HARRISONBURG — Shenandoah District athletes brought home five individual state championships from the Virginia High School League track and field championships on June 5 and 6.Riverheads' Sarah Piner started it off Friday, June 5, at the Class 1 meet at James Madison University. The sophomore won the girls discus title with a personal best and school record of 125-3 1/2 for the win. She returned on Saturday to take third in shot put. Then, on Saturday, Fort Defiance's Leah Ruiz won the Class 2 shot put, Fort's Taylor Cubbage won gold in the girls high jump, Riverheads' Storm Parker won the title in the boys 300-meter hurdles and Stuarts Draft's Conner Miller was first in the boys pole vault.The Fort Defiance girls had the best team performance, finishing tied for fourth in Class 2, 23 points behind first place Floyd County. The Stuarts Draft girls were 17th. On the boys side, Stuarts Draft was 22nd and Fort Defiance was tied for 25th.In Class 1, the Riverheads boys finished fifth and the girls were sixth. Auburn won the boys meet while Cumberland was the team champion in girls. In Class 3, held at Liberty University in Lynchburg, the Waynesboro girls were 20th and the boys were tied for 24th. The Staunton boys were tied for 34th.Riverheads' Storm Parker wins 300 hurdlesStorm Parker was nervous heading into the second day of state track and field Saturday, June 6. He had barely lost the 300-meter hurdles in the regional championship, falling by .29 seconds to finish second. He didn't want the same thing to happen at the state meet.Parker, a Riverheads senior, finished fourth in the 110 hurdles earlier in the day June 6 before turning his full attention to the 300 hurdles. "I just have to run as hard as I can," he said of his mindset entering the race. "This is my last day. I'm a senior so I won't be doing track anymore."He went out in style, finishing in 39.45, just edging Chilhowie's Gabe Rouse (40.20).His time broke a 26-year-old school record. "That was a complete surprise," Parker said. Parker has only been running hurdles since last year. He was a pole vaulter and ran some relay races, but about three weeks into the season his junior year he tried hurdles. This outdoor season Parker thought about doing both hurdles and the 4x100 relay, but his coach, Ian Wallace, told him to focus on hurdles. The coach actually told him that if he did, he would win the state championship in the event. "I told him if he was going to win states it was going to be in the hurdle race," Wallace said. "And he has worked extremely hard ... I told him, 'Today is your day. I'll be shocked if you don't go do it.' He didn't believe me, but I did."Fort's Leah Ruiz brings home gold in shot putLeah Ruiz threw shot put during the indoor season her freshman year at Fort Defiance High School, but it wasn't until this year, as a sophomore, that she decided to do the same event during the outdoor season.Fort's throwing coach, Zach Boyers, had no doubts about her ability after seeing her throw for the first time. "As soon as she picked up the shot put, it was natural," Boyers said. "I don't think from the first time picking it she's thrown under 28 feet."On Saturday, June 6, Ruiz threw 43-9, not only good enough to win the Class 2 state meet, but good enough to break both a school and state meet record. She broke Katie Cummings' school record by six inches and the state meet by more than three feet. "I didn't even know I could do that," Ruiz said. "I was shocked."Ruiz was seeded second behind Liberty-Bedford's Shaina Brown. Ruiz had hopes of winning, but knew Brown wouldn't make it easy. She also knew Brown would push her to do better.When she let go of the record-setting, state-winning shot put throw, Ruiz had no idea it was as good as it turned out to be. She didn't even think about it until she saw her coach's reaction.Winning a state title wasn't something Ruiz thought about early in the season. All she wanted to do was see what it was like throwing outside.Now, she is a state champion as a sophomore and Boyers sees no reason she can't repeat the next two outdoor season, plus maybe add a couple of state titles for indoor track. "She is special," Boyers said. "She is special."Fort's Taylor Cubbage wins third high jump titleTaylor Cubbage ended her Fort Defiance High School track and field career with another state championship. Cubbage was the defending high jump state champion in outdoor track, taking the title in 2025. She also won the indoor championship this past winter season. "Third time's a charm," she said after winning the high jump with a height of 5-4.Cubbage just beat out her teammate, junior Livia Clinedinst, for the title. Clinedinst was second. "We came into this meet with the mindset of one-two, either way," Cubbage said. "FD either way. That was the plan. And we succeeded with that."Cubbage said she would have been equally as happy if Clinedinst had won. She has worked closely with her teammate to help get her to this level. "I just love seeing her improve and I love seeing her growth since we've been working together," Cubbage said. "I'm really happy to have won, but I'm just as happy she got second."Cubbage will compete for Marshall University in track and field next year, with high jump her speciality. She's excited for that future, but said she'll miss Fort Defiance. "It's been a family," she said. "Coach (Dave) Stewart is like a second father. He's just amazing. He's always there for us and he's the perfect coach anyone could have asked for. So having to leave him after this meet is really sad."Stuarts Draft's Conner Miller wins pole vault titleWinning pole vaulting titles at Stuarts Draft is nothing new. Leah Wood and Anna Callo dominated the state meet for girls throughout their time at the Augusta County school.But on the boys side, Draft didn't have a state champion in the event until this past March when freshman Conner Miller won the indoor title.Now, he's followed that up with an outdoor state championship. Miller was a foot higher than second place at the Class 2 meet Saturday, June 6 at James Madison University. He won with a vault of 12-6. "Going into states I was hoping to set a new PR," Miller said.View this post on InstagramA post shared by Stuarts Draft Track Team (@drafttrack)The freshman has been working most nights with Waynesboro coach Tom Austin, who helps train a lot of pole vaulters. Miller said he was consistently hitting 11-6 at meets, winning the Region 2B meet at 11-6, but was getting higher than that at practice. He finally got that practice height at a meet. "Winning states and setting a new school record was exciting," Miller said, "but I hope to keep setting new records."Class 1 Results (At James Madison University)Complete Class 1 resultsStorm Parker, Riverheads. boys 300 meter hurdles, 1stSarah Piner, Riverheads, girls discus, 1stVerity Jordan, Riverheads, girls 800 meter run, 2ndNate Woods/Skyler Shiflett/Xavier Stuart/Jackson Fitzgerald, Riverheads, boys 4x100 meter relay, 2ndOlivia Keller, Riverheads, girls pole vault, 3rdSarah Piner, Riverheads, girls shot put, 3rdHaze Williams, Riverheads, boys pole vault, 3rdStorm Parker, Riverheads, boys 110 meter hurdles, 4thCy Jarvis, Riverheads, boys high jump, 5thAlexis Sacra, Riverheads, girls pole vault, 5thNate Woods, Riverheads, boys 100 meter dash, 5thOlivia Keller/Cecilia Massie/Abi Bennington/Verity Jordan, Riverheads, girls 4x400 meter relay, 5thXavier Stuart, Riverheads, boys high jump 7thAnnie Roller/Lilly Gorden/Abi Bennington/Olivia Keller, Riverheads, girls 4x100 meter relay, 7thCy Jarvis/Sean Mahon/Andrew Pereira/Cooper Boyd, Riverheads, boys 4x800 meter relay, 8thClass 2 Results (At James Madison University)Complete Class 2 resultsTaylor Cubbage, Fort Defiance, girls high jump, 1stConner Miller, Stuarts Draft, boys pole vault, 1stLeah Ruiz, Fort Defiance, girls shot put, 1stLivia Clinedinst, Fort Defiance, girls high jump, 2ndLaird Clinedinst, Fort Defiance, boys high jump, 3rdBlaca Quintero, Stuarts Draft, girls pole vault, 3rdHenley Ann Coffman, Fort Defiance, girls 1600 meter run, 5thFaith Morrow, Fort Defiance, girls shot put, 5thTaylor Cubbage, Fort Defiance, girls 400 meter dash, 6thNoah Garrison, Fort Defiance, boys pole vault, 6thDerrick Moore, Stuarts Draft, boys 300 meter hurdles, 6thCamila Roadcap, Stuarts Draft, girls 200 meter dash, 6thLivia Clinedinst, Fort Defiance, girls 100 meter hurdles, 7thCamila Roadcap, Stuarts Draft, girls 100 meter dash, 7thKarlee Layne/Blanca Quintero/Ava Flippin/Camila Roadcap, Stuarts Draft, girls 4x100 meter relay, 7thTakota Moore, Stuarts Draft, girls shot put, 8thFaith Morrow, Fort Defiance, girls discus, 8thClass 3 Results (at Liberty University)Complete Class 3 resultsSkylar Sloat, Waynesboro, girls pole vault, 2ndLiam Poulson, Wilson Memorial, boys shot put, 4thJordan Smith, Waynesboro, girls discus, 5thZyleke Shepherd, Staunton, boys high jump, 6thJoseph Pincock, Wilson Memorial, boys discus, 8thMore: Riverheads holds off Luray to win Region 1B baseball titleMore: Frontier Culture Museum hosts historic July 4 eventPatrick Hite is a reporter at The News Leader. Story ideas and tips are always welcome. Connect with Patrick (he/him/his) at phite@newsleader.com and on Instagram @hitepatrick. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com.This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: State track titles at Fort Defiance, Stuarts Draft and Riverheads

Justin Foscue hit a two-run home run, and Wyatt Langford, Josh Jung and Michael Helman added solo shots to lead the Texas Rangers to a 10-0 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday, June 7, in Arlington, Texas.Ezequiel Duran was 4-for-5 with a double, one run and three RBIs, and Jacob deGrom (5-4) carried a shutout into the sixth inning as Texas took two of three games in the series.deGrom scattered three hits, walked two and struck out three in an 87-pitch outing.Guardians starter Joey Cantillo (4-3) allowed seven runs on nine hits while walking two and striking out seven in five innings.Jake Burger was 3-for-4 with an RBI and Jung had two hits for Texas, which had 16 hits in the blowout win.Steven Kwan notched two hits for the Guardians.In the first, Jung singled and scored when Foscue hammered a low fastball 417 feet to left field for a 2-0 lead.The Rangers took a 6-0 lead with a four-run third that featured four hits. With one out, the Rangers extended their lead to 3-0 when Jung lined his eighth home run of the season to the opposite field. After Joc Pederson flied out, Brandon Nimmo doubled off the left field wall and Foscue walked to put runners on first and second.Duran's two-run double scored Nimmo and Foscue. Burger's slow roller to third base led to an infield hit that knocked in Duran and extended the Rangers' advantage to 6-0.Texas took a 7-0 lead in the fourth when Langford scorched a line-drive home run to left field.As the Rangers amassed their lead, deGrom's strong outing featured a seven-pitch, 1-2-3 fourth.Angel Martinez and Kwan started the fifth with consecutive singles. With one out, Martinez advanced to third when Brayan Rocchio flied out. After Travis Bazzana walked to load the bases, deGrom escaped the jam by fanning Jose Ramirez.Peyton Gray, Tyler Alexander and Luis Curvelo each pitched a scoreless inning to secure the shutout.Helman's homer led off the sixth, and Texas led 8-0. Evan Carter and Duran added RBI singles in the eighth.The Akron Beacon Journal sports department can be contacted via email at bjsports@thebeaconjournal.com. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Rangers hit 5 home runs to rout Joey Cantillo, Guardians, win series

Kansas vs Oklahoma baseball box score: Full stats from NCAA Baseball Championship Game originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Kansas and Oklahoma face off for Game 2 of the best of three Super Regional. Oklahoma has a chance to make their 30th College World Series appearance in program history with a win today. The outlook could be very different for Kansas. Kansas went undefeated through the regionals beating Northwestern and Arkansas twice. By a combined tally of 24-16. In Game 1 of this Super Regional Kansas was only able to muster a single run in the 8th inning. By that point in the game, Oklahoma had already scored their eight runs and the 9th inning was just a formality. Kansas must find a way to stress out the Sooner's pitching staff. Rager in Game 1 only gave up one hit in six scoreless innings. With how Oklahoma is playing, Kansas cannot afford to get another late start. 2026 NCAA Baseball Championship 123456789RHEKansas (45-16)000Oklahoma (37-22)000Kansas vs Oklahoma baseball box score: Live stats from NCAA Championship Super RegionalProgramming Note: This game has been delayed - there is a severe weather warning and lightning strikes near the Hoglund Ballpark in Lawrence Kansas. KansasOklahomaHow to watch: Kansas vs Oklahoma 2026 NCAA Baseball Championship GameDate: Sunday, June 7Time: 6 p.m. ETTV: ESPNMore NCAA NewsSaint Mary's vs. UCLA baseball box score: Final stats from NCAA Baseball Championship Game 1Milwaukee vs. Auburn baseball box score: Final stats from NCAA Baseball Championship Game 1Arkansas vs. Georgia box score: Final stats from 2026 SEC Baseball ChampionshipBill Belichick, Jordon Hudson at Kentucky Derby leaves everyone saying the same thingDemond Williams bombshell could have resulted in Lane Kiffin fired by LSU

PROVIDENCE — Tiverton softball owned its division again.A championship run last year was followed by an undefeated season against Division III opponents. The Tigers weren’t tested this spring against their league foes and were only stopped by inclement weather in the playoffs.But even the storm in the winner’s-bracket final only delayed Tiverton’s second straight softball crown. No. 1 Tiverton (18-2) grabbed their fifth overall softball crown with a 5-2 defeat of No. 2 Rogers (16-2) under sunshine at the Dayna A. Bazar Softball Complex on Sunday, June 7. Tiverton had run-rule victories over Classical and Cranston East in the first two rounds of the playoffs.The Tigers then beat the Vikings, 14-9, on June 2 after the game was delayed nearly 44 hours to reach the championship round.“We definitely did have nerves — we knew we were playing a good team,” Tiverton’s Lia Doster said. “[Lila Leys] is a very good pitcher and they’re a good team. But coming back and being in the same spot as last year, it was a little less nerve-wracking because we knew the stadium, the area and the crowd.”Liliana Luis threw a complete game allowing two earned runs on three hits with eight strikeouts and just two walks. Luis and Doster combined to topple Cranston East from the circle at Rhode Island College last year. It was Luis, the sophomore, that handled the work over 92 pitches on Sunday.“It’s amazing having won two years in a row,” Doster, a senior, said. “Especially after my freshman year, we made an appearance here and we didn’t win. Coming back and doing it twice just felt so good.”Doster could’ve took the circle and did in the winner’s-bracket final — the Tigers were just that deep again this season. They would’ve competed against the top teams in D-II as the Tigers only lost to Portsmouth, the third-ranked team in that league, by three runs. Tiverton also played well against Lincoln, the league’s winner, in a 9-3 defeat.The needed promotion to D-II should come this offseason.“I’m so proud of everyone on the team,” Luis said. “I’m so proud of myself and I’m thankful for the coaches for helping us do what we do. Hopefully, next year we will do the same in a different division. I think that we have a lot of potential next year and most of our team is going to be the same.”Lucy Stearns started the second inning by reaching on an error and then took second in the same sequence. The freshman advanced to third on a ground out and then scored the game’s first run on Doster’s double to center.The Tigers added two more in the third frame after starting with consecutive walks. Stearns provided the big hit, a two-out, two-RBI single to left field that scored Sarah Poland and Carlie Martin.“At the beginning [of the season] the competition was kind of lower and we beat every team,” Brooke Sowa said. “But towards the end of the season we really started to face some more rigorous competition and it feels good to win.”Rogers gave its best upset bid by cutting the deficit to 3-2 on Emma Brown’s double in the fifth inning. But Tiverton wasn’t going to let the season slip away. The Tigers responded in the sixth frame with a single to the right side and pushed the lead to 4-2 on consecutive errors. Martin capped the sequence, and the game, on an RBI single that scored Sowa.“Honestly, these last two years are some of the best times of my life,” Luis said. “I built a bond with everybody on the team and it’s helped to make this so much more fun than just playing softball.”Rogers reached the title round for just the third time in its history. The Vikings improved their win total by four games and should be competitive next year with only five seniors graduating.This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Final score of the RIIL D-III championship between Tiverton and Rogers

MADISON – Before the 2026 American Family Championship began at TPC Wisconsin, Madison native Jerry Kelly reflected briefly on why he’s still out on the course on a near-weekly basis in his 30th season as a touring professional. Naturally he opened with a quip, ringed with some truth, that he’s starting to question his motivation, but then proffered the expected answer: Pure competition.“That's the way I feel about this tour,” Kelly continued. “It's one of the purest forms of competition that we can have. The guys aren't really in it for the money like some other tours. It is, hey, we want that trophy, we want to be holding it.”Kelly has held the trophy twice in his hometown when the championship was a stroke play event. Tournament host, Madison resident and Edgerton native Steve Stricker hoisted it once.AmFam leaderboard: Final roundUnfortunately, their respective teams could not mount a run at more hardware on June 7, as the team of Darren Clarke and Ben Crane fired a 30-under par over three rounds to edge Kenny Perry and Greg McNeill by one shot.After Crane missed his long par putt to win on the last, Clarke followed by gently rolling in his nervy attempt on the 18th hole to win the tournament. Clarke started walking to the hole during the putts final revolutions and Crane excitedly took his hat off and fist pumped."He stepped up there; it was unbelievable," Crane said. "It was so much fun. You can see why this guy's won Ryder Cup after Ryder Cup. It's just elite golf, elite mentally."The win is Clarke's second straight AmFam Championship, as he paired with Thomas Bjørn to win the inaugural team event last year. Crane filled in for the injured Bjørn this week.“It was a hard day for us both and we both stepped up and made some clutch putts and clutch shots when we really had to down the stretch,” said Clarke, who won the 2011 Open Championship. “We said at the start of the week, our goal was to get ourselves in the mix on the back nine on Sunday and that's what we did.”They are only two PGA Tour Champions events Clarke has won since 2022.It is also Crane’s second win in the state of Wisconsin, as he captured the 2005 U.S. Bank Championship at Brown Deer Park Golf Course. It was Crane’s first Champions victory after turning 50 years old in March and his first victory of any kind since 2014..“It's the best,” Crane said. “I felt it a couple times being close, but it's the best. And then to have this kind of partner say I got you, you know, it's just the best.”Stricker, Kelly play through rustAs for the hometown favorites, Stricker and partner Mario Tiziani, a University of Wisconsin alumnus and Madison resident, tied for 17th at 23-under par. The duo tied for second last year.More: U.S. Women's Open at Erin Hills was the end of an era of major championship golf in WisconsinStricker teed it up in the tournament wanting a chance to win of course, but to actually pull that off would have been a remarkable feat. In the past he’s admitted feeling the pressure of winning his own tournament is ramped up due to all of his other duties surrounding the week. But beyond the mental fatigue, the championship was 59-year-old’s first tournament rounds since December.Stricker only recently began hitting everything in his bag after suffering a setback in his rehab from an offseason hip replacement.“I'm glad it's over, to be quite honest,” Stricker said of the tournament. “It's a stressful week, but a fun week. There's a lot on my plate. A lot of good things on my plate, though. I mean, we're all here to raise all that money for charities, yet I want to play well, too, and I didn't do that so much at times.”More: Steve Stricker Q&A | Would he captain the Ryder Cup again?Kelly and partner Justin Leonard finished tied for 24th at 21-under. They shot a 6-under 65 in their final round. The pair joked before the tournament that they couldn’t play worse than last year’s tie for 34th when they beat two teams, but in 2026 Kelly and Leonard couldn’t quite find enough birdies to make a run.Kelly has been playing with a fracture in his vertebrae, and the AmFam Championship was just his second start since the end of April.“I'm tired and it showed today,” Kelly said. “I didn't have much at all. I'm pleased that I didn't regress. My swing did, but I did not regress body-wise so I'm happy going forward.”Clarke and Crane staved off a late charge from Perry and McNeill, who shot up eight spots on the final day by shooting a 9-under 62. Their only blemish was a bogey on the par 4, 448-yard 10th hole and it ultimately kept them out of a playoff.The water on the 10th, which captured many a wayward shot through the tournament, helped create the tournament’s most difficult hole. Two teams tied for third at 28-under while five other teams tied for fifth at 27-under.TPC Wisconsin evolving as tournament courseThe layout at TPC Wisconsin, which was formerly Cherokee Country Club, was redesigned by Steve Stricker in part to challenge the world’s best players 50 years old and over. The remodel, which began in earnest after the 2021 golf season ended before the course’s reopening in August, 2023, was a challenge for Stricker and the design team because of the location along the Cherokee Marsh.The course hosted the 2025 AmFam Championship, the first featuring teams of players. The format change was due, in part, to the difficulty of shotmaking around Stricker’s design.Perhaps the most difficult aspect? Off the tee.“It's not a course where you can relax the most though,” said Freddie Jacobson, who came into the tournament No. 12 on the PGA Tour Champions money list. “I think you better let go of the jokes a little bit before your tee ball's out there because there's trouble everywhere.”To that end, Stricker said after playing the course in tournament and getting feedback from players (as well as taking his own notes), he went back to the drafting table for some tweaks ahead of this year’s tournament:Widened some of the fairways as much as possibleRemoved a bunker or a mound on No. 1Removed a bunker on No. 12Removed one bunker, added another on No. 16Removed mounds on No.18 to make it wider“I mean, you wouldn't want to make this place any more narrow,” Leonard quipped. “The only other way to go is try and widen it out. In a lot of places you really can't, but he bought a little room. I say he, the group here, they bought some room and it does, it doesn't look quite so claustrophobic on certain holes.”Even with Stricker adding a little wiggle room, TPC Wisconsin remained a challenge off the tee box.“It just really is very demanding off the tee,” Søren Kjeldsen said. “If you hit like a little whoopsie, you probably won't see it again.”One change Stricker made was to add some decision making and some juice to the tournament. He wanted to make the drivable par 4 16th hole, well, more drivable.Stricker admitted last year he and partner Mario Tiziani - as well as eventual champions Darren Clarke and Thomas Bjørn - did not take on the green, just laying it out to the right to try and get up and down for birdie. What could be an exciting hole had been neutered by a bunker.“I'm like, that's not right,” Stricker said. “I mean, nobody tried to take the green on. Then we all pitched it over there and got it up and down. So I added a bunker over there so hopefully people will want to take on the green more and then if they do bail out, they could potentially be in that bunker.”After the tournament, Stricker was not concerned that Jacobsen/Kjeldsen shot a 59 during the first or Darren Clarke and Ben Crane shooting a 54 in Round 2. Eleven other pairs broke 60 in the scramble format on June 6, but when the winds kicked up for the final round’s best ball format Kenny Perry and George McNeill’s 62 was the low round of the day.“I just love the format for this course,” Stricker said. “I think it just fits this course to a T. It's hard. You still, a guy puts it in the water, in the hazard and the next guy has to step up and hit a shot. That's what it's about still. You still have to perform, you still have to play well. It's a lot of fun. I don't think the scoring; I think that's the fun part of it all really is that the scores are low and that the fans get to see a lot of birdies and a lot of risk taking with guys pulling off those shots.”This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Darren Clarke and Ben Crane close out AmFam Championship in tight finish

The Tony Awards are underway at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Brayden McNabb showed up for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals with at least two dozen stitches in his face that forced the Vegas Golden Knights defenseman to wear a caged helmet for the first time since his youth hockey days in Davidson, Saskatchewan.“It’s part of hockey,” McNabb said. “You get through it.”After the Golden Knights took a 2-1 series lead over the Carolina Hurricanes with a 5-4, double-overtime victory on Saturday night, Vegas coach John Tortorella was a bit less measured in describing the 35-year-old McNabb.“When you get this far in the playoffs, it’s not so much sometimes the end result, it’s just attrition and all that goes in (with) what these athletes have to do to play as many games as we’ve played so far,” Tortorella said. “Those are the things you remember. I’ve been fortunate to be in a few playoffs along the way and see some of this. I haven’t seen something like this.“I heard the players yelling ‘warrior,’” Tortorella said. “He’s more than that. I’m just blown away, how he’s gone about his business.”McNabb took an 87 mph puck to the face in Game 2 on Thursday night at Carolina, and was taken to a hospital before the game ended.Two days later, with a flight home in between, McNabb was back on the ice for warmups. Wearing that caged helmet with “mid-20s, maybe 30” stitches holding his wounds together, McNabb logged nearly 36 minutes of ice time, delivered an arena-rocking hip check to Carolina star Taylor Hall, and finished with two assists, including one on Shea Theodore’s game-winner.“A little tough, but I was able to get through it,” McNabb said. “Felt pretty good for the most part. The cage was different, getting used to that was a little bit (different), but for the most part felt OK, especially felt better as the game went on.”McNabb's grit has become familiar to Golden Knights fans. He's been with the franchise since its inaugural season in 2017-18 and has played in a franchise-record 647 games. He also leads the Golden Knights in blocked shots with 1,416, which is the most among NHL skaters since 2017-18.“It’s got to be near the top,” Theodore said when asked how McNabb's performance Saturday night ranked during their nine years together in Vegas. “The stuff he went through from last game and everything. I mean, it’s incredible for him to kind of bounce back like that and be able to come in today, get ready to play, and I thought he played unbelievable.“He’s just so impressive out there.”___AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL

NEW YORK (AP) — Jazz Chisholm Jr. found a way to keep Aaron Judge's bat in the New York Yankees' lineup.After lumbering through the early innings, Chisholm borrowed lumber from the injured Yankees captain. His three-run homer with Judge's model capped a five-run eighth inning in Sunday's 6-1 win over the Boston Red Sox.“When I pick up his bat I know I can’t swing as hard as I can or else I’ll tear an oblique like last year,” Chisholm said. “It just helps me to just go out there and just control the barrel and just try to touch the ball.”Chisholm is a frequent filcher. He has been wearing Giancarlo Stanton’s baggy pants and on May 18 appropriated José Caballero’s 34-inch, 31-ounce Victus bat for a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the seventh inning of a 7-6 win over Toronto.“I probably use almost everybody’s bat in here, except probably Goldy and Stanton,” Chisholm said, referring to Paul Goldschmidt. “They’re a little bit extra big.”While Chisholm swings a 34-ounce, 31-inch version, Judge’s timber is a 35/33, also carved by Chandler.“It’s a heavy bat but doesn’t feel that heavy,” said Cody Bellinger, whose solo homer off Justin Slaten broke a 1-all tie in the eighth. “I didn’t even know he used Judge’s bat. It’s hilarious.”Judge has a fractured rib and will be limited in his activity for a while. He will have additional imaging in about four-to-six weeks. Stanton hasn't played since April 24 because of strained right calf, and catcher Austin Wells joined them on the injured list Saturday because of cervical headaches.New York is confident it can win without Judge, its three-time AL MVP.“I’m already a little tired of answering the question and we’re only a couple of days into this,” manager Aaron Boone said. “We got grownups in the room, for sure.”New York is 2-3 without Judge, batting .226 with 19 runs.“Everybody just, it feels like they've got to find a way to contribute as best they could in his absence," Chisholm said.Chisholm struck out leading off the third, fifth and seventh against Ranger Suarez, then hit his eighth home run this season on a first-pitch cutter from Joe La Sorsa, who had just replaced Slaten.“I was swinging and missing when I thought I was hitting the ball," Chisholm said. “Sometimes you need a little bit more weight and a little less on your swing.”Chisholm strained his right oblique on April 28 last year while borrowing Judge's bat at Baltimore. The injury sidelined him until June 3 but didn't prevent him from becoming a second-time All-Star.He started slowly this season but is hitting .306 with four homers and 11 RBIs in his last 19 games, raising his average to .234.Judge also began poorly — for him — and is batting .248 with 17 homers and 38 RBIs.“Just having his name in that lineup is a presence,” Bellinger said. “Aaron being out is just such a huge loss.”Stanton could return soon. He's been hitting on the field and running.Wells, hitting .166 with seven RBIs in 47 games, said he feels pressure at the top of his head and headaches. He is to have scans Monday and will switch to a hockey-style catcher's mask when he returns behind the plate.“Hopefully rule out anything serious,” he said. “In my mind it’s just the cumulative buildup over the last couple weeks."New York (38-26) gained a split of the rain-shortened, two-game series and moved within percentage points of first-place Tampa Bay (37-25), which has led the AL East since May 10. Chisholm surely will purloin more paraphernalia during the pennant race. He's just not sure what.“Maybe an undershirt,” he said. “You never know.”___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb

Motorsport photoSky Sports Formula 1 broadcaster and former driver Martin Brundle has once again gone viral following a clash with celebrity security during his traditional pre-race grid walk at the Monaco Grand Prix. The Monte Carlo grid is notoriously one of the most congested on the F1 calendar, and the 2026 event was no different. During the build-up to Sunday's race, Brundle was weaving his way through the crowded start-finish straight, attempting to secure impromptu interviews.After coming up against what seemed to be a bodyguard of one of the VIP guests, Brundle came out with one line that has left fans in stitches. "Don’t push me, mate. I’m nearly famous," he fired back.Without raising his voice or breaking his stride, the Briton continued with his chaotic grid walk. It didn't take long for clips of the moment to begin to circulate online. While there are several clips making their way across social media, one example had already been seen over 300,000 times at the time of writing."What a legend Brundle is," one comment read on X, while another added: "Every grid belongs to Martin, the rest are just visitors, they should show some respect!! They’re lucky that he’s merciful."Martin Brundle: "Don't push me mate, I'm nearly famous."We must protect MB at all costs, the man is a living legend. 😂 #MonacoGPpic.twitter.com/Dsl8Z28Z4q— Paul McGinnes (@PaulMcG1992) June 7, 2026"Monaco grid walks never disappoint with the pure chaos," someone else commented.Others posted on Reddit: "Brundle’s one-liners are half the reason the grid walk is entertaining.""I genuinely laughed out loud at that lol," another commenter wrote, and someone else posted: "Brundle said that? His grid walk makes me miss my cable subscription. F1 TV is pretty decent, but Brundle is just so good on the pit straight in the mornings."Kimi Antonelli went on to win the Monaco Grand Prix, making it his fifth consecutive grand prix win of the season. He now leads the drivers' championship by 66 points over Lewis Hamilton in second.To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.

ST. LOUIS – If not now, when?Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona admittedly doesn't like to have many team meetings.But with significant injuries to key players piling up almost as fast as bullpen letdowns – and with another four straight losses hanging in the overhead bin with the rest of their luggage on the way to San Diego – it was time.As usual, the message was as simple as the meeting was brief.“When it’s the hardest to believe, you have to. And when there’s doubt you’ve got to believe in each other and pick each other up,” Francona said, after back-to-back losses in the Cardinals' final at-bat gave St. Louis a weekend sweep. “What I don’t want is for this to be a morgue. That’s not the way it’s supposed to be."It’s hard for us right now," he said. "There’s a lot of things that aren’t going right. We can make it better. And we will.”The Reds have a group on the injured list that includes ace Hunter Greene, closer Emilio Pagán, two-time All-Star shortstop Elly De La Cruz and two of their top three setup men, Graham Ashcraft and Pierce Johnson.Since finishing April in first place in the NL Central, their bullpen has been among the worst-performing pens in the majors. They opened May with an eight-game losing streak. They're halfway to another one after getting swept in St. Louis. And they're two games under .500 for the first time this season – thanks in large part to a 2-13 mark against division opponents.“It’s about us,” said Matt McLain, who slugged two home runs in the St. Louis finale and three in the final two games of that series.“It wasn't a good series as a whole," he said. "So you know we’ve got to come together, play the game the right way and lean on each other. And keep playing hard.”Francona had had maybe three or four unscheduled meetings last season, the final regular-season address coming after the Reds got swept in West Sacramento by the Athletics and looked like toast. They responded by winning nine of their final 14 games to make the playoffs on the final day of the season.This one comes just ahead of a typically tough trip west for a series against a good Padres team having its own set of struggles.“I told them, ‘Run the bases with your pants on fire and don’t leave anything on the field,’ “ Francona said. “That’s not just the best way, it’s the only way (if) we’re going to get where we want to go.”“We’ve just got to stick to it. There’s a ton of games (left),” said starter Rhett Lowder, who returned from the injured list Sunday with three heavy-traffic, scoreless innings. “There’s gonna be highs. There’s gonna be lows. As long as we stick together, and like Tito says, don’t feel sorry for ourselves, we’ll (get through it).”In other words, no moping.“We’re not gonna do that,” Lowder said. “We’re gonna keep our foot on the pedal and try to get better every single day and win as many games as we can.”Said veteran reliever Sam Moll: “We’ve got enough talent to win ballgames.”This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cards sweep of Reds triggers rare meeting with team for Terry Francona

Only a fifth of England fans are backing the Three Lions to win the Fifa World Cup, despite Thomas Tuchel’s squad being among the favourites to lift the trophy. This figure places England significantly behind several European rivals when it comes to domestic support for their national team, according to new data from leading bookmakers.Betting analysis from Entain, the owner of Ladbrokes and Coral, sheds light on the extent of "patriotic punting" ahead of the men’s football tournament, which kicks off on Wednesday. Portugal leads the pack with a remarkable 57 per cent of all domestic bets placed on their national side.France emerges as the second most patriotic nation in terms of betting, with 29 per cent of home market wagers backing their team. They are followed by Austria at 25 per cent and Germany at 24 per cent. In contrast, England's 20 per cent home backing highlights a notable lack of confidence among its own supporters. The sentiment is even lower north of the border, with just nine per cent of all bets placed in Scotland backing their team, who are currently priced at 300/1 to win.England fans gather to watch the Three Lion's World Cup warm up game against New Zealand (Reuters)The data from Entain covers bets placed up to and including 3 June, with figures relating to the percentage of slips and stakes placed by betters in each market on their respective home nation.The betting stakes from Entain’s global markets shows Spain in the lead as the most-backed team overall, followed by France, while England and Portugal are level at third.Despite confidence among rival countries, Spanish punters are less patriotic with 16 per cent of bets placed backing the home nation.The data also revealed that there is limited cross-border support with 8 per cent of Scots putting money on England to win, and just 1 per cent of English betters backing Scotland to lift the trophy.Tom Ritzema, group trading director at Entain, said the stakes show that “football loyalty and betting logic don’t always go hand in hand”.Harry Kane (second right) will be key to England’s World Cup chances this summer (Bradley Collyer/PA)“England fans are passionate, but years of near misses have made them think beyond their own country,” he said.“Portugal clearly stands out as the most patriotic market, with fans firmly backing their team, while countries like France and Germany also show strong belief.“What’s striking, though, is in the global picture Spain remains the most popular choice across our markets, showing that when it comes to this World Cup, neutrals and patriots alike are looking beyond national borders for their winner.”

Last year at Erin Hills, Kiara Romero set a record for lowest final-round score by an amateur in the history of the U.S. Women's Open.This week at Riviera, she took it a step further. Romero won low amateur honors and a bit more with another stellar finish. Romero shot 3-under 68 on Sunday and was inside the top 10 when she stepped off the golf course. If that remains, she'll earn a spot in the field next year at Inverness."I went out there, and I was like, you know, I'm just going to try to shoot as many birdies as I can and attack the pins in the smartest way possible obviously," Romero said. "This course is set up really hard for a Sunday round. I just did my best to kind of put myself in the best position to make these birdies out here. Honestly I felt like there was no pressure out there to do anything. Kind of just went out there with nothing to lose."Romero finished at 3 under for the week, and more importantly she's even closer to earning her LPGA card. This week, she earned two points in the LPGA's Elite Amateur Pathway program and now sits at 16. She needs 20 to earn LPGA membership. Next week at the Curtis Cup across the 405 in Los Angeles, Romero will earn two more points and be only two away from her card. She's also planning to play in the Arnold Palmer Cup later this summer, which would give her one point. That means one more this summer, and she will be able to turn pro and join the LPGA immediately.That's why winning low amateur at the U.S. Women's Open means even more."I feel like I've been putting a lot of hard work into my game these last few years," Romero said. "With me trying to get my Tour card through the league program, this event got me to more points. I'm just really proud of myself for doing that and not putting any pressure out there when I was playing. I didn't think about any of this. I kind of just went out there for the experience and just tried to have as much fun as I could. It was a great time with my coach on the bag. We're always having fun out there. It was really cool."Arkansas junior Maria Jose Marin, who won the Augusta National Women's Amateur in April, had a par putt on the 72nd hole to tie Romero for low amateur honors but missed. Nevertheless, she also earned two LEAP points and sits at 15. Aphrodite Deng (T-17), Asterisk Talley (T-22) and Farah O'Keefe (T-34) were the other amateurs who made the weekend at Riviera. Romero, Talley and O'Keefe will represent the U.S. team next week at Bel-Air in the Curtis Cup."I'm just really excited to play for my country," Romero said. "It's my first time competing in a Curtis Cup. I know a lot of girls on the team, so it's going to be really fun. It's always fun playing in a team format and kind of seeing golf in a different way. Not just me, me, me all the time, but we've got a country to represent and some players, some teammates to represent as well."This article originally appeared on Golfweek: US Women's Open 2026: Oregon's Kiara Romero wins low amateur honors

Sunday marks the 51st birthday of Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson. The 6-foot guard from Georgetown tailored one amazing NBA career. In 14 years in the league, Iverson was a 4-time scoring champ, a 3-time steals champ, an 11-time All-Star, a 7-team All NBA Teamer, and won the MVP award in 2001 while leading the Sixers to the finals.In 12 years with the Sixers, Iverson averaged 27.6 points and 6.1 assists along with 3.9 rebounds. He won the MVP award in 2001 when he led the Sixers to the finals and was able to throw the franchise on his bony shoulders on numerous occasions. He also made an impact with the Denver Nuggets, played 54 games for the Detroit Pistons, and had a cup of coffee with the Memphis Grizzlies.On the day of his 51st birthday, Iverson made an Instagram post celebrating himself on his day.View this post on Instagram

A complete list of the golf equipment J.T. Poston used to win the PGA Tour's 2026 Memorial Tournament:DRIVER:Titleist GTS3 (9 degrees), with Mitsubishi Diamana BF 60 TX shaftFAIRWAY WOOD:Titleist TS2 (15 degrees), with Graphite Design Tour AD IZ-7 X shaft, TaylorMade Qi4D (21 degrees), Graphite Design Tour AD IZ 8 X shaftIRONS:Titleist T150 (4), T100 (5-9), with Project X 6.5 shaftsWEDGES:Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (46, 50, 56, 60 degrees), with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shaftsPUTTER:TaylorMade Spider Tour X TorchedBALL:Titleist Pro V1x Left DashGRIPS: Golf Pride Tour Velvet CordThis article originally appeared on Golfweek: Winner's Bag J.T. Poston's golf equipment Memorial Tournament WITB

If your plans for Monday, June 8 include joining fellow Knicks fans outside Madison Square Garden for an NBA Finals Game 3 watch party, you're out of luck.The New York Police Department said in a release that with President Trump scheduled to attend Game 3 in Manhattan with the Knicks’ up 2-0 in the best-of-seven series against the San Antonio Spurs, there will not be a watch party outside Madison Square Garden, CBS News reported.“This decision was made is coordination with the Secret Service,” an NYPD statement said, according to SNYtv’s Ian Begley. “There will be watch parties at other locations.” Those other watch parties in NYC are scheduled to be outside Wollman Rink in Central Park and the Brooklyn Bowl, the Knicks said. Interested fans had to register for Wollman Rink and Brooklyn Bowl. And both free events were at capacity as of 6:30 p.m. Sunday, June 7: "This event is at capacity. Guests will be welcomed at a first come, first served basis and walk-ins will be welcomed if space permits."Got tickets to Game 3 at MSG? Security will be tightIf you're lucky enough to have a Game 3 ticket, count on extended wait times to get in. The Knicks put out a release saying fans should expect "TSA-style screening procedures."They also recommended arriving "at least two hours before tip-off."No bags allowed for Game 3pic.twitter.com/koubqUbpIy— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) June 6, 2026

Brooklyn — Denny Hamlin enjoys racing at Michigan International Speedway.Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing) won for the second consecutive year at MIS — and fourth in his career — winning Sunday's FireKeepers Casino 400 for his 63rd career victory.Byron's Erik Jones finished second.Hamlin's victory tied him with Kyle Busch, who died last month after complications from pneumonia. Hamlin waved the No. 8 flag out of his window — Busch's number — after the victory.More: Kyle Busch fans at MIS mourn a 'fiery competitor'Hamlin's victory mirrored last week's win in Nashville, in that Hamlin had to regroup from the back of the field to win.Due to repairs needed to his career, Hamlin started from the rear of Sunday's field.Hamlin came into Sunday's race ranked second in the Cup Series standings behind Tyler Reddick.Reddick, the Cup Series points leader coming into Sunday's race, had a frustrating afternoon.More: Denny Hamlin credits Kyle Busch for success, which includes MIS masteryA huge crash on a restart on Lap 83 took out Reddick, among others, and sent Reddick into the worst finish of his season. Carson Hocevar (Portage) started fourth on the inside row and bumped into John Hunter Nemechek, triggering a reaction. Nemecheck bumped Bubba Wallace, who hit Ty Gibbs and ricocheted into Reddick, who suffered damage on both ends of his car.It was the first race in 15 this season that Reddick hasn't finished. Reddick's previous poorest outing was a 14th place finish at Talladega. He has five victories and nine top five finishes."Just all around bummer," Reddick told Prime Video. "Wanted to come in here and have a really good points day, we had really, really good speed yesterday, and it showed again today. (It's a) race I feel like we could have won, got away from us. But all year long, we've done a good job of staying out of messes like this, so unfortunate it happened."The most violent collision of the day involved Chase Elliott and Christopher Bell — both racing for second place at the time — in Turn 3, on Lap 148.Elliott got loose underneath Bell, resulting in both drivers to crash into the outside wall while going nearly 200 miles per hour. Bell's No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota erupted into flames and Elliott's No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet struck an inside barrier.Both drivers exited their vehicles quickly and the two shared a hug before taken to the infield care enter. Both drivers were eventually released from the care center.tkulfan@detroitnews.com@tkulfanThis article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Denny Hamlin continues to dominate at MIS, rallies for victory

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Carson Benge went 5 for 5 with a home run and an RBI triple, leading the New York Mets to a 7-3 victory Sunday over the struggling San Diego Padres.Marcus Semien and MJ Melendez also homered for the last-place Mets, who took two of three games from the Padres to win a series in San Diego for the first time since 2018. Sean Manaea (1-1) allowed two runs over four innings in bulk relief as New York finished 3-3 on its West Coast trip. Freddy Fermin homered and drove in all three runs for the Padres, who have lost 11 of 13. The catcher was hitless in his previous 30 at-bats before connecting for his first homer this season Saturday night, a two-run shot in the seventh inning of a 3-2 win that stopped San Diego's six-game losing streak.Batting leadoff, Benge scored three times and became the fourth Mets rookie with five hits and a homer in one game. Francisco Lindor was the previous New York player to get five hits in a game when he went 5 for 5 with a homer and two triples in a 9-0 victory at Arizona on July 6, 2023.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

The San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs continue their weekend series Saturday at Wrigley Field in a matchup featuring two teams looking to build momentum. San Francisco enters after an offensive explosion in Friday’s opener, when the Giants crushed the Cubs 18-3 behind seven home runs and a career-high eight RBIs from Matt Chapman.MORE:5 MLB players who should be traded during the 2026 seasonJun 6, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (4) crosses home plate after he hits a home run during the sixth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn ImagesHow to Watch Giants vs CubsDate: Sunday, June 7, 2026Time: 8:30 PM ETChannel: PeacockStream: Peacock (watch now)The Giants will turn to right-hander Landen Roupp, who enters the game with a 5-6 record and a little over a 4.00 ERA. While Roupp has shown flashes this season, consistency has been an issue, particularly in his most recent outing.San Francisco hopes its lineup can stay hot after Friday’s power display, which included multi-homer games from Chapman, Willy Adames, and Casey Schmitt. The Giants have relied heavily on their veteran bats recently as they try to climb back into the National League race.– Live Stream Giants vs Cubs with Peacock –Chicago counters with right-hander Ben Brown, who has been one of the Cubs’ bright spots since moving into the rotation. Brown has posted a 1.80 ERA through his first five starts and has struck out 56 batters while limiting hard contact.After being embarrassed on Friday, the Cubs will look for a stronger effort from both their pitching staff and an offense led by Pete Crow-Armstrong, Seiya Suzuki, and Ian Happ. Brown’s ability to neutralize the Giants’ power could be the key factor in evening the series.This is a great MLB matchup that you will not want to miss; make sure to tune in and catch all the action.Live stream Giants vs Cubs on Peacock: Start your subscription now!With Peacock, you can watch live television without cable on your phone, TV, or tablet. They carry a wide array of sports and entertainment channels, including every Sunday Night Baseball game throughout the MLB season.Regional restrictions may apply. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead —

Wow. If you watched Game 3 of the Chapel Hill Super Regional between UNC and USC, your voice is shot and you're speechless.Down two runs in the eighth inning on a day its offense largely struggled, North Carolina roared back to walk-off the Trojans, 4-3 and advance to the College World Series.Owen Hull, the Diamond Heels' best hitter all season long, provided the knockout punch with a deep fly ball to left-center field. Hull's fourth double just missed the outstretched glove of center fielder Kevin Takeuchi, sending a previously-anxious Boshamer Stadium crowd into complete pandemonium.UNC left fielder Tyler Howe grounded out on the first pitch he faced in the ninth inning, then slugger Cooper Nicholson came up to bat. Down 0-2, Nicholson worked his way on base, bringing up Carter French.Known more for his speed and defense, French grounded a hard ball through the infield and got on base. Jake Schaffner lofted a deep fly ball to right-center field, driving in Nicholson for the tying run. Up stepped Hull and the very next pitch, after USC missed a tough pop-up in foul territory, Hull delivered the fireworks.Adrian Lopez scored on a Caden Glauber balk in the first inning, Takeuchi homered in the fourth, followed by a fifth-inning Andrew Lamb bomb. Glauber settled down after allowing his three runs, striking out 11 Trojans in another dominant performance.Enjoy this moment, Tar Heel Nation. Your Diamond Heels are going to Omaha. Take a look at several social media reactions below after North Carolina's historic comeback.UNC IS GOING TO THE COLLEGE WORLD SERIESWE'RE GOING BACK TO OMAHA BABY!!!!!DO YOU BELIEVE IN BOSH MAGIC!!?!?!?!?!?! pic.twitter.com/IoJT391Pya— Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) June 7, 2026UNC WALKS IT OFF VS. USC TO ADVANCE TO OMAHA 😱 pic.twitter.com/EZYSfEI3h9— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 7, 2026Bosh Magic baby !!!!!!!!!!!!! We going to Omaha pic.twitter.com/X3xUOkwo8v— Jay (@Jayy_Hardyy252) June 7, 2026Scott Forbes and Roy Williams celebrating the big W!Going to dadgum Omaha pic.twitter.com/do26bO64UU— Pat James (@patjames24) June 7, 2026ARE YOU THIS EXCITED?!HEELS WALK IT OFF HEELS WALK IT OFFHEELS WALK IT OFFHEELS WALK IT OFFHEELS WALK IT OFFHEELS WALK IT OFFHEELS WALK IT OFFHEELS WALK IT OFFHEELS WALK IT OFFHEELS WALK IT OFFHEELS WALK IT OFFHEELS WALK IT OFFHEELS WALK IT OFFHEELS WALK IT OFFHEELS WALK IT OFFHEELS WALK IT OFFHEELS…— Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) June 7, 2026COME ON BOYS!! What a moment!! pic.twitter.com/FP1w3QHj99— Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) June 7, 2026OMAHA BOUND OH MY GOD— UNC Barstool (@UNCBarstool) June 7, 2026JUST A LITTLE EXCITED FOR THE OMAHEELS pic.twitter.com/t49C2hc4kg— UNC Tar Heels (@GoHeels) June 7, 2026How did Owen Hull do it?!"I just hit the ball hard ... and let my swing do the work." 🔥Owen Hull after hitting a walk-off double to take the Tar Heels to the college World Series. North Carolina belongs in Omaha just do. What A STUD… 🐏 ⚾️ pic.twitter.com/XDvnfBlAzu— Jay (@Jayy_Hardyy252) June 7, 2026MY GOAT MAN. Move over Chad Flack… https://t.co/5T3e0cSRgd— Jay (@Jayy_Hardyy252) June 7, 2026The man of the hour pic.twitter.com/PuLHmm0aZ5— Pat James (@patjames24) June 7, 2026GO HEELS!Go Heels! 🐏⚾️— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 7, 2026Bosh Magic is REALBosh Magic strikes again!!#GoHeels x @WellsFargopic.twitter.com/kzw2kYt2R8— Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) June 7, 2026BOSH MAGIC FOREVER— UNC Tar Heels (@GoHeels) June 7, 2026Carter French...Captain clutch?!Carter French I love you man pic.twitter.com/Q61ppipMZZ— Jay (@Jayy_Hardyy252) June 7, 2026Sure Carter French can get a big hit in the 9th but can we talk about how he took his MCATs last month DURING THE SEASON?!Dude is next level and gonna be a clutch doctor.— Monty Taylor (@Monty2740) June 7, 2026That exchange between Carter French and Scott Forbes was awesome.French: "You good coach? I'm good" He follows with a single for Carolina.— Kendall Rogers (@KendallRogers) June 7, 2026Coach Forbes gets the ice bath!Watch out Coach!! pic.twitter.com/SrXPHEy763— Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) June 7, 2026Diamond Heels stay HOT with Globe on the bumpMake that a perfect 25-0 when Caden Glauber pitches this year!! https://t.co/Wc3ZstyScw— Isaac Schade (@isaacschade) June 7, 2026Turns out NEITHER coach should be 2nd-guessed.Caden Glabuer (UNC) and Drew Johnson (USC) were both PHENOMENAL for their teams today. An all-time classic game. https://t.co/os55cb3dBQ— Isaac Schade (@isaacschade) June 7, 2026This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC baseball: Social media reacts to Super Regional walkoff, CWS berth

Apr 24, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (second from left) celebrates with teammates after scoring a a power play goal during the third period against the Anaheim Ducks in game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn ImagesKiyoshi Mio-Imagn ImagesNEW YORK (AP) — Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers has won the Ted Lindsay Award as the NHL’s most outstanding player as voted by his peers.The league and the Players’ Association announced the honor Sunday. This is the fifth time McDavid has won it, tying Wayne Gretzky for the most in league history for the trophy, which used to be named for Lester B. Pearson.“This award, coming from the guys that you play against every single night and battle against every single night, to have them recognize me with an award like this, means so much,” the 29-year-old center said.McDavid led all scorers this past season with 90 assists and 138 points. San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini and Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov were second and third in voting by members of the NHLPA.McDavid is also a Hart Trophy finalist for league MVP along with Kucherov and Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon. McDavid is a three-time Hart winner.

NEW YORK (AP) — Jazz Chisholm Jr. found a way to keep Aaron Judge’s bat in the New York Yankees’ lineup.After lumbering through the early innings, Chisholm borrowed lumber from the injured Yankees captain. His three-run homer with Judge’s model capped a five-run eighth inning in Sunday’s 6-1 win over the Boston Red Sox.“When I pick up his bat I know I can’t swing as hard as I can or else I’ll tear an oblique like last year,” Chisholm said. “It just helps me to just go out there and just control the barrel and just try to touch the ball.”Chisholm is a frequent filcher. He has been wearing Giancarlo Stanton’s baggy pants and on May 18 appropriated José Caballero’s 34-inch, 31-ounce Victus bat for a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the seventh inning of a 7-6 win over Toronto.“I probably use almost everybody’s bat in here, except probably Goldy and Stanton,” Chisholm said, referring to Paul Goldschmidt. “They’re a little bit extra big.”While Chisholm swings a 34-ounce, 31-inch version, Judge’s timber is a 35/33, also carved by Chandler.“It’s a heavy bat but doesn’t feel that heavy,” said Cody Bellinger, whose solo homer off Justin Slaten broke a 1-all tie in the eighth. “I didn’t even know he used Judge’s bat. It’s hilarious.”Judge has a fractured rib and will be limited in his activity for a while. He will have additional imaging in about four-to-six weeks.Stanton hasn’t played since April 24 because of strained right calf, and catcher Austin Wells joined them on the injured list Saturday because of cervical headaches.New York is confident it can win without Judge, its three-time AL MVP.“I’m already a little tired of answering the question and we’re only a couple of days into this,” manager Aaron Boone said. “We got grownups in the room, for sure.”New York is 2-3 without Judge, batting .226 with 19 runs.“Everybody just, it feels like they’ve got to find a way to contribute as best they could in his absence,” Chisholm said.Chisholm struck out leading off the third, fifth and seventh against Ranger Suarez, then hit his eighth home run this season on a first-pitch cutter from Joe La Sorsa, who had just replaced Slaten.“I was swinging and missing when I thought I was hitting the ball,” Chisholm said. “Sometimes you need a little bit more weight and a little less on your swing.”Chisholm strained his right oblique on April 28 last year while borrowing Judge’s bat at Baltimore. The injury sidelined him until June 3 but didn’t prevent him from becoming a second-time All-Star.He started slowly this season but is hitting .306 with four homers and 11 RBIs in his last 19 games, raising his average to .234.Judge also began poorly — for him — and is batting .248 with 17 homers and 38 RBIs.“Just having his name in that lineup is a presence,” Bellinger said. “Aaron being out is just such a huge loss.”Stanton could return soon. He’s been hitting on the field and running.Wells, hitting .166 with seven RBIs in 47 games, said he feels pressure at the top of his head and headaches. He is to have scans Monday and will switch to a hockey-style catcher’s mask when he returns behind the plate.“Hopefully rule out anything serious,” he said. “In my mind it’s just the cumulative buildup over the last couple weeks.”New York (38-26) gained a split of the rain-shortened, two-game series and moved within percentage points of first-place Tampa Bay (37-25), which has led the AL East since May 10.Chisholm surely will purloin more paraphernalia during the pennant race. He’s just not sure what.“Maybe an undershirt,” he said. “You never know.”

J.T. Poston narrowly beat Ryan Gerard in a two-hole playoff at the 2026 Memorial Tournament to pick up a much-needed event win on Sunday. Poston still needed to qualify for the 2026 U.S. Open later in June, and was running out of time - and opportunities- to do so. This tournament win helps secure his spot in the U.S. Open field with the major beginning on June 18. Gerard and Poston had the deck stacked against them on Sunday. The lead pair was only able to get five holes in on Saturday due to the weather. This meant the pairing had to play 33 holes on Sunday to finish their four rounds for the event. When the dust settled Sunday afternoon on the 18th hole, both Gerard and Poston were tied at 12-under.To settle the tiebreaker, they walked back to the 18th tee and played the hole again. They each finished with a par on the hole, and the duo had to play the 18th again.This time, Gerard bogeyed the hole, while Poston sank the tournament-winning par putt. Winning the tournament and securing that spot at the U.S. Open is a huge sigh of relief for Poston. If he hadn’t won the Memorial Tournament on Sunday, his qualifying options would have been limited. The golfer was already scheduled to play in a U.S. Open qualifying event on Monday. If that had happened, Poston would have played 33 holes on Sunday and then had to play 36 on Monday to try and qualify for the upcoming major.Now, he is able to focus on the U.S. Open and revel in the $4 million payday from his win. This is the fourth PGA Tour event win of Poston’s career. He is still searching for his first major win. Currently, his best finish is a tie for fifth at the 2025 PGA Championship. Sunday’s win not only qualifies Poston for the upcoming U.S. Open but will also qualify him for the Open Championship in July.

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - AUGUST 09: Darnell Washington #80 of the Pittsburgh Steelers reacts after scoring a touchdown in the first half against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the NFL Preseason 2025 game between Pittsburgh Steelers and Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Pittsburgh Steelers and tight end Darnell Washington agreed to a four-year contract extension worth $42 million, making him the 12th-highest paid tight end in the league. Further details on the extension have been revealed.Per Spotrac, Washington will get $11.25 million in guaranteed money. the year-by-year cap hits are as follows:2027: $11.3 million2028: $9.75 million 2029: $10.3 million2030: $11 millionWashington is coming off a career-best season, with career-highs in catches (31) and yards (364).The Steelers also extended edge rusher Nick Herbig just one day before Washington, inking the Wisconsin product to a four-year, $100 million deal. The Steelers will return to the practice field at Rooney Sports Complex for their final set of OTAs this week before taking a six-week break ahead of training camp. Players will report to St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA Tuesday, July 28 with the first practice of training camp being Wednesday, July 29.Let us know what you think in the comments. Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more!Steelers QB Drew Allar could follow Drake Maye blueprint, says NFL analystSteelers would need to pay hefty price for polarizing QBDon’t rule out Baker Mayfield as the Steelers’ 2027 quarterbackSteelers TE Pat Freiermuth shares early takeaways on Drew AllarProjecting contract extension for Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr

Texas A&M has a trio of former Aggies tearing up their respective leagues right now, and Kaeden Kent continues to be one of the most consistent bats among them. After two steady months in High‑A, Kent is now pushing into legitimately eye‑opening territory.Across his last three games, Kent has piled up eight hits, including five doubles, while striking out just twice. It’s the kind of stretch that shows not only his offensive ceiling but also his ability to adjust one of the biggest separators for any player trying to climb the ladder toward the majors.That resilience has shown up all season. Kent hasn’t gone back‑to‑back games without a hit since mid‑May, a testament to how quickly he bounces back from any lull. For the month, he’s slashing a strong .321/.333/.607, flashing gap power, consistent contact, and the steady approach that made him such an intriguing prospect coming out of College Station.Across the minors, young talent is flooding every level, and call‑ups have become harder to predict as MLB continues to skew younger. Even players who look ready often have to wait longer than expected. Kent may fall into that category, but his trajectory is unmistakably upward and performances like this only strengthen his case.Watch his highlights from the Renegades’ matchup with the Frederick Keys below.Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X: @whosnextsports1.This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Kaeden Kent’s consistency shines as he powers through High‑A

Knoxville Smokies infielder Jefferson Rojas (2) scores a run during a Minor League baseball game between the Knoxville Smokies and Birmingham Barons at Covenant Health Park in Knoxville, Tenn., on June 2, 2026. | Angelina Alcantar/ News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images A rain-shortened schedule today.Iowa CubsRained out. The game will not be made up.Knoxville SmokiesThe Knoxville Smokies exiled the Birmingham Barons (White Sox), 7-4. The win moved the Smokies into a tie for first place in the Southern League North Division. Starter Brooks Caple took home the win after he went five innings and allowed three runs on five hits. All three runs came in the third inning and two of them came on a home run. Caple struck out seven and walked no one. Vince Reilly didn’t allow a run over the final two innings for the save. Reilly surrendered just one single in the eighth (erased in a double play) and walked one batter in the ninth. Reilly struck out one.The Smokies took the lead for good when third baseman Jefferson Rojas connected on a two-run home run. It was Rojas’ ninth home run and third in two days. Rojas went 2 for 4 with a triple and the home run. He scored twice.DH Owen Ayers was 2 for 4 and he singled home Rojas after he tripled in the seventh inning. Rojas’ home run.Jefferson Rojas gives the Smokies the lead with his third home run in the last two games 💣 pic.twitter.com/Eu4esCv87z— Knoxville Smokies (@smokiesbaseball) June 7, 2026Ayers’ RBI single.Owen Ayers gifts the Smokies another run on HIS birthday 🎁 🎂 pic.twitter.com/6bHZM6j5qZ— Knoxville Smokies (@smokiesbaseball) June 7, 2026South Bend CubsRained out. The game will also not be made up.Wisconsin was also rained out, which means that the two rainouts are going to move the Cubs’ magic number for clinching the second half down. South Bend has a five-game lead on Wisconsin with nine games left in the first half. Myrtle Beach PelicansThe Myrtle Beach Pelicans were herded up by the Charleston RiverDogs (Rays), 5-4.The Pelicans wasted a dominating start by Pierce Coppola. Coppola pitched five innings and allowed no runs and just one hit and one walk. One more runner reached on an error. Coppola struck out five.Riely Hunsaker pitched the seventh and eighth innings, gave up three runs and took the loss. The final line on Hunsaker was three runs, one earned, on five hits over two innings. He struck out one and walked no one.First baseman Michael Carico reached base five times, going 2 for 2 with three walks. He scored once.Catcher Jairo Diaz tied the game 4-4 with an RBI double in the top of the eighth. Diaz was 2 for 4.Right fielder Eli Lovich hit a two-run double in the seventh. Lovich was 1 for 4 with a walk.ACL CubsOff day.

🤑 Worth R$9bn, France are the most valuable team at World Cup 2026The 2026 World Cup begins next Thursday (11), when Mexico hosts South Africa at 4 p.m. (Brasília time).At the legendary Azteca Stadium, Mexicans and South Africans will kick off the biggest national team tournament on planet Earth — and one of the biggest across all sports.In this 2026 edition, with Mexico, Canada, and the United States as host countries, 48 national teams will compete for the World Cup trophy.For the event that takes place every four years, it is only natural that the best football players will be in action between June and July.And if they are the best, they are certainly also the most valuable in the entire world.So, with so many historic stars such as Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Neymar, along with other young phenoms like Lamine Yamal, Jude Bellingham, and Erling Haaland, which is the most valuable national team at the World Cup?According to the website Transfermarkt, which specializes in estimating market values in football, France is the most valuable team in the world.The 26 players called up to play in the World Cup for the two-time world champions (1998 and 2018) are valued at 1.53 billion euros (around R$ 9.12 billion, at the current exchange rate).The Brazilian national team, featuring Vini Jr, Raphinha, Neymar & Co., sits only sixth in the ranking of the most valuable teams at the World Cup.🤑 Check out the Top 10 most valuable national teams at the World Cup10) Belgium - 542 million euros (R$ 3.2 billion)The most valuable: Jérémy Doku (75 million euros - R$ 382.4 million) The least valuable: Thomas Meunier (1.5 million euros - R$ 8.9 million)9) Norway - 601 million euros (R$ 3.5 billion)The most valuable: Erling Haaland (200 million euros - R$ 1.2 billion)The least valuable: Orjan Nyland (800 thousand euros - R$ 5.3 million)8) Argentina - 817.5 million euros (R$ 4.8 billion)The most valuable: Enzo Fernández and Julián Álvarez (90 million euros - R$ 529.5 million)The least valuable: Nicolás Otamendi (1 million euros - R$ 5.9 million)7) Netherlands - 837.2 million euros (R$ 4.9 billion)The most valuable: Ryan Gravenberch (80 million euros - R$ 529.5 million)The least valuable: Wout Weghorst (2 million euros - R$ 11.9 million)6) Brazil - 912.2 million euros (R$ 5.4 billion)The most valuable: Vini Jr (140 million euros - R$ 882.5 million)The least valuable: Weverton (740 thousand euros - R$ 4.1 million)5) Germany - 998 million euros (R$ 5.9 billion)The most valuable: Florian Wirtz (100 million euros - R$ 647 million)The least valuable: Oliver Baumann (2.5 million euros - R$ 14.7 million)4) Portugal - 1.02 billion euros (R$ 6 billion)The most valuable: João Neves and Vitinha (140 million euros - R$ 823.7 million)The least valuable: José Sá (3.5 million euros - R$ 29.4 million)3) Spain - 1.26 billion euros (R$ 7.45 billion)The most valuable: Lamine Yamal (200 million euros - R$ 1.19 billion)The least valuable: Borja Iglesias (2.8 million euros - R$ 17.6 million)2) England - 1.32 billion euros (R$ 7.8 billion)The most valuable: Jude Bellingham (130 million euros - R$ 823.7 million)The least valuable: Dan Burn (4 million euros - R$ 29.4 million)1) France - 1.53 billion euros (R$ 9.1 billion) The most valuable: Kylian Mbappé (180 million euros - R$ 1.17 billion)The least valuable: N'Golo Kanté (4 million euros - R$ 23.5 million)💰 Valuable France in detailGoalkeepersRobin Risser (Lens) - 30 million eurosMike Maignan (Milan) - 20 million eurosBrice Samba (Rennes) - 7 million euros DefendersWilliam Saliba (Arsenal) - 100 million eurosDayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich) - 70 million eurosJules Koundé (Barcelona) - 60 million euros Maxence Lacroix (Crystal Palace) - 50 million euros Ibrahima Konaté (Liverpool) - 45 million eurosMalo Gusto (Chelsea) - 35 million eurosTheo Hernandéz (Al-Hilal) - 20 million eurosLucas Hernanández (PSG) - 18 million eurosLucas Digne (Aston Villa) - 6 million eurosMidfieldersRayan Cherki (Manchester City) - 90 million eurosWarren Zäire-Emery (PSG) - 80 million eurosAurélien Tchouaméni (Real Madrid) - 70 million eurosManu Koné (Roma) - 50 million eurosAdrien Rabiot (Milan) - 18 million eurosN'Golo Kanté (Fenerbahce) - 4 million eurosForwardsKylian Mbappé (Real Madrid) - 180 million eurosMichael Olise (Bayern Munich) - 150 million eurosDésiré Doué (PSG) - 120 million eurosOusmane Dembélé (PSG) - 100 million eurosBradley Barcola (PSG) - 70 million eurosMaghnes Akliouche (AS Monaco) - 50 million eurosMarcus Thuram (Inter Milan) - 50 million eurosJean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace) - 30 million eurosThis article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

Gregg Popovich drops NBA Finals words of wisdom as Spurs go down 2-0 to Knicks originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.There are only a few coaches to have reached the NBA Finals and mastered winning at the highest level multiple times. Coach Gregg Popovich is a member of that upper echelon of basketball greats. He may have turned the reins over to Coach Mitch Johnson but that does not mean that his care for the San Antonio Spurs has stopped. Coach Pop saw the squad led by Victor Wembanyama go down 2-0 to the New York Knicks and knew that he needed to get some words out there to help them.Coach Popovich inspires Spurs after going down 2-0 to Knicks in NBA FinalsTwo consecutive NBA Finals losses usually mean that the end looms for a certain squad. There have been times when a squad down 2-0 has come back and raised the Larry O'Brien trophy but that is a rare sighting. Coach Gregg Popovich wants the Spurs led by Victor Wembanyama to be the exception.After suffering two straight home losses in the NBA Finals, Coach Popovich had a message for the Spurs. Stephon Castle unveiled what it was before their Game 3 bout against the Knicks, via Underdog NBA."Pretty much his message was, 'Just let the last two games go.' It happened. They were very winnable games. We feel like we gave them those games," Castle declared.Coach Popovich's words need to echo in the ears of every player in the Spurs rotation from Wembanyama all the way to Bismack Biyombo. Why is that the case? Well, it's because they need to defy all analytics and history to prevent the Knicks from winning the Larry O'Brien trophy. See, no team that has gone 2-0 in the NBA Finals at home ever won the series.Aside from the wise words, Coach Popovich surely gave schematic advice to Coach Mitch Johnson, Wembanyama, and the rest of the Spurs. They will need the motivation and hope after having lost Game 2 in a tough 105-104 margin. Hopefully, one of the most prolific basketball minds is able to ensure their squad comes back to defy all odds.More Spurs News:NBA legend urges Victor Wembanyama to reach a new level to beat Knicks in FinalsDe'Aaron Fox reveals why Victor Wembanyama has been much better in second halvesGregg Popovich sends a clear message to Victor Wembanyama ahead of Game 2 of the Finals

MIAMI, FLORIDA - MAY 02: The Miami Dolphins and F1 logos are seen in the Paddock during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami at Miami International Autodrome on May 02, 2024 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Clive Rose - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images) | Formula 1 via Getty Images When our Miami Dolphins are struggling, the attendance of their games at home naturally dips quite a bit. This, of course, comes with the territory, especially for the fans that reside in South Florida, where there’s always plenty of other things you can be doing with your time and money almost any day of the year. Now, though, we are facing a new season, and we do not expect the team to be great, but due to the new regime and the massive overhaul of the roster, there is, at the very least, a ton of curiosity among many of us fans. We all want to see what theis new coaching staff and new players will give us even if the final product is still at least another season or a couple of seasons away.So this evenings Phinsider Question Of The Day is:Which of you will, or will try to either go to a home and/or away Miami Dolphins game in person for this upcoming season? Please share your thoughts and answers in the comments section below-

The Oregon Duck baseball team stands for the Star Spangled Banner before their game against Oregon State on day three at the NCAA Eugene Regional Tournament at PK Park in Eugene May 31, 2026. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Your Oregon Ducks face off against the Texas Longhorns in a must win matchup to stay alive in the CBWS!View LinkWhen: Sunday, June 7th @ 6:00 PM PSTWhere:UFCU Disch-Falk Field, Austin, TXWatch:ESPN‘Sco Ducks!

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JUNE 02: Trevor McDonald #72 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning at American Family Field on June 02, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images It’s series finale time, and it’s getaway day … in the evening? Odd. Yes, the scheduling deities have blessed the San Francisco Giants by placing their 10th of 13 straight games in the evening, ahead of a flight back to the Bay Area. So it goes.Taking the mound for the Giants is right-hander Trevor McDonald, who makes his seventh start of the season. The 25-year old is 2-3 on the year, with a 4.50 ERA, a 3.66 FIP, and 31 strikeouts to nine walks in 34 innings. In his last start, McDonald, who is trying to hang onto a rotation spot that he’s halfway through stealing from Tyler Mahle, gave up three runs in five innings against the Milwaukee Brewers.Pitching for the Chicago Cubs is veteran right-hander Jameson Taillon. The 34-year old, who is in his fourth season with the Cubs, has made 12 starts this year, and is 2-5 with a 5.13 ERA, a 6.33 FIP, and 57 strikeouts to 21 walks in 66.2 innings. He’s also allowed an MLB-worst 20 home runs, which opens the door for a Giants team that has been putting the ball over the fence a lot lately. In Taillon’s last start, he gave up two runs in 6.1 innings against the Athletics.Enjoy the game, everyone! Go Giants!Join the conversation!Sign up for a user account and get:Fewer adsCreate community postsComment on articles, community postsRec comments, community postsNew, improved notifications system!Game #66Who: San Francisco Giants vs. Chicago CubsWhere: Wrigley Field, Chicago, IllinoisWhen: 5:30 p.m. PTRegional broadcast: n/aNational broadcast: NBC and PeacockRadio: KNBR 680 AM/104.5 FM, KSFN 1510 AM

Jun 7, 2026; Pacific Palisades, California, USA; Nelly Korda prepares to hit her tee shot from the fourth tee during the final round of the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament at Riviera Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images Nelly Korda stands alone. Still.The United States Women’s Open took place over the weekend at Riviera Country Club and it was a star-studded course for a star-studded event.Perhaps it is appropriate then that the biggest star on the LPGA Tour in some time survived a leaderboard full of top-tier names. Nelly Korda is a U.S. Open Champion.Korda overcame an opening round of 2-over which is pretty impressive given the circumstances and terrain. She evened herself out with a 2-under Friday, but it was the world number one’s 6-under on Saturday that put her within striking distance.Charley Hull and Gaby Lopez, who finished tied for second, did all they good to make it a run on Sunday, but Nelly went 2-under on Sunday which was good enough to get it done. Most notably Korda birdied number 17 to take the outright lead and snuck in a par on the iconic 18th to seal the win.GET IN THERE!!Nelly Korda finds every bit of the cup to win the U.S. Women's Open!@Allypic.twitter.com/3Sz0jIz5XM— U.S. Women's Open (@uswomensopen) June 7, 2026The title marks Nelly’s fourth career major championship, and given that she is just 27 years old she is on pace for some historic achievements. Even more than she already has, obviously.Nelly also took home the Chevron Championship this year, her second Chevron title, so she has won both majors that have been played this year across the LPGA Tour. It is truly her world right now.Congratulations to the U.S. Women’s Open Champion.

This year's edition of the World Cup will be the biggest ever with an expanded field of 48 teams, three host countries and 16 stadiums staging the record 104 matches over the 39-day tournament.The tournament being held in the United States, Canada and Mexico is the first since FIFA expanded the field from 32 teams to 48, adding four more groups in the initial stage and a new round of 32 in the knockout portion.The World Cup last expanded for the 1998 tournament with the last seven editions featuring 32 teams and 64 games. This also marks just the second time that the tournament will be played in multiple countries with Japan and South Korea sharing the 2002 edition.There will be 11 sites in the United States, with three in Mexico and two in Canada. Mexico will host 13 matches, including the opener in Mexico City on June 11 between the host team and South Africa and three in the knockout rounds.Canada will also have 13 matches with the first coming between the hosts and Bosnia-Herzegovina on June 12 in Toronto and three more in the knockout round.The remaining 78 will be in the U.S. starting when the Americans take on Paraguay on June 12 in the Los Angeles area, and including all the matches in teh quarterfinals, semifinals and the final round at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.Here's a look at some other stats to watch during the 2026 World Cup:1,248There are a record 1,248 players on the rosters coming from 449 domestic clubs in 71 countries. There are 357 players with World Cup experience, alomng with 891 first-timers.England leads the way with 200 players on rosters who are based there at club level. Germany is second with 109, followed by France (86), Spain (86), Italy (71) and Saudi Arabia (49). Major League Soccer will be represented by a record 44 active players at the World Cup with 103 of the players having some experience in MLS.Manchester City of the Premier League has the most players of any club with a record of 19, followed by Bayern Munich with 18, Champions League finalists Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal 16 and Barcelona with 15. 226Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo leads all players in the tournament with 226 caps — the most ever by a single men's player — as he is set to join Argentina's Lionel Messi as the only players to appear in six World Cups.Ronaldo is the only player to score in five World Cups with eight goals in his 22 matches.Messi has the most career World Cup matches with 26 and needs two appearances to become the third man with at least 200 caps (Bader Al-Mutawa, Kuwait, also has more 200 appearances in international play). Croatia’s Luka Modric is three short of joining that group.Mexico's Guillermo Ochoa is on a World Cup roster for the sixth time but didn't appear in a game in 2006 or 2010.16Miroslav Klose’s record of 16 career goals for Germany could jeopardy in this year’s edition. Messi comes into the tournament with 13 career goals, trailing only Klose, Brazilian star Ronaldo (15) and Gerd Muller (14). France’s Kylian Mbappe is also in range having scored 12 goals combined in the past two tournaments8 Only eight countries have won the World Cup with six of those teams winning multiple titles led by Brazil's five. The only first-time winners in the last 11 Cups came in 1998 when France won the first of its two titles and in 2010 when Spain won it all. 2Only two countries have repeated as champions with Pele leading Brazil to titles in 1958 and ‘62, and Italy winning it in 1934 and ’38. Three other defending champions made it to the title game, including France four years ago before losing to Argentina.6There have been six defending champions who failed to make it out of the group stage, including in three of the last four editions. France made it back to the final in 2022 but Italy (2010), Spain (2014) and Germany (2018) all get eliminated before the knockout rounds. 3France will try to become the third county to make it to three straight finals after winning it in 2018 and losing in 2022. West Germany lost the final in 1982 and '86 before beating Argentina in 1990. Brazil had wins in 1994 and 2002 around a title game loss to France in 1998. 23Brazil is the only country to appear in all 23 editions of the World Cup starting in 1930 in Uruguay. The Brazilians also lead all countries with 76 wins, 237 goals and a plus-129 goal differential. Germany is next in all three categories with 21 appearances, 232 goals and a plus-102 goal differential, including 10 appearances as West Germany before reunification.4There are four countries making their World Cup debuts with Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan and Uzbekistan the newcomers this time around. That will increase the total of countries to compete in the World Cup to 84 all-time. 7Egypt has played seven World Cup matches without a win. The Egyptians are 0-5-2 and will try to break through starting June 15 against Belgium. The only country with more games and no wins is Honduras with nine. Honduras didn't qualify this year.2,720There have been 2,720 goals scored in 964 matches in the first 22 World Cups. With the additional 40 games, the record of 172 goals in a tournament set in Qatar in 2022 should be broken. The record of 5.38 combined goals per game set in 1954 should be safe.25There is more than 25 years separating the oldest player from the youngest. Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon will be 43 years and 162 days old on the first day of the tournament, while Mexico's Gilbert Mora will be 17 years, 240 days old.___ AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup

Francisco Alvarez was back behind the plate as he continued his minor league rehab assignment on Sunday afternoon with Triple-A Syracuse. The 24-year-old backstop enjoyed himself a much-needed strong day with the bat after going hitless in each of his last two appearances with the team. Alvarez was retired his first two times up, but then drew walk before being stranded in scoring position. He then ripped a third-pitch fastball right back up the middle in the top of the eighth, and came in to score a few batters later on a Matt Rudick homer. Before that, Syracuse regained the lead on a Ryan Clifford RBI sacrifice bunt. Alvarez finished 1-for-3 with a walk, and caught a runner too far off first on a back-pick. The Mets don’t have an exact day for his return, but as long as things continue progressing as planned, he could be back in the lineup at some point during the upcoming six-game homestand. On the mound for Syracuse, prospect Zach Thornton delivered a bounceback performance, allowing just two walks and walk hits while striking out five over five scoreless innings. Tobias Myers followed that by only giving up an unearned run while striking out one over two innings of work in his second appearance following his demotion from the Mets. Dylan Ross was called upon to get the final out after Syracuse ran into trouble in the ninth, and he allowed an RBI double and two walks before striking out George Lombard Jr. to end the game.Ross took home his first save, but he’s now issued 16 walks over 18 outings this season.

BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA - MARCH 23: An aerial view of Tiger Stadium on the campus of LSU during LSU Pro Day at LSU Football Indoor Practice Facility on March 23, 2026 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images) | Getty Images Lane Kiffin and the LSU staff are starting to heat up on the 2027 recruiting trail, as the Tigers landed their second commitment of the day. This time, it comes from 3-star running back Brennen Lacey per Sam Spiegelman of Rivals.LSU Lands commitment from one of the best running backs in Texas https://t.co/El6xSSnKsu— Sam Spiegelman (@samspiegs) June 7, 2026Lacey is the type of prospect where you can’t simply look at the recruiting rankings. Instead, look at the offer sheet.Lacey held offers from Notre Dame, Miami, TCU, Texas Tech, Florida, and several other major programs. He made his official visit to Baton Rouge this weekend, but this was not his first trip to LSU. The Frisco, Texas native also visited the Tigers during the spring in April.Lacey is a fast-rising prospect who can do it all. He possesses excellent speed, good size, and tremendous versatility. Standing at 6-foot-1 and 187 pounds, Lacey ran a 10.91-second 100-meter dash as a sophomore and spent time playing wide receiver before transitioning to running back.His athletic background shows up on film, as he is comfortable catching the football and creating explosive plays in space. Those traits make him an intriguing fit in LSU’s offense moving forward.This should be only the first running back commitment for the Tigers in the 2027 class, as LSU continues to push hard for Trey Martin, the No. 1 running back in the state of Louisiana.Who would you like to see be the next prospect to punch their ticket to LSU? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Backup catcher Sebastián Rivero went 5 for 5 with six RBIs to lead a 13-for-15 performance by the bottom four batters in the order, propelling the Los Angeles Angels past the Los Angeles Dodgers 13-5 on Sunday to avoid a season sweep.The NL West-leading Dodgers won five of six games in the Freeway Series, outscoring the Angels 46-18. Last year, the Angels went 6-0 in the season series before the Dodgers went on to win their second straight World Series championship.The Dodgers didn’t get an out against the last four Angels batters, who combined for 10 runs and 10 RBIs, until No. 6 hitter Jo Adell struck out against reliever Kyle Hurt in the eighth. Adell was 4 for 5 with a two-run homer in the seventh and scored four times.Angels starter José Soriano (7-4) allowed five runs — four earned — and eight hits in six innings while striking out two.The Angels salvaged a victory with no help from slugger Mike Trout, who was 0 for 13 with six strikeouts in the three-game series. Instead, the bottom of their lineup came through, led by No. 9 hitter Rivero. Nick Madrigal, the pesky No. 7 hitter, drew three walks while seeing 32 pitches in his first three plate appearances before singling in a six-run seventh.The Angels led 6-1 before the Dodgers closed to 6-5 on back-to-back homers by Dalton Rushing, who had a three-run shot, and Ryan Ward in the sixth. Rushing finished 4 for 4 and came up a triple short of the cycle.One inning later, the Angels batted around in scoring six runs off reliever Jonathan Hernández, including Zach Neto's three-run homer that chased Hernández.Dodgers starter Emmet Sheehan (3-3) was pulled after 49 pitches, including 35 in the second. The right-hander gave up two runs, three hits and two walks in 1 1/3 innings.The Angels took a 2-0 lead when Rivero blooped a two-run single to shallow center field in the second. His two-run single off reliever Blake Treinen against a drawn-in infield extended it to 4-1 in the fourth. Up next Angels LHP Sam Aldegheri (1-0, 2.45 ERA) starts Monday's series opener against visiting Houston after being recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake.After an off day, Dodgers LHP Eric Lauer (2-5, 5.74 ERA) starts Tuesday on the road against Pirates RHP Paul Skenes (6-5, 3.09).___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

CHICAGO (AP) — Cubs opening-day starter Matthew Boyd has completed a minor league rehab assignment and is expected to return to Chicago's rotation by next weekend.Boyd, an All-Star in 2025, is coming back from a second stint on the injured list this season. He's recovering from surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee, a freak injury he suffered while he was playing with his kids at home on May 4.The 35-year-old left-hander completed a five-inning rehab start at Triple-A Iowa on Saturday, allowing five runs on seven hits while striking out seven. He threw 83 pitches, 64 for strikes.Boyd was in the Cubs’ clubhouse before their game Sunday night against San Francisco. His return figures to be a boost to Chicago's injury-wracked rotation.“He’s healthy. Everything’s good," manager Craig Counsell said. “Got to the 80-pitch mark, which is a good thing. So he’ll be active on this road trip at some point.”Boyd missed three weeks in April with a biceps strain. He's made only five starts in 2026 and is 2-1 with a 6.00 ERA. Last season, Boyd was 14-8 with 3.21 ERA in 31 starts.Slumping Swanson sits againTwo-time Gold Glove-winning shortstop Dansby Swanson was held out of the Cubs’ lineup for a second straight game on Sunday because of ongoing struggles at the plate.The 32-year-old Swanson entered batting .180, third worst among regular players in the majors. Over his last 14 games, the two-time All-Star has six hits in 46 at-bats for a .130 average.Counsell said Swanson would probably start on Tuesday when the Cubs open a three-game series at Colorado. After that, the Cubs will play a weekend series against the Giants in San Francisco.Nico Hoerner moved from second base to shortstop again on Sunday. Pedro Ramirez was at second for slumping Chicago, which entered having lost 19 of 26.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

It takes 12 players, multiple coaches, a medical staff, front office and much more to win a championship, but to the general public, most of the credit falls on the big stars. For the Knicks, now two wins away from their first chip in over half a century, that’s Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, but their roster of unsung heroes runs much longer.One player who can’t be ignored is Landry Shamet -- now on his second consecutive veteran's minimum deal, Shamet's been a major part of their run to the championship, despite the bumps and bruises on the way.Last year, he suffered a shoulder injury in preseason and agreed to rehab in the G-League before rejoining the team midseason. While he returned to action, he fell out of the rotation when the playoffs rolled around, until the Knicks desperately turned to him facing elimination in the Conference Finals.He provided a nice spark, but New York had limited roster spots going into 2025-26, and he had to compete for another minimum deal. Shamet made the cut, but this year began to look like Déjà vu. Shamet suffered another shoulder injury early this season, sidelining him for a third of it. He’d come back again, but wasn’t a major rotation piece early in the postseason.Things turned around in New York’s second round, when Shamet popped for 15 and 12 points in Games 3 and 4 on the road in Philadelphia. His performance helped close out the Sixers, as he shot 6-of-9 from three in the two contests.But the real magic came in Game 1 of the Conference Finals. With Josh Hart struggling down 22 and just seven minutes to play, head coach Mike Brown subbed in Shamet with the starters for spacing, and the Knicks rolled.Shamet hit some of the biggest threes of the season: one to cut the lead to 17, another that bounced in with under a minute to play that tied the game, and finally the clincher in overtime. He finished with just these nine points, but they were crucial to one of the greatest comebacks in NBA Playoffs history.He followed up with another pair of big road games, scoring 14 in Game 3 and 16 in Game 4, contributing to another dominant sweep. He finished the Conference Finals shooting a stellar 11-of-12 from downtown. New York Knicks guard Landry Shamet (44) reacts in the first quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers during game three of the eastern conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Rocket Arena / David Richard - Imagn Images If these performances weren’t enough to cement his legacy in this playoff run, his early start to the Finals might put #44 in the rafters. Shamet’s been a big boost off the bench in a series Brunson’s struggled and the Knicks haven’t played to their best offensively as a team. Shamet scored 13 in Game 1 on 3-of-6 shooting from three, and another 13 on 3-of-7 three-point attempts in Game 2, as the Knicks won two tough road games to take control of the championship round. Throughout his appearances, he’s defended hard and attacked the mid-range and paint to keep defenses honest.It’s no exaggeration that the Knicks wouldn’t be in this spot without Shamet’s contributions. Miles McBride is averaging under seven points this postseason and Jordan Clarkson slowly fell out of the rotation as the competition stiffened.With limited offensive help from the pine, Shamet’s been a major lift, providing double-digit scoring in single-digit victories. All on a prove-it contract that’s likely to now be aggressively outbid in the summer.The Knicks are still two wins away from their ultimate goal, and Shamet will need to continue his pace to secure them. If that happens, he goes from heartwarming story to local legend, and no matter where he ends up, New York fans will be eternally, deservingly grateful.

LAS VEGAS – Tom Nolan is taking an opposite approach to Renato Moicano's callouts, and that is ask the promotion for a tough fight. Nolan (11-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC), a rising prospect at 155 pounds, called out Moicano following his latest feat in the octagon. Nolan took the time of his in-cage, post-fight interview after his unanimous decision over Fares Ziam (18-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) at Saturday's UFC Fight Night 278 to shoot his shot with the Brazilian."I think Ziam was a really good challenge for me in the sense that it made me nervous. It was a hard fight," Nolan said after his win at the Meta APEX. "I want another fight like that. All respect, not so easy money, 'Money' Moicano: That's a tough fight. I'm young enough. I'm 26. If I come out here and lose, the amount of wealth it will take from that (would be big). But I come out here and win, I'm looking at a top five."After the fight, speaking with reporters at the UFC Fight Night 278 post-fight press conference, Nolan elaborated in the reason for his callout."I respect him so much. I think he's awesome," Nolan said. "I've studied him a lot. I studied his fight against (Benoit Saint Denis) for my last fight. I took some stuff that he works. He does a really good job of getting the body triangle and essentially forcing his hips to face the earth while his opponent does whatever they want underneath, and he just smashes them. I think he's great. I've been watching him since I was a child. It's nothing but respect. I love that dude. He's cool."I'm back in love with the game and I want to challenge myself. I think that dude has a scary striking skill set, a scary grappling skill set. He's fought everybody. He's awesome. He's great. Why not fight someone like that? Why not go out there and prove myself right once again?"This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC Vegas 118's Tom Nolan calls out 'not so easy money' Renato Moicano

Jan 3, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) leaves the field after defeating the Carolina Panthers at Raymond James Stadium. © Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn ImagesThe Tampa Bay Buccaneers are undergoing a major roster shift following the departure of star wide receiver Mike Evans to the San Francisco 49ers in free agency.This roster move leaves a significant void in the Buccaneers’ passing game, as Evans spent his entire 12-year career in Tampa Bay establishing himself as a franchise icon.The loss comes at a delicate time for the organization, particularly as quarterback Baker Mayfield continues critical contract negotiations. With OTAs underway, Mayfield publicly shared his reaction to losing his top target.Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield Adjusts to Life After Mike EvansSpeaking to reporters, Mayfield did not attempt to minimize the emotional and tactical impact of losing the veteran wideout. The quarterback expressed his deep appreciation for Evans while acknowledging the NFL’s harsh business realities.“There’s no way to sugarcoat it. It’s disappointing to not have him back,” Mayfield said in a clip shared by ESPN’s Jenna Laine.“Just the caliber of player he is, he’s a Hall of Famer, deserved to be a Buc for life. Things happen, but luckily, him and I have a great relationship, we’ll still be friends for life, and I’ll be cheering him on except when we play them, if it comes down to it.”Evans leaves behind a unique legacy in Tampa Bay, having recorded 11 consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons to start his professional career.His decision to sign with San Francisco alters the offensive strategy for head coach Todd Bowles and forces Tampa Bay to re-evaluate its passing game hierarchy.Take a Quick Break. Run a Mock Draft! Before you keep reading, jump into the shoes of the GM of your favorite team.Powered by PFSN's NFL Mock Draft SimulatorWith Evans gone, the focus shifts squarely to fellow veteran Chris Godwin. Mayfield emphasized that Godwin is uniquely positioned to take over as the undisputed leader of the wide receiver room (even if Emeka Egbuka ends up being the WR1).“For Mike to leave, it allows Chris to step up; he’s always been an unbelievable leader; but for him to really take charge of that room,” Mayfield noted.This offensive transition directly coincides with Mayfield’s own long-term future in Tampa Bay. Mayfield revealed that contract talks between his camp and the Buccaneers’ front office are not close to a resolution.The performance metrics from last season highlight exactly why the front office might be hesitant to meet Mayfield’s contract demands without seeing how he handles a revamped offense.According to the PFSN NFL QB Impact Rankings, Mayfield finished the 2025 season with a C grade and ranked 24th among qualifying quarterbacks with a 73.4 impact score. While his stats looked solid with 3,693 passing yards and 26 touchdowns, he also threw 11 interceptions and he struggled in the second half of the season (albeit after suffering a number of injuries).Stripping away a premium perimeter asset like Evans makes it substantially harder for Mayfield to elevate those efficiency numbers and build the leverage he needs for a lucrative extension.The quarterback has rejuvenated his career since arriving in Tampa Bay, but it remains to be seen how he’ll look in the Bucs’ new-look offense and whether the two sides will be able to reach an agreement on an extension.Without his primary target, Mayfield faces the challenge of maintaining his statistical production with a younger receiving corps.

World number one Nelly Korda celebrates her US Women's Open triumph at Riviera Country Club (Sean M. Haffey)Nelly Korda won the US Women's Open on Sunday, rolling in a clutch birdie putt at the 17th hole to break free of a crowded leaderboard and triumph by one stroke at Riviera Country Club.The world number one edged England's Charley Hull and Mexico's Gaby Lopez for her long-coveted first US Open victory, giving her a fourth major title and her second of the year after she won the Chevron Championship in April.Korda carded a two-under par 69 for an eight-under total of 276, keeping her nerve as Hull, Lopez and South Korea's Chun In-Gee challenged on the Pacific Palisades course that will host golf at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.After rolling in the nine-foot birdie at the penultimate hole to seize a slender lead, Korda had one more heart-stopping moment as her three-foot par putt at the last circled the cup before dropping in."I just can't even explain how much this means to me," a tearful Korda said at the trophy presentation.England's Hull, who had thrust herself into contention with an impressive third-round 65, fired a four-under 67 for a seven-under total of 277.She also birdied 17 and rattled in a par-saving nine-foot putt at 18 to keep her bid alive, but Hull ultimately had to settle for her fifth runner-up finish in a major.Lopez carded a three-under 68, seizing a share of the clubhouse lead with her fourth birdie of the day at 18, only to be pipped by Korda.Chun, who won the first of her three major titles at the 2015 US Women's Open, had a two-shot lead after back-to-back birdies at 10 and 11, but she bogeyed 12 and 13 before missing an eight-foot par putt at 18.Her one-under 70 left her alone in fourth on six-under 278. She was one stroke in front of compatriot Kim Sei-young, who started the day tied with Korda for the lead but closed with a one-over 72.bb/dh

Christian Eriksen spent more than six months away from the game after collapsing in 2021 (Liselotte Sabroe)Christian Eriksen collapsed during Denmark's friendly against Ukraine on Sunday, five years after he suffered a cardiac arrest during the European Championships."Christian Eriksen is conscious and doing well under the circumstances," the Danish football association wrote on social media.The 34-year-old has worn a pacemaker on his heart since he collapsed during the group stage game against Finland at Euro 2020, which was played in 2021.That led to him spending more than six months away from football.On Sunday, he fell to the ground in the 64th minute of the match, with Denmark leading 2-1 at the time.Medical staff rushed onto the pitch to give Eriksen assistance and the referee called off the match a quarter of an hour later.Eriksen was subsequently taken to hospital in Odense, where the match was played."Christian is doing well and walked off the pitch by himself," said Denmark team doctor Morten Boesen."As I see it, the pacemaker responded as it should."He was briefly unconscious, but regained consciousness very quickly, and we were quickly in contact with him."He will now undergo further examinations at the hospital to determine what caused the incident."bur-bc/iwd

PACIFIC PALISADES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 07: Nelly Korda of the United States celebrates with The Harton S. Semple Trophy on the 18th green after putting to a victory during the final round of the U.S. Women’s Open presented by Ally 2026 at Riviera Country Club on June 07, 2026 in Pacific Palisades, California. (Photo by Ryan Sirius Sun/Getty Images)Ryan Sirius Sun/Getty ImagesNelly Korda claimed her first-ever U.S Women's Open win, along with $2.5 million dollar prize on Sunday afternoon.The 2026 U.S Women's Open had a record-breaking $12.5 million purse. See below for how that purse is divided up among players.U.S. Women’s Open 2026 PayoutsFINISHPLAYEREARNINGS1Nelly Korda$2,500,000T2Charley Hull$1,089,774T2Gaby Lopez$1,089,7744In Gee Chun$581,5355Sei Young Kim$484,363T6Kiara Romero (amateur)$0T6Nasa Hataoka$429,478T8Pajaree Anannarukarn$319,831T8Allisen Corpuz$319,831T8Maja Stark$319,831T8Maria José Marin (amateur)$0T8Ruoning Yin$319,831T8Jennifer Kupcho$319,831T14Lauren Coughlin$226,360T14Shiho Kuwaki$226,360T14Alison Lee$226,360T17Hinako Shibuno$194,219T17Aphrodite Deng (amateur)$0T19A Lim Kim$171,766T19Jinhee Im$171,766T19Minji Kang$171,766T22Grace Kim$133,545T22Brooke Henderson$133,545T22Patty Tavatanakit$133,545T22Shuri Sakuma$133,545T22Karis Davidson$133,545T22Asterisk Talley (amateur)$0T28Yuri Yoshida$94,989T28Hannah Green$94,989T28Xiyu Janet Lin$94,989T28Minjee Lee$94,989T28Jeeno Thitikul$94,989T28Sora Kamiya$94,989T34Lucy Li$72,922T34Jiyai Shin$72,922T34Farah O’Keefe (amateur)$0T34Ana Belac$72,922T34Miyu Yamashita$72,922T34Hyunjo Yoo$72,922T40Somi Lee$57,729T40Melanie Green$57,729T40Ayaka Furue$57,729T40Casandra Alexander$57,729T40Amy Yang$57,729T45Rose Zhang$46,403T45Aki Iwai$46,403T45Rio Takeda$46,403T45DaYeon Lee$46,403T49Lottie Woad$35,501T49Hye-Jin Choi$35,501T49Bianca Pagdanganan$35,501T49Kaleiya Romero$35,501T49Esther Henseleit$35,501T54Yealimi Noh$28,016T54Minsol Kim$28,016T54Anna Nordqvist$28,016T54Chia Yen Wu$28,016T54Nanna Koerstz Madsen$28,01659Mao Saigo$26,444T60Liqi Zeng$25,696T60Ingrid Lindblad$25,696T60Julia Lopez Ramirez$25,696T60Ariya Jutanugarn$25,696T60Sakura Koiwai$25,69665Gurleen Kaur$24,94766Celine Boutier$24,69867Nataliya Guseva$24,44868Yue Zhang$24,199

The 2026 edition of the ATP Den Bosch 250 sees an exciting draw with seasoned champions along with dynamic young talents all fighting for the trophy. As ever, we preview and predict all scheduled matches for you.ATP Den Bosch Day 1 PredictionsTerence Atmane vs Nuno BorgesHead-to-head – First MeetingNeither player would prefer the grass courts as both of them are pretty solid clay courters. Terence Atmane is yet to post any statistics on main tour grass court tournaments so it will be interesting to see how the Frenchman fares. He faces Nuno Borges who is in decent form and played great matches over the 2026 clay court season. Form wise, Borges has to be favoured for the win here. Expect Borges to make use of his consistency and experience to out fox Atmane on the grass courts.Prediction: Borges in 3Ugo Humbert vs Elias YmerHead-to-head – First MeetingThis one looks heavily in favor of the Frenchman, Ugo Humbert. He faces Elias Ymer, who is yet to win a main draw match this year. And while the Swede did play well in the qualifiers, he will be outclassed from the baseline and especially on the grass courts where Humbert will look to cut down angles at the net. Expect Humbert to start strong with his serve and net game proving to be the decisive factor.Prediction: Humbert in 2Benjamin Bonzi vs Mees RottgeringHead-to-head – First MeetingThis is a good opportunity for Benjamin Bonzi to gain important ranking points before Wimbledon. The Frenchman is a better player than his current ranking suggests and he will look at this week as a great opportunity to climb up. His first round match is against Dutch wild card Mees Rottgering, who is very inexperienced at this level and at the age of just 18, he will likely be out manoeuvred from the baseline. Expect Rottgering to maybe get on a hot streak for a set on the back of crowd support but Bonzi looked pretty stable in the qualifiers and hence he should emerge as the victor.Prediction: Bonzi in 3Marin Cilic vs Denis ShapovalovHead-to-head – Cilic 3-3 ShapovalovBoth players enter this tournament in no form whatsoever. Marin Cilic did not have a solid clay court season and Denis Shapovalov has had a horrid time this year. Cilic is 37 years old and his best years are behind him but he is still very dangerous on the faster courts especially on grass. The Croatian will be well rested and eager to go. Shapovalov also enjoys the grass court conditions as the Canadian likes to take huge cuts on the ball as well. Cilic beat Shapovalov quite easily when they met earlier this year at the Australian Open, and that trend should continue as the Croatian will likely dominate baseline proceedings.Prediction: Cilic in 3Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images

Paysandu win a sixth Copa Verde titlePaysandu celebrates its sixth Copa Verde titleCredits: Silvio Garrido - Staff Images / CBFPaysandu won its sixth Copa Verde title on Sunday night (7), by thrashing Anápolis 4-0 at Mangueirão. As in the previous leg of the final, at Jonas Duarte Stadium in Anápolis, the home side had won 3-1, the aggregate score of the final was 5-3 in favor of the team from Pará.In 13 editions, the Copa Verde has one particular feature involving Paysandu itself. Overall, the team has appeared in ten finals – finishing as runner-up four times.Anápolis, in turn, reached the tournament final for the first time. It also earned the right to play in the final by winning the Copa Centro-Oeste, in a contest against Rio Branco-ES.Paysandu, meanwhile, won the Copa Norte title after two matches against Nacional-AM, to be able to fight for its sixth Copa Verde crown.This year, the CBF split the Copa Verde into the Copa Centro-Oeste and Copa Norte, with a total of 24 clubs taking part. The champions of those two competitions then played in the Copa Verde final.Paysandu and Anápolis contested the 2026 Copa Verde title; this Sunday (7), at Mangueirão, Papão came out on topCredits: Silvio Garrido - Staff Images / CBFAt MangueirãoA large Paysandu crowd turned out at Mangueirão, confident that the team could overturn the advantage Anápolis had earned in the first leg of the Copa Verde final. On the field, Papão da Curuzu’s players repaid that support from the stands with a very strong performance, marked by tactical organization and speed.The visitors were also fighting hard to protect the advantage they had gained at Jonas Duarte. They defended and looked for counterattacks.But still in the first half, Paysandu opened the scoring with a goal by Kleiton Pego, with a long-range shot into the corner beyond goalkeeper Ravel.The second half brought even more excitement for both sets of fans. Paysandu, however, did not take long to score again. Marcinho crossed, Thayllon got a touch, and Castro finished from close range. At that point, the aggregate score was level.The match became evenly balanced, with both teams trying to score to avoid penalties. Everything pointed to the decision really being settled from the spot. But in the 46th minute, in stoppage time, Paysandu scored the third goal through Ítalo. Anápolis felt the blow and showed no sign of a response. There was hardly any time left. Paysandu took advantage of that to score one more in the 48th minute, again through Ítalo, who had started the game on the bench. The sixth Copa Verde triumph was sealed.It was party time at Mangueirão with Paysandu’s passionate fans, and celebration on the pitch too, with plenty of tears, hugs, prayers, and of course the height of the triumph: the presentation of the trophy and medals – handed out by CBF Competitions Director Julio Avellar and the presidents of the Pará Football Federation, Ricardo Paul, and the Goiás Football Federation, Ronei Freitas.Medals presented to the six-time championsCredits: Silvio Garrido - Staff Images / CBFThis article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

PREVIEW: Spain laud “trust and understanding” in World Cup glory pursuitIt should perhaps come as no surprise that, as the reigning European champions, Spain are among the favourites to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup which gets underway in North America on Thursday 11 June.But since lifting the trophy in South Africa in 2010, the Spaniards have failed to impress on the world stage. They’ve failed to so much as win a knockout match at the World Cup, and this year, the pressure is greater than ever before.Spain are no longer a team in transition; their UEFA Euro 2024 final win over England has given them a taste of victory, and perhaps most importantly, they are aware of exactly what head coach Luis de la Fuente demands of them. The majority of this squad have played under the 64-year-old for years, as he previously served as head coach of various age categories for the national team before taking the senior job.“My relationship with around 90% of the current squad goes back years. I’ve even known some of them since they were ten or 12. I’ve witnessed every stage of their development and we’ve grown together. It transcends the normal relationship between a player and coach,” he told FIFA in an interview ahead of this summer’s tournament.“I actually think that’s one of our strengths: the trust and understanding within the group gives us the confidence to push ourselves as far as we can go. It’s very reassuring.”Spain have not lost a game in regulation time since that glorious summer’s day in Berlin two years ago. Their only defeat came in the form of a penalty shootout loss to Portugal in the 2025 UEFA Nations League final, which was a bitter blow to La Roja, but serves to illustrate just how stubborn this Spanish side can be across a 90 minute game.Spain haven’t exactly lucked out with easy opponents, either. Their path to European glory saw them pick off Germany, France and then England so while – on paper – topping a group containing Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay should be light work, Spain shouldn’t be complacent as the Saudis did famously beat Argentina four years ago before the Albiceleste went on to lift the trophy, and Uruguay are more than capable of holding their own.Much of the narrative surrounding Argentina’s path to glory in Qatar in 2022 focused on Lionel Messi as he sought to claim the one major trophy that had, to that point, evaded him throughout his illustrious career. This time around, the world has chosen to fix their eyes on Spain’s Lamine Yamal, a player who truly burst onto the scene at UEFA Euro 2024 and hasn’t backed out of the limelight ever since.His stunning goal in the semi-final win at the Allianz Arena – four days before his 17th birthday – was indicative of things to come from the Barcelona starboy, who has revolutionised this Spanish side with the confidence and flair of a man who is wise beyond his years. As is the case with any teenager, though, Yamal has been prone to a tantrum or two when things don’t quite pan out as he had hoped, and Luis de la Fuente will be keen to avoid that this summer.The head coach explained: “He made his debut with us at 16. He’s now 18 and we’re instilling the fundamental principles of football in him. It’s about teaching him the values he should have in both football and life. They have to go hand-in-hand. He’s hungry to grow and improve and he sets high standards, especially for himself. That willingness to learn means that he’s very open to receiving advice. That’s a recipe for success as long as you stay injury-free.”But the youngster isn’t Spain’s only hope. La Roja can count on a star-studded attacking lineup that also includes the likes of Nico Williams, Ferran Torres and Mikel Oyarzabal. Depth in midfield is no problem with Rodri, Gavi, Pedri and Arsenal’s Martin Zubimendi amongst the available options, and a defensive arsenal including Pau Cubarsi, Eric Garcia, Aymeric Laporte and Marc Pubill certainly isn’t to be shrugged at.La Roja have a comfortable route to the final four in North America this summer, but it is imperative that they start well against Cape Verde as dropping points and finishing second in their group would see them pitted against the winners of Group J – likely Argentina – in the round-of-32.If they top their group and progress past the Group J runners-up, however, then they’d likely face Croatia or Colombia in the last-16, which would represent a significant opportunity to record their best FIFA World Cup finish since winning the tournament back in 2010. Belgium or the United States would likely await in the quarter-finals, with France the most probable opponent in the semi-final as the sides battle it out in Dallas to progress to the final.This has the potential to be a very memorable summer indeed for La Roja, if they play their cards right.

Will Anderson Jr. is building a case as the NFL’s top defensive player originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Houston Texans star edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. has quickly gone from a promising young defender to one of the most dominant defensive players in the NFL. After a breakout 2025 season, many analysts believe Anderson is no longer just one of the league’s best pass rushers—he is becoming the standard for defensive excellence.Anderson finished the 2025 regular season with 54 total tackles, 35 solo tackles, 12 sacks, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. His 12 sacks ranked among the NFL’s top pass rushers, while his ability to impact games beyond the sack column showcased his complete skill set.The advanced metrics are even more impressive. According to Next Gen Stats, Anderson recorded 85 quarterback pressures, the second-most in the NFL, while posting a 20.5% pressure rate, the third-highest among qualified edge defenders. He also set a Next Gen Stats-era record with 48 third-down pressures, consistently delivering in the biggest moments.Redefining defensive dominance for the TexansPro Football Focus graded Anderson at 92.4 overall during the 2025 season, ranking second among 115 qualified edge defenders. His 91.7 pass-rush grade ranked fourth in the NFL, while his run defense also graded among the league’s best.The accolades followed. Anderson earned First-Team All-Pro honors and finished runner-up for NFL Defensive Player of the Year voting. He became just the third defensive player in Texans history to receive First-Team All-Pro recognition, joining franchise legends who helped define elite defensive play in Houston.Anderson’s dominance and rapid rise led the Texans to sign him to a three-year, $150 million extension, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. At just 24 years old, he already owns 30 career sacks and has established himself as the centerpiece of Houston’s top-ranked defense.With elite production, All-Pro recognition, and a growing reputation as one of football’s most disruptive forces, Will Anderson Jr. is making a strong case that he is not only the future of defense in the NFL—he may already be its best player.More NFL: Steelers blockbuster trade rumor could lead to massive deal with EaglesBears named landing spot for $123 million 115-sack Steelers star LBEagles named top landing spot for former Cowboys $21 million starter

John Lithgow accepts the award for best performance by a leading actor in a play for "Giant" during the 79th Tony Awards on Sunday, June 7, 2026, at Radio City Music Hall in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)2026-06-08T00:51:31Z NEW YORK (AP) — Here are select winners so far at the 2026 Tony Awards.Actor in a leading role in a playJohn Lithgow, “Giant”Actress in a featured role in a playLaurie Metcalf, “Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman”Direction of a musicalZhailon Levingston and Bill Rauch, “Cats: The Jellicle Ball”Original score“Schmigadoon!” (Music & Lyrics: Cinco Paul)Book of a musical“Schmigadoon!” Cinco PaulChoreography“Cats: The Jellicle Ball,” Omari Wiles and Arturo LyonsPlay“Death of a Salesman,” Joe Mantello___For more coverage of the 2026 Tony Awards, visit https://apnews.com/hub/tony-awards.

Ms. Raman, a progressive lawmaker, pulled into second place in the race to see who will face Mayor Karen Bass in November. There are more votes to be counted.

Over the past two years, Dana White has repeatedly called out what he sees as flaws in the UFC’s rankings system. The UFC CEO has frequently criticized the media-voted rankings, arguing that they often fail to accurately reflect fighters’ performances and standing within their divisions. One of the most notable examples came in October 2024, when White blasted the rankings after Khalil Rountree Jr. remained at No. 8 in the light heavyweight division despite his spirited performance against Alex Pereira at UFC 307. White also took issue with pound-for-pound rankings that placed Islam Makhachev at No. 1 while Jon Jones was still actively competing, insisting that Jones was the greatest fighter of all time and the rightful holder of the top spot. The rankings came under fire again following UFC Paris in 2024. Renato Moicano delivered a dominant stoppage victory over Benoît Saint-Denis, yet his position remained unchanged at No. 11 in the lightweight rankings. The Brazilian publicly criticized the system, and White backed him wholeheartedly, even labeling the reporters responsible for the rankings as bums. White’s frustration extended to situations such as Max Holloway remaining ranked below Justin Gaethje despite scoring a dramatic knockout victory over him at UFC 300. In response, the UFC boss revealed that he had begun exploring technological alternatives to replace the current voting system. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Verdict MMA App (@verdictmma)ALSO READ:The Rock Among Celebrities Reportedly Skipping UFC’s Freedom 250 Card at the White House White confirmed that he had spoken with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg about the possibility of using artificial intelligence to remove human bias and media influence from the rankings process altogether. That long-discussed change now appears to be moving closer to reality. Under the current format, a panel of media members votes on weekly rankings updates. However, critics have pointed out that the publicly listed voting panel includes several outlets that are not really tuned in to correctly determine the changes, raising further questions about the system’s credibility.According to UFC commentator Brendan Fitzgerald during Saturday’s UFC Vegas 118 broadcast, a new rankings model is currently being developed. The announcer said, “For years, the top 15 in each division has shaped title shots, contender status, and how fans debate the sport. A new UFC ranking system is currently being developed that will be based on measurable performance, not opinion, not popularity. By evaluating who you beat, strength of competition, activity, and consistency. The system is being designed to reward performance and better reflect results inside the Octagon.” A new rankings system on the horizon? [ #UFCVegas118 | @paramountplus ] pic.twitter.com/ubj6yke9GV— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) June 7, 2026The key emphasis of the proposed system is that rankings will be determined entirely by measurable in-cage performance rather than by human voters who may be influenced by personal bias, subjective opinions, perceived intangibles, or a fighter’s name recognition. As previously noted, White has been highly critical of the current rankings process, repeatedly calling out what he views as inconsistencies and questionable decisions. He vowed to find a solution and suggested that artificial intelligence could play a significant role in the overhaul. Since then, there have been reports linking the UFC to discussions with both IBM and Meta regarding a potential AI-driven rankings model. Yet despite those early indications, no replacement system has materialized over the past year and a half.Fitzgerald did not provide any details regarding the rollout timeline, while the graphic shown during the broadcast simply stated that the new rankings system is coming soon. As a result, it remains unclear when the updated model will officially replace the current media-voted format. Although the UFC has traditionally allowed media members to determine the rankings, the promotion has always retained control over key decisions such as matchmaking, event placement, bout order, and title opportunities. While that authority is unlikely to change, the introduction of a performance-based rankings system could reduce the influence of popularity and public perception on a fighter’s standing.

Homestead (Fla.) Miami Palmetto three-star wide receiver Kaden Howard has flipped his commitment from Nebraska to Georgia Tech after taking an official visit to Atlanta.Howard committed to the Cornhuskers on March 20, but continued to keep his options open. Brent Key and the Yellow Jackets got him back to The Flats and now have flipped him away, continuing some serious momentum on the trail for the ACC program.He is the No. 826 overall prospect and No. 116 WR in the 2027 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 90 recruit in the Sunshine State.[ $19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverage ]The 5-foot-10, 145-pounder joins a class that ranks inside the top 30 of the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings. Howard is the first receiver prospect to choose the Jackets this cycle.This story will be updated.