made in advance of the Paris 2024 […]

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★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

★ To get the daily Sports Examiner Recap by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● Following through on promises made in advance of the Paris 2024 Games, the City of Paris announced last week that beginning on 5 July, public swimming will once again be allowed in the Seine River.

Outlawed in 1923 due to the pollution levels in the river, restoring swimming became a priority for the city government under Mayor Anne Hidalgo and an enormous tank installation to catch run-offs during rainy periods was completed in time for the Games. Despite some delays due to too-high pollutant levels early in the event, both the triathlon and open-water swims were held in the river.

There will be three points on the river where swimming will be allowed: Grenelle, west of Paris; Bras Marie in the city and Bercy on the east side. Swimming will be allowed until the end of August and a green-yellow-red flag system will provide a real-time indication of water quality.

● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● Continuing his push against the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic organizing committee in light of his continuing demand that the sailing competitions be moved from Long Beach to within his district in San Pedro, a motion filed on 4 April by Los Angeles City Council member Tim McOsker will be heard on Tuesday (20th).

The motion notes that an LA28 “Community Business and Procurement Program” plan and “Local Hire Program” plan were both due by 31 March 2025, but not delivered.

So, McOsker is asking City staff to report back in seven days with the status of both plans and “to provide a timeline for production and public release of this information.”

The motion was referred to the Ad Hoc 2028 Olympic & Paralympic Games Committee, but is also being taken up by the Economic Development and Jobs Committee, which will meet on Tuesday (20th), chaired by 9th District Council member Curren Price, Jr. (McOsker is not a member of this committee).

Some L.A. City Council members are not the only ones unhappy with the LA28 venue moves and placements.

In an interview session with reporters last week, International Table Tennis President Petra Sorling (SWE) expressed concern with the assigned space at the Los Angeles Convention Center:

“In Los Angeles we think our venue is too small. The location is excellent but I am sad to say we can only be, maximum, seven thousand.

“We are selling out bigger venues than that. Let’s see what we can do. There is still time.”

Table tennis was held at the South Paris Arena 4 with a capacity of 6,500 per session, mostly full. A true test for the sport will come at the first World Table Tennis U.S. Smash from 3-13 July at the 9,500-capacity Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.

● Anti-Doping ● The U.S. Senate is ready for another salvo in the continuing war of words with the World Anti-Doping Agency, with the Commerce, Science & Transportation Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Technology, and Data Privacy to hold a hearing on 22 May (Thursday) at 10 a.m. Eastern time titled, “WADA Shame: Swimming in Denial Over Chinese Doping.”

The panelists include U.S. Anti-Doping Agency head Travis Tygart, former director of the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy Dr. Rahul Gupta, Tokyo swimming Olympian and women’s 4×200 m Freestyle relay silver medalist Katie McLaughlin, and Prof. Dionne Koller, University of Baltimore School of Law and Co-Chair of the Commission on the State of the U.S. Olympics and Paralympics.

Subcommittee chair Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) said:

“The World Anti-Doping Agency has allowed Communist China and Russia to lie, cheat, and steal, putting American athletes at risk. When Congress used its oversight authority to investigate WADA’s blatant corruption, they acted like they were above the law. When the federal government investigated WADA’s inaction, they tried to strongarm the United States and threaten our hosting of the [2034] Salt Lake City Games. As one of the largest financial contributors to WADA, the United Sates deserves answers. My colleagues and I refuse to be silenced in our mission to make certain WADA does not turn a blind eye to corruption.”

● Memorabilia ● At the Ingrid O’Neil Auction 98, the top sellers were two Paris 2024 Olympic torches, which went for $24,000 and $20,000, the only items to top $10,000.

Also worth noting was the sale of a 1980 Congressional Gold Medal, given to members of the U.S. team which was not allowed to compete at the Moscow Olympic Games; it went for $1,200.

● Athletics ● “Olympic sports are going to have to be in one category. Let’s figure out how we do that.

“Football and basketball are in another category. That’s where I think the future is, or there will be no Olympic sports. If anyone thinks it can continue to go this way, they’re fooling themselves.”

That’s Carl Lewis, not just the nine-time Olympic gold medalist, but also the head coach of the University of Houston, speaking about the current turmoil over money in college sports. He told a news conference audience last week:

“The number one objective of these college athletes is to get a degree to get a job. Ultimately, we may have three people on our team out of 115, that may run post-collegiate. That’s probably the average, so think about that.

“Two percent; so 98% come here to ultimately get a job, so I think if we continue down this route, we’re going to continue to rob Peter to pay Paul and everyone is going to be broke.”

If the House vs. NCAA settlement receives Federal court approval, a formula will allow universities to pay their football and basketball players 90% or more of funding from media rights, sponsorships and ticket sales that come into an athletic department, imperiling all other sports. The question is how to achieve Lewis’s goal and what the structure – especially financial – would look like.

The Sports Examiner’s idea on how to do this is here.

● Wrestling ● In the aftermath of his arrest in Columbus, Ohio in a prostitution sting, Rio 2016 Olympic 97 kg Freestyle winner Kyle Snyder was temporarily suspended by the U.S. Center for SafeSport for “Allegations of Misconduct” on 14 May.

According to a WBNS 10TV report on Friday:

“Snyder’s attorney, Eric Hoffman, told 10TV on Friday that the wrestler plans to plead guilty to disorderly conduct, a fourth-degree misdemeanor. He was initially charged with engaging in prostitution.”

Snyder is scheduled for a court appearance on Monday (19th) and is expected to be fined and required to receive counseling.

≡ RESULTS ≡

● Athletics ● A world record in the men’s 35 km walk from Tokyo Olympic 20 km walk winner Massimo Stano (ITA) highlighted the World Race Walk Tour Gold European Team Champs in Podebrady (CZE) on Sunday.

Stano took over at the 23 km mark and marched away with a huge win in 2:20:43, destroying the prior mark of 2:21:40 by Canada’s Evan Dunfee in March. German Christopher Linke was a distant second in 2:23:21 and Spain’s Miguel Angel Lopez was third (2:23:48), both national records.

Spain’s Maria Perez, the 2022 World Champion, won the women’s 35 km in a world-leading 2:38:19, ahead of Tokyo Olympic 20 km winner Antonella Palmisano (ITA: 2:39:35).

In the 20 km walks, Spain’s Paul McGrath won easily in 1:18:08 over defending champ Francisco Fortunato (ITA: 1:18:16), with Gabriel Bordier (FRA: 1:18:23) third. Ukraine’s Lyudmila Olynavovska won the women’s 20 km in 1:27:56, from Clemence Beretta (FRA: 1:28:05).

● Badminton ● Home fans got a thrill at the BWF World Tour Thailand Open in Patumwan in the men’s Singles as top-seeded Kunlavut Vitidsarn (THA) defeated no. 2 Anders Antonsen (DEN), 21-16, 17-21, 21-9.

China’s Tokyo 2020 gold medalist Yu Fei Chen won the women’s Singles over top-seeded Pornpawee Chochuwong (THA), 21-16, 21-12. Malaysian teams won the men’s and women’s Doubles and China took the Mixed Doubles.

● Canoe-Kayak ● The home team put on a strong performance at the ICF Sprint World Cup I in Szeged (HUN), winning seven events: four for the men and three for the women.

Two-time Olympic silver medalist Adam Varga won the men’s K-1 500 m in 1:44.67, Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Balint Kopasz took the K-1 1,000 m in 3:29.65 and Levente Kurucz and Mark Opavszky took the K-2 500 m in 1:36.93. The Hungarian team also won a tight race with Germany to take the K-4 500 m by 1:20.32 to 1:20.53.

Zsofia Scorba won the grueling C-1 5,000 m in 28:11.39, with American Audrey Harper sixth in 30:41.16, and Agnes Kiss and Blanka Nagy won the C-2 500 m final in 1:57.12, ahead of China’s Mengya Sun and Yaran Ma (1:57.48). The Hungarian squad was an easy winner of the C-4 500 m final.

The only double winner was Poland’s six-time Worlds medal winner Anna Pulawska, who took the women’s K-1 200 m in 43.53 and the K-1 500 m in 1:50.77. The Poles added two more women’s wins, with Sylwia Szczerbinska and Dorota Borowska in the C-2 200 m (44.10) and Martyna Klatt and Sandra Ostrowska in the K-2 500 m (1:48.86).

Canada’s nine-time World Champion Katie Vincent won the women’s C-1 500 m, and 2021 World Champion Aimee Fisher (NZL) won the K-1 1,000 m final in 3:55.89.

Brazil’s seven-time World Champion Isaquias Queiroz took the C-1 500 m in 1:47.80, and C-1 1,000 m Olympic champ Martin Fuksa (CZE) won that race by daylight in 3:54.64.

● Cycling ● Things got crazy over the weekend at the 108th Giro d’Italia, starting on Friday with the first climbing stage of the race. It was expected that 2023 winner Primoz Roglic (SLO) would have the overall race lead by the end of the day, and he did.

But in a position to win the stage, Roglic was unable to master the uphill finish to Tagliacozzo at the end of 168 km and fell back to fourth as 22-year-old rising Spaniard Juan Ayuso – who won the Tirreno-Adriatico earlier this year – got away in the final 400 m to win in 4:20:25. Seven others were in the chase pack, including Roglic, finishing four seconds back.

So Roglic took over the “maglia rosa” leader jersey, but where he had an 18-second advantage over Ayuso coming into the stage, it was only four seconds going into Saturday’s 197 km, triple-climb stage to Castelraimondo.

Australia’s Luke Plapp, a six-time national road champion, attacked with 45 km to go and won his first Grand Tour stage in 4:44:20, leaving Wilco Kelderman (NED) and Diego Ulissi (ITA) – both +0:38 – in the dust. Ayuso and Roglic finished 11-12, but 4:49 and 4:50 back of the winner, so Ulissi took over the race lead over countryman Lorenzo Fortunato (+0:12), with Roglic third (+0:17) and Ayuso fourth (+0:20).

Sunday’s hilly course from Gubbio to Siena over 181 km, saw Belgian star Wout van Aert – in his first Giro – followed Mexico’s Isaac Del Toro on a late attack and then managed to cross first in 4:15:08, almost a minute ahead of the rest of the race. Ayuso finished 1:07 back in seventh and Roglic – after a fall on an early gravel sector and a later flat tire – ended up 19th in a pack that finished 2:22 behind the winner.

That completely scrambled the leaderboard and Del Toro – at age 21 and also in his first Giro – became the race leader by 1:13 over Ayuso, 1:30 over Antonio Tiberi (ITA) and 1:40 over Richard Carapaz (ECU). American Brandon McNulty is in eight (+1:59) and Roglic fell all the way to 10th (+2:25). Crazy.

Tuesday brings the second Individual Time Trial of the race, a flat 29.6 km course from Lucca to Pisa.

The three-stage UCI Women’s World Tour Itzulia Women in the Basque Country of Spain saw Mischa Bredewold (NED) win the mass-sprint finish of stage one and then repeat her win in stage two.

Sunday’s third stage had two moderate climbs on the 112.9 km course in and around Donostia, and Dutch star Demi Vollering put her foot down and crushed the field by 55 seconds, winning in 2:55:35, with Canada’s Sarah van Dam second.

That moved Vollering from sixth to first in 9:55:54, with Bredewold second by 48 seconds and van Dam third at +1:01.

At the UCI Mountain Bike World Series for the first Downhill of the season in Bielsko-Biala (POL), five-time World Downhill champ Loic Bruni (FRA) led wire-to-wire and won the men’s race in 3:04.867, ahead of Oisin O’Callaghan (IRL: 3:05.023) and France’s Amaury Pierson (3:05.675). American Richard Rude Jr. was fourth in 3:06.463.

Britain’s Tahnee Seagrave, a four-time Worlds medalist, won the women’s race in 3:34.340, also leading all the way, over Anna Newkirk of the U.S. (3:36.051).

● Diving ● The USA Diving National Championships finished Friday in Auburn, Alabama, with a sensational championship run from 13-year-old ElliReese Niday.

A seven-time U.S. junior champion, she won a tight battle with 19-year-old Bayleigh Cranford to take the women’s 10 m Platform title by 721.40 to 711.40! Said the winner, the youngest to win this event since 2016:

“It doesn’t feel real. I just tried to stay focused on my own dives and celebrate after.

“It’s really crazy. Maybe one day when I grow up, I’ll make the Olympic team possibly.”

Niday has the background: her mother, Lauryn McCalley Niday was a U.S. national springboard champion in 2000 and 2001.

First-time titles ran through the women’s events, as Sophie Verzyl won her first U.S. Nationals in the 3 m at 626.65, ahead of Lilly Witte (586.45), and Anna Kwong won her first individual national gold in the 1 m, scoring 534.85, beating Tokyo Olympian Hailey Hernandez (522.65) and Verzyl (518.30).

In the women’s Synchro events, Kwong and Verzyl tied with Witte and Bailee Sturgill in the 3 m at 534.12, with Taylor Fox and Hernandez third (515.88). Daryl Wright and Cranford won the 10 m at 569.43, beating Lanie Gulch and Anna Lemkin (554.40).

The men’s diving featured two wins for Joshua Hedberg, 18, who took his third individual national crown scoring 891.50 in the men’s 10 m final, beating Jordan Rzepka (866.45). He had already teamed with Carson Tyler to win the 10 m Synchro at 818.91, winning by more than 146 points.

Lyle Yost won the men’s 1 m at 766.70, ahead of Nicholas Harris (745.45) and Collier Dyer (740.70) and Max Flory took the 3 m title at 922.00, with Dyer at 894.70. Jack Ryan and Grayson Campbell won the 3 m Synchro decisively at 782.19.

In the Mixed Synchro events, Luke Hernandez and Kyndal Knight won the 3 m t 284.10, with Ryan and Krysta Palmer second (282.72). Cranford got a second synchro win in the 10 m, with Tyler Wills at 312.06; they had previously won this event at the 2023 USA Winter Nationals.

● Fencing ● At the FIE Foil Grand Prix in Shanghai (CHN), Hong Kong’s 32nd-ranked Chun Yin Ryan Choi took the men’s title from Italy’s 2023 World Champion, Tommaso Marini, 15-12, for his first major international victory.

In another women’s classic, 2023 Worlds bronze winner Martina Favaretto (ITA) managed another win over Olympic champ Lee Kiefer of the U.S., by 15-11. It’s Favaretto’s second straight win over Kiefer this month, but the American retains a 4-3 career edge in their one-on-one match-ups.

● Gymnastics ● At the second FIG Artistic World Challenge Cup, in Koper (SLO), Brazil, Chinese Taipei and Slovenia all scored two wins.

Slovenian women won both first-day events, with Teja Belak taking the Vault over Tijana Korent (CRO), 13.516 to 13.199. Lucija Hribar got the gold on the Uneven Bars, scoring 14.000 to 12.666 for Brazil’s Gabriela Barbosa.

Brazil got two wins on Sunday, with Julia Coutinho winning on Floor at 13.100, ahead of Barbosa (12.733), and then Lucas Bitencourt winning the men’s Horizontal Bar at 13.500, barely ahead of teammate Patrick Sampaio (13.466).

Chinese Taipei’s Min-Han Chiou won the men’s Floor title at 13.833 and Wei-Sheng Tseng won on Vault, scoring 13.883.

In the other men’s events, Diyas Toishybek (KAZ: 14.033) won on Pommel Horse, 2019 World Rings champ Ibrahim Colak (TUR: 14.033) won his specialty, and Cameron-Lie Bernard (FRA: 13.800) won on Parallel Bars, ahead of Colak (13.366). British Olympian Georgia-Mae Fenton on the women’s Beam, at 13.166.

● Ice Hockey ● Nearing the close of group play at the IIHF men’s World Championship in Denmark and Sweden, three of the four qualifiers from Group A are set, with Sweden (6-0), Canada (5-0) and Finland (4-1) all set to advance. Latvia (3-3) is in fourth position, but needs to beat Austria on Tuesday.

In Group B, the U.S. skated past Germany on Saturday, 6-3, and defeated Kazakhstan on Sunday, 6-1, to also clinch a berth in the quarterfinals. Switzerland leads the group at 6-1, with the Czech Republic at 5-0 and the U.S. at 5-1 all through to the playoffs. Germany and Denmark are tied on points, 9-9, and will play on Tuesday.

Group play will finish in Tuesday (20th) and the quarterfinals will begin on the 22nd.

● Sailing ● The 2025 Laser (ILCA 7) and Laser Radial (ILCA 6) World Championships in Qingdao (CHN) had light winds for most of the week, but then a howling squall on the final day on Saturday.

In the women’s tournament, it was Paris 10th-placer Louise Cervera (FRA) who surprised even herself with the victory, winning two races and finishing fourth twice to end with 11 net points, ahead of 2021 silver medalist Agata Barwinska (POL: 24) and Eve Mcmahon (IRL: also 24). Charlotte Rose was the top American, in eighth (39).

The men’s ILCA 7 regatta was a nail-biter, coming down to the wind-blown final race, with Willem Wiersema (NED) getting his only win of the week. But that was enough to give him just 11 net points, enough to win over two-time Olympic silver medalist Pavlos Kontides (CYP: 12) and Zac Littlewood (AUS) and Jonatan Vadnai (ITA: both also 13).

Wiersema’s best prior finish in a World was 50th, in 2021!

● Sport Climbing ● Olympic silver winner Sorato Anraku (JPN) won his third IFSC World Cup of the season in Curitiba (BRA), taking the Boulder title with 69.7 points in the final. That was good enough to win over France’s Mejdi Schalck (58.9) and two-time World Boulder champ Tomoa Narasaki (JPN: 39.0.

The women’s Boulder competition was a French 1-2, with 2021 World Youth champ Naile Meignan scoring 99.6 in the final to edge countrywoman and 2023 Worlds runner-up Oriane Bertone (99.5). American Nekaia Sanders finished eighth at 34.8.

● Triathlon ● Luxembourg isn’t one of the power countries in the World Triathlon Championship Series, but it was on Saturday in Yokohama (JPN), as Jeanne Lehair, 29, who formerly competed for France, won her first career WTCS race, beating three long-time stars, in rainy conditions.

She was second out of the water, but only 31st in the bike phase, nevertheless one of four leading into the run. Even in the presence of other excellent runners, Lehair – who transferred allegiance from France in 2023 – had the second-fastest run on the day, in 33:41, to finish at 1:51:34.

That was enough to hold off 2023 World Champion Beth Potter (GBR), who ran 33:38 and 1:51:38, and Paris Mixed Relay gold medalist Lisa Tertsch (GER: 33:47 and 1:51:40).

American star Gwen Jorgensen, the Rio 2016 Olympic champ, had her usual strong run in 33:48 to finish fourth in 1:51:52.

Australian Matt Hauser, seventh at the Paris Olympic Games, got his second career Championship Series victory in the men’s race, outlasting Vasco Vilaca (POR) in the closing stages of the run, winning in 1:41:08. Vilaca was a clear second in 1:41:14 over Miguel Hidalgo (BRA: 1:41.29).

Hauser earned the win with the fastest 10 km in the field at 29:43, with Vilaca exactly six seconds behind, which was the final margin. Chase McQueen was the top American, in 13th (1:43:29).

● Wrestling ● The next step in naming the U.S. Freestyle team for the 2025 World Championships was the USA Wrestling World Team Trials Challenge in Louisville, Kentucky, with wrestle-offs to determine the remaining contestants in the “Final X” selection meet on 14 June in Newark, New Jersey.

One of those trying to qualify was Olympic women’s 68 kg and two-time World 72 kg champ Amit Elor, in her first competition since Paris in 2024. Back at 72 kg, she fell behind 1-0 in the first period against U.S. Open runner-up Skylar Grote and had to win two second-period points to advance, 2-1.

At 59 kg, 2019 World Champion Jacarra Winchester moved on with a 7-3 win over Alexis Janiak. U.S. Open silver medalists who did advance to Final X included Erin Golston (50 kg), Felicity Taylor (53 kg), Everest Leydecker (55 kg) and Adaugo Nwachukwu (62 kg).

In the men’s bouts, two-time Olympic bronze medalist Kyle Dake won a high-profile battle at 86 kg with Carter Starocci on criteria after a 3-3 score.

At 79 kg, Levi Haines beat Dean Hamiti, the U.S. Open runner-up at 79 kg by 10-2, and U-20 Worlds runner-up Josh Barr won at 92 kg over Aeoden Sinclair, 7-3.

At 97 kg, Hayden Zillmer, a 2022 U.S. Worlds team member, won at 97 kg by beating U-23 Worlds bronzer Jonathan Aiello, 5-3. Trent Hillger took the 125 kg title over U.S. Open runner-up Demetrius Thomas, 10-4.

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Pablo Torre hits out at FOX Sports host as Michael Jordan ‘obsession’ claim made

Former ESPN star Pablo S. Torre aimed a brutal putdown at FOX Sports host Nick Wright, claiming he is still ‘banned’ from the show and that both he and Larsa Pippen are ‘obsessed’ with Michael Jordan. 15:36 ET, 21 Jun 2025Updated 15:37 ET, 21 Jun 2025 Pablo Torre had some harsh words for Nick Wright(Image: […]

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Former ESPN star Pablo S. Torre aimed a brutal putdown at FOX Sports host Nick Wright, claiming he is still ‘banned’ from the show and that both he and Larsa Pippen are ‘obsessed’ with Michael Jordan.

15:36 ET, 21 Jun 2025Updated 15:37 ET, 21 Jun 2025

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Pablo Torre had some harsh words for Nick Wright(Image: Getty)

Pablo S. Torre, formerly of ESPN, didn’t hold back in his critique of FOX Sports’ Nick Wright this week, suggesting that Wright is still barred from his podcast – while jesting that both he and Larsa Pippen share an “obsession” with basketball legend Michael Jordan.

As the NBA great gears up to step into sports broadcasting next season, Jordan, a six-time champ, is slated to join NBC’s NBA coverage team. At 62, Jordan is shifting focus from his 23XI NASCAR venture to offer special commentary on NBA matchups starting next season.

Despite previous declarations of steering clear from media roles, he’s set to take on a position akin to Tom Brady’s NFL analysis. On his ‘Pablo Torre Finds Out’ podcast, Torre didn’t shy away from calling out Wright for his repeated digs at Jordan, confirming that Wright remains unwelcome on his show.

READ MORE: Jordan Spieth snubbed PGA Tour duo with blunt verdict on LIV Golf’s Bryson DeChambeauREAD MORE: WNBA urged to change rules after Caitlin Clark incident in Indiana Fever game

“It’s hard for me to tell,” Torre mused about his rapport with Wright. “Is Nick Wright still banned from PTFO? I think the answer must be ‘Yes,’

“And also, ‘Does Nick Wright have something in common with Larsa Pippen?’ I would say, ‘Yes.’

“Yeah, I would say they’re both almost clinically obsessed with Michael Jordan. That seems to be a throughline, so yeah, f— you Nick Wright.”

AUTO: NOV 09 NASCAR Cup Series NASCAR Cup Series Championship
Michael Jordan will be part of NBC’s NBA broadcast crew next season(Image: Getty)

However, during Thursday’s podcast episode, Torre seemed to soften his stance, acknowledging a shared trait between himself and Wright.

“I just think that Nick Wright and I are both jealous of people who are more ambitious and more creative than us,” he admitted.

“And that’s how I feel about The Rehearsal, and that’s clearly how he feels about this show.

“So the ultimate compliment – the ultimate compliment is that I want to be more like The Rehearsal, I think.”

Jordan is gearing up to kick off his new gig with NBC as they take over broadcasting the NBA season, starting with the 2025-26 regular season.



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EDUCATION ROUNDUP: Wyoming Area to explore possible merger with neighboring district

At Wyoming Area’s June 17 work session, School Board Vice President Pete Butera said he was planning to introduce a motion at the Tuesday regular session to amend the finance report to include an item to form a committee that would explore the possibility of Wyoming Area merging with a neighboring school district. “I […]

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At Wyoming Area’s June 17 work session, School Board Vice President Pete Butera said he was planning to introduce a motion at the Tuesday regular session to amend the finance report to include an item to form a committee that would explore the possibility of Wyoming Area merging with a neighboring school district.

“I just wanted to make the board aware of that in advance,” he said.

Wyoming Area has, in recent years, found itself in significant financial straits. The school raised taxes for at least the last three years in a row, with a 4.6% increase in 2022, a 5.5% increase in 2023 and a 6.5% increase in 2024.

Business Consultant Tom Melone at the yearly budget meeting in 2024 said the recent tax hikes were the result of a continued increase in Cyber Charter School tuition, as well as declining assessed property values and health insurance costs.

Cyber/charter school tuition for the 2023-2024 school year was at the time projected to be $2,409,095, which was a substantial increase from the amount of $2,019,492 from the year before.

Wyoming Area has also seen continued increases in Cyber/charter school expenditures since 2016-2017. In the school year following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the amount nearly doubled.

As far as property values were concerned, Melone explained last year that they have been steadily declining in both Luzerne and Wyoming County since 2015-2016, with Luzerne County expected to see a small increase by the end of this year.

The most recent tax hike last year brought out many concerned residents who vehemently opposed the tax increase.

Of note, the board will also consider at the regular meeting the resignation of Mark Casper as the head girl’s basketball coach and Mason Byers as the head boy’s lacrosse coach.

The next school board meeting will take place at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Secondary Center auditorium, 252 Memorial St., Exeter. The meeting will also be livestreamed on the district’s YouTube channel.

Wyoming Valley West

Earlier this month, the Wyoming Valley West School Directors named Charles Suppon Jr. as the district’s next Superintendent.

Suppon will step into the role on July 1, following current Superintendent David Tosh’s retirement on June 30.

According to a press release from the district, Suppon is currently serving as chief operating officer for the Tunkhannock Area School District, a position he’s held since July 2022. Previously, he led Special Education there and in the Wyalusing Area School District.

Additionally, Suppon served as vice principal at Wyoming Valley West from 2014 to 2016.

“I am thrilled and honored to return to Wyoming Valley West,” Suppon said in the release. “It will be a privilege to work alongside such dedicated educators and administrators. Together, I believe we can build a future defined by innovation, opportunity, and excellence for all students. I’m grateful to the Board for their confidence in me and eager to begin listening, learning, and leading, in partnership with the entire school community.”

Board President Rick Kamus said he was excited to welcome Suppon back to the district.

“We have ambitious plans for the future of Wyoming Valley West, and we are confident Dr. Suppon will deliver as our next superintendent. I also want to thank the Board for their dedication to this process.”

The next Wyoming Valley West School Board work session will take place at 7 p.m. on Aug. 6, followed by a regular meeting at 7 p.m. on Aug. 13. Both will take place at 201 Chester St., Kingston, in the middle school auditorium.

The meeting will also stream live on Zoom.

An agenda for that meeting has not yet been posted, but once it’s online, it can be found on the district’s website.

Hazleton Area

The Hazleton Area School District held its Public Budget Meeting this week, where the proposed 2025-2026 General Fund Budget was presented.

The proposed budget is on track to be balanced while maintaining the lowest property taxes in the region, continuing HASD’s fiscally responsible record.

Hazleton Area School District is the ninth largest school district in Pennsylvania, serving more than 13,000 students in both classroom and cyber learning environments. The district is growing at a rapid 8% annual rate and continues to meet the needs of its students, while maintaining the lowest property tax rates in all of Luzerne, Schuylkill, and Carbon Counties.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian Uplinger stated, “We are proud to once again present a budget that reflects our district’s commitment to excellence. Despite significant student growth and increasing demands on our system, we are delivering high-quality education while being fiscally responsible with taxpayer money. That’s something our entire community can be proud of.”

A balanced budget is also a positive signal to bond rating agencies, which review school district finances when assessing creditworthiness and long-term investment stability.

Robert Krizansky, HASD business manager, said, “This proposed budget proves that we can grow responsibly while maintaining strong fiscal health. With enrollment steadily increasing, HASD is planning for the future while ensuring that taxpayers receive maximum value for every dollar spent.”

Anthony Lamanna, treasurer and assistant business manager, added, “We’re continuing to be transparent with our financial planning. We have invested wisely in programs, personnel, and infrastructure while remaining committed to academic success, operational efficiency, and community partnership.”

NOTE: The adoption of the 2025-2026 Final General Fund Budget will take place at the Regular Monthly School Board Meeting on Thursday, June 26.

Hanover Area

At a special meeting on Tuesday, June 17, the Hanover Area School Board approved a final budget for the 2025-2026 school year, which will represent no tax increase for residents. Total expenditures are $46,915,890 and total revenues are $46,915,890, with a millage rate of 18.7743.

In addition, the board approved payment to Keystone Sports Construction for the tennis court mill and paving project, which cost $54,801.28.

A number of personnel appointees were approved at the special meeting as well, including Lisette Tapia as the district interpreter, at a rate of $30 per hour; Joseph Gorham as the school safety and security coordinator; and Daphne Pugh as the assistant to the superintendent, at a salary of $118,000.

Greater Nanticoke Area

The Greater Nanticoke Area School Board recommended the adoption of its final budget for the 2025-2026 school year on Thursday, June 19. The tax rate in the budget is set at 12.8083 mills, which the district notes as being enacted “without substantial change” from the previous year.

The full budget is available on the district website.

The next meeting of the school board will be on Thursday, July 10, at 6 p.m.

Northwest

According to the district’s website, the next school board meeting will take place at 6:45 p.m. July 17 in the Northwest Area Library, unless a different location is posted on the front door of the Northwest Area High School, 243 Thorne Hill Road, Shickshinny.

Dallas

Next meeting: Monday, June 23, Board Room, 7 p.m.

The Dallas School District Board meeting agenda will be made available 24 hours prior to the meeting. Contact Ms. Chris Porasky at 570-675-5201 Ext. 5223 with any questions.

Pittston Area

The next meeting of the Pittston Area school board will be at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, July 15, at the high school. Should that meeting time change, a press release will be issued by the district.

Lake-Lehman

According to the district’s website, the next school board meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. July 21 in the auditorium of the junior-senior high school, at 1128 Old Rte 115, Lehman.

Wilkes-Barre Area

The board will not meet in July. The next meeting will be held in August at a date to be announced.

Crestwood

The next regular board meeting of the Crestwood School Board is scheduled for Thursday, June 26, at the secondary campus.

Education Roundup is a weekly column by Times Leader staff writers. Reach Bill O’Boyle at [email protected]. Reach Margaret Roarty at [email protected]. Reach Sam Zavada at [email protected].



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Top hockey talent shows off skills in Southwest Florida at All Ivy Futures Showcase

Some of the top prep and NCAA hockey programs in the country made the trip to Southwest Florida for a one-of-a-kind summer showcase aimed at helping the next generation of players take the next step — both on and off the ice.The Matterhorn Fit All Ivy Futures event brought together elite youth hockey players for […]

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June 22, 2025

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Some of the top prep and NCAA hockey programs in the country made the trip to Southwest Florida for a one-of-a-kind summer showcase aimed at helping the next generation of players take the next step — both on and off the ice.The Matterhorn Fit All Ivy Futures event brought together elite youth hockey players for a weekend of high-level competition, hands-on coaching, and unmatched exposure in front of schools like Harvard, Yale, Cornell, Maine, Miami University and more.“This is my first time coaching college hockey,” said Matt Gilroy, a former Hobey Baker winner now working with Harvard. “And it’s probably the best current event that I’ve been to in my life. So it’s great to be a part of it.”Players hit the ice for one practice and four games, but the showcase is about more than just the scoreboard. The event includes coach-led workshops, recruiting insight, and personal evaluations. For many, it’s a chance to see exactly what it takes to reach the prep, college, and even pro levels.“I just think the whole showcase, the information that they provide at the Matterhorn Fit is the biggest thing,” Gilroy said. “Teaching them all the different avenues. There is a long road and different roads to make it to college hockey, to prep hockey, to pro hockey — and Ryan does a great job explaining that to the families.”On the prep school side, St. Johns School head boys hockey coach Scott Harff said the focus on development — not just as players, but as people — is what keeps coaches coming back.“You’re attracting people who are patient and are focused on player development, but also just personal development,” Harff said. “That makes our job really easy, because those are the types of kids and families we want to work with.”That impact is felt by the players, too.Esteban Boyer, a defenseman from Gatineau, Quebec, said, “You show your talent to the scouts and have fun with friends or people you usually don’t play with. They see a different vision of your game.”Dylan Delgado, a returning forward from Pembroke Pines, Florida, added, “I think my game has formed a little bit with playing at such a high-level competition. It gets me ready for the season. I think everyone has high standards here, and I think it builds good character.”Gilroy, who played in the NHL after a standout career at Boston University, said events like this give back to the game in the right way.“I did the showcase circuit as a kid. College coaches came back to give back,” he said. “And you watch these kids grow at a young age. When it comes time to recruit guys. You have a little bit of a back door to fall back on.”The Matterhorn Fit All Ivy Futures continues to grow each year, offering players a unique blend of elite hockey, development insight, and a clear look at what it takes to make it to the next level.

ESTERO, Fla. —

Some of the top prep and NCAA hockey programs in the country made the trip to Southwest Florida for a one-of-a-kind summer showcase aimed at helping the next generation of players take the next step — both on and off the ice.

The Matterhorn Fit All Ivy Futures event brought together elite youth hockey players for a weekend of high-level competition, hands-on coaching, and unmatched exposure in front of schools like Harvard, Yale, Cornell, Maine, Miami University and more.

“This is my first time coaching college hockey,” said Matt Gilroy, a former Hobey Baker winner now working with Harvard. “And it’s probably the best current event that I’ve been to in my life. So it’s great to be a part of it.”

Players hit the ice for one practice and four games, but the showcase is about more than just the scoreboard. The event includes coach-led workshops, recruiting insight, and personal evaluations. For many, it’s a chance to see exactly what it takes to reach the prep, college, and even pro levels.

“I just think the whole showcase, the information that they provide at the Matterhorn Fit is the biggest thing,” Gilroy said. “Teaching them all the different avenues. There is a long road and different roads to make it to college hockey, to prep hockey, to pro hockey — and Ryan [Vesce] does a great job explaining that to the families.”

On the prep school side, St. Johns School head boys hockey coach Scott Harff said the focus on development — not just as players, but as people — is what keeps coaches coming back.

“You’re attracting people who are patient and are focused on player development, but also just personal development,” Harff said. “That makes our job really easy, because those are the types of kids and families we want to work with.”

That impact is felt by the players, too.

Esteban Boyer, a defenseman from Gatineau, Quebec, said, “You show your talent to the scouts and have fun with friends or people you usually don’t play with. They see a different vision of your game.”

Dylan Delgado, a returning forward from Pembroke Pines, Florida, added, “I think my game has formed a little bit with playing at such a high-level competition. It gets me ready for the season. I think everyone has high standards here, and I think it builds good character.”

Gilroy, who played in the NHL after a standout career at Boston University, said events like this give back to the game in the right way.

“I did the showcase circuit as a kid. College coaches came back to give back,” he said. “And you watch these kids grow at a young age. When it comes time to recruit guys. You have a little bit of a back door to fall back on.”

The Matterhorn Fit All Ivy Futures continues to grow each year, offering players a unique blend of elite hockey, development insight, and a clear look at what it takes to make it to the next level.



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Analyzing Carly Dockendorf’s two years leading the Red Rocks – Deseret News

More than two months have passed since the 2025 NCAA women’s gymnastics championship meet. Utah finished No. 4 in that competition, the Red Rocks’ sixth consecutive top four finish if you include the abbreviated 2020 season. The last time the Red Rocks had that many consecutive top four finishes was in the early-to-mid 90s, albeit […]

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June 21, 2025

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More than two months have passed since the 2025 NCAA women’s gymnastics championship meet. Utah finished No. 4 in that competition, the Red Rocks’ sixth consecutive top four finish if you include the abbreviated 2020 season.

The last time the Red Rocks had that many consecutive top four finishes was in the early-to-mid 90s, albeit that stretch included three national championships.

At this point in the summer, transfers have largely picked their new schools and recruits in the 2027 signing class can commit to schools. All of that is to say the 2025 season is truly over and done with, while 2026 beckons.

That makes this as good a time as any to look closely at the head coaching tenure of Carly Dockendorf.

Dockendorf took over the Utah program in November of 2023 following the departure of Tom Farden. First named the interim coach and then quickly made the permanent leader of the Red Rocks less than a month later, Dockendorf has led Utah’s storied women’s gymnastics program for two seasons now.

She is beloved by her gymnasts, many of whom have gone out of their way on social media to praise their head coach, including Avery Neff, Camie Winger and Ella Zirbes this past season.

But has Dockendorf — who joined Utah prior to the 2018 season and moved her way up the coaching staff ladder — established herself as the right person to lead the Red Rocks now and in the future?

Wins and losses

Utah head coach Carly Dockendorf cheers her gymnasts on during a meet against Denver at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. The Red Rocks claimed victory over Denver with a final score of 198.075-197.525, which secured them the Big 12 Conference’s first gymnastics regular-season title. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News

Dockendorf has shined in this regard, even if Utah’s fourth place finish at this year’s NCAA championships left a bitter taste for many.

In her two years leading the Red Rocks, Utah has won 75% of its regular season meets, is undefeated at the conference championships (Pac-12 in 2024 and Big 12 in 2025), has defeated 83% of its opponents at NCAA regionals and has defeated more than half (58%) of the teams it has faced at the NCAA championships.

The Red Rocks have won and won a lot under Dockendorf, whose first two years are arguably the most successful first two years by a head coach in program history (the caveat is Greg Marsden built the program from scratch, while both Megan Marsden and Farden assumed co-head coaching duties when the program was in need of a rebuild in order to return to the top of the sport).

Of course, wins and losses (outside of conference and national championship meets) aren’t really the be-all, end-all in college gymnastics. For most of the season scores are paramount, and Utah’s scores under Dockendorf have also been very good.

In 2024, Utah’s final national qualifying score (NQS) during the regular season was 197.895 and the team scored above a 197.5 a total of 13 times, including the postseason.

In 2025, Utah’s final national qualifying score (NQS) during the regular season was 197.780 and the team scored above a 197.5 a total of seven times, including the postseason.

The drop in 197.5-plus scores from one year to the next is a little concerning. In 2025 Utah wasn’t as consistently great over the course of the season as many of the top contenders, and perhaps most concerning the Red Rocks had some poor showings, with a 196 in four meets.

It is important to note, though, that outside of Oklahoma, LSU and Florida, few teams regularly scored above a 197.5 last season. UCLA finished the year No. 2 in the country and the Bruins only scored a 197.5 or better in just over half of their meets.

As it compares to the rest of the best in the NCAA, Utah hasn’t been far away from the top. During both the 2024 and 2025 regular seasons, only Oklahoma, LSU and Florida were consistently better than Utah, and once the postseason rolled around, none of those three teams have been as consistent as Utah has the last two years, though Oklahoma and LSU were better when it mattered most as the last two national champs.

Dockendorf through her first two seasons leading Utah also compares favorably with the other top coaches in the sport at the beginning of their tenures at their current schools.

Florida’s head coach Jenny Rowland walks the floor during an NCAA gymnastics meet against Georgia in Gainesville, Fla., Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. | Gary McCullough, AP

Jenny Rowland succeeded Rhonda Faehn at Florida and Faehn was nothing short of a legend at UF. She won nearly 80% of her meets over 12 seasons, including three national championships.

Similar to Dockendorf at Utah, Rowland took over a Florida program that was not in need of a rebuild, and she won a lot as a result. She went 8-2 in the regular season her first year and won the SEC championship before leading the Gators to a fourth place finish as the national championships.

In 2017, Rowland led the Gators to another 8-2 regular season record, and the Gators finished second at the SEC championships before finishing third overall in the national championship meet.

At LSU, Jay Clark was promoted to co-head coach alongside LSU great D-D Breaux in 2020 and then took over as the program’s sole head coach the following season.

In his first two years leading the Tigers, Clark went 14-2 (2020) and 5-3 (2021) in the regular season, coached a runner-up at the SEC championships in 2021 (the 2020 season was cut short due to the pandemic) and LSU finished fourth in the national semifinals that same year.

Give Clark an extra year (since the 2020 season wasn’t complete) and he won 70% of his regular season meets in the first two(ish) years, but didn’t win a conference title and didn’t make it to the national championship meet.

UCLA’s Janelle McDonald was hired ahead of the 2023 season, taking over a UCLA program that thrived in the late 2010s before stumbling during the Chris Waller era at the beginning of the 2020s.

In her first two years leading the Bruins, McDonald won 50% of her meets, finished second at the Pac-12 championships in consecutive years and the furthest UCLA advanced in the postseason was the national semifinals in 2023.

There is context to the start of each of the aforementioned coaches’ head coaching tenures at their current schools, but all three situations were the closest to resembling the Utah program that Dockendorf took over — a traditional blue-blood that recently said goodbye to a great coach — and there is a real argument that the start of Dockendorf’s head coaching career is the best among that group.

Coaching adjustments

Utah Red Rocks head coach Carly Dockendorf talks with Camie Winger before performing her beam routine during the NCAA gymnastics regionals at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 5, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News

There is more to coaching than just wins and losses, though.

Overall success in women’s college gymnastics (as in most sports) is a lot more dependent on the athletes themselves than on the coach.

It is the coach’s job, though, to put the right gymnasts in the lineup in the right order consistently in order to give a team the best chance for success in the now, while simultaneously building for future seasons.

For the most part, Dockendorf has proven adept at managing lineups.

In her first year leading the Red Rocks, Dockendorf had a experience-laden roster, featuring standouts such as Maile O’Keefe, Abby Paulson, Grace McCallum, Jaedyn Rucker and others.

In total Utah had seven upperclassmen (juniors or seniors) and Dockendorf relied heavily on them, particularly early in the season.

As things progressed, though, she managed to give young gymnasts such as Winger, Zirbes, Elizabeth Gantner and Ashley Glynn real opportunities to compete.

By the end of the year, all four of those underclassmen played critical roles in Utah’s success, and Dockendorf even pulled Rucker out of the floor exercise lineup in favor of Zirbes at nationals (Rucker had struggled with inconsistency most of the season, while Zirbes had consistently proven capable of good scores). She also inserted Gantner into the beam lineup, in place of then-junior Jaylene Gilstrap.

People had their complaints. Many fans wanted to see Glynn more involved on the uneven bars at the expense of senior Alani Sabado, for example, but for the most part, Dockendorf handled Utah’s lineups well her first season leading Utah.

The same could be said about Dockendorf in 2025. This time around, Utah had a younger team and Dockendorf wasn’t shy about relying on the younger gymnasts early on.

Neff was an all-around gymnast from the get-go and she didn’t disappoint. When Neff was injured, Dockendorf adjusted on the fly well, inserting Sarah Krump into the floor lineup, while giving Winger and Gantner more opportunities (Winger on floor and Gantner on beam).

Dockendorf also tested out freshman Zoe Johnson in exhibition in multiple meets, which eventually set the stage for Johnson to make it into both the floor and vault lineups later in the season.

That Utah survived Neff’s absence, a multi-week injury to Ana Padurariu and season-ending injuries to Rucker and freshman Poppy-Grace Stickler speaks to how well Dockendorf managed the lineups.

And at nationals, like she did the year before, Dockendorf pulled one of her better gymnasts (this time it was Winger on beam, where she was a regular season All-American) due to consistent struggles and the replacement shined (Gantner on beam in the national championship meet).

The two biggest complaints regarding Dockendorf’s handling of lineups through her first two years are:

  • She stayed with struggling gymnasts (Rucker and Winger) for too long.
  • She didn’t adjust Utah’s beam lineup (gymnasts in it or order in which they competed) quickly enough in 2025 to keep the event from morphing into the Red Rocks’ Achilles’ heel.

Those are fair criticisms, and refreshingly, Dockendorf doesn’t act like she has it all figured out. Following the national championship meet she noted that something happened to Utah on beam during a regular season meet at Arizona State and the team never really recovered on that event and Dockendorf didn’t know exactly what went wrong.

“We never regained full confidence in ourselves,” she said. “(After that meet) it just never felt like it felt before. There was kind of always someone who was a little bit off. I can’t put my finger on exactly why.”

Dockendorf has proven to favor more experienced gymnasts in lineups, but she also hasn’t held off (for too long, anyway) on making changes when necessary.

She probably hasn’t been perfect with her management of lineups (who is?), but Utah’s overall success speaks to her picking the right gymnasts at the right time the majority of the time.

Recruiting

Utah women’s gymnastics head coach Carly Dockendorf hugs Utah’s Avery Neff after she performed on the floor as they compete in the NCAA regional semifinals for gymnastics at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Thursday, April 3, 2025. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News

Dockendorf’s predecessor at Utah valued recruiting above all else. If you wanted to get Farden excited, the solution was to talk to him about recruiting, and over the course of his tenure at Utah, he proved pretty adept at landing great gymnasts.

Among the many gymnasts Farden recruited (or helped recruit) to Utah were MyKayla Skinner, Maile O’Keefe, Abby Paulson, Grace McCallum, Kara Eaker, Makenna Smith and Avery Neff.

Dockendorf maybe isn’t as outwardly gung-ho as Farden was about recruiting, but she has proven pretty good at it. She was the primary recruiter for Stickler and fellow freshman Clara Raposo in the 2024 class, and Utah’s 2025 signing class (the incoming freshmen) is a notable one.

This summer the Red Rocks will bring in a pair of 5-star prospects in Bailey Stroud and Abigail “Abby” Ryssman. Stroud is ranked No. 6 overall in the class, while Ryssman, a one-time Denver commit, was vaulted into the 5-star tier this summer by College Gym News.

There is also a 4-star prospect in Norah Christian (once a Washington commit) and 3-star prospect Sage Curtis (she went to the same club gym as Neff and has scored a perfect 10 on vault).

Utah’s 2026 class (which will sign with the school in November) includes a 5-star prospect in Gabrielle Black, a 4-star prospect in Jazmyn Jimenez and an unrated prospect in Madison Denlinger.

Utah’s 2025 and 2026 classes may not be viewed as elite as some of the classes Farden signed, but 5-star prospects have comprised more than 40% of Utah signees and/or commits since Dockendorf took over.

What’s more, where Farden often went for and had success landing big names, thus far Dockendorf (and her staff) have had great success identifying gymnasts who are maybe underrated but have the potential to be stars.

Stroud, because of injuries, was initially a 3-star recruit, but once healthy she proved herself one of the best gymnasts in her class.

“Her 2024 started out somewhat slow,” College Gym News wrote, “but she crushed the end of the season with three straight (all-around) scores of 39. Her vault saw the biggest improvement this season, including an upgrade to a Yurchenko one and a half.”

Ryssman was once a solid 4-star recruit, but now will join the Red Rocks this fall as a top 30 prospect after winning a Level 10 national title this summer.

This time last year, Black was a 3-star recruit, but she had a monster year and is now the No. 7 prospect in the 2026 class, one spot behind Paris Olympian (and LSU commit) Hezley Rivera.

“Black improved on every event, but her biggest improvements came on vault, bars, and floor,” CGN’s Tara Graeve wrote. “She upgraded her skills while maintaining and improving her execution; her leaps on floor are notably improved.

“The Utah commit now boasts two potential 10.0 start value vault options and E skills on bars and floor, to name a few. … While she improved her beam total slightly, it is her weakest event at the moment, and there’s plenty of room to improve her consistency and continue refining her form. Working to control her power on vault will go a long way as well, as she can overcook it at times.”

It is worth noting that Dockendorf started her collegiate coaching career at a Division II school (Seattle Pacific), where she had to recruit on developmental potential more than anything else — often without even seeing gymnasts in person, reduced to watching highlights sent by coaches because of a lack of funding.

Furthermore, all of her assistant coaches (Jimmy Pratt, Mike Hunger and Myia Hambrick) coached at the club level previously in their careers, with both Pratt and Hunger owning their own gyms.

Big names are nice and Utah needs to land them regularly, particularly in the revenue-sharing era of college athletics, but development and scouting are quickly becoming clear strengths for Utah under Dockendorf.

The right woman for the job?

Utah’s Makenna Smith celebrates with Red Rocks head coach Carly Dockendorf after her beam routine during the NCAA gymnastics regionals at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 5, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News

After yet another season without a national title, Utah fans have every right to be dissatisfied with the Red Rocks.

While correctly considered one of the best women’s gymnastics programs in the country — due to nine NCAA national titles and a record 49 trips to the national championships — Utah has nonetheless failed to win a national championship for 30 years now.

For all the greats who’ve gone through the program since the mid-90s, the Red Rocks haven’t often proven capable of competing at their best when it matters most, in the final meet of the year. And when they have competed at their best, it hasn’t been quite good enough.

That has, through two seasons, held true under Dockendorf.

In every other way though, the Red Rocks’ latest head coach has looked the part. Under Dockendorf’s watch, Utah has remained one of the best programs in the country and has continued to recruit at a high level. The Red Rocks have proven capable under Dockendorf of competing at the level of the best programs in the country, and in big moments, too.

Is there room for improvement? Of course, and there always will be, but Utah appears to be in good hands with Dockendorf and there is reason to believe that she will only get better at her job as time passes.

And the better she gets, the better Utah’s chances of finally ending its agonizing national title drought will become.

Utah’s Zoe Johnson celebrates with head coach Carly Dockendorf during the NCAA gymnastics regionals at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 5, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News



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Kenny Dillingham reveals how recruiting pitch has changed with success at Arizona State

Kenny Dillingham has transformed Arizona State in a short period of time. The Sun Devils went from an afterthought in the Big 12 to making the College Football Playoff, where they gave Texas a run for their money. What do they have in store for an encore? Well, success has changed a ton for Dillingham’s […]

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Kenny Dillingham has transformed Arizona State in a short period of time. The Sun Devils went from an afterthought in the Big 12 to making the College Football Playoff, where they gave Texas a run for their money.

What do they have in store for an encore? Well, success has changed a ton for Dillingham’s team, as he explained during an appearance on the College GameDay Podcast. From recruiting to bringing fans out to the stadium, Arizona State is trying to take the next step, and everything is a little bit better heading into 2025.

“Way easier,” Dillingham stated, regarding recruiting. “I’ve said it even when we sucked, this is a front-running city. People moved to Scottsdale when they were tired. They go to Scottsdale to vacation and golf on awesome courses for two weeks at a time. It’s a city built off winning. That’s what it is. You’re surrounded by successful people who made it all around the city who are just relaxing, having a good time. They want to go and be at a party, they want to be a part of fun. So when you’re winning, it’s fun.

“Right now, we’re the team that’s winning, and it’s fun. How do we double down on that? Because at the end of the day, I really don’t think there’s many things more fun than a college football game. How do you double down on that fun and that excitement? We say the term, ‘activate the valley,’ and what that means is the dude from Chicago, who didn’t go to Arizona State, who retired out here — how do we get that dude wanting to be at Mountain America Stadium on Saturdays? How do we get that dude to want to do that? That’s where the fun’s at.

“It’s like the Waste Management Open. Golfers don’t always go to that. People who want fun do. We need to attract the fun. I think we’ve done that this year. I think we need to continue to do that. People will always get behind people who play the game with an edge, play the game very hard, play the game with a purpose and a passion behind it. I think people love to see passion, and that’s what separates college sports, that passion. That’s real.

“I hope our team continues to play with that, because I also think it’s one of our secret sauces, that passion and that energy. It’s not always a good reflection at times. You’ve got to be able to control it, including myself. Hence BYU. But there are moments that you got to have somebody help you control that passion.”

At the moment, Kenny Dillingham’s Arizona State team is the best show in town. Will that continue in 2025? It remains to be seen, but he’s taken the steps needed to ensure it happens this offseason. It’ll all be settled on the field though.



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Hockey Forward Prospect Mason West Commits to Michigan State Over Boston College

Class of 2026 hockey forward prospect Mason West has committed to Michigan State over Boston College.  West announced his collegiate decision through a social media post on Saturday morning.  “I’m honored to announce my commitment to play Division 1 hockey and further my education at Michigan State University,” said West via X. “I am extremely […]

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Class of 2026 hockey forward prospect Mason West has committed to Michigan State over Boston College. 

West announced his collegiate decision through a social media post on Saturday morning. 

“I’m honored to announce my commitment to play Division 1 hockey and further my education at Michigan State University,” said West via X. “I am extremely grateful for my family, friends, coaches, and teammates who helped me along the way.”

Earlier in the month, West spoke to NHL.com senior draft writer Mike G. Morreale and shared that he was down to the Spartans and Eagles leading up to the 2025 NHL Draft. 

The rising high school senior attends Edina High School in Edina, Minn. He is a two-sport athlete that also plays quarterback on the school’s football team. 

He also revealed to Morreale that he is planning to play one final season of football in the fall before heading to Fargo, N.D., to join the Fargo Force in December. 

“Fargo really gave me that experience of what the hockey path could look like,” said West. “Obviously, they don’t have that in football, so I got to see what the next step is for a hockey career, and I want to pursue that. I think I can get way better when I really focus on one sport.”

West has already seen time in a handful of games for the Force last season where he tallied one goal and eight assists for nine points. 

On the ice for Edina, West appeared in 31 games and tallied 27 goals and 22 assists for 49 points last season. On the gridiron, he went 178-of-244 for 2,592 yards, 38 touchdowns, and four interceptions. 

He is expected to be picked in the draft next week.





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