THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” TUESDAY AUGUST 5, 2025

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“THE SCOREBOARD”

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INDIANA GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER PRE-SEASON POLLS

Hamilton Southeastern
Noblesville
Carmel
Crown Point
Evansville Memorial
Brownsburg
Cathedral
Castle
Center Grove
Homestead
Penn
East Central
Westfield
Zionsville
FW Carroll
Northridge
Fishers
Bloomington South
Lake Central
Mt. Vernon

Lawrenceburg
Brebeuf Jesuit
Mishawaka Marian
FW Bishop Dwenger
SB Saint Joseph
Bishop Chatard
Guerin Catholic
Evansville Mater Dei
Bellmont
Hanover Central
Heritage Hills
Highland
Washington
FW Concordia Lutheran
West Lafayette
Hamilton Heights
Roncalli
Park Tudor
Gibson Southern
Madison

Heritage Christian
Faith Christian
Providence
Westview
Oldenburg
Forest Park
Evansville Christian
Monrovia
Trinity Christian
Bethany Christian (Goshen)
Boone Grove
Laville
Pike Central
Sheridan
Wheeler
Lapel
Greencastle
Lafayette Central Catholic
Covenant Christian
Bremen

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WNBA SCORES

NO GAMES SCHEDULED

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MLB SCORES

PITTSBURGH 5 SAN FRANCISCO 4

DETROIT 6 MINNESOTA 3

HOUSTON 8 MIAMI 2

PHILADELPHIA 13 BALTIMORE 3

CLEVELAND 7 NY METS 6 (10)

BOSTON 8 KANSAS CITY 5

MILWAUKEE 3 ATLANTA 1

TEXAS 8 NY YANKEES 5 (10)

CINCINNATI 3 CHICAGO CUBS 2

TORONTO 15 COLORADO 1

LA ANGELS 5 TAMPA BAY 1

ARIZONA 6 SAN DIEGO 2

ST. LOUIS 3 LA DODGERS 2

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MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

NO GAMES SCHEDULED

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MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER

NO GAMES SCHEDULED

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL

USA TODAY SPORTS/US LBM COLLEGE FOOTBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL

RANK	SCHOOL (RECORD)	POINTS	LAST RANK	FIRST-PLACE VOTES
1	TEXAS (13-3)	1,606	3	28
2	OHIO STATE (14-2)	1,565	1	20
3	PENN STATE (13-3)	1,525	5	14
4	GEORGIA (11-3)	1,466	6	3
5	NOTRE DAME (14-2)	1,360	2	0
6	CLEMSON (10-4)	1,324	11	2
7	OREGON (13-1)	1,307	4	0
8	ALABAMA (9-4)	1,210	17	0
9	LSU (9-4)	1,056	NR	0
10	MIAMI (FLA.) (10-3)	823	18	0
11	ARIZONA STATE (11-3)	806	7	0
12	ILLINOIS (10-3)	734	16	0
13	SOUTH CAROLINA (9-4)	665	19	0
14	MICHIGAN (8-5)	580	NR	0
15	MISSISSIPPI (10-3)	573	13	0
16	SMU (11-3)	555	11	0
17	FLORIDA (8-5)	498	NR	0
18	TENNESSEE (10-3)	492	8	0
19	INDIANA (11-2)	460	10	0
20	KANSAS STATE (9-4)	438	NR	0
21	IOWA STATE (11-3)	392	15	0
21	TEXAS A&M (8-5)	392	NR	0
23	BRIGHAM YOUNG (11-2)	287	14	0
24	TEXAS TECH (8-5)	261	NR	0
25	BOISE STATE (12-2)	246	9	0

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: LSU (9-4) 44; LOUISVILLE (9-4) 28; NAVY (10-3) 28; KANSAS STATE (9-4) 20; MICHIGAN (8-5) 20; OHIO (11-3) 6; TCU (9-4) 5; MARSHALL (10-3) 1.

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

WEEK 0

SATURDAY, AUG. 23

WEEK 1

THURSDAY, AUG. 28

FRIDAY, AUG. 29

SATURDAY, AUG. 30

SUNDAY, AUG. 31

3 P.M. | VIRGINIA TECH AT SOUTH CAROLINA | ESPN (IN ATLANTA, GA)
7:30 P.M. | NOTRE DAME AT MIAMI (FL)| ABC

MONDAY, SEPT. 1

8 P.M. | TCU AT NORTH CAROLINA | ESPN

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COLTS TRAINING CAMP SCHEDULE

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

*****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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TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES/PRESS RELEASES

NFL NEWS

BILLS GM BEANE HAS NO TIMELINE ON CONTRACT STANDOFF WITH COOK AFTER RB SKIPS 2ND DAY OF PRACTICE

PITTSFORD, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane told The Associated Press on Monday he isn’t sure how long the contract standoff with James Cook will last after the running back declined to participate in practice for a second straight day.

Cook wore a white hat, red Bills pullover and blue shorts upon briefly entering the practice field, before ducking into a portable bathroom about 12 minutes before practice was scheduled to start. He then left the field, exiting through the trainer’s tent and did not re-appear for at least the first hour of practice.

This marks the second day Cook has not participated in practice in the fourth-year player’s next step in escalating his bid to extend the final year of his contract. On Sunday, Cook worked out on a stationary bike before watching practice from the sideline while wearing a white sweatsuit.

A second-round pick in the 2022 draft, Cook was the NFL’s co-leader with 16 touchdowns rushing in his second full season as a starter.

Cook risks being fined by the team for declining to practice, and with Buffalo preparing to open its preseason schedule hosting the New York Giants on Saturday.

Cook repeatedly used the word “business” when asked about his decision to not practice, in speaking to a small group of reporters on Sunday.

Cook’s agent has not returned messages seeking comment.

Earlier Monday, Beane appeared on WGR-Radio and said the team wasn’t aware of Cook’s decision to not practice Sunday until shortly before the session began. Beane also reiterated the two sides have been in constant contact in a bid to bridge the gap.

“I’d love to see Jimbo out there today. I don’t know that answer at this point this morning, whether that will happen or not,” Beane said.

“But hopefully we’ll get him back out there soon,” he added. “This is my ninth season here, and we’ve never had a player miss due to a contract or anything like that, so that’s disappointing for me. It’s not something we want.”

The 25-year-old Cook made no secret this offseason of his desire for a new contract that would pay him in the range of $15 million a year in what would make him among the league’s highest-paid players at his position.

Though Cook skipped all of the team’s voluntary sessions this spring, he had previously taken part in each of the Bills mandatory practices, including their first eight of training camp before Sunday.

Cook’s absence from practice comes at a time the Bills are already short on bodies due to injuries. As many as 15 players missed or were limited in practice on Sunday due to injuries, including receivers Khalil Shakir (ankle), Joshua Palmer (groin) and Curtis Samuel (hamstring).

The Bills do have depth at running back with returning backups Ray Davis and Ty Johnson as well as Frank Gore Jr., who spent his rookie season last year on the practiced squad.

49ERS’ ROBERT SALEH LEADS LIST OF NEW COORDINATORS FOR NFL CONTENDERS

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers went back to a familiar face when coach Kyle Shanahan looked to revive a defensive unit that had gone from dominant to mediocre in recent years.

The Niners brought back Robert Saleh for a second stint as coordinator in hopes that he could once again build back the defense in similar fashion to what he did in 2019 when San Francisco’s stingy defense helped carry the team to the Super Bowl.

“His commanding presence in defensive meetings is what we needed,” star defensive end Nick Bosa said.

The 49ers aren’t the only contender that made a change at play-caller on offense or defense headed into 2025. How all of those work out will go a long way to determining which teams are playing deep into January.

Some teams were forced to make changes they didn’t want to with Detroit needing to replace both coordinators after Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn got head coaching jobs and Super Bowl champion Philadelphia needing to replace offensive coordinator Kellen Moore after he became Saints head coach.

Tampa Bay is in a similar boat for a second straight season after losing an offensive coordinator to a head coaching job with Liam Coen leaving for Jacksonville one year after Dave Canales left for Carolina.

Other teams such as Houston, Cincinnati and Seattle made changes in hopes of finding a spark.

Here’s a look at some of the key new coordinators around the NFL:

49ers DC Robert Saleh

The 49ers ranked 29th in the league in scoring defense last season, allowing 25.6 points per game, and were tied for the seventh-fewest takeaways with 17 as the unit looked nothing like the dominant ones under Saleh and DeMeco Ryans from 2019-22.

That led to Shanahan making another change at coordinator, bringing back Saleh after he was fired as head coach of the New York Jets to replace the fired Nick Sorensen.

During Saleh’s last two full seasons with the Jets in 2022-23, New York ranked first in yards passing allowed per game (178.9) and yards per play allowed (4.7), and second in total defense (301.7 yards per game).

The Niners are hoping similar results will get them back to the postseason after a 6-11 record in 2024.

Lions OC John Morton and DC Kelvin Sheppard

Detroit became the third team in the past 15 seasons to lose both coordinators to NFL head coaching jobs in the same offseason with it also happening to Philadelphia following the 2022 season and Cincinnati after 2013. Both those teams went back to the playoffs the following season, losing in the wild-card round.

The Lions have their sights set higher after making it to the NFC title game in 2023 and losing in the divisional round as the top seed last season. Whether that happens will depend heavily on if Morton can keep the offense in the top five in scoring for a fourth straight season after Johnson helped make it one of the most dynamic in the league with his trick plays and schemes.

Morton has only one year of play-calling experience in the NFL in 2017 with the Jets, finishing in the bottom 10 in scoring with an offense that lacked the playmakers he has in Detroit.

Sheppard should be helped by getting star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson back healthy after he missed the final 12 games last season with a broken leg.

Eagles OC Kevin Patullo

QB Jalen Hurts will have a fourth play-caller in as many years with Patullo getting promoted from passing game coordinator following Moore’s departure.

The offense improved under Moore in 2024 after stagnating the previous season when Brian Johnson replaced Shane Steichen as OC.

Patullo has plenty of talent with one of the top offensive lines, record-setting running back Saquon Barkley and two talented wideouts in A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith to support Hurts.

Buccaneers OC Josh Grizzard

Tampa Bay’s offense got even better last season when Coen replaced Canales with both the running game and screen passing showing major improvement.

Grizzard will try to build on that as he moves from passing game coordinator to OC. He was heavily involved with the third down offense last season when the Bucs led the NFL by converting 50.9%.

Texans OC Nick Caley

Coach DeMeco Ryans made a change after last season even though Houston made it back to the divisional round. That came in spite of the offense taking a big step back thanks in large part to shoddy line play that hindered the growth of QB C.J. Stroud.

Caley comes over after spending the past two seasons on Sean McVay’s staff with the Rams and is being counted on to bring some of Los Angeles’ successful wrinkles to Houston to help make Stroud’s job at quarterback easier. He will need to do it with an overhauled offensive line that lost stalwart Laremy Tunsil in the offseason.

Bengals DC AL Golden

The Bengals went to the college ranks to hire Golden away from Notre Dame to replace Lou Anarumo. Cincinnati reached the Super Bowl with Anarumo leading the defense in the 2021 season but regressed the past few years and were ranked in the bottom 10 in most categories last season.

Golden spent the 2020-21 seasons as linebackers coach for the Bengals and brings a man-heavy scheme to the NFL.

Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak

Seattle hired Kubiak to replace Ryan Grubb in hopes that his scheme heavy on zone blocking and play-action passing can help the Seahawks offensive line.

Kubiak was OC in New Orleans last season when the Saints got off to a fast start before injuries led to a downfall.

CAM SKATTEBO REMAINS OUT OF GIANTS TRAINING CAMP AS NEW YORK’S INJURIES ON OFFENSE PILE UP

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Cam Skattebo is not practicing with the New York Giants after experiencing a setback, fellow rookie Beaux Collins has also been sidelined by an undisclosed injury and standout left tackle Andrew Thomas has yet to make an appearance on the field at training camp after landing on the physically unable to perform list.

While there is still a month to go before the NFL season begins, the injuries are starting to pile up for the Giants on offense. Skattebo, their fourth-round pick out of Arizona State who was expected to be part of the running back rotation, was among those not participating Monday because of a hamstring injury.

“With all the guys that are hurt, they’re all making progress,” coach Brian Daboll said when asked about Skattebo. “If they can be out there, they’ll be out there. … Well see where we’re at each day. Everybody is day by day.”

Thomas appears further away than that as he works back from surgery in October for a Lisfranc injury in his right foot. Asked about Thomas ramping up this week with the stated goal of him being ready for the opener Sept. 7 at Washington, Daboll said only, “He’ll just keep working his rehab and continue to get better.”

Going into his sixth pro season, the concern for Thomas is more about getting him fully healthy and less about the snaps he is missing. That is not so much the case for rookies such as Skattebo and Collins — the latter of whom is an undrafted free agent wide receiver trying to make the team at a crowded position.

“Any time you can’t be out there, it doesn’t help you,” Daboll said. “Take advantage of the meeting time, but there’s no substitute for being out on the field playing, particularly young players that are trying to earn a spot.”

With Collins and veteran Darius Slayton not taking part in team practice and Bryce Ford-Wheaton on injured reserve after after tearing an Achilles tendon, 26-year-old Montrell Washington has impressed when given the opportunity to run with the first- and second-team offenses. Washington made a dazzling one-handed catch on a pass from first-round pick Jaxson Dart during 7-on-7 drills Monday, adding to his growing list of camp highlights.

“My motto is, ‘A play a day keeps the coaches away,’ so I’m trying to make as many plays as I can,” Washington said. “We don’t like when guys go down, but I’m just trying to be there to show the guys I’m available, I’m locked in (and) I can be that guy to make a play for you guys when y’all need me to.”

Whereas Washington is a newcomer after joining as a free agent following stints with Kansas City and Denver, running back Devin Singletary is very familiar with Daboll’s system from their time together in Buffalo and has embraced getting more carries with Skattebo, Rushawn Baker and Eric Gray all out.

“Every day you’ve got to prove yourself,” Singletary said. “Every day, we like to say, the rent is due, so for me, it doesn’t matter if it’s one opportunity or 30. I’m trying to make the most of every opportunity because nothing is given. Everything is earned in the league, and when you get an opportunity, you want to make the best of it every time and that’s how you get more opportunities.”

Daboll called Singletary “a vet that’s having a really good camp” by keeping his head down and working. Usurped for the starting job last year by Tyrone Tracy in part because of a groin injury that hampered him, Singletary feels he’s back to 100% now and ready to contribute.

“Me, personally, I’m feeling good,” Singletary said. “Just trying to make plays when my number is called. That’s the name of the game.”

REPORTS: GIANTS SIGN FREE-AGENT RB JONATHAN WARD

The New York Giants added depth at running back, signing Jonathan Ward on Monday following a morning workout that included multiple free-agent hopefuls, according to multiple reports.

Ward, 27, has NFL experience with three teams, including five carries for 22 yards in four games with the Pittsburgh Steelers last season.

He has 22 career carries for 91 yards and six receptions for 52 yards in 46 games with the Arizona Cardinals (2020-22), Tennessee Titans (2022-23) and Steelers.

Ward originally signed with the Cardinals as an undrafted free agent out of Central Michigan.

REPORT: VIKINGS BRACE FOR 3-GAME BAN FOR JORDAN ADDISON

The Minnesota Vikings are bracing for a three-game suspension for wide receiver Jordan Addison over last year’s DUI arrest, ESPN reported Monday.

Addison, 23, resolved his legal case last month by pleading no contest to a lesser charge. He was placed on 12 months of probation and ordered to pay a fine and complete two online courses.

He was arrested in July 2024 near Los Angeles International Airport after police found him asleep at the wheel of his Rolls-Royce, which was blocking a lane of traffic on Interstate 105.

The Vikings’ first three games of the regular season are at Chicago in Week 1 and home games against Atlanta in Week 2 and Cincinnati in Week 3.

Addison caught 63 passes for 875 yards and nine touchdowns in 15 games (all starts) in his second season in 2024.

The 2023 first-round draft pick (23rd overall) has 133 receptions for 1,786 yards and 19 TDs in 32 games (29 starts).

BILLS SIGN VERSATILE VETERAN OL DAN FEENEY

The Buffalo Bills signed veteran offensive lineman Dan Feeney on Monday. Terms were not disclosed.

Feeney, 31, has played both guard and center for eight seasons with four teams.

He has appeared in 120 games (65 starts) for the Los Angeles Chargers (2017-20), New York Jets (2021-22), Chicago Bears (2023) and Minnesota Vikings (2024).

The Chargers drafted Feeney in the third round out of Indiana in 2017.

The Bills waived undrafted rookie offensive lineman Rush Reimer in a corresponding move.

Buffalo also released defensive end Kameron Cline, 27, who has appeared in six games with the Indianapolis Colts (2020-22) and Bills (2024).

REPORT: JAGUARS SIGNING VETERAN DT AUSTIN JOHNSON

The Jacksonville Jaguars are signing veteran defensive tackle Austin Johnson, NFL Network reported on Monday.

Johnson, 31, has played in 131 NFL games (56 starts) since being drafted in the second round by Tennessee in 2016.

He recorded 19 tackles and the first two interceptions of his career in 15 games (one start) for Buffalo in 2024.

Johnson has 260 tackles and 8.5 sacks over nine seasons with the Titans (2016-19), New York Giants (2020-21), Los Angeles Chargers (2022-23) and Bills.

His arrival provides interior depth with Arik Armstead (back) working through an injury and Maason Smith on the active/physically unable to perform list.

REPORTS: EAGLES ACQUIRE CB JAKORIAN BENNETT FROM RAIDERS

The Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles added depth to a solid secondary, acquiring cornerback Jakorian Bennett in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders, multiple media outlets reported Monday night.

The Raiders reportedly received reserve defensive tackle Thomas Booker IV in the swap.

Bennett, 24, appeared in 10 games for Las Vegas last season, making seven stops. He finished with 26 tackles and eight passes defensed.

A fourth-round draft pick in 2023 out of Maryland, Bennett played in 14 games and started four times as a rookie. In his two seasons overall, he has 58 tackles and 11 passes defensed.

Booker, 25, appeared in every regular-season game for Philadelphia last year, starting once. However, he was in on only 17 percent of the Eagles’ defensive plays and seven percent of the special teams snaps. He had 18 tackles, one sack and one pass defense.

The Texans made him a fifth-round pick out of Stanford in 2022. He appeared in 10 games (one start) for Houston that year — his lone NFL experience before 2024. For the Texans, he recorded 15 tackles, 0.5 sacks and one pass defensed.

The Eagles open the preseason on Thursday against the visiting Cincinnati Bengals, then officially start defense of their title against the visiting Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 4.

The Raiders start preseason play Thursday on the road against the Seattle Seahawks, then open the regular season on the road vs. the New England Patriots on Sept. 7.

VIKINGS QB J.J. MCCARTHY EXPECTED TO PLAY IN PRESEASON OPENER

The J.J. McCarthy era will begin on Saturday, as the Minnesota Vikings plan to play the quarterback against the Houston Texans in the team’s preseason opener.

Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell confirmed McCarthy’s return to action, a year after the QB suffered a right knee injury in Minnesota’s first game of the 2024 preseason. O’Connell, though, did not specify how many reps McCarthy would see not only in Saturday’s matchup but also the remainder of the preseason.

“You’d love to play him as much as possible,” O’Connell said, “but I think with those two days of joint practice [with the Patriots], and the type of reps that the other guys on the offense will get from a physicality and workload standpoint, we’ll more than likely use those two days as our real days.

“Obviously, that’s subject to change based upon on how those go, how we feel coming out of those. If we need to get a little more work, we will. Then we’ll assess that final preseason game as it comes.”

After passing for 6,226 yards and 49 touchdowns at Michigan, where he led the Wolverines to the national championship in his final season, McCarthy underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus that sidelined him for his entire rookie campaign. A second procedure was performed a few months later to address swelling.

Now, McCarthy sits atop the depth chart and has taken every practice snap with the first team.

QB TEDDY BRIDGEWATER, 32 EYES RETURN TO NFL

Former quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is leaving his position as head football coach at Miami Northwestern High School and seeking a return to the NFL, according to multiple media reports on Monday.

Bridgewater’s Miami Northwestern exit comes three weeks after he was suspended for allegedly providing impermissible benefits to his players, including Uber rides, meals and recovery services. He also asked for fans to donate to help cover these type of expenses.

The 32-year-old confirmed the suspension in a Facebook post last month.

“The suspension came from MNW and it’s impossible to suspend someone who doesn’t work for you,” Bridgewater said. “So if im suspended from MNW im free to go to another school of my choice but IM NOT GOING ANYWHERE.

“And if it comes down to it, I will volunteer from the bleachers like I used to in 2018 and 2019 when no one had a problem.”

After joining Miami Northwestern in 2024, Bridgewater led his alma mater to its first state championship since 2019. The program heads into the season as the fourth-ranked team in the state, per to the Massey Ratings.

Bridgewater returned to the NFL as Jared Goff’s backup with the Detroit Lions in December but did not appear in a regular-season game. Bridgewater completed his only pass for 3 yards in the Lions’ divisional round loss to the Washington Commanders.

In 10 NFL seasons with the Minnesota Vikings (2014-15, 2017), New Orleans Saints (2018-19), Carolina Panthers (2020), Denver Broncos (2021), Miami Dolphins (2022) and Detroit (2023-24), Bridgewater completed 1,372 of 2,067 passes (66.4 percent) for 15,120 yards with 75 touchdowns and 47 interceptions. He added 844 rushing yards and 11 scores on the ground.

Bridgewater was named to the Pro Bowl in his second season after starting all 16 games for the Vikings and leading them to an 11-5 record.

He hasn’t started a game since 2022 with the Dolphins.

CHARGERS LB DENZEL PERRYMAN WON’T FACE CHARGES IN WEAPONS ARREST

Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Denzel Perryman was released from police custody on Monday, and the Los Angeles District Attorney decided not to move forward with a felony weapons charge, public records showed.

Perryman had been held since Friday after he was pulled over by police for vehicle code violations. He was headed to a gun range at the time, TMZ reported.

Of the five firearms in his vehicle, two were assault-style rifles that are illegal in California.

Although Perryman was scheduled to appear at Inglewood Court on Tuesday, he is free to go as the DA declined to file charges in the case. His arrest will be considered a detention on his record as a result.

Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters he visited Perryman in jail on Sunday.

“Love Denzel,” Harbaugh said Monday. “He’s always done right. He’s never been in trouble. Got a beautiful family, and we’ll let the due process play out.”

Perryman, 32, is entering the second season of his second stint with the Chargers. He registered 55 tackles and one sack in 11 starts for the Chargers in 2024, missing six games with a groin injury.

Perryman signed a one-year, $2.655 million contract with the Chargers for the 2025 season.

VIKINGS TE T.J. HOCKENSON SIDELINED WITH LOWER-BODY INJURY

Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson missed practice on Monday after suffering a lower-body injury on the weekend, according to multiple reports.

Hockenson, 28, was injured during a practice on Saturday and had a noticeable limp.

The two-time Pro Bowler is listed with leg, hip and back issues. It’s unclear if he will be able to take part in drills on Tuesday or Wednesday.

In 10 game last season, Hockenson caught 41 of 62 targets for 455 yards. He was held out of the end zone for the first time in his NFL career.

In six seasons with the Detroit Lions (2019-2022) and Vikings (2022-2024), Hockenson has 382 receptions, 4,002 receiving yards and 23 touchdowns in 82 games.

Quarterback J.J. McCarthy is expected to play against the Houston Texans as Minnesota kicks off its preseason action Saturday, but it’s unclear if Hockenson would play even if healthy. McCarthy, the second-year signal-caller and 2024 Vikings’ first round draft pick from Michigan, missed his entire rookie season due to a knee injury.

LIONS ROOKIE S DAN JACKSON (LEG) PLACED ON INJURED RESERVE

A day after exiting practice with a leg injury, Detroit Lions safety Dan Jackson is heading to injured reserve.

The Lions did not set a timetable for the rookie’s return, although Detroit coach Dan Campbell told reporters that the injury “doesn’t look good.” He added that “it looks like he’s going to be down for a while.”

The Lions drafted Jackson with the 230th overall pick in the draft after he garnered third-team All-SEC honors last year while at Georgia, where he finished third on the team with 64 tackles.

Jackson was not the only defensive back to leave practice early Sunday, as 2024 second-round cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. suffered a shoulder injury that will cause him to miss time.

Campbell did not provide additional details on Rakestraw, including a timetable to return, only saying that “it’s going to be a while at best.”

JAGUARS DEPTH CHART: TRAVIS HUNTER 1ST-TEAM WR, BACKUP CB

As Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter prepared for the NFL draft, he left no ambiguity about his ambitions.

He did not want to play on only one side of the ball. He demanded to play defense and offense.

As the Jacksonville Jaguars prepare for their preseason opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday, the team released its first unofficial depth chart that reflects Hunter’s wishes.

The No. 2 pick out of Colorado is listed as a starting wide receiver (alongside Brian Thomas Jr. and Dyami Brown) and as a backup outside cornerback (along with Jarrian Jones, behind Tyson Campbell).

“It’s weird, it’s probably harder logistically for us as coaches to navigate it and making sure we’re making use of all his time,” Jaguars coach Liam Coen said at the start of training camp. “I think it doesn’t bother him as much. He’s pretty unfazed by some of this stuff.”

After putting up 96 catches, 1,258 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns to go along with 11 passes defended and four interceptions at Colorado last year, Hunter opened training camp with more offensive reps as he worked on developing chemistry with starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

As camp went on, however, Hunter began seeing more action on the defensive side. What’s more, he is putting on a juggling act as he bounces between meeting rooms and learns multiple playbooks.

That mental side of the game, Hunter said, is the most challenging aspect.

“You’ve got to do different terms each and every day,” he said.

BROWNS QB SHEDEUR SANDERS DOESN’T WANT DEION AT CAMP

Shedeur Sanders is attempting to focus on the job in front of him at Cleveland Browns training camp rather than a potential visit from his famous father.

After Pro Football Hall of Famer and Colorado coach Deion Sanders said in an interview that his son asked him not to visit him at camp, the younger Sanders explained why on Monday.

“I don’t want him coming to see me right now because I want to get to where I want to go, then for him to see me,” Shedeur Sanders told reporters. “I don’t want him to come and see me get a couple reps, and he is cheering like a good dad. Like, nah, you can’t be proud of me right now. I got to get to where I’m going, and I know it’s a lot I got to do to get there.

“It’s kind of like I just want everything that I’m doing is just focus on this time, and I don’t want no distractions because we know how the media, we know how everybody would take it and take away from the team, just from him being my own dad showing up. So, it is a gift and a curse at the same time.”

Shedeur Sanders experienced a precipitous fall in the draft after he was widely expected to be selected in the first round as one of the first quarterbacks off the board. He wasn’t even the first QB selected by the Browns, who chose Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel in the third round before adding Sanders in the fifth (144th overall).

Now Sanders is battling Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco and Gabriel for reps at camp. Sanders is the only one who has yet to receive first-team reps.

Some speculated that Sanders’ fall was the result of bad advice he received from his father, who was his coach at Jackson State and Colorado, and that NFL teams would not want Deion Sanders’ specter looming over their operation.

Deion did visit Shedeur’s brother Shilo at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ training camp. But he is also dealing with a full plate: He had his bladder removed due to a tumor earlier this year, and his Buffaloes are a few weeks away from their 2025 season opener.

“It was something that we really ain’t even have a formal conversation about because, it was like, ‘Y’all need to focus on what y’all can focus on. Can’t sit here and feel sorry for me, and then that’s affecting y’all doing that,’” Shedeur Sanders said.

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL

TEXAS AND ARCH MANNING TOP PRESEASON COACHES’ POLL

With Arch Manning set to take over as the full-time starting quarterback, Texas was voted atop the first college football coaches’ poll of the 2025 season.

After finishing 13-3 last season and advancing to the College Football Playoff semifinals, the Longhorns earned 28 first-place votes (1,606 points) from a panel of Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches.

Ohio State was in second place with 20 first-place votes, followed by Penn State (14), Georgia (three) and Notre Dame in the top five. Clemson, Oregon, Alabama, LSU and Miami (FL) round out the top 10, in that order.

Ohio State won the CFP championship game last season with a 34-23 victory over Notre Dame. Ohio State defeated Texas 28-14 in the semifinals.

Each team voted into the top five of the first coaches’ poll participated in last season’s CFP playoffs.

The full preseason college football coaches’ poll:

1. Texas
2. Ohio State
3. Penn State
4. Georgia
5. Notre Dame
6. Clemson
7. Oregon
8. Alabama
9. LSU
10. Miami (FL)
11. Arizona State
12. Illinois
13. South Carolina
14. Michigan
15. Ole Miss
16. SMU
17. Florida
18. Tennessee
19. Indiana
20. Kansas State
21. Texas A&M (tie)
21. Iowa State (tie)
23. BYU
24. Texas Tech
25. Boise State

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BASEBALL NEWS

MLB ROUNDUP: RANGERS RALLY, TOP YANKEES IN 10TH ON JOSH JUNG’S HR

Josh Jung’s two-out, three-run home run in the bottom of the 10th inning provided the winning runs as the Texas Rangers rallied for an 8-5 walk-off victory over the slumping New York Yankees on Monday in Arlington, Texas.

After New York did not score in the top of the 10th, Yankees reliever Jake Bird (4-2) retired the first two batters he faced before intentionally walking Wyatt Langford. Jung then rocketed his homer into the left field stands.

Danny Coulombe (2-0) worked through a two-out walk in the top of the 10th to earn the win. The Rangers’ Joc Pederson ripped a one-out pinch-hit solo homer in the ninth inning off Devin Williams that tied the game at 5-5 and sent it to extra innings.

Paul Goldschmidt had three hits and scored three runs to lead the Yankees, who have dropped four straight games.

Blue Jays 15, Rockies 1

Bo Bichette homered twice, singled and drove in six runs, Ernie Clement had a career-high five hits, and Toronto routed Colorado in Denver.

Toronto’s Daulton Varsho went deep for the first time since coming off the injured list on Friday and finished with two hits and four RBIs. Nathan Lukes and Joey Loperfido had three hits apiece and Addison Barger, Alejandro Kirk and Davis Schneider contributed two hits each as the Blue Jays collected season highs in runs and hits (25) to back a strong outing by Eric Lauer (7-2), who held Colorado to one run on seven hits over six innings.

Ezequiel Tovar had two hits for Colorado, including an RBI single.

Phillies 13, Orioles 3

Kyle Schwarber blasted his 39th and 40th homers and drove in six runs to ignite Philadelphia to a home win over Baltimore.

Schwarber’s grand slam capped an eight-run sixth inning for Philadelphia, which scored all of those runs with two outs. Recently acquired Harrison Bader hit a go-ahead three-run homer earlier in the frame — his first home run since joining the Phillies — while three other Philadelphia players homered in the game. Jesus Luzardo (10-5) worked six solid innings to earn the win.

Tyler O’Neill and Jordan Westburg each went deep for Baltimore, which has lost four of its last five games. Orioles starter Cade Povich (2-6) gave up four runs and four hits in 5 2/3 innings before the flood gates opened.

Brewers 3, Braves 1

Quinn Priester threw seven quality innings and Isaac Collins hit a three-run home run to propel visiting Milwaukee to a victory over Atlanta.

Priester (11-2) won his fifth consecutive start, allowing just one run on two hits. The Brewers mustered just three hits, but Collins’ 376-foot homer to right field was enough to help the club post its seventh win in eight tries. In the ninth, closer Trevor Megill needed just seven pitches to retire the Braves in order, picking up his 25th save.

Fedde (3-12) surrendered three runs on three hits in 5 1/3 innings, walking two and striking out none. Jurickson Profar homered and walked twice, but the Braves fell to 5-11 after the All-Star break.

Astros 8, Marlins 2

Jason Alexander pitched six scoreless innings to lead visiting Houston to a win over Miami.

Astros outfielder Jesus Sanchez, who made his MLB debut with the Marlins in 2020, slugged an RBI double to open the scoring during Houston’s five-run fourth inning. It was Sanchez’s fourth game with the Astros after being acquired on July 31. He played 532 games over his first five-plus MLB seasons with the Marlins. Alexander (2-1) allowed just three hits and one walk.

Javier Sanoja and Derek Hill homered for Miami in the seventh. It was the first time in 19 years that the Marlins slugged consecutive pinch-hit homers. Marlins starter Sandy Alcantara (6-10) lasted seven innings, allowing nine hits and six runs.

Reds 3, Cubs 2

TJ Friedl’s tiebreaking seventh-inning single helped the visiting Cincinnati defeat Chicago.

Friedl’s blooper to shallow center on a 2-2 pitch from Caleb Thielbar was the Reds’ third two-out in the inning. His single brought home Jake Fraley, who doubled to right-center off Ryan Brasier (0-1), with the go-ahead run. Emilio Pagan pitched a perfect ninth for his 24th save.

Tyler Stephenson homered for the Reds, while Dansby Swanson hit a two-run shot to account for the Cubs’ offense. Right-hander Michael Soroka left his Chicago debut after two innings with a sore shoulder, and he is headed for the injured list.

Pirates 5, Giants 4

Jack Suwinski hit a two-run shot and later scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth as Pittsburgh rallied for a walk-off victory over San Francisco.

After a lengthy rehab from Tommy John surgery, Pirates right-hander Johan Oviedo got his first start since 2023, but lasted just one inning. He surrendered two runs on two hits while throwing 43 pitches. Relievers Yohan Ramirez, Kyle Nicolas, Ryan Borucki and Dauri Moreta (1-0) combined to allow only two runs on five hits over the next eight innings.

Giants starter Justin Verlander gave up one unearned run and three hits over five innings. Randy Rodriguez (3-3) walked Andrew McCutchen and hit Suwinski in the ninth to set up the game-winning force out from Isiah Kiner-Falefa.

Tigers 6, Twins 3

Kerry Carpenter, Wenceel Perez and Dillon Dingler hit home runs as host Detroit doubled up Minnesota to open their three-game series.

Ryan Jeffers, Trevor Larnach and Matt Wallner responded with solo shots for the Twins. Travis Adams, in his first MLB start after four relief appearances, surrendered two runs on four hits while striking out seven in five innings. Noah Davis (0-2) was roughed up in the sixth to take the loss.

Detroit starter Casey Mize (10-4) gave up the long balls but allowed only one other hit over six innings. Kyle Finnegan struck out two in the ninth to earn his 22nd save and second since being acquired by the Tigers last week.

Diamondbacks 6, Padres 2

Tyler Locklear and Alek Thomas homered, Brandon Pfaadt tied a career high with his 11th victory, and Arizona beat San Diego in Phoenix.

Corbin Carroll and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. had two hits and two RBIs apiece as the Diamondbacks extended their winning streak to three games. Pfaadt (11-7) gave up two runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings, and Kyle Backhus pitched two innings for his first career save.

Jackson Merrill and Jake Cronenworth had the Padres’ RBIs. JP Sears (7-10) gave up five runs on 10 hits in five innings during his first start for San Diego.

Angels 5, Rays 1

Jo Adell hit a two-run homer and Yusei Kikuchi allowed one run on four hits over six innings, leading Los Angeles to a victory over Tampa Bay in the opener of a three-game series in Anaheim, Calif.

Taylor Ward went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and Bryce Teodosio had a career-high three hits, stole a base and scored a run for Los Angeles. Kikuchi (5-7) walked two and struck out seven while picking up his first win since July 12 against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Yandy Diaz doubled, walked and scored a run for Tampa Bay, which lost for the 10th time in the past 12 games. Adrian Houser (6-3), making his Tampa Bay debut after being acquired from the Chicago White Sox at the trade deadline, gave up five runs on 11 hits over 5 2/3 innings.

Cardinals 3, Dodgers 2

Masyn Winn and Ivan Herrera hit home runs, Yohel Pozo delivered a go-ahead, pinch-hit single in the ninth inning and St. Louis pulled off a victory over Los Angeles in the opener of a three-game series.

Cardinals right-hander Sonny Gray shook off recent struggles to give up one run on one hit over seven innings as St. Louis improved to 2-2 on a six-game road trip to San Diego and Los Angeles.

Freddie Freeman homered and Tyler Glasnow went seven strong innings, but the Dodgers still lost in the opener of a six-game homestand. Glasnow yielded one run on three hits with two walks and seven strikeouts.

Guardians 7, Mets 6 (10 inn.)

Gabriel Arias hit a three-run homer and later delivered an insurance sacrifice fly in the 10th inning as visiting Cleveland outlasted New York.

Mets’ reliever Ryan Helsley (3-2) allowed a pair of unearned runs in the 10th. Pete Alonso went 4-for-5 with a homer and four RBIs, while Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto had two hits each.

Cade Smith (4-4) tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings and wriggled out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth. Rookie Nic Enright allowed a run in the 10th, but notched his first save. David Fry and Carlos Santana had RBI singles while Steven Kwan and Brayan Rocchio had two hits apiece for the Guardians.

Red Sox 8, Royals 5

Jarren Duran hit a three-run home run and Boston extended its winning streak to six games by beating visiting Kansas City.

Duran’s home run, his 12th of the season, came against Royals starting pitcher Bailey Falter (7-6), who was making his Kansas City debut after being acquired from Pittsburgh. Falter gave up seven runs on eight hits in four innings. He struck out two batters and walked two. Vinnie Pasquantino and Maikel Garcia hit solo home runs for Kansas City.

The Red Sox received a strong pitching performance from Brayan Bello, who limited the Royals to one run on six hits in six innings. Bello (8-5) struck out five and walked one. Aroldis Chapman pitched the ninth to earn his 21st save. Romy Gonzalez, Alex Bregman and Wilyer Abreu — the first three hitters in Boston’s batting order — each collected two hits in the win.

YANKEES OF AARON JUDGE COULD RETURN TO ACTION TUESDAY

Two-time American League MVP Aaron Judge could make his return to the New York Yankees’ lineup on Tuesday.

Judge has been on the 10-day injured list with a flexor strain in his right elbow, but he has been hitting off Yankees minor league pitchers at the team’s complex in Tampa for the past few days. He was expected to join the Yankees in Texas as they opened a three-game series against the Rangers.

New York manager Aaron Boone told reporters on Monday that Judge could make his return to the lineup on Tuesday.

“I don’t want to say definitely because I haven’t seen him yet, but I think that’s the plan,” Boone said. “I think he’s expected in here tonight and we’ll make that call.”

An MRI did not reveal acute damage to Judge’s ulnar collateral ligament. The outfielder received a platelet-rich injection on July 27 and was placed on the 10-day IL retroactive to the previous day.

Boone noted that if Judge does make his comeback, he will do so as a designated hitter. He will play catch while with the Yankees to help the team determine when he could return to the outfield.

“I’m hoping that Judgie’s clean and is playing catch either (Tuesday) or the next day,” Boone said, “and we’ll start to get an idea about a timeline for that and then we’ll see when we get back home what happens there.”

Judge has batted .342 this season, best in the majors, to go along with 37 home runs (fourth in MLB) and 85 RBIs (fifth).

SURPRISE! THERE’S BEEN QUITE A BIT OF PARITY IN THE RACE FOR BASEBALL’S BEST RECORD

The 2025 regular season was supposed to be about Dodger dominance.

Instead, the race for baseball’s best record has turned into a free for all.

If there were any concerns about a Los Angeles behemoth running roughshod over the sport, that hasn’t materialized so far. In fact, eight different teams have spent the past three months passing baseball’s best record around like a hot potato.

The race for the top record in the major leagues is in many ways symbolic. Home field advantage in the postseason isn’t quite the prize it is in the NFL or NBA, and there’s no Presidents’ Trophy given for regular-season excellence like in the NHL. But the number of teams that have taken a turn at the top is noteworthy. Since May 1, the Dodgers, Tigers, Padres, Mets, Phillies, Cubs, Brewers and Blue Jays have all held the best record at some point.

Five of those teams have held the top spot in an even more recent span — since July 1.

Since the American League and National League began expanding significantly in 1961, this is only the fifth time at least eight teams have held (or tied for) the best record in baseball through games of May 1 or later, according to Sportrader. One of those seasons was 2020, when the whole 60-game schedule was after that date. The others were 1963 (eight teams), 1982 (eight) and 2021 (nine).

The largest lead any team has been able to open on the rest of the majors — all season — is when Detroit was three games up for a few days shortly before the All-Star break.

Here are the teams (or pairs of teams) that have led the major league standings at the end of each day since the start of May.

May 1-7: Dodgers

May 8-9: Dodgers and Tigers

May 10: Padres

May 11-12: Dodgers

May 13: Mets and Tigers

May 14: Tigers

May 15: Dodgers and Tigers

May 16-22: Tigers

May 23-27: Phillies

May 28-June 10: Tigers

June 11-12: Mets

June 13-24: Tigers

June 25-26: Dodgers and Tigers

June 27: Dodgers

June 28-30: Dodgers and Tigers

July 1-4: Dodgers

July 5: Dodgers and Tigers

July 6-18: Tigers

July 19: Cubs

July 20: Tigers

July 21: Brewers

July 22: Brewers and Cubs

July 23-24: Brewers

July 25-27: Blue Jays

July 28-Aug. 3: Brewers

Trivia time

Seven of baseball’s current franchises have never finished with game’s best regular-season record. Who are they?

LA’s story

For the first few weeks of the season, it looked like the Dodgers might indeed be on their way to well over 100 wins. The defending champs — who had added pitchers Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki in the offseason — won their first eight games, but since then Los Angeles has looked mortal. In early June, the Dodgers had 14 pitchers on the injured list, and although they’re in first place in their division, their current winning percentage of .580 would be their worst since 2018 if that’s where they finish the season.

Line of the week

Pittsburgh’s Liover Peguero hit three home runs Saturday in an 8-5 loss to Colorado. It was a tough defeat to swallow for the Pirates, who actually gave ace Paul Skenes some run support, only for him to allow four runs in five-plus innings.

Comeback of the week

On the topic of tough losses to swallow, the Pirates also fell to the Rockies on Friday night — after scoring nine runs in the top of the first. Pittsburgh led 16-10 before allowing two in the eighth and five in the bottom of the ninth. Brenton Doyle hit a two-run homer to win it 17-16 for Colorado, which had a win probability of 0.5% in the eighth according to Baseball Savant.

The Rockies are the only team this season to win after falling nine runs behind, and they continue to make progress in their effort to avoid matching or breaking the modern record for losses set by the Chicago White Sox last year. Colorado went 3-3 this week and is now 30-81 on the season. The White Sox went 41-121

Trivia answer

Unsurprisingly, the seven are among the majors’ younger franchises — the Rays, Diamondbacks, Marlins, Rockies, Blue Jays, Padres and Rangers.

Of the teams that have finished with the best record in baseball, the one with the longest current drought is the Twins, who last did so in 1965.

BIG DUMPER’S BIG YEAR: CAL RALEIGH’S ‘STAGGERING’ SEASON LEADS AN OFFENSIVE SURGE BY MLB CATCHERS

Seattle’s Cal Raleigh — better known by the catchy nickname “Big Dumper” — has lived up to the moniker, dropping baseball into the outfield seats all over the big leagues this season.

Manager Dan Wilson has been in awe of his talents.

“That’s what you get from Cal,” Wilson said. “Night in, night out, blocking balls, calling the game, leading a pitching staff, throwing runners out — that’s what Cal does and he does it very well.”

Oh … wait a second. Wilson obviously wasn’t taking about Raleigh’s prodigious power — he’s talking about how the 28-year-old handles the most demanding defensive position on the baseball field: Catcher.

Raleigh has smashed 42 homers this season, putting him on pace for 60, with a chance to catch Aaron Judge’s American League record of 62. That would be fun to watch under any circumstance. The fact that the All-Star and Home Run Derby champion is also responsible for guiding the Mariners’ pitching staff on most nights makes it even more impressive.

Seattle is currently in the thick of the American League playoff race with a 60-53 record, and the Mariners are relying on Raleigh’s bat and his brain to try and make the playoffs for just the third time since 2001.

There’s the mental side of the job — meetings, film study, calling pitches — but there’s also the wear and tear of the physical side. The 2024 Gold Glove winner is also squatting, handling the run game, taking painful foul tips off all parts of his body, putting his 6-foot-2, 235-pound frame through the ringer four or five nights a week.

All while hitting those homers.

Catching is demanding and can wear on power hitters

The fact that it took Raleigh a few years in the big leagues to emerge as a true superstar — this is his fourth full season with the Mariners — isn’t surprising. The learning curve for young catchers can be severe and the defensive part of the job takes precedence. There’s a long list of backstops who couldn’t hit a lick yet carved out long MLB careers.

Raleigh is a man of many talents and his power was always evident. He hit 27 homers in 2022, 30 in 2023 and 34 last season. Now he’s on pace for 50 long balls and maybe more. There are only five other players in big league history who have hit at least 40 homers while primarily playing catcher: Salvador Perez, Johnny Bench (twice), Roy Campanella, Todd Hundley and Mike Piazza (twice). Bench, Campanella and Piazza are Hall of Famers.

It’s evidence of a player at the top of his game — and one who has come through plenty of experience.

“I don’t think I’m trying any harder or doing any more than I have in the past,” Raleigh said. “Maybe a little more focused on the right things, and not constantly trying to tweak or change something that I have been in the past. So, I think that’s been the biggest part to the success, and just trying to keep that consistent and steady.”

Wilson was more direct, putting into perspective what Raleigh has accomplished through the first four months of the season.

“It’s pretty staggering,” Wilson said.

Raleigh’s big numbers are part of an offensive surge for MLB catchers: Will Smith, Hunter Goodman, Logan O’Hoppe, Shea Langeliers, Alejandro Kirk, Salvador Perez and William Contreras are among roughly a dozen at the position who are more than holding their own at the plate.

Veteran catcher Carson Kelly is on pace to have his best offensive season in the big leagues at 31, batting .272 with 13 homers and 36 RBIs for the Chicago Cubs. He’s been in the big leagues for 10 years and said the balance between offense and defense is tough for young players.

“It’s almost like you’re drinking from a firehose with how much information you have,” Kelly said. “And I think, as you see catchers, as the years go on, you get smarter.

“You get smarter in your routines. and you’re able to focus on the little details,” he continued. “When you get called up as a young guy, there’s so much going on. And as the years go by and as the days go by, you get more comfortable. ‘OK, I know this, I know that, how do I really funnel this down into a couple points?’

“I think that’s, you know, when you see catchers kind of take off.”

Some adjustments are helping catchers stay fresh

One major factor for the increased offensive production for catchers could be the one-knee down defensive stance that’s been adopted by nearly every MLB catcher over the past five years.

The argument for the stance is its helpful for defensive reasons, including framing pitches on the corners.

But there’s also the added benefit that it’s a little easier on the knees than squatting a couple hundred times per game.

“A hundred percent,” said Goodman, the Rockies primary catcher who is hitting .279 with 20 homers. “You think about back in the day when everybody was squatting … being in a squat for that long can be can be hard on your legs. Getting on a knee gives your legs a little bit of rest for sure.”

Statistical trends suggest he has a point. Catchers have accounted for 12.2% of all MLB homers this season, making a slow climb from 10% in 2018.

Raleigh’s been the best of the bunch and fans — along with his catching peers — are noticing.

“It just seems like on both sides of the ball, when he’s behind the plate he’s really focused on his pitchers and calling a good game and all the things that a catching position entails, and then when he comes up to the plate, he can do damage,” Kelly said.

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MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

NCAA TOURNAMENT TO REMAIN AT 68 TEAMS THIS SEASON

The NCAA Tournament field will remain at 68 teams this season, the Division I men’s and women’s basketball committees decided Monday.

The committees will continue to discuss whether to bring the tournament field to 72 or 76 teams ahead of the 2027 tournaments, NCAA senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt said in a statement.

Both committees met on a joint Zoom call nearly a month after in-person meetings yielded no verdict. Proposals for March Madness to expand to 72 or 76 have been floated, but the most likely long-term decision will be whether to remain at 68 teams or increase to 76, CBS Sports reported.

Expansion has been a topic of discussion for years, but logistical and financial roadblocks, as well as the fear of negative fan reception, have delayed any real prospects of increasing the field of teams.

The NCAA Tournament last expanded in 2011, growing to 68 teams with the addition of the First Four.

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NBA NEWS

REPORT: SPURS G DE’AARON FOX SIGNS 4-YEAR, $229M EXTENSION

The San Antonio Spurs signed point guard De’Aaron Fox to a maximum contract extension for four years and $229 million, ESPN reported Monday.

The Spurs acquired Fox from the Sacramento Kings in February, and he was slated to become an unrestricted free agent after this coming season. Instead, the team chose to lock up his contract through 2029-30.

Fox, 27, averaged 19.7 points and 6.8 assists per game in 17 appearances (all starts) for San Antonio. His season was cut short in March, when he had season-ending surgery to repair a tendon in his left pinkie finger.

In eight NBA seasons between the Kings and Spurs, Fox has averaged 21.5 points, 6.1 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.4 steals over 531 games (517 starts). He was the fifth overall draft pick by Sacramento in 2017 and won NBA Clutch Player of the Year for the 2022-23 campaign.

The Spurs will have a crowded backcourt in 2025-26 with Fox and a pair of former top-five draft picks: Stephon Castle, the reigning Rookie of the Year, and 2025 second overall selection Dylan Harper.

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TENNIS NEWS

NOVAK DJOKOVIC WITHDRAWS FROM THE CINCINNATI OPEN AND WILL HEAD TO THE US OPEN WITHOUT PREPARATION

CINCINNATI (AP) — Novak Djokovic pulled out of the Cincinnati Open on Monday for what officially was listed as a “non-medical” reason, meaning he will head to the U.S. Open without having played a match in about 1 1/2 months.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion hasn’t competed since losing in the Wimbledon semifinals to eventual champion Jannik Sinner on July 11.

That straight-set defeat against Sinner at the All England Club came two days after the 38-year-old Djokovic took what he described as a “nasty” and “awkward” fall in the last game of his quarterfinal victory. Djokovic clearly was compromised against Sinner and unable to move at his best; he received treatment on his upper left leg from a trainer.

Djokovic’s withdrawal from Cincinnati follows his decision to sit out the Toronto Masters that concludes this week. He cited a groin injury for that absence.

His previous event before Wimbledon was the French Open, where he also lost to Sinner in the semifinals.

Djokovic will have no hard-court tournament preparation before the U.S. Open singles competition begins on Aug. 24.

He has won four championships at Flushing Meadows, most recently in 2023. That was also his most recent Grand Slam trophy.

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TENNIS NEWS

TOP-SEEDED ALEXANDER ZVEREV RALLIES TO REACH TORONTO SEMIS

Top-seeded Alexander Zverev, bouncing back after squandering two set points in the first set, rallied for a 6-7 (8), 6-4, 6-3 win over 18th-seeded Alexei Popyrin in the quarterfinals of the National Bank Open on Monday in Toronto.

The 28-year-old German advances to face either 11th-seeded Karen Khachanov of Russia or 26th-seeded Alex Michelsen of the United States in the semifinals. The latter two players faced off late Monday night.

Zverev is one match victory away from his fourth final of the season. He won the title at Munich, Germany, and wound up as runner-up at the Australian Open and at Stuttgart, Germany.

Following a first set in which Zverev failed on two chances to claim the tiebreaker, he established his dominance in each of the final two sets by jumping out to 3-0 leads.

Popyrin managed to pull level in the second set before Zverev broke again in the last game. The third set featured just the lone service break.

“I had to tell myself, even though I lost the first set, I thought we were both playing actually quite well,” Zverev said.

“I did one or two mistakes in the end (of the tiebreaker), and I was very unlucky with the net cord on set point. But all in all, I thought it was a high level, and if I continue playing that way, I’m going to get my chances — and that’s what I did.”

Popyrin finished with a slight edge in winners, 30-28, but that was more than offset by his 45 unforced errors. Zverev gave away only 30 points.

Zverev is headed to an ATP 1000 semifinal for the first time this year. He has seven career ATP 1000 titles, two of them coming last year in Rome and Paris.

CANADIAN TEEN VICTORIA MBOKO REACHES MONTREAL SEMIFINALS

Canadian teen Victoria Mboko breezed into the semifinals on home turf, dispatching of Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-4, 6-2 on Monday at the National Bank Open in Montreal.

Mboko next will face ninth-seeded Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, who led 6-1, 2-1 when 24th-seeded Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine was forced to retire due to a wrist injury.

Mboko, who knocked off top-seeded Coco Gauff in straight sets in the fourth round, converted two of six break point chances in the first set on Monday. Bouzas Maneiro had a difficult time with her second serve, dropping 5 of 8 points to Mboko.

The 18-year-old from Toronto was extremely efficient in the second set, prevailing on all three of her break-point opportunities. Mboko was broken in the first game of the set and fell behind 2-0 before winning the final six games. The match lasted 1 hour, 17 minutes.

“I’m so excited to be in the semifinal here,” Mboko said in the postmatch on-court interview. “I want to thank everyone for your support once again. It has been unreal.

“I train here (in Canada) and it’s always a great opportunity to be here. My first time playing in Montreal has been an unreal experience and I couldn’t be more grateful.”

Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, broke Kostyuk in the opening game of the match. After the Ukrainian held in the third game, she had her right wrist and foreman heavily taped.

Rybakina won the final four games of the first set. She opened the second set by holding serve and Kostyuk was clearly struggling, using an abbreviated serving motion to lessen the wrist discomfort. She then held serve, as did Rybakina, but Kostyuk then retired, leaving the court in tears after 54 minutes of match time.

Mboko and Rybakina met in the last tournament in Washington, with Rybakina coming away with a 6-3, 7-5 victory in the second round.

Rybakina has one title to her credit in 2025 (Strasbourg, France) and nine in her career.

Mboko began the year ranked No. 333 in the world and entered the tournament in Montreal at No. 85. She will move into the top 50 as of next week.

Mboko becomes the first Canadian player to earn a spot in a WTA 1000 event semifinals since Bianca Andreescu won the championship in 2019. She is also the youngest player to reach the semis since 2015, when Swiss teen Belinda Bencic earned the title.

It has been an excellent few weeks for Canadian tennis, as unseeded Leylah Fernandez won the Citi DC Open in Washington.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC WDS FROM CINCINNATI OPEN

Novak Djokovic withdrew from the upcoming ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Cincinnati, giving himself no hard-court tune-ups before the U.S. Open.

The ATP officially listed Djokovic’s withdrawal from Cincinnati as “non-medical,” while he cited a groin injury for his absence from the Canadian Open that’s being completed this week in Toronto.

The 24-time Grand Slam winner from Serbia has not played since Wimbledon, where he reached the semifinals and lost to eventual champion Jannik Sinner of Italy.

He will go roughly six weeks between Wimbledon and his first match in New York. The U.S. Open was the site of Djokovic’s last Grand Slam triumph in 2023.

Djokovic, 38, won the Cincinnati title in 2018, 2020 and 2023. The latter was also the last time he appeared in Ohio, as he skipped the tournament in 2021, 2022 and 2024.

The main draw of the Cincinnati Open begins Thursday.

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GOLF NEWS

FEDEX CUP PLAYOFF FIELD SET; GARY WOODLAND, ADAM SCOTT MISS CUT

The PGA Tour solidified its field of 70 golfers for the FedEx Cup playoffs following the final round of the Wyndham Championship on Sunday, and Gary Woodland was among a host of notable names that failed to qualify.

Germany’s Matti Schmid began the regular-season finale sitting 70th in the points standings, and he finished exactly where he started after tying for 31st in the tournament.

Chris Kirk was the only player to climb in from outside the top 70. He tied for fifth at 14 under with four rounds in the 60s, and it was enough to boost him from 73rd entering the week to 61st.

The one player who lost his spot: South Korea’s Byeong Hun An, who missed the cut at the Wyndham and dropped from 69th to 74th in points as a result.

Woodland, the 2019 U.S. Open champion, had an outside shot of entering the top 70 as he began the tournament in 75th place. Woodland opened with rounds of 67 and 64 to be near the top of the leaderboard after Friday, but back-to-back 70s on the weekend weren’t enough. He tied for 23rd at the Wyndham and finished the season 72nd in points.

Woodland was attempting to make the playoffs for the first time since he underwent surgery for a brain lesion in 2023.

The first man out was Davis Thompson, who nearly rocketed from 78th place by tying for 11th at the Wyndham. Nicolai Hojgaard of Denmark had a fine season and contended at last month’s Open Championship but finished 73rd in points.

Australian Adam Scott fired a 65 on the first day of the Wyndham but was pedestrian from there. He needed a victory to catapult from 85th to the top 70, but instead dropped back to 90th in points at season’s end.

Further down the list were Joel Dahmen (No. 93), South Korea’s Tom Kim (No. 94) and Max Homa (No. 111).

Defending FedEx Cup champion Scottie Scheffler holds a large lead over Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy as the top 70 players head to the FedEx St. Jude Championship this week in Memphis, Tenn. The next number to watch is No. 50, as only the top 50 after Memphis will advance to the second leg of the playoffs.

Australia’s Min Woo Lee currently holds the 50th spot. Notable players currently on the outside include Venezuela’s Jhonattan Vegas (No. 56), Tony Finau (No. 60) and Rickie Fowler (No. 64).

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TOP INDIANA HEADLINES/PRESS RELEASES

COLTS NEWS

COLTS’ FIRST ‘UNOFFICIAL’ DEPTH CHART BRINGS NO QB CLARITY

The competition continues in Indianapolis, where the Colts listed “Daniel Jones OR Anthony Richardson” as the No. 1 quarterback on their first “unofficial depth chart” released on Monday.

Sixth-round draft pick Riley Leonard and 2024 undrafted rookie Jason Bean are listed behind Jones and Richardson heading into Thursday night’s preseason opener against the Ravens in Baltimore.

Head coach Shane Steichen said Sunday that Jones and Richardson will both play against the Ravens but declined yet to say which signal-caller would start.

“Yeah, both are going to play in this game. I haven’t had a chance to talk to them about who’s starting, but I’ll address that with them tonight,” Steichen said Sunday. “I want them to hear it from me first before they hear through the media. But yeah, we’ll work through that.”

Jones, 28, signed a one-year, $14 million deal with the Colts in March after finishing out the 2024 season on the roster of the Minnesota Vikings.

Drafted No. 6 overall by New York in 2019, Jones compiled a 24-44-1 record as a starter for the Giants while passing for 14,582 yards, 70 touchdowns and 47 interceptions and rushing for 2,179 yards and 15 scores.

Richardson, 23, is 8-7 as a starter for Indianapolis since being selected with the No. 4 overall pick in 2023. He has completed just 50.6 percent of his passes for 2,391 yards and 11 TDs with 13 interceptions. He has rushed for 635 yards and 10 scores.

OFFENSE

WR: Michael Pittman Jr., Ashton Dulin, Laquon Treadwell, Ajou Ajou, Tyler Kahmann
LT: Bernhard Raimann, Blake Freeland, Marshall Foerner
LG: Quenton Nelson, Josh Sills, Mose Vavao
C: Tanor Bortolini, Danny Pinter, Wesley French
RG: Matt Goncalves, Dalton Tucker
RT: Braden Smith, Jalen Travis, Luke Tenuta
TE: Tyler Warren, Mo Alie-Cox, Drew Ogletree, Will Mallory, Jelani Woods, Sean McKeon, Maximilian Mang
WR: Josh Downs, Anthony Gould, Coleman Owen
WR: Alec Pierce, Adonai Mitchell, D.J. Montgomery, Blayne Taylor, Landon Parker
QB: Daniel Jones OR Anthony Richardson Sr., Riley Leonard, Jason Bean
RB: Jonathan Taylor, Tyler Goodson, DJ Giddens, Khalil Herbert, Salvon Ahmed, Ulysses Bentley IV
Ahmed suffered a “severe leg injury,” per Steichen, during Sunday’s training camp practice.

DEFENSE

DE: Kwity Paye, Tyquan Lewis, JT Tuimoloau, Desmond Little
DT: DeForest Buckner, Neville Gallimore, Adetomiwa Adebawore, Devtona Davis
NT: Grover Stewart, Eric Johnson II, Tim Smith, Josh Tupou
DE: Laiatu Latu, Samson Ebukam, Durell Nchami, Isaiah Land
WLB: Cameron McGrone, Jaylon Carlies, Austin Ajiake, Segun Olubi, Solomon DeShields
MLB: Zaire Franklin, Joe Bachie, Liam Anderson, Jacob Phillips
CB: Charvarius Ward, JuJu Brents, Samuel Womack III, Tre Herndon
FS: Camryn Bynum, Rodney Thomas II, Trey Washington
SS: Nick Cross, Hunter Wohler, Daniel Scott
N: Kenny Moore II, Alex Johnson, Ladarius Tennison, Chris Lammons
CB: Justin Walley, Jaylon Jones, Jonathan Edwards, Duke Shelley
Brents and Jones have both been held out of training camp practices recently due to hamstring injuries.

SPECIALISTS

P: Rigoberto Sanchez
PK: Spencer Shrader, Maddux Trujillo
H: Rigoberto Sanchez
LS: Luke Rhodes
KR: Anthony Gould, Ashton Dulin, Tyler Goodson, D.J. Montgomery
PR: Anthony Gould, Josh Downs, Coleman Owen

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INDIANA FEVER

STREAKING FEVER SET TO TAKE ON RESURGENT SPARKS

The absence of Caitlin Clark has not stopped the Indiana Fever from blossoming into one of the WNBA’s more cohesive and dangerous teams.

Aliyah Boston, Aari McDonald and company will try to guide the Fever to a sixth straight victory Tuesday when they visit the Los Angeles Sparks.

Indiana (17-12) earned a 78-74 win at Seattle on Sunday, withstanding a push by the Storm in the final five minutes. Boston, the No. 1 overall draft pick the year before Clark, recorded her franchise-record-setting sixth straight double-double (16 points, 12 rebounds).

“She’s really the rock of our team. She’s even-keeled, she’s high-IQ, everybody trusts her on both ends of the floor and she’s our backbone,” Fever coach Stephanie White said, also noting that Boston is serving as more of an offensive facilitator this year.

McDonald, originally an emergency hardship signing in early June, went for nine points and nine assists at Seattle. McDonald has averaged 9.8 points and 4.7 assists in 18 games with the Fever, including 14.0 points and 5.4 assists during the winning streak.

Natasha Howard led the Fever on Sunday with 21 points (10-of-12 shooting) and Sophie Cunningham bombed in 4 of 5 3-point attempts to finish with 17 points.

Clark is not expected back for Tuesday’s game as she continues to recover from a groin injury. She’s with the team on its current road trip, which ends Thursday in Phoenix. White said she’s recovering well but emphasized that Indiana does not want to rush the situation.

Before Indiana owned the longest active winning streak in the league, the mantle belonged to Los Angeles (12-15). The Sparks won five straight from July 13-26 and rebounded from a 15-point loss to the Las Vegas Aces by beating the Storm on Friday, 108-106 in double overtime.

Dearica Hamby made the game-winning layup with less than five seconds to go in a game that saw 14 lead changes and 12 ties.

The Sparks have rocketed to third in the league in points per game (85.5), just ahead of Indiana (85.1). Four players scored at least 21 at Seattle, and Kelsey Plum ranks fourth in the WNBA at 20.3 points per game.

Los Angeles, though, has the fewest home wins of any team in the league and is just 3-9 on its own floor.

“We have Indiana at home. They’re playing great basketball,” Plum said. “… When we start to look at the standings and where we’re at, every game is critical. Defending home court is the way that you get into the playoffs.”

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PURDUE TRACK AND FIELD

ANIAMAKA WINS TRIPLE JUMP TITLE AT CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

OTTAWA, Ontario – Purdue Track & Field’s Praise Aniamaka took home the triple jump title at the 2025 Canadian Track & Field Championships on Sunday (Aug. 3).

The native of Surrey, British Columbia jumped 16.50m (+2.1) to win the title by 0.38m. The victory comes after he finished fourth at the 2024 Canadian Championships with a jump of 15.46m.

Aniamaka added to his 2025 success after he won the Big Ten Indoor triple jump title and finished fifth at the NCAA Indoor Championships to earn First Team All-American status. He is a four-time All-American and three-time Big Ten Champion in his career.

He will return to the Boilermakers for his final season of eligibility during outdoor in 2026.

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NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL

LOVE SELECTED TO 2025 WALTER CAMP PLAYER OF THE YEAR WATCH LIST

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Junior running back Jeremiyah Love has earned selection to the 2025 Walter Camp Player of the Year Watch List. The award is presented annually to the collegiate football player of the year.

Four Notre Dame players have been named the Walter Camp Player of the Year in the award’s history: TE Ken MacAfee (1977), FL Tim Brown (1987), FL Raghib Ismail (1990) and LB Manti Te’o (2012).

Love, already named a Walter Camp Preseason All-American and to the Maxwell Award Watch List, comes off a statement 2024 campaign for Notre Dame. He rushed for a touchdown in each of the first 13 games of 2024 and totaled 17 rushing touchdowns, in addition to two receiving touchdowns. Love posted 1,125 rushing yards in 2024, the 21st time an Irish player has broken the 1,000-yard rushing mark in a season.

He averaged 6.9 yards per carry, which ranked ninth nationally in 2024 among players with 100 or more carries, and he tied for second among all single-season 1,000-yard rushers in ND records (Reggie Brooks, 1992, 8.0 – 1,343; Josh Adams, 2017, 6.9 – 1,430).

Love was the only FBS player to score a rushing touchdown in every regular season game that season. He broke the record for the most consecutive games with a rushing touchdown in Notre Dame history with 13 (passing 11 – Wayne Bullock, 1973-74, 17 total rushing TDs during streak). The 13-consecutive games to start a season is also a program record, besting Autry Denson’s season-opening run of 10 in 1998

Notre Dame’s rushing offense ranked No. 4 among the Power 4 in yards per carry (5.66), ranking No. 7 among all FBS teams. The Irish ranked No. 6 among Power 4 teams in rushing offense (210.8).

Love, Jadarian Price and Riley Leonard each had at least 700 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns in 2024, the only FBS team to have a trio accomplish that feat that season. Notre Dame tied for second at the end of the regular season among all FBS teams in rushes of 50 or more yards with seven (by four players, with seven touchdowns).

With 45 rushing touchdowns in 2024, the Irish led all Power 4 teams and ranked third among all FBS programs in rushing touchdowns.

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NOTRE DAME SWIMMING

JANTON WINS RELAY BRONZE AT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

SINGAPORE — Notre Dame seniors Tommy Janton and Marcus Reyes-Gentry wrapped up competition at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships this weekend, and both student-athletes will return to the United States with something to celebrate.

Janton, who earned a spot on the United States National Team by winning the 100 backstroke at the USA Swimming National Championships in June, won a bronze medal as the backstroker on the men’s 400 medley relay. He also swam the 100 backstroke, finishing with a time of 53.87.

While competing for Mexico, Reyes-Gentry led off the 400 medley relay with a time of 54.04, a new Mexican record by 0.23 seconds. The relay team’s time of 3:35.81 was also a Mexican record as was Reyes-Gentry’s 50 backstroke time of 24.98.

In addition to Janton and Reyes-Gentry, Notre Dame graduates James Lichtenstein, Chris Guiliano and Abdelrahaman Elaraby competed at the meet. Lichtenstein, who dove for Notre Dame from 2013-17, won the gold in the 27 meter high dive with a final score of 428.9, his first win in international competition. It was also the first time the United States has had a world champion since 2017.

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BUTLER MEN’S GOLF

BUTLER ANNOUNCES 2025-26 MEN’S GOLF SCHEDULE

Butler coach Colby Huffman has built a competitive schedule with preparing the Bulldogs for May golf in mind.

The regular season feeds into the 2026 BIG EAST Men’s Golf Championship May 2-4, which will be contested at Riverton Pointe in Hardeeville, S.C.

The Bulldogs will once again open the season at the Golden Grizzlies Classic hosted by Oakland in Rochester, Mich. (Sept. 13-14).

The Bulldogs will host their annual event March 30-31 with the Don Benbow Butler Invitational at the team’s home course, Highland Golf Club.

Butler’s schedule will take them to Hawaii for the Kapolei Invitational Nov. 4-6 and to Puerto Rico for the Dorado Beach Collegiate Feb. 22-24.

All six Bulldogs who played in the 2025 BIG EAST Championship return for the upcoming season. That group features Will Horne, Derek Tabor, Leo Zurovac, and rising sophomores Logan Sutto, Luke Kruger and Johnny Creamean. They are joined by three newcomers.

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BALL STATE WOMEN’S SOCCER

2025, 2026 MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE WOMEN’S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP TO BE HOSTED AT HISTORIC CREW STADIUM

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference and Haslam Sports Group announced today the 2025 and 2026 MAC Women’s Soccer Championship will take place at Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. This will mark the first time in conference history the event will be hosted at a neutral site.

The 2025 MAC Women’s Soccer Championship is set to open on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025 with a pair of quarterfinal matches. Semifinal matches are slated for Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025 before the Championship Match on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025.

Quarterfinal and semifinal matches will begin at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. ET, while the Championship Game is set for a 7:30 p.m. ET start.

“Our membership is excited to bring the 2025 and 2026 MAC Women’s Soccer Championship to Historic Crew Stadium,” said MAC Commissioner Jon A. Steinbrecher. “The venue will provide an excellent stage for our student-athletes to compete for a Mid-American Conference Tournament title. We appreciate the partnership with Historic Crew Stadium and the Greater Columbus Sports Commission and look forward to working together to deliver an exceptional championship experience for the student-athletes, coaches, and fans.”

“We appreciate the Mid-American Conference selecting Historic Crew Stadium to host the 2026 Women’s Soccer Championship, especially as the first neutral site of the tournament,” said Haslam Sports Group Chief of Strategy & Development and Crew President of Business Operations Josh Glessing. “Together the MAC and Haslam Sports Group will create lasting memories for the athletes, coaches, staff, families and friends at Historic Crew Stadium through our shared dedication to growing soccer and a passion for sports in our region.”

“Columbus is thrilled to host the 2025 and 2026 MAC Women’s Soccer Championships at Historic Crew Stadium,” said CEO and President of the Greater Columbus Sports Commission Linda Logan. “As a proud soccer city with a rich tradition of supporting women’s sports and hosting premier events, we look forward to delivering an unforgettable experience for student-athletes and fans. With our central location, passionate community, and plenty to explore off the pitch, Columbus is the perfect stage for this championship.”

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“SPORTS EXTRA”

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

Aug. 5

1921 — Pittsburgh radio station KDKA and announcer Harold Arlin provided listeners with the first broadcast of a major league game. The Pirates beat the Philadelphia Phillies 8-5.

1927 — Philadelphia’s Cy Williams hit for the cycle, drove in six runs and scored three times to lead the Phillies to a 9-7 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

1931 — For the second time in his career, Jim Bottomley got six hits as the St. Louis Cardinals beat Pittsburgh 16-2 in the second game of a doubleheader.

1932 — Detroit pitcher Tommy Bridges lost his bid for a perfect game on a bloop single by the 27th Washington batter, pinch-hitter Dave Harris. The Tigers beat the Senators 13-0.

1933 — Sammy West of the St. Louis Browns had four extra-base hits in a 10-9, 12-inning win over the Chicago White Sox.

1942 — Don Kolloway’s two-out steal of home in the fifth inning was the only run as the Chicago White Sox beat the Detroit Tigers 1-0.

1969 — Pittsburgh’s Willie Stargell became the only player to hit a ball out of Dodger Stadium. Stargell’s shot off of Los Angeles’ Alan Foster cleared the right-field pavilion and landed 506 feet from home plate.

1973 — Phil Niekro of the Atlanta Braves pitched a 9-0 no-hitter against the San Diego Padres. He walked three and struck out four in recording the first no-hitter by the franchise in Atlanta.

1975 — The first eight batters for Philadelphia Phillies got hits for a major league record, en route to a 13-5 win over the Chicago Cubs.

1984 — Cliff Johnson of the Blue Jays hit his 19th career pinch homer to set a major league record as Toronto beat the Orioles 4-3 at Memorial Stadium.

1999 — Mark McGwire became the 16th member of the 500-home run club, hitting two homers — Nos. 500 and 501 — in the St. Louis Cardinals’ loss to San Diego.

2001 — The Cleveland Indians tied a major league record and became the first team in 76 years to overcome a 12-run deficit to win, defeating the Seattle Mariners 15-14 in 11 innings.

2005 — Albert Pujols became the first player in major league history to hit 30 home runs in each of his first five seasons, helping the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Atlanta Braves 11-3.

2006 — Trevor Hoffman set a major league record with his 11th 30-save season and the San Diego Padres defeated the Washington Nationals 6-3.

2007 — Tom Glavine earned his 300th victory in an 8-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs. The 41-year-old left-hander became the 23rd pitcher with 300 victories and only the fifth lefty to win 300.

2013 — Alex Rodriguez was suspended through 2014 (211 games) and All-Stars Nelson Cruz, Jhonny Peralta and Everth Cabrera were banned 50 games apiece when Major League Baseball disciplined 13 players in a drug case — the most sweeping punishment since the Black Sox scandal nearly a century ago. Ryan Braun’s 65-game suspension last month and previous punishments bring to 18 the total number of players disciplined for their relationship to Biogenesis of America, a closed anti-aging clinic in Florida accused of distributing banned performing-enhancing drugs.

2019 — Jonathon Villar of the Orioles hits for the cycle in a 9-6 loss to the Yankees.

2021 — Team USA is headed to the Olympic Gold Medal Game for the first time in 21 years, beating South Korea, 7 – 2 at the 2020 Olympics (held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic). Teenager Eui-lee Lee holds the US to two runs in five innings, one a mammoth homer by Jamie Westbrook, but five relievers are called on in the 6th when the US scores five times. Jack López drives in two for the US while Hye-seong Kim goes 3 for 3 in a losing cause. Ryder Ryan gets the win in relief of Joe Ryan.

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Aug. 6

1908 — John Lush threw a six-inning, rain-shortened no-hitter for the St. Louis Cardinals, who beat the Brooklyn Dodgers 2-0. It was Lush’s second no-hitter against the Dodgers.

1933 — Pinky Higgins of the Philadelphia Athletics hit for the cycle and drove in five runs in a 12-8 win over the Washington Senators.

1952 — Satchel Paige, 46, became the oldest pitcher in major league history to pitch a complete game or a shutout when he beat Virgil Trucks and the Detroit Tigers 1-0 in 12 innings.

1972 — Hank Aaron hit his 660th and 661st career home runs to break Babe Ruth’s record for most home runs with one club. The 661st came in the 10th inning to give the Atlanta Braves a 4-3 triumph over the Cincinnati Reds.

1981 — As a result of a seven-week strike, major league baseball players approved a split-season format. The New York Yankees, Oakland A’s, Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers were declared the first-half champions and automatically qualified for the divisional series.

1985 — The Major League Baseball Players’ Association went on strike.

1986 — The Texas Rangers beat the Baltimore Orioles 13-11 in a record-setting battle of grand slams. Texas’ Toby Harrah hit a grand slam in the second inning before Larry Sheets and Jim Dwyer connected for grand slams in Baltimore’s nine-run fourth.

1988 — Rich Gossage registered his 300th career save, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-4.

1999 — Tony Gwynn went 4-for-5, singling in his first at-bat to become the 22nd major leaguer to reach 3,000 hits, as the San Diego Padres beat the Montreal Expos 12-10.

2001 — Boston’s Scott Hatteberg performed the ultimate baseball opposite. Hatteberg hit a grand slam one at-bat after lining into a triple play as the Red Sox defeated the Texas Rangers 10-7. Hatteberg lined into a triple play in the fourth inning and in the sixth he hit his second career grand slam to move Boston ahead for good.

2002 — At 32, Robb Nen became the youngest player to record 300 saves, as San Francisco beat the Chicago Cubs 11-10. Nen became the 16th member of the 300-save club.

2007 — St. Louis tied a major league record with 10 straight hits in a 10-run fifth inning, with pitcher Braden Looper and Aaron Miles getting two apiece in a 10-5 victory over San Diego.

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Aug. 7

1907 — Walter Johnson won the first of his 417 victories, leading the Washington Senators past the Cleveland Indians 7-2.

1922 — Ken Williams of the St. Louis Browns hit two home runs in the sixth inning of rout over the Washington Senators.

1923 — Cleveland’s Frank Bower went 6-for-6 with a double and five singles as the Indians routed the Washington Senators 22-2.

1956 — The largest crowd in minor league history, 57,000, saw 50-year-old Satchel Paige of Miami beat Columbus in an International League game at the Orange Bowl.

1963 — Jim Hickman of the New York Mets hit for the cycle in a 7-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals at the Polo Grounds. Hickman’s cycle came in single-double-triple-homer order.

1985 — The strike by the Major League Baseball Players Association ended with the announcement of a tentative agreement. The season resumed Aug. 8.

1999 — Wade Boggs became the first player to homer for his 3,000th hit, with a two-run shot in Tampa Bay’s 15-10 loss to Cleveland. Boggs already had a pair of RBI singles when he homered off Chris Haney in the sixth inning.

2004 — Greg Maddux became the 22nd pitcher in major league history to reach 300 victories, leading the Chicago Cubs to an 8-4 victory over San Francisco.

2007 — San Francisco’s Barry Bonds hit home run No. 756 to break Hank Aaron’s storied record with one out in the fifth inning, hitting a full-count, 84 mph fastball from Washington’s Mike Bacsik. Noticeably absent were Commissioner Bud Selig and Aaron. The Nationals won 8-6.

2016 — Ichiro Suzuki tripled off the wall for his 3,000th hit in the major leagues, becoming the 30th player to reach the milestone as the Miami Marlins beat the Colorado Rockies 10-7.

2016 — Manny Machado became the second player in major league history to homer in the first, second and third innings, driving in a career-high seven runs in a 10-2 victory over Chicago.

2018 — Bartolo Colon of Texas became the winningest pitcher from Latin America in the Rangers’ 11-4 victory over the Seattle Mariners. After six tries, the 45-year-old right-hander got his 246th career victory and finally broke the tie with Nicaragua’s Dennis Martinez. Colon gave up four runs and eight hits in seven innings and improved his record to 6-10.

2021 — Host nation Japan wins its first ever gold medal in Olympic baseball by defeating the United States 2-0.

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TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

AUG. 5

1921 — Radio station KDKA and announcer Harold Arlin provide the first broadcast of a major league game as the Pirates beat the Phillies 8-5 at Pittsburgh.

1936 — At the Berlin Olympics, Jesse Owens wins his third of four gold medals, winning the 200-meter race in an Olympic-record 20.7 seconds.

1954 — The first election for the Boxing Hall of Fame is held. Twenty-four fighters are elected, with the most noteworthy from the modern era Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis and Henry Armstrong. Fifteen are selected from the pioneer era including John L. Sullivan, Gentleman Jim Corbett and Jack Johnson.

1967 — The Denver Broncos beat the Detroit Lions, 13-7, in a preseason game, for the first AFL victory over an NFL team.

1984 — American Joan Benoit wins the first Olympic marathon for women in 2:24:52, finishing 400 meters ahead of Norway’s Grete Waitz.

1991 — Sergei Bubka becomes the first to clear 20 feet outdoors in the pole vault, breaking his own world record by a half-inch at the Galan track meet in Malmo, Sweden.

1997 — Michael Johnson wins his third straight 400-meter title at the world championships in Athens, Greece, capturing the gold medal in 44.12 seconds.

2005 — Jason Gore shoots a 12-under 59 in the second round of the Nationwide Tour’s Cox Classic in Omaha, Nebraska.

2006 — Warren Moon becomes the first black quarterback to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio; joined by Troy Aikman, John Madden, Rayfield Wright, Harry Carson and Reggie White.

2007 — Tom Glavine earns his 300th victory in an 8-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

2007 — Lorena Ochoa wins the Women’s British Open — the first women’s professional tournament played at venerable St. Andrews — for her first major title.

2012 — Jamaica’s Usain Bolt claims consecutive gold medals in the marquee track and field event at the Summer Games in London. Only about fifth-fastest of the eight runners to the halfway mark, Bolt erases that deficit and overtakes a star-studded field to win the 100-meter dash final in 9.63 seconds, an Olympic record that lets him join Carl Lewis as the only men to win the event twice.

2012 — Britain’s Andy Murray cruises past Roger Federer 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 in the Olympic tennis singles final at Wimbledon. Serena and Venus Williams win the doubles title, as Serena becomes tennis’ first double-gold medalist at an Olympics since Venus won singles and doubles at the 2000 Sydney Games. Ben Ainslie earns another gold medal in the Finn class to become the most successful sailor in Olympic history.

2013 — Alex Rodriguez is suspended through 2014 (211 games) and All-Stars Nelson Cruz, Jhonny Peralta and Everth Cabrera are banned 50 games apiece when Major League Baseball disciplines 13 players in a drug case.

2014 — The San Antonio Spurs hire WNBA star Becky Hammon as an assistant coach, making her the first woman to join an NBA coaching staff.

2017 — Justin Gatlin spoils Usain Bolt’s farewell beating him in the 100 meters at the world track championships in London. Bolt gets off to a slow start and Gatlin holds him off at the line in 9.92 seconds. American sprinter Christian Coleman takes silver in 9.94 seconds and Bolt took bronze in 9.95.

2018 — The Springfield Lasers win their first World TeamTennis title edging the Philadelphia Freedoms 19-18. The Lasers were 0-5 in WTT championship finals and winless in three meetings with the Freedoms during the 2018 regular season.

2018 — Georgia Hall of England catches Pornanong Phatlum in a final-round duel at Royal Lytham & St. Annes to win the Women’s British Open for her first major title.

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Aug. 6

1958 — Glen Davis of Columbus, Ohio, sets a world record in the 400 hurdles with a time of 49.2 in Budapest, Hungary.

1966 — Muhammad Ali knocks out Brian London in the third round to retain his world heavyweight title.

1972 — South African Gary Player wins his second PGA golf championship with a two-stroke victory over Jim Jamieson and Tommy Aaron.

1978 — John Mahaffey beats Tom Watson and Jerry Pate on the second playoff hole to win the PGA Championship.

1984 — American athlete Carl Lewis wins long jump (8.54m), his second of 4 gold medals at Los Angeles Olympics.

1991 — Debbie Doom of the U.S. pitches her second consecutive perfect game in women’s softball at the Pan American Games. Doom threw a perfect game at the Netherlands Antilles in the opener and matches that performance against Nicaragua, winning 8-0.

1992 — Carl Lewis leads a U.S. sweep in the long jump in the Olympics with a mark of 28 feet, 5 1-2 inches on his first attempt. Mike Powell takes the silver and Joe Greene the bronze. Kevin Young demolishes one of track’s oldest records with a time of 46.78 seconds in the 400 hurdles. Bruce Baumgartner becomes the first American wrestler to win medals in three straight Olympics, taking the gold in the 286-pound freestyle division.

1994 — Jeff Gordon wins the Brickyard 400, the first stock car race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

1995 — Canada’s Donovan Bailey wins the 100 meters at World Track and Field Championships in Goteborg, Sweden, marking the first time since 1976 an American fails to win a medal in the event at a major meet.

1999 — Tony Gwynn goes 4-for-5, singling in his first at-bat to become the 22nd major leaguer to reach 3,000 hits, as the San Diego Padres beat the Montreal Expos 12-10.

2001 — Two-time champion Marion Jones is disqualified and has her string of 42 consecutive 100m final victories snapped by Zhanna Pintusevich-Block of Ukraine at the World Athletics Championships in Edmonton, Canada.

2006 — Tiger Woods (30) becomes the youngest player to compile 50 PGA Tour wins with a 3 stroke victory over Jim Furyk in the Buick Open.

2006 — Floyd Landis is fired by his team and the Tour de France no longer considers him its champion after his second doping sample tested positive for higher-than-allowable levels of testosterone.

2006 — Sherri Steinhauer wins the Women’s British Open for the third time, and the first since it became a major.

2008 — Sammy Villegas, a former University of Toledo basketball player, is charged with point shaving. Villegas is accused of shaving points during the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons.

2008 — Kim Terrell-Kearney wins the first professional championship match featuring two black bowlers, beating Trisha Reid 216-189 in the U.S. Bowling Congress’ U.S. Women’s Open. Terrell-Kearney collects her second U.S. Women’s Open title and third career major title.

2010 — Tyson Gay upsets the defending world and Olympic champion Usain Bolt in a race between the two fastest runners in history. Gay beats the Jamaican at the DN Galan meet in 9.84 seconds at the same stadium where Bolt last lost a race two years ago. Bolt finishes second in 9.97.

2015 — Ryan Lochte becomes the first man to win the 200-meter individual medley four consecutive times at the world swimming championships. Lochte comes home strong on the freestyle lap and touches first in 1:55.81 in Kazan, Russia.

2017 — I.K. Kim won the Women’s British Open, hanging on with a 1-under 71 for a two-shot victory over Jodi Ewart Shadoff and her first major championship.

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Aug. 7

1907 — Walter Johnson wins the first of his 417 victories, leading the Washington Senators past the Cleveland Indians 7-2.

1952 — Bion Shively, 74, drives Sharp Note to victory in the third heat of the Hambletonian Stakes.

1982 — Speed Bowl wins the Hambletonian Stakes in straight heats with 25-year-old Tom Haughton in the sulky, the youngest to win the Hambletonian.

1983 — Norway’s Grete Waitz takes the women’s marathon in the first world track and field championships at Helsinki, Finland.

1992 — Sergei Bubka, the world record-holder and defending Olympic champion, fails to clear a height in the pole vault.

1999 — Wade Boggs becomes the first player to homer for his 3,000th hit, connecting with a two-run shot in Tampa Bay’s 15-10 loss to Cleveland.

2004 — Greg Maddux becomes the 22nd pitcher in major league history to reach 300 victories, leading the Chicago Cubs to an 8-4 victory over San Francisco.

2005 — Justin Gatlin dominates the 100 meters at the track and field championships in Helsinki. The Olympic champion wins in 9.88 seconds, finishing 0.17 seconds ahead of Michael Frater of Jamaica. The margin of victory is the largest in the 10 world championships held since the meet’s inception in 1983.

2007 — San Francisco’s Barry Bonds hits home run No. 756 to break Hank Aaron’s storied record. Noticeably absent are Commissioner Bud Selig and Aaron.

2012 — Aly Raisman becomes the first U.S. woman to win Olympic gold on floor. She picks up a bronze on balance beam on the final day of gymnastics at the London Olympics and just misses a medal in the all-around.

2016 — Jim Furyk becomes the first golfer to shoot a 58 in PGA Tour history. Three years after Furyk became the sixth player on tour with a 59, he takes it even lower in the Travelers Championship with a 12-under 58 in the final round.

2016 — Ichiro Suzuki triples off the wall for his 3,000th hit in the major leagues, becoming the 30th player to reach the milestone as the Miami Marlins beat the Colorado Rockies 10-7.

2016 — Manny Machado becomes the second player in major league history to homer in the first, second and third innings, driving in a career-high seven runs in a 10-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox.

2016 — American swimmer Katie Ledecky sets a new world record with a time of 3:56.46 to win the gold medal in the women’s 400m freestyle at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

2021 — Kevin Durant with 29 points leads USA to his third and the team’s 4th consecutive Olympic men’s basketball gold medal with an 87-82 win over France in Tokyo.

2021 — Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra wins his country’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in Tokyo.

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TV SPORTS

(All times Eastern)

Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts

(All times Eastern)

Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts

Tuesday, August 5

LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL

11 a.m.

ESPN — Little League World Series Regional: TBD, Mid-Atlantic Region, Bristol, Conn.

1 p.m.

ESPN — Little League World Series Regional: TBD, Great Lakes Region, Whitestown, Ind.

3 p.m.

ESPN — Little League World Series Regional: TBD, Southeast Region, Warner Robins, Ga.

5 p.m.

ESPN — Little League World Series Regional: TBD, Northwest Region, San Bernardino, Calif.

7 p.m.

ESPN — Little League World Series Regional: TBD, Southwest Region, Waco, Texas

9 p.m.

ESPN — Little League World Series Regional: TBD, Mountain Region

LITTLE LEAGUE SOFTBALL

10 a.m.

ESPN2 — Little League Softball World Series: TBD, Elimination Game

7 p.m.

ESPN2 — Little League Softball World Series: TBD, Elimination Game

MLB BASEBALL

8 p.m.

TBS — Cincinnati at Chicago Cubs

TRUTV — Cincinnati at Chicago Cubs

10 p.m.

MLBN — Regional Coverage: St. Louis at L.A. Dodgers (10:10 p.m.) OR San Diego at Arizona (9:40 p.m.)

SOCCER (MEN’S)

7:30 p.m.

FS1 — Leagues Cup Group Stage: Leon at Columbus, Phase One

TENNIS

6 p.m.

TENNIS — Canada-ATP/WTA Quarterfinals

WNBA BASKETBALL

7 p.m.

NBATV — Dallas at New York

10 p.m.

CBSSN — Indiana at Los Angeles

THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” TUESDAY AUGUST 5, 2025

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