A federal judge on Wednesday permanently blocked Texas from enforcing a state law allowing illegal immigrants living in the Lone Star State to pay in-state tuition rates for public universities after the Trump administration challenged the statute. 

The two-decades-old law was overturned after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a motion in the US District Court for the Northern District of Texas agreeing with the Justice Department’s contention that the statute “expressly and directly conflicts” with federal immigration law. 

“[T]he Court hereby declares that the challenged provisions … as applied to aliens who are not lawfully present in the United States, violate the Supremacy Clause and are unconstitutional and invalid,” District Judge Reed O’Connor determined.  

“The Court also hereby permanently enjoins Defendant as well as its successors, agents, and employees, from enforcing Texas Education Code § 54.051(m) and § 54.052(a), as applied to aliens who are not lawfully present in the United States,” O’Connor, an appointee of former President George W. Bush, ruled. 

After the ruling, Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott declared on X that “In-state tuition for illegal immigrants in Texas has ended.” 

“Ending this discriminatory and un-American provision is a major victory for Texas,” Paxton said in a statement. 

In a lawsuit filed shortly before Paxton entered the state’s joint motion in the case, the Trump administration argued that “federal law prohibits illegal aliens from getting in-state tuition benefits that are denied to out-of-state U.S. citizens.”

“There are no exceptions. Yet the State of Texas has ignored this law for years,” the lawsuit stated. “This Court should put that to an end.” 

The 2001 state law was passed by the Texas Legislature under the administration of former Republican Gov. Rick Perry, who served as energy secretary during President Trump’s first term. 

The law, which survived several Republican-led legislative repeal efforts, allowed illegal immigrant students who have been Texas residents for at least three years leading up to their high school graduation and who pledge to apply for permanent legal status to pay dramatically lower tuition rates than out-of-state students. 

The University of Texas at Austin, for example, charges out-of-state students between $40,582 and $48,712 for annual tuition, whereas in-state students pay between $10,858 and $13,576, according to the school.

Texas was the first state in the nation to pass such legislation, which is now on the books in dozens of states. 

“Under federal law, schools cannot provide benefits to illegal aliens that they do not provide to US citizens,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement issued before the judge’s ruling. “The Justice Department will relentlessly fight to vindicate federal law and ensure that U.S. citizens are not treated like second-class citizens anywhere in the country.”

The DOJ’s complaint cited Trump’s February executive order, “Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders,” and his April directive, “Protecting American Communities From Criminal Aliens,” as the impetus for the lawsuit. 

BUFFALO — Mason West will play quarterback at Edina High School in Edina, Minnesota, one last time before trading in his cleats for hockey skates for good in 2025-26.

“I’ll play football in the fall and then head to Fargo (of the United States Hockey League),” West told NHL.com. “It was really important for me to play football as a senior with my friends. I always set goals for the year, and that was to win a state high school hockey championship and also a football championship.

“I haven’t done it in football so I kind of want to achieve that and stay loyal to my team because I think they need me.”

West (6-foot-6, 215 pounds) has been a two-sport standout at Edina the past three seasons. The right-shot center led the team in goals (27) and shots on goal (44), tied for first in game-winning goals (five), and was second in points (50) in 31 games as a junior this season.

He’s No. 27 on NHL Central Scouting’s final ranking of North American skaters eligible for the 2025 Upper Deck NHL Draft.

On the gridiron, he completed 178 of 244 passes for 2,592 yards, with 37 touchdowns and four interceptions. He finished with a 139.9 passer rating.

He said he will likely leave for Fargo in December after the end of football season.

“Fargo really gave me that experience of what the hockey path could look like,” West said. “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.”

Selected in the fifth round (No. 75) of the 2023 USHL futures draft, West had nine points (one goal, eight assists) in 10 games after joining Fargo on March 14.

He hasn’t committed to a college but has narrowed his choices to Michigan State and Boston College. He has 27 interviews with NHL clubs at the scouting combine.

“I would say my best asset is my shot,” he said. “I really think I have a really good shot when I can get it off quick. I think I have really good awareness and vision on ice, whether it’s in the breakout zone, neutral zone, or in the offensive zone. I’m going to make those little slip passes in the offensive zone, anticipate the next play, knowing where guys are and where they need to be for the puck.”

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — With her college gymnastics days behind her, influencer and Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Livvy Dunne is moving on with life — but that doesn’t mean she’ll be far from the public eye.

Dunne, who has more than 13 million followers on social media, created a multimillion-dollar personal brand while competing as a gymnast at LSU. Now she’s trying to help other female athletes do the same, helping to educate them about name, image and likeness deals and personal branding.

“I’m going to miss gymnastics so much because it has been a part of me for almost 20 years,” Dunne told The Associated Press at AthleteCon, where she had a speaking engagement. “What’s next? Everything. I want to do all of the things that I couldn’t do while I was a gymnast” because of the time constraints of being a student-athlete.

“So there are some really cool opportunities — stay tuned,” she added.

Dunne didn’t disclose any details, but it’s clear she plans to maintain her personal brand, which she developed along with the help of older sister and manager Julz Dunne.

AthleteCon CEO Sam Green, who has helped land more than 1,000 NIL deals, invited the Dunne sisters to speak to college athletes as part of a two-day seminar. Athletes met with representatives from social media platforms including TikTok, Snapchat and Meta, created live content and competed for NIL deals. They learned how to turn a creative idea into a brand.

More than 100 athletes attended, with another 150 turned away because of space constraints.

Green’s company slogan is “all athletes are creators.”

“I’m really big on giving athletes the tools to monetize their brand,” Green said.

Few, if any, have done that better than Livvy Dunne.

She helped the Tigers to the 2024 national championship as a junior before missing this past season because of an injury. But she was better known on social media, where she amassed more than 8 million followers on TikTok and 5.3 million on Instagram before leaving LSU.

Advertisers took notice.

She was the highest-paid female college athlete across all sports during her time with the Tigers, earning more than $4.1 million, according to On3. She worked with brands like Nautica, Crocs and Sports Illustrated, where she recently did a split on the catwalk on a “triple dare.”

Her boyfriend is Pittsburgh Pirates star pitcher Paul Skenes, who played baseball at LSU.

“She’s it,” Green said. “She’s the road map. She’s the blueprint and she was the first to do it. The Dunnes are so innovative and they have done it with genuine intent. Livvy is the definition of NIL, in my opinion, at least true NIL and what it was meant to be from the start.”

Dunne said navigating the ever-changing world of NIL was like living in the wild West.

“I learned that you don’t have to do one thing and be great at that one thing,” Dunne said. “You can do multiple different things and find success in tons of different areas.”

But there were trying times as she balanced classes, competition and the constant demand for multiple daily social media posts.

She remembers walking into LSU gymnastics coach Jay Clark’s office in tears because of stress about her schedule.

She fought through it and is glad she did.

“I hope people here take away that you are more than your sport and everybody deserves to capitalize on their name, image and likeness,” Dunne said. “Curiosity is key. Ask questions, network, and just create because, who knows, the sky is the limit. It got me to where I am today. Don’t just consume, but create.

“Keep posting,” she added. “The audience is there. People are interested. They want to see what you have to offer. Everyone’s story is different and has to be told.”

___

AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Former Michigan State All-Americans Flozell Adams and Morten Andersen, along with former head coach Darryl Rogers, are featured on the National Football Foundation’s 2026 ballot (Football Bowl Subdivision) for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.

In addition, former Spartan Gideon Smith, the first African American to play intercollegiate athletics at Michigan State and a three-year letterwinner from 1913-15, is on the ballot in the divisional coaching category. Smith coached at Hampton University from 1921-40 and led the Pirates to the 1922 Black College National Championship. He recorded four CIAA titles and two unbeaten seasons in his career. The longest tenured coach in Hampton history, Smith has the second-most wins all-time at the school.

Mark Dantonio, the winningest head coach in Michigan State history, was elected to the 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Class and was officially inducted on Dec. 10, 2024, in Las Vegas. Four other MSU coaches are currently enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame: Clarence “Biggie” Munn, Charles Bachman, Duffy Daugherty and Frank “Muddy” Waters. Former MSU head coach Nick Saban (1995-99), who won six national championships at Alabama and one at LSU, will be a part of the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class. 

In 2019, running back Lorenzo White was the 10th Spartan player inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, joining halfback John Pingel (inducted in 1968), tackle Don Coleman (1975), linebacker George Webster (1987), defensive end Bubba Smith (1988), safety Brad Van Pelt (2001), wide receiver Gene Washington (2011), linebacker Percy Snow (2013), running back Clinton Jones (2015) and wide receiver Kirk Gibson (2017).

The 2026 ballot, which includes 79 players and nine coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 100 players and 35 coaches from the divisional ranks, was emailed earlier this week to the more than 12,000 NFF members and current NFF Hall of Famers whose votes will be tabulated and submitted to the NFF’s Honors Court, which will deliberate and select the class. 

The Honors Court, chaired by NFF Board Member and NFF College Football Hall of Famer Archie Griffin from Ohio State, includes an elite and geographically diverse pool of athletic administrators, NFF Hall of Famers and members of the media. Click here for the official criteria and the voting procedures, which govern election to the NFF Hall.

“Each year, the NFF Hall of Fame ballot provides our members with the meaningful opportunity to help shape the future of college football’s most prestigious honor,” said NFF Chairman Archie Manning, a 1989 NFF College Football Hall of Fame inductee from Ole Miss. “Our voters are deeply passionate and knowledgeable, and their involvement ensures that those selected represent the very best our sport has to offer. It’s a tradition rooted in excellence, and we are excited to see who will be chosen for the 2026 Class.”

The announcement of the 2026 NFF College Football Hall of Fame Class will be made in early 2026, with specific details to be announced in the future.

 

The 2026 NFF College Football Hall of Fame Class will be officially inducted during the 68th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 8, 2026, at the Bellagio Hotel & Casino, and they will be honored at their respective schools with an NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the 2026 season.

 

Of the 5.78 million individuals who have played college football since Princeton first battled Rutgers on Nov. 6, 1869, only 1,111 players have earned induction into the NFF College Football Hall of Fame, or less than two one-hundredths of a percent (.02%) of those who have played the game during the past 155 seasons. From the coaching ranks, 237 individuals have achieved NFF Hall of Fame distinction.

Below are bio sketches for Adams, Andersen and Rogers:

Flozell Adams (OT, 6-7, 300, Bellwood, Ill.): Earned first-team All-America honors from the Walter Camp Foundation as a senior in 1997 . . . one of only three Spartans to be named the Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year . . . started all 12 games at left tackle in 1997 and helped the Spartans to a No. 24 ranking in rushing offense (199.5 ypg) . . . also opened holes for MSU running backs who tallied 100 or more yards seven times during the season . . . allowed just two sacks and recorded 37 pancakes . . . in his final game at Spartan Stadium, he graded out 89 percent overall with a season-high six pancakes vs. Penn State as MSU gained 452 yards on the ground, the most ever allowed by the Nittany Lions . . . named recipient of MSU’s President’s Award in 1997 . . . three-year starter (left tackle in 1997; right tackle in 1995-96) . . . four-year letterwinner (1994-97) . . . was an honorable mention All-Big Ten choice in 1995, a second-team All-Big Ten pick in 1996, and a first-team all-league honoree in 1997 . . . drafted in the second round (No. 38 overall) by the Dallas Cowboys in the 1998 NFL Draft . . . played 13 seasons in the NFL, 12 with Dallas (1998-2009) and one with Pittsburgh (2010) . . . five-time Pro Bowler played in 198 career games, including 194 starts . . . his final game was in Super Bowl XLV with the Steelers.

Morten Andersen (PK, 6-2, 195, Struer, Denmark): Four-year letterman played for both Darryl Rogers (1978-79) and Frank “Muddy” Waters (1980-81) . . . closed out his career as Michigan State’s all-time leader in field goals (45), extra points (126) and scoring (261 points) . . . still ranks among MSU’s all-time Top 10 in extra points (sixth), scoring (eighth) and field goals (ninth) . . . connected on nine field goals from 50-plus yards during his career, including a Big Ten-record 63-yarder at Ohio State in 1981 . . . also converted 62-straight extra-point attempts during one stretch . . . named to the Walter Camp Football Foundation All-Century Team (1900-2000) in 1999 . . . led the team in scoring with 73 points as a freshman in 1978, converting 52-of-54 extra points and 7-of-16 field goals, as the Spartans went 8-3 and won a share of the Big Ten Championship at 7-1 . . . led the Big Ten in kick scoring with 56 points in league games (44-of-45 extra points and 4-of-10 field goals) in 1978 . . . finished second on the team in scoring with 58 points as a sophomore in 1979, trailing only running back Derek Hughes who scored 11 touchdowns for 66 points . . . second-team All-Big Ten selection connected on all 25 extra-point and 11-of-18 field-goal attempts, including five from 50-plus yards . . . made a career-best four field goals in the 1979 season opener against Illinois . . . once again led the Spartans in scoring with 57 points as a junior in 1980, hitting 21-of-22 extra points and 12-of-18 field goals . . . named second-team All-Big Ten for the second year in a row . . . made three field goals from 50-plus yards, including a 57-yarder at Michigan . . . only 20 of his 50 kickoffs (40 percent) were returned by opponents in 1980 . . . earned first-team All-America honors as a senior, from The Sporting News, United Press International and Walter Camp . . . led the team in scoring for the third time in his career with 73 points in 1981, converting 28-of-29 extra points and 15-of-20 field goals . . . selected first-team All-Big Ten . . . ranked second in the conference in scoring with 68 points in league play (26-of-26 extra points and 14-of-18 field goals) . . . matched his career high with four field goals against Indiana . . . opponents returned just 17 of his 56 kickoffs (30 percent) in 1981 . . . also earned Academic All-Big Ten honors as a senior . . . selected by the New Orleans Saints in the fourth round (No. 86 overall) of the 1982 National Football League Draft and became a seven-time Pro Bowl selection (1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1992 and 1995) . . . named First-Team All-Pro three times (1986, 1987 and 1995) . . . kicked for five teams during his 25-year career and retired from the game in 2008 as the NFL’s all-time leading scorer with 2,544 points . . . spent 13 seasons with the Saints (1982-94), eight with the Atlanta Falcons (1995-2000; 2006-07), two with the Kansas City Chiefs (2002-03) and one year each with the New York Giants (2001) and Minnesota Vikings (2004) . . . Atlanta advanced to its only Super Bowl following the 1998 season as Andersen’s 38-yard field goal beat the Vikings in the NFC title game . . . enshrined in Canton as part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2017.

Darryl Rogers (Head Coach; Michigan State, 1976-79): Guided the Spartans to a 24-18-2 record (.568) in four years as head coach at Michigan State from 1976-79 and coached three first-team All-Americans (wide receiver Kirk Gibson, tight end Mark Brammer and punter Ray Stachowicz) . . . led the Spartans to the 1978 Big Ten championship, claiming the school’s fourth conference title . . . honored as the 1978 Big Ten Coach of the Year after the Spartans closed the championship season on a seven-game winning streak, which started with a 24-15 victory at Michigan, to finish the year 8-3 overall and 7-1 in the Big Ten . . . 1978 team featured one of the top offenses in school history, setting then MSU single-season records for points scored (411) and scoring average (37.4 points per game) . . . spent 20 seasons as a college head coach (Cal State Hayward, 1965; Fresno State, 1966-72; San Jose State, 1973-75; Michigan State, 1976-79; Arizona State, 1980-84) . . . passed away at the age of 84 on July 11, 2018.

Three Spartan Legends are on the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame Ballot!

Flozell Adams

Morten Andersen

Darryl Rogers pic.twitter.com/MNWNtWKjJ2

— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) June 5, 2025

 

EASTON, Mass. (June 5, 2025) – The Stonehill College men’s ice hockey team concluded a historic 2024-25 campaign, establishing a new standard of success in its NCAA Division I journey. Under the guidance of first-year head coach David Berard, the Skyhawks posted 12 wins—10 of which came against Division I opponents—marking a significant improvement from the previous season.

Stonehill set a program record for Division I victories, earning statement wins over Lake Superior State, Army, St. Lawrence, Merrimack, Long Island, and Lindenwood. The Skyhawks also posted a .500 home record (7-7) and a program-best five road wins.

The season’s defining moment came on January 18, when Stonehill stunned No. 9 UMass Lowell with a dramatic overtime victory—the program’s first-ever win over a nationally ranked Division I opponent. Junior Evan Orr delivered the game-winner just 30 seconds into the extra frame.

Stonehill also secured six victories over opponents from premier Division I conferences, including Atlantic Hockey, Hockey East, CCHA, and ECAC. On November 1, the Skyhawks recorded their first-ever Division I shutout with a 4-0 win over St. Lawrence. Goaltenders Connor Androlewicz and Linards Lipskis combined for a program-record four shutouts over the course of the season.

Another milestone was achieved with Stonehill’s first win over Long Island University, snapping a 16-game losing streak to the Sharks. Androlewicz posted a 2-0 shutout on the road—the program’s first Division I shutout away from home. The Skyhawks later capped the season with a thrilling 2-1 overtime victory against LIU, becoming the only independent team to defeat the Sharks in 2024-25.

Stonehill’s success also extended to marquee venues, including Warrior Ice Arena—the Boston Bruins’ practice facility—where they notched wins over Merrimack and Army. The victory over Merrimack completed Stonehill’s first-ever series sweep of a Division I opponent, following a season-opening 3-2 overtime triumph on October 6.

Individual honors highlighted the team’s rise, with four players earning Division I Independent monthly awards. Sophomore Anthony Galante and Orr were named Player of the Month for November and January, respectively. Freshman Leo Chambers was recognized as Rookie of the Month in December, and Androlewicz earned Goaltender of the Month honors in February. Galante and Orr were later named Division I Independent All-Stars.

Galante also became Stonehill’s first-ever semifinalist for the prestigious 73rd Walter Brown Award and finished the season with a program-record 22 points (13 goals, 9 assists). Orr contributed 15 points (8 goals, 7 assists), led the team with 49 blocked shots, and tallied five game-winning goals—including three in overtime—to set another program record.

Capping the season’s success, forward Henri Schreifels signed a professional contract with the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers, the affiliate of the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, becoming the first Skyhawk to advance to the professional ranks in the Division I era.

Stonehill College men’s hockey made significant strides during the 2024-25 season, setting new standards for success and paving the way for future achievements at the Division I level.

For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.