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Sandberg remembered for excellence with bat, glove

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Sandberg remembered for excellence with bat, glove

The Chicago Cubs had not tasted postseason baseball for 36 seasons when new general manager Dallas Green insisted on a minor leaguer to be included in a Jan. 27, 1982, deal that swapped shortstops Larry Bowa and Iván de Jesús.

A little more than three years later, that minor leaguer – Ryne Sandberg – led the Cubs to the National League East title that revitalized a franchise and a fanbase.

Batting portrait of Ryne Sandberg
Ryne Sandberg earned seven Silver Slugger Awards, nine Gold Glove Awards, 10 All-Star honors and the 1984 National League Most Valuable Player Award during his 16-year career. (National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum)
 

Sandberg, 65, passed away July 28, 2025. A member of the Hall of Fame Class of 2005, Sandberg was widely regarded as one of the best all-around second basemen ever to play the game – amassing nine Gold Glove Awards and retiring with the most home runs of any player at the position.

“Ryne Sandberg had a relentless work ethic and an unshakable positive outlook. With it, he inspired all those who knew him,” said Jane Forbes Clark, Chairman of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. “He always emphasized his respect for the way the game should be played, for his teammates and for the Hall of Fame, especially during his 2005 Induction speech. We send our deepest sympathies to his wife, Margaret, and his family, as we remember and celebrate his life.”

Born Sept. 18, 1959, in Spokane, Wash., and named after Yankees reliever Ryne Duren, Sandberg was a multi-talented prep star who considered a football career before signing with the Phillies after the team selected him in the 20th round of the 1978 MLB Draft. He debuted in the big leagues with Philadelphia at the tail end of the 1981 season but was seen as a luxury in a minor league system that also included Juan Samuel and Julio Franco.

Cubs general manager Dallas Green, who had spent years with the team in the minors and as the team’s manager in their 1980 championship season, knew Sandberg could help the Cubs.

“I remember being in Double- and Triple-A when my goal was to be a utility infielder with the Philadelphia Phillies,” Sandberg told Gannett News Service. “I just think back and feel so lucky to be in the right place at the right time.”

Earning the team’s third base job in 1982, Sandberg hit .271 with 103 runs scored and 32 steals while finishing sixth in the National League Rookie of the Year balloting. He moved to second base in 1983, when he won the first of nine straight Gold Glove Awards while leading the league in fielding percentage for the first of four seasons.

Ryne Sandberg bats for Cubs
At the time of his retirement, Ryne Sandberg held the record for most Gold Glove Awards and the most home runs by a second baseman. (Milo Stewart Jr./National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum)
 

It was in 1984, however, that Sandberg carved his name into Chicago history by winning the NL Most Valuable Player Award. He hit .314 that year with 200 hits, 36 doubles, 19 home runs, 84 RBI and 32 steals while leading the NL in runs scored (114) and triples (19). His two game-tying home runs against future Hall of Famer Bruce Sutter of the Cardinals on June 23 gave Cubs fans the feeling that it was to be a season of destiny – and that game became known as “The Sandberg Game.”

Sandberg had entered the 1984 season with just 15 big league homers.

“A change in philosophy – advice from my manager, Jim Frey,” Sandberg told Gannett News Service in 2005 about the genesis of his newfound power. “He told me to start driving the ball in certain situations, to look for certain counts like 2-0 and 3-1. Then if you swing and miss, it’s just a strike.

“So it’s (opening week) in San Francisco and I hit a home run (in the second game of the season). From there, everything kind of fell into place.”

Ryne Sandberg in Hall of Fame jersey
Ryne Sandberg was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005. (National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum)
 

Throughout the rest of the 1980s and early 1990s, Sandberg was one of the most consistently excellent players in the game. An All-Star every season from 1984-93, Sandberg won seven Silver Slugger Awards in that stretch and found his power stroke – hitting 40 home runs in 1990 to become the first NL second baseman since Rogers Hornsby in 1925 to lead the league in long balls. He had hit 30 home runs in 1989, and coupled with his prodigious 1990 campaign became the first second baseman in big league annals to tally back-to-back seasons of at least 30 home runs.

In a deep slump to start the 1994 season, Sandberg retired that June but returned in 1996 for two seasons. He finished his playing career with a .285 batting average, 344 stolen bases, 282 home runs (277 of which came as a second baseman, a record when he retired) and 2,386 hits. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2005 then returned to on-field duties in 2007, serving as manager of the Cubs Class A affiliate in Peoria, Ill.

Sandberg worked his way through the minors, moving to the Phillies’ organization in 2011, taking over as the big league club’s third base coach in 2013 and then as the team’s manager that summer. He managed the Phillies until midway through the 2015 campaign.

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NCAA Volleyball Regional Schedule Set

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December 8, 2025

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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The fourth-seeded Indiana volleyball team (25-7, 14-6 B1G) will play in the Sweet 16 for just the second time in program history. The NCAA announced start times and dates for next week’s regional semifinals on Sunday (Dec. 7) afternoon. The Hoosiers will play top-seeded Texas at Gregory Gymnasium on Friday (Dec. 12) afternoon at Noon ET on ESPN.

 

Following the greatest regular season in program history, IU was awarded a top-16 national seed and the chance to host the opening two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. The Hoosiers made quick work of their first two matchups, sweeping Toledo and fifth-seeded Colorado in Bloomington to advance to the Sweet 16.

 

IU is one of five Big Ten programs remaining in the NCAA Tournament. Of the 16 schools left in the big dance, IU is one of two teams (Cal Poly) that didn’t make the big dance last year. The Hoosiers have already set a single-season program record for wins (25) and will attempt to advance to the regional final for the first time in program history.

 

The other matchup in the Austin Regional will pit second-seeded Stanford and third-seeded Wisconsin against each other. Their match will begin 30 minutes after the conclusion of IU’s. The winners of both regional semifinals will meet on Sunday (Dec. 14) afternoon for a spot in the national semifinals in Kansas City.



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Louisville volleyball NCAA Tournament bracket, Texas A&M vs UofL game

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December 8, 2025

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Dec. 6, 2025Updated Dec. 7, 2025, 6:08 a.m. ET

After defeating Marquette 3-2 in the second round of the NCAA Volleyball Tournament on Saturday night, No. 2 Louisville will travel to Lincoln, Nebraska, and take on No. 3 Texas A&M in the Sweet 16 at 7 p.m. Friday.

This will be the Cardinals’ seventh consecutive regional appearance but first with Dan Meske as head coach.

Here’s everything you need to know to keep up with the match from home:

No. 2 seed Louisville versus No. 3 seed Texas A&M will be broadcast live on ESPN or ESPN2.

Authenticated subscribers can access ESPN2 via TV-connected devices or by going to WatchESPN.com or the WatchESPN app.

Those without cable can access ESPN2 via streaming services, with Fubo offering a free trial.

Buy Louisville volleyball tickets here

After defeating Marquette, UofL will play Texas A&M in the Lincoln, Nebraska, Regional Friday at 7 pm. Here’s a look at the tournament schedule:

  • First and second rounds: Dec. 4-6
  • Regionals: Dec. 11-14
  • Semifinals: Dec. 18 at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri
  • Championship: Dec. 21 at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri



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The Omaha World-Herald’s Nebraska All-Class volleyball teams

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December 8, 2025

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Men’s T&F Opens Season at Diplomat Open

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5 hours ago

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December 7, 2025

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Lancaster, PA (December 6, 2025) – The DeSales University men’s track & field team opened the 2025-26 indoor T&F season competing at the Diplomat Open at Franklin & Marshall College on Friday.

The Bulldogs posted 10 MAC qualfying times/marks in the meet.

Among the qualifying times were junior Bryce Guthier taking second in the 400-meters with a time of 52.08. It is the fifth fastest time in indoor history.  Senior Davis Trump also qualified in the 5K with a time of 16:20.32.

In the field events, DSU posted eight qualfying marks. Junior Weston Simak qualified for the MAC Championships in both the long jump (6.52m) and triple jump (13.72m). His triple jump mark was the second best in team history.  First-year Luke Heimann also qualfied in the triple jump (11.86m).

Junior Jonathan Castronovo took home first place in the long jump with a mark of 6.58m, the second best long jump in team history.

First-year John Amoretti qualified in the shot put (12.33m), seniors Jonathan Eudja and Giovanni Wellington qualified in the weight throw with marks of 14.85m and 14.23m. First-year Ryan Rodriguez also quallified in the weight throw (11.89m).

The Bulldogs won’t return to action till the New Year at the Blue and Grey Invitational on Jan. 17th.

 



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Women’s Track & Field Turns in Multiple High Marks to Begin Season at Cornell

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December 7, 2025

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RESULTS

ITHACA, N.Y. –

The Ithaca College women’s track & field team opened its 2025-26 season over the weekend as the Bombers made the short trip across town to compete in the Greg Page Relays hosted by Cornell University on December 5-6.

Lola Gitlin posted a time of 10:25.57 in the 3000-meter run to finish third overall.

Rachel Larson was a fourth place finisher with a time of 8.58 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles. That time is currently No. 1 in Division III after the opening weekend of the season.

Aynisha McQuillar took fifth in the 200-meter dash in a time of 26.61 seconds. McQuillar also ran in the 60-meter dash and posted the 11th fastest time in DIII during the prelim with a performance of 7.78 seconds.

Lyla Powers was fifth in the 500-meter dash with a time of 1:21.75.

Lily Seyfert claimed fifth in the shot put with a heave of 12.78 meters, which is currently ninth in the nation.

Bree Boyle and Erin Eastwood each cleared 3.54 meters in the pole vault, which is tied for 11th on the Division III performance list.

Alexis Brown turned in a leap of 11.02 meters in the triple jump for the 17th best mark in the country.

Ithaca is off for the remainder of 2025 and will return to Cornell on January 10 for the Southern Tier Invitational.

 



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Men’s Track & Field Opens Indoor Season at Cornell Greg Page Relays

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December 7, 2025

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RESULTS

ITHACA, N.Y. –

The Ithaca College men’s track & field team opened its 2025-26 season over the weekend as the Bombers made the short trip across town to compete in the Greg Page Relays hosted by Cornell University on December 5-6.

Anik Vossschulte claimed third in the 200-meter dash in a time of 23.32 seconds, while Jacob Antilety was seventh at 23.71 seconds.

Matt Lokshin posted a time of 8.65 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles to place third in the event. Aidan Irwin took fourth in the high jump with a mark of 1.70 meters.

Quinten Lewis posted a mark of 13.73 meters in the triple jump to place fourth and Sebastien-Oliver Lacrete was sixth at 12.68 meters, while Evan Cherry secured fifth in the long jump with a leap of 6.84 meters.

IC’s 4×400-meter relay team of Damian Simmonds, Griffin Lupes, Noah McKibben and George Nilson placed sixth in 3:34.49.

Luke Ellor finished sixth in the shot put with a mark of 14.40 meters.

Three Bombers finished within the top eight in the 500-meter dash as Brad Kellogg was sixth in 1:09.73, Peter Tysiak followed in seventh with 1:10.74 and Matthew DeJulio was next at 1:11.59.

Kaiden Chandler and Luke Ferrer posted times of 4:41.29 and 4:53.44 in the mile to finish in seventh and eighth.

Raf Campanile was seventh in the pole vault with a clearance of 4.25 meters.

Ithaca is off for the remainder of 2025 and will return to Cornell on January 10 for the Southern Tier Invitational.

 



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