THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” THURSDAY JULY 31, 2025

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“THE SCOREBOARD”

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WNBA SCORES

INDIANA 107 PHOENIX 101

MINNESOTA 100 NEW YORK 93

ATLANTA 88 DALLAS 85

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MLB SCORES

TORONTO 9 BALTIMORE 8

DETROIT 7 ARIZONA 2

BOSTON 13 MINNESOTA 1

KANSAS CITY 1 ATLANTA 0 (10)

CHICAGO CUBS 10 MILWAUKEE 3

HOUSTON 9 WASHINGTON 1

CHICAGO WHITE SOX 9 PHILADELPHIA 3

PITTSBURGH 2 SAN FRANCISCO 1 (10)

SAN DIEGO 5 NY METS 0

CLEVELAND 5 COLORADO 0

NY YANKEES 5 TAMPA BAY 4 (11)

CINCINNATI 5 LA DODGERS 2

MIAMI 2 ST. LOUIS 0

TEXAS 6 LA ANGELS 3

LAS VEGAS 5 SEATTLE 4

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MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

IOWA 5 INDIANAPOLIS 2

QUAD CITIES 2 SOUTH BEND 1

FT. WAYNE 4 GREAT LAKES 3

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MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER

NO GAMES SCHEDULED

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COLTS TRAINING CAMP SCHEDULE

THUR., JULY 31: PRACTICE (8-10 P.M.)

SAT., AUG. 2: PRACTICE (10-11:35 A.M.)

SUN., AUG. 3: PRACTICE (10-11:30 A.M.)

SAT., AUG. 9: PRACTICE (4-5:10 P.M.)

SUN., AUG. 10: PRACTICE (4-5:30 P.M.)

MON., AUG. 11: PRACTICE (4-5:40 P.M.)

THUR., AUG. 14: PRACTICE (3-5 P.M.)

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2025 NFL PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE

NFL/HALL OF FAME GAME – JULY 31

L.A. CHARGERS VS. DETROIT (NBC), 8:00

*****WEEK 1*****

THURSDAY, AUGUST 7

INDIANAPOLIS AT BALTIMORE, 7:00
CINCINNATI AT PHILADELPHIA, 7:30
LAS VEGAS AT SEATTLE, 10:00

FRIDAY, AUGUST 8

DETROIT AT ATLANTA, 7:00
CLEVELAND AT CAROLINA, 7:00
WASHINGTON AT NEW ENGLAND, 7:30

SATURDAY, AUGUST 9

N.Y. GIANTS AT BUFFALO, 1:00
HOUSTON AT MINNESOTA, 4:00
PITTSBURGH AT JACKSONVILLE, 7:00
DALLAS AT L.A. RAMS, 7:00
TENNESSEE AT TAMPA BAY, 7:30
KANSAS CITY AT ARIZONA, 8:00
N.Y. JETS AT GREEN BAY, 8:00
DENVER AT SAN FRANCISCO, 8:30

SUNDAY, AUGUST 10

MIAMI AT CHICAGO, 1:00
NEW ORLEANS AT L.A. CHARGERS, 4:05

*****WEEK 2*****

FRIDAY, AUGUST 15

TENNESSEE AT ATLANTA, 7:00
KANSAS CITY AT SEATTLE, 10:00

SATURDAY, AUGUST 16

MIAMI AT DETROIT, 1:00
CAROLINA AT HOUSTON, 1:00
GREEN BAY AT INDIANAPOLIS, 1:00
NEW ENGLAND AT MINNESOTA, 1:00
CLEVELAND AT PHILADELPHIA, 1:00
SAN FRANCISCO AT LAS VEGAS, 4:00
BALTIMORE AT DALLAS, 7:00
L.A. CHARGERS AT L.A. RAMS, 7:00
N.Y. JETS AT N.Y. GIANTS, 7:00
TAMPA BAY AT PITTSBURGH, 7:00
ARIZONA AT DENVER, 9:30

SUNDAY, AUGUST 17

JACKSONVILLE AT NEW ORLEANS, 1:00
BUFFALO AT CHICAGO (FOX), 8:00

MONDAY, AUGUST 18

CINCINNATI AT WASHINGTON (ESPN), 8:00

*****WEEK 3*****

THURSDAY, AUGUST 21

PITTSBURGH AT CAROLINA, 7:00
NEW ENGLAND AT N.Y. GIANTS (PRIME VIDEO), 8:00

FRIDAY, AUGUST 22

PHILADELPHIA AT N.Y. JETS, 7:30
ATLANTA AT DALLAS, 8:00
MINNESOTA AT TENNESSEE (CBS), 8:00
CHICAGO AT KANSAS CITY, 8:20

SATURDAY, AUGUST 23

BALTIMORE AT WASHINGTON, NOON
INDIANAPOLIS AT CINCINNATI, 1:00
L.A. RAMS AT CLEVELAND, 1:00
HOUSTON AT DETROIT, 1:00
DENVER AT NEW ORLEANS, 1:00
SEATTLE AT GREEN BAY, 4:00
JACKSONVILLE AT MIAMI, 7:00
BUFFALO AT TAMPA BAY, 7:30
L.A. CHARGERS AT SAN FRANCISCO, 8:30
LAS VEGAS AT ARIZONA, 10:00

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WEEK ONE SCHEDULE

THURSDAY, SEPT. 4, 2025
DALLAS COWBOYS AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES	8:20P (ET)	8:20P	NBC
FRIDAY, SEPT. 5, 2025
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS VS LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (SAO PAULO)	9:00P (BRT)	8:00P	YOUTUBE
SUNDAY, SEPT. 07, 2025
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS AT ATLANTA FALCONS	1:00P (ET)	1:00P	FOX
CINCINNATI BENGALS AT CLEVELAND BROWNS	1:00P (ET)	1:00P	FOX
MIAMI DOLPHINS AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS	1:00P (ET)	1:00P	CBS
CAROLINA PANTHERS AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS	1:00P (ET)	1:00P	FOX
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS	1:00P (ET)	1:00P	CBS
ARIZONA CARDINALS AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS	12:00P (CT)	1:00P	CBS
PITTSBURGH STEELERS AT NEW YORK JETS	1:00P (ET)	1:00P	CBS
NEW YORK GIANTS AT WASHINGTON COMMANDERS	1:00P (ET)	1:00P	FOX
TENNESSEE TITANS AT DENVER BRONCOS	2:05P (MT)	4:05P	FOX
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS	1:05P (PT)	4:05P	FOX
DETROIT LIONS AT GREEN BAY PACKERS	3:25P (CT)	4:25P	CBS
HOUSTON TEXANS AT LOS ANGELES RAMS	1:25P (PT)	4:25P	CBS
BALTIMORE RAVENS AT BUFFALO BILLS	8:20P (ET)	8:20P	NBC
MONDAY, SEPT. 8, 2025
MINNESOTA VIKINGS AT CHICAGO BEARS	7:15P (CT)	8:15P	ABC/ESPN

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TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES/PRESS RELEASES

NFL NEWS

QB CAM WARD AND THE TITANS SHOWING GROWING PAINS NOW THAT PADS ARE ON IN TRAINING CAMP

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Cam Ward has thrown some very nice passes in his first full week of NFL training camp with the Tennessee Titans.

With the Titans in pads back-to-back days, there’ve been interceptions, tipped balls and dropped passes.

Or as the rookie graded the offensive performance: “Very mid.”

The No. 1 overall draft pick said Wednesday it all starts with him.

“I just don’t think we’re at where we need to be,” Ward said. “But we got a little bit of time. So every day we get better as a whole.”

Ward and the Titans have a week to work on improving and cleaning up their issues before a joint practice Aug. 7 on the road against Tampa Bay. Ward was picked off three times Tuesday, then he had a ball tipped by linebacker Cody Barton and intercepted by cornerback Roger McCreary on Wednesday.

The rookie quarterback connected with wide receiver Calvin Ridley with a nice deep ball earlier in Wednesday’s practice. He also hit Jha’Quan Jackson in the hands on another deep throw that was dropped.

After plays, Ward often can be seen talking with his receivers. He also spends time after each practice working to perfect plays that didn’t work in practice.

Ward said that’s what quarterbacks should do to make sure receivers know what he’s seeing and they understand what he’s doing.

He spent time talking with veterans Tyler Lockett and Ridley during Wednesday’s practice.

“Lockett, he’s a vet in the league,” Ward said. “He’s one of the best route runners at the slot position, always been productive in every stop he had. So we got to learn just where I’m going to put the ball.”

Titans coach Brian Callahan isn’t worried about Ward bouncing back from a rough practice. It’s one of the many reasons Tennessee drafted Ward out of Miami.

“It’s just sort of how he’s wired,” Callahan said. “Everything about his mental makeup and how he operates when he makes mistakes is everything you’d want to see from a coaching perspective.”

One early issue has been balls getting tipped, especially when Ward throws sidearm. The rookie said he’s been throwing sidearm since he was 6 and had those passes tipped during high school and college. He expects more of the same in the NFL.

“I’m not real worried about that,” Ward said. “It’s ball. How you bounce back the next play. You just got to keep on stacking good points on top of each other.”

That even-keel demeanor is what his teammates like about their quarterback. Tight end Chig Okonkwo said Ward has been composed since his first day with the Titans, always ready to go.

“I don’t think anything phases him,” Okonkwo said. “It’s just every day is the same with him.”

Notes

Callahan said he texted back and forth with Will Levis after the quarterback’s surgery Tuesday for his injured right shoulder. The Titans coach said Levis: “seemed in good spirits, and it sounds like everything went well.” … Ridley went inside with a trainer after coming up limping a bit with his right lower leg. The Titans said he was being evaluated.

REFLECTED IN HIS CHOICE OF CAR AND PLAY, SHAKIR PREFERS RELIABILITY OVER STYLE AS BILLS TOP RECEIVER

PITTSFORD, N.Y. (AP) — Khalil Shakir’s rise to the top of the Buffalo Bills receiver pecking order is similar to the approach he took to buying his first car.

Both revolve around reliability for the fourth-year player who catches seemingly nearly every pass thrown his way, welcomes the opportunity to block downfield to open space for teammates, and refuses to get caught up in the trappings of the NFL spotlight by instead driving a plain white 2021 Subaru.

“Never been a car guy and realized that I needed a car. So I told my financial advisors, and they were like expecting me to say something crazy,” Shakir said, recalling his search for a car to get him to Buffalo after being selected in the fifth round of the 2022 draft out of Boise State. “I told them, just something good in the snow, and something to get me from Point A to Point B.”

Shakir has taken a similar workmanlike path in making the jump from bit player to Josh Allen’s most trusted playmaker. And it led to the 25-year-old being rewarded in February by signing a four-year, $60.2 million contract extension.

What Shakir lacks in flash he makes up with selflessness in symbolizing Buffalo’s so-called “everybody eats” share-the-wealth offensive philosophy.

“The guy is a true lunch-pail Buffalonian,” general manager Brandon Beane said. “He doesn’t say anything. He just shows up every single day. He’s Mr. Dependable.”

Undervalued production

Shakir’s production last season wasn’t exactly eye-popping. His Bills-leading 76 catches ranked 27th among NFL players, and 821 yards ranked 40th, while he scored just four touchdowns.

What stands out is Shakir leading the league in catching 79% of passes thrown in his direction since 2023. And coach Sean McDermott noted how Shakir’s value was measured by his absence because of an ankle injury sustained in the opening half of a 35-10 loss at Baltimore in Week 4 last season.

Shakir then missed the following week’s 23-20 loss at Houston in which Allen threw three straight incompletions from the Buffalo 3 on the Bills final possession, allowing the Texans to win on Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 59-yard field goal as time expired.

“He’s one of the main guys that can drive our football team to another level,” McDermott said.

Joe Brady’s influence

Shakir’s ascension coincided with Joe Brady’s promotion to offensive coordinator after Ken Dorsey was fired 10 games into the 2023 season. Brady placed an emphasis on a more balanced approach by adding more runs and getting more receivers involved in the passing attack.

In Brady’s play-calling debut, Shakir had three catches for what still stands as a career-best 115 yards, including an 81-yard TD.

Buffalo’s offensive production didn’t skip a beat in finishing second in points scored last season despite Stefon Diggs being traded to Houston.

“I have nothing but love for Joe,” Shakir said. “I’ve always said, my career took off once Joe took over. He was somebody who just believed in me every single day.”

The affection is mutual for Brady, who credits Shakir for being just as eager doing the grunt work — blocking and running routes to clear space for others to get open — as he is making catches.

“He makes my life so much easier,” Brady said. “Khalil just embodies the ‘It doesn’t matter what I have to do, I’m doing to do it.’”

Though the Bills have upgraded their receiver group with the offseason additions of Joshua Palmer and Elijah Moore, Shakir’s role isn’t expected to diminish.

It was evident in practice Tuesday when Allen threw an interception during third-and-long drills. On the next play, Allen bounced back by finding Shakir on a quick out in the backfield.

“He knows his playbook. He doesn’t talk. He doesn’t try to do too much. He just comes out and makes plays,” left tackle Dion Dawkins said, before noting Shakir’s choice of cars. “He’s like more of a Ford, bro. He can just get in and it’s going to turn on and it is going to go. And that’s the beauty of it.”

Keeping the Subaru

Shakir has since purchased a new car, but won’t reveal the make because of the attention the Subaru attracted. He’ll only say the new car isn’t fancy, while noting his old one is staying in the family.

“I’m never getting rid of that. Now I feel like it’s a part of me,” Shakir said.

“I have a loving, beautiful wife, got two wonderful puppies and a baby girl on the way. I have an amazing team, an amazing quarterback, an amazing organization,” he added. “I’m blessed. So for me, I don’t need much.”

CHIEFS PLACE WR XAVIER WORTHY IN CONCUSSION PROTOCOL A DAY AFTER HE BANGED HIS HEAD IN PRACTICE

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs placed wide receiver Xavier Worthy in the concussion protocol Wednesday, one day after the second-year pro banged his head while trying to make a catch during training camp at Missouri Western State University.

Worthy is expected to be a big part of the Kansas City offense after a dynamic rookie season in which he took advantage of the long injury absences of Marquise Brown and Rashee Rice to put up some big numbers. He finished with 59 catches for 638 yards and six touchdowns, then had 19 catches for 287 yards and three more scores in three playoff games.

Brown also missed practice Wednesday after hurting his ankle the previous day. So did fellow wide receiver Skyy Moore, who is dealing with a hamstring injury that could make it more difficult for him to make the team.

The Chiefs breezed through a quick workout Wednesday before getting Thursday off. They return for three more days of practice before another day off Monday. Those breaks could give some of their injured players, including offensive lineman Jawaan Taylor (knee), an opportunity to recover ahead of their preseason opener on Aug. 9 in Chicago.

BROWNS CORNERBACK MARTIN EMERSON JR. IS OUT FOR THE SEASON WITH A RUPTURED ACHILLES TENDON

BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Cleveland Browns cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. will miss the coming season after an MRI confirmed that he ruptured an Achilles tendon.

Coach Kevin Stefanski said before Wednesday’s practice that Emerson will have surgery, but a date has not been determined.

“It’s disappointing. Injuries are the worst part of our game, but he will bounce back, I know what he is made of,” Stefanski said. “Yesterday was a lot. He is sore today.”

Emerson, a third-round draft pick in 2022, got hurt while covering a wide receiver during a 7-on-7 drill Tuesday. He dropped to the ground in pain and screamed before being carted off the field with a towel covering his head. He has 202 tackles, four interceptions, a fumble recovery and sack in three seasons.

His loss is another blow to a Cleveland defense looking to rebound from a poor season and already short-handed with linebackers Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (neck injury) and Jordan Hicks (retired) ruled out.

With Emerson out, Greg Newsome likely will move into the No. 2 corner spot opposite Pro Bowler Denzel Ward. Both Emerson and Newsome also played some nickel back, covering slot receivers. Cameron Mitchell would be the top candidate for full-time nickel duties.

DOLPHINS CB KADER KOHOU TO GO ON SEASON-ENDING IR WITH KNEE INJURY

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Dolphins starting cornerback Kader Kohou will miss the 2025 season after suffering a knee injury in practice on Saturday.

Miami coach Mike McDaniel said Wednesday morning that Kohou, a former undrafted player who quickly worked his way into a starting role, will go on injured reserve.

Kohou went down grabbing at his right knee after a one-on-one rep against receiver Tyreek Hill during practice. He remained down for a couple minutes while being looked at by trainers before walking gingerly but under his own power off the Dolphins’ practice field.

“I’ve seen him come into the league with nothing promised and earn his spot within this team,” McDaniel said. “And this year in particular, I saw him ascend to a different level trying to take the reigns of his career and get his game to an even higher level. For that, and the timing of it, I was crushed until I talked to Kader, and honestly Kader made me feel a little bit better about where he was at, simply by his mindset.”

Kohou signed with the Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2022 and has recorded 180 tackles, one sack and three interceptions in three years.

It’s a significant blow to Miami’s secondary that has undergone significant changes since the end of last season. All of the Dolphins’ starters in the secondary — including All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who was traded, and safety Jevon Holland, who left in free agency — are gone.

Miami recently signed veteran cornerback Mike Hilton, who figures to be the likely starter in the slot this season. Former Raiders and Patriots cornerback Jack Jones also recently signed with Miami to compete for an outside cornerback spot. Other options on the boundary include veteran Kendall Sheffield, Cam Smith and Storm Duck.

McDaniel said he feels good about the Dolphins’ depth at cornerback right now, but did not rule out the possibility of signing another experienced player.

“If there was a situation in a week where I didn’t feel that we were good,” McDaniel added, “(general manager) Chris (Grier) and I would talk, and we would get something done there.”

Miami’s secondary will also be without Ashtyn Davis for a while after the safety suffered a noncontact injury in practice this week. McDaniel said the team is still evaluating the extent of the injury, but it isn’t expected to be season-ending.

BUCCANEERS STAR WIDE RECEIVER MIKE EVANS EAGER TO ‘PUT ON A SHOW’ AS HE SEEKS RECORD-SETTING SEASON

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Mike Evans streaked into the secondary, cut outside and leaped to catch a perfect post-corner toss from Baker Mayfield.

Fans at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ indoor practice facility roared.

They’re used to Evans making all the plays but No. 13 still manages to impress everyone watching.

The six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver makes it look so effortless the way he glides after the ball. His routes are smooth and precise, his hands soft. At 6-foot-5, 231 pounds, he has a powerful frame so he can outmuscle defenders or outfinesse them when he needs to.

Evans is the only player in NFL history to start his career with 11 consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons. Only Jerry Rice had that many at any point. Evans is aiming for 12 in a row in a year when the Buccaneers celebrate the franchise’s 50th season. There are no signs the 31-year-old is slowing down and his team goals are bigger than his personal ones.

“I’m just happy that we have a really great team and we’re using this training camp to put everything together to have one of the best seasons for the 50th,” Evans said Tuesday. “I’m excited to put on a great show for y’all.”

At a position known for players with look-at-me personalities — Tyreek Hill, Michael Irvin, Terrell Owens, Chad Johnson — Evans lets his performance do most of the talking. He’s quiet, humble and community-oriented. Evans is a four-time NFL Walter Payton Man of The Year nominee for the work he does along with his wife, Ashli, through their foundation, which empowers youth, encourages education and stands against domestic violence.

Evans joined the Buccaneers in 2014 as the seventh overall pick and has become one of the greatest players in franchise history. Evans and Chris Godwin were a big reason why Tom Brady chose Tampa Bay in 2020 and the Buccaneers ended up winning a Super Bowl that season.

From catching passes from Josh McCown and Mike Glennon as a rookie to Jameis Winston to Brady to Baker Mayfield, Evans continues to produce. He has 836 career catches for 12,684 yards and 105 touchdowns.

Evans missed three games last season due to injury and didn’t reach 1,000 yards until he caught a 9-yard pass on the final play of a 27-19 victory over the Saints that the Buccaneers needed to secure their fourth straight NFC South title.

The reaction from Evans’ teammates and the fans after that catch showed how much he’s loved.

“He always has (put the team first),” Mayfield said afterward. “That’s why you love him. That’s why we appreciate having him. We’re lucky to have him and he’s underappreciated throughout the media, the league and he’s one of one. He deserves that. Obviously, you saw the stadium erupt, the sideline erupt. You can tell how much people care about him and what that means for everybody around him.”

Some veteran players are careful about mentoring young guys who will eventually replace them. Not Evans. Or Godwin for that matter.

The Buccaneers drafted wideout Emeka Egbuka in the first round out of Ohio State. They selected Tez Johnson from Oregon in the seventh round.

“It’s constant. They’re just so fortunate from Tez to ‘Mek’ (Egbuka) to Garrett (Greene) to be able to learn from them,” Buccaneers offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard said. “We just had a walk through this morning and we can coach it up, but Chris and Mike were coaching up the concept just as much as myself and (wide receivers coach) ‘B-Mac’ (Bryan McClendon) were. And that’s just on the field — I can’t imagine what they talk about off the field on how to be a pro and how to conduct themselves. They couldn’t have come into a better environment for people to learn from.”

BENGALS RELEASE VETERAN RB ZACK MOSS

The Cincinnati Bengals released veteran running back Zack Moss on Wednesday.

Moss, 27, agreed to a reworked contract for one year and $1.7 million in April with only $375,000 guaranteed.

He ran for 242 yards and two touchdowns in eight games (six starts) for the Bengals in 2024 before sustaining a season-ending neck injury in Week 8. He also caught 23 passes for 187 yards and one score.

Chase Brown seized the No. 1 running back role for Cincinnati last season, racking up 1,350 yards from scrimmage with 11 touchdowns in 16 games (10 starts).

A third-round pick by Buffalo in 2020, Moss has rushed for 2,318 yards and 16 touchdowns and caught 98 passes for 710 yards and five TDs in 61 career games (17 starts) with the Bills (2020-22), Indianapolis Colts (2022-23) and Bengals.

Cincinnati also announced that center Seth McLaughlin has passed a physical and been cleared to practice. The 23-year-old undrafted rookie from Ohio State had been on the active/non-football injury list since July 19.

BENGALS DE TREY HENDRICKSON REPORTS, SAYS NOTHING NEW PER CONTRACT

Cincinnati Bengals star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson formally reported to training camp on Wednesday and said nothing has changed per his contract status.

Hendrickson has been seeking a new deal all offseason and isn’t going to practice with the team until the situation is resolved.

Hendrickson said nothing has changed regarding his contract. He is slated to make $15.8 million in base salary in 2025.

“There are plans on not having to play on the current deal,” Hendrickson said after Wednesday’s practice. “That’s something we have a common goal to get to. That’s the plan moving forward. No distractions. I am excited to be here.”

Hendrickson said the main reason he reported was so he wouldn’t be a distraction.

“I want to help the guys, the guys that have helped me along the way,” Hendrickson said. “(Teammates) Demario Davis, Cam Jordan, even Sam Hubbard helped me a lot when I was here. To be that, right now, I think that’s what’s most important. This (contract) narrative will kinda iron itself out as we continue to progress towards the season.”

Cincinnati star quarterback Joe Burrow was happy to see Hendrickson on the premises.

“Whenever you can have a guy like that in the building, who’s not (playing), it’s good to see his face, it’s good to have his presence,” Burrow told reporters. “He’s going to be a big, big part of this team this year. Just to have him around made a big difference in the energy around here.”

The four-time Pro Bowl defensive end has been seeking a big contract extension.

Hendrickson, 30, led the NFL in sacks last season with 17.5. He has 35 over the past two seasons and 57 in four seasons with the Bengals.

The two sides have been in a stalemate all offseason. In mid-May, Hendrickson told reporters he wouldn’t play this season unless he received a bump in pay.

Hendrickson apparently craves an increase in pay that will place him in the higher echelon of defensive players. Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt just landed the highest annual average salary ($41 million) in history for a defensive player.

Over the offseason, Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett ($40 million AAV) and Los Angeles Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby ($35.5 million) also landed huge deals.

“This is the guy that has the most sacks over the last two years,” Burrow said of Hendrickson. “Production is value in this league. I know you can think you’re such a good player, but to not have any production doesn’t really matter. So when you have a guy like that, you want to reward him.”

Hendrickson has been a Pro Bowl selection in all four of his seasons with Cincinnati. He played his first four seasons with the New Orleans Saints, serving as a backup for the first three campaigns.

Hendrickson has 77 sacks, 220 tackles and 14 forced fumbles in 110 games (81 starts).

DOLPHINS RAVE ABOUT PICK NO. 231, QB QUINN EWERS

Tua Tagovailoa tossed touchdown passes of 30 and 60 yards on Tuesday but the training camp performance of a position group peer is grabbing the quarterback’s attention.

Rookie Quinn Ewers, the 231st overall pick in the 2025 draft and a three-year starter at Texas, is putting on a show of his own in a competition with former top-5 pick Zach Wilson.

“Quinn Ewers is doing great,” Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said. “He has a personality that players gravitate to.”

The competition is likely to play out in preseason games in August. Tagovailoa said he’s not above playing in the exhibitions, but given his injury history, the Dolphins have little to gain exposing him to meaningless hits before September.

Placing Ewers and Wilson, who was drafted by the Jets and spent last season with the Denver Broncos, in game-like situations will probably take precedent for Miami. Because Tagovailoa missed six games last season and the Dolphins were entirely dormant offensively without him, there’s added focus on finding a productive passer behind him. In five NFL seasons, Tagovailoa has played in 64 total games.

“I think Quinn Ewers has been balling,” Tagovailoa said.

In one red-zone drill on Monday, Tagovailoa was one of the most vocal cheerleaders as Ewers threw three touchdown passes and set social media ablaze with his accuracy.

“I think, realistically, Quinn’s development is all him,” McDaniel said. “But it’s as much as coaching and from the quarterback coaches and Zach and Tua as well. They’re creating a good environment that he has to keep up with because the other two are rolling.”

Ewers threw for 9,128 yards and 68 touchdowns at Texas.

RAVENS TE ISAIAH LIKELY HAS SMALL FRACTURE IN FOOT

Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely could be ready for Week 1 if he recovers as expected from a small fracture in his foot, according to reports.

Likely was injured in a non-contact play during position drills on Tuesday while going one-on-one against safety Sanoussi Kane. He was taken off the field on a cart.

The 25-year-old is expected to miss “a few weeks,” coach John Harbaugh said.

Tests on Likely’s foot and ankle were done Tuesday and Harbaugh said the team would wait until Wednesday for full results to know “exactly what needs to be done. But it’ll be a few weeks. It’s good that it’s this early in camp.”

Likely is in the final year of his rookie contract and No. 1 tight end Mark Andrews, who also signed a contract in 2021, would also be a free agent at the end of the 2025 season if his deal isn’t extended by the Ravens.

Likely played in 16 regular-season games (nine starts) last season and caught 42 of 58 targets for 477 yards and six touchdowns. He also had seven receptions on nine targets for 126 yards and one TD in two playoff games.

He has 108 career receptions for 1,261 yards and 14 TDs in 49 regular-season games (19 starts), and another 11 catches for 176 yards and two scores in five postseason games (one start).

The Ravens selected Likely in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Coastal Carolina.

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BASEBALL NEWS

BRAVES PLACE OF RONALD ACUNA JR. ON 10-DAY IL

The Atlanta Braves placed All-Star Ronald Acuna Jr. on the 10-day injured list Wednesday and recalled fellow outfielder Jarred Kelenic from Triple-A Gwinnett.

Acuna exited the Braves’ 9-6 road loss to the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday with inflammation in his right Achilles.

After looking uncomfortable at the plate while getting retired in the third and fifth innings, Acuna unsuccessfully chased Vinnie Pasquantino’s sixth-inning drive that ended up becoming a ground-rule double.

Braves manager Brian Snitker then sent Eli White onto the field to replace Acuna.

Acuna said the injury occurred Monday when he scored from first base on Austin Riley’s eighth-inning double.

The 2023 National League MVP, Acuna was selected to the NL All-Star Team for the fifth time this year.

A torn left anterior cruciate ligament ended Acuna’s 2024 season in late May, and that injury kept him out the first eight weeks of the 2025 season. He tore his right ACL in July 2021.

Acuna, 27, is batting .306 with a .429 on-base percentage, .577 slugging percentage, 14 home runs and 26 RBIs in 55 games this season.

In eight major league seasons, all with Atlanta, Acuna has a .290/.383/.528 slash line with 179 homers, 443 RBIs and 200 stolen bases.

Kelenic, 26, struggled earlier this season with the Braves, batting .167 with two homers and two RBIs in 23 games. He has batted .211 with 49 homers and 156 RBIs in 406 career games with the Seattle Mariners and Braves.

REPORTS: MARINERS ACQUIRE 3B EUGENIO SUAREZ FROM D-BACKS

The Seattle Mariners made a big splash the night before the trade deadline, acquiring slugging third baseman Eugenio Suarez from the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday, according to multiple media reports.

Arizona reportedly got back three minor-leaguers: first baseman Tyler Locklear and right-handers Hunter Cranton and Juan Burgos.

Suarez was the biggest bat rumored to be on the move before the Thursday 6 p.m. ET deadline, and he will now return to the team that traded him to Arizona in November 2023.

Suarez, 34, has 36 home runs and 87 RBIs (tied for the major league lead) this season while batting .248 in 105 games. The veteran made his second All-Star team this year and is the first player in big-league history to be traded midseason after hitting at least 35 home runs.

Suarez played two seasons with the Mariners, 2022 and 2023, producing a combined 53 home runs and 183 RBIs. The Venezuelan slugger played with the Detroit Tigers in 2014 and spent seven seasons with the Cincinnati Reds before being acquired by Seattle.

He figures to provide the Mariners with a major power upgrade at third base over Ben Williamson, who is hitting .253 with one homer and 21 RBIs in 85 games.

Locklear, 24, was the Mariners’ ninth-rated prospect, per MLB Pipeline. In 98 games for Triple-A Tacoma this year, he batted .316/.401/.542 with 19 home runs, 82 RBIs and 18 stolen bases.

Cranton, 24, was rated No. 16 in the Seattle organization by MLB Pipeline. While playing for teams at the rookie level and Class-A this season, he went 2-0 with three saves and a 0.90 ERA in 10 games (10 innings).

Burgos, 25, was considered the Mariners’ No. 17 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. Between Double-A and Triple-A this year, he went 3-1 with three saves and a 0.87 ERA in 25 relief outings (31 innings).

Burgos also appeared in four games for the Mariners this season, posting a 4.05 ERA and eight strikeouts across 6 2/3 innings.

RED SOX PICK UP LHP STEVEN MATZ FROM CARDINALS

The Boston Red Sox beefed up their pitching staff Wednesday night by acquiring left-hander Steven Matz from the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Cardinals acquired minor league infielder Blaze Jordan in exchange for Matz, a 34-year-old veteran who has experience both as a starter and a reliever.

In 2025, Matz has made 30 of his 32 appearances out of the bullpen, and he has posted a 5-2 record with a 3.44 ERA across 55 innings.

Matz was selected in the second round of the 2009 draft by the Mets and spent the first six seasons of his major league career in New York. After one season with the Toronto Blue Jays, Matz signed with the Cardinals ahead of the 2022 season and has played the past four seasons in St. Louis.

In 225 career games (172 starts), Matz owns a 60-62 mark with a 4.24 ERA.

Jordan, 22, was a third-round pick of the Red Sox in 2020. He batted .304/.377/.495 with 12 homers and 62 RBIs in 88 games with Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester this season.

REDS ADD RHP ZACK LITTELL FROM REDS IN 3-TEAM DEAL

The Cincinnati Reds continued their aggressive approach to the trade deadline by acquiring right-hander Zack Littell from the Tampa Bay Rays as part of a three-team trade on Wednesday.

The Rays confirmed receiving two minor league pitchers, right-hander Brian Van Belle and left-hander Adam Serwinowski, from Cincinnati in exchange for Littell.

Per multiple media reports, Tampa Bay then sent Serwinowski, right-hander Paul Gervase and catcher Ben Rortvedt to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Catcher Hunter Feduccia went from the Dodgers to the Rays.

Littell, 29, was 8-8 for the Rays this season with a 3.58 ERA across 22 starts after throwing five shutout innings in a no-decision against the New York Yankees on Wednesday. He has given up a major-league-leading 26 home runs.

“Just part of the game,” Littell said postgame regarding the trade. He added, “I didn’t find out much before everyone else. … The opportunity I got here (with Tampa Bay) has and will continue to change my life, so I’m extremely thankful.”

Littell has been a mainstay of the Rays’ rotation for the past 2 1/2 seasons after pitching largely out of the bullpen for the Minnesota Twins, San Francisco Giants and Boston Red Sox from 2018 to 2023.

Van Belle, 28, has pitched for two Triple-A teams this year, going a combined 6-5 with a 3.40 ERA in 19 games (15 starts).

Serwinowski, 21, had a 1-7 mark with a 4.84 ERA in 18 games (17 starts) for high Class-A Dayton this season.

Gervase, 25, made his major league debut with Tampa Bay this year, registering no decisions and a 4.26 ERA in five relief outings. He was 2-3 with four saves and a 3.12 ERA for Triple-A Durham.

Rortvedt, 27, has major league experience with the Twins, New York Yankees and Tampa Bay. He went 6-for-63 (.095) with no homers and six RBIs in 26 games for the Rays in 2025.

The deal came after a trade earlier in the day that saw the Reds acquire third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes from the Pirates.

The trade deadline is 6 p.m. ET on Thursday.

REPORTS: CUBS ACQUIRE RHP MICHAEL SOROKA FROM NATIONALS

The Chicago Cubs bolstered their pitching staff ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline by acquiring right-hander Michael Soroka from the Washington Nationals on Wednesday night, according to multiple reports.

The Cubs are sending two prospects to Washington in return for Soroka: Triple-A outfielder Christian Franklin and 18-year-old Arizona Complex League infielder Ronny Cruz. Franklin and Cruz were Chicago’s 14th and 13th-ranked prospects, according to MLB Pipeline.

Soroka, 27, has started 16 games for the Nationals this season, posting a 3-8 record with a 4.87 ERA.

An All-Star in 2019 with the Braves, Soroka missed the 2021 and 2022 seasons with Achilles injuries and was moved to the bullpen last season with the White Sox.

The Cubs have dealt with several injuries to their pitching staff this season and could look to add more arms before the 6 p.m. ET trade deadline on Thursday.

TIGERS ACQUIRE RELIEVER RAFAEL MONTERO FROM BRAVES FOR MINOR LEAGUER

The Detroit Tigers acquired right-handed reliever Rafael Montero from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for minor league infielder Jim Jarvis on Wednesday.

Montero, 34, is in his 11th year in the majors, having made 360 career regular season appearances (30 starts) for the Mets (2014-17), Rangers (2019-20), Mariners (2021), Astros (2021-25) and Braves (2025). He also has made 15 playoff appearances, posting a 2.51 ERA across 14 1/3 innings for the World Series-winning 2022 Astros and the 2023 Astros.

Combined between the Astros and Braves this season, Montero is 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA in 39 relief appearances, with 39 strikeouts. He has held opposing hitters to a .211 batting average and .657 OPS.

Montero began the season with the Astros, making three appearances before being traded to Atlanta on April 8. With the Braves, Montero had one 13-game stretch from June 8-July 19 in which he posted a 1.93 ERA (3 earned runs in 14 innings).

Jarvis, 24, was an 11th-round pick of the Tigers in the 2023 draft out of the University of Alabama. He has been playing second base, third base and shortstop at Double-A Erie, where he is batting 242 with two homers and 29 RBIs in 77 games this season. At the time of his trade, he was not listed among the top 30 Tigers prospects by MLB Pipeline.

REPORT: METS ACQUIRE RIGHTY RELIEVER RYAN HELSLEY FROM CARDINALS

The New York Mets continued their aggressive trade deadline push Wednesday, acquiring All-Star closer Ryan Helsley from the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for three prospects, according to ESPN. The deal sends highly touted shortstop prospect Jesus Baez along with right-handed pitchers Nate Dohm and Frank Elissalt to St. Louis.

Helsley, 31, is in the final year of his contract and has recorded 21 saves with a 3.00 ERA over 36 innings this season. A two-time All-Star, he led Major League Baseball with 49 saves in 2024 and posted a 1.83 ERA from 2022 to 2024.

The Mets’ bullpen has lost multiple relievers to season-ending injuries, including A.J. Minter and Dedniel Nunez, and has been among the league’s worst since early June, ranking 25th in ERA. Helsley is the second major bullpen acquisition of the day for New York, which also traded for Giants reliever Tyler Rogers in a separate deal earlier Wednesday.

Helsley is expected to serve in a setup role behind Mets closer Edwin Diaz, giving New York a formidable late-inning combination as it pushes for a playoff berth.

REPORTS: PHILLIES PAY TWO TOP 100 PROSPECTS FOR TWINS’ JHOAN DURAN

The Philadelphia Phillies secured the services of the most dominant closer on the market Wednesday night by sending Top 100 prospects Eduardo Tait and Mick Abel to the Minnesota Twins for Jhoan Duran, according to reports.

The 27-year-old Duran, who attacks hitters with a 100-mph four-seam fastball, a 97-mph split-finger and a spicy knuckle-curve, posted a 6-4 record with 16 saves and a 2.01 ERA in 49 games for the Twins this season. He has allowed just five extra-base hits — four doubles and one homer — in 202 batters faced.

The right-hander from the Dominican Republic has been one of the best relievers in the big leagues since making his debut in 2022 — forging a 2.47 ERA with 292 strikeouts and 74 walks over 233 2/3 innings. Opponents have hit just .216 against him.

The Phillies, who entered Wednesday’s play a half-game behind the New York Mets in the National League East race, paid a stout price to firm up the back of their bullpen.

Tait is an 18-year-old catcher regarded by MLB Pipeline as the Phillies’ No. 4 prospect and the No. 56 prospect overall. He has spent most of this season with Single-A Clearwater and produced a .251 average with 11 homers and 51 RBIs despite being three years younger than the average player.

The Panama native was promoted to Single-A Jersey Shore in the Sally League on July 22 and fashioned a .296 average with three doubles and six RBIs in seven games.

Abel, 23, made a splashy major league debut with the Phillies on May 18 when he fired six shutout innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates — striking out nine without a walk. He posted a 2-2 record with a 5.04 ERA in six starts for the Phillies before returning to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, where he went 7-2 with a 2.31 ERA and 81 strikeouts over 74 innings.

Abel ranked as the Phillies’ No. 6 prospect and No. 92 across baseball.

MARINERS TRADE FOR LHP CALEB FERGUSON, BRING UP SLUGGER TYLER LOCKLEAR

The Seattle Mariners bolstered their bullpen by acquiring veteran left-hander Caleb Ferguson from the Pittsburgh Pirates in one of several roster moves on Wednesday.

The Pirates received minor league right-hander Jeter Martinez, rated a top-30 prospect in the Seattle organization by MLB Pipeline (No. 13) and Baseball America (No. 22).

The Mariners made room on the roster for Ferguson, 29, by reinstating right-hander Collin Snider from the 15-day injured list and designating him for assignment.

Ferguson is 2-2 with a 3.74 ERA, 14 walks and 34 strikeouts in 43 1/3 innings over 45 relief appearances this season. He has a career record of 21-15 with six saves, a 3.69 ERA, 121 walks and 348 strikeouts in 305 innings over 308 games (14 starts) with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2018-20, 2022-23), New York Yankees (2024), Houston Astros (2024) and Pirates.

“We are excited to add Caleb and fortify our bullpen down the stretch,” said Justin Hollander, the Mariners’ executive vice president and general manager of baseball operations. “He’s been one of the most reliable left-handed relievers in the game and adds postseason experience to our group.”

Seattle also placed outfielder Luke Raley on the 10-day IL, retroactive to Sunday, due to back spasms. The team recalled slugging first baseman Tyler Locklear, its No. 9 prospect per MLB Pipeline, from Triple-A Tacoma.

Raley last played on July 24 in a 4-2 win at the Los Angeles Angels. He is batting .220 with four home runs and 18 RBIs in only 49 games while dealing with injuries.

He is a career .235 hitter with 48 homers and 133 RBIs in 359 games for the Los Angeles Dodgers (2021), Tampa Bay Rays (2022-23) and Mariners (2024-present).

The Mariners selected Locklear in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of VCU. The rookie made his major league debut in 2024, when he batted .156 (7-for-45) with two home runs and three RBIs in 16 games.

This season, Locklear, 24, is batting .316 at Tacoma with 19 homers, 82 RBIs, a .401 on-base percentage and .542 slugging percentage in 98 games.

The reigning Pacific Coast League Player of the Year was pulled in the fifth inning of Tacoma’s game against Sugar Land on Tuesday, leading to incorrect speculation that Locklear was in the process of being traded. Instead, he was being promoted.

Martinez, 19, is 2-6 with a 6.18 ERA, 38 walks and 60 strikeouts in 62 2/3 innings over 16 starts for Single-A Modesto.

Snider, 29, was 2-1 with a 5.47 ERA, six walks and 24 strikeouts in 26 1/3 innings over 24 relief appearances before he was placed on the injured list on June 4. He is a career 9-7 with one save, a 4.48 ERA, 47 walks and 104 strikeouts in 122 2/3 innings over 128 games (one start) for the Kansas City Royals (2022-23) and Mariners (2024-25).

REPORTS: REDS OBTAIN 3B KE’BRYAN HAYES FROM PIRATES

The Cincinnati Reds acquired third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes from the Pittsburgh Pirates for left-hander Taylor Rogers and a minor leaguer, according to reports on Wednesday.

Hayes, 28, is a strong defensive player who batted .254 with 39 homers and 212 RBIs in 576 games with the Pirates over parts of six seasons. He won the National League Gold Glove for third basemen in 2023.

This season, he is hitting .236 with two homers and 36 RBIs in 100 games.

Hayes is in the midst of an eight-year, $70 million extension that runs through 2030.

Rogers, 34, is 2-2 with a 2.45 ERA in 40 relief appearances this season. He is set to become a free agent following the season.

Rogers was an All-Star for the Minnesota Twins in 2021 and twice has recorded 30 saves in a season. He is 30-36 with a 3.28 ERA in 549 career relief appearances with the Twins (2016-21), San Diego Padres (2022), Milwaukee Brewers (2022), San Francisco Giants (2023-24) and Reds.

Pittsburgh also received minor league shortstop Sammy Stafura from the Reds. He was a second-round choice in the 2023 draft and is rated as Cincinnati’s No. 9 prospect by MLB Pipeline.

Stafura, 20, is batting .262 with four homers and 48 RBIs in 88 games at Single-A Daytona Beach.

MLB ROUNDUP: 9 ROYALS PITCHERS BLANK BRAVES

Salvador Perez lashed a walk-off single in the 10th inning, and nine Kansas City pitchers combined on a five-hit shutout as the Royals blanked the visiting Atlanta Braves 1-0 on Wednesday.

In a bullpen game, Royals reliever Angel Zerpa served as the opener and tossed one-plus inning, allowing just a single. The bullpen finished with 10 strikeouts and a walk in the club’s ninth shutout.

Sam Long (1-2) escaped a first-and-third, no-out jam in the 10th with two strikeouts and a lineout.

Braves starter Joey Wentz, a Kansas City-area native, allowed only a leadoff single to Maikel Garcia in 6 2/3 innings. Daysbel Hernandez (4-2) permitted Perez’s winning hit.

Blue Jays 9, Orioles 8

A pinch-hit, three-run homer from Nathan Lukes helped visiting Toronto snap a four-game losing streak as the Blue Jays put away Baltimore.

Lukes’ long ball capped a five-run seventh inning for Toronto, which trailed 5-4 heading into the frame. Myles Straw had three hits, including a two-run home run, and Joey Loperfido also added three hits.

Ryan O’Hearn and Jordan Westburg each belted two-run homers for the Orioles, while Cedric Mullins, Jackson Holliday and Gunnar Henderson each contributed two hits.

Tigers 7, Diamondbacks 2

Two days after joining Detroit in a trade, Chris Paddack shut down visiting Arizona for six innings while helping the Tigers complete a three-game sweep.

Paddack (4-9) gave up one run on three hits. Kerry Carpenter tripled, homered and drove in three runs for Detroit. Colt Keith added three hits and an RBI, and Jake Rogers smacked a two-run homer.

Geraldo Perdomo homered as part of a three-hit day for the Diamondbacks, who have recorded just five runs during a five-game losing streak. Ryne Nelson (6-3) struck out eight while permitting four runs, one earned, in 5 1/3 innings.

Red Sox 13, Twins 1

Jarren Duran finished a triple shy of the cycle and drove in four runs as Boston raced by Minnesota in Minneapolis.

Masataka Yoshida, Romy Gonzalez and Trevor Story also homered as the Red Sox won for the fourth time in five games. Roman Anthony and Connor Wong contributed two hits and two runs apiece, and Brayan Bello (7-5) tossed seven innings of one-run ball.

Matt Wallner had a home run to account for the lone run for the Twins, who have lost four of their past five. Zebby Matthews (2-3) was tagged for five runs in 4 1/3 innings.

Astros 9, Nationals 1

Jose Altuve went 4-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs to lead Houston to a home win over Washington.

Altuve extended his franchise record of four-hit games to 41 in the victory while Cooper Hummel and Yainer Diaz added homers for the Astros, who have won two straight after dropping five in a row. Ryan Gusto (7-4) limited the Nationals to one run in six innings.

Josh Bell paced Washington with two hits. MacKenzie Gore (4-11) yielded six runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Cubs 10, Brewers 3

Pete Crow-Armstrong doubled twice, singled and scored two runs as visiting Chicago avoided a three-game sweep at the hands of Milwaukee.

Michael Busch and Ian Happ each homered for the Cubs, who logged eight extra-base hits. Shota Imanaga (8-4) fanned eight while allowing three runs in five innings.

William Contreras had two home runs for the Brewers, while Blake Perkins doubled and singled. Freddy Peralta (12-5) was pounded for five runs on five hits in four innings.

Pirates 2, Giants 1 (10 innings)

Oneil Cruz scored on a comebacker to the pitcher and Pittsburgh held off host San Francisco in the 10th inning as the Pirates completed a three-game sweep of the Giants.

Spencer Horwitz doubled, singled and drove in a run for Pittsburgh, which has won five straight and eight of the last nine. Starter Mike Burrows tossed six innings of one-run ball, and Carmen Mlodzinski and Isaac Mattson (3-1) each threw two innings of shutout relief.

Dominic Smith had two hits and drove in the lone run for San Francisco, which has lost six straight. Ryan Walker (2-4) took the defeat.

White Sox 9, Phillies 3

Lenyn Sosa’s seventh-inning single put Chicago up for good as the hosts’ seven-run outburst in that frame led to a runaway victory over visiting Philadelphia.

Sosa’s hit off Max Lazar (1-1) was one of seven to start the inning and eight overall in the decisive frame. Miguel Vargas and Edgar Quero followed with three-run homers to help Chicago take the rubber match of the three-game series. Kyle Teel and Colson Montgomery hit solo shots for the White Sox.

Chicago reliever Mike Vasil (5-3) fired four shutout innings. Brandon Marsh led the Phillies with a pair of hits, including a solo homer.

Padres 5, Mets 0

Gavin Sheets belted a two-run homer and Yu Darvish hurled seven scoreless innings as San Diego completed a three-game sweep of visiting New York.

Darvish (1-3), who entered the day with a 9.18 ERA, permitted only two hits and walked none while whiffing seven, mowing down 13 consecutive hitters at one point. Jason Adam and Robert Suarez completed the Padres’ 15th shutout this season.

Clay Holmes (9-6) lasted only 3 2/3 innings for the Mets, allowing eight hits and four runs (two earned). New York played without right fielder Juan Soto (foot contusion).

Guardians 5, Rockies 0

David Fry hit a two-run homer and scored two runs, Carlos Santana had an RBI double, and six pitchers combined for a three-hitter as Cleveland shut out visiting Colorado.

Fry went deep in the first inning against Kyle Freeland (2-11). Ramirez and Santana were the only players on either team with multiple hits, both singling and doubling.

Kolby Allard made his second spot start for the Guardians, working 3 1/3 innings and allowing one baserunner, a single. Jakob Junis (3-1) was awarded the win with two innings of relief. Freeland permitted two runs in three innings.

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NBA NEWS

REPORT: KUMINGA REJECTS 2-YEAR, $45M OFFER FROM WARRIORS

Restricted free-agent forward Jonathan Kuminga rejected a two-year, $45-million contract offer from the Golden State Warriors, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania and Anthony Slater.

Kuminga reportedly passed on the new deal largely because the Warriors insisted on a team option for the second season and weren’t willing to let him keep the no-trade clause that he’d be entitled to.

The former No. 7 overall pick and his agent have reportedly explored sign-and-trade scenarios, including significant negotiations with the Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns for close to $90 million over four years. Phoenix made the most lucrative offer, Charania and Slater report.

However, the Warriors aren’t impressed by what the Kings and Suns are offering and have begun indicating they plan to cut off sign-and-trade talks entirely, sources told Charania and Slater.

The forward is reportedly enticed by playing elsewhere as Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has made it clear that he won’t be playing big minutes consistently.

Kuminga has until Oct. 1 to sign Golden State’s one-year, $7.9-million qualifying offer.

The 22-year-old is a product of the inaugural G League Ignite team. He’s shown flashes of potential, but his playing time has fluctuated throughout his four-year tenure in the Bay Area.

He averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 boards, and 2.2 assists across 47 appearances last season.

FORMER NBA STAR GILBERT ARENAS FACING FEDERAL CHARGES FOR ILLEGAL POKER GAMES

Former NBA All-Star guard Gilbert Arenas and five other defendants were arrested Wednesday on a federal indictment alleging they operated an illegal gambling business running high-stakes poker games at Arenas’ mansion in Encino, Calif., according to the United States Attorney’s Office of the Central District of California.

Arenas, 43, of Woodland Hills, Calif., is charged with one count of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, one count of operating an illegal gambling business, and one count of making false statements to federal investigators.

He is scheduled to make his initial appearance and be arraigned on Wednesday afternoon in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles. If convicted, he would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each count.

Also charged on Wednesday in the indictment were Yevgeni “Giora” Gershman, 49, of Woodland Hills; Allan “Elica” Austria, 52, of West Hills,Calif.; and Evgenni “Eugne” Tourevski, 48, Yarin “YC” Cohen, 27 and Ievgen Krachun, 43, all of Tarzana, Calif.

Gershman is a suspected high-level organized crime figure from Israel, according to the news release from the U.S. attorney’s office.

Arenas and the other defendants operated an illegal gambling business from September 2021 to July 2022, according to the indictment that was unsealed on Wednesday. Arenas rented out the Encino mansion for the co-conspirators to host the illegal “Pot Limit Omaha” poker games, among other illegal games, with a fee charged from each pot either as a percentage or a fixed amount per hand.

Gershman hired women who were paid in tips and served drinks, provided massages and offered companionship to the poker players — with the women charged a percentage of their earnings by the business operators, per the indictment. Chefs, valets and armed security guards also were hired to staff the games.

Arenas was a three-time All-Star, and All-NBA second-team selection in 2006-07 and third team in 2004-05 and 2005-06.

He averaged 20.7 points, 5.3 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals in 552 regular-season games (455 starts) for the Golden State Warriors (2001-03), Washington Wizards (2003-10), Orlando Magic (2010-11) and Memphis Grizzlies (2012).

His NBA career was overshadowed by a locker-run incident in December 2009 in which he and Washington teammate Javaris Crittenden brought guns into the locker room two days after having a dispute on a flight during a card game. Arenas was suspended for the remainder of the 2009-10 season.

The Warriors selected Arenas in the second round (31st overall) of the 2001 NBA Draft out of Arizona.

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WNBA NEWS

ALIYAH BOSTON TAKES OVER IN 4TH TO LEAD FEVER PAST MERCURY

Aliyah Boston notched 17 of her 22 points in the fourth quarter and Aari McDonald scored a career-high 27 as the Indiana Fever won 107-101 over the visiting Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday night in Indianapolis to grab their third straight victory.

Playing without fellow star teammate Caitlin Clark (groin injury) for a fifth consecutive game, Boston, who also recorded 12 rebounds for a career-high fourth consecutive double-double, was a non-offensive factor through the first three quarters for the Fever (15-12), who still led 74-72 entering the fourth.

Then she scored her team’s first 14 points of the period, included 10 straight for either team after Kahleah Copper gave Phoenix (16-10) a 77-76 edge less than a minute into the fourth.

Boston went 6-of-11 from the field and 10-of-13 at the free-throw line for Indiana, which shot 51.6 percent from the field, including 11-of-24 from 3-point range. McDonald scored 17 in the first half.

Meanwhile, Alyssa Thomas had 32 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists for Phoenix, which started strong and shot 49.3 percent overall. The Mercury, though, committed 19 turnovers that led to 25 Fever points. Copper scored 22 as the Mercury lost for the fourth time in five contests.

Indiana led 55-50 at halftime, and 72-62 during the third quarter. However, the Mercury scored 10 of the final 12 of the third — six coming from Sami Whitcomb (18 points) during that stretch — to trail by just two entering the fourth.

The Fever were behind by as many as 12 in the first quarter, and 30-20 entering the second. Then, they took advantage of eight Phoenix turnovers in the second quarter and made five of their eight first-half 3-pointers to outscore the visitors 35-20 in the period.

Indiana trailed 35-26 when it scored the next 12 points of the contest. Seven of those points came via McDonald, who went 6-of-7 from the field and hit all three of her 3-point attempts in the opening half.

Indiana’s six first-quarter turnovers matched their made field goals during the period. Those miscues led to seven points for the Mercury, who got 21 combined from Thomas, Copper and Satou Sabally to take that 10-point lead after the first 10 minutes.

LYNX TOP LIBERTY IN MATCHUP BETWEEN TOP TWO TEAMS IN WNBA STANDINGS

Napheesa Collier scored 30 points on 11-for-16 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds, and the Minnesota Lynx pulled away for a 100-93 win over the New York Liberty on Wednesday night in Minneapolis.

Kayla McBride added 24 points for Minnesota (23-5), which beat the Liberty in the teams’ first matchup since they squared off in the 2024 WNBA Finals. Alanna Smith scored 12 points on 5-for-7 shooting and grabbed five rebounds.

Sabrina Ionescu scored 31 points on 11-for-20 shooting to lead New York (17-9). Isabelle Harrison had 15 points off the bench, and Natasha Cloud finished with 12 points to go along with a team-high seven assists.

Minnesota shot 49.3 percent (36 of 73) from the field and 48.4 percent (15 of 31) from beyond the 3-point line. New York shot 48.6 percent (35 of 72) overall and 35.7 percent (10 of 28) from long range.

The Liberty trailed 68-62 at the end of the third quarter.

New York trailed by 13 points with 1:47 remaining in the session but closed the quarter on a 7-0 lead thanks to a driving layup by Harrison, a 3-pointer by Ionescu and a basket by Leonie Fiebich to trim the deficit to six.

The score was even at 24-all at the end of the first quarter, but the Lynx led 51-42 at the half.

Ionescu made a pull-up jump shot to put New York on top 22-15 with 3:44 remaining in the first quarter, but the Lynx finished the first quarter on a 7-2 run to even the score. Jessica Shepard made a basket and a driving layup, and McBride finished the outburst with a 3-pointer.

In the second quarter, the Lynx outscored the Liberty 27-18 to establish a nine-point advantage at the break. Minnesota finished the first half on a 9-2 run. Collier scored the final seven points on back-to-back layups and a 3-pointer.

NAZ HILLMON’S LATE TRIPLE LIFTS DREAM PAST WINGS

Naz Hillmon knocked down a 3-pointer with 2.6 seconds left to propel the visiting Atlanta Dream to an 88-85 victory over the Dallas Wings on Wednesday in Arlington, Texas.

Hillmon led Atlanta (16-11) with 21 points, while Allisha Gray added 15 points and Brionna Jones scored 14. Maya Caldwell had a season-high 13 points, while Te-Hina Paopao collected 11 points, eight rebounds and six assists for the Dream, who have won three of four.

Rookie star Paige Bueckers led Dallas (8-20) with 21 points, followed by Luisa Geiselsoder’s 13. Arike Ogunbowale and Haley Jones chipped in 12 points apiece for the Wings, who have lost seven of their last nine.

Atlanta trailed by two entering the final quarter, but began the period on a 12-2 run, including a pair of Hillmon triples to take a 74-66 lead with 7:26 remaining.

Dallas then held the Dream scoreless for more than three minutes with an 8-0 spurt, capped with Bueckers’ three-point play.

Paopao’s consecutive layups later gave Atlanta an 85-83 edge with 34.8 seconds remaining, before Ogunbowale’s jumper tied the score with 21.6 seconds left.

Trailing by four at halftime, Dallas began the third quarter with a 7-2 spurt to grab a one-point lead less than two minutes into the second half. Brionna Jones then scored four in a row and Hillmon connected on a pair of free throws to help Atlanta take a 52-47 advantage.

After the Dream’s lead was pushed to seven, Myisha Hines-Allen’s 3-pointer and Li Yueru’s mid-range jumper began a 13-2 Dallas’ run, giving the Wings a 64-60 edge with just over a minute left in the third.

Brionna Jones’ layup stopped the bleeding for Atlanta, cutting the deficit to 64-62 entering the fourth.

After Atlanta took a 26-21 lead into the second quarter, Dallas went on an 8-3 run — including Bueckers and Haley Jones’ 3-pointers to pull even at 29 with 4:42 left in the first half.

With less than a minute left in the second quarter, Bueckers’ mid-range jumper knotted the score at 40, before Brittney Griner’s layup and Caldwell’s basket gave the Dream a four-point edge at the break. Gray led all scorers with 13 first-half points, while Bueckers paced Dallas with 12.

_____

GOLF NEWS

GOLF GLANCE: PGA’S FINAL PLAYOFF PUSH; LPGA MAJOR HUNTING IN WALES

PGA TOUR
LAST TOURNAMENT: 3M Open (Kurt Kitayama)
THIS WEEK: Wyndham Championship, Greensboro, N.C., July 31-Aug. 3
Course: Sedgefield Country Club (Par 70, 7,131 Yards)
Purse: $8.2M (Winner: $1.476M)
Defending Champion: Aaron Rai
FedEx Cup leader: Scottie Scheffler
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday: 3-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday: 1-3 p.m., (GC); 3-6 p.m. (CBS, Paramount+)
Streaming (ESPN+): Thursday-Friday: 6:45 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 7:45 a.m.-6 p.m.
X: @WyndhamChamp
NOTES: This is the final regular-season event, with the Top 70 players in the FedExCup standings after this week advancing to the first leg of the playoffs. Every player ranked from Nos. 60-80 are in this weekend’s field. … The Top 50 after next week’s FedEx St. Jude Classic qualify for the second event and the Top 30 after the BMW Championship qualify for the Tour Championship. … The Wyndham has served as the regular-season final since the inception of the FedExCup in 2007. It has been held at Sedgefield since 2008. … With 21 of the top 50 players in the Official World Golf Rankings, this is the strongest field at the Wyndham in the FedExCup era. … David Ford, the No. 1 player in the 2025 PGA Tour University Ranking, is in the field on a sponsor exemption. He won the AJGA’s 2020 Sedgefield Invitational. … The tournament scoring record of 258 is shared by Henrik Stenson (2017) and J.T. Poston (2019). Brandt Snedeker set the 18-hole record of 59 in the first round in 2018.
FEDEXCUP STANDINGS NOS. 60-80: Tony Finau (No. 60), Rickie Fowler (No. 61), Davis Riley (No. 62), Kevin Yu (No. 63), Erik van Rooyen (No. 64), Nico Echavarria (No. 65), Emiliano Grillo (No. 66), Cam Davis (No. 67), Patrick Rodgers (No. 68), Byeong Hun An (No. 69), Matthias Schmid (No. 70), Nicolai Højgaard (No. 71), Keith Mitchell (No. 72), Chris Kirk (No. 73), Christiaan Bezuidenhout (No. 74), Gary Woodland (No. 75), Kevin Roy (No. 76), Alex Smalley (No. 77), Davis Thompson (No. 78), Eric Cole (No. 79), William Mouw (No. 80)
BEST BETS: Matt Fitzpatrick (+2000 at DraftKings) has three consecutive finishes of T8 or better, including a T4 at The Open in his most recent start. … Keegan Bradley (+2500) is the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 7 and has five top-10s in 17 starts this season. … Ben Griffin (+2500) is coming off a missed cut but is also one of six multiple-time winners on tour this season … Aaron Rai (+2800) is attempting to become the first player to successfully defend at the event since Sam Snead in 1956. … Robert MacIntyre (+3000) finished solo second and T7 in the final two majors of the year. … Jake Knapp (+4000) has two top-4 finishes in his past four starts, with no finish worse than T22 in that span. … Adam Scott (+5500) tied for second here in 2021 and seventh in 2023. Currently No. 85, he needs a two-way tie for third or better this week to qualify for the playoffs.
NEXT TOURNAMENT: FedEx St. Jude Championship, Memphis, Aug. 7-10

LPGA TOUR
LAST TOURNAMENT: Women’s Scottish Open (Lottie Woad)
THIS WEEK: AIG Women’s Open, Porthcawl, Mid Glamorgan, Wales
Course: Royal Porthcawl G.C. (Par 72, 6,748 Yards)
Purse: $9.75M (Winner: $1,463M)
Defending Champion: Lydia Ko
Race to the CME Globe leader: Jeeno Thitikul
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday: 7 a.m.-2 p.m. ET (USA Network); Saturday-Sunday: 7 a.m.-Noon (USA Network), Noon-2 p.m. (NBC)
Streaming: NBC Sports App
X: @AIGWomensOpen
NOTES: This is the final of five major championships on the 2025 schedule. … The event was established in 1976 and is now owned by The R&A. The prize fund was increased $250,000 this year and has been tripled since 2019. … Royal Porthcawl’s typical 18th hole is the first hole for the championship, followed by the club’s normal No. 1 hole and then following the layout. The typical 17th hole will be No. 18 this week. Royal Porthcawl has played host to The Amateur Championship seven times, most recently in 2016. … The 144-player field includes 11 past champions. … Woad, 21, vaulted to No. 24 in the Rolex Rankings after winning her professional debut last week. … Royal Porthcawl member Darcey Harry is one of two Welsh players in the field along with Lydia Hall out of nearby Southerndown Golf Club.
NEXT TOURNAMENT: Portland Classic, Aug. 14-17

LIV GOLF LEAGUE
LAST TOURNAMENT: LIV Golf UK (Individual: Joaquin Niemann; Team: Legion XIII)
THIS WEEK: OFF.
Season Leaders: Individual: Joaquin Niemann; Team: Crushers GC
NEXT TOURNAMENT: LIV Golf Chicago, Aug. 8-10

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
LAST TOURNAMENT: ISPS Handa Senior Open (Padraig Harrington)
THIS WEEK: OFF
Charles Schwab Cup leader: Miguel Angel Jimenez
NEXT TOURNAMENT: Boeing Classic, Snoqualmie, Wash., Aug. 8-10

PLAYOFF PUSH, DESPERATION UNDERSCORE DRAMA OF WYNDHAM CHAMPIONSHIP

The Wyndham Championship has a funny way of setting the table for the FedEx Cup playoffs.

In 2023, Lucas Glover won the regular-season finale to jump from outside the top 110 in the points race into the playoffs. He capitalized by winning the very next week in the playoff opener in Memphis.

The year prior, Tom Kim of South Korea announced himself by winning the Wyndham at 21 years old to qualify for the playoffs.

Some big-name players would like to join that list at the 2025 Wyndham Championship beginning Thursday at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C.

The top 70 players in the FedEx Cup standings after this week will qualify for the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis. The current No. 70 is Matti Schmid of Germany; some notable names right behind him include Danish youngster Nicolai Hojgaard, Keith Mitchell, Chris Kirk and Gary Woodland.

Australian veteran Adam Scott finds himself 85th in the standings and needing a very high finish to leap into the top 70.

“I feel like my game’s been pretty good since May so I need to be on the front foot a little bit, I can’t be sitting back waiting for it to happen,” Scott said. “I’ve got a couple of days to put myself in contention for the weekend. Yeah, I feel confident with my game that I can do that. It’s about executing.”

Scott called Sedgefield “one of the great tracks on tour.” The course has hosted this event since 2008. A par-70, it will play 7,131 yards long this week and test the field with its small greens.

Scott was in a six-man playoff here in 2021, won by Kevin Kisner. It was tied for the largest playoff in PGA Tour history.

“It would be fun to be in the mix this weekend, and also I still have some open wounds from a few years ago in that playoff so it would be fun to change that,” Scott said.

Tony Finau (No. 60) and Rickie Fowler (No. 61) are not guaranteed to make the playoffs, so they’re playing this week in order to maximize their distance from the cutoff line.

Finau and Fowler are also Ryder Cup veterans, and there are only a few opportunities left to impress U.S. captain Keegan Bradley, who has six captain’s picks to make this fall.

There’s a plethora of fresh faces Bradley could consider who have had better seasons than Finau and Fowler. Take Ben Griffin, currently ninth in the U.S. team qualifying standings. Griffin picked up his first two PGA Tour victories this spring and sits seventh in the FedEx Cup race, the highest of anyone in the Wyndham field.

“I feel like (the Ryder Cup) mentioned every single day, so like, it’s always on my mind whether I want it to be or not,” said Griffin, a native of nearby Chapel Hill, N.C. “… If I just do the right things each week, and this week in particular if I play really well and just focus on winning, the byproduct of that’s going to be making the Ryder Cup team, and same with each week in the playoffs. The more I kind of look at rankings or whatever, it’s not going to help me.”

Another Ryder Cup veteran hopeful his game is rounding into form at the right time, Jordan Spieth is a big fan of the August calendar ahead, starting this week.

“It’s one of the better tracks that we play all year,” said Spieth. “Also, as we look ahead to next week, first playoff event, there’s a lot of similarities in this grainy bermuda and stuff like that.”

ADAM SCOTT HAS UNFINISHED BUSINESS AT WYNDHAM CHAMPIONSHIP

Adam Scott has unfinished business at the Wyndham Championship this week as he continues a season filled with incomplete performances.

Scott, who lost in a record-tying six-man playoff at this event in 2021, returns to Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., still looking for his first top-10 finish on the PGA Tour this season.

“Yeah, I’ve really not had any momentum at all, and it seems like I can put three rounds together but not four every week,” he said Wednesday. “You know, I’ll put the last two together and then the next two the next week. I haven’t matched it up very well.”

That was the case at last week’s 3M Open, where he began with three rounds in the 60s before slipping to T53 with a Sunday 72.

“You know, I would say as my ball-striking improved this year, my putting cooled off,” Scott said. “It’s just been one of those (where) I can’t put it all together. It’s not terrible, but it’s obviously not (great).”

The 45-year-old Australian’s highest finish this season was his tie for 12th at the U.S. Open at Oakmont. He missed the cuts at the Masters — where he won his lone major in 2013 — and the Open Championship and finished T19 at the PGA Championship.

Scott’s 14th and most recent win on the PGA Tour came at the 2020 Genesis Invitational, although he came close in Greensboro the following year.

Kevin Kisner won the 2021 Wyndham Championship with a birdie on the second extra hole and Scott settled for a tie for second with Branden Grace, Si Woo Kim, Kevin Na and Roger Sloan.

Scott missed a 4-foot putt for birdie on the first extra hole that could have won the tournament.

“It really, it does sting,” Scott said. “I was doing a little function last night and I talked about it, and if you asked me quickly there are two putts that I really feel strongly about in my career and that’s one of them. The other one was at the British Open one year to make a playoff with Ernie (Els). Yeah, the two putts I wish I could have back really.

“Thinking back to it at the time, it hurt then but it kind of almost hurts more now because I haven’t won since then either. It’s not easy to win out here. You really do have to take advantage of those opportunities on Tour because you just don’t know when the next one’s going to come.”

Setting aside his past disappointments, Scott needs a huge performance to move into the top 70 in the FedEx Cup standings ahead of next week’s playoff kickoff at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. He currently sits 85th, leaving him in jeopardy of missing the playoffs for the first time since their inception in 2007.

“I’m looking for a big result this week to keep my season going but just generally looking for a good result,” he said. “I feel like I’ve been playing well since May and really not gotten much out of this at all. It would be fun to be in the mix this weekend, and also I still have some open wounds from a few years ago in that playoff so it would be fun to change that.”

PGA-LIV TALKS NON-EXISTENT AS NEW CEO TAKES OVER WITH FULL PLATE

Adam Scott helped hire Brian Rulapp, the new CEO of the PGA Tour, as part of the tour’s search committee and player Policy Board, and he understands better than most the important role Rulapp will play in negotiations with LIV Golf.

There is hope from the tour that Rulapp, a veteran of two decades with the NFL, can energize stalled talks with LIV. Many prominent players would like to unify the divided tours, but optimism has dwindled since a February session with LIV and President Donald Trump at the White House.

Scott was part of the PGA contingent that huddled in D.C. with representatives from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, the financer of LIV Golf. Since then, he said there’s “not much happening.”

“I don’t know if more White House visits are really necessary. It was really quite an experience, I have to say,” Scott said Wednesday. “Those conversations haven’t advanced far from there.”

Scott is focused on the course this week at the Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C. He’s under pressure in the event as the FedEx Cup playoff would start without him if he can’t improve on his current standing (85th).

The mild-mannered Scott calmly said he’s embracing the “do or die” position in North Carolina starting Thursday. It’s the same part of Rulapp’s demeanor that convinced Scott he was the right man for the tour’s CEO job.

“I think he’s coming in at a very interesting time in the professional game and I think that calm demeanor’s going to serve him well,” Scott said.

CHARLEY HULL FEELING ‘NORMAL,’ BUT DEALING WITH BACK INJURY

Charley Hull’s expectations leading into this week’s AIG Women’s Open have been tempered by a back injury that has limited her preparation time.

Hull has recovered from the illness that led her to collapse on a tee box and withdrawal from the first round of the Evian Championship on July 10. But she already was dealing with a back injury she suffered while taking a box out of her car the week before.

The combination has limited Hull’s gym and rehab time.

“My back’s been really playing up and I’ve not been hitting it as well because I’ve not been able to go to the gym and do my rehab exercises,” Hull told reporters on Wednesday.

“I’m not hitting it the best coming into this week which is very frustrating because it’s an event I’ve been looking forward to playing all year. I’ve just got to go out there with what I’ve got.”

Hull is No. 20 in the Rolex World Rankings, down from eighth earlier this year when she posted three consecutive finishes of 11th or better. After a string of modest results, Hull finished fourth at the KPMG Women’s Irish Open before the back injury and having to withdraw at the Evian.

She did return to tie for 21st at last week’s Scottish Open, and will be in a marquee group along with world No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul and Minjee Lee for the first two rounds at Royal Porthcawl in Wales.

“At the end it’s just a game of golf and you’ve got to go out there and have fun,” Hull said. “I’m not going to let it beat me up too much. Apart from that, I feel pretty good.”

Already one of the LPGA Tour’s most popular players and with a massive social media following, Hull’s popularity continues to rise following her cameo appearance in the movie “Happy Gilmore 2” released last week. But don’t expect the Englishwoman to trade in her clubs for movie sets on a regular basis.

“It was quite a long day. It was good fun to be fair,” she said. “It was pretty cool because I watched the first (Happy Gilmore) when I was a kid growing up. Never thought I’d be in a movie, but there you go.

“Definitely safe to say I couldn’t be an actress. Just filming that scene all day, I haven’t got the patience.”

LOTTIE WOAD RIDES WAVE OF MOMENTUM INTO AIG WOMEN’S OPEN

As the world of women’s golf prepares for the final major of the year, an English prodigy has seized the limelight.

Lottie Woad is the hottest player in the game and will be among the favorites to land her first major championship when the AIG Women’s Open tees off at Royal Porthcawl on Thursday in Porthcawl, Wales.

Woad’s litany of accomplishments dates back to last year, when she won the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, rose to No. 1 in the world amateur rankings and tied for 10th at the Women’s Open at St Andrews for low-am honors.

But July has seen the 21-year-old truly dominate the sport. Woad had a six-shot win at the Women’s Irish Open on the Ladies European Tour, then tied for third at the most recent major, the Evian Championship, all before officially turning pro.

Then came the Women’s Scottish Open last week, where Woad matched Rose Zhang’s feat in 2023 by winning her first start as a professional, three strokes clear of the field.

“I’ve really been just enjoying myself,” Woad said this week. “Enjoyed being in these events and competing and being in contention, just try to have fun with it and not add too much stress, really.”

Woad is the odds-on favorite to win this week at BetMGM and FanDuel Sportsbook. And she’s certainly caught the eye of her peers.

“Absolutely amazing,” said Nelly Korda, who played with her at the Scottish Open. “I was very impressed with her composure, her process.

“I think, when it comes to her shot routine, especially under pressure and in the heat of the moment, sometimes people seem to fidget and kind of doubt themselves. But she stuck to it, she stuck to her process every single time, and I think that’s one of the main things that I noticed is how mature she is for her age and how comfortable she was in the heat of the moment.”

Korda remains atop the world rankings, but her winless season has come as a surprise after she won seven times in 2024.

“I feel like I don’t really have anything more to prove to people ever,” Korda said. “For me it’s just I’m passionate about the game. I love the game. I love playing in these kind of conditions, testing my game, and getting to play against the best players in the world.”

Royal Porthcawl has hosted three Senior Open Championships since 2014, but this marks its first time hosting the women’s major. It is a par-72 course that will play 6,580 yards this week.

Lydia Ko of New Zealand is the defending champion thanks to her two-shot win at St Andrews last year, shortly after she won the Olympic gold medal and clinched her place in the LPGA Hall of Fame.

“I think it was just fun for me, and I was just trying to have more of an open mindset and just trying to be free rather than hit perfect shots,” Ko said. “I think that’s really important on these links-style golf courses. You could hit a really solid shot and be so far away from the pin, and that could be vice versa. It’s just more about creativity, and I hope that will be kind of the strategy that I’ll take towards this week.”

Three of the first four major winners this season were first-timers: Japan’s Mao Saigo at the Chevron Championship; Sweden’s Maja Stark at the U.S. Women’s Open; and Australia’s Grace Kim at the Evian, where she had a comeback for the ages. Kim finished her final round birdie-birdie-par-eagle to force a playoff, where she beat Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand.

“I think just knowing that my game is there and good enough,” Kim said of this week’s test. “Just mentally preparing whatever could happen.”

TOP INDIANA HEADLINES/PRESS RELEASES

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

TOP CENTRAL INDIANA QUARTERBACKS

OSCAR FRYE, BROWNSBURG

BO POLSTON, DECATUR CENTRAL

OSCAR SLOAN, CENTER GROVE

JOE GOSS, BEN DAVIS

JACK SORGI, TRI-WEST

GAGE STURGILL, FISHERS

JACOB DAVIS, NEW PALESTINE

MASON MEYER, MT. VERNON

TERRY WALKER III, HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN

SANTANA ALLEN, LAWRENCE CENTRAL

ANTHONY DENNISON, WARREN CENTRAL

CHRIS HARRIS, PARK TUDOR

MYCHAEL LEWIS, PIKE

ANTHONY COELLNER, CARMEL

DUNCAN COMBS, BLOOMINGTON SOUTH

CONNOR MORELAND, FRANKLIN CENTRAL

ELI NIX, HERITAGE CHRISTIAN

BRYCE SEBANC, PLAINFIELD

ELIJAH EDON, EASTERN HANCOCK

CARTER WARD, DANVILLE

COLLIN ASH, RONCALLI

BRADY TREBLEY, CASCADE

EVAN CLARK, INDIAN CREEK

JACK HARRINGTON, BISHOP CHATARD

CAMERON KOERS, CATHEDRAL

TRY DOBSON, GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN

JACE CAMERON, AVON

BISHOP MOORE, BEECH GROVE

CONNOR CRUZ, MOORESVILLE

DEVIN CRAIG, LAPEL

BRAYDEN HOLBROOK, LAKELAND

MICAH RANS, PIONEER

MASON MEYER, MT. VERNON

MICHAEL MCCOLGAN, CULVER ACADEMIES

BRADY GAST, ALEXANDRIA-MONROE

ELIJAH EDON, EASTERN HANCOCK

WYATT MARCH, MILAN

ASHER RATLIFF, COLUMBUS NORTH

TREY DOBSON, GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN

CHRISTIAN KRAMER, NORTH PUTNAM

RYLEE BIDDLE, EAST NOBLE

LANDON DUNCAN, CLOVERDALE

JACK MULL, FLOYD CENTRAL

CAMERON VILLARREAL, COLUMBUS EAST

TYTUS LEHMAN, SOUTH ADAMS

NATHAN BYRD SCOTTSBURG

SANTANA ALLEN, RITTER

LANNON NICOLOFF, HARRISON

JETT GOLDSBERRY, HERITAGE HILLS

COLTON BATH, NORTHVIEW

BO BRUNNER, CONCORD

AIDEN ROBINSON, MACONAQUAH

COLE STEPHENS, GREENCASTLE

GIBSON EAGLE, EASTERN GREENTOWN

BRYOR CARMICHAEL, KNIGHTSTOWN

BOBBY SHARPE, CORYDON CENTRAL

COOPER DOLD, TWIN LAKES

NOAH PATTERSON, LINCOLN

CARSON BELL, NEW CASTLE

KARSYN RUMFELT, NORTHRIDGE

KENNETH CHRISTMON, TINDLEY

CARTER DIAZ, GOSHEN

RYAN BULLION, GRIFFITH

AYDEN JUSTICE, TRI-COUNTY

AXTON BESTE, BLUFFTON

MICAH JARRELL, NORTHWOOD

CRUE GILMORE, LAWRENCEBURG

JACK HOLLENDONNER, CENTERVILLE

EVAN CLARK, INDIAN CREEK

QUINN TOLLE, TIPTON

KEN SACO, BOONE GROVE

TOP CENTRAL INDIANA RUNNINGBACKS

SHAKOVON SUMPTERBEY, BROWNSBURG

FA’REL CARTER, DECATUR CENTRAL

JAZZ COLEMAN, BEN DAVIS

XAVIER DANGERFIELD, CATHEDRAL

LUCAS DEWEY, MARTINSVILLE

LUKE STARNES, PLAINFIELD

ZACH DOZIER, RONCALLI

ALBERT GOODEN III, LAWRENCE CENTRAL

BRADY LEWIS, BROWNSBURG

BRAYLEN TOWNSEND, BLOOMINGTON SOUTH

ANDREW PEMBERTON, CARMEL

JOSH RANES, NEW PALESTINE

CARTER REED, HAMILTON SE

TOBY SAVINI, CASCADE

AHSTON CARTER, AVON

DEACON KING, WESTFIELD

DAYTON MINK, CASCADE

JAZZ COLEMAN, BEN DAVIS

RYAN THEMBULEMBU, FISHERS

ELI PIMENTAL, HERITAGE CHRISTIAN

ALEX CRAVENS, SHERIDAN

ALBERT GOODEN, LAWRENCE CENTRAL

IZAYVEON MOORE, LAWRENCE NORTH

KEYON THOMAS, WARREN CENTRAL

TYLER HOLMES, NOBLESVILLE

ALEX CRAVENS, SHERIDAN

DARRELL TAYLOR, CRISPUS ATTUCKS

THOMAS CAMPBELL, SHORTRIDGE

GUNNER RUPPERT, GREENWOOD

LELAND MORTON, GREENWOOD

NOLAN REES, CENTER GROVE

SAM MANNA, ZIONSVILLE

JACK MILLER, LAPEL

ZACH DOZIER, RONCALLI

BOBBY THOMAS, PIKE

MARK KUBE, EASTERN HANCOCK

XAVIER DANGERFIELD, CATHEDRAL

FAREL CARTER, DECATUR CENTRAL

JOSHUA PARKS, LEBANON

MYLES MCLAUGHLIN, KNOX

LANDON SHUCK, SCOTTSBURG

DANE PADGETT, PAOLI

BRANT BECK, ROCHESTER

CORBIN THACKERY, NORTH DECATUR

SIMON BARBER, NORTH DECATUR

TY BENTON, SOUTH PUTNAM

THOMAS CAMPBELL, SHORTRIDGE

BRYCE FESSEL, NORTH HARRISON

CHRISTIAN KRAMER, NORTH PUTNAM

MICAH RANS, PIONEER

JETT GOLDSBERRY, HERITAGE HILLS

LANDON SHUCK, SCOTTSBURG

NATHAN FOSTER, LEO

GRANT BOYD, PIKE CENTRAL

AH’LIJAH MONDAY, MISSISSINEWA

LEVI CRANDALL, MISSISSINEWA

JAMESON CRAWFORD, KNIGHTSTOWN

JUSTIN LEATHERS, SOUTHRIDGE

LOGAN DENT, SALEM

MASYN CHALFANT, TRI

MARCELL SIMS, MACONAQUAH

KALE SHOTTS, ROCHESTER

NOAH DOVE, EASTSIDE

TAVIEN FOX, RITTER

KAMARI TAYLOR, BLACKFORD

CAMERON PATTERSON, JENNINGS COUNTY

JERMIAH PATTON, JENNINGS COUNTY

HUNTER LONG, WHITKO

COOPER LUZADDER, FRANKTON

QUINN TOLLE, TIPTON

INDIANA FEVER

GAME RECAP: INDIANA FEVER TAKE DOWN THE PHOENIX MERCURY

(FEVER RELEASE)

INDIANAPOLIS (July 30, 2025) — The Indiana Fever (15-12) earned a 107-101 win over the Phoenix Mercury at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, with the 107 points marking the third-highest scoring game in franchise history.

The Fever trailed the Mercury 30-20 at the end of the first quarter, but went on a 13-0 run from 8:00 to 5:06 in the second quarter to erase the deficit and take the team’s first lead of the night. Throughout the second quarter, Aari McDonald scored 12 points of her career-high 27 points on the night, and Sydney Colson added an additional eight to give Indiana the 55-50 lead at halftime.

The Fever scored 19 points in the third quarter, continuing to lead 74-72 over the Mercury with nine points from Damiris Dantas, six points from McDonald, and four points from Natasha Howard. Aliyah Boston scored 14 points within the first four minutes of the fourth quarter to start the Fever’s rally against the Mercury leading to the win for the Fever.

POST-GAME NOTES

BOX SCORE

Indiana Fever Notes:

The 107 points scored are the second-most scored by the Fever in a single game in franchise history, three away from the franchise record of 110 points scored. The Fever also recorded the second-most points in a single game across the WNBA this season, the record being 109 scored by both the Minnesota Lynx and Dallas Wings.

Indiana’s 35 points scored in the second quarter are tied for the fourth-most in a single quarter in Fever franchise history. Additionally, it is the team’s second-most points scored in a single quarter this season, the only higher quarter being the second quarter against the Dallas Wings on July 13.

Aari McDonald recorded a career high and season high 27 points, surpassing her previous high of 23 points set on July 5, 2024, while a member of the LA Sparks against the Las Vegas Aces.

Aliyah Boston recorded her 36th career double-double, ending the night with 22 points and 11 rebounds, her 12th of the season.

Boston’s 17 points scored in the fourth quarter are the second-most scored in a single quarter in Fever franchise history, two shy of the record held by Kelsey Mitchell with 19 points set on May 20, 2022.

Kelsey Mitchell saw her double-digit scoring streak of 26 games snapped, scoring eight points tonight against the Mercury.

Up Next: The Indiana Fever begin a four-game road trip on Friday, August 1 against the Dallas Wings at American Airlines Center, broadcast nationally on ION at 7:30 p.m. ET.

_____

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS

INDIANS’ EARLY LEAD EVAPORATES AS IOWA EVENS SERIES

DES MOINES, Iowa – The Indianapolis Indians jumped on top of the Iowa Cubs with a two-run lead after the first inning but fell, 5-2, on Wednesday afternoon at Principal Park after allowing a run in four of the next five frames.

With the game knotted at 2-2 in the third inning, the I-Cubs (13-16, 52-51) pieced together a Hayden Cantrelle double and a Greg Jones triple to deliver the game-deciding blow.

The Indians’ (20-9, 62-41) offense wasted no time breaking the scoreless tie in the first frame. Ronny Simon led off the game with a single and a stolen base, followed by a walk from Matt Fraizer. Simon then came around to score on a fielding error from first baseman Jonathon Long and Billy Cook brought in the Indians final run with a sacrifice fly to score Fraizer.

Iowa came back to tie the contest in the second on a two-run blast from Kevin Alcántara off Bubba Chandler (L, 5-4) to set up their game-deciding third frame. After a quiet fourth inning, Iowa added insurance in the fifth and sixth. The I-Cubs loaded the bases in the fifth inning and managed a run on an Owen Caissie sacrifice fly and Alcántara put an exclamation point on the I-Cubs lead with his second homer of the day and 13^th of the season, a solo shot, in the sixth to make it 5-2.

In his Indians debut, Beau Burrows tossed 1.2 innings of scoreless relief while striking out two and combined with Kyle Nicolas to blank Iowa across the final 2.2 innings. Jordan Wicks (W, 2-4) earned the win for the I-Cubs after tossing 4.1 scoreless innings while striking out six and Nate Pearson (S, 3) twirled a clean ninth for the save.

Indy and Iowa play the half-way point of their six-game set from Principal Park at 7:38 PM. Drake Fellows (7-2, 4.18) will make his 10^th start of the season for Indy across from Iowa RHP Brandon Birdsell (0-0, 4.50).

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PURDUE FOOTBALL

MANI POWELL NAMED TO BUTKUS AWARD WATCH LIST

CHICAGO – Entering his first season as a Boilermaker, senior linebacker Mani Powell has been named to the Butkus Award Watch List ahead of the 2025 campaign (July 30). With the Butkus Award honoring the nation’s top linebacker each season, the 51-player list pays tribute to Dick Butkus’ iconic No. 51 jersey, worn during his legendary Hall of Fame career.

Powell is one of 12 Big Ten linebackers on the watch list. Despite being one of the newest Boilermakers, he is a college football veteran having played in 35 games over the past three seasons. Powell appeared in all 14 games at UNLV last year, while making seven starts and recording 59 tackles for Barry Odom’s Rebels. He also added 9.0 tackles-for-loss and 3.5 sacks, helping lead a defense that ranked 23rd nationally in rushing yards allowed per game (115). The Columbus, Ohio, native made a career-high 10 tackles in an overtime thriller at Syracuse.

Following the 2024 season, Powell joined Odom in making the move from Las Vegas to West Lafayette. It was not the first time Powell reunited with his coach. After playing in 21 games during the first two seasons of his career at Arkansas, including his 2022 freshman campaign when Odom was the Razorbacks’ defensive coordinator, Powell headed west to play for Odom at UNLV.

Butkus Award semifinalists will be named November 4, finalists will be selected November 25, and the winner will be revealed by December 10. The 51-member selection committee, comprised of coaches, scouts, and journalists, evaluates candidates based on the qualities that defined Butkus’ career: toughness, leadership, competitiveness, football character, and traditional linebacking skills.

Powell and the rest of the Boilermakers begin fall camp tomorrow morning (July 31), preparing for the season opener that is one month away. Purdue kicks off the 2025 season at home against Ball State (Aug. 30). The in-state matchup is set for noon on BTN.

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NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL

BOWEN, SNEED SELECTED TO BUTKUS AWARD WATCH LIST

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Junior linebackers Drayk Bowen and Jaylen Sneed have earned selection to the 2025 Butkus Award Watch List, an award honoring the nation’s top linebacker.

An Irish player has won the Butkus Trophy on three occasions: Manti Te’o (2012), Jaylon Smith (2015) and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (2020). Michael Stonebreaker finished third in the voting in 1988 and 1990. Courtney Watson was one of three finalists for the award in 2002, and Smith was one of five finalists for the award in 2014.

Bowen, also a member of the Nagurski Trophy watch list, started all 16 games for the Irish in 2024 and totaled 78 tackles (40 solo), ranking third on the team. He led the team in forced fumbles with three on the season.

He split the team lead in tackles in the National Championship, totaling eight (seven solo). He also forced a fumble, giving the Irish possession in the fourth quarter. Bowen also made an impact in the 27-17 CFP First Round win over Indiana, posting 1.5 TFL and two QB hurries. Two of his stops came on third down. He posted a career-high nine tackles in the 31-13 win at Georgia Tech.

Sneed played in all 16 games for the Irish in 2024, starting six. He ranked sixth in total tackles on defense with 51, and ranked second in third down stops, also posting 6.0 TFL on the season and two forced fumbles.

Sneed notched several key moments throughout the 2024 season, including a notable performance in the Orange Bowl victory over Penn State, in which he posted six tackles and registered a quarterback hurry late in the fourth quarter, leading to an interception by the Irish. He also made a large impact in the win over Navy, posting a career-high nine tackles and recovered a fumble in the end zone for the first touchdown of his career.

Both linebackers played key roles on a 2024 Irish defense that was one of the most complete defenses in the country, ranking among the FBS’ top teams. At the end of the season, Notre Dame was first in pass efficiency defense (104.4), first in turnovers gained (33), first in defensive touchdowns (6), first in blocked kicks (6), second in fumbles recovered (14), second in blocked punts (3), fourth in passing yards allowed (169.4), fourth in scoring defense (15.5), fifth in passes intercepted (19) and 11th in total defense (307.4).

MOORE NAMED TO PAYCOM JIM THORPE AWARD WATCH LIST

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Sophomore cornerback Leonard Moore has been named to the 2025 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Watch List, an award given annually to the best defensive back in college football based on performance on the field, athletic ability and character.

Moore enters his true sophomore season already named to the watch lists for the Lott IMPACT Trophy and the Nagurski Trophy, as well as to the Walter Camp Preseason All-America First Team. As a true freshman in 2024, he was named the FWAA Freshman Defensive Player of the Year and selected to the Freshman All-America teams for FWAA, ESPN, The Athletic (First Team), Pro Football Focus, the College Football Network and the 247Sports True Freshman All-America Team.

In 2024, Moore started 10 games and totaled 48 tackles with two interceptions, 2.0 TFL, 10 pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a quarterback hurry. In the first two starts of his career, he totaled seven tackles in each.

He made his mark in several games for the Irish en route to wins in the Sugar Bowl and Orange Bowl and an appearance in the 2025 CFP National Title game. In the regular season finale at USC, he recorded five pass breakups, tied for the second-most in a single game by any FBS player in 2024, and the only freshman in the country to achieve the feat last season.

In his first-career start vs. Louisville, Moore led the entire defense with seven tackles and forced a fumble that resulted in a Notre Dame touchdown drive. He followed it up with another seven-tackle performance, adding a tackle for a loss of 16 yards and two pass breakups at Georgia Tech. He compiled two-consecutive stops to force a turnover on the last drive of the first half, cementing an Irish lead.

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BUTLER WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

BULLDOGS ADD INDIANA AND COLUMBIA TO NON-CONFERENCE SLATE

The Butler women’s basketball team added two opponents to their 2025-26 non-conference schedule today. BU will head to Indiana on Wednesday, Nov. 19 to face the Hoosiers at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. The Bulldogs will now also host the Columbia Lions on Friday, Nov. 7.

With the addition of Columbia, Butler is now set to host seven home games inside Hinkle Fieldhouse before the start of BIG EAST play. The two opponents added today were NCAA Tournament teams just one year ago. IU won their first-round matchup against Utah before falling to top-seeded South Carolina. Columbia faced Washington in the First Four and would eventually fall to West Virginia in the First Round.

The Lions won 24 games in 2024-25 while the Hoosiers reached 20. One of IU’s 13 losses last year came at Hinkle Fieldhouse. The Bulldogs topped the Hoosiers 56-46 by limiting IU to just 18 second half points.

Just last week, Butler announced their Fort Meyers Tip-Off opponents. They will play Dayton the day after Thanksgiving and end the trip with a contest vs. Georgia on Nov. 29.

Home games slated before the Florida trip include matchups against Wright State, Central Michigan, Northern Kentucky and Milwaukee. Indiana State and Eastern Illinois also appear on the upcoming schedule in December.

Head Coach Austin Parkinson is entering his fourth season at the helm of the program in 2025-26. The Bulldogs have reached the postseason in each of the last two years making trips to the WNIT.

BU bolstered their roster with seven incoming transfers and two freshmen. This group will get the year started with a Kid’s Day game against Wright State on Nov. 3. That game will tip at 11 a.m.

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VALPO FOOTBALL

VALPO FOOTBALL SET TO KICK OFF FIRST FALL CAMP UNDER HEAD COACH ANDY WADDLE

The moment Andy Waddle stood behind the lectern on Dec. 11 making his opening remarks at his introductory press conference as the head coach of the Valparaiso University football team, a series of “firsts” ensued.

First team meeting, first offseason workout, first signing day, first spring practice, first spring game. As the first day of the first fall camp of the Waddle Era takes place on Wednesday, the Beacons are counting down to the “first” that everyone has been waiting for – the first game. Exactly one month from Wednesday, Valpo will welcome Virginia Lynchburg to Brown Field on Saturday, Aug. 30 at 1 p.m.

“The guys are ready to get to work and we think we have the opportunity to exceed some people’s expectations of us,” Waddle said. “I think that guys have been very receptive to the messaging that myself and our staff have given. We have a unit that I think believes in each other and what we’re trying to accomplish. I’m expecting that we’ll surprise a few people.”

While there is naturally some roster turnover after a coaching transition, numerous players from the 2024 squad are back for 2025 and enthusiastic about simultaneously continuing the Valpo football tradition while embracing a new era. Four starters return on offense – quarterback Caron Tyler, preseason all-conference running back Michael Mansaray, offensive lineman Niko Paic and offensive lineman Noah Kline.

“We’re a close-knit team,” Paic said. “Those are my brothers for life. I wouldn’t have wanted to be any other place. Those are my guys and I didn’t want to leave them. Talking to the coaches, I really enjoyed my conversations with them and those things led me to coming back. There’s an excited vibe around the team; it’s been very high energy all summer. We’ve had one of the best summers since I’ve been here. That shows how great we can be and how our leaders can step up and show the standard. It shows our efforts of trying to become a great team and turn it around.”

The Beacons have three starters (started over 50 percent of the team’s games in 2024) back on the defensive side of the ball – defensive back Nic Lendino, defensive back Mark Johnson and defensive lineman Isaiah Fowler.

“Everybody is hungry to make a name for ourselves and make a name for Valpo,” Fowler said. “We saw the preseason poll and we were ranked second to last, and that puts a chip on our shoulder to prove everyone wrong. A lot of people don’t think we’re going to be good, but we’re hungry to prove people wrong and show them that we’re going to be an improved team this year.”

Fowler had 25 tackles on the defensive line last season, including 1.5 tackles for loss.

“I’ve definitely changed a lot in my time at Valpo,” he said. “I played mostly o-line in high school, and with my size I had to go to defensive line, which is a lot more technical of a position. My freshman year, I was technically bad, but these past few years, I’ve really worked on it and tried to be a perfectionist. I’ve gotten a lot more athletic than I was my freshman year, but I’ve also gotten very technically sound at the defensive line position. I’m obsessed with being one of the best people out there.”

The start of camp marks the official beginning for a new-look coaching staff under Waddle. Offensive coordinator Reed Florence, defensive coordinator Zach Feltrop, wide receivers coach/recruiting coordinator Terry Geiger, offensive line coach Peter Nank, defensive backs coach Michael Joseph, tight ends coach Connor Vierstra and quality control coach [defensive line] Davie Busch have all joined the fold.

Assistant head coach/special teams coordinator/defensive line coach RJ Ghilarducci and running backs coach/specialists coach Evan Matthes return from last year’s staff along with Director of Football Operations Sarah Hacker. In addition, Waddle has added a pair of recent Valpo football alums to the staff with Colin Graves serving as safeties coach and Danny Files as assistant offensive line coach. A pair of familiar faces are leading the sports medicine and performance areas in popular Director of Sport Performance Luke Campbell and Head Football Athletic Trainer Nicole Mioduski, who enters her eighth season at Valpo.

“I love Coach Waddle; he’s a very inspirational guy,” Fowler said. “He’s a guy who you want to do your best for. He doesn’t sugarcoat anything, he’s very straight up and honest and real. He knows how to inspire us to play our best and call us out when we’re not performing to the standard. What helped me continue to stay at Valpo was Coach RJ (Ghilarducci). He is an amazing position coach and a person who will invest in you and your talent. To see that he was still here made the decision a lot easier for me to stay. When I’m being coached by Coach RJ, I know I’m going to improve a lot as a player.”

Fowler, a Gary native and Chesterton High School product, and Paic, a graduate and native of Crown Point, are two of the closest-to-home Beacons. Season tickets are available by clicking here. Check out our preseason hype video by clicking here. More coverage of the 2025 Beacons is on the way before the season kicks off. The 2025 roster will be available soon, media day is set for Aug. 10 including a preseason press conference that will be published on ValpoAthletics.com and full season preview content will be available leading into Week 1.

“We’re going to be fun; we’re going to be exciting,” Paic said. “It’s a new era. We’re going to be able to go out there this fall and surprise a lot of people. It’s a great team; we have a lot of talent and the coaches are awesome to work with. We’re excited.”

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“SPORTS EXTRA”

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

July 31

1930 — Lou Gehrig drove in eight runs with a grand slam and two doubles, and the New York Yankees outlasted the Boston Red Sox 14-13.

1932 — Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium opened and Lefty Grove and the Philadelphia A’s beat the Indians 1-0 before 76,979 fans.

1934 — The St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Cincinnati Reds 8-6 in 18 innings at Cincinnati as Dizzy Dean and Tony Freitas both went the distance.

1954 — Joe Adcock hit four home runs and a double to lead the Milwaukee Braves to a 15-7 victory over the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field. Adcock’s 18 total bases set a major league record at the time. Adcock homered in the second inning off Don Newcombe, doubled in the third and homered in the fifth off Erv Palica. He connected off Pete Wojey in the seventh and off Johnny Podres in the ninth. Adcock saw only seven pitches and his double off the left-center field fence just missed going out by inches.

1961 — The All-Star Game ended in a 1-1 tie at Fenway Park because of heavy rain.

1981 — The second baseball strike ended after 42 days.

1990 — Nolan Ryan, 43, won his 300th game, reaching the milestone in his second try, as the Texas Rangers beat the Milwaukee Brewers 11-3.

2002 — Mike Mussina became the second pitcher in major league history to give up six doubles in one inning, during the New York Yankees’ 17-6 loss to Texas. Hall of Famer Lefty Grove allowed that many with Boston in 1934 against Washington.

2003 — John Smoltz broke his own record as the fastest pitcher to record 40 saves by pitching a scoreless ninth in Atlanta’s 7-4 win over Houston. Last year, he got his 40th save on Aug. 8, en route to breaking the NL record with 55.

2007 — The New York Yankees tied a franchise record by hitting eight home runs, including two by Hideki Matsui, in a 16-3 rout of the Chicago White Sox. New York last hit eight homers in a game in a doubleheader opener at the Philadelphia Athletics on June 28, 1939.

2010 — Carlos Gonzalez hit a game-ending home run to complete the cycle, and Colorado rallied to a 6-5 win after blowing a three-run lead in the eighth inning to the Chicago Cubs.

2011 — Ricky Nolasco scattered 12 hits, Emilio Bonifacio homered and Florida handed the Atlanta Braves the 10,000th loss in franchise history. With the 3-1 loss, the Braves become the second big league team with 10,000 losses. The Phillies reached that mark in 2007.

2015 — New York’s Mark Teixeira homered from both sides of the plate for the record 14th time, hitting his 10th grand slam and a two-run homer that led the Yankees past the Chicago White Sox 13-6.

2021 — Seby Zavala becomes the first player in MLB history to record his first three home runs in the same game.

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TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

July 31

1932 — France beats the U.S. 3-2 for its sixth consecutive Davis Cup championship.

1934 — Britain, led by Fred Perry and Bunny Austin, defeats the U.S. 4-1 at Wimbledon to win the Davis Cup title.

1942 — Jockey Bill Turnbull wins seven of nine races at Rockingham Park in Salem, N.H.

1954 — Joe Adcock hits four homers and a double to lift the Milwaukee Braves a 15-7 victory over Brooklyn.

1963 — The Cleveland Indians become the first American League club to hit four straight home runs. No. 8 hitter Woody Held hits a two-out homer off Paul Foytack and pitcher Pedro Ramos follows with his second homer of the game before Tito Francona and Larry Brown’s first major league homer finish this odd power surge. Foytack is the only major league pitcher to give up four straight home runs.

1973 — Julius Erving, the American Basketball Association’s leading scorer, is traded by the cash-strapped Virginia Squires to the New York Nets for forward George Carter and cash.

1983 — Jan Stephenson beats JoAnne Carner and Patty Sheehan by one stroke to win the U.S. Women’s Open.

1990 — Nolan Ryan wins his 300th game, reaching the milestone in his second try, as the Texas Rangers beat the Milwaukee Brewers 11-3.

1993 — Mike Aulby becomes the third player in PBA history to win a tournament by rolling a 300 game in the title game. Aulby beats David Ozio 300-279 in the Wichita Open.

1994 — Sergei Bubka sets a world pole vault record for the 35th time in his career at a meet in Sestriere, Italy. Bubka soars 20 feet, 1¾ inches, adding a half-inch to his mark set in Tokyo in 1992.

2000 — Dorothy Delasin becomes the LPGA’s youngest winner in 25 years by beating Pat Hurst on the second extra hole to win the Giant Eagle LPGA Classic. The 19-year-old Delasin is the youngest winner on the tour since Amy Alcott took the Orange Blossom Classic at age 19 in 1975.

2005 — Grant Hackett becomes the first swimmer to win four straight world titles in the same event, capturing another 1,500-meter freestyle. The Aussie stretches out his own record for world championship medals to 17.

2007 — All-Star Kevin Garnett is traded from the Minnesota Timberwolves to Boston for five players and two draft picks. The Celtics obtain the former MVP and 10-time All-Star from Minnesota for forwards Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes and Gerald Green, guard Sebastian Telfair and center Theo Ratliff and two first-round draft picks.

2011 — Yani Tseng wins the Women’s British Open for the second straight year, beating Brittany Lang by four strokes and becoming the youngest woman to capture a fifth major title. The 22-year-old top-ranked Taiwanese shot a 3-under 69 to finish at 16-under 272.

2012 — Michael Phelps breaks the Olympic medals record with his 19th, helping the U.S. romp to a 4×200-meter freestyle relay victory at the London Games. With 19 medals spanning three Olympics, Phelps moves one ahead of Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina, who got her haul in 1956, 1960 and 1964.

2012 — The team of Gabrielle Douglas, McKayla Maroney, Alexandra Raisman, Kyla Ross and Jordyn Wieber lives up to all the hype, winning the first U.S. Olympic title in women’s gymnastics since 1996.

2021 — Katie Ledecky wins the women’s 800m gold in Tokyo. This is the third consecutive Olympics she has won the race.

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TV SPORTS

(All times Eastern)

Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts

Thursday, July 31

AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL (MEN’S)

5:30 a.m.

FS2 — AFL: Greater Western Sydney at Western

5:35 a.m. (Friday)

FS1 — AFL: Hawthorn at Adelaide

BASKETBALL (MEN’S)

6 p.m.

FS1 — The Basketball Tournament: Best Virginia vs. Eberlein Drive, Semifinal, Charleston, W.V.

8 p.m.

FS1 — The Basketball Tournament: Aftershocks vs. We Are D3, Semifinal, Wichita, Kan.

GOLF

7 a.m.

USA — LPGA Tour: The AIG Women’s Open, First Round, Royal Porthcawl Golf Club, Porthcawl, Mid Glamorgan, Wales

3 p.m.

GOLF — PGA Tour: The Wyndham Championship, First Round, Sedgefield Country Club, Greensboro, N.C.

6 p.m.

GOLF — Korn Ferry Tour: The Utah Championship, First Round, Ogden Golf & Country Club, Ogden, Utah

HORSE RACING

1 p.m.

FS2 — NYRA: Saratoga Live

MLB BASEBALL

7 p.m.

MLBN — Atlanta at Cincinnati (7:10 p.m.)

10 p.m.

MLBN — Texas at Seattle (9:40 p.m.)

NFL FOOTBALL

8 p.m.

NBC — Preseason: L.A. Chargers vs. Detroit, Canton, Ohio

PEACOCK — Preseason: L.A. Chargers vs. Detroit, Canton, Ohio

RUGBY (MEN’S)

5:45 a.m.

FS1 — NRL: Melbourne at Parramatta

SOCCER (MEN’S)

10:30 p.m.

FS1 — Leagues Cup Group Stage: Cruz Azul at Seattle, Phase One

TENNIS

11 a.m.

TENNIS — Canada-ATP/WTA Early Rounds

WNBA BASKETBALL

7:30 p.m.

PRIME VIDEO — Golden State at Washington