DENVER (AP) — Former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has been added to the new Broncos ownership group.

Rob Walton announced the inclusion of Rice in a statement issued Monday on behalf of the Walton-Penner family ownership group. The group agreed to buy the franchise from the Pat Bowlen Trust last month for a reported $4.65 billion. It’s pending approval by the NFL.

“A highly respected public servant, accomplished academic and corporate leader, Secretary Rice is well known as a passionate and knowledgeable football fan who has worked to make the sport stronger and better,” Walton said in a statement. “Her unique experience and extraordinary judgment will be a great benefit to our group and the Broncos organization.”

Rice has strong ties to the Denver community. She received her undergraduate degree and Ph.D. from the University of Denver.

The former provost at Stanford University, Rice served as Secretary of State under President George W. Bush from 2005-09. She’s also been on the College Football Playoff selection committee and chaired a commission on college basketball.

The new ownership group is led by Walton and includes his daughter, Carrie Walton Penner, and her husband, Greg Penner.

Walton, 77, was chairman of Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, from 1992-2015, when he retired. He is the eldest son of founder Sam Walton and Helen Walton and has an estimated net worth of nearly $60 billion.

DENVER (AP) — Former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has been added to the new Broncos ownership group.Rob Walton announced the inclusion of Rice in a statement issued Monday on behalf of the Walton-Penner family ownership group. The group agreed to buy the franchise from the Pat Bowlen Trust last month for a reported $4.65 billion. It’s pending approval by the NFL.“A highly respected public servant, accomplished academic and corporate leader, Secretary Rice is well known as a passionate and knowledgeable football fan who has worked to make the sport stronger and better,” Walton said in a statement. “Her unique experience and extraordinary judgment will be a great benefit to our group and the Broncos organization.”Rice has strong ties to the Denver community. She received her undergraduate degree and Ph.D. from the University of Denver.The former provost at Stanford University, Rice served as Secretary of State under President George W. Bush from 2005-09. She’s also been on the College Football Playoff selection committee and chaired a commission on college basketball.The new ownership group is led by Walton and includes his daughter, Carrie Walton Penner, and her husband, Greg Penner.Walton, 77, was chairman of Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, from 1992-2015, when he retired. He is the eldest son of founder Sam Walton and Helen Walton and has an estimated net worth of nearly $60 billion.

Condoleezza Rice added to new Broncos ownership group

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. had his first career four-hit game along with three RBIs to help the Kansas City Royals beat the Detroit Tigers 7-3 Monday night for a doubleheader sweep.

In the opener, Brad Keller tossed seven strong innings and rookie Vinnie Pasquantino homered and drove in two runs as the Royals beat the Tigers 3-1.

Witt had a hit in each of the first three innings in the late game, giving him six hits for the doubleheader. He scored twice and stole three bases on the day.

“It was great,” Witt said of the sweep. “It started with Brad getting on the mound and attacking. We had a lot of energy."

Detroit starter Alex Faedo (1-5) slogged through a 37-pitch first inning, walking the bases full after Witt tied it with a double.

Witt delivered a second hit and RBI in the second inning, the third straight hit of the frame, giving Kansas City the lead.

Faedo was lifted after again loading the bases via walk. He recorded five outs while throwing 60 pitches, allowing four runs on four hits and four walks.

Ryan O’Hearn greeted reliever Tyler Alexander with a two-run single as the Royals batted around for a 4-1 second-inning advantage.

“We kept having really good at-bats,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “A couple of guys had real big days. Bobby had a real big day and was able to come through in big situations for us.”

MJ Melendez, who batted leadoff as a catcher — a franchise first — expanded the lead with a sacrifice fly the next inning.

Royals starter Daniel Lynch was greeted rudely in his return from the injured list, with Javier Baez drilling a first-pitch RBI double to score Robbie Grossman, who reached via error. Grossman collected singles in each of his next three at-bats.

Lynch struggled through four innings, allowing three runs on six hits, striking out three. He left after Grossman’s leadoff single in the fifth with a cut on his middle finger.

“He had a cut in a different spot than he had before,” Matheny said. “It was getting in the way of him throwing the slider."

Angel Zerpa (1-0) earned his first major league win with two innings of scoreless relief. He was the second of four Kansas City relievers.

Miguel Cabrera’s fifth-inning RBI double cut the Royals lead to 5-3. It was his 605th career double, tying him with Paul Molitor for 15th place on the career list, and his 1836th RBI, tying Cabrera with Ken Griffey, Jr., also for 15th place.

Injured Royals infielder Whit Merrifield didn’t play, ending his consecutive games streak at a franchise-record 553 — it dated to June 24, 2018, and was the longest active string in the majors.

“It’s been a great run for Whit,” Matheny said. “It’s just been impressive the way he’s been able to go about it.”

Merrifield exited Sunday’s game with right toe discomfort. He was fitted with a walking boot and is expected to be placed on the injured list due to a bone bruise and ligament swelling.

“It’s been a long run and I’m proud of it," he said.

In the opener, Keller (5-9) permitted only three singles while fanning eight. He has won three straight starts and four of his last five.

Scott Barlow earned his 14th save with a scoreless ninth.

Pasquantino lined the first pitch from Michael Pineda (2-4) into the right-field bullpen with two outs in the fourth to open the scoring. It was his second career homer, both against Pineda, and both on the first pitch in the fourth inning.

“I tried to execute my fastball and he got it,” Pineda said. “This is one of the pitches I missed today. I tried to locate my fastball a little more away because I know he wanted to swing.”

Pasquantino broke a 1-all tie with a sixth-inning single that drove in Witt.

Pineda worked into the sixth inning for only the second time in eight starts, allowing seven hits and three runs.

Riley Greene had two of Detroit’s four singles and scored their lone run in the sixth on Keller’s two-out wild pitch.

Monday’s doubleheader was the Tigers’ sixth of the season, second most in the majors behind Cleveland’s seven. The Royals swept a split doubleheader for the first time since taking both games against Tampa Bay July 7, 2015.

Royals LHP Foster Griffin was designated for assignment.

RHP Beau Brieske (2-6, 4.16 ERA) takes the mound for Detroit on Tuesday against LHP Kris Bubic (1-6, 6.84).

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. had his first career four-hit game along with three RBIs to help the Kansas City Royals beat the Detroit Tigers 7-3 Monday night for a doubleheader sweep.In the opener, Brad Keller tossed seven strong innings and rookie Vinnie Pasquantino homered and drove in two runs as the Royals beat the Tigers 3-1.Witt had a hit in each of the first three innings in the late game, giving him six hits for the doubleheader. He scored twice and stole three bases on the day.“It was great,” Witt said of the sweep. “It started with Brad getting on the mound and attacking. We had a lot of energy."Detroit starter Alex Faedo (1-5) slogged through a 37-pitch first inning, walking the bases full after Witt tied it with a double.Witt delivered a second hit and RBI in the second inning, the third straight hit of the frame, giving Kansas City the lead.Faedo was lifted after again loading the bases via walk. He recorded five outs while throwing 60 pitches, allowing four runs on four hits and four walks.Ryan O’Hearn greeted reliever Tyler Alexander with a two-run single as the Royals batted around for a 4-1 second-inning advantage.“We kept having really good at-bats,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “A couple of guys had real big days. Bobby had a real big day and was able to come through in big situations for us.”MJ Melendez, who batted leadoff as a catcher — a franchise first — expanded the lead with a sacrifice fly the next inning.Royals starter Daniel Lynch was greeted rudely in his return from the injured list, with Javier Baez drilling a first-pitch RBI double to score Robbie Grossman, who reached via error. Grossman collected singles in each of his next three at-bats.Lynch struggled through four innings, allowing three runs on six hits, striking out three. He left after Grossman’s leadoff single in the fifth with a cut on his middle finger.“He had a cut in a different spot than he had before,” Matheny said. “It was getting in the way of him throwing the slider."Angel Zerpa (1-0) earned his first major league win with two innings of scoreless relief. He was the second of four Kansas City relievers.Miguel Cabrera’s fifth-inning RBI double cut the Royals lead to 5-3. It was his 605th career double, tying him with Paul Molitor for 15th place on the career list, and his 1836th RBI, tying Cabrera with Ken Griffey, Jr., also for 15th place.The Tigers have lost four straight.Injured Royals infielder Whit Merrifield didn’t play, ending his consecutive games streak at a franchise-record 553 — it dated to June 24, 2018, and was the longest active string in the majors.“It’s been a great run for Whit,” Matheny said. “It’s just been impressive the way he’s been able to go about it.”Merrifield exited Sunday’s game with right toe discomfort. He was fitted with a walking boot and is expected to be placed on the injured list due to a bone bruise and ligament swelling.“It’s been a long run and I’m proud of it," he said.In the opener, Keller (5-9) permitted only three singles while fanning eight. He has won three straight starts and four of his last five.Scott Barlow earned his 14th save with a scoreless ninth.Pasquantino lined the first pitch from Michael Pineda (2-4) into the right-field bullpen with two outs in the fourth to open the scoring. It was his second career homer, both against Pineda, and both on the first pitch in the fourth inning.“I tried to execute my fastball and he got it,” Pineda said. “This is one of the pitches I missed today. I tried to locate my fastball a little more away because I know he wanted to swing.”Pasquantino broke a 1-all tie with a sixth-inning single that drove in Witt.Pineda worked into the sixth inning for only the second time in eight starts, allowing seven hits and three runs.Riley Greene had two of Detroit’s four singles and scored their lone run in the sixth on Keller’s two-out wild pitch.TWINBILLSMonday’s doubleheader was the Tigers’ sixth of the season, second most in the majors behind Cleveland’s seven. The Royals swept a split doubleheader for the first time since taking both games against Tampa Bay July 7, 2015.TRANSACTIONSRoyals LHP Foster Griffin was designated for assignment.UP NEXTRHP Beau Brieske (2-6, 4.16 ERA) takes the mound for Detroit on Tuesday against LHP Kris Bubic (1-6, 6.84).

Bobby Witt Jr. has 4 hits, Royals sweep twinbill vs Tigers

Kyle Kallander has a unique perspective on the latest round of chaos in college athletics.

As the final commissioner of the late, great Southwest Conference, he knows nothing is sacred.

Certainly not these days, when everyone is chasing the almighty dollar more than ever.

History and tradition? Those terms carry no weight in what has essentially become a game of Risk, with the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference taking turns rolling the dice to determine how to divvy up the world of college football.

“Depressing is the first word that comes to mind,” said Kallander, who now leads the Big South Conference, an FCS league based in North Carolina.

With Southern Cal and UCLA bolting for the Big Ten — and every indication that more jarring changes are coming — the Pac-12 could very well join the Southwest Conference in the dustbin of history.

For that matter, the Atlantic Coast Conference might soon become unrecognizable to its long-time fans, if it even survives. And the Big 12 is looking more and more irrelevant, scurrying around like a mouse looking for whatever crumbs will keep it alive.

Back in 1995 and ’96, Kallander took over the thankless duties of overseeing a dead man walking as the Southwest Conference completed its final, lame-duck year.

He knew what he was signing up for, but it was still a bit jarring to deal with the reality of a historic conference — which had been around since 1914, producing some of the greatest teams, rivalries and players in college football history — going out of business.

“That last year was a great in a lot of ways. We had a great celebration of the history of the conference. We had a lot of success athletically that year,” Kallander recalled in a phone call Friday.

“But then,” he added, “we got to March and April. It was like overseeing a funeral, and holding an estate sale, and giving last rites. It got a little bizarre at the end.”

The Pac-12 was apparently caught totally off guard when USC and UCLA defected to the Big Ten, much like the Big 12 was a deer in headlights when its two most prominent programs, Texas and Oklahoma, stunningly announced plans last summer to abandon ship for the SEC.

The downfall of the Southwest Conference proceeded in much the same fashion, pushed along largely by the same issue — college football television revenues — that’s driving the current state of affairs.

While the Southwest shot itself in the foot with plenty of scandals in the 1980s (resulting most notably in the death penalty for SMU), and was clearly on shaky ground after Arkansas left for the SEC in 1991, Kallander arrived at the conference office in Dallas a year later to find plenty of hope for survival.

“All of us still felt there was no way the conference was going away,” he said. “There was too much history.”

Indeed, for those who may have forgotten, the Southwest Conference produced five Heisman Trophy winners and four Associated Press national football champions during its storied existence.

But none of that mattered when the Big Eight, which had been in talks with the Southwest over a joint media venture, decided instead to just pluck off the four most lucrative SWC members — Texas, Texas A&amp;M, Texas Tech and Baylor — and carry on as the Big 12.

The four remaining Southwest members found new homes in less prominent conferences.

“We had the rug pulled out from under us by the announcement of the Big 12,” Kallander conceded. “It was shocking to everybody, including some league ADs who didn’t see it coming.”

That sounds very much like today’s Pac-12, which didn’t seem to sense at all that its two Los Angeles behemoths were chatting up the Big Ten.

Now, the vulture are hovering overhead, eager to pick through the remains.

Oregon and Washington could soon follow USC and UCLA to the Big Ten, which has become a 16-school monstrosity stretching from coast to coast. The Big 12, which has more lives than a cat, is reportedly eyeing Oregon and Washington, as well, along with other Pac-12 scraps such as Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah. No one seems to want Oregon State or Washington State, while academic powerhouses Stanford and Cal-Berkeley may have to decide whether to downgrade their football programs rather than join de facto pro leagues, especially in the wild, wild world of Name, Image and Likeness.

On the opposite coast, the ACC could soon find itself in a similar predicament to the Pac-12.

ACC powerhouse Clemson has long been reported to have its sights on the SEC, and Florida State could be another defector (though the Seminoles’ football program has recently fallen on hard times).

If the Big Ten wants to expand its national footprint even more, North Carolina (perhaps in tandem with Duke), Virginia and Georgia Tech are potential targets.

The ACC’s best hope for survival would appear to be somehow persuading Notre Dame to join as a football-playing member, but that’s likely nothing more than a pipe dream. If the Fighting Irish give up their treasured gridiron independence, it almost certainly will be to the Big Ten.

The ACC might have enough schools — and potential new members — to carry on in some format, but the league would be a hollow shell of where it stands today.

No one knows how this will all shake out, but there are plenty of reasons to be discouraged at the potential outcome.

Kallander already had a front-row seat the last time a major conference threw in the towel. He saw how it destroyed so many glorious traditions.

Now, he’s watching it all again, which is especially painful since he’s also a graduate of Washington.

“I think of all the great history, the rivalries and traditions of USC,” Kallander said. “They were a huge rival of ours in football when I was back in Washington in the 1980s and early ’90s. To see that fracture is real unfortunate.”

He’s not naive, of course. Kallander knows that dollar signs have always been the driving force behind college athletics.

A privileged group of schools are going to be much richer when this dust finally settles.

Paul Newberry is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at pnewberry(at)ap.org or at https://twitter.com/pnewberry1963

By Paul Newberry - Associated Press Kyle Kallander has a unique perspective on the latest round of chaos in college athletics.As the final commissioner of the late, great Southwest Conference, he knows nothing is sacred.Certainly not these days, when everyone is chasing the almighty dollar more than ever.History and tradition? Those terms carry no weight in what has essentially become a game of Risk, with the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference taking turns rolling the dice to determine how to divvy up the world of college football.“Depressing is the first word that comes to mind,” said Kallander, who now leads the Big South Conference, an FCS league based in North Carolina.With Southern Cal and UCLA bolting for the Big Ten — and every indication that more jarring changes are coming — the Pac-12 could very well join the Southwest Conference in the dustbin of history.For that matter, the Atlantic Coast Conference might soon become unrecognizable to its long-time fans, if it even survives. And the Big 12 is looking more and more irrelevant, scurrying around like a mouse looking for whatever crumbs will keep it alive.Back in 1995 and ’96, Kallander took over the thankless duties of overseeing a dead man walking as the Southwest Conference completed its final, lame-duck year.He knew what he was signing up for, but it was still a bit jarring to deal with the reality of a historic conference — which had been around since 1914, producing some of the greatest teams, rivalries and players in college football history — going out of business.“That last year was a great in a lot of ways. We had a great celebration of the history of the conference. We had a lot of success athletically that year,” Kallander recalled in a phone call Friday.“But then,” he added, “we got to March and April. It was like overseeing a funeral, and holding an estate sale, and giving last rites. It got a little bizarre at the end.”The Pac-12 was apparently caught totally off guard when USC and UCLA defected to the Big Ten, much like the Big 12 was a deer in headlights when its two most prominent programs, Texas and Oklahoma, stunningly announced plans last summer to abandon ship for the SEC.The downfall of the Southwest Conference proceeded in much the same fashion, pushed along largely by the same issue — college football television revenues — that’s driving the current state of affairs.While the Southwest shot itself in the foot with plenty of scandals in the 1980s (resulting most notably in the death penalty for SMU), and was clearly on shaky ground after Arkansas left for the SEC in 1991, Kallander arrived at the conference office in Dallas a year later to find plenty of hope for survival.False hope, it turned out.“All of us still felt there was no way the conference was going away,” he said. “There was too much history.”Indeed, for those who may have forgotten, the Southwest Conference produced five Heisman Trophy winners and four Associated Press national football champions during its storied existence.But none of that mattered when the Big Eight, which had been in talks with the Southwest over a joint media venture, decided instead to just pluck off the four most lucrative SWC members — Texas, Texas A&amp;M, Texas Tech and Baylor — and carry on as the Big 12.The four remaining Southwest members found new homes in less prominent conferences.And that was that.“We had the rug pulled out from under us by the announcement of the Big 12,” Kallander conceded. “It was shocking to everybody, including some league ADs who didn’t see it coming.”That sounds very much like today’s Pac-12, which didn’t seem to sense at all that its two Los Angeles behemoths were chatting up the Big Ten.Now, the vulture are hovering overhead, eager to pick through the remains.Oregon and Washington could soon follow USC and UCLA to the Big Ten, which has become a 16-school monstrosity stretching from coast to coast. The Big 12, which has more lives than a cat, is reportedly eyeing Oregon and Washington, as well, along with other Pac-12 scraps such as Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah. No one seems to want Oregon State or Washington State, while academic powerhouses Stanford and Cal-Berkeley may have to decide whether to downgrade their football programs rather than join de facto pro leagues, especially in the wild, wild world of Name, Image and Likeness.On the opposite coast, the ACC could soon find itself in a similar predicament to the Pac-12.ACC powerhouse Clemson has long been reported to have its sights on the SEC, and Florida State could be another defector (though the Seminoles’ football program has recently fallen on hard times).If the Big Ten wants to expand its national footprint even more, North Carolina (perhaps in tandem with Duke), Virginia and Georgia Tech are potential targets.The ACC’s best hope for survival would appear to be somehow persuading Notre Dame to join as a football-playing member, but that’s likely nothing more than a pipe dream. If the Fighting Irish give up their treasured gridiron independence, it almost certainly will be to the Big Ten.The ACC might have enough schools — and potential new members — to carry on in some format, but the league would be a hollow shell of where it stands today.No one knows how this will all shake out, but there are plenty of reasons to be discouraged at the potential outcome.Kallander already had a front-row seat the last time a major conference threw in the towel. He saw how it destroyed so many glorious traditions.Now, he’s watching it all again, which is especially painful since he’s also a graduate of Washington.“I think of all the great history, the rivalries and traditions of USC,” Kallander said. “They were a huge rival of ours in football when I was back in Washington in the 1980s and early ’90s. To see that fracture is real unfortunate.”He’s not naive, of course. Kallander knows that dollar signs have always been the driving force behind college athletics.A privileged group of schools are going to be much richer when this dust finally settles.But at what cost?Paul Newberry is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at pnewberry(at)ap.org or at https://twitter.com/pnewberry1963

Column: Colleges pursue almighty dollar, but at what cost?

Raymond Lee, one of the greatest players in Fort Hays State Men's Basketball history and member of the Tiger Sports Hall of Fame, passed away on June 16, 2022. The Detroit, Michigan native was 58 years old.

Lee helped Fort Hays State to consecutive NAIA National Championships in 1983-84 and 1984-85. The four-year standout from Detroit, Michigan played the most games of any player in the program's history, taking the court 145 times. In four seasons at FHSU, Lee amassed a school record 899 assists. He is third on the all-time scoring list with 1,615 points, but was second at the time he completed his career.

Lee is one of the most decorated players in program history. He is the only three-time All-America selection in program history, earning the distinction as a sophomore (1984), junior (1985), and senior (1986). He is one of 10 players in program history to accomplish All-America honors at least twice. Fort Hays State enjoyed an overall record of 127-18 over his four seasons on the court at FHSU, including three conference regular season titles to go with the two national titles during that span. He was an all-conference selection all four of his seasons at FHSU and was the Central States Intercollegiate Conference (CSIC) Freshman of the Year in 1982-83.

The Life Celebration Service for Raymond Lee will be on Saturday, July 16, 2022 from 2-3:30 p.m. at The Episcopal Church of the Redeemer in Kansas City, Mo. (Address - 7110 North State Route 9). Lee's family will also be holding a Repass Dinner on Saturday, July 16 from 4-11 p.m. at the Marriott Kansas City Airport (Address - 775 Brasilia Ave. Kansas City, MO).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657563792580.jpeg" alt="Fort Hays State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>Raymond Lee, one of the greatest players in Fort Hays State Men's Basketball history and member of the Tiger Sports Hall of Fame, passed away on June 16, 2022. The Detroit, Michigan native was 58 years old.Lee helped Fort Hays State to consecutive NAIA National Championships in 1983-84 and 1984-85. The four-year standout from Detroit, Michigan played the most games of any player in the program's history, taking the court 145 times. In four seasons at FHSU, Lee amassed a school record 899 assists. He is third on the all-time scoring list with 1,615 points, but was second at the time he completed his career.Lee is one of the most decorated players in program history. He is the only three-time All-America selection in program history, earning the distinction as a sophomore (1984), junior (1985), and senior (1986). He is one of 10 players in program history to accomplish All-America honors at least twice. Fort Hays State enjoyed an overall record of 127-18 over his four seasons on the court at FHSU, including three conference regular season titles to go with the two national titles during that span. He was an all-conference selection all four of his seasons at FHSU and was the Central States Intercollegiate Conference (CSIC) Freshman of the Year in 1982-83.The Life Celebration Service for Raymond Lee will be on Saturday, July 16, 2022 from 2-3:30 p.m. at The Episcopal Church of the Redeemer in Kansas City, Mo. (Address - 7110 North State Route 9). Lee's family will also be holding a Repass Dinner on Saturday, July 16 from 4-11 p.m. at the Marriott Kansas City Airport (Address - 775 Brasilia Ave. Kansas City, MO).

Tiger Basketball Great Raymond Lee Passes Away

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals traded their competitive balance pick in the upcoming amateur draft to the Atlanta Braves on Monday for a trio of minor league players, including former second-round pick Drew Waters.

Unlike regular draft picks, competitive balance selections can be traded provided they are not dealt for cash. The one sent to the Braves is No. 35 overall, which means it comes between Sunday's first round and the second round.

The 23-year-old Waters, an outfielder picked 41st overall in the 2017 draft, was hitting .252 while playing primarily with Triple-A Gwinnett this season. He spent last season at the Triple-A level, where he stole 28 bases in 103 games, and has been optioned by Kansas City to its Triple-A club at Omaha.

The other two players acquired by the Royals are right-hander Andrew Hoffman, who is 7-2 with a 2.36 ERA in 15 starts at Class-A Rome this season, and infielder CJ Alexander, who is hitting .258 at Double-A Mississippi.

The Royals assigned both of those players to Double-A Northwest Arkansas.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals traded their competitive balance pick in the upcoming amateur draft to the Atlanta Braves on Monday for a trio of minor league players, including former second-round pick Drew Waters.Unlike regular draft picks, competitive balance selections can be traded provided they are not dealt for cash. The one sent to the Braves is No. 35 overall, which means it comes between Sunday's first round and the second round.The 23-year-old Waters, an outfielder picked 41st overall in the 2017 draft, was hitting .252 while playing primarily with Triple-A Gwinnett this season. He spent last season at the Triple-A level, where he stole 28 bases in 103 games, and has been optioned by Kansas City to its Triple-A club at Omaha.The other two players acquired by the Royals are right-hander Andrew Hoffman, who is 7-2 with a 2.36 ERA in 15 starts at Class-A Rome this season, and infielder CJ Alexander, who is hitting .258 at Double-A Mississippi.The Royals assigned both of those players to Double-A Northwest Arkansas.

Royals send No. 35 pick to Braves for trio of prospects

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657562768309.png" alt="Bat Cat Baseball Show 7/11/22" />
 <figcaption>Bat Cat Baseball Show 7/11/22</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/zfwghw3e/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>

Bat Cats baseball talk with Roger Ward (7/11)

T-Ball Girls Champions Team Name: Phoenix Head Coach: Darcy Leech Record: (5-0-1)

Roster: Hannah Leech Braylyn Lira Keeley Meyer Leah Marcic Gwen Engle Zailey Aumiller Arely Garcia Lexi Guerra Aubree Trahan Natlyn Hernandez Evelin Bujanda

T-Ball Boys Champions Team Name: Storm Chasers Head Coach: Clint Pangburn Record: (6-0)

Roster: Braxton Pangburn Kaceton Pangburn Kenton Klug Hayden Ferguson Conor Kennedy Kohan Honomichl Carter Webster Zeke Rathbun Liam Talamantes Colsen Peters Trevin Nagel Aloysius "Al" Bahr Emanuel Hernandez&nbsp;

Rookie Girls Champions Team Name: Lady Panthers Head Coach: Jennifer Uridel Record: (5-1)

Roster: Brielle Kultgen Kamry Shull Rylee Snook Kimber Rowe Amelia Uridel Kimberly Enriquez Alesy Prieto Devyn Campbell Trinity Detrich Aili Weber Jadyn Campbell

Rookie Boys Champions Team Name: Demons Head Coach: Jason Perry Record: (6-0)

Roster: Colton Klein Reid Perry Brody Reifschneider Cooper Garrett Aiden Thomas Chase Perry Sullivan Devlin Grady Weber William Moeder Austin Flores

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657545805110.jpeg" alt="Phoenix&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Phoenix&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>T-Ball Girls Champions Team Name: Phoenix Head Coach: Darcy Leech Record: (5-0-1)Roster: Hannah Leech Braylyn Lira Keeley Meyer Leah Marcic Gwen Engle Zailey Aumiller Arely Garcia Lexi Guerra Aubree Trahan Natlyn Hernandez Evelin Bujanda <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657545829285.jpeg" alt="Storm Chasers" />
 <figcaption>Storm Chasers</figcaption>
 </figure>T-Ball Boys Champions Team Name: Storm Chasers Head Coach: Clint Pangburn Record: (6-0)Roster: Braxton Pangburn Kaceton Pangburn Kenton Klug Hayden Ferguson Conor Kennedy Kohan Honomichl Carter Webster Zeke Rathbun Liam Talamantes Colsen Peters Trevin Nagel Aloysius "Al" Bahr Emanuel Hernandez&nbsp; <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657545858821.jpeg" alt="Lady Panthers" />
 <figcaption>Lady Panthers</figcaption>
 </figure>Rookie Girls Champions Team Name: Lady Panthers Head Coach: Jennifer Uridel Record: (5-1)Roster: Brielle Kultgen Kamry Shull Rylee Snook Kimber Rowe Amelia Uridel Kimberly Enriquez Alesy Prieto Devyn Campbell Trinity Detrich Aili Weber Jadyn Campbell <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657545876060.jpeg" alt="Demons" />
 <figcaption>Demons</figcaption>
 </figure>Rookie Boys Champions Team Name: Demons Head Coach: Jason Perry Record: (6-0)Roster: Colton Klein Reid Perry Brody Reifschneider Cooper Garrett Aiden Thomas Chase Perry Sullivan Devlin Grady Weber William Moeder Austin Flores

Great Bend Rec T-Ball & Rookie champions

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Michael A. Taylor hit a game-ending RBI single, and the Kansas City Royals beat the slumping Cleveland Guardians 4-3 on Friday night.

Vinnie Pasquantino opened the Kansas City ninth with a double to right against Sam Hentges (2-1) that nearly cleared the fence. Edward Olivares then entered the game as a pinch-runner.

“I’m really happy that I kept hitting even though a lefty was pitching,” Pasquantino said. “At the end of the day, I’m glad we set the stage for Michael to send us home.”

After Kyle Isbel struck out on a foul bunt, Taylor poked a 1-2 pitch into right for the winning hit.

“Two strikes I was just trying to protect and make contact and was thinking the other way,” Taylor said. “It’s a lot of fun especially with all the energy in this ballpark and the fans.”

Cleveland led 3-1 after seven innings, but Whit Merrifield hit a tying two-run homer in the eighth against Eli Morgan. It was just his second homer in 42 games.

“That was one of my better ones,” Merrifield said. “It even kind of left me on balance so I could kind of admire it.”

The Guardians have lost five straight and seven of eight overall.

Scott Barlow (3-2) pitched a shaky ninth for the win. Cleveland loaded the bases with one out, but Myles Straw bounced into a forceout at home and Steven Kwan flied to right.

“We knew it had to be hit real hard to have a chance,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said about the forceout. “We like Scott’s chances and Isbel made a nice play in right field to put that away.”

Franmil Reyes hit a tiebreaking two-run homer for the Guardians in the seventh. Aaron Civale pitched seven effective innings in his longest outing since June 11, 2021.

“Luckily Franmil took a really good swing because (Brady) Singer pitched well,” Cleveland manager Terry Francona said.

Cleveland prospect Nolan Jones hit an RBI double in his first major league at-bat in the second. He also singled in the seventh.

“He swung the bat really well,” Francona said. “I’m sure his heart was beating a beat or two, but I thought we swung the ball well.”

Reyes hit his eighth homer on a 3-0 pitch from Singer. He also went deep during Wednesday’s 8-2 loss at Detroit.

Civale allowed six hits, struck out six and walked none.

“I think I just needed to focus on me,” Civale said. “My skillset is reading hitters and reading the game. I am trying to get a little bit away from the scouting report and focus on that.”

Andrew Benintendi hit an RBI single for Kansas City in the third. Singer allowed six hits, struck out five and walked none in seven innings.

Guardians: Activated C Austin Hedges from the injured list and designated C Sandy León for assignment.

The Guardians also recalled Jones from Triple-A and optioned OF Richie Palacios.

The Guardians send RHP Triston McKenzie (5-6, 3.71 ERA) to the mound against RHP Jonathan Heasley (1-4, 4.76 ERA) for the Royals on Saturday.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Michael A. Taylor hit a game-ending RBI single, and the Kansas City Royals beat the slumping Cleveland Guardians 4-3 on Friday night.Vinnie Pasquantino opened the Kansas City ninth with a double to right against Sam Hentges (2-1) that nearly cleared the fence. Edward Olivares then entered the game as a pinch-runner.“I’m really happy that I kept hitting even though a lefty was pitching,” Pasquantino said. “At the end of the day, I’m glad we set the stage for Michael to send us home.”After Kyle Isbel struck out on a foul bunt, Taylor poked a 1-2 pitch into right for the winning hit.“Two strikes I was just trying to protect and make contact and was thinking the other way,” Taylor said. “It’s a lot of fun especially with all the energy in this ballpark and the fans.”Cleveland led 3-1 after seven innings, but Whit Merrifield hit a tying two-run homer in the eighth against Eli Morgan. It was just his second homer in 42 games.“That was one of my better ones,” Merrifield said. “It even kind of left me on balance so I could kind of admire it.”The Guardians have lost five straight and seven of eight overall.Scott Barlow (3-2) pitched a shaky ninth for the win. Cleveland loaded the bases with one out, but Myles Straw bounced into a forceout at home and Steven Kwan flied to right.“We knew it had to be hit real hard to have a chance,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said about the forceout. “We like Scott’s chances and Isbel made a nice play in right field to put that away.”Franmil Reyes hit a tiebreaking two-run homer for the Guardians in the seventh. Aaron Civale pitched seven effective innings in his longest outing since June 11, 2021.“Luckily Franmil took a really good swing because (Brady) Singer pitched well,” Cleveland manager Terry Francona said.Cleveland prospect Nolan Jones hit an RBI double in his first major league at-bat in the second. He also singled in the seventh.“He swung the bat really well,” Francona said. “I’m sure his heart was beating a beat or two, but I thought we swung the ball well.”Reyes hit his eighth homer on a 3-0 pitch from Singer. He also went deep during Wednesday’s 8-2 loss at Detroit.Civale allowed six hits, struck out six and walked none.“I think I just needed to focus on me,” Civale said. “My skillset is reading hitters and reading the game. I am trying to get a little bit away from the scouting report and focus on that.”Andrew Benintendi hit an RBI single for Kansas City in the third. Singer allowed six hits, struck out five and walked none in seven innings.TRAINER’S ROOMGuardians: Activated C Austin Hedges from the injured list and designated C Sandy León for assignment.ROSTER MOVESThe Guardians also recalled Jones from Triple-A and optioned OF Richie Palacios.UP NEXTThe Guardians send RHP Triston McKenzie (5-6, 3.71 ERA) to the mound against RHP Jonathan Heasley (1-4, 4.76 ERA) for the Royals on Saturday.

Taylor gets winning hit as Royals beat slumping Guardians

After winning last
season’s Big 12 Football Championship, Baylor was picked to repeat
in the Conference’s 2022 preseason poll, voted on by media
representatives. The Bears are the top choice in the rankings for the
first time in Big 12 history and broke Oklahoma’s six-year streak
as the favorite.

First-place votes
were spread among five teams with Baylor receiving 17 and a total of
365 points. Oklahoma placed second with 12 and 354 points. Oklahoma
State, also a participant in the 2021 Big 12 Football Championship
Game, nabbed nine first-place selections with 342 points. Texas
claimed two and a total of 289 points while Kansas State rounded out
the top five in the poll with 261 points. Iowa State also received a
first-place vote to place sixth with 180 points. The remaining
positions were 7. TCU (149 points), 8. West Virginia (147 points), 9.
Texas Tech (119 points) and 10. Kansas (48 points).

Big 12 Football
Media Days, Presented by Old Trapper will be conducted next Wednesday
and Thursday, July 13-14. Coverage from both days will be provided on
ESPNU and Big 12 Now on ESPN+, including the introductory press
conference for incoming commissioner Brett Yormark on Wednesday at
8:30 a.m. CT. For additional information, follow Big12Sports.com and
the Conference’s official social media platforms.

2022 Big 12
Football Media Preseason Poll

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657273290056.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>After winning last
season’s Big 12 Football Championship, Baylor was picked to repeat
in the Conference’s 2022 preseason poll, voted on by media
representatives. The Bears are the top choice in the rankings for the
first time in Big 12 history and broke Oklahoma’s six-year streak
as the favorite.First-place votes
were spread among five teams with Baylor receiving 17 and a total of
365 points. Oklahoma placed second with 12 and 354 points. Oklahoma
State, also a participant in the 2021 Big 12 Football Championship
Game, nabbed nine first-place selections with 342 points. Texas
claimed two and a total of 289 points while Kansas State rounded out
the top five in the poll with 261 points. Iowa State also received a
first-place vote to place sixth with 180 points. The remaining
positions were 7. TCU (149 points), 8. West Virginia (147 points), 9.
Texas Tech (119 points) and 10. Kansas (48 points).Big 12 Football
Media Days, Presented by Old Trapper will be conducted next Wednesday
and Thursday, July 13-14. Coverage from both days will be provided on
ESPNU and Big 12 Now on ESPN+, including the introductory press
conference for incoming commissioner Brett Yormark on Wednesday at
8:30 a.m. CT. For additional information, follow Big12Sports.com and
the Conference’s official social media platforms.2022 Big 12
Football Media Preseason Poll 1. Baylor
(17), 365 2. Oklahoma
(12), 354 3. Oklahoma
State (9), 342 4. Texas (2),
289 5. Kansas
State, 261 6. Iowa State
(1), 180 7. TCU, 149 8. West
Virginia, 147 9. Texas
Tech, 119 10. Kansas,
48First-place votes
in parenthesis.

Baylor Makes First Appearance Atop Big 12 Football Media Preseason Poll

HOUSTON (AP) — In a career with so many accomplishments, Justin Verlander's success this season after missing almost two years with an elbow injury has been particularly sweet.

“Of course," the Houston Astros right-hander said when asked if his stellar start means a lot to him. “Yeah, absolutely. We’ve talked about it a lot, just so much hard work since the since the surgery and it’s nice to see it pay off and hopefully — knock on wood — it continues."

Verlander got his 11th win, Yordan Alvarez hit his 26th homer and the Astros beat the Kansas City Royals 5-2 on Thursday to take the series 3-1.

Jose Altuve added a homer and three RBIs for the Astros, who bounced back after a 7-4 loss Wednesday night that snapped an eight-game winning streak.

Verlander (11-3) grinded through six innings, allowing seven hits and two runs — one earned — with eight strikeouts to lower his ERA to 2.00 in his remarkable return from Tommy John surgery. His ERA, opponent average (.190) and WHIP (0.97) all rank second in the AL. He shares the MLB lead in victories with the Dodgers’ Tony Gonsolin (11-0).

“I had to make some pitches in some big spots and trust my defense behind me," he said. “Every game is not going to go perfectly without traffic. Today was one of those games where you had to grind a bit."

The Royals led 2-0 and Kris Bubic (1-6) had walked five batters but had allowed just one hit — a single by Jake Meyers in the second — when Martín Maldonado doubled with one out in the fifth.

Altuve then jumped on the first pitch, sending it into the seats in left field to tie it at 2-2.

There were two outs in the inning when Alvarez connected on his opposite-field shot to the first row in left field to put the Astros on top 3-2. His 26 home runs rank second in the AL to Yankees star Aaron Judge, who has 30.

Altuve was asked if he's impressed by what Alvarez does day after day.

“We enjoy the way he goes out there and everything he does,” Altuve said. “So sometimes we get surprised, sometimes not. We've seen good swings from him and it seems like every day he comes ready to hit the ball.”

Houston added two insurance runs in the eighth on a sacrifice fly by Altuve and an RBI double by Aledmys Díaz.

Ryan Pressly pitched a scoreless ninth for his 18th save.

Verlander has 24 wins against the Royals, which is his most against any team and ties him with Nolan Ryan for fourth-most in league history against Kansas City.

The Royals led early in this one just as they had in the first three games of the series.

Emmanuel Rivera and Edward Olivares hit consecutive singles to start the second. Rivera was picked off trying to steal third for the second out before a single by Nicky Lopez scored Olivares to put Kansas City up 1-0.

Olivares got things going in the fourth when he singled with no outs and made it all the way to third on the play on an error by center fielder Meyers. The Royals made it 2-0 when Olivares scored on a sacrifice fly by Kyle Isbel.

Verlander took a one-hopper hit by MJ Melendez off the leg with one out in the fifth. It didn’t slow him down, as he chased the ball after it deflected off his leg and made the throw in time to beat Melendez to first.

Rivera singled to start the sixth before Verlander walked Isbel with one out. After a short visit to the mound, Verlander retired Lopez and Cam Gallagher on groundouts to preserve the lead and end his day.

Bubic yielded four hits and three runs while tying a career high with six walks in 5 1/3 innings for his second straight loss.

Manager Mike Matheny was disappointed in the number of walks Bubic issued Thursday.

“I just want him to continue to understand how his aggressiveness is going to be very beneficial to him," Matheny said. “But I thought his stuff was good."

Royals: INF Bobby Witt Jr. was out of the lineup for a second straight game after fouling a ball off his hand Tuesday night. He still had some swelling Thursday, but Matheny said he expected Witt to hit in the cage and that he was still listed as day to day.

Astros: SS Jeremy Peña was scratched from the lineup about an hour before the game due to health and safety protocols. Manager Dusty Baker said Peña was sick but would travel with the team to Oakland Thursday night.

Thursday's win was a milestone for Baker, moving him out of a tie with Walter Alston into sole possession of ninth place on the all-time wins list with 2,041.

Royals: Brady Singer (3-3, 4.30 ERA) will face Cleveland’s Aaron Civale (2-5, 7.05) on Friday night in the opener of a three-game series against the Guardians.

Astros: José Urquidy (7-3, 4.15) will oppose Oakland’s Paul Blackburn (6-3, 2.90) when the Astros open a three-game series against the Athletics on Friday night.

HOUSTON (AP) — In a career with so many accomplishments, Justin Verlander's success this season after missing almost two years with an elbow injury has been particularly sweet.“Of course," the Houston Astros right-hander said when asked if his stellar start means a lot to him. “Yeah, absolutely. We’ve talked about it a lot, just so much hard work since the since the surgery and it’s nice to see it pay off and hopefully — knock on wood — it continues."Verlander got his 11th win, Yordan Alvarez hit his 26th homer and the Astros beat the Kansas City Royals 5-2 on Thursday to take the series 3-1.Jose Altuve added a homer and three RBIs for the Astros, who bounced back after a 7-4 loss Wednesday night that snapped an eight-game winning streak.Verlander (11-3) grinded through six innings, allowing seven hits and two runs — one earned — with eight strikeouts to lower his ERA to 2.00 in his remarkable return from Tommy John surgery. His ERA, opponent average (.190) and WHIP (0.97) all rank second in the AL. He shares the MLB lead in victories with the Dodgers’ Tony Gonsolin (11-0).“I had to make some pitches in some big spots and trust my defense behind me," he said. “Every game is not going to go perfectly without traffic. Today was one of those games where you had to grind a bit."The Royals led 2-0 and Kris Bubic (1-6) had walked five batters but had allowed just one hit — a single by Jake Meyers in the second — when Martín Maldonado doubled with one out in the fifth.Altuve then jumped on the first pitch, sending it into the seats in left field to tie it at 2-2.There were two outs in the inning when Alvarez connected on his opposite-field shot to the first row in left field to put the Astros on top 3-2. His 26 home runs rank second in the AL to Yankees star Aaron Judge, who has 30.Altuve was asked if he's impressed by what Alvarez does day after day.“We enjoy the way he goes out there and everything he does,” Altuve said. “So sometimes we get surprised, sometimes not. We've seen good swings from him and it seems like every day he comes ready to hit the ball.”Houston added two insurance runs in the eighth on a sacrifice fly by Altuve and an RBI double by Aledmys Díaz.Ryan Pressly pitched a scoreless ninth for his 18th save.Verlander has 24 wins against the Royals, which is his most against any team and ties him with Nolan Ryan for fourth-most in league history against Kansas City.The Royals led early in this one just as they had in the first three games of the series.Emmanuel Rivera and Edward Olivares hit consecutive singles to start the second. Rivera was picked off trying to steal third for the second out before a single by Nicky Lopez scored Olivares to put Kansas City up 1-0.Olivares got things going in the fourth when he singled with no outs and made it all the way to third on the play on an error by center fielder Meyers. The Royals made it 2-0 when Olivares scored on a sacrifice fly by Kyle Isbel.Verlander took a one-hopper hit by MJ Melendez off the leg with one out in the fifth. It didn’t slow him down, as he chased the ball after it deflected off his leg and made the throw in time to beat Melendez to first.Rivera singled to start the sixth before Verlander walked Isbel with one out. After a short visit to the mound, Verlander retired Lopez and Cam Gallagher on groundouts to preserve the lead and end his day.Bubic yielded four hits and three runs while tying a career high with six walks in 5 1/3 innings for his second straight loss.Manager Mike Matheny was disappointed in the number of walks Bubic issued Thursday.“I just want him to continue to understand how his aggressiveness is going to be very beneficial to him," Matheny said. “But I thought his stuff was good."TRAINER’S ROOMRoyals: INF Bobby Witt Jr. was out of the lineup for a second straight game after fouling a ball off his hand Tuesday night. He still had some swelling Thursday, but Matheny said he expected Witt to hit in the cage and that he was still listed as day to day.Astros: SS Jeremy Peña was scratched from the lineup about an hour before the game due to health and safety protocols. Manager Dusty Baker said Peña was sick but would travel with the team to Oakland Thursday night.DUSTY'S MILESTONEThursday's win was a milestone for Baker, moving him out of a tie with Walter Alston into sole possession of ninth place on the all-time wins list with 2,041.UP NEXTRoyals: Brady Singer (3-3, 4.30 ERA) will face Cleveland’s Aaron Civale (2-5, 7.05) on Friday night in the opener of a three-game series against the Guardians.Astros: José Urquidy (7-3, 4.15) will oppose Oakland’s Paul Blackburn (6-3, 2.90) when the Astros open a three-game series against the Athletics on Friday night.

Verlander earns 11th win, leading Astros past Royals 5-2

After the first year of college sports’ name, image and likeness era, football and men’s basketball still claim the throne for the number of deals and average compensation, and social media remains the most popular way to get that NIL money.

The total amount spent was about $917 million, NIL platform Opendorse estimated.

An average football deal comes out to nearly $3,400 on two platforms. And while softball and women’s basketball generally landed in the top five overall, when you subtract football, women’s sports are getting more deals than men’s sports, Opendorse said. Female gymnasts make big bucks, too: about $7,000 on average per deal, according to NIL platform INFLCR.

A full accounting of the first year of NIL, from July 1, 2021, to June 30 is hard to come by, for numerous reasons. The majority of schools don’t make public the number of deals and amounts their athletes have received (though a couple have divulged some information in what could be considered recruiting or marketing strategy).

There also is no central framework for how and when deals should be reported.

“You have all of these different stakeholders involved in this ecosystem and a lack of consistency, not just in platform where information is being reported, but in requirements relative to what information is necessary,” said Andrew Donovan, the executive vice president of collegiate partnerships at Altius Sports.

So it’s up to major NIL tech platforms — some of which facilitate deals and disclosures, and others disclosures only — to fill in the gaps. Sort of.

“I know that what’s being reported is not a full picture,” said Donovan, whose organization works with 30 schools on education and strategic guidance and talks with donors, boosters, corporate partners and others. ”... Athletes are regularly acknowledging to us that they’re not disclosing. Schools are regularly communicating the struggles that they’re having getting athletes to disclose ... It’s very clear that this is not a full, complete picture of what’s going on in the NIL space.”

What lies ahead for Year 2, beyond maybe new laws or group licensing? Opendorse thinks it’s the potential of NIL spending topping more than $1 billion.

An estimated $607.4 million could go to Power Five schools, with an average annual compensation $16,074 per athlete, Opendorse said. Already, about three-fourths of the known or forming collectives, which are third-party NIL kingmakers made up of school donors and boosters, are connected to Power Five schools.

Athletes’ deals with brands — from financial businesses to apps to fashion — will likely rise, too. Opendorse projects that brand deals will encompass 64% of all NIL compensation in Year 2 and bring in about $730.4 million.

Donovan, a former president of the National Association for Athletics Compliance, also believes there will be more importance placed on helping athletes understand tax implications of NIL deals: “There’s several schools across the country that are doing a good job there, but that needs to be built out as we see these large financial figures.”

It’s a broad range. INFLCR’s overall average NIL transaction value is $1,815 through June 30. Athliance, another disclosure platform, has an average value of $1,524.58. Though the true picture may lie in INFLCR’s median NIL transaction value of $53.

The Opendorse platform said average annual compensation for an athlete in NCAA Divisions I-III combined is $3,438 ( through May 31). By division, DI athletes saw an average of $3,711, $204 in DII and $309 in DIII.

Football NIL deals tend to be hefty, with an average of $3,390.95 on Athliance and $3,396 on INFLCR. Opendorse broke down average compensation per football position, ranging from $403 for a specialist, $758 for the defensive line and $2,128 for quarterback.

Women’s sports overall received $1,084 on average for an NIL deal, per INFLCR, with women’s gymnastics soaring to a $7,054 average.

Some of the average transaction figures for nonrevenue sports through May 31 on INFLCR were surprising: $8,967 for swimming and diving, $6,087 for rifle and $4,813 for men’s golf — all higher than football and in the platform’s top five. Athliance cited an average of $1,850 for hockey, $1,400 for waterskiing and $1,026.67 for indoor track and field.

As of June 20, men’s sports received 62.7% of total compensation in the NCAA and NAIA combined, compared with 37.3% for women’s sports, Opendorse said. Remove football and women flip it to 52.8% vs. 47.2% for men. The difference in Division III was stark through May 31: 82.9% men vs. 17.1% women.

Football (49.9%) and men’s basketball (17%) dominated total NIL compensation by sport in Opendorse’s platform through June 20, with women’s basketball (15.7%), women’s volleyball (2.3%) and softball (2.1%) rounding out the top five. Football also took the top spot in INFLCR’s number of NIL transactions through May 31 with 23.7%, followed by men’s basketball (22.3%), softball (8.2%), baseball (6%) and women’s basketball (4.7%).

When it comes to total NIL activities, Opendorse says football (29.3%) is the leader, then baseball (8%), men’s basketball (7.6%), women’s track and field (5.6%) and women’s volleyball (5.5%).

Donor money also favors men’s sports — a whopping 93% of it, Opendorse said. The average monthly compensation from donors at the DI level is $1,012.

Meanwhile, 91% of all women’s NIL activities are brand-related on Opendorse’s platform, but 62% of all brand compensation went to men’s sports.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR YOUR DOUGH?

Social media remains supreme for NIL activity/transactions — 67.6% from Opendorse and 61% from INFLCR, both as of June 30. The average value of a social media NIL transaction is $905 and the median is $50, INFLCR said.

Multi-activity brand endorsement — endorsing something more than once — has a major share in Opendorse’s platform at 24.4% of NIL compensation. When it comes to brand activity, 36.73% is licensing rights for an average of $9,877 per deal and 34.19% is posting content with an average of $156 per post.

Ohio State says its athletes have gotten more than 1,000 NIL deals since July 1, 2021 — up from about 600 worth a total of $2.98 million at the six-month mark.

Kansas athletes inked 219 deals from July 1, 2021, to May 5 — a period that includes the Jayhawks winning the men’s NCAA basketball tournament — for a total value of $380,915.01, according to public records obtained by the Topeka Capital-Journal. The majority of deals were for less than $1,000.

At least one Kansas athlete from all 18 sports had at least one deal, according to a recent release from the school.

And at Norfolk State, running back Rayquan Smith let everyone know he has 66 NIL deals, calling himself the “ King of NIL.”

After the first year of college sports’ name, image and likeness era, football and men’s basketball still claim the throne for the number of deals and average compensation, and social media remains the most popular way to get that NIL money.The total amount spent was about $917 million, NIL platform Opendorse estimated.An average football deal comes out to nearly $3,400 on two platforms. And while softball and women’s basketball generally landed in the top five overall, when you subtract football, women’s sports are getting more deals than men’s sports, Opendorse said. Female gymnasts make big bucks, too: about $7,000 on average per deal, according to NIL platform INFLCR.A full accounting of the first year of NIL, from July 1, 2021, to June 30 is hard to come by, for numerous reasons. The majority of schools don’t make public the number of deals and amounts their athletes have received (though a couple have divulged some information in what could be considered recruiting or marketing strategy).There also is no central framework for how and when deals should be reported.“You have all of these different stakeholders involved in this ecosystem and a lack of consistency, not just in platform where information is being reported, but in requirements relative to what information is necessary,” said Andrew Donovan, the executive vice president of collegiate partnerships at Altius Sports.So it’s up to major NIL tech platforms — some of which facilitate deals and disclosures, and others disclosures only — to fill in the gaps. Sort of.“I know that what’s being reported is not a full picture,” said Donovan, whose organization works with 30 schools on education and strategic guidance and talks with donors, boosters, corporate partners and others. ”... Athletes are regularly acknowledging to us that they’re not disclosing. Schools are regularly communicating the struggles that they’re having getting athletes to disclose ... It’s very clear that this is not a full, complete picture of what’s going on in the NIL space.”What lies ahead for Year 2, beyond maybe new laws or group licensing? Opendorse thinks it’s the potential of NIL spending topping more than $1 billion.An estimated $607.4 million could go to Power Five schools, with an average annual compensation $16,074 per athlete, Opendorse said. Already, about three-fourths of the known or forming collectives, which are third-party NIL kingmakers made up of school donors and boosters, are connected to Power Five schools.Athletes’ deals with brands — from financial businesses to apps to fashion — will likely rise, too. Opendorse projects that brand deals will encompass 64% of all NIL compensation in Year 2 and bring in about $730.4 million.Donovan, a former president of the National Association for Athletics Compliance, also believes there will be more importance placed on helping athletes understand tax implications of NIL deals: “There’s several schools across the country that are doing a good job there, but that needs to be built out as we see these large financial figures.”ATHLETES MAKE HOW MUCH?It’s a broad range. INFLCR’s overall average NIL transaction value is $1,815 through June 30. Athliance, another disclosure platform, has an average value of $1,524.58. Though the true picture may lie in INFLCR’s median NIL transaction value of $53.The Opendorse platform said average annual compensation for an athlete in NCAA Divisions I-III combined is $3,438 ( through May 31). By division, DI athletes saw an average of $3,711, $204 in DII and $309 in DIII.Football NIL deals tend to be hefty, with an average of $3,390.95 on Athliance and $3,396 on INFLCR. Opendorse broke down average compensation per football position, ranging from $403 for a specialist, $758 for the defensive line and $2,128 for quarterback.Women’s sports overall received $1,084 on average for an NIL deal, per INFLCR, with women’s gymnastics soaring to a $7,054 average.Some of the average transaction figures for nonrevenue sports through May 31 on INFLCR were surprising: $8,967 for swimming and diving, $6,087 for rifle and $4,813 for men’s golf — all higher than football and in the platform’s top five. Athliance cited an average of $1,850 for hockey, $1,400 for waterskiing and $1,026.67 for indoor track and field.MEN’S VS. WOMEN’SAs of June 20, men’s sports received 62.7% of total compensation in the NCAA and NAIA combined, compared with 37.3% for women’s sports, Opendorse said. Remove football and women flip it to 52.8% vs. 47.2% for men. The difference in Division III was stark through May 31: 82.9% men vs. 17.1% women.Football (49.9%) and men’s basketball (17%) dominated total NIL compensation by sport in Opendorse’s platform through June 20, with women’s basketball (15.7%), women’s volleyball (2.3%) and softball (2.1%) rounding out the top five. Football also took the top spot in INFLCR’s number of NIL transactions through May 31 with 23.7%, followed by men’s basketball (22.3%), softball (8.2%), baseball (6%) and women’s basketball (4.7%).When it comes to total NIL activities, Opendorse says football (29.3%) is the leader, then baseball (8%), men’s basketball (7.6%), women’s track and field (5.6%) and women’s volleyball (5.5%).Donor money also favors men’s sports — a whopping 93% of it, Opendorse said. The average monthly compensation from donors at the DI level is $1,012.Meanwhile, 91% of all women’s NIL activities are brand-related on Opendorse’s platform, but 62% of all brand compensation went to men’s sports.WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR YOUR DOUGH?Social media remains supreme for NIL activity/transactions — 67.6% from Opendorse and 61% from INFLCR, both as of June 30. The average value of a social media NIL transaction is $905 and the median is $50, INFLCR said.Multi-activity brand endorsement — endorsing something more than once — has a major share in Opendorse’s platform at 24.4% of NIL compensation. When it comes to brand activity, 36.73% is licensing rights for an average of $9,877 per deal and 34.19% is posting content with an average of $156 per post.WHAT THE SCHOOLS HAVE DIVULGEDOhio State says its athletes have gotten more than 1,000 NIL deals since July 1, 2021 — up from about 600 worth a total of $2.98 million at the six-month mark.Kansas athletes inked 219 deals from July 1, 2021, to May 5 — a period that includes the Jayhawks winning the men’s NCAA basketball tournament — for a total value of $380,915.01, according to public records obtained by the Topeka Capital-Journal. The majority of deals were for less than $1,000.At least one Kansas athlete from all 18 sports had at least one deal, according to a recent release from the school.And at Norfolk State, running back Rayquan Smith let everyone know he has 66 NIL deals, calling himself the “ King of NIL.”

One year of NIL: How much have athletes made?

Winners were announced for the local showing of the Pitch, Hit &amp; Run
event hosted by the Major League Baseball. The competition provides boys and
girls an opportunity to showcase their baseball and softball skills.&nbsp;

The event was held at the Great Bend Sports Complex on July 5.

8U Girls: Brooks Hogan 10U Girls: Baze Hogan 12U Girls: N/A 14U Girls: N/A

8U Boys: Lincoln Cale 10U Boys: Eli Boor 12U Boys: Noah Kaiser 14U Boys: Evan Amador

The children are scored on their pitching, hitting and running. 
Pitch, Hit &amp; Run is for children 7-14 years old. Based on their scores, the
winners will have a chance to advance to a Team Championship held at an MLB
ballpark. From there, winners have an opportunity to compete at the National Finals at the MLB World Series. 
Last year, Great Bend had three children earn a trip to Kauffman Stadium in
Kansas City to compete in the Team Championship.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632167498322.jpeg" alt="Baze Hogan pictured from the 2021 Team Championship of the Pitch, Hit &amp; Run competition." />
 <figcaption>Baze Hogan pictured from the 2021 Team Championship of the Pitch, Hit &amp; Run competition.</figcaption>
 </figure>Winners were announced for the local showing of the Pitch, Hit &amp; Run
event hosted by the Major League Baseball. The competition provides boys and
girls an opportunity to showcase their baseball and softball skills.&nbsp;The event was held at the Great Bend Sports Complex on July 5.Winners from each age group were:8U Girls: Brooks Hogan 10U Girls: Baze Hogan 12U Girls: N/A 14U Girls: N/A8U Boys: Lincoln Cale 10U Boys: Eli Boor 12U Boys: Noah Kaiser 14U Boys: Evan Amador The children are scored on their pitching, hitting and running. 
Pitch, Hit &amp; Run is for children 7-14 years old. Based on their scores, the
winners will have a chance to advance to a Team Championship held at an MLB
ballpark. From there, winners have an opportunity to compete at the National Finals at the MLB World Series. 
Last year, Great Bend had three children earn a trip to Kauffman Stadium in
Kansas City to compete in the Team Championship.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Winners announced from Great Bend’s Pitch, Hit & Run

&nbsp;The Big 12 Conference has announced its 2022 Preseason All-Big 12 Football Team and individual awards, chosen by media representatives who cover the league. The media preseason poll will be released on Thursday. 2022 Preseason All-Big 12 Football Team Offensive Player of the Year:&nbsp;Bijan Robinson, Texas, RB, 6-0, 221, Jr., Tucson, Ariz. &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Defensive Player of the Year:&nbsp;Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas State, DL, 6-4, 255, Jr., Kansas City, Mo. Newcomer of the Year:&nbsp;Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma, QB, 6-0, 205, R-Jr., Mililani, Hawaii&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Pos Name School Ht Wt Class Hometown

QB Spencer Sanders 1 Oklahoma State 6-1 210 R-Sr. Denton, Texas

RB Deuce Vaughn ^2 Kansas State 5-6 176 Jr. Round Rock, Texas

&nbsp;The Big 12 Conference has announced its 2022 Preseason All-Big 12 Football Team and individual awards, chosen by media representatives who cover the league. The media preseason poll will be released on Thursday. 2022 Preseason All-Big 12 Football Team Offensive Player of the Year:&nbsp;Bijan Robinson, Texas, RB, 6-0, 221, Jr., Tucson, Ariz. &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Defensive Player of the Year:&nbsp;Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas State, DL, 6-4, 255, Jr., Kansas City, Mo. Newcomer of the Year:&nbsp;Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma, QB, 6-0, 205, R-Jr., Mililani, Hawaii&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;OffensePos Name School Ht Wt Class HometownQB Spencer Sanders 1 Oklahoma State 6-1 210 R-Sr. Denton, TexasRB Deuce Vaughn ^2 Kansas State 5-6 176 Jr. Round Rock, TexasRB Bijan Robinson ^1 Texas 6-0 221 Jr. Tucson, Ariz.FB Jared Rus 1 Iowa State 6-2 240 R-Sr. Eldridge, IowaWR Xavier Hutchinson 1 Iowa State 6-3 210 R-Sr. Jacksonville, Fla.WR Quentin Johnston 1 TCU 6-4 212 Jr. Temple, TexasWR Xavier Worthy 1 Texas 6-1 163 So. Fresno, Calif.TE Ben Sims 3 Baylor 6-4 253 Sr. San Antonio, TexasOL Connor Galvin 1 Baylor 6-7 310 R-Sr. Katy, TexasOL Jacob Gall 3 Baylor 6-2 305 R-Sr. Cincinnati, OhioOL Trevor Downing 1 Iowa State 6-4 310 R-Sr. Creston, IowaOL Cooper Beebe 1 Kansas State 6-4 322 Jr. Kansas City, Kan.OL Zach Frazier 2 West Virginia 6-3 306 So. Fairmont, W.Va.PK Casey Legg 3 West Virginia 6-4 216 R-Sr. Charleston, W.Va.KR/PR Malik Knowles 1 Kansas State 6-3 200 Sr. Mansfield, TexasDefenseDL Siaki Ika 2 Baylor 6-4 350 Jr. Salt Lake City, UtahDL Will McDonald IV 1 Iowa State 6-4 245 R-Sr. Pewaukee, Wis.DL Felix Anudike-Uzomah 1 Kansas State 6-4 255 Jr. Kansas City, Mo.DL Collin Oliver 2 Oklahoma State 6-2 235 So. Oklahoma City, Okla.DL Dante Stills 1 West Virginia 6-4 285 Sr. Fairmont, W.Va.LB Dillon Doyle 3 Baylor 6-3 242 Sr. Iowa City, IowaLB Daniel Green 3 Kansas State 6-3 242 Sr. Portland, Ore.LB DeMarvion Overshown 3 Texas 6-4 221 Sr. Arp, TexasDB Kenny Logan Jr. 2 Kansas 6-0 210 Sr. St. Augustine, Fla.DB Julius Brents 3 Kansas State 6-4 202 Sr. Indianapolis, Ind.DB Jason Taylor II 3 Oklahoma State 6-0 215 R-Sr. Roanoke, TexasDB Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson 1 TCU 5-9 180 Sr. Waco, TexasDB Charles Woods West Virginia 5-11 193 Sr. Dallas, TexasP Michael Turk 1 Oklahoma 6-0 228 R-5th Dallas, TexasPlayers listed alphabetically by school. ^Unanimous Preseason Team selection. 1 2021 All-Big 12 First Team selection; 2 2021 All-Big 12 Second Team selection; 3 2021 All-Big 12 Honorable Mention.