NIL

SB Set for Phillips 66 Big 12 Softball Championship

BAYLOR (26-26, 11-13 Big 12) at PHILLIPS 66 BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP Wednesday, May 7 • vs Kansas • Oklahoma City, Okla. | Devon Park • Radio: 101.3 FM • Watch: ESPN+ STORY LINES • Baylor Softball is heading to the 2025 Phillips 66 Big 12 Softball Tournament this week as the No. 8 seed. The Bears will […]

Published

3 weeks ago

May 6, 2025

Your Sports Nation

BAYLOR (26-26, 11-13 Big 12) at PHILLIPS 66 BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP

Wednesday, May 7 • vs Kansas • Oklahoma City, Okla. | Devon Park • Radio: 101.3 FM • Watch: ESPN+

STORY LINES
• Baylor Softball is heading to the 2025 Phillips 66 Big 12 Softball Tournament this week as the No. 8 seed. The Bears will face No. 9 seed Texas Tech on Wednesday, May 7, at 2:30 p.m. CT at Devon Park in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
• Devon Park is the re-branded Hall of Fame Stadium name, the home of the Women’s College World Series.
• After the No. 8 vs No. 9 seed matchup, the winner will go on to play the No. 1 seed, Texas Tech, on Thursday, May 8 at 1:30 p.m. CT.
• The Bears are coming off of a three-game series against Iowa State to close out the regular season, where the Bears fell in the series 1-2.
• Baylor won its first game at the Big 12 Tournament since 2018 last year when they defeated UCF in its first game.
• The Bears hold the 46-35 all-time record over Kansas, after taking one game from the Jayhawks earlier this season in walk-off fashion before falling to KU in the final two games.
• During the 2025 season, the team is competing with a veteran squad that consists of 12 seniors and 15 upperclassmen.
• After ending the 2024 campaign back in a Super Regional for the first time since 2017, the Bears returned 15 off of the 2024 squad, while adding four transfers and seven freshmen.
• The Bears four transfers include Brooklyn Carter (Washington), Turiya Coleman (Houston), Carson Frier (UCF) and Lillie Walker (Duke). Coleman and Frier add depth to the Bears infield/catching position, while Carter adds speed to the outfield and Walker tosses left-handed in the circle.

• The Bears faced nine opponents so far this season who were either ranked or receiving votes in the preseason/weekly ESPN poll for a total of 14 games. Those teams include: No. 3 Oklahoma, No. 6 UCLA, No. 7 Texas A&M, No. 13 Arkansas, No. 15 Missouri, No. 16 Nebraska, No. 1 Texas, No. 12 Texas Tech and No. 13 Oklahoma State. Thirteen of Baylor’s losses on the season have come against opponents ranked in the Top 25.
• Shaylon Govan leads the Bears offensively with a .413 average this season, only missing four opening weekend games due to a class conflict. She has a team-leading six home runs, seven doubles and 26 RBIs.
• Govan picked up the Big 12 Batting Average Champion award for leading the Big 12 with a .453 conference batting average.
• Picking up the Bears’ first Big 12 Player of the Week honor, Govan hit .571 in the series against Houston and pushed her on base streak to 18-straight games, a streak that ended with 19-straight.
• Lillie Walker leads the Bears in the circle with 87 strikeouts with 37 appearances. Walker currently stands in the top five of the Big 12 stats in wins, strikeouts, innings pitched, games started and complete games.
• Leading Baylor during last week’s three-game series against BYU and midweek against Texas State in the circle was Walker who made four appearances, picked up two wins and totaled a 1.75 ERA while striking out eight.
• Faith Piper picked up the Big 12’s Big Stick of the Week award after the Bears’ series victory over BYU for leading the conference with a .667 average on the week with two doubles and a triple.
• Defensively, Pilon is ranked second nationally in assists so far this season with 143, while Amber Toven follows with 115. Those two together have helped contribute to the Bears’ 28 double plays so far this season which ranks them tied for 12th nationally.
• Shaylon Govan is now Baylor’s all-time leader in career walks with 141 after she set the record when she drew a walk in the first inning of the Bears’ 6-0 midweek win over Texas State.
• As Baylor’s unanimous First-Team All-American last season, Govan, is currently in 6th place nationally in on base percentage (.596) after leading the nation in that category last season.
• Head coach Glenn Moore is in his 25th season at the helm of the Baylor Softball program. In a quarter of a century, Moore is Baylor Athletics’ active all-time wins leader across all sports. He has progressed up the active NCAA coaching ranks, now ranking No. 17 in total victories among active Division I head coaches.

– BaylorBears.com –

Link

NIL

Oregon State, TCU, Underdog USC In Corvallis Regional

After finishing 35-21 overall, the USC Trojans are headed to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2015. USC coach Andy Stankiewicz has the Trojans’ program on the rise after a stellar season, but they aren’t done yet. Heading to the Corvallis Regional hosted by Oregon State as the No. 3 seed, the three […]

Published

14 minutes ago

May 28, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Mar 2, 2024; Arlington, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies compete against University of Southern California Trojans during the Kubota College Baseball Series – Weekend 3 at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images / Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images

Link

NIL

Ball State University – Official Athletics Site

Published

15 minutes ago

May 28, 2025

Your Sports Nation

GREENWOOD, Ind. – – For their work both on the field and in the classroom, five members of the Ball State softball team were named to the 2025 Academic All-District® Softball Team as selected by College Sports Communicators.

Representing the Cardinals on the list for the second straight season was redshirt junior shortstop McKenna Mulholland. Earning their first nods on the squad were senior first baseman Kaitlyn Gibson, senior outfielder Kara Gunter, sophomore shortstop Maia Pietrzak and junior pitcher Ella Whitney.

Mulholland, who graduated this spring with a degree in applied behavior analysis and held a 3.78 GPA at the time of the nomination, started all 51 games for the Cardinals at second base. She boasted a .277 batting average on the season and set the program’s single season record for times being hit by a pitch at 17. She was also credited with 29 RBI and 39 runs scored.

Gibson, who graduated this spring with a degree in league studies and held a 3.76 GPA at the time of the nomination, started all 46 games she played this season. She turned in a .229 batting average with 22 RBI and 19 runs scored. She also blasted four of her six career home runs this season, while adding five of her seven career doubles.

Gunter, a graduate student pursuing her master’s in athletic coaching education who compiled a 3.84 undergraduate GPA and held a 4.0 after her first semester at Ball State, Gunter started all 48 games she played in her lone season for the Cardinals. She produced a .313 average and logged collegiate highs of 51 hits, 44 RBI, 27 runs scored and 13 doubles.

Pietrzak, a sophomore exercise science major who held a 4.00 GPA at the time of the nomination, started all 51 games at shortstop for the Cardinals. A First Team All-MAC selection this past season, Pietrzak led the league with 60 runs scored and produced a .376 batting average. She also ranked third on the team with seven home runs while collecting 25 RBI.

Whitney, a junior sport administration major who held a combined 3.85 GPA at the time of the nomination, started 27 games at pitcher, 16 as the designated player and seven at first base in her first season at Ball State. A Second Team NFCA All-Great Lakes Region honoree, Whitney ranked second in the MAC and 29th nationally with 20 pitching victories, while ranking second in the league and 124th nationally with 50 RBI.

To be eligible for consideration, student-athletes must be a starter or key reserve, achieve sophomore standing at their current school, maintain a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.50 and be nominated by her sports information director.

Pietrzak and Whitney are also finalists for CSC Academic All-America® honors which will be announced on June 17.

Link

NIL

Star Clemson Pitchers Turned Entrepreneurs Launch First Student-Athlete NIL Brand

The No. 11-seeded Clemson Tigers are heading to the NCAA Tournament, a feat the team has accomplished 47 times in program history. While the Tigers make their postseason push, two of their players have one of the more thrilling stories in college baseball. There aren’t many instances of college athletes becoming entrepreneurs, which is slightly […]

Published

30 minutes ago

May 28, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The No. 11-seeded Clemson Tigers are heading to the NCAA Tournament, a feat the team has accomplished 47 times in program history.

While the Tigers make their postseason push, two of their players have one of the more thrilling stories in college baseball.

There aren’t many instances of college athletes becoming entrepreneurs, which is slightly surprising in the NIL era of college sports.

Enter Clemson pitchers Aidan Knaak and Justin LeGuernic, who have accomplished just that.

Knaak and LeGuernic launched Cardiak Cats on Tuesday, which is their new athlete-owned brand that is named in the spirit of the Tigers’ thrilling come-from-behind style of play and was designed by the duo themselves.

The limited product launch is a unique blending of their on-field personalities and fan-fueled pride, and the two worked for months to design the perfect hat that encapsulates the energy and identity of Clemson.

Knaak and LeGuernic spoke in a press release about their efforts throughout the process and seeing it all come to fruition.

“This whole thing started with an idea during a road trip: what if we created something that really felt like us?” Knaak said. “We wanted a brand that captured the energy of playing in big moments and gave fans something authentic to rally behind.”

LeGuernic added the importance of being able to craft something and put their names behind their product.

“We worked hands-on with a design team to make sure every detail felt right,” LeGuernic said. “It’s about more than a hat… it’s about building something from scratch and putting our name behind it, literally.”

The Cardiak Hats launched on May 27 and are available exclusively on their website. There is a limited supply of the unique hats that will run ahead of the NCAA Regional Tournament.

It’s a historical launch, as it marks the first-ever independent student-athlete-owned apparel venture of its kind in college sports.

While all of the focus is on generating revenue for athletes through the upcoming House settlement, Knaak and LeGuernic serve as an important reminder that the student athletes can innovate and become entrepreneurs themselves in this evolving landscape.

Link

NIL

Matayo Uiagalelei NIL: How Much Are the Oregon Defender’s NIL Deals Worth?

Oregon Ducks defensive end Matayo Uiagalelei has grown significantly in the past few years, boosting his recruiting and sponsorship opportunities. Uiagalelei is a sophomore, five-star, impact defender who has an explosive, aggressive, and well-rounded pass-rushing ability. His sponsorship opportunities are on the rise due to the NCAA, which has expanded its guidelines around NIL transactions. […]

Published

1 hour ago

May 28, 2025

Your Sports Nation

His sponsorship opportunities are on the rise due to the NCAA, which has expanded its guidelines around NIL transactions. So, what will be the worth of his NIL deals, and what is fueling his earning ability? Here’s everything you will need to know about Matayo Uiagalelei’s NIL contracts, net worth, and more.

CSN CFB Transfer Portal Tracker — With College Sports Network’s Transfer Portal Tracker, you can stay ahead of the chaos. Follow every entrant, commitment, and decommitment as they happen.

The Value of Matayo Uiagalelei’s NIL Deals

As per On3’s NIL valuation, Matayo Uiagalelei’s NIL deals are valued to be $289,000 as of the end of October 2024. He is ranked No. 340 among college football players. This valuation is established based on all of the metrics that he has reached as a 5-star recruit, now 5-star defensive player.

Details about the player’s endorsement deals are not public yet, however, Uiagalelei is marketable because of his dominance on the field and the historic NIL reputation that the Oregon Ducks have established, which is further bolstered by the backing of Nike co-founder Phil Knight.

Oregon’s aggressive approach to NIL has built a “super squad,” with Uiagalelei among the beneficiaries. His valuation is comparable to teammates like Kobe Savage ($283,000) and Jestin Jacobs ($281,000), highlighting the Ducks’ deep investment in talent.

A notable deal includes a partnership with Pathway Sports and Entertainment for college football video game rights, which has become a great avenue for many Ducks players.

Matayo Uiagalelei’s Marketability

Uiagalelei’s appeal extends beyond stats. Born on July 2, 2005, in Bellflower, Calif., he was a top-20 recruit in the 2023 class, according to Rivals.com, and chose Oregon over Alabama, USC, and Clemson. His high school dominance at St. John Bosco, where he played both defensive end and tight end, gave a show of his versatility.

One of the most significant moments of his career came in 2023 when he sacked his brother, DJ Uiagalelei, then Oregon State’s quarterback, earning Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honors.

In 2024, Uiagalelei’s sophomore campaign solidified his star status. He recorded 37 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, and three pass deflections, leading the Big Ten in sacks. His performance against Purdue, where he performed three tackles, two tackles for loss, and a sack, earned him Ducks Wire Player of the Game.

Despite his $289,000 valuation, Uiagalelei’s NIL earnings lag behind top-tier stars, reflecting his status as a defensive player in a quarterback-driven market. However, his youth, 19 years old with two years of eligibility, gives him more potential for growth.

KEEP READING: 2025 Way-Too-Early College Football Top 25 Power Rankings

Continued prime performance, especially in the College Football Playoff, could elevate his valuation significantly.

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

Link

NIL

Will the Oklahoma Sooners be active in the transfer portal after WCWS?

AI-assisted summary Oklahoma Sooners softball is expected to return a strong lineup in 2026, retaining 90.4% of home runs and 91.9% of RBIs. The Sooners’ pitching rotation is less certain, with returning pitchers accounting for only 54% of 2025 wins. Head Coach Patty Gasso is likely to utilize the transfer portal to bolster the pitching […]

Published

2 hours ago

May 28, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Will the Oklahoma Sooners be active in the transfer portal after WCWS?

Oklahoma Sooners softball is expected to return a strong lineup in 2026, retaining 90.4% of home runs and 91.9% of RBIs.
The Sooners’ pitching rotation is less certain, with returning pitchers accounting for only 54% of 2025 wins.
Head Coach Patty Gasso is likely to utilize the transfer portal to bolster the pitching staff, as she has in previous seasons.

The NCAA softball transfer portal schedule is as whacky as it is in football and basketball, where the portal is open and active before the season reaches its conclusion. There are already players entering the portal and finding new homes while the final eight teams prepare for the Women’s College World Series.

As the Oklahoma Sooners pursue their fifth straight national championship, the team is predominantly focused on what happens over the next week and a half in Oklahoma City. However, a coaching staff like the Oklahoma Sooners, who are forward-thinking, will have an idea of what their needs may be after this season.

The Sooners are a young team. The only players to walk on senior day were Cydney Sanders, Sam Landry, and Isabella Smith. OU has 19 players slated to return in 2026. 13 of them are freshmen or sophomores. Here’s what their lineup could look like on opening day in 2026.

Kasidi Pickering, LF
Ella Parker, UT
Gabbie Garcia, SS
Nelly McEnroe-Marinas, 3B
Sydney Barker, 1B
Ailana Agbayani, 2B
Hannah Coor, CF
Isabela Emerling, C
Abigale Dayton, RF

The Sooners are slated to bring back 90.4% of their home runs and 91.9% of their RBIs from 2025.

Sanders is the only regular from the lineup the Sooners are slated to lose at this point. Players like Tia Miloy, Maya Bland, and Chaney Helton will be factors in the outfield. Corri Hicks, Riley Zache, and Kadey Lee McKay will get innings in the infield and at catcher. The Sooners will return the corps of their roster that helped them win the SEC in 2025.

It’s a group that will only continue to get better.

Could there be a surprise or two? Absolutely. It’s the transfer portal era. But that’s a lineup that will contend once again in 2026.

Where Oklahoma may have a transfer portal need is in the circle. Landry has been a star for the Oklahoma Sooners this season, racking up a 23-4 record heading into the WCWS. Smith has been an important second option as a starter. The Sooners have Kierston Deal, Audrey Lowry, Peytn Monticelli, and Sophia Bordi, who could all return for 2026. That group returns just 54% of the Sooners’ wins from this season.

It’s a good group that Patty Gasso and Jennifer Rocha have to work with. Deal and Monticelli provide veteran options for the Sooners, while Lowry and Bordi have frontline starter upside. Despite the upside, the Sooners have added a veteran in the portal several times in recent offseasons. Over the last few years, the Sooners added veteran arms like Hope Trautwein, Alex Storako, Kelly Maxwell, Landry, and Smith.

The Oklahoma Sooners have shown a willingness to go into the portal to add a significant piece to their lineup or in the circle over the years. Though they’ll bring in one of the best recruiting classes in the country in 2026, Gasso will also keep the Sooners active in the portal.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X@john9williams.

NIL

Sam Leavitt Chose To Stay At ASU Because Of Culture

Published

3 hours ago

May 28, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Sam Leavitt chose to stay at Arizona State despite rumors of other college football teams offering more NIL money to lure the Sun Devil quarterback into the transfer portal. ASU quarterback Sam Leavitt said he opted to stay at ASU because of the culture and the trust he has with coach Kenny Dillingham. Sam Leavitt and Kenny Dillingham are on the cover of EA Sports College Football 26. Plus, Willie Bloomquist and the ASU baseball team snuck into the NCAA Tournament. Join Anthony Totri, Erik Ruby and Shane Dieffenbach as the guys discuss it all and more on the PHNX Sun Devils show!

check out the phnx sun devils show where the guys discuss sam leavitt’s return to asu!

0:00 – Intro
2:00 – Sam Leavitt is Mr. Sun Devil
6:45 – This is what activating the valley is
13:15 – Why Sam Leavitt stayed at ASU
20:40 – Jordyn Tyson on Leavitt
25:00 – ASU on CFB 26 Cover
45:30 – ASU Baseball in the NCAA Tournament