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College World Series field is set: NCAA baseball super regionals winners and losers

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After dropping the first matchup in the best-of-three super regionals, No. 5 North Carolina walked off Southern California in Sunday’s elimination game to reach the College World Series for the second time in three years. This makes the Tar Heels the exception to the rule among the eight teams in this year’s World Series, which is set to begin on Friday at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska. UNC Is the only team in the field to have previously reached Omaha in the past three seasons. In fact, 23 different programs have played in the CWS since 2024, giving college baseball a distinctly more unpredictable vibe than postseasons in football and men’s and women’s basketball. Joining UNC are No. 3 Georgia, No. 6 Texas, No. 7 Alabama, No. 16 West Virginia, Oklahoma, Mississippi and Troy. We’ll see if recent experience gives UNC an edge. Another factor in the Tar Heels’ favor is a deep run of starting and bullpen arms that stepped up to hold the Trojans to just three runs in the final t...

Azzi Fudd is loving her WNBA experience

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Jun 5, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Dallas Wings guard Azzi Fudd (35) dribbles the ball against LA Sparks guard Kelsey Plum (10) in the second half at Crypto.com Arena. LOS ANGELES -- The Dallas Wings' Azzi Fudd is soaking in every moment. Drafted first overall by the Wings nearly two months ago, Fudd, just as nearly every WNBA draft pick before her, went straight from college to the pros in such a short period of time. There is hardly any time for her to transition to the big leagues but Fudd said before the Wings' game against the Sparks on Friday that the change to the professional level has been good. She feels she hasn't had that big "Welcome to the W moment" just yet. But she is loving being in the league. "I don't think there's been one big moment, but definitely a lot of little moments," Fudd said. "It's just like, wow, I'm really in the W." Fudd had a breakout game when the Wings defeated the Liberty in New York ...

Eli Barnes pitches around danger in Rossville baseball's regional win

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LAFAYETTE — Heat elevated from the artificial turf on a humid day at Loeb Stadium, but Eli Barnes wasn't feeling it. Rossville 's senior pitcher, admittedly nervous any time he's on the mound, felt a sense of coolness even with the bases loaded and no outs while nursing a 2-0 lead. This day, Barnes felt the Hornets could do no wrong. Barnes zoned in on catcher Nolan Britt and delivered. Riverton Parke No. 6 hitter Blake Todd clubbed a hard chopper right back at Barnes, who turned a 1-2-3 double play. An inning later, it was right fielder AJ Kelley who zoomed in to steal a base hit from the Panthers, only to double up a runner and help Barnes get out of a two-on, no-out scenario. "We're a team. It's not just me," Barnes said. "If I go and do my part, the whole team will do what we need to do to win." Barnes was proven correct in the Hornets' 3-0 victory over Riverton Parke for Rossville's first regional championship since 2019 . Tenth-rank...

NBA Finals Notebook: Knicks monitor Mitchell Robinson, brace for Spurs’ Game 2 counterpunch

The Knicks already did the hardest thing a road team can do to start an NBA Finals series. They took Game 1. Now comes the harder part for any team riding the high of a road win, convincing itself nothing has been taken yet. The Knicks lead the Finals after a 105-95 win over the San Antonio Spurs in the opener, but their public message entering Game 2 has been almost stubbornly plain. They haven’t talked like a team carrying a 12-game postseason winning streak. They haven’t acted like one win in San Antonio gave them anything beyond the right to prepare again. Karl-Anthony Towns didn’t dress up the point. “For me, I don’t think of anything like that, the 1-1, 2-0,” Towns said Thursday. “I just think it’s 0-0. The next game is the most important game of the year, so just continue to stay in the present, not worry about what the future may look like, not worry about what we’ve done in the past. Just cancel all that out and just worry about the present. Tomorrow when we step on the court...

Countdown to Kickoff – Best of the Last 20 Years: #93 Jaylen Pickle

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Sep 24, 2022; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Kansas State Wildcats defensive end Jaylen Pickle (93) reacts during the second half against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images Jaylen Pickle Bio Career:  2018 – 2022 Position:  Defensive Tackle / Defensive End Height:  6’5” Weight:  310 Hometown:  Cimarron, Kansas High School:  Cimmaron High School Career Stats Games Played:  36 Games Started:  7 Tackles:  42 Tackles For Loss:  3.5 Sacks:  1.5 Interceptions:  1 Passes Defended:  5 Notes High School Honorable Mention All-State as a Junior and Senior Four-Year Letter Winner – Football Four-Year All League – Football Four-Year Letter Winner – Basketball All League and All State – Basketball Three-Year Letter winner – Track and Field Golf Letter Winner Kansas State 2018: Redshirt 2019: Played in 1 game 2020 Played in 8 games with 2 starts 4 Tackles, 1 Interceptio...

49ers new DL addition has ‘completely impressed’ staff and become one of best leaders on the team

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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 17: Osa Odighizuwa #97 of the Dallas Cowboys looks on after a sack against the Las Vegas Raiders in the fourth quarter of a game at Allegiant Stadium on November 17, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images) | Getty Images The San Francisco 49ers looked to upgrade several positions on the roster this season, with the defensive line being a key priority for the team. The 49ers ranked dead last in the NFL in sacks last year, as injuries and talent issues derailed the team’s pass rush. Against the run, the 49ers were 20th in yards per carry, so there needed to be some improvements there as well. Part of that would come from development. The 49ers drafted three defensive linemen last season, and we saw growth from them throughout the year. Mykel Williams, taken in the first round, was seen as more of a developmental player with a high ceiling, and we saw him grow until he tore his ACL midway through the year. Alfred Collins was brought in ...

Everything Mike Vrabel said about A.J. Brown after blockbuster trade

FOXBOROUGH, Mass — New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel spoke with the media on Tuesday morning ahead of OTAs, but of course, all the focus was on their newly acquired wide receiver. The day prior, the Patriots traded for star receiver A.J. Brown, giving the Philadelphia Eagles a 2028 first and a 2027 fifth-round pick in return. Here's everything Mike Vrabel was asked about and had to say about Brown and the trade: Given your relationship with A.J. Brown, knowing him as a person and player, how important was it for you to make that deal happen? Vrabel:  I think just trying to improve our football team every possible way, give our offense multiple weapons to build on what we did last year. I think having experience with the person, to be able to add an accomplished NFL football player, receiver, premium player at his position, but somebody that we also feel strongly about as a person, a competitor and a teammate. I appreciate Eliot [Wolf] for being able to work and get...